Author: Potato Sweet Potato Pie

Zhihua Temple is located in the DC area of ​​​​the capital, not far from the Dongsi Archway, which is a prosperous commercial district in the entire East City. The loud noise just now was heard by countless people, even those who were very close.

Time has also been deafening.

Looking at the fire and the billowing smoke in the direction of Zhihua Temple, the people in the entire DC area were talking about it, wondering whether it was Wang Zhen's family temple that even God could not bear to see, so he descended.

Divine punishment.

It's just that people keep watching and discussing, but there is no intention of the people to put out the fire.

The common people watched the fire from across the bank, but the government could not sit idly by. The first person to react was the red shop near Zhihua Temple.

This red shop is under the jurisdiction of the Wucheng Military and Horse Department, and its scope of authority is equivalent to the fire department of the Ming Dynasty, or more appropriately, the fire brigade.

Because this kind of red shop is just like the fire brigade in later generations. There is not just one place, but a considerable number. There are more than a hundred in Shuntian Prefecture, and basically every street and alley will be equipped with it.

The personnel configuration in each fire shop is basically fixed, with a general manager as the leader and ten firemen, who are responsible for fire fighting and fire prevention.

Dozens of firemen rushed to Zhihua Temple with buckets, fire hooks, cane buckets, water guns and other fire-fighting equipment.

Then, the Shuntian Prefecture Yamen also dispatched manpower. Dozens of government officials led by Fu Cheng also rushed to Zhihua Temple, and the Tiqi of the Jinyiwei also began to dispatch.

The eyes of the Wucheng Military and Horse Department, the Shuntian Mansion Office, and the Jinyi Guards in the Guardhouse were all focused on one place.

The loud noise just now was so shocking that the emperor in the Forbidden City might have heard about it, and it would be impossible to end it without an investigation to get to the bottom of it.

At this moment in the Forbidden City, half an hour later, Zhu Youtang might still be in a good mood.

The whole palace was filled with joy, and countless eunuchs and maids were busy preparing for tomorrow's feast.

After many days of accounting, the Ministry of Household Affairs finally reported this year's money and food expenses, as well as the remaining balance of the entire treasury. There are still more than two million taels of silver and more than one million jins of silk left in the treasury.

The entire Ming Dynasty's treasury only has this surplus, which seems to be a very sad thing, but it also depends on which year it is compared with.

It's really sad to put it in the first few years of Hongzhi. At that time, the year-end balance of the national treasury at the end of any year was not a minimum of 10 million taels.

But if compared with recent years, it is already good. Especially in the eleventh and twelfth years of Hongzhi, at the end of the year, the entire national treasury was running low, and there was even a fiscal deficit.

There were more than two million silver taels left this year. Emperor Hongzhi was quite satisfied with this, but even though he was satisfied, he was also a little melancholy.

If I had known that the treasury still had more than two million taels of silver, I would not have used my internal funds when buying bedding for the victims a few days ago.

"Have you calculated the balance of my internal funds at the end of this year? How much money is left in savings?"

"If I go back to the emperor, I still have more than nine hundred thousand taels left."

More than nine hundred thousand taels.

Hearing this amount, Zhu Youtang obviously felt melancholy again. The money was nominally the emperor's private treasury, but in fact it was the money bag of the entire palace, which was used to support a large number of people in the entire palace.

Tomorrow’s New Year’s Eve, the day after tomorrow’s Zhengdan Festival, and a dozen days later the Shangyuan Festival.

During these three festivals and five celebrations, silver rewards must be distributed to the palace people, and winter salaries must also be distributed.

How about eliminating some palace maids and eunuchs after the new year?

But there have been many layoffs over the years, and now the palace's operation can barely be maintained. If the layoffs continue, even the operation of the palace will be a problem.

Seeing the melancholy expression on Emperor Hongzhi's face, Xiao Jing habitually talked about happy things beside him, "Your Majesty, all the victims in the southern suburbs of the capital are now grateful for the favor of the imperial court and for your kindness. Your Majesty is kind and helpful.

With these beddings, I don’t think any more victims will die of cold or hunger.”

"This is not my kindness, this is the prince's kindness."

As the emperor, although Zhu Youtang truly cared about the people, if he were not the prince, he would not use his own internal funds to buy bedding for these victims.

Xiao Jing said with a smile: "Both the emperor and the prince are kind. As the saying goes, like father, like son. The reason why His Highness the prince is kind is because the emperor is kind."

“Like father, like son”

Zhu Youtang couldn't help but smile when he heard this, and then asked: "The prince's temperament is very different from mine. I am honest and steady, but the prince is ridiculous and playful. How can Xiao Banban explain it?"

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is young after all, and he is also a bit playful."

"boom!"

As he was talking, there was a sudden loud noise, like thunder.

Zhu Youtang couldn't help frowning, "What is this noise?"

"Your Majesty, this should be Dong Lei"

"Dong Lei? That doesn't sound like it to me."

As he spoke, Zhu Youtang couldn't wait any longer. He stood up from his throne, walked out of the Nuan Pavilion, and walked all the way to the back of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the tallest building in the Forbidden City. Then he stopped, and then stood on the steps of the platform in front of the hall.

Go up and look towards the east.

On the east side of the city, there seemed to be a faint fire, and thick smoke filled the air. Not far away, you could see the city gate of Chaoyang Gate and the archway, and the smoke was between these two places.

East City, East Fourth Archway, Chaoyang Gate, South Xincang.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youtang hurriedly asked: "Xiao Banban, is the area where the smoke is coming from Nan Xincang?"

"This, this, it seems." Xiao Jing also vaguely saw the archway. The only archway that can have such a large and high height in the East City is the Dongsi Archway.

The place where the fire started is not far from the Dongsi Archway, and the area around the Dongsi Archway is indeed where Nan Xincang is located.

When Emperor Hongzhi heard this, his heart suddenly went cold.

This Nanxincang is where the imperial grain is stored, as well as the salary of officials and ministers. Although this year's salary has been distributed, the storage area of ​​Nanxincang is huge, and it usually stores millions of dan of grain.

Now there are at least tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of grains and rice inside.

Hundreds of thousands of stones of food.

Thinking of this number, Zhu Youtang felt that the world was spinning and he was a little unsteady.

My food!

"Come here! Come here! Go check it out for me immediately. Go check that the place where the water is leaking is Nan Xincang, and what's the reason for that loud noise just now. If you find out, report it to me immediately!"

————————————————————

After a lot of hard work, the fire in Zhihua Temple has been put out, and the military commanders of the five cities and the Yin of Shuntian Prefecture have all reported to the palace.

Only Jin Yiwei didn't move.

Fusili, Beizhen.

A muscular man in his forties with a beard on his face sat at the top. His name was Mou Bin, and his position was the current commander of the Jin Yiwei.

He looks a bit rough, but in fact he is upright, smart and capable. In addition to his bold personality, he also has the sophistication and tact unique to those in officialdom.

Otherwise, he would definitely not have climbed all the way from an ordinary royal guard to the position of commander.

However, Mou Bin clearly could not control his emotions at this time. His big, bearded and broad face was gloomy, he was holding a report in his hand, and the veins on his forehead were pulsing.

He felt like a big blame had been placed on him.

The Jingzhong Temple was bombed and collapsed, and the Zhihua Temple was flooded. The reason was actually the firecrackers set off by the Jinyiwei people?!

Play that fucking bullshit!
Chapter completed!