Chapter 6 4. Fengyang line

The emperor cannot always put the prince under his feet, just like a big bird to its young birds, encouraging them to try to fly once their wings have grown, so that one day they can soar into the sky.Zhu Yuanzhang was even more anxious about this.Zhu Yuanzhang himself became a generation of emperors from a poor farmer in Linhao and a wandering monk. He once hoped that the kings would also experience his own experience, so he often sent them back to their hometowns.In February of the ninth year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered them to go to Fengyang to see the place where their ancestors started their foundation, so that they could appreciate the hard-won of the country again.The group was led by the crown prince, and they went to pay homage to the founding hero before departure.Zhu Di has already known the deeds of his father's entrepreneurship.But the memorial still cheered him up.He seemed to be following his father, accompanied by all the veterans and heroes to the battlefield.This memorial ceremony, like the upcoming trip to Zhongdu, is raising the curtain of the next drama.As soon as the curtain opens, they will officially take to the stage.Zhu Di felt a force that was about to explode all over his body.

In October last year, Zhu Yuanzhang asked the Crown Prince, King Qin, King Jin, King Chu and King Jingjiang to travel to Zhongdu together.It was said that it was for practicing martial arts, but for some reason, King Yan and King Zhou were not allowed to participate. Those who followed the crown prince and other kings to Zhongdu were the officials of the East Palace and the officials of the princes, the crown prince praised Song Lian, the doctor, and Shi Lin, the head of the Qin government. Wen, Shi Zhuyou, governor of the Jin government, Zhu Lian, the governor of the Chu government, Zhao Xun, the king of Jingjiang, and others.After they left Nanjing, Zhu Yuanzhang also sent someone to give them a volume of "Historical Sites of Haoliang" that he found temporarily.Zhu Yuanzhang specially inscribed words on the outside of the book, and asked Song Lian to inquire according to the picture and explain it to the prince and kings at any time.

On February 16th, King Yan and others followed the crown prince and left Nanjing. In mid-spring, the outside of Nanjing was sunny and sunny, with green willows and peach blossoms.A few spring swallows flitted past from time to time under the bright sky.The farmers never dared to delay the farming season, and they worked hard in the field for the same cycle of farming that has been repeated for generations.In the glorious spring, the prince and the king's brigade came.Walking in front were sergeants in military uniform holding dragon flags.A yellow flag is in the center, surrounded by green flags, red flags, black flags, and white flags.Each flag has six sergeants dressed in the same color as the flag, carrying crossbows on their backs, and they are all heroic and powerful.Then came the school lieutenant holding a banner, a halberd cloak, a Ge cloak, a ceremonial cloak, a Yubao building, a green square umbrella, a green small square fan, and a blue miscellaneous flower fan.All of them are angry horses in fresh clothes, countless flags, and countless ceremonies.The trampling horseshoes, the rolling wheels, and the gently raised yellow dust broke the tranquility of spring.

It took nearly two days to travel 330 miles from Nanjing to Fengyang, and they arrived at Fengyang City the next day.Fengyang was called Haozhou in the Yuan Dynasty and belonged to Anping Road.After Zhu Yuanzhang became the king of Wu, this place was the land of flying dragons, and naturally it had to be promoted, so it was renamed Linhao Mansion.In September of the second year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang identified this place as the central capital.At that time, Yingtian was Nanjing, Kaifeng was Beijing, and Linhao's status was very important for a while.If it weren't for Liu Ji's persuasion, Zhu Yuanzhang really wanted to make Fengyang his capital.However, Zhu Yuanzhang still built a new city in Zhongdu.In December of the third year, the new city was completed, with a circumference of 50 miles and 443 steps, surrounded by nine gates.There is an imperial city in the middle, nine miles and thirty steps around, surrounded by four gates, which is quite large.Last year, when the Crown Prince traveled to Zhongdu with the Kings of Qin and King Jin, Fengyang Mansion had just moved into Linhao New City, and the construction of Huangling City in the southwest of the city had already started.

Fengyang is adjacent to the Huaihe River in the north, and Moying Mountain in the south, from which the Xihao River originates.Eighty or ninety miles west of Fengyang, there are two mountains, one is Jingshan and the other is Tushan.It is said that the two mountains were originally connected, and the Huai River flowed at the northern foot of Jingshan Mountain.Later, Dayu chiseled mountains to divert water through it, so that the people could not suffer from isolation. Although it is only three hundred and thirty miles away from Nanjing, it is close to the Huaihe River and is often plagued by floods. Compared with the rich and prosperous Jiangnan, this place is obviously much poorer.Zhu Di, Qin Wang, and Jin Wang almost never left Fengyang again before they became feudal clans. They not only had a deeper understanding of Zhu Yuanzhang’s difficulties in starting a business here, but also became familiar with the people’s conditions. More importantly, they began to exercise here. The ability to lead troops.

As mentioned earlier, according to regulations, each prince has three guard troops.On the twelfth day of the first month of the tenth year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang announced the increase of the army of the three kings of Qin, Jin, and Yan.There were 1,451 guards in Xi'an in the Qin Mansion, and 2,264 more from the Habayashi Guards. One thousand two hundred and fifty-one people; Yan Mansion originally had one thousand three hundred and sixty-four guards in Yanshan, and an increase of two thousand two hundred and sixty-three left guards of Jinwu.The increased troop strength is more than one and a half times the original troop strength.

Zhu Yuanzhang attached great importance to military power.Never hand over military power to human beings.Before he ascended the throne, he often used his adopted son as his confidant, and made him guard with the generals in Fanke City to restrain him.After Zhu Yuanzhang captured Jiqing, he established the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion. As the highest military commander, he handed over the important post of Metropolitan Governor to the emperor's nephew Zhu Wenzheng. When Zhu Yuanzhang had his own son, he gradually transferred the military power Leave it to them.He first set up the guard mansion, and then set up the prince's guard commander in the fifth year of Hongwu. It was stipulated that there would be three guards in each prince's mansion, and each guard would have five guards on the left, right, front, back, and middle. Two enclosures.There is one person in a thousand households.Therefore, under normal circumstances, each prince has about 1,500 troops.

However, the repeatedly revised "Emperor Ming Ancestral Instructions" also stipulates: "Wangfu commanders and subordinate officials should be set up as many as possible to accompany the army, regardless of the number." In fact, it means that there is no limit to the army commanded by the Wangfu.In fact, this was indeed the case during the Hongwu period. "Emperor Ming Zu Xun" also stipulates: "Where the king coaches the sergeant, ten times, or seven or eight times, five or six times in a month. If there is a police temporarily, or the king has leisure, the number of times is not limited."This gave the prince more opportunities to get close to the army and get familiar with the battle formation.

Zhu Di was famous among the kings for his bravery since he was a child.A little older, it shows that his ambition is different from that of other kings, and he is especially good at knight-errant and good at riding and shooting.Another important purpose of visiting the village in Zhongdu this time is to teach martial arts, which made Zhu Di feel like a fish in water, especially satisfied.Fengyang is the starting point of his test flight, and the life here is unforgettable for him all his life. This time King Yan and the others went to Fengyang for more than half a year.On the seventh day of September, they were ordered to return to the capital.

At the beginning of the eleventh year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang decided to let King Qin and King Jin go to his feudal country.On the fourth day of May, King Qin and Jin were leaving, and Zhu Yuanzhang gave them seals respectively, and gave them another order.The seal letter to King Qin reads: The people in the pass have been invincible since the Yuan family lost power.And I pacify the world, and I have the work of transferring.As far as Liangzhou in the west, Ningxia in the north, and Hezhou in the south, the people have not rested, and I am very sympathetic.In today's country, if the palace is finished, the rest of the non-urgent battles should be slowed down and not toil the people too much.

The seal letter to King Jin reads: The people of Dayuan have been trapped by Yuan's bad government for a long time.I also tasted and contributed to Yue Nang for my teacher.Hardworking and haggard, I feel pity for it.In the country of Erguo, love to nourish your life, don't disturb it with unhurried service, it reflects my intention. These two seals only talk about the need to be sympathetic to the people and cherish the power of the people.In fact, in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, Xi'an and Taiyuan are very important. Not only are they close to the forces of the old Yuan, but also Zhu Yuanzhang believes that this is where the world situation lies, especially since Xi'an has been the capital of all dynasties, Zhu Yuanzhang has always intended to move the capital here.So he really has a lot of respect for the two kings of Qin and Jin.Probably those important words have already been said so far and there is no need to repeat them!It is doubtful, however, whether any material in these two passages has been deliberately omitted and concealed. At the same time that King Qin and King Jin were ordered to be vassals, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered King Yan, King Zhou, King Chu, and King Qi to return to Fengyang again.This time I went to Fengyang, it was exactly one and a half years since my last visit.After the two kings of Qin and Jin became feudal vassals, King Yan was the oldest among the kings in Fengyang.Zhu Yuanzhang taught them again: In the past, the rulers of Tao were diligent in government affairs and cared for the people, so they were able to protect the world.As for his descendants, if their careers are abandoned and their virtues are abandoned, their beauty is barren inside, their birds are barren outside, politics and religion are not cultivated, and rituals and music are disintegrated, then the sky will be abandoned above, and the people will be separated from below, and then they will lose their country under the world. For my descendants, If you follow the example of the ancient sage emperors and kings, work conscientiously, be cautious every day, learn from other licentiousness, and don't follow the same path, then you can enjoy wealth and honor for a long time. Every New Year's Eve, the emperor would receive congratulations from his officials in Fengtian Palace, and then a grand banquet for them. At the same time, the wives in Beijing would also pay New Year's greetings to the queen and receive the honor of giving a banquet in Kunning Palace.On the third day of the first lunar month in the twelfth year of Hongwu, King Yan led Zhou Wang, Chu Wang, and Qi Wang to the capital from Fengyang to meet his father.The kings and their officers and guards were rewarded with coins.After King Yan came to court this time, he probably never returned to Fengyang.Although returning to Beijing this time is not called "return", but "coming to court", but in Yiyou, May 11th, King Qi of Qi also came to court from Fengyang, and Xin Chou in June recorded "Order Qi Wang to return to Fengyang ".But this time, after King Yan came to court, whether he would return to Fengyang again is not recorded in the record.It can be inferred that King Yan never went to Fengyang again.This is his last time with Zhu Yuanzhang.During this period, he still had to listen to Zhu Yuanzhang's teachings.In February of the next year, Zhu Yuanzhang sent officials to sacrifice to the emperors of the past dynasties, and taught the prince and the kings the way of emperors again.He showed his own experience and asked his children and grandchildren to follow his example.He said: I stick to myself and do my best, as you have seen with my own eyes, I don't have the pleasure of actors and actresses to get close to me on weekdays, and I don't have the mistake of singing and drinking at night.The main palace has no right to self-indulgence, and concubines have no favor.Or there are women who have floating words, and when they find out what they say is wrong, they will add blame, so they repair each other, and there is no jealousy.As far as the political affairs of the imperial court are discussed by the public, whether it is possible to participate in the decision or not, the only thing to do is to follow the good.Or when Yan is free, one person's words are especially scrutinized.Therefore, there is no partiality in listening to words, and there is no selfishness in politics.Once the stars exist and go out, the sun goes in and rests.Concern and prevent minor afflictions, like walking on ice.Gou is not sick, dare not be lazy.I am afraid that I will not be able to maintain myself in this way, so I tell you and others to make them stick to the way. Zhu Di and the others can not only get teaching from Zhu Yuanzhang, but also receive similar influence from Zhu Yuanzhang's peers.Zhu Yuanzhang had an older sister who married Li Zhen of Linhao Dongxiang.Although Li Zhen's family was not as poor as Zhu's family, it was just an ordinary peasant family. During the turmoil at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, he heard that Zhu Yuanzhang had risen, so he brought his youngest son Li Wenzhong to Chuyang in the winter of the 14th year of Zhizheng to join Zhu Yuanzhang.At this time Li Wenzhong was already sixteen years old, Shen Yong was quick-witted and seemed like a man.Zhu Yuanzhang liked it very much at first sight.At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang had no son, so he said: "My nephew is still my son." He raised Li Wenzhong carefully and ordered him to join the army in the conquest.Later Li Wenzhong was awarded a military handle.After Zhu Yuanzhang became emperor, he named his sister the princess of filial piety, and Li Zhen also became the Duke of Cao Guo of the Youzhu Kingdom.According to seniority, Li Zhen is Zhu Yuanzhang's brother-in-law, but they are noble relatives of the emperor and have a high status, but they have not completely lost their temperament as ordinary farmers.Li Wenzhong did live up to his expectations in the Southern and Northern Wars, and made many contributions.The two families of Zhu and Li had a close relationship.Zhu Yuanzhang often visited Li's house, and the prince and other kings also often visited Li's house.Li Zhen is often uneasy about the sudden wealth.He said: "Once you are rich, you forget about poverty and lowliness, and a gentleman will not do it." Usually, he only wants to wear clothes that are fit, not gorgeous, and the food he eats is only palatable, not extravagant.Zhu Yuanzhang often gave him clothes, but he had to mend the worn ones before wearing them.He also often tells his children and grandchildren earnestly about the situation when he was an ordinary farmer.Among Zhu Yuanzhang's relatives, Li Zhennian is the longest, and he believes that he should set an example for his descendants.He said: "Today, the world is transformed by diligence and thrift. I am the head of the family, and I am extravagant. Why should I persuade my family!" There is an air of admiration for rusticity.It was subtle, and traces of it can often be seen in Zhu Di's later life.