Ming Dynasty: A mere unruly commoner is rebelling against the heaven?

Chapter 53 Their mansions are better than my palace!

After hearing Chen Yuanyuan's reply, Empress Dowager Wu's expression turned cold.

When the emperors of the Ming Dynasty selected concubines, women from the common people were preferred, followed by officials with meritorious service.

As for other births, let alone being made a concubine, there were very few who could be made a royal concubine, let alone an imperial concubine or a queen.

So no matter how outstanding Chen Yuanyuan and the others looked, Empress Dowager Wu did not think that they were worth her investment.

Empress Dowager Wu just nodded without saying another word, then turned and looked at the other beauties.

Such an action deeply stimulated Chen Yuanyuan and others.

In an instant, the faces of eight women including Chen Yuanyuan and Liu Rushi turned pale.

Gu Hengbo gritted his teeth and whispered to comfort the sisters.

"Although Empress Dowager Wu does not think highly of us, it does not mean that we have no hope."

"The harem selection is to select concubines for His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty's opinion is the most important basis."

"Compared to other concubines, we already have a great advantage. They still need to go through a month of training and selection before they have the opportunity to meet the emperor."

"And we have just met His Majesty the Emperor, haven't we?"

Chen Yuanyuan also took over the conversation: "Sister Gu is right, we saw His Majesty before them, this is our biggest advantage."

"And judging from His Majesty's attitude towards us today, he is not satisfied with us, but at least he does not hate us."

"That's right. Everyone needs to work hard in the next month."

Liu Rushi held the hands of Chen Yuanyuan and Gu Hengbo, encouraging the other sisters and herself.

"Sisters, please behave well in the future. If any sister is lucky enough to be favored by His Majesty, don't forget the other sisters."

Dong Xiaowan nodded and encouraged the other sisters.

"Sister Liu is right. From now on in the palace, the eight of us must rely on each other and advance and retreat together."

In the harem, even during the selection stage, there was already a turmoil.

……

Royal study room.

After Zhu Youtang retired from court, he returned to the imperial study.

Wang Zhi followed closely and reported to him the current situation of the central bank.

"Your Majesty, in the past few days, the Baochao Bureau has printed a total of 1.2 million Hongzhi Baochao, which has been exchanged for 1.2 million taels of silver."

"Except for the 100,000 taels of silver that were left in the Beijing branch in case someone wanted to exchange it for silver, the remaining 1.1 million taels of silver have been put into the imperial treasury."

"Combining the silver and valuables seized during the previous raids, the treasury now has nearly three million taels of silver."

In such a short period of time, Zhu Youtang had accumulated three million taels of silver for the treasury.

This speed is already very fast.

According to Zhu Youtang's estimation, the total amount of silver hidden by all officials, nobles and relatives in the capital was at least more than 30 million taels.

These more than one million strings of cash were just for emergency use.

They were reluctant to exchange most of their silver for Hongzhi Baochao and kept it hidden at home.

Officials hid 30 million taels of silver, while Zhu Youtang, the Ming emperor, had only nearly 3 million taels of silver in his treasury.

Is this true? !
Zhu Youtang took a deep breath and exhaled the anger in his heart.

After thinking for a while, Zhu Youtang put down the memorial in his hand.

"I have nothing to do today. Follow me to the treasury to have a look."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Zhu Youtang and Wang Zhi left the imperial study and went to the treasury.

The Nei Treasury is a general term for the twelve storehouses in the imperial palace. These twelve storehouses are all managed by eunuchs, who are only responsible to the emperor.

Among the twelve palace vaults, the Nei Cheng Yun vault is responsible for storing gold and silver and has the highest status.
Sometimes the word "Neiku" also refers specifically to Neichengyunku. Neichengyunku was right next to the Cabinet, not far from it, so Zhu Youtang arrived at Neichengyunku very quickly.

Zhu Youtang opened the inner transport warehouse, stepped inside, and looking at the mountains and seas of silver, he felt a little relieved.

In the future, there will be more and more silver in the treasury, and the Ming Dynasty will never worry about silver again.

In addition to gold and silver, the treasury also contained dozens of boxes of jewelry and valuables that had not yet been sorted and organized.

Zhu Youtang opened it and took a look, and found that it was full of antique calligraphy and paintings.

Zhu Youtang picked up a picture at random and looked through it, and found that it was a picture of a mansion.

This mansion covers an area of ​​dozens of acres and is beautifully built.

Among them are pavilions, towers, waterside pavilions, singing stages, beautiful gardens, winding streams with fragrance, cascading waters reflecting towers, breezes blowing and bamboo shadows, and a sea of ​​flowers melting into spring.

The beautiful scenery here makes people linger and yearn for it.

Zhu Youtang gazed at the scroll and was filled with admiration.

"This garden is so exquisitely built, it is truly a work of art beyond compare. Who created this scroll?"

Wang Zhi walked over quickly and whispered, "Your Majesty, this scroll was created by a painter in Junzhou, and it depicts Ma Wensheng's residence in Junzhou."

"what?!"

Zhu Youtang was stunned, and then became furious!
"After the fire in the 19th year of Chenghua, my palace didn't even have money to repair it. How could Ma Wensheng build such a luxurious mansion in Junzhou?!"

"The mansions that these good officials of mine live in are more magnificent than my palace!"

"My imperial garden is less than 20 acres, but Ma Wensheng's house is dozens of acres!"

"Is he the emperor, or am I the emperor?!"

Zhu Youtang clenched his hands tightly, the anger in his heart was suppressed to the extreme.

There were many fires in the imperial palace of the Ming Dynasty, including during the Yongle, Zhengtong and Tianshun reigns.

The fires were most serious during the Yongle and Zhengtong periods. At the worst time, even the three main halls of Fengtian were burned down.

However, at that time, Emperor Taizong and Emperor Yingzong had money in their treasuries, and it would take at most three years to complete the construction.

However, the palace caught fire in the 19th year of Chenghua, and the flames burned down the roofs of the three main halls of Fengtian.

Emperor Xianzong wanted to renovate the three main halls of Fengtian, but the Minister of Works quoted a sky-high price. Emperor Xianzong was reluctant to repair it, so it was delayed.

Even after Zhu Youtang ascended the throne, the roofs of the three main halls of Fengtian were still black.

The emperor didn't even have the money to renovate the three main halls, but his ministers built a fairyland-like mansion in their hometown.

How ironic, how ridiculous!
Zhu Youtang turned and walked towards the imperial study: "Call the Minister of Works to me, I want to repair the three main halls of Fengtian!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Wang Zhi took the order and went quickly to the Ministry of Works.

Zhu Youtang returned to the imperial study and took a sip of herbal tea, but he was unable to suppress the anger in his heart.

Thinking of the picture of Ma Wensheng's mansion that he had just seen, Zhu Youtang felt depressed.

These civil servants still have to be killed!

……

The Minister of Works, Jia Jun, was in the Ministry of Works, calculating the Ministry's appropriations for this year.

Suddenly Wang Zhi came to visit, without any greetings, he just said coldly: "Minister Jia, His Majesty summons you, please follow me to the palace immediately."

"Ah?! Your Majesty wants to see me?"

Jia Jun stood there in a daze, his heart beating rapidly.

Wang Zhi’s serious expression made Jia Jun feel uneasy.

Under Wang Zhi's gaze, Jia Jun followed Wang Zhi into the palace to meet the emperor with a worried mood.

(End of this chapter)