The days when I ransacked the house in Jinyiwei

Emperor Zhengde was a stubborn man. After finally leaving the capital, he would naturally indulge in some absurdity wherever he went. It took him three months to walk from Shandong to Yingtian.

According to historical records, during the Zhengde Emperor's southern campaign, he would ask local officials for specialties, curios, and beauties whenever he passed through a place. If he was not satisfied, he would criticize the local officials. The lighter punishment was dismissal from office, and the heavier punishment was exile and confiscation of property.

Of course, history books are written by civil servants.

Only God knows whether Emperor Zhengde did this in a conscious effort to regulate the civil service group; whether he had a shrewd mind under his absurd appearance; and whether his demands for special products, treasures, and beauties were a big move.

But what is certain is that during these three months, the power of local civil officials from Shandong to Yingtian was severely weakened. Emperor Zhengde was like a living devil, and wherever he went, the civil officials there would be in trouble.

Chang Feng, Zhang Yong and Wang Shouren escorted Prince Ning to Yingtian and waited for Emperor Zhengde for two months.

In the twelfth month of the fourteenth year of the Zhengde reign, His Majesty the Emperor finally arrived at the capital of the Ming Dynasty.

Yingtian retained the imperial palace. No matter how absurd Emperor Zhengde was, he still had to fulfill his filial duty. He first offered sacrifices to Taizu at the Xiaoling Mausoleum, and then stayed at the Yingtian Imperial Palace.

Inside the Yingtian Palace.

Jiang Bin is telling tales to Emperor Zhengde.

Jiang Bin said, "Father, Chang Feng and Zhang Yong are ambitious and ambitious. They are also good friends with Wang Shouren. Originally, the three of us were ordered by the emperor to 'capture' the rebel king. But Wang Shouren secretly handed the rebel king over to the two of them and escorted him to Yingtian."

"Even if there is no imperial edict, I am the commander of the Eastern Depot and the commander of the Imperial Guards appointed by you. The ringleader of the treason should be handed over to me instead of Chang Feng and Zhang Yong."

The East Factory had been run by eunuchs since it was established during the Yongle reign. However, Emperor Zhengde made an exception and handed the East Factory over to Jiang Bin, which shows how much he valued Jiang Bin.

Emperor Zhengde smiled slightly: "Do you know how Chang Feng explained it to me?"

Jiang Bin replied: "I don't know."

Emperor Zhengde said, "Chang Feng said that he was afraid that if Prince Ning fell into your hands, it would lead to a major case like the one during the Yongle reign."

Jiang Bin was speechless: "I have always been impartial in my work. I will never use the Ning Wang's rebellion to make random accusations."

Emperor Zhengde said, "Forget it. Don't speak ill of Chang Feng and Zhang Yong in front of me from now on. Remember this: since ancient times, the relationship between the distant relatives has never been separated."

Since ancient times, strangers have not separated relatives. Who is the stranger and who is the relative?

In the eyes of Emperor Zhengde: Although you, Jiang Bin, are my most beloved adopted son, compared to Chang Feng, you are still an outsider.

Don't forget, without Chang Feng, my mother would have died in the Dayongchang Temple long ago - and there would be no me.

Emperor Zhengde asked again: "I heard that you falsely conveyed my oral order and summoned Wang Shouren to Yingtian?"

Jiang Bin quickly explained: "Your Majesty, Wang Shouren is a military prodigy that only appears once in a century. He is comparable to Ma Wensheng and Wang Yue. I think you must want to meet such a person. So I took the initiative to summon him to Yingtian. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

Emperor Zhengde said, "There is no hurry to see him. I am going to go fishing in Xuanwu Lake this afternoon, and I have asked officials of the fourth rank and above from the various Nanjing garrisons to accompany me."

Jiang Bin cupped his hands and said, "Yes. I will arrange it right away."

Emperor Zhengde loved fishing since he was a child. He became even more obsessed with fishing during this southern tour. He could be called the highest-level fisherman in the Ming Dynasty. Every time he went to a place, he would look for rivers and lakes suitable for fishing.

In the afternoon, by the Xuanwu Lake.

A fishing platform had been built by the lake. The young eunuchs threw handfuls of lotus seeds into the lake to help His Majesty make a nest for fish.

There was an imperial throne on the fishing platform, and next to it was a royal chair.

Apparently, Emperor Zhengde wanted to have fun with a fishing buddy.

Jiang Bin thought complacently: That armchair must be prepared for me.

Jiang Bin likes to show off. To put it bluntly, "a dog can't keep two ounces of oil in its stomach." In front of the high-ranking officials in Nanjing, having fun with the emperor, how can this be a show-off?
Finally, the fish nest was almost complete. Emperor Zhengde happily sat on the throne. Then he said, "Chang Qing, come fishing with me."

Jiang Bin was disappointed. When Emperor Zhengde went fishing for the first time as a child, Chang Feng was there to teach him how to read the float and spear the fish. The Emperor had only one fishing friend, and that was Chang Feng.

Chang Feng sat down. Although it was in the south of the Yangtze River, the twelfth lunar month was still a bit chilly. A group of civil servants stood with their hands hanging down, enduring the bone-chilling cold wind and watching the emperor fishing.

There is a saying among fishermen: if you want to catch fish quickly, you have to exchange it for food.

The super fish nest made of 500 kilograms of lotus seeds was indeed amazing. As soon as Chang Feng put down the hook, the fish float made of chicken feathers suddenly fell.

But Chang Feng was not in a hurry to stab the fish and raise the rod. Fishing with the emperor, what are you fishing for? You are clearly fishing for human relationships.

If the emperor doesn't eat fish, how can his subjects eat fish first?

Chang Feng sat firmly on the Diaoyutai, not moving a muscle.

Emperor Zhengde shouted to him, "Uncle, there's a bite! Hurry up and stab the fish!"

Chang Feng then slowly raised the rod and stabbed the fish. If the fish is not stabbed in time, how can the fish have a good bite? Chang Feng raised the rod, and the hook was empty.

He squinted his eyes and said, "Your Majesty, I am old. I am confused and my eyesight is blurry. I can't see the fish float clearly."

Emperor Zhengde sighed: "Alas, when it comes to fishing, you are my master. But now the master is old, and I am no longer young."

Chang Feng said quickly: "The emperor is 29 years old this year, and is in the prime of his life."

Before he finished speaking, the float of Emperor Zhengde suddenly fell into the water. With all his strength, he suddenly lifted the rod and shouted, "I got a fish!"

A carp weighing more than one pound was lifted up.

Jiang Bin hurried forward to help remove the hook and re-bait.

Emperor Zhengde shouted, "Where is Wang Yi, the governor of Yingtian?"

Wang Yi, who is in his 50s, came out of class: "I am here."

Emperor Zhengde said, "Come closer."

Wang Yi stepped forward.

Emperor Zhengde pointed at the carp on the ground and said: "Yingtian is the old capital of the Ming Dynasty, where Taizu ascended the throne and ruled the country. You have helped me govern well. This fish is a reward for you."

Wang Yi held the fish in both hands and raised it above his head: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward."

Emperor Zhengde said two words that shocked all the officials: "Where's the money?"

Wang Yi was stunned: "Money?"

Emperor Zhengde asked, "Are the fish I caught myself not valuable?"

Governor Wang seemed to have a thousand questions in his mind: I don't even have to pay for food in Yingtian City. How dare you, the emperor, give me a rotten fish as a reward and ask for money?
Wang Yi asked tentatively: "May I ask how much the fish given by the emperor costs?"

Emperor Zhengde said with a smile: "Sixty thousand taels of silver will be enough for me, Lord Wang."

Wang Yi put the fish on the ground and kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I am an honest official, upright and incorruptible, and my family is very poor. Let alone 60,000 taels, I can't even afford 6,000 or 600 taels."

The governor of Yingtian is crying poor! His jurisdiction is a land of plenty and rich food. He himself is not an honest official. Not to mention 60,000 taels, he can even take out 160,000 taels.

But he couldn't take it even if he could afford it. If he relied on his salary, he couldn't save up 60,000 taels of silver even if he served as governor for 200 years. If he took it, wouldn't he be admitting in front of the emperor and a group of ministers that he was a corrupt official?
Emperor Zhengde pointed at Chang Feng and asked, "Do you know him?"

Wang Yi replied: "Lord Chang has served three dynasties and has made great contributions. I know him, but we are not close friends."

Emperor Zhengde asked, "Do you know what his background was?"

Wang Yi replied: "I was from the Imperial Guards."

Emperor Zhengde said again: "That's right. He was a general commander of the Jinyiwei who was responsible for confiscating property!" (End of this chapter)