My Daming New Empire

Zhu Zhanji turned his head and looked at the pink-faced and shy Sun Xian, and couldn't help showing a smile. "Is it okay to live in the palace? Has anyone deducted the expenses?"

Sun Xian stood still, shook her head and said: "Everything is fine. Your Highness returns home from all over the world, and the inner eunuch in the palace. The maids dare not treat the concubine lightly."

Zhu Zhanji looked at her and tensed her little face. She has just turned 16 years old, and most of the later generations will go to high school, but now, the glory of the family is tied together, and she has become more mature than the students of later generations. too much.

Stretching out his hand to pinch her little face, Zhu Zhanji said with a smile: "No need to be nervous, we are going to be a husband and wife in the future, so tense ourselves every day, are you tired?"

Sun Xian was ashamed to be touched by Zhu Zhanji in the public. She covered her face with her sleeve and said, "Your Highness, please give this concubine some face. If it spreads, it will damage my reputation and your highness' reputation."

Zhu Zhanji laughed and said: "We are unmarried couples, why should we care about other people's words. After Jiji, you lose your innocence and become rigid."

Sun Xian was afraid that Zhu Zhanji would annoy her, so she reached out and hooked Zhu Zhanji's finger with her little finger, and said softly: "People in the palace talk a lot, I dare not be negligent, and I hope Your Highness will not blame me."

Of course, Zhu Zhanji would not really annoy her, and he also knew how harsh this era is to women.It is romantic for a man to go out and have a good time, and it is not acceptable for a girl to gossip with a man who is not a relative.

If she behaves badly, even if Zhu Zhanji likes her again, she won't even think about the position of queen.

So Zhu Zhanji comforted her in turn and said: "You are dignified and virtuous, how can I be willing to blame you. When I came back from Jinan during this expedition, I also saw your parents. The election of the concubine is coming soon, and I also told them that next year In February, they will come to Beijing from their hometown."

Sun Xian looked up at him, her deer-like eyes were full of anticipation and worry. "Will your Highness treat me like before?"

Zhu Zhanji laughed and said: "I will only love you more than before, you don't have to worry, I have already told Grandpa Huang that no one will surpass you in choosing a concubine this time."

"Sure?"

Zhu Zhanji approached her little face, smelled the fragrance on her body and smiled: "Next time you dare to doubt my words, you will be served by family law."

Sun Xian let out a groan, and looked up at the eunuchs and maids around her. Seeing that they all lowered their heads, pretending not to hear what they said, she was a little relieved.

After getting Zhu Zhanji's promise, she also felt relieved, and said softly: "Your Highness is not serious again. When I get married, I am willing to take the family law."

As soon as she finished speaking, she couldn't help being ashamed, and performed a lady's ceremony and said: "It's getting late, I will take Jiaxing and the others to Xingqing Palace tomorrow to meet His Highness Qikuo."

Looking at the back of her running away in a hurry, Zhu Zhanji couldn't help laughing.

The so-called family law service is of course spanking.It's just that she played this game a few times when she was young, and when she had menstruation and developed, she was afraid of it like a tiger.

Now that she got the promise, she can be considered presumptuous for a while.

When she brought a group of young eunuchs and maids into the corridor of Benren Hall, Zhu Zhanji turned back to order Li Liang. "You don't need to drive around, go back to the palace."

Xingqing Palace is no different from when he left ten months ago. Zhu Zhanji left for ten months. When he came back this time, all the eunuchs and maids bowed down with great respect.

Zhu Zhanji was in a happy mood, and personally helped Jin Kuo who could only stay in Xingqing Palace because of his own troubles. "Farewell to October, Eunuch Jin is troubled."

Jin Kuo said tremblingly: "It is the duty of an old slave to serve His Highness, and I dare not be praised by His Highness."

Zhu Zhanji said with a smile: "From the guard eunuch of Ningbo Bosi to the chief eunuch of Yinshou Supervisor, although you have been promoted, but you are only 40 years old, you can only stay in Xingqing Palace, and you must not be able to bear it. But the emperor's grandfather has agreed. I have decided on my overseas development plan, and wait for more than a year, when I travel across the world, will you be willing to hold the horse for me?"

Jin Kuo immediately knelt down on his knees and said, "If I can serve His Highness, I will die."

Zhu Zhanji nodded and said: "You have a good relationship with Zheng He, and you are also familiar with the work of various places in the inner prison. So during this period of time, you will sit in Xingqing Palace and help me count the output of all parts of the country. This time I You have to go to sea yourself, and you have to do business where the ships of Ming Dynasty can reach."

Jin Kuo is only 40 years old, and now Zhu Di is trapped in the Xingqing Palace. Although he has a high position and authority, for an eunuch with ideals and pursuits, it is not yet time to retire.

If there is a chance to go out again, Jin Kuo is of course very willing.

On the other side, Xue Shanggong also knelt on the ground with more than 100 court ladies. Zhu Zhanji said loudly: "I went to the north to march, and you all have hard work without credit. People have rewards."

The rewards in the palace have their own rules, and most of the time it is based on one tael, that is, the youngest palace lady is rewarded with one tael of silver, and each higher level, the more one tael.

There are nearly 400 people in Xingqing Palace, and Zhu Zhanji's reward this time will cost at least 3000 taels of silver.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for the reward!"

Everyone bowed down one after another, and Zhu Zhanji helped Xue Shanggong up again and said with a smile: "Shanggong is different from me, there is no need to give a big gift, let's get flat."

Looking at the nearly 30-year-old woman in front of him, Zhu Zhanji felt a little pity in his heart.In her life, she is destined not to enjoy the life of an ordinary person, nor experience the joy of being a woman.

This Xingqing Palace now, and this palace in the future, will be her prison.She can only bloom here, and then wither silently.

She is 13 years older than Zhu Zhanji, and she cannot become Zhu Zhanji's concubine, let alone give birth to Zhu Zhanji.

Of course, if Zhu Zhanji wanted her to experience the joy of being a woman, he could still do it.

She is 30 years old this year, which is the most beautiful age for a woman in later generations, but this era can already be called an "old man".

However, with her oval face, she doesn't look old at all, and Zhu Zhanji, who even tried 40-year-old women in her previous life, didn't think she was too old.

"Let's go away, I'm a little tired today, I'll ask you guys tomorrow. Eunuch Jin, Xue Shanggong, come with me."

Entering the living room outside his bedroom, Zhu Zhanji sat down on a chair and asked, "Are there any disturbing matters that have not been dealt with recently?"

Jin Kuo bowed and said, "Except for Yu Xian's dispute with Japanese businessmen over tax collection last time, everything has been calm since then."

"I already know about this. No matter where you are from, if you want to come to my Ming Dynasty for trade, you must pay the goods import tax to Daming. Even if my Ming Dynasty is a kingdom of heaven, I will not be taken advantage of."

Although I don't know what it means to be taken advantage of, I still have a better understanding of Zhu Zhanji's intention Jin Kuo.He nodded and said, "It's not that they are dissatisfied with the tax, they just think that the tax rate is too high. The Taizu determined the commercial tax to be one-fifth of the tax, but the Shibo Division has to levy one-fifth of the tariff to make those Japanese merchants dissatisfied."

Zhu Zhanji said with a smile: "Who told them to bring in the cotton and linen fabrics that I don't need in Ming Dynasty? Anything that I can produce in Ming Dynasty will be taxed high. Only things that are scarce and in short supply in Ming Dynasty will be taxed low." , even tax-free.”

Jin Kuo replied: "All departments of the internal supervision have now passed on His Highness's intentions to the various town guards and customs, and the tax rates are set according to His Highness's intentions. For luxury and precious things, there are five taxes for the things that are not lacking in Ming Dynasty, and the rest of the things. The tax is still one for thirty. It’s just that there are some criticisms from the court officials, who think the tax rate is inappropriate.”

"This is the affairs of the internal supervision. The profit from sea trade is also going to the internal treasury instead of the national treasury. Don't worry about them. How is the globe's affairs handled?"

"In the past ten months, the three craftsmen have copied more than [-] globes, and now they are still locked in the workshop of the Bingzhan Bureau and are under strict supervision."

Zhu Zhanji nodded and said: "They are meritorious ministers and should not be treated like this. Tomorrow...no, remember to remind me the next day, and I will go to the Military Bureau to meet them."

Seeing that the conversation between Zhu Zhanji and Jin Kuo came to an end, Xue Shanggong looked at himself again, and said, "Your Highness, since Chunfeng and the others are already serving you closely, shouldn't their identity cards be changed?"

Zhu Zhanji looked at Jin Kuo, waved to him, and waited for him to go out before saying: "Tomorrow, you take them to see Concubine Zhaoyi, register them in the register, and temporarily designate them as... Chenghui."

Chenghui is a kind of concubine rank of prince and grandson.

According to the law of the Ming Dynasty, the official concubines of the prince and grandson are divided into one concubine, two concubines, two Liangdi, six Liangyuan, ten Chenghui, 16 Zhaoxun, and 24 Fengyi.

In other words, Zhu Zhanji can now be graded, and there can be 59 women registered.

As for the other court ladies, he can also be lucky at will. If he is satisfied, he can become an official concubine. If he is not satisfied, he can still let her be a court lady without any responsibility.

Only after being registered can you have a child, or you can register again if you become pregnant.

They have served Zhu Zhanji for several years, and they have worked hard without credit.Cheng Hui's level is neither high nor low. Before Zhu Zhanji got married, this level was just right.

Xue Shanggong nodded and said: "This servant understands."

Chapter 69 Brothers