Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

"It is impossible for the Marshal to rebel, but will the people in the court believe it?" Hong Xiucheng said with a worried look on his face.

As the commander of the personal guards of the Grand Marshal, although Hong Xiucheng was not in the court, he had some understanding of human nature.

Although the Marshal was not greedy for power, many officials in the court knew his style and lazy nature.

But so what? They just used the fact that the military power was in the hands of one person to the detriment of the country and could launch constant attacks.

This has nothing to do with whether you, Zhang Shikang, are greedy for power, but has a lot to do with whether the power is in their hands.

This is human nature, which cannot be changed by human will.

"I...my father won't believe it. He only believes in my master." Although Zhu Cilang was a little worried, he was still full of confidence.

"Your Highness, don't you know that if you tell a lie a hundred or a thousand times, or hear it a hundred or a thousand times, people will believe it."

Hong Xiucheng did not agree with Zhu Cilang's words. If their emperor had such a broad mind and wisdom, the Ming Dynasty would not have become like that in the past few years.

After more than two months of getting along, Hong Xiucheng got to know Zhu Cilang better and better. He believed that the prince was different from His Majesty and he had to take precautions in advance.

There is certainly selfishness, but more of it comes from one's own heart. In this world, there are not many officials who truly care about the people, and even fewer who are able to benefit the people.

The Marshal has many advantages, but even more disadvantages, especially he does not like to intrigue, sneers at interactions with officials, and even offends them many times.

This was what he was worried about. At the same time, Hong Xiucheng believed that military generals such as Sun Weifan must also be worried.

But they have special identities. If the commanders of each camp stand up to support the Marshal, it will be a complete disaster. Even if Your Majesty has no doubts, he will probably have to think twice.

Alas, if it were easier to be a lone minister, there wouldn’t be so many regrets throughout the dynasties.

“Sir Hong, I don’t think my father will make that mistake again.

The Emperor once told me that he hoped the Master would have some ambition, so that... so that the Emperor wouldn't have to worry about the Master giving up.

Father...Father is still..."

Zhu Cilang didn't tell anyone about the incident after all, he felt it was too strange.

After hearing this, Hong Xiucheng's face finally relaxed a little, but not much.

"Alas, Your Highness, this is just one of my concerns.

Compared to this, I have something more worrying." Hong Xiucheng then told the Crown Prince what Zhang Shikang had told him during the disaster relief process.

It turned out that during the disaster relief process, although Zhang Shikang was indeed working hard to provide disaster relief, he asked his subordinates to constantly spread the word that this was all because of the Marshal's sympathy for the victims.

It is said that the Grand Marshal had just defeated the Jiannu in a bloody battle, and the Grand Marshal did not even bother to return to the capital to report to the emperor, but was also concerned with disaster relief and helping the people.

At that time, Hong Xiucheng's mind was numb.

As a Grand Marshal who holds the military power of the Ming Dynasty and has made outstanding contributions, he really shouldn't publicize himself so loudly.

Ordinary people would not do this, but the Marshal is not an ordinary person after all. The people below do not understand, but they all choose to obey orders.

But in the past two days, Hong Xiucheng seemed to have gradually figured it out.

Zhu Cilang was a little flustered when he heard this. He was not stupid and immediately guessed what might happen:

"Master Hong is saying that my master...he is defiling himself?"

Hong Xiucheng nodded dejectedly.

"Alas, sometimes I am a bit contradictory.

What kind of person is this Marshal? Power is something that all officials crave, but the Marshal has no interest in it.

We have to worry about the criticism from the court officials, which will cause the country to lose its pillars, and we also have to worry about the commander-in-chief himself backing down.

I have never seen such a person in my life.

What on earth does the Marshal want to do?"

Hong Xiucheng's confusion is not uncommon. In fact, anyone with a bit of common sense in the Guards has this confusion.

Even Hong Xiucheng knew that Sun Dasheng and his group of second-generation heroes had discussed it privately.

The issue is, if their eldest brother really wants to rebel, should they stand with the eldest brother or with their father.

This is a very dangerous and difficult question to answer, which once made these rookies of the national team frown.

Every time, these guys would just start something, then get drunk and forget everything, and then do whatever they wanted to do the next day.

"I know this!" Zhu Cilang said decisively after hearing this.

"Oh? Your Highness, please help me solve this doubt." Hong Xiucheng bowed.

After all, Zhang Shikang was the Grand Marshal. If he wanted to establish his authority in the army, he had to act like an airy person on a daily basis. He could make jokes occasionally, but he would naturally not tell his true thoughts to the people in the army.

But when the master was with him, he felt much more relaxed. The master even said that in two years, when he grew up a little, he would take him out to have fun!

Although he still doesn't understand why he has to grow up before he can have fun.

"Lord Hong thinks my master is lazy, as do Vice Marshal Sun, Vice Marshal Huang, and even my father.

But I never thought so.

If the master was really lazy, the guards would not be the bravest of the three armies. If the master was really lazy, the national treasury would not be full, the government would not be rectified, and the people would naturally not get land.

If the master had been really lazy in the past few years, he would not have conquered the gentry in the south, the bandits in the west, and the Jianlu in the north, and there would not have been the victory of Guanshan and the recovery of lost territories.

My master only complains occasionally, saying that my father doesn't give him that...that overtime pay.

But my father once even told my master to take the overtime pay himself, and he wouldn't blame him no matter how he took it."

In fact, such words are not allowed to be spread outside. After all, they damage the imperial prestige. The emperor actually asked his subjects to take the silver on his own initiative and did not care how they took it. This is tantamount to allowing corruption.

Upon hearing this, Hong Xiucheng nodded vigorously, feeling that it was indeed true. He had heard that when the Imperial Guards were first reorganized, the Marshal personally trained with the soldiers.

This is indeed the biggest misunderstanding of the Marshal by people all over the world.

"Master is not lazy, he just doesn't like it. Master is very attentive to the things he likes!" Zhu Cilang praised.

Upon hearing this, Hong Xiucheng asked:

"Then...what does the Marshal like to do?"

Zhu Cilang said without hesitation:

"Let's play!"

Hong Xiucheng was puzzled, and Zhu Cilang quickly explained:

“It’s not like playing house!

"Master Hong, do you know what's on the other side of the sea?"

Hong Xiucheng shook his head, and Zhu Cilang became even more proud because his master only told him.

"There is a large piece of land on the other side of the sea, several times larger than the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

There are not only many mines over there, but also delicacies from land and sea that I have never tasted before.

The plains there are endless and the mountains there stretch from north to south.

It is not the no-man's land as the Europeans say. The people there are called Indians, and they are the owners of that land.

However, there are no horses in such a large land!

"Don't you think it's interesting, Mr. Hong? Not only do they have no horses, no donkeys, and they don't even have a convenient means of transportation like wheels."

But my master told me that they possess knowledge of mathematics and astronomy that is no less than that of Europeans.

The master also said that he must go and see it.

To this end, he has already built a large caravan, and now everything is ready!"

Zhu Cilang was so excited that his face was beaming with joy, and Hong Xiucheng was stunned by what he heard.

"But Your Highness...why are you so excited?"

Zhu Cilang hesitated after hearing this, and said weakly:

"Because...I want to go too."

……