Zhu Yuanzhang: My second son is invincible!

Inside the warm pavilion of Kunning Palace, the underground heating was burning brightly, making it as warm as springtime.

Empress Ma personally brought over ginger soup and said, "Drink it quickly to ward off the cold."

Zhu Li gulped down a large bowl of wine, while Guanyin Nu took small sips.

Zhu Yuanzhang pulled Zhu Li down to sit and asked curiously, "Tell your father, how did you fight?"

Zhu Hui scratched his head: "Well... Uncle Xu said to attack the city, so I went to break down the gate. The gate was too hard, so I used a little more force and broke the mountain."

He spoke casually, but the palace maids and eunuchs serving him were dumbfounded.

Splitting...splitting a mountain?

Zhu Yuanzhang listened with great interest: "Did Yi Seong-gye wet himself in fear?"

"Yes, twice." Zhu Li nodded.

"Hahaha! Serves him right! Let him show off... what about the Goryeo Dynasty's 800-year reign? Bah! 800 years can't withstand a single axe blow from our second brother!"

Zhu Yuanzhang slapped his thigh and laughed loudly.

Zhu Biao sat to the side, listening with a smile, occasionally asking about details, such as, "How is the inventory of the Goryeo national treasury going?"

"Uncle Xu said there are 800,000 taels of gold, 3 million taels of silver, and a lot of jewelry," Zhu Li said.

"That's good, enough to build three dikes along the Yellow River," Zhu Biao nodded.

Guanyin Nu added softly, "There are also some secret letters, indicating that Goryeo, Japan, and the Jurchens are all colluding."

Zhu Biao's eyes turned cold as he looked at his son and said, "Where's the letter?"

"General Xu has accepted it and will likely send it back along with the report," Guanyinnu said.

"Alright, Japan... Ashikaga Yoshimitsu hasn't been behaving himself lately." Zhu Biao picked up his teacup and gently blew on it as he spoke.

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "After the New Year, I'll have my second son deal with him!"

Empress Ma glared at him and said, "It's the New Year, what are you talking about fighting and killing? Let Li'er and Guanyinnu rest first, I'm still waiting to hold my grandson!"

"Yes, yes, let's celebrate the New Year first, and hold our grandchildren first!" Zhu Yuanzhang quickly replied with a smile.

……

A large table was set out for dinner, filled with all of Zhu Li's favorite dishes.

Braised pork knuckle, steamed sea bass, roasted whole lamb...

There's also the authentic braised pork that even Korean chefs haven't mastered.

Empress Ma kept piling food onto Zhu Hui and Guanyin Nu's plates, making their bowls look like small mountains.

"Mother, that's enough, we can't finish it all," Zhu Li said.

"Eat more! You must not have eaten well outside!" Empress Ma picked up another piece of pork rib.

Guanyin Nu ate in small bites, feeling a warm glow in her heart.

During the Northern Yuan Dynasty, although she was a princess, her father died early and her brother Wang Baobao was away fighting battles all year round, leaving the royal palace deserted.

This is the first time our whole family has sat down for a meal like this.

Zhu Biao noticed her expression and said gently, "Sister-in-law, this is your home from now on. If there's anything you're not used to, just say so."

"Thank you, elder brother," Guanyin Nu said softly.

"By the way, your brother..." Zhu Biao paused.

Guanyin Nu tightened her grip.

Zhu Biao smiled and said, "Wang Baobao is currently holding a sinecure in the Ministry of War. He spends his days reading and practicing calligraphy and is quite well-behaved. You can go and see him tomorrow."

Guanyin Nu's eyes lit up and she said, "Really?"

"When has your older brother ever lied to you?" Zhu Biao said.

Guanyin Nu stood up, bowed solemnly, and said, "Thank you, elder brother."

"Sit down, we're family, don't be shy." Zhu Biao waved his hand.

Watching this scene, Zhu Yuanzhang whispered to Empress Ma, "Biao'er is very thorough in his work."

Empress Ma nodded, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

……

After finishing his meal, Zhu Biao said he had official business to attend to and returned to the East Palace first.

Zhu Yuanzhang played chess with Zhu Li. He taught Zhu Li for half a month. Zhu Li learned very slowly, but he was very strong. Every time he placed a piece, it made a "snap" sound, which could make the chessboard jump.

"Be gentle! This is Yunzi, it's very expensive!" Zhu Yuanzhang said with heartache.

"Oh." Zhu Li eased up when placing the piece next time, but still managed to press it into the board and embed it.

Zhu Yuanzhang: "..."

Guanyin Nu covered her mouth and laughed from the side.

After playing three games, Zhu Yuanzhang lost all three. It wasn't that Zhu Yuanzhang was a better chess player; it was that he kept getting distracted, staring at his son and becoming more and more satisfied with him.

"Alright, that's enough. You all should get some rest. You have to go to the grand court assembly tomorrow. Your father wants all the civil and military officials to see how our Ming Dynasty's Prince Wu has defeated Goguryeo with a single axe blow!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, patted Zhu Hui on the shoulder, and said...

"Oh." Zhu Li nodded. Actually, he didn't want to go, but his father said so, so he had to go.

Empress Ma whispered to Guanyin Nu, mainly asking if she had suffered any injustices or been bullied in Goryeo.

Guanyin Nu said no, and added that General Xu took good care of her and the soldiers respected her.

"That's good, that's good. After the New Year, I'll take you to visit different mansions and get to know people. You're the Princess Consort of Wu now, so you need to socialize."

Empress Ma patted her hand and said.

"Yes." Guanyinnu nodded.

……

When they returned to the Wu King's Palace, it was already 9 PM.

Everything in the mansion was as before. The two maids, Qingmei and Qingzhu, had already prepared hot water and clean clothes.

Guanyin Nu soaked in the bathtub and sighed comfortably.

During the past six months in Goryeo, although Zhu Li never made her suffer any grievances, it was still a military camp after all, and bathing was just a simple wipe-down.

Now, back home, soaking in hot water, I finally feel truly relaxed.

Zhu Hui took a shower in the next room. He showered quickly, finished in no time, changed into his nightgown, and sat on the edge of the bed waiting for Guanyin Nu.

When Guanyin Nu came out with her wet hair, he picked up a dry cloth and clumsily helped her dry her hair.

"My lord, I can do it myself," Guanyin Nu said.

"It's alright, I'm strong, I can wipe it fast." Zhu Li wiped it carefully, almost pressing Guanyin Nu's head into his arms.

Guanyin Nu was both amused and exasperated, but secretly felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

After drying their hair, the two lay down.

The bed was the familiar bed, the quilt was the familiar quilt, and even the incense was a calming fragrance specially prepared by Empress Ma.

"Home is still the best," Zhu Li said.

"Mmm." Guanyin Nu leaned on his shoulder.

After a moment of silence, Zhu Li suddenly said, "Wife, my elder brother said today that we might fight the Japanese after the New Year."

Guanyin Nu stiffened and said, "So fast?"

"Father said that Japan has silver mountains, lots of silver. If we conquer it, we can use it to build roads for the people and schools for the children. But my elder brother said that Japan is harder to conquer than Korea. It's separated by a sea, and there are... lots of monsters."

Zhu Li paused for a moment before speaking.

"monster?"

"Yes, that's what the Korean Grand Preceptor said. He said that Japan has eight million gods, but actually it's eight million demons. I don't understand. Demons are demons, so what? It's just a matter of an axe."

Zhu Lu scratched his head and said.

Guanyin Nu was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Husband, if... if we go to fight the Japanese, I still want to go with you."

"It's too dangerous," Zhu Li shook her head.

"Isn't it dangerous in Korea? Didn't you protect her very well? Women on the grasslands can't always hide in tents," Guanyinnu said, looking up at him.

Zhu Li looked into her eyes, those eyes like those of a prairie wolf, glistening in the candlelight.

He recalled an incident in Goryeo where he was ambushed by Goryeo remnants. Instead of dodging, Guanyinnu grabbed a bow and arrow and shot down three enemies.

Xu Da later told him, "Your Highness, the Princess is not a flower that needs protection; she is an eagle that can fight alongside you."

"Well... I'll have to ask my older brother," Zhu Li said.

"Hmm." Guanyinnu smiled; she knew that Zhu Li's words meant he agreed.

The sound of a night watchman's drum came from outside the window.

"The weather is dry, be careful with fire..."

The night watchman's voice faded into the distance.

The winter nights in Yingtian Prefecture are quiet and warm.

Zhu Li yawned and closed his eyes.

Guanyin Nu looked at his innocent sleeping face, gently reached out, and touched the axe and shield tattoo on his left arm.

The tattoo is dormant, but one can vaguely sense the terrifying power it contains.

This man can split a mountain in two with a single axe stroke.

But when it sleeps, it drools like a child.

She smiled, blew out the candle, and snuggled into his arms.

There's a grand court assembly tomorrow, I'm going to visit my brother Wang Baobao the day after, and I might have to go to the palace to learn etiquette the day after that... There's still a long way to go.

But as long as this person is by my side, anywhere is home.

With that thought in mind, she drifted off to sleep.