Chapter 49: Zhu Di: Father, Mother... Has a lifetime of mine been enough to atone for my crime of the Jingnan campaign?

That single remark almost made young Zhu Di vomit blood with rage.
This old rascal is simply not human... truly not human... downright heartbreaking!

Seeing young Zhu Di look even more miserable than if he had eaten excrement, older Zhu Di decided to stop teasing him.
"Miaoyun... is she well?" Zhu Di asked in a low voice.

Young Zhu Di was momentarily baffled, yet still answered truthfully, "Miaoyun... she is doing very well!"
"That's good... that's good!" Zhu Di slowly closed his reddened eyes, suppressing his surging emotions.

The elder Zhu also sensed something amiss from the exchange and Zhu Di's expression.
He surmised that his future daughter-in-law was likely no longer among the living.
A pang of deep sympathy for this boy welled up within him once more!

Guided by the elder Zhu, they then went to see Empress Ma.
Zhu Di stood before the door, feeling rather apprehensive; he was terrified that his mother might blame him for rebelling.
Seeing Zhu Di hesitating and dragging his feet, the elder Zhu raised his leg and kicked him right through the doorway.
"You're a grown man, yet you're still acting so timid and coy—aren't you ashamed of yourself!"

Stumbling forward, Zhu Di landed firmly on his knees before Empress Ma.
Empress Ma looked at the middle-aged man kneeling before her... and cast a puzzled glance at the elder Zhu.
"My dear, you might find this hard to believe, but this is our son from the future—our fourth son, also known as the Yongle Emperor on that heavenly screen..." With that last phrase, it was clear that the elder Zhu was still harboring some resentment over the matter.

Following the elder Zhu's explanation, Empress Ma lowered her gaze to scrutinize this future son of hers carefully.
Gazing at his greying hair and hands covered in calluses, Empress Ma instinctively reached out to gently lift Zhu Di's face. Looking at the fine lines around his eyes and the weathered look of hardship, her eyes filled entirely with profound heartache.
She examined him closely, and suddenly, her gaze fell upon a scarcely noticeable scar on Zhu Di's neck, causing her brows to knit together instantly.
"Take off your outer garment..." Empress Ma's voice was gentle yet tinged with a slight tremor.

Zhu Di hesitated for a moment, but slowly removed his outer robe, revealing a torso crisscrossed with countless scars.
Every single one of these scars stood as a testament to his campaigns across battlefields and his brushes with death.
At the sight of these scars, tears welled up and spilled from Empress Ma's eyes. Extending a trembling hand, she lightly traced the marks, as though she could feel the agony her son had once endured.
"My fourth son, how much suffering you must have endured over the years..." Empress Ma wept uncontrollably.

Zhu Di felt a tightness in his throat, and holding back his tears, he said, "Mother, your son has not suffered. Everything was done for the great foundation of the Ming Dynasty."

The elder Zhu's eyes also turned red as he heavily clapped Zhu Di on the shoulder. "Fourth son, you did well!"

Empress Ma pulled Zhu Di tightly into her embrace, just as she used to when he was a child, and softly comforted him.
Leaning against his mother's warm embrace, Zhu Di—whose eyes had never shed a single tear no matter how grievous the wounds he suffered on the battlefield—could no longer restrain himself, and tears streamed down his face.
"Mother... do you not blame your son for the crime of seizing the throne through the Jingnan Campaign?"
"My child... Mother has never blamed you... Mother never has!" After a long while, Empress Ma released Zhu Di and gently smoothed his robes for him.
Her gaze was brimming with maternal love and pride. "Fourth son, Mother has also seen your deeds on the heavenly screen. You are even more formidable than your father; you are Mother's pride!"

This time, Empress Ma used the word "Mother" instead of her formal title as Empress. Though separated by only a single character, the meaning was entirely different.
One referred to the cold, ruthless imperial house, while the other represented a humble family where ordinary folk leaned on one another for warmth!

"Mother... your son has missed you so much!" Zhu Di lowered his head and heavily kowtowed to Empress Ma.

Just then, the unconscious Xionying also woke up, calling out weakly, "Fourth Uncle."
Zhu Di hurried to the bedside and, looking at Xionying's pale complexion, felt a sharp twist of pain in his heart.
"My good nephew... Fourth Uncle is here, Fourth Uncle is right here!"

Zhu Zhuxiong tried his utmost to raise his hand, giving Zhu Di a thumbs-up, his face radiating boundless admiration.
"Fourth Uncle... Fourth Uncle... You are so amazing, even better than my father... Xionying wants so, so much to become a person just like Fourth Uncle!"

Zhu Di's eyes turned red once more. Grasping Xionying's hand, he whispered, "Xionying, Fourth Uncle has missed you too!"

At that moment, Zhu Di suddenly remembered the rewards he had received—the Pill to Cure All Ills and the Pill of Longevity. Pulling out the two pills, still sealed, from his tunic, he said to Empress Ma, "Mother, this is a Pill to Cure All Ills; it can heal any ailment. Let Xionying take it."
"And this one can add ten years of lifespan. Mother... please accept it. Your son does not wish to lose you ever again!"

The moment the elder Zhu caught sight of the medicinal pills, his breathing quickened involuntarily.
He reached out his hand to grab them... with these pills, his eldest grandson and his dear wife would be saved.
Just as his hand went out before he could make his next move, a sharp reprimand from Empress Ma cut him short.
"Zhu Chongba, pull your paws back this instant!"

The elder Zhu smiled awkwardly. "My dear, I was just afraid the pills might fall!"
Ignoring the elder Zhu, Empress Ma looked at Zhu Di with immense tenderness and said, "Fourth son, you have been fighting campaigns away from home, facing countless brushes with death and bearing innumerable injuries. Keep these pills for yourself."
"As for Xionying, Mother believes this child is blessed and will naturally survive his trials."

Zhu Di shook his head urgently. "Mother, my constitution is robust. Xionying, however, is still young, and moreover, Xionying can no longer wait."

Looking at the stubborn Zhu Di, Empress Ma felt a storm of conflicting emotions—on one side was her son, and on the other was her eldest grandson.
Sensing his wife's fierce internal struggle, the elder Zhu hesitated for a moment before speaking up, "Since the fourth son has brought them out, let Xionying use the healing pill."
"As for the longevity pill, you should keep it for yourself. I will save my own wife myself; I haven't even made it onto the heavenly rankings yet!"

Hearing this, Zhu Di protested, "Father... this..."
The elder Zhu glared at him. "What is 'this'? Look at the state of you—don't end up dying before I do! Listen to me, keep that longevity pill for yourself."

Empress Ma chimed in as well, "Fourth son, Mother appreciates your filial piety. But you should keep these pills, take good care of your health, and continue to build glorious achievements for the Ming Dynasty."

With reddened eyes, Zhu Di accepted the longevity pill and nodded heavily.
Then, he administered the Pill to Cure All Ills into Xionying's mouth. Within moments, Xionying's flushed complexion—covered in blisters—gradually returned to a normal hue, and the blistered skin receded at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Xionying's previously frail body regained its strength. He slowly propped himself up into a sitting position, his eyes shining with joyous surprise.
"Fourth Uncle, I feel so much better!" Zhu Di smiled with gratification, while Empress Ma and the elder Zhu beamed happily as well.

At the same time, Zhu Di's figure was enveloped in a ball of golden light, and his silhouette grew increasingly translucent!
"Father... Mother... Your son must take his leave!"
"Go on... go on, and manage the Ming Dynasty well for us!" The elder Zhu waved his hand with a feigned air of impatience.
A father's love is like a mountain... taciturn and unaccustomed to fine words, yet his attitude undeniably affirmed everything Zhu Di had accomplished.

Upon returning to his original era, Zhu Di suddenly felt a profound sense of relief in his heart!
"I... have not felt this at ease in a very long time. I should be able to sleep soundly tonight!"

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