Chapter 82: The Plow Must Leave Nothing Behind!

“Oh?” Zhu Yuanzhang said with a cheerful smile, “My Xiongying is only eight and already has several attendants by his side. You’re ten now, yet you don’t have a single companion you like to keep with you?”

Little Zhu Jiande spoke softly, his words tender but clear, “In reply to Grandfather Taizu, I have lived alone in my quarters for years and am not permitted to leave each day. How could I possibly have any close friends?”

Oh, dear.

Little ancestor, if you want to chat, just chat—why do you have to drag your uncle down with you!

Zhu Qiyu instantly pressed his hand to his forehead, a wave of toothache, headache, pain everywhere. It had taken such effort to earn some favor with the old ancestor, and now you, this heartless child, have undone it all in a few words!

Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes filled with appreciation. Then, clapping his hands, he declared, “Good, just as I thought. Since you have no attachments, once this battle is over, you’ll come back with me to the Hongwu era and study alongside Xiongying as his companion.”

“Yes!” Little Zhu Jiande nodded vigorously.

“You know, if you go, you’ll never be able to return,” Zhu Yuanzhang emphasized after a pause.

“Mm! I’ll do as Grandfather Taizu says!” Little Zhu Jiande nodded again.

Eh?

That’s not how I imagined this going.

Zhu Yuanzhang was momentarily stunned. Had he remembered wrong? Wasn’t it this boy who had a palace maid…?

Looking at little Zhu Jiande’s innocent face, Old Zhu began to doubt himself. “Grandson, I remember there was a palace maid—wasn’t that the descendant of… of that rascal Jiajing?”

Did the immortal Jiajing have a palace maid?

No, I don’t think so.

If I recall, Jiajing had sixteen palace maids, didn’t he?

Zhu Youjian glanced at the clever boy and shook his head with a wry smile. “Grandfather Taizu, since Prince Yi is willing to leave with you, then let him go. But since he’ll never return, and to prevent rumors, all the palace staff in Yi’s residence should be silenced.”

“Including Prince Yi’s personal maid. Since she never caught his eye, she must have overstepped her bounds many times and cannot be spared.”

“No! I won’t go! Please, don’t kill Aunt Wan!”

Little Zhu Jiande cried out in terror, instinctively retreating half a step, his eyes wide with fear as he looked at Zhu Youjian, then back at the eunuch Xing’an, who had always promised that as long as he stayed by the boy’s side, nothing would happen to him.

Xing’an bowed his head in embarrassment, not daring to meet Zhu Jiande’s gaze.

Who would have thought these ancestors would know an ordinary, unremarkable palace maid!

I’m just a servant. If it’s a matter the emperor doesn’t care about, making private arrangements is fine, but if the emperor gives a direct order, then a servant can only obey.

How amusing! This is how a child should be!

Zhu Yuanzhang, relishing the satisfaction of scaring a child, feigned sternness and asked, “Who is this Aunt Wan, so bold as to style herself as the royal aunt of Prince Yi, overstepping her station? She deserves execution!”

Thud!

“No, please, I beg Grandfather Taizu’s mercy, I beg His Majesty’s mercy for Wan—Wan…”

Little Zhu Jiande fell to his knees, his young face drained of all color, tears shimmering in his eyes. By the end, he no longer knew how to address the Aunt Wan he had called by that name for years.

Ah, I’ve gone too far.

Zhu Yuanzhang was suddenly wracked with guilt. He hurried to pull the child up and comforted him gently, “All right, all right, don’t cry. Grandfather Taizu was only teasing. Why are you taking it so hard?”

“I’m not crying.” Little Zhu Jiande was overjoyed, quickly wiped at his tears, and nodded emphatically.

Old Zhu coughed, then said sternly, “Summon this Miss Wan into the hall. I want to see her myself.”

“Yes!” Xing’an replied respectfully, shuffling out in quick little steps.

Before long, he returned, leading a nervous-looking palace maid into the hall.

Wan Zhen’er, breathing rapidly, knelt and bowed, “This servant greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy good health!”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s brow furrowed; all the Ming emperors, crown princes, and princes present looked equally perplexed.

They had all heard Zhu Youjian mention before that Zhu Jiande was flawless in every respect, except for making a consort out of someone older than himself, which had drawn considerable criticism from the officials.

At the time, they hadn’t thought much of it.

How much older could she be?

Who doesn’t like a few older sisters?

It was just boyish nature.

But now, looking at her—good heavens, this isn’t just a few years older! In any Ming dynasty, she’d be considered a woman past her prime.

“Raise your head!” Zhu Yuanzhang’s voice, full of authority, echoed through the hall.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Wan Zhen’er slowly raised her head, revealing a face still graceful, though unremarkable, and a pair of anxious, uneasy eyes.

These eyes, upon seeing little Zhu Jiande safe by the imperial throne, gradually lost their anxiety and returned to their usual calm.

But as she lifted her gaze further, her eyes filled with confusion and panic.

So many emperors seated above!

Tsk tsk! Her looks are only ordinary at best.

Zhu Gaoxu, with his arm draped around little Zhu Di’s neck, commented seriously with him, glancing now and then at Zhu Jiande and pointing her out.

“Grandson, what do people in later generations say about this woman?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked casually.

Should she prove to be a wicked woman, she would have to be slowly distanced. After all, she had been Zhu Jiande’s support since childhood; Old Zhu wasn’t the most delicate, but he wasn’t heartless either.

But if she were a good woman, there would be no harm in letting things be.

“In reply to Grandfather Taizu, she is a good woman!”

Zhu Youjian nodded, then said to the visibly delighted Zhu Jiande, “Remember this, Prince Yi: when the day comes for you to sweep away all threats, you must leave no trace behind, not a single remnant.”

“Oh.” Little Zhu Jiande nodded, puzzled. He didn’t understand what “sweeping the court clean” meant, but it didn’t matter—he wasn’t going to dwell on it.

Zhu Youjian paused, then added, “Otherwise, your Aunt Wan will be painted as a monstrous, villainous woman!”

What?

Little Zhu Jiande’s face grew solemn with panic. “I understand! I’ll remember it!”

Only then did Zhu Youjian relax. He glanced at the gentle and tranquil Wan Zhen’er and cursed inwardly.

How could anyone call her “mannish in looks and voice, like a man”? These illiterate mites deserved to be swept out by Chenghua’s purge. Do they take people for fools? Wan Zhen’er grew up with Zhu Jiande, sharing hardships—if she really were so masculine, she’d be nothing more than a sworn brother in his eyes.

Spiritual dependence is understandable, but physical desire cannot be faked. How could any man be aroused by a woman who looked and sounded like a man and was seventeen years his senior, unless Emperor Xianzong had unusual tastes?

But looking at the emperors of Ming, apart from Old Zhu, Xianzong fathered the most children—how could his tastes be abnormal!

So these wretched mites, their fabrications are so illogical. They’d do better to just spin a tale like me…

“In that case, you may continue to serve at Prince Yi’s side,” Zhu Yuanzhang said with satisfaction. Age is no barrier, looks are no issue—as long as she can bear children, that’s enough.

Wan Zhen’er, overjoyed, bowed repeatedly. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your boundless grace!”

“You may withdraw.”

“At your command!”

After Wan Zhen’er withdrew gracefully from the palace, Old Zhu turned back with feigned displeasure. “Are you happy now, child?”

“Yes, Grandfather Taizu, I am!” Little Zhu Jiande’s head bobbed up and down like a pecking chick.

Watching Old Zhu amuse himself with the child, Zhu Di and Zhu Laosi could not help but feel a pang of envy, their eyes reddening.

Jealousy flooded the hall!

When they were young, their father was busy conquering the world. By the time he finished and remembered his fourth son, the boy was already grown.

They had never received such treatment in their whole lives!