Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 109 Family
Kunning Palace is very close to Qianqing Palace, Chongzhen took Wang Chengen along the long corridor between the two palaces for a while, and then they arrived at the side hall of Kunning Palace.

When passing by the side hall, there was a creaking sound in the hall, which was the sound of the spinning wheel placed by Queen Zhou inside.

Empress Zhou is from Suzhou, her family is poor, and she has learned to do housework since she was a child.His father, Zhou Kui, supported his family with money obtained from fortune-telling, and the family lived with barely enough food and clothing.

Such a family environment has cultivated Zhou's silent and staunch but gentle temperament.

When he was 12 years old, his family moved to the capital, and Zhou Kui still set up a fortune-telling booth in the downtown area.

In the sixth year of Apocalypse, when King Xin was choosing a concubine, the 17-year-old Zhou was selected by Queen Yi'an Zhang Yan to become Princess Xin; the following year when Chongzhen came to the throne, Zhou naturally became the Queen of the Palace.

Since Zhou Hou's family background was average, and he lived in Qiandi for a period of time, he has not lost his true qualities of a commoner so far.She knew that the imperial court was struggling financially, and her husband was worried about state affairs. In order to save money and suppress thieves and calm the people, she had always been frugal and self-disciplined. Even if the sleeves of his underwear were worn out, he would not spend money on buying new clothes.

So Zhou Hou bought more than [-] spinning wheels and taught the maids to spin and weave in the side hall to make clothes for the family.

Zhou Hou not only spins and makes clothes by himself, but also does laundry and cooking by himself.

In the seventh year of the Apocalypse, Chongzhen had just entered the palace and ascended the throne, and the situation in the palace was turbulent.Empress Yi'an once severely warned Zhu Youjian, "Don't eat food in the palace!"

At that time, Chongzhen entered the palace with pancakes.After ascending the throne, he had to beware of Wei Zhongxian's people poisoning the food, and all the food was cooked by Zhou Hou himself.

Chongzhen couldn't help thinking that if he changed himself, he would kill Wei Zhongxian when he was on stage!It's not because Wei Zhongxian is too powerful, but because he is too dangerous!
Let the emperor feel uneasy about eating and sleeping. If you don't kill him, who will you kill?
In fact, Wei Zhongxian may not really dare to poison, but if he is not afraid of [-], he is afraid of the eventuality. He acts first, otherwise who knows what will happen in the future?
Walking to the front of the main hall, Chongzhen stepped in. Before reaching the apse, he heard the voice of Prince Zhu Cihong from inside.

"I just taught you, forget it in a blink of an eye! Get down on your knees! Get up after reading these words!" This is Zhu Cihong speaking.

Another childish voice came: "Xiao Qinzi, you are so stupid! The elder brother of the prince taught me to read and write, and I will be able to learn it as soon as I learn it! You should learn quickly, or you will not be allowed to eat!"

Chongzhen turned around the screen and walked into the apse with a smile, and said, "When did Brother Lang become a little gentleman?"

Sitting on the ground, Auntie Zhu looked up and saw that it was Chongzhen, threw the windmill in her hand, got up and ran towards Chongzhen with a happy face, shouting, "Father! Father! Take me out of the palace to play!"

Chongzhen bent down and hugged her in his arms, and said with a smile: "It's hot outside, when the weather is cooler, father will take you to pick some fruits to eat!"

Aimee Zhu put her affectionate arms around Chongzhen's neck, and said happily: "Okay, okay, it will be cooler tomorrow! Father, let's go tomorrow!"

Zhu Cihong came over to salute and said, "I pay homage to my father!"

Then he frowned at Aimee Zhu who was in Chongzhen's arms and said, "Amine, come down! You haven't saluted your father yet!"

Aimee Zhu hurriedly struggled to get down from Chongzhen's arms, bowed low and said, "Aimee pays homage to Emperor Father! Aimee will pick the fruit tomorrow and give it to Emperor Father and Queen Mother first!"

Chongzhen laughed loudly, took her little hand and walked towards Jindun, sat down and hugged her on his lap, looked at the little eunuch kneeling in front of him, and asked with a smile, "Why did the crown prince punish you?"

This little eunuch is the one who just reported to let Chongzhen come to eat. His surname is Zhao. He is 11 years old this year and looks honest and honest.

Hearing the emperor's question, the little eunuch kowtowed and said, "Reporting to the emperor, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince taught the servants how to read. There are three words in total, and the servants memorized them all. But seeing Her Highness playing with a windmill, the servants immediately fell asleep." Forget the words!"

Chongzhen was overjoyed immediately.It was time for such an older child to be playful, the little eunuch must have remembered Zhu Cihong's teaching, but when he saw Zhu Aimee's windmill was fun, he was immediately distracted, Zhu Cihong urged him again, and he forgot everything.

He smiled and said to the little eunuch: "How about asking Mr. to let you go?"

A voice pretended to be angry and said: "The emperor is not afraid of breaking the school rules if he is like this!"

Chongzhen turned his head to look, and saw Zhou Hou standing at the entrance of the apse in a commoner dress, and the maid next to her was holding a dish. Seeing the emperor looking over, the maid hurriedly bowed her knees to salute.

Auntie Zhu quickly slipped off Chongzhen's lap, her father liked to kiss her; but her mother was the most disciplined, and whenever she saw her pestering her father and acting like a baby, she would reprimand her afterwards.

Chongzhen got up and smiled and said: "Children, the rules can't be broken, but it's good to teach students according to their aptitude! This five-spice pork ribs is well made, and the aroma can be smelled a few steps away, which makes people appetite!"

Zhou Hou smiled and said: "Since the emperor has spoken, Xiao Qinzi, get up! Go down and eat!"

Xiao Qinzi hurriedly kowtowed to thank him, got up and retreated.

After the maid put the plate on the table and left, Chongzhen, Zhou Hou and several children washed their hands respectively. The second son Ding Wang Zhu Cihuan also came to the hall, and the family ate happily.

Zhouhou's Suzhou cuisine is very authentic. Although it is a home-cooked dish, it is full of color, flavor and taste.Chongzhen had a big appetite today, he ate two bowls of rice before giving up.

Zhou Hou happily looked at her husband who was eating sweet food, and a sense of happiness arose spontaneously.Since taking refuge in the Martial Arts Hall last year, my husband seems to have changed a lot.

The original irritable and irritable temperament has completely changed, his words and deeds have become deeper and more stable, and his demeanor is full of confidence.The brows that were usually tightly frowned were also gradually relaxed, as if everything was under his control.

After Chongzhen rinsed his mouth, he came to sit on Jindun, Zhou Hou followed and sat opposite him.

Chongzhen joked: "The queen's craftsmanship has become more and more exquisite. If one day you and I live among the people, the queen's craftsmanship can open a restaurant and support the family, haha!"

Zhou Hou pretended to be angry and said: "If there is a day, the emperor and the concubine can still live?"

Chongzhen looked at the few children who hadn't finished eating, and said solemnly: "Don't worry, the queen, I will not let that happen! If there is a day, I will also go to the people to experience the joy of the market voluntarily, and it is definitely not a loss of the world Forced to do so!"

Zhou Hou picked up a peach from the fruit plate on the table and handed it over, and said with a smile: "The East Palace just sent someone to bring fresh peaches, the emperor has a taste!"

After taking it, Chongzhen looked at Zhou Hou and said with a smile: "Could it be that Concubine Tian is too embarrassed to open her mouth, so please ask you?"

Zhou Hou smiled and said: "It's not about the dispute between the former head of Fantian and the restaurant! Concubine Tian is afraid of the emperor's reprimand, so she let the concubine take it easy!"

Chongzhen took a bite of the golden peach and praised: "This peach is delicious, sweet and juicy! Let the children eat more!"

Zhou Hou laughed and said, "Brother Lang never liked this stuff, but this time he took a basket and sent it outside the palace! I don't know if Brother Hong has any acquaintances outside the palace?"

Chongzhen knew that he was sending it to Erya, so he always let nature take its course.Then he laughed and said, "Brother Lang is getting older, don't worry about him! I have ordered Luo Yangxing to deal with Mr. Tian's matter. The queen can tell Concubine Tian that the family law of the ancestors cannot be abolished. If Mr. Tian doesn't know Restrain, or disaster will reach her!"

Zhou Hou sighed softly, frowned and said: "Tian Guozhang is indeed a little bit too much, relying on the name of the emperor's family to do anything! If the emperor can show mercy this time, I hope he will learn to restrain himself a little bit in the future, so that Concubine Tian won't suffer any more! "

Chongzhen smiled and did not respond.

Concubine Tian's father, Tian Hongyu, was originally a general in the Yangzhou Guards. He was usually idle and made friends with street gangsters, so he had a bad reputation in the local area.

After Concubine Tian was selected into the palace, Tian Hongyu's father relied on his daughter's nobility, and became the commander of Jinyiwei.On weekdays, he led a gang of ruffians to run amok in the capital, relying on his status as a royal relative to cause trouble everywhere, and was often impeached by the imperial censor.

This time, it was because Tian Hongyu was instigated by his gangsters, and he took a fancy to a restaurant with a good business in Dongcheng. He wanted to buy it at a low price. a stronghold.

This restaurant has a net profit of more than ten thousand taels a year and has been in operation for decades.Tian Hongyu offered 5000 taels to transfer it to him, but of course the restaurant owner refused.

Tian Hongyu frightened the owner of the restaurant with the names of the royal family and Jinyiwei, and arranged for dozens of gangsters to sit in the lobby of the restaurant with tattoos all over their bodies. Drinks began to be played by guessing fists, making the restaurant smoky, and it continued for several days.Many old customers were unwilling to come to the door, and the business of the restaurant plummeted.

In desperation, the boss placed Tian Hongyu with 2000 taels of silver, asking him to let him go.

Tian Hongyu heard that the restaurant earned tens of thousands of dollars a year, so how could he let this piece of fat slip away from his mouth.

The money was accepted, and the matter was generously expressed, but after a few days, the gangsters came to make trouble like before, and the restaurant owner sued Xuncheng Yushi in a rage.

Li Jiaqi, the censor of patrolling the city, had heard about Tian Hongyu's various behaviors for a long time, and felt very disgusted with him, so he just wanted to find an opportunity to deal with him.But because many sufferers dare not sue the officials, and the people don't raise the officials, they can't arrest Tian Hongyu and put him in prison just because of the rumors, right?
After receiving the first report from the restaurant owner, Li Jiaqi immediately sent someone to arrest the gangsters.As soon as the board was laid down, the gangsters used Tian Hongyu as a shield, thinking that the dual identities of the royal family and Jin Yiwei would make him retreat in spite of difficulties.

What they don't know is that the censors are all masters who don't think the funeral is too big.

How can we easily let go of such a thing that can not only make decisions for the people, but also win unanimous praise from court officials?
Li Jiaqi didn't say anything, and sent someone to take the ticket to ask Tian Hongyutang to ask whether he really ordered others to seize the property of the good people.

How could Tian Hongyu be willing to go to court for trial, and what kind of person would he be if he went?

He didn't want to let go of this cash cow, but he couldn't control the Xuncheng Yushi, so he went into the palace to find Concubine Tian, ​​and asked his daughter to come forward to ask the emperor for help.

As long as the emperor said a word, Li Jiaqi had to let him go, and other officials in the government naturally did not dare to intervene.

As long as these subordinates continue to make trouble for a few more days, the restaurant can only be transferred to him obediently if it cannot operate normally.

Luo Yangxing reported the matter to Chongzhen long ago, because Tian Hongyu's double identity was there.

Chongzhen really looked down on the fact that this cheap father-in-law was so despicable.

You have to ask me seriously, if you want to do business seriously and make money, I will send you a distribution place for sea salt, and you just sit at home and wait for the money. Why use such disgusting methods to seize other people's property? ?
Now that the censor is impeached, the common people poke their backs.

But Tian Hongyu didn't go too far, at least he didn't kill himself for making money, there is still a bottom line.

If he really sent people to set fire to kill people, the emperor would not be able to protect him.

After thinking about it, Chongzhen recruited Li Jiaqi and praised him for upholding fairness and justice and fighting against the powerful.Afterwards, he persuaded him gently, saying that his father-in-law is not a person who does many evil things, and he may have been bewitched by others to become greedy.Just let this matter go and pretend it never happened, it's a little face for me.

Of course Li Jiaqi is a knowledgeable person, seeing the emperor's posture so low, he immediately went down the donkey.He said that this matter must have been an evil deed committed by someone pretending to be the head of the country, and he would definitely judge the case impartially when he went back, and close the case after punishing the impostor, so he gave up.

Chongzhen ordered Luo Yangxing to take this opportunity to launch a crackdown in the capital to clean up those city foxes and social rats who do not do big evils but keep doing small evils, so that the people who have suffered from them can live with more peace of mind.

With the cooperation of Shuntian Mansion, Jin Yiwei, after half a month of rectification, arrested more than a thousand hooligans who usually watch the field and nurse the hospital, extort good people, and kidnap and traffic women and children, and then sent them all to the coal mine in Mentougou for hard labor. Performance determines the length of labor.

Chongzhen recruited Tian Hongyu to scold him and severely warned him that if he didn't restrain himself in the future, he would be sent to the front to fight against the bandits.

While Tian Hongyu was terribly frightened, he also complained in his heart that this cheap son-in-law didn't give him any kindness.I don't know how to do business, so I can't make a lot of money by doing business in the name of the royal family like Zhou Kui.

Chongzhen knew what he was thinking, after all, they were relatives, and even if he slapped him, he would give him a jujube.So he told him about his plan to do sea trade, and asked him to take the money to invest in the shares, and just wait for the dividends.

Tian Hongyu was overjoyed when he heard the words. He has been in Yangzhou for many years, so he naturally knows the huge profits of sea trade.Of course I am happy to hear that as long as you take money to invest in shares, you will wait for dividends.

So he happily bid farewell to the emperor and returned home, forgetting to tell his daughter that there was no need to intercede.

Zhou Hou and Concubine Tian didn't know about what happened a few days ago, so Tian Concubine entrusted Zhou Hou to intercede just now.

Chongzhen briefly told what had happened, and he was relieved after Zhou Hou, and told Concubine Tian that it was okay when she came to pay her respects again.

The two chatted for a while, and Chongzhen took Wang Chengen back to Qianqing Palace after taking a nap for half an hour.

(End of this chapter)