Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 27: Coaxing and deceiving
"Zhongba, why are you here so early today?"

Empress Ma looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and asked with some surprise.

She knew very well how hardworking her husband was. He was really busy with all kinds of things, working day and night.

Especially in recent days, with so many major events, she was really surprised that he could come to Kunning Palace so early today.

"I just miss you. How can government affairs be as pretty as my sister?
How can dealing with government affairs be as comfortable as accompanying my sister? "

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile, reaching out and holding Empress Ma's hand.

In the past, Zhu Yuanzhang was embarrassed to say these words.

But after living in modern times for fifteen years and going through the baptism of experience, Zhu Yuanzhang can now speak fluently.

I no longer feel ashamed.

What he said now was nothing but a drizzle compared to what later generations saw.

"You old man, you have no shame! Chongba, your mouth is getting more and more talkative now!
I almost believed the sweet talk.”

Although Empress Ma expressed her disdain, Zhu Yuanzhang could see that his sister was already very happy.

"What we said is not sweet talk, what we said is the truth."

As he said this, he ordered the palace maid to boil some hot water so that he and his sister could soak their feet together.

"Zhongba, what's wrong with you? Why do you seem weird?"

"What's wrong?"

“In the past, even when I boiled water for washing your feet and brought it to you, you were unwilling to wash.

It is said that a small wash every five days and a big wash every ten days is enough.

Why are you washing your feet now that I'm not urging you?"

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Isn't it cold? I heard that soaking your feet in hot water is good for your health.

Of course, more bubbles are needed.

I also want to live a long life with you, my sister."

"Come on, is there anything you want to tell me?

Or is there something that is difficult to handle and requires my help?"

Zhu Yuanzhang paused for a moment, then waved his hands and said, "Nothing's wrong. What could possibly be so difficult for us?
I just miss you, my sister, and want to come over and keep you company."

"If you don't tell me now, I'll really assume you came here for no other reason."

"Hey hey hey..."

Zhu Yuanzhang touched the back of his head and laughed.

"Sister, it's really nothing... I just want to talk to you about the education issues of the second, third, and fourth children."

Queen Ma smiled.

They have been married for so many years, how could I not tell whether Chongba was okay or not?
"How are you going to educate them? Are you going to let the teachers in the main hall continue to give them more lessons?"

"That's not necessary, the main hall already has enough lessons.

They are princes, not scholars who spend their whole lives studying classics. It is enough for them to be able to read and write and understand some principles of how to behave in society.

No need to add more homework.

Didn’t someone say that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles?
We thought that they were getting old and had read a lot of books, so we couldn't keep them confined in the main hall any longer.

It’s time to let them out and walk more.”

Empress Ma thought about it seriously, nodded, and said, "A thousand-mile horse cannot be trained in a courtyard, and a towering pine tree cannot grow in a flowerpot. Chongba, your consideration is correct."

"Yes, yes! Girls still understand me, that's what I mean!"

"Then Chongba, where are you going to let them go?"

"The first time we let these kids out, we can't go too far, so let's go to Fengyang, our hometown.

Let's send them to Zhongdu to have a look."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked like a loving father who cared about his sons.

"Of course, in order to let them see the real situation, we plan to have them hide their identities and pretend to be ordinary people..."

Upon hearing this, Empress Ma did not speak immediately, but walked out of the bedroom and instructed the person standing outside to go and boil more water with Xiao He.

They will take a hot bath later.

After the arrangements were made, there was no one else inside or outside the bedroom. Empress Ma came back and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and said:

"Zhongba, are you worried about Zhongdu City? Are you worried about Duke Han and the others?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was no longer surprised by his sister's cleverness.

There was nothing to hide from the girl: "I have no problem with Han Guogong's ability, but I am not confident in the way he does things.

Li Shanchang was a man who had lived through troubled times, so he often tended to do things the way he did in troubled times.

But now is not a time of chaos, what we need is a time of order.

It would be really inappropriate to use that set again.

I'm afraid that if we don't go and take a look here, Zhongdu City might become a pile of bones mixed with blood and tears.

"A Zhongdu City like that would give us nightmares if we lived there at night!" "Didn't you praise me a month ago, saying that the Han Guo Zhongdu City was well built and that it was all done according to your instructions?"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and sighed, "Sister, you know how powerful Li Shanchang is.

If those old brothers from Huaixi unite together, it would be very easy for them to blindfold us and block our ears.

When the country was founded, we listened to their advice and abolished the post of censor. Now, we have become blind and deaf.

If we want to know what Zhongdu City looks like, we can only send our own son to take a look for us.

Regarding the affairs of Zhongdu City, I no longer trust anyone except my own son."

"No, it's too dangerous!

Chongba, you must have heard some rumors before making this decision. For ordinary people, Zhongdu City is now a big construction site.

I'm afraid it will still be a very difficult construction site.

I'm worried about them going there as ordinary people."

Queen Ma flatly refused.

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Sister, this is our son. How can we not care about him? How can we not consider him thoroughly?
We will arrange for Ma Er to be the commander of Fengyang Guard, and have him secretly protect us brothers there."

The Ma'er Zhu Yuanzhang mentioned was Sima Xu, whose nickname was Ma'er. He was one of the more than 20 adopted sons of Zhu Yuanzhang.

In Zhu Yuanzhang's heart, among his adopted sons, Li Wenzhong was the most important, followed by Mu Ying.

However, because Li Wenzhong was his nephew, the title of adopted son no longer counted.

Next are Sima Xu and He Wenhui.

Of course, after living in modern times for more than ten years, the weight of his adopted son Ping An in his heart has also increased dramatically.

If Zhu Yuanzhang had not watched history in modern times, he would never have imagined that Ping Baoer, who was quiet when he was alive, was such a good fighter!
During the Jingnan Rebellion, he led several men to defeat the Fourth Brother several times. If it weren't for some reasons, he could have killed the Fourth Brother.

Zhu Yuanzhang originally wanted to arrange Ping An to go on this mission, intending to promote this godson whom he had misjudged.

But after thinking about it, he decided to let the horse go.

The reason is simple. Ping Baoer is very brave in charging into battle, but when it comes to being meticulous and prudent, Baoer is definitely not as good as Maer.

Of course, when it comes to the person who does things most safely, it must be Mu Ying.

But isn’t this Mu Ying, who is taking on important responsibilities elsewhere?
Transferring him to Fengyang suddenly at this time would easily alert the enemy.

"We will also inform Zheng Shiyuan, the magistrate of Linhuai County.

With this one, a scholar and a warrior, I'm sure we can keep those brats safe."

"Zheng Shiyuan? Is he the censor who impeached the emperor's nephew Zhu Huan and insisted that you, Chongba, follow the law and execute him?"

Queen Ma asked uncertainly.

"That's him, this guy is like a stone in the toilet, smelly and hard, and he's not afraid of death.

He forced us to kill the beast Zhu Huan.

A year ago, we sent him to Linhuai to serve as a county magistrate.

This guy has such a bad temper, he wouldn't be willing to go along with those people and become corrupt."

Hearing what Zhu Yuanzhang said, Empress Ma couldn't help but nodded.

Zheng Shiyuan is really jealous of evil, and it is unlikely that he will be assimilated by Han Guogong and others.

However, if we talk about hating evil, isn't his own Chongba also one of them? Who has he ever lost to?
Otherwise, how could he have killed his nephew who had committed a crime just because of the insistence of a mere sixth-rank inspector?
I just hope that Li Shanchang and his men won't go too far in Zhongdu City.

Otherwise, things would be really difficult to handle.

If we are not careful, the Ming Dynasty will be in great turmoil!
She understood how difficult it was for her son, Chongba, and felt that Chongba was very thoughtful, but as a mother, she still didn't want to send her sons to such a place.

"I've also talked to Biao'er about this, and he agrees with us doing this."

Seeing that the girl seemed to want to say something, Zhu Yuanzhang hurriedly spoke first.

Queen Ma knew that Biao'er was a cautious person, and when she heard that he agreed, she said no more.

"Then it's up to you, but you have to make sure they come back safe and sound, and nothing really happens to them."

Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed that his sister finally gave in.

He immediately patted his chest and assured: "Sister, just don't worry!

If they lose even a hair, you can just deal with us!

We will never cry out for injustice!

They are all our sons, so how can we, as their father, not care about them?"

In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang knew that his sister was right to worry.

The danger of Zhongdu City far exceeded the girl's imagination.

Besides the heavy labor, which Li Shanchang and his men completely disregarded as human beings, an even more dangerous incident occurred in Zhongdu City in the eighth year of the Hongwu reign, resulting in countless deaths...

……

In Zhongdu City, at the Ministry of Works, Duke Hanguo Li Shanchang was filled with joy...

(End of this chapter)