Chapter 45: This Old Subject Feels Ashamed

"You don't believe it?"
"I don't!"
Zhu Di stubbornly refused to admit defeat.
"Imperial Grandfather, under what circumstances is one plus one equal to three?"
"When you calculate it wrong!"
Zhu Yuanzhang blurted out almost instantly.
"Look at that! Imperial Grandfather didn't even have to think and answered right away. That's called being smart!"
The little fellow said with a cheeky smile.
"Ah...?"
Zhu Di knocked hard on his own head, feeling even more doubtful of himself. "Big Nephew, give me another one. I refuse to believe it!"
"Fine! Why do wild geese fly south in the autumn?"
"Because it's too cold in the north! Hahaha!"
Zhu Di was full of confidence on this question and laughed out loud directly.
He finally had a chance to prove himself!
"Wrong!"
The little fellow shouted out, feeling like a basin of cold water poured straight over him, chilling him to the core.
"Wrong? How could that be wrong? Don't wild geese fly south in the autumn precisely because the north is too cold?"
"That's because walking there is too slow, so they have no choice but to fly!"
As the little fellow revealed the answer, Zhu Di looked as though he was about to tear his own hair out in frustration.
"Again!"
"When Shunzi walks, his feet never touch the ground. Why?"
"Because Shunzi knows lightweight kung fu!"
"Wrong! Because Shunzi is wearing shoes!"
"On a single-plank bridge, there's a wolf in front and a tiger behind. Xiaoming is right in the middle and crosses over very quickly! Question: how did he cross?"
"He jumped across!"
"Wrong! He passed out from fright!"
"Passed out...?"
After missing several questions in a row, Zhu Di had completely lost his confidence.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host, rewarded with half a year of extended lifespan!]
"What's wrong with the Fourth Imperial Brother today?"
"Is this really our Fourth Imperial Brother, who is brilliant in both martial and literary arts?"
"I never would've imagined that although the little imperial nephew is young, he has so many skills! Just wait until he grows up...?"
The imperial princes and princesses whispered among themselves.
Hearing these murmurs, Zhu Di's expression darkened even further.
He bowed to Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "Father Emperor, this son is feeling somewhat unwell and will take his leave!"
At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang's attention was entirely focused on the clever little fellow; how could he possibly care about this foolish son of his?
He merely waved his hand casually and nodded in agreement, "Hmm! Go on then!"
"My dear grandson, did you compose all these poems?"
"That's right!"
"And these couplets too?"
"Could they possibly be fake?"
Zhu Yuanzhang noticed the poems and couplets on the paper, feeling beyond shocked.
"And did you write these characters as well?"
"Imperial Grandfather, with so many pairs of eyes watching, could your grandson possibly lie?"
Zhu Xiongying asked with a proud smile.
"Hiss..."
Seeing the calligraphy leaping off the page, Zhu Yuanzhang drew a sharp breath. "I never imagined my eldest grandson possessed such exceptional talent!"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me..."
Just as the old emperor was struck dumb with astonishment, Kong An suddenly stepped forward and cupped his hands in a plea for forgiveness.
"Forgive you? What crime have you committed?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty! This old minister is ashamed...!"
Kong An wore a bitter expression. "His Highness the Imperial Grandson composes prose effortlessly and writes exquisite calligraphy! This old minister is utterly ashamed and truly has nothing left to teach him!"
If not for his advanced age, he would have wanted to ask the Imperial Grandson to teach him whatever secret method he used to produce so many brilliant couplets in such a short span of time!
Zhu Xiongying shrugged.
This time, he hadn't been teasing the teacher!
It was the teacher himself who quit!
"Enough! Enough! This can't be blamed on you; it's simply that my eldest grandson is naturally gifted, hahaha...!"
Zhu Yuanzhang beamed from ear to ear. "He takes after me!"
Zhu Xiongying: "..."
...
Since Kong An had voluntarily resigned, Zhu Yuanzhang had no choice but to take the little fellow away from the Grand Secretariat.
"Sigh! My good grandson, the Eastern Palace Study can't teach you, and the Grand Secretariat won't work either. What shall we do about your education from now on?"
Holding the little fellow's hand, Zhu Yuanzhang let out a heavy sigh.
"Imperial Grandfather, your grandson can write, compose poetry, and even handle affairs of the imperial court. I wonder what else Imperial Grandfather would like me to learn?" Zhu Xiongying countered.
The question caught Zhu Yuanzhang off guard. "Uh... I suppose there really isn't anything left to learn!"
"After the test just now, Imperial Grandfather is clearly the smartest person around. Why not have Imperial Grandfather teach your grandson from now on?"
To prevent the old emperor from finding yet another tutor for him, the little fellow directly suggested that the old emperor himself become his teacher.
The old emperor was already so busy every day that his heels hit the back of his head.
Having him teach practically amounted to no teaching at all!
How much trouble would that save?
These words of his made the old emperor's heart bloom with joy. "Haha! Wonderful! From now on, I will teach my eldest grandson personally!"
"Thank you, Imperial Grandfather!"
[Ding! System task: Please find Zheng He within three days! Reward: The strength of ten thousand catties!]
Just as Zhu Xiongying was rejoicing over not having to attend school anymore, the system abruptly issued a quest.
The little fellow's mouth twitched.
Find Zheng He?
The one who sailed to the Western Oceans?
In this vast sea of humanity, where on earth was he supposed to look?
And within three days?
He might not find him even in three months!
However, the reward was quite decent!
The strength of ten thousand catties!
Just hearing it sounded immensely badass!
For the sake of such a generous reward, he had to give it a shot.
Otherwise, who knew how much lifespan the system would deduct!
Zhu Xiongying racked his brains. This Zheng He should be a eunuch proficient in shipbuilding.
It seemed the massive treasure ships used for oceanic voyages later on were built by this fellow.
He did have some talent, after all!
Since he was a craftsman, there was a chance he might be at the Directorate of Palaceworks!
Thinking of this, his eyes rolled, and he said sweetly, "To thank Imperial Grandfather for teaching me, I will take you to eat something delicious!"
"Delicious? What good food is there this time?" Zhu Yuanzhang immediately grew interested.
"Instant noodles! I guarantee Imperial Grandfather has never tasted it before!"
"Instant noodles?"
Interpreting it literally, Zhu Yuanzhang's mind immediately conjured up the image of plain soup with dough blobs.
He curled his lip in disdain, "What's so good about that sort of thing?"
"Imperial Grandfather can rest assured! If it doesn't taste good, I'll go straight back to the Eastern Palace and memorize the Four Books and Five Classics until I know them inside out!"
"Oh?"
Zhu Yuanzhang knew that for this mischievous little fellow, such an oath was already as binding as a solemn vow.
"Very well then! I'll wait for you at the Kunning Palace and try it together with your Imperial Grandmother!"
"Okay!"
With that, the little fellow waddled off on his two short legs straight toward the Eastern Palace.
There was no help for it; he couldn't conjure up so many instant noodles out of thin air right in front of the old emperor.
Frightening the old emperor would be a disaster!
Within moments, the little fellow's figure appeared inside the Kunning Palace.
He was followed by several young eunuchs.
One carried the instant noodles, another lugged a flask of boiling water, and Shunzi even carried a pot of wine!
"Imperial Grandfather, Imperial Grandmother!"
From afar, the little fellow greeted them sweetly.
Coupled with his chubby little face, he was simply irresistible!
"Xiongying! Come here, come to your Imperial Grandmother!"
Empress Ma, dressed in brocade robes and wearing a phoenix hairpin, beckoned to him with high spirits.
"Imperial Grandmother, how has your health been lately?" The little fellow threw himself directly into Empress Ma's arms, tilting his chubby little head and asking in a babyish voice.
"You can rest easy, my eldest grandson, your Imperial Grandmother is in wonderful health! Lately, I've been practicing that set of Tai Chi manual you sent me! With this physique, living another ten years will be no problem at all!"
After giving the longevity pill to Empress Ma, Zhu Xiongying had gone back and, relying on his memory, drawn a set of Tai Chi routines for her to practice.
Even if it didn't prolong life, it at least strengthened the body.
With robust health, illnesses naturally decreased!
As long as Empress Ma was around, there was someone who could keep the old emperor in check!