The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Eastern Palace,

Zhu Houzhao wore a red four-clawed golden dragon robe today, and a jade belt with animal patterns tied around his waist, which made him look quite energetic.

He squatted on the ground happily to fight crickets.

It was midsummer, and the crickets caught in the gravel pile were fat and strong. This was the only project left in the palace.

"Your Highness, Shouning Hou is here."

Zhu Houzhao didn't even raise his head: "My uncles have all died a long time ago."

Zhang Heling spitted with a dark face. This dog nephew couldn't change his habit of eating shit, and he was fighting crickets again.

It's a pity that the great scholars in the world, they put all their efforts into teaching such a thing.

"Hou Zhao, your uncle wants to ask you to rent five large ships. After the matter is done, I will give you 10,000 taels of silver. Don't you want to recruit soldiers to attack Tatar? Your uncle has long wanted to beat Dayan Khan's grandson."

Zhang Heling cursed in his heart, but smiled.

Zhu Houzhao looked up slightly and was surprised to find that it was Zhang Heling. He narrowed his eyes and said suspiciously: "Uncle wants to give me 10,000 taels of silver?"

"Yes, it's enough for your highness to buy an excellent army of 100 people."

Zhang Heling thought about it and realized that apart from your majesty, only Zhu Houzhao could get the ship from Yan Chengjin.

Compared to the silver mine, 10,000 taels of silver is a drop in the bucket.

Zhu Houzhao's face suddenly changed, and his clear eyes showed a shrewd look: "What does uncle want five big ships for? Do you want to go to sea? If I lend you the ship, my father will beat me up and pay more."

"Your highness, name the price."

"Fifty thousand taels!"

Zhang Heling vomited a mouthful of old blood and pointed at him and said: "You... who did you learn it from?"

"I am very smart, why do I need a teacher." Zhu Houzhao said disdainfully.

I learned this from Lao Gao.

Lend the big ship to Shouning Marquis. When the emperor blames him, he will chop off Shouning Marquis's head, not him.

Zhang Heling gritted his teeth and comforted himself.

The silver dug out of the Shijian Silver Mine in two days is 10,000 taels.

Fifty thousand taels means ten days' work, not a loss, not a loss.

"Uncle will send someone to send you silver in a while, you should quickly find Yan Chengjin to borrow a boat."

"I want to see the silver first."

Since childhood, my father has been frugal and the monthly allowance for the East Palace is only fifty taels.

Zhu Houzhao has never seen so much silver, it's like a gold ingot falling from the sky, hitting his bowl.

He grinned for a long time, and I will be able to recruit troops and go out of the pass soon.

Zhang Heling was anxious to go out to sea, and returned to the mansion to prepare the 50,000 taels of silver.

It is almost impossible to send it to the East Palace, and the factory guards will definitely find it.

Zhu Houzhao decided to hide it in a large barrel of night incense, and then order the eunuch to pull it to the East Palace.

It is not safe to leave so much silver outside the palace, let alone give it to Lao Gao for safekeeping.

"Your Highness, His Majesty must not know about this."

"I will keep my mouth shut and will not tell you, but sometimes I talk in my sleep."

"..." Zhang Heling wanted to beat him to death.

After the ten barrels of night incense were transported to the East Palace, Zhu Houzhao came to the Censorate with joy.

The courtyard was a little noisy. Jiang Wen and the other two were learning the art of rebuttal from Wang Yue, who was once the chief censor of the Censorate and was well versed in rebuttal.

According to Yan Chengjin, a censor must be able to write and debate in order to dominate the court.

He held the blue and white tea cup and took a sip of the sweet wolfberry tea.

Zhu Houzhao walked in with great joy: "Lao Gao, I want to borrow five big ships from you."

Did Zhang Heling go to find Zhu Houzhao?

Yan Chengjin raised his head slightly and looked at Zhu Houzhao: "How much silver did your highness receive from Shouning Marquis?"

Zhu Houzhao said truthfully: "Not much, only 50,000 taels."

Puff!

Yan Chengjin's wolfberry tea sprayed on Zhu Houzhao's face.

Zhang Heling was willing to pay 50,000 taels, which means that the silver in the Iwami Silver Mine is far more than 50,000 taels?

"You can borrow the ship, but you have to pay a deposit of 500,000 taels and a rental fee of 100,000 taels, which must be returned within half a year."

The large ships of the Liangxiang Chamber of Commerce have the imperial approval of the court and can go out to sea and travel to Hainan.

So, there is no problem of violating the maritime ban.

I am not afraid of lending it to Zhang Heling, but I am afraid that he will sink the ship or be robbed by Japanese pirates.

The cost of a large ship is about 80,000 taels.

After sending all the people away and closing the door of the duty room, Zhu Houzhao said to Yan Chengjin: "Old Gao, how did I hide these 50,000 taels of silver?"

"Your Highness, please swear a solemn oath and not say that I taught you."

Zhu Houzhao offered Emperor Hongzhi to the sky without thinking, and blinked his eyes: "It's your turn to speak."

Yan Chengjin whispered a few words in his ear.

...

East Warm Pavilion,

Xiao Jing hurriedly walked in and said to Emperor Hongzhi: "Your Majesty, Shouning Marquis is selling the farm and the shop on Chang'an Street."

When His Majesty mentioned it casually that day, he sent people to investigate.

Although these farms were given to Zhang Heling.

But after his death, they will be taken back.

Emperor Hongzhi asked in surprise: "I give him a good salary, he has no worries about food and clothing, why sell the imperial farm?"

We don't know... Xiao Jing said in embarrassment: "I haven't found out yet, the prince may know that Shouning Hou has found the prince."

Emperor Hongzhi pondered for a moment, put down the memorial, and stood up: "Go to the East Palace."

Soon, Emperor Hongzhi came to the gate of the East Palace, only to see that the Jinwu Guards and the eunuchs were all driven out.

The palace door was closed and it was scary quiet.

"Is the prince in there?"

The eunuch replied tremblingly: "Your Majesty, the prince is studying in there."

He himself didn't believe this, let alone Emperor Hongzhi.

Emperor Hongzhi snorted coldly, and he knew without thinking that he was coerced by the prince.

Xiao Jing pushed open the door, and a mysterious stench hit his nose.

It made Emperor Hongzhi unable to open his eyes, and he choked a few times: "What is this!"

"Your Majesty, it's a wooden barrel for pouring night incense."

This silver is used to recruit soldiers and horses, and must not be taken away by my father.

Zhu Houzhao blinked and saluted to Emperor Hongzhi: "Your son greets your father."

Emperor Hongzhi looked at him coldly, not knowing what tricks he was going to play. The whole East Palace was filled with stench.

However, he quickly calmed down. Although the prince was fooling around, he was very smart.

How could he be so stupid as to move night incense to the bedroom?

There must be something strange about these five barrels of night incense!

"Open these night incense barrels!"

Xiao Jing was so scared that his face collapsed: "Your Majesty, it stinks... I'm afraid I'll hit your eyes."

Emperor Hongzhi put his hands behind his back and scolded with a stern face: "I say, open these night incense barrels!"

Xiao Jing had to order a few eunuchs to open the night incense barrels as tall as a person.

Clank!

Clank!

All five night incense barrels were opened, and the eunuchs were almost fainted by the smoke. But when they saw the white silver in the barrels, their faces suddenly froze and they were so shocked that they couldn't close their mouths.

Seeing their abnormal faces, Xiao Jing personally stepped forward to check: "Your Majesty, it's all silver."

Emperor Hongzhi had a dark face and glared at Zhu Houzhao, saying angrily: "How dare you accept bribes."

Zhu Houzhao knelt down with a plop, stiffened his neck and said unconvinced: "This is what my son deserves."

Emperor Hongzhi only felt an invisible air rushing from his chest to the top of his head, and he almost died.

Dare you say you deserve it?

He reached behind his waist and reached for it, but didn't touch the dragon whip.

At this moment, Xiao Jing took out a whip and smiled flatteringly: "I'm afraid your majesty will use it, so I'm always ready."

The one who knows me is Xiao Banban!

Emperor Hongzhi raised his whip high, furious: "What did Shouning Hou give you silver for?!"

This whip must be very painful.

This palace has not been whipped for a long time, and the flesh will not be able to bear it. Zhu Houzhao did not hesitate: "Borrow the big ship from Liangxiang."