Late at night, the back house of Fu Youde, the Duke of Yingguo.
Fu Youde, who has white hair and beard but still looks majestic, is in his study, taking off the string of his bow with great care, maintaining it carefully, and traveling with him to love bows in the north and south.
First, rub it with thin wax hands, moving gently from top to bottom, but with moderate strength. Then take a hemp rope and rub it along the lower end of the bow string, and rub it hard to remove all the dirt on it.
After taking care of the bow string, Fu Youde exerted force on his arms, and the stone-like muscles on his arms suddenly rose. He bent the bow and set the string in an instant. Then he pulled it hard, and a buzzing sound filled the room.
A veteran of many battles, in his later years, he faces an increasingly aging body, but he is still full of ambitions. He is somewhat contradictory, but also somewhat unwilling.
There were slight footsteps outside, and the housekeeper whispered outside, Master, Erlang is here!
Fu Youde hung up the bow and took out the waist knife hanging on the wall. Suddenly the room was filled with cold light.
Let him come in! He whispered, and then carefully wiped the bright blade with a silk handkerchief.
Dad! You're not asleep yet! Fu Rang came in and said respectfully.
Fu Youde tilted the blade in his hand and squinted at the blood groove on the knife. Hmm, I can't sleep! Did you just come out of the palace? He turned the blade over and flicked the back of the knife with his finger. He sighed, eh, this
The knives are all useless and no longer as sharp as before!
Fu Rang smiled slightly, how could he not know what his father was thinking. Even though his father was an old man with white hair and beard, he was still very passionate about galloping on the battlefield and making contributions. It was just the attitude of the current emperor towards these veterans.
.....
Father, how many monks are there in our family? Fu Rang asked in a low voice.
It is not unusual for a wealthy family in the world to support a few monks.
There is a family temple in Zhuangzi outside the city! Fu Youde looked at his son in surprise and said with a smile, your mother said that I killed too many people and worshiped a few monks who chanted sutras and talked about Buddhism on weekdays, which can be regarded as accumulating merit for me! As he said that, he laughed.
Damn, in fact, you don’t believe it at all. The only people who crawl out from the dead believe in the swords and guns in our hands!
According to his son, it’s not just a family temple! It seems that someone in the family has put Zhuangzi in the name of the monk who worships him! Fu Rang took a few steps forward and approached his father. Did those monks also use our family’s name when they acted outside?
title?
I don't know this! Fu Youde wondered, why are you asking this? Don't you even ask about family affairs? As he said that, he seemed to have thought of something, and stood up and said, "But in the palace? What did you hear?"
Fu Rang waved his hand behind him, and the old housekeeper closed the door and pushed it open gently.
Father, drive the monks out of the house! Take back Zhuangzi who is named after him! Fu Rang whispered, the child is with the grandson, your highness these days...
At that moment, Fu Rang told Zhu Yunxi how he wanted to eliminate the tax-free privileges of monks as officials, clean up the property of temples all over the world, hide the population, and control the number of monks.
The son believes that one thing more is worse than one thing less! Fu Rang went on to say, whatever His Highness hates, let’s put it aside and we can’t get involved!
Fu Youde thought for a long time and sighed, OK! Tell the housekeeper in a moment and let him do it! As he said that, he suddenly laughed again. Ever since Lan Yu's accident, your father's eyelids have jumped. As the saying goes, big trees attract wind, so be careful in our family.
These are always right!
In the past, when the old man killed Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong, all the people he killed were civil servants. But now, the old man's knife seems to be aimed at these veterans who have followed him through life and death. If His Highness Taisun hadn't been the mediator, I'm afraid the Lan Yu case would not have been like this.
A hasty ending.
And with the old man's temper, even if a hundred and eighty people died, it would only be the beginning. He would follow this line and kill everyone involved.
At this time, Fu Youde said again, "Actually, I have thought about it in the past few days. If I really go back to my hometown, it seems that it would be good to live in old age. You are all grown up, and you work as an errand next to your grandson and are highly valued. Your future prospects are also wrong."
No. Now that the Ming Dynasty has strong soldiers and horses, it’s time for my old bones to rest!
Having said that, the loneliness in the words is beyond words and is self-evident. The Ming Dynasty is still surrounded by powerful enemies in the north. Before the time of horse release in Nanshan, how can an old minister like him be willing to retire!
But if you don’t retreat, Sapphire will serve as a warning to others!
At the beginning, when the country was founded, the old emperor once said that the merits of all generals are first and foremost in friendship and virtue. It sounded complacent at the time, but now it feels like a ray of light is on my back.
In fact, His Highness respects his father very much! Fu Rang smiled and said that when His Highness was chatting with his son the day before yesterday, he even talked about his father! After saying that, he looked at his father and continued, saying that his father first served under General Gu Chang.
The battle, seven battles and seven victories, also talked about many of my father's past achievements.
Your Highness is benevolent! Fu Youde nodded and said, that day I joined the emperor's service, first under Lao Chang, and later Lao Chang recommended me as a vanguard to fight against Chen Youliang, then broke through Wuchang, and captured Huaidong Zhang Shicheng. After all, we and the Chang family
Breaking bones and connecting tendons, we have a deep connection with His Highness!
His Highness said the same thing! Fu Rang suddenly looked out the window, took a few steps closer, and continued to lower his voice, "Father, His Highness said something to me, but my son didn't know whether he should say it or not!"
Fu Youde looked serious and said!
His Highness said! Fortunately, he became the crown prince. If it were anyone else, he would not be able to accommodate these old ministers who were good friends with his grandfather and fully supported the late prince! Fu Rang paused and continued, His Highness said, this world has reached a critical moment.
The only people he can really count on are his father and others! Otherwise, he wouldn't have tried so hard to anger the emperor and save Uncle Lan!
Did he really say that? Fu Youde said with emotion.
Although he supported the late prince, he also belonged to the Chang Yuchun faction in the army. However, after the late prince passed away, he did not stand clearly on Zhu Yunxi's side like Lan Yu and others.
People are somewhat selfish, and they will not interfere with royal affairs if they can. Throughout the ages, even if they support the merits, there are only a few people who can escape unscathed.
After Zhu Yunxi came to power, although his legitimate son from the Fu family worked as an errand beside his grandson, he did not offer his service as early as others. He only maintained the courtesy of the monarch and his ministers while being vaguely close to him. He, Fu Youde, can be regarded as the grandson.
The people behind me are not hardcore.
It’s not that he didn’t know that the old prince of the Lan Yu Case had deliberately set fire to these old ministers. It was His Highness Taisun who made it invisible. At first, he was grateful but also a little ashamed. Now after hearing these words, he was moved and a little embarrassed at the same time.
No place to be ashamed of.
After so many years of idleness, not only the sword has become useless, but also the person has become useless! Fu Youde sighed, he has become more selfish and unworthy of His Highness's hard work!
Hey, when people get old, they think more. I think you have a safe future, so I close the door and don't annoy others. I get old, and I become old and confused!
Your Highness understands your father's heart! His Highness once said that even though he doesn't move around very much, he still has you in his heart! Fu Rang continued, and His Highness also said that your sword is not old yet and may still be of use to you in the future!
Haha! Where else can I use this old man? There is a fortress king and a guard station at the border... As he said that, Fu Youde's eyes flickered. He turned around and told His Highness what the old man's other abilities were.
No, my skills in fighting and killing people have not been lost in a day. Wherever I am useful, my instructions are to ensure that His Highness is safe and worry-free!
~~~
The summer of the twenty-sixth year of Hongwu was ignited by a memorial from a seventh-rank monk.
Monk Daoran, the abbot of Qixia Temple, reported to the emperor that although monks in the world chanted Buddha's name, many of them were illegal. In the temples inside and outside the capital, monks did not abide by the rules and precepts, and secretly enriched themselves. The temples occupied land, and the monks used their tax-free privileges for personal gain.
As soon as the memorial came out, the government and the public were in an uproar.
Immediately after the emperor's grandson issued an edict, he ordered Ling Han, the Minister of Civil Affairs, and Fang Xiaoru, Huang Zicheng and others to investigate the matter thoroughly.
Later, Daoran reported again, in real name, that thirty monks had committed illegal acts, raising illegitimate children in foreign homes, and engaging in loan sharking.
The Wenchen Group is sharpening its sword, aiming at the monks all over the world, and even more so at the huge wealth possessed by the monk group.
But then, a military report from Datong Border Gate ignited the group of generals who had just fallen silent.
Shanxi, Beiyuan invaded the border.
In Peiping, there are a large number of soldiers and horses of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in the front.
In Liaodong, the Jurchen tribe harassed the border of Goryeo and plundered the population.