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

Chapter 220 Zhu Zhanhe: My lord, you don't need a token!
"Thump." Several sounds of people falling down rang out. Everyone turned their stiff necks to look back and saw General Hu Tian sitting on the deck with a blank expression. On the other side, the youngest Zhu Zhanci was also sitting on the deck in a daze.

But at this moment, no one helped them up. Everyone just stared in disbelief at Zhu Zhanhe, who was not far away, feasting on fruits and offerings.

At this moment, Zhu Zhanhe was once again in a brief period of weakness after the alligator dragon left his body, and he was eating the cooked food in the offerings to replenish his strength.

Everyone stared blankly at Zhu Zhanhe, who was eating and drinking like crazy. No one spoke; they just watched him eat and drink in silence.

About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed before Zhu Zhanhe swallowed the last bite of food in his mouth, let out a long sigh, and felt that he had finally recovered.

Seeing this, Xiao Xizi quickly brought over a washbasin and towel for Zhu Zhanhe to wash up.

"Guan'er, come over here." After washing up, Zhu Zhanhe looked at the still dazed crowd and gently called to the Crown Princess Xia, asking her to come to his side.

"Yes." Princess Xia was visibly startled by her husband's call, but she quickly recovered and respectfully responded before heading towards him. However, her slightly unsteady steps betrayed her nervousness.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhanhe walked a few steps to Xia Shi's side, gently took her hand, and slowly led her to the bow of the boat.

"Sir, this is why I always wear glasses." Zhu Zhanhe pointed to the alligator dragons that were swimming around the large ship from time to time and said softly to his wife. After speaking, Zhu Zhanhe took off his glasses, revealing his clear black and white eyes.

Princess Xia stared blankly at her husband's starry eyes, then at the terrifying figure drifting in Erhai Lake, and was at a loss for what to do.

"Long live His Highness the Crown Prince! Long live His Highness! Long live His Highness!" Suddenly, a thunderous roar rang out on the deck. Everyone turned to look and saw Qian Zhongcai, dressed in full armor, kneeling down and shouting "Long live His Highness!" in the direction of Zhu Zhanhe.

"Long live His Highness the Crown Prince! Long live His Highness! Long live His Highness!" Qian Zhongcai's voice was like a lightning bolt striking everyone's bodies. Liu Erniu, Hu Tian, ​​and Jiang Xiaohu also knelt down with a thud, shouting "Long live His Highness!"

"Alright, get up," Zhu Zhanhe said, seemingly unconcerned by their presumptuous address, and instead gesturing for them to rise. This sight sent a shiver down the spines of Qian Zhongcai and the others. They neither agreed nor refused! Something was going to happen!

Qian Zhongcai and the others exchanged glances, preparing to speak again. However, Zhu Zhanhe, as if he had expected this, raised his hand to interrupt them.

"We'll talk about that later. Now we need to feed the alligator dragon."

"He was very hungry, and all this food is for Him." Zhu Zhanhe pointed to the large pile of ingredients in front of him and said to everyone casually.

"Big brother, you mean we have to feed the dragon you raised by hand?!" It was the second brother, Zhu Zhanqi, who spoke first. However, his surprise was mixed with disbelief, and his tone was full of anticipation.

"Second Prince, this dragon recognizes people, so the blood-stained rings that His Highness the Crown Prince gave you all earlier were so that the true dragon could identify you," Wei Jizhong stepped forward and explained the basic information about the alligator dragon to everyone.

"Sir, go and help Mother over. Let her hold Ruyi." Zhu Zhanhe looked at his wife, who was still somewhat dazed, and gently squeezed her hand before speaking.

"Okay." Zhu Zhanhe's words clearly told Princess Xia that the wooden ruyi she had been holding was a token recognized by the Tuolong.

"Mother." Seeing his mother being helped up by Xia Shi, Zhu Zhanhe also stepped forward to support his mother, Wei Shi's, other arm. "He'er, is this a real dragon?!" Even now, Princess Wei Shi was still in disbelief. Her son actually had a real dragon?! She tightly gripped the wooden ruyi handed to her by her daughter-in-law, her body trembling with nervousness!
"Mother, it's not a real dragon yet, just a crocodile dragon among the dragons." Zhu Zhanhe explained in response to his mother's words.

But Zhu Zhanhe's explanation left everyone behind him speechless. This is just a crocodile dragon? What else does Your Highness want? To transform into a dragon and fly to the heavens?! Even the old Taoist priest Zhang Zhengheng couldn't help but twitch his lips.

Turning his head, Zhang Zhengheng saw Xia Yuanji looking at him with a mournful expression. He felt embarrassed and thought, "What are you looking at? That's your son-in-law. You should be happy about it."

Little did he know, Xia Yuanji was also in a state of utter despair. He had always thought that the old Taoist priest's ramblings during his last visit were just nonsense. But now, seeing the real dragon, he realized he had been too naive; the old Taoist priest had been telling the truth!

"Mother, Father is not here. Today, please feed the alligator dragon in his place." Zhu Zhanhe invited his mother, Lady Wei, over so that she would be the first to feed the alligator dragon.

"Me? That's not appropriate." Hearing her son's words, although she already had a guess in her heart, Princess Wei was still very nervous. At the same time, she was also very moved by her son's filial piety. After all, the glory of being the first to feed the dragon in front of everyone was not something that just anyone could have!

"Mother, don't be afraid, your son will always be with you," Zhu Zhanhe gently comforted his mother, Madam Wei.

"Come out." Zhu Zhanhe and his wife, Xia, helped Princess Wei to the railing of the deck. Wei Jizhong had already prepared a bull's head. Zhu Zhanhe shouted at the empty lake, and in an instant, the lake water churned, and a huge alligator head, larger than a person, appeared before everyone.

The alligator dragon had a gaping maw that was level with the large ship, making it easy to stuff food into its mouth. But its sharp fangs, which were half a person's height, were chilling.

"Mother, let me help you." Zhu Zhanhe took the bull's head from his uncle and came to his mother's side. At this moment, Princess Wei, who was standing at the bow of the boat in close contact with the alligator, was too nervous to speak. Zhu Zhanhe came to his mother's side, placed her hand on the bull's horn, and then gently tossed it with both hands. Instantly, the huge bull's head fell into the alligator's mouth.

"Snap." As Zhu Zhanhe and his wife Xia helped Princess Wei leave, the huge alligator dragon's mouth closed directly. With a simple tilt of its neck, the alligator dragon swallowed the entire bull's head without chewing.

"Help Mother to sit down in the back. I'll come over here again." Zhu Zhanhe looked at his still dazed mother and asked the Crown Princess to help her to a chair in the back to rest. Asking the Crown Princess to come over again was a clear message to her that, as the Crown Princess, she also had to feed the dragon herself!
"Yes." Princess Xia, of course, understood her husband's words and agreed with anticipation and excitement in her eyes.

Then, Zhu Zhanhe didn't stand on ceremony. He grabbed two bull heads with each hand, a total of four bull heads, and threw them directly into the mouth of the alligator dragon.

Similarly, the alligator dragon showed no interest in chewing and swallowed it all in one gulp.

"Your Highness." Just as Zhu Zhanhe threw the bull's head into the alligator's mouth, the Crown Princess Xia stood behind him.

“My lord, I don’t need a token to feed the dragon, and neither do you. Because you gave birth to my bloodline.” Zhu Zhanhe held his wife’s hand and said softly. After speaking, Zhu Zhanhe picked up a pig’s head and went back to the bow of the boat.

"Here you go." Zhu Zhanhe picked up the pig's head and placed it in his wife's hands. At the same moment his wife exerted force, he exerted force at the same time, and in an instant, the pig's head fell straight into the alligator's mouth.

"Dragon Prince!" Just as the Crown Princess Xia was feeding the dragon, the old Taoist Zhang Zhengheng suddenly seemed to be electrocuted, his body jolted, and he murmured.

Xia Yuanji, who was closest to Zhang Zhengheng, had obviously heard the old Taoist's words. He turned around and looked at the old Taoist, whose eyes were filled with incredulity and unspeakable astonishment.

(End of this chapter)