diymy Chapter 2 My surname is Zhu! And my biological father was a monk?
Chapter 2 My surname is Zhu! And my biological father was a monk?
Chenzhou.
The Liu family residence.
Liu Yao stayed by the bed in the west wing.
Grandpa Liu Youliang's withered hands gripped his wrist tightly.
"Yao'er...listen..." The old man's voice was weak, and he had to gasp for breath after each word. "You...you're not surnamed Liu...you're surnamed Zhu..."
"Your mother... was only eighteen years old... went to pick mulberry leaves outside the city and encountered bandits... a monk surnamed Zhu saved her..."
"Afterwards, the two of them formally entered into a wedding ceremony..."
Grandpa's voice trailed off with a hint of regret, "At the time... I thought he was of unknown origin and worried something might happen... so I forced him to leave... I chased him away with a stick..."
The old man's hands trembled slightly, as if he were experiencing the stubbornness and impulsiveness of those years again.
"But who could have imagined..." Grandpa's voice choked, tears welling in his eyes. "Less than half a month after he left, your mother found out she was pregnant... She had a strong personality and refused to say the boy's name, only that he was a good person... She carried you for ten months, and when she gave birth to you, she had a difficult labor... She used her last breath to give birth to you, and then she passed away..."
The candlelight flickered, illuminating Liu Yao's astonished face.
He lost his mother at a young age, and his maternal grandfather never mentioned his mother's past, only saying that she was a gentle and virtuous woman, but he never expected that she had such a hidden story.
and many more.
His surname is Zhu, and he's a monk?
Could it be that person?
Impossible. There's no mention of Zhu Yuanzhang having such an affair in Chenzhou. There are plenty of monks with the surname Zhu; it's most likely a coincidence.
"Ahem!"
"Fortunately... you're a good kid..."
Grandpa Liu Youliang's tone softened, with a hint of relief and reluctance. "You were strong and quick-witted from a young age... When the world was in chaos, you cleared land and farmed, and then started a grain business."
"In just one or two decades, the Liu family's grain stores have spread throughout the four counties of Chenzhou, accumulating such a large fortune... Your mother would surely be very pleased if she knew this in the afterlife!"
He took a breath, his eyes suddenly hardening as he stared intently at Liu Yao: "Yao'er, you must find your biological father... If he is alive, he will be your only family in the world; if he is dead, bury him with your mother..."
These words seemed to have exhausted all the old man's strength. His hand slowly loosened, his eyes gradually became unfocused, and he glanced at Liu Yao one last time, filled with endless concern and expectation. His head tilted to the side, and he breathed his last.
When his grandfather's hand fell completely to his sides, Liu Yao suddenly came to his senses. His throat felt like it was blocked by a wad of waterlogged cotton, and he couldn't make a sound.
Grief washed over my chest like a tide, mixed with the bewilderment and helplessness of having my past revealed.
Tears finally welled up in his eyes, but he bit his lip tightly, refusing to utter a single sob.
Liu Yao slowly stood up, his legs already numb. He gently closed his grandfather's eyes, tucked the blanket in, his movements so gentle as if afraid of disturbing the old man's peaceful sleep. As he turned, he wiped away the tears on his face, his eyes still bloodshot.
"Someone come here." His voice was hoarse from crying, but unusually calm.
The butler, Chen Zhong, who was guarding outside the door, hurriedly pushed it open and entered. Seeing that the old man on the bed had already passed away, his eyes instantly reddened, and he knelt down on the ground with a thud: "Master..."
"Don't cry."
Liu Yao pressed down on his shoulder, his voice trembling slightly, "Grandpa passed away peacefully. We should hold a proper funeral, a grand one."
He paused, sorting out his chaotic thoughts, and gave instructions one by one, "Immediately send someone to inform the managers of all the branches in Chenzhou, as well as my grandfather's old friends and acquaintances, of the news of the death."
"Go and buy the best coffin and funeral clothes. The mourning hall will be set up in the main hall of the front yard, and the incense must not be cut off."
"In addition, find the best feng shui master to choose an auspicious site for my grandfather's burial."
Chen Zhongyi agreed to everything. Seeing that his young master was clearly heartbroken but was still trying to arrange the funeral, he felt both admiration and heartache: "Young master, you haven't slept all night. Why don't you rest for a while? Leave the rest to this old servant."
Liu Yao shook his head, his gaze falling on his grandfather's face on the bed, his eyes filled with reluctance: "I'll stay with Grandpa a little longer."
……
Zhu Yuanzhang and his entourage went to the Liu family residence.
Just then, a mournful melody drifted from afar, accompanied by the rustling sound of paper money fluttering in the air.
Zhu Yuanzhang and the others looked in the direction of the sound and saw a grand funeral procession coming from the path outside the village. White banners led the way, and gongs and drums sounded mournfully. The funeral procession stretched for several miles and included not only Liu's relatives and servants, but also many villagers who came to mourn spontaneously. The scene was quite solemn.
"Whose funeral is this, that it's such a grand affair?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked curiously to an old farmer passing by.
Seeing that they were well-dressed but lacked official airs, the old farmer smiled and replied, "Sir, you may not know this, but this is the late Old Master Liu of the Liu family, the richest family in Chenzhou, who has passed away."
He gave a thumbs up, his face full of admiration, "Young Master Liu Yao is quite capable. At such a young age, he has made the Liu family grain business very successful. Now the Liu family grain business is spread throughout the four counties of Chenzhou, and the family is very wealthy."
"When Old Master Liu passed away, Young Master Liu, in order to fulfill his filial duty, held an exceptionally grand funeral, hiring the best opera troupe and preparing the thickest coffin, just so that the old master could leave in style."
"Oh? Liu Yao?" Zhu Yuanzhang raised an eyebrow, a strange feeling rising in his heart, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "So, the Liu family is indeed very wealthy."
"Of course!" the old farmer laughed. "Young Master Liu is not only good at business, but also kind and righteous. He helps his poor neighbors, repairs roads and builds bridges, and has done a lot of good deeds."
"When the old man was being buried, he said that all the people who attended the funeral, whether they knew each other or not, could go to the Liu family for a banquet after the funeral. There would be plenty of food and drinks, which would be considered as doing good deeds for the old man."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes lit up.
"Alright!" Zhu Yuanzhang immediately made the decision and said to Erhu and Liu Bowen, "Since it is the funeral of such a benevolent and righteous man, we should go and see off this old master Liu. Erhu, go and make the arrangements. We will also join the funeral procession and attend the banquet afterwards."
Although Erhu had reservations, fearing that the emperor's identity would be exposed, seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's resolute attitude, he had no choice but to cup his hands and reply, "Your subordinate obeys..."
Liu Bowen coughed twice, also feeling that there was nothing wrong with this move. On the contrary, it would allow His Majesty to have a more direct understanding of the people's situation. So he smiled and agreed, "Your Excellency is wise. This is indeed a good opportunity to observe the people's conditions."
So Zhu Yuanzhang and his entourage quietly blended into the funeral procession and moved slowly forward with the flow of people.
White banners fluttered in the autumn wind, and mournful music rose and fell. Liu Yao, dressed in plain white mourning clothes, walked steadily at the front of the procession, his expression filled with grief...
Zhu Yuanzhang and his entourage mingled among the funeral procession.
Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze remained fixed on Liu Yao, who was dressed in plain white. He quietly pulled aside a sorrowful-looking villager beside him and asked in a very low voice, "Brother, may I ask if this old man Liu ever planted an apricot grove outside Chenzhou City in his younger days?"
"Do you have a daughter who unfortunately passed away many years ago?"
The villager paused for a moment, then nodded: "You seem to know something about this place, outsider. Old Master Liu did indeed plant an apricot grove outside the city in his younger days, and I heard it flourished back then!"
"As for his daughter, he did have one, but she passed away more than 20 years ago. I heard she died young in childbirth, leaving behind young Master Liu. The old man raised him alone; it wasn't easy for him."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a tightness in his chest, a stinging sensation in his nose, and his eyes instantly reddened.