Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 11 Bringing Candied Haws to Prince Han and Princess
"Balancing technique?!!" The old Taoist priest was stunned. He listened to the frank words of his cheap student in a state of shock. He felt like his heart was about to jump out of his chest, and muttered to himself about the balancing technique.

In fact, any qualified emperor would not believe in the doctrines of any school, but would only choose the doctrines that are suitable and easy to use. In short, there is no best, only useful ones, and it is necessary to maintain a balance among all parties in order to achieve his own supreme authority.

But what made the old Taoist priest most upset was that no one had taught Zhu Zhanhe these things, so how could he have learned them directly?! He didn't even teach him.

"Who taught you this?! You are just a boaster. Go away, go away quickly. I want to sleep. I won't eat today." The old Taoist priest couldn't hold back after hearing what his cheap student said, and started to drive him away.

Seeing that the old Taoist priest started to drive people away, Zhu Zhanhe knew that he would not be able to get a vegetarian meal today, so he could only go home and eat.

"Teacher, why are you sleeping at this time?" Zhu Zhanhe looked at the sun outside which had not yet set, and looked speechlessly at the teacher in front of him who was throwing a tantrum like a child. He sighed and asked helplessly.

"What do you care about me?! Go away, go away." The old Taoist priest obviously had a good memory. He had not forgotten how many times he had tried to test him today but failed to get anything out of him. So he put on a stern face and continued to drive people away.

"Okay, then, teacher, I'll take my leave." Zhu Zhanhe could only bow to the old Taoist priest to indicate that he was leaving.

The old Taoist priest also waved his hand impatiently, signaling Zhu Zhanhe to leave quickly, without even raising his head to look at him.

Zhu Zhanhe shook his head helplessly, played with the wooden ruyi in his hand, turned and left.

As soon as he went out, before Zhu Zhanhe looked back, he heard the sound of a door closing with a bang. Zhu Zhanhe turned around and looked at his teacher's tricks in amazement. The old Taoist priest closed the door the moment Zhu Zhanhe went out.

"Oh." Zhu Zhanhe twitched his mouth helplessly, shook the wooden ruyi in his hand, shook his head helplessly, and continued to walk out.

"Tada ta." Hearing Zhu Zhanhe's footsteps gradually fading away, the old Taoist Zhang Zhengheng looked helpless and sighed deeply in the house.

"What's the situation with this Prince of Han? Is he really born to be an emperor? He didn't receive an imperial education at all since childhood, just a simple and ordinary royal education. How could he have such a broad vision?" The old Taoist Zhang Zhengheng sat alone on a chair in the room, with a look of deep thought on his face. He couldn't figure out what caused Zhu Zhanhe to have such a vision now.

It can be said that in the past few years, the old Taoist priest has been in contact with Zhu Zhanhe every day, but the old Taoist priest has not found any traces of anyone teaching Zhu Zhanhe the way of being a monarch, not even any traces of Emperor Yongle secretly cultivating him. This made the old Taoist priest know clearly in his heart that there is really only one possibility, which is his previous guess, that this kid is born with it and does not need anyone to teach him!

Could it be that this boy was born with this talent, just like Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, and Emperor Taizu of Han, Zhu Yuanzhang? The old Taoist priest fell into deep doubt.

On the other side, Zhu Zhanhe had already arrived at the front yard of the Taoist temple and met the little Taoist boy Jindou again. The boy was looking at the road to the backyard of the Taoist temple with anticipation on his face, obviously waiting for someone to come out and buy him candied haws.

"Junior Brother Jindou!" Zhu Zhanhe looked at the nervous little boy and liked him very much, so he took the initiative to go forward and talk to him.

"Uncle Yanhe, you have been in there for a long time. I thought you left." Xiao Jindou looked happy when he saw Zhu Zhanhe. He looked at him expectantly but also a little awkwardly.

"Why would I leave first? I promised to buy you candied haws. Let's go now." Zhu Zhanhe looked at Xiao Jindou, who was six or seven years younger than him, as if he were his own brother. After he finished speaking, he went out first.

"Really? I knew that Uncle Yanhe was the best. He would never lie to me. Uncle, please wait for me." After hearing what Zhu Zhanhe said, Xiao Jindou was so happy that he almost jumped up. He didn't even look at the door and hurriedly followed Zhu Zhanhe.

Outside Chaotian Palace, Liu Erniu and others were already waiting for him in line. When they saw Zhu Zhanhe coming out of the Taoist temple from afar, they immediately cheered up and lined up to greet him.

"Young Master, now that you're out, where are we going next?" Liu Erniu hurriedly came forward and saluted Zhu Zhanhe respectfully.

"I'll buy some candied haws for Junior Brother Jindou first, and then go back home. I've been out for a long time. If I don't go back, my father will be dissatisfied." Zhu Zhanhe refused the horse handed to him by the servant and chose to walk.

"As the prince commands," Liu Erniu had no objection. Following the prince, he would eat well, drink well, and receive rewards. He loved such a leader the most. Liu Erniu asked one team to lead the way, and he led another team to follow Zhu Zhanhe. The group set off in a mighty procession.

As for Junior Ninja Ninja Jindou, he was very reserved in front of strangers, without saying a word, and followed Zhu Zhanhe closely. He was probably frightened by the momentum and sharp eyes of the soldiers like Liu Erniu.

In just a moment, we arrived at the street. Although it was almost afternoon, the street was still bustling with all kinds of vendors still coming and going.

“Fine porcelain chat”

"Buying groceries, buying groceries"

"Have you bought some fresh meat?"

"Tanghulu, Tanghulu"

"..."

The lively scene on the street made Zhu Zhanhe in a good mood, and he looked around with interest.

Suddenly Zhu Zhanhe realized that someone was pulling his clothes. He turned around and saw that it was his junior apprentice brother Jindou who was looking at the candied haws not far away with an eager look on his face. He was staring at them so intently that he could not even walk. His little hands were pulling his clothes anxiously without even turning his head.

Zhu Zhanhe couldn't help laughing when he saw this scene. He looked up and signaled to Liu Erniu on the side. Soon, Liu Erniu came back carrying a whole candied haws stick. Zhu Zhanhe counted them roughly and found that there were quite a lot, no less than twenty.

"Let me try it." Zhu Zhanhe reached out and took one. Under the envious gaze of his nephew Jindou, he put it in his mouth and tasted it. It was sour and sweet, not bad.

"Well, it tastes good, not bad," Zhu Zhanhe praised, thought for a moment, and reached out to take a few more skewers.

"Little golden bean, the rest are yours. Take them back and share them with other friends. Don't eat them alone." Zhu Zhanhe reached out and took another string, handed it to the little golden bean with his mouth full of saliva, and looked at himself eagerly.

"Thank you, uncle-master. I will definitely share some with them." Little Jindou couldn't wait to stuff the candied haws into his mouth, took a lick, and said to Zhu Zhanhe incoherently with an intoxicated look on his face.

"Erniu, send someone to take the golden beans back," Zhu Zhanhe said to Liu Erniu, looking back at the road. After all, in this era, human traffickers are also very rampant!

"Don't worry, Your Highness! Dabao, you go and send the young Taoist priest back. Make sure he gets him in!" Liu Erniu answered with a full sense of security, and then arranged a strong man with lumps of flesh on his body. The strong man bowed to Zhu Zhanhe, took the candied haws stick from Liu Erniu's hand, and went towards Chaotian Palace with the golden beans.

Looking at his junior apprentice nephew leaving, Zhu Zhanhe looked at the candied haws in his hand and fell into deep thought.

"Erniu, find me something so I can wrap the candied haws and take them back to eat." Zhu Zhanhe finally decided to take the candied haws back and give one to his mother and father. They probably hadn't eaten this for many years.

"Let's go straight back home!" Zhu Zhanhe was in a good mood after eating the candied haws, so he waved his hand and announced that he was going home.

　The officials under the jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty royal palace included one left and one right chief secretary, one registrar, and one official each in eight offices, one warehouse, and one granary.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)