Zhu Yuanzhang: My second son is invincible!

Three days after Zhu Shuang was escorted back to the capital by the Embroidered Uniform Guard overnight.

The accounts of Xi'an Prefecture have been almost cleared up. Zhu Biao sat in the study of the Prince of Qin's mansion, looking at the thick stacks of documents on the table, and rubbed his temples.

Light snow is falling outside the window; this is the first snowfall in Xi'an this year.

"Big brother, are you done yet?" Zhu Li poked his head in, holding a steaming hot roujiamo (Chinese hamburger).

Zhu Biao looked up at him and smiled, "It's almost ready. What, are you getting impatient?"

"You said you'd take me to eat mutton stew with bread," Zhu Li reminded her earnestly.

Zhu Biao chuckled, put down his pen, and said, "Alright, I'll go right now. Thank you for your hard work these past few days, Second Brother."

Actually, Zhu Li didn't have much hard work. He didn't understand how to check accounts, so he just sat on the sidelines like a doorman.

But when he was around, the officials in Xi'an would tremble with fear and become extremely efficient.

The two brothers changed into civilian clothes and left the Prince of Qin's residence with only four Imperial Guards as escorts.

The snow wasn't heavy; there was only a thin layer on the ground, and the streets were wet.

There are many mutton soup restaurants in Xi'an. Zhu Biao chose an old brand. The storefront was small, but the business was very good. Steam was rising from the door, mixed with the aroma of mutton soup.

As soon as Zhu Li entered, she took a deep breath and exclaimed, "It smells delicious!"

The innkeeper, an elderly man in his fifties, noticed the distinguished attire and bearing of Zhu Biao and his entourage and hurriedly greeted them, saying, "Gentlemen, please come in. We have private rooms!"

"No need, I'll sit outside." Zhu Biao chose a seat by the window.

The four Imperial Guards sat at two separate tables, their hands always on their waists, where embroidered spring knives were concealed.

Zhu Li sat down and stared longingly toward the kitchen.

Zhu Biao said to the innkeeper, "Four bowls of paomo, extra meat, and two plates of pickled garlic."

"Alright!" the shopkeeper shouted to the kitchen.

While waiting for the paomo (pita bread soaked in mutton soup), Zhu Li looked out the window at the street scene.

Xi'an in the snow has a unique charm. Pedestrians walk briskly with their necks hunched, charcoal carts creak and groan as they roll through the snow, and several children have a snowball fight on a street corner.

"Brother, Xi'an is great," Zhu Li suddenly said.

"Hmm?" Zhu Biao was rinsing the bowls and chopsticks with hot water.

"It's lively and the food is delicious, but... why does Third Brother still bully people..." Zhu Hui said, scratching his head.

Zhu Biao paused for a moment, then said softly, "Human desires are insatiable. Once you have something good, you want something better; once you have something better, you want something even better."

Zhu Li seemed to understand, but not quite.

Then the paomo (pita bread soaked in mutton soup) arrived.

A large bowl filled with milky white mutton soup, with small pieces of bread soaking in it, topped with a thick layer of mutton slices, and sprinkled with scallions and cilantro.

Zhu Hui's eyes lit up, and she picked up her chopsticks and started eating.

It burned him so badly he grimaced, but he couldn't bear to spit it out, so he kept blowing on it.

Zhu Biao found it amusing and picked up the meat from his bowl, saying to him, "Slow down, no one's going to take it."

The four Imperial Guards also lowered their heads to eat, but their eyes remained alert as they scanned their surroundings.

Zhu Li ate two large bowls of food, then added a steamed bun before patting his stomach contentedly and saying, "I'm full."

Zhu Biao ate only half a bowl, then put down his chopsticks and said, "Shopkeeper, the bill is due."

The shopkeeper trotted over, rubbing his hands together, and said, "Sir, that'll be forty coins in total."

Zhu Biao gestured for the Imperial Guards to pay, then asked, "Shopkeeper, is business always this good?"

"Thanks to Lord Hongwu, things have been peaceful these past few years, and business has been alright. It's just that recently... well, let's not talk about it." The shopkeeper said with a smile.

"What happened the other day?" Zhu Biao asked gently.

The innkeeper hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Sir, you're from out of town, aren't you? A while ago, the Prince of Qin… well, anyway, it's all over now. His Highness the Crown Prince dealt with the Prince of Qin, and all the occupied land has to be returned. I heard His Highness the Crown Prince is in Xi'an!"

His eyes shone as he said this.

Zhu Biao smiled: "Then what does the shopkeeper think of the Crown Prince?"

"Of course! Justice! My nephew's family lived on that land that was occupied. They almost had no way to survive. Now, the land has been returned, and His Highness the Crown Prince is even making the Prince of Qin pay compensation..."

The shopkeeper gave a thumbs-up and said.

He suddenly stopped talking and looked carefully at Zhu Biao: "Sir, I've been too talkative, you..."

"It's alright, you spoke very well." Zhu Biao stood up and nodded to the Imperial Guard.

The Imperial Guards paid an extra coin.

The shopkeeper thanked him repeatedly.

When we left the restaurant, it was still snowing, but the snow had lessened.

Zhu Biao said, "Second brother, come with me somewhere."

"Where to?"

"Look at those ordinary people."

……

The carriage left the city and traveled ten miles south, arriving at a village.

This is the land that Zhu Shuang forcibly seized. It was originally fertile farmland, but now it has been dug up and is full of pits. Half of it has been used to build the prototype of a racecourse, while the other half is left barren.

In the snow, dozens of people are leveling the land under the organization of the government, preparing to start farming again in the spring.

Upon seeing the carriage arrive, a man who looked like a village headman jogged over.

Zhu Biao alighted from the carriage, and the village head recognized him, kneeling down with a thud and saying, "Your Highness!"

The surrounding people also knelt down.

Zhu Biao helped the village head up and said, "Please get up, old man. Everyone, I just came to check on you."

The village head, tears streaming down his face, said, "Your Highness, this humble subject...this humble subject thanks Your Highness for your great kindness on behalf of the entire village!"

"It's the imperial court that owes you this." Zhu Biao looked at the people, each one of them emaciated and pale, but with hope in their eyes.

He turned to the Imperial Guards and said, "Go tell the Prefect of Xi'an that before spring, each person here should receive three catties of grain per day until the land is planted."

"yes!"

The people were about to kneel in gratitude again, but Zhu Biao stopped them.

Zhu Hui stood beside his elder brother, looking at the people, and suddenly said, "Brother, they are laughing so happily."

"Having food to eat and land to cultivate makes me happy," Zhu Biao said softly.

Snow fell on his shoulders, leaving a thin layer of white on his blue robe.

Zhu Li reached out and swatted it away for him.

At this moment, the village head cautiously asked, "Your Highness, who is this...?"

"My second brother is the King of Wu," Zhu Biao said.

The people were both surprised and delighted, and they all bowed in respect.

Zhu Hui waved his hand sheepishly and said, "No need, no need, you guys go about your business."

A little girl, about four or five years old, ran over, holding a handful of roasted beans, and timidly offered them to Zhu Yuan: "Your Highness...eat..."

The beans were dark and slightly burnt, but the little girl's hands were very clean.

Zhu Hui took it, popped one into her mouth, and grinned, "Sweet!"

The little girl smiled, revealing her missing front tooth.

……

On the carriage back to the city, Zhu Biao remained silent.

Zhu Hui, chewing on beans, suddenly asked, "Brother, why are you unhappy?"

Zhu Biao snapped out of his reverie and smiled. "I'm not upset, I was just thinking... In such a vast country as the Ming Dynasty, how many other things like my third brother's have happened?"

"If it exists, then we should take care of it!" Zhu Li said simply.

Zhu Biao looked at him and smiled: "Yes, if there is, then we should take care of it."

The carriage returned to Xi'an in the evening.

The snow stopped, and the setting sun peeked through the clouds, turning the snow-covered ground golden.

Zhu Biao asked, "Second brother, what would you like to eat tonight?"

"I still want to eat roujiamo (Chinese hamburger)," Zhu Li said honestly.

"Okay, let's go to another one."

The carriage stopped in front of a more bustling restaurant that not only sold paomo (pita bread soaked in mutton soup) and roujiamo (meat sandwich), but also various Northwest Chinese dishes.

As soon as she entered the room, Zhu Li's nose twitched.

The tattoo on his left arm was slightly warm.

It wasn't burning, but rather a subtle, throbbing sensation, like a pulse beating.

"Big brother..." he said in a low voice.

Zhu Biao also sensed something; his smile remained unchanged, but his eyes sharpened.

Four imperial guards, their hands on the hilts of their swords, silently protected the two brothers in the middle.

The restaurant was crowded and very noisy.

The shouts of the waiters, the sounds of customers playing drinking games, and the clatter of cooking in the kitchen blended together.

Zhu Biao chose a table against the wall, a spot that offered both safety and a good view.

After ordering, while waiting for the food, Zhu Li's eyes scanned the entire room.

He still looks simple and honest, but there's a light in the depths of his eyes.

The legacy of Xing Tian not only gave him power, but also a beast-like intuition—an instinct for malice, murderous intent, and danger.

Tattoos on the left arm are becoming increasingly popular.

"Eight," Zhu Li suddenly whispered.

Zhu Biao was drinking tea when he heard this, his fingers paused slightly, and he asked, "Where?"

"There are two vendors selling candied hawthorns at the entrance, a couple at the third table on the left, someone doing the accounting behind the counter, someone chopping wood in the backyard, and... upstairs in a private room, with a window slightly ajar," Zhu Li said after a pause.

Zhu Biao put down his teacup and said with a smile, "Second brother, your nose is sharper than a dog's."

"Dogs aren't as clever as me," Zhu Li corrected earnestly.

The four Imperial Guards were on high alert. They didn't notice anything unusual, but they trusted the two princes' judgment.

The dishes arrived: roasted lamb chops, hand-pulled lamb, cold noodles, and minced meat noodles.

Zhu Li was really hungry, so he picked up a lamb chop and started gnawing on it.

Zhu Biao slowly and methodically broke the steamed bun into even small pieces.

The noise in the restaurant had subsided somewhat.

The two people selling candied hawthorns at the entrance slowly moved inside.

The couple at the third table from the left reached their hands under the table.

The shopkeeper behind the counter lowered his head to calculate on his abacus, but the beads remained untouched for a long time.

The sound of a machete chopping wood came from the backyard, one stroke after another, very rhythmic.

After breaking off the last piece of bread, Zhu Biao put his hand down and said softly, "Second brother, take care of yourself."

The words had barely left his mouth...

The two men at the door suddenly threw away the straw targets, scattering candied hawthorns all over the ground, revealing the short crossbows hidden inside!

Whoosh...

Two crossbow bolts struck Zhu Biao directly in the back of the head!

Almost simultaneously, the couple pulled out longswords from under the table, the shopkeeper pulled out two swords from behind the counter, and three burly men wielding axes rushed into the backyard!

The window of the upstairs private room shattered with a bang, and a dark figure swooped down from mid-air, the long sword in his hand gleaming coldly.

Eight assassins launched their attack simultaneously from eight directions.

Their teamwork was incredibly seamless, clearly indicating they had rehearsed countless times.

Their target was Zhu Biao, the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty.

The four Imperial Guards reacted swiftly, drawing their swords to parry.

"Clang, clang..."

The crossbow bolts were knocked away, but there were too many assassins!