My life skills in Daming Liver

Longqing Emperor Zhu Zaijing was sitting on the dragon chair. He saw Gao Gong, a close confidant, coming in and said immediately:

"My dear, please forgive me."

Then the emperor said: "Yesterday, the eunuchs reported that the "Yongle Dadian" and the daily notes of emperors of all dynasties in the palace were taken away by Su thieves!"

Gao Gong had been busy with affairs outside the court, so he was shocked when he heard the news.

He quickly asked: "All the daily notes of the emperors of the past dynasties were taken away by the Su thieves? Where are the recorded records that have been compiled?"

The emperor quickly said: "He was also taken away!"

Gao Gong was in a trance for a while. The daily notes and real records recorded the deeds of the emperors of the past dynasties. There were many palace secrets that could not be made public, and there were also many conspiracies and calculations recorded in them.

Of course, daily notes will not speak ill of the emperor, and records compiled by later generations will not directly mention the faults of the late emperor.

However, the literati species always like to secretly hide things in history books. It is impossible for the emperor to read the records one by one, let alone check the daily notes every day.

Gao Gong had already thought about how Su Ze would compile Ming Ting's information in the newspaper after getting these materials.

Gao Gong asked again: "Your Majesty, are there any other losses? Have the treasures in the palace been stolen? Where is the inner court treasury?"

The emperor said: "The treasures in the palace are still there, but the silver in the treasury is gone. I have arrested the eunuch guarding the treasury and asked them. I don't know if the Su thieves took it away."

The emperor said with a strange expression: "I have been mentally prepared for the palace to be ransacked, but there is one thing that I never expected. The Su thief is so ruthless!"

The emperor said: "The Su thief took away all the names of the eunuchs and maids in the palace. Now there is no way to identify the eunuchs and maids who are staying in the palace!"

When the emperor said this, Gao Gong finally reacted.

As in the case of the Ministry of Personnel, there is also a detailed list of all palace maids and eunuchs in the Bureau of Ceremonies.

The palace was strictly forbidden, and only the eunuchs and maids had their own access areas. The activities of eunuchs and maids were strictly controlled in conjunction with the 樨 (wooden pass) and discu (the list of personnel verified by each palace gate).

This system was greatly strengthened after the Renyin Palace Incident that almost strangled Emperor Jiajing to death. Even the eunuchs who were in charge of rituals could not enter or leave the palace at will unless they had nothing to do.

On the one hand, this system is to prevent internal and external collusion and to prevent internal and external rebellions from contacting the palace.

On the other hand, it was also to isolate the connection between the palace maids and eunuchs and prevent them from colluding to organize rebellion.

But now all these things are gone. Whether the eunuchs staying in the palace can be trusted or not has become a chain of suspicion that cannot be pondered over. The newly enthroned Emperor Longqing didn't even sleep well last night, so he hurriedly invited his own in the early morning. Cabinet ministers.

Gao Gong was even more troubled. The emperor's safety was a top priority. When the emperor was on the throne, things like the Renyin Palace Incident could happen. Now that Long Qing had just ascended the throne, and there was a big enemy like Su Ze, naturally it was There is no sense of security.

Being able to understand the emperor does not mean that Gao Gong can do anything. Gao Gong bit the bullet and asked: "Your Majesty, there are many people missing in the palace. If these eunuchs and maids are no longer allowed to serve, what will happen to the palace?"

"It is better to let these palace people identify each other and vouch for each other. As long as it is confirmed that they are old people in the palace, they can be kept in the palace. If they are suspicious, they can be interrogated by Jin Yiwei and Dongchang."

"If Your Majesty is still not at ease, how about adding more palace guards?"

This time, the soft-eared emperor took a rather tough stance on his own safety and said:

"I can accommodate other matters, but the important matter of palace confinement cannot be delayed!"

"The palace guards are not eunuchs. Although there are not many concubines in my harem, they still have to avoid suspicion! The palace guards can only guard the palace gate. If something like the Renyin Palace Incident really happens? Who should I rely on?"

When it comes to this weight, Gao Gong can't say much more.

The emperor asked Yang Bo, the chief minister of the cabinet: "I am going to increase the number of eunuchs and maids, and they must be of pure origin!"

Gao Gong immediately said: "No!"

"Your Majesty, as soon as the capital is decided, we will recruit eunuchs and maidens. I'm afraid this will make people's hearts unstable!"

The emperor was already a little unhappy, but he also knew that Gao Gong was doing it for his own reputation.

He held back and said: "We won't add more eunuchs. How about adding more strong palace maids?"

Gao Gong still said: "Your Majesty, the three main palaces are now suspended, and many palaces in the palace are vacant. We might as well seal off these palaces. The manpower in the palace now is enough to protect your Majesty's safety."

At this time, even the always good-tempered Emperor Longqing was a little angry. He said: "I just want to add more maids to make the palace more capable. Why is it so difficult?"

However, Long Qing's temper was still soft, and he said again: "Master Gao, I can't sleep well!"

The emperor had said this, and Gao Gong finally had nothing to say. He could only bow his head and prepare to recruit a group of maids with innocent backgrounds to the emperor.

After finishing talking about this important matter, Emperor Longqing asked again:

"Yang Shoufu, how is the situation in Dagu?"

The Southeast New Army withdrew, but a bastion remained in Dagu.

Daku Bastion became a thorn in the hearts of the Ming Dynasty monarchs and ministers.

Yang Bo immediately said: "I have asked Tianjin to closely monitor the Dagu side. The number of southeastern thieves left in the Dagu Bastion is not large, and they rarely leave the vicinity of Dagu Port. They should not be able to threaten the capital."

But the Southeast New Army is stationed in Dagu. This is undoubtedly the kind of peeing in front of Mingting's house, or the kind where you can come and relieve yourself anytime and anywhere.

The emperor asked: "Can this bastion be taken?"

Yang Bo immediately shook his head and said: "Li Chengliang, Governor Li, once fought with the Southeast bandits near the bastion. The Southeast bandits placed a large number of artillery in the bastion. The bastion also had port supply support. I am afraid it would be difficult to take ten times as many troops." Down."

"I think that the capital is relatively safe and it is difficult to mobilize troops. There are not many soldiers in the fortress and it is impossible to threaten the capital. I have set up surveillance posts along the way, so I will just let it go."

Yang Bo had said this, and Emperor Longqing had no choice but to give up. He said to his two important ministers: "The country is in dire straits, so you two should take more care of it!"

Yang Bo and Gao Gong hurriedly knelt down and said, "I will do my best to serve you!"

The news that the emperor wanted to recruit more maids quickly spread in the capital.

In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, children from ordinary families were still willing to work as maids in the palace.

This is not a delusional hope that the emperor will be favored and give birth to a prince. Most of the palace ladies and healthy women work in the palace. The emperor does not regard them as women at all, let alone favor them.

There was plenty of food in the palace, and there were various departments in the palace where women could learn embroidery and other crafts. In addition, the palace in the early Ming Dynasty would regularly return maids to the palace, and it would be easier to get married if they came out at that time.

However, the time spent with the guards and corvees became longer and longer, and the time the palace maids spent working in the palace also became longer and longer.

During the Jiajing period, many palace maids worked in the palace all their lives and were unable to get married and have children. Entering the palace was equivalent to separation from their families.

As the palace struggles intensified, the emperor, queen, concubines and even the eunuchs in charge would often punish and scold the palace maids. Entering the palace was almost like going to jail.

Therefore, the common people in the capital will try their best to prevent their daughters from entering the palace as maids, and some even become physically disabled for this purpose.

Lu Tianshou of the Jingshi Intelligence Station received the news and immediately convened a meeting with the editors of the "Jingshi New News".

Wang Yongji, the imperial censor, has become the editor of "Jingshi Xinbao". He is temporarily acting as editor until the chief editor sent from the southeast arrives.

Wang Yongji was Hai Rui's only good friend when he was an official in the capital, and he was also known for his integrity and uprightness.

After Hai Rui appeared in "Public Security Shu", Wang Yongji also knew that his relationship with Hai Rui was no longer possible in the Ming Dynasty court.

Lu Tianshou found him and asked him to be the editor of "Jingshi New News". Wang Yongji did not know the background of "Jingshi New News" and only regarded him as a private newspaper.

Lu Tianshou told Wang Yongji that the emperor would recruit palace maids after he ascended the throne, and then said:

"Editor Wang, the capital has been settled for a while. Your Majesty is recruiting palace maidens as soon as he ascends the throne. This is not what a wise king should do!"

Wang Yongji used to be a public official. If he had been in the past, he would have risked his life to write a letter to remonstrate.

But now that he is the editor of a newspaper, he doesn't know how to write articles.

Lu Tianshou said: "Editor Wang, you just need to appeal in the newspaper, talk about the dangers of recruiting palace maids, and advise His Majesty in the newspaper. You can write the memorial how you used to write it now, but now the readers are the entire Just the common people of the capital."

Wang Yongji thought for a moment, nodded immediately and said, "Editor-in-Chief, I'll go back and write the article right now!"

Wang Yongji was very fast and wrote a vernacular article quickly.

In fact, many official documents of the Ming Dynasty were also required to be concise, and some famous memorials were semi-vernacular. Wang Yongji could easily pick up such articles.

The article did not exaggerate the propaganda. It only talked about the current situation of the Ming Dynasty as a maid in the palace, and asked the emperor not to increase the burden on the people when the country was in crisis.

Lu Tianshou applauded after reading it, and then asked the printing shop to speed up printing.

When the next morning passed, newsboys delivered newspapers to the streets, and the entire capital knew that the emperor was recruiting new maids.

The people in the capital were terrified, fearing that their daughters would be snatched into the palace, and the news that Long Qing was recruiting a palace maid soon turned into multiple versions of rumors and quickly spread throughout the capital.

Some people say that it is not about recruiting palace maids at all, but that the emperor wants to select concubines. This time the emperor wants to enrich the harem, three palaces, six courtyards and seventy-two concubines, and want to snatch all the beautiful girls of the right age from the capital into the palace.

It is also said that the current emperor is a good wife and wants strong married women to serve in the palace.

It is also said that the emperor did not recruit palace maids, but rewarded these women to King Qin's frontier troops.

It is also said that the emperor, like the emperor, needs to use women's menstrual blood to refine elixirs, and these palace ladies are "drug scum".

The news became more and more outrageous as it spread, but no matter which version it was, the people did not want to send their daughters to the palace.

The person responsible for recruiting palace ladies was Feng Bao, a close eunuch around Emperor Longqing.

Feng Bao was originally just a eunuch serving King Yu in Prince Yu's palace. After King Yu ascended the throne, all the eunuchs in the palace went to the west with Jiajing, so Feng Bao suddenly became the eunuch of the Chief of Ceremonies.

Feng Bao naturally knew that ordinary people were not willing to let women into the palace at all, so Feng Bao simply marked the price directly, and as long as he paid the price, he could avoid entering the palace.

But the emperor's order was to be fulfilled, so Feng Bao asked the eunuchs to search the capital. Regardless of whether they were unmarried, married, or had children, as long as they were strong women, they were all captured and taken into the palace.

Everyone in the capital is even more in danger. As expected, there is no harm without comparison. Everyone is once again grateful for Su Ze's good fortune in the capital.

On September 15th, Su Ze, the governor-general beloved by the people of the capital, returned to Shanghai by speedboat.

The battles of the Southeast New Army in the north were quickly transmitted back to Shanghai via clipper ships. The reports of the battles in the north in the "Jingshi Bao" were faster than the news of Jiajing in Xishou.

The news of the decisive battle in Dagu, which severely damaged the Jingqi of Liaoyang, was brought back to Shanghai with Su Ze. The people of South Zhili were jubilant after receiving the news!

This battle shattered the Ming court's illusion that the cavalry could defeat the gunmen, and also made the soldiers and civilians of the Southeast more convinced that the New Army in the Southeast was invincible.

What made the merchants of the Second Prefecture of Su and Song even more happy was that the First Brigade led by Lin Mojun captured Dengzhou, and the New Southeast Army took control of the northern route!

This means that goods from the southeast can be transported to the north unimpeded!

Su Ze expressed condolences to the people along the way and finally arrived in Nanjing by boat.

Xu Wei, the governor of Southern Zhili, greeted Su Ze outside Nanjing. After seeing Su Ze, Xu Wei immediately said: "Congratulations to the Governor on his triumphant return!"

Su Ze dismounted and took Xu Wei with him into the city.

The entire city of Nanjing has changed drastically. Because Su Ze issued an order to the various prefectural governments in Southern Zhili in advance, prohibiting disturbing the people in order to welcome him, so Xu Wei did not impose any martial law throughout the city. Su Ze saw the bustling scene of Nanjing's traffic.

Xu Wei talked about government affairs: "The Governor, my subordinates are preparing to move the Nanzhili Governor's Yamen to near the city gate."

"Originally, these yamen were located in the center of the city. Firstly, it was inconvenient to go out of the city to do business. Secondly, every time you went to and from the yamen, you would have to compete with the people for passage, causing congestion."

Su Ze nodded. The Nanzhili Governor's Office is in charge of the entire government affairs of Nanjing. Officials and servants have to come in and out of Nanjing. It is really not convenient to live in the city.

"Is it necessary to build a new government office?" Su Ze asked.

Xu Wei shook his head and said: "No need. There is an old military camp of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion next to Guanghua Gate in the south of the city. It is now vacant. You can just clean it and move in."

"There are also barracks in the military camp, which can be used as dormitories for officials and government officials, giving them temporary rest and reducing commuting time."

Su Ze nodded repeatedly and said, "I feel most at ease when Chief Wen is doing his job."

Although Xu Wei did not disturb the people, he also cleared a remote road for Su Ze to pass. After all, now that the world is uncertain, Su Ze's safety still needs to be guaranteed.

It took the group two quarters of an hour to finally arrive at the Governor's Yamen of Nanzhili.

The gate of the yamen is unremarkable, and the interior has only been cleaned briefly. There are no furnishings in the entire yamen. It is really shabby compared to the government yamen of the Ming Dynasty.

But the entire Nanzhili Governor's Office was very busy, with officials coming in and out, and there was a lively scene everywhere.

As soon as Su Ze sat down, he said to Xu Wei: "Chang Wen, the government affairs in the southeast need to be reformed!"