The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 91 The struggle for the crown prince has always been like this.

In the early morning, a gentle autumn breeze was blowing.

Li Jinglong lay prone in the yard, huffing and puffing as he did push-ups.

"Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred!"

He rolled over and lay on his back on the ground, panting heavily and drenched in sweat.

"Young Duke." Zhao Qing, carrying a basin of hot water, turned around from the corridor and was startled by what she saw. "Young Duke, what's wrong with you? Why are you rolling around on the floor so early in the morning?"

Li Jinglong struggled to his feet: "This is called training, understand? I've figured it out. Even though I won't be on the battlefield anymore, I need to stay healthy. The longer you live, the more you can enjoy life."

Zhao Qing took a steaming hot towel and walked up to him, standing on tiptoe to apply it to his face.

Li Jinglong stood still, letting her do as she pleased.

Then he realized something was wrong.

Two soft mounds pressed against his chest, swaying with her movements.

Li Jinglong looked down and saw Zhao Qing looking up at him with her stunningly beautiful face, her eyes brimming with tears, and the towel in her hand still covering his face.

The two were standing too close, and Li Jinglong glanced down.

I can't see anything; it's blocked.

"I really can't see his feet," he blurted out.

Zhao Qing was stunned for a moment, then followed his gaze and looked down at her chest. Her face instantly turned red: "Young Duke, you're so naughty!"

He said bad things, but he didn't do anything.

The autumn wind blew in gusts, but the two of them grew warmer the longer they stood together. Zhao Qing's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her breathing quickened.

"Ahem!" A voice came from the corridor. "Brother, if you want to get things done, can't you go back to your room? What kind of behavior is this in the courtyard in broad daylight?"

Zhao Qing jumped back instantly, picked up the copper basin, and ran back.

Li Jinglong looked up and saw Li Zengzhi leaning against a pillar, a half-smile on his face.

"Aren't you going to the Imperial College yet?" he glared.

"It's a day off today." Li Zengzhi clicked his tongue and said, "Brother, what are you doing here so early in the morning? You're all sweaty and you even made Zhao Qing blush."

"I'm working out," Li Jinglong said seriously. "I've figured it out. Even though there won't be any more wars, I can't afford to break down. Good health means a longer life, so I can enjoy life for a few more years."

Li Zengzhi blinked, seemingly lost in thought: "That's not necessarily true. You might be in big trouble."

Li Jinglong immediately became alert: "You little brat, what trouble have you gotten yourself into? Are you trying to shift the blame onto me?"

Li Zengzhi took two steps back, hiding half of himself behind a pillar: "Brother, what are you saying? Do you think I, Li Zengzhi, am that kind of person?"

"Yes."

"That's right. Yesterday, His Majesty summoned me to the palace to test my studies."

"You can't do anything, and you got scolded?"

Li Zengzhi waved his hand, raising his chin: "Brother, you underestimate me too much. His Majesty tested me on the classics, and I answered fluently; the Crown Prince tested me on current affairs, and I answered logically and clearly. His Majesty and the Crown Prince both praised me, saying that the Duke of Cao's family has a worthy successor."

Li Jinglong breathed a sigh of relief: "Isn't this great?"

Li Zengzhi chuckled: "Then, His Majesty asked, 'Brother, what do you usually do at home?'"

"What did you answer?" Li Jinglong suddenly sensed something was wrong.

Li Zengzhi shrugged: "Of course I'm answering the truth! Taking beautiful maids for river cruises, listening to music on pleasure boats, and leading hooligans to dominate the streets, he can be called the number one playboy in the capital."

"What was His Majesty's reaction?" Li Jinglong began to roll up his sleeves.

"His Majesty is furious." Li Zengzhi had already started backing away. "Brother, I reckon His Majesty will summon you to the palace and might beat you up."

"Li Zengzhi!"

"Brother, calm down!"

"As the eldest brother, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of our father, you ungrateful son!" Li Jinglong charged forward. "Look me in the eye, you little brat!"

Li Zengzhi took off running.

He circled the flower bed, slipped close to the stone table, and performed the whole set of movements smoothly and seamlessly.

The two brothers chased each other, startling the maids in the corridor who scattered in all directions, causing chaos.

Li Zengzhi ran while looking back: "The struggle for the crown prince position has always been like this!"

In the blink of an eye, he had already run out the door.

Li Jinglong chased after him to the front gate, leaning against the door frame with one hand and supporting his waist with the other, panting heavily.

"Brother, you're making it look like you're leaning on the wall to get out. You can't do it!" Li Zengzhi called out from afar.

"Don't come back if you dare!" Li Jinglong gritted his teeth.

Half an hour later, Li Jinglong took Zhao Qing out.

"I'm so angry with that kid." He waved at Zhao Qing. "Come on, let's go have some tea and listen to some storytelling today. Let's not waste our breath on that heartless guy."

Zhao Qing, exceptionally beautiful, reached out and took Li Jinglong's arm, smiling as she said, "The Second Young Master is young and doesn't watch his mouth. Are you really going to hold it against him, Young Duke?"

"We still have to teach him a lesson," Li Jinglong snorted.

The two arrived at the banks of the Qinhuai River, where the autumn sun shone down, neither too intense nor too scorching.

Upon arriving at the riverside teahouse, the waiter courteously led the two to a private room by the window on the second floor. Opening the window, they saw the Qinhuai River.

Li Jinglong leaned back in his chair, half-lying down.

Zhao Qing sat down opposite her, rolled up her sleeves to reveal her fair wrists, and began to brew tea.

She took the tea leaves, roasted them, ground them, and sifted them with fluid, graceful movements. Her slender fingers danced among the tea utensils; it was a sight to behold.

It is pleasing to the eye.

As the charcoal fire rises, the aroma of tea slowly spreads.

"This is the life of a Duke," Li Jinglong remarked.

As more and more tea drinkers arrived, the teahouse became bustling with noise. Before the storyteller even took the stage, the idlers below were already chatting about all sorts of things.

"Have you heard? Wang Baobao of the Northern Yuan left a letter for our Emperor before he died!"

Li Jinglong shuddered.

Wang Baobao? Hasn't that person been dead for several years? Why is someone suddenly bringing him up again?

"What letter? Is that true?"

"I don't know the specifics, but the gist is that Wang Baobao greatly admires our Emperor throughout his life. The reason he is our enemy is because he is a Yuan citizen, and we each serve our own masters; we had no choice. He is at ease knowing that his sister has married the Prince of Qin, because the Ming Emperor is kind and benevolent and will surely treat his sister well."

"That's true. Our Emperor has a magnanimous heart, allowing the Prince of Qin to marry a woman from a foreign tribe as his principal wife. How many people throughout history have possessed such a broad mind?"

"So, Your Majesty and Wang Baobao were heroes who respected each other. Even though they fought each other their whole lives, they still respected each other in the end."

"That's right. Wang Baobao is dead, but His Majesty will surely treat his sister in the Ming Dynasty well."

The more Li Jinglong listened, the more he felt something was wrong.

Princess Qin has been arrested, but the common people have no idea about it and still think that Princess Qin is enjoying a life of luxury in Xi'an Prefecture.

Suddenly, news spread throughout the city of Wang Baobao's last letter, saying that Zhu Yuanzhang was kind and benevolent and would surely treat the Wang family well.

This is not right.

Is someone deliberately spreading rumors? Is it a scout?

"I've heard about this too. My cousin does business in Xi'an, and he said it's being talked about there too, and it's really getting on everyone's nerves."

"His Majesty was truly sincere in trying to persuade Wang Baobao to surrender. He even made his sister the Princess Consort of Qin, but in the end, Wang Baobao still refused to surrender. He was so stubborn."

"That's why it's such a pity; heroes often die young."