Chapter 39 Zhu Xiongying arrives in Nanjing
Zhu Xiongying stood on the bow of the boat, looking at the city of Nanjing getting closer and closer. I couldn't help but feel uneasy.
He was still a teenager when he left Nanjing City, and now he has become an adult. My thoughts are completely different from before I left. He looked at the majestic city wall of Nanjing from a distance, the already prosperous Jubao Gate, and the Qinhuai River outside.
Suddenly he sighed: "The capital has not changed at all."
This sentence is either correct or incorrect.
After all, things are always changing. People cannot step into the same river, and Nanjing today cannot be exactly the same as Nanjing a few years ago. But the changes in Nanjing are much different from those in Yingkou.
Zhu Xiongying saw with his own eyes that Yingkou has transformed from a chaotic post station into one of the most prosperous places in Liaodong within a few years, and it is even possible that the "one" will be removed in the future. Compared with the changes in Yingkou, looking at Nanjing now, it seems to have stagnated.
Perhaps Zhu Xiongying himself didn't quite understand the meaning behind Zhu Xiongying's words.
While Zhu Xiongying was still sighing, the people around him reminded: "Your Highness, the Second Highness is here to greet you."
Zhu Xiongying took a quick look and naturally saw Zhu Yunwen's support. He snorted coldly in his heart and said to himself: "Hypocritical."
Queen Ma's inappropriate move back then caused a rift that continues to this day.
Maybe it was a misunderstanding at first, but after such a long time, it doesn't matter whether it was a misunderstanding or not.
Zhu Xiongying knew very well that his mother-in-law would never give up pushing her son to the top. After all, although the Ming Dynasty established the direct chief system, today's direct chief system is not so deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Because this was all formulated by Zhu Yuanzhang. In particular, Zhu Yuanzhang himself overturned his previous policies.
Some of the policies formulated by Zhu Yuanzhang are also questionable.
These institutions can restrain others. Only Zhu Yuanzhang cannot be restrained.
Even if the crown prince inherits the throne as the legitimate eldest son, will the crown prince necessarily be the legitimate eldest son?
You know, the sons of Emperor Yongle still have a fierce battle to win the heir. Without the succession of several emperors' direct descendants, the direct descendants system will not be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and become an unshakable principle.
No matter how much Zhu Xiongying complained in his heart. After docking, Zhu Xiongying hurriedly walked a few steps, supported Zhu Yunwen who was about to salute, and said with a smile: "Why should you and I be so polite?"
Zhu Yunwen said: "The elders and the younger are in order, and the etiquette cannot be abolished." Then he bowed abruptly. Zhu Xiongying couldn't stop him, so he naturally wanted to return the favor.
Zhu Xiongying looked at Zhu Yunwen's expression and thought to himself: "Grow up."
Yes, Zhu Yunwen's figure has almost grown, and it is estimated that he will grow a few centimeters in the future, but that's it. When Zhu Xiongying left, Zhu Yunwen was much lower than him, but now he is not much different.
Compared with before, Zhu Yunwen's every move was quite orderly, with the style of a Confucian scholar and the attitude of a young and mature person.
Zhu Xiongying no longer dared to look at Zhu Yunwen like a child.
But when Zhu Yunwen looked at Zhu Xiongying, he had another feeling.
A few years ago, Zhu Yunwen was young. Although he knew many things, he didn't quite understand them. He was just instilled with some concepts by Lu. Now Zhu Yunwen is getting older. Instead, I have a clue in my heart.
He even regarded Zhu Xiongying as his enemy.
Always paying attention.
Today's Zhu Xiongying gives Zhu Yunwen a very different feeling.
At least, Zhu Xiongying smiled at him. This smile was not a fake smile at all, nor was it forced.
You must know that Zhu Xiongying's attitude towards their mother and son has always been undisguised. Anyone with a discerning eye can see Zhu Xiongying's disdainful, contemptuous, or hostile look. But now, Zhu Yunwen didn't find anything.
Is it gone?
Zhu Yunwen didn't think this was possible.
But Zhu Xiongying hid.
This is a new change for Zhu Yunwen. Zhu Yunwen also felt that Zhu Xiongying was no longer Wu Xia Ameng.
However, Zhu Yunwen didn't care how Zhu Xiongying changed. He has made up his mind to be a good younger brother who respects his elder brother. Just like setting up a character, the role of the younger brother must be done well, so that it can be placed in the filial piety scriptures and find faults.
Of course, Zhu Yunwen did not expect that this move alone could dislodge Zhu Xiongying from the throne of the third generation heir. However, he can always accumulate some reputation and reverse his disadvantage in winning the direct line, which is that he was born late and was the second son.
In other aspects, others will naturally take care of it. There is no need for Zhu Yunwen to take action himself. All he needs to do is be a good little brother, Bai Lianhua.
Zhu Xiongying and Zhu Yunwen exchanged a few words.
Zhu Xiongying asked: "How is the emperor's grandmother? How is the emperor's grandfather? And how is the father?"
Zhu Xiongying is the closest to Queen Ma, so putting Queen Ma at the front is a kind of show off.
Zhu Yunwen was secretly dissatisfied because Zhu Xiongying ignored one person during his routine greetings, which was Zhu Yunwen's mother-in-law. At first glance, it was intentional. And when Empress Ma was there, Zhu Yunwen didn't even know why Empress Ma didn't like him. He didn't know that Zhu Yunwen in history was displeased by Empress Ma, so she cut off the feudal vassal and killed her uncle. It was okay to kill him, but he was overturned by King Yan. Incompetent and vicious. They killed all the people raised by Queen Ma.
Although Queen Ma also knows about the so-called future history. In fact, it doesn’t count. But a mother's prejudice cannot be reversed.
In addition, Queen Ma has thoughts about Crown Princess Lu, so naturally she also has thoughts about Lu's son.
Zhu Yunwen was dissatisfied. But he couldn't lose his temper and said: "My grandfather and grandmother are all well, but my father has not been in good health for a while. It's just a minor illness. I have my mother and concubine to take care of me, so it won't be a big deal."
Zhu Xiongying's heart moved and he thought secretly: "Is it really a minor illness?"
He knew too well that there were too many secrets about the noble man's illness. Some people have really minor illnesses, and some people, no matter how sick they are, will only report it to the public as minor illnesses unless they die.
Zhu Xiongying knew that even if he asked Zhu Yunwen about this matter, he wouldn't be able to get anything out of it.
We could only exchange a few words before getting on the carriage.
As soon as Zhu Xiongying entered the carriage, his whole body softened. He leaned against the wall of the carriage, called someone, whispered a few words, and then sent him away.
After all, Zhu Xiongying is the nephew of the Chang family, and the Chang family is in danger now. But the Lan family was still there, so it was very simple for Zhu Xiongying to borrow some intelligence networks. A matter of words. As soon as he returned to the capital, he sent someone to bring over the main changes in the capital in the past few years. He wanted to take a look.
There is also the question of what kind of "minor illness" the prince's illness is.
On top of another carriage.
Zhu Yunwen sat in the middle of the carriage, leaning cross-legged, with his back straight. It looks like a monk or Taoist priest meditating. In fact, this is not the case. In Neo-Confucianism, meditation is also very important. I think this is a way to learn.
You can meditate.
It’s hard to say whether this approach is the essence or the dregs. There are many so-called spiritual practices in later generations, which are roughly equivalent to this.
It's just that at this moment, Zhu Yunwen's heart was filled with chaos.
Because he knew that the prince's illness was not actually a minor illness. Since the funeral of King Qin, the prince's health has become increasingly weak. At the beginning, the prince was still working hard in the secretary's office. That kind of energy works harder than Zhu Yuanzhang.
But the gap between people is actually quite large.
Even between father and son.
Many successful people have a talent, that is, they are full of energy. They work for more than ten hours a day, take a few hours of rest at will, and be full of energy the next day. But some people are different. They can be really busy for a day or two, but after a long time, they can't stand it anymore.
And that's what the prince is like.
Even if the news was blocked, the words of Prince Qin still spread. Some of the following rumors also reached the prince's ears. Just as He Xi judged, it was no longer important whether the death of King Qin was done by the prince. The important thing is that the influence of this incident has been fermented.
With the prince's information channels, he can naturally know that many feudal kings are secretly dealing with it. Although not stated openly. But in fact, the center is already on guard.
In other words, the aura that the prince had maintained for almost forty years as a benevolent and righteous gentleman, as the eldest brother as a father, etc., was shattered to pieces after this incident.
Some people died, but not completely...
