Chapter 444 The monarch and his ministers play against each other
Chapter 444 The monarch and his ministers play against each other
Entering the Wuying Palace, the cool breeze that hit him almost made Lu Yunyi hold his breath.
The slightly blurry eyes also became bright at this moment.
He was still wearing armor and looked dusty, as if he had just come down from the battlefield.
He took two more deep breaths, hoping to expel the heat in his chest.
Soon, he discovered that
When his shoes stepped on the slightly luxurious carpet of Wuying Hall, a dark footprint appeared.
This made Lu Yunyi pause slightly.
But soon, his expression became strange again.
Because in front of him, there was also a footprint made of mud.
His steps were big and his feet were big, probably about size 45.
Lu Yunyi immediately realized that the general had said before,
The emperor would go to the experimental fields in the imperial city every day, and these should be the emperor's footprints.
Seeing him pause, the eunuch who was greeting him at the side immediately understood his concerns.
He took two steps forward and whispered, "General Lu, it's okay, just go."
After hearing this, Lu Yunyi looked at him in surprise.
The eunuch was white and plump, with tight skin. He was in his forties and had a warm smile on his face.
Lu Yunyi nodded, and a thought flashed through his mind.
The eunuch was the incarnation of the emperor in the palace. The fact that the eunuch in front of him was so amiable meant that the emperor did not have that much hostility towards him.
Perhaps, this is also a gesture of goodwill.
While they were thinking, the three of them had already entered the Wuying Palace.
This place does not have the grandeur of the Fengtian Hall, but instead looks more like a study room.
At the top, a large imperial desk stands proudly.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince, I am Lan Yu." Lan Yu bowed.
Li Jinglong standing by did the same, and Lu Yunyi also followed suit to pay his respects.
Neither His Majesty nor the Crown Prince at the top spoke, and the atmosphere seemed a bit depressing.
Lu Yunyi remained motionless, staring quietly at the three legs of the incense burner in front of him.
Looking at the cloud and dragon patterns on it, I feel they are extremely delicate.
Perhaps, in another thousand or hundred years, this will become a rare cultural relic.
Just as he was thinking, an old voice came from above, full of energy:
"Get up."
It was only at this moment that Lu Yunyi straightened his back.
Looking up, he saw the true face of Emperor Hongwu.
Compared to the last time in the Fengtian Hall, this time we have to look more carefully.
He still looks like a big man from Anhui, with a round face, thick neck, a long gray beard, and a slightly old face, but full of energy.
What is even more eye-catching is the tragic atmosphere that blows towards you.
This made Lu Yunyi feel that the person in front of him was not an emperor, but a general fighting on the battlefield.
In comparison, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince beside him seemed much more amiable.
He was wearing a sky-blue robe with dragon patterns embroidered on it.
Although he was standing on one side, his gentle and elegant appearance made him look more like an emperor.
"Jiujiang, I heard that you were plotting a rebellion?"
The voice rolled in, carrying majesty.
Li Jinglong was not afraid at all, and he jumped up and down like a cat whose tail was stepped on:
"Your Majesty, please do not listen to the slander of the evil people. How could I possibly rebel? Besides..."
At this point, his voice got lower and lower, as if he was a little aggrieved:
"Even if it's treason, I have to have the courage to do it."
Emperor Hongwu smiled with a fake smile and added:
“Not only that, rebellion must be carried out in the critical place and at the critical time.
For example, if Yingtian were to rebel in Yuezhou now, it would be too stupid. Even Zhang Shicheng back then was not that stupid. "
"That's right." Li Jinglong nodded repeatedly and continued:
"Your Majesty, there are traitors who are plotting rebellion.
I hurried back to protect you, and I ran from Yuezhou to Yingtian in four days!"
"Oh? Why do I feel that you didn't come to the capital to rescue the emperor, but instead got into trouble and ran back home to avoid it."
When these words were spoken, Crown Prince Zhu Biao burst into laughter and shook his head repeatedly.
Li Jinglong's face froze, and he finally nodded in frustration:
"Your Majesty, someone wants to harm me. You have to help me."
Emperor Hongwu snorted coldly, with a faint smile on his face:
"You kid, you are as cowardly as a quail on weekdays,
I don't think you have the guts to kill someone in the street? The person you killed was an official appointed by the imperial court!"
At this point, Emperor Hongwu moved his eyes.
He looked at Lu Yunyi standing beside him, and scanned him up and down:
"He is young and courageous. Are all the northern border residents so courageous?"
Lu Yunyi quickly bowed and replied:
"Your Majesty, a real man has things he does and things he doesn't do.
In broad daylight, Chen Zhize condoned the city defense troops to kill civilians in the street.
I am a soldier in the Ming Dynasty, and I have the responsibility to protect my family and defend my country.
If a soldier cannot protect the people and keep Ming safe, then he is a coward. "
Li Jinglong on the side quickly spoke up:
"Your Majesty, we two have come together to discuss this matter. There is really no other way.
If we delay any further, the families of those laborers will also be killed."
When Crown Prince Zhu Biao saw that he was speaking righteously, a trace of helplessness flashed in his eyes:
"Jiujiang, don't be so stubborn. You would never act like this with your courage."
Li Jinglong's lips were trembling, and he was mumbling something.
The Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang snorted and looked at Lu Yunyi:
“What are the causes and consequences of this case?”
Lu Yunyi hurriedly said respectfully, took out the document he had prepared long ago from his arms, and placed it horizontally in his hands.
"Your Majesty, this is the cause and effect of this matter.
I have recorded it in detail, no matter how big or small. "
The eunuch at the side hurried forward, took the document, checked it carefully and presented it.
Emperor Hongwu took the document, quickly opened it and examined it carefully.
Gradually, the corners of his slightly raised eyes drooped!
His expression changed from stern to expressionless, his gray beard and eyebrows moving in the wind, making him even more imposing.
The expected rage did not occur.
He silently handed the document to the Crown Prince Zhu Biao.
This move instead made the atmosphere in Wuying Hall so heavy that it seemed like water was about to drip out of it.
Crown Prince Zhu Biao took the document and quickly looked through it!
His breathing became a little rapid, his eyebrows were throbbing wildly, and he shouted angrily:
“This is unreasonable!!!”
"Traitors! They are all traitors!!"
He looked at his father beside him and said in a deep voice:
"Father, that cart is beneficial to the country and the people.
But they said it was a strange trick and even provoked a civil uprising. This is treason!"
Zhu Yuanzhang did not speak, his face still expressionless, as if he was thinking about something.
Crown Prince Zhu Biao looked at Li Jinglong and gave his affirmation:
"Jiujiang, although this matter is against the rules,
But there is no need to elaborate on the principles of nature and human nature.
For such a traitor, it would be a good idea to kill him outright.”
Having said this, Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at his son calmly.
Knowing that he was trying to excuse the Beijing army, he chuckled:
"One thing is another. Chen Zhize forced the people to rebel and the court will punish him according to the law.
You are soldiers, and you killed an official in the street, so you will also be punished according to the law."
Then he looked at Zhu Biao and ordered:
"Prince, order the three courts to jointly investigate this case. No one behind the scenes can escape.
If Chen Zhize and others intend to rebel,
Those who deserve to be killed will be killed and those who deserve to be sentenced will be sentenced, and the results will be circulated throughout the world then.
The people who died in the incident must be properly dealt with, and their morale must not be chilled.”
"Yes, I obey my orders."
Crown Prince Zhu Biao stood beside him and bowed slightly.
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, turned to look at Li Jinglong and Lu Yunyi, and snorted coldly:
"You are so bold to set up a private court. You will be suspended from work for investigation and fined one year's salary.
Until the matter is resolved, you are not allowed to leave the capital, and you are not allowed to command the troops!"
After these words came out, the two people below bowed slightly and said "yes" in unison, feeling relieved.
This is tantamount to lifting something high and then putting it down gently.
Then, Li Jinglong's face became serious and he bowed to Zhu Yuanzhang:
"Your Majesty, after this battle,
I now understand how hard it was for my father and Your Majesty to march and fight.
In the past, I didn’t understand why it was just sitting in a military tent and issuing orders. Now I understand that marching and fighting is extremely tiring. You and your father have worked too hard.”
For some reason, after he said this, the atmosphere in Wuying Hall suddenly became softer.
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled faintly and glanced at the prince meaningfully:
“The prince thought the same way back then.
He thought I was very happy sitting in the imperial study every day, but when he started to handle state affairs, he also complained bitterly.
You kids are like this.
If you don’t walk the path your parents walked again, you won’t know how hard it is.”
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Lu Yunyi standing aside, sizing him up meaningfully, and said:
"But you, at such a young age, are able to endure hardships and are mentally mature. Did your father teach you this?"
Lu Yunyi was in awe and bowed slightly:
"Reporting to Your Majesty, my father was a successful candidate in the imperial examination in the third year of Hongwu. He was old-fashioned and obsessed with books.
I have learned a little from what I have seen and heard.”
The eunuch at the side looked at Lu Yunyi strangely.
In his impression, apart from Duke Cao, the young people in Beijing
They all seemed extremely nervous and restrained in front of His Majesty.
The general from the frontier in front of me is quite generous.
He tilted his head slightly and saw that the wrinkles on the emperor's cheeks had relaxed. He felt relieved and knew that His Majesty was in a very good mood at the moment.
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded imperceptibly:
"Your father was able to go to the border areas to teach as a juren, which is better than countless scholars in the world."
Lu Yunyi replied respectfully:
"Your Majesty, after the battle of Luchuan, I have come to understand my father's good intentions.
When dealing with border residents, it is not advisable to be overly lenient or to suppress them with force.
Instead, we should let them read the scriptures, learn to read and write, and understand the truth.
Knowing that the Ming Dynasty is the central dynasty of the world, let them identify with the Ming Dynasty from a knowledge perspective. "
After these words came out, Crown Prince Zhu Biao looked at Lu Yunyi in surprise, and then smiled:
"This is a very good saying. Nowadays, the people in the border towns are a little ignorant about the Ming Dynasty.
There are even some mountain villages that are still unaware of the changes of dynasties outside.
It is as difficult as ascending to heaven to make them return to their hearts.
The best way is to spread the king's teachings and educate the people.
It’s great that you can see this!”
Zhu Yuanzhang was also somewhat relieved and asked:
"Your father took the imperial examinations and taught education, why did you join the army instead?"
Lu Yunyi suddenly became embarrassed, scratched his head uncomfortably, and stammered:
"Your Majesty, I can only boast.
If I were asked to study the Four Books and Five Classics, I would not understand a single thing.
When I was in Qingzhou, my father had a lot of disputes with my calligraphy and would beat and scold me at any time.
Later, my father probably felt that I was hopeless, so he joined the army."
"You are honest and strict with others but lenient with yourself." Zhu Yuanzhang showed a slight smile.
At this time, General Lan Yu laughed and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, you are wrong. This kid just didn't read the Four Books and Five Classics.
But he studied military books all day long and had a natural talent for marching and fighting.
I feel that Your Majesty has done what Emperor Wu did and has won the hearts of all quarters.
And this boy also has the spirit of a champion marquis, and has never been defeated in a march or a battle."
"Ha ha ha ha."
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed for some reason:
"Lan Yu, there are no outsiders here today, so just talk about it, but don't say anything after you leave.
If you describe me as Emperor Wu, people in the government and the country will accuse me of being aggressive and aggressive. "
Lan Yu didn't care and continued:
"Your Majesty, what do those scholars know about family, country and the world?
I often talk about things with the books of saints, but I don't know that
The books of saints are meant for people to read, but they are useless for doing things.
If we don't kill the people in Yuezhou this time and calm the people,
There’s no telling what kind of trouble might arise.”
Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes swept back and forth between Lan Yu and Lu Yunyi, and he chuckled:
"Okay, it's done, don't make it public."
"Yes"
Lan Yu cupped his hands.
Li Jinglong and Lu Yunyi breathed a long sigh of relief and looked at each other, and they could see the relaxation in each other's eyes.
Zhu Yuanzhang sat up straight, his expression somewhat serious, and asked:
"You have made a great contribution to the discovery of sweet potatoes. Tell me how you made the discovery."
Lu Yunyi's smile faded and he became serious.
He organized his words in his mind and spoke in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, I know a lot about farming, but I can only talk about it briefly."
"explain."
Emperor Hongwu waved his hand, and two young eunuchs not far away took up their pens to take notes.
When they were fully prepared, Lu Yunyi spoke in a deep voice:
“Your Majesty, the discovery of the sweet potato was just a coincidence.
At that time, sweet potatoes were considered a rare commodity, and only the generals in the Luchuan Army could eat them.
I thought, if the people of Luchuan can eat it, then I can eat it too.
I also discovered by chance that the sweet potato only needs to be placed near water.
It can germinate on its own, and the sprouts grow very fast.
Later, I felt that such novel objects needed to be studied in depth.
So he asked a soldier in the army who was good at farming to take a look.
This glance revealed the clues of sweet potatoes, which led to the subsequent events. "
The Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang nodded:
"The people of Luchuan planted sweet potatoes in water?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, that is right.
It is also because of this that sweet potatoes have become a rare commodity.
Sweet potatoes grown in water are not very big, and only one or two of them are big enough to eat.”
Zhu Yuanzhang had a hint of sarcasm on his face:
“The people of Luchuan are really begging for food with a mountain of gold.
You have made a great contribution to the country. The research on sweet potatoes has yielded some results.
Gao Fusheng praised you for your talent in agronomy in his memorial. What are your plans for promoting planting?"
Lu Yunyi's face showed a strange expression, and after thinking for a while, he spoke in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty is vast and rich in resources, with great differences in soil and climate.
There may be no need to rush to plant sweet potatoes in a large area. You can try planting them in one area.
Find out the soil, fertility, precipitation, temperature, etc. that sweet potatoes like.
In addition, I think
Sweet potatoes were new to the Ming Dynasty, and common crops had some diseases.
There are rice and paddy fields, but they have been solved by agricultural scholars in successive dynasties.
As for sweet potato, no disease has been found yet.
If it is rolled out hastily, the sweet potatoes may be infected by diseases caused by some local crops.
If that leads to poor or even total harvest, it would be a waste of effort.
As for how to plant, please forgive me, Your Majesty, I know nothing about farming."
"Well, I understand your proposal. I will order the people from the Agricultural Administration Bureau to handle this matter.
When the time comes, Xinchengwei will be added to the sweet potato trial planting sites.
There are mountains, plains, paddy fields and dry fields there.
Others don't know how valuable sweet potatoes are, but you do. I'm relieved to let you grow them."
Lu Yunyi looked strange, it turned out that he was waiting for him here.
However, even if the court did not issue an order,
He also wanted to plant seeds in Xinchengwei, and this time he brought a lot of seeds with him.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Yunyi bowed slightly and spoke in a deep voice:
"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I will do my best to fulfill my mission and plant the sweet potatoes successfully."
"Well, Mu Ying will arrive in the capital in ten days.
After he arrives, the commendation of the Luchuan battle will begin, so you don't need to be in a hurry.
Mistakes are mistakes, merits are merits, and each matter is its own."
As he spoke, Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Li Jinglong, signaling him to relax.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The two of them bowed together.
"Sapphire."
"The minister is here."
Zhu Yuanzhang said in a heavy voice:
"There are many soldiers from Beijing returning this time. The Governor's Office must take good care of them and serve them well.
The soldiers have won the battle, so we cannot treat them unfairly."
"Yes, Your Majesty, please rest assured that I will make all the arrangements."
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand:
"Jiujiang stays, you guys retreat."
"Yes!"
Lan Yu and Lu Yunyi bowed.
Li Jinglong was left standing there in a daze, looking at the two of them as if asking for help.
Lan Yu ignored him.
Lu Yunyi gave him a look that told him to fend for himself, indicating that there was nothing he could do.
(End of this chapter)