The strongest eldest son of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 97 On Farming, I'm a Veteran Too

Just as Zhu Yuanzhang was about to say a few more words of encouragement for the festive occasion, Empress Ma gently pulled his wrist.

Empress Ma shook her head slightly, her eyes conveying a gentle signal, and softly offered a reminder.

"It's not easy for the children to spend time alone and form friendships. As elders, we shouldn't interfere. Let them get to know each other on their own and gradually understand each other."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly understood, nodded repeatedly, and suppressed the lively smile on his face.

"Yes, yes, you're so thoughtful."

"We've traveled a long way and just had a good meal, so we should get some rest."

"You young people, take your time chatting and get along well. Don't be shy."

After saying this, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and waved his hand, then turned and left with Empress Ma, Liu Bowen, and their entourage.

The group moved to the elegant guest room in the backyard, and once the door closed, the surroundings became completely quiet.

The playful smile faded from Zhu Yuanzhang's face, and his eyes were filled with genuine warmth and emotion.

He let out a long sigh, his tone tinged with regret.

"Yao'er has a hard life. He lost his mother at a young age and has been all alone. Now his maternal grandfather has just passed away."

"I've always felt guilty for not being able to make it up to him properly, so I'm truly happy to see him find his ideal partner today."

Empress Ma nodded gently, her eyes tender and her tone full of satisfaction.

"Yao'er is sensible, intelligent, and kind-hearted; I have always liked her very much."

"Now that he has been able to fall in love with the daughter of the Duke of Xu and stay together, it can be said that he is blessed by God and his life is very fulfilling."

After her initial reflection, Empress Ma composed herself slightly, a hint of doubt appearing in her eyes, and asked softly.

"Chongba, I've always had a doubt in my mind: are you truly determined to join forces with Yao'er to manipulate the Ming Dynasty's paper money?"

Upon hearing this, the warmth on Zhu Yuanzhang's face vanished instantly, and his expression suddenly became serious and sharp.

His eyes were resolute, and his tone was firm and powerful, without the slightest hesitation.

"Flip it! Why not flip it! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"You don't know that wealthy merchants and magnates all over the world hoard goods, acquire land, and hoard gold and silver, exploiting the people every day."

"This group of people is richer than a country, but they never share the burden of the country. They only take the opportunity to make money and drain the country's strength."

"Since I ascended the throne, I have always wanted to deal with these unscrupulous merchants, but I have no legitimate reason to do so."

"Now, taking advantage of this situation with the precious paper money, we have a perfectly legitimate reason to reap a huge harvest from these parasites!"

Empress Ma frowned slightly, her tone earnest, and she softly tried to dissuade her.

"But this matter is extremely risky. If it is not handled properly, it could easily shake the foundation of the country. You still need to be cautious."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled calmly, confident and composed, his tone steady and resolute.

"What's the panic? With Yao'er by your side to plan, there's nothing to worry about."

"Didn't he say that this law would only harm the powerful and wealthy, and would not affect the common people at the bottom of society, thus not damaging the foundation of people's livelihood?"

"Once we've thoroughly plundered the gold and silver hoarded by these wealthy merchants and have a massive amount of hard currency in hand, we can then officially announce that the paper money is linked to gold and silver."

"At that time, the value of the currency will be stable, the country will be at peace, the people will benefit, and those wealthy merchants who have suffered losses will have to kneel down and thank us for stabilizing the currency value!"

Empress Ma was startled by these words, staring blankly at Zhu Yuanzhang, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

"Zhongba, in terms of deep thinking and long-term planning, you are probably even more ruthless than Yao'er."

She could clearly imagine that the wealthy and powerful in the court and the country were completely manipulated by the father and son, with the profits and losses controlled by the two.

"Heh heh, if your man weren't ruthless, he would have been completely taken advantage of by guys like Zhang Shicheng and Chen Youliang long ago!"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed loudly, a glint of cunning and scheming flashing in his eyes.

"Since we've come all this way, let's put aside the trivial matters of the court for now and stay in Chenzhou for a few more days."

"With Biao'er overseeing the country and Hu Weiyong holding the reins of power, the court can be kept stable."

Empress Ma's eyes flickered slightly, as if she had realized something, and she asked a question in a soft voice.

"Chongba, you now rely on Hu Weiyong so much and trust him completely."

"Aren't you worried at all that, as the head of all officials and the current prime minister, he might develop a desire for power and arrogance?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile, his eyes deep and distant.

"If he really dares to seize power and rule the court arbitrarily, then we can take the opportunity to abolish the position of prime minister."

"It all depends on whether he can understand what Yao'er said unintentionally before."

Empress Ma's face immediately filled with doubt, her brows furrowed, and she quickly pressed for an answer.

"Oh? When did Yao'er say anything about the Prime Minister? What exactly did he say?"

Empress Ma gazed intently at Zhu Yuanzhang, waiting for him to reveal the answer.

Zhu Yuanzhang, however, feigned mystery, chuckled lightly, and deliberately avoided this heavy topic.

"Haha, let's put aside matters of the court for now and enjoy ourselves while we can."

He leaned back slightly, his smile fading, and smoothly changed the subject.

"Sister, we've accomplished a great mission this time. Yao'er's marriage is finally settled."

"Sitting here in this room is really boring, why don't we go out for a walk?"

"We've been to Chenzhou several times, and Yao'er's mansion holds countless wonders that we haven't yet explored."

Empress Ma smiled and nodded gently, her eyes softening as she echoed her sentiments.

"That's good. Sitting for too long is tiring. Let's go out for a walk and get some fresh air."

"I'll just stop by the kitchen on the way and check on things so I can prepare dinner."

"Although hot pot is delicious and spicy, it is not suitable to eat it every day. You should always switch to some light dishes to nourish your spleen and stomach."

The two rose side by side, shedding their imperial majesty, and walked out of the guest room like an ordinary couple.

A gentle breeze blows through the courtyard, the flowers and trees are arranged in a pleasing and orderly manner, the scenery is elegant and refined, and every corner exudes a unique and novel charm.

The two chatted and strolled along, passing pavilions and waterside terraces, and walking through long corridors and flower paths.

As we walked, a secluded courtyard suddenly appeared ahead, completely different from the scenery elsewhere.

The courtyard gate was tightly closed, the walls were neat and solemn, and the surroundings were exceptionally quiet, exuding a sense of seclusion.

Two servants stood solemnly on either side of the courtyard gate, their posture upright and their expressions serious, not daring to slack off in the slightest.

Ordinary courtyards are never guarded by anyone, so this kind of setup instantly aroused Zhu Yuanzhang's curiosity.

He paused, pointed to the courtyard gate, and casually ordered, "Go in and take a look."

The two guards immediately stepped forward, bowed, and clasped their hands in a respectful manner, yet their stance remained firm.

"Reporting to Master and Madam, this is the young master's private vegetable garden. No outsiders are allowed to enter without his permission."

Zhu Yuanzhang was taken aback upon hearing this, then looked surprised and raised his eyebrows slightly.

"A vegetable garden? A mere place for growing vegetables and planting crops, does it really need someone to guard it and forbid others from entering?"

He came from humble beginnings and spent half his life farming. Farming and land reclamation were his specialties, and he found it both strange and amusing.

"When it comes to farming, we're experts and veterans. Today, let's see what treasures Yao'er will grow."

Having said that, Zhu Yuanzhang completely ignored the servants' attempts to stop him and strode straight into the courtyard.

Seeing this, the two servants dared not forcibly stop them and could only bow and step aside, looking uneasy.

Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma stepped into the courtyard side by side, and as they looked up, their view suddenly opened up.

There were no exotic flowers or rare plants in the courtyard, only a large, flat but barren open space with soft, fertile soil...