Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 306 The benefactor of Lao Zhu’s family

"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince would like to see you?"

Not long after Sai Hazhi withdrew, Kang Ping entered the palace to report.

Zhu Gaoxu continued to read the memorials related to the Guangxi chieftain colluding with the bandits to cause rebellion, and said without raising his head: "See you."

"My son has met His Majesty the Father."

Prince Zhu Zhanyu bowed and saluted.

Zhu Gaoxu put down the memorial, looked at Zhu Zhanyu, and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Half a month ago, Gongshun Bo had made great contributions in quelling the Tuta rebellion in Hexi Province. At that time, my father ordered my son to draft a charter of rewards based on merit. A few days ago, my son had already drafted it and submitted it to my father."

Zhu Zhanyu replied respectfully: "My son thought that my father must be busy with government affairs and forgot about this charter, so he didn't give instructions for a long time."

"I ask you, are you asking for a reward for Uncle Gongxun out of selfishness or publicity?"

Zhu Gaoxu's face instantly darkened, and he asked again expressionlessly.

The "respectful uncle" mentioned by the father and son should be more accurately referred to as "respectful country uncle".

In the early Ming Dynasty, the respectful uncle Wu Yuncheng (who controlled the capital Timur) was the county uncle who was awarded the title for his repeated military exploits.

After Wu Yuncheng's death, when his title was passed to his son Wu Kezhong, he was demoted one level and became a country uncle.

The contemporary Wu Zhilan, the legitimate daughter of Uncle Gongshun Wu Kezhong, was the chosen attendant of Prince Zhu Zhanyu, otherwise Zhu Zhanyu would not have come to see Zhu Gaoxu specifically for the reward of Uncle Gongshun.

"I won't hide it from my father, my sons and ministers have both public and private interests."

Zhu Zhanyu told him frankly: "In terms of public relations, Uncle Gongshun pacified the Tuta rebellion, so he should be rewarded for his merits; in terms of private life, if the sons and ministers took Uncle Gongshun's legitimate daughter as a concubine and asked for rewards for him, it would be regarded as accommodating him." ."

Zhu Gaoxu said in a deep voice: "I know Uncle Gongshun's loyalty, and I also know that his Wu family is full of loyalty. The reason why I didn't give instructions is because I haven't figured out how to reward him yet."

The Liangzhou Guard guarded by the contemporary obedient Bo Wu Kezhong and even the entire area near Longyou and Hexi were the main areas where the Ming Dynasty resettled the Tatars.

The so-called "Ttar" refers to the grassland people and foreigners who surrendered to the Ming Dynasty.

In addition to setting up ordinary guards to manage the vassaled people, the Ming Dynasty also set up native guards and native officials to coordinate the management. In addition, the special situation of Hexi being located on the border made it easier for the vassaled sergeants to mutiny.

Among the Tutar Guards, the officials of hundreds and thousands of households who were served by the original tribal leaders were called Tatar officials, also called high officials.

Historically, the word "high official" in the term "high official and dignitary" evolved in this way.

During the Yongle period, when Wu Yuncheng and Wu Kezhong, father and son, were ordered to participate in Zhu Di's first personal expedition into the desert, a rebellion broke out among the Liangzhou Tatar army.

At that time, the Liangzhou Guards "Thousands of Tartar Officials" Hu Bao and the Yongchang Guards "Thousands of Tartar Officials" who had returned to the Ming Dynasty also ordered Zhenba and others to take the opportunity to raise troops to rebel against the Ming Dynasty, hoping to coerce Wu Yuncheng's troops to join the rebellion.

Wu Yuncheng's wife Yang and Wu Guanzhe, Wu Yuncheng's second son, who stayed in Liangzhou, refused to defect. They even summoned general Baozhuo (Yang Xiaocheng) and others to put down the rebellion, captured Wu Malsha and others, and defeated them in the Hongyashan area. Tiger Protection Division.

After this battle, Wu Guan was given the title of "Liangzhou Guards Commanding Qianshi" for his merits. After retaining his merits, he was given the name Yang Xiaocheng and was also given the title of "Liangzhou Guards Commanding Qianshis".

After that, Tuta rebellions near Longyou and Hexi occurred every few years.

Just half a month ago, the Hexi native Tatars colluded with the Tatars and rebelled. Wu Kezhong, the respectful uncle, led his troops to put down the rebellion.

In Zhu Gaoxu's view, it was Wu Kezhong's responsibility to put down the Tuta rebellion in Hexi.

After all, Wu Kezhong served as the commander of the Liangzhou Guard, and it was his duty to quell the chaos within his jurisdiction.

Of course, rewards are indispensable, but how to reward them is a science.

Zhu Gaoxu was very dissatisfied with the repeated rebellions of the Tutans in Longyou and Hexi areas.He believed that there must be some causal relationship between Tutar's repeated rebellions and the officials who governed there.

Zhu Gaoxu originally wanted to summon Wu Kezhong to Beijing and use the occasion of reward to give him a beating.

But he didn't expect that Prince Zhu Zhanyu was one step ahead of him and came to ask for a reward for Wu Kezhong.

"Prince, what reward do you want me to give Uncle Gongshun?"

Zhu Gaoxu asked.

"Father, Uncle Gongshun has a house in Nanjing. There is an abandoned house next door to his house. It was originally rewarded by Emperor Taizu to Marquis Gaoyang. Five years ago, Marquis Gaoyang's son Han Guan, his wife, children and his family moved to the current capital. , that house will be abandoned."

Zhu Zhanyu replied respectfully: "I thought it would be a pity that the house was deserted. It would be better to give it to Uncle Gongshun."

Originally, the reward of a house to the obedient uncle Wu Kezhong was a trivial matter for Zhu Gaoxu, the emperor of Qianxi of the Ming Dynasty.

But when Zhu Zhanyu mentioned "Gaoyang Hou", Zhu Gaoxu frowned instantly.

"I can't promise you this matter."

Zhu Gaoxu rubbed his brow and said slowly.

Zhu Zhanyu asked in surprise: "Father, is there something unspeakable?"

"Do you know who Marquis Gao Yang is?"

Zhu Gaoxu asked instead without answering.

Hearing this question, Zhu Zhanyu began to recall the memories related to "Gaoyang Hou" in his mind.

There was only one Marquis of Gaoyang in the Ming Dynasty, named Han Cheng, who was a fellow of Haozhou, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Gao.

When Taizu raised his army, Han Chenggong followed him and served as Taizu's personal guard.

During the Battle of Poyang Lake, Taizu was forced into a desperate situation by Zhang Dingbian, a fierce general under Chen Youliang.

Just when Taizu was about to draw his sword and kill himself, Han Cheng, after admonishing him, forcibly took off Taizu's python robe and jade belt and put it on his body. Then he jumped into the lake and escaped, luring Zhang Dingbian away and successfully delaying the time. .

Taizu was rescued only when Chang Yuchun and others arrived.

After that, Taizu reorganized his troops and used fire attacks, and finally won a complete victory. Chen Youliang was killed by an arrow.

After the battle, Taizu found Han Cheng's body from the lake and burst into tears.

When the Ming Dynasty was founded, Taizu was grateful for Han Cheng's achievements and made him General Anyuan, commander of the general army in front of Qingchedu's account, and the title of Gaoyang Junhou, with the posthumous title Zhongzhuang.

In other words, Han Cheng earned the title of Marquis of Gaoyang with his life.

Soon after, Taizu ordered the Zhaozhong Temple to be built on Kanglang Mountain on the bank of Poyang Lake. Han Cheng, the Marquis of Gaoyang, was listed as the first contributor and the imperial court sent people to pay homage every year.

Later, a temple was built in Hongxian City to the west of the county office and to the east of the Chenghuang Temple. Hongxian County had never had a Zhaozhong Temple, so it was replaced by the Hanhou Temple to show loyalty to all generations and to provide for the future.

"The Romance of the Founding of the Ming Dynasty, which I wrote in the early years of Yongle, is one of your favorite books to read when you were a boy."

Zhu Gaoxu saw that Zhu Zhanyu was silent, so he slowly said: "I won't say much else, you should understand. In short, without Han Cheng back then, there would be no current Zhu family royal family. Marquis Gao Yang is ours The benefactor of Lao Zhu’s family.”

"Father, the emperor and my sons certainly know that the Han family is kind to the Ming Dynasty, but after the emperor moved the capital, he specially ordered people to build a new house for the Han family in the capital. The old house of the Han family in Nanjing has indeed been abandoned."

Zhu Zhanyu tried to persuade in a low voice.

(End of this chapter)