The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 106 Zhu Yuanzhang: Killing 30,000 in one case is too few

Wenhua Hall.

Li Jinglong dragged his tired body in.

Inside the palace, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao each occupied an imperial desk, the father and son burying themselves in reviewing memorials as if in a competition.

This great Ming Dynasty court will be held up entirely by these two men.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince." Li Jinglong cleared his throat and curtsied in a perfunctory manner.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't even look up: "Stop pretending, speak standing up. Went to teach Yunwen how to ride a horse? How's he doing?"

Li Jinglong stood up straight: "Not good at all. If I may be so bold as to speak the truth, never let him go to the battlefield; he'll only be a freeloader."

"That's because you didn't teach them well." Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyes. "Don't the descendants of the Zhu family know how to ride a horse?"

Li Jinglong looked speechless: "Your Majesty, you didn't see it. He hadn't even been bounced a few times before he bumped his forehead and got a bump."

"What's the big deal? So what if you slipped and fell? Keep riding," Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Li Jinglong: "————"

"Don't worry about him falling," Zhu Biao echoed.

"I would like to continue teaching," Li Jinglong said helplessly, "but the Crown Princess has already taken the Imperial Grandson back. I can no longer teach him. If I were to harm the Imperial Grandson's delicate health, I might lose my head."

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze turned cold: "Biao'er, your wife spoils Yunwen too much."

"Your subject will go back and talk to her," Zhu Biao said immediately.

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted: "If this were my son, and he still couldn't ride a horse after all this time, I'd break his legs."

Li Jinglong's expression was strange.

Your Majesty, you only have one son in your heart, Zhu Biao.

As for the others, they are not your sons; you should let them grow up freely.

"Your Majesty, I met with Princess Qin and Li Siqi today," Li Jinglong changed the subject.

He recounted his meeting with Li Siqi.

After listening, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly nodded: "Very good. You will take over Li Siqi's affairs. You can also go and meet that head manager."

"Your Majesty, shouldn't my mission be over by now? You said that my only responsibility was to find the Darughachi," Li Jinglong said.

"It's over," Zhu Yuanzhang said, shrugging. "From now on, you'll be the head beggar, taking over Li Siqi's trade routes and doing business."

Li Jinglong retorted irritably, "Smuggling to the northern deserts, is that it?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Yes, it's a great thing to amass wealth by imperial decree. Others might want to do it but don't even have the chance."

"Your Majesty, I don't need to concern myself with the matter of Guo Huan and Wang Huidi going to the pleasure boat, do I? Even if I encounter it in my business dealings in the future, I won't interfere, will I?" Li Jinglong asked.

I, Li Jinglong, have absolutely no desire to wade into this muddy water.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand dismissively: "Their affairs are too serious for you to handle."

Li Jinglong breathed a sigh of relief and lamented, "Sigh, another head is about to roll."

"Their few heads are not enough," Zhu Yuanzhang snorted.

Zhu Biao looked worried: "Father, if a thorough investigation is conducted, there are likely to be hundreds of officials involved."

"Just cut them off," Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Li Jinglong chimed in from the side: "That's right, kill twenty or thirty thousand of them in this case."

"Thirty thousand people killed in one case? That's too few." Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes turned icy cold instantly.

Li Jinglong and Zhu Biao were both numb.

"Your Majesty, I take my leave." Li Jinglong bowed, preparing to depart.

Since we don't need to worry about it, we shouldn't know too much.

Just as he was about to leave, the eunuch Wang Jinghong trotted in, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, requests an audience, saying he has urgent business."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned: "Summon them."

Soon, Mao Xiang rushed in: "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand: "Speak."

"Your Majesty, Li Siqi is dead," Mao Xiang said.

"What?" Li Jinglong and Zhu Yuanzhang exclaimed in surprise.

"Li Siqi was murdered in a private room at Wuyanyu Tower today," Mao Xiang continued. "The Embroidered Uniform Guard has not yet found the murderer."

Li Jinglong's mind was buzzing.

He had just reached an agreement with Li Siqi in the morning, and the old man was killed in the afternoon?

"Could it be another faked death?" he wondered. "Didn't he lose an arm last time and fake his death to live under an assumed name for over a decade?"

Mao Xiang shook his head: "This time it's confirmed he's dead. Li Shou has already taken the body back."

"Aren't your men following him?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked coldly.

Mao Xiang shuddered and immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty, I am guilty! My men were with him, and even booked a private room next door, separated only by a wall. Yet, they didn't hear a thing. It was only when the waiter went in to bring tea that they discovered Li Siqi had been murdered, a dagger stuck in his throat."

"Who dares to ruin our grand plan!" Zhu Yuanzhang roared in anger.

"Who dares to ruin my path to wealth!" Li Jinglong roared almost simultaneously.

Mao Xiang prostrated himself on the ground: "Your subject will certainly do everything in his power to hunt down the culprit, even digging three feet into the ground to find him."

"Hurry up!" Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand.

Mao Xiang bowed and withdrew.

"Your subject will also take his leave." Li Jinglong quickly followed.

Li Jinglong returned to his residence in the evening.

In the chilly late autumn evening, he jumped down from the carriage and jogged along, exclaiming, "This darn weather! It got cold so suddenly!"

There wasn't even a transition period; it was like they were turning against Lao Zhu.

The hall was warm and cozy, with charcoal fire burning inside.

Zhao Qing came up from the inner room: "Young master, a fire has been lit, come and warm yourself."

Li Jinglong pulled his hand out of his sleeve and stretched it forward.

Zhao Qing thought he wanted to warm himself by the fire and was about to move aside when Li Jinglong grabbed her hands.

"Nothing warms you by the fire as well as your hands."

Zhao Qing blushed slightly but did not pull her hand away.

She grabbed Li Jinglong's hands and tucked them into her arms, then gestured with her chin: "It'll be warmer this way."

"Can I switch to the Dragon Claw Hand?" Li Jinglong blinked.

Zhao Qing wasn't shy at all. She straightened her body, her breasts swaying up and down with her movements: "Young master, you have the desire but not the courage."

"Heh, you underestimate me, huh!" He loosened his grip, his five fingers forming a claw, poised to strike his target.

"What are you doing? Are you pretending I don't exist?" Li Zengzhi came out from the back hall.

Li Jinglong's dragon claw hand came to an abrupt halt in mid-air, abruptly changing into a head-scratching motion.

"Brother, you're getting more and more shameless," Li Zengzhi shook his head and sighed.

"Looking for a beating, huh?" Li Jinglong glared.

"No, no, no, let's get down to business." Li Zengzhi stepped forward. "Brother, construction on that estate has already started. You've been going to the palace every day lately, so you probably don't have time to supervise the construction, right? I'll go."

Li Jinglong looked at him suspiciously: "Do you even understand?"

"Don't worry! I'll definitely build you the manor of your dreams," Li Zengzhi said, patting his chest.

Li Jinglong waved his hand: "Alright, it's up to you."

"Alright!" Li Zengzhi said obsequiously, "Big brother, you can continue. Pretend I don't exist, I'm blind, I didn't see anything."

Li Jinglong was speechless: "Who taught you to act like this? Where are you going? Aren't you going to have dinner?"

"I'm going to study, burning the midnight oil." Li Zengzhi walked away.