Chapter 3: The Inheritance of the Jinyiwei
Historical accounts suggest that when Li Zicheng attacked the capital, it was Cao Huachun who opened the city gates, which is nothing more than a slander by literati and scholars
In their view, the thunderous sound that accompanied the emperor's ascension to the throne was not an auspicious sign
I checked the current gold price on my phone, and it is as high as three to four hundred yuan per gram
Of course, the three refusals of the three requests were all handled by the Grand Council.
If this were to be sold directly, it would surely be regarded as an artifact, which would lead to trouble
At this moment, Li Yunze could only console himself, "As a man, one must prioritize career. Everything else can wait."
The people of the world need a sovereign seated on that throne; otherwise, chaos will ensue
Of course, he also bore the fate of the entire dynasty and the lives of billions of people
The inner treasury is the emperor's small treasury, which can be used directly without the need for ministers to be verbose.
Li Yunze, who had been lost in thought for a while, waved his hand and said, "Go out."
Cao Huachun was a trusted confidant of Wang An, the former chief eunuch of the Imperial Secretariat. When Wei Zhongxian overthrew Wang An, Cao was implicated and sent to the capital of Yingtian.
"Wang Banban." Li Yunze instructed everyone to leave, leaving only Wang Cheng'en. "Send someone to call Cao Huachun back, and do it quickly."
In a state of helplessness, he could only move the gold back again
With a serene expression, Li Yunze ascended the steps and surveyed the officials, "This is the response from Heaven to me! The Emperor's sacrificial text has been heard by Heaven!"
Certainly, the ascension of a new emperor is undoubtedly a significant celebration
Li Yunze now says that this sudden turn of events is the response from Heaven to the Son of Heaven, who dares to voice any dissent in attendance
After the passing of the Apocalypse Emperor, the ascension of the new ruler became an urgent matter
Those who open the door are all civil officials. If their descendants wish to maintain their reputation, they can only cast aspersions on the eunuchs.
When Li Yunze was speaking until his mouth was dry and his tongue was parched, the originally clear sky suddenly erupted with a thunderous sound, like a bolt from the blue
This servant obeys your command
In this regard, there is not much difference from modern bespoke tailoring in the world
It is a sunny day with no rain, yet there is thunder in this situation
Looking at the humble and submissive Wei Zhongxian, Li Yunze smiled warmly and asked, "What brings you here, Wei Da?"
I shall prepare this at once
Among the forces directly under the Emperor, only the Jinyiwei can still be mobilized
Fortunately, Li Yunze's indifferent demeanor, as if he only cared about money, allowed him to breathe a quiet sigh of relief
At that time, Cao Huachun had already returned to his hometown for several years; he certainly could not take a plane to the capital just to open the door for the event
Li Yunze, who returned to the Ming Dynasty, opened the door and called out to the eunuchs outside, "Go to the inner court and summon a few goldsmiths."
Sitting down on the chair, I picked up the tea bowl and examined it carefully. "From the official kiln, it starts at least from six figures."
Continuously eating for free, to the point of consuming the last bowl of a meal that signifies a dead end
Luo Sigong's grandfather served as the Chief Commander of the Jinyiwei, his father-in-law was also the Chief Commander of the Jinyiwei, and he himself has held the position of Chief Commander of the Jinyiwei.
"I have grown old and am no longer able to assist Your Majesty." Wei Zhongxian once again performed a grand bow, "I humbly request Your Majesty to allow me to return to my hometown."
On the 24th day of the 8th month in the 7th year of the Tianqi era, it is appropriate to conduct sacrifices
One hundred gold ingots stacked together create a striking visual impact
The emperor's treasury has nearly been emptied by him
What should one do first after obtaining a justifiable position?
The matter of his possession of the time-space portal must not be disclosed under any circumstances. It would lead to unpredictable and severe consequences
"Your Majesty—" Wei Zhongxian sobbed and wept in a manner that was very fitting.
The specific matters will be arranged by the Ministry of Rites and the Inner Court, and Li Yunze only needs to follow the steps accordingly
Li Yunze has too many tasks to attend to, leaving him neither the time nor the inclination to engage in idle chatter with the Nine Thousand Years.
What is the current gold price if it can be brought to the modern world
At this time, the eunuchs in the Forbidden City were mostly disciples and descendants of Wei Zhongxian. Those who were truly loyal to Li Yunze were only the eunuchs who came from the Prince of Xin's residence
"This servant pays respects to Your Majesty." Upon entering, Wei Zhongxian performed a grand bow, displaying an attitude of utmost respect
The general populace is no exception, prohibiting slaughter, banquets, marriages, and the pursuit of pleasure, among other things
At this moment, Li Yunze, who has truly secured the rightful claim, has officially become the master of the entire Ming Dynasty.
"Why does Wei Daban say such things?" Li Yunzhe stepped forward and began to showcase his acting skills. He personally helped Wei Zhongxian up, expressing sincerely, "I know nothing as I ascend the throne for the first time. I still need Wei Daban's assistance in state affairs. If Wei Daban were to leave now, where would that leave me? This matter need not be mentioned again."
As a eunuch, one naturally cannot think about women
Li Xiang, who has received compulsory education, understands these matters, but the officials and nobles of the late Ming Dynasty do not understand them
Li Yunze's job is to make clothing racks, standing there for the royal weavers to take measurements.
After all, it is to become an emperor, so it is understandable to be so excited that one can hardly contain oneself
What he is most adept at, naturally, is profit
Wang Cheng'en thought to himself, "This is a great opportunity to make a good impression in front of the Emperor. If I wait until Cao Huachun returns, there may not be another chance to showcase myself."
Li Yunze could not retain Wei Zhongxian, not because he was misled by the Donglin Party into self-sabotaging his abilities, but rather because this individual was vying for power
A sudden thunderstorm is not uncommon; it usually occurs when a meteorite falls and ultimately burns out, or when suspended particles in the air reach a certain concentration and release charges. Such events are likely to happen on clear days.
In terms of reputation, Wei Zhongxian has already achieved the status of a nine-thousand-year-old figure; taking one more step would require plotting to usurp the throne
Wei Zhongxian acted swiftly; before long, he brought over a thousand taels of gold with several eunuchs.
Gold bars became popular later; during the Ming Dynasty, gold was also cast in ingots similar to yuanbao.
Although he claims to have a time portal, more manpower is still needed to get things done
These gold pieces were worth ten thousand taels of silver during the Ming Dynasty
"It was originally mine." Li Yunze, sitting on the sofa, exhaled a breath of frustration
Such gold ingots stored in the treasury weigh ten taels each, truly resembling gold sycee
Due to the fact that the Great Emperor has no heirs, everyone has already nominated Prince Xin to inherit the throne. Therefore, it is only necessary to spend some time displaying a sense of sorrow before leaving to attend to the matters of ascension.
Upon returning to the palace, a group of palace maids and eunuchs quickly gathered around, removing the heavy and intricate ceremonial robes and replacing them with comfortable everyday attire
Heaven cannot be without the sun for a single day, and a nation cannot be without its ruler for a single day
Except for the final ritual of offering to heaven and earth, he only needs to pose at other times
The eulogy was recited with great difficulty, and many words were simply unrecognizable, resulting in vague utterances of 'um um ah ah' to get through it
During lunch, Li Yunze did not touch his chopsticks and, under the pretext of needing to use the restroom, returned to the modern world to have a takeout meal
To establish the heart for heaven and earth, to establish the destiny for the people, to open peace for all generations
After returning, I will go to customize the ceremonial robe.
Indeed. Wang Cheng'en felt envious; it seems that Old Cao is favored, as His Highness could not wait to summon him back right after ascending the throne
One tael in the Ming Dynasty is 37 grams, so one thousand taels would be 37 kilograms
Thank you, Your Majesty
With a single word, the Emperor can make Wei Zhongxian roll away, but one must also guard against this fellow who may act out of desperation.
Li Yunze has not been idle here either; he was called up early in the morning to don mourning attire and participate in the funeral lamentations
This truly left him greatly disappointed
Hey, retreat to advance
Those who are able to mobilize resources also have money
In simple terms, it means to be vegetarian, to avoid entertainment venues, and to refrain from engaging in any celebratory activities
He naturally could not allow Wei Zhongxian, who contended for power with him, to become an obstacle in his endeavors
Both of these knives are now in the hands of Wei Zhongxian, and we cannot rule out the possibility that this fellow might act out of desperation.
In response to Your Majesty's words, this servant has heard that the former commander of the Jinyiwei, Luo Sigong, held great influence within the Jinyiwei due to his loyalty and righteousness
The design of this clothing and ceremonial crown is clearly outlined in the "Rites of Zhou"; it should be made according to this style.
"Forget it," Li Yunze waved his hand. "First, bring me one thousand taels of gold; I need to use it."
What are you in such a hurry for
Previously, when he was watching short videos, he was particularly captivated by the beautiful young women dressed in Ming Dynasty costumes
Without these, it is merely a useless puppet emperor and a collection of books
To take down the Jinyiwei, there is no doubt that it is most convenient to start with Luo Sigong
Do not speak of saving the lives of others when you cannot even save your own life
The meticulously dressed officials and nobles standing under the sun did not pay much attention, merely assuming that Li Yunze was so nervous and excited that he was tongue-tied
On the second day, as the daylight brightened, the officials of the capital, having made ample preparations, donned plain garments, wore black caps, and tied black sashes to formally bid farewell to the late Emperor at the mourning hall
The matters outside shall be handled by the ministers and Wei Zhongxian.
Wei Zhongxian hoped to manipulate Li Yunze into becoming a puppet emperor, while he continued to control the Ming dynasty as the Grand Secretary.
The most famous among them are Cao Huachun and Wang Cheng'en
In just one day, the three requests and three petitions handled by the Ministry of Rites were completed, and various forces eagerly pushed Li Yunze onto the throne
I originally thought that within the Forbidden City, the three thousand beauties would provide a feast for the eyes, purely and naturally
Upon picking up the gold ingot and examining it closely, I was surprised to find the seal of the Imperial Treasury on it
Li Yunze, dressed in a brand new formal gown, offered sacrifices to heaven and earth at the Imperial Hall, where the emperor's throne is located
This trick cannot deceive people, and Li Yunze naturally saw through it at a glance
What a man pursues in his lifetime is nothing more than fame, fortune, and women
This matter is entrusted to you to handle
In the fourth year of the Tianqi era, Wei Zhongxian drove away Luo Sigong in order to take control of the Jinyiwei and supported Tian Ergeng to rise to power
Bored and listless, Li Yunze glanced around, seeking some highlights to pass the time
Returning to his chair, Li Yunze began to turn to the topic of his concern, "Wei Daban, how much is left in the treasury?"
After taking a sip of water to calm my emotions, I was just about to head out with the gold to exchange it for money when I suddenly sensed that something was amiss
Wei Zhongxian left with some confusion; the entire world belongs to the emperor, yet it seems as if he has never seen gold before
However, the reality is that, apart from the skilled tailors and eunuchs, there are only a few elderly palace maids, all of whom are at least forty years old, present in the surroundings
The rumbling sound of thunder caused the crowd in front of the Huangji Hall to instinctively stir
For thousands of years, the imperial robes of the emperors were largely similar to books, until the wild boar skin usurped the Central Plains, leading to their eventual decline
The emperor's closest companions are certainly not the officials and nobles, but rather the eunuchs by his side
The main enforcers in the palace are the Imperial Horse Monitoring Bureau and the Eastern Depot
This is national mourning
Everyone tacitly treats this as if it never happened, and we will proceed as usual.
Wei Zhongxian was taken aback and opened his mouth to argue defensively
"Wei Daban has arrived." Li Yunze greeted with a beaming smile, "Get up."
The term "crown" refers to the ceremonial robe and crown, both of which are the formal attire of the emperor. They are used during significant celebrations such as sacrifices to heaven and earth, as well as ancestral worship.
After taking a sip of tea, Li Yunze looked at Wang Cheng'en, who had just returned from giving instructions outside, and asked, "In the Jinyiwei, is there anyone willing to die for me?"
The entire process is quite complex, but Li Yunze only needs to follow the instructions of the Ministry of Rites step by step.
Li Yunze looked up at the sky, squinting his eyes, "A bolt from the blue."
This presents a fundamental contradiction for Li Yunze, who wishes to accomplish tasks
Li Yunze does not discriminate against eunuchs, as in the modern world, all kinds of genders exist, and eunuchs can be completely understood
There is a step down just right, and whoever mentions any divine punishment... that would truly be securing a long-term meal ticket for the whole family at the Northern Town Constabulary
It can be said that the legacy is passed down through generations, the old Jinyiwei of each era
Moreover, the timeline is quite tight
Its influence within the entire Jinyiwei is certainly not comparable to that of a novice like Tian Ergeng
After confirming that no one was around, Li Yunze immediately activated the time-space portal and transported over seventy pounds of gold.
What is this
Not long after Wang Cheng'en went out to attend to business, Wei Zhongxian came directly to the door
Of course, it is time to take stock of our assets
Hastily and indistinctly reciting the sacrificial prayer, the entire process was finally completed
Everyone is afraid to let Li Yunze make another appearance; if it happens again, it would truly be a disgrace recorded in history.
Li Yunze had certainly seen gold, but he had never seen so much gold before
Li Yunze did not follow the usual conventions, and ultimately it was Queen Zhang who intervened to bring him back to the palace