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

Chapter 386 The Prince's Family Banquet 2
"My elder brother once promised that he would give each of you younger brothers a fiefdom of no less than Yunnan."

"Second brother, do you still remember this matter?" Zhu Zhanhe looked at Zhu Zhanqi's face and asked calmly.

Upon hearing Zhu Zhanhe's words, everyone in the room felt a tremor in their hearts. The younger brothers were filled with a mixture of joy and worry; the concubines were horrified; even the Dowager Consort Wei and Princess Consort Xia were filled with doubt and uncertainty.

"I will forever remember your teachings, elder brother!" Upon hearing his elder brother's question, Zhu Zhanqi's heart skipped a beat. He turned to look at his mother's slightly flustered gaze. Zhu Zhanqi knew what his mother was worried about, but in the end, he chose to follow his heart and earnestly bowed in reply to his elder brother's words.

Upon hearing Zhu Zhanqi's words, a beautiful figure at the table with Consort Wei looked anxious. She wanted to speak urgently, but dared not utter a word, only staring blankly at Zhu Zhanqi's figure, her eyes filled with pleading. She didn't know if her son's words would displease the prince. After all, even if the prince was good to his brothers, he wouldn't grant them so much land!

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhanhe's younger brothers, sitting at the same table, were listening intently to their eldest brother's answer. After all, their eldest brother's reply to their second brother might very well determine their future! They couldn't help but be nervous!
Zhu Zhanhe saw the worried and pleading look in Zhu Zhanqi's biological mother's eyes, but he paid no attention to it.

"Second brother, you should have heard recently that your eldest brother has asked Mother and your sister-in-law to arrange a marriage for you and your third brother, and they are holding a talent show."

"Do you have any requests regarding this matter?" Zhu Zhanhe did not comment on his younger brother's previous answer, but instead continued to ask his second younger brother, Zhu Zhanqi.

Upon hearing Zhu Zhanhe's question, Zhu Zhanqi's birth mother looked at her son with even greater anxiety, worried that he might say the wrong thing. After all, it was truly remarkable that her son was able to survive in the prince's army! She knew the hardships her son endured in the army, and she was heartbroken for his future!
"The eldest brother is like a father, and the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother."

Since ancient times, marriages have always been arranged by parents and matchmakers.

"Zhanqi will follow your elder brother's arrangements!" Zhu Zhanqi saw his mother's worried gaze again. So, Zhu Zhanqi silently lowered his head, cupped his hands respectfully, and replied softly to his elder brother.

"Second brother, do you like islands?" After hearing his second brother's attitude towards the marriage, Zhu Zhanhe did not refute him at all, but instead continued to ask his younger brother if he liked islands.

"I'll follow your orders, brother!" Zhu Zhanqi's heart skipped a beat when his elder brother asked if he liked islands. He couldn't help but wonder if his brother was going to send him to an island. However, Zhu Zhanqi knew in his heart that he was powerless to resist. Therefore, he had no choice but to accept his fate.
Upon hearing their eldest brother's question, the younger brothers at the table couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines! Their gazes towards their second brother, Zhu Zhanqi, were filled with deep sorrow and pity. After all, their eldest brother was practically throwing their second brother onto a small island! What about them? Would they be treated the same way?!
Will they all be assigned to small islands?! A deep sorrow filled the hearts of the younger brothers!

Zhu Zhanhe saw the sorrowful expressions on his younger brothers' faces, but he didn't react at all. He continued talking to himself.

"Second brother, I'm glad you like it."

After the New Year, General Iron Face will lead a fleet of ocean-going ships to conquer Japan, and my second brother will go with him.

Although Japan is an island, it is not a small place.

It encompasses four islands; 600 million mu of land and rivers; and approximately 70 million mu of arable land; only the population is slightly less than 10 million. After conquering that place, the Iron-Faced General had other battle plans.

But the eldest brother needs someone to guard that place!

Furthermore, someone is needed to help the elder brother farm the land, mine ore, forge ships and weapons, guard the area, and even recruit soldiers for him, among other things.

"I wonder if my second brother would be willing to share this burden with his elder brother?" Zhu Zhanhe calmly recounted some basic data about Japan and asked for his second brother's opinion.

After Zhu Zhanhe finished speaking, the entire banquet room fell silent! Even Ping'er and Ke'er, who were accompanying their mother, Madam Wei, stared at their man in disbelief, their eyes practically overflowing with astonishment! Zhu Zhanqi's birth mother was also shocked, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes filled with utter astonishment!
Everyone in the room stared blankly at Zhu Zhanhe, especially his younger brothers at the same table. They were all eagerly scrutinizing their eldest and second brothers!
After all, according to the eldest brother, that's hundreds of millions of acres of territory! Tens of millions of acres of land! Such vast land! And now, the eldest brother is actually planning to grant it to the second brother as a fiefdom?!
Does this mean that if these younger brothers also listen to their eldest brother, they too might be able to receive such a vast fiefdom from him, just like their second brother? In an instant, the younger brothers looked at their eldest brother with eyes full of fervent emotion!
At this moment, their previous pity for their second brother had long been forgotten! After all, islands vary in status! Ordinary islands are just ordinary islands, but the one their eldest brother sealed off—this wasn't just an island, it was practically a kingdom to be passed down for generations!

At this moment, even the usually composed third brother, Zhu Zhan'an, showed a look of stunned disbelief and envy. After all, that was six million hectares of land! Knowing his elder brother Zhu Zhan'an's understanding, he would certainly have given away all the other islands surrounding Japan to his second brother without hesitation!

That's a nation and its people, a legacy to be passed down for generations! How could the younger brothers not be excited!
At this moment, Zhu Zhanqi's mother, having recovered from her initial elation, was plunged into endless fear. Would the prince truly bestow such a vast territory upon her son? Was the prince testing her son's loyalty? She was once again gripped by terror!

"Big~~"
Big~~
Brother, that's six million hectares of land!

"Nearly ten million people!" At this moment, the second brother, Zhu Zhanqi, was also staring blankly at his elder brother. After all, he had received a formal royal education since childhood.

Zhu Zhanqi knew that the entire Ming Dynasty had a population of less than 70 million! Yet the fiefdom his elder brother had bestowed upon him had a population of 7 million! Overwhelmed with joy, Zhu Zhanqi couldn't believe that he had received such a reward from his elder brother! So much so that he stammered as he spoke.

"Second brother, your elder brother always keeps his word!"

However, before that, there are indeed a few things that your elder brother needs to explain to you clearly. Seeing his younger brother's tense expression, Zhu Zhanhe did not offer any words of comfort, but instead continued to speak seriously.

"Zhanqi, I will follow my elder brother's lead!" Upon hearing that his elder brother had more instructions, Zhu Zhanqi excitedly knelt down and declared his loyalty. He lowered his head and listened attentively to his elder brother's orders.

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhan'an and the other younger brothers listened attentively to their eldest brother's words. After all, his instructions to their second brother were also instructions for their future!
"Firstly, although you will be going to war after the New Year, you must get married in the palace as soon as possible after the selection of candidates for you and your third brother is completed. As for the selection of the queen, your eldest brother will let you choose for yourself at the last minute. Only when your queen gives birth to your eldest son, or when one of your other consorts gives birth to a child, can you go to Japan to take up your post." Zhu Zhanhe demanded that his younger brother Zhu Zhanqi return as soon as possible to get married after participating in the war against Japan.

Furthermore, Zhu Zhanqi could only go to Japan to assume his fiefdom after he had an heir. Zhu Zhanqi naturally had no objection to this.

(End of this chapter)