Exposed After I became an Immortal - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Zhu Yuanzhang’s Killing Intent! Tang He Returns to the Capital!

…

Zhu Xuanji heard Zhu Biao’s words and smiled, shaking his head. How could he possibly take Zhu Biao as his disciple? Zhu Biao was, after all, the biological father of this body, although Zhu Biao did not know that the mysterious real person he spent his days and nights with was his eldest son, who had long been dead. This did not mean that Zhu Xuanji could take Zhu Biao as his disciple.

At that moment, Zhu Biao noticed a large black eagle behind Zhu Xuanji. Seeing that magnificent and imposing black eagle, “Ye Ying,” Zhu Biao, slightly surprised, said, “Xuanji! What is this?”

Zhu Xuanji introduced the eagle to Zhu Biao: “This is Ye Ying! From now on, it will cultivate with us! Ye Ying, come and greet Master Wangchen!”

Upon hearing Zhu Xuanji’s words, Ye Ying immediately bowed to Zhu Biao, with its wings protecting in front, resembling a formal salute.

Seeing this, Zhu Biao laughed and said, “It truly is more imposing than General Shenwei!” General Shenwei was the nickname Zhu Biao had given to the big mountain dog. Since hearing this title, it had been very spirited!

In the blink of an eye, another half year passed. In the 26th year of the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty was clearly in a turbulent period again.

This year, Lan Yu was secretly reported for treason by Commader of the Jinyiwei, Er Hu. This case implicated thirteen marquises, two earls, and the extermination of their families involved over fifteen thousand people. The founding heroes of the Ming Dynasty were almost entirely wiped out because of this case. Just recently, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty issued the “List of Traitors,” summoning one duke, thirteen marquises, and two earls. After the Lan Yu case, the entire Ming Dynasty was in a state of fear!

On this day, in the Ming Dynasty capital of Jinling City, inside the imperial palace, in the courtyard outside the Baohua Hall, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang was holding a hoe, tilling the land in a field in the courtyard.

At this moment, an elderly man in plain clothes walked in from the courtyard gate. He shouted towards Zhu Yuanzhang, “Brother Chongba! Tang He has returned!”

Upon hearing this voice, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately stopped hoeing. He straightened up, looking at the elderly man in plain clothes. A flash of excitement crossed his eyes.

“Tang He! You brat! You’ve been hiding far away for so many years! Afraid that I would eat you! You still remember to come back and see me!”

The elderly man in plain clothes was about to kneel and salute Zhu Yuanzhang.

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately waved his hand and said, “Enough, enough! Stop with these formalities in front of me! Someone, bring a seat for Duke Xinguo!”

As he spoke, Zhu Yuanzhang put down the hoe in his hand, walked to a table nearby, and sat down. He poured tea for himself and Tang He. After taking a couple of sips of tea, Zhu Yuanzhang finally took a breath and said, “Tang He, how many years has it been since we last met?”

Tang He sat there, counting on his fingers. “Counting carefully, it should be twenty years!”

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a slight sneer, “Hmph! Twenty years! You know it’s been twenty years! Twenty years, you’ve grown old! I have also aged! You have a head full of white hair! I am also nearing the end of my days! At least you, Tang He, have some conscience left, knowing to come back and see me. If you had returned a few years later, I’m afraid whether you could see me would be uncertain!”

Hearing this, Tang He immediately cupped his hands and said, “Your Majesty will surely live a long life!”

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and laughed, “Don’t use such nice words to deceive me! We both know each other well! We know how long we can live. I know my body well! Ever since Lady Ma passed away, I have handed over more than half of the state affairs to the Crown Prince. Later, the Crown Prince also passed away! I could only hold on by myself. Being an emperor is truly hard! But no matter how hard it is, can it be harder than the days when we had no food to eat?

“Every time I think of the possibility that there might still be starving people in this vast Ming Dynasty, my heart burns with anxiety! I have been an emperor for more than twenty years! But I have never forgotten what it feels like to be hungry! So, no matter how many state affairs there are, I can endure it!

“But some people really don’t have any sense! They always think they have great merit! They want more! They demand more! In the end, it becomes chaotic! The common people, they dare not speak out even though they are angry! What can I do! I can only kill them all! Kill them, and it becomes peaceful!”

Hearing Zhu Yuanzhang’s words, Tang He sat there, hesitantly said, “Brother Chongba! But … have you ever heard of a saying, that wildfires cannot destroy the grass, it grows again with the spring breeze! The Ming Dynasty still needs people! If the water is too clear, there will be no fish!”

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately waved his hand. “What wildfires cannot destroy the grass, it grows again with the spring breeze! They are like batches of leeks! As long as they dare to grow! As long as I am here for a day! If I see them, I will cut them!”

Tang He heard this, shook his head and laughed, “Brother Chongba! No wonder they say you have the aura of a king! Such dominance, not everyone has it! I have admired Brother Chongba’s courage since I was a child! When Brother Chongba killed Master Liu’s cow back then, I, Tang He, knew that in the future, Brother Chongba would definitely accomplish great things!”

Hearing Tang He mention the fun of their youth, Zhu Yuanzhang’s mood also improved a lot! “Hahaha~~~ I, Zhu Chongba! Never lacked courage! Tang He! You came just in time! In a few days, it will be Lady Ma’s death anniversary. You accompany me to Zhongshan. Keep me company for a walk.”

Tang He immediately nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty!”

In Zhongshan, it was a good time when the breeze blew gently. The black eagle “Ye Ying” and the big mountain dog were confronting each other in the mountain!

The monkey, Xiao Liuzi, the pheasant, Ah Si, and the white snake, Xiao Bai, were gathered not far away, watching closely the confrontation between the black eagle “Ye Ying” and Da Huang.