The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 748 Lin Zhenyu's Life and Times

The knife was put back into the sheath, and the murderous intent was gone.

The Hongmen Banquet is over.

Although the sword dance performance was exciting and could be watched without cheering, Xiang Yu had no intention of killing anyone.

In short, Liu Bang survived.

Qin Jianxun's powerful voice rang out from the big tent:

"Not far northwest of Junzhou, there is a Canglangzhou. It's several miles in radius and has fertile land, enough for Lu Xiangsheng and others to survive."

"As for the eldest princess, I have ordered the Taoist priest to vacate a separate courtyard in Taizipo for her to practice asceticism there."

Qin Jianxun put down the map and looked up at Lin Zhenyu.

"Is Captain Lin satisfied?"

Among all the counties in Yunyang, Junzhou is the most prosperous. Taizipo is located at the foot of Wudang Mountain, and Canglangzhou is only fifty miles away from Wudang Mountain. Both places are prosperous. Strictly speaking, Junzhou does not belong to the defense zone of the Fourth Corps. If the princess comes to Junzhou to purge the court, Qin Jianxun will not be held responsible.

Such an arrangement is, of course, very good.

Lin Zhenyu was not as reckless as Cui Qi, who would rebel the moment he opened his mouth - he was just testing the waters just now - his mother was still in the hands of Emperor Guangde, so he had to be cautious in everything he did.

"On behalf of the Princess and Lu Xiangsheng, I thank the Marshal!"

The general in the tent looked annoyed, and Qin Jianxun nodded and said:
"Escort them to Junzhou. Return to Yunyang and report back in five days. I'll be waiting for you at the Commanding Generals' Platform."

Lin Zhenyu clasped his hands together and led everyone out of the tent.

The remaining generals gnashed their teeth in anger.

Ji Xiaobai came back from the toilet and looked around. He was shocked to find that Lin Zhenyu was nowhere to be seen.

Shu Fujia said sarcastically, "Officer Lin is not very good at drinking and cannot say goodbye to Lord Ji in person."

As he spoke, he took out precious jade from his bosom and said, "Mr. Lin said, I present a pair of white jades to the commander-in-chief, and a pair of jade cups to Lord Ji."

Qin Jianxun muttered to himself, "Lin Zhenyu is full of life, just like his father, Lin Yu. How could I bear to kill him? His personal guards are rebelling, which shows that he is not the emperor's man."

Shu Fujia echoed, "The Marshal has thought it through. I can't wait."

Qin Jianxun took the jade disk and placed it next to his seat.

Ji Xiaobai snatched the jade bowl, threw it on the ground, and chopped it wildly, stamping his feet and cursing as he chopped:
"You bunch of warriors! You were fooled by a few words! Even if everyone in the world rebelled, someone named Lin wouldn't! He lost his father at a young age. His mother, Fujiwara Chiyoko, taught him to be loyal to the emperor and love his country, and even tattooed a message on his back. Now, Fujiwara Chiyoko is being held under house arrest by that bastard Liu Kan! How could Lin Zhenyu rebel? The Fourth Corps will be taken away by Lin Zhenyu sooner or later. We will all become prisoners of Emperor Guangde!"

The personal guards lying in ambush outside the big tent heard the sound of breaking jade, drew their swords, cut through the curtain, and rushed in.

Seeing that there were familiar faces in the tent, they were all stunned.

Qin Jianxun dismissed everyone and said to Ji Xiaobai, "You originally said you wanted to execute this man, but I didn't agree. How dare you act on your own? If you do it again, I will execute you without mercy!"

Ji Xiaobai turned away.

~~~
"You really want to stay? Become the battalion commander of the third battalion?"

The horseshoes clattered crisply as the warhorses trod the bluestone pavement of Yunyang Street. Wuzi's concise and forceful question struck Lin Zhenyu's heart like a horse's hoof.

"Why not?" He tightened the reins and slowly looked towards the city gate. The horse had to slow down and keep pace with the warrior girl, whose riding skills were not unfamiliar.

"Do you want to be like your father, achieve great things, become a general or a prime minister, and have your story recorded in the history books?" The Wu family girl said as she glanced back. Lao Pan was following behind the horse, with half of his body and face hidden by the rising dust.

"That's wishful thinking." The Wu family girl switched to Japanese and quickly communicated with Lin Zhenyu, "Your father died on the battlefield. You will follow in his footsteps."

On the way back from the Hongmen Banquet, Maiko, who was disguised as a servant of a forest camp officer, heard new information from a flag captain of the Fourth Corps.

"I have the latest intelligence,"

Wu Zi's eyes were anxious, and she was trying hard to keep up with Lin Zhenyu's pace, panting.

Intelligence, intelligence all the time! This isn't Japan! Don't keep talking about intelligence all the time.

Lin Zhenyu hated the Japanese behavior very much, such as calling artillery "national collapse", calling tempura the most delicious food, and the intelligence that cannot be separated from each other in three sentences.

He looked at the beautiful Japanese woman on his left with a pleasant expression, trying hard to suppress the anger in his heart:

"What information?"

"The Fourth Corps just fought a battle with the remnants of She Chongming, and the outcome was inconclusive. Marshal Qin's staff intends to use the Third Battalion, meaning you, as cannon fodder."

"Oh." Lin Zhenyu said nonchalantly, "What kind of intelligence is this? Ji Xiaobai probably said it on purpose to scare me and make me run away."

Maiko opened her eyes wide, grabbed the reins tightly, and stopped where she was: "Why do you think that?"

~~~~
The autumn heat is still lingering and the weather is as hot as being in a steamer.

After leaving the city gate, the eldest princess' carriage stopped in front of the moat, and Lin Zhenyu stepped forward to report the situation.

When Liu Yufei heard that they were going to Taizipo, she was quite surprised and quickly asked who came up with the idea.

"The starting point of Taizipo Sacred Road is the only place pilgrims must pass to climb Mount Wudang. Why did they place me there?"

Even if a criminal like the princess cannot be exiled to Ningguta Sakhalin Island, she should be imprisoned in the deep mountains and forests where few people go.

"I don't know what will happen next."

Lin Zhenyu certainly knew that in Yunyang, Qin Jianxun and his Fourth Corps were the king, and the several county civil servants were, after all, just decorations.

Liu Yufei's eyes gleamed with hope. She leaned forward and said in a low voice:

"So, the Fourth Corps intends to purge the emperor?"

Lin Zhenyu was not surprised why the eldest princess came to such a conclusion.

After all, Qin Jianxun did not order the execution or assassination of the eldest princess. Although this operation has certain risks, it is worth taking a gamble compared to the huge political benefits.

"I don't know what will happen next."

Liu Yufei continued to ask, "Does Qin Jianxun support the new policy now? Has he ever mentioned my father to you?"

Lin Zhenyu thought for a moment and answered truthfully, "Your Highness, I don't know."

"Oh."

The eldest princess said nothing more.

The convoy rested outside the city for one night, and then headed towards Junzhou along the steep mountain road the next morning.

Speechless all the way.

At dusk that day, we entered the territory of Junzhou and soon saw the Yanlianhua Pond, one of the eight scenic spots in Junzhou.

The lotus leaves are so lush and green in the rippling pond. The sturdy lotus leaves are like soldiers' helmets, tightly pressed together.

No one was in the mood to enjoy the scenery; everyone was preoccupied.

Lin Zhenyu took off his armor and sat in front of the endless lotus pond.

Smoke rose from the village, and the sounds of roosters crowing and dogs barking could be heard. A dirty shepherd boy came riding a buffalo. He saw the Ryukyu soldiers from afar, quickly jumped off the ridge of the field, picked up the buffalo, and disappeared behind a lotus leaf.

This is Lin Zhenyu's life: his father died early, and he depended on his mother in the Ryukyu Province. After his mother was placed under house arrest by the arrogant and willful emperor, he was forced to come to Yunyang, the most dangerous area of the empire.

At first glance, Yunyang looks like a solid fortress, with soldiers like clouds and artillery standing in rows, making it indestructible. However, it is full of dangers, and Qin Jianxun's men want to kill him all the time.

At this moment, Lin Zhenyu became more and more aware of the road ahead.

He is heading towards eternal damnation step by step.

Maybe he could sleep with this beautiful girl from the Wu family and leave a descendant for the Lin family.

Perhaps in the end they will be lucky enough to return to Nanjing alive and reunite with their mother. By then, the war will be over, no one will know how old he is, the emperor will have forgotten him, and even forgotten that such a person existed.

He was like a traveler lying in the torrent of time, keeping himself low enough to avoid people's attention.

His emperor, the young, arrogant and self-righteous tyrant, pushed him into this process just like the war, and he finally stubbornly hoped that he could be like a stone on the ground, or preferably a grain of sand, living with the world and with time, but without leaving any trace for future generations.

He lived alone in his own era, not an island, but a wisp of wind that no one could catch. He could not hear the wheels of history, nor the time, because he was too focused on the dream that was slowly taking root in his heart.

After experiencing bloody battles and intrigues, his heart is still concerned about his seeds and his lotus.

Lin Zhenyu would often think of the lotus flowers that were emerging from the water.

Maybe tomorrow will be their end.

After I leave, autumn comes and winter snows, and they will wither and die.

But at this moment, I am hesitating here.

If I set off immediately, even though I knew it was impossible, it would not be too late. Perhaps I could save them, save those seeds that were about to die underground.

(End of this chapter)