Chapter 169

All we can say is, these are all tricks our Laozu Sect already played; they are still a bit too green.

Taizu Gao Emperor:

"Speak! Why don't you speak? Aren't you so capable?"

"@Emperor Sizong Lie, before we forgot to ask, how did those Jianzhou Jurchens over on your side manage to rise?"

Emperor Sizong Lie:

"..."

"Hmm... uh... sigh."

Looking at the three characters Zhu Youjian had sent over.

Both Zhu Di and Zhu Yuanzhang fell into silence.

At this moment, silence was better than sound.

0.3 Taizu Gao Emperor:

"That @Emperor Yingzong Rui, where has your army returned to? We are preparing to have the fourth one come over."

Emperor Yingzong Rui:

"{Crying} Great-Grandfather, less than two hundred li remain before reaching the capital!"

Taizu Gao Emperor:

"Fourth one, we give you two paths. The first path: after delivering this unlucky child home, you come over, and we two will have a chat."

Chengzu Wen Emperor:

"Father, no need to say more, I choose the second path!"

Taizu Gao Emperor:

"The second path: we come over, grab you, and with this unlucky child, the three of us will have a chat together."

Emperor Yingzong Rui:

"{Crying} Great-Grandfather, my Great-Great-Grandfather chooses the first path!"

Chengzu Wen Emperor:

"Father, you must be quite busy over there, so how about we, we just don't trouble you?"

Taizu Gao Emperor:

"We advise you to think clearly."

Having said this, Zhu Yuanzhang fell silent.

He closed the chat group.

Meanwhile, Prince Jin Zhu Gang and Prince Yan Zhu Di had already arrived before Old Zhu.

Zhu Di looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and immediately burst into loud crying, saying

"Father, you must investigate clearly! Your son absolutely has no thought of usurpation!"

Looking at Zhu Di kneeling before him.

Zhu Yuanzhang grew more and more annoyed the more he looked.

Instead, he turned his gaze to Zhu Gang beside him and, with a voice nearly choked with emotion, ordered

"Third one, present your medical records to us, let Father take a look..."

Looking at Zhu Yuanzhang before him.

Zhu Gang immediately began to cough violently.

Only after a long while did he smile bitterly and say

"... Cough, Father, no need to summon them. After Elder Brother passed away, Your Son has not seen a court physician... cough cough..."

Inside the Qianqing Palace.

All sounds were silent...

116, Imperial Family Affection!

Looking at Zhu Gang before him.

A feeling of regret arose in Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.

Even Zhu Di, kneeling beside him, was shocked to a standstill by Zhu Gang's words.

Old Zhu himself, as the family head, had already been doing his utmost to maintain the operation of this family.

But Zhu Yuanzhang never expected that his own stubbornness had actually driven his son to this point.

Looking at the son standing before him.

Zhu Yuanzhang choked up and roared at the distant little Eunuch.

"Summon the court physician! Summon the court physician! Let the court physician come to treat our son!"

Zhu Gang "thump" fell to his knees before Zhu Yuanzhang, cried out "Father...", and then fell silent.

Clearly, Su Qiao was right.

Originally, the passing of Zhu Biao had not forced Zhu Gang to take such a desperate measure.

Because after all, above Zhu Gang, there was still Prince Qin Zhu Shuang standing as a shield.

Zhu Shuang's talents were mediocre; Zhu Yuanzhang could not make him Crown Prince. In the future, even if Zhu Yunwen wanted to reduce the fiefs, as long as Zhu Shuang lived, he could still serve as the exemplar of the Princes, leading his younger brothers to surrender their military power.

With Elder Brother gone, the Second Brother, Prince Qin, although unable to block all the wind and rain, could at least block most of it.

But only a few days after Zhu Biao passed away, Zhu Shuang followed him.

Zhu Gang knew that if Second Brother were still alive, he and Zhu Gang, the two brothers, might still be able to suppress Zhu Di.

But now, Elder Brother and Second Brother are both gone.

Relying on himself alone, wanting to suppress Zhu Di, that is an utterly impossible matter.

This suppression did not mean that Zhu Gao and Zhu Yunwen could not defeat Zhu Di.

Rather, it meant that Zhu Gao could not stop Zhu Di from raising an army.

Once Zhu Di raised his arm and called out in Yanjing, the fate of Zhu Gao's family would be almost certain.

And after Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne, his own position would become even more awkward.

After much thought, Zhu Gao, whose health was already poor, naturally chose to give up treatment.

As long as he departed a step early and passed away shortly after Zhu Yuanzhang, the members of his branch of the family would be safe.

His sons were cousins with Zhu Yunwen and also Zhu Di's own nephews.

As long as he was dead, neither side could possibly do anything to his sons, no matter what.

Looking at the son before him, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said,

"The eldest is unfilial. You, the third, must not learn from your eldest brother. Be obedient. Let us treat the illness properly, cure it, and not let others make a mockery of our Zhu family."

He helped Zhu Gao, who was kneeling on the ground, to his feet.

Then, Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze suddenly changed; he stared fixedly at Zhu Di and asked,

"The fourth, I ask you: do you truly wish to be this Emperor?"

Hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Zhu Di could not help but shiver.

Who would dare answer that?

Zhu Di knelt to the ground almost without hesitation.

"Your son absolutely has no such thought!"

"I ask you once more: do you truly wish to be this Emperor?!"

"Your son does not wish for it!"

Every answer from Zhu Di was without the slightest hesitation.

Seeing Zhu Di's appearance, Zhu Yuanzhang could not help but let out a long sigh.

No one knows a son better than his father.

The more decisive Zhu Di's answer was,

the more Zhu Yuanzhang became certain that everything Zhu Di said just now

had been planned the previous night with his advisors.

Zhu Yuanzhang had already seen this from the moment Zhu Di entered the palace today.

Although Zhu Di had come to admit his fault,

all his answers were flawless, simply perfect.

Precisely because it was too perfect, it aroused Zhu Yuanzhang's vigilance.