Chapter 147 The fishing lights on the river are lit for you
After hearing Xu Da's words, Zhu Yuanzhang's three adopted sons all thought that what their adoptive father was planning to do was unreliable.
"Brother Biao is also going to participate in the memorial service. How can his adoptive father be so confident that he can disguise himself and hide it from Biao?" Zhu Wenzheng's face was full of disbelief. "I'm worried that he will get into trouble."
Li Wenzhong put his head in his hands, imitating Chen Biao's bad habit of shaking his head. "Why has my adoptive father become so strange since he ascended the throne?"
Chen Ying said politely, "Prime Minister Xu, please persuade my adoptive father to reconsider."
Xu Da asked, "Your Majesty is so confident. We are just waiting to see what happens. Why should we persuade him?"
The three of them were silent.
They suddenly remembered that this Prime Minister Xu was a person who loved to watch the fun. It was impossible to rely on him for non-essential matters.
The three of them could only hope that their stepmother could persuade their stepfather.
Ma Xiuying was indeed trying to persuade Zhu Yuanzhang. She could understand Zhu Yuanzhang's desire to give Biao'er a surprise, but she was more worried about Zhu Yuanzhang's identity being exposed.
The fortune teller who had broken his head had passed away, and none of them knew the extent to which this "unreturnable" state could be achieved. What if Biaoer knew that he was the crown prince and wanted to return to the throne?
Zhu Yuanzhang patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, I'm ready!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was very stubborn. Once he made up his mind, even Ma Xiuying could not persuade him. The only person who could persuade him was Chen Biao.
Chen Biao must not be allowed to know the truth about this matter. Chen Biao could not persuade Ma Xiuying, and Ma Xiuying could only worry.
"I think Biaoer knew your identity in advance. What should you do?" Ma Xiuying stomped her feet in anger.
Zhu Yuanzhang patted his chest again: "Absolutely no problem."
Seeing that Zhu Yuanzhang was so confident, Ma Xiuying could only let him do what he wanted.
Zhu Yuanzhang was indeed well prepared.
He and a stand-in pretending to be him went to the scene, sent Chen Biao away, then changed his clothes and presided over the memorial service on the platform, and then changed his clothes back. There would definitely be no problem.
After hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's plan, Ma Xiuying felt a little relieved.
"Okay, be careful." Ma Xiuying said helplessly, "Biao'er will definitely be very happy to see the emperor preside over the memorial service."
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "To make Biaoer happy, this little risk is worth taking."
Ma Xiuying was helpless, but after listening to Zhu Yuanzhang's words, she couldn't help but laugh: "Okay."
Zhu Yuanzhang delayed the memorial service on the pretext that "there was no auspicious day." After Xu arrived in Beiping, Chen Biao learned that Emperor Hongwu would personally attend the memorial service.
He was stunned for a long time, then accepted the decree, and couldn't help but feel a surge of goodwill towards this founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty who had not yet shown any signs of madness or violence.
Chen Biao thought that he was working harder and harder now. In addition to being forced to be pulled into this chaotic world from being a "bystander" during the Battle of Hongdu, Zhu Yuanzhang's own personal charm made him want to help involuntarily, which was also an important reason.
"Your Majesty has military duties to attend to. Upon arriving in Peking, he will be inspecting the border that very day. No unnecessary formalities are necessary," Xu Da said. "I will stay here for a while. Isn't Peking short of food and money? Your Majesty has asked me to stay here. Please prepare the report and hand it directly to me for review. I will then send you food and money."
Chen Biao said gratefully, "Thank you, Prime Minister Xu."
Xu Da pretended to be wronged: "Biao'er, what's the matter? Now that you are the prefect, you don't even want to call me uncle."
Chen Biao said with a straight face, "Public affairs are public affairs, and private affairs are private affairs. Public and private affairs must be clearly distinguished and cannot be confused. Your Majesty and Prime Minister Xu are willing to do me a favor, so I should be even more cautious in everything I do."
Xu Da gave Zhu Yuanzhang a look that said, "Look, Biao'er is here again."
Zhu Yuanzhang patted Chen Biao on the shoulder and said, "Well said. Xu Da, you should learn more."
Xu Da sighed and smiled, "Okay, I'll definitely study hard. I'm also a cautious person who clearly distinguishes between public and private matters. Boss, don't you know me well enough?"
Although Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to criticize Xu Da, he knew that Xu Da was indeed such a person. He nodded slightly and said, "Keep it up and learn more from my son Biao!"
Chen Biao was originally very serious, but after hearing his father's words, he lost his seriousness. He joked, "Dad, Uncle Xu is the Prime Minister now. You should respect him. You see, Uncle Xu will be ranked among the top three meritorious officials in the future. His status may be higher than yours."
Xu Da was delighted. "Yes! His Majesty said that a group of founding heroes should be selected by next year at the latest. I can definitely be considered in the top three. Boss, you are just a shadow guard, so you might not even have a name."
Zhu Yuanzhang: “?” Do you believe I’ll write your name third from the bottom?!
Xu Da ran away after having fun, without giving Zhu Yuanzhang a chance to beat him, which made Zhu Yuanzhang so angry that his face turned blue.
Chen Biao comforted Zhu Yuanzhang: "It's okay, Dad. The secret things you did are not easy to record as merits. His Majesty said that your merits will be given to me directly by the prince in the future. I will definitely be made a Duke. Our family will definitely have a high status in the future!"
Zhu Yuanzhang had mixed feelings: "Yeah."
His mind is now full of thoughts about how to kick Xu Da out of the top three in the merit list, and at most give him fourth place.
I told you to be a bad mouth! I made you lose face!
Zhu Wenzheng, Li Wenzhong, and Chen Ying were unable to meet Chen Biao immediately after returning to Beiping. Zhu Yuanzhang had sent the three of them to take over military affairs, especially the issue of pensions.
The three of them were the main generals guarding Peking. Although they did not participate in the battle, it was normal for them to take over this matter. Even if Chen Biao wanted to do it himself, as a civil official, it was not easy to seize the power of the military generals, so he was "forced" to hand over the matter.
Zhu Yuanzhang assigned Chen Biao another deputy, Chen Lin.
Chen Lin was Ye Zheng's disciple. He had initially followed Ye Zheng in farming, and since he was skilled in business, he immediately arranged the spring plowing in an orderly manner upon arriving in Peking. Apart from preparing for the memorial service, Chen Biao was completely idle.
Chen Lin became Chen Biao's deputy, feeling both excited and aggrieved.
He was instructed by his respected teacher Mr. Ye Zheng, and wanted to use his teacher's face to study under Chen Biao.
That happened in the 23rd year of Zhizheng (1363).
Zhu Yuanzhang was in dire need of capable clerks, and Li Shanchang was working himself to a pulp. Furthermore, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't allow an unfamiliar young man to follow Chen Biao directly, so he brought Chen Lin with him for observation.
After that, Chen Lin always followed Li Shanchang, buried in various numbers, and was completely "forgotten" by Zhu Yuanzhang.
This year is the first year of Hongwu (1367), and it took Chen Lin four full years to achieve his goal.
If Zhu Yuanzhang no longer wanted to think of him, he would almost become the successor of Li Xiang, who lamented every day, "I am old and want to retire."
As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang summoned him, Chen Lin immediately threw away the seal of the fifth-rank official of the Secretariat , packed his bags and headed north to serve as the Tongzhi of Beiping.
Tongzhi is the second-in-command of the prefectural-level administrative unit. Although his rank is also the fifth rank, the status of Beijing officials is higher than that of local officials, especially in the Secretariat, which is the reserve for prime ministers.
Even if Beiping became Beijing, it was still a frontier city. How could it be the same as the Zhongshu Province doctors who had the opportunity to see the emperor? Colleagues did not understand why Chen Lin was so eager to be transferred out.
Chen Lin said that he was tired of meeting the emperor, and now joining Chen Biao had become his obsession.
Four years! Four whole years! He's been dreaming about this thing!
Four years were enough for Chen Lin to go from a "stranger" to one of Zhu Yuanzhang's trusted clerks.
Looking at Chen Lin's resentful eyes, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a little guilty.
Just a little bit.
Chen Lin's talent for calculation was particularly useful. After using it, Li Shanchang and he became inseparable from it. They had to take him with them even for logistics, so they stayed for a while longer.
"Before, Biao'er didn't have many mundane tasks and didn't need you. Now that he can use you, didn't I give you to him immediately?" After Zhu Yuanzhang made an excuse, he no longer felt guilty.
That’s right!
Chen Lin didn't believe it at all. But since the emperor had already made excuses, what else could he do? He could only say, "The emperor is right."
He hoped that he would never work with Li Gong again and would never meet the emperor again.
During these four years, he slept for a maximum of three hours a day, and most of the time he could only sleep for two and a half hours or even two hours.
Sometimes, he would just fall asleep and be dragged out of bed by Emperor Zhu, who was not yet emperor, to settle the score with him.
Chen Lin used to have thick, black hair, but now it's thinning, less than half its former volume. After a few more years of serving the emperor, Chen Lin is worried that he won't even be able to wear his hair in a bun.
Why are the Emperor and Lord Li so energetic?! Chen Lin racked his brains but couldn't figure it out.
Of course, Zhu Yuanzhang and Li Shanchang couldn't understand why Chen Lin, who was so young, was so sleepy.
You are in the prime of your life. Now that you have the opportunity, you should work tirelessly to achieve success. How can you sleep if you don't finish your work?
Chen Lin: Goodbye!
Zhu Yuanzhang ignored Chen Lin's resentment and said, "Alright, alright, let's put this matter behind us. You should assist Biao'er well in the future. Your future by the Crown Prince's side will not be worse than working in the Secretariat."
Chen Lin was puzzled: "Crown Prince? Who is the Crown Prince?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was puzzled: "Biao'er, don't you know?"
Chen Lin's eyes almost popped out: "Who?!"
Zhu Yuanzhang: "Biao'er..."
Chen Lin suddenly realized, "No wonder Your Majesty trusts Biao'er so much... trusts Prefect Chen. So Prefect Chen isn't General Chen's son, but Your Majesty's crown prince? Is General Chen helping Your Majesty raise the child?"
Zhu Yuanzhang angrily said, "Bullshit! Stop talking nonsense! I am Chen Guorui! Do you really not know?"
Chen Lin: “…Ah?!” He almost popped his eyes out again.
Zhu Yuanzhang was puzzled: "Didn't you already know that Biao'er was the crown prince, so you wanted to follow Biao'er for four years?"
Chen Lin: "...How would I know?! I don't know!!"
Zhu Yuanzhang: “…”
Chen Lin; “…”
The two looked at each other.
…
Chen Biao had no idea that something was happening somewhere in his home where they were staring at each other in silence.
Emperor Hongwu selected an auspicious day, and Chen Biao put on his hastily made official uniform and prepared to receive him.
Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to inherit the greatness of the Tang Dynasty, and many of its systems were inherited from it. When preparing to ascend the throne, he specifically instructed that the government should also imitate the Tang Dynasty's style.
During the Ming Dynasty, officials from the first to the fourth rank all wore red robes. The prefect of Beiping was a fourth rank official, while Zhu Yuanzhang's self-created position of the Chancellery of the Imperial Household was a second rank official. Although the Chancellery of the Imperial Household is now only a name and the position of Chancellery of the Imperial Household is not a real position, Zhu Yuanzhang specially granted Chen Biao the uniform of a second rank official.
Zhu Yuanzhang was still thinking about giving Chen Biao better clothes when he was a little older, so that others would not be unaware of his identity and offend him.
At this time, the official uniform of the Ming Dynasty did not yet have the animal patterns on the front and back of the clothes, but was just a red robe with patterns.
Chen Biao's second-rank official uniform was embroidered with small unique flower patterns, which was low-key, gorgeous and profound. However, because he stuffed several thick clothes under the uniform, it looked too round and a little funny.
Funny is funny, but Chen Biao doesn't care about warmth or grace.
Chen Biao felt a little embarrassed wearing the bright red official robe to attend the memorial ceremony.
Shouldn't we wear plain clothes for memorial services? This bright red robe...
However, the soldiers did not care at all and were deeply moved. In their eyes, it was much more respectable for a high-ranking official to come to their memorial service in official uniform than in plain casual clothes.
On the day of the memorial service, Chen Biao finally met his three brothers.
The four brothers had no time to reminisce about the past. They all stood solemnly beside the fake Zhu Yuanzhang in their official uniforms.
After Chen Biao became the crown prince, he could no longer perform the ritual of saluting Zhu Yuanzhang. If he did, Zhu Yuanzhang's substitute would hang himself. Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang warned Chen Biao not to perform the ritual of saluting.
After the fake Zhu Yuanzhang hurriedly encouraged Chen Biao with a few words, Chen Biao was arranged to go to another place to scatter yellow paper and read a eulogy.
Zhu Yuanzhang quickly changed clothes with the fake Zhu Yuanzhang and presided over the memorial service.
It was a cold spring day, and because the river had thawed for some time, the water vapor was evaporating, and the heavy snow fell even heavier than in winter.
Zhu Yuanzhang found an excuse, saying that Chen Biao was young and could not stand the cold, and sent someone to send Chen Biao back to Beiping after scattering paper money.
Chen Biao just scratched his head in the carriage: "I always feel something is weird."
But he thought hard and couldn't figure out what was strange. He could only attribute it to Zhu Yuanzhang not paying attention to those red tapes, as long as the intention was there.
Could it be that the emperor and his father were colluding to hide something from him?
Chen Biao was amused by his own imagination.
How is that possible? Even if my father was hiding something from me, what merit did he have to allow the Hongwu Emperor to do the same? The Hongwu Emperor wasn't the idiot that my father was.
After Chen Biao finished laughing, he lifted the heavy curtains of the carriage and looked at the heavy snow outside the carriage.
When they were almost reaching Peking City, the sky was dark and Chen Biao was a little distracted as he looked at the snowflakes covered with a layer of dusk shadows.
He thought, the weather has been warm for quite some time, yet it's been cold lately, and today it's snowing heavily. Could it be that the heavens are really capable of making paper money from the snowflakes to commemorate the fallen soldiers?
Then Chen Biao shook his head.
So many soldiers have died in these troubled times. When has God ever shown mercy? Instead of being moved by the normal weather, it is better to think about serious things.
For example, will this late spring cold snap affect spring ploughing? If it persists, I'm afraid the seeds will rot in the ground.
Chen Biao was thinking when he suddenly noticed some fire in front of him.
He immediately asked, "What's going on?"
After inquiring, the guard replied, "The people of Peking knew today they were going to commemorate the soldiers who died while blocking the Yuan army's attack on Peking, so they spontaneously hung lanterns at their doorsteps. The fishermen in the river also hung lanterns, saying that most of our Ming soldiers are based in the south, and that by following these lanterns, we can find the way to the Grand Canal."
Chen Biao was slightly stunned.
He asked again, "This was originally the capital of the Yuan Dynasty. We have been here for less than a year."
After this month, it will have been just one year.
The guard said, "They've had enough to eat this year, and no one has starved to death. Of course, they don't want the Yuan soldiers to come back. Furthermore, the Yuan soldiers are fierce, and if they return to Peking, they will definitely rob and kill."
The guard paused, then continued, "When we entered Peking, we didn't kill anyone and even fed them. They don't want the Yuan soldiers to return. That's what the people say."
Obviously, the guard asked the same question as Chen Biao.
Chen Biao was stunned for a moment, then whispered, "Is that so? Don't go back yet, take me to Tonghui River."
The guards obeyed the order and drove the carriage to Tonghui River.
Team leader Chen Ying rode over and asked, "Biao'er, what happened?"
Chen Biao shook his head: "Nothing, I just want to come here and take a look for a while before going back."
Chen Ying looked at the fishing fires in the Tonghui River and sighed, "Okay, I'll build you a fire."
Chen Biao sat on a rock by the river. Chen Ying asked someone to hold an umbrella for him to block the snow and lit a bonfire next to him.
"The villages outside Peking have hung up lanterns, but what about in the city?" asked Chen Biao.
Chen Ying said, "The guard I ordered to open the gate just came back and said that lanterns were also lit ."
Chen Biao hugged his knees and hummed a song softly.
Chen Ying was surprised: "Did you write this song?"
Chen Biao shook his head: "No, I just happened to hear it." He learned it when he was forced to participate in a choir competition during the university anniversary celebration.
Chen Ying said, "Can you teach me to sing? I haven't heard a similar tune before."
Chen Biao nodded, his voice a little louder.
"The north wind blows, and the reed catkins dance across the sky covered with frost..."
With just a few simple lyrics in plain language, Chen Ying was able to sing along quickly.
The soldiers guarding them couldn't help but hum along.
Soon, starting from someone, the singing became louder and louder, and the lyrics became clearer and clearer.
The Tonghui River had thawed, but a few days of late spring cold hadn't frozen the river solid yet. Fishermen's boats were on the river, just in time to break through the floating ice and catch fish.
There are still fish to be caught at night, so the fishermen don’t go to bed so early.
After hearing the singing, they went to the deck to watch curiously. When they saw the young man in official uniform, even if they didn't recognize Chen Biao, they immediately knew that this was the magistrate Chen who had saved their family from starvation this year.
The lyrics sung by Chen Biao were the "elegant language" used in official circles, which the fishermen could hardly understand.
A minor official who understood both classical Chinese and northern dialect had an idea and sang it out loud in the Han dialect commonly used in Peking.
The fisherman who was lying on the bow deck and kowtowing to Chen Biao was stunned for a moment when he heard the lyrics in plain language. He didn't know where he got the courage from, but he actually started singing along.
He still sang at the top of his lungs.
Fishermen all know how to sing fishing songs. Singing fishing songs is one of the few hobbies for fishermen to pass the time, and it is also a way for them to communicate with neighboring boats.
The fisherman looked thin, but his voice was much louder than Chen Biao's.
Chen Biao listened to the fishermen's songs, stood up, and started singing loudly.
He will not be twelve until the end of this year. He is currently in the last stage of his childhood voice before voice change, and his voice is very clear and pleasant.
Led by Chen Biao, Chen Ying and the guards also lowered their voices.
Soon, new fishermen joined in; in the villages outside the city, people also stood at the door with lanterns and sang along.
They were by the river at the city gate.
It was unknown when the city gate opened. Ma Xiuying, wearing a veiled hat and holding a white lantern, led a group of people holding lanterns out and walked to the river.
Under the command of the garrison, fishing boats and government ships were lined up in two rows on the river bank, all brightly lit.
"Mom, why are you here?" Chen Biao quickly stopped singing.
Ma Xiuying smiled and wiped away Chen Biao's tears, saying, "It sounds very nice."
Chen Biao pursed his lips and said, "Is this okay? Will it cause trouble to the people?"
Ma Xiuying said, "Do you think I brought them here? No, they asked to leave the city and come to the river to see the soldiers off."
Chen Biao was stunned, then nodded slowly: "Okay, we'll give them a ride."
Chen Biao took a lantern and stood side by side with Ma Xiuying by the river.
The long lights outline a road leading to the distance.
Zhu Yuanzhang left only a quarter of an hour later than Chen Biao. When he returned, he happened to see this shocking scene from afar.
Zhu Yuanzhang, like Chen Biao, asked what had happened.
After learning the reason, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the long road of lights, stopped his horse, and wondered what he was thinking.
"Your Majesty, aren't you going over?" Xu Da asked. "Now that you've changed your clothes, Biao'er won't know you're the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty."
Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath, jumped off his horse, and strode towards his wife and children by the river.
Zhu Wenzhen and Li Wenzhong followed closely behind and also ran over quickly.
"Godfather, wait for me!"
"Godfather, why don't you ride a horse? Why do you have to run?!"
Xu Da did not go there.
He and Yan Qian leaned against the carriage, staring at the lights in a daze.
