The Ming Dynasty started with caution

It was not yet dawn, and the white moon was hanging in the sky.

Yan Chengjin stood in front of the bronze mirror, and Li Qing'e got up to help him dress. Today was Zhu Houzhao's first time to attend court, and he didn't know what would happen.

Early in the morning, the cabinet and the six ministers were also very nervous.

The sedan chair was moving very steadily, but the ministers in the sedan chair were shaking like a soulless tumbler.

The atmosphere at the left and right gates was like the gloomy weather in the rainy season. The officials had dark faces and were listless holding the plaques.

Zhang Yanling was happy: "Brother, it's time for us to rise to heaven."

"Today, we will see the opportunity. First, we will ask for a thousand acres of good land, and then we will ask for the silver mine after a while." Zhang Heling suspected that Zhu Houzhao could not tell how much land one acre and one fen were.

He himself was reluctant to spend money, but he spent it on Zhu Houzhao fiercely, wasn't it just for today!

The golden bell rang!

The ministers walked into the hall one by one.

Zhu Houzhao was wearing a dragon robe and a jade crown, sleeping soundly on the throne.

Liu Jian looked at Li Dongyang, and Li Dongyang looked at Xiao Jing. The ministers were at a loss.

Xiao Jing was about to cry, and whispered: "Your Majesty, if you sleep any more, it's time to leave the court."

Zhu Houzhao opened his eyes hazily and found dozens of eyes staring at him below, without any embarrassment.

"Which of you didn't wash your body? I smell a strange smell."

The ministers were a little flustered.

Washing your body and tying your hair to meet the emperor is a ministerial etiquette, which cannot be underestimated or sloppy. Liu Jian, Li Dongyang and others each sniffed their cuffs and collars.

Yan Chengjin didn't smell it. He sprayed perfume when he went out today, and his whole body smelled fragrant.

Zhu Houzhao was deliberately delaying time and didn't want to discuss court affairs. There was a strange smell, but it came from the Zhang brothers. These two brothers saved soap beans.

"Master Zhang, you buttoned your clothes wrong."

Zhang Fuhua was preoccupied today and neglected the ministerial etiquette, so he bowed and apologized.

Liu Jian said: "Your Majesty, please start discussing court affairs. Today, the Internal Weaving and Dyeing Bureau reported that the Suxing and other prefectures wove 24,780 pieces of silk for the two palaces. Now that Suzhou and Hangzhou are in winter, silk production is difficult, and there is a shortage of public and private sectors. Please reduce it by one third to relieve the people's power."

There are more Princess Taiping and the emperor's grandson in the palace, and more servants to serve.

The expenses are more than 8,000 pieces more than the three people of Emperor Hongzhi's family.

Zhu Houzhao looked at Yan Chengjin: "Old Gao, when will the price of silk increase?"

The faces of the officials twitched fiercely.

Yan Chengjin said: "I don't know about this yet. In addition, in the hall, please obey the ministerial etiquette and don't call the minister's name."

Liu Jian and Li Dongyang nodded.

Zhu Houzhao thought for a moment: "Allow the request."

Li Dongyang bowed and said: "Suzhou pirate Shi Changtian gathered people and gathered soldiers, and plundered rampantly. I beg the court to send ministers to attack him."

"Allow the request."

The ministers looked at each other. His Majesty did not ask, nor did he discuss how to send troops, who to send as the commander, how many ships to give, and how much money to allocate. He directly allowed the request.

The cabinet and the six ministries reported successively and were allowed to request.

A quarter of an hour passed.

Zhu Houzhao stood up happily and looked ahead with a sizzle: "Is there anyone else who wants to request? Then I will be on duty."

The officials were stunned.

Today's morning court was more than an hour faster than the fastest time of Emperor Hongzhi.

Zhang Heling stood up happily. Zhu Houzhao allowed all requests today. "Your Majesty, my family is poor. I want to request a thousand hectares of land east of the capital."

Jiang Mian, Zhang Fuhua and others became nervous. The two were the new emperor's uncles, and they might be allowed to request.

Liu Jian, the other two, and Yan Chengjin were calm.

"No."

Zhang Yanling raised his head and said unconvincedly: "But you approved it just now, so this one letter doesn't matter."

Zhu Houzhao snorted and said: "Let's leave the court!"

The court meeting was over, and the cabinet and the six ministries went directly to the Huagai Palace, accompanied by Zhu Houzhao.

The retired emperor Hongzhi was reviewing the memorials, and now after the new emperor's red seal, he would send them to him for review before he could approve the petition.

Mou Bin said: "Retired emperor, His Majesty and the gentlemen have left the court."

The retired emperor Hongzhi's expression froze, and he turned his head in disbelief: "We just went to court, why did we leave the court?"

Mou Bin didn't know how to answer.

The eunuch outside the door reported: "Reporting to the retired emperor, His Majesty and the gentlemen are here."

Soon, Zhu Houzhao, Yan Chengjin and other ministers walked into the hall.

The retired emperor Hongzhi raised his head slightly: "What did the emperor discuss today?"

He had read all the memorials and knew everything clearly.

He just wanted to see how the new emperor would make decisions and whether there were any mistakes.

Zhu Houzhao said seriously: "Today, my son approved nine memorials and rejected Shouning Hou's request for fiefdom."

The retired emperor Hongzhi nodded.

Zhu Houzhao looked at the retired emperor Hongzhi and said: "My son thinks that as the emperor, he should trust the officials and let them handle the affairs of the court, and should not ask about everything."

The retired emperor Hongzhi said with a cold face: "I think you don't want to discuss the affairs of the court."

Yan Chengjin's heart moved slightly. The emperor changed, but the ministers did not. In fact, the emperor was still in power.

Except for the change of the reign title to Zhengde.

There were no other major changes. After the court discussion, the emperor had to report to the retired emperor Hongzhi.

The emperor was the emperor's judge, and the government orders could not be issued at will. Emperor Hongzhi was teaching the prince how to be an emperor. It might take another three to five years for Zhu Houzhao to really take power.

Zhu Houzhao bowed and said, "If the emperor has nothing to do, I want to take my leave."

The retired emperor Hongzhi agreed without saying anything. Zhu Houzhao turned around and gave Yan Chengjin a look.

Yan Chengjin said, "I will take my leave too."

After the two guys left, the retired emperor Hongzhi suppressed his memorial: "How did the new emperor perform in court today?"

Liu Jian was straightforward: "I don't know if I should say it."

"Master Liu, just speak frankly."

Liu Jian had an expression that said "this emperor is the most disobedient I have ever taught": "The new emperor actually fell asleep in the hall, it's really terrible!"

Li Dongyang and others nodded.

The retired emperor Hongzhi sighed: "The new emperor has a long way to go and still needs the assistance of the masters. What did you discuss just now? Let's discuss it again."

"..."Thank you for moving.

Li Dongyang said: "Shi Changtian, the pirate in Suzhou, is very powerful. In just one year, he recruited more than 17,000 people with excellent equipment. I heard that he intends to take Xin'an County and occupy the land as king."

"There are very few people in the court who can send troops. Who does the retired emperor want to lead?" Zhang Fuhua asked.

The retired emperor Hongzhi glanced at the memorial of the Nine Frontiers that he had just passed over: "I think Liang Cifeng, the thousand households of Liaodong, is not bad, so let him take charge."

Outside the palace.

Zhu Houzhao and Yan Chengjin walked almost side by side, "Lao Gao, I don't want to discuss matters in the Fengtian Hall."

"What does your majesty want to say?" Yan Chengjin had a bad premonition.

Zhu Houzhao was happy: "I want to build an elephant house in the west district and hold court in the elephant house, but my father and the officials will definitely not allow it. You give me some ideas."

Although Zhu Houzhao was the emperor, he was an emperor who was sidelined, and the officials were not willing to listen to him.

In other words, if Zhu Houzhao dared to say it, he would be beaten to death by the retired emperor.

Yan Chengjin thought for a while: "Your majesty thinks too much of me. I am only the sixth assistant of the cabinet, not the chief assistant."

"Then I will promote you to the chief assistant."

The promotion to the chief assistant did not depend on Zhu Houzhao, but on the retired emperor Hongzhi.

Zhu Houzhao's popularity was too bad, and His Majesty was too wise, so the emperor took power and the ministers unanimously agreed.

Now, he is the only minister in the court who truly supports Zhu Houzhao.

"Your Majesty, please go back to Fengtian Hall to review the memorials. I have to go off duty."

"Old Gao, you are a lazy official who has failed in his duties. Come with me!"