In the fifteenth year of Hongwu, Ma Xiuying died suddenly at the age of 51, and hurriedly completed her vicissitudes of life from an orphan girl to a mother.

Zhu Yuanzhang's grief is beyond words, he often wanders in Ma Xiuying's living room, and even sits until dawn, until Qingtong invites him to go to court, he is shocked that Ma Xiuying will no longer dress and tie his hair. His queen, the only woman he ever loved in his life. It was as if a piece of his heart had been dug out of his heart, and he couldn't straighten his waist in pain, and asked in a dumb voice, "Has the vassal king returned to Beijing?"

The day after Ma Xiuying's death, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned the vassal king back to Beijing to give Ma Xiuying a funeral, and gave Ma Xiuying the title of Empress Xiaoci, and was buried in the Ming Tomb of Xiaoxiao.

Qing Tong said with a sad expression: "Your Majesty, please take care of the dragon's body, the vassal kings of all walks of life are rushing to the capital, and the near ones will be able to arrive the day after tomorrow, and the far ones may take seven or eight days." ”

"If King Yan returns to Beijing, he doesn't have to see me, let him go out of Beijing immediately after participating in the queen's funeral sacrifice, and he will never be allowed to enter Beijing. Zhu Yuanzhang dropped this sentence and slowly boarded the dragon. How much he liked Zhu Di before, and how much he dislikes Zhu Di now, if it weren't for this mother and son, Ma Xiuying wouldn't have gone so fast. He didn't want to see Zhu Di at all now, and letting Zhu Di go to Beiping was just the last bit of affection between father and son.

"Wow!" Qingtong lowered his head, and swallowed all the words he wanted to intercede for Zhu Di back into his stomach. Zhu Di also gave him generous gifts when he was looking for someone to plead around, and it was the words he said in front of Zhu Yuanzhang that made Zhu Yuanzhang not make up his mind to take Zhu Di's title. However, looking at Zhu Yuanzhang's current mood, he no longer dared to say half a good word for Zhu Di.

Ma Xiuying's sudden death shocked the government and the opposition, and the world was all sentimental, many officials were worried that Zhu Yuanzhang, who was not dissuaded by Ma Xiuying, would become more and more violent, and the palace people were even more worried that Zhu Yuanzhang would order them to be martyred.

Fortunately, Zhu Yuanzhang still remembered his promise to Ma Xiuying before his death, and did not kill the palace people, but released them from the palace, and Xun Yingben was also on the list of leaving the palace, but she did not leave, and asked Zhu Yuanzhang to transfer her to the East Palace, and she wanted to take care of Zhu Biao instead of Ma Xiuying.

The people of the harem were very grateful to Ma Xiuying for saving their lives, and specially composed a song to commemorate this virtuous and benevolent queen, the lyrics are like this: "I am a saint, a connoisseur, a family state, raise me, Huaide unforgettable." Huaide is unforgettable, in the year of Vance; ”

When the officials heard that Ma Xiuying was dying, he also advised Zhu Yuanzhang to listen to the opinions of others, seek talented talents, and treat the ministers and the people well.

But what is the use of these praises, can they bring Ma Xiuying back to life? Dao Yan sneered. From the moment Ma Xiuying left, his heart froze into ice and would never melt again, and the previous Dao Yan, who was compassionate and kind and worried about the people, disappeared, leaving only a Dao Yan who was resentful and cold-hearted. He hated Zhu Yuanzhang, hated Zhu Di, and even hated everyone in the Zhu family, Ma Xiuying paid her life for the Zhu family, but in the end she only got hurt and pain.

If history is really as Ma Xiuying said, Zhu Di will eventually seek to usurp the throne, this is not a great irony of the Zhu dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, don't you value your country the most? I will stir up your country into a miasma! Zhu Di, don't you want to be the emperor? I will help you become an emperor, and then let you die slowly in the pain, and I will also let you be scolded by future generations from generation to generation!

At the end of Ma Xiuying's funeral, Zhu Yuanzhang selected monks to accompany the kings and chanted sutras for Ma Xiuying. He looked at the roster recommended by the Sanglu Division with mixed thoughts, and there was Dao Yan's name on it. In fact, he wanted to kill Dao Yan more than once, but thinking of Ma Xiuying's dying request, he was unwilling to live up to Ma Xiuying's last wish and added Dao Yan's name to Zhu Di's name.

Zhu Di was in a state of panic when he entered Beijing, and Zhu Yuanzhang neither stripped him of his title nor refused to see him, but only told him to go to Beiping after attending the funeral.

Just when he was thinking nonsense, Dao Yan came to visit and directly made it clear that he wanted to follow him.

Zhu Di didn't believe it, he heard from Li Qier that Daoyan and Ma Xiuying seemed to have a relationship, and Li Qier was the one who indirectly angered Ma Xiuying, how could Daoyan really follow the enemy's son?

Dao Yan Muran's face did not fluctuate at all, "It doesn't matter if you believe it or not, but you can't change this decision, the emperor will order the poor monk to be by your side in the near future, in fact, he will send us to Beiping, so we are considered to be people in the same boat, and only the poor monk can help you complete the imperial hegemony!"

"What?" Zhu Di was so frightened that he almost jumped up, how could this old monk know his thoughts?

Dao Yan didn't seem to feel Zhu Di's murderous aura, and said lightly: "If you kill the poor monk, you will do nothing all your life, leave the poor monk, and the poor monk will definitely help you get to that position." ”

"Why do you believe you?" Zhu Di stared at Dao Yan tightly, he felt that Dao Yan didn't seem to be joking, but Dao Yan's current expression didn't seem to be normal. Yes, who would say lightly "I will help you complete the hegemony of the imperial plan and help you get to that position", this is the throne, not a playhouse.

"You don't have to give the poor monk a half-official position, you can even send someone to monitor the poor monk, as long as you can listen to the poor monk's advice. Dao Yan was still expressionless, as if it didn't matter if he put his life in the hands of Zhu Di.

"Lonely and believe you for once. Zhu Di pondered for a long time, and finally decided to accept Dao Yan. Dao Yan is proficient in the three religions, and has a good relationship with the academic leaders of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. But he always had a trace of vigilance against Dao Yan in his heart, after all, the grievances between his mother and Ma Xiuying and Dao Yan were inseparable.

"That's very good. Dao Yan said calmly, without a hint of joy, as if this was a matter of course.

In the 25th year of Hongwu, Zhu Biao died of illness at the age of Chinese New Year's Eve 7; in the 31st year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang died at the age of 71; and Zhu Yunwen, who was 21 years old, succeeded to the throne.

Dao Yan said to Zhu Di with regret: "The prince can start an incident now." In fact, before this, he persuaded Zhu Di to rebel and pull Zhu Yuanzhang off the throne, but unfortunately Zhu Di was afraid that Zhu Yuanzhang had reached the bone marrow, and insisted on refusing to act rashly when Zhu Yuanzhang was alive, so that he could not see a farce of father and son killing each other.

"Thanks to the master's help, I am alone today. When he ascended the throne on a lonely day, he made the master a national teacher. Zhu Di's cheeks were red with excitement, and the plan he had been planning for many years was finally coming true.

"No, if the prince ascends the throne, he will give the poor monk a dying. The poor monk said that he would only help you ascend to the throne, and the rest of the matter has nothing to do with the poor monk. Dao Yan didn't have a trace of excitement, and calmly made tea, obviously not interested in Zhu Di's proposal. He handed the tea to Zhu Di, looked up at Zhu Di's Yin Hall, a trace of black gas loomed between Zhu Di's eyebrows, it seemed that he had finally approached Zhu Di's chronic poison had begun to take effect.

Collect the leaves of the poisonous flower to make tea, it is estimated that only Dao Yan in the world will do this. Li Qi'er used poisonous flowers to kill Zhu Xiongying and Zhu Biao quietly and ruthlessly, and killed Ma Xiuying angrily, he just gave back to him in his own way. He helped Zhu Di launch a coup d'état just to destroy Zhu Yuanzhang's country, and he never forgot that Zhu Di was Li Qi'er's son.

Zhu Di was stunned, who is not eager to follow the dragon's merits, only Dao Yan will always have a wavering expression when he follows him, neither humble nor arrogant, not happy or angry, as if he is just to help himself ascend to the throne, and has nothing else to ask for. However, such a person who is not greedy for power is reassuring, Zhu Di put down the doubts in his heart, and raised a glass to celebrate the upcoming victory with Dao Yan.

Boom, the iron-cast gate of the palace was blasted open by artillery, Jianwen Emperor Zhu Yunwen collapsed on the dragon chair in despair, his uncle finally hit the capital, what should he do?

When the palace people fled in panic, an old woman slashed a palace person to death with a sword, and shouted: "Swear to defend the emperor to the death!"

"Mama Shadow!" Zhu Yunwen cried bitterly, everyone only knew to escape, only Xun Ying still remembered him. He always thought that his imperial grandmother did not like him, but the imperial grandmother left him a most loyal person.

"Your Majesty, the slave will take you away. Xunying never dared to forget the secret passages in the palace that Ma Xiuying had told her, and she remembered that Ma Xiuying had repeatedly told her to remember it carefully, maybe she would use it in the future. Could it be that Ma Xiuying already knew that there would be this day?

Zhu Yunwen said resolutely: "No, I can't leave the emperor's grandfather!"

"Your Majesty, don't hesitate to stay in the green mountains without worrying about running out of firewood. At this time, it was imminent, Xun Ying didn't have time to think about it, and was about to drag Zhu Yunwen into the secret passage, when a team of soldiers suddenly rushed in from outside.

The leading general glanced at them and said, "There is no Emperor Jianwen here, you should go elsewhere to find it, you can't let him escape." ”

Xun Ying burst into tears as soon as she heard this voice, is it him, is he coming? She hugged Zhu Yunwen tightly and trembled, not knowing if he was here to arrest them, or ......

Zhu Yunwen hid in Xunying's arms and did not dare to show his face, lest others find out that he was Emperor Jianwen. After all, he was also a human being, and he subconsciously felt scared when he saw the murderous soldiers rushing in.

The soldiers complied with the order and hurriedly searched the palaces.

The general closed the door and sighed lightly, "Xunying, I'm here, let's take the emperor out of the capital." ”

Xun Ying suddenly raised his head and couldn't cry, "Brother Mu, is it really you?"

"It's me, it's me. Mu Longsheng stepped forward and hugged Xun Ying, and Zhu Yunwen was sandwiched between the two and almost out of breath.

Xun Ying was pleasantly surprised, and did not forget to get down to business, "You said you were going to take the emperor out of the capital?"

"Yes, the master asked me to escort the emperor to Nanyang, and he is ready to clear the customs all the way, and he will not be hindered. Master Shen has started a career in Nanyang, and the emperor went to Nanyang to ensure that food and clothing are worry-free. Mu Longsheng took out two robes and urged them to change into them and set off quickly.

"Since he still came to save the emperor, why did he help Zhu Di to abuse the throne in the first place?" Xun Ying took the robe complicatedly, even if Dao Yan sent Mu Longsheng to help them escape now, she would not forgive Dao Yan for helping Zhu Di plot to usurp the throne. How could he help the son of the enemy hurt Ma Xiuying's grandson?

"Well, let's go. Mu Longsheng didn't know how to answer, he had been by Dao Yan's side for many years, and he had seen the jade bracelet and gold lock left by Dao Yan and Ma Xiuying to remember the sad situation, and he had also seen the situation where Dao Yan gave advice to Zhu Di with a calm expression, and he had also seen the situation where Dao Yan ordered the execution of the erring official without frowning. Sometimes Dao Yan's indifference and ruthlessness even made him feel cold, and he thought that Dao Yan might have gone crazy on the day Ma Xiuying died.

The young emperor finally had a chance to speak, "Where are you going to take me?" What master, what Master Shen, why can't he understand the conversation between Mama Ying and this man? They want to take him to Nanyang, so what will happen to his country?

"Your Majesty, he is your imperial grandmother's subordinate, and he is also loyal to you. Xun Ying then remembered that he hadn't introduced the origin of Mu Longsheng to Zhu Yunwen.

"But he ......" Zhu Yunwen obviously didn't believe it, if this man was loyal to him, why would he lead people to attack the palace?

"Hurry up, my subordinates will explain to you later. Mu Longsheng snatched the robe from Xun Ying's hand and wrapped Zhu Yunwen, picked it up and left, and rubbed it again, just afraid that those soldiers would come back.

Xun Ying heard the word "later", and raised her eyebrows, "Won't you come back in the future?"

"I am the queen's shadow guard, of course I have to protect the queen's descendants," the former sentence Mu Longsheng said awe-inspiringly, and the latter sentence was full of affection, "I also want to protect your ......"

"Let's go, go to his Ming Dynasty, go to his Zhu Di, we will never come back!" came Xun Ying's joyful cheers from the secret passage.

In the sixteenth year of Yongle, Daoyan died of illness in Qingshou Temple at the age of eighty-four. The world has never understood why Dao Yan, as the number one contributor to Zhu Di's martyrdom, was willing to stay behind the scenes from beginning to end. After Zhu Di ascended the throne, he ordered him to grow his hair and return to the world, but he refused; Zhu Di gave him a mansion and a palace maid, but he still did not accept it, and was only willing to live in the temple. It is really rare in the world for such a person who has made great achievements but does not seek fame or profit, but who would have thought that everything he did was just for revenge.

In the twenty-second year of Yongle, Zhu Di suddenly died of illness in Yumuchuan during his expedition to Mongolia at the age of sixty-four. He didn't know until he died, his seemingly sturdy body had already been corrupted by Daoyan's tea little by little.