Chapter 159

A guard from the Yan Wang Fu ran excitedly up to the main hall and, looking at Zhu Yuanzhang, clasped his hands and said,

"Your humble servant, Zhang Yu, Commander Assistant of the Left Guard of Yanshan, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but lift his head and, looking with interest at the young general before him, asked,

"Has the Prince of Yan arrived in the capital?"

"Yes, the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Jin have already met at the Tongzhou dock and specifically ordered your humble servant to enter the capital to report the news."

Even though Old Zhu wanted to put on an air of stern majesty,

upon hearing that his son was almost home,

he still could not conceal the smile on his face.

"Noted. Reward him."

A nearby young Eunuch immediately stepped forward, carrying a wooden tray, and walked over.

On the tray lay a gold ingot weighing about ten taels.

Seeing the gold ingot before him,

Zhang Yu's face could not help but break into a broad smile.

"Your humble servant takes his leave!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly.

Meanwhile, in the chat group, Zhu Qizhen was asking about the situation at the Battle of Xingshan.

Emperor Yingzong Rui:

"@Emperor Sizong Lie, our Great Ming imperial clan, in just over a hundred years, actually has hundreds of thousands of descendants?"

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"Sigh, Great-Grandfather, this is a long story."

Having said this, Zhu Youjian casually glanced at Zhu Di's avatar.

At that moment, Zhu Di at the other end of the chat group had already broken out in a cold sweat.

Others might not know why the Great Ming imperial clan had so many children, but how could he, Zhu Di, not know?!

Emperor Yingzong Rui:

"What exactly is going on? My reign looked quite normal; when I went to Datong before, there were only a few people."

Emperor Taizu Gao:

"Yes, not to mention we were curious before. Which branch was so fertile? These descendants couldn't possibly be so useless that they just stay home all day with nothing to do but shut their mouths and have children?"

"By the way, why didn't we see the descendants of the Old Fifteenth and Old Seventeenth, who were enfeoffed in Liaodong, during the Battle of Xingshan?"

Seeing this, Zhu Di immediately broke out in a cold sweat all over his body.

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"Great-Grandfather, a hundred years ago, the Ning House gathered two hundred thousand people to rebel; after it was suppressed, the Ning Fan was abolished and they became commoners."

"The Prince of Liao was abolished during my grandfather's time due to an incident."

(The Prince of Liao was abolished mainly because that fellow loved drinking; not only did he drink himself, but he also liked to force others to drink, accidentally drowning an old man by over-pouring. Coincidentally, that old man's grandson became a person of some influence in the mid-to-late Ming period, named Zhang Zhang Juzheng. This story tells us that excessive drinking is harmful to health.)

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang finally understood slightly.

Emperor Taizu Gao:

"See! I knew it; surely these two lads must have gone wrong. One was in Great Ming, the other in Guangyang; even if the Tatars turned the sky upside down, they shouldn't have caused things to reach this point!"

"Two ungrateful things!"

Seeing this, Zhu Di's cold sweat poured out.

Fortunately, that kid was sharp!

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"... Great-Grandfather, your humble son has other matters here; I will report the details to Great-Grandfather at a later time."

Emperor Yingzong Rui:

"Hey, why are you running? Your ancestor is talking to you!"

Zhu Youjian was the only junior of Zhu Qizhen in the group.

Naturally, he was playing up his ancestral status for all it was worth.

As soon as the message was sent, Zhu Di could no longer hold back.

Emperor Chengzu Wen:

"Why do you have so much nonsense every day?!"

"Have you even memorized the Ancestral Instructions?"

"Do you think everyone is as idle as you?!"

"Just you wait; I'm coming to find you!"

Emperor Yingzong Rui:

"Great-Grandfather, I won't ask anymore. When will you let my Great-Grandfather go back?"

"I can hardly stand it!"

"Enough said; you guys chat; I have some %￥……"

……

……

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang helplessly sighed, then stood up on his own, stretched, casually walked over to the imperial desk before him, picked up a brush, and wrote down a menu.

"Take this menu to the Imperial Kitchen; prepare according to it today."

"Yes."

Like any father.

He might forget many things.

But Old Zhu would never forget his sons' favorite dishes.

And now, beneath the Jinchuan Gate.

The honor guards of the Yan Wang Fu and the Jin Wang Fu were already striding proudly toward the city.

The common people around them also turned their heads.

Each one curiously sizing up these soldiers before their eyes.

Because they knew.

These troops were true warriors who had fought and killed the Tatars on the grasslands.

As the Wang Fu guards slowly passed along the Front Gate Street.

Su Qiao, slumped dejectedly at his doorstep, suddenly brightened as he gazed at the towering "Yan" banner in the distance.

Zhu Di has arrived!

Gazing at Zhu Di mounted on his horse.

Su Qiao's heart began to pound violently.

Why not.

Just rebel right now?!

Thinking this.

Su Qiao couldn't help but swallow hard.

Zhu Di, mounted on his horse, did not notice Su Qiao mixed among the crowd.

Instead, he followed behind his third brother, heading toward the direction of the Forbidden City.

Along this road.

Jin Wang Zhu Gang was coughing faintly.

Until they reached outside the Wumen.

Zhu Gang, having dismounted, walked up before Zhu Di.

"Cough, cough, Fourth Brother, we are about to see Father; we two, cough, cough..."

Zhu Di nodded slightly.

"Brother, you need not say more; Fourth Brother understands."

No sooner had the words left his lips.

Zhu Di stepped back a few paces.