Zhu Gao煦 looked at Zhu Di asking Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji like that, and he was actually a little touched.
He wasn't a fool; he knew Zhu Di was doing this to let him see and hear Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji's promises to him.
But so what if they promised? It didn't mean things were settled just like that.
As long as Zhu Di wasn't around, even Zhu Gaochi, who seemed so amiable, wouldn't be amiable at all when it came to business.
No longer thinking about it, Zhu Gao煦 got up and went to Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi, taking one by each hand.
"Father, don't scare Big Brother anymore; his health isn't good to begin with, don't scare him into getting sick. Big Brother has always been good to me."
"Big Brother, you too, what are you afraid of him for? He can't do anything to you, he's just trying to scare you.
What do we have to say as a family? Let's sit down and talk; kneeling looks ridiculous."
"Nephew, get up yourself; don't think about me helping you up."
As Zhu Gao煦's voice rang out, silence immediately fell. Three faces, perfectly aligned, stared blankly at Zhu Gao煦, momentarily unable to process what was happening.
Zhu Di got up with a strong pull from Zhu Gao煦's hand, and Zhu Gaochi also stood up. Seeing them both standing, Zhu Zhanji followed suit.
However, Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi, and Zhu Gao煦 were seated, while Zhu Zhanji stood to the side.
At this moment, both Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi felt complicated, confused, and even surprised. Zhu Di was slightly better off, as he already knew about Zhu Gao煦's change.
But even Zhu Di was somewhat unable to grasp this extent of change.
As for Zhu Gaochi, he was completely bewildered. What exactly did Zhu Gao煦 want to do?
He kept calling him "Big Brother" repeatedly, and there seemed to be no barrier in his words, calling him with such sincerity. And the way he spoke just now, his tone, his attitude towards him—Zhu Gaochi felt as if he hadn't woken up and was still dreaming.
No, he couldn't even dream of such a scene.
If one were to say Zhu Gao煦 was faking it, as a Crown Prince who had overseen the country for so many years, who hadn't he met? To put it bluntly, Zhu Gaochi's experience and insight were not inferior to Emperor Zhu Di's, and perhaps even superior.
If Zhu Gao煦 were faking it, he would be able to tell immediately.
But he carefully observed Zhu Gao煦—his expression, actions, language, and tone—and couldn't detect any falsehood.
Zhu Gaochi even had an absurd thought: had Zhu Gao煦 reformed? Was this not a retreat to advance? Was he truly letting go of everything and planning to leave?
Zhu Gaochi still couldn't make a judgment because he truly found it hard to believe that Zhu Gao煦 had undergone such a change in just one night. Who would believe that?
The few of them fell silent for a moment. Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi didn't know what to say. Zhu Gao煦 was simply too strange tonight; they couldn't figure out his intentions now.
Zhu Di tried to speak several times but didn't know what to say. If he continued to lecture Zhu Gaochi, he had already been interrupted by Zhu Gao煦.
If he talked about Zhu Gao煦, this person immediately brought up going overseas to establish a fief, which was simply infuriating.
Just then, urgent footsteps were heard. Everyone looked over to see Zhu Gao燧, dressed in Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) attire, walking quickly towards them.
Zhu Gao燧 arrived in front of Zhu Di and, with a thud, consciously knelt down.
"Father, I'm here."
Zhu Gao燧 buried his head, feeling both fear and confusion.
He was afraid of Zhu Di, after all, he was rebelling. He was confused as to why Zhu Gao煦 was sitting there so calmly, and Zhu Gaochi was also present.
As for Zhu Zhanji, he was temporarily ignored by him. At present, he truly didn't take Zhu Zhanji seriously.
Zhu Gao燧 couldn't understand. Wasn't Zhu Gao煦 rebelling? Could it be that his second brother was making other moves behind his back and had betrayed him?
According to his understanding of Zhu Gao煦, if things became untenable, he might truly have been sold out.
This was the superficial brotherhood of these three brothers; sometimes they seemed to be arm in arm, but in their hearts, they were wary of everyone.
Zhu Di looked at Zhu Gao燧 and immediately smiled in his heart. He was just thinking about how to resolve the current situation, and this person had arrived, hadn't he?
"Prince Zhao, you're quite impressive. You went to inspect the gunpowder depot without authorization. What, do you want to blow us up?"
"Father, your son wouldn't dare. Your son absolutely has no such idea. I was just going to check the safety of the gunpowder depot. How could I dare to do anything else? Father, please believe me."
Zhu Gao燧 was almost in tears. Zhu Di's first words accused him of such a grave crime that his head wouldn't be enough to pay for it.
Zhu Gao煦 watched this scene with a smile. He really couldn't hold back. He realized now that Zhu Di's mind must have issues; he just loved to scare the three of them.
First it was him, and he was scared too, then it was Zhu Gaochi, and now it was Zhu Gao燧. He truly didn't spare anyone.
He just couldn't understand where Zhu Di got this twisted hobby.
Zhu Gaochi was also startled upon hearing this. Good heavens, one raising troops outside the city, the other controlling the situation inside the city. If Zhu Di hadn't known about this, wouldn't the capital have undergone a massive change tonight? Wouldn't his Crown Prince's Residence have suffered greatly tonight?
Zhu Gaochi showed no emotion on his face, but he secretly wiped a bead of sweat. Although he had a premonition that something big would happen tonight, he truly hadn't expected it to be something of this magnitude.
Immediately after, Zhu Gaochi quickly knelt down.
"Father, how could my third brother have such intentions? Father, you're overthinking. My third brother is responsible for the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) and the North Garrison Division; the burden on his shoulders is quite heavy. Inspecting the gunpowder depot is understandable, quite understandable."
Zhu Gao煦 looked at Zhu Gaochi's plea. He didn't know if Zhu Gaochi was sincere or not, but as their Big Brother, he was truly capable; he really took responsibility when there was trouble.
Although he sometimes tricked them, in major matters, he not only didn't kick them when they were down but even pleaded for them, which was truly commendable.
Zhu Gao煦 then looked at Zhu Di.
"Father, stop scaring Third Brother. I am the mastermind in this matter; Third Brother was forced by me.
However, I've already told you the reason. I'll bear the sole responsibility. I'll leave the Great Ming with that camp of soldiers, and those are my conditions. Father, do you agree or not?"
Now that he had seen enough, Zhu Gao煦 really had no mood to continue wasting time here. He just wanted to settle this matter quickly.
The sooner it was settled, the sooner he could prepare, and the sooner he could leave. He truly didn't want to stay in the Great Ming any longer.
Zhu Gao煦 understood clearly: if he stayed, he couldn't outmaneuver Zhu Gaochi, and given the rotten things his original self had done before, others wouldn't trust him. Rather than living in constant fear in the Great Ming, it was truly better to just leave.
At that time, no one would restrain him; he could do whatever he wanted, and he could also try to see if he could build a vast empire.
Zhu Di turned to look at Zhu Gao煦, his face immediately darkening.
Zhu Di was truly exhausted. He had done so much, said so much, and yet this person hadn't listened or seen anything, had he? All he thought about was leaving the Great Ming? Was the Great Ming truly so detestable?
This was unbearable, absolutely unbearable.
"You still want to go overseas to establish a fief? Want to leave the Great Ming? You really don't want to see us that much?
We're telling you, if you dare to go, we'll break your legs!"
"All of you, kneel properly! You can get up when you've thought it through!"
Zhu Di also didn't want to continue talking to Zhu Gao煦, this blockhead. Too many things had happened tonight, mainly Zhu Gao煦's change, and he needed to go down and think it through carefully.
He glared at the three of them and then walked away directly.
Seeing this, Zhu Gao煦 immediately tried to follow him, as his objective hadn't been achieved yet.
However, Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gao燧 directly held him back.
"Second Brother, calm down, don't be impulsive."
"Second Brother, Father told us to kneel, so we'll kneel. Why are you making him angry?"
Both of them were very anxious. They were truly afraid of Zhu Gao煦. Was he not going to stop until he completely infuriated Zhu Di?