Chapter 682
: We want to see the secret report from Prince Jin's Mansion three days earlier than
In the newly built Chengyun Hall of Kunning Palace, there is a quiet and solemn atmosphere.
The exquisite bronze crane stove stands steadily, and the wisps of sandalwood drift out from the stove mouth.
It is like a soft gauze, interweaving with the shadows of the sun shining through the carved window lattices.
The two of them skillfully outlined mottled crane patterns on the smooth gold brick floor.
It is like a dream, as if bringing the entire space into a misty fairyland.
Zhu Yuanzhang sat behind the imperial desk, looking a little solemn.
His thumb slowly stroked the half-worn Hetian jade dragon pendant on the imperial desk.
The movements were gentle and slow, as if he was having a silent conversation with the jade pendant.
This jade pendant is not ordinary, it is the dowry of Queen Ma.
It carries the deep emotions between the couple and the memories of the long years.
If you look closely, you can see that the tail of the jade still has a chip that was accidentally knocked out by a stray arrow during the battle against Chen Youliang.
This missing corner is like a scar of time, recording the glorious years of war and battle.
At this time, Zhu Gang stood under the steps with his hands hanging down respectfully.
He was wearing a robe with python pattern. The gold thread embroidered on the robe flickered in the changing light and shadow, just like his uneasy mood at the moment.
Zhu Gang, standing under the red steps, lowered his head slightly, not daring to look Zhu Yuanzhang in the eye.
He could only wait quietly, feeling the oppressive and solemn atmosphere in the hall, as if even his own breathing had become cautious.
At this time, Zhu Gang noticed that there were two urgent reports stacked on Zhu Yuanzhang's desk. The wax seal on the corners was the wolf head seal of Datong Guard. It seemed that they were the latest military reports from Fu Youde, Lan Yu, Mu Ying and others on the expedition to Yunnan.
The sound of abacus beads clacking could be heard from the duty room in the corner of the palace. It should be the Ministry of Revenue calculating the loss of salt transported from Shanxi to Beiping Prefecture.
"Your Majesty, Wang Biao had no choice but to bring a knife into the palace."
Zhu Gang deliberately raised his voice, startling a few birds on the eaves.
"Last night, I was hosting a banquet at the Jinlin Pavilion on the bank of the Qinhuai River. During the banquet, a blind singing girl suddenly knocked over the food table, and half of a Northern Yuan Dynasty official document fell out of her arms."
Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the jade pendant in his hand on the table.
"When did the guards of Prince Jin's Mansion start to take charge of catching thieves in Yingtian Prefecture?"
"It's not meddling in other people's business."
Zhu Gang took out a blood-stained white handkerchief from his sleeve. The corner of the handkerchief was embroidered with a half-opened honeysuckle flower.
“Three days ago, my guards seized three carts of pepper at Jubao Gate, and this handkerchief was tucked into the owner’s account book.
Coincidentally, the official in the Ministry of Personnel, Mr. Chen, who was assassinated in December last year, was also clutching a half-piece of handkerchief with the same pattern before his death.
The hall suddenly became so quiet that one could hear the ticking of a copper clock.
At this time, Empress Ma put down the "Instructions for Women" she was reading and tapped lightly on the huanghuali table with her fingertips.
"Chongba, last year, I ordered people to clean up the border market in Taiyuan and uncovered twelve cases of Northern Yuan spies pretending to be Hu merchants.
Now that assassinations have repeatedly occurred in Yingtian, he brought his personal guards to protect the emperor, which seemed to be a precautionary measure. "
Zhu Yuanzhang raised his thick eyebrows and glanced at the deerskin quiver on Zhu Gang's waist.
This quiver was made of Liaodong deerskin that he personally bestowed upon him in the eighth year of Hongwu, and the words "guard the border" were engraved on the buckle of the quiver.
At this time, a eunuch outside the palace suddenly reported: "The chief secretary of the Duke of Song's mansion wants to see you, saying that Datong urgently needs the Firearms Bureau to dispatch rapid-fire muskets."
"Thirty percent of the Firearms Institute's inventory was just allocated to Yongping Guard last month."
Zhu Gang seized the opportunity and said, "I still have 20 improved swarm rockets in my guard camp. If your father approves, I can keep five for the Beijing Guard Commandery..."
"Wait a minute."
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stared at the jade crown that Zhu Gang wore to hold his hair. "You said you would return to Taiyuan with the guard battalion tomorrow?"
In the shadows under the red steps, Zhu Gang's Adam's apple rolled slightly. "I received a secret report from Taiyuan Guards: Northern Yuan Taiwei Manzi Hague is hoarding food and grass in Jining Road. Three of my guards used to be horse bandits at Fengzhou Beach and are familiar with the terrain of the southern desert."
"Jining Road?"
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly sneered, pulled out a map from the desk and threw it on the ground. The official road from Datong to Yingtian on the map was marked with red dots in cinnabar.
“You know that the post station from Taiyuan to Datong was robbed seven times last month.
What, the guard battalion of the Prince Jin's Mansion is planning to suppress the bandits along the way?"
The sound of abacus in the duty room in the corner of the palace suddenly stopped.
Zhu Gang stared at the "Fengyu Posthouse" circled with ink on the map - it was exactly the place where he had ordered the guard camp to ambush three days ago.
At this time, the night watch drum sounded outside the hall, and the sunlight at three quarters past noon shone obliquely on the bronze tortoise candlestick in front of the imperial desk.
Zhu Yuanzhang's shadow was cast on Zhu Gang's chest, like a heavy yoke.
"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Fifth Prince sent a newly made heat-relief potion."
The eunuch came in with a celadon food box. When the lid was opened, the fragrance of mint and licorice wafted out.
Zhu Su's prescription was pressed at the bottom of the food box, with a crooked medicine grinder painted on the corner.
This was his usual code, indicating that he had something secret to report.
Empress Ma took the opportunity to stand up, and when she walked around the imperial desk, a Sichuan brocade handkerchief fell from her sleeve.
"Your filial piety is commendable. I always feel that the floor tiles in Kunning Palace are too cold these days. The kang in Taiyuan is warmer."
She glanced meaningfully at the "Imperial Ming Ancestor Instructions" on Zhu Yuanzhang's desk. The page was turning to the section "Vagrant Kings Prepare for Border Defense."
Zhu Gang suddenly knelt down and pulled out a secret letter engraved with wax from his boot.
"This is what I received this morning. The Shaanxi Dusi said that there is a Mongolian caravan with 20 carts of good horses, and they will not allow me to pass through the customs until I return to Taiyuan."
"A good horse?"
Zhu Yuanzhang tapped the "Piantou Pass" on the map with his finger and said, "The trade market you set up in Taiyuan last year is more effective than the Tea and Horse Bureau of the imperial court."
Although his words were sharp, his tone was somewhat relaxed.
The sound of the abacus in the duty room in the corner of the hall was heard again, and this time the beads were moved much more quickly.
At this time, there was a noise outside the hall, and a dispute about "Jubao Gate demolishing the wall and injuring people" could be vaguely heard.
Zhu Su said at the right time: "I was dispensing medicine at Yingtian Clinic today, and heard from the people that Jiangning County demolished half of the land temple to build an official road.
Bricks and stones were piled up at the entrance of the alley, forcing three tofu shops to stop working.
"The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said that the renovation of old cities is only 20% short of completion."
Zhu Yuanzhang picked up the report on the desk and shook it. The edges of the yellow paper were already frayed.
"How come when the people talk about it, it becomes a harsh policy?"
Zhu Gang took the opportunity to look up and said, "There are several soldiers from Yingtian in my guard camp. They said that the people of Jurong County posted the demolition notice on the pillars of the stage in the City God Temple, and they sing a segment of "A Harsh Government is Fierce than a Tiger" before the opera starts every day."
He suddenly caught a glimpse of the four tiny words "Be cautious and patient" embroidered on the bright yellow lining of his father's cuffs. It was the handwriting of Empress Ma.
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stood up, walked to Zhu Gang, and helped him up with his own hands.
This action caused the shadow under the steps to shake suddenly, and Zhu Gang smelled a faint smell of sulfur on his father's robe.
That was the unique smell of sealing wax and incense mixed together when reviewing military newspapers.
"You can go back to Taiyuan if you want."
Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his voice so that only the nearby Tonghelu could hear it.
"But half of the craftsmen from the Firearms Institute must stay. And..."
He stroked the inscription "Guard the Border" on the red deerskin quiver with his fingertips. "As for the robbery at Fengyu Posthouse, we need to see the secret report from the Prince of Jin's Mansion three days earlier than the Ministry of War can rush to report." (End of this chapter)