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

Chapter 247 Zhu Zhanhe: I want them all!

"My lords, please rise." Xiao Xizi approached Yin Shi and Inspector Liu, carefully helping them up so he could quickly get a fresh cup of hot tea for His Highness.

At this moment, Xiao Xizi's impression of the two Guangxi officials in front of her had improved considerably, and her actions became much gentler. After all, how many scholars would be willing to kneel and kowtow for the sake of the people? Even if they were bad, how bad could they really be?
"My lords, our prince does not like people kneeling to speak to him." Xiao Xizi looked at the two Guangxi officials who were still stubbornly kneeling and refused to get up. While praising them in his heart, he subtly reminded them aloud.

"Thank you for the tea, Your Highness!" Upon hearing Xiao Xizi's words, the first to react was Provincial Governor Yin Shi. His eyes lit up, and he loudly thanked Zhu Zhanhe. Then, with Xiao Xizi's help, he quickly got up. At the same time, he also gestured to the Provincial Inspector Liu beside him to get up as well.

"Thank you, Eunuch." After being helped up by Xiao Xizi and giving Inspector Liu a meaningful look, Yin Shi keenly sensed Xiao Xizi's kindness and whispered his thanks. However, Xiao Xizi simply smiled and didn't reply.

Instead, Xiao Xizi went straight to the side and gently helped Inspector Liu to his feet. Having received a signal from Yin Shi earlier, Inspector Liu quickly followed suit. After all, compared to other matters, negotiating peace with the Crown Prince of Han was the most important thing right now!
"Thank you, Your Highness!" After rising, Inspector Liu bowed respectfully to Zhu Zhanhe in gratitude. It was unclear whether he was thanking Zhu Zhanhe for being willing to talk to them, or for allowing them to rise and for offering them tea again.

At this moment, the young eunuchs outside the cabin came in carrying several cups of hot tea. Xiao Xizi respectfully first served one cup to Zhu Zhanhe, and then served one cup each to Yin Shi and Inspector Liu.

"Thank you for the tea, Your Highness." Yin Shi and Inspector Liu suppressed their eagerness and naturally accepted the hot tea brought by Xiao Xizi, and respectfully thanked Zhu Zhanhe again.

"My lords, I understand how you feel right now."

"Therefore, as a junior, I have a few requests, which may be somewhat inappropriate, but I wonder if you two gentlemen would be willing to listen?" Holding the hot tea served by Xiao Xizi, Zhu Zhanhe took a sip with great satisfaction, instantly feeling the fragrance linger in his mouth. After setting down the teacup, Zhu Zhanhe said meaningfully to Yin Shi and Inspector Liu.

"No, no, Your Highness is too kind."

"We are willing to obey Your Highness's orders!" Seeing the Crown Prince of Han address himself as a junior and raise his teacup towards them, Yin Shi, who had been hiding, exchanged a glance with Inspector Liu and took a small sip of hot tea in response to the Crown Prince's gesture. Although he repeatedly said he dared not accept Zhu Zhanhe's address as a junior, he immediately responded excitedly, willing to follow the Crown Prince's orders.

At this moment, Yin Shi and the other two did not speak, but asked the Crown Prince of Han what his demands were.

But for the two of them, whatever demands the Crown Prince of Han might make at this moment, as long as he was willing to talk, that would be the best outcome!

At least, Yin Shi and the others knew that the Crown Prince of Han was willing to negotiate, so they had a basic direction for negotiations!
Therefore, Yin Shi and the other man were extremely excited at this moment, looking at the Crown Prince of Han with expectant eyes and listening intently to any requests he was about to make.

"Except for the fact that Guangxi is still nominally under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, I want everything else in Guangxi!" Zhu Zhanhe leisurely took a sip of tea, and then, without any hesitation, said something that shocked everyone.

"What?" Yin Shi thought he had misheard what the Crown Prince of Han said, and subconsciously asked again. Then, he glanced at his colleague, Inspector Liu, and saw his colleague's dumbfounded expression, and his expression froze.

"Your Highness says, I can withdraw my troops from Guangxi, as long as everything in Guangxi, except for nominal ownership by the imperial court, belongs to my Prince Han's Mansion!" Zhu Zhanhe stood up and came to Yin Shi and Inspector Liu, put his hand on their shoulders, and said to them with a serious expression.

"Before the imperial court hands over the fleet to me, not only Guangxi, but also Guangdong, will belong entirely to my Prince Han's Mansion!"
"You must not only do your utmost to build ships for me, but also hand over your taxes to me, allow the people to be under my command, and obtain my approval for the appointment and removal of officials," Zhu Zhanhe said earnestly, pressing on the shoulders of Yin Shi and Liu, the provincial inspector.

"In other words, this agreement will only be void when the imperial court hands over the fleet to me!" Zhu Zhanhe said, then gently patted the two men on the shoulder. Before Yin Shi and Inspector Liu could respond, he returned to his chair and sat down, sipping his tea.

"Of course, whether the people will still be willing to return to the court with you at that time will depend on fate." After taking a sip of tea, Zhu Zhanhe glanced at Yin Shi and the other man with a teasing smile.

"This is treason!" Upon hearing Zhu Zhanhe's words, Yin Shi and Inspector Liu were stunned. They never expected the Crown Prince of Han to have such a big appetite! This showed no sincerity in negotiation; he was clearly here to directly annex the territory! But soon, Yin Shi and Inspector Liu reacted, and the outspoken Inspector Liu even jumped up from his chair, pointed at Zhu Zhanhe, and loudly rebuked him with a face full of indignation.

"My lords." Zhu Zhanhe remained unperturbed, a smile on his face, as he looked at the two Guangxi officials who were staring angrily at him. He slowly put down his teacup and stood up from his chair.

"Do you think I, the young master, am discussing this with you?!" Suddenly, the instant Zhu Zhanhe put down his teacup, a roar like a dragon's cry resounded throughout the entire cabin without warning. This sudden dragon's roar caused the air in the cabin to vibrate visibly, and the oppressive feeling that made it difficult for everyone to breathe and stand steadily.

"Thump! Thump!" Zhu Zhanhe's sudden outburst caused the unsuspecting Yin Shi and Inspector Liu to fall to the ground with a thud.

"Your Highness, please calm down!" In fact, Zhu Zhanhe's sudden change caused Xiao Xizi's heart to stop for a moment. In a panic, Xiao Xizi knelt down without hesitation, bowed his head to the ground, and said urgently.

Wang Jinghong and Xia Xuan, who had never witnessed such a scene before, were stunned by the sudden turn of events and remained completely frozen in place. It was Xiao Xizi's calls that brought them back to their senses. Without hesitation, the two of them knelt down on the ground, bowing their heads.

As they knelt down, they realized that in just a moment, their clothes were soaked with sweat.

At this moment, Xia Xuan suddenly recalled the words her father, Xia Yuanji, had spoken before they set sail: "Xuan'er, you have always been steady and reliable, but I must still remind you: although the Crown Princess is your own sister, you must never show any disrespect to His Highness the Crown Prince. His Highness possesses a majestic and imposing presence, the very image of a dragon! Remember! Remember!"
At this moment, Xia Xuan, kneeling on the ground, finally understood how accurate his father's instructions were! The terrifying dragon's roar, the suffocating sense of oppression—even when he first faced the Yongle Emperor, Xia Xuan had never felt such a trembling sensation!
"Hahahaha." Just as the atmosphere in the cabin reached its icy peak, Zhu Zhanhe's sudden, hearty laughter broke the silence. Instantly, it was like a warm ray of sunshine shining into everyone's hearts, dispelling the tense gloom that had just gripped them. It was as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion, leaving everyone in a daze.

However, the fact that everyone's clothes were soaked and their bodies were trembling clearly indicated that what had just happened was not real!
"Alright, I was just joking with everyone. Please don't take it to heart." Zhu Zhanhe still had a smile on his face, and said some words that made everyone feel extremely relaxed.

But at this moment, no one responded; they all simply knelt silently, bowing their heads.

(End of this chapter)