Clay Pot Chicken

“I don’t know if they flew back, but it does seem His Majesty has returned—and the Crown Grandson as well.”

Hearing this, Zhu Gaochi’s face showed even more confusion. “How is that possible? Father and Zhanji have both come back? Then I’ll go see them now.”

With that, he set aside what he was doing and stood up.

The attendant beside him immediately helped him. Zhu Gaochi was so overweight now that even walking was a struggle.

After much effort, Zhu Gaochi finally entered the Imperial Study.

“Father—it really is you who’s come back.”

From a distance, he spotted Zhu Di sitting at the desk and hurried forward to bow. “Your son greets Your Majesty, Father.”

“Enough, with a body like yours, what’s the point of formalities? Even eating is hard for you.” Zhu Di waved his hand.

Earlier, Qin Ning had told him about this son of his: that in the future, he would be emperor for only ten months, his death caused by exhaustion and severe obesity. Now, looking at him, Zhu Di knew he had to make him lose weight.

“But, Father—how have you grown younger?” Zhu Gaochi suddenly noticed.

Before Zhu Di could answer, a voice reached Zhu Gaochi’s ears.

“Gaochi, how did you get so fat?”

Not far to the side, Xu Miaoyun, Zhu Yuanzhang, and the others were sitting drinking tea. Xu Miaoyun, her face full of surprise, walked over.

Just this morning, she had dropped off the little Zhu Gaochi at kindergarten. Back then, the boy had been chubby too, but nothing compared to the Zhu Gaochi before her now.

“You are…?”

Zhu Gaochi turned his gaze toward Xu Miaoyun.

At just one glance, he froze, then exclaimed in shock, “Mother?!”

“It’s me.” Xu Miaoyun nodded.

Still, being called “Mother” by such a grown son felt a bit awkward to her.

Zhu Gaochi was filled with disbelief. “How is this possible, Mother? Weren’t you already…?”

“In this world, I did indeed die. I’ve come here from the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign.”

Xu Miaoyun explained, then added, “Father and Mother have come too.”

Father? Mother?

Hearing this, Zhu Gaochi was momentarily confused.

Soon, he followed Xu Miaoyun’s gaze behind her and saw Zhu Yuanzhang, Empress Ma, and Qin Ning sitting there drinking tea.

He didn’t recognize Qin Ning.

But how could Zhu Gaochi be unfamiliar with Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma? Even after so many years, he had never forgotten what they looked like.

After his shock came fear.

Zhu Gaochi quickly knelt. “Your grandson, Zhu Gaochi, greets Imperial Grandfather and Imperial Grandmother.”

“Rise.”

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly. The reason was that he, too, saw how overly fat Zhu Gaochi had become—it was truly excessive.

In Zhu Gaochi’s eyes, however, that frown seemed more like displeasure or blame.

Had Imperial Grandfather come to settle scores?

After all, he and his father had seized the throne through rebellion.

Thinking this, Zhu Gaochi dared not stand. “Imperial Grandfather, please don’t be angry. Father’s rebellion back then was truly unavoidable. Don’t blame him—if there is any blame, put it on me…”

“I told you to rise. And when did I say I was angry? I know all about what Fourth Son did. If I really wanted to blame him, I would have whipped him at Yumu River; he wouldn’t have made it back here sound and safe to summon you.” Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di couldn’t help but shudder.

When he was young and got into trouble, he had been whipped by Zhu Yuanzhang more times than he could count—memories still fresh in his mind.

He quickly changed the subject. “Ahem... Father, today we’re having a family reunion, so let’s not dwell on that. I’ve already sent for Gaoxi and Gaosui. Those two unruly sons of mine have been getting more and more out of hand these years, even I can’t keep them in line. When they arrive later, I might have to ask you to teach them a lesson.”

“You won’t discipline your own children, so you want me to do it for you? Are you saying I, Old Zhu, like to beat kids? Besides, isn’t Miaoyun here? If the kids don’t listen, just have her straighten them out. They might not listen to their father, but how could they ignore their mother?”

“Gaoxi? Gaosui?” Xu Miaoyun was utterly confused.

Zhu Di then realized. “I forgot—you came from the eleventh year of the Hongwu era. Back then, Gaochi was only three. Gaoxi was born in the thirteenth year, and Gaosui in December of the fifteenth year.”

Just then, two young men walked in through the door—they were none other than Zhu Gaoxi and Zhu Gaosui.

“Father? How did you become so young?”

They first bowed to Zhu Di, but when they looked up and saw his appearance, shock filled their faces.

Before Zhu Di could speak, Qin Ning, standing nearby, couldn’t help but laugh. “So this is the famous ‘Clay Pot Chicken’ Zhu Gaoxi, huh?”

“Who are you? And why are you here? I am the Prince of Han, Zhu Gaoxi. What ‘Clay Pot Chicken’ are you talking about? Are you mocking me?” Zhu Gaoxi frowned, his face flushing with anger.

“Do not be rude. This is an immortal master,” Zhu Di scolded.

An immortal master?

Hearing this, Zhu Gaoxi and Zhu Gaosui were both startled.

Could it be that their father’s sudden youthfulness was because of this young man?

“Mother?”

In their surprise, they quickly noticed the others in the imperial study.

Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma were strangers to them, but Xu Miaoyun—they knew her well.

Though she, too, appeared much younger than in their memories, both brothers were certain—this woman was their mother.

Tears welled up in their eyes as they rushed to kneel before Xu Miaoyun. “Mother, is it really you? You’re alive!”

“My children.”

Xu Miaoyun took a deep breath, then sighed. In her own world, these two children did not yet exist, but she couldn’t deny that these were the sons she would bear in a later life.

Blood ran thicker than water.

She then briefly explained the whole story to Zhu Gaoxi and Zhu Gaosui.

Upon learning that Xu Miaoyun had come from the Hongwu era, and that the middle-aged couple sitting nearby were none other than the Grand Ancestor and Empress Ma, Zhu Gaoxi and Zhu Gaosui hurried forward to bow. “Your grandsons pay respects to the Imperial Grandfather and Imperial Grandmother.”

“Mm.”

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with a faint smile. “Not bad. You are worthy of being sons of the Zhu family—you look like you have spirit.”

“Teacher, what did you mean by ‘Clay Pot Chicken’ earlier?” Empress Ma recalled Qin Ning’s earlier nickname for Zhu Gaoxi and couldn’t contain her curiosity, so she asked.

“Oh, Clay Pot Chicken…”

Qin Ning smiled. “It’s a delicacy from later generations. It’s called that because it’s cooked in a clay pot.”

“Food cooked in an earthen pot? And it’s famous in later generations?”

A question mark appeared over Zhu Gaoxi’s head. “If that’s the case, what does it have to do with me? Could it be that this kind of delicacy was actually invented by me later on? Doesn’t that mean I’ll be remembered throughout history for this culinary art?”