Parallel Ming Dynasty: The more he compared, the more devastated Zhu Yuanzhang became.

Zhu Yunwen pressed his forehead tightly against the cold ground, his voice trembling uncontrollably, and said in a trembling voice, "Grandfather, your rebellious grandson is young and ignorant and has committed a grave mistake. I beg Your Majesty to have mercy and atone for my sins."

"Hmph! You do know you're young and ignorant!"

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, his brows furrowed with deep anger. "At such a young age, you've already learned to lie and deceive. You're not only deceiving your father, but also yourself."

Who do you think you're studying for? For this old man?!

snort!

It's for your own future!

"If you don't have real ability, even if I pass the throne to you, can you protect the vast empire that the Zhu family conquered?"

"A mediocre and incompetent person, even if he were to sit in my position by chance, would never be able to hold it for long! The same way I fought my way to conquer this land will be taken away by someone else in the same way!"

If we were to truly lose the Zhu family's empire, how could you face your ancestors in the afterlife? How could you face your deceased father?!

Cough cough—

After Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking, he suddenly felt a tightness in his chest and couldn't help but cough twice. He quickly took out a handkerchief to cover his mouth, afraid of losing his imperial dignity in front of his children and grandchildren. Then, a fleeting look of panic flashed across his face as he quickly put the handkerchief into his sleeve.

However, Zhu Duo, standing to the side, with his extraordinary keen observation, clearly noticed a faint, glaring bloodstain on the corner of the handkerchief that Zhu Yuanzhang had hastily put away.

This founding emperor, who single-handedly established the Ming Dynasty, seems to be nearing the end of his days...

"Your Majesty, please take good care of your health."

Zhu Duo stopped standing silently to the side and quickly stepped forward, speaking with sincere concern, after all, in terms of status, he was also Zhu Yuanzhang's grandson.

Zhu Yuanzhang simply waved his hand casually to indicate that he was fine, and his attitude towards Zhu Duo was significantly more lenient than his attitude towards Zhu Yunwen.

Just then, Liu Bowen, dragging his frail body like a candle flickering in the wind, slowly stepped into the hall. Upon seeing this, Zhu Duo immediately rushed forward and carefully helped the elderly man.

Although the old man was over seventy years old and his hair and beard were all white, his eyes were still bright and his spirit was still vigorous.

"You've arrived."

Upon seeing Liu Bowen enter, Zhu Yuanzhang's previously tense emotions noticeably calmed down.

Although the two served in the same court and were both in Yingtian City, they had not seen each other for more than a decade. It was as if they were two old friends who had quarreled and had been holding their breath for more than ten years, until today, when they finally had a suitable reason to meet.

"Your Majesty still cares about this old minister."

Liu Bowen replied calmly.

Zhu Yuanzhang softened his tone and said calmly, "We have known each other for many years, so there's no need for such formalities."

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."

"You probably already guessed why I called you here today, right?"

Liu Bowen nodded slowly and said in a deep voice, "It's for His Highness Prince Zhu Duo."

Just now, Liu Bowen suddenly realized that an unprecedented and strange scene had appeared in his mind. He was a little flustered and at a loss, so he quickly got up and rushed to the palace. On the way, he met the eunuch who came to deliver the imperial decree to invite him.

After a moment of silence in the hall, Zhu Yuanzhang lowered his eyes and slowly said, "Zhu Duo was cultivated by you. No wonder he is so outstanding. He will surely become the second Liu Bowen of our Great Ming Dynasty in the future."

I, a warrior who has fought all my life, have ultimately been defeated by you, a scholar.

Zhu Yuanzhang's tone carried a hint of indescribable regret and emotion.

However, Liu Bowen gently shook his head and replied earnestly, "Your Majesty, it is not that this old minister has won, nor that Your Majesty has lost."

"Um?"

"His Highness Zhu Duo's achievements today are by no means due to the guidance of this old minister. This old minister would never dare to claim credit for it. His Highness Zhu Duo's outstanding abilities are entirely due to his innate talent and character."

He could read and write at the age of three, and write essays at the age of four. By the age of five, he had mastered the Four Books, Five Classics, and Six Principles of Literature. Moreover, he was meticulous and thoughtful, far surpassing his peers.

Although I am nominally His Highness Zhu Duo's teacher, we are actually more like friends despite the age difference, treating each other as equals. Sometimes, I even consult His Highness Zhu Duo on unique insights into the words of the sages.

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, all the princes in the hall showed expressions of disbelief and shock.

Even Liu Bowen, renowned throughout the land and hailed as a reincarnation of Zhuge Liang, had to seek knowledge from this young upstart Zhu Duo? If such a thing were to spread, scholars and students all over the world would be so astonished that their jaws would drop to the ground.

Liu Bowen's achievements throughout his life are countless and have been recorded in history.

He once wrote to His Majesty, outlining eighteen strategies for addressing current affairs in detail. Every word was precious and to the point, demonstrating his close friendship with His Majesty.

He was deeply involved in planning the suppression of the two major separatist forces of Zhang Shicheng and Chen Youliang, as well as a series of major military decisions such as the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains and the expulsion of the Yuan invaders.

He once served as the Grand Astrologer, presiding over the revision and presentation of the "Wushen Datong Calendar," which established a unified calendar for the Ming Dynasty.

He repeatedly petitioned His Majesty to enact laws and regulations to strictly enforce the law and stop the indiscriminate killing of innocent people.

He also petitioned for the establishment of a military guard law to improve the military system of the Ming Dynasty, and repeatedly submitted memorials requesting the rectification of the court and the enforcement of strict discipline.

……

He assisted His Majesty in pacifying the world, and his strategies were so ingenious that no one could fathom them.

There is even a saying that is widely circulated among the people: "Zhuge Liang divided the world into three, Liu Bowen unified the country; Zhuge Liang was the strategist of the previous dynasty, Liu Bowen was the strategist of the later dynasty," comparing him to Zhuge Liang, the Marquis of Wu during the Three Kingdoms period.

Although he could not be considered to have achieved great merit over the emperor, he won the respect and support of all the scholars in the land. It was precisely because he was too outstanding and his brilliance too dazzling that he was gradually alienated and neglected by the emperor.

Now, in front of all the princes and before the throne of the current emperor, Liu Bowen disregarded his status and dignity and bluntly said that Zhu Duo, a young man who was only in his early twenties, was more capable than himself.

If this wasn't Liu Bowen deliberately praising Zhu Duo, then Zhu Duo's talent and ability were truly terrifying!

A strange light flashed quickly in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes.

One of the biggest differences between him and Liu Bowen was his insistence on enfeoffing princes and allowing the descendants of the Zhu family to govern various regions and jointly protect the Ming Dynasty. Liu Bowen, on the other hand, always maintained that the country should be governed by virtuous and capable scholars to ensure a clean and efficient government.

Therefore, when he personally witnessed Zhu Duo's profound and unique insights into the Analects at such a young age, he admitted to Liu Bowen that he had lost in this matter.

But to his utter surprise, Liu Bowen said that Zhu Duo's achievements were not due to his teaching, but rather to Zhu Duo's innate talent. Didn't this mean that a once-in-a-century genius had been born into the Zhu family bloodline?

Doesn't that just prove that his idea of ​​relying on the Zhu family bloodline to govern the Ming Dynasty was the truly correct direction?

Thinking of this, when Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Duo again, his eyes showed a hint of undisguised joy and satisfaction.

Even if Zhu Duo was not a ruler capable of governing the country, he was certainly a literary genius capable of leading all the scholars in the world.

If Zhu Duo could wholeheartedly assist Zhu Yunwen in the future, wouldn't their Ming Dynasty become even more prosperous? If this could continue, why worry about it not lasting for a thousand years and ten thousand generations?

Zhu Yuanzhang beckoned Zhu Duo to come to him, his eyes filled with deep affection. "Child, why do you never strive? If you were willing to strive even a little, I, as your grandfather, would have noticed you, my good grandson, long ago."

As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang uttered these words, everyone present changed their expressions instantly, and the atmosphere in the hall became tense.

Zhu Yunwen, in particular, felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on his chest. His breath caught in his throat, his vision went black, and he almost fainted on the spot.

Could it be that his grandfather, the Emperor, actually favored Zhu Duo and wanted to change the imperial edict at this critical juncture, making Zhu Duo the Crown Prince instead?

Zhu Yunwen felt dizzy and disoriented, praying that none of this was real and that Zhu Yuanzhang would not suddenly change his mind at this moment.

Several years ago, when Zhu Yuanzhang officially announced to the world that he had made him the crown prince, he had already taken it for granted that he would become the emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the future. Even from that time on, he had already been secretly cultivating his own trusted forces.

If Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly changed his mind at this point and passed the throne to Zhu Duo, then all his efforts over the years would have been in vain, and it would have been better to let him die on the spot.

However, to everyone's surprise, Zhu Duo did not show the slightest gratitude in the face of Zhu Yuanzhang's obvious favoritism and care. He remained indifferent and calm, giving people the impression of being nonchalant and uncaring.

In an instant, Zhu Yunwen felt an overwhelming surge of joy.

This Zhu Duo, although he was her half-brother, was completely oblivious to social cues and was practically a blockhead.

If Zhu Duo had smiled and said a few nice things to Zhu Yuanzhang at this time, wouldn't the probability of Zhu Duo seizing the throne from him have greatly increased?

Zhu Yunwen's heart pounded, and he was filled with excitement.

He secretly rejoiced at Zhu Duo's tactless reaction.

Little did he know that Zhu Duo had no need to curry favor with Zhu Yuanzhang, much less to trick Zhu Yuanzhang into handing over the throne.

Zhu Duo has his own confidence and resources!

If it weren't for this cunning system, he probably would have already rebelled and seized the throne from Zhu Yuanzhang.

Of course, while doing so may seem somewhat illegitimate and morally questionable, history has always been written by the victors, and who cares about such things?

But Zhu Duo himself didn't know that his indifference to fame and fortune and his lack of competitiveness made Zhu Yuanzhang even more satisfied and appreciative.

If Zhu Duo were to act sycophantically and fawn over Zhu Yuanzhang at this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang would be greatly disappointed in him!

The princes around him looked at each other, bewildered and at a loss for what to do.

Everyone originally thought that today's succession ceremony would go smoothly and naturally, but unexpected things happened one after another.

Moreover, it now seems that even whether their father will eventually pass the throne to Zhu Yunwen has become less certain.

Inside the grand hall of the primitive world.

Prince Yan, Zhu Di, couldn't help but exclaim, "This Zhu Duo is simply too astonishing! He's only ten years old, yet he's already able to sit on equal footing with Mr. Liu Ji, discussing philosophy and exchanging ideas."

If Zhu Duo had continued growing to this age, what an amazing person he would be!

Prince Zhu of Jin nodded in deep agreement, "Indeed, if Zhu Duo were from our world, he would definitely be a pillar of the nation, capable of shouldering great responsibilities."

Although my father has abolished the position of prime minister, in my opinion, his talent is absolutely sufficient to shoulder the heavy responsibility of prime minister.

However, judging from the meaning of this video, it seems that in another world, there is not only a Zhu Duo, but also a nephew named Yunwen.

Therefore, the events depicted here are not actually things that happened to our Yunwen.

Upon hearing this, the princes all turned their gazes to Zhu Yunwen, who was standing to the side, their eyes questioning, as if they wanted to know if Zhu Yunwen was as mischievous as he was in the video when he was young.

Zhu Yunwen blushed and nodded somewhat embarrassedly.

The princes exchanged smiles upon seeing this, all expressing their understanding, after all, it was just children's nature.

Zhu Yunwen secretly glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang, who was resting with his eyes closed, and secretly rejoiced.

Fortunately, the exceptionally talented Zhu Duo was not from the same world as him; otherwise, the one standing in the position of Crown Prince would definitely be Zhu Duo, not him, Zhu Yunwen.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yunwen couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

However, at that moment, Zhu Yuanzhang's icy voice suddenly rang out, instantly making Zhu Yunwen's hair stand on end, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Aren't you secretly relieved that there isn't a Zhu Duo in this world to compete with you for the throne?

Do you think that the throne is already yours, and you've secured your position?

Do you really think that I'm about to die, and I have no other choice but to pass the throne to you?

Zhu Yuanzhang kept his eyes closed and his expression remained calm, but his princes, who had been with him for decades, knew very well that this was a sign that their father was about to unleash his fury.

If Zhu Yuanzhang appeared furious, he would at most scold or beat them a few times, and the matter would quickly pass. But when he remained calm and silent, it meant he was truly displeased and dissatisfied, and a violent outburst was likely to follow.

Zhu Yunwen was terrified and immediately knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly with his forehead hitting the cold ground with a loud thud. "I dare not! I dare not! I have absolutely no intention of disobeying! Compared to this Zhu Duo, I feel utterly ashamed; I am truly unworthy to be a descendant of the Zhu family."

【Humph! 】

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, slowly opening his eyes. His gaze was sharp as a knife. [Remember this: don't assume everything will go smoothly and as you wish. In many situations, no matter what you do, you must tread carefully, remain vigilant at all times, and be prepared for unforeseen circumstances!]

Only in this way, even if something unexpected happens in the future, will you at least not panic and will have a way to deal with it.

Zhu Yunwen quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your teachings and guidance, Your Majesty. I will remember these words forever."

Seeing that Zhu Yunwen's forehead was bleeding from kowtowing, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly spoke, his voice low and somber, "Get up."

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Zhu Yunwen stood up in fear and trepidation. Blood was slowly sliding down his forehead and onto his cheeks, but he didn't even dare to raise his hand to wipe it away.

Only when Zhu Yuanzhang instructed a palace attendant to hand over a clean towel did Zhu Yunwen dare to take it and carefully wipe the bloodstains from his face.

Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; this saying is absolutely true...

At this moment, Zhu Yunwen's determination to ascend the throne became even stronger, and he secretly vowed that no one would be allowed to shake his throne no matter what.

The only saving grace was that in his world, there was no formidable enemy like Zhu Duo. Thinking this, Zhu Yunwen suddenly felt a pang of sympathy for the Zhu Yunwen in another world who had Zhu Duo as his rival, a feeling of shared misfortune.