Chapter Seven: The Majesty of Empress Ma
A sudden angry shout rang out, mingling with the cold wind outside as it swept into the Wuying Hall.
The light brought in by the opened door tore through the gloom, illuminating the entire hall.
Inside Wuying Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had been holding back Zhu Biao from rushing to protect the eighth brother while fiercely striking with the sole of his shoe, suddenly froze in place.
It was as if he had been immobilized by some spell.
He no longer struck the eighth brother.
After a brief pause, he slowly turned his rusty neck toward the entrance.
There, Empress Ma was stepping into the hall.
She came without makeup, appearing to be around forty years old.
If it weren’t for the fact that she could come directly to Wuying Hall without prior reporting, and because it was the first day of the lunar year, she wore the bright yellow robes exclusive to the Empress, it would have been hard to associate her with the legendary Empress of the Ming Dynasty.
Yet Zhu Yuanzhang’s gaze was fixed, enchanted.
The girl who once carried two large pancakes, disregarding her chest burns and filled with worry and care, urging him to eat quickly—that figure overlapped perfectly with the one before him.
She was the sister he longed for day and night, the one who haunted his dreams!
She was the one he most wished to see, yet feared it was only a dream too real to confront!
And now, she had appeared!
Walking toward him!
Even as she scolded and reprimanded him, Zhu Yuanzhang’s heart surged with emotion.
Zhu Zhu, Zhu Tan, Zhu Mu, and the others all looked toward the door in unison.
Seeing Empress Ma arrive, tears almost welled in their eyes.
Mother is finally here!
Wonderful!
With Mother here, they would no longer be beaten!
Zhu Yuanzhang held one shoe in his hand, wore one on his foot, walking awkwardly with one foot high and one foot low toward Empress Ma, seemingly oblivious.
His entire heart and eyes were filled with only his sister.
“Sis... sister!” he called out, his voice dry and trembling with uncontrollable emotion.
Empress Ma circled around, not letting Zhu Yuanzhang touch her.
Looking at her sons sprawled on the ground, her heart ached deeply.
She nearly lost control of the feather duster bag in her hand and was about to lash Zhu Yuanzhang in front of her sons.
“Go outside,” Empress Ma said to her sons.
At her command, they felt as if pardoned and quickly left the hall.
Despite the pain, they hurried away from Wuying Hall.
Zhu Biao, Zhu Yuanzhang’s eldest son, even kindly closed the door behind them.
“Sis...”
Having been separated for so many years, Zhu Yuanzhang had bottled up countless words he wanted to say to his sister.
But now that she was truly here, he didn’t know what to say.
He only managed to call her sister and then choked up.
“You, Zhu Chongba!”
Empress Ma, unaware of what her husband had endured, immediately swung the feather duster and struck Zhu Yuanzhang’s back.
“What did my sons do to you? You hit them so hard?
You’re busy all year round and finally found time to be with the children, yet you beat them mercilessly!
Even wealthy landlords don’t make their servants work on New Year’s Day!
The government doesn’t hold trials on this day!
But you, you beat the children on New Year’s Day!
How heartless you are!
Is this how you’re a father?
Aren’t they your sons?!
Don’t you feel any pity?”
Empress Ma scolded as she kept striking with the feather duster.
Feathers flew wildly.
It resembled exactly how Zhu Yuanzhang had just viciously beaten his sons.
Truly, they were not of the same family, nor under the same roof.
This time, Zhu Yuanzhang did not dodge around the hall but stood there, letting Empress Ma hit him.
A happy smile graced his face.
He was thoroughly enjoying it.
Yes!
This was the feeling!
This was his sister!
Not a dream—the one in dreams didn’t hurt when she hit, but this one did!
This feather duster strike truly felt delightful!
He had longed for his sister’s feather duster through the sixteen years from the fifteenth year of the Hongwu era to the thirty-first year and through the fifteen years living in the modern world!
He dreamed of being spanked by his sister!
The harder Empress Ma struck, the broader Zhu Yuanzhang’s smile grew.
Yet, as he smiled, his eyes reddened and blurred with tears.
Empress Ma stopped after a few strikes, noticing something was wrong.
Looking up, she saw Zhu Yuanzhang smiling through tears and panicked.
She dropped the feather duster immediately.
“What’s wrong?
Did I hurt you?”
“You silly fool, why didn’t you dodge? You were so quick before.
Why didn’t you move at all today?”
Empress Ma was flustered, helplessly reaching out to wipe his tears, full of concern.
She wanted to check his back.
Without a word, Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly hugged Empress Ma tightly.
He held her with such force, unwilling to loosen even slightly!
As if loosening would make her fly away.
Feeling the warmth in his arms and the familiar scent, Zhu Yuanzhang felt like the happiest man alive!
The heart-wrenching pain when his sister passed away, the thirty years of yearning and torment—all were filled with happiness now.
Having experienced life and death, thirty-one years of trials had only deepened this bond and memory.
Yet, because heaven and man were forever apart, they could never meet again.
The greatest regret in life is none other than this...
Looking back now, time seemed to reverse, returning to the past.
You are here; the one you long for, the one you can never forget, is here and held tightly in your arms.
Zhu Yuanzhang truly understood how beautiful this moment was!
How intoxicating!
Tears flowed uncontrollably.
Silent tears turned into soft sobs, growing louder.
Eventually, he could no longer hold back and buried his head in Empress Ma’s shoulder, crying loudly.
The mighty Hongwu Emperor wept like a newborn in its cradle...
Empress Ma’s heart overflowed with endless pity.
She held Zhu Yuanzhang tightly, gently patting his back.
“Chongba, don’t cry, don’t cry, Chongba.”
She whispered comfort with care and tenderness.
When Empress Ma spoke, Zhu Yuanzhang cried even harder.
He couldn’t stop.
Tears poured out as if they cost nothing...
After a long while, years of suppressed emotions poured forth with his tears, and his mood gradually calmed.
“Chongba, what kind of beasts did those rascals turn out to be? I’ll go find them!”
Empress Ma looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, his eyes red like a rabbit’s, anger thick in her voice.
She defended her sons but was not blindly protective.
She had rushed here fearing her temperamental Chongba might injure his sons if he lost control.
Now, seeing him rarely shedding tears, crying like this in her arms, it must mean those bastards had done something truly outrageous.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be this furious!
She tried to break free from Zhu Yuanzhang’s embrace to give her sons some motherly love.
But Zhu Yuanzhang held her even tighter.
“Sis... it’s... it’s not them.”
He spoke between sobs.
“Then why are you crying like this, Chongba?”
Empress Ma didn’t believe him.
“It’s... I dreamed.
Dreamed that you left me too soon.
I lived alone for so long.
I wanted to see you but couldn’t...”
Zhu Yuanzhang’s voice choked with emotion.
Empress Ma’s heart felt as if it had been violently struck.
“You silly fool, you believe in dreams? Dreams are reversed — they kill the alive and revive the dead!
I’m right here with you, aren’t I?”
Empress Ma gently comforted him, her voice filled with tenderness and affection.
“Yes! Yes! It’s all the opposite!
Sis, you’ll definitely stay with me all the way!
When we grow old, I’ll pass the throne to Biao early and take you to tour the famous mountains and rivers of our great Ming!
Wherever you want to go, I’ll go with you!
After a lifetime of toil, it’s time to relax!”
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded vigorously, affirming Empress Ma’s words and began to imagine the future.
He still held her tightly without letting go...
...
“Chongba, let go.”
An hour later, Empress Ma looked at Zhu Yuanzhang clinging to her like an ornament and spoke with a mix of happiness and helplessness.
“I won’t let go. I’ll hold you like this forever, sis!”
“You’re shameless! You have grandchildren already and still say such things.”
Empress Ma lightly tapped his forehead...
...
“Chongba, you should go to the evening banquet.”
Half an hour later, Empress Ma reminded him.
“No!
To hell with it!
Let them wait there!
What’s the point of being with them!”
Zhu Yuanzhang decisively refused while holding Empress Ma.
“Aren’t you afraid people will write poems mocking you for skipping court?”
“Let them scold.
No matter how well I do, I can never escape being cursed by many scoundrels!
They make up the nastiest things, worse than skipping court.”
...
In Fengtian Hall, everyone who was to attend had arrived, except the Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and Lord Liu Bowen.
Right Prime Minister Hu Weiyong looked at Liao Yongzhong sitting grim-faced at the main seat of the second table, a ‘keep strangers away’ expression, and secretly chuckled.
He looked forward to the banquet even more.
This time, he had arranged a spectacular surprise for the Emperor and the nobles, just waiting to unfold!
...
Half an hour later, Zhu Yuanzhang finally left the Kunning Palace.
Returning to the eighth year of the Hongwu era, where his sister and Biao were still alive—everything still salvageable.
He had seen the one he most wanted to see, and the softness in his heart was filled.
Now knowing so much about the future.
Then he would make up for regrets and create a bright and just world!
The Central Capital was far; even with all his strength, it would take time to deal with Li Shanchang.
For now, it was out of reach.
But the New Year’s banquet he was to attend was close.
Among the attendees were those who deserved death!
He would start by thoroughly cleansing the vermin in Ming from this very banquet!
The Ming Dynasty he built with his own hands had been thoroughly defiled!
Liao Yongzhong, Marquis Deqing, was one of the closest to a Duke among the founding six dukes.
He carried some weight.
Before an army set out, a flag-offering ceremony was customary.
Now that he had returned, his grand ambition began here—with the killing of a founding marquis to set the tone!
In the eight years since the founding of Ming, he had never killed a founding noble.
That only made them more rampant and lawless.
If so, this record would be broken starting now!
Zhu Yuanzhang gripped the hilt of the Emperor’s sword at his waist, his face grim.
Striding toward Fengtian Hall...