The emperor was supreme and could do whatever he pleased. He could be diligent and upright, or he could be dissolute and immoral.
But were emperors truly happy? The answer is clearly no. As the saying goes: mortals have their own joys, while immortals have their own worries.
As long as you are not a fool, if you have thoughts, you will have entanglements and worries; as long as you still have a sense of crisis and want to continue to hold the position of chairman of Daming, you will feel joy, anger, sorrow and happiness because of the ups and downs of the national situation.
Compared to Fan Xiaohui and Li Chengcheng, Zhu Youxiao felt that he had to worry more than them. Especially knowing the sufferings that China had experienced in history, he could not help but feel a heavier sense of responsibility.
Chengcheng and Xiaohui were well fed and well-drinking, and the emperor was not so tyrannical. As long as they pleased the emperor, they looked very happy.
Perhaps, this is the happiness of being palace maids?
The emperor was lost in thought, looking at Fan Xiaohui with tenderness and appreciation. In history, she was his Consort Fan Hui; now, she was his personal maid.
Under the Emperor's gaze, Fan Xiaohui blinked slowly, pursed her lips, and bowed her head with a shy smile. She twirled her fingers gently on the hem of her skirt and whispered, "Your Majesty, your birthday is coming soon. I've embroidered a small purse for you."
Purse? I really don't have anything to hold money.
Zhu Youxiao laughed and said, "Show it to me."
"Hmm!" Fan Xiaohui quickly took it out and handed it over with both hands.
Zhu Youxiao took it with a smile, fiddling with this rather delicate little "wallet." It was shaped like a small ingot, made of yellow silk with the words "Longevity" embroidered in red thread.
Untying the small string that tied the mouth, Zhu Youxiao put his finger inside and probed. He looked up at Fan Xiaohui and said jokingly, "It's empty. I didn't put a few silver coins in it. Where's your money?"
Fan Xiaohui opened her mouth in surprise, but soon realized that the emperor was joking, so she smiled and replied, "Your Majesty is rich, how can I afford to give you my little money?"
Zhu Youxiao laughed, stood up, patted his waist, and ordered: "Well, the small wallet is good, tie it here for me."
"Your Majesty, it's a small purse." Fan Xiaohui was delighted to hear that the emperor liked it. While correcting, she stepped forward and tied the small purse around the emperor's waist.
Fan Xiaohui tied her purse carefully, straightened her back and looked up, meeting the eyes of Emperor Hexi, and couldn't help but respond with a happy smile.
Zhu Youxiao reached out and touched the maid's face, and said with a smile: "There is no important official business today, and you have been bored in this palace for a long time. I will take you out for a walk."
Fan Xiaohui nodded vigorously, her face full of joy. Zhu Youxiao couldn't help but pinch her again because of her little look.
………………………….
Although Zhu Youxiao was very afraid of death, he was afraid that he would die before completing his career, which would lead to the good situation being ruined and the Ming Dynasty returning to its old path.
This possibility exists, and Zhu Youxiao does not believe that it would be possible to eliminate disadvantages and make the Ming Dynasty a new one in just a few years.
The decline of conservative forces was only a superficial phenomenon, the result of combined pressure from imperial power and new forces. If the emperor were to change, the conservative forces might still make a comeback.
There is no other way. In a feudal state, the emperor plays a vital role. When the ruler is wise, the country prospers, while when the ruler is incompetent, the country declines. There are countless clear examples in history.
Therefore, apart from going abroad to watch new weapons exercises and a few trips to the Academy of Sciences, Zhu Youxiao basically did not leave the palace.
Of course, security has also been strengthened. The palace guards, the secret protection of the Jinyiwei and the Dongchang, and the public security in the capital are all quite tight.
With the palace cleansing up and opposition forces being purged, Zhu Youxiao felt safer. Especially today, when he had no plans, the possibility of leaking information was even smaller.
Moreover, Zhu Youxiao believed that it was unlikely that the emperor would be assassinated openly. To harm him, he had to resort to some conspiracy or trickery.
For example, offerings of elixirs, magical waters, powerful pills, and kidney-tonifying medicine seemed to have tempted several Ming emperors. Therefore, Zhu Youxiao would never eat anything of this kind, even if he was beaten to death.
Walking onto the streets of the capital again, the emperor did not ride in a carriage. The four-wheeled, armored carriage with insignia and a steel plate carriage was too conspicuous.
He was surrounded by plainclothes palace guards, also known as the Grand Palace Masters. Since there were no sniper rifles, car bombs, or sudden exits from the palace, Zhu Youxiao wasn't too worried.
Of course, the ones who were most nervous were Lu Jianxing and the others who were accompanying him for protection. While there might not be anyone specifically trying to assassinate the emperor, there was no need to be careless about those who were so blind as to frighten the emperor.
"Emperor..." Fan Xiaohui, who was following the emperor, just opened her mouth when she realized something was wrong. Before the emperor could even glance at her, she quickly changed her words and said, "Young Master, has there been another change in the capital?"
Zhu Youxiao nodded slightly. He repaired the road surface, added stone-covered drainage ditches on the roadside, cleared away garbage, and provided three guarantees in front of the shops. He did not add any work to the Wucheng Bingmasi.
Obviously, the effect is visible. Although there is a big gap between it and later generations, it is a big improvement compared to the past.
Thinking about the current Xiyi cities, they must be dirty, messy, and full of fishy odors. Thinking of this, the emperor pursed his lips slightly, revealing a bit of contempt.
With the sound of shimmering wheels, a new-style carriage passed by. The curtains of the glass window were half-open, revealing a half-covered young woman's face, looking out curiously.
It was the female member of the British royal family. Zhu Youxiao saw the emblem on the carriage and couldn't help but smile. Nowadays, to own such a carriage, one must be either rich or noble. And allowing female members to ride in the carriage shows that the British royal family's mindset is also changing!
Well, there are more and more vehicles, and the Wucheng Bingmasi needs to have another job of traffic control.
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