Zhu Yuanzhang, who commanded the wind and rain, lived a long and arduous life.

[P.S.: I got carried away writing, this chapter is 10,000 words long, combining two chapters into one.]

"Huh? Old Taoist priest, how could it be you?"

Empress Ma was somewhat surprised: "Just now I saw another Taoist priest giving out fortune sticks here. Has he left?"

Empress Ma had never seen the Taoist priest before her.

But it was indeed a different person.

She had been burning incense and giving offerings, and the Taoist priest was still there. But when it was her turn, this Taoist priest took her place.

Empress Ma was a meticulous person, and instinctively... sensed that something was amiss.

She was cautious.

"When a pilgrim wants a one-on-one consultation to draw lots and have the divination explained, he accompanies that pilgrim."

“This place can’t be left empty, so it’s my turn.”

Zhu Changye chuckled.

In fact, he had sent away the original disciples of Tianyun Temple.

Zhu Changye had been back at Tianyun Temple from outside Yingtian Prefecture for a quarter of an hour, originally intending to go back and work on his cultivation.

But unexpectedly, I sensed a familiar aura.

It is even more ferocious than U.A.R.

Out of curiosity, he came over to take a look, and then he saw an old man who was over fifty years old, and... the bracelet that he had given to Empress Ma was being worn by the old man.

His identity is obvious.

Zhu Changye was somewhat surprised that he would meet his daughter-in-law today.

He had also observed his daughter-in-law while she was burning incense. She seemed virtuous and kind, and she handled everything in an orderly manner, whether it was burning incense or giving offerings.

Moreover, he was kind to others and never looked down on those of lower social class because of his status.

She's a good daughter-in-law, a really good daughter-in-law.

Zhu Changye was very satisfied with what he saw.

There's a saying that a father-in-law becomes more and more satisfied with his daughter-in-law the more he looks at her, while a father-in-law becomes less and less satisfied with his son-in-law the more he looks at him.

Zhu Changye believed he had been trapped.

Like many fathers-in-law in the world, he was very satisfied with his daughter-in-law.

"I see."

Empress Ma chuckled.

She didn't believe this explanation, because she had clearly seen the previous visitor walk outside, which meant he was leaving Tianyun Temple.

The Taoist priest who had been distributing the divination slips went into the Tianyun Temple.

From either of their perspectives, it was not a good idea for them to get together and interpret the divination results.

The old man in front of me is just lying to me.

But she didn't expose it.

She had a good overall impression of the Taoist priests at Tianyun Temple, and there was a reason why she believed the old Taoist priest was lying to her.

"Old Taoist priest, give me a fortune stick too."

Empress Ma smiled.

Zhu Changye nodded, then handed Empress Ma a divination stick container.

Empress Ma immediately closed her eyes and began to shake.

soon.

One sign landed.

Empress Ma picked it up, glanced at it quickly, and handed it to Zhu Changye: "Old Taoist priest, what kind of fortune slip is this?"

Zhu Changye glanced at it and replied, "A very auspicious sign. You've just recovered from a serious illness, right?"

Empress Ma smiled and nodded: "Yes, yes! Granted."

"I almost thought I wouldn't make it through, but I didn't expect that our ancestors would protect me."

"So after I recovered from my illness, I was able to walk around without any problems, so I quickly came to the temple to pay my respects to our ancestors."

Zhu Changye's eyes flickered.

Empress Ma witnessed this entire scene.

She sighed and continued, "I just don't know what the old ancestor likes to eat, so the food I prepared might not suit his taste."

"Oh, Taoist Master, I have so many things on my mind that I need to resolve. How about... you interpret my divination privately for me?"

Zhu Changye originally intended to come over, say a few words to his daughter-in-law, and then leave, but he didn't expect his daughter-in-law to use his previous excuse to ask him to come and interpret the divination as well.

After thinking for a moment, Zhu Changye nodded: "Alright."

He walked out slowly and led the way.

Empress Ma followed behind.

soon.

The two arrived at a separate room in Tianyun Temple. This room was used by Tianyun Temple to receive pilgrims and to provide a place for tired pilgrims to rest. There were a total of twelve such rooms in the entire Tianyun Temple.

With a creak, the door closed, and Zhu Changye sat down opposite Empress Ma.

"Would you like tea?"

Zhu Changye asked with a smile.

Empress Ma smiled and said, "I used to not drink it because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to sleep, but I must drink your tea, old Taoist priest."

Zhu Changye nodded.

Start making tea.

The tea was freshly heated, and there was still tea in it.

It can be brewed fresh.

"Old Taoist priest, how about... I do it?"

Empress Ma volunteered: "Although I don't drink tea much, I have many male friends in my family. It's better now, but before our Ming Dynasty was founded, sometimes his large group of friends would come to our house and wear down the threshold."

"To entertain them, I also practiced a tea-making technique, and it turned out pretty good. They all said it was delicious after they tried it."

Zhu Changye laughed and said, "That won't be necessary. Who invites pilgrims to make tea? I'll do it myself."

Tap tap tap…

The sound of tea being poured could be heard.

After brewing a cup of tea, Zhu Changye placed it in front of Empress Ma.

Then he poured himself some tea.

Empress Ma accepted the tea with both hands and drank it immediately, but it was so hot that her tongue hurt from the heat.

"Slow down, no rush."

Zhu Changye chuckled.

Empress Ma was burning up and said, "I...I'm a little flustered to see you, sir."

“It wasn’t like this before, and I would never do something as stupid as burning myself while drinking tea. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Zhu Changye laughed and said, "No, no."

After thinking for a moment, he continued, "The divination indicates that your man is not an ordinary person, but his life will not be smooth sailing either."

“He has been through a lot over the years, and you must have suffered a lot following him.”

When Empress Ma heard that Zhu Yuanzhang was mentioned, her eyes, which had been somewhat panicked, became natural and proud.

"Suffering? I didn't suffer much."

Empress Ma's face was beaming with a smile, as if she were lost in a perfect memory, and she said to herself, "Back then, he was just a penniless young man."

"After I took a liking to him and proposed to my father, he disagreed. In the end, I had to keep pestering him until he finally agreed."

"After we got married, I originally wanted to live a peaceful life with him, but who would have thought that he was not content with that? He wanted to go out and make his own way in the world. He believed that since he was with me, others should not think that I was supporting him, but that he was supporting me."

"He went out to make his way in the world, taking me with him."

“During that period, I often told him privately, ‘You don’t have to work so hard, really you don’t have to. Between us as husband and wife, there’s no such thing as you supporting me and me supporting you. We’re all family now that we’re married, there’s no distinction between you and me.’”

"As for the gossip outside, let's ignore it and just live our lives in peace."

"But he wouldn't listen. He was stubborn. He wanted to impress others and make them know that he was good enough for me. So this troublesome husband continued to make his way."

“What else can we do? He wants to take risks, so let’s go with him. There’s no other way. He’s the man of the house, the pillar of the family. I just want to follow him, even if his ideas are wrong. But a husband and wife shouldn’t have too many disagreements. I will support him so that he can go ahead without any worries.”

"Keep trying, keep trying... Originally, I thought if he failed, I would go back with him and live a good life. In those days, it was normal to fail in your endeavors."

"But who knew..."

Empress Ma smiled helplessly, her eyes filled with pride: "He succeeded. He succeeded in letting everyone know that between him and his wife, it wasn't me supporting him, but him leading me to a good life."

"He is really, really amazing."

"Even now, when I recall those days of adventure, I am amazed at how amazing he was. I also admire my own foresight back then, for catching him and not letting him get away."

Empress Ma continued speaking to herself.

She had never said these words to anyone else.

But when facing the old Taoist priest in front of him, he couldn't help but blurt it out.

At first, she just wanted to say it casually, but she didn't expect that she would get caught up in that memory and couldn't help but say what was on her mind.

After saying this, Empress Ma realized that they were still inside the Tianyun Temple.

His proud expression instantly turned into fear.

"Ah? Old Taoist priest, I'm so sorry, I suddenly said so much, I... I just..."

Zhu Changye laughed and said, "It's alright. Your man must be very good, which is why your eyes light up whenever you think of him."

Empress Ma smiled and nodded: "Yes."

"You've finished your tea, let me refill it for you."

Zhu Changye reached for Empress Ma's teacup and then poured tea.

As he poured tea, he also thought of the woman in his memory.

At first….

When Chang Le married him, he wasn't as brave or daring as Chong Ba. Was she disappointed?

Empress Ma and Chongba were able to return home in glory, and Empress Ma could proudly say to her father, "Father, isn't my man great?"

What about Chang Le?

She didn't dare.

While she was still alive, he had never done anything that would impress his father-in-law.

She must have been disappointed, as was her father-in-law.

Zhu Changye's eyes were unfocused.

soon.

A cup of tea was poured, and Zhu Changye handed it to Empress Ma.

Empress Ma bowed slightly and thanked him, then looked at Zhu Changye: "My man is very capable, he is perfect, but... even someone as perfect as him has regrets."

Zhu Changye said "Oh," and continued, "What a pity?"

Empress Ma gazed at him intently and said, "He got everything he wanted, and some things he didn't even want, he got too."

"And in the future, he will be able to get whatever he wants or doesn't want, with just a word from him."

"But... there is one thing he can never have. When he went out to make his way in the world, he told his parents that he would give them a good life. But when he returned home in glory, he found that his home was gone, and even the village where he had lived since childhood had been destroyed."

"His childhood was destroyed by the Yuan people, and his parents were also killed by the Yuan people."

"I still remember that after he succeeded, he proudly told me that he had good parents and that he would take me to meet them."

"He introduced me to his wonderful parents and told them that he had married a wife, but... when I went with him to his hometown, I didn't see anything."

Empress Ma sighed, "Those days when he learned of his parents' deaths were the most painful days for him."

“He was in great pain, and I, who had always been able to comfort him, didn’t know where to begin during that period. I… could only watch helplessly. I couldn’t help him, and that was the moment when I felt most powerless.”

Zhu Changye's eyes flickered, and he sighed with a hint of emotion, "He is a filial and good child."

Empress Ma smiled and said, "Do you really think so?"

"Ah."

“Then I’ll go back and talk to him.”

"Tell him? Why?"

"Because...because, cough cough, I heard that the Taoist priests of Tianyun Temple are very accurate in their divination. I'm not talking nonsense, but you said he is filial, so he must be."

Zhu Changye laughed and said, "The rumors circulating outside are a bit outrageous."