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

Chapter 289 The People and Events of That Year! Zhu Yuanzhang's Urgency!

Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's question.

The Imperial Guard beside Jiang Huan immediately replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty."

"This portrait was created by the brothers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard after nearly a month of secret investigation at the place where the Marquis of Champion was. They also made many inquiries. The portrait has also undergone many copies and modifications, so it is absolutely authentic."

The Imperial Guard replied with great confidence.

Hear this!

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, his gaze falling on the portrait.

"Granny Ma."

"She has been with your mother ever since she got married."

“Your mother treated her like an older sister, and she handled many things for your mother through her.”

“Back then, your mother insisted that the imperial physicians couldn’t cure her and that we would take our anger out on all the palace servants around her. So, on her deathbed, she dismissed all the palace servants. Now, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack for us to find them. They know nothing about what happened back then.”

Looking at the portrait, Zhu Yuanzhang also showed great helplessness.

My sister thinks too hard of me.

"father."

Looking at Zhu Yuanzhang like this, Zhu Biao said helplessly, "Mother knows you best. If you hadn't dismissed them in advance, there would be nothing left, let alone the portrait in front of you. Moreover, the dismissal of the palace servants back then may also be related to Xiong Ying."

“Back then, Granny Ma and Mother were like sisters. There must have been a reason why Mother entrusted Xiong Ying to Granny Ma.”

In this regard.

Zhu Yuanzhang was well aware that saying anything more now would be useless.

Given my temper when I was in a fit of rage back then.

Perhaps a few trusted confidants of his sister might survive, but the imperial physicians and ordinary palace servants might really be buried with her.

"go on."

"What else did you find out?" Zhu Yuanzhang continued, looking at the Imperial Guards in front of him.

"emperor."

"According to the investigation."

"The grandmother of the Marquis of Champion first appeared in Beiping City at the end of August in the fifteenth year of Hongwu. She spent some money to buy a house in Beiping City. It was not a luxurious house, but an ordinary house. Afterwards, she hired some craftsmen to open a winery and run a small wine business."

"As for registering the household, for some reason, the Marquis's grandmother did not mention it in detail. He was simply registered in the household register of Beiping Prefecture. This was also the first time the Marquis's household registration was recorded. At that time, the Marquis was almost nine years old."

"As for Lin Fu, the steward by the Marquis's side, he entered the mansion a year after the Marquis's grandmother settled in Beiping City. He gained the trust of the Marquis's grandmother and regarded him as a family member and steward."

……

The Imperial Guards recounted everything they had gathered from their investigation in Beiping.

I heard this.

Without him.

This naturally solidified Zhu Ying's position.

"Put it this way."

"Even after Granny Ma arrived in Beiping, she still maintained contact with people from her old acquaintances," Zhu Yuanzhang said slowly.

"Just as His Majesty said."

"After this Granny Ma went to Beiping, although she always kept to herself, people would come looking for her every two years, and there were two people who met with her almost every year. Following this clue, the Embroidered Uniform Guard investigated with all their might and finally found these two people."

"One of them was the imperial physician who once diagnosed the empress, Physician Chen."

"And another one is an old palace servant who serves the Empress," Jiang Huan said respectfully.

Hear this.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up, because this Physician Chen was the chief physician who had treated his sister years ago.

As for the other palace maid, the only one Zhu Yuanzhang was familiar with was Granny Ma, who served his sister.

After a moment of reflection.

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately asked, "Where have these two gone?"

"Your Majesty, we entered Yingtian Prefecture yesterday and should arrive today."

"Moreover, through these two, the Embroidered Uniform Guard also found several palace maids who served the Empress back then. They are all together now and will arrive in Yingtian soon," Jiang Huan replied respectfully.

"it is good."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, his gaze towards Jiang Huan filled with satisfaction.

"You did a good job this time."

"We are very pleased."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guards have not disappointed us either."

"To be able to uncover this after so many years, the Embroidered Uniform Guard has truly done its best," Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile.

Jiang Huan and the two Imperial Guards beside him immediately knelt down and bowed: "The Imperial Guards swear to serve the Emperor to the death."

"Biao'er."

"See?"

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard can not only monitor the entire country for us, but also investigate everything under heaven," Zhu Yuanzhang said to Zhu Biao with great pleasure.

"I really underestimated the Embroidered Uniform Guard before," Zhu Biao nodded with a sigh.

This time!

"Let's start playing, Your Majesty."

"The person has already entered the palace."

A commander of the Imperial Guards quickly entered the hall, knelt down respectfully, and bowed.

"Has anyone seen it?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked immediately, his expression becoming extremely solemn.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, the entire journey was escorted by carriages, and also by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. No one saw us," the Embroidered Uniform Guard commander immediately replied.

"Bring it here immediately," Zhu Yuanzhang ordered.

"Yes."

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard immediately withdrew.

And this moment.

Zhu Yuanzhang was naturally extremely excited.

"Biao'er."

"The truth about what happened back then is finally about to be revealed," Zhu Yuanzhang said excitedly.

"kindness."

Zhu Biao nodded emphatically, full of anticipation.

Zhu Ying's identity is now completely confirmed, but why Empress Ma sent Zhu Ying to Beiping back then, and why Zhu Ying came back to life, are all mysteries.

But today.

All these mysteries are about to be solved.

The main hall of Wenyuan Pavilion was completely silent.

No one said anything.

Jiang Huan and two Imperial Guards, who were waiting on the side of the hall, also lowered their heads and waited quietly.

They all knew that if they could uncover the truth of what happened back then, they would have accomplished a great feat, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard would be given greater responsibilities in the future. Therefore, they were very nervous at the moment.

After continuing for a while.

Footsteps sounded outside the hall.

Then, led by the same Jinyiwei centurion, five elderly people entered the hall: two men and three women.

They were all over fifty or sixty years old, and their hair was all gray.

As soon as they entered, Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze immediately fell upon them.

As emperor.

Zhu Yuanzhang could not possibly remember every single palace servant, but he knew the vast majority of the palace servants who had served in his sister's palace.

Looking at the five old men before him, Zhu Yuanzhang could not recall all their names, but their appearances awakened long-forgotten memories from his past.

Zhu Biao was the same.

Looking at the elderly people in front of me, my heart trembled.

The five people entered the hall.

They walked straight to the center of the hall, all with expressions of excitement and awe.

With a thud, he knelt before Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Your subject [this servant] greets Your Majesty."

The five people knelt down and respectfully called out.

Zhu Yuanzhang stared intently at the five people, his face revealing his barely concealed excitement.

perhaps.

Zhu Yuanzhang himself never expected to see his wife's old friends again in his later years. These were all people his wife had sent away, scattered all over the country. If it weren't for the fact that his grandson was from Beiping, and if these people hadn't been in contact with his grandson who was raising his grandmother, he would never have seen them again.

Even if the Imperial Guards did their best, it would be very difficult to find out, let alone bring the person to justice.

After all, even in the technological age of later generations, it would be difficult to find a person, let alone in this era, it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

"No courtesy, stay on your own."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice trembled slightly as he raised his hand and spoke.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The five people thanked him and slowly stood up with reverence.

But for some reason, when the five of them saw Zhu Yuanzhang again, they were not afraid; instead, they felt a sense of relief.

Then!

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Without my decree, no one is allowed to approach the Wenyuan Pavilion, not even ministers who come to pay their respects today."

"Close the palace gates."

"Guo Zhen and Luo Yang personally guarded the area."

As soon as he finished speaking...

The previously open palace doors were immediately closed.

"We had the Embroidered Uniform Guard search for you from all over the country, aren't you afraid?" Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the relieved look on their faces and found it strange.

after all.

Deep down, these palace servants probably thought they were ruthless killers.

"Return to the Emperor."

"If it were back then, perhaps I would have been afraid."

"But now I am happy to see the Emperor again."

One of the old men replied with a smile, conveying a sense of relief and composure.

He was none other than Chen Yi, the chief physician who had treated Empress Ma in the past.

"Do you know why we're looking for you?" Zhu Yuanzhang immediately understood his meaning.

of course.

After the Embroidered Uniform Guard found them, Zhu Yuanzhang gave them strict instructions: do not ask anything, do not say anything, just bring them to him.

"Return to the Emperor."

"This old minister guessed it," Chen Yi smiled, his expression frank.

"Then tell me what you've guessed," Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile, his expression softening considerably.

"The Emperor's summons this time must be because of the eldest grandson of the Emperor," Chen Yi said with certainty.

As soon as these words fell.

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and stared at Chen Yi: "It seems that you really know what happened back then, and you also know that our grandson is still alive."

In this regard.

Chen Yi bowed deeply and said, "I dare not deceive Your Majesty. The eldest grandson of the emperor has always been alive, and Your Majesty must already know that the eldest grandson of the emperor is still alive."

"Just as His Majesty predicted."

"The current champion, Zhu Ying, is none other than the former eldest grandson of the emperor, Zhu Xiong Ying."

“This old minister can bear witness.”

Hear this.

Zhu Yuanzhang showed no joy, but was instead filled with anger, staring intently at Chen Yi: "You should know my temper!"

"The Crown Prince and the eldest grandson of the Emperor are the most important people in our hearts."

"So many years have passed, and we have lost Xiong Ying."

"You knew he was still alive, so why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"This is a crime of deceiving the emperor!"

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke in a hoarse voice, staring intently at Chen Yi.

Faced with Zhu Yuanzhang's imposing presence, apart from Chen Yi, the other four were all so frightened that they knelt on the ground, heads bowed, not daring to utter a word.

Even though they were old, the majesty of the Hongwu Emperor was still deeply imprinted in their hearts.

But Chen Yi remained calm and composed.

"If this old minister had come to Yingtian to report to Your Majesty ten years ago, or even a few years ago, would Your Majesty have believed him?"

"Again."

"Can Your Majesty truly protect the eldest grandson of the emperor?"

"The smallpox outbreak back then was by no means accidental."

"This old minister promised Her Majesty the Empress that he would protect the Crown Prince with his life," Chen Yi replied solemnly, showing no fear whatsoever.

Zhu Yuanzhang, however, was amused and said, "Protect our grandson? How did you protect him?"

"Back then, he was tricked by the Shen family and sent to the border army of Daning. When he went to the battlefield, why didn't you protect him?"

"After Granny Ma left, our grandson only had one steward by his side. Why didn't you go to protect him?"

"Is this what you mean by protecting with your life?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked furious, his face displaying three rhetorical questions.

"When the eldest grandson of the emperor was murdered by the Shen family, it was too late for me to find out. This is my fault. So I have been searching for him. When the eldest grandson of the emperor made meritorious contributions in the border army of Daning, I had already settled in Daning and silently watched over him." Chen Yi replied frankly.

"emperor."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard did indeed find Physician Chen in Daning. Previously, Physician Chen was residing in Beiping Prefecture, but not in Beiping City," Jiang Huan said respectfully.

"it is good."

"Even if you are not capable of protecting our grandson, you see that he is already a general in Da Ning and has the courage to protect himself. Why don't you report this to us?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked again.

"emperor."

"The former Empress has given her instructions."

"For the eldest grandson of the emperor, Yingtian is a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​fire. Once the eldest grandson's identity is exposed, countless people in the shadows want his life."

"I am entrusted with Her Majesty the Empress's instructions and would never dare to expose the eldest grandson of the Emperor."

"It is easy to dodge an open attack but difficult to guard against an arrow from the dark."

“The eldest grandson of the emperor contracted smallpox for no apparent reason. It seemed like a natural disaster, but the Empress believed it was a man-made disaster.”

"If the eldest grandson is brought back, this old minister is not sure if Your Majesty can protect him well." Chen Yi, on the contrary, raised a question to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Perhaps living so many more years is enough.

Perhaps burdened by Empress Ma's instructions, Chen Yi was completely at ease. Perhaps when he arrived today, he was even prepared to die.

"Do you think we can't protect our own grandson?" Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Chen Yi, his anger already rising.

"I failed to protect him properly back then, so I dare not reveal his identity as the eldest grandson of the emperor to the public." Chen Yi remained calm and fearless.

"Good, good, good."

Seeing Chen Yi's performance, Zhu Yuanzhang said "good" three times.

Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang's mood was already a bit off, Zhu Biao immediately stepped forward and said, "Imperial Physician Chen, thank you for taking care of Xiong Ying for us all these years."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard has already spoken."

“For many years, you have visited Xiong Ying and Granny Ma every year.”

I saw the gentle Zhu Biao.

Chen Yi immediately bowed deeply: "Your Highness, you flatter me. This is my duty. My life already belongs to the Crown Prince."

"Come on."

"We don't want to hear any more nonsense."

"Since you don't want Xiong Ying's identity to be made public, why are you so calm this time? Shouldn't you be holding back?" Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Chen Yi and asked irritably.

……

(End of this chapter)