Chapter 54 Under Thunder
"Boom." At this moment, thunder suddenly sounded outside, and the light of lightning shone on Zhu Yuanzhang's face, making his face contours deeper, the light and shadow more three-dimensional, and more sinister.
Zhu Yuanzhang recalled He Xi's words and felt the thunder outside.
He thought to himself: "Is this a warning from God?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was originally very suspicious. Under normal circumstances, as long as there was some possibility, he would be targeted by Zhu Yuanzhang. Since this is possible in this area. Zhu Yuanzhang valued it very much, not to mention that thunder fell from the sky at this moment.
Zhu Yuanzhang didn't think it was a coincidence.
No matter how He Xi gave Zhu Yuanzhang popular science, he still couldn't change some of Zhu Yuanzhang's mystical thoughts deep in his heart. For example, he always felt that God's will existed, but after meeting He Xi, he no longer believed that this thing could be explained clearly by rotten scholars. of.
There is no other reason.
If the rotten Confucians could really explain it clearly, there wouldn't be anything like this in later generations, especially the overthrow of the Confucius family store.
From this perspective, Zhu Yuanzhang is also a Confucian believer. He believes that the emperor and heaven have no relatives, and only virtue is an assistant. But he doesn't think Confucian scholars are just virtuous.
The thunder struck at this time, and this area suddenly became extremely important in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang also knew that some things cannot be rushed. And there's no point in being anxious. Asked: "I remember that there is not much coal and iron in the south, right?"
He Xi said: "Coal and iron are mainly in the north, near Beiping, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Baotou just mentioned, and Liaoshen in the northeast. In the outer northeast, North Korea and North Korea. There are also some in Mobei. In the south, there are also some in Sichuan and Guizhou. Mineral. But far inferior to the north."
Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a moment and said, "I understand."
At this moment, Xu Zheng rushed in, knelt on the ground, and said: "Your Majesty, lightning just struck Fengtianmen, and Fengtianmen caught fire."
Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly: "I know, go put out the fire quickly."
Xu Zheng was stunned. Although he had not been serving Zhu Yuanzhang for too long. But we also know that Zhu Yuanzhang was very wary of this kind of warning from God. Now Zhu Yuanzhang's performance is too bland.
There was no other reason. Although Zhu Yuanzhang did not fully understand the principle of lightning, he only needed to know that this thunder and lightning could be explained and prevented. It was a kind of natural disaster and had nothing to do with God's will.
that's enough.
Although Fengtian Gate is a large project and costs a lot of money, it is only a small amount of work for an empire.
No matter how much confusion Xu Zheng had in his heart, he could only arrange to put out the fire.
When He Xi was in the Qianqing Palace, he clearly heard the sound of gongs outside, and countless palace maids and eunuchs braved the rain to put out the fire.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "I remember, is there any lightning rod that can protect against lightning?"
He Xi said: "Exactly."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "After this matter is over, let's press it. It can be regarded as making up for the situation."
He Xi said: "Yes."
He Xi's political sensitivity was still not enough. He thought that what Zhu Yuanzhang was talking about was a lightning strike and fire at Fengtian Gate outside. But later I learned that the lightning strike and fire at Fengtian Gate was just a trigger.
The whole thing hasn't really started yet.
------
The Imperial College was also in heavy rain.
Song Ne has been ill since the last time Zhu Yuanzhang came to Yilun Hall.
It's a heart disease.
He is already older, and his mentality is very important to his body. Now the whole situation was not good for him. First and most importantly, he clearly felt the emperor's alienation from them.
It's no longer hinted, almost stated.
As the founder of the empire, Zhu Yuanzhang's prestige in the Ming Empire was unparalleled.
His tendency is the tendency of the empire.
But Song Ne was determined not to see the imperial government's national policy shift and Neo-Confucianism being pulled down from its status as a quasi-official school.
So what if he doesn't want to?
There was nothing he could do.
Under the emperor's influence, He Xi's status rose, and Song Ne also admitted that He Xi also had some talents. But that is not the fundamental way to govern a country. This is a misguided approach and heresy.
But now the students of the Imperial College are proud to be able to enter Mingjiantang. It seems that Mingjiantang became the first hall of the Imperial College, the highest institution among the highest institutions of learning in the Ming Dynasty.
What can he do?
Nothing can be done.
With so many emotions accumulated in the chest and unable to be happy, one will naturally fall ill.
"Father, drink some medicine." Song Ne's eldest son, Song Lin, held a medicine bowl in front of Song Ne's bed and said.
Song Ne shook his head and said: "My illness cannot be cured by medicine or stone. It can be cured by God."
Song Ne’s sentence refers to heaven. I don’t know whether it is destiny, the emperor, or both. The destiny is the emperor. The emperor is destiny.
Song Ne knew very well that if the current situation did not improve, he would rather die. A mere illness is nothing.
Song Ne was like this, but Song Lin couldn't remain indifferent and said: "Father, your majesty will eventually know my father's sincere heart. In the future, when your majesty thinks of my father, but my father cannot serve you, wouldn't it be a loss of grace? Take the medicine first." .”
Song Ne was indifferent.
The heat in the medicine bowl dissipated little by little.
Song Lin's heart moved and he said: "Father can't let villains succeed. If father is seriously ill, whose Imperial College wine offering will belong to him?"
When Song Ne heard this, a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes. He Xi's name emerged from his mind. After all, no one with eyes could see Zhu Yuanzhang's love and support for He Xi.
When I think about it, if I am seriously ill and unable to manage, the biggest beneficiary will be He Xi. Song Ne suddenly gained courage, took the medicine bowl, and drank it all in one gulp, no matter how bitter it was.
When I was a child, I only felt that taking medicine was bitter.
When I grow up, I know that no matter how bitter the medicine is, there will still be the bitterness of life.
And Song Ne felt that she was already in the bitter water and couldn't extricate herself. Mere medicines don't matter.
At this moment there was a little noise outside.
Song Ne frowned slightly and said, "Go and see. What happened."
"Yes." Song Lin said. He put down the medicine bowl, went out for a while, and came back after a while. He said: "The news just came that the Fengtian Gate was on fire due to lightning strikes, and the fire was very severe. There were many reports below. I went to reprimand him a few times, and then he became quiet."
Song Ne froze and said, "What did you say?"
Song Lin said: "Lightning struck Fengtian Gate and started a fire------" Song Lin continued to say. Then Song Ne grabbed her chest. Song Ne's eyes widened, her face was unnaturally rosy, her chest kept rising and falling, and she said, "You said, lightning struck Fengtian Gate and caused a fire?"
"Yes." Song Lin said.
Song Ne suddenly became more energetic and said: "God's will, this is God's will. I will wait for you with pen, ink, paper and inkstone."
As Song Ne's son, Song Lin was also a scholar. If he hadn't reacted just now, how could he not know what Song Ne was going to do when he heard that Song Ne wanted pen, ink, paper and inkstone at this moment. His face turned pale with fright.
Song Lin said: "Dad, think about your family and the folks back home in Huaxian County. You can't do this. It will offend His Majesty."
Song Ne said: "I have been teaching you for so many years, but you have read it into the dog's belly. It has shrunk on its own. What is the next sentence?"
Song Lin said with trembling in his voice: "Even though there are tens of thousands of people, I will go."
It only makes sense to reflect on yourself. Even if tens of millions of people block it, there will be no hesitation.
Song Ne said: "What happened today is not right for me?"
Song Lin opened his mouth, but couldn't speak.
From a Confucian perspective, the lightning strike at Fengtian Gate is a proper warning from heaven. As for the warning, it is naturally the emperor's dear man and his virtuous ministers from afar. Ignorant of the great road, obsessed with the wrong path without knowing it.
As a minister, the greatest loyalty should not be to tell His Majesty these things.
Judging from this logic, Song Lin couldn't say a word "no".
Song Ne said: "You want to be a father and a minister, are you unfaithful?"
Song Lin said with a cry: "Father, the children would never dare to do this, but, just, the children are still young, how can the father bear it?"
Song Ne closed his eyes, and then sighed for a long time and said: "There are some things in the world that must be done by someone. Although the emperor has made mistakes, he has also made great contributions to the world. I have received the kindness of the emperor, and I should repay it with my body and bones. Others It’s not something I can know.”
"Bring me a pen, ink, paper and inkstone. If you don't go get it, are you waiting for me to get it myself?"
"Yes." Song Lin said through gritted teeth.
