The First Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Leopard room.

After nightfall, the place was brightly lit, and the performance by dancers from the Western Regions made it especially lively.

A group of strongmen were ready to go in and cooperate with the dancers' performance, which was probably a combination of strength and beauty.

Zhu Houzhao, meanwhile, sat on the observation deck on the second floor, idly watching the scene while listening to Qian Ning's narration.

"...Your Majesty, rumors have begun to circulate in the court that you intend to adopt a member of the imperial family. Opinions vary, and it is said that civil officials from the Hanlin Academy have strong objections to this." Qian Ning tried his best to sow discord between the emperor and the civil officials.

Only in this way can the emperor be more determined to stand on the side of these sycophants.

Zhu Houzhao said, "Weren't they the ones who kept clamoring for me to raise a member of the imperial clan? Now that I've done so, they're unhappy about it?"

Qian Ning smiled wryly and said, "Perhaps they are not satisfied with this member of the imperial clan's background and age. They generally think he is too old, and there are even criticisms that you have raised an adopted son, not a stepson."

"Hmph! What business is it of theirs what I do?"

Zhu Houzhao did not completely deny the claim that civil officials were involved.

The only assessment was that I, the emperor, would make my own decisions regarding my family affairs.

Qian Ning said, "The son of Prince Ning, that is, the young prince, has already submitted a letter of thanks. I wonder when Your Majesty will summon him?"

"this……"

Zhu Houzhao was clearly not ready to be a father.

He would feel very awkward if suddenly asked to meet his stepson, even though he had raised so many adopted sons, none of them were raised as members of the imperial family.

Qian Ning smiled and reminded him, "Your Majesty, I have already checked on him. He said that my sworn brother is exceptionally handsome and has your own style. Moreover, he has been on the battlefield and killed enemies, so his aura is different from that of ordinary people."

"Yes." Zhu Houzhao nodded. "That's what I value in him. If he were just a scholar who liked to flirt with civil officials and spout classical phrases all day long, I wouldn't have chosen him."

Qian Ning said, "Your Majesty, I have studied and manufactured the new firearms according to the blueprints drawn by Mr. Tang. I have made considerable progress, and perhaps in the near future, more than one hundred of them will be put into service. In order to let Your Majesty check the power of this firearm, I have made arrangements to conduct a military exercise at the drill ground outside the city. Your Majesty can inspect it personally at that time."

"Yeah?"

Zhu Houzhao finally showed some interest and smiled, "You finally have the heart. But Qian Ning, you don't need to keep calling me 'your subject,' it sounds awkward."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Qian Ning suddenly felt like he had fallen out of favor.

He was thinking, "Now that you have a stepson, you're starting to disregard your adopted son?"

I truly treat you like my own father.

Zhu Houzhao closed his fan, then suddenly remembered something and sighed, "What a pity, Liu Banban is no longer here."

"..." Qian Ning was suddenly speechless.

Did the emperor suddenly think of Liu Jin?

Is Your Majesty so sentimental?

But the problem is, didn't you kill the person? Did you decide on the sex?

Or are you just lamenting that Liu Yong is no longer here?

Zhu Houzhao then said, "In that case, let's take advantage of this military exercise to see the demeanor of that boy from the Ning family... my adopted son. If he performs well, I will bestow a name upon him on the spot."

Qian Ning asked, "Then what name should we give him?"

"His name is Zhu Gongyi, right? That's a strange name. Is there any significance to it?" Zhu Houzhao asked, puzzled.

Qian Ning laughed and said, "Actually, it means 'wood,' which is the meaning of 'Zhu Gongyi.'"

"Oh, if that's the case, then let's bestow the name Zhu Zaiyi upon him; that would be perfectly logical." Zhu Houzhao suddenly thought of something else and asked, "Wouldn't that violate the orthodox tradition? Shouldn't we find someone to specially name him?"

Qian Ning laughed and said, "Your Majesty, you are the father. How you want to name your son is your business. Why should you care what others think?"

Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "It's a bit awkward being a father for the first time and having to name someone else. But it's settled then! Although he's not a prince yet, I will treat him with the same respect due to a prince, and I hope he will live up to my expectations."

Qian Ning quickly replied, "Then I will immediately inform the young prince to prepare for this military drill. I also want him to personally demonstrate the use of the new muskets to Your Majesty. After the drill, would Your Majesty like to host a banquet for him?"

"We'll see."

Zhu Houzhao sighed, "Since he is raised in the palace, there is no need for him to come to the Leopard House; it has nothing to do with him. I will send him to visit the palace later and pay his respects to each of the palaces. Once the Ministry of Rites has arranged the procedures, I will adopt this child!"

……

……

After meeting Zhu Houzhao, Qian Ning felt somewhat displeased.

The main reason was that Zhu Houzhao forbade him from calling him "father emperor" anymore, which meant that he had a stepson but not an adopted son, making him resentful.

The fact that Jiang Bin was already competing with him for favor made him feel a lot of pressure, and now that there's another prince, he feels even more dispensable.

"Governor Qian, is everything arranged?"

Zhang Yong waited for him outside.

Because Zhang Yong was the one who orchestrated the military drills, the emperor's close associates all hoped to curry favor through various means.

Qian Ning nodded unfriendly and said, "His Majesty naturally agrees."

"Speaking of which, that new musket is really powerful. I've tested it out these past few days, and even a complete novice can use it well. The force of the flick is quite impressive. Governor Qian has used muskets before, so you know what I'm talking about, right?"

Zhang Yong was no longer the coward he had been on the battlefield; instead, he seemed like a ruthless man who had fought on the battlefield and killed the enemy.

Qian Ning said, "Of course I've used a musket, and I've even killed Tartars with one."

"Really?" Zhang Yong asked with a mocking smile.

What are you trying to prove?

Now you know why the emperor adopted Zhu Yi as his stepson, right? What you couldn't accomplish, this member of the imperial clan accomplished. You can't argue with that!

Who told you to recommend Prince Ning's son to come to the capital in the first place?

Did they end up shooting themselves in the foot?

Qian Ning said coldly, "Eunuch Zhang, did you ask Tang Yin about the future?"

Zhang Yongdao: "You mean the matter of adopting the prince?"

"Didn't that already say?" Qian Ning said, sounding annoyed. "What I asked about was... what our future would be like? And for example, His Majesty... and the future... Didn't Tang Yin say he could see things hundreds of years in the future? Since he learned about this new firearm from the future, shouldn't he also know exactly what the future of the Ming Dynasty will be like?"

Zhang Yong sighed, "Governor Qian, you care about such things, but I don't. I make my living in the palace, and I dare not offend the Emperor, especially not presumptuously ask about things I shouldn't know."

This is to tell Qian Ning.

As a treacherous minister from outside the capital, your life and fortune are tied to the emperor. With each new emperor comes a new court; if the emperor dies, the successor may ensure your demise.

But I can't.

I was originally meant to serve the royal family; even if the emperor changes, I'll still be a eunuch.

That's where my strength lies.

So there are some things you care about, but I don't care about, and I certainly won't ask about them.

Zhang Yong laughed and said, "Also, don't you think that getting along well with this new young master would actually be very helpful for your future? If things are like before, where everything has to wait and be left hanging, wouldn't that be the same as hanging up some people's futures as well?"

Qian Ning said with a dark face, "I only focus on the present and don't think about the distant future."

"Ha ha."

Zhang Yong couldn't help but burst out laughing.

You only focus on the present, yet you ask me whether I consulted Tang Yin about the future development of the situation?

You, Qian Ning, just feel your future is uncertain, and you're just being stubborn!