Chapter 208

Just as everyone was speaking.

At that moment, a eunuch outside suddenly reported: "His Majesty, Empress Ma, Crown Prince, Prince Wu, Marquis of Cao Li Wenzhong request an audience."

Zhu Yuanzhang, upon hearing, sprang to his feet and said, "Wen Zhong has returned, quickly… quickly announce!"

……

Outside Wu Men, Li Wenzhong was standing beside a carriage.

He was dust‑covered, clearly having just rushed back from the Eastern Sea Office.

Behind him followed a dozen or so large wagons, packed full of boxes, and the escorting soldiers were all spirited.

Zhu Yong hurried forward and called, "Cousin!"

Li Wenzhong turned, saw Zhu Yong, and smiled, clasping his fist, saying, "Prince Wu."

"Cousin, don't be formal, was the journey hard?" Zhu Yong said as he walked over.

"It was fine, the sea winds were a bit strong, but the steamship was steady, no big problem," Li Wenzhong smiled.

While the two were speaking, Zhu Biao also came out.

"Cousin, thank you for your effort," Zhu Biao said as he stepped forward.

Li Wenzhong saluted and said, "Crown Prince."

"Go in and speak, Imperial Father is waiting," Zhu Biao said.

Li Wenzhong nodded, gave a few orders to the soldiers behind him, and followed Zhu Biao and Zhu Yong to Qianqing Palace.

Inside Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yuanzhang was already seated behind the imperial desk, and Empress Ma sat beside him.

Li Wenzhong entered the hall, knelt and bowed, saying, "I, Li Wenzhong, pay my respects to His Majesty and Empress Ma."

"Rise, rise! Wen Zhong, was the journey good?" Zhu Yuanzhang stepped forward and helped him up.

"With His Majesty's great blessing, everything went smoothly," Li Wenzhong rose.

Zhu Yuanzhang pulled him to sit, looked him over, and said, "You've become thinner, darker, but your spirit is fine; how is the Eastern Sea Office?"

Li Wenzhong smiled, "Replying to His Majesty, everything is stable; General Liao Wen Zhong is stationed there, the Wa people are obedient, and the Gold and Silver output is steady."

"I have brought back three hundred thousand taels of gold, six million taels of silver, and eight million jin of copper."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes brightened, and he asked, "How much?"

"Three hundred thousand taels of gold, six million taels of silver," Li Wenzhong repeated.

Zhu Yuanzhang inhaled sharply, turned to Zhu Biao and said, "Biao'er, did you hear?"

Zhu Biao laughed, "I heard, Wen Zhong, this trip is equivalent to three years of treasury revenue."

Li Wenzhong humbly said, "I dare not claim credit; it is all His Majesty's strategic planning, Prince Wu's bravery, and the soldiers' sacrifice."

The Wa Country's gold and silver mines have always been high‑yield; now they are stably mined, and each year will yield this amount.

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily, "Good! Good! Wen Zhong, you have achieved a great merit!"

Zhu Yong, standing nearby, said naively, "Cousin, the miners didn't cause trouble, right?"

"No… Prince Wu originally set the rules: miners receive monthly wages, after five years of work they can buy their freedom, after ten years they are granted commoner status; the Wa people are grateful and work very diligently," Li Wenzhong shook his head.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded approvingly, "Yong Er, this method is good; we manage with our people and let the Wa dig, both sides are happy."

Zhu Biao laughed, "Imperial Father, cousin has returned this time with goods that must be stored quickly; I will have the Ministry of Revenue's men inventory them."

"Approved, by the way Wen Zhong, now that you are back, stay longer; your father also misses you," Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Li Wenzhong smiled, "Yes, I was just thinking of going to pay respects to my father."

……

In Qianqing Palace they talked for nearly half an hour, and Li Wenzhong took his leave and exited the palace.

Zhu Yong escorted him to Wu Men.

"Cousin, tonight go to Wu Wang Fu, I'll treat you to wine," Zhu Yong said.

Li Wenzhong smiled, "Alright, I will definitely go."

After seeing Li Wenzhong off, Zhu Yong turned and walked back.

Zhu Biao was still standing at the Qianqing Palace entrance waiting for him.

"Big brother, Imperial Father hasn't mentioned it again, right?" Zhu Yong asked.

Zhu Biao laughed, "No, he's quite happy! Cousin's return brought back so much Gold and Silver, could Imperial Father not be pleased?"

The two brothers walked side by side along the palace corridor.

"Second brother, about this incident, don't take it to heart; Imperial Father is… how should I put it, sometimes wants you to rely on him a bit more," Zhu Biao said.

Zhu Yong nodded: "I know, father is good to me, I understand."

Zhu Biao looked at him, then laughed: "Sometimes I really feel you understand more than any of us."

Zhu Yong gave a simple smile: "I don't get those things; I just know father is father, mother is mother, eldest brother is eldest brother, they're all my family."

Zhu Biao patted his shoulder: "Right, that's exactly how it works."

…

Returning to Wu Wang Fu, the sky had already darkened.

Guanyin Nu was soothing a child in the main chamber. Zhu Huanhuan lay on the couch, pinching Zhu Qiong Jiong's little hand, murmuring, "Little brother, call sister, call sister…"

Zhu Qiong Jiong let out two "ah ah" sounds and blew a bubble.

Zhu Huanhuan complained, "Spitting bubbles again, filthy."

Guanyin Nu laughed, "He's so young, how could he call sister?"

Zhu Huanhuan hummed and said, "Then when will he call?"

"In a few more months," Guanyin Nu said.

Zhu Yong walked in, and Zhu Huanhuan immediately ran over: "Father!"

Zhu Yong picked her up and asked, "Are you being good at home?"

"Good!" Huan Huan answered loudly.

Zhu Yong walked to the bedside and looked at his son.

Zhu Qiong Jiong grinned at him, showing his toothless gums.

"This kid looks more and more like you as he grows," Zhu Yong said to Guanyin Slave.

Guanyin Slave laughed, "It's good if I'm like you; being as big as you, it'll be hard to take a wife later."

Zhu Yong chuckled, "What's wrong with being like me? Didn't I take you as my wife?"

Guanyin Slave gave him a cold stare, but the corner of his mouth curved.

Huan Huan, twisting in Zhu Yong's arms, said, "Dad, why didn't big uncle come today? He said he'd bring me candy."

"Big uncle is busy; he'll come in a few days," Zhu Yong said.

"What about Sixth Uncle? Sixth Uncle said he'd tell me a story."

"Sixth uncle is also busy."

Huan Huan pursed his lips, "Why are the adults all so busy?"

Guanyin Slave smiled and replied, "You'll understand when you grow up."

Huan Huan thought seriously and said, "Then I won't grow up."

Night deepened, Wu Wang Fu fell quiet.

Zhu Yong stood by the study window, watching the moon in the sky.

Today's events made him recall many things.

The history books he read in his past life recorded Zhu Yuanzhang as suspicious, brutal, and decisive in killing.

But the Zhu Yuanzhang he knows is the jealous old dad, the father who nagged him for half an hour, and the emperor who laughed heartily upon seeing his son bring back Gold and Silver.

Empress Ma is the same.

The woman in Kunning Palace who is always smiling has never shown a red face to him.

Zhu Biao need not be mentioned.

This elder brother treats him so well that the other younger brothers are jealous.

And Chang Yuchun, Xu Da, Lan Yu, Wang Baobao…

These people whose names are cold in the histories are, by his side, flesh‑and‑blood, affectionate, loyal living humans.

"System," Zhu Yong asked silently in his heart, "Tell me, was my whole life worth it?"

The system was silent.

Zhu Yong smiled.

He didn't need the system to answer; he already knew the answer.

Of course it's worth.