Zhu Di: My fourth son is a great emperor of all time?

Chapter 1 How did the fourth brother come to rule the world?

The fourteenth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty.

Under the rule of Zhu Di, the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the dynasty gradually prospered, just as recorded in history.

Prince Qi's Mansion.

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened!"

An urgent voice, like a thunderclap, rang out in the silent Prince Qi's mansion. The voice was filled with anxiety, and Zhu Gaoshuo, who had been lying on the rocking chair with his eyes closed, immediately opened his eyes.

An old man hurried into the hall, his clothes disheveled and his expression anxious.

Zhu Gaoshuo glanced at him, frowned, and asked, "What's wrong? Uncle Chen, why are you in such a panic? What serious incident has happened?"

He stood up from the chair and stretched.

"News has come from the palace that His Majesty has decided to send His Highness to his fiefdom at tomorrow's morning court session."

Upon hearing this news, Zhu Gaoshuo could no longer hide his joy.

He widened his eyes, let out a long sigh, as if a huge weight had finally been lifted from his heart.

"Uncle Chen, is the news true?"

"Your Highness!" Uncle Chen nodded solemnly and said, "As you know, we actually have secret guards stationed in the palace."

"These messages were relayed back by the secret guards, and they are absolutely true. It's said to be the Crown Prince's decision!"

"Of course, it hasn't been announced yet, and there's still a chance things could turn around."

After speaking, Uncle Chen looked at Zhu Gaoshuo, hoping he could come up with a solution.

But upon hearing Uncle Chen's words, a look of joy flashed in Zhu Gaoshuo's eyes.

As a time traveler, he was filled with immense joy at that moment.

Zhu Gaoshuo was Zhu Di's fourth son.

There was no trace of her mother; all that was known was that she died in childbirth.

Zhu Di never cared about his son.

Although he was granted the title of King Qi, he never had his own fiefdom.

From the moment he came into this world, he carefully played the role of a prince who had no interest in imperial power and was obsessed with playing with crickets.

This is precisely why Zhu Di disliked him even more.

But Zhu Gaoshuo didn't care at all. He was like a hunter hiding in the dark, waiting for the right opportunity, waiting for his strength to be strong enough, waiting for the right time and place, to rightfully become the emperor of the Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Gaoshuo, who was well-versed in history, certainly knew this very well.

Zhu Di was a renowned emperor on horseback in history.

Besides, with five emperors ruling simultaneously, it's safest to stay put.

But once they are granted a fiefdom, they can go to their territory.

By then, with the emperor far away, no one can stop him.

Now, that day has finally arrived.

Zhu Gaoshuo was naturally overjoyed. He knew very well that there were only eight years left before the world descended into chaos.

When chaos descends, he must have sufficient power.

Now that he had come to the Ming Dynasty, he was determined to become an emperor for all time and let future generations know that Li Shimin was born a thousand years earlier than him. Was he a slow bird that flew first, or a king who never met another king?
After all, it was a place where he had lived for more than ten years. Zhu Gaoshuo knew he had to leave. Before leaving, he wanted to see this blue sky one last time. He knew it would be at least eight years before he returned.

But just as Zhu Gaoshuo looked up...

Suddenly, a loud bang came from the sky, and when I opened my eyes, I saw a dazzling light flash by.

This eventually formed a white light curtain.

???

What the hell.

Zhu Gaoshuo was dumbfounded. Since coming into this world, he, who knew history, had rarely lost his composure like this.

Is this thing going to be like those novels from my past life, listing some kind of great emperor of all time?

Zhu Gaoshuo always felt that this thing was related to him, after all, he was a time traveler.

Help! I hope this thing doesn't cause me any trouble.

Zhu Gaoshuo only hoped that it had nothing to do with him; he just wanted to obediently accept his fiefdom and secretly develop his power.

Zhu Di's bedroom.

"Father, although the Northern Expedition was successful, we cannot be careless as Japanese pirates are now harassing the coast."

"Grandpa Emperor, I disagree with what Second Uncle said. Our enemy is still the grassland people on the border!"

"Father, the national treasury is really out of money. Otherwise, we should stop compiling the Yongle Encyclopedia for now."

Lying on the bed, Zhu Di remained expressionless, not even glancing at his children and grandchildren before him; his thoughts had long since drifted far away.

"Can't all my achievements in life clear my name of my crimes?"

Zhu Di asked himself this question with resentment.

Over the years, he has worked diligently and never dared to slack off.

He could fight on horseback and govern the country on foot; which emperor throughout history could compare to him?

In recent years, the northern border regions have been in constant turmoil, and he personally led several expeditions against the Mongol tribes to pacify the various tribes on the grasslands.

In the end, however, he was criticized for being a warmonger. From the day he ascended the throne, he seemed to see himself standing proudly on Mount Langjuxu.

The people live in peace and prosperity, and there is no more war on the borders.

Then complete the compilation of the Yongle Encyclopedia.

Even if he went to the underworld to meet his father Zhu Yuanzhang after his death, he would have at least given an explanation.

But now thirteen years have passed.

The north was in constant turmoil, the relocation of the capital was still undecided, the Yongle Encyclopedia was draining the national treasury, and Japanese pirates were raiding the coast. These problems were troubling Zhu Di.

At this moment, he was a little tired.

Perhaps it's time to stop and take a break.

"Report! Your Majesty, there is an unusual phenomenon in the heavens." The Imperial Guard entered the palace nervously, his face pale.

The sudden sound interrupted Zhu Di's thoughts.

"Vision?"

Zhu Di frowned, thinking it was nothing more than a change in the weather.

But his inner curiosity still made Zhu Di get out of bed, frown and walk outside.

The moment he stepped out of the palace, a strange sight came into view in the sky.

This. What is this?
Even Zhu Di was astonished by the miraculous scene before him.

at the same time.

Throughout the entire Ming Dynasty, whether in the prosperous capital, the desolate borderlands, or among farmers working in the fields and street vendors, everyone saw the magical curtain of light in the sky.

They all knelt down and worshipped, welcoming the descent of the gods.

"Grandfather, this is an auspicious omen! It is a blessing from Heaven for our Great Ming Dynasty!" Zhu Zhanji, as Zhu Di's favorite grandson, was well aware of the other's thoughts and immediately stepped forward to say what Zhu Di wanted to hear.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di raised his low-set eyes, a sharp glint flashing in them, and his hands trembled.

The light screen began to flicker, and the image gradually became clear.

Hello everyone, I'm Wang Tianba, a content creator in the history section!

The man was wearing sunglasses, obscuring his eyes. His features were fierce, but he wore a bright smile.

He held the toothbrush between his index and middle fingers, put it in his mouth, took a sip, and then slowly exhaled.

[A hero among men, atop the mountain peak, the sun and moon reawaken the great unified heavens!]

As a citizen of the Dragon Kingdom, I will never forget the kindness of the Ming Dynasty in restoring our nation!

The man's voice was so penetrating that it sent shivers down one's spine and made one's hair stand on end.

Today, let's talk about the Ming Dynasty!

"Could this be an immortal descending to earth!" the plump Zhu Gaochi exclaimed, pointing at the sky and shouting:
"Father, this person seems to be talking about our Great Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Di frowned. He had originally been unwilling to believe in ghosts and gods, but now the strange phenomenon was right before his eyes.

Is this a warning from heaven?

Does he also have to die and have his territory divided, just like the First Emperor?
Zhu Zhanji jogged over to Zhu Di's side.

"The teacher sent a message saying that the celestial beings were not immortals, but people from later generations, and that the era we live in has become history!"

Zhu Di's anxious heart calmed down. The most urgent task was to find out the situation of the sky and come up with a solution.

He immediately instructed Zhu Zhanji to arrange for the Embroidered Uniform Guard to appease the people and closely monitor the movements of all parties, reporting any unusual activity immediately.

Zhu Di closed his eyes, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

History?
How will history judge him?
Was his position illegitimate?

At this moment, Zhu Di felt a little scared.

But he was the supreme Yongle Emperor, and he would not regret it.

The Ming Dynasty is worthy of our respect. After its founding, it not only recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, which had been lost for hundreds of years, but also, throughout the entire history of the Ming Dynasty, it did not cede territory, make peace through marriage, or pay reparations.

The emperor guards the nation's gates; the monarch dies for the state.

Today we'll talk about the ancestor of the first emperor of China, known as the strongest carbon-based life form on Earth.

A great emperor throughout history?
Zhu Di was stunned for a moment, then he understood the meaning of those words.

Was the greatest emperor of all time from the Ming Dynasty?
Who is it?
Zhu Di looked up at the sky with some nervousness.

Could it be his father, the Hongwu Emperor?

impossible.

My father had great achievements, but he was also bloodthirsty.

An emperor who slaughters cannot be called a great emperor of all time.

That was the emperor of later generations.

Could it be me?
The thought had barely crossed Zhu Di's mind when he quickly dismissed it: how could it possibly be him?

But then, the words of the person in the sky made Zhu Di overjoyed.

Speaking of which, our ancestor, the greatest emperor in Chinese history, was not actually the heir to the throne. He was only the fourth child in his family. When he was young, someone once asked him, "You're the fourth child, how did you come to rule the world?"

(End of this chapter)