Chapter 251: Is He Truly Simple‑Minded or Just Pretending?

"Prince, I dare to ask, don't you want… to go further?"

Zhu Yong looked at him and suddenly laughed.

The smile was still very simple‑hearted, but Hu Weiyong inexplicably felt a chill down his back.

"Chancellor Hu… I'm a simpleton, but I'm not stupid; I know who treats me well and who wants to harm me," Zhu Yong stood up, walked to the pavilion edge, and slowly said with his back to him.

He turned around, his eyes still clear, but his tone had changed, becoming exceedingly cold: "My father is the Emperor, my elder brother is the Crown Prince; whatever they order me to do, I will do.

Anyone who tries to sow discord among us father, brother and me, this hammer of mine won't spare anyone."

Hu Weiyong's expression changed, and he forced a laugh: "Prince, you've misunderstood; I was only…"

"Enough… Chancellor Hu, you came today, so I'll treat you as a visitor; the tea's been drunk, the talk's been had, you may go back!" Zhu Yong waved his hand, saying impatiently.

Hu Weiyong opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't dare to say anything.

He rose, performed a salute, and hurriedly took his leave.

After leaving Wu Wang Fu and boarding the carriage, Hu Weiyong's expression finally grew grim.

"This simpleton… is he truly simple or just pretending?" he gritted his teeth.

The attendant beside him whispered, "Chancellor, although the Wu King is straightforward, he is fiercely loyal to the Emperor and the Crown Prince; trying to win him over will be difficult."

Hu Weiyong snorted coldly, "Loyalty? There's no such thing as loyalty in this world; it's just a matter of price. If he doesn't agree today, it's because we haven't offered enough."

The attendant hesitated, "What the Chancellor means is…"

Hu Weiyong narrowed his eyes and said, "Keep watching Wu Wang Fu, and also press harder on the Crown Prince's side; if the Crown Prince gets into trouble, even if he doesn't fight, he'll have to fight."

……

Wu Wang Fu.

After Hu Weiyong left, Zhu Yong sat back in the pavilion and continued drinking tea and eating snacks.

Guanyin Nu stepped out of the main hall and sat beside him.

"What did he come for?" she asked.

"He wants to win me over to deal with my elder brother," Zhu Yong said naively.

Guanyin Nu frowned and said, "He has a lot of nerve."

"Indeed, his nerve isn't small, but I just scared him, so I think he'll be quiet for a few days," Zhu Yong said, biting a piece of pastry.

Guanyin Nu looked at him, suddenly laughed, "You pretend quite convincingly."

"I am a simpleton by nature; no need to pretend," Zhu Yong chuckled.

Guanyin Nu gave him a glare, "You're simple… if you were truly simple, there would be no clever people left in the world."

Zhu Yong chuckled and said nothing further.

He, of course, wasn't simple.

In his previous life he lived over thirty years; although he wasn't a great figure, he understood human affairs.

Having crossed into this world, awakened his past memories, and with years of battlefield and court experience, he could see through any person and their intentions at a glance.

Hu Weiyong's petty scheming, to him, was like a three‑year‑old playing in mud.

But now is not the time to act against him.

Since his father and elder brother are gradually clipping his wings, let them take their time.

All he needs to do is play the role of the "simple Wu King" and lend his brother a hand at the crucial moment.

"By the way… I need to go to the Eastern Palace to see Xiong Ying," Zhu Yong said, putting down the pastry.

Guanyin Nu nodded, "Go ahead! I'll have Hu Bo ready the carriage."

……

Eastern Palace.

When Zhu Yong entered, Zhu Biao was reviewing Memorandums in the study.

Seeing his second brother arrive, he set down his brush and laughed, "Why come over at this hour?"

"I heard Xiong Ying is ill, so I came to see him," Zhu Yong replied.

Zhu Biao sighed, "It's nothing serious; he just got rained on, has a slight cough, the Imperial Physician prescribed medicine, he's been taking it for a few days, and now he's much better."

"I'll go see him too."

Zhu Biao nodded and walked with him toward the back courtyard.

On the way, Zhu Yong suddenly said, "Brother, Hu Weiyong just came to my residence."

Zhu Biao halted his steps and looked at him.

"He wants to win me over to deal with you," Zhu Yong said naively.

Zhu Biao's eyes turned cold, and he said slowly, "He has a lot of nerve."

"I scared him away, but brother, this man probably won't be satisfied with giving up."

Zhu Biao nodded, fell silent for a moment, then said, "Second brother, you're right; he won't give up. In the past month or so, Imperial Father and we have eliminated several of his followers; now he's a cornered dog, looking for outside support.

He didn't expect that this fellow would seek external aid from you."

"Then what do we do?"

Zhu Biao sneered, "Let him jump; the higher he jumps, the harsher he'll fall."

He patted Zhu Yong's shoulder and said, "Second brother, you did right; he came looking for you, you scared him away—that's the best response. If he dares come again, we'll blast him out directly."

"Hmm," Zhu Yong nodded at the words.

The two entered the back courtyard and went into Zhu Xiongying's room.

Zhu Xiongying was lying on the bed, his complexion a bit pale, but his spirit was fine.

Seeing Zhu Yong enter, his eyes lit up and he hurried to sit up.

Seeing Zhu Yong come in, their eyes lit up, and they hurried to sit up.

Second Uncle!

"Don't move, stay lying down. I heard you're ill, so Second Uncle came to see you," Zhu Yong hurried over, pressed him down, and after sitting at the bedside said.

Zhu Xiongying grinned and said, "Second Uncle, I'm fine, just a cough; the imperial doctor says it's not serious."

Zhu Yong patted his forehead; it was still a bit warm.

"Take your medicine properly, rest well, and you'll be fine in a few days." Zhu Yong, though relieved, still gave a reminder.

"Mm!" Zhu Xiongying nodded vigorously.

Chang Wan entered from outside, saw Zhu Yong, and laughed, "Second younger brother has arrived."

"Eldest sister-in-law." Zhu Yong rose and saluted.

Chang Wan walked over, glanced at her son, and sighed, "This child insists on copying his father, runs outside in the rain, and ends up catching a disease."

Zhu Biao muttered beside her, "It's my fault; we shouldn't have taken him to the Training Ground that day…"

"Of course it's your fault... He's so young, and you already took him to the Training Ground in the rain," Chang Wan glared at him.

Zhu Biao chuckled nervously, not daring to retort.

Zhu Yong watched his eldest brother being scolded by his eldest sister-in-law to the point he couldn't lift his head, and felt delighted inside.

Though his eldest sister-in-law is a daughter of a military family, she has been with his eldest brother all these years and has long learned how to handle him.

Coming out of the Eastern Palace, the sky was already near dusk.

Zhu Yong boarded the carriage returning to the manor, leaned against the carriage wall, and thought over what had just happened.

Hu Weiyong, that nail, will have to be pulled out sooner or later.

But there's no hurry.

With father and eldest brother around, he can't stir up much trouble.

As long as I keep this family safe and protect these people, that's enough.

The carriage passed through Zhuque Avenue and headed toward Wu Wang Fu.

In the twilight, the myriad lanterns of Yingtian Prefecture lit up one after another.

From afar came the bustling clamor of the night market.

In the autumn of the twelfth year of Hongwu, the surface was calm while hidden currents surged.

Yet within Wu Wang Fu, it was always warm and peaceful.

Zhu Yong stepped down from the carriage and entered the manor gate.

Laughter of children echoed from the rear courtyard.

A smile curled at his mouth as he strode inside.