Chapter 18 Up to Heaven to Listen
Zhu Gang said: "Ah, but I really didn't expect that Qianqiu has such great talent and such good character. I have decided to make you my friend."

After that, he became distressed again: "What did my father mean when he asked my second brother and I to make a living on our own?"

"Of course, I have to make a living."

"I know I can make a living, but..." Zhu Gang said, "Are you really going to teach me to farm the land to make a living? What is your intention, father?"

Deng Qianqiu said: "I think it should be to continue testing Your Highness."

Zhu Gang thought about it and nodded solemnly: "You are right, this is my father's way of testing me, but... but, do I really want to go to plow the land?"

"Well." Deng Qianqiu frowned and said, "I don't know."

Zhu Gang was dejected: "You have to think of a way for me to make a living."

Deng Qianqiu said: "It's hard to say."

The father was teaching his son, what else could Deng Qianqiu say? He could only express his condolences.

Zhu Gang suddenly smiled and said, "There is a way."

"Your Highness is really smart, but I don't know what to do?"

Zhu Gang's eyes sparkled, and he said, "I will write to my father and ask him to give me a personal guard to help me make a living. To make a living, I need a helper. Qianqiu, I'll take care of you. We will share the hardship."

"Ah..." Deng Qianqiu's eyes widened slightly!
Zhu Gang said happily, "We have to endure hardships together. Just wait for a few days, and I will send someone to ask the emperor with a fast horse. The horse can go back and forth in two or three days. The emperor loves me and will certainly agree. Then you and I can work from sunrise to sunset together, and learn from each other. It's worth it that we are brothers."

Deng Qianqiu only felt that his bones were beginning to feel heavy.

But looking at Zhu Gang's cheerful expression, Deng Qianqiu couldn't find any words to refuse.

Never mind, just take it one step at a time.

…………

The lights in Chengye Hall were dimming. Zhu Yuanzhang was still wearing the Tongtian crown he wore during the court meetings. This time he was wearing casual clothes. Under the dim lights, he picked up memorials one by one and looked down at them.

There were so many military and political matters to deal with every day that Zhu Yuanzhang dared not slack off at all. Even though it was late at night, his eyes were still reflected by the lights. The depths of his bottomless eyes seemed to be like a swaying candle flame, flickering and making people feel unfathomable.

At this time, a woman in a cloth skirt came with a bowl of hot rice porridge.

Zhu Yuanzhang was unaware.

The woman smiled, but tiptoed to leave.

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke slowly, "Xiuying, it's so late, why are you still arranging things? Just let the servants do it."

This woman was none other than Empress Ma. She was the only one in the world who did not feel the slightest bit of fear in front of Zhu Yuanzhang. She looked calm and smiled slightly, saying, "Your Majesty knows it is late at night, but you still refuse to go to bed? Eat this rice porridge while it is still hot."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked up and smiled in return. His eyes seemed to be much gentler. Then he lowered his head again, picked up a memorial at random, and said, "I will eat after you finish reading this one."

As he spoke, he stared into the memorial, and then Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly said, "Zhu Gang, this kid, actually knows how to bargain."

When Empress Ma heard about Zhu Gang's second son, her expression also fluctuated. After all, he was her own flesh and blood, so she couldn't help but pay special attention to him, so she asked, "Why, is he not being honest again?"

"Not really. He has made a lot of progress recently. I have a new respect for him. But..." Zhu Yuanzhang paused and said, "It is precisely because of his insightful views that I feel that these princes need to be taught better. Otherwise, I don't know how much suffering the people will suffer."

Empress Ma said, "Your Majesty is right. I agree with you."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said, "You usually feel sorry for your son, but today you don't feel sorry for him?"

Empress Ma said, "You have to choose the right time to feel sorry for them. If they get hurt, or are hungry or tired, a mother will naturally feel sorry for them. But if you feel too much, it will become spoiling." Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with a smile, moved his body, motioned Empress Ma to sit down next to his chair, and said, "Yes, I just want them to make a living on their own, which is better than making absurd noises all day long."

"Oh, yes, there is a scholar named Zhou Chang. I really chose the right person. Since he became the chief secretary of the third brother, Zhu Gang has made rapid progress. I didn't realize such a person at the beginning. I think this person has great talent."

Empress Ma also became interested: "Really? Since he is so talented, if he is just taught, it would be a waste of talent. Your Majesty, why don't you recruit him to the Secretariat and let him take on important tasks?"

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Don't worry, don't worry, let's wait and see. Many of the strategies he proposed are very much to my liking, but I am worried that he is a scholar after all. Although he has great talent, he has no experience. It is also good to keep him in Fengyang for a while, so that he can temper his temper and make plans in the future. And this kid Zhu Gang, I let him make a living on his own, but he insisted that even if he is from an ordinary family, it is still a family to make a living, and he insisted that I allow him to choose a personal guard to assist him and make a living together. This personal guard..."

Having said that, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the memorial carefully, and suddenly, his face darkened.

His eyes reflected the three words in the memorial: "Deng Qianqiu!"

Queen Ma had a smile on her face, but when she heard these three words, her eyes seemed to fluctuate a little.

Zhu Yuanzhang pursed his lips and said slowly, "If I remember correctly, that man's son is also called Deng Qianqiu, right?"

He seemed to be asking and answering his own questions, and then he added: "I am in Fengyang again, or... on duty in the Fengyang Imperial City. It seems... I am right."

Empress Ma sighed and said, "Your Majesty, it seems...it is really the son of this old friend."

The muscles on Zhu Yuanzhang's face seemed to twitch, and his eyelids drooped slightly, as if he was moved and had a meaningful look.

"Your Majesty." Queen Ma smiled and said, "That was all many years ago, Your Majesty..."

"Haha..." Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly laughed and said, "Are you saying that I am petty? Others may not know my temper, but don't you know it? Would I bother with a brat who is still wet behind the ears?"

Empress Ma pursed her lips and said, "If I remember correctly, Deng Qianqiu is really the same age as Tan'er. I never thought that Tan'er would be friends with him. The fate of this world is really unpredictable."

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression changed slightly again. He suddenly sat up straight and shouted at the void in an unquestionable tone: "You should go first."

Then, in the distant side hall, a eunuch came quietly, bowed to the ground, kowtowed and said: "Your servant is here!"

Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly: "Check the details of Deng Qianqiu from Fengyang Imperial City Guard."

The eunuch named Yesen said, "As you wish."

After the eunuch responded, he retreated quietly and disappeared into the side hall.

Empress Ma smiled and said, "Your Majesty, this is a matter of state, so you have to be serious about it. But if it's just a private matter, why make such a fuss about it?"

Zhu Yuanzhang seemed touched. He stood up, paced a few steps, then looked up at the moonlight outside the window on one side of the hall and suddenly said, "Xiuying, there is no selfishness in the royal family."

"So... what about the opening of the song?"

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "If this memorial was said by that brat Zhu Gang, I must beat him up. He pretended to be dead for more than half a month. It's really hateful. But since it's Zhu Gang, let's just obey him. Gang has grown up and has his own ideas. Deng Qianqiu..."

Zhu Yuanzhang paused, then continued: "It's not a bad idea to let him go with the third brother. Don't worry, I won't make it difficult for him. I'm not that stingy."

Empress Ma understood and said with a smile, "Your Majesty is worried about this and that, but now it is late at night and I am afraid Your Majesty is hungry. You should take care of yourself first and eat the rice porridge."

The solemnity on Zhu Yuanzhang's face gradually dissipated. He was usually taciturn, but in front of Empress Ma, he seemed to be quite talkative.

"When I want to say something, you use something to block my mouth."

But he still obediently picked up the porridge, took the silver spoon and took a bite first.

(End of this chapter)