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

Chapter 227 Yang Shiqi's Hasty Departure from Yunnan
"Your Highness, shall we go boating on the lake?" Upon hearing the Crown Prince of Han suddenly arrange a boating trip, Yang Shiqi was startled and puzzled. He didn't understand why they had to go boating to see something. Was it because the thing they were about to see was in the lake?

"Grand Secretary Yang, since I promised you that I would let you see the things, I will naturally keep my word."

However, please be prepared, Grand Secretary Yang, this is a bit alarming! Zhu Zhanhe said to Yang Shiqi with a mysterious and serious expression.

"Your Highness, rest assured, I am over fifty years old and have some experience!" Yang Shiqi looked at the Crown Prince's reminder with a strange expression. He thought he was experienced, so how could there be anything he hadn't seen?
"Please, Grand Secretary Yang!" Zhu Zhanhe did not comment on Yang Shiqi's confidence, but instead warmly invited Yang Shiqi to go boating on the lake.

Little did anyone know that two hours later, Yang Shiqi, looking dazed, was helped down from the carriage by Zhu Zhanyi.

"Grand Secretary Yang!" Yang Shiqi, who had just gotten off the carriage, staggered and almost fell to the ground. Fortunately, Zhu Zhanyi was quick to catch him. Otherwise, Grand Secretary Yang Shiqi would have fallen on his backside.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Yang Shiqi turned to look at Zhu Zhanhan, who was supporting him, his face still showing signs of shock, but he still stiffly thanked Zhu Zhanhan.

"Grand Secretary Yang, please enter the mansion. My elder brother is already waiting in the Chengyun Hall." Looking at Yang Shiqi, who could barely walk, Zhu Zhan'an had no intention of mocking him. After all, he had been just as shocked when he first saw a real dragon! Of course, as his elder brother's younger brother, Zhu Zhan'an had the token in hand and had personally fed the dragon, which was much better than Yang Shiqi, who could only see the real dragon up close!

"That makes sense, let's go in quickly." Yang Shiqi was filled with shock.

At this moment, Yang Shiqi finally understood the contents of the late emperor's edict, why the late emperor had passed the throne to the Prince of Han, and why the Prince of Han had repeatedly rebelled. Similarly, Yang Shiqi also understood why the emperor had repeatedly tolerated and condoned the rebellious actions of the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao.

Yang Shiqi now understood why the Emperor had ordered the families of the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao to directly take up their fiefdoms, and why the Emperor had gifted the Crown Prince of Han a fleet of ocean-going ships. Everything, everything, stemmed from—the Crown Prince of Han possessed a dragon!

"Your Highness!" As soon as Yang Shiqi entered the main hall of the Prince's mansion, he saw the Crown Prince of Han sitting on the main seat. Yang Shiqi then stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Big brother!" Zhu Zhanyi also respectfully bowed and greeted his elder brother.

"Grand Secretary Yang, please have a seat." Zhu Zhanhe sat upright, warmly inviting Yang Shiqi to sit down and talk. At the same time, Zhu Zhanyi, with great tact, immediately stood behind his elder brother.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Yang Shiqi said respectfully.

"Grand Secretary Yang, you have seen what you needed to see. Do you have anything to say?" Zhu Zhanhe was not trying to embarrass Yang Shiqi, but rather, he wanted to know Yang Shiqi's true thoughts in order to proceed with the next steps.

"Your Highness is truly benevolent!" Yang Shiqi replied earnestly to Zhu Zhanhe's question. This was Yang Shiqi's true thought. In his view, the Crown Prince of Han had the Emperor's guarantee, yet he voluntarily stepped down without harming the country, even though the throne was already secured. This was the greatest act of benevolence towards the nation!

"Grand Secretary Yang, let's not talk nonsense, let's talk about the ship." Zhu Zhanhe wouldn't give up his own interests just because Yang Shiqi flattered him. In fact, he wanted to extort some other benefits.

"Regarding the fleet, I will work with the court to build it for Your Highness as quickly as possible, and it will absolutely not affect Your Highness's expansion plans. Please rest assured on this point." Speaking of the ocean-going fleet, Yang Shiqi had no intention of delaying in the slightest. He feared that the Crown Prince of Han might suddenly change his mind and abandon the ocean voyages, instead deciding to wage war against the court.

Therefore, Yang Shiqi wanted to hand over the ocean-going fleet to the Crown Prince of Han as soon as possible so that the Crown Prince could set sail for the seas!

At the same time, Yang Shiqi's words were also a test of Zhu Zhanhe's determination to set sail. Zhu Zhanhe, of course, could understand this.

"Grand Secretary Yang is indeed wise. Then this junior thanks Grand Secretary Yang again."

"However, I have another matter to ask for your help, Elder Yang." Zhu Zhanhe was about to reveal his true feelings towards Yang Shiqi. "Your Highness, please speak freely." Yang Shiqi did not refuse at all, but readily agreed. After all, no matter how big the problem was, it was a small matter in the face of the country's stability and prosperity!

"Grand Secretary Yang, Yunnan is, after all, a remote place with a shortage of talent. In addition, if we are to expand our territory in the future, we will definitely need a lot of talented people."

I wonder if, in order to develop the border regions of Yunnan, you could recommend some talented people to come here each year?

Of course, I know this is a difficult matter, and we don't need any exceptionally talented people.

"Our Great Ming Dynasty is vast, and there are always some impoverished scholars, those from poor families, and those who are frustrated and unfulfilled. I would like to ask Grand Secretary Yang to recommend a few of them." Zhu Zhanhe asked Yang Shiqi to recommend people for three reasons: firstly, Yunnan really needs talent; secondly, future expansion will require even more talent; and thirdly, he wanted to take this opportunity to win over Yang Shiqi. Even if Yang Shiqi himself did not come, his students, former officials, relatives, and friends could always come.

"Your Highness is indeed very thoughtful." Yang Shiqi was visibly taken aback upon hearing Zhu Zhanhe's words. He naturally knew what the Crown Prince of Han was thinking. He stared blankly at the towering and upright Crown Prince of Han before him, and couldn't help but compare him to the Crown Prince. For the first time, Yang Shiqi had a strange thought about Zhu Zhanhe: This is the image of a true ruler!

"So, does that mean Grand Secretary Yang has agreed?" Facing Yang Shiqi's strange gaze, Zhu Zhanhe's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He knew that Yang Shiqi had given in.

"Your Highness is guarding the border for the country, so there is no shortage of talented people. Our Great Ming Dynasty is vast, but Yunnan is located on the frontier. I'm afraid that there will be many unambitious people there, which might offend Your Highness's eyes." After thinking it over and over again, Yang Shiqi finally agreed to Zhu Zhanhe's request.

"Your Excellency Yang is mistaken. A tall building rises from the ground, and one must eat one bite at a time."

Besides, what is poison to one is honey to another. All things in nature have their uses; how can there be such a thing as mediocrity?
Moreover, the world is vast and the common people are also very useful. Zhu Zhanhe was good at saying nice things and carrying people in a sedan chair. He directly told Yang Shiqi that he needed many people, as long as they were willing to come. He did not look down on those mediocre people. Even if you gave me some common people, I would be very happy and would not mind. After all, in the future, we will need a lot of people to develop the land.

"Your Highness is benevolent!" Yang Shiqi had originally thought that the Crown Prince of Han only needed some scholars to manage his fiefdom and for future expansion. But he never expected that the Crown Prince would even be willing to accept ordinary people. If the dynasty were to suffer a disaster in the future and the people were in distress, could some be sent to Yunnan? In an instant, countless thoughts popped into Yang Shiqi's mind.

"Your Highness, now that the matter has been settled, I must return to Beijing to report back. I hope Your Highness understands." No sooner had the matter been discussed than Yang Shiqi hastily announced his departure for Beijing.

Zhu Zhanhe was not surprised by this. After all, if Yang Shiqi had seen the alligator dragon, he would definitely want to return as soon as possible to discuss countermeasures with Emperor Hongxi.

In addition, with Emperor Hongxi in imminent danger, Yang Shiqi, as the Grand Secretary, also had to rush back as soon as possible.

"Oh? Then I wish you a safe journey, Minister Yang." Zhu Zhanhe was not surprised that Yang Shiqi was about to leave, nor did he try to stop him. Instead, he simply agreed.

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness!" Yang Shiqi expressed his gratitude for Zhu Zhanhe's magnanimity, then bowed to Zhu Zhanhe and quickly left.

"Third brother, let's see Grand Secretary Yang off." Watching Yang Shiqi leave, Zhu Zhanhe slowly stood up and said to his younger brother behind him.

"Yes." Zhu Zhanyi replied respectfully, and then followed his elder brother.

Outside Dali City, Zhu Zhanhe watched Yang Shiqi leave in his carriage, and couldn't help but think of Esen, who had fled in panic on horseback under the vast snow.

(End of this chapter)