Chapter 129 Chen Tan's First Outing
Most of the journey from Yingtian to Haozhou is by boat, with only a short section of the river to the city gate requiring a carriage. This is why Zhu Yuanzhang was confident in letting his second and third sons travel with Chen Biao.
In this era, traveling by car is tiring, and water transportation is the most comfortable way to travel.
Chen Biao, Chen Chong, and Chen Tan rode in one carriage, while Ji Renshou and Zhang Chang rode in another. The carriages of the other accompanying civil officials were smaller and carried more passengers. The leading military officers, Zhu Wenzheng and Yan Qian, rode at the head and tail of the convoy, guarding the convoy.
Yan Qian quietly became Chen Biao's exclusive guard captain, which made Chen Ying extremely envious.
Chen Ying originally thought that this position belonged to him. However, after Zhu Yuanzhang learned from Chen Biao that Chen Ying would become the famous "Prince Mu" in later generations, he was unwilling to waste his talent and made Chen Ying a small guard captain, carefully training and making use of Chen Ying, which made Chen Ying quite helpless.
Yan Qian was implicated in Shao Rong's rebellion and was guilty. Now that he was allowed to lead the troops again, the other generals were inevitably worried. Keeping Yan Qian by Chen Biao's side would allow him to utilize his talents without making him look too high-ranking, as if he had not been punished.
Of course, the most important thing is that Yan Qian has already considered himself Chen Biao's disciple and wants to serve his master. Zhu Yuanzhang has great confidence in Yan Qian's determination to protect Chen Biao, a stubborn scholar like him.
Ji Renshou and Zhang Chang were already "friends." They were also of similar age. In the past, the two old men would have engaged in a lively conversation, discussing poetry and philosophy. But now, Zhang Chang, citing fatigue as an excuse, simply leaned back in the car and took a nap.
Ji Renshou also closed his eyes and took a nap, observing Zhang Chang with a slit in his eye.
In another carriage, Chen Biao rolled up the curtain, allowing Chen Chong and Chen Chong to stick their heads out to look at the world outside the carriage.
This was the first time Chen Chong and Chen Tan left Yingtian City.
Yingtian Prefecture, Zhu Yuanzhang's base camp, was run by the Chen family for nearly ten years. Even compared with the prosperous dynasties, it was considered prosperous.
After the carriage drove out of the Yingtianfu city gate, the scene changed as if the carriage was driving from one world to another.
Outside the city of Yingtian Prefecture, the scene of endless fields and roads can be considered prosperous.
Under the guidance of the experienced southern farmers recruited by the Chen family, Yingtian has also achieved a double cropping system. Now is the busy season for summer harvest and autumn planting. Soldiers stationed in the fields and the farmers working on the land help each other, busy in the fields, and the scene looks prosperous.
Just looking closely at the bodies of the people, you can see that they are skinny and ragged. If it weren't for the joy on their faces that made them look a bit more alive, they would look like mummified skeletons.
Chen Chong was puzzled: "Are there corrupt officials? Or is the Emperor's tax collection too high? They look so pitiful."
Chen Biao shook his head. "Without corrupt officials, the Ming Emperor's tax collection is considered normal in this era. The people who farm around Yingtian have a pretty good life in this chaotic world. Look at the expressions on their faces; they're very satisfied."
Chen Xun was even more puzzled: "How can they be satisfied when they are so thin? They don't look like they can have a full stomach."
Chen Biao said, "Even in a prosperous era with good weather and peace, farmers can't always have a full meal. As long as the whole family is not starving, we are very satisfied."
Chen Xun's lips moved as if he wanted to ask something, but in the end he didn't. He leaned against the carriage window and continued to watch the farmers busy in the fields.
Some farmers were walking along the official road. When they saw the colors of the flags in the Ming army's ceremonial guard, they knew that this ceremonial guard represented the Ming King.
The King of Ming has issued an order that when people see a marching procession, they must not kneel to avoid disturbing others.
After years of habit, the farmers didn't kneel, but instead straightened their colorless coarse clothing and bowed their heads toward the procession. Their gesture was different from the ceremonial bowing of scholars, more like the gesture of praying to the gods at a temple.
Chen Chong saw clearly that the farmers had excitement and gratitude on their faces, as if seeing the Ming King's procession was a very lucky thing.
Chen Chong asked again, "Are they grateful to the King?"
Chen Biao said, "Of course. The King gave them land and saved them from starvation, so they are grateful to the King."
Chen Jing muttered, "Is it enough to avoid starvation? Is it so easy to gain the gratitude of the people?"
Chen Biao didn't laugh at his third brother's naivety . He said, "You are old enough to do farm work. When you go home this time, I will divide the land among you. You can lead your subordinates to try it out yourself. It's difficult for you to understand it just by words. You will understand it after you actually do it yourself."
Chen Zhen excitedly asked, "Really? Give it to me? You won't take it back?"
Chen Biao nodded and said, "I won't take it back. These fields and their output are your pocket money. Don't you always complain that you use my money to buy me gifts? From now on, everything in the fields will be earned by your hard work, so there is no need to complain now."
Chen Jing clenched his fists and said, "Brother, just wait! I will definitely grow a lot of food and sell it to buy you a gift!"
Chen Xun immediately said, "Me too!"
Chen Biao smiled and said, "Okay."
Chen Chong was only one year younger than Chen Biao, and Chen Chong was three years younger. But not everyone was as precocious as Chen Biao; they all had the mental faculties of pure children. Upon hearing that there was land to be divided, they immediately cheered up, forgetting the gloom they had felt after seeing the impoverished lives of the people on the road.
Chen Biao let them do as they pleased.
How they feel and feel about it is up to them to decide. There's no point shouting "How can you not sympathize?" at the top of your lungs; it only makes you look mentally ill.
Besides, their family name is Chen, not Zhu. Why cultivate so many people who care about the country and the people? Are they just consumables for the Zhu family?
It is enough to have him and his father, two loyal ministers of the Zhu family. The younger brothers just need to have a simple sense of right and wrong and not cause trouble or endanger their lives.
When the carriage reached the Yangtze River, it was transferred to a large ship of the Ming navy.
Thanks to Chen Biao's efforts, the Ming navy finally had several decent large ships and no longer had to rely on fishing boats to make up the numbers.
Chen Biao was aboard the finest ship of the Ming navy. The Chinese have always valued prestige, and ancestor worship is the greatest display of it. Zhu Yuanzhang would not be frugal at this time.
It was Chen Chong and Chen Tan's first time on a boat. They ran around the deck without stopping for a moment, showing no signs of seasickness.
Chen Biao was even dizzy from them.
After instructing the two men not to get close to the side of the ship to avoid falling into the water, Chen Biao handed the task of looking after the child to Zhu Wenzhen, who had moved a chaise longue to the deck to enjoy the fresh air, and Yan Qian, who was commanding the navy at the bow, and went back to the cabin to sleep.
Chen Biao has more and more things to do now, so he sleeps whenever he has time and insists on getting four and a half hours of sleep every day.
If possible, he wouldn't mind sleeping for six hours.
When Chen Biao woke up, he found two more heat sources around him.
When I stood up and looked, I saw that it was indeed my two younger brothers who were tired from playing and were taking a nap on both sides of me.
Chen Biao was extremely helpless. If they were sleeping together, they could sleep together. Why were they squeezing together? He was sweating all over.
He got up and took a shower, then started today's martial arts training under the guidance of Yan Qian and Zhu Wenzhen.
After a while, the younger brothers came over rubbing their eyes and started practicing martial arts as well.
Judging from their posture, they were not much worse than Chen Biao. Chen Biao was even very depressed to find that, not to mention Chen Chong, even Chen Chong, who was three years younger than him, was much stronger than him.
Chen Biao looked down at the wooden spear in his hand, his face full of doubts about his life.
Zhu Wenzhen burst into laughter, not wanting to miss the opportunity to mock Chen Biao.
Yan Qian frantically tried to comfort him, "Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Most of the teacher's abilities lie in his studies, so it's normal for him to be a little weak in physical ability."
Chen Biao pouted, "Am I a military commander's child? To me, it seems that Ting'er and Ting'er are my father's biological sons, and I'm just an adopted child?"
Chen Xun immediately said, "My elder brother and I picked it up together!"
Chen Jing's face was filled with fear. He dropped the wooden knife in his hand and hugged Chen Biao tightly: "I want my big brother, not my father!"
Zhu Wenzheng said: "Brother Biao, I know you are unhappy about losing to your brother in strength, but you can't curse."
Chen Biao: “…”
How did my self-pity turn into cursing? I said my brothers were my father's biological sons, but I wasn't. Wasn't that just cursing myself?
Chen Biao once again saw clearly the position of his father in the hearts of his cousin and younger brother.
"Don't say that, Dad is very powerful." Chen Biao tried to change the impression of his father in the minds of his cousin and younger brother.
Zhu Wenzheng said: "I know Fourth Uncle is very powerful."
Chen Xun asked, "Really?"
Chen Zhen shook his head vigorously: "I don't believe it."
Zhu Wenzhen burst into laughter again, and that exaggerated smile made Chen Biao want to throw Zhu Wenzhen off the boat.
Compared to the laughter and joy on the Chen family's ship, the other ship carrying most of the civil servants responsible for the sacrifice was filled with a depressing atmosphere.
After Zhang Chang got on board, he still said nothing and locked himself in the cabin, doing nothing.
Ji Renshou was old and didn't want to go out in the wind, so he stayed in the cabin to rest.
The remaining civil servants and clerks were all silent and trembling with fear, not knowing why the atmosphere was so depressing under the two superiors.
Occasionally, they heard the laughter of children on the boat in front of them, which was not even drowned out by the river water, and they couldn't help feeling emotional.
"I used to think the children's screams were noisy, but now I think a little noise isn't bad either."
"Naughty kids are a headache, but I'd rather have a headache right now."
"I want to be in the same boat with Young Master Chen and ask him about the details of how he cursed Chen Zhuangyuan to death."
"There are three Young Master Chens on that ship now. You should call him the eldest Young Master Chen. Oh, I think so too."
"Don't talk about this! I heard that Lord Zhang and that Chen Zhuangyuan were once good friends. He scolded anyone who mentioned this matter in front of him."
"Oh? There's such a thing?"
"Master Zhang must be very distressed when his best friend turns against him."
"But for the sake of the people, Master Zhang has no choice."
"Yes, Lord Zhang is the most sober-minded among the former Yuan Dynasty officials. I heard that he is going to write an imperial edict calling on all former Yuan Dynasty officials to submit to our Ming King!"
"Is that true?"
"Yes! I heard it with my own ears! It was Chen Xiao... Master Chen and Master Zhang who said it! Master Chen will also be involved in this matter."
"As expected of Master Zhang! ...Master Zhang?"
The civil servants who were whispering at the bow looked at Zhang Chang with confusion as he looked angry.
Zhang Chang had just walked out of the cabin to get some fresh air when he heard these words that made him furious.
The subordinate asked with concern: "Master Zhang, you don't look well, are you seasick?"
Zhang Chang clenched his fists behind his back and said in a deep voice, "Yeah."
After saying that, he turned around and went back to the cabin again, and never came out again before docking to rest.
