The Ming Dynasty started with caution

The official roads in the capital are still lively along the way.

Outside the city, there are acres of fields and green trees, and the roads are densely packed with businessmen. After entering the city, the bustling streets and buildings on both sides are rare in Yangzhou in the south of the Yangtze River.

"Grandpa, is this the capital?"

The curtain of the four-wheel carriage revealed the head of a child, his bright and alert eyes scanning the surroundings.

Seeing novel objects makes me feel more inspired.

"Pengju, sit down."

Duke Xu of Wei opened the curtain and guarded the navy of Guangdong and Guangxi for five years. When he came to Beijing for the first time, the capital was indeed very different from before.

I saw groups of scholars surrounding the gate of Gongyuan.

"I'm going to see Queen Mother Zhang later. Yingsu, you can go to Huimin Pharmacy to see a doctor."

"...Ahem, Dad, I'll leave it to you to study."

Xu Yingsu coughed a few times, as if he was seriously ill. He heard that the imperial court had increased the number of scholars in each government's imperial examination by 500.

It was precisely because of this incident that they requested an order to enter the capital.

The imperial court likes to reform its system. Since the general trend is the trend, it should follow the trend and follow the imperial court's reform.

Since the heirs of feudal princes are no longer allowed to be hereditary, they must be allowed to study in the Imperial College, right?

If Emperor Hongzhi were in power, Xu Yan would not dare to ask for begging, but Zhu Houzhao...

Everything is possible.

"Father will tell you after seeing Queen Mother Zhang. You go to see a doctor first."

"My second uncle is so pitiful. He can't inherit the title. After the imperial court reorganized the vassal monarchy, he can't receive any favors. He's also suffering from a serious illness. How will he support himself in the future?" Xu Peng asked.

"...Cough! Cough! Dad, take this little bastard away, I don't want to take him."

"..." Xu Yan.

………

Kunning Palace.

Zhu Houzhao only had four hours of listening time every day.

According to Yan Chengjin, people can only work four hours a day. If you exceed this time, your life span will be shortened easily.

The efficiency of the princes was greatly improved, and only important memorials were submitted to him for review.

"Mother, where is my father? I have something to discuss with him."

Zhu Houzhao wanted to make Zhu Zaikun the crown prince and give him the East Palace. Where would he live?

Therefore, I wanted the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi to free up the Qianqing Palace.

But no one has been seen for a long time.

Empress Dowager Zhang held a phoenix hairpin in her hand and put it on Princess Taiping. She looked at it from side to side and felt it was inappropriate, so she put the phoenix hairpin back into the brocade box.

"Your father seems to be honest, but he is more playful than you. You can go out of the palace and find out by yourself."

"..." Zhu Houzhao.

The little eunuch next to him knew where the Supreme Emperor Hongzhi had gone. He would return to the palace every night during the curfew. Sometimes he would summon people from the middle school to study chess. He must have gone out to play chess.

The gatekeeper came in to report, and Duke Guo of Wei asked to see him.

Zhu Houzhao frowned slightly. The Duke of Wei was assigned to guard Guangdong and Guangxi. He was the most powerful among the four major Dukes.

Did he summon the Duke of Wei to Beijing?

Who knows, maybe it was the queen mother and father who summoned her.

The door of the palace was pushed open, Xu Yan walked in with his grandson, and bowed to Zhu Houzhao, but Zhu Houzhao's attention fell on the children beside him.

Lao Gao's son still needs a book boy, so this doll is quite good.

"What's your name?"

"Xu Pengju has met the new emperor, the queen mother, and Princess Taiping."

He was as well-educated as when Zhu Houcong entered the palace, and he should be a good scholar. Zhu Houzhao said: "You come with me."

Xu Yan's smile was a little stiff, his thin lips moved slightly, and he pushed his grandson forward.

"My eldest father will come find you later."

After Zhu Houzhao left, Queen Mother Zhang said to Xu Fu: "When Duke Wei sent a message to the Ai family, he was not just visiting the capital to see a doctor, right?"

In her early years, Wei Guogong was somewhat kind to her in choosing the crown princess.

After receiving the message from Wei Guogong, she asked the Supreme Emperor to allow Wei Guogong to enter the capital.

"Well, I want the prince's heir to study in the Imperial College."

This matter would be said to be treasonous by the civil servants, so he only dared to report it to Empress Dowager Zhang first, and then Empress Dowager Zhang would tell the new emperor.

Although the new emperor was naughty, I heard that he was extremely filial to Empress Dowager Zhang.

…

Dongnuan Pavilion,

Yan Chengjin had something to report to Zhu Houzhao, but he was nowhere to be seen. After about a moment, he saw him returning with a child.

"Lao Gao, what do you think of him being the book boy here?"

"Hello, Mr. Yan, my name is Xu Pengju."

"Duke Wei has entered Beijing?"

Wei Guogong guards the territory of Guangdong and Guangxi, and cannot return to Beijing without being summoned by the court.

The memorials of the Duke and the vassal king must also go through the cabinet.

But he didn't see Wei Guogong Xu Er's memorial. Why did he secretly return to Beijing?

"I don't know either. I'm going to see my mother."

Yan Chengjin knew that the Zhang family had some friendship with Wei Guogong.

Not long after, the young eunuch came to report: "The new emperor, Duke Xu Fu of Wei wants to see him."

After seeing Zhu Houzhao, Wei Guogong Xu Yan stood aside.

He bowed slightly and said: "This time when I enter the capital, I want to ask the new emperor for reforms."

"..." Yan Chengjin.

Zhu Houzhao sat on the throne, "It must not be a simple matter for you to see your mother first, and then to see me, right? Is it also because you are here to appoint the Duke?"

Xu Guangzuo's descendants were granted the title of Jinyi Guards for hundreds of households.

The vassal system stipulates that only one person can bear the favor of his father, which means that other children will be reduced to common people. All the vassal kings who have heard about Xu Guangzuo are jealous.

"No, I want the heirs of the feudal princes to enter the Imperial College to study, and be allowed to leave the fiefdom and do business to make a living."

In the past, the heirs could be members of hundreds of Jinyiwei households.

After not allowing other heirs to be favored, they cut off this path. If they want to be self-reliant like ordinary people, they have to leave the fiefdom, right?

Nowadays, the gentry are getting richer and richer. Even if the Duke does business, he has to do it secretly. He can only rely on the thousands of hectares of land granted to him for a living.

Only the people are allowed to set fires, and the princes are not allowed to light lamps.

Even if the Emperor Gao climbs out of the coffin, he is right.

Yan Chengjin fell into deep thought. What the Duke of Wei said made some sense. Those descendants could not study or leave the fiefdom. When they grow up, they have no ability to support themselves.

One generation can still be supported. If they reproduce for a few more generations...

In the past, these people entered the palace as Jinyiwei Baihu, but now it is not possible.

"I didn't expect that the Duke of Wei was so thoughtful that he dared to go to Beijing to advise the new emperor. Isn't he afraid of being impeached by the officials?"

"I am afraid, but I have to try it. If the new emperor can allow it, it will be worth the trip."

As Xu Fu spoke, he bowed to Zhu Houzhao and bowed deeply.

Zhu Houzhao chewed on the wolf-hair pen while looking at Xu Fu, with a thoughtful look hidden in the depths of his eyes.

"I won't allow it."

"If the new emperor can allow the provincial examination to be expanded, why can't he allow our children to enter the Imperial College?"

"Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Duke Wei, please convince the masters first, and then ask me for permission."

Zhu Houzhao was not stupid. If he allowed Duke Wei, all the officials would scold him. What did the prince's children have to do with him? Moreover, the pros and cons of this matter were not clear yet. Once the imperial edict was issued, it would be difficult to withdraw it.

Let Duke Wei and the cabinet fight...

Xu Fu looked up at Zhu Houzhao. The prince was quite clumsy back then. How could his IQ improve after not seeing him for a few years?

"Then I will submit a memorial to the cabinet."

Yan Chengjin thought about it, and after leaving his post, he returned to his house and thought for a long time. Duke Wei was in charge of the Guangdong and Guangxi naval forces and had great power in the south. Guangdong and Guangxi were important places for Ming's overseas trade, and there were serious gangs.

And good merchants had not yet entered Guangdong and Guangxi, which was the territory of Guangdong merchants.