"Actually, we asked you to go to Jiangxi to investigate Liu Lian's case, but secondly, no matter how important Liu Bowen's son is, you can't offend the prince of the Ming Dynasty to investigate him." Zhu Yuanzhang finally said with sincerity:
"The most important reason why we let you go is the yellow book! That is the foundation of the long-term stability of the Ming Dynasty, and there is no room for failure! It has been almost two years since Liu Lian promoted the yellow book in Jiangxi. Although it has not been fully successful, the stall has been laid.
It’s opened, and we must not give up halfway! So I’m asking you to pay a private visit incognito, walk around below, and ask the people what they really think about the Yellow Book.”
"That's it..." Only then did the sixth man understand why his father wanted to go to such unnecessary lengths. Why bother with all that trouble when it's all over?
After a pause, Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice: "If the people's opinions are not big, you will finish the errands for Liu Lian - there is no room for error in the yellow book pilot, this is the most important thing."
"My son, I obey the decree." Zhu Zhen responded seriously.
"Go and report to your mother, stepmother and concubine. Tell them that we didn't force you to go to Jiangxi, but you took the initiative to go." Zhu Yuanzhang said with a serious face again: "This is very important."
"But I didn't say that I would go on a private visit incognito. I wanted to show off my prestige." Lao Liu muttered, "It's so dangerous to go on a private visit incognito. If it doesn't work, I'll have to beg for food..."
"You have a chance to show off your authority." Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily: "Tell me, what are the conditions for not betraying me?"
"Let me get married two years later." Lao Liu immediately requested: "I haven't had enough fun yet."
"You are really persevering..." The prince said speechlessly: "You are only fourteen this year and you will get married at sixteen. There are still two years left. Isn't it enough for you to play?"
"I have a lot of fun." Lao Liu chuckled. In fact, he felt that sixteen was too young, and marrying a fourteenth-year-old princess would really cost her life. If she wrote it in the novel, she would be banned.
"Okay, then I'll give you a two-year grace period until you're eighteen, okay? It can't be any later!" Zhu Yuanzhang now has a lot of grandchildren, and he doesn't really care about the wedding date of his later sons.
If he gets married later, he can spend more money later.
"Deal!" Lao Liu accepted it as soon as he saw fit. Getting married at eighteen sounds much more normal.
~~
In the evening, when Zhu Zhen had dinner with his mother and concubine, he told her that he was going to Jiangxi.
Concubine Hu Xian was very indifferent: "Go ahead, go ahead, mother is used to it anyway."
"The kind of private interview in incognito." Lao Liu added.
"That's not possible!" Concubine Hu Xian immediately quit: "What happened that year was not tragic enough, the emperor wants you to have another meal. Jiangxi doesn't have your grandfather's family to save lives!"
"No, no," Lao Liu hurriedly waved his hand and said, "This time, I went with my guards. At least 180 people followed me, begging for food? I will never beg for food again in this life!"
"Will it be dangerous? I won't be caught in the cult's den again, and there won't be any bandits intercepting me on the road, right?" Concubine Hu Xian asked.
Obviously, Fengyang's incident left such a deep shadow on her that she still has lingering fears many years later.
"Nothing. I mainly want to understand the sentiments of the people. In the past, when officials were aloof and tidy up their places, what else can they see?" Lao Liu said patiently: "The evil cults have all been eradicated, and the evil cults' nests have been eradicated.
It doesn’t even exist. As for the villain’s shortcomings, my king’s men are not vegetarians, so it would be nice not to rob them.”
"Okay then..." Concubine Hu Xian tried to persuade her, but she finally relented and said, "But you must let your two uncles follow you. They have rich experience in the world, and relying on your cousin alone is useless."
"Okay." Zhu Zhen agreed: "But you have to promise me not to drink, uh... drink less."
"Don't worry, my mother's self-control is notoriously strong." Hu Xianfei agreed: "Drink a little in the morning to wake you up, just drink a little at noon to appetize, and drink a little in the evening to help you sleep."
"In addition, my whereabouts must be kept secret. Tomorrow my guard of honor will go to Chongming, so you can bite me to death. I am going to inspect the Beiwa Navy." Lao Liu asked again.
"You don't need to worry about this. How can mother not even understand this? The most important thing about private interviews is confidentiality!" Concubine Hu Xian said very professionally.
~~
Returning to Dongwu Institute at night, which was jokingly called the "Animal Institute" by the palace officials, Zhu Zhen carefully considered the candidates to go to Jiangxi with him, and asked Ma Wang to accompany him to Chongming this time to help him cover himself.
Although Wang Ma was very worried, she had to listen to His Highness, so she had no choice but to agree with tears in her eyes.
Then Zhu Zhen called the eunuchs who were responsible for taking care of his pets, told them that he would be away for a while, and ordered them to take good care of his babies.
In fact, he really wanted to take a Tibetan fox with him on the road. This little thing was too big to relieve stress. As long as he looked at it, his brain would stop thinking and he would gain precious peace.
However, in order to avoid acclimatization, it is better to change the animal's place less often. Lao Liu still understands this. So it is better to keep it in the palace.
~~
The next day, Lao Liu came to Uncle Chengyi's house to say goodbye.
He first went to the mourning hall to see Liu Li who was getting thinner, but he could no longer find any words to comfort her, nor could he tell her what he was going to do. He could only stay with her silently for a moment, and then went to the back to see the master.
.
The bedroom was filled with the long-lost smell of soup and medicine. After that day, Liu Ji could not go to the ground again, and he looked haggard. The energy and energy he had managed to cultivate in the past two years were disappearing visibly to the naked eye...
Zhu Zhen walked in and called "Master".
After a while, Liu Ji opened his eyes and asked slowly: "What did the emperor say?"
"My old man sent Shen Liben as an imperial envoy to thoroughly investigate the cause of senior brother's death." When Zhu Zhen said this, a look of disappointment appeared on Liu Ji's face until he heard him continue:
"Let me also go to Jiangxi, but I will pay a private visit incognito to see what kind of show they will perform."
"That's it..." Liu Bowen slowly sighed and said, "The emperor is right to be cautious. This matter is related to the Yellow Book, and there is no room for any mistakes."
"I will set off tomorrow." Zhu Zhen whispered: "Master, do you have any other instructions?"
"..." Liu Bowen was silent for a moment and said: "I have a feeling that Liu Lian's death is the prelude to a cruel killing. There are some bottom lines that cannot be broken, otherwise it will be a dead-end situation. So you must not be careless.
, the enemy of your father and son will be unprecedentedly powerful."
"How powerful can it be? Are there any other pirates who are stronger than the big families in Suzhou?" Zhu Zhen asked.
"Of course." Liu Bowen nodded slightly and said: "This time your enemies are all the gentry and officials in the world... In your words, the entire ruling class of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, your father and son seem to be powerful, but in fact they are isolated and helpless. But since
Your father is determined to declare war on them, so you have no choice but to risk your life and fight them."
"What about Master?" Zhu Zhen asked softly: "Whose side are you on?"
"Originally, I planned to stay out of the matter." Liu Bowen's dim eyes suddenly shot out: "But since they killed my son, I have no choice but to risk my life and fight with them!"
Seeing him like this, Zhu Zhen felt relieved, knowing that the master should be able to wait until he came back...
