Chapter 45 "The Oirat students... are you comfortable sending them?"
Zheng He began recruiting workers for the brick kiln, but he kept feeling like he had forgotten something. What was it?
I can't remember either...
Zhu Yuanzhang suspended court for several days and stayed in the mourning hall to keep watch over Zhu Biao.
Once upon a time, when he was preparing to conquer the country, he thought that the emperor was all-powerful and could command the wind and rain. But when he actually sat on the throne, he realized that it was difficult to do whatever he wanted!
The weight of the world's people rests on our shoulders.
Zhu Yuanzhang looked up and wondered if Biao'er had already gone to heaven to reunite with his wife.
Even in heaven, Biao'er remains the crown prince, but the position of crown prince on earth will be taken by someone else.
Zhu Yuanzhang took a deep breath. As the ruler of the world, family affairs were national affairs and affairs of the world.
Even the most orthodox and traditional rites cannot compare to the will of Heaven; making the fourth prince the crown prince was Heaven's arrangement.
Emperor Yongle.
For the sake of the country and the people, he had to make this decision. Zhu Shuang and the others had long seen Zhu Yuanzhang's wavering.
Zhu Shuang narrowed his eyes slightly. If the fourth prince were to take over, he probably wouldn't treat him well. It would be better to have a good fight now. If the fourth prince does a good job, he doesn't believe that his fat son can do a good job either!
The TV remote was placed in the corner of the mourning hall, and no one dared to touch it. It was a divine artifact; how could a mortal easily touch it?
Besides, Zheng He wasn't here.
Zhu Shuang quietly moved to a corner. There were many buttons on the remote control. Although he didn't understand what they meant, he still pressed them all.
By the time the eunuchs noticed, it was too late; the television was playing again.
However, this time the content is: [The Shame of the Ming Dynasty: The Tumu Crisis.]
"What Tumu Fortress?" Zhu Yuanzhang squinted.
A "change" refers to a sudden change of regime or a disastrous military defeat, such as the Xuanwu Gate Incident in the Tang Dynasty and the Chenqiao Mutiny in the Song Dynasty...
In other words, anything that can be changed is definitely not a good thing.
The scene slowly unfolds, showing the young emperor, at the urging of the eunuchs, leading an army of 200,000 to personally conquer the Oirat Mongols. Zhu Yuanzhang's face gradually darkens as he sees the chaotic command and lack of supplies in the army.
Even Zhu Shuang hadn't expected such an effect. Heh heh, as expected, the fourth son's descendants are unreliable.
"Nonsense!" Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "How can military campaigns be treated like child's play! Who is this brat? How dare he squander our country like this!"
Zhu Di stared at the screen, his face suddenly turning deathly pale.
A voice came at just the right time: "Emperor Yingzong of Ming, Zhu Qizhen, was the great-great-grandson of Emperor Chengzu of Ming, Zhu Di."
Emperor Chengzu of Ming?
Why Emperor Chengzu of Ming?
Zhu Di had only these two questions in his mind.
"What?!" Zhu Yuanzhang turned his head sharply, his eyes flashing with ferocity. "Fourth brother, is this your child?!"
Having such descendants is a disgrace to the Zhu family.
Zhu Di, who fathered such a descendant, naturally became the target of public criticism.
Zhu Shuang added fuel to the fire, saying, "Father, it would have been better if such a descendant had never been born. He's ruining our Zhu family's empire, which you worked so hard to build."
These words struck a chord with Zhu Yuanzhang. He had worked hard all his life, only to have his descendants fight like lambs to the slaughter.
A disgrace, that's right, a true disgrace to the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Di knelt down with a thud: "Father, you are wise! Your son...your son was unaware!"
He can manage his son and grandson, but what is he supposed to do when a genetically mutated great-great-grandson suddenly appears?
How can he see it?
He won't live that long!
The television screen continued to broadcast: the disastrous defeat at Tumu Fortress, the annihilation of 200,000 Ming troops, and Zhu Qizhen being captured by the Oirat Mongols like livestock. Zhu Yuanzhang trembled with rage, his sword already drawn.
"Fine! We were just about to make you the crown prince, and this is what you show us?!" Zhu Yuanzhang pointed his sword at Zhu Di. "Your lineage first rebelled and seized the throne, and then produced such a useless piece of trash, burying our Ming Dynasty's 200,000 elite troops!"
A flash of cold light, and the sword's edge was already at Zhu Di's throat.
Most people in the mourning hall wanted Zhu Yuanzhang to strike them down with his sword, especially Zhu Yunwen, whose eyes were bloodshot and burning with fury. He wanted to strike down! He wanted to strike down!
Once you cut it off, the root of all suffering will end.
However, there are also people who are unwilling.
"Father, please calm down!" Prince Zhou rushed forward and hugged Zhu Yuanzhang's leg. "How can Fourth Brother control the affairs of future generations!"
Zhu Yuanzhang laughed in fury: "Very well, so you brothers are of one mind, huh? Today we'll send you all on your way together!"
Zhu Di knelt on the ground, not daring to move, the tip of the sword trembling slightly against his Adam's apple. He could feel his father's murderous intent piercing his skin like a tangible force.
"Father, you are wise!" Zhu Di slammed his forehead heavily against the gold brick. "Your son has failed in disciplining his descendants and is willing to accept death! But..." He suddenly looked up, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, "Was the defeat at Tumu Fortress truly just a matter of bloodline?"
If it is a matter of bloodline, then his descendants are also the descendants of the emperor.
The sword's edge paused slightly.
Taking the opportunity, Zhu Di straightened up and pointed to the Oirat cavalry slaughtering the Ming army on the screen: "Our Ming Dynasty's garrison system is based on hereditary military households. Soldiers don't know their generals, and generals don't know their soldiers. The 500,000-strong army looks impressive, but in reality, it's like herding sheep!" He then pointed to the captured Zhu Qizhen, "And look at this...great-grandson, who ascended the throne at the age of nine and was raised by women in the deep palace. How could he understand the art of war?"
This is by no means a matter of bloodline; an untrained lamb running into the grassland is simply walking into a trap.
Zhu Yuanzhang's sword slowly lowered by three-tenths of an inch, his expression unreadable.
"Your subject dares to be bold," Zhu Di's voice was hoarse with excitement, "the problem is not whose bloodline it is, but that the throne must be passed to the eldest son! If the virtuous and capable are not allowed to stand, then the mediocre will surely occupy the highest position! Today it is Tumu Fortress, tomorrow it will be Tumu Plain and Tumu River!"
As if to prove this point, the television suddenly switched scenes: the Jiajing Emperor dancing wildly in front of the alchemy furnace, the Wanli Emperor smoking opium in the deep palace, the Tianqi Emperor concentrating on carving a wooden kite... one absurd scene after another flashed by like a revolving lantern.
A mountain of useless things makes it impossible to even muster any anger. Zhu Yuanzhang slowly lowered his sword, his brow furrowed.
Seeing this, Zhu Di continued, "Father, please look, not only my descendants, but other branches of the family are also producing incompetent rulers. If the system is not changed, the Ming Dynasty is in grave danger!"
Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent for a long time, then suddenly sneered: "Fourth brother, you're quite the sophist. Then tell me how we should change it?"
Zhu Di touched his forehead to the ground: "Your subject dares to suggest that a system of 'the virtuous and capable succeeding to the throne' be established. After the princes come of age, they will be enfeoffed in various regions to govern, and the court will assess them and select the best one to be the crown prince."
"Ha, that's easy to say." Zhu Yuanzhang lifted Zhu Di's chin with the tip of his sword. "Don't you just think you're the most 'capable'?"
Zhu Di looked directly into his father's eyes: "Your son dares not presume to claim himself virtuous. But for the sake of the country, we should indeed choose the virtuous and capable as the successor, rather than considering seniority."
One's position determines one's perspective; Zhu Di, who was neither the eldest son nor the heir apparent, had long since skewed his allegiance.
Zhu Yuanzhang's sword clattered to the ground, and the old emperor staggered back two steps, only managing to steady himself by grabbing something with his withered hand.
He suddenly recalled that in the tenth year of the Hongwu reign, Biao'er had advised him not to abolish the position of Prime Minister: "Father, future generations may not have your energy..."
What was his response at the time?
Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly sheathed his sword and turned to look at the still-playing screen.
In Beijing, Yu Qian was organizing the army and civilians to resist the Oirat army.
"This Yu Qian is indeed a loyal minister," Zhu Yuanzhang murmured.
Such a loyal minister, what a pity...
A fine horse is common, but a discerning eye is rare.
Emperor Jiajing pursued Taoism, Emperor Wanli neglected his duties, Emperor Tianqi became a carpenter... one incompetent emperor after another appeared.
Zhu Yuanzhang's hand finally slowly fell to his sides.
——
After the recruitment was over, the setting sun cast long shadows of the three men. Jiang Ge walked along the bluestone path back to the officials' quarters, then suddenly stopped and instructed Zheng He, "Before we start work tomorrow, remember to bring some Huoxiang Zhengqi Water. This is a prescription I bought from the market, and I've already had it brewed into a decoction." As he spoke, he took out a prescription from his sleeve. "This is an improved formula, with added Poria cocos and dried tangerine peel; it's especially good for relieving summer heat."
We can't treat workers like consumables; they are the pillars of their families, and we should try to minimize any harm to their health.
The brick kiln expanded its scale, and more workers were recruited, with excellent compensation.
"Your Excellency's compassion for the people is truly benevolent," Zheng He said, bowing slightly. Then, as if remembering something, he frowned slightly. "However, with the expansion of the brick kiln and such generous wages, I worry that the county treasury will be strained. And later, we still need to repair the river embankment and build sluice gates..."
He's in charge of all these projects, so it wouldn't be good if the finances were tight.
Before he finished speaking, Jiang Ge's lips curled up slightly, revealing a wealthy man's smile.
Just then, Zhou Yu, dressed in a moon-white robe, emerged from the corridor, his jade pendant jingling at his waist.
The handsome young man from Jiangdong, holding an account book, announced loudly, "Magistrate Jiang, the second batch of glass cups has been sold to merchants, and the price is 30% higher than last time." He then unfolded the account book, saying, "When the caravan saw the craftsmanship of the carved glass, they said it was a treasure that even the royal family had never seen before."
glass.
Django would laugh at himself when he talked about this. He was sitting on a mountain of gold and silver, struggling to make money, while a glass that cost a few dollars in the mall could sell for thousands of dollars here.
Things are valued for their rarity.
Later on, they could sell perfume, pepper, lipstick... It's just that such unusual items are easy to attract attention. Django still wants to make a fortune quietly and hold back; he can't open the champagne halfway through.
The world is getting more and more chaotic lately. Django heard that the eldest prince is raising a private army. What a fool, making such a big fuss about rebellion.
Even a minor county magistrate like her could hear the rumors.
The emperor didn't know?
This dynasty is doomed sooner or later.
Moreover, it was Zhou Yu who told her this news. He's a genius; he's already figured out the situation perfectly and can even do a part-time job so well.
Everyone gathered in the office; it was the first time they had ever heard of making money by selling glass cups.
Making money is certainly a good thing, but...
Zhou Yu frowned, "However, those bandits outside are indeed in the way. They have robbed many trading caravans, which has resulted in fewer caravans these days."
Speaking of this, Zhou Yu was quite annoyed. The bandit den had a large number of members and colluded with the government, which made caravans afraid to come to Songyang County.
Yuchi Jingde had also heard the passing people talk about this matter. He picked up his weapon and said fiercely, "When I have some free time, I will kill all these bandits."
It was just killing a bunch of bandits.
Yuchi Jingde was confident. They were not even a regular army, and their weapons were not standard. It would be no difficulty for them to fight.
“No, those bandits number in the tens of thousands and are protected by the government. They may be colluding with the imperial forces. It is not appropriate for us to be too conspicuous right now,” Zhou Yu said solemnly.
Songyang County only has so many people right now, so it can't really loosen its grip.
A hush fell over the room. Jiang Ge's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table, a habit she had when she was thinking. Zheng He noticed that the magistrate's nails were trimmed very short, and her hands were exquisitely delicate.
"Let's find a way to get around those bandits first," Django finally decided.
Yuchi Jingde was seething with anger. He was a killer on the battlefield, yet he had to avoid a group of bandits. It was infuriating.
Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Ge cut him off, saying, "Once we have more people, we can just attack directly."
With a gang of bandits gathered at his doorstep, he was restricted in everything he did, and even Django couldn't stand it anymore.
After everyone agreed with Django, they returned to their respective dynasties.
As soon as Zheng He opened his eyes, he saw Zhu Di.
"Sanbao, how are you today? Are you tired?" Such caring words would warm anyone's heart, especially for Zheng He, who was already filled with gratitude.
Zheng He shook his head. The work in Songyang County wasn't particularly strenuous; it just required him to read people's expressions and demeanor, which was exactly his forte.
Because of their physical disabilities, eunuchs are more psychologically sensitive than others.
"well."
Zhu Di sighed, but was unwilling to say more. "Regarding the brick kiln..." Zhu Di changed the subject, "Should I transfer a few craftsmen from the Ministry of Works?"
Zhu Di also knew that Zheng He was busy repairing the brick kiln.
Although Zheng He knew something about brick-making, he hadn't been in contact with it for some time.
Zheng He was worried but didn't ask any more questions, instead changing the subject: "The brick kiln will start operation tomorrow, so we still need to learn a bit."
He has to teach others tomorrow.
Dust filled the kiln, where dozens of craftsmen were busy at work. Some were barefoot, treading on the mud; others were filling wooden molds with clay; and still others were pushing carts to transport the finished bricks.
The court's artisans were naturally the best. Despite the high temperatures inside the brick kiln, Zheng He was able to keep his clothes neat, while the artisans had already begun to undress.
Everywhere you look, there are shirtless men.
The craftsmen chosen by Zhu Di were naturally the most skilled.
He was strong and dark-skinned, looking like an untamed wild horse, but he was quite serious when it came to making bricks.
"Lord Zheng, you've arrived." His voice was hoarse but loud.
"Hello, Master Song."
Master Song sized Zheng He up and down, noticing that although he was dressed in fine clothes, his eyes were clear and his attitude humble, so he nodded. "What would you like to learn, sir?"
"I want to know how to make good bricks?" Zheng He pointed to various parts of the kiln, and questions poured out like a spring.
A hint of surprise flashed in Master Song's eyes, then he smiled and said, "Come with me."
He led Zheng He to a pile of yellowish-brown soil. "This is clay that was specially transported here. It needs to be dried, crushed, sifted, and then kneaded with water." Master Song grabbed a handful of soil and rubbed it in his palm. "You see, it needs to be this kind of moisture that is neither sticky nor clumpy."
Good clay is essential for making bricks.
Zheng He understood this, and the next step Master Song would take him to see how to make embryos.
Master Song led him to the work area. The craftsmen slammed the kneaded clay into wooden molds, scraped off the excess with a bowstring, and then flipped them over to unmold. Their movements were fluid and seamless.
Zheng He encountered numerous problems during his attempts—the clay was too wet and stuck in the mold, while it was too dry and cracked. After the fifth failure, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, but he gritted his teeth and continued to try.
After staring for a while, Master Song said, "Actually, in our line of work, injuries are inevitable."
Zheng He continued what he was doing, seemingly casually: "If you're injured, what will you do?"
Master Song gave a rough laugh: "Someone will definitely take your place."
——
The rooster had just crowed once when Zhou Dashi got up in the dark.
A-Cui stuffed two coarse grain buns into his hand in the kitchen. They were so hard they could hurt your teeth, but they were the best dry food the family could offer. Zhou Da-Shi broke one open and stuffed most of it back into his wife's hand: "You eat it. They provide meals at the kiln."
I can eat a little something to tide me over until noon, and then eat more at noon to save some food for the family.
The morning dew soaked his straw sandals as Zhou Dashi trudged towards the county town. The sky was just beginning to lighten with a hazy white, and there were already a few fellow travelers on the road—all heading to work at the brick kiln. Wang Ergou caught up with him from the fork in the road.
"Brother Da Shi!" Wang Er Gou rubbed his hands together. "I heard that the kiln has more than thirty cave dwellings. Master Zheng's craftsmanship is excellent. It would be good if we could learn a little bit of it."
If you have a skill, you don't have to worry about not having enough to eat, because having a skill will definitely prevent you from starving.
Zhou Dashi hurried on his way, his heart pounding with anxiety. He had seen the earthen kilns in the neighboring village; their dark entrances resembled gaping mouths that devoured people, and the kiln workers were all skin and bones.
Will this recruitment drive by the county government really be different?
Turning the bend in the mountain valley, the sight before him made Zhou Dashi abruptly stop in his tracks—in the morning light, dozens of dome-shaped kilns stood in neat rows, emitting wisps of smoke. Even more astonishing was the presence of several large iron pots at the entrance of the kiln site, the aroma of steaming porridge wafting in on the breeze.
Didn't they say they would only provide lunch?
Jiang Ge, now that he had money, became much more generous. Since the roads were long in the morning and there were bound to be workers who hadn't eaten breakfast, he specially prepared breakfast for them.
Zheng He was calling roll at the door, his clothes soaked with dew. When he saw Zhou Dashi, he nodded slightly: "Get your tools, third cave."
Each person received a brand-new shovel, a wooden mold, and coarse cloth gloves. Zhou Dashi carefully stroked the marks on the shovel—it was made of iron, and ordinary farmers couldn't afford such good iron.
"Watch closely!" Zheng He demonstrated, standing on the mound. "Mix three parts sand with seven parts clay, and add water little by little!"
He picked up a shovel and deftly began mixing the mud. Zhou Dashi was surprised to find that the calluses on this man's hands were thicker than those of a farmer, and the muscles in his forearms bulged with each stir, making him look nothing like a pampered official.
"Give it a try." Zheng He handed the shovel to the nearest worker.
Zhou Dashi tried to dig the soil like Zheng He, but he couldn't mix it evenly. Zheng He demonstrated it to him directly: "You have to rotate your wrist like this." He made an arc with his wrist, and the mud immediately became smooth and even.
It looked very simple. Zhou Dashi tried it again, and it really was very simple. He was just too nervous and felt that he couldn't even do such a simple task well.
At this moment, Zheng He clapped his hands and said, "Take a break for a quarter of an hour! The kitchen is bringing the meal!"
Lin and several women pushed a cart over, on which wooden buckets were filled with multigrain steamed buns and stew, some even glistening with oil. What surprised Zhou Dashi even more was that each person received a large, full bowl!
“The master said,” Lin ladled an extra spoonful of vegetable soup for Zhou Dashi, “that he needs to eat his fill to have the energy to work.”
Zhou Dashi was squatting in the shadows of the cave dwelling, wolfing down his food, when he suddenly heard Zheng He's voice: "Stretch out your hand."
He looked up blankly and saw Zheng He holding a rough porcelain bowl filled with dark ointment. "Your knuckles are all worn raw, put this on." Zheng He squatted down and applied the ointment himself. The ointment was cool and had a faint herbal scent.
In the afternoon, they learned how to make bricks. Zheng He threw a lump of clay into a wooden mold, and with a flick of his wrist, he produced a square brick. Zhou Dashi tried more than ten times, but his bricks either leaned or fell apart. As the sun began to set, he became anxious and sweated profusely.
"No rush." Zheng He appeared behind him unnoticed. "When I was learning this craft, I ruined more than two hundred pieces of clay."
Zhou Dashi gritted his teeth and continued. Finally, on the thirty-seventh attempt, a perfect brick blank was born. Zheng He picked up the blank and examined it against the setting sun, nodding in satisfaction: "Good blank! It can be fired into top-quality bricks."
As the sun rose higher, the kiln site became like a steamer. Zhou Dashi's short jacket was already soaked through, and the sweat stung his eyes. Just then, a commotion suddenly arose in the distance, and Zheng He was seen running quickly towards the old kiln at the far west.
"Sir! The kiln roof is loose!" a worker shouted.
Zheng He had already bent down and crawled inside: "There are still freshly made clay blanks inside!" Before he finished speaking, there was a muffled "boom," and clods of earth fell from the top of the kiln.
Zhou Dashi's heart leaped into his throat. The group frantically dug through the collapsed rubble and finally found Zheng He under a pile of broken bricks. His right leg was pinned under a beam, and blood had soaked through his trousers, but he was still tightly clutching a few intact bricks in his arms.
"Quick! Take him to the clinic!" The foreman stamped his feet anxiously.
Zheng He waved his hand, forcing a smile on his pale face: "It's nothing... It's all because my leg is acting up today, like I tripped over something..." He gestured for the workers to bring a wooden board, then bit down on a strip of cloth to fix his injured leg, and struggled to his feet: "Let's get back to work."
At the end of the workday, Zheng He distributed the day's wages to everyone—eight copper coins, heavy and substantial in their palms. Zhou Dashi counted them three times to make sure not a single coin was missing. To his even greater surprise, Zheng He announced, "From now on, payments will be made every ten days, with no delays!"
Zheng He dragged his injured leg, taking one step at a time, towards the county government office. The wound on his right leg throbbed with each step, and the blood had already soaked through the makeshift bandages, the red standing out starkly against the white background.
As they turned the street corner, Zhou Yu, dressed in white, saw Zheng He's state. Zhou Yu frowned slightly and quickly stepped forward to help him up: "Brother Sanbao, what's going on..."
"Brother Gongjin," Zheng He said with a forced bow, but his leg injury caused him to stumble forward. Zhou Yu swiftly caught his arm.
As soon as Zhou Yu helped him up, he sensed something was amiss. Zheng He appeared to be leaning all his weight on him, but in reality, the muscles in his right leg were taut, and the wound was positioned away from vital areas—it looked horrifying, but it was actually just superficial pain. Zhou Yu's gaze shifted downwards, noticing the fresh kiln dust on the soles of Zheng He's boots, and then he caught a glimpse of the dust rising from the direction of the brick kiln in the distance. He immediately understood.
“Why must you do this, Brother Sanbao?” Zhou Yu lowered his voice and tapped Zheng He’s wrist lightly with his fingers. “Using a self-inflicted injury ruse on yourself is a bit too cruel.”
A faint smile flickered across Zheng He's pale face, which he concealed with a cough: "Ahem... Gongjin is too kind. The cave dwelling has fallen into disrepair over the years; it was my negligence..."
"Oh?" Zhou Yu suddenly released his hand, and Zheng He swayed, but his right leg reflexively landed firmly. The two exchanged a glance, and Zhou Yu shook his head and chuckled, "Why bother?"
Zheng He carefully wrote two characters on Zhou Yu's palm, stroke by stroke.
The King of Yan.
Indeed, as soon as the craftsman spoke last night, Zheng He understood Zhu Di's meaning. In the palace, it was common for substitutes to take shifts, and it must be feasible in Songyang County as well.
The Prince of Yan had always been interested in matters of gods and ghosts and pursued immortality. No one can refuse eternal life, especially an ambitious heir to a dynasty.
A glint flashed in Zhou Yu's eyes, and he immediately understood. He deliberately raised his voice: "You're so badly injured and you're still acting tough! I'll report this to Magistrate Jiang immediately so you can rest and recover properly!"
"Absolutely not!" Zheng He feigned panic, "The brick kiln is at a critical stage of firing..."
"Then please ask Magistrate Jiang to find a capable person to temporarily take over!" Zhou Yu said as he helped Zheng He to find Magistrate Jiang.
Jiang Ge was checking the accounts when he looked up and saw Zheng He's legs covered in blood. He was quite surprised. "What happened? Wasn't today the start of the workday?"
One person was injured right after work started.
Zheng He weakly cupped his hands and said, "This humble official was accidentally injured by the crossbeam of the cave dwelling, and I'm afraid I will be unable to continue supervising the construction..." As he spoke, he swayed and almost fell over.
With injuries this severe, he naturally needs to rest for a few more days.
"Then you should rest for a few days. But your wages will be paid in the next few days. You can buy things after you've rested. The brick kiln will be shut down for a few days." It means the brick kiln will be shut down for a few days. Actually, Jiang Ge could buy the brick kiln technology from the system store, but what's the point of spending money if you can get something for free?
“Magistrate Jiang, the work cannot be stopped. These people have finally found a way to support their families. If it stops, it will likely cause even more trouble.” Zheng He said reluctantly, but he was still thinking of the people.
He can stop the work, but the people can't stand it. Stopping work right after it started is not a good sign.
"So what does Sanbao think we should do?" Jiang Ge looked at Zheng He and then passed the ball back to him.
"This brick kiln matter uses Ming Dynasty technology, and it's a mess I made, so naturally it should be left to the Ming Dynasty to resolve. Magistrate Jiang, please don't worry about it." Zheng He bowed slightly.
What he said was reasonable and well-founded.
Django nodded, her eyes deep. As long as the work assigned to her was done, she couldn't care less about how it was done or who did it.
When Zheng He returned to the Ming Dynasty with his injuries...
"Quickly summon the imperial physician!" Zhu Di rushed forward, personally helping Zheng He to sit down in a chair. Lifting the blood-stained cloth, he saw that although the wound had not damaged any bones or tendons, the way the flesh was torn open still made him frown. "Sanbao, Sanbao, there's no need to risk your life like this."
"Your Highness is wise. We must devote all our efforts to the matter of the immortals. Magistrate Jiang has asked me to rest for a few days, but the brick kiln matter cannot be delayed. Magistrate Jiang says that our Great Ming should take charge of this matter. What do you think..."
The meaning behind Zheng He's words is quite clear.
"Alas, the matter of immortals is of utmost importance." Zhu Di turned around, a resolute glint in his eyes. "It seems only I..."
Just as Zhu Di was about to take on the task, he heard a deep, resonant voice:
"Are you comfortable letting us go, Fourth Brother?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: Should I recruit Han Xin next? Or Xiang Yu? Or Huo Qubing? Or Wei Zhongxian? I'm so conflicted! [Panda head emoji] Any recommendations? Please add this author's page to your favorites! [droopy-eared rabbit head emoji] Please comment!
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