Chapter 381: You Little Rascal

"Eldest Uncle, please try this; Second Uncle had someone fetch the recipe from Persia to make it—sweet but not greasy." Zhu Huanhuan pushed a plate of pastries in front of Zhu Biao.

Zhu Biao picked up a piece, took a bite, and nodded, "Delicious, Huan Huan, you're thoughtful."

Zhu Huanhuan lowered her head slightly and stepped aside.

Zhu Xiongying also took a piece, tasted it, and his eyes brightened as he said, "Sister Huan Huan, this is even tastier than the pastries from Yingtian Prefecture."

Zhu Huanhuan smiled, "Then later I'll have someone copy the recipe, and you can take it back to Eldest Uncle's wife."

Zhu Xiongying nodded vigorously.

Zhu Qiong Jiong sat beside them, ate nothing, and kept his eyes fixed on Zhu Xiongying.

He suddenly spoke, "Brother Xiongying, how long can you stay this time?"

Zhu Biao answered for his son, "Stay for a month, see the lands your father has taken, then return."

Zhu Qiong Jiong nodded and asked, "Then Eldest Uncle, when you go back, may I go with you? I want to return to see Grandfather and Grandmother."

Zhu Biao looked at Zhu Yong.

Zhu Yong thought for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, go back and see her; your grandmother mentioned you in her last letter."

Zhu Qiong Jiong grinned.

Zhu Xiongying took his hand, delighted, "Qiong Jiong, when you go back I'll take you to see the train; the railway from Yingtian Prefecture to Lanzhou is open, and the train runs very fast!"

Zhu Qiong Jiong's eyes lit up, "The train, is it the coal‑burning, smoke‑spewing iron carriage dad talked about?"

"Yes, that one—traveling from Yingtian to Lanzhou, it arrives in twelve days!"

"That fast?"

"Fast, right! My dad said once the railway reaches Samarkand, coming from Yingtian will only take a month."

The two youths chattered away, one talking about trains, the other about war, and neither found the other annoying.

Zhu Biao watched them, his smile widening.

"Second Brother, you've managed this place well these past years," Zhu Biao said, pulling his gaze back to his younger brother.

Zhu Yong shook his head, "It's not just my merit; Zhang Wu, Chen Heng, Wang Gui followed me, and Fifth Brother also helped a lot."

Zhu Biao nodded and asked, "Over at the Ottomans, have they been fully subdued?"

"They can't keep resisting; Bayezid was captured, Murad fled, the hundred‑thousand‑strong army scattered. What can they use against us? But Elder Brother, the people here differ from ours; we can't rely only on fighting, we must also govern."

"I understand. This time I brought some officials, all of whom passed the imperial exams in recent years—young, eager, and willing to come here." Zhu Biao pulled a list from his chest and handed it over.

Zhu Yong took it, glanced over; it listed over a dozen names, their native places, backgrounds, specialties, all written clearly.

"These people, you arrange them as you see fit," Zhu Biao said.

Zhu Yong folded the list and said, "Alright, I'll review it later."

As dusk deepened, Zhu Huanhuan came in to light a lamp; the candle flame flickered, casting the few people's shadows on the wall.

Guanyin Nu stepped out from behind, whispering, "Prince, dinner is ready."

Zhu Yong stood up, leading Zhu Biao toward the dining hall.

The dining hall was small—a round table, a few chairs, and a map of the entire Timur Empire hung on the wall.

On the table were seven or eight dishes: locally roasted lamb and pilaf from Samarkand, pickled vegetables and cured meat brought from Yingtian Prefecture, and a pot of steaming lamb soup.

Zhu Biao sat at the Main Seat, Zhu Yong beside him, Zhu Xiongying next to Zhu Qiong Jiong, and Zhu Huanhuan sat beside her mother.

Also nearby were Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi…

"Elder Brother, try the roasted lamb here; it's different from Yingtian's," Zhu Di picked up a piece of lamb and placed it into Zhu Biao's bowl.

Zhu Biao tasted it, nodded, "Indeed different—tenderer, and the spices are well used."

Zhu Qiong Jiong interjected, "Eldest Uncle, this is roasted over fruit wood, brushed with honey while cooking; it's a Persian recipe."

Zhu Biao glanced at him, "You're quite knowledgeable."

"My father taught me," Zhu Qiong Jiong grinned.

Zhu Biao looked again at Zhu Yong, who shrugged, "The kid runs around the kitchen every day; he's learned a lot."

The meal lasted nearly half an hour, filled with chatter and laughter, feeling like a New Year celebration in Yingtian Prefecture.

After the meal, Zhu Yong and Zhu Di took Zhu Biao for a walk around the residence.

The courtyard was small but kept tidy.

Several pomegranate trees already bore fruit, bright red, glowing under Moonlight.

"Elder Brother, stay longer this time," Zhu Yong said, standing beneath the pomegranate trees, looking at the Moonlight.

Zhu Biao stood beside him, nodded, "Stay a month, see how things are here, then return."

"A month will do; later I'll take you to Constantinople to see, there's still a lot left unorganized there."

Zhu Biao laughed, "You never stay idle."

Zhu Yong said nothing further.

Meanwhile, Zhu Di said from beside them, "Second Prince wants you, Elder Brother, to help Second Prince handle the affairs over there!"

"You little brat…" Zhu Biao, hearing that, couldn't help but point at Zhu Yong, laughing and shaking his head.

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

Zhu Xiongying and Zhu Qiong Jiong ran out of the house, one chasing the other, giggling and causing a ruckus in the courtyard.

Zhu Huanhuan and Zhu Gaochi, the quiet ones, stood under the corridor, watching the two younger brothers, smiles at the corners of their mouths.

Zhu Biao looked at the scene and suddenly said, "Second Brother, tell me, in twenty years, what will these children make of Great Ming?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and said, "They'll govern it better than we do."

Zhu Biao turned his head to look at him.

Zhu Yong looked at the Moonlight and said lightly, "Elder Brother, in our lifetime we've fought the wars we needed to, opened the roads we needed to, laid the railways we needed to."

"The rest, we'll leave to them."

Zhu Biao was silent for a long while, then finally nodded.

It was late at night; Zhu Xiongying and Zhu Qiongjiong were still quarrelling, and Zhu Huanhuan grabbed each of them by one hand and hauled them back into the house.

Zhu Biao also returned to the guest room, lay on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep.

He recalled the words his second brother had said....

"The wars that must be fought have been fought, the roads that must be opened have been opened, the railways that must be laid have been laid."

A feeling he couldn't quite define suddenly welled up in his heart.

His second brother joined the army at fourteen; now he is thirty‑one.

Seventeen years, from Fengyang Mountain Village to Constantinople, tens of thousands of miles, fighting battle after battle, storming city after city.

And he? From Yingtian Prefecture to Samarkhan, by train, by carriage, on horseback, walking for two months.

The road he walked was forged by his second brother's very life.

Footsteps came from outside the window, very light, yet he heard them.

He rose, walked to the window, and saw Zhu Yong standing alone in the courtyard, hands behind his back, gazing at the Moonlight.

Moonlight fell on him, stretching his upright silhouette into a long shadow.

Zhu Biao didn't go out; he just stood by the window and watched.

He suddenly recalled his childhood, when his second brother had just returned to the family line; it was the same then—standing alone in the courtyard at midnight, unable to sleep.

At that time he thought his second brother missed home.

Now he knows his second brother wasn't longing for home; he was thinking about tomorrow.

Zhu Biao lay back on the bed and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow, his second brother said he would take him to Constantinople for a look.

Then let's go! Go see the cities he has captured, go see the lands he has defended.

Outside the window, Moonlight was like water.

The night in Samarkhan was so quiet it soothed the heart.