Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 23 Shupin
The drizzle had just stopped when the morning light appeared. Emperor Wanli slowly opened his eyes, and after a few gropings with his hands, he caught something soft and fluffy.

In just a moment, the desire that had been accumulating in his heart was aroused again.

He hugged the beauty tightly and his body swayed.

At first, Zheng Yufeng was half asleep and half awake, and was immediately startled by the sudden attack.

Later, she realized it was the emperor, and she pointed outside with a red face and said, "Your Majesty, it's already dawn, you should rest now."

Feeling the beauty's fair and smooth skin, looking at her fiery eyes, and smelling the orchid fragrance, Emperor Wanli didn't care about anything else.

As the communication deepened, Zheng Yufeng changed from being reluctant at first to actively responding.

In the past, when Emperor Wanli visited his concubines, he treated them like dead people. How could he be as considerate as Zheng Yufeng?

"Your Majesty, are you tired?" Zheng Yufeng's eyes were charming and she used her jade hands to wipe the sweat off the emperor's forehead.

"I'm not tired. I just feel full of energy now."

As the two were talking, there was a sound of footsteps suddenly heard outside the palace.

Emperor Wanli knew that it was the eunuch who was waking him up as his mother did, so he sped up his pace and prepared to end the war.

"Your Majesty, it's three quarters past three in the morning. You should get up." A shrill voice came in.

Emperor Wanli got nervous and ended the event in a hasty manner.

Then, the two of them lay on the big bed, waiting for the palace maids to serve them.

Emperor Wanli looked at the beautiful woman who was breathing heavily, and he had a premonition that he would never be able to leave this woman in his life.

Zheng Yufeng's breath was as sweet as orchid, and she hummed delicately, "Your Majesty, I don't want to go back to Chuxiu Palace. I want to accompany Your Majesty. If I don't see Your Majesty for a day, I will feel anxious."

"I do too." Wanli hugged Zheng Yufeng and comforted her, "Don't worry, in ten days at most, I will confer the title of Nine Concubines. Then we can be together all the time."

"Then your majesty must not forget me."

"Can not forget you."

Half a quarter of an hour later, the two finished dressing and washing, and Zheng Yufeng was temporarily left in the Qianqing Palace.

As usual, Emperor Wanli would go to the two Empress Dowagers to greet them every day.

The first person to visit was not Empress Dowager Li, but Empress Dowager Chen, the empress of Emperor Longqing and the biological mother of Emperor Wanli.

Empress Dowager Chen was happy about this, and so was Empress Dowager Li.

Because Empress Dowager Chen was kind, dignified and elegant, Emperor Wanli was happier with his stepmother than with his biological mother.

That morning, the footsteps of Emperor Wanli were heard outside the Ciqing Palace.

There was a burst of laughter from inside immediately.

"Jun'er is here?"

Then the owner of the voice came out. He was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, dignified and elegant, with red lips and white teeth, and a sophisticated temperament.

She was wearing a light yellow long skirt with a hanging tail and a pattern of birds paying homage to the phoenix, and she looked like a person who had walked out of a painting.

It was Empress Dowager Chen.

Emperor Wanli was about to pay his respects when Empress Dowager Chen helped him up and said with a smile, "Why are we still going through all this formality? Come, come, I've made your favorite cakes."

"Thank you, mother." Emperor Wanli thanked her and followed Queen Mother Chen to the table and sat down.

There were three or four kinds of prepared cakes on the table, the fragrance was so fragrant that it whetted Emperor Wanli's appetite.

"Jun'er, don't be polite with your mother. Just eat." Empress Dowager Chen said, picking up a piece of cake and handing it to the emperor.

Emperor Wanli ate with relish, and Empress Dowager Chen was delighted to see this.

Suddenly she heard about the emperor's absurd behavior last night, and thought of her husband, Emperor Longqing. She couldn't help but advise, "Jun'er, it's not easy for our ancestors to pass down these foundations. You must take care of your health and don't waste it."

"Your son, your son knows." Wanli blushed.

"You are still young, and the royal family has few offspring. You should work hard. But don't indulge in it and waste your health, understand?" Empress Dowager Chen said seriously. Wanli nodded repeatedly.

Empress Dowager Chen breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to reach out to rub the emperor's head, but suddenly remembered that the emperor was no longer a child, so she could only smile bitterly.

The mother and son chatted for quarters of an hour, then Emperor Wanli got up and went to his biological mother's palace.

Ten days later, Emperor Wanli conferred titles on nine concubines, and Zheng Yufeng was named Shupin, ranking second among the nine concubines.

The eunuchs who read out the emperor's edict that day rushed into Zheng Shupin's home.

In the spacious hall, there was a eunuch wearing a sable ornament and an ivory plate on his waist, standing in the middle, holding an imperial edict.

In front, Zheng’s father and son were prostrating themselves on the ground in fear.

The eunuch smiled, unfolded the imperial edict, and read it out in a shrill voice: "Zheng Yufeng, the daughter of Zheng Chengxian, is quick-witted, dignified, graceful, and well-educated, so she is specially canonized as Shupin. Zheng Chengxian has made great contributions in raising her, so she is specially promoted to the position of Qianhu of the Northern Pacification Division of the Jinyiwei, and is rewarded with 500 taels of silver, 20 gold, a piece of Sichuan brocade, and a pair of jade ruyi."

"I hereby order"

After reading it in a dragging tone, the eunuch felt his mouth dry. He licked his lips, looked at the two of them with a smile and said, "Zheng Guozhang, accept the order. This is a great thing."

"Ah?! Oh" Zheng Chengxian woke up as if from a dream and quickly got up from the ground.

He took the imperial edict with trembling hands and examined it carefully, fearing that the handwriting had changed.

After a few seconds, he turned his gaze back and thanked the eunuch, "Thank you for your hard work, eunuch. This is just a small token of my respect."

As he spoke, he took out an ingot of silver and put it into the eunuch's hand.

The eunuch was overjoyed after receiving the reward. He said a lot of good things and then left satisfied.

At this time, Zheng Guotai also came forward, glanced at the imperial edict, and muttered: "Dad, do you want a reward? After all, I am the emperor's brother-in-law, and I am still a commoner."

"You bastard!" Zheng Chengxian was originally happy, but when he heard his son's words, he became furious and pointed at him and cursed, "With your sharp face and monkey cheeks, and your idle appearance all day long, who would dare to give you a job?"

"I am just following you, am I not?"

"You, you rebellious son, I'll beat you to death today!" Zheng Chengxian said, turning around to find a feather duster.

Zheng Guotai slipped into the water and ran out of the yard.

Outside the courtyard, neighbors had already gathered to watch the fun. Watching the fun has always been considered the most popular entertainment for the people since ancient times.

If something big happens, it will spread everywhere in no time.

When they saw Zheng Guotai running out in a panic, one of the men grabbed his neck and shouted, "Zheng family boss, your father will be mad at you sooner or later. Today is such a happy day, but you can still make your father angry."

Zheng Guotai ignored the man and ran out, pushing the crowd.

In an instant, the crowd became turbulent and chaotic.

"Mr. Zheng, what do you think of our little girl? She is fourteen years old this year, and she is just right for you."

"Zheng family boss, your mother has been dead for so long, what do you think of your sister? Although your sister has been married, she is caring. From now on, we will talk about our own things. I will call you brother, and you call me mother."

"Brother Zheng, what do you think of me? I can do anything. Just marry me."

Under the repeated bombardment, Zheng Guotai felt a little dizzy.

Suddenly, they heard shouting from the alley ahead. Everyone turned around and saw a team of Jinyiwei rushing in.

When the common people saw the Jinyiwei, they became terrified and ran away without a trace.

"Han San, why are you here?" Zheng Guotai asked when he saw the leading person.

"I'm here to help Master Zhang and invite the uncle to have a drink." Han San smiled and called out to his brothers behind him, "This is the uncle, why don't you call him uncle?"

"Uncle of the King!" The young officers in royal uniforms behind him shouted respectfully in unison.

"Empty reputation. It's all empty reputation." Zheng Guotai's vanity was greatly satisfied, and his face flushed as he urged: "Our brother wants to drink with us, we dare not delay, you lead the way quickly."

Han San nodded and ordered several people to guard the Zheng family courtyard, while he took Zheng Guotai to the appointment.

(End of this chapter)