Zhu Yuanzhang in the cellar

Chapter 256 How did he know?
The development of the Ming Dynasty has clearly reached a bottleneck. To accelerate the construction speed, seeking help from outside is undoubtedly the best way out.

However, there's no rush to do this.

With the New Year approaching and the 20th year of the Hongwu reign just around the corner, Zhu Yuanzhang still had many things to deal with.

Even though he hadn't appeared in public for a year, the Hongwu court needed him to convene court meetings multiple times to solidify his authority and prevent the court officials from forgetting his existence as emperor.

Secondly, one must visit other dynasties.

For Zhu Yuanzhang, the other worlds of the Ming Dynasty were not simply his own dynasty, where he held supreme power.

At the same time, each world has its own resources. If the Ming Dynasty embarks on the path of industrialization, then after the domestic market becomes saturated, industrial products will need to be sold, and products will need a market.

Expanding overseas was necessary, and so was expanding into other Ming dynasties. Therefore, he had to maintain his influence in other Ming dynasties so that he could have a continuous source of resources after the industrialization of the Hongwu Ming Dynasty.

soon.

A few days later, it was the end of the year.

Old Zhu went to the Jingtai court first.

Currently, there are only a few dynasties that can be established.

Hongwu, Jianwen, Yongle, Hongxi, Xuande, Zhengtong, Jingtai, and Chongzhen.

The reason why he didn't go to the later Chenghua, Hongzhi, Zhengde, and Jiajing reigns is because after the Chenghua Emperor, Zhu Yunfeng's ancestor Zhu Jianjun had already been enfeoffed in Changsha.

He also took the stone tablet with him as a royal gift to the vassal king upon his enfeoffment.

Therefore, even if they went there, they would arrive at the Prince Ji's Mansion in Changsha, and it would be impossible for them to appear in the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Even if you brought along a former emperor from Changsha to Beijing, such as Zhu Qizhen from the Zhengtong era, and took him to the Chenghua era, it would still take at least two months to reach Beijing.

Therefore, since Zhu Yuanzhang believed that the Chongzhen era was more urgent, he chose to go to the Chongzhen era first.

With the New Year approaching, the Chongzhen Emperor's situation remains the same, and the location of the incident is Changsha, so there's no need to go there.

The current emperor of the Jingtai reign is Zhu Zhanji, who reigned during the Xuande reign.

Zhu Gaochi of the Xuande reign survived because he was sent to a modern hospital, so he did not die young as in history. As a result, Zhu Zhanji of the Xuande reign did not ascend the throne, but could come over to practice and also mentor the future Chenghua Emperor.

When Zhu Yuanzhang arrived in the Jingtai era, after more than a year of governance, the Jingtai era was thriving and quite prosperous.

Most importantly, Lao Zhu provided new seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Without chemical fertilizers and pesticides, the yields of rice, wheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn would certainly not have reached the levels of later generations.

But the base number is what it is.

Even if rice and wheat production increases by only 20%, that would still be an astronomical figure.

Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn are not staple foods, and they are not picky about the land. They can grow in any barren land with a little water, and they can even be grown in deep mountains and forests.

This is not just a simple increase in production of 20%.

In addition, Yunfeng Group now has its own pesticide and fertilizer plants, so it can produce as much of these products as it needs, which naturally provides great convenience.

Increasing grain production capacity solved more than 90% of the problems in feudal society.

As long as the people have enough to eat and don't starve, there will be no possibility of rebellion, and the country will be able to maintain stability.

As for other aspects such as the rule of law, governance, development, economy, and military, those depend on the emperor's abilities.

Clearly, Zhu Zhanji was quite capable, and he governed the Jingtai era very well.

Zhu praised him and had him pay homage to by the entire court.

The next day.

Old Zhu went to the Zhengtong Dynasty again.

The emperor here is Zhu Gaochi from the Yongle reign.

As before, Zhu Di went to the modern era for medical treatment and extended his life by a few more years.

Many old and stubborn diseases were also cured, so Zhu Gaochi of the Yongle reign was naturally able to play a role.

Ultimately, it was Zhu Qizhen who had too many problems; otherwise, he wouldn't have been deposed, leading to this mess and the need to transfer someone from another dynasty to be emperor.

Fortunately, Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji were both capable, and with the support of the old Zhu, they quickly rectified the problems and restored the Ming Dynasty to its former glory, resolving the decline of the Ming Dynasty under Zhu Qizhen's rule.

After that, Zhu Yuanzhang went to the Xuande, Hongxi, and Yongle reigns. Now there were so many members of Zhu Yuanzhang's family, including five or six Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji alone. Sometimes Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't even tell who was who.

On the evening of the 28th day of the Lunar New Year, after Zhu Di and Zhu Yunfeng returned from the Yongle era with Zhu Yuanzhang, they did not immediately return to the Hongwu era, but instead went to the Jianwen era, which was the era of Zhu Di.

Because Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang (the Hongwu Emperor) would hold a grand court assembly on New Year's Eve during his own Hongwu reign, he would naturally attend such assemblies whenever he visited other dynasties, and would also send people to notify and inspect the preparations in advance.

It was evening, and due to the influence of the Little Ice Age, even the Forbidden City in Nanjing was experiencing snowfall, let alone the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Upon entering the underground palace, one is immediately greeted by large portraits of Emperor Zhu and Empress Ma.

The incense on the altar in the underground palace had burned out, but the offerings were fresh, and the tabletop was very clean, indicating that it was wiped down frequently.

In fact it is.

Every day at noon, Zhu Di would come over to offer incense to Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma.

This would greatly enhance his legitimacy.

However, Zhu Di was not in the underground palace at this moment. The area outside was covered with snow, just like the square outside the Qianqing Palace during the Hongwu reign.

Only two lines of footprints extended from the direction of the Moonflower Gate.

Obviously, because it didn't snow today, the footprints left by Zhu Di when he came to pay his respects at noon were not covered up.

At this moment, Zhu Di was working in the study of the West Palace.

He had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, wore thick cotton pajamas, and squinted at the official documents.

The prime minister, Yao Guangxiao, who was dressed in black, sat next to him. He could smell the pungent smell of smoke, and even though he was used to it, he still couldn't help but frown.

"Well done, Second Prince! You showed some of my prowess in this battle."

After reading the official document, Zhu Di raised his head with a smile and said to Yao Guangxiao, "In this battle, the Mongols were routed, more than 30,000 were captured, and countless cattle and sheep were seized, greatly enhancing the prestige of the Ming Dynasty."

Yao Guangxiao laughed and said, "This is all thanks to the Great Ancestor. If the Great Ancestor had not put an end to the Prince of Han's thoughts and allowed him to focus on military affairs, things would indeed be difficult now."

"Yes."

Zhu Di put down the official document in his hand, flicked the ash into the ashtray, then took a deep drag of his cigarette and sighed, "Gao Xu's contributions during the Jingnan Rebellion were too great, but the Crown Prince also made contributions in stabilizing the rear and raising supplies. I am in a dilemma and it is very difficult to decide. If it weren't for the Taizu Emperor, I'm afraid I really wouldn't be able to do anything about Gao Xu."

As he spoke, he remembered something and frowned, saying, "Father hasn't come for a year. I wonder if he will come to pay his respects at the New Year's court this year."

Yao Guangxiao then said, "Regardless of whether the founding emperor comes or not, I suggest that we hold the event tomorrow, just like in previous years."

"Ah."

Zhu Di nodded.

In the Ming Dynasty, the New Year's court celebrations were held on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, officials would receive congratulatory gifts from the emperor, who would also reciprocate with gifts. A grand celebration was held in the palace.

The first day of the Lunar New Year is for sacrificial activities, including worshipping gods, offering sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and worshipping the land and its people.

However, due to Zhu Yuanzhang's rise to power, the New Year's court ceremony was moved up by one day.

However, since last year's New Year's greetings, Zhu Yuanzhang has not come to pay his respects at all this year.

He didn't know the purpose of the stone tablets and thought they were just decorations placed on the left and right sides of the altar, so he couldn't contact Lao Zhu to ask about the situation.

"Ugh."

Thinking of this, Zhu Di sighed, smoked his cigarette until only the butt remained, and said, "If they don't come soon, I won't have any more cigarettes to smoke."

Yao Guangxiao seized the opportunity to advise, "Your Majesty, the cigarette box also says that smoking is harmful to your health. Although this cigarette is good, you should still smoke less."

"I feel uncomfortable if I don't smoke for a day, so I still need to smoke."

Zhu Di scratched his head and said, "I hope nothing bad has happened over there. It's been a long time since I was young. There's still plenty of shampoo and shower gel left in the palace, and a lot of Moutai liquor stored up, but if he doesn't send me cigarettes soon, I'll have to go fight in America."

He remembered that Zhu Di had once told him that tobacco also existed in this world, only in the very distant Americas. He didn't know where Americas was, but Zhu Di had given him a world map.

Judging from the distance on that map, it was more than ten thousand miles away. It was simply not worthwhile to fight for the Americas for tobacco, so Zhu Di could only scratch his head and wait for the tobacco to arrive.

But back then, Zhu Di only gave him a box of cigarettes and a few hundred lighters.

One box contains 50 strips, or 500 packs.

In the past, when he smoked a lot, Zhu Di would smoke two packs a day.

Later, it was discovered that the young Zhu Di had not come for a long time, so the older Zhu Di was forced to reduce the amount, now it is one pack a day.

Even so, Hua Zi's supply is decreasing at a visible rate, and he only has about forty packs left. It is estimated that by early February next year, Zhu Di will have to quit smoking.

This made Zhu Di increasingly anxious.

"Your Majesty need not be impatient. The Ming Dynasty is now strong and powerful, with all nations paying tribute. It is only natural that we must fight in the Americas, but we will need to accumulate strength for a few more years."

Yao Guangxiao said with a smile.

"Ah."

Zhu Di spoke a few more words to him, then couldn't resist lighting another cigarette, puffing out smoke, squinting his eyes, and thoroughly enjoying himself.

Just then, a commotion arose outside, and someone shouted, "Greetings, Your Majesty! Greetings, Prince Wu! Greetings, Duke of Chu!"

"Snapped!"

The study door was pushed open, and Zhu Yunfeng, Zhu Di, and Ji He, his three best friends, walked in.

As soon as I entered, I saw Zhu Di with a cigarette in his mouth.

Upon seeing them, Zhu Di jumped up from his chair with a "whoosh," as if he could leap three feet high. With a cigarette between his right index and middle fingers, he exclaimed with delight, "You've finally come!"

"Of course we have to come."

The younger Zhu Di was also very happy to see the older Zhu Di, after all, this was another version of himself, and walked straight over.

The two Zhu Di brothers hugged each other.

After they parted, Zhu Di looked him up and down and said with delight, "You've lost weight and gotten darker, just like me when I was young."

"That's for sure."

Little Zhu Di plopped down on the sofa next to him and said smugly, "This time I fought a great battle with my father."

"Tell me, what's going on?"

Zhu Di sat down next to him.

The Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di) was very generous to him, sending him many daily necessities, including shampoo, shower gel, kitchen seasonings, cigarettes, alcohol, snacks, and various types of furniture.

Now, Zhu Di sleeps on a Simmons mattress, which costs tens of thousands of dollars and is much more comfortable than a hard board bed with cotton wadding.

Little Zhu Di leaned back on the sofa and boasted, "You know that your father's conquest of the Immortal Realm was magnificent. But your father also had many mortal enemies. There was an old demon named Xiao Huohuo, known as the Ten Directions Dou Di, and nicknamed 'Blazing Flames that Burn the Heavens.' The power of his flames was so strong that no one in the world could withstand them, and he had been undefeated in the Immortal Realm for millions of years. Although Father Emperor killed the Heaven-Covering Saint Body who encountered misfortune in his later years, the power of the Saint Body was still overwhelming. Father was also seriously injured in that battle. Xiao Huohuo took the opportunity to attack, and our Great Ming Immortal Dynasty officially went to war with their Great Yan Immortal Dynasty."

"What then?"

Zhu Di asked hastily.

"In the end, we finally defeated them. You probably don't know, but while the two sides were gathering for a major battle at Tianmen Pass, I secretly led a small team on a surprise attack on Dayan, capturing 108 cities in succession. Wherever our army went, we were invincible."

Without batting an eye, Zhu Di said, "It was I who led the attack on Xiao Huohuo's stronghold. His army's morale collapsed, and we defeated them in one fell swoop. Father then assembled a great formation and killed Xiao Huohuo. From then on, our Great Ming Dynasty became a formidable force in the Immortal Realm!"

"Impressive, as expected of me."

Zhu Di gave a thumbs up, then looked at Yao Guangxiao and said, "Sidao, you can go out now."

"Then I'll take my leave."

Yao Guangxiao stood up from his chair, clasped his hands together in a Buddhist gesture of respect to the four men—the eldest Zhu Di, the youngest Zhu Di, Zhu Yunfeng, and Ji He—before backing away.

After the door closed, young Zhu Di said, "We have returned victorious this time, and Father is coming down to earth again to attend the court ceremony tomorrow. Are you ready?"

"Of course I'm ready."

Zhu Di took out a cigarette from his hand and handed it over.

Young Zhu Di hesitated for a moment, but still accepted.

He had become addicted to smoking in modern times, but was later educated by Lao Zhu and Zhu Biao and forced to quit.

The reason why Zhu Di started smoking was because he had left his cigarette and lighter there.

However, quitting smoking completely isn't so easy, and he still often smokes secretly. Now that his father and older brother aren't around, it shouldn't matter.

Since the three of them all have dirt on each other and have scandals, it doesn't matter if they smoke a cigarette.

"Ah That's good."

Little Zhu Di put the cigarette in his mouth, and Big Zhu Di lit it for him. He took a lonely puff, exhaled a smoke ring, and said with enjoyment, "Father is going to focus on the development of the Immortal Dynasty for the next two years. He will also send you some more things next year. You must make the most of this opportunity. If we are lucky, the development of our Great Ming will be rapid and reach an unprecedented height."

"Does this height refer to the height six hundred years from now?"

Zhu Di suddenly asked.

"No, at most three hundred years."

Let's finish talking about this.

Young Zhu Di looked at Old Zhu Di with a horrified expression.

Zhu Yunfeng and Ji He also stared wide-eyed, filled with disbelief.

How did he know?
(End of this chapter)