Chapter 49 Zhuge Liang patiently awaits the opportune moment.
In Chang'an during the Zhenguan era, dusk was falling. Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde walked side by side, their armor gleaming with a dark golden light in the setting sun. Both had just finished a day's duty in Songyang County, and their faces showed signs of fatigue.
"What about Zhu Yuanzhang?" Qin Shubao asked in a low voice, his thick eyebrows furrowed.
Yuchi Jingde patted the sword at his waist, a bitter smile appearing on his dark face: "The matter of Zhu Yuanzhang can't be kept secret sooner or later. It's just..."
No one dared to say anything. After all, Zheng He broke his leg in exchange for the opportunity to replace Zhu Yuanzhang. What if His Majesty also wanted to go and made them break their legs as well?
Before the words were finished, the two stopped simultaneously. Li Shimin, dressed in casual clothes, stood with his hands behind his back, accompanied by two personal eunuchs and several trusted ministers. Upon seeing the two emerge, a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"Your Majesty!" The two hurriedly bowed.
"No need for formalities." Li Shimin waved his hand. "I had nothing to do, so I came to wait for my two beloved ministers to finish their duties. Has anything interesting happened in Songyang County lately?"
Qin Shubao and Yuchi Jingde exchanged a glance. Ever since the mysterious Songyang County appeared, it had become a daily routine to report the strange and unusual events there to the emperor.
“Your Majesty,” Yuchi Jingde carefully chose his words, “there is indeed new news today. General Huo Qubing… has also gone to Songyang County.”
"Huo Qubing?!" Li Shimin's eyes lit up, then a look of regret appeared. "Even the Marquis of Champion went?" He sighed, his tone filled with obvious envy. "Why is it that I'm the only one missing?"
Seeing this, Qin Shubao couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty is the ruler of a country, how could you..."
"I know, I know." Li Shimin waved his hand and said with a wry smile, "It's just a rant. Any other news?"
Yuchi Jingde and Qin Shubao exchanged glances again, both showing hesitation. Li Shimin, ever as perceptive as he was, immediately sensed something amiss: "What? Are you hiding something from me?"
"Your subject dares not!" Yuchi Jingde took a deep breath and finally made up his mind. "There is one more thing... Eunuch Zheng He injured his leg a few days ago, so... so Zhu Yuanzhang went to Songyang County in his place."
The air seemed to freeze for a moment. Li Shimin narrowed his eyes: "Zhu Yuanzhang? The founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty that you mentioned before?"
When Zheng He arrived, they already knew about the history of the Ming Dynasty and had some respect for Zhu Yuanzhang's experiences.
“That’s right.” Qin Shubao added with a forced smile, “Eunuch Zheng was injured in an accident while working at the brick kiln. It was purely accidental.”
Li Shimin suddenly laughed: "You two ministers are so nervous, are you afraid that I will follow suit and break your legs so that I can make room for you to go to Songyang County?"
Caught off guard, the two generals were speechless. Li Shimin laughed, patting them on the shoulders. "Don't worry, I wouldn't be that bad. However..." A glint of curiosity flashed in his eyes, "I'm quite interested in this founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang. Jingde, since you know his deeds, why don't you tell me in detail?"
Yuchi Jingde breathed a sigh of relief: "Your subject obeys the decree. Perhaps we should move on..."
"Let's go to the Imperial Study. I also have some memorials to read." Li Shimin turned and went first.
The others had no choice but to follow.
Inside the imperial study, candlelight shone brightly. Li Shimin ordered tea and refreshments to be prepared and dismissed all attendants.
"Now you can speak," Li Shimin said, sitting back on his dragon throne, his eyes gleaming with a thirst for knowledge. "Just who is this Zhu Yuanzhang?"
From beggar to emperor, it's truly unbelievable.
How did he do it?
Yuchi Jingde composed himself and said in a deep voice, "This man came from humble beginnings, yet he created a prosperous dynasty; he was a man of great talent and ambition, yet... he was also bloodthirsty."
Bloodthirsty by nature?
Li Shimin's smile gradually faded. He knew Yuchi Jingde well and knew that this beloved general was no ordinary person who spoke carelessly. "Explain in detail," he said, setting down his teacup and becoming serious.
Yuchi Jingde's voice echoed in the quiet imperial study, "Zhu Yuanzhang was born into a poor peasant family. His family was impoverished in his childhood; his parents and elder brothers died one after another in famine. He was forced to become a monk in a temple, and later wandered and begged..."
As Yuchi Jingde recounted the story, the image of a powerful warlord in a chaotic era gradually unfolded before Li Shimin. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the people suffered greatly, the Red Turban Rebellion broke out, and it was revealed how a beggar rose from a lowly soldier under someone else's command to become a regional hegemon. What shocked Li Shimin most was that this Zhu Yuanzhang, of humble origins, could defeat all sorts of powerful enemies and ultimately ascend to the throne in Yingtian Prefecture, establishing the Ming Dynasty.
"Wait a minute," Li Shimin suddenly interrupted, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "Where do you think he'll establish his capital?"
"Yingtian is now Jinling."
Li Shimin frowned in thought: "Although Jinling is the ancient capital of six dynasties, it is located in the southeast and is not a suitable choice for unifying the world. Why didn't this person choose Chang'an or Luoyang? Our Great Tang's Chang'an is a grand city with a rigorous layout..."
Why not set the capital in Chang'an?
Qin Shubao interjected with a wry smile: "That's exactly what I wanted to say. Zhu Yuanzhang was suspicious by nature and believed that the forces in the old capital in the north were deeply entrenched, and that remnants of the previous dynasty might be lurking there. In addition, the south was where his power base was located, and the Grand Canal was convenient, so he made Nanjing his capital. However, what Your Majesty said is absolutely right. Not long after he became emperor, he successfully launched a northern expedition and completely overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, proving that the north was indeed of great importance."
A look of admiration flashed in Li Shimin's eyes: "To achieve such great things from a commoner's background is truly extraordinary." He paused, seemingly lost in thought, "However, Jingde just said he was bloodthirsty?"
Yuchi Jingde's expression became complicated: "After Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, he did indeed work hard to govern the country, reform the bureaucracy, promote the military-agricultural system, and reduce taxes, which enabled people's livelihoods to recover. But his control over power... reached a chilling level."
An emperor who refused to relinquish power.
The candlelight flickered. Yuchi Jingde continued, "He abolished the thousand-year-old system of the prime minister, personally handling the affairs of the Six Ministries; he established the Embroidered Uniform Guard to monitor the words and deeds of all officials..."
"Abolish the prime minister?" Li Shimin sat up straight in surprise. "Wouldn't that put the entire burden of state affairs on the emperor's shoulders? Our Great Tang Dynasty has a system of three departments and six ministries: the Secretariat drafts edicts, the Chancellery reviews them, and the Ministry of Personnel executes them, with checks and balances between them. If the prime minister is abolished..."
That would put all the pressure on the emperor, and he'd be exhausted.
“Exactly.” Yuchi Jingde nodded. “Zhu Yuanzhang reviewed hundreds of memorials every day. According to Zheng He, he was so exhausted that he vomited blood but still refused to delegate the task to others. He believed that the power of the prime minister was too great and threatened the imperial authority, so he simply abolished it completely. The Secretariat and the Chancellery were completely abolished, leaving only the Ministry of Personnel and the Six Ministries directly under the emperor’s command.”
Qin Shubao, who had been silent all along, spoke up again: "Your Majesty, this move may seem to strengthen imperial power, but in reality it entangles the emperor in trivial political affairs, which is not worth the effort."
Li Shimin nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly asked, "How does he treat meritorious officials?"
An emperor's attitude toward his meritorious officials reveals much about his character.
Yuchi Jingde's face darkened: "This is precisely the most chilling aspect. Of the thirty-four founding heroes, only four or five died peacefully."
Such an emperor is truly disheartening.
"What?!" Li Shimin nearly dropped his teacup. "This...is going too far!"
Brutality...
"In the Hu Weiyong case, more than 30,000 people were executed." Yuchi Jingde's voice was low. "Anyone with even the slightest suspicion would have their entire family executed. He even established the punishment of 'skinning and stuffing with straw,' where corrupt officials' skins were peeled off, stuffed with straw, and displayed in the government office for all to see."
A gust of cold wind slipped in through the window cracks, causing the candlelight to flicker violently. Li Shimin's face appeared particularly somber in the interplay of light and shadow. He stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the deepening night outside.
"Why is he like this?" After a long silence, Li Shimin asked, his voice somewhat hoarse.
Li Shimin always upheld the principle of loving the people like his own children, and would not be so harsh on the people and officials.
“This Zhu Yuanzhang is indeed an interesting figure. Some of his policies, such as reforming officialdom and developing agriculture, are certainly commendable; but his treatment of his officials…” He shook his head, “I will not become him.”
A tear glistened in Yuchi Jingde's eyes, and the crowd knelt down, shouting in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"
“However…” Li Shimin narrowed his eyes, “the establishment of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is quite interesting. It’s indeed necessary to monitor all officials…”
No!
Who wants to be monitored every day?
Qin Shubao hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, our Great Tang already has an Imperial Censorate..."
Li Shimin laughed: "Don't worry, I won't copy it verbatim. I just think that perhaps we can learn from its strengths to improve our dynasty's supervisory system." He walked back to his desk, picked up a memorial, and said, "I have benefited greatly from listening to your two ministers' words today. It's getting late, you should go back and rest."
The group bowed and took their leave. As they reached the door, Li Shimin suddenly asked, "By the way, how old was Zhu Yuanzhang when he went to Songyang County?"
Yuchi Jingde turned around: "He is about sixty years old and has just lost his eldest son, Zhu Biao."
Li Shimin nodded, seemingly lost in thought: "I'd quite like to meet this 'beggar emperor'..."
——
Meanwhile, on the other side, Hei Fu was also reporting to Ying Zheng.
However, Hei Fu didn't mention a word about Zheng He breaking his leg and Zhu Yuanzhang taking his place. As a nobody with excellent self-preservation skills, Hei Fu wouldn't create risks for himself.
"Huo Qubing? Marquis of Champion?" Ying Zheng frowned. "Is he a Han Dynasty person?"
“Exactly.” Hei Fu nodded. “It is said that he was a great general during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, who struck fear into the hearts of the Xiongnu at a young age.”
A glint of light flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes. The Xiongnu, this border threat that had plagued the Central Plains, had actually been routed by a young Han general?
"Tell me more about this person," Ying Zheng said, leaning forward slightly.
Seeing Ying Zheng's interest, Hei Fu became more talkative: "This General Huo is only about nineteen years old, but he's incredibly skilled in battle. I heard that when he was eighteen, he led eight hundred light cavalry deep into Xiongnu territory, killing over two thousand enemies and capturing the Xiongnu's prime minister and chief minister..."
"Eight hundred against two thousand?" Ying Zheng interrupted, "Is that an exaggeration?"
“Absolutely true!” Hei Fu patted his chest. “This is what Magistrate Jiang said himself…” He suddenly lowered his voice, “And he has a famous saying, something like ‘How can I have a home when the Xiongnu have not been destroyed?’ He couldn’t even take care of getting married and having children.”
Upon hearing this, Ying Zheng's eyes gleamed even brighter. These words struck at the very core of his ambition. He had spent his life building the Great Wall to defend against the Xiongnu, yet he had failed to completely eliminate this formidable threat.
Putting personal issues aside and prioritizing the country is much better.
Finally, Ying Zheng turned around, his voice resolute: "Bring him here."
"Huh?" Hei Fu was taken aback. "Your Majesty means... to have Huo Qubing submit to our Great Qin?"
"Exactly." Ying Zheng's eyes gleamed with determination. "How could we miss such a talented general?"
Hei Fu rubbed his hands together: "But... he was a general of the Han Dynasty, utterly loyal to Emperor Wu of Han..."
"Loyalty?" Ying Zheng chuckled. "The world's talents are chosen based on merit. If he is truly as capable as you say, I have my own ways to make him willingly serve me."
"So what if he's a general from the Han Dynasty? I can save up the money and buy him over!"
Buy...buy it?
Hei Fu dared not say anything more and bowed his head in agreement, but he didn't know if Magistrate Jiang agreed to the buying and selling of people.
——
Zhou Yu's acquisition of rice seeds, telescopes, and megaphones greatly increased Sun Quan's strength, causing Cao Cao to suffer repeated defeats, and even Liu Bei suffered several losses at Sun Quan's hands.
The atmosphere inside Liu Bei's army tent was heavy. Zhang Fei kicked open the tent door, his iron armor clanging loudly, his black face and bushy beard bristling with anger.
"Brother! We've lost again! That brat Zhou Yu must have used some kind of sorcery. Our army had just set up its formation when he anticipated our moves!" Zhang Fei's voice was like thunder, shaking the tent flaps.
Liu Bei, his brow furrowed, looked at Zhuge Liang, who sat quietly to the side: "Strategist..."
Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan, his expression unchanged. The oil lamp on the table cast a dim light on his gaunt face.
The sky remained calm and the breeze gentle.
Seeing Zhuge Liang's expression, Zhang Fei was even more enraged. He strode forward and slammed his hand on the table with a loud "bang," making the teacups jump. "Zhuge Kongming! Didn't you say that 'if you want to recruit Yu, you must recruit Liang'? Now we can't even find a trace of him!"
The generals inside the tent held their breath. Guan Yu narrowed his phoenix eyes and stroked his long beard; Zhao Yun gripped his gleaming silver spear tightly; even Liu Bei showed surprise—no one had ever dared to be so disrespectful to the strategist.
Zhuge Liang paused his fanning and looked up at Zhang Fei. His gaze was as calm as a still well, yet it inexplicably made Zhang Fei lose a bit of confidence.
"Yide," Zhuge Liang said calmly, "let's wait for the opportune moment."
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Author's note: Zhuge Liang, who waits patiently: One day, two days, three days... why hasn't he arrived yet?
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