A horse fell down on the road, and a car collapsed beside it.【】
Prince Zhu Gaochi stood in front of the car, with Yang Pu, Yang Shiqi and other officials from the East Palace surrounding him, looking into the distance.
"Prince, I'm back!"
Suddenly a light car drove by in the distance. Before the car arrived, Guan Yiyi, who was sitting at the front of the car, shouted at the top of his lungs. His voice was like a man who had been a widower for eighteen years and suddenly found out that he was said to have died in a foreign land.
It's like a fugitive who has returned home.
The carriage stirred up smoke and dust, and stopped abruptly in front of Zhu Gaochi. The driver reined in the horse tightly, and Yiyi rolled off the shaft of the carriage and fell to the ground. He picked up Zhu Gaochi and said, "Prince, please wait. I will help you get into the carriage."
!”
Zhu Gaochi had no time to say anything more, so he quickly got into the car and sat down, and told the driver: "Let's go! Go to the dock quickly!"
The driver immediately shook the reins of the horse, and the horse galloped forward. Yang Pu, Yang Shiqi and others, who were relieved, also got on their horses and galloped behind the car.
Zhu Gaochi rushed to the palace early this morning, summoned the eunuchs in charge of the twenty-four eunuchs in the inner palace, and inquired one by one about all the matters concerning the return of the emperor today. After confirming that everything was correct, he left the palace and drove to Yanziji to greet him.
As soon as the carriage left the city of Nanjing, for some reason, one of the horses pulling the carriage stumbled and broke its tail. If only the horse pulling the carriage had a broken leg, it wouldn't matter. Just leave a guard behind and replace his horse.
Driving a car can handle it for a while. But when the horse fell down and pulled the shaft of the cart, I don't know whether it was due to the shaft being rotten due to disrepair or an inch of strength, but the shaft snapped with a click.
Zhu Gaochi was obese and had a weak leg, so how could he behave like a horse? If he were thrown all the way to the riverside, his hat would be crooked and his clothes would be twisted. The dignified prince would be in front of the Manchurian military and fifteen foreign envoys.
Wouldn’t it be a shame?
Zhu Gaochi knew that his image was not very good, so he was particularly concerned about his image in front of the public. Seeing that he still had time, he asked Yi Yi to go back to his house and get another car. Who knows that Yi Yi took too long to go there?
, the prince was so anxious that he sweated all over his forehead.
"Hurry up. Hurry up!"
Zhu Gaochi was sitting in the car, urging the horseman hurriedly. The horseman's whip came down like rain, and the car almost flew up, bouncing all the way. Yang Pu and Yang Shiqi, one on the left and the other on the right, urged the horse to come closer, and said to Zhu Gaochi
"Prince, don't be anxious. According to the time sent earlier, we will definitely arrive before the emperor crosses the river."
In the car, Yiyi kept confessing to Zhu Gaochi, explaining: "Prince, forgive me, I could have come back earlier. But I didn't want to. On the way, I met a family getting married and blocked the road. On my way back, I passed an intersection.
A few more thugs started fighting. We managed to disperse them all, which delayed some work.
Zhu Gaochi was anxious, but he comforted Yi: "This is not your fault, I will not blame you."
Zhu Gaochi also knew that there was still time, but it was always not good to rush too much. If the emperor's relatives and the military capital of the Manchu Dynasty arrived, and his prince arrived belatedly, people would inevitably gossip. Zhu Gaochi knew that his father did not like him.
, I don’t want anything to annoy my father anymore.
Unexpectedly, as the chariot was speeding, a horse came rushing toward us like an arrow. The guard in front of the chariot immediately rushed forward to meet him. He pressed his knife and shouted: "Prince's guard of honor, please give way!"
The prince's ceremonial guard is carrying a flag. No matter who comes, whether they are officials or civilians, they don't need to shout. With this ceremonial guard, even if they don't recognize that this is the prince's team, they can still know that he is a great big shot, and they will naturally stay out of the way. But this man actually
He didn't dodge or give way, and crashed directly into their team.
Several guards noticed something was wrong. They raised their horses and stepped forward. The long swords at their waists were already unsheathed. The cold light was pointed directly at the opponent.
The visitor shouted: "Get out of the way, there is urgent news from Duke Fu, Prince! Duke Fu has ordered the villain to come and report that the emperor...the emperor has arrived at Yanziji!"
"What?"
When Zhu Gaochi heard this in the car, his fat face that was originally flushed suddenly turned pale, and he said in shock: "Father... is here?"
※※
The big ship lowered the ladder, and palace music was played on both sides. Emperor Yongle appeared majestically on the bow of the ship, dressed in Yishanguan uniform, wearing a black gauze folded scarf on his head, a coiled collar, narrow sleeves, twelve dragon chapters, and leather boots with jade belts.
Immediately, like a mountain, Zhu Gaoxu, the king of Han, took the lead, the emperor's relatives, military officials, vassal kings, envoys, and the imperial guards on both sides all knelt down and shouted in unison: "Kowtow to the emperor!"
Zhu Di walked down the gangway with steady steps, and Han Wang Zhu Gaoxu hurriedly kowtowed again: "I respectfully welcome my father!"
"Uh-huh?"
Zhu Di just nodded, and suddenly his thick eyebrows frowned, and he could see something was wrong. If he had many sons, and Zhu Gaochi was just a prince, and he stood in the crowd, Zhu Di might not be able to detect his presence with such a casual sweep.
. But he only has three sons in total, and there are only two in Nanjing. The missing one is still the current prince, how could Zhu Di not notice it.
Zhu Di glanced at him and asked calmly: "Where is the prince?"
The King of Han hurriedly said: "Uh... I don't know. I have just discovered that the emperor is not here, and I have already sent someone to ask."
Zhu Di snorted, put the matter aside, gently raised his hand and said to the ministers: "Everyone is safe!"
As soon as Xia Xun made a mistake, he rushed out of class to greet him. Although this was against the rules, it was not considered inappropriate given his status.
Unexpectedly, the King of Han stood up, immediately took a step forward, and smiled at Zhu Di: "Congratulations, father, Zheng He was ordered to patrol Nanyang, and now he has returned triumphantly. The countries in Nanyang admire the Celestial Empire, and all the countries our Ming Dynasty fleet passed through will obey the emperor's will."
, I am grateful for the kindness of the Heavenly Dynasty, and I have sent tributes. Zheng He has not met the emperor yet!"
When Zheng He heard the call to him, he immediately stepped out and knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty!"
When Zhu Di saw Zheng He, who had been following him for many years, he was so happy that he stepped forward, helped him up, and said with a smile: "After two years of absence, you are back, haha..."
Xia Xun sighed secretly and stood back. Here Zheng He exchanged a few words with Zhu Di, then he cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, Wei Jia Yu Nei, is serving guests from all over the world. I have been ordered to patrol the south, and now Liuqiu Mountain, Shannan, Boluo,
Aru, Sumatra, Manlajia, Ni, Champa, Siam, Banggela, Nanli, Xiaogelan and other countries sent envoys to pay tribute."
The King of Han rushed to say: "Father, the king of Boni Kingdom, together with his concubine, prince, and princess, are here to perform Hajj! In addition, envoys from Japan and Timurid Kingdom also came to pay tribute, and the barbarians were transformed, and all nations came to pay tribute.
Congratulations to Your Majesty, Congratulations to Your Majesty!"
Zhu Di was overjoyed and said with a smile: "Please quickly invite the King of Balni and the envoys from other countries to come forward and see me!"
The King of Han hurriedly waved his hand, and the envoys from various countries who were waiting at the side came forward to pay homage. Zheng He introduced their identities to the emperor one by one. Xia Xun stood in the class and secretly worried: "Why is the prince late for such a big event?"
But at this pass, he couldn't make any move, let alone defend the prince. Xia Xun turned his head back, and the darkness behind him was full of officials greeting him. Where could he get the prince's car, but he didn't come. Xia Xun didn't come.
Xun sighed, turned his eyes, and bumped into University Scholar Yang Rong, who was also looking back. Both of them had worried faces...
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The emperor drove back to the city with twelve dragon flags on the left and right, a Big Dipper flag on the right, a large banner in front, and a leopard tail flag in the back. Behind them were the sun flag, the moon flag, the green dragon, the white tiger, the red bird, the basalt, the wind,
There are fifty-four clouds, thunders, and rains in total. Each flag has one soldier holding the flag, four warriors holding the bow, followed by the golden melon sword and the yellow umbrella cover...
Behind and behind the Jin Emperor's chariot, there were countless Han generals, dressed in brocade and fish suits, with umbrellas spread out, followed by relatives of the emperor, six ministries of the cabinet, foreign envoys, and officials from various departments and offices, except for a few who were too old and too weak to ride.
They rode in carriages and sedans, and the others followed on horseback, guarded by imperial guards on both sides, and headed for Jinling City along the official road with great force.
While the ceremonial guard was walking, a group of people suddenly appeared in front of them. There were people, horses, and cars. They all avoided the road and stopped in the grass on one side of the road. Everyone knelt on the ground.
The beaded curtains of the royal chariot were rolled up, and Zhu Di had caught sight of the roadside scene. Zhu Di's peaceful complexion seemed to be suddenly stained with a layer of autumn frost and darkened. He raised his hand gently, and the eunuch outside the chariot immediately shouted: "Stop."
!”
When the car stopped, Zhu Gaochi fell to the ground and shouted loudly: "I am late to greet you, my father, please forgive me!"
Zhu Di glanced at him coldly, waved his hand, and the eunuch immediately shouted: "Okay!"
The car drove forward slowly, but without getting the order, Zhu Gaochi and all the officials in the East Palace knelt on the spot and did not dare to get up, so they had to lie down. The emperor's ceremonial guard did not stop for a moment, and went straight down the official road, closely followed by a large group of people, including the emperor's relatives and relatives.
, Envoys from various countries, including Man Chaowu, passed by, and the prince fell to the ground to plead guilty, with sweat dripping down his face.
Seeing the prince in such a mess, all the officials felt pity. However, at this moment, is it the time to plead for mercy? Any act of sympathy for the prince now will only make the emperor even more angry.
Xia Xun came by car because he was injured. He also saw the prince's condition, but at this time he was powerless. He could only sigh sadly: "The emperor is the emperor after all. Between father and son, there is no barrier between the king and the minister."
The relationship between blood and family is about to fade away..."
The emperor's ceremonial guard and the procession of welcoming officials were endless, and it took half an hour to finish. Kneeling in place for so long would make even a normal person dizzy and his legs would feel numb, let alone Zhu Gaochi, who is so fat.
With his body stretched out, he lay on the spot, sweating like rain, and his legs were completely unconscious.
But the emperor drove away without saying a word. How could he move without getting the order? Even if he knelt down to death today, he had to grit his teeth and hold on. Zhu Gaochi put his hands on the ground and knelt very hard. Not only was his face covered with
Beads of sweat dripped onto the soil one by one, and several layers of clothes on his body were soaked through.
Zhu Gaochi's hands were trembling slightly as he rested on the ground. Stars flashed in front of his eyes, and sometimes they turned black. His eyes were about to collapse and he fainted. On the spot, more than a dozen imperial guardsmen suddenly protected a car and walked out of the retreating honor guard and ran straight to the police station.
When they arrived, the car hadn't stopped yet, so a young man jumped out of the car, picked up his robe and walked through the official road, quickly ran to Zhu Gaochi, hugged his arm and called: "Dad, get up quickly!".