King Luhuang of the Ming Dynasty: My father, Ming Taizu

The air in the prison was damp and stuffy, exuding a nauseating mixture of mold and blood.

Water droplets seeped out of the walls, emitting a faint glow under the dim oil lamp.

From time to time, rats would scamper around in the corners of the dungeon, making creepy noises.

Inoue curled up in a pile of straw in the corner. The cold, hunger and fear wrapped around him like poisonous snakes, almost driving him crazy.

He didn't know what time it was, nor how much time had passed. Time seemed to have lost its meaning in the dungeon.

He only knew that as the night deepened, the atmosphere in the dungeon became more terrifying.

Occasionally, painful groans and desperate howls could be heard from the surrounding cells, adding a touch of eeriness.

Inoue held his head in pain. He had seen the tortures used by the Jinyiwei.

But he never thought that one day he would become a prisoner or even be tortured to death.

What he couldn't accept was that the belief he firmly believed in was actually a complete lie.

Those companions who had been through life and death with him, those classmates who had trained together, drank together, and talked about the wonderful life after returning to Japan in the future.

Now they have all turned into cold corpses.

And all this was because they were deceived, used, became pawns in the hands of others, and died in vain!
“Did I really do something wrong?!”

Inoue couldn't help but groan in pain, holding his head with both hands, his nails digging deeply into his scalp.

He hated those people who deceived them, hated that his passion was wasted, and hated himself even more for being powerless and unable to avenge his dead companions!
The dungeon was even more eerie and terrifying at night. It seemed as if countless demons and monsters were lurking in the darkness, baring their fangs and claws, trying to devour Inoue.

He closed his eyes tightly, not daring to open them, but the tragic scenes of his classmates before their death kept appearing in his mind.

He seemed to see again, the boy who always had a sunny smile on his face, when his head was chopped off, there was still a look of disbelief in his eyes;
He heard again the roar of unwillingness from that burly companion who always rushed to the front when he was shot to death by arrows;

He also smelled the stench of blood gushing out of that well-mannered and medically skilled classmate when his stomach was cut open.

"what!"

Inoue suddenly opened his eyes, jumped up from the ground and let out a shrill scream.

He could no longer endure this torment, nor could he continue to live on the burden of his companions' lives.

"I want revenge!"

A look of determination flashed in Inoue's eyes. He rushed to the prison door and shook the rusty iron bars vigorously with both hands.

He shouted at the outside at the top of his lungs:

"Let me out! I want to see your masters! I confess! I'll tell you everything!"

His voice echoed in the prison.

I don't know how long it took, but finally, heavy footsteps were heard outside the cell.

Inoue struggled to raise his head, and a glimmer of hope flashed in his turbid eyes.

"Squeak-"

The rusty cell door was opened, and a tall and burly figure appeared at the door.

Under the dim light, the man's sharp eyes like an eagle made Inoue's heart tremble.

It was Mao Xiang! The commander of the Imperial Guards, a favorite of the emperor!

A glimmer of hope suddenly ignited in Inoue.

This person is the emperor's eagle claw.

Only then can those dead companions rest in peace!

Mao Xiang looked at Inoue coldly, his eyes full of contempt and disdain.

This Japanese man is now like a lost dog, and he no longer has the ruthlessness and determination he had when he assassinated him before.

"Tell me, who sent you here? If you are willing to confess, I can kill you and avenge your companions!"

Mao Xiang's voice was deep and powerful, full of the majesty of a superior.

Of course, Inoue was not naive enough to think that the other party would really avenge them.

He knew very well that he and his companions were just pawns in the hands of others and would be discarded after being used.

But he also understood that he had no bargaining chips now if he didn't say something valuable.

Only death awaits him.

"Yes...it's someone from the palace..."

Inoue hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to muddy the waters, hoping to buy himself a chance of survival.

"People from the palace?"

Mao Xiang frowned, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

"You'd better think it over before you speak. You should know the consequences of daring to deceive me!"

Inoue swallowed hard and continued:

"I don't know who he is. I only met him once. He gave me a set of eunuch clothes and told me to find a chance to sneak into the palace..."

"Eunuch's clothes?"

Mao Xiang's eyes flashed, and he asked, "Do you still remember what that dress looked like?"

Inoue recalled carefully and tried to describe the style and details of the clothes.

After listening to Inoue's description, Mao Xiang's expression became more serious.

He was silent for a moment, then waved his hand, signaling his men to imprison Inoue again.

"Sir, are you just going to let him talk nonsense?"

A Jinyiwei couldn't help but ask.

Mao Xiang glanced at him coldly and snorted:
"How can you and I discuss the affairs of the imperial palace? This matter is of great importance, I will report it to the emperor!"

After saying that, Mao Xiang turned and left, leaving Inoue alone shivering in the dungeon.

……

In the Golden Palace, Mao Xiang reported Inoue's confession word for word to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"How can this be! My palace is not a place where just anyone can come in and out as they please?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and threw the memorial in his hand heavily onto the dragon table.

"Mao Xiang, check for me! We must find out who is behind this!"

"I obey your command!" Mao Xiang took the order and left, but his heart was filled with turbulent waves.

Someone in the palace is colluding with Japanese assassins. This is no small matter. Once it gets out, it will definitely cause a shock in the court and the country!
"Your Majesty, then Inoue..."

"Just kill him!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand.

His tone was full of contempt for Inoue.

The Japanese came with him.

negligible.

There is no difference between flowers and plants that can be killed at will.

……

Within the high walls, the Prince of Lu's Mansion with its carved beams and painted rafters was filled with an irritable atmosphere at this moment.

Zhu Tan was like a tiger trapped in a cage, pacing back and forth in the yard anxiously.

"Damn it, this old man is too stingy! Is he really going to lock me up?"

Zhu Tan muttered angrily and kicked a stone on the side of the road away.

The stone hit the rockery with a crisp "bang" sound, startling a group of birds resting on the tree.

The guards looked at each other, but no one dared to step forward to dissuade them.

Everyone knows that His Royal Highness Prince Lu is famous for his bad temper and is a ruthless character who defeated the Japanese. Who dares to offend him?
"Your Highness, please be quiet for a while! If the Emperor finds out, you will be locked up for a few more days!"

A brave guard advised courageously.

Zhu Tan glanced at him and snorted coldly:
"What's my business? You gotta mind your business." After saying that, he walked straight to the courtyard wall, rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong arms, and actually planned to climb over the wall to get out!

"Your Highness, what are you doing? Please don't do anything stupid!"

The guards suddenly panicked and surrounded him, begging desperately.

Zhu Tancai ignored them, tiptoed and jumped onto the top of the wall.

"Go and invite the princess!"

Upon seeing this, the captain of the guards stamped his feet in anxiety and quickly sent someone to ask for help.

Not long after, a woman in light pink palace dress came hurriedly, with a look of anxiety on her face.

"My Lord, what are you doing? Come down quickly, don't make me worry!"

Princess Lu advised softly, with a hint of helplessness in her voice.

When Zhu Tan saw that it was his beloved wife, his expression eased a little, but he still sat on the wall and sighed:
"My dear, you don't know how important this laboratory is. I have worked so hard to build it up to a certain scale, and I cannot let it fail!"

Princess Lu stepped forward, gently pulled Zhu Tan's sleeve, and said softly:
"Your Majesty, your loyalty is obvious to His Majesty. But there are ways and means to do things. If you act rashly like this, and something goes wrong, what will I do?"

Zhu Tan felt warm in his heart when he heard this. He jumped down from the wall, took Princess Lu into his arms, and said softly:
"My beloved concubine understands me! Don't worry, I will be fine. Father is just angry for a while, he will let me out in a few days."

Princess Lu gently patted Zhu Tan on the back and consoled him softly, as if she was coaxing a grumpy child.

Seeing Zhu Tan's expression eased a little, she gently advised:

"My Lord, it's getting late. Let's go back to the palace."

Zhu Tan nodded, put his arms around Princess Lu's slender waist, and returned to the bedroom under the relieved gazes of the guards.

It was late at night and the Prince Lu's Mansion was silent, with only a few lanterns swaying in the wind, casting mottled shadows.

Zhu Tan sat alone at the stone table in the yard.

In the dim moonlight, I drank one cup after another.

Just then, there was a slight noise suddenly coming from the top of the wall.

Zhu Tan looked up alertly, only to see a dark shadow flash by and land lightly in the yard.

"Who?!"

Zhu Tan shouted in a low voice.

The black shadow approached calmly, and with the help of the moonlight, Zhu Tan could see the face of the person clearly - it was Lan Yu!

"Lan Yu, why is it you? How did you get in?"

Zhu Tan was surprised and happy.

Lan Yu chuckled and dusted himself off:

"There is no place in this world that I, Lan Yu, cannot enter! Your Highness, please stop sighing. I have good news for you!"

Zhu Tan's eyes lit up: "What good news?"

"I have already quietly moved the people in your laboratory for you. They are now waiting for you in a safe place!"

Lan Yu lowered his voice and said this with a bit of pride on his face.

Zhu Tan was overjoyed and grabbed Lan Yu's arm:

"Really? You did a great job! I knew you were the best!"

Lan Yu chuckled: "How dare I neglect what you asked me to do? It's just..."

He paused, lowered his voice and said:

"Your Highness, you must be careful about the laboratory. The Emperor..."

"I know. I know."

Zhu Tan nodded, a gleam in his eyes.

"Come on, take me to see it!"

Zhu Tan said impatiently, pulling Lan Yu up, as if he had already seen those bottles and jars waving to him.

The two men crouched down, walked through the corridor, and came to the back door of the palace.

Lan Yu pushed open an inconspicuous corner door. A carriage was parked outside the door. When the coachman saw them coming out, he immediately jumped out and saluted respectfully.

The carriage bumped along the way, drove out of the city gate, and arrived at a desolate suburb.

Zhu Tan lifted the car curtain and looked at the familiar scene in front of him, feeling mixed emotions.

A few months ago, this place was a bustling scene with all kinds of novel equipment popping up.

Craftsmen came and went, sweating and busying themselves on his "wonderful ideas".

Now, his laboratory has become a few dilapidated tiled houses standing alone in the cold wind, as if telling something silently.

"Your Highness, we have arrived."

Lan Yu's voice interrupted Zhu Tan's thoughts.

Zhu Tan took a deep breath and got off the carriage.

A few ragged craftsmen were sitting around a campfire, chatting in the dim firelight.

Their faces were filled with exhaustion and confusion.

The hands that originally held the tools could now only rub their red, frozen fingertips weakly.

"Your Majesty!"

Someone shouted, and the craftsmen, who had been lifeless, suddenly became agitated.

They all stood up and looked at Zhu Tan in unison, with complex lights flashing in their eyes, including anticipation, excitement, and deep uneasiness.

Zhu Tan's heart tightened and he quickly walked up to them. Looking at their haggard faces, he felt very sad.

"Brothers, thank you for your hard work these days."

"My Lord, I'm so glad you're okay!"

An elderly craftsman said in a trembling voice, tears welling up in his cloudy eyes:

"We thought...we thought..."

"Old Li, stop talking." Another craftsman interrupted him, choking with sobs, "The prince is here to see us!"

"Your Majesty, the laboratory...is the laboratory closed?"

A young craftsman mustered up the courage to ask, with a hint of trembling and unwillingness in his tone.

This question is also the voice of all the craftsmen present.

They regard this place as their home and building those bizarre machines as their lifelong pursuit.

Now I suddenly lost my direction, and my heart was filled with confusion and fear.

Zhu Tan looked at them, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

He really wanted to tell them that the laboratory would reopen and they would continue to study those strange things together as before.

but.

It is a fact that Zhu Gui was injured.

I don’t know how long it will take to get back on track.

"Your Majesty..."

Seeing Zhu Tan remain silent, the craftsmen's hearts gradually sank.

They exchanged glances, and the fire of hope that had originally ignited gradually died out, leaving only endless disappointment and despair.

"Don't worry about us, my lord. We all understand."

Old Li sighed and patted Zhu Tan on the shoulder:

"As for this laboratory..."

He paused, a trace of determination flashed in his cloudy eyes:
"At worst, we old guys can just disband and go back home to farm! Anyway, we have lived enough in this life, and we have seen those strange things, so it is not in vain!" (End of this chapter)