The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the Somersault Cloud, Old Zhu was so envious he cried!

"Yes, yes, we were preparing a gift for our sixth brother, that's why we're late," Zhu Shuang and the other two nodded vigorously, echoing their sentiments.

"Prepare gifts?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. He knew all too well what these three brats were thinking.

If it really is to prepare a gift

Why did the three of them bump into each other?

Why didn't you come with the fourth brother? Are you trying to ostracize him?

Are you really trying to fool me by thinking I'm Zhu Yuanzhang's foolish son from a landlord's family?

However, Zhu Yuanzhang did not expose them. Instead, he said, "Alright, since you're so eager, let us see what good things you've prepared."

Upon hearing this...

Zhu Shuang and the other two breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.

Fortunately, the three of them had prepared gifts in advance before they came, otherwise I really wouldn't know how to make up for it!

First, the first to present a gift was the second son, Zhu Shuang, who prepared a pair of twins for Zhu Ming!

To be precise, they were twin maids with Hu (non-Han) blood.

"Father, Mother, I know that my sixth brother lives in the palace year-round, and his days are inevitably a bit dull and boring."

"So I specially selected a pair of dancers from the Western Regions and gave them to my sixth brother to help him pass the time."

After Zhu Shuang finished speaking, he raised his hand and waved towards the outside of the hall.

A little later, led by a palace attendant, a pair of identical Central Asian women slowly walked in.

Judging from their age, they should have just turned 18.

The two had naturally pale skin that seemed to glow, high and defined noses, and deep, alluring eyes.

Moreover, these sisters are not only beautiful, but also have curvaceous figures that are exceptionally alluring.

After all, no outstanding dance student has a bad figure.

However, none of these are the key points.

The key point is that these twins are almost identical in both appearance and build.

Even the mole on her neck seemed to be placed in the same spot.

Is this the legendary double happiness?

Zhu Shuang bowed and clasped his hands, secretly pleased with himself, thinking that his expensive purchase of the two dancers from the Western Regions had not been in vain.

Everyone was silent, probably stunned by the gift I gave them.

Father, praise me quickly, praise me quickly!

Zhu Shuang was still hoping that his father and mother would praise him.

Little did they know, he had made them both furious.

"Second brother, second brother, are you even human?" Zhu Yuanzhang said with great distress.

"Huh?" Zhu Shuang was stunned; this reaction was wrong.

Zhu Yuanzhang, his face grim, gritted his teeth and said, "Your younger brother is only six years old this year, and you're giving him a woman? Are you a beast?"

At the end of his sentence, Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the table.

A loud bang was heard.

Zhu Shuang was so frightened that his legs went weak and he knelt on the ground. "I'm innocent, Father! That's not what I meant!"

Zhu Yuanzhang continued, "You said that Xiao Liuzi lives in the palace all the time, are you worried he'll be bored?"

"Do you even know that among the tens of thousands of palace servants, any one of them could entertain him? Why would you need to fawn over him like this?"

"You even went to the Western Regions to buy Hu women. You're so thoughtful, why didn't you think of sending a pair to your father too?"

"Hmm?" Upon hearing this, Ma Xiuying immediately turned her head and looked coldly at Zhu Yuanzhang.

Old Zhu was still unaware of the impending danger and was about to curse his second brother a few more times.

Suddenly, he sensed a murderous aura, followed by a cold voice from the side.

"What, aren't all the concubines in the palace enough for you? You want to find two barbarian women to be my sisters?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression froze, and the anger he had just felt when he criticized his second son vanished instantly. He quickly turned to the Empress and admitted defeat.

"No, no, absolutely not!"

"I was just so angry with my second brother that I said those things in anger, don't take them seriously!"

Empress Ma said with a deep gaze, "Was it just said in anger? Or did you accidentally let slip your true feelings?"

This seemingly casual remark is incredibly damaging!

It scared Old Zhu so much that he broke out in a cold sweat.

"Sister, you have to believe me, everything I said is the truth!" Zhu Yuanzhang wished he could swear an oath to prove his innocence.

Ma Xiuying stared at him expressionlessly for a moment, the danger in her eyes slowly fading. "Alright, I'll trust you this time!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang breathed a sigh of relief. He touched his head and found it was completely wet. Oh, it was sweat. I thought it was urine.

Ma Xiuying turned her head and looked at her second son, Zhu Shuang, who was kneeling in front of her with a pale face and kept crying out for justice. A complex look flashed in her eyes.

Although what happened two years ago,

This made her very disappointed in her son.

But after all, they are my own flesh and blood, born after ten months of pregnancy; blood is thicker than water.

Ultimately, I couldn't bring myself to harden my heart and ignore it.

"Second son, I know your true intentions are not what your father said." Ma Xiuying spoke slowly, her voice no longer as cold as before, but very gentle.

Zhu Shuang was still protesting his innocence, but he immediately fell silent upon hearing his mother speak.

He stopped crying out for justice and stopped trying to explain himself. Instead, he pressed his head to the ground and bit his lip hard to stop himself from crying out.

After two years, his mother finally agreed to talk to him.

At this moment, nothing else matters.

A hint of heartache flashed in Ma Xiuying's eyes, and her tone softened: "I'll take those two women from Hu for you for now."

"Ming'er is still young and it is not appropriate for her to serve women closely. After I teach them some rules, I will let them stay by Ming'er's side. That way, it won't be a waste of your good intentions."

Zhu Shuang choked back tears, his forehead still pressed against the cold floor tiles, and replied in a hoarse voice, "Your subject will obey Your Majesty's arrangements."

In fact, he hadn't thought that much about it.

As for why he would send Zhu Ming dancers?

Have you ever heard of a music box?

It's the one where, when you open it, there's a little person inside that starts dancing to music.

That's right, Zhu Shuang's original intention was to give Zhu Ming a real-life music box.

You can call him a dog, but don't think badly of him; he genuinely didn't think that much!

After Zhu Shuang composed himself and left.

The second person to present a gift was the third son, Zhu Gang.

He was a bit smarter than the second son; instead of giving away women, he gave away a pet.

"Bring it in!" Zhu Gang ordered.

The palace doors opened again, and a guard strode in carrying a cage in both hands.

Upon approaching, Zhu Gang ripped off the red cloth covering the cage, revealing the scene inside.

There was a white tiger cub, quietly nestled in its cage.

"Wow, it's a tiger cub!" Zhu Ming's eyes lit up. He immediately broke free from Ma Xiuying's arms and ran to the cage, his face full of undisguised joy.

Ma Xiuying quickly reminded him from behind, "Ming'er, don't get too close, be careful not to get hurt!"

Zhu Gang replied, "Don't worry, Mother. This tiger cub is only a few days old and doesn't even have teeth yet. It won't hurt Sixth Brother."

Ma Xiuying was finally relieved.

Zhu Gang continued, "Father, Mother, I know that my sixth brother has been frail and sickly since childhood, so I sent someone to find this white tiger, hoping that it can bless my sixth brother to grow up healthy."

As soon as this word comes out,

The look in Ma Xiuying's eyes when she looked at Zhu Gang no longer showed disappointment as before, but instead became somewhat gentle.

"Third brother, you're so thoughtful!"

He received praise from his mother.

Zhu Gang was so happy he almost jumped for joy.

When he turned his head and glanced at his second brother, who was looking on with envy, he even raised an eyebrow at him, which infuriated his second brother.