The Ming Dynasty: A Modern Return, Building an Overseas Empire

Zhu Gaoxu spoke calmly, these were also his inner thoughts.

It's tragic, really. In the vast Ming Dynasty, there was nowhere for him to stay, even though he had fought hard to take it over from Zhu Yunwen.

Now, he has become the one who has to be eliminated and can only leave the Ming Dynasty to seek a chance to survive.

It is extremely difficult to replicate Zhu Di's miracles after him.

Even Zhu Di, throughout history, has never been able to successfully ascend to the throne as a prince and live a peaceful life.

Even as Zhu Di's expression grew increasingly grim, Zhu Gaoxu did not stop and spoke his entire statement in one breath.

Zhu Gaoxu spoke softly, yet his words resounded like thunder in the room.

Zhu Zhanji's throat went dry and his body trembled as he listened.

For a moment, it was hard to tell whether it was due to fear or excessive excitement.

Zhu Gaochi was dumbfounded. Even though he knew that Zhu Gaoxu was different from before, his understanding of him was still constantly being challenged by Zhu Gaoxu.

Is this the reckless and impulsive Prince of Han? Is this the Zhu Gaochi who seems to have difficulty walking around when he sees Zhu Di?

How could Zhu Gaoxu dare to say such things?

However, the shock was fleeting, and Zhu Gaochi's expression also turned extremely bad.

Even if you always put on a smiling face and have a strong sense of self-control, you can't smile at all at this moment; all you feel is heaviness in your heart.

Zhu Gaoxu's words were no longer a matter of whether or not to anger Zhu Di; they were a direct attack aimed at him and Zhu Zhanji.

He wasn't mentioned in a single word, yet he was always mentioned in the same way; his words were even sharper than those he had said before.

Zhu Gaochi has put him and Zhu Zhanji in a very difficult position!

In an instant, Zhu Di's thunderous voice rang out.

"You unfilial son! You wicked son! I'm not even dead yet, and you dare to lecture me?"

"What? Do I need you, King of Han, to teach me how to do things?! How could I have given birth to such a rebellious son!"

Zhu Di, his eyes red and his face like a tiger, stared intently at Zhu Gaoxu, looking as if he were about to devour him; it was so terrifying.

To be precise, he was so majestic that his aura was directly released, causing Zhu Zhanji, who was standing with his head down, to tremble as if he were being exposed to the sun.

Zhu Di was furious. He had kindly wanted to keep Zhu Gaoxu and offer him some compensation.

As a result, this idiot and brute didn't give him any face at all, and instead kept rubbing salt into his wounds.

Zhu Di felt indebted to Zhu Quan.

It can be said that Zhu Quan responded and supported him, but he seized Zhu Quan's military power and moved all of Zhu Quan's fiefdoms to the south. In the early stages, he did not reduce his surveillance on Zhu Quan at all.

He did indeed say that he would share the empire equally with Zhu Quan, but that was merely a temporary measure.

Throughout history, how many people have used this trick?

But this matter is, after all, not honorable.

Everyone kept quiet about these things, and even if it was true, no one dared to gossip about it.

But Zhu Gaoxu was quite something; he said it right in front of him, tearing away his veil of shame. Didn't he have any dignity?

Even though Zhu Gaoxu later added to the story, Zhu Di was still so angry that his chest heaved violently.

At this moment, Zhu Di truly had the thought of wanting Zhu Gaochi to get out of the Ming Dynasty and take up his fief.

But he was still an emperor after all. Having experienced so many emperors, despite his anger, he still retained his rationality.

Besides not wanting to actually let Zhu Gaoxu leave the Ming Dynasty, it was also because Zhu Gaoxu used the Zhu Quan incident as a metaphor for the relationship between Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Zhanji.

Zhu Gaoxu's words, though a bit crude, were entirely reasonable.

Because what Zhu Gaoxu said is a fact without needing to think about it carefully.

Yes, even if those things haven't happened yet, it's still a fact.

Zhu Di wanted to refute Zhu Gaoxu, but for a moment he couldn't find a suitable reason to do so.

Zhu Gaoxu was unwilling to give up everything and simply be a wealthy man; he also wanted to contribute his remaining energy and abilities.

Add to that Zhu Gaochi's military power, the need to train troops, and his own military prowess; no emperor could be so ambitious.

But the more true it was, the less Zhu Di could accept it.

He couldn't even understand why things had gotten to this point.

In fact, he knew that he was the one who caused all of this. In the early stages, he needed Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaoxu to fight each other so that he could do those things.

Now, Zhu Di suddenly realizes that what he did back then is now beyond redemption, and he is very unwilling to face it.

Even before his death, Zhu Di was still considering whether or not to make Zhu Gaochi the crown prince.

Because by then he had fully realized that there was no reconciliation between Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaoxu, and he only wanted to save his son's life, as long as he could save his life.

As for not asking Zhu Gaoxu to make concessions, it's because Zhu Gaoxu had military power and Wu Xun's support.

Even if he could suppress it, if he wanted to suppress Zhu Gaoxu, he would inevitably have to resort to military force.

To suppress Zhu Gaochi, all that was needed was to mobilize the army to control the civil officials.

One option requires a major offensive, while the other can be achieved without bloodshed; the choice is quite simple.

What's bewildering Zhu Di now is that even though Zhu Gaoxu brought up these facts and forced him to confront them early on, Zhu Di still felt helpless.

Do we really want to completely ruin someone's life?

He couldn't bear to completely cripple anyone.

And without any justification, how should the world view this? Is there any hope for public morals?

Zhu Di was filled with sorrow. In his old age, was he ultimately being punished by heaven for the things he had done?

Zhu Gaochi, standing to the side, disregarded everything else and immediately spoke up.

"Father, please don't be angry. Second Brother didn't mean it that way. He just blurted out some nonsense."

"Second brother, quickly apologize to your father, don't go to sea anymore, and don't make your father angry anymore."

I can guarantee that the Ming Dynasty will provide you with a place to stay, and your three guards will never be disturbed.

If you want to go to war when the time comes, you can continue the Northern Expedition after your father, okay?

If you still don't believe me, I can publicly guarantee this in front of all the civil and military officials, and let them be my witnesses.

Second brother, stop being so willful. Let us have a peaceful life.

Looking at the angry Zhu Di, Zhu Gaoxu felt a pang of sorrow and a strange feeling welled up inside him.

He didn't intend to provoke Zhu Di, but Zhu Di kept refusing to let him go out, and he was getting anxious.

They intended to provoke Zhu Di by using the same methods he used against them, but Zhu Di was too patient and managed to remain rational even at this moment.

The unpleasant feeling in his heart stemmed from his understanding that Zhu Di genuinely cared for him.

As the emperor, he knew how rare it was that he could suppress himself like this and not explode at him on the verge of losing control of his emotions.

But he had to continue until Zhu Di agreed to let him go to sea and allow him to leave, only then could he feel at ease.

When Zhu Gaochi's voice came, Zhu Gaoxu turned to look at him. His face was expressionless and utterly calm.

The father and son, Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji, spoke eloquently in the hall.

Especially Zhu Gaochi's worried expression; it was probably just for show for Zhu Di.

Is he willful?

If this is being willful, then be willful.

"Boss, I wasn't being temperamental. The uneasy life you're living now isn't something I caused."

After speaking, Zhu Gaoxu looked at Zhu Di.

"Father, I've said what I needed to say. I'm going back now to prepare for my departure to my fiefdom."

My departure is the best outcome for both the Ming Dynasty and for you all.

Only when one person leaves can the problem be resolved.

"In that case, I'll do it."