August of the thirtieth year of Hongwu.

On a downtown street in the west city of Beiping Prefecture, a new grain store was quietly opened, called Dafeng Grain Store, the shopkeeper surnamed Wang, it is said that he is a native of Shanxi, on the first day of entering Beiping City, he sent hundreds of carts full of grain and grass to the border army camp outside Beiping City, and then entered the Yanwang Mansion alone, and later His Royal Highness the King of Yan personally sent him to the gate of the house.

Some people say that the shopkeeper Wang has a very good relationship with King Yan, and some people say that the shopkeeper Wang made a big deal with King Yan, which was quite courteous to King Yan.

There are many kinds of rumors, under the gaze of Beiping businessmen or respectful or awe, Dafeng Grain Bank came into being, and soon gained a foothold in Beiping, and the king of the grain store, his identity is still so mysterious.

Some people have noticed that since there were more Dafeng grain stores in Beiping Prefecture, grain trucks were often seen coming and going in the border army camps outside the city, loaded with grain into the camp, and the carts were planted with the banner of "Dafeng Grain Stores" to hunt in the wind.

Everything is still calm.

Zhu Di was training troops in Beiping, Xiao Fan was busy expanding the Jinyi Guard, arranging the intelligence network from Beijing to the north, and the court of the Beijing division was harmonious, Zhu Yuanzhang was old, and his body was not as good as the other, and all government affairs had basically been handed over to Zhu Yunwen to take care of.

And the civil and military ministers of the Manchu Dynasty can't care about intrigue now, and their eyes are fixed on Zhu Yuanzhang at the same time.

Everyone knows that Zhu Yuanzhang is dying, and once he dies, the court will inevitably face a reshuffle, and power and interests will be redistributed.

As a result, the ministers' private correspondence became more and more frequent, and Qingliu and the Annihilation Party all met separately, and a brutal power struggle brewed in the calm.

In such a strange calm atmosphere, thirty years of Hongwu gradually passed.

In April of the 31st year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang fell ill again in the palace and fell unconscious, and the hospital tried its best to save Zhu Yuanzhang to wake him up, but Zhu Yuanzhang woke up and became unconscious, had a fever, talked nonsense, and his physical condition became worse and worse.

Zhu Yunwen, who had been on behalf of the Son of Heaven, hurriedly stopped the court meeting and hurried to the inner palace to visit.

When the news came out, there was an uproar in the Manchu Dynasty, and the ministers suddenly became more and more panicked or nervous, and they walked around in private more frequently.

And the internal officials and eunuchs in the palace, with Zhu Yunwen's tearful acquiescence, began to be busy preparing for the funeral of the emperor, white silk, filial piety, incense and candles, rituals, etc., all the things that should be prepared should be prepared.

When the Manchu Dynasty was in a panic, only the Jinyi Guards commanded Xiao Fan's face to remain unchanged, and he was like a god looking down on all living beings, coldly looking at the joys, sorrows, and sorrows of the audience.

Xiao Fan knew that Zhu Yuanzhang's life was approaching, and the history books recorded that in May of this year, Zhu Yuanzhang died, and now it is April, less than a month before his death.

No one can change what is destined to happen.

Xiao Fan set his sights on the north, the ambitious vassal king, in this extraordinary period, his father was about to die, he ...... Do you have the courage to go to Beijing to worship?

Beiping Yanwang Mansion.

It was spring again, the sun was shining on the peach forest in the garden on the left side of the apse, and Zhu Di, the king of Yan, and the monk Daoyan sat at the stone table in the middle of the peach forest to play against each other.

The peach tree blooms every year, and this year it is red.

This year is a very important year for Yanwang Zhu Di. The major events that have been planned and prepared for many years may soon come to the end of the day.

The more he got to this moment, the more nervous Zhu Di became.

The risk of this matter is too high, so high that he can't afford it, because the price is his Yan Wang's net worth!

The chessboard is staggered in black and white, and the balance of power is clear.

"Smack"

Big flying hanging in the corners.

Monk Daoyan calmly left a son.

Zhu Di's eyes were staring at the chessboard, but his mind didn't know where it was going.

"Sir, there is news from Jingshi, at the beginning ......of this month, my father was seriously ill and in a coma," Zhu Di said gloomily.

Dao Yan nodded: "The poor monk already knows. ”

Zhu Di raised his eyes, looked at Dao Yan with complicated eyes, and said, "The imperial doctor in the palace said that my father may die soon......

"The poor monk knows."

"Sir...... What should the king do? ”

Dao Yan said lightly: "What does the prince mean, do you want to go back to Beijing to send the Son of Heaven to the end?" ”

Zhu Di lowered his head and was silent, looking very hesitant.

Dao Yan's eyes gradually emitted a sharp light, and he said in a deep voice: "Lord Wang, have you ever thought about what will happen after you enter Beijing?" ”

"Of course this king has thought that if I enter Beijing, Xiao Fan's vertical son will definitely not let me go, once my father dies, the first thing he does is to put this king under house arrest, and then ask the new emperor to cut my ......" Zhu Di's eyes burst with resentment.

"The prince still wants to enter Beijing?"

Zhu Di sighed and said, "But...... If this king wants to replace Zhu Yunwen, the name of righteousness is very important, if I don't even go back to pay tribute to my father's death, how will the people of the world look at me? I rule the world with filial piety, my father dies and my son does not mourn, I will lose the hearts of the people in the world, what is the great cause at that time? ”

"Only by keeping yourself can you plan for great things! If the prince enters Beijing, I am afraid that he can only die in Beijing in this life, and the great cause is even more hopeless. Dao Yan calmly fell again.

Zhu Di looked at the chessboard with a complicated situation in front of him, only to feel impetuous, and his mood became disordered.

"What should this king do so that he can protect himself without losing his righteousness and filial piety?"

Dao Yan played with the white jade chess pieces in his hand and smiled deeply.

"Before the Son of Heaven died, why didn't the prince fall ill at this time? By the time the Son of Heaven died, the prince's illness at that time must have become more and more serious, and his life was already in the dark of the day, and he couldn't move, how to enter Beijing to pay respects? ”

A flash of joy flashed on Zhu Di's face, and then he frowned again: "But...... When my father was about to die, the king happened to fall ill, this ...... It's too much of a coincidence, isn't it? Zhu Yunwen and the Manchu Dynasty are not fools, will they believe it? ”

Dao Yan said with a smile: "It's okay, the prince can send your three sons to Beijing to pay tribute to his father, King Yan is seriously ill, and he still sends all his heirs to Beijing, so selfless and frank, who in the world will say half a sentence about the prince?" ”

Zhu Di was puzzled: "Yes, yes, but ...... If Xiao Fan is bold and reckless, he will take the king's three sons as hostages......"

Dao Yan smiled deeply: "Xiao Fan is not so bold, the prince is majestic and has heavy troops, Xiao Fan is not a fool, he will never dare to risk the disapproval of the world, if he dares to detain the prince, start a military affair without permission, and provoke the king of the domain, the charge will fall on him, besides, he has always been on the same page as the Qingliu in the court, if he detains the prince, the prince only needs to show his military power at the border, and Huang Zicheng's pedantic ministers will be impeached together, at that time he will be too busy to take care of himself, and he will be embarrassed internally and externally, and the consequences will naturally be very dangerous, Xiao Fan is a smart person, and he will not do such a stupid thing...... ”

Zhu Di's eyes flashed with a touch of brilliance when he heard this, and he pondered for a long time, and suddenly felt that his mind was clear, and the whole person suddenly brightened.

"Haha, Mr. is worthy of being the king's military advisor, not bad, not bad! That's it! Ming said that the king sent 800 miles to rush the book into Beijing, and the king of Yan became more and more serious, haha......"

"Smack"

Zhu Di calmly dropped a son on the chessboard.

In the Dragon Slaying Bureau, a big dragon that Dao Yan had worked hard to arrange was easily strangled by Zhu Di's son.

Dao Yan smiled and shook his head, grabbed a handful of chess pieces and threw them on the chessboard, admitting defeat.

Zhu Di laughed proudly, laughing heroically, like a tiger roaring in the mountains and forests, magnificent, startling a group of birds in the peach forest.

Dao Yan looked at Zhu Di deeply, and his eyes showed undisguised appreciation.

The Son of Heaven is critically ill, and at the same time, the Yan Wangfu in Beiping also sent a fast horse for 800 miles to expedite the report, and the Yan King is seriously ill and his life is on the verge of death!

The ministers of the Manchu Dynasty were surprised or suspicious, and there were many discussions.

Xiao Fan read the secret report from the intelligence station on the periphery of Jinyiwei stationed in Beiping, and then threw the secret report on the bookcase very casually, and the corners of his mouth pulled out a bit of a sneering sneer.

It's time to get sick!

At the beginning of May of the thirty-first year of Hongwu.

The Son of Heaven was seriously ill, and the kings were uneasy, except for the King of Yan, the rest of the kings entered Beijing one after another.

At the same time, Xiao Fan sent Jinyi Guards to patrol the world, closely monitoring whether there were signs of large-scale mobilization of troops and horses under the command of the feudal kings in various places.

On the fifth day of the fifth month of May, Zhu Yuanzhang fell into a coma again, the world was shaken and uneasy, and everyone was in a panic.

After Xiao Fan asked Zhu Yunwen for instructions, he urgently ordered the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies to close the city gate, and the Beijing Division imposed a curfew.

On the sixth day of the fifth month, Zhu Yunwen transferred five thousand households to enter the palace in the suburbs of Beijing, led by Geng Bingwen, the founder of Changxing, to replace the original palace guards.

In the capital city, inside and outside the palace, a deep and solemn aura of slaughter enveloped everyone's hearts, making people feel suffocated.

Twenty days passed in a dull and depressing day.

On May 23, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been in a coma for many days, suddenly woke up.

Zhu Yunwen couldn't untie his clothes, and he had been serving by Zhu Yuanzhang's bedside, seeing Zhu Yuanzhang wake up, Zhu Yunwen couldn't help but be overjoyed, holding Zhu Yuanzhang's withered old hand with tears of joy.

Zhu Yuanzhang gasped weakly, stretched out his hand tremblingly, and caressed the top of Zhu Yunwen's head lovingly, his eyes were full of too much reluctance.

"Imperial grandfather! You're awake! These children are in a hurry to kill their grandchildren......" Zhu Yunwen said with tears streaming down his face.

"Idiot...... Even if I don't wake up, you should do your duty and maintain the government, how can you delay state affairs for the sake of me? Zhu Yuanzhang blamed gently, but his eyes were full of love.

"I rule the world with filial piety in the Ming Dynasty, and the emperor's grandfather is not awake, how can my grandson have the heart to govern state affairs?"

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled with relief, and the vicissitudes of life covered with age spots revealed a benevolent and soft brilliance.

"I ...... I'm afraid that Yangshou is over. Zhu Yuanzhang's tone was very flat, as if he was talking about something that had nothing to do with him.

"Imperial grandfather!" Zhu Yunwen looked at him in horror, at this moment, he was like a child who was about to be abandoned by adults, so helpless.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face gradually became serious, coughed a few times, and asked, "Have you ever sent troops to replace the palace guards?" ”

Zhu Yunwen choked up with tears and nodded.

"Are there any signs of the movement of troops and horses from the vassal kings in various places?"

"The brocade clothes sent by Xiao Fan reported that the soldiers and horses of the vassal king had not moved, and most of them had entered Beijing, only the fourth emperor uncle Yan Wang said that he was sick and was seriously ill."

Zhu Yuanzhang, who suddenly became conscious, heard this, and his eyes flashed with a deep complexity.

With a long sigh, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't say more, but his spirit seemed to be lifted up a lot, his eyes were blurred, and many old illusions seemed to flash in front of him.

"Yun Wei, help me up...... I'm going to leave the palace. Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth and forced himself to support his weak body.

Zhu Yunwen hurriedly helped Zhu Yuanzhang up, and exclaimed: "Grandfather is seriously ill and not suitable for travel, what are you doing when you leave the palace at this time?" ”

Zhu Yuanzhang gasped for breath quickly, and said with a weak smile: "If I don't leave the palace again, I'm afraid I won't be able to leave the palace in this life......"

When Zhu Yunwen heard this, he immediately burst into tears again: "Where is the imperial grandfather going?" ”

"The Suburbs of Beijing...... Racecourse! ”

The ministers who were guarding the yamen and paying close attention to the news in the palace heard that Zhu Yuanzhang had woken up, some were secretly relieved, and some were extremely disappointed, whether they were disappointed or happy, they had to make an ecstatic appearance on the surface.

Hearing that Zhu Yuanzhang's first request after waking up was to leave the palace, everyone was stunned, and they didn't know what Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to do.

No matter what the Son of Heaven wanted to do, the ministers did not dare to oppose it at this time.

In the afternoon, the thick and heavy vermilion lacquer gate of the noon gate slowly opened, and the ministers stood outside the palace gate, and saw the honor guard of the brocade pro-army come out, and they knelt down on both sides of the honor guard, bowed to the ground, and said long live.

The emperor traveled, the momentum was huge, the jade chariot, the guide cover, the basin, the dust, the spit pot, the horse, the chair each, the Yue, the star, the lying melon, the standing melon, my staff, the imperial staff, the guide staff and other ceremonial guards a total of one hundred and twelve, followed by the jade chariot, the golden chariot, the elephant chariot and the leather chariot each one multiplication, the treasure elephant five heads, the elephant four heads, the static whip four, the ten horses, the rear leopard tail gun ten, the instrument knife ten.

Xiao Fan as the commander of the Jinyi guard, the leader of the honor guard of Xiju should be the first to open the way, he is dressed in a new and beautiful flying fish brocade clothes, the cuffs are embroidered with four gold threads, riding a horse in the front of the honor guard, the Han general wearing a golden-winged helmet is lined up left and right, Zhu Yuanzhang's honor guard has just left the palace gate, the Han general and the sergeant of the Governor's Mansion of the Five Armies have blocked the street leading to the Taiping Gate of Beicheng at noon, the quiet whip is several sounds, the water is poured on the street, and the officials and the people are all kneeling down.

Zhu Yuanzhang was half-lying on the jade chariot, stretched out his hand and lifted the bead curtain in the chariot with difficulty, his cloudy eyes swept over the people on both sides of the street who were kneeling to him and bowing to him, looking in awe, he sighed, and then showed a complicated smile.

At this moment, what is the founding king of the country who defeated Zhu Ming with his white hands and restored the Han people, what is he thinking in his heart? No one can tell.

Horse farm in the northern suburbs of Jingshi.

This was originally a piece of farmland, Zhu Yuanzhang decided to take back the farmland, moved the people, ordered people to plant grass here, and built a vast royal horse farm.

The ministers followed the emperor's guard of honor, and they came to the horse farm in fear.

The jade chariot stopped at the edge of the racecourse, and the eunuch respectfully gently lifted the bead curtain in front of the chariot.

Zhu Yuanzhang opened his cloudy old eyes and looked at the vast green grassland in front of him, and his godless and lifeless eyes suddenly shone brightly, as if he was even invigorated.

"Fu ...... Fu Zhen Down. Zhu Yuanzhang trembled and stretched out his hand, his tone was a little excited.

Zhu Yunwen and Xiao Fan, who were standing on both sides of the jade chariot, hurriedly stretched out their hands, and steadily supported Zhu Yuanzhang's trembling body one left and one right.

The Son of Heaven, who had been ill for a long time, finally appeared, and the ministers who followed immediately burst into tears, wept and worshipped, and shouted long live in unison, and the roadside on the edge of the racecourse suddenly knelt down in the dark.

Zhu Yuanzhang ignored the kneeling ministers, turned his head sideways with difficulty, and said to Xiao Fan beside him: "Go...... Bring a horse, I, to ride. ”

Xiao Fan is sick like this, can he still ride a horse?

Zhu Yunwen said hurriedly: "The emperor's grandfather's dragon body has not healed, according to his grandson's opinion, it is better to change his name......"

Zhu Yuanzhang's tone gradually sank, and he stared at Xiao Fan impatiently and said, "Go quickly!" ”

Xiao Fan bowed down, then turned around and ordered someone to choose a horse in the stable and lead it to the edge of the racecourse.

Looking at the black, strong horse impatiently plowing the ground with the horse's hooves, and snorting lightly from time to time, the excitement in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes became more and more intense.

"Yun Wei, Xiao Fan ......"

"Grandson (minister) is in ......"

"Get on the horse!"

Xiao Fan looked up in amazement and glanced at Zhu Yunwen, Zhu Yunwen nodded at him helplessly, and then his eyes turned red, and tears couldn't stop flowing.

"Yes."

The two of them supported Zhu Yuanzhang's legs one after the other, and helped the frail old man into the saddle with difficulty.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on a horse, looking at the land that belonged to him in front of him, and a familiar feeling arose.

I, a monk who did not eat enough food in Huangjue Temple, a beggar who had no food and clothing in Huaixi Village, decades have passed, Haozhou City has begun to work hard, Poyang Lake is on fire, the grassland desert drinks blood, and the ancient capital Jinling has created an emperor's industry!

In this world, I fought down!

The years urge people to grow old, but they can't erase the glory of creating a prosperous era of the Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Yuanzhang, whose heart was agitated, was a little confused on his gray face at the moment.

I was a young man in my prime, and now I'm getting older, what have I gained in this life? What was lost?

The enemies of the year, Wang Baobao, Chen Youliang, Zhang Shicheng...... They all fell by my sword.

Comrades-in-arms of the year, Hu Weiyong, Li Shanchang, Lan Yu, Fu Youde...... They also fell by my sword.

How wrong was it in my life? How many are right?

Zhu Yuanzhang, who sat on the horse for a long time and was speechless, his expression was full of confusion and pathos.

Suddenly, he laughed, and his vigorous laughter was infinitely light and free.

Right and wrong, it is up to posterity to say!

I am who I am! I'm Zhu Yuanzhang! There is only one Zhu Yuanzhang in the world!

The country is picturesque, how many heroes at one time!

The color of confusion was gone, Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to have recovered from his illness, his whole body was full of strength, his trembling fingers grasped the horsewhip steadily, and he jerked it back, the horse was in pain, and he galloped towards the vast horse farm.

The ministers were startled, watching Zhu Yuanzhang running into the distance alone, as if he was extremely tragic in the desolation.

The ministers' eyes gradually blurred, and they suddenly felt a burst of sadness, and then everyone knelt down to Zhu Yuanzhang, who was far away.

Xiao Fan also felt sad, this old man, who has the universe in his chest, is rich in the world, and has created a great cause for all generations, but he is still a lonely and pitiful old man.

After being silent for a long time, Xiao Fan also lifted the hem of his official robe, pushed the gold mountain, poured the jade pillar, knelt on the edge of the racecourse, and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, who had only a small black dot left in the distance, and felt very sad.

Zhu Yuanzhang dragged his heavy sick body, only heard the whirring wind in his ears, although his body was extremely weak, but his mood was extremely happy.

This is an old man who has been stubborn and stubborn all his life, and until his death, he is saying goodbye to this world that belongs to him in a stubborn way.

The scenery in his eyes was rapidly receding, at this moment, he seemed to hear the sound of the golden iron horse and the sword colliding in his ears, and he seemed to see the tragic scene of the sword dancing in the yellow sand and the blood-stained robe.

So familiar, so agitated, it turns out that I, Zhu Chongba, was born to belong to the battlefield!

Even though the hero is in the twilight, I am still a hero!

Heroes and the sky never grows old! Boundless with the country!

Suddenly reining in the horse's head, Zhu Yuanzhang gasped and looked at the last trace of afterglow in the sky, slowly looked back, and threw a last glimpse at the ministers kneeling all over the ground behind him, as well as the endless magnificent rivers and mountains in the distance.

"Boom!"

Zhu Yuanzhang took out the instrument knife on his waist, the snowy blade pointed straight at the sky, he looked up to the sky and laughed heroically, the laughter was fierce and exciting, and the sound moved for nine days.

"I am the right cloth of Huai, and the world is not in me!"

(To be continued)