Time Travel: After Seizing the Throne, I Lead the Ming Dynasty to Take Off

Qianqing Palace.

The doors and windows of the huge palace were closed, and there was not even a palace maid or eunuch inside. Only the flickering candlelight made the palace seem even more empty.

The dim candlelight illuminated two figures, both of whom had gray hair.

One of them was wearing a bright yellow five-clawed dragon robe and was lying on the gate of the Qianqing Palace, glancing outside through the crack of the door with squinted eyes, with a hint of nervousness and anticipation in his expression.

Another old man was pacing back and forth with a hunched back, looking uneasy.

He hesitated several times to speak.

The old man finally couldn't help but bowed and advised:

"Your Majesty, why don't you just let this matter go? You are the king of a country. If the rumor of your fake death were to get out, who knows what kind of waves it would stir up."

That's right.

The man wearing a dragon robe and lying on the door crack looking out was none other than the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang.

He was not dead, but he asked the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Jiang Lin, to go to the Eastern Palace and spread false news of his death.

Fidgeting behind him.

It was Zhu Yuanzhang's most trusted imperial physician, Dai Sigong, the director of the Imperial Medical Bureau.

As the center of the Imperial Hospital's burial group, Dai Sigong was naturally a little panicked when he was asked to cooperate in announcing Zhu Yuanzhang's death.

I heard Dai Sigong's advice behind me.

Zhu Yuanzhang continued to lie on the crack of the door without even turning his head, and said with a hint of impatience: "If you ask me, you imperial doctors are just timid!"

"A person's character and aptitude can only be seen when they encounter real problems. When Yun Wen comes to the Qianqing Palace, we will see how this child behaves. We will stand up that night and let him know that we are faking it. Then, not many people will know about this matter."

"We only let Jiang Lin inform Yun Wen. It's late at night, so the news won't get out."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand nonchalantly, signaling Dai Sigong not to say anything more.

Dai Sigong frowned and sighed secretly.

After a pause, he couldn't help but persuade: "But Your Majesty, regardless of anything else, this matter is ultimately unlucky. You are the emperor..."

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly: "Auspicious? Over the years, I have been a monk begging for food. If I were to pay attention to auspiciousness or inauspiciousness, I would have died long ago!"

"The wicked heavens have taken away our sister and grandson, and now even Biao'er is gone. What else do we have to fear? For the eternal prosperity of the Ming Dynasty, what does good or bad luck matter?"

Having said that, Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a moment.

Then he spoke again, his voice trembling with a barely perceptible tremor: "The Ming Dynasty... needs a future ruler."

Dai Sigong shut up.

Looking at that somewhat hunched back, I felt inexplicably sad.

He had followed Zhu Yuanzhang for quite some time. On ordinary days, His Majesty was dignified, overbearing, and full of the emperor's might and power... His back was always straight. However, after the death of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, it eventually became hunched.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is gone.

Your Majesty has not only lost a beloved son.

More importantly, he had lost the successor he had cultivated with all his efforts over the years, and the future ruler of the Ming Dynasty...

Listen to what Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Dai Sigong finally understood Zhu Yuanzhang's intention of suddenly calling him over and asking Jiang Li to report the news of his fake death: to establish a crown prince!

Judging from the recent trends in the court.

The new crown prince in His Majesty's mind is most likely the Second Prince of the Eastern Palace.

He faked his death to test the Second Prince of the Eastern Palace and see his aptitude and character. Firstly, this was to better train and educate the new crown prince. Secondly, it was probably to... start paving the way for him based on his performance...

Dai Sigong was lost in thought.

Zhu Yuanzhang then heard Zhu Yuanzhang casually ask, "Dai Sigong, do you think Yunwen can handle this?"

Now that everything had been said to Dai Sigong, Zhu Yuanzhang no longer had to hide anything.

Zhu Yunwen was made the crown prince.

From a personal perspective, Zhu Biao was a son, while others could only be called princes. Of course, the throne should be passed on to Biao's descendants.

From the perspective of the stability of the Ming Dynasty.

If the heir is chosen from among the other princes, none of the nine great kings of the frontier are bad, and no one else will accept whoever is made the crown prince.

Instead, the crown prince was enthroned as heir apparent, as he was of Zhu Biao's bloodline and had legitimate reasons, so no one could say anything.

So Zhu Yuanzhang had basically made up his mind long ago.

Now I'm playing a fake death.

It was just to see if Zhu Yunwen could handle this burden. If he couldn't, then I would have to make some plans and preparations for him...

Think of this.

A hint of murderous intent suddenly appeared in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes.

Dai Sigong's heart trembled, and the hairs on his back stood up immediately. He thought to himself: As expected...

However, he had served Zhu Yuanzhang for so many years, so he naturally had good judgment. He just showed a look of fear and dared not say anything: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I only know how to treat patients, not these things."

Fortunately, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't say much.

He just sighed softly: "Alas...if it were Biao'er..."

Then he shook his head.

He put his hands behind his back and continued to look out through the crack in the door.

Dai Sigong sighed helplessly, feeling extremely regretful: His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is kind and prestigious, and is deeply supported by civil and military officials in the court, and by the people in opposition. He was cultivated by Your Majesty and is the best future monarch of the Ming Dynasty.

Who else can compare to him?

It’s a pity that God is jealous of talented people.

……

Side hall of the East Palace.

"Sanbao, go to the Duke of Liang's mansion immediately and tell him something."

Hearing Zhu Yunhuan's words.

The eunuch attendant Sanbao looked at him in shock for a moment.

Then, as if he had figured something out, his eyes lit up, his expression filled with surprise: "Duke of Liang? Your Highness, are you going to..."

The attendant called "Sanbao" was a eunuch, but he was not ordinary.

His surname was Ma, his given name was He, and his nickname was Sanbao. Later, Zhu Di gave him the surname "Zheng" because of his merits. He was Zheng He. He made seven voyages to the West, which is an unprecedented feat in the history of world navigation.

Ma Sanbao was captured in the "Battle of Ping Yunnan" in the 17th year of Hongwu. He returned to Yingtian Prefecture with the army and served in the palace.

According to his original fate, he was to be transferred to Zhu Di's mansion. Coincidentally, he was discovered by Zhu Yunhuan before the transfer and was chosen by Zhu Yunhuan to live in his palace. He became his personal eunuch and was taken with him to school, study and practice calligraphy.

That's why.

Ma Sanbao's cognitive vision is incomparable to that of ordinary eunuchs.

"Your Highness, I have advised you many times before to get to know the Duke of Liang and the Duke of Kaiguo, so that the Crown Princess will know that you, Your Highness, cannot be manipulated at will. Now... you have finally figured it out!" Ma Sanbao said with a relieved smile on his face.

He entered the palace at the age of thirteen and was stabbed.

I thought I would be an ordinary eunuch in the palace for the rest of my life.

However, he did not expect that he would catch the eye of the young prince of the East Palace, who took him in and out of the main hall, where he listened to the teachings of famous scholars and learned principles, and had the opportunity to read the royal collection of books to broaden his horizons.

Of course, I only want the best for my own prince.

Unfortunately, for several years, His Highness had only dared to stay quietly in this secluded and deserted side courtyard, and had to endure the secret troubles made by the Crown Princess from time to time. He even did not get close to his uncles and uncles who were dukes.

The Duke of Liang, the Duke of Kaiguo and other nobles have cast hopeful glances at Your Highness.

But His Highness escaped.

In the end, the group of people shook their heads and gave up.

Everyone else said.

The Third Prince of the Eastern Palace is weak, dull and stupid, and does not seem like a person of royal blood.

Every time, Ma Sanbao could only feel secretly aggrieved.

I also often feel anxious and sorry for Zhu Yunhuan.

Now, Zhu Yunhuan has "come to his senses" at this juncture, and Ma Sanbao is the happiest.

"With the current weight and status of the Duke of Liang, he will surely protect Your Highness and make the Crown Princess and the Second Prince more cautious and not bully you too much."

"I will go find the Duke of Liang right now!"

Ma Sanbao looked happy and was about to turn around.

However, the next moment he heard a voice that shook his heart: "Don't worry, I'm not seeking the protection of the Duke of Liang, the Duke of Kai, and the others."

"Sanbao, now that Grandpa Huang is dead, I want that position."