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

Chapter 42: Little Zhu Di punches his brother and kicks his father
Wenhua Hall.

After retiring from the court, Zhu Yuanzhang returned here.

"Biao'er, did you go to visit Liu Bowen yesterday? Is the old fox still sick?" He asked Zhu Biao beside him.

"Mr. Liu is indeed ill." Zhu Biao nodded, "My son ordered the imperial doctor to bring some medicine."

"Hmph, he is ill at the right time." Zhu Yuanzhang snorted, "Is he going to cut off from Yang Xian? Liu Bowen didn't go to Yang Xian's birthday party last time, right?"

"No, I haven't sent anyone to congratulate you," Zhu Biao said.

He hesitated to speak, but finally did not speak.

In the Liu Mansion, he saw what true incorruptibility was. Compared with other ministers, the Liu Mansion was just an ordinary house.

Even when he went there, he happened to encounter Liu Bowen ordering his servants to sell calligraphy and paintings because their family had no money.

The combined salary of Liu Bowen and his son is about three hundred taels a year. But in this capital city, three hundred taels are enough for their family for half a year. Zhu Biao was quite emotional at that time.

Everyone thought that the ministers of the current dynasty were rich and glorious, but they never thought that Liu Bowen and his family could not even afford food.

Liu Bowen said that the salary of officials in the Ming Dynasty was the lowest in history. If the officials in the capital did not have some land and ancestral property, it would be difficult to maintain their expenses in the capital.

"The Emperor advocates integrity and attaches great importance to the integrity of his ministers, but integrity has its limits and cannot exceed the capacity of his ministers."

These are Liu Bowen's original words.

Yesterday Liu Bowen had a conversation with Zhu Biao while selling calligraphy and paintings.

"Prince, let me assume something. If the rice vat at my home is empty today and there is nothing else to sell, and at this time a subordinate sends dozens of kilograms of rice and meat, do you want to accept it or not?"

"It's just a small gift, so there's no harm in accepting it."

"Next time when I am in urgent need of money, he will send me fifty taels of silver. Will he accept it?"

"Take it and return it later to meet our urgent needs."

"Okay, next time, he will send me five hundred taels of silver. He just needs me to do a small thing. I only need to say hello for this, and it is not against the rules. Will you accept it?"

Zhu Biao reacted immediately.

This is how corruption and perversion of the law begins.

Liu Bowen's words shocked him deeply. He wanted to tell Zhu Yuanzhang about the official salary issue, but he didn't know how to speak.

Because in the emperor's mind, ordinary people only spend about twenty taels a year.

Why are the few hundred taels of silver a year for Beijing officials not enough?
……

"See your Majesty." Mao Xiang, the commander of the Jinyi Guards, stepped in front of the emperor with a respectful manner and bowed deeply.

"Listen to us, we must thoroughly investigate who is the real shopkeeper behind the Qianjin Platform." Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was majestic.

Mao Xiang hesitated for a moment and then said: "I obey the order. However, Your Majesty, during the investigation process, I found that Meng Yan from Feiyan Tower was actually a spy of Tan Ma Junsi. Moreover, we also followed the clues and found out that Tan Ma Junsi was there. A secret stronghold in the capital."

"Oh? In that case, what are you waiting for?" Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, his tone full of impatience and determination, "Act immediately to catch them all!"

Mao Xiang looked troubled: "But, Your Majesty, Feiyan Tower is now under the control of Master Zhu. Do we need..."

"State affairs are the most important thing." Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted categorically and said in a deep voice, "You need to act immediately to destroy its dark spots, capture the survivors, and completely eradicate the Tanma Army Division lurking in the capital."

"According to the order!" A flash of sharpness flashed in Mao Xiang's eyes. This was exactly the order he was expecting.

After receiving the order, he bowed and retreated, returned to the Jinyiwei camp, and began to make careful arrangements.

For a long time, Jinyiwei has been under pressure because of its failure to eradicate Tanma Junsi hiding in the capital.

Moreover, Tanma Junsi was actually able to steal the military intelligence of the Ming Dynasty and deliver it to the enemy in Beiyuan in time.

For this reason, General Xu Da once angrily scolded them as a group of incompetent people. This time, Mao Xiang was determined to avenge his past humiliation and completely destroy Tanma Junsi's power in the capital.

...The afternoon sun shone on the racecourse of the palace. After Zhu Yuanzhang approved the last piece of paper, he decided to come here to stretch his muscles.

He took Zhu Biao with him and as soon as he approached the racecourse, he heard Zhu Di's familiar and arrogant voice from a distance:

"Second child, third child, you can ride this horse if you want. As long as you can beat me, I don't care even if you two ride together."

"Hey, Fourth Brother! Are you itchy?" Zhu Xi was obviously irritated. He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong arms, "I can handle you by myself."

"Fourth brother, don't be too proud." Zhu Fan also stood up and rolled up his sleeves, ready to show Zhu Di some color. "I will relax your muscles and bones today."

Although one of them is four years older than Zhu Di and the other is two years older than Zhu Di, in terms of momentum, Zhu Di does not lose at all.

"You two come together." Zhu Di raised his eyebrows, "If you lose, don't cry and complain to your father."

"Whoever cries will have a grandson." Zhu Fan roared and rushed towards Zhu Di with a fist.

Swish!
I saw Zhu Di, like a ghost, arriving in front of Zhu Fan in the blink of an eye, and swept Zhu Fan away with a sweep of his legs.

Zhu Fan fell badly and finally got up. He gritted his teeth and shouted: "Fourth brother, I can't beat you to death today! Second brother, what are you doing standing still? If you want to prick your hands, put them on your shoulders."

After hearing Zhu Fan's cry, Zhu Xi also flew towards Zhu Di.

However, Zhu Di was fighting one against two, and his momentum was like a rainbow. With three punches and two kicks, he knocked Zhu Xi and Zhu Fan to the ground again.

"Second child, third child, that's it?" Zhu Di looked down at the two people lying on the ground with a look of pride on his face.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was not far away, looked at this scene and couldn't laugh or cry.

Zhu Biao's face was full of surprise: "Is the fourth child so strong?"

"You don't even know who his master is."

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke with pride, but his face was filled with anger, "This bastard is so arrogant, we all want to beat him."

Zhu Biao knew that his father valued the fourth child.

"Father, the Fourth Brother can kill him in a fight." Zhu Chong cried quickly when he saw Zhu Yuanzhang coming over.

"It's worthless! If you have the ability, fight back." Zhu Yuanzhang glared.

Zhu Xiang was immediately discouraged.

When Zhu Di saw Zhu Yuanzhang coming over, he clasped his fists in a dignified manner: "Father, do you dare to have a fight with me? I will give you my bones."

Zhu Yuanzhang became irritable: "You have grown up, haven't you? Then let's compare."

A quarter of an hour later.

Zhu Yuanzhang pressed Zhu Di to the ground and rubbed him, and while spanking him with a shoehorn, he cursed: "How dare you fight with me? I'll break your legs today."

And there were several shoe marks on his body, which were kicked by Zhu Di.

If he hadn't been on the battlefield for a long time and developed a lot of skills, he would have been almost defeated by his son just now.

"Father, it's almost done." Zhu Di looked stubborn.

"You still dare to threaten me?" Zhu Yuanzhang beat him faster.

"Be careful if I expose you to my master." Zhu Di gritted his teeth.

Zhu Yuanzhang stopped immediately.

Zhu Biao, Zhu Xi, and Zhu Fan were stunned.

Hey, the fourth child dares to take advantage of his father.

(End of this chapter)