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

Chapter 464 Resignation 3
"Minister Zhang, I will leave this memorial of resignation here for now."

Go back and think it over again, and have a good discussion with your family.

You can take it back at any time before the Dragon Scale Pavilion is built. I will pretend this never happened!
However, once the Dragon Scale Pavilion begins construction, I will approve this memorial. Seeing Zhang Dazhu's somewhat embarrassed appearance, Zhu Zhanhe did not immediately approve Zhang Dazhu's resignation, but instead gave Zhang Dazhu some more time to think about it.

This can be considered as giving this veteran minister, who has worked hard for many years, some room for maneuver!
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great favor!" Zhang Dazhu was filled with gratitude upon hearing Emperor Longwu's words. After all, Emperor Longwu's actions were indeed a great honor for him, his subject!
"Go down!" Emperor Longwu then waved his hand, dismissing Zhang Dazhu.

"Your subject takes his leave!" Zhang Dazhu then retreated with a face full of excitement.

"Father, what's Minister Zhang up to?!" After Zhang Dazhu left the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the eldest prince, Zhu Qiyu, asked his father, Emperor Longwu, somewhat bewildered. After all, this was the first time he had ever seen someone voluntarily request a demotion, and moreover, be so happy about it!

"Yu'er, this is the reputation that scholars pursue both before and after their death!"
For the officials, the Dragon Scale Pavilion was a slow-acting poison. The officials knew it was poison, but they still swallowed it without hesitation because it was a perfectly legitimate conspiracy!

"Just watch, the Dragon Scale Pavilion will surely inject a different kind of vitality into our Dragon Kingdom!" Zhu Zhanhe said, seeing his son's somewhat surprised expression.

However, Zhu Zhanhe then sighed again.

"Father, what's wrong?" Zhu Qiyu asked again, seeing his father's expression change once more.

"Yu'er, you must remember this."

Nothing is absolute! Extremes beget their opposites!
Although the Dragon Scale Pavilion can inspire the ambition of all officials, we, the rulers, must also be vigilant! Zhu Zhanhe clearly knew that although the Dragon Scale Pavilion was a good thing, even the best things can turn bad one day.

"Father, what makes you say that?" At this moment, Zhu Qiyu frowned and fell into deep thought again. It was as if a flash of insight was about to be revealed in his mind!
"Yu'er, although the Dragon Scale Pavilion can inspire the ambition of the officials."

However, if the pressure is too great, countless officials may become mediocre officials because of it!

After all, when it comes to mediocre officials, the most that future generations can say is that they are incompetent and unproductive!

"It's better than making a mistake and becoming a treacherous minister who is despised and infamous for eternity!" Zhu Zhanhe's biggest worry was that officials would completely lie low and become mediocre officials in order to avoid making mistakes!

"Father, this—" Upon hearing his father, Emperor Longwu, suddenly say this, Zhu Qiyu realized that what his father said was true! For a moment, his face was filled with shock!
"Forget it, we'll discuss this later!" Seeing his son's shocked expression, Zhu Zhanhe waved his hand and suppressed the matter. After all, dealing with the immediate issue was more important!

"Yu'er, go to the cabinet and ask them to produce a set of blueprints for the construction of the Dragon Scale Pavilion as soon as possible."
Furthermore, I have the six ministries assemble early tomorrow morning to discuss our actions against the Tibetan tribes! I also have the Ministry of War draft a general strategy for our discussion tomorrow.
"Then, go to your mother's place and see how the preparations for the Qionglin Banquet later are going. Your mother is still keeping things secret from me, so keep an eye on things and make sure nothing goes wrong!" Zhu Zhanhe interrupted his son and then began assigning him tasks.

"Your subject obeys!" Zhu Qiyu did not hesitate and readily agreed to the tasks assigned by his father.

"Father~" Seeing that his father had finished giving instructions, Zhu Qiyu was about to speak.

"Don't interrupt, your father hasn't finished speaking yet!"

Later tomorrow, let Huang Zhong, Jin Dou'er, and Daoist Yanzheng and the others...

"Alright, just gather all those dozens of Taoist priests from the Imperial Observatory. I need to summon them again; I have something to say to them!" After interrupting his son's words, Zhu Zhanhe once again assigned tasks to him. "Your subject obeys!" Upon hearing his father's instructions, Zhu Qiyu quickly complied.

"By the way, when you get to the cabinet, ask your maternal grandfather and the others if the old chief minister's title has been finalized yet!"

"Have Xi'er copy two copies of the Imperial Ancestral Instructions, one to be sent to me and the other to the ancestral temple; when you have time, have Qian take the children to visit your mother more often, and your mother will take the children to the ancestral temple! He is old after all!" Suddenly, when talking about the Imperial Observatory, Zhu Zhanhe suddenly remembered the late Taoist priest Zhang Zhengheng.

The old Taoist priest ascended to immortality in the year the Dragon Kingdom was founded!
At that time, Emperor Longwu issued an edict ordering the Grand Secretariat to draft a title for the old Taoist priest. Although the Grand Secretariat had submitted dozens of drafts, he was not satisfied with any of them! Therefore, the matter was shelved for a long time!

Furthermore, Zhu Zhanhe suddenly remembered that he hadn't seen his grandson for quite some time, so he asked his grandson to do some homework.

At the same time, Zhu Zhanhe also instructed his grandson to visit the Empress Dowager more often. In reality, he wanted Zhu Qiyu to take Zhu Jianxi to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to see Zhu Gaoxu more frequently! Now, the once imposing and stern-faced General Zhu Gaoxu had truly grown old!

As a result, he has been staying in the ancestral temple ever since and is unwilling to come out!

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Upon hearing his father's new arrangement, Zhu Qiyu silently nodded in agreement. At this moment, Zhu Qiyu once again felt the hardships and difficulties his father, the Dragon Martial Emperor, faced!

"What are you looking at? Go on with your work, your father. I'm going to take another look at these memorials!" After saying this, Zhu Zhanhe waved his hand, urging his son to leave. He didn't want his son to delay him from reviewing the memorials!
"Why aren't you leaving yet?" Emperor Longwu, who was looking down at the memorials, suddenly realized that his son hadn't left. He looked up and saw his son looking hesitant. Emperor Longwu asked in surprise.

"Father, it's already past noon!"

"The Grand Steward has already had the food reheated twice!" After hesitating for a moment, Zhu Qiyu still softly reminded his father. His eyes were filled with disbelief and heartache as he looked at his father.

"Is it already noon?"

That little rascal, Xiao Xizi, didn't even remind me! Don't worry, Yu'er, I'll punish him in a bit!

"Go ahead and do your work!" After hearing his son's reminder, Zhu Zhanhe turned to look at the sky outside and realized that it was already past noon. Immediately, Zhu Zhanhe unhesitatingly shifted the blame onto Xiao Xizi!
"Father, I doubt the Grand Eunuch would dare to interrupt you when you are busy with state affairs!"

I've heard that when you're busy and don't have time to eat, you just have two steamed buns and two side dishes to make do with a meal!

"If Mother finds out..." Seeing that his father, Emperor Longwu, was still stubborn, Zhu Qiyu didn't hesitate to directly reveal the real problem!

If Xiao Xizi, who was serving outside the door, heard Zhu Qiyu's words, he would probably kowtow and call him a kindred spirit! Because the Emperor was so busy that he didn't eat properly, he, the chief eunuch, was scolded by the Empress! Scolded by the Imperial Noble Consort! Scolded by the Noble Consort! Scolded by the First Prince! Was it easy for him?!
However, the real problem was that Xiao Xizi dared not tell anyone about this. Finally, by chance, when Xiao Xizi was carrying his lunchbox, the First Prince saw him and learned about the matter, thus clearing up his grievances!

He, Xiao Xizi, is even more wronged than Dou E!
"Don't listen to Xiao Xizi's nonsense! How could I, the emperor of a country, have such a simple meal!" Upon hearing his son's words, Zhu Zhanhe's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly spoke up to defend himself.

However, looking at his son's serious expression, Zhu Zhanhe knew that his son had something on him!

"That little Xizi, he can't keep his mouth shut!" Zhu Zhanhe immediately thought that Xizi had leaked the matter! He complained incessantly!
(End of this chapter)