Chapter 75: Building the Imperial Mausoleum
In Qiankun Hall, Zheng Yi was resting with his eyes closed.

Yesterday, when they went to bed in Yonghe Palace, Concubine Shu, now it should be Concubine Yang Guifei, fainted twice due to excessive excitement. Zheng Yi had no choice but to hold her in his arms and sleep all night.

"Yang Huan, Yang Guifei...I was too impulsive last night. After all, Yang Huan is the daughter of a traitor!"

Zheng Yi had a lot of thoughts in his mind, and he kept thinking about the conversation he had with Yang Huan last night.

"But this matter is nothing. According to the rules, the emperor can have two concubines. Now that the positions of the two concubines have been decided, other people's little thoughts will be extinguished."

"Besides, who I want to appoint as my imperial concubine is my family affair, and no one can say anything about it!"

"The most urgent matter is still about the emperor's mausoleum."

"The tombs of the twenty people of the Great Yu Dynasty contain secret methods of cultivation. We must dig them up no matter what!"

At this moment, his eyes suddenly lit up and he said, "Oh right, I seem to remember that when I issued the Immortal Seeking Order last year, there seemed to be a tomb robber who came to visit disguised as a Feng Shui master."

"I think his name is... Hu Bayi?"

"Is there really such a person?"

"Cheng En!"

Liu Chengen walked in quickly and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, what do you want?"

"Do you remember that last year a tomb robber pretending to be a Feng Shui master came to defraud the reward. Is he still here?"

Liu Chengen thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, this person is still in the Jinyiwei prison and has not been released."

As His Majesty's personal eunuch, he has always had a good memory.

If His Majesty wants to know something and you cannot answer it immediately or answer it incorrectly, wouldn't that be a crime of deceiving the emperor?

"Bring him into the palace. I have something to ask you."

"promise!"

Liu Chengen left quickly, while Zheng Yi was still thinking about it.

Half a day later, Liu Chengen came to the Qiankun Hall with a middle-aged man who had changed his clothes but was still extremely pale and had a limp.

Along the way, Liu Chengen continued to give instructions to this person.

"When we meet His Majesty, don't look directly at him! Don't look around randomly, understand?"

"Ming, I understand, I understand!"

"Today, His Majesty may pardon your crime and forget the suffering you have endured in the imperial prison. Otherwise, no one can save you!"

"Yes, yes, yes, thank you for your guidance..."

Soon the two of them arrived at the Qiankun Hall, and Liu Chengen took him directly in.

"Your Majesty, the person has been brought here."

As soon as he finished speaking, he rushed over and lay on the ground with his butt raised high.

"I, Hu Bafeng, greet your majesty. May your majesty live long and long!"

Hu Bafeng?
Zheng Yi remembered that the man's name was Hu Bafeng, not Hu Bayi.

"Get up."

"Yes Yes Yes Yes……"

"His Majesty."

Liu Chengen walked up quickly, holding a file in his hand.

"Your Majesty, this is the file that the Jinyiwei took out from Hu Bafeng. It contains all the crimes he has committed over the years."

Zheng Yi glanced at it and gestured to put it in front of him.

Being able to survive the Jinyiwei prison, it seems that Hu Bafeng is also a smart guy.

As long as you confess all your sins, you will inevitably suffer physical pain, but at least your life will be saved.

He looked through Hu Bafeng's files, while Hu Bafeng knelt on the ground, feeling uneasy.

But at this time, Zheng Yi was amazed.

According to file records, Hu Bafeng was one of the leading tomb robbers in the north. He had robbed more than 30 ancient tombs and made a profit of more than 100,000 taels of silver.

He is best at using the art of Feng Shui to find large and ancient tombs, and then he would call on friends or work alone to dig up the ancient tombs.

Unfortunately, this time he was blinded by Lard and, at the instigation of others, entered the palace and tried to use the Feng Shui technique to defraud the emperor of his reward.

Eventually, he was discovered by Zheng Yi and Zhao Suling and thrown into prison.

When his disciples and other followers saw Hu Bafeng being thrown into prison, they fled in panic and now no one knows where they have gone.

"Hu Bafeng."

After a long time, Hu Bafeng felt his knees were numb, and then he heard Zheng Yi calling him, and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I'm here."

"You are a talented person, I admire you very much."

Zheng Yi said directly: "I have a task for you. If you do it well, I can pardon your crime of deceiving the emperor, and even guarantee you a position as an official. You will enjoy endless wealth and glory, and you can even return home in glory and become a government official."

"Are you willing?"

“Returning home in glory!”

Hu Bafeng raised his head suddenly. Who would be willing to be a tomb robber if they could survive?

Thinking of his parents and his wife, who were bullied and looked down upon by the villagers because of him, he said excitedly, "Your Majesty, I am willing, I am willing!"

If it is really as Your Majesty said, I can become an official, make a fortune, and return home in glory, only a fool would refuse.

"It's very simple."

Zheng Yi said: "I need you to dig an ancient tomb for me."

"Tomb robbing?"

"Ok?"

Zheng Yi frowned and said, "It's a protective excavation, do you understand?"

"Yes, yes, yes, I know I was wrong."

Hu Bafeng asked carefully, "Your Majesty, which ancient tomb do you need me to protect and excavate?"

Zheng Yi did not answer directly, but tapped the table and said: "When the time comes, you will know."

"I now appoint you as the Lieutenant of the Tomb Raiders, a fourth-rank military officer."

"What? A fourth-rank military officer!"

Hu Bafeng was stunned immediately, and immediately knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, saying: "Your Majesty thinks so highly of me, I am really grateful and have no way to repay you. From now on, even if Your Majesty asks me to die, I will never frown!"

Zheng Yi said: "I won't let you die. If you die, who will take care of my business?"

"Your tomb-raiding lieutenants were created by me. They are a separate military branch that specializes in the protective excavation of various ancient tombs. I personally command them."

"You are the only one under the command of the Captain of the Tomb Raiders. You need to write a letter in person and call all your colleagues, friends, and disciples to come one by one."

"The more people you summon, the more people you will have under your command, and the greater the reward I will give you. Do you understand?!"

"Yes, yes, yes... I, oh no, I understand!" "Go down, I will tell you when and which ancient tomb to dig."

"Yes, yes, I understand!"

Hu Bafeng quickly stood up and walked out of the hall with great joy.

"Cheng En."

"His Majesty."

"Call two Shadow Guards and Jinyi Guards to watch him and arrange accommodation for him outside the palace. If he moves inappropriately, arrest him immediately."

"promise!"

"Let him write a letter today to gather tomb robbers from all over the world, but this matter cannot be publicized. I have a great need for it."

"promise!"

……

Today is the great court.

Many ministers looked at Zheng Yi sitting on the dragon throne in surprise. It had been more than half a month since the last grand court session.

Your Majesty just finished the elective course a few days ago, how come you are free to hold a court today?

Could it be that... there is something big to announce?

"If you have something to do, start the show, if nothing happens, leave the court!"

After the words fell, there was silence for a few breaths in the hall, and then an official from the Ministry of Rites suddenly stepped out and said respectfully:
"Your Majesty! Concubine Yang is the descendant of the traitor Yang and cannot be named a noble concubine."

"I second the proposal!"

"I second the proposal!"

"I second the proposal!"

Soon, several more officials stood up and agreed with what this person said.

Zheng Yi glanced at the front few court officials. Lu Xiangqing and Cui Jinghao did not express their opinions. He said immediately: "This is a matter of the harem. The Queen Mother, the Queen, and Concubine Duan will deal with it. As ministers of the previous dynasty, you should focus on the world!"

"Don't worry about this!"

"This……"

The people in the middle were dumbfounded and could only helplessly say, "As you command!"

Another official from the Hanlin Academy stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have a report."

"Say!"

"The new champions, runners-up, and third place winners have written to you, asking to enter Yongzhou to observe government affairs ahead of time. I wonder what your majesty means by that?"

"Observe politics in advance?"

Zheng Yi asked, "Have these three chosen a good place?"

"Have."

"The new number one scholar Cui Xia Zhao went to Chang'an County and became the chief clerk of Chang'an County."

"The runner-up, Li Ziyang, will go to Weinan County and serve as the county magistrate."

"Tanhua Wang Anshi will go to Yanchang County to be the magistrate of Yanchang County!"

After Zheng Yi pondered and understood the situation, he said, "In extraordinary times, extraordinary things must be done. Approved!"

"The three people will observe the government for three years, and then they will be assigned positions based on their respective performance evaluations."

"promise!"

After dealing with a few more minor matters, Zheng Yi suddenly said, "My dear ministers, I have something else to discuss with you."

Hearing what Zheng Yi said, all the ministers present held their breath and listened attentively.

"I plan to build an imperial mausoleum for myself. What do you think, my dear ministers?"

Build the imperial tomb!

Many ministers looked at each other in bewilderment, although it was normal for an emperor to build a mausoleum for himself while he was alive.

But... this is too fast!
Lu Xiangqing immediately stepped out and said, "Your Majesty is in the prime of life, why waste the manpower and material resources to build a mausoleum?"

"The most urgent task is to suppress the civil unrest in the north and the invasion of the Wu Kingdom, as well as the independence of the Pseudo-Yan Kingdom, Your Majesty..."

"Yes, Your Majesty, Your Majesty has only been in power for five years. It is not appropriate to build a mausoleum during your prime years."

"Your Majesty, the late emperor spent eighteen years building the imperial mausoleum, which was very expensive..."

"I hope your Majesty will think twice!"

More than a dozen court officials were clearly opposed, and some were clearly on the sidelines.

Zheng Yi said: "I have my own plans for the invasion of Wu State, the civil unrest in the north, and the independence of the pseudo-Yan."

"I know that building an imperial mausoleum is not something that can be done overnight, so I will only do some reconnaissance and mapping in the early stages, and will not waste manpower and material resources on a large-scale construction."

"This……"

Lu Xiangqing and others hesitated for a moment, but at this time Cui Jinghao stood up and said:
"Your Majesty, the emperor's mausoleum is a major national event. It can protect the dragon veins and the stability of our country. I second the proposal!"

"I second the proposal!"

"I second the proposal!"

Soon, many ministers expressed their support, and for a while the two sides were arguing fiercely.

Zheng Yi made up his mind and said, "I have made up my mind to build the imperial mausoleum this time. You, my dear ministers, do not need to persuade me any further."

"Now the treasury is in a tight spot due to civil unrest in the north, the invasion of Wu State, and the independence of the pseudo-Yan. I will not use the treasury's financial resources or conscript civilians. The tomb raiders and new soldiers of the imperial army I have established will be in charge. All expenses will be allocated from the inner treasury."

After hearing what Zheng Yi said, the ministers present realized that Zheng Yi had made up his mind and stopped arguing.

When Lu Xiangqing heard that the emperor himself paid for the construction of the imperial mausoleum, he stopped talking and stepped back, saying, "I second the motion."

"I second the proposal!"

Finally, the Minister of Works Jia Yongshao suddenly stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, all the palaces in the palace have been built, and the main hall, Jiaotai Hall, has also been completed."

"However, Jiaotai Palace was destroyed before, and the name is tainted with ominous connotations. Your Majesty, please rename this palace!"

"Has it been built?"

Zheng Yi thought for a moment and said, "I will build a new palace and name it 'Bai Yu Jing'. It will be used for my practice and sleeping."

"Can the special room I asked you to build be completed?"

Jia Yongshao's expression changed slightly, as if he remembered something, his eyes were full of shock and envy.

"Your Majesty, Jiaotai... Baiyujing has completed all the tasks that Your Majesty has entrusted us with."

"It can be put into use tonight."

"good!"

　Asking for a monthly ticket~
　　Asking for a monthly ticket~
　　Asking for a monthly ticket~
　　Asking for a monthly ticket~
　　Asking for a monthly ticket~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)