First Prince of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 569
Cao Guogong’s mansion is very close to the imperial palace, just a few streets away from Chengtianmen. It was built in the first year of Hongwu. It was originally called Enqinhou’s Mansion. From the title, we can know the relationship between this family and the Tian family.

Zhu Xi in the carriage was very excited, since the last time he hadn't stepped out of the palace gate for several months, he originally thought that after the autumn harvest, the emperor would have the opportunity to come out to let the wind go when his father was satisfied.

"Hey, big brother for a while..."

Before he finished speaking, Zhu Biao unceremoniously interrupted his younger brother's delusion: "Don't even think about it, just follow me to visit my uncle honestly, and then go back and continue to cultivate the land. If the harvest is good after the autumn harvest, I will return I can help you to intercede, otherwise you will prepare to farm in the palace for the rest of your life. "

Zhu Di trembled: "Brother, I didn't make a mistake. It's been a few months, and the third brother has also gone out to work. I won't stay with the second brother all the time."

Zhu Xi, who had been sluggish, became excited in an instant: "Fourth brother, our brothers said that we have good fortune and share hardships together, and you have to learn from the third brother, the king...Is that bastard not talking about brotherhood?"

Zhu Di said solemnly: "Second brother, don't make up out of thin air. When did we agree to share blessings and share hardships? You didn't call younger brother when you were happy and happy outside the palace."

"Brother, you can farm any way you want, just don't let the little bastard get away, I can't take care of such a big pile of land by myself."

Zhu Di couldn't stand it anymore: "Second brother, that's not what you said. It's fine for me and third brother to be involved in the trouble you caused, why at this time..."

"Shut up!"

Zhu Biao looked at the two younger brothers who were about to pinch each other and said: "I'm going to the Duke's mansion soon. I brought you two here to make uncle happy, not to make you two come here to make noise."

There was silence in the car for a moment, Zhu Biao closed his eyes and rested his mind, Zhu Xi and Zhu Di lowered their heads to vent their anger on each other, but soon Zhu Xi licked his face again and went to his elder brother and said: "Brother, why are you suddenly coming to visit uncle? .”

Zhu Biao opened his eyes and looked at Zhu Xi silently, and said: "The plaque on the lintel of my uncle's door needs to be changed, so naturally I have to come over and say hello to my uncle first."

"Brother Wen Zhong is going to be crowned king?"

"Ah."

The car stopped in front of a magnificent mansion, where two majestic stone lions sat and stood, and a white-haired old man dressed in mending cloth led a group of women and children to greet him.

"Veteran Li Zhen leads his family to welcome His Highness."

The three brothers got out of the car quickly, and Zhu Xi cleverly supported the old man who was about to salute: "Uncle, why did you come out in person? It stands to reason that our juniors came to visit the mansion."

Zhu Biao and Zhu Di stepped forward to salute: "My nephew pays respects to my uncle, I trouble my uncle to welcome you."

Li Zhen is old but she has clear ears and clear eyes and said with a cheerful smile: "The three highnesses are here, I'm so happy, I can't sit still, come, let's go in and talk."

Everyone followed Li Zhen into Duke Cao's mansion, and the three brothers surrounded the old Duke, not to mention them, even the emperor was here, and this was the only serious elder in the Zhu family.

On the left of Li Zhen is Zhu Biao, and on the right is Zhu Yu. Zhu Di rolled his eyes at the back of his second brother. It is obvious that the second brother sees that the eldest brother can't count on him, and he is going to please his uncle and invite him to talk to his father. in love.

Entering the main hall, the old Duke sits on the top seat, and Zhu Biao sits next to him. This is not a formal occasion, and naturally family etiquette is required. In the past dynasties, the rule of filial piety was not mentioned.

When the old Duke was there, Li Wenzhong's wife took the eldest son and carried the second son out to meet him. She was a woman who kept her own life and didn't talk too much. Zhu Biao called Li Jinglong, who was already seven years old, to ask a few questions about his studies.

Li Jinglong is not stage-frightened. Although he is young, his answer is well-founded, and his body is also good. Zhu Biao is naturally generous with his compliments, just to make the old man happy.

After a while, all the women and children went down, and Li Zhen looked at Zhu Biao lovingly and said, "The veteran also knows at home that His Highness is busy with government affairs, but it is still important to take care of your health."

Zhu Biaoying said: "It's all about doing your own job. My nephew handles the state affairs inside, and my elder brother is out on the frontiers. Both work hard. Zengzhi is also two years old. I haven't seen my elder brother yet. You can see the hard work."

Li Zhen stroked his beard and said: "A born sage inherits the fate of China. The sage is blessed and blessed in the sky. He will return to his duties in the country. My father and son took care of the eldest princess's spirit in the sky. Fortunately, I met a sage, took off the mud on the mat, and was reborn after dying. , adopt Ye Ting and treat him with his heart."

"Wen Zhong inherited the grace of the Holy One to recreate, helped the tree to educate, so that it can be established, instructed the gods, guarded the frontier, but failed to achieve a single thing, and ruled by the Holy Spirit, just like the light of fireflies on the sun and the moon, and the sound of mosquitoes on the thunder. , this is his responsibility, so what about his hard work!"

Zhu Xi and Zhu Di stared blankly at the unfamiliar uncle, when did this old man become so talkative, Zhu Xi felt his mouth tightened a bit, such a person is not easy to fool, so can you still fool the old man to intercede for him? ?
Zhu Biao was not surprised. The Li family was originally a country gentry's family, but it was a bit dilapidated in the previous generations, but there were still poems, books, classics and righteousness passed down to the family, which was much stronger than the Zhu family at that time.

Li Zhen himself is also a well-educated person, but when he was young, the situation was not good, there was no one in the top, and it was difficult to get into an official. The officials are dry.

Zhu Biao took his uncle's hand and said: "My uncle is concerned about the country. Although my son is by my side, I don't think it is joyful. I am ordered to conquer the four directions and work outside for a long time. I don't think it is worrying. I am so loyal. .”

"One is that I haven't visited my uncle for many days, and the other is that there is something I need to tell my uncle. My elder brother has made great achievements in the Northern Tatar Wara. In addition, he has not yet been rewarded for his achievements in calming the south of the Yangtze River. The emperor intends to canonize his elder brother as king. "

Li Zhen suddenly burst into tears and said: "I entrusted my life to the Holy Majesty's command, so that the achievement of martial arts is also a pre-divided example. Father and son are rewarded with a first-class food, and they are ranked among the princes. They are well-dressed and honored by the third generation, and their blessings are abundant. How can I repay the kindness that I depend on so much?"

Zhu Biao got up and persuaded: "Uncle, don't do this. When I came, my father said that my aunt and uncle's kindness in the past will not be forgotten. The kindness is so deep that words can't repay it. It's nothing like this."

Zhu Xi and Zhu Di also hurriedly got up and persuaded: "My cousin has made outstanding contributions in the Southern and Northern Wars. It is well known by the government and the public that he is now a king. Why should my uncle do this?"

"Your Majesty promotes righteousness, responds to heaven and people, prospers the emperor's career with Qianfu, saves Guizhou and Li with martial arts, returns from all over the world, and leads the heroes. There are talents such as Song Lian, Li Shanchang, Liu Bowen, etc. in literature, and generals such as Zhongshan Kaiping and Dongou in martial arts. Lack of the merits of Wen Zhong alone?"

"There is no one in the family of food and salary in Kui today who is more than a minister. Thinking about the hardships of the past, how can you think about the glory of today?"

"The slightest size, could it be the emperor's power, your majesty's pity for the old man of the court, granting exemption from the court, pity for the foolishness of the courtier, treat him with special gifts, and the fortune of being driven by the car many times, when he is favored by the crown prince, every time he loves him, he will be praised in the palace of heaven, and the rank and salary will be restored. Thicker than the children and grandchildren, the kindness is so great that there is no shortage of words."

Li Zhen shook her head and pondered for a moment with tears in her eyes, and then said: "Nowadays, the imperial court is clear and bright, and the law is well-established. Officials are not in vain, and there is no good food. Every old minister has the precept of contentment, and he is always afraid of being full. The minister's salary is the right to resign. How dare you covet the honor of the king anymore, please His Highness the Crown Prince explain the reason to the Holy One on behalf of the old minister, the minister's family will never dare to be favored again."

After repeated persuasion by the three brothers, it is difficult to change their intentions, but it is not surprising. Uncle Li is such a person. Cao Guogong’s mansion is not short of fine clothes and food, but the old man often recites "My family is cool, and I am grateful for my kindness, so that So, even though you eat a lot of food every day, why don’t you continue to worry about it? However, I don’t like extravagance, and now the world is being diligent and thrifty. I am the elder of my relatives, and I want to be extravagant. Why should I persuade my family!”

Clothing, food, housing, and transportation are all the same as in the past when farming, sewing, sewing, and thrift to manage the family. In fact, he does not want to live in Beijing for a long time, but the emperor is reluctant to stay in Beijing.

This is also the reason why Lao Zhu asked Zhu Biao to come to say hello first. Otherwise, Li Zhen would kneel down to death if he could not be directly conferred. There are disasters.

The news here spread quickly, and Li Wenzhong's wife returned, but she hurriedly withdrew after hearing a few words. She could not interfere with such a big matter. Naturally, the father-in-law is in charge of the husband's family.

What's more, she was also very frightened, the duke of the country is already prominent enough, no one is in awe when going out, and the position of the duke is really scary, she patted her son's head and said: "My son will definitely study hard in the future, Establishing a household at the top of the door is worthy of the benefits of the father and grandfather."

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(End of this chapter)