Chapter 308: Home

Zhu Gaochi looked up, his voice babyish, and called, "Second Uncle."

Zhu Yong bent down, lifted him, gauged his weight, and laughed, "Good lad, quite sturdy."

Zhu Gaochi was amused and smiled.

Zhu QiongJiong ran over, looking up at Zhu Gaochi.

"So you're Chier, the little brother?"

Zhu Gaochi nodded, shyly curling into Zhu Yong's arms.

Zhu QiongJiong reached out, patted his head, and in a gruff old voice said, "Don't be scared, I'm your Second Prince; from now on I'll look after you."

Zhu Gaochi blinked, then suddenly grabbed Zhu QiongJiong's collar, refusing to let go.

Zhu Huanhuan walked over, looking at the little cousin, a smile in her eyes.

"Chier, do you still remember your sister?"

Zhu Gaochi looked at her, thought for a while, and shook his head.

Zhu Huanhuan wasn't upset, took a piece of candy from her bosom and handed it to him.

"From sister."

Zhu Gaochi took the candy, his eyes brightened, and whispered, "Thank you, sister."

Zhu Huanhuan patted his head and smiled.

……

Inside the great tent, a lavish spread of wine and dishes was laid out.

Zhu Di sat on the Main Seat, Zhu Yong sat beside him, Guanyin Nu and Xu Miaoyun sat at another table with the children.

After three rounds of wine, Zhu Di set down his cup and looked at Zhu Yong.

"Second Prince, this trip of yours, is it to the Timur Empire?"

Zhu Yong nodded and said, "They haven't paid tribute there for three years; Imperial Father sent me to take a look."

Zhu Di was silent for a moment, then said, "Second Prince, regarding Timur, I've sent people to scout."

"Oh? What do you mean?"

Zhu Di lowered his voice and said, "Timur has been waging war in the west these past years, annexing many small states; his forces are strong, I've heard he commands several hundred thousand cavalry."

Zhu Yong slightly raised an eyebrow.

Several hundred thousand cavalry is a bit exaggerated.

But the Timur Empire is indeed expanding; that's a fact.

"Do you think they'll dare to clash with Great Ming?" Zhu Yong asked.

Zhu Di thought for a moment and shook his head.

"Hard to say; Timur himself is ambitious. If he thinks Great Ming is easy to bully, he might actually try."

Zhu Yong nodded and said nothing more.

Zhu Di added, "Second Prince, shall I send troops to go with you?"

Zhu Yong laughed, "No need; three thousand Longxiang Army are enough; keep your men to guard the Western Regions, this side is also not peaceful."

Zhu Di was about to speak, but Zhu Yong waved his hand to stop him.

"Fifth Brother, rest assured, I know what's going on."

……

Outside the tent, the children had already started playing together.

Zhu QiongJiong held Zhu Gaochi's hand, running back and forth by the lake.

Zhu Gaochi's short legs moved swiftly, the flesh on his face quivered, and he laughed with his eyes squinting into a slit.

Zhu Huanhuan sat on a stone, watching them, a smile at the corner of her mouth.

Xu Miaoyun walked over and sat beside her.

"Huan Huan, why aren't you playing with the younger brothers?"

Zhu Huanhuan shook her head, softly saying, "Let them play! I'll just watch here."

Xu Miaoyun looked at her, silently praising in her heart.

This child, only eleven, is so calm and sensible; truly worthy of being King Wu's daughter.

"Huan Huan, I heard you're good at studying?" Xu Miaoyun asked.

Zhu Huanhuan blushed slightly and said, "It's okay, I just like reading."

Xu Miaoyun smiled, took a book from her bosom and handed it to her.

"I had someone fetch this from the Western Regions; it's a travelogue about the customs of the Western Regions' nations. See if you like it."

Zhu Huanhuan took it, opened to the first page, her eyes brightened.

"Thank you, Auntie."

Xu Miaoyun patted her head and said, "No need to be formal with me."

……

At dusk, Zhu Di held a banquet outside the great tent, inviting Zhu Yong's family to a roast whole lamb.

The bonfire roared, the lamb sizzled, fat spitting, its aroma drifting far.

Zhu Gaochi sat beside Zhu QiongJiong, his little hand clutching a piece of lamb, chewing it with oil all over his face.

Zhu QiongJiong also chewed heartily, and while chewing asked, "Chier little brother, is the Western Regions fun?"

Zhu Gaochi thought for a moment, nodded, then shook his head.

Zhu QiongJiong was confused: "You nodded and shook your head; is it fun or not?"

Zhu Gaochi swallowed the meat, his voice babyish, "Fun, it's just… hot."

Zhu Qiong Jiong laughed, "The desert, of course it's hot. Later I'll take you to Australia; it's not hot there, there are kangaroos and parrots."

Zhu Gaochi blinked and said, "What's a kangaroo!"

"It's a kind of animal that hops around, really fun," Zhu Qiong Jiong gestured.

Zhu Gaochi listened intently, even forgetting to gnaw the mutton in his hand.

Zhu Huanhuan watched the two younger brothers beside her, the smile at the corner of her mouth deepening.

……

It was late at night.

The campfire gradually went out, and everyone returned to their tents to rest.

Zhu Yong and Zhu Di stood at the lake's edge, looking at the moon reflected in the water.

"Second Prince, you're leaving tomorrow?" Zhu Di asked.

Zhu Yong nodded and replied, "Leave early, return early; Imperial Father and Imperial Mother are waiting."

Zhu Di was silent for a moment, then said, "Second Prince, sometimes I think, it would be great if I could go with you."

Zhu Yong turned his head to look at him and smiled.

"What's wrong, tired of the Western Regions?"

Zhu Di shook his head, then nodded.

"It's not that I'm tired, I just want… to wander, to see the world outside."

Zhu Yong patted his shoulder.

"There will be a chance; once the Western Regions are fully stable, you can go anywhere you wish."

Zhu Di looked at him, then suddenly asked, "Second Prince, you've traveled so many places; which do you think is the best?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment, then said slowly, "Home is the best."

Zhu Di was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

"Second Prince is right, home is the best."

The two brothers stood side by side at the lake, Moonlight stretching their shadows long and long.

In the distance, the desert slept in the night, like a huge beast.

But at this moment, it was very quiet.

……

The next morning, the group continued westward.

Zhu Di, with Xu Miaoyun and Zhu Gaochi, went out Thirty Li before stopping.

Zhu Qiong Jiong leaned against the carriage window and waved backward.

"Chier little brother, I'll come find you to play next time!"

Zhu Gaochi stood beside his father, his short legs took two steps, then Xu Miaoyun pulled him back.

He pursed his lips, wanted to cry, but held back.

Zhu Huanhuan watched the tiny figure and felt a sudden reluctance in her heart.

"Mother, Chier little brother is so cute," she whispered.

Guanyin Nu nodded and said, "Yes, just as cute as your brother was when you were little."

Zhu Huanhuan glanced at Zhu Qiong Jiong, silently compared in her heart.

"Hmm, Chier little brother is still cuter."

……

The group gradually receded, disappearing into the vast Gobi.

Zhu Di stood on a sand dune, gazing that way, unmoving for a long time.

Xu Miaoyun walked to his side and whispered, "Prince, let's go back!"

Zhu Di nodded, bent down to pick up his son, and turned to walk back.

After walking a few steps, he suddenly stopped, turned back and looked again.

"Second Prince, take care on the road," he said softly.

The wind‑blown sand passed, carrying his voice into the distance.

……

In the distance, Zhu Yong stood at the front of the carriage, also looking back.

That sand dune grew smaller and smaller, finally becoming a dot, disappearing at the edge of Heaven and Earth.

He turned around, looking ahead.

Ahead was still endless Gobi, endless yellow sand, endless unknown.

But he was not afraid.

Because he knew, no matter how far he went, home was there.

Waiting for him to return.