Zhu Yuanzhang had long prepared a seat for Xu Da.
Only after sitting did the Grand General Who Pacifies the North finally have the chance to properly examine Huagai Hall.
In earlier years, His Majesty often rested here before court sessions. For that reason the hall once contained braziers, a bed, bookcases, and cabinets.
Now all of it was gone.
In the center of the hall stood a folding screen.
Facing it were two imperial thrones that had clearly been moved here temporarily, along with several chairs meant for the princes.
But at the moment, none of them looked particularly dignified.
Zhu Yuanzhang's voice rang through the hall before Xu Da even finished stepping inside.
"So this is how you look after your younger brothers?!"
The Prince of Yan knelt halfway, clearly used to such storms, but his hands were occupied. He still held the small Prince of Xiang in his arms, and the boy was laughing so hard he could barely breathe.
"Father… hah… look at him… look at him!"
Across the hall, Zhu Xiongying was making exaggerated ghost faces, pulling his eyelids wide and sticking out his tongue.
The Prince of Xiang clutched Yan's collar, giggling wildly.
The Crown Prince hurried forward, trying to smooth things over.
"Father, Fourth Brother truly meant no harm. The boys were only playing—"
"Playing?" Zhu Yuanzhang snorted. "If he played any rougher, the palace roof would come down!"
Meanwhile Zhu Xiongying, seeing the Emperor's attention shift, immediately tried to behave.
Unfortunately, the Crown Prince still had a grip on his sleeve.
"Grandfather is angry," the Crown Prince whispered. "Stand still."
"But he laughed just now!" Zhu Xiongying protested softly.
Behind them, Empress Ma watched the scene with quiet amusement.
She reached out to stop the Prince of Chu, who had just come back after changing clothes.
"Hold still," she said gently, smoothing the hem of his robe.
"You always rush about without looking at yourself first."
The boy lowered his head obediently.
"Yes, Mother."
The Empress's smile never left her face as she glanced between the scolding Emperor, the kneeling Prince of Yan, the protesting Crown Prince, and the two boys still half-laughing.
Only one person in the hall seemed untouched by the chaos.
The Prince of Zhou sat off to the side, already settled in his chair.
A book lay open in his hands.
He turned a page calmly, as if the entire imperial household erupting around him were nothing more than distant noise.
Xu Da could not help but chuckle.
The imperial family truly looked no different from an ordinary household at times.
At the very front on the left side sat Xu Da himself.
Beside him were two familiar faces.
Li Shanchang, brows furrowed with worry.
Li Wenzhong, practically vibrating with excitement.
And one more man he had only met a few times.
"Imperial Physician Dai."
The day after Xu Da returned to the capital, this physician had visited under imperial order to examine him.
Though puzzled, Xu Da had heard of Dai Sigong's reputation across Jiangsu and Zhejiang and agreed to the consultation.
Fortunately, there were no serious hidden illnesses.
Only the usual aches from years of campaigning.
Dai Sigong prescribed medicines and gave instructions for long-term care.
Thus they had become acquaintances.
"General Xu," Dai Sigong greeted politely.
They exchanged brief bows and sat again.
Xu Da's gaze then shifted toward the Emperor's right side.
What caught his eye first were two groups from the Imperial Guard.
No, not the old Yiluan Directorate anymore.
They were now called the Jinyiwei.
Among the youths, one held a stiff brush and recorded text, while another carried a painting brush, clearly tasked with sketching whatever might appear.
Beyond them stood two officials with troubled expressions, judging from their robes likely from the Directorate of Astronomy.
And then there was the most conspicuous figure of all.
A bald monk.
Xu Da was curious, but before he could ask, Li Wenzhong leaned forward, unable to contain himself.
"Grand Secretary, Grand Secretary!" he whispered, poking Li Shanchang with a finger.
"Why is there a monk over there?"
Xu Da quietly pricked up his ears.
Li Shanchang glanced at the folding screen.
Even now, it still looked entirely ordinary.
He shook his head faintly, as if still unwilling to believe.
Yet today's elaborate gathering in Huagai Hall did not look like a joke.
And the Empress seemed calm about it.
That only made things more uncertain.
"His Majesty says that screen…" Li Shanchang lowered his voice, "contains knowledge involving many religious doctrines. So a monk and a Daoist were summoned to listen and advise."
"That monk is Daoyan of Tianjie Temple. Skilled in Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. He writes poetry, and his family even passed down medical texts."
Li Wenzhong nodded, impressed.
"So he's one of those all-around talents."
Then Li Shanchang asked quietly,
"What do you think of that screen, Commander Li?"
Li Wenzhong answered without hesitation.
"My uncle guarantees it. And it even recognized the ambitions of the Japanese pirates. Of course it's real."
As it turned out, they didn't need to argue further.
Specks of light suddenly drifted across the folding screen.
They gathered into a single glowing line and circled once along its surface.
Under everyone's gaze, the screen that had looked plain suddenly fell into darkness.
Only the edges shimmered faintly.
That alone was enough.
The Son of Heaven looked around proudly.
Just as expected, his ministers' faces were filled with shock.
Exactly the same as his own reaction the first time.
But after looking around, he noticed one exception.
The Empress was frowning.
"Sister, what's wrong?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.
Empress Ma shook her head slowly.
"The last time the light appeared… it didn't begin like this."
Zhu Yuanzhang's heart skipped.
When the thing had been moved from Kunning Palace, he had secretly worried it might stop working.
But gathering everyone in the Empress's private chambers would have been inappropriate, so it had been moved here instead.
Still, palace maids remained there watching.
And in the past, the luminous curtain had shown objects attached to it across different dynasties. Changing location should not matter.
He had only just relaxed.
Now the Empress's words made his heart tighten again.
"Father, there are words on it," Zhu Biao said, tugging at his sleeve.
Everyone looked.
Clearly visible on the screen were the lines:
[Client upgrading…]
[Upgrade complete.]
[Playback experience optimized.]
[Reward function activated.]
[Enjoy your viewing.]
Zhu Yuanzhang barely had time to ponder what any of that meant.
The light along the edges began expanding outward in widening rings.
The luminous curtain quickly grew beyond the size of the folding screen itself.
It spread into the air, flickering and swelling.
When it finally stabilized, what appeared in Huagai Hall was a massive radiant screen nearly two men tall.
Text that once required squinting could now be read clearly even from the back.
Zhu Yuanzhang watched with satisfaction as the gasps in the hall rose another level.
And then—
The voice they had not heard for three months returned.
---
[Lightscreen]
["Hello hello hello, this is Wen Mang, the guy who reads essays like a functional illiterate."
"Last episode, our elegant tale of the Two Songs stopped at Meng Gong."
"Not because that's where the story ends, but because the figure after him… well, there's just too much to talk about."
"So buckle up. We're continuing from last time."
"And we're off!"]
---
Text comments floated across the light screen.
[Server Chat Log]
[LagSlayer: First!
NerdVoid: Checking in before watching!
WarriorWifi: Guessing Song Ci. True founder of forensic medicine, can't summarize him in a few sentences.
SeaOfPing: Jia Sidao deserves a slot too. Loyal or traitor alone is a huge debate.
Li Shimin: "Five days ago we received victory reports from Deng and Lai. Treacherous ministers in Wa could not be restrained. At the Wa king's request, Tang naval forces eliminated the traitors. All rebels are now dead. The Wa king wishes to submit memorials and become a perpetual vassal."
Li Shimin: "Is the Marquis Wu well? Presumably the plan against Cao has succeeded?"
Li Chengqian: "Marquis Wu is in good health."]
---
In another time and place, Li Shimin stood tall, one arm around his son.
With his other hand, he wrote casually on the luminous screen.
He even guided Li Chengqian closer so the boy could leave comments too.
Young minds accepted strange things more easily.
After only a few explanations, Li Chengqian began forming guesses.
"Father… with your guidance, did Marquis Wu truly restore the Han?"
"If so, the Sima clan could never seize power… and the northern invasions would not slaughter the people…"
His voice grew quieter as realization dawned.
"Father… does that mean our Great Tang might also face something like the Sima Jin…?"
Li Shimin placed a hand on his son's head.
There was unmistakable warmth in his expression.
"Those matters are not your burden," he said softly.
"I will smooth out whatever disasters arise."
"What you must do… before you sit on the throne…"
"Is to see this world. The hundred kingdoms. The millions of Tang subjects."
"And never forget the calamities of the past."
Then he glanced up at the screen.
Suddenly he burst into laughter.
"This must be Zhang Fei's mischief!"
Across the luminous curtain, a line of text drifted slowly past:
---
Cao Cao: "Your Majesty Li Erfeng, do not worry. I've already been captured."