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

Chapter 167 Yang Shiqi Comes to Ask Questions
Zhu Zhanhe did not answer his father's question, but instead turned his gaze to his third uncle, Prince Zhao.

"Uncle San, is there any useful news recently?" Zhu Zhanhe turned to look at Prince Zhao, who had a gloomy face, and asked.

"No!" After hearing Zhu Zhanhe's question, Prince Zhao was obviously stunned for a moment, his eyes were dazed, and he answered subconsciously.

"Third brother...!" Prince Han also noticed Prince Zhao's abnormality. He frowned and looked at the third brother with a sharp gaze, his eyes full of curiosity.

"Ah~!" Prince Zhao sighed heavily.

"Speak!" Prince Han asked anxiously.

"The old man's camp was under martial law for a thousand steps, and even the food had to be brought in personally by the Crown Prince, so we couldn't get any useful information.

I'm just guessing that the Emperor's condition may have worsened!" Finally, Prince Zhao hesitated for a long time before finally telling the spy the latest news.

"The old man's condition has worsened?!" Prince Han listened for a long time with anticipation, but only heard the last sentence. He was instantly shocked, swallowed inexplicably, and subconsciously repeated Prince Zhao's words.

"I think so too!" Zhu Zhanhe also spoke at this time.

"He'er, what do you say?" Prince Han asked anxiously.

"Everything is wrong in the central army camp today.

Menzi actually dared to stop Dad and Third Uncle from entering the house;

Fan Zhong actually dared to take down our weapons;
Yu Qian, Yang Shiqi, and the Crown Prince took turns blocking us from entering the camp and Grandfather's inner tent;

Grandpa actually didn’t summon us;

Also, the imperial edict ordered the 3,000th and 5th Army Battalions to continue pursuing the various tribes on the grasslands. It's obvious that they want to divert us! But the previous withdrawal was ordered by Grandpa!

So, I guess, grandpa must be seriously ill, or even worse, and he wants to transfer us so that uncle can succeed to the throne smoothly! "Zhu Zhanhe said his true thoughts. After all, he only remembered that Emperor Yongle died in Yumuchuan, and he really couldn't remember the specific day of his death!
He is probably seriously ill now! As for whether he is dead or not, it is hard to say!
"Old man wants to transfer us away?!" After listening to his son's analysis, Prince Han looked ferocious and stood up after slamming the table.

"Where are you going?" Prince Zhao looked at the second brother who stood up angrily and couldn't help but ask.

"I'm going to find the old man!" Prince Han said with indignation and anxiety on his face.

“Dad, it’s no use meeting him now.

Besides, what did Dad say after meeting Grandpa?
Grandfather ordered us to continue the pursuit. If Dad goes looking for him now, won't that just give him an excuse to attack us?" Zhu Zhanhe shook his head and tried to stop the Prince of Han, who was about to go and reason with Emperor Yongle in a fit of impulsiveness.

"Second brother, He'er is right. No matter what you say when you go there, they can just say you disobeyed the order and take away your military power!" Prince Zhao obviously agreed with his nephew's words and nodded in agreement.

"Bang!" Prince Han slammed the table hard with his fist, his face full of ferociousness.

"If you are unkind, then don't be unjust to me." Prince Han frowned and said coldly.

"We will retreat a hundred miles on both wings and continue to fight the grassland Tartars!
"Third brother, send out the spies. I want to see what the central army is planning to do with the addition of 20,000 soldiers ready to defend against the Japanese!" Prince Han said with murderous intent.

"It's not just 20,000, there are another 100,000 coming later!" Prince Zhao picked up the wine pot, poured a bowl for the King of Han, and handed the bowl to Prince Han.

"Mobilize another 100,000 people? Is the old man crazy? What should we do if the rear is empty?!" When Prince Han heard the news, he immediately thought of another key problem - the empty rear!

"Since ancient times, there have been only two ways for the grasslands to attack the Central Plains. One is to break through Yanmen Pass, enter Datong, pass Jinyang, and then sweep down!

Secondly, it only takes one day and one night to cross Shanhaiguan and directly threaten the important areas of the capital!
The old man is a smart man, he must know about this!
He would not leave such a big loophole for the imperial court in order to attack the grassland!

There's a big problem here! "When Prince Han heard Prince Zhao say he would mobilize another 100,000 people to the grassland, he was immediately shocked! Based on Prince Han's understanding of Emperor Yongle, Emperor Yongle would never go to such a desperate situation!
There is a big problem here!
“Dad, if Grandpa is seriously ill, then that makes sense.

Yang Shiqi is bringing 20,000 reinforcements and dispatching another 100,000 Japanese troops. Although the rear is temporarily empty, as long as we can quickly capture the Three Thousand Battalion and the Five Army Battalion, there will still be time to send the Japanese troops back!" Zhu Zhanhe pushed the problem to the crux of the matter again.

“Is the old man determined to support the eldest brother to ascend the throne?!
Is he on guard against us?!" After his son said this, Prince Han suddenly understood the key issue, and his face immediately became ferocious, his eyes full of disbelief.

"Retreat slowly, hold back the grassland Tartars so that they cannot pose a threat, and at the same time keep a distance from the central army. We need to know the latest information about the central army!" Prince Han took a big sip of the wine in his hand and angrily smashed the bowl in his hand to pieces!
“Third brother…?” Prince Han cast a ferocious look at Prince Zhao.

"No problem!" Prince Zhao also had a ferocious look on his face at this moment.

They moved immediately and soon the two camps began to move.

The bored Zhu Zhanhe personally led the cavalry to clear the way to prevent the enemy from launching a surprise attack when moving the camp.

But Zhu Zhanhe was obviously overthinking it. On the way, he met some alien rangers from the grassland. After seeing Zhu Zhanhe, they howled and ran faster than rabbits.

After finding a good feng shui location, the Three Thousand Camp and the Five Army Camp set up camp again.

In this way, three days passed in a flash.

That day, Zhu Zhanhe was bored and was walking on the grassland with his father and uncle. Suddenly, a soldier came to report
"My two princes, Captain Qian, someone from the central army has arrived with the emperor's oral order." The messenger came riding from a distance and spoke loudly to Zhu Zhanhe and the other two.

"Someone from the central army? Are you here to question me?" Prince Han had an expression that showed I had guessed it.

"Second brother, the emperor hasn't shown up for three days, and all the information was relayed by the brat!

Also, here come another 20,000 Japanese soldiers!" Prince Zhao curled his lips, glared, and cast his gaze at the King of Han.

"Let's wait and see! He'er, let's go back!" Prince Han also knew what Prince Zhao said. At this moment, he had already determined that the emperor was seriously ill.

Sure enough, when Zhu Zhanhe returned to the camp, he saw unfamiliar soldiers at the door. After entering the tent, he saw Yang Shiqi sitting on the main throne of the Han Prince.

Seeing the King of Han and the King of Zhao come in, Yang Shiqi stood up leisurely and walked to the center of the tent.

"My two princes, the emperor has given the order!" When Yang Shiqi saw the King of Han and the King of Zhao coming in, his eyes were fixed on Zhu Zhanhe who was standing behind them.

In recent days, Yang Shiqi has read a lot of battle reports. If the reports are true, the Han prince in front of him is a natural-born general and the reincarnation of the Overlord!

"Sir Yang, are you here to deliver the baggage? Or are you here to handle military affairs?

Why do you have to come in person to deliver the imperial edict?" Prince Han was not impressed by Yang Shiqi's sudden imperial edict. Feeling unwilling, he exchanged a glance with Prince Zhao. Neither of them moved, as if they hadn't heard Yang Shiqi's words that the emperor had brought an oral order.

"The Emperor's oral order!" Yang Shiqi looked at the two princes in front of him, both of whom looked indifferent, and his heart skipped a beat, but he still pretended to be calm and repeated it loudly.

This time, the King of Han and the King of Zhao hesitated for a moment, looked at each other, and then slowly knelt down.

"How is the emperor?!" Seeing his father kneeling down, Zhu Zhanhe knelt down as well and asked how he was as a routine. However, the King of Han's voice sounded lazy, as if he had not woken up yet.

"Your Majesty, rest in peace!" Yang Shiqi moved half a step to the side, avoiding the salutes of the three people.

And Yang Shiqi's next words were just as the Prince of Han had guessed, he was here to call for punishment!
Yang Shiqi's message was simple: Emperor Yongle had sent a message three days ago, urging the two princes to expedite the destruction of the steppe Tartars. But now, three days later, you two princes remain in the camp, refusing to leave. What's the meaning? Don't you want to fight anymore? I'm telling you again: hurry and destroy the steppe Tartars, or I'll kill you!
"My two princes..." After reading the imperial edict, Yang Shiqi was about to step forward to support them, but the King of Han and the King of Zhao stood up on their own without waiting for Yang Shiqi to speak.

Prince Han sat directly on the main seat in the tent, while Prince Zhao moved a stool and sat opposite Prince Han, blocking Yang Shiqi in the middle.

(End of this chapter)