My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, completely stunned.

The car fell into a deathly silence, with only Old Zhu's heavy breathing audible.

After a long while, Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to come to his senses, staring intently at Zhu Di, his eyes blazing with intense anger.

"What did you say?!"

"Even Little Twelve was driven to his death?"

"Otherwise what?"

Zhu Di gave a cold laugh.

"Otherwise, what right do you think I have to rebel?"

"It's just that that little bastard Zhu Yunwen won't even give us a chance to live!"

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent.

Zhu Biao also fell silent, and into a silence even more shocked than that of Old Zhu.

As Zhu Yunwen's father, he always thought Zhu Yunwen was a well-behaved and sensible child.

He was taught by great Confucian scholars from a young age and was kind and benevolent, but he became so cruel after becoming emperor.

He could understand the need to reduce the power of the feudal lords, and if he were to come to power, he would certainly do the same.

But it was the most honest and refined twelfth brother who ultimately drove someone to their death…

Could Yunwen really do something like this?

So, does that mean Yunwen's usual kindness and obedience were all an act?

Zhu Biao's face immediately darkened.

He recalled how, after Zhu Xiong Ying's death, although he was extremely saddened, the Ming Dynasty still needed a successor.

Therefore, he personally investigated Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Yuntong, and even asked them a question about the current shortcomings of the Ming Dynasty.

One of the topics discussed was the need to weaken the excessive power of the regional princes.

He heard Zhu Yunwen's answer—he would only reduce the power of the princes, but he would absolutely not take action against his uncles.

At the time, he nodded in satisfaction, thinking that Zhu Yunwen was very much like himself.

The reduction of the power of the princes is a must, and the younger brothers also need to be disciplined, but their lives cannot be endangered.

Zhu Biao's plan for the princes and his younger brothers was to let them live a carefree life as idle princes.

As long as he doesn't touch power, he won't be too harsh on his younger brother.

To paraphrase a phrase Zhu Yuanzhang often used, "They're all from the Zhu family; even if they've done something terribly wrong, shouldn't they at least be spared?"

But Zhu Yunwen went a bit too far.

Whether or not he truly intended to drive his uncles to their deaths, the twelfth prince was indeed driven to his death.

and……

Zhu Biao looked at Old Zhu.

If he dies, Zhu will pass the throne to Zhu Yunwen.

Zhu Yunwen, after all, represented the legitimate court, while the fourth prince was merely a vassal king.

Regardless of whether there were any capable generals, those hundreds of thousands of real troops were undeniably real, weren't they?

He was unsure of the strength of the princes after Zhu Yunwen came to power, but he assumed his father would take steps to weaken them.

It's estimated that there are only a few hundred people, at most a few thousand.

With hundreds of thousands of people and the support of the imperial court, they not only overwhelmed the fourth prince in strength, but also held the moral high ground.

In the end, Zhu Yunwen actually lost?!

Could he really lose the throne?

Even if the fourth son is indeed brave, a skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice.

How can a few hundred or a thousand people be compared to the powerful central government?

Not to mention conquering Yingtian Prefecture and becoming emperor.

Ultimately, it was Zhu Yunwen who was too incompetent!

Zhu Biao's expression also turned gloomy and uncertain for a moment.

But at the same time, an idea entered his mind.

What if... what if U.A. hadn't died young?

Zhu Biao paused slightly, then continued to think along these lines.

If the eldest grandson Xiong Ying were still alive, with his status as the eldest son and the affection of his father and mother, the position of Crown Prince would be a foregone conclusion.

Yunwen was at most a vassal king; he could never have stirred up such a monstrous storm, leading to fratricide, his twelfth brother being forced to commit suicide by fire, his fourth brother being forced to rebel, and ultimately resulting in this tragedy...

The root of all the troubles seems to lie in U.A.'s early death and his own untimely demise.

It's one thing for me to die young, but why did U.A. High School also die young?

A question arose in Zhu Biao's mind.

His gaze fell on Zhu Yuanzhang's slightly hunched back, and the sorrow that surged up in that instant almost overwhelmed him.

His father, the emperor, was a man of great strength throughout his life. From a beggar in Haozhou to the emperor, he had endured all kinds of hardships and overcome all kinds of difficulties.

But if we go by what later generations said, what the Emperor had to endure in his later years was this heart-wrenching pain of losing his loved ones one after another!

He lost his beloved grandson, his virtuous wife, and now even his eldest son, to whom he had poured countless efforts and who was considered the perfect heir, was going to die before him...

This is a blow that no human being could withstand.

Zhu Biao could almost imagine how lonely and sad his father, sitting alone in the deep palace in his later years, must have felt if that were the case.

That magnificent dragon throne, that vast empire, in the face of the passing of loved ones one by one, is probably left with only a chilling coldness.

Do not!

We must never let that happen!

An unprecedented determination rose in Zhu Biao's heart, dispelling his momentary weakness and sorrow.

His refined and gentle demeanor was merely an outward appearance; his ability to firmly hold the position of Crown Prince and assist in governing the country for many years stemmed from the same tenacity and decisiveness inherent in the Zhu family.

Since fate has ordained us to know the future, then this future must be changed!

He will pay more attention to his health in the future, balance work and rest, and check for potential hazards around him more carefully.

However, a chilling killing intent flashed across his eyes.

Even with such caution and precautions, my mother and I still met with misfortune...

He was almost certain that this was not the will of Heaven, but a man-made disaster!

At that time, no matter who the mastermind is, how deeply hidden they are, or how high their status, even if Zhu Biao digs three feet into the ground and uses all the power of the Eastern Palace and even the entire Ming Dynasty, he will definitely uproot them and tear them to pieces!

He would never allow anyone, in any way, to harm his family or shake the foundations of the Ming Dynasty!

At this moment, Zhu Biao's eyes were sharp as knives, and the majesty and iron will of the heir to the empire were revealed so clearly for the first time.

Don't be fooled by the fact that Zhu Biao is known for his benevolence and kindness; he's not someone to be trifled with.

He personally handled both the Empty Seal Case and the Hu Weiyong Case!

Zhu Biao, who was behind him, was preoccupied with many thoughts.

Earlier, Old Zhu was taking care of Empress Ma, and he wasn't in a good mood either.

When Zhu Di saw his appearance, his heart sank to the bottom, and he had many thoughts on his mind.

Finally, the car slowly came to a stop, and we arrived at the hospital.

"Get out of the way! Everyone, get out of our way!!"

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Zhu Yuanzhang opened the door, picked up Empress Ma, and ran all the way to the hospital.

"Girl! Hang in there! We're here! We're here!!"

As he ran, he spoke to the unconscious Empress Ma in his arms.

Zhu Di and Zhu Biao also stumbled out of the carriage.

Seeing Old Zhu's frantic, mad-like figure running away, both of them felt a pang of anxiety and immediately gave chase.

"Father! Watch your step!"

Zhu Biao shouted anxiously.

Zhu Di shouted towards the emergency room as he ran.

"Doctor! Doctor! Help! This person is in danger!!!"

Chen Mo locked the car and quickly followed, pointing towards the emergency room.

"Old Zhu! Go straight! Go through that glass door! The emergency room is inside!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang rushed to the emergency room.

"Doctor! Where's the doctor?! Come out here! Save my sister!!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice, thick with Fengyang accent, rang out in the emergency room.

Several nurses and security guards immediately surrounded him and rushed him to the emergency room.

Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to rush in, but was stopped by the nurses outside the emergency room.

"Family members, please wait outside!"

After saying that, the emergency room door was closed. Old Zhu stood at the door, then collapsed to the ground like a helpless child, leaning against the wall and muttering to himself.

"Girl! You absolutely have to be safe and sound! What will we do if you leave?"

"Please don't leave us here alone!"

"We won't allow it!"

"Father! Don't worry! Mother will be safe and sound!"

Zhu Biao, who had rushed over, offered words of comfort.

"Mother often does good deeds, and good people are always blessed. She will surely be alright."

"That's right! Mother isn't as ruthless as you, old man..."

Zhu Di muttered to himself.

"Actually, I feel it would be better if you, Dad, went in and let Mom come out."

"What did you say?!"

Zhu Yuanzhang glared and immediately cursed.

"You little brat!"

Zhu Di was so frightened by Old Zhu that his face turned pale and he subconsciously took half a step back.

"Father...Father, that's not what I meant..."

"You wretched creature!! You're worse than an animal!!"

Finally, whether it was because he was already in a bad mood and needed to vent, or because he had long wanted to punish Zhu Di, Zhu Yuanzhang completely exploded.

He pulled out the belt tied around his waist.

The belt swept through the air, creating a sharp whistling sound.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Di's expression immediately changed.

He was very familiar with this belt.

I used to smoke him quite a bit. The old man has been dead for so many years, but sometimes I still miss him.

But this isn't the kind of nostalgia you'd expect!

The belt whistled through the air as it hurtled straight at Zhu Di's face!

Zhu Di was so frightened that he was terrified and dared not linger.

He let out a strange cry, no longer caring about the majesty of the Yongle Emperor. He ducked down, nimbly dodging the fierce attack, and turned to run!

"You unfilial son! Stop right there! Stop right there!"

Zhu Yuanzhang, holding his belt, chased after him relentlessly, his beard trembling with anger.

"Endure small battles, retreat in big ones; only a fool would stand still!"

As Zhu Di scurried away, dodging and weaving around the benches and pillars in the corridor, he shouted back.

"Father! Father! I really didn't mean that!"

"I mean... I mean you're in excellent health! You're a true Son of Heaven, free from all taboos!"

"My mother is frail and needs the divine physician's careful treatment even more! Oh dear!"

Before he could finish speaking, the end of his belt still grazed his back, causing a burning pain.

"Bullshit! We can see you're just a wolf in sheep's clothing! Can't hold back anymore, huh?! We're not dead yet!!"

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was old, the foundation he had built up over many years of military service was still there, and even in his rage, he did not slow down.

"Big brother! Big brother, save me!"

Seeing that his space to dodge was getting smaller and smaller, Zhu Di hurriedly asked Zhu Biao, who was standing anxiously to the side, for help.

Zhu Biao was sweating profusely with anxiety. He wanted to step forward and stop his enraged father, but he was afraid of hurting him. He could only spread his arms in vain and stand between them, repeatedly trying to persuade him.

"Father! Father, please calm down! Fourth Brother just spoke without thinking, please don't take it to heart! Fourth Brother! Stop running away, quickly apologize to Father!"

In ancient times, the King of Qin walked around a pillar; now, Zhu Di walks around his brother.

Zhu Di barely managed to hold on by relying on Zhu Biao as a "human shield".

"Biao'er, get out of here! Today we're going to teach this little brat what fatherly love is!"

Zhu Yuanzhang, panting heavily, tried to get around Zhu Biao.

Zhu Di was also exhausted, after all, he was not young anymore. He leaned against a pillar and gasped for breath, but he still stubbornly insisted on keeping quiet.

"Dad, that's enough! Don't think I'm really afraid of you! I'm... ouch!"

Zhu Yuanzhang seized the opportunity and lashed out with his belt again. Although he didn't manage to strike Zhu Di squarely, it still startled him.

"Fine! Still dare to talk back! Today we'll beat you to death, you unfilial son, and pretend we never had you!"

Old Zhu's anger intensified, and he brandished his belt and lunged forward again.

It seemed that a scene of filial piety between father and son was about to escalate again outside the hospital's emergency room.

"That's enough!"

Both Zhu Di and Zhu Laozhu froze simultaneously, their waving belts stopping in mid-air, and their fleeing steps rooted to the spot.

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw a middle-aged head nurse in a nurse's uniform, wearing glasses, with a serious expression, standing not far away with her hands on her hips, looking at them with a furrowed brow.

"This is the hospital's emergency area! Absolute silence is required! Your shouting, chasing, and fighting are severely disrupting other patients' rest and the work of medical staff! What kind of behavior is this?!"

The head nurse's voice carried suppressed anger.

"If this continues, I'll have security escort you all out!"

After speaking, she looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, who was still holding his belt, and her tone became more serious.

"I remember you. Your wife is inside undergoing emergency treatment, right? Now you're making a scene outside. What if you disturb the doctors inside and distract them? Who will take responsibility for that? Will it be you?"

"..."

Zhu Yuanzhang felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water; his anger was instantly extinguished, leaving only a chilling sense of fear and embarrassment.

He looked at the head nurse who had scolded him, and her weathered old face flushed red.

Having been emperor for so many years, apart from Empress Ma, no one else has dared to rebuke him to his face like this.

Oh wait!

That brat counts occasionally too!

Old Zhu remained silent for a moment, his anger quickly fading, replaced by an almost clumsy awkwardness.

He subconsciously tucked his belt behind his back, rubbed his hands together, and forced a somewhat stiff smile at the head nurse.

"Um... this... nurse, it's my fault, it's my fault... I'll definitely be more careful next time! I'm so sorry!"

After saying that, he quickly bowed to the other patients' family members who were startled and peeking around, and smiled apologetically.

"Everyone, I'm so sorry, so sorry! My unfilial son has been so disobedient and has disturbed you all! He's made such a fool of himself!"

Seeing his father's humble and submissive demeanor in front of outsiders, Zhu Di finally felt relieved and breathed a long sigh of relief.

He knew that this sudden surge of "fatherly love" was, for the time being, over.

He dared not be arrogant anymore, and carefully walked to Zhu Yuanzhang's side, standing there with his head bowed and eyes lowered.

Zhu Biao quickly stepped forward and nodded apologetically to the head nurse and those around him.

Seeing that their attitude was acceptable, the head nurse's expression softened slightly. She then gave them a few more serious instructions to keep quiet before turning and leaving.

The crisis was over, and the corridor was temporarily calm again.

Chen Mo looked around and sighed.

"There are too many people here, let's find a quieter place to talk!"

"OK!"