Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 77 Wherever there is calm, there are waves thousands feet high!
Old Zhu just stood there, stunned for a long time.

Yang Shiqi remained kneeling.

Seeing that Lao Zhu still didn't respond, he finally slowly raised his head and called softly, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

"Oh!"

Old Zhu finally came to his senses.

"When you get older, you tend to be dazed sometimes!"

Lao Zhu said: "Thank you!"

He didn't know how long it had been since he had said the word "thank you".

The last time he said this was probably before he officially ascended the throne and became emperor.

It is now the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu!

As the Son of Heaven, he is the master of the world.

Anything anyone does for him is natural and reasonable.

Naturally, there is no need to thank you!
Yang Shiqi was filled with fear and trepidation, and said, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed to accept your words."

"This is my first time meeting the Emperor. I am overwhelmed by his majesty and my mind is completely lost."

"When the emperor is in front of me, I dare not hide anything from him."

"I was pouring out my heart without realizing it."

"If I have offended your Majesty, I hope your Majesty will forgive me!"

Old Zhu sat down on a chair next to the table and sighed softly, "What a great first meeting with the Emperor."

"that's true!"

"Only those who are facing me for the first time would dare to say these words to me."

"Who dares to do that to those people in the court?"

"Now that I am an emperor, I am surrounded by people who flatter and fawn on me."

"They are afraid of offending us, so they only say nice things."

"But you don't tell us the truth, nor the truth!"

"I have been the emperor for so long that I have gradually become blinded by my own ignorance and have become the tyrant that I once hated the most."

Old Zhu looked at him calmly and said, "Yang Shiqi, you are fine!"

This is common praise.

But coming from the mouth of an emperor, it is of great significance.

Yang Shiqi did not say anything like "thank you" and just knelt there quietly.

"Hu'er could take a liking to you and praise you for your talent as a prime minister. Originally, I still didn't believe it."

Old Zhu stood up and reached out to help Yang Shiqi, who was kneeling on the ground.

He asked him to sit on the chair, and he also sat opposite him, saying: "Now it seems that Hu'er's vision is really accurate. You really have the talent to be a prime minister."

Yang Shiqi hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed of your great praise!"

Old Zhu held his hand, with a friendly look on his face, and said with a smile: "Now that you are working for Hu'er, you can no longer call yourself a commoner."

"I know that although I have only known you for two days, I feel that we met too late."

"He said he wanted to take you as his master, but in fact, we are both teachers and friends."

"Okay! Okay! Not bad!"

The teacher patted his shoulder gently, smiled brightly and said, "Let's first give you an official position as an editor in the Hanlin Academy."

"You don't have to report to the Hanlin Academy. Just stay with Hu'er and assist him."

Yang Shiqi was about to kneel down to express his gratitude, but was stopped by Zhu.

"There are no outsiders here, so there is no need to be so polite. It will only make you look distant."

"We appointed you as a Hanlin because we hope that you can follow the ministers and learn how to handle the government affairs of the court, assist in military affairs, and understand worldly affairs."

"In the future, assist Hu'er and do something earth-shattering."

Old Zhu spoke calmly, sincerely, and in a warm tone.

The smile on his face was extremely friendly.

"I am old now, and my health is not as good as before."

"Yesterday, a special decree was issued to let Hu'er supervise the country and take charge of government affairs."

"Hu'er is young and new to politics, so I'm afraid there are many things he doesn't understand."

"You need to be there to give more advice."

"When Huer ascends the throne, you will be an important official in the court."

"You two can leave behind a story of eternal love between a ruler and his subjects!"

As an emperor, he said such words, which showed that Zhu Yuanzhang valued Yang Shiqi very much. Yang Shiqi's eyes were moistened and tears flowed down his face. He said, "Your Majesty treats me like this, I will repay you with my life!"

Old Zhu laughed and said, "We don't need to repay you with our bodies torn to pieces."

"It is the King of Wu who has the wisdom to recognize a good horse like Bole. He has chosen you, a good horse."

"It was the King of Wu who valued you and entrusted you with important tasks."

"The one you need to repay with your life is not me, but the King of Wu. Remember that?"

Yang Shiqi wept softly as he said, "Yes, I will keep it in my heart, even if I die for three lifetimes!"

"You really shouldn't forget!" Old Zhu looked at him and said with a smile, "We can see that you are still loyal to Hu'er."

"Otherwise, you wouldn't have said those heartfelt words to me just now."

"You are right. There is no truth to many things in this world!"

"Many things have happened in the past, and it is hard to explain them."

"But if you check, there will always be some problems, more or less."

"Because you are not a god, how can you know everything?"

"As long as there is something unclear or unexplainable, it is a suspicious point."

“This doubt is not the truth, but it will take root in people’s hearts.”

"How do you say that?"

"Yes, suspicion breeds evil!"

“Once a person starts to doubt others, no matter what he does, he will always feel that something is wrong and he will always be suspicious.”

"This is not right, and that is not right either."

“It doesn’t look right no matter how I look at it!”

"I am suspicious."

Lao Zhu spoke nonchalantly, as if he was just talking about ordinary gossip.

However, when he said this, his pair of dragon eyes were fixed on Yang Shiqi's face, carefully observing all his expressions and reactions.

"After all, we are the Son of Heaven!"

"Once we start to suspect someone, he's doomed!"

"The threat Hu'er faces will be reduced a bit."

"You have planned so painstakingly for him, and you are not hesitant to take risks in front of the emperor. You can't be said to be disloyal!"

"Yang Shiqi, do you think we are right?"

A simple question.

Speak calmly.

Firecrackers blasted out of nowhere!
Where there is calm, there are thousand-foot waves hidden!
Who is Lao Zhu?
Who in this world, and what could really be hidden from him?

Once upon a time, also in the backyard of the imperial palace, Zhu Yuanzhang and his old friends, those important officials who fought with him to build the Ming Dynasty, had such cordial and friendly conversations and chats!
Talk freely about national affairs, family affairs, and daily matters.

Those people are Zhu Sheng, Liu Bowen, Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong...

Whenever the atmosphere was at its best, Lao Zhu would suddenly change the topic and ask unexpected questions.

Even the smartest person in the world, who is best at disguising and acting, would be caught off guard at this moment.

Inadvertently, the true thoughts in your heart are revealed.

Lao Zhu has used this trick many times.

No matter who your opponent is, you will be successful in everything.

However, over the years, all of his old friends have either died of old age or been killed by him.

Looking at the entire court, there is no one left who is worthy of Old Zhu taking so much trouble to have a conversation with!
Sometimes, Lao Zhu feels very lonely.

The height is not cold.

Without those guys who are also friends, subjects, and opponents, life would really be less fun.

The ministers in the court today are no match for him in playing chess!
Compared to their old friends, they are too stupid.

But today, facing this young man who had just been recommended by Zhu Yunhuan, Zhu Yunhuan once again brought out his former forte.

When we were laughing and chatting happily, we encountered an unexpected turn of events.

Ask your conscience!

Old Zhu's face was as warm as the sun, friendly and kind.

As the voice fell, the yard suddenly became quiet.

There is thunder in the silence!
……

(End of this chapter)