Chapter 55: Coercion and Plunder! Old Zhu's Methods!

The Palace of Heavenly Purity was brilliantly illuminated under the shroud of night. The carved beams and painted pillars within the grand hall gleamed, and the golden glazed tiles reflected a dazzling radiance under the lamplight.

Old Zhu sat upright in the host's seat. Though well past fifty, his gaze still retained an unyielding and imposing dignity.

Xu Da and Li Wenzhong sat on either side of him. The table before the three men was laden with an array of exotic delicacies, and fine nectars swayed gently in delicate wine cups, releasing an enticing aroma.

After a few cups of wine, the initially somewhat constrained atmosphere gradually warmed up.

A faint flush appeared on Old Zhu's cheeks. He raised his wine cup, looked at Xu Da, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a smile. "Tiande, this grandson of yours is truly no ordinary boy!" As he spoke, he gently swirled the wine in his cup, watching it spin. "I have lived for the better part of my lifetime, yet I have never witnessed a child so brilliant, astute, and full of spirit!"

Hearing this, Xu Da's face beamed with pride. He raised his cup, drained it in a single gulp, and then let out a hearty laugh. "Your Majesty flatters him too much. After all, the boy is also your dragon-grandson, is he not? Hahaha..."

The laughter echoed through the hall. The two old men exchanged glances and then burst into simultaneous laughter, a laughter filled with admiration and warmth for Zhu Gaochi.

Seeing this, Li Wenzhong cursed inwardly. Such a fine child—why wasn't he his own flesh and blood?

Thinking of his own good-for-nothing son, Li Wenzhong, his expression darkened slightly. He made a firm decision in his heart that when he returned, he would give the boy a thorough beating and let this unfilial scion truly experience the "imposing mountain of paternal love"!

"Come to think of it, the child has already rendered no small number of meritorious services." Old Zhu lowered his wine cup and spoke thoughtfully, a trace of emotion in his eyes. "First he saved the Empress, then he crafted the telescope, and now he has established the glassware industry... Placed upon an ordinary child, I doubt he could accomplish even one of these."

"Your Majesty flatters him." Xu Da spoke immediately, a modest smile on his face as he waved his hand, as if trying to block Old Zhu's words. "His Highness the Eldest Grandson far surpasses Chichi—unflinching in the face of sudden crisis, calm and composed, and skilled in both the literary and martial arts. He is fully capable of bearing heavy responsibilities!"

Old Zhu was momentarily taken aback by this remark, then glared at Xu Da with a hint of dissatisfaction.

This old fox was speaking with hidden meaning!

What? Terribly afraid that your precious grandson would be dragged into the struggles of the imperial court?

"Xu Tiande, I am praising my own grandson here, what are you barking for?"

"Your Majesty, this minister is merely being modest." Xu Da retorted without the slightest hesitation. "Chichi is naturally a brilliant and astute child, entirely worthy of being Xu Tiande's grandson."

"You dog..." Old Zhu could not help but curse.

"How can Your Majesty hurl abuses?" Xu Da asked with feigned astonishment.

"I am cursing you precisely!" Old Zhu retorted uncharitably.

Watching the two of them bicker, Li Wenzhong felt a headache coming on.

He instinctively rubbed his temples, feeling a quiet sense of bewilderment. In the past, whenever these two drank, they never invited outsiders—at most, they would call upon Tang He, the Duke of Xin. Why on earth did His Majesty insist on dragging him into this today?

With this thought, Li Wenzhong prepared to find an excuse to slip away.

"Your Majesty, this minister has urgent matters at the Imperial Academy, so I must take my leave!"

Li Wenzhong was not only the Grand Commandant of the Five Chief Military Commissions but also the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy. He was deeply favored and trusted by Old Zhu, being, after all, Old Zhu's own nephew.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Old Zhu widened his eyes and shouted angrily, "Sit back down! The wine isn't finished yet, what are you rushing for?" The voice reverberated through the hall, making Li Wenzhong's ears ring.

Li Wenzhong laughed bitterly and obeyed the command, helplessly returning to his original seat.

Yet because of this, the unease in his heart grew all the more intense, and he had a lingering hunch that today's meal was far from simple.

A sharp gleam flashed in Xu Da's eyes. How clever was he? He vaguely guessed Old Zhu's intentions, but he chose to play dumb, rambling on with Old Zhu about everything from the situation in Mobei to the southern campaigns, and from Fu Youde to Lan Yu. He simply focused on wild chatter, attempting to divert Old Zhu's attention.

At last, the food and wine were nearly finished, and all three of them inevitably bore a rosy flush, already harboring a fair share of intoxication.

Seeing that the timing was ripe, Old Zhu clapped his hands and commanded, "Someone, bring out the main dish!"

Then he looked at Xu Da, smiling with feigned solicitude. "Tiande, I recall that roast goose is your absolute favorite. Since you went to Beiping, you haven't had the chance to enjoy it. Today, your elder brother is making it up to you!"

The moment the words fell, Du Andao truly carried out a platter of roast goose. The moment it touched the table, the fragrance of the roast goose rushed forth like a surging tide, rich and mellow, instantly filling the nasal passages and making one's mouth water uncontrollably.

The skin of the roast goose was roasted to a golden, crispy perfection, gleaming with an enticing luster as if wrapped in a thin layer of fat. Every single texture was clearly visible, making anyone who looked at it desperate to take a bite.

Yet upon seeing this, Xu Da's expression changed drastically, turning completely livid.

"Old brother, what on earth are you plotting?"

"Hey now, Tiande, what kind of talk is that?" Old Zhu deliberately put on an aggrieved expression, a hint of grievance appearing on his face. "This is entirely a gesture of goodwill on my part. How can you be unhappy about it?"

Hearing this, Xu Da let out a cold, continuous laugh, and the anger in his heart could no longer be suppressed. He snapped, "Your Majesty must have forgotten, this is only the second time you have treated me to roast goose."

His voice trembled slightly with anger. "After the first time you fed it to me, you made me Right Chancellor, leaving me roasted over an open fire!"

Hearing this, Old Zhu's expression shifted slightly.

He had indeed not played fair in that affair. Back when the Great Ming was newly established, Li Shanchan was the undisputed Left Chancellor, but Old Zhu was unwilling to let Li Shanchan monopolize all state power. Therefore, he appointed Xu Da, a general of sufficiently high prestige, as Right Chancellor, intending to use him to keep Li Shanchan in check.

Yet Xu Da had never desired to be Right Chancellor and tangle with scholars and Confucian literati like Li Shanchan, but he had been tricked by Old Zhu with a meal of roast goose, and thus reluctantly agreed.

"After the second time you fed it to me, you forcefully married my precious daughter to that scoundrel of your fourth son!" Xu Da said with burning indignation.

Hearing this, Old Zhu immediately retorted, "Hey, hey... Xu Tiande, don't talk nonsense! It was clearly two youngsters being childhood sweethearts, and the Empress and I simply went along with the current."

"Besides, what is wrong with my fourth son? He is accomplished in both literary and martial arts, and his character is upright. He was merely a bit mischievous in his youth!"

Xu Da couldn't be bothered to argue with him. After all, a father-in-law looking displeased at his son-in-law was an ancient tradition.

He let out a cold snort and said, "Today is the third time. Your Imperial Majesty might as well speak plainly—what is it that you want?"

Old Zhu was flushed red from being called out. He smiled awkwardly and chuckled, "There is indeed such a matter..."

Hearing this, Xu Da cast a contemptuous glance at Old Zhu.

What an old scoundrel; every single time he harbored malicious intentions, talking about brotherhood—bah!

"Tiande, Bao'er, you both know that over the years the court has campaigned in the south and north, and the imperial treasury has consistently remained empty, so poor that mice could run through it."

Old Zhu burst into tears and snot as he began his performance. "Yet the court requires funds on all fronts, and the most basic salaries of officials constitute a massive expenditure. The Crown Prince doesn't know how long he has been fretting over this matter, and he is truly at his wit's end..."

Hearing this, Xu Da and Li Wenzhong exchanged a look of dismay.

In the end, Li Wenzhong felt pity for his uncle and was the first to speak.

"Does His Majesty have his eyes on Gaochi's glassware shares?" Li Wenzhong bluntly pierced through Old Zhu's little scheme, a trace of banter in his gaze.

This single sentence from Li Wenzhong completely flustered Old Zhu instead. His face turned alternately red and white, and he remained silent for a long while, looking somewhat at a loss as if his secret thoughts had been exposed.

Seeing this, Xu Da laughed unceremoniously, his laughter brimming with schadenfreude, as if mocking Old Zhu for having his petty scheme seen through.

"Your Majesty, oh Your Majesty, your little scheme—the beads of your abacus are practically rattling against our faces. Who could possibly fail to see through it?"

Having been caught red-handed, Old Zhu appeared quite annoyed.

"I'll speak plainly then! You two must cough up a portion of those shares!"

He, the glorious Emperor of Great Ming, was resorting to throwing a tantrum and acting shamelessly before his two trusted aides for the sake of the grand affairs of state. Was it easy for him?

Seeing this, Xu Da and Li Wenzhong shook their heads and smiled, the earlier tension completely vanishing.

Li Wenzhong was the first to state his position, saying, "It is said that Gaochi gave each of our two families a thirty percent profit. How about this: each of our families keeps five percent, and Your Majesty takes fifty percent. How does that sound?"

Hearing this, Old Zhu was overjoyed. He abruptly stood up, heavily slapped Li Wenzhong on the shoulder, and a radiant smile bloomed across his face. "Bao'er, my good Bao'er! I didn't raise you in vain; you truly are my good nephew!"

This time, it was Xu Da's turn to be dumbfounded.

What the hell, Li Wenzhong, you dog of a man—you didn't treat me as a human being at all, did you?

Did I agree to give up twenty-five percent?

Just as Xu Da was about to fly into a rage, Old Zhu stepped forward, eagerly slinging an arm around his shoulder and even tearing off a goose leg to offer directly in front of Xu Da's mouth.

"Come, come, Tiande, what are you standing there stunned for?"

"This was specially prepared for you. Eat it while it's hot, before it cools down."

Xu Da: "..."

Damn your mother!

You two dogs are truly not human!