Chapter 55 Piercing the Heart

"Your Majesty, the Duke of Han is still kneeling outside."

Around the third watch of the night, Zhu Biao came to Zhu Yuanzhang's quarters, his voice carrying a subtle hint of hesitation.

"Let him kneel if he loves it so much! If he has the guts, he should strip off his shirt and kneel with a bare back! Since he is so fond of imitating the ancient act of carrying thorns to beg for punishment, he might as well do it thoroughly. What kind of trick is it to kneel while wearing clothes? He, Li Shanchang, is thinking too much if he expects to use this tactic to force Us to back down!"

Zhu Yuanzhang refused to pay the slightest attention to Li Shanchang's bitter-meat stratagem. To try such a stunt on him—he must have lost his mind to think of it!

"Father, it is freezing outside. We must not let him actually freeze to death."

Zhu Biao, kind-hearted by nature, knew how deeply entangled Li Shanchang was in the affairs of the court; he could not simply be allowed to die like this.

"Let him drop dead for all We care!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude remained unyielding. "After the way he treated those laborers, a little freezing is good for him. It serves him right if he freezes to death!"

With that, seeing that Biao was genuinely worried, Zhu Yuanzhang offered a word of reassurance: "Rest assured, Biao, this old scoundrel is as tough as old boots! He won't die that easily."

In his past life, Li Shanchang had lived to the ripe old age of seventy-seven, surviving until the twenty-third year of the Hongwu reign before he died. Even then, it was because he was implicated in the Hu Weiyong case and executed by his own hand. Otherwise, given the sheer resilience of this old fellow's constitution, Zhu Yuanzhang had every reason to believe that Li Shanchang—who was over a decade older than him—would have outlived him. Not even Sima Yi could live as long as this old fox!

"Father, he is already sixty-two. No matter how robust his constitution is, how much can it withstand? In this kind of weather, even a young man like me can hardly endure it, let alone Li Shanchang."

Zhu Biao was half-amused and half-worried, assuming his father was simply venting his anger.

Hearing his Biao's words, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a sharp pang in his heart. In his previous life, Biao had passed away in the twenty-fifth year of the Hongwu reign at the tender age of thirty-eight. Li Shanchang had been put to death by him in the twenty-third year of Hongwu due to the Hu Weiyong case. Judging by Li Shanchang's physical condition at the time, Biao truly couldn't compare to him in terms of longevity...

"Biao, go to sleep. Don't worry yourself excessively; your father knows what he is doing. Things will not spin out of control. The most proper thing for you to do is to sleep more and take good care of your health."

Hearing his father's words, Zhu Biao could not help but be stunned. They had clearly been discussing Li Shanchang; how had the topic suddenly shifted to him? Why was his father telling him to take care of his health? And why did the look his father was giving him carry such a strange feeling—just like the look during the grand New Year's court assembly?

"Father, I am in the best of health. As for Li Shanchang, however, he might really be at his limit out there. Li Shanchang certainly deserves to die; judging by this incident alone, being cut into a thousand pieces would not be too harsh. But... we cannot simply let him kneel to death here. For now, he cannot be allowed to die."

Zhu Biao knew very well how massive Li Shanchang's influence and connections were. Liao Yongzhong was dead, and the Chaohu naval forces could be pacified with relative ease. But if Li Shanchang were to die at this moment, the immense faction gathered around him would undoubtedly explode. The Great Ming Empire would inevitably face severe upheaval.

His father had the capability to suppress it, but it would severely sap the vitality of the empire, making a quick recovery impossible. Sometimes, for the sake of the greater picture, compromises had to be made. As a supreme ruler, one could not be overly governed by impulsive emotions.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt a deep sense of gratification as he watched Biao's reaction. His Biao was simply outstanding—truly worthy of being the heir he had meticulously cultivated. He could see through the heart of many matters. Still, he was ultimately a bit too soft-hearted. According to Zhu Yuanzhang's own preference, the best course of action would have been to let Li Shanchang kneel until tomorrow morning before driving him away.

"Very well, Father will go see him, tell him to clear out immediately, and instruct him to go die somewhere far away where he won't be an eyesore! We still have to grant Our Biao this bit of face. But you must promise Us that once We have dealt with this matter, you will go straight to sleep. Tomorrow morning, you must sleep in as well and not wake up too early. No matter how large the matters of the empire are, Biao, getting enough sleep is the most important thing!"

A warm feeling flooded Zhu Biao's heart, enveloped by dense paternal love.

"Father, I will obey your every word!"

...

A personal guard bearing a lantern emerged from the hall, followed by a tall figure wrapped in a thick cloak.

At this movement, the shivering Li Shanchang felt a surge of joy. Zhu Yuanzhang had finally come out! He had known it—the Emperor would never dare let him kneel to death here! He had known that once he put on such a posture, the Emperor would be forced to grant him an audience!

"Your humble subject, Li Shanchang, pays respects to Your Majesty." Li Shanchang said, his voice trembling.

Zhu Yuanzhang walked up to Li Shanchang and squatted down before him. "Are you harboring anger in your heart? Do you feel aggrieved?"

A sourness rose in Li Shanchang's nose, and tears nearly spilled from his eyes. "This subject dares not feel aggrieved; Your Majesty is the one who has been wronged."

"Do you think that We flew into such a rage simply because Our son was caught by you in the Middle Capital, and now We are seeking to retaliate against you all?"

Was it not so? Li Shanchang thought to himself, but aloud he said: "How could this subject ever think such a thing? Your Majesty's heart is tied to the common people of the realm, and you cannot bear to see them suffer. What happened during the construction of the Middle Capital was this subject's fault. This subject will reform immediately."

"Hah..." Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled. "You old Li are just paying lip service! What you really think in your heart, We know very well."

With that, a trace of reminiscence flickered in his eyes. "Do you remember the first time we met? When We captured Dingyuan City, many people were panicked and in disarray. You, old Li, came riding on a donkey, passing Us with a completely calm expression. Seeing your extraordinary bearing and harboring a fondness for talent, We asked you to give Us a strategy. You told Us to take three thousand shi of grain and distribute it to the common people. At that time, We were dirt poor. Having finally captured Dingyuan and obtained six thousand shi of grain, We were counting on those supplies to turn Our fortunes around and recruit soldiers and horses. Yet the moment you opened your mouth, you told Us to give away half of it. It truly broke Our heart to part with it."

"Yet on the very next day, Your Majesty posted public notices and distributed all six thousand shi of grain to the people of Dingyuan. When this subject heard the news, I was utterly shaken, and right then and there, I resolved that Your Majesty was someone capable of achieving great things, unlike any other warlord." Li Shanchang responded, his voice tinged with emotion.

"We thought that after giving away the grain, We would never be able to raise an army again. But who would have thought that before We even began recruitment, countless people would voluntarily come to enlist? The people of Dingyuan became utterly devoted to Us. From that moment on, We realized that the common people are the most honest of all—if you treat them well, they will treat you well! If you can win the devotion of the masses, you can accomplish great things. Come to think of it, you were the one who taught Us this principle, old Li. Why is it that We have kept it firmly in mind, while you, old Li, have forgotten it entirely?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice suddenly rose, carrying a note of fury as he rebuked Li Shanchang.

"Your Majesty, this subject was wrong! This subject will thoroughly reform his ways right now! In the future construction of the Middle Capital, this subject will never commit this mistake again!"

Li Shanchang immediately seized the opportunity to pledge his stance. He knew that the matter had reached its conclusion here. Though kneeling for so long had been a bit humiliating, the effect was remarkably significant. The Emperor was finally loosening his stance on continuing the construction of the Middle Capital. As long as the Emperor agreed to proceed with the project, everything was worth it. In this contest, he could not be considered the loser. As he had expected, as long as he came here and knelt, Zhu Yuanzhang had no choice but to agree to continue building the Middle Capital! The Emperor had no other option!

"No! It's not that you know you were wrong; it's that you know We are canceling the construction of the Middle Capital altogether!"

Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, looking down at Li Shanchang as he spoke every word with absolute clarity: "Let Us tell you face to face: We will not build the Middle Capital anymore, nor will We ever move the capital there! Do not blame Us; all of this was brought upon you by your own hands, old Li!"

Li Shanchang froze in place, struck by yet another devastating blow.

"Your Majesty!"

He struck his forehead hard against the ground, his cry sounding like the mournful lament of an old ape.

Zhu Yuanzhang turned around without looking at Li Shanchang. His footsteps receded as his voice drifted back: "There is no need to say more on this matter. Crawl back home, and do not let the Crown Prince's painstaking efforts go to waste!"

The heavy gates closed, shutting out the very last ray of lantern light.

Li Shanchang remained kneeling on the ground, his forehead pressed against the freezing earth, feeling as though even his heart had frozen over.

After a long while, he slowly raised his head, stared at the tightly shut doors, and parted his lips in a self-mocking smile.

As he smiled, two streams of old tears welled up and flowed down his face...

With great difficulty, he dragged himself up from the ground, stumbling as he turned to leave.

Li Cunyi, keeping watch in the distance, hurriedly ran over to support him, but Li Shanchang shoved him away with a fierce sweep of his arm. Rejecting a carriage, he stumbled forward all alone, forging ahead through the cold night.