Chapter Twenty-Six: A Heavy Investment

"I am planning to give you all a two-month leave to return to our ancestral home in Fengyang and check on the progress of the construction of the Central Capital for me."

Under the watchful eyes of a vigilant Zhu Biao and three expectant younger brothers, Zhu Yuanzhang laid out his mission.

The three brothers, who had braced themselves for some monumental difficulty, were stunned for a moment. Was this really the glorious and magnificent task their Imperial Father had in store for them? It seemed too simple.

Then, the third and fourth brothers grew excited. Two months without having to study at the Grand Academy! Regardless of the nature of the task, this condition alone was enough for them to agree without hesitation. Furthermore, the task involved visiting the Central Capital—a place they had long yearned to see.

There had been much debate regarding whether to move the capital, and if so, where. There were three proposals: staying put in Yingtian, moving to Kaifeng—the former capital of the Song Dynasty—or building a new Central Capital in their ancestral home. After much argument, the Huai-Xi faction led by the Duke of Korea, Li Shanchang, had won, while Liu Bowen, who supported remaining in Yingtian, had lost and retired to his home in Qingtian.

Construction of the Central Capital had begun in the fourth year of the Hongwu reign, with vast sums of money poured into it every year. Li Shanchang, the Duke of Korea—the premier minister of the Great Ming, whom the Emperor compared to Xiao He—was personally overseeing the project. It had been under construction for nearly four years now.

Over the years, the brothers had heard much about the city. It was said that the Duke of Korea had made it grand and spectacular; its sheer size alone far exceeded that of Yingtian Prefecture. It was said to possess the prosperity of Northern Song's Bianliang and the majestic grandeur of Tang's Chang'an—the most magnificent and greatest capital in history. Though unfinished, its scale already dwarfed Yingtian.

The brothers had long been itching to see it, but their heavy studies and their father’s reluctance to let them leave the capital had kept them there. They had assumed they would have to wait another year and a half for its completion to visit with their father. Who could have imagined such a surprise?

"Are you willing to go?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked, looking at his sons with a faint smile.

"Willing! Absolutely willing!" Zhu Gang, feeling refreshed, immediately responded. Zhu Shuang followed suit instantly, fearing that if he hesitated, his father might change his mind. Zhu Di, more cautious, sensed that things might not be as simple as his father claimed and wanted to consider it carefully. However, upon hearing his third brother’s quick acceptance, he abandoned his hesitation and chimed in, "This son is willing!" His voice was three shades louder than Zhu Gang’s.

"Just... after we return, may we have the tutor help us catch up on the lessons we missed?" Zhu Gang asked with some hesitation. Unlike his second and fourth brothers, he was a top student and truly loved learning.

Zhu Di and Zhu Shuang, who were busy rejoicing, wanted to beat him up on the spot. They had never seen such an annoying person!

"As long as you want to catch up, I will certainly have the tutor assist you," Zhu Yuanzhang said, clearly approving of the third prince's dedication.

Zhu Gang ignored the resentful yet friendly glares of his brothers and happily thanked his father.

"Imperial Father," Zhu Biao interjected, "this isn't just as simple as sending them to take a look, is it?" He was determined to get to the bottom of his father's intentions to ensure his foolish brothers didn't get themselves into trouble.

"Our Biao'er is truly clever!" Zhu Yuanzhang, who rarely praised his sons, did so naturally and fluently when it came to Zhu Biao. "My request is not for you to travel with guards and grand processions, drawing attention everywhere you go. That would be a waste of money, and you would never see the reality of the Central Capital or the conditions along the way. You would only see what others have arranged for you to see."

"Therefore, I want you to travel incognito. Go to the Central Capital from the perspective of commoners. See if my decrees are truly being implemented. See how the city is being built. See how the common people are living. See if it is truly as the reports from the Duke of Korea claim—that construction is progressing by leaps and bounds and that the laborers are not suffering."

"I feel as though my eyes are covered by a veil, unable to see the truth. You are to be my eyes. Go and see the Central Capital for what it really is."

Zhu Yuanzhang began to reveal his true motives. He knew full well what the Central Capital was like, having experienced it in his previous life. However, finding concrete evidence to curb Li Shanchang was not easy. Li’s influence was immense, and he was the leader of the Huai-Xi nobility. The Central Capital was being built in their home territory, where countless people were willing to do his bidding. In his past life, he had suffered for this, and this time, he would learn from his mistakes.

He would not act directly; instead, he would secretly send his own sons there as common laborers. Once they were inside, let’s see how Li Shanchang would try to conceal the truth or deceive him. When he eventually revealed his sons' identities in front of them, all their schemes would become a joke. It was a high-stakes gamble, but Zhu Yuanzhang was willing to sacrifice his own children to trap the wolf.

"No problem!" Zhu Shuang agreed instantly. Though sturdy, he was simple-minded and didn't think much of the implications. As long as he didn't have to study at the Grand Academy, he would happily go—even if it meant carrying a broken bowl and wearing rags to beg for food.

"And you two?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked, looking at the third and fourth princes with a hint of provocation.

"I’ll go! I’m going!" Zhu Di replied quickly, casting a subtle glance at Zhu Gang. He felt smug for having beaten the third brother to the punch.

"This son will certainly go! As your sons, it is our duty to share your burdens. As Princes of the Ming, we will eventually be granted our own fiefs; it would be a failure to remain in the deep palace without knowing the hardships of the people. This is the perfect opportunity for us to gain experience!" Zhu Gang said solemnly.

*Damn it!* Zhu Di cursed internally. He had thought he could get the upper hand by speaking first, but this "annoying" third brother had come up with such a high-minded speech. *Why is this guy so good at talking? People who read too much really are full of devious schemes!*

"Right! I ask that you do not send anyone to protect us in secret. Do not give us any travel funds, do not bring any food or drink. Let us go as the most ordinary of commoners and live there for two months. Let us truly experience how the common people live!" Zhu Di, refusing to be outdone, raised the stakes.

Zhu Gang wanted to scold him. *Could you stop trying to one-up me? Do you have to be so cruel to us?*

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded in satisfaction. Bringing the third and fourth together to discuss this had been a success; he knew they would try to outdo each other.

"Good! Truly my sons! You have ambition! I believe in you, and I look forward to you telling me the truth about the Central Capital!" Zhu Yuanzhang praised them with a smile.

Having received such praise from a father who rarely did so, the princes felt as if they had been injected with adrenaline and vowed not to let him down.

"Imperial Father, you cannot do this!" Zhu Biao, unable to watch any longer, spoke up. "The city is under construction. If you send them as common laborers, what else can they do but perform hard labor? It is too dangerous."

"It's not heavy, not heavy at all, Big Brother. How could we be afraid of that?"
"Exactly, we aren't afraid!" Zhu Gang and Zhu Di chimed in.

"See, Biao'er, they aren't afraid of hardship," Zhu Yuanzhang said with a laugh.

"Then... I shall go with them! I, too, should experience the lives of the people," Zhu Biao said, changing his approach.

"That won't do! You are to be the Emperor; the path you must take to temper yourself is different. As the saying goes, different monkeys require different tethers; this matter must be handled according to the person. Besides, you are older and have already witnessed the hardships of the people. You don't need to go through this," Zhu Yuanzhang said, employing a double standard without hesitation. "Besides, your mother has already agreed to this."

Hearing that the Empress had consented, Zhu Biao finally fell silent, effectively accepting the arrangement. Zhu Yuanzhang breathed a sigh of relief.

...

That evening, in the Kunning Palace, the breath Zhu Yuanzhang had let out that day tightened again as he faced Empress Ma. He had lied to Zhu Biao—he hadn't actually spoken to her about it yet. Now, he was worried about how to tell her and convince her. Unlike the foolish boys, his wife was much harder to deceive than Biao'er...