Zhu Yuanzhang loved reading and grew up through self-study.

Even now, no matter how busy his government affairs are, he would take out an hour every day to read widely.

The current system of the Ming Dynasty, including the many classics and annotations that have been passed down to later generations, were basically written by Zhu Yuanzhang himself, with the assistance of Hanlin.

How could Zhu Yuanzhang not understand what his eldest grandson said?

In other words, he is the same as himself, completely self-taught, which is the temperament of a scholar.

Speaking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang felt somewhat proud. He was worthy of being my eldest grandson, as he had the same path as me.

Zhu Ying saw that the old man still had a smile on his face, and he obviously felt nothing. He had no choice but to ask again: "Old man, why did your eldest grandson die young?"

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, his smile froze and he suddenly fell silent.

After a long while, he finally said, "He died of congenital deficiency of heart energy and heart paralysis."

Zhu Ying was puzzled at first, but then he immediately realized that in later times, this disease would be congenital heart disease.

After Zhu Yuanzhang finished speaking, his eyes became a little vague. The memories from ten years ago seemed to have happened just yesterday.

From one day on, the eldest grandson started crying every day.

The young voice kept shouting:

"Grandma, I feel so bad, my chest hurts so much."

"I don't want to take medicine, it's too bitter!"

"Grandpa, hug me, it hurts so much. It hurts so much. It feels like someone is strangling my neck. Grandpa, please help me drive him away. I can't breathe."

Zhu Yuanzhang held his eldest grandson in his arms and watched his cries of pain, his heart broken.

The eldest sister was even more miserable, like a tearful person.

A number of imperial doctors failed to cure the disease and the furious Zhu Yuanzhang took his anger out on him and had them all executed.

Because of this incident, nearly half of the doctors in the entire Imperial Medical Bureau were executed by Zhu Yuanzhang. The Imperial Medical Bureau, which had been quite lively, suddenly became deserted and everyone was in danger.

Under endless grief, Queen Ma could no longer bear it and fell ill in bed.

At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang, who was in his fifties, felt a deep sense of powerlessness even though he was the emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

He could only watch helplessly as his beloved eldest grandson died of pain, with no medicine or cure able to help.

Bad news came one after another. Before he had recovered from the blow of his eldest grandson's death, his beloved Queen Ma was on the verge of life and death again.

Heartbroken and exhausted, Empress Ma was determined to die.

In the end, she refused to take the medicine and only asked Zhu Yuanzhang not to execute the imperial physician again to accumulate some good karma for her grandson, and then passed away.

Zhu Ying looked at the old man in front of him, with tears in his eyes, and knew that this was bringing up memories of the past in the old man's heart.

Due to the old sorrow, the comfort from others was of little use. Zhu Ying remained silent and waited quietly for the old man to recover.

After about an incense stick of time, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, which had been a little dull, slowly moved. When he saw Zhu Ying, they regained a bit of light and gradually came to his senses.

"Old man..." Zhu Ying called softly.

"I'm fine. I've come this far after all these years. No one can defeat me again. I'm just old now and I always think of the past."

Zhu Yuanzhang felt Zhu Ying's concern and said with tears in his eyes.

Now that his eldest grandson is back, he finally feels relieved.

If it were any other time, recovery wouldn't be so easy.

The palace is so big that it's easy for people to feel lonely.

Looking at his grandson who was in good condition, Zhu Yuanzhang looked a little dazed and said angrily, "Those quack doctors should all die. They can't even cure my grandson's illness. What's the use of them?"

After that, he said to Zhu Ying with some heartache: "I'm so sorry for you. I just watched you complain about being tired, but I couldn't help you at all. I'm really useless."

"Grandson, you will forgive me, right?"

Zhu Ying felt sorry for the old man as he looked at his pleading eyes.

However, when I think about it, I just don't want the old man to be stuck here forever.

He couldn't stay in the capital for long and accompany the old man all the time.

In the next few days, after checking with the Armoury Bureau and the Gunpowder Bureau, perhaps in less than half a month, he will leave the capital and head for Annan.

I am lying to the old man now out of pity for him, letting him immerse himself in his own world. I am afraid that when I leave, he will find it even more difficult to accept it.

It’s better to give up the idea as soon as possible.

Thinking of this, Zhu Ying gritted his teeth and said, "Old man, I believe you also have some understanding of the symptoms of congenital heart qi deficiency and heart paralysis."

"Even after recovering from this kind of illness, you cannot work too much in your life and can only rely on medicinal herbs to survive."

"I don't have any signs of such illness."

Anyone who has a little knowledge about congenital heart disease knows that even if it is cured by surgery in the future, strenuous exercise is not recommended.

It can easily cause insufficient blood supply to the myocardium and trigger myocardial infarction, otherwise there is a certain chance of recurrence.

Especially in ancient times, there was no surgical treatment and the only way to recover was to recuperate.

When he woke up, he didn't feel that way. Apart from some bruises, as if he had been beaten, he was otherwise healthy.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Ying, who was as thin as a scholar, with a look of disbelief.

Zhu Ying felt the old man's gaze and was speechless.

In the Ming Dynasty, men mostly wore long, straight, wide robes made of blue cloth, which made it difficult to see their figures.

In ancient times, the concept of being strong generally meant being broad-shouldered, thick-bellied and sturdy.

Influenced by the aesthetic taste of later generations, Zhu Ying was particular about the shaping of her body, which was as finely sculpted as if it had been cut by a knife or an axe.

From the perspective of the Ming Dynasty, especially under the cover of long clothes, he looked as thin as a scholar.

In normal combat, when comparing absolute strength, those who can really fight are those with huge physiques.

Many of the very capable generals in the Ming Dynasty, in the eyes of later generations, looked not much different from fat uncles without their armor.

This is the origin of the so-called "general's belly" that is commonly known in later times. It is a common title to describe a general, who is often described as being nine feet tall and with a waist that is ten feet around.

"Old man, don't disbelieve it. Few ordinary generals can beat me." Zhu Ying couldn't help but say. He had strong confidence in his martial arts ability.

Looking at the Ming Dynasty, he has never seen anyone who could make him feel afraid.

"We believe it. We definitely believe what our eldest grandson says." Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile.

But the search in his eyes was too obvious.

Zhu Ying couldn't stand hearing the old man's perfunctory reply.

He just stood up, walked to a slightly open space aside, and started to take off his clothes.

Zhu Yuanzhang watched this leisurely. He wanted to see how his eldest grandson would prove his bravery.

As the clothes were gradually taken off, Zhu Ying's upper body was directly revealed.

Putting aside the streamlined muscles like a cheetah, the dense scars made even a battle-hardened man like Zhu Yuanzhang stand up.

Looking at the horrific scars that crisscrossed across his body, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were filled with shock.

What on earth did his eldest grandson go through in the past ten years to have such marks on his body?