In the imperial city, a strict news blockade was implemented regarding the emperor's sudden departure from home.
Prince Zhu Biao was helpless. Faced with the emperor suddenly leaving a handwritten message and leaving the capital with his two grandsons, he felt a sense of powerlessness.
However, after sighing, he could only use strict orders to strictly prohibit people in the palace from spreading this matter.
Thirty years after the palace officials of the Qianqing Palace were beaten with a cane, they were not immediately expelled from the palace, but were imprisoned in the inner court. Only when the emperor returned to the capital with his two grandsons and entered the palace, would these people be released. Walk.
After a brief moment of sadness, the cabinet could only choose to forget the matter.
Fortunately, in the past two years, the emperor has rarely appeared in court in person, and the crown prince has always been in charge of court affairs.
For now, as long as the emperor continues to indulge in entertaining his grandson, all matters outside the palace will still be handled by the crown prince.
In the end, only the commander of the Jin Yiwei, Jiang Yu, was left. This man, who had been in charge of the Jin Yiwei for many years, was taken to the palace by the prince and severely reprimanded.
Then Jiang Wei secretly took the royal guards and cavalry out of the capital in large numbers, secretly searching for traces of His Majesty the Emperor.
"No news yet?"
In the Wenhua Hall, Zhu Biao dismissed the surrounding officials, stared at Zhang Hui, the imperial guard kneeling in front of him, and asked in a hoarse voice.
Zhang Hui lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "The commander has personally brought people out of the capital. In order to prevent the situation from being exposed, the Jinyiwei has been sending manpower from outside these days. At present, nearly 4,000 men have been sent. It's just that No news has ever come back..."
Zhang Hui was very nervous. After saying that he could not find any trace of the emperor, he raised his head and quietly glanced at the gloomy-looking crown prince.
He immediately added: "However, the country is peaceful now, and His Highness the King of Qin has been wreaking havoc on local areas in the past two years. Those bandits and bandits in the past have become very few, so there is no need to worry about His Majesty's safety.
The ministers and others have also checked the inner court. In addition to the two princes, His Majesty is also accompanied by the eunuch Sun, the general manager of the inner court, and a team of imperial guards.
I believe that as long as there is some time, news of His Majesty will come back."
Zhu Biao shook his head in frustration and muttered in a low voice: "Where do you think the old man will go? How can we find him in such a big world?"
Zhang Hui knew how much impact the emperor's secret departure from Beijing would have on both the inside and outside the palace.
Paper cannot cover the fire. As long as His Majesty the Emperor does not come back, sooner or later this matter will be known to the court, and the court will be in chaos.
Zhang Hui speculated in a low voice: "When His Majesty boarded the steam warship at Longjiang Shipyard, he said that if one day he must sail the ship to sea, maybe this is a possible place to go."
Zhu Biao immediately waved his hand and said: "If the old man wanted to sail a boat to sea, we would have known about it by now."
The warships of the imperial navy and navy were all floating on the water, and the imperial court would know immediately if any of them were missing. Even if the old man used private ships, after so many days, the Jin Yiwei could already detect them.
Zhang Hui frowned and added: "If His Majesty has never gone to sea, then the only possibilities are the direction of Fengyang, the central capital, and the direction of Huguang Road."
When he said this, he raised his head again and glanced at the prince sitting above him.
Zhu Biao's eyes flickered a little, and he nodded: "The old man has not returned to Fengyang for a long time. If he wants to go back for a visit, it is possible.
As for the Huguang Road side...
Taisun is now leading troops there. The court has always said that this is Chen Bing's Sichuan Road to deal with the plateau, but in fact it is for the southwestern chieftains to return to their native land.
The old man may take Brother Chi and Brother Bing over there to see with his own eyes how Brother He does things."
Zhang Hui cupped his fists and leaned forward: "Then I will send a letter to the commander now, mobilize the brothers, and go to Zhongdu and Huguang Road to find them."
Zhu Biao nodded: "Go ahead and send some more people to the nine sides. It is inevitable that the old man has no idea of riding on the grassland, so he should send some people in this direction."
Zhang Hui had already stood up with his fists clasped, lowered his head and said solemnly: "I accept your order."
…
"I hope those people in the capital can guess that the old man is going to Huguang Road."
Zhu Gaochi, who had followed the old man to Anqing Mansion and was about to enter Huangzhou Mansion on Huguang Road, was thinking silently in his heart.
Compared with the worried Zhu Gaochi.
Zhu Yuanzhang was in a very good mood.
Zhu Yuanzhang, who disguised himself as a landowner, avoided official roads and led people to walk on country roads. Looking at everything around him, the smile on his face never stopped.
Even though Anqing Prefecture is located in the Dabie Mountains, it has always been a place of poverty, but thanks to the fact that Anqing Prefecture belongs to the Zhili Province, all the new policies of the court in recent years have been implemented as soon as possible, and now the people's lives can be regarded as
It's relatively rich.
At this time, rice has been planted in the fields.
Everywhere you look, you can see green rice seedlings, sparkling water in the paddy fields, and people busy weeding and fertilizing with smiles on their faces.
In the village farther away, there were also bursts of reading sounds.
That is the result of the imperial court's vigorous promotion of education in the past two days.
Knowledge is once again devolved to lower levels.
Education is no longer aimed at gaining academic fame, but instead aims at acquiring literacy skills for a wider range of people.
The imperial court provided money and food, recruited scholars, and sent people to local rural villages to teach these rural people how to read and write.
Naturally, the court is fair.
Any local scholar or scholar who conscientiously teaches the people's children will receive certain bonus points when taking part in public examinations in the future.
The imperial court only provided some money and food, and gave an extra point as a preferential treatment, which immediately attracted countless talents to devote themselves to the basic education of the Ming Dynasty.
Nearby, people are busy working in the fields, in the village in the distance are the sounds of children reading, and even further away, there are officials from the local government instructing the people on repairing ditches and other matters.
All this made Zhu Yuanzhang feel gratified.
"This trip, I finally saw something real with my own eyes."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but sigh.
Sun Gou'er unplugged the kettle and brought it to the emperor.
Zhu Yuanzhang took the kettle and drank heavily.
Zhu Gaochi suppressed the worries in his heart and forced a smile on his face: "Grandpa Huang is implementing the New Deal, and if everyone is united, the people will naturally get real benefits."
This is flattery.
Zhu Yuanzhang just smiled and said: "It can be seen that as long as the court takes things seriously, the people's lives can get better."
After finishing speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang had no intention of continuing.
Zhu Gaochi's eyes moved.
If the court works seriously, the people will have a good life.
So what if the court doesn't take things seriously?
Or maybe the people are not living a good life, and why?
This statement cannot be extended further.
Otherwise, when you turn back and continue to Huguang Road, if you see something bad on the way, it must be the fault of the government and the court.
Then there will be another bloody storm.
Zhu Gaochi thought for a while and then immediately explained: "Now the life of the people in Zhili Province is gradually getting better. As for the rest of the world, we still have to do it step by step. As long as the monarch and his ministers are united, the life of the people will eventually get better."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled faintly at this time, returned the kettle to Sun Gou'er, and continued to move forward along the trail.
He was not in the carriage following the procession.
After leaving Beijing, Zhu Yuanzhang had to walk on the road in person every day to see the real situation in the place.
After walking forward for a while, we arrived at a deserted area in the countryside.
The Dabie Mountains are located to the north, and to the south is the ever-flowing Yangtze River.
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly said: "Further ahead is Huangmei County, Huangzhou Prefecture, Huguang Road."
Zhu Gaochi nodded immediately: "Back to grandpa, we are currently in Susong County, Anqing Prefecture, and if we go further, we will indeed reach Huangmei County, Huguang Road."
“It’s quite interesting to make yellow plum tea.”
Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile.
Zhu Gaochi also had a smile on his face.
This Huangmei picking tea tune is also known as Huangmei opera.
The origin is in the cloudy mountainous area of Huangmei County, by the Taibai Lake. It can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. After the development of the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Huangmei opera has become quite popular now.
Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile on his face: "You children don't know that in the early years, the people of Huangmei County sang the tea-picking tune, which was the sound of the countryside when picking tea.
Later, it was caused by flooding of rivers on both sides of the river.
The common people had no choice but to leave their homes and beg along the road. But begging should not be done in vain, so the sound of tea-picking was changed to the current tune."
This is something that is done when begging.
Zhu Gaochi's expression changed.
Zhu Yuanzhang still had a smile on his face, and said as if he was joking: "Speaking of the fact that life at home was difficult at that time, your grandfather and I also learned some Huangmei opera and went to every house to beg for some food."
The old man had a smile on his face when he said this, as if at this time, he could only earn a living by performing in an opera.
Zhu Gaochi's face was a little gloomy.
How the old Zhu family gradually became the common master of the world, as a descendant of the Zhu family clan, he couldn't understand it better.
More than thirty years ago, the world at that time was not a world in which people could survive.
The old man was smiling now as he talked about how he performed opera to beg for food, but who knows how many stares and shut-ins he received back then.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his fat grandson, but he smiled and reached out to pat him on the shoulder: "It's all over. Now grandpa no longer has to perform operas to beg for food. I heard from Jiang Wei that in the past few years, there were still some opera performers in the local area.
We have food, but it has gradually disappeared over the past two years. This is a good thing, a great thing."
Zhu Gaochi nodded, but was speechless.
Zhu Shangbing, who was also accompanying the old man, said with a smile: "We will arrive in Huangmei County in two days. Then my grandson will ask around to find a good yard for grandpa and listen to Huangmei Opera again.
that is."
Zhu Yuanzhang immediately accepted it happily: "Brother Bing, this is a good idea. I'll come and listen to it. The Huangmei opera is still the same as in the past. I stayed in Yingtian all day long and listened to the Kunqu opera of Yingying Yanyan.
I can’t get up.”
Zhu Shangbing, on the other hand, patted his chest and promised that he would find a Huangmei Opera Garden with good craftsmanship for the old man in Huangmei County.
At this time, it had been more than half a month since the grandfather and grandson quietly left Beijing.
And on the other side.
Since Zhu Yunxi led an army of 50,000 people by boat along the river, they have now passed the mouth of Panyang Lake and are about to arrive outside Wuchang Prefecture.
From a distance, seen from the river.
Direction to Wuchang Prefecture.
The Yellow Crane Tower, located less than two miles away from the shore, has come into view.
Wuchang Fucheng, built by Jiangxia Hou Zhou Dexing in the fourth year of Hongwu, towers over the Yangtze River. The Yellow Crane Tower, which was rebuilt in the same year, seems to be just like what Cui Hao wrote in the poem of the former Tang Dynasty.
"In the past, people rode the Yellow Crane, and the Yellow Crane Tower was left vacant here."
"The yellow crane will never return, and the white clouds will remain empty for thousands of years."
"The Qingchuan is full of Hanyang trees, the fragrant grass is luxuriant, and the Parrot Island is green."
"Where is the country gate at sunset? The misty waves on the river make people sad."
Standing on the bow of the boat, Zhu Yunxi recited this poem written more than 600 years ago in a low voice.
This time, the deputy general of the Beijing army, Pudinghou Chen Huan, was wearing armor and holding a sword at his waist, standing beside Zhu Yunxi.
Chen Huan defected to Zhu Yuanzhang in the 13th year of Zhizheng. He fought all the way in the north and south, and worked hard in the governor's office.
In the 14th year of Hongwu, he began to follow Fu Youde to conquer Yunnan. In the 17th year, he was named Pudinghou for his contribution to pacifying Yunnan and founding the country.
After that, he set up military camps and farmed in Yunnan. It was not until the end of the 20th year of Hongwu that he was transferred to the capital of Huguang Province, and all the troops were in peace.
In the 21st year of Hongwu's reign, he led 23 armies to Yunnan to support Mu Ying and garrison Bijie.
Another year later, Xia Dezhong, an official from a thousand households in Huguang Road, colluded with the Jiuxidong barbarians to cause rebellion. Chen Huan and Jingning Marquis Ye Sheng led their troops to conquer. By the 26th year of Hongwu, the Jiuxidong barbarian rebellion was completely put down, and then camps were established in the area.
Fort, cultivated fields, and then returned to Yingtian.
According to the original historical trend, Chen Huan would be executed in the 26th year of Hongwu for his involvement in the Lan Yu case.
It's just that in this timeline, Lan Yu has become Liang Guogong, and Chen Huan, the Puding Marquis, is naturally alive and well.
This time, Zhu Yunxi also led the army in the southwest, completely changing his position and returning to his hometown. The governor's office made many selections, and finally chose Pudinghou, who was familiar with the situation of the chieftains in the southwest, as Taisun's deputy general.
There were many more suitable people, but they were either too old or not in the capital, or perhaps the Duke of Guizhou, Mu Ying, needed to be at the center of the cabinet.
Therefore, Puding Marquis Chen Huan became the best candidate.
"The Yellow Crane Tower here was built twenty-five years ago. It has gone through wind and rain, but it has gained a bit of patina."
Chen Huan has a mature temperament and speaks calmly.
Zhu Yunxi smiled: "Jiang Xiahou has done some practical things for the country after all."
Chen Huan shut his mouth and just looked at the Yellow Crane Tower getting closer and closer in front of him.
Jiangxiahou Zhou Dexing had already been implicated in the 25th year of Hongwu. He had not dared to mention this person before.
He glanced twice in the direction of Wuchang City and saw that the pier on the riverside was already crowded with people.
Chen Huan immediately said: "Your Highness, there should be people from Wuchang Mansion over there, and they seem to have the banner of His Highness the King of Chu."
Zhu Yunxi followed his gaze and looked over.
On the pier outside Wuchang Mansion, government flags were raised one after another.
The closer we get, the more clearly we can see the people on the dock, eagerly awaiting the arrival of our fleet.