Chapter 337: Returned

The next morning, they continued to press on.

April 25, the convoy arrived at Jiayuguan.

This is the western end of the Great Wall, the western gate of Great Ming.

The walls towered majestically, the gate tower rose high, soldiers filled the ramparts, and War Flags fluttered.

The gate was guarded by an old general named Wu, who had once fought Northern Yuan under Xu Da; now, aged, he was assigned to guard the pass.

"Your Majesty, Prince Wu! The old minister presents himself!" the old general knelt shakily.

Zhu Yong hurriedly helped him up: "General Wu, rise quickly."

The old general stood, looked at Zhu Yong, his eyes a bit red: "Prince, the old minister once fought Northern Yuan under General Chang, and saw you break the gate of Kaiping City with three hammer strikes."

Years have flown, and you are still so vigorous.

Zhu Yong laughed: "General, you are still so robust."

The old general shook his head, sighed: "I'm old and no longer useful, but you, Prince, have conquered such a vast region of the Timur Empire, bringing honor to Great Ming!"

Zhu Yong modestly said a few words and rested inside the gate for a night.

The next morning, the convoy passed Jiayuguan and entered the interior of Great Ming.

The road became easier.

No longer the Gobi desert, but official roads, fertile fields, villages, and towns.

Zhu Qiongjiong leaned against the carriage window, staring outside, his eyes wide and round.

"Father! There are cattle over there! Such a huge herd!"

"Father! What is that tower? So tall!"

"Father! How far are we from Yingtian Prefecture?"

Zhu Yong answered patiently, his heart growing increasingly anxious.

Longing to see mother.

Longing to see father.

Longing to see elder brother.

Longing to see those brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces.

April 15, the convoy arrived at Xi'an.

The Shaanxi Provincial Administrator led officials out of the city to welcome them; the scene was sizable. Zhu Yong, not wanting delay, rested only a day, changed horses and drivers, and pressed on.

Heading east from Xi'an, the road became even smoother.

The cemented official road was wide and flat, and the carriage ran fast and steady. It was built in the thirteenth year of Hongwu, stretching over a thousand li from Yingtian Prefecture to Xi'an, all cement road.

Zhu Yong rode his horse, watching the fields and villages on either side, feeling reflective.

Ten years ago, this place was still barren, the people could not get enough to eat, and vagrants were everywhere.

Now, wheat grows to waist height, village smoke curls, and the people wear smiles.

This is Great Ming.

The Great Ming he helped build with his own hands.

May 20, the convoy passed Tongguan and entered Henan territory.

Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, city after city flashed before their eyes.

Zhu Qiongjiong stopped asking, leaned against the window and fell asleep.

Zhu Huanhuan also rested against their mother, eyes closed.

Zhu Yong rode ahead on horseback, silently counting the days in his mind.

Just over a month left.

July is mother's birthday; they'll make it in time.

On the fifth day of the sixth month, the convoy passed Xuzhou.

This is where Zhu Yong entered military service years ago.

He gazed at the city gate, vaguely recalling seventeen years ago, when he was a starving, simple boy, raising a stone lion at the gate, and being taken into the Personal Guard Unit by Chang Yuchun.

In the blink of an eye, seventeen years have passed.

Zhu Qiongjiong woke, rubbed his eyes and asked: "Father, have we reached Yingtian Prefecture?"

Zhu Yong laughed: "Almost there, just a few more days."

Zhu Qiongjiong leaned back against the window, looking outward.

On the tenth day of the sixth month, the convoy passed Fengyang.

Zhu Yong halted his horse, gazing at the distant mountains.

That was Fengyang Mountain.

The place where he grew up.

Shi Laosan's grave should still be there.

The old village chief, Aunt Li, Wang Tiejiang, Ergouzi… those people, I wonder if they are still around.

Every year, he has Wang Gui send some things back to the village, but he himself has never returned.

"Father, what is that place?" Zhu Qiongjiong asked.

Zhu Yong was silent for a moment, then said: "It is the place where your father lived as a child."

Zhu Qiongjiong's eyes lit up: "Can we go take a look?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment, shook his head and said: "Another time, first we should return to the capital to see your imperial grandmother."

Zhu Qiongjiong pursed his lips, but said nothing further.

The convoy continued eastward.

June 14, Yingtian Prefecture.

When the city wall appeared on the horizon, Zhu Yong halted the horse.

That city was taller than when they left. The wall had been reinforced with cement, raised two zhang, and the city towers were renovated, resplendent in gold and jade.

At the city gate, the crowd was woven like fabric. There were peddlers with shoulder loads, merchants hurrying carts, scholars riding donkeys, and women leading children.

Zhu Yong looked at the city, and an indescribable feeling suddenly welled up inside them.

Homeward bound.

Really home at last.

"Father, we've arrived!" Zhu Qiong Jiong stuck his head out of the carriage, shouting excitedly.

Zhu Huanhuan also stuck out his head, smiling.

Guanyin Nu rode up to Zhu Yong's side and said softly, "Prince, we've arrived."

Zhu Yong nodded, took a deep breath, and said, "Let's go, into the city."

The convoy slowly rode toward the city gate.

The guards at the gate saw the great Wu Prince banner, were startled, then hurriedly knelt.

"Prince Wu is back! Prince Wu is back!"

The news spread through the city like wings.

Zhu Yong rode through the street, looking at the shops and pedestrians on both sides.

Yingtian Prefecture was more prosperous than two years ago.

Shops lined both sides of the street, their signs fluttering in the wind.

Pedestrians brushed shoulders, chatting and laughing.

"Is that Father?"

"Yes, I heard he conquered the Timur Empire, even larger than our Great Ming!"

"No wonder he's so imposing…"

Zhu Yong ignored the chatter, and rode toward the Imperial City.

Upon reaching the Wu Men, they halted the horse.

The Wu Men swung open, and a person stood at the entrance.

Zhu Biao.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao.

He wore ordinary clothes, stood in the center of the Wu Men, and looked at Zhu Yong.

The two brothers locked eyes.

Zhu Biao smiled first.

"Second brother, you're back."

Zhu Yong dismounted with a turn, and strode over.

"Elder brother, I'm back."

The brothers embraced.

Zhu Biao patted his brother's back vigorously, his eyes reddening, and said, "It's good you're back, it's good you're back. Imperial Mother has been nagging about you for two years, every day in Kunning Palace turning over the clothes you wore as a child."

Zhu Yong felt a pang in the throat and remained silent.

Zhu Biao released him, looked him over, and asked, "You've gotten thin, and darker, suffered over there?"

Zhu Yong shook their head: "Not suffering, just longing to eat mother's cooking."

Zhu Biao smiled, "Let's go to Kunning Palace, mother is waiting for you."

Zhu Yong turned back and waved to Guanyin Nu and the children.

The family followed Zhu Biao toward Kunning Palace.

On the way, Zhu Biao said, "Imperial Mother doesn't know you're arriving today; I didn't tell her, wanted to give her a surprise."

Zhu Yong nodded, feeling increasingly anxious.

Kunning Palace was reached.

Zhu Biao entered first, laughing, "Imperial Mother, look who's here?"

Empress Ma's voice came from inside, "Who is it! Making such a fuss?"

Zhu Yong took a deep breath and strode inside.

Inside the hall, Empress Ma sat by the window, holding needle and thread, her task unknown.

Hearing the footsteps, she lifted her head.

Seeing Zhu Yong, she was stunned.

The needle and thread fell to the ground.

"Yong… Yong Er?"

Zhu Yong walked over and knelt before her.

"Mother, I'm back."

Empress Ma looked at him, and tears welled up instantly.

She reached out, trembling, and touched his face.

"You've gotten thin, dark… you're thin…"

Zhu Yong clasped her hand and said softly, "Mother, I'm not thin; I've been eating well."

Empress Ma laughed through tears, hugging him tightly, "You child, you were gone for two years, didn't even send a sealed letter; do you know how much mother missed you?"

Zhu Yong let her hold them, and said softly, "Mother, I also miss you."

Empress Ma let go of him, looked him over from head to toe, and, both crying and laughing, said, "It's good you're back, it's good you're back."

Guanyin Nu entered with the children, knelt and paid respect.

"Daughter‑in‑law, I pay respects to Imperial Mother."

"Granddaughter Huan Huan, I pay respects to imperial grandmother."

"Grandson Qiongjiong, I pay respects to imperial grandmother!"

Empress Ma, seeing them, became even happier, hurriedly pulled them up and said, "Quick, get up, quick, let grandma see."

She took Zhu Huanhuan's hand, looked at her repeatedly and said, "Huan Huan has grown so big, really beautiful, just like your mother."

She then took Zhu Qiongjiong's hand, laughing, "Qiongjiong has also grown tall, like your father, sturdy!"

Zhu Qiongjiong puffed out his small chest, proudly saying, "Imperial grandmother, I can now eat three bowls of rice!"

Empress Ma laughed so broadly she could not close her mouth and said, "Good, good, being able to eat is a blessing."

Zhu Yuanzhang, at some unknown time, arrived, stood at the hall entrance, watched this scene, and his eyes reddened.

Zhu Yong saw him and hurriedly rose, "Father."

Zhu Yuanzhang walked over, patted his shoulder, and said nothing.

But that hand kept trembling.

Empress Ma, holding his hand, scolded, "Zhong Ba, why are you crying?"

Zhu Yuanzhang forced a denial, "Who's crying? I'm not crying."

Zhu Biao, standing nearby, laughed, "Imperial Father, why are your eyes red?"

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at him and said, "The wind and sand blurred my eyes."

The people in the hall all laughed.

Zhu Qiongjiong ran over, grabbed Zhu Yuanzhang's sleeve, and said, "Imperial grandfather, I brought you a gift, a talking parrot!"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked down at him, laughed, "Oh? It can talk?"

Zhu Qiongjiong nodded vigorously, "Yes, it says 'Long live the emperor!'"

Zhu Yuanzhang burst out laughing, "Good, good, let's hear it."

The family sat together, chatting and laughing.

Empress Ma, holding Zhu Yong's hand, asked this and that.

Whether they ate well over there, lived well, or were tired.

Zhu Yong answered each question, only saying good things, never the bad.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat nearby, listening, occasionally interjecting, saying things like "I'll just say Yong Er is capable," or "This child follows me."

Zhu Biao, laughing beside him, poured tea for his younger brother and served dishes to his mother.

The sunlight outside the hall streamed in, warm and gentle.

The summer of the eighteenth year of Hongwu had just begun.

And the one who had been away for two years finally returned.