Chapter 181: Zhu Di: He is Zhu Xiongying! How could he not be dead?

Several maidservants moved deftly and carefully to remove Zhu Ying’s battle armor and clothing.

As each piece of armor and garment was taken off,

the horrifying scars on Zhu Ying’s upper body were laid bare.

Knife wounds and sword cuts were clearly visible in their locations.

Arrow wounds, some already healed, left only sunken scars.

To an ordinary person, these scars might seem grotesque and terrifying.

But to a war general, they were proof of Zhu Ying’s years of battlefield campaigns, his medals of bravery—each scar concealed a heart-stopping battle, a life-or-death ordeal.

This was what Zhu Ying had won through blood and toil.

Even Zhu Di, who had seen countless battles and endured countless storms, felt a faint shock as he saw Zhu Ying’s scars—his eyes narrowed slightly, a barely perceptible awe flashing through them.

“He has so many wounds?”

“And he’s still alive!”

Zhu Di thought to himself: any ordinary man would have died long ago from such numerous and severe injuries.

Yet here stood Zhu Ying—not only alive, but risen step by step to his current position, earning the honored title of Marquis of Champion.

All of this was earned through genuine battlefield merit, forged in blood and fire.

No one could question it.

After removing his armor,

Zhu Ying showed no hesitation or modesty; he walked slowly toward the bath pool.

All armor and clothing had been removed, leaving only a jade pendant around his neck.

He sat down directly against the edge of the pool.

“Bathing really is comfortable.”

Zhu Ying sighed.

As soon as he submerged himself, he swept his hand over his body—the blood and grime from that day’s battle slid down his arm and dissolved into the water, instantly tinting the surrounding liquid a faint red.

Yet since Zhu Di had invited him here, Zhu Ying felt little concern; his expression remained calm, as if this were all perfectly ordinary.

Then,

Zhu Ying tilted his head slightly, a faint smile on his face, and asked Zhu Di: “Your Highness the Prince of Yan, why have you summoned me here today? Is there something important to discuss?”

Since he was here, he might as well get straight to the point.

Zhu Di smiled warmly in response and asked: “Why, can’t I invite Brother Zhu just to catch up?”

His tone was casual and easy, trying to create an atmosphere of closeness and harmony.

Zhu Ying shook his head slightly, the smile still on his face, and said: “Your Highness jests—I didn’t mean it that way.”

“But Your Highness is busy with state affairs daily; if not for something urgent, you wouldn’t have summoned me specifically.”

Zhu Di sought closeness, yet Zhu Ying’s words carried a subtle distance—polite in phrasing, but with an invisible barrier between them.

Zhu Di sighed inwardly, his smile growing slightly stiff.

Looking at Zhu Ying, Zhu Di felt a pang of disappointment.

He had always hoped to relate to Zhu Ying as he did with generals like Zhang Yu—purely as comrades-in-arms, open and honest.

But now,

he could feel clearly that Zhu Ying was wary of him—not through overt resistance in words or actions, but through a deep-rooted vigilance that made him feel perpetually separated from Zhu Ying by an invisible wall.

Zhu Di took a deep breath, steadied his emotions, and said: “Since the merchants under my command began cooperating with your wine distillery, business has grown even more prosperous.”

“Now in Beiping Prefecture, our liquor nearly monopolizes the entire market—the Shen family’s wine trade has vanished completely.”

As he finished speaking,

Zhu Ying’s lips curled into a cold smile, a flash of frost in his eyes: “The Shen family originally survived in the wine trade only because of my Zhu family’s distillery.”

“They betrayed their trust and schemed against me.”

“Now they’ve met this fate—it’s entirely their own doing.”

Even when mentioning the Shen family, Zhu Ying’s voice remained filled with bitter cold—he was an irreconcilable enemy.

Zhu Di nodded slightly and continued: “The Shen family has suffered greatly over the past year.”

“Not only has their wine trade collapsed, but all other commercial routes in Beiping Prefecture have been cut off.”

“Oddly enough, a band of bandits has been targeting only Shen family caravans, ignoring all other merchants—this is worth pondering.”

As he spoke,

Zhu Di’s gaze locked tightly on Zhu Ying, his eyes carrying hidden intent—the probing continued.

Zhu Ying’s expression showed no change; he remained utterly calm.

Then,

Zhu Ying smiled faintly and said: “Evil men are punished by evil men.”

“The Shen family existed even under the Yuan dynasty; over the years, they’ve committed countless cruel and hateful acts. For enemies to come knocking is only natural.”

Zhu Di’s tone was flat, as if stating the most ordinary fact.

In short,

everything the Shen family suffered was self-inflicted—targeted by enemies, nothing to do with him.

Hearing Zhu Ying’s words,

Zhu Di narrowed his eyes slightly, a sharp glint flashing through them as he probed further: “I’ve ordered my men to track down these bandits with full force.”

“We’ve already found some traces.”

“What do you think, Marquis of Champion, if I were to capture them all and exterminate them completely?”

It seemed,

this question carried a hint of inquiry—but in truth, it was still a test.

Most people would crack under Zhu Di’s gaze.

But,

Zhu Ying remained calm and replied without hesitation: “Bandits act recklessly, defy Great Ming law, and endanger the people—they must be captured and brought to justice.”

“If they resist arrest, they must be punished severely under Great Ming law—exterminated completely—to uphold the law and deter others.”

Zhu Ying’s words showed no hesitation—he clearly declared his stance: none of this concerned him.

Yet beneath the surface,

watching Zhu Di’s relentless probing about the bandits and the Shen family, Zhu Ying’s wariness toward him grew stronger.

“Still testing me?”

“Trying to catch me in a trap?” Zhu Ying sneered inwardly.

Zhu Di’s claim of having found traces of the bandits was pure nonsense.

With the strict training and superior stealth of his Black Guards, Zhu Ying had full confidence that Beiping’s officials could never touch them.

In Zhu Ying’s view, Zhu Di’s entire series of probes aimed to uncover his weaknesses and seize leverage over him.

So how could Zhu Ying let Zhu Di succeed?

“Marquis of Champion speaks wisely.”

Zhu Di nodded, his smile returning as if thoroughly satisfied with Zhu Ying’s answer.

But in truth,

he had long grown accustomed to extracting nothing useful from Zhu Ying—though a faint frustration lingered, he could do nothing.

“Now in Beiping Prefecture, the wine trade has brought in a fortune.”

“Have you considered expanding this business to other prefectures, letting our fine liquor scent the entire Great Ming?”

Zhu Di shifted topics, his eyes filled with anticipation.

Zhu Ying shook his head gently, a serene smile on his face: “Your Highness, business requires steady progress—don’t take too big a step, or you’ll fall.”

“Our distillery and wine halls are already established in Daning Prefecture, Liaodong Prefecture, and Beiping Prefecture—all operating well and profitable enough.”

“As for expanding further, let’s hold off for now and consider it later.”

Zhu Ying’s tone was polite, but his stance firm—he was declining further cooperation with Zhu Di.

As his own status rose, he had his own plans: if he ever expanded further, he preferred to rely on his own strength, not entangle himself further with Zhu Di.

After all, he knew Zhu Di was deeply calculating; dealing with such a man risked utter ruin with the slightest misstep.

Though he himself feared nothing, there was no need to take the risk.

Hearing Zhu Ying’s refusal, Zhu Di’s smile froze for an instant, then quickly returned to normal.

Yet,

deep in his eyes, a flicker of displeasure passed.

In his view, Zhu Ying’s refusal was a clear sign of contempt—this angered him deeply.

“This time, Marquis of Champion insists on marching north to pursue the Yuan Emperor—do you realize how perilous the northern frontier is, far from easy?” Zhu Di’s tone turned serious, shifting topics again.

To this,

Zhu Ying’s gaze was resolute, and he replied without hesitation: “On the battlefield, there is no place truly safe.”

“To eliminate the northern threat once and for all, we must pursue the Yuan Emperor and kill him.”

“As long as he lives one more day, the northern frontier will never know peace.”

“Though I, Zhu Ying, am no great saint, as a Han man, defending my homeland and expelling foreign enemies is my duty.”

“Moreover, if we succeed in pursuing the Yuan Emperor and achieve the glory of sealing the Wolf’s Lair, what greater honor could a general hope for?”

Zhu Ying brimmed with heroic ambition, utterly resolute about the northern pursuit.

These words are true enough.

Of course.

There’s one thing I haven’t mentioned—the Imperial Seal, symbol of imperial authority; Zhu Ying wants that too.

“To seal Langju Xu… yes, which son of man doesn’t harbor such a dream?”

Zhu Di murmured to himself, his eyes revealing a deep longing.

It was the yearning for glory, the pursuit of power; in his heart, sealing Langju Xu was not merely a military achievement, but a symbol—of his ability, his status.

“Speaking of which, after this northern campaign ends, if the Marquis of Champion returns in triumph to Yingtian, His Majesty and your elder brother will surely grant you great rewards.”

“Would the Marquis of Champion consider coming to my Beiping Fu to serve as a general?”

“If you come, I will personally vouch for you—you could rise at least to Regional Military Commissioner, even have a chance to become Regional Military Commissioner, and perhaps even command the troops of Beiping Fu and Daning Fu .”

Zhu Di regarded Zhu Ying with solemn expression, his eyes filled with anticipation.

When he asked this, his heart was actually uneasy, for this determined whether he could win Zhu Ying to his side—a matter of vital importance to his future plans.

Zhu Ying silently sneered; he had clearly heard Zhu Di’s attempt at persuasion.

But how could he be so easily lured in?

Zhu Ying offered a faint, apologetic smile, then bowed and said, “Thank you, Your Highness, for your kindness.”

“But after the northern campaign succeeds and I return to the capital for my report, my future posting will likely remain in Daning Fu .”

“According to Prince Ning, the Crown Prince intends to place Huizhouwei under my command.”

“Moreover, I’ve heard Daning Fu or Liaodong Fu may soon establish a Regional Military Command.”

“So I’d prefer to stay there, guarding the northern frontier for the Great Ming.”

Zhu Ying was polite and indirect, yet his refusal was unmistakable.

Upon hearing this!

Zhu Di’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a clear look of displeasure.

And within him, coldness deepened further.

Zhu Ying’s words were an outright rejection of his overture—firm, with no room for compromise.

In his view, Zhu Ying was pretending ignorance, deliberately avoiding his hint; this left him deeply frustrated.

At this moment!

The atmosphere in the hall turned oppressive, as if an invisible gloom hung over both men.

Though Zhu Di harbored many grievances and unwillingness, he knew continuing now would be futile.

So.

Zhu Di suppressed his emotions and said coolly, “Then I wish the Marquis of Champion a brilliant future.”

At this moment,

Zhu Di’s tone was icy, devoid of his earlier warmth and hope.

Zhu Ying naturally heard the displeasure in his tone, but he didn’t care.

Zhu Ying replied calmly, “Then thank you, Your Highness, for your good wishes.”

“After today’s battles, I’m truly weary. If Your Highness has no further business, I’ll return to camp to rest.”

Saying this,

Zhu Ying slowly rose to his feet, preparing to leave.

This action of Zhu Ying’s was unmistakably telling Zhu Di: he would not be swayed by Zhu Di’s attitude.

Zhu Ying had clearly heard Zhu Di’s displeasure—but so what?

You have ambition!

You want to recruit me.

But Zhu Ying won’t fall for it.

Moreover, Zhu Di has been wrong from the start: Zhu Ying will never pledge loyalty to anyone—neither Zhu Yuanzhang nor Zhu Biao.

Zhu Ying now merely uses the Great Ming’s warship to strengthen himself, gain more treasure chests, gain more attributes.

Loyalty?

Ridiculous!

Doesn’t exist.

“Then, Marquis of Champion, return now.”

Zhu Di’s tone grew even colder, radiating a bone-chilling chill.

Having confirmed Zhu Ying could not be won over, he no longer concealed his emotions—his demeanor turned icy.

Zhu Ying said nothing more, immediately rising from the bath.

Water splashed everywhere.

Yet!

At that moment, Zhu Di’s eyes sharply narrowed, fixed on the jade pendant around Zhu Ying’s neck—his gaze filled with shock and disbelief.

“Wait.” Zhu Di suddenly called out, his voice tinged with urgency.

Zhu Ying stopped, turned, and asked with a hint of confusion, “Your Highness, is there another order?”

Zhu Di’s eyes remained locked on the jade, as if frozen in place.

After a moment,

he came to his senses and smiled, saying, “This jade around your neck—it looks extraordinary.”

“I’ve seen countless rare treasures in this world, yet never have I seen such a uniquely beautiful jade.”

Zhu Di’s smile carried curiosity, trying to mask his inner shock and unease.

Zhu Ying looked down at the jade around his neck—it was a relic left by his grandmother, of profound meaning to him.

So Zhu Ying replied calmly, “It was left to me by my grandmother.”

“Perhaps our ancestors were high officials, hence they left this jade.”

“To me, it’s merely a vessel of ancestral memories—I’ve never found it particularly special.”

Though he said this,

Zhu Di’s eyes never left the jade; his curiosity deepened, saying, “Might I see it more closely?”

“I’ve long studied fine jade—I’d truly like to examine its texture and carving.”

Saying this,

Zhu Di didn’t wait for Zhu Ying’s refusal; he wrapped a cloth around himself and hurried toward Zhu Ying.

Zhu Ying silently grumbled: “Zhu Di is acting strangely today. With his status, what fine jade hasn’t he seen? Why is he so interested in my jade? Is he making up an excuse?”

But Zhu Di was a prince, of noble rank, and showed no sign of malice.

Seeing Zhu Di’s eager, genuinely interested expression, Zhu Ying hesitated, then ultimately didn’t refuse.

He thought: just letting him look once shouldn’t be a problem.

So,

Zhu Ying took a towel from the maid, draped it loosely around his waist, then slowly removed the jade from his neck and extended it to Zhu Di.

The moment Zhu Di took the jade pendant, his face appeared calm—but inside, his pupils dilated instantly, his heart reeling with turmoil.

“How is this possible? How could this be?”

Zhu Di screamed silently in his mind.

“This jade pendant… this jade pendant was surely buried in the imperial mausoleum—how could it possibly appear here?”

“Could it be… could it be…”

At this moment, Zhu Di was filled with terror—a fear unlike any he’d ever known—as if he’d uncovered a secret capable of toppling the entire Great Ming.

On the jade pendant, the character “Yu” was clearly visible—the posthumous title personally bestowed by Zhu Yuanzhang upon a certain ancestor; Zhu Di knew this character intimately—it carried a hidden chapter of imperial history.

Now, this jade, meant to lie buried deep underground, appeared on Zhu Ying’s person—how could Zhu Di not be stunned, how could he not be terrified?

“Your Highness, have you had your fill?”

Zhu Ying watched Zhu Di hold the jade, silent for too long; he grew impatient and spoke up.

He wanted only to retrieve the jade and return to camp, to end this exhausting day.

Zhu Di snapped back to reality, raised his head, and looked earnestly at Zhu Ying. “Marquis of Champion, would you consider parting with this jade pendant?”

“I’m willing to pay a heavy price—name any sum, I won’t bargain.”

Zhu Di’s eyes burned with desire—as if he truly desired it.

Zhu Ying shook his head without hesitation, his voice firm: “Your Highness, this jade is a family heirloom. My family steward once warned me: it is passed down through generations; no amount of gold can make me sell it.”

“It holds special meaning for me. I beg Your Highness to understand.”

Zhu Ying conveyed an unshakable resolve—this jade was an heirloom, worth more than all the gold in the world.

Hearing this, Zhu Di’s eyes flickered with intense disappointment; he had clung to a sliver of hope that his status might persuade Zhu Ying to sell—but now, that hope was utterly shattered.

Seeing Zhu Ying’s calm, slightly cold gaze, he had no choice but to slowly return the jade.

“Your Highness, I take my leave.”

Zhu Ying took back the jade, rehung it around his neck, then turned and strode out of the hall.

Watching Zhu Ying’s figure fade from the hall,

Zhu Di’s eyes brimmed with complex emotions—shock, confusion, resentment, and deep unease.

“He… is truly Zhu Xiongying.”

“The first time I saw him, I felt his gaze and bearing were familiar—now I see I was right.”

"But how could this be possible?"

"He was clearly dead—I watched him buried with my own eyes."

"How could he have come back to life?"

"Could there truly be immortals in this world?"

"Or... did Mother Empress do something no one knows about?"

At this moment.

Zhu Di’s heart was a tangle of confusion; countless questions swirled in his mind, and he could not fathom what was happening at all.

Originally!

Zhu Di had merely intended to take advantage of today’s opportunity to test Zhu Ying, to see if he could be won over and brought into his service.

But he never expected that this casual glance would reveal such a staggering secret.

If this news leaked out, it would shake the entire Great Ming Empire—an unimaginable shock.

Zhu Di was certain: that jade pendant was none other than the one Zhu Xiongying once wore.

Back then, he had personally seen the pendant buried with Zhu Xiongying in the imperial mausoleum—now it appeared on Zhu Ying’s person, and this could not be coincidence.

Add to that Zhu Ying’s entire history!

When he enlisted, the Shen family deliberately inflated his age—his true age matched Zhu Xiongying’s exactly; his eyes resembled Zhu Xiongying’s so closely they might have been carved from the same mold.

All clues pointed to one astonishing conclusion: Zhu Ying was Zhu Xiongying—his nephew, the eldest legitimate son of his elder brother Zhu Biao, the former Crown Prince’s Heir of the Great Ming, and Zhu Yuanzhang’s most beloved grandson.

At this moment!

Zhu Di stood alone in the bath, as if frozen in place, motionless.

His eyes were vacant; his thoughts had drifted far away.

Everything around him seemed irrelevant—he was utterly absorbed in his own world, shaken and tormented by this immense secret.

The maids attending him all bowed their heads, avoiding eye contact, holding their breath, daring not to make the slightest sound, fearing they might disturb Zhu Di’s deep contemplation.

These maids had once been palace women of the Yuan court.

But when the Ming army’s iron cavalry breached the Yuan capital, their dynasty collapsed instantly.

Now, under Ming military control, they were destined to become slaves in the palace.

They knew well: this Zhu Di, a Prince, held absolute power over life and death, and his temper was unpredictable.

One misstep, one offense to this Prince, and their fate would be death.

"All of you, leave."

In the suffocating silence, a low voice drifted slowly from deep within the inner chamber.

"Yes."

The maids, hearing this, felt as if granted pardon; they hurriedly knelt and bowed.

Their movements were frantic and hurried—they didn’t even dare to look up at the source of the voice before turning and rushing toward the exit.

As they withdrew from the hall, they slowly closed the door, still cautious, afraid to make even the faintest noise—just after they had left.

Yao Guangxiao emerged slowly from the inner chamber, holding a string of prayer beads, clad in a black monk’s robe.

When he saw Zhu Di, frozen motionless in the bath, he frowned slightly, a flicker of concern in his eyes.

Yao Guangxiao cleared his throat, stepped forward, and stood beside the bath, speaking slowly with a tone of counsel: "Your Highness, since this man cannot be won over, you must decide early and act decisively."

"Your Highness has long feared that he holds military power in the northern frontier and may become a grave threat in the future."

"In this monk’s view, there are two paths to deal with him."

Yao Guangxiao paused briefly, his expression thoughtful and calculating: "First, arrange for him to die on the northern battlefield—then the threat vanishes naturally."

"Second, find a way to remove him from the northern frontier—ideally, keep him forever away from court, making him merely a powerless official in the capital—then he can be tightly controlled and pose no danger."

As he spoke, Yao Guangxiao watched Zhu Di’s expression closely.

But.

Zhu Di still stood there, dazed, eyes vacant—as if he had heard nothing.

"What is wrong with Your Highness?"

Yao Guangxiao wondered inwardly.

In his view, although Zhu Di was frustrated by his failure to recruit Zhu Ying, he would never be this utterly lost in thought!

But Yao Guangxiao had no idea.

Zhu Di’s mind was now entirely consumed by that staggering secret—not by his inability to recruit Zhu Ying.

Zhu Di was frozen in thought, utterly stunned—all because of that jade pendant, because of Zhu Ying’s true identity.

…

(End of Chapter)