Zhu Yuanzhang watched as his son stepped forward with brush in hand, properly composed, pondering carefully how he should address Wuhou.
Only then did he suddenly recall something. He picked up a small wooden box from the nearby table.
"Nearly forgot the main matter. But can this truly be delivered into that young man's hands?"
Though muttering to himself, Zhu Yuanzhang's hands moved swiftly.
He pulled Zhu Biao's chair over and placed it before the light screen, then set the small wooden box upon it.
Stepping back two paces to inspect it, he saw nothing miraculous occur. Following what the light screen had instructed three months earlier, he raised his head to it and silently recited the wording he had prepared beforehand.
Before he could finish reciting in his heart, however, he heard the Empress's startled exclamation and his sons' curious questions behind him. Lowering his head again, he found the space before him completely empty.
"It truly is this miraculous?"
Though the light screen itself was already beyond comprehension, they had at least seen it once before in Kunning Palace. But this act of an object vanishing into thin air was even more astonishing.
Turning to question the Empress, he received the same reply. In the blink of an eye, it had disappeared, as though what had been there before was merely an illusion.
Yet it clearly was not an illusion, because after the Crown Prince of Ming finished thanking Zhuge Wuhou, he turned back to see his smiling mother, his awkward father, and his brothers who were either grinning or stunned, and asked:
"Where is my chair?"
To this question Zhu Yuanzhang chose to step forward, feigning seriousness as he stared at the light screen.
"That is a trivial matter."
"Biao'er's wording was appropriate enough. Hmm… regarding Emperor Zhaolie's difficulty, does Biao'er have any suggestion?"
[Server Chat Log]
[Liu Bei: We have united our strength and worked with one heart. Our generals were brave and unafraid of death. In the nineteenth year of Jian'an we successively broke the various divisions of the Cao bandit. With strategies leaving no oversight, we have now captured Cao.
Liu Bei: Having been favored by the light screen to capture Cao, I dare not claim merit for myself. Therefore I ask here: where should Cao Cao be placed?]
Prompted thus by his father, Zhu Biao indeed set aside the distraction and began considering the question.
His teacher had once required him to read the Records of the Three Kingdoms. The struggle between Cao and Liu had filled Zhu Biao with emotion, and the Sun clan's firm hold over Jiangdong had left him unable to judge right or wrong.
But when he read with such interest then, he had never imagined that one day he might participate in determining the fate of Emperor Wu of Wei.
"The nineteenth year of Jian'an… Cao Cao is already over sixty."
Zhu Biao calculated silently, paused briefly, then spoke in a low voice:
"Since Han has been restored, I believe it should follow Han law. Reward his merits, hold him accountable for his crimes. Govern according to the law, and the state's legal authority will not be compromised."
"I further believe that Emperor Zhaolie was able to pacify Cao and revive Han because he relied upon the people's hearts."
"So long as the people's hearts are not lost, what difference does it make whether Cao Cao lives or dies? Better to act according to the law and preserve the dignity of the state."
As expected, his father immediately frowned.
"If Cao Cao does not die and trouble arises later, it will be too late for regret!"
"Though Emperor Zhaolie is benevolent, in this matter he is somewhat overly kind. Would it not have been simpler to cut him down on the battlefield?"
Zhu Di, seemingly delighted by the prospect of chaos, also jumped in with his opinion.
"Father, have you forgotten? If we follow the old accounts of Emperor Wu of Wei, he was most skilled at escape. If they had declared immediate execution, perhaps Emperor Zhaolie would still be chasing the Cao bandit even now."
Zhu Yuanzhang waved dismissively.
"Those are rustic tales and false writings, not to be trusted. Cao Cao may have been adept at fleeing in his prime, but past sixty, where would he find such strength?"
Zhu Di smiled ingratiatingly.
"Father is strong and robust. Even later generations praise your vigor."
It would have been better left unsaid. The remark instantly reminded Zhu Yuanzhang of that absurd later comment calling him "outrageous." He was about to make the fourth son remember his place when Zhu Di darted away, saying:
"Father, Tang Taizong once said!"
Zhu Yuanzhang turned and indeed saw text drifting across the screen.
[Server Chat Log]
> Li Shimin: His talent extends only to commanding an army. What harm is there? Better to employ him in purifying official administration and rectifying discipline. Xuande has Wuhou's assistance. Surely the blazing Han may rise a third time, its prestige far surpassing Wei and Jin. In that case Cao Cao would be insignificant.
Li Shimin: Xuande, remember this. You and I are not people of later generations. We should judge only the merits and faults of what he has already done.
A trace more smile appeared upon Zhu Biao's face. He lifted his chin slightly, looking at his father. The meaning was plain.
Zhu Yuanzhang's feelings were more complicated, though ultimately there was more gratification than anything else. Yet soon another line of text floated by.
[Server Chat Log]
> Zhao Kuangyin: A state traitor should be killed to eliminate future trouble. Though he has merit, it must not obscure his crimes. Praise his merits at his tomb while recording his crimes. That is most fitting.
Zhu Biao and Zhu Yuanzhang were both startled. Zhu Di, however, found the situation exceedingly interesting and cheerfully explained it to his sixth brother:
"At present, elder brother's view resembles that of Tang Taizong, while father's aligns with Song Taizu."
"So whether Emperor Wu of Wei lives or dies may well be decided by elder brother and father."
Empress Ma exhaled softly and patted Zhu Di's shoulder. The fourth prince of Ming immediately bent down to make it easier for his mother.
The entire family watched the Son of Heaven of Ming at the center. At last a smile surfaced on Zhu Yuanzhang's face. He lifted his chin slightly.
"Since Biao'er's view so closely resembles that of Tang Taizong, then go and inform Emperor Zhaolie."
To him, his son resembling Tang Taizong was by no means a bad thing. After all, later generations had said that the Tang had established China's heights.
Though later ages adorned the Ming predicament with many embellishments, to Zhu Yuanzhang it only stirred greater fighting spirit. The Ming he founded sought not merely to restore China, but to eliminate the accumulated abuses of prior dynasties and to surpass Han and Tang.
And such aims could never be achieved by him alone. What was required were successive enlightened rulers, opening a flourishing century surpassing even the early Tang.
With the favor of this light screen, perhaps such ambitions were not impossible. And…
His gaze fell upon his son, writing swiftly with brush in hand. Zhu Yuanzhang's expression softened.
Zhu Biao sensed nothing of this. After hurriedly finishing his writing, he still felt somewhat uneasy and was about to add a few more lines when the light screen suddenly brightened, startling him.
But Zhu Yuanzhang had anticipated this and quickly called his son back.
Just as the brothers shifted to make room for their elder brother, the screen brightened fully and voices continued.
[Lightscreen]
["Hello, hello friends. As usual, it's our gratitude segment. But since the packages are increasing and the pictures can no longer fit, we've simply done what we did last time and recorded an unboxing vlog.
"This way it doesn't give this illiterate uploader time to research beforehand. I'll just say whatever I recognize. If there's anything lacking, I'll rely on you brothers to supplement it.
"Without further delay, let's look at the first package. Not very large. Probably another handmade item. I wonder what inspiration the big shot had this time?"]
Everyone in Huagai Hall watched with fresh curiosity as a pair of clean hands appeared on the screen holding up a small parcel, then deftly unwrapped it to reveal what lay inside.
It was a seal, scarcely two finger joints in width, its entire body gleaming with a soft golden hue, shining brilliantly under the light.
Light?
Only then did Zhu Biao take notice of the surroundings said to belong to later generations: a smooth, plain table; various objects of indiscernible material; and a covering that emitted a steady, gentle glow.
Why did this lamp flame not flicker in the slightest?