Chapter 33 Returning Victorious
The expedition against Zhu Gaoxu, Prince of Han, was not arduous; rather, it was eerily easy. Zhu Zhanji had already made all sorts of preparations before the expedition, cutting off the Prince of Han's escape route and trapping him in Le'an Prefecture. The Prince of Han, his uncle, was also very considerate. Upon discovering he was surrounded and learning that Zhu Zhanji was personally leading a large army to capture him, the once-front-line general, who had commanded his officers to fight to the death or surrender, surrendered obediently to Zhu Zhanji.
It is really hard to comment on the extent of the rebellion. We can only say that Mr. Han Wang Zhu Gaoxu's performance art is indeed superb.
Perhaps this is also a kind of abstraction.
All in all, Zhu Zhanji suffered almost no casualties in this battle, and easily pacified Le'an Prefecture, which was renamed Wuding.
Rather than saying that Zhu Zhanji went to quell the rebellion, it would be more accurate to say that he was conducting a military exercise, invisibly establishing his own prestige and image.
But now that the King of Han has been dealt with, we naturally have to consider another good brother who often actively responds to the King of Han, the King of Zhao Zhu Gaosui.
When Zhu Yuhuan was born, Prince Zhao had already been enfeoffed. Zhu Yuhuan didn't know him very well, but she could probably guess his mentality.
——Whether it was a rebellion or a judgment, the speed was astonishing. Prince Zhao probably hadn't figured out how to express his attitude yet, and Zhu Zhanji had already picked up the bag with tears in his eyes.
However, even if Prince Zhao expressed his attitude, it would ultimately depend on what Zhu Zhanji himself wanted to do. After all, Zhu Zhanji had a good relationship with his grandfather Zhu Di, and Prince Zhao had once poisoned Zhu Di in his real name. Even if he was his uncle, this behavior was enough to get him beheaded.
At first, Prince Zhao escaped punishment because Zhu Gaochi had guaranteed him. Now he actually had close contacts with Prince Han. Even if Zhu Zhanji really intended to take Prince Zhao's life, it could be said that he had a legitimate reason.
However, based on Zhu Yuhuan's understanding of his biological father, Zhu Zhanji would most likely choose to be gentle with her. After all, although Zhu Zhanji grew up with Zhu Di, he did not completely follow Zhu Di's way of doing things. At least when it came to his own reputation, Zhu Zhanji still cared very much. Otherwise, Zhu Yuhuan would not have resorted to such a trick, and Zhu Zhanji's original plan to depose the queen would have disappeared.
Seeing the emperor's return, Zhu Zhanji, the Prince of Chenshanhexiang and the Minister of Revenue who was originally responsible for the regent, was supposed to take the initiative to welcome him in Xian County. Zhu Zhanji had always declined such a difficult task, but since this was his brother, the emperor, he could not express his complaints directly. He handed the account book to Zhu Yuhuan and prepared to set out to welcome Zhu Zhanji.
Zhu Yuhuan flipped through the account book and asked curiously, "I thought Dad was planning to go visit Prince Zhao directly, but he came back like this?"
Zhu Zhanzhen was originally tasting the new tea that Zhu Yuhuan had sent over. When he heard her words, he almost spit out water. He laughed and said, "Bringing so many people to Zhangde Prefecture to visit Third Uncle, I'm afraid Third Uncle will be frightened to death on the spot."
Zhu Yuhuan chuckled and said, "Prince Zhao has also been through thick and thin with Great-grandfather, so how could he be so timid? Since Daddy is going to visit him personally, Prince Zhao should be more relieved."
Zhu Zhanji heard the mockery in her words and shook his head helplessly, saying, "I'm not sure what my brother is thinking. Although the Prince of Zhao has guards, his strength is much smaller than that of the Prince of Han. If my brother wants to deal with the Prince of Zhao, it's just a matter of snapping his fingers."
Zhu Yuhuan thought for a moment and said, "When we get to Xian County later, Dad might ask how to deal with King Zhao. Does Fifth Uncle have any ideas?"
Zhu Zhanji didn't expect Zhu Yuhuan to suddenly bring this up. He was stunned for a moment, then quickly reminded him, "You can't just guess what the emperor is thinking, okay?"
Although everyone says this, it would be ridiculous if anyone really took it seriously.
Zhu Zhanji thought about it and felt that Zhu Yuhuan's problem was indeed similar to his own royal brother's style of behavior. He glanced at the eunuch serving beside him, and the other party tactfully withdrew.
Fortunately, when the two talked about the business of the shop, they would dismiss the servants around them and only keep reliable confidants by their side. In addition, the uncle and nephew usually interacted with each other for business matters. One was the emperor's brother and the other was the emperor's daughter. Both of them were under the emperor's nose, so the control was relatively relaxed.
Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but ask, "Huanhuan, what do you think?"
Zhu Yuhuan thought to himself, I'm not Yuan Fang, and besides, it's not your place to speak these lines.
Zhu Yuhuan touched his chin and said, "That depends on what you and the other gentlemen have to say, Uncle Wu."
Zhu Zhanji immediately understood that when his royal brother went on the previous expedition, he had asked the ministers about the candidate to attack the King of Han. The same was true now. Whether to let the King of Zhao go or capture him, the emperor was the one who made the final decision and the one who controlled everything.
In other words, they had to give an answer that satisfied the emperor.
Seeing Zhu Zhanji's silence, Zhu Yuhuan continued, "It's okay, Uncle Wu, just keep quiet and let the ministers speak."
Zhu Zhanji rubbed his brows and couldn't help but sighing, "If I had known earlier, I would have pretended to be sick..."
Zhu Yuhuan cleared his throat and said, "Even if the Prince of Zhao had corresponded with the Prince of Han, he did not respond when the Prince of Han rebelled. To demonstrate the new emperor's benevolence and consideration for family ties, the Prince of Zhao should be spared. Why kill him so completely? Even the Prince of Han is your majesty's uncle."
As soon as Zhu Yuhuan finished speaking, Zhu Zhanji was stunned. He felt as if these words had come from Zhu Zhanji himself. He frowned and thought for a moment, then couldn't help but say, "That's not right. My royal brother must still want to get rid of both the King of Han and the King of Zhao. Isn't this a great opportunity? Otherwise, why station troops in Xian County? Isn't it just to send troops directly to Zhangde Prefecture to attack the King of Zhao?"
He had witnessed with his own eyes the back and forth battles between his eldest brother and the King of Han and the King of Zhao. Although the King of Han was later driven away to become a fief, this hatred clearly had no intention of disappearing, but instead deepened. His eldest brother did not directly chop Zhu Gaoxu into bun stuffing, probably because he was weighing the pros and cons of the fact that the Empress Dowager only had these three sons, and it would be bad for his reputation if he really chopped him off.
Zhu Yuhuan smiled and said, "Father is kind and kind, of course he won't say such things. Someone else will naturally speak up when the time comes."
Zhu Zhanji was startled, thought for a moment, then quickly understood and asked, "Minister Chen?"
"Minister Chen was my father's teacher, so it would be most appropriate for him to propose it."
Zhu Zhanji then remembered that there seemed to be this connection, and he said with sudden enlightenment: "So that's how it is. It's better to kill the King of Han and the King of Zhao. That way everyone can feel at ease. If it weren't for my father, they would have been chopped off by Emperor Taizong long ago." He chuckled, rubbed his throat, and said in a hoarse voice: "It's too hard for the regent. My voice is hoarse and I can't speak..."
Zhu Yuhuan: "Fifth Uncle, your excuse is just a pretense..."
Zhu Zhanji's voice was hoarse, but with a hint of pride, he said, "Who asked my royal brother to understand me?" He looked at Zhu Yuhuan and couldn't help but reach out and touch her head, saying, "I can't tell, you are now more and more understanding of my royal brother's thoughts."
Zhu Yuhuan said seriously, "After all, daughters are the sweetest little cotton-padded jackets of their parents."
Zhu Zhanji was amused by her analogy, then suddenly realized something and said, "Why do you look thinner than before? I didn't see you this thin when you were practicing horseback riding and archery. What's wrong? Have you been eating poorly lately?"
Zhu Yuhuan sighed and said, "Not really. I've been practicing horse riding and archery as usual lately. It's just that I've been running around outside the palace so much that I'm bound to lose weight."
Zhu Zhanji sighed and said, "The emperor's sister-in-law is good in every way, except that she is too frugal. Fifth uncle will pack some supplements for you to take back to nourish your body."
Zhu Yuhuan naturally would not refuse Zhu Zhanji's kindness, and agreed: "Then Huanhuan will not be polite."
Zhu Zhanji, who had been planning to stay out of the matter, rushed to Xian County with Chen Shan to meet the rested Zhu Zhanji. Seeing his elder brother's high spirits and remembering what Zhu Yuhuan had mentioned about Chen Shan, Zhu Zhanji slipped away under the pretext of feeling unwell. Unexpectedly, the next day, he heard that the army would be marching in a few days, but their destination was not Zhangde Prefecture, but the capital.
The Minister of Revenue Chen Shan naturally proposed to capture Prince Zhao and bring him to the capital. Yang Rong also agreed. Xia Yuanji and Jian Yi did not express any opinions. Only Yang Shiqi and Yang Pu disagreed. Their statements were almost the same as Zhu Yuhuan's. Although Zhu Zhanji was a little unhappy, he finally made the decision that Zhu Yuhuan had judged - to let Prince Zhao go.
Zhu Yuhuan was not idle during this period. There were more people of the same age in Shi Jing's martial arts school, so she simply used these teenagers to practice actual combat.
She didn't expect to become a peerless master, but at least she had to be able to protect herself. After all, natural disasters and man-made disasters were unpredictable, and without a strong physique, she couldn't do it.
Zhu Yuhuan's ideal lifespan was seventy! In an era when the average age of a royal princess was under fifty, this was no easy feat.
"Why would a delicate young man like you endure this hardship for no reason?"
Zhu Yuhuan watched Huai En tie the straps for him and said helplessly: "Didn't you shout about making great achievements before? So did I."
Shi Jing looked at Huai En, whose eyes were red, and said, "Listen, he said that, why do you look like he has suffered a great injustice?"
Shi Jing didn't know the truth, and Huai En didn't know what to say, so he just said, "My dear, you don't have to suffer like this."
Shi Jing tutted and couldn't help but say, "What's wrong with a grown man enduring a little hardship? I think he's doing fine this way." He then laughed heartily and said, "At least when he gets beaten, he'll definitely run faster than others, so he'll definitely avoid being hit."
Huai En couldn't help but glared at him when he heard this, but he didn't curse in the end.
If Shi Lin had not been busy on duty and rarely met Zhu Yuhuan, he would have beaten up Shi Jing for his rude remarks.
During this period, Zhu Yuhuan had fought many battles in the martial arts gym, but unfortunately she didn't have many opportunities to fight with others, so she was inevitably injured. If these young men hadn't known that she was the son of a wealthy family and had shown mercy, Zhu Yuhuan would probably have been even worse off.
But apart from anything else, Zhu Yuhuan's body is indeed stronger than before, so even if he really endures this hardship, it is not a grievance.
Zhu Yuhuan said calmly, "The army is returning to the capital today. Aren't you going to the streets to watch the excitement?"
"Are they just there to watch the fun? Aren't they all going in to drink tea from that Taiping Teahouse?" Shi Jing sneered, "I don't know who owns that Taiping Teahouse. They're actually walking around the streets like a peddler, giving away tea and snacks for free. I heard they even built a little cart for it... The owner must be a fool. It's clearly a business, so why would anyone rush to give money to someone? I heard from those who went there early in the morning that wherever the cart goes, there are crowds of people. It's almost impossible to move it around."
Zhu Yuhuan chuckled and said, "Using a cart to deliver tea is to prevent too many customers from pouring into the teahouse, which would affect the conversations of the scholars inside. As for rushing to give money..."
Shi Jing's previous words made some sense, but when she stopped talking, he continued, "Aren't you just rushing to give money? The people who went to get the tea today are all ordinary people. If it wasn't free, who would go to a teahouse to drink tea? Wouldn't that be a waste of money?"
Zhu Yuhuan curled his lips and smiled, "The purpose of giving away free tea and snacks is not for the guests, but for Your Majesty."
Shi Jing was a little confused: "Your Majesty?"
"The autumn harvest has just passed, and the people still have to perform corvée labor. If it weren't for the free tea and snacks, who would find the time to go out? They wouldn't even have time to sleep." Zhu Yuhuan rested his hand on his chin and said, "It's just right. Your Majesty should be entering the city soon. I'm sure it will be another prosperous scene."
Shi Jing uttered an "oh" before gradually coming to terms with what Zhu Yuhuan had just said. He asked, "Are you saying that the people at the Taiping Teahouse specifically asked the people to go out into the streets to welcome His Majesty into the city?"
Zhu Yuhuan turned his wrist and felt that his strength had almost recovered. Then he smiled and said, "What else?"
Shi Jing exclaimed in amazement, "These people are really going to great lengths to please Your Majesty." He became even more puzzled, saying, "But Your Majesty doesn't even know who the owner of Taiping Teahouse is. Isn't it a waste of effort to please Your Majesty?"
Huai En couldn't help but explain, "Since the owner of Taiping Teahouse dared to do this, he must be certain that His Majesty knows who she is."
Shi Jing suddenly realized something and said, "That makes sense. In a few days, we should know who the owner of Taiping Teahouse is, right? I want to see who this victim is."
Huai En glanced at Shi Jing, speechless and choked, feeling that the man in front of him was incredibly stupid.
Although Captain Shi was not a smart man, he was not stupid either. How could he have given birth to such a son?
Zhu Yuhuan didn't care at all and said, "Let's go into the city to watch the fun. You can just consider it as my escort. I'll treat you to tea at Taiping Teahouse."
Shi Jing stretched and said, "I can escort you, but forget about the tea. I don't like the bitter stuff. It's more refreshing than water."
Zhu Yuhuan smiled and said, "You'll know after you try it. What if it tastes different from what you imagined?"
Shi Jing was stunned when he saw her smile, and asked seriously, "I see you practice day and night, how come your face is still so white? Did you put on powder?"
Zhu Yuhuan was very proud and said, "I inherited it from my mother. Isn't it amazing?"
Shi Jing was somewhat confused and asked, "Hereditary? What is hereditary?"
Zhu Yuhuan didn't explain to him, but just said: "Let's go, if we are any later we won't be able to watch the fun."
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