Crown Prince Manor.
On this day, three people came to the Crown Prince's residence. They were none other than Yang Shiqi and the other two.
"Crown Prince, Scholar Yang and the others are outside the door.”
"Why is it them again?"
Zhu Gaochi frowned. He really didn't want to see these three people. Every time he met them, he would ask for news about the old master and ask him to take control.
However, if he said that he wouldn't see them, it wouldn't make sense. After all, the three of them were his confidants.
"Why didn't I realize that these three people were so annoying before?”
Zhu Gaochi sighed and waved his hand.
"Let them in."
Soon, the three of them hurriedly walked in.
"Your Highness."
The three of them saw Zhu Gaochi lying on the chair and quickly greeted him.
" Your Highness the Crown Prince, the Emperor…"
Before Yang Shiqi could finish, he immediately reached out and interrupted him.
"Stop asking. I really don't know. If you want to go, go ask yourself. Don't keep bothering me.”
Zhu Gaochi looked at them helplessly.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince must be joking. The Emperor's chambers are surrounded by the most elite Imperial Guards and Jinyiwei. No one is allowed to enter without the Emperor's summons.”
Yang Shiqi smiled bitterly. It was because of this situation that they did not know whether Zhu Di was alive or dead.
"You guys can't enter, but I can?”
Zhu Gaochi pointed at himself and said.
"Don't ask this, I'm more annoyed than you guys. You've heard the recent rumors, right? They say that I killed the emperor and attempted to usurp the throne.”
Zhu Gaochi laughed.
"Your Highness, this is purely a rumor. There must be someone who is secretly adding fuel to the fire.”
Yang Shiqi quickly said. He almost said that it was the King of Han. In their eyes, everything that slandered the Crown Prince was done by the King of Han.
Just like how people would think of them when they slandered the King of Han, the two sides just didn't like each other.
However, they always won. It was not because they were powerful, but because they would say that most things in officialdom depended on their mouths, and brains were secondary.
"Your Highness, we will definitely help you find the person who secretly spread the rumors.”
Yang Fu stood up and said.
"Alright, don't mess things up for me. Now that the Wala Kingdom is heading south, we should mobilize the strength of the entire country to resist.”
Zhu Gaochi clapped his hands.
"We don't know if the emperor is dead or alive. The troops around the area, the people who provided disaster relief, and the people who quelled the chaos, only gathered 200,000 people.”
"For the safety of the capital, I have no choice but to let Second Brother guard the city.”
Zhu Gaochi shook his head.
"But, Your Highness, it is really inappropriate for the King of Han to defend the city!”
Yang Rong bent down at him.
"Not suitable?"
Zhu Gaochi turned around and looked at him.
"Let me ask you, why not?"
The three of them fell silent.
After a moment of silence, Yang Shiqi mustered his courage and spoke.
"We are worried that he will rebel.”
Zhu Gaochi laughed when he heard this.
"Yang Shiqi, Yang Shiqi, you really dare to say that.”
But then, his face turned serious.
"Let me ask you, if Second Brother is removed, who do you want to defend the city? If Wala breaks through the border, can you guarantee the safety of the capital?”
"The two most outstanding generals of my Great Ming, one is to fight against Wala in the north, and the other is to guard the capital. Then why didn't you say that you should replace Third Brother as well?”
Yang Shiqi was speechless.
He could talk about the King of Han, but he couldn't allow him to be so powerful. In the army, his prestige was second only to Zhu Di. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so afraid.
"Do you think I want Second Brother to defend the city? Do you think I don't know his wild ambitions? But so what!"
Zhu Gaochi continued sternly.
"As long as he's here, the capital will be fine!"
"If he's here, then Great Ming's capital is here!”
"With him around, Big Ming will not fall.”
Don't think that this is just an exaggeration. The capital is the foundation of a country. Why did Emperor Taizu build the capital here?
It was to not leave any way out for himself. Once the enemy invaded, the capital would be the first to be in danger.
As for fleeing south?
The bloody lesson of the Southern Song Dynasty was right in front of him. Running away would only destroy the country.
Emperor Taizu's meaning was that the Emperor of Great Ming would either sit firmly in the capital or die on the battlefield. There was absolutely no other way!
"Yang Shiqi, you say that you're thinking for me, but in fact, you're thinking for yourself, your juniors, and your students!”
Zhu Gaochi shook his head, and then his eyes suddenly became firm.
He pointed at the sky and said in a sonorous and powerful voice.
"So what if I die? The capital was still there, the capital was still there, and Big Ming was still there.”
"This world is still surnamed Zhu."
"Even if I go down, I will not be ashamed of Emperor Taizu.”
"I can still visit the ancestral temple and enjoy the blood and food offered by the younger generations.”
When Yang Shiqi and the other two heard this, they immediately understood. The Crown Prince's ambition was like a swan, and they could only look up to him.
"We understand."
The three of them cupped their hands and bowed to him. They were sincerely convinced.
"Your Highness, if that day really comes, we will not live an ignoble life. We are willing to drink a cup of wine with you on the Bridge of Helplessness.”
Yang Shiqi looked at him with determination.
The other two also expressed their determination.
Zhu Gaochi waved his hand.
"What's the use of following me? It's better to keep a useful body to serve Great Ming. Alright, go back.”
As he spoke, Zhu Gaochi narrowed his eyes.
This time, they no longer hesitated. They saw Zhu Gaochi's determination and felt that they could not convince him.
After they left, Zhu Gaochi opened his eyes and looked around to make sure that they had all left. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief.
He had finally managed to fool them. Hmph, was he going to compete with him in glib talk?
He didn't even know who was the boss. The second and third brothers knew that they could use their hands to deal with him, but not their mouths.
"Phew, hurry up and take a pill to calm down.”
As he spoke, Zhu Gaochi solemnly took out a jade box from his bosom and carefully opened it. After smelling the pill fragrance, he picked up a pill and ate it.
"So that's what you're thinking.”
Suddenly, Zhang shi slowly walked out from behind, followed by a girl with a strange skin color.
"Why are you here?"
Zhu Gaochi was a little surprised.
Zhang shi looked at him, then looked at the jade box in his hand, and snatched it over.
"Eat, eat, eat. You only know how to eat this. What's the use of eating this when you're about to die!”
As she spoke, she threw the jade box on the ground.
Zhu Gaochi was so frightened that he immediately closed his eyes. Then, he looked at the medicinal pills rolling on the ground with a pained expression.
"This, this, this, sigh."
He sighed and looked at the girl.
"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and pick it up.”
The girl didn't answer. She squatted on the ground and carefully picked up the scattered pills on the ground. Not only that, she didn't even let go of the broken jade.
Zhu Gaochi raised his head and looked at her helplessly.
You have Zhan Shi around and secretly feed you pills every day, but I don't.
It was true that a full man did not know how hungry a hungry man was.
"You guys have been lying to me, right?”
Zhang shi looked at him with disappointment.
"You even hid it from Zhan Ji because you knew that if Zhan Ji knew, he would never follow Zhan Ren to the border.”
"Sigh, I was just fooling them just now. I can't take it seriously.”
Zhu Gaochi hurriedly explained.
"Will I not be able to see Zhanji, Zhanji, and the others?”
Obviously, Zhang shi didn't listen to him.
"Surnamed Zhu, you're so ruthless. For this Big Ming, you want the entire Crown Prince's Residence to be buried with you.”
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
Zhu Gaochi was also a little unhappy.
"I'm talking nonsense? What did you say just now? You can even give up your life for this Big Ming.”
Zhang shi finally understood what was going on.
He had never expected his husband to be so ruthless.
In her opinion, Zhu Gaochi had no choice but to lower his head to the King of Han and the King of Zhao for the safety of the capital.
In order to gain their trust and protect their safety, he gave his two sons to the King of Zhao.
He even treated himself and the entire Crown Prince's Residence as the abandoned child to stabilize the Ming Dynasty.
She was not afraid of death. She had already mentally prepared herself the day she married into the Zhu family.
However, Zhu Gaochi shouldn't have hidden it from him.
She couldn't help but feel sad when she thought about how that was the last time she would see her son.
Zhu Gaochi looked at her worried face and did not know what to say for a moment.
At this moment, the girl on the ground stood up. She walked to Zhu Gaochi and stretched out her hands.
Looking at the pills and broken jade in her palm, he looked at the girl strangely.
He remembered that this girl seemed to have been bought from Anfu Lane by Zhan Jue.
"I don't want the broken jade. Take it and throw it away.”
Zhu Gaochi instructed him.
"Zhu!"
Zhang shi shouted at him.
"Aiyo, granny, can you stop causing trouble?”
Zhu Gaochi looked at her helplessly.
"Sure,"
Zhang shi smiled. Zhu Gaochi was stunned, but before he could be happy for long, he heard Zhang shi say,
"Then tell Zhan Ji and Zhan Xin to come back.”
"This…"
He pointed outside.
"They just left, and you want them to come back?”
"Hmph, I knew it."
Zhang shi sneered, as if she had already seen through him.
"No, why did you ask them to come back?”
"I miss them, can't I?"
Zhang shi sneered.
"The army of the northern expedition has just left, and you want them to come back right after. What is this?”
Zhu Gaochi persuaded earnestly.
What kind of joke was this to ask them to come back? If Zhan Chen really came back and saw Zhang shi in this state, would he still leave?
Wouldn't their plan be ruined by then?
Indeed, women were troublesome.
"It's not that you don't want to, but you can't. Fine, if they can't come back, then I'll go over. I'll leave now. Since we're all going to die anyway, it's better for us to die together.”
With that, she flicked her sleeves and prepared to leave.
"Stop right there."
Zhu Gaochi said in a deep voice. Zhang shi immediately stopped.
"Are you crazy?"
Zhu Gaochi looked at her in confusion. What was wrong with this woman?
"Am I crazy? You're the crazy one, Zhu. I won't stop you if you want to die, but don't even think about stopping us from meeting.”
Zhang shi had hardened her heart and would not listen to Zhu Gaochi's nonsense no matter what.
Zhu Gaochi looked at her with a headache. Otherwise, why would women be so troublesome?
You tried to reason with her, but she ignored you!
But he couldn't just let Zhang shi go like this, if something bad happened, it would be troublesome.
Thus, he persuaded her several times, but Zhang shi was still unmoved.
"Men, stop the Crown Princess.”
He had no choice. Since he didn't listen to him, he could only make a move.
Soon, under Zhu Gaochi's orders, the guards in the manor came forward to stop Madam Zhang.
"Zhu, what do you mean? I can't even see my son now?”
"Can you behave yourself?"
"No!"
Zhang shi looked at him coldly.
Zhu Gaochi was also a little angry. Why didn't you listen to anything?
But he would never let her leave just like that.
"Someone, the Crown Princess is tired. Send her to her room to rest.”
As soon as she finished speaking, two maids walked out from the side, one on the left and one on the right, to support Zhang shi.
"Zhu, what do you mean?”
Zhang shi didn't resist but just looked at him coldly.
As a mother, she could have resisted. She was going to die anyway. What else was there to care about?
But she couldn't.
She was the daughter-in-law of the Zhu family, the daughter-in-law of the Crown Prince, and the birth mother of Zhu Zhanji and Zhu Zhanyan.
If she were to throw a tantrum and roll around, it would be a disgrace to the Zhu family and her son.
In the future, when he entered the ancestral temple, he would be looked down upon by future generations.
"I want you to calm down."
As he spoke, he waved his hand and had them take the Crown Princess away.
Indeed, it usually looked like the Crown Princess Consort was in charge, but that was because the Crown Prince did not care.
However, you have to know that the Crown Princess Consort's butler is not because she has the power or ability, but because she is the Crown Princess Consort. It is the same principle as the world being surnamed Zhu.
The only one who truly held power was the Crown Prince, so as long as Zhu Gaochi spoke, the entire residence had to listen to him.
Seeing Zhang shi being taken away, Zhu Gaochi sighed. What was going on?
He didn't know how to explain this to Zhan Chen.
……
In the Imperial Palace.
"How's the situation now?"
Zhu Di laid on the bed leisurely and looked at them.
" According to the Jinyiwei's investigation, we have found out that there are thirty-six officials in the court who are acting strangely. Among them, twelve are officials above the fourth rank. The third rank…"
Before the Han King could finish, Zhu Di raised his hand and interrupted him.
"Who are they?"
"It's Jianwen's old ministers."
"Hmph, I can't help it in the end.”
Zhu Di laughed coldly. He knew that the old ministers of Jianwen were not happy with him.
However, due to the war and disasters, the court was short of manpower, so they had not been moved.
Initially, he thought that those people would behave themselves after raising them.
Reality proved that dogs could not change their ways. Ungrateful wolves could not be raised well.
"Have you investigated the people you came into contact with?”
"I've already investigated."
"Who is behind this? Is it my eldest nephew?”
"We haven't found out yet. The other party hid it very well.”
Zhu Di rubbed his chin and smiled.
"There's no hurry. We've already thrown out the bait. How can we not catch a big fish? Crown Prince?"
Zhu Di shouted, but he did not hear Zhu Gaochi's reply.
"Crown Prince?"
At this moment, the Han King also sensed that something was wrong and turned to look at him.
"Oh, your son is here."
"What's wrong with you?"
Zhu Di's gaze was a little dissatisfied.
Zhu Gaochi smiled bitterly and then told him about the Crown Princess.
"That's what happened. I'm having a headache because of her.”
Zhu Gaochi shook his head.
The Han King, who was standing at the side, was secretly laughing. However, when he raised his head, he met Zhu Gaochi's resentful gaze.
"I say, Crown Prince, why are you looking at me? I didn't do anything.”
He really didn't do anything. After Zhu Gaochi wrote to him last time, he was afraid that he would get into trouble.
He did not expect that before he could make a move, his boss's own family would start a commotion. There was a show to watch.
"Sigh, what do you think this is? If that Zhan Jue boy comes back and knows that I've put his mother under house arrest, what should I do?”
Zhu Gaochi sighed.
"What do you mean what to do? I say, Crown Prince, what are you afraid of? You're his father.”
The Han King was just watching the show.
"What if he runs away with his mother?”
Zhu Gaochi said faintly.
"Run? Where can he run to? The entire world belongs to our Zhu family! Could it be that he can fly…"
At first, Han Wang was a little disdainful, but he couldn't continue. He remembered that Zhan Chen could really fly!
Zhu Gaochi looked at him and smiled disdainfully." Go on, go on. I like to see your arrogant and unruly appearance."
"Alright, Crown Prince, you should take care of the Crown Princess yourself and take care of her. After the matter is over, comfort her a little. I believe she will understand.”
Zhu Di waved his hand. After all, this was the crown prince's family matter, so it was not appropriate for him to interfere.
Most importantly, he didn't want to be the villain. The Han King had a good saying. After all, he was his father, so what was there to be afraid of?
Zhu Gaochi sighed. It seemed that this was the only way now. It was difficult for an upright official to resolve family matters!
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