Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

Seeing that the nobles' expressions had relaxed but they were still hesitant, Ouyang Lun picked up the glass and tapped it lightly on the table. The crisp sound silenced the whole place.

"You are all heroes of the Ming Dynasty. The imperial court will never forget this!" He suddenly changed to a more intimate way of addressing you. "You paid the price of blood for the establishment of the Ming Dynasty!"

"The Ming Dynasty is like your child. You hope it will get better and better!"

"The continuation and development of the dynasty requires fresh blood"

The veterans were startled when they heard this, and their tense faces softened unconsciously.

Ouyang Lun walked to the window and pointed at the vaguely visible Zhongshan Mountain in the distance: "When you followed the emperor to fight for the country, did you ever think that you would live to see the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty?"

When he turned around, his eyes were slightly red. "Now that the world is at peace, it's time to enjoy life."

Wang Bi's hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly: "But we..."

"General Wang." Ouyang Lun suddenly bowed to Wang Bi, shocking the old general so much that he almost knocked over his wine cup. "Feel for yourself, as you get older, are you becoming less and less able to do things?"

"His Majesty has allowed you to retire and return home, and has made all the necessary arrangements to make your later years more comfortable!"

"Let me ask you one more question. Are you confident that you can stand firm in the court forever? Who can always hold on to the power in their hands?!"

Yongping Hou suddenly put down his wine glass heavily and said: "But our soldiers..."

"Only by handing over the military power can you save your life." Ouyang Lun lowered his voice and glanced at everyone present. "You all know the temperament of the emperor - it has only been a few years since the Hu Weiyong case and the Zhu Liangzu case?"

"No one can tell how many bombs will happen next! Can you guarantee your absolute innocence?"

These words were like a basin of cold water poured on everyone's heads.

Dongchuan Hou touched his neck subconsciously.

Ouyang Lun struck while the iron was hot: "Now that His Majesty is benevolent, he has allowed you to leave with dignity. The dividends from the caravan are enough to support your descendants, so why bother..." He deliberately left himself unsaid.

The box was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop to the ground.

Suddenly the musician plucked the wrong string, and the loud sound woke everyone up.

"Come on, come on, have a drink!" Ouyang Lun suddenly raised his voice, as if the previous conversation had never happened. He clapped his hands and called the singing girl over, "This is the newly arranged "Pozhen Music", specially prepared for you old generals."

As the drum beats gradually rose, armored dancers lined up to appear.

When the familiar battle tune sounded, the veterans unconsciously clapped their hands to the beat.

Marquis Yongping even hummed along, tears welling up in his cloudy eyes.

After three rounds of drinks, Ouyang Lun secretly winked at Zhu Biao.

When the dancer started the Hu Xuan dance, the two men took the opportunity to leave.

When the nobles discovered with drunken eyes that the main seat was empty, a stack of special charter documents signed with imperial seals had been added to the desk.

Next to each document, there is a wolf-hair brush dipped in ink.

Wang Bi stared at the document for a long time, and suddenly laughed out loud: "Good Ouyang Lun!" He grabbed the brush and signed his name in a flamboyant manner, "I'll just consider it as exchanging military power for wealth!"

Marquis Yongping looked at the moonlight outside the window and sighed, "Forget it. Leave a way out for my children and grandchildren." The trembling pen tip finally fell on the paper.

When the last nobleman put down his brush, a uniform chant of "yes" suddenly came from downstairs.

When they pushed open the carved windows, they saw thousands of sails racing on the Qinhuai River. On the bow of each ship hung a lantern with the words "Ming Dynasty Ocean Caravan" on it, reflecting the river water in golden red.

Korean government.

The night was dark. In the study of the Duke of Korea's mansion, the flickering candlelight illuminated several gloomy faces.

Li Shanchang paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, brows furrowed, and looked out the window from time to time, as if waiting for some news.

Lan Yu leaned lazily on the armchair, playing with a piece of jade in his hand with a disdainful smile on his lips.

Huang Zicheng sat in the corner, tapping the table with his fingers, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead, and anxiety in his eyes.

"Duke, we can't wait any longer!" Huang Zicheng finally couldn't help but speak, his voice slightly sharp, "Those nobles have all written letters of guarantee, and some have even voluntarily retired and returned home. We have fewer and fewer people. If this continues, the Huaixi Party will be completely disbanded!"

Li Shanchang stopped and glanced at him coldly: "Why are you panicking? The emperor is just boiling a frog in warm water, trying to slowly disintegrate us."

"But those nobles have already taken the bait!" Huang Zicheng said anxiously, "Ouyang Lun promised them ocean-going merchant fleets and Liaodong bonds, and they were all bribed! Now even veterans like Wang Bi and Xie Cheng have signed, how can we win their hearts?"

Lan Yu sneered: "A bunch of spineless old things, wagging their tails when given a little sweetness."

Li Shanchang's eyes were gloomy. "Lan Yu, don't take it lightly! This time, the emperor and Ouyang Lun have joined forces to completely clean up the Huaixi nobles. Do you think you can stay out of it?"

Lan Yu shrugged, nonchalantly: "I, Lan Yu, have made great military achievements. Even if the emperor wants to touch me, he has to think twice. Besides, I am not like those useless people. I still have military power in my hands. How dare he touch me?"

"Moreover, the Emperor and His Majesty had issued an edict to me long ago, asking me not to get involved in the retirement of the nobles in Huaixi!"

"The Ming Dynasty still needs me, Lan Yu!"

"Stupid!" Li Shanchang shouted angrily, "Do you think the emperor will touch you directly? He will clip your wings step by step and leave you isolated and helpless in the end!"

"Just like now, those nobles are being divided one by one. When they are all dealt with, you will be the next one!"

Lan Yu frowned, slammed the jade in his hand on the table, and a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes: "Then the old prime minister means that we should just take action?!"

"No!"

Li Shanchang shook his head repeatedly.

Lan Yu frowned, tapping his fingers impatiently on the table: "This won't work, that won't work, old prime minister, you have to come up with a rule!"

Li Shanchang was silent for a long time, then suddenly he let out a long sigh, and he seemed to have aged ten years in an instant.

He slowly walked to the armchair and sat down, his hands weakly resting on the armrests: "I can't think of a solution for the moment."

There was a sudden silence in the study.

Huang Zicheng opened his eyes wide, looking in disbelief at this Korean prince who was always in charge of everything.

"Duke!" Lan Yu stood up suddenly, the jade in his palms creaking, "Are you saying such discouraging words? Are we, the Huaixi Party, just going to admit defeat?"

Li Shanchang smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Lan Yu, don't you understand yet? Ouyang Lun's move is an open conspiracy."

He stretched out his skinny fingers and counted them one by one: "Giving titles, trade routes, and bonds, these are all tangible benefits. What's even more amazing is-"

He suddenly lowered his voice, "They let these old guys choose to retire on their own, which not only saved face but also avoided provoking a mutiny."

Huang Zicheng was so anxious that he kept rubbing his hands: "But we can't just sit there and wait for death."

"If we act rashly now, we will only bring about our own destruction." Li Shanchang stared at the flickering candle with a sinister look, "The Emperor is hoping that we will jump out so that we can catch them all in one fell swoop."

"I have been severely punished by the Emperor before. If I do something wrong again, the Emperor will definitely not let me go."

Lan Yu paced back and forth in the study room in annoyance, his boots thumping the floor. "What do you think, old Prime Minister?"

"Wait." Li Shanchang squeezed out a word from between his teeth, "First, wait for these old guys to find that the caravan is not so easy to run; second, wait for the new people in the court to make mistakes; third..."

He paused meaningfully, "Wait for the emperor to die!" Huang Zicheng's eyes lit up: "The old prime minister is saying..."

Li Shanchang raised his hand to stop him from continuing: "The most important thing right now is to preserve our strength."

"Lan Yu, you must keep your old military subordinates. Zi Cheng, you must also not break off your connections with the civil servants."

Lan Yu snorted coldly and clasped his fists, saying, "I don't need to. But if you ask me, it's better to "

"Be careful with your words!" Li Shanchang shouted, then lowered his voice and said, "Walls have ears. That's all for today. When you go back, be sure to be careful with your words and actions."

"Okay! If there's nothing else, I'll leave first." After saying that, Lan Yu turned and left.

Several other core members of the Huaixi Party also left one after another.

Huang Zicheng was the last one to leave. As he stepped out of the door, he couldn't help but look back: "Duke, is there really no other way?"

Li Shanchang stood in the shadows, only his eyes glowing with light: "Let me think about it again. Think about it again."

Zongrenfu, garden.

As the breeze blows, the fragrance of flowers in the garden mixed with the fragrance of fruits is refreshing.

Zhu Biao and Ouyang Lun lay side by side in rocking chairs, with a bamboo shed above their heads providing shade, and the sunlight filtering through the gaps, casting mottled shadows.

Zhu Biao held a grape in his hand but was hesitant to put it into his mouth. His brows were slightly furrowed, and it was obvious that he was worried about something.

"Brother-in-law," Zhu Biao sighed, "Do you think those Huaixi nobles can really accept retirement and return home so easily? If they make a fuss and run to my father to cry, this matter will be difficult to deal with."

Ouyang Lun lazily rocked in the rocking chair, holding a piece of watermelon in his mouth, and said incoherently: "Your Majesty, you can rest assured. Not only will they accept it, but they will also accept it with gratitude."

Zhu Biao turned his head and asked in confusion: "Oh? Are you so sure?"

Ouyang Lun sat up straight, wiped the watermelon juice from the corner of his mouth, and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, let's analyze it-"

"First of all, interests move people's hearts."

"These old generals are good at fighting, but when it comes to running a business? Nine out of ten are laymen."

Ouyang Lun counted on his fingers and said, "The franchise we give to the ocean-going caravan is a sure-win business. They just need to invest some money and then sit back and collect the money. It's much easier than fighting in the court."

"When they make money, they will be grateful to you and the emperor!"

"There will even be some nobles from Huaixi who will take the initiative to go into business!"

Zhu Biao nodded thoughtfully: "That's possible, but what if they feel that what the court has given them is not enough?"

Ouyang Lun smiled slightly, "The second point, fear is more powerful than greed."

Ouyang Lun lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty, don't forget that it has only been a few years since the Hu Weiyong case. Which of those old guys doesn't have some dirty deeds? If we really investigate, how many of them can get away with it?"

"We are now giving them a chance to leave in a dignified manner. If they are smart, they should know that this is a way out given by the Emperor and His Majesty. If they don't leave, they will be courting death."

Zhu Biao's eyes lit up: "You mean they are afraid of being liquidated?"

Ouyang Lun chuckled: "Your Majesty is wise. What do these old generals fear the most? Not losing their jobs, but losing their lives! Now they can both preserve their family's wealth and land safely, what reason do they have to refuse?"

"The third point is that people feel at ease."

"Most of these nobles are in their 40s or 50s. When they were young, they risked their lives to fight. Who wouldn't want to live a few days of peace and quiet now?"

Ouyang Lun pointed at the fruits on the table. "Like this watermelon, is it sweet? But if you eat it every day, you will get tired of it. They have held military power for so many years, they are tired of it."

Zhu Biao finally smiled: "Hearing what you said, I feel much more relieved."

Ouyang Lun lay back in the rocking chair and said leisurely: "Besides, even if someone really doesn't know how to appreciate my kindness and insists on making trouble..."

"So what?" Zhu Biao asked nervously.

Ouyang Lun narrowed his eyes and smiled like a fox: "Then let him make a fuss. When the time comes, His Majesty only needs to say lightly - 'I gave the opportunity, but some people didn't want it'. What do you think the emperor will think?"

Zhu Biao suddenly realized and couldn't help laughing: "Good for you, Ouyang Lun! You have blocked their retreat route!"

Ouyang Lun shrugged: "So, Your Majesty, we should eat and drink now. I guess those old generals have already signed the caravan documents."

As he was speaking, Zhou Bao came running over with a happy face: "Your Majesty! Prince Consort! Just got the news that all the invited nobles have signed the retirement documents!"

Zhu Biao let out a long sigh, and completely relaxed. He laughed and scolded: "Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, I now understand why my father always said that you are a person--"

"As cunning as a devil!"

The two looked at each other and laughed at the same time.

"Your Majesty, this is what a loyal minister is!"

"Loyal minister, then why do people outside call you a traitor?"

“That’s because they don’t understand me!”

Tai Chi Hall, court meeting.

Zhu Yuanzhang was rarely seen wearing a dragon robe, sitting beside the dragon throne, scanning the civil and military officials in the court with a sharp gaze.

Zhu Biao sat in the main seat with a calm expression, while Ouyang Lun stood in the queue of civil officials with a smile on his face.

"Ouyang Lun." Zhu Yuanzhang spoke slowly, his voice deep, "We heard that you did a good job in helping the nobles in Huaixi retire and return home?"

Ouyang Lun stepped out and bowed respectfully: "Replying to the Emperor, thanks to your majesty and the Emperor, all the old generals understand the righteousness and have voluntarily retired."

"Oh?" Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows, smiling, "All voluntary?"

Before Ouyang Lun could answer, the sound of orderly footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall.

Dozens of Huaixi nobles, led by Wang Bi, Xie Cheng, Marquis of Yongping, and Hu Hai, Marquis of Dongchuan, were seen entering in court robes.

The entire court was in an uproar.

"We, the ministers, bow to the Supreme Emperor! Bow to Your Majesty!" All the nobles shouted in unison, shaking the palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes and said, "My dear ministers, what is this?"

Wang Bi stepped forward and said in a loud voice: "We have come here to express our gratitude!"

"Thank you?" Zhu Yuanzhang pretended to be confused.

Xie Cheng, Marquis of Yongping, said excitedly: "That's right! The Emperor and His Majesty have sympathized with our old age and allowed us to retire and return home. They also granted us a caravan charter and Liaodong bonds. We are so grateful for this grace!"

Hu Hai, the Marquis of Dongchuan, knelt down directly, tears streaming down his face: "I followed the Emperor when I was sixteen, and fought for half my life. Now I can have a good ending, all thanks to the Emperor and Your Majesty's kindness!"

For a while, voices of gratitude rang out in the hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at everyone and suddenly smiled meaningfully: "My dear ministers, if someone threatens you..." (End of this chapter)