Chapter 147 The emperor’s heart is unpredictable
Zhu Yuanzhang and his men rode their horses to the front of the post station.

The post station was already crowded with people and the sound of gongs and drums was deafening.

Led by Wu Chen, the magistrate of Shangyuan County, the other county magistrates, county assistants, county lieutenants and others came forward one after another. They only thought that the person riding on horseback, led by Zhu Yuanzhang, was the vanguard guard of the prefect of Yingtian Prefecture.

But they couldn't help but be amazed at Yang Gong's extravagance! So they couldn't help but feel ashamed.

Some people were also puzzled, always feeling that these people were somewhat different from the people in Yingtian Prefecture.

But at the moment, he would rather kill a thousand people by mistake than let one go. Even if he felt there was something wrong, if it was really Lord Yang, if he said something, he would offend his superior.

"Your subordinates respectfully welcome Mr. Yang." Everyone said in a loud voice.

Zhu Yuanzhang was sitting on his horse, but he couldn't help but be stunned.

He looked puzzled.

Who is Yang Gong...?
Xu Da, who was behind, had a cold look on his face, but he was on guard as he followed Zhu Yuanzhang.

However, Hu Weiyong's expression changed slightly. He coughed, frowned, and was about to give a hint.

Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Who are you?"

Wu Chen stepped forward and said with a smile: "Reporting to Lord Yang, I am Wu Chen, your humble servant. I have been waiting for you here for a long time. Lord Yang is inspecting Qixia... He has been traveling a long way, so we are waiting here..."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed: "Really? In that case, this post station is uninhabitable?"

Wu Chen's face changed, and he immediately noticed something was wrong, and said, "You... who are you... so bold... this is an official post, don't act rashly here, leave immediately."

The officials, gentry, and elders in the back were already discussing and whispering.

It turned out that I had welcomed the wrong person.

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Wu Chen and said, "You are the magistrate of Shangyuan County, but why are you here to welcome the governor of Yingtian Prefecture? This place should not be under your jurisdiction."

Wu Chen had been very respectful just now, but now he had put away his smile and said indifferently, "Shangyuan County and Jiangning County are both under the jurisdiction of Yingtian Prefecture. It is only natural for me, as a subordinate, to greet the superior official who has come here for inspection."

After hearing this, Xu Da and Hu Weiyong looked at Zhu Yuanzhang nervously and breathed a sigh of relief.

They thought Zhu Yuanzhang would be furious, but he smiled and said, "Okay, okay, okay, you are fine."

Before they could even breathe a sigh of relief, they saw Zhu Yuanzhang said nothing more, but had already turned his horse and said, "Let's go."

go?
Xu Da and Hu Weiyong both looked incredulous.

But Zhu Yuanzhang seemed not to care about it and actually turned his horse and left.

The riders behind no longer cared about anything else and hurried to catch up.

However, Wu Chen, watching them hurriedly leave, couldn't help but reveal a frustrated expression, saying: "This is really absurd, I almost thought it was Yang Gong..."

However, a person behind him came forward and whispered, "These people don't look like ordinary people either."

Wu Chen said: "It could be a general of the Five Military Commandery in the capital, or maybe a marquis from some family."

But Wu Chen still acted as if he didn't care. He thought that the current official was not as good as the current manager. To him, Yang Gong was his heaven. As for the rest, as long as he didn't make any mistakes, who could do anything about it?

So he put aside other thoughts and shouted loudly: "Everyone cheer up, I'm afraid Yang Gong will be here soon."

…………

Zhu Yuanzhang reined in his horse and galloped all the way for several miles before he slowly slowed down and walked at a leisurely pace.

Xu Da rode his horse to catch up, but saw that Zhu Yuanzhang had a look of great sorrow on his face.

Xu Da said awkwardly: "Your Majesty...be gracious..."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked ahead, his eyes were somewhat distant, as if he was reminiscing about something, and suddenly said: "I am thinking of something."

Xu Da said: "Your Majesty, please give us your instructions."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at him and said, "Duke Wei, have you not heard about what happened in Henan?"

Xu Da's eyebrows slightly raised, and suddenly, he seemed to understand. This was actually an incident of a fake imperial envoy in the late Yuan Dynasty. At that time, the world had collapsed and wars were raging everywhere. At that time, a man named Fan Meng pretended to be an imperial envoy and entered Henan Province. He used a fake imperial edict to kill the then Henan Provincial Pingzhang Zhengshi Yuelu Timur, Zuo Cheng Jielie, Li Wen Jin Gangnu, Langzhong Wanzhe Tuhedeer, Dushi Baizhu, Henan Lianfangshi Tuman, Bianliang Road General Manager Sasima, Wanhu Wanzhe Buhuaren and others.

Overnight, all the highest civil and military officials in Henan were killed based on a fake imperial edict, and no one dared to resist.

Then, the next day, Fan Meng and his people forged a new imperial edict, proclaiming themselves the Marshal of Henan Province. They actually became local emperors in Kaifeng, Henan Province. The secret was not leaked until a long time later.

During this process, Fan Meng and others killed local Mongolian officials at will, and no one dared to interfere. Even the Mongolian troops stationed in the area did not dare to move.

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a gloomy expression: "Everyone says that the Tartars are brave, but when they become officials, they become timid and look up to their superiors for orders. Even if a knife is placed on their necks, they will be slaughtered and never dare to doubt the orders of their superiors. I thought that when the new Ming Dynasty was established, things would be different, but now it seems that if a Fan Meng came today, he could succeed."

After hearing this, Xu Da couldn't help but sighed with emotion: "I didn't expect that a prefect of Yingtian Prefecture would have such a reputation. I'm afraid that your Majesty's tour will not be much more than this."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said, "It's ridiculous, it's really ridiculous. I have also read the classics and history books. They hate the emperor's tours and hate them with gnashing teeth. They all say that a tour is a tyrant and will increase the burden on the people. So when I leave the palace, I dare not be extravagant and be cautious everywhere. On the contrary, their actions have made them little emperors of the world. When they tour, don't they increase the burden? Where do the people in the post station, as well as the water and wine, and the offerings for welcoming and seeing off come from?"

Xu Da, however, showed a puzzled look, and couldn't help but ask: "If that's the case, Your Majesty, why don't you arrest them... to serve as a warning to others."

Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly: "Wait and see. I need to think about it and take another look."

As he spoke, he pointed to the distance and said, "After crossing the river, we should be in Qixia."

Xu Da smiled bitterly and said, "I'm afraid we won't be able to find a ferry, and it's dark now... Your Majesty, we should go back to the post station in Qixia and rest for a night."

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Why not? Alas... With these damned things, the local people are suffering. Sometimes I have nightmares day and night, and the scenes I dream of are the scenes when I was young. It is really miserable. Every time I wake up from the dream, I am scared and sweating. But now I think about it, people like Wu Chen, I am afraid that the people under his rule must be no better than I was... I really don't know where the second and third Zhu Chongba are now. Are they also like me, thinking of these corrupt officials, gnashing their teeth and treating them as enemies."

"I am used to suffering, so even if I have to spend the night in the suburbs, it's nothing. Let's find a way to cross the river. There is a barren land ahead. Even if there are some farmers there, I'm afraid they are suffering. Let's not burden them. Just rest for a night, and then go and catch Deng Qianqiu and Zhu Gang. You can see how I deal with them."

Xu Da smiled and nodded, saying, "Zhu Di is the worst kid. Your Majesty must punish him especially."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Xu Da. Zhu Yuanzhang had already arranged a marriage between Zhu Di and Xu Da's daughter. Xu Da was a cruel person. He was not in a position to teach his future son-in-law a lesson, but instead instigated Zhu Yuanzhang, his father, to take action.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not answer.

After walking a few steps, they saw the river in front of them. But strangely, a cavalryman who was exploring the way came to report: "Your Majesty, there is a bridge ahead."

"There is actually a bridge." Zhu Yuanzhang perked up and immediately asked the scout to lead the way. They crossed the river along the bridge and walked forward. They found that there were bright lights in front and the sound of noise could be heard faintly in the distance.

Zhu Yuanzhang was greatly surprised. He glanced at Xu Da and asked, "This place... is so lively?"

Xu Da was also surprised and said, "I remember that when I led troops to attack the city, I stationed a group of soldiers here. This time... there shouldn't be many people..."

I saw a village not far away, and there were many lights on in the village.

Xu Da said, "I will go buy some food so that Your Majesty won't be hungry."

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "I will go with you."

So the two men reined in their horses and entered the village. The walls in the village were still mottled, but... there were quite a few newly built tile houses. Some of the tile houses were only half built, and there were many fired bricks piled on the path.

It seemed that someone noticed the two of them, and a strong man came out of the house in a robe and said, "Are you another merchant here? You don't need to stay here. There is an inn one mile ahead."

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned. He did not get off his horse. Instead, he looked down at the other person in the dim light of the stars and the lights and said, "Where is this? Why is it so lively here?"

Before the man could speak, a child was crying and a woman's voice was heard from inside the house. The woman said, "The guest has traveled a long way to get here, and it is so late. He must be hungry. Didn't you leave some food for him? Why not give it to him? Amitabha, may the Bodhisattva bless you."

The man had no choice but to turn around and answer the woman in the room, and said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "You wait here."

He went back to the house, and actually took out a few cakes wrapped in lotus leaves, and handed them to Zhu Yuanzhang on his horse, saying, "These are left over from the night before going to work tomorrow morning. You can just eat them to fill your stomach. If you want to stay overnight, you'll probably have to go to the inn ahead. But... the inn may be full, as it is here now. If that doesn't work, you can go to the Qixia Hundred Households Office. There are some sheds there, which are used temporarily by people passing by who can't find a place to stay. They can shelter from the wind and rain."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows and asked in surprise: "Qixia also has a hundred households?"

The man grinned, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with a look of surprise, and said, "That's not the case. Otherwise, with so many merchants coming and going, what if there are scoundrels who commit crimes?"

Zhu Yuanzhang suppressed his surprise and asked, "Does this small Qixia place still need a hundred households to maintain it?"

The man said, "Qixia may be small, but it has a lot of people. From the mining area to the market, there are so many people here. In the surrounding Shangyuan, Lishui, Gaochun, Jiangpu, Liuhe counties, which county has no people coming here?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were filled with shock.

(End of this chapter)