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

Chapter 232 Lan Yu: What? Go to Xiaoling Mausoleum and dig up Xiong Ying's grave?

Seeing how concerned Lan Yu was, Zhu Yunwen felt a surge of joy.

At least, her great-uncle has been persuaded to some extent.

Zhu Yunwen cautiously looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, then leaned closer to Lan Yu and lowered his voice, as if afraid that there were still Lü Shi's spies around: "It's very simple, go to Xiaoling Mausoleum and dig up my elder brother's grave."

Upon hearing this, Lan Yu suddenly opened her eyes wide and stared intently at Zhu Yunwen, as if she were facing a complete stranger, no, as if she were facing a madman!
now!

Lan Yu's mind went blank; she was completely stunned.

Originally, he was full of expectations that Zhu Yunwen would come up with a brilliant way to verify it, but now he heard that he should go to Xiaoling Mausoleum to dig up the grave.
Lan Yu was truly stunned, and even began to doubt whether she had misheard, or whether Zhu Yunwen in front of her had gone mad.

"You are crazy!"

Lan Yu lowered her voice, but could not hide the shock and anger in her tone: "Do you not want to live, or do I not want to live?"

Lan Yu said irritably.

This time, he truly believed that Zhu Yunwen had lost his mind.

After all, who in their right mind would think of digging up a grave, especially the Xiaoling Mausoleum, which is the imperial mausoleum of the Ming Dynasty!
Not to mention the elite guards protecting the imperial tombs day and night, with tight security, even if one could manage to sneak in, even just approaching with intent before taking any action would be a grave crime. If one were to actually carry out the desecration of the imperial tombs, it would be a catastrophic disaster that could wipe out nine generations of one's entire family.

"Grandpa."

Zhu Yunwen looked serious and his gaze was firm: "I'm not crazy, I'm serious."

"Now, only in this way can we verify that what I said is true."

"Moreover, I am willing to take responsibility for this matter. If it is really not true, I am willing to go to my grandfather to admit my guilt myself, and I will definitely not implicate my maternal uncle."

The words fell.

Lan Yu's heart was stirred by Zhu Yunwen's words.

This matter was so significant that he dared not make a decision lightly.

Seeing Zhu Yunwen's confident expression, Lan Yu felt a little soft-hearted, but reason told him that the matter was too risky and he couldn't act impulsively.

Moreover, it feels somewhat unrealistic to dig up a grave just for a feeling? And it's the grave of the former eldest grandson of the emperor.

Are you really crazy?
"Yunxun."

Lan Yu squatted down and said earnestly, "What you're saying is too unfounded, and there's absolutely no evidence to back it up."

"I can't possibly go to Xiaoling Mausoleum just because of a few words from you, unless I'm crazy."

But I heard this.

"Uncle, you have to believe me!"

Zhu Yunwen became anxious, his eyes slightly reddening: "What I said is all true."

Seeing that Lan Yu remained unmoved, he grew increasingly anxious.

It was also at this time.

A loud shout came from outside the hall: "His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

Zhu Biao strode steadily into the main hall, his posture upright and his face dignified, exuding the air of a crown prince in every gesture.

Upon seeing Zhu Biao arrive, Lan Yu immediately stood up straight and bowed respectfully to greet him: "Your subject greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."

Even though he is now a Duke, Lan Yu did not dare to show any disrespect to Zhu Biao, and his voice was full of respect.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty." Zhu Yunwen also hurriedly bowed and paid his respects, his movements slightly flustered, and he lowered his head even further.

Zhu Biao walked in, saw the two of them, smiled slightly, and nodded: "Uncle, you may dispense with the formalities."

Even in this private setting, Zhu Biao treated Lan Yu with the respect due to an elder, demonstrating his magnanimity.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Lan Yu immediately thanked him, her voice tinged with gratitude.

I am honored to be granted the title of Duke today, thanks to Zhu Biao's grace.

Zhu Yunwen remained bowing in worship, not daring to breathe loudly or stand up without Zhu Biao's instruction.

"You may dispense with the formalities."

Zhu Biao looked at Zhu Yunwen, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes, and gently shook his head.

Zhu Yunwen's timidity always left his father feeling uneasy.

"Thank you, Father."

Zhu Yunwen immediately thanked him, but when facing Zhu Biao, he still kept his head down, not daring to look his father in the eye, exuding a sense of inferiority.

"Yunxun."

Zhu Biao looked at Zhu Yunwen, his brows furrowing slightly: "You are my son, and also my legitimate son."

"Why does he have absolutely no royal bearing?"

"Has the Emperor truly mistreated you, or has someone bullied you?"

Seeing Zhu Biao's displeased expression.

Zhu Yunwen was so frightened that he trembled and knelt down on the ground with a thud, replying in a trembling voice, "Your son... Your subject has disappointed Father."

"Sigh." Zhu Biao sighed deeply. Zhu Yunwen's performance undoubtedly disappointed him even more.

Lan Yu, who was standing to the side, saw all of this and couldn't bear it. She immediately stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, Yun Tong has been without a mother since he was a child, and... moreover, as far as I know, Yun Tong has not been doing well in the Eastern Palace either."

Listen to this.

"Not doing well?"

Zhu Biao frowned, a hint of concern flashing in his eyes, and immediately asked, "Is there really anyone who dares to bully you?"

"Is it that eunuch who was in charge of the palace back then?"

"Haven't I already dealt with him? Does anyone else dare to bully you?"

At this point, Zhu Biao's face darkened. If anyone dared to bully Zhu Yunwen in the Eastern Palace, it would be a dereliction of duty on his part as a father.

"Father."

Zhu Yunwen lowered his head and said in a weak voice, "No one has bullied me."

"It's just... it's just that your son is too incompetent and has disappointed his father."

As he said this, Zhu Yunwen couldn't help but recall Lü Shi's fierce eyes and threatening words.

Back in the main hall of Wenyuan Pavilion, Lady Lü had fiercely threatened him, saying that if he dared to say anything he shouldn't in front of outsiders, she would be the first to kill Yunyu.

Zhu Yunwen knew very well that the words "Lu Shi is ruthless" were no exaggeration.

In this world, there are very few people Zhu Yunwen cares about, and Yunyu is definitely one of them, and the closest one at that.

After all, ever since his elder brother passed away, it was Yunyu who had been by his side, comforting him and giving him warmth and care.

"You've grown up so much now."

Zhu Biao shook his head helplessly, his eyes full of disappointment: "The Marquis of Champion is not much older than you, yet he has already become famous throughout the world and achieved the title of 'Feng Lang Ju Xu'."

"I do not expect you to reach his level, but I also do not wish for you to bring shame upon the dignity of my royal family."

After Zhu Biao finished speaking, he turned around, seemingly unwilling to see Zhu Yunwen's cowardly appearance any longer.

Perhaps it was a deep-seated aversion that made Zhu Biao think of his deceased wife every time he was with Zhu Yuntong. The pain and guilt he felt made him resist Zhu Yuntong from the bottom of his heart.

"Your Highness."

Lan Yu suddenly volunteered, his eyes shining with anticipation: "I happen to have some time recently, how about I give Yun Tu a good lesson?"

Lan Yu thought to herself, Zhu Yuntong said that Zhu Ying was Zhu Xiong Ying's words. Although it was too abrupt and somewhat unrealistic, Zhu Yuntong was indeed her great-nephew.

If we can train him well and make him the crown prince in the future, he will rise to a higher level, and the family will prosper. This is the only option.

Lan Yu didn't want to see Zhu Yunwen continue to be so humble; he wanted Zhu Yunwen to regain the confidence and dignity of the royal family.

Hearing Lan Yu's words, Zhu Biao looked at the cowardly Zhu Yunwen in front of him, pondered for a moment, and nodded: "Your character is so cowardly, perhaps you really do need your great-uncle to teach you a thing or two, at least to develop some martial spirit."

Just as Zhu Biao finished speaking, Lady Lü, carrying a cup of tea, walked in with elegant manners, as if everything was under her control. She smiled slightly and said softly, "Your Highness, Yun Tong has a tutor to teach him every day. If he leaves the Eastern Palace, wouldn't that delay his studies?"

"After all, Yunhu is not yet old enough to establish his own residence outside the capital."

Lu's voice was soft, yet it concealed a sharp edge; every word seemed meticulously calculated.

Hear this.

Zhu Biao hesitated for a moment. He knew that what Lu Shi said made sense, but Lan Yu's suggestion also tempted him.

After all, Lan Yu was a famous general in the court, with rich military experience and a decisive character. He was also proficient in martial arts and archery. If he could teach Zhu Yunwen, he might really be able to change him.

"Your Highness."

Lan Yu immediately chimed in, her gaze firm, "Yun Tong doesn't need to attend classes all day either."

“During my days off, I will set aside half a day each day to teach Yunwen, without neglecting anything else.”

Lan Yu's words effectively shut down what Lu Shi was about to say, leaving her speechless for a moment.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao nodded: "That will work too."

"Your Highness is wise." Lan Yu immediately bowed and said loudly, "I will definitely teach Yun Tong well. After all, Yun Tong is Your Highness's eldest son and my grand-nephew. I will definitely help him become a great man."

Lan Yu's voice was full of confidence and an undercurrent of pride.

Meanwhile, on the surface, Madam Lü maintained a smile, but inside she was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

If Lan Yu only comes for a day, that's fine, but if he really starts teaching Zhu Yunwen, who knows what changes might occur in the future.

Lady Lü was well aware of Lan Yu's influence and methods. She worried that under Lan Yu's tutelage, Zhu Yunwen would become out of her control, which was something she absolutely could not tolerate.

"Your Highness."

Lady Lü composed herself and spoke again: "Yunwen is a bit older than Yunhuo. After all, your maternal uncle is a Duke of the current dynasty and a meritorious official in the Northern Expedition."

"With the personal instruction of his maternal uncle, Yunwen will surely excel in martial arts. However, Yunwen has not yet found a truly top-notch martial arts master. Yunwen has long admired the Marquis of Champion. I wonder if he could be taught martial arts by the Marquis of Champion?"

Lady Lü was truly panicked this time, and in her confusion, she made the same mistake she had made in the Wenyuan Hall.

She shouldn't have mentioned having someone else teach Yunwen in front of Zhu Biao, especially the Marquis of Champion. This was undoubtedly a challenge to Zhu Biao's authority and decision-making, and it also carried the intention of winning over the court officials.

As expected, Zhu Biao frowned slightly upon hearing Lu's words, and then said, "The Marquis of Champion has endured a year of hardship on his northern expedition. Now that Father has granted him a day off, how can I disturb him?"

“My maternal uncle is also a meritorious official in the Northern Expedition. Since he has already taught Yunwen, let Yunwen also learn martial arts under his maternal uncle’s tutelage.”

Zhu Biao's words carried an undeniable authority.

He is the crown prince, the future emperor, and no one can easily change his decisions.

After these words were spoken, Lan Yu smiled and said, "Your Highness is wise. Although Yunwen is not the legitimate son but rather born of a concubine, he is still Your Highness's son, and I will certainly teach him well."

Lan Yu's words were a double entendre.

One purpose was to suppress Lady Lü's arrogance and let her know her status and identity—she was merely a concubine, and her son was also an illegitimate child.

Secondly, it also carries a mockery of Lady Lü, implying that she should not attempt to control everything.

Lu Shi's face turned deathly pale instantly. She never expected that all her efforts would result in such a outcome.

If you entrust your son to Lan Yu's training, how will he be treated?
Lady Lü dared not imagine it.

"Your Highness, this...this..." Lady Lü was somewhat anxious, stammering and unsure of what excuse to use to refuse.

"The Lü family."

Seeing Madam Lü's expression, Lan Yu immediately said, "Doesn't your uncle have the qualifications to teach Yunwen?"

A hint of disdain flickered in Lan Yu's eyes.

In his view, Lady Lü was merely a woman with a narrow mind, and her attempt to interfere in court affairs and the education of the princes was truly overestimating her abilities.

"All right."

Zhu Biao waved his hand impatiently: "As you say, Yunwen and Yuntong will both be taught by you. In addition to valuing literature, our royal family members should also learn martial arts and archery."

Zhu Biao considered it for a moment, then immediately made a decision.

He didn't want to waste any more time on this matter, as he had more important government affairs to attend to.

"Your Highness is wise."

Lan Yu immediately agreed, secretly pleased with herself.

He knew that this time he not only had the opportunity to teach Zhu Yunwen, but also to bring Yunwen into his fold. This was a rare opportunity for him to severely suppress the Lü family.

"I need to attend to state affairs."

After saying this, Zhu Biao walked towards the main seat in the main hall, preparing to deal with the mountain of official business: "You may all step down."

"My minister retire."

Lan Yu shouted loudly, then pulled Zhu Yunwen and walked out of the hall.

As she passed by the Lü family, Lan Yu glanced at her with a hint of sneer, her eyes seeming to say, "You lost."

"Your Highness."

As Lady Lü watched Zhu Biao's retreating figure, she felt a growing unease: "Is he now wary of me, or is he planning to focus his efforts on grooming Zhu Yunwen?"

Lady Lü keenly sensed the change in Zhu Biao's attitude towards Zhu Yunwen.

Previously, Zhu Biao always listened to her regarding matters concerning the Crown Prince, especially the education of the young master.

But today, Zhu Biao acted out of character, which filled Lady Lü with fear and worry.

Obviously.

Inside the Wenyuan Pavilion, Zhu Biao still took to heart what Zhu Yuanzhang said to him.

Although Zhu Biao disliked Zhu Yunwen, as the legitimate son, he should still be groomed.

The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, the ancestral precept of the Ming Dynasty, which Zhu Biao dared not easily disobey.

We arrived outside the main hall.

Lan Yu was very happy to have the opportunity to teach Zhu Yunwen. He patted Zhu Yunwen on the shoulder with a smile on his face and then said with a smile, "Yunwen!"

"Your great-uncle received a nearly month-long leave of absence as a favor from your imperial grandfather. During this time, your great-uncle will teach you well. Even if there are no more such leave of absence in the future, your great-uncle will still come to the Eastern Palace to see you."

"With your great-uncle here, that Lu woman won't dare to bully you anymore. You can tell your great-uncle anything you need, and he will stand up for you."

Lan Yu was extremely excited that he had humiliated the Lü family today.

Of course, the most crucial thing was that he got the opportunity to teach Zhu Yuntong, which gave him hope of changing Zhu Yuntong.

He believed that with his own methods, he could definitely change Zhu Yunwen's cowardly and humble character, making him a true member of the royal family and earning Zhu Biao's favor.

But at this moment, Zhu Yunwen was not concerned about receiving instruction from Lan Yu; he was still worried about his elder brother.

"Grandpa."

Zhu Yunwen said with a serious expression and a determined look in his eyes: "You must do the method I just told you."

"You believe me."

Listen to this.

"How come you haven't forgotten about this?"

Lan Yu's expression froze, and she stared blankly at Zhu Yunwen.

He was originally happy that Zhu Yunwen could receive his guidance, and forgot about the "grave digging" incident. It turns out he still remembered it.

"Only when our eldest brother returns can we truly find peace."

Zhu Yunwen gazed at Lan Yu, grasped Lan Yu's arm, and pleaded, "And...and I really miss my elder brother."

"Grandpa, please."

Zhu Yuntong's voice was choked with emotion; his longing for his elder brother surged like a tidal wave.

He really missed his older brother.

Now that he has seen his older brother, he is absolutely certain that it is his older brother.

Zhu Yunwen really didn't want to let this opportunity slip by.

See this!

Lan Yu didn't know what to say. He sighed helplessly, patted Zhu Yunhuo's hand, and comforted him, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. You should go back and get some rest. Your great-uncle will consider it."

Although Lan Yu said this, she still felt that the matter was too absurd and found it difficult to make up her mind for the time being.

after all.

It's too sudden.

Moreover, this was only Zhu Yunwen's opinion.

How could Lan Yu dare?

His eyes turned.

As night falls, the lights are on.

Lan Yu's mansion was brightly lit.

Lan Yu had been back from the East Palace for two hours. He sat in his bedroom, looking exhausted.

The room was quiet, broken only by the occasional sound of the night watchman's gong.

Lan Yu sat there blankly, his eyes vacant, seemingly lost in thought. In front of him was a cup of tea that had gone cold, the steam long gone.

"master."

A middle-aged woman slowly walked up to Lan Yu and asked with concern.

She was Lan Yu's legal wife, Lady Mu.

Seeing Lan Yu's distraught state, Mu Shi was filled with worry.

After Mu finished speaking, Lan Yu remained in a daze, seemingly still immersed in his own thoughts. His eyes were vacant, as if he could not see anything in front of him.

"You have just returned in triumph and have gained the trust of the Emperor and the Crown Prince, being granted the title of Duke. This should be a cause for celebration."

Madam Mu continued, trying to get Lan Yu's attention: "Master, why do you seem so distracted? Has something happened again?"

Madam Mu's voice was gentle and full of concern.

This time!

Lan Yu finally stirred. He slowly raised his head, looked at Mu Shi with a serious expression, and asked, "Tell me, can the dead be brought back to life?"

Lan Yu's voice was deep, as if it came from the depths of her heart.

But their eyes revealed an unspoken concern.

This is clearly a very important issue.

Upon hearing this, Madam Mu looked at Lan Yu with suspicion and confusion: "Master, what nonsense are you talking about?"

"How can a dead person come back to life?"

Mu's eyes held a hint of surprise and worry.

She didn't understand why Lan Yu would suddenly ask such a question.

This answer left Lan Yu somewhat disappointed. He lowered his head and fell into deep thought.

After returning from the Eastern Palace, Lan Yu kept thinking about Zhu Yunwen's performance.

His serious demeanor, his vows, and his anticipation showed no sign of madness or joking.

Moreover, Lan Yu recalled Zhu Ying's appearance, especially his eyes.

The more Lan Yu thought about it, the more she felt that what Zhu Yunwen said seemed to be true and made some sense.

It felt as if Zhu Ying's figure really overlapped with Zhu Xiong Ying's.

"Could it be that Yun-hu is right?"

Lan Yu thought to herself, her heart growing increasingly restless: "Could Zhu Ying really be Xiong Ying?"

"But...but how can the dead be brought back to life? It's impossible!"

Lan Yu was conflicted. On one hand, he felt that Zhu Yuntong's words were too outlandish and defied common sense. On the other hand, he could not completely ignore Zhu Yuntong's firm gaze and confident demeanor.

He knew very well that if Zhu Ying really was Zhu Xiong Ying, that would be a wonderful thing.

As long as he has this identity, all the unpleasantness in the past is a joke. He can even go directly to Zhu Ying to apologize, no matter how much Zhu Ying hits or scolds him.

As long as his great-nephew is still alive, he can truly roam freely in the future Ming Dynasty.

The eldest grandson of the emperor!

His great-nephew!
This position is firmly established and cannot be challenged or questioned by anyone.

……

　P.S.: It's being revealed step by step. Thank you for your support.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)