Chapter 12: Trying to Rob Me? Have You Asked the Brick in My Hand?

The Great Ben Hall remained filled with the rhythmic sound of chanting. However, as soon as Li Xiyan departed, the young lads who had been sitting upright, pretending to recite their lessons, suddenly erupted into chaos like wild horses unleashed.

Led by Prince Ning, Zhu Quan, the faction of imperial sons immediately surrounded Zhu Gaochi. They gazed at the solid gold brick flipping through his fingers with undisguised greed, their eyes burning with a hunger that suggested they already considered the gold their own.

"Ahem, Zhu Gaochi, let your Seventeenth Uncle have a look at that gold brick in your hand!"

Zhu Quan spoke with a careless, arrogant air, deliberately puffing out his chest to emphasize his status as an uncle, hoping to pressure Zhu Gaochi into handing it over.

Zhu Gaochi glanced at him expressionlessly, too lazy to even acknowledge him.

The students in the Great Ben Hall were broadly divided into two factions: the Imperial Sons, including Prince Su (Zhu Ying), Prince Liao (Zhu Zhi), Prince Qing (Zhu Zhan), and Prince Ning (Zhu Quan), who, led by Zhu Quan, often used their status as uncles to boss the imperial grandsons around.

After all, the Ming Dynasty governed the world through filial piety and ritual. Within the Great Ben Hall, these values were paramount; any failure to uphold them would quickly reach the ears of Emperor Zhu himself. In every dynasty, a lack of filial piety was a severe political accusation, enough to ruin a person’s reputation. Conversely, if one wielded the banner of filial piety effectively, it became a golden ticket—universally recognized and respected.

Zhu Quan watched Zhu Gaochi smugly, convinced he had him cornered. Yet, Zhu Gaochi did not even deign to look at him, continuing to toss the gold brick in the air.

"Zhu Gaochi, your Seventeenth Uncle is talking to you!"

Zhu Quan’s tone sharpened, and he reached out to snatch the brick. This finally annoyed Zhu Gaochi, who turned and glared at him.

"Get lost! If you’re looking for a beating, just say so!"

The moment these words left his lips, Zhu Quan, Zhu Zhan, and the others were incensed. Their eyes widened in disbelief, as if they had heard something truly treasonous. It was the first time they had seen a nephew dare to defy them; in their minds, the imperial grandsons should be respectful and obedient to their uncles.

"Zhu Gaochi, you scoundrel! How dare you defy your uncle?" Zhu Quan’s face darkened. He reached out again, but before his hand could touch the gold, Zhu Gaochi dealt him a stinging slap across the face.

The blow was forceful, knocking Zhu Quan’s head to the side and leaving a bright red handprint on his cheek.

"You’re barely a child, you haven't even learned to act like a human being, yet you’re already so good at putting on airs. Get out!"

Having been pampered by Emperor Zhu since childhood, Zhu Quan had never been struck like this. His face flushed deep red, his chest heaving with extreme fury.

"Brothers, beat him! Teach this nephew what filial piety means!" Zhu Quan roared, his voice raspy with rage.

Zhu Zhan, Zhu Zhi, and the others began rolling up their sleeves, eager to join the fray. Seeing this, Zhu Gaochi chuckled, rolled up his own sleeves, and prepared for a brawl.

Just then, a thunderous shout echoed through the hall.

"Stop that, all of you!"

Zhu Xiongying walked forward with a stern expression, casting a cold, unwelcoming glare at the princes.

Seeing him, Zhu Quan and his cohort wilted like frost-bitten eggplants and slunk away. Unlike the other grandsons, Zhu Xiongying was the eldest son of the Crown Prince and the eldest grandson of Emperor Zhu. Deeply favored by the Emperor and Empress Ma, he was the heir apparent. No one dared to offend him or show him disrespect.

"Gaochi, are you alright?" Zhu Xiongying asked with genuine concern, looking at Zhu Gaochi like an older brother checking on a younger one.

Zhu Gaochi waved his chubby hand with a smile. "I slapped Zhu Quan for no reason, what could possibly happen to me?"

Zhu Xiongying rolled his eyes. "You really dared to hit him? He is your uncle, after all!"

"To hell with that uncle!" Zhu Gaochi scoffed dismissively. "If you hadn't come, I would have beaten him half to death. The way he prances around like a peacock is infuriating!" He spat in the direction where Zhu Quan had fled.

Zhu Xiongying was stunned for a moment before bursting into laughter. He had always found this younger brother interesting, but now he realized he was truly fascinating.

"Zhu Quan’s mother is Consort Yang, who is highly favored by our Imperial Grandfather. Aren't you afraid he’ll punish you?"

Zhu Gaochi smiled. "I believe in our Imperial Grandfather’s fairness; he won't be swayed by whispers in his ear."

He gave a playful wink, making Zhu Xiongying laugh uncontrollably.

After chatting for a while, Zhu Xiongying lowered his voice. "Gaochi, thank you for what happened with our Grandmother. Because you saved her, you are my real brother from now on. If anyone dares to bully you, I’ll beat them up for you!"

Zhu Gaochi studied the imperial grandson, his mind flashing to the boy's tragic fate. He was the most noble of all, the beloved heir, destined to be the next Emperor of Ming, yet he would die suddenly, leaving the throne to the Lu family. A cold light flashed in Zhu Gaochi’s eyes. The Lu family and Zhu Yunwen were no saints. Zhu Yunwen’s only ruthlessness was directed at his own kin—a skill clearly inherited from his mother. It was likely that Zhu Xiongying’s death had not been a simple accident.

"Brother Ying, if you want to protect me, you’d better start training with me first!" Zhu Gaochi smirked, flexing his muscles. "Look at you, so frail. You won't last long..."

A man cannot be told he is weak! Even if he is just a boy!

Zhu Xiongying, being a child at heart, couldn't take that. "You brat! Just you wait. I’m going to beg Imperial Grandfather to let me train with you!"

Before Zhu Gaochi could respond, Zhu Xiongying dashed off, clearly heading to find the Emperor. Zhu Gaochi smiled. If Zhu Xiongying truly trained with him, the opportunities for the Lu family to strike would be greatly reduced. If they lived and ate together, he could ensure the eldest grandson of the Ming Dynasty lived a long life.

Meanwhile, Zhu Quan was kneeling before Emperor Zhu, sobbing and trembling as he recounted his tale.

"Father, that Zhu Gaochi is lawless! He bullies others with his status!"

Zhu Quan gestured to his swollen cheek. "Look, Father, he slapped me! My face is still swollen..."

The Emperor hadn't believed it at first, but knowing Zhu Gaochi’s unruly nature, it seemed entirely possible. After all, the brat had beaten a royal physician into a pulp just the other day. The Emperor was displeased; he had thought the boy was clever and obedient, not a spoiled child who abused his favor.

Just as he was about to order the gold brick confiscated as punishment, Zhu Xiongying came bounding in.

"Imperial Grandfather! I missed you, so I came to see you!"

The Emperor’s face instantly brightened, his stern expression vanishing as he beamed and scooped the boy up. "My good grandson, did you miss your grandfather?"

"Of course I did!" Zhu Xiongying kissed the Emperor’s cheek, making the old man laugh until his wrinkles smoothed out.

Zhu Xiongying then noticed the kneeling Prince Ning and immediately understood the situation. "Oh, Seventeenth Uncle is here? To lodge a complaint, I suppose?"

Zhu Quan panicked and tried to slip away, but the Emperor barked, "Stay!"

The Emperor was far too sharp to miss the cues. "Grandson, I heard Gaochi was bullying others in the Great Ben Hall. Is this true?"

Zhu Xiongying scoffed. "Nonsense! It was Seventeenth Uncle and his friends who were jealous of Gaochi’s gold brick and tried to steal it. Gaochi only defended himself!"

Zhu Quan turned pale, his lips trembling as he managed a pathetic smile. "Father, I was just... playing..."

Emperor Zhu’s face turned black with rage, and he delivered a resounding slap to Zhu Quan’s face.

"You wretch! It’s bad enough you tried to rob your nephew, but you dare to blame the victim? Someone, bring the family law! If I don’t beat you to death today, I won't be a Zhu!"