Rule the Ming Dynasty Alone

The sunset was brilliant, and the entire Qianqing Palace seemed to shine with golden light.

Niu Mengmeng, who was wearing a cute double-tailed bun, was walking slowly along the corridor from the direction of Qianqing Gate with her little cat in her arms. Suddenly she stopped where she was, squinting her bun-shaped face to look at the sunset with a look on her face. Break out into a big smile.

Zhu Youtang, who was wearing regular clothes, came out of Dongnuan Pavilion to prepare for a meal. When he saw Niu Mengmeng standing stupidly on the corridor, he suddenly realized that he really had a stupid palace maid by his side.

"Your Majesty, come here and take a look at the sunset. It's really beautiful today!" Niu Mengmeng suddenly noticed the appearance of Zhu Youtang and pointed to the west excitedly.

When Guo Yong saw Niu Mengmeng's appearance, he reprimanded him in a deep voice: "Niu Mengmeng, how can you be so unruly? Kneel down to His Majesty!"

"My slave, I kneel down to Your Majesty!" Niu Mengmeng knew that Guo Yong was far harsher than Liang Fang, so he immediately knelt down and said.

Zhu Youtang knew that he should be stricter with the palace maids and eunuchs, but he ignored the startled Niu Mengmeng and walked straight past Niu Mengmeng without even glancing at the sunset in the west.

"Your Majesty, it is easy to divide Qianqing Palace into districts. The bedrooms and Dongnuang Pavilion are naturally the top priority, followed by the dining room and bathroom, and then the outside area. But how should we reward and punish them?" Guo Yong carefully took note of Zhu Youtang's words and asked again.

Zhu Youtang looked at the palace maids and eunuchs kneeling on the ground and said matter-of-factly: "Of course, those who know the rules will be rewarded more, those who don't know the rules will be rewarded less, and those who have merit will be rewarded more. I have to give them benefits." Let them know who is the master!"

"Your Majesty, if this happens, the expenses of Qianqing Palace will increase a lot!" Guo Yong reminded him seriously, knowing that this was Zhu Youtang showing kindness to those around him.

Zhu Youtang thought of the confiscated stolen money of Chen Zhun and Xie Yikui, as well as the stolen silver of Li Min and others on the road, but he said without blinking: "We only have a few people in the Qing Palace, how can we increase the reward?" It’s not in the way! It’s just that I have to put pressure on them. If they fail to pass the exam for two consecutive months, they will be reported to me to decide whether to stay or stay!”

"Okay, I will take out the charter tonight! If they don't know how to cherish it, then let them go to other places to suffer!" Guo Yong took note of it carefully and expressed his stance resolutely.

Zhu Youtang watched the maids and eunuchs around him lower their heads, but he knew that it would be more effective to refer to the more scientific management regulations of his previous life.

Originally, he didn't want to waste his energy on managing the personnel affairs of the Qianqing Palace, but Xie Yikui's incident forced him to pay attention to it. Even the palace maids and eunuchs who were naturally loyal to him might be tempted by material things.

In order to prevent forces inside and outside the palace from infiltrating into the Qianqing Palace, his best approach is to increase his financial qualifications and use both kindness and power at the same time.

The biggest reason why many palace maids or eunuchs rebelled was that the salary given by the Ming court was too low. Only the money you gave could meet their pension needs, and only in this way could they gain true loyalty.

After Zhu Youtang figured this out, in addition to creating a pyramid system for personnel in the Qianqing Palace, he also decided to create a pyramid for wages.

As night falls, the lights of Dongnuan Pavilion turn on.

The dozens of people living in the Qianqing Palace all revolved around Zhu Youtang. As the Qianqing Palace tried out the double salary system, it immediately greatly stimulated the enthusiasm of the palace maids and eunuchs to work.

Even the Qingliu officials who consider themselves saints are greedy for money, not to mention the palace maids and eunuchs who come from poor families. Naturally, they are very excited and looking forward to the salary increase.

Niu Mengmeng has become an expert in ink grinding, and can already grind ink while talking, but he can't help but ask: "Your Majesty, are you going to get points deducted for running out to find Xiaohua today?"

"The point deduction system was just arranged tonight, but it will not be implemented until tomorrow! By the way, it seems that the palace maid who came in today to deliver sandalwood has never been seen before?" Zhu Youtang dealt with the memorial in his hand, and immediately thought of the man in charge of sandalwood. The palace maid said.

Niu Mengmeng thought about it seriously and replied immediately: "Sister Erya arranged it. It seems that she was just transferred from another palace. Her name is Qiuxiang!"

"Qiuxiang?" Zhu Youtang couldn't help but think of Tang Bohu.

Niu Mengmeng turned to look at Zhu Youtang, nodded seriously and said, "Yes, that's the name I remember. Isn't it very beautiful?"

"I didn't pay much attention, but I'm here to talk about important things today, and she came in at the wrong time!" Zhu Youtang read the next memorial and said very casually.

Niu Mengmeng's eyes immediately stared, looking very surprised and said: "Ah? How come she doesn't understand the rules better than the slave?"

"I think you're not much better!" Zhu Youtang glanced at her and said disparagingly.

Niu Mengmeng's brows furrowed, and he defended very seriously: "If His Majesty summons his ministers, all slaves will retreat. This slave is better than her!"

"Then help me keep an eye on this Qiuxiang. I think there's something wrong with her!" Zhu Youtang put it aside and said as he looked at another local official's memorial to impeach Wang Yue for murder.

Niu Mengmeng had absolute loyalty, and immediately nodded happily and said: "Okay, I hate bad people who take advantage of others! I heard that there was someone else's spy in Qianqing Palace before. The late emperor was very angry for this, but in the end he couldn't find it. Who is it!"

"Did someone else put you in?" Zhu Youtang's heart moved slightly, but he suddenly asked.

Niu Mengmeng pointed to his nose, looking extremely shocked and said: "Me?"

"You're kidding! Please keep an eye on Dong Nuan Pavilion for me from now on. No idlers are allowed to enter!" Zhu Youtang saw the girl's reaction and said with a genuine smile.

Only then did Niu Mengmeng put down the hand pointing to her nose, and promised seriously: "Well, last time Sister Erya came in, I already told you about her, and I want to help His Majesty stay here!"

"Work hard, and this month's five salary is yours?" Zhu Youtang promised immediately, knowing that although Niu Mengmeng was short-sighted, he was extremely loyal.

Niu Mengmeng's eyes lit up slightly and he started to clasp his fingers.

"Stop breaking it, your fingers are not enough!" Zhu Youtang knew that this woman was not good at arithmetic, so he directly attacked her.

As the night progressed, the wax stands in Dongnuan Pavilion were changed one after another.

Zhu Youtang was a man of self-discipline in life. Faced with the memorials from the two capitals and thirteen provinces, he dealt with them diligently, striving to make the dynasty run more efficiently.

"Your Majesty, it's getting late, it's time for you to rest!" Liu Jin walked over lightly and seemed to remind him softly.

Zhu Youtang stretched and looked up out of the window.

Since I don't have to go to morning service tomorrow, I can get up later. But now that the weather is getting colder and colder, he is becoming more and more resistant to morning meetings, and more and more officials are absent from work.

In fact, the morning court meeting where thousands of officials listen to the government is really just a formality. Things that have been decided are just implemented directly. As a result, they have to get up early to perform a ceremony, which is of no use except to consume their own energy.

Because the weather is getting colder, the room I live in now is the narrowest one.

Erya is still responsible for the job of warming the bed, but tonight she seems very silent, and that beautiful angel face exudes a trace of sadness that I feel pity for.

Zhu Youtang opened his hands and asked the palace maid to take off his clothes. Thanks to the layout of the room and the floor heating, he did not feel cold here, but felt that the weather was just right.

Liu Jin watched Zhu Youtang walking towards the dragon bed, couldn't help but yawned, and was about to retreat and rest.

"You can go back to the Shangshan Bureau tomorrow to be the consul maid!" Zhu Youtang looked at Erya who was about to leave and suddenly made a decision.

Erya's delicate body trembled, her watery eyes looked at Zhu Youtang and begged: "I want to stay with Your Majesty!"

"Oh, how do you expect me to trust you again?" Zhu Youtang suddenly realized that this woman's shrewdness was no longer there, so he asked in response to her watery eyes.

Erya stretched out her hand to pull the rope on her chest, and the purple gauze clothes she wore slipped from both sides of her arms. Suddenly spring appeared, and her watery eyes looked at Zhu Youtang lovingly.

Upon seeing this, Liu Jin quickly waved away the palace maids and eunuchs who wanted to watch the fun, but carefully observed what was going on inside.

But he saw Erya being pushed down on the bed, and His Majesty was looking towards him. He was so frightened that he quickly called the female officer responsible for recording His Majesty's daily life to leave together.

The female official responsible for recording His Majesty's daily life wrote quickly: "At three o'clock in the morning, the night was slightly cool, and Erya was about to retreat from the warm bed. The emperor saw the thinness of his clothes, pushed Ya on the dragon bed, glared at the retreating eunuch Liu Jin and everyone, lowered the dragon curtain, and I am doing favors inside the curtain, my body is unknown!"