Time flies, time flies.

"Woo ......" A long and distant whistle woke up Zhu Gaoxu. When he opened his eyes, he saw a young woman sitting across from him, and she immediately smiled softly. Her face is very smooth and fair, full of youthful energy, and she looks very young.

Zhu Gaoxu then saw his withered and wrinkled hands, and only then did he come back to his senses, it turned out that he was very old. He almost forgot about this stubble when he woke up, and recently he has become more and more confused, often in a trance, and often has pain in his chest.

He tried to get up from his chair, but he struggled. The woman on the other side got up and said kindly, "Holy Lord, slow down, the slave and maid are supporting you." "The name she Xiaohe and Zhu Gaoxu gave her.

Zhu Gaoxu finally sobered up a little, remembering that he was on a carriage bound for the train station.

It is now the fifty-sixth year of Wude (1465 AD), Zhu Gaoxu is eighty-two years old, and half a century has just passed since he ruled the Ming Dynasty.

Probably because he was in good physical condition, he lived longer than many people, he had six sons, and two of them had died of old age or illness. The eldest son, Zhan Yan, also failed to survive Zhu Gaoxu and became the crown prince for a lifetime; However, Zhu Gaoxu made Zhan Yan's eldest son Zhu Qihong the crown prince. Zhu Qihong is also middle-aged, 43 years old this year.

And the concubines who were first sealed by Wude, as well as the empress Guo Wei, also went to Zhu Gaoxu before Zhu Gaoxu and were buried in the emperor's mausoleum, where they were waiting for him to reunite.

The people Zhu Gaoxu knew when he was young almost died of old age. But when he was confused, he only remembered those people in the past, but it was easy to forget the people around him. So whenever he wakes up, he inevitably feels a little melancholy.

When people are old, they often like to remember, even if he is the emperor.

So Zhu Gaoxu wanted to go to Beijing, and by the way, he saw the only old brother who was still alive, Wang Bin, the Duke of Dingguo.

Xiaohe's voice said: "On the Holy Gift, Luan drove to Jingshi West Station, and it was almost half an hour. The slave and maid saw that the saint was sleeping soundly, and she couldn't bear to wake up the saint. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince (Zhu Gaoxu's eldest grandson) said that he was working state affairs, and finally rested for a while, so he asked everyone to wait, and asked someone to reschedule the train schedule. ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded, and slowly walked to the door of the carriage with her support. It was a wide and ornate horse-drawn carriage with four wheels with bearings.

Not far away, a train is docking on the tracks, probably for a long time. On the platform outside the train, a neat group of soldiers in gray uniforms and large-brimmed hats stood motionless, waiting for the train to depart before departure. They also wore white gloves and carried firearms on their shoulders.

The officers on guard in the vicinity were dressed in brocade, and they were brocade guards. There was also a group of people next to the carriage, who had just knelt on the ground and shouted, "Long live the saint." ”

"Flat, get up." Zhu Gaoxu said.

After Zhu Qihong got up, he said something. Zhu Gaoxu's ears are not very bright now, and he didn't hear clearly, so he beckoned and said, "Qi Hong, come here, I can't hear it from afar." ”

Qi Feng stepped forward and said again: "Please ask the imperial grandfather to focus on the dragon body and recuperate in Beijing for the time being." ”

Zhu Gaoxu shook his head, he suddenly remembered that he still had a few words, so he turned around to get back into the carriage.

Qi Feng hurriedly helped Zhu Gaoxu and asked him to walk back slowly.

Zhu Gaoxu sat down on the chair, and asked Zhu Qihong to sit in the position of Xiaohe just now.

Qi Feng bowed and said: "When the imperial grandfather arrives in Beijing, the grandson must be careful to supervise the country, submit the government affairs file every month, and ask the imperial grandfather to adjudicate all major matters." ”

"No, you don't." Zhu Gaoxu said, then took out a box from under the chair and put it on the table: "Daming is yours." ”

Qi Feng was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly said: "The emperor's grandfather is wise and martial, and his grandson still needs to learn and practice, and he is far from being able to take on heavy responsibilities." ”

Zhu Gaoxu laughed.

Qi Hong's waist bent lower.

Zhu Gaoxu said: "I can feel my body, as if the days are not too long. In the future, I am afraid that you will only have to learn by doing, and you will have to bear it whether you can take it or not. ”

Qi Hong's expression changed, and he hurriedly shook his head and said: "Grandpa Huang has no borders, and the Ming Dynasty can prosper for ten thousand years." ”

"I also want to live for 10,000 years, sometimes looking at these wrinkles, it's quite lost." Zhu Gaoxu smiled and said, "But no one can live forever, and the first emperor of the year ruled Liuhe, and he was not spared, and everyone would die." ”

Qi Hong's eyes were red, and they were quickly filled with tears.

Zhu Gaoxu looked at him, and he didn't know what his grandson's mood was. Even if Qi Feng wished that the emperor would ascend to heaven as soon as possible, it would not be much wrong, after all, Qi Hong's father had waited all his life and did not sit on the dragon chair.

Qi Feng choked up and said: "The civil and military appointments and dismissals of the third grade and above, the grandson should still let the imperial grandfather be judged." ”

Zhu Gaoxu said slowly: "Don't toss around, I can't control the future, what you want to do, just do it; Some things should be cautious, but there is no need to be afraid of making mistakes, how can people not make mistakes if they are not immortals? What's the point of taking care of it now for a year or two? What should you do, I have taught you a lot before, and it is useless to talk about it. Just do it yourself. ”

"Now." Zhu Gaoxu raised his head and gestured to the box on the table, "I have been on that chair for so many years, and I have some experiences and understandings, which are important to write in it." There are a lot of things that are not so glorious, and they are not very good for the world, but you may be useful as an emperor, so take them. ”

Qi Feng hesitated a little, and finally reached out and picked it up: "Grandson, remember the teachings of the emperor's grandfather." ”

"There is a palace in the north and in Beijing, and I live there when I get there." Zhu Gaoxu said. He glanced at his grandson a few more times, and suddenly remembered a few words, so he said casually, "Whether it is grandchildren, father and son, or husband and wife, it is a kind of fate, and we can get along well when we are together, not bad." ”

He vaguely remembered that he seemed to have said something similar to Miaojin a long, long time ago.

Qi Hong looked even more sad, tears dripping onto his robe. He said: "The imperial grandfather is very concerned about the progress of the Suez Canal, and when the Egyptian governor's palace reports the news, the grandson will report to the imperial grandfather as soon as possible." ”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded and said, "Okay." He glanced at the door, "Help me up, I'm going to get on the train." ”

Qi Feng walked over, carefully supported Zhu Gaoxu, and suddenly asked with some trepidation, "How should my grandson guard the Daming Dynasty and so many places overseas?" Please teach me from Grandpa Huang. ”

"Can I explain that clearly?" Zhu Gaoxu turned his head and said. He thought for a while, "Looking at the current situation, it should be difficult for the Ming Dynasty to lag behind the world in hundreds of years, and our country has gained a lot of things." The most troublesome thing is how to distribute it, this kind of thing can be fatal. I also have a headache and can't help you, so you can figure it out for yourself. I'm old. ”

Qi Hong's side face had a thoughtful expression, which was a little similar to Zhu Gaoxu.

Zhu Gaoxu looked at his appearance and smiled again.

"That's right." Zhu Gaoxu turned his head and glanced at Xiaohe behind him, "Xiaohe, this girl, she serves me very wholeheartedly, don't embarrass her in the future, let her go." ”

Qi Hong nodded and said, "Grandson remembers." ”

Xiaohe's voice said: "It is the duty of slaves and maids to serve the saints. ”

The three of them got out of the carriage, and a group of people standing outside bent over. The civil and military ministers are all known to Zhu Gaoxu, but they are no longer the original group of people, and some of the military ministers are the children and grandchildren of those old brothers. Qi Feng personally helped Zhu Gaoxu to get on the train. Zhu Gaoxu told him to go down, and he kowtowed again to say goodbye.

In this train, there are four carriages that are Zhu Gaoxu's living quarters, including a dining room, a bedroom, a place to study and work, and a place to bathe and go to the toilet. The other carriages were filled with guards of honor and heavily armed guards.

Zhu Gaoxu sat down in the carriage used as a study, lifted the curtains and looked outside, and waved his hand to Qi Hong and the others.

"Woo......" whistle sounded again, and the train moved slowly. The crown prince and the ministers were still standing on the platform, watching Zhu Gaoxu until they gradually lost sight of the figure.

Xiaohe began to silently do chores beside her, and it seemed as if she was about to make tea for Zhu Gaoxu.

Zhu Gaoxu closed his eyes for a while, and finally regained some energy, so he spoke: "In the past, if we wanted to lead troops to Beijing, it would take at least more than a month. Now it's different, this train is currently the most advanced means of transportation in the Ming Dynasty, it can run nearly 100 miles in an hour, and we will arrive at the place in two days and two nights. It will be faster later. ”

Xiaohe turned his head and said, "Outside of my hometown and Jingshi, the slave has never been there." ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "You can look around in the future." ”

Xiaohe pouted and said coquettishly: "Don't you want slaves and maids in the saint?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu smiled but did not speak.

"I could have given you a name." Zhu Gaoxu said.

Xiaohe hurriedly said: "The saint treats the slave and maid very well, and rewards the slave and maid with a lot of money." ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "Then you save it, and you can live a better life in the future." Once I go, the concubines who have names and no children will have to stay in the palace for the rest of their lives, which is a matter of royal face. Food and clothing are worry-free, but not necessarily a good thing. ”

Xiaohe said softly: "Is the saint so good to the people around him? ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "Most of them are not bad. At that time, you don't have to go back to Beijing, just stay in Beijing, or live in a different place. ”

Xiaohe said: "Holy Longen, slaves and maids will guard their chastity for the Holy Lord for a lifetime." ”

Zhu Gaoxu smiled again, but didn't say anything.

Just like this huge Ming Empire, can he still possess it forever?

There may be almost no one who wants to die, and no one wants to give up what they love, but whether they want to or not, nothing will change. Zhu Gaoxu has already begun to accept death in his heart, this is the only way he can suddenly understand, at least he doesn't have to panic and struggle uselessly.

The view of the town outside the window was gone, and there were probably patches of crops outside, and the view flew by outside the glass. Zhu Gaoxu's eyes were not very good, and his vision was blurry when he moved, but he could feel the new green color. It's spring time to rejuvenate.