Chapter 78: Public and Private
"Saint... Lady, let's go to the teahouse first..."
After Zhu Yuhuan ascended the throne, he had many affairs to attend to, and Han Guilan and Huai En both had things to help with.
Han Guilan had to help Zhu Yuhuan debate with the censors of the Censorate, and also help Zhu Yuhuan check the memorials and petitions approved by the Imperial Household Department to confirm whether there was any trickery, and then report the summary to Zhu Yuhuan. After confirmation, the female officials would copy the revised memorials and issue them for execution.
Huai En took over the Dongjishichang under Zhu Yuhuan's instruction and took over the intelligence work. In addition to the original function of monitoring the Jinyiwei, Zhu Yuhuan also specifically proposed another new function, which was to monitor the eunuchs stationed in various places. The eunuchs stationed in the local area were used to inspect the local area, so they had great power. However, as "imperial envoys" appointed by the emperor, these people had greater power to interfere with local military and civil affairs. For example, when Liu Yongcheng was in Gansu, he could mobilize troops to attack. However, among the eunuchs stationed in the local area, there were also people like Guo Jing who colluded with foreigners to smuggle. The court had neither a deep understanding of this nor intervened to stop it. Invisibly, it led to disastrous consequences. Zhu Yuhuan certainly could not sit idly by.
In short, Han Guilan and Huai En could no longer follow Zhu Yuhuan as closely as before, so the attendants around him were replaced.
Her name was Song Cuilian, and she was about the same age as Zhou Yingying, not even twenty years old.
Although Song Cui Lian is not very old, she entered the palace when she was four or five years old and has been in the palace for ten years. She is reliable and steady in her work.
As Han Guilan's affairs became increasingly busy, Song Cuilian became closer to the emperor and began to gradually understand the emperor's preferences and habits.
However, the time she had followed Zhu Yuhuan closely was too short, so she couldn't be considered familiar with him, and she wasn't as natural as Han Guilan was around Zhu Yuhuan.
However, she had never left the palace since she entered it at a young age, and had never thought that she could leave the palace at will with the emperor, so she was inevitably nervous and restrained.
Seeing her like this, Zhu Yuhuan shouted to the noodle shop attendant, "Shopkeeper, give me another bowl of noodles."
"Okay!"
Zhu Yuhuan waved at her and said, "Don't be too restrained, otherwise what if people find out? Everything has its own way. We still have a long time to live. You should get used to my private life and keep your public and private life separate."
Keep public and private affairs separate... Is this how it's used?
Song Cui Lian had no choice but to sit down obediently, but she didn't dare to sit down firmly, just leaning against the edge of the bench.
She was still young when she entered the palace. She only remembered that the social atmosphere outside was far less open than it is today. At least ordinary roadside restaurants would not allow two unmarried women to dine in.
Zhu Yuhuan finally managed to leave the palace, and the first thing he did was to go to the restaurant he used to go to to eat noodles.
The food in the palace seems to have many flavors, but the taste is just so-so. It is not as delicious as the food in the restaurants outside the palace.
Fortunately, it was still early when they came out. They were the first customers of the restaurant that opened in the afternoon, and there were not many diners in the restaurant yet.
Song Cui Lian looked at Zhu Yuhuan eating with great concentration and devouring the food in no time, as if he had never eaten such delicious food before.
The shopkeeper brought out the noodles and, looking at Zhu Yuhuan's appearance, couldn't help but sigh, "Sir, no one in our shop has enjoyed the food as much as you have in all these years. Are you also from His Majesty's textile factory?"
Zhu Yuhuan had been away from Beijing for many years, and the store owner had long forgotten what he looked like, not to mention that Zhu Yuhuan's current appearance of wolfing down his food was completely different from his previous appearance when he came to the restaurant to eat. Naturally, the store owner could not recognize Zhu Yuhuan, a former regular customer.
Zhu Yuhuan smiled and said, "Not really... I've been away from Beijing on business for many years. I haven't eaten your food in a long time. It's understandable that I miss it a little."
The shopkeeper smiled broadly upon hearing this and said, "Sir, you are very good at talking. Let's go make you a pot of good tea! If you like to drink, we also have sorghum wine!"
"Forget about drinking, I still have work to do today." Zhu Yuhuan looked at Song Cuilian beside him and said, "You should try it too. The toppings here are the best. They are much more flavorful than those soups in the palace."
Song Cuilian was a little hesitant, but seeing Zhu Yuhuan looking at her, she had no choice but to "submit" obediently.
You don’t know how good it is until you try it. After eating it, Song Cui Lian couldn’t help but gobble it up.
Whether it was the female officials or palace maids serving in the palace, in order to be able to serve the master of the imperial city at any time, they usually ate simple meals to fill their stomachs, and they did not even dare to eat too much for fear of losing their manners in front of the emperor.
However, Song Cuilian had not eaten outside for many years, and when she suddenly started eating meat, she found it difficult to control herself.
When she finished the whole bowl of noodles, she saw the emperor wiping his mouth with a handkerchief and looking at her with a smile.
Song Cuilian then remembered that she was also responsible for serving the emperor, so she quickly stopped what she was doing.
"Are you full?" Zhu Yuhuan asked, "If you're full, we'll have to go to school. If you want to eat anything delicious, you'll have to wait until we return to the palace in the evening."
Song Cuilian was startled, her face blushing, and she quickly said, "Yes."
Zhu Yuhuan came out in a hurry. Song Cuilian, who followed him, was on duty temporarily and had not had lunch yet, so she followed him out on an empty stomach.
Song Cui Lian followed behind Zhu Yuhuan, looking at the various figures of women on the street. Some were women dressed as peddlers walking through the streets, and some were capable women with narrow sleeves, long pants and tightly tied buns. Most of them looked straight ahead and walked hurriedly. Song Cui Lian always felt her body was light as she looked at them.
The Nanyang Academy was located not far from the Imperial City. Zhu Qizhen had originally designated the area for Zhu Yuhuan to build a Taoist temple, but only a building had been built, leaving the facilities incomplete. Now that the land was needed, Zhu Yuhuan was not stingy and designated the area, having officials allocate funds to purchase tables, chairs, and benches. He personally wrote the four characters "Nanyang Academy" and presented a plaque.
Zhu Yuhuan was accompanied by a carriage and guards when he left the palace this time, and soon arrived at the school.
As the head of the school, Zhang Zhong was shocked to hear that the emperor was coming in person, and hurried over to greet him, dragging his legs.
Seeing him like this, Zhu Yuhuan signaled the people around him to support Zhang Zhong to prevent him from falling. "You didn't tell anyone that I was here, did you?"
"No, no..." Zhang Zhong asked cautiously, "Why did His Majesty come here so suddenly? Shouldn't His Majesty be in the palace at this time of day listening to the imperial lecture?"
Zhu Yuhuan smiled and said, "It should have been, but I had a quarrel with the imperial censors. I am afraid that the officials will not tolerate me and want to make someone else the emperor. I will have no choice but to leave alone."
Zhang Zhong was startled by her few words. He glanced around cautiously before saying, "Your Majesty, if Lady Fan heard what you said, she would be frightened to death."
Fan Hong is in charge of the Imperial Stables. Although his daily powers are now in the hands of Zhu Yuhuan, he is still responsible for the emperor's safety. If the emperor can replace him at will, I am afraid that the "Imperial Stables will be fully responsible."
Zhu Yuhuan chuckled and said, "He's much braver than you think."
Zhang Zhong responded at first, then realized something and said, "Then...did His Majesty leave a letter to the palace?"
Zhu Yuhuan looked calm, but he finally said what Zhang Zhong least wanted to hear:
"No. Otherwise why would I ask you not to tell anyone?"
Zhang Zhong: “…”
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