Money has to be spent frugally. Although Zhu Youxiao still has some private money, there are too many places where he can spend the money later, which is a headache to think about.
Of course, issuing an order for the Ministry of Revenue to pay would also work. However, given the bureaucratic delays, it's unclear how long it would take to get through. Furthermore, this would be different in meaning and feel than paying for the Wenju program yourself.
"Your Majesty, it's time to eat." Wang Tigan walked into the hall and bowed to report.
Zhu Youxiao nodded and said casually, "Serve the meal!"
Wang Tigan gave an order, and the palace servants came in, opened the food boxes, and spread the food on the table.
As the aroma wafted through the air, the cat's owner, Zhang Yu'er, appeared, holding White Snake. The greedy cat's nose was really sharp, and perhaps it could even understand human speech.
Zhu Youxiao naturally had many speculations and doubts about this rather strange-looking cat, and he often secretly observed its actions.
This might be a schizophrenic cat. Zhu Youxiao made this judgment based on the fact that Xiaobai is sometimes silly and cute, but sometimes he is so smart that he seems like a spirit.
Xiaobai is now in a spirit-like state, with his two heterochromatic eyes flashing, and his little paws clinging to Zhang Yuer's arm, looking at the food on the table with a drooling look.
Well, this is a look of greed. White Snake also has a look that Zhu Youxiao called "sly and sneaky".
Zhu Youxiao didn't care that Xiaobai was picking dishes on the table. He just picked up his bowl and chopsticks and started eating and drinking.
Well, if I want to show some favor to the civil servants, I think providing them with food would be a good idea, and it would be free of charge. However, I can't leave this to those bastard civil servants, lest they embezzle my money.
At this time, Wang Tigan came in and reported to Zhu Youxiao: "Your Majesty, Concubine Liu has selected four palace maids and they are waiting for an audience outside the palace."
"Is the Qianqing Palace short of palace maids?" Zhu Youxiao asked casually.
Wang Tigan smiled, bowed, and moved closer to Zhu Youxiao. He lowered his voice and said, "The emperor's wedding is imminent, and Concubine Liu sent the palace maids here to serve the emperor..."
In ancient times, emperors had to receive premarital education before entering the bridal chamber. The four palace maids in the harem, with the titles of master of ceremonies, gatekeeper, bedroom manager, and accounting manager, were the emperor's trainee teachers, specifically for him to serve in the bridal chamber.
For example, the foolish emperor Sima Zhong. Before his wedding, Emperor Wu of Jin, Sima Yan, assigned the harem scholar Xie Jiu to go to the East Palace to teach the prince about the matters of bedroom.
Unexpectedly, Sima Zhong was stupid but had a good spear. Not long after Xie Jiu left the Eastern Palace, she found out she was pregnant. The fool didn't know it yet. Later, when she saw a lively child in her parents' palace, she realized it was her son.
Premarital education is relatively correct. Its purpose is to enable the emperor to gain some experience in sexual intercourse between men and women so that he will not be embarrassed or panic, or even make a fool of himself when he sleeps in the bridal chamber with the empress.
But psychologically speaking, the emperor, who is self-centered, often has shallow feelings for his first woman and is not very attached to her.
Because this woman usually makes the emperor feel shy, and reminds him of his first nervousness and helplessness, and he may feel uncomfortable in front of her.
Oh, so that’s how it is!
It’s really good to be an emperor. You can practice this kind of thing in advance, and there are four people who come to practice with you.
Zhu Youxiao sighed and glanced around, and saw Zhang Yuer listening attentively, her eyes moving around, as if she was very concerned.
Zhu Youxiao smiled and turned to Wang Tigan and said, "Send the maid back. Tell her that I thank the Concubine Dowager for her concern and that I will explain the situation to Concubine Dowager Liu when I have time."
"Yes, I will obey your order." Wang Tigan bowed and retreated, glancing at Zhang Yuer meaningfully.
It was no secret that the emperor visited Zhang Yu'er, or rather, the emperor had no secrets. His eating, drinking, and sleeping were all recorded by the eunuchs of the Jingshifang, which was called the daily records.
But Wang Tigan didn't expect that the emperor was actually interested in this palace maid. He didn't even look at her and sent the palace maid back.
Zhu Youxiao continued eating. When Zhang Yuer approached to pick up some food for Bai Niangniang, he reached out with a wicked smile and grabbed her perky and firm buttocks.
Zhang Yuer's body stiffened, her face flushed, she bit her lips lightly, and lowered her head shyly.
"Tonight, I will teach you a new move." Zhu Youxiao lowered his voice and smiled obscenely.
Hehe, let me see if you can give birth to a Nezha for me.
…………
"The Emperor's grace is immense!" Wang Juzi bowed towards the Imperial City. When he turned around, he was already smiling easily. "Haha, this time I don't need to prepare dry food. I can just bring it to the tribute hall in large and small bags."
Wen Zhenmeng smiled and nodded, saying, "Although Your Majesty is young, he is very thoughtful. This shows that he has high expectations for us candidates."
The examination took place at the Imperial Examination Hall in Mingshifang, Beijing, and consisted of three sessions, one each over three days. Furthermore, candidates were not allowed to leave the Imperial Examination Hall during the three-day period.
In other words, the candidates had to stay in their own rooms for nine days, eating, drinking, defecating and urinating in the examination hall, and they had to prepare their own food.
Therefore, candidates usually bring smoked meat, pickles, flatbreads and other items that can be stored for a long time, in case the food becomes spoiled and inedible, and they will be helpless.
Just think about the things that the candidates had to carry with them. It was really too much and too troublesome. Taking the imperial examination was like a refugee fleeing famine.
First of all, in addition to the most basic examination equipment, candidates must bring an oilcloth curtain.
Because the examination room is a separate, very simple cubicle without a door, if it rains or the temperature drops at night, and there is no curtain to cover you, you will be in trouble.
A paper bag is necessary to keep the paper clean and tidy. If there is even a little bit of stain or damage, even if you can write a super good essay, you will be deprived of the test score.
The food is mentioned above, but we can’t just eat cold food, so we also bring a small stove to cook some hot porridge and hot rice.
You can't eat with your hands, you need bowls, chopsticks, spoons and cooking utensils.
I’m not sure which examination room I’ll be assigned to. What if it’s a smelly room near the toilet?
There were no masks at that time, so candidates usually brought things like sachets.
What if you have a headache or a cold? You only have to do it once every three years. You have to persist if you can, and you have to prepare some common medicines.
Add to that the bedding and blankets for sleeping and resting, the big and small bags, the food, clothing, shelter and necessities, let’s not call them refugees, do you think they look like donkey travelers on a long-distance journey?
Compared with the imperial examinations at that time, the college entrance examination candidates of later generations were simply extremely lucky.
Because of this, hearing that the emperor would take out the treasury to solve the food and drink problems of the candidates, reducing their burden and giving them a feeling of being valued, suddenly made people feel relieved and proud.
As they were talking, Chen Juzi pushed the door open and called out, "Do you know about the food supply?"
Wen Zhenmeng and Wang Juzi nodded vigorously, their faces beaming with smiles. The meaning was obvious, we all knew it. He wanted to surprise us, but he couldn't.
Chen Juzi chuckled and said, "Then you certainly don't know which restaurant is responsible for providing the food, nor do you know what kind of food is provided?"
"Huh? Isn't it supplied by the government?" Mr. Wang was a little surprised.
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