Ming Dynasty: Gain one supernatural power every day

"Your Highness is mighty!" The officials of Prince Rui's residence reacted the fastest, bowing and praising him.

"Your Highness Prince Rui is amazing! You were able to spot enemy scouts from so far away. No wonder you are a disciple of the Dao Ancestor!" The officials of the Han Prince's mansion were not to be outdone and quickly followed suit with their praise.

Zhang Fu and Zheng Heng also sincerely praised, "Your Highness possesses extraordinary abilities; we admire you greatly..."

Qiu Fu immediately ordered his men to take the two spies away for rigorous interrogation.

The two spies were dragged away with their legs still weak and their faces ashen; they didn't even have the strength to beg for mercy.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the group headed towards the central command tent.

Soldiers continued to pour out of the portal, with neat rows of rhinoceroses and war elephants forming ranks along the gentle slope of the valley.

Zhu Gaoxi glanced back and estimated that it would take some time for the entire army to pass through. He then left a wisp of his divine sense on the teleportation gate. Once the entire army had passed through, the magic weapon would automatically return to the gourd, so he didn't need to keep watching it.

Zhu Di and Zhu Gaochi rode the Tiger King at the front, followed closely by Zhang Fu and others riding lions.

Zhu Gaoxi followed the group at a leisurely pace. With a casual wave of his hand, a somersault cloud appeared from the gourd, transforming into a large cloud chair. Under the wide-eyed gazes of Qiu Fu and the soldiers left behind, he lay down on it and floated leisurely into the air.

As they walked, Zhu Gaoxu started talking non-stop. He, Zhang Fu, and Zheng Heng chatted away, giving Qiu Fu a lesson.

"Old Qiu, I'm not trying to be mean, but you've missed so much these past few days while you were away from the capital." Zhu Gaoxu, riding on the back of the Fierce Tiger King, shook his head with a regretful expression. "You have no idea how impressive Fourth Brother is in the capital, flying on a sword, riding a dragon to patrol the skies..."

"What a pity." Zhang Fu picked up the conversation, his tone carrying a hint of superiority from someone who had been there before. "Old Qiu, those of us in the capital are all riding tigers and lions, even the soldiers are equipped with rhinoceros mounts. Look at you, still riding a horse."

"Yes, His Majesty got the Tiger King, and we old brothers have all switched to lions. Old Qiu is all alone in Annam, he probably hasn't even forgotten what a tiger looks like, has he?" Zheng Heng joked.

"I think maybe Lao Qiu just loves riding horses," Xue Bin interjected seriously. "Some people have a special affection for horses, and they might not be used to riding other kinds of horses."

"Yes, yes, yes, Old Qiu is the most sentimental. Even if you let him ride a tiger, he still can't bear to part with his chestnut horse." Zhu Gaoxu laughed heartily.

"I'm out fighting a war, aren't I?" Qiu Fu looked distressed, his lips turned down, his tone filled with deep grievance and resentment. "It's all those Annamese barbarians' fault! If the war weren't so intense, I would have returned to the capital long ago!"

As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously drifted towards Zhu Gaoxi.

Looking at His Highness Prince Rui comfortably reclining on the cloud chair, as if he were a leaf floating in mid-air, and then looking at his own gray and grimy chestnut horse, he felt a pang of bitterness and resentment.

He was a general who commanded troops and had fought for half his life. His desire for a fierce beast mount was stronger than anyone else's.

Zhu Gaoxu followed his gaze and immediately understood what he was thinking. He added smugly, "Oh right, I almost forgot to mention, Old Qiu, my father and I have one of these Somersault Clouds, as do your son and the other officials in the Prince Rui's mansion."

He pointed to the gourd hanging from Qiu Sheng's waist and laughed, "See that? The gourd they're wearing on their waists, that's where Yun is stored. It's not as good as the gourd Fourth Brother just used that can hold people, but it's still a magic weapon. When they go out, they just throw Yun out and step on it to leave. It's many times faster than your four legs."

Qiu Fu suddenly turned his head to look at his son, his gaze sweeping over Qiu Sheng's waist.

Sure enough, a gourd hung steadily on his belt, its shape exactly the same as the one that Prince Rui had just held.

Upon closer inspection, Qiu Sheng and the other officials from the Prince Rui's mansion not only had gourds hanging from their waists, but they were also riding majestic lions. The lions had thick manes that gleamed with a golden-brown sheen in the sunlight, making them look like worlds apart from the chestnut horses they rode.

His mind raced: that gourd might contain not only the somersault cloud, but also other treasures.

If he had been in the capital back then, he would have insisted on becoming an official in Prince Rui's mansion. With his qualifications and military achievements, becoming a guard commander would have been a piece of cake. How could this rebellious son have taken up such a position!

But then I thought, what the son has, isn't it also what the father has?

I'll have a good "discussion" with Qiu Sheng later and borrow the lion and the somersault cloud to ride for a few days. Does that kid dare to say a word against it?

If His Highness Prince Rui could bestow some treasures upon us, that would be wonderful. If we really can't get any, we'll just ask our son for them. After all, there's no distinction between father and son, and it's only natural for a father to ask his son for something.

Thinking about it this way, he felt much better.

However, he couldn't show it on his face, otherwise his old buddies next to him would guess what he was thinking and he would be teased again.

He maintained that distressed and melancholy expression, though the corners of his mouth unconsciously twitched slightly before he quickly suppressed it.

As Zhu Gaoxu spoke, he took the jade pendant out of his pocket and waved it in front of Qiu Fu: "And this, Old Qiu, this jade pendant is also a magical artifact that Fourth Brother gave us."

"Don't underestimate this little thing. It can transmit sound over long distances and even do face-to-face video chat, just like talking to someone standing in person. Look, I can chat with the top two bosses in Beijing right now. We each have one."

As he spoke, he glanced down at the jade pendant, then suddenly grinned: "Hey, speak of the devil—Dad, Fourth Brother, he's talking in the group chat!"

He just posted the video of the portal appearing out of thin air to the "We Are a Loving Family" group, along with the caption: "You haven't seen the fourth brother's new superpower, have you!" The group chat exploded with messages.

[Empress Xu Miaoyun]: Second brother, fourth brother, what new supernatural power is this? This gate is too magnificent! @Zhu Gaoxi, Xier, tell your mother quickly.

Regent Zhu Gaochi: Fourth Brother's new supernatural power looks amazing! This door is like a gate to heaven! And the materials used for this door are too luxurious. Any one of these gems could buy a mansion. I'm not being stingy, but seriously, if you tear this door down, the national treasury will be immediately full, enough for you to fight a war for a long time.

Seeking progress while maintaining stability [Prince Zhao, Zhu Gaosui]: I'm so envious of my second brother, being able to go out with the fourth prince. I also want to go out and see what this teleportation portal is like; I'm so bored in the capital.

Peaceful and quiet life [Princess Zhang Yan]: Fourth Uncle's supernatural abilities are truly eye-opening. I wonder what this door is for!

"Flowers Bloom in Wealth and Prosperity" [Princess Wei of Han]: Fourth Uncle is amazing! The gems on this door are so dazzling, they're blinding even through the screen. I really want to go and see them.

[Princess Consort Weng of Zhao]: Fourth Uncle is really amazing.