My father, Zhu Di, was granted a second life by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Chapter 39 Adoption

Zhu Gaoxi wrote down several formulas on a piece of paper and handed them to Zhu Yuanzhang.

"What is this?" Zhu Yuanzhang squinted and looked at it carefully.

"The chemical formula for smelting iron and steel from iron ore, and the mathematical formula for calculating the capacity of a steelmaking furnace," Zhu Gaoxi explained.

"You can smelt iron?" Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Gaoxi in disbelief. His highest expectation for Zhu Gaoxi was that he possessed the same talent as Zhu Biao, and he never dared to hope for more.

"Grandpa can try finding a craftsman," Zhu Gaoxi said confidently.

"Your uncle doesn't know how to do this," Zhu Yuanzhang said, his gaze shifting from curiosity to scrutiny.

Zhu Gaoxi responded with a smile, offering no explanation.

The claim that he was the reincarnation of Zhu Biao was a wishful thought of Zhu Yuanzhang during his extreme grief.

When Zhu Yuanzhang calmed down and regained his senses, he himself didn't believe it, even without others questioning it.

When Zhu Yuanzhang was a child, his family suffered from drought, locust plague, and epidemic in succession. They cried out to heaven and earth in vain and watched helplessly as his parents and relatives died. Although he later became a monk, it was only to earn a living and have a place to live. As for gods, he never believed in them.

If gods and Buddhas are sentient, why didn't they lend a helping hand to his hardworking and kind parents?

"How could such secret techniques be taught to the palace eunuchs?" Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses and gently scolded.

"I only taught him basic calculations, not these formulas," Zhu Gaoxi said, seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's weary expression, and temporarily gave up the idea of ​​arguing with him.

"Youdun wrote a letter asking us to assign you a bodyguard," Zhu Yuanzhang put down his chopsticks and picked up a letter from the table. "Little thing, you're quite popular, making Youdun go to such lengths for you."

Zhu Gaoxi took the letter and glanced at it briefly. The guards seemed to be Fu Zhong's former subordinates.

"Huang Zicheng and Qi Tai believe that it is against etiquette to confer the title of Prince upon you. Only princes can be granted fiefdoms. You are the son of a prince, and we cannot break the rules," Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly.

"What does Grandpa think?" Zhu Gaoxi asked.

"We think what they said makes sense," Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to be testing him.

"I'll listen to Grandpa," Zhu Gaoxi replied nonchalantly, as if nothing had happened.

"You don't blame your grandfather for breaking his promise?" Zhu Yuanzhang probed further.

"How could my grandson be so foolish?" Zhu Gaoxi's tone was like a child's coaxing, without a trace of resentment.

Zhu Yuanzhang's lips curled up slightly. "Yunwen proposes that you be adopted and renamed Zhu Yunxi."

"Father will not agree," Zhu Gaoxi gently reminded him.

"Can we just let him have his way?"

Judging from his tone, Zhu Yuanzhang intended to force a sale.

If soft tactics don't work, we'll use hard ones; whatever he sets his mind to, he's determined to get it done.

"Grandpa, I disagree too," Zhu Gaoxi said solemnly.

"This is for your own good, you really don't appreciate kindness," Zhu Yuanzhang gently scolded.

"Grandpa, our Ming Dynasty values ​​filial piety the most. Your grandson cannot disown his father for the sake of a princely title," Zhu Gaoxi said earnestly as he knelt down.

"Think about it again, don't rush to reply," Zhu Yuanzhang advised kindly.

"I've already made up my mind," Zhu Gaoxi said firmly.

"A blockhead, inflexible," Zhu Yuanzhang said unhappily, flicking his sleeves as he strode out of the house.

Zhu Gaoxi got up, rubbed his knees, and walked outside the hall. Zhu Yuanzhang was nowhere to be seen, and Huang Liang was guarding the door.

"Eunuch Huang, send them to the Prince of Yan's residence first thing tomorrow morning," Zhu Gaoxi whispered in Huang Liang's ear as he made Huang Liang bend down.

"Your servant obeys," Huang Liang said in a very low but respectful voice.

"Where did Grandpa go?" Zhu Gaoxi asked in a normal voice, and Huang Liang straightened up as well.

Huang Liang silently pointed behind him, indicating that he had gone to the inner palace.

He most likely went to see Consort Hui.

Zhu Hui was to go to Xuanfu to assume his fiefdom in a few days. Consort Hui was reluctant to part with her son, so Zhu Yuanzhang had to go and comfort him.

This older man and younger woman, who already have three sons and two daughters, are still so affectionate; it's truly a miracle.

Zhu Gaoxi had no interest in gossiping about the old emperor's private life.

The fact that those eight eunuchs were able to leave the palace unharmed is already a stroke of good luck amidst misfortune; there's nothing more that can be done for them for the time being.

Anyway, he has plenty of manpower around him, so it doesn't have much impact on his life.

Zhu Yuanzhang probably wouldn't return to the Qianqing Palace. Zhu Gaoxi didn't want to sleep alone in the vast, empty palace, so he waved towards the Imperial Pharmacy, signaling Sanbao to come back to the vegetable garden with him.

Every time Sanbao accompanied him to the Qianqing Palace, he would wait at the entrance of the Imperial Pharmacy, so that he could be at his beck and call without causing trouble for the imperial eunuchs.

Zhu Yuanzhang's execution was astonishing; ten guards were already in place near the vegetable garden, working in three shifts, for a total of thirty guards.

"The stew had a really big impact on Zhu Yuanzhang," Zhu Gaoxi thought to himself.

In fact, in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind, Zhu Yunwen was no longer the best candidate for crown prince, because he was too powerful.

Is it possible that, if adoption were feasible, Zhu Yuanzhang would have preferred to adopt Youdun into Zhu Biao's family so that Youdun could inherit the throne?

Zhu Gaoxi felt that this possibility was very high.

The old emperor was so cunning; who knew what methods he would use to help his favorite grandson ascend the throne?

Perhaps all your efforts will be in vain, and in the end, you'll be doing all the work for someone else.

Zhu Gaoxi smiled calmly. If a successor were to ascend the throne, he would be happy to see it happen.

The reason why I don't have confidence in Zhu Yunwen is mainly because he is too weak, easily swayed by civil officials, and lacks his own opinions. Even if his adoptive father doesn't raise an army, there are still other security risks. But if Zhu Yunwen is involved, things will be different.

The ten newly arrived palace maids were incredibly efficient. Not only was the courtyard tidy and orderly, but the room was also incredibly cozy, with a faint floral fragrance wafting through the air. At first glance, one might mistake it for the boudoir of a young lady from a wealthy family.

This was the first time in Zhu Gaoxi's life that he had enjoyed such a refined lifestyle.

He was quite satisfied with the four sixteen or seventeen-year-old palace maids, and wrote down four names on a piece of paper: Yunfei, Yunqing, Yunjing, and Yunlu, letting the four of them choose.

Zhu Gaoxi slowly drank a cup of hot water, then called them into the room and introduced himself.

"This servant is Yunfei, seventeen years old."

"This servant is Yunqing, sixteen years old."

"This servant is Yun Jing, sixteen years old."

"This servant girl, Yunlu, is fifteen years old."

"Yun Jing and Yun Qing will be on night duty, while Yun Fei and Yun Lu will go back to their rooms to rest. Tomorrow, Yun Fei and Yun Lu will be on night duty, so will they take turns like this? Is that alright?" Zhu Gaoxi asked.

"This servant will obey Your Highness's orders."

Zhu Gaoxi waved his hand, signaling them to return to their places.

Yun Jing brought over hot water, and Yun Qing wrapped a long cotton towel around Zhu Gaoxi's neck to wash his face.

After washing and drying herself, Yun Qing took out a small porcelain bottle, which looked like a skin cream from later generations.

"We don't need this."

As a man, Zhu Gaoxi was quite resistant to this.

"If you don't use it, your skin will crack and hurt," Yun Qing said softly. "This was made by my own hands. It has no fragrance, but Your Highness can smell it."

As Yun Qing spoke, she moved the porcelain bottle closer.

Zhu Gaoxi leaned closer to smell it, and indeed the scent was fresh. After hesitating for a moment, he gave in. Who wouldn't want to maintain a good image?

Yun Jing was in the outer room, Yun Qing was by the bedside, and Zhu Gaoxi, immersed in the beauty of life, fell into a deep sleep.