Zhu Yuanzhang, who commanded the wind and rain, lived a long and arduous life.

Chapter 88 Meeting... Dad, you've lost weight over the years!

When the grandfather, grandfather, and grandson had almost finished off their enemies, Zhu Changye sensed the arrival of a familiar presence.

"Master, it smells so good! I can smell it from far away. What are you eating?"

Zhu Xiong Ying walked in curiously.

He was slightly taken aback when he saw the remaining braised pork, which looked and smelled delicious.

Is this what's emitting the odor?

"U.A., there are just a few left."

Why don't you come over and try some?

yard.

He didn't believe the retired emperor could know, so the only explanation was that the grandson and the retired emperor had told him.

What surprised Zhu Xiong Ying even more today was that he didn't expect his master to understand far more than he had thought!

"As a subject of the Ming Dynasty, you were promoted by Hongwu, not by Li Shanchang or Hu Huaiyong."

Zhu Changye pressed his hand down, signaling Fu Youwen to be quiet.

However, due to the historical limitations of his son Zhu Yuanzhang, or because of Zhu Yuanzhang's unconditional trust in his descendants, when Zhu Yuanzhang heard these words, he considered them to be disrupting the harmony of the royal family and to be treasonous.

The highest level of attack on a person is moral binding and condemnation.

The middle-aged man chuckled and patted Zhu Hongyan's head, "Even if it's fake, we still have to come here for your second grandfather's funeral."

Given all this, how could I not be straightforward?

Zhu Changye spoke with a smile.

After all, he thought Zhu Changye was the same kind of person as himself, but now he suddenly realized that he had misjudged him!

"That's why I told you before that favors come from above. The same principle applies to bestowing titles and official positions. You have to keep it under control and make them understand the difficulties involved. Only then will they be careful and understand the principles of being an official."

The old woman's voice trembled, and tears welled in her eyes.

"The first time, his grandfather spared him, cherished his talent, and promoted him from Hanlin Academy to Shujishi."

"This person is arrogant and conceited. He looks very polite, but he is actually very haughty and stubborn. Once he has made up his mind, nothing can change it."

"Old Taoist master, your words have awakened me from my dream! I, Xie Jin... you bastard!"

“Go and see how the Hongwu Emperor treated Li Shanchang. He was thinking of their past relationship and hoped they would come to their senses, but all he got in return was more extreme treatment.”

Can the retired emperor control such an unruly person?

As Zhu Changye spoke, the once arrogant young man gradually fell silent, lowering his head in deep thought.

Everyone says that Zhu Yuanzhang was a cruel emperor.

Zhu Changye brushed them off, only saying he would do it when he had time.

"You're still stabbing an old man in the heart with a knife. You're a hero, a good man, a prodigy. You're amazing, you really are amazing."

After a long silence, he gritted his teeth, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I am all ears."

Seeing that Jie Jin was speechless, Zhu Changye continued with a smile: "Mr. Jie, if you want to defend Li Shanchang's injustice, fine, I'll ask you again: since Hongwu established the dynasty, in these past ten years, how many people in the court have known only the two prime ministers, Hu and Li, and not the emperor?"

The old man considered himself to be selfless in giving rewards to others, but he felt indebted to Liu Bowen.

Zhu Changye's words were firm and resolute, and Fu Youwen, standing to the side, couldn't help but swallow hard.

But valuing him doesn't mean promoting him blindly. This time, he was demoted to Supervising Censor of Jiangxi Province, which is also a way to temper him.

After the Hongwu reign ended, Xie Jin's official career continued to be bumpy. It wasn't until Jianwen ascended the throne that he went to the capital to seek an official position in order to pursue his political ideals.

It's a hundred times better to make Xie Jin realize his mistakes now than to make him realize them with knives and axes later.

He looked at Zhu Xiong Ying and asked, puzzled, "How did your grandfather figure that out?"

What is a ruler?

now.

But even if these people were mediocre, they all had some real talent to get into the Hanlin Academy.

This man was a pillar of the state carefully chosen by Zhu Yuanzhang for Zhu Xiong Ying, and he was the legacy that Zhu Yuanzhang left to Zhu Xiong Ying!

Zhu Changye and Zhu Xiong Ying were analyzing Xie Jin when Xie Jin arrived.

Zhu Yuanzhang was a tough and stubborn emperor. No matter how wronged he was, he would never reveal a word to others.

"Mr. Xie, you're not a fool. Tell me why this is so!"

Of course, aside from the policy of weakening the power of the princes, the other nine strategies proposed by Xie Jin did indeed offer constructive suggestions for the development of the national strength of the Hongwu era.

"Later, the Earl of Chengyi helped the Hongwu Emperor establish the Ming Dynasty military garrison, organize land reclamation, and even helped recruit scholars, gentry and landlords in eastern Zhejiang, and appease the people and surrendered officials, all of which made great contributions."

His expression showed some emotion.

Zhu Hongyan sighed, "Father, that's true."

The young man had a refined appearance, was of medium height, and was somewhat thin, but his eyes conveyed a sense of integrity and uprightness.

Xie Jin's face turned bright red with anger as he glared at Zhu Changye!

He thought Zhu Changye would join him in criticizing the emperor's inaction and incompetence, but he never expected Zhu Changye to respond like this!

"In the eighth year of Hongwu's reign, Liu Ji caught a cold. It was clearly just a cold, so why did Liu Bowen's condition worsen after Hu Huaiyong sent the imperial physician to see him, and then he died mysteriously?"

Upon hearing this analysis, Zhu Changye instantly understood Xie Jin's character.

Even his grandfather couldn't wake Xie Jin from his stern words, and he wouldn't even bow to his grandfather, but now he's bowing to our master?

"The emperor appreciated your talent and promoted you, but you not only failed to be grateful, you also hurt the Hongwu Emperor's feelings time and time again."

The two people before me are, one is the retired emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and the other is an unparalleled child prodigy.

Xie Jin made no attempt to hold back his words, and despite the presence of outsiders, he was not afraid at all.

It's like a young man who gives all his love to someone, only to suddenly discover that she's a scumbag and a player. That's probably how Xie Jin feels right now.

"To be honest, you're a bit ungrateful."

"If we promote him too quickly, it won't be a promotion for him, it will harm him, and it will kill him sooner or later!"

Or rather, my mind was in a mess the whole way.

Fu Youwen became increasingly curious.

Zhu Changye stared at Xie Jin and said, "If it's about the higher-ups, do you think the Hu and Li factions can still be tolerated? Then let me ask you, how did Liu Bowen die?"

"Jie Dashen, how dare you!" Fu Youwen shouted angrily from the side.

Although the old man hasn't been as angry lately, in the past, when he was that angry, it almost always meant someone would lose their head.

"Taoist Master, think about it. If he wanted to rebel, why would he need to curry favor with Hu Huaiyong? Besides, Hu Huaiyong was someone he promoted himself. If Hu Huaiyong's rebellion succeeds, he will still just be a subject. What benefit could he possibly gain?"

Xie Jin wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "I...I know a little."

"What are we in His Majesty's eyes? Therefore, I hope His Majesty can take this as a warning, restore Lord Li's reputation, and prevent the scholars of the world from being disheartened again. What's wrong with that? What do you think, Daoist Master?"

"Your Majesty's actions are like those of Liu Bang of the Han Dynasty, who, after the birds were all gone, put away the good bow. Some of the meritorious officials who helped him conquer the world have now been unjustly killed by the emperor. Is this not unjust?"

"Jie Jin, why are you so stubborn?"

Zhu Changye asked again.

An excellent person always sees the strengths in others.

The Emperor Emeritus truly deserves to be His Majesty's father!

This method of controlling people's hearts is truly amazing!

This is practically a carbon copy of the old man! Even more ruthless than the old man!

Don't be fooled by Zhu Changye's heart-wrenching words; they are meant to help Xie Jin.

"Grandpa gave him a very clear hint: he should do what a Hanlin scholar should do and not submit memorials that are irrelevant."

Zhu Changye shook his head, unable to see anything more for the time being.

He pointed ahead and saw a young man.

"He is courageous, knowledgeable, and upright."

Xie Jin angrily said, "Old Taoist priest, how dare you speak to me like that?"

All his tragic ends were determined by his character; the saying that character determines destiny is absolutely true!

So Zhu Changye wasn't scolding him, he was saving him.

Fu Youwen had only heard snippets of information about many things, and he believed that what Zhu Changye had just said was told to Zhu Changye by Zhu Xiong Ying.

Judging from this situation, not only will Master not be angered by Xie Jin, but Xie Jin will be angered by Master.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Changye became interested.

"Liu Ji dealt with officials in Huaixi... killed Li Shanchang's trusted relative Li Bin... and was thus resented by Hu Huaiyong..."

"Alright, then let me ask you this: since you believe the emperor killed meritorious officials, what about Lan Yu? What about Fu Youde? What about Feng Sheng, Geng Bingwen, and Tang He? Why didn't the emperor kill these people, but instead killed Hu Huaiyong and dismissed Li Shanchang?"

"You, Mr. Xie Jin, would you really defend such a person and vindicate him?"

Xie Jin was a talented scholar, possessing both the stubbornness and arrogance of a learned man, yet he was still completely subdued by the retired emperor!

And now,

The Emperor Emeritus, this monster, is raising a little monster, his grandson.

Xie Jin was covered in cold sweat. He clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to Zhu Changye.

Hey idiot, do you even know who this old man in front of you is?

He was the ancestor of Emperor Hongwu, and his biological father!

You dare say that in front of your emperor father? Aren't you courting death?!

now.

After saying this, he hesitated for a moment.

Zhu Changye looked calmly at Xie Jin.

“You must have heard of Liu Ji, the Earl of Chengyi, right? I remember that the Hongwu Emperor once told Liu Ji’s son that when Chen Youliang came to attack us, everyone else was afraid, but your father stood up for us. There was Fang Guozhen in the east, Chen Youding in the south, and the Zhang family in the west. Your father made great contributions in pacifying them.”

He didn't want to see another talented person like Xie Jin end up with such a tragic fate.

Zhu Changye was sizing up Xie Jin.

Xie Jin smiled and said, "There's nothing I can't say. Please listen to what I have to say, Daoist Master, and see if it's true or not."

He experienced too many setbacks, and even during his time as a censor, he was repeatedly stabbed in the back by his colleagues.

Zhu Changye shook his head helplessly and delivered another blow, which directly broke Xie Jin's defenses.

"to make!"

Isn't this the mark of a ruler?

A ruler doesn't need to have talent comparable to Xie Jin; as long as he can control such talent, that's the quality a ruler needs!

He believed that Zhu Changye was also a talented person. Someone who could utter the phrase "five dynasties, Qin, Jin, and Han" must be arrogant, unruly, and as proud as himself!

"Li Shanchang was the leader of the civil officials of Huai, and made great contributions to the country. Therefore, he was appointed as prime minister, granted the title of duke, and his son married a princess."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xiong Ying responded with an "Oh."

Zhu Xiong Ying was taken aback for a moment, then remembered that this was, after all, her master, and understood.

Zhu Changye said, "So you know this too, Mr. Xie. Then do you know that the officials used by the court in the past ten years or so are no longer under the control of the Hongwu Emperor? They have become tools for the Huaixi people, or rather, for Hu Huaiyong and Li Shanchang to form their own factions?"

This must be Xie Jin.

Zhu Xiong Ying was slightly taken aback: "What... what's going on? How come you can summon Cao Cao as soon as you speak of him?"

The emperor gave the order to kill, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard carried it out. The Hongwu case involving Hu Huaiyong has resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 people.