My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Zhu Yuanzhang was never one to be oppressed or willing to be executed!

Rebellion runs in his veins!

He will definitely rebel! He will become Li Zicheng, he will become Zhang Xianzhong!

He will use the most violent means to smash those arrogant and domineering princes and corrupt officials who ride roughshod over him to pieces!

In the end, the Ming Dynasty that Zhu Yuanzhang had worked so hard to build would become just like the Yuan Dynasty that he had vowed to overthrow!

It became the corrupt dynasty that forced figures like Zhu Yuanzhang to rebel!

What an absurd and pathetic cycle this is!

"Uh...ho...ho..."

Zhu Yuanzhang opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a complete sentence.

Only large, murky tears rolled down his aged cheeks.

Zhu Biao and Zhu Di looked at Zhu Yuanzhang's body hunched over in an instant and the silent tears flowing down his face, and complex expressions appeared on their faces.

"Father..."

Zhu Biao stepped forward first and gently took Zhu Yuanzhang's arm.

"Please...please take care of your health! There's always a solution to everything..."

Zhu Di also quickly moved closer.

The once mighty Emperor Yongle, who commanded respect on the battlefield, was now somewhat awkwardly at a loss for how to offer comfort.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something.

But considering that the Ming Dynasty would become like that later, and that I had some reasons for it, I didn't know how to bring it up.

Finally, Zhu Di could only speak cautiously.

"Father...please don't do this, you're frightening me...your son."

However, Zhu Yuanzhang turned a deaf ear to their appeals.

He sat there quietly, so quietly it was almost frightening.

There was no roaring, no cursing, not even a sigh.

He sat there, motionless, like a sculpture that had instantly lost all its soul and color.

Chen Mo stood aside, quietly watching all of this.

He didn't say anything more. Some lessons need to be digested in silence. Some pain needs time to settle.

The irony of history often lies in the fact that the hero who slays the dragon eventually sees the dragon's shadow in himself.

What breaks this cycle is never a sharper dragon-slaying technique.

Rather, it is to ensure that this land is free from evil dragons that need to be slaughtered, and free from warriors who are forced to take up the sword.

Chen Mo sighed as he thought about this.

Old Zhu was once a hero who slew dragons, but he never imagined that his descendants would one day become the very dragons he once hated.

He looked at Old Zhu, then at the time, and spoke.

"That's enough, let's go back!"

Upon seeing this, Zhu Biao and Zhu Di nodded and helped Old Zhu back to the front of the emergency room.

Perhaps because he was hurt, Old Zhu didn't say anything after that. He just sat there with his head down, and no one knew what he was thinking.

"Snapped!"

Finally, the scorching red light above the emergency room went out.

The door was pushed open, and the doctor walked out while taking off his mask.

Upon seeing this, Zhu Biao and Zhu Di immediately stood up.

Zhu Yuanzhang was left sitting there, stunned.

Seeing this, Zhu Biao gently shook Old Zhu.

"Father...the surgery is over."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his head, still caught up in Chen Mo's words.

Suddenly, as if snapping out of his daze, he abruptly stood up and lunged at the doctor.

"How's our girl? Is she alright?"

Old Zhu asked anxiously.

The doctor smiled slightly at him.

"The rescue was successful, and the patient is out of danger."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang let out a nearly exhausting sigh of relief, his body swaying slightly before Zhu Biao caught him.

Turning his head, he saw that Zhu Biao also had a relieved expression on his face.

The doctor smiled as he looked at the three members of the Zhu family.

"The patient is in good condition, but needs further observation and should stay in the hospital for a while longer."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang nodded heavily.

"Absolutely! We have to wait until our girl recovers!"

Then, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the doctor and said cautiously.

"Um...can we take a look at our beautiful young lady?"

The doctor smiled and nodded.

Empress Ma was slowly wheeled out, her face pale, wearing an oxygen mask, but her chest rising and falling steadily.

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately rushed to the bedside, tightly grasped Empress Ma's still somewhat cold hand, gently rubbed it, and repeatedly murmured something to her.

"He's alive...it's good that he's alive...it's good that he's alive..."

As he kept repeating this, tears streamed down his face. Old Zhu looked relieved.

"Sis... what will we do all by ourselves if you're gone?"

Chen Mo stood to the side and, upon hearing this, couldn't help but mentally complain.

Actually, you don't need to worry about anything. The ones who should really be worried and afraid are those ministers.

If Empress Ma really passes away, what will they do?

Without Empress Ma's scabbard, your sword will truly be uncontrollable.

When Zhu Biao's hilt is gone too, then your knife will truly be just the blade.

Fortunately, they probably won't be like they were before.

Old Zhu can put away his knife now.

Thinking of this, Chen Mo glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang again.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was indeed amazing, it must be said that he was truly tragic.

He lost his father and mother in his early years, his wife in middle age, and his son in his later years...

But not anymore!

In Li Chengqian's hospital room

Li Chengqian looked at the old man beside him, who was being affectionate and speaking in an exceptionally gentle voice, with a strange expression on his face.

"Father, you...you should rest for a while too. We'll take care of Mother here."

Zhu Biao couldn't help but step forward, wanting to take the water cup from Zhu Yuanzhang's hand.

"Go! Go! Go!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away a fly, without even turning his head.

"You're all so clumsy, how can you compare to our meticulousness? Let's do it ourselves!"

After saying that, he blew on the water cup in his hand and handed it to Empress Ma with a fawning expression.

"Girl, drink slowly, it's warm, not hot."

The once dignified and decisive Hongwu Emperor seemed like a completely different person at this moment.

Although Empress Ma's complexion was still pale, her spirits had improved considerably.

"Alright, don't let the children laugh at us."

Empress Ma said softly.

However, Old Zhu waved his hand dismissively, his face showing no concern.

"What's wrong with that! It's only natural for us to care about our girls!"

Old Zhu looked up at Zhu Biao.

Do you have a problem with that?

Zhu Biao smiled and gently shook his head.

Old Zhu then looked at Zhu Di.

Do you have a problem with that?

"I……"

Zhu Di opened his mouth, intending to say something, but changed his mind under the fierce look in Old Zhu's eyes.

"I don't."

Seeing this, Old Zhu nodded in satisfaction and looked at Chen Mo, but the next second he skipped over Chen Mo and looked at Li Chengqian lying on the hospital bed next to him.

"Young Master Li, do you have a problem with that?"

Li Chengqian gave an awkward smile and shook his head.

"no."

"See? They don't have any objections!"

Old Zhu chuckled.

Then, seeing that Empress Ma still had water droplets on the corners of her mouth, he hurriedly grabbed a tissue to wipe them away.

As a result, he almost accidentally knocked the water glass onto the bed, and he immediately became so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead. He looked at Empress Ma like a child who had done something wrong.

Empress Ma was amused by him and gently patted the back of his hand.

"Zhongba, I'm fine now, don't be so nervous."

After speaking, Empress Ma looked at Zhu Di, Chen Mo, and Li Chengqian, who was sleeping beside her.

Finally, her gaze settled on Zhu Di, and her eyes flickered.

"Fourth brother? You...you child, how come you've gotten so old in such a short time? The signs of aging on your face are even more pronounced than your eldest brother's."

"But the weather in Beiping is harsh and cold, and the military duties are too strenuous?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di felt a tightness in his heart, and a strange sense of bitterness welled up inside him.

He dared to confront Zhu Yuanzhang head-on, but he could never act like Empress Ma.