usatvline Chapter 14 Liu Bowen: Master, I'm staying!
Chapter 14 Liu Bowen: Master, I'm staying!
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yao immediately waved his hand, a smile appearing on his face, and said sincerely, "Father, it would be too formal for us to talk about money."
"If you need this technology, just take it and use it; why buy it?"
After saying that, Zhu Yao turned to Chen Zhong behind him and instructed, "Chen Zhong, go and fetch all the books in my study about road construction technology and procedures, and give them to my father."
"This old servant obeys the order." Chen Zhong respectfully replied and quickly left.
Before long, Chen Zhong returned carrying a thick stack of books and presented them to Zhu Yuanzhang with both hands.
Zhu Yuanzhang accepted the book, his heart filled with emotion, and his tone was full of satisfaction: "Yao'er, you are truly a good child!"
He never imagined that Zhu Yao would so readily give away such precious technology without the slightest hesitation. This gesture warmed his heart.
Early on the third day, Zhu Yuanzhang found Zhu Yao, his face showing some apology: "Yao'er, your father must say goodbye."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yao's face showed a hint of disappointment, and he quickly advised, "Father, shouldn't we stay a little longer?"
"We've only just been reunited as father and son, and I haven't had a chance to properly show you my filial piety and give you a proper tour of Chenzhou."
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head gently, his tone tinged with helplessness: "I also want to spend more time with you, but I have many things to take care of outside, so I really can't stay any longer."
"Once Dad has finished dealing with things, he will definitely come to see you again. Then, we can have a good talk and eat the hot pot you make."
Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang's resolute attitude, Zhu Yao knew that he indeed had important matters to attend to, so he did not try to persuade him to stay any longer and could only nod: "Then take care on your journey, Father, and remember to visit me often."
Just as Zhu Yuanzhang was about to turn and leave, Liu Bowen suddenly stepped forward, bowed to Zhu Yuanzhang, and said firmly, "My lord, I beg you to stay and not return to the capital with you."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang was startled, a look of astonishment crossing his face, which quickly turned to anger. He turned to Liu Bowen and asked, "Old Liu, what did you say? You want to stay?"
He never expected that Liu Bowen would suddenly make such a request. The two had been companions for many years, fighting on all fronts and assisting in the administration of the court. Liu Bowen had never made such an abrupt request before.
Liu Bowen met Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze without flinching and slowly said, "Your Majesty, I do indeed wish to stay."
"Firstly, I am already old and my health is not as good as before. I cough every day and can no longer help you much. Staying by your side may only be a burden."
"Secondly, I was poisoned. Although Young Master Zhu treated me, I know my days are numbered. I just want to find a quiet place to recuperate and live out the rest of my life in peace."
"Thirdly, I have a special connection with Young Master Zhu. He is intelligent, insightful, and has the world at heart. I would like to spend more time with him, and perhaps I can learn something from him. Also, I can help you keep an eye on him and protect him."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yao quickly spoke up and advised Zhu Yuanzhang, "Father, what Mr. Liu said is true. His health is not yet fully recovered, and he needs to rest. Why don't we let him stay here with me, and I will personally take care of him so that I can feel at ease?"
"It's quiet here, and it's also suitable for recuperating. It won't be too late for Mr. Liu to return to Beijing once he's better."
Looking at Liu Bowen's resolute expression and then at Zhu Yao's sincere eyes, Zhu Yuanzhang's anger gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of helplessness and reluctance.
He knew that what Liu Bowen said was true. He was old and had been poisoned, so he really needed to rest. Zhu Yao was thoughtful and had some medical knowledge, so staying with Zhu Yao was indeed the best choice.
After a moment of silence, Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, his tone carrying a hint of admonition: "Fine, since you insist on staying, then we will grant your request."
"You stay here and take good care of yourself. If you need anything, just send someone to deliver a message to us by fast horse, and we will definitely send someone to help you."
"Yao'er, I'm entrusting Old Liu to you. You must take good care of him and not neglect him."
Zhu Yao nodded quickly: "Father, don't worry, I will take good care of Mr. Liu and will never let him suffer any grievances."
Liu Bowen also bowed respectfully to Zhu Yuanzhang, saying, "Thank you, Your Excellency!"
Zhu Yuanzhang gave the two men a long look, his eyes filled with reluctance, but finally turned around and instructed Erhu and the others, "Let's go back to the capital!"
The group left Liu's residence in a grand procession. Zhu Yuanzhang walked at the front of the procession, looking back from time to time. He had concerns for Zhu Yao, worries for Liu Bowen, and hopes for the future implementation of road construction.
Zhu Yao and Liu Bowen stood at the door, watching Zhu Yuanzhang and his entourage depart until their figures disappeared at the end of the official road, before slowly turning back to their residence.
"Mr. Liu, I still don't know your full name?"
"Replying to young master, the old man's full name is Liu... Sanzhou."
Once Zhu Yuanzhang and his entourage had completely disappeared from sight, Zhu Yao turned his gaze to Liu Bowen, who was still pale-faced beside him, and softened his tone.
"Mr. Liu, it's windy outside, and you haven't fully recovered yet. Why don't I show you around my estate and give you some exercise? It will be good for your health."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bowen nodded slightly, suppressing a cough, and said respectfully, "Thank you for your trouble, Young Master Zhu."
The two walked side by side, slowly leaving the Liu family residence and heading towards the manor in the backyard.
The estate covers a vast area, half of which is neatly manicured fields, and the other half is filled with pavilions and towers, lush vegetation, and a tranquil environment, making it a truly ideal place for relaxation and recuperation.
Liu Bowen's gaze slowly swept over the fields, his brows gradually furrowing, and a look of doubt appeared on his face.
He saw that the fields were not planted with any of the grain crops he was familiar with. There was no rice, wheat, millet, or sorghum. Instead, there was a lush green vine covering the edge of the field, growing extremely vigorously.
After a moment's hesitation, Liu Bowen couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Zhu, forgive my impertinence, but why are there no grains planted in these fields?"
"It would be such a waste to leave such fertile land barren. Even if we don't grow crops, we can still grow some vegetables and fruits, which is better than just growing vines like this."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yao smiled and pointed to the lush green vines, saying in a relaxed tone, "Mr. Liu, you misunderstand. Underneath these vines grows grain."
"These vines?" Liu Bowen was taken aback, his eyes filled with even more doubt. "But these vines look ordinary. How could they be grain? This old minister has never seen such a grain crop before."
Zhu Yao didn't explain much. He bent down, picked up a small hoe from the edge of the field, walked to a patch of vines, gently parted the vines, and dug down to the roots.
The hoe fell, turning the soil, and soon a round, bright red fruit was dug out, still covered in damp soil, and heavy.
Zhu Yao picked up the sweet potato, wiped off the dirt, and handed it to Liu Bowen, saying with a smile, "Mr. Liu, look, this is the grain I was talking about, it's called a sweet potato."