Li Wenzhong's Teaching of His Son

Yingtianfu City.

In just one day, due to the imprisonment of Vice Minister Guo Huan, most of the officials in the Ministry of Revenue were arrested.

This has caused many people to suffer from insomnia.

Meanwhile, in the western city, at the residence of the Duke of Cao.

Inside the study, Li Wenzhong was also not asleep.

I recall the scenes of court audiences during the day, and what I saw and heard in the main hall.

This nephew of the emperor was deeply moved.

First, he took out a whip from the drawer.

This was in the second year of the Hongwu reign, on the eve of his and Chang Yuchun, the Prince of Kaiping,'s expedition to the frontier, when the emperor bestowed upon them the horse whip!

The intention was to persuade him to become the whip of the Ming Dynasty, gallop across thousands of miles, and achieve great deeds!

To this day, it is kept in the mansion.

It had long been established as the Li family's rules, specifically used to educate their descendants!

Li Wenzhong examined it carefully for a moment, his face showing reminiscence.

That year, he wielded this whip, and together with the Prince of Kaiping, led troops into battle, approaching Shangdu and driving out Emperor Yuan Shundi!

In the same year, he joined forces with General Xu Da, marched out of Yanmen Pass, and captured Liu Tiemu, the Chief Minister!

That same year, he traveled three thousand miles, passing through Xingzhou, and subdued 40,000 enemy troops...

However, since returning to the capital in the twelfth year of the Hongwu reign, six years have passed, and he has not seen the wind and blood of the battlefield!

But he did not stop during this period.

For the sake of the greater good, he risked his life to offer advice on several occasions.

Two years ago, when the Hu Weiyong case had not yet been resolved, he once again wrote a letter of persuasion, which offended the emperor and put him in grave danger, with his life hanging by a thread.

If it weren't for the help of my aunt and nephew Xiong Ying, how could I be sitting here peacefully?

He harbored no resentment when the emperor's uncle reprimanded him.

On the contrary, the favors bestowed upon the royal family are something that can never be repaid in ten lifetimes!

As for the present, what I can't rest easy about are my few offspring...

Li Wenzhong calmed himself, glanced at the old servant by the door, and said, "Go and call Jinglong, Zengzhi, and Fangying over!"

"Yes, Your Highness! This old servant will go right away!"

After a cup of tea.

The Li family's sons arrived together and paid their respects.

"Father!"

As Li Wenzhong nodded, he looked at his eldest son, Li Jinglong, who was handsome and elegantly dressed, and abruptly asked, "Jiujiang, are you adapting well to your post in the Ministry of War?"

Li Jinglong was over twenty-four years old. His nickname was Jiujiang. He loved reading military books and was well-liked in the palace.

In February, he was summoned by the emperor and given an official position in the Ministry of War.

Upon hearing his father's question, Xiao Li, with his graceful demeanor and refined manners, bowed and replied, "Father, within the Ministry of War, I get along well with my colleagues, and handling documents is also quite smooth..."

Li Wenzhong frowned.

He knew his eldest son all too well.

Because of his intelligence from a young age and his family background as military officers, he developed a proud, arrogant, unrealistic, stubborn, and irresponsible personality.

If things don't change, they will surely cause trouble in time!

Of course, it's also his fault as a father, as he was leading troops in the field in his early years and couldn't take them under his wing to teach them.

"Hmph! How come I've heard that for decades you've frequently gone out to indulge in debauchery, showing no respect whatsoever to the old guard in the Ministry of War, including many uncles who fought alongside me?"

He discovered that his father had lost his temper and thoroughly understood his actions.

Li Jinglong was utterly astonished. His handsome face flushed crimson in an instant as he cried out, "Father! Son..."

Li Wenzhong had no intention of hearing any explanations. He rushed forward, whip in hand, and shouted, "Kneel down before your father!"

Snapped!

A whip lashed his eldest son, and Old Li felt a pang of pain in his heart. He said, "Kneel properly!"

"Do you think you're something special just because you were born into a noble family and have read a few books?"

"Let me tell you, your grandfather was a farmer, your great-grandfather was a farmer, and even I, your father, was a farmer when I was a child!"

"My current wealth and status didn't fall from the sky; I earned them piece by piece, and they were also bestowed upon me by your great-uncle... by the current Emperor!"

"The one thing we must never forget in this life is the path we came from!"

"Even if you end up on the battlefield one day, nobody likes to see you putting on airs, loving flattery, and wearing fancy clothes!"

"And our Li family doesn't need such empty formalities!"

"What we need are those who can charge into battle, those who can defend the Ming Dynasty, those who will not betray the Emperor's grace, and those who are loyal to the Emperor and love their country..."

Li Wenzhong would whip someone for every word they spoke.

"Father, your son... your son was wrong!"

In the end, she looked at her son, who was lying on the ground, wiping away tears, completely spineless.

How can he be a man?

Isn't it just like when my nephew Xiong Ying came to visit and casually mentioned that she was like a "girl"?

Disappointed, he frowned, sighed, and said, "I know you're intelligent!"

"But Jiujiang, you must remember this: the most useless things in this world are petty cleverness and great pride. You must keep in mind that humility allows you to accept others, stability allows you to accomplish things, and honesty allows you to establish yourself."

"Your biggest problem right now is your arrogance! Only by shedding your pride and calming your mind can you safeguard the family business and become a pillar of the Ming Dynasty!"

Li Wenzhong exhaled a breath of stale air, turned his head away, refusing to look at his eldest son's face, and said with a hardened heart, "This morning, when I entered the palace, I explained the situation to the Emperor and ordered you to resign your post and go to the army, starting as a common soldier..."

"Father!"

Upon hearing this arrangement...

Not only was Li Jinglong terrified, but the young Li Zengzhi and Li Fangying were also startled after regaining their senses and tried to persuade him.

But Li Wenzhong had already made up his mind, so how could he listen to reason?

Then, he turned his attention to his second son, raising an eyebrow and saying, "Zengzhi, you kneel down too!"

……

Imperial City.

Zhu Xiong Ying slept soundly that night.

Unaware of the many things that had happened inside and outside the palace.

For example, my cousin Li Wenzhong's family was thrown into chaos because of something he said unintentionally a month ago.

Even Li Jinglong, the second daughter of the Ming Dynasty, who was the first meritorious official of the Jingnan Campaign and the second generation of war god, had to go to the army to be a lowly soldier to hone his skills!

For example, inside the Ministry of Justice prison, Zhu Biao, Guo Huan's father, spent a day and two nights to find a breakthrough in the Guo Huan case.

For example, the thirteenth prince, Zhu Gui, was terrified of him, having nightmares all night and even wetting himself in fear...

When Zhu Xiong Ying opened her eyes, it was still dark outside.

I stretched and rolled over, and found that the bed was quite soft and spacious!

Then he remembered that he and his younger brother had slept in Old Zhu's big bed yesterday.

Wait until your head pops out from under the covers.

I saw my younger brother, Yun-teng, this chubby little boy, sleeping soundly!

Unfortunately, according to Empress Ma's wishes, her younger brother could not stay in Kunning Palace for long to keep her warm in bed.

However, judging from her plump and healthy appearance, Crown Princess Lü has certainly not mistreated her...

rustle!

The next moment, Zhu Xiong Ying heard a noise, turned her head, and looked out of the tent. She immediately saw a familiar figure.

Old Zhu!!

He immediately put on his clothes and stealthily crept over.

What's Old Zhu doing up so late at night?

Didn't you know that receiving scholars during the day involved a banquet?

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly asked, "It's only the fourth watch of the night, is our eldest grandson well asleep?"

Zhu Xiong Ying no longer concealed his presence, walking openly to the table. He glanced at the unfolded memorials and said, "I saw that Your Majesty couldn't sleep, so I came to keep you company!"

Old Zhu was delighted to hear this.

As for the Grand Hall, all its unpleasantness has long since vanished.

He took his beloved grandson's little hand and sighed, "Our grandson is the best! But remember, if you encounter any trouble in the future, tell your royal grandfather. Your royal grandfather will back you up! Don't be like yesterday!"