The imperial mausoleum is hundreds of miles away from the imperial city, so the two of them chatted while driving their horses forward.
Zhu Yunwen sighed: "It's really hard on him. Being the emperor is really not a good job."
"Indeed." Li Qing felt the same.
Over the years, Zhu Di has suffered a lot. As he himself said, he never lives for himself.
"Is the current prince Gao Chi?"
"It's him."
"Is he still that fat now?" Zhu Yunwen asked curiously.
"Yeah, he's a little fatter." Li Qing nodded, "He will also be a good emperor in the future."
Zhu Yunwen smiled: "That's great."
…
The two of them chatted for a while, and it was already evening when they arrived at the imperial mausoleum.
"Stop!" The guards guarding the mausoleum came up to meet him. When they saw Li Qing wearing a mask, he realized something and his attitude softened, "Marquis Yongqing?"
"It's me." Li Qing took out his tooth tag to prove his identity. "The emperor is coming to the imperial mausoleum. I ordered me to come here first. You guys hurry up and pack up the palace. The emperor will stay at night."
"yes."
The guard didn't have the slightest doubt. No one dared to make fun of the emperor in this era.
More than twenty years have passed, and even though Zhu Yunwen has no disguise, no one can recognize him.
The two came to a secluded place, sat on the ground, and chatted casually.
"It's not long before it gets dark. I'm afraid my fourth uncle won't be able to make it here today, right?"
"Not necessarily." Li Qing stretched, "He is impatient, but the distance is hundreds of miles, so there is a high probability that he will not stay overnight on the road."
After a pause, "Have you really made your decision?"
"Of course."
Li Qing looked worried: "It's still too late to change your mind. No one knows you exist at the moment, but if you appear in front of him..."
"Senior brother." Zhu Yunwen said with a smile, "Why have you become a mother-in-law? The moment I decided to come, I was already prepared. No matter what the outcome is, I will accept it calmly."
"Okay." Li Qing said no more.
~
As night fell, the emperor's honor guard finally arrived.
Zhu Zhanji was the first to jump off the dragon chariot, and then helped Zhu Di down. Finally, the little fat man grunted and walked off the dragon chariot.
The three of them, grandfather and grandson, paused for a moment and then went to the temporary palace.
Li Qing withdrew his gaze and said to Zhu Yunwen: "Shall we go there?"
Zhu Yunwen stood up, clapped his hands, "Let's go."
The two of them had just walked not far when they met Zhu Zhanji head-on. He grabbed Li Qing and complained: "Grandpa is looking for you, why are you running so fast?"
"Isn't this so that the emperor can live comfortably?" Li Qing said with a smile, "If I hadn't come and informed you in advance, how would the palace be so clean?"
"Come on." Zhu Zhanji rolled his eyes, "The palace will be cleaned every day. It doesn't matter whether you say it or not. Follow me to see grandpa quickly."
Zhu Yunwen was automatically ignored, and Zhu Zhanji didn't notice him at all.
Even if he paid attention, Zhu Zhanji couldn't recognize him. When Zhu Di took over Dabao, Zhu Zhanji was still wearing crotchless pants, and he had never seen Zhu Yunwen.
…
The three of them rushed all the way to the palace, and only when they reached the door did Zhu Zhanji notice Zhu Yunwen's presence.
"Just stop following me and wait outside."
Zhu Yunwen smiled and waited at the door.
Li Qing nodded slightly towards Zhu Yunwen, indicating to him to be calm, and followed Zhu Zhanji into the palace first.
The palace was not big, so Li Qing arrived in front of Zhu Di quickly.
Zhu Di was in good spirits and was sipping tea. The little fat man was hanging his head aside, feeling aggrieved like a fat man weighing more than 200 pounds. He thought he was being scolded again.
"Weak minister Li Qing, pays homage to my emperor..."
"Unavoidable."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Li Qing stopped and stepped forward with a smile.
Zhu Zhanji tugged at his sleeves and said, "What Grandpa Huang said is inevitable."
"Uh-huh..." Li Qing said sarcastically, "That's it, long live my emperor..."
"Okay, let's skip it." Zhu Di waved his hand in a playful manner.
So naughty...Li Qing slandered.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report."
"Say it."
"Important matters." Li Qing glanced around.
A trace of surprise flashed in Zhu Di's eyes. He waved his sleeves and the eunuchs waiting on his left and right retreated.
"Are they going out too?"
"That's not necessary."
"Say." Zhu Di crossed his legs.
"Your Majesty, wait a moment." Li Qing cupped his hands and turned around to leave the palace.
Watching Li Qing leave, Zhu Di scratched his head in hindsight: "Isn't this guy just trying to make me happy?"
Xiaopang and Zhu Zhanji looked at each other with weird looks on their faces. According to their understanding, Li Qing could really do this.
"Damn, this guy is getting more and more outrageous," Zhu Di scolded, "I'm so angry that I'll take him with me when the time comes."
Father and son: "..."
Half a quarter of an hour later, Li Qing left and returned, followed by a man in his forties or fifties.
"Your Majesty, who do you think he is?"
Zhu Di's eyes were dim and he didn't recognize Zhu Yunwen. He just thought he was being teased by Li Qing and said angrily: "Li Qing, your skin is itchy, right?"
Treating good intentions as a donkey's liver and lungs... Li Qing rolled his eyes, "Take another look."
There were many candles lit in the palace, but the light at night was not as bright as during the day. Zhu Di still didn't recognize it, not even Xiaopang.
Zhu Di got angry, "Li Qing, you bastard..."
"Fourth uncle, it's me." Zhu Yunwen said.
"Who is your fourth uncle, you damn..." The anger on Zhu Di's face suddenly stopped, and then his eyes widened, "You, you..."
The little fat boy was stunned for a moment, then his fat face suddenly twitched and he looked at Zhu Yunwen in shock.
Only Zhu Zhanji didn't know why. He had no impression of Jianwen, "No, who are you?"
"Shut up." Zhu Di's eyes were sharp.
Zhu Zhanji was shocked. This was the first time in his life that his grandfather was so cruel to him, and he couldn't help but feel aggrieved.
At this time, Zhu Di could not care about his eldest grandson, and all he could see was Zhu Yunwen.
Surprise, joy, shame... all kinds of expressions appeared at the same time, so that it looked funny.
After a long while, he breathed out softly, "Come on, come here."
Zhu Yunwen stepped forward, but was held back by Li Qing. He gently pushed Li Qing's hand away, stepped forward again, and walked straight to Zhu Di.
At this time, Zhu Zhanji also thought of something and was so shocked that he wanted to ask for confirmation, but he was afraid that his grandfather would get angry, which made him feel uncomfortable.
"Is it you?" Zhu Di asked tremblingly, his tone full of disbelief.
Standing in front of him was a farmer with a beard, dark and rough skin, and ragged clothes.
Zhu Di had dreamed of Zhu Yunwen countless times, and his image was either that of an arrogant young emperor wearing a dragon robe; or that of a rebel with a face full of conspiracy, waiting for an opportunity; or that of a general wearing armor, instigating revenge from his old troops...
But this image was something he had never imagined.
The real ones are often more absurd, so much so that Zhu Di couldn't believe it.
For many days and nights, Zhu Yunwen appeared in his dreams in various images, but none of the images overlapped with the Zhu Yunwen in front of him.
Zhu Di also fantasized about meeting Zhu Yunwen one day, but when the day finally came, he felt dreamy again.
He just stood in front of him, calm, calm and indifferent.
There was no anger, no deep-seated hatred, and he even had a gentle smile on his lips, which made people feel like a spring breeze.
This scene was so unexpected that Zhu Di was in a trance.
"It's me." Zhu Yunwen spoke in a calm tone: "Fourth uncle, you are old."
"Fourth uncle..." Zhu Di tasted these two words, and his cloudy eyes became even cloudier.
In the past, he cut down his vassal, he rebelled against him, he wanted to kill him, he wanted to kill him.
In the end he won and became emperor as he wished.
In the end, he lost and his whereabouts are unknown since then.
More than twenty years later, we met him again. He was an aging emperor, and he was a farmer with a face full of vicissitudes of life.
The palace was silent, and the uncle and nephew just looked at each other.
Zhu Zhanji narrowed his eyes and quietly retreated.
When he came in again, he had a knife in his hand.
Li Qing just glanced at him without making any expression.
Xiaopang also noticed his son's motives, his face was tangled for a while, and he finally chose to remain silent.
~
for a long time.
Zhu Di finally came to his senses and asked, "How have you been living these years?"
"Very good." Zhu Yunwen smiled and said, "I became a Taoist priest, opened a vegetable garden on the mountain, planted some crops, and by the way, I also planted Yongle rice and Yongle beans. I am self-sufficient and have enough food and clothing."
Plenty of food and clothing... Zhu Di lowered his eyes and saw only ragged clothes and calluses on his hands.
Zhu Di couldn't describe the emotions in his heart. He felt ashamed, distressed, happy... five different emotions.
He took off the Emperor's Sword from his waist and put his hand on the hilt, but could not pull it out, as if the sword was extremely heavy.
He tried hard to brew murderous intention, but there was no trace of it.
Finally, his hand slowly left the hilt of the sword.
"You shouldn't come back." Zhu Di said in a low voice, "You should know what will happen if you come to see me."
Zhu Yunwen just smiled, a gentle smile.
"Do you really think I don't dare to kill you?" Zhu Di pulled out with anger.
"Changlang~!"
The three-foot green peak was unsheathed, and the sharp sword was placed on Zhu Yunzhen's neck, "What other last words do you have?"
"Fourth uncle, I have suffered a lot for you these years." Zhu Yunwen said softly, "You don't have to be afraid of anything, let alone feel guilty. You are the king of the Ming Dynasty, and you will also be your descendants in the future.
Your actions have been recognized by the world, does it matter if it is unorthodox?"
"I am the orthodox one," Zhu Di said angrily.
"No, you are not." Zhu Yunwen shook his head, "But your children and grandchildren are."
Zhu Yunwen pointed at Xiaopang and then at Zhu Zhanji, "He, him, and the people behind him are all orthodox."
These words can be regarded as speaking to Zhu Di's heart.
A battle as big as the Battle of Jingnan was destined to not be buried. Although he had always claimed that he was orthodox and had always claimed that Taizu would pass the throne to him, Zhu Di himself knew that he was just deceiving himself.
He is not orthodox, but he hopes that future generations will be orthodox.
This is also the fundamental reason why he made Xiaopang the crown prince. Only by establishing a direct descendant can he stop the public opinion of future generations.
My children and grandchildren are all orthodox... Zhu Di breathed a little heavier. These words coming from Zhu Yunzhen's mouth were more valuable than anyone else's.
Zhu Di slowly sheathed his sword and sat down again, "Wherever you live, I will build you a palace."
"No need." Zhu Yunwen shook his head, "If my fourth uncle doesn't kill me, letting me go back and continue to be a little Taoist priest will be the best reward."
Zhu Di looked steadily at Zhu Yunwen, who looked at him calmly.
After a long time, Zhu Di sighed: "You risked your life to see me, just to see me?"
"I came here this time to appease my fourth uncle." Zhu Yunwen said, "At the same time, it is also to appease the hearts of my successors. You should be a good emperor and be a good emperor."
"Why did you do this?" Zhu Di asked suspiciously, "Let me die with uneasiness and regret, wouldn't it make you more angry?"
"Haha..." Zhu Yunwen smiled, "If you don't have anger, how can you relieve your anger?"
Zhu Di was speechless.
After a while, he sighed, "Yunwen, you have changed."
"Fourth uncle has also changed."
"Yes, we have all changed." Zhu Di said a little melancholy, "I have fantasized about meeting you countless times and then cutting off your head with my own hands;
Even before tonight, I still wanted to kill you and then quickly..."
"Yunwen, you said that if we go underground in the future, will your grandfather scold me?" Zhu Di asked nervously.
"I will definitely scold him." Zhu Yunwen nodded.
Zhu Di's face turned extremely ugly instantly.
"However, if you praise me, you will definitely praise me." Zhu Yunwen said again.
Zhu Di's expression softened greatly.
Zhu Yunwen smiled and said: "Gong is merit, fault is fault."
"Gong is merit, fault is fault..." Zhu Di smiled, relaxed and relieved.
The knot in his mind that had lasted for more than twenty years was finally resolved tonight, and Zhu Di's whole person became ethereal.
I will never have nightmares again, never again...
——
ps: There are no three chapters today, you guys won’t scold me (*??▽??*)