Chapter 14

But Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen did not!

There were so many correct paths!

Yet Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen, from a handful of correct answers, managed to pick the most absurd one with flawless accuracy!

The High Emperor Taizu:

"And then?"

The Lie Emperor Sizong:

"In the sixth month of the fourth year of Jianwen, the Yan army marched south, captured Zhenjiang, and bore down directly on Jin Ling. The Prince of Gu and Li Li Jinglong opened the Jinchuan Gate to surrender the city, allowing the Yan army to enter."

"Simultaneously, a fire broke out in the palace, and Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen vanished without a trace."

Seeing this,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang was momentarily stunned into a daze.

Vaguely,

Old Zhu even felt this was the best possible outcome!

Zhu Di had failed to kill Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen,

while the reckless Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen had been kicked off the throne.

After Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang remained lost in sorrow for a long while,

he finally turned his gaze to the three powerful, vigorous characters on the writing desk before him:

"Prince of Yan, Di!"

Thinking of this,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath,

then abruptly rose and commanded,

"Summon the carriage! To the Imperial Prison!"

"Yes!"

Before Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang made his decision,

Old Zhu had one final question.

The answer to this question

could only be heard by Old Zhu himself.

It absolutely could not be heard by the entire court of civil and military officials!

Before long,

Old Zhu's carriage slowly rolled into the Northern Town Guard Command.

Then, surrounded by a crowd of Embroidered Uniform Guards,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang walked alone into the dark, damp Imperial Prison.

The moment Old Zhu stepped into the Imperial Prison,

a melody Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang had never heard before was echoing within its walls.

"Sandalwood brushes past, a jade bracelet toys with the light gauze~"

"Leaving behind only a cup of tea the color of sprouting buds~"

"If the landscape in my heart, you could see it all in your eyes..."

"I've drunk the tea of Jin Ling, drunk the tea of the Two Guangs, drunk the tea of Shu..."

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Su Qiao, who was lying on the straw in the cell, tapping his crossed legs.

His heart instantly erupted into chaos.

How is this kid actually singing?!

15. Depose Crown Prince Zhu Biao!

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang slowly turned his head.

"Commander Commander Jiang Huang, has this boy been like this since he was brought in yesterday?"

Commander Commander Jiang Huang bowed his head and replied,

"Reporting to Your Majesty, since Adult Su entered the Imperial Prison yesterday,

he has been sampling teas from all over the realm. It seems Adult Su is also a lover of tea."

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang immediately turned his gaze back to Su Qiao.

He saw that at some point, Su Qiao had already used a pebble to draw a strange pattern on the brick wall of the prison cell.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang stared intently at the distant pattern.

He felt as though he had seen it somewhere before.

No!

Isn't this the complete geographical map of Great Ming!

This kid casually drew on the wall and managed to sketch out most of Great Ming's mountains, rivers, and terrain!

Yet Su Qiao paid no attention whatsoever to what was happening before his eyes.

Still gazing at the map before him, he muttered to himself,

"After I get out, where should I go to drink tea first? Head to Huguang, then take the route north?"

Little did he know that this very sentence deeply shocked Old Zhu in the adjacent cell.

This young man had actually concluded that I would not kill him?!

Not only that,

he had even seen through my intention to leave him idle and unused, waiting for a future monarch to bestow honors upon him!

Old Zhu had originally come simply to ask Su Qiao a few questions.

Afterwards, he would order men to beat Su Qiao soundly, then throw him out of the capital.

In this way,

since Su Qiao would have suffered humiliation at his hands, any future ruler—whether Zhu Di or Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen—could earn his gratitude and devotion merely by granting him a modest title or reward.

But what Old Zhu had not expected was

that this young lad, Su Qiao, had so easily seen through his little scheme.

He had even, while still in his cell, already planned out his itinerary for wandering the lands.

How could Old Zhu not be shocked!

Old Zhu's expression darkened.

He instructed Commander Commander Jiang Huang, who stood nearby,

"Drag this brat over here for us."

"Yes!"

Commander Commander Jiang Huang immediately led two Embroidered Uniform Guard warriors toward the adjacent cell.

Before long,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang clearly heard Su Qiao's excited voice.

"Commander Commander Commander Jiang? Has the time come for me to depart? No need for you two; I will walk myself."

Unexpectedly, the moment Su Qiao stepped out of the cell door,

he was directly dragged into the neighboring cell.

The corners of Su Qiao's mouth twitched slightly.

"Hmm... what fresh nonsense is this now...?"

Before Su Qiao could even make out the figure standing before him,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but burst into a furious tirade:

"You brat, are you so certain in your prediction that you think we won't kill you?"

Su Qiao's face froze.

Old Zhu?

How did Old Zhu end up here?

Since when did I predict you wouldn't kill me!

Isn't my intention to seek death already clear enough?!

Before Su Qiao could open his mouth, Commander Commander Jiang Huang behind him shouted sternly.

"Brat, you see the Sovereign and do not kneel; have you truly grown tired of living?"

Before Su Qiao could even react,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said,

"Enough, there is nothing more for you here; all of you withdraw!"

Upon hearing this, Commander Commander Jiang Huan and the others suspected nothing and immediately withdrew outside the prison cell.

Before Su Qiao could clearly analyze the current situation,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang stepped forward on his own, staring coldly at Su Qiao as he asked,

"I will ask you just one thing right now."

Su Qiao, helpless, could only stand silently to the side.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth and asked,

"If I establish the Prince of Yan as the heir apparent, tell me: after I pass away in a hundred years, what arrangements must I make to ensure the safety of the three brothers—Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen, Yuntong, and the other?"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang stared fixedly at Su Qiao.

This was Old Zhu's final chance for Su Qiao to save his life.

And Su Qiao instantly perceived the murderous intent hidden within Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang's words.

In his heart, he secretly cursed,

"Old wretch, even when killing people you are so tedious."

"You still have to find a reason."

Having said this, Su Qiao's mind immediately turned to that person.

A person who had just been buried beneath the yellow earth.

—The Crown Prince Yiwen, Zhu Biao!

Thinking of this, Su Qiao's gaze instantly became resolute.

Do they not all say that you, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang, have only two sons: one is Zhu Biao, and the other is every other son?!

Seeing Su Qiao remain silent,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but snort coldly,

"Well? Could it be that the Great Scholar Su has become cowardly now that he is in this Imperial Prison?"

Su Qiao took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and looked at Old Zhu as he said,

"This subject has a method!"

"I am listening!"

Having said this, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang turned around on his own.

Su Qiao spoke in an icy, stern tone,

"The reason Your Majesty is thus concerned must be the fear that the Crown Prince's grandson will follow in the footsteps of Zhao Defang of the former Song."

"What difficulty is there in breaking this deadlock? It requires only one edict from Your Majesty!"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang turned around on his own, staring fixedly at Su Qiao as he asked,

"What edict?"

Su Qiao took a deep breath, stared fixedly at Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang, and proclaimed loudly,

"Abolish the position of Crown Prince Yiwen as heir apparent!"

The moment these words were spoken,

the Imperial Prison instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Upon hearing Su Qiao propose using Zhu Biao as the leverage,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang nearly could not restrain himself.

He almost immediately ordered Commander Commander Jiang Huan to drag Su Qiao out and behead him.

No matter how old Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang was,

the deceased Zhu Biao remained forever a pain in Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

But Old Zhu was not a benighted ruler.

He knew that at no time could he act on impulse.

Su Qiao's words were extremely unpleasant.

But upon careful consideration,

they were indeed useful!

If Zhu Biao's position as Crown Prince were abolished,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen could directly inherit his father's title of Prince.

He would then possess no legitimacy to succeed to the throne!

In other words, once this was done, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen's threat to the imperial throne would be no different from that of an ordinary second-generation vassal king of the Great Ming!

If you, Zhu Di, succeed to the throne and kill Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen,

could you possibly kill the heirs of the Prince of Qin and the Prince of Jin as well?!

16: Old Zhu: "You little rascal, go investigate for me whether Su Qiao is loyal or not!"

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Su Qiao, gritted his teeth, and took a deep breath.

After nodding, he squeezed out three words through clenched teeth.

"Good lad!"

Having said this, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang turned and strode away arrogantly.

If Su Qiao just now had not made his move upon Zhu Biao,

Instead, they spoke of "the Prince of Yan's benevolence and filial piety."

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang would have without hesitation ordered Su Qiao to be dragged out and beheaded.

But Su Qiao directed his spear point at Zhu Biao.

On the contrary, he struck precisely at the root cause of the Jingnan Campaign.

That was the fact that Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen was never the legitimate heir of Great Ming.

It was Old Zhu, loving the house and even its crows, who forcibly bestowed legitimacy upon Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen.

Judging by legitimacy of birth, Zhu Yunteng, born to Lady Chang, was still alive.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen was merely the eldest son of a concubine.

Judging by talent, ten Zhu Yunwens could not compare to Zhu Di.

But Old Zhu refused to believe it.

From beginning to end, Old Zhu had never accepted the fact that Zhu Biao had died before him.

Old Zhu treated Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen as if he were Zhu Biao, grooming him accordingly.

Alas, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen was ultimately not Zhu Biao.

Su Qiao's words scolded Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang awake.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang spoke not a single word.

He walked out of the Imperial Prison on his own.

After stepping out of the Imperial Prison,

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth and commanded,

"Commander Commander Jiang Hu!"

"This humble subordinate is present!"

"Keep this man under close watch for us."

"If Su Qiao's head is missing, you, and all of you, shall die alongside him!"

Having spoken, Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at the crowd of Embroidered Uniform Guards behind him within the Imperial Prison.

Everyone present shivered instantly.

Beads of sweat the size of beans oozed forth on Commander Commander Jiang Hu's forehead.

"This humble subordinate accepts the order!"

Donggong.

Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yunwen, who had originally intended to go pay respects to Zhu Zhu Zhu Zhu Yuanzhang, found him gone.