Zhu Yuanzhang and His Son Reminisce!

The imperial palace, Kunning Palace!

This palace was now sealed off.

Other than a few palace maids entering daily to clean, no one was allowed near it.

For this palace was a taboo to the current Emperor.

"Your servant pays respects to His Highness the Crown Prince."

The commander and Imperial Guards stationed outside the palace immediately bowed.

"Father Emperor is inside, isn't he?" Zhu Biao asked with a smile.

"He is inside."

Guo Ying, commander of the Imperial Guards, replied respectfully.

"Mm."

Zhu Biao nodded. Raising his head to look at the palace, his face was also filled with countless thoughts.

Then he stepped inside.

Within the palace!

Zhu Yuanzhang had already changed out of his court robes, a sorrowful expression on his face.

Before his eyes, three spirit tablets stood upon the table before the main hall. The incense burner on the table was filled with countless burned-down incense sticks and candles.

All these years, the incense in this burner had never once been allowed to die out.

"Father."

Zhu Biao entered and called out gently.

At that call, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been staring at the spirit tablets, froze slightly before coming back to himself.

"The eldest is here."

Zhu Yuanzhang turned his head and smiled faintly. "Offer incense to your mother and the others."

"Yes."

Zhu Biao did not hesitate in the slightest.

He walked straight to the table, picked up the incense sticks, lit them, and placed them into the incense burner.

As Zhu Biao offered the incense, the three spirit tablets came into view.

The tablet at the very top read:

Spirit Tablet of Wife, Ma Xiuying.

There was no mention of Empress Ma's status on this tablet, nor any imperial title.

Because this tablet had not been erected by Zhu Yuanzhang, but by Zhu Chongba.

What was written on the tablet was wife—the wife of Zhu Chongba.

On the two tablets below it were written:

Spirit Tablet of Daughter-in-Law, Chang Wan'er.

Spirit Tablet of Eldest Grandson, Zhu Xiongying.

Without question, those enshrined within Kunning Palace were Zhu Yuanzhang's closest kin, his true family. No—strictly speaking, they were Zhu Chongba's closest kin.

"How many years has it been?"

Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at Empress Ma's spirit tablet, a mournful sigh etched across his aged face.

"Father."

"Mother and Xiongying have been gone for six years now."

"Elder Sister Chang has been gone for ten years."

Zhu Biao looked at the three spirit tablets before him and spoke slowly.

"Time!"

"It truly is a swift blade."

"Without realizing it, so many years have already passed."

Zhu Yuanzhang let out a sigh.

"The dead are gone."

"Father, you must still take care of your health," Zhu Biao said gently.

"Something that happened in court today happened to remind Us of things from back then."

"We still remember when We were destroying Chen Youliang, what your father-in-law was like standing before Us. He said he would cut off Chen Youliang's head and present it to Us. In that battle, your father-in-law was peerlessly valiant. By his own strength, he slew seventy-eight enemies and beheaded Chen Youliang's son, his might shaking the realm."

"Even after all these years, We can still recall your father-in-law's heroic bearing."

"What a pity... time flows on, and old friends are gradually leaving us. Your father-in-law, your Uncle Xu... ah..."

Zhu Yuanzhang let out a sigh, revealing a sorrow he showed only before Zhu Biao.

"Father."

"It has all passed."

Zhu Biao spoke softly, though he did not know how he could comfort his father.

After all, at his father's age, it was precisely the time when one grew sentimental and melancholy.

Of course.

Even Zhu Biao often missed his son, his wife, and his mother.

It was only human nature. Who could say it was wrong?

"If Our Xiongying were still here, he would surely be fourteen by now." Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his grandson's spirit tablet and spoke faintly.

At that moment.

Zhu Biao, too, froze.

Unbidden, his mind returned to the days when his mother, wife, and son had all still been alive.

It was the same Kunning Palace.

A little fellow of only a few years old was running in sorry disarray, surrounded by Imperial Guards and the palace maids and eunuchs attending him.

And at the very back was a young man—Zhu Biao himself—raising a rattan switch as he gave chase.

"You little brat, you skipped your lessons at the Imperial Academy again?"

"And you even dragged your Twelfth Uncle and Seventeenth Uncle off to raid bird nests?"

"Today, your father is going to beat your backside to pieces."

"You little rascal..."

Rattan switch in hand, Zhu Biao cursed as he chased after the little fellow ahead.

The palace maids and eunuchs stood respectfully to one side, watching this scene with strange expressions.

The little fellow dashed straight into Kunning Palace.

Clearly, he was the young Zhu Xiongying.

The moment he spotted Empress Ma at the palace gates, Zhu Xiongying hurried over and threw himself into his grandmother's arms.

"Grandma."

"My father's gone mad. He wants to beat me again—beat me to death! And he keeps forcing me to memorize texts. I'm only a few years old, yet all he knows is how to bully me." Zhu Xiongying spoke with immense grievance.

"It's all right, it's all right. Grandma is here."

Empress Ma first patted Zhu Xiongying's back kindly, then turned a stern face toward Zhu Biao.

"Eldest."

"What are you doing?"

"Xiongying is still so young. Was there any need to chase him like that?"

"What if he fell?" Empress Ma said dotingly.

"Mother."

"This little rascal is greedy for play and refuses to study. He even drags his uncles into causing trouble." Zhu Biao ground his teeth as he glared at Zhu Xiongying.

But now that he had someone to back him up, Zhu Xiongying hid directly behind Empress Ma, looking exceedingly pleased with himself.

"Eldest."

Just then!

Zhu Yuanzhang emerged from the hall.

"Father, why are you here too?"

The moment Zhu Biao saw him, he was immediately helpless.

With both his father and mother here, there was no way he could whip this little rascal today.

"What, can't We have lunch with your mother?" Zhu Yuanzhang said irritably.

But when he saw Zhu Xiongying.

A loving smile immediately appeared on Zhu Yuanzhang's face. He promptly crouched down. "Xiongying, come to Grandpa."

"Grandpa."

Zhu Xiongying immediately ran toward Zhu Yuanzhang, calling out in a sweet voice.

"Haha."

"My eldest grandson has grown taller again—and heavier."

Zhu Yuanzhang held Zhu Xiongying in his arms, his face full of kindness. There was none of a founding emperor's imposing majesty about him, only an old man's doting love for his grandson.

The special affection between generations was on full display.

His thoughts returned.

Zhu Biao sighed inwardly as well. "Mother, Xiongying, Sister Chang... are you all doing well over there?"

North of Daning Prefecture in the Ming Dynasty, along the northern frontier, within the territory of the Jianzhou Tatars.

Several hundred cavalrymen had surrounded a band of fleeing Tatar stragglers, along with the Tatar civilians under their protection.

At this moment, many of these Tatars stared at the encircling Ming cavalry with eyes full of hatred.

"Surrender and you will be spared. Refuse, and die."

Zhu Ying held a long saber in hand and barked out the order.

"Damn Ming Kingdom dogs!"

"The men of our tribe would rather die than surrender!"

"Brothers, fight them to the death!"

"Our leader will avenge us..."

The leading Tatar soldier shouted, raised his blade, and charged toward the Ming cavalry before him.

Seeing this, Zhu Ying did not hesitate in the slightest. "Kill!"

With a low shout, he spurred his horse.

The warhorse shot forward at full gallop.

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