Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 116 It's good that things are in chaos, it's perfect for quelling the rebellion!

Zhu Yuanzhang stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an imposing aura.

If those people are ungrateful and don't let him sit at the table to eat, then he really will smash the pot here and start anew.

We shouldn't take these people too seriously or be too lenient with them.

His own descendants were bullied so badly because he was too soft-hearted.

Whenever the emperor decides to open up the seas, countless people will say that he is competing with the people for profit.

The fourth brother went to the Western Ocean seven times, bringing back a steady stream of money, but people still said he was losing money to make a name for himself.

It is a wasteful and extravagant waste of the people's hard-earned money.

So much so that later loyal ministers and righteous men, in order to prevent the emperor from following the same path as the fourth prince and ruining the country,

He not only persuaded Zhu Zhanji to order the cessation of the extravagant voyages to the Western Ocean.

When it came to Zhu Houzhao, he thoughtfully burned the nautical charts as well.

They needed to completely suppress the idea of ​​the Ming emperor opening up the seas.

Then these loyal and righteous people made a fortune in maritime trade, and ate their fill of delicious food.

After the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains, they tried to repeat the same trick.

Then the Tartars plowed the land again and again, killing them until they were obedient and knelt down like dogs.

I dare not jump again.

Therefore, some people are just inherently despicable.

The nicer you are to them, the more they take advantage of you, the more they think they're someone important, and the more they push their luck.

They deserve a good beating, knocked down to the dust, to wake them up and make them open their eyes to see who's in charge in this world.

Zhu Biao unconsciously straightened his chest, looked at his father, and his heart was no longer filled with hesitation.

My father is always like this; no difficulty can frighten him.

I tend to think in terms of many pre-designed rules and regulations, trying to figure out how to solve things without breaking them.

The Emperor was different.

When it's possible to follow the rules, then follow them; when it's difficult to follow the rules, then think about breaking the rules directly and starting from outside the rules.

Although these were quite different from the various kinds of knowledge he had received before, it must be said that they were truly inspiring!
Wu Zhen froze, staring blankly at Zhu Yuanzhang.

For a moment, I was taken aback by the grandeur displayed by the emperor.

If they won't let us eat at the table, then we'll smash the pot and make a new one ourselves.

How could the emperor dare to think and say such things?
Was the emperor determined to accomplish this from the very beginning?
While stunned, they suddenly understood why the emperor had targeted them so much and why they were in such a miserable state.

What the two of them did was secondary.

Most importantly, it was because of the two of them that they became the scapegoats, blocking the emperor's path to opening up the sea.

Under such circumstances, how could the emperor not think of kicking his own brother aside?

"To rise to power... that involves too many people and too much influence. It's a complex and multifaceted situation, and things could easily fall into chaos if we're not careful..."

After a moment of stunned silence, Wu Zhen looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and spoke, his voice hoarse.

"If they're so capable, let them create chaos."

If things get chaotic, we can use this opportunity to quell the rebellion.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand dismissively, as if he were casually discussing what to eat for dinner.

Wu Zhen tensed up, unable to utter the rest of his words.

Wu Liang buried his head even deeper.

Zhu Yuanzhang naturally knew what Wu Zhen meant.

It's simply because I'm afraid that if I take such a hard line, it will backfire.

Let's throw the Jiangnan region into chaos.

Jiangnan is a crucial area for finance and taxation; if it falls into chaos, the consequences for the imperial court will be dire!

However, in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, it was precisely because this place was a crucial center for taxation that it needed to be thoroughly reorganized.

We cannot be afraid of chaos.

Without proper preparation, the fishing season cannot begin.

Even if the sea were forcibly opened, at worst it would be like the fourth prince, where the policy ended with his death.

If the founding emperor himself doesn't do these things, then it will be even more difficult for the next emperor to be emperor.

To sort things out properly would require far more effort and resources than the founding emperor himself.

I didn't know that such a big secret was hidden in Jiangnan in my past life. Now that I know it in this life, I'm determined to sort it out no matter what!
As for whether the Jiangnan region will descend into chaos and become even worse as a result—the Qing Dynasty has already set a precedent.

As for his reputation, Zhu Yuanzhang felt that by using such forceful methods to subdue them, his reputation might actually improve.

Just like those emperors of the late Qing dynasty, they engaged in a brutal massacre, treating people as less than human.

However, many of them were portrayed as sage rulers and enlightened monarchs.

Countless people miss Dai Qing.

Countless people fantasize about traveling back to the Qing Dynasty and want to date this or that master of the Qing Dynasty.

On the contrary, many of the emperors of their own Ming Dynasty were portrayed as eccentric.

Leaving aside its reputation and influence in later generations, its reputation at the time alone is enough to give us a glimpse of its brilliance.

After such inhumane treatment, many Han Chinese officials knelt even more obediently.

Even on memorials to the throne, some people deliberately wrote "servant" on their names, in a fawning and obsequious manner.

Ironically, the Qing emperors even circled it with vermilion ink.

They said he was unworthy of using such a self-designation.

It was incredibly funny.

"Now that I've come to power, this sinner has nothing left to hide."

You can just leave them all to your superior.

To be honest, I lacked sufficient control over the naval forces prepared against Japanese pirates.

I am unable to control many of the pirate groups originally incorporated by Chen Fang.

These people appear obedient, but when it comes to important matters, they don't really listen to their ministers.

They also didn't have a high level of recognition for the Ming Dynasty.

On the contrary, he secretly kept exchanging glances with Chen Fang's two groups of pirates.

Even I find it difficult to prohibit.

I am not saying this to exonerate myself.

Rather, it means that if something happens to me and Chongming doesn't handle it properly, then there could be serious problems.

Many people would go to sea to become pirates, which had a particularly bad influence.

Those who rise to a higher position need to be very careful.

Wu Zhen suppressed the turmoil in his mind and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang before speaking once more.

We believe what you say.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

"You two brothers were originally supported by us, and you fought against the Chaohu Navy, keeping each other in check."

They certainly have the ability; otherwise, we wouldn't be able to help them.

But his abilities weren't that strong either.

If Liao Yongzhong were in your position, these remnants of Chen Youding and Fang Guozhen's forces, who had been incorporated into the army, would have been thoroughly subdued long ago.

It's impossible for you to be controlled by them to some extent, like they have done to you.

Zhu Yuanzhang's words were really hurtful.

They brought up Liao Yongzhong, whom the Wu brothers had always considered their rival, and even said that Wu Zhen was inferior to Liao Yongzhong.

Even though Wu Zhen was prepared to die, his face still twitched when he heard the emperor say this.

That was so uncomfortable.

I almost couldn't resist having a serious argument with the emperor.

The emperor has gone too far.

Murder and kill!
He's killing me by destroying my spirit!
He said those words with ulterior motives.

Saying you're not capable is just self-deprecation.

To everyone's surprise, the emperor actually took it seriously and said such things.

Now, even when I die, I won't be able to vent my anger!

"We know your two brothers' temperaments. You're not very capable, but you have high aspirations."

They attributed all of your promotions to their own abilities.

Zhu Yuanzhang seemed not to notice that what he said was too hurtful and continued to speak.

Now, it wasn't just Wu Zhen who felt that the emperor had turned his heart into a hornet's nest.

Even Wu Liang felt the same way, feeling extremely heartbroken.

So poisonous!

The emperor's mouth is so venomous!

Does he even know how to talk like that?

The brothers were about to be killed by the emperor. Couldn't they say something nice before they died?

"We know why you're telling us this."

We believe you when you say you're not trying to excuse yourself.

You're not trying to exonerate yourself, you're trying to exonerate your son.

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhen, who was secretly cursing the emperor for being inhuman and for saying such unpleasant things, felt a sudden jolt in his heart.

He was about to speak quickly.

Zhu Yuanzhang showed no sign of stopping.

Looking at him, she continued, "You are sending us a message that your son has indeed gone to sea with many others and defected from the Ming Dynasty."

That's not your son's fault, but because there are too many disobedient people in the Japanese-prepared navy.

If you can't even control them, then you can't control your son either.

Your son must have been coerced by these disobedient and audacious people.

Taking people out to sea has nothing to do with your son.

Are we right or wrong?

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhen's expression changed drastically, and he was horrified!

There was no time to think about anything else.

How exactly did the emperor manage to do that?
How much does he know?
Even my little thoughts have been seen through?

For a moment, he felt a chill run down his spine.

It's like they're not wearing any clothes.

Everything was seen by the emperor.

There were no secrets left before the emperor.

“Your Majesty is right. Even my humble thoughts cannot escape Your Majesty’s notice.”

Wu Zhen touched his forehead to the ground and spoke sincerely.

“These things were all committed by this sinful subject. His son is still young and doesn’t know any better. He was studying at the Grand Hall before.”

There was simply no opportunity to participate in these things.

It was this disgraced official, their father, who implicated them.

Even on his deathbed, this disgraced official wanted to do something for them...

Wu Liang kowtowed again, his voice choked with emotion, and said, "This sinful subject thanks Your Majesty for not implicating my family and for allowing my son to inherit the title."

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze swept over Wu Liang and landed on Wu Zhen. He looked at him quietly for a while, then sighed and said:
“We also have sons, and we understand your feelings.”

Let's do it your way. This time, regardless of how things are resolved over there, it's best that your son didn't go to sea. Even if he did, we'll consider it as him being forced to go.

We won't hold him accountable. As long as he's willing to come back, he'll still be the Marquis of Jinghai of our Great Ming Dynasty.

Even if they refuse to return on their own initiative, as long as they don't commit any heinous crimes at sea in the future, we will not execute them once we capture them.

He will be spared.

"This sinful subject bows in gratitude for the grace bestowed upon you, Your Majesty!"

Wu Zhen kowtowed deeply to Zhu Yuanzhang, tears streaming down his face.

"If you want to rise to power, how about... sending this disgraced official to Chongming immediately to clean up the mess?"

Many of the members of the Japanese naval forces were unruly and had a strong bandit-like nature.

Ordinary people cannot be intimidated.

Although I, the guilty official, could not completely control the Japanese naval forces, I still held some prestige.

This can also keep most people calm.

Then, by cooperating with the Chaohu naval forces, we can eliminate those with ulterior motives.

This can be considered an atonement for the sins committed by the subject, making up for some of the transgressions he committed in the past.

To do my part in realizing my dream of rising to power.

Just when Zhu Biao thought the matter was over, Wu Zhen suddenly spoke up, saying these words with great seriousness.

Zhu Biao couldn't help but glance at Wu Zhen a few more times, then turned his gaze to his father, the Emperor.

Wu Zhen, I don't know what he was thinking, that he could say such a thing at this time.

I just don't know if what he said was sincere, if he was moved by his father's actions, or if he was deliberately taking this opportunity to act this way.

They wanted to find a way to survive in a situation where certain death was inevitable.

If Wu Zhen could really act as he said, it would be excellent for the current situation.

This will help to resolve the situation in Chongming perfectly.

But if this guy is bluffing, he might say one thing, but once he arrives in Chongming and has a large army under his command, he might turn his back on him.

That would be a huge loss.

Zhu Biao was somewhat worried that his father would agree to Wu Zhen's request.

After all, there are such examples.

When my father had just started his rise to power, he conquered Jiqing Road, which is now Yingtian, and captured the Yuan Dynasty general Chen Zhaoxian, along with more than 30,000 soldiers.

These soldiers who had surrendered to their father were all filled with unease.

They feared that their father, the emperor, would kill them.

To stabilize morale, the emperor brought only a small number of his personal troops to the surrendered soldiers' camp.

He removed his armor and fell into a deep sleep.

As a result, the morale of the army stabilized, and countless people came to respect and admire their father.

"You don't need to get involved in this."

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and directly rejected Wu Zhen.

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhen sighed inwardly; he truly wanted to do more.

However, I can understand the feelings of someone who has risen to a higher position.

After all, in this situation, it is far safer to stay behind than to go and do the work.

The current leader has many cards to play; it's no longer the case when he first attacked and captured Jiqing, when he had few troops and insufficient strength.

Those who have risen to power no longer need to take such risky actions or gamble on people's hearts.

"It's not that we don't trust you, it's just that at this point, things with the Japanese naval forces have probably already started."

Even if you go, you won't make it in time.

"If Liao Yongzhong were here, he could personally command the Chaohu naval forces and handle things properly."

"With the disgraced minister gone, it's impossible for those in the naval force prepared against the Japanese pirates to withstand the Chaohu naval force led by Liao Yongzhong."

Wu Zhen began to speak with some emotion.

Even he had to admit that Liao Yongzhong was a real fighter.

Saying this at this moment also implies that Yu Tongyuan and his ilk are not worth mentioning.

This time, there's a high probability that a large number of Japanese naval forces will flee to the sea.

He increasingly regretted the order he had given his son to go to sea.

If I had known that the emperor wouldn't implicate his family this time and would even allow his son to inherit the title, I wouldn't have let my son act this way.

Now, there's a very real possibility that my son will be a pirate overseas for the rest of his life.

Just like Chen Fang's two groups of pirates.

Of course, it would be good if one could remain a pirate forever.

His biggest worry is that after arriving overseas, his son will be taken advantage of and exploited before long.

Once you're overseas, there aren't as many rules and regulations.

The remaining influence he wields will gradually fade, and even his most loyal confidants may eventually change their minds.

My son lacks ruthlessness and is rather kind-hearted. If he were in that kind of situation, he could easily lose his life if he wasn't careful.

Apart from these, overseas medical care and prosperity cannot compare with those of the Ming Dynasty.

After this incident, even if his son can still inherit the title, the prestige of the Wu family will certainly be far less than it is now.

But in terms of a stable, affluent, and comfortable life, it is definitely far superior to overseas.

At this point, he no longer had many thoughts about his son, wanting him to achieve great things and become famous.

It would be great if we could live out our lives peacefully and steadily.

"It doesn't matter if Liao Yongzhong is gone. It is true that Yu Tongyuan is leading the Chaohu Navy this time, but he is not the only one."

Our fourth son is also in the Chaohu naval force.

Zhu Yuanzhang revealed his secret to the Wu brothers, Wu Zhen and Wu Liang.

Upon hearing this, Wu Zhen froze instantly, and Wu Liang also looked up at Zhu Yuanzhang, appearing astonished.

The emperor actually sent his son out?
play?

This matter will soon reveal its true nature, and a fierce battle is inevitable.

However, the emperor sent his own son to accompany the Chaohu naval forces.

Did he really think that arrows and blades would avoid him just because he was a prince and the emperor's son?
Do you really think that under such circumstances, those former subordinates of Chen Youding and Fang Guozhen in the anti-Japanese navy would care about his status as a prince?
They might be even more excited upon discovering his princely status.

People who originally didn't want to do anything will inevitably be unable to resist taking action against them!
"To take the position...this is far too dangerous!"
How could His Highness Prince Yan, whose body is worth ten thousand pieces of gold, do such a thing?

What if he bumps or falls?

"This humble subject humbly requests permission to immediately proceed to the naval forces defending against the Japanese pirates, and to protect His Highness the Prince of Yan at the cost of his life!"

Wu Zhen became anxious.

He was really anxious.

To be honest, he didn't care too much about the safety of the Prince of Yan.

But at this moment, the safety of the Prince of Yan was tied to the safety of his son.
If something were to happen to the Prince of Yan, and his son were able to escape to the sea safely, then everything would be fine.

But if they were blocked, his son, his entire family, and even his three clans would likely die with the Prince of Yan!

The emperor was very protective of his own.

Even if the Prince of Yan were not Zhu Biao, he would not be as highly regarded as His Highness the Crown Prince in the Emperor's heart.

But in the end, he was still the emperor's own son.

It's perfectly normal for an emperor to go mad because of this.

While he was thinking so anxiously, a bold idea suddenly appeared in his mind.

This made him pause in surprise.

So, besides other considerations, did the emperor also intend to send the Prince of Yan to his death?

If the Prince of Yan had died in this operation, and such a shocking event had occurred, then the emperor would have had a legitimate reason to lash out.

Not only his own son and his family will suffer, but everyone involved in smuggling and the Japanese naval forces will also be doomed!

They are naturally within the range of attacks.

The emperor had previously said that at worst he could just smash the pot, but he hadn't quite figured out what methods the emperor should use to do so in a reasonable way.

Now he figured it out.

If the Prince of Yan dies in this incident, then the re-establishment of the Maritime Trade Office and the subjugation of the merchants will become a matter of course.

This emperor is truly ruthless!

This is the true meaning of "you can't catch a wolf without risking your cub!"

The more he thought about it, the more he felt he had guessed the truth.

It is true that the Prince of Yan was the emperor's biological son, but as everyone knows, the emperor's sons were only divided into two categories: one was the crown prince Zhu Biao, and the other was all the other sons.

The Prince of Yan was important, but not that important.

Given the emperor's ruthless nature, they encountered a lucrative opportunity: the Maritime Trade Office.

The emperor then spoke of his dream.

If Zhu Yuanzhang really wanted to do this, it wouldn't be hard to understand.

"No need, I'm afraid there won't be enough time."

Moreover, we also trust our fourth son.

For him, this was no small matter; he could handle it.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, once again refusing Wu Zhen's offer of service.

His words were full of trust in Zhu Di.

Wu Zhen's mouth involuntarily opened wide, becoming increasingly convinced that his thoughts were correct.

The emperor is truly preparing to use the Prince of Yan as bait!

Now, Wu Zhen truly believed that the emperor could restore the Maritime Trade Office to the prosperous state it was during the Song and Yuan dynasties.

For this matter, the emperor was even willing to send his own son out to fish. If he could afford to spend so much, how could he not do a good job with the Maritime Trade Office?

"Take him away, and we'll announce his crimes later and execute him in a public manner."

Zhu Yuanzhang had no idea how far Wu Zhen had imagined things.

Having finished speaking, he ordered his men to take Wu Zhen and Wu Liang away.

Liu Ying accepted the order and had ten strong Jinyiwei soldiers escort the brothers Wu Zhen and Wu Liang away.

He personally led the team to handle the situation.

Wu Zhen and Wu Liang have special identities, so they must be properly taken care of.

During the detention period, absolutely no problems can occur.

The most important thing is that one must absolutely not die.

Otherwise, things could get really ugly.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded to himself, looking quite satisfied with Liu Ying's performance.

People like Liu Ying are the kind of people you can trust to work with.

"Biao'er, don't worry, the fourth brother is very reliable in handling things."

Just relax and don't worry.

Seeing the worried look on his eldest son's face, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and comforted him.

Zhu Biao nodded, but he couldn't shake off his worries.

I wish I could sprout wings and go there to see what the situation was like with my fourth brother.

……

"You all stop here. I will take three hundred personal guards and go to the Japanese naval forces to meet them!"

At the mouth of the Yangtze River, Zhu Di uttered a single sentence that instantly caused Yu Tongyuan's expression to change drastically...

(End of this chapter)