I am the prince of the Ming Dynasty, I don't give up

Chapter 273 Zhu Houxuan's persistence
Zhu Houxuan stopped pretending and came clean.
"You" Zhu Houzhao looked at Zhu Houxun's rogue appearance and felt angry and amused.
"It seems that I have fallen into your trap today." Zhu Houzhao said with sudden enlightenment.

"What do you mean by scheming? I didn't scheme against my brother! I just wanted to settle accounts with him." Zhu Houxuan said seriously, "In fact, I don't understand why my brother insisted on taking the dividends away."

"Is there anything wrong with taking it?"

"What do you want to use the dividends for?" Zhu Houxuan continued to ask.

"Isn't there only 30,000 new troops now? I want to expand the new army to 50,000." Zhu Houzhao explained.

"What do I think it is? The dividends should not be taken away for expanding the army. The entire logistics and equipment of the new army are the responsibility of the Royal Group. The dividends must eventually return to the Royal Group's account," said Zhu Houxuan.

"Yes! How could I forget this?" Zhu Houzhao said with sudden enlightenment, as if his mind had just turned a corner.

"That's right. The products of the Royal Group are inexpensive and of good quality. You can't just give this money to the masters in the Ministry of War and let them share the profits," Zhu Houxuan said while the iron was hot.

"That's not possible!" Zhu Houzhao said, shaking his head.

"In fact, Royal Group is the best place to spend money. Now Royal Group's business involves all aspects, and it can basically meet all your needs. Moreover, the group only charges you the cost price. For example, if you want to build a palace, you can contact the Ministry of Construction. Steel and concrete houses are very solid." Zhu Houxuan started to solicit business again.
Zhu Houzhao nodded repeatedly, and suddenly realized that it was true. He said quickly: "Brother, what you said makes sense. But what about the expansion of the army? I still owe you 110,000 taels of silver."

Zhu Houxuan thought for a moment and then encouraged him, "How about you open up the treasury as well?"

Zhu Houzhao got anxious when he heard this. "Why are you the same as those civil servants? Well, I haven't taken any money from you yet, but you're already eyeing the little money in my treasury."

"Just kidding! Just kidding!" Zhu Houxuan said immediately, "The expansion of the new army is the same as last year. Let's put it in the Royal Group's account first. After all, the new army also played a big role in the Salt War."

"Let's leave it at that for now! You still have a conscience." Zhu Houzhao nodded with satisfaction.

The two people reached an agreement.
The two chatted for a while, and Zhu Houxuan suddenly thought of another thing.

"Brother, a funeral for the victims of the New Army will be held tomorrow. Will you attend?" Zhu Houxuan asked.

Although the new army's attack on Xiongfeng Village was a surprise attack and they had various advantages, it was their first battle after all, and they also exposed a lot of problems and were taken advantage of by the bandits. There were some casualties, including three deaths and fourteen injuries. Two of them were seriously injured and left with sequelae, and had to retire early.
"Funeral! I know about it, but I don't want to attend it." Zhu Houzhao said.

This answer was beyond Zhu Houxuan's expectation. He thought Zhu Houzhao would be very enthusiastic about the new army.
"Why?" "No reason, I just don't like the atmosphere of a funeral. Besides, this is just the funeral of three soldiers. I am the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, so there is no need for me to attend."

Zhu Houxuan nodded silently, but he couldn't help but persuade: "Brother is the supreme commander of the new army, if you can go..."

"Don't try to persuade me anymore. I have made up my mind." Zhu Houzhao interrupted Zhu Houxuan directly.

Zhu Houxuan hesitated for a moment and continued, "Since my brother doesn't want to go, let me go to the funeral on his behalf."

"You are not allowed to go either. You are a prince of the Ming Dynasty. There is no need for you to run so far for three soldiers. It is so tiring," Zhu Houzhao said immediately.

Zhu Houxuan observed Zhu Houzhao's expression and realized that Zhu Houzhao's noble temper had come back. Zhu Houzhao was born into wealth and had basically never been in contact with the lower classes, so he did not have enough empathy for the lower class people.
Just when Zhu Houxuan was thinking about how to persuade Zhu Houzhao, Zhu Houzhao just said goodbye and left.
Only Zhu Houxuan was left alone, dishevelled in the wind.
"Your Highness, do we have to cancel our trip to the new army camp in Tongzhou tomorrow?" Chen Hong walked up to Zhu Houxuan and said softly.

"It cannot be cancelled. I will attend the funeral as usual," Zhu Houxuan said slowly.

"But just now, Your Majesty." Chen Hong said carefully. He had been standing aside and heard the conversation between the two.

"There's nothing to worry about. This is the first casualty since the establishment of the new army. If this matter is used well, it can greatly improve the morale and cohesion of the new army. If Your Majesty doesn't go, I have to do this for Your Majesty!" Zhu Houxuan sighed.

"Not only will I go, I will go with great fanfare. I will bring my full ceremonial set with me tomorrow."

After hearing this, Chen Hong seemed to be hesitant to speak, but finally obeyed the order.
The next day, there was a solemn scene in the new army camp.

All the soldiers had received the news several days in advance, and the Royal Group also sent some funeral supplies. All the soldiers did not train today and wore regular clothes. Everyone had a black veil wrapped around his arm to show mourning.

There was a faint sadness in everyone's heart. Although many people did not know the three comrades who died, they all felt a sense of grief.

In particular, the families of the three sacrificed comrades also came, and the cries of the orphans and widows made the soldiers empathize with them.
Jiang Bin, the commander of the new army, was not in the new army camp today. He probably thought the funeral of three people was not worth mentioning.
Under such circumstances, Zhu Houxuan arrived at the military camp on a horse, set up a full set of ceremonial guards at the gate of the military camp, and entered the military camp with great fanfare, which caused a commotion among the new army soldiers.
Zhu Houxuan slowly stepped down from the prince's carriage under the gaze of the crowd. He was still wearing a dark dragon robe today, with a black veil wrapped around his arm.
The soldiers around him immediately understood the purpose of Zhu Houxuan's visit, and a flame suddenly ignited in everyone's eyes.
Zhu Houxuan walked silently towards the mourning tent, and the soldiers around him parted like a tide, making way for Zhu Houxuan.
Zhu Houxuan walked to the front of the mourning shed and saw three coffins placed in the shed, with family members in mourning kneeling beside the coffins.
He bowed three times solemnly to the spirit shed.
The soldiers around him watched Zhu Houxuan's every move silently. They felt an inexplicable emotion slowly growing in their hearts.
After bowing, Zhu Houxuan walked onto a temporary platform, holding a tin trumpet and shouted to the soldiers: "Your Majesty asked me to come. Your Majesty still remembers these three brothers, but he is busy with state affairs and cannot leave, so he asked me to come on his behalf!"

The fire in the soldiers' eyes burned more vigorously.
(End of this chapter)