Chapter 80: History

Ying Zheng (the First Emperor) spoke slowly,

"To be able to record such a tragic scene in writing shows that this person harbors great sorrow and great ambition."

"I was once a hostage in Handan and endured hardships, but compared with this person... I was still fortunate."

【From then on, he became an orphan.】

To survive, he fled to Huangjue Temple and became a monk—

Calling himself a monk was just a euphemism; he was the temple's free labor, sweeping, offering incense, cooking, washing clothes—doing everything.

After less than two months, the temple ran out of food, and the abbot sent the monks out to beg alms.

Zhu Yuanzhang could only hold a bowl and a cup, beginning a wandering life of over three years.】

Cao Cao shook his head,

"Begging alms? That's a polite term; plainly, it's asking for food. This fellow... really has been begging all the way here."

Liu Bei nodded slightly,

"I once wove straw mats and sold straw sandals. In this world, who hasn't had a time of destitution?"

【He traveled across Anhui and Henan, begging all the way, witnessing the suffering of humanity.】

This experience taught him deeply what the common folk need, and honed a keen, ruthless eye for judging people.】

Li Shimin exclaimed,

"Reading ten thousand books is inferior to traveling ten thousand miles. These three years of wandering are more useful to him than any number of sage texts."

"He has seen the hardships of the lower classes with his own eyes, personally felt the world's warmth and cold; such a person becoming emperor will at least not be like those raised in the deep palace, ignorant of the people's suffering."

【Later, someone gave him a nickname—'Beggar Emperor'.】

He did not shy away; after proclaiming himself emperor, he wrote the 'Imperial Tomb Stele', inserting this begging episode verbatim, telling his descendants:

"Your father came up exactly like this!"

Liu Bang raised his thumb,

"Good! Not hiding one's origins, that's a true man! I also did not hide that I was once a village head; let anyone say what they will!"

Liu Che nodded slightly: "One who can face the past can have the courage to face the world."

【Zhu Yuanzhang's rise to power begins with joining the Red Turban Army.】

【In the year 1352, the 25‑year‑old Zhu Yuanzhang received a letter from his childhood companion Tang He—'Come to Haozhou and join me in revolution!'】

He hesitated, then consulted divination; the hexagram said, "Seeking escape or staying is inauspicious; compromising is ominous yet not fatal."

In other words: both fleeing and staying are bad; only enlisting in the army is safe.

Thus, Zhu Yuanzhang threw himself into Guo Zixing's Red Turban Army.】

Cao Cao's eyes lit up,

"Divination? This person still believes in it? Still, the hexagram is accurate. Sometimes, a person needs such an opportunity."

Sun Quan chuckled,

"Divination, my father also did back then; after each battle he'd cast a hexagram, after each battle he'd cast a hexagram, and the result..."

Sun Jian (the Wu Wulie Emperor) glared at his son: "Silence!"

【When Zhu Yuanzhang first enlisted, he was nothing but an ordinary soldier.】

But he possessed three great strengths: he could fight, he was resourceful, and he feared no death.

In every battle he charged at the front; after the fight, when spoils were divided, he took none, giving everything to his brothers.

Guo Zixing saw this and thought the lad was capable, so he gave his adopted daughter Ma Xiuying to him—who later became the famed Empress Ma.

Empress Ma stood beside Zhu Yuanzhang, and upon hearing this, her face flushed slightly.

Zhu Yuanzhang grasped her hand and laughed, "Sister, hear that? The heavens are praising you!"

Empress Ma gently pinched him: "Don't be frivolous, listen to what the heavens say."

【From then on, Zhu Yuanzhang changed from 'Zhu Chongba' to 'Zhu Gongzi', assembling his own core: Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Tang He, Zhou Dexing... These Huai‑west brothers later became the founding heroes of the Ming dynasty.】

Xu Da, Chang Yuchun and the others stood on the steps, exchanged glances, and felt a surge of excitement.

Chang Yuchun lowered his voice: "Brother Xu, the heavens say we are founding heroes!"

Xu Da nodded slightly, a smile at the corner of his mouth: "Listen carefully, don't speak."

【In the year 1355, Guo Zixing died.】

Zhu Yuanzhang became the actual leader of the force.

He led his troops across the Yangtze River, captured Taiping Road, then seized Jijiang (now Nanjing), renamed it Yingtian Fu, and established his own base.

【At this time, a scholar named Zhu Sheng gave him a nine‑character maxim:】

"Build high walls, stock abundant grain, claim the throne slowly."

Li Shimin slammed the table, exclaiming,

"Good! Build high walls, stock abundant grain, claim the throne slowly!"

"These nine characters are worth a thousand troops and horses! This man possesses great wisdom!"

Zhao Kuangyin nodded repeatedly,

"I did the same back then—first solidify the foundation, then plan development; one must not rush. Zhu Sheng is a capable man."

Cao Cao smiled slightly,

"Claim the throne slowly... I'm familiar with that tactic. Back then I also held the emperor hostage to command the lords, not rushing to proclaim myself emperor, letting others stumble first."

【What does that mean? It means to develop modestly first, don't rush! Zhu Yuanzhang did exactly that.】

He cultivated the fields of Yingtian, expanded irrigation, recruited talent, while conserving strength and watching Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng squabble over there.

Chen Youliang was then seated in a palace in Jiangzhou, staring at the three characters "Chen Youliang" projected by the heavens, his face turning iron‑blue.

Zhang Shicheng in Pingjiang Prefecture also furrowed his brows, saying nothing.

【In AD 1363, the Battle of Poyang Lake—Zhu Yuanzhang with 200,000 troops faced Chen Youliang's 600,000-strong army.】

【The battle lasted 36 days; in the end Zhu Yuanzhang used fire attacks against Chen Youliang, Chen Youliang was killed by an arrow volley, and Zhu Yuanzhang achieved a complete victory.】

Chen Youliang sprang to his feet violently and shouted angrily:

"Bullshit! How could I possibly be killed by an arrow volley?!"

The ministers around him were so frightened they all stepped back a pace, and none dared to reply.

The scene on the sky screen shifted: fire lit the sky over Poyang Lake, warships were burned, Chen Youliang was struck by an arrow volley and fell from his ship.

Chen Youliang's face turned deathly pale, and he sagged back into his chair.

【Then, he dealt with Zhang Shicheng and Fang Guozhen, unifying the south.】

In January 1368 AD, Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself emperor in Yingtian, adopting the dynastic name Great Ming and the era name Hongwu.

This year he was 40—having gone from a penniless monk whose parents were dead and who begged for alms, to the founding emperor who ruled the world, in just 16 years.

Liu Xiu exclaimed, "Sixteen years! In my day, from raising an army to proclaiming myself emperor, it took about the same amount of time."

"But I am a descendant of the Han imperial clan, with a legitimate claim; he started from nothing!"

Liu Bang clicked his tongue in amazement,

"Impressive! Truly damn impressive!"

"From the White Snake uprising at Mount Mangdang to proclaiming myself emperor, it also took me seven or eight years, but I capitalized on the chaos at the end of the Qin. This man truly fought his way up!"

Ying Zheng nodded slightly: "One who can obtain the world while still in plain clothes must possess extraordinary ability."

【Achievements Section: The most overworked '996 Emperor' KPI report in history】

【After becoming emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang began a 31-year 'model worker career'.】

According to historical records, he rose before dawn each day, submitted memorials until late night, had no holidays, no leisure activities, and his sole hobby was—killing people and writing poetry (though, of course, the poems were mediocre).】

The comment barrage exploded again—

"996? Isn't that 007?"

"The only hobby is killing people, hahaha!"

"Writing poetry is just okay!"

"Lao Zhu: I have killed more people than I have written poems!"

Liu Bang laughed so hard he slapped his thigh,

"The only hobby is killing people? Hahaha! Lao Zhu, you are too straightforward!"

Liu Che's mouth twitched,

"This hobby... is indeed unique."

Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened, and he stared at the sky screen:

"What does 'the only hobby is killing people' mean? The ones we kill are all the ones who deserve to die!"