Good morning Daming

Chapter 1037: A Family?

In order to compete for that position, it is not uncommon for the royal family to fight within their own family.

Moreover, such things happen in almost every dynasty and generation.

The Former Han Dynasty, starting from Emperor Gaozu of Han, Crown Prince Liu Ying, Lady Lu, Lady Qi...

Not to mention the Former Tang Dynasty, there was the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Li Longji's coup, the Mawei Slope Incident...

Even in the early Song Dynasty, stories about candlelight and axe shadows were quietly circulating.

Not long after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the Jingnan Campaign took place. This was the beginning.

What followed was the Battle of Seizing the Gate.

Yingzong was restored to the throne.

Power is so sweet that it makes people lose their family ties and their humanity.

The Taoist priest was sentimental, which was unusual. Unfortunately, the former prince died early, so many people said that he was unlucky.

Prince Yu was alone and helpless, so he took the title of the eldest son. Concubine Lu Jing was in charge of the harem, and Concubine Lu was in charge of the harem. Prince Jing was deeply loved by the Taoist...

The Taoist priest doesn't like Prince Yu!

This is common opinion.

Logically, King Jing should just go with the flow.

Prince Yu should fight back.

There was silence in the hall.

Huang Jin lowered his head, thinking about the recent public opinion and undercurrents in the palace.

King Jing went south, which was a journey of self-destruction.

Once he offended the southern literati, the possibility of his succession to the throne would be almost zero.

……

"Miss."

Time has passed in the palace. Concubine Lu still looked the same, as if she would never age. She looked up while holding the document, "What's the matter?"

Chen Yan came in with a letter, looking solemn. "It's a letter from His Highness."

"Give me."

Concubine Lu Jing took the letter, opened it, and saw the familiar handwriting of Prince Jing.

In the letter, Prince Jing talked about the customs and practices along the way south, but he did not mention a word about the situation that Concubine Lu was most concerned about, let alone his own affairs.

Concubine Lu put down the letter, rubbed her brows, and said with a wry smile: "That rebellious son, he knew what I was worried about, but he didn't say a word."

Chen Yan said, "Your Highness, the recent comments outside are not favorable to Your Highness. Those people said that Your Highness followed Chang Wei Bo to the south, which is to cut the flesh of Confucianism."

"Confucianism is a huge thing!" Concubine Lu Jing said faintly: "I don't know why His Majesty agreed to let the fourth son go south to follow Chang Wei Bo. Did he make up his mind?"

Chen Yan said, "My Lady, if this is the case, then things are not going well... How about we go and test it out?"

Female officials like Chen Yan, Concubine Lu and Prince Jing share the same honor and disgrace, so she looked at Concubine Lu anxiously, "Your Majesty, you must not hesitate at this time! Once the overall situation is determined, it will be impossible to turn things around."

A eunuch whispered, "Your Majesty, everyone in the palace is saying that Chang Wei Bo has chosen a side and has chosen Prince Yu."

"Prince Yu went to the north to win a good reputation. The fourth prince went south to offend people."

There was pain in Concubine Lu's eyes, and she was struggling inside.

"Your Majesty, your Majesty is here."

"That's good." Concubine Lu Jing sighed.

She stood up and left the hall.

The Taoist priest came slowly with several eunuchs.

A concubine stood by the roadside and bowed shyly to the Taoist priest, "Greetings, Your Majesty. Your Majesty... has lost weight."

The Taoist didn't even look at her. When he saw Concubine Lu Jing coming out to greet him, he nodded slightly.

Concubine Lu Jing glanced at the concubine, and for the first time there was no more ridicule in her eyes.

For Concubine Lu, power was just a tool to keep herself from being lonely, and all her attention was on Prince Jing.

Once King Jing fails in his bid for the throne, he will have no choice but to go to his fiefdom and become a vassal.

From then on, mother and son were separated and never had the chance to meet again.

——The princes are not allowed to leave their fiefdoms without the emperor’s permission.

Speaking of it, the relationship between the emperor and the vassal kings was not so stiff earlier, but things changed during the reign of Emperor Wuzong.

Prince Ning's rebellion completely detonated the relationship between the emperor and the princes.

During the Western Han Dynasty, there was the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms, and during the Western Jin Dynasty, there was the Rebellion of the Eight Kings, which laid the seeds for the later invasion of foreign races to the south.

From then on, the attitude of the monarch and his ministers towards the vassal kings changed drastically. In addition, there was the case of Emperor Chengzu who successfully fought back as a vassal king, so it became a consensus among the monarch and his ministers to treat the vassal kings like pigs.

Just thinking about her son becoming a pig to be raised in the future made Concubine Lu feel heartbroken.

Dao Ye and Jiang Qingzhi have never expressed their opinions or taken sides, which made Lu Jingfei feel much calmer.

In that case, let’s take another look!
In this way, a balance was formed between the two princes until Prince Yu went north and Prince Jing went south, breaking this balance.

"I have met His Majesty."

"Ok!"

The Taoist entered the hall, sat down, and said slowly: "Are you worried?"

"Your Highness..." Concubine Lu Jing smiled bitterly, "I just received a letter from the fourth master, full of southern customs."

"I received it, too." Several letters came from Prince Jing at the same time, including from Daoye and Concubine Lu, and even Prince Yu and his sister Changle. "Qingzhi's trip to the south was safe and sound. Now that he has arrived in Hangzhou, his letters are not optimistic." Daoye said in a deep voice: "Most officials in Zhejiang are mediocre, officers and soldiers are corrupt, and the navy... is even more of a mess. The Japanese pirates are eyeing them covetously... This situation is not easy to break. There are civil officials who are hindering us, and there are greedy generals with ulterior motives..."

The Taoist never talked to Concubine Lu about these matters outside the court in the past, but today he talked about them incessantly.

Concubine Lu listened with a smile, but her hands were clenched into fists, and her nails dug deeply into her palms.

——Your Majesty, it is difficult to state your decision, so you use these words to lay out your ideas.

"...Qingzhi has gone to sea. I am worried that this idiot is not familiar with naval warfare. The sea is ruthless. If something goes wrong, there will be nowhere to escape."

Daoye sighed, "Old Four said in the letter..."

Concubine Lu's ears suddenly stood up.

"Zhejiang officials are inactive, and even in a rich place like this, it is clear that the Ming Dynasty's officialdom is corrupt and has reached a point where it must be rectified."

This is starting to offend people.

The Taoist glanced at him and said, "Old Four is trying to offend those scholars and officials."

"I understand." That foolish son! Your uncle arranged for you to offend the Confucianists and you went?

Concubine Lu felt upset.

But he dared not show it.

"It's not Qingzhi's arrangement." Daoye said lightly. Concubine Lu looked up suddenly, "No?"

"No." Dao Ye shook his head. "Qingzhi asked the fourth child to go south this time in order to take him out to sea and see the world. He said that letting the third child join the army is a training, but it cannot be biased, so this time he took the fourth child with him... This time out to sea is also a battle!"

Concubine Lu stood up suddenly.

Looking at Taoist Master in disbelief.

"His Majesty!"

Daoye's eyes were deep, as if he knew what she was thinking, "Are you worried about my decision?"

Concubine Lu sat down, "Yes."

"What I like most about you, woman, is that you are frank and tell me whatever you think. It's not that you are stupid, but you are self-aware. You know you can't hide it from me, so you simply don't think about those thoughts."

Concubine Lu Jing was embarrassed, "Since you know my concerns, you are unwilling to tell me."

Let me worry for nothing.

The Taoist said meaningfully: "The fourth brother took the initiative to offend the scholars in the south."

Yes!

The happy Concubine Lu then thought of this matter and started to worry again.

“Just now, the third brother spoke up and stood up for Mo Jia and Qing Zhi.”

"This!" Concubine Lu Jing wanted to say, is Prince Yu crazy?

Under the favorable circumstances that Prince Jing has offended the scholars and officials, the most important thing Prince Yu should do at this moment is not to take sides!
At least you kept silent!
The Taoist priest stood up and said, "Just now I asked him why, and the third brother said that the fourth brother thought he was very brave and amazing. So I let him see, his courage... is far inferior to his brothers."

Concubine Lu sat there in a daze.

After an unknown amount of time, she raised her head and asked, "Where is His Majesty?"

Chen Yan covered her mouth and laughed, "Your Majesty just saw that Your Majesty was in a daze, so he said that he had something to do and asked Your Majesty to continue to be in a daze..."

Concubine Lu Jing said angrily: "Your Majesty also knows how to play tricks on people!"

Chen Yan suddenly said seriously: "My lady, please forgive my boldness..."

"You have been with me for many years, there is nothing you can't say." Concubine Lu Jing said with a smile.

Chen Yan said: "Your Majesty came here specially today and said these words to the Queen... It's out of friendship."

"Love?" Concubine Lu's eyes were filled with confusion. "I seem to be in charge of the harem and have a favored son... How many people envy me. But only a few people know what's going on inside. Power!"

Concubine Lu sighed, "That is a sweet poison. It tastes good and is pleasing to the mouth, but over time, the poison will penetrate into the bone marrow, and in return, it will make you more lonely. It is lonely at the top, it is lonely at the top..."

"Your Majesty!" Chen Yan whispered, "Your Majesty is very affectionate!"

"Your Majesty values ​​friendship, and the Fourth Prince values ​​friendship, so he deliberately offended those scholars. Unexpectedly... Prince Yu was unwilling to give in. Unwilling to give in... This friendship... is real."

Concubine Lu suddenly gritted her teeth and said with complicated eyes: "Don't you think I am an outsider?"

Chen Yan was stunned. "What do you mean by outsider? I don't understand what you are saying, Madam."

The Taoist priest never shows any kindness to the women in the harem, but he comes specially to comfort Concubine Lu Jingfei. Aren’t they a family?
"From His Majesty to the Fourth Brother, all three of them value friendship and loyalty, but I am the exception." Concubine Lu suddenly chuckled, "Your Majesty was a little cautious just now."

Chen Yan thought about it and realized that was not the case. The Taoist had just laid out a lot of things before he stated his purpose.

This is not an emperor, but an ordinary husband. After learning that his wife was worried about family affairs, he came to comfort her carefully. But he was worried that his wife would be angry, so he carefully tested her and told her the whole story.

Chen Yan smiled and said, "My Lady, it is not easy for Prince Yu to be like this."

Of course Concubine Lu Jing knew about this, "From now on, whatever I have here, Prince Yu will also give a copy."

That's exactly what should happen... Chen Yan said, "Yes. I'll tell you later."

After she left, Concubine Lu sat there for a long time without moving.

The midsummer sun reflected several times from outside the temple and fell at her feet.

Concubine Lu Jing stared at the light steadily, as if she was seeing the present from eternity.

The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, as if he was smiling, or as if he was whispering something...

"Family?"

Far away in the southeast sea, King Jing, who was half dead from vomiting, said to his uncle:

"Otherwise, bury me overseas!"

(End of this chapter)