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

Chapter 202 Grand Secretary Yang Pays Visit to the Prince of Han's Residence
Yang Shiqi stared blankly at Emperor Hongxi, his face filled with astonishment and bewilderment.

Meanwhile, Yang Shiqi couldn't help but mutter to himself: "Your Majesty, you're too wicked! The Prince of Han's son is getting married, and you, as his uncle, not only organize the wedding for the child, but you even send an invitation to the father? And a wedding banquet? This is the ultimate level of taunting! Aren't you afraid that if I go to negotiate, the Prince of Han will just kill me?"
But then Yang Shiqi thought of the arrogant and domineering attitude of the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao. For some reason, Yang Shiqi suddenly felt that Emperor Hongxi's actions were really satisfying.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Yang Shiqi agreed without hesitation, his resolute expression showing that he was in a good mood.

"After the Crown Prince of Han gets married, I will send the families of the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao directly to their fiefdoms." Emperor Hongxi saw Yang Shiqi's emotions and roughly guessed what Yang Shiqi was thinking. He sighed inwardly and then added his true thoughts.

"Your Majesty...?!" Emperor Hongxi's words instantly stunned Yang Shiqi, leaving him speechless once again. Was the Emperor preparing to defect to the enemy?! Yang Shiqi simply did not understand Emperor Hongxi's actions, so he wanted to offer some advice.

"I have already made my decision on this matter!" Emperor Hongxi said firmly, interrupting Yang Shiqi's attempt to dissuade him.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Yang Shiqi couldn't quite understand Emperor Hongxi's various actions, but seeing the emperor's firm gaze, he could only obediently comply.

"I'm tired," Emperor Hongxi said to Yang Shiqi silently after finishing this matter.

"Your subject takes his leave." Yang Shiqi knew that this was Emperor Hongxi's way of dismissing people, so he quickly said that he was busy and left the study.

Watching Yang Shiqi leave, Emperor Hongxi opened the imperial edict, spread it on the table, pondered for a long time, and silently picked up the imperial brush on the table...

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhanhe had returned to the Prince's residence, where he was greeted by his mother, Lady Wei, with a face full of anxiety...

It must be said that the imperial court was very efficient. In less than three days, Yang Shiqi had submitted the wedding ceremony plan for Prince Zhu Zhanhe of Han to Emperor Hongxi's desk.

Emperor Hongxi looked at the terrifying figure of several million taels of silver written at the end of the memorial, and finally, with great difficulty, he approved the memorial.

"Your Majesty, have you become senile?"
When your son got married, you refused to sign the papers no matter what, and now the King of Han and the King of Zhao are rebelling!

You actually arranged a grand wedding for the Crown Prince of Han, and the imperial court even paid for it?
"What are you thinking?!" Empress Zhang complained to the exhausted Emperor Hongxi with a puzzled look on her face as she watched Yang Shiqi leave with the memorial approving the wedding of the Han Crown Prince.

"You don't understand!" Emperor Hongxi muttered irritably as he watched his wife come to interrogate him again.

"I'm just a woman and I don't understand. But Your Majesty, please explain it to me!" Empress Zhang was not intimidated by Emperor Hongxi's impatience at all, but she was just unhappy and deliberately came to pick a fight.

Emperor Hongxi pursed his lips, sighed irritably, and waved his hand at the palace maids and eunuchs in the room. Immediately, all the palace maids and eunuchs left the study, leaving only Emperor Hongxi and Empress Zhang.

"Empress, now it's just the two of us in the Imperial Study. There are some things I need to explain to you." Emperor Hongxi looked at his unhappy wife, slowly got up, and pulled her to sit down on the soft couch.

"My body really can't hold on much longer." Emperor Hongxi said with a bitter expression, uttering words that caused Empress Zhang to break down completely.

"Pah, pah, pah, don't talk nonsense...!" Emperor Hongxi's words instantly brought tears to Empress Zhang's eyes. She looked at her exhausted husband with heartache in her eyes.

"Don't speak, listen to me." Emperor Hongxi gently patted his wife's hand and comforted her, looking as relaxed as if he were not the one who was about to die.

"I'm listening, I'm listening..." Empress Zhang said, her voice trembling as she looked at her husband with tears in her eyes.

“My son is in Nanjing now. He is still young and doesn’t understand things, but I really don’t have time to teach him anymore.”

My son is too stubborn. Everything I'm doing now is so that he can smoothly succeed to the throne.

You must, you absolutely must remember, that for He'er's wedding this time, you are his aunt, an elder, and you must do what an elder should do. After I'm gone, no matter what happens, even if the second and third sons rebel again, you must never let your son kill the lineage of the King of Han and the King of Zhao; you must ensure they are all alive.

Especially the lineage of the second son, the Han King, absolutely cannot have any deaths!

"This is of utmost importance; it concerns the foundation of future generations and cannot be taken lightly!" Emperor Hongxi said to his wife with a serious and earnest expression. However, Empress Zhang was filled with confusion at Emperor Hongxi's words. She didn't understand why the Emperor insisted on protecting the Han Prince's lineage.

Empress Zhang understood Emperor Hongxi's words: at certain crucial moments, it was possible to abandon the Zhao Prince's lineage, but the safety of the Han Prince's lineage had to be guaranteed!

I know what you're thinking!
"I'm not senile; I know what I'm saying." Emperor Hongxi, seeing his wife's questioning gaze, spoke up to defend himself.

"The late emperor originally intended to pass the throne to his second son, because the second son's family had a secret concerning the fate of the nation!"

This secret will enable my Ming Dynasty to rise again from the brink of collapse!
It can restore my great light from darkness!
"I've personally verified it, and this secret is indeed true! It really is!" Emperor Hongxi said to his wife with a determined look, his eyes revealing a deep and complex emotion.

After hearing Emperor Hongxi's explanation and looking at her husband's serious face, Empress Zhang was so surprised that she covered her mouth to prevent herself from making a sound out of fear.

"Sigh! This is also why the second son is unwilling to accept it!"

Remember this: this imperial edict on this table will be placed in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. It was written by my father, and he personally signed it. Of course, I signed it today as well.

If the country is in peril, be sure to open it!
My son is still young, and I don't want him to know about this for now.

This secret is too big, and he's young and impetuous, so he definitely won't accept it. But if he's not careful, it will surely cause a terrible backlash.

"At that time, all my efforts, everything I have done for him, will be in vain!" Emperor Hongxi looked at his wife and solemnly instructed her, as if he were entrusting his last wishes.

"I understand!" Faced with her husband's almost dying words, Empress Zhang tearfully agreed...

Meanwhile, the Han Prince's residence has been incredibly busy these past few days. The palace has dispatched numerous maids, eunuchs, and matrons to gather at the residence to begin decorating, instructing Zhu Zhanhe on various wedding rituals, and ordering the wedding attire. It's fair to say that Zhu Zhanhe is extremely busy…

Perhaps because of the upcoming wedding, even Princess Wei, the wife of the Prince of Han, has had no time to think about the Prince's rebellion these past few days. She has been busy with the wedding procession and decorating the palace.

At this moment, Zhu Zhanhe couldn't help but sigh that his uncle, Emperor Hongxi, was truly generous. He had even prepared money, utensils, clothes, and jewelry for Zhu Zhanhe's wedding, and had also bestowed many gifts upon him.

Most importantly, the place where Zhu Zhanhe held his wedding ceremony was forcibly moved to the palace by Emperor Hongxi, despite the objections of his ministers! Even the banquet was held in the palace!

Emperor Hongxi's actions have even led some to suspect that he is about to pass the throne to the Crown Prince of Han!

However, at this moment, Zhu Zhanhe is busy changing into various wedding clothes in the palace. He is like a clothes rack, being manipulated in various ways, and he cannot complain.

"Your Highness, Grand Secretary Yang requests an audience!" Just as Zhu Zhanhe was about to lose his temper, a young eunuch suddenly entered, bringing surprising information.

"Grand Secretary Yang? Very well, please invite Grand Secretary Yang to the main hall first, I will be there shortly." Zhu Zhanhe, who was wearing a wedding robe, frowned slightly upon hearing the news. After a brief moment of thought, he made a decision.

(End of this chapter)