The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Walking through the wide courtyard of the Meridian Gate,

Yan Chengjin saw the young eunuch of the Eastern Palace running over: "Lord Yan, His Highness invites you to the Eastern Palace."

Arriving at the Eastern Palace, Zhu Houzhao showed his white teeth and said with a smile: "I heard that you have a happy event?"

"Your Highness, if you have something to say, just speak up. If not, I have to go back to read the memorials."

In the Eastern Palace, Yan Chengjin did not see the emperor's grandson, presumably because the emperor's grandson did not want to come to the Eastern Palace.

Zhu Houzhao said seriously: "I want you to allow actors to marry."

Yan Chengjin's first reaction was to see which geisha Zhu Houzhao liked, "Your Highness thinks too highly of me. I am a minister, how can I allow it?"

In the Ming Dynasty, actors were the lowest class, and even the most humble Yin-Yang households had a higher status than actors.

He glanced at Gu Dayong on the side.

Gu Dayong hurriedly said: "Your Highness has taken a fancy to an actor who can sing opera and wants to take him into the palace."

It is normal for a man to have three wives and six concubines.

Not to mention that Zhu Houzhao was the crown prince and had five hundred beauties in the harem, which the gentlemen could still tolerate.

But this fellow saw all beings as equals and actually fell in love with an actor.

Zhu Houzhao snorted and said solemnly: "I just feel sorry for her. Why can't the noble and the humble marry each other? Master Li also had an affair with an actor."

"Mr. Li has never married that person, so it doesn't count."

There is a huge difference between going to a brothel to have sex for free and marrying her home openly.

Prostitution does not violate the law, but marrying her will be punished.

Seeing that Zhu Houzhao wanted to talk, Yan Chengjin wanted to leave: "This is stipulated by the law, and I can't do anything about it."

It was still like this until the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Entering the industry as an actor is only a little different from entering the palace as a eunuch, but the social status is not much different.

Therefore, when apprentices enter the industry, they cry as if their parents have died.

Zhu Houzhao blinked his eyes: "If you agree to this, I will let you be the teacher of the emperor's grandson."

"I refuse."

The prince exchanged his interests with him for the emperor's grandson's teacher. If His Majesty and the censors heard it, they would accuse the prince of collusion.

Yan Chengjin thought for a while and said: "I will think of a way for Your Highness, but it may not work."

If he doesn't help Zhu Houzhao, it will be very difficult to fool him next time.

"I know you are loyal."

"I have one condition."

...

Fengtian Hall,

Emperor Hongzhi saw the memorials from the Ministry of Revenue, and there were fewer memorials from clerks and local tyrants cheating.

Xiao Jing saw him pick up the teacup and rest for a while, and said: "Your Highness invites Yan Chengjin to the East Palace to discuss marriage between the noble and the humble."

Emperor Hongzhi's expression stiffened.

Xiao Jing stammered, "Your Highness seems to have taken a fancy to an actor who can sing opera."

Emperor Hongzhi put down the teacup and frowned, "How can an actor enter the palace to be the prince's concubine? I will never allow it!"

Seeing Xiao Jing swallowing back half of his words, Emperor Hongzhi shouted in a low voice, "Speak now!"

"Yan, Yan Chengjin promised to help Your Highness."

Emperor Hongzhi's anger was like a flame, and it increased a few points. These two guys were in cahoots again.

Cabinet, duty room.

The clerk came in with a memorial and whispered in Jiang Mian's ear, "Lord Yan just went to the East Palace. Your Highness has taken a fancy to an actor. Let's discuss and allow the actors to marry."

Jiang Mian put down the memorial and his face became solemn. It is stipulated in the "Tang Law Commentary, Miscellaneous Laws" that the noble and the humble cannot marry.

The so-called noble refers to ordinary people, good people. The humble are official and private slaves, child servants, prostitutes, actors, etc. who have no freedom. Even if they are deregistered and become noble, they cannot marry.

The Ming Dynasty followed the laws of the Tang Dynasty, and the nobles and the commoners could not marry.

"What did Yan Chengjin say?"

The clerk whispered, "Lord Yan said that he could help His Highness try."

Jiang Mian snorted. How could an actor be brought into the palace? If she really became the queen in the future, would she have to be the mother of the country?

"The news just came from the East Palace. Yan Chengjin discussed with His Highness the Crown Prince and allowed the nobles and the commoners to marry."

Liu Jian and Li Dongyang were absorbed in reading the memorial and looked up.

Xie Qian was a little shocked and surprised. The Crown Prince was so temperamental that he would really marry an actor into the palace.

"Why didn't Yan Chengjin come to the duty room?"

The servant said, "Lord Yan went to the Censorate, and I'm afraid he won't come today."

Liu Jian said, "If the actor enters the palace, no matter how much Yan Chengjin advises, your majesty and the queen will not allow it."

"Since this boy has agreed, he must have some ideas. Let's go to Fengtian Hall."

Not long after, the five people walked into the hall. Emperor Hongzhi saw the five people appear in the hall together, "What are you doing for the prince?"

Jiang Mian said, "Your Majesty, there is a difference between the noble and the humble, how can they communicate with each other."

"I think so too."

Emperor Hongzhi's face was firm. He had sent Xiao Jing to the outside of the palace to jail the actor for interrogation.

Hearing this, the gentlemen still couldn't rest assured. Zhang Sheng said, "Your Majesty, you should summon Yan Chengjin to ask."

Censorate, duty room.

Yan Chengjin thought for a long time and had a clue. He ordered Fang Xue to go to the Ministry of Works to get the list of craftsmen.

There are 188 kinds of trades for shift craftsmen, such as publishing, printing, blacksmithing and gold selling.

870 people for each trade, and there are vacancies everywhere.

"Cao Yuan had previously submitted a memorial to the emperor, and it has been pending." Fang Xue said: "Too many able-bodied men are occupied by the Beijing camp, and there are also reclamation in various places, so there is no one to fill the vacancies."

Previously, Cao Yuan wanted engineers to fill the vacancies.

Immigrants to settle in the fields, build water conservancy projects and reclaim wasteland all require labor service.

Hemp is taxed at 6 taels per mu, kapok at 10 taels per mu, and mulberry at 8 taels per mu. The money earned is more than being a private servant, so the people all go to farm.

Just like in later generations, all the able-bodied men went to deliver food, and the factories could not recruit people.

"This is also a change brought about by the reform. You go to Shuntian Prefecture to copy a book of music." Yan Chengjin said.

At this time, the gatekeeper of Fengtian Hall came to summon him to see the emperor.

Hearing that Li Dongyang and Liu Jian were all there, and Zhu Houzhao was kneeling in the corner, Yan Chengjin knew that the news had leaked from the East Palace.

"I heard that for the sake of an actor, you discussed with the prince and allowed marriage between the noble and the humble?"

"Yes."

Liu Jian and others looked solemn, and Emperor Hongzhi continued with a stern face: "I don't allow it!"

"I just agreed to mention it, Your Majesty, don't worry."

Zhu Houzhao, who was standing aside, heard it and cursed Lao Gao in his heart for being spineless. His father agreed to everything when he was angry.

Emperor Hongzhi's face relaxed: "Since it was the prince who instigated you, I will not punish you. Leave."

"I'll take my leave."

Yan Chengjin turned around without any hesitation, as if nothing had happened, and walked out of the hall.

Zhu Houzhao glanced at Emperor Hongzhi, "Father, I want to take my leave too."

Emperor Hongzhi's eyes were filled with anger, and his serious look made the hall quiet.

At this time, the young eunuch walked in: "Your Majesty, Lord Wang wants to see you."

Wang Ao strode in and handed over a memorial: "Shaanxi has just received a memorial, the rivers in Jingyang County and Xi'an Prefecture have burst."

Jingyang County has Hongqu Weir, passing through Jingyang, Sanyuan, Liquan, Gaoling and Lintong, with more than 200 forces.

It was just before the summer tax, at the time of harvest. Once the river burst, the grain and cotton downstream would be destroyed.

Liu Jian's heart suddenly moved: "It was repaired during the Hongwu period and is as solid as a city wall. How could it burst?"

Wang Ao sighed, "Perhaps it has been in disrepair for a long time."

Emperor Hongzhi unconsciously pursed his lips and sighed softly. The report of the burst was sent back, which meant that the flood had rushed to the fertile fields below.

How could it be too late to remedy it at this time?

"How much summer tax did Shaanxi pay in previous years?"

Li Dongyang roughly estimated: "About 180,000 dan of grain, and this year's cotton and other crops will probably be even more."

Liu Jian sighed heavily: "I am more worried that the flood and silt will block the road, blocking the Silk Road and making it impossible to trade in the Western Regions."