Chapter 1: What a Genius! This Kid Really Is a Natural!
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The Imperial Capital of Jinling, the Forbidden City.
The Ming Dynasty Imperial Palace stood magnificent and grand, its carved beams and painted rafters, vermilion ridges and emerald tiles shimmering brilliantly under the sunlight.
The palaces were arranged in neat rows like scales on a dragon. Among them was the Great Hall of Learning, which housed a vast collection of books from ancient to modern times, a place for the dragon’s sons and grandsons to study.
At this moment, the Great Hall resonated with the clear, melodious sounds of recitation, like a harmonious symphony.
Master Li Xiyan stood with hands behind his back, his gaze slowly sweeping over the attentive students, a faint look of satisfaction appearing on his face as he slightly nodded.
Yet, when his eyes fell on a certain figure, his eyebrows twitched involuntarily.
There was a chubby little boy dragging his eyes around, mumbling the words of his reading, but with one hand he gripped a stone block, swinging it about with furious energy.
Li Xiyan stepped forward cautiously, maintaining a safe distance before daring to speak.
“Ahem, Gao Chi, if you’re going to read, just read. Can you please put down that thing in your hand?”
Wasn’t this... an insult to the dignity of scholarship?
Zhu Gaochi nodded and casually tossed the stone block to the ground with a clang that made the entire Great Hall tremble slightly.
The other princes turned their heads, faces full of curiosity.
Zhu Gaochi shrugged helplessly, eyes rolling.
“Sir, it’s not my fault!”
“You really are…” Li Xiyan’s anger flared instantly. “Stand up for me this instant!”
With that, he pulled out his ruler.
Zhu Gaochi rose reluctantly, staring at this strict teacher, feeling quite helpless inside.
He was originally from a future age, fond of seeking thrills through extreme sports, but unfortunately died young. When he opened his eyes again, he had become Zhu Gaochi.
Indeed, the eldest legitimate son of Prince Yan, Zhu Di, the future Emperor Renzong, the famously chubby Zhu Gaochi!
He was a good emperor, no doubt, but he died young!
What was most frustrating was that Zhu Gaochi never had a peaceful day in his life.
Putting aside his childhood spent studying in the Great Hall, as he grew older, he was summoned to the capital as a hostage by his father, old Zhu. When his father relented and allowed them to return home, Zhu Gaoxu, that grandson, disregarded everything and escaped by stealing a horse!
Later, Zhu Yunwen ascended the throne and began the campaign to reduce the power of the princes. The Yan Prince’s mansion was closely watched. When Zhu Di launched the Jingnan campaign, Zhu Gaochi was busy beyond measure, even staying behind to defend the northern base at Beiping, facing a life-or-death battle against Li Jinglong’s 600,000 troops, narrowly escaping death.
After the Jingnan campaign was won and his father became emperor, he should have enjoyed some happiness, right?
Ha! He was too optimistic. Zhu Di’s favorite trick was to ruin his sons.
With just a phrase, “The heir apparent has many illnesses, you must encourage him,” Zhu Gaoxu was made to fight wars all his life, bringing endless trouble to Zhu Gaochi.
Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui colluded shamelessly, relying on Zhu Di’s favor to refuse to take up their fiefs and constantly whispered slanders into his ear.
Then came Zhu Di’s favorite pastime: if there’s trouble, the heir must deal with it; if not, scold the heir.
Zhu Gaochi’s life as heir was walking on thin ice, always trembling and cautious, punished at the slightest misstep, yet forced to administer the kingdom.
Why did this chubby boy die young?
Besides his weight, Zhu Di bore the main responsibility!
What kind of father scares his son for no reason, causes him troubles, and treats him like a beast of burden?
Up before the roosters, asleep later than dogs, eating worse than pigs, working harder than donkeys... After finally outliving the troublesome father, Zhu Gaochi’s body was utterly broken by overwork and mental stress. After reigning for just ten months, he passed away, known as the “Ten-Month Emperor.”
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Thinking of this frustrating and tragic life, Zhu Gaochi was a thousand times displeased.
He was annoyed at Zhu Di, at Zhu Gaoxu, and most of all at his own fat body.
Therefore, since coming to this world, Zhu Gaochi resolutely committed himself to exercising, even when reading in the Great Hall.
If his father could mount a horse wielding a sword and dismount ready to fight, what did he, Zhu Gaoxi, have to do with it?
It was just that Master Li Xiyan was too strict, always targeting him, meaning he was about to get the ruler again.
Zhu Gaochi extended his chubby hand, looking at Li Xiyan with a wronged expression.
Li Xiyan was not one to strike arbitrarily; even if he had to, he would find an excuse.
With a stern face, he coldly asked, “Confucius said, ‘At thirty, one stands firm’ — what does that mean?”
Zhu Gaochi blinked his big eyes and instinctively blurted out:
“It means only thirty people are worthy enough to make me stand up and hit!”
At once, the Great Hall erupted in laughter.
Everyone laughed uproariously, some nearly in tears.
The eldest imperial grandson, Zhu Xiongying, looked at him in disbelief, his small face turning crimson.
Princes Su, Liao, Qing, and Ning were laughing wildly, not knowing what craziness this guy was on about.
Outside the hall, Zhu Yuanzhang looked on bewildered, while Crown Prince Biao was shaking with laughter.
“Biao, is that what he means?”
The Crown Prince struggled to hold back laughter, quickly shaking his head.
“Father, of course not. Gaochi’s nephew is probably just making it up!”
Hearing this, old Zhu was at once amused and exasperated, shaking his head helplessly.
“This boy, just like his father, was never cut out for studying!”
The Crown Prince’s lips twitched slightly.
Whenever his younger brothers studied, they were each more unruly than the last, especially the fourth son, Zhu Di.
Back in the hall, Li Xiyan’s face darkened instantly. He suppressed his anger and asked again, “And at forty, one is free from doubts?”
“Even if facing forty people, I wouldn’t be afraid and would still strike decisively!”
This time, the laughter grew even more unrestrained, as if about to burst through the roof.
Even the usually taciturn Zhu Yunwen couldn’t help but laugh aloud, his gaze at Zhu Gaochi full of disdain.
Li Xiyan’s face turned a furious iron blue, trembling all over.
“At fifty, one knows the mandate of Heaven?”
“If there are fifty people, I would fight until they think they have met their destiny!”
Zhu Gaochi answered earnestly, as if stating something perfectly normal.
No one could hold back anymore, laughing freely and heartily, the entire Great Hall turning into a sea of joy.
Even outside, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn’t help but smile, saying, “Hey, you know what? This kid really is a genius!”
No one had ever interpreted the words of the sage quite like this before!
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Li Xiyan ground his teeth and glared at Zhu Gaochi.
“At sixty, one listens with ease?”
“If only sixty people spoke well of me, only then would I stop!”
“At seventy, one follows one’s heart without transgressing?”
“Even if there are seventy people, I fight however I want!”
Li Xiyan was utterly infuriated, staring at the chubby boy in disbelief.
“Zhu Gaochi!”
“You’re utterly shameless!”
“If you’re ignorant, that’s one thing, but how dare you distort the sage’s words!”
As he spoke, he raised the ruler, ready to punish the boy, but when he saw Zhu Gaochi’s defiant expression, his hand involuntarily paused, and he was thoroughly disappointed.
“Enough, enough. Since you have no interest in learning, go stand outside. Come back when you’ve figured things out!”
Zhu Gaochi pouted, bent down to pick up the stone block, and walked away.
What was the point of studying with a bunch of little brats when there wasn’t even a pretty girl around? Boring!
But just as he stepped outside, his ear was grabbed.
“Ouch… ouch… damn it, let go!”
Almost instinctively, Zhu Gaochi swung the stone block to strike.
“Whoa, you dare to resist?”
Zhu Yuanzhang feigned anger, glaring at him with a look that could devour a man.
Seeing who it was, Zhu Gaochi hurriedly dropped the stone and rubbed his hands awkwardly.
“Grandfather Emperor, what wind blew you here?”
“Oh, and there’s great uncle too. You two have some free time today?”
Crown Prince Biao glared at him angrily and subtly tugged at old Zhu’s sleeve, prompting him to release his grip.
“You little brat, why do you distort the sage’s words?”
Old Zhu scolded, “If you don’t recite the Zodiac today, I’ll have to give you a good beating!”
Coming from humble origins, he deeply understood how arduous it was to found a dynasty and valued education immensely. Therefore, he always paid close attention to his descendants’ education.
Moreover, these dragon sons and grandsons would one day be sent to govern distant lands; if they couldn’t read properly, how could that be?
Zhu Gaochi sighed. “A thousand scholars, a thousand Confucius interpretations. The sage’s words have endless commentaries, with different schools, factions, and even individuals holding their own views.”
“Master Li believes he’s right, and I believe I’m right. If we all listened to him, how would that be any different from bookworms?”
At these words, a sudden gleam sparked in old Zhu’s eyes.
He seemed to see something different in this grandson.