Zhu Yuanzhang in the cellar

Chapter 196: Life is full of magical artifacts

After returning to the commander's tent at Prince Ji's Mansion, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Xu Da to continue staying here and go back to Hongwu to celebrate the New Year on New Year's Eve.

As for the generals and soldiers, they would probably have to celebrate the New Year at the end of the Ming Dynasty.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang knew very well how much the soldiers missed home, so he told Xu Da that the monthly salary of the Hongwu soldiers who were celebrating the New Year in the late Ming Dynasty would be increased tenfold and all of it would be sent home.

You should know that the salary of the imperial guards in the early Ming Dynasty was only two taels, and the salary of ordinary garrison soldiers was about one tael.

In recent years, with the conquest of Japan and the harvest of a large amount of silver, coupled with Zhu Yunfeng's continuous supply, the silver reserves in the treasury of the Hongwu court have reached over 100 million taels.

Of course, it was not really more than 100 million taels, but more than 100 million Hongwu silver dollars.

Therefore, the year before last, Zhu Biao raised the salaries of soldiers across the country, with the salary for the garrisons increasing to 1.7 taels and the salary for the imperial guards increasing to 2.8 taels.

And it’s not a discount.

Because there was already a huge surplus of grain during the Hongwu Dynasty, grain prices were generally at a very low level. If converted, wages would actually decrease, so silver dollars and copper coins were directly distributed.

This month's salary increase was tenfold, which was basically equivalent to a year's salary. The purchasing power of twenty-eight silver dollars was enough for every soldier to become a landlord.

The soldiers who heard the news were delighted. After all, they had only been on a business trip for more than three months and had received ten months' salary. Not being able to go home for the New Year didn't seem like a big deal.

Your Majesty's kindness is truly beyond repayment.

After making all the follow-up arrangements, Lao Zhu held a meeting with everyone in the coach's tent next to the warehouse.

"Please introduce yourself first."

Old Zhu looked around and saw that everyone was standing in the tent. He pointed at Xu Da and said, "This is Xu Da."

"See Wei Guogong."

Everyone hurriedly bowed to Xu Da.

Xu Da nodded his chin slightly.

There were not many people selected this time who had the honor of making the trip to the Hongwu Dynasty, only a few senior officials.

There were Sichuan Governor Chen Shiqi, Sichuan Provincial Inspector Liu Zhibo, Sichuan Military Preparation Counselor and Military Supervisor Lu Anshi, Sichuan East Assistant Secretary Ma Qian and Loyal and Brave Marquis Qin Liangyu.

In addition, there were several Huguang officials who had never been to the Hongwu Dynasty before, including Hubei Governor Wang Yangji and Wuhan Huangzhou Military Preparations Commissioner Du Yinxi.

Sun Chuanting is not here.

After he arrived in Yueyang, he took a boat to Xiangyang. After that, he had to return to Shaanxi immediately to organize Shaanxi's internal affairs and send troops to Yingtian Prefecture.

Originally, Zhu Yuanzhang was planning to capture more than a dozen Sichuan princes, send them to Bashu, and hand them over to Zhu Chun for punishment.

But if you think about it carefully, it seems a bit insulting to your son.

So they were kept in the late Ming Dynasty, and those who had a little humanity even retained the title of prince.

All the inhumane ones were abandoned and given an ordinary house, and the Sichuan Governor's Office paid some money every month to support them.

In fact, it was during this period in Chengdu that Lao Zhu realized the seriousness of the matter.

Too many princes of Huguang and descendants of the Zhu family were killed by Zhang Xianzhong. Many people either escaped or were killed.

Including Zhu Yunfeng's direct ancestor Zhu Cibei, who followed his father Zhu Yourong to Guizhou. Historically, they did not return to Hunan until Zhang Xianzhong went to Sichuan. As a result, the Qing army came again.

This resulted in the fact that when Zhu was in Huguang, he hardly saw any descendants of the Zhu family.

It’s different when you arrive in Sichuan.

Historically, Zhang Xianzhong went to Sichuan and killed the descendants of Zhu again. It is said that tens of thousands of people with the surname Zhu were massacred, and even other people with the surname Zhu who were not members of the royal family were implicated.

Now that Zhang Xianzhong had been eliminated ahead of time, Zhu Yuanzhang arrived in Chengdu and found that the descendants of the Zhu family were everywhere. Except for the princes' palaces, many descendants of the royal family who were relatively distantly related to the current emperor lived a very miserable life.

The waiters surnamed Zhu who perform odd jobs and serve tea in the streets and alleys can be related to a certain emperor for seven or eight generations and are all his descendants.

According to Sun Chuanting, many of Zhu's descendants became beggars or even joined the rebel army, which made Zhu very sad.

Therefore, he ordered the confiscation of all the property of the princes' palaces in Sichuan, cut off their palace expenses, and only retained a few mansions, dozens of acres of land, and a few palace maids, eunuchs and slaves, and used the property to govern the people's livelihood.

Those members of the Zhu clan who were not propertyless were allocated some land and allowed to farm it themselves, read and write, take the imperial examinations, join the army or become part of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang only told Tang He what to do. His main focus now was on dealing with the unrest in the late Ming Dynasty.

For the royal family, they need to wait until the country returns to peace before they can solve this problem.

At this moment, everyone saluted Xu Da.

Old Zhu added: "This is the descendant I brought back from the future, Wu Wang Zhu Yunfeng, and that is his good friend Ji He, who was granted the title of Duke of Chu."

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the King of Wu, and to the Duke of Chu."

Everyone bowed again.

Zhu Yunfeng and Ji He nodded repeatedly and responded: "Hello, hello."

"This is Qin Liangyu, my loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty. I confer the title of Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery upon her."

Old Zhu pointed at Qin Liangyu and said.

Qin Liangyu?
Zhu Yunfeng and Ji He looked at him curiously.

They had actually seen this energetic old lady before.

However, the old lady was not wearing armor. Although she had an extraordinary temperament, she was no different from an ordinary old lady. Therefore, Qin Liangyu was not the first person he thought of.

Now looking closely, I can see that she is tall and strong. Although she is over sixty years old, there is a heroic look between her brows.

According to the armor and sword of Qin Liangyu unearthed in later generations, her height reached over 1.85 meters. She is much older now and a little hunched, but still full of vigor.

"General Qin."

Zhu Yunfeng immediately put away his playful smile and said seriously: "Your deeds are widely circulated. Hundreds of years later, you are regarded as a national hero. You are an outstanding female general in Chinese civilization, and you are also the only female hero recorded in the official history of generals and ministers."

Qin Liangyu was startled, then she just smiled calmly and said: "After all, it can't save the country in times of crisis, and these fame are just vain."

"Prime Minister Zhuge Liang did not restore the Han Dynasty three times, and Duke Wenxin did not save the Song Dynasty. But the "Memorial to the Emperor on Leaving the Capital" and the "Song of Righteousness" all show their concern for the country and the people."

Zhu Yunfeng continued, "It is admirable to save the country in times of crisis, but it is also tragic to be willing to sacrifice one's life in times of crisis. Sometimes the sadness of unfulfilled ambitions can move people's hearts more than success."

The Chinese have never judged heroes by their success or failure, but have paid more attention to the interests of the family and the country.

Chongzhen was a fool all his life, and nothing he did was right, but after he was hanged on Coal Hill, the Ming Dynasty became the most powerful dynasty.

Liu Xiang, the King of Sichuan, was a corrupt official in the local area, running rampant in the countryside, and bullying countless common people. It was he who raised the tax revenue to the year 2010 in the movie "Let the Bullets Fly".

However, during the Japanese invasion of China, he defied all opposition, left Sichuan to fight against the Japanese, led the Sichuan Army in bloody battles, and eventually died of illness on the front line. As a result, he was given a state funeral, and even his teachers called him personally to write eulogies.

Throughout history, resisting foreign humiliation, dying on the battlefield, and sacrificing one's life for the country are all the most tragic and heroic things.

If Tang Shengzhi died in Nanjing, he would have a status no less than Zhang Zizhong. If Zhang Xueliang chose to resist, he would have become a saint.

If Puyi had drawn his sword and slashed Hirohito at Tokyo Train Station, regardless of whether he killed him or not, as long as he had done so, the reputation of the Qing Dynasty would probably have risen by more than one level.

Therefore, talents like Zhuge Liang, Yue Fei, Wen Tianxiang, and Qin Liangyu appear tragic and heroic.

The Chinese admire successful heroes and sympathize with failed heroes. The romanticism in their bones depicts the unresolved feelings in people's hearts.

After all, Zhu Yunfeng had written history before, looked up a lot of information, and read too many historical documents and historical stories. When he spoke seriously, there was an indescribable charm in his words.

Sometimes the frustration of unfulfilled ambitions can move people more than success itself?

Qin Liangyu was stunned for a moment, then she bowed slightly to Zhu Yunfeng and said softly, "I don't know what a national hero is. I only know that when the country is in trouble, we should defend our country. Your Highness' words are an exaggeration in my opinion, but I am still very grateful. Sometimes I cry in the middle of the night. The road outside Shizhu's house is the road my husband and brothers often walk. After sending them out to fight, I would often wait for them to come back at the intersection. I came back a few times, but I never saw them again."

"I was thinking, since my husband and brothers have died on the battlefield, it's time for me and my children to live."

"Now my son has died in battle, and I am left with only this old woman and my two grandchildren. This false reputation was earned by the young men of the Qin, Ma, and Shizhu families. I do not feel this is an honor, but only a shame. But thank you very much, Your Highness."

After these words, everyone in the room stood in awe. A family of loyal heroes.

From husbands to brothers to sons and nephews, too many people died in the Qin and Ma families.

Perhaps what others see is tragedy, loyalty to the emperor and patriotism.

But in Qin Liangyu's view, those were the lives of her family. She had shouldered too much and taken on too much, but this country could no longer do anything for her.

"Good jade, good jade."

Old Zhu murmured a few words, then nodded slightly, and said with emotion: "The good jade of the Ming Dynasty, my descendants hanged on Coal Hill, there are also good jades loyal to the emperor and the country, and there are many officials and civilians who died for the country, which is not considered to be spineless. But since I am here, let these tragic things disappear, let those Tartars who bully the Han people lose their heads, and let those traitors who rely on foreign races to oppress their own people tremble. You don't need to be sad, and don't need to be sad, everything will be fine."

"Yes, everything will be fine. With Your Majesty here today, the Ming Dynasty has a future."

Chen Shiqi said passionately: "I am willing to follow your majesty and fight for the country again. Even if I die, I will have no regrets. I only hope that the Han people will not be enslaved by the Tartars and that the Ming Dynasty will last forever!"

"We are willing to follow Your Majesty and fight for our country once again. Even if we die, we will have no regrets. We only hope that the Han people will not be enslaved by the Tartars, and that the Ming Dynasty will last forever!"

Others such as Liu Zhibo, Wang Yangji, Du Yinxi and others also had firm beliefs and shouted out in unison.

The officials who were chosen to go here to pay homage to Emperor Hongwu were naturally all of clean family background, incorruptible, loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and ultimately loyal ministers who died for the service of the Ming Dynasty.

If you are not afraid of death, how can you follow Zhu to conquer the world again?

"Hahahahaha."

Old Zhu laughed and said, "Okay, okay, you are all my loyal subjects. Come on, come on, let's recognize each other."

Then he introduced everyone to each other and made their identities clear.

After they all got to know each other, Old Zhu continued, "I traveled through time and space and went to the afterlife. I brought many things from the afterlife to Hongwu. When you go there, you can see more, listen more, and learn more. After this place is pacified, I will still need your assistance in governing the world."

"Yes."

Everyone responded.

"Well, in that case, let's go."

Old Zhu nodded, stood up from his chair, and walked out of the commander-in-chief's tent.

It was already noon outside the tent.

But the weather in Hunan in the cold winter was gloomy, no different from the evening.

There were rustling snowflakes falling. It was fine during the day, but it turned into heavy snow at night, turning the whole city white overnight.

Looking up at the sky, Lao Zhu walked into the warehouse.

At the door of the warehouse, Mao Xiang held up a number of black headbands and said, "You need to cover your eyes when traveling through time and space, otherwise it will hurt your eyes."

Everyone tied their belts.

Zhu Yunfeng and Ji He held their hands, and they also held hands with each other and walked to the side of the stone tablet.

The light waves flowed and the space changed. The next second they appeared in the cellar of Zhu Yunfeng's villa in Zhujiaping. Then Zhu Yunfeng touched the Hongwu Dynasty sphere again.

Then the group appeared in a new place.

"arrive."

Zhu Yunfeng said.

When everyone took off their blindfolds, they felt as if only a few seconds had passed. They didn't expect it to be so fast.

I raised my head and looked around, and sure enough, I found myself in a new place.

"It's really a magic weapon. It's really a magic weapon."

Wang Yangji murmured, "We actually traveled through time and space."

Zhu Yunfeng smiled and waved his hands, saying, "No big deal, there are other magic weapons. Do you want to try flying into the sky? But that thing consumes a lot of mana, um... several liters of mana per kilometer. Anyway, ordinary people definitely can't ride it."

Several liters of mana?
What adjective is this?

The world of immortals is really incomprehensible.

Everyone was confused.

Old Zhu walked in front and said, "Okay, follow me."

Stepping out of the underground palace, Lao Zhu raised his head and looked up at this familiar place, the square outside the Qianqing Palace.

He has been away from Ming Mo for more than three months, and it seems like he hasn't been back for a long time.

But the changes are not big.

There were still a few sheds, with electric cars, tricycles and a Mercedes-Benz G that Zhu Yunfeng had managed to get before.

It snowed at the end of the 18th year of Hongwu. Snow piled up on the square, making the palace look white.

Next year will be the nineteenth year of Hongwu, 1386 AD. It will be seven years since the Ming Dynasty came into contact with later generations, and Zhu Yunfeng will soon be thirty-one years old.

Old Zhu walked on the snow step by step and climbed the stairs to the main hall of the Qianqing Palace.

The guards outside the Qianqing Palace suddenly saw someone coming up from the underground palace, followed by Old Zhu, and they quickly knelt on one knee and said, "Your Majesty."

"Where is the prince?"

Old Zhu asked.

"Your Highness is in Fengtian Hall discussing matters with the ministers."

the guard replied.

"Ah."

Lao Zhu said, "Go and inform him that I am back."

"Yes."

The guard agreed and then hurried to the Fengtian Palace.

The gate of the Qianqing Palace was closed. The remaining guards pushed the door open for Zhu and a warm breeze blew towards him.

Ok.

Zhu Yunfeng always felt that this kind of hall was a bit eerie and very cold in winter, so he bought a lot of air conditioners.

But Qin Liangyu and others didn't know.

They followed Zhu Yuanzhang into the hall and immediately felt the coldness on their bodies being dispelled.

There were no braziers, ovens or anything like that in the entire hall. There were only a few things that looked like white cabinets that were making faint sounds.

"It's so warm in the house."

Chen Shiqi was surprised.

"This is a magical device called an air conditioner. It can keep the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer."

Ji Hyuk said immediately.

"This magical weapon is truly miraculous."

"Wait, what's that thing on top of its head? Why is it emitting such a dazzling light?"

“And this chair looks very soft.”

Everyone was amazed at the air conditioner that emitted hot air, the lights above their heads, and the sofas prepared for the old ministers in the Qianqing Palace.

Is this the magic weapon that Taizu brought down from the fairyland?
It's really magical!
(End of this chapter)