It's nearly midnight.
Thousands of lights gradually faded into the thick darkness of night.
The crowing of cocks and the barking of dogs are almost non-existent.
The huge Juyang City seemed to be completely immersed in darkness from this moment on.
However, what was even quieter than the night was the "family banquet" that was coming to an end in the Zhu family's ancestral home.
In the south of Juyang City, the ancestral residence of the Zhu family is in the Dexing Hall, which is brightly lit and as bright as day.
The young head of the family, Zhu Zongting, was standing at the edge of Dexing Hall, dressed in brocade clothes but holding a teapot like a servant.
With a solemn look on his face, he looked at the big round mahogany dining table where all the powerful elders and elders of the Zhu family gathered.
The elders of the Zhu family, who in the past could make the entire Shanggu County tremble with a stomp of their feet, were all sitting at the big round mahogany dining table with solemn expressions.
A strong, suffocating, but invisible and intangible sense of depression deeply surrounded the hearts of everyone in Dexing Hall.
This "family banquet" that was supposed to be held on New Year's Eve was not just as simple as being moved more than ten days in advance.
I do not know how long it has been.
The old patriarch Zhu Huaimin, who had always been sitting on the main seat but remained silent, slowly stood up with a cup of strong wine in hand.
"A toast."
Zhu Huaimin held a wine cup in his hand, and looked at every figure beside the mahogany dining table with an expressionless face, and then slowly spoke.
Although his voice was slow, it was full of unquestionable color.
The words trailed off.
The powerful elders and elders of the Zhu family standing next to the mahogany round table all stood up quickly with wine cups in hand, their expressions so solemn that they were almost sad.
With an expressionless expression, Zhu Huaimin slowly glanced at every clan elder and elder present.
However, in the huge Dexing Hall, no elder or elder dared to look at him.
After looking around for a week.
Zhu Huaimin slowly spoke: "The decision to side with King Yan is a decision made by the entire Zhu family!"
"At the beginning of the decision, I have already informed you of all the pros and cons of this move."
"Everyone present at that time nodded, burned incense, and swore an oath in front of our ancestors!"
"Now it's just that the price is coming faster and more violently than expected."
"Why are you all so gloomy?"
"Why?!"
Zhu Huaiming asked in a deep voice, making everyone in the Zhu family bow their heads.
No one dared to look at him, and no one dared to argue with him.
Following this rhetorical question, the huge Dexing Hall fell into a dead silence that could be heard as if a needle had dropped.
As early as Xu Yifang was granted the title of king and had not yet embarked on the road to becoming a vassal.
The powerful elders of the Zhu family tried every means to collect all the information they could about Xu Yi.
After that, after a long discussion.
All the powerful elders of the Zhu family nodded unanimously and agreed to stand in line with Xu Yi.
For this reason, they all went to the ancestral hall, burned incense and told their ancestors, and made an oath in front of their ancestors.
Before burning incense and confessing to their ancestors, all the elders of the Zhu family listed one by one in the Dexing Hall the price that the Zhu family would most likely pay for this.
only.
None of the elders of the Zhu family could have expected that the price the Zhu family would have to pay for this would come so fast and so violently.
And the letter Xu Yi sent to the capital to accept the concubine was the trigger for all this today.
I do not know how long it has been.
Maybe a quarter of an hour.
Maybe more than a hundred breaths.
Zhu Huaimin slowly looked back at the clan elders.
Then he slowly spoke again: "More than three hundred years ago, my ancestors of the Zhu family had a hard time making a living by selling ducks."
"Over three hundred years!"
"Generations of ancestors have hung their heads and thorns in their buttocks, studying scriptures day and night! Why?!"
"Generations of ancestors have their heads tied to their belts! On that battlefield day and night
A bloody fight! For what? ! "
"Generations of ancestors are still running around in the coldest of winters. They have homes but cannot return! What are they doing?!"
"If generations of ancestors hadn't given up the small self to become the greater self!"
"How could my Zhu family go from being a duck farmer with no food to eat and no clothes to wear, to the first family that has stood in Yan land for three hundred years without falling?"
"If generations of ancestors hadn't worked hard day and night."
"How can I, the Zhu family, own the 872-room Zhu family's ancestral home in the south of Juyang City?!"
"The Zhu family has been standing in Yandi for more than three hundred years. How many ups and downs have it experienced in total? Everyone here doesn't know! Who doesn't know?!"
"My ancestors of the Zhu family, have they ever given up on themselves because of setbacks! Have they ever given up on themselves because of lows?!"
"In the past, those big and small families who could crush my Zhu family to death without any effort! Where are they now?"
"nowadays!"
"It's just a contraction of business."
"It's just a matter of losing some official positions."
"What's the big deal?"
"Compared with the hardships our ancestors went through, what is this?"
The words are over.
Zhu Huaimin slowly picked up the wine cup in his hand, turned around slowly and looked around.
Waiting to see the sorrow on the faces of the elders of the Zhu family gradually disappear.
Zhu Huaimin spoke in a deep voice again: "Do you still remember the ancestral teachings of my Zhu family?"
As soon as these words came out, all the powerful elders and elders of the Zhu family in Dexing Hall slowly raised their heads and looked deeply at Zhu Huaimin who had already picked up the wine cup in his hand.
Zhu Huaimin slowly raised the wine cup in his hand.
Wait until it is level with the center of the eyebrow.
Zhu Huaimin slowly opened his mouth and said in a deep voice: "As the saying goes, if you are content, everything will be in vain in the end!"
"There is a thin line between ideal and reality. Keep your mind focused and down-to-earth."
Zhu Huaimin's words have not yet come to fruition.
All the powerful elders and elders of the Zhu family in Dexing Hall slowly raised their wine cups to their eyebrows.
Even Zhu Zongting, who was located at the edge of Dexing Hall, slowly raised the wine bottle in his hand to his eyebrows with a solemn look on his face.
In Dexing Hall, Zhu Huaimin slowly opened his mouth again.
In the entire Dexing Hall, everyone from the Zhu family raised their wine cups to their eyebrows and joined in with Zhu Huaimin!
"Who knows when there is a storm?"
"Keep it until the clouds open and the moon shines!"
"The flowers are blooming again but they are gone!"
"Don't leave any regrets in this life!"
The sound of everyone's unity refused to disperse in the huge Dexing Hall for a long time.
There was quite a vision that lingered around for three days.
Wait until the chorus gradually dissipates.
Zhu Huaimin held up the wine cup and said loudly: "Let's drink together!"
The words are over.
Zhu Huaimin raised his head and raised his glass, drinking down the full cup of strong wine in his hand.
When he slowly put down the wine cup in his hand.
The white-haired clan elders on the mahogany round table all looked at Zhu Huaimin with their mouths down and smiles on their faces.
The cloud of sorrow that had shrouded everyone's hearts for an unknown period of time completely disappeared as the voice of the Taoist ancestors dissipated.
"You are so old, why are you still so noisy?"
Zhu Huaimin slowly put down the wine cup in his hand and smiled helplessly.
"It's not because you always avoid drinking, brother."
"My younger brother still remembers that my elder brother always used to bring a handkerchief with him when he was drinking. If my younger sister hadn't followed him later, we don't know when we would have discovered that your elder brother always secretly spit wine into that handkerchief."
"What do you mean? I still remember that on the eve of my eldest brother's wedding, I was very nervous and took my fifth brother and me to a restaurant to get drunk."
"In the middle of drinking, the eldest brother secretly went to find the source and exchanged his share of wine for well water!"
「
If it wasn't for the waiter's confusion, Fifth Brother and I would never know. "
"Also, my eldest brother lost money in business that time and was afraid of being scolded by his father..."
Seeing that a group of old brothers were almost digging out all his old secrets.
Zhu Huaimin coughed hurriedly, and then said quickly: "Okay, okay, it's getting late. You're already quite old. Go back and have a rest!"
"Guangli! Guangren! Why don't you go see your uncle off quickly?"
"And Zongting! What time has it been? Why don't you help me go back and rest my old bones."
Zhu Guangli and Zhu Guangren smiled at each other after hearing this, then quickly stood up and followed their father's order to see their uncle off.
The haze that had shrouded their hearts for several days quietly dissipated at this moment.
Zhu Zongting, who had always stood aside, grinned after hearing this, and then slowly stepped forward with some unfinished thoughts.
…
…
After a while.
Except for a few maids, there was no one else in the huge Dexing Hall.
Dexing Hall leads to Yiyangyuan on a quiet path.
Zhu Zongting held a lantern in one hand and supported Zhu Huaimin with the other as he walked slowly towards Yiyang Courtyard.
Along the way, Zhu Zongting opened his mouth several times to express his curiosity, but for some reason, whenever the words came to his mouth, he would always hold them back.
After doing this several times.
Its not yet how.
Zhu Huaimin frowned first.
"Whatever you want to ask, just ask."
"What does it look like to be hesitant and hesitant to speak?"
Zhu Huaimin kept walking and scolded softly.
When Zhu Zongting heard this, he didn't even have the slightest intention of being reprimanded.
Instead, he grinned and said, "Grandpa, you asked your grandson to ask this. After your grandson asks, you can't deliberately say nothing."
"You brat." Zhu Huaimin laughed and scolded him, and then slowly said, "Ask, even if you don't ask, I will let you know after dawn."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Zongting's face straightened, and then he slowly asked: "Grandpa, is it true that my father's official position cannot be saved?"
"There is absolutely no possibility of retaining it." Zhu Huaimin nodded slightly, sighed softly, and then slowly said: "Not only is your father's official position unable to be retained, but all the descendants of the Zhu family who are serving in other places will also lose their official positions this time. "
Even if Zhu Zongting had already made a guess in his mind.
But after getting personal confirmation from Zhu Huaimin.
There were still inevitable chills in his heart.
Tens of breaths later.
Zhu Zongting forcibly calmed his mind, and then slowly raised his head to look at Zhu Huaimin, who had unknowingly grown old again.
"Is it because of the prince?"
Zhu Zongting asked slowly.
Zhu Huaimin paused for a moment, then slowly turned around and looked at Zhu Zongting beside him.
"This day will come sooner or later."
"Now it's just a little ahead of schedule."
"The Lord who sits firmly in the east can accommodate a small royal family."
"But it cannot tolerate our Zhu family no matter what."
"What's more, the Lord who is firmly seated in the east is not the only one who is attacking this time."
Zhu Huaimin slowly raised his head and looked at the location of Yunzhong County, and whispered slowly.
Zhu Zongting turned slightly and followed Zhu Huaimin's gaze.
At this moment, Zhu Zongting no longer had any doubts in his heart.
The name of the Lord who sits firmly in the east in Zhu Huaimin's mouth can be guessed without thinking carefully.
That person was surprisingly the current prince Xu Yong, the lord of the East Palace.
As Zhu Huaimin said, Xu Yong could tolerate a powerless Wang family.
But there is absolutely no way it can tolerate the Zhu family, who is the head of a county's aristocratic family.
Even if there is no news about Xu Yi marrying Zhu Wanning.
As the cooperation between the Zhu family and the Yan Palace became closer, the relationship between the two
The relationship becomes increasingly close.
This scene will still happen today, just a little later.
And Zhu Huaimin mentioned another person who added fuel to the flames.
It was Xu Cheng, the king of Zhao who was located in Yunzhong County.
The governor and the vassal king were incompatible with each other, at least on the surface.
Just ask.
Under this background, how many people can tolerate that the person in charge of the people's livelihood and military power in this county is his king's in-laws.
Don't say that the two are at odds.
Even though the two are as close as brothers, there will still be resentment.
And under the joint offensive of a prince and a vassal king.
Even if the people of the Zhu family try their best, they may not be able to retain their official positions.
Thinking about this.
Zhu Zongting couldn't help but feel deeply worried in his heart.
"Grandpa, can my father and the others escape intact?"
Zhu Zongting slowly turned his head with worry in his eyes and looked at Zhu Huaimin who was looking at the direction of Yunzhong County with a melancholy expression on his face.
When Zhu Huaimin heard this, the melancholy on his face disappeared instantly.
"Although those two are powerful, how can the one behind our Zhu family be a Yi Yi?"
"Don't forget Duke Zheng, who lost his fortune and life to Japan some time ago."
"If this matter comes to an end, it will be nothing more than a loss of office."
"Blessings come from disasters, misfortunes come from blessings."
"This matter is not necessarily a bad thing for our Zhu family."
Zhu Huaimin slowly turned his head to look east of Juyang City, and patted Zhu Zongting's arm lightly with his hand covered with age spots.
An unexplainable smile appeared on his face.
First time I heard this.
Zhu Zongting couldn't help being stunned.
After savoring it carefully, most of the worries in my heart disappeared instantly.
Instead, there was deep doubt and confusion.
The first half of Zhu Huaimin's words are nothing more than reminding Zhu Zongting that Xu Yi is far from being as simple as the world imagines.
He is not without power in the court.
If it is really as powerless in the court as the world imagines.
Then how to explain the death of Zheng Guogong Ji Kai some time ago?
A vassal king who was more than two thousand miles away from the capital relied on an impeachment memorial and some evidence of guilt and witnesses.
Can you easily overthrow a hereditary and irreplaceable duke?
And in just one or two months, the matter was settled into a solid case.
To eradicate the hereditary and irreplaceable Duke with his whole family?
In the court, the complexity behind even the smallest thing is far beyond the imagination of the world.
What's more, this matter involves the Duke of the country who has hereditary power.
Let’s not mention anything else for now.
If someone deliberately delays the matter of Zheng Guogong, he can at least find thousands of clever ways to delay it.
However, the matter was completely closed in just one or two months.
What it means behind this will be obvious to those who understand.
As far as Zhu Zongting is concerned, the more powerful Xu Yi is, the more powerful he becomes, which is of course a thing of great benefit and no harm to the Zhu family.
Of course.
The second half of Zhu Huaimin's words really put Zhu Zongting in trouble.
"Blessings come from disasters, misfortunes come from blessings?"
"Is losing office a bad thing?"
Zhu Zongting murmured a few words in a low voice, and then quickly caught up with Zhu Huaimin who was gradually walking away.
"My grandson is stupid, I hope grandpa can clarify his confusion."
Zhu Zongting walked quickly to Zhu Huaimin, bowed deeply and asked for advice.
"No need to worry, it will be solved in time."
Zhu Huaimin kept walking, chuckled and waved his hand.
The words are over.
Zhu Huaimin walked slowly to Yiyang courtyard.
After there was silence outside the hospital.
Zhu Huaimin stood in Yiyang courtyard and looked quietly at the direction Zhu Zongting was leaving.
He murmured silently: "Grandpa, I'm afraid I won't be able to see the day when our family becomes the Zhu family of the capital, but you can."
"As the saying goes, if you are content, everything will be in vain in the end!"
"There is a thin line between ideal and reality, keep your mind focused and down-to-earth."
"Who can survive the storm and the moon until the clouds open and the moon shines brightly?"
"Flowers bloom again but drift away. Don't leave any regrets in this life!"
The words are over.
Zhu Huaimin turned around slowly with a smile on his face.
After more than a hundred breaths.
His figure finally disappeared into the thick darkness of night.
From this moment on, the huge Juyang City was completely immersed in darkness.
Of course.
It's midnight.
How far is dawn?
