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

Chapter 324 Mr. Iron Mask!

"Xiao Zhi, get up, it's alright." After gently comforting his wife in his arms for a while, Zhu Zhanhe noticed Xiao Zhi still kneeling silently in the corner. Seeing her chubby little face and flustered expression, Zhu Zhanhe told her to get up.

"Thank you, Your Highness~" Seeing that everything was alright, Xiao Zhi's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but breathe a long sigh of relief. She raised her hand and gently patted her bulging chest before bending over and shakily getting up from the ground.

Princess Xia was overjoyed to see that her husband hadn't blamed her for peeking at the secret letter. However, as she looked up, she noticed her husband's gaze fixed on Xiao Zhi. Following his gaze, she saw Xiao Zhi shakily and unsteadily getting to her feet. A strange, enigmatic meaning flickered in Princess Xia's eyes as she looked at Xiao Zhi.

"Xiao Zhi, come here." Immediately, Princess Xia decided to comfort her husband's sorrowful heart and thank him for his magnanimity in not punishing her for secretly reading the letter. Princess Xia then beckoned Xiao Zhi over.

"Yes, Miss." Although she didn't know why her young mistress had called her, Xiao Zhi stopped what she was doing—arranging clothes for the young master—and obediently walked over. Little did she know, the naive Xiao Zhi had once again been sold out by her young mistress.

When Xiao Zhi came to her, Crown Princess Xia gently pulled her husband to sit on the bed. Then, she gently took Xiao Zhi's hand, and as Xiao Zhi's face gradually flushed with confusion, Crown Princess Xia showed a satisfied expression. She then quietly helped her husband take off his clothes so that he could rest in bed.
A few days later
".
"Regarding the trip to Annam, it will be postponed for now." That evening, in the Chengyun Hall of the Han Prince's Mansion, Zhu Zhanhe was discussing the progress of the Annam trip with his father-in-law and Mu Sheng. However, after finishing the important matters, and knowing in advance that news of the Han Prince's death was about to reach Yunnan, Zhu Zhanhe had no choice but to postpone the originally planned trip to Annam.

"Yes!" Although he didn't know why His Highness wanted to postpone his trip to Annam, Xia Yuanji nodded in agreement. After all, these matters were always decided by the leaders; they, the employees, were only responsible for carrying them out.

Meanwhile, the astute Xia Yuanji also noticed that the atmosphere in the Prince of Han's residence had been somewhat strange these past few days. However, as a subordinate official, he couldn't directly inquire about it. He had originally planned to take advantage of the free time after reporting his work today to ask his son-in-law about it.

"Your Highness, the Iron-Faced Gentleman from the North has come to pay his respects. General Liu has already led him to the study." Xia Yuanji was just about to start talking to his son-in-law about the strange phenomena that had recently occurred in the Prince's mansion when Xiao Xizi hurried in and respectfully told his son-in-law that an important guest had come to the Prince's mansion to request an audience.

Mr. Iron Mask? What Mr. Iron Mask? Never heard of him! What's going on?! Upon hearing this unfamiliar name, Xia Yuanji was filled with confusion. While wondering, he glanced at Mu Sheng beside him, only to see Mu Sheng also looking at him with a bewildered expression, silently shaking his head. Clearly, Mu Sheng didn't know what was happening either! He hadn't heard of this suddenly appearing Mr. Iron Mask!

"Father-in-law, Uncle Mu, you two go ahead with your work. There are some matters with the Embroidered Uniform Guard that I need to handle personally." Hearing Xiao Xizi's words, Zhu Zhanhe breathed a long sigh of relief. Zhu Zhanhe knew that the person he was waiting for had finally arrived! If they hadn't come soon, he really wouldn't have been able to hold on any longer. Because the Embroidered Uniform Guard had sent word that Yang Shiqi, Yu Qian, and the funeral procession led by Fan Zhong would arrive in Yunnan in a few days!
Once Yang Shiqi's group arrived in Yunnan, the fact that the Prince of Han had been killed by the Xuande Emperor would no longer be a secret! But at this moment, Zhu Zhanhe had not yet told his mother, Lady Wei, for fear of causing turmoil within the Prince's residence! Immediately, upon learning that the person he was waiting for had finally arrived, Zhu Zhanhe was eager to personally arrange a meeting with him.

"Your Highness, please!" Even though they had doubts, Xia Yuanji and Mu Sheng still respectfully saw Zhu Zhanhe off. After all, there were certain things they, as subjects, had to follow. If His Highness didn't say anything, they would pretend they didn't know!

However, in Xia Yuanji's view, even if his son-in-law didn't say anything, it wouldn't stop him from letting his wife chat with their daughter! They could also discuss some important recent events in the Prince's mansion. Meanwhile, Zhu Zhanhe, after leaving Chengyun Hall, glanced at the setting sun and hurried towards the rear hall of the Prince's mansion.

"Xiao Xizi, have Erniu seal off the area around the study, go and invite the Crown Princess to bring Yu'er over, and then invite the Princess Consort over as well. Don't alert anyone else." Zhu Zhanhe gave these important instructions while on the road.

"Yes, Your Highness." After hearing the Crown Prince's order, Xiao Xizi quickly left into the distance, clearly to convey Zhu Zhanhe's command.

With a creak, Zhu Zhanhe saw Liu Erniu guarding the study door. He then pushed open the wooden door and walked into the inner room. Liu Erniu, who was guarding the door, quickly closed it after Zhu Zhanhe entered.

Upon entering, Zhu Zhanhe saw a man in a black robe standing in the study; he appeared to be a robust man. After hearing the door bolt click, the man in the robe slowly turned around, and Zhu Zhanhe could only see a black iron mask.

"Father!" Zhu Zhanhe took a few steps forward, knelt down on the ground without hesitation, and respectfully called the man in the iron mask "Father".

"He'er, remember this: the Prince of Han is dead in Beijing. From now on, only the Iron-Faced Man will remain in this world." Looking at Zhu Zhanhe kneeling on the ground, the man in the robe didn't move, but spoke silently. The Iron-Faced Man's familiar voice was none other than that of the Prince of Han, who had been turned into roast suckling pig by the Xuande Emperor!
It turns out that after Emperor Xuande conquered the grasslands and won the victory, Zhu Zhanhe, in order to prevent his father from taking extreme measures, wrote a letter to his third uncle, Zhu Gaosui, offering two islands at sea as a fiefdom in exchange for his uncle saving his father's life at a critical moment! Of course, he also inquired about the marriage of his third uncle's two cousins ​​in Yunnan.

And Zhu Zhanhe's move indeed came in handy at the crucial moment. His third uncle, Prince Zhao, had been in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard for many years, and he still possessed some cunning methods and trusted confidants.

At that time, the Imperial Guards who followed the Xuande Emperor and carried out his order to roast the Prince of Han alive were his uncle's confidants. They seized an opportunity to secretly replace the Prince of Han inside the bronze bell, allowing the Prince of Han's false life to exchange for the life of the real Prince of Han! At the same time, they also burdened the Xuande Emperor with the stigma of patricide! Thus, the Prince of Han finally achieved his goal and won against the Xuande Emperor one last time! He won with his life!
However, the price was that Prince Zhu Gaochi of Han died! There will never be another Prince Zhu Gaochi of Han in this world!
At this point, Prince Zhu Gaochi of Han had been roasted to death on the orders of the Xuande Emperor, leaving only an unrecognizable, charred and twisted skeleton! But at this moment, Mr. Iron Mask appeared without leaving a trace.

Having already died once, Prince Zhu Gaoxu of Han has come to terms with it. The Prince of Han who once single-mindedly pursued the throne is dead; from now on, he will only live for his son, grandson, daughter-in-law, and other family members, as the Iron-Faced Man.

"Father, you haven't seen Yu'er yet, have you? I'll have Xia bring the child over so you can hold your grandson!" Looking at his father, who was unwilling to even take off his mask, Zhu Zhanhe couldn't help but sigh at how cautious his father was. Or perhaps his father was simply unwilling to face his current life and only wanted to hide and live in secrecy.

(End of this chapter)