Ming Dynasty: Traveling through the harem, Zhu Yuanzhang was dumbfounded

Chapter 92 Lao Zhu: Son! You can’t always listen to him! (Subscribe)

Alchemist is just a general term used by Yang Chen to refer to this type of people.

If you really dig deeper, they have many nicknames, such as Taoist, layman, golden dot, etc.

No matter whether it is the right way or the dark way, anyone who has studied the five elements and eight trigrams to refine elixirs can be called an alchemist.

Those people Yang Chen was talking about were extremely evil.

Ancient Taoist books may not understand the concept of using any means to achieve one's goals.

But he has his own unique insights in alchemy.

Zhu Biao heaved a sigh of relief after learning that Yang Chen needed these alchemists for a very pure purpose.

He was also worried about how he would explain to his father when he returned if the other party really had ill intentions.

Now, what Yang Chen did was not only for himself, but also for everyone’s previous oath.

The matter ended here, and Zhu Biao assured Yang Chen:

“Since you requested to find alchemists for the gunpowder issue, after I return tonight, I will immediately allow Brother Mu’s people to detain a large number of alchemists in your mansion.

As for how to deal with it later, it's up to you."

Yang Chen was extremely happy to get what he wanted, and subconsciously made another request.

"Prince, since the Taoist priest has already let me go, I wonder if I can ask you for some more people?"

Ever since the other party left the palace, Zhu Biao specifically instructed his servants to do their best to satisfy Yang Chen's needs.

Whether it was servants or other people, almost everything was arranged fully for the other party.

Now even the alchemists in the imperial prison are allowed to use it.

I didn't expect that even at this point, Yang Chen still had requests.

Zhu Biao did not show impatience, but curiosity instead.

"Who do you want?"

“I wonder who in the imperial court is familiar with the making of gunpowder weapons, preferably an old master who has studied firearms.

Prince, do you remember that before I left the palace, I told you and Your Majesty that we needed to make a double-barreled gun?

This weapon is very complex in structure, and even the bullets are somewhat special.

I spent countless nights reimagining this and finally decided to discover it.

It would be impossible for me to completely replicate this weapon by myself, and I wouldn't even have the time to do so.

But I can make a substitute with a range of more than two hundred steps.

An enemy standing two hundred steps away might survive if he were wearing iron armor.

Within a hundred steps, unless you are wearing armor made of fine iron, ordinary leather armor will be penetrated and chill you to the bone."

On the third day of going out, Yang Chen began to want to completely replicate a double-barreled shotgun.

Unfortunately, dreams are beautiful but reality is cruel, and there is no such high-end golden finger as the system to help.

With the current productivity, it is impossible to produce a double-barreled shotgun with a reproduction accuracy of 70%.

Just the small structures such as the muzzle, trigger, side-lock hammer, etc. were enough to give him a headache for a long time.

The key point is that the skills of these old masters who are now working on the sand are indeed very good.

But it is still not enough to forge a double-barreled shotgun by hand.

The reason is that these old masters have no knowledge of muskets at all.

It's not difficult to knock out a model of a wooden-handled grenade.

It won't work with firearms, so Yang Chen needs someone who can forge iron and has some knowledge of muskets.

Zhu Biao didn't think much about it, and soon started searching in his mind for someone who fits what Yang Chen described.

After a while, he really thought of someone.

"Hey! Brother Yang, you never know, there really is such a talented person who is exactly like what you described.

Not only could he forge iron tools, he could also make fire guns. Not only fire guns, he also made many other weapons using gunpowder.”

Hearing this, Yang Chen became curious about it.

There were such talents in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty? Logically speaking, the other party should have been recorded in history, so why had he never heard of it?

The next second, when Zhu Biao finished introducing the other party, Yang Chen realized that it was not that he had never heard of him, but that he just couldn't remember it for a moment.

Zhu Biao simply gave a brief introduction to this person and told the story in detail.

"This man's name is Tao Chengdao. Chengdao is the name my father gave him. His original name was Tao Guangyi.

A native of Jinhua, Zhejiang, he joined my father's army during the period when he was fighting against the Northern Yuan Dynasty and warlords such as Chen Youliang.

This man was very obsessed with firearms. Based on the ancient books left by his predecessors, he personally researched and developed many weapons.

This includes rockets! These can be launched in groups, using fireworks to hit the enemy, disrupting the enemy's vision and disrupting the enemy's formation.

He made contributions on the battlefield more than once, and my father bestowed on him the honor of a marquis of ten thousand households.

He is currently serving as the Minister of the Ministry of Works, a second-rank official."

The story of Fei Tian Wan Hu Hou is a bedtime story that almost every Chinese has heard when they were young.

If anyone says that Chinese people have no spirit of exploration, then Wanhu Hou will give him a solid slap in the face.

"So it was him. In that case, A Biao! As long as he can help me, I can guarantee you that I can replicate the double-barreled shotgun to 70%!
Maybe I'll even be able to build a real rocket someday!
Do you still remember what I told you about six hundred years from now, when any powerful country would have weapons capable of destroying hundreds of thousands of people across thousands of miles?"

Zhu Biao fell into reminiscence, thinking about what the two of them discussed by the pond that day.

This really happened. Yang Chen told him about missiles and atomic bombs.

But he lacked imagination and could not understand how precision missiles relied on satellite positioning.

I also don't know how the chain reaction formed after atomic fission can produce such a huge amount of energy.

The only thing that can be figured out is that these weapons are pushed out by firepower.

Zhu Biao frowned deeply, as if he realized that this Minister of Works seemed to be more talented than he had imagined.

"Could it be that he would be very powerful in the future, but he was unsuccessful and ultimately caused the Ming Dynasty to fail to become powerful?"

Yang Chen smiled and shook his head, then continued:

“The reason why Feitian Wanhuhou is so famous is not only because of his talent, but also because of his commendable spirit and courage!

According to later records, in the 20th year of Hongwu, Marquis Tao Chengdao was not satisfied with his achievements in his official career.

In order to fulfill his childhood dream of flying, he broke free from the shackles of the world and bravely faced the sky that people yearn for but fear!
He made a special chair, tied many rockets underneath it, and then used several large kites to tow it around his body.

With the help of his subordinates and the attention of the people, he lit the fuse of the rocket.

In an instant, Tao Chengdao became the first person in ancient and modern times to fly into the sky by human means!
Unfortunately, the gunpowder of the Ming Dynasty was unstable and the experiment deviated from his idea. In the end, the chair fell from a high altitude due to the shaking of rockets and kites.

The rocket exploded before it even hit the ground, killing him.

Although Tao Chengdao's flying experiment failed this time, the spirit and courage he left behind will last for thousands of years.

Until we really rely on technology to fly into the sky and even reach the moon we see.

To commemorate the first man to fly, the whole world agreed to name a mountain on the moon after him.

The name of this mountain is 'Wanhu Mountain'!"

At that moment, Zhu Biao seemed to have experienced a long time journey, and a magnificent and vast scene suddenly unfolded before his eyes.

He saw that Tao Chengdao had achieved things that many people would not even dare to dream of, and even he himself did not know that his childhood dream had been fulfilled across the long river of time.

This time he not only fulfilled his dream of flying, but also left his name on the moon that he could see when he looked up.

From ancient times to the present, which emperor did not want his name to be remembered forever by others?

But how many people can really do it?

Only his name, Tao Chengdao, is one in a million!
When people mention Wanhu Hou, they will think of him.

"Prince! So if possible, Tao Chengdao, you must ask him to come and help me.

I believe that with his help, the weapon I envisioned will surely appear sooner."

At this moment, Zhu Biao knew the importance of Tao Chengdao.

I even feel that the other party and Yang Chen are a perfect match.

One holds future knowledge and mature technology, while the other is used for experimentation.

You may even pay the price with your life.

He immediately promised Yang Chen.

"Okay! In that case, I will return to the palace now to report this to my father, and then try to have the Taoist priest and Tao Chengdao come to you before sunset tonight."

"please!"

"By the way, Brother Yang, I think that telescope is great. Can you give me one in the future?"

After experiencing the benefits of a telescope, Zhu Biao became extremely curious about this device that could magnify distant objects.

I was thinking about asking the other person for one when I leave.

Yang Chen was stunned for a moment, then he smiled and agreed to the other party's request generously.

"No problem! It's just a telescope. I'll make another one later.

Here! This thing is yours now."

Seeing Yang Chen directly give him the things on the table, Zhu Biao was obviously a little surprised and stretched out his hand to refuse.

But the other party forced it into his hand.

"Alright, Prince! There's no need to be polite between you and me. Although this thing is a bit troublesome to make, it only takes one day to make a new one.

What's more, with the help of Taoist priests and Tao Chengdao, I believe that this thing won't be needed in the short term."

Seeing this, Zhu Biao accepted it without hesitation.

After exchanging a few polite words, the three of them were sent to the door by Yang Chen and Zhu Di.

"Brother Yang! Wait for my good news!"

Yang Chen didn't say much, just raised his hand and clasped his fist to express his gratitude.

He immediately got on the carriage and disappeared into the street.

When the other party left, Zhu Di's heart finally settled down, but Yang Chen whispered beside him;
"Hey, Yongle? How about it? Are you not so scared of your brother now?"

In an instant, he thought of his behavior just now. He seemed too cautious and timid, and did not have the spirit of a prince at all.

"Please don't call me Yongle. Also, when have I ever been afraid of my elder brother? My elder brother and I are brothers, why should I be afraid of him?

Don't lie here with your eyes open!"

Looking at the guy in front of him with such a thick skin, Yang Chen felt that Zhu Di could really be so shameless.

"Tsk! Don't play dumb with me. I don't know which guy was trying to escape over the wall just now."

I turned around and walked back, thinking that this was the end, but unexpectedly, Yang Chen's voice came faintly.

This immediately made Zhu Di anxious.

He turned around quickly and explained to Yang Chen:
"Yang Chen! You bastard! Why do you always remember these bad things I did!"

Faced with these words, Yang Chen smiled and shook his head, realizing that now he found Zhu Di was still too young.

Zhu Di was born in the 20th year of Zhizheng in the late Yuan Dynasty, and is only 19 years old now.

At the age of nineteen, for Yang Chen’s former peers, those who failed a grade might even be in their third year of high school.

Even if it's fast, I've just entered college.

They are all young people with clear eyes and stupidity.

Maybe Zhu Di was a talented person when he was on the battlefield killing enemies, but now Zhu Di was just a hot-blooded young man with no place to use his energy.

To put it bluntly, there is still some deficiency in IQ.

This is also the reason why Yang Chen likes to play teasing on others. Who could have thought that the great Emperor Yongle, who had made great achievements and was famous, would be laughed at by him?
Wenhua Hall of the Imperial Palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang still sat on his own special task of reviewing memorials.

As soon as Zhu Biao left today, he stayed here alone.

"Your Majesty, you have reviewed a hundred memorials today. Is it time to take a rest?" A eunuch behind Zhu Yuanzhang reminded him in a low voice.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang ignored it and continued working.

"Okay, no need to say more. I know my own body well. Please go down."

Seeing this, the eunuch didn't dare to say anything more.

He responded and left.

As soon as he walked out the door, he saw Zhu Biao and exclaimed.

"Prince! You are back!"

"Eunuch? My father is still in there, right?"

The eunuch named Eunuch Chu nodded in response.

"Yes, Your Highness, His Majesty has been reviewing memorials in here since he retired from court, and has never left."

After hearing the news, Zhu Biao thought it was just right. He didn't need to send anyone to look for his father, nor did he need to tell him later.

"Okay, then you can leave. I'll bring some cakes and tea over later."

After walking past Eunuch Chu, Zhu Biao was about to push the door open, but then turned around and reminded the other party what he was going to do next.

Only then did he enter the Wenhua Hall.

"Your Majesty, your son, greets you! May your Majesty be blessed!"

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was originally handling government affairs, looked up at Zhu Biao with care in his eyes. He put down his pen and waved his hand to signal him to get up.

"My dear father, I thank you!"

"Alright, alright, there's no outsider here, why be so distant? From now on, when there are no outsiders around, you and I can just call me dad."

As Zhu Biao demonstrated his abilities, he gained more and more recognition from Zhu.

Old Zhu has begun to gradually delegate power.

Unlike in the past, this time the decentralization was not just a deep-level decentralization, but also meant that he wanted to return to the father-son relationship he once had with Zhu Biao.

Ever since Yang Chen confessed that it was he who forced his son to death and brought disaster to his descendants, Zhu Yuanzhang has cried to Empress Ma more than once.

You say you work hard for the benefit of future generations, but how come others think you are actually harming them?
Queen Ma advised him about this more than once.

To do good for others requires truly looking at things from their perspective, rather than being self-righteous.

In the past, Mr. Zhu was self-righteous too many times.

In addition, the rest of the people could not refute him at all, which led Lao Zhu to believe that he was right.

Faced with this request, Zhu Biao was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

I thought to myself, how could an emperor get along with his son like this?

He couldn't convince the other party, so in the end he could only do as Lao Zhu said.

"Okay, Dad, I have done what you asked today.

Go and ask Yang Chen in person the real reason why he is looking for the alchemist."

Then, Zhu Biao relayed everything that Yang Chen had told him to Old Zhu.

During the whole process, Old Zhu didn't even raise his eyebrows, as if these things did not cause him any waves.

"Father, since Yang Chen wants an alchemist, why don't we agree to his request? And Tao Chengdao, he is a second-rank minister of the Ministry of Works, but he is usually immersed in the military equipment bureau newly established by your father.

On the way back, the child had already found out that Tao Chengdao had to assist Xue Xiang in the Ministry of Works on the 30th of every month, except for necessary days.

The rest of the time was spent in the Military Equipment Bureau under the Yuheng Qinglisi of the Ministry of Works.

He worked day and night to research rockets, but there was no obvious progress. If he could assist Yang Chen.

I believe that the Ming Dynasty’s military will have an additional powerful weapon!
To capture a city, you don’t need soldiers to go into battle in person. You just need to light the fuse and kill the enemy from 2,000 steps away!"

Two thousand steps, one step should be 0.6 to 0.7 meters.

This distance converted into meters is about 1,400 to 1,500 meters.

An ideal distance for two armies to engage in battle.

However, Lao Zhu didn't seem to be very uninterested in what Yang Chen said.

Instead, he asked Zhu Biao from a very unexpected angle.

"Biao'er, your attitude seems different when we hear you talking?
You go to him and agree to everything he says?
Doesn't that mean he is the one who issues the order and you are the executor?
Could it be that our son, the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty and the regent of the imperial court, is being ordered around by a person without any title?
There is no such thing in this world!"

Knowing that Yang Chen didn't want the alchemist for the purpose of refining the elixir, Old Zhu didn't feel anything.

However, the other party made requests to his son again and again, and Zhu Biao agreed to all of them.

It was only then that Lao Zhu realized that the communication between the two seemed unequal.

At least that's how it seemed to him.

From the beginning to the end, his son was the deputy, and Yang Chen was the one giving orders.

This made Lao Zhu feel very guilty.

“Biao’er, you must remember your own identity and must suppress the foreign officials with strong means.

No matter how high or low the other party's official position is, we cannot let the other party suppress our status!
Otherwise, is our royal status just a decoration?
Besides, Yang Chen is a weird guy, and he is more eccentric than most people. Now you don't let him know the gap between you and him.

If he gets used to it in the future, he will definitely not obey you, and won't that cause chaos in the government?

As the saying goes, powerful officials cannot usurp the power of the emperor, so I must tell you how to deal with this kid."

Lao Zhu was very excited when he spoke, as if he was invincible in this field.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Biao, who had originally planned to listen to his opinions seriously, now just watched him perform quietly.

It was not until he realized that the atmosphere around him was not right that Lao Zhu slowed down his voice and spoke in a lower tone.

In the end, he just stopped talking.

"Father, why don't you continue? I am listening."

Both sides were silent for a moment, and Zhu Biao wanted to break the deadlock between them and raised his question.

Hearing this, Lao Zhu's mouth twitched and he smashed the jar into pieces.

"Biao'er, please stop teasing me. I've discovered that you're just like your mother and have learned how to manipulate me.

Your expression just now betrayed you.

Even if I tell you all this, you won't listen to me.

If we continue to talk about this, wouldn’t it be self-indulgent?”

As he said this, Zhu Yuanzhang felt like he had no desire to live.

He beat his chest and complained:
"Hey! Is our emperor still an emperor?

Talking is becoming more and more useless. Your mother wants Yang Chen to become Xiong Ying's husband, but I don't allow it. But she says that my words don't count.

I always remind you to be careful of Yang Chen and pay attention to Yang Chen, but you just don't listen and think he is a good man.

Tell me, is this emperor still an emperor?"

"Ah! Mother wants Yang Chen to be Xiong Ying's husband! Dad, did you lie to me?"

Zhu Biao was very surprised when he heard the news for the first time.

Seeing his son's reaction, Zhu Yuanzhang's heart became lively again.

"Yes! I was wondering if your mother was paying attention to this."

"That's great! If Yang Chen can become Xiong Ying's teacher, it's possible that Xiong Ying will become a unique emperor in the future.

The Ming Dynasty will take a different path and even become the greatest dynasty in ancient and modern times!"

Zhu Yuanzhang: "."

"Dad, what did you want to say just now?"

The excited Zhu Biao came to his senses and saw that his father seemed to want to say something, so he asked.

In the stalemate, Old Zhu laughed expressionlessly.

"Nothing, nothing, we have nothing to say."

Facing his son's greetings, Zhu Yuanzhang felt bitter inside.

It's like drinking a bowl of Chinese medicine without sugar. Your whole body is resisting it, but you can't spit it out.

I could only swallow it hard.

It’s not that he didn’t want to use a tough attitude to refute and educate Zhu Biao, but he thought of Empress Ma’s warning.

He took half the responsibility for his son's death. If the father and son get along well in the future.

No matter how big or small the matter is, as long as it does not concern the major events in the world, if Zhu Yuanzhang dared to speak loudly to Zhu Biao.

Queen Ma was able to perform the heroic feat of taking all her sons back to her hometown.

Old Zhu knew very well that if Empress Ma really did this, no one in the entire court would dare to stop her.

Even the people he sent out would be commanded by Queen Ma.

This is the reputation of the Queen!

Not to mention the information I got from Yang Chen.

His relatives were his weak spot. There were almost no people who could touch them, but they ended up falling apart because of him.

Whenever he thought of this, guilt overwhelmed Lao Zhu.

Leaving him helpless.

"Okay, Dad, I know you are doing this for my own good, but now I am no longer a fledgling eagle that needs your protection.

Although my wings are not yet fully grown, it does not affect my ability to make independent judgments.

Although Yang Chen and I are not close friends, we are at least very sincere.

Even if both sides use each other, as long as it can make Ming Dynasty better, wouldn't it be perfect if everyone understands this use?

Besides, Dad, your strategy for governing the country is different from mine, so why bother to change my original intention?"

Therefore, please rest assured, Father, I will not entrust my sincerity to all the ministers in the world just because of the appearance of Yang Chen.

A big reason for this is because of Yang Chen’s special identity.

If he was not from the future, I would not treat him like this, don’t you think so, father?

Sitting on the stage, the depressed and worried Old Zhu heard this.

His eyelids were slightly raised, and there was no sign of hiding the sadness in his eyes.

But when you look at Zhu Biao's handsome face and confident smile, his brows are full of the vigor and vitality he had when he was young.

Suddenly, Lao Zhu felt as if a thread in his heart had broken.

It was he himself who cut the thread, and a feeling of relief swept over him. The unhappiness that had been pent up in his heart was instantly expelled with a breath of foul air, and his whole body felt relaxed.

"Since you have made your own decision, Dad won't say much.

As for Tao Chengdao's matter, whether he hands it over to Yang Chen is up to you, after all, he is the Minister of Works.

Later you go and ask them if they are willing to follow Yang Chen. By the way, there is also the Minister of Works Xue Xiang.

This old man was dismissed by us once before, and we turned to him because there was really no one else available.

This time, mobilize his subordinates to tell him, don't keep silent, otherwise it will appear that our Zhu family is rude. "

Zhu Yuanzhang's words showed his submission to Zhu Biao.

He also knew that his excessive interference would only backfire, since Zhu Biao wanted to let go and do things completely.

As a father, Zhu Yuanzhang naturally decided to let him go.

"Thank you, Father!
By the way, Dad, I found a treasure from Yang Chen today!"

"Baby? Where is it?"

"At this!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Biao took out a green and thick object about one foot long.

(End of this chapter)