BSI Chapter 57 Why the Haste to Fight Each Other?
Chapter 57 Why the Haste to Fight Each Other?
Zhu Gaoxi's wish to leave the palace for fun was flatly rejected by the old emperor, who was forceful and unreasonable, and didn't even bother to make up an excuse.
In short, it just won't work.
Zhu Gaoxi was already used to the old emperor's ways, so he didn't bother asking why.
Seeing the undisguised disappointment on the chubby little boy's innocent face, Wang Ning kindly comforted him, "Let's go when the weather gets warmer. It's been a bit cold these past few days."
Zhu Gaoxi readily agreed: "Okay, I'll go again later."
The old emperor contradicted himself by going to the Imperial Garden on a cold day, and he went alone.
Upon discovering this, Huang Liang, accompanied by several eunuchs, followed closely behind.
Apart from a few plum blossoms, the Imperial Garden was mostly bare; I couldn't understand what the old emperor was doing there.
On second thought, perhaps he had an appointment with Consort Guo, so he couldn't go and be a third wheel. Zhu Gaoxi continued playing football.
When Zhu Yunwen passed by, he saw Zhu Yuntong and Zhu Gaoxi together, and immediately told Wu Liang to tell Zhu Yuntong to return to the East Palace quickly.
Zhu Gaoxi didn't want to put Zhu Yunwen in a difficult position, so he advised him to return with gratitude.
After Zhu Yunwen left, Zhu Ying's clothes were splattered with mud, so he went back to Xianfu Palace to change his clothes.
The vast space was now empty except for him. Zhu Gaoxi was bored and was about to return to the side hall of the Qianqing Palace to rest when an imperial eunuch rushed over. "Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence."
"To the Imperial Garden?"
Zhu Gaoxi confirmed that he really couldn't think of anything to do outside the Imperial Garden.
"Yes, Your Highness," Linde replied affirmatively.
Zhu Gaoxi looked down at the mottled stains on his clothes. "You go first. I'll change my clothes. Let Sanbao come with me."
Linde responded and returned to the Royal Garden.
Zhu Gaoxi had a palace maid help him clean his face and change his clothes, then summoned Sanbao to the Imperial Garden.
Perhaps due to a wrong turn, Zhu Gaoxi arrived at the Imperial Garden, searched around but couldn't find the old emperor. Instead, he unexpectedly bumped into the Crown Prince and his entourage.
Seeing Zhu Gaoxi approach, Ouyang Hao whispered a few words to Zhu Jing and Zhu Dong.
The two men walked arrogantly toward Zhu Gaoxi. When they got close, they gave a cold smile, joined hands, and formed a human wall to block Zhu Gaoxi from passing.
Zhu Gaoxi calmly took a step back and stood still.
Linde had served the emperor for decades and was absolutely loyal to him. There was no need for him to lie. Although he hadn't found the emperor yet, he was certain that the emperor was nearby.
He wanted to maintain this stalemate until the old emperor discovered it and intervened.
The old emperor must be made fully aware of Zhu Yunwen's persistent malice.
Zhu Gaoxi tried his best to keep his eyes moist with tears and to remain calm despite being harassed. This image would surely make the old emperor feel sorry for him.
He calmly waited for time to pass.
Sure enough, not long after, the old emperor appeared, looking furious.
"What are you doing? Why are you stopping Gao Xi? You're family, relatives, don't you understand? You're not mortal enemies. Yunwen, you tell me, what's going on?"
"Grandpa, you've misunderstood. The two young uncles were just joking with Gao Xi," Zhu Yunwen lied without batting an eye.
"Misunderstanding? We've been watching for quite a while. If we hadn't shown up, were you planning to keep going like this? Zhu Jing and Zhu Dong are young and don't know any better, but you are the Crown Prince!"
"Ouyang Hao, return to the Princess's residence. From now on, you are not allowed to enter the palace without an imperial decree. Yunwen, go to the Wenhua Hall to reflect on your mistakes. Write down your thoughts and give them to us. Think carefully. Do you intend to continue isolating your younger brother like this?"
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand dismissively, not wanting to hear any explanation from Zhu Yunwen, and told them to go back to their respective homes.
Zhu Yunwen was stunned. He never expected that the old emperor was nearby and had seen everything clearly.
His followers scattered like birds and beasts.
The city gate caught fire and affected the pond fish.
Fearing that he might be implicated, Wu Liang cautiously urged Zhu Yunwen to return to the Eastern Palace in a low voice.
Seeing that Zhu Yunwen was distraught and refused to move, Wu Liang had no choice but to reach out and help him, secretly pushing him away.
The old emperor's attention was entirely focused on his pitiful grandson.
The little guy held back his tears, pretending to be strong, and tried to force a smile to comfort his grandfather.
That stiff smile was more heartbreaking than a loud wail.
The old emperor sighed helplessly, "Let's go, come back to the Qianqing Palace with Grandpa."
Zhu Gaoxi could clearly sense that the old emperor was preoccupied and his steps were heavy.
Is it really worth getting so angry just because Zhu Yunwen and his cronies are making things difficult for him?
What exactly is the reason?
Zhu Gaoxi racked his brains but still couldn't come up with a solution.
We can only wait and see, and react accordingly.
Upon entering the western inner chamber of the side hall, the old emperor dismissed all the palace attendants, leaving only himself and Zhu Gaoxi.
The old emperor gazed meaningfully into Zhu Gaoxi's eyes.
"How long will you allow Xie Jin and Yin Changlong to take leave?"
This is truly astonishing!
With such a grand display, yet suddenly asking such an unrelated question, is the old emperor... joking?
Zhu Gaoxi was almost speechless with astonishment.
He lowered his eyes, trying his best to hide his surprise.
"Fifteen days," Zhu Gaoxi said in a steady tone.
"What has Xie Jin taught you during this time?"
His voice carried a hint of sternness, and seemed to carry a slight dissatisfaction.
What's wrong with the old emperor?
To be honest, Zhu Gaoxi was forced to send Xie Jin back to the capital to be his tutor.
At the time, Zhu Yunwen kept urging Huang Zicheng to become his teacher, so Zhu Gaoxi had no choice but to resort to this tactic.
Huang Zicheng is Zhu Yunwen's staunchest friend.
If Huang Zicheng becomes a teacher, and he follows Zhu Yunwen's instructions to give him a malicious bad review, wouldn't his future be ruined?
Moreover, Zhu Gaoxi had no intention of spending time studying Confucian classics, nor did he want to compete with Zhu Yunwen.
Competing head-on in a field you're not good at is pointless, except it boosts the morale of others and diminishes your own.
The strategy of Tian Ji's horse racing was to use one's own strengths to attack the opponent's weaknesses, which was the way to win.
To be honest, Zhu Gaoxi didn't attend a single proper Confucian class since Xie Jin returned to Beijing.
During each class, Zhu Gaoxi would only read some history books, mainly those from the late Yuan Dynasty, and sometimes some from the early Han Dynasty. Occasionally, he would discuss them with Xie Jin, all of which were related to the reduction of the power of the princes.
"Grandpa, reading history can enlighten us, and understanding the past can help us learn from the present. Mr. Xie encouraged his grandson to read more history books. I read the story of the Rebellion of the Seven States in the Han Dynasty," Zhu Gaoxi replied with courage.
"Who was right and who was wrong in the Rebellion of the Seven Kingdoms?" the old emperor asked, squinting his eyes.
"Grandpa, this involves the succession of the family. Although there is only one throne, the stability of the Ming Dynasty requires the concerted efforts of the entire royal family. The Zheng family of Pujiang, with nine generations living together and thousands of people living in harmony, has been bestowed the title of 'The First Family in Jiangnan' by your decree."
"Beans are boiled with beanstalks as fuel, and the beans weep in the pot. We are born of the same root, why must we be so cruel to each other? Brothers should support each other, not suspect each other, much less kill each other."