Dad, you're not dead

"So Hongzhi was exhausted to death like this?" Zhu Yuanzhang felt distressed.

How was it that all the crown princes of his Great Ming dynasty had such bitter fates?

"In the 22nd year of Yongle, Zhu Di led his fifth personal expedition to the northern deserts, but died of illness on the return journey at the age of sixty-four. Old Zhu, your fourth son was expanding Ming's borders until the very end. After all, he seized the throne through rebellion, and was afraid that if he died, he wouldn't have the face to see you underground," Qin Ning said.

When they heard this, Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma both fell silent.

Empress Ma's eyes grew moist. "That child, Old Fourth, really had a hard life."

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, was silent for a long time, then asked, "Master, you can come to my Hongwu reign, and you can also go to the Great Tang and Great Qin. I wonder..."

"You want to go to the Yongle reign to see Zhu Di?" Qin Ning knew what he meant.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded. "Now that I know what Old Fourth did for the Great Ming during his reign, I really have no reason to blame him anymore. He even paid with his life for the Great Ming, all to prove himself and to earn my approval."

"I want to go see him. After all, death is like a lamp going out. I want to tell him that I don't blame him, that I'm even proud to have him as a son."

"Alright."

Qin Ning nodded. "If you want, I can take you to the 22nd year of Yongle right now to see Zhu Di."

"Then we'll trouble you, Master." Empress Ma was also getting excited.

Soon, after Zhu Yuanzhang exchanged a few words with Li Shanchang and the others, he and Empress Ma disappeared from the imperial palace under Qin Ning's guidance.

Yongle.

22nd year.

Yumuchuan.

On the return journey of Zhu Di's fifth personal expedition.

Under the night sky.

On the grassland, the army had set up camp here.

Recently, there had been rumors in the army that His Majesty was ill, so the march had slowed down more and more.

This time, they had been stationed here for half a month.

Qin Ning brought Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma silently into the military camp.

"This way."

He pointed to a tent not far away. "Zhu Di is inside, and his breath is already very weak."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, a mix of emotions on his face.

"Who are you?"

Just then, a soft shout came from behind them.

The three turned around and saw a young man clad in armor.

The commotion quickly drew nearby soldiers to surround them.

"Buzz!"

Qin Ning gently waved his hand, and in the next moment, apart from the young man, all the other soldiers suddenly fell to the ground, as if in a deep sleep.

"You, you, you..."

Seeing this, the young man was shocked, as if he had seen a ghost. "Are you human or spirit?"

"Don't be nervous," Qin Ning said with a faint smile. "We are human, from the Hongwu reign. If I'm not mistaken, you should be Zhu Di's grandson, Zhu Zhanji, right?"

"You know me?" Zhu Zhanji frowned, then said, "And what do you mean by 'from the Hongwu reign'? What does that mean?"

"It means exactly what it sounds like."

Zhu Yuanzhang stepped forward a few paces, coming before Zhu Zhanji.

Because it was dark, it was only now that Zhu Zhanji saw the dragon robe Zhu Yuanzhang was wearing. His expression changed dramatically. "How dare you wear the dragon robe of my Great Ming! Are you planning rebellion, knowing my grandfather is ill?"

"Ha, rebellion?" Zhu Yuanzhang laughed.

"Chongba, stop chatting. We need to go see Old Fourth quickly," Empress Ma said anxiously.

Chongba?

That name...

How did it sound a bit strange?

Wait.

Chongba?!

From the Hongwu reign?

"You, you... Are you the Grand Ancestor?" Zhu Zhanji looked at Zhu Yuanzhang in disbelief.

Then he thought of how Qin Ning had merely waved his hand and made all the soldiers fall asleep on the spot. With such power, could he be an immortal?

And the Grand Ancestor had come here from the Hongwu reign with this immortal?

"That's right. I am the Grand Ancestor of the Great Ming, Zhu Yuanzhang." Zhu Yuanzhang raised his head, then added, "This is my wife, my empress. And this is Master Qin. You can think of him as an immortal."

After hearing this, Zhu Zhanji was dumbfounded.

The Grand Ancestor and the Grand Empress Dowager?

And the master with them was actually a real immortal?

Without paying attention to Zhu Zhanji's shock, Zhu Yuanzhang said, "I came here this time to see Old Fourth. Master just said your name is Zhu Zhanji? Who gave you that name? It sounds so strange. Never mind all that; take us to see Old Fourth."

"Yes, Great-Grandfather."

Still stunned and confused, Zhu Zhanji responded, then felt something was off and quickly added, "Great-Grandfather, my name is Zhu Zhanji, not Zhu Zhanji-ba."

"Enough with the ji and ba nonsense. Just take us to see Old Fourth," Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Zhu Zhanji said no more and quickly led them toward the tent not far away.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Outside the tent, as soon as they got close, Zhu Yuanzhang heard coughing from inside. He knew it was Zhu Di's voice and couldn't help but sigh.

"Grandfather," Zhu Zhanji called inside.

Zhu Di's slightly hoarse voice came from within. "Is that Zhanji? Come in."

Soon, inside the tent, Qin Ning and the others immediately saw Zhu Di lying on the bed.

His hair and beard were completely white, his face bloodless, as if he had truly reached the point when his candle had burned out.

"Zhanji, why have you come to see me so late..."

On the bed, Zhu Di slowly opened his eyes, about to ask something, but when he saw Zhu Yuanzhang walking toward him, he was so startled his soul seemed to flee. He fell straight off the bed, his face full of shock and fear.

"Father, you're not dead?"

He knelt on the ground, both frightened and terrified.

"Old Fourth."

Before Zhu Yuanzhang could speak, Empress Ma stepped out from behind him, her eyes already blurred with tears.

Seeing her fourth son so old and decrepit, even older than herself, Empress Ma couldn't deny the ache in her heart.

"Mother!"

Zhu Di was completely stunned, staring blankly at Empress Ma. After a long moment, he burst into tears. "Father, Mother, am I dead too? Have you come to take me?"

"Grandfather, you're not dead. Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother aren't dead either. They came specially from the Hongwu reign to see you," Zhu Zhanji said from the side.

"From the Hongwu reign?"

Hearing this, Zhu Di was even more astonished.

Because this matter was even more unbelievable than seeing the souls of his father and mother.

"Old Fourth, Zhanji is right. Your father and I really came from the 11th year of Hongwu. Immortal Master Qin brought us here,"

Zhu Yuanzhang said, then solemnly introduced Qin Ning to Zhu Di.