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

Zhu Yunwen remained silent and indifferent, then turned and left the palace.

this point,

Grandpa Emperor isn't here, but he knows where to find him!

…………

the other side.

It's late at night in Kunning Palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang changed his clothes and prepared to go to sleep.

"Oh, right, someone will come looking for us in a little while, but we've disappeared."

"Girl, you shouldn't see her either."

Zhu Yuanzhang's sudden remark left Empress Ma somewhat bewildered.

"Zhongba, what are you saying?"

Empress Ma inquired.

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "It's all because of my grandson. He has some connections with the Zhou family and will come to us for help. You should send him away to save us trouble."

Zhu Yuanzhang was sleepy and wanted to go to sleep.

Empress Ma was still in high spirits, saying that winter was coming and she wanted to embroider sweaters for Zhu Yao and her father.

Actually, it was mainly embroidered for my father.

She never embroidered a sweater for Zhu Yao when Zhu Yao was living at the third brother's house. This time, she embroidered it to make a good impression on her father. It would be inappropriate to give the sweater only to her father.

Others might say she's biased, even though she is indeed biased, but she doesn't want her father to think that way.

Embroidering a sweater for Zhu Yao was, in a way, a cover-up for her favoritism.

However, since she had decided to embroider, Empress Ma would put her heart and soul into it.

But Zhu Yao got the first embroidery, and after she finished it and gained some experience, she embroidered for her father.

"Okay, the child is here. I'll send him away."

Empress Ma nodded.

Regarding the matter of Zhou Dexing and his son Zhou Ji, Zhu Yuanzhang had just returned and told her about it, so Empress Ma knew the whole story.

After thinking for a moment, Empress Ma continued, "Chongba, won't you... hurt Yunwen's feelings by not seeing him?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Law is law, and human feelings are human feelings. I just don't want to choose between human feelings and law, so I'd rather not see them."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked somewhat dejected, even a little pained.

Empress Ma caught it.

As her husband, she could understand Zhu Yuanzhang's current state of mind.

Despite Zhu Yuanzhang's seemingly ruthless and decisive judgment, Empress Ma knew that he still hesitated somewhat when dealing with Zhou Dexing.

Empress Ma nodded again, seemingly indifferently: "I understand, Chongba, you can go to sleep."

"Okay, you should go to bed early too. Don't stay up too late embroidering a sweater. You'll be embroidering tomorrow anyway, why do you have to do it so late at night?"

"You're more likely to be energetic at night, so go to sleep and don't worry about me."

"Girl, you..."

"......."

After the couple chatted for a while longer, Zhu Yuanzhang finally lay down on the bed, satisfied.

Empress Ma covered Zhu Yuanzhang with a blanket, and as usual, gave him a bowl of goat milk. After he finished drinking it, Empress Ma closed the door and left.

As soon as they stepped outside, a palace maid approached them.

"Your Majesty, Prince Yunwen tried to barge in, but I stopped him."

Empress Ma paused for a moment, then smiled wryly: "Zhongba was right after all. Yunwen, that child... sigh..."

She sighed.

Empress Ma then slowly walked to the doorway.

When Zhu Yunwen saw Empress Ma, his previously angry expression softened: "Grandmother, is Grandfather asleep? I want to see him."

Empress Ma smiled and said, "Child, your imperial grandfather has been dealing with state affairs all day and went to bed long ago. I could still hear him snoring when I came out just now."

"If you have anything to say, let's talk about it tomorrow. By the way, are you hungry? If you are, Your Majesty, I'll send someone to the Imperial Kitchen to find you something to eat."

"I'm not hungry." Zhu Yunwen shook his head: "Since Grandfather is asleep, I'll come again tomorrow."

He turned and left.

Empress Ma breathed a sigh of relief.

Can….

Zhu Yunwen had only taken a few steps when he stopped in his tracks and then turned back.

"No, Grandmother, I need to see Grandfather tonight and I can't delay."

"My elder brother wants to deal with Zhou Dexing, but Zhou Dexing is the Marquis of Jiangxia! He helped our Emperor conquer the world. My elder brother is dealing with Zhou Dexing without consulting the officials. Is he trying to put our Emperor in a position of being unrighteous and immoral?"

Empress Ma smiled gently: "Child, it's too late today, let's talk about it tomorrow."

now.

Seeing Empress Ma's calm expression, Zhu Yunwen instantly realized that Empress Ma also knew about this matter.

"Grandmother, are you aware of this matter? Do you agree with my elder brother's actions?"

Zhu Yunwen gritted his teeth, somewhat unwilling.

Empress Ma did not answer.

Zhu Yunwen suddenly shouted in a loud voice, "Grandpa Emperor! Grandpa Emperor! Your grandson has come to find you! Have you not even seen your own grandson?"

"Your grandson is your other half! Your grandson requests an audience, Grandpa!"

When Zhu Yunwen was born, his forehead was not full, like a crescent moon with a piece missing.

When Zhu Yuanzhang saw it, he cried out in distress, "Half of it! Half of it!"

Now Zhu Yunwen is shouting and yelling, completely disregarding Empress Ma's attitude; he's already gone all out!

He clearly remembered his mother saying that if Zhou Dexing fell from power, then he... would never have a chance to rise again!

He coveted that position too much; he had once been just one step away from it!

He didn't want to give up so easily!

Empress Ma was not angry, but sighed and said gently, "Child, stop talking and go back. Don't disturb your grandfather's rest."

"Your imperial grandfather had his reasons, and he had no choice but to do this."

Zhu Yunwen still wouldn't give up: "Grandmother, I just want to see Grandfather, just once."

He walked forward.

However, Empress Ma stood at the door like a guardian deity, blocking Zhu Yunwen from entering from any direction.

Under the pitch-black night, snowflakes fell softly, and Zhu Yunwen's calls went unanswered. The courtyard was dark and empty, without a sound.

Empress Ma did not reprimand him; she simply stood at the door, looking at Zhu Yunwen without moving.

Every now and then he would say, "Child, go back quickly."

Zhu Yunwen roared for a long time before gradually quieting down.

His disappointment deepened, and he turned and staggered away.

….….….….….…

The next day, early in the morning.

Tianyun Temple.

The morning mist arrives.

The courtyard inside the temple was shrouded in white fog; the fog was so thick that one could not see anyone within ten steps.

Zhu Changye got up early and didn't bother the disciples in the temple.

After getting up, I went to the vegetable garden.

The vegetable garden was newly built by Zhu Changye in the past few days when he had nothing to do. It has been fenced off. After the roosters finished crowing, they began to peck at the soil.

Zhu Changye sprinkled a handful of rice over, and the roosters swarmed around it, then leisurely lowered their heads to peck at the rice.

After feeding the chicken, Zhu Changye washed his face with hot water and then went out.

It was still early, and there were only a few people around Tianyun Temple.

Zhu Changye took a walk around the entire block, and gradually more and more people carrying their loads of goods arrived at the early market.

Near Tianyun Temple, three or five old women were pounding the river with mallets, making a loud thud. They didn't mind the icy river water and started rubbing the water while shaking their clothes.

The morning mist gradually dissipated.

Zhu Changye went to buy several steamers of steamed buns and also got several bowls of soy milk to take back to his residence.

When he returned to the courtyard, he found Zhu Gaochi already bent down inside the fence, collecting the eggs laid by the hens.

"Get up so early?"

As Zhu Changye walked, he asked with a smile.

Zhu Gaochi was startled by the voice behind him, then stood up and looked back, smiling as he said, "Yes, Master, weren't you earlier?"

"Wow, so many steamed buns! These steamed buns..."

He hesitated.

Zhu Changye laughed and said, "Come and eat. I bought it for breakfast anyway."

"Haha, good!" Zhu Gaochi quickly went over.

After eating several steamed buns, Zhu Gaochi still felt it wasn't enough.

Zhu Changye remembered very clearly that this little guy would be a chubby boy in the future. It must have been because he ate too much when he was a child that he got fat and then couldn't lose weight.

subconsciously,

Zhu Changye secretly took away the steamed buns that were originally meant for Zhu Gaochi.

After finishing his meal, Zhu Gaochi patted his slightly bulging belly and laughed, "Master, could you let me personally experience your cultivation method from yesterday?"

"It's like... being there in person. I really want to experience what it's like to be a cultivator. I think if I could experience it, I would definitely work harder in my cultivation in the future."

Zhu Changye glanced at him: "You'll see it later, you'll even experience it firsthand, there's no rush."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gaochi slumped onto the desk like a wilted eggplant: "That would take a long time. I don't even know if I have the willpower to hold on until then."

Zhu Changye found him and said, "You child, are you trying to provoke me? If I don't let you experience it, you're threatening to stop learning cultivation?"

Zhu Gaochi's eyes widened: "No, how could I dare? Whether I learn the cultivation method or not is my own business. I finally got in, and I haven't learned anything yet. How could I dare to use this to threaten you, sir?"

"It's just... I long for it."

Zhu Changye did not answer.

I'm still eating breakfast.

After finishing his portion, he finally spoke, "You really want to try it?"

"Well, I think so!"

"Well... that's fine then. Just treat it as a dream."

While talking.

Zhu Changye placed his right hand on Zhu Gaochi's body, and soon, Zhu Gaochi's soul left his body.

Zhu Gaochi, high in the sky, was instantly stunned.

"My God, Master, this...this...this! My soul is leaving my body! I'm terrified!"

Zhu Changye rolled his eyes at him: "Kid, you had to experience this yourself, and now that you've experienced it, it's easy to get in but hard to get out. I won't let you go back so easily."

"Let's go, come with your master for a stroll."

Zhu Changye's gaze drifted to the distance.

Zhu Gaochi's lips twitched suddenly behind him.

Master, you really know how to talk. What a wonderful way to say "take a stroll"!

We're flying!

Zhu Gaochi sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation, then tiptoed after Zhu Changye.

He's afraid of heights, really afraid of heights, and he's currently suspended at least five or six meters above the ground.

That's a terrifying height!

But it was his own idea that came up.

Zhu Gaochi truly had a bitter pill to swallow.

Looking down at the entire Tianyun Temple from high above.

Zhu Gaochi could also see that the City God Temple was divided into two parts: one part was the temple hall, which consisted of several connected halls, and the other part was the courtyard outside the temple hall.

The courtyard is very large, with many flowers and plants, banyan trees, and a pavilion for cooling off. The temple is not open to the public, so elderly people often come here to take walks and play chess.

According to Master, this City God Temple has undergone several transformations and is no longer the small temple it used to be. Especially after Master's arrival, various parts of the Taoist temple have been renovated, and it has undergone even greater changes than before.

This was the first time Zhu Gaochi had ever seen the world from such a perspective in his entire life.

As he watched, he became less afraid.

the other side.

Zhu Changye would sometimes come out of the temple and walk around here.

Watching pilgrims offer incense and pray for blessings is a sight that never gets old.