"It is not that others did not work hard. It is simply that you are absurd."
The voice from the light screen carried faint teasing, heavy with sighing amusement.
But in Huagai Hall, those words fell like winter frost.
Zhu Biao lowered his head instinctively. His mind turned hazy, thoughts colliding without shape.
He felt his mother's grip tighten around his hand. Her knuckles whitened. Pain finally forced him to look up.
Empress Ma's lips were pressed thin.
In her eyes was something he had never seen before.
Panic. Grief. Helpless sorrow.
His heart clenched.
Tears surged up.
He wanted to say something.
Anything.
Only one sentence came out.
"Your son has been unfilial…"
Her lips pressed tighter. The expression on her face trembled between laughter and tears.
"How could that be? If anyone is at fault, it would be your mother…"
She pulled her husband's hand over and wrapped it together with her son's.
"It was I who left too early. I made it hard for the two of you…"
Zhu Biao suddenly realized something.
He could not remember when he had last held his father's hand.
Cold.
Rough.
Like an old tree that had already lost its sap.
In childhood memory, that hand had been warm and strong.
When had it grown thinner?
When had it grown old?
Even the Son of Heaven ages.
He raised his head again.
The emperor before him had shed all majesty.
His reddened eyes were filled with guilt, fear, confusion.
Zhu Biao's chest ached.
"My death came from illness," he said carefully. "Not from Father."
He had handled state affairs before. He understood the key point.
It was clear even to later generations that his father's expectations had been immense.
But to place the blame upon his father?
That would wound him far more deeply.
Zhu Biao was still young. Death felt distant to him. He did not dwell much on his own fate.
He was about to continue when a weight landed on the back of his hand.
Zhu Di.
Still youthful, but already carrying steel in his gaze.
"If there is a problem, there is a solution. That monk was right. If fate is known, it can be changed."
"I will fight to save my elder brother."
"I will die if necessary to save Father and Mother."
As soon as Zhu Di's hand pressed down, Zhu Su quietly closed the book in his hand and placed his palm atop theirs.
His voice was calm.
"From what we have seen, Han, Tang, and Song have already changed greatly."
"Mother was right. Our Ming surpasses earlier Han in many ways. The later generations must surpass Ming in many ways as well."
Before he finished, a loud smack sounded as Zhu Zhen slapped his hand down too.
Zhu Su nearly lost composure.
"Your son too!" Zhu Zhen declared proudly.
Zhu Su forced himself to continue.
"I too am willing to learn from the strengths of later generations to preserve Father, Mother, and Elder Brother."
"Your son too!" Zhu Zhen repeated.
"Sixth Brother," Zhu Su muttered tiredly, "you do not have to speak if you have nothing new to add."
"Then I am the same as Fourth Brother!"
Zhu Yuanzhang watched his sons, each upright and resolute.
His heart stirred back to life.
He could see a faint smile returning to Meizi's eyes.
Yes.
If the affairs of Cao and Liu were no longer as recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms,
then Ming need not follow its recorded path either.
To later generations, perhaps in the history this young narrator knew, Empress Ma died early, the Crown Prince perished, and Emperor Hongwu lost virtue like Kublai Khan after tragedy.
But now they knew.
If it could be known, it could be addressed.
Zhu Yuanzhang had already considered it.
If Biao's foundation was damaged by overwork, perhaps the Marquis Wu might offer advice.
If Meizi's passing was illness, the young narrator had mentioned the person to seek.
Emperor Taizong of Tang.
As for the carbuncle that took Biao and Xu Da, there was still time.
There must be a solution.
Unless…
If Biao died early, then Yongle—
His thoughts were cut off by two young voices shouting at once.
"Your son too!"
"Grandfather Emperor, me too!"
A grandson and a younger son, too short to reach the joined hands, leapt forward and crashed into the pile.
The sudden weight sent everyone stumbling.
Zhu Yuanzhang steadied his wife.
Empress Ma caught the grandson.
Zhu Biao and his brothers tumbled together, knocking over chairs in chaos.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked up and met Xu Da's gaze.
Xu Da smiled widely, as if already knowing what the emperor intended to say.
"Life and death have never troubled me," Xu Da said openly. "In this life I wish only to drive out the northern invaders for Great Ming. Otherwise, even in the underworld, I would have no face to—"
He stopped himself.
Shook his head.
"Now that we know what lies ahead, I only wish to pacify Liaodong."
"As for the carbuncle…"
He paused.
He and Zhu Yuanzhang both turned toward Imperial Physician Dai Sigong.
Dai Sigong nearly dropped his composure.
"Your Majesty, a back carbuncle arises from yin deficiency and blazing internal fire, leading to depletion of qi and blood, complicated by external wind, dampness, and toxic heat. This illness has long been considered a difficult and complex disorder. I…"
At that moment, two lines of text drifted across the light screen.
〖Zhuge Liang: Though we do not yet understand what infection truly is, Zhang Zhongjing has refined garlic essence. It restrains epidemic deterioration. If needed, I can invite Divine Physician Zhang to exchange knowledge with Ming physicians in three months.〗
〖Li Shimin: My wife's illness was resolved under the care of Medicine King Sun Simiao. Should there be need, he will not refuse assistance.〗
Dai Sigong straightened.
"Since it concerns the state of Great Ming, I am willing to try."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly.
He stepped forward toward the light screen.
Under Yao Guangxiao's worried gaze, the Son of Heaven lifted the brush.
〖Zhu Yuanzhang: I thank the Marquis Wu and Emperor Taizong of Tang.〗
〖Zhu Yuanzhang: Emperor Taizong may call me Yuanzhang.〗
〖Zhu Yuanzhang: Chongba is also acceptable.〗
Seeing her husband's awkward but careful back, Empress Ma felt the anxiety that had pressed upon her heart finally begin to loosen.
She remembered the Ming emperor and empress within the screen.
"Chongba."
"Ah, I'm here."
Zhu Yuanzhang nearly threw down the brush and hurried back to her side.
"Is something wrong? Imperial Physician Dai!"
She waved gently to stop the flustered physician and gave him an apologetic look.
Then she smiled.
"Chongba?"
"I'm here, Meizi. If you feel unwell, we will return to the palace chambers first—"
"No."
She leaned carefully, slowly, and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I am perfectly well."
She closed her eyes briefly.
"How will Chongba get used to life without me?"