Chapter 4, Prodigal Sons

Uh ...! ... However, before that, he still needs to resolve his father's issues; otherwise, he might end up being made into a clay pot chicken along with his father

In fact, Zhu Zhanhe indeed guessed Zhou Xin's thoughts, but he did not intend to act as Zhou Xin had imagined.

There is, but only the reserve troops, yet can they be mobilized at will

Forget it

He no longer dared to think further; if what he imagined were to come true, then the future of the Ming Dynasty would be one of blood and carnage

He suddenly realized that he seemed to have generalized a bit. What Zhu Zhanhe did appeared to be exactly as he had seen it, but in reality...

An eagle in a cage will ultimately become a weak chicken; only through continuous honing can they become true hunting dogs, and they may even be utilized in other areas.

He wants to ask why Zhu Zhanhe came to Jiaxing Prefecture, why he had to come from Yingtian Prefecture, and why he personally took the initiative to help the common people, even going so far as to mobilize the anti-Wokou army with great effort

... ...

At most, it is merely enduring some physical suffering; at best, it is just going to Yunnan to become a vassal. What else could happen?

I do not mind, it is just that the court is currently unable to take action

Moreover, it was not only Jiaxing Prefecture that suffered from the Japanese invasion; the conscription for supporting Annam a few years ago faced similar difficulties, and various regions are experiencing hardships. Who should we help first

Going to Yunnan to establish a fief? It is not that I look down on you; you are merely a prince of the Han dynasty, and at only nine years old, it is truly inappropriate to speak of establishing a fief.

Zhu Zhanhe was gnawing on a rabbit leg and handed the other hind leg to Zhou Xin

In the end, he had not anticipated that the Han Wang's heir would travel thousands of miles from Yingtianfu, audaciously mobilizing eight thousand anti-Wokou troops, and then simply go off to walk his dog

Is the wine not good to drink? Or is walking the dog not fun?

Do they all dislike it? Then it’s no big deal! Do the beauties of the Western Regions like it? The Western Regions are still under the rule of the descendants of the Yuan dynasty! Let’s go over there and get some raisins and Hami melons to enjoy!

! ! !

I do not have so many chaotic thoughts

What is there to be afraid of? Zhu Zhanhe discarded the bone that had already been gnawed clean, took the handkerchief handed to him by Zhu Ling, wiped his mouth, and wore an expression of complete indifference

Zhou Xin suddenly woke up, turning his head in disbelief to look at Zhu Zhanhe

No matter how one puts it, I am still the heir of the Han family, and what I have done cannot be considered a bad deed. Although punishment is certain, it is not as serious as it seems.

As for the arduous task of being an emperor, it is better left to his cousin who initiated the Xuande reign to worry about it

"You are overthinking it." The voice of Zhu Zhanhe suddenly rang out, causing Zhou Xin to shudder abruptly

That's right, it's walking the dog

Zhou Xin silently accepted the rabbit hind leg handed to him by Zhu Zhanhe, but did not eat it. Instead, he looked at Zhu Zhanhe with a complex expression on his face

Furthermore, as Zhu Zhanhe stated, the entire Ming Dynasty is currently preparing for the Yongle Emperor's personal expedition next year; how could there be any spare military forces to engage in such matters

If he truly takes that position, he will undoubtedly make many preparations in advance, and there will even be many things that may not be useful for a hundred years, but will be useful when the Little Ice Age arrives

He also admires Zhou Xin, having followed him for almost a decade now, accompanying him wherever he goes, truly living up to his reputation of being as cold as iron.

"Your Highness, why are you doing this?" After a long silence, Zhou Xin finally voiced the question that had been lingering in his heart for the past few days

Zhou Xin took a deep breath, if that is the case, then the future of the Han Wang heir is likely to be ... ...

He knows that Zhu Zhanhe's words are not without merit

Other dynasties may be excused, and even in chaotic times, Zhu Zhanhe had the courage to take risks, but the Ming Dynasty...

If we are to speak frankly, it must also pertain to your father

Since Your Highness is here to assist the common people in harvesting grain, why not report to His Majesty, instead of coming here privately and mobilizing the reserve troops against the Japanese?

After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Xin ultimately decided to speak frankly.

Zhou Xin was about to speak, but not a single word came out.

Isn't such a life enjoyable

"Your Highness, are you not afraid of facing punishment upon returning to the capital?" Zhou Xin remained silent for a long time before posing another question

Zhou Xin was suddenly choked.

The Yongle Emperor could boldly declare, "A single lifetime's fate is equivalent to the fate of countless generations," but he himself could not.

With the addition of the two thousand people, Zhu Zhanhe ordered this ten thousand to start helping the people in the coastal areas to harvest grain, while he himself, accompanied by a few guards, entered the mountains of Xiushui

Zhou Xin was left speechless

Hiss ... ...

So tired

... ...

You should be aware that even in urgent situations, it is not permissible to mobilize the reserve troops, regardless of your status as the heir to the Han throne. Once you return to the capital, you will likely face punishment.

Being a prince during the Ming Dynasty was an incredibly comfortable position! Who in their right mind would want to be an emperor

Zhu Zhanhe seems to have said something, but Zhou Xin is somewhat at a loss, as Zhu Zhanhe did not clarify, making the statement sound as if nothing was said at all

Family members understand their own affairs; he is well aware that once he occupies that position, he will undoubtedly be extremely busy, as he is different from others

Zhou Xin truly did not expect that one day he would be following behind a young dandy, and even more so, that this young dandy would be the son of the Han Wang.

The emperor is indeed the lifelong goal of many people, including his father Zhu Gaoxu, but not Zhu Zhanhe

You must be aware that His Majesty has decided to personally lead the expedition against the Tatars next year? In this situation, it is already commendable that we are not conscripting soldiers, let alone having the capacity to assist these common people

In discussing the encounters with Japanese pirates, it should be noted that Huai'an Prefecture, Yangzhou Prefecture, and Songjiang Prefecture also faced similar threats concurrently with Jiaxing Prefecture. Furthermore, regarding conscription, regions such as Guangdong and Guangxi were also subjected to recruitment.

The beauties of the Western Regions are still not enough? No worries! Do the Western European ocean horses like it? Moreover, there is no need to adhere to the same rules as the Han people for the Western European ocean horses! There is no need to wait until they grow old and lose their charm to change them at will

This blue flower dog, although a breed used for herding, possesses a trace of wolf lineage, which endows it with a certain fierceness by nature, making it suitable for hunting and even for guarding.

Aren't you going to eat something, Rixin?

Moreover, according to the regulations of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Zhanhe need not worry about money at all, for members of the royal family in the Ming Dynasty received a "salary," and there was no fear of how much they would receive!

It is not the scarcity that is worrisome, but the inequality; it is indeed difficult for the court to manage affairs, as it is impossible to balance this bowl of water.

It can be seen that Zhu Zhanhe indeed acted with urgency and pragmatism in this matter

Is it not to allow his father, Han Wang, to go to Yunnan to establish a fief

Although the Little Ice Age has not yet arrived, one can already feel the residual power emitted by this colossal beast. Zhu Zhanhe does not wish to strive towards that position at this time

Oh, you mean this..." Zhu Zhanhe was momentarily taken aback, but soon nonchalantly tore into the rabbit leg in his hand

What? Zhu Zhanhe was momentarily taken aback, as Zhou Xin had hardly mentioned any matters related to official business in the past few days