RPAGF Chapter 1413
Chapter 1413
At that time, all the civil and military officials were present at the entrance of the Qianqing Palace. If he had risked "coming back to life" and jumped out in front of so many court officials, he might have had a chance to end this farce.
Of course, they might also be recklessly harvested by the Huaixi faction present.
He watched from behind the curtain all night, and given the circumstances, after much deliberation, he finally made the decision to "fake his grandfather's death," which was the safest option for his grandfather's life.
At this moment.
Zhu Yuanzhang had to admit that he did regret making that choice.
Having lived so many years and reached this point, he has come to see many things more clearly, knowing that every step he takes in life is irreversible and cannot be changed.
So he just gritted his teeth.
Through the black veil hanging from the edge of his bamboo hat, he glanced at his fourth son, Zhu Di, at the fluttering banners, and at the imposing Prince Yan's personal guards. His eyes narrowed slightly as he murmured to himself, "I only hope that this incident will bring less... less turmoil to the Ming Dynasty..."
While he was pondering, Zhu Di had already climbed the steps one by one and ascended the command platform. On the battlefield and in front of the army, this prince of noble birth instantly transformed into the commander-in-chief who ruled over everything, his brows and eyes sharp and fierce, like a tiger ready to devour its prey.
"Have all the troops arrived?" Zhu Di asked in a solemn voice from the command platform to the monk Daoyan, who had been overseeing the situation earlier.
The monk Daoyan stood calmly on the stage.
With his right hand behind his back, he wore a string of sandalwood prayer beads on his left hand, which spun gently with the movement of his thumb and forefinger.
ponder for a moment.
The monk Daoyan smiled faintly, looked up and said, "We weren't all here before, but now the last garrison's men are all here."
After saying that, he walked slowly to the cowhide drum.
He picked up the drumstick next to the large drum, turned around and handed it to Zhu Di: "Please, Your Highness, muster the troops!"
While talking.
The thunderous roar of galloping hooves grew louder and closer, and in the blink of an eye, the horses were orderly arrayed in the military formation, obeying orders without question and becoming one with the army. If it weren't for the visible dust kicked up by their warhorses that hadn't yet settled, it would be almost impossible to tell that horses and men had just been galloping through the air.
This made the large army here appear even more solemn and imposing, and the sense of oppression even stronger.
Zhu Di took the drumsticks from the monk Daoyan.
He struck the center of the drum with a powerful blow: "Thump—"
"My lords and soldiers, we have gathered here today for no other reason than to restore order to our Great Ming Dynasty!"
"I am the fourth son of Emperor Taizu Gao, a close relative of the nation. I was born with divine wisdom and grew up to be exceptionally gifted. The late emperor bestowed upon me the title of Prince of Yan, commanding the north and repeatedly achieving military exploits, my prestige resounding throughout the land. I should be guarding the border, protecting the capital, and safeguarding the Great Ming!"
"However... our late Emperor Gaozu passed away suddenly..."
At this point, Zhu Di fell silent for a moment, then immediately put on his superb acting skills, putting on a sorrowful and heartbroken expression.
only……
While feigning unspeakable grief, Zhu Di couldn't help but glance at his father, whose face was hidden by a bamboo hat, and felt something was off.
My own father is right here.
To say that his father died suddenly in front of him... well... and even to cry in front of him, is somewhat disrespectful, but it's actually a case of filial piety.
However, Zhu Di also knew that now was not the time to slack off. The performance was over, and the main event was yet to come.
He took a deep breath, feigning a heavy expression, and continued loudly, "The late Emperor Gaozu suddenly passed away, and a young emperor succeeded him. The emperor was weak while the ministers were strong, which led to the rise of wicked villains with malicious intentions."
“Now, there are treacherous officials and villains who have stolen the imperial regalia, attempting to seize power from the emperor, deceive the people, and corrupt the court…”
"Therefore, I have no choice but to mobilize troops to purge the court of treacherous ministers and quell the national crisis. This is not my personal desire, but rather the spirit of my ancestors in heaven that has inspired me. You soldiers and civilians should all hold fast to your homeland and not be misled by treacherous officials."
"I, the King, will personally lead a great army to wipe out the villains, restore the foundation of our ancestors, and bring peace to the hearts of the people. I hope that all people in the four directions will understand the will of Heaven, recognize right from wrong early, and lest we perish together and regret it too late!"
"..."
"Boom-"