Chapter 270: Fireworks

Zhu Yuanzhang returned the small wooden hammer to Zhu QiongJiong, patted his head and said, "Good, good! Our Zhu family has produced another little fierce general!"

Zhu QiongJiong felt embarrassed by the praise and hid behind his sister.

The crowd laughed again.

"Alright, alright, stop standing, take your seats!" Empress Ma called.

Everyone seated in order.

At the main table were Zhu Yuanzhang, Empress Ma, Zhu Biao, Zhu Yong, Zhu Shuang, Zhu Gang, Zhu Di, and Zhu Xiongying.

The other tables were occupied by women and children.

Guanyin Nu and Chang Wan sat together, whispering something.

Zhu Huanhuan and Zhu Wenwen huddled together, chattering in whispers.

Zhu QiongJiong sat alone, clutching a bowl, intently gnawing on a chicken leg.

The family banquet began.

First came a round of toasts; Zhu Yuanzhang lifted his cup, looked around, and laughed, "It's the thirteenth year of Hongwu; we remember clearly, that year we just became Emperor, and the world was still chaotic."

"Now thirteen years have passed; the Northern Yuan is destroyed, the Nüzhen have submitted, Goryeo became the Joseon Prefecture, the Wa Country became the Eastern Japan Prefecture, the South Sea has also been taken, and the Western Regions have been pacified."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over his sons' faces, and said, "In this life, what I'm most proud of isn't becoming Emperor, but having you sons."

Zhu Biao rose, raised his cup and said, "Father Emperor, your son pays respect to you; these years you have worked from dawn till night, laboring over state affairs, and we have seen it and kept it in our hearts."

Zhu Yong also stood and said, "Dad, I'm not good with words, but in short, whatever you order me to strike, I'll strike."

Zhu Shuang and a few others also rose, raising their cups to drink together.

One cup down, the atmosphere grew even warmer.

The warm pot gurgled, steaming, as palace maids bustled about adding dishes and wine.

Outside, snow still fell, but the hall was warm as spring.

After a few cups, Zhu Shuang talked more.

"Second Prince, do you remember? That year you just returned, we and Fourth Prince skipped school to catch fish; you held our hands, that wasn't the heaviest, the heaviest was when we took Fifth Prince and Sixth Prince to fight crickets, you were ruthless." Zhu Shuang said, his face reddening.

Zhu Yong nodded and said, "Remember, the Eldest Brother let us fight."

Zhu Gang, standing nearby, interjected, "Third Brother, you still have the nerve to say that, that time you cried the loudest."

"I was in pain! Second Prince's hand was heavy, you know that." Zhu Shuang glared at him.

Zhu Di said softly, "Third Brother, you needn't say that; that time I also got beaten."

Zhu Shuang chuckled, "Fifth Prince, that doesn't count; Second Prince spared you."

Zhu Di rolled his eyes, too lazy to respond.

Zhu Yuanzhang watched his sons bickering, his smile deepening.

He looked at Empress Ma, whispered, "Girl, look at these lads, they're all grown up now."

Empress Ma nodded, her eyes a little moist, and said, "Yes! They're all grown; Shuang'er and Gang'er have become fathers, Di'er also has a son.

Biao'er and Yong'er's children can already run and jump."

Zhu Yuanzhang clasped her hand and said, "These years, you've worked hard."

Empress Ma shook her head, saying nothing.

At this moment, Zhu Huanhuan ran over, tugged Zhu Yong's sleeve and said, "Dad, the snow outside has stopped, we want to set off fireworks."

Zhu QiongJiong also ran over, looking up with eager eyes.

Zhu Yong looked at Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "Go, go! Everyone go, I'll go too."

The crowd cheered.

Outside Fengtian Hall, the snow had stopped, leaving a thin layer on the ground.

Zhu Shuang had someone bring the fireworks and set them in an open area.

The firework fuse was lit, the fuse sizzled.

"Bang..."

The first firework shot into the sky, exploding in the night, scattering multicolored sparks.

"Wow..." the children looked up, their eyes sparkling.

Zhu Huanhuan tugged Zhu Wenwen, pointed at the sky and said, "That one's pretty! That one's red!"

Zhu QiongJiong stood beside his father, his small face tilted up, mouth open wide.

Zhu Xiongying stood nearby, a gentle smile on his face.

Fireworks bloomed one after another, illuminating the entire palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood in the corridor, watching the sky full of fireworks, then looking at the whole family beside him, and suddenly sighed.

Empress Ma turned and looked at him, saying, "Zhong Ba, what's wrong?"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head, laughing, "Nothing! Just thinking of those years in Fengyang, New Year's never this lively; back then we were still begging for food, starving until our eyes turned green."

He paused, looked at the fireworks in the night sky, and said slowly, "Now everything's there: sons, grandsons, and the world is at peace.

This life has been worth it."

Empress Ma clasped his hand, softly saying, "Zhong Ba, it will only get better."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said, "Hmm, we know."

Not far away, Zhu Yong held Zhu QiongJiong, Zhu Biao embraced Zhu Xiongying, the two brothers standing side by side.

The fireworks' glow reflected on their faces, bright then fading.

"Eldest Brother." Zhu Yong suddenly spoke.

"Hmm?"

"You say, what will Great Ming become later?"

Zhu Biao fell silent for a moment, then said slowly, "I don't know, but it will surely get better and better."

He looked at Zhu Yong and said, "Second brother, if it weren't for those blueprints of yours over the years, Great Ming wouldn't have developed so fast—steam engines, steamships, concrete roads, penicillin… these things were once unthinkable."

Zhu Yong said innocently, "It's all luck…"

Zhu Biao shook his head and said nothing.

He knew his second brother had a secret.

But he didn't ask.

Because whatever the secret, his second brother was his own blood brother.

That was enough.

The fireworks kept going for more than half an hour before stopping.

The children were still not satisfied, but their little faces had turned red from the cold.

Empress Ma hurriedly called them back to the hall, having the palace maids bring hot ginger soup.

"Drink it all, don't catch a cold," Empress Ma supervised personally.

Zhu Huanhuan took a sip, frowned and said, "Grandma, it's spicy…"

"Spicy or not, you have to drink it; there's candied fruit after you finish," Empress Ma coaxed.

Zhu Huanhuan had to close her eyes and finish it, then received a piece of candied fruit and smiled brightly.

Zhu Qiong Jiong was quite eager, lifted his bowl and gulped it down, then reached out and said, "Grandma, I also want candied fruit."

Empress Ma smiled, gave him two pieces and said, "Jiong Jiong, be good."

Night grew deeper, and the children began to yawn.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "Everyone, disperse; we have to get up early tomorrow to pay New Year's respects."

Everyone rose, performed a bow, and gradually left.

Zhu Biao's family and Zhu Yong's family walked at the rear.

In the night, the two families each went their separate ways.

Snow began to fall again, fine and dense.

Under the eaves of Fengtian Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma were still standing, watching their sons depart into the distance.

"Zhong Ba, return! It's cold outside," Empress Ma said.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, turned and walked back.

After a few steps, he suddenly turned back and glanced again.

In the distance, the silhouettes of Zhu Yong's family and Zhu Biao's family had already vanished around the palace wall corner.

The snow fell heavier and heavier.

The New Year's Eve of the thirteenth year of Hongwu passed just like that.

The new year was about to arrive.