Chapter 67: Lament

Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang was reviewing memorials when he heard a burst of crying outside.

"Father! Father, you must decide for your son!"

Looking up, Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang ran in, wailing, their hands swollen and reddened.

"What's the matter?" Zhu Yuanzhang put down his red brush.

"Father, the Second Prince beat us over a cricket, a little eunuch; he made your son look like this!" Zhu Shuang cried.

Zhu Yuanzhang examined their hands, frowned, and said, "Explain in detail, what happened?"

Zhu Shuang embellished the story, omitting his own assault on the eunuch, and claimed that Zhu Yong had struck them without reason.

Just then, a eunuch outside reported, "Your Majesty, Consort Da Ding requests an audience."

"Let her in," Zhu Yuanzhang ordered.

Consort Da Ding, Zhu Fu's birth mother, had once been a concubine of Chen Youliang; she was beautiful and greatly favored by Zhu Yuanzhang.

She entered, weeping and kneeling, and said, "Your Majesty, you must decide for Fu'er! Prince Wu frightened Fu'er, and ever since he returned he has been crying, refusing to answer any questions..."

Zhu Yuanzhang rubbed his temples and asked, "What exactly is going on? One or two of them are crying."

Consort Da Ding replied, "I asked the wet nurse; she said Prince Wu beat the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince in the Imperial Garden, and also frightened the Sixth Prince. Fu'er is only six years old—how could he endure such terror..."

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression darkened.

He favored Zhu Yong, yet he despised princes who bullied others with their authority.

If Zhu Yong indeed struck his younger brother without cause, he would not be lenient.

"Go, summon Prince Wu," Zhu Yuanzhang told the eunuch.

"Your Majesty, someone has already been sent to invite him," the eunuch bowed.

No sooner had the words finished than Zhu Yong entered.

He had just finished paying his respects in Kunning Palace when he was summoned.

"Father, did you call for me?" Zhu Yong saluted.

Zhu Yuanzhang said sternly, "Yong'er, did you beat the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince?"

"I did," Zhu Yong admitted honestly.

"Why?"

"They bullied a eunuch, beating a little eunuch until his back was covered in wounds, all over a cricket they had raised and killed. I wanted them to remember that hitting people is wrong," Zhu Yong said.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang and asked, "Is this true?"

Zhu Shuang hurriedly replied, "Father, that eunuch had raised my Ever-Victorious General, which cost twenty taels of silver..."

"So you beat them to death?" Zhu Yuanzhang's voice grew cold.

Zhu Shuang trembled and dared not speak.

Consort Da Ding said, "Your Majesty, even if the Third Prince erred, it should be you who disciplines him. Prince Wu is, after all, an elder brother; his hand was too heavy. Look at how swollen his hand is..."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang's hands; indeed they were severely swollen.

He turned to Zhu Yong and said, "Yong'er, you struck too hard."

Zhu Yong replied, "Father, I restrained my strength; otherwise a single lash would have broken my hand. The wound looks severe, but a dab of medicine will heal it in two days."

"But you still shouldn't hit like that..." Consort Da Ding began to say.

"Enough."

A gentle yet authoritative voice came from outside the door.

Empress Ma entered.

She clearly already knew the events and wore a faint displeasure on her face.

"Your Majesty, Empress..." Consort Da Ding hurriedly saluted.

Empress Ma ignored her, walked straight to Zhu Yuanzhang's side, glanced at Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang's hands, then at Zhu Yong.

"Yong'er, you did the right thing," Empress Ma said directly.

"Your Majesty!" Consort Da Ding cried.

Empress Ma turned her head toward her, her gaze calm, and asked, "Consort Da Ding, do you think Yong'er acted wrongly?"

"I... I only think Prince Wu's hand was too heavy; Fu'er is still young and was terrified..." Consort Da Ding whispered.

"Fu'er was terrified because he witnessed things he shouldn't have seen: the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince openly beating a eunuch in the Imperial Garden, and the Six...

... Prince taught that a prince may arbitrarily beat and kill commoners, that a life is worth less than a cricket?"

With each sentence she spoke, Consort Da Ding's complexion grew a shade paler.

"I have long declared that the palace must not mistreat servants; eunuchs and palace maids are also people. If they err, they may be punished, but not subjected to private torture. Both of you, return and contemplate behind closed doors for three days, copy the Filial Piety Classic ten times; if you cannot finish, you may not leave the palace."

Empress Ma looked at Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang and said.

"Yes... Imperial Mother..." the two bowed their heads.

Empress Ma then turned to Consort Da Ding and said, "Consort Da Ding, your parenting is lacking; you are fined three months' salary. Reflect carefully on how to teach your son."

"I... accept the punishment," Consort Da Ding bit her lip, unable to argue.

Empress Ma's authority in the harem was such that no one dared to challenge it.

After handling this, Empress Ma finally turned to Zhu Yong, her tone softening, and said, "Yong'er, disciplining your younger brother is correct, but be mindful of the method. A slap on the palm is fine; don't strike too hard."

"Mother, I understand," Zhu Yong replied with a simple grin.

Zhu Yuanzhang then spoke, "Yong'er did the right thing; the sons of the Zhu Family must not become tyrants oppressing the people. This matter ends here today."

He looked at Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang and said, "Both of you, study well from the Second Prince what benevolence and righteousness are. If I ever see you bullying again, it won't be a simple palm slap."

"Your son acknowledges his mistake..." the two fell completely dejected.

"All of you, stand down," Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand.

After everyone withdrew, only Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma remained in Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed, "Sister, you were truly impressive just now."

Empress Ma sighed, "Zhong Ba, the children have grown and must be properly taught, especially Lao San and Lao Si, whose temper is a bit arrogant; without discipline they won't improve."

"Yong Er manages well; this child looks simple, but his heart is as clear as a mirror, knowing right from wrong," Zhu Yuanzhang said.

"Indeed, Yong Er may be simple and straightforward, but his heart is kind; he cannot stand seeing others bullied," Empress Ma said contentedly.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly recalled something, "By the way, Guanyin Nu that girl, is she accustomed to living in Kunning Palace?"

"She is accustomed; that child is sensible, well‑read and reasonable, and skilled in martial arts, quite a match for Yong Er," Empress Ma laughed.

"After the New Year festival, we'll arrange their marriage."

"Sounds fine to me," Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

……

Wu Wang Fu.

When Zhu Yong returned, it was already nearing night.

Xiao Zhu and Xiao Ying came forward, one helping him untie his cloak, the other bringing hot tea.

"Prince, I heard you disciplined the princes in the palace today?" Xiao Ying asked curiously.

"Your news is quite swift," Zhu Yong said, taking a sip of tea.

"Word has spread throughout the palace that Prince Wu is just and strict, even punishing errant princes without fail," Xiao Zhu whispered.

Zhu Yong shook his head, "Lao San and Lao Si lack discipline; I won't intervene, who knows what trouble they'll cause later."

As he spoke, steward Hu Bo entered, "Prince, Crown Prince has sent someone to deliver items."

"Elder brother?" Zhu Yong rose.

He arrived at Qian Ting, where an eunuch from the Eastern Palace carried a brocade box.

"Prince Wu, Crown Prince said he heard of today's matter and thinks you acted correctly; this is the wound ointment the Crown Prince ordered to be sent, for the third and fourth princes to use," the eunuch bowed.

Zhu Yong opened the brocade box; inside were two bottles of premium Golden Wound Ointment.

There was also a note, in Zhu Biao's handwriting: "Second brother, discipline well; Elder brother supports you."

After Elder brother married the Crown Princess, he was unseen for several days…

Zhu Yong smiled, telling the eunuch, "Go back and tell Elder brother I have taken the ointment, thank you, Elder brother."

After the eunuch left, Zhu Yong, holding the ointment, thought for a moment and said to Hu Bo, "Hu Bo, deliver this ointment to Lao San and Lao Si, say I made it, I give the ointment, so they will remember."

"Understood." Hu Bo took the ointment, smiled, and left.

Xiao Ying covered her mouth and laughed, "Prince, you slap them with a sweet date; the third and fourth princes must both fear and respect you."

Zhu Yong chuckled naively, "I'm doing this for their good."

Night deepened, Zhu Yong lay on his bed but could not sleep.

He recalled the day's events, the resentful looks of Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang, and Zhu Fu's bewildered demeanor.

These younger brothers will become vassal princes; if not taught properly now, when they receive their fiefs they might wreak havoc on the people.

After his past‑life memories revived, he knew many things, knowing that among these brothers some will be assassinated in the future, others will act lawlessly.

In this life, with him present, those events will never occur.

"Must discipline them well," Zhu Yong murmured.

"Not a single one may go astray."

Moonlight, like water, spilled over the eaves of Wu Wang Fu.

The autumn night of Yingtian Fu was quiet and profound.