"The four princes are all children I watched grow up. I know the prince's character very well."
Tang Cheng said in a deep voice, "If he has the intention of treason, how can you stop his thousands of troops with the Shadow Warriors under your command? The Shadow Warriors are indeed good at fighting one against a hundred, but you are the only one who can How many shadow warriors are there, five hundred, eight hundred? But if he wants to rebel, he can gather more than 100,000 people under the city of Beijing in one day!"
"Can you stop it?"
"If he has no rebellious intentions, but you are on guard against him and suspect that he has treasonous intentions. I can tell you clearly that if you dare to doubt, he will dare to rebel!"
Zhu Gaojie is not an honest person like Master Fusu of Great Qin.
He may not want to rebel, but if you suspect that he wants to rebel, he really dares to rebel!
Suspicion is a precursor to taking action. No matter whether you have thought about taking action against him or not, as long as you show that you want to take action, he will strike first, and he will rush to kill you as soon as he takes action.
The mysterious man standing by the screen remained silent.
Tang Cheng continued: "It's not that you don't know that your Majesty has made up his mind to pass it on to the prince. Only the emperor is qualified to enter the secret room in the palace, but your majesty allows the prince to enter and exit on his own."
"The prince changed the defense of the Nine Guards and transferred the guard post in Liaodong to Shanhaiguan. Your Majesty knew about this, but he did not express his position. Don't you understand the meaning of this?"
"When the eldest prince was in charge of the country before, all the documents handled by the Wenhua Palace had to be sent to the Qianqing Palace for review. Even when His Majesty visited the north, he ordered the eldest prince to send documents to Beijing. But now that the prince is in charge of the country, Your Majesty has never read the documents sent by Wenhua Palace, which shows how much your Majesty trusts the prince."
"When the grandson conspired with the Duke of Wei to plot rebellion, your majesty handed over the power of the capital's defense and the twelve guards to the prince without any grudges."
"When the prince conquered Korea, he held more than half of the Ming Dynasty's elite troops. The nine borders were undefended, and the border troops all obeyed his orders. Even the most elite navy of the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He, had to obey his orders. At that time, if he had Who can stop me from being rebellious?"
"If he wanted to rebel, he would have rebelled long ago. Why would he wait until today?"
"If he wanted to rebel, why did he waste his energy on acupuncture to extend His Majesty's life for half a year?"
They're all weighing things up, and they're all afraid of falling short.
Why do countless people in ancient and modern times always do stupid things at critical moments? For example, Xiang Yu, the overlord of Chu, let go of Han Emperor Liu Bang at the Hongmen Banquet, Liu Bei, Emperor Zhaolie of the Han Dynasty, decided to launch the Battle of Yiling despite opposition, Chai Rong, Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty, handed over the imperial army to Zhao Kuangyin before his death...
They are all heroes and extremely intelligent people. Why do they commit such ridiculous mistakes?
Xiang Yu has always been called "fighting without thinking". In fact, he was one of the top generals at that time, a master of military strategists, and an outstanding representative of the military situation. He was by no means a foolhardy man. He is a famous general who is good at arranging troops and formations.
Liu Bei was ridiculed as a hypocrite. He had no other skills but would cry and throw his son. As everyone knows, Liu Bei himself is also an experienced general who is proficient in tactics. He is good at seizing opportunities and creating opportunities, and can bring a strong sense of oppression to the enemy. It's just that he is so good at winning, recognizing, and employing people that he has overshadowed his achievements in using troops.
Chai Rong, Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty, is the only one remembered by future generations who entrusted the imperial army to Zhao Kuangyin and chose to trust the most untrustworthy person. How could we know that Chai Rong was a man of great talent, diligent in government and caring for the people, he was a soldier all his life, and he took the lead in bravery. He fought in the north, defeated Shu in the west, and took over the four states of Qin, Feng, Cheng, and Jie; Prefecture; defeated the Liao Kingdom in the north, and conquered three passes and three prefectures.
What really affects a person is his emotions.
Xiang Yu's arrogance, Liu Bei's loyalty, and Chai Rong's helplessness.
As for the mysterious man who controls Shadow Attendant, from his standpoint, he doesn't care who has thought about rebellion, he just thinks about who has the ability to rebel. At this time, the emperor fell into a coma. In front of the prince, they were like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
The idea of giving everything you have to others?
For him, a person who has always been dictatorial
, which is the most disturbing.
The mysterious man was silent for a long time, and then slowly said: "Well, let's just entrust everything to him."
Tang Chengming has no official position on the surface, but in fact he controls the four departments, eight bureaus and twelve supervisors of the palace. The tiger talisman seal ribbons of the entire empire are in his hands. The most important thing is that even Fan Zhong, the guard general who sits in the town's twelve guards, trusts him.
The Shadow Warrior controlled by the mysterious man is the most threatening force in the capital. It is like a sharp blade hidden in the darkness. It can kill with one blow and is difficult to stop.
Zhu Gaojie, on the other hand, has absolute say in the court. When Tang Cheng compromised with the mysterious Shadow Attendant, he was now no different from the emperor. The entire military and political power of the Ming Dynasty was concentrated in him. He had more than two million troops inside and outside the Pass, as well as officials from the two capitals and 17 provinces. Come mobilize.
Even if there is no emperor, as long as the prince Zhu Gaojie is still there, the Ming Dynasty will not be in chaos.
But this is also the reason why since ancient times, most emperors have been wary of their princes. The emperor not only needed the prince to hold great power to ensure the stability of the dynasty, but he was also afraid that the prince's excessive power would threaten him.
Historically, it is extremely rare for fathers and sons to have complete trust between the prince and the emperor like Zhu Gaojie and Zhu Di, Zhu Biao and Zhu Yuanzhang.
…
After Zhu Gaojie came out of Qianqing Palace, he did not return to the East Palace, but went directly to Wenhua Palace.
He first announced to the officials in Beijing that His Majesty the Emperor had gone to Xiangshan for a trip, and that all state affairs would be left to him to handle. The officials on duty at the Wenhua Palace were not suspicious. After all, these days, the emperor is no longer in charge, and most of the time it is the prince who manages the affairs. Now he simply lets go. Although there is something wrong, it is okay to do so reluctantly.
Zhu Gaojie got the tiger talisman seal ribbon from Tang Cheng and had the jade seal as a certificate. In name, even the emperor now had to listen to him. Although the emperor is still unconscious in the Qing Palace, except for a few insiders, most of the rest are kept in the dark.
The first thing he did after taking over the empire was to order the officials in the Wenhua Palace to work overtime until the early morning on the pretext that "the state affairs have been busy recently...". Although the officials were complaining in their hearts, they did not dare to say anything on face.
After all, Zhu Gaojie set an example and worked overtime along with him.
Look, even the boss is so dedicated, you working people still want to rest? Will you be able to sleep when you get home?
Until late at night, Zhu Gaojie's body really couldn't bear it anymore. Although he could still bear it physically, he was already a little drowsy due to internal exhaustion. Then he asked the ministers to get off work and go back to their homes to find their mothers.
After the ministers retreated, he rested in the back hall and lay down on a chair. He was too tired to move, so he just lay there.
Zhu Gaojie closed his eyes lightly and remained silent when he heard footsteps coming from behind him.
A Qi appeared behind him, put a snow-white fox fur cloak on his body, and said softly: "The snow is still falling, the weather is cold, and there is no stove in the back hall. You are carrying the beam of the country now, are you?" You must not get sick."
Zhu Gaojie joked: "Why do you suddenly start talking crookedly, like my Yingzhen?"
A Qi was silent for a while and said, "I am just a shadow, a tool that cannot be put on the stage. I can only say a few words to you in private."
Zhu Gaojie was silent for a while. He knew that this shadow guard who had been guarding him seemed cold, but in fact he was a talkative man with an empty heart. Even though he usually pretended to stay away from strangers, in his heart he felt because of Too lonely and longing to be close to others.
But Ah Qi's identity destined him to be alone. Only when talking to Zhu Gaojie could he show any emotion.
It's really sad, even talking is like having an affair, it has to be secretive.
Zhu Gaojie said slowly: "You are not a tool, you are a human being, a living person. When you were a shadow attendant, I couldn't control what happened to you. But now you are under my control. In my place, you can say or do whatever you want." No one can restrain you no matter what, you are a free person."
A Qi was stunned for a moment, he had never thought about this problem.
free?
He never thought about this luxury.
He received cruel training from Shadow Attendant since childhood, grew up in hell, walked on the tip of a knife all day long, and was soaked in blood. He is like a sword, without emotions or thinking. What can sustain him is obeying other people's orders.
After coming to Zhu Gaojie, he felt the emotions that people should have. He was surprised to find that he could also be moved, scared, and angry... To him, this was like discovering a treasure. This treasure is himself.
A Qi suddenly said: "I suddenly want to tell a story."
Zhu Gaojie nodded tiredly: "Well, you said it, I'm listening."
A Qi fell into memories and muttered: "My father was a famous general during the Hongwu Dynasty. After the deaths of the two kings Zhongshan and Kaiping, my father led the army many times and made many meritorious deeds. Emperor Taizu and Emperor Gao treated him with great courtesy."
"Later, my father was ordered to lead the army to conquer Yuanting in the north. He was extremely brave and won a great victory. In Mobei, he met my mother for the first time... and then raped my mother."
"My mother was the concubine of the Yuan Lord. She couldn't bear the humiliation and wanted to commit suicide. But just when she was about to commit suicide, she was told that she was pregnant. And the child in her belly was me."
"My mother hesitated again and again, but she still couldn't bear it. She waited until she gave birth to me and entrusted me to my father before committing suicide. Because of my mother's death, Emperor Taizu Gao became furious and reprimanded my father. and be severely punished."
"My father thought that I was the cause of all this, and he drew his sword and wanted to kill me. But I was still ignorant at that time, and I was at a loss when looking at the sword. Fortunately, Prince Yiwen happened to be passing by, and he was kind-hearted. He rescued me from the hand of my father.”
"However, because my identity was too complicated, Prince Yiwen didn't know what to do with me. Emperor Taizu happened to be setting up the Shadow Warriors at that time, so he sent me to the Shadow Warriors' training camp."
"Although I survived, I still don't know why I want to survive."
"My father raped my mother, and my mother committed suicide because of it. My father wanted to kill me... I lived in a nightmare for the first half of my life."
"Until...I met you."
"You let me understand why I live."
"I want to be by your side forever and be your shadow."
This was a long preface. When it was finished, Aqi was speechless for a long time and seemed to be in great pain.
He lowered his head, only to find that Zhu Gaojie, who was lying on the chair, had already closed his eyes and was snoring. Maybe it was because he was too tired, or maybe because A Qi was beside him to feel at ease, and he slept soundly.
A Qi hesitated for a moment and said softly: "Don't you always want to see my true face under the mask?"
He looked carefully and repeatedly confirmed that Zhu Gaojie was really asleep. After struggling for a long time, as if he was making a difficult choice, he finally decided and slowly put his hand on the mask.
He didn't even blink once after killing everyone, but now he couldn't help but his hands were shaking.
Finally, he boldly took off the evil ghost mask on his face.
This is the first time since he became a Shadow Attendant that he has taken off his mask in front of others.
The true appearance under the mask is neither scarred nor ugly.
Unexpectedly, what is hidden under the mask is a beautiful face, with skin as smooth as gel, delicate red lips, and clear peach blossom eyes like a pool of clear water, clean but not demonic, as clear as a new moon and as bright as a flower. Trees piled with snow. It seems that there is a light cage of snow and mist, and it is really not a human being in this world.
Who would have thought that beneath the evil ghost's iron face, baptized by wronged souls and blood, there would be such a stunning and unique true face hidden.
…
"Ah, it turns out she is a girl from the Lan family."
Seeing A Qi's true appearance in the world of his mind, Zhu Yuanzhang fell into memories, "When Biao'er brought her, we considered that she was the illegitimate daughter of Lan Yu and Yuan Fei, so we protected her. Never. Thinking about it, the causes planted in the past have grown into the fruits today."
"Life is so unpredictable."
…
A Qi put on the mask again, chuckled and said to himself: "Anyway, you are sleeping soundly and I can't see you. Putting on this mask, I am still the same shadow. Nothing happens... nothing happens?"
He, or rather she, froze in place, looking straight at the man lying on the chair.
Zhu Gaojie tilted his head, looked at her with his eyes open, and blinked.
A Qi asked in a trembling voice: "You, when did you wake up?"
Zhu Gaojie said dullly: "I didn't sleep at all."
He was also quite surprised.
I was just too tired, so I simply closed my eyes and listened to A Qi's story.
Who would have thought that while the other party was talking, he thought he was asleep, so he began to reveal his true feelings, and in the end he even took off the mask that he had never taken off before.
Zhu Gaojie, on the other hand, listened and watched quietly from beginning to end. It wasn't until A Qi took off his mask that his calm heart began to stir.
***, I regard you as a brother, but you are such a good-looking girl?
Damn it, bro, isn’t it just love at first sight? No, bro, isn’t it love at first sight?
