The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

The next day, Xinguo Gongfu.

The gatekeeper led Li Jinglong into the back garden.

Tang He, with his white hair, was sitting in the pavilion. When he saw Li Jinglong enter, his eyes first fell on the wine jar, then on the oil paper package. He sniffed it, and his eyes lit up.

"Uncle Tang!" Li Jinglong raised his voice, "I've come to have a drink with you."

Tang He put on a stern face: "According to seniority, you should call me grandpa."

Li Jinglong strode into the pavilion, slammed the wine and meat onto the table, and said, "Uncle Tang, aren't the seniority system in the Ming Dynasty all messed up? Besides, Uncle Tang, you're in your prime, with more energy than I am. Calling you 'Grandpa' would make you sound old, wouldn't it?"

"You little rascal!" Tang He laughed heartily, "You're much smoother than your dad. Your dad, well, he's good in every way, except he's too serious."

Li Jinglong looked incredulous: "My dad's serious? I've heard he was a heartthrob among young girls back in the day. How could someone like that be serious?"

Tang He was so amused by this that he almost fell over: "Your father was personally trained by His Majesty, he was called dashing and debonair, you are shameless, it's two different things."

"Uncle Tang, look, Shuang Gou liquor. Twenty-year aged, I searched half of the capital to find it." Li Jinglong opened the oil paper package, "And your favorite braised pig's head."

Tang He leaned closer and smelled it: "Excellent! Excellent wine! Excellent meat!"

He reached into the large bowl and poured it full.

Then I picked up the bowl, tilted my head back, and drank it all.

Before Li Jinglong could even lift his bowl, Tang He had already poured another bowl.

done.

Pour another bowl.

It's dry again.

He drank three bowls in a row.

Li Jinglong was completely stunned.

This guy's a drunkard! At this rate, I'll have to buy another jar.

"Kid," Tang He put down his bowl, "when your dad was your age, he drank with us. What a pity. He didn't get to enjoy life for long before he passed away."

Li Jinglong sighed softly, "Yes, what's the point of fighting all my life?"

"Bo Ren died even earlier," Tang He sighed. "That fellow could drink even more than me, and he even dared to steal His Majesty's wine. Alas, he didn't get to enjoy any of the good fortune."

Li Jinglong raised his wine bowl, his expression solemn: "Not only them, but also countless other soldiers who fought for the Ming Dynasty. Some were buried on the battlefield, without even leaving a name. The fact that we can drink here peacefully today is because they gave their lives."

He stood up, raised the bowl of wine high, and then slowly poured it onto the ground.

"This bowl of wine is a toast to them!"

Tang He glared at him: "You brat! Don't try to be clever with me. You can't drink it all, so you spill it on the ground?"

Li Jinglong remained expressionless: "Uncle Tang, this is a tribute to the soldiers."

"His Majesty was just like that back then. Every time he was halfway through a drink, he would say something about paying tribute to the fallen soldiers, and then he would splash the wine on the ground. Xu Da would be so angry that his face would turn blue." Tang He said irritably.

Li Jinglong exclaimed in surprise, "Uncle Xu dares to lose his temper with His Majesty?"

"Why wouldn't you dare?" Tang He snorted. "Once, His Majesty was being cunning again. He had just raised his bowl to pour it on the ground when Xu Da, without saying a word, picked up the whole jar of wine and poured it directly over His Majesty's head."

Li Jinglong's eyes widened: "Uncle Xu, how dare you?"

Tang He curled his lip: "After that, he never dared to do it again."

Li Jinglong put down his wine bowl: "Uncle Xu, are you scared?"

Tang He took a sip of wine and slowly swallowed it: "Yes, I told him that Chongba is no longer the brother he used to be. He's the one who rose to power."

"Uncle Tang, you did the right thing," Li Jinglong said seriously. "Those in positions of authority are respected."

Tang He straightened his back: "Yes, Your Majesty is still my brother, but more importantly, Your Majesty. I understand the difference between ruler and subject very well."

Li Jinglong looked around.

Damn, are there any Imperial Guards in this mansion?

Why are you speaking official jargon?

"Uncle Tang, you've finally made it through. Now you can enjoy your retirement." He changed the subject.

Tang He nodded: "I was just about to ask His Majesty for permission to resign and return to Fengyang. There are still a few acres of land and a few old houses there. That should be enough for me."

"Uncle Tang!" Li Jinglong exclaimed in astonishment, "You are a Duke! His Majesty needs you, the court needs you! How can you leave?"

Tang smiled but said nothing.

Li Jinglong continued his performance: "Besides, life in the capital is so much better. Big houses, good food, you can drink whenever you want, eat pig's head whenever you want. Back in Fengyang, in the countryside, where can you find such good Shuang Gou liquor?"

"To me, the title of Duke is nothing special," Tang He laughed. "When the dynasty was founded, His Majesty bestowed great titles upon the meritorious officials. Xu Da was the Duke of Wei, Feng Sheng was the Duke of Song, and Deng Yu was the Duke of Wei. As for me? His Majesty only granted me the title of Marquis."

"Kid, do you think I should complain?"

"Uncle Tang, it's just the two of us here. Tell me the truth, did you ever harbor any resentment?" Li Jinglong blinked. "Back then, you were one of the first to join the Red Turban Army. When His Majesty joined the army, you were already a minor leader, and His Majesty was still your subordinate."

Tang He picked up his wine bowl, tilted his head back, and gulped down a large amount.

"I don't resent it."

"His Majesty understands me. Giving me a marquisate is not a mistreatment, but an act of generosity. Back then, those arrogant and unruly generals were all looking down on everyone. In terms of seniority, I was older than them. In terms of merit, I was no less than them. His Majesty made me rank below them to show them that even Tang He submitted, so what right do they have to object?"

Li Jinglong fell silent.

This old general has a clear understanding of things.

"Uncle Tang," he asked, "do you understand His Majesty?"

"I understand."

"So, I'm preparing to retire and return to my hometown." Tang He finished the remaining wine in his bowl in one gulp. "I want nothing. I don't want fame or fortune. I'll just go back and tend to my few acres of land."

Li Jinglong raised his wine bowl high.

"Uncle Tang".

"Um?"

"A fellow traveler."

Tang was taken aback.

Li Jinglong slammed his bowl against his: "I just want to lie down too."

Tang He smiled slightly: "Young man, you came all this way here today, carrying Shuang Gou liquor and a pig's head, just to drink with an old man like me?"

Li Jinglong said seriously, "Uncle Tang, do you think I'm the kind of person who only comes to your door when I need something?"

"picture."

"Well, there really is something."

Li Jinglong lowered his voice, "His Majesty has asked me to handle a case concerning Marquis Hu Mei of Linchuan and his son."

"The crimes of this father and son—seizing farmland, terrorizing the village, and abducting women—are all irrefutable. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, they deserve to be beheaded several times over."

"But His Majesty always says it's not enough."

"Uncle Tang, I just don't understand. Hu Mei is the Marquis of Linchuan, and his daughter is Consort Shun. In terms of connections, they are one of His Majesty's fathers-in-law. If the goal is to use their lives to intimidate other nobles, these charges are more than enough."

"The emperor's father-in-law's head was chopped off. What does that show? It shows that the emperor is completely impartial, not even protecting his own father-in-law. Which of the other nobles wouldn't think twice before taking such a step?"

Tang He was silent for a moment before speaking: "Kid, you've only seen one side of the story."

Li Jinglong was taken aback: "What else?"

"Killing Hu Mei and his son to intimidate Xun Gui is only one aspect of what His Majesty wants," Tang He said. "But it's not the most important thing."

Li Jinglong frowned: "Then what's the most important thing?"

"Immunity certificate".

Li Jinglong was taken aback, then shook his head: "What use is that thing? Uncle Tang, don't be ridiculous. His Majesty has the right to interpret that thing."

"Boy, you make it sound so easy. Over the years, His Majesty has bestowed out dozens of iron certificates of immunity from death. If these things were truly useless, why would His Majesty bestow them?"

"If the pardon is truly just a piece of scrap metal, would Hu Mei and his son dare to be so presumptuous?"

Li Jinglong was still puzzled: "Then why doesn't His Majesty just behead them and take back the iron certificate of immunity from death?"

Tang He shook his head again: "You still don't understand."

Li Jinglong sat up straight and clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "Please enlighten me, Uncle Tang."

……

P.S.: Gentlemen, do you have any extra monthly tickets? I'm asking for them. The book isn't attracting many readers, but it's okay for those who want to follow it. The coefficient score is quite low, which is why it ranks low as a new book.