Ming Dynasty: A hundred-year-old immortal cultivator, Zhu Yuanzhang’s biological father

The old man turned around and wiped his tears with his sleeves.

"We have you to take care of us in our old age... they don't."

"People often say that raising children is a way to support your old age. Why? Because they are used to seeing this kind of scene."

Zhu Xiongying took a deep breath.

He turned around and said, "I'm going to...repair the grave!"

The voice was not loud, but contained some self-blame and sadness.

It started to rain.

This is how it is in the mountains. It was sunny just now, but now it is raining heavily.

Zhu Xiongying walked out.

He stood outside the fence, his body stiff, and stared into the window for a long time.

Then, he picked up the shovel and began to dig the soil frantically in the rain.

There is true love in this world, but it is rare for two people to be able to hold hands until the moment of death without separating.

They did it, and they are happy.

This year, on the first day of April, it is the beginning of summer and it rains moderately.

There was a heavy storm at the foot of Zhongshan Mountain. The sky was dark and seemed very depressing.

Zhu Xiongying took a hoe and dug the fishy, ​​wet soil in the rain.

The old man took a large oil-paper umbrella from the hut and silently held it for Zhu Huai.

People are born, grow old, get sick and die, and cannot escape the laws of nature.

Looking at the old farmer in the house who loved his wife until death, perhaps at this age, there is no love anymore, and all that is left are bits and pieces of family affection and memories.

After Zhu Xiongying dug the grave, he quietly walked into the house and carried the two old bodies over.

After life, when we return to our roots, there is nothing but three feet of earth.

Zhu Xiongying silently lifted the iron shovel again and sprinkled the yellow soil bit by bit on the bodies of the two old farmers who were huddled together.

The atmosphere was a little silent, and Zhu Yuanzhang stood silently by the side holding an umbrella for Zhu Xiongying.

The loess flew high, and the bodies of the two old farmers were buried little by little.

"Want to carve a monument?"

Zhu Yuanzhang murmured softly beside him.

Zhu Xiongying shook his head: "Forget it. The two old people depended on each other until their death, and they have no descendants left in the world. Even if we carve an inscription on the tombstone, who will pay tribute to them?"

"I know this place. I will come here to worship during festivals. That's enough."

It was raining heavily and the road was muddy and difficult to walk on. Zhu Xiongying took the umbrella from Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "Grandpa, you must be tired. Let me help you."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, put his hands behind his back and looked into the distance, saying: "The country road ahead is difficult to walk on, so I won't go to offer sacrifices to other people today."

Zhu Xiongying hummed all his life.

The road was slippery in the rain, and he was afraid that the old man would get bumped into something. The rain outside was getting heavier, so Zhu Xiongying said, "Let's go in and hide for a while."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Yes."

The house was very dilapidated, so Zhu Xiongying moved two small stools and the grandfather and grandson sat in front of the door, listening to the rain hitting the mud and watching the mountains shrouded in fog.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked a little heavy-hearted, and sighed: "After a few years, we will also return to the earth..."

He looked at Zhu Xiongying silently: "I knew I was going to die, do you know what I was thinking?"

Zhu Xiongying forced a smile and said, "Old man, please don't scare me. I was really scared that night."

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said, "When I knew I was going to die, I didn't think about anything else but you, so I came to find you in the middle of the night. I hope to spend the last part of my life with you."

Zhu Xiongying said: "Old man, don't talk nonsense, you will be healthy and live a long life."

Zhu Xiongying thought for a moment, forced a smile, and said in a heavy voice: "I am not a sentimental person, nor am I a hypocritical person. Perhaps only after experiencing adversity can you know how precious some hard-earned emotions are. I am glad that I live in the Ming Dynasty, and I am also glad to have met the old man."

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed slightly: "I'm sorry for not taking good care of you."

Zhu Xiongying shook his head: "Grandpa, you have been so kind to me, how could you not take good care of me?"

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent.

"The local government of the Ming Dynasty still has a lot of areas that it cannot manage. If they had done their best, this old farmer couple would not have died quietly."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked into the distance with deep eyes, "There are still many places in the Ming Dynasty that are not well governed. Under the great trend, some people are still not taken care of. Next year, the Ming Dynasty will have to measure the land and check the population."

Zhu Xiongying nodded: "Yes."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Xiongying and said, "It is not easy to govern a country. If you don't go out and walk around, you won't be able to find many problems. If you sit in the deep palace all the time, you will always see cold written memorials. Those things are useless. The local government wants to whitewash the peace, but our Ming Dynasty is peaceful and the people live and work in peace."

“No matter how powerful the emperor is, there are still many places he cannot reach.”

Zhu Xiongying nodded and said, "Yes! But the capital will always be better. I'm afraid Jiangnan will be even more chaotic..."

As if remembering something, Zhu Xiongying gathered his thoughts and asked Zhu Yuanzhang, "By the way, Grandpa, I guess you asked the Jinyiwei to check the area nearby, so you asked me to come here. May I ask where are the other people I know?"

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed to the mountains ahead and said, "It's up there."

Zhu Xiongying looked at it carefully and seemed to have some impression. He said, "I see. I remember this is the imperial mausoleum. Mu Ying seemed to be buried here."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Xiongying silently and said, "This is a mountain range. No matter how big the mausoleum is, it is impossible to use it all for the development of the imperial mausoleum."

"There are still many hunters at the foot of the mountain, counting on going up the mountain to hunt. We can't cut off the livelihood of the people."

When the Ming Dynasty was developing Zhongshan Mountain, Zhu Yuanzhang only asked the Ministry of Rites to mark out a piece of the mountain, and the rest of the area was still left to the common people.

This elderly man always gave in to his people. He might be poor and miserable, but Zhu Yuanzhang always had boundless love for the common people.

Zhu Xiongying nodded: "That's true. If you live by the mountains, you can make a living. If you live by the sea, you can make a living. The people still need to survive."

Looking at the misty white mountain ranges, Zhu Xiongying felt a little nostalgic.

The country road was difficult to travel on, and when Zhu Xiongying and Zhu Yuanzhang arrived at Yingtian City, both grandfather and grandson's feet were covered in mud.

Zhu Yuanzhang put his hands behind his back, patted Zhu Xiongying on the shoulder, and said, "The court still has many things waiting for us to deal with. We can't give up our responsibilities just because we are sick. I won't go to your place today."

Zhu Xiongying said anxiously: "You have just recovered from the disease and you are going to start working. You don't need hungry soldiers."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and shook his head: "What we have to do is to shoulder the people. We have to be responsible for the people of the world. After this year, I plan to unload the burden."

Zhu Xiongying nodded: "You should have retired long ago. Leave the affairs of the world to your father."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed loudly: "Yes! Let's hand it over to Biao'er and the young people! The younger generation is getting better and better, and we will feel more at ease."

"Okay! Let's go!"

Zhu Xiongying nodded, "Then please go slower."

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't know what he was thinking, he walked away step by step with his hands behind his back.

This time, the serious illness has greatly changed the old man's thinking. He originally wanted to wait until the results of Jiaozhi came out before letting Zhu Xiongying come back.
However, what the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, Zhan Hui, and Fu Youwen said were all very right: a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and a ruler cannot be without a successor for a day.

If something bad happens to us again, we might end up making things worse. The old man's eyes narrowed slowly.

"Grandson! It's time for us to give you an explanation! Let's think about it carefully."

After Zhu Yuanzhang left, Zhu Xiongying was also preparing to return home, but met Xu Miaojin on the way.

Zhu Xiongying smiled and said, "Miss Xu, what a coincidence?"

Xu Miaojin shook her head: "How can there be such a coincidence? All coincidences are one-sided and intentional."

Zhu Xiongying sighed and gave a thumbs up: "Miss Xu's words are indeed full of knowledge."

Xu Miaojin rolled her eyes at Zhu Xiongying and said, "You've learned how to be smooth-talking!"

"Where have you been?"

Zhu Xiongying said, "I went with my grandfather to pay respect to my grandmother."

Xu Miaojin was stunned and blurted out: "Where to? Zhongshan?"

Zhu Xiongying looked at Xu Miaojin suspiciously: "Ah? How did you know?"

……

On Yingtian Street, Zhu Xiongying and Xu Miaojin walked slowly forward with the crowd.

Zhu Xiongying stopped and looked at Xu Miaojin suspiciously: "How do you know I went to Zhongshan?"

Xu Miaojin was stunned for a moment, and said in a panic: "Oh... many families of meritorious officials in the court were buried in Zhongshan as burial objects... I just guessed."

Zhu Xiongying nodded: "So that's how it is, Miss Xu is smart."

Xu Miaojin hummed, and seemed to be in a bad mood. She asked Zhu Xiongying, "I know a good friend."

"what?"

Zhu Xiongying stared at Xu Miaojin blankly, "What?"

Xu Miaojin took a deep breath and continued, "My good friend has fallen in love with a royal heir. But she doesn't want to be restricted in her freedom, and I don't know how to persuade her to open her heart."

Zhu Xiongying groaned, thought for a moment and said, "Nothing in the world is perfect. It depends on how your friend chooses."

"Even if he is the current emperor, he would probably miss the time when he was a child herding cattle. But as an emperor, would he still have freedom?"

"Nothing is perfect. You have to make choices in everything. If you can't make a choice... then let it go."

Xu Miaojin shook her head: "But she loves that man deeply, she doesn't want to let go."

Zhu Xiongying smiled and said, "If you really love each other, why bother so much? Just let it go. Your sister married the Prince of Yan under the order of the Emperor. Did she ever consider freedom?"

In this feudal society, who can be free and unfettered?
Even in later generations, there are countless ordinary people who have given up their family ties because of their hard work, and they cannot even return to their hometowns for the New Year.

There will always be things that go wrong, and you will always have to make choices.

Xu Miaojin uttered an "oh" and suddenly asked, "What if that friend is me?"

Zhu Xiongying was stunned, staring at Xu Miaojin for a long time, then lowered his eyelids and said, "I wish you happiness."

With that said, he turned around and left.

Xu Miaojin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She pulled Zhu Xiongying angrily and said, "What are you thinking about?"

Zhu Xiongying asked in confusion: "Don't you like a crown prince?"

"Miss Xu, you don't have to consider me. People's hearts will always change. I have a lot to do, and I will always lose sight of one thing while focusing on another. I rarely consider your feelings."

"And the old man has also arranged a marriage for me. I know that this is a bit unfair to Miss Xu. You are from a famous family and you should not suffer this grievance..."

The more you talk, the less reliable it becomes!

Xu Miaojin angrily pounded Zhu Xiongying's chest and said resentfully, "You... bastard!"

"Ah... didn't you say that?" Xu Miaojin said resentfully, "I surrender to you!"

"I was just making an analogy. For example, in the future... forget it, just pretend I didn't say that."

Zhu Xiongying shook his head: "That won't work! Since Miss Xu has brought up this topic, she must have a reason!"

Xu Miaojin didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "I think too much. I should stop imagining, okay? I was wrong. I shouldn't have imagined things like the deep palace is like the sea, and there is no freedom... I, I should stop thinking about it, okay? Ah!"

Zhu Xiongying scratched his head. "Miss Xu? What on earth are you talking about? Why am I getting more and more confused?"

Xu Miaojin said: "It's nothing, it's really nothing, I just saw that you are getting more and more powerful, and I was thinking about you doing great things in the future. We don't have much time to spend together, so I let my imagination run wild. I am guilty, I shouldn't have dreamed of getting everything from an excellent man!"

Zhu Xiongying: “.”

Xu Miaojin glared at Zhu Xiongying and said speechlessly, "Why are you so direct? I just said one sentence and you just turned around and left without showing any mercy?"

Zhu Xiongying was also a little speechless: "Miss Xu, why have you been acting so strange these past two days?"

Xu Miaojin sighed and said, "If one day you find out that I lied to you, will you blame me?"

"Are you really attracted to someone else? Are you lying to me about this?"

"You!" Xu Miaojin said angrily, "Can we avoid this topic? I didn't, really didn't! I, Xu Miaojin, am the descendant of the King of Zhongshan. The person I like will never betray me. Once I give my heart to someone, I will never give it to anyone else!"

"Are you satisfied?"

Zhu Xiongying: "..."

"But I may also lie to you in good faith because of some unavoidable reasons... If, if you find out about this in the future, will you blame me?"

Zhu Xiongying thought for a moment and said, "Is that so? Then tell me, why did you lie to me?"

Xu Miaojin said: "It's nothing, uh, anyway, I won't hurt you, I just want to say it, but I can't help it, oh... I feel dizzy, my god, I shouldn't say it... uh!"

Zhu Xiongying stretched out his hand and stroked Xu Miaojin's forehead.

"Miss Xu is not sick either."

Xu Miaojin bared her teeth and smiled uncomfortably: "Thank you, yes, I'm not sick."

Zhu Xiongying said, "Okay, that's fine."

Xu Miaojin let out a long sigh and finally got around to the topic.

She followed Zhu Xiongying to the mansion like a bullied little wife.

Near noon, Zhu Huai asked the servants in his house to cook.

Xu Miaojin sat bored under the stone table under the old locust tree, flipping through the documents on the table.

Letters from Jiaozhi were piled on the stone table. Xu Miaojin read a few of them, suddenly became dazed, and then hurriedly placed the documents neatly on the stone table.

Zhu Xiongying came over and smiled: "It's okay, just take a look."

Xu Miaojin looked up at Zhu Xiongying in astonishment, blinked, and said incredulously: "So the person standing behind Jiaozhi is you?"

Zhu Xiongying asked suspiciously: "What's wrong?"

Xu Miaojin took a deep breath and said, "Last month, when the Xu family was still in power, many people in the court were discussing who was behind the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration."

(End of this chapter)