Chapter 13: Have We Just Hit Rock Bottom?

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Zhu Yunxu did not directly answer Yun Qi’s question. Instead, he smiled brightly and looked toward Ma Sanbao. “How is the preparation going?”

“Your Highness, it’s all ready. In a few days, there will be an auction at the Heavenly and Earthly Realm,” Ma Sanbao reported with a beaming face.

Then his eyes lit up. “Your Highness plans to use those items as rewards for the nobles of Huai West?”

“Haha! You’re clever indeed,” Zhu Yunxu laughed heartily, his eyes brimming with pride.

Ma Sanbao joined in the laughter. “Haha! It’s all thanks to Your Highness. If we can use those worthless things as rewards, we’ll truly profit greatly.”

“Others don’t know those items are worthless; to them, those are treasures worth a fortune.”

…

Their cryptic exchange made Yun Qi and the three hidden behind the wall even more curious, though none dared to ask.

Worthless in reality, yet priceless in the eyes of others.

Not only Yun Qi could not fathom what they were referring to, even the Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang could not imagine such things existed in the world.

Unless… Zhu Yunxu possessed the power to turn stone into gold.

However, upon hearing that Zhu Yunxu had already made arrangements, the worry on his face finally disappeared. He muttered, “It seems I have underestimated Yunxu. Whether those things truly exist or not, having everything planned in advance is the mark of a wise man.”

“Indeed! Once tomorrow’s court session concludes, we will announce to the world that Yunxu is the Crown Prince.”

“Ascend to power…”

Just as Zhu Yuanzhang was lost in his own fantasies, Tang He couldn’t help but whisper a reminder beside him.

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately turned to him, frowning and asking, “What is it?”

Tang He’s face turned bitter. He pointed outside hesitantly before finally speaking again. “Ascend to power… I’m afraid you won’t be able to attend court tomorrow.”

“Why?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked in confusion. “I’m not truly dead. Do you think those ministers would really dare to bury me?”

He was Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor, who had slain countless enemies.

If anyone dared such a thing, it might spark another “Hu Weiyong Incident” in the Ming dynasty.

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“Sigh! Ascend to power…”

Tang He sighed deeply. Though reluctant, he explained the situation to Zhu Yuanzhang.

“It’s not that the ministers want to bury you; rather, the Third Prince will no longer tolerate you ‘coming back to life’!”

“How dare he!” Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes widened, imperial authority instantly radiating from him. “That traitorous grandson—does he dare commit patricide?”

“Your Highness, please calm down,” Tang He said helplessly but pressed on. “Imagine if you were the Third Prince, now holding all the cards, about to ascend the throne. Would you accept your father ‘coming back from the dead’ at this moment?

Moreover, Blue Xiao’er and the others have clearly sided with the Third Prince. Even if the Third Prince himself lacked such intentions, who could guarantee they wouldn’t?

They command the Five Armies Headquarters, and tonight, the capital’s Jinyiwei will surely be under their full control...

If they intend to forcibly claim the merit of supporting the new sovereign, how could the Third Prince stop them?”

Hearing Tang He’s analysis, Feng Sheng, who had not yet grasped the situation, was suddenly shocked. He quickly bowed and said, “Indeed, Your Highness. I find Marshal Tang’s words reasonable. As the saying goes, blocking someone’s fortune is like killing their parents—you must think carefully.”

Though anger still lingered on Zhu Yuanzhang’s face, his eyes were deep in thought.

He had risen from a mere monk to his present status not by luck alone. In an instant, he grasped the key insight.

Like many emperors in history, he had no real desire to claim the throne; often, it was others who pushed him forward.

Years ago, Zhu Yuanzhang himself wished to delay proclaiming himself king, but his subordinates, eager for rewards, forced him to accept the title of King of Wu.

Now, to win merit for supporting the new ruler and to prevent his own ‘resurrection’ from bringing retribution, Blue Yu and others might truly commit acts that would outrage heaven and earth.

Furthermore, even Jiang Dun has been subdued, and the Jinyiwei will inevitably fall under Blue Yu and their faction overnight. Zhu Yuanzhang would have no means to resist.

If Zhu Yuanzhang forcibly ‘returned from the dead,’ with nobles and Yun Qi as witnesses, they could easily claim he was an impostor.

“I… I… I…” Zhu Yuanzhang opened his mouth several times, but no words came out. Finally, he sighed deeply and slumped back into his chair.

Though silent, Feng Sheng and Tang He knew well that the once invincible Zhu Yuanzhang could not accept such a humiliating defeat.

He had intended this feigned death to test Zhu Yunxu. If the test was passed, the next day the court would announce Zhu Yunxu as the new heir of the Ming dynasty.

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Unexpectedly, Zhu Yunxu suddenly burst in, and after a series of maneuvers, the situation spiraled wildly beyond anyone’s control, forcing Zhu Yuanzhang to ‘pass away.’

In truth, Feng Sheng and Tang He had a thought they did not dare voice: ‘We warned you not to do this, but you wouldn’t listen. Now look—your house has been stolen right from under you.’

Of course, even now, they would neither dare nor could they say such words in front of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Creak~

Just as Zhu Yuanzhang sat in despondency, the great doors of the Qianqing Palace were pushed open again.

A figure entered swiftly.

Approaching Zhu Yunxu, the figure bowed and clasped his fists, addressing him as “Your Highness.”

Behind the wall, when Zhu Yuanzhang recognized the visitor’s face, his expression darkened even further.

“Song Zhong, what brings you here?” Zhu Yunxu’s gaze fixed on the man.

Wearing an embroidered spring knife and flying fish uniform, none other than Song Zhong, the Jinyiwei Deputy Commander.

This was the Jinyiwei Commander Zhu Yuanzhang had reserved for Zhu Yunxu’s future—a position he certainly knew well.

“When did this traitorous grandson manage to place his men within our Jinyiwei?” Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes went wide in disbelief.

Feng Sheng and Tang He gulped again. The Jinyiwei was Zhu Yuanzhang’s most valued secret intelligence force, used to investigate, balance, and intimidate ministers. For Zhu Yunxu to have planted men there, especially someone as high-ranking as a deputy commander, was staggering.

With Song Zhong’s presence, even without Blue Yu and the others acting, Zhu Yunxu’s control over the Jinyiwei would not be difficult.

The key question was how Zhu Yunxu, who had lived under the surveillance of the Lü family all these years and seemed invisible to all, managed to pull this off.

Zhu Yunxu looked at the upright figure of Song Zhong, a faint excitement on his face, and calmly asked, “Have you completed the tasks assigned to you?”