After Zhu Yuanzhang was detained by Sun Deyan’s men and the news spread, Hezhou descended into chaos. Ma Xiuying put on her clothes and went to find Guo Zixing overnight, escorted by Zhu Wenzheng and Zhu Wenzhong, leaving Mu Qing alone at home.
By now, he could probably guess what had happened.
Commander Guo Zixing had come to Hezhou to demand an explanation. Sun Deyan, unable to confront him directly, chose to temporarily avoid the confrontation. However, during his retreat, he was accidentally intercepted by Guo Zixing, unexpectedly implicating Old Zhu, who had gone to see him off.
Old Zhu had always believed in harmony above all. Many on Sun Deyan’s side were his acquaintances, so there was no need to worry about him being mistreated as a prisoner. Instead, the concern was whether Commander Guo might stir up trouble while he was captured.
If it were only Commander Guo, it wouldn’t be so bad. The problem was that Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou, the two troublemakers, were both in Hezhou now. Otherwise, their mother wouldn’t have left overnight.
In Sun Deyan’s camp outside the city, Zhu Yuanzhang was tightly bound, with countless curses running through his mind, yet he maintained the necessary courtesy on the surface.
Sun Deyan’s younger brother, fierce and vengeful, was determined to kill Old Zhu to avenge his brother. He knew well that given the relationship between his brother and Guo Zixing, Guo Zixing would likely kill his brother on the spot if he caught him.
They had come to Hezhou seeking refuge with Zhu Yuanzhang only as a last resort and were no match for Guo Zixing. Now, with the enemy strong and themselves weak, killing one was one less threat.
Fortunately, Old Zhu had many friends, and one saved his life at the critical moment. Otherwise, he would have been killed before even having a chance to be exchanged as a prisoner.
While Sun Deyan’s younger brother raged outside, only a few of Zhu Yuanzhang’s acquaintances guarded him inside the tent. With Old Zhu tightly bound, they weren’t worried he could escape. “General Zhu, don’t worry. Old Zhang has gone to Hezhou to discuss exchanging you for General Sun with Commander Guo. Commander Guo is reasonable and will surely return General Sun.”
Zhu Yuanzhang: …
Do you even believe that yourself?
Old Zhu withdrew his gaze, speechless. At this point, relying on Commander Guo was less reliable than relying on his wife.
Thankfully, Old Xu was outside the city. Before leaving, he had specifically asked him to stay there as backup, or else his life would truly be over.
Zhu Yuanzhang was acutely aware of his situation—Commander Guo was indeed less dependable than his wife.
Meanwhile, the Old Zhang mentioned by the man in the tent hurried into the city to request an audience with Commander Guo about the prisoner exchange. Guo Zixing, having finally captured his old enemy, gritted his teeth and refused to let him go.
Sun Deyan had once beaten him bloody. If he didn’t avenge this humiliation, how could he maintain his dignity as a commander?
Zhang Tianyou and Guo Tianxu had long held a grudge against Zhu Yuanzhang. As Zhu Yuanzhang’s reputation grew, it made them appear increasingly incompetent. If anything happened to Guo Zixing in the future, their positions would surely be threatened.
As long as Zhu Yuanzhang remained, they could never rest easy.
This opportunity was once in a lifetime. If Zhu Yuanzhang died in Sun Deyan’s camp, they could eliminate their greatest threat and legitimately absorb Sun Deyan’s troops. For them, it was all gain and no loss—they absolutely could not allow the exchange to happen.
Guo Tianxu tugged at his father’s sleeve, persuading him earnestly: if Zhu Yuanzhang was captured, so be it. Since he would inevitably become a major threat to their family in the future, it was better to let Sun Deyan’s men eliminate him directly.
Guo Zixing knew that his son-in-law was a man of great ambition, and his future achievements would surely surpass what they saw now. He also knew that his current peaceful life in Chuzhou was not due to his own efforts, but to Zhu Yuanzhang.
He remembered every single incident—how he had taken Zhu Yuanzhang in back then, how Zhu Yuanzhang had rescued him from Sun Deyan’s clutches, and later, how he had been sheltered by Zhu Yuanzhang after being driven out of Haozhou. Without Zhu Yuanzhang, he would have long died outside, let alone enjoy the freedom to do as he pleased now.
Commander Guo did not want to harm the son-in-law who had saved his life, nor did he want to give up the chance to eliminate his enemy. Caught in this dilemma, with Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou fanning the flames beside him, Commander Guo was so troubled his head felt like it was about to split.
Just then, Ma Xiuying, heavy with child, came looking for him.
Guo Zixing hurriedly helped her inside. His son-in-law might be an outsider, but this daughter of his was one he had raised himself. He could disregard his son-in-law’s fate, but not his daughter’s. “Tianxu, send someone at once to rescue Yuanzhang!”
Guo Tianxu did not want all his efforts to go to waste. “Father, this…”
Guo Zixing frowned and scolded him, “What ‘this’? Do you want your sister to become a widow so young?”
Not daring to argue, Guo Tianxu could only take Sun Deyan with him to arrange the exchange.
Rubbing his temples, Guo Zixing walked over to Ma Xiuying to reassure her, “Xiuying, it’s unsafe outside at this late hour. Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, I won’t let anything happen to Yuanzhang.”
Zhu Wenzheng and Zhu Wenzhong kept their heads lowered and remained silent. Their father’s life hung in the balance, and their only hope lay with this man. If Guo Zixing sensed their resentment now, it would ruin everything.
Ma Xiuying had confidence in the two boys. Suppressing her own anxiety, she patiently dealt with Guo Zixing. “Father, Brother Tianxu is impulsive. Let Wenzheng go with him.”
She knew her adoptive father was a man of feeling. As long as Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou weren’t there to stir up trouble, her adoptive father would surely remember the kindness their Chongba had shown them.
She trusted that her adoptive father would not go back on his word, but she did not trust Guo Tianxu.
Guo Zixing also knew his son’s temperament well. With a wave of his hand, he allowed Zhu Wenzheng to accompany Guo Tianxu on the rescue mission.
Ma Xiuying remained uneasy, but at this point, she could only pray that no further trouble would arise.
The night was deep, the city lights flickered, and the clamor of footsteps did not fade until daybreak.
Mu Qing waited until midnight but eventually succumbed to sleep. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his room, lying in bed, with the sun already high in the sky.
Old Zhu had been captured by Sun Deyan’s men as a hostage. With everything in chaos outside, no one paid attention to when he woke up.
The little unnoticed one dressed and washed himself, went to the kitchen to find food to fill his belly, and then squatted by the door, waiting for Old Zhu to return safely and triumphantly from his brush with death.
He knew how things would unfold and wasn’t worried about Old Zhu coming to harm. Others, unaware of what was to come, were surely frantic.
His mother was due to give birth in two months. This was the worst time for her to be anxious. He couldn’t add to the chaos and needed to stay quietly in the background, unnoticed.
He was no longer the five-year-old he used to be. Now, at six years old, he was a big boy. His older brothers had all thrown themselves into the Military Camp, and the tutor originally meant for them now focused solely on teaching him. He had his own busy schedule too.
The little unnoticed one paid no heed to matters outside, devoting his mind solely to the classics of the sages. Yet, he hadn’t been studying for long when trouble arose once again outside.
Mu Qing looked at the mourning clothes he was wearing, then at the mourning hall filled with deafening cries of grief. It took him a while to snap out of his daze and realize what was happening.
He remembered now—after Old Zhu returned, it was Commander Guo’s death.
Guo Zixing had released Sun Deyan in exchange for Zhu Yuanzhang. He had originally intended to take this opportunity to kill Sun Deyan, but was forced to let him go because of Zhu Yuanzhang. The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt; the more he conceded, the angrier he became. Overwhelmed by pent-up frustration, he fell gravely ill and, within just a couple of days, passed away.
In a daze, Mu Qing followed his brothers in donning mourning attire for Commander Guo. He only recalled that Guo Zixing had died of illness not long after Liu Futong proclaimed Han Lin’er emperor, but he hadn’t realized it wasn’t a natural illness—he had been driven to sickness by rage.
Wait, wasn’t this all a bit too sudden?
On the surface, everything seemed calm, but beneath it, turbulent undercurrents swirled. A storm was brewing.
Commander Guo had died of illness in Hezhou, but his family was in Chuzhou. After his body lay in state for three days, it was sent back to Chuzhou for burial.
The mourning hall was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere. While Guo Zixing was alive, Guo Tianxu and Zhang Tianyou hadn’t dared to openly target Zhu Yuanzhang. But now that Guo Zixing was gone, the generals under his command were left leaderless. Guo Tianxu, eager to fully take over the troops his father had left behind, would undoubtedly see Zhu Yuanzhang as a thorn in his side.
Old Guo and Old Zhu had very different styles of leading troops. Old Zhu was strict with his subordinates, strictly forbidding soldiers from bullying others by flaunting their power. Old Guo’s troops, however, had far fewer inhibitions. When the army first captured Hezhou, some soldiers began plundering women and property as soon as they entered the city, while others nearly came to blows with them over it.
The chaos in the city was too obvious to ignore, and Old Zhu was neither blind nor deaf. Within days, he discovered that some soldiers were harassing civilians, causing trouble, and abducting women. If this continued, they would inevitably lose the people’s support—something he did not want to see.
As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang identified the problem, he summoned his generals and emphasized that they were soldiers, not bandits. He ordered the return of married women who had been taken by the troops and declared that any soldier who harmed civilians again would be severely punished under military law.
After this incident, Old Zhu’s prestige among the people grew even stronger, further highlighting how Zhang Tianyou and Guo Tianxu failed to act with integrity.
It was clear that without Commander Guo to keep things in check, Zhu Yuanzhang knew the days ahead would not be easy for him.
Guo Tianxu escorted the coffin back to Chuzhou, and Zhu Yuanzhang saw them off outside the city. Upon returning to his residence, he immediately gathered his trusted aides in the Council Hall to discuss the situation.
They had no choice but to confer—Guo Tianxu’s prestige in the army was not as high as his, and despite lacking the capability, he still wanted to take over his father’s forces entirely. Once back in Chuzhou, his first move would surely be to cause trouble for Zhu Yuanzhang.
Fortunately, they had already captured Hezhou. If everyone were still in Chuzhou, there would truly be nowhere to hide.
Mu Qing took off his mourning clothes and slumped listlessly over his tall, sturdy, war-god-like brother. Zhu Wenzheng indulged him, carrying the child on his shoulder as if he were weightless, his steps still full of vigor.
Zhu Wenzhong walked beside them and asked in a hushed voice, “Has Wenqing not recovered yet? Could it be that children really can see unclean things?”
Mu Qing lifted his eyelids to glance at him, pursed his lips, and said nothing.
It had nothing to do with seeing unclean things—he was simply exhausted. Keeping vigil wasn’t a task suited for a child, and his current stamina just couldn’t keep up.
Even though all he had to do was kneel in the mourning hall—and given his young age, no one paid him much attention, so he could switch to squatting or sitting when his legs grew tired—somehow, he still ended up being the most drained.
The two of them finished tidying the mourning hall before coming over. By the time they reached the Council Hall, everyone had already gathered. Zhu Yuanzhang was about to speak when he tapped the table, but a familiar golden light suddenly flashed at the entrance. Zhu Wenzheng reacted swiftly, tossing the child he was carrying on his shoulder to Zhu Wenzhong, then strode out decisively to order the guards to stand farther away and ensure not even a fly could escape.
Mu Qing: ???
Mu Qing: !!!
Ghosts again?!
Having experienced this once before, everyone present was familiar with the routine. Without waiting for Zhu Yuanzhang’s orders, they immediately picked up brushes, ground ink, and widened their eyes to watch the still-emerging light screen, determined not to miss the slightest detail.
A pleasant melody filled the air, and the familiar voice of a young man spoke again.
[“Hello, dear viewers! This is your beloved up, Qingqing Mosang. Today, let’s chat about the ruthless figure Fan Meng mentioned in the previous episode—the man who nearly wiped out all the Mongol high officials in Henan Jiangbei Province with a forged imperial edict.”]
Zhu Wenzhong stared dumbfounded at the light screen, his legs trembling. “Dad! Dad! It’s a ghost!”
He wasn’t a young child anymore—how could he still be seeing unclean things?