Chapter 72: I have finished speaking, it’s your turn

Jie Jin, Xu Huizu, and Ru Chang stood on a high point, gazing into the distance, their hearts filled with passion as the lights of the capital began to shine.

Ru Chang smiled at the sky and exclaimed, “To revive the glory of the Han and Tang dynasties, wouldn’t it be lacking some brilliance without our names? We have lived for a hundred years and should strive for immortal accomplishments!”

Xu Huizu stood with great dignity, his gaze piercing, and said in a deep voice, “We should dedicate ourselves to the beauty of the mountains and rivers, with hearts filled with fervor!”

Xie Jin looked at the impassioned Ru Chang and Xu Huizu and nodded silently.

The current emperor is wise, benevolent, and ambitious. He possesses extraordinary strategies to secure the border and implements new policies to improve the lives of the people. Moreover, he listens to the opinions of others, accepting reasonable ones and rejecting unreasonable ones.

An enlightened ruler is the foundation of a prosperous era!

This is the best era since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, free from the slaughter of bloody conflicts and the life-or-death struggles of wars. The realm is stable, and the hearts of the people are in harmony. It is a time for literary and military talents to display their abilities and achieve great deeds!

The literati pursue their desired glorious era, showcasing their patriotism and leaving their names in history.

The generals forge the iron army of the Ming Dynasty, training soldiers and horses rigorously, and expanding our territory!

Xie Jin clenched his fist tightly, gazing at the distant lights, and proudly declared, “I desire to borrow thirty thousand measures of clear winds and stars, following the heavens to the highest sky. Unafraid of the cold winds and clouds obstructing, leaving my name in history for a thousand autumns.”

In that moment, a brisk wind blew, and the three of them exchanged heartfelt words, singing a resounding song as they disappeared into the distance.

In Kunning Palace, a family feast was in full swing.

Zhu Di self-punished with three cups of wine, took a sip, and felt the warm strength of the alcohol inside him. He couldn’t help but praise, “Your Majesty, this wine is extraordinary!”

Zhu Yunwen laughed heartily, gestured for Ma Enhui to pour more wine, and said, “Fourth Uncle like wine. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone send some to the King of Yan’s residence. Just be careful, Fourth Uncle.”

“Oh? Why should I be careful?” Zhu Di asked in confusion.

Ma Enhui, holding the wine jug, burst into laughter and said, “Uncle King of Yan, this wine is extremely potent. It brings immediate delight when consumed, but the next day, it will cause a splitting headache. Last time, His Majesty had quite a hard time and only recovered after half a day.”

Xu Yihua stood up, wanting to take the wine jug from Ma Enhui’s hand but was politely declined with a smile.

Ma Enhui personally poured wine for Zhu Di, who quickly expressed his gratitude.

Both Zhu Di and Xu Yihua could sense the special nature of today’s family feast. There were no palace maids or eunuchs attending, only Ma Enhui personally managing everything. Even the dishes from the Imperial Kitchen were delivered personally by Ma Enhui, who went to the door to receive them.

Here, there are no outsiders.

Zhu Di raised his wine cup and said with some emotion, “Your Majesty, I am guilty, and I should be punished with another cup…”

Zhu Yunwen frowned as he watched Zhu Di drinking cup after cup and said, “Fourth Uncle, are you using the pretext of self-punishment to indulge in excessive drinking?”

Upon hearing this, Ma Enhui and Xu Yihua burst into laughter.

Ma Enhui took the opportunity to introduce, “Don’t just focus on drinking, King of Yan and Consort Xu. This dish was personally prepared by His Majesty in the Imperial Kitchen. You must try it.”

“What?”

Zhu Di and Xu Yihua exchanged surprised glances.

The emperor cooking, and the empress adding wine—such an honor was unparalleled in the Ming Dynasty.

“I am unworthy of such an honor,” Zhu Di said humbly.

Zhu Yunwen shook his head slightly and, after taking a bite of the dish, said, “Actually, I understand. If my father were still alive, you would be content to be a vassal king. But Father… sigh, Emperor Taizu passed the throne to me across a generation, and you, Fourth uncle, are in the prime of your life with remarkable achievements. It’s natural to feel dissatisfied, and I can understand that.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di broke out in a cold sweat.

Seeing Zhu Di’s uneasiness, Zhu Yunwen smiled and said, “Fourth uncle, there are no other people here. We can speak openly without seeking blame, just share our thoughts. Since I ascended the throne, although I hold the empire in my hands, I have trouble sleeping day and night.”

“You uncles hold great military power, stationed at the border. If you ever have the slightest disloyalty, you can march a thousand miles south and drive me off the throne. After all, I am not Emperor Taizu. I lack expertise in military affairs and talents. If uncles were to lead your troops south, my abdication would be minor compared to the chaos and disintegration of the Ming Dynasty.”

“Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng have seen the drawbacks and repeatedly advised me to gradually reduce the power of the vassal kings. I won’t hide it from you, Fourth uncle, I have considered reducing the power of the vassal kings. Heh, reducing the power of the kings. The most challenging one is still you, Fourth uncle.”

Zhu Di, Xu Yihua, and Ma Enhui listened quietly to Zhu Yunwen’s words, causing waves of emotions to surge within Zhu Di’s heart.

Zhu Yunwen took a sip of wine and continued, “After I fell in Xiaoling, I had a deep realization. Although reducing the power of the vassal kings seemed feasible, it would be detrimental to both the family and the nation. For the family, Fourth uncle is the leader of the vassal kings, highly regarded by Emperor Taizu, and holds a distinguished position. For the nation, you are the commander of the northern forces, fighting for the country, and your achievements contribute to the stability of the state..”

“How could I, out of my own concerns, take actions that would harm the royal family, and the nation, and lose the trust of the people? Therefore, I firmly believe that even if fourth uncle, has any misgivings, I must bring you back. I am willing to endure for the sake of the Ming Dynasty, so shouldn’t fourth uncle, also contribute to the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty?”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di couldn’t help but choke up. The Emperor’s magnanimity was overwhelming, and as his subject, Zhu Di had repeatedly gone against his wishes. Even though Zhu Yunwen had admonished him time and time again, Zhu Di had continued his relentless pursuit in the darkness.

Zhu Yunwen raised his cup and finished it in one gulp, then continued, “Later on, there was a ‘power struggle’ between me and you, Fourth Uncle. Whether it was summoning you back to the capital, arranging the situation in Beiping, or enticing Yao Guangxiao to join us with the New Military Policy in Beiping, they were all part of my ‘strategy.’ I hoped that you could see the situation clearly, awaken from your delusion, and return to the right path.”

“I have speculated on every possible choice you might make, even the worst-case scenarios with King of Ning. Ha, I never expected that you would follow through with the worst possibilities, step by step. I knew your seemingly insane actions were just temporary expedients to buy time. In other words, you were already prepared to unsheathe your sword.”

“At this point, I still don’t want to give up on you, Fourth Uncle. That’s why I arranged for Ping An to capture of Zhang Yu and Zhu Neng, as a warning to you. I also swiftly dispatched Yao Guangxiao, who just pledged allegiance to me, your trusted envoy to Beiping to be my final mediator!”

“Fourth Uncle, I have already made enough concessions, and there is no way for me to retreat any further. I have entrusted everything to Yao Guangxiao and to you.”

“I am deeply relieved that you, Fourth Uncle, can rein yourself in. It ensures that we won’t face each other in battle, the people won’t flee in exile, and the military won’t turn against itself. Great Ming won’t be consumed by flames of war! I am truly relieved! Come, Fourth Uncle, I toast to you!”

Zhu Di, filled with fear and unease, as well as overwhelming guilt, raised his cup and silently drank.

The heart of an emperor is as unfathomable as the sea.

But now, Zhu Yunwen had laid everything bare.

This expression of his heart was more touching and heartfelt than countless favors and rewards.

Zhu Di knelt down and performed a grand gesture of respect towards Zhu Yunwen, vowing, “As a servant of Your Majesty, I will never betray your favor! For all the past mistakes, I request that Your Majesty issue a punishment.”

Zhu Yunwen stood up, supporting Zhu Di, and with a slight drunkenness, he said, “Fourth Uncle, you haven’t understood. Today, there is no emperor, only uncle and nephew as a family. Let us be open and honest, clearing away any grievances in our hearts. You are still the uncle I value the most, the indomitable warrior of Great Ming! Come, I have finished speaking, now it’s your turn!”

Zhu Di sat back down, and with a series of consecutive cups, he sighed, “Your Majesty, this matter needs to be traced back to the twenty-fifth year of the Hongwu reign. The Crown Prince, following the decree of the founding emperor, sought a new capital in Xi’an. Not long after returning to the capital, he fell ill from a cold…”

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