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

Chapter 194 Imperial Ancestral Temple Audience
The next morning, Zhu Zhanhe was having tea and chatting with his mother in the Prince's mansion when a young eunuch rushed over. However, the eunuch stood at the door, constantly peeking inside, not daring to come in and speak.

"Come in!" Zhu Zhanhe was amused by the little eunuch's anxious yet hesitant pacing back and forth at the door, and couldn't help but invite him in.

"Greetings to Her Highness the Princess"

"Greetings to the young master!" The little eunuch knelt respectfully upon entering and loudly kowtowed to Zhu Zhanhe and Princess Wei.

"It's so early in the morning."

"Get up, what is it?" Zhu Zhanhe put down his chopsticks, but did not get up. Instead, he turned to the kneeling eunuch and asked.

"Your Highness, Chief Steward Huang from the palace has arrived. He says that the Emperor invites you to the palace for a chat!"
"He's waiting right outside the door!" the little eunuch replied respectfully, as if he wanted to bury his head in the ground.

"Enter the palace? Tell Chief Steward Huang to wait!"

"I'll go over after I finish breakfast with my mother!" Although Zhu Zhanhe didn't know what was going on, he saw his mother's anxious face and decided to have the palace eunuchs wait for him.

"Yes," Xiao Tai listened to these words. Although he was completely bewildered, he still respectfully agreed and slowly retreated.

"He'er..." Princess Wei looked at her son with a worried expression, tears welling up in her eyes. She was really worried about her son, and even more worried about his safety when he entered the palace!

"Mother, it's alright."

"Now that even the Crown Prince has been demoted to the old capital, my uncle is in charge of the palace, so there's no danger!" Zhu Zhanhe looked at his mother's worried eyes and quickly tried to comfort her.

"Really?" Princess Wei was clearly not convinced by her son's words, and her face was still full of worry.

"Mother, don't worry."

Who knows, the Emperor might arrange my marriage before I enter the palace this time!
"Or perhaps we could be sent to our fiefdoms ahead of schedule!" Although Zhu Zhanhe didn't know what the purpose of entering the palace was, his eyes lit up and he immediately had an idea. So he quickly comforted his mother, Lady Wei.

"As long as my son is safe and sound!"
"As long as my son is safe!" After hearing Zhu Zhanhe's words of comfort, it was clear that, compared to her son's enfeoffment and marriage, Princess Wei of Han was more worried about her son's personal safety!
"Mother, please wait patiently for your son to return!" Zhu Zhanhe looked at his mother, Madam Wei, whose face was still full of worry, and quickly stepped forward to comfort her, and even served her some food to ease her worries.

"Aunt Xiuer, take good care of Mother at home!"

"I'll be fine! No one can hurt me!" Zhu Zhanhe turned to look at his aunt Xiuer beside him. Zhu Zhanhe hadn't originally intended to do anything. But at this moment, his heart couldn't help but feel anxious because of his mother's worry.

"Your Highness, please rest assured!" Aunt Xiu'er looked at Zhu Zhanhe with a worried expression.

"Your son takes his leave!" Zhu Zhanhe silently stood up, bowed to his mother who was full of worry, said goodbye, and turned to leave.

Then, Zhu Zhanhe returned to his room and arranged for his two maids to help him change into the prince's court robes before leaving. "Your Highness!" Upon exiting the room, Zhu Zhanhe looked up and saw the newly appointed chief eunuch, Huang Tai, anxiously waiting at the door. Huang Tai, seeing Zhu Zhanhe finally emerge, quickly greeted him with a broad smile.

"Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence in the palace!" The young eunuch Huang Tai was a clever man. He knew that His Majesty did not want to take strong countermeasures against the rebellious armies of the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao, but instead adopted a conservative and gentle approach. Therefore, he was very respectful to the Prince of Han in front of him.

Moreover, the Emperor only invited the Crown Prince of Han to the palace, saying it was just a family gathering, without even issuing an imperial decree! This made him even more respectful to the Crown Prince of Han before him.

"Oh? The Emperor summoned me to the palace? Didn't he say what it was about?" Zhu Zhanhe casually inquired about the specifics, but the little eunuch was even more bewildered; he didn't know either.

"Your Highness, we servants don't know either. Shall we go ahead?" The little eunuch Huang Tai was almost in tears when he saw the Han prince standing at the door for a long time and still showing no intention of entering the palace. He could only plead with a mournful face.

"Forget it, we won't get anything out of you anyway. Let's just go into the palace." Zhu Zhanhe looked at the little eunuch with a mournful and innocent face, and knew that he probably wouldn't get anything out of him, so he had no choice but to go into the palace first and see what happened.

"Yes, yes, Your Highness, please!" Upon hearing that the Prince of Han was willing to enter the palace, the little eunuch Huang Tai's expression immediately changed, and he was overjoyed. He quickly said with a fawning smile.

"Let's go!" Zhu Zhanhe didn't stand on ceremony. He went straight to the horses that had been prepared in advance, mounted them, and followed the anxious-looking eunuch into the palace.

"Fan Zhong?" Upon arriving at the palace gate, Zhu Zhanhe saw Fan Zhong pacing anxiously back and forth. If he wasn't mistaken, Fan Zhong was waiting for him. Zhu Zhanhe thought to himself.

"Your Highness!" As Zhu Zhanhe approached the palace gate, Fan Zhong came forward and bowed respectfully.

"General Fan, were you waiting for me?" Zhu Zhanhe asked Fan Zhong in surprise as he rode on horseback.

"Your Highness, the Emperor requests your presence in the palace to discuss important matters!"
"The Emperor is already waiting for you at the Imperial Ancestral Temple!" Fan Zhong didn't say much, but he revealed the most crucial point: the Emperor wanted to summon him at the Imperial Ancestral Temple!
"The Imperial Ancestral Temple?" Zhu Zhanhe was utterly bewildered. Why was he being summoned to the Imperial Ancestral Temple? Was this for real? Was it some kind of trap? Didn't they know how terrifyingly powerful I was? Or had Fan Zhong failed to warn them? ...

In just a moment, countless thoughts flashed through Zhu Zhanhe's mind.

"Please!" Although countless thoughts flashed through Zhu Zhanhe's mind, they did not affect his decision to enter the palace. He entered the palace gate without hesitation.

As they got closer to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Zhu Zhanhe noticed something unusual: there were no palace maids or eunuchs around the temple, only Fan Zhong's imperial guards stationed at every corner.

"Your Highness, the late Emperor left behind a will that describes your existence as a true dragon, but this matter is too terrifying. It would be better to let the Emperor see it for himself."

Therefore, Your Majesty requests an audience with you at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Please forgive me, Your Highness! Upon arriving at the entrance of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, which was deserted, Fan Zhong took the opportunity to explain the reason for his visit to the palace and the reason for meeting at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. After speaking, Fan Zhong looked at the Crown Prince of Han with a nervous expression, clearly worried that Zhu Zhanhe would turn hostile.

"Oh?" Zhu Zhanhe was taken aback by Fan Zhong's words, but he quickly realized that with the Yongle Emperor's temperament and his willingness to sacrifice everything for the country, it would be a huge strange thing if he didn't pass down the story of the existence of the alligator dragon!
"It's alright, let's go!" Seeing Fan Zhong's nervous expression, Zhu Zhanhe only paused slightly before continuing forward.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Fan Zhong was overjoyed to hear Zhu Zhanhe's words and knew that the Crown Prince of Han had agreed. He quickly quickened his pace to catch up with Zhu Zhanhe.

(End of this chapter)