The afternoon sun shines gently on the inside and outside of the palace walls, and the breeze is slightly cold, blowing through the cool corridors.
Huagai Palace.
Hu Weiyong knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, it has been found out that the sergeants in Zhongdu are taking turns to build it, and they never neglect it. Although there are more than ten sergeants who are poor and sick, it does not affect the overall situation. There are 7,500 sergeants who work together as one, and there is no rumor. People’s hearts are unstable and they complain about things that are Taoist.”
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly, with a gloomy face, and asked majestically: "So, is there an error in the report from Censor Zhou Wen?"
Hu Weiyong said sternly: "Your Majesty, the censor just heard the news and there is no real evidence. I heard the order and sent someone to verify. The sergeants, craftsmen, and people in Fengyang Zhongdu all worked hard to build it. All the food that should be distributed was distributed, as well as winter clothes. The juice is already being prepared…”
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, walked out of the dragon case, looked at Hu Weiyong, and said seriously: "Those who worry about others always understand the human heart, and those who love others cherish their human resources. I know the pain of construction, and the complexity of civil engineering work. Hu Qing, every time I enter A meal is a reminder of the hunger of the army and the people, and a piece of clothing is a reminder of the cold of the army and the people! Now that there is a censor, although there is no evidence, we should be more considerate. To the sergeants, each person is given five stones of rice and a winter coat. Don't be tired of hunger or cold."
"Your Majesty loves the soldiers and the people as his own sons, and I am very fortunate!"
Hu Weiyong bowed.
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled calmly, raised his hand and said, "Go down now."
"I excuse myself."
Hu Weiyong stood up, took two steps back, then turned and left.
Zhu Yuanzhang turned sideways and looked at Zhu Biao: "What do you think?"
Zhu Biao was a little unsure: "I think what Prime Minister Hu said is reasonable. After all, the report from the censor is just a rumor. However, the Ministry of Education sent officials from the Ministry of Industry and the censor from the Yushitai to investigate, but no complaints were found. , probably what the censor said is false."
Zhu Yuanzhang stared: "Probably? You don't seem to be very satisfied with the result."
Zhu Biao said calmly: "Father, I think that the news that I heard is not credible, but I still have to believe it. Although the Zhongshu Province sent officials to investigate, I don't know whether they are investigating carefully and thoroughly, so I dare not tell them all." letter."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled heartily and looked at Zhu Biao with satisfaction: "Zhongshu made a mistake in this matter."
Zhu Biao was a little surprised and asked quickly: "How did your father know?"
Zhu Yuanzhang suppressed his smile and sighed: "I was the one who built the Central Capital City. These artificial soldiers worked in shifts day and night and rarely had a day off. If they didn't complain, I wouldn't believe it. Don't forget that we are also common people and we don't want to die. However, for the sake of Ming Dynasty, I have to suffer them."
Zhu Biao finally understood.
The father knew that Hu Weiyong and others had lied, but he could not expose them. Zhongdu Construction was entering the final stage and nothing could go wrong at this time. The reason why he was given the clothes and rice was because he knew there was a grudge behind his back, so he acted as a means of appeasement.
Zhu Yuanzhang walked to the desk and took out a document: "Gu Zhengchen sent a document to the Zhongshu Ministry of Education. You should know the content, right?"
Zhu Biao stepped forward to take it, but did not open it: "My father's office should arrange the prisoners in advance."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly and walked towards the door of Huagai Palace. He said to Zhu Biao who was following him: "According to the established arrangement, this group of Tatar prisoners will enter Jurong on October 15th. But Gu Zhengchen actually requested an order to advance it. As of September 25, this date is equivalent to the original date. Can he really be prepared for such a large advance?"
Zhu Biao said with a smile: "Father, since Mr. Gu requested the order in advance, he will definitely be well prepared."
Zhu Yuanzhang crossed the threshold and looked at the sun, which was not dazzling: "If that's the case, then it's OK."
At the palace gate in the distance, the servants came in a hurry.
He came forward and reported: "Your Majesty, Mu Ying of the Governor-General and his bodyguard Zhang Pei are here to see you."
"Zhang Pei, if he is not in Jurong, why did he come back to Jinling? Let them come."
Zhu Yuanzhang was a little surprised.
Zhu Biao was also a little surprised. Logically speaking, Jurong's documents were only delivered last night, and it only took one night, so there was no need to send Zhang Pei again.
Mu Ying and Zhang Pei came forward and saluted.
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand: "Get up."
Mu Ying said seriously: "Your Majesty, let Zhang Pei handle this matter."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in agreement.
Zhang Pei took out a memorial from his arms and raised it above his head: "Your Majesty, Jurong Magistrate Gu Zhengchen has a memorial."
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted, quite dissatisfied: "This Gu Zhengchen, let him play directly in the East Palace, and he is so bold that he plays directly in the Huagai Palace. Biao'er, let's see what happened next and why he was sent directly over the East Palace."
Zhu Biao accepted the order, took the memorial, unfolded it, read it, and passed it to Zhu Yuanzhang: "This memorial cannot be accepted by my son, but only by my father."
"oh?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was confused for a moment, took the memorial and looked at it, and finally understood that this document could not be sent directly to the East Palace because the matter involved the army.
The army is a weapon of imperial power that no one can covet, not even the prince.
Gu Zhengchen knew the rules, and he did not rely on the royal family's trust in him to violate them.
"He wants to borrow twenty soldiers to eliminate the tiger?"
Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and looked at Zhang Pei: "Is the tiger damage in Jurong serious?"
Zhang Pei's Adam's apple twitched: "Back to Your Majesty, according to interviews, more than 30 people in Jurong have been killed or injured by tigers in the past six years, especially in Wucheng Mountain, Maoshan and other places, where tigers and leopards appear frequently. Pharmacists are not People dare to go into the mountains, but the people dare not cut firewood, and the people who live in the mountains have been trapped for a long time. Therefore, the magistrate wants to personally lead people into the mountains to eliminate the tigers."
"Take the people in person?"
Zhu Biao and Mu Ying were surprised.
With Gu Zhengchen's body and his ability with two swords, if he really encounters a tiger, he doesn't know who will kill him...
Zhang Pei saw that Zhu Yuanzhang was reviewing the memorial again and continued: "There are no old hunters in Jurong, and the government officials have no experience in hunting tigers. The county's military equipment only has archers from the inspection department, and most of them are inaccurate. The county magistrate thought over and over again and thought that only the sentence Without the strength, we will definitely not be able to get rid of the tigers, but they will easily suffer their backlash. Therefore, I boldly ask Your Majesty to allocate twenty sergeants to Jurong to help calm the mountains and rivers of Jurong so that no more tigers and leopards will harm the people."
Zhu Yuanzhang understood the whole story and nodded slightly: "I still know the place in Jurong. There are tigers and leopards in the mountains, and there are no guards stationed there. For this kind of thing, he can only ask the court for troops. I am there. Our ancestral homeland should not sit idly by. Mu Ying, select twenty elite soldiers from the military camp, bring bows, arrows, firecrackers and other weapons, enter Jurong early, listen to Gu Zhengchen's orders, and go into the mountains to eliminate tigers."
Mu Ying accepted the order: "I accept the order."
Zhu Yuanzhang put away the memorial, looked at Zhu Biao who looked worried, and said with a smile: "With Zhang Pei, Yao Zhen and twenty elites of the Beijing army, a tiger can't eat him, don't worry. But he has the ability to get rid of the tiger." I am very pleased with the leopard's courage."
Zhu Biao was relieved.
After Mu Ying and Zhang Pei left, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the sky and was silent for a long time before he said to Zhu Biao: "Under the rule of a ruler, people and physics must be known to everyone, and only then can they deal with things without confusion. Do you understand this truth?"
Zhu Biao lowered his hands and said, "I understand."
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head slightly: "You don't really understand. Although you experienced the pain of ups and downs when you were very young, if you think about it carefully, you still grew up in a deep palace and have no experience in the world."
Zhu Biao agreed in his heart.
Over the years, Zhu Biao rarely left Jinling, except for a rare trip to Fengyang once or twice to talk to his grandfather and grandmother at their graves.
Although I also have the experience of traveling outside Jinling, I took Zhu Laoer, Zhu Laosan, Zhu Laosi and others, wearing rags and even the shoes were straw sandals. After ten miles, I could only go six miles on horseback, leaving four miles. Debu school
But these experiences were all carried out under protection, without much contact with the people, or even time for proper contact.
When I grow up, I spend most of my time in the palace, either studying here or listening to lectures in other places. Occasionally, when I have time to practice martial arts, I have to learn some art of war.
The East Palace, plus an imperial palace at most, is Zhu Biao's world. Once outside the palace wall, it felt like a world away from home.
But what can I do? Dad is very strict...
Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to have seen through Zhu Biao's mind, waving his sleeves and saying: "If you are limited to seeing and hearing, your hearing and vision will not be broad. Although your eyes can see, you can't see within the palace walls. Although your ears can hear, you can't hear anything beyond the courtyard." Time. If you only rely on this wisdom and understanding to make decisions on important matters, it will not be difficult, it will be impossible!"
Zhu Biao was shocked, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, and shouted: "Father..."
Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand and stopped Zhu Biao: "I have seen your performance over the years. It is very good and you are quite wise. Especially in the past month, you have been more cheerful than usual. Analysis of the situation You are more decisive and confident in your affairs. I think it must be Gu Zhengchen who has a profound influence on you."
Zhu Biao replied respectfully: "Father, although I haven't talked much with Mr. Gu, I can always gain something from my letters on paper and pen. This man's views on some issues are unusual, and his views are very interesting to me." I am very impressed.”
"Oh, for example?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was very interested.
Zhu Biao said with a smile: "In yesterday's letter, Mr. Gu dealt with the case of bullies bullying the people. He came from the people and wanted to go to the people. Only by going deep into the people and listening to what the people say can we completely eliminate the problem of bullies bullying the people." Let’s give the people a stable life.”
“From the people, to the people?”
Zhu Yuanzhang chewed on this sentence, read it five or six times in a row, and clapped his hands at the end and said: "What a person who comes from the people and goes to the people! This should be what a lower-level official should do. The internal servant, send a message to Zhongshu Province, I ordered the chief officials of the prefectures and counties to spend two to four days every month to work among the people incognito and inspect their sentiments among the people!"
The chamberlain took the order and left.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao and nodded: "Gu Zhengchen is a talent. If you can identify talents and get close to him, it means you can make a difference. I think that from today on, all the ministers in the imperial court may wish to give you a piece of advice. What do you think about thinking more about military and national affairs?"
Zhu Biao was so surprised that he tried not to show it and saluted, "My son is willing to share my father's worries!"
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed loudly and patted Zhu Biao on the shoulder: "Remember, if you go against your own words, you must seek good, and if you obey your own words, you must judge your wrongs. Don't let me and all the officials trust you! "
