In Xiao Chen's mind, his parents were the ordinary people in the village who faced the loess with their backs to the sky, digging in the soil when the sun rose and resting when the sun went down.
Therefore, he has always had a special preference and care for ordinary people.
No matter how powerful he is, he will take special care of ordinary people.
Hearing Mr. Zhang say that his father was the distinguished founding general of the Ming Dynasty, in addition to being proud, he felt a sense of distant distance.
"My father is the Duke of Liang, the founding hero of the Ming Dynasty, and the biggest rebel of the Ming Dynasty. When you brought me out, why didn't you take me with you, but put me among the people?"
"I was living alone in the world, and by accident, I entered the Jin Yiwei who pulled my father into the darkness, and then wandered into the Dongchang, which only served the emperor."
"In my heart, I wholeheartedly safeguard the rule of the imperial court and take the safety of the imperial court as my responsibility. Suddenly I know that I am actually the son of Duke Liang and a rebellious official of the imperial court. What should I do instead? I will send you away together with myself.
Go to the court and hand it over to the emperor, or go against your wishes and stir up disputes with you in the court, causing the war to spread and the people to live in dire straits?"
Looking at Mr. Zhang, Xiao Chen shook his head vigorously, feeling extremely painful in his heart. For a moment, he didn't know what to do.
"Alas." Mr. Zhang sighed, "It is a last resort to leave you alone among the people. Liang Guogong was convicted of treason by the court, and a total of more than 15,000 people were implicated in the murder, and we old subordinates
, and are the key targets of arrest by the imperial court. Only by keeping you anonymous among the people can you have a chance to survive."
"However, I have never had any impression of my parents in my memory. I had just learned to walk, and I relied on charity from my neighbors to survive. Master, don't you lend a helping hand to me?
"Recalling the bitterness of his childhood, Xiao Chen's heart was filled with grievances.
I didn't dare to expect my parents' meticulous love and care, but I spent every day in hunger and fear. Who knew that I crawled to the roadside to pick up vegetables and leaves to satisfy my hunger? Who knew that in the dark night, I hid in the corner and shivered alone?
?
Looking at Xiao Chen, Mr. Zhang's eyes were full of heartache and shame: "Actually, there are always our people around you. They watch you grow in secret and protect your safety. However, they dare not help directly.
With you. Although the court has changed hands several times, the pursuit of our rebellious subordinates has never stopped for a moment. We don’t want to, let alone bring any potential danger to you. You are the value of our existence, and
We worked hard and secretly strengthened our motivation."
Xiao Chen clenched his fists and looked at Mr. Zhang firmly: "How strong has our current strength become?"
The elder was overjoyed and said hurriedly: "If you are willing, young master, with a single order, we can rise up and quickly raise a team of 200,000 people to fight against the imperial court. And our economy is enough to support such a team.
Fight continuously for three to five years."
Xiao Chen slowly walked to the window and looked through the window at the tall and short people's houses in Gongchang City: "The collision of two hundred thousand troops with the imperial court's one hundred thousand troops is tantamount to hitting an egg against a stone. Especially the imperial court's magic machine.
How long can an army of 200,000 soldiers hold out in front of their firearms?"
"Zhu Di's throne came from an unknown source. Although he vigorously promoted his orthodoxy, everyone knew that he took over the country from his nephew in the name of Qingjun. As long as we rise up, the world will be conquered.
The chivalrous men who have seen through his true colors will definitely follow him. When the time comes, our strength may not be able to compete with him head-on." Mr. Zhang said confidently.
I have endured humiliation and worked hard for decades. Even if I can't completely overthrow Zhu Di's rule, I can definitely beat him full of holes.
If we work harder, we can capture Zhu Di alive, overthrow the Zhu family dynasty, and avenge Duke Liang, it will be just around the corner.
"Then what? The entire imperial court is plunged into war, with battlefields everywhere, and the people are displaced and struggling on the edge of life and death?" Looking back, Xiao Chen looked at Mr. Zhang and said slowly.
"If you want to overthrow the Zhu Dynasty, war is essential." Zhang Lao said.
"My father's case is indeed a major case of eternity. To me, it is also an unforgettable blood feud. But all this should not be borne by the common people. They are innocent, and they exchanged the lives of thousands of people for great revenge.
Even if I succeed, I will not feel the pleasure of having my great revenge repaid. Instead, I will have a feeling of guilt that will always weigh on my heart. Now the court, the country is prosperous and the people are safe, and most of the people have enough food and clothing at home.
Worry. In order to take revenge, we provoked a war and plunged them into trouble again. We are not just selfish, we are extremely selfish."
After taking a long breath, Xiao Chen thought over and over again and expressed his opinion.
Zhang Laoyi was startled: "Young Master has a kind heart and cares about the people of the world, but the General fought hard for the Ming Dynasty, but he ended up like this. Let Zhu Yuanzhang's descendants still enjoy the country that the General built, doesn't it hurt, Young Master?
?”
"It hurts, how can it not hurt?" Xiao Chen's eyes were extremely sharp, "But why did my father fight on the battlefield through life and death? Isn't it just to give the people a stable life? Now, the people live and work in peace and contentment, if we drag the people into the flames of war again
, Father knows well, and he will definitely not agree."
"Young Master, what do you mean, we will not avenge this revenge?" A trace of disappointment flashed in Mr. Zhang's eyes.
He knew that Xiao Chen was now a member of the imperial court and considered things from the imperial court's standpoint. But how could he let go of the hatred for his father's murder?
"It was Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang who ordered the execution of his father. He is no longer alive. The current head of the Ming Dynasty is his son. Yes, the father's debt should be repaid by the son. However, our hatred should not drag down the people.
Coming in and provoking a war is not a wise choice. Such a big case cannot be completed by Ming Taizu alone. Especially, what he charged his father with was an unfounded crime of treason and the overthrow of the imperial court.
We can stop doing it for the time being, but I must liquidate the people who contributed to this case one by one. Otherwise, I will be a son of man in vain."
Clenching his hands tightly, Xiao Chen's nails dug deeply into his palms, and traces of blood overflowed from his palms and dripped to the ground.
Wang Zhongzhen on the side picked up the two bowls of tea on the table and walked over slowly.
He handed a bowl towards Xiao Chen: "Master, let's have a bowl of tea, it's already cold."
Taking the tea bowl, Xiao Chen smiled faintly: "I didn't expect that we are actually a family. On the silver taels spent by Li An, Minister of the Ministry of Justice, for the family banquet, I was clever and gave 500 taels less. Now it seems that I really dug it for myself.
A pit.”
"Young master, what are you talking about?" Wang Zhongzhen handed another bowl to Mr. Zhang, "Li Shangshu and the young master have the same position. They can be regarded as half of our family. In this way, we will not suffer."
"Okay, okay, shopkeeper Wang can still speak." Xiao Chen picked up the tea bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
Today, Xiao Chen is in a good mood.
Originally, I always thought that I was just a loner in this world.
I have many friends and brothers around me.
But those, in the final analysis, are just "outsiders".
Every time he saw other people's families talking and laughing together, Xiao Chen felt a sense of loss in his heart, as if he was an orphan abandoned by the whole world and no one cared about him.
But this time was different, Xiao Chen knew his life experience.
Although my parents are still alive as always and cannot give me the warm love and care of other people's parents, I finally know where I come from and where my roots are.
Compared with his previous wandering life, Xiao Chen felt extremely happy.
Especially when the master in front of him, as well as Shopkeeper Wang, turned out to be his father's old subordinates, Xiao Chen immediately felt like home, without any sense of loneliness.
"Master, Shopkeeper Wang, today our family is reunited, shouldn't we have some wine to celebrate?" Xiao Chen suggested happily, holding their arms.
"Drink, drink some. It's just that there's no meat, so I'm a little greedy." Mr. Zhang laughed.
"There is one in Guanyi. Come on, let's go to Guanyi."
