Chapter Six: What Does It Mean to Be a Loving Father and a Filial Son?

“Smack, smack, smack!”

Inside the Hall of Martial Valor, the sharp sound of a fierce beating filled the air.

In Zhu Yuanzhang’s hand, the sole of a shoe whipped through the air like a whirlwind, repeatedly striking Zhu Zhu’s backside.

Zhu Zhu’s buttocks swelled visibly with each blow.

The reason Zhu Zhu and the others had arrived so suddenly was that Zhu Yuanzhang had no time to prepare. Otherwise, the punishment wouldn’t have been a shoe sole but a whip!

Zhu Yuanzhang was clearly escalating the severity of the beating.

He had no choice but to speed up; Biao’er had already sent someone to fetch his mother.

Once she arrived, Zhu Yuanzhang wouldn’t be able to find a proper excuse for disciplining the children, and she would undoubtedly stop him.

So he had to act quickly—finish the punishment before she got there.

“Third son, come here, lie down!”

After unleashing a storm of stern paternal discipline on Zhu Zhu, Zhu Yuanzhang barely had time to catch his breath before turning his gaze to Prince Jin, Zhu Chang.

Zhu Chang, who had been watching the commotion, was momentarily stunned.

What was going on? Why was this involving him? How had the spectacle suddenly turned towards him?

Though confused, Zhu Chang’s body reacted instinctively and obediently dropped to the ground.

No sooner had he lain down than the sole, wrapped in the weighty embrace of his father’s stern love, came crashing down.

In truth, compared to his second and some others, the third son’s behavior wasn’t so outrageous.

He had studied well while in the capital.

After being assigned to his fief, he was reliable, fulfilling his duties without fail, and took major affairs seriously.

Apart from sneaking off to the Qinhuai River occasionally, he was without fault.

It was just unfortunate that he passed away before his father—he died of illness at seventy.

It was a heartbreak for Zhu Yuanzhang.

Losing a son in his old age—Biao’er, second son, and third son—all children of himself and his wife.

The reason Zhu Yuanzhang was punishing the third son was because of a particular incident.

When the third son was sent to govern his fief, Zhu Yuanzhang had entrusted him with his most trusted chef, Xu Xingzu.

But before even arriving, the two had clashed.

The third son had publicly given Xu Xingzu a harsh beating.

Though infuriating, the chef’s temper was notoriously bad, and the third son had complained that the food was unsatisfactory and demanded it be redone.

Xu Xingzu simply refused, insisting that the dishes were prepared exactly as he always made them—even for the emperor himself—and would not be altered.

Zhu Yuanzhang’s wrath wasn’t because the third son had struck Xu Xingzu.

It was because after beating him, the third son still allowed Xu Xingzu to prepare his meals.

This was a fatal mistake.

What if Xu Xingzu bore a grudge and poisoned him?

Poisoning by a cook was all too easy.

A cook was the one person you must never offend.

Even without poison, a cook could disgustingly spit into your food.

“Remember this! Treat your personal guards, maids, cooks, and close servants better from now on!

If you can avoid harsh punishments, do so!

If punishment is necessary, you must send them far away afterward!

Never let them stay close to you again!

Don’t you know how Zhang Fei died?”

After thrashing Zhu Chang three times with the sole, Zhu Yuanzhang fixed him with a stern look.

“And you others—remember this well! If you don’t, I’ll beat you to death!”

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed the sole at Zhu Zhu and Zhu Chu with a fierce tone.

The father’s authority was undeniable.

The sons nodded repeatedly.

“Father, you’re right, but… I’ve never harshly blamed my servants!” the third son said, a mixture of confusion and grievance in his voice.

“We know!” Zhu Yuanzhang replied with righteous indignation.

Knowing and still getting beaten? The third son was nearly split in half by his father.

“I’m hitting you to teach you a lesson, to deepen your memory. This is good; keep it up!” he said, delivering two more blows.

Zhu Chang immediately fell silent, no longer speaking. After all, who could argue with the father?

But inside, Zhu Chang felt uneasy—not because of the inexplicable beating but because the fourth son, who was sick and hadn’t come, escaped the punishment.

Given their antagonistic relationship, the fourth son would surely mock him incessantly once he learned he’d been beaten.

The top student of the main hall mocked by the perennial underperformer—just the thought was unbearable.

He could already hear the fourth son’s smug laughter.

How fortunate that scoundrel was to be sick at this moment.

Zhu Yuanzhang turned away from the third son, ready to punish the fourth.

This was the one he was most eager to punish.

He never imagined that the fourth son had become the Yongle Emperor.

His urge to punish him wasn’t because he had usurped the throne from his nephew but for other reasons…

The sole in his hand was ready to enforce the weight of paternal love.

Only to find the fourth son was absent.

After a moment’s hesitation, he recalled the fourth son was ill and had not attended the court assembly.

Zhu Yuanzhang felt a twinge of regret.

He resolved to remember this and, after finishing today’s affairs, punish the fourth son.

Did he think sickness would save him from a beating?

Not a chance!

Was he, the Hongwu Emperor, one to hold grudges?

...

In the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, upon hearing the news, Empress Ma paused briefly before springing into action.

Moments later, clutching a feather duster wrapped in a cloth, she hurried swiftly toward the Hall of Martial Valor!

...

“Fifth son, get up. This doesn’t concern you.”

Zhu Yuanzhang pulled up Zhu Zhu, who had already lain down before he could speak.

In modern times, he knew his fifth son had self-taught and achieved considerable skill in medicine.

In the fourth year of Yongle, he compiled the “Compendium of Famine Herbs,” documenting 414 varieties of wild plants, nearly 300 new.

He recorded their origins, names, morphology, properties, tastes, and edible uses in detail.

He then examined ancient and contemporary prescriptions, composing the “Universal Aid Formula,” many elements of which were later adopted by Li Shizhen’s “Compendium of Materia Medica.”

Highly regarded in later eras, Zhu Yuanzhang felt great pride.

Now, back in the eighth year of Hongwu, knowing many kin and ministers had died of illness, Zhu Yuanzhang cherished this medicine-enthusiast son even more.

“You’ve done well. Since you love medicine, devote yourself fully to it from now on. No need to hide it—study openly. Medicine is a noble path, and we support you!” he said warmly, patting his fifth son’s head.

Feeling this sudden paternal love, especially hearing his father say medicine was honorable and that he supported him, the fifth son was stunned.

Countless emotions surged into his chest; his eyes reddened, lips trembling uncontrollably.

Only he knew how torn and agonized he’d been secretly studying medical texts.

On one hand, the medicine he loved was considered lowly, unfit for people of their status.

On the other hand, his father expected him to excel in the civil and military arts…

At this moment, receiving his father’s praise and support felt truly wonderful!

“Sixth son, get up too!”

Zhu Yuanzhang lifted Zhu Zhen.

During the Hongwu reign, the sixth son had performed admirably and, after being assigned to Wuchang, had contributed significantly.

Such a good son naturally deserved no punishment.

Seventh son, Prince Qi, Zhu Mu, who had watched two older brothers beaten and feared being next, now saw his fifth and sixth brothers spared.

Relieved, he thought, “If sixth son wasn’t beaten, I won’t be either.”

Just then, a harsh blow landed on his backside.

Zhu Yuanzhang grabbed his ten-year-old son and pinned him down, delivering a furious barrage of strikes.

Unlike the two older brothers, the seventh son could not endure silently.

Young and unable to bear hardship, he screamed like a slaughtered pig, tears and snot streaming.

“Father, father, please stop! Seventh son is still young…”

Zhu Biao stood nearby, tears welling in his eyes.

But Zhu Yuanzhang was relentless.

The reason was simple: the seventh son was a troublemaker.

After being assigned to his fief in Qi, he stirred unrest, causing many to suffer.

For example, Daxing Mutu was ordered to expand the Prince of Qi’s mansion, forcibly demolishing many villagers’ homes without compensation or resettlement…

“Beast! If you don’t behave, I’ll beat you to death!” Zhu Yuanzhang cursed, leaving the seventh son to punish the eighth.

Though the eighth son was the youngest at seven years old, Zhu Yuanzhang’s beatings were the harshest.

His eyes were red as he struck.

The eighth son hadn’t caused many overt problems after receiving his fief.

But Zhu Yuanzhang was even angrier with him.

Because this scoundrel had committed worse deeds than his brothers.

According to historical records, after his brother-in-law was implicated and executed in the Hu Weiyong case, the eighth son was unsettled.

His father ordered him back to the capital, but terrified, he self-immolated with his princess, dying at twenty-three.

But Zhu Yuanzhang knew better than anyone that this was just the surface explanation—one he himself had fabricated.

The real reasons could never be revealed to outsiders, much less recorded in official history.

This scoundrel had begun debauching the imperial court before even taking his fief—starting in his teens!

This was his father’s own harem!

With his temper and nature, how could Zhu Yuanzhang tolerate that?

This was also why the scoundrel was so terrified when summoned back to the palace he chose to self-immolate.

It wasn’t just because his brother-in-law was implicated in the Hu Weiyong affair.

Thinking about these things made Zhu Yuanzhang want to explode.

That was why he beat Zhu Zi with such frenzy, as if mad, thrashing him mercilessly.

Zhu Biao, after watching his father’s relentless beating of the eighth son, hastily tried to intervene, grabbing his father’s arm.

But Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes were red; he shook off Zhu Biao and continued the brutal punishment.

Just as the eighth son was about to faint from the pain, Zhu Biao prepared to shield him with his own body.

At that moment, the tightly shut doors of the Hall of Martial Valor were violently pushed open from outside.

“Zhu Zhongba! Stop right now!!!”