Zhu Zhanji knew that his imperial grandfather was indeed the master of heroes throughout the ages. This was not an exaggeration. Zhu Di was talented and capable of making good decisions. Even if his identity as an emperor was removed, he was still a hero of his generation. But he was suspicious of Wang Xianzheng because of his clever mind.
He was asked to use this to draw chestnuts from the fire and make the emperor think that someone was framing his father. Only in this way could the situation be prevented from collapsing.
Zhu Zhanji thought about it, and the more he thought about it, the more he realized that this method was feasible. Of course, the main reason was that he couldn't find any other method and could only treat the dead horse as a living doctor. He looked at the two gangsters and said: "Thank you for your hard work. Go first."
Rest and let me think again."
When the darkness subsided, Zhu Zhanji thought hard for a long time before he made up his mind and called in his personal guard Liu Xu. After looking at the loyal face, he said after a while: "Liu Xu, how many times have your brothers followed me?"
Years old?”
"As for me, it's been five years." Liu Xu said, "Five years and three months."
"How about leaving your brothers alone?" Zhu Zhanji asked slowly.
"The kindness is as heavy as a mountain, and it is like rebirth." Liu Xu said excitedly: "Back then, my brothers fled from Shandong to the capital. My brother fell ill, and I was bitten by a vicious dog because I was begging for food. At this time, His Highness appeared and took us in.
Brother, you treated my injuries, treated Liu Mian's illness, and taught us martial arts, making us decent bodyguards. It can be said that without me, there would be no us brothers."
"Then I ask you to do something, are you willing?" Zhu Zhanji said slowly.
"I will go through fire and water, no matter what." Liu Xu said with enthusiasm: "If you have anything to do, just give me your orders. Even if it means my life, I will never be vague."
"Haogu really saw the right person," Zhu Zhanji said in appreciation, his eyes flashed, and his voice lowered, "My grandpa, the emperor, will hold a triumphal ceremony when he returns to Beijing. At that time, the court will be full of civil and military officials, honoring the noble ministers, and
Many foreign envoys have to go to Longjiang Pass to greet them."
"Yes." Liu Xu nodded and heard His Highness Taisun continue to say quietly: "You should go back to the East Palace now and find a way for me to prevent my father from being late."
"Late?" Liu Xu was confused.
"Yeah." Zhu Zhanji nodded and whispered: "It's okay to ask my father to be a moment late..."
"How dare this... subordinate to frame the Crown Prince?" Liu Xu was shocked and said, "Are you kidding me?"
"How can I be in the mood to joke when my eyebrows are burning?" Zhu Zhanji sighed. "My father and I both prospered and suffered losses. Of course I did this with great pains."
"This..." Liu Xu finally believed it, but was even more surprised: "Why don't you tell the prince what you want to do?"
"My father is a loyal man and will not agree." Zhu Zhanji shook his head and said solemnly: "But only by doing this can we solve the current crisis. This is the task I have given you. Can you do it?"
"I'm afraid I can't do it..." Liu Xu shook his head in panic.
Zhu Zhanji's eyes turned cold and he said expressionlessly: "Why can't you do it?"
"Your Highness, please calm down..." Liu Xu hurriedly explained: "Even if I take the courage of a leopard, I really dare to do harm to the Crown Prince. But how can I dare to stop the Crown Prince? Even if I do some tricks and damage the Prince's car, it won't be delayed.
How much time, unless it is a fake assassination... But that would be too much trouble." After saying that, he knelt down and kowtowed: "I asked Beizi to go up mountains of swords and seas of fire, Beizi didn't even blink an eyebrow, but, Beizi
I’m worried that I’ll miss something important for me.”
"Who asked you to pretend to commit an assassination?" Zhu Zhanji chuckled and turned from anger to joy and said: "So you are worried about this. How stupid. Your twin brother Liu Mian is my father's bodyguard, and my father has no defense against him.
You go back and work for Liu Mian without knowing it. Isn't it easy for you to plot against my father? For example, add some sweat medicine to his diet and let him sleep all morning, and then the problem will be over."
Liu Xu was so sweaty. He thought he was giving me the medicine to induce sweating. Are you his own son? But he finally knew what to do, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and said: "I just obey my orders."
"Yes." Zhu Zhanji nodded, helped him up and said, "After the incident is completed, what will you do if it is found that you did it?"
"It's a humble position, but I insist that it was ordered by the King of Han. I am a spy placed by His Highness." Liu Xu was certainly not stupid, otherwise his grandson would not have entrusted him with such an important task. "You will not recruit me even if you kill me," he said.
It was very clear that this matter must not be leaked.
"Yes." Zhu Zhanji held his shoulders and said with tears in his eyes: "I will not let Liu Mian be in danger again. I will let him spread his wings and adopt a room with you, so that you can also
Can the incense continue..."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Liu Xu said with tears in his eyes, bowed deeply, then left the camp, and headed straight for the capital when it got dark.
Luan Jia abandoned his horse in Yangzhou and took a boat. Thousands of sails covered the sun, and he entered the Yangtze River in a mighty way. Soon Jinling was in sight.
Zhu Gaochi has been very busy these days. He knows that his father is very happy with his achievements, but he also pays attention to frugality. Therefore, how can the triumphal ceremony be so grand and inexpensive? And how to prepare for the subsequent banquet, down to every detail.
He had to personally test every song, dance, and dish before he felt at ease... Finally, on the afternoon before the ceremony, everything was finalized, and he went over it again with the Ministry of Rites, officials from Honglu Temple, and the eunuchs in the palace.
After making sure that every link was flawless, His Highness the Crown Prince breathed a sigh of relief.
After returning to the East Palace from the palace, Zhu Gaochi took a look and found out that it was already the fourth watch. He could only sleep for an hour, so he had to get up and get ready again. Because it was already midnight, he did not go back to the palace to disturb the princess, so he
I made do in the study and went to bed. Who knew that I couldn't fall asleep even after tossing and turning... Tomorrow's ceremony couldn't go wrong, and I had to face the thunderous wrath of my father, so no one could fall asleep.
But if he didn't sleep for a while, he would be dizzy and something went wrong tomorrow, which would be even worse. Zhu Gaochi called to the person waiting outside, and he saw the guard Liu Mian coming in.
"Where is Zhang Bao?" the prince asked. Zhang Bao was the personal eunuch on duty.
"Back to the Crown Prince, Zhang Bao couldn't stand it any longer. He thought that he fell asleep and wouldn't wake up for a while, so he boldly advised him to go and stare for a while." Liu Mian hurriedly apologized and said, "I'll wake him up right now."
"No need, he has been suffering from it during this period." The prince's kindness is not pretended, but can make you feel it all the time: "I have some insomnia, please pour me a bowl of Suhe bar.
"
"Yes." Liu Mian hurriedly went out to pour the wine, and after a while, he came back with a bowl of yellow wine soup. Zhu Gaochi took it, took a sip, frowned slightly, but still drank it all in one go, and took the tea bowl to rinse.
He opened his mouth and nodded to Liu Mian: "It's hard work. I'll try again."
When Zhu Gaochi lay down, Liu Mian blew out the lamp, bowed and left, and the study became quiet again... Not to mention, the medicinal wine really worked. After a while, Zhu Gaochi felt dizzy and fell into a deep sleep.
.
At exactly nine o'clock on the next day, a red sun emerged from the river, reflecting the beautiful Jinling City in red.
After three cannons were fired, groups of soldiers lined up from various military camps with swords and spears in hand. They walked out of Jinchuan Gate and lined up along the river bank from Yanziji to Longjiang Estuary for twenty or thirty miles, every twenty feet.
Far away, a colorful building was built. The colorful building was wrapped with cypress leaves and flowers in yellow silk, which served as both a decoration and a lookout.
When we arrived at the mouth of Longjiang River, hundreds of colorful gates connected end to end were erected here, all decorated with golden chrysanthemums. They were golden and magnificent, making it look like a prosperous age. This scene not only opened the eyes of the envoys from foreign vassals,
Even the princes and nobles in the capital were secretly stunned. His Highness the Crown Prince is a capable person. He doesn't spend much money, but he can create such a scene... But it's almost midnight, why haven't you seen His Highness the Crown Prince yet?
Although as a prince, it is appropriate for him to come later than everyone else, but since everyone has been here for almost an hour, he still hasn't shown up, which is a bit too much...
People were talking a lot when they suddenly heard the sound of a horn coming from the direction of Yanziji, and they immediately became excited. That was the signal for the arrival of the emperor's ship.
"The emperor has arrived?" The civil servant class was obviously panicked. The emperor has arrived, but the prince has not arrived yet?
"What happened?" Jian Yi, an immovable old minister, was so anxious that he stroked his beard and asked, "Why hasn't the prince arrived yet?"
Yang Shiqi and Yang Pu looked at each other, and the former said in a low voice: "We have sent someone to rush us. Maybe something delayed us."
"What's so important about welcoming him?" Jian Yi was anxious: "If the emperor can't see the prince later, he will be in big trouble."
"Tianguan, please be patient," Yang Pu comforted softly: "Your Highness must have received the news, and it's not too late to rush here now."
"Never mind..." Jian Yi sighed and said, "Don't make any mistakes."
But things in the world are like this. Whatever you are afraid of, you will get what you want. After a cup of tea, the official who went to report the news hurriedly came back with a ghostly look on his face. He whispered a few words into Yang Shiqi's ear. Yang Shiqi's expression suddenly changed and he said to Jian Yi:
"The prince is hungover and even the doctor can't wake him up."
"What?" Jian Yi's eyesight went dark, and he would have fallen into the river if the people beside him hadn't held him up.
"How is this possible?" "What should I do?" The civil servants were like ants on a hot pot, anxious. At this time, a gust of river wind blew away the fog on the river, and a five-story ship was filled with flags.
The giant ship, protected by hundreds of four-story giant ships, appeared in front of people's eyes with a sudden but overwhelming momentum.
"The Emperor has arrived." People on the shore became busy and nervous, and everyone took their places. The band played the triumphal music, and the soldiers set up a welcoming formation. The civil and military officials, ministers, and envoys from various countries in front of the colorful shed also returned to their seats and stood in order.
, I dare not take a breath, to welcome the triumph of the Ming Supreme Being
Zhu Di was dressed in a dragon robe and a Yishan crown on his head. He was holding a sword on his waist. He leaned on the railing and looked towards the shore. He saw that amid the solemn music, his ministers fell down towards him like harvested rice.
They all shouted in unison: "I respectfully welcome the Holy Master, and all ministers congratulate His Majesty on his triumphant return."
In this situation, one could not help but feel complacent. Zhu Di stroked his beard and smiled secretly. However, when his eyes swept over the ministers, the smile froze on the emperor's face.