Daming: Dad, you are really not good at governing the country

Zhu Biao stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, staring outside the palace, his expression becoming increasingly solemn.

It was as if there was a layer of impenetrable haze, heavily covering the face of the Ming prince, and he could not get rid of it no matter what he did.

Zhu Gang was watching from the side, and his worry was growing. He couldn't help but ask, "Brother, your brows are almost twisted into knots. Are you worried about the academy?"

Zhu Biao nodded slightly, with a hint of regret in his tone, and said slowly: "Third brother, it is indeed so.

In the past, the academy was always bustling with activity.

When the teachers were giving lectures, the students were all very energetic.

Just like the young seedlings vying to emerge in the spring, they are full of enthusiasm for learning.

Everyone expressed their opinions and discussed different academic insights.

There was constant laughter and debate in the classroom, it was a very joyful time.”

Zhu Gang agreed with this and couldn't help but recall the past scenes.

A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, but it disappeared in an instant.

Zhu Biao then continued, "But if you walk into the academy now, you will see that it is completely silent.

The students all sat upright, their faces full of seriousness, not daring to breathe.

They only dare to focus on the argument that imperial power is supreme, and avoid talking about the deeds of those wise ministers in ancient times.

Even if it was mentioned occasionally, it was just passed over quickly, with a hint of panic in his eyes.

It’s as if the thoughts of these students are imprisoned in a small cage.

The vitality of this culture has been greatly suppressed.”

Zhu Gang smacked his lips with a look of helplessness on his face, and then responded, "Brother is right, I just happened to pass by the academy a few days ago and wanted to go in and take a look.

But the atmosphere was really depressing.

If this continues, the cultural heritage of our Ming Dynasty will be in jeopardy."

Zhu Biao sighed softly, "Not only that, the court also sent people to review various classics.

I visited the Hanlin Academy some time ago and saw those scholars sitting in a room full of ancient books all day long.

His brows were furrowed so tightly that they could pinch a fly to death.

They looked nervous as they held pens and went through the ancient books word by word.

Any words or phrases that might imply the legitimacy of the prime minister's power or be slightly "inappropriate" to the imperial power were either modified or directly deleted.

There were papers scattered all over the table, and the original appearance of many classic ancient books had changed. The cultural heritage had been affected.

As the royal family of the Ming Dynasty, the responsibilities we shoulder are becoming increasingly heavier.

We cannot just watch our Ming culture fade away like this."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gang also looked worried and paced back and forth a few times.

Then Zhu Gang said anxiously: "Brother, what should we do?
The culture of our Ming Dynasty has always been brilliant, and we cannot let it be destroyed in the hands of our generation.

We need to think of some way to stabilize the situation in the court and revitalize the cultural sector."

Zhu Biao frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, "Third brother, this matter needs to be considered carefully.

The court is not stable now, so it would be inappropriate to act rashly.

But we can start with some small things, such as encouraging scholars to make more academic records in private and preserve the original interpretations of classics.

Wait for a chance in the future to sort it out and restore it.

But this matter must be done in a covert manner, and it must not cause any more trouble to the court."

Zhu Gang nodded and said, "Brother is right, we have to be so careful.

We two brothers must put in more effort and not let down the Ming Dynasty and its people."

Zhu Biao looked outside the palace with a deep gaze.

It was as if in that bleak scene, one was searching for hope for the future of the Ming Dynasty.

He murmured, "I hope this storm can be settled soon, and the Ming Dynasty can return to its prosperity..."

Zhu Gang also followed his elder brother's gaze and nodded heavily.

Touched, he turned to look at Zhu Biao. Zhu Gang's eyes were slightly red, and his eyes were shining with emotion and guilt.

His voice was a little choked as he said, “Brother, the burden on your shoulders is already heavy.

Now you have to worry about so many things, I'm really worried that you'll exhaust yourself.

You said before that you wanted to go to Shanxi for a visit, but now it's almost the 15th year of Hongwu, and there's still no progress on this matter.

You must take good care of yourself, the future of the Ming Dynasty depends on you.

Sometimes I wonder if I could share more of your burden.

But my personality always causes you trouble."

Zhu Gang's heart was filled with pity for his elder brother, but he also felt a little guilty for his own recklessness.

Zhu Biao's eyes also became moist, and he held Zhu Gang's hand tightly.

The hands were tightly clasped together, conveying the deep friendship between brothers.

Zhu Biao said with a moved expression: "Third brother, what are you talking about?

We brothers support each other.

I'm very grateful that you have this thought.

Actually, there is something I have never told you. The reason I didn’t go to Shanxi was not because I caught a cold as rumored by the outside world.

But I'm worried that if the situation in Shanxi is exaggerated, it will be difficult for you to explain to your father.

That's why I got vaccinated against smallpox and used this as an excuse to cancel the trip.

Big brother just hopes that you can be safe and sound, with fewer setbacks."

Zhu Biao looked at Zhu Gang, his eyes full of sincere concern.

The two brothers just stood quietly by the window, immersed in this warm atmosphere, speechless for a long time.

After a long while, Zhu Gang calmed down a little.

He seemed to remember something, frowned, and a hint of worry flashed in his eyes.

Zhu Gang turned to look at Zhu Biao and said slowly, "Brother, speaking of the changes in the court situation, I think of the ironclad fleet we are planning.

You said that after the "Hu Weiyong case", many things in the court became cautious.

Will the preparations for the ironclad fleet also be affected?

After all, this is also a big project, involving a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources.

Besides, I've heard some strange things about the Ironclad Fleet recently, and I feel a little uneasy."

As Zhu Gang spoke, he subconsciously clenched his fists.

The strange things he had heard before emerged in his mind, and he became more and more uneasy.

Zhu Biao nodded slightly when he heard this and his expression became serious.

There was a hint of alertness in his eyes and he narrowed them slightly.

It was as if he could see through the scene before him and see the hidden problems on the ironclad fleet's side.

"Third brother, your words remind me.

This armored fleet is related to the Ming Dynasty's coastal defense and cannot be lost. We really need to think about it carefully.

Tell me what strange thing you heard."

Zhu Gang frowned and lowered his voice.

At the same time, he looked around vigilantly, as if he was afraid of being heard by others.

Seeing that there was no one around, Zhu Gang approached Zhu Biao and said mysteriously, "Brother, I heard that the ironclad ships that had been built a few days ago were docked at the port at night.

The originally quiet night was suddenly broken by a strange light.

The light was faint blue, flickering around the ship.

It's like a ghostly fire, and looks extremely creepy.

(End of this chapter)