Chapter 16 Zhu Yuanzhang’s Generals
A group of people passed by the old courtyard of Nanjing and by the Qinhuai River. However, there was a development process for the Qinhuai River to become the place for fireworks in Nanjing. The most important booster is actually Nanjing Imperial College. Just like there are many small hotels next to the university, the hormones of young people are difficult to suppress.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang is now in power. The requirements for Nanjing Imperial College are very high. Supervisory regulations are very strict. These Nanjing Imperial College students should not talk about picking up girls. If you don't do well in your homework, you will be pressed to the ground and hit with a plank.
When the regulations of the Imperial College are relaxed, many Imperial College students will be nostalgic for the land of fireworks and dye the Qinhuai River into a land of fireworks.
When the group turned to the street leading to Jubaomen, it was even more prosperous. Jubaomen is one of the main gates of Nanjing. Xu Da will also enter the city through Jubao Gate. The dock outside Jubao Gate is where merchants from the north and south gather. It can be said to be the most prosperous place in the world.
If it were not for the identity of the prince, he would have sent officials to clear the way ahead. The group of them is probably going to be stuck here.
It's not that these people dared to block the prince's way. In fact, people can obey orders, but there are so many carriages and animals, but they can't understand people's words.
The prince frowned slightly when he saw this. He called an official and said, "Wei Guogong will be here in a moment. This won't work. Pass the order. Let each village clear this road and seal it for two hours."
"Yes." said the official.
When the prince saw He Xi looking at him, he said: "It doesn't matter if I am alone. But the Duke of Wei is fighting for the country, and the court must treat him politely. Otherwise, it will chill the hearts of the frontline soldiers. Although it is inconvenient for the people, it has to be done. .”
He Xi said: "Your Highness's kindness, Duke Wei will definitely be moved by it."
The prince smiled and said: "Uncle Xu actually doesn't matter. We are all one family. However, it's not just Uncle Xu who is coming back this time. Some things are hard to do."
He Xi was about to ask, besides Xu Da, who else came back from Peiping this time? But his eyes widened. A majestic city gate is in front of you. This is no other city gate. Even until six hundred years later, when the Japanese invaded China, the main gate of Nanjing City, the Jubao Gate, could still withstand Japanese heavy artillery bombardment. Later it was called Zhonghua Gate.
For a moment, He Xi had the illusion of traveling through time and space.
It seems that history is flowing through the Jubao Gate in an instant. The Jubao Gate in front of us overlaps with the Chinese Gate in later generations. This vicissitudes of city gate silently watched the changes in the world. He Xi suddenly felt that he seemed to be doing something. Only by doing something can I feel that my journey during the Hongwu period was worthwhile.
The Jubao Gate had just been built for more than ten years. Little did I know that it would be bombarded by Japanese heavy artillery in the future. At this moment, he is showing his mighty and majestic posture to the world.
After leaving the Jubao Gate, you will reach Changqianli. It is Changganli described by countless literati.
Changganli is south of the Qinhuai River, but during the Ming Dynasty the city wall was built to include part of Changganli into the city. Changganli became a goods distribution center, especially outside the city, where Zhu Yuanzhang built hundreds of collapsed houses. The so-called collapsed house is a warehouse.
Many goods are shipped north to south. He did not enter Nanjing city at all. They all stay here to store and look for buyers.
The government built collapsed houses to facilitate the coming and going of merchants, but more importantly, to collect taxes. It's just that this method was almost a formality in the late Ming Dynasty. But now, surrounding these collapsed houses, there is a prosperous area outside the city.
The group of people stopped at Changganli Pier.
In front of us is the Qinhuai River. The Qinhuai River generally is a tributary of this river. It is also the moat of Nanjing City.
He Xi was riding on the horse, one horse behind the prince. Looking at the sparkling river, the boats on it are a little crowded. Xu Da and his party were not seen. Said: "Your Highness, when will Duke Wei arrive?"
The prince said: "You don't know Uncle Xu. Uncle Xu can't be more cautious and humble. He must have arrived at this moment. It's just a few miles away. He won't come here until I get here."
It almost said that Cao Cao Cao Cao has arrived.
As soon as the prince finished speaking, he pointed his finger and said, "Look, isn't this coming?"
He Xi immediately looked to the north, but saw that there seemed to be a few more white sails at the end of his sight. All the ships on the river, big and small, were informed by people in small boats and kept aside, while more than a dozen large ships came emptying out.
These ships are not small. The bows of the boats are painted with tiger heads, which look extremely majestic.
After a while, the ship had docked.
A long pallet was built on the pier. The first one was wearing a python robe, the color of a duke. The face has ridges and ridges, and the cheekbones are prominent. A bit skinny. If you don't look at this person, he is in a bad mood. This man's appearance reminded He Xi of any old man playing chess in the village.
Who knows, he is Xu Da, the Duke of Wei, who is famous all over the world.
When Xu Da saw the prince, he immediately took a few steps forward, and after three or five steps, he was about to salute. The prince immediately turned over and dismounted, took a few steps to support Xu Da and said, "Uncle Xu, why do you do this? If you do this, I will kill my nephew."
Xu Da looked at the prince with kind eyes, but he said: "The prince's words are wrong. There are no uncles or nephews in the court, only monarchs and ministers. The etiquette of monarchs and ministers cannot be abolished."
Just like this, Xu Da insisted on saluting, but the prince did not dare to accept the salute, and kept pulling him back and forth. Finally Xu Da gave a half salute. The prince received the end.
However, only Xu Da received this kind of treatment. Fu Youde, Feng Sheng, Mu Ying and other generals behind Xu Da could only bow obediently.
He Xi could actually tell that Xu Da had a really good relationship with Zhu Yuanzhang's family. Xu Dafei wanted to salute the prince not because he was flattering, but because he was worried that the proud soldiers behind him would not give the prince face. So he wanted to lay a foundation first and establish authority for the prince. Let the people behind him not dare to underestimate the prince.
For one's own face and so on. But didn’t pay much attention to it.
After the prince said these rituals, the prince introduced He Xi to Xu Da and his party, saying: "This is He Xi, who works as a secretary beside my father. He is the queen of my father's old friend. He will never leave her day and night."
He Xi immediately stepped forward, saluted, and said, "He Xi, a junior from our school, pays homage to Duke Wei."
He Xi looked at Xu Da and had a feeling that it was difficult to live up to his reputation. In his mind, Xu Da was like a god in military use. Even if he doesn't have the image of a feather fan and turban, at least he must be mighty and domineering. But I don’t want to look like an old farmer.
Xu Da looked at He Xi, and it flashed by for a moment, since he raised troops in Huaixi. Many faces.
Without him, in his opinion, Zhu Yuanzhang's old friends were almost his own old friends. This should be the orphan of the old brother. Just looking around, I couldn't see the figure of the old brother on He Xi's face. Especially the one named He.
Xu Da couldn't even remember who it was?
Could it be that he is His Majesty's illegitimate son?
Xu Da couldn't help but think of this. But then Xu Da suppressed this idea, because Xu Da knew Zhu Yuanzhang too well. Whether it was or not, it wasn't something he couldn't think about.
Xu Da said: "Good boy, not bad."
Then the prince accepted him to Fu Youde.
He Xi salutes as before. Fu Youde felt a little distanced from him. Just a few words of greeting.
to be honest. In He Xi's view, Fu Youde's image was more like that of an ancient military general. Fu Youde has black hair and a black beard, and his beard looks a bit like claws. He has big shoulders and a round waist, and his eyes are as bright as a torch. As he walked, he had the domineering air of a general. But in front of Xu Da, who looked like an old farmer, he didn't dare to be a little presumptuous.
Then He Xi met Feng Sheng again.
Feng Sheng's original name was Feng Guosheng. In order to avoid Zhu Yuanzhang's taboo. Zhu Yuanzhang's courtesy name is Guorui. Then he changed his name to Feng Sheng. In fact, Feng Sheng followed his brother Feng Guoyong and followed Zhu Yuanzhang. And Feng Guoyong was the one who suggested to Zhu Yuanzhang that Jinling should be the foundation.
It's a pity that he was gone before Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne. He was only thirty-six years old when he died. If Feng Guoyong survives, his achievements may not be inferior to Li Shanchang.
Feng Sheng is an honest man. Xun Xun has the style of an elder. It gives people a very friendly feeling.
Finally, there is Muying.
Mu Ying had no contact with He Xi at all. He Xi saluted Mu Ying. Said: "He Xi has met the Marquis of Xiping."
At this moment, Mu Ying was only in her thirties, which was the golden age for a man, and he looked more majestic and heroic. Mu Ying said: "You just call me Marquis of Xiping?"
He Xi was stunned and didn't know where he went wrong. Today, Mu Ying only has the title of Marquis of Xiping. There is nothing wrong with this title.
Mu Ying said: "Your Majesty has told the prince to treat you like his own brother. Then when you see me, you should call me eldest brother."
Mu Yingcai was the first adopted son of Zhu Yuanzhang. When he was a child, he even brought up several children including Prince Zhu Biao. He was loyal to Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao. Basically treat it as a family. Therefore, since Zhu Yuanzhang asked the prince to regard He Xi as his brother, then Mu Ying is He Xi's eldest brother.
Of course, Mu Ying also had other ideas when doing this. That is to position He Xi as the adopted son or orphan adopted by Zhu Yuanzhang.
Obviously, Zhu Yuanzhang gave He Xi an identity. There are many people who don't believe it. But the doubters did not. Mu Ying didn't care whether He Xi was Zhu Yuanzhang's illegitimate son. Anyway, such a positioning means that He Xi's identity cannot have disturbing associations.
And even He Xi is Zhu Yuanzhang's illegitimate son. In this life, I have a prince and Mu Ying as my brother to take care of him. It’s not a bad treatment either.
In this situation, how could He Xi say "no"? It would be too disrespectful. Moreover, He Xi also felt that Mu Ying was different from the other generals. Mu Ying's foundation is in the palace, otherwise how could Mu Ying know these things. Said: "Brother."
"Good brother." Mu Ying patted He Xi's shoulder generously and said, "My eldest brother shot a tiger in Peking. The most valuable thing is that he shot it through the mouth and killed him with one arrow. There was not even a single eye in the tiger's skin. Just give it away. I gave it to my brother. As a greeting gift."
I have met everyone in the group. The prince smiled and said: "Okay. My father is waiting in the palace. Let's go quickly."
