Chapter 173: First Encounter with Guo Zhen

"Let's go, let's go home."

Zhu Di led Zhu Gaoxu as they walked toward the outside of the palace.

Along the way, neither father nor son spoke.

Walking out of the Imperial Palace, they arrived on the bustling street.

Zhu Di said to Zhu Gaoxu, "Now you know your father's difficulties, don't you?"

"Sigh." Zhu Gaoxu nodded; every family has its own troubles, let alone them, being members of the royal family.

As Zhu Di watched the people coming and going on the street, he said to Zhu Gaoxu, "This time when you go to the North to suppress the rebels, remember not to seek merit, only to avoid mistakes. If you truly encounter any difficult matters, send a letter to your father. No matter what, your father didn't spend all those years in Beiping for nothing."

Hearing his father's words, Zhu Gaoxu felt a warmth in his heart and nodded.

Lao Zhu's birthday was only a few days away, and in the midst of talking, it was almost time for Zhu Gaoxu to leave.

Zhu Di had always been fond of his second son.

Seeing that he was about to leave him, even though he knew that Zhu Gaoxu's trip this time was a pre-arranged gilding of his resume.

Zhu Di still couldn't help but feel some reluctance toward Zhu Gaoxu in his heart.

Since when did I become like a woman?

Zhu Di shook his head, then returned to the Wangfu with Zhu Gaoxu.

The Longevity Festival was approaching, and Jingcheng was decorated with lanterns and colored streamers everywhere.

Zhu Gaoxu simply decided to stay at the Wangfu for these few days.

Ever since Li Hao entered the prison, all the civil officials seemed to have completely forgotten about Zhu Gaoxu.

Everyone ignored him.

Zhu Gaoxu did not know what kind of evil schemes these people were brewing, but fortunately, he would be leaving in a few days.

Once he left this place of right and wrong that was Jingcheng, everything would be left to his father.

Zhu Gaoxu still had a lot of confidence in his father.

Presumably, dealing with a few civil officials to protect himself was more than enough.

Finally, Lao Zhu's birthday arrived.

On this day, Zhu Gaoxu's whole family packed up early and eagerly, and then the whole family entered the palace to offer birthday wishes to Lao Zhu.

At this moment, the Imperial Palace was the liveliest Zhu Gaoxu had ever seen.

High-ranking officials of the third rank and above in the imperial court, envoys from other vassal states, local officials, and so on, all came to offer their birthday wishes.

Lao Zhu was currently receiving a group of ministers in the Fengtian Hall.

Zhu Gaoxu and his brothers were arranged by Lao Zhu to be with Ma Huanghou.

In the Imperial Garden, Ma Huanghou was inquiring about related matters on the side.

Zhu Gaoxu was boredly watching Zhu Gaochi and the others playing.

Who would have thought that at only four or five years old, I have already lost my childhood.

I can only be forced to put down beautiful memories, and then hold a long spear to open up territory for my Great Ming!

Zhu Gaoxu sighed, feeling that he and his brothers had already embarked on two different paths.

Bored, Zhu Gaoxu walked straight out of the Imperial Garden.

At this time, the Imperial Palace was filled with joy, and the palace maids and eunuchs were all rushing about preparing something.

Zhu Gaoxu had nothing to do, so he looked left and right.

Being unable to sit still, he went straight to the Imperial Kitchen, wanting to get something good to eat.

Just as he arrived at the entrance of the Imperial Kitchen, Zhu Gaoxu discovered that someone had the same idea as him.

He saw a boy about his own age, sneaking a look into the Imperial Kitchen through a crack in the door.

Seeing this scene, the corners of Zhu Gaoxu's mouth lifted slightly.

Quietly walking behind the other person, Zhu Gaoxu gave the back of his head a slap.

That person clearly didn't expect anyone to be behind him, and he was so startled by the hit that he let out a yelp.

"Who is ambushing me?"

As he spoke, he waved his hands around wildly.

Seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu stood with his hands behind his back and said, "It's not an ambush, it's just that this Prince saw you acting sneakily and not looking like a good person."

Hearing Zhu Gaoxu's words, the person finally steadied his mind.

"This Prince? Could it be that you are the rising star of the imperial court, the Nanyang Commandery Prince?"

Seeing that Zhu Gaoxu was about the same age as him, and combining this with the currently prominent Zhu Gaoxu, he immediately thought of his identity.

Zhu Gaoxu didn't expect that although the other person was young, he had some brains, so he immediately nodded and said, "This Prince is indeed the Nanyang Commandery Prince. Who are you?"

The person didn't expect that the person in front of him was really Zhu Gaoxu, and for a moment he appeared a bit excited.

Taking two deep breaths, the person then said, "My father is the Marquis of Wuding, Guo Ying. I am Guo Zhen."

Zhu Gaoxu didn't expect that the person in front of him was actually Guo Ying's son.

Guo Ying was over thirty when he had Guo Zhen, which was undoubtedly having a child in his old age in the Great Ming of this time.

He had always doted on him greatly.

Zhu Gaoxu didn't expect that the two of them would meet here today.

However, since they had already met, Zhu Gaoxu could not miss this opportunity to get to know him.

Zhu Gaoxu immediately acted familiar, walked straight to Guo Zhen's side, put his hand on the other's shoulder, and said, "I didn't expect you to be the son of the Marquis of Wuding. It is fate that we can meet here. Let's go, let's go into the Imperial Kitchen first to see what good food there is."

Guo Zhen's eyes lit up when he heard this.

He had begged his father to bring him into the palace this time just to taste the delicacies of the palace.

And so, Guo Zhen had snuck out while his father was talking to the Emperor and others.

He headed straight for the Imperial Kitchen.

Standing at the entrance and not knowing what to do next, Guo Zhen was spotted by Zhu Gaoxu.

There was nothing much to say; the two little brothers, Zhu Gaoxu and Guo Zhen, walked into the Imperial Kitchen with their arms around each other's shoulders.

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