With every bowl of porridge and grain of rice, remember how hard they were to come by

When Zhu Yuntong saw the memorial, his first reaction was that the Lan Yu case was about to begin.

Even though he had laid everything bare, he still could not restrain Zhu Yuanzhang's desire to kill Lan Yu. When someone wanted a man dead, no matter how difficult he was to kill, a suitable excuse could always be found.

"No, that's not right!"

After studying the memorial for a while, Zhu Yuntong noticed something amiss.

Normally, a memorial submitted by the Embroidered Guard, especially one concerning something as important as Lan Yu, could never have been left here for him to see. Zhu Yuanzhang and the Embroidered Guard would never make such a simple mistake.

Yet the fact that Zhu Yuntong could see this memorial here seemed to carry a deeper meaning.

"He must be trying to test my abilities."

Zhu Yuntong read the contents again and gradually understood what the old emperor intended.

Just as he had said before, whether he could keep Lan Yu under control and put those men to use was the key to competing for the succession. If he could not control them, then no matter how openly he fell out with the others, Zhu Yuanzhang had plenty of ways to put those men to death.

The memorial seemed to have been left behind deliberately, expressly for him to see.

Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to see how he would react.

Knowing that Lan Yu was about to die, how would he save him, and how would he win over Lan Yu and the others?

Zhu Yuntong closed the memorial, returned it to its original place, and acted as though he knew nothing.

Before long, Zhu Yuanzhang returned. He made a show of glancing at Zhu Yuntong and said, "It's getting late. Have lunch with me?"

"Of course!"

Zhu Yuntong readily agreed. "If I go back, I might not even get anything to eat. This is the perfect chance to cadge a meal from you, Imperial Grandfather!"

"She wouldn't dare!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze turned cold, but he soon added, "Lü Shi won't dare mistreat you again, unless she no longer wants what's best for Yunwen."

After everything that had happened, Lü Shi ought to know enough to rein herself in.

Just as Zhu Yunwen came up, however, the eunuch Jixiang entered from outside.

"Your Majesty, the Second Imperial Grandson requests an audience."

"Why has Yunwen come as well?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. "Show him in!"

A short while later, Zhu Yunwen entered.

Seeing that Zhu Yuntong could once again sit beside Zhu Yuanzhang, he nearly ground his teeth to pieces with jealousy. Still, he concealed it very well. Kneeling to pay his respects, he said, "Your grandson has come again to beg your forgiveness for what happened this morning, Imperial Grandfather!"

He knew that after the morning's events, Zhu Yuanzhang's opinion of him must have plummeted to rock bottom.

Seeing Zhu Yuntong being taken away again earlier had filled him with unease. At Huang Zicheng's suggestion, he had come to take a look. He had to keep showing his face.

"Third Brother, I've wronged you all."

Zhu Yunwen said sincerely, "I offer you my apology here. Imperial Grandfather, please punish your grandson."

Then he gently touched his forehead to the floor.

He had to show the right attitude and admit his mistakes. That was what Qi Tai had taught him.

"Your grandson has been neither benevolent nor filial. I am willing to accept punishment, and to accept punishment on my mother's behalf as well. Please chastise me, Imperial Grandfather!" Zhu Yunwen added.

This was what Fang Xiaoru had taught him. That morning, his excuse for not reporting Lü Shi's actions had been filial devotion. Now, filial devotion likewise had to be his reason for willingly bearing every punishment.

Having said everything he needed to say, he kept his forehead pressed to the floor and nervously awaited Zhu Yuanzhang's response.

Zhu Yuntong felt that this fellow was putting on an act again.

When it came to hypocrisy, his performance was truly superb.

"Enough. Get up!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved a hand and added, "Since you're here too, join us for lunch."

"Thank you, Imperial Grandfather!"

Zhu Yunwen was ecstatic, believing that his grandfather was finally going to elevate him to the same standing as Zhu Yuntong. But remembering his three teachers' instructions, he added, "Your grandson still bears guilt. Unless you punish me, Imperial Grandfather, I dare not rise."

"Let it go."

Zhu Yuanzhang did not pursue the matter to the bitter end.

Lü Shi had already been beaten. This matter could be set aside.

As for whether he would pursue it further later on, he would have to wait for the Embroidered Guard to investigate Lü Shi thoroughly and determine whether she had anything to do with Zhu Xiongying's and Chang Shi's deaths before considering his next step.

Since Zhu Yuntong wanted to compete for the succession, even if Zhu Yuanzhang now favored him, he would not settle on a successor so quickly.

He would give them a chance to compete properly.

He also had to test them.

Both Zhu Yuntong and Zhu Yunwen were being tested. For the latter, the test concerned benevolence and filial devotion, a trial of his character.

That was the old emperor's plan. As emperor, he naturally had much more to consider.

Zhu Yunwen thanked him again, and Jixiang thoughtfully brought over a table and chair for him.

"Third Brother, I'm sorry!" Zhu Yunwen said again.

"It's all right!"

Zhu Yuntong did not dwell on it. They still had to maintain the outward appearance of an affectionate elder brother and a respectful younger one.

"All right, serve lunch."

Zhu Yuanzhang called out the order.

Before long, three portions of lunch were brought in.

They consisted of plain greens and rice porridge, with one griddle cake and a little pickled vegetables for each person.

Seeing what they were to eat for lunch, Zhu Yunwen's expression soured. Pampered in the Eastern Palace, he had always eaten exceptionally well. He could not stomach food like this.

Zhu Yuntong did not mind at all. The greens were bland and the pickles too salty, but they went perfectly with the porridge. The griddle cake was dry and coarse, yet once soaked in porridge, it was still quite tasty.

Throughout the meal, Zhu Yuanzhang observed their reactions.

At the sight of Zhu Yunwen's expression, he frowned. Then, seeing how much Zhu Yuntong enjoyed his food, he finally gave a faint smile.

Zhu Yunwen could never have dreamed that even his performance over a meal would be scrutinized. Nor did he know that Zhu Yuanzhang had grown these greens on a plot he had set aside at the Palace of Heavenly Purity, and had made the pickles himself in his spare time.

All he did was complain inwardly. There isn't even any meat. How am I supposed to eat this? It's impossible to swallow.

"Yuntong."

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Leave whatever falls onto the table."

Zhu Yuntong was using his chopsticks to pick up crumbs of griddle cake and a few pieces of pickled vegetables from the tabletop. Hearing this, he shook his head. "Imperial Grandfather, with every bowl of porridge and grain of rice, remember how hard they were to come by; with every half-thread and scrap of cloth, always bear in mind how difficult material resources are to obtain."

Without even meaning to, he had pulled off another spectacular show.

Having spoken, he shot Zhu Yunwen a provocative glance.

Zhu Yunwen was utterly stunned. Something exploded in his head with a boom. Just eat your damned meal! Do you have to turn even this into a competition?

Those were precisely the kinds of words his grandfather loved most.

Wasn't Zhu Yuntong supposed to be bad at his studies? Didn't he dislike learning?

He had recited the Four Books that morning, and now polished prose flowed straight from his mouth. Despite all the books Zhu Yunwen had read, he could not come up with a single line that good.

Zhu Yunwen's advantage as a quick-witted, diligent student was gradually being defeated.

Zhu Yunwen was numb. For a moment, he had no idea what to do. His thoughts were a tangled mess as he tried to think of something he could say to outshine Zhu Yuntong, but in his haste, nothing came to mind.

"With every bowl of porridge and grain of rice, remember how hard they were to come by; with every half-thread and scrap of cloth, always bear in mind how difficult material resources are to obtain."

"Good! Well said!"

As Zhu Yuanzhang savored the words, his eyes lit up. He slapped the table and sprang to his feet.

Those words truly spoke straight to his heart. They were beautifully put, too, and he loved them the moment he heard them.

"Yuntong's words deserve a place in the Ancestral Instructions of the August Ming."

"In a little while, I'll have the Ministry of Rites revise the Ancestral Instructions of the August Ming and add this passage, so that our descendants will remember it."

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke excitedly.

He had not expected his little rascal of a grandson to possess such learning. Remembering past bitterness while savoring present sweetness-he was just like Zhu Yuanzhang himself. He was a good child, and would surely make a good emperor someday.

Hearing this, Zhu Yunwen was so consumed by sour jealousy that his teeth nearly fell out. How could Zhu Yuntong be so capable? He had never shown such learning before.

Unwilling to accept it and unable to concede, he spoke up. "Third Brother, polished prose flows straight from your mouth. Did you come up with those words yourself?"