Seeing that the Rebel Army Group was indeed closed, Zhu Yuanzhang stopped dwelling on communicating with Liu Bang and Zhang Jiao, instead recalling those matters concerning himself and Great Ming that he had obtained from this group chat and answering session.
He prepared to sort them out, and even record the important matters among them in code.
Who would have thought that the moment this idea arose, an even stronger thought popped up from his heart.
What is there to recall? What is there to sort out? It is not too late to recall tomorrow or the day after; anyway, I will not forget for a while.
Even if I forget, I can just ask that Liu Bang and Zhang Jiao in the next group chat.
Speaking to this point, Zhu Yuanzhang twisted his already somewhat chubby yet still sturdy body in the Grand Tutor's Chair.
Hisss~ This feels so tiring.
That's right, apart from accepting New Year's greetings from imperial relatives, nobles, and high ministers on the second and third days of the first month and resting for a little two days along the way, I have been busy with state affairs since the fourth day, rising at crowing rooster and resting at midnight. I'd be a ghost if I weren't tired, dammit.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang called out toward the outside of the warm chamber, "Yunqi, what hour is it right now?"
Yunqi, who was keeping watch right outside the door of the Western Warm Chamber, felt that Zhu Yuanzhang's voice lacked strength and seemed listless, yet he did not think much of it. He entered the chamber and bowed, reporting, "Replying to Your Majesty, it is just the beginning of the xu hour (8:00 PM)."
Zhu Yuanzhang: "It is already the beginning of the xu hour? No wonder I feel so tired. Go and have people make preparations, I am going to bed."
Yunqi was astonished upon hearing this.
Previously, after eating dinner, Zhu Yuanzhang would generally review memorials and rest only past the xu hour (7:00 PM to 9:00 PM), sometimes even later. How could he be half an hour early today?
Could it be that he was ailing in health?
He did not dare to ask, however, and instead inquired about another matter as usual, "Does Your Majesty wish to go to the Kunning Palace to have a chat with the empress?"
This was also Zhu Yuanzhang's habit.
In the past, as long as he was not reviewing memorials exceptionally late, he would always go to accompany Empress Ma to speak for a while before returning to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to rest, or summoning other imperial concubines to attend to him in bed. However, concubines who finished attending would also be sent back at the exact zi hour (12:00 midnight).
Of course, sometimes Zhu Yuanzhang would also sleep in the Kunning Palace.
At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang habitually wanted to nod, but feeling that both his body and mind were very tired, he said, "Forget it today, another day."
Yunqi asked again, "Then does Your Majesty wish to summon other consorts to attend in bed?"
Thinking of Consort Yu, Consort Yang, and Consort Zhou-whom he had newly taken last year and who were still very young-as well as the Goryeo beauty Consort Han, who was still favored to this day, Zhu Yuanzhang unexpectedly felt a stir of excitement, feeling as though he had some strength and spirit again.
Whose place should I go to?
Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his chin and pondered.
After pondering for a while, he was just about to say "Summon Consort Han," when he suddenly felt something was not right.
No!
Why am I like this? Not to mention wanting to rest before finishing the memorials, but actually regaining energy at the thought of having several young concubines attend in bed... Isn't this indulging in female beauty and neglecting state affairs?
That's it.
Giving Up!
Zhu Yuanzhang finally remembered the introduction related to the negative status penalty given to him by the Rebel Army Group, and immediately his complexion turned extremely ugly.
This is Giving Up?
Not wanting to do proper work, and only getting some spirit when thinking of eating, drinking, and making merry... Isn't this thoroughly the mindset of a dim-witted ruler?
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, pressing his hands on the tabletop, and struggled to the utmost against the laziness and lustful thoughts deep in his heart.
"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's strange expression, Yunqi could not help asking with concern.
"I am fine," Zhu Yuanzhang said through clenched teeth.
With that, he sat down, preparing to forcefully resist the Giving Up mindset and continue reviewing memorials.
"I weathered the starvation and all sorts of hardships back then, I refuse to believe I cannot withstand this Giving Up mindset!"
Just like that, Zhu Yuanzhang continued reviewing memorials with a gritted-teeth expression. But he found that reviewing memorials in this state was extremely slow, and he was especially prone to distraction.
Lifting his gaze, he saw that Yunqi was still standing inside the warm chamber, so he frowned and said, "Why are you still standing here? Get out."
Yunqi's heart trembled, and he hurriedly bowed and retreated.
As a result, before he could even back out, he heard Zhu Yuanzhang shout again, "Stop!"
Yunqi stopped.
Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Not a single word of tonight's events is allowed to be breathed to anyone!"
Yunqi's hair stood on end, and he hastily said, "This servant will firmly remember!"
Just like that, Zhu Yuanzhang gritted his teeth and stubbornly held on in the Western Warm Chamber for half an hour, yet he only reviewed three or four memorials. When the night watch striking outside announced that the xu hour had passed, he could no longer control himself, directly rising and walking out of the Western Warm Chamber.
"Your Majesty?"
Yunqi and two other young eunuchs hurriedly followed.
Yet they saw Zhu Yuanzhang walk straight to the dragon bed inside the main hall of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, lying down upon it without even removing his shoes and socks, spreading into a "big" character, and not moving at all.
Although Yunqi felt that tonight's Zhu Yuanzhang was thoroughly bizarre, mindful of his duty he had to ask, "Your Majesty, are you going to sleep?"
"Mn," Zhu Yuanzhang responded, devoid of strength.
"Should this servant help you take off your shoes and socks, and arrange the bedding?"
"Mn."
Yunqi stepped over, carefully taking off Zhu Yuanzhang's shoes and socks, and helped him cover himself with the quilt.
As he was about to retreat to the outer room, however, he heard Zhu Yuanzhang say, "Tell the outside tomorrow morning that I have caught a slight cold, and suspend court for a day."
Hearing that Zhu Yuanzhang was going to suspend court, Yunqi was even more astonished, yet he still answered with a "Yes."
I have to get up at the crowing of the rooster every single day to prepare for morning court? What was I thinking in the past? Why not change this rule and hold a Regular Court Assembly every three to five days?
Before falling asleep, this thought uncontrollably popped out of Zhu Yuanzhang's mind...
In the early Han, within the royal palace of Zhao.
Inside the finest warm room.
Liu Bang, hailing from the Huai region, habitually sat in a Kneeling Sprawl, one elbow propped on the low table beside him, supporting his side face with his hand as he pondered all the information he had previously learned within the rebel army group.
That Lu Zhi had clearly trapped Zhang Jiao's Yellow Turbans force, and breaking the city was merely a matter of time. Yet simply because he didn't bribe the eunuchs, he was framed and had Liu Hong relieve him of his post and bring him to justice, causing the excellent situation of pacifying the Yellow Turbans to be nearly ruined.
Viewed this way, what the public thought before was not wrong at all. When a dynasty reaches its twilight years, even renowned generals cannot withstand the chaos stirred up by dim-witted rulers and sycophantic ministers in the court.
This Later Han truly is beyond saving; let us see if Zhang Jiao can alter his destiny. If he cannot, the public will wait for the right moment and look into that matter of Liu Bei...
Thinking of this, Liu Bang pondered how to describe the affairs of the late Later Han to strategic advisors like Lou Jing and Chen Ping without arousing their suspicion.
Before he could figure it out.
The eunuch in attendance entered the warm room, bowed, and reported, "Your Majesty, the King of Zhao has already had people prepare the evening banquet, asking if you wish to dine?"
Hearing this, Liu Bang shifted his attention away from the matters in the rebel army group, and upon thinking of Zhang Ao, he could not help frowning and flaring up.
Yet it was because he had previously gone north on a campaign against the Xiongnu for many days; other vassal kings not personally leading troops there, or even dispatching some old and weak ones to make up numbers, was one thing, but Zhang Ao, as his only son-in-law and with the state of Zhao being so close to Pingcheng, had actually failed to go as well!
One must know that back then he betrothed his only daughter to Zhang Ao and enfeoffed him as the King of Zhao; besides remembering the old affection of Zhang Er, another major purpose was to have an "insider" among the vassal kings of Shandong.
Yet judging from Zhang Ao's actions during this campaign against the Xiongnu, this fellow was either foolish and incompetent, or else he harbored no regard for him as a father-in-law in his heart!
Regardless of which case it was, it angered him.
Later on, I can indeed take the opportunity of the banquet to properly beat some sense into this kid, and along the way test him out to see what kind of schemes he is really hiding!
Dwelling on this, Liu Bang said, "I happen to be hungry, have him prepare things properly, and besides, don't forget to also invite Xiahou Ying, Guan Ying, Fan Kuai, Zhou Bo, Chen Ping, and Lou Jing."
"Yes."
About a quarter of an hour later.
The evening banquet began inside the "Grand Hall" of the Zhao royal palace.
Liu Bang arrived last, and everyone, who had already gathered, stood up to salute upon seeing him.
"Your ministers respectfully wish Your Majesty peace and fortune!"
Liu Bang waved a hand, "My lords, rise."
"Thanks to Your Majesty!"
Immediately, Liu Bang sat down upon the throne that originally belonged to Zhang Ao.
Several civil and military officials, as well as Zhang Ao, Guan Gao, and Zhao Wu, also took their seats.
At this time, Zhang Ao stood up and came before Liu Bang, bowing with a flattering smile and saying, "Your minister requests to attend upon Your Majesty enjoying the banquet."
"Mn," Liu Bang nodded.
Having obtained permission, Zhang Ao was extremely delighted, and immediately put on sleeve tubes, aprons, and other attendants' specialized garments with the help of the eunuchs, only then giving the order to serve wine and dishes.
"Your Majesty hurried here from Guangwu; wind and cold have invaded your body, and carriages and horses have been toilsome. This is mellow wine from the Zhao region, warmed just right, and does not feel cold going down the throat."
Finishing his words, he held a wine goblet to the edge of the low table and bowed, steadily pouring the wine into the silver ear-cup on Liu Bang's table.
"This deer was hunted by your minister this morning; it is roasted crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the excess fat rendered out so it is not greasy." Saying this, Zhang Ao sliced off the finest portion from the whole deer, carefully cut it into strips of meat, and used bamboo chopsticks to place them onto Liu Bang's dining table.
Liu Bang had originally been kneeling in a proper, upright posture.
Yet as he drank the wine and ate the meat, feeling that the posture was uncomfortable, he switched to a Kneeling Sprawl.
Although the robes he wore blocked his crotch, Guan Gao and Zhao Wu, who were banqueting below respectively, saw their expressions shift and turn extremely ugly.
Even Lou Jing furrowed his brows.
Xiahou Ying, Fan Kuai, Chen Ping, and the others, however, were lively, each drinking wine and eating meat, finding it nothing out of the ordinary—they were long accustomed to Liu Bang's casual sitting posture. In fact, if they were not subjects, people hailing from Pei like Xiahou Ying and Fan Kuai would also have liked to sit in a Kneeling Sprawl and stretch out comfortably.
As for Zhang Ao, it was as though he had seen nothing, still dutifully pouring wine, slicing meat, and picking out dishes for Liu Bang.
Liu Bang had lined his stomach, and originally intended to scold Zhang Ao over the matter of not personally leading troops to participate in the campaign against the Xiongnu, so as to give him a dressing-down.
Yet when he looked at Zhang Ao's humble appearance and reflected that he had once been merely an ordinary wandering knight under Zhang Er's gate, yet now had become the Emperor of Great Han, with his dynastic lineage extending nearly four hundred years, his mood and state of mind instantly changed.
Then he inexplicably thought of the song in that final short video with which the rebel army group had rewarded Zhu Yuanzhang.
He therefore asked, "Since there is a wine banquet, why are there no music, songs, or dances?"
Hearing this, Zhang Ao hastily replied, "There are, there are. It's just that I feared Your Majesty might not care for them, so I hadn't let them in yet."
Liu Bang: "Call them in."
"Yes."
Zhang Ao acknowledged the command and had people make arrangements.
Very quickly, more than a dozen musicians, female singers, and dancing girls entered the hall-the Great Han had only been established for two years, and from the imperial court down to the vassal kings everyone was exceedingly poor, so Zhang Ao as the King of Zhao only supported a ceremonial music troupe of a dozen or so people.
"I wonder what tunes Your Majesty wishes to listen to, and what dances to watch?" Zhang Ao asked respectfully.
Liu Bang said, "I will strike the zhu, you tell them to follow along and learn."
Down below, Guan Gao and Zhao Wu looked at each other in dismay, unable to comprehend how Liu Bang could suddenly take it into his head to teach people musical dances while in the middle of a meal.
Although Xiahou Ying, Chen Ping, and the others felt slightly surprised, they were not astonished, instead growing full of anticipation-they knew that Liu Bang was naturally just this unconstrained.
Liu Bang closed his eyes, recalling the Great Ming Battle Song in that short video, and began beating time on the table with his bamboo chopsticks while humming aloud.
"La-la, la~ la! La-la, la~ la!"
With Liu Bang's aged voice, the humming naturally did not sound pleasant, and at the start the rhythm of his striking the zhu was somewhat off as well.
However, Liu Bang had a strong musical sense; very quickly the rhythm of his striking turned into a tune, and his humming grew increasingly natural.
Xiahou Ying, Fan Kuai, and the others were hearing this tune for the very first time, feeling that it was not only novel but also extremely energetic, and after listening for a little while they could not help but involuntarily follow along by striking time and humming.
"La-la, la~ la!"
After humming for a while, Liu Bang opened his eyes to look at the several musicians, and said in a loud voice, "What are the musicians standing there stunned for? The tune is just this little bit, don't tell me you need the public to teach you a few dozen times? Hurry up and play it!"
Hearing this, the musicians did not dare to hesitate, and immediately played.
One had to admit, the few musicians Zhang Ao supported possessed quite decent skills, and within one or two passes they played something that looked very much the part.
Most importantly, tunes played on instruments like the zhu (a genuine musical instrument), panpipes, pitch-pipes, zithers, lutes, yu, and drums sounded vastly superior to Liu Bang beating on his dining table!
They also possessed even more of the stirring, passionate feel of the "Great Ming Battle Song".
Thus, by the third pass, Liu Bang could no longer help rising and coming to the center of the grand hall, waving his wide sleeves as he sang out loudly and began dancing awkwardly!
"La-la, la~ la!"
"Haha!"
Liu Bang of course knew that he was affected by the negative status "Manic Singing and Awkward Dancing".
Yet he did not care in the least, instead taking delight in it.
Sorry about that, Old Zhu, your Great Ming Battle Song has first become the public's Great Han Battle Song!