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

Chapter 237 A ship bigger than a crocodile

Inside the tents of the three major Yunnan camps, Zhu Zhanhe sat in the main seat, with Hu Tian, ​​Qian Zhongcai, Jiang Xiaohu, Liu Erniu, Mu Bin, Mu Ang, and his second brother Zhu Zhanqi arranged below him. Even now, the many officers before them, faced with the allure of the land Zhu Zhanhe had just offered, were still filled with excitement and unable to contain themselves.

Everyone stared intently at Zhu Zhanhe, but Zhu Zhanhe said nothing more and began to arrange the battle.

"General Hu, this time our land and naval forces are attacking simultaneously."

The navy is newly built, and I need to oversee it. As for the army, you will be the commander-in-chief, in full charge! General Qian and General Jiang will coordinate.

"Zhanqi and the two Mu brothers must learn from them carefully." Zhu Zhanhe unhesitatingly delegated the authority for army operations to Hu Tian, ​​while appointing Qian Zhongcai and Jiang Xiaohu as his assistants. He also reminded his second brother and the Mu brothers not to interfere and to simply learn from them. It can be said that he fully embodied the principle of trusting those he employs and not employing those he doesn't trust.

"Your subordinates obey!" Hu Tian and the others nodded in agreement without any hesitation, their eyes burning with determination.
After returning to the Prince's Mansion, Zhu Zhanhe bid farewell to his mother, Lady Wei, and his wife, Lady Xia, in the Chengyun Hall. He also summoned his third brother, Zhu Zhanyi.

"Third brother, I am about to go to war. You are the eldest in the family, so you must take good care of your younger brothers and sisters and study hard."

"If there's anything you don't understand, ask Lord Xia for guidance." Zhu Zhanhe patted his third brother on the shoulder and said with a serious expression.

"Don't worry, elder brother! Zhanhan will definitely live up to your expectations!" The third brother, Zhu Zhanhan, said to Zhu Zhanhe with bright eyes.

"Mother, I will be back soon. Please stay home and wait for my triumphant return!" Seeing the worried look in Madam Wei's eyes, Zhu Zhanhe's heart softened, and he quickly stepped forward to comfort her.

"He'er, you're about to become a father, you're an adult now."

There's an unborn child waiting for you to come home.

"You are the heir of the royal family, you must know what's important." Princess Wei was filled with sorrow at this moment. Her husband had raised an army in rebellion and had not returned, and now her son was about to lead an army against the court. How could she, as his wife and mother, be at ease? Therefore, Princess Wei earnestly advised her son to be careful.

"Your son will remember your teachings, Mother!" Zhu Zhanhe was not impatient with his mother's nagging; on the contrary, he listened patiently. He could tell that his mother was really sad.

"Go and talk to your wife." Princess Wei looked at her son in military uniform, and then at her daughter-in-law with red eyes. Princess Wei felt a lot of heartache for her pregnant daughter-in-law, so she quickly told her son to go and comfort her.

At the same time, Princess Wei waved her hand, and everyone left. Suddenly, only Zhu Zhanhe and Princess Xia remained in the Chengyun Hall.

"Your Highness, your divine might is unparalleled, you will surely return safely!" The Crown Princess Xia, who was seeing her husband off to war for the first time and had never left him since their marriage, could not bear it. She hugged her husband tightly with both hands, buried her head in his broad chest, and even through the armor, she still inhaled the scent that captivated her, murmuring these words.

"Don't worry, my dear. At most three months, maybe even two months, I will definitely come back safely!" Zhu Zhanhe hugged his wife tightly, gently comforting the pregnant woman.

"Your Highness, as long as you return safely, I'll agree to anything you ask, okay?" Princess Xia, the Crown Prince's consort, was going all out to ensure her husband's safe return. Her face flushed, but her eyes were resolute as she spoke to him. She knew her husband was very vigorous at night and skilled in sensual pleasures. But she was the Crown Prince's consort, the first wife! She had to maintain the dignity of a mistress, so many times she was unwilling to do those shameful things. Moreover, during her own pregnancy, to win her husband's favor, she even had two concubines serve him in her bedroom! But facing her husband's impending departure for war, she realized that she couldn't live without him at all. Therefore, she told her husband that as long as he returned safely, she would not hesitate to serve him in those shameful ways, like the villainous women in those plays!

"Don't worry, my lord. With the help of the alligator dragon, I will definitely return safely."

"But you, take good care of yourself at home. You and the children are what I miss the most." Looking at his wife's shy, sorrowful, and reluctant face, Zhu Zhanhe felt a pang of heartache. He gently cupped his wife's rosy cheeks in his hands, lightly rubbing her delicate skin with his fingers, and said earnestly.

"I understand," said Princess Xia, tilting her head as she felt her husband's gentle caress. She nodded earnestly in agreement. From the arrangements made today—the adult second brother going to war, and her husband leaving the underage third brother to guard the home—she could tell that the responsibility of guarding the home originally belonged to the eldest grandson. Therefore, as the Princess, she had to protect the unborn child in her womb!

"Smack!" Looking at his wife's earnest yet shy face, Zhu Zhanhe couldn't resist and kissed her hard until the Crown Princess Xia was out of breath. He then quietly let go, gently stroking her cheek before reluctantly releasing her.

"Wait for me to come back!" Zhu Zhanhe gently helped the Crown Princess Xia to sit down on a chair, then strode away.

"Your Highness!" At the main gate of the Prince's Mansion, Liu Erniu was leading a tall horse, waiting for Zhu Zhanhe to come out. As soon as Zhu Zhanhe came out of the mansion, he quickly stepped forward to greet him.

"Erniu, your greatest achievement is guarding the Prince's Mansion!"
"At this critical moment, go to Lord Xia. You can mobilize all the guards of the Prince's Palace, the guards in the city, and all the military forces in the city!" Zhu Zhanhe mounted his horse and said to Liu Erniu with a serious expression.

"Your Highness, rest assured, Erniu will certainly guard the palace well for you." Faced with Zhu Zhanhe's trust, Liu Erniu felt tears welling up in his eyes, knelt down with a thud, and made a promise to Zhu Zhanhe.

"Your Highness, let's set off." At this moment, Zhu Zhanhe turned his head and saw his brother-in-law Xia Xuan, dressed in military uniform, riding over and handing him a tightly sealed bamboo tube letter.

"Let's go!" Zhu Zhanhe didn't hesitate, taking the things his brother-in-law handed him with satisfaction. He immediately turned his horse around and headed towards Annam. Indeed, Zhu Zhanhe and his group also planned to pass through Annam!

Meanwhile, atop the city wall of the Prince of Han's residence, Princess Xia, under the protection of Liu Erniu and supported by Xiao Zhi, silently gazed at the receding dust.

"Return to the manor!" After gazing for a long time, until the dust had completely settled, Princess Xia's expression gradually turned serious. She tossed her skirt and headed straight for the manor. At this moment, she was no longer the little woman brought into her husband's arms, but Princess Xia, the Crown Prince's consort!
"The true dragon has truly entered the sea." In the Taoist temple in Dali, the old Taoist Zhang Zhengheng looked up and said silently, then turned his gaze back to the Taoist scripture he was compiling. A gentle breeze blew by, and the name of the scripture was revealed to be "The True Dragon Treasure Scripture"!
About ten days later, Zhu Zhanhe and his group finally reunited with Navy Wang Jinghong, Xiao Xizi, and others after a long and arduous journey.

"Your Highness!" As soon as Zhu Zhanhe arrived in Haiphong, a coastal city in Annam, Wang Jinghong, along with Xiao Xizi and others, greeted him near the ferry crossing.

"Let's board the ship first." At the Haiphong port in Annam, Zhu Zhanhe saw for the first time the mighty Ming Dynasty's treasure ship fleet, which had been awe-inspiring to overseas nations. Towering and majestic, it stretched as far as the eye could see. One could imagine that anyone standing before these treasure ships, over a hundred meters long and sixty meters wide, would appear as insignificant as an ant. In fact, these treasure ships were even larger than a dragon! Zhu Zhanhe didn't engage in detailed conversation with the group on land; instead, he immediately ordered them to board.

After boarding the treasure ship, Zhu Zhanhe could clearly feel every cell in his body breathing joyfully! "Even alligators need to live in the sea," Zhu Zhanhe couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"Your Highness, the Annam Military Commander Si Lüyi and Deputy Commander Huang Zhong have each sent letters to inquire after Your Highness. At the same time, they have also privately inquired about the next moves of our navy." After boarding the treasure ship, everyone began to report some recent developments to Zhu Zhanhe through the naval commander Wang Jinghong.

"Ignore them, let's take Guangdong and Guangxi first. Annam will soon be mine, Yunnan's territory." Zhu Zhanhe made no attempt to hide his intentions, clearly telling everyone present that after taking Guangdong and Guangxi, he would continue to take Annam!
(End of this chapter)