Chapter Nineteen: The Heir Apparent

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Zhu Zijin helped Zhu Youxun to sit up and carefully took the medicine from his wife, Gu. He cautiously fed him five spoonfuls. When Zhu Youxun slightly turned his head, Zhu Zijin stopped. After giving him two spoonfuls of honey water, he gently wiped his mouth and was about to help him lie down when suddenly a distant shout was heard: "The young master is back—"

Zhu Zijin abruptly lifted his head, and Gu even dropped a bowl, turning to run outside. After a few steps, she realized and hurried back to look at the sickbed.

Zhu Youxun sat up a little straighter, tightly holding Zhu Zijin’s hand, his voice trembling: "Quick, quick..."

Among those waiting nearby, Zhu Zihou was the fastest, turning and running outside. "Uncle, I’ll go receive him!"

Zhu Zifang followed closely, "I’ll go too."

The two dashed to the main gate of the Zhou Prince’s mansion, immediately spotting a child standing beside Pan Yun. Their eyes brightened, "Qie’er, it’s really Qie’er who’s back!"

Zhu Zihou tried to step forward to embrace him, but the child, terrified, hid behind Pan Yun, clutching her leg tightly and refusing to let go.

Zhu Zihou then turned his gaze to the others present, bypassing Pan Yun and greeting Tao Ji and Xuan Miao with a respectful bow. "Many thanks to the two Daoist priests for bringing back my little nephew. Our Prince’s mansion will surely reward you handsomely."

With that, he invited the three inside.

Zhu Zifang also wanted to hug the child, but since the child was unfamiliar with them and their bond was too intense, he was truly frightened and clung tightly to Pan Yun, evading their hands.

The brothers then looked at Pan Yun curiously and asked, "Who is this?"

Xuan Miao said, "This is the Daoist child from our Sanqing Temple. She found the young master of the Prince’s mansion among beggars and brought him back."

Hearing this, Zhu Zihou’s heart ached deeply, his eyes reddening as he pitied the child. "Qie’er has suffered much. Let’s enter the mansion first. My uncle and sister-in-law are waiting inside."

Pan Yun raised her eyebrows and reached out to take the child’s hand, following the two inside.

Zhu Zihou and Zhu Zifang glanced back from time to time. Seeing the intimacy between Pan Yun and the child, they understood that she usually treated him well, which explained the child’s attachment to her.

They both breathed a sigh of relief, knowing the child hadn’t suffered too much outside and at least had someone to rely on.

Before they reached the second gate, Zhu Zijin and Gu also arrived.

The child’s eyes reddened upon seeing them. Dropping Pan Yun’s hand, he ran straight to them.

Zhu Zijin quickly stepped forward, embracing the child and checking him thoroughly. Seeing that his limbs were intact, he held him close.

The child burst into loud sobs, clutching his father’s neck tightly.

Gu wept uncontrollably as well, leaning on Zhu Zijin and holding the child. Mother and son cried like children, the mournful scene touching everyone present deeply.

Zhu Zijin, with reddened eyes, comforted them and looked imploringly at his two cousins.

Zhu Zihou, usually sensitive and melancholic, was crying even more sorrowfully than Zhu Zijin. Zhu Zifang stepped forward to console, "Sister-in-law, please don’t cry anymore. Qie’er is still young; crying too long will harm his health. Uncle is waiting inside to see the child."

With her younger brother-in-law’s words, Gu could no longer cry, especially since the child had been found. She steadied herself, stopping her sobbing, though the shaking and hiccups from earlier tears lingered.

She wiped her own tears and then the child’s, urging, "Quick, take Qie’er to see his father."

Zhu Zijin nodded, disregarding Tao Ji, Xuan Miao, and others, carrying the child toward the main hall.

Pan Yun and the others followed in a flurry—not to gawk, but to witness this reunion of family.

Inside, the Princess Gong was already waiting. Seeing Zhu Zijin carrying a child in, her eyes reddened as she quickly beckoned, "Bring him over so I can see."

Zhu Zijin hurried forward with the child.

The Princess gently touched the child’s gaunt face, full of compassion. "He’s much thinner. Is his health good?"

Zhu Zijin replied, "Very good. He just cried quite loudly."

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The Princess smiled with relief. "As long as he’s healthy, that’s good."

On the bed, Zhu Youxun weakly said, "Bring him here so I can see."

Zhu Zijin quickly carried the child over to him.

When Zhu Youxun met the child’s moist, wide eyes, he was momentarily stunned but then smiled, reaching out to touch his eyes. "Good child."

He hadn’t seen such pure eyes in a long time.

Zhu Youxun tried to sit up, but Princess Gong quickly supported him from behind, letting him lean on her.

Zhu Youxun’s heart stirred deeply, and he said thrice, "Good, good, good," then addressed everyone, "This child is very fortunate, truly worthy of being my grandson."

Having spoken more than before, his breathing grew rapid. After a moment’s rest, he said, "Summon the Chief Steward."

The Zhou Prince’s mansion had a Chief Steward. Zhu Youxun’s request made those present speculate, and most were very happy.

The servants obeyed and retreated; some went to fetch the Chief Steward, while others quietly left, rushing away.

Having reunited grandfather and grandson, Zhu Zifang, to prevent his uncle from becoming too emotional and worsening his condition, proactively shifted the topic, "Uncle, these are the two or three Daoist priests who brought Qie’er back."

He added Pan Yun on the spot, as Qie’er had relied heavily on her earlier.

The Zhou Prince then noticed Tao Ji and Xuan Miao. Seeing them in Daoist robes, his eyes brightened. "Are you both men beyond the secular world?"

Pan Yun thought silently: ...Why does everyone instinctively overlook me?

The Zhou Prince was very fond of Daoists.

Naturally, the Daoists also held the Zhou Prince in high regard, Pan Yun most of all.

Upon receiving confirmation, the Zhou Prince had two plates of silver brought: one for Tao Ji and Xuan Miao to thank them for returning the child; another separately for Pan Yun to thank her for rescuing Zhu Tongqie.

Indeed, only now did Pan Yun learn his name: Zhu Tongqie.

She had thought no one noticed her short stature and that the Zhou Prince barely mentioned her, yet he had remembered.

Tao Ji and Xuan Miao accepted the silver without hesitation, taking it decisively.

But Tao Ji did not accept it for nothing. After gauging the Zhou Prince’s expression, he said, "If the Prince doesn’t mind, may I take your pulse?"

The Zhou Prince asked, "What path do you cultivate?"

Tao Ji replied, "I practice alchemy and have some knowledge of medicine."

Hearing this, the Zhou Prince immediately extended his hand.

Tao Ji took his pulse and, after a moment, discerned that the Prince’s days were numbered, and medicinal treatments would hardly help. However...

He glanced at the child cradled by Zhu Zijin, then felt the child’s pulse, smiling faintly, "The Prince has a broad heart and has met with joyful events, which greatly benefits his condition. I’ll leave a prescription. If you trust it, take it; if not, tear it up."

The Zhou Prince smiled warmly, "I trust it, of course I do."

Tao Ji then went to prepare the prescription.

Xuan Miao looked steadily at the Zhou Prince, also recognizing that his days were numbered—and more than one person present was in the same plight.

Pan Yun stood listlessly nearby. With so many near death in this mansion, had they disturbed the very lair of the King of Hell?

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Since Jing Ling began cultivating through the black cat’s body, it had often perceived strange things. At this moment, it busied itself in Pan Yun’s mind: [The Zhou Prince looks like he has only a day or two left. I can even see the death aura on his face. The earlier joy diluted it somewhat; otherwise, he would have died tonight. I wonder if Tao Ji’s medicine will work.]

[There’s a lot of death aura here. Let’s leave; I’m uncomfortable.] Seeing Pan Yun ignore it, Pan Little Black muttered: [I’ll investigate how people in the Zhou Prince’s mansion died.]

[The Zhou Prince is the only sick person here; the others don’t look like they died from illness.]

Pan Yun glanced over and said, [Judging by their looks, they died violent deaths.]

Pan Little Black: [So pitiful.]

Then it started rummaging through the spiritual realm in Pan Yun’s mind.

Pan Yun’s previous life was more than eleven hundred years ago, in a time that had seen several world wars, destroying many writings and records.

Yet, many records of the Ming Dynasty remained.

Although it was a parallel universe, not the exact past, the overall environment was unchanged, and most developments could be traced.

They could search for past history and reference the current era to make judgments advantageous to themselves.

Of course, the black cat was mostly indulging in gossip and joining the fun.

After some tinkering, records of the Ming Dynasty’s Zhou Prince appeared swiftly on the jade tablet in the spiritual realm.

Jing Ling scanned them and exclaimed, "This room has four generations of the Prince and his nephews—three Zhou Princes, one former heir apparent, and a backup Prince. Tsk, tsk, tsk, Zhu Zijin is really unlucky, ending up with such a father."

Hearing this, Pan Yun immediately focused her mind to read. These were data entered by historians and scholars of her past life, classified as historical.

The records began from the first Zhou Prince’s life—the father of the current bedridden Zhu Youxun, named Zhu Su.

Pan Yun found it engrossing but mainly concentrated on the child’s father, Zhu Zijin.

Zhu Zijin was both fortunate and unfortunate.

First, Zhou Prince Zhu Su was the fifth legitimate son of Zhu Yuanzhang. He had a resentful son named Zhu Youxun—hard to remember, so he could be called the former Prince of Runan.

He did not wish to be Prince of Runan but wanted to be Zhou Prince. However, his legitimate elder brother, Zhu Youxun, held a firm position.

So, he began accusing his father of treason, trying to supersede him to inherit the Zhou Prince’s title.

At that time, Zhu Yunwen was curbing the princes’ powers, so Zhu Su and his eldest son Zhu Youxun were stripped of their titles and became commoners, living in hardship until Zhu Di ascended the throne and restored their status.

Yet, Zhu Su grew to resent this second son and even petitioned the Emperor to send him to Yunnan, not wanting to see him in Zhou territory.

In contrast, Zhu Youxun was deeply favored by Zhu Yuanzhang. While his father was demoted and sent away, the mansion was under his management.

By ten years old, he could independently handle affairs of the Zhou Prince’s mansion with order and precision. He was made heir apparent four years earlier than the Crown Prince of Yan, Zhu Gaochi, making him the foremost among the princes’ heirs.

He had only one flaw: he could not produce offspring.

Zhu Youxun’s brother, although lacking other merits, could have children. He fathered the legitimate eldest grandson of the Zhou Prince’s mansion.

Zhu Su could not accept that his eldest grandson came from such a son, so he took the child and adopted him to Zhu Youxun, even petitioning the Emperor, stating clearly that Zhu Youxun’s character was flawed and the child could not be raised by him, lest the child be corrupted.

This child was named Zhu Zijin. Even as an infant, he became Zhu Youxun’s heir. Only when he grew older did he learn that Zhu Youxun was not his biological father, nor was the woman who raised him his biological mother.