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

After dealing with things here,

Zhu Yuanzhang then planned to take Zhu Biao back to the Huagai Hall to continue discussing the state affairs that had not been discussed earlier.

Empress Ma suddenly called out to them, "What are you two doing there?"

Zhu Yuanzhang turned his head and looked at her with surprise: "The work is not finished yet, of course you should go back and continue working."

Zhu Biao nodded to the side.

Upon hearing this, Empress Ma glared at them irritably, then said, "Have you two forgotten something?"

Did you forget something?

Zhu Yuanzhang scratched his head in confusion, thinking for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. Then he turned to look at his eldest son, Zhu Biao.

"Biao'er, do you know what this is about?"

Zhu Biao was still thinking, but when he glanced at Zhu Ming beside him, he instantly realized what was going on.

Immediately, he slapped his forehead, his face full of regret, and said, "Look at my memory! I almost messed up something important! Today is my sixth brother's birthday. I was so busy discussing matters with Father that I forgot about this important thing."

So Zhu Biao quickly apologized to Zhu Ming, hoping his younger brother wouldn't be angry.

Zhu Ming obediently shook his head, indicating that he was fine.

After Zhu Biao explained, Zhu Yuanzhang finally realized what was going on and immediately gave an awkward, dry laugh.

Empress Ma rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, "You always say you love Ming'er the most, but you've even forgotten Ming'er's birthday. You're quite the perfect father."

"Nonsense, how could we forget such an important day?" Zhu Yuanzhang stubbornly insisted, "We just thought there was still plenty of time, and we wanted to finish up the work we had on hand first..."

The voice grew softer and softer.

Until the very end, he didn't dare to look Ma Xiuying in the eye.

Fortunately, Ma Xiuying didn't hold it against her. Instead, she put away her previous reproachful expression and said gently, "Governing a country is not something that can be accomplished overnight. It won't make a difference if we wait a little longer."

"Since it's tomorrow's birthday, why don't you summon all the children to the palace? I'll personally cook some of your favorite home-style dishes, and we can have a nice family gathering tonight. What do you say?"

"Great, absolutely fantastic!" Zhu Yuanzhang was overjoyed upon hearing this and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Your Majesty is so thoughtful. We're tired of eating the dishes from the Imperial Kitchen all the time. If you ask me, your cooking is the best to our liking."

Old Zhu came from a farming background, and what he longed for most in the past was a wife, children, and a warm bed.

Eating his wife's cooking, the family sitting together in a happy atmosphere—this was the scene he had always dreamed of.

"Alright, stop flattering me. Go and inform the other children. I'll go prepare the food for you now," Empress Ma urged with a smile.

Zhu Yuanzhang readily agreed, "Yes, yes, yes, we'll go arrange it right away." He then turned around and shouted, "Mao Xiang!"

"Your humble servant is here," a middle-aged man in armor with a cold expression said, bowing deeply.

Zhu Yuanzhang ordered: "You shall immediately send men to the residences of the princes to convey my decree. They shall put aside all their affairs and enter the palace immediately. Today is the birthday celebration for the Sixth Prince. There will only be a family banquet in the palace. There is no need to wear court attire or follow the etiquette of the court."

Mao Xiang responded, "Your subject obeys!"

The voice just fell,

He then got up and left.

Afterwards, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered everyone to return to the palace.

With a decree issued, palace servants and eunuchs lined up in an orderly fashion, and the ceremonial procession slowly unfolded, as the large group headed towards Kunning Palace.

.........

Kunning Palace.

Since it was a family banquet prepared by Empress Ma, only her six legitimate sons and two daughters participated this time.

In addition, Zhu Yuanzhang also specially invited his brother-in-law Li Zhen to come over.

After all, this was the person he respected most!

When Zhu Yuanzhang was down on his luck and begging, he relied entirely on his second sister and Li Zhen to share grain and help him.

For example, on the eve of the disaster, when it was snowing heavily, Li Zhen carried the half-bag of life-saving food that she had painstakingly saved and walked more than 30 miles through the snow to deliver the food to Lao Zhu's house.

At that time, he was still wearing straw sandals, and his feet were frostbitten. As a result, he left after delivering the grain without even drinking a sip of hot water.

Zhu Yuanzhang always remembered this kindness shown in times of hardship, so he would always send someone to invite Li Zhen to every family banquet.

Before long, the palace was ready, and several princes arrived one after another after receiving their orders.

The first to arrive was the fourth prince, Zhu Di.

He was tall and handsome, his neat, narrow-sleeved casual clothes accentuating his broad shoulders and straight back, and his sharp, bright eyes and brows.

Everyone who sees him will say, "What a fine young man!"

Zhu Di strode into the hall, approached Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma, bowed, and said:

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty and Your Majesty."

Looking at his spirited fourth son, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but praise him, "Not bad. It seems that after a period of training in the army, you have grown a lot. Even your spirit is different now."

Hearing his father's praise,

Zhu Di did not show any arrogance; instead, he lowered his head slightly and bowed, displaying a very humble demeanor.

Upon seeing this scene,

Zhu Yuanzhang was even happier.

Just at this time,

Upon seeing Zhu Di, Zhu Ming's face instantly lit up with a joyful smile. He immediately shouted, "Fourth Brother!" and then took off running towards Zhu Di with his short legs.

Of his five older brothers, besides his eldest brother Zhu Biao, his closest brother was his fourth brother Zhu Di.

When Zhu Di saw the little guy, he was very happy. He immediately squatted down, hugged Zhu Ming, and then lifted the little guy up with a little effort.

"Little Six, have you missed Fourth Brother?"

"Of course I want to!"

"How much do you want to?"

"I absolutely want to!"

The four words, both soft and exaggerated, instantly made everyone in the hall burst into laughter.

Zhu Di: "Good brother, it seems your fourth brother hasn't spoiled you for nothing. Today is your birthday, and your fourth brother even brought you a gift!"

"A gift?" Zhu Ming's eyes lit up immediately when he heard there was a gift.

Afterwards, Zhu Di put the little one down and asked Zhu Yuanzhang, "Father, the gifts I brought for my sixth brother have been stopped outside the palace. I beg you to issue an order to have the gifts brought in."

"Oh, what kind of gift could be kept out of the palace?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked curiously, and immediately ordered it to be brought in.

Before long, a guard led a brightly colored foal slowly into the hall.

This pony is entirely chestnut red, with short, smooth, and tightly packed hair that gleams with a warm sheen under the light.

Moreover, it is small and delicate, not as tall and mighty as a mature horse, and looks particularly docile and obedient.

Zhu Di stepped forward and introduced it to everyone: "This is not an adult warhorse, but a purebred Akhal-Teke horse."

"He is still young now, with a gentle and soft temperament, which is perfect for my sixth brother to get close to and play with. As he grows up in a few years, he will be able to travel a thousand miles a day. He is a rare and excellent steed."

Then, Zhu Di looked down at Zhu Ming and said with a smile, "Little Six, didn't you say you wanted a Red Hare last time? Your Fourth Brother has found one for you!"

Upon hearing this,

Zhu Ming suddenly recalled a past event.

That happened a year ago. Because he had been frail and sickly since childhood, Empress Ma was worried about him and never allowed him to wander around outside the palace at will.

However, he also longed for life outside.

So every time he saw his fourth brother, he would pester Zhu Di to tell him stories.

Once, when Zhu Di was talking about the Three Kingdoms, he mentioned that Lu Bu's Red Hare horse was incredibly brave and could travel a thousand miles a day, making it a formidable force in the world.

Zhu Ming listened intently and immediately grabbed Zhu Di's arm, muttering in a childish voice that he also wanted a Red Hare.

It was just a casual remark he made on a whim, and even Zhu Ming himself had forgotten about it.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Di remembered this to this day and actually found him a fine Akhal-Teke foal.