The sky in April seemed spotless, away from the sentimental spring rain, and even the clouds seemed whiter. The grass on the ground gradually lost its tender greenness, and had evolved towards dark green, growing wildly in a corner.

The fertile soil and abundant sunshine have brought the flowers, plants and trees in the capital into the happiest season. The gardens of some wealthy families have already smelled of flowers, adding a bit of intoxicating fragrance.

Xiyuan, this palace with endless palaces, is surrounded by a garden built with brick walls behind a newly built palace.

There are divine turtle ponds, red rabbit caves, and green bird houses in the garden. These auspicious auspicious people collected from all over the country will be kept here for breeding, so the beauty of this garden is called "Wanxiang Garden".

After seeing the auspicious auspiciousness of Wanling Garden, Jiajing, wearing a green Taoist robe, turned around and returned to Wanshou Palace. He only smelled the best sandalwood, but his brows frowned slightly.

In that fire last year, not only was a palace lost, but also the rare treasures he had collected from all over the country, the most important of which was ambergris.

Although he had issued an imperial edict to collect ambergris in Guangdong and Fujian, the holy objects such as ambergris are hard to come by and have no news yet.

Jiajing returned to the quiet room with a little disappointment, sat cross-legged in the cushion, preparing to start his daily meditation and practice.

"Master, it's time to take the spiritual pill!" Huang Jin led the eunuch over and reminded softly.

Jiajing sighed lightly and nodded slightly.

He felt more and more clearly that the magical effects of these elixirs were slowly decreasing, but they could keep him more energetic, and it was still far better than nothing.

Huang Jin knelt respectfully on the ground with both knees. After taking a jade bottle and a jade plate, he carefully prepared to pour out a pill from the jade bottle. However, Jiajing suddenly said, "Add one more!"

"Master, Master Tao Tian said that he could only take one pill at a time, and said that hasteness would not be achieved. Please think twice!" Huang Jin seemed very panicked and quickly persuaded him.

It has to be said that Tao Zhongwen has foresight and has always controlled the dosage of Jiajing.

Jiajing frowned slightly, and a irritability surged in his heart, but thinking that Tao Tianshi had indeed repeatedly reminded him before, he sighed and said, "Okay, get up!"

Huang Jin wasn't really crying, but knew when to express his "loyalty" and when to "follow his will". Then he wiped his tears, looked at Jiajing with grievance and worry, and then poured out one from the bottle.

The small elixir was sent respectfully to Jiajing.

Jiajing took the pill in one mouthful, took the water cup, and swallowed the pill with the water.

The pills reached their stomachs, and in just a moment, he felt a warm current rushing all over his body, making him feel very comfortable and the magical effect of the pills he had made with spent a lot of money.

"Master, Gao Shangshu is asking for a visit!" Huang Jin had just packed his things, but soon walked in to report.

Jiajing was preparing to practice, his brows frowned slightly, and he said softly with annoyance: "What's the matter?"

However, he has a very strong principle. He usually only meets a few cabinet ministers and poets, and generally chooses to avoid the six ministers, unless there is something very important.

It was his style that greatly increased the authority of the cabinet, and the six ministers gradually became subordinates of the cabinet.

Huang Jin's eyebrows slightly raised, and he seemed happy: "Shu Gao said that there was a treasure to pay tribute to the master!"

"Oh? Let him come in!" Jiajing's eyes opened and he immediately became interested.

At the beginning of the completion of the Wanshou Palace, he issued an order to ask all officials to offer treasures, but the results were very little. Although there were some good things, they were far from his treasures hiding in the sea of ​​fire.

Gao Yao, who had not been moving at the moment, came to present the treasure, and had to submit it in person, which immediately made Jiajing feel some interest.

Gao Yao is over 50 years old. Although he is not handsome, his skin looks fair and has the elegance of a Jiangnan person. He is probably a handsome scholar when he was young.

He held an exquisite wooden box in his hand, followed the little eunuch to the outside of the quiet room, and knelt down through the curtain and said, "I am the gentle minister Gao Yao, please see the emperor, long live my emperor!"

"Gao Aiqing, calm down!" Jiajing said lightly.

Gao Yao stood up from the ground, raised the exquisite wooden box and said directly: "Your Majesty, this is the treasure that the lower official just collected. Please read it!"

"Come on!" Jiajing nodded slightly and looked at Huang Jin and ordered.

Huang Jin went out to take the wooden box and then entered it, but it did not submit it to the emperor directly. He first placed the wooden box on the table and then opened it carefully.

When he saw the thing inside, his eyes slightly curled.

When Jiajing saw this scene, he was still calm and did not look anxious.

Huang Jin happily held the wooden box over and gently opened the box to reveal what was placed inside.

When Jiajing saw this white thing, his eyes lit up immediately and he asked happily: "Gao Aiqing, where does this thing come from?"

"The lower official knew that the emperor needed this thing urgently, so he sent his servants to search everywhere, and finally bought seven taels and six out of a merchant!" Gao Yao replied loyally.

"Haha... OK!"

Jiajing laughed heartily and praised him on the spot.

Gao Yao presented ambergris, one of the important items in Jiajing’s practice of Taoism. However, in the fire last year, the ambergris collected were hidden in the sea of ​​fire like other treasures. To this day, the ambergris collection has been

It is zero.

Looking at the dream of ambergris goodbye, although not much, it also fills his regret. How can't he be happy?

Gao Yao was very happy when he heard Jiajing laughing happily. This was something he had never encountered before.

After Jiajing laughed, he looked at Huang Jin's look of wanting to stop talking, and waved his hand and ordered: "Let's test it!"

Huang Jin was already very familiar with ambergris and quickly inspected it. Then he replied excitedly: "Master, I have tested it myself. It is indeed ambergris, and the quality is of the highest quality!"

Jiajing was so happy when he learned that the ambergris was genuine, so he asked directly: "Gao Aiqing, how much do you spend to buy this ambergris?"

"I will not hide it from the sage, the sacred ministers have consumed 760 taels!" Gao Yao replied respectfully.

Jiajing knew that real numbers might not be just that, but he knew that such things should not be questioned. If he asked, it might involve Gao Yao's political style.

He adhered to his usual principles and immediately said loudly: "Gao Qing listen to it!"

"I thank you for your kindness!" Gao Yao immediately knelt down and bowed.

Jiajing said loudly: "Now Gao Aiqing has made great contributions to appreciating ambergris. He specially awarded 760 taels of silver and was awarded the title of Prince and Grand Tutor. I respect this!"

The prince and the Grand Tutor were from the first rank official title, and Gao Yao has since squeezed into the first rank official list, which is different from the ordinary six ministers, and his identity has been improved a little more than before.

"Thank you for your kindness!" Gao Yao was overjoyed, and he didn't expect the emperor to be so generous.

The next morning, Guo Pu, wearing the second-rank official uniform, came to Wuyi Palace again.

He followed Yan Ne, whom he met at the door, and learned from the conversation that Gao Yao offered ambergris. Although he didn't understand where the ambergris came from, Gao Yao's position as the Minister of Revenue was stable.

Now, the title of Prince and Grand Tutor has been awarded the title of Prince.

Although the emperor is not a wise ruler today, he has never stingy in rewarding officials who support him in practicing Taoism. Gao Yao has made contributions to offering ambergris at the moment. As long as there is no major mistake, the emperor will definitely not easily sack his position as the Minister of Revenue.

With a hint of sourness, Guo Pu hurried towards the duty room and went straight to the innermost duty room to meet Yan Song.

Yan Song was in his twilight years. At first sight, he was not shocked by the majesty of this powerful Ming Prime Minister. Instead, he was scared by Yan Song's old face. This Ming Prime Minister was too old.

Yan Song had a pretty strong body. He raised his head and squinted his eyes to see Guo Pu, but he took the initiative to smile and said hello: "My husband, you are here!"

"Sir, please see Lord Yuanfu!" Guo Pu hurriedly stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

Yan Song raised his dry palm and said casually: "Guo Pu, sit down!"

"Mr. Xie Yuanfu!" Guo Pu gave another gift and sat down in the chair opposite.

Yan Song was handling the memorials, but he saw that there was still a large pile of memorials that had not been processed, but he seemed helpless and said: "I am old and my energy is not as good as before!"

Since ancient times, it has been rare since 60 years. Yan Song is now eighty-three, and he can be considered an elderly person. If it weren't for the fact that he played with such a Jiajing Emperor who did not follow the norm and a Jiajing Emperor who believed in immortality, Yan Song would probably have retired long ago.

It's home.

"Master Yuanfu, you have been with the emperor to practice Taoism, and you can do it for at least ten more years!" Guo Pu said in a compliment.

"I'm afraid someone will be unhappy after working for another ten years!" Yan Song sighed with a hint of emotion, and said to Guo Pu's serious matters: "My husband, you are here this time to investigate, right?"

"That's right, please look at Lord Yuanfu!" Guo Pu nodded quickly and handed over the prepared list with both hands.

Although Guo Pu was the Minister of Personnel and was in charge of this external investigation, he was just a transfer of local officials, but he never dared to decide alone, so he often came to ask the old chief assistant for instructions.

Yan Song took the list and immediately started to check it carefully.

Politics has always been the result of negotiation. As long as Guo Pu doesn't do too much and the personnel he wants to arrange can be implemented, then the prime minister will naturally not raise any objections.

So far, there have been no major differences between the two sides, so the external investigation can be said to be very smooth.

"Liu Ji?"

Yan Song saw the candidate for the new Shuntian Prefecture Prefecture, and finally knew who the sacred was. But what surprised him was that the person recommended by Xu Jie was not considered to be from Xu Party, but from Gao Yao.

Gao Yao was neither from the Hanlin Academy nor from a censor. He only stayed in the capital as a criminal chief as a three-level Jinshi. He was just such an inconspicuous role, but he gradually became the position of Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and now he is even more so.

The title of Prince and Grand Tutor was awarded.

When he was the Minister of Revenue, officials including him were not optimistic about Gao Yao's future. However, things were unexpected. With his ability, Gao Yao unexpectedly settled the position of Shangshu.

As he took action against the Lianghuai Salt Administration, he realized that the Lianghuai Merchant Group had an insignificant influence on the court. Their personnel had already penetrated into many important positions in the court, among which Gao Yao

headed by.

But he understood that if he wanted to solve the financial dilemma of the Ming Dynasty, he had to take action against the two quasi-status salt administrations. The results were also obvious, which led to a significant increase in the salt administration revenue of the imperial court last year.

"Sir Yuan Fu, what's wrong?" Guo Pu looked at Yan Song in a daze, and then asked in a low voice.

Yan Song suddenly woke up and put down the list in his hand, responding with satisfaction: "This list is not wrong. I will submit it to the emperor for trial later!"

"Master Yuan Fu, the official dare not bother you, so I will say goodbye first!" Guo Pu bowed again.

Yan Song gently pointed: "Let's go slowly!"

Guo Pu left Yan Song's duty room, but did not leave Wuyi Palace directly, but instead walked into Xu Jie's duty room.

Xu Jie sat at the desk, looking at a memorial in front of him, but he showed a thoughtful expression.
To be continued...