Parallel Ming Dynasty: The more he compared, the more devastated Zhu Yuanzhang became.

{New World: It was thanks to His Highness Zhu Duo's immediate assistance that the damage caused by the flood was minimized, and the most comprehensive help and resettlement arrangements were made for the affected people in Xuzhou.}

His Highness Zhu Duo is truly our reborn parent!

{New World: Where are those people who jumped out to question whether Prince Zhu Duo had earned too much money? Do they still dare to post a comment now? Now they should know where all the money Prince Zhu Duo earned went!}

His Highness Zhu Duo's money has always been taken from the people and used for the people!

It's only natural that he earned this money; we should even be grateful that he was willing to earn it. And now, he's going all out to help disaster-stricken people. I ask you, which other powerful or wealthy person in this world could do something like this?!

{Original World: To be honest, Zhu Duo's actions, one after another, almost qualify him as a saint.}

{New World: Moreover, he still refuses to reveal his identity, unwilling to accept the world's admiration, and even less willing to step forward and accept the people's kindness! He is content to remain a person who silently works and gives to the people!}

{New World: This kind of person absolutely deserves the title of benevolent ruler! Unprecedented and unparalleled! Even if he didn't hold the throne, in my heart, he is undoubtedly a benevolent ruler!}

{New World: That's right! If someone like that can't be our Emperor, then who is worthy of this position?!}

{Original World: Why didn't someone like Zhu Duo appear in our world? If he had, we wouldn't have had those tragic pasts, and so many of our compatriots wouldn't have lost their lives in vain.}

{Original World: God is so unfair! He only allowed people like Zhu Duo to exist in your world, but wouldn't leave one for ours.}

The crowd's emotions grew increasingly intense, especially after learning that Zhu Duo had done all this and still chose to remain anonymous and unknown, which deeply moved everyone.

Zhu Duo did not seek any reward, nor did he covet any empty fame. He disdained seeking fame and reputation. If such a person is not worthy to be their ruler, then who is?

Now that the people know all of Zhu Duo's sacrifices and the truth behind them, they have already placed Zhu Duo in the highest position in their hearts!

The scene continues to move forward.

Zhu Duo, accompanied by several guards and personal maids, traversed numerous flood-stricken areas, personally inspecting various aspects of disaster relief efforts.

Zhu Duo saw firsthand the plight and difficulties of the disaster victims, and wherever he went, he did his best to provide assistance.

Even when passing by a damaged dam, he personally rolled up his sleeves and joined the locals in repairing and reinforcing the dam.

The way he was engrossed in his work showed no sign that he was a noble royal descendant!

The surrounding refugees didn't suspect any royal identity; they simply assumed they were kind-hearted wealthy people who had come to the disaster area to help.

The vast majority of refugees are doing their best to save themselves and survive, but there are also a few people of bad character who are lazy and unwilling to work.

Just as Zhu Duo and his group arrived at the disaster area of ​​Lianglaoshan, they unexpectedly ran into a group of thugs who wanted to take advantage of the disaster.

A group of over thirty robbers blocked Zhu Duo and his party's path.

Although Zhu Duo and his group were covered in mud and looked quite filthy, their clothes still revealed them to be from a wealthy family. Moreover, Zhu Duo, the leader, was only a teenager. Because of this, the bandits immediately decided to rob them.

Seeing this group of scoundrels, the maid who had been serving Zhu Duo was the first to lose her temper and began to angrily curse these lazy good-for-nothings.

The guards and attendants nearby could no longer contain their anger and were about to take action.

As royal guards, even if they didn't wear gold and silver, their lives were far more comfortable than those of ordinary people.

Now, their prince, disregarding his noble status, has condescended to personally come to the disaster area to provide relief, only to be targeted by these disaster victims who want to rob him.

They really couldn't take it anymore.

A dozen guards rushed forward and beat the more than thirty robbers to a pulp, leaving them crying for their parents.

It was a complete and utter crushing defeat!

{New World: These heartless bastards! They are utterly ungrateful! They deserve to die! Prince Zhu Duo condescended to come and help with the disaster relief, saving the entire Xuzhou, and yet they still target him and try to rob him!}

These people deserve to be dragged out and torn apart by five horses!

{New World: We are so sorry to His Highness Zhu Duo! His Highness Zhu Duo treated us common people with his whole heart, but how have we, the people among us, repaid him?}

{New World: I wonder if the current prefect of Xuzhou can see our comments. If he can, he must thoroughly investigate this matter! Even if five or six years have passed, it must be investigated to the end!}

Those scoundrels who plotted against His Highness Zhu Duo back then must be rounded up and executed!

{New World: Only by killing them can we atone for Prince Zhu Duo's sacrifices and quell the people's hatred!}

{New World: Yes!}

{New World: Yes!}

{New World: Yes!}

……

Everyone was outraged. Even though many years had passed since the Xuzhou flood, they still couldn't tolerate it and were determined to get to the bottom of what happened back then.

{The Prefect of Xuzhou in the New World: Actually, the matter from back then was already settled long ago; those people were dealt with on the spot when it happened.}

Amidst the dense barrage of comments, a particularly eye-catching message slowly drifted by.

The footage in the video continues to move forward.

Faced with this group of robbers, Zhu Duo gave an order that the guards were not allowed to harm them. He slowly said, "Now is a special time of disaster and chaos, and such situations are inevitable. So don't take their lives, but we can't just let them go like this, lest they remain thieving and harm others in the future."

Therefore, let's take them to the authorities and hand them over to them for sentencing and punishment.

"Yes!" the guards answered in unison. But no one expected that after the guards escorted the group of people to the yamen, the group suddenly changed their tune and began to falsely accuse them.

"Your Honor, you must do us justice!"

"Your Honor, we were originally people forced to leave our homes by the flood. On our way to escape, we encountered this group of people. They took advantage of their numbers and beat us severely. We didn't dare to fight back at all."

"After they beat us, they brought us here and tried to frame us for a crime!"

We told them that the officials in Xuzhou are all discerning and capable, and they will definitely find out the truth.

But they immediately started cursing, saying that all the officials in Xuzhou were a bunch of corrupt and lawless dogs, and that if they revealed their identities, they, the officials, wouldn't even dare to yell at them!

"Your Honor, we common folk don't mind being beaten or verbally abused, but such insults against you are absolutely intolerable!"

The group of people were crying and wailing as they spoke; they looked like seasoned veterans who were adept at twisting the truth.

The county magistrate in the courtroom sensed something was amiss, but dared not make a hasty judgment. Moreover, it was a time of devastating floods, and he simply didn't have the energy to investigate the matter thoroughly. So he said, "Guards, take them all away. We'll hold the trial after the floodwaters have receded!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Duo's maidservant could no longer contain herself.

Zhu Duo's maid was straightforward by nature, and she immediately pointed at the county magistrate's nose and angrily rebuked him: "My young master has traveled thousands of miles to come here to provide disaster relief, working day and night, and you not only show no gratitude, but also dare to treat my young master like this. Have you all lost your conscience?!"

Besides, do you even know what kind of person our young master is?! He is—"

Zhu Duo suddenly interrupted, "Azi, don't talk nonsense!"

"But... young master, they're really bullying you! How could they treat you like this!"

Ah Zi's eyes turned red with anxiety, and tears were about to fall.

Just then, Zhang Shouwang, on patrol, passed by and saw a dispute breaking out in the yamen. He went up to ask what had happened.

The county magistrate in the hall quickly recounted the whole story in detail.

Zhang Shouwang looked Zhu Duo up and down.

A strong sense of curiosity arose in my heart towards this fourteen-year-old boy.

"Are you the highest-ranking official in Xuzhou?!" Azi asked first.

"Indeed, I am Zhang Shouwang, the Prefect of Xuzhou. Who are you?"

"We are from the Peace Trading Company!"

Azi's words instantly made Zhang Shouwang's eyes widen.

"Is everything you said true?!"

"How could it be fake? Two hundred laborers from Liugang in the south, one hundred and eighty laborers from Dongye Town in the southeast, and six hundred shi of grain and various supplies from Yishan..."

Azi raised her chin and counted them with a smug look on her face.

Zhang Shouwang believed him instantly and quickly and respectfully invited Zhu Duo to talk elsewhere.

Once they reached a secluded place where no one could see them, Zhu Duo revealed his true identity.

Upon hearing that Zhu Duo was actually the grandson of the current emperor, Zhang Shouwang was instantly thrilled and immediately knelt down on the ground.

He had been worried that sending people from the imperial court would delay the disaster relief efforts, but he never expected the imperial court to act so quickly.

Even more unexpectedly, it was His Highness the Crown Prince himself who came to the disaster area to provide relief!

But Zhu Duo's next words completely unsettled Zhang Shouwang.

"Zhang Shouwang, I will only tell you my identity today. You can attribute all the credit for this disaster relief effort to the imperial court. The Peace Trading Company is my private business."

For this disaster relief effort, I brought a large number of laborers and relief supplies.

All of these things are now under your overall planning and arrangement.

I have investigated your background beforehand and know that you are a good official who is wholeheartedly dedicated to serving the people. I hope you can handle these matters properly.

Remember, you must never reveal my identity. Even if the imperial court sends someone to ask, you must not utter a single word about it.

"Your Highness, please forgive my ignorance, but I do not know why this is?" Zhang Shouwang asked, his face full of confusion.

Zhu Duo shook his head slightly and said, "There's no special reason. I just don't want the world to know that I was the one who did the disaster relief."

The imperial court simply couldn't spare the resources to deal with the flood situation in a short period of time.

If this matter gets out, it will only cause the people to lose faith in the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, when announcing achievements and receiving rewards in the future, we should take more responsibility for the court.

Zhu Duo raised his hand and gently patted Zhang Shouwang's shoulder.

Zhang Shouwang was immediately moved to tears.

Although he couldn't fathom what Zhu Duo was thinking, he knew perfectly well how much benefit it would be to Zhu Duo if he took on this great task of disaster relief.

But Zhu Duo chose to always put the interests of the Ming Dynasty first.

"Your Highness, I know what to do."

Zhang Shouwang was unwilling to let the imperial court monopolize this great achievement. Therefore, after working for two whole months and finally completely quelling the flood, he announced to the public who would be credited for the disaster relief efforts.

The greatest credit goes to the Heping Trading Company, which contributed manpower, resources, and funds to support the entire disaster relief effort.

The credit was later given to the imperial court. It was thanks to the court's strong support that the flood was finally overcome and the people of Xuzhou were saved!

Throughout the announcement of the achievements, Zhang Shouwang did not mention his own contributions or achievements at all.

In Zhang Shouwang's mind, he had only run more errands and done more work. All the credit should belong to His Highness Zhu Duo. The court had not provided much substantial help from beginning to end!

On the contrary, His Highness Zhu Duo was deeply concerned about the suffering of the people. He personally went deep into the disaster area to provide relief and mobilized all his businesses to support the disaster relief efforts.

Although Zhang Shouwang did not know exactly how much wealth the Peace Trading Company had, he could clearly calculate that the amount of silver spent to quell the flood was at least one million taels!

All of this money belongs to His Highness Zhu Duo's private property!

For this reason, Zhang Shouwang was unwilling to hand over all the credit to the court, but dared not disobey Zhu Duo's instructions. So he chose this compromise and said to the outside world that the main credit for this disaster relief was given to the merchants of the world.

As for who is actually behind Tianxia Trading Company, that's not something he should discuss publicly.

But when the people find out the truth in the future, they will understand what kind of kind and benevolent heart His Highness Zhu Duo truly possesses.