My father is Jiajing

Chapter 129 Prince Yu's Mooncake
Late at night, Emperor Jiajing, who had just taken an elixir, was meditating in the West Garden. Huang Jin carefully cut a small piece of mooncake with a silver knife and placed it on a small golden plate with exquisite patterns.

"Emperor, this is the mooncake that Prince Yu made for you. I wish you a long life, good health and a happy festival."

Huang Jin was talking in a low voice. Emperor Jiajing opened his eyes slightly and snorted, "San'er is not as generous as Si'er. Si'er even gave me a white jade plate to wish me a happy Mid-Autumn Festival. San'er, a wealthy man, was so stingy that he just gave me a mooncake and sent me away."

Although Emperor Jiajing said this, he still honestly took the mooncake handed to him by Huang Jin, wanting to taste his son's filial piety.

Huang Jin chuckled, "Prince Yu is also very filial."

Emperor Jiajing looked at the mooncake with a yellow center and couldn't help but say, "Look at this mooncake with a fancy filling, a yellow center, and egg yolk in it."

Huang Jin said, "Prince Yu said that this is a mooncake with a pineapple core, and the egg yolk inside is duck egg yolk, which has a unique flavor. Moreover, this pineapple is a specialty of Hai Rui's hometown, and Prince Yu took great pains to get it from Qiongzhou Prefecture."

When Emperor Jiajing heard that it was a specialty of Hai Rui's hometown, he immediately laughed again, "What specialties can this little black guy's hometown have? If I remember correctly, that place should be a barren land. I still remember that this little black guy wrote an article "Governing the Li" and wanted the court to allocate money and soldiers to quell the Li chaos. He didn't think about the fact that I govern all the nine provinces and there are many important places. It's good enough for Qiongzhou Prefecture to maintain the status quo."

Emperor Jiajing could not help but complain. The problem of governing the country was indeed complicated. As the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, although Emperor Jiajing was not the most diligent, he believed that he had not failed his ancestors and had been working hard to support the country. Not only did he have to clean up the mess left by his cousin, but he also had to fight with a group of ministers who seemed to be in harmony but were actually at odds with each other. Otherwise, the country would have been in chaos long ago.

After complaining, Emperor Jiajing took a bite of the mooncake with pineapple and duck egg yolk filling that Zhu Zaigui had sent him. The soft, glutinous and chewy texture, the sour and sweet taste of pineapple and the slightly salty and delicious rich aroma of duck egg yolk made Emperor Jiajing's eyes light up immediately.

He never thought that mooncakes could be made like this. Although the mooncakes in the palace used to have both northern and southern flavors, this was the first time that Emperor Jiajing had tasted the fruit-flavored mooncakes made by Zhu Zaigui. This experience was really novel and he couldn't help but want to try another piece.

Emperor Jiajing finished the mooncake that Huang Jin handed over in two bites, and then Emperor Jiajing said, "Cut another piece for me. It tastes good. I didn't expect San'er to be so capable."

When Huang Jin heard the Emperor Jiajing's order, he quickly cut another piece and handed it over. After taking it, the Emperor Jiajing took two bites with a look of enjoyment.

Emperor Jiajing praised: "Very good, very good. It's time for the chefs in the palace to learn some new skills. Look at this first time making my mooncakes, they are so much better than them. Do they still have the nerve to use my money to get by?"

Huang Jin was also stunned when he heard Emperor Jiajing praising Zhu Zaigui's mooncakes so much. He originally thought that Prince Yu's mooncakes might be just average, and Emperor Jiajing would at most take a perfunctory bite and then give a symbolic compliment.

That was why Huang Jin waited until this time to present the mooncakes made by Zhu Zaigui to Emperor Jiajing for his tasting, in order not to spoil Emperor Jiajing's mood for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

But he never expected that after Emperor Jiajing ate one piece, his appetite whetted and he asked for another piece. This was really beyond Huang Jin's expectations.

Seeing that Emperor Jiajing seemed to want more after eating, Huang Jin couldn't help but persuade him: "Your Majesty, it's late at night. Although mooncakes are delicious, it's better to eat less. Health preservation is the most important thing."

Emperor Jiajing said, "It's just one mooncake. I can eat more. Cut another one, the last one."

Huang Jin couldn't resist Emperor Jiajing's decision, so he could only turn around and cut another piece. At this time, Emperor Jiajing couldn't help but turn around and reminded him: "Cut it bigger, don't be stingy." Huang Jin responded, cut it a little bigger, and handed it to Emperor Jiajing again.

Emperor Jiajing looked at the bite-sized mooncake on the plate and scolded with a smile, "You servant are still trying to be cunning with me. You only cut a bite and feed it to the cat."

Huang Jin chuckled, "Your Majesty, please don't blame me. I have already cut too much."

Emperor Jiajing chuckled. He knew that Huang Jin meant well and he would not blame Huang Jin, but he was indeed not satisfied with just one bite.

Emperor Jiajing cherished the mooncake on the plate, ate it in small bites, enjoying the last taste, and a happy smile appeared on his face.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is supposed to be a day for family reunion, but he could not be reunited with his children. He could only celebrate the festival alone in Xiyuan, with only Huang Jin, his close friend, by his side.

Just as Emperor Jiajing was enjoying the pineapple and egg yolk-flavored mooncakes sent by Zhu Zaigui, a burst of hurried noises was heard outside the West Garden.

The Minister of War Ding Rukui knocked on the palace gate and asked to see the emperor with urgent military information to report. The guards in front of the gate of Xiyuan Palace were shocked to see that the Minister of War had ignored the Mid-Autumn Festival and came to the palace gate at night to ask to see the emperor. They did not dare to delay and immediately sent someone to report to the Wanshou Palace.

When Emperor Jiajing heard that Ding Rukui had asked for a meeting at night, he felt a sinking feeling in his heart. There was no doubt that there was something wrong with his request for a meeting at this time.

The good mood of Emperor Jiajing at this time was gone in an instant. "Go and bring Ding Rukui in, and then call the ministers who are in the duty room tonight."

Huang Jin did not dare to delay even a moment, and hurriedly followed the instructions of Emperor Jiajing to bring in the Minister of War Ding Rukui, who had come to the palace to ask for an audience. At the same time, he also called over the Minister of Rites Xu Jie, who was on duty in the Western Garden.

Although Xu Jie had not yet officially joined the cabinet, Emperor Jiajing had already regarded him as a cabinet minister, because the second assistant Zhang Zhi was seriously ill at this time and could not perform the duties of a cabinet minister normally.

Although Emperor Jiajing, who was well versed in winning strategies, also favored Yan Song and wanted Yan Song to serve as his white glove in governing the world, it was not in line with Emperor Jiajing's habits to put power in the hands of one person.

Therefore, Xu Jie, as the Minister of Rites, was also ordered to be in charge of the Jinyiwei and was given the title of Prince Taibao to participate in state affairs. So even if Xu Jie did not have the title of Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, he was actually already performing the duties of a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet.

Xu Jie, who was dozing in the duty room, was instantly alert when he heard the noise outside. The sleepiness in his eyes was no longer there. He stood up, tidied his clothes, and waited to be summoned by Emperor Jiajing.

Soon as Xu Jie expected, Huang Jin hurried over and asked him to discuss matters in front of the emperor.

At the same time, Huang Jin also hurriedly ordered the palace guards to quickly summon Yan Song and other important ministers to the Western Garden to see the emperor.

(End of this chapter)