Chapter 182

At this time!

Listening to Yao Guangxiao's voice, Zhu Di sighed, turned his head slowly, and said with extreme bitterness: "Monk, do you still remember my initial worry about Zhu Ying?"

"You suspect he is the Imperial Grandson?"

Yao Guangxiao naturally thought of this immediately; when they first met, Zhu Di had mentioned his worry.

In front of this trusted strategist, Zhu Di naturally had no secrets.

"Your Highness."

"At this point, you actually still have this suspicion?"

"In the past, the Ziwei star moved, and the Imperial Grandson fell; one is fate, and the other is the will of heaven."

"It cannot be violated."

"When the Imperial Grandson was buried in the past, did Your Highness not see it?" Yao Guangxiao sighed and shook his head, and at this moment, there was even a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

Obviously.

Zhu Di's performance this time made him very disappointed.

To be so worried about one person, losing the spirit of a king, and even more so, losing composure and demeanor.

"But this time it is different."

"I can confirm his identity."

Zhu Di stared at Yao Guangxiao with a serious face.

"Eh?" Yao Guangxiao looked at him in surprise.

"He is my nephew, Zhu Xiongying!" Zhu Di sighed, but his tone was very heavy.

As soon as these words fell.

Yao Guangxiao also lost some of his demeanor and said immediately: "Impossible!"

"Perhaps this sounds too bizarre."

"But it is true."

"Just now, I saw the jade pendant that my father specially crafted for Zhu Xiongying; it has the character 'Yu' on it, which is the noble title my father posthumously conferred upon Zhu Xiongying."

"And this jade pendant was just hanging around Zhu Ying's neck." Zhu Di said with a bitter smile.

"This is impossible."

"I also saw that jade back then; I watched it being buried with my own eyes, and if it really existed, there should be two pieces, not one." Yao Guangxiao's face also changed, and he said very seriously.

Two pieces of jade.

One is "Yu," and one is "Huai."

And "Yu" is the noble title posthumously conferred by Zhu Yuanzhang, while "Huai" is the posthumous title.

Naturally, they have different meanings.

"Since this one has appeared, the other one must also be there."

"It's just that he didn't carry it on his body." Zhu Di said in a deep voice.

"Is Your Highness so sure it is one piece?"

"And not a coincidence?"

"After all, the world is so big, there are many coincidences; it's not impossible that that piece of jade just happens to be the same as Zhu Ying's." Yao Guangxiao still held onto some luck, or rather, he didn't believe Zhu Xiongying was still alive.

After Zhu Xiongying and Empress Ma died.

The funeral rites were all performed by him.

Was the person dead or not?

How could he not know?

Although Yao Guangxiao was a monk, he clearly knew the saying that the dead cannot be resurrected.

"It won't be such a coincidence."

"And I can be sure that this piece of jade is the one that was buried in the imperial mausoleum with Zhu Xiongying."

"The style of this jade is completely crafted by our royal craftsmen; every member of the royal family has one."

"The jade pendant on my body is also like this."

Zhu Di sighed and took out a jade pendant from under his clothes.

If Zhu Ying saw this piece of jade, he would definitely be surprised, because the style of this jade was exactly the same as the one on his body; the texture and workmanship were all the same.

"Your Highness, can you really be sure?" Yao Guangxiao's face had completely changed at this moment.

"Yes!"

Zhu Di nodded heavily, his expression bewildered, as if he had lost his soul.

Obviously.

He knew better than anyone what it would mean for the Great Ming if Zhu Xiongying returned.

And.

The current Zhu Xiongying was even more terrifying and powerful than the one in the past.

If he really restored his identity, no one could deal with him, and no one could shake him.

Not only because of the unique advantages he once possessed!

But also because of the terrifying achievements he had made in the military, from a humble background, fighting step by step on the battlefield, to becoming the world-renowned Marquis of Champions.

From a humble background!

Becoming a hero of the Great Ming who defeated the Northern Yuan iron cavalry, this point alone was enough to make countless people admire and respect him.

Once he restored his identity one day, that kind of prestige would be unmatched.

Getting Zhu Di's definite confirmation!

Yao Guangxiao's expression also sank instantly, just like Zhu Di's.

After a long while.

Yao Guangxiao spoke slowly: "The dead cannot be resurrected! How is this possible? How could he still be alive?"

"Could this be the Emperor's arrangement?"

"No, this is even more impossible."

"If Zhu Xiongying were still alive back then, the Emperor would definitely not have let him go to Beiping Prefecture, let alone let him become a commoner, and even less likely to let him be placed on a battlefield full of dangers."

At this moment.

Even with Yao Guangxiao's strategy, thinking back and forth, he couldn't see through the current situation.

Because no matter which situation it was, it didn't make sense.

Back then.

The Empress passed away.

The Imperial Grandson passed away.

The whole country mourned, and the whole court wept.

That couldn't be acted out.

And the current Emperor would definitely not use the life and death of his beloved and most favored grandson to act; there was no need.

But what the hidden truth was, he couldn't think of it at all.

"So."

"I was just thinking about it too, but I couldn't figure it out at all."

"What is the reason for this?"

"Why would Zhu Xiongying come back to life?"

"Why would he crawl out of the imperial mausoleum?" Zhu Di said in a deep voice, thinking about many things.

"Could someone have robbed the imperial mausoleum and stolen this jade pendant?" Yao Guangxiao guessed.

It's just that as soon as he said this, he naturally knew it didn't hold water; it was impossible.

Zhu Di smiled bitterly and looked at Yao Guangxiao: "How strong is the guard of the imperial mausoleum? There are thousands of standing mausoleum guards; which tomb robber would dare to enter the imperial mausoleum to rob a tomb? Unless they are looking for death."

"So."

"There is no other possibility."

"And even if there were a thousand hidden reasons, it doesn't matter anymore, because the point now is that Zhu Xiongying is still alive." Zhu Di said slowly.

Yao Guangxiao nodded, finally stared at Zhu Di's face, and asked in a deep voice: "Then what does Your Highness think now?"

Zhu Di didn't speak, just looked at Yao Guangxiao fixedly.

Feeling this gaze from Zhu Di, Yao Guangxiao was not afraid; instead, he smiled.

"Your Highness wants to kill me, so that everything is gone?"

"And all of Your Highness's plans will be unknown?" Yao Guangxiao smiled and immediately understood Zhu Di's thoughts.

For many years.

Zhu Di's ambition was unknown to anyone, even the many generals under Zhu Di's command didn't know.

But only.

Only Yao Guangxiao knew.

The root of everything lay in Yao Guangxiao.

If he killed him.

Then all of Zhu Di's ambitions would be unknown, and in the future, Zhu Di could still honestly be a vassal prince, guarding the northern frontier of the Great Ming.

"You say, now that it has reached this situation."

"Shouldn't I kill you?"

"Everything is what you said."

"Now Zhu Xiongying is still alive; even if it is as you said, the eldest brother is not long-lived, but as long as Zhu Xiongying is there, the heir to the Great Ming will not be anyone else."

"I have no chance of winning against him."

"How can your 'white hat' talk count?" Zhu Di said coldly, killing intent appearing in his eyes.

"Indeed."

Yao Guangxiao nodded, but then said: "Now his identity is only known to Your Highness; if he cannot return to Ying Tian, or if the Emperor and the others do not see the jade pendant, how would they know that Zhu Ying is Zhu Xiongying?"

"All of this can still be turned around."

Upon hearing this!

Zhu Di said in a deep voice: "After seeing his jade pendant, my first thought was to buy it and hide it forever, so that the possibility of Zhu Ying restoring his identity would be cut off."

"But he refused, and he had no fear of me at all; others fear imperial power, but for ordinary people, my status is here, and I personally asked for a jade pendant, so he would naturally agree, but he didn't care at all."

"And."

"He has a deep barrier against me; from the first time we met, he has been full of guard against me."

"Regarding this matter, I also can't figure it out."

"Why is he so guarded against me?"

"I have never behaved too much in front of him and have always treated him with courtesy."

"Of course, except for today."

Zhu Di had a thoughtful look on his face, full of wariness, or even fear, of Zhu Ying.

And listening to Zhu Di's words.

Yao Guangxiao didn't say anything more.

He could see that Zhu Di was truly afraid.

Subsequently.

Yao Guangxiao walked directly to the side, took down Zhu Di's sword, threw the sword directly at Zhu Di, and then stood up and walked to Zhu Di's front.

"Your Highness."

"Since you have already made a choice in your heart, then kill this humble monk."

Yao Guangxiao put his hands together and closed his eyes, clearly having prepared to die.

Zhu Di took the sword and stared at Yao Guangxiao, who had his eyes closed in front of him, a look of struggle emerging on his face.

He couldn't pull this sword out no matter what.

To let him kill Yao Guangxiao would be to kill his ambition.

To kill his ambition to seize the imperial throne.

So many years!

To let Zhu Di give up completely, he really couldn't do it.

That supreme position!

How could he not want it?

After a long while.

"It seems."

"The Prince of Yan still doesn't want to kill this humble monk."

Yao Guangxiao opened his eyes slowly, carrying a bit of a smile.

It seems.

He had already seen through Zhu Di.

"How to proceed next, you go and handle it."

"I will not ask about anything."

Zhu Di's eyes showed coldness, and he said slowly.

Upon hearing this!

Yao Guangxiao nodded immediately: "Your Highness, rest assured, this humble monk will naturally handle these matters properly."

Daning Border Army Camp!

Zhu Ying lay on the bed in his camp, and in his hand, he was holding his jade pendant.

"Zhu Di's expression just now was so strange."

"Could there be something strange about this jade?"

"To make a prince value it so much, could it really be some incredible treasure?"

Zhu Ying examined the jade pendant carefully, looking at it from top to bottom; although the texture was indeed good, it shouldn't reach the level of being worth ten thousand gold.

But Zhu Di actually wanted to exchange it for ten thousand gold?

"It seems that I still need to find Uncle Lin later and ask him carefully what is different about this jade pendant?"

"As for Zhu Di."

"Now it can be considered that I have torn my face with him, so there is no need to worry about anything."

"At least we shouldn't meet too often in the future."

"After all, his mind is too deep, and he always seems to have a purpose for me."

Zhu Ying put the jade pendant back into his clothes, carrying some deep thought about Zhu Di.

"Forget it, I'm too lazy to care for now."

"Let's open the treasure chests first."

"I've hoarded so many treasure chests again."

"Four First Rank treasure chests, seven ordinary treasure chests."

"Another wave of gambling on luck."

Zhu Ying was also too lazy to think about Zhu Di; opening treasure chests was the way to go.

Immediately!

"Open all treasure chests," Zhu Ying ordered.

"Host command, open all treasure chests."

"Open ordinary treasure chests."

"Obtained 【1000 taels of silver】."

"Obtained one volume of 【Fine Weaving Method】."

"Obtained one volume of 【Sugar Cane Extraction Method】."

"Obtained one bottle of 【Small Returning Pill】."

"Obtained five bottles of 【Grain Grain Bigu Pill】."

"Obtained fifty 【Refined Steel Swords】."

"Obtained five bottles of 【Grain Grain Bigu Pill】."

"Open First Rank treasure chests."

"Obtained Xuan Rank, Low-grade 【Tyrant Blade Three Slashes】."

"Obtained 【5000 taels of gold】."

"Obtained Huang Jie, High-grade 【Post-Heaven Internal Art】."

"Obtained Huang Jie, High-grade 【Turtle Breathing Art】."

The panel prompted directly.

"Refined steel swords, not bad."

"Xuan Rank, Low-grade martial art; this name sounds very domineering, Tyrant Blade Three Slashes."

"Post-Heaven Internal Art, this should be for refining internal breath."

"Turtle Breathing Art? Could it be for pretending to be dead?"

"Fine."

"Since it has entered the ranks, it will always be useful in the future."

Looking at the treasures obtained from this draw, Zhu Ying was very calm; after all, they were all ordinary treasure chests and First Rank treasure chests.

The next day!

Inside the Yuan capital!

After the cleanup by tens of thousands of logistics troops.

It had already been cleared.

But in the city, from time to time, there were Ming soldiers escorting Yuan army surrenderers, as well as Yuan soldiers hidden among the civilians, heading outside the city.

Of course.

Those nobles who originally belonged to the Yuan court, as well as their families, had all been captured, and their fate would surely be to be demoted to slaves, with slave status added to them.

The Battle of the Broken Capital.

It was obvious.

The influence was huge.

This time, the number of people in the Yuan capital to be demoted to slave status would definitely not be less than fifty thousand.

And that didn't count the nobles in other cities of the Northern Yuan.

Since the territory had been conquered, there would naturally be gains.

Confiscating the property of the Northern Yuan nobles was one point; otherwise, the consumption would be too great, and the national treasury would clearly be unable to bear it.

Northern Yuan Palace Hall!

The generals of the northern expedition gathered here.

And in Guo Ying's hand, he already held the imperial edict from Ying Tian.

"Generals."

"The imperial edict has arrived."

Guo Ying looked at the generals in the hall with a serious face.

Hearing the sound!

All the generals' gazes looked at Guo Ying, each gaze carrying a look of anticipation.

Obviously.

Although the northern frontier was dangerous, it also represented the greatest opportunity.

The Yuan Emperor had indeed escaped.

But whoever could catch up with him, capture him, or kill him.

That would be the greatest battle merit of this war, greater than the merit of breaking the Yuan capital.

And.

Sealing Mount Langjuxu!

These four words.

Were undoubtedly the most moving for military generals.

Whether it was Zhu Ying or Lan Yu, no one could resist the temptation of these four words.

This was the supreme glory for a military general in the eyes of the Huaxia.

Whoever completed it would leave their name for eternity.

Therefore.

Many battle generals, even knowing the northern frontier was dangerous, still flocked to it.

The reason was just that.

Danger also represented opportunity!

(End of chapter)