Chapter Twenty-Seven: Coaxing and Deceiving

"Chongba, why have you come over so early today?" Empress Ma looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, asking with a hint of surprise.

She knew all too well how hard her husband worked; he was truly a man who dealt with ten thousand matters a day, working from dawn until dusk. Especially in these past few days, with one major event following another, his arrival at the Kunning Palace so early was genuinely unexpected.

"Can’t a man miss his wife? Compared to the affairs of state, is there anything more beautiful than my dear Mei-zi? Dealing with government business is hardly as comforting as spending time with you," Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile, reaching out to take Empress Ma’s hand in his.

In the past, Zhu Yuanzhang would have been too embarrassed to say such things. But after living in the modern world for fifteen years and undergoing that transformation, these words came to him naturally now. He no longer felt any shame. Compared to what he had witnessed in the later ages, what he said now was merely a drizzle.

"You old shameless man! Your tongue has become more and more glib lately! These flowery words—I almost believed you." Though Empress Ma spoke with feigned annoyance, Zhu Yuanzhang could see that his wife was beaming with joy inside.

"I’m not speaking in flowery words; I am speaking from my heart." As he said this, he ordered the palace attendants to fetch hot water, intending to soak his feet with his wife.

"Chongba, what has come over you? You seem a bit strange today."

"What’s strange about it?"

"In the past, even when I prepared the foot-soaking water and brought it to you, you wouldn't bother to wash. You would always say that washing once every five days, or a thorough wash every ten days, was quite enough. Why are you suddenly taking the initiative to wash your feet without me urging you?"

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled. "The weather is turning cold, isn't it? I heard that soaking one's feet in hot water is good for the body. Naturally, I need to do it more often. I want to live to be a hundred years old with you, my dear."

"Tell me, what is it that you want to say to me? Or is there some matter that is proving difficult to handle, and you need me to step in?"

Zhu Yuanzhang paused for a moment, then waved his hand. "There’s no such thing. What could possibly stump me? I simply missed you and wanted to come keep you company."

"If you don't say it now, I shall truly assume you have no other purpose for coming here."

"Hehehe..." Zhu Yuanzhang scratched the back of his head and laughed. "Mei-zi, there really isn't much... I just wanted to talk to you about the education of the second, third, and fourth boys."

Empress Ma smiled. They had been husband and wife for so many years; how could she not tell when he had something on his mind? "How do you intend to educate them? Are you still going to have the masters at the Daben Hall increase their workload?"

"That won't be necessary. Their coursework at the Daben Hall is already heavy enough. They are imperial princes, not scholars meant to spend their lives buried in dusty texts. It is enough that they can read and write and understand the principles of conduct. There is no need to add more. Hasn't it been said that 'traveling ten thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books'?"

"I’ve been thinking that they are of age now, and they have read plenty of books; they shouldn't be confined to the Daben Hall any longer. It is time to let them out to walk the world a bit."

Empress Ma pondered this seriously and nodded. "A thousand-li horse cannot be trained in a courtyard, and a towering pine cannot grow in a flowerpot. Your reasoning is sound, Chongba."

"Right, exactly! You are the only one who truly understands me; that is exactly what I mean!"

"Then where do you intend to send them?"

"Since it’s the first time I’m letting these cubs out, they certainly shouldn't go too far. They will go to our hometown, Fengyang. I want them to take a look at the Central Capital." Zhu Yuanzhang wore the expression of a doting father thinking of his sons. "Of course, to ensure they see the reality of things, I intend to have them conceal their identities and pose as commoners..."

Upon hearing this, Empress Ma did not speak immediately. Instead, she stepped out of the bedchamber to instruct the attendants standing in the distance to fetch more water along with Xiao He, who was heating it. They would be taking a hot bath later.

Once the arrangements were made and the chamber was empty of others, Empress Ma returned and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang. "Chongba, are you worried about the Central Capital? Are you uneasy about the Duke of Korea and the others?"

Zhu Yuanzhang had long since grown accustomed to his wife's sharp intellect. There was no need to hide anything from her. "I have no complaints about the Duke of Korea’s competence, but I am uneasy about his methods. Li Shanchang is a man who came up through the chaos of war; it is easy for him to resort to the ways of those turbulent times. But this is no longer a time of chaos. What we need is a time of order. If he continues to apply those old methods, it will be truly inappropriate. I fear that if I don't go and see for myself, the Central Capital might end up built upon a foundation of bones and blood. I would have nightmares every night if I lived in a city like that."

"A month ago, didn't you praise me, saying that the Duke of Korea was building the Central Capital well and following all your instructions?"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and sighed. "You know how powerful Li Shanchang is. It would be very easy for that group of old brothers from Huai-xi to join forces and try to cover my eyes and block my ears. When we founded the dynasty, I listened to their suggestions and abolished the Inspectorate. Now, I have become blind and deaf. If I want to know what the Central Capital is really like, I have no choice but to send my own sons to see it for me. Regarding the affairs of the Central Capital, I no longer trust anyone but my own flesh and blood."

"No, it's too dangerous! You must have heard some rumors to make this decision. To ordinary people, the Central Capital is just one massive, grueling construction site. I am worried about them going there as commoners." Empress Ma refused firmly.

Zhu Yuanzhang replied, "Mei-zi, these are my sons; how could I not care for them? How could I not be thorough in my planning? I will arrange for Ma'er to serve as the commander of the Fengyang Guard, and he will secretly protect them."

The "Ma'er" Zhu Yuanzhang referred to was Xu Sima, whose childhood nickname was Ma'er. He was one of the twenty or so foster sons Zhu Yuanzhang had taken in. In Zhu Yuanzhang's heart, among these foster sons, Li Wenzhong came first, followed by Mu Ying. However, because Li Wenzhong was his biological nephew, that foster son status was no longer counted. Next came Xu Sima and He Wenhui. Of course, after more than a decade of living in the modern era, the weight of his foster son Ping An in his heart had also soared. If he hadn't viewed history in the modern world, Zhu Yuanzhang never would have imagined that the quiet and unassuming Ping Bao'er would turn out to be such a formidable fighter!

During the Jingnan Campaign, Ping An had led men to defeat the Fourth Prince several times; had it not been for certain reasons, he might have even killed the Fourth Prince. Zhu Yuanzhang had originally intended to send Ping An on this mission, hoping to promote this foster son he had previously underestimated. But after some thought, he decided to send Ma'er instead. The reason was simple: while Ping Bao'er was courageous in battle, he could not compare to Ma'er when it came to being meticulous and steady in his actions. Of course, when it came to the most reliable person, that was undoubtedly Mu Ying. But Mu Ying was currently holding a major post elsewhere, and to suddenly transfer him to Fengyang would only serve to alert the suspects.

"I will also notify Zheng Shiyuan, the magistrate of Linhuai. With both a civil and a military official on the scene, I am certain they will keep those rascals safe."

"Zheng Shiyuan? Is that the Censor who impeached your nephew Zhu Huan and insisted that you follow the law and execute him?" Empress Ma asked with uncertainty.

"That’s him. That fellow is like a rock in a latrine—stinky and hard—and, damn it, he doesn't even fear death. He forced my hand to execute that beast, Zhu Huan. A year ago, I sent him to Linhuai to be the magistrate. With his foul temper, he is unlikely to collude with those people or be in cahoots with them."

Hearing this, Empress Ma nodded. Zheng Shiyuan was truly a man who hated evil, and the chances of him being corrupted by the Duke of Korea and his faction were slim. However, when it came to hating evil, was her own Chongba any different? Otherwise, how could he have taken such a lethal stance against his own nephew just because a mere sixth-rank Censor insisted upon it? She only hoped that Li Shanchang and his men had not gone too far in the construction of the Central Capital. Otherwise, things would become very difficult indeed. A single lapse in judgment could lead to great turmoil in the Great Ming!

She understood the hardships her Chongba faced and felt his considerations were sound, but as a mother, she still felt uneasy about sending her sons into such a place.

"I have already spoken with Biao'er about this, and he agrees with my decision." Seeing that his wife still wanted to say something, Zhu Yuanzhang spoke up first.

Empress Ma knew that Biao'er was a steady person, and hearing that he agreed, she said no more.

"Then let it be as you wish, but you must guarantee that they return safe and sound, and that nothing untoward happens to them."

Seeing his wife finally relent, Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed. He immediately patted his chest in assurance. "Mei-zi, you can rest easy! If they lose even a single hair, you can punish me however you like! I won't utter a word of complaint! They are my sons; how could I as a father not be mindful?"

In truth, Zhu Yuanzhang knew his wife's worries were justified. The dangers of the Central Capital far exceeded her imagination. Beyond the grueling labor and the way Li Shanchang and his men treated the laborers as less than human, there was something even more dangerous that occurred in the eighth year of Hongwu, causing countless deaths...

...

In the Central Capital, at the Ministry of Works, the Duke of Korea, Li Shanchang, wore a look of great joy...