Chapter 26: Blood Kinship

"I heard Bo Ren… Chang Yuchun said you're very capable in combat."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at his excited younger sister and, unable to stay on the topic, suddenly asked.

Shiniu thought for a moment and replied, "Not bad."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled, a rare occurrence.

"Chang Yuchun's battle report didn't say that; he wrote that you alone could, with a single counter, kill over a hundred men, that three hammer blows shattered Kaiping City Gate, and a single blow blasted open Helin City Gate."

Empress Ma heard this with alarm; although she had long known some of her second son's deeds, her feelings then and now were different.

"Did you get injured…"

"No, they couldn't defeat me," Shiniu shook his head.

His words were blunt, yet exuded absolute confidence.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with approval.

That was truly like his son—valiant, invincible, looking down on the world.

"His Majesty, Empress, Prince… the Grand Physician has arrived," reported the Inner Official at the door.

Zhu Yuanzhang rose and said, "Let him in."

An elderly white‑haired physician carrying a medicine box entered, kneeling and bowing.

"Prepare the Blood Kinship Test," Zhu Yuanzhang instructed.

The Grand Physician agreed, taking from the box a small bowl and a silver needle.

He stepped to Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "Please, His Majesty, grant your blood."

Zhu Yuanzhang extended a finger; the Grand Physician gently pricked it with the silver needle, squeezing a drop of blood into the bowl of clear water.

Next was Zhu Biao.

When it was Shiniu's turn, he hesitated a bit.

Empress Ma grasped his hand and said, "Don't be afraid, it doesn't hurt."

Shiniu wasn't actually afraid of pain; he was simply unaccustomed.

But he still extended his hand.

The silver needle pierced his fingertip, and a drop of blood fell into the bowl.

As his blood dripped into the bowl, a ripple invisible to ordinary eyes spread across the water.

Then… three drops of blood moved slowly in the water, eventually merging into one.

The Grand Physician examined closely, knelt and reported, "His Majesty, the three bloods have merged; this is proof of kinship."

The hall fell silent.

Empress Ma clutched Shiniu tightly, sobbing, "Yong Er… my Yong Er… Mother finally found you…"

Zhu Biao's eyes reddened as he stepped forward, gently patting his mother's back.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood there, watching the three merged drops, and let out a long sigh.

His hand trembled slightly, but steadied quickly.

"Draft the edict," he said gravely.

The Inner Official immediately prepared brush and ink.

"The emperor's second son Zhu Yong, lost in childhood, has now been found; he shall be recognized as a descendant, restored to his original name Zhu Yong, enfeoffed as Prince of Wu, granted a princely residence, and enjoy double princely stipends."

He paused, looked at Shiniu, and said, "Since you have returned to the clan, from now on you shall be called Zhu Yong; keep Shiniu as a nickname."

Zhu Yong looked bewildered.

He hadn't fully processed how he had become Zhu Yong, or what princely title he had received.

Empress Ma, however, was sobbing beyond words, holding him tightly as if he would vanish the moment she let go.

Zhu Biao wiped his tears, smiled, and said, "Second brother, welcome home."

The Grand Physician and the Inner Official slipped out quietly, leaving the family in the hall.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, bathing the golden bricks in a warm glow.

Empress Ma cried for a long time before gradually calming.

She held Zhu Yong's hand, gently asking him about the years gone by.

Zhu Yong spoke little, answering each question, while Empress Ma listened attentively.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat nearby, watching the scene, warmth in his eyes.

The emperor, invincible on the battlefield, was now merely a father who had found his son.

"Where is your foster father's burial?" Empress Ma asked softly.

"Fengyang, on the hill behind the village."

"Another day, Mother will accompany you back to pay respects; he raised my son, and this gratitude the Zhu Family will remember for a lifetime," Empress Ma said.

Zhu Yong nodded.

He didn't fully grasp these complex feelings, but sensed that the Empress truly cared for him.

"From now on you will live in the palace; there is a side hall on the east side of Kunning Palace that will be prepared for you. Once the Wu Wang Fu is repaired, you can move out," Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Zhu Yong hummed in acknowledgment.

"Tell me what you want; whatever you lack these years, your parents will make up for," Zhu Yuanzhang, unusually gentle, said, patting his son's shoulder.

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and asked, "Could you bring me my hammer?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was startled, then laughed loudly, "Alright! Bring your hammer; father knows that your hammer is so heavy that five or six people can't even lift it!"

Empress Ma chided, "The child just returned, talking about hammers or not. Yong Er, are you hungry? Mother will have someone prepare food for you."

Zhu Yong's eyes lit up, "Hungry."

Empress Ma, breaking into a smile, said, "Alright, alright, Mother will order the Imperial Kitchen right away. What would you like to eat?"

"Meat," Zhu Yong said honestly.

Zhu Biao, standing nearby, laughed, "Second brother, the palace cooks are skilled; whatever meat you want is available."

Soon, a lavish spread of dishes was laid out.

Zhu Yong saw the table piled with chicken, duck, fish, and meat, and his eyes widened.

He had eaten fairly well in the barracks, but compared to this, the difference was night and day.

Empress Ma kept serving him dishes, saying, "Eat more; look how thin you are."

In fact, Zhu Yong wasn't thin at all; he was all muscle.

Yet in his mother's eyes, a child is always thin.

Zhu Yuanzhang watched Zhu Yong devour the food, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

The way the child ate showed he had been starving.

"Second brother, eat slowly, don't choke," Zhu Biao said, pouring him a glass of water.

Zhu Yong took it, drank it down in one gulp, and kept shoveling food.

Empress Ma watched, and tears fell again as she said, "All these years… I don't know how many meals we went hungry…"

"Mother, second brother has returned; it's a joyous occasion," Zhu Biao urged.

"Yes, a joyous occasion… a joyous occasion," Empress Ma wiped her tears and said.

After the meal, Empress Ma pulled Zhu Yong aside to talk, from afternoon until dusk.

She wanted to know everything about her son over these years, even the tiniest details.

Zhu Yong didn't speak much, but answered every question.

He talked about hunting with Shi Laosan, about the winter in the mountains, and about his first time on the battlefield.

When he spoke of the battlefield, his eyes lit up, and he spoke a bit more.

Empress Ma listened, heart pounding, but seeing the light in her son's eyes, she couldn't bring herself to interrupt.

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao sat nearby, listening quietly.

As the setting sun slipped west, Zhu Yong yawned.

He had risen early today and gone through so much; indeed, he was tired.

Empress Ma finally realized and said, "Look at me, I've been busy talking; Yong Er, you go rest first; the side hall has already been prepared."

She personally escorted Zhu Yong to the side hall.

Inside, the hall was arranged comfortably, the bedding soft, scented with calming incense.

"Sleep well; tomorrow mother will come to see you," Empress Ma tucked the blanket corner for him and left reluctantly.

Stepping out of the side hall, Empress Ma's eyes reddened again: "Zhong Ba, he truly is our Yong Er…"

Zhu Yuanzhang put his arm around her shoulder, comforting, "Yes, yes, our son has returned."

Zhu Biao stood nearby, looking toward the side hall, his heart full of warmth.

He now had a younger brother, a real brother.

Zhu Shuang: "...."

Zhu Gang: "...."

Zhu Di: "...."

Zhu Su: "....."

Zhu Biao's four younger brothers muttered curses as they left the group chat.

Night deepened, and Kunning Palace fell silent.

In the side hall, Zhu Yong lay on the bed, eyes open.

Everything that happened today felt like a dream.

He suddenly had a father and mother, a brother, and even became some Wu King.

He touched the birthmark on the back of his neck.

It turned out the mark was placed by his biological mother.

He thought of Shi Laosan again.

If the old man knew he was the Emperor's son, what would his expression be?

As he kept thinking, Zhu Yong fell asleep.

That night, he slept deeply.

He dreamed of no battlefield, no blood.

He only dreamed of a gentle woman humming a soft lullaby, patting him to sleep.

That was a warmth he had never known in his memory.