The Ming Dynasty: I Fabricated Dreams for Zhu Di 86

Chapter 86: Getting Two-Year-Old Zhu Gaoshi to Con the Old Fox Zhu Yuanzhang? (Subscription request)

“Gaoshi is two years old, just the age to be mischievous.”

“What if he rubs salt in your wounds?” This would be akin to stepping on Zhu Di’s still-healing wounds – no laughing matter.

She reached out to take Zhu Gaoshi away.

Zhu Di quickly said, “It’s fine, the eldest won’t be mischievous.”

His gaze fell on Zhu Gaoshi, and Xu Miaoyun also looked at Zhu Gaoshi.

Noticing their gazes, Zhu Gaoshi nodded.

Seeing this, Xu Miaoyun pondered for a moment, then reluctantly left Zhu Gaoshi with Zhu Di.

She left, closing the door behind her.

Zhu Di remained lying on the bed, while Zhu Gaoshi climbed down, limping towards the door.

He peeked outside; seeing no one, he closed the door firmly.

Then he tried to climb back onto Zhu Di’s bed, but because of his limp, he struggled for a long time without success.

Zhu Di had to lift him up to get him onto the bed.

“Father, what’s going on? Didn’t you say you’d take me out to relax?”

Zhu Di lay there, eyes closed.

He said softly, “Didn’t I let you see your mother?”

“Eldest, seeing your mother was only one purpose.”

“The reason I brought you into my dream is that I need your help with something.”

Having said that, Zhu Di stared intently at Zhu Gaoshi.

Sensing something was amiss,

Zhu Gaoshi quickly shook his head: “Father, I’m two years old, how can I help you?”

“Actually, I think it’s pretty good staying with my mother.”

Although he was meek, he wasn’t stupid.

Zhu Di being carried back definitely had something to do with what he wanted to confide.

The old man had a knot in his heart he couldn’t untie – a feeling of guilt towards the Founder Emperor and the Crown Prince Yiwen.

“Eldest, you’ve…grown up.”

“You even dare disobey me?”

Though Zhu Gaoshi’s body was that of a two-year-old, his actual age was over thirty.

He possessed complete self-control and autonomy.

Hearing Zhu Di’s words, Zhu Gaoshi sighed helplessly.

“Sigh, Father, you have to at least tell me where we are!”

“Otherwise, how can I help you?”

Zhu Di glanced at Zhu Gaoshi and explained calmly.

“This is a dream created by that kid, Zhuang Mu.”

“There are actually people in this world with extraordinary abilities.”

Seeing Zhu Gaoshi’s lack of focus, Zhu Di tapped his head.

“That’s not important.”

“What’s important is that after drinking the wine he made, you can dream whatever you want.”

“It’s very real.”

“I want to make amends for my shortcomings towards my older brother, and I want to gain my father’s forgiveness, so I created this dream.”

“Sometimes, I often wonder, if I hadn’t gone to my fiefdom, would our family have avoided this path of no return?”

“So, I suggested to my older brother that I wouldn’t go to my fiefdom.”

“But the Feudal Princes System was personally decided by Father. This matter quickly reached Father’s ears.”

“He asked me why? I wanted to explain, but I couldn’t find the words.”

“I can’t just say that my future self will definitely rebel, so kill me now to prevent future trouble.”

Zhu Di’s expression was slightly melancholic.

“I want to change things, but I don’t know how to start.”

To change the Hongwu era, one could only start from two points in time.

The fifteenth year of Hongwu, when the Grandson of the Emperor and the Empress passed away – save them both.

The twenty-fifth year of Hongwu, when the Crown Prince passed away – save the Crown Prince.

It’s only the thirteenth year of Hongwu now, it’s still far off.

“So, Father, you want to avoid going to your fiefdom, so that regardless of whether the future in this dream changes or not,”

“Our family can avoid making the same mistakes again?”

Zhu Di smiled.

Although Zhu Dapang wasn’t like him, he was indeed very clever, just like Xu Miaoyun.

Actually, to make amends for his mistakes, he didn’t need to change the future of Zhu Biao, Zhu Xiongying and Empress Ma.

He could just change his own future.

Not going to his fiefdom was a very good path.

Moreover, once he went to his fiefdom, it would be difficult for him to enter the Capital City.

Then… how could he change Zhu Xiongying and his mother’s future?

Going to his fiefdom was impossible.

It was impossible in this lifetime.

Once he went to his fiefdom, it would be equivalent to walking down a path of no return, just like in reality.

This dream would have been wasted.

“My identity has many restrictions, but yours is different.”

“I want you to interact more with your grandmother, talk to her more, and if possible, confront your grandmother directly.”

“I will be responsible for advising my older brother, a two-pronged approach, perhaps your Imperial Grandfather can forgive our family.”

He was the Yan King, many things were inconvenient.

He couldn’t frequently enter the palace, but Zhu Gaoshi could.

After all, who would pay attention to a child who had just been weaned and had just learned to speak?

Zhu Yuanzhang was very strict with his sons, but not necessarily with his grandchildren.

It was a Zhu family tradition – fondness for grandchildren.

Hearing this, Zhu Gaoshi was also a little flustered.

“But Father, I’ve never met Imperial Grandmother, how can I get along with her?”

He was born in the eleventh year of Hongwu, and Empress Ma passed away in the fifteenth year of Hongwu.

By the time his memories became clear, Empress Ma had already passed away.

He only knew that Empress Ma was very kind and benevolent, but he had never interacted with her.

Zhu Di looked at Zhu Gaoshi calmly.

“That’s your problem.”

“I don’t need the process, I only need the result.”

“You’re chubby and you limp, your mother won’t reject you.”

“And neither will my father.”

Empress Ma was inherently kind-hearted, and coupled with Zhu Gaoshi’s chubby appearance and limp, she would certainly not be too wary of him.

Zhu Yuanzhang was the same. He was often extremely strict towards his healthy offspring, never showing any good expression.

But towards his less healthy offspring, he often showed concern and wouldn’t be so serious.

Moreover, reality had proven it.

Zhu Yuanzhang really liked this chubby grandson, Zhu Gaoshi.

Seeing Zhu Gaoshi still hesitating, Zhu Di sighed.

“Eldest, I’m fifty-eight years old this year, I don’t want to die with regrets.”

At this moment, Zhu Gaoshi seemed to see Zhu Di’s pitiful appearance.

Helplessly, he couldn’t bear to see Zhu Di using emotional appeals.

He could only agree: “Father, I can help you.”

Zhu Di nodded: “Mm, just do your best, if it really doesn’t work, we’ll find another way.”

“But I believe you can win over your grandfather’s affection.”

Zhu Gaoshi pondered: “But Father, how can I see Imperial Grandmother?”

“Don’t worry about that, Miaoyun will visit my mother in the palace from time to time.”

“Just go with her then.”

Xu Miaoyun grew up learning from Empress Ma.

The two had a close relationship, which is why Xu Miaoyun was called a female scholar.

Influenced by Empress Ma, she was well-versed in various historical books and Confucian classics.

…

Meanwhile,

Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Xu Da.

Before Xu Da could sit down, Zhu Yuanzhang said, “I say, Xu Tiande, do you even have a sense of responsibility?”

This stunned Xu Da, he couldn’t sit nor stand, he half-crouched, feeling tired.

“Your Majesty, what do you mean?”

“What do I mean? I ask you, is the fourth son your son-in-law?”

Xu Da nodded: “Yes.”

“Then do you have the authority, the qualification to discipline your son-in-law?”

Xu Da scratched his head.

Qualifications?

Looking at Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes, well… he should have the qualifications.

“Your Majesty, what exactly happened?”

Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang didn’t hide anything, and said,

“Do you know what your son-in-law said to me, to Biao’er today?”

Xu Da was bewildered: “What did he say?”

“The fourth son said that after I die, the princes will definitely rebel, that the current feudal princes system is unreasonable, and he doesn’t want to go to his fiefdom. Xu Tiande, did you teach him these words?”

“Your humble servant is innocent!”

Zhu Yuanzhang also knew that Xu Da was unlikely to have taught Zhu Di to say these things.

After all, among the Huai Xi nobles, Xu Da and Tang He were among the most trusted, loyal and devoted.

“Alright, deal with this matter yourself.”

“I’ve already disciplined him, you also need to show some attitude, otherwise, I have reason to believe that you taught the fourth son these words.”

In other words,

Control your son-in-law, I don’t have time to manage him. If you don’t manage him, then his actions will be blamed on you.

Xu Da felt like crying.

What exactly happened?

Wasn’t it agreed that they would just test Zhu Di’s abilities? Why did this happen?

So Xu Da had to rush back to the Xu Guogong Mansion that night.

He happened to meet Xu Miaoyun, who was about to go to bed.

So he asked, “Where’s Zhu Lao Si (Zhu Di, literally “fourth Zhu”)?”

Xu Miaoyun looked at her returning father, slightly surprised: “Father, why are you back? Aren’t you busy with state affairs?”

Xu Da’s expression was clearly not good.

“Humph, if I don’t come back, Zhu Lao Si will turn the world upside down.”

“Where is Lao Si? Where is he? I’ll beat him to death!”

To be honest, he didn’t really want to manage Zhu Di, although he was his son-in-law, he was also a prince after all.

But now it was different.

Zhu Yuanzhang, in order to better restrain Zhu Di, actually wanted to blame Zhu Di’s actions on him.

His goal was to have Xu Da discipline Zhu Di for him.

Zhu Yuanzhang had made his words so clear, so naturally Xu Da had to take on this responsibility.

“Father! My husband was beaten so badly he can’t get out of bed, if you go and beat him again,”

“He might not be able to get out of bed for half a year.”

Hearing this, Xu Da didn’t care.

“Can’t get out of bed?! Even better, it’ll save him from causing trouble for me.”

“You know what the Emperor said, right? The Emperor said if I don’t discipline this son-in-law of mine,”

“He’ll blame Zhu Lao Si’s actions on me, and in the future, even if he bullies men and women, I’ll be implicated.”

(End of Chapter)

Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter