Ming Dynasty: Charge, Emperor Yongle!

As dusk fell, the sky was ablaze with the golden light of the setting sun.

Outside the Changle Gate of Xi'an, a young man wearing a jade crown, a dark blue round-necked robe with wide sleeves, and a leather belt kept standing on tiptoe to look into the distance.

"Giddy up! Giddy up! Giddy up!"

A line of galloping figures appeared on the horizon, kicking up billowing dust, and the people passing by were so frightened that they quickly took cover.

"Whoa!!!"

Zhu Di appeared first in Li Jinglong's sight and greeted him: "Jiujiang."

"Your Highness, Prince Yan."

Upon seeing the newcomer, Li Jinglong was overjoyed and quickly went to greet him.

"Clatter!"

Zhu Di nimbly dismounted and punched Li Jinglong lightly on the right shoulder.

The two couldn't help but smile at each other, and the awkwardness of their long-awaited reunion completely disappeared at that moment.

Li Jinglong, 16, and Zhu Di, 13, grew up together and could be considered half-brothers.

"Why did my cousin send you to pick me up?"

"He should have already responded to Tianfu."

Zhu Di asked with some doubt.

"My father."

"They returned home in triumph last month."

"A military order sent me all the way to Xi'an to wait."

"You have no idea, I've been waiting for you here for over a month, until the flowers have all withered."

"Do you think all these fathers treat their sons like enemies?"

"My dad is like that, your dad..."

As Li Jinglong was speaking, he suddenly realized something was wrong and quickly covered his mouth.

"My dad?"

"What's wrong with him?"

Zhu Di frowned and looked at Li Jinglong with suspicion. Could it be that Zhu Yuanzhang had arranged another youngest son for him?

"Let's talk about this when we get back to the inn."

Li Jinglong gave him a look.

"it is good."

Knowing that there were many people and suspicious eyes at the city gate, Zhu Di did not ask any further questions and followed Li Jinglong to the inn in the city to stay.

A moment later, in the upper room of the inn, the two sat facing each other.

Jiujiang.

"What can't we, brothers, say to each other?"

"The entire inn is now guarded by my men, so speak frankly if you have any questions."

"Okay, I told you, but you're not allowed to get angry."

Li Jinglong observed Zhu Di's expression and said, "News has come from the capital that Hu Weiyong, the Left Vice Minister of the Secretariat, has requested merit for Zhu Liangzu, the Marquis of Yongjia, and His Majesty has issued an edict to recall the Marquis of Yongjia."

"Good! Good! Good!"

Zhu Di repeatedly praised him, his eyes flashing with an even more chilling light.

Zhu Liangzu was exiled to Guangdong for less than a year, and now he's being transferred back to Yingtian Prefecture. What about all those things that happened before?

"If you ask me, what merits did Zhu Liangzu have?"

"Who doesn't know that he colluded with local gentry in Guangdong, bullied and monopolized the market, and preyed on the people?"

"It's just building a city, why make such a big fuss?"

Li Jinglong defended Zhu Di and spoke ill of Zhu Liangzu.

Zhu Liangzu has already made a move to commit suicide!

Zhu Di's murderous intent surged; the mere fact that Zhu Liangzu had falsely accused him before the emperor was enough to warrant a death sentence.

He is not a saint; he has no heart to forgive his enemies. If he doesn't kill the snake, it will surely turn on him.

However, Zhu Liangzu was backed by powerful figures from Huaixi, Li Shanchang had gone to Fengyang to oversee the construction of Zhongdu, Hu Weiyong held sway in the court, and generals of the western route army, such as Duke Feng Sheng of Song and Marquis Fu Youde of Yingchuan, had been reprimanded by Zhu Yuanzhang for the Hexi affair, leaving them with nowhere to vent their anger.

Zhu Yuanzhang's transfer of Zhu Liangzu to Yingtian Prefecture was like giving Zhu Di an entire "Avengers" team – brilliant!

"Your Highness, Prince Yan."

Li Jinglong watched as Zhu Di's expression constantly changed, shifting between light and dark, and felt a growing sense of fear.

Jiujiang.

Who knew you came to pick me up?

"what?"

Slightly taken aback, Li Jinglong said, completely bewildered, "Besides my father, only His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince should know."

"As you know, I'm just a lowly commander, a fourth-rank military officer. Who cares?"

"That's good."

Zhu Di nodded, his gaze growing even more profound.

"No, Your Highness, what are you going to do?"

The more Li Jinglong listened, the more panicked he became.

Li Wenzhong had always taught him not to get involved in court infighting, but looking at Prince Yan Zhu Di's current demeanor, it seemed as if he was about to provoke trouble. If his father found out, he would surely break his legs.

"We will not respond to Tianfu for now."

"If we don't respond to the call of Heaven, then where do we go?"

Li Jinglong was stunned.

"Go to Kaifeng."

Zhu Di uttered a place name.

Kaifeng?

Li Jinglong was even more confused, completely unable to understand his actions.

"Kuo Kuo's eldest daughter, Boyalun Haibie, was born in Kaifeng."

"Wang Baobao has already betrothed her to me as a concubine. I am passing through Henan to visit my wife's hometown."

"What's wrong?"

Zhu Di looked completely justified.

No, you're not that kind of person.

Why exactly did you go to Kaifeng?

Li Jinglong didn't believe Zhu Di's nonsense at all. How could someone who never even goes to his own hometown go to see his wife's hometown?

Jiujiang.

Zhu Di patted him on the shoulder and asked with a playful tone, "What kind of place is Kaifeng?"

"Both the Song and Jin dynasties established their capitals there."

In the 25th year of the Zhiyuan era (1288), the Yuan Dynasty changed Nanjing Road to Bianliang Road, which became the provincial capital of Henan Jiangbei Province.

"In the first year of Hongwu (1368 AD), my father changed Bianliang Road to Kaifeng Prefecture, merged Kaifeng County into Xiangfu County, and set it as the seat of Henan Province."

"Such a bustling place, don't you think we should go and have a look around?"

"If we don't go, wouldn't it be a wasted trip?"

"That's right, wait, what did you just say?"

Li Jinglong belatedly realized what was happening and stared wide-eyed at Zhu Di: "You mean Wang Baobao betrothed his eldest daughter to you as a concubine?"

"Is that Princess Fuli of the Northern Yuan? Boyalun Haibie?"

"yes."

Zhu Di nodded as a matter of course.

"Snapped!"

Li Jinglong slapped his thigh, stared at Zhu Di, and gritted his teeth, saying, "You really deserve to die."

'???'

Seeing Li Jinglong's furious expression, Zhu Di had a bold idea: 'No way, could Haibie be Li Jinglong's unrequited love? That's too melodramatic!'

"Forget it, forget it!"

"There are plenty of fish in the sea, why be hung up on just one?"

"I'll give it to you."

Li Jinglong's sadness lasted no more than three seconds before he blurted out a sentence.

"Pfft!"

Zhu Di almost spat out his saliva; this guy was also a poet.

"However, are you sure your father will agree to this?"

"You married Xu Miaoyun, who is the eldest daughter of the Duke of Wei."

Li Jinglong was somewhat pessimistic about Zhu Di. If Xu Da knew that Wang Baobao's daughter had also married Zhu Di, he would surely cause a huge uproar in the palace.

"Don't worry about that."

"Uncle Xu adopted Hai Bie as his goddaughter. Hai Bie returned to the capital first and stayed at the Duke of Wei's mansion."

"The old man was just worried about not having a chance to control Wang Baobao. This marriage alliance has relieved his worries, and he can use Wang Baobao with peace of mind."

Zhu Di waved his hand, looking completely unconcerned.

"You son of a bitch."

Li Jinglong only managed to utter four words before turning around and going back to his room to rest.