Chapter 16: An Imperial Decree
Seeing such a scene, Deng Qianqiu actually felt a little sad. No matter what, he had a very good impression of Prince Jin. Although this guy was absurd and naughty, he was not a bad person by nature. He was quite nice to him... and even had a spirit of being a playboy and courting death.

Deng Qianqiu immediately showed a grief-stricken expression, rushed to the stretcher, and shouted: "Your Highness, Your Highness, what's wrong with you? Ah... Who did this?"

Zhu Gang let out another pig-killing howl, baring his teeth and saying, "It's touching the wound, it's touching the wound, don't come over here, don't come over here."

Deng Qianqiu was embarrassed.

Zhu Fancai said: "Go back to the dormitory first, go back to the dormitory first."

Then everyone worked together to carry him back to the bedroom.

As soon as they returned to the bedroom, the eunuchs and guards subconsciously took their leave.

Deng Qianqiu also wanted to run away, but was stopped.

"Qianqiu..."

"Ah... Your Highness... Does it still hurt?"

Zhu Gang's tears welled up in his eyes, but he tried very hard not to let them fall. He said, "Your advice...has caused me so much trouble..."

"What suggestions?" Deng Qianqiu was shocked.

Zhu Gang said: "You are still pretending to be confused. Have you forgotten that the prince... the prince... caused my father to be furious. Oh, oh, look at him. He is so ruthless."

Deng Qianqiu was greatly shocked. He looked at Zhu Gang in disbelief and said, "Didn't His Highness say that this was an internal communication and would never be leaked?"

Zhu Gang was stunned: "Really? Is there?"

Deng Qianqiu said: "Your Highness even swore an oath."

Fortunately, Zhu Gang's head and half of his face were wrapped tightly, so Deng Qianqiu could not see the shame on his face.

He could only say vaguely: "I forgot. You know that I have a bad brain and always forget things. That's it. Forgive you."

Deng Qianqiu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and said, "Your Highness, was it His Majesty who beat you? I don't think it's necessary. After all, Your Highness was just offering advice and suggestions, it's really not worth it."

Zhu Gang wailed in agony, "When I offered advice and suggestions, nothing happened, but my father suddenly asked me if I would rebel."

Deng Qianqiu scratched his head. He was still confused: "Is there any problem with this?"

Zhu Gang's eyes widened as he said, "How can there be no problem? If I say that I will not rebel, doesn't that mean... our suggestions and advice are wrong? If all the princes are loyal, then why would we need to reduce the power of the princes?"

"Ok?"

This makes sense.

This time, when Deng Qianqiu looked up at Zhu Gang, he couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence.

This person dared to say in front of Zhu Yuanzhang that he dared to rebel, and he was still alive.

Zhu Gang seemed to have forgotten the pain all of a sudden, and he actually started to dance with joy: "You don't know, when the emperor questioned me, I was not afraid of him! Humph, I, Zhu Gang, am not a pushover either, so I told the emperor that if it were me, I would also rebel, and then the emperor beat me up."

After a pause, Zhu Gang added fuel to the fire and said, "Later, my father asked me again if I dared to rebel."

Deng Qianqiu almost suffocated after hearing this, and couldn't help but sweating and asked, "What did your highness say?"

Zhu Gang said proudly: "Of course I will rebel even if I have to die."

Deng Qianqiu couldn't help but give a thumbs up: "Your Highness's courage is admirable."

"I am brave." Zhu Gang said, "If I say I am not afraid, I would be lying. But then I changed my mind. If I had changed my words at that time, wouldn't the beating I received earlier have been in vain? Alas, it's a pity, Qianqiu..."

Zhu Gang reached into his inner garment with trembling hands and immediately pulled out a memorial: "Take a look."

Deng Qianqiu asked cautiously: "Is this something I can see?"

"Don't be afraid, you'll know once you see it."

Deng Qianqiu took it and opened the memorial. He quickly glanced at it and saw that it was a memorial that Zhu Gang had compiled Deng Qianqiu's suggestions into a book and formally submitted to the emperor. In addition to Zhu Gang, the signature of the memorial was also written: Deng Qianqiu, the general flag officer of the Guard Division.

He really made me cry to death!
This guy is asking for death, and he signed my name?

Deng Qianqiu was so frightened that his hair stood on end: "This... this..."

"Fortunately, I was smart and wanted to ask for credit for you. But now, I got beaten up and the memorial was not submitted."

Zhu Gang's words made Deng Qianqiu feel cheerful immediately, and he said hurriedly, "Yes, yes, yes, Your Highness, we can't talk nonsense. Even if we want to talk, don't mention me. I am timid."

Zhu Gang sighed, "It seems that I can't enjoy the good life for the time being. I can't even protect myself! Oh, oh, but don't be afraid. There will be a time when my luck will turn. Then... hehe..."

Deng Qianqiu was about to say something.

But he heard chaotic footsteps coming from outside, and then a voice came in: "Third brother, my good third brother, I heard that you were beaten again. Oh, my heart aches for you. Come, let me take a look."

Deng Qianqiu cautiously stepped aside.

Then, Prince of Qin Zhu Chong came in quickly. When he saw Zhu Gang, whose head was beaten into a pig's shape on the bed, he first showed joy on his face, then he tried hard to pull down the corners of his mouth, revealing a look of grief.

"Second brother, what are you doing here?"

Zhu Chong said: "Brother feels sorry for you, so I came to see you."

Zhu Gang said, "But second brother, why do you seem so happy?"

"No." Zhu Chong covered his face with his long sleeves and said sadly, "My second brother's heart is broken. I can't breathe."

Zhu Chong was in mixed feelings. He was afraid that his third brother would suffer, but he was also afraid that his third brother would be appreciated by his father. Originally, the two brothers were exiled to Fengyang together, and he couldn't be the only one who was the most naughty and rotted in Fengyang.

Zhu Chong sat down in front of the couch, began to hold Zhu Gang's hand, and sighed, "Hey, third brother, what do I say every day? We were all exiled here by our father, and last time, we were punished. Can't we live in peace? Look at me, I do nothing but lie down all day, asking the imperial physician to prescribe some tonic medicine for me, and tell others that I am recovering from a broken bone. Look, I am so comfortable like this, and my father can't find any fault with me."

"Third brother, you love to show off on weekdays, and you always believe the nonsense of people around you. You even go to the emperor for advice. Look... look... hey, you didn't listen to your second brother, and you are suffering now."

Zhu Chong spoke sincerely and became more and more excited. He held Zhu Gang's hand and placed it on his heart, and continued to talk incessantly: "Third brother, don't you know who our father is? He is such a wise man, this is the founding emperor. What are we brothers to such a great ruler? Not to mention us brothers, even the people around us, who can compare to a finger of our father? Third brother, you always listen to one side and believe it, taking a rotten stone as a treasure, what is the result? You angered our father, will you suffer the consequences?"

Zhu Gang didn't want to pay attention to him, he just felt the wounds on his body hurt even more.

So she let him fiddle with one of her arms, and she lay on the couch groaning, like a little elk, quietly licking her wounds.

Zhu Chong was obviously not satisfied, and continued with a shake of his head: "Learn from me, brother. Don't learn the bad things instead of the good ones. Those people around you should all be killed..."

When Deng Qianqiu heard King Qin Zhu Chong say the word "deserve to be killed", he shuddered in his heart.

He knew that the King of Qin was cruel, so it would be better for him to stay away from him. Therefore, he began to move his feet quietly.

Zhu Gang spoke in a low voice, looking very frustrated: "If anyone is to be killed, it should be me. It was my fault that I displeased my father. It has nothing to do with others."

Zhu Chong said, "You can recognize your mistakes and correct them, which means you are sensible. But third brother, you are too kind-hearted. Humph, you are soft-hearted. I am your elder brother, but I have to stand up for you. Come, tell me who gave you these evil ideas. Tell me."

Deng Qianqiu's face suddenly changed, and he was planning to escape.

Zhu Gang argued: "Second brother, this is none of your business."

Zhu Chong said, "I cannot bear to see my third brother being fooled. He has a good brother like me, but he chooses to learn bad things from others. When I advised you to lie on the sickbed like a brother, groaning every day for a year or so, then the emperor will remember the father-son relationship and call us back to Nanjing. But you are still stubborn and will be killed sooner or later."

Zhu Gang kept his mouth shut.

Zhu Chong was furious: "Oh my, you won't tell me, right? Do you think I can't find out if you don't tell me?"

There was a huge quarrel.

But an eunuch came in breathlessly, "Your Highnesses, Your Highnesses, there is an order from the palace, there is an order from the palace."

(End of this chapter)