Chapter 4: How did Emperor Gaozu of Han fare

There is no other reason; it is solely due to Old Zhu's ruthless determination to completely eliminate the landlords and redistribute the land that any time travelers would find themselves facing a dead end.

Hearing this, Zhu Chongba was greatly shocked and could not help but lean down to stare at the painting, looking at it repeatedly, and then said: "This person indeed has great integrity"

People like him, who never intended to rebel, have no choice but to take up arms. Countless commoners are yearning for the downfall of the Yuan court; even deities would be powerless to change the situation.

Zhang Ximeng solemnly stated: "Your Excellency, the establishment of the Song Dynasty was fundamentally flawed, as it was born from the womb. Zhao Kuangyin's coup at Chenqiao seized the world from the Later Zhou, taking advantage of orphans and widows to usurp the throne. Emperor Gaozong of the Southern Song turned a blind eye to the fall of the Central Plains, with his father and brothers captured, showing no desire to restore the country. Instead, he executed the renowned general Yue Fei, who resisted the Jurchens, self-destructed the Great Wall, and knelt in submission. How can such a ruler ever gather heroes? Over the span of three hundred years of the Two Song Dynasties, they suffered defeat first at the hands of the Khitan, then the Xi Xia, followed by the Jurchens, and finally the Mongols, facing a series of devastating defeats that led to the loss of the country and the transfer of the divine land. The beautiful rivers and mountains have become the horse pastures of the Mongols, is it not truly pitiful!"

After expressing his astonishment, Zhu Chongba said, "What you mean is that restoring the Great Song is secondary; reclaiming the land is what truly matters! Liu Futong and the others say this merely to rally people's support."

Zhu Chongba felt a sense of nostalgia and lamented: "When we were young, we also attended a private school, but our family was poor, and I only studied for two months. My elder brother was getting married, so the money was used as a betrothal gift. Later, I browsed through Buddhist scriptures at Huangjue Temple and recognized a few characters. I also wanted to study, but unfortunately, no one was willing to teach me"

Zhu Chongba was purely curious, casually chatting; Zhang Ximeng was just a child, what earth-shattering words could he possibly say

Zhang Ximeng exchanged a few polite words and suddenly realized an opportunity

When they reached the dining table, Old Zhu said to Mr. Ma, "In the past, we were just like being trapped inside a large vat. After Zhang Xiaoxiong mentioned it, we suddenly became enlightened; it truly broadened our horizons"

Zhang Ximeng shook his head and said, "My lord, the restoration of the Great Song is not about reviving the Great Song itself, but about overthrowing the Yuan court! Not to mention the state of the Great Song, since the Three Dynasties and the Qin and Han periods, the succession of the Central Plains dynasties has been unbroken. Although there were the Five Barbarians disrupting the Han, there remained a corner in the south. Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, was a descendant of Yang Zhen, the Grand Marshal of Han, and unified the Nine Provinces, reviving the Huaxia. Only after the Battle of Yashan did the vast lands fall entirely into the hands of the Mongols. Although there were the Five Barbarians disrupting the Han, there remained a corner in the south. Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, was a descendant of Yang Zhen, the Grand Marshal of Han, and unified the Nine Provinces, reviving the Huaxia. Only after the Battle of Yashan did the vast lands fall entirely into the hands of the Mongols. The hearts of the people are filled with sorrow and indignation, their blood and tears overflowing. Moreover, the Mongols are cruel and tyrannical, despising the southerners, valuing a human life less than that of livestock. How can the wise not feel hatred and resentment? The restoration of the Great Song is merely aimed at changing the heavens and the earth!"

Perhaps, after all, it is a house of learning. Even if there is enmity with the Yuan court, it would still be unwilling to act as a thief, tarnishing its own reputation

Should those corrupt and lawless meritorious officials be supported? Just because they contributed to the founding of the nation, does that mean they can escape death?

Great handsome

Zhu Chongba frowned, truly interesting, unwilling to follow the general, yet willing to follow me

Zhang Ximeng was not yet twelve, and he was also a sickly child. He did not feel that he had the ability to work independently at this moment. In that case, clinging to Old Zhu's leg was the most appropriate choice.

Emperor Zhu, who rose from the lowest ranks, is entirely different from those emperors who seized power with the support of noble families. He harbors a deep-seated hatred for corruption and has an extremely low tolerance for graft. Naturally, he does not hold back. In other dynasties, it might have been a means of self-preservation for meritorious officials to seek wealth without coveting power, but unfortunately, that does not apply to Emperor Zhu.

Indeed, this is the most difficult time for the Red Turban Army, and it is not surprising that Zhu Chongba is worried

Guo Zixing

At that moment, Mr. Ma couldn't help but laugh, "Isn't this convenient? Just ask Brother Zhang to teach you!"

Today can be considered a day of fulfilled wishes, with abundant gains. While chatting, we even forgot about dinner, until Mr. Ma arrived, prompting Old Zhu to reluctantly stop.

Zhu Chongba was momentarily lost in thought, and then he recalled that Zhang Ximeng's parents had just died at the hands of the officials. Both of their circumstances were quite tragic, and seeing Zhang Ximeng made Old Zhu feel even closer to him

Zhu Chongba suddenly felt that Zhang Ximeng was a rare talent, and it would be somewhat wasteful to keep him for his own enlightenment

Zhu Chongba said: "Miss, the young master has agreed, you should prepare a few more dishes and bring another pot of wine, we must not neglect the young master."

Zhu Chongba was taken aback; this young man seemed to have no other faults apart from his youth. He suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Zhang Ximeng, asking, "Would the young master be willing to teach us?"

Ma smiled as he served food to Zhang Ximeng, and said, "It seems that I will have to trouble Brother Zhang more in the future"

At this point, Zhang Ximeng reached out and unfolded the ink orchid painting

Of course, it is not to say that there are no wrongful cases, such as Duke Feng Sheng of Song and Duke Fu Youde of Ying... However, for Zhang Ximeng, he still had a choice; at worst, he could follow Mu Ying to Yunnan, where it is spring all year round, and he could enjoy watching elephants and peacocks. Life could not be more beautiful!

Old Zhu quickly grasped the main point, and Zhang Ximeng nodded vigorously. They gathered around the painting, discussing people, the nation, and the past... The more they talked, the more excited Zhu Chongba became. The confusion of the past that he could not comprehend suddenly became clear. He had long wanted someone to explain things to him, but had never encountered a person who understood.

Zhu Chongba is once again a force to be reckoned with, this statement holds truth

However, Zhang Ximeng does not think so. Old Zhu asks himself, this is equivalent to a job interview with the boss, so he cannot be careless. He must bring out two hundred percent of his abilities.

If he wants to stay by Zhu Chongba's side, he must possess sufficient value, after all, no one is willing to support a freeloader. Therefore, Zhang Ximeng thoughtfully remarked: "Benefactor, merely listening to this young man may not yield any benefits. If the benefactor is willing to learn, it is best to start from the basics and read books for enlightenment."

Zhang Ximeng immediately straightened his back and encouraged, "The young man does not understand the situation of the war... However, my father once said that the Hu people do not have a hundred years of national fortune, and the Yuan court has been established for nearly a hundred years. The sovereign is incompetent, the powerful ministers are greedy, plundering without restraint, and the people are living in misery. Coupled with continuous natural disasters and the flooding of the Yellow River, the Yuan court has already reached its end times. Yet, the actions of the Yuan court now will only force more people to become homeless, turning into refugees and joining the Red Turbans. In the long run, the Yuan court is bound to be defeated, and the Red Turbans are bound to win! It is just that the road will be a bit tortuous."

Taking advantage of the preparations made by Master Ma, Zhu Chongba smiled and said: "Perhaps the young gentleman has already guessed that we are the Red Turbans from Haozhou. Over the years, we have lost our parents, lost our elder brother, lost our eldest nephew... our family has fallen apart, and we are left with no way out. We hate this dynasty!"

That being said, as long as one does not engage in corruption or seek power, it is still possible to live a very stable life

Little Sir, you are literate, can speak, and possess knowledge; it is truly a pity to have you here. Once you recover, I will recommend you to meet the General. I assure you, the General will certainly value your abilities.

In any case, there are still more than ten years until the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, so it is not yet time to think about matters several decades into the future

"Young sir, we are currently just a mere district captain, how can you regard us so highly?" Zhu Chongba quietly changed his form of address.

Zhu Chongba nodded and said, "Indeed, the Song Dynasty is in decline! We have heard that the resentment over the killing of Lord Yue has reached a boiling point. Now, our Red Turban Army aims to restore the Song Dynasty, but are we to restore such a thing?"

Zhang Ximeng had no interest at all. After a conversation with Old Zhu, he was already fully convinced that this was the future Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. In the chaotic world at the end of the Yuan dynasty, unless one carried a sniper rifle and directly killed Old Zhu, even a time traveler might not be able to compete with him.

Zhang Ximeng perked up and smiled, saying: "My lord, I do have a story. One day, Emperor Huizong of Song took his son Crown Prince Zhao Huan and Prince Kang Zhao Gou to sail on the Jinming Pool. Suddenly, a gust of wind came, and all three of them fell into the water. When the people of Bianjing heard about it, they curiously asked who was saved. At that moment, the area near the Imperial Academy became lively, and many scholars shouted in unison, tears streaming down their faces: 'The Song Dynasty is saved!'"

Zhang Ximeng spoke sincerely, and both Zhu Chongba and the Ma family were visibly delighted

Old Zhu's straightforwardness startled Zhang Ximeng, who quickly replied: "If the benefactor is willing to learn, I will naturally do my utmost. However, my knowledge is limited, and it is truly a blessing for me that the benefactor thinks highly of me. There is no need to be polite; to speak from the heart, my life was saved by the benefactor, and I am truly at a loss as to how to repay this favor!"

At the moment when Zhu Chongba was deep in thought, Zhang Ximeng bowed and said solemnly: "Benefactor, I am still young, weak in health, and lacking in knowledge. If I were to go to the commander, I would only cause trouble. If you do not mind, I would like to follow you and serve you!"

As Zhang Ximeng pondered, Zhu Chongba looked at him, filled with doubt in his heart. Could it be that this young man looks down on the great commander? Is he unwilling to serve the Red Turban Army?

My lord, please take a look. This orchid has neither roots nor leaves. The painter has mentioned that the land has been taken away by others. He has always considered himself a remnant of the people and would never agree to serve as an official in the Yuan court

Moreover, at present, Zhu Chongba has just joined the army under the command of Guo Zixing and is not acting independently... Therefore, why not set an unrealistic goal for oneself, to gradually change the old Zhu and make the foundation of the Ming Dynasty more solid and secure

Many people mention Old Zhu and have a stereotype that Old Zhu enjoys eliminating his loyal ministers, suggesting that those who follow Old Zhu do not meet a good end. Not to mention figures like Xu Da and Tang He, who died a natural death, even sharing the same fate as the nation.

Zhu Chongba furrowed his brows, paused for a moment, then finally reacted, unable to suppress a hearty laugh, saying: "You really know how to mock people, is the Emperor of the Song Dynasty truly that incompetent?"

Li Shanchang was killed; although he returned to his hometown, he was unwilling to live in obscurity and manipulated the court from afar. As for Lan Yu, his arrogance and overbearing nature also led him to a deserved death

Do you know the old stories of the Two Song Dynasties?

Mr. Ma was also pleased to hear this. In the past, she was worried that Zhang Ximeng, a scholar from a prestigious family, would have a difficult temperament and not get along with her husband. It now seems that she was completely overthinking it.

Zhang Ximeng nodded and sighed, "My lord, how can I not bear the grievances of my family and country!"

Little Sir, we are still not entirely certain in our hearts. At present, the court still has a million troops, and the situation of the Red Turban Army cannot be described as good! A few months ago, the Zhimali in Xuzhou was exterminated, and only Peng Da and Zhao Jun managed to escape to Haozhou in the nude. Not long ago, news also came that the leader of the Northern Red Turbans, Bu Wang San, has died. I truly fear that I may not live to see the day of revenge and retribution, and that my head may fall instead.

Zhang Ximeng nodded vigorously, meeting Zhu Chongba's gaze, and said with a smile: "How about Emperor Gaozu of Han? He was merely a pavilion chief after all"

Zhu Chongba candidly stated: "The past is unclear; it is merely that the Red Turban Army seeks to restore the Great Song dynasty. I have inquired a bit, but my knowledge is limited."