Chapter Twenty-Seven: True Filial Piety

After seeing Zhu Di off, the expression on Zhu Yunsong’s face gradually darkened.

Zhu Di’s sudden visit in the middle of the night was completely unexpected. He had no desire to play these political games or engage in backstabbing, yet he found himself unable to avoid them. He never dreamed that Zhu Di would actually suggest pledging allegiance to him. After all, Zhu Di was his fourth uncle, an elder. For anyone else, such a statement would be impossible to utter, as pride and etiquette would stand in the way. But Zhu Di was Zhu Di; he spoke those words with such natural ease that it sounded like a genuine outpouring of emotion.

This was the mark of a powerful hegemon, a man of great talent, a hero destined to leave a monumental mark in the history books. Only by being in the thick of it could Zhu Yunsong truly appreciate the terrifying nature of such a man. Dealing with Zhu Yunwen had already exhausted him, and now, a Zhu Di had been added to the mix.

Now that Zhu Di had revealed that Zhu Yuanzhang intended to move against Lan Yu, what was he to do? Zhu Yunsong pondered for a moment and quickly realized he was in a checkmate. Lan Yu was his great-uncle, and like Chang Sheng and the others, he was his greatest pillar of support within the imperial court. Regardless of any petty squabbles or grievances, Zhu Yunsong had never considered turning against them, let alone purging them. Would that not be self-mutilation? How stupid would he have to be to act in such a way?

Zhu Di’s words sounded sincere on the surface, but his heart was clearly filled with malice. Yet, what was the right course of action? Tell Lan Yu? That would be a betrayal of Old Zhu, which was absolutely out of the question. But if he didn't tell him, what would Lan Yu think? What would the other meritorious officials and generals think? It would be one thing if he were ignorant, but to know and remain silent—would that not chill their hearts? Zhu Di had revealed the information to him tonight; he surely had ways to ensure others found out as well. It was a calculated move, and yet Zhu Yunsong was helpless to stop it.

He could not help Zhu Di purge Lan Yu. He could not warn Lan Yu. And he could not simply stand by and watch.

"Such a malicious and devious scheme must have been cooked up by that demonic monk, Yao Guangxiao," Zhu Yunsong cursed inwardly. The "Black-Clad Prime Minister" was legendary in history for a reason; his first move was already extraordinary. "It’s a pity I lack capable strategists to advise me. If only I could bring a demonic monk like Yao Guangxiao into my fold."

He immediately shook his head. Since Yao Guangxiao had already committed to Zhu Di, he would not easily change sides. Unless one day he ascended the throne, then recruiting him would be easy. But for now, in the struggle for the succession, the demonic monk was destined to be his enemy. Yang Shiqi could serve as a cabinet minister for forty years and stand tall through five reigns, so he was surely a master of politics and intrigue. But he was currently far away in Ji'an, Jiangxi, and it was unclear when he would arrive in Jinling. A distant fire cannot be extinguished by water from afar!

Zhu Yunsong paced back and forth in his room. Unknowingly, the night grew deeper.

He lay on his bed, tossing and turning, racking his brains for a solution. But for a long time, he could come up with nothing. It wasn't until the faint sound of a rooster crowing drifted in from outside that he finally drifted into a fitful sleep.

***

The next day, Zhu Yunsong woke up slowly. He stretched and rubbed his eyes, suddenly realizing something was wrong. Was the light in the room too bright? What time was it?

Alarmed, he sprang from the bed like a carp and threw open the door. Looking up at the sky, he saw the sun was already past its zenith. It was the afternoon? Old Zhu was still waiting for him to go to the palace for his studies! To oversleep and miss class on only the second day... In an era defined by strict rituals and laws, the consequences would be severe!

Just then, the palace maid Ling'er walked over. "Your Highness, you're awake!" She bowed gracefully with a sweet smile. "This servant will come to assist you with dressing and washing!"

Zhu Yunsong’s face sank. "Why did you not wake me? You know I was supposed to enter the palace today to study with the Imperial Grandfather and listen to the Confucian scholars."

He was only a teenager, still growing, and prone to deep sleep. Once he fell into a sound sleep, it was hard to wake him. In his previous life, there were alarm clocks. In this world, he had to rely on his servants. This wasn't about him being pampered; even the children of ordinary families at his age relied on their parents to wake them. But he never expected that, as a Prince of the Imperial Blood, not a single maid or eunuch would come to wake him, allowing him to sleep until the afternoon and miss his lessons.

"Your Highness, please forgive me. You were sleeping so soundly, I dared not disturb your sweet dream." Though she spoke of begging for forgiveness, there was not a hint of remorse on her face; instead, a flash of triumphant, fleeting satisfaction crossed her eyes. "Before I came here, Concubine Lü had already given instructions that as you are in your growing years, eating and sleeping well are the most important things! As for studying in the palace, what difference does it make if it's a day earlier or later? I have already sent someone to the palace to report that you overslept and would not be attending today!"

Zhu Yunsong sneered, "Very well, you certainly know how to run the household on my behalf!"

Ling'er smiled, "Your Highness is too kind; these are merely my duties. I follow the orders of Concubine Lü to serve you, and I do so with all my heart."

Just then, Zhao Rui came rushing in from outside in a panic. Seeing Zhu Yunsong, he quickly knelt. "Your Highness, last night I left the estate to settle my family, bringing my younger brother and sister into the residence. It wasn't until dawn that everything was arranged. Having been beaten yesterday, my back was in great pain, and I rested for a while, only to find I had missed the time. I just heard that you overslept and missed your studies. These servants serving you failed to wake you—this is my dereliction of duty, and I beg for your punishment."

He kowtowed repeatedly. Zhu Yunsong knew he spoke the truth. "This has nothing to do with you!" He turned his gaze to Ling'er. "Do you think that just because you were sent by Concubine Lü, I would not dare to touch you?"

At these words, Ling'er’s expression changed slightly. In truth, Zhu Yunsong had originally thought there was no rush to deal with Ling'er. After all, she was someone arranged by Concubine Lü, and in this era of filial piety, one had to treat even the cats and dogs around an elder with respect. If he dismissed someone sent by an elder without cause, he would be branded as unfilial. Even if Concubine Lü wasn't his biological mother, she was his father's consort, and according to feudal law, he had to show her respect.

He knew she had no good intentions, but he had to maintain a façade of respect. Moreover, he figured she was just a maid; if she wanted to play the spy, so be it. He would just keep the truly important matters away from her. Such people, whose intentions were known, were easier to deal with than those hidden in the shadows. With so many servants in the Prince's residence, the opposition would always find a way to plant "spies." It was because of this that he hadn't taken it to heart. Even recruiting Zhao Rui had been an impulsive, opportunistic move.

He never expected that Ling'er would be bold enough to do something like this. While it wasn't a major disaster, it certainly caused him trouble. Ling'er, as Concubine Lü's person, was in charge, and the others followed her lead. However, this was fine. If she had remained patient and never exposed herself, it would have been difficult for him to act. Now, it seemed this lowly maid was simply a fool. And such a fool, if kept around, would only cause trouble.

"Your Highness has always been known for your filial piety!" Seeing the change in Zhu Yunsong’s demeanor, Ling'er finally felt a sense of fear. Yet, she did not yield. "I thought that since you are a man of ambition, you would not trouble me over such a small matter. Regardless, I am a person gifted to you by Concubine Lü. You must love the dog for the sake of its master. If you punish a lowly servant like me and word gets out that you are unfilial, it would not be a good look!"

A mere maid, daring to say such things? Zhu Yunsong was just looking for an excuse to deal with her. Since she was courting death, he could now act with justification.

He spoke in a clear, loud voice, "A person of Concubine Lü’s, acting without regard for the rules and causing trouble—it is my duty to discipline you strictly, lest you tarnish the virtue of Concubine Lü. That is true filial piety. If I let you run wild and ruin her reputation, that would be my unfilial act!"

He then barked, "Someone! Seize this maid and beat her to death with heavy staves!"