Zhu Yue rushed to Fulong Palace and asked excitedly, "Brother, is that Japan a huge silver mountain?"

Zhu Xiong Ying put down her brush speechlessly and criticized, "How old are you?! Still as unruly as when you were a child!"

"Brother, did your navy conquer Japan and seize the silver mountains?" Zhu Yue was extremely excited and excited. "I knew you were a man of great talent and ambition, and I knew your navy would be of great use!"

Zhu Xiong Ying laughed and said to Zhu Yue, "Don't talk nonsense. The navy belongs to my Ming Dynasty. How could it belong to your brother!"

Zhu Yue pouted, she didn't agree at all, "I know perfectly well that in the past, Grandfather had banned the seas, it was my elder brother who insisted on opening them up. Now we can get millions of taels of silver, jewels and jade from the South Seas every year, and now my elder brother has conquered another silver mountain, our Great Ming treasury will never be empty again!"

Zhu Xiong Ying had a headache and said to Zhu Yue, "We never have enough silver. Besides, having too much silver isn't necessarily a good thing. Having silver is certainly a good thing, but if we don't have grain or cloth, then silver is useless."

Zhu Yue didn't care; all she needed to know was that the Ming Dynasty's treasury was overflowing with wealth because of her elder brother's great talent and ambition. Under such circumstances, who would dare to harbor any other thoughts about the throne?!

It's only natural that the Emperor favors him, since not everyone is as talented and far-sighted as his elder brother!

Not only Zhu Yue felt honored, but Wang Chengen and others also felt incredibly proud. The Crown Prince's position was secure, and he had many civil and military officials under his command, but now the news had spread: the Ming Dynasty had launched a cross-sea expedition and conquered a silver mountain in Japan!

Moreover, in Goryeo, the Crown Prince's maternal uncles led their troops and defeated Yi Seong-gye's army. Now, the Ming Dynasty no longer needs Goryeo to pay tribute of ginseng; the Ming can simply levy taxes locally, and they can harvest the ginseng themselves.

Zhu Xiong Ying's reputation and prestige increased with the continuous influx of silver into Yingtian Prefecture, a result of the deliberate guidance of both the old Zhu and the eldest Zhu. The navy was widely considered the Crown Prince's core strength, and this expedition to Goryeo and Japan was also spearheaded by him.

Therefore, these achievements are naturally attributable to the civil officials who filled in the gaps and provided full logistical support, as well as the brave and heroic soldiers who fought valiantly at the front. But more importantly, it is due to the Crown Prince's foresight and strategic planning.

As for merits, anyone who dares to claim credit from the Crown Prince is courting death, and anyone who dares to deny the Crown Prince's achievements is playing with the lives of their entire family!

"I'll definitely be the Martial Emperor in the future. Those civil officials already said I was close to the nobility and fond of military affairs, and now it's even more so." Zhu Xiong Ying didn't care and said while eating beef, "Fortunately, this time we only seized a silver mine, otherwise it would have been considered excessive militarism."

Zhu Yue grinned and said to Zhu Xiong Ying, "Brother, you never fight a battle where you suffer a loss!"

That's fine too, Zhu Xiong Ying agreed with this view. "That's true. Your elder brother is the kind of person who won't do anything without a profit. Whether it's fighting or conquering, your elder brother is always thinking about getting some benefits. Just wait and see, our Great Ming will become stronger and stronger!"

Zhu Yue nodded firmly. She, her older sister Zhu Xi, and her younger brother Zhu Yunwen had all admired their elder brother since childhood. While their younger brother Zhu Yunwen might be alright, Zhu Xi and Zhu Yue, whether it was their former grandmother or aunts, never hesitated to praise and commend their elder brother for his precocious intelligence.

Zhu Xiong Ying didn't pay much attention to his rising reputation; these were the main things, and it didn't seem like they were anything to be too proud of.

After all, the silver mine output is still relatively average. If the monthly silver output reaches 300,000 or 500,000 taels, that would be something to be proud of. However, by then, everyone will probably have gotten used to some things.

The imperial court dispatched three additional garrisons to protect the Iwami silver mine, and under Feng Sheng's leadership, they continued to expand their base in Japan. Meanwhile, the three garrisons from the princes were placed under the command of Chang Mao and Chang Sheng, tasked with defending against attacks from Yi Seong-gye's forces, without launching any offensives themselves, but rather with protecting the springboard.

Zhu Xiong Ying was very clear about priorities, and Old Zhu was even more aware that some places were not suitable for a major fight at the moment.

Zhu Xiong Ying wasn't particularly concerned about the further increase in his prestige. His position was already secure enough, so he naturally took a more relaxed view of many things and didn't need to be overly sensitive or concerned.

Watching Tianjin City develop rapidly, Li Shanchang felt he was overwhelmed. He was getting too old, and he also felt that the current Crown Prince was too resourceful, strategic, and farsighted, which made him think more deeply.

“Qi’er, I never believed in destiny before, but now I see that I was short-sighted.” Li Shanchang said to Li Qi earnestly, “Remember, if you do what the Crown Prince asks you to do, you don’t have to worry about making mistakes.”

Li Qi also harbored some resentment and said with a hint of complaint, "Father, is it really possible that the Crown Prince will never make a mistake?"

"The biggest difference between you and the Crown Prince is that the Crown Prince plans before he acts. Life is like a game of chess. Those who only think one step ahead are mediocre, those who plan three steps ahead are average, and those who plan ten steps ahead are wise!" Li Shanchang said with emotion. "Just look at what the Crown Prince has done over the years. Isn't every single thing he has done purposeful, and isn't every single thing profitable?!"

Li Qi thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed the case. "Father, I believe you. The things the Crown Prince is planning are all long-term matters. It's hard to see results in the short term, but it's possible to see results in three or five years."

Li Shanchang nodded and instructed again, "So you must follow the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince has his own plans. Besides, everyone says that the Crown Prince is like the current Emperor, except that the Crown Prince is more benevolent than the Emperor, who is too harsh."

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