Inside the palace.
Empress Ma lay on the bed with her eyes closed peacefully.
The other Zhu Yuanzhang was sitting at the head of the bed. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were red. He was crying so hard that tears flowed down his face as he shouted over and over again.
However, no matter how many times he shouted, Empress Ma did not open her eyes.
His sister…was dead!
After an unknown period of time, the future Zhu Yuanzhang stopped shouting. He hugged the dead Empress Ma tightly and sobbed silently.
And this silent whimper made one's heart break even more.
Inside the small door of the inner cabinet.
Zhu Yuanzhang, who was standing behind Fang Han, saw this scene and felt dizzy. He was on the verge of collapsing.
"Father!"
Zhu Biao and Zhu Di were already in tears, holding back their grief as they supported Zhu Yuanzhang.
"Don't worry, the three of you. This is a futuristic illusion, so the people here can't see us. No matter what you want to say or do, it won't affect you at all.”
Fang Han's voice was as calm as ever, and it had a calming charm.
"Our sister…is really dead?”
Zhu Yuanzhang stared at the bed in the distance and the poor old couple. His tone was a little older and no longer had the domineering aura from before.
In his eyes, there was a rare trace of weakness and helplessness, like a lost child.
Fang Han did not say anything, but his eyes were heavy.
The joys and sorrows of the world had nothing to do with him.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang was an exception.
This was a person who had experienced hardship, pain, and torture from birth to death.
He lost his parents in his early years, his wife and grandchildren in his middle age, and his son in his old age.
Zhu Yuanzhang was respectable. He had restored China's orthodoxy and built a glorious and great empire for the people of the Han family.
The Han people were no longer homeless, and there were no longer beacon fires at the border.
Everyone lived and worked in peace and contentment, and everyone was proud of the Han family.
Even after a few hundred years, the people of the Han family were still indebted to him.
Just this alone made Fang Han respect this person.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang was pitiful.
He was the chosen one, blessed by fate, but he had also paid a painful price.
The heavens took away the people around him one by one until he was left as a lonely old man who finally died alone on the throne.
"Father, why do I feel that you are about the same age as you are now?”
After the grief, Zhu Di was the first to calm down.
He stared at his future father in front of the bed. Other than his unkempt beard and disheveled hair, his appearance was almost identical to his current father.
Zhu Yuanzhang's hand that was supporting Zhu Biao trembled violently as he looked over with his eyes wide open.
As expected.
The future Zhu Yuanzhang, apart from a few more wrinkles on his face and a few graying sideburns, was exactly the same as his current state.
In other words…
Zhu Yuanzhang's heart tightened and he did not dare to think further.
"Taoist priest, which year is this Hongwu?"
In the end, it was Zhu Biao who asked the question in their hearts.
"Hongwu Year 15, August 24th.”
Fang Han answered truthfully.
"Ah!"
After receiving this answer, Zhu Yuanzhang felt a surge of grief. He immediately tilted his neck and fainted.
"Father!"
"Father!"
Zhu Biao and Zhu Di knelt on the ground and quickly put Zhu Yuanzhang down. A huge wave of grief hit them. They could no longer hold it in and began to cry.
It was now the 14th year of Hongwu.
In other words, there was only less than a year left before his mother passed away!
……
When Zhu Yuanzhang woke up again, he had already returned to his own palace.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he was overwhelmed by a flood of grief, as if he had yet to walk out of the illusion.
"Sister! Sister!"
He lay on the bed and bared his fangs and brandished his claws as he shouted.
"Chongba, wake up."
At this moment, a voice as gentle as water sounded in Zhu Yuanzhang's ears. It was like a panacea that instantly restored his rationality.
Zhu Yuanzhang gradually came back to his senses and saw Empress Ma, Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, and the others standing in front of him.
"Sister, you're alive!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was ecstatic. He stood up abruptly and pulled Empress Ma into his arms.
Zhu Biao and Zhu Di felt awkward and turned around at the same time.
"Chongba, have you lost your mind? What are you doing in front of your son?
Empress Ma felt ashamed and indignant. She tried to break free from Zhu Yuanzhang's embrace, but found it was futile.
"We're not crazy!"
Zhu Yuanzhang was afraid that Empress Ma would leave him, so he hugged her tightly. Tears flowed out of his eyes unconsciously, and he choked,"Sister, as long as you live well, even if we don't want this country or this world, it's worth it.”
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Empress Ma's expression turned cold." You are the Emperor, and every word you say is as important as a thousand gold. How can you say such things so casually?”
Zhu Yuanzhang grinned and nodded."Right, good scolding, sister. Sister, if you scold me a few more times, I'll feel better.”
“……”
Empress Ma was speechless.
Two hours ago.
Zhu Biao and Zhu Di carried the unconscious Zhu Yuanzhang back to the palace, shocking everyone.
Empress Ma dragged her sick body and insisted on coming over to guard Zhu Yuanzhang.
She had also asked Zhu Biao and Zhu Di what had happened.
However, the two of them were secretive and refused to say anything.
Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude, he was even more puzzled.
Empress Ma looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with a serious expression and asked,""Chongba, tell me honestly, what happened?”
Only then did Zhu Yuanzhang realize that his actions were too abnormal and had aroused Empress Ma's suspicion. However, he did not want her to worry, so he waved his hand and covered it up."Look at what you're saying. What can happen to us? I am the emperor. Everything is a piece of cake in front of me.”
He raised his head and shouted at Zhu Biao and Zhu Di, who had their backs to him,""Boss, Fourth Bro, don't you think so?”
"Ah, right, right, right."
Zhu Biao and Zhu Di were smart people. They knew that Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to use them as a shield, so they immediately went down the hill without even looking back.
The corner of Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth twitched as he cursed in his heart. What's wrong with these two brats being shields for their father?
As expected.
"Chongba, do you think I'm sick and you're treating me like a fool?" Empress Ma was very unhappy.”
"You're not telling me the truth. Are you trying to make me unable to sleep well?”
"Ahem…"
At the end of her speech, Empress Ma was agitated and started coughing violently.
"Sister!"
"Mother!"
The expressions of Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Biao, and Zhu Di changed drastically. They quickly surrounded Empress Ma, afraid that something would happen to her.
"What's wrong with you guys?"
Seeing the father and son's expressions, Empress Ma couldn't help but laugh.""What's wrong with you guys? I'm not going to die. Why are you so nervous?”
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