20demayo Chapter 23 Fu Youde's Suicide
Chapter 23 Fu Youde's Suicide
Geng Xuan entered the palace every day to accompany Zhu Yunwen in practicing riding and archery, not for going to the battlefield, but simply to help Zhu Yunwen strengthen his body, which was part of his daily exercise.
In her spare time, Geng Xuan would occasionally come to sit in the vegetable garden.
Although this young man was not talkative, he was honest and kind. Once he arrived at the vegetable garden, he would work in the fields and wouldn't be idle for a moment.
Recently, Zhu Yunwen has been coming over frequently, deliberately trying to "bump into" Geng Xuan.
Sometimes they would even bring along a delicate little eunuch.
It's obvious at a glance that it's a girl in disguise.
Princess Jiangdu was choosing a husband, and this was a special favor Zhu Yunwen had made for her, giving her the opportunity to observe Geng Xuan's performance up close.
Geng Xuan, that fool, was completely oblivious.
He would rub mud off his hands onto his face.
His silly, endearing appearance was utterly comical.
Mrs. Lü also came over a few times, pretending to cook delicious food for us herself.
And you know what? With their series of clever maneuvers, this mother and son had already firmly grasped Princess Jiangdu's heart.
Zhu Gaoxi paid no attention to these matters.
After the investiture ceremony, Zhu Gaochi will return to Beiping, and perhaps he will take him with him.
Zhu Youdun will likely return to his fiefdom.
Xu Miaojin has already broken ties with Zhu Yunwen and will never be able to enter the palace again.
Disheartened and uninterested in anything related to Zhu Yunwen, and with his grandfather busy grooming the crown prince, Zhu Gaoxi could find no reason to stay.
Zhu Yuanzhang went to the vegetable garden to chat, and Zhu Yunwen came over to invite him back to the Qianqing Palace, saying that he had some political matters to discuss with him.
"You go first, we'll be there soon," Zhu Yuanzhang said lazily, basking in the warm sun.
Zhu Yunwen wanted to urge him again, but the painted-face man tugged at his sleeve, silently reminding him that Zhu Yuanzhang might be sleepy.
Zhu Gaoxi coldly watched the master and servant gesturing, and sighed inwardly: They are truly in perfect sync.
When Jiang Huan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, came to report, Zhu Gaoxi, in order to avoid suspicion, got up and walked out with Zhu Yunwen and his servant.
Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Gaoxi walked in front, with the painted-face man following behind.
As they approached the intersection, a little boy suddenly ran towards them, nearly colliding with Zhu Yunwen.
Zhu Yunwen quickly pulled Zhu Gaoxi aside to avoid him.
It was Fu Rong. His birth mother was Princess Shouchun. Zhu Yuanzhang was particularly fond of this grandson, so he often visited the palace to play.
Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Gaoxi continued walking forward, turned east, and walked for a while before encountering Fu Zhong.
After bowing, Fu Zhong asked if he had seen Fu Rong run past.
Zhu Yunwen turned to look at the intersection, and the painted-face man walked over with a short knife, giving Zhu Yunwen a wink.
Zhu Gaoxi recognized it; it was a precious sword that Zhu Youdun had given to Fu Rong.
"Over there," Zhu Gaoxi said to Fu Zhong, worried that Hua Lian might do something bad.
Fu Zhong strode towards the intersection, but Fu Rong was nowhere to be seen.
"Your Highness, have you seen where Fu Rong went?"
Zhu Yunwen smiled but did not answer, and pointed behind Fu Zhong.
Fu Zhong suddenly turned around and saw the short knife in Hua Lian's hand. He grabbed Hua Lian by the neck and demanded, "How did Rong'er's knife end up in your hands?"
Upon seeing this, Zhu Gaoxi rushed over and stood in front of the painted-face man, saying to Fu Zhong, "Rong'er...it's alright."
Fu Zhong wanted to take the knife to check it, but Hua Lian dodged left and right and refused to give it up.
"Don't rush," Zhu Gaoxi advised.
Fu Zhong bypassed Zhu Gaoxi to snatch the knife.
Perhaps due to excessive force, the knife suddenly came out of its sheath. Fu Zhong quickly withdrew his strength, and the blade lightly grazed Zhu Gaoxi's clothes.
"Fu Zhong, what are you doing?" Zhu Yuanzhang's angry voice suddenly rang out.
Fu Zhong turned his head blankly, then knelt down on the ground.
"I'm fine," Zhu Gaoxi rushed to his grandfather's side.
"My brother's clothes are torn," Zhu Yunwen exclaimed in a low voice.
Zhu Gaoxi looked down and saw that there was indeed a tear in his sleeve.
"I'm fine," Zhu Gaoxi explained again.
Zhu Yuanzhang said to Jiang Huan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, "Take him away first, and let Fu Youde come."
"No!" Zhu Gaoxi stood in front of Fu Zhong.
The villain, Hua Lian, was not Fu Zhong; it was Hua Lian who conspired with Zhu Yunwen to frame Fu Zhong.
Zhu Yunwen picked up Zhu Gaoxi and said, "Little brother, be good."
"Put me down," Zhu Gaoxi said, opening his mouth to bite.
"Holding Gao Xi in my arms," Zhu Yuanzhang said to Huang Liang.
Huang Liang took Zhu Gaoxi from Zhu Yunwen.
Huang Liang was exceptionally skilled, and Zhu Gaoxi was completely unable to break free.
"No!" Zhu Gaoxi shouted.
The protests were ineffective, and Zhu Gaoxi was taken back to the Qianqing Palace, given a calming medicine, and fell into a deep sleep.
Zhu Yunwen, that scumbag, said that Zhu Gaoxi was terrified and needed a good night's sleep.
As for what would happen to Fu Zhong, Zhu Yunwen couldn't care less.
Once you're in the Imperial Guard's prison, you'll be lucky to escape with your life, if not dead.
Fu Zhong should be taught a lesson, since his eyes are only on Zhu Youdun.
When Zhu Gaoxi awoke, Duke Ying, Fu Youde, had already committed suicide to atone for his sins.
Fu Youde sacrificed his life to save his son.
Upon seeing Fu Youde's corpse, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly calmed down.
Princess Shouchun also rushed into the palace and knelt outside the Qianqing Palace to plead for mercy.
Zhu Yuanzhang asked Zhu Yunwen what was going on.
Zhu Yunwen said that Fu Zhong suddenly drew his sword, as if he had been provoked.
Zhu Yuanzhang muttered to himself, "Has something gone wrong with my brain?"
Seeing this, Zhu Yunwen quickly added fuel to the fire, asking with great concern, "If Fu Zhong has been plotting this for a long time, wouldn't my brother be in great danger?"
Just then, Huang Liang rushed in from outside, "Your Majesty, it's raining outside, and the princess's clothes are too thin."
Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but rub his forehead and instructed Huang Liang, "Send the Ninth Princess to Consort Ning first."
Huang Liang acknowledged and withdrew.
"Grandpa, what if Fu Zhong has accomplices?" Zhu Yunwen whispered.
Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, "What accomplices? I already said I wouldn't pursue them anymore. Let Jiang Huan release them." Zhu Yuanzhang stared blankly at the increasingly heavy rain, "Exile them to Yunnan. They'll leave tomorrow."
Zhu Yunwen responded and went out, instructing the on-duty Imperial Guard to inform Jiang Huan.
Zhu Gaoxi picked up a pen and wrote down what had happened, showing it to Zhu Yuanzhang.
Zhu Yuanzhang didn't look at it; he simply put it on a candle and burned it, thinking, "Too late."
"Grandpa," Zhu Gaoxi still wanted to argue.
"Dare to draw your sword in front of the Crown Prince and even injure my grandson, stripping him of his title and exiling him would be too lenient a punishment," Zhu Yuanzhang said, then instructed Huang Zicheng, who was attending him, to "draft an edict that he shall never inherit the title."
Only Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Gaoxi remained in the hall.
Zhu Gaoxi said angrily in a low voice, "The Crown Prince... did it on purpose."
"So what if it was intentional?" Zhu Yuanzhang sat down on the kang by the window. "If they are not tolerated by the crown prince, it's only a matter of time before they are punished. It's better to protect their family while we are still alive."
Zhu Gaoxi could not accept this explanation.
Is there no right or wrong, black or white?
What did Fu Zhong do wrong?
He was just worried about his son.
"Xi'er, you'll understand later. Grandpa was protecting Fu Zhong and the others," Zhu Yuanzhang murmured weakly.
I used to worry that Yunwen didn't understand the ways of the emperor, but now that I've discovered he does, I still can't feel happy.
I always feel like something's missing.
If only there were stews.
He can definitely come up with a better solution.