Daming: Brother, there is no future for monks, let's rebel

As time went by, the sun gradually set and the sky was dyed with the color of sunset. However, there was no sign of stopping at the construction site. The villagers seemed to have forgotten their fatigue. They had only one thought in their minds - to dig a canal as soon as possible to hydrate the thirsty land.

"Your Highness Prince Han, Your Highness the Crown Prince, our canal has finally been dug through!" A young villager ran over excitedly to report.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Han and Zhu Biao quickly put down their tools and walked quickly towards the canal. They saw clear water flowing slowly from upstream, along the canal they dug with their own hands, moistening the dry land.

"Fellow villagers, we succeeded!" Zhu Han announced loudly. His voice echoed over the construction site and seemed to spread throughout the entire village.

The villagers put down their tools and gathered around. They looked at the flowing canal with happy smiles on their faces. The children cheered and ran around the canal excitedly, as if they saw hope for the future.

"Your Highness Prince Han, Your Highness the Crown Prince, we have to give this canal a name!" suggested an old farmer.

"Yes, we have to give it a good name!" the villagers echoed.

Zhu Han pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "This canal was dug by all of us working together. It bears witness to our unity and struggle. I think we should call it the 'Unity Canal'!"

"Tuanjiequ, what a good name!" the villagers agreed.

"Tuanjiequ, what a good name!" The villagers echoed one after another, with smiles of pride and happiness on their faces.

Zhu Han looked at the villagers' satisfied expressions, feeling relieved. He turned to Zhu Biao and said, "Your Highness, it seems that our choice is not wrong. Helping the people solve practical problems and letting them see hope is what we, as members of the royal family, should do."

Zhu Biao nodded in agreement, his eyes gleaming with determination: "Uncle Han is right. We should not only solve the current difficulties, but also consider the long-term welfare of the people. This 'Unity Canal' is a practical thing we have done for the people."

At this time, a middle-aged woman came over with fruits grown by her family and handed them to Zhu Han and Zhu Biao respectfully: "My two lords, this is a little gift from us, please accept it."

Zhu Han quickly declined, "Sister-in-law, you are too polite. How can we accept things from the people?"

The middle-aged woman insisted, "You two gentlemen have worked tirelessly for our village. We will never forget this kindness. Although these fruits are not valuable, they are our token of appreciation. Please accept them."

Seeing this, Zhu Han no longer refused and took the fruit with gratitude: "Thank you, sister-in-law, we appreciate your kindness. Don't worry, we will continue to work hard and do more practical things for the people."

The villagers also gathered around and expressed their gratitude. Some villagers said: "The two gentlemen are really living Bodhisattvas who have saved the lives of all our villagers." Others said: "If the two gentlemen need us in the future, just ask and we will do our best."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao listened to the villagers' words of gratitude with a smile, their hearts filled with warmth and satisfaction.

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao looked at the enthusiastic faces of the villagers and were deeply moved. Zhu Han smiled and said to the villagers: "Fellow villagers, your recognition and gratitude are our greatest motivation. Please believe that we will continue to work hard to bring you more benefits."

At this time, an elderly man slowly came over, tears flashing in his eyes, and said in a choked voice: "My two lords, you not only helped us dig this canal, but also gave us hope to survive. We old men thought we would have to spend the rest of our lives in misery, but we didn't expect to see such a change in our lifetime."

Zhu Han quickly stepped forward to support the old man and comforted him gently, "Father, you are too kind. We are officials of the court, and it is our duty to seek the welfare of the people. We are also very pleased to see that everyone's lives can be improved."

Zhu Biao took over the conversation and said firmly: "Don't worry, old man, our work has just begun. After returning, we will report everything here to the emperor truthfully, so that he can know the real needs of the people. I believe that under the wise leadership of the emperor, the Ming Dynasty will usher in a more prosperous tomorrow."

Hearing this, the villagers nodded in agreement, with hope glittering in their eyes.

Zhu Han then proposed: "Fellow villagers, although the canal has been dug, our work is not over yet. Next, we need to continue to strengthen water conservancy construction in farmland and increase crop yields. At the same time, we will also strive to obtain more disaster relief supplies and policy support to ensure that everyone can get through this difficult time safely."

As soon as Zhu Han finished speaking, a middle-aged farmer stood up impatiently, his face full of anxiety and expectation: "My two lords, you are absolutely right. Our fields suffer from drought every year, and the harvest is always unstable. If we can strengthen water conservancy construction, it will be a blessing for our people!"

Zhu Han smiled slightly and looked at the farmer gently: "Don't worry, brother. We will report the situation here in detail and strive for the support of the court to help everyone improve irrigation conditions."

At this time, an old woman next to him also interrupted and said, "Yes, sir. The land in our village is fertile, but it lacks water. If we can have a stable water source, the crops will grow better and our lives will be more comfortable."

Zhu Biao nodded in agreement. He took a few steps forward and said to the villagers, "Fellow villagers, please believe us. Improving water conservancy facilities is one of the important tasks of our trip. We will do our best to obtain resources for you and bring new vitality to this land."

Upon hearing this, the villagers cast grateful glances at him, some even had red eyes and sobbed quietly. Seeing this, Zhu Han hurriedly comforted them, "Don't be sad, folks. We were sent by the court to help you solve practical difficulties. As long as everyone works together, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome."

At this time, a young woman came over with a child in her arms, her eyes full of longing for the future: "My two gentlemen, my husband is working outside, and I have to take care of the fields at home alone. If there is a stable water source, I can plant more crops and make life better for my family."

Zhu Han asked softly, "Sister-in-law, what crops are you growing at home now?"

The woman replied, "Mainly corn and wheat, but the harvests have been bad in recent years, either drought or flooding. We work hard for a year but can't make much money."

Zhu Han pondered for a moment and said, "Sister-in-law, we can try to guide everyone to grow some drought- and flood-resistant crops, such as sorghum and beans. At the same time, we should strengthen water conservancy construction to ensure that crops have enough water at critical moments." A glimmer of hope flashed in the woman's eyes: "Really? That's great! I will discuss with my husband when I get home to see if we can change to growing some sorghum and beans."

Zhu Han smiled and nodded, his eyes full of encouragement: "Sister-in-law, go back and have a good discussion with brother. It is indeed a good choice to plant some drought-resistant and flood-resistant crops. After we go back, we will report the situation here to the court as soon as possible to seek more support and help."

The woman nodded gratefully, tears in her eyes: "Thank you, sir. Your words have given our family hope. We will definitely consider it carefully and work hard to make our lives better."

At this time, an old woman nearby also came forward. Her face was covered with traces of time, but her eyes revealed determination: "Sir, there are still many people in our village who make a living by weaving, but the price of silk thread has risen recently, and our handicrafts are becoming increasingly difficult to sell."

Zhu Han frowned when he heard this, and turned to look at Zhu Biao. The two exchanged glances. Zhu Han said gently, "Don't worry, old woman, we will report this situation as well. The court may consider giving some support and help to these weavers."

When the old woman heard this, a gleam of light flashed in her eyes: "That's great! We craftsmen are looking forward to having a way to make a living."

Zhu Biao added: "Old lady, you might as well organize the craftsmen in the village to form a scale. This way, you may have more bargaining power and can better open up sales channels."

The old woman thought for a moment, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "My Lord, you are right. We should really unite, help each other, and face difficulties together."

As the sun sets, the sky gradually darkens. Zhu Han and Zhu Biao know that today's visit is coming to an end, but their mission is far from over. The two said goodbye to the villagers one by one, promising to bring each of their demands back to the court and strive for the best solution.

After leaving the village, Zhu Han and Zhu Biao continued to discuss what they had seen and heard today on their way back to the inn. Zhu Han said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, it seems that the lives of the people are indeed not easy. We still have a lot to do."

Zhu Biao nodded in agreement: "Uncle Han is right. We must report the real situation here to our father, so that he can understand the suffering of the people and make more wise decisions."

After returning to the inn, the two immediately compiled today's notes into a book, recording in detail the demands and suggestions of each villager.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight shone into the inn, Zhu Han and Zhu Biao once again embarked on a secret visit. Every step they took would help them understand more about the people and strive for more welfare for the people.

This time, they came to a more remote mountainous area. The people here live a harder life, the mountain roads are rugged, and transportation is inconvenient. But even so, Zhu Han and Zhu Biao still insisted on walking there, hoping to get a more intuitive understanding of the situation here.

Walking into the village, what came into view were simple huts and barren land. A middle-aged man came up to us, his face full of frost and fatigue: "Gentlemen, have you come from afar?"

Zhu Han smiled gently and said, "That's right. We are traveling merchants passing by here. We would like to ask the villagers for a bowl of water to drink and see if there is anything we can do to help."

The man quickly led them to his simple courtyard, scooped two bowls of water from the water tank and handed them to them: "Please drink, gentlemen. Although we are poor here, we still have enough water."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao took the water bowl and drank it all, feeling sweet and thirst-quenching. They put down the water bowl and started chatting with the man. The man sighed and said slowly: "We have little land and few people here, and the harvest has always been poor. Although the government has provided relief, it is always a drop in the bucket."

Zhu Han listened carefully and nodded from time to time to show his understanding: "Brother, don't worry, we will report the situation here to the court truthfully. At the same time, we will also try our best to provide some help to the villagers within our capacity."

When the man heard this, a glimmer of hope flashed in his eyes: "That's great! We mountain people are looking forward to having a good official to speak for us."

Zhu Han and Zhu Biao continued to visit other villagers, patiently listening to their requests and difficulties wherever they went. An old woman took Zhu Han's hand and said tearfully, "Sir, we are short of doctors and medicine here, and we can only bear it when we are sick. Can you help us think of a solution?"

Zhu Han felt a pang in his heart. He gently patted the old woman's hand and comforted her softly, "Don't worry, old woman. We will contact the medical officer as soon as possible to come and treat the villagers. At the same time, we will also suggest that the court set up a clinic here to facilitate the villagers to seek medical treatment."

The old woman was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes when she heard this: "That's great! We mountain people finally have hope!"

With Zhu Han's promise, the old woman's eyes were rekindled with hope. She held Zhu Han's hand tightly, as if she wanted to engrave this warmth and gratitude in her heart forever.

"Young Master, you really are the reincarnation of a living Bodhisattva! We mountain people usually have to endure the illness, and sometimes we can't even afford to see a doctor. Your words really give us peace of mind." The old woman's voice was a little choked, but full of gratitude.

Zhu Han gently patted the back of the old woman's hand and said softly, "Old woman, please don't say that. We are sent by the court, and it is our duty to help the people solve their problems. Don't worry, we will do our best to help you."

At this time, a middle-aged man at the side couldn't help but interrupt and said, "Yes, sir, the roads here are too difficult to travel. Every time I go down the mountain to the town to see a doctor, I have to walk several miles. It's not only time-consuming and laborious, but also delays the treatment of the disease. It would be great if we could build a clinic here!"

Zhu Han heard this, and a hint of determination flashed in his eyes. He turned to look at Zhu Biao, and the two exchanged affirmative glances. Then, Zhu Han said to the middle-aged man: "Brother, your suggestion is very pertinent. We should really solve the problem of the villagers' difficulty in seeing a doctor as soon as possible. Regarding the establishment of a medical clinic, I have a few preliminary ideas and would like to discuss them with you."

When the middle-aged man heard this, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he quickly said, "Sir, please speak. We are all ears."

Zhu Han nodded slightly and continued, "First, we need to find a suitable location for the clinic. This place should be convenient for the villagers to come for medical treatment. At the same time, we must also consider factors such as water sources and lighting to ensure the hygiene of the clinic's environment." (End of this chapter)