21: Chapter 21 Li Jinglong's God-Level Whitewashing Scene
Zhu Yuanzhang's final question was too treacherous.
To say Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong was formidable, to praise his heroic talent and claim he was destined by fate?
Wouldn't that be the same as telling the Emperor to his face that he, the grandfather, was blind, had chosen the wrong heir, and deserved to be rebelled against by his grandson? That was dancing wildly on Zhu Yuanzhang's minefield.
If he couldn't give a reason and just said he was a blind cat bumping into a dead mouse, gambling on luck?
That was even worse. A gambler who couldn't even explain why he was gambling, in the eyes of an emperor with such a strong desire for control like Zhu Yuanzhang, was just a complete fool. If a fool could succeed in a "palace coup," that wouldn't just be slapping Zhu Yuanzhang in the face; it would be rubbing his face into the dirt repeatedly.
In a flash of lightning, Duke of Cao's brain spun rapidly, and cold sweat soaked his back once again.
He knew this was the last hurdle, and the most difficult one. If he said a single word wrong, he wouldn't be walking out of this Huagai Hall in one piece today.
What to do?
Subconsciously, he wanted to look at Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong again, but found that Zhu Yuanzhang's mountain-like figure happened to block his line of sight.
Forget it!
Duke of Cao steeled his heart, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, the reason I dared to gamble is not because I thought the Third Imperial Prince would definitely win."
"Oh?" Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes narrowed.
"It is because..." Duke of Cao suddenly raised his head. In those peach-blossom eyes that were usually filled with a hint of laziness, there was now a scorching glow, "I felt that following the Third Imperial Prince, even if I lose, I lose with no regrets!"
When these words were spoken, Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned.
Even Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong, who had been calm and composed, couldn't help but take another look at Duke of Cao.
"No regrets?" Zhu Yuanzhang repeated, his expression somewhat mocking.
"Yes, no regrets!" Duke of Cao's voice rose sharply, and that reckless, dissipated air of a playboy returned, "Your Majesty, you know that the person I admire most in this life is not my father, but you!"
"Those people under your command, which one of them didn't follow you with their heads tied to their belts? What were they after? Were they after your fighting ability? Your ability to scheme? No!" Duke of Cao said, spitting as he spoke, "What they were after was that following you was exciting! There was hope! Even if they died on the battlefield today, when they reached the King of Hell's palace, they could pat their chests and say, 'I didn't live this life in vain!'"
"But what about now?" Duke of Cao shifted his tone, a hint of grievance and unwillingness in his voice, "Look at the imperial court. The civil officials are scheming against each other every day, and the military generals are all silent like cicadas in winter. Every day when everyone comes to court, what they think about is not how to be loyal to the country, but how to keep their official hats, how not to offend anyone, and how to safely muddle through until they can retire to their hometowns."
"To say something disrespectful, this life is stifling!"
"But the Third Imperial Prince is different!" Duke of Cao said, his gaze suddenly turning to Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong, his eyes burning with a terrifying intensity, "When I saw him at the Mansion of the Duke of Liang, I knew that he was different from us, different from the entire court of civil and military officials!"
"He has a certain energy, a kind of crazy energy that treats the sky falling as just pulling up a blanket! Following him, I'm not afraid of death. What I'm afraid of is living this life in such a cowardly way, that when I'm old, I won't even have one thing to brag to my grandson about!"
"So, I gambled! I just wanted to see what kind of great things could be accomplished by following such a master! Even if I lose in the end and lose my head, I accept it! At least, I've lived a life of no regrets!"
This speech was passionate and exhilarating.
It forcefully elevated an originally selfish opportunistic act to the height of "following an idol and realizing life's value."
General Lan Yu was listening from the side, his blood boiling. He looked at Duke of Cao, and there was even a hint of appreciation in his eyes.
This brat, although a bit cowardly, what he said was, damn it, really to his taste!
Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong stood where he was, feeling both amused and helpless.
Good heavens, this Duke of Cao... he is truly a talent. To be able to dress up opportunism as the pursuit of passion; he probably even believes his own rhetoric.
However, the effect was really good.
He could feel that the murderous aura on Zhu Yuanzhang was slowly fading away.
Yes, what man doesn't hope to become an idol worshipped by others? What founding emperor doesn't miss those passionate, burning years of his youth?
Duke of Cao's words seemed to be flattering Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong, but in reality, every word struck at Zhu Yuanzhang's heart.
Your grandson is like you.
That kingly aura of yours from back then, which made all the heroes of the world bow their heads, has a successor.
This was more convincing than any explanation.
Zhu Yuanzhang was silent.
After a long time, he sighed slowly, his steps somewhat unsteady, walking step by step to in front of Duke of Cao.
Duke of Cao's heart instantly jumped to his throat. It's over, it's over, is this old man going to slaughter him with his own hands? He could even feel the back of his neck turning cold. However, the anticipated thunderous rage did not descend.
A large hand, covered in calluses, withered yet still powerful, landed gently on his shoulder, patting it twice, neither lightly nor heavily.
"If Bao'er knew this in the underworld, he would be happy for you."
Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was very soft, somewhat hoarse, as if he were talking to himself, or as if he were speaking to someone far away.
Duke of Cao froze completely. He suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide open, staring foolishly at the old man before him.
"Your Majesty... is Your Majesty praising me?"
Did he hear that wrong? The Emperor was praising him, a guilty official who had rebelled? And said his father, Li Wenzhong, would be happy for him?
What the hell is going on?
Duke of Cao's brain completely crashed, going blank. He had thought of countless possibilities: being beheaded on the spot, being dragged away for death by a thousand cuts, being ordered to have his nine generations executed... but he had never thought of this one.
This was more uncomfortable for him than being directly slashed with a knife. A complex and indescribable emotion surged into his heart—acidity, grievance, excitement... all sorts of feelings mixed together, making him, a man in his twenties, have his eyes instantly turn red.
"Your Majesty..." He opened his mouth, his throat choked with sobs, and he couldn't even say a single word.
Zhu Yuanzhang ignored him further, withdrawing his hand after those two pats. He turned around, his slightly hunched back appearing exceptionally desolate in the vast hall.
He ignored General Lan Yu and Duke of Cao, instead turning his gaze toward Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong.
"Do you think I am old?"
He spoke, asking the question that had been mercilessly exposed by Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong at the Xiaoling Mausoleum.
This question was even more fatal than the questions he had asked General Lan Yu and Duke of Cao earlier.
An aging emperor is most afraid of admitting that he is old.
Hearing this, Duke of Cao and General Lan Yu looked at each other, both seeing terror in the other's eyes.
The two of them had just been pleading guilty, speaking passionately, and baring their hearts, bringing the atmosphere to that point, and thought the matter was over. After all that fuss, the person the Emperor truly wanted to deal with was still this Third Imperial Prince!
Both of their hearts hung in the air once again.
Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong met Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze, his face still devoid of expression. General Lan Yu and Duke of Cao were nothing but appetizers. The game between him and his grandfather was only just truly beginning.
"I would not dare." Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong bowed slightly, his tone respectful.
"You would not dare?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, his pressure suddenly rising, "You have already rebelled, what is there that you would not dare to do?"