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

Chapter 369 The Iron-Faced General!

"After completing the dismantling of the fleet as soon as possible, the Navy should quickly replenish various combat personnel and form combat capability as soon as possible."

After the New Year, the Navy will be divided into two combat units, each heading to different battlefields!
Meanwhile, the navy also needs to quickly train personnel, as the Prince's Ocean Merchant Fleet will set sail after the New Year. However, the ocean merchant fleet does not yet have an escort fleet, so you will need to allocate a portion of the navy for ocean escort missions.

"If the navy can train a group of talents as soon as possible, the Prince's Mansion will be able to set aside a separate ocean-going escort fleet." Zhu Zhanhe continued to add some requirements for the navy. Especially now, Zhu Zhanhe explicitly told Wang Jinghong and Xia Xuan that he still needed an ocean-going escort fleet, which urgently required a large number of naval personnel.

Because Zhu Zhanhe currently has enough warships, more than eight hundred in total! But he lacks generals who can command naval operations!

In reality, Zhu Zhanhe's ideal scenario for the navy was to have three fleets. These three fleets could take turns performing escort missions on long-range voyages and overseas expansion missions!
"We obey Your Highness's decree!" Upon hearing their lord's requirements for the navy, Wang Jinghong and Xia Xuan felt a chill run down their spines. They clearly understood from their lord's words that the future navy would inevitably be a tripartite structure! However, even though they harbored some doubts about the lord's eagerness to establish three naval forces, in this formal setting, they respectfully accepted Zhu Zhanhe's orders.

"Sit down~" After finishing discussing matters concerning the navy, Zhu Zhanhe raised his hand, indicating that the two could sit down.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Wang Jinghong and Xia Xuan exchanged a glance, both seeing a cautious look in each other's eyes. After all, based on their understanding of the prince, he wouldn't be so eager to dismantle the navy unless there was an urgent need. After confirming the caution in each other's eyes, Wang Jinghong and Xia Xuan sat back down somewhat nervously.

"The army should also prepare for war after the New Year."

Before the New Year, the army will send everyone to inspect their newly assigned fields in batches. They will be told that those who are to recruit tenants in Annam should do so, and those who are to get married should do so as well. After all, the fields distributed to everyone cannot be left to lie fallow.

Also, ask the soldiers if they want to write letters home, and find someone to write the letters for them. We can arrange for the army and navy to deliver them!
"If any of the soldiers' families are willing to come to our side from the Central Plains, our Prince's Palace can send troops to ensure their safe escort!" Regarding the army, Zhu Zhanhe first reminded them of the war preparation requirements after the New Year; then he told the soldiers to take some time to check on the land they had been allocated. After all, the land had already been allocated to the soldiers, but they didn't have time to farm it. In order to prevent the land from going to waste, they could only recruit tenant farmers from Annam to cultivate the land themselves.

Zhu Zhanhe believed that becoming a landlord and finding a wife in Annam was the dream of many soldiers!
At the same time, in order to increase the number of Han Chinese in Annam, Zhu Zhanhe cunningly had his soldiers write letters inviting their families to come as well! Zhu Zhanhe believed that with the addition of land, a large number of Han Chinese would definitely be willing to come to Annam!
"We will obey Your Highness's orders!" Upon hearing Zhu Zhanhe's requirements for the army, the soldiers, led by Hu Tian, ​​quickly stood up and respectfully received the orders.

"Alright, alright, everyone, don't be so tense."

The requirements for both the army and navy were similar; the navy also needed to arrange for everyone to visit their lands, get married, and hire tenants to farm. Seeing everyone still tense, even his younger brother Zhu Zhanqi looked strained, Zhu Zhanhe could only shake his head helplessly. He continued to try and calm the tense officers. However, it was clear that Zhu Zhanhe's efforts were not very effective. Therefore, Zhu Zhanhe had no choice but to give up on appeasing them and remain a dignified, solitary figure.
"I have something else to say," Zhu Zhanhe said calmly, though a strange sense of joy welled up inside him at the sight of everyone's respectful demeanor. Upon hearing this, everyone sat up straight, ears perked, eyes fixed on Zhu Zhanhe, eager to know what their lord had to say next.

"Today, I'd like to introduce a new general to everyone! From now on, he will work alongside you all for the Prince's Palace."

However, he has some eccentricities. So please don't mind. Zhu Zhanhe first told everyone that a new military commander would be added, and then told everyone that the newcomer was not easy to get along with, which was a way of laying the groundwork for everyone in advance.

After hearing Zhu Zhanhe's words, the generals were somewhat surprised. They exchanged glances discreetly, looking at each other in bewilderment.

After all, for the prince to personally introduce this person, it means he's no ordinary individual! But now the prince says this person has a quirk, and asks everyone present not to mind! This is interesting. Since even the prince considers it a quirk, it must be a serious one! And to have a quirk and still gain the prince's favor indicates this person is quite extraordinary! At the very least, this person possesses considerable ability!

Immediately, everyone became very interested in the new general that the prince was going to introduce.

"Mr. Iron Face, please come out." Seeing that he had laid enough groundwork and aroused everyone's interest, Zhu Zhanhe turned his head to look at the door and called out to Mr. Iron Face to come out and meet everyone.

In truth, after hearing their prince's words, the many military officers present, while somewhat curious about who he was introducing, couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt. After all, who among them hadn't heard of the Iron-Faced Man?!

"Thump~ Splash~"
Thump~ Splash~
*Thump—clatter—* A series of heavy footsteps approached from not far away, accompanied by the clanging and scraping of scale armor and swords. Everyone in the room was a seasoned military commander, and upon hearing this familiar sound, they instantly recognized the newcomer: a person clad in heavy armor and carrying a sword!
As expected, everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a person wearing a heavy full set of General Mountain armor, with a gorgeous sword hanging at his waist and an iron mask covering his face, leading Xiao Xizi step by step towards them.

However, to everyone's astonishment, Xiao Xizi actually walked meekly behind the man in the iron mask!
The newcomer is no ordinary person! Just from Xiao Xizi's attitude, the many generals in the room knew that the newcomer was no ordinary person!
"Your Highness, General Iron Face has arrived." After the two entered the room, Xiao Xizi carefully took a few quick steps, came to Zhu Zhanhe, bowed deeply, and cautiously reported to Zhu Zhanhe.

"Go down." Seeing Xiao Xizi's meek and obedient demeanor, Zhu Zhanhe knew that this clever little boy was probably doubting the Iron-Faced General's identity! However, Zhu Zhanhe wasn't surprised by this. After all, Xiao Xizi had grown up alongside Zhu Zhanhe in the Prince's mansion since childhood; it would be strange if he didn't suspect the Iron-Faced General's identity!

However, Zhu Zhanhe believed that with Xiao Xizi's intelligence and wit, he wouldn't speak recklessly!
"Yes~" Hearing the prince tell him to leave, Xiao Xizi kept his head down, respectfully responding before cautiously departing. In truth, Xiao Xizi had no choice but to be careful; the prince's aura was simply too overwhelming! It even reminded Xiao Xizi of the time he had served the then-mad prince tirelessly! Those past experiences compelled Xiao Xizi to remain obedient!
(End of this chapter)