Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 27: Lao Zhu's Thoughts, Talking about Marriage [Please Read]

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head after hearing what Zhu Biao said.

"We've already made these points clear to Liu Kuan. Why do we need to repeat them?"

"So what does Father mean?"

"Liu Kuan said that the three privileged groups of gentry, nobles, and princes will grow larger and larger as the Ming Dynasty continues to prosper."

"And these people are the main force behind the annexation of land—they might be vassal kings, but they are, after all, members of our Zhu family."

"But the gentry and nobles, especially the gentry, even if they lose their exemption privileges after the reform, I'm afraid that in a hundred or two hundred years they will become numerous local tyrants, just like at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, with the power to oppose the imperial court."

"If not, how could they dare to evade taxes, or even directly resist taxes?"

Hearing this, Zhu Biao couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

His father rose to power during the chaotic times at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, and even the former Yuan Dynasty was destroyed. In addition to the tyranny of the Hu people, a major reason was that the landlords and gentry in various places became powerful and, seeing the weakness of the Yuan court, they rebelled against the court.

Putting aside other things, isn’t my mother’s adoptive father Guo Zixing such a person?
Therefore, after his father established the Ming Dynasty, he was already wary of landlords and gentry, and even had murderous intentions.

Now, after hearing what Liu Kuan said, I'm afraid their vigilance and murderous intent have become even deeper.

As for the nobles, although they are currently far more powerful than the local gentry and landlords, their numbers are very small and they are still under the control of the Zhu family.

There is no need to talk about the princes. As his father said, they are all family members.

But Zhu Biao vaguely felt that since Liu Kuan specifically mentioned the nobles and princes, there must be a reason for it - these two may very well become the cancer that led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty in later generations, just like the gentry and landlords.

Coming to his senses, Zhu Biao felt he needed to offer some advice, so he said, "Father, even though we know the harm done by landlords and gentry, we must still take our time to deal with them. After all, the common people are stupid, and we ultimately have to rely on the gentry to govern the country."

"I know, I don't need you to remind me."

Although Zhu Yuanzhang replied like this, he looked at Zhu Biao with a look of relief.

···
Rouyi Hall is also a palace complex, located just west of Fengxian Hall.

So Liu Kuan followed Zhao Cheng and arrived there in just a few steps.

After entering the main hall, Liu Kuan saw Empress Ma sitting on the phoenix chair, looking at him with a smile.

"Your humble servant pays his respects to Her Majesty the Queen!" Liu Kuan bowed.

"Flat body."

"Thank you, Queen."

"Give me a seat."

Empress Ma ordered the palace maid to place a brocade cushion no more than ten or twenty steps away from the phoenix chair.

Liu Kuan thanked him again before sitting down.

However, he did not sit on only half of his buttocks like people in the Ming Dynasty, but sat on it firmly.

He was not unaware of this, but he felt that it would be better to behave more honestly in front of Empress Ma.

Then, Empress Ma opened her mouth and asked a question that surprised Liu Kuan a little.

"In your afterlife, are your parents safe? Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

Liu Kuan missed home last night, and now he couldn't help but think of his parents when he heard this. He couldn't help but feel a little sad. He said, "My parents are fine. Besides me, I have another brother."

"My brother is already married. If nothing unexpected happens, a nephew or niece might be born by the end of the year."

Empress Ma said gently, "If you were an only child, and you suddenly disappeared in the future, your parents would be heartbroken and left with no one to rely on in their old age."

"With a brother here and a nephew to be born, your parents will have plenty of time to take care of you."

"However, if your parents and brothers knew that you had come to Ming, they would surely hope that you could live a good life in Ming, and even have a family and children."

Liu Kuan was originally a little sad, but Queen Ma's words comforted him a lot.

But why does it sound a bit like the words of some elders in later generations who are urging people to get married?
So he was silent for a moment.

Seeing this, Empress Ma said again, "Child, if you miss your parents, you might as well treat His Majesty and me as your elders, and Biao'er as your brother."

Liu Kuan thought, there is no problem in treating you as an elder, but treating Lao Zhu as an elder seems a bit dangerous, right?
Besides, I am the same age as Zhu Biao, maybe I am a few months older than him?

By the way, what month was Zhu Biao born?
Although Liu Kuan was thinking a lot, he responded obediently, "Yes."

Empress Ma smiled. "You consider me your elder, so it's only natural that I should worry about your marriage. Since you're not married yet, why not choose one of the waiting princesses? Then, Your Majesty and I will be your true elders. What do you think?"

Liu Kuan was slightly surprised when he heard this.

Then he suddenly realized.

Given his special status, even if Zhu Yuanzhang agreed to work for the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang would probably not be at ease and it would be difficult to threaten him, so he would have to choose to win him over.

As for winning him over, the best way is to recruit him as a son-in-law and make him a member of Zhu's family.

After realizing this, Liu Kuan knew that he could not refuse this marriage.

But he still hesitated and said, "Your Majesty, I am already twenty-six years old. I am afraid there is no suitable one among the princesses waiting to marry?"

Empress Ma couldn't help laughing when she heard this. "What's wrong with twenty-six? A husband should be older than his wife to know how to care for her."

"However, there are indeed not many princesses who are ready to marry and are of suitable age. Currently, there are two suitable ones."

"How about I tell you about their situations and you pick one yourself?" Choosing one from two princesses was a rare treatment for a prince consort in the Ming Dynasty.

'Be content.'

Liu Kuan secretly reminded himself and replied, "Your humble servant will follow the Queen's arrangements."

Empress Ma said nothing more and explained the situations of Zhu Huilan and Zhu Xuanle one after another.

After hearing this, Liu Kuan began to weigh the pros and cons secretly.

In terms of identity, she is naturally the biological daughter of Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, and also the youngest child. Zhu Xuanle, the future Princess Anqing, is the most noble.

But not to mention that Zhu Xuanle had already been verbally betrothed to Ouyang Lun by Old Zhu, Princess Anqing might have a more delicate or even unruly personality.

In later lives, Liu Kuan was unable to find a girlfriend because he was not used to pleasing fairies. Now that he came to the Ming Dynasty, although he had to marry the princess, he did not want to serve a princess with a delicate personality and a bad temper.

On the contrary, Zhu Huilan, although born to Empress Ma's maid, was raised by her parents and treated no differently from her own daughter.

And according to Empress Ma's description, Zhu Huilan should be a quiet and well-behaved person.

Isn’t this his ideal type in later life?

Finally, although both princesses seemed relatively young to Liu Kuan, Zhu Huilan was one year older and a more suitable marriage partner.

As for the rumor that Zhu Huilan was promised to Chen Ning's son - they were not married, not even engaged - Liu Kuan didn't care at all.

Thinking of this, Liu Kuan made up his mind and said, "I think the third princess might be more suitable."

After hearing Liu Kuan's answer, the smile on Queen Ma's face became noticeably more intense.

She smiled and said, "You are a lucky person. Huilan is indeed gentler and more considerate than Xuanle."

Then he added seriously, "But since you have chosen Huilan, you must treat her well after marriage. Don't bully her just because she has a gentle personality."

Liu Kuan hurriedly said, "Princess Nengshang is the blessing I have earned in two lifetimes. I cannot wait to cherish her, so how could I bully her?"

Queen Ma regained her smile and said, "Child, you are more eloquent than I thought."

Then he continued, "Neither you nor Huilan is young anymore. Since you agree to this, why not choose an auspicious day and get married as soon as possible? What do you think?"

"It's up to you, Madam."

Empress Ma smiled and said, "Your parents are no longer in the Ming Dynasty, so I have no choice but to take care of this matter."

Liu Kuan remembered that Empress Ma would die of illness the next year, and at this moment he could not help but remind her: "Your Majesty, you must take care of your health and not overwork yourself."

Hearing Liu Kuan's caring words, Empress Ma became more and more satisfied with her son-in-law. She nodded and said, "Don't worry, I'm just talking, and the people below will take care of the matter."

Afterwards, Liu Kuan hesitated a little - he wanted to meet Zhu Huilan.

Even in ancient times, he was a little uncomfortable with blind marriage.

But considering that the person had already been chosen, and that Zhu Huilan was the daughter of Old Zhu and Empress Ma's maid, and was raised in the palace, her appearance must not be bad.

So he said nothing more, took his leave from Empress Ma, and left the Forbidden City with Zhao Cheng.
Empress Ma returned to Kunning Palace from Rouyi Palace.

He ordered someone to call Zhu Huilan.

After a while, a girl dressed in simple and elegant palace clothes came into Kunning Palace.

She clenched her fists slightly, placed her right hand on top of her left, and placed them both on her abdomen. She bent her knees slightly towards Empress Ma, lowered her head and brows, and looked down, saying, "Long live the Queen Mother."

The sound is clear and soft, like a stream flowing in a valley.

Empress Ma smiled and nodded, saying, "Hui Lan is here, please sit down."

"Thank you, mother."

The girl sat down on the brocade cushion and said nothing.

Empress Ma sighed softly inwardly. She had raised Huilan from childhood, treating her like her own. However, due to her nature and the death of her mother during childbirth, Huilan, despite her kindness and gentle nature, was ultimately a bit timid.

"I just hope that Liu Kuan is true to himself and can really treat Huilan well. Otherwise, I will have a hard time explaining myself to Ah Zhu when I meet her in the afterlife."

With this in mind, Empress Ma said straight to the point, "Huilan, after this month, you will be sixteen."

"If Chen Ning hadn't been involved in the Hu Weiyong case, you would have gotten married last spring. It was your mother who didn't choose the right person and delayed you."

Zhu Huilan lowered her head slightly after hearing this and said, "It was my daughter's fate that was unfortunate, and I can't blame my mother."

Empress Ma added, "It's a good thing you haven't married into the Chen family yet, otherwise I really don't know how to explain this to your biological mother."

Zhu Huilan didn't know what to say for a moment.

Empress Ma continued, "We must look forward. The Hu Weiyong case is over. Although you are a princess, you will eventually get married."

"Now, your father and I have both set our eyes on a good man. Although he has a strange background and is ten years older than you, he has good character and abilities. He should be a good match for you."

In fact, ever since Empress Ma mentioned her unsuccessful marriage, Zhu Huilan realized that she was probably choosing another prince consort for her.

At this time, after hearing Empress Ma's explanation, although she felt strange about why she chose a son-in-law who was ten years older than her, she still responded obediently: "My daughter will leave it entirely to my father, the emperor, and my mother to arrange."

Empress Ma said this and smiled at Zhu Huilan, "Huilan, aren't you curious about who that person is?"

　Thanks to [Book Friend 2023***7434] for the reward of 100 Qidian coins!
　　Please collect, read and vote.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)