Feng Zhuyun stood under the peach tree, looking up at it with his small head. For some reason, his mouth was pouting. After a while, she looked left and right. Seeing that there was no one around, she lifted her skirt and jumped onto the peach tree, slowly climbing up.
This was what Zhu Youtang saw when he arrived at the Feng Residence.
He hid by the bushes at the side, wanting to see what she was doing.
Feng Zhuyun was small, so he naturally couldn't see that someone was hiding in the bushes. She thought that no one could stop her from climbing the tree!
When he saw her climb up a tree that was many times taller than her, his heart was in his throat. He was afraid that she would fall down just like that, but he could not make a sound to avoid scaring her and causing her to fall. After a long time of conflict, he only hoped that she would come down safely.
"A little higher, a little higher." Feng Zhuyun stretched out her hand for a long time, but she was just a little bit away from the peach. She climbed up a few more steps, then let go of the tree trunk with one hand and hooked at the peach at the end of the tree. She finally caught the peach, but her body tilted to one side.
She was delighted to have picked the peach and let go of her other hand that was hugging the tree trunk. In the end, she fell down even though she had picked the peach.
"Be careful!" Zhu Youtang couldn't help but run out of the bushes, but it was a little late.
"Ouch!"
First, there was a bang, followed by Feng Zhuyun's miserable cry. The peach in his hand fell down with her, and it had long rotted.
" Sob…" Feng Zhuyun looked at the peaches that he had painstakingly picked turn into rotten fruits, and bean-sized tears rolled down his face as he cried loudly.
Zhu Youtang rushed to her side and was amused by her appearance.
She was greedy and climbed a tree, but she still dared to cry. He really had to give in to her.
"Zhui Yun." He called out as he lowered his head to look at her crying.
Feng Zhuyun was stunned at first. He looked up with his tear-stained face and immediately put on a smile when he saw him. Brother You, it's you."
"Look at you, crying and laughing. You're so ugly.”He pulled her up to see if she was injured. Fortunately, only her clothes were dirty.
"It's all because of that rotten peach that I fell.”Looking at the inedible peaches, she was a little angry.
"Does it hurt?" He pointed at her butt and asked.
Hearing his words, Feng Zhuyun felt a faint pain in his buttocks. He frowned and shouted,"It hurts!"
Zhu Youtang glared at her as if he couldn't stand it. What a belated fellow. "Can't you let the servants pluck the peaches if you want to eat them? Why did you do it yourself?"
"It's only delicious if you pick it yourself!" Feng Zhuyun shrugged. Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she looked up at the sky. "Eh? Brother You, didn't you say that you would only come to see me when it snows? It hasn't snowed yet!"
"Isn't it good to come and see you now?" He pinched her pretty nose. Actually, he was here to deliver something today.
"Of course," She was naturally happy that Brother You was here. However, she was in such a mess. She wondered if he would be angry at her like her father when he saw her mischievous appearance.
"Don't worry about this. Come, I have something to give you.”He pulled her aside and ignored the dirt on her body.
"Give me something?"
"Yes, I am!" Zhu Youtang mysteriously took out a blue cloth from his bosom. After opening the cloth, a dazzling golden light shone out, and the Falling Flower Mirror appeared even more dazzling under the sunlight.
"Wow!" Feng Zhuyun exclaimed in admiration, his eyes fixed on it.
When Zhu Youtang saw her like this, he picked up the Falling Flower Mirror." Here, this is for you."”
This mirror looked yellow. Even if Feng Zhuyun was not sensible, he could feel that it was a very precious thing. "Did you buy this? A lot of money, right? No, where did you get the money? Did you steal it?”she asked suspiciously.
Zhu Youtang, who was amused by her series of strange questions, said with a serious expression,"I didn't steal it. Don't worry.”
"Oh?" Feng Zhuyun took the mirror." You really want to give it to me?”
"Of course! Take a look at yourself. You're so ugly!”He was referring to the tears on her face. Her face was dirty after she wiped them with her dirty hands.
Feng Zhuyun hurriedly took out a mirror and looked at himself. Indeed, the mirror reflected her ugly appearance. No wonder Brother You said that.
"Brother You, am I really that ugly?”Feng Zhuyun asked worriedly, his hand holding the mirror tightly.
"So ugly!"
He teased her, but Feng Zhuyun took it seriously.
"Come, go wash your face. I'll take you to pick peaches.”Zhu Youtang didn't notice what Feng Zhuyun was thinking at all and pulled her away.
"I'm not going."
"Why? Didn't you want to eat peaches just now?" He was puzzled.
"I'm not eating." Feng Zhuyun flung his hand away and quickly ran away." I hate Brother You the most! I hate him the most!”
Zhu Youtang looked at her back as she ran away. He didn't know what he had said wrong. A girl's heart was really hard to understand.
Alright then! Anyway, the mirror had already been sent over. He would look for her again when he had the chance!
He muttered in his heart and left.
Who knew that after parting today, it would be a long time before they met again…
The next day.
In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the civil and military officials were discussing state affairs with the Emperor. The Minister of War, Fu Minghan, only rushed over after seven in the morning.
"Minister Fu, why are you in such a hurry?”Xianzong asked.
"Reporting to the emperor, this, this minister has already gathered all the evidence of the minister of the Ministry of War attempting to rebel, and is waiting for the emperor to issue a decree to punish him.”
As soon as Fu Minghan said this, the civil and military officials began to clamor.
"Oh? Do you have any evidence?" Xianzong asked.
Fu Minghan immediately took out a stack of paper from his sleeve and handed it to the eunuch to pass to the Emperor.
"Reporting to the emperor, this is the anti-war poem I found in Zhang Yu and Yang Qi's residence. They have already confessed that Xu Fen and Feng Qixuan are accomplices.”
" What?!" Hearing this, Xianzong was furious. He patted the handle of the dragon throne and said,""Men! Bring these four people into the palace. I want to interrogate them personally.”
"Emperor, this subject has already ordered the commander of the guards to escort these four guilty subjects and await the emperor's punishment.”Fu Minghan was the first to claim credit.
"In that case, Minister Fu's investigation is true?”Xianzong asked.
"Reporting to the emperor, in order to prevent their inappropriate words from angering Shengyan, this subject requests the emperor to personally judge them.”
Xianzong was not unhappy with Fu Minghan's actions. Instead, he was satisfied that he had saved him trouble. It was enough to show that his son had a good eye for people. Thinking of this, his confidence in the crown prince increased a lot.
"Since Minister Fu is willing to try, I will issue a decree. If the evidence is conclusive, these four people will be executed and their properties confiscated.”
"Emperor, please reconsider!" The Minister of Rites stood up to speak for the four of them.
"Minister Feng, I heard that you have a close relationship with the four of them. Could it be that you knew about this and didn't report it?" Fu Minghan immediately added.”
The Minister of Rites immediately shut his mouth. Even the other officials who wanted to plead for the four of them did not dare to speak, afraid that they would be implicated.
"Minister Fu, I'll leave this matter to you.”
"Yes, Your Majesty." Fu Minghan answered and immediately went to work.
"Not good, not good! Master, Madam, bad news…"
The servant rushed into the main house in a panic and shouted that it was bad when he met someone. He even fell several times in the residence that he was so familiar with. It was obvious how flustered he was.
"What's the matter?”Finally, Feng Qixuan and Madam Feng appeared outside the hall.
" Master, Madam..." The servant's voice trembled, and he was somewhat incoherent," Master, Master Yang and Master Zhang have been captured. I heard, I heard that the Minister ordered to capture the four masters..."
"Why are you capturing us?" Feng Xuan did not understand.
The loyal servant hurriedly said,"Master, don't worry about this for now. Hurry up and pack your things and escape!"”
"Escape? I didn't commit any crime, so why should I escape?”How could he leave before he figured out what was going on? Feng Qixuan had been upright since he was young. He boasted that he had done nothing wrong. Even if ten horses pulled him, he would not leave.
"Old Master, just because you didn't commit a crime doesn't mean that you're not guilty. This servant heard from the Yang Family that the Minister is in the Wen Prison again. The anti-war poems that you and the other old masters wrote somehow fell into the hands of the Minister.”
Recalling the content of the anti-war poem, Feng Qixuan's face instantly turned pale, frightening Madam Feng.
What was going on? She didn't know anything!
"Master…"
"Hurry up! Madam, go pack your luggage and take the children as far as you can!”
Feng Qixuan finally understood. Ever since Emperor Yuanzhang founded the country, he had been very picky about the content of articles and diction. He was especially sensitive when it came to mentioning that he was a civilian emperor, a monk, a bald man, a beggar, and so on. In serious cases, he would be executed, and in light cases, he would be imprisoned. After several generations, not only did the emperor of the Ming Dynasty not lift the ban, but he even became more serious. Even the poems they wrote on a whim were misinterpreted. This time, he would definitely have to execute all his relatives.
At this moment, it was too late for regrets!
" Master…" Madam Feng panicked when she saw her husband's uneasiness.
"Hurry up and go. If you're late, my Feng family will have no descendants!”
"Master, what about you?"
"If I stay here, I'll take responsibility for everything I do. What they want is nothing more than my life. I alone will be enough to take care of the entire Feng family.”Feng Qixuan regained his composure and stood there calmly like a warrior who had broken his wrist. He was fearless and unyielding.
" Master…" Madam Feng called out reluctantly. What, what happened that made her husband have to pay with his life?
"Hurry up and leave! [The further you go, the better. Remember, you can't let the Feng family cover your retreat!]”Feng Qixuan seemed to be giving his last words as he handed such an important matter to his wife.
"Madam, let's go!" The servant urged. They had to inform the young master and young miss quickly. If they were late, it would really be too late.
Madam Feng looked at her husband greedily and finally left with tears in her eyes.
Not long after, when the Feng Residence became an empty house, Feng Qixuan looked around and bit his tongue to commit suicide, ending his life.
"I don't want to eat, I don't want to eat this kind of hard steamed bun!”
Feng Zutian angrily threw the steamed bun in his hand onto the ground. Seeing this, some of the servants tried to pick it up with trembling hands. However, the steamed bun was quickly picked up by Madam Feng. The servants could only watch helplessly as the steamed bun returned to the Eldest Young Master's hands.
"Tian 'er, don't be so willful. It wasn't easy for us to get this food.”Madam Feng persuaded him kindly.
"I'm not eating, I said I'm not eating!" He was angry when he saw these steamed buns. He had shark's fin and ginseng to eat.
"Tian 'er…"
"It's all your fault. It's all your fault that we became like this!”Feng Zhutian ran up to Feng Zhuyun, pointed at her nose, and cursed.
" Mother..." Feng Zhuyun didn't understand why his brother scolded him. It had been like this these days. When it was time for dinner, he would scold her, but he didn't see his father protecting her.
"Alright, why are you bringing this up?”Madam Feng looked at her son helplessly and could only shake her head.
"Tian 'er, quickly eat. After you're done, we have to hurry up and leave.”They didn't know if there were any pursuers behind them. These days, they could only rush on without stopping. As for where they were going, no one knew.
"Mother, I won't leave. Unless she leaves, I won't leave!”Angel Feng Zhu's temper flared up. He was angry at his sister for making them homeless, angry at her for causing his father's death, and even more angry at her for making him eat these hard buns.
Madam Feng's heart sank when she heard that." How can you say that? Yun 'er is only ten years old! How could Mother abandon her!"
"Mother, do you want her over Tian 'er Luo?”" She killed my father," Feng Zutian questioned her." If she hadn't provoked the Crown Prince, would our family have been executed?" Would we hide like this?”The rumors he heard along the way made him roughly understand that it was his sister who had met the Crown Prince and angered His Majesty, which led to this unexpected disaster.
"Your father was framed because of the Word Prison, it has nothing to do with Yun 'er.”Madam Feng explained to her son rationally.
"I don't care. It's all her fault.”Feng Zutian was sure that it was his sister's fault.
Feng Zhuyun was baffled. She didn't know who the Crown Prince was, and she didn't know anything about the Word Prison. She only knew that her brother was throwing a tantrum to chase her away.
" Mother…" She looked at her mother in fear, afraid that she would really abandon her and leave her alone.
"Mother, if you want her, I'll take Zhuyu away and never come back!”Feng Zutian threatened.
Madam Feng was helpless. She looked at her eldest son and then at her daughter. No matter what, she had painstakingly carried them for ten months. How could she part with them?
When the servants saw this situation, they looked at each other. No one dared to say a word.
"Madam, why don't you let me take Little Miss away?”The nanny who had been serving Feng Zhuyun stood out.
"Nanny, you…"
"Furen, I heard that Pingzhen Temple can take in some homeless girls. Sending Little Miss there is better than following Furen to live a homeless life.”
" But Yun 'er is still so young…"
"Madam, when the days are stable in the future, it won't be too late for you to come and pick up Little Miss! Besides, it's really not easy for you to take care of such a large family alone!”Nanny paused and continued," Send the little miss to Pingzhen Temple. Maybe she will have the opportunity to enter the palace in the future to help the old master."”
Pingzhen Temple was a temple built by the late emperor of the Ming Dynasty to protect the country. It was said that a hundred years ago, it was just a small temple. Before Emperor Yuanzhang ascended the throne, he was a beggar. One day, he entered the temple to take a nap at noon and put the walking stick he used to beg on his head, forming the character of heaven. The monks in the temple immediately knelt down and predicted that he would be the emperor in the future. They encouraged Emperor Yuanzhang to join the anti-Yuan army in the north. Later on, Emperor Yuanzhang won a hundred battles and became the leader. He even overthrew the Yuan Dynasty and replaced it, becoming the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
Therefore, after Emperor Yuanzhang ascended the throne, the first thing he did was to make Pingzhen Temple the Guoguo Temple. He also ordered the reconstruction and changed Pingzhen Temple to its current size.
However, the monks of Pingzhen Temple did not change their attitude of using Buddhism to save the people just because they had become the Guoguo Temple. Instead, they accepted the unfortunate people and cultivated countless benevolent monks.
In addition, every year when there was a ceremony in the palace, the highly respected monks would be invited to the palace to pray for blessings. That was why Nanny said that perhaps one day, Feng Zhuyun could enter the palace.
" This…" Madam Feng considered.
She understood what Nanny said, but would Old Master agree to her doing this?
She couldn't help but think of how much the old master had doted on and doted on this daughter when he was still alive. Would he agree to let her be a novice nun now?
Suddenly, Old Master's words rang in her ears!
Remember, you can't let the Feng family cover the rear!
"Mother, please let Nanny take her away! I don't want to see her again, I don't want to!”Seeing his mother hesitating, Feng Zutian started to make a fuss again. "Mother, if you want her, I'll take Zhuyu away and never come back!”
Madam Feng looked at her son again. If she could protect her two sons without her daughter, Old Master wouldn't blame her, right?
With that thought, she finally made a decision.
"Alright, this is the only way now.”
Madam Feng came to Feng Zhuyun's side and squatted down." Yun 'er?”
"Mother, Yun 'er doesn't want to leave. Yun' er wants to stay by your side.”Feng Zhuyun's little head kept shaking. She didn't want to leave. Her mother wouldn't be so cruel.
"Be good, Yun 'er. Go with Nanny first. I'll come and pick you up after I settle everything.”she advised. She didn't want to become like this! However, she really had no other choice in this situation.
"Mother, Yun 'er doesn't want to leave you!"
"You have to take it even if you don't want it. Who taught you to kill your father?”Feng Zhutian pushed her, causing her to fall onto the mound behind her. Tears of grievance flowed down her face.
"Tian 'er, you're not allowed to bully Yun' er like this!”Madam Feng reprimanded.
"But her!" Feng Zutian was angry when he saw her and glared at her unwillingly.
"Shut up! Don't say anything else. Nanny, please take Yun 'er away!”Madam Feng made up her mind and turned her head away, not looking at Feng Zhuyun again.
"Mother, Yun 'er doesn't want to, Yun' er doesn't want to leave you!”Feng Zhuyun cried and hugged his mother's leg, refusing to let go.
Although Nanny could not bear to see Little Miss cry, this was the best arrangement for her. Gritting her teeth, she had no choice but to be ruthless. "Little Miss, let's go!"
"Mother!"
"Let's go!" Mrs. Feng gritted her teeth and tried not to look at her daughter. She picked up the steamed bun that had fallen to the ground and handed it to Feng Zutian. This time, he was finally willing to eat it.
It was not until Feng Zhuyun's voice disappeared into the distance that Madam Feng raised her head and looked in the direction she had left. Her eyes were filled with deep apology.
Xianzong killed countless literati during his reign because of his large-scale sweeping of literati and scholars who wrote poems to insinuate the royal family. In order to consolidate their own power and seek self-protection, everyone in the court felt threatened and became soldiers. This caused the capable to not dare to show off their literary talent and rack their brains for official career. The Ming Dynasty quickly fell into a situation of self-restraint and sticking to the rules.
" Father, I heard that you gave the order to kill…" Once Zhu Youtang received the news, he immediately rushed to the royal study without even reporting.
Xianzong looked unhappy because he was disturbed." What's the matter? Why are you so flustered? You don't have any manners at all!"
"Imperial Father, your son was wrong. Your son wants to ask about the anti-war poem.”
"They have all been executed." These four sinners were so bold to dare to rebel against him. Fortunately, they were discovered by Minister Fu in time. Otherwise, once word got out, wouldn't more and more people rebel against him?
"Imperial Father, then…what about Assistant Minister Feng?”Zhu Youtang asked in surprise.
"He bit his tongue and committed suicide. At least he knows his limits and knows that I won't let him off.”
"Father, where is his family? You…ordered them to be killed?”Zhu Youtang asked in a trembling voice, suddenly afraid to hear this answer.
Xianzong glanced at him. His son seemed to be quite concerned about Assistant Minister Feng. He didn't ask about the Yang family or Zhang family, but only the Feng family. Just this alone made him suspicious.
"Son, aren't you a little too worried about them?”Xianzong's expression darkened.
"Imperial Father, your son didn't mean it that way. It's just that the crime of killing nine generations is too heavy.”
"Are you criticizing me?”Xianzong's expression turned extremely ugly.
"Father, no!"
"It's good that you're not. Since you've greeted me, you may leave!”
"Imperial Father, you haven't told your son yet.”He was anxious to know Feng Zhuyun's whereabouts, so he didn't want to leave.
"Humph! I don't know who leaked the news, but when my guards arrived, other than Feng Qixuan, there was no one else in Feng Manor.”
Hearing this, Zhu Youtang heaved a sigh of relief. He did not notice his father's strange expression as he stared at him.
She should be fine now! He thought to himself that he shouldn't suffer much with his family.
However, he had forgotten that they were on the run and could not live a good life like before.
"My son, don't interfere in the matters of the guilty officials. As the Crown Prince, you have a more important mission.”Xianzong reminded him.
"Your son understands."
"Also, I'll summon Minister Fu's daughter to the palace tomorrow. You can come to the Myriad Spring Pavilion together.”
"Yes." he replied casually.
"Alright, you may leave!" With a wave of his hand, Xianzong buried his head in the memorial again.
Zhu Youtang knew that he couldn't do anything except look for Feng Zhuyun. But where could he find her?
Even if he found her, she would definitely hate him for killing her father.
It seemed that apart from the age difference, the difference in status between Cloud and Mud made it impossible for the two of them to ever be together.
"Nanny, why doesn't mother want Yun 'er?”
It had been five days since he left his family. Feng Zhuyun and the nanny, one old and one young, were heading toward Pingzhen Temple.
Feng Zhuyun had stopped making a fuss. He only occasionally asked Nanny why her mother didn't want her.
"Little Miss, it's not that Madam doesn't want you, but she can't give you a stable life now, so she wants you to stay in the temple. When she has the ability, she will come to pick you up.”Nanny coaxed her.
"What about brother? Why did he say that I killed my father?”Although her relationship with her brother was not very good, it was not too bad. She had never seen her brother lose his temper like that day.
"Eldest Young Master is just spouting nonsense. Don't believe him.”
"Really?"
"Of course it's true. Has Nanny ever lied to you?”
"What about Father? Is Father really dead?" She hadn't seen her father for many days. It had never been so long since her father had come to see her!
" This..." Nanny lowered her head awkwardly, not knowing what to say. "In short, Little Miss, in the future, read more of the Buddhist scriptures taught to you in the temple. Perhaps one day, you can enter the palace and seek justice for Old Master.”
"Reading Buddhist scriptures?"
"That's right! Little Miss, when you can take charge of your own affairs, you can enter the palace. The Feng family's injustice will all depend on you to be vindicated, understand?”She patted the little miss 'head and sighed that she was too young and did not understand many things.
She hoped that this old woman could live to a hundred years old and see Little Miss avenge the Feng family! She thought to herself.
"I know. I will definitely learn the Buddhist scriptures well so that Mother will come and pick me up.”Feng Zhuyun replied. The unhappiness in her heart had been swept away. She was waiting for her mother to pick her up.
Who knew that this wait would result in them being separated forever.#
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]