Chapter 387 Do You Dare to Rebel?
It gets dark early in winter. Jiang Qingzhi was dizzy from studying military tactics in his study. Just as he was about to go to the forbidden area to work on the small machine tool, he found it was dark.
The sky and earth were pitch black. Jiang Qingzhi heard a maid say, "Why does this look like... it's pitch black without sunlight."
It does have that flavor.
The lantern was hung on the wall, and the halo of light was slowly released. The maid came over with the food, and her face looked uncertain in the halo.
Jiang Qingzhi thought of horror movies.
The food was served, and Li Tian came in hurriedly, "There is not much food left at home."
"How many more?" Jiang Qingzhi asked.
"That means we can still eat it for another year." Li Tian sat down, looking a little heavy-hearted.
"One year..." Jiang Qingzhi said, "Next year we will have everything in the autumn harvest."
"The family must have at least three to five years of food reserves, otherwise I will be anxious." Li Tian picked up the chopsticks.
"Have a meal."
The next day, Jiang Qingzhi entered the palace and found the old playboy to ask about the matter.
“Is it necessary to store so much food?”
There were many officials coming and going in the morning. Zhu Xizhong took Jiang Qingzhi to a secluded place and asked in a low voice, as if to make a conversation, "Would you like to read history books?"
"Look! I'm not bragging, but the history books I read are probably unmatched in the world today."
The history books that Jiang Qingzhi read in later generations ranged from ancient times to modern times. It can be said that he had witnessed all the changes in the world and was accustomed to seeing one party taking its place after another.
"Once the war begins, how many years will it last?" The old dude asked seriously.
"This...several years, even decades." Jiang Qingzhi was stunned, "You mean..."
"All wealthy families prepare to store food on this date." Zhu Xizhong patted Jiang Qingzhi's shoulder and said, "Brother, I pulled you here not because of any secrets, but because I'm afraid you'll lose face."
Jiang Qingzhi felt that he did not have the consciousness of an aristocrat at all. In terms of self-protection, he was not as good as a crazy enthusiast of doomsday survival in later generations, who turned hoarding supplies into the instinct of life.
In the future, there was a huge explosion of supplies, and there was everything to eat, drink, and have fun. Even in those few years, the supplies he stockpiled only lasted for about half a year. As for a few years, or even decades... he had never thought about it.
The richer you are, the more afraid you are of death.
The more you have, the more worries you have. It is better to live a comfortable life than those who do not know where their next meal will come from.
Zhang Tong stood on the steps, smiling very purely.
"Long Wilbur."
"Hey! Let me ask you something." Jiang Qingzhi came up, "If you had money and food, how much would you hoard?"
"Why hoard it?" Zhang Tong asked.
"Aren't you worried about any natural or man-made disasters tomorrow?"
"That was a natural disaster!" Zhang Tong's eyes were particularly clear.
"Yes! A natural disaster." Jiang Qingzhi thought this kid was too stupid.
"Natural disasters are sent by God. My mother once said that it was God who made me crawl out of her intestines. Whatever I encounter every day is God's will... It's all God's will."
"God willing……"
"God's will is God's will, who can change it!" Zhang Tong had dimples on his cheeks when he smiled, "My mother said, since it can't be changed, then just live happily!"
Jiang Qingzhi was silent for a long time, "Your mother is right."
Seemingly smart people prepare for tomorrow or even decades later, but they cannot guess what will happen next.
Things will be even more different decades later, and it is impossible to guess what will happen.
"You are very smart." Jiang Qingzhi patted the young eunuch on the shoulder.
Zhang Tong smiled and said, "Yes! My mother also said that I am smart."
The smartest people in the world are never those who seem smart, but those who seem dull but live extremely happily.
"External objects will only distract your mind, making you lose your focus and your soul empty."
After hearing Jiang Qingzhi's sigh, the Taoist's eyes changed a little, as if he was relieved to meet a fellow Taoist. "Material desires are necessary. Those without material desires are not human. The so-called cultivation of the mind is nothing more than being indifferent to material desires. When material desires are indifferent, the mind will naturally calm down..."
"In other words, the fewer external things a person has, the better." Jiang Qingzhi's thoughts diverged, "The fewer external things one has, the less one is drawn to them, and the more peaceful one's mind is."
Isn’t this the nature of the minimalist model of later generations?
It turns out that the so-called minimalism is not for the sake of minimalism. The real purpose is to reduce the mind’s being drawn to material desires and thus gain spiritual freedom.
"No." The Taoist shook his head. "External objects are external objects, and people are people. The amount of external objects is determined by heaven, but whether people care about external objects depends on your determination."
Jiang Qingzhi understood, "Own external things, but don't care about them."
"You are a teachable kid." The Taoist stroked his beard, feeling very pleased. "Do you want to comprehend the great Dao with me?"
Jiang Qingzhi shuddered, "I just want peace of mind, I have never thought about any great cause."
He was suddenly stunned and thought, isn't the Tao an external object?
Dao Ye obviously also discovered this problem, and the atmosphere became a little awkward for a moment.
Huang Jin came in and broke the awkwardness, "Your Majesty, Lu Bing is here."
After Lu Bing came in, he glanced at Jiang Qingzhi, who was sitting cross-legged with an unfathomable look on his face.
"Your Majesty, the secret agent of the Jinyiwei in Yunnan sent a message that the Duke of Qian... died." The smile in the eyes of Emperor Jiajing disappeared, "Mu Chaobi did not report it."
Lu Bing said, "Mu Chaobi captured a few of the Duke of Qian's confidants a while ago... they were all the people left behind by the old Duke."
Mu Chaobi was indeed ambitious as he kept the death a secret and took the opportunity to purge the forces left behind by the old Duke.
The current Duke of Qian is only six years old. After the old Duke passed away, although he successfully inherited the title, all affairs were taken care of by Mu Chaobi, so he was just a puppet.
The court was also in a dilemma. If Mu Chaobi was suppressed, what could Mu Rong, who was only four years old at the time, do? If things went wrong, an ambitious person would emerge and turn Yunnan into a truly independent kingdom, and the Ming Dynasty would have another wound... just like Jiaozhi back then, a wound that made the Ming Dynasty continue to bleed, but it was a wound that it could not bear to give up.
"Mu Chaobi..." Emperor Jiajing suddenly asked Jiang Qingzhi, "There is someone from the Mu family in the capital. I remember you have had dealings with her. Go ask her."
"Yes."
Jiang Qingzhi knew that this matter could be a big deal or a small one. He had rescued Mu Shu when he was assassinated last time, and this changed history.
If the butterfly of history turns into a typhoon and blows things off course, for example, Mu Chaobi turns against the government and calls himself the Duke of Qian, the court will have no choice but to send troops.
Altan's tribe was struggling in the snowstorm. When he heard the good news, he laughed out loud. He then gathered his cavalry and marched south.
After the snowstorm, Mu Shu also donated some money. The Yunnan Mu family was not short of money, and Mu Chaobi's contact in the capital donated a large amount of money and grain, and then spread the news everywhere.
"This is a wolfish ambition!" Xiang Jin sighed.
There is a charcoal fire in the study, the best kind.
Mu Shu stared out the window in a daze. "Last time I heard that the Duke of Qian was seriously ill, but I don't know how he is now."
"It's winter now, oh! It's the most difficult to be sick in winter." Xiang Jin saw a maid walking quickly towards him.
"What's the matter?" Xiang Jin went out and asked.
"The Duke...is dead."
Xiang Jin's body shook, and he asked sternly, "But it's a rumor?"
The maid bowed her head and said, "Someone from Yunnan is coming."
Xiang Jin turned around and saw Mu Shu, who was sitting by the window, dropping the book in her hand on the table. She murmured, "Did he finally take action?"
"Third lady," someone came to report, "Chang Wilbur is here."
Mu Shu gathered his thoughts and said, "I'll go out and meet him."
Xiang Jin whispered, "Miss San can just take this opportunity to ask about the court's attitude. Mu Chaobi is so cruel, will the court just ignore it? He can kill the Duke of Qian today, but tomorrow he might dare to rebel..."
Mu Shu was confused at the moment and didn't listen to what she said at all. When he got to the front, he saw Jiang Qingzhi with his hands behind his back looking at the calligraphy and paintings on the wall.
"The richness of the Mu family's collection is amazing." Jiang Qingzhi heard the footsteps and turned around.
"If Lord Wei likes it..." Mu Shu said with a smile, "I have a few paintings and calligraphy from the past dynasties here that you can take for your appreciation."
"I've seen it." Jiang Qingzhi had just realized the true meaning of material desire, and now he felt that he had attained enlightenment. But thinking about the calligraphy and painting he had seen before, it seemed to be the work of a master from the pre-Tang Dynasty...
This is a treasure of heirloom level, but Mu Shu hangs it on the wall as a decoration.
The Yunnan Mu family was so wealthy, but the court had allowed them to live at ease.
Why is this?
Jiang Qingzhi thought of the period of Emperor Jianwen, when calls for reducing the power of the princes were rampant in the court, which subsequently triggered a great war among the royal family.
The result of the great war was the fall of Emperor Jianwen and the ascension of Emperor Chengzu to the throne.
If Chengzu had not launched a counterattack, would the court have targeted the Mu family in Yunnan?
Jiang Qingzhi felt that this possibility was very high.
But after the incident with Emperor Chengzu, the emperors and generals all tacitly maintained tolerance towards Yunnan.
Don't push them too much, otherwise there will be another Jingnan Campaign, and God knows what kind of trouble will come out.
"The Yunnan Mu family is lucky." Jiang Qingzhi said calmly: "After Emperor Chengzu, successive emperors have been quite tolerant of the Mu family. But this tolerance is not without bottom line."
Mu Shu originally thought that Jiang Qingzhi's visit was a routine matter, and the court was still indifferent to Mu Chaobi's actions. So after hearing Jiang Qingzhi's cold words, he couldn't help but feel excited.
"Yes." At this moment, Jiang Qingzhi represented Emperor Jiajing. Mu Shu said respectfully, "The Mu family will obey your majesty's orders."
——The Mu family will do whatever His Majesty arranges.
"Third Lady." A maid came in and glanced at Jiang Qingzhi. Mu Shu nodded and said, "Go ahead!"
The maid said, "Mu Xi is here."
Mu Shu said, "Mu Xi is Mu Chaobi's man."
Mu Xi came in hurriedly, and when he saw Jiang Qing, he subconsciously sneered at Mu Shu, thinking, you hid the fact that Jiang Qing was here, just to see me make a fool of myself?
Now that Duke Mu Rong of Qian is gone, someone must take over Yunnan. Otherwise, Mu Chaobi only needs to secretly incite them, and those chieftains will make a fuss, causing a stir in the southwest.
Therefore, Mu Xi was fearless. After paying his respects, he said, "Greetings, Lord Earl. The governor has sent a message that the Duke has passed away. The governor has no time to care about it. The chieftains in various places are a little restless. Please make a decision in the court..."
This is a threat!
It is also a gesture: Yunnan cannot do without me, Mu Chaobi.
Mu Shu and Xiang Jin looked at Jiang Qingzhi, nervously waiting for the attitude of this Mohist leader.
Jiang Qingzhi looked at Mu Xi and said calmly, "Mu Chaobi, do you dare to rebel?"
(End of this chapter)
