diymy Chapter 15 Your Majesty, it's time to choose a concubine to serve you in bed!
Chapter 15 Your Majesty, it's time to choose a concubine to serve you in bed!
Forbidden City.
Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Houzhao was in the warm pavilion, looking at the secret letters sent by the eunuchs guarding various towns.
The secret letter detailed how the eunuchs guarding various regions had successfully recovered the money and grain.
You won't know until you start investigating, and what you find will shock you.
In just one month, the eunuchs stationed in various regions had recovered millions of shi (a unit of dry measure) of tax grain that had been exempted by the late emperor for Zhu Houzhao.
After reading it, Zhu Houzhao summoned Liu Jin and said, "Go and fetch Yu Huatian for me."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Upon receiving the order, Liu Jin immediately went to the Western Depot with a smug look on his face to run errands for Zhu Houzhao.
Before long, Yu Huatian arrived at the Qianqing Palace.
"Your humble servant, Yu Huatian, greets Your Majesty."
Get up.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Yu Huatian, I ask you, how much money and grain have been sent to the capital by the eunuchs stationed in various regions?"
When Zhu Houzhao asked him, Yu Huatian recalled for a moment and then gave a specific number.
"Your Majesty, the eunuchs guarding various garrisons have already delivered 1.7 million shi of grain and 5.2 million taels of silver."
"The taxes recovered are less than one-tenth of the total outstanding taxes. The Western Depot has failed in its duties; Your Majesty, please punish it!"
Yu Huatian's mood sank to the bottom, and he felt extremely guilty.
His Majesty's entrusting him with the task of recovering overdue taxes is a sign of his trust in him and a great trust in the Western Depot.
A full month has passed, and the Western Depot has only managed to recover less than one-tenth of the money and grain.
This made Yu Huatian feel ashamed, realizing that he had failed His Majesty's trust in him.
However, Zhu Houzhao was quite satisfied with the number.
After all, only a month has passed, and the fact that so much silver and grain have been recovered is enough to show that the Western Depot is indeed working diligently for him.
You should know that when he first took over the Ming Dynasty, the national treasury only had one million taels of silver.
"I am quite satisfied with the speed of your Western Depot; there is no need to discuss any punishment."
"These silver coins handed over need not be sent to the national treasury, but will be sent to my private treasury."
"From now on, my personal funds will be managed by the Imperial Horse Administration."
"His Majesty!"
Yu Huatian looked up in astonishment, his usually calm face now filled with shock.
The national treasury was managed by the Ministry of Revenue, and all expenditures and revenues of the imperial court had to be accounted for through the Ministry of Revenue's accounts.
Even if the emperor wanted to use silver from the national treasury, it had to be reviewed and approved by the Ministry of Revenue.
Often, even the emperor was unaware of the specific accounts of the national treasury.
However, the imperial treasury was the emperor's own private treasury, and all expenditures were decided by the emperor alone.
In addition to being the director of the Western Depot, Yu Huatian was also the chief eunuch of the Imperial Horse Administration.
Zhu Houzhao entrusted the management of the imperial treasury to the Imperial Horse Administration, which was equivalent to handing over such a large amount of grain and fodder to Yu Huatian for management.
His Majesty must have such deep trust in him to entrust him with the management of the imperial treasury!
Seeing Yu Huatian's shocked expression, Zhu Houzhao chuckled and said, "Why haven't you accepted the imperial decree yet? Are you unwilling?"
Yu Huatian finally snapped out of his shock, feeling flattered and trembling with fear as he kowtowed to Zhu Houzhao in gratitude.
"Your Majesty's trust in me is an immense blessing."
"Your Majesty, I will serve you with my life to repay your kindness!"
Zhu Houzhao chuckled twice and waved his hand: "Go down."
"Yes, Your Majesty. This humble subject takes his leave."
With great excitement, Yu Huatian left the Qianqing Palace.
A scholar will die for one who understands him. Zhu Houzhao trusted him and the Western Depot so much that he could not repay Zhu Houzhao's trust without devoting himself to Zhu Houzhao.
At this moment, Yu Huatian was filled with ambition.
The Western Depot aims to be the sharpest blade in His Majesty's hand!
……
Not long after Yu Huatian left, Gu Dayong came to Zhu Houzhao carrying a tray filled with the nameplates of the imperial concubines.
"Your Majesty, please choose a concubine."
There were eighteen wooden plaques on the tray, each inscribed with the title, status, and name of a concubine in the imperial harem.
Each nameplate on this represents one of the eighteen women who entered the palace.
Zhu Houzhao's gaze swept over the eighteen nameplates, but he couldn't recall the face of the person behind each nameplate.
"Turn all these brand-name items face down and shuffle them."
"what?"
Gu Dayong was slightly taken aback, but still knocked on all the nameplates one by one, and shuffled the original order.
Zhu Houzhao stretched out his hand and ran it over the eighteen nameplates in turn, then casually flipped one over.
The nameplate clearly read: Selected Concubine, Xia Shi.
"She's the one."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After noting down the name, Gu Dayong quickly went to Chuxiu Palace to deliver the news of his bedchamber appointment to Xia Xuanshi.
"Xia Xuanshi, His Majesty has chosen you to serve him tonight. Hurry up and get ready to go to Qianqing Palace."
"Ah? His Majesty has chosen me?"
Xia Xuanshi stared in shock, and after receiving Gu Dayong's affirmative answer, she was overjoyed.
When the Ming emperor was choosing his first concubine to serve him in bed, he actually chose her!
How could she not be overjoyed by such a stroke of good fortune?
Besides her, the other young ladies-in-waiting in the Chuxiu Palace also became excited.
The fact that the Ming emperors began selecting women to serve him in bed indicates that these women would have the opportunity to serve the emperor in the future.
At the same time, they also deeply envied Xia Xuanshi.
As the first concubine to serve His Majesty in bed, to receive such an honor is truly a blessing earned only through the accumulated virtue of one's entire family.
After bathing and changing her clothes, Consort Xia rode in a sedan chair to the Qianqing Palace.
Sitting in the sedan chair, Consort Xia's heart was pounding, and her hands were nervously clasped together.
She was about to meet His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty alone. Before this, she had never imagined that the day she would serve the Emperor would come so soon.
Last time at Cining Palace, from such a distance, she only dared to peek secretly and didn't see it so clearly.
Thinking about what was about to happen, Consort Xia blushed and became increasingly excited...
……
"Your Majesty, Consort Xia is waiting outside."
"Let her in."
"As you command."
Zhu Houzhao put down the memorial in his hand, relaxed his eyes, and picked up the warm tea beside him to moisten his throat.
A moment later, a young girl dressed in brocade robes walked in from outside the door and gracefully knelt down in front of Zhu Houzhao.
"This concubine greets Your Majesty."
Zhu Houzhao stared at Consort Xia, his gaze darkening slightly as he looked at her slender figure.
"Raise your head."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
When Consort Xia raised her head and saw Zhu Houzhao, she was slightly taken aback.
Sitting in front of her was a handsome young man with a youthful appearance.
She knew the current emperor was very young, but she never expected him to be this young.
Zhu Houzhao was also satisfied with Xia Xuanshi's appearance.
Xia Xuanshi had delicate and exquisite features, and her skin was as white as fresh snow, without a single flaw, like a delicate porcelain doll.
"What's your name?"
"Your Majesty, my maiden name is Tianxin."
Zhu Houzhao nodded approvingly: "Xia Tianxin, a good name."