Chapter 379: Brotherly Reunion

"Prince, it's time to board," Chang Wan said softly from behind.

Zhu Biao nodded and led Zhu Xiongying onto the carriage.

The carriage was prepared especially for him, a bit more spacious than ordinary ones, furnished with tables, chairs, and a bed.

The windows were large enough to see the platform outside.

Chang Wan stood outside the window and waved at him.

Zhu Gang, Zhu Zhen, and Zhu Fu also waved.

The locomotive whistle sounded, and the train began to move slowly.

Zhu Biao sat by the window, watching the platform recede and Chang Wan's figure grow smaller.

The train left the station, and its speed gradually increased.

Outside, the scenery shifted from houses to fields, and from fields to hills.

Zhu Xiongying perched at the window, his eyes wide, and said, "Father, look over there, cows!"

Zhu Biao glanced and indeed saw a herd of cattle grazing on the ridge.

He withdrew his gaze, pulled the letter from his chest, and read it again.

"Brother, when the railway is finished, you can come by train, and I'll take you to the Adriatic Sea coast to see it; the sea there is unlike ours, a bright blue."

He curled the corner of his mouth slightly, folded the letter carefully, and slipped it back into his chest.

The train headed westward all the way.

On the first day, they passed Hezhou.

On the second day, they passed Luzhou.

On the third day, they passed Fengyang.

Zhu Biao leaned against the window, watching the small town outside.

That was the place where his second brother grew up, and also the old home of the Zhu Family.

Back then, his second brother set out from here, heading toward Xuzhou, and raised a stone lion at the city gate.

"Father, did Second Uncle live here when he was a child?" Zhu Xiongying leaned in.

"Mm." Zhu Biao nodded.

"Second Uncle said he couldn't get enough to eat in the village; is that true?" Zhu Xiongying asked.

"Indeed. Back then your Second Uncle could eat a bushel of rice in one meal; the village couldn't support him, so they sent him to join the army."

Zhu Biao paused and said, "Your Second Uncle left from here."

Zhu Xiongying perched at the window for a long time, until the small town vanished from view.

On the sixth day, the train passed Luoyang.

Zhu Biao walked on the platform, bought a few locally grown peaches, and handed them to Zhu Xiongying and the accompanying officials.

The peaches were sweet, their juice running down his fingers.

On the tenth day, they passed Xi'an.

The train stopped here for an hour, taking on water and coal.

Zhu Biao got off the train and stretched his limbs on the platform.

People came and went on the platform: merchants lugging luggage, women leading children, and scholars carrying book boxes.

On the twelfth day, Lanzhou.

The train slowly entered the station. Zhu Biao looked out through the window; the city was larger than he imagined, its walls thick, and people bustling at the city gate.

A line of officials stood on the platform, led by a fifty‑something veteran in a half‑worn official uniform, full of vigor.

Zhu Biao stepped off, and the veteran hurried forward, kneeling to salute: "I am Prefect Zhang Chongwen of Lanzhou, presenting myself before the Crown Prince."

"Rise," Zhu Biao waved his hand.

Zhang Chongwen rose cautiously and asked, "Prince, what is this…"

"Go to Tie Mu Er's residence and see Prince Wu," Zhu Biao said as he walked toward the outside of the platform.

Zhang Chongwen hurriedly followed, "Prince, the road west from Lanzhou is difficult; I will dispatch escorts…"

"Not needed, I have my own men," Zhu Biao said, pointing to the Longxiang Army cavalry behind him, whose leader was Chang Mao, clad in iron armor, a sword at his waist, and a heroic bearing.

Zhang Chongwen dared not speak further, and hurried to have a carriage and supplies prepared.

After resting a night in Lanzhou, the party set out west early the next morning.

From Lanzhou westward, there was no railway, only a dirt road.

The road was narrow but relatively smooth, forged by caravans over the years.

Zhu Biao sat in the carriage, watching the scenery outside.

The mountains grew higher, the trees fewer, and the wind stronger.

After five days, they arrived at Jiayuguan.

The old general guarding the pass was surnamed Wu; he had once fought the Northern Yuan alongside Xu Da, and now, aged, was assigned to guard the pass.

He knelt at the gate, trembling all over, and said, "I present myself before the Crown Prince!"

Zhu Biao helped him up and said, "General Wu, you have worked hard."

General Wu raised his head, his eyes reddening, and said, "Prince, back then I fought the Northern Yuan with Marshal Xu, and I personally witnessed Prince Wu break the gate of Kaiping City with three hammer strikes."

"It's been over a decade, and I never expected to see the Crown Prince again."

Zhu Biao rested a night inside the pass, and continued westward the next day.

Beyond Jiayuguan lay the frontier of the Western Regions.

The road grew even more treacherous, sometimes Gobi, sometimes desert, sometimes a dried riverbed.

The carriage jolted violently, yet Zhu Xiongying remained lively, perched at the window watching the camel spines and sand rats outside.

After traveling for half a month, they arrived at Hami.

The garrison commander was a deputy general surnamed Ma; hearing that the Crown Prince had arrived, he led his men out of the city for Thirty Li to meet him.

Zhu Biao rested in Hami for a day, changed horses and supplies, and continued westward.

Heading west from Hami, the road grew even more difficult.

Sometimes they could not cover even a few dozen li in a day; the carriage would sink into sand pits, requiring the soldiers to push it out. Xiong Ying also helped push; the teenager in his teens pushed the vehicle no worse than an adult.

Zhu Biao stood on a sand dune, gazing at the western sky. That direction was that of Tie Mu Er's manor, the place his second brother had captured.

After more than two months of travel, they were finally close.

On the ninth day of the seventh month, the party finally reached the outskirts of Samarchan City.

Zhu Biao tightened the reins and looked at the city in the distance.

The city walls were taller than he had imagined, the city itself larger than he had imagined, and the blue‑domed mosques glittered in the sunlight.

At the city gate stood a few men, the foremost a commander clad in iron armor, none other than Zhang Wu.

Zhang Wu saw the entourage, was first stunned, then his complexion changed dramatically; he hurried over, knelt on the ground and exclaimed, "C‑Crown Prince—Your Highness?!"

Zhu Biao dismounted and said calmly, "Get up. Where is Wu Wang?"

"He's inside the city… Your Highness, why have you come?" Zhang Wu stammered as he stood.

"Just to see…" Zhu Biao strode into the city.

Zhang Wu followed behind, his legs feeling weak.

He never could have imagined the Crown Prince would suddenly appear in Samarchan.

The city was already in chaos: some ran to deliver news, some knelt in salute, some hurriedly tidied the streets.

Zhu Biao walked along Samarchan's main Street, watching the Shops and pedestrians on either side.

There were Han People tea houses, Persian carpet shops, Turkic kebab stalls, and a few blond‑eyed European merchants haggling with locals.

The Street was very clean; although the populace kept their heads down, there was no fear in their eyes.

He suddenly recalled the line his second brother had written in a letter: "Big brother, the people here are different from those back home, but when life improves, they're all the same."

After about the time it takes to finish a cup of tea, urgent hoofbeats sounded ahead.

Zhu Biao looked up and saw Zhu Yong riding toward them.

The thirty‑one‑year‑old Wu Wang wore a dark‑coloured everyday robe, his face marked by wind‑blown sand, yet his eyes remained bright.

He halted his horse before Zhu Biao, dismounted, and strode over.

"Big brother…"

Zhu Biao looked at his brother and suddenly smiled, "You've slimmed."

Zhu Yong also smiled, "You have too."

The two brothers embraced.

Zhu Biao pounded his brother's back hard, his throat feeling blocked, unable to speak.

Zhu Yong released him, looked him over, his eyes a little red, and asked, "Big brother, why have you come?"

"I came to see the place you captured."

Zhu Biao turned, looked at the city, and added, "Second brother, you did well."

Zhu Yong grinned.

Behind them, Xiong Ying leapt from the carriage, ran over, and shouted joyfully, "Second Uncle!"

Zhu Yong looked down at his nephew; the fifteen‑year‑old boy was already almost at his shoulder, his features bearing the shadow of his big brother and of Chang Wan.

"Xiong Ying, you've grown so tall," Zhu Yong patted his shoulder.

Xiong Ying's eyes sparkled as he said, "Second Uncle, have you reached Constantinople?"

"Hmm, yes."

"What about the Adriatic Sea? You said the water there shines a blue hue— is it true?"

Zhu Yong smiled, "It's true; in a few days I'll take you to see it."

Xiong Ying nodded vigorously.

In the distance, Zhu Di rode up, followed by Zhu Gaochi.

Zhu Di dismounted, saw Zhu Biao, and was stunned, "Big brother?"

Zhu Biao looked at him and smiled, "What, don't recognize me anymore?"

Zhu Di strode over, seized Zhu Biao in a hug and shouted, "Big brother, why did you come without telling anyone!"

"I already said it, why call it a surprise?"

Zhu Biao pushed him aside, examined him from head to toe, and repeated, "You've slimmed, and you've darkened."

Zhu Di grinned, "Second Prince is darker than me."

The brothers stood on Samarchan's Street, laughing and talking.

Zhu Yong turned and looked at the western sky.

That direction was that of Constantinople, the place he had captured.

Now the big brother had arrived, bringing the railway tracks laid from Yingtian Prefecture all the way here, bringing the future of Great Ming.

A slight curl formed at his mouth.

"Big brother, come, I'll take you to see."

Zhu Biao nodded.

The two brothers walked side by side forward, with Zhu Di, Xiong Ying, and Zhu Gaochi following behind.

Samarchan's Street stretched far, endless to the eye.

But Zhu Yong knew that someday this Street would be paved with tracks, a train would depart from Yingtian Prefecture and bring his big brother to every inch of the land he had taken.

The setting sun sank in the west, dyeing the whole city a shade of Jin yellow.

In the afterglow, the distant mosque's spire glittered, and Great Ming's banners flapped on the city tower.