Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 117 Luo Guanzhong surrendered and Fang Xiaoru resigned!
boom!
The wine glass in Luo Guanzhong's hand fell to the ground.

He looked up at the King of Wu, only to see Zhu Yunhuan looking at him with a smile.

Luo Guanzhong knelt down in a hurry.

Zhu Yuanzhang punished Zhang Shicheng's troops very severely. Once they were discovered, their property would be confiscated and their entire family would be forced into slavery.

Worse still, they would be beheaded in public.

After all, as of today, although the Ming Dynasty has unified the country, the remnants of Zhang Shicheng are still causing chaos.

Zhang Shicheng was originally a private salt dealer. After he started the rebellion at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, he also recruited many thieves along the coast.

Later, Zhang Shicheng was defeated by Zhu Yuanzhang, and many of his former subordinates returned to the sea.

Some of them even colluded with Japanese pirates, harassed the coastal borders, killed, burned, looted, and committed numerous atrocities.

At the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, the southeastern coast suffered from the chaos of Japanese pirates.

It’s just that the army in the early Ming Dynasty was very powerful, far beyond the reach of later generations, so it did not cause any major harm.

But the southeastern coast was, after all, an important tax collection area for the Ming Dynasty, and the existence of Japanese pirates was always a serious hidden danger.

It was based on this point that the maritime ban was implemented in the early Ming Dynasty.

It is also because of this that the government has always spared no effort in hunting down Zhang Shicheng's former subordinates who escaped.

When Zhu Yunhuan suddenly revealed his past, Luo Guanzhong was so frightened that he lost his mind.

He wrote about many heroic characters in his novels, and he also believed that he should be a hero as well, who could remain calm and composed even when faced with a huge crisis.

But when the time came, I found that I couldn't do it at all.

It is easy to write on paper and simple to say, but when you really have to face life and death, or even the lives and property of your entire family, how many people can really remain calm?

Luo Guanzhong did not make any excuses.

He once served under Zhang Shicheng, and many people knew about this at the time.

However, in those turbulent times, many people were displaced and many people's lives and deaths were unknown.

Once he left, there would be no contact, and naturally no one would report him to the authorities.

Luo Guanzhong did not take the imperial examination to become an official because he was afraid that he would attract attention and be reported by others.

As ordinary people, in this era, not many people care.

It’s different being an official.

After years of war, many people lost their families and had to leave their hometowns to live elsewhere.

When the world was just beginning to settle down, we could just find a new place to settle down, and no one would pursue any questions.

Unlike peacetime, after the war, there are too many such people and it is impossible to hold them all accountable.

Settling down in places that had become sparsely populated due to war, they naturally became the local indigenous people!

It was thanks to this that Luo Guanzhong was reborn.

Most of Zhang Shicheng's former subordinates died or escaped, and their whereabouts are unknown.

His former friends were not aware of his experiences during the war years.

As long as he doesn't say it himself, the court will not investigate an ordinary citizen, and this matter will never be known.

However, since His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu was able to reveal the secret in one sentence, it was obvious that he had known it all.

Continuing to argue with him at this point will not only be of no help, but will make the crime even more serious.

Luo Guanzhong knelt on the ground, trembling all over.

According to outside legends, King Wu was an extremely terrifying murderer.

Although he was young, he once led the Jinyiwei to wipe out the entire Park family.

He dared to arrest the famous general Lan Yu without authorization.

He killed all the officials of the Ministry of Public Administration at one time, leaving only one official, the Minister of Public Administration, who was at home on sick leave.

Just yesterday, a duke and an official who pleaded for him were killed, and their heads were hung on flagpoles for public display.

When people mention this regent, they will think of his cruel methods.

His name is mostly a reputation for power and a reputation for evil!
How will he deal with himself?
At this moment, everyone else in the restaurant was shocked into silence.

When the King of Wu came to see Luo Guanzhong, the soldiers simply surrounded the outside of the restaurant and prevented outsiders from entering, but did not drive away those who had already entered.

Therefore, they all watched from the side.

When they heard about the invitation from King Wu, many people envied Luo Guanzhong's good luck for being valued by the King of Wu.

A rapid rise to great heights is just around the corner.

But unexpectedly, there was a sudden turn of events.

Could it be that the King of Wu’s admiration for Luo Guanzhong was fake, and he really wanted to kill him?

Zhu Yunhuan smiled slightly and said, "Your teacher Shi Naian was once Zhang Shicheng's military advisor. Am I right?"

Luo Guanzhong, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly looked up.

Unexpectedly, the King of Wu even knew this.

As long as Zhang Shicheng's former subordinates did not collude with the Japanese pirates and harm the people, the imperial court would still show leniency.

After all, Zhang Shicheng was once a regional overlord.

He had a large number of soldiers under his command, and many of them were forced to join the army only because they were left with nowhere else to go at the end of the Yuan Dynasty.

When the Ming Dynasty was first established, of course, they would not investigate these people too deeply.

However, if it is a core figure under Zhang Shicheng, the situation is completely different.

That must be investigated to the end!

Not only Luo Guanzhong, but everyone in the restaurant became uneasy.

Many of them came here by invitation or because of its reputation.

If Luo Guanzhong is a traitor, then are they accomplices?

Is the King of Wu coming here in person to kill or arrest people?

Amid the shocked and frightened looks of the crowd, Zhu Yunhuan reached out and helped Luo Guanzhong up.

"You work for me, and I will protect you."

"You are just an old subordinate of Zhang Shicheng. Others cannot protect you, and dare not protect you."

"But with just one word from me, your whole family will be safe!"

Luo Guanzhong was stunned.

"Why does Your Highness treat the common people like this?"

After a while, he asked.

"I like to read the legendary stories you wrote." Zhu Yunxun said with a smile, "Especially the Romance of the Three Kingdoms you wrote."

"Ah!" Luo Guanzhong was stunned again.

At this time, although he created most of the content of Romance of the Three Kingdoms based on Chen Shou's "Three Kingdoms" and Pei Songzhi's annotations, as well as the stories and legends of the Three Kingdoms that had long been circulated among the people, he did not publish it.

There must be very few people in the world who know this book.

I didn’t expect that the King of Wu had actually seen it.

This is too incredible.

Just as he was about to ask, a guard came in to report.

"Fang Xiaoru wants to see you!"

Zhu Yunhuan was stunned.

Fang Xiaoru went to the Juxian Building to see him, probably because he was anxious to clear himself of the "wrongdoing".

After a moment of contemplation, Zhu Yunhuan waved his hand and said, "Let him in."

After a while, Fang Xiaoru walked in from outside.

"See His Highness King Wu!"

Fang Xiaoru bowed respectfully and said: "I heard that His Royal Highness the King of Wu drank with scholars and scholars in the Juxian Tower and talked about the affairs of the world in the past and present. This is indeed a good story that will be passed down through the ages."

"I am a humble person, but I have the audacity to come to this meeting."

No matter how straightforward he is, he still knows he has to be a little flexible in this situation.

What Fang Xiaoru was unwilling to change was only to tamper with the words of the sages.

This involves the "death principle" that he believes in, his bottom line as a human being!

Zhu Yunxun smiled and said, "Mr. Fang, you have come at the right time. I was just about to invite Mr. Luo to work for the Ming Daily, which I founded. He may be dissatisfied with my low level of knowledge and is unwilling to submit."

"Mr. Fang is a man of great learning. If you come forward to persuade him, maybe Mr. Luo will agree."

Luo Guanzhong quickly knelt down again and said, "I have absolutely no such idea."

"The talent of His Royal Highness the King of Wu is well-known throughout the world."

"How dare the common people underestimate you?"

Zhu Yunhuan showed a delighted look on his face: "So, you are willing to work in my newspaper?"

"Your Highness has personally invited me, so I would be disrespectful to refuse! I thank Your Highness for your kindness and I am willing to repay you with all my heart and soul."

Having said that, Luo Guanzhong knew he could no longer refuse.

What's more, if he could get rid of the influence of his identity as Zhang Shicheng's old subordinate, Lao Luo would still be willing to work for the Daming Daily.

That is the newspaper with the largest circulation in the world.

Any article you write on it can be known to the world.

"Okay! From now on, please ask Mr. Luo to serialize The Romance of the Three Kingdoms in the Da Ming Daily." Zhu Yunhuan helped Luo Guanzhong up.

Serial novels are undoubtedly an excellent way to keep newspaper subscribers reading newspapers every day.

The famous novelist Jin Yong in later generations relied on this to support the newspaper.

The Legend of the Hongwu Emperor is about the emperor of the time, which involves political correctness and has limited room for free expression.

The story of the Three Kingdoms has a long history among the people. When written by Luo Guanzhong, it will surely attract countless readers and further increase the sales of Ming Daily.

Fang Xiaoru watched coldly, secretly laughing in his heart.

It was ridiculous that the King of Wu, as the regent, did not invite the famous scholar, but instead solemnly invited an old scholar who was not very good at writing legendary stories.

However, he was too lazy to advise a hopeless person like the King of Wu, but now was an opportunity.

Fang Xiaoru cupped his hands and said, "Congratulations to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wu for finding such a talented person."

"Today, His Royal Highness the King of Wu came to Juxian Tower in person, which shows how eager he is to recruit talents."

"I have heard for a long time that although His Royal Highness the King of Wu is young, he is extremely talented and well-educated."

"Just now, His Royal Highness the King of Wu invited Mr. Luo to write the Romance of the Three Kingdoms at the Daming Daily."

"The story of the Three Kingdoms is widely circulated among the people." "Fang has also heard of it."

"If it could be compiled into a book, it would surely be circulated among countless people."

"I suggest that you ask His Royal Highness the King of Wu to write an opening poem for this book."

"First, it shows that the King of Wu values Mr. Luo and respects the wise and humble."

"Secondly, the King of Wu is very talented. Once this poem is published, it will surely be passed down through the ages along with today's good story."

"In the future, when people all over the world discuss this matter, it will become a legend."

Although he said this, what he was thinking about in his heart were those vulgar legends, which, combined with the lousy poems written by Zhu Yunhuan, complemented each other and made him a laughing stock in the eyes of the people of the world.

As soon as Fang Xiaoru finished speaking, cheers rang out in the building.

The poem "Snow on the Great Wall" written by King Wu and the couplet had already spread to the ears of scholars all over the world due to Zhu's deliberate promotion.

The King of Wu also vaguely became the incarnation of a young talent in the Ming Dynasty, changing the image of the Zhu family as being made up of peasants.

These literati would write poems and lyrics when they had nothing to do and compete with each other in their skills.

At this time, hearing Fang Xiaoru invite King Wu to compose poetry on the spot, this is an extremely rare thing to encounter, so how can we not applaud?

Zhu Yunhuan glanced at Fang Xiaoru indifferently.

He was just wondering why Fang Xiaoru came to join in the fun?

It turns out that he came here deliberately to make things difficult for me so as not to embarrass me?
However, he seems to have really bad luck.

There was actually such a question.

If that's the case, then he won't be polite.

Zhu Yunhuan turned his head and looked at the people around him, and said in a loud voice:

"As the regent, I shoulder a heavy responsibility. I dare not waste too much time on poetry and songs, lest I miss the opportunity to govern the country."

"However, what Mr. Fang said is not without reason."

"Mr. Luo is a person whom I have admired for a long time. What's wrong with me writing an opening poem for his book today?"

"Come here, please prepare your pen and ink!"

Fang Xiaoru's face suddenly showed an expression of ecstasy.

When I heard Zhu Yunhuan's first words, I thought he was going to refuse, and was thinking about how to provoke him again.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yunhuan later took the initiative to agree to it.

This is really great.

Does this guy really think he is talented just because he copied a poem and a couplet?

He is deceiving himself and others, so let him reveal the truth today!

While he was thinking, a clerk had already prepared pen and ink.

Zhu Yunhuan did not write it down, but had a clerk copy it.

The restaurant fell silent, as everyone wanted to hear what kind of poetry this young genius, who was highly praised by the Ming court, would write.

After all, before this, Zhu Yunhuan had only written one poem in the court.

And that poem also involves the struggle for the throne and has a huge impact. It is hard to say whether there is no shady deal or whether it was written in advance by someone else.

Whenever something like this is a major event that concerns the fundamental interests of the world, people will naturally associate it with conspiracy.

As for the couplet at the end, it was circulated in the inner court by His Majesty the Emperor. Whether it was written by someone else is a matter of great controversy among scholars.

Many people believe that it was not written by King Wu at all.

Being able to witness the King of Wu writing poetry on the spot with our own eyes today can solve the doubts in many people's minds.

With countless eyes focused on him, Zhu Yunhuan slowly walked to the window, reached out to open the window, and looked out at the Yangtze River.

At this time, the sun is setting in the west, and the sky is full of golden scales, spreading all over the Yangtze River.

He stood facing the wind and recited the first sentence:
"the river is long and tempestuous, it was like a hero."

Fang Xiaoru suddenly felt something was wrong.

Could it be that the King of Wu really has amazing poetic talent?

No, it won't!

It’s just the beginning.

Although it can be considered good, the following parts are bound to be poor imitations.

As soon as the thought came to mind, Zhu Yunhuan continued to read:
"Success and failure turn empty."

Fang Xiaoru's heart skipped a beat again.

Before I could think anything, I heard the voice again.

Zhu Yunhuan seemed to have a sudden flow of inspiration, and he could write poems without thinking.

"Aoyama is still there, How Many Suns."

Fang Xiaoru's face suddenly turned extremely pale.

Everyone in the field held their breath.

It is hard to believe that these few lines of poetry came from the mouth of a teenager.

And this young man is the current Prince Wu, the Regent of the Ming Dynasty.

"The white-haired fisherman and woodcutter on the river bank are accustomed to seeing the autumn moon and spring breeze." Zhu Yunhuan recited slowly.

Fang Xiaoru only felt a dry mouth and a parched tongue.

He has been well-read since childhood and is extremely familiar with poetry and prose.

Although Fang Xiaoru has always taken it as his mission to clarify the kingly way and bring peace, and he is not specialized in poetry and prose, he has never lacked basic skills.

He was even a master of writing poetry and essays, and his articles were recited by scholars all over the world.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so famous.

Because of this, Fang Xiaoru knew better than anyone that composing a poem in seven steps was just a legend.

It takes three years to write two lines, and tears flow when I recite them - this is the real situation.

You should know that Jia Dao, the author of these two sentences, was revered by Han Yu as a peerless genius who "feared that literature would be completely extinct, so God gave Jia Dao a new life in the world."

Even such a person could not help but express such emotion, let alone ordinary literati and poets.

But Zhu Yunhuan actually chanted such poetry in a short moment.

Is this really the talent that a young man should have?
As Fang Xiaoru and the others in the room looked incredulous, Zhu Yunhuan casually picked up the wine pot on the table, poured wine into his mouth, and chanted loudly: "A pot of muddy wine brings joy to our reunion."

Putting down the wine jug, he recited the last two sentences.

"How many things in the past and present are all in the joke."

The whole place was silent.

Everyone was still immersed in the few short and plain words just spoken.

Mind shocked!

It is hard to believe that there are people in this world who can compose poetry on the spot, and whose casual recitation can become a famous line for all ages!

The plain language is just like speaking ordinary words.

But it has a sense of emptiness and vastness that comes to you.

Zhu Yunhuan said with a smile: "How about using this poem Linjiangxian by me as the opening words for your Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"

As he spoke, he looked up and saw that Luo Guanzhong was already in tears.

He bowed deeply and said, "Your Highness's talent is so impressive that I can only look up to you."

"Your Highness, for writing this poem today, I will repay you with my life."

"From today on, I will devote myself to the work entrusted to me by Your Highness until my death."

As the author of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Luo Guanzhong always wanted to write an opening poem for his book.

But no matter how hard I racked my brains, I couldn't come up with any good words.

It can only be put aside temporarily.

After listening to the King of Wu's poem at this time, I felt that it was generous, tragic, and meaningful, and it was heart-wrenching to read. It was a perfect match for the story written in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms!

Green mountains never grow old, witnessing all the vicissitudes of life; drinking and laughing can relieve the burdens in your heart.

Let the river wash away all the things of the world!
This complements my own life and the legend of the Three Kingdoms.

The fact that King Wu could write this poem shows his talent.

His intention can be seen from the fact that he gave this poem to him as the opening poem of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

That's why Luo Guanzhong was so grateful.

Zhu Yunxun laughed: "Mr. Luo, you are too kind!"

This word was originally used by later generations as the opening words of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I just used it in advance.

He turned to look at Fang Xiaoru and said, "Mr. Fang, what do you think of my poem?"

After he finished speaking, he realized that Fang Xiaoru had already lost his mind and was standing there muttering to himself in a voice that no one else could hear. No one knew what he was saying.

He came here today to destroy Zhu Yunhuan's reputation.

Unexpectedly, it helped the other person.

Not only did the suspicion that he had defected to the King of Wu not be cleared, it was even aggravated.

It took a long time for Fang Xiaoru to come back to his senses.

"Today I saw the King of Wu compose lyrics at random, and he was able to write to such a high level. Only then did I realize that there are really "geniuses" in the world."

"Fang has been studying since he was young, and has been praised by countless people as "extremely intelligent."

“Now I know that there are people who are better than you and mountains who are better than you.”

"Compared with the King of Wu, my humble talent is like a firefly competing with the sun and the moon."

"Your Highness, King Wu, I am convinced!"

He bowed, said goodbye, and turned to leave.

As he walked, he recited softly: "The whole world follows the poems of Li Bai and Du Fu, but who else can be more like Li Bai and Du Fu? The poets who can explore the infinite meaning of elegance and grace are the most wonderful poems in the world. Wonderful! Wonderful!"

He walked out of the restaurant, looked up at the sky, and said with a smile: "The Yangtze River's waves behind are catching up with the waves ahead, and the old are replaced by the new generation. It is a great pleasure to be able to witness it with my own eyes. How happy! How happy!"

The heroic spirit surged to the sky, but two lines of tears rolled out from the corners of his eyes.

……

On that day, Zhu Yunhuan performed Linjiangxian in public in the Juxian Tower, causing a sensation in the court and the country!
No one in the world doubted the young King of Wu's poetic talent anymore.

On the same day, Fang Xiaoru resigned from his post!
……

(End of this chapter)