The sunlight fell quietly, smearing the imperial city.
At this moment, in Zhu Yuanzhang's palace, a group of ministers were discussing political affairs with Zhu Yuanzhang.
Zhu Yuanzhang was sitting on the edge of the dragon bed, holding his knees with his hands and leaning forward slightly.
Unlike when he accompanied Zhu Yunxuan, Lao Zhu looked serious at this moment.
His eyes were solemn and cold, making it difficult to see his emotions clearly.
After chatting about Beiyuan affairs for a while, Hanlin scholar Liu Sanwu stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, there is something that I have to say."
Liu Sanwu is almost eighty years old, with gray hair and wrinkles on his face.
But as soon as he opened his mouth, the atmosphere in the palace changed.
Everyone in the court knew what Liu Sanwu said and never hid it.
He doesn't even care who he offends.
At this moment, when he spoke, what could he say?
Zhu Yuanzhang's pupils moved slightly, then he waved his hand and said, "Tell me."
Liu Sanwu said: "Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has passed away for many days. The old minister believes that it is time to establish a new Crown Prince."
As soon as the words fell, the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
All the officials looked at me and I looked at you, and they all lowered their heads involuntarily.
The look he looked at Liu Sanwu also contained an evil look.
This Liu Sanwu is really a straight-tempered person.
For such a big matter as establishing a crown prince, it came out of the mouth without being tactful.
Lao Zhu also looked unhappy, but returned to normal after a moment.
If he didn't talk like this, he wouldn't be Liu Sanwu.
"My lords," Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice, "what Liu Sanwu said just now is not unreasonable. What do you think?"
The majestic voice echoed in the palace, but no one dared to speak.
Who dares to get involved in such a big matter as establishing a prince?
If you say something wrong, it may lead to death!
If looks could kill, Liu Sanwu might have died for 1,800 times at this moment.
The palace was eerily quiet, the world seemed to have stopped, and you could hear a needle drop.
A thin layer of sweat appeared on the heads of all the ministers.
"Why, don't you say anything?" Zhu Yuanzhang spoke majestically, looking at everyone present.
The ministers who were caught by his gaze lowered their heads even further.
He didn't even dare to raise his eyelids and glance at Zhu Yuanzhang.
"Are you mute?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, with a bit of anger in his voice.
"Your Majesty," a white-haired minister cautiously said, "I dare not talk about such a major matter..."
Zhu Yuanzhang got angry and slapped the bedpost.
The ministers were all frightened, and they were all trembling.
Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily: "Look at you, what do you look like? We ask you to talk, why are you so coquettish!"
Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang getting angry, all the ministers realized that there was no way they could escape today.
Another minister with a slim figure first scolded Liu Sanwu in his heart, and then stood up and said: "Your Majesty, I believe that according to etiquette, His Highness the King of Qin should be made the crown prince."
According to the rule of establishing elders rather than virtuous people, when Zhu Biao passed away, King Qin Zhu Ping should be established as the crown prince.
"No!" Someone immediately stood up and said, "You cannot establish His Highness the King of Qin!"
Zhu Yuanzhang moved his eyes to the minister who spoke, and still said: "Why not?"
The minister breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Your Majesty, please forgive me for speaking frankly. His Royal Highness the King of Qin was smart and resolute when he was young. However, as an adult, he did many evil things and was ridiculous. He even beat up the people and kidnapped them..."
"That's enough." Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and interrupted.
He was very clear about his son's misdeeds.
But he didn't want anyone to mention it at this time.
After all, if the laws of the Ming Dynasty were followed, ten heads would be lost for what King Qin did.
But of course Lao Zhu would not kill his own son.
When this person mentioned it at this time, he seemed to be referring to Sang scolding Huai, accusing him of Zhu Yuanzhang not punishing his son severely.
No wonder Lao Zhu was so angry.
When the minister saw that Zhu Yuanzhang was angry, he was so frightened that he knelt down and kowtowed: "I made a mistake, your majesty, please forgive me!"
Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth twitched, he took a deep look at the minister kneeling on the ground, and said nothing more.
There was silence in the dormitory.
After a long time, Zhu Yuanzhang tentatively asked again: "The fourth prince, King Yan, is as brave as me and acts decisively. What do you think he should do?"
"Your Majesty, you can't." Liu Sanwu stood up quickly and said, "Your Majesty, in the opinion of my ministers, the emperor's grandson is now rich, his legitimate son, and his son has died, so it is appropriate for him to control the etiquette."
"Oh!" Zhu Yuanzhang did not comment on his proposal to establish an imperial grandson. Instead, he looked at him deeply, narrowed his eyes and smiled: "Then tell me first, why can't you establish King Yan?"
Liu Sanwu took a deep breath and said: "If your Majesty establishes the king of Yan and establishes Qin, where will the two kings of Jin be?"
As soon as these words came out, there was silence in the palace.
Yes, the King of Qin and the King of Jin are both brothers of King Yan, and they are both direct descendants. Since ancient times, the elders have been established rather than the young. Is there any reason to bypass the two kings of Qin and Jin and establish the King of Yan?
Liu Sanwu proposed again: "The veteran believes that the emperor's grandson is not young anymore and can inherit the throne."
After saying this, the atmosphere became solemn again.
Many people looked at Liu Sanwu with gloating.
"Where are the others? Do you have any suggestions?" Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at several ministers.
All the ministers bowed their heads and remained silent.
Zhu Yuanzhang said angrily: "Everyone is silent again. They are mute, right?"
He was breathing heavily and seemed very angry.
However, although he acted very irritable, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were very calm, and there was a ray of light flashing from time to time.
Being irritable is just an act.
The ministers who just spoke were reprimanded. How can anyone dare to say anything at this time?
The only sounds that could be heard in the palace were the heavy breathing and the pounding heartbeats of the ministers.
After a while, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes fell on Liu Sanwu again, and his majestic voice spoke again: "Then Yiyou said, which emperor is suitable to be appointed?"
Liu Sanwu did not hesitate, as if he had been prepared for a long time, and said: "Your Majesty, in order of eldest and youngest, the second son, the crown prince, should be appointed first."
The second son, of course, refers to Zhu Yunwen.
After Liu Sanwu finished speaking, the palace fell into deathly silence again.
The ministers all bowed their heads deeply and were speechless.
Talking too much can lead to mistakes. Staying silent and protecting yourself wisely is the right way.
If you talk casually about the matter of establishing a prince, you will be doomed.
Some ministers who had a good relationship with Liu Sanwu even secretly pulled his sleeves to signal him not to say anything, but Liu Sanwu turned a deaf ear.
Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his head slightly, his eyes squinted, and a light flashed from time to time, wondering what he was thinking.
After a while, he took a deep look at Liu Sanwu again.
"Okay, I understand. If nothing happens, you can all step back. I will make my own decision on establishing a prince."
…
…
…
All the ministers breathed a sigh of relief as if they had been granted amnesty.
Only then did they realize that their backs were already soaked with cold sweat.
Zhu Yuanzhang's words undoubtedly relieved them.
Talking about setting up a prince with the emperor is playing with fire, and may lead to disaster.
Among the people present, except Liu Sanwu, no one wanted to wade into this muddy water.
After a while, the ministers all retreated.
Zhu Yuanzhang was the only one left in the palace.
He was sitting alone on the dragon bed, lost in thought, and his back looked a little desolate and lonely.
Maybe he thought of Zhu Biao again. If he was still alive, why bother about this matter.
A person with white hair sending a person with black hair is the saddest thing in the world.
Unknowingly, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes became moist.
The Nine-Five Supreme Being is so high up in the sky, but who knows the pain in his heart and who can he complain to?
The emperor is always lonely.
After another long while, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly calmed down and said toward the door: "Come in."
The door was pushed open and a thin eunuch walked in.
"His Majesty."
"Yes." Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, regaining his imperial majesty and changing his previous sluggishness: "How are things going?"
The eunuch cautiously took two steps forward, bent down and whispered: "After the Fourth Emperor's grandson left, he first went to see His Highness King Yan... then returned to the mansion and met Lan Yu..."
He quietly reported the subsequent events to Zhu Yuanzhang in detail.
Zhu Yuanzhang heard it quietly, and the expression on his face changed again and again, like clouds in the sky, unpredictable and uncertain.
Sometimes he frowns, sometimes he relaxes.
After the eunuch finished speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand for him to leave, and he thought quietly alone.
After a while, his eyes gradually brightened.
He pinched his beard and murmured to himself: "This brat is a big kid, but he knows a lot at such a young age. He really wants his fourth uncle to be the emperor!"
Zhu Yuanzhang had a look of disbelief on his face.
After a while, he laughed again.
"Haha... When traveling on the great road, the world is for the common good. That's so good!"
"Yeah!"
"At such a young age, Fu'er could have such insight and thoughts. Even if Zhuge Kongming were to reincarnate, it would be difficult to compare with them."
"Loyalty and innocence, a heart with seven orifices."
"So smart, he deserves to be my grandson, Lao Zhu."
"It would be great if all the descendants of the Zhu family were like him..."
He walked to the door of the dormitory and looked out at the empty square.
The sun is shining brightly.
Zhu Yuanzhang stared into the distance and murmured to himself in a voice that only he could hear.
"I am getting old, and it is time for this Ming Dynasty to have an heir."
"But who should be established?"
"Zhen'er is smart and smart, far beyond ordinary people, but after all, he is only seven years old. Can he really control the important ministers in the court, the strong general in charge of the army, and bear the heavy burden of thousands of miles of mountains and rivers?"
"How many more years can my body last? Can I wait until he grows up?"
"If I were still young, if Fu'er had been born a few years earlier..."
"Is this God's will?"
The sun was shining directly down and it was clear and bright.
Under the blue sky, a white cloud floated leisurely, and the wind was clear and gentle.
The old man's slightly hunched back gradually became a bit desolate.
…
