Ming Dynasty: Charge, Emperor Yongle!

"Your Highness, Prince Yan."

"Why don't you wait a few more years?"

Xu Miaoyun stared at Zhu Di, her voice cold and distant.

"You say that."

Zhu Di rolled his eyes, somewhat speechless: "My dear young lady."

"What are you waiting for? Are you waiting for a free lunch to fall from the sky?"

"You don't think taking up a fief is a simple matter, do you?"

"I'll just pack up and go to my fiefdom to become a king, second only to the emperor, above all others, able to do whatever I want, with the power of life and death in my hands."

"What are you thinking? Even my dad couldn't do that."

That's not what I meant.

Xu Miaoyun began to explain.

"Then what do you mean?"

Zhu Di pressed further, "Do you think I do nothing and the court and Father Emperor will take care of everything?"

"The Prince's Palace has all the necessary officials and guards."

"Yes."

Xu Miaoyun made a slight nod.

Her marriage to Zhu Di was a fait accompli, and she naturally didn't want to become a widow before even getting married.

"snort!"

Zhu Di snorted coldly and sneered, "If the princes guard the borders, they will have to do everything according to the court's wishes."

"Believe it or not, one day we won't even know our heads have been cut off by the Yuan people."

"The people around me now are all arranged by my father, from the Imperial Guard Commandery and the Imperial Guard Office."

"These people are nobody's informants. If you can trust them, pigs will fly."

"So you..."

Xu Miaoyun's beautiful eyes widened in surprise; so this was what Zhu Di was planning.

To break free from the constraints of the palace, they could join the army and cultivate their own power and loyal followers.

"I can't keep relying on my father-in-law forever."

"The people of the Ming Dynasty still think that I, the Prince of Yan, am just a freeloader."

Zhu Di replied with a grin.

"Pooh."

Seeing his improper manner, Xu Miaoyun couldn't help but spit.

"I've said everything."

"If you are unwilling, once I arrive in the northern desert, I will write a letter to my father and mother to cancel this marriage."

"I do."

Before Zhu Di could finish speaking, Xu Miaoyun interrupted him.

"Yes, I'll come back and marry you."

Zhu Di turned and left the boudoir, disappearing into the night.

"They're gone."

Xu Miaoyun looked at the empty room and felt a little lost.

..............

As the first rays of dawn break above the horizon, the sleeping palace gradually awakens.

Palace maids and eunuchs came and went in an endless stream, their voices and footsteps rising and falling.

"Big brother, big brother."

Little Zhu Bai paraded through the city, carrying the letter with him, from the Great Hall to the East Palace.

"Little Twelve".

"What's wrong?"

Crown Prince Zhu Biao, who was practicing calligraphy, turned around and asked with concern.

"Eldest brother, fourth brother left a letter and has departed."

With pitiful hands, Xiao Zhubai presented the letter to Zhu Biao.

"letter?"

Zhu Biao took the letter with a puzzled look in his eyes. After opening it, his face immediately turned ashen, and he roared, "Someone, find them! Go find them!"

"Find the Prince of Yan."

"Yes."

The guards and personal soldiers outside the door responded and left.

Zhu Biao, holding the letter in one hand, strode towards the door, not paying attention to his footing and almost tripping.

"Big brother."

Xiao Zhubai was startled.

To everyone's surprise, Zhu Biao didn't care at all and personally went to the main hall to search for Zhu Di. The guards searched the place thoroughly, but they couldn't find a single trace of him.

"Your Highness, the Imperial Guards have thoroughly searched every part of the palace and every neighborhood outside the palace."

"There is still no news of His Highness the Prince of Yan."

The chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace hurriedly entered to report.

"Snapped!"

Zhu Biao slammed his hand on the table, suppressing his anger, and said in a deep voice, "Send someone to the Fengtian Hall to inform His Majesty."

"Yes."

The head eunuch responded and left.

Upon receiving the news, Zhu Yuanzhang, who was holding a court meeting, disregarded everything else and got up to walk towards the rear hall.

"Court adjourned!"

The eunuch standing before His Majesty read aloud.

"We take our leave!"

All the civil and military officials bowed and left the Fengtian Hall one after another.

Hu Weiyong, the Vice Chancellor of the Secretariat, strode to Li Shanchang, the Left Chancellor of the Secretariat, and whispered, "Duke of Han, today's court session ended a full half hour shorter than usual. Is this...?"

"After court, His Majesty takes care of family affairs."

Li Shanchang stopped, gave Hu Weiyong a deep look, and reminded him, "Since this is a family matter, it is not our place to interfere."

"Yes."

Hu Weiyong touched the tip of his nose, somewhat bored.

The surrounding officials noticed the two whispering to each other, but no one dared to interrupt.

..............

Meanwhile, at the Huagai Hall.

"Close all gates and launch a city-wide search."

"Drag him back and break that brat's legs."

After listening to Zhu Biao's report, Zhu Yuanzhang was furious and loudly gave the order.

The commander of the Imperial Guard below was somewhat at a loss. He glanced at Crown Prince Zhu Biao and didn't dare to leave even a step.

"Hurry up and go."

Seeing that he did not move, Zhu Yuanzhang's anger flared even more, and he roared on the spot.

"Yes."

The Imperial Guard Commander and Protector-General hurriedly got up and walked outside.

"Father, Father."

Zhu Biao quickly tried to dissuade him.

"Your Majesty the Empress."

Just then, Empress Ma walked in and was spotted by the Protector-General of the Imperial Guards.

"daughter."

Zhu Biao seemed to have found a lifeline and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are you really going to make such a big fuss?"

"Where will Tiande's reputation be then?"

Empress Ma walked up to Zhu Yuanzhang and said a few words.

The anger in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes gradually subsided, and he remained silent.

"Biao'er, go!"

Empress Ma gave Zhu Biao a look, and Zhu Biao understood immediately. He then instructed the Commander of the Imperial Guards: "Select one hundred clever men from the Imperial Guards who know the Prince of Yan, dress them in the uniforms of the Capital Garrison Command, and have them go to each gate in two shifts to guard it day and night."

"Once you encounter the Prince of Yan, capture him on the spot. Go quickly."

"Yes."

The Protector-General of the Imperial Guards felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly left the Hall of Literary Glory.

"Father."

After making these arrangements, Crown Prince Zhu Biao turned to Zhu Yuanzhang and continued to report: "I have already instructed the Ceremonial and Disciplinary Inspection Office to inform the inner palace."

"Any palace servant who dares to speak recklessly shall be beaten to death on the spot."

His calm tone carried a chilling undertone, revealing the power and menacing nature of this crown prince of the Ming Dynasty.

"Hmph, the Ninefold Palace Restriction."

"I'm afraid even the bamboo fences of peasant families are sturdier than my palace walls."

Zhu Yuanzhang leaned back on the dragon throne, muttering that the palace guards couldn't even defend against a young boy.

"Pfft."

Zhu Biao couldn't help but laugh and said, "A few days ago, the twelfth brother came looking for me."

He said, "A piece of paper crotch emerged from under the iron threshold."

"hehe."

This made Zhu Yuanzhang laugh, and he cursed, "Such nonsense must have been taught by that brat, Fourth Prince."

"Look at him, he's corrupting Little Twelve."

"yes."

Zhu Biao smiled and advised, "In such a vast palace, the affairs of the royal family are no different from those of the entire nation."

"How could you possibly stop someone with ulterior motives from spying?"

"Fine."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said sarcastically, "My ministers are trying to figure out what I'm thinking and doing, which is better than them paying lip service to me."

"Father is right."

Zhu Biao wholeheartedly agreed.