Zhu Yuanzhang in the cellar

Chapter 284 Old Zhu Comes to Nanming

"Buzz!"

The roar of the motor filled the air.

A brand-new 2032 Dongfeng Mengshi crossed the wilderness, traversing rugged roads with ease.

After the vehicle passed over one hill after another, it came to a small hillside.

Zhu Di jumped out of the carriage and said happily to Zhu Yuanzhang, "Father, this carriage is really capable of off-roading. It seems like it can go through any terrain."

"It's military-grade, worth over three million on the market. What do you think?"

Old Zhu smiled and said.

On August 1st, the Hyundai side activated the nuclear power switch, starting to frantically charge the stone monument.

According to scientists, the stone tablet energy is stored and released through quantum entanglement and superabsorption effects.

It is not only a spatial coordinate node, but also a super quantum battery that can store a large amount of energy for space travel.

This research is of great help to the energy storage industry.

Since the concept of quantum batteries was proposed in 2015, it has still not been realized as of 2032.

Unexpectedly, they were able to find a finished product deep in the mountains and forests to conduct research and reverse engineering.

After making the scientific discovery, and after six months of exploration, modern scientists have successfully simulated the quantum entanglement state of this stone tablet, and based on this, developed a new type of quantum battery.

This type of battery has already brought about a revolutionary technological breakthrough in modern times, and it is expected to be officially mass-produced and launched next year, which can be described as a scientific milestone.

However, the stone tablet itself, while possessing both advanced scientific and technological features and crude, outdated techniques, is still far from perfect.

Its advanced features lie in its spatial transfer capabilities and energy storage methods.

The drawback is that its spatial coordinate nodes and energy reserves cannot move with the stone tablet. Once the stone tablet is moved, the spatial coordinates will be lost, the energy storage will fail, and it will have to be recharged.

As a result, if the stone tablet is moved in any dynasty, it will cause a situation where travel is impossible, and it will be necessary to reposition the coordinates and open up the passage through energy.

To some extent, scientists are also amazed that this is simply a miracle of nature, or even a cosmic miracle.

Because there is no scientific or mystical element in the stone tablet, it is essentially just a stone.

However, its material is very special. It is made of hundreds of mineral elements that have been squeezed together by geological movements to form a special internal texture, which produces an effect similar to a circuit board, making it quite unique.

But barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will remain just a stone no matter how many years pass.

But someone managed to extract it from the mountains, and craftsmen carved it into a stone tablet, much like integrating electronic components, giving it magical abilities.

It then captures electrical ions in the air, and with an absurdly low charging efficiency, it may take hundreds or thousands of years to accumulate enough energy to travel through the air just a few times.

If missed, or if there are fewer thunderstorms, resulting in a loss of electrical ions and the energy contained within being consumed, it will become just an ordinary stone tablet, and it is unknown how many years it will take before it is discovered.

However, an unexpected event occurred in the parallel universe where Lao Zhu lived. During a thunderstorm, the stone tablet was triggered, causing a spatial teleportation.

This is no longer a matter of probability, but a unique case that occurs only once in the entire universe.

Too many accidental factors led to this result.

Calling it a miracle is no exaggeration.

Today, Shangfeng Mountain has been transformed into a military and research base, which has led to significant advancements in science and enabled the acquisition of a wealth of valuable resources.

With nuclear power charging, the stone tablet recovered from its energy failure after being moved in a very short time, and Lao Zhu successfully arrived in Nanming.

Accompanying him were 15,000 Ming soldiers under the Hongwu Emperor, as well as a large amount of modern supplies.

This includes various weapons and ammunition, high-tech items such as robotic dogs, and other things such as transport vehicles, gasoline, radios, drones, and unmanned helicopters.

This Dongfeng Mengshi is one of them.

The transport vehicles that were delivered were either trucks or off-road vehicles, and only these two types of vehicles could adapt to the ancient times when there were no flat roads.

"Pity."

Zhu Di licked his lips and said, "There are too few people with driver's licenses. It would be great if more trucks could be brought in."

"Be content."

Old Zhu shook his head and said, "We can't carry much gasoline. Do you really want to bring so many heavy trucks to deal with an ancient society? Besides, although our army has received help from the modern side to train in modern military skills, getting a driver's license is different from shooting a gun. People tend to get nervous when they get in the car. It would be good enough if we could train a batch in such a short time. Even if those who pass the test, how can their skills cope with such complex terrain in ancient times?"

This is true.

The Hongwu army needed modern military advisors, mainly to help them adapt to the weapons and equipment of the new era more quickly.

In essence, the Hongwu Army was a force that transitioned from using cold weapons to modern weaponry.

It wasn't the era of matchlock guns, flintlock guns, muskets, and cannons like in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties; rather, it was an army equipped with automatic rifles, assault rifles, high-explosive grenades, field artillery, and even information-based forces.

In this situation, it is necessary to send modern personnel to provide guidance; otherwise, even if a large number of modern, high-precision weapons and equipment are purchased, people will not know how to use them even with the instruction manuals.

Therefore, modern military training currently focuses on weapons instruction, with tactical training as a supplement. As for skills like driving, they are naturally not that important.

The result was that although a group of people were trained to drive, their skills were still not up to par.

After all, even someone like Zhu Di, who had been learning to drive for six or seven years, might not have been able to handle the complex terrain of ancient times, let alone those greenhorns.

"Ancestor."

Zhu Yunfeng scratched his head and said, "If I remember correctly, your place seems to be older than this one."

"No one will think you are dumb if you don't speak."

Old Zhu rolled his eyes at him.

"Father, now that Burma has been destroyed, shouldn't we advance our troops next?"

Zhu Di said with a grin.

This is what he cares about most right now, and what he wants to do most.

Old Zhu shook his head and said, "No rush. I want to bring all the supplies and try my best to ensure that every battle is a decisive one, and not let any Jurchen escape."

"You're really ruthless, old man."

Zhu Yunfeng gave a thumbs up.

Old Zhu would rather wait a few more days to prepare all the necessary supplies than launch an offensive prematurely.

What's the purpose?

In order to ensure a sufficient supply of shells and bullets, the enemy was to be wiped out in every subsequent battle.

It was a true massacre.

Because besides the Jurchen Tartars and Mongol cavalry, the Green Standard Army was also one of the executioners of the Manchus who massacred Han Chinese, and he had no intention of letting them go, nor would he accept any surrender.

must die!
Therefore, at that time, any Qing army, including the Green Standard Army, will likely have a great time.

"Drip drip drip."

Just then, Old Zhu's cell phone rang.

This phone is custom-made.

Hyundai helped us get a small mobile communication base station vehicle, which uses the most advanced technology. It uses low-frequency signals, so connecting to the internet is definitely not feasible; it can basically only make phone calls.

However, it has a wide coverage area; with current mobile technology, a single base station vehicle can cover an area of ​​fifty to sixty square kilometers.

Therefore, if Lao Zhu and his companions went to other worlds or to places in the Hongwu Ming Dynasty where no communication base stations had been built, they could bring this device to make long-distance calls and say goodbye to the inconvenience of radios.

Hearing his phone ring, Old Zhu took it out and said, "It's me."

"Your Majesty, Emperor Yongli, Li Dingguo, and Bai Wenxuan have arrived."

"where?"

"The Duke of Qian's Mansion".

"Well, I'll be right over."

Old Zhu put away his phone and said to Zhu Di and Zhu Yunfeng, "Let's go back."

The three got into the car, and the Dongfeng Mengshi sped away, followed by two large truckloads of soldiers, just like Southeast Asian warlords.

This is the northern suburbs of Kunming, the area of ​​the later Kunming Botanical Garden, more than ten kilometers from the city. The road is made of rammed earth, but both Dongfeng Mengshi trucks and large trucks can drive on it as if it were flat ground, without any obstacles.

After about twenty minutes, nearly half an hour, the convoy slowly drove into Kunming.

Kunming has gradually returned to calm, and order has been restored both inside and outside the city. Especially after Old Zhu brought 15,000 men yesterday, Kunming was filled with fully armed soldiers overnight.

Most of these soldiers were stationed in military camps outside the city, while the rest maintained order inside the city. Patrols could be seen everywhere on the city walls and streets, making Kunming a place with unprecedentedly good public security.

At first, the people were very afraid.

They feared that, like any army in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, they would begin to plunder and massacre the people at will.

However, in the nearly one month since Zhu Di took over Kunming, his soldiers have not harmed the people in the slightest and have maintained strict discipline. As a result, the people have gradually become more at ease and have started to leave their homes, continuing to live their lives as usual.

However, they are still very frightened by the occasional vehicle that appears on the street.

The enormous creature made the ancients, whose cognitive abilities were limited, think of it as a terrifying beast that would devour anyone who stood in its way.

This is why Zhu Di could drive into the city without any obstacles.

People along the street would immediately make way for them and keep their distance when they saw them. When cars were moving, all the pedestrians on the street would shrink to the street corner or the doorway of the shops. They were countless times better than the pedestrians or electric vehicles that ran red lights in later generations.

"There have been quite a few more people coming out these past two days."

Zhu Di noticed that the streets were unusually crowded, and people were moving much slower than when he left the city earlier that day, so he opened the driver's side window to look around curiously.

Zhu Yunfeng laughed and said, "Even a fool would know that it was caused by unloading."

"Seems to be."

As they approached the residence of the Duke of Qian, Zhu Di saw a large amount of supplies being unloaded from the residence and sent to the military camp outside the east of the city.

Zhu Yunfeng said, "Logistics is a big business in any place. Our ancestors brought supplies from the modern world one after another. There were enough supplies for 20,000 people to eat, drink, and relieve themselves, as well as so many weapons and equipment. The total weight was unknown. Hiring local people to transport them would surely boost the local economy."

"It seems Kunming has made a huge profit this time."

Zhu Di parked the car.

Xu Da was already waiting at the door.

Besides him, there were Li Wenzhong, Tang He, Fu Youde, Feng Sheng, Lan Yu, Tang Shengzong, Lu Zhongheng, and others.

As modern times have become increasingly intertwined with Hongwu's era, history is slowly unfolding before them.

Many people know how it ended.

Everyone, including Lan Yu, knew that they would be killed by Zhu Yuanzhang in the future. However, no one dared to make any rebellious moves. In fact, after learning the truth, as if guided by a wise man, they all handed over their military power and obediently stayed at home to retire.

joke.

Before Old Zhu had any contact with modern society, killing them was no different than killing an ant.

Now that relations are fully established, the Zhu family's ruling position is as stable as the earth and unshakeable. If they were to make any moves, it probably wouldn't be like in history, where their property was confiscated, but rather they would be dragged out and machine-gunned for five minutes.

Therefore, even someone as arrogant and domineering as Lan Yu was still obedient. When he saw Lao Zhu, he was like a quail. Lao Zhu's casual glance was enough to make them tremble with fear and dare not speak.

Among them, Xu Da, Tang He, and Li Wenzhong fared slightly better.

Upon seeing Zhu alight from the carriage, Xu Da stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty."

"Where are the people?"

"In the forecourt."

"Ah."

Old Zhu nodded, put his hands behind his back, and stepped into the Duke's mansion.

As he passed by several generals, he only glanced at them once, and each of them lowered their heads in fear, not daring to meet his gaze.

Old Zhu didn't take it to heart.

If it were according to his old temperament, he would probably have killed all of them.

After all, they already know how they died in history. If they are kept alive, even if the chances are slim, what if they become a menace in the future?

But now that he's reached this level, Lao Zhu suddenly realized that it might not be necessary anymore.

Knowing the truth might be more oppressive for them than keeping it from them.

Like the Sword of Damocles hanging over our heads, no one knows whether tomorrow or death will come first, and that's fine too.

However, we still need to reassure them a bit, otherwise, if we drive them to the brink of neurasthenia, they might one day get a gun and, in a fit of rage, decide to trade their entire family for Zhu Yuanzhang's.

Thus, the role of Crown Prince Zhu Biao became apparent.

In fact, the reason these people are so obedient now is because Zhu Biao has been comforting them, and it is he who has told them why they died.

That's because Zhu Biao is gone.

As long as Zhu Biao is alive, they will be the princelings and will not die.

It didn't matter whether they were princelings or not. Old Zhu never cared about princelings. In any case, the country was left to Zhu Biao, so these people naturally had a reason to exist.

This is why many nobles who died in the Hongwu case were able to behave themselves.

On the one hand, they were afraid of Lao Zhu.

On the other hand, they also had to cling tightly to the crown prince's coattails.

In this way, the father and son perfectly controlled all the nobles, preventing them from harboring any disloyal thoughts.

This is the most skillful way to manage subordinates.

Stepping into the mansion, one finds a vast outer garden.

The Duke of Qian's mansion was already large, but later Liu Wenxiu occupied it and turned it into the Prince of Shu's mansion, where he expanded it further.

After Wu Sangui entered the area, he transformed it into the residence of the General of Pingxi. At the beginning of this year, a new round of expansion was completed. It can be described as a series of mansions with numerous gardens. Even the Cuihu Park in Kunming was originally a lake belonging to the Duke of Qian's residence.

At this moment, in the backyard of the Duke of Qian's mansion, near the Xima River in later generations, where it serves as a military training ground, a large amount of supplies are being delivered from the stone tablet and then placed in the main military camp outside the city.

Inside the front hall of the courtyard, Emperor Yongli, Li Dingguo, and Bai Wenxuan sat cautiously for more than half an hour.

"Prince Jin, tell me, is all of this true?"

Emperor Yongli looked around at the Duke of Qian's mansion, where he had lived for a period of time, and the guards standing at the gate, and cautiously asked Li Dingguo.

Li Dingguo said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, wasn't everything already decided on the way here?"

"But...but I still can't quite believe it."

Emperor Yongli murmured to himself, "Emperors Taizu and Taizong have really come to save us. The Ming Dynasty is saved. I feel like I'm dreaming."

"This is a blessing for His Majesty, and a blessing for the Ming Dynasty."

Bai Wenxuan said.

"Ugh."

Seemingly recalling his past misery, Emperor Yongli's eyes stung with tears. He wiped them away with his robe and said, "Yes, the Ming Dynasty is fortunate indeed. I, too, am a Ming emperor, once the ruler of a superior nation, yet I was reduced to seeking refuge in a small, inferior country, and almost captured by them. If it weren't for His Majesty Emperor Taizong saving me, I fear..."

"It's passed."

Li Dingguo comforted him, saying, "Your Majesty has experienced many hardships in your life, which may have moved Heaven and summoned the Taizu and Taizong Emperors. With the protection of the ancestors of the Ming Dynasty, Your Majesty will surely drive out the barbarians and restore the Han Dynasty."

"His Majesty the Great Ancestor has arrived!"

Just then, someone outside the door suddenly shouted.

The three of them quickly stood up.

Then they saw a majestic old man dressed in a dragon robe stride into the hall with the gait of a dragon and the stride of a tiger, scrutinizing the three of them like a lion king surveying his territory.

"Your grandson (your subject) pays respects to His Majesty the Great Ancestor."

The three of them hurriedly knelt down to pay their respects.

"Get up."

Old Zhu walked over calmly and naturally sat down in the main seat.

The three of them stood up and carefully examined Old Zhu.

As Emperor Yongli watched, his eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and he began to wipe them away with his robe.

Seeing this, Old Zhu asked in bewilderment, "Why are you crying?"

Emperor Yongli sobbed, “When the country was in peril and I was fleeing to various places, I dreamed countless times that my great-grandfather descended to earth to save his descendants. Now that I have seen my great-grandfather with my own eyes, I can die without regret.”

"Why are you, a grown man, behaving like a woman, crying and sobbing?"

Old Zhu was both angry and heartbroken.

What's infuriating is that the last emperor of the Southern Ming Dynasty was so mediocre and incompetent, and his personality was also very weak. No wonder that even with almost the entire southwest under his control, he was unable to step up and coordinate the situation, which led to him being defeated one by one by the Manchus.

What's heartbreaking is that these were ultimately his own descendants. Emperor Yongli was forced into the position of emperor, lacking any real ability. He eventually drifted with the tide, ending up in exile in Burma, where he was captured and sent to Yunnan where Wu Sangui strangled him.

It can be said that he never had a few peaceful days in his entire life, and many things cannot be entirely blamed on him.

As a result, Lao Zhu's attitude softened.

Seeing that Emperor Yongli was still crying, he said, "Alright, now that I'm here, I won't let you suffer any more. Yongli."

"My grandson is here."

Zhu Youlang wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, which were already red.

"You are weak-willed and not suited to be emperor. Later, you will pass the throne to one of the nephews of the Prince Ji's family, and then you can live a carefree life as a leisurely prince."

Old Zhu said calmly.

Zhu Youlang was taken aback at first, and a slight struggle appeared on his face.

The emperor, you know.

Who wouldn't want to do it?

But thinking of his tragic experiences since becoming emperor, he finally gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, your grandson will obey the orders of the Great Ancestor."

Who is Bai Wenxuan?

Old Zhu then looked at the other two.

Bai Wenxuan quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty the Great Ancestor."

"Although you had some flaws and ultimately surrendered to the Manchus instead of dying for the Ming Dynasty, you were still quite good."

Old Zhu said, "When you're at your wit's end, some things are not your fault. But you should give up being a prince. Now that I'm here, the rule that no one but a member of the Zhu family can be made a prince cannot be broken. Just be a duke, and you'll be rich and powerful in the future."

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Great Emperor. I accept your decree and express my gratitude."

Bai Wenxuan quickly knelt down to express his gratitude.

Although he was stripped of his title as a prince, the prince who was a prince during the fall of a kingdom and the duke during the country's prosperity are two different concepts.

The former is utterly useless, basically only having a title.

The latter had everything, and was even personally bestowed the title by the founding emperor, making this honor extraordinary.

"Li Dingguo."

Zhu Yuanzhang then looked at the last person.

Li Dingguo, his expression slightly excited, said, "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty the Great Ancestor."

"You did very well, fighting for the Ming Dynasty to the very last moment."

Old Zhu sighed, "Who would have thought that the last loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty was actually a bandit who rebelled against the Ming Dynasty? But many things are inherently unpredictable. If you don't rebel, you will starve to death. You can't blame anyone else. It can only be blamed on the fact that the Ming Dynasty is in its final years and the people are starving. This is because my descendants have not done a good job."

He was certainly aware that he also bore responsibility, after all, he was the one who created the system of vassal kings. He knew very well how much the vassal kings had plundered from the people and how much of the court's expenditures they had taken.

But of course he couldn't admit it was his fault. How could he possibly get a stubborn emperor to admit he was wrong?

So he said again, "Li Dingguo, I hereby bestow upon you the title of Duke of Jin. After I have pacified the world, I will leave with my people. Just as Liu Xiu re-established the Han Dynasty, you will be the foremost among the meritorious officials."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Li Dingguo was overjoyed and knelt down to express his gratitude.

"Ah."

Old Zhu stood up, walked to Emperor Yongli, took his hand, wiped away his tears, and said, "Alright, you've worked hard, child. The difficult days are over now, and the future is still long. It's not that the Great Ancestor didn't want you to be emperor, but the country is in peril now and needs a strong ruler to turn the tide. Your temperament isn't suitable, so don't blame the Great Ancestor. In the future, once the Great Ancestor conquers the world, you can live your life in peace and tranquility. You don't need to live in fear anymore, and you don't need to hide anymore!"

"Ooo ...

In that instant, all of Zhu Youlang's grievances burst forth, and he wailed, "Grandfather, I understand, I understand. I have never cared about this throne. I only hope that no more people around me will die. I don't want to run around in panic anymore. I just want to live in peace."

"Good boy!"

Old Zhu hugged him and gently patted his back, giving him a touch of ancestral tenderness.

Emperor Yongli was indeed kind and generous; he was a good person, but not a good emperor.

That's all, so why be so harsh on him?
(End of this chapter)