Chapter 663 No Regrets, No Changes
"Anren Hou Linban said in front of the guests that Changwei Bo was a favored minister, and forced Chengguo Gong to sever ties with Changwei Bo in public. However, Chengguo Gong ordered people to send the guests away..."
Rui Jingxian lowered his head and said, "Ban Lin fainted on the spot, and the wedding was in an uproar."
Emperor Jiajing stroked the jade cone, "Lin Ban?"
"Your Majesty, Lin Ban is an old minister who once followed the late emperor out of the border." Huang Jin said.
"Your Majesty, Lin Ban considers himself a military giant and always talks about how he followed the late emperor. He also had a deep friendship with the old emperor." Rui Jingxian came prepared.
Seeing that Dao Ye was silent, Rui Jingxian continued, "Then many people started to make a fuss."
Zhu Xizhong must be very annoyed that his happy day turned out like this!
Huang Jin felt that if it were him, he would probably only be able to comfort the person.
"Duke Cheng has said that the Zhu family and the Jiang family are one. If anyone is dissatisfied today, just leave."
"How many people left?" asked Emperor Jiajing.
"More than ten people left." Rui Jingxian said, "Later, the groom came back and after hearing the news..." Rui Jingxian thought of his own reaction when he heard the news and couldn't help but glance at Emperor Jiajing.
"That young duke actually said that from now on, anyone who is rude to Lord Wei will be his enemy."
What the hell!
Huang Jin was stunned, "This is..."
Is this a change of style?
And it’s all for one person... Jiang Qingzhi.
……
"After Zhu Xizhong, Zhu Shitai, within forty or fifty years, the two families will surely be as close as brothers. In this way, the capital will have one more force. Moreover, Duke Chengguo and Earl Changwei are both close ministers to your majesty. Your majesty, you should think about Jiang Bin back then..."
Yan Song looked up and handed over the memorial.
This is an impeachment letter. Yesterday, Zhu Xizhong and his son embarrassed those nobles in public, and also made the attitude of the Duke's Mansion clear.
——The good man I used to be, I’m not going to be in the Duke’s Mansion anymore. From now on, the grudges are clear.
Emperor Jiajing did not even glance at the memorial. "Altan Khan is not far to the south. If we can defeat Altan Khan's army, the Ming Dynasty will see a dramatic change. What is Qingzhi talking about?"
"The turning point of the Ming Dynasty, the eve of drastic changes." Huang Jin said.
"At this turning point, on the eve of drastic changes, whoever stands in the wrong place will be ruthlessly abandoned. The trend is like a tide, mighty and powerful. Those who follow it will prosper, and those who go against it will perish!"
Emperor Jiajing's eyes were dark, "Zhu Xizhong and his son... Huang Ban."
"The servant is here."
"Reward Zhu Shitai as he wishes."
Huang Jin's face turned pale with horror.
As you wish, as your heart desires.
In response to the criticism, Dao Ye gave a slap in the face.
……
On the morning of the second day after the marriage, after his wife served tea, Zhu Xizhong took his son to worship their ancestors.
Burn incense and pray...
After a while, Zhu Xizhong looked up, "Da Lang."
"father."
"The Zhu family's current prosperity is not only due to the bravery of their ancestors, but more importantly, their standing on the right side."
Zhu Xizhong looked at the tablets and said, "When Emperor Chengzu was the Prince of Yan, our ancestors followed him. When Emperor Jianwen reduced the number of princes, our ancestors only needed to report illness or find other excuses to avoid this disaster in the eyes of the world."
Zhu Shitai nodded, and Zhu Xizhong smiled, "You also know what happened back then?"
"Second uncle said so."
"Oh! Tell me about it."
"My second uncle said that many things seem accidental, but they are inevitable. Emperor Jianwen had no choice but to reduce the power of the princes. The princes held heavy troops, and as the saying goes, with sharp weapons in hand, the desire to kill naturally arises. If the power of the princes is not reduced, there will inevitably be rebellion by the princes. This has been confirmed in the Former Han Dynasty."
Zhu Xizhong nodded.
"Emperor Chengzu could not sit back and wait for death, no one could do that. Therefore, the Jingnan Campaign was inevitable. I wonder, since it was inevitable, what determines victory or defeat?"
Zhu Xizhong looked at his son with interest. To be honest, he only started to think about such a profound question when he was close to 30 years old. He didn't expect his son to have such insights when he was only in his teens...
Brother!
He really loves his nephew very much.
"What do you think?"
"I have thought about the Jingnan Campaign over and over again. Emperor Chengzu was in desperate situations many times, but he always managed to survive. Once or twice would be fine. But so many times, Dad." Zhu Shitai looked at his father, "I feel that this is inevitable in the midst of chance."
"Continue." Zhu Xizhong looked at the tablets with a slight smile on his face.
"It's still what my second uncle said that there is inevitability in the accident. And where does this inevitability come from? The right time, the right place, and the right people? At that time, Emperor Jianwen was the legitimate emperor, so where did the right time and the right people come from? As for the right place, it goes without saying. Emperor Chengzu used a small corner of the country to compete with the entire Ming Dynasty... Emperor Chengzu achieved great success without the right time, the right place, and the right people..."
Zhu Shitai said seriously: "Second Uncle said that God has His will. Everyone lives within this will and according to God's arrangement. No matter how we struggle, the final result is already determined."
"So, you think there's no need to take sides?" Zhu Xizhong said.
The statements made by the father and son yesterday will bring huge changes to the Chengguogong family.
Never offend anyone and make friends widely, which means you don't have a stance and don't take sides...Standing on the side of the emperor is not called taking sides, that is obedience.
Even Yang Tinghe couldn't openly stand against the emperor. From not taking sides to taking sides, the Chengguo Mansion would have many more enemies and troubles.
Is it worth it?
This is what an elderly Zhu family member asked Zhu Xizhong after the wedding yesterday.
"Last night, an elder from the clan came to the house and talked to my father for a long time. All his words hinted that my father was impulsive." Zhu Xizhong smiled.
"Duke." The steward came and said, "Some people from the clan came and said it's not too late to mend the fence after the sheep have been lost."
"Look, this is forcing the emperor to abdicate." Zhu Xizhong laughed and said, "Being a good person has many advantages and few troubles. The clan has enjoyed prosperity and wealth for these years. Now that my father has changed his ways, how many people will be heartbroken, heartbroken! Hahahaha!"
He smiled, his eyes full of calmness. "I have made up my mind. But you are the heir to the title, if you are dissatisfied with this, many things will happen in the future. Tell me what you think."
"My second uncle said that God has His will. But God has His will, and people have souls." Zhu Shitai stood straight. "If everything is based on profit, it seems that wealth and honor can last forever, but in my eyes, that is just a lingering death, a walking corpse!"
Young people!
Looking at his son, Zhu Xizhong couldn't help but think of his own youth, when he was just as energetic.
Am I old?
Zhu Xizhong was stunned.
"The Duke of Chengguo's Mansion should abandon its profit-oriented approach."
"So, which side do you think our family should take?" Zhu Xizhong asked.
"You should!" Zhu Shitai said, "When you live, you must have your own... three views that my second uncle talked about, the understanding of the world, the understanding of yourself, and the understanding of value and interests. Once you have the understanding, you should naturally be loyal to your own understanding and live from your own standpoint."
"So, where do you think our family should stand?" Zhu Xizhong asked.
"Dad, I think our family should stand on the side of Daming."
"Go on." Zhu Xizhong's eyes were full of light, he saw his wife outside. As a woman, she shouldn't be inside the door, but at this moment, the Duke's wife was holding the doorpost, also looking at her son with a bright look in her eyes.
The young Duke said in a clear voice: "Zhu does not need to consider which side is more powerful or weaker, and who will benefit the most from being close to... Zhu only needs to remember one thing."
The servants outside seemed to sense the solemnity as well. They stood with their hands clasped behind their backs, listening to the future Duke Chengguo speaking loudly:
"The Zhu family should share the joys and sorrows of the country. The Zhu family should stand on the side of the Ming Dynasty. The interests of the Ming Dynasty are the interests of the Zhu family. The Ming Dynasty is in existence, and the Zhu family is in existence. The Ming Dynasty is prosperous, and the Zhu family is rich. The Ming Dynasty is destroyed, and the Zhu family is destroyed!"
Zhu Xizhong looked at his wife.
Suddenly he burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
The Duke's wife looked at the tablet and said, "Ancestors, are you satisfied with this heir?"
Amid the incense smoke, Zhu Xizhong said loudly: "Tell those tribesmen that yesterday's decision will not be regretted or changed!"
Turning back, he said to Zhu Shitai: "I originally asked you to study with your second uncle, thinking it was a constraint, and also to allow you to interact with the two princes. In this way, no matter who succeeds to the throne, the wealth of the Chengguo Mansion will continue, and you can also become a close minister to the emperor. But I didn't expect your second uncle to teach you like this..."
Zhu Xizhong was filled with emotion and said, "Go, take your wife to Xin'an Lane."
Zhu Shitai saluted. "Yes."
On that day, Duke Chengguo Zhu Xizhong made a public announcement that his statement yesterday would not be regretted and would not change!
The powerful and high-ranking officials are the most slippery people. In their eyes, the fate of the country is of no importance. Even if the Ming Dynasty is destroyed, the new rulers will have to use us, right?
So when Li Zicheng asked for money, these powerful officials didn't take it seriously at all. Everyone was thinking that the capital was captured and the emperor committed suicide, and the Ming Dynasty was about to be over.
A new emperor appoints new ministers. When a dynasty changes, the new ruler will often treat the powerful and noble relatives well in order to appease the people.
So, no money or food!
Then came torture...
Those powerful nobles and relatives only then realized that Emperor Taizu Gao was so kind.
Zhu Xizhong returned to the backyard.
"Miss."
Du Juan sat by the window, "Husband."
"Come with me to Xin'an Lane."
"Yes."
The two of them prepared themselves and then went out.
In the front yard, the Zhu clan members were very excited.
"Confucianism is now very powerful. What the Duke meant by this is that from now on, we will follow Jiang Qingzhi and the Mohists to the end?"
"The little duke has come out."
"Da Lang has arrived just in time."
"Da Lang, has the Duke been bewitched by Jiang Qingzhi?"
"As the eldest son and the heir of the Duke of Chengguo's Mansion, you can't be so foolish!"
Zhu Shitai stopped and said, "You are the ones who are confused!"
Everyone was stunned.
"This is a dead end!" an old man stamped his feet.
"You have to choose your own path. If you feel it is inappropriate, you can do whatever you want." Zhu Shitai nodded slightly and prepared to go out.
"You got married yesterday, where is Dalang going?" someone asked.
You should stay at home on your first wedding day.
"Go to Xin'an Lane."
Everyone was startled.
On that day, Duke Zhu Shitai and his newlywed wife went to Xin'an Lane to serve tea.
(End of this chapter)
