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

Chapter 55 Late Night Lake Cruise 5
The sounds of "boom, boom, boom, boom, bang" were getting closer and closer. Even a ferocious man like the Prince of Han could not help but take a few steps back. As expected, he stopped with his back leaning against the pavilion.

Taoist priest Zhang Zhengheng also had a look of shock and madness on his face. His excitement was beyond words, so much so that his body was twitching, and his fiery eyes were fixed on the scene in front of him.

The giant crocodile came closer and closer, stopping right in front of Zhu Zhanhe. Lying on the ground, it was more than a man tall! Its thickest part, at the waist, was probably over two meters long, perhaps even more! Add to that its body length, which was over six feet! It was truly terrifying!
The big crocodile lay quietly in front of Zhu Zhanhe, which made Zhu Zhanhe feel full of accomplishment. He couldn't help but touch the big crocodile's head with his hand. He felt cool in his hand, just like a cold drink in summer, which was very comfortable.

The more he touched it, the more addicted he became. Under the frightened gaze of Prince Han, Zhu Zhanhe put his hand into the crocodile's mouth and gently stroked the crocodile's thick arms and long fangs like swords.

There is not even the slightest enamel feeling, and all you feel is the metallic texture that feels like gold and iron!

Somehow, when Zhu Zhanhe was stroking the big crocodile, he suddenly had an indescribable feeling. Zhu Zhanhe only felt a trance, and the more he touched, the more addicted he became.

After shaking his head vigorously, Zhu Zhanhe didn't care and continued to stroke the big crocodile.

"He'er~" Prince Han suddenly called his son. Zhu Zhanhe looked back and saw Prince Han looking at him in shock and confusion.

"He'er, is this a dragon?!" Even though the giant crocodile lay quietly before Prince Han, he remained in disbelief. He kept muttering to himself, "How could it be a dragon? How could it be a dragon? Am I dazzled? I must be blind!"
My son has a dragon?
My son has a dragon!
Prince Han was feeling nervous and kept hesitating. Finally, he still wanted to step forward and take a closer look for himself, but his legs were out of control and he couldn't move at all!
"This is a crocodile!" Just as Prince Han's legs were going weak, the old Taoist priest Zhang Zhengheng said in a hoarse voice.

Prince Han quickly turned his head and looked at the old Taoist priest beside him.

"There really is a dragon?!!" The old Taoist priest's hoarse voice was filled with confusion, but he quickly adjusted his state.

"In ancient times during the time of Emperor Huang, there was a dragon breeder named Dong who specialized in raising real dragons.
Later, during the reign of Emperor Kongjia, dragons were raised twice;

In the 9th year of Jian'an, a yellow dragon stayed in Chishui, Wuyang, for nine days.
In the seventh year of the Taihe reign, a blue dragon was discovered in a large well at Mobei. Emperor Ming of Wei, Cao Rui, led his officials to pay homage to it. As a result, Cao Rui decreed that the reign title be changed to Qinglong and Mobei be renamed Longbei.

In the first year of the Yonghe reign of the Jin Dynasty, two dragons, one black and one white, appeared on Longshan Mountain. The two dragons were about five or six feet long and were playing with each other.

Then, Emperor Gaozu of Han killed the white dragon and started an uprising!

I originally thought these countless records were just legends! The imaginations of the ancients!

But now, all of this, everything before my eyes is actually a dragon? !!!" The old Taoist priest became more and more excited as he spoke, and finally became hysterical, his eyes red.

Then the old Taoist priest was about to step forward and decided to touch the big crocodile himself, but before he got close, he was stopped by Wei Jizhong.

"Hmm?" The old Taoist priest looked at Wei Jizhong who stopped him hesitantly, his face full of doubts.

"Master, please!" Wei Jizhong pulled out the wooden ruyi gifted by Zhu Zhanhe from his arms and held it before the old Taoist priest. "Lord Dragon King, apart from our Crown Prince, no one else knows you. Only those who possess the Crown Prince's token can approach the Dragon King. Otherwise, the Dragon King will regard you as an enemy or food!" Wei Jizhong saw the old Taoist priest's confusion and explained.

"A token of trust?" The old Taoist priest took the wooden Ruyi from Wei Jizhong's hand and looked at it. "Isn't this wooden Ruyi the one I gave to Yanhe? How did it become a token of trust?" Then, the old Taoist priest looked hesitantly at Zhu Zhanhe, who was still petting the crocodile.

"Teacher, it's not the token that's the problem, it's the aura. This big crocodile can sense my aura. It won't attack unless I hold something that has my aura.

Moreover, my aura seems to only last for a month, and it will disappear after a month. Of course, the same principle applies to using my blood, but blood can only be used for a month." Zhu Zhanhe looked at his teacher, then looked at Prince Han who was also eager to try, and began to explain.

"So that's how it is! The dragon actually recognized its master?!" Zhu Zhanhe's words shocked the old Taoist even more. A dragon recognizing its master! This was a scene that only appeared in legends!
"Also, don't give it a random name. This is a crocodile!" The old Taoist shook the wooden Ruyi in his hand, walked close to the big crocodile, and looked at it carefully.

Suddenly, the old Taoist priest reached out to touch the big crocodile, but the big crocodile suddenly turned around and turned its huge head full of sharp teeth to the old Taoist priest. Its pair of huge eyes as big as its head stared at the old Taoist priest, its eyes full of unhappiness and unwillingness!
The old Taoist priest hurriedly raised the wooden Ruyi in his hand. The big crocodile's big eyes full of tyranny saw the wooden Ruyi in the old Taoist priest's hand, and turned its head away arrogantly. It no longer paid attention to the old Taoist priest, but rubbed its ferocious head against Zhu Zhanhe's palm like a puppy.

"It, it..." The old Taoist priest stared at the crocodile in front of him in amazement. The old Taoist priest turned his head to look at the crocodile in front of him with a dull look on his face. Only then did he realize that the crocodile in front of him had a certain self-awareness!

"Master, although Lord Dragon King cannot speak, he can understand what we say. Moreover, according to my speculation, Lord Dragon King has the wisdom equivalent to that of a five or six-year-old child." Wei Jizhong, who was standing aside, was indeed a mature and steady man. Seeing the old Taoist's surprise, he quickly began to explain.

"What, you said he is wise?!" The old Taoist priest suddenly seemed to think of something, jumped up as if his tail was stepped on, and asked Wei Jizhong loudly and seriously.

"Yes, Immortal, I am sure of it," Wei Jizhong said with certainty.

“It actually has intelligence, the wisdom of a five or six-year-old child?

"No!!" Suddenly the old Taoist priest was startled again, turned around and looked at Wei Jizhong and retorted.

"You said at the beginning that the crocodile was originally six zhang one chi two inches long, and now it is six zhang one chi five inches long. Is that correct?" The old Taoist looked at Wei Jizhong seriously and continued to confirm.

"What the immortal said is very true!" Wei Jizhong replied in the same deep voice.

"It has the intelligence of a five or six-year-old child, yet it's grown three inches in a month! And it's still growing?
It hasn't fully grown yet. The crocodile is still in its youth, or even in its childhood! It's still growing! "The old Taoist turned his head in astonishment and looked at the behemoth in front of him, and said in a lost voice.

"Isn't it an adult yet? It's already six feet long!" The Prince of Han also heard the old Taoist's words. He turned around in amazement and continued to look at the huge crocodile in front of him, full of disbelief.

　During Zhu Di's reign, he first began to weaken the power of the feudal lords and dismiss old officials. He also decided to relocate the capital and ordered the construction of Beijing. He also developed the legal system, restoring the old Hongwu system, emphasizing rest for the people and refraining from harsh laws. He also established the Cabinet and the East Factory to strengthen his autocratic rule. Militarily, Zhu Di ordered the reconstruction of the Great Wall to eliminate the threat posed by northern ethnic minorities to the central government. He governed the Heilongjiang and Ussuri River regions, establishing administrative agencies in the Nurgan and Hami regions. He also conquered Mongolia and Annan, established three major camps in the capital, adjusted the border defense command system, and cracked down on Japanese pirates along the coast. Economically, he dredged the canal, vigorously developed and improved the military farming system and the salt merchant management system to ensure the supply of military and border salaries, and encouraged farmers to reclaim idle land to boost production.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)