Father

In a side hall of the Crown Prince's mansion.

Zhu Gaochi lay on the bed, looking utterly dejected, his gaze blankly fixed on the ceiling.

Ever since he'd fainted twice in a row yesterday after scaring himself, he felt too ashamed to face anyone.

Especially his Father's disappointed gaze felt worse than knives.

Now, whenever he closed his eyes, all he saw was the bloodstain on his chest, followed by a dizzying sensation.

"Sigh..."

He let out a long sigh, feeling that his life was shrouded in darkness.

The northern front was in a critical state. The remnants of the Tatars, led by Arutai, were using the severe cold to constantly harass the Great Ming's borders.

His Father, advanced in years, was already exhausted from personally leading the campaign.

As the Crown Prince, he should have been sharing his Father's burden. But now, not only could he not help, he was also incapacitated in bed due to this assassination incident, becoming a complete liability.

What made him even more frustrated was that he was afraid of blood!

If this news got out, what would become of his authority as the Regent Crown Prince?

"Truly, it's a run of bad luck..."

Zhu Gaochi grew more depressed the more he thought about it, and couldn't help but sigh again.

Just then, the hall door was pushed open, and a familiar voice rang out.

"Father, it's midday, why the long face? It'll ruin your appetite."

Zhu Zhanjun entered swaggering, carrying a huge copper pot.

He was followed by several young eunuchs, holding various plates laden with thinly sliced lamb, vibrant green vegetables, snowy white tofu, and assorted mushrooms.

A rich, spicy aroma instantly filled the entire side hall.

"Zhanjun? What is this..."

Zhu Gaochi's stomach rumbled, enticed by the aroma, and he looked at his son with some confusion.

"Something good."

Zhu Zhanjun placed the copper pot on the table. The fiery red broth inside was bubbling vigorously.

"This is called 'hot pot,' a way of eating from my master."

"In the middle of winter, this is the warmest and most lively thing to eat."

He picked up his chopsticks, scooped a slice of lamb, swished it a few times in the boiling soup, and as soon as the meat changed color, he immediately fished it out. He then rolled it in a prepared sesame paste dipping sauce and popped it into his mouth.

"Mmm! That's the taste!"

He closed his eyes in satisfaction.

Zhu Gaochi watched from the side, his mouth watering.

"Here, Father, you try some too."

Zhu Zhanjun swished another slice and offered it to Zhu Gaochi's mouth.

Zhu Gaochi couldn't resist any longer and opened his mouth to take it.

The tender lamb, coated in the fragrant sauce, melted in his mouth. A wave of warmth instantly rose from his stomach and spread throughout his body.

"Delicious! So delicious!"

Zhu Gaochi's eyes lit up, and his previous gloom vanished.

Father and son continued like this, one dipping and the other eating, quickly finishing a large platter of lamb.

After eating their fill, Zhu Gaochi leaned against the headboard, patting his round belly and letting out a comfortable burp.

He looked at his son, who was clearing away the dishes, and his heart was filled with emotion.

"Zhanjun, I really owe you this time."

"If it weren't for you, Father's life might have ended here."

"We're family, why say such things."

Zhu Zhanjun waved his hand dismissively.

"Besides, if you really died, my elder brother would have to take the throne early. Then he'd be under the constant scrutiny of the censors, and life would be so tiring."

"For my elder brother's happiness, I had to save you."

Zhu Gaochi was amused and exasperated by his son's twisted logic, pointing at him and scolding, "You rascal!"

After the playful scolding, the smile on Zhu Gaochi's face gradually faded, replaced by another sigh.

"Alas, Father is fine now, but the war in the north is getting more intense by the day."

"That Arutai fellow, relying on his familiarity with the terrain, is playing hide-and-seek with us."

"The weather is getting colder, heavy snow is blocking the mountain passes, and our supply lines are almost cut off."

"If this drags on, before spring arrives, hundreds of thousands of troops will freeze or starve to death on the grassland."

He looked at Zhu Zhanjun, his eyes filled with anticipation. "Zhanjun, you're full of clever ideas, do you have any solutions?"

"Solutions?"

Zhu Zhanjun wiped his mouth and smiled.

"Of course, there are solutions."

"However, just talking is useless. I'll take you to see something, and then you'll understand."

He helped Zhu Gaochi out of bed and draped a thick fox fur cloak over him.

"Father, please follow me."

Zhu Gaochi, full of doubt, followed his son out of the side hall.

The two walked through several corridors and arrived at an incredibly vast training ground.

This was the Eastern Palace's dedicated place for drilling the guard, usually empty.

But today, it was filled with people.

No, not people, an army!

When Zhu Gaochi saw the scene on the training ground, his whole body froze, his mouth hanging open unconsciously, unable to close.

On the wide training ground, three thousand knights were arranged in a massive, impenetrable square formation.

Every single one of them, from head to toe, was covered in a silver-white full body armor.

The armor's design was sleek and ferocious, reflecting a cold, blinding light under the winter sun.

The warhorses beneath them were also clad in heavy, silver-white horse armor, only revealing pairs of eyes that exhaled white mist.