Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 83 The people of the world! Zhu Yunhuan's ambition! Yao Guangxiao's choice!

The room felt a little dull.

There were some light footsteps coming from outside.

Those were the servants busy in the yard.

He did not dare to make any loud noise, for fear of disturbing His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu who was resting in bed.

But at this moment, there was no sound in the house, it was extremely quiet.

The slight sound outside seemed to be suddenly amplified and extremely clear.

In addition, there are the chirping of autumn insects and the swaying of trees when the wind blows.

Yao Guangxiao looked at Zhu Yunhuan, his eyes slightly dull.

Ma'am.

When he first became a monk, he took the Taoist Xi Yingzhen as his teacher and learned the art of Yin and Yang.

At that time, he was only fourteen years old.

There is no time to practice.

By the time he was introduced to Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, he was already forty-seven years old.

In the blink of an eye, another ten years have passed.

He is already fifty-seven years old, long past the age of knowing the destiny, and is already very old.

There is no hair on his head, only a slightly gray beard under his chin, which together with the wrinkles on his face witness the ruthless passage of time.

Only the martyr, in his old age, still has great ambition.

The words I said to King Yan when I first met him ten years ago are still vivid in my mind.

But I never thought that it would come out of the mouth of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu so calmly.

How did he know?

You must know that this matter is extremely secretive. Apart from himself and King Yan, no third person knows about it.

Of course, I must not tell anyone else, including the King of Yan.

How did the King of Wu in front of him know this?
Even though Monk Daoyan had practiced for many years and was proficient in Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, his mind and character had long been honed to perfection, and he could remain calm even if Mount Tai collapsed on his head. However, at this moment, his mind was shaken and he could hardly control himself.

The expression on his face remained normal, but there were turbulent clouds in his eyes, as if he wanted to ask King Wu for an answer.

"There is a god above us!" Zhu Yunxun said, "You are a cultivator, you should know the things in this world, and you can't hide them from the world after all."

“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time.”

Yao Guangxiao chewed over this sentence carefully, clasped his hands together and said, "Your Highness the King of Wu is so young, yet he can understand this truth. He is truly a genius."

"Your Highness, thank you for your guidance!"

Zhu Yunhuan asked curiously, "Aren't you afraid at all? If this matter is reported, Uncle Prince Yan will be severely punished. As for you, even gods can't save you."

"Amitabha!" Monk Daoyan chanted the Buddha's name again and said, "Since I have entered the Buddhist monastery, I should let the four elements be empty."

"Everything in the world is false."

"One thought brings about fate, and one thought brings about fate!"

"Everything has its own destiny, life and death have their own cycle, it is all natural, how can we be greedy for life and afraid of death?"

Zhu Yunhuan laughed loudly and said, "What you said is half Buddhist and half Taoist."

"I heard that you also practice Confucianism and Taoism. Your determination to become a Buddha is not firm at all!"

Yao Guangxiao disagreed at all: "The three religions are originally one family, so why should there be any distinction?"

Zhu Yunxun smiled and said, "You just said that you are not afraid of death, but I don't think so."

"There is great terror between life and death."

"You have been practicing Yin-Yang magic since you were young. Although you entered Buddhism, you learned the art of slaying dragons and the way to help the people."

"You later studied Confucianism. What you longed for was to show what you had learned so as to live up to your reincarnation in this world."

"It's a pity that there is no opportunity. I'm in my fifties and still waiting."

"If you die now, you will never have the chance to fulfill your life's ambition."

"Your six senses are not pure, and you have desires in your heart."

Zhu Yunxun said word by word, "You...are afraid...of death!"

A compassionate Buddha smile finally appeared on Yao Guangxiao's calm and strange face.

He said softly: "I am indeed afraid of death right now, but Your Highness will not kill me, so why should I be afraid?"

Zhu Yunhuan was slightly startled, then smiled and said, "How do you know I can't do it?"

Yao Guangxiao smiled faintly and said, "If Your Highness wanted to put me to death, you would not have denounced me in front of Your Majesty and then pleaded for me. This is really unnecessary."

"If Your Highness wanted to kill me, you would not have told me this story just now, but would have told it directly to Your Majesty."

Zhu Yunhuan glanced at him and said helplessly: "A demon monk is a demon monk. He can really see through anything. Why don't you tell me more about what else you know? I am a little curious."

"Your Highness, why do you have to lie on the bed and talk to this poor monk?"

Yao Guangxiao sighed, "There is no third person here, Your Highness does not need to lie in bed and pretend to be sick."

Uh……

After realizing that he could not hide the truth from this evil monk, Zhu Yunhuan sat up from the bed.

It was indeed uncomfortable to lie down for too long, so he took the opportunity to move his body.

"What I don't understand is why Your Highness insisted on asking me to come here?"

Monk Daoyan said with a hint of self-mockery: "Although I have had ambitions since I was young, the years have passed and I have still not achieved anything."

"Talent and learning are not heard of in the world, and wisdom and strategy are not seen in the government and the public."

"People outside the barbarians have a basic understanding of Buddhism and also study Confucianism and Taoism."

"Your Highness the King of Wu is now the regent of the country. By tempting him with fame and fortune, he can recruit the world's talents for his own use."

"Why did you go to so much trouble to get me here from King Yan?"

"You must know that since I have already committed myself to His Majesty the Prince of Yan, how can I serve two masters again?"

Zhu Yunxun snorted coldly and said, "The Prince of Yan is also the Prince of Yan of our Ming Dynasty. We share the same ruler, so how can there be two rulers?"

"I know that you follow the King of Yan because you want to help him conquer the world one day."

"You want to try out the dragon-slaying technique you learned to see how powerful it is."

"However." He changed the subject, stopped moving his body, looked at the smiling face of Monk Daoyan, and said, "With me here, do you think King Yan still has a chance?"

The voice was not loud, but as decisive as thunder.

Domineering and confident.

Yao Guangxiao remained silent for a long while before shaking his head and saying, "Your Highness is extremely talented and his actions are as unrestrained as a whim. Every time he comes up with a brilliant idea, it is often beyond our expectations, but it is also like a great road, majestic and unstoppable."

"As long as Your Highness is here, the King of Yan will never have a chance to accomplish anything."

Zhu Yunhuan said coldly: "This prince is eighteen years younger than the prince of Yan."

"If you are willing to follow me and help me accomplish my mission, you will be able to display what you have learned in your heart, save the people, and stabilize the world."

"If not, it would be like trying to stop a chariot with a mantis arm, overestimating one's own capabilities."

"It will be as easy for me to kill you as to crush an ant."

"You are determined to assist the King of Yan in order to repay his kindness."

"But now, I know everything you are planning."

"If you continue to help him, it won't be repaying him, but harming him."

"At this point, the only way out for the King of Yan is to put aside his former ambitions and be a vassal king."

"I can, for the sake of our blood relationship, ensure that he lives a peaceful life."

"If he still refuses to give up and still wants to take over the Ming Dynasty, he will be courting his own destruction."

"This king left his two sons in the palace to save him."

"I hope he will come to his senses and turn back!"

Yao Guangxiao fell silent again. After a long while, he slowly said, "I still remember the poem Your Highness wrote in the court that day."

"This poem is extraordinary and full of domineering spirit."

"The last sentence is, to count the heroes of the day, look no further."

"Later, His Highness wrote another couplet."

"For every porridge and meal, remember that the place where you came from is not easy; half a thread and half a thread, always remember that the material resources are difficult."

“This couplet has a lot of sympathy for the common people.”

"May I ask Your Highness, which one is the real Your Highness?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his Buddha's eyes suddenly shot out a brilliant light, illuminating Zhu Yunhuan's entire body, as if to take in all his changes in expression. Zhu Yunhuan was stunned at first, then burst into laughter.

"Daoyan, Daoyan, you are a Buddhist, chanting Amitabha all day long, but have you forgotten that Buddhism says: All living beings are equal!"

Yao Guangxiao was completely stunned. He could hardly believe that the four words "all beings are equal" would come from the mouth of an emperor's grandson.

And this imperial grandson will be the one who will take over the Ming Empire in the future.

The future emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yunhuan didn't think anything was wrong. He continued, "Do you know how to interpret the saying 'To count the heroes of the past, look at the present'?"

Yao Guangxiao was puzzled again. The meaning of this sentence was easy to understand. Was there any other explanation?

"Your Highness the King of Wu, please give us some advice!" Monk Daoyan said in a serious voice.

Zhu Yunxun got off the bed and said:

"The King of Qin used the remaining strength of his six generations to conquer the world."

"Han Wu inherited the foundation laid by his ancestors and destroyed the Xiongnu."

"Tang Zong rose from a noble family in Guanlong, fought in many places, and finally gained the throne after the Xuanwu Rebellion."

"Song Zu was born into a military family. He fought for many years and made military achievements. It was not until the Huangqiao Incident that he was crowned with the dragon robe."

"Genghis Khan wandered from place to place since he was young, lived in poverty, worked hard to make the country strong, and finally unified the grasslands and became a powerful force in the world."

"They all came from different backgrounds, some were noble, some were poor, but in the end they all achieved great things, or fell at the peak of their careers."

"Even the current emperor of our dynasty, my grandfather, was born into a poor family and was once a peasant despised by the scholars and officials."

"When I was at my lowest, I only had a broken bowl and a dog-beating stick, and I lived by begging for alms."

"But now he controls the Ming Dynasty and is rich."

"Most of the ministers and nobles in the court today are from humble backgrounds, especially the nobles from Huaixi."

"However, wealth and honor have their limits, destiny has its end, and the heroes of the past are all a thing of the past. There is no need to boast about the past."

"Dynasties, emperors, and generals all have their time."

"When I wrote "To count the heroes of the time, look no further than today", it was both a self-praise and an expectation."

"From a historical perspective, all emperors and heroes were born in different families."

“It is uncertain who will become a famous figure recorded in history books.”

"But among the millions of people in this world, there are always some who stand out and write the most romantic stories."

"Maybe I can become one of them, maybe not."

"The tide of history is unstoppable and will not be swayed by the will of this king."

"Those who follow will prosper, those who go against will perish."

"It's just that fate changes and the times change."

"As long as the country and the people remain, the great men will be among the millions of people."

“Political powers may change, dynasties may end, but the people will last forever.”

"As long as there are people, there will always be heroes, emperors, generals and ministers."

“The people are the real masters of this world and the driving force of history.”

"When an emperor dies, he is dead. Someone will naturally succeed him in the future."

"When a dynasty is destroyed, it is destroyed. A new dynasty will always be born again."

“Only the people can be passed on and destroyed.”

“This world is established because of the people, and the world exists because of the people!”

"Without the people, everything is meaningless!"

"The great waves wash away the sands. Although I am the grandson of the emperor, I am also one of the common people in the world."

"This king wrote: To count the heroes of the day, look no further than today."

"But it doesn't say: If you want to count the heroes, look at me!"

"We don't know who the most famous person of today is, but he must be among the millions of people!"

"Do you understand what I am saying?"

"The romance of this world belongs to the people."

"The king is the king of the people!"

"Generals and ministers are the generals and ministers of the people!"

"You still think this poem contradicts the following couplet, and you still want to ask which one is the real king?"

Yao Guangxiao listened to him in a daze, and his unchanging Buddha face was now filled with horror.

"I didn't expect His Royal Highness the King of Wu to have such an understanding. I am obsessed with appearances."

"That's it! That's it!"

He murmured to himself, the feeling of shock lingering for a long time.

If a knowledgeable doctor said this, Yao Guangxiao would be able to accept it.

But coming from the mouth of a grandson of the emperor, he found it hard to believe.

Is this the heir to the Ming Dynasty?

With such a person around, why would he still want to assist King Yan?

Isn’t the person in front of me a thousand times better than King Yan?

He practiced Buddhism all his life, but did not enter the monastery to live in seclusion.

All out of compassion for the suffering of all living beings.

But how can one person save all the living beings in the world?

That's why he wanted to choose an emperor to assist him.

If not, then start a rebellion and create an emperor yourself.

As for himself? He has never had the desire to pursue wealth and glory!
In fact, in history, after Yao Guangxiao helped Zhu Di seize the throne, Zhu Di ordered him to return to secular life many times to enjoy the wealth and glory of the world, but he refused every time.

Even though he had made great contributions, he still ate simple meals, wore plain clothes and ate vegetarian food, and often spent his days with a green lamp and the company of an ancient Buddha.

This is because he does not pursue worldly prosperity, does not love money, does not love beauty, and does not covet fame.

Even though he was a prime minister in black, he managed government affairs during court hours and recited scriptures after court hours.

Everyone in the world said that he was an evil monk who disturbed the world, plunged the world into war, and caused countless lives to be destroyed.

But who has ever asked why he did this?
What exactly is he seeking?

How difficult is people’s life?

Why do the people suffer?

It would be a great blessing in the world if we could have a wise ruler!

If not, then it would be better to rebel!
Prosperity, people suffer; death, people suffer.

Rather than letting everyone in the world have their flesh cut by a blunt knife, enduring the unbearable pain until they can no longer bear it.

It is better to start the war as soon as possible.

Even if this means corpses everywhere and rivers of blood, we must create a bright and peaceful world again.

How can we achieve peace in the world without shedding blood and making sacrifices?
As for the praise and criticism of the world, they are nothing but external reputation.

But what if the person in power is the king he wants to see?

Then why should he rebel?

Zhu Yunhuan stretched out his hand to open the window, looked at the sky outside, and said slowly: "Although the achievements of the past thousands of years are great, they are not as important as the four words "the people of the world"!"

"Although I know how vast the universe is, I still pity the green grass and trees!"

"Someone once said: benevolence does not engage in politics."

"But if you don't have the people in your heart, if you don't have the people of the world in your heart, how can you shoulder the heavy responsibility of this vast country?"

“Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it!”

He suddenly turned around, looked at the black-robed monk who had been shocked to the point of losing his mind, and said, "Yao Guangxiao, this king wants to bring order to the world and make the people live and work in peace and contentment."

"There are no bones that freeze to death in the world, no people who starve to death in the world, and no house in the Ming Dynasty that is not sheltered from wind and rain!"

"I want this vast land to be transformed into a vast expanse of beautiful scenery!"

"You have been practicing Buddhism since you were young, and you always talk about saving all living beings. Are you willing to show what you have learned and help me achieve a great cause that has never been seen before?"

The old monk put his hands together and said with a smile: "Good!"

……

(End of this chapter)