Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 68: Empress Dowager Li Sends a Jade Girl to Yuntai

There is a small hall behind the Qianqing Palace, which is only two walls away from the emperor's bedroom. In the past, if the emperor had nothing to do, he would choose to take a rest here.

Just after noon that day, Zhang Juzheng slowly walked into the small hall.

Looking inside, Emperor Wanli was sitting on the dragon couch in the hall with a nervous look on his face, and Wei Qing, the manager of the Qianqing Palace, was standing on the left of the emperor with his hands hanging down.

Behind the emperor, a graceful figure loomed in the scarlet curtain.

It was Empress Dowager Li.

"Your Majesty, I, Zhang Juzheng, greet the Emperor and the Empress Dowager." As he stepped forward, Zhang Juzheng bowed to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

Emperor Wanli waved his hand, said "no need to be polite", and then ordered Wei Qing to bring a small stool for him.

As soon as Zhang Juzheng sat down, he immediately started to question, "Your Majesty, yesterday you ordered the Ministry of Revenue to review and approve the amount of money Princess Yongning would need to choose a husband. I think that is inappropriate."

"First, according to the old system, two hundred thousand silver taels is the highest standard for a princess's marriage, and it cannot be easily changed."

"Secondly, the country is not yet rich. Although it is summer now, the winter clothes for the 200,000 northern border troops must be prepared in advance. If we count one piece of silver, these 200,000 taels of silver are enough for all 200,000 border troops to wear new clothes."

"Let's talk about the Huang and Huai rivers."

Emperor Wanli was embarrassed and rubbed his hands. Empress Dowager Li interrupted and said, "Mr. Zhang, all this was my idea. If you have any questions, just ask me."

"Oh, yes." Zhang Juzheng turned his head to look at the beautiful figure under the curtain.

Empress Dowager Li opened her red lips and continued, "We think that now that the country is a little bit richer, there are enough silver in the warehouse to store nine million taels, and it won't be a problem to take another two hundred thousand taels."

"Empress Dowager." Zhang Juzheng exclaimed.

"Please listen to me first," Empress Dowager Li interrupted with a wave of her hand. "I am not being ostentatious, but a deliberate decision. The country has been peaceful for a long time, and we should let the people of the world see how this country has been peaceful."

After hearing this, Zhang Juzheng weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

Two hundred thousand taels of silver is not a lot, but it is not a small amount either. If he gave it to him like this, how would the people of the world view him? And how would the more than two hundred thousand border troops in the north view him?
How to view the emperor?
It is said that the emperor only wants his small family and does not want the big family of the world?

After thinking this through, Zhang Juzheng's voice became sonorous: "I have just thought about it carefully. It is indeed inappropriate to increase the amount of silver by another 200,000 taels. I hope Your Majesty and the Queen Mother will think twice!"

Emperor Wanli blushed, and instead of looking at Zhang Juzheng, he kept looking behind the curtain. After a moment of silence, Empress Dowager Li came out from behind the curtain, surrounded by several palace maids.

She is 38 years old this year, but because she takes good care of herself, she looks like she is in her early 30s.

She has a face as beautiful as a flower, skin as white as snow, a breath as sweet as orchid, and she is wearing a bright yellow long dress with a hanging tail and a pattern of "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix". She has bright eyes, white teeth, and a sophisticated temperament.

When he lowered his eyebrows and raised his eyes, there was an indescribable sense of grace and elegance.

According to convention, women in the palace had to meet with ministers behind a curtain.

When Zhang Juzheng saw Empress Dowager Li coming out, he was secretly frightened and lowered his head, not daring to look.

It turned out that Empress Dowager Li's long skirt was fumigated with special spices, and as he walked, the fragrance penetrated into his nostrils.

It is not right for him to look up, and it is not right for him not to look up.

Empress Dowager Li also looked at Zhang Juzheng. Seeing that he looked much older, she couldn't help but think of the first time they met.

That was ten years ago, when Emperor Longqing had just passed away. Zhang Juzheng, who was less than fifty years old at the time, looked much more elegant than he does now.

"Mother!" Emperor Wanli called out when he saw the empress dowager, then invited her to sit on a chair beside him.

All parties sat down again. Empress Dowager Li stared at Zhang Juzheng and spoke with concern: "Mr. Zhang, you look much older than before. You must take care of yourself."

"We can't live without you during the Wanli reign." "Thank you, Queen Mother, for your concern." Zhang Juzheng thanked her, but he didn't want to argue with Queen Mother Li. After thinking for a while, he said, "Queen Mother, the two hundred thousand is really too much. How about this, let the Ministry of Revenue squeeze out another one hundred thousand to use for the princess' wedding banquet."

"Well, that's fine." Empress Dowager Li nodded, tilted her head to look at the emperor, and asked with a smile, "Jun'er, what do you think?"

"Great, one hundred thousand taels is great!" Emperor Wanli clapped his hands and shouted.

At this time, Zhang Juzheng poured a bucket of cold water on him: "The 100,000 yuan I mentioned is from the 'redemption silver' that the craftsmen used to redeem their household registration. Your Majesty also knows this. Therefore, Your Majesty, please use the money from the treasury to deal with it first. At the latest, the Ministry of Revenue should be able to settle the debt in ten years."

"This?" When Emperor Wanli heard that he had to pay for it himself, he immediately frowned and muttered, "How can the emperor pay for it himself? The princess's marriage is a major event in the country. How can we use the money from the inner treasury?"

"I didn't say I wanted to use it. I just asked Your Majesty to use it first and I will return it in full when the time comes." Zhang Juzheng continued.

Emperor Wanli wanted to say more, but Empress Dowager Li frowned and interrupted him with a wave of her hand, saying, "That's enough. That's enough. Yongning is also your sister. Besides, the money was borrowed from you by the court. Are you afraid that he will default on the debt?"

"Your son obeys your order." Wanli pouted and nodded angrily.

Empress Dowager Li nodded slightly, looked at the emperor, pointed at Zhang Juzheng and said, "Emperor, when the previous emperor passed away, he appointed four ministers to advise him. Gao Huzi and Gao Yi have both passed away. Now only Mr. Zhang and Eunuch Feng are left."

"If you encounter anything you don't understand in government affairs, you must humbly ask Mr. Zhang and Eunuch Feng for advice."

"I understand, your son." Emperor Wanli nodded.

As they talked, the sun got hotter and hotter, and the Queen Mother Li's cheeks were sweating. The Queen Mother Li's skin, which was already fair, became even more charming after being soaked in sweat.

Zhang Juzheng tried to find an excuse to leave, but Empress Dowager Li stopped him and said, "It's almost time for dinner. Mr. Zhang, why don't you stay in the palace and have a meal before leaving?"

"I know that you love lotus seed soup the most. The lotus seeds in the palace have just matured today, so it's a good time for you to taste them." Empress Dowager Li said with her eyes lowered and a faint blush appeared on her pretty cheeks.

Zhang Juzheng wanted to refuse, but when he saw the empress dowager's eyes, his heart softened and he agreed.

The group moved to the Qianqing Palace, where the imperial kitchen had already prepared the meal.

The emperor and Empress Dowager Li sat at the chief seat, and Zhang Juzheng had a small seat alone, sitting below the emperor and the Empress Dowager.

During the meal, Zhang Juzheng looked straight ahead, elegantly stroked his beard with one hand, and then took a sip of the lotus seed soup.

"How is it?" Empress Dowager Li asked nervously.

"It's sweet and delicious, and it's the perfect thing to get rid of the summer heat." Zhang Juzheng put down the bowl and replied with a smile.

"If Mr. Zhang likes it, you can eat more." Empress Dowager Li smiled, and suddenly thought of something, and asked, "I heard that last year, Marshal Qi gave Mr. Zhang a pair of Tartar beauties?"

"Your Majesty." Zhang Juzheng's face showed a trace of panic.

Emperor Wanli, who had been silent all this time, clapped his hands and laughed, "Yes, the tall Tartar beauty was chased away by Mr. Zhang's son, Zhang Yunxiu."

Empress Dowager Li glared at her son, then looked at the panicked Zhang Juzheng and consoled him, "Mr. Zhang is indeed lacking a lovely person by his side."

"Yu'er!"

"I'm here." A woman in palace dress, about twenty years old, came out.

It was Empress Dowager Li’s personal female official, Wang Yu.

Empress Dowager Li pulled Yu'er to her side, looked at her twinkling almond eyes, touched her pale chin, and then forced a smile and said, "From now on, you will follow Mr. Zhang out of the palace and take good care of him for me and the emperor."

"The slaves obey."

(End of this chapter)