Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 500 Qingzhou White Lotus Sect

Early the next morning, Chen Ce had packed his bags and a horse-drawn carriage. More than a dozen experts selected from the Eastern Factory, the Inner Factory, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were escorted to Hangzhou by Li Zhen, the commander of the Inner Factory!
As for the currency reform that had been discussed with Emperor Hongzhi before the New Year, they could only wait until Chen Ce returned from Hangzhou Prefecture to discuss it.

The Ministry of Revenue is not in a hurry either.

There was no need for Chen Ce to make arrangements for the voyage to the West, as he had already made all the necessary arrangements for Yang Yuzhen and Hong Zhong.

On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, Chen Ce set out from Zhengyang Gate, taking Miss Wu and Xiaohua with him, and left the capital along the official road.

Madam Wu understood Chen Ce. She knew why Chen Ce was in a hurry to go to Hangzhou. They had originally planned to go after the New Year, but now Chen Ce had changed his mind temporarily, and Madam Wu did not express any objection.

Chen Ce is the head of the family, and Mrs. Wu follows whatever he says.

The carriage has been specially modified by the Ministry of Industry and can travel on the road as if it were flat ground.

Madam Wu had just become pregnant, and Chen Ce didn't want to bother her, but she said that she would follow her husband wherever he went.

It’s definitely impossible to get to Hangzhou in two days, so I can only celebrate the New Year on the road, which is quite a unique experience.

All the way from the rough north to the graceful south of the Yangtze River, Chen Ce finally settled down in a Jinyiwei private residence in Qingzhou Prefecture.

In the fifteenth year of Hongzhi, on New Year's Eve, Chen Ce's family spent New Year's Eve in Qingzhou Prefecture.

The next day, it was still snowing heavily. Li Zhen suggested staying in Qingzhou Prefecture for two more days until the snow was a little less before continuing on their journey. After all, Madam Wu was still pregnant and Chen Ce was not in good health. If anything went wrong due to the bumpy road, Li Zhen would not be able to take the responsibility.

Chen Ce understood Li Zhen and followed his arrangements in everything. Li Zhen had much more experience than himself in the world, so Chen Ce naturally would not be arrogant.

On the first day of the new year, the streets and alleys of Qingzhou Prefecture were all brightly lit. Chen Ce took Miss Wu and Xiaohua walking in the streets and alleys of Qingzhou Prefecture.

With the development of the Ming Dynasty's economy, the economies of the two capitals and thirteen provinces became increasingly prosperous, and so did Qingzhou Prefecture.

"Brother Chen, there's a huge lantern tree over there. I want to go see it."

Chen Ce rubbed Xiaohua's head and nodded, "Then let's go and take a look."

In the area of ​​Qingzhou Prefecture, a huge lantern tree stands upright, and the tree is covered with lanterns. There are crowds of people around, all admiring the bright lantern tree in front of the Qingzhou Prefecture government office.

"Sir, there are too many people. It's not safe. Let's not squeeze in," Li Zhen said.

Chen Ce nodded and said, "Then let's just take a look from the outside."

"Can we leave Qingzhou tomorrow?"

Li Zhen shook his head and said, "The spies just reported that the road out of Qingzhou is blocked by heavy snow. We probably have to wait until the snow clears before we can continue our journey."

"It's getting colder and colder this day."

Li Zhen sighed.

With the arrival of the Little Ice Age, the temperature in the Ming Dynasty generally dropped to minus ten degrees Celsius.

"boom!"

Just as Chen Ce and Li Zhen were discussing the itinerary, suddenly a huge explosion sounded from the lantern tree, followed by a series of explosions.

The people were like frightened birds and began to flee.

Li Zhen hurriedly greeted the spies from the two guards and one factory, and then more than ten experts rushed to Chen Ce, Wu Niangzi and Xiaohua to protect them.

Li Zhen said hurriedly: "Sir, let's withdraw first!"

"it is good."

Chen Ce didn't understand the situation yet, and there were too many people around him, so he could only follow Li Zhen to retreat to a safe area.

Looking at the lantern tree again, I immediately saw several lotus lanterns rising from the ground and gradually flying into the air.

On the lotus lantern sat a person overlooking the world, and then a sky full of leaflets fell from the sky.

"The White Lotus descends upon the world to save all living beings."

White Lotus Sect?
The White Lotus Sect can be traced back to the Southern Song Dynasty. In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang brutally suppressed the White Lotus Sect, causing its followers to flee to Mongolia. During the Zhengde period, the White Lotus Sect's rebellion reached its largest scale.

I didn’t expect it to start gaining momentum now!

Chen Ce frowned slightly.

"Sir, can they really fly?" Li Zhen looked up at the sky with some fear.

The people were no longer agitated at this time and they all knelt down and kowtowed.

Chen Ce narrowed his eyes and looked up at the lotus lantern flying in the sky. Isn't this a hot air balloon made of lotus?
"Do you have arrows?"

After Chen Ce calmed down, he asked Li Zhen.

Li Zhen hurriedly said, "I brought it."

"Shoot the side of the lotus!"

"it is good!"

Whoosh, several arrows shot into the sky, but the distance was too far and the lotus lantern was flying too high, so the arrows could not hit it at all.

"This group of evildoers are bewitching everyone!"

Chen Ce frowned, and at this moment, government officials rushed in from all directions.

However, under the instigation of the White Lotus Sect, the people began to resist the government.

Seeing that a large-scale conflict was about to occur, Chen Ce made a quick decision and said to Li Zhen: "Take me to the Qingzhou government office!"

"Here!"

Qingzhou Prefecture.

Not long after Chen Ce took out the handwritten edict from Emperor Hongzhi, the prefect of Qingzhou came out of the government office anxiously to greet Chen Ce.

"Your humble servant Zhao Siming, the prefect of Qingzhou, pays respect to Lord Chen!"

Chen Ce waved his hand and said, "Tell me about the situation."

As he walked towards the government office, he spoke to Prefect Zhao.

Madam Wu and Xiaohua were taken to the back court early by the clerks of Qingzhou government office to rest.

Prefect Zhao was sweating profusely. Such a serious rebellion had occurred in his jurisdiction, and he, as the prefect, would be the first to be held accountable.

"Master Chen, this group of evildoers has been lurking in Qingzhou Prefecture for a long time. We have been trying to capture them since last year, but we can't find any trace of them at all."

"I originally thought that these evildoers would not dare to cause trouble at the end of the year, but who would have thought that today... I admit my crime, please punish me, sir!"

Prefect Zhao was about 40 or 50 years old, but he seemed older because he worried about too many things.

"There are so many lotus lanterns flying in the sky today. After seeing this, the common people will probably worship these evildoers as gods again..."

Normal people can fly and hide underground. If the rumor continues to spread, the White Lotus Sect will probably take root in Qingzhou.

"Sir... a batch of food from Qingzhou Prefecture was robbed from outside just now."

"This group of evildoers is misleading the people at this time. Once they hijack the government's grain to help the people, the White Lotus Sect will completely take root in Qingzhou. Your humble servant, your humble servant deserves death!"

Chen Ce said: "Let's not talk about this for now. The most urgent task is to get these lotus lanterns down."

Prefect Zhao said, "But they are flying too high, and the arrows can't be shot down. There are so many people below. If too many arrows are fired and they hurt people, I will be guilty of a great crime."

Chen Ce was also stumped for a moment and sat in the back hall of the Second Yamen with his eyes closed in deep thought.

Prefect Zhao didn't dare to breathe. Whether he could continue to sit on the chair of the head of Qingzhou Prefecture in the future all depended on a word from the young man in front of him. He looked so respectful at this moment!

(End of this chapter)