The First Corrupt Official of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 260: Xu Da’s army arrived, and the veteran tricked Zhu Yuanzhang for Mr. Ye, and named the Anti-Yuan Family!
On the steps of the city wall, Zhu Yuanzhang was quickly going down to the city.

At the same time, his mind was filled with the scene of Uncle Li bowing to him before leaving seclusion.

In fact, as early as that time, he already had a guess that was unlikely to happen, but was also reasonable.

It wasn't until someone came to pass the message that he was completely certain of this conjecture.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang accelerated his pace to the battlefield emergency hospital!
He wanted to know what his former subordinate, the former flag officer of the Red Turban Army, wanted to say to him at this time.

Under the leadership of the nurses at the battlefield emergency hospital, Zhu Yuanzhang quickly found Uncle Li.

At this moment, Uncle Li has finished bandaging and is just lying quietly in the intensive observation ward.

As far as the eye could see, thirty plank beds were filled with seriously injured soldiers who had just come off the operating table. Although they were all covered with quilts, it could be seen that nearly half of them were missing arms or legs.

Even if they were not missing arms or legs, many people had more than half of their heads bandaged.

Looking at the blood seeping out from the eye sockets, Zhu Yuanzhang knew that even if these soldiers survived, they would only have one eye in the future.

Those who have one eye are lucky, but those who don’t have two eyes are heart-wrenching and uncomfortable!
Looking at these seriously injured soldiers, even Zhu Yuanzhang, who was decisive in killing, and Marshal Zhu, who had seen life and death, couldn't help but get wet.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was decisive in killing and harsh on officials, when he faced these soldiers who had taken off their armor and became ordinary people, he was just an ordinary farm uncle.

Zhu Yuanzhang walked very slowly, because he saw someone who was not covered with a quilt, so he gently covered him with a quilt, and then just nodded while holding his mouth.

He only said "You're good" in his heart because he didn't want to disturb their rest.

Finally, Zhu Yuanzhang came to Uncle Li's hospital bed!
In Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, the former flag officer of the Red Scarf Army had neither limbs nor limbs, but his lips were so white that he was no different from a dead person.

The vital sign that can prove that he is still alive is his chest that is still rising slightly!

"How long can he live?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was used to seeing all kinds of wounded soldiers, so he could naturally tell at a glance whether the injured soldiers would survive.

In this regard, he is no less capable than a professional military doctor!
Therefore, he will not ask questions that are not reliable at all!
The doctor in charge here replied: "The general is an expert at first glance. If Old Li had been ten years younger, he might still have hope to survive."

"There were a total of sixteen stab wounds all over his body. The wounds were not fatal, but they all bled. An ordinary person would have died of blood loss long ago."

"But he kept repeating, 'I want to see General Guo on the city wall. I fought with him.' Maybe it was this idea that made him persist."

"I admire this old guy. He has an iron rice bowl, but he still insists on going to the battlefield. I gave him a piece of Changbai Mountain ginseng to give him a sigh of relief, and then asked someone to invite you, General Guo."

"By the way, General Guo, do you know him?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at this pale face and had no impression at all. He just said in a solemn tone: "I don't know him either!"

The doctor felt very strange when he heard such an answer. He couldn't figure out what it meant for a while. How could he give such an answer as "I don't know either"?

Before the doctor could figure it out, Uncle Li woke up.

He looked at the person standing in front of him, and his whole body became excited, his eyes flashed complicatedly, and the corners of his mouth trembled.

Finally, he said to the doctor with difficulty: "Doctor, please step aside and I will have a few words with the general."

When the doctor heard this, he just felt that the relationship between the two people was very special, so that his curiosity suddenly got to the point.

But he still suppressed his curiosity and walked out directly. But before going out, he couldn't help but look back and take a look.

At this moment, when he saw General Guo with his ear to Uncle Li's mouth, he suddenly stared in surprise, but it only took an instant for him to regain his composure and rigor.

After a while, the doctor who was just standing at the door saw General Guo walking out quickly, hailed a horse-drawn cart that had just been unloaded, and quickly walked in again.

Soon, he saw General Guo carrying the dying Uncle Li on his back and walking out quickly with the quilt in his arms.

"General, he is dying!"

In the eyes of the doctor, General Guo just turned his head and said seriously: "Let's go and complete the last thing for him."

The doctor was just stunned after hearing this, then sighed with relief, and then decisively went back to the intensive care unit.

In the eyes of everyone outside the yard, a general placed the dying veteran on a horse-drawn cart covered with straw, and then used his strong hands to gently and tightly cover the veteran with a quilt.

Immediately afterwards, he drove away on a horse-drawn cart.

They did not take the main road, but only took the field road that was only large enough for two horse-drawn carts to cross each other. It was also a road that almost no one took during the war.

The rice fields on both sides have been harvested, leaving only some sporadic fodder, and the fodder is also covered with thick snowflakes. A sentence similar to 'Auspicious snow heralds a good year' suddenly appeared in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind!
At the same time, the whispers that the veteran he pulled with him in the ward also appeared in his mind.

"Your Majesty, Cao Min has something to say to you. Can you take Cao Min to the rice fields?"

After a while,

Zhu Yuanzhang drove his carriage and stopped at a section of road where rice fields could be seen and a mountain wall blocked the wind.

After the horse-drawn cart covered with straw rested against the mountain wall, Zhu Yuanzhang also sat on it, and then asked Uncle Li, who recognized him, to sit against the mountain wall with him.

After Zhu Yuanzhang arranged the quilt covering him again, he asked softly: "Brother, what do you want to say to us?"

"Cough cough!"

Uncle Li, who was called elder brother by His Majesty the Emperor, was so excited that he cried and coughed.

"Don't cry. You must listen to me and obey my will. Don't cry!"

After Uncle Li sobbed twice, he endured the pain on his body and said with a smile: "How can a commoner be so virtuous as to dare to be His Majesty's elder brother?"

Zhu Yuanzhang just felt a sore nose, and then he immediately smiled and said: "All the people of our Ming Dynasty, especially farmers like you, as long as they are older than us, they are our elder brothers."

"What's more, you were once our Red Scarf Army. Brother, I'm sorry for you!"

"We became emperor, but we couldn't let you live a good life!"

In Uncle Li's eyes, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression was solemn, and his eyes were full of self-blame.

Uncle Li was a junior general who had met Zhu Yuanzhang several times but had never spoken to him alone. However, he had heard his general talk about Zhu Yuanzhang.

They said that Zhu Yuanzhang was good at scheming and played tricks on Li Shanchang and others.

But he also knew that Zhu Yuanzhang's scheming was only aimed at those big shots, and would not target people like them who were soldiers when they put on armor and ordinary people when they took off their armor.

Therefore, he can be sure that His Majesty the Emperor in front of him is really blaming himself.

"Your Majesty, can the common people call you Marshal again?"

Zhu Yuanzhang just smiled and said: "We are carrying you out here and driving for you, why can't we call you Marshal?"

"It's called Chongba Ducheng. It's enough for you to go down and play for a while. Even the Prince of Hell will be envious of you!"

Uncle Li smiled weakly: "It is indeed enough for the Lord of Hell to envy."

"Commander, actually I recognized you and your concubine when we were in the almshouse. Your concubine is still so kind and beautiful, and you still look like everyone owes you money."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said, "Back then, why didn't you come over and tell us this?"

"Back then, I wanted to go home alive, but now, I know I won't live long!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned for a moment, then nodded in recognition, and then the two of them smiled in relief at the same time.

This feeling of abandoning identity and scruples to tell the truth is simply too good!
But until this time comes, how can you give up your identity and scruples?
The next moment, Uncle Li's cough suddenly worsened, and his breathing became rapid.

He knew he couldn't delay any longer, he had to say all the words that he would not die without finishing.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

"The common people are in the Red Scarf Army, working all the way to the flag officer, otherwise I wouldn't be able to take a close look at you several times, Marshal Zhu."

"Your Majesty, don't talk. Listen, listen to the common people."

After Uncle Li took several deep breaths, he calmed down a little.

He continued to seize the time and said: "On the Jiazi Day of October 27th (1367), you appointed Xu Da as the general to conquer the captives, Chang Yuchun as the deputy general, and led an army of 25 to march north to the Central Plains."

"You published the "Edict to the Central Plains", which proposed to 'drive out the barbarians, restore China, establish a program of discipline, and relieve the people of Sri Lanka', in order to inspire the people of the north to rebel against the Yuan Dynasty."

"The grassroots people followed the army to take Shandong, enter Henan, capture Tongguan, attack Dadu, and finally westward to Shanxi."

"When attacking Yanmen Pass, the civilians were seriously injured and stayed here. They were unable to participate in the subsequent battles in northern Shaanxi, Guanzhong, and Gansu."

"If we can complete the entire Northern Expedition, the common people can catch up with the founding ceremony of the first year of Hongwu (1368), and at least earn a thousand households."

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, his nose felt very sore!
He knew that Uncle Li was just a microcosm of this situation. There were too many people like him who stayed in the local area due to serious injuries and then let nothing go.

This was owed to them by the Ming Dynasty, and even more so by Zhu Yuanzhang.

But he couldn't help it. It was too chaotic at that time and he couldn't care about it at all.

When it was time to take care of it, the struggle between imperial power and prime minister power became a headache again.

Although he was intent on searching, the people below did not take this matter to heart!

When Zhu Yuanzhang thought of those guys who were busy occupying land in his hometown and recruiting adopted sons in the army, Zhu Yuanzhang became murderous again!
But soon, his eyes returned to peace.

Because the people in front of him were not those guys, but Zhu Yuanzhang's 'creditors'.

"Brother, if you have any other wishes, I will definitely satisfy you."

When Uncle Li heard these words, his pale lips immediately raised a smile of success.

Uncle Li looked forward to it and said, "Is your Majesty serious about what he said?"

"We, no, I am the emperor, and the emperor should keep his word!"

Uncle Li immediately said: "Then please promise the common people not to kill Mr. Ye!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned for a moment after hearing this. He felt that he had been fooled and rushed straight to Tianling Gai.

He now understands all of this brother's 'conspiracy'!

He can guarantee that the bow this old man paid to him before leaving the customs was definitely a simple salute without any 'conspiracy'. It was the flag officer of the Red Turban Army saluting Marshal Zhu.Because he never thought that he could enter the customs alive!

But after he entered the customs alive, he immediately had a huge 'conspiracy'. The conspiracy started when someone informed him that Zhu Yuanzhang had passed.

Want to meet him and say that he once fought with him?

This is almost equivalent to 'I know you are Zhu Yuanzhang'!
Not only that, it can also be understood as 'If you don't come to see me, I will go around saying that General Guo is Zhu Yuanzhang'!
It was precisely because of curiosity and worry that Zhu Yuanzhang gave up watching the battle and ran to the battlefield emergency hospital with all his strength.

Of course, the fundamental reason why he was willing to give up watching the battle was because he had seen everything he wanted to see, and he was also sure that the city gate would not be lost.

After he ran to the hospital, Uncle Li said "Your Majesty" directly, indicating that he knew his identity, and then made a request to get him to this no-man's land.

After coming here, while reminiscing about old times, he also told him about the 'debt' owed by Zhu Yuanzhang.

What we were waiting for was his words, 'The emperor's words are true'!
The purpose is to use his past military exploits to exchange for their Lord Ye's life!

In fact, as early as the moment Uncle Li recognized Zhu Yuanzhang, he knew that Zhu Yuanzhang must have come to privately inspect their Lord Ye for some reason.

But for what reason, he didn't know.

But he was certain that His Majesty the Emperor, who regarded greed as much as hatred, would never accept their Lord Ye's way of governing the world.

During that time, Uncle Li went out for a long time to inquire, and then he found out that His Majesty the Emperor, who had transformed into 'Master Guo', had actually started doing business with their Lord Ye.

After hearing the news, he knew that it must be Queen Ma's credit.

If it weren't for Empress Ma, with Zhu Yuanzhang's temper, he would have overturned the table!
He had personally seen Zhu Yuanzhang punish corruption back then. At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang was just Marshal Zhu. He found out that after his adopted son entered the city, he relied on his military exploits to eat without paying him, and even forced the daughter of the restaurant owner to drink with him.

After Zhu Yuanzhang learned of this, he immediately killed those adopted sons in front of the people of the city.

At the same time, the announcement was also issued: "Any officer or soldier of our department who takes a penny for greed or bullies a woman, regardless of military merit, will be punished by death"!
It's not that Zhu Yuanzhang treats greed as hatred, but it's just that their Lord Ye's greed is fundamentally different from other people's greed.

It's just that Zhu Yuanzhang's thoughts in this regard are too stubborn. He is the kind of person who can't take a grain of sand out of his eyes and will kill them all with one blow.

But thinking about Queen Ma by his side, he wasn't so worried.

If it hadn't been for this battle and seeing Zhu Yuanzhang in armor again, who had become "General Guo", he would have forgotten this matter.

It was only after he returned from a serious injury that he had the idea to meet Zhu Yuanzhang and say a few kind words to their Lord Ye at the last moment of his life.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Uncle Li, whose eyes were filled with anticipation, and suddenly had many thoughts.

He really wanted to agree to this old subordinate who would not live long, but he really couldn't agree!

There is no other reason,

Not to mention Ye Qing's increasingly serious crime of "a man is not guilty, but he is guilty of having a jade", not to mention the many crimes of disrespect that Ye Qing has committed, just because of the fact that at the last moment of his life, Uncle Li, Not forgetting the "conspiracy" of Zhu Yuanzhang, he couldn't agree to say good things for Ye Qing.

They put on their armor again for the Ming Dynasty, for their homeland and their nephews, for Zhu Yuanzhang, and even more for his Ye Qing.

This kind of popular sentiment and military morale has already made the emperor's back shiver.

Not to mention Zhu Yuanzhang, even Song Renzong, who was famous for his word "Ren", would feel a chill on his back.

And a veteran who fought for Ye Qing until the last moment, at the last moment of his life, did not hesitate to use his past military exploits in exchange for Zhu Yuanzhang's promise not to kill Ye Qing.

This simply made Zhu Yuanzhang's back feel even colder!

"Old brother,"

"The most we can do is promise you that even if we want to kill him, he must deserve it!"

Having said this, Zhu Yuanzhang held Uncle Li's hand tightly and said, "Brother, you have to understand the emperor's painstaking efforts!"

After Uncle Li just sighed in defeat, half of his remaining breath was lost.

But then, he figured it out immediately.

Yes!

After a person becomes an emperor, he is on pins and needles!
Although he hasn't read any books, he still knows what happens when the emperor loses his throne!

If a wealthy businessman loses his family business, he just loses his family business. If the emperor loses his throne, 99 out of a hundred will lose their lives, not to mention their children and grandchildren will be killed, and their wives and daughters will become other people's playthings!
Therefore, all emperors will be more or less suspicious. It can also be said that emperors who do not have a lot of discernment will not live long!

Thinking of this, Uncle Li nodded in relief and said, "Okay, then I'll kill him if he deserves it."

"Your Majesty, in fact, the common people were just like you back then. They couldn't stand his behavior. After all, he was someone who had been with you, but he has completely changed in three years."

"The common people only ask that your majesty will not kill Zhongliang by mistake just because he was angry for a moment!"

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he immediately interrupted: "He is almost virtuous, but he is far worse than loyal!"

Uncle Li looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, who was still stubborn, and really had no energy to talk to him anymore.

In his opinion, His Majesty the Emperor just didn't spend enough time with Mr. Ye and didn't understand him well enough, so he made such wrong remarks.

He didn't blame Zhu Yuanzhang. In fact, like Zhu Yuanzhang, these old guys also took a year or two to completely change their minds.

But Zhu Yuanzhang is much more stubborn than them, and he may be in doubt for a year or two!
Furthermore, they have essentially different identities!

If he were the emperor, maybe he would be as suspicious as Zhu Yuanzhang!
This is the same as a nouveau riche who suddenly gets rich. He will always feel that someone is out to get his wealth and harm his life. When this principle is applied to the emperor, it means "there are always unscrupulous officials who want to harm me"!
Besides, Zhu Yuanzhang got his throne by murdering Prince Xiao Ming!

Therefore, it is normal for Zhu Yuanzhang to be suspicious no matter how suspicious he is!
Thinking of this, Uncle Li no longer made it difficult for Zhu Yuanzhang. He just said with difficulty: "Okay, then wait until he deserves his punishment before killing him!"

"But people like Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong, etc. cannot be trusted, and they will even plot to kill Mr. Ye."

"Master Ye is not afraid of powerful people. He can really, really become His Majesty's right-hand man!"

In Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, Uncle Li, who was already crying in pain, was breathing rapidly, and had his chest heaving violently, just held his arm, his eyes filled with pleading.

Zhu Yuanzhang covered the back of Uncle Li's hand that was holding his arm with his warm palm and said, "We also want him to be our right arm, but..."

Uncle Li used his last strength to say: "The people only ask for your majesty in the end. Even if you feel that Master Ye has committed something in the future, when you want to investigate and collect evidence, you must use the person you trust most."

"For example, General Mao is on the battlefield right now!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said: "We promise you, I, promise you!"

After getting this satisfactory answer, Uncle Li stopped looking at Zhu Yuanzhang and just looked at the rice fields in front of him, his eyes still full of expectation.

“I really want to see next year’s harvest!”

The next moment, Uncle Li, who had been trying to hold on for a breath, no longer had the strength to even sit up, and his whole body suddenly went limp.

He could only look at the sky where the snow was still falling, and only the rise and fall of his chest became more intense.

Zhu Yuanzhang knew that his old brother would completely pass away in less than half a cup of tea.

"Brother, what other last wishes do you have?"

"Tell us, tell me!"

Uncle Li just let the snowflakes float on his widened eyes. Just as the snowflakes melted on the black eyes, making his vision blurry, he thought of the time when he left home to fight against the Yuan Dynasty.

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly heard an extremely weak voice, still speaking Chongqing dialect.

"The grass-roots people are from Chongqing Prefecture and their ancestral home is Hezhou County. My ancestors participated in the battle to defend Diaoyu City. It seems that the battle that killed Meng Ge Khan was done by my ancestors."

"My grandfather said that when the Yuan army entered Chongqing, they encountered fierce resistance. After entering the city, they massacred and retaliated."

"They also ruled us very cruelly, so we have hated them to death since we were children!"

"After learning about the resistance to the Yuan Dynasty in various places, we came out to join the war. I still remember that when we boarded the ship from Chaotianmen Pier, many old people and women were waving on the shore."

"It's just that my father, mother and mother-in-law died at the hands of Qian Yuan, so I have no one to send me away."

"In the fourth year of Hongwu, General Tang He destroyed Xia and regained Chongqing Prefecture. But by the time I knew it, it was only last year!"

"I'm still thinking about carrying the rice here after the harvest here next year and going back to my hometown to celebrate the New Year!"

"No need now, I'll be home soon!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Uncle Li used his last bit of strength to face the direction of Chongqing Mansion, then smiled and slowly closed his eyes.

Then, after he took a long breath, his chest stopped rising and falling.

After a long time, Zhu Yuanzhang, who was also looking in the direction of Chongqing Mansion, calmed down.

He just pulled out his sword, cut off a strand of Uncle Li's hair that was already half white, and then slowly put it into his arms.

"Old brother,"

"I will do what I promise you!"

"I will take off your breastplate with your name engraved on it and let it go home with your hair with the heroic spirit attached to it!"

"When I issue an imperial edict to the officials of the Chongqing Prefecture, I will ask the imperial envoy to take you home, disembark from Chaotianmen Pier, and then bury you in Huizhou Diaoyu City!"

"The body will stay in this home, and the hair with the heroic spirit will go back to my hometown. Do you think you can get it?"

"You're smiling, that's what you want!"

"General Li, I am now posthumously granting you the title of Fourth Rank Commander."

After half an hour,
Zhu Yuanzhang drove a horse-drawn cart and sent General Li, whom he had just named, to the foot of Yanmen Mountain, where he was placed together with the soldiers who were preparing to be buried here because they were afraid that their families would not be able to bear the death.

They will stay on the south side of the Yanmen Mountain Great Wall, and together with the martyrs of all generations, they will be stationed in Yanmen forever!

At this moment, three messengers ran into the command room one after another.

"Report, [-] imperial troops appeared behind the enemy troops at the west gate. It is General Fu with the banner!"

"Report, [-] imperial troops appeared behind the enemy troops at the east gate, with the flag of the general in blue!"

"Report, a large number of imperial troops appeared behind the main force of the Bei Yuan Dynasty in Zhongmen. They are the flags of Xu Zishuai, as well as the flags of General Li and General Tang!"
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(End of this chapter)