My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 39: The Spring and Autumn Annals Know Me and Condemn Me

The news that the emperor received a huge tripod into the palace in such a grand manner unsurprisingly attracted everyone's attention and discussion.

What exactly this tripod is has become the topic of most concern to everyone.

The ones who were most concerned were undoubtedly the dignitaries, and they all took action to inquire about the news.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not hide anything at all, and they soon got the exact information from the soldiers who transported the tripod.

General Xu defeated the Yuan army and accidentally dug it out from the ground.

After learning the origin of the tripod, Li Shanchang and Song Lian immediately guessed the truth.

This is most likely a ritual vessel from the Shang Dynasty.

Especially Li Shanchang, after learning that the ship had docked, the emperor summoned Ma Yu immediately, which further confirmed his guess.

At the same time, he was also very angry.

In the past, when encountering similar situations, the emperor would definitely call him over to discuss the matter first.

This time, I didn't tell him from beginning to end.

Until now, he, the prime minister, is still kept in the dark.

You would rather believe a beggar of unknown origin than me, right?

Okay, okay, Zhu Yuanzhang, don’t regret it.

After a period of inner anger, Li Shanchang finally calmed down and began to think about the matter seriously.

The emperor was likely going to use this tripod for something, and he could roughly guess why.

After working together for so many years, they know each other very well.

Zhu Yuanzhang now urgently wants to prove that the Ming Dynasty is the legitimate ruler of the world.

In this case, it is not difficult to guess what he would do with the Shang Dynasty ritual vessels.

But what if this tripod was a ritual vessel used by the Shang king to offer sacrifices to heaven?
How many people are willing to recognize this thing now?
It is impossible that Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma were so intelligent as to not think of this.

But they did it anyway.

Is he confused, or does he have other plans?
This made him very confused and also what made him most angry.

He felt like he was losing control of everything.

And all this was brought by that little beggar.

No, we must take action and not just sit there and wait for death.

But how should we do it?

He has many ways to deal with others, the most direct one is to send someone to assassinate them.

This is the most direct and effective way to deal with the enemy.

But Ma Yu was the nephew recognized by Empress Ma, and he was absolutely unwilling to offend Empress Ma easily.

This also means that many extreme measures cannot be used.

For a moment he was a little undecided.

Just when Li Shanchang was struggling, more and more rumors about the big tripod were spreading in the outside world.

Most people don’t know the inside story. Even if they know that the cauldron was unearthed in Anyang, they are still confused.

Wasn't it just a large tripod that was dug out during the excavation? Was it worthy of the emperor's attention?

Impossible, this tripod must have a secret.

But what is the secret?

This time, no matter how much they inquired, they could not get any further information.

After all, the people who transported the cauldron were also unaware of the inside story.

However, someone did reveal the style and specifications of the tripod.

There are coiled dragon patterns, Taotie patterns, and it weighs a thousand pounds. Apart from this, there are no other clues.

However, these three clues are enough to make people think about it.

With this kind of decoration and this kind of specifications, it is most likely a royal tripod.

But whose king’s tripod does it belong to?

There is no shortage of smart people in the world, and someone soon found out that it was probably the location of the ancient capital of the Shang Dynasty.

In other words, this tripod may be related to the royal family of the Shang Dynasty.

Then came the controversy.

Some people believe that if this is really the large tripod used by the Shang Dynasty royal family to offer sacrifices to heaven, then it is natural for the emperor to attach so much importance to it.

Moreover, this large tripod did not appear earlier or later, but happened to appear in the first year of the establishment of the Ming Dynasty.

What does this mean?

It represents the destiny of the Ming Dynasty.

But some people disagree. Not to mention whether this tripod belonged to the Shang royal family, even if it did, what could it represent?
Which generation ago was the Shang Dynasty?
Besides, their mandate of heaven had long been transferred to the Zhou Dynasty, and we are now promoting the Zhou rituals.

What do the ritual vessels of the Shang Dynasty represent?
Friends who often watch gossip online know that if something is overwhelmingly agreed upon or opposed, the topic will most likely not last long.

Only topics with particularly serious conflicts can easily break through the circle and last for a long time.

This is the current situation.

Those who agreed and those who disagreed began to argue with each other.

One side says that with so many dynasties in China, there are countless ritual vessels for offering sacrifices to heaven.

According to your logic, does that mean that any tripod used for offering sacrifices to heaven in any dynasty can represent the will of heaven?
When you calculate it this way, destiny is too worthless.

The other side said that Confucianism has always advocated the rule of the Three Dynasties of Sage Kings, and the Shang Dynasty was one of the Three Dynasties.

If you deny the Mandate of Heaven of the Shang Dynasty, you are betraying Confucianism and forgetting your roots.

I was originally just expressing my opinion, but gradually I started to get emotional.

I have to prove that I am right and he is wrong.

So both sides began to cite extensive evidence and argue their points, and when they couldn't win the argument, they began to drag their relatives and friends into the discussion.

More and more people participated, and it began to spread from bureaucrats and scholars to the common people.

As we all know, the wise are among the people, and the people with the biggest imaginations are also the common people.

After all, bragging is not illegal.

This story changed as it was passed around.

I only heard from one person that when this huge tripod was born, it was shining brightly and covered with purple clouds for thousands of miles.

I also heard from that person that when General Xu Da attacked Zhangde Prefecture, he found that the red clouds in the north of Anyang City had illuminated half the sky.

He was certain that there was treasure here and immediately sent people to dig.

That's why I got this big tripod.

Others said that His Majesty had a dream at night that treasures fell from the sky into the old capital of the Shang Dynasty, so he sent General Xu to attack Zhangde Prefecture in person.

Sure enough, they dug up this huge tripod.

In short, all kinds of bizarre rumors are increasing, and the origin of the tripod is becoming more and more mysterious.

More and more people began to believe that this tripod must be extraordinary.

As time passed, the news that Ming Dynasty had obtained the precious tripod spread far and wide.

And the more it was spread, the more mysterious it became, and gradually no one cared about the truth anymore.

Everyone would rather believe that the Ming Dynasty obtained the tripod.

When the various separatist forces heard the rumors, they ordered the spread of the rumors to be stopped and sent people to find out the details.

However, it would have been better if they didn't block the news. As a result, everyone was more willing to believe that the rumors were true.

After all, if it was fake, why were the higher-ups so nervous?
By this point things were out of control.

Then, as expected, the rumors fabricated by the people began to influence the scholars.

Then, through the scholars, influence the bureaucracy.

The affected bureaucrats were eager to find out what was going on with the tripod.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang acted very reserved and said the rumors were false no matter who asked.

This is just an ordinary bronze tripod unearthed from the ancient capital of the Shang Dynasty.

What? You're asking about the specific origins of this tripod?
We are looking for someone to study it and will let you know the results when they come out.

Then he severely rebuked his ministers: "What the people desire, Heaven will grant."

"Even if there is a destiny, it is in accordance with the will of the people."

"The world has suffered from war and chaos for too long. All the people hope for is a unified world, without the separation of families."

"You, the nobles, should understand the people's sentiments and work together to quickly eliminate the rebellious forces and restore peace to the world."

"Instead of pinning your hopes on a large tripod of unknown origin."

This move naturally received praise from all the ministers. Your Majesty is wise and loves the people like his own children. This is the will of heaven.

Nice words come out like they are free.

And then… the rumors spread even more.

Some people say that His Majesty has invited many people to study it, but the origin of the tripod has not been clearly determined yet.

What does this mean? It means the origin of the tripod is mysterious.

If it was really just the Yin Shang Ding, would it be necessary to go through so much trouble? Another person retorted:

Bullshit, that's because they haven't checked it out yet? The origin of the tripod is too great.

The matter is of great importance, and Your Majesty does not dare to draw conclusions rashly.

Otherwise, why do you think His Majesty sent the imperial sedan chair to welcome us, and why he has hidden the large tripod deep in the palace and refused to show it to anyone?
In short, the origin of the tripod becomes more and more mysterious.

And to everyone's surprise, more and more Confucian scholars joined in.

Under the guise of the precious tripod, he promoted the idea of ​​destiny.

With the power represented by Confucian scholars, their influence will be even greater once they take action.

The tripod was officially equated with destiny.

Now even if Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and told the truth about the tripod, no one would believe him.

Li Shanchang was stunned watching from the side. He didn't expect things to develop in this direction.

Yes, few people recognize the Shang Dynasty King Ding.

But a tripod with a mysterious origin can arouse discussions among countless people.

This was definitely not something that Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma could come up with, nor was it the work of anyone he was familiar with.

There is only one truth, Ma Yu.

Li Shanchang's face was gloomy: "I underestimated you."

However, it was at this time that Zhu Yuanzhang announced the list of students who would accompany him to study.

It was also emphasized that this is only a temporary list.

In the future, we will continue to select talented people to enter the palace to accompany the study.

Just as he expected, the families on the list were naturally very happy and wrote letters to express their gratitude.

Those who have children of school age but were not selected are also eager to make an effort to send their children to the main hall.

When Li Shanchang learned that his third son was selected, he acted indifferent.

I was very happy and relieved in my heart.

After the incident at the Guard Bureau, it was impossible to say that he had no worries in his heart.

In particular, Zhu Yuanzhang obviously began to distance himself from him, which made him feel even more panicked.

Now that his son has been selected to study with the emperor, it shows that the emperor still has feelings for him and does not really want to do anything to him.

This put his uneasy heart at ease.

The next day at the morning court, he changed his depressed attitude of recent days and became high-profile again.

I, the head of the Ming Dynasty's civil servants, have been resurrected.
-
Ma Mansion, under the jujube tree in the courtyard.

Zhu Chong ate the Jingzhen melon while talking:

"Old Ma, I didn't realize you have this skill."

"With just a broken tripod, he can manipulate the people of the world at his will."

Ma Yu also picked up a piece of melon and chewed it while saying, "I really don't dare to take the credit for this."

"I just mentioned it briefly, but the real success of it all depends on the foundation your father laid over the past decade."

If it were just relying on spontaneous spread among the people, it would not be possible for it to spread so quickly or so widely.

It is even more impossible that the topic will always develop in a direction that is beneficial to the Ming Dynasty as it is now.

All of this was achieved thanks to the intelligence system that Zhu Yuanzhang spent more than ten years building.

Ma Yu was deeply moved after witnessing with his own eyes how Zhu Yuanzhang manipulated public opinion.

It was no luck that he was able to conquer the world.

No wonder he was able to create the Jinyiwei in his original world.

It was not because of the Hu Weiyong case, but it was a foreshadowing that had been laid long ago. It was only because of the Hu Weiyong case that it was brought out from the dark side.

You know, the topic hasn't evolved to the 'Yu Wang Ding' stage yet, but it has already developed into what it is now.

Once the concept of "Yuwang Ding" is brought out, it is really hard to imagine.

Zhu Chong looked around and said in a low voice:

"Now you know how insidious my father is. Let me tell you, there must be at least ten spies in your family."

"He knows everything about your eating, drinking, defecating and urinating."

Ma Yu couldn't help laughing. You are such a filial son. It's a retribution for Zhu Yuanzhang to have a son like you.

However, he still reminded: "Everyone just needs to know about this matter, and don't mention it again in the future."

Zhu Chong said: "I'm not stupid, I'm just reminding you..."

Then he added, "Don't you hate my father? Why are you willing to give him advice?"

Ma Yu was immediately unhappy: "Bullshit, I only came up with this idea for my aunt's sake."

"Otherwise, hum."

Zhu Chong heaved a sigh of relief and said, "That's good. I thought you were bought off by his small favors."

"I'm telling you, my father is very cunning. You can't be fooled by him."

Ma Yu: ...

Why did he help Zhu Yuanzhang with his plans? The reason is actually very simple.

Since you have decided not to commit suicide, and since you have decided to live well in this world.

Since I want to do something, I want to bring something different to this world.

Then you must first gain Zhu Yuanzhang's trust.

Many people believe that if you have talent, you can do whatever you want and that gold will shine wherever it is.

As long as I show my talents, you, Zhu Yuanzhang, will worship me as your ancestor.

However, the reality is not so. Reliability and trust are far more important than talent.

The more capable a person is, the faster he will die.

Liu Bowen is the most typical example.

Not to mention the ancients, even modern people are the same.

The same words will have different effects when spoken by someone you trust and someone you don't trust.

Why should Zhu Yuanzhang trust a person of unknown origin?
If Ma Yu wanted to do something, he had to gain his trust first.

Even if you are unhappy in your heart, you have to act like this on the surface.

What Zhu Yuanzhang desires most now is the title of orthodoxy in the world.

Don’t say things like he gained the throne in the most legitimate way. This is the evaluation given by later generations from a historical perspective.

As the person involved, Zhu Yuanzhang would not have such a feeling.

At that time, no one in the world would think that he had the most legitimate right to come to power.

In this case, helping him add destiny is undoubtedly the fastest way to gain his trust.

That's why Ma Yu attributed the change of the Yellow River's course to the Mandate of Heaven and thought of using the big tripod to make a fuss.

In this way, when Zhu Yuanzhang begins to value and trust him in the future, he can start to carry out reforms.

Abolish some unfavorable systems and implement some good policies that truly benefit the country and the people.

Let the people live a few more days in peace.

He never thought of becoming a saint, nor did he think he had such high moral standards.

But as a person who has been exposed to the sun, if I travel back to ancient times, I can lie down and enjoy everything with peace of mind.

That is the greatest sorrow of modern education and also the sorrow of the sun.

But he couldn't tell anyone about these thoughts and could only hide them deep in his heart.

So when faced with Zhu Chong's problems, he could only use Queen Ma as a shield.

He also knew that others would not believe him and would think that he was bowing down to fame and fortune.

In this regard, I can only borrow a sentence from "Preface to Sending Off Ma Sheng of Dongyang" to express my mood.

Those who criticize me for boasting about my good fortune and being arrogant to my fellow villagers, do they really know me?

In fact, just as he guessed, Zhu Chong didn't really believe what he said in his heart.

Saying that it's for my aunt is just empty talk.

However, Zhu Chong didn't think there was anything wrong with him giving in to reality.

After all, his father is the emperor, and he now has the status of a royal relative.

Isn't it natural to give advice to your own family?

So after laughing, he didn't continue talking about it, but raised his voice and said exaggeratedly:

"Oh, it feels so good."

"Especially when I think about those guys having to endure the torture of Old Man Song in the main hall, I feel even better."

Ma Yu retracted his scattered thoughts, shook his head and said:

"Don't be idle either. I have courses arranged for you. Complete them on time."

Zhu Chong was immediately displeased: "Why, you don't want to force me to study too, do you? Don't blame me for getting angry."

(End of this chapter)