Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 92 The Earliest Scam
After dealing with Hao Ren's matter, an imperial decree finally came from the palace.

After Zhang Yunxiu gave some instructions, he followed the eunuch who announced the decree and went straight to the Qianqing Palace.

When they arrived outside the palace gate, the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict signaled Zhang Yunxiu to wait while he went in to report.

After a while, the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict came back again and made a "please" gesture with a smile.

Zhang Yunxiu straightened his clothes and walked into the Qianqing Palace.

Inside the palace, the emperor was seen sitting on the dragon throne with a serious expression on his face, and Wei Qing was standing next to him.

Zhang Yunxiu was about to salute, but the Wanli Emperor suddenly smiled and shouted, "Zhang Yunxiu, I congratulate you on your fortune."

Ok?
"Get rich? What kind of wealth?" Zhang Yunxiu was panicking, but he said with a bitter face, "You don't know, I was almost broken by the bumpy ride on the boat, and I was able to raise 200,000 taels of silver for the emperor."

"Don't talk nonsense." Emperor Wanli waved his hand and interrupted rudely, "I have heard that you divided the treasure into two parts, gave one to Wei Qing, and where did you send the remaining one?"

What did you say?
Zhang Yunxiu glared and looked at Wei Qing.

Wei Qing glared back, thinking to himself: Do I need to tell you this? You think everyone is blind. You didn't know to be careful before bringing such a huge treasure to the capital. How could the emperor not know?

"I don't want more from you. Since you can easily come up with 200,000, I will transfer another 100,000 taels into my treasury." Emperor Wanli glanced at Zhang Yunxiu and ordered in an unquestionable tone.

"what?!"

"What? If you don't hand it over, it will be a crime of deceiving the emperor."

"Your Majesty, you only asked for 200,000 taels, and the rest..."

Zhang Yunxiu was about to explain, but the Wanli Emperor started to act like a rogue and turned to ask Wei Qing: "Wei Qing, did I ever say that I would only allow Zhang Yunxiu to go out to sea to get 200,000 taels of silver?"

Wei Qing coughed twice, straightened his back, and said seriously: "This old minister doesn't remember."

Now Emperor Wanli became even more proud. He clapped his hands and looked at Zhang Yunxiu, as if to say - you said I said that, who can testify for you?
Zhang Yunxiu gritted his teeth and finally agreed to pay another 100,000 taels, earning 200,000 taels of silver with tears.

"Well, you have made great contributions this time. I will never forget your contribution." Emperor Wanli waved his hand, stood up and walked down from the dragon throne. He asked Zhang Yunxiu with some anger: "Tell me, how did you make so much money?"

Zhang Yunxiu made up a story and said there were mountains of gold and silver on the sea.

Although Emperor Wanli had some doubts, when he saw the silver and money, he did not pursue the origin of the money.

He pulled Zhang Yunxiu to the window. Although it was autumn outside, the flowers and plants in the garden were still in full bloom.

An autumn breeze blew, bringing with it the fragrance of flowers.

Emperor Wanli was in a good mood immediately. He held his chest high and pointed at the mountains and rivers and said, "Today's weather is just right. It's a great day for a trip, don't you think?"

Zhang Yunxiu pretended not to hear. Emperor Wanli bit his cheek, glanced at Zhang Yunxiu, stamped his feet and said, "Zhang Yunxiu, I'm asking you a question, why don't you speak?"

"Ah?! What did the emperor ask?" Zhang Yunxiu asked in surprise.

Emperor Wanli was so angry that his cheeks bulged. He repeated the story again. Zhang Yunxiu smiled and said, "Your Majesty is right. This is indeed a good day for a trip."

"Then I want to go out of the palace for a walk, you go and get ready."

really.

Zhang Yunxiu felt bitter in his heart. The emperor really treated him like a donkey.

His brain was spinning rapidly, trying to find a way to refuse, when suddenly a shrill voice broke the deadlock.

"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother said she wants to discuss something important with you and asked you to go to the Cining Palace."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wanli's good mood instantly disappeared and his legs began to tremble.

Even though he acted like a big man in front of Zhang Yunxiu, in front of Empress Dowager Li, even his bones couldn't weigh more than four pounds.

"You...you go with me."

Emperor Wanli dragged Zhang Yunxiu, and before Zhang Yunxiu could refuse, the eunuch who announced the decree smiled and nodded and replied, "Zhang Sicheng is here too, that's great, you can come with him."

Before Zhang Yunxiu could react, the two of them arrived in front of the Cining Palace.

Outside the palace, Emperor Wanli was a little nervous. He took two deep breaths, glanced at Wei Qing and Zhang Yunxiu on his left and right, and said through gritted teeth, "Let's go, follow me in."

The two nodded and walked into the hall with their heads tilted.

As soon as you enter the hall, you can smell the scent of sandalwood. This is a daily must for Empress Dowager Li.

She was a devout Buddhist. Every morning she would wash her hands, put on a plain face, and copy the Heart Sutra for an hour.

For more than ten years, without interruption, all the eunuchs and maids in the palace called her the reincarnation of Bodhisattva.

After passing the screen wall, the group arrived at the reception room.

Empress Dowager Li was seen wearing a plain white dress, sitting at the table, with a pearl curtain separating the people from the table.

Emperor Wanli and his two companions did not dare to be negligent and hurriedly bowed to the figure inside.

Empress Dowager Li remained unmoved and wrote on the paper with her head lowered.

After copying a whole sheet, he raised his head and smiled to the outside, "Emperor, you really know how to make money. At this rate, the inner treasury will be filled to the brim soon."

Ok? !

Emperor Wanli slowly raised his head and glanced to the right, and happened to meet Zhang Yunxiu's gaze.

Half an hour later, Emperor Wanli returned to the Qianqing Palace in a huff, and said impatiently, "Queen Mother, what's so good about those monks? The court supports them, and now they want me to spend money to repair the temple!"

Although he was very dissatisfied with this, the Ming Dynasty ruled the world with filial piety, and he had a natural fear of his mother.

So he had no choice but to grit his teeth and agree, and took out 30,000 taels and donated it to the temple.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Wanli pointed at Wei Qing and ordered, "Wei Qing, I'll leave this matter to you."

"I obey your command." Wei Qing nodded in response.

Not only does he now have a title in the Imperial Household Department, he also retains the title of manager of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

When one person holds two positions, his status immediately rises.

Before he left, Wei Qing remembered something and asked tentatively, "Your Majesty, what about the Queen Mother asking you to find a substitute to become a monk?"

"Okay, okay, you can take care of it as well."

Emperor Wanli looked impatient.

Zhang Yunxiu on the side had a gloomy face and said nothing. Emperor Jiajing was fond of practicing Taoism, so Taoist temples flourished and Buddhism declined.

Empress Dowager Li was a devout Buddhist. If the emperor liked something, the people would follow it. In just over a decade, Buddhism flourished, and countless people tried their best to get into Buddhism.

Even if it means paying a high price, one must still join the Buddhist community.

There is no other reason, it is just because becoming a monk not only does not require paying taxes or performing labor service, but the monthly incense money and land donations from the temple are enough to feed them to a full stomach.

This is how the term temple landlords came about.

While he was thinking, Emperor Wanli suddenly noticed that Zhang Yunxiu was acting strangely, and asked with great concern: "Zhang Yunxiu, do you have anything else to say?"

Zhang Yunxiu didn't want to say it, but when the emperor asked, he felt his throat itchy if he didn't say it. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, do you know about Emperor Wu of Liang in the Southern Dynasty?"

"Of course I know." Emperor Wanli glared, waved his hand and hummed, "There are four hundred and eighty temples in the Southern Dynasty, and many towers are in the mist and rain. Aren't they just praising the achievements of this emperor?"

"Your Majesty, do you think this is an achievement?" Zhang Yunxiu asked back.

"Uh..." Emperor Wanli was stunned. His mother often said that Emperor Wu of Liang had made supreme contributions. When he thought about it now, he always felt something was wrong.

Frowning and thinking for a moment, Emperor Wanli hesitated and said, "Buddhism teaches people to be good. Doesn't it mean that if Buddhism flourishes, it is also a prosperous era?"

"I think that the real prosperity of the world is not determined by the prosperity of Buddhism, but by the attitude towards the weak in the court, that is, the common people." Zhang Yunxiu thought about it and said it all at once, "They think differently from us. They don't see whether the world is peaceful or not. They only care about whether the grain price has risen today and whether they can buy two pieces of cloth for the New Year this year."

"Your Majesty, in the Ming Dynasty, 2,000 people enter Buddhism every year. Adding up over the years, there are already 100,000 people.

Do they really believe in Buddhism? They just want the court to support them. I think they should be driven back and made to work."

The words were so impassioned and deafening that Emperor Wanli was startled. He rubbed his fat cheeks and did not immediately answer Zhang Yunxiu.

Issue an order to oppose the Queen Mother?

He felt frightened at the thought, and these monks were supported with money from the national treasury, which had nothing to do with his inner treasury.

After weighing the pros and cons, he naturally didn't want to pick this crusty piece of shit.

"I know everything you said. Go down first and let me have the cabinet discuss it first."

Listen and listen.

Zhang Yunxiu knew that Emperor Wanli did not want to offend the Empress Dowager, so he stopped worrying about it.

Just now he was still thinking, if the emperor agreed, wouldn’t he also offend Empress Dowager Li?

Fortunately, the emperor did not agree.

Just eat them. It’s not that we can’t afford to feed these beasts with the money from the great voyages. Why should we offend Queen Mother Li for these people?

After figuring this out, Zhang Yunxiu suddenly became enlightened. He bowed to the emperor and said, "I'll take my leave."

"Well, let's go down."

After leaving the Forbidden City, Zhang Yunxiu went straight to the Grand Secretary's residence.

As soon as he arrived at the mansion, You Qi came forward with a smile and said, "Fifth Master, you are finally back. The master has been waiting for you for a long time."

"Wait for me?" Zhang Yunxiu asked doubtfully.

"Yes, it's in the study. Go quickly, so the master won't have to wait anxiously." You Qi chuckled, with a wicked look in his words, "This is a great thing, it will soon fall on you."

"What's going on?!"

"You'll know when you go there. I can guarantee that it's a great thing."

Zhang Yunxiu frowned, raised his voice several degrees, and said, "Well, now you dare to play dumb with me, just wait for me, if there is no good thing, I will show you how to deal with you."

You Qi, however, was not afraid at all. He just yelled at Zhang Yunxiu to remember to prepare the banquet.

Seeing that he couldn't get anything out of You Qi, Zhang Yunxiu walked quickly towards his study room with a nervous mood.

When he reached the door, Zhang Yun straightened his clothes and knocked on the door gently: "Father."

"come in."

(End of this chapter)