Zhu Di: My fourth son is a great emperor of all time?

Chapter 115 The Emperor's Heart is the Hardest to Guess

Zhu Gaochi's words caused Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui to widen their eyes in disbelief as they stared at their elder brother.

Has this fatso gone mad?! He actually agreed?!

Zhu Gaochi raised his head, his face showing an almost compassionate sincerity, avoiding Zhu Di's deep, scrutinizing gaze, and continued speaking.

"As for military power, I believe that if Your Majesty wishes to entrust the military power in the southeast to my fourth brother, it is not impossible. However, there must be a complete check and balance and strict supervision to ensure that military power always belongs to the court and Your Majesty! My fourth brother is loyal and brave, and should be a sharp blade in Your Majesty's hand, not..." He paused, but ultimately did not say the taboo word.

"Instead of looking after other things, this right can be piloted first, without having to be fully granted, or it can be granted in stages, and the course of action can be determined after observing its effectiveness."

Zhu Gaochi's approval was not out of favoritism towards the fourth prince, but rather because, as the crown prince and heir apparent, he saw the enormous destructive power of the Japanese pirates on the country's finances, people's livelihood, and stability.

He abhorred the depletion brought by war and was even more heartbroken by the suffering of the people. If the fourth son's method could truly solve the Japanese pirate problem once and for all, he was willing to support it, even at a huge cost, even if it meant giving up a portion of his military power. This was based on considerations of national interests, not on personal feelings between brothers.

However, he was also well aware of the emperor's mind and the cruelty of checks and balances, so he put forward seemingly compromise but actually cautious suggestions such as "checks and balances," "supervision," and "pilot programs."

"Brother! You're being foolish!" Zhu Gaoxu was so angry he almost jumped up and down.

"What kind of bewitching potion did Fourth Brother give you?! How can military power be so easily granted? What pilot program? What checks and balances? Once the door is opened, it's too late to take it back!"

"Indeed! Your Highness is mistaken!"

Zhu Gaosui immediately retorted, his tone urgent.

"Fourth Brother's methods are too ruthless, and too... manipulative! If this is promoted, it will surely cause turmoil throughout the land, with numerous warlords rising up! This is absolutely not the way to achieve long-term stability! Military power must not be given to him! Even if it must be given, it must not be given to one person! Distributing it among the generals, so that they can check and balance each other, is the best policy!"

"Second brother! Third brother! You only see the weight of military power, but you don't see the pain of the Japanese pirates! You don't see the suffering of the millions of people along the coast every day!" Zhu Gaochi raised his voice, which was rare for him, and his face flushed with excitement.

"The fourth method, though costly and risky, has immediate results! Are we to sit idly by and watch the Japanese pirates continue to slaughter our people and exhaust our national strength?!"

"Bullshit! His approach is like drinking poison to quench thirst!"

"That's womanly compassion! You're losing sight of the bigger picture!"

"The real threat lies in not eliminating the Japanese pirates!"

"Giving military power would be a catastrophe!"

Inside the Guantian Hall, the Crown Prince, the Prince of Han, and the Prince of Zhao, three noble members of the imperial family, were arguing fiercely like street thugs.

Zhu Gaochi argued his case with reason and concern for the country and its people, while Zhu Gaoxu flew into a rage and refused to yield an inch; Zhu Gaosui, on the other hand, fanned the flames from the side, speaking in a sinister tone, spitting as he spoke, his face flushed red, showing no trace of the demeanor of a prince.

On the dragon throne, Zhu Di remained expressionless, coldly observing his three sons' quarrel.

His deep gaze was like an ancient well, calm and undisturbed, as he listened and watched quietly.

The fingers that had been tapping the armrest had stopped sometime earlier. The question he posed, like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, stirred up turbulent waves and whirlpools—exactly what he wanted to see. He was watching the tigers fight from the sidelines. He wanted to see what choices his sons would make in the face of immense temptation and potentially fatal threats. Was the eldest son truly devoted to the country, or did he harbor deeper concerns? Was the second son driven by pure jealousy, or did he have a deeper desire for military power? Was the third son's opposition out of public interest, or did it conceal malicious intent?

And what are the true thoughts of the fourth son... this son who is far away in Xunzhou, yet seems to have stirred up the entire court invisibly?
When Zhu Gaochi shouted, "Even if military power is to be divided up, it cannot all be given to the fourth prince!", a barely perceptible, cold smile appeared on Zhu Di's lips.

enough.

"Enough!" Zhu Di's deep and authoritative voice rang out, not loud, but instantly suppressing all the quarrels in the hall.

The three sons immediately fell silent, bowing their heads and not daring to utter a sound, as if they had been choked.

Zhu Di slowly stood up, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the hall. He walked to the huge map of the sea frontier, his back to his three sons, his gaze fixed on the winding lines where the blue sea met the land, his finger gently tracing the location of "Xunzhou".

"Military power..." Zhu Di's voice carried an indescribable weariness and deep contemplation.

"The nation's most important instruments cannot be so easily given away or taken away. These words I speak today are mine to hear, but must not be uttered outside."

He neither said he would give it to them nor that he wouldn't.

He left behind a huge mystery, a mystery that made everyone, especially Zhu Gaoshuo, far away in Xunzhou, unable to eat or sleep, ponder repeatedly.

The sea breeze seemed to grow stronger, carrying a salty, fishy smell as it rushed into the hall, causing the candlelight to flicker and casting Zhu Di's shadow on the wall, making him appear like a lurking beast.

"All of you, step back." Zhu Di's voice was devoid of any emotion.

"I... am tired."

Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, and Zhu Gaosui felt as if they had been granted a pardon, but filled with surprise, resentment, and worry, they bowed and quietly withdrew from the Guantian Hall.

In the empty hall, only Zhu Di remained, standing for a long time facing the turbulent sea chart.

In the shadows of the corner of the palace, Huang Yan, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, lowered his head even further, his eyes fixed on his nose, seemingly lost in thought, like a lifeless clay sculpture. Only he knew that his palms were already soaked with cold sweat. His Majesty's thoughts were as deep as the abyss. That statement just now, "It was all given to the Fourth Prince," was not an inquiry at all; it was clearly a test, a warning, the sharpest blade of imperial cunning!
Xunzhou, the warm pavilion in the backyard of Prince Qi's mansion.

Outside the window, the wind was biting cold, but inside the room it was warm and cozy. The charcoal brazier was burning brightly, and Zhu Gaoshuo was leaning back on the soft couch, playing with a shimmering pearl in his hand. It was a replica of the famous "Tears of the Sea Kingdom" that was famous throughout Xunzhou.

Zhang Xiuping sat at her desk, sketching out new jewelry designs with a pen in hand, her brows revealing focus and composure.

“Ping’er, look at this ‘Tears of the Sea’ series. It’s already in high demand in the Jiangnan and Fujian-Zhejiang areas. The noble ladies in the capital are even asking people to tell them that they are willing to pay a high price to commission one.” Zhu Gaoshuo’s tone was relaxed, with a hint of barely perceptible pride.

Under Zhang Xiuping's meticulous management, the pearl industry had long become a pillar of Xunzhou, not only enriching the government treasury but also genuinely improving people's livelihoods. Most of the daily rations of eggs and goat milk came from this industry.

Zhang Xiuping put down her pen, smiled gently, and her eyes revealed the shrewdness of a businesswoman.

(End of this chapter)