Volume One, Chapter 12: The Quirky Empress Ma

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Imperial Study:

“Your Majesty, His Highness the Prince of Qin has just had more than a dozen people serving the Twelfth Prince beaten to death in the rear palace. He has also ordered every palace in the inner court to send one person to witness the punishment.”

The chief eunuch, Li Biao, hurried to Zhu Yuanzhang’s side to make his report.

Old Zhu set down the memorial in his hands and asked, “Did the Second Prince go there himself to watch?”

“Your Majesty, both His Highness the Prince of Qin and His Highness the Twelfth Prince went. The Second Prince did not flinch—instead, he was teaching the Twelfth Prince a lesson.”

“Eldest, you can rest easy now, can’t you? There isn’t a coward among the Zhu family!” Having heard the answer he wanted, Old Zhu turned to the Crown Prince beside him and crowed triumphantly.

“I’m relieved. I’ll have the people I planted in the Embroidered Uniform Guard withdraw later.”

Zhu Biao smiled. “You make it sound as though Father wasn’t worried. Second Brother takes after Mother, and you were afraid he might be indecisive and unable to kill. Before this, the only time he ever killed anyone was because they had offended his precious wife. He did not even dare kill the second son of the Yongjia Marquis.”

“That’s true. But he’s grown up now. You and I can both take things a little easier.”

…

“Heh heh, Mother, didn’t I just have all the eunuchs and palace matrons around Little Twelve killed? I came to report it to you.”

The moment Zhu Shuang entered Empress Ma’s palace, he put on an ingratiating smile.

“Oh? Is this not His Highness the Prince of Qin? I am honored by your visit. Please forgive me for failing to rise and welcome you properly.”

Empress Ma’s smile did not reach her eyes as she mocked him sarcastically. As she spoke, she even made a show of trying to stand and salute him.

Zhu Shuang’s head began to ache. His face flushed with embarrassment, and he hurriedly caught hold of her, forcing a sheepish smile.

“My dear Mother, how can you tease your son like this? I did it all to avenge Little Twelve—and, while I was at it, to toughen up his timid nature.”

“No one can bully a member of the Zhu family and get away with it. You and Father have both been busy these past few days, so that pack of curs thought our Little Twelve had no one to look after him. They nearly took away everything he needed to eat and wear.”

“Besides, wasn’t this also a small favor for my dear Mother? So you won’t have to work yourself so hard.”

“And when your son is impressive, doesn’t that make you impressive too? I only have such authority because of your prestige in the inner palace!”

Empress Ma watched Zhu Shuang chatter on and could not help laughing.

In truth, what mother would care about such things? She had merely been teasing her son.

“All right, all right. You’ve known how to sweet-talk your mother since you were little. Just keep treating me like some fool you can flatter.”

“Heh heh, my mother is the wisest woman in the world. Half of this realm belongs to you.”

Seeing that his mother had stopped speaking sarcastically, Zhu Shuang immediately seized the opportunity and began laying on the flattery.

“Stop talking nonsense. Your father says that the inner palace must not meddle in state affairs. If he hears you, he’ll blame me later.”

“Mother, it’s only the two of us here. Why pretend? Would that old man dare make trouble in front of you?”

Zhu Shuang grumbled inwardly as he listened to her.

“All right, enough of that. Shuang’er, when you ordered those people killed this time, did it trouble you?”

Empress Ma stopped teasing him and asked with gentle concern, “Your temperament has always been like mine. When you went to work for the Embroidered Uniform Guard, I worried for a long time. I was afraid you were too indecisive and too kind. You must understand—that is a place where people kill.”

“I never expected you to cast aside those concerns so quickly. I imagine your father and eldest brother will be very pleased when they hear.”

Zhu Shuang was stunned. He had never imagined that this had been one of the reasons his mother had tried to stop him at the time. He shook his head, then smiled and comforted her.

“Mother, you’re underestimating me. I’m your son, after all—and this isn’t even my first time.”

Empress Ma rolled her eyes at him. “The last time? What about the second son of Zhu Liangzu? Why didn’t you kill him? It was your father who eventually ordered his death.”

“What? So that’s why Zhu Liangzu hasn’t brought his son to apologize all these days. At the time, I thought Father still needed him, so I spared his life and merely punished him as a warning.”

Zhu Shuang stared in astonishment. So that was where the problem had begun. Damn Zhu Yu—he had even made me kneel in the ancestral shrine for so long.

“It was only his second son. He dared to molest a prince’s consort and did not immediately come to apologize. If he did not die, what else was he waiting for? As for Zhu Liangzu, why do you care about him? The Great Ming is not so short of men that it cannot do without him.”

Looking at Empress Ma’s domineering expression, Zhu Shuang could not help giving her a mental thumbs-up. No wonder people said that this founding imperial couple was unique in all the ages.

Then Empress Ma waved him away.

“All right, if there’s nothing else, get out. It’s nearly mealtime, and I still have to prepare your father’s dinner.”

“What?” Zhu Shuang stared at his mother. “There’s no food for me?”

Empress Ma could not be bothered with her foolish son. Without even turning her head, she walked away.

Fine. Zhu Shuang felt deeply aggrieved, but a moment later he shifted the blame onto Old Zhu, who was busy striving for the prosperity of the realm.

‘Trying to steal my mother from me? Has that old man already forgotten the pain once his wounds healed? Just wait. One of these days, I’ll frame you again.’

‘The fourth daughter of Landlord Liu? Not bad. You’ll do.’

…

A certain “old gentleman” was strolling leisurely along the road toward the ancestral shrine.

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There was no helping it. Some people were petty by nature. Since he had been made to kneel a few days earlier, he certainly could not forget his dear younger brothers.

A journey that should have taken no more than fifteen minutes somehow took him over an hour.

The moment he reached the ancestral shrine, he heard people inside chatting without the slightest restraint. The fire in Zhu Shuang’s heart flared instantly.

They were being this brazen in the ancestral shrine, right before their forebears? Heh. His dear younger brothers were about to receive some special attention from their second brother.

Zhu Shuang darkly plotted his plans as he stepped inside.

After only two steps, he saw that Little Twelve was there as well, while those little brats were merely apologizing to him and chatting.

Fifth Brother, Zhu Su, kept his head bowed as he apologized.

“Little Twelve, Fifth Brother is sorry. I knew something had happened to you, and I even tried to stand up for you, but I only caused you to suffer for a few more days. It was my fault. If anything happens in the future, tell Fifth Brother. Don’t hide it from us.”

Zhu Di apologized as well. “Twelve, your brothers were in the wrong this time. We failed to protect you. Can you forgive us?”

“Little Twelve, we’re all family. Don’t listen to what outsiders say. If anything happens, come to your brothers.”

“Little Twelve…”

…

…

Watching his brothers apologize to one another and compete to take the blame, Zhu Shuang found it amusing and laughed aloud.

When Zhu Di, Zhu Su, and the others saw their second brother arrive, they hurriedly straightened their knees and sat upright. With their eyes wide and their faces meek and innocent, they said, “Second Brother, we know we were wrong. From now on, we’ll make sure to protect our younger brother.”

“Second Brother, we won’t dare do it again! Look, we’ve been kneeling for so long. Can’t you let us off this once?” Sixth Brother, Zhu Zhen, asked cautiously. He said one sentence and stole one glance at Zhu Shuang, looking thoroughly as though he deserved a beating.

Zhu Shuang ignored the mischievous little troublemakers and turned to Zhu Bo.

“Little Twelve, your brothers were in the wrong this time for failing to protect you. They’ve already apologized. Little Twelve, are you willing to forgive them?”

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