Chapter 269: The Fourteenth Year of Hongwu

The thirteenth year of Hongwu, the thirtieth day of the twelfth month.

Yingtian Prefecture, Imperial City.

From the Wu hour onward, snow began to fall in flurries.

By the end of the Shen hour, the entire palace was covered with a thin layer of white; the eaves, palace corridors, and stone lions were all clad in silver.

Inside Qianqing Palace, however, warmth suffused the air.

More than a dozen fire basins burned brightly, keeping the cold at bay outside the doors.

Palace maids and eunuchs came and went, carrying trays of pastries and fruits toward Fengtian Hall.

"Hurry, hurry, the banquet time is approaching," the supervising eunuch urged, pressing his throat.

Inside Fengtian Hall, more than twenty large round tables had been set, covered with bright yellow tablecloths.

Each table bore dried and fresh fruits, candied snacks, and a steaming hot pot.

Tonight is the New Year's Eve family banquet, and Zhu Yuanzhang is celebrating the new year with his entire clan.

According to protocol, once a prince reaches adulthood he should be sent to his fief.

Lao San Zhu Shuang went to Xi'an, the fourth brother Zhu Gang went to Taiyuan, and Fifth Prince Zhu Di went to Beiping.

But since they returned in July to celebrate Empress Ma's birthday, the three have not left.

One says Xi'an is too far, another says Taiyuan is too cold, another says Beiping's snow is heavier than Yingtian's; in any case, they offer all sorts of excuses and simply refuse to move.

Zhu Yuanzhang is too lazy to hurry them.

His sons want to spend more time with their mother; can he still chase them away with a stick?

Besides, this year is indeed lively.

At the You hour, the sky darkened, and Fengtian Hall was brightly lit.

Zhu Yuanzhang wore a dark red formal robe and sat on the Main Seat.

Empress Ma sat to his right, dressed in a crimson‑purple jacket‑skirt, her head adorned with a golden‑threaded bun, appearing much younger than her actual age.

Those were selected from the gold and silver jewels Zhu Yong brought back from Northern Yuan, said to be New Year's gifts for his mother.

"Is everyone here?" Zhu Yuanzhang looked around.

Empress Ma laughed, "Yong Er's family hasn't arrived yet; they say the steam carriage broke down again and they've been fixing it for ages."

"That clumsy boy, always tinkering with those iron lumps," Zhu Yuanzhang scolded aloud, though his eyes held a smile.

Just then, a commotion arose outside the hall.

"Here they come, here they come!"

Zhu Shuang was the first to stand, peering toward the doorway.

Zhu Gang also craned his neck.

Zhu Di remained steady, yet his gaze also flicked that way.

The first to enter was Zhu Biao's family.

The Crown Prince wore moon‑white formal robes, a jade crown on his head, his face as flawless as jade.

Behind him followed Crown Princess Chang Wan, dressed in a bright red brocade jacket‑skirt, a hairpin of vermilion gold set with jade, dignified and graceful.

Behind them, Zhu Xiongying led a girl in a pink little jacket into the hall.

Zhu Xiongying was already a near‑adult youth, wearing a sapphire‑blue robe, his eyebrows fine, his demeanor steady.

The girl he held was his elder sister Zhu Wenwen, five this year, her hair tied in two little buns, her cheeks rosy like a New Year's painting doll.

"Grandfather! Grandmother!" Zhu Wenwen let go of her brother's hand and scampered over with her short legs.

Empress Ma laughed broadly, scooping up her granddaughter and calling, "Oh my, little Wenwen, have you missed Grandmother?"

"I have! I even dream of it!" Zhu Wenwen clutched Empress Ma's neck, her voice infantile.

Zhu Yuanzhang also leaned in, pinching his granddaughter's little cheek and smiling, "Then have you missed Grandfather?"

"I have, I miss Grandfather and Grandmother together," Zhu Wenwen said earnestly.

Laughter rang through the hall.

Zhu Xiongying respectfully paid his respects to the imperial grandparents, then moved aside and greeted Zhu Shuang, Zhu Gang, and the others.

"Third uncle, fourth uncle, fifth uncle."

Zhu Shuang clapped him on the shoulder, "Xiongying, after the meal, I'll take you to set off fireworks."

Zhu Xiongying's eyes lit up, yet he still looked toward Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao gave a slight nod.

"Great! Tonight we'll have a blast!" Zhu Shuang thumped his thigh, saying.

Zhu Gang muttered beside him, "Third brother, last time you said 'have a blast', you almost set Father Emperor's Imperial Garden on fire."

"That was an accident!" Zhu Shuang glared at him.

Zhu Di laughed gleefully from the side.

While the ruckus continued, another sound came from outside the hall.

This time, everyone's gaze was drawn.

Zhu Yong's family arrived.

The Wu King wore a dark‑colored formal robe, over it a Black Great Cloak, and strode in with long, sweeping steps.

Behind him followed Wu King Consort Guanyin Nu, who wore an indigo Mongol‑style long robe, a silver‑threaded sash at her waist, and a grassland‑style golden ornament on her head, standing out among the Han‑clad women.

Guanyin Nu held in her arms a little girl in a red jacket, Zhu Huanhuan, who resembled her, with delicate features but a temperament like Zhu Yong's—simple‑minded, laughing without a care.

Zhu Yong held a boy in a blue little robe, Zhu Qiongjiong.

The youngster was fierce‑looking, his eyes bright; as soon as he entered, he looked around, and upon seeing the hall's hot pot, his mouth watered.

"Grandfather! Grandmother!" Zhu Huanhuan wriggled out of her mother's arms and ran over.

Zhu QiongJiong also broke free from his father's hand and ran after his sister.

The two little ones lunged forward, and Empress Ma each scooped one up with a hand, laughing so hard her eyes narrowed into slits.

"Huan Huan has grown taller again, and QiongJiong has become sturdier!" Empress Ma patted this one, pinched that one, her eyes full of affection.

Zhu HuanHuan said obediently, "Grand Empress, we brought you a gift!"

"Oh? What gift?"

Zhu HuanHuan pulled a small pouch from her bosom, opened it, and inside were several round candy balls: "These are milk candies my mother taught me to make, so sweet!"

Empress Ma took it, tasted one, and nodded, "Hmm, sweet, and the milky flavor is ample."

Zhu HuanHuan laughed, her eyes curving into crescents.

Zhu QiongJiong also rummaged in his bosom, searched for a while, and produced a small wooden hammer, only palm‑sized, yet finely carved.

"Grandfather, this is my own making!" Zhu QiongJiong held up the wooden hammer, his face full of expectation.

Zhu Yuanzhang took it, turned it over and over, and exclaimed in surprise, "You carved it yourself?"

"Yes! Father taught me, I carved it for a long time." Zhu QiongJiong nodded heavily.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the wooden hammer, then at Zhu Yong, his expression complicated.

Although this wooden hammer is small, it is carved with form, the hammerhead rounded, the handle smooth, not something a five‑year‑old child could carve.

"QiongJiong, are you strong?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

Zhu QiongJiong nodded and said, "Very! I can lift the Stone Lock!"

"How big a Stone Lock?"

Zhu QiongJiong thought for a moment, gestured, "This tall, this thick, I lifted it five times!"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Yong.

Zhu Yong said naively, "Father, this kid's strength follows mine; half a year ago he could already lift a fifty‑jin Stone Lock, and now he's grown even more."

The hall was filled with gasps of amazement.

Fifty jin, at five years old?

Zhu Shuang's eyes widened: "Second Prince, this… this follows you… and follows you too much, doesn't it?"

Zhu Gang muttered softly beside him, "No wonder he's called Zhu QiongJiong; the name is well chosen—QiongJiong is spirited, QiongJiong is strong…"

Zhu Di said nothing, but his gaze at Zhu QiongJiong grew a few degrees more serious.

This child will be remarkable in the future.