Since Zhu Cixuan had given orders to appease the people, he could not return to the palace every day. Only after completing the orders could he return to the palace to answer the orders. So he took a group of Donggong guards to live in the Duan Palace in the outer city.
The owner of Duan Wang's Mansion is Zhu Changhao, the fifth son of Wanli Emperor, who is two generations higher than Zhu Cigui. Twelve years ago, he went to Hanzhong to be a fief, leaving only one housekeeper and several servants to take care of Duan Wang's Mansion.
According to the ancestral system of the Ming Dynasty, the royal family can't live in the Yamen when traveling outside. Yamen is a place for official business, belonging to the public, not the private property of the royal family. Even the emperor of the Ming Dynasty can only live in a temporary palace or in the nearby vassal palace.
Unlike the later Manchu Dynasty, where the state was used for private purposes and the whole world was a slave of the royal family, you can freely live in the Yamen or the officials' home in Jiangnan, which is called "people friendly".
Zhu Cixuan originally wanted to live in the Xinwang Mansion before Chongzhen became the emperor. The Xinwang Mansion was huge, twice the size of Duan Mansion. The Xinwang Mansion was still in the imperial city. It was too far away, and it was inconvenient to travel.
This Duan Royal Mansion covers less than 100 mu, even less than a fraction of the Forbidden City. It is just the standard of an ordinary royal mansion, perhaps because Duan Wang was not favored by Emperor Wanli at the beginning, so he only built an ordinary royal mansion in the outer city.
As someone cleans it all the year round, the Duan Mansion doesn't look old. It's said that the Crown Prince is going to live in here. The housekeeper of the Duan Mansion hurriedly arranges someone to clean the Duan Mansion inside and outside again.
Duan Wang Mansion was built in strict accordance with the system of the vassal Wang Mansion of the Ming Dynasty. In front of it was Duan Li Gate, with four doors, one in front, one behind, one on the left and one on the right. The main hall in the middle was called Chengyun Hall, which was the common name of the main hall of all vassal Wang Mansions.
Behind the Carrier Hall is the dormitory, and finally the Imperial Court. In addition, there are more than 50 other places, such as four halls, four pavilions and platforms, pavilions, pavilions, rooms, and offices. The scale is grand, which is much more high-end than the residences of dignitaries in the general capital.
Zhu Cixuan had a simple look at Duan Wang's mansion, then went to the carrier hall to have a rest, ate the dessert brought from the palace with his class, and thought about the plan.
A moment later, Zhu Cixuan called Xu Sheng, his bodyguard, and said: "Xu Sheng, go to ask the South City Army and Horse Commanding Department to send some people to open ten porridge factories in a small and spacious area in the city. Every morning and evening, they feed the refugees two meals of porridge to ensure that their chopsticks won't fall into the porridge. If anyone dares to eat a grain of food, he will kill his head and steal his family. You can ask Li Tingbiao to send some Royal Guards to watch. Also, remember to ask them to take the banner of the palace to appease the people. "
The ten thousand taels of silver from the Ministry of Household is enough for tens of thousands of refugees to drink porridge for a few days. Now that Zhu Cixuan has left the palace, he can't delay it and must start working.
Zhu Cixuan clearly knew that if he didn't send people to watch him, he would probably drink porridge for two days at most with the ten thousand taels of silver.
Xu Sheng was ordered to leave. Zhu Cigui called Wu Zhong again and told him, "Wu Daban, go to Beizhen Fushi to send Li Tingbiao to see me."
Wu Zhong said, "Sir, Lord Li is waiting outside Duan Wang's mansion."
"Why is he here?" The north town Fushi Yamen is still in the imperial city. Why did Li Tingbiao sneak into the outer city? Zhu Cixuan was puzzled.
Wu Zhong explained: "This time, the young man went out of the palace to comfort the people. The Five Cities Military Department, the Imperial Patrol and the Royal Guards all sent people to protect the Royal Highness in secret. The person who led the Royal Guards this time was Lord Li."
"Well, let him come in. I have something to tell you." Zhu Cixuan nodded, thinking that Luo Yangxing would really send someone.
After Li Tingbiao came to the Carrier Hall to see the ceremony, Zhu Cigui didn't talk with him much and directly sent him a task.
Ask him to count the names of the rich officials and businessmen in Beijing within five days. The standard is that the family capital is more than 100000 taels of silver. It is better to find out the approximate family capital of these people.
Li Tingbiao was shocked. His Royal Highness will not be addicted to copying. He wants the Royal Guards to copy these people's homes!
It was impossible for his highness to do something that would shake the nation's foundation because he was so smart.
Seeing the strange look in his eyes, Zhu Cixuan said with a smile, "My palace is not stupid. I want to do something that ignites the flames. This time, I just want to hold a fund-raising event to let those rich people contribute."
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court was poor and the people were poor, but those landlords, rich merchants and officials were not poor. On the contrary, they were all rich. It can be said that most of the wealth of the whole Ming Dynasty was in the pockets of this small group of people.
Zhu Cixuan wanted to take a hand out of these people's pockets. Of course, he could not rob them. He could only collect donations and beg them to send money. But as for how to 'beg', he had the final say.
Li Tingbiao was relieved. After leaving the Duan Palace, he immediately set about arranging people to investigate secretly, using people he trusted.
His idea is that safety is more important than efficiency.
After Xu Sheng conveyed the order of the Eastern Palace, the people of the command department of Nancheng soldiers and horses immediately took action, set up ten porridge spots in the outer city, quickly transported food and set up a porridge factory, which was really efficient.
In the afternoon, ten porridge spots began to provide porridge. At the first meal, there was some looting among the refugees. Many refugees who had not eaten for several days saw Baihuahua's millet porridge, and immediately jumped on it.
However, they have to face some Yamen Runners from the command department of Nancheng Army and Horses. Seeing that someone robbed them, these Yamen Runners directly picked up the thick sticks that they had already prepared, and went up to beat them up without mercy.
Several people who took the lead in the looting were caught directly, and the sticks were tied to the stumps after they were added. They gaped and drooled at others' porridge.
Under the severe punishment in troubled times, the refugees also immediately became honest. In fact, rice porridge is also provided in sufficient quantity. People can get rice porridge first, and there is no need to scramble for it. Therefore, when porridge is served later, the refugees also consciously queue up, and the order of eating is much better.
A patrolling colonel of the command department of Nancheng soldiers and horses used a spoon to scoop porridge for the refugees, while loudly saying, "Your highness, the prince, has given orders to appease the people, and has specially asked us to make porridge here. Don't forget to thank the emperor and his highness for their kindness!"
A group of refugees just didn't have a chance to agree. They came up one by one with bowls to get porridge. The people behind them were just constantly prying around and waiting anxiously. Who cares, they haven't eaten it yet.
People in front filled with porridge squatted down while holding a bowl and devouring it.
These days, they live a daily life of eating bran vegetable bark. Even when they come to the capital, they also eat some leftovers. Many people look at the pure thick rice porridge in the bowl, and tears flow down, which reminds them of what the patrol captain just said.