My father, Zhu Di, was granted a second life by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Chapter 124 Deceiving Xu Miaojin

When Zhu Gaochi learned that the power of the Flying Eagle Guard and the Prince's Palace Guard had been taken over by Youdun, he was the first to raise both hands in opposition.

"It'll get you killed, you understand?!"

Since birth, Zhu Gaoxu had never been so angry. Zhu Gaoxi smiled without saying a word, quietly watching his second brother fly into a rage.

"If Zhang Fu hadn't told me, were you planning to keep it from me forever? So you're treating your second brother like an outsider, while considering that child prodigy your own brother? That child has ambitions, a heart set on the world, why would he support you to rise to power?!"

"Speak up, are you mute?!"

"You're in the wrong, aren't you?!"

Zhu Gaoxu glared at his younger brother, annoyed. "Fourth brother, before Father passed away, he entrusted me with protecting you. You're so headstrong, you don't even consult with anyone when things happen. How am I supposed to protect you?!"

"I patted my chest and assured my father that I would definitely bring the fourth prince back to him safely."

"As a result, my father has barely left and I've already become an outsider," Zhu Gaoxu said with a cold laugh, his anger barely contained.

After Zhu Gaoxu vented his anger to a certain point and picked up his cup to take a big gulp of tea, Zhu Gaoxi slowly spoke, "Second brother, we have no way out. There is no way we can go back to Beiping. We have caused trouble outside. If we escape back to Beiping, Father will have to lead the entire Yan Prince's Mansion to find a way to survive. The only option is to raise an army. It will be a matter of life and death, bloodshed, and fratricide. Rather than that, I would rather stand in front and use all my strength to achieve a bloodless victory."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu was momentarily distracted, his hand loosened, and the cup instantly fell to the ground and shattered.

"Just like this cup, how could I bear to let my second brother fight to the death amidst a sea of ​​corpses and blood?"

"It's better to trust Youdun once, so that we can work together as one. You yourself said Youdun is a prodigy. There are many things that your younger brother can't do himself. Youdun needs to plan and make decisions based on the situation. If you don't delegate enough authority and ask for instructions on everything, how can he adapt to changing circumstances and deal with situations flexibly?"

"I remember my brother liked to talk about the first victory that Cao Guogong Li Wenzhong won after taking over the military position from Kaiping Wang Chang Yuchun."

On the seventh day of the seventh month of the second year of Hongwu, Chang Yuchun returned south from Kaiping with his troops. When he reached Liuhechuan, he suddenly fell ill and died.

Subsequently, Li Wenzhong led his troops westward, following an imperial decree to support Xu Da in Qingyang.

After Emperor Yuan Shundi fled to Yingchang, he sent Tuoliebo and Kongxing to lead a large army to advance on Datong.

In August, Li Wenzhong received this news in Taiyuan. The enemy situation was urgent, and there was no time to ask the court for instructions, so he decided to exercise his discretion.

When a general is in the field, he may disobey some of the emperor's orders.

This is an opportunity we must seize; let us go and save them.

Li Wenzhong then led his troops north from Daizhou through Yanmen Pass, defeating Tuoliebo and Kongxing.

Emperor Yuan Shundi's power was waning; from that time on, "he never turned south again."

After hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu fell into deep thought and remained silent for a long time.

"Second Brother," Zhu Gaoxi called softly, "Song Zhong, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, is still under the command of the Crown Prince. Grandfather is testing our abilities. We cannot afford to be outmatched and disappoint him."

"Song Zhong has dispatched a large contingent of Imperial Guards to keep a close eye on the Wu Prince's residence. Second Brother, we can't let them find a loophole."

"That mouth of his can talk the dead back to life," Zhu Gaoxu muttered to himself, then patted the dirt off his robes. "You don't need to worry about dealing with that old codger Song Zhong." With that, he waved his hand dismissively and strode away.

Zhu Gaoxi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, having finally gotten through this ordeal without any real danger.

Back in his dormitory, Zhu Gaoxi took a nap, and when he woke up, he strolled outside. Enveloped in the warm sunshine of spring, he felt refreshed.

A gentle breeze caressed his face, and butterflies fluttered about. Zhu Gaoxi chased after them with a smile, but missed.

"Brother, what a pleasant mood!" After arranging the guards of the Prince's Palace, Youdun returned to the vegetable garden.

Zhu Gaoxi turned his head and gestured for the stew to be taken into the secret room.

"We can't intercept the news that Xuezhu sent out. After all, Xuezhu is nominally Prince Jin's person. We can't steal the limelight. We should only keep it from Lady Xia, and tell everyone else everything. Send the Flying Eagle Guards to Taiyuan at full speed, day and night," Zhu Gaoxi said with a roguish smile. "It's been so long, Brother Jixi should also take some action."

"I'll go make the arrangements right away," Zhu Youdun said, and was about to leave to obey orders.

"Wait a minute, brother," Zhu Gaoxi called out, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard cannot always be controlled by the Crown Prince. Xie Jin used to work in the Censorate. Brother, go and talk to Xie Jin yourself to see if there is a more suitable candidate. Submit a memorial to impeach Song Zhong."

"Impeachment always requires a respectable reason. I'll have the Flying Eagle Guards launch an investigation simultaneously. Only with concrete charges can we persuade Grandfather to issue an edict of punishment," Zhu Youdun suggested.

"I'll do whatever you say, brother. Go and make the arrangements," Zhu Gaoxi nodded in agreement. "After you talk to Xie Jin, tell him to come to the vegetable garden to find me. He needs to change his outspoken ways, or he'll be a troublemaker sooner or later."

Youdun accepted the order and left.

Before long, Miao Jin arrived quietly with Xu Jingyan and suddenly appeared in front of Zhu Gaoxi.

The little witch made a face and charged over, baring her teeth and claws. Zhu Gaoxi and He pretended to be terrified and fled in panic.

"You're terrible!" Xu Jingyan mocked smugly.

Zhu Gaoxi laughed it off and turned to Miaojin to explain, "Youdun just left."

"I'm not looking for him," Miao Jin said angrily, sitting down opposite her and asking sternly, "It was all your bad idea, wasn't it?"

"What is it?" Zhu Gaoxi asked, looking bewildered and innocent.

"Let Wu Ningshuang be the manager of the cotton cloth shop," Miao Jin said, staring intently into Zhu Gaoxi's eyes.

"They're already married and have children."

Zhu Gaoxi was utterly speechless that someone would even eat such dry vinegar.

"Bullshit!" Xu Miaojin swore. "She just got married, and the child is adopted by her husband."

That heartless brat Xu Jingyan, acting as an accomplice to evil, actually brought a wooden stick as thick as a cup and handed it to her aunt.

Xu Miaojin brandished her stick, approached Zhu Gaoxi, her eyes flashing with a fierce light, and threatened menacingly, "You two are conspiring to deceive people, don't think I don't know."

Honestly, I've never mentioned this before.

They also provided useless information, intentionally misleading Zhu Gaoxi into believing that Wu Ningshuang was at least thirty years old.

At the time, I felt that I might not be able to cook the young woman's food properly, so I didn't pay much attention to it.

Unexpectedly, he was both skilled and daring, concealing such a crucial detail: he had just gotten married, was sixteen or seventeen years old, the prime of his youth, the most beautiful stage of his life.

He has both the desire and the courage to steal; I admire him!

Don't say Miaojin ate the wrong thing; if Youdun said he had no ulterior motives whatsoever, we wouldn't believe it.

However, even if Dun wanted to pounce on her again, the most urgent task right now was to put out the fire.

You're too busy with official duties to take care of things in the backyard, so let's lend a hand. You're welcome!

Zhu Gaoxi chuckled and gently pushed away the stick in Miao Jin's hand. "No wonder Brother Dun kept opposing the appointment of Wu Ningshuang. It turns out he was worried that you would overthink things. But if we don't use her, where am I supposed to find a suitable replacement in such a short time? We'll make do with her for a few days, and once we find someone better, we'll replace her immediately."

Zhu Gaoxi lied without batting an eye.

"Is that really true?!" Miao Jin's expression immediately brightened, and she asked with a mixture of disbelief and doubt.