37: Chapter 37 Your mother is gone

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had not slept all night, had just lain down on the couch for a nap when hurried footsteps and the sound of eunuchs trying to stop someone came from outside the hall.

Just as he was about to flare up, the hall doors were pushed open with a "bang," and Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen stumbled in. His hair was somewhat disheveled, and the face that usually wore a gentle smile now looked somewhat ferocious.

The young eunuchs following behind him were so terrified they lost all color in their faces; they knelt down outside the hall with a thud, not even daring to lift their heads.

Eunuch Wang Fu hurried inside, bowed, and begged for forgiveness: "Your Majesty, this servant is incompetent and failed to stop the Grand Imperial Heir..."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand to indicate it was fine. He did not even sit up straight, merely half-closing his cloudy old eyes as he observed the grandson he had once pinned high hopes on. There was no anger in his gaze, only a bottomless well of exhaustion and disappointment.

Just last night, not far from this very couch, his other grandson had been grinning as he haggled over what it meant to be the "Hongwu Emperor" and what it meant to be "Grandpa Zhu Chongba," stuffing the command of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the title of Prince of Wu, and the military authority to investigate the three provinces of Jiangnan all into his pocket.

Yet the one before him now, as the Grand Imperial Heir of the Great Ming, was acting so uncomposed over a mere setback...

At this moment, Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen had rushed to within a few steps of the royal couch, and his knees gave way, causing him to kneel. He did not offer greetings or perform a bow; he simply stared fixedly at Zhu Yuanzhang with bloodshot eyes and stammered: "The... The Emperor, where... where is my mother?"

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyelids flickered slightly, and the right arm that had been supporting his body relaxed a little.

At this moment, the old Emperor's heart turned completely cold.

If Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen had come in asking why the title of Prince of Wu was established, or why the case of General Lan Yu was wrapped up so hastily, or even asked how he should conduct himself, Zhu Yuanzhang might have still felt he possessed some of the grit typical of an imperial family.

But he asked about his mother.

In this shura field of power, in this high-stakes game where the dynasty changed overnight, the heart of this Grand Imperial Heir could only hold room for a woman in the inner palace.

This child was, after all, not cut out to be an emperor. He might make a good son or a good man, but he would never become a lonely ruler.

"Your mother..." Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was somewhat dry. He paused, his gaze shifting to the swirling dragon reliefs on the hall ceiling, as if weighing his words. Finally, he simply said faintly: "She was frightened, and she is gone."

The words "is gone" fell lightly into the hall, yet they struck Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen's heart like a ten-thousand-catty sledgehammer.

He felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his previously straight spine instantly collapsing. He stared blankly at Zhu Yuanzhang, his lips trembling violently, the color draining from his face at a visible rate.

Gone? How could she be gone? Just last night she was fine, and even sent someone to tell him that she would handle everything and that he should rest easy and study in the hall. How could she be gone after only one night?

Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen's brain was buzzing. He was not a fool; he understood in an instant: It was The Emperor... it was The Emperor who killed his mother!

"No... that cannot be..." He shook his head, utterly distraught. Tears finally broke the dam, rolling down his pale cheeks, but he still could not believe the cruel truth: "Mother was always in good health; she was fine just yesterday... The Emperor, you are lying to me, right? Mother was just confined, right?"

Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen crawled forward two steps on his knees, attempting to grab the hem of Zhu Yuanzhang's robe.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat up abruptly. The aura of authority he had brought with him from mountains of corpses and seas of blood exploded instantly, startling Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen into stopping his movements mid-action.

"Whether she took her own life or was executed, does it matter?" Zhu Yuanzhang stared at him, his gaze cold. "Did you truly know nothing of what she did?"

"No... that cannot be..." He shook his head, utterly distraught, muttering unconsciously to himself, "Mother... she only wanted to protect me... nothing would happen to her... it's impossible..."

Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. He certainly knew what his mother had done; he had even tacitly approved of those dark methods. Yet he always thought that as long as he did not personally do the dirty work, he would remain that benevolent, compassionate Grand Imperial Heir revered by all the people.

"The Emperor... Mother only... she did it for me!" Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen wailed in a breakdown, his forehead slamming heavily against the cold floor tiles. "She was your daughter-in-law, the official wife of your son! How could you be so heartless?"

Zhu Yuanzhang watched this display of Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen, tears and snot streaming down his face, completely devoid of any decorum. The last shred of pity in his heart vanished completely. He slowly closed his eyes, losing even the desire to look at him for another second, and merely waved his hand wearily.

Eunuch Wang Fu understood the signal and immediately stepped forward, bowing to Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen, who was still muttering to himself: "Your Highness, The Emperor is tired. Please return."

Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen seemed not to hear him, remaining on his knees like a puppet whose soul had been extracted.

Eunuch Wang Fu sighed and gave a look to those behind him. Two brawny eunuchs immediately stepped forward, one on each side, and hauled the distraught Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen up from the floor.

"No... let me go! I am the Grand Imperial Heir! I am the future Emperor of the Great Ming!"

Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen finally exploded. He struggled violently, using both hands and feet, like a madman.

But those two eunuchs had spent years doing heavy labor in the palace and possessed immense strength; no matter how he struggled, it was to no avail.

"Mother... my mother..."

The shrill, sorrowful wails echoed through the empty Qianqing Palace, appearing so powerless and ridiculous.

Eunuch Wang Fu led the men, half-dragging and half-carrying Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen out of the Qianqing Palace.

The morning sun, carrying a touch of warmth, shone through the glazed tiles of the palace and onto the white marble steps.

Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong had just come out of the Fengtian Hall. He stretched, having been busy for a day and a night; even a body of iron would be somewhat weary. Eunuch Sanbao followed behind him, clutching the golden book and seal of the Prince of Wu he had just received from the Grand Secretariat, his little face flushed with excitement.

Just as they reached the corner of the palace path in front of the Qianqing Palace, several eunuchs were carrying someone who was struggling and wailing, coming head-on from the direction of the Qianqing Palace.

That person was none other than his good second brother, the Grand Imperial Heir of the Great Ming, Imperial Grandson Zhu Yunwen.

Crown Prince Zhu Yuntong walked past him without stopping, not even glancing to the side.

The two brothers, on this palace path leading to the pinnacle of power, passed each other head-on.

One, facing the brilliant morning sun, stood straight and upright, walking toward the era that belonged to him.

One, dragged into the boundless darkness, his face ashen, henceforth reduced to mere scraps of words in the history books.