The Ming Dynasty: I Fabricated Dreams for Zhu Di 30

Chapter 30: Two Foolish Eldest Sons

“Yes, it seems like there’s an urgent matter.”

Zhu Gaosi looked at Zhu Gaoxu.

In this heavy snowfall, Zhu Gaoxu was only wearing an undershirt, yet he seemed unbothered.

Just looking at him made Zhu Gaosi feel a chill.

Sure enough, the second brother was still the second brother; his constitution was exceptionally robust.

Compared to Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Gaosi felt he fell far short.

“What exactly is it?”

The former Commander of the Brocade Guard, Ji Gang, was executed for treason, leaving Zhu Gaosi to inherit the position.

In the Capital City, aside from a few Brocade Guards, the vast majority were under Zhu Gaosi’s command.

His access to information was also the most extensive.

Zhu Gaosi smiled.

“Second brother, Father wants us to enter the palace to meet him.”

“I don’t actually know what it’s about.”

He could understand the happenings within the Capital City.

But matters within the palace were completely unknown to him. Zhu Di held tight control over the palace’s power.

He hadn’t given them any opportunity to interfere, nor did Zhu Gaosi dare to.

After all, secretly investigating palace matters and speculating on the Emperor’s intentions were not good things. He suspected many of Zhu Di’s informants were around him.

Zhu Gaoxu used his strong arms to embrace Zhu Gaosi.

The powerful grip made it impossible for Zhu Gaosi to break free; he could only act like a chick, completely at Zhu Gaoxu’s mercy.

“Old Third, how come you don’t even know this? You’re the Commander of the Brocade Guard!”

“Father clearly doesn’t see you as a confidant.”

“He trusts Zhu Wei, who is by his side, more than he trusts you,” Zhu Gaoxu whispered while embracing Zhu Gaosi. “I tell you, it’s all because of the eldest brother. He must be talking behind your back; otherwise, why wouldn’t Father place more trust in you?”

“During Father’s northern expeditions, didn’t he rely on the intelligence gathered by your Southern Town Garrison’s secret agents? For this kind of contribution, to still be suspected… it’s truly disheartening.”

Zhu Gaosi still had a pleasant smile on his face, his body bent, his neck close to Zhu Gaoxu’s armpit.

Perhaps because Zhu Gaoxu often sweated from his martial arts practice, his armpit had a strong odor, but Zhu Gaosi could only endure it.

He simply couldn’t defeat Zhu Gaoxu, nor could he break free.

However, he dared not gossip recklessly.

Fortunately, at this moment, several personal maids brought their court robes—Qilin embroidered garments.

Zhu Gaosi seized the opportunity to quickly say, “Second brother, Father is waiting for us. You should hurry and get dressed.”

“We mustn’t be late. You know Father’s temper. If we’re late, we’ll both be scolded.”

Seeing his cunning Third brother avoiding the topic.

Zhu Gaoxu could only let go. The moment he did, Zhu Gaosi inhaled sharply.

The smell was truly too strong, even in the cold weather.

If it were a hot day, the smell would be unimaginable, though perhaps it was because he had less military campaigns in recent years.

During the Jingnan Campaign (referring to the Battle of Jingnan, a pivotal event in the Ming dynasty’s early years), he was used to this smell.

After Zhu Gaoxu put on his robes, he didn’t linger, although Zhu Gaosi was very cunning.

But what he said was true.

If they were late, regardless of anything else, a scolding was guaranteed.

Zhu Di’s words were sharp, always hitting their weak points. It was best to go to the palace as soon as possible.

…

In the palace.

The Imperial Study.

“Your Majesty, the two Princes have arrived.”

The young eunuch whispered.

Zhu Di sat by the brazier, using the firelight to read memorials. The doors and windows were tightly closed, making the room rather dark.

However, Zhu Di didn’t seem to hear the young eunuch’s voice.

Seeing this, the young eunuch slightly raised his voice, saying, “Your Majesty, the two Princes have arrived.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di didn’t put down the memorials, saying indifferently, “Let them come in.”

Shortly after, Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosi arrived before Zhu Di.

Although the room wasn’t very bright, they could still see each other clearly.

Yao Guangxiao, dressed in black, sat quietly beside Zhu Di, his hands twisting prayer beads, his eyes closed, and without a word.

To his left sat the nervous and overweight Crown Prince, Zhu Gaoshi.

“Father, you called for us?”

Zhu Gaosi put on a flattering smile, saying with a grin.

Zhu Di continued to read the memorials in his hand and said calmly.

“Second son.”

Hearing the call, Zhu Gaoxu quickly stepped forward.

“Father.”

“I hear you’re very brave. In this snowy weather, you were shirtless, practicing at home wasn’t enough.”

“You even ran to My Three Thousand Elite Troops to pick fights, taking on more than a dozen people by yourself.”

“Quite impressive, aren’t you?”

Zhu Di’s tone was very calm; this kind of speech devoid of emotion was the most frightening.

It was impossible to guess what he wanted to convey.

Zhu Gaoxu could only quickly admit his mistake: “Son has erred.”

But Zhu Di, instead of stopping there, continued,

“So capable, then you surely don’t need to recuperate in the Capital City, otherwise…”

Zhu Di paused deliberately.

Closing the memorial, he slowly turned his head, looking at Zhu Gaoxu and continued,

“To be sent to your fiefdom?”

At the mention of being sent to his fiefdom, Zhu Gaoxu’s back molars nearly shattered, his fists clenched.

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

He didn’t want to go to his fiefdom. Once there, away from the political center of the Great Ming, his ambition of becoming emperor would be completely hopeless.

As long as he could remain in the Capital City, he still had hope.

Perhaps Zhu Gaoshi would suddenly die of a fat embolism.

“Father, I…”

Seeing his tongue-tied second brother, Zhu Gaosi quickly spoke for him.

“Father, you know Second Brother’s health, it’s often unpredictable, those hidden ailments of his.”

“They might flare up any day, it’s unpredictable to him.”

Finding a direction for explanation, Zhu Gaoxu quickly seized the opportunity.

“Yes, Father, my hidden ailments come and go unpredictably.”

Although this explanation was weak, it was all they could say.

They couldn’t say that Zhu Gaoxu’s illness required him to fight people to cure it.

Furthermore, the hidden ailments also concealed other elements.

A large part of these hidden ailments were intentionally left by Zhu Di.

Zhu Di chuckled.

“Oh, how convenient, I send you to your fiefdom, and your hidden ailments flare up. But if I don’t, you can single-handedly defeat over a dozen of the best soldiers.”

The Three Thousand Elite Troops were all seasoned veterans, having accompanied him on several northern expeditions. To be able to single-handedly defeat a dozen officers…

In the entire Great Ming, only the second son, Zhu Gaoxu, could do it.

He possessed the bearing of Xiang Yu (Xiang Yu, the famous warlord from the Chu state during the end of the Qin dynasty).

Innate great strength, unmatched bravery, unfortunately, his mind wasn’t sharp enough, and… he wasn’t the eldest and legitimate son.

At this moment, the air became silent. Zhu Gaosi didn’t know how to help Zhu Gaoxu explain.

Zhu Gaoxu was too tongue-tied to defend himself.

The two foolish eldest sons just stood there stupidly, heads bowed.

They looked wronged.

Zhu Di slowly stood up, walked to Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosi, and patted their shoulders.

He whispered, “The six ministries’ ministers all advised me that you two have lingered in the Capital City for too long.”

“It’s time for you to return to your fiefdoms, but I haven’t agreed. I am afraid that when I want to see you, I won’t be able to.”

(End of Chapter)

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