Chapter 34: The Grand Army Sets Forth! I Would Rather Not Be Emperor!

On the reviewing stand, the Emperor stood alone.

Old Zhu savored the moment for a brief second before snapping back to reality. He slowly pressed his hands downward, his movements steady and powerful, as if he held the very heavens and earth in his grasp.

Below the stand, the dense sea of soldiers fell silent instantly. Thousands of eyes, burning with a fanatical intensity, were locked onto him—a gaze so fierce it seemed capable of igniting the very air.

Next, Old Zhu picked up the speech prepared for him by Zhu Gaochi.

The moment his eyes scanned the first line, a flush of awkwardness surged across his face, and he felt a deep sense of shame. Yet, with the arrow already on the string, there was no turning back. Gritting his teeth, he braced himself and began to read aloud.

"The ancients say: 'No foreign dynasty shall hold power for a century.' Looking at today, how true those words ring!"

"I began as a commoner from Huaiyou. Amidst the chaos of the world, I held the ambition to save the people and bring peace to the realm. Seizing the opportunity, I was pushed forward by the masses; heroes followed in my wake. I led my armies across the Yangtze, occupied the strategic land of Jinling, and secured the natural barrier of the great river. Through fifteen years of quelling chaos and crushing the mighty, I forged an imperial legacy!"

"Since ascending the throne at forty, I have felt my virtues insufficient. Thus, I have invited learned scholars to establish rites and music, to illuminate the classics, and to exalt the true path. I have shown grace to the fallen dynasty, purged the administration, restored human discipline, honored the capital, and rectified the order of the inner palace. I have cleansed the government, forbidden eunuchs from interfering in state affairs, ensured the ministries and offices sustain one another, and established garrisons and farmland so that both troops and grain are plentiful!"

"By force, I have ended calamity; by culture, I have brought peace. From dawn until dusk, I have labored, leaving no detail unattended. I have governed the court before it could fall into disorder and pacified foreign lands before they could pose a threat. I have driven the barbarians beyond the northern deserts, leveled the four seas, and brought all corners of the world to pay homage..."

As he read, Old Zhu’s weathered face flushed crimson; his skin felt as if it were burning.

How shameful! That little brat Zhu Gaochi was truly shameless! To write a speech so thick-skinned and arrogant!

But, he had to admit, the effect was damnably effective.

As his voice fell, the soldiers below erupted into another wild roar. The fanaticism in their eyes made even Old Zhu shudder. Their shouting seemed to pierce the heavens, vibrating painfully against his eardrums.

Seeing this, Old Zhu dared not hesitate. His eyes sharpened, and he quickly pivoted to the main point, bellowing: "The world is settled, the borders are secure, and the four barbarian tribes have all bowed to our authority. Yet, Yunnan relies on its remote and perilous terrain to slaughter my envoys and harbor those who flee from justice..."

"Therefore, today, I act in accordance with Heaven to champion righteousness, to punish the wicked and comfort the people. I shall lie on brushwood and taste gall, following the strategies of the ancients, as I lead this southern expedition to secure the destiny of our mountains and rivers!"

Having clarified the cause, bolstered spirits, and ignited morale, Old Zhu raised the Emperor's sword high and let out a long, thunderous roar: "Raise the banner!"

At the Emperor's command, in an instant, a massive flagpole—a hundred feet tall and reaching toward the clouds—suddenly stood erect in the center of the square.

Atop the pole, a colossal battle standard, stained as if by fresh blood, unfurled in the wind, whipping and dancing amidst the gale! The patterns on the flag seemed to come alive, baring fangs and claws as if recounting the glorious victories of the Great Ming.

Witnessing this, the soldiers were so overcome they were incoherent, their entire bodies trembling!

"Fight!"
"Fight!"
"Fight!"

A heaven-shaking murderous intent erupted like a mountain torrent, surging toward the skies and violently shattering the blue clouds, as if it would howl upward to pierce the firmament itself!

In a heartbeat, the winds and clouds shifted, and heaven and earth fell silent!

Who would dare stand against the edge of the Great Ming’s mighty army?

"March!"

***

The army thus took its oath and set out on the expedition.

Before leaving, Guo Ying sought out Zhu Gaochi alone.

"Chi'er, if you truly have a mind to study martial arts, you must practice with diligence!"

"When I return to the capital, I will test you myself and teach you the art of the spear!"

Guo Ying was quite fond of this eccentric little disciple and could not help but harbor high expectations for him.

Zhu Gaochi felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this, though he curled his lip in feigned disdain.

"To be honest, I don't care for the spear; I prefer using a saber..."

The moment these words left his mouth, the smile on Guo Ying’s face stiffened, and he irritably grabbed the boy by the ear.

"You little brat, you’ll learn whatever I teach you, you hear me?"

Stung by the pain, Zhu Gaochi could only plead for mercy.

Guo Ying finally let him go and turned to leave.

Watching the man's retreating back, Zhu Gaochi felt a touch of reluctance.

"Old Guo the Second, make sure you come back soon. Don't go losing an arm or a leg..."

At this, Guo Ying suddenly felt the urge to turn back and beat the brat to death.

Zhu Xiongying silently gave the little fatty a thumbs up, laughing and cursing: "You really have a venomous tongue!"

"Pfft, what do you know? Men don't need to say so much!"

Zhu Gaochi waved his hand, then scanned the area until he spotted Old Zhu, scurrying over to him.

Old Zhu was just about to board the imperial carriage when a force from behind nearly sent him tumbling face-first.

He turned his head in astonishment, only to be so amused he almost laughed, seeing the little fatty, Zhu Gaochi, tugging at his dragon robe.

"You little brat, what are you doing?" Old Zhu asked, caught between anger and amusement.

"Give me the money!" Zhu Gaochi held out his chubby hand, his face set in a look of unyielding determination.

Seeing this, Old Zhu was left speechless with laughter.

"Let go, I'll give it to you when we get back!"

"That won't do. What if you welch on the debt?"

As he spoke, Zhu Gaochi nimbly climbed into the imperial carriage.

This sudden move shocked everyone present.

Zhu Quan, Zhu Zhi, and the other princes stared in utter disbelief. The little fatty was far too bold!

This was the imperial carriage—even the Crown Prince Biao and Zhu Xiongying had never sat in it. How could a mere prince of a vassal state dare to do such a thing?

Old Zhu’s expression darkened, and he scolded harshly: "You little brat, get down!"

Some things he, as a grandfather, might overlook, but he feared others would use this as a pretext to spread rumors and stir up trouble.

Zhu Gaochi curled his lip in disdain and instead beckoned to Zhu Xiongying.

"Brother Ying, come up and sit!"

Zhu Xiongying was stunned, but he understood the situation—if he didn't find a way to smooth this over, Gaochi would be in deep trouble.

Thinking this, Zhu Xiongying gritted his teeth and hopped onto the carriage as well.

He was the Eldest Imperial Grandson of the Great Ming; if he sat in the carriage, what could anyone do about it?

Old Zhu was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head and chuckled, the corners of his mouth rising slightly.

That was his eldest grandson, indeed!

Du Andao rolled his eyes and reminded them tactfully: "Your Highnesses, do not play around. Please, come down!"

To everyone's surprise, Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and laughed: "It is no matter. I shall take this opportunity to test their studies."

Since the Emperor himself had spoken, no one dared to interfere further.

The grandfather and the two grandsons sat in the carriage, staring at one another.

Zhu Xiongying felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, for he was overstepping the bounds of ritual. His heart hammered, and fine beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Zhu Gaochi, however, was unbothered, looking left and right before offering a candid critique.

"This imperial carriage is nothing special. It makes one's backside ache!"

Old Zhu was immediately displeased and retorted: "What would a little brat like you know? There are countless people in this world who covet this seat!"

"Heh," Zhu Gaochi sneered. "What's so good about being Emperor?"

"You rise earlier than a chicken, sleep later than a dog, eat worse than a pig, and toil harder than a donkey... Being Emperor? A dog wouldn't even want the job!"

Old Zhu was instantly filled with fury.

This was the imperial throne!

The one thing everyone dreamed of!

How did it become a piece of trash that even a dog wouldn't want in his ears?

In particular, Zhu Yuanzhang sensed a profound sense of disdain in his tone, which was the one thing he could not tolerate.

After all, the Great Ming empire was a foundation he had painstakingly built for his descendants. Every member of the Zhu family strove for it. Why, in your eyes, Zhu Gaochi, was the throne so insignificant?

What, was the foundation of his ancestors not even worth mentioning in your eyes?