Volume One, Chapter 22: The Little Cotton-Padded Jacket Leaks Cold Air? Old Zhu's Heart Turns Cold!

After cooling down, Zhu Yuanzhang’s complexion gradually improved. At this moment, he was no longer as enraged by the fact that his fourth son had rebelled. After all, Zhu Di was a member of the Zhu family, his own son. It was not like the Great Qin, where the fruits of victory were seized by Liu Bang, or the Sui Dynasty, where the family of Li Yuan usurped the throne.

"Tell me, how did the fourth perform after ascending the throne?" he wondered. "I remember Jiang Lin mentioned before that the third emperor of the Great Ming was known as the Yongle Emperor. That must be my fourth son."

Just as the Old Emperor was about to press for more details about Zhu Di, Zhu Yourong suddenly interjected. "Young Master Jiang, I... I am hungry." She rubbed her flat little stomach, looking at Jiang Lin with eyes full of anticipation, hoping he would bring out another delicious treat she had never tasted before.

"Well, it’s one in the afternoon; time to eat," Jiang Lin said, glancing at the wall clock.

The Old Emperor looked on with disdain. "Forget about eating! Hurry up and continue—tell us about the fourth son’s performance after he took the throne."

"Chongba, I am actually a bit hungry myself," Empress Ma said softly from the side.

Hearing this, the Old Emperor could only relent. He turned to Jiang Lin and said, "Fine, let’s eat first. What are we having for lunch?"

"How about hot pot?" Jiang Lin suggested after a moment's thought.

Zhu Yourong looked puzzled. "What is hot pot?"

"Hot pot is a delicacy from the future," Jiang Lin explained. "You place a base in a pot and let it boil, then you can add various vegetables and meats. Once cooked, you can eat them right away!"

*Slurp.* Being a true foodie, Zhu Yourong’s eyes lit up at the description. She couldn't help but swallow her saliva and urge him, "Young Master Jiang, your description makes it sound so delicious! What are we waiting for? Can you be quick?"

"Alright, alright, I’ll go prepare the hot pot!" Jiang Lin feigned helplessness, but he was overjoyed inside. *Brothers, who can understand this? Having a foodie princess for a wife is pure bliss! You only need to feed her delicious food to deepen your relationship, unlike the girls of the future, who require bags, cosmetics, jewelry, and all sorts of expensive gifts... only to be told in the end that 'acceptance does not mean consent!'"*

Jiang Lin turned to the kitchen and pulled a copper pot from the cupboard. It had a peculiar design, divided down the middle. "This is called a 'Mandarin Duck Pot.' It allows for two different soup bases. I was thinking of making one spicy and one tomato-flavored. What do you think? Is that alright?"

The four of them nodded in unison, no one voicing an objection. Zhu Yourong urged him again, "Young Master Jiang, hurry, I can't wait!"

"One moment, let me get the base and the ingredients." Jiang Lin went to the refrigerator, quickly retrieving frozen hot pot base, vegetables, and chilled beef and mutton. After taking inventory, he turned to the four behind him. "The side dishes are mostly ready, but we’re missing potato slices. Wait here for a moment; I’ll go dig some up from the garden in the back and be right back."

Upon hearing that Jiang Lin was going to dig up potatoes, the Old Emperor’s eyes lit up. Yesterday, he had heard from Biao’er that Jiang Lin’s home had three miraculous crops that could yield twenty *shi* per *mu*, and one of them was called a potato. At first, the Old Emperor certainly didn't believe it! But now, having witnessed so many of Jiang Lin’s extraordinary capabilities, his resolve had wavered, and he was beginning to believe. This was the perfect chance to see for himself.

"I’ll accompany you to see these potatoes!"

"I haven’t seen what a potato looks like either," Zhu Biao added.

Empress Ma nodded as well. "I shall join you."

Only Zhu Yourong was the exception. She shook her head and said pitifully, "Why don’t you all go dig for potatoes, and I’ll stay here and wait for you to return?"

"Hmm?" Everyone turned to look at her. Zhu Yourong shrank back, her expression becoming even more pathetic.

Jiang Lin remained unmoved. He walked up to her and said, "How can I leave you here alone? You must come with us!" Without waiting for her reaction, he grabbed her arm with his right hand.

Feeling a strong arm grasp her, Zhu Yourong’s mind went blank. Her face felt burning hot, and her heart pounded wildly. The other three were stunned. They had not expected Jiang Lin to be so bold as to grab her arm in public. Such a gesture, relatively common among friends in the future, was seen by them as something only a couple in an intimate relationship would do.

"Ahem! That..." Seeing the atmosphere turn cold, the Old Emperor spoke up first, ready to usher everyone to the backyard garden, as he was impatient to see the potatoes. Although he was surprised by Jiang Lin’s behavior, he wasn't particularly displeased. *Could this be... the way people in the future interact? After all, there was no actual improper physical contact.*

However, as soon as the Old Emperor cleared his throat, Zhu Yourong, who had been in a daze, suddenly snapped back to reality. Flustered, she quickly tried to explain to her father: "Father, Young Master... Young Master Jiang comes from over six hundred years in the future. The behavior of people in the future is slightly more open; please, bear with him."

The moment those words left her lips, the already chilly room turned even colder. The Old Emperor was stunned, completely dumbfounded. He was pleased that his daughter was flustered, but instead of pulling away from Jiang Lin immediately, she was making excuses to defend him? *What is the meaning of this? Does my daughter see me as such an unfeeling, unreasonable, and tyrannical person?*

The Old Emperor’s mood became complex. Zhu Yourong was his legitimate second daughter, born of Empress Ma. She had always been his most comforting, "warm little cotton-padded jacket," and his favorite. Now, this jacket seemed to have a leak, and the chill was blowing right into the Old Emperor’s heart.

Jiang Lin’s smile only grew wider upon hearing her words. *My goodness! This princess-wife of mine is actually defending me; she is so understanding! It seems I must treat her doubly well in the future; she is worth every bit of my devotion.*

Zhu Yourong also sensed the shift in the room's atmosphere. She had spoken out of panic without thinking, and now she felt ashamed. "Young Master Jiang, men and women should keep their distance—please conduct yourself with propriety!"

Realizing her mistake, she quickly pulled her arm away.

Jiang Lin said with a grin, "Princess, you clearly promised to pledge yourself to me earlier; surely you don't intend to go back on your word?" He glanced pointedly at the Old Emperor as he spoke.

The Old Emperor said nothing. He simply grabbed Empress Ma’s arm, and the elderly couple left the room first. Empress Ma was clearly surprised as well; under Jiang Lin’s influence, the Old Emperor, who had been a rough man his whole life, had become quite interesting.

Seeing her parents leave, Zhu Yourong no longer resisted Jiang Lin’s intimate behavior. In truth, she hadn't been that resistant to begin with; it was just the shyness of a young girl in front of her family.

As the two pairs left the room one after another, only Zhu Biao remained.

Zhu Biao: "???"

Zhu Biao looked on with a face full of question marks, regretting only that he hadn't brought his wife, Lady Chang, along today.