I, Jiajing, successfully cultivated immortality

Chapter 113 The Emperor Wants to Build Another Navy

After giving orders, Jiajing waved his hand and let Zhang Juzheng leave.

After Zhang Juzheng left, Lu Fang stepped forward, handed a memorial to Jiajing, and said softly: "Your Majesty, it's almost time for spring planting. According to the usual practice, the Son of Heaven will personally farm in the southern suburbs. Kissing silkworms in the northern suburbs."

Since the Zhou Dynasty, it has been established that the emperor personally cultivated in the southern suburbs, and the empress personally cultivated the silkworms in the northern suburbs. Later, after Ming Chengzu Zhu Di moved his capital to Beijing, he only built a large sacrificial hall in the south of Zhengyangmen, so it began inexplicably. The sacrifice of heaven and earth was carried out.

Not long after Jiajing ascended the throne, he wanted to follow the rituals of the Zhou Dynasty and change it to separate sacrifices for heaven and earth, and then he received the memorial for the separation of heaven and earth from Xia Yan, the chief minister of the cabinet.

But Zhang Cong, Huo Tao and others objected. They believed that after Ming Chengzu Zhu Di moved his capital to Beijing, he held a joint sacrifice of heaven and earth, which not only conformed to the historical trend, but also greatly saved resources.

The two factions quarreled fiercely. Later, under the decision of Jiajing, the sacrificial pattern of the division of heaven and earth was restored, which has continued to this day.

"This is the memorial that Xu Jie handed over to you, and it will be discussed at the cabinet meeting later."

After Lu Fang handed the memorial to Jiajing, she added another sentence.

Jiajing took the memorandum, and after skimming through the content above, he said lightly: "I see, you go and inform the imperial concubine so that she can prepare in advance."

"It's Your Majesty, I will inform you now." Lu Fang said, then bowed and left.

……

At the same time, the cabinet also sent people to communicate with the Ministry of Rites and Taichang Temple, and let the Ministry of Rites take full responsibility for the process of the sacrifice.

As soon as Li Chunfang, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, took office, he had to organize such a complicated and complicated sacrifice. It was hard not to believe that the cabinet had the intention of taking school exams.

"Master Shangshu, what should I do? Since the previous case, most of the officials in our Ministry of Rites have been imprisoned. Not to mention the lack of manpower, the newly appointed officials have no experience in this field!"

After an official heard the news, he hurried to Li Chunfang with an anxious expression on his face.

"It's okay, you go down and let the newly appointed officials rehearse all the procedures of the Ministry of Rites and sacrifices several times. I will be in charge of the specific affairs!" Li Chunfang raised her head from the desk when she heard this, and said unhurriedly.

"Yes, I will inform you immediately." Seeing that the newly appointed Master Shangshu was so indifferent, he must have a plan in mind, and the visitor was also relieved, and turned to leave.

……

"His Majesty is here!"

Outside the cabinet, a high-pitched voice sounded, and Jiajing led Lu Fang into the cabinet.

"My ministers and others meet your majesty, long live my emperor, long live!"

Seeing that the emperor had arrived, all the officials quickly knelt down on the ground and said respectfully.

"Get up." Jiajing sat behind the bead curtain and said calmly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The ministers immediately returned to their seats and sat down.

"Your Majesty, this morning, Yan Maoqing, the censor of the left deputy capital, has already set off to collect the salt tax for the imperial court!"

As soon as he was seated, Yan Song took the lead in reporting to Jiajing.

"Well, I see." Jiajing nodded and responded.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, spring will be planted in a few days. According to the usual practice, the sacrificial ceremony should be held in the two great sacrificial halls in the south of Zhengyangmen and the north of Zhengyangmen!"

"After the ceremony is over and the moment the sun comes out, the Son of Heaven will plow the fields in the southern suburbs, and the Empress will cultivate the silkworms in the northern suburbs."

After Xu Jie finished speaking, he knelt down on the ground, raised the memorial in his hand above his head, and said in a deep voice.

Immediately Lu Fang took the memorial from Xu Jie and handed it over to Jiajing.

Jiajing had already read the contents of the memorial, so he only glanced at it twice before putting it aside.

"Well, I'm sure, it's just that the imperial concubine is pregnant, so let's keep the sacrificial ceremony simple!" Jiajing turned his gaze to Xu Jie and said calmly.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Seeing that the emperor had already spoken, Xu Jie said.

"Okay, your discussions are over, and I have something to discuss with you." Jiajing said with a faint smile after looking around at the ministers.

Hearing the emperor's words, the hearts of the five people present thumped, and they couldn't help becoming nervous.

"Although most of the Japanese pirates on the southeast coast have been wiped out, the imperial court still cannot take it lightly. Most of the remaining Japanese pirates are drifting at sea. Therefore, I want to build another navy to fight against the Japanese pirates at sea! What do you guys think? ah?"

Hearing the emperor's words, except for Zhang Juzheng, Minister of the Ministry of War, the rest of the ministers all showed embarrassment. The emperor still did not give up lifting the sea ban!

As the elders of the cabinet, they naturally have a clear understanding of the strength of the Japanese pirates along the southeast coast!Among other things, the navy of the imperial court alone is enough to kill the group of Japanese pirates at sea.

But now the emperor wants to use the excuse of suppressing the Japanese to build another navy. The purpose of this navy is self-evident.

The key point is that they can't raise objections clearly, otherwise, no one can bear the emperor's big hats!At this time, the ministers present felt that although they were very upset, they couldn't find any reason to refute it.

"Your Majesty, I believe that the strength of the current navy alone is enough to wipe out all the Japanese pirates along the southeast coast. My Daming Navy currently has more than 50 ships capable of ocean-going warfare! Therefore, Your Majesty does not need to build any more There's a new sailor."

Yan Song stood up first and argued.

"That's right, Your Majesty, right now our Daming Navy has almost no opponents! There is no need to spend huge sums of money to build a navy." After Yan Song, Xu Jie on the side also added.

"Since the facts are as the two love ministers said, why is the Japanese plague still so rampant along the southeast coast?" Jiajing asked rhetorically after listening to the words of the two elders.

"This……"

Jiajing's questioning stumped all the people present. It was impossible for them to tell the emperor that the reason why the Japanese plague was so rampant before was the work of smuggling families and landlords and gentry along the coast, and they were precisely these people umbrella.

They more or less took money from these people!
Just as everyone was hesitating, Gao Gong at the side saw this and said, "Your Majesty, the cost of building a brand new navy is about 800 million taels! Although the national treasury is full at the moment, it should still be saved." Spend some money, you can no longer live without food like before, and end up with a state treasury shortfall."

"Besides, if all the 800 million taels of silver for the construction of the navy were used to improve people's livelihood, the lives of the people would surely be much better."

Seeing that the usual treasury empty card could not be played, Gao Gong immediately changed his strategy and played the improvement of people's livelihood card instead, trying to persuade His Majesty not to build a navy.

"Hmph, a mere 800 million taels of silver must be a drop in the bucket to improve people's livelihood. What's more, most of these silvers will not reach the hands of the people. How can we improve people's livelihood?"

After Jiajing finished speaking, he slammed the table and cursed angrily: "You insects, don't think that I don't know what you are doing in private! Right now, the Japanese plague is rampant along the southeast coast, and the people are suffering."

"I want to build another navy to exterminate the Japanese pirates, but you are here to push back and use all kinds of excuses to prevaricate me! Say, are you taking advantage of the Japanese pirates?"

After Jiajing finished speaking, he glanced at the ministers and said in a deep voice.

(End of this chapter)