Chapter 181: The Quiet Qianqing Palace
The prince knelt on the ground in silence.
Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly: "If you just want to kneel, what's the difference between outside and inside?"
The prince said: "Father, the child is wrong."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "What's wrong?"
The voice was as calm as a pool of stagnant water. No ripples at all.
The prince said: "The mistake was that I should not have violated my father's wishes."
"Have you violated my wishes enough?" Zhu Yuanzhang still said in a calm tone: "Let me ask you, what did I tell you before?"
The prince silently recalled that Zhu Yuanzhang had many instructions for the prince, and the prince didn't know which one they were for a while.
Zhu Yuanzhang's voice had softened and he said: "I can't remember. I tell you that you and He Xi presided over the reform. To be precise, you presided over it. What did you do?"
The prince was silent.
He did nothing.
Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was still calm and he said: "You didn't do anything. Okay, I know you are not really willing. It doesn't matter. He Xi does most of the things. You just need to make good use of him in the future. Today What do you mean? What do you mean by interceding for Liu Sanwu twice?"
The prince said: "I just feel that Mr. Liu's crime will not lead to death."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Is it just that?"
The prince said: "No more. That's all."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Do you know that by doing this, you will expose the contradiction between you and me to the world, and today the world knows that the prince does not like the new law? The prince does not like your majesty's new law." At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang became furious instantly and screamed He scolded: "Idiot. Do you know? What does this mean? Don't think that I don't know about your little thoughts, I just don't care. Whatever you want to do, you can do it after I die in the future. It's just I didn't expect it. You are not even willing to wait for this little time. Do you think I dare not destroy you?"
After hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, the prince was like thunder.
Only now did he know the reason for Zhu Yuanzhang's rage.
Today's incident is actually not a big deal, it's just a formality. The prince only needs to sit quietly and does not need to express his opinions. But the prince warned He Xi before and interceded for Liu Sanwu later. His thoughts were completely exposed.
to be honest. Doesn’t Zhu Yuanzhang know the prince’s thoughts?
of course I know. Zhu Yuanzhang could even guess the tricks the prince wanted to do. However, he didn't care and even acquiesced in allowing the prince to do this. Zhu Yuanzhang was concerned about the new law. It was the implementation of future policies. Zhu Yuanzhang was not interested in anything between the prince and He Xi.
However, he was also rushing to do things. I hope I can overcome the most difficult aspects of the reform. In the future, the prince will just have to keep his achievements.
Now, the prince's incident today has ruined all Zhu Yuanzhang's efforts.
Zhu Yuanzhang faced a dilemma. Either he wanted to continue the reform and must deal with the prince. If he did not deal with the prince, watch, all those who opposed the new law would gather around the prince and form a powerful force.
You know, this is just the beginning. Although He Xi's manuscript was not kept secret, the speed of communication in this era was not too fast. Many people with immediate interests are unaware that there are already so many opponents.
Zhu Yuanzhang also knew how many people among the silent majority were resentful.
There is a price to pay for killing people.
Things harm their own kind, and the rabbit dies and the fox becomes sad. Zhu Yuanzhang was rude to officials, and Zhu Yuanzhang himself knew that it was impossible to expect people like them to truly love him.
Many people had not noticed before that there was another person whose influence in the court could rival Zhu Yuanzhang. This person is the prince.
As mentioned earlier, the prince is actually the chief minister of ceremony, eunuch, and chief assistant. A natural civil leader. It's just that many people ignored this matter before. After all, in their opinion, the emperor and the prince were extremely close.
Now, it was discovered that there seemed to be some quarrel between the prince and the emperor.
Even if the prince doesn't want to, there are many people below him who will push him up. Not to mention. The potential power of the prince is actually very powerful. Zhu Yuanzhang had never guarded against the prince before. He just thought for a moment and concluded that, regardless of the relationship between father and son, dealing with the prince would be a major case far greater than the Hu Weiyong case.
This is what Zhu Yuanzhang did not want to do.
It can be said that the prince's few words were inappropriate. Several pleas put Zhu Yuanzhang into a dilemma, and directly pushed his reserve to the edge of the cliff.
The prince is not a fool, he was careless before. Now when Zhu Yuanzhang mentioned it, he understood it in an instant. Said: "My son, I know I was wrong."
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered and said: "Just one sentence, what's the use of knowing that you are wrong? Tell me, what do you want to do? Speak directly, make it clear. Don't hide it. I will give you a chance."
The prince was breaking out in cold sweat at this moment. What he was most worried about had finally arrived. Zhu Yuanzhang said that he would give it a chance, and it seemed that he really wanted to abolish it.
The prince did not feel that he was deceiving Zhu Yuanzhang, or he felt that he would never be able to hide it from Zhu Yuanzhang. He said: "Father, I have no other intentions. I just feel that this change is too big. It will take us several years or even faster than the process that took more than a hundred years. There are many and complicated things, and I think this society The more it develops, the more unstable the royal family becomes. Firstly, I can't figure out why my father would do this. Secondly, I am worried that I can't do this well at all. First, take it slow. Take your time. I couldn't do it before. Okay? Just like Liaodong, come quietly."
Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly: "I have known one thing in the past few decades. In everything, we must seize the opportunity, strike first, and control others later. What Xi, what Xi's theory, the so-called industrial revolution will definitely come . This matter, taking the initiative to grasp it is completely different from passive acceptance. "
"Seizing the opportunity proactively can create a new world for the Ming Dynasty and the Zhu family, and can bring the Ming Dynasty to a higher level. Passively accept, you have seen the fate of the Qing Dynasty, falling behind step by step, chasing an opportunity from behind ,too difficult."
"Don't you understand this extremely simple truth?"
The prince was silent for a while and said, "Understood."
Some things are not a question of whether they are understood or not.
It's a matter of character. It is true that character determines destiny.
Zhu Yuanzhang was a cautious man. He built cities high, accumulated grain widely, and became king slowly. This strategy can show that Zhu Yuanzhang has a cautious side in his character. But Zhu Yuanzhang was not without his risky moves. On several occasions, Zhu Yuanzhang spent the night in the Jiangbing camp and let the Jiangbing soldiers serve as his guards to show Zhu Yuanzhang's trust in the Jiangbing soldiers and win over people's hearts.
As for the Battle of Poyang Lake, the ship was burned several times, and Zhu Yuanzhang changed ships to fight again. This shows Zhu Yuanzhang's courage.
The cautious part of Zhu Biao's character has been greatly strengthened. Especially after he learned about Jing Nan.
It's almost impossible to get him to take the initiative to do risky things.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "As long as you understand. Mu Ying hasn't left yet, you can pack up and go to Peiping to take charge. Together with Mu Ying."
The prince was stunned and said: "Father, do you want to depose me?"
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "I said, I'll give you another chance. You go to Peking to live for a few years, and wait until the dust settles in Nanjing. Come back anytime."
Did Zhu Yuanzhang have any intention of deposing the prince? But I am too disappointed with the prince's actions today, because the prince has become an obstacle in Nanjing. Zhu Yuanzhang could even imagine that many people would obstruct the new law in the name of the prince.
For these people, Zhu Yuanzhang had long been ready to kill them.
But they must be separated from the prince, otherwise Zhu Yuanzhang will not be able to depose the prince.
After all, in his great career and the long love with his children, Zhu Yuanzhang always thinks about his great career, not his son. Even though Prince Chenghuan had been his father for so many years, this was still the case. Zhu Yuanzhang had a soft heart and was very kind to his children. But he is also very hard-hearted, and his methods are extremely cruel when it comes to important matters.
The same is true today.
When he cannot have both, Zhu Yuanzhang's true colors are revealed.
