Ming Dynasty: Pick up attributes from the battlefield to create the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 129 Zhu Yuanzhang: Jinyiwei, keep a close eye on the Shen family!

Inside the Fengtian Hall, the atmosphere was so solemn that it was almost suffocating. Facing Zhu Yuanzhang's question, Jiang Li felt as if he was being stabbed in the back. Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead, quietly soaking his collar.

"Answer us!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice rang out again, shocking Jiang Li's heart.

Jiang Li did not dare to hesitate. He knelt on the ground, his body trembling slightly, and replied with a bit of panic: "Reporting to the emperor, the Shen family!"

"His Royal Highness Prince Yan has conducted a thorough investigation, but he has searched through all the files and clues, and has not found a single shred of evidence to prove the Shen family's involvement."

As he spoke, he secretly raised his eyes and observed Zhu Yuanzhang's expression. He saw that Zhu Yuanzhang's face became increasingly stern, and he was so scared that he quickly lowered his head again.

"The recruiting officer who abused his power for personal gain has confessed, but the key figures connected to him have vanished without a trace. Even though His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan is determined to bring the Shen family to justice, he lacks evidence and is ultimately powerless."

"The Imperial Guards later went to investigate but returned empty-handed."

Jiang Li's voice trembled slightly as he spoke every word clearly, fearing that Zhu Yuanzhang might not understand him, and also afraid that he would be killed if he said a wrong word.

He did not dare to show any disrespect to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Every minister in the court knew that Zhu Yuanzhang was a killing god.

Hear this!

Zhu Yuanzhang's face looked grim, and his eyes were filled with bone-chilling coldness.

Arresting a criminal requires evidence!
When Zhu Yuanzhang was trying to eliminate Hu Weiyong in the past, he carefully planned and strategized in the turbulent court situation, and spent countless efforts to finally get hold of Hu Weiyong's handle.

This approach also convinced the officials in the court and allowed the people of the world to witness the majesty of the law.

Laws! Regulations! They are the foundation of a nation!
Although Zhu Yuanzhang was a powerful and overbearing figure, his final say in court was his own. However, when it came to the law, he always set an example and put the law first. Even the Jinyiwei, who had the power to execute first and report later, had to have solid evidence to act.

“Give it to us, keep a close eye on the Shen family.”

Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth and spoke word by word, each word seeming to carry infinite murderous intent.

"If the Shen family dares to commit any corruption or abuse of power, we will deal with them immediately and show no leniency!" Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Jiang Li with no doubt in his eyes.

After hearing these words, Jiang Li felt Zhu Yuanzhang's terrifying murderous intent. He trembled all over, knocked his head heavily to the ground, and shouted, "I obey your order!"

Facing Zhu Yuanzhang, he was filled with endless awe and fear.

"Go back."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, his voice revealing a hint of fatigue and helplessness. He was too lazy to waste any more words on this matter.

For Zhu Yuanzhang, this incident was just a small episode in his journey of governing the country.

Although it is a big deal, it is not actually a matter of life and death.

But the Shen family lost a lot because of this seemingly insignificant matter.

Invisibly, Zhu Yuanzhang had already developed murderous intentions towards the Shen family.

This will inevitably lead to earth-shaking changes in the Shen family in the future.

The crisis of genocide has quietly loomed like a dark cloud.

"I'll take my leave." Jiang Li bowed his head, and then stood up very slowly. He walked backwards out of the hall, taking every step carefully. He didn't breathe a sigh of relief until he was out of the hall. His back was already soaked with sweat, sticking to his body, and he felt cold all over.

Every time he faced the emperor, he was so frightened and afraid.

But because of his duty, he had to face it.

After Jiang Li left, the anger on Zhu Yuanzhang's face eased a little. He turned his head slightly and looked at Zhu Biao beside him.

"Biao'er." Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was a little gentler, as if he had become a different person: "You see, this is a merchant."

talking.

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with disdain and disgust: "Nothing is better without profit, and they forget their principles when they see profit! These merchants are cheap and cannot be trusted."

"When you take over the country in the future, you must be more cautious about these merchants. Otherwise, they will use money to win people's hearts, collude with officials, and bring disaster to our Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Yuanzhang had a serious face and taught earnestly. As he spoke, he tapped the armrests of the dragon throne lightly with his hands, as if to emphasize every word.

I want Zhu Biao to remember it in his heart.

"I understand, son." Zhu Biao looked solemn and nodded as if he was being taught.

At this moment, Zhu Biao frowned and looked very ugly.

From the Shen family's actions, Zhu Biao seemed to see the merchants' greed for profit and evil intentions.

"Merchant!"

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his voice, a hint of indignation in his tone, and slammed the armrest of the dragon throne. "If we allow them to become too powerful, it will inevitably lead to national chaos. Because once they have money, the next step is to want power! And power is bought with money! Officials and businessmen collude, abusing power for personal gain, that's exactly how it works!"

“That’s exactly how it was in the past!!”

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, his face filled with reminiscence and anger.

It seemed as if I was reminded of the miserable years when I was oppressed by the Yuan court.

"I have experienced the rule of the former Yuan court and know how hateful their officials and merchants were."

"Back then, your grandparents, and our entire family were forced to death by those crooked officials."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with painful memories, and his voice choked slightly: "You must remember, officials must be kept under close watch, and merchants must be prevented from doing anything."

"This is why we set up the Jinyiwei! You must hold a knife in your hand and use it to check and balance them."

Zhu Yuanzhang warned again seriously, looking at Zhu Biao with a firm gaze, as if he wanted to imprint these words deeply in his mind.

In Chinese history!

Zhu Yuanzhang is the only emperor who ascended the throne as a commoner after going through countless hardships!

Zhu Yuanzhang had a deep understanding of the suffering of the people and knew that if official power was not restricted, it would bring endless suffering to the people.
Fundamentally, it is to prevent the occurrence of these phenomena.

Secondly, merchants were often suppressed because he had witnessed how profit-driven and ruthless merchants were.

The old days.

Merchants hoarded grain in order to make huge profits. Even if there were starving people and corpses everywhere in front of their stores, they would not care and would not lower the price. They would rather let the grain rot and stink than give it away.

These things were echoing in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.

official!
business!
right!
money!
These are all interrelated and have their own influence.

He knew very well what kind of harm would be caused if these things expanded and were out of control. Wasn't that what happened in the Yuan court in the past? The people were living in misery!

"Father." Zhu Biao said with a hint of determination. He took two steps forward and stood in front of Zhu Yuanzhang. "You are right, but I still think that the sword of the Jinyiwei is too sharp and affects people's hearts."

"In the future, my son will still have some changes in his attitude towards the Jinyiwei."

Zhu Biao said in a deep voice. Regarding the Jinyiwei and the future ruler of the country, Zhu Biao obviously had his own ideas.

Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang was not angry. Instead, a trace of relief flashed in his eyes. He smiled and patted Zhu Biao on the shoulder: "Anyway, you have your own opinions, and Dad believes in you."

This time!

The voice changed.

"The Shen family." Zhu Biao gritted his teeth, his face full of anger. "After all, their vision is too shallow. They only care about profit and forget their principles. Today, my son has seen it all."

"In order to break the engagement, they sent Zhu Ying to Daning, intending for him to die there. Such behavior is truly shameful."

Zhu Biao also cursed at this moment.

The Shen family might be the only one that could make such a well-mannered man so angry.

Of course, this is also unknown.

Perhaps it was because he felt an unspoken affection for Zhu Ying. Or perhaps it was because he had promoted Zhu Ying that he valued him so much.

"Biao'er." Zhu Yuanzhang patted Zhu Biao's shoulder again, a smile on his face: "You should also think from another angle. This Shen family is treacherous and forgets their principles when they see profit!"

"But it's also because of their actions that they have created a general with great potential for our Ming Dynasty."

"Our Ming Dynasty is now full of martial virtues, but it is ultimately lacking in strength. Among the younger generation of generals, few are capable of leading the army and standing on their own. The appearance of Zhu Ying has made up for this."

"The Shen family." Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, his eyes full of mockery: "You're wasting a gift from heaven, giving up a piece of uncut jade."

"This is also the limitation of businessmen, who only care about immediate profits. It's ridiculous."

"Dad." Zhu Biao seemed to be thinking about something, lowering his head and thinking for a moment: "Now that I mention it, I remember it."

"When the eldest son of the Lu family took a concubine, the one he took was a daughter of the Shen family."

"I didn't pay much attention to it at first, but now I see that it is related to Zhu Ying."

Zhu Biao said in a deep voice.

After hearing what Jiang Li said, Zhu Biao also recalled that a year ago, his concubine Lu's elder brother took a concubine.

"The Shen family." Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "Humph! Biao'er, the Shen family is a wealthy family in our Ming Dynasty. There are even rumors among the people that the Shen family is rich enough to rival a country. This is a piece of fat meat. We have already asked the Jinyiwei to keep an eye on the Shen family. As long as the Shen family is caught by the Jinyiwei for any corruption or abuse of power."

"Let's take this piece of fat meat to increase the national treasury." A trace of calculation flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing an imperceptible sneer.

If it were in the past, Zhu Biao might have given some kind advice, but this time, after truly witnessing the Shen family's greed for profit and forgetting their principles, Zhu Biao did not say much. He was still full of disgust. He nodded slightly, his eyes full of approval.

"And the fourth brother," Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly mentioned, a hint of amusement on his face, changing the subject. "I guess this kid is a little resentful." Zhu Biao immediately smiled, shaking his head slightly, his face revealing the understanding of an older brother. "Fourth brother has always valued the military, and loves fighting on the battlefield, commanding troops and plundering the enemy! Under his training, the Beiping Army also achieved many victories in the Liaodong battlefield! But Zhu Ying was so outstanding in the Liaodong battlefield, and knowing that his hometown was still Beiping, fourth brother must have been furious."

At this point, the meaning of Zhu Biao's words was already very clear.

The reason why Zhu Di went to investigate was obviously because he was unwilling to accept that Zhu Ying, a general whose hometown was in Peking, had gone to Daning.

This was originally a general of the Peking Army!
"There's no point in being angry." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, a hint of a smile on his face: "Perhaps this was an unintentional outcome."

"The Daning Border Army originally lacked a capable commander, and Zhu Ying's achievements in Liaodong have made up for it. As for returning to Beiping, let Lao Si forget about it."

Obviously, Zhu Yuanzhang was not angry about Zhu Di's investigation into the recruiting officer and the Shen family.

"Over the years, Fourth Brother has indeed become much calmer." Zhu Biao's eyes were filled with emotion. He raised his head slightly, as if recalling every detail of the past. "If he had encountered such a thing in the past, he would not have convicted the criminal in such a strict and systematic way before dealing with him! He would have definitely killed the criminal directly."

Zhu Biao said with a smile, his voice also filled with emotion.

In the past, princes stayed in Yingtian before reaching the age.

The princes were almost all taught by Zhu Biao!
Elder brother is like father!

If Zhu Yuanzhang treated his sons extremely harshly, then Zhu Biao was kind as an elder brother.

Especially his own younger brothers, Zhu Biao taught them personally.

"The fourth brother has indeed grown a lot." Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with emotion, a relieved smile on his face.

Hearing this, Zhu Biao smiled and said, "If my fourth brother heard that you agree so much, I'm sure he would be very happy too."

"Let's wait for an opportunity." Zhu Biao suggested, his eyes gleaming with anticipation: "Let my brothers return from their fiefdoms so that we can have a good family reunion."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up at first at this suggestion, as if he saw a happy family gathering together. A long-lost smile appeared on his face, but then he quickly fell silent. With a hint of resignation, he said, "Our Great Ming has only been established for 21 years. Now is the time to improve our national strength and establish the foundation of our country. If your brothers, as fiefdom kings, are recalled just because we miss them, that is not acceptable. We must put official business first."

At the end of his speech, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed slightly, his eyes full of regret, but more of it was sympathy for the people of the Ming Dynasty.

After hearing this, Zhu Biao could also feel the complex emotions in his father's heart. Although he missed him very much, state affairs were ultimately the most important thing!

Turning his gaze! East Palace!

As soon as Zhu Biao came back, he plunged into government affairs. The desk was piled with memorials. He frowned and reviewed them attentively.

Mrs. Lu came forward with light steps, bowed slightly, and said softly, "Husband."

The voice was soft, with a hint of concern.

"Yeah." Zhu Biao nodded absentmindedly while concentrating on dealing with the memorials, without even raising his head.

Seeing Zhu Biao's furrowed brows, with no smile on his face as usual, Mrs. Lu couldn't help but feel worried. She bit her lip slightly and immediately asked with concern, "My husband seems to be worried today?"

Hearing what Lu said, Zhu Biao raised his head, gently put down the brush in his hand, and said with a look of disappointment: "The original marriage with Zhu Ying should be cancelled!"

Hearing this, Mrs. Lu's expression froze instantly, a hint of surprise flashed across her face, her eyes widened slightly, and her heart was even more uneasy.

But she still hurriedly asked, "Husband, what happened? Did Zhu Ying commit a crime?"

Obviously, Mrs. Lu looked a little surprised, but more of it was a feeling of relief, with a barely perceptible smugness flashing in her eyes.

"Zhu Ying has already married and has a wife." Zhu Biao said with a hint of loss in his tone.

Obviously.

Zhu Biao was very concerned about Zhu Ying, otherwise he would not have shown such disappointment.

"So fast?" Mrs. Lu widened her eyes and looked surprised.

"Anyway," Zhu Biao waved his hand, "don't worry about the marriage. Perhaps this is destined to prevent Zhu Ying from becoming my son-in-law."

"I understand." Mrs. Lu lowered her head respectfully and nodded, with a hint of thought in her eyes.

"By the way, there's your brother..." Zhu Biao seemed to have thought of something and frowned slightly.

Mrs. Lu was startled, a trace of panic flashed across her face, and her hands unconsciously clenched the corners of her clothes. She hurriedly said, "Husband, what happened to my brother?"

But after thinking for a moment, Zhu Biao remembered that the Jinyiwei had already set their sights on the Shen family. If he took action to suppress them now, it would only make the Shen family behave themselves. How could he confiscate their property in the future?
Zhu Biao immediately waved his hand: "Nothing! You can go down!"

"Yes." Mrs. Lu did not dare to ask more questions. She bowed respectfully and slowly retreated in small steps.

Although she was in charge of the Eastern Palace, Lu behaved extremely docile and sensible in front of Zhu Biao within the Eastern Palace.

Lu knew what to say and what to ask.

After Lu left and returned to her own bedroom.

"Ronglin." Lu called softly, her voice carrying a hint of anxiety, echoing in the bedroom.

"I'm here." Lu's trusted palace maid immediately came over from the corner and bowed respectfully.

"Go back to the Lu Mansion and tell my father to ask my eldest brother to be more restrained in his recent behavior. Say that the crown prince suddenly mentioned my eldest brother, but didn't explain why."

Mrs. Lu lowered her voice and said solemnly, looking around vigilantly as she spoke, fearing that someone would overhear her: "There must be something going on here."

For the sake of her son's position and to compete for future power, Lu was extremely cautious in every step. Even within the family, Lu was doing his best to restrain it.

"I obey your command." The palace maid bowed immediately, then turned around and hurriedly retreated with quick steps.

After the maid left, a thoughtful look crossed Madam Lu's face. "Zhu Ying! Although the marriage didn't work out, those two are both daughters of that bitch. If they had ulterior motives, it would be uncontrollable. Now that the marriage has been canceled, it's actually a good thing for Yun Wen."

"But Zhu Ying is just unlucky. If he could marry the princess, his future would be even more prosperous." Mrs. Lu shook her head slightly, a hint of joy on her face: "But now that he's married, he naturally has no chance."

"Perhaps in the future I can arrange for Zhu Ying to marry off another young lady from my Lu family."

There was a hint of calculation in Lu's eyes, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly, revealing an imperceptible smile.

"Even if I have to be a concubine, it's worth it as long as I can win him over! Military power, this is the real key!" Lu thought secretly, planning for the future, with determination and ambition in her eyes.

Yingtian City, Lu Mansion!

The sky gradually darkened, and the inky night enveloped the entire Yingtian City.

The door of Lu's mansion was closed.

"Master." Ronglin, the palace maid beside Mrs. Lu, stood respectfully in front of Lu Ben and conveyed to him everything Mrs. Lu said word for word.

"Go back and tell them that I know about this matter."

Lu Ben looked serious, his brows furrowed, and he nodded, then spoke to Rong Lin in a low and powerful voice.

"Yes." Ronglin bowed and slowly retreated, her figure disappearing into the darkness.

After she left, Lu Ben's eyes fell on Lu Hao.

Lu Hao was standing aside, playing with a jade pendant in his hand. When he noticed his father's gaze, he was slightly startled and quickly put the jade pendant away.

“What have you done recently?” Lu Ben asked coldly, with a hint of majesty in his voice, and his eyes seemed to be able to see through Lu Hao’s thoughts.

Under his father's gaze, Lu Hao's heart was pounding, and he felt a little uneasy. He scratched his head subconsciously, but still replied with a stiff upper lip: "Dad, I have been in the mansion all the time. What can I do?"

"Besides, there has been no change in the family business, and I have never done anything about it. My son is being wronged!"

As Lu Hao spoke, he secretly observed his father's expression, and a layer of fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Seeing Lu Hao like this, Lu Ben examined him for a moment and then said slowly: "It's best if you don't do anything. Now is a critical moment for your nephew. For the future of my Lu family, we and Yun Wen will prosper together and suffer together!"

"My Lu family must not be destroyed! Yun Wen's future must not be ruined either!" Lu Ben's voice rose a few degrees, and he said coldly, full of warning. He took two steps forward, stood in front of Lu Hao, and stared into his eyes: "If you dare to mess around, don't blame your father for being rude."

"Father, don't worry." Lu Hao nodded quickly, not daring to say a word of dissent: "I know everything."

Moreover, he also knew what his nephew would do in the future. Once he succeeded, his Lu family would become a true royal family, and not only their status but also their power would reach the peak.

Lu Hao is very clear about this.

"Oh right." Lu Ben narrowed his eyes slightly, looked at Lu Hao and asked, "The Shen family has moved to Yingtian, right?"

"They have already moved here." Lu Hao immediately replied, "Except for Shen Wansan's second son, all members of the Shen family, including Shen Wansan, have moved to Yingtian Prefecture. The future focus of the Shen family will also be on developing in Yingtian."

"However, the people of the Shen family are very greedy. They even want to get the right to sell salt." Lu Hao sneered, his face full of disdain.

"The reason why I let you marry the daughter of the Shen family as a concubine is because the Shen family is so wealthy that it rivals a country. If you use it well in the future, maybe the Shen family can bring a lot to Yun Wen."

"of course."

"You also have to understand that the Shen family can only be used, not trusted."

"They have a lot of wealth, and they're looking for a way to get a piece of the pie."

"As for their desire to acquire the right to sell salt? Haha, that's not that easy."

Lu Ben also said with a sneer.

"Dad, don't worry."

"The Shen family's ambitions are not small. Not only have they formed an alliance with my Lu family, they have also formed an alliance with Huaixi and have business with them."

"The Shen family is betting on many things."

"Shangjia, my son doesn't believe it." Lu Hao said immediately.

"I'm glad you understand." Lu Ben nodded.

……

(End of this chapter)