In fact, once the Ming Dynasty reached the Hongzhi period, the national fortunes had actually begun to decline, and various drawbacks gradually emerged on the table.

Especially the most important thing is that since the change of Ming Yingzong's civil fort, the entire Xungui group has entered a trough in an instant, making the military power of the Ming Dynasty gradually suppressed by the civilian group.

To this day, the status of a general of four or five grades in the imperial court is not even as high as that of a magistrate from seven ranks.

If you talk about it in detail, there are simply too many shortcomings and flaws in the Ming Dynasty.

It's a pity that Zhou Chen has a very shallow relationship with the young man in front of him, and Zhou Chen naturally doesn't have the heart to discuss these things with him.

What's more, there is a saying that if you say too much, you will lose, the identity of the young man in front of him is not simple, if Zhou Chen says something taboo, it will be too much to gain in the end.

And the young man looked at the victims in front of him who seemed to be black clouds gathered together, and his heart was also very uncomfortable, and he didn't have the heart to talk about these things with Zhou Chen at all.

So even if Zhou Chen didn't answer anything, the young man didn't care much.

After he bowed to Zhou Chen and said goodbye, he left in a hurry.

Seeing that the young man gradually disappeared under the protection and support of the Jinyi Guard, Zhou Chen and Badao also left this place.

Walking through the city gate into the capital, Zhou Chen and Badao casually found a good inn to live in.

After ordering some random food to eat, the two went back to their rooms to rest.

After rushing for so many days in a row, even though Zhou Chen and Ba Dao were both martial artists with good martial arts cultivation, the two of them also felt tired and tired.

Zhou Chen is resting here, but the young man who was separated from him just now is getting busier and busier.

Under the protection of the four brocade guards, he walked through the outer city all the way and went straight to the palace.

Perhaps because there were too many victims in the capital, there were many more forbidden troops in the palace than before.

Along the way, from time to time, a group of forbidden troops patrolled by.

Even in the shadows, there are countless brocade guards hidden in it, acting as secret sentinels to guard the entire palace around.

"I've seen His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

Along the way, all the forbidden soldiers who saw the young man knelt down on one knee and saluted.

Zhou Chen's previous guess was not wrong, this young man in a yellow robe is the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty today, the only son of Emperor Zhu Youzhu of Hongzhi, Zhu Houzhao.

Under the escort and support of a group of brocade guards, Zhu Houzhao came to a large hall inside the palace.

After he had waited for a moment, a eunuch from the palace came out and welcomed him into the main hall.

The décor in the main hall was not at all as luxurious as most people would expect from the palace, except for a thick table, a few wooden chairs, and a few vases.

Behind that table sat a middle-aged man, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, who was the current son Zhu Youjiao.

"Father, the son is back!"

Zhu Houzhao walked to the center of the hall, arched his hand and saluted.

Emperor Hongji, who was flipping through the folds, couldn't help but raise his head from behind the table when he heard the familiar voice of his only son.

Looking at Zhu Houzhao below, Emperor Hongzhi's eyes immediately flashed a distressed look, and he looked at Zhu Houzhao dotingly and said, "The prince is back?" This time, you went out to observe the people's situation, and the journey went smoothly? ”

Zhu Houzhao shook his head and said: "It was not very smooth, Erchen encountered a group of hungry red-eyed wolves in the mountains and forests, but fortunately, the guards rescued each other desperately, so he was able to escape unharmed."

It's a pity that the more than 20 guards who originally followed Erchen out of Beijing are now only four left. ”

On the way back, Zhu Houzhao had already told the four brocade guards who were accompanying him not to disclose the attack on his road, so as not to worry about Emperor Hongzhi.

Zhu Houzhao knew that his father's health was not very good, and if he knew that someone was chasing and killing him, he would probably be angry and hurt his body.

As for the brocade guards who died because of protecting him, Zhu Houzhao naturally prepared a rhetoric, and at the same time added a full ten times the pension.

Hearing Zhu Houzhao's words, Emperor Hongzhi's spoiled face also changed slightly, and he raised his eyes to look at his son in surprise.

Zhu Houzhao, as the only son of Emperor Hongzhi, Emperor Hongzhi naturally knew his temperament and habits very well, and it was not an exaggeration to say that he knew everything about it.

Since he was a child, whenever Zhu Houzhao lied, his right index finger would unconsciously tap slightly.

At this moment, the frequency of Zhu Houzhao's right index finger is very intensive, which is exactly the manifestation of Zhu Houzhao's nervousness because of lying.

What's more, Emperor Hongzhi has been the emperor of the Ming Dynasty for more than ten years, and he has been dealing with those old foxes in the court every day, and his mind is so sharp.

The trace of unnaturalness that flashed on Zhu Houzhao's face just now as he spoke did not escape the perception of Emperor Hongzhi at all.

"I didn't expect the prince to go out this time, and after coming back, he would learn to deceive his father."

Emperor Hongzhi glanced at Zhu Houzhao deeply, and he joked with a smile.

"Father, everything the son said is true."

Although he knew that his lie had been discovered, Zhu Houzhao still gritted his teeth and went down.

If the fact that he was attacked can not be known by Emperor Hongzhi, it is better not to be known by Emperor Hongzhi.

After all, Emperor Hongzhi was ill, and if he knew that someone dared to attack and kill his only son, then he would definitely be furious even if he was kind.

In order to prevent Emperor Hongzhi from hurting his body, Zhu Houzhao had to hide the matter no matter what.

"Well, my son is old, and it's normal to have secrets with his father, just don't ask you!"

Seeing that his son was still gritting his teeth there, Emperor Hongzhi's eyes couldn't help but smile, and he didn't continue to dwell on this matter.

"Father, when the ministers returned to Beijing this time, they saw countless victims gathered outside the city, which is not in line with what the ministers of the court and the central government said about the national peace and security!"

After seeing that his father no longer continued to question him, Zhu Houzhao couldn't wait to say the purpose of his hurried back to the palace to meet Shengyan.

Hearing these words in his ears, the look on Emperor Hongzhi's face couldn't help but be stunned, and he slowly put down the music in his hand.