Domineering Daming

"Bring Xiao Cao to meet me." Zhu Xu said to Yao Qingqing as soon as he returned to Jinghuan Palace.

Seeing Zhu Xu's expression, Yao Qingqing was a little startled, and quickly said, "It's Your Highness."

"Is there anyone new in the palace recently, I mean, who is the most favored in the harem recently?"

As soon as Cao Huachun came in, Zhu Xu asked directly.

Cao Huachun was startled, thought for a while and said: "Your Highness, that is, Mr. Feng Gui is more favored. Recently, no newcomers have entered the palace."

Feng Guiren is an old man in the palace, Zhu Xu doesn't care much, but there is no newcomer, how to explain Empress Zhang's expression?

Zhu Xu frowned, looked at Cao Huachun and said, "Are you sure?"

Cao Huachun was not sure at the moment, he thought about it seriously, and said, "Your Highness, I will check again."

"Go quickly." Zhu Xu waved his hand. A person who can make Queen Zhang so unhappy is probably also a great person. If he doesn't find out in advance, Zhu Xu may have trouble sleeping and eating.

Zhu Xu was sitting on the reclining chair, tapping his fingers on his thighs, his eyes were calm.

The harem is in trouble, Wei Zhongxian is going to be released from prison, and his uncle is going to be promoted. This series of events seems to be very sudden. Is there any connection?

Not long after, Cao Huachun ran over in a hurry, handed Zhu Xu a note, and said, "Your Highness, take a quick look, Miss Rou gave it to me."

Soft girl?Wu Rou?

Zhu Xu immediately jumped up, took it and opened it, the corners of his mouth twitched, revealing a half-smile.

In black and white, there are three beautiful small characters written: Zhang Yanyao.

Zhu Xu was very strange in his heart. He never expected that in the harem, the person who made Empress Zhang look a little out of sorts would be her. Wei Liangqing's Mrs. Ru was ordered to beat him up for spying on him without authorization. , and then the missing Zhang Yanyao!

He sat on the recliner again, squinting his eyes, with a vague smile on his lips.

Zhang Yanyao, of course, is not the Hakka family, maybe he can give Zhu Youxiao who lost the Hakka family some temporary comfort or freshness, but after all, he is not the Hakka family, and he cannot dominate the harem like the Ke family, and act recklessly without any scruples.

Empress Zhang is not a weak person, if she really gets angry with her, even Zhu Youxiao may not be able to protect Zhang Yanyao if she takes up the airs of the Queen of the Palace and teaches her a lesson.

"Okay, let's go out of the palace, let Yao Qingqing follow me, and tell Lao Cao to prepare."

Zhu Xu threw away the paper casually, stood up with a smile and said.Fear comes from the unknown. Now that the details are known, there is no need to worry so much.

Seeing that Zhu Xu's face turned better, Cao Huachun secretly heaved a sigh of relief, and said, "It's Your Highness."

Zhu Xu went out of the palace this time, apart from the frantic desire to have a good chat with Fu Changzong, the other thing was the flintlock that he had been thinking about all along.

This is a sharp weapon against the Tartars in the future, and Bi Maokang and Yao Qingqing are a pair of bitter mandarin ducks, it's time for them to relieve their lovesickness.

Zhu Xu and Yao Qingqing got into the carriage and walked unsteadily to the outside of the palace.

Yao Qingqing's face was calm, but her hands couldn't help but grabbed the dress and rubbed it back and forth, obviously very nervous.

Zhu Xu smiled slightly and said, "Don't be nervous, the king will never break his promise."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Yao Qingqing pursed her lips and bowed slightly.It's not that she doesn't trust Zhu Xu, but she is worried about Bi Maokang.Their relationship has been coming and going for ten years, and their hearts are getting colder and colder, and their hopeful expectations are becoming more and more eager.

"Your Highness, change the carriage." Just after turning a corner, Cao Wenzhao said in a low voice.

Zhu Xu jumped out of the carriage and quickly ran into another carriage hidden in the alley.Yao Qingqing also got the instructions, so naturally she followed Zhu Xu briskly.

The original carriage left quickly and quietly, and sure enough, a very vigorous figure followed after a short while.

Cao Wenzhao waited for a while before leaving in the carriage. After wandering around the alley for a long time, he made sure that no one was following him, and then went straight out of the city.

Although the capital was still in a panic after being looted by the imperial court, it finally regained some of its former excitement.

Those who have been confiscated rarely dare to complain, just like the crimes detained by the court, coupled with the tradition of no business and no adultery, this move by the court not only made enough money, but also announced to the world once again that the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing business, This time is even more important!

It's okay in the city, once outside the city, it seems to be another world.

Along the way, there are all refugees, ragged, hungry and weak, with no end in sight.

"My lord, can you give me something to eat?"

"Master, for a few pennies, shall we buy something to eat?"

"Miss, the child is pitiful, please take pity on me..."

Zhu Xu lifted the curtain and looked out the window, sighing inwardly.

In the past, the professor always said in class that the demise of the Ming Dynasty seemed to be God's will.Because the Ming Dynasty was an unprecedented peak in the development of Chinese culture, and the emperors of the Ming Dynasty did not have a real faint king.If you want to use the methods that have happened in the past dynasties, then there may not be any.

Therefore, if the Ming Dynasty wants to perish, it has to be God's will.

So, providence.

During the 17 years of Chongzhen's reign, there were severe droughts and locust plagues every year. This is unprecedented. There has never been such a natural disaster in any dynasty in history. It seems to be about to destroy the world. It is terrifying to think about.

Zhu Xu lived in the palace since he was a child, and everything was written in cold books, and he had never read it with his own eyes.Now that the refugees could not be seen at a glance, he could even imagine that more than ten years later, Li Zicheng would lead millions of refugees to break through Tongguan, Datong, and the capital.

"Your Highness, does the imperial court not care about it?" Yao Qingqing knew little about these things even though she was in the world. Looking at these poor refugees, she couldn't help but look at Zhu Xu and said.

Zhu Xu's face turned pale, and he paused, but he didn't speak.

The imperial court did have money, but the money was not used by Zhu Youxiao or Zhu Xu. It still had to be passed through the cabinet, the six ministries, and various local yamen. disaster victims.

Cao Wenzhao drove the carriage, left quickly, and then walked towards a mountain in the distance.

The total population of the Ming Dynasty is only 6000 million, which is theoretically larger than the territory of later generations, so it is very sparsely populated.Wasteland, barren mountains, and barren forests are almost everywhere outside the city.

Naturally, it is worthless in the eyes of others, but in Zhu Xu's eyes, it is all silver.

He seemed to see sweet potatoes growing in the ground and corns standing on them, and they were taken away one by one by him and turned into silver.

You must know that the current land price is roughly third-class, with Xia Tian three to five taels per mu, middle field around seven or eight taels, and upper field only ten to fifteen taels.The yield of wheat in Shangtian is only three to four hundred catties per mu, but sweet potatoes and corn are different. Sweet potatoes weigh more than one thousand catties, and corn also weighs seven to eight hundred catties. They can grow very well in these wastelands and forests!

Zhu Xu glanced at the refugees behind him again, heaved a sigh of relief, wondering if he could sell sweet potatoes and corn to the imperial court for disaster relief, if so, it might be possible to curb those people's tricks.

"Your Highness, here we are."

Not long after, the carriage came to a weather-beaten yard.Behind the yard is a vast mountain.

Cao Wenzhao explained after Zhu Xu walked down: "This mountain is quite special. Only this road can go up the mountain. I have arranged people here, and outsiders can't go up."

Zhu Xu nodded with a smile. Last time he gave Bi Maokang a lot of information. I wonder if he will surprise him?

Chapter 86

Zhu Xu supported his sore waist and looked at the dark door.