Ming Dynasty: I, Zhu Yunwen, started by resurrecting my grandmother.

Zhu Di took a sip of tea and continued, "Later, I invited the monk Daoyan to come and ask him to give me advice."

It can be said that he was a master strategist who could win battles from afar, and he was no less capable than Zhang Liang in his time.

Gradually, things started to turn around for us.

After years of arduous struggle, we have finally achieved what we have today.

When I was young, I was also very handsome, almost as handsome as you are now, Yunwen. I had fair skin, white teeth, and red lips.

However, the sandstorms here blow relentlessly day and night, and my skin has been tanned dark, with countless layers of skin peeling off.

I have personally taken to the battlefield many times, and have suffered many injuries. Whenever it is rainy, I feel a dull pain.

"Look at me, I'm not even forty years old, but I look almost as old as a man in his sixties or seventies."

Zhu Yunwen chuckled inwardly, thinking to himself that what he said was a bit of an exaggeration: "Fourth Uncle did suffer a lot when he arrived in Beiping."

"Good nephew, you understand me best. However, nowadays, some villains are slandering the princes before the emperor, urging him to reduce the power of the princes."

The Emperor, unaware of the truth or the falsehood, has instead pointed the finger directly at me.

They'll start by taking action against me, the king.

I have guarded Beiping for many years. Even if I don't mention my merits, I must have endured hardship.

The court's refusal to bestow any reward was bad enough, but to treat me like this is unbelievable. I am truly wronged beyond redemption.

My father has passed away, yet he forbids me from attending his funeral to fulfill my filial duty.

Tell me, am I unlucky?

Zhu Di spoke vividly, and at one point, he even shed a few tears, which moved everyone present.

Zhu Yunwen comforted him, saying, "Fourth Uncle, the Emperor knows your merits. Didn't the imperial edict say that you made great contributions in resisting the Northern Yuan?"

The Northern Yuan's spies are also very capable. They have already learned of my grandfather's passing, so they are raising a large army to take this opportunity to harass the Central Plains. His Majesty is worried about this, and therefore has sent you several capable generals to fight against the Northern Yuan together.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di removed his sword and handed it to Zhu Gaochi: "We will not discuss military or state affairs at this banquet today. You hold this sword; anyone who speaks of state affairs again will be executed!"

"Your son obeys!" Zhu Gaoxu took the longsword with both hands, his eyes wide open as he looked at everyone.

Zhang Bing, Xie Gui, and Zhang Xin were so frightened that they dared not speak.

At this moment, Zhu Gaochi stepped forward and said, "Since there's nothing to amuse us at the banquet, how about we play a game?"

Zhu Di looked at him and asked, "What's your idea?"

"When the ancients drank together, they often composed poems to enhance the enjoyment of the wine. Why don't we give it a try?"

In fact, Zhu Gaochi's words were directed at Zhu Yunwen.

Last time, he faced off against Zhu Yunwen in the capital, and the two brothers fought to a draw.

He harbored resentment, thinking that Zhu Yunwen was both simple-minded and foolish when he was young.

He never took Zhu Yunwen seriously, but now Zhu Yunwen seemed like a completely different person, becoming wise and powerful.

Therefore, he wanted to take this opportunity to have another match with him.

Zhu Gaochi said to Zhu Yunwen, "Yunwen, I'll give you the first line of a couplet, and you can provide the second line. What do you think?"

Zhu Yunwen understood Zhu Gaochi's meaning: if he did not accept the challenge, it would make him appear cowardly.

"Can."

Zhu Gaochi swayed his large, fat body and looked at Yao Guangxiao, saying, "The first line of the couplet: A man was once a monk, but a man cannot become a Buddha."

This is a word-splitting game, but even after the words are broken down, they still have their own independent meanings.

Just then, a maid came over and poured a cup of tea for each of them.

Zhu Yunwen pondered for a moment and replied, "Women are considered lowly as maids, and women can also be called slaves."

The antithesis is perfect, yet impeccable.

The crowd cheered.

Zhu Gaochi glanced at Zhang Bing, Xie Gui, and Zhang Xin, who seemed uneasy. He then offered another couplet: "Those above have hearts, those below have hearts, with hearts united, why be so anxious?"

Zhu Yunwen smiled slightly: "There are people on the left and right. With people all around, you will surely be able to help me and bring me good fortune."

The crowd applauded again.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di laughed and said, "Gao Chi, it seems you can't stump Yun Tong."

Zhu Gaochi was still unconvinced: "I have one more amazing trick up my sleeve, listen carefully:"

An old man with white hair, wielding a great halberd, riding a seahorse, fought against horsetails and bandits, battling hundreds of times, and swiftly returned to court. Truly a worthy general and elder statesman.

Upon hearing this, everyone realized that it was indeed quite difficult.

First, there are too many words;

Secondly, there are nine medicinal herbs among them: Pulsatilla chinensis, Euphorbia pekinensis, Hippocampus, Equisetum hyemale, Clematis armandii, Lilium brownii, Inula japonica, Scutellaria baicalensis, and Cassia fistula. It is no easy task to match them perfectly.

Zhu Yunwen pondered for a moment and replied, "Red Maiden, adorned with gold hairpins and silver flowers, surpasses peonies and peonies five times over. When Cistanche leaves her chamber, she is like a celestial being from the mica forest."

Everyone who heard this was amazed.

Because Zhu Yunwen's second line also subtly contains nine kinds of medicinal herbs, and the couplet is perfectly matched.

Zhu Gaochi saw that he couldn't stump Zhu Yunwen, shook his head, sighed, and stood behind Zhu Di again.

However, in such hot weather, and being so fat, he got very tired after standing for so long, his head was covered in sweat, and he was panting heavily.

After chatting for a while, Zhu Gaoxu walked to the center of the hall and said to Zhu Di, "Father, a real man should wield a sword and spear, that's what's fun. What's the point of nitpicking over words?"

"How about I perform a sword dance for you all?"

Zhu Di nodded upon hearing this: "Alright, I was just about to see if your swordsmanship has improved."

"promise!"

Having received his father's permission, Zhu Gaoxu immediately took off his outer garment, revealing a short-sleeved shirt and a simple dress underneath.

He was tall and muscular, with muscles that looked like lumps of iron, one piece at a time.

Zhu Yunwen looked at him and thought to himself, "No wonder people say that Zhu Gaoxu has the courage of Xiang Yu and the strength to lift a tripod. You can tell just by looking at his physique."

Zhu Gaoxu drew his longsword from its sheath.

Inside the hall,

Suddenly, it was as if a bolt of lightning had struck; the sword shone brightly and exuded a chilling aura.

Zhu Yunwen knew at a glance that the sword in his hand was a treasure.

Then Zhu Gaoxu strode around the hall.

The sword dance was quite beautiful.

A forward gesture, like a sage pointing the way;

It retreated backward, like a monstrous python turning over;

The sword energy was like a rainbow, its power overwhelming mountains and rivers.

At first, he danced very slowly, and everyone could see each move clearly. But later, he danced faster and faster.

No one could see how he made his move or how he sheathed his sword.

Because his movements were so fast, everyone only saw a blur of mist moving around in the hall, sometimes forward, sometimes backward, sometimes left, sometimes right, and the point of his sword seemed to be able to pierce a person's throat at any moment.

Zhang Bing, a civil official, was so frightened that he sometimes leaned back, because he always felt that the sword was swaying around his neck.

He thought to himself, if Zhu Gaoxu accidentally made a mistake, wouldn't he lose his life?

"hiss!"

However, at that moment, no one expected that Zhu Gaochi would actually stab Zhu Yunwen in the chest with his sword.

Whether it was because Zhu Yunwen had drunk too much or for some other reason, he failed to dodge and was struck squarely by Zhu Gaoxu.