Ming Dynasty: The ghost betrays the Confucian sage, my son Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 162 Fourth Master Zhu: My son is dead!
In the palace, the nobles were frightened out of their wits by Zhu Biao's iron-fisted methods. Most of them were ordered to be beheaded, and the remaining people were paralyzed on the ground, with horror and helplessness written on their faces. The air was filled with a strong smell of blood, which was nauseating.

Tang Shengzong took a deep breath, suppressed the fear in his heart, bowed deeply to Zhu Biao, and said respectfully: "Your Highness, those who should be dealt with have been dealt with. Although the remaining people are at fault, their crimes are not worthy of death. Please show mercy to Your Highness." , spare their lives.”

Zhu Biao's eyes were as cold as a knife. He glanced around at the nobles paralyzed on the ground, and a complex emotion surged in his heart.

However, he finally sighed softly and said slowly: "That's all! As long as you return the people's property immediately after you go back, and strictly abide by the laws of the Ming Dynasty in the future, I will no longer hold you accountable for your faults."

After hearing this, the nobles felt as if they had been granted amnesty, and kowtowed one after another, begging for mercy: "Thank you, Your Highness, for showing mercy! Thank you, Your Highness, for showing mercy! We will return the people's property immediately, and we will never dare to do evil again."

Zhu Biao's eyes swept across the crowd again, and finally fell on Tang Shengzong. He said coldly: "General Tang, I will leave this matter to you! If I hear any more news about someone violating the laws of the Ming Dynasty and harming the people, You will be held accountable!"

Tang Shengzong's heart trembled, and he quickly nodded and ordered: "I obey the decree."

He knew what the prince meant. This was not only an order to him, but also a stern warning. Although the prince did not directly hold him accountable this time, if it happens again, no matter how much credit he has made, he will not be able to escape.

Fourth Master Zhu witnessed the whole process from the side and secretly admired Zhu Biao in his heart. Although he is still young, he is very decisive in his affairs. Today, he only killed the relatives of the Huaixi generals as a warning, and did not directly question the Huaixi generals, leaving room for maneuver. After all, the Ming Dynasty still needed the generals to fight.

From now on, the nobles of Fengyang will definitely restrain themselves a lot and will not dare to act recklessly again.

Zhu Yuanzhang handed the folder to Prime Minister Li Shanchang. Li Shanchang glanced at it and his expression changed drastically.

Today, Gu finally went on a killing spree, but if not, the people of Fengyang would have been completely harmed by them. This is the Longxing land of the Zhu family. The people live like this, so I don’t know what other places are like.

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Li Shanchang and Yang Xian coldly, and then sighed softly: "What the Prime Minister said is somewhat reasonable. This time we will not pursue it for the time being. But!"

If the situation in Fengyang is not dealt with in time, such rumors will be passed on to future generations.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, and all the ministers retreated.

"Speaking of Fengyang, Dao Fengyang, Fengyang is a good place. Since Emperor Zhu came out, there have been nine famines out of ten years: three years of floods, three years of drought, and three years of locust disasters. Rich families sell mules and horses. A small family sells their son and son; a slave family has no son and son to sell, so they carry a flower drum and travel everywhere."

Beijing, Wenhua Hall of the Imperial Palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang received Zhu Biao's eight-hundred-mile express. After reading it, his eyes were full of praise: "Well done to Biao'er! He has always been gentle, and this time he finally showed his kingly spirit. We are happy, we are so happy. .”

He changed the topic and his tone became stern, "If there is a next time, we will never be lenient!"

Yang Xian on the side took the memorial and read it carefully. His face gradually showed joy, and then he bowed deeply to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Your Majesty, the generals in Huaixi allowed their relatives and slaves to commit such heinous crimes. I request your Majesty. Severe punishment will not be tolerated to serve as a warning to others."

Zhu Biao took a slow breath, and the pungent smell of blood made him frown slightly.

The ministers in the palace were a little confused.

I still don’t know what reputation my father will have in the history books of later generations.

He opened another secret folder, glanced quickly, then frowned and murmured to himself:
"How could it be? Why can't Fourth Master remember anything? I thought he could remember everything when I went to Fengyang."

Zhu Biao frowned as he thought of this ballad.

……

My father had only been on the throne for two years, but the ballad said, "In ten years, there will be nine years of drought." This took into account the period when my father was the Duke of Wu.

And Zhu Biao also showed everyone his determination and majesty through this iron-blooded method - anyone who dares to challenge the laws of the Ming Dynasty and harm the people will be severely punished!

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled secretly when he heard this. Yang Xian's words were timely and exactly what he wanted. He really needs someone to stand up and mention this matter so that he can beat those Huaixi generals again.

Li Shanchang bowed again: "Your Majesty is wise!"

After Li Shanchang heard this, he hurriedly bowed: "Your Majesty is aware that these are all done by the generals' relatives and domestic servants, and have nothing to do with the generals themselves. They have been on the field all year round, fighting bloody battles for the Ming Dynasty, how can they take care of the household chores in the rear? What's going on?"

"In our Guzhuang Village, Taiping Township, all the living people are the younger generation, and no one knows our father anymore. Hey, how can we help the fourth master regain his memory as soon as possible."

……

Li Shanchang and Lu Ben walked side by side on the royal road.

The prince went to Fengyang. Recently, Lu Ben didn't have to go to the East Palace to give lectures, so he felt a lot more relaxed.

"Mr. Lu taught you well. Although His Royal Highness is young, he has already begun to behave like a king." Li Shanchang said with a smile.

"Prime Minister, the prince's move made the lower officials very surprised!" Lu Ben frowned tightly, "What the master in the East Palace told the prince was all about the style of the ancient sage kings, such as Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty. They advocated benevolence and righteousness, and did nothing. Treat it."

Li Shanchang smiled meaningfully and strode away.

On the contrary, Lu Ben was worried. He wanted to join the Huaixi Xungui Group, but he always felt that he was being excluded.

He sighed helplessly, got on the carriage and returned to his house.

The courtyard of the Lu Mansion was antique-looking. Ms. Lu, who was wearing a long blue dress, was having a very pleasant conversation with a Taoist nun. Although the Taoist nun was wearing a simple Taoist robe, she had a proud figure, fair complexion, and beautiful figure.

When Mrs. Lu saw Lu Ben coming in, she stood up and bowed slightly: "Father, you are back."

Lu Ben's eyes swept over and landed on the Taoist nun, asking: "Who is this?" "This is Taoist Priest Qingyu from Xuandu Temple. She has profound Taoist teachings and is erudite. Her daughter is asking her for advice. "Lu introduced.

"Greetings to Mr. Lu." Taoist Master Qingyu bowed slightly.

"No need to be polite, I'm sorry to trouble you, Taoist priest." Lu Ben smiled.

He didn't expect that Xuandu Temple would have such a stunning Taoist nun.

If Fourth Master Zhu were here, he would definitely be shocked, because this Qing Yu is none other than Wu Yu, the Witch Queen of the Thirteenth Wing of the Northern Yuan Dynasty. She escaped from Fengyang and instead of returning directly to Beiyuan, she sneaked into the capital.

After Wu Yu came to Beijing, she hid in Xuandu Temple as a Taoist nun. She met Lu who came to burn incense. When she saw her, she was secretly shocked that this Lu was destined to be an emperor and empress.

So, she tried to get close to Lu.

Lu was impressed by Wu Yu's Taoism and talent, and treated her like a teacher.

……

Fengyang.

Fourth Master Zhu has been wandering around the surrounding villages recently, trying to remember where he crawled out from.

However, he found nothing, and he even thought that he did not run away from Fengyang back then.

On this day, he arrived in Dongcun Village.

I met an old man named Liu at the entrance of the village and invited him very enthusiastically to his home for dinner. Fourth Master Zhu didn't show any pretense and arrived at Uncle Liu's house.

Uncle Liu cooked two dishes and took out a pot of wine for the two of them to drink.

"Brother, let me tell you, Fengyang is amazing." After drinking, Uncle Liu talked more, "Twenty miles ahead is Guzhuang Village, and an emperor was born there."

"Emperor Zhu, don't you want to enjoy some blessings?" Fourth Master Zhu asked with a smile.

"We don't have extravagant hopes. We just need to live a down-to-earth life." Uncle Liu took a sip of wine.

After Fourth Master Zhu took a sip of wine, he asked with a smile: "Old Liu, decades ago, have you ever heard of people's corpses being stolen after they died?"

"Yes, I have!"

Uncle Liu looked slightly red and pointed ahead, "There is a wine shop in our village. It was the fourth year of Zhizheng in the Yuan Dynasty. The old Zhu family in front of us, hey, my fourth brother Zhu was just buried, and the body was buried the next day. Just disappeared.”

puff!
Fourth Master Zhu spit out a mouthful of wine. His surname is Zhu? The body is missing? This is so right.

"Old Liu, what's going on? Please tell me in detail." Fourth Master Zhu asked, his tone revealing urgency.

"Hey, that's my eldest brother from the same village, his name is Zhu Siqi. There was a war in those days, and he eventually starved to death." Uncle Liu said with sadness in his eyes, "His son Zhu Chongjiu was just a child at that time and had no money to buy a coffin. , he could only wrap his father's body in reed mats and carry it up the mountain for burial. But strangely, the grave was abandoned the next day and the body disappeared. Everyone said that it might have been used as a pawn by the Yuan army. I went to receive the reward for being a traitor, but no one can explain what happened."

Fourth Master Zhu frowned.

Zhu Chongjiu buried his father? Why is it so similar to the plot of Zhu Zhongba’s father’s burial?

Ci'ao, it won't be me who is buried.

"Is Zhu Chongjiu here?" Fourth Master Zhu asked urgently.

Uncle Liu shook his head and sighed: "No more. He died outside. At that time, there was a war and chaos. He went out to look for food and never came back."

Fourth Master Zhu: "???"

My son is dead? I'm late?
"But, Zhu Chongjiu also has a son named Zhu Yong. This boy has a lot of potential. The gentleman in the village said that he will win the first prize and become a high official in the future!" Uncle Liu praised.

"Zhu Yong?" Master Zhu was overjoyed. Isn't that my grandson? He asked anxiously, "I'm just looking for a literate person. Old Liu, please take me to meet Zhu Yong."

"He's not here, he went to the capital." Uncle Liu said, "Isn't there going to be an imperial examination next year? He received a letter from his classmates and went to Beijing in advance to prepare for next year's imperial examination."

Fourth Master Zhu held his forehead.

Damn, I missed it, but it doesn’t matter, I can just look for it again when I return to the capital. The next step was to go to the place where Zhu Chongjiu's father was buried to see if he could recall anything.

My son's name is Zhu Chongjiu? This name is more domineering than Zhu Chongba, so he died like this? This is not a short-lived name.

"Old Liu, take me to see Zhu Chongjiu's family." Fourth Master Zhu stood up.

Uncle Liu was very enthusiastic and took him to a small yard not far ahead. They pushed open the door and walked in. The yard was already overgrown with weeds.

Fourth Master Zhu's eyes slowly swept over, but there was no memory in his mind.

(End of this chapter)