My hotel is full of emperors throughout history.

Although he was internally complaining, he certainly couldn't show it on the surface. Zhu Yunwen lowered his head even further and spoke in a voice barely audible.

"Your Majesty, I...I am well, thank you for your concern!"

"Why call me Your Majesty? We're family. Doesn't calling me Your Majesty sound too formal?"

Zhu Di spoke.

"Just call me Imperial Uncle."

Zhu Di meant well, but Zhu Yunwen felt even more uneasy after hearing it.

There must be a reason for anything unusual...

Offering unsolicited favors is either a sign of malice or theft.

There must be something going on if they're suddenly being so nice to me!

"Not at all... Although I am Your Majesty's nephew, I am also Your Majesty's subject. How dare I overstep the bounds of propriety?"

Zhu Yunwen spoke.

Seeing this, Zhu Di stopped arguing, walked to Zhu Yunwen's side, pulled him up, and whispered something to him.

"Do you miss your father?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen was stunned for a moment, and then almost reflexively knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty, you are wise! Your subject... Your subject would never dare to have such a thought, even at the cost of ten thousand deaths!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a sense of sorrow welled up in Zhu Yunwen's heart.

So, we still have to send him to see his father?

Even though he could no longer pose any threat to Zhu Di, was he still afraid that his lineage as the former crown prince would threaten the throne?

Imprisoning oneself is not enough; one must even kill oneself.

Father! I miss you!

Don't worry, I'll be down to see you soon!

Then I'll live with you and my brother down there!

Zhu Di's face grew increasingly grim as he looked at his nephew, who was standing at his feet like a frightened bird.

He originally just wanted to use this topic to express his remembrance of his brother and ease the atmosphere.

Who would have thought Zhu Yunwen would be so extreme?

But thinking back on my past actions, they seem to be normal after all.

Zhu Di sighed, waved his hand, and said.

"Alright! I've broken my promise. You may leave now!"

"This time you don't need to go back to Fengyang. From now on, be a good King of Wu."

Zhu Yunwen was slightly taken aback, looking at Zhu Di with disbelief on his face.

Zhu Di didn't order his execution?

Not only did they not execute him, but they even restored his title of King of Wu?

Has he lost his mind?

Zhu Yunwen looked puzzled, but then realized that he really didn't have anything that Zhu Di could take advantage of.

Moreover, being enfeoffed as the King of Wu is better than being demoted to a commoner and imprisoned in Fengyang.

Zhu Yunwen retreated, utterly perplexed.

Only Zhu Di's sighs remained in the entire hall.

However, not long after, another loud voice rang out in the hall.

"Old man! This thing is awesome!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Gaoxu walked in excitedly, holding a walkie-talkie.

"I could hear the third prince speaking clearly from inside the palace!"

"If we had this on the battlefield, wouldn't our army be invincible?"

"We absolutely have to buy several hundred more units, no! Tens of thousands more!"

Zhu Di looked at Zhu Gaoxu, who was beaming with joy, and kicked him on the spot.

"Fuck you! Hundreds of those!"

Do you know how much this one costs?

"Do you think my money flows in like water?"

"Even if I sold you, you little beast, I might not be able to afford that many!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu looked at Zhu Di with some confusion.

"But isn't it the eldest brother who manages all the money?"

"Why don't we just ask our older brother?"

"Father, wasn't it all funded by your eldest brother during your Northern Expedition?"

"When did you ever raise money?"

"grass!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di was furious.

He immediately pulled out his belt and pointed it at Zhu Gaoxu.

"You little brat! You dare talk back to me?!"

"Don't run! Stand still!"

"Father! We'll endure small battles, but run away in big ones. I know how painful it is when your belt whips someone! Only a fool wouldn't run!"

"You little brat! You stop right there!"

"Only a fool would stand there and let you hit him!"

Zhu Gaoxu fled in panic, nimbly dodging the pillars of the main hall.

Zhu Di, panting heavily as he chased after him, had his heavy mood, which had been stirred up by Zhu Yunwen, largely dissipated by this rascal.

As he watched Zhu Gaoxu fleeing in all directions, he inexplicably recalled the time when he himself was chased and forced to run away by the old man.

But when I thought of myself, I also thought of my nephew.

The things I had seen before kept resurfacing in my mind.

I, Zhu Gaochi, have a dream of becoming emperor.

"I, Zhu Zhanji, Started by Roasting My Uncle with Fire"

Zhu Di watched Zhu Gaoxu running around energetically and sighed quietly.

Is it possible that they cannot escape the fate of uncle and nephew killing each other?

"Father! Please calm down! I was just... I was just thinking of the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Gaoxu didn't notice his father's unusual behavior and kept shouting as he ran.

"Just think about it, if every centurion, no, every captain on the front lines could be equipped with one of these machines, commanding them would be as easy as turning one's own arm, and wiping out the remnants of the Northern Yuan would be a piece of cake! This money would be well spent!"

"Worth my ass!"

Zhu Di pointed at Zhu Gaoxu and cursed him.

"You think this thing grows out of the ground? It costs real money! Do you know how much I spent?"

Zhu Di stretched out one hand.

"This number!"

Seeing that his father had stopped chasing, Zhu Gaoxu also stopped and scratched his head in confusion from a distance.

"Money? Father, you are the emperor now. All the land under heaven belongs to you, and all the people under your rule are your subjects. Is money easy to earn? You can earn it anytime you want!"

"You're not going to make me raise taxes, are you?"

Zhu Di looked at Zhu Gaoxu with a stern gaze.

Zhu Gaoxu shrank back.

"Is that not allowed?"

"Fuck your mother!"

He waved his hand irritably.

"Get out! I'm too lazy to explain to a fool like you! In short, this stuff is extremely valuable and limited in quantity. It should be prioritized for distribution to key border towns and intelligence departments!"

"You want one for everyone? Dream on!"

After the boisterous Zhu Gaoxu was driven away, the main hall returned to silence.

Zhu Di sat back on the dragon throne, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrests, his gaze becoming deep once more.

The thoughts I had just had resurfaced in my mind.

"Big brother..."

As Zhu Di gazed at the empty hall, it was as if he could travel through time and space to see the figure of his elder brother, who was gentle and refined, yet whom he held in awe.

"If you were in power, you would never have allowed brothers to fight each other or nephews to kill each other... I, the fourth brother... am ultimately no match for you."

A complex emotion spread through his heart.

He hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"Someone come here."

"This servant is here."

The personal eunuch appeared silently.

"Convey my decree."

Zhu Di's voice restored the majesty and decisiveness of an emperor.

"The Imperial Clan Court is ordered to reorganize the genealogy of the lineage of Crown Prince Yiwen, including matters concerning posthumous titles and funerals. Any omissions should be corrected."

"Now that Prince Zhu Yunwen of Wu has been restored to his title, all his expenses shall be provided in accordance with the regulations for princes, and no negligence shall be tolerated."

"Furthermore... select a prudent and learned scholar to serve as the King of Wu's tutor, to supervise his studies and ensure they are not neglected."

"This servant obeys the decree."

"Also, summon the Crown Prince!"

"yes!"

Soon after, Zhu Gaochi entered the hall and respectfully bowed.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

"Boss, you're here. Have a seat."

Zhu Di pointed to the brocade stool next to him, his tone relatively calm.

"I ask you, what is the current state of the national treasury and the imperial funds? If I intend to launch another northern expedition next spring to wipe out the remaining remnants of the Mongol invaders, will the funds and provisions be sufficient?"

Zhu's chubby face immediately showed obvious distress.

He didn't answer immediately, but instead took out a thick ledger from his sleeve, presented it with both hands, and said with a bitter face.

"Father, why don't you take a look at this first?"

Zhu Di took the account book and casually flipped through a few pages. It was filled with detailed records of various expenses: the construction of the Beijing Imperial Palace, the casting of the Yongle Bell, the preparations for Zheng He's fleet's second voyage to the Western Ocean, the military expenses for suppressing bandits in the south, and the relief for floods and droughts in various places... Each item was a huge expense.

Seeing his father's brows furrowing deeper and deeper, Zhu Gaochi spoke cautiously, his voice tinged with helplessness.

"Father, it's not that I'm complaining about being poor, it's just that... our coffers are almost empty. Last year's Northern Expedition, although a great victory, cost a fortune in money and provisions, and we haven't fully recovered yet. The construction of Beijing is a bottomless pit, with money flowing out like water every day. Zheng He's fleet is going to set sail again, which will be another huge expense. And there's unrest in various places; the memorials requesting money and provisions haven't stopped..."

He paused, secretly glanced at his father's face, and mustered his courage to speak.

"You... the funds you asked me to raise for those 'special supplies,' namely walkie-talkies, were temporarily diverted from the funds for the river repair project. We were just waiting for this year's salt and tea tax revenue to fill the gap."

"The Northern Expedition... I don't mean to spoil your fun, but we really have no money right now."

Zhu Di's face darkened.

He knew his eldest son had a hard time and that there were many expenses, but his son told him so bluntly that he "had no money."

Especially the interruption of his grand plan for the Northern Expedition still stirred up a nameless anger in his heart.

"No money?"

Zhu Di snorted coldly, closed the account book, and threw it on the imperial desk with a "thud".

"I recall that Yuanliang mentioned a few days ago that tax revenue from Jiangnan had increased?"

"Why can't you come up with a single penny? Are you trying to use those civil officials' excuses about recuperation and cherishing the people's strength to fool me again?!"

Seeing his father's anger, Zhu Gaochi quickly stood up and bowed.

"Your Majesty is wise! Minister Xia's words are true. The tax revenue in Jiangnan has indeed increased, but the additional amount has already been fully allocated to various budgets, and there is even... there is still a shortfall."

Seeing that Zhu Di did not believe him, Zhu Pangpang hurriedly assured him.

"How dare I deceive Your Majesty? It's truly a case of 'even a skilled cook can't make a meal without rice'!"

He looked up at his father, his tone tinged with a mixture of grievance and determination.

"Father, war is about money and supplies, about national strength. The national treasury is empty and the people's strength needs to be restored. If we force another northern expedition, what if we run out of supplies or there are other domestic problems? The consequences would be unimaginable."

"I hope that Father Emperor will... exercise restraint for now and wait for the right opportunity."

Zhu Di sighed.

A silence fell over the hall.

Zhu Di's fingers tapped unconsciously on the imperial desk as he recalled Chen Mo's discussion of the root causes of the Ming Dynasty's financial collapse and even its eventual demise in the late Ming period...

After a long while, Zhu Di finally let out a long breath and waved his hand wearily.

"Alright, I understand. As for the Northern Expedition... we'll discuss it later. You may go now and sort out the accounts. Be frugal where possible."

"Your subject obeys the decree."

Zhu Gaochi felt as if he had been granted a pardon and was about to leave when Zhu Di called him back.

"Wait a minute! Boss, don't rush off yet."

Zhu Gaochi paused, his heart tightening again, and he quickly turned around and bowed.

"Does Father have any further instructions?"

"I ask you..."

Zhu Di's voice was not loud.

"What do you think of... your second brother, Gao Xu?"

Zhu Gaochi's plump body trembled almost imperceptibly, and fine beads of cold sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.

He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady, and replied in his usual kind and gentle tone.

"Father, my second brother is exceptionally intelligent and brave, and his temperament is upright and bold, much like your own when you were young. During the Jingnan Campaign, my second brother repeatedly distinguished himself in battle, protecting you and ensuring your safety. He is a meritorious official for both the country and the family."

Zhu Di remained calm and continued to press for answers.

"Oh? Are these all his merits? I've heard he enjoys considerable prestige in the army and has close ties with many military generals. You... as the Crown Prince, don't you see anything wrong with that?"

The implication of this statement is very clear!

Zhu Gaochi's heart pounded even faster; he felt his back was almost soaked with cold sweat. Choosing his words carefully, he slowly said:

"My second brother's friendship with military officers stems from their shared experience of fighting side-by-side in the army. As long as their hearts are with the country, I believe... there's nothing wrong with it. As for prestige..."

Zhu Gaochi raised his head and looked at his father with a calm gaze.

"My second brother's prestige is also Father Emperor's prestige, and it is a manifestation of the military strength of our Great Ming."

"As the Crown Prince, my concern is for the overall situation of the court and the people's livelihood. If the emperor and his ministers can be of one mind, and the brothers can live in harmony to jointly safeguard the stability of the Ming Dynasty, then my two brothers' bravery is a powerful weapon for the country. I am gratified by this, so how could I feel anything amiss?"

Zhu Di stared intently into his eldest son's eyes, seemingly trying to find a trace of hypocrisy or fear, but what he saw was more of a weary sincerity and a restrained forbearance that prioritized the greater good.

After a long silence, Zhu Di gave an ambiguous hum, his expression unreadable, neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.

He turned around, his back to Zhu Gaochi, and waved.

"I understand. You... may leave. Be a good crown prince."

"Your subject... obeys the decree."

Zhu Gaochi bowed again and slowly withdrew from the main hall.

Inside the hall, Zhu Di stood alone, pondering his eldest son's words.

"Brotherly harmony...a powerful weapon for the nation..."

He muttered to himself, a complex smile playing on his lips.

"Eldest brother, you are more like your eldest uncle (Zhu Biao) than your reckless second brother... kind, tolerant, and able to see the big picture."

But it is precisely because of this that he feels a deep sense of unease.

Will the eldest son's kindness be able to tame the restless heart of the second son?

As long as you're alive, you can control everything. But what if you're gone?

If the eldest son also dies young, the grandson alone might not be able to control the second son.

Zhu Di pondered for a moment, then suddenly thought of a place and smiled slightly.

"We could send the second son over there and let that kid teach him a lesson!"

"Or... let my older brother teach him a lesson!"

"And while you're at it... bring back some good stuff too."

Zhu Di stroked his chin, a shrewd glint in his eyes.

"Simply robbing and buying isn't enough. We need to think about what our Great Ming Dynasty has that they don't... or, what can we do to help them?"