In the 17th year of Chongzhen, in 1644 AD, the eleventh day of the first lunar month, at the hour of Mao.

Zhu Cilang stood outside the Meridian Gate, looking at Zhu Cijiang, Li Jizhou, Qiu Zhizhong, Cao Huachun, Fan Jingwen, Li Banghua, Yang Wencong, Fang Gonggan and Wu Mengming, as well as the one hundred solemn Jinyiwei, a sense of heroism emerged from his heart. No matter what the eunuchs who followed him to Nanjing, the ministers and Jinyiwei had, they were the first team he had with Zhu Cilang. If he could not control these people in a short period of time, it was because he lacked his own abilities and no wonder others were.

The morning dynasty continued in the court, but the Minister of Works Fan Jingwen and the Left Censor Li Banghua were destined to be absent. According to the court's rules, the Left Minister of Works and the Right Censor of Works were on the top and performed the duties related to the Minister of Works and the Left Censor of Works.

The father did not order the ministers in the court to see him off, which also made Zhu Cilang feel relieved. He did not like that hypocritical scene.

Zhu Cilang had a little headache, mainly because the Zuodu Censor Li Banghua is older, seventy years old, and can only ride in a carriage. Fan Jingwen is almost sixty years old, and has limited physical strength and sometimes he has to ride in a carriage. Fang Gonggan and Yang Wencong are both forty-eight years old, and they are very energetic. As for others, there is no need to worry.

In this way, Yuhuan and Chunmei were riding in a carriage, Li Banghua also had to prepare a carriage for Fan Jingwen. Zhu Cijiong and others also needed to transport the salutes. The original five carriages were not enough, and it increased to eight.

All of these carriages were carriages pulled by four horses, which were very fast, but they were also very expensive.

After watching everyone salute, Zhu Cilang walked over.

He first bowed to Li Banghua.

"Mr. Li, you are old, please take a carriage. There is still a plague spreading in the capital, so the carriage is a bit fast. There is a thick bedding in the carriage. If you find it unbearable, just tell me, and I will find a way."

After Li Banghua returned the gift to Zhu Cilang, he waved his hands repeatedly.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince is too worried. I can hold on to this old bone. There is no problem along the way."

Zhu Cilang nodded, came to Fan Jingwen, and bowed his head and bowed.

"Mr. Fan, this is Gu's first trip and he is going to Nanjing Jianguo. I hope Lord Fan will give me more advice along the way. Lord Fan's reputation has long been heard and can listen to Lord Fan's teachings. Gu has benefited a lot. If Gu has something wrong with doing, Lord Fan will speak and point at Gu's nose and say it. Gu thanked Lord Fan here."

Fan Jingwen was stunned for a moment and bowed deeply to Zhu Cilang.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince loves you very much, and I will do my best to know everything."

Zhu Cilang had a smile on his face, but he felt a little depressed. When facing a person like Fan Jingwen, he could not be tough, and it would be counterproductive. He must be given full respect. Doing this can make Fan Jingwen do things sincerely. Of course, there are also flaws in doing this, that is, Fan Jingwen will really give suggestions without mercy, and sometimes Zhu Cilang may not be able to come to Taiwan.

When he walked to Fang Gonggan, Zhu Cilang bowed his head and bowed.

"Teacher, I went to Nanjing this time and my studies were not as difficult as usual. I must have delayed a little. I would like to ask the teacher to understand that after arriving in Nanjing, I will find a way to make up for it."

"I know that the Crown Prince is diligent and quick-study. Everyone knows that when you go to Nanjing to supervise the country, you have not forgotten your studies. It is really valuable, it is really valuable."

Respecting teachers and valuing education is the basic etiquette, and Zhu Cilang will not forget it. However, he just said that he really wanted to learn the articles of Zhihuzhe. What he needed now is talents and theories to govern the world and turn the tide. Those empty preachings should be discarded aside.

When he came to Yang Wencong, Zhu Cixuan's words became much simpler.

"Mr. Yang, you should not complain about being tired after following me to Nanjing to do things. Sometimes you may even encounter life danger, but I believe you dare to take responsibility and will not be afraid."

Yang Wencong's face was slightly red, and he bowed to Zhu Cilang.

"I am fearless, follow His Highness the Crown Prince and do my best to do my best."

When he walked to Wu Mengming, Zhu Cixuan's words became simpler.

"Mr. Wu, I believe you and all the soldiers, please ask along the way."

Wu Mengming's answer is also simple.

"My brothers and I swear to protect His Highness the Prince to the death."

Zhu Cilang finally walked to Cao Huachun. He saw the strange look in Cao Huachun's eyes. Cao Huachun followed him to Nanjing and must have shouldered a special mission. Zhu Cilang knew this very well.

Wang Chengen and Cao Huachun were the eunuchs that Zhu Youjian trusted the most. Their favors were far more than ministers in the court. In terms of ability alone, Cao Huachun was stronger than other eunuchs in the Silijian. Cao Huachun had the ability to lead soldiers to fight, was loyal and loyal, and had no other evil deeds. Such a person was exactly what Zhu Cilang needed.

Zhu Cilang did not have much malice towards eunuchs. In fact, many literati in the late Ming Dynasty were far more shameful than eunuchs. As the saying goes, correcting others first, correcting oneself. As long as the emperor strictly controls eunuchs and gives full play to his strengths, eunuchs can play a huge role. In comparison, eunuchs are absolutely loyal to the emperor.

People with virtue and talent are the best, people with virtue and no talent are the middle, people with virtue and no talent are the lowest, and people with virtue and no talent are the worst, and people with virtue and no talent are the waste. This is the case after hundreds of years. For example, many literati at the end have virtue and no talent. They have very good knowledge, but they do not have the basic morality of being human. They not only harmed the Ming Dynasty and bowed to the Qing Dynasty, but also called deer as horses and tampered with history at will. In order to please the new master, they tried their best to slander the Ming Dynasty. When doing these things, they did not feel ashamed, but rather proud. If such people enter the court and become officials, the disaster will be the greatest.

Zhu Cixuan had a very mature experience in this area, so he would never deliberately exclude eunuchs, would never let the court become a civil servant, nor would he tolerate ministers' power suppression of imperial power.

"Mr. Cao, you are by Gu's side along the way. With you by Gu's side, Gu will always remember the instructions of his father, and Gu will do his best to do everything well."

Cao Huachun's eyes lit up and he bent down to salute Zhu Cilang.

"I remember the words of His Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhu Cijiong looked at him with a gaze, which made Zhu Cilang feel funny. He walked to Zhu Cijiong and patted Zhu Cijiong on the shoulder with force, saying nothing.

As for Li Jizhou and Qiu Zhizhong, Zhu Cilang regarded him as his family and did not need to say anything.

The two Arab horses at the front of the team were very conspicuous, and this was Zhu Cilang's mount.

Nearly twenty days ago, Zhu Cixuan fell into a coma due to riding a horse. Now he is going to ride a horse to Nanjing again. This is not appropriate, but no one will say that everyone thinks that the seventeen-year-old Prince's horse is natural to ride a horse. Of course, Empress Zhou doesn't know about this. Zhu Cixuan warned Li Jizhou and Qiu Zhizhong that the Empress would never let the Empress know about this.

"Your Highness, the hour of Mao has passed and the city gate has opened. Should you set off..."

Zhu Cilang waved his hand at Li Jizhou, walked forward a few steps, turned around and looked at the Meridian Gate.

Although he had traveled for less than a month, he was too familiar with the Forbidden City. Zhu Cilang instinctively felt this. It was unknown when he would return after leaving the capital this time, and it was also unknown whether he could return to the Forbidden City in his lifetime. Therefore, Zhu Cilang had to take a good look at the Meridian Gate and finally feel the majesty of the imperial city.

No one spoke, everyone looked at Zhu Cilang.

Two minutes passed, and Zhu Cilang waved his hands decisively at everyone.

"Set out, you will go to Nanjing with me."

After leaving the Meridian Gate, he did not really leave the Forbidden City. On the left and right sides of the road are the Taimiao and the Sheji Altar. On the first day of the first lunar month every year, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty came here to worship, and the prince who left the cabinet also followed him to worship.

Going forward and leaving Chengtian Gate, you will be considered as truly leaving the Forbidden City.

Not far ahead of Chengtian Gate is the Daming Gate. Between Chengtian Gate and Daming Gate, there are many yamen, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, the Supervision Institute, the Honglu Temple, the Imperial Hospital, the Hanlin Academy and the Five Army Governor's Office, all on the left and right, and the Jinyiwei is also on the right.

These official offices are basically the central departments of the Ming Dynasty. They are close to the Forbidden City and also demonstrate the majesty of imperial power.

Zhu Cilang did not ride a horse. According to the Ming Dynasty's laws, horse riding is not allowed in the inner city of the capital. If you want to ride a horse in the inner city, you need to get the emperor's approval. As the crown prince, Zhu Cilang is no exception.

When we left Chengtian Gate and headed towards Daming Gate, the offices on both sides were quite quiet. Most of the officials were in charge of government affairs within the office. Occasionally, we could see a few officials who were walking around. It should be said that the Beijing officials were quite busy. At the hour of Mao every day, we had to go to the official office to go to Mao until Shen hour. We would not leave until after Shen hour. If the Beijing officials who lived in the outer city would almost turn dark after returning home. Of course, the position of the Beijing officials in the Ming Dynasty was originally higher than that of the local officials.

Slowly, many heads poked out from both sides, looking at Zhu Cixuan and his party heading towards the Daming Gate.

The news that Zhu Cixuan went to Nanjing to supervise the country has spread in the cabinet, the six ministries and the Supervision Bureau, and many officials have learned about it.

Zhu Cilang did not stop or stop to look at both sides. After leaving the Forbidden City, all he left in his mind was grief. The capital of the Ming Dynasty was about to fall. Zhu Cilang, who was about to ascend to the great treasure, could only rely on the south and Nanjing to gather strength and do his best to save the soon-to-be-destroy Ming Dynasty.

There are too many unknowns in the future. If Zhu Cilang can show the determination and confidence of a hero to cut off his arm and scrape his bones to cure the poison, seize the opportunity, take action on his own, eliminate the disadvantages, unite everyone, gather strength from all sides, and have hope of restoring the country, otherwise the Ming court, which is far away from the south, will fall into the bottomless abyss like the Southern Ming Dynasty.

Zhengyang Gate is right in front of him, and Zhu Cilang turned back again and silently recited in his heart.
Chapter completed!