Chapter 166 The Emperor's Journey (Part 2)

May 24, 31st year of Hongwu, night.

Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty who had been in war, returned to the palace from the horse farm in the suburbs of Beijing, fell ill and fell into a coma again.

The imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital were in urgent care but still did not wake him up.

Zhu Yuanzhang was full of high fever and was talking nonsense unconsciously in a coma.

The grandson Zhu Yunwen was extremely sad. Although the vassal kings who came to the capital were mentally prepared, they could not help but panic. The kings asked outside the Eastern Palace to see Zhu Yuanzhang for the last time, and Zhu Yunwen immediately agreed.

Xiao Fan was worried that the kings would change in the inner palace, so he secretly ordered the Jinyiwei to monitor them closely. The kings paid a visit to Zhu Yuanzhang three feet in front of Zhu Yuanzhang's dragon bed, and were not allowed to approach Zhu Yuanzhang's body or have any contact with the eunuchs in the palace.

Fortunately, the kings knew that they were in the palace and were at a critical moment at this time, so they did not dare to act rashly. They kowtowed and cried three meters away from the unconscious Zhu Yuanzhang's dragon bed, and after expressing the deep affection between father and son and unfilial son, the kings all cried and left the palace, and nothing happened.

Xiao Fan breathed a sigh of relief from his heart.

From ancient times to the present, before the emperor died, there were too many examples of the prince plagiarizing imperial edicts and forgerating imperial edicts and usurping the throne. He would not allow such a thing to happen to Zhu Yunwen. The wheel of history rolled forward, and there was absolutely no mistake in the middle. Zhu Yunwen could not afford to fail, Xiao Fan was responsible for having friends and family, and he could not afford to fail.

At night, it suddenly started to pour out in the capital, with rain as heavy as beans, and it was pouring out, adding a lot of depression to the solemn and dull atmosphere in the capital.

After Zhu Yuanzhang returned to the palace, he fell into a coma again. Xiao Fan immediately ordered Yuan Zhong, a thousand households of Jinyi, to lead the Jinyi lieutenant under the command of the Pacification Department of the Capital, to cooperate with the Governor's Office of the Five Army and the Yingtian Guards to block the nine gates, and no one was allowed to enter or exit. He also ordered Cao Yi to lead the lieutenant under his command to add to the palace and strengthen his vigilance.

The ministers in the court were allowed to enter the palace, and the news of Jinghou in the square in front of Wuying Hall. The Qing sect led by Huang Zicheng, and the treacherous parties led by Xiao Fan were clearly divided into two parts. There were those swaying fences, impartial neutral factions, the meritorious dukes and marquis standing closest to the hall gate, and more than 20 vassal kings who entered the capital to pay tribute to the court, etc. More than a hundred people formed factions and were vaguely divided into several parts. The distribution of forces in the court could be clearly seen at a glance.

Around the square, the angrily wind lights were hung high, and the fires in the lamps were flickering and swaying. Rows of lights illuminated the square, reflecting the dark and gloomy faces of the ministers.

The sky was pouring heavy rain, and the ministers stood outside the hall in the wind and rain, staring motionlessly at the busy imperial physicians and eunuchs who were traveling around in the hall. The rain soaked their whole bodies, but they were awakened without any sense.

Everyone's heart was like a heavy piece of lead was pressed down, and the air seemed to be drained, and everyone felt suffocation after wave.

Zhu Yunwen stood outside the hall gate, crying as sad as a child.

Xiao Fan stood beside him and patted his shoulder silently. Zhu Yunwen turned around, looked at him with red eyes, and choked and said, "Shi Du Xiao, the emperor's grandfather is afraid... afraid......"

"Your Highness, life and death are destined to be destined. If Your Majesty really cannot wake up, Your Majesty should not be too sad. You are the next king of my Ming Dynasty, the Ming Emperor who is the only one in heaven and earth! If you cannot endure the sadness, what will the ministers in the court and the people of the world regard you?" Xiao Fan said in a deep tone.

Zhu Yunwen looked at Xiao Fan deeply. After a long time, he nodded vigorously at Xiao Fan.

The two looked at each other and smiled. Although their smiles were bitter, they were full of sincerity.

Huang Zicheng, who was still motionless in the rain, saw the intimate expressions of the two from afar. Huang Zicheng raised his thick eyebrows, and a gloomy look appeared in his eyes. A trace of lingering shadow gradually enveloped his heart.

I don’t know how long it took, a busy imperial physician in the hall ran out sweating profusely.

All the ministers were shocked and walked forward a few steps involuntarily.

Zhu Yunwen grabbed the imperial physician's hand in a hurry and asked anxiously: "How is the emperor's grandfather? Have you ever woken up?"

The imperial physician looked up at Zhu Yunwen's anxious expression, shivered unconsciously, and knelt down with a pale face.

"Your Highness the Grand Prince forgives your crime, I am incompetent. Your Majesty has finished his life. I am afraid... I am afraid I can't stand it tonight!... I will die thousands of times!"

When the ministers heard the imperial physician's verdict on the emperor from afar, they were shocked. They looked at each other in a glance, and all kinds of unspeakable feelings surged into the hearts of the ministers.

Zhu Yunwen's tears flowed down his face. He raised his foot and kicked the imperial physician a few times, roaring and crying: "You bunch of waste! The imperial court has raised you in vain! How could the emperor's grandfather die for a long time? It must be because you didn't have the intention to treat him! I... I want to kill you!"

The imperial physician was shocked and kept kowtowing to beg for mercy.

Seeing that Zhu Yunwen was out of control, Xiao Fan pressed Zhu Yunwen's shoulder and shouted in a deep voice: "Your Highness Grandpa! Wake up! Calm down! Now is not the time to pursue the matter. Go in and see Your Majesty quickly,... Let him have a last journey!"

Zhu Yunwen struggled for a few times, turned to look at Xiao Fan's quiet face, and Zhu Yunwen gradually calmed down.

"Have the emperor's grandfather woke up?" Zhu Yunwen choked and asked the imperial physician.

"Your Majesty is awake. If your Highness wants to visit, please hurry up. If it is too late, it is probably..." The Imperial Doctor said in panic.

Zhu Yunwen turned around and glanced at the ministers standing in the square outside the hall, then stomped his feet resentfully, wiped his tears, and rushed into Wuying Hall alone.

Xiao Fan stood outside the hall and watched Zhu Yunwen enter the hall like a helpless child. His back was so lonely, panic-like, and a little confused about the future. He stumbled and disappeared into the warm pavilion in the hall. He couldn't help but sigh deeply.

Zhu Yunwen...is still too young. He was not ready to become an emperor at all. His thin shoulders could not bear the rise and fall of the entire Ming Dynasty. How far could a young emperor in his twenties bring the Jianwen court?

Xiao Fan shook his head hard and temporarily put this serious problem behind his mind. What he wants to do now is to protect the palace and let the grandparents and grandchildren do the final words.

"The Jinyiwei obeys the order!" Xiao Fan stood in front of the hall, exhaling and shouting loudly.

The Jinyi Captain standing outside the hall held his fists and saluted: "Here!"

Xiao Fan's eyes slowly swept across the faces of Huang Zicheng and the Qingliu ministers, and said in a deep voice: "Close the palace gate and defend strictly. No one is allowed to approach the palace gate within ten feet. Violators will be killed!"

"yes!"

Huang Zicheng, who was wet with rain in the middle of the square, heard this and his eyes were as angry as if they were spewing out fire. The ministers of the Qingliu, including the ministers of the six ministries, glared at Xiao Fan.

Xiao Fan smiled coldly, turned around to face the hall, stood with his hands behind his back, with a powerful official in charge of his power, and an arrogant look that covered the sky with the other hand.

Since you treat me as a treacherous minister, if I don’t show off my power as a treacherous minister, wouldn’t this treacherous minister be in vain?

Inside Wuying Hall.

The grandparents and grandchildren are making their final farewell.

Zhu Yunwen knelt in front of Zhu Yuanzhang's dragon couch and cried bitterly, and his hands kept pounding the ground. At this moment, the sadness and sorrow in his heart were indeed beyond words.

My grandfather, who had always believed in heaven, would leave him tonight. From then on, heaven and man were separated forever, leaving him alone in the world, facing the court ministers alone, and shouldering the heavy responsibility of the rise and fall of the Zhu Ming Dynasty. This grandfather who had always loved him and loved him, his voice, appearance and smile could only live in Zhu Yunwen's memories in the future...

Thinking of this, Zhu Yunwen became more and more sad and cried louder.

Zhu Yuanzhang had already woken up, but he realized that he had not had much time. He felt that the vitality in his body was leaving him quickly. Soon, he was left with only a soulless body, and from then on he stayed in the ground forever.

Looking at Zhu Yunwen who was crying in front of the couch with tears in his eyes, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a lot of reluctance in his heart.

He was concerned about too many things, and he had to do but had not done it yet. Unfortunately, the years passed, and the life was over. What if a person's life was as precious as an emperor? In the end, he could not end up with a regret.

With his trembling hand stretched out, Zhu Yuanzhang caressed Zhu Yunwen's head lovingly. His chest was undulating and his throat was hissing, like a broken bellows, breathing the last trace of air in the world with all his strength.

"Son...my good grandson...I am going to say goodbye to you..." Zhu Yuanzhang said intermittently with a smile.

"Grandfather, you will not die... What should you do if you die, leave your grandson alone?" Zhu Yunwen cried and said, "A few years ago, the father left me, and today, you are leaving me again... From now on, only grandsons are left alone in this world, and grandson will never be happy in this life..."

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, and when he closed his eyes, two lines of yellow tears fell down his cheeks.

"All life ends, grandson...it's just a pain for you! I can't bear to give up you, I can't bear to this world, I can't bear to this beautiful country, I can't bear to be magnificent mountains and rivers. This is my Zhu Ming's world..."

Zhu Yunwen heard the farewell in Zhu Yuanzhang's words and burst into tears. In the empty hall, the sound of sorrow and sorrowful crying was spreading...

Zhu Yuanzhang tried hard to hold up, half-sitted, and said weakly, "Good grandson, grandson, grandfather's time is coming soon, some words... grandfather must remind you."

Zhu Yunwen nodded in tears.

"The biggest thing in my heart is the vassal kings... I have been thinking about it for a long time. There was no mistake in implementing the vassal kings. At that time, the world was turbulent, the military and political power were scattered, and the country and the country were unstable. I used my descendants of the Zhu family to station in various places to govern the Ming Dynasty and concentrate the imperial power. At that time, the vassal kings had no mistakes and had to be implemented..."

"At present, the imperial power has been unified and there is no need to worry about falling. The vassal kings in various places have been neglected, and even...the ambitions have threatened the court, and the momentum and the momentum. The same national policy has caused the interests to be reversed due to the current situation. At this time, the vassal kings' strategies are no longer suitable to continue to be implemented...Sunsen, the matter of reducing the vassal kings is related to the foundation of the country and the country, so you should not act too quickly. You should slowly plan it, don't use... Huang Zicheng's strategy of reducing the vassal kings, he is the view of a scholar. If it is too radical, it will definitely harm my Zhu Ming's country in the future. Remember, remember!"

Zhu Yunwen nodded with sobs.

Zhu Yuanzhang turned around with difficulty, took out a small black wooden box from the embroidered quilt beside him, and handed it to Zhu Yunwen with a trembling look, with a complex look gradually appearing in his eyes.

Zhu Yunwen was stunned, took the wooden box, and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang curiously.

Zhu Yuanzhang signaled him to open the box.

I pulled out the hollowed-carved wooden board above the box, and there was a razor and a certificate of honor inside.

Zhu Yunwen was shocked and said in surprise: "Grandfather, what do you... mean?"

Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his eyelids, turned his head with a little guilty conscience, and his voice was hoarse and low: "Son, I love you, from my sincerity, there is no falsehood, but...Son! Who told you to be born in the imperial family! The Tian family is not a single family, but the whole world is borne! Ruoran... Ruoran one day, you can't defend this country and be occupied by your uncle... When things are irrescue, you will be ordained as a monk... and become a monk to avoid disaster!"

Zhu Yunwen looked at Zhu Yuanzhang in disbelief, and was stunned, as if he was struck by lightning, and his vision quickly became blurred.

The relationship between grandparents and grandchildren was mixed with so many cruel and cold blood of politics. Zhu Yunwen, who was simple-minded, was very uncomfortable. He didn't know why Zhu Yuanzhang left him this way of retreat. Did he expect that he could not defend his country?

Zhu Yuanzhang's pale face was filled with shame, and he was silent for a long time. He sighed to the sky: "Survival of things, grandson, you are a good grandson, a filial and polite grandson. I have always known that I am willing to see you smoothly and be the emperor for the rest of your life... But, grandson, can you be a good emperor? Can you defend the country? Things in the world are always cruel. If you can't defend the country and be usurped by your uncle, I... I really can't bear to see you die under your uncle. Grandson, promise me that if you can't do anything, save yourself well when your destiny is gone, and become a monk to avoid disaster! I just hope you live safely until old age. Who is the emperor in this world is not that important. Zhu Ming Tianxia or Zhu Ming Tianxia. As long as you live well and live until old age, I will be relieved..."

The old man's words were so heartbroken that Zhu Yunwen was shocked.

The emperor's grandfather has always been a wise old man. He has a sharp gaze that understands everything in the world. Hidden under the cold and cruel appearance, he is still the fiery compassionate heart with endless love for his descendants.

At this moment, Zhu Yunwen felt relieved.

He slowly covered the wooden box and put it away. Then he looked at Zhu Yuanzhang very seriously and said solemnly: "Grandfather of the Emperor, this box will definitely be kept until his grandson clears the internal and external troubles of the Ming Dynasty and creates a glorious era that will cover the Tang and Song dynasties. At that time, the grandson will worship the heavens and comfort the ancestors, throw this box into a copper cauldron and burn it, and return it to the emperor's grandfather! At that time, the grandson will tell his grandfather that the day you are worried that it will never happen. The grandson will be a good emperor and a good emperor!"

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled weakly, his smile full of relief and pleasure. He had seen with his own eyes that this weak grandson had broken out of his cocoon, the insect pupa turned into a butterfly, spreading his beautiful wings in the sun, and he finally grew up.

"Very good, very good..." Zhu Yuanzhang closed his eyes and smiled, tears flowing into a river on his old face...

"Sun son, go out and ask Xiao Fan to come in. I have something to say to him alone..." Zhu Yuanzhang leaned against the bedside tiredly and said.

Zhu Yunwen stood up holding the box, wiped the tears on his face, and retreated as he said, and walked to the gate of the hall. Zhu Yunwen turned around and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang reluctantly.

Zhu Yuanzhang lay on the dragon couch, breathing rapidly, and smiling at Zhu Yunwen, his smile as warm and kind as usual.

The grandparents and grandsons looked at each other and made a final farewell silently.

Before long, Xiao Fan entered the hall alone and knelt down in front of Zhu Yuanzhang's dragon couch without saying a word.

Zhu Yuanzhang's smile had already been curled up. He stared coldly at Xiao Fan who was lying on the ground in front of him. After a long time, he slowly spoke: "Xiao Fan, I am about to die. Before I die, I will not summon other ministers, princes and grandchildren, or all the ministers and marquises of the court, but I will summon you, a person who cheats even if you are a scholar. Do you know why?"

Xiao Fan was sweating coldly, and he was very scared. Could it be that Lao Zhu was thinking about asking me to bury him with him?

"I am stupid, but I don't know."

Zhu Yuanzhang coughed weakly twice, his face turned pale, and then he showed a smiley expression and said, "You might as well guess..."
To be continued...