The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 85 Li Jinglong: My Dead Father Left a Trap

Autumn arrived in the blink of an eye.

Li Jinglong got up early and stood under the corridor, feeling a bit of a chill.

In just a few months, it will be the eighteenth year of the Hongwu reign.

That will be a terrible year.

That year, General Xu Da passed away. The veteran generals gradually passed away.

In that year, the imperial examinations were restarted, and civil officials gradually replaced nobles.

That year, the Guo Huan case broke out, and heads rolled around.

In that year, the Imperial Edict was promulgated, encouraging the people to report corrupt officials.

"How can I avoid these things?" he muttered to himself.

Just as I was pondering this, a delicate fragrance wafted over.

Zhao Qing walked over, wearing a fitted long dress that swayed gently as she walked.

She walked to the corridor, bowed slightly, her chest dipped down briefly, and then bounced back.

Li Jinglong's gaze involuntarily followed the person back and forth.

"Young Duke, breakfast is ready."

"Wow, it's huge!"

Zhao Qing was taken aback: "What do you mean, 'big'?"

As Li Jinglong walked towards the hall, he waved his hand and said, "Those two searchlights..."

Zhao Qing followed after him, looking completely bewildered.

Upon entering the hall, Li Jinglong sat down at the dining table, picked up a bowl of porridge, and began to drink.

Zhao Qing walked behind him, stretched out her hands, placed her ten fingers on his shoulders, and began to massage them gently.

Li Jinglong leaned back comfortably, feeling two soft mounds against his back.

That sensation, rubbed against her as she massaged her shoulders.

It's so early in the morning, I'm getting all fired up!

"Where's the second son?" he asked.

Zhao Qing was completely unaware, and continued to rub him while saying, "The Second Young Master has gone to the Imperial Academy."

"It's quite a coincidence, actually I was captured by your father, the young Duke," Zhao Qing sighed softly. "Who would have thought that I would end up as the slave of the Duke of Cao?"

Li Jinglong was shocked: "Huh?"

"The Young Duke doesn't know?"

"What do I know? All I know is that I picked you up from the pleasure boat."

3

Zhao Qing's eyes were deep and unfathomable: "In the third year of Hongwu, your father led the Eastern Route Army out of Juyong Pass, passed through Yehu Ridge, and went straight to Yingchang. He marched day and night in a surprise attack and captured Yingchang. On that occasion, your father captured my younger brother, Mai Delibala, as well as me, and a large number of members of the Yuan imperial family, empresses, and officials. The Yuan imperial seal was also seized by your father."

Li Jinglong sighed, "So it was my dad who did this."

"Your father was infamous on the grasslands," Zhao Qing continued. "There are even legends that say on nights when the north wind howls, you can hear the ghosts of your father's iron cavalry galloping across the grasslands."

Li Jinglong snorted: "My father was a scholar-general, where did he get his fearsome reputation? Every time he returned from a victorious campaign, young women and wives would wave at him from the roadside, and he would blush."

Zhao Qing stopped what she was doing, walked around to face him, and leaned down to stare straight at him.

"You probably have some misunderstanding about your father."

Li Jinglong shrugged: "Although my father is the most handsome man in the army, he's shy, just like me."

Zhao Qing rolled her eyes.

Li Jinglong thought about it carefully.

To say that my father was a scholar-general wouldn't be accurate.

When he was defending Xincheng, Zhang Shicheng's army of 200,000 attacked.

His analysis was: the opposing team has more people, and with more people comes arrogance, and arrogance leads to defeat. Therefore, this advantage is in my hands.

So he led several thousand men to attack under cover of the thick fog, and defeated Zhang Shicheng to the point of despair.

Scholar-generals aren't that fierce.

It is said that Luo Guanzhong witnessed the battle firsthand and saw Li Wenzhong, with his white horse and silver spear, charge in and out seven times, which inspired him to create the character Zhao Yun in his novel.

"Young Duke, your father was a terrifying figure on the grasslands," Zhao Qing asked. "Haven't you heard? Your father slaughtered his way across the grasslands, all the way to the land of Doyan. Even Chang Yuchun couldn't help but advise your father to stop the indiscriminate killing and to spare those who were shorter than a cartwheel."

Li Jinglong shook his head: "My father is benevolent, how could he kill indiscriminately?"

"Hehe, the grassland benevolent father, your father is merciful. Chang Yuchun said that those who are lower than the wheel of a cart will not be killed. After your father heard this, he leveled the cart and said again that those who are lower than the wheel of a cart will not be killed," Zhao Qing said.

Li Jinglong: "————"

Where the hell did this unofficial history come from?

Chang Yuchun, who liked to kill surrendered soldiers, advised my father not to kill indiscriminately.

"Let me tell you, this is definitely you grassland people slandering my father. If you can't beat him, you write a long essay to smear him," he said.

Zhao Qing scoffed, "Believe it or not. I just want to warn you to be careful of Hai Li and Princess Qin. Your father is the enemy of the entire grassland, and you are his son. They won't let you go."

Li Jinglong waved his hand dismissively, "You're exaggerating, aren't you?"

"You Han people hate the shame of Jingkang, don't you?" Zhao Qing glared and said, "What your father did is the shame of Jingkang on the grasslands."

Li Jinglong rubbed his forehead.

Father, you've left me with a huge pitfall, making me an enemy of the entire grassland.

"And what about you?" he asked with a half-smile. "You're also from the grasslands, do you hate me?"

"I don't hate you." Zhao Qing whispered in his ear, her breath warm. "I'm yours now, Young Duke."

You wish!

They're all ancient foxes, why are they playing at some kind of ghost story?

"I'm full. Come with me for a walk." Li Jinglong stood up.

He led Zhao Qing out the door and saw Li Zengzhi hurrying back.

"Aren't you studying at the Imperial Academy? Skipping class again?" He said sternly.

Li Zengzhi said anxiously, "Brother, it's not that I'm being lazy today. The chrysanthemums along the Qinhuai River are in bloom, a vast expanse of golden yellow, which has caused a stir throughout Yingtian City. The Grand Chancellor gave everyone a day off to go and admire the flowers."

"Then why did you come back?" Li Jinglong asked.

As Li Zengzhi rushed into the mansion, he turned back and shouted, "I'm going to change my clothes. All the young masters and ladies are going today."

Li Jinglong shook his head and sighed; he couldn't control his younger brother anymore.

"The Second Young Master really takes after you, the Young Duke," Zhao Qing said, covering her mouth with a smile.

"Let's go admire the flowers." Li Jinglong stepped onto the carriage.

Zhao Qing followed him, and as soon as the curtain was drawn, she sat down next to him, naturally leaning into his arms, her fragrance wafting in the air.

With her soft, fragrant body in his arms, Li Jinglong reached out and embraced her slender waist.

"Young Duke, aren't you going to be a beggar's leader today?" Zhao Qing blinked her beautiful eyes. "I still want to show off my power with you. I still remember the scene when you commanded so many people on the pleasure boat last time."

Li Jinglong pinched her supple waist: "As the head of the beggars, you must maintain an air of mystery."

Zhao Qing was amused and burst out laughing, her body trembling and her chest heaving.

"Don't move." Li Jinglong pressed her down.

Zhao Qing's beautiful eyes darted around, defiantly asking, "What's wrong? Isn't the Young Duke supposed to be a gentleman who remains unmoved even with a woman in his lap?"

Li Jinglong pinched her waist hard.

Zhao Qing jerked in pain and jumped up from his arms, sitting upright and glaring at him: "You really pinched me!"

"Demon." Li Jinglong smiled knowingly. "Watch out for my demon-slaying staff."

Zhao Qing leaned closer, raising an eyebrow with an air of mature sophistication: "Just you wait, sister."

At this moment, the carriage stopped, and the coachman's voice came: "Young master, there are too many people, the carriage can't pass."

Li Jinglong lifted the carriage curtain.

Wow, there are so many people!