Chapter 303: Heatstroke

Hongwu 16th year, March 25.

The fleet left Yueyang and continued westward along the Yangtze River.

Dawn was just breaking, and a thin layer of mist still drifted over the river.

The green hills on both banks appeared and disappeared in the mist, like an ink‑wash painting.

Zhu Yong stood at the bow, holding a bowl of hot tea in his hand, sipping it slowly.

It had been ten days since leaving Yingtian Prefecture.

During those ten days, the fleet traveled westward along the Yangtze, passed Wuchang, passed Yueyang, and now was heading toward Jingzhou.

At this pace, another seven or eight days would bring them into the Han River, then northward to Xiangyang.

Beyond Xiangyang lay Hanzhong and Guanzhong, and after that the Western Regions.

After that was the Timur Empire, which hadn't paid tribute for three years.

"Dad!"

A shout came from behind.

Zhu Yong turned his head and saw Zhu Qiongjiong rush out of the cabin, clutching the parrot they had brought back from Australia.

The parrot flapped its wings frantically, struggling, and squawked, "Help! Help!"

Zhu Qiongjiong ran up to Zhu Yong, looking up with eyes sparkling.

"Dad, look, the parrot is calling for help again!"

Zhu Yong lowered his head to look at his son, then at the parrot that was about to be strangled, his mouth twitching.

"Jiong Jiong, if you don't let go, it will really die."

Zhu Qiongjiong looked down and saw the parrot's eyes already rolled white from being strangled, and he quickly released his grip.

The parrot flapped its wings and flew onto the mast, panting, looking down at the little rascal below, and dared not come down again.

Zhu Qiongjiong looked up and waved at it.

"Come down, come down, let's play!"

The parrot ignored him, tucking its neck and playing dead.

Zhu Huanhuan stepped out of the cabin, dressed in a goose‑yellow robe and skirt, holding a book in her hands.

She glanced at her younger brother, then at the parrot on the mast, and shook her head helplessly.

"Jiong Jiong, you're bullying it again."

Zhu Qiongjiong pursed his lips and said, "I didn't, I just wanted to play with it."

"What you call playing… you almost strangled it, Dad, are we stopping today?" Zhu Huanhuan gave him a glare, walked up to Zhu Yong and said.

Zhu Yong nodded and pointed at the faint outline of a city on the distant riverbank.

"Ahead is Jingzhou; we'll stop there for the night and resupply."

Zhu Huanhuan's eyes lit up.

Jingzhou.

She had seen it on a map; it was an ancient city that had been the capital of the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

"Can we go down and take a look?"

Zhu Yong looked at his daughter's expectant gaze and couldn't help but smile as he said:

"Sure, I'll take you down for a stroll."

…

At noon, the fleet docked at Jingzhou's pier.

Jingzhou city was a bit smaller than Wuchang, its walls not as high, but it looked more rustic.

The city gate was open, with many people coming and going: peddlers carrying loads, farmers hurrying with ox‑carts, and a few merchants riding donkeys.

Zhu Yong led his family off the boat.

Zhang Wu marched a squad of Longxiang Army soldiers behind them, in civilian clothes, but the military bearing could not be hidden.

People on the pier glanced curiously at the party.

Those men in civilian dress stood straight‑backed, eyes sharp, clearly not ordinary folk.

There was also the Husband and Wife; the man had thick brows, large eyes, a square face, and exuded an indescribable aura.

The woman wore a Mongol‑style robe, a red‑gold forehead ornament, and was stunningly beautiful.

The two children—one demure and graceful, the other bold and lively—were dressed in fine silk garments.

"Who does this noble belong to?" someone muttered quietly.

"I don't know, but they're certainly not ordinary; look at those guards, they stride with the wind."

"Don't stare foolishly, you might cause trouble."

…

Zhu Yong ignored the chatter and led his family into the city.

Jingzhou was small; the main street was only about two li long, lined with shops selling sundries and stalls offering food.

There were few pedestrians on the street, and occasionally a few ox‑carts ambled by.

Zhu Qiongjiong was curious about everything; he would squat at a candy seller's stall and not move, then run to a clay‑figure vendor and stare at the colorful little figurines.

"Dad, I want this!" he pointed at a clay‑molded general on horseback, sword raised, looking majestic.

Zhu Yong took out money and bought it.

Zhu Qiongjiong clutched the clay figure, grinning so broadly his teeth were visible but his eyes were not.

Zhu Huanhuan showed no interest in the clay figure, but lingered for a long time at a book stall.

The stall displayed some old books, including the Analects, Mencius, and a few collections of poetry.

She flipped through, picked a copy of the Book of Songs, and looked up at Zhu Yong.

Zhu Yong smiled and nodded.

Zhu Huanhuan happily hugged the book, her little face flushed.

Guanyin Nu bought several pieces of locally made cloth, saying it was to make new clothes for the children back home.

The cloth felt good and its color was bright, not inferior to those from Yingtian Prefecture.

After strolling for a little less than half an hour, Zhu Qiong Jiong began to complain of hunger.

"Father, I'm hungry, I want something to eat."

Zhu Yong looked at the sky and saw that it was indeed time for lunch.

He glanced upward, spotted a small restaurant on the street corner; its façade was modest, yet fragrant aromas drifted from inside.

"Let's go eat there."

……

Inside the restaurant there were few people, a scattering of a few tables of patrons.

The proprietor, seeing distinguished guests, hurriedly welcomed them, bowing and gesturing them to a refined room on the second floor.

The private room was small but tidy, its windows faced the street, allowing a view of the street below.

Zhu Yong ordered several dishes and especially requested a roasted chicken for Zhu Qiong Jiong.

The dishes arrived quickly, and the taste was decent.

Zhu Qiong Jiong clutched the roasted chicken, gnawing with oil dripping from his mouth, while Zhu Huanhuan ate gracefully, taking small bites.

Zhu Yong and Guanyin Nu ate slowly, occasionally exchanging a few words.

While they were eating, a sudden commotion erupted from downstairs.

Zhu Yong set down his chopsticks and walked to the window to look down.

Across the street, a crowd gathered, shouting and clamoring.

Faintly one could see a person lying on the ground in the middle, with a woman crouching beside him, crying and shouting.

"What happened?" Guanyin Nu walked over.

Zhu Yong squinted, looked, then said, "Someone fainted, seems like heatstroke."

He paused, turned back to Zhang Wu and said, "Go down and take a look."

Zhang Wu responded and went downstairs.

A moment later, he came back to report.

"Prince, it's an old vegetable seller who suffered heatstroke in this hot weather; his daughter is crying beside him, and no one around dares to intervene."

Zhu Yong nodded, took a porcelain bottle from his bosom and handed it to Zhang Wu.

"This is the cooling medicine prepared by the Sixth Prince; take it and pour it into him, it should revive him."

Zhang Wu took it and went down again.

Zhu Huanhuan perched at the window, watching Zhang Wu squeeze into the crowd, squat beside the old man and pour the medicine into his mouth.

After a short while, the old man coughed a few times and slowly woke up.

The onlookers erupted in a roar of excitement.

The woman knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Zhang Wu.

Zhang Wu waved his hand, squeezed through the crowd, and went back upstairs.

"Prince, the person has woken up."

Zhu Yong nodded and continued eating.

Zhu Huanhuan looked at him and whispered, "Father, when did Sixth Uncle give you that medicine? How come we didn't know?"

"Hmm, your Sixth Uncle gave it before we left, a cooling remedy, in case someone suffers heatstroke on the road," Zhu Yong said casually.

Zhu Huanhuan nodded thoughtfully.