The Ming Dynasty started with caution

In early January of the 18th year of Hongzhi's reign, it was still dark.

In the courtyard, there were heavy snow piles, and the cold air penetrated into the nostrils. The ice made the nose hurt, making people not want to get up.

The butler walked in and urged: "Master, it's time to go to the palace and take duty."

Qin Hong lifted the quilt and quickly covered it back: "Why is it colder this year than last year? I will sleep for another quarter of an hour."

After shrinking back into the quilt, not long after, heavy and long snoring sounded.

The butler stared at the clock anxiously.

A quarter of an hour later, he reminded again: "Master, quarter of an hour is up."

Qin Hong opened his eyes and felt that he hadn't slept for a quarter of an hour.

It was so cold that my waist couldn't help but tremble, and I retreated into the bed again.

"What's wrong with me? I can't get up. Send someone to tell Sun Jing and ask for a day off for me."

The butler turned around and trotted out.

…

Early morning,

Officials who took leave due to illness reported one after another.

Emperor Hongzhi patted the imperial case and snorted coldly: "I can get up, but they can't? They all asked me for leave under false pretexts of illness."

Since the autumn period, all officials have not taken a break.

Xiao Jing looked troubled: "Your Majesty, veterans like Liu Gong and Ma Gong cannot stand the wind and cold. This year, it is indeed colder than in previous years."

There are duck down clothes in Liangxiang, but when you wear those clothes, you look as fat as a pig, and you have to wear official clothes.

Baiguan would rather stay cold than wear clothes.

Emperor Hongzhi turned to look at Xiao Jing, feeling a little unhappy: "Who is here?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Li Gong, Xie Gong, Han Wen, Zhang Sheng, Wei Shen, and Yan Chengjin are also here."

Emperor Hongzhi's cold expression couldn't help but melt into a smile: "The Yan Qing family is diligent and never late."

Your Majesty, you are right, but your Majesty, he will not stay for a moment longer.

During this period, Xiao Jing did not dare to arrange Yan Chengjin: "Now, Yan Chengjin is exercising in the house and is in good health."

Emperor Hongzhi said: "In the future, all the ministers who will come to court will be summoned to Nuange to discuss matters."

The Metropolitan Procuratorate and Menzao were swept away before they had time to do so.

Yan Chengjin held the hot water bottle with both hands. On such a cold day, there was not much difference between checking in and outside.

I couldn't hold the powerful pen, as if there was an invisible wind, making my fingers stiff.

All the sparse memorials were written by Fang Xue.

The Little Ice Age is getting colder year by year. It seems that we must advise His Majesty to install earth dragons in all the rooms in the palace.

The little eunuch poked his head in and said, "Master Yan, Your Majesty asked you to go to Dong Nuan Pavilion to discuss matters."

Yan Chengjin took off his disguised mink velvet cloak and followed the young eunuch to Dongnuan Pavilion.

The main hall was sparsely populated, with many ministers missing.

But the strange thing is that Liu Qing, the governor of Shuntian Prefecture, entered the palace and went to court.

Emperor Hongzhi wore a golden dragon robe, which was thick and majestic: "I am deeply pleased that you can enter the palace, which shows your loyalty to the imperial court."

This morning, the heavy snow covered the shepherd's tent like a sandstorm, covering the capital with a layer of snow that can kill people.

At the beginning of the court meeting, Li Dongyang bowed and reported: "The remaining preparations for the Beijing inspection have been completed. As for the inspection list, I will submit it later."

Emperor Hongzhi nodded and expressed that he was very relieved about Li Dongyang.

Immediately afterwards, Han Wen bowed: "After the balance is over at the end of the year, I will report to Your Majesty once everything is done."

It's cold and everything is slower.

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Liu Qing, the governor of Shuntian Prefecture: "Liu Qing's family has entered the palace, but you have something to report to me?"

"Twenty-eight people froze to death in the city yesterday," Liu Qing said heartbroken.

Emperor Hongzhi's face moved slightly, and he was freezing to death. What a tragic scene it was.

All officials take it for granted. How can it be called winter if it doesn’t freeze to death?

A hint of unbearability flashed in Yan Chengjin's eyes: "The Metropolitan Procuratorate would like to beg for a room in the palace and install an earth dragon."

Now it's just an appetizer. It was even colder during the Wanli period, and it snowed heavily in Hainan, more than a foot thick!

All the officials looked eagerly at Emperor Hongzhi.

This man finally said something humane, your majesty, you have an earth dragon in the Nuan Pavilion, and the attendants like me are freezing to death.

Knowing that the weather was unusually cold, Emperor Hongzhi coughed in embarrassment: "You guys are lighting the charcoal fire, and I will pay you the bills."

Repairing a palace easily costs three hundred thousand taels, not to mention digging the ground for all the palaces.

Xiao Jing couldn't help but remind: "Your Majesty, the price of charcoal has increased. I'm afraid it will cost more than a thousand taels of silver in one month."

The price of charcoal has skyrocketed, reaching fifty cents per pound.

Han Wen said: "It cost a lot of money to borrow people as envoys to the vassal country, and the national treasury has no money."

Emperor Hongzhi looked stiff: "Please buy more clothes, sir, and I will pay the bills. From today on, I will not burn the earth dragon."

Yan Chengjin thought for a while: "Can I dig up dragons in the Metropolitan Procuratorate at my own expense?"

The Little Ice Age is not a matter of one or two days, but it is getting colder and colder, and it will be useful next year.

"You can dig if you want. I don't know how to pay for it." Emperor Hongzhi gave this guy a cold look.

Liu Qing's face was full of sorrow: "Your Majesty, we are waiting for clothes to wear, but the price of charcoal has increased, and the people can't even afford firewood for cooking. How will they survive the winter?"

I would like to ask for a donation of 900,000 jins of coal. "

Baiguan's face moved slightly, and the corners of Han Wen's mouth trembled violently.

There are about 300,000 people in the capital. Excluding the wealthy households, each person can receive about four kilograms of charcoal, which can only last a few days.

But it added a huge financial burden to the court.

Even if the imperial court comes to purchase it, 900,000 catties will still cost 40,000 to 50,000 taels of silver.

Han Wen said: "Your Majesty, you can't. The reserves of the national treasury need to protect the salaries of the nine-sided military and overseas fleets. Not a penny can be touched."

Emperor Hongzhi fell into deep thought.

Yan Chengjin's eyes moved slightly, it seemed that coal was needed.

The Little Ice Age was getting colder, but historically, coal was not really used until a hundred years later.

He didn't plan to tell Emperor Hongzhi and the officials yet.

There are a lot of coal mines in Hunhe, Dayu, Mentougou and Juyongguan in the capital.

There is also Wanping County under the jurisdiction of Shuntian Prefecture.

Coal is worthless these days, and the rich people burn charcoal.

Back in the mansion, Yan Chengjin said to He Neng: "Prepare the sedan chair, I have to go to Wanping County, call Wang Bushui."

He Neng looked embarrassed: "Master, Wang Dongjia went to Jiangnan for business."

"That's Xie Yu."

When leaving the city of the capital, Wang Shouren must call.

An hour later, Xie Yu appeared in front of the Yan Mansion, and got on a carriage with Yan Chengjin and went to Wanping County.

...

In Wanping County, two feet of snow covered the houses.

It's not a wealthy family, and the people are too lazy to sweep the snow in their own courtyards.

Old man Huang said to his son, "Come with me to the kiln to pick up coal later."

"Dad, that stuff is poisonous. People will die if it burns. It's so scary. Let's not burn it, shall we?" Huang Shiliu was a little afraid of that stuff.

Old man Huang snorted coldly, "If you don't cook, you will starve to death!"

Cooking requires burning wood, but the nearby mountains and forests have been bought by the gentry, and they are not allowed to go into the mountains to cut wood.

They can only burn corn stalks and hay, but they can't burn for long.

...

Wanping County, government office.

Wu Jian was furious. The lawyer hugged his thigh and cried, "Master, what's the point of you going to Shuntian Prefecture to file a complaint?"

"Submit a letter of impeachment, and the court will not care."

The doorman ran in and reported, "Master, there is an official outside."

Yan Chengjin walked into the government office. There were two official kilns and one private kiln in Wanping County.

But there were far more coal mines in Wanping. There were more than a hundred coal mines, scattered all over the place.

Xie Yu couldn't check the yellow books of these lands, he had to come in person.

Wu Jian saw Wang Shouren's official uniform and Jinyiwei, and knew that this man was not ordinary: "I'm honored to meet you, sir. May I ask which sir in the capital city you are?"

"You don't need to know, just hand over the yellow book of Wanping to me."

Wu Jian looked at the man in front of him who was not wearing official uniform: "What do you want the yellow book for?"

"To check the land, just give it to me." Yan Chengjin said.