Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 83 The Empty Seal Case Breaks Out

The mocking look on Li Shanchang's face disappeared, and he looked full of surprise.

I was a little confused by this absolutely unexpected news.

I even doubted for a moment whether I had heard it wrong.

Someone he would never have thought of, someone who in his imagination should never come to see him, actually came to visit him.

Moreover, he came on the first day he returned to Yingtian.

"Father, shall we meet... or not?
Or... the child was rejected?"

Seeing his father in a daze and speechless for a long time, Li Qi tentatively opened his mouth.

Li Shanchang came to his senses after hearing what his son said.

He smiled and said, "Yes, of course I will. This person is an old friend of your father and me.

Now that he's here, there's no reason for me not to see him.

It's a good opportunity to see what this guy is up to! "

As Li Shanchang spoke, he walked forward to greet him in person.

This was a treatment that even Hu Weiyong had never received when he came here just now...

……

"Bowen, what brings you here?
You are such a rare guest!"

Li Shanchang smiled and bowed to the man in a long robe in front of him to greet him.

The person who came was none other than Liu Ji, Liu Bowen.

"Brother Shanchang, after so many years of absence, I have returned to the capital. How can I not come and see you, my old friend?
Seeing that Brother Shanchang is in good spirits and has a rosy complexion today, even better than before, I am relieved."

"It's a response to Tiancheng, not a return to the capital."

Li Shanchang corrected with a smile.

"It's all the same. Now the throne is here, and the center of the court is also here. This is naturally the capital."

Liu Bowen responded with a smile.

Li Shanchang shook his head and said, "I won't argue with you about this matter. There's no point in nitpicking on this word.

Whether it is Yingtian or the capital, we will have to wait and see."

As he spoke, he made a gesture to invite Liu Bowen in to talk.

Liu Bowen didn't say who started to pick on the words first. He smiled and nodded, then followed him in...

……

"I did bring some good tea this time. Bowen, you came just in time."

Li Shanchang said with a smile as he led Liu Bowen to the reception hall.

"Then I'm in for a treat." Liu Bowen smiled and nodded.

"However, there's no need to go to the reception room. It's hot now, and it's stuffy inside. It's actually not as cool as outside.

The small pavilion in Brother Shanchang's backyard is quite nice. It's quite pleasant to drink a cup of tea there, chat about old times, and enjoy the cool breeze."

Upon hearing this, Li Shanchang readily followed suit, but he was harsh in his words.

"You are indeed thoughtful, Bowen. When it comes to enjoying these leisurely and elegant pursuits, I am not as good as you."

Although he said this, he was already becoming more serious in his heart.

When Li Shanchang learned that Liu Bowen would come to visit him at this critical juncture, he knew that things would not be simple.

I'm afraid Liu Bowen came here for something important.

After hearing what Liu Bowen said, he became even more certain of his guess.

After all, if Liu Bowen didn't want to say something important, he wouldn't even go to the room and insist on sitting in the pavilion.

Isn't this just to prevent the walls from having ears?

……

"Are you worried that I might do something to your father later?
Don't worry. Even though your father is three years older than me, I am far inferior to him in terms of physical strength.

If a fight really breaks out, I will be pinned to the ground and beaten by your father."

After arriving at the pavilion, Liu Bowen looked at Li Qi who was standing behind Li Shanchang and said with a smile.

"He's guarding here just because he's afraid I'll pin you to the ground and beat you up."

Li Shanchang responded with a smile, his words full of defense for his son.

However, after he said this, Li Qi bowed to Liu Bowen and stood outside the pavilion.

Stand in a place where you are not too close to them, but can still hear their conversation.

It was a rare opportunity to have a conversation between my father and Liu Bowen, which broadened my horizons.

Since his father didn't let him leave, he naturally wouldn't miss it.

Liu Bowen didn't look at Li Qi who walked out of the pavilion. He restrained his smile and looked at Li Shanchang solemnly and said, "Stop it, Brother Shanchang."

Li Shanchang also restrained his smile: "Hasn't the decree from all places been communicated?
Didn't the summer taxes go to Yingtian? Everything has changed for the better."

Liu Bowen shook his head and did not play tricks on Li Shanchang. He always liked to be vague and evasive when speaking, but this time he was very straightforward.

"I'm saying that we should stop with the Zhongdu City matter. The Zhongdu City matter has already been resolved. Why stir up trouble again?"

"hehe!"

Li Shanchang sneered.

"You say it's easy, what do you mean it's already been decided? There's no final conclusion in Zhongdu City!
The dust has not settled yet!

Yingtian City was built by you, Liu Bowen. Before the Ming Dynasty was established, it has been centered here until now.

Did you receive a lot of honors for building Yingtian City?

You have gotten everything you deserve, but I haven’t!

I built Zhongdu City and paid much more than you, Liu Bowen, but what did I get?

All I got was failure, humiliation, and all my hard work was wasted!
You're telling me to stop now? You're just talking nonsense!"

Liu Bowen did not evade or evade, but looked at Li Shanchang sternly and said, "It's not that I'm talking without any pain, but now that things have come to this, it is absolutely impossible to repair Zhongdu City.

I know that Brother Shanchang has paid a lot for Zhongdu City, and I also know that Brother Shanchang feels aggrieved.

But some things have happened and there is no way to undo them.

It's like holding onto a thorn bush. The harder you hold on, the more it pricks you. The only way forward is to let go."

Li Shanchang sat up straight, his sneer growing even wider. "I just don't believe this. Besides pricking my hands, I can actually break the thorns!"

"Did Brother Shanchang really break the thorns with his grip?

This thorn is not an ordinary thorn, it is a thorn made of steel, the stronger it is, the stronger it is!
Since its birth, it has experienced countless hardships and obstacles, but it has never stopped. Instead, it has been polished to become more resilient, and nothing can change it."

"How do you know I used my full strength?

I have never tried my best to do anything, but in Zhongdu City, I will give it my all!
No matter how great the price, I will do it!"

Li Shanchang refused to give in, with a determination that came from the bottom of his heart.

Liu Bowen fell silent after hearing this. After looking at Li Shanchang quietly for a while, he suddenly sighed.

"Brother Shanchang, you are older than me in terms of seniority, and you are also higher in official rank than me.

In terms of titles, you are a duke and I am an earl, but there is still a huge gap between us.

In terms of merit, you are far greater than mine. You are the one with the greatest merit chosen by the superiors, and you are the Xiao He of the superiors.

From the beginning of Haozhou City to the present, it has defeated countless powerful enemies and experienced countless life-and-death battles.

Brother Shanchang knows better than I do how difficult it is to drive out the Tartars and restore China.

The world has been devastated, and now that we Han people have regained our territory, it is time to repair the devastation.

Brother Shanchang has been in charge of the central government for a long time, and his students and former officials are all over the world. There are also many generals in Huaixi who are willing to obey his orders.

With just one order from Brother Shanchang, all the government orders in the world can be obscure and difficult to implement. This is Brother Shanchang's ability.

The superiors have said that the greater the ability, the greater the responsibility.

How great would it be if Brother Shanchang could use this ability to contribute to the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty?

It will definitely bring new vitality to China in a very short period of time.

The Ming Dynasty also owes a great contribution to Brother Shanchang.

Now you actually want to destroy the Ming Dynasty that you built with your own hands, how can you bear it?"

"I don't want to destroy the Ming Dynasty!" Li Shanchang said with his neck stiff.

Liu Bowen looked straight at Li Shanchang, not giving in at all: "But what you are doing, brother Shanchang, is destroying the Ming Dynasty!
You and the one above you, one of you is the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and you have fought your way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

One is the pillar of the Ming Dynasty, who can command officials all over the world and resist the imperial court.

If you two have a quarrel and clash with each other, there will surely be an earthquake and the whole world will be in turmoil.

I don’t know how many people will lose their families because of this, and I don’t know how many previous achievements in governing the world will be wiped out.

If you two are in harmony, the world will be at peace; if you fight, the world will be in chaos.

We have been together for so many years and have endured such difficult times. Why do we have to make things like this now?
Brother Shanchang, can't we tolerate each other for the sake of the country?"

As he spoke, there was a hint of pleading in Liu Bowen's voice.

"Tolerating each other for the sake of the country? I have been tolerating each other for the sake of the country all these years!
If it weren't for the sake of tolerance for the country, would I have been able to leave the Secretariat?
How could I continue to work diligently and devote all my energy to renovating Zhongdu after leaving the Secretariat?

But what did I get after enduring for the sake of my country?
It wasn't me who made the big mistake in Zhongdu City.

This time, I can't bear it at all!
After enduring for so long, it’s time for me to step up and endure for the country!

You must know that this Ming Dynasty is the Ming Dynasty of the highest power, and the one who should be most tolerant for the sake of the country is also the one in the highest power! "

The veins on Li Shanchang's clenched fists were throbbing.

After saying that, he looked at Liu Bowen with a sharp gaze and said, "Are you here to lobby for someone higher up?
After taking over, you still refuse to stop and let it go?"

There were no outsiders around at this time, and he was facing Liu Bowen, an extremely smart old rival, so Li Shanchang had no intention of hiding anything.

Liu Bowen shook his head: "It has nothing to do with the position. I just can't bear to see the Ming Dynasty in turmoil again and don't want to see too many people affected.

So I came to see Brother Shanchang.

You know the personality of the person in power, so why would you look for someone to act as a lobbyist?

Just some guesses of mine.

Brother Shanchang, you can't twist the arm against the thigh. Now that things have come to this, why not take a step back and tolerate each other for the sake of the country once more."

Li Shanchang suddenly laughed when he heard this, and his laughter was so unrestrained.

It took a while for Li Shanchang to stop laughing.

Looking at Liu Bowen, he said, "Bowen, do you really think that I am making such a big fuss this time just to rebuild Zhongdu City?
Then you underestimate me!
Not only that, I also want to demonstrate my power as prime minister!

We must let those in power know that besides the monarch's monopoly of power, the monarch and the literati also share the world!

Bo Wen, you are a serious scholar and a Jinshi graduate. You should understand the significance of the emperor and the literati sharing the world.

You should pursue this more than I do.

This is what scholars should pursue most!

Judging from this incident, you and I are on the same path and should work together.

Those in power are becoming more and more autocratic, which is not a good thing.

No matter how smart a person is, there is a limit and he will make mistakes.

If one encounters a monarch who is far inferior to the superior, but is able to make decisions arbitrarily, the situation will be even more serious and will bring disaster to the entire country.

Therefore, it is better for the emperor and the scholars to share the world, which can effectively avoid such situations."

Li Qi, who was listening intently outside the pavilion, was stunned.

Does my father have such an intention?

How could I not know?
Why have I never heard my father say this before?
However, what his father said was still very right. The right way is for the emperor and the literati to share the world. The literati in the Song Dynasty lived so well. That was the era that civil officials most yearned for.

As a high-ranking civil official, Liu Bowen had been teased by the emperor in various ways many times before, and was almost teased to death. He must have longed to share the world with the emperor and the literati!

It had to be his father who found a way to deal with Liu Bowen in such a short time!
After saying this, there is a high possibility that the enemy will be turned into a friend, and Liu Bowen can also be used by his father.

Even if Liu Bowen is unwilling to bow his head and be used by his father, it is enough for Liu Bowen to turn a blind eye, not get involved in this matter, and not become an enemy of his father. That is also a good thing.

"What is the significance of the emperor and the scholar-officials sharing the world?

Of course I know!
It enriches the scholars and officials but harms the country!

It is indeed good for the scholars themselves, but for the world, it does more harm than good!

Li Qi was stunned and looked at Liu Bowen in astonishment.

I can't believe that these words came from the mouth of a pure scholar like Liu Bowen.

“What nonsense!

If it hadn't shared the country with the literati, how could the Song Dynasty have lasted for three hundred years?!

Zhao Pu, Kou Zhun, Fan Zhongyan, Bao Zheng, Wang Anshi, Ouyang Xiu... Which one of them was not a great man of his time?

Li Shanchang could no longer bear it and his face turned red with anger.

"If you had not shared the world with the scholars and officials, how could you have died without being able to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun?
How could we suffer repeated defeats in foreign countries, lose the Western Regions, lose the Southwest... and then suffer the extremely humiliating Jingkang Shame?
How can the three histories of Song, Liao and Jin coexist?
You are right, these people are all outstanding people of their time!
Not only them, but also the others who passed the scientific examinations and fought their way up layer by layer, how many of them are fools?

Taken individually, each one is worth mentioning.

But why is it that these outstanding people, when they get together, can't get anything done, and feel frustrated and humiliated everywhere?
It’s not a good thing for eighteen people to be in charge!
Perhaps when encountering a particularly bad monarch, the situation can be slightly better, but the disadvantages are even greater.

No matter what you want to do, there are always people trying to stop you, and it is impossible to gather the national strength to accomplish big things!

People can't just think about themselves. When they reach a certain position, they have to focus on the world and the whole of China. Nothing can be accomplished if they are too selfish.

Even if you are proud for a moment, you will eventually be recorded in history!"

Liu Bowen stared at Li Shanchang and spoke harshly.

What he said was no different from pointing at Li Shanchang's nose and scolding him.

"Liu Bowen, stop talking nonsense here! Stop acting like a saint all the time!
Speak for the people of the world, and keep silent for the justice of the country and the people!
You haven't paid as much as I have for the Ming Dynasty!

The contributions he made are not as great as mine!
What qualifications do you have to say this in front of me?

You are far from being able to act like a big shot in front of me!
You, Liu Bowen, may speak so lightly now, but when the knife falls on your head in the future, I wonder if you can still be so relaxed, and if you can still despise the emperor and the literati who share the world like this!

"Others asked you to shout for a high position, but you really confused yourself with Liu Bowen and even ignored the fundamental interests of scholars?!"

“If that day comes, I will still hold the same view!
It is not a good thing for the emperor and the literati to share the world, and it is not a good thing for the literati not to be punished. It will make too many people lose their sense of awe and do whatever they want!

I have always believed this, and it has nothing to do with whether or not you are in a higher position."

Liu Bowen's thin face was filled with determination and resoluteness. "This boy is not worthy of being my advisor!"

Li Shanchang stood up suddenly, grabbed Liu Bowen's collar, and clenched his fist so hard that it made a crackling sound.

Li Qi, who was outside the pavilion, was shocked and confused when he saw this.

Is this a meeting between top civil officials?
Not only did they not cite classics or engage in vague witticisms as expected, but they just started arguing directly.

Let’s not talk about that, but now we have to take action?

This... the gap is too big, right?

Confused, he rushed into the pavilion and grabbed his old father's hand, asking him not to do anything.

Liu Bowen looked so frail that he was easily beaten by his father twice and fell to the ground. Then he started to extort money from people without any negotiation.

Given Liu Bowen's status and position, if this really happened, it would be hard to say what would happen.

Li Qi even felt that Liu Bowen came here with the intention of angering his father and getting him beaten up by his father.

"If we don't share the same ideals, we can't work together! That's all I have to say. Take care of yourself!"

Liu Bowen ignored his clothes being torn by Li Shanchang, and continued to look at Li Shanchang with a firm face and responded.

After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.

Li Shanchang broke free from Li Qi's pull, picked up the exquisite purple clay teapot on the stone table, and smashed it at Liu Bowen!
The purple clay teapot fell to the ground more than ten feet behind Liu Bowen and shattered into pieces.

"If you're a coward and don't dare to go against the emperor, just say so. Stop pretending to be a saint!
Let's wait and see, I'm definitely going to win this time!"

Liu Bowen paused, but he didn't look back and walked away...

……

"Liu Bowen went to see Li Shanchang?"

"Li Shanchang personally went out to greet him and stayed inside for nearly half an hour before coming out?"

In the Wuying Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the secret report from the Jinyiwei sent by Liu Ying with great interest.

Since its establishment, the Jinyiwei has begun to show results.

The previous feeling of having my ears blocked and my eyes covered has greatly diminished.

The establishment of the Jinyiwei was very necessary.

Even though he lived in modern times for fifteen years after his death and returned to the eighth year of Hongwu, he knew many things.

However, as you make different choices in some things than in your previous life, the course and results of some things will also change accordingly.

The more choices you make, the greater the changes.

The gap between your experience in your previous life and yours is getting bigger.

In such circumstances, the role of one's experiences in the previous life becomes smaller and smaller, and many of them are only of reference value and are no longer equivalent to real facts.

You need to make new choices based on the new situation.

Zhu Yuanzhang continued to look down and soon saw that Liu Bowen had a strange look on his face and his clothes were disheveled when he came out. Not to mention Li Shanchang, even the servants in Li Shanchang's house did not come out to see him off.

The meeting seemed to end on bad terms.

As for the content of the conversation, it was not mentioned in the secret report of the Jinyiwei.

This is mainly because the current Jinyiwei was established only a short time ago and is far from reaching the level of omnipresence when the Jinyiwei was well established in the previous life.

Moreover, when Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen met at this time, the things they said were probably quite private, and they should have taken some measures to prevent others from overhearing them.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at it for a while, then opened one of the many boxes in the iron cabinet, put it in, and locked it.

And then he showed a thoughtful look.

Of course, he was not thinking about whether Liu Bowen had betrayed him.

Instead, he was wondering what Liu Bowen would say to Li Shanchang and how Li Shanchang would react.

And when he met Li Shanchang next time, how should he treat him?

If Zhu Yuanzhang had received this information in his previous life, he would have suspected Liu Bowen countless times in his heart.

But now the knot in my heart has been untied, and the prejudice against Liu Bowen is gone. When I look at this matter again, I will naturally see some other aspects.

……

"Father, Li Shanchang is so arrogant that he did something like this. He brought this upon himself. Why bother trying to persuade him?"

At Liu Bowen's house, Liu Lian, Liu Bowen's eldest son, expressed strong dissatisfaction with Li Shanchang in his words.

"Don't you think about everyone? It's not easy for you to follow the upper echelons all the way to where you are today. Don't you want to see things get out of hand and cause unrest in the world?"

Liu Bowen said this with a helpless smile and shook his head.

When it comes to things, I still think too simply.

Once some people stay in high positions for a long time, they tend to lose sight of the situation and lose track of their own strengths and weaknesses.

They will be blinded by power and become arrogant.

What is the difference between Li Shanchang this time and those enemies who opposed their superiors, despised their superiors, and were then defeated by their superiors?
In these matters, perhaps it is right to be in a higher position.

Some people are unwilling to face the facts unless they are hit hard.

I just hope this time the noise can be smaller, with as little impact as possible on the national economy and people's livelihood...

……

"Go back, there's no need to wait for me here."

In front of the imperial city, Li Shanchang waved to Li Qi, indicating that Li Qi should go back home and not stay here deliberately.

Li Qi nodded in agreement and got on the carriage, but did not leave. He just sat in the carriage and waited.

Watching his father walk into the imperial city step by step under the guidance of the palace servants, his heart was lifted.

Originally, after what his father had said, he was no longer too worried about this matter.

But who made Liu Bowen come to the house two days ago and say those words to his father?

His calm heart was disturbed again...

He kept praying in his heart, hoping that nothing unexpected would happen when his father entered the palace to see the emperor this time...

……

"Come on, Lao Li, try our sister's cooking skills and see if they have improved."

In Kunning Palace, Zhu Yuanzhang held another banquet and invited Li Shanchang to dinner with a smile.

He no longer had the slightest bit of arrogance, and he no longer had the dislike he had shown towards Li Shanchang when they were in Zhongdu City.

When Li Shanchang saw that this meal was cooked by Empress Ma herself, and there was a roast goose made by the Empress herself on the table, the slight worry in his heart disappeared.

Roast goose is the Queen Mother's specialty, but it is not easy to make, so few people can eat it.

Roast goose is only made when entertaining important and close people.

Li Shanchang declined twice, but he was no longer polite and picked up a piece of roast goose and started eating.

"Your Majesty's cooking skills are getting better and better. I am deeply honored to be able to eat the roast goose made by you today."

Li Shanchang praised the roast goose highly, saying that he enjoyed it more carefully and with greater enjoyment than any other delicacies from land and sea.

“You can eat it anytime you want.

Speaking of which, besides Your Majesty, Big Brother Li is the person who has eaten the roast goose I make the most times."

Queen Ma wiped her hands on her apron, started eating, and responded with a smile.

"I have failed Your Majesty and betrayed the Queen's trust."

Li Shanchang admitted his mistake sincerely.

"What's the point of disappointing or not disappointing? The tongue and teeth are so close, sometimes they even fight.

There are times when there are conflicts between Your Majesty and I.

It's normal to have some bumps between you.

There are bumps and bruises, but life still has to go on, right?
Who can leave whom?"

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty, you are right. I will keep it in mind."

Zhu Yuanzhang picked up the wine jug and poured two glasses of wine, one for Li Shanchang and one for himself.

"The marriage of our fourth son depends on you, Old Li."

“It is an honor for me to be able to contribute to the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Yan, and it is also a great favor bestowed upon me by the Supreme Being.

I, an old minister, am so happy that I will do my utmost to ensure everything is done well."

Li Shanchang's wine glass was lower than Zhu Yuanzhang's, so he clinked glasses with Zhu Yuanzhang and then drank it all in one gulp.

"Haha, with what you said, Old Li, I feel relieved!
Come on, keep eating, let’s go for another one.

The wine I drink today is not simple.

It was in the first year of Hongwu, when our Ming Dynasty was founded, that my sister specially had it stored in a cellar. There were a total of fifty jars.

There are less than twenty jars left now, and every jar we drink is one less."

"Then I must drink more today. Such good wine cannot be missed."

For a moment, both the host and the guests were delighted...

The family dinner lasted for more than an hour. For the busy Zhu Yuanzhang, it was rare for him to take out so much time to eat and drink with someone.

Most of the wine in the jar was drunk.

When Li Shanchang left, both Li Shanchang and Zhu Yuanzhang were drunk.

After seeing Li Shanchang off and washing his face with cold water, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately became energetic.

His eyes were so bright that it was a little scary. How could he look drunk at all?
Now, everything is ready, and we just have to wait for the fourth child to get married before we start!

……

"Dad, what's up?"

Li Qi jumped off the carriage and helped Li Shanchang get in.

He handed Li Shanchang a bowl of hangover soup prepared in advance and asked with concern.

Li Shanchang, whose drunkenness had immediately disappeared after he got on the carriage, took the sobering soup and drank half a bowl. He handed it to Li Qi, wiped his mouth with a white handkerchief, and said with a smile:
"It's okay, the emperor has really given in. The queen made roast goose and personally mediated the peace.

This world cannot be separated from your father!"

As Li Shanchang spoke, he leaned back and stretched comfortably.

"Just be at ease and don't listen to the nonsense of Liu Bowen, a self-righteous scholar-official traitor.

He thought he was smart and could see the big picture?

But he didn't know how terrible his stupidity was.

This time, I, your father, am the master of the situation!"

……

In the golden autumn of August, the sweet-scented osmanthus is fragrant and the last batch of summer taxes has arrived.

Yingtian City was bustling with activity, transforming into a sea of ​​​​joy.

This is not only because local officials who file taxes from all over the country have come to Beijing, but also because consumption in restaurants, pleasure boats on the Qinhuai River and other places has surged.

More importantly, the emperor’s fourth son, His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan of the Ming Dynasty, got married today.

The one he married was the jewel in the crown of Xu Da, the great general and Duke of Wei!
Even for this marriage, the emperor had already given instructions from the beginning, saying that the country was just beginning to be settled and there were still many places to spend money, so everything should be kept simple, not on a large scale, and not extravagant.

But after all, it was the emperor's son getting married, and many people were still excited.

The person who made the most appearance this time was undoubtedly the groom, Prince of Yan Zhu Di.

But in the eyes of many people who know the inside story, the most prominent person is not the newlyweds, nor the emperor and empress, the parents-in-law, nor the general Xu Da who is marrying his daughter.

It had been a long time since Li Shanchang, the Duke of Korea who presided over the wedding, appeared in Yingtian!
Even though the news that the emperor wanted Princess Hanguo to preside over the marriage of Prince Yan had been spread a long time ago, this news had not been seen, and the impact of the event actually happening was much greater.

As soon as the news came out, many local officials who came to file taxes, who were somewhat nervous, were instantly relieved.

The Korean male is indeed a Korean male, he is just tough enough!

It’s definitely right to follow the Korean public!
Many people who have money already spend it on entertainment, and now that they have no worries, they spend even more on entertainment.

It was a rare opportunity for them to visit the capital, and they immersed themselves in the ancient prosperity of Jinling...

……

In the room with a big red "囍" character pasted on the window frame and red candles burning, Zhu Di used a hook tied with red silk cloth to hook a corner of the veil, gently lifted the veil, and revealed the true face of the bride.

Just one glance and Prince of Yan Zhu Di was stunned.

Before this, his mind was full of military drills and fighting on the battlefield. He thought women were particularly boring. He married Xu Miaoyun only because her father was Xu Da. He had no relationship with Xu Miaoyun herself and was stunned on the spot.

I just felt like my heart was hit hard by something.

For a moment, the only thing left in his eyes was this pretty lady, and everything else disappeared.

"What are you...looking at?"

In the silence that lasted for a long time, Xu Miaoyun, who had lowered her head slightly with her eyes drooping, finally couldn't help but raised her head, opened her red lips and asked.

"Miaoyun, you are so beautiful!"

Zhu Di murmured, as if his soul had flown away to the sky.

Xu Miaoyun was stunned, and a blush appeared on her face, which made her look even more pretty and charming.

Zhu Di was so fascinated by it...

Outside the window, Crown Prince Zhu Biao, Prince of Qin Zhu Chong, and Prince of Jin Zhu Gang, who were hiding in the shadows and eavesdropping quietly at the foot of the wall with professional equipment in their hands, became excited when they heard the noise.

Silent winks.

He was obviously thinking of the fourth son's words on the way back from Fengyang to Yingtian, when his father asked him that he was a man and his ambition was not to get married, and that women were trouble.

The third brother found new material to make fun of the fourth brother.

After making eye contact, the brothers immediately focused their attention and continued to listen quietly with gossip-filled expressions, fearing that they would miss any movement.

Who could have imagined that the crown prince and several princes would actually do such a thing as eavesdropping.

Of course, in Zhu Biao's words, he was not eavesdropping, but was concerned about his younger brother. He was afraid that his younger brother would make a mistake in the bridal chamber, so he could discover it in time and correct it in the future.

This is a very serious and formal matter!

……

Five days later, the excitement about Prince Yan's wedding had died down a lot.

After the couple completed the post-wedding etiquette, such as "returning home", Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been patient for many days, finally took action.

With his order, the Jinyiwei set out overnight!
The Empty Seal Case, which was later called one of the Four Major Cases of Hongwu, has finally begun!

(End of this chapter)