Ming Dynasty: Empress Ma and I swapped clothes!

Chapter 111 Zhu Shuang: Little 3 and Little 4, let's talk this out!

As Ma Wenxiang left the prince's residence, he heard Zhu Shuang's final struggle behind him.

Before half a cup of tea had been brewed, Zhu Shuang awkwardly asked a palace maid from the prince's quarters to bring him a bucket of hot water so he could wash himself thoroughly.

Even children have their pride.

"Would you like me to help Your Highness wash properly again?"

The palace maid asked with a smile.

In the past, I would never have dared to do that, after all, this second prince in the palace was the most unruly.

But times have changed. Since the Second Prince returned to the palace, he has become much easier to get along with, which has made those who serve him a little bolder.

"No."

Zhu Shuang blushed and shook her head in refusal, saying, "My mother said that a real man should stand tall and be self-reliant."

"Yes, Your Highness, I will obey your every command."

The palace maid gave a sweet laugh.

Zhu Shuang could also sense it.

Following the Snowflake Salt incident.

Those around him who had benefited from following him and received rewards from the palace now seemed to genuinely have more sincerity towards him, instead of the previous mixture of awe and disgust.

He can see through many things, not to mention the Hanlin scholars and the teachings of all the tutors. Don't underestimate the thoughts of these princes.

Not long after the palace maid left, a series of footsteps suddenly echoed within the prince's residence.

However, this is quite normal, since before he took up his post, Zhu Shuang was never the only one living here.

But the footsteps grew closer and closer, eventually reaching Zhu Shuang's room.

Looking around, Zhu Shuang opened his eyes and crawled forward from the hot water, only to find that it was actually the fourth son, Zhu Di, and the third son, Zhu Gang.

"It's you two. You dare to come see me?"

Zhu Shuang said loudly with a dissatisfied expression.

Until this point.

He still hadn't forgotten how these two had treated him before; it was simply too much.

The two of them conspired to put him in a position of disloyalty and injustice. If it weren't for his mother's understanding and sense of justice, he would probably still be angry with her now, and in the end, they would all be doomed.

"Get out of my way. I don't know either of you, and don't come into my room."

Zhu Shuang continued to shout, and when she had shouted enough, she prepared to grab the clothes next to her and change into a proper outfit.

But at this moment, Zhu Di and his companion both revealed a malicious smile.

Zhu Shuang admitted it at that moment.

He felt a sudden pang of panic and instinctively asked, "What are you two trying to do?"

"Return the clothes right away..."

He said with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.

"Second Brother, if you don't forgive Xiao San, she won't return the clothes to you."

That's right.

At this point, Zhu Di had become the behind-the-scenes manipulator for Zhu Gang.

He spoke with the same resolute expression, but with a hint of pleading in his voice, "Second Brother, Xiao San and I both know we were wrong about what happened before. We were the ones who were disloyal."

"You can punish us however you want, but you absolutely cannot let Mother stop talking to us, okay?"

"Yes, yes, yes."

Zhu Gang nodded along like a chicken pecking at rice, "Second brother, you don't know, it's been several days now. Ever since Mother found out what happened that day, we two have been incredibly unlucky. We're hated by everyone in this palace. We've already received our due punishment, and even our eldest brother, the Crown Prince, hardly pays any attention to us anymore."

"Second brother, second brother, we're brothers."

At this moment, Zhu Gang started to play the victim, and Zhu Di chimed in loudly, which was quite unexpected.

These brothers actually had a pretty good relationship when they were young.

Seeing their miserable state, Zhu Shuang felt a surge of pleasure, and a thought quietly surfaced in his mind: "So it turns out I'm not the only one being punished by my mother; they're the same."

I knew my mother was fair.

Unlike his father, who only had his elder brother, the Crown Prince, in his heart.

Although my mother was similar before, she has changed now. She said that as long as a child changes, he is a good child. This principle applies to children, and it certainly applies to adults as well.

"A good adult is one who changes; a bad adult is one who doesn't."

Zhu Shuang thought to himself, and then when he looked at Zhu Di and Zhu Gang in front of him, his eyes naturally became more smug.

He now has the real upper hand.

"What if they dare to do it again?"

Zhu Shuang continued to ask, carefully considering his words.

Zhu Gang shook his head vigorously, like a rattle-drum, and immediately said, "Absolutely not. I swear."

"Yes! I can swear that too. Second brother, these are your clothes, Xiao Si will help you get dressed."

"Yes, yes, and mistresses too."

Then, under the care of Xiao San and Xiao Si, Zhu Shuang thoroughly enjoyed what it meant to be waited on hand and foot, and even finished his dinner with their help.

Only now did I reluctantly forgive them for what they had done.

"Considering this is your first offense, and we are all brothers, let's leave it at that. But if he dares to do it again, don't blame me for being ruthless as his second brother."

As the saying goes, even brothers shouldn't be let off easily if they make a mistake. Do you understand?

Zhu Shuang continued to act like the second brother.

But unfortunately, he now held leverage over Zhu Di and his brother, so the two of them naturally nodded obediently and immediately shouted, "Second Brother is the best in the world! Second Brother is invincible!"

"Whatever my second brother says is right, and whatever we say is wrong."

Seeing that the two of them seemed sincere, Zhu Shuang promised them that he would explain everything to his mother the next day.

Even so, the two of them seemed impatient, eager to see their mother right now.

This scene prompted Zhu Shuang to give them another joking and witty rebuke: "Look at you all. Your mother once said that only a general can remain calm even when Mount Tai collapses before him."

"To call himself a future feudal lord like this is a bit of a stretch."

"Alright, let's go to Kunning Palace now and have a proper visit with Mother. I, as your second brother, will put in a good word for you two, no problem."

Zhu Shuang patted his chest, looking extremely confident.

Immediately afterwards at Kunning Palace, Ma Wenxiang also gave Zhu Shuang a good chance to show off.

"Alright, since Xiao Er has forgiven you, I, as your mother, can't go too far."

"Let's just leave it at that."

Ma Wenxiang said slowly.

Zhu Gang and Zhu Di immediately breathed a sigh of relief. If they continued to serve Zhu Shuang like this, they would really become slaves in the palace.

Let alone a few days, it's only been an hour or two.

Both of them felt hopeless and on the verge of collapse; it was a life no human being could endure.