The Ming Dynasty: Starting with taking Old Zhu on a journey to the future

April 11th, the first year of the Jianwen reign.

Jingzhou.

Inside the Prince Xiang's Mansion.

Outside the mansion, the imperial troops had completely surrounded the Xiang Prince's mansion.

Inside the mansion, Zhu Bai acted as if nothing had happened.

He led his family to sit together in a circle.

They drank and ate as if nothing had happened.

Zhu Bai poured a full glass of wine for the Princess Consort of Xiang beside him and said with a smile, "Today is the last time our family will have a reunion dinner."

After finishing the meal and drinks.

With tears in his eyes, Zhu Bai forced a smile and said, "Your Highness, please go ahead. I will come to see you later."

"I'm sorry, I..."

Princess Xiang wiped away the tears from Zhu Bai's eyes.

She was tidying up Zhu Bai's clothes.

She simply smiled faintly and interrupted, "You don't need to blame yourself. We share His Highness's honor and disgrace."

After saying that, Princess Xiang slowly closed the door.

Then, taking the tinderbox, he lit the curtain.

Flames quickly engulfed the entire palace.

Princess Xiang was naturally filled with fear as she watched the raging fire spread.

After all, who isn't afraid of death?

However, the imperial court's reduction of the power of the princes was a foregone conclusion, and the army surrounded the Prince of Xiang's residence.

Even if they don't die today, they will still be exiled, imprisoned, and become prisoners in the future.

Rather than that, it's better to die with dignity.

A massive fire swept in and engulfed the entire palace.

Smoke billows.

Zhu Bai gazed at the palace billowing thick smoke and wiped away his tears.

"Your Highness, I'll be right there with you."

Zhu Bai immediately straightened his clothes, turned around, and mounted a white horse.

Then he threw the torch in his hand directly towards his own palace.

As thick smoke gradually rose.

A fire blazed in Zhu Bai's eyes.

His desire to die was blatantly obvious.

Just as Zhu Bai was about to ride his white horse and jump into the fire.

A voice called out to him from behind.

"Bai'er?"

That familiar voice.

This left Zhu Bai somewhat bewildered.

He looked back in disbelief.

There he was, the person he had been longing for day and night, standing right in front of him.

"……father."

"Bai'er?! What are you doing?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the raging fire around him and asked.

Looking at his father's familiar face.

Tears streamed down Zhu Bai's face as he choked out, "Father, I really didn't rebel, I... I really didn't rebel."

"Those dragon-shaped stone pillars at Taihui Temple were built because you promised me that they could be built."

"I really don't want to overstep the imperial authority. I just want Taihui Temple to be on par with Wudang Mountain. I really don't want to rebel."

"Why do they say that I am overstepping my imperial authority and plotting a rebellion?"

Zhu Yuanzhang quickly said, "Bai'er! Since you've been wronged, you should fight them, not seek death! Have you forgotten what we taught you?!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Bai gave a bitter smile.

No matter how I explain, they won't believe me.

"Death is the only way for me to prove my innocence."

As he spoke, Zhu Bai prepared to leap onto his horse and plunge into the sea of ​​fire.

Zhu Yuanzhang shouted, "Bai'er! Don't you even listen to us anymore?!"

The person Zhu Bai admired most was his own father.

only.

In Zhu Bai's eyes, Zhu Yuanzhang was already dead, and what he saw before him was nothing but a fiery fantasy.

"Father, I've come to keep you company."

The voice just fell.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhu Bai leaped onto his horse and plunged into the raging flames.

Zhu Yuanzhang's heart skipped a beat, and he strode quickly toward the raging fire.

He kept muttering, "Bai'er! Bai'er!"

Upon seeing this, Jiang Huan quickly stopped Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Your Majesty, no! Danger!"

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was old, he was still very strong.

Even with Jiang Huan alone, it was difficult to control the enraged Zhu Yuanzhang.

He quickly looked at Lan Chen beside him: "Don't fucking look! If His Majesty burns even a single hair, we'll both die!!!"

With Lan Chen's help, they managed to stop the enraged Zhu Yuanzhang.

She witnessed her favorite son self-immolate before her eyes.

Zhu Yuanzhang's vision went black, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

……

When Zhu Yuanzhang opened his eyes again.

He has returned to his study.

After witnessing Prince Xiang, Zhu Bai, commit suicide by fire, Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long time.

Jiang Huan and Lan Chen had no choice but to stay by their side.

Leaving is not an option, nor is staying.

The sky was getting dark.

Just as Lan Chen was about to get up and take his leave, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been silent for a long time, spoke up: "What's the story behind Bai'er's usurpation of imperial power and the coiled dragon stone pillar?"

Upon hearing this, Lan Chen sat back down.

"Many people in Jingzhou believe in Taoism and go to Wudang Mountain for pilgrimage every year."

"Because of the long distance, it takes people one or two months to travel to and from Wudang Mountain. In addition, sometimes the weather is abnormal, and people who are on their way to Wudang Mountain do not bring warm clothes and freeze to death on the way."

"Prince Zhu Bai of Xiang wanted to build a Taoist temple similar to the Wudang Temple."

"To replace the Wudang Mountain Grand Temple."

"Zhu Bai was forced to immolate himself, which stemmed from the coiled dragon stone pillar of this temple."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his tired eyes and glanced at it.

"Overstepping one's authority and treason are two different things."

According to the Ming Dynasty Code.

Usurpation and rebellion are different kinds of behavior.

Overstepping one's bounds means using something that is not appropriate for one's status, usually involving overstepping one's authority to satisfy vanity.

Treason is one of the ten unpardonable crimes.

The difference is that.

Those who overstepped the rank of the highest prince were demoted to commoners; those with official positions were dismissed, and those without official positions were given fifty strokes of the cane.

Those who plot rebellion will be executed by slow slicing and their entire family exterminated.

"Therefore, Zhu Yunwen charged the Prince of Xiang with treason and counterfeiting of paper money, among other crimes."

Although overstepping one's bounds and treason are not two different things.

However, the boundary between the two is difficult to define.

Old Zhu once accused him of usurpation and then labeled him as a traitor.

In fact, the question is whether it was usurpation, or whether it involved treason.

It all depends on the emperor's idea.

It weighs less than two ounces without being weighed, but it can't hold a thousand pounds if it is.

Moreover, it's still unclear whether Prince Zhu Bai of Xiang actually overstepped his bounds.

With the emperor's permission, the construction of the coiled dragon stone pillar was also permitted.

Judging from the words of the Prince of Xiang before his death, he clearly had Zhu Yuanzhang's permission to build the Panlong Stone Pillar.

After all, the main construction period of Taihui Temple was during the Hongwu reign.

Zhu Bai's goal was probably to use the Panlong Stone Pillar to make Taihui Temple comparable to the Grand Temple of Wudang Mountain, a sacred Taoist site.

The existence of the coiled dragon stone pillar made Zhu Bai the chicken used as a warning to others.

Just then.

A voice came from outside: "Why won't you let me see my grandfather?!"

"Your Highness, His Majesty has said that no one is allowed to enter without his permission, not even you!"

Just then.

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly said, "Let him in."

I heard a sound coming from the study.

Only then did the old eunuch dare to let them pass.

Zhu Yunwen entered the study and bowed respectfully, saying, "Grandfather."

Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at Zhu Yunwen's youthful face.

My heart is unusually heavy.

But he did not show any surprise.

He simply asked calmly, "Yunwen, is there something you need?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen held a memorial in his hands.

He presented it with both hands, saying, "Grandfather, this is a memorial from my twelfth uncle."

Jiang Huan took it and handed it to Zhu Yuanzhang.

When I opened it, I saw...

As Lan Chen had said, it was exactly the same.

Every year, the people of Jingzhou make pilgrimages to Wudang Mountain, but the long journey causes many inconveniences.