The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

Zhu Di ignored Zhu Gaochi's mutterings, reached out and squeezed the black tire of the bicycle. It felt soft and elastic. Curious, he turned to Zhu Zhanjun and asked, "Zhanjun, these wheels feel soft to the touch. What material are they made of?"

"I find them more comfortable than wooden or leather wheels. If used on a carriage, could they reduce the bumps?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhanjun's eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward, saying, "Grandpa, you have a good eye! This is called 'rubber,' and it's an excellent material!"

He patted the tire, which made a dull "thump" sound. "This rubber is elastic, wear-resistant, and not afraid of water or sun exposure."

"If we replaced the carriages with these rubber tires, they would definitely travel more steadily and smoothly, with far fewer bumps!"

"It can save a lot of effort when marching and transporting supplies."

Zhu Di listened with great interest and pressed for details, "Rubber? Where does this come from? Does our Great Ming Dynasty have it?"

Zhu Zhanjun chuckled and explained, "Your Majesty, this rubber comes from a tree called the 'rubber tree.' When its bark is cut, a milky white sap flows out. After collection, solidification, and smoking, this elastic material can be made."

"Rubber trees are native to the hot and humid places in the far west and far south. By chance, my grandson got some seeds from a maritime merchant and has now planted them on several dozen acres in the imperial estate. They are growing well."

He paused, then added, "This rubber has many uses, not just for making wheels."

"My grandson plans to build a 'rubber factory' to process rubber and make shoe soles, sealing gaskets, shock-absorbing pads... anything that needs to be soft, wear-resistant, and leak-proof can be made from it."

"In the future, our Ming Dynasty's carriages, ships, and machinery may all be able to use this treasure."

Zhu Di seemed to be thinking about what he heard, and then smiled and said.

"Zhanjun, this rubber has such wonderful uses."

"You'd better get Grandpa a rubber carriage, so it won't be so bumpy."

These days, horse-drawn carriages have wooden wheels that offer no shock absorption whatsoever. Even the more upscale carriages only improve the seating.

Traveling long distances can be incredibly bumpy and jarring.

Zhu Zhanjun patted his chest.

"Grandpa, please don't worry."

"I'll get you one later."

Zhu Di nodded repeatedly, about to offer his praise, when a series of hurried footsteps approached.

Then Yang Rong's figure came into view.

"Your subject Yang Rong pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Rise," Zhu Di said in a steady voice. "Minister Yang, what brings you in such a hurry?"

Yang Rong stood up and held up the memorial in his hand: "Your Majesty, King Ashikaga Yoshimochi of Japan has sent an envoy to Ningbo to present his credentials. The envoy, accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Rites, is waiting for your instructions outside the Meridian Gate."

He paused, then continued, "The official letter mentioned the previous incident in which Japanese pirates in the Zhoushan Islands raided and plundered the Ming Dynasty's coastal areas."

"The King of Wa said that he had recently learned that the rebellion was actually the work of some daimyo within the country, and had nothing to do with Wa."

"The King of Wa is deeply apprehensive about this and has sent an envoy to apologize to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty. He also wishes to offer tribute, reaffirm the bond of vassalage, and earnestly requests His Majesty's forgiveness."

Zhu Di took the official letter presented by Yang Rong, scanned it, and curled his lip in disapproval.

He smiled at Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Zhanjun, and Zhu Gaosui.

"These shorty..."

"There are Japanese pirates every year, and they always pretend to be more innocent than anyone else."

"Still saying it has nothing to do with them?"

"If I hadn't sent someone to hold them accountable, their Japanese king wouldn't have sent this letter of apology."

After the Battle of Zhoushan, Zhu Di immediately sent envoys to Japan to question them.

Unexpectedly, the Japanese king returned quickly.

Of course, they shifted all the blame.

Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Gaosui, and Zhu Zhan all looked at each other in bewilderment.

Immediately, Zhu Gaoxu said.

"Father! Japan's explanation is utterly ridiculous!"

"They have been harassing our coastal areas year after year, burning, killing, looting, and committing all sorts of atrocities. Now that our Great Ming army has struck with lightning speed and wiped out thousands of their bandits, do they really think they can just brush it off with a casual 'it was a personal act and has nothing to do with the country'?"

"There's no such thing as a free lunch!"

"Your Majesty believes that Japan is afraid of power but not of virtue. Its show of weakness and submission is merely a temporary retreat because it sees that the Ming Dynasty's military strength is at its peak."

"If we don't punish them severely and make them truly feel the pain, they will surely revert to their old ways! Father, why don't you allow me to lead a naval force eastward to Japan, reach its borders, and demand justice from the King of Wa? Let's see if Ashikaga Yoshimochi still dares to pretend to be deaf and dumb!"

Zhu Gaosui, who was standing nearby, immediately followed suit.

"Second Brother is right! These short, ugly bastards are asking for it!"

"Grandfather, your nephew Zhanjun captured over eight hundred prisoners in Zhoushan. The confessions obtained during interrogation revealed that many of the Japanese pirate leaders had close ties with certain feudal lords and powerful clans within their own country. Some were even actually ronin samurai under the command of those daimyo! Can this be considered a personal act?!"

"In my opinion, simply apologizing and sending some tribute is utterly useless! We must beat them! Beat them hard!"

"Beat them until they're terrified, and they'll realize that the might of our Great Ming Dynasty is inviolable!"

"Father, I am willing to go with my second brother. We will not return until we have turned Japan upside down!"

Zhu Gaochi frowned.

"Second brother, third brother, I understand your desire to avenge our country and uphold its prestige. But this matter... requires careful consideration and utmost caution."

He bowed to Zhu Di and said, "Father, Japan is isolated overseas, separated from our Great Ming Dynasty by the sea."

"Although the country is small, its mountains and rivers are rugged, its people are fierce, and it is currently in the so-called 'Warring States' period of chaos, with various forces vying for power and the central government's orders being ineffective."

"If our Great Ming were to launch a distant expedition, not only would it be a huge undertaking, but the logistical supply lines would be long, unpredictable, and extremely risky."

"Even if our elite troops are able to land and win, once they penetrate deep into enemy territory, facing complex terrain and a cornered enemy, the war will likely drag on for a long time and the losses will be enormous."

"Moreover, Japan is a poor country, and even if it is conquered, the gains will be limited, which may not be enough to make up for the expenses of the expedition."

"Furthermore... the Oirat and Tatar tribes in the north have always been a major concern for us. The imperial court's military strength and financial resources should be prioritized for consolidating the northern frontier and deterring the steppes."

"If our main force is bogged down in the East China Sea, it may give the northern barbarians an opportunity to take advantage of us. This would be... a case of losing more than we gain, and it is not a wise move."

Zhu Di nodded slightly upon hearing this.

"Gao Xu and Gao Sui, I know that you two are brave and courageous, and have the country at heart."

"However, what the Crown Prince said is that he is a wise and experienced ruler."

"Japan is separated by oceans, and its terrain is not conducive to the deployment of a large army. An expedition is certainly not the best strategy."

"The court's primary focus is on the north."

"The Crown Prince has considered this thoroughly."

Zhu Gaochi breathed a slight sigh of relief upon receiving his father's affirmation.

Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui were somewhat disgruntled.

Zhu Di stroked his beard.

"But those bastards are really infuriating."

"If there is a way, I will definitely teach them a lesson."

Zhu Zhanjun, who had been silent all along, rolled his eyes and suddenly spoke.

"Grandfather, although Japan is far away, I, Zhu Zhanjun, have a method to suppress commerce, cut off wealth, impoverish the people, weaken their power, intimidate the nation, burn their hearts, destroy their will, and pacify Japan!"