Had he asked that question earlier in the Hall of Careful Governance, Zhu Yuanzhang already knew what answer he would have received.
Put simply, if the officials' flattering words were to be believed, then a thousand years from now the storyteller inside that screen would still be speaking of the Ming.
But here, in this private hall, no one would dare speak like that.
Having governed for over two years, Zhu Biao thought for a moment before answering honestly.
"Father founded the Ming and reunified the realm. That is an achievement without equal in history."
"But Emperor Taizong of Tang conquered the world at twenty-three. What heroic brilliance. Yet even that dynasty fell into turmoil within a century, when Wu Zhou rose."
"So in my view, our Ming will certainly not be shorter-lived than the Tang. But it may not surpass it by much either."
He paused, then added with a faint smile,
"Five hundred years, perhaps."
Based on what Zhu Biao knew of his father, he expected a furious reaction, beard bristling and eyes wide, followed by a thunderous lecture.
Instead, the emperor merely nodded thoughtfully and turned to ask,
"What do you think, Shanchang?"
Even in private, Li Shanchang remained formal. He clasped his hands and replied,
"I believe the Crown Prince's reasoning is sound. Yet Your Majesty's vigor surpasses even Tang Taizong, and the Crown Prince's governance has earned great praise, exceeding the Zhenguan era."
"Therefore, I believe our Ming should enjoy a thousand years of rule."
Zhu Yuanzhang did not comment.
That silence puzzled Zhu Biao so much that he asked bluntly,
"Father, did Mother criticize your Ancestral Instructions again?"
"She dares?!"
The emperor's beard shot up as he barked loudly.
"My Ancestral Instructions record upright principles. They gather the failures of past dynasties so our descendants may learn from them. How could they be useless?"
There it was. That was the father Zhu Biao knew.
He cheered inwardly, though outwardly he pressed on.
"Then why have you been acting like this today?"
"I…"
The emperor's voice lowered.
Then he asked something neither man expected.
"If one could know what happens a thousand years from now… what should one do?"
The question was so strange that Zhu Biao and Li Shanchang instinctively looked at each other. Both saw only confusion in the other's eyes.
Fortunately, Zhu Yuanzhang did not keep them guessing. He described what he had witnessed in Kunning Palace, omitting the parts too difficult to explain. Even so, it was enough to make Zhu Biao exclaim loudly.
"You spoke with Zhuge Liang? You conversed with Emperor Taizong of Tang? And even the founder of the Song…"
"Father, did you warn the Song emperor to beware his brother? Did you tell Zhuge Liang that…"
"I did, I did. I said it all."
Laughing helplessly, Zhu Yuanzhang cut him off.
"I told the Chancellor that your governance has been excellent. I also promised that in three months I will introduce you to him."
"The Chancellor even asked about your marriage, and said…"
He hesitated, remembering the phrase about uncle and nephew.
"…he said you must raise Zhu Xiongying well, so the boy does not disgrace the prestige of our line."
"Of course," Zhu Biao replied confidently.
Zhu Yuanzhang then briefly recounted what he had learned from those encounters. The campaigns of Shu Han generals beyond the passes, Tang Taizong's expedition across the sea, even the strange claim that the Song emperor had shaved his head and become a monk.
Zhu Biao listened in wonder, then complained,
"Father, why did you not summon me to Kunning Palace? I could have gone with you."
"The imperial physicians were examining your mother. It was only proper that you stay by her side."
Though it was a complaint, Zhu Yuanzhang found himself smiling even more.
It suddenly struck him that his son was only twenty-five.
There were still more than twenty years left in the Hongwu reign. Plenty of time to temper him. What problem could not be solved with time?
After reassuring the Crown Prince, Zhu Yuanzhang's smile faded. He turned again to the Duke of Han, who had remained silent throughout.
"What do you think, Shanchang?"
Li Shanchang chose his words carefully.
"Your Majesty's account is… beyond ordinary comprehension."
"If it is not a dream or illusion, then I believe we should consult those figures familiar with the screen more often."
Unlike the prince, Li Shanchang's suggestions were practical.
"We must understand its taboos and its uses. From it we may draw methods of governance, strategies for strengthening the army, and knowledge of the hidden ailments within our realm."
"And since the screen shows many images, we should summon skilled painters to copy everything faithfully."
"Her Majesty mentioned that King Wu's campaign against Zhou might not match the strength of our Ming cavalry. I believe this is true. Therefore we should also gather craftsmen, in case something unexpected arises."
"As for selecting scholars to interpret its principles, and carefully examining the backgrounds of all summoned men… I need not elaborate."
After finishing, Li Shanchang could not help asking,
"But, Your Majesty… are you certain this is not some elaborate jest?"
"If we could truly know events a thousand years hence, avoiding Ming's disasters would be only the beginning."
"In that span of time, how many tools to benefit the people and enrich the state must exist? If we could adopt them all, a thousand-year Ming might truly be possible."
Zhu Yuanzhang immediately seized on the weakness in that statement.
"So when you said earlier that Ming would last a thousand years, that was just polite talk?"
Li Shanchang steadied himself and smiled.
"If Your Majesty was speaking in jest, then my answer was naturally a jest as well."
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head with a faint smile.
"If such knowledge fell into the hands of corrupt officials, it would only bring disaster upon Ming."
"As for whether this is real… the Guard has already gone to find a writer named Luo Guanzhong. When he arrives, we will know the truth."
"Biao, today you must also order the Huguang Administration to summon Liu Sanwu to the capital. His name also appeared on the screen."
"I want to hear whether his talk of differences between north and south matches what the screen shows."
Zhu Biao was puzzled at first, but quickly understood. He bowed in acknowledgment and silently offered the scholar a moment of sympathy.
"And there is Li Wenzhong."
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly remembered something else, his tone turning rough.
"Has he not been complaining that there is nothing for him to do in Shu? Has he not urged me repeatedly to campaign against Japan?"
"Tell him to get back here. On the way, he can think about plans for Liaodong and the Bohai region."
"If he reaches the capital and has nothing worthwhile to say, I will send him rolling straight back to Shu."
Zhu Biao understood this was not the place for detailed discussion. His cousin had long been obsessed with military plans against Japan, and if they truly intended to expand toward the northeast, Li Wenzhong was indeed a suitable choice.
The secret discussion did not last long.
After issuing these instructions, Zhu Yuanzhang prepared to begin selecting the people Li Shanchang had suggested.
Just before dismissing them, he suddenly remembered one more thing.
"Shanchang, what do you think of renaming the Imperial Guard to the Jinyiwei?"
Li Shanchang did not understand why, but simply bowed in agreement.
In essence, his answer was simple.
If it pleases Your Majesty, then it is good.
In a noticeably better mood, Zhu Yuanzhang then turned warmly to his son.
"Yongle… Biao."
"Why not establish a great institute, gather all books under heaven, compile them into one work, and pass it down for all ages?"
"I have even thought of the name."
"We shall call it…"
"The Grand Compendium of Hongwu."