After another bout of utter chaos, Chen Shuang finally acknowledged Zhu Yuanzhang as his father. Chen Gang, however, still refused to.
Chen Gang couldn’t even talk yet, nor could he walk. If he refused to recognize his father, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn’t exactly do anything about it.
He couldn’t really throw the child away, could he?
Actually, children like Chen Shuang and Chen Gang were perfectly normal. At their age, they weren’t even as smart as a golden retriever. Zhu Yuanzhang had returned home dark-skinned, gaunt, and covered in scruffy beard after months away. It would have been stranger if the children had recognized him.
Whenever Zhu Yuanzhang faced any of his sons besides Chen Biao, he always put on the stern face of a strict father. Wasn’t it only natural that the children burst into tears?
Unfortunately, having first been blessed with a prodigy like Chen Biao, Zhu Yuanzhang found Chen Shuang and Chen Gang particularly unsatisfactory by comparison.
Chen Biao knew his father was biased against his two younger brothers. Although his mother always said things would improve once they grew older and became more sensible, Chen Biao stubbornly kept trying to draw Zhu Yuanzhang into being a proper part of the family.
His father had many secondary wives and concubines. Though, according to his mother, only she was currently bearing children, once she grew older, sooner or later another woman would bear children for him.
If his father ended up doting on sons born to concubines while neglecting his two younger brothers, Chen Biao would be furious.
Having to think about household succession struggles at such a young age made Chen Biao mentally exhausted. Still, when he compared this family to the one that “Chen Biao” from modern times had grown up in, little Chen Biao was already quite satisfied with what he had.
With Chen Biao and Madam Ma doing everything they could to smooth things over, Chen Shuang finally recited the Three Character Classic from beginning to end.
Only then did Zhu Yuanzhang become somewhat pleased with his second son.
Smiling, he picked Chen Shuang up and patted his large head.
“Even the sons of scholars and Confucians might not be able to recite the Three Character Classic at his age. My son is clever!”
Not being as good as Biao’er was perfectly normal. As long as he surpassed other people’s children, Zhu Yuanzhang was delighted!
Receiving praise, Chen Shuang grinned happily.
Father and son smiled at each other, finally looking somewhat close.
Seeing this, Chen Gang was no longer afraid of Zhu Yuanzhang. He crawled toward him, trying to climb onto him.
Zhu Yuanzhang set Chen Shuang down and picked Chen Gang up instead, laughing loudly.
“What? Gang’er finally admits I’m his father?”
Chen Gang expressionlessly spread his little legs.
Then, through the split in his open-crotch pants, he unleashed a powerful stream all over Zhu Yuanzhang.
Zhu Yuanzhang’s laughter stopped abruptly.
His smile froze solid.
Chen Shuang hurriedly jumped aside and shouted, “Daddy stinks!”
Chen Biao quickly pulled his brother into his arms and covered his mouth.
“Be quiet! Do you want to get beaten? Ahem… Dad, children’s urine is actually very beneficial…”
“Dad, what are you doing?!”
Zhu Yuanzhang stuffed the little culprit who had dared pee all over him back into the arms of the barely suppressing-her-laughter Madam Ma, then lunged straight at Chen Biao.
“Oh? Children’s urine is beneficial? Then you should have some too!”
“Dad! Since it’s such a good thing, you can keep it all to yourself! I don’t need any! Ow! Second Brother, don’t block the way!”
Chen Shuang, being adorably foolish, accidentally blocked Chen Biao’s escape route.
Zhu Yuanzhang seized the opportunity, caught Chen Biao, and firmly rubbed him against the urine-soaked spot on his clothes.
Chen Biao screamed miserably.
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed with villainous delight.
Chen Shuang’s lips trembled before he burst into tears again.
“Daddy’s bullying Big Brother! Beat Daddy!”
With that, he bravely charged toward Zhu Yuanzhang like an enraged little bull.
Still carrying Chen Biao, Zhu Yuanzhang sidestepped the attack and lightly hooked his foot.
Chen Shuang tumbled onto the floor.
To make it easier for Chen Gang to crawl around, the floor was covered with thick carpets, but the fall still hurt. Chen Shuang immediately burst into loud sobs.
The moment Chen Shuang cried, Chen Gang—who had just sprayed his father moments ago—opened his mouth and started howling too.
Chen Biao, smelling the lingering scent of urine, pouted.
He wanted to cry as well.
Seeing all three sons unhappy somehow made Zhu Yuanzhang happier than ever.
His booming laughter nearly shook the dust from the rafters.
Madam Ma laid Chen Gang back in his little bed, gently stroked the wailing Chen Shuang’s head, and then her expression darkened.
“Guorui…”
Zhu Yuanzhang’s mouth was still hanging open from laughing when he abruptly stopped again.
Madam Ma said sternly, “Stop bullying the children.”
Zhu Yuanzhang immediately closed his mouth and replied seriously,
“I wasn’t bullying them.”
Chen Biao weakly protested,
“You weren’t bullying my brothers, maybe. But weren’t you bullying me?”
Looking down at his disgruntled eldest son, Zhu Yuanzhang rubbed him against the urine stain once more.
“This is called father and son sharing hardships together.”
Madam Ma had intended to scold him further, but seeing his shameless expression, she couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at her lips.
“Enough, enough. Take your son to bathe. Honestly, what a sight.”
“Right away.”
Thus, Zhu Yuanzhang took his third bath of the day.
By bedtime, he would probably need another rinse.
He sighed.
“I’ve taken more baths today than I normally do in an entire month.”
While vigorously scrubbing himself with his tiny little hands, Chen Biao said,
“It’s one thing when you’re out campaigning. But once you’re home, don’t spend the summer only bathing three times a month.”
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed.
“I used to go an entire month without bathing three times. What are you complaining about?”
Chen Biao splashed water at him.
“I’m complaining because you stink! Don’t fumigate Mom!”
Zhu Yuanzhang splashed him back.
“If I don’t fumigate your mother, I’ll fumigate you!”
Chen Biao grabbed a gourd dipper.
“Back off! Or I’ll pee on you tonight.”
Zhu Yuanzhang burst into laughter.
“Isn’t Biao’er a heavenly child? Since when do heavenly children wet the bed?”
Realizing he’d let something slip, Chen Biao became so embarrassed that he lashed out.
“I don’t wet the bed!”
“Really? I don’t believe you. I’ll ask the servants who take care of you.”
Furious, Chen Biao pounced on his father and started punching him.
“That’s because of my body! I’m still little! When I’m asleep I can’t control it—that’s not my fault!”
Zhu Yuanzhang grabbed his son and tickled him mercilessly.
“You wet the bed. You definitely wet the bed.”
Chen Biao struggled desperately.
“Didn’t you wet the bed when you were little?!”
Without hesitation, Zhu Yuanzhang answered,
“No.”
“I don’t believe you!”
Zhu Yuanzhang shamelessly replied,
“You can go ask your grandfather’s and grandmother’s memorial tablets.”
Chen Biao: “…”
Damn it!
Completely defeated, little Chen Biao remained sullen all through dinner.
Chen Ying had been found by Madam Ma when he was eight years old and adopted as her foster son. Ever since Chen Biao was born, Chen Ying had remained by his side, and the two had become extremely close.
Seeing Chen Biao upset, Chen Ying, despite still being somewhat afraid of Zhu Yuanzhang, asked,
“Biao’er, what’s wrong?”
Chen Biao glanced sideways at Zhu Yuanzhang.
Chen Ying sighed inwardly.
As expected, the only person capable of making Biao’er angry was his foster father.
Summoning his courage, Chen Ying pleaded,
“Foster Father…”
“Oh, enough with that expression. You make it sound like I bullied him.”
Zhu Yuanzhang rolled his eyes.
“I simply exposed the fact that he still wets the bed. He got embarrassed and angry. Is that my fault?”
Chen Ying: “…”
Suppressing a laugh, he said,
“Biao’er, I really can’t defend you this time.”
Chen Biao angrily grabbed Chen Ying’s hand and bit down.
Having his bedwetting exposed had completely transformed Chen Biao into a childish little gremlin throwing a tantrum.
Chen Ying pulled him into his arms.
“Don’t bite my hand. It’s dirty. Why not bite my arm instead?”
Chen Biao let go of his hand and muttered,
“No!”
Watching how close Chen Biao and Chen Ying were made Zhu Yuanzhang very happy.
Zhu Yuanzhang had more than twenty adopted sons. Besides his nephew Zhu Wenzheng and his nephew Li Bao’er, most of them were orphans, and Chen Ying was one of them.
All of these adopted sons had been granted the surname Zhu and placed in the “Wen” generation. Li Bao’er’s public name was Zhu Wenzhong, while Chen Ying’s public name was Zhu Wenying.
With so many adopted sons, there were naturally favorites.
Zhu Wenzheng and Zhu Wenzhong were blood relatives, so they went without saying. Apart from those two, Madam Ma liked Zhu Wenying the most, and naturally Zhu Yuanzhang valued him more as well.
Although Zhu Wenying had only been adopted at the age of eight, he had already spent years wandering as a homeless beggar and had no idea who his birth parents were. To him, Zhu Yuanzhang and Madam Ma were his only parents.
Affection grew stronger the longer people stayed together.
Unlike Zhu Yuanzhang’s other adopted sons, who were assigned to various military camps at twelve or thirteen years old, Zhu Wenying was allowed to remain by Chen Biao’s side and became his very first trusted confidant.
Now fifteen years old, although he had yet to officially serve in the army, the saber in his hand had long since tasted blood.
He commanded the guards of the Chen Trading Company, escorting goods and grain shipments. The ambushes he encountered were probably more numerous than those faced by many of Zhu Yuanzhang’s regular military units.
Earlier that afternoon, Zhu Wenying had sparred with Zhu Wenzhong and Zhu Wenzheng.
The three of them proved evenly matched.
Zhu Yuanzhang was extremely pleased.
He asked,
“Ying’er, do you want to join the army?”
Before Zhu Wenying could answer, Chen Biao spoke first.
“Go, Brother Ying. Earn some military merit and become an officer. Then you can look after me in the future. Even if you never receive a noble title, holding an official position is still better than being a merchant. Merchants only enjoy a little prestige during chaotic times.”
Zhu Wenying looked at Chen Biao with obvious reluctance.
Tilting his head back, Chen Biao said,
“Brother Ying, you’re just like my father. You’ll come home once the battles are over. I’ll always be waiting here. What’s there to be reluctant about?”
Zhu Wenying rubbed Chen Biao’s head.
“If I leave, who’ll protect the trading caravans? I don’t trust anyone else.”
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed.
“That’s easy. You, Wenzheng, and Bao’er can take turns returning to escort them. You’re all still young—you shouldn’t spend all your time fighting. You still need to study. When you come home, Biao’er can teach you.”
Zhu Wenying was delighted.
Zhu Wenzhong immediately agreed as well.
Only Zhu Wenzheng looked like all hope had left his life.
Zhu Yuanzhang immediately kicked his nephew.
“We never had the chance to study before! Now you get the opportunity, and you’re still unhappy?”
Zhu Wenzheng looked utterly miserable.
“I start getting sleepy the moment I hear all that ‘zhi hu zhe ye’ nonsense. I can’t help it.”
Putting on the air of a little old man, Chen Biao said,
“You’re not being asked to take the imperial examinations. If you don’t like all the classical prose, have someone rewrite the classics and histories into ordinary stories. Then you…”
“Ow!”
Before he could finish, Zhu Wenzheng scooped him up and rubbed his rough, freshly shaven stubbly face vigorously against Chen Biao’s soft little cheeks.
“Biao’er! With those words, Cousin has nothing to worry about anymore! Whether I can study well from now on depends entirely on you!”
Chen Biao desperately pushed at Zhu Wenzheng’s face.
No matter how hard he pushed, it wouldn’t budge.
Finally, in utter panic, he shouted,
“Help!”
Zhu Yuanzhang watched his son fuming with great amusement.
Zhu Wenzhong simply covered his eyes and pretended not to see anything.
Only Zhu Wenying tried to snatch Chen Biao back from Zhu Wenzheng.
But how could Zhu Wenzheng let him?
Copying Zhu Yuanzhang, he hoisted Chen Biao onto his shoulders and took off running.
Chen Biao leaned backward so far he almost fell onto Zhu Wenzheng’s back and ended up hanging upside down.
Fortunately, he reacted quickly enough to grab Zhu Wenzheng’s hair.
Zhu Wenzheng yelped.
“Biao’er! Don’t pull my hair! It hurts, it hurts!”
Chen Biao shouted angrily,
“Then put me down!”
“Nope. Pull all you want—I’m not letting go. Heh.”
Furious, Chen Biao yanked with all his might until Zhu Wenzheng’s hair became a complete bird’s nest.
Zhu Wenying shouted,
“Bao’er! Help me stop him!”
Zhu Wenzhong covered his eyes, twisted around on his stool, and deliberately turned his back on Zhu Wenying.
Zhu Wenying: “…”
He could only look helplessly toward Zhu Yuanzhang for assistance.
Slapping his thigh, Zhu Yuanzhang laughed loudly.
“Nephew! Run faster! Don’t let Ying’er catch you!”
Zhu Wenying: “…”
He stopped chasing altogether.
Instead, he turned around and walked away.
Zhu Wenzheng also stopped.
“Ah Ying, you’re not chasing anymore?”
Smiling gently, Zhu Wenying replied,
“I’m going to ask Mother to rescue Biao’er.”
Zhu Wenzheng turned pale.
“Hey! Hey! Don’t go get Auntie!”
Zhu Wenzhong immediately lowered his hands and grimaced.
“Ah Ying, that’s going too far.”
Zhu Yuanzhang shouted,
“Stop right there!”
Zhu Wenying let out a cold laugh and sprinted toward the rear courtyard.
“Mother! Wenzheng and Father are bullying Biao’er!”
Zhu Wenzhong patted his chest in relief.
Thank goodness.
This has nothing to do with me.
Zhu Wenzheng quickly set Chen Biao down before joining Zhu Yuanzhang in chasing after Zhu Wenying.
Now it was Chen Biao’s turn to jump up and down, clapping his little hands.
“Run, Brother Ying! Let Mom teach them a lesson!”
As for what happened afterward…
Let’s preserve Old Zhu’s dignity and simply not mention it.
Things like being scolded for half an hour, or writing who knows how many letters of self-reflection and promises…
We know absolutely nothing about any of that.
While Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Wenzheng were being lectured by Madam Ma, they kept making faces at Zhu Wenying behind her back, mouthing the words, “Snitch!”
Zhu Wenying silently smiled while helping Chen Biao set out the bowls and chopsticks.
By the time Madam Ma finally finished disciplining Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Wenzheng, Xu Da and Tang He had arrived once again to freeload a meal.
Li Zhen—Zhu Wenzhong’s father and Zhu Yuanzhang’s second brother-in-law—also came.
Li Zhen was Zhu Yuanzhang’s only surviving relative of the same generation.
Zhu Yuanzhang had grown up in crushing poverty.
Among all their relatives, only his second elder sister and her husband Li Zhen’s family had enough to eat, and they had repeatedly helped support Zhu Yuanzhang.
After the outbreak of the wars, Li Zhen wandered from place to place, nearly dying several times before finally joining Zhu Yuanzhang at Chuzhou in the thirteenth year of the Zhizheng era (1353).
Before Guo Zixing died, Zhu Yuanzhang’s circumstances were still poor. Li Zhen, burdened with his young son, had quietly handled logistics alongside Madam Ma and was unknown to most people.
Only after Guo Zixing’s death in the fifteenth year of Zhizheng (1355) did Zhu Yuanzhang truly become the leader of an independent force—albeit one of the weaker ones.
It was at that time that the protagonist of this story, Chen Biao, was born.
A year later, after being frightened by his mother’s remark about “a pot full of meat,” Chen Biao voluntarily exposed himself as a “child prodigy.”
Li Zhen then volunteered to hide his identity and become a relative of “Chen Guorui.”
Following Zhu Yuanzhang’s elaborate arrangements, a few years later, when Li Bao’er joined the army, he had already become Chen Guorui’s nephew. Zhu Yuanzhang then adopted him as his foster son and renamed him Zhu Wenzhong.
His own nephew Zhu Wenzheng also went through several rounds of identity changes, eventually becoming Chen Guorui’s nephew before likewise being adopted by Zhu Yuanzhang.
Zhu Wenying’s case was even simpler.
In those days, it was perfectly normal for an orphan to acknowledge several foster fathers.
Since Zhu Yuanzhang had over twenty adopted sons named “Zhu Wen-something,” and many of them were only nominally adopted and seldom seen again, these three teenage boys blended in without attracting the slightest attention.
Just like that, their identities quietly changed.
As for anyone who mentioned Zhu Yuanzhang’s relatives who had once joined him, Zhu Yuanzhang spread the story that his relatives had hidden away with his legitimate eldest son so that, should his forces ever be destroyed, the Zhu family line would still survive.
Such arrangements were common during times of war.
Many warlords secretly hid away their sons.
Li Zhen was an exceptionally wise man.
He understood that both his own future and Li Bao’er’s depended entirely upon Zhu Yuanzhang.
He always maintained their family relationship with great caution and humility.
That was why he voluntarily gave up the identity of “Zhu Yuanzhang’s relative” in favor of becoming “Chen Guorui’s relative.”
In actual history, even after being granted a marquisate, he never remarried, never took concubines, and never fathered another child.
He lived frugally with his son for the rest of his life, often reminding later generations of the hardships he had endured as a farmer and urging them to remain thrifty.
Li Zhen also died before Zhu Yuanzhang.
When he passed away, it was much like when Tang He later died.
Zhu Yuanzhang and the speechless, gravely ill Li Zhen simply cried facing one another.
After Li Zhen died, Zhu Yuanzhang suspended court for three days.
Zhu Yuanzhang lived too long.
His beloved wife Empress Ma, his cherished son Zhu Biao, his legitimate grandson Zhu Xiongying, his only surviving relative of the same generation Li Zhen, his dearest childhood friends Tang He and Xu Da, his most loyal nephew Li Wenzhong, his most trusted adopted son Mu Ying…
Every one of them died before he did.
His nephew Zhu Wenzheng, meanwhile, betrayed him.
Yet Zhu Yuanzhang still enfeoffed Zhu Wenzheng’s eight-year-old son as the Prince of Jingjiang, whose line continued for fourteen generations.
Everyone who had preserved the identities of “Zhu Chongba” and even “Zhu Yuanzhang” died early.
So Zhu Chongba died.
Zhu Yuanzhang died.
The one who remained was the suspicious, violent old madman known as the Hongwu Emperor.
Those were stories for another time.
Only after Zhu Yuanzhang defeated Chen Youliang did he truly reveal the bearing of a great ruler.
At present, Chen Youliang had not even turned against his own lord yet.
Zhu Yuanzhang was still merely an insignificant warlord squeezed between greater powers.
None of the competing forces—including the Yuan court itself—paid much attention to him or believed he had any chance of contending for the empire.
But for now, his relatives and friends still surrounded him with smiles.
His only nephew, Zhu Wenzheng, had not yet betrayed him.
The moment Zhu Yuanzhang saw Li Zhen arrive, he completely forgot the misery of having to write a letter of self-reflection.
Waving both arms, he shouted enthusiastically,
“Brother-in-law! Biao’er personally stewed the mutton! We’re in for a feast!”
Li Zhen joked,
“I get to enjoy good food all the time.”
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and cursed,
“Then don’t eat!”
Li Zhen smiled.
“Impossible. Just because I’ve had good food before doesn’t mean I should miss today’s. I brought some fruit wine that I brewed myself. It doesn’t violate the military ban against brewing alcohol from grain. Care for a drink?”
Before Zhu Yuanzhang could answer, Tang He had already lunged toward the wine.
“Wine! Wine! Wine!”
Xu Da kicked Tang He squarely in the rear.
“Can’t you quit drinking? At this rate, you’ll get yourself into trouble because of alcohol sooner or later!”
Tang He shamelessly grinned.
“If I really do get into trouble from drinking, you and Boss Guorui can just make sure I don’t get killed. I’ll earn more merits afterward and climb right back up. No big deal.”
Zhu Yuanzhang clenched his fists in exasperation.
“Get lost! I’m not saving you!”
Tang He snatched the wine jar.
“Fine, don’t save me. I’ll quit drinking tomorrow. Today, let’s drink!”
Zhu Yuanzhang and Xu Da cursed him, but neither of them drank any less.
The clear-braised mutton, dipping sauces, fruit wine, and several refreshing cold dishes made for a magnificent meal.
Everyone ate to their heart’s content and drank just as enthusiastically.
Li Zhen remained relatively sober.
Meanwhile, Zhu Yuanzhang, Tang He, and Xu Da had already stripped off their upper garments and were singing and dancing wildly, howling like pigs being slaughtered while Li Zhen clapped out the rhythm for them.
Before long, Zhu Wenzheng and Zhu Wenzhong joined in as well, waving their arms and singing at the top of their lungs like two little piglets being butchered.
Madam Ma had long since grown accustomed to seeing this ragged bunch behaving without the slightest decorum in the army, so she wasn’t embarrassed.
However, the noise made second son Chen Shuang shake his head in discomfort.
After finishing her meal, Madam Ma took Chen Shuang away.
Only the two brothers, Zhu Wenying and Chen Biao, seemed completely out of place.
Chen Biao sighed.
“Brother Ying… they’re so noisy.”
Zhu Wenying nodded.
“Mm.”