Daming prepares the emperor

Ever since Zhu Biao made up his mind, he really didn't look at Liu Ji again. He only rewarded some painless medicine, and then asked Zhen Yaosi to spread the rain. He ignored the wind and rain in the capital and was ready to welcome Zhu Yuanzhang The ceremony of returning to Beijing.

The ceremony of the emperor's northern tour to Beijing was huge. The Ministry of Rites finalized the regulations, and the Ministry of Households allocated the money. The crown prince took the ministers and the princes and princesses out of the city for several miles to greet them. sky.

At the end of the day, Zhu Xi and the others, who were originally quite curious, were already sluggish. They forced themselves to show their presence in front of Zhu Yuanzhang according to the wishes of their mother and concubine. I didn't even understand the meaning of the allusions I read, and I was able to go back after trembling and performing filial piety. I felt great mental and physical torture, and fell asleep.

And Zhu Yuanzhang, who should be the most tired person, seems to have taken medicine, his eyes are shining, his voice is like a bell, and he walks with wind, as if he didn't go out to supervise the battle hard, but went out to eat a few cows. In the middle of the night, the excitement didn't go down, I touched this and that in the Hall of Martial Arts, and looked through the stacked notebooks as if I had ADHD.

As the prince, Zhu Biao could only be crazy with him, busy with him, and didn't sit down to rest until the moon was on a branch.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved back and forth, still looking unsatisfied.

At this time, there is no one in the palace, and the state affairs have already been discussed, so it is most suitable to say something of your own, something that the emperor should not have said.

"Biaoer." Zhu Yuanzhang said, "We found a good place in Bianliang, which is definitely suitable for our Forbidden City. When we are free, we will take you and your mother to take a look. That is a beauty, You must have never seen it before, there are mountains and rivers, flowers and grass, it looks no worse than Yingtian."

"How about Bianliang?"

"Bianliang is not very good." It seems that Zhu Yuanzhang just found a tourist attraction, "Bianliang is not suitable for being a capital city, and it is easy to attack and difficult to defend. We think it is not as good as Yingtian, so we have to find it again. Fortunately, our palace city Being able to fly, it’s not urgent, just take your time.”

"Yeah." Zhu Biao nodded, "Even if you haven't finished it, you'll still have time after I ascend the throne."

Zhu Yuanzhang took it for granted, picked up the teacup and drank it in one gulp: "By the way, we read your mother's letter saying that she is pregnant again?"

"Yes." Zhu Biao said with a smile, "It's a girl, dad can think of a name."

"No hurry, let's look through the book and think of something nice to listen to." Zhu Yuanzhang changed his voice, "Xie Cui'e has been to the palace, hasn't she?"

Sure enough, he still couldn’t escape, Zhu Biao sighed secretly, and replied: “Dad, when you were not in Yingtian, the nobles danced happily, Liu Bowen made trouble first, and they became anxious. It happened that my mother was a little depressed because of her pregnancy. , I will decide to let those wives enter the palace and talk with her."

"Tell me?" Zhu Yuanzhang's face was gloomy. "It's about our house and garden, and she wants it too? Does she still want to be a queen! Does she want Xu Da to push us down, or does she want to make it her own?" Your mother is over the top!"

Such an explanation is really heartbreaking.

"This was an unintentional mistake." Zhu Biao said, "You also know the family style of Xie's family. You gave this marriage to you. Now you can't blame Uncle Xu if you want to blame him. Now, in the eyes of everyone, it can only be attributed to a coincidence to express it through Madam's mouth."

"Fart coincidence! She doesn't take us seriously, she thinks that she is a great lady." Zhu Yuanzhang cursed, obviously not accepting the idea of ​​making big things small, "We think they have been at ease for a long time, forgetting How fast our knives are."

Zhu Biao said: "Uncle Xu has always been upright and brave in battle. After the war, he never committed any crimes and made great contributions. Besides, he is my father's brother, so he can't be punished for such a thing. If you really want to think about it, it's a serious crime. , unless beheading can’t be good, it’s not like this.”

Zhu Biao said the words sincerely, how much Zhu Yuanzhang listened to and what he thought, I don’t know for the time being, he just sat behind the imperial case with a blank face, fiddling with the flame on the candlestick with his fingers carelessly, flickering In the bright light, he changed the subject again: "Biao'er, have you learned anything during this time of supervising the country?"

The light affected by the fingers swayed and moved on the wall, like an obscure ghost.

Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment, his breathing eased, and he lowered his eyes and said: "My son has learned the way of check and balance."

"Very good, is there any more?"

"...I have also learned to be treacherous and cruel." Zhu Biao said, "I used to know a little about these things, but now that I know more, it can be regarded as progress."

"How can this be called treachery?" Zhu Yuanzhang said happily, "Isn't this the art of emperors? It has made great progress."

"Yes." Zhu Biao replied.

Zhu Yuanzhang took off his shoes, sat up cross-legged on the chair, put his hands on his lap, and continued: "We also heard that Li Shanchang was ill. What's going on? Have you sent a doctor?"

"The imperial doctors went to see it, and they all said that although the disease was sudden, there was no problem." Zhu Biao said, "I think it's just the prime minister's trick. How can there be such a coincidental disease in the world? It doesn't work after several rounds of looking. Bin will be fine if something happens."

"Well, what you said is reasonable. I don't know how he kept it a secret." Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Liu Bowen told us in advance about Li Bin's matter, and we agreed. It's just that he is willing to pray for rain... .”

"He is paving the way for the future, and he doesn't take his own future into consideration. It is rare to meet such a courtier in a hundred years." Zhu Biao said, "Father, what are you going to do?"

"Did he say what he wanted to do?"

Zhu Biao took the initiative to ask such a question, which made Zhu Yuanzhang feel a little uncomfortable. Reminiscent of what was said in the intelligence, the people of Yingtian believed in praying for rain. The influence is still a bit deep, and there is unexplainable dissatisfaction and faint fear. He frowned and asked in a bad tone.

After all, as an emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang's ability surpassed most of his kind, but his paranoid madness and tyranny were also unique.

"...he didn't say anything."

Zhu Biao noticed this and hesitated to answer.

"I didn't say anything, but I still want to continue." Zhu Yuanzhang said, "He wants to give up the position to Yang Xian. That's his business. We are the emperor. Whoever we want to be an official, we let whoever is an official."

"Father, you clearly know about Liu Ji..." Zhu Biao quickly changed his mind when he thought of Zhu Yuanzhang's reluctance, "I guess Mr. Liu wants to go back to his hometown. This is different from the Prime Minister's retiring. the meaning of."

Zhu Yuanzhang did not speak.

Zhu Biao knew that he must be suspicious again: "Father, after this time, Liu Bowen's reputation will be reduced. His promotion has elements from East Zhejiang and Huaixi. As long as Li Shanchang and Liu Ji both retreat, of course not If the attack is self-defeating, both sides will re-bet their treasures, and their power will also be reduced accordingly, so there is no need to use radical methods."

"Liu Ji came to me that day, and he asked for rain on his own initiative." Seeing that he was still silent, Zhu Biao had no choice but to continue to add.

"We know you won't do that." Zhu Yuanzhang finally spoke.

"But I agreed after all." Zhu Biao said, "Father, what are you thinking?"

"We're still worried."

"Father, do you want to kill Liu Ji?" Zhu Biao cut to the chase and asked the question that Zhu Yuanzhang had been thinking about.

"Ah."

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't tell anyone what he thought.First, this is the emperor's mind, second, it is cruel after all, and it violates the rules, and third, it is worried about being obstructed.But since Zhu Biao asked, he lost his worries and admitted it generously.

Zhu Biao's hands trembled, almost spilling the tea in the tea bowl.He grabbed the light porcelain with all his strength, slowly put it back on the table, calmed down, and told himself that it was useless to roll around like a child, it was not a matter of a few candies and a few toys, Facing Zhu Yuanzhang's firm decision-making, one must be calm to have a chance.

"Why, Biao'er, are you still reluctant?" Even though Zhu Biao's expression showed no flaws, Zhu Yuanzhang still noticed the water stains on his fingers sharply, "Only the dead will not pose a threat!"

"I……"

Before Zhu Biao finished speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang got up suddenly, and rushed out with only his socks on, without even his shoes on. Zhu Biao heard the anxious inquiries of eunuchs and maids, Huang Xi's hurried footsteps, and finally the noise Gradually disappear into the night.

After a while, Zhu Yuanzhang rushed back again, with something wrapped in his sleeve, and threw it in front of Zhu Biao with a snap.

A thorny bramble lay quietly on the ground.

Huang Xi, who followed, looked worried and dazed, and stood at the entrance outside the hall in horror, poking his head and looking straight in, wondering if he should come in or not.

"Go out, close the door, do what you should do!" Zhu Yuanzhang turned his head and shouted.

Huang Xi responded in a hurry, closed the door and exited. After a few breaths, the Hall of Martial Arts returned to silence.

"Biaoer." Zhu Yuanzhang turned his gaze back, "Pick it up, don't use any power."

Looking at the thorns on the ground, Zhu Biao understood how well he got up from the chair and bent down to get them.

Seeing that he was really going to take it, Zhu Yuanzhang became anxious. He slapped his hand away, held it in his hand first, and squeezed it tightly. The blood immediately flowed down, soaking the cuff.

"Father?" Zhu Biao was confused.

"See, this is the authority of the emperor!" Zhu Yuanzhang said loudly, "The emperor is not so easy to do! This piece of wood is like power, and these thorns are heroes. They restrict you and hinder you everywhere. No one wants you to go. Pick it up, you'll bleed if you move!"

His hand began to move downward, and the hard wooden thorns bent and fell down, and the flesh pulled them away, leading them away. Zhu Yuanzhang's hands became bloody and bloody, and the thorns on the branches gradually disappeared and became smooth.

"Here you are, now you take it again." Zhu Yuanzhang stuffed the thorn into Zhu Biao's hand, with the blood stuffed into his arms, "Father pulled out the thorn for you, now you hold it and try it."

Zhu Biao was silent, holding the branch and holding Zhu Yuanzhang's blood.

"Do you understand?" Zhu Yuanzhang was very relieved, "If we bleed, you don't have to shed any more; if we bear the infamy, you don't have to bear it anymore; if we kill someone, you don't have to kill any more! We leave you with one Fully prepared dynasty, Haiqingheyan, Biaoer, don't you want to?"

Zhu Biao looked up at Zhu Yuanzhang. With his free hand, he tore off a corner of his inner garment and handed it to his father to stop the bleeding. Seeing that he was wrapped up indiscriminately, he said, "Father, can there be only thorns in authority?"

"In addition to the thorns, it will bear flowers and fruits. Should all these be removed?" Zhu Biao said, "There are thorns in the east of Zhejiang, thorns in Huaixi, thorns in Li Shanchang, Yang Xian, Hu Weiyong, but Liu Bowen does not." Same. People like him, like Dao Tong and Lu Jinai, will help this thorn to become more useful and more beautiful."

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, and then said angrily: "It bears fruit, right? The fruit will bend it. Everyone will only see these fruits, not the branch, and you! They will say that the function of the branch is to Bear fruit, let it hang on. If you use it to beat people, will they still hurt!"

"Why do you want to beat people?" Zhu Biao said, "What the people are looking for is a good life. Since the branches can grow fruits to satisfy the hunger, why bother to fight? I would rather be a dog of peace than a person in troubled times. Father and emperor are not like this Think about it?"

"Okay, you are right, you are right!" Zhu Yuanzhang laughed back angrily, "It's a pity that you are not the emperor yet! When you succeed to the throne, you can say these things again! We are now Want to kill people! This thorn stick, you have to hold it if you hold it, or hold it if you don’t hold it, this is our reward for you, you have to hold it!"

Zhu Biao looked at him quietly without making any excuses, like a stubborn rock that would not be shaken by anything.

Anger was like an inexhaustible flame surging in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart. The material was his reason and sobriety. He stared at Zhu Biao firmly. The eyes of the two were like a real sword confrontation, just to see who would back down.

Gradually, Zhu Yuanzhang's face became redder and redder, and his hands clenched tighter and tighter. The hastily wrapped wound opened again due to force, and more blood splashed on the red dragon robe. On him, there was only a chill and ferocious aura, matching his expression, it was so terrifying.

In Zhu Biao's field of vision, the golden dragon entrenched on him also raised his head, his beard and hair were all stretched out, and his eyes were about to split open. He was obviously in a state of extreme rage. If the person in front of him was not his own and his own son, he might have already pounced on him. .

Finally, Zhu Yuanzhang walked to the door, ignored Zhu Biao, strode out of the Hall of Martial Heroes again, and issued a suppressed roar and order: "Don't go to the court these days, just stay here."

Zhu Biao watched his back disappear, relaxed after a long time, sat back on the chair and stayed there, looked down, looked at the thorns in his right hand that had not been let go, put his left hand on it after a long time, wiped the still fresh Blood, staring blankly in the dimmed light.

Zhu Yuanzhang's weak voice came from outside because of the distance.

"Huang Xi, send the prince back to the palace!"