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

Chapter 74: Night Talk at Xuanwu Lake

Prince Han, the old Taoist priest and others on the side watched quietly as Zhu Zhanhe won people's hearts, with a look of satisfaction on their faces.

"He'er, what are you going to do next?" Seeing that his son had finished winning over people's hearts and started to put on his clothes, Prince Han asked his son anxiously about his next plan.

"After I go back today, I will ask my mother to pack up all the valuables and gold and silver utensils in the house. After grandpa returns from the expedition this time, our whole family will go to Yunnan to be a vassal!" Zhu Zhanhe said this without any concealment and very calmly.

However, Zhu Zhanhe's words made Prince Han feel dizzy and extremely angry.

According to Prince Han's plan, the next step should be for Prince Han and his son to join forces to seize the throne, and then great things will be accomplished!
"You...～" Prince Han was so angry that he pointed at his own son and was speechless.

Looking at the extremely angry Prince Han, Zhu Zhanhe felt that there were some things he needed to make clear to the Prince Han.

"If Dad thinks Yunnan is not good, then I will ask Grandpa to change my fiefdom to Liao. I think that place is also very good and very suitable to be my future fiefdom." Zhu Zhanhe will no longer indulge Prince Han. He wants to start walking his own way.

"You rebellious son~" When the Prince of Han heard his son say that he wanted to exchange his fiefdom of Yunnan for that remote place in Liao land, he immediately became even angrier.

"Don't be anxious, Your Highness. It's not too late to listen to what Yanhe has to say." The old Taoist Zhang Zhengheng had a calm look on his face, but his flashing eyes were fixed on Zhu Zhanhe.

"When the crocodile came across the sea, I saw from its perspective a great river flowing from west to north, with surging floods and vast mountains.

The black soil on both sides of the river is fertile and covers an area as vast as the heartland of the Central Plains. It produces gold, silver, jade and abundant grain.

I plan to first establish myself in Yunnan and then plot my own plan.” Zhu Zhanhe approached the crocodile, stroked its ferocious head, and explained his reasons. Under the moonlight, the man and the dragon appeared strangely harmonious.

However, Prince Han was also stunned after hearing his son's words, and then his face was full of sighs.

"He'er, where in this world is there a river flowing from west to north? Don't all rivers flow east to the sea? Don't talk nonsense." Prince Han looked at his son with a strange expression, thinking that his son was a little hysterical today.

Zhu Zhanhe continued to stroke the crocodile's big head without making any excuses.

However, what Zhu Zhanhe said made the old Taoist priest beside him stunned. Then he looked thoughtful. After a moment of stunned silence, he opened his mouth wide, pointed at Zhu Zhanhe in shock, and was speechless.

"Master? What's wrong with you?" Prince Han noticed the abnormality of the old Taoist priest and shouted repeatedly.

"This is impossible! How is it possible? Yanhe? Are you sure it's from west to north!?" After hearing what Zhu Zhanhe said, the old Taoist priest pondered for a long time, and looked at Zhu Zhanhe with an unbelievable face as he struggled to confirm.

Prince Han also looked at the old Taoist priest hesitantly. He thought for a long time, but couldn't think of any river that flowed from west to north. So Prince Han looked at the old Taoist priest with a puzzled look.

The old Taoist priest glared at Prince Han fiercely with the look he gave to a naughty student, and then spoke.

"The river flows out from the northeast corner, then flows north, flows southwest into the Bohai Sea, and then flows out overseas, then west and north, and into the Jishishan Mountain led by Yu??!!" The old Taoist Zhang Zhengheng said as he looked at his students with a serious face, his eyes full of disbelief.

"You found the hometown where Dayu controlled the flood?!!" The Prince of Han, who had been complaining about his son, finally realized what the old Taoist said. He was also well-versed in history books.

Prince Han came to Zhu Zhanhe quickly, grabbed his son's arm, and wanted to press his shoulder, but he was not tall enough!
"Where is it? Where is it?" Prince Han was shocked and anxious. Even the old Taoist priest beside him looked at Zhu Zhanhe anxiously.

"Our ancestors' heritage has become someone else's territory, but it's so far away that we're probably out of reach. However, if we use Yunnan as a springboard, there's still a chance!" Zhu Zhanhe pondered for a moment and replied solemnly. In ancient times, transportation was inconvenient, and it was not easy to occupy a place.

"What about Liao?" The old Taoist priest was an extremely perceptive person. He discovered the plan to change the fiefdom that Zhu Zhanhe had just mentioned, so he also wanted to know what was different about Liao.

"Liao is also close to the sea. I need a place with a sea to display my skills." Zhu Zhanhe patted the crocodile's big head and said calmly.

"A true dragon enters the sea!" The old Taoist nodded, but still looked at Zhu Zhanhe with a hesitant look. He didn't believe that the place Zhu Zhanhe chose would be so simple!
In fact, Zhu Zhanhe chose Liaodi for a very simple reason: it connected to Russia, had some extremely vast black soil, and there were also Japan's gold and silver mountains to exploit! Who knew it could even reach America!

The place with rivers flowing from west to north is India. Choosing this place means you can also include Europe and Africa! And Australia! All under heaven belongs to the king!

Wherever the sun and the moon shine is my hometown!
Everything you see belongs to me!

The foundation of all this is the largest treasure ship of this era! It will become the absolute magic weapon for the Ming Dynasty to cross the sea!
And the Alligator King is the biggest amulet!
At this moment, Prince Han looked at his son who was stroking the head of the real dragon in the moonlight, and he felt so unfamiliar.

Although his tone was indifferent, he could not be refused. He did not seem like the obedient and well-behaved son he used to be. Instead, he seemed like an almighty overlord!

A more powerful overlord than Emperor Yongle!

"What if I don't agree?" Although Prince Han agreed with his son's idea in his heart, he still couldn't let go of the place where he had worked for many years, so he wanted to see what his son would do!
"Then I will also leave after the war!" Zhu Zhanhe said softly, still looking at his father calmly.

"However, I'm not sure if Dad will still be able to make the firm choice to stay in the Central Plains like he does now when that time comes.

The world is vast, and I don’t want to be confined to one place.

My grandfather was charged with murdering his blood relatives. I don’t want my father to be charged with the same crime.

Everything I want, I will fight for with my own hands! Instead of taking it from my blood relatives, I will take it.” Zhu Zhanhe made his attitude clear to Prince Han.

"What do you mean?" Prince Han looked at his son who looked indifferent and suddenly had a bad feeling.

"You'll know in a while. I want a fleet like Zheng He's, but until now, you haven't even given me a blueprint of a large ship.

So, I decided to ask Grandpa for it myself!" Zhu Zhanhe said to Prince Han in a calm tone.

"You go and ask for it yourself? How do you want it? Can your grandfather give it to you?" Prince Han was a little confused at this moment.

Zhu Zhanhe showed a gold medal.

"Look, this is the gold medal that grandpa awarded me. I will need it in a few days. You will know then, Dad. Don't ask so many questions now." Zhu Zhanhe took out a golden medal from his arms, which made Prince Han stunned.

"The old man gave you this?" Prince Han asked with a strange look on his face.

"Yes, I will need it in a few days, so don't worry, Dad." Zhu Zhanhe looked at his father, then patted the crocodile's big head.

"Okay, go into the water, we are going back," Zhu Zhanhe said softly to the quietly lying crocodile.

"Go back now?" Prince Han still had many things to ask his son, but he was told to go back, which made him very dissatisfied.

"Go back to sleep now. You haven't completely lifted the burden of being the regent yet. You still have to hand over the responsibility to your uncle, and grandpa also needs to review the memorials submitted during your time as regent! You better be careful recently!"
And Master also needs to go back and rest," Zhu Zhanhe turned and said to the old Taoist priest.

"Teacher, if you are interested, you can gather my fellow disciples in advance. Then, we can set out together to witness history!" Zhu Zhanhe did not forget to fool his teacher before leaving.

But it made the old Taoist priest roll his eyes.

　The legendary Sword of Goujian, King of Yue, not only weighed 60 kilograms ( jin) but was also incredibly powerful, capable of cutting through metal like mud. The artifact even recognized its master, allowing only Goujian himself to wield it; no one else could even lift it.

　　However, the reality is that the sword of King Yue Buguang (with the inscription "King Yue Buguang" on the hilt, meaning Buguang was the great-grandson of King Yue Goujian), unearthed from a Chu tomb in Pingliangtai, Huaiyang in 1983, is 59.9 cm long and 5.4 cm wide, more like a long dagger, and weighs less than 5 jin. Even taking into account the damage, the actual weight would not exceed 10 jin.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)