Chapter 83 Family and State Affairs
Hu Shanxiang and Sun Mengqiu walked into the hall together, and Wu Miaosu, who was originally sitting, also stood up. First, Hu and Sun greeted Empress Dowager Zhang and Zhu Zhanji, and then Wu Miaosu saluted the two of them.
"Miao Su greets the Crown Princess. May the Crown Princess be well."
Zhu Yuhuan glanced at Zhu Zhanji and saw that he looked indifferent. He let Wu Miaosu face Sun Mengqiu directly and never gave Sun Mengqiu a glance from beginning to end. He knew that he was doting on Wu Miaosu at this moment. Even Sun Mengqiu had no intention of showing her specialness in front of Wu Miaosu.
This is consistent with his historical behavior of deposing Hu Shanxiang without any regard for friendship.
Hu Shanxiang had known this day would come. She smiled at Wu Miaosu and said gently, "I'm relieved to see that you have returned safely with His Majesty. You have done a great service by accompanying the emperor, and you deserve a reward."
Empress Dowager Zhang smiled and said, "This child is very simple-minded. She can't think of anything to order right now. Let's wait until she has a plan in mind."
Hu Shanxiang patted Wu Miaosu's hand and said, "This is even better. If there's anything you're short of, or if you're not used to it, just tell me and I'll naturally make arrangements for you."
Zhu Zhanji was not interested in Hu Shanxiang's attitude. He just looked at Wu Miaosu and saw that she was still neither humble nor arrogant. She did not try to please Hu Shanxiang or stand on Hu Shanwei's side just because of their sisterly relationship. He felt much more satisfied.
Zhu Yuhuan had been secretly observing the expressions of Zhu Zhanji and Empress Dowager Zhang, judging their attitudes. Seeing Zhu Zhanji like this, he couldn't help but complain inwardly.
If I really wanted to strangle you, I would have done it long ago. Why wait until today? If you don't like her mother, just say it directly. You keep beating around the bush...
Wu Miaosu then bowed to Sun Mengqiu again and said, "Miaosu greets Concubine Sun, and wishes you good health."
Unexpectedly, Sun Mengqiu did not get angry like before. Instead, he smiled and seemed to be very close to Wu Miaosu.
She smiled and took Wu Miaosu's arm, saying, "Thanks to my sister accompanying His Majesty, His Highness and I can feel a little more at ease in the capital. From now on, we will take care of each other in the palace, and there will surely be peace."
Zhu Zhanji was surprised by her attitude. After all, before he went south, Sun Mengqiu was still angry with him and had never sent a letter home.
It was common for Sun Mengqiu to be jealous. In the past, Zhu Zhanji would have coaxed her into submission. But now Sun Mengqiu suddenly behaved out of character, which made him a little confused.
But if he thought about it carefully, he and Sun Mengqiu were no longer children. After being parents for so many years, they were no longer in the age of acting recklessly. It would be great if Sun Mengqiu could change.
You can't let him coax her all the time.
Empress Dowager Zhang naturally noticed the change in Sun Mengqiu. She said with satisfaction, "This is really the best. With the three of you behaving peacefully, the palace will surely be peaceful. I can then wait to enjoy the company of my grandchildren in the coming years."
This time, Empress Dowager Zhang had no intention of concealing her purpose at all.
The emperor passed away, and the mourning period was 27 days. Marriage was not restricted. Despite this, Zhu Zhanji, as a son, still had to be careful. But he was not so young anymore. Giving birth to an heir as soon as possible was a major matter for Zhu Zhanji and the Ming Dynasty, and it could not be delayed any further.
Under such circumstances, having children is no longer a matter of personal concern, but an important political task. Hu Shanxiang, Sun Mengqiu and Wu Miaosu are not human beings, but important tools.
Seeing the three of them agree, Zhu Yuhuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Damn feudal society.
After Empress Dowager Zhang announced her major goal, she then said to Zhu Zhanji, "The Ministry of Rites has already prepared for the enthronement, and your fifth brother can't wait for your return. The rest of the matter is now entirely up to you, Zhanji."
Hearing Empress Dowager Zhang say this, Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but feel a little helpless. He said, "Fifth brother is still the same, liking to slack off. I heard that he did a great job with the farm tools that Father gave him earlier, which shows that he is no ordinary person. If that's the case, he should at least get some errands to do. How can he just think of slacking off whenever he gets the chance?"
Empress Dowager Zhang said with a smile, "There has to be someone idle in this family, right? Zhanji did a good job handling the farm tools last time, but Huanhuan also did a lot of the hard work. He's so obsessed with being lazy, not caring that Huanhuan is still a child."
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone around her looked at Zhu Yuhuan.
Zhu Yuhuan just said obediently: "Huanhuan doesn't have the majesty of Fifth Uncle. If Fifth Uncle wasn't here, how could the officials from the six ministries be willing to come and see the farm cart? It's all thanks to Fifth Uncle!"
After she finished speaking, she silently apologized to Zhu Zhanji in her heart. Although she knew that her fifth uncle's ambition was to be a rich and idle person, he and Zhu Zhanji were brothers after all, and with Empress Dowager Zhang around, the brothers lived in harmony.
But Zhu Yuhuan is different. The margin of error in her life is really low, so she has to be careful.
Empress Dowager Zhang noticed the hidden meaning in Zhu Yuhuan's words and couldn't help but chuckle.
Compared to Zhu Yuhuan's cautiousness, Zhu Zhanji was more concerned about the farm carts that Zhu Yuhuan mentioned. He asked, "What did the officials of the Ministry of Revenue say?"
Seeing him looking at him, it was obvious that he hoped Zhu Yuhuan could have a definite answer.
Thinking of his previous conversation with Yu Qian, Zhu Yuhuan was moved when he heard this and quickly said, "A few officials from the Ministry of Revenue came and left after taking a look. Perhaps they were busy with the affairs of Yingtian at that time and had no time to take care of these matters."
Zhu Zhanji frowned slightly and said, "This is the order of the late emperor. How dare they disobey it?"
Zhu Yuhuan said vaguely: "I heard from my fifth uncle that most of these officials are of low status and have little influence..."
Zhu Zhanji frowned even more deeply, and then asked, "Then the assistant ministers of the six ministries didn't react at all?"
Zhu Yuhuan immediately understood the true meaning of Zhu Zhanji's repeated questioning.
Whether this matter is important or not is another matter. You must carry out the emperor's orders even if it is perfunctory. Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Yuhuan are acting in accordance with the emperor's orders, but the six ministries are so casual. What else can this be but contempt for the imperial power?
If the six ministries dared to be so perfunctory when Zhu Gaochi was in power, wouldn't they rebel when the new emperor Zhu Zhanji ascended the throne?
Seeing Zhu Zhanji's serious expression, Zhu Yuhuan pretended to smooth things over and said, "Actually, there were a few officials who listened attentively. I still remember when Zeng Shijiang and I were explaining agricultural vehicles, there was a clerk in the Ministry of Personnel who even knew about seed selection and breeding... I think his last name was Yu?"
After she said this, Zhu Zhanji seemed to have some impression, but it was not because of the farm cart incident, but because he seemed to have read an article with this signature.
Seeing her daughter being so bold, Hu Shanxiang couldn't help but sweat in her heart. She subconsciously looked at Zhu Yuhuan, but saw that she was still sitting there steadily, and did not seem nervous at all.
Her daughter has always been bold, but she is so bold.
Hu Shanxiang looked at Empress Dowager Zhang again, and seeing that she didn't say anything, she knew that she acquiesced, so she had to look away.
She was really afraid that her daughter would make a mistake...
Sun Mengqiu vaguely felt that Zhu Yuhuan seemed to be hinting at something, but it seemed as if he didn't say anything. Wu Miaosu realized that Zhu Yuhuan was planning something as extraordinary as a music box. The two of them pretended that they heard nothing. Empress Dowager Zhang and Zhu Zhanji didn't say anything, so it was not their turn to speak.
For some things, Zhu Zhanji would naturally take them to heart as long as he was simply mentioned, and the more he said, the more mistakes he would make.
Zhu Yuhuan pretended not to notice Zhu Zhanji's pensive expression and continued, "The officials of the six ministries have their own responsibilities. It's not like the emperor specially arranged for father to prepare the greenhouse. Omissions are inevitable." After saying this, she seemed to reveal a hint of grievance and whispered, "It's because Huanhuan didn't produce amazing results that this happened. Father, don't worry about it."
Zhu Zhanji then remembered that his daughter had been so excited about the preparations, but was "ignored" like this, and he must have felt a little disappointed.
Zhu Zhanji, in turn, consoled him: "After that, Daddy will allow you to recruit five more craftsmen into the palace, and I will pay their salaries."
Zhu Yuhuan quickly stood up to express his gratitude, saying, "Huanhuan thanks Daddy on behalf of the craftsmen."
Zhu Zhanji smiled and gestured to Zhu Yuhuan to stand up, but he was thinking about another thing in his mind.
As his daughter said, the greenhouse was personally planned and built by him when he was still the crown prince. Now he has no son, let alone a department like the Six Ministries to assist in such matters, so he must find a suitable person.
The third brother is devoted to Buddhism, the fifth brother is cynical, and the rest of the brothers are either not capable of taking on the responsibility or are still young. There is actually no suitable candidate.
These officials are opportunistic and hypocritical, making it even harder to trust them...
What should I do?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
