In the imperial city, a strict news blockade was carried out on the emperor's sudden departure from home.

The crown prince Zhu Biao was very helpless, and felt a sense of powerlessness in the face of the emperor suddenly leaving a handwritten letter and leaving Beijing with his two grandsons.

But after sighing, he could only strictly prohibit the spread of this matter in the court with strict orders.

After the palace people of the Qianqing Palace were reprimanded with a rod for thirty years, they were not immediately expelled from the palace, but were uniformly imprisoned in the inner court, and only when the emperor returned to Beijing with his two grandsons to enter the palace would these people be released.

After a brief period of sorrow, the Cabinet had no choice but to forget about it.

Fortunately, in the past two years, the emperor has indeed not personally appeared at court meetings, and it has always been the crown prince who presides over the court affairs.

For now, as long as the emperor continues to be obsessed with teasing his grandson, the affairs outside the palace are still handled by the crown prince.

In the end, only Jiang Xuan, the commander of the Jinyi Guard, was left behind, and the man who had been in charge of the Jinyi Guard for many years was taken to the palace by the crown prince and severely reprimanded.

Then Jiang Xuan secretly personally took the brocade clothes and guards, and went out of Beijing in a big way, secretly looking for the traces of His Majesty the Emperor.

"No news yet?"

In the Wenhua Palace, Zhu Biao sent out the surrounding officials, stared at Zhang Hui, the brocade guard who was kneeling in front of him, and asked in a hoarse voice.

Zhang Hui lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "The commander has personally led people out of Beijing, in order to avoid the leakage of the situation, Jinyiwei has continued to let people be sent outside these days, and now nearly 4,000 people have been dispatched." It's just that no news has come back......"

Zhang Hui was very nervous in his heart, and after saying that he had never found any trace of the emperor, he raised his head and quietly glanced at the crown prince with a gloomy face.

He immediately added: "However, at present, the country is peaceful, and His Royal Highness King Qin has been using knives in the local area in the past two years, and there are very few bandits and bandits in the past, so there is no need to worry about the safety of Your Majesty."

The ministers have also checked the inner court, and in addition to the two princes around His Majesty, there is also the chief eunuch of the inner court, Eunuch Sun, with a team of forbidden officers and soldiers.

The ministers believe that as long as there is some time, there will be news of His Majesty. ”

Zhu Biao shook his head a little boredly, and whispered, "Where do you say the old man will go?" The world is so big, how can you find it? ”

Zhang Hui knew how much impact the emperor had on the palace and outside the palace when he secretly left Beijing.

Paper can't contain the fire, as long as His Majesty the Emperor never comes back, this matter will be known to the court sooner or later, and the court will inevitably be in chaos at that time.

Zhang Hui whispered: "When Your Majesty boarded the steam warship of Longjiang Shipyard, he said that if one day he would sail to sea, maybe this is a possible place. ”

Zhu Biao immediately waved his hand and said: "If the old man wants to sail out to sea, we would have known it at this time." ”

The warships of the imperial court and navy are all floating on the water, and any court can immediately know which one of them is missing. It was the old man who used a civilian boat, and after so many days, Jinyiwei was already able to find out.

Zhang Hui frowned, and said again: "If Your Majesty has never gone to sea, then only the direction of Fengyang in the central capital, and the side of Huguang Road are the most likely." ”

As he said this, he looked up again at the crown prince who was sitting above.

Zhu Biao's eyes flickered a little, and he nodded: "The old man hasn't returned to Fengyang for a long time, if he says that he wants to go back to have a look, it's possible."

As for the Huguang Road side......

Taisun is now leading the troops to go, and the court has always said that this is Chen Bing's Sichuan Road to deal with the plateau, but in fact, it is for the southwest Tusi to change the land and return to the stream.

The old man took Brother Chi and Brother Bing, and it was possible that he would go over there and see with his own eyes how Brother Xi did things. ”

Zhang Hui clenched his fists and leaned forward: "Then your subordinates will go to the commander now, mobilize the brothers, and go to Zhongdu and Huguang Road to find the past." ”

Zhu Biao nodded: "Let's go, and send some more people to the nine sides." It is inevitable that the old man does not have the idea of stepping on the grassland, so he should send some people in this direction. ”

Zhang Hui had already stood up with his fists clenched, lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty has taken orders." ”

……

"I hope the people in the capital can guess that the old man is going to Huguang Road."

Zhu Gaochi, who had already followed the old man to Anqing Mansion and was about to enter Huangzhou Mansion in Huguang Road, thought silently in his heart.

Compared with the worried Zhu Gaochi.

Zhu Yuanzhang's mood is very good.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who disguised himself as a landowner, avoided the official road, walked on the country road with people, looked at everything around him, and the smile on his face never stopped.

Even though Anqing Mansion is located in the Dabie Mountains, it has always been a place of hardship, but thanks to the fact that Anqing Mansion belongs to Zhili Dao, the new policies of the imperial court have been implemented for the first time in recent years, and now the lives of the people are relatively rich.

At this time, rice has already been planted in the fields.

As far as the eye can see, there are green and verdant rice seedlings, sparkling in the paddy fields, and the people are busy weeding and fertilizing with smiles on their faces.

Farther in the village, there were also bursts of reading.

That was the result of the imperial court's vigorous promotion of education in the past two days.

Once again, knowledge is devolved to the lower levels.

Education is no longer aimed at gaining merit and fame, but at acquiring literacy skills for a wider range of people.

The imperial court paid money and grain, recruited talents, and raised people to go to local rural villages to teach the children of these rural people to read and write.

Naturally, the imperial court was fair.

All those who conscientiously teach the children of the common people in the local area can get certain bonus points when they participate in the public examination in the future.

The imperial court just gave some money and food, and gave a bonus point of preferential treatment, which immediately attracted countless talents and people to devote themselves to the basic education of the Ming Dynasty.

In the near future, the people were busy working in the fields, in the distant villages were the sound of children reading, and in the distance, there were officials from the local government who were guiding the people in repairing ditches and other affairs.

All this made Zhu Yuanzhang feel gratified.

"When I came out this time, I always saw the real things with my own eyes."

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but sigh.

Sun Gou'er pulled out the kettle on the side and sent it to the emperor.

Zhu Yuanzhang took the kettle and drank it tons.

Zhu Gaochi suppressed the worry in his heart, and squeezed out a smile on his face: "Grandpa Huang implements the new policy, and the people will naturally get tangible benefits." ”

This is a sycophant.

Zhu Yuanzhang just smiled, and then said: "It can be seen that as long as the court does things seriously, the life of the people can be better." ”

After finishing speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang lost the mind to continue.

Zhu Gaochi's eyes moved.

If the court does things seriously, the people will be able to have a good life.

So what if the imperial court doesn't do things seriously?

Or maybe the people don't have a good life, and why?

I can't go any further.

Otherwise, when you turn around and continue to go to Huguang Road, if you see something bad on the road, it must be the fault of the government and the imperial court.

When the time comes, it will be another bloody storm.

Zhu Gaochi thought about it, and immediately explained: "Now the life of the people of Zhili Dao is gradually getting better. As for the rest of the world, it still has to come step by step, as long as the monarch and the minister are single-minded, the life of the people will be better after all. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled faintly at this time, returned the kettle to Sun Gou'er, and continued to hurry along the trail.

He didn't sit in the carriage that followed the line.

After leaving Beijing, Zhu Yuanzhang had to walk on the road every day to see the real situation in the place.

After walking forward for a while, we came to a barren part of the countryside.

Dabie Mountain is located in the north, and in the south is the Yangtze River.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly spoke: "Further ahead is Huangmei County, Huangzhou Prefecture, Huguang Road." ”

Zhu Gaochi immediately nodded: "Back to grandpa, right now we are in Susong County, Anqing Prefecture, and further on, it is indeed Huangmei County, Huguang Road." ”

"Huangmei tea is quite interesting."

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile.

Zhu Gaochi was also smiling.

This Huangmei tea tune, that is, Huangmei opera.

The origin is the cloudy mountainous area of Huangmei County and the shore of Taibai Lake. The earliest can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, after the development of the Song and Yuan dynasties, and now the Huangmei opera style has become quite popular.

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile: "You children don't know, in the early years, the people of Huangmei County sang the tune of tea picking, which was the voice of the countryside when picking tea.

Later, it was because most of the banks were flooded by rivers.

The people had no choice but to leave their homes and beg along the roads. But begging can't always be said, so the sound of tea picking has been changed, and there is the current drama. ”

This is what is sung when begging.

Zhu Gaochi's face changed.

Zhu Yuanzhang still had a smile on his face, as if jokingly said: "Speaking of which, life at home was unbearable, your grandfather and I also learned some Huangmei opera and went to every household to ask for some food." ”

The old man had a smile on his face when he spoke, and it seemed that at this time, he couldn't sing and beg for food at that time.

Zhu Gaochi's face was a little gloomy.

How the old Zhu family became the co-master of the world step by step, as a child of the Zhu family, he couldn't be clearer.

More than 30 years ago, the world at that time was not a world where people could live.

The old man was smiling at the moment and talking about singing and begging for food, but who could know how much he was stared at and closed.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the appearance of his fat grandson, but he smiled and reached out and patted the other party's shoulder: "It's all over, now grandpa doesn't have to sing and beg for food." I heard Jiang Zhen say that a few years ago, there were still some local singing and begging for food, but in the past two years, they have gradually disappeared. That's a good thing, a great thing. ”

Zhu Gaochi nodded, but was speechless.

Zhu Shangbing, who was also with the old man, said with a smile: "We will go to Huangmei County in two days, and then the grandson will ask and find a good yard for grandpa, and then listen to Huangmei Opera." ”

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately accepted it happily: "Brother Bing'er, this is a good idea, I will also listen to it, now this Huangmei opera is still the same as in the past." Staying in Yingtian all day, listening to the Kunqu opera of the warbler Yanyan, I can't get up. ”

Zhu Shangbing patted his chest and promised to find a good Huangmei opera garden for the old man in Huangmei County.

At this time, it has been more than half a month since the three grandfathers and grandsons quietly left Beijing.

And on the other side.

Since Zhu Yunxi led an army of 50,000 people to sail up the river, he has now passed through the mouth of Panyang Lake and is about to reach the outside of Wuchang Mansion.

Far away, looking over from the river.

Direction of Wuchang Province.

The Yellow Crane Tower, which is located less than two miles on the shore, has come into view.

The city of Wuchang, which was deducted by Zhou Dexing, the Marquis of Jiangxia in the fourth year of Hongwu, towered to control the Yangtze River, and the Yellow Crane Tower rebuilt in the same year seems to be the same as written in the poem of Cui Hao of the former Tang Dynasty.

"In the past, people have taken the yellow crane to go, and the yellow crane tower is vacant here."

"The yellow crane is gone, and the white clouds are empty for thousands of years."

"Qingchuan calendar Hanyang tree, fragrant grass and parrot island."

"Where is the sunset township, the Yanbo River makes people sad."

Zhu Yunxi, who was standing at the bow of the boat, whispered this poem more than 600 years ago.

This time, Chen Huan, the deputy general of the Beijing Army, was wearing armor and holding a knife at his waist, standing beside Zhu Yunxi.

Chen Huan defected to Zhu Yuanzhang in the thirteenth year of his reign, fought all the way to the south and the north, and made great contributions to the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion.

In the fourteenth year of Hongwu, he began to follow Fu Youde to the south of Yunnan, and in the seventeenth year, he was named the Marquis of Puding for pacifying Yunnan and the founding of the country.

Subsequently, he has been setting up military camps and tuntian in Yunnan, and at the end of the 20th year of Hongwu, he was transferred to the Huguang Dao Division, and the army was Pu'an.

In the 21st year of Hongwu, he led the 23rd Army to Yunnan to support Muying and garrison Bijie.

In another year, Xia Dezhong, the official of the thousand households of Huguang Road, colluded with Jiuxi Cave to make a rebellion, Chen Huan and Jingning Hou Ye Sheng led the army to conquer, and in the 26th year of Hongwu, the rebellion of Jiuxi Cave was completely quelled, and then the camp fort was established in the local area, and the tuntian was reclaimed, and then returned to Yingtian.

According to the original historical trend, Chen Huan will be killed in the twenty-sixth year of Hongwu for being implicated in the Lanyu case.

It's just that in this timeline, Lan Yu has become Liang Guogong, and Chen Huan, the Marquis of Puding, is naturally alive and well.

And this time, Zhu Yunxi also led the troops to the southwest, completely changed the land and returned to the stream, and the metropolitan governor's office was selected and selected, and finally Pudinghou, who was familiar with the situation of the southwest Tusi, was selected as the deputy general of Taisun.

Originally, there were many more suitable people, but either they were old, or they were not in Beijing, or Xiang Qianguo Gong Muying needed to sit in the center of the cabinet.

Therefore, Puding Hou Chen Huan became the best candidate.

"The Yellow Crane Tower has been built here for 25 years, and it has gone through wind and rain, but it has also become a little antique."

Chen Huan is an old-fashioned character, and he speaks calmly.

Zhu Yunxi smiled: "Jiang Xiahou has done something practical for the country in the end. ”

Chen Huan closed his mouth, just staring at the Yellow Crane Tower that was getting closer and closer in front of him.

Zhou Dexing, the Marquis of Jiangxia, had already been arrested in the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu, and he did not dare to mention this person before.

He glanced twice in the direction of Wuchang City, and saw that the wharf by the river was already crowded.

Chen Huan immediately said: "Your Highness, it should be someone from Wuchang Mansion over there, and it seems that there is still the banner of His Royal Highness the King of Chu." ”

Zhu Yunxi followed his gaze and looked over.

I saw that on the dock outside Wuchang Mansion, the flags of the government were erected.

The closer you get, the more you can see the people on the docks, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their fleet.

………………

Recommended commuter passes