Chapter 25: Sister, why did you leave me behind?

Empress Ma downed a full cup of hawthorn juice in one breath, laughing and chatting with the little one as they ate.

When Zhu Yuanzhang arrived, he found the Empress’s personal maid weeping at the palace entrance. A sudden, ominous premonition clutched his heart; his legs went weak, and he stumbled. He then rushed into the hall like a madman, crying out, "My dear! My dear! Don't scare me like this! How could you be so heartless as to leave me behind?"

As he dashed into the main hall, two pairs of eyes stared at him as if he were a fool. Empress Ma, in particular, paused with her hand in mid-air, knitting her brows; it looked as if, were the little one not there, she might have grabbed a rattan cane to beat him!

"Zhu Chongba! Have you lost your mind or gone senile? Are you that eager for me to die so you can clear out a spot for yourself?" Empress Ma didn't care a whit about the Emperor's dignity, scolding him directly. In any case, the eunuchs and maids in the palace were already used to it.

The Emperor stood dumbfounded. "My... my dear, you are alright?"

"Are you wishing for something to be wrong with me all day long?" Empress Ma’s shrill scolding could be heard throughout the entire Kunning Palace.

"Ha... haha... that’s wonderful!" Hearing that robust, spirited voice, Zhu Yuanzhang laughed in sheer disbelief. He suddenly remembered the weeping maid at the door. "Cui'er, you were standing at the door wailing for no reason—whose funeral were you crying for?"

"Replying... replying to Your Majesty! Our Empress has recovered, and I... I was just crying out of joy!" the maid sobbed.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt like slapping her. If you’re happy, be happy—what’s with all the wailing at the door?

"Hehe! My dear, you scared me to death!" Thick-skinned as ever, he sat right down beside the Empress. Seeing her looking so radiant as she ate mutton, a dark thought suddenly crossed his mind: "My dear, you wouldn't be... having a final burst of energy, would you?"

"A final flicker before the end?" the little one finished the sentence in a milky voice, then added, "Grandfather Emperor, don't worry! I gave Grandmother Empress the sugar pills the White-Bearded Grandpa gave me! Now Grandmother has the strength to beat you with a rattan cane again!"

"..." Zhu Yuanzhang felt incredibly awkward. He quickly changed the subject. "What sugar pills?"

"Just two pale yellow things. After taking them, I broke into a sweat, and then I felt filled with strength. My head doesn't feel as foggy as it did before; it’s just like how I felt ten years ago!" Empress Ma gave a rough summary of the situation.

"Oh...? This isn't just any sugar pill; this is an elixir of immortality!" Zhu Yuanzhang was filled with wonder, turning to Zhu Xiongying. "My dear grandson, do you have any more? Give your Grandmother two more!"

Two pills were enough to turn back time by ten years. If she took two more, wouldn't she be back to twenty years ago? Then he wouldn't have to watch his dear wife leave this world before him!

Zhu Xiongying had expected him to ask for some for himself. He hadn't expected him to ask for more for Empress Ma. The old man actually had a conscience!

"Grandfather Emperor, one mustn't be too greedy! Do you really think things from the White-Bearded Grandpa are just handed out like that?" Those were things he had obtained by playing pranks on them.

"Yes, yes, yes! Celestial items—how could we mortals covet them? To receive two is already a blessing from my great grandson!" Zhu Yuanzhang nodded repeatedly, his weathered face crinkling like a chrysanthemum. As long as his wife’s health was restored, he couldn't ask for more.

"Glad you know that!" The little one didn't stand on ceremony; after muttering that, he picked up a slice of cooked meat and popped it into his mouth, looking perfectly content.

Only then did Zhu Yuanzhang notice the strange way they were eating. Below was a stove similar to those used for decocting medicine, filled with charcoal. On top sat a small copper pot, the soup inside bubbling away. Various ingredients were placed into the pot, cooked for a moment, retrieved, and dipped into a bowl of sauce.

He slapped the table, blowing his beard and staring wide-eyed. "Are the imperial chefs tired of their heads? Serving raw ingredients without even boiling them?"

"Sit down...!" Empress Ma shot him an annoyed glare. "What do you know? This is a new way of eating invented by our Xiongying, called 'Hot Pot'! You put in whatever you want to eat, cook it, and take it out—it’s very fresh!"

"Oh?" Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly sat back down. A maid, quick on the uptake, brought over a set of utensils and a cup of hawthorn juice. The drink whetted his appetite, and he found himself suddenly hungry.

"Great grandson! Why are there two colors in this pot?" Zhu Yuanzhang held his chopsticks, uncertain where to put the food.

"Mine is the spicy hot pot, suited for those who like strong flavors! Grandmother just recovered from a major illness, and her stomach is still weak, so I made a concentrated soup pot specifically for her, focusing on nourishment!" The little one explained simply, then impatiently shoved a piece of tender, juice-coated mutton into his mouth, sticking his tongue out from the heat.

Zhu Yuanzhang hesitated for a moment, then first placed a slice of meat into Empress Ma's bone-broth pot. A burst of savory fragrance filled his mouth. "Mm! This is truly the most delicious mutton I have ever tasted!"

After offering his praise, he turned his gaze to the bright red spicy pot in front of the little one. "That... great grandson, how about I take you to the imperial court again tomorrow?"

"Grandfather Emperor, aren't you afraid I'll say something else and lose you half your officials?"

"Haha, not at all! If you hadn't said anything, I would still be kept in the dark, letting these parasites erode my Ming Empire!"

However, his little schemes had long since been seen through by Zhu Xiongying. "Grandfather Emperor, eat if you want to eat; no need to bribe me! Besides, morning court starts too early, and I don't want to go!"

"Then we'll talk about it later, haha!" Having achieved his goal, Zhu Yuanzhang picked up a slice of meat and dropped it into the boiling red broth. After a moment, he bit into it, his face turning red from the heat. "Sss-ha... spicy... really spicy..."

The little one snickered. Let's see if you dare eat it now!

Just as he thought the old man, unaccustomed to strong flavors, would stop after being burned by the spice, Zhu Yuanzhang downed two gulps of hawthorn juice and immediately went back for more.

"Sss-ha! I must say, this thing is quite addictive! Why haven't I ever eaten this before?" Zhu Yuanzhang fanned his tongue while busy swirling meat in the pot. This stuff was spicy, but the magic of it was that it left one wanting more. He couldn't stop even if he tried!

With his mouth full of meat, his cheeks bulging, he asked, "Delicious! Delicious! The texture of this meat is truly wonderful! Great grandson, what kind of meat is this?"

"Beef!"

"..." Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned. Cattle were a vital productive force, and the government had strictly forbidden their slaughter. As the Emperor, he was now the one leading the way in eating beef? If those censor officials found out, wouldn't they be nagging him day and night?

[Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have left Zhu Yuanzhang speechless. Reward: Three months of added life!]