Chapter 64: Murder and Arson
After a night, Zhu Yuanzhang returned to normal. He did not seem to be in a hurry to solve Liu Ji's problem. However, at this time, reports from the Juyongguan camp were sent to the palace like snowflakes.

This time, Xu Da behaved well, but the generals Li Wenzhong, Feng Sheng and Deng Yu who were with the army kept asking for help.

Everyone is fighting hard on the front line. Your Majesty, you are playing this with us. Cutting off food supplies is no joke.

But Zhu Yuanzhang remained calm. In fact, he had simulated the situation of using salt instead of grain many times in his mind and was quite confident, otherwise he would never have been so rash.

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help feeling depressed just by looking at the emergency reports from the generals. He patiently explained the various rules and measures of using salt vouchers instead of grain, as well as the backup plans he had left, and repeatedly warned them not to worry and just attack.

As a result, many imperial edicts were issued.

Originally, everything was normal. In fact, every time the army went out to fight, there were many disputes. In the past, the generals in the front would always send back messages and cause disputes. Zhu Yuanzhang was used to it. He would either appease them or scold them a few times. He would appease them a few times to keep them calm and make them work for him honestly.

The scolding is just a threat to teach you a lesson so that you can behave yourself and not make me angry.

Zhu Yuanzhang's strategic predictions have always been magical, and the final results are often convincing.

But at this moment, suddenly, there was no news from the front.

For several days in a row, neither Xu Da, Feng Sheng, Li Wenzhong and others sent any reports.

The only report was the news sent from Anding County.

It is said that Xu Da had left Juyong Pass and went straight into the desert to pursue the pseudo-Yuan Shun Emperor. At this time, the Yuan army general Kuyuk Timur, also known as Wang Baobao, actually sent troops directly to raid Anding County.

In other words, in order to completely defeat Emperor Shun of Yuan Dynasty, Xu Da burned his boats and went straight into the desert, even at the risk of having his logistical supplies cut off.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly realized that the final decisive battle... had begun!

This is not only a showdown of courage, a race against time, but also a decisive battle concerning logistics supplies.

The supply line is hundreds or thousands of miles long, and there are harassment from the enemy troops at any time. An army of hundreds of thousands marches day and night to attack the enemy leader. Such a desperate gamble must be because Xu Da seized the opportunity.

But... with great temptation comes great risk. If the supply cannot be timely, then...

So Zhu Yuanzhang began to become extremely anxious, and he was looking forward to news from Juyongguan almost every day.

Even at night, he couldn't sleep, so he had to go on night patrol, walking aimlessly. This time, as if possessed by some strange force, he arrived at Xianliang Temple again.

"Dude..."

Deng Qianqiu hid in the corner. Although he was wearing a cotton armor, he was still cold and his face turned red. So he hid in the corner, stamped his feet and breathed out.

At this time, he finally understood that guarding the gate in agricultural civilization and guarding the gate in the industrial age are two completely different things. Without heating and air conditioning, guarding the gate at night is simply torture.

Deng Qianqiu already regrets working as a security guard.

Seeing Deng Qianqiu like this, Zhu Yuanzhang's anxious face couldn't help but soften a lot, and he wanted to take off his cloak.

Deng Qianqiu shook his head: "You are old, so don't pretend to be a tough guy. I am young and energetic, and I can endure it."

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Why don't you put on more clothes?"

"Your Majesty has too many rules." Deng Qianqiu said, "You are only allowed to wear armor for inspection. Look, the cotton armor you are given has only this little cotton wool... Forget it, I'd better be careful with what I say."

Deng Qianqiu was about to complain, but he remained silent in the end. He found that sometimes he couldn't stop talking when talking to the old man in front of him.

It’s possible that they had been to prostitutes together... No, it’s possible that they had committed arson together.

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression became even more strange, but seeing this guy speak so recklessly, he couldn't help but feel angry.

However, Deng Qianqiu took the lead and complained first: "Why did you run away last time? I wanted to introduce you to my father, but I couldn't find you anywhere. My father wanted to thank you."

Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but get angry: "You burned the county government office, this is a crime against heaven, and you still dare to mention it. I see that you have no intention of repenting, but are complacent. You dare to set fire to the county government office at such a young age, what will happen in the future? Even if it is a big deal, can you not follow the rules? The court has laws here, how can you play with them like this. Do you know that you have committed a heinous crime, and you can never redeem yourself even if you die."

Deng Qianqiu tilted his head and remained silent.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Why, do you know you are wrong?"

"No, man, I'm just thinking." Deng Qianqiu said.

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, and subconsciously said: "Thinking, thinking about what?"

"That's not right." Deng Qianqiu racked his brains to recall, and then said: "Weren't you the one who set the fire? Think about it carefully, you were the one holding the tinder, and you threw it into the firewood. Also, the small door at the back of the yamen was opened by your brothers, right? Brother, you should have a conscience..."

Deng Qianqiu almost wailed, and continued with confidence: "Do you think I'm stupid? Since I came to Nanjing City, I have begun to study the laws and edicts of the Ming Dynasty. How could I not know that this is a heinous crime? So I definitely would not set a fire! Brother, ask yourself, you blame me like this, but you have never thought that in the whole process, I was just an accomplice, brother, you are..." Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

Deng Qianqiu saw that Zhu Yuanzhang's beard was fluttering under his chin, and it was obviously Zhu Yuanzhang who blew it himself.

Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath and said coldly: "I was fooled by you."

Deng Qianqiu laughed: "No, no, no one has been fooled by anyone else. We are in the same boat. I won't tell on you. We have a life-long friendship. I am not like your friend. At least I won't sell out my brothers."

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

Zhu Yuanzhang found himself tired. He thought he would be furious, but Deng Qianqiu suddenly mentioned his friend, which made Zhu Yuanzhang feel a little confused.

He sighed suddenly.

Deng Qianqiu showed some concern when he saw this, and said, "Brother, are you worried about something? No problem, no problem, tell me about it."

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent, and suddenly glanced at Deng Qianqiu, then said: "Do you think the salt-inducing method is really effective?"

"What does this have to do with us?" Deng Qianqiu didn't notice the serious look on Zhu Yuanzhang's face, and said casually: "The current emperor is the founding monarch, and he has his own way to gain the world. Don't worry, the world will soon be peaceful. Let's not worry about this. Look at me, guarding the gate in the middle of the night, the north wind is blowing, this is not a life for a human being, and I am still worrying about this?"

Zhu Yuanzhang showed no sympathy for Deng Qianqiu. Instead, he was furious: "Why are you so lacking in ambition?"

Deng Qianqiu said confidently: "Okay, okay, you have ambition, you are amazing, you are noble."

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly felt his anger rushing to his head again.

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's face darken suddenly, Deng Qianqiu was a little afraid, and hurriedly smiled and said: "Hey, don't be angry, I was just joking, I was teasing you. Um... the method of salt permits should be no problem, don't worry, I can still lie to you?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a bit of sarcasm on his face: "Didn't I fall for your trick when I burned the county government office?"

Deng Qianqiu said very seriously: "This is different."

"How is it different?" Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him coldly.

Deng Qianqiu said: "Because I am filial!"

Deng Qianqiu said confidently, "The matter of the county government office concerns my father. He is my biological father. I am counting on him to support me for the rest of my life. How can I just ignore what happened to him?"

Zhu Yuanzhang found that this guy always seemed to have a reason, but unfortunately, these reasons were irrefutable.

You can't let him be unfilial, can you?

The so-called loyalty and filial piety, in the minds of the ancients, loyalty and filial piety are one and the same. In terms of moral concepts, if a person is unfilial and does not even know how to be grateful to his parents, how can he be loyal? Therefore, a filial person must be loyal to the emperor.

Zhu Yuanzhang could only shake his head at this time. He could not overthrow the foundation of his rule, nor could he persuade others to be unfilial.

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and said, "Well, don't do this again next time. If you dare to do this again, I will break your legs."

That was all he could do.

But Deng Qianqiu smiled. In fact, he didn't want to trick this old man. It was just a big matter that concerned his father's life. To solve this problem, he had to find help.

Burning down the county government office was no small crime. Deng Qianqiu was a cautious man. When he came to this world, although he was unwilling to read more, he was a senior law enthusiast.

He didn't dare to say that he had thoroughly studied every article and every case in the "Great Ming Code" and "Great Edict", but if there was a lawyer qualification certificate in this era, he was confident that he could take the test.

This guy is obviously quite capable. Since he has been dragged into this fire, he must set it. If he doesn't set it, does he have to let Deng Qianqiu set it himself? Wouldn't that make him a criminal in the act?
It’s not that he doesn’t trust this guy, but he always has to keep some things in reserve when doing anything.

As the weather got colder, Deng Qianqiu had to clasp his hands together and stamp his feet.

Cursing the damn weather in my heart, I bid farewell to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang returned to the palace with a heavy heart.

Two days later, Zhu Yuanzhang again asked about the situation at Juyongguan.

However, the information we received was very complicated. Almost all of them came from Xuanfu and Hebei, with different opinions. Because there was no personal report from Xu Da, the intelligence sent in from all over the country was mostly like a blind man groping in the dark.

At this time, the more news that came, the thicker the fog of war became.

Because the reason is very simple, there is news everywhere. The more news there is, the more people have different opinions, which actually means there is no news.

(End of this chapter)