Your Majesty, she doesn't want to flip the brand

Compared with Zhong Qingyi's perfunctory answer, Ye Ningxuan refined the main points and told Zhou Xingzhi what they planned to do.

"The number of imperial troops does not need to be changed. As for the number of eunuchs, as long as they are maintained and no new additions are made, they will naturally decrease after a period of time." Ye Ningxuan said, she took a longer-term view, "As for the palace maids, this A group of people over the age of 25 will be arranged to be released from the palace, about 200 people."

"As for the other young ones, we can arrange them to work as managers in Huangzhuang. If they perform well, they can start a family outside. At that time, it will be regarded as reducing the number of staff."

"What do you think of my solution, Your Majesty?" Ye Ningxuan asked.

"Very good, the queen is really powerful." Zhou Xingzhi praised without hesitation, "With the queen by my side, I can sleep at ease."

After hearing Zhou Xingzhi's words, a small guilty conscience flashed in Ye Ningxuan's eyes.I don't know why, but every time she sleeps with Zhou Xingzhi, she likes to move around, and she doesn't know if Zhou Xingzhi, who is hugged tightly by her, can really sleep peacefully.

"This was originally the idea of ​​Concubine Zhong's sister, I just improved her suggestion." Ye Ningxuan coughed lightly, but did not take all the credit for herself.

"What did my sister say? I just put forward some small opinions, but my sister is the best." Zhong Qingyi said with a smile, and continued to blow rainbow farts to Ye Ningxuan, "I learned a lot from my sister."

Zhou Xingzhi's eyes fell on Zhong Qingyi. The queen and concubine got along well, which seemed to be a good thing, but why did she feel that Zhong Qingyi seemed to be too enthusiastic about Ye Ningxuan.When I went by myself yesterday, Zhong Qingyi's attitude was not so enthusiastic. Could it be that her attitude was not good enough?

Because there were still memorials to be processed, Zhou Xingzhi didn't stay any longer, and left after sitting for a while.Just after I went to the Imperial Study Room to review a few memorials, someone came to report that the Empress Dowager wanted Zhou Xingzhi to bring the empress and concubine over, so that the big guys could get together.

"Okay, I'll come over with the queen and the others later." Zhou Xingzhi responded, and closed the memorial after reviewing it.

In order to show his importance to the Queen, Zhou Xingzhi went to Fengyi Palace in person when it was almost dinner time, planning to take Ye Ningxuan to the banquet with him.As for the other four concubines, Zhou Xingzhi just sent someone to greet them.

"Come on, the queen should sit on it first." Zhou Xingzhi took a step back and made room for the seat in the car.

"Your Majesty, this is a dragon chariot. It is inappropriate for me to sit on it." Ye Ningxuan also took a step back.The dragon chariot can be said to be the exclusive existence of the emperor, even the regent and the queen mother would not dare to sit on it openly, let alone her.

"It's okay, I've said it before, you and I are a husband and wife, and I can sit as well as the queen." Zhou Xingzhi held Ye Ningxuan's hand and gestured to help her up.

"Your Majesty." Ye Ningxuan was a little helpless. Does Your Majesty know what this means?Although Queen Longnian is also qualified to sit on it, since the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, only the Queen Taizu who fought with the Emperor Taizu had this honor.

"Go up quickly, don't keep your mother waiting for too long." Zhou Xingzhi urged, "This is my seat, and I am willing to give you half of it."

Ye Ningxuan couldn't resist Zhou Xingzhi, so she could only hold her hand and get on the dragon chariot, "Your Majesty, don't mess around like this next time."

"I'm not messing around." After Ye Ningxuan sat down firmly, Zhou Xingzhi stepped up, "It's reasonable for the emperor and empress to travel together."

I will trouble Ye Ningxuan with many things in the future, so what if I treat her better at this time.It's just that they sat on a dragon carriage together, so it's not a big problem, maybe they will share half of their own dragon chair with her later.

Zhou Xingzhi and Ye Ningxuan arrived almost at lunch time, but the four concubines who had received the news before that had arrived half an hour earlier, sitting neatly on Qin Ran's lower head, racking their brains to speak nice words.

Strictly speaking, three of them should be racking their brains to say beautiful words, and the rest Zhong Qingyi likes Qin Ran from the bottom of his heart, and he doesn't need to draft a rainbow fart.

"I have heard since I was a child that the Empress Dowager is very talented, and the articles she writes are even more brilliant than the champions at that time." Zhong Qingyi's eyes were extremely bright.Compared with Miss Ye Ningxuan who is the same age as her, a beauty like Qin Ran who has passed through time is the big sister she likes more.

Who doesn't like to hear rainbow farts? Qin Ran was also amused by Zhong Qingyi's words, and the corner of his mouth never let go, "It was all so many years ago, it's hard for you to remember."

"Of course it's because you are so outstanding, Empress Dowager. You have always been legendary in the capital." Zhong Qingyi said with a smile.

"You kid, you have a sweet mouth." Qin Ran slightly adjusted his sitting posture, and talked about the serious business, "I heard you went to discuss things with the queen this morning?"

"Yes, the queen sister and I feel that some personnel in the palace are a bit redundant, so we want to reduce some." Zhong Qingyi simply mentioned, "After a while, about two hundred or so older palace ladies will be released. "

"It's a good idea. I had the same idea a few years ago, but because there are too many things to deal with, I just press it again and again." Qin Ran said, "I'm very happy that you and the queen can think of this. "

"Thank you Queen Mother for your compliment." Zhong Qingyi said with a smile, "But I just entered the palace, some things are not very clear, I wonder if I can ask the Queen Mother for advice."

"If you and the empress don't quite understand, you can ask me together." Qin Ran said with a smile, although the child in front of her is very good at pleasing her, but she will not cross the empress to intervene in palace affairs.

"That's really great, thank you Queen Mother." After hearing Qin Ran's words, Zhong Qingyi's eyes brightened even more.If I bring the queen with me to find the queen mother, wouldn't I be able to have a young lady on the left and a big sister on the right?

God, what a happy and beautiful picture this is!

Unfortunately, the sound of kneeling at the door quickly broke Zhong Qingyi's beautiful imagination. She could only watch Zhou Xingzhi come in holding Ye Ningxuan's hand, and she had to get up from her seat and bow her knees to salute.

"See Your Majesty and Empress." Zhong Qingyi's beautiful imagination was shattered at the first glance, and it was this stinky emperor who could really hug him left and right!

"Excuse me." Zhou Xingzhi stepped over the threshold and walked in with Ye Ningxuan, then let go of her hand and bowed to the queen mother together, "Meet the queen mother."

"Your Majesty and the Empress are here, sit down quickly." Qin Ran maintained the smile on his face, turned his head and said to the maid beside him, "Order, pass the meal."

It is said that they are eating together, but the only people who can really eat at the same table are Qin Ran, Zhou Xingzhi and Ye Ningxuan.The remaining four concubines are not eligible to sit at the same table, so they can only gather another table at a place below.

When the food was served, Zhou Xingzhi's eyes skipped over the other people, Zhong Qingyi, Li Shaoyun, Yang Bai'an, and finally stopped on Liu Lanze, who was a bit unfamiliar.

Liu Lanze, 16 years old this year, came from an aristocratic family, and was the daughter of the Minister of Rites. She looked like a very gentle and polite person. This was the information that came to Zhou Xingzhi's mind.

Zhou Xingzhi's eyes didn't linger on Liu Lanze for a long time, he quickly turned his attention to his own table, picked out some of Ye Ningxuan's favorite foods and put them in her bowl, "Eat more."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Ye Ningxuan was a little embarrassed.It didn't matter that there were only two of them eating before, but now that there is an extra Qin Ran as an elder, it seems a bit abrupt for Zhou Xingzhi to serve her food.

"Your Majesty and the Empress have a very good relationship." Qin Ran said with a hint of relief in his eyes.

"The queen is very good, I like the queen very much." Zhou Xingzhi was not stingy in expressing his feelings, "I feel at ease with the queen by my side."

Qin Ran didn't say anything, but when he looked at Ye Ningxuan, his eyes became more gentle.The emperor and the empress are in harmony, and the empress keeps the people below her down so that the harem will be stable.

In a blink of an eye, it will soon be time for the second court meeting. During the few days in between, Zhou Xingzhi has been conscientiously reviewing the memorials every day, discussing with Qin Ran or Ye Ningxuan when he doesn't understand, and finally figured out the meaning of the previous court. basic situation.

"Your Majesty, the minister has a book to play." As soon as he went to court, a minister stood up.

"Aiqing, please tell me." Zhou Xingzhi straightened his waist, with an air of listening attentively.

"The minister wants to participate in the household affairs minister's corruption and acceptance of bribes, and let his son commit murder!" The person who stood up to speak was the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, the fourth rank.

"Nonsense, Your Majesty, I have been wronged." The Minister of the Household Department immediately jumped out to retort, "Do you have evidence for my corruption and bribery, and my indulgence in murder?"

"That's natural." The Shaoqing of Dali Temple glanced at the servant of the household department, and took out a memorial and a stack of folded papers from his cuff, "Your Majesty, this is the evidence compiled by the minister, please have a look at it."

Wei Zhong took the memorial and checked it, and handed it over to Zhou Xingzhi after confirming that there was no danger.

Zhou Xingzhi opened the memorial, browsed line by line, frowning more and more tightly, and then opened the confession that was sent together, and fell into silence.

"Take it down and see for yourself." Zhou Xingzhi's face was not very good-looking. You must know that he had just adopted an opinion from the Minister of the Household Department the day before yesterday, reduced some expenses, and discussed the statistics of floating population by the way.

On the front foot, she entrusted the servant of the household department with a heavy responsibility, and on the back foot, someone ginseng took bribes and protected his children. This is not to be the servant of the household department, this is slapping her in the face.

Hubu Shilang took the memorial and the so-called evidence, and after seeing half of it, he couldn't help it, and said angrily, "Your Majesty, I am wronged, and the people and ministers in these confessions don't know each other. I don't know where they come from." The confession I got, I just want to put the shit bowl on the minister, but the minister refuses to accept."

"Shaoqing, what can you say?" Zhou Xingzhi asked calmly.

"I report to Your Majesty, I not only have confessions as evidence, but also witnesses." The young minister of Dali Temple was not panicked at all, "The only son of the Minister of the Household Bureau blatantly robbed a civilian girl on the street three days ago. If you don't follow, the servant's son will scratch her face."

The Shaoqing of Dali Temple paused for a while, "Master Jingzhao Yiqiu should have heard about this matter, after all, that woman beat the drum to complain about her grievances."

"Qiu Aiqing, is what Shaoqing said true?" Zhou Xingzhi asked.It seems that this group of people came prepared. They didn't say anything during the small court meeting, and directly brought the matter to the big court meeting. This is forcing themselves to deal with it.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, there was indeed a woman beating drums in the yamen yesterday to protest her grievances, but after I was promoted to court, that woman suddenly refused to sue. I saw that she was a weak woman, so I did not pursue her for reporting a false case. "Jing Zhaoyi said, "I didn't hear the woman mention anyone that day. The woman herself claimed that she scratched her face when she accidentally fell down."

"Does Shaoqing have any other explanations?" Zhou Xingzhi began to feel bad in his heart, and then temporarily changed his words after beating the drums to express his grievances. No matter how you look at it, it looks like he has received coercion.

Sure enough, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple quickly continued, "I also think this matter is very strange, so I investigated it in private, and finally found out that someone used the young brother of the woman's family to threaten the other party. If she dares to sue If the Minister's words, she will throw her younger brother into the water and drown."

"Your Majesty, this woman, her parents, and her younger brother are all witnesses." The Shaoqing of Dali Temple said and paused, "Of course, if the servant of the household department doesn't believe it, you can send someone to Go to the field to visit, when the servant boy went to arrest the girl's younger brother, many people in the village must have seen it."

"Your Majesty, please make a decision, and the woman should be treated fairly." After speaking, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple knelt down on the ground and kowtowed heavily.

Zhou Xingzhi took a deep look at the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, and then shifted his gaze to the servant of the household department, "Sir, what do you want to argue?"

"Your Majesty, although my son is a bit of a dandy, he will definitely not flirt with women in the street, let alone use his power to overwhelm others and do that kind of animal behavior!" The servant of the household department also knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily .

"Your Majesty, please investigate this matter thoroughly, and return the minister and Quanzi for justice." The minister of household department really didn't believe that his son would do such a thing.

Zhou Xingzhi frowned, "Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment."

"The minister is here." The Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment stood up.

"I've left this matter to you. You go and find out the truth of the matter." Zhou Xingzhi said, "Also, Jing Zhaoyi, please help the Minister of the Ministry of Justice to handle this matter."

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice is considered neutral, while Jing Zhaoyi is biased towards the royalist party. If the matter is left to these two people to investigate, there should be no problem in the result.

"The minister complies with the decree." The Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment and Jing Zhaoyi stood up together to receive the decree.

The participation of Shaoqing of Dali Temple directly disrupted Zhou Xingzhi's arrangement. If she proposed to re-count the population of some places at this time, then she must not hand over the position of the person in charge to her trusted servant of the household department.

"Your Majesty, I have a book to play." After the matter came to an end, Yu Shi stood up.

Zhou Xingzhi raised his brows, isn't the censor a small expert who complains, and he likes to pick on the emperor's faults the most.

"Ai Qing, please tell me." Zhou Xingzhi braced himself to respond.

"I want to read your majesty's book. Your majesty is the king of a country, and heirs are extremely important matters. Your majesty should not indulge in the beauty of one person, but should be exposed to both rain and dew." The person who spoke was the inspector of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Shi, the grade is only the seventh grade, if it is not for the Dachao today, he will not have the chance to go to the court.

Zhou Xingzhi raised his brows, "When did I not get wet with rain and dew?" She had only been married for a long time, and she started urging her children. Does this censor have no brains?

"I heard that His Majesty has stayed in the Queen's bedroom for ten days in a row. A son is certainly important, but His Majesty must also consider the continuation of the bloodline and pamper the other concubines." Yushi said sternly.

As a censor, it is a bad policy to pick the courtiers' questions, and pick out the monarch's questions, only then will there be a chance to be famous in history.

Zhou Xingzhi narrowed his eyes slightly, "Are you teaching me how to do things?"

"I don't dare, I just think about your majesty, the country and the country." Yushi knelt on the ground, straightened his back, with a fearless face, "Even if the queen is beautiful, your majesty can't act like this."

"Okay, then let me ask you, how did you know that I have been staying in the queen's palace?" Zhou Xingzhi narrowed his eyes slightly, and the tiger really regarded her as a sick cat if he didn't show his strength. He dared to use such ridiculous reasons To visit her?It's too long for a mere seventh-rank official to dare to talk about her family's Ye Ningxuan's appearance!

"This..." Yu Shi was at a loss for words for a moment, of course someone had told him the news, but he couldn't say it out.

"Spy on the traces of the emperor and bury nails in the palace." Zhou Xingzhi sneered, "Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment, what crime should this be?"

"Your Majesty, both are capital offenses." Minister of Punishments said with his head down.

"Come on, drag this censor down and cut him off at the Meridian Gate immediately!" Zhou Xingzhi happened to be angry, and this censor dared to bump into him, he was looking for death.

"Think twice, Your Majesty, the censor's duty is..." A minister below wanted to intercede.

"Is the censor's duty to spy on my whereabouts and who I'm sleeping with?" Zhou Xingzhi interrupted him, "This kind of thing has one thing and two things. If anyone wants to ask for mercy, I will deal with the same crime."

After hearing Zhou Xingzhi's words, those ministers who wanted to persuade him immediately shut up.Their majesty is young and energetic, if he hits the muzzle of a gun, he might really be dealt with.

"Your Majesty, I have been wronged, I have not..." Before Yu Shi finished speaking, the guards on duty stepped forward and took off his hat, gagged his mouth and dragged him out.

Zhou Xingzhi looked at all this coldly, without the slightest change in the expression on his face, "I hope that the Yushimen of the Metropolitan Procuratorate can help me supervise the officials and monitor whether the local officials have done anything. Go to the field to visit and see if the people have been affected. Injustice, instead of staring at me, staring at my harem, for the sake of the so-called false name, come to me for a copy. This is true for Yushi, and it is also true for hundreds of officials, do you remember?"

Zhou Xingzhi said that this was the first time she got angry during the court meeting. This time, if the fire was well lit, those people would burn so that they would have a long memory.

"Your servants, please follow the sacred metaphor." After hearing Zhou Xingzhi's words, all civil and military officials bowed and bowed in unison.

Soon, the imperial guards came over to reply, saying that Yushi's head had fallen to the ground, and asked how to deal with it.

"Does he have a wife and children?" Zhou Xingzhi asked.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this person has a son and three daughters under his knees." Another censor stood up and said.

"Although what he committed is a capital crime, the disaster is not as serious as his wife, children and clan. Let me allocate 300 taels of silver from my private treasury as his family expenses." Zhou Xing said with a sigh, "If there is a suitable person in the clan My son, I allow them to choose two of them to study in the Imperial College."

"Your Majesty is merciful, they will definitely understand His Majesty's painstaking efforts." The winking people quickly began to flatter and beautify Zhou Xingzhi's behavior just now.

This is obviously the behavior of giving a sweet date with a stick. If it was done by one person, the family of the censor might feel resentful, but Zhou Xingzhi is the emperor and the master of the whole country. They are all in awe of the monarch in their bones Yes, so I can only thank His Majesty for not pursuing responsibility, and accepting the imperial edict with gratitude.

After all, generally speaking, the descendants of officials who made mistakes are not allowed to be officials for three generations. Zhou Xingzhi made this decree to show that she will not continue to pursue the matter, and this matter will end with the death of the censor.

Zhou Xingzhi cut down a censor's behavior vigorously and directly, which directly refreshed the civil and military officials' understanding of their monarch. In the following court meetings, each report was very well-behaved, and he did not dare to use words. Too much, for fear of touching the young emperor's bad luck.

It wasn't until it was time for lunch that the court meeting ended.Zhou Xingzhi kindly asked the imperial dining room to prepare lunch for these ministers, and allowed them to rest after eating before going back.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Ye didn't leave the hall. It seems that he wants to discuss something with you." After the court, Wei Zhong came over and said.

"Let the prime minister have lunch first, and then I will talk to the prime minister in detail." Zhou Xingzhi still wanted to be a good and dedicated emperor in his heart, but her stomach was not enough to cooperate, and she was still growing up. Raised the status of lunch a little.

When you are full, you will have the strength to continue working!

Originally, Zhou Xingzhi planned to have dinner with Ye Ningxuan and discuss today’s affairs by the way, but after Ye Chengping was waiting, Zhou Xingzhi could only cancel this arrangement, and asked the imperial dining room to deliver some random dishes. After filling his stomach, he went to see Ye Prime Minister.

"I see Your Majesty." After entering the hall, Prime Minister Ye knelt down and saluted.

"Prime Minister, please get up quickly." Zhou Xingzhi hurried down and helped him up with his own hands, "Come on, Prime Minister just sit and talk."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Prime Minister Ye did not refuse Zhou Xingzhi's kindness, and sat down on her left.

"The prime minister is looking for me, is there something important to discuss?" Zhou Xingzhi asked.

"Your Majesty, I'm here for my little girl." Ye Chengxiang sighed, "Your Majesty is willing to protect my little girl, and I'm very happy, but your majesty doesn't have to do this for my little girl. Your Majesty is still too serious about beheading Yushi." I'm too impulsive, I'm afraid it will hurt His Majesty's reputation."

"The prime minister was joking. The queen is my wife. Could it be that as the king of a country, I can't even protect my wife?" Zhou Xingzhi said with a smile, "Besides, I don't care about fame, I only care about whether the people can eat and wear warm clothes." .”

"Your Majesty..." After hearing Zhou Xingzhi's words, Prime Minister Ye had an extremely complicated expression on his face.He didn't know whether he should be happy that his daughter was valued, or worry in advance that Zhou Xingzhi would regret what he did today, which would lead to some bad things happening.