If I fail to overcome the tribulation, I can only return to the Ming Dynasty and become a prince.

Chapter 133 A powerful sea force
Because of his encounter with Zheng He, after returning to Nanjing, Zhu Zhanju just let the Qingyu Guards return to the military camp on their own, while he went to the palace with Zheng He.

Although according to etiquette, Zheng He still needed to fast, bathe, and make a series of preparations before he could take envoys from various countries to the palace to meet the emperor, but that was the rule for ordinary civil servants to go on missions.

As a eunuch, Zheng He himself was the emperor's domestic slave, and it was his privilege to be able to enter and exit the forbidden palace.

It is also appropriate to have a chat with the emperor before the formal audience and report some general situation to the emperor.

As for Zhu Zhanjun, he didn't care.

Originally, he just led his troops out to train. Now that he has completed the training and returned, he came to see the emperor and join in the fun to hear about Zheng He's voyage to the West. It was not a big deal.

Although Zheng He had told him many interesting things during his voyages to the West on the way back, chatting and reporting to the emperor were still two different things.

Although Hou Xian was also a eunuch in the palace, he and Wang Jinghong were deputy envoys. They also had to arrange various matters for the landing of a fleet of more than 2 people, as well as lead envoys from various countries to hand over with the Ministry of Rites, etc., so only Zheng Hehe entered the palace. Zhu Zhanjuan and two others.

"Sanbao, you did a good job. You led the fleet to promote the prestige of our Ming Dynasty, and you also brought back so many envoys, which benefited our country's destiny. I will remember your contribution!" The emperor was very happy about Zheng He's return and expressed his gratitude to him. After praising him a lot, he looked at Zhu Zhanchun, walked up to him, patted Zhu Zhanchun on the shoulder, and said with a smile: "Boy, you are not bad, you have been practicing at sea for three months, and you are a fool." He’s older, but he’s also stronger! This is a good thing, he’s much stronger than Dad!”

Although Zhu Zhanchun's previous display of the body of a real dragon had a great impact, as a few months passed, there were no new rumors or evidence to substantiate this matter, and the impact slowly dissipated.

Although some people still talk about it after dinner, it is just a rumor in the streets.

As for what the emperor himself thinks, that is his own business.

Zhu Di is a thoughtful emperor. He may have kept many things in his heart, but he will not show them on his face.

So when facing Zhu Zhanyuan, Zhu Di just smiled kindly as he watched the younger generation in the family grow up, and asked Zhu Zhanyun: "What have you gained after being away for three months?"

"Returning to Grandpa, in the past three months, my grandson has led his army through 27 large and small naval battles, cleared 16 Japanese pirates and pirate strongholds, killed more than 760 enemies, beheaded 480 second-level soldiers, and captured 110 and [-] large and small ships. Today, Zhejiang, The Japanese pirates along the coast of Fujian have been basically eliminated, and the sea areas have been cleared. This is all due to grandpa’s wisdom and martial arts. Only the Ming soldiers’ hard work can achieve such results.” Zhu Zhanjuan reported the results of this military training to Zhu Di. In fact, he was still young. He reported a lot. After all, he was too lazy to count the results of the battle later. Whenever he encountered Japanese pirates at sea, he just sank them without counting their heads at all.

As for giving credit to the emperor, it is just the most basic cliché.

Zhu Di didn't pay much attention to this, but when he heard that Zhu Zhankun had annihilated so many Japanese pirates and pirates, he couldn't help showing an expression of surprise: "Killed more than 480 enemies and beheaded more than [-] people. In just three months, With such results, Zhanju, you have trained a good soldier! Tell me, what reward do you want? Grandpa, what are you looking for? Just ask!"

Zheng He on the side was also shocked by Zhu Zhankun's results. When he saw Zhu Zhankun's Qingyu Guards, he originally thought that this army was very capable of fighting, but he did not expect that not only could they fight, but they could also clear out pirates. So capable.

Zheng He knew what was going on at sea, especially when it came to clearing pirates. That was not on land. You didn’t know where there was land in the vast sea. You wanted to search for pirates hiding on an unknown island. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack.This made Zheng He couldn't help but admire: "His Royal Highness King Zheng is really brave! There are no tricks in the sea battle, it is all based on strength. His Highness can wipe out sixteen pirate lairs in three months. This is enough to be called the first in the world." One!"

Zhu Di himself was an emperor on horseback, and he really didn't understand naval battles. But as the most capable general in the Ming Dynasty, he also knew that searching for enemies was not a simple matter.

In the last Northern Expedition, the most critical issue for Zhu Di's fight for so long was to find the enemy's main force for a decisive battle. The actual battle would determine the outcome, and the fight might not even take a day.

Coupled with his trust in Zheng He, Zhu Di still believed in Zheng He's evaluation.

Just out of inertia, he still said to Zheng He: "The number one at that time? You are too flattering to this kid. I don't believe that you, Zheng He, who can destroy a country with two thousand elite soldiers, can be worse than him!" "

"Your Majesty is ridiculous. If His Highness Prince Zheng and I were to change places, His Highness Prince Zheng would not do any worse than me. Even the [-] troops of the Ceylon Mountain Kingdom would be annihilated by His Highness." When he said this, Zheng He's face changed. He also showed an envious expression: "His Highness's Qingyu Guards are indeed the most elite of the Ming Dynasty, and they are even more invincible in sea battles! If our Ming Dynasty's coastal areas can have such a strong military guard, things like Japanese pirates invading the border will be inevitable. will become extinct.”

In Zheng He's opinion, the Qingyu Guards were definitely elites at sea. If there could be thirty thousand such soldiers in the Ming Dynasty's coastal areas, the Japanese pirates who invaded the border in Hongwu years would definitely disappear.

However, Zhu Di and Zhu Zhankun just looked at each other and smiled, and then said: "To make the Japanese pirates disappear, the best way is to eliminate the firepower. Our heavy defense can only cure the symptoms, not the root cause."

"Your Majesty wants to conquer the Japanese country?" Zheng He was stunned for a moment, and then he understood what Zhu Di was talking about, and hurriedly said: "If your Majesty wants to conquer the Japanese country, Zheng He is willing to be the vanguard and clear the way for the army!"

Zheng He, who was familiar with maritime affairs, certainly knew that the roots of Japanese pirates were still in the Japanese country. During the Hongwu period, Zhu Yuanzhang had issued an order to question the Japanese country on this issue.

Now that Zhu Di said that he wanted to cure the root cause, he naturally wanted to solve the Japanese country, the root cause of Japanese pirates.

And if the army wants to cross the sea to conquer Japan, Zheng He's fleet will undoubtedly play a major role!

Zheng He, who was already worried about the future of this fleet and feared that the imperial court would abandon this fleet that he had worked so hard to build, would certainly not give up such an opportunity.

In his opinion, if this fleet can make enough achievements in the conquest of Japan, even if the imperial court no longer sails to the West on a large scale in the future, these people in the fleet will still be able to rely on their achievements in conquering Japan. A good future.

Not to mention that after the conquest of Japan, the Ming Dynasty still had to use ships to communicate with Japan.

Seeing what Zheng He said, Zhu Zhanjun also laughed immediately: "Since Eunuch Zheng has said so, I don't think I need to say what I want. Let Eunuch Zheng lead people to conquer the Japanese country with me."

(End of this chapter)