Daming: I am the Crown Prince

Chapter 103: Falling into the trap again

The frail and sickly Old Zhu forced himself to attend the morning court. When it came to the part where he reported on matters, Old Zhu kept coughing, which made people suspect that he was going to cough out his lungs.

There will be no room for arguments or expressing opinions. The emperor is in poor health, so let the officials do their job and then report to the emperor.

Returning to Wuying Palace, Zhu immediately flipped through the memorials. He dealt with the important matters as soon as possible, put the less important ones on hold, and put the insignificant ones in a corner, without rushing to approve them.

After working for more than an hour, Lao Zhu asked, "Where is the crown prince?"

"Your Highness went to the Gunpowder Department and summoned a number of craftsmen," the eunuch replied immediately. "They said that the Lantern Festival firecrackers were not loud enough, so they wanted someone to develop new ones."

Old Zhu didn't get angry either, and continued to ask, "Does anyone outside know about this?"

The eunuch immediately replied, "He should know. His Highness specially summoned the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works and related officials, saying that he wanted to celebrate with the people, and there should be big firecrackers during the celebration."

Old Zhu burst out laughing and said, "Let Jiang Lin do this. The Crown Prince is kind-hearted and cares about the people."

Zhu Yunhuan, who cared about the people, did want to make firecrackers. If you really think that he wanted to indulge in material things, that is other people's opinion.

"It is said that those alchemists tried to make gunpowder in order to achieve immortality." Zhu Yunhuan muttered to himself, "Even Sun Simiao, the great doctor, knew how to make gunpowder."

This is also known as the "Fuhuo Method", because for highly toxic metal and stone medicines such as sulfur and arsenic, they are often "hidden" by burning before use.

However, during the Song Dynasty, gunpowder began to be used in large quantities to make weapons.

Three gunpowder formulas are recorded in Wujing Zongyao. The ratio of sulfur to saltpeter in Tang Dynasty gunpowder is 1:1, while that in Song Dynasty is 1:2, or even close to 1:3, which is similar to the formula of saltpeter accounting for three-quarters of black gunpowder in later generations.

All these seemed to imply that there was no need for Zhu Yunhuan to do anything. He was just thinking about how to better granulate the gunpowder.

The current powdered gunpowder is very troublesome to use and transport, and saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal powder must be carried separately before war. Sudden encounters and bad weather will cause great trouble to the temporary configuration of gunpowder.

"Forget about the poisonous smoke, let's purify it." Zhu Yunhuan suddenly remembered something and made a quick decision, "Firearms are firearms, let's not make poisonous smoke that looks scary."

It’s no wonder that Zhu Yunhuan wanted to remedy the situation, because some of the current firearms have special uses.

It is better to simply purify it. There are some records in junior high and high school textbooks. It is better to just "fix" the black powder. Since the perfect formula is already known, there is no need to continue to improve it, even if the current gunpowder and the later gunpowder formula seem to be very similar.

While Zhu Yunhuan was still thinking, Zhang Fusheng stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, His Highness the Prince of Qin requests permission to come to the court."

Zhu Yunxun answered without thinking, "Yes."

The vassal kings' pilgrimage was also a system of the Ming Dynasty. According to the rules set by Zhu Yuanzhang, if the vassal king was an elder, he did not need to pay homage when he was fifty, and if he was a son or nephew over sixty, he did not need to pay homage, and the crown prince would come instead. And when a new emperor ascended the throne, the vassal kings were not allowed to pay homage for three years.

Moreover, even when the princes came to pay homage to the emperor, in addition to the order of seniority, Zhu Yuanzhang also specifically emphasized the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children, and from the eldest to the youngest, the legitimate children came first.

Zhang Fusheng added, "Today the Minister of Personnel and the Minister of Justice requested to see you, but Your Majesty refused to allow them to see you."

Seeing Zhu Yunhuan nod slightly, Zhang Fusheng continued, "There are still several civil and military officials who want to go to the Imperial Hospital, but the Imperial Hospital officials claim to be ill and cannot go out."

Zhu Yunhuan smiled and nodded, saying, "That's the best. He's also a smart man."

The Imperial Hospital represents the highest medical level in the Ming Dynasty. However, there are also some things worth complaining about, that is, the doctors in the Imperial Hospital are timid, they are not omnipotent, and they cannot bring the dead back to life.

Most of the time, they treat patients with caution, and cannot treat serious illnesses or minor illnesses. They insist on not making mistakes, and the medicines they prescribe may be similar to health supplements.

After complaining, seeing that it was almost time, Zhu Yunhuan naturally strolled to the Wuying Palace.

"My second uncle is coming back." Zhu Yunhuan stared at the dining table and said, "Grandfather, if he hits me, you have to stop him."

Old Zhu said with a hint of disdain, "These are all the food you like to eat. What else is there to look at?"

"I can eat, but I always have to see if there is anything I like more." Zhu Yunhuan sat down with a smile and poured a glass of wine for Lao Zhu, "I'll drink with you in two years, you are still a little young now."

Old Zhu also picked up the wine glass. It was good that his grandson had grown up. He could drink a glass of wine with him. But his grandson was too busy now. He was not allowed to drink too much. This was the end of Old Zhu. He was not addicted to alcohol, but a pot of wine in his spare time was enough to whet his appetite.

But now, I can't drink at lunch because I have to deal with government affairs in the afternoon. At dinner, the wine pot is placed by my grandson, and Zhu can't add wine by himself. Not to mention drinking a little more, even if I drink too much, I can't drink too much. If my grandson knows about it, he will definitely nag me. So much so that Zhu is now annoyed. He can drink a little when he goes to the concubines at night, so he is basically not afraid that his grandson will know.

He is already in his sixties, but he has to hide from his grandson even when drinking. How can this be justified?
After finishing a glass of wine in one breath, Old Zhu put the glass heavily on the table. However, seeing that his grandson was not smart and only cared about eating, Old Zhu, who did not wait for a refill, picked up his chopsticks and ate the food first, and he could get more wine later.

"Your second uncle is back, he definitely doesn't dare to hit you." Old Zhu said while chewing his food, "I guess he has to come back to take a look before he knows what's going on. I was fine when he came back, but now it's been a short while and people are saying I'm dying. He must be worried if he doesn't find out for sure."

Zhu Yunhuan smiled and said, "I'm afraid that Third Uncle is overthinking it now. He has only been back for a short time."

Old Zhu said with a smile, "Don't be too much of a dandy, you. If you go and set off firecrackers and the news gets out, people will think that we are really in trouble, and then you, the crown prince, will revert to your old ways."

Zhu Yunhuan immediately became proud, "Having a bad reputation does have some advantages. Today, a deputy minister of the Ministry of Works tried to please me. It seems that he is really going to make a big firecracker for me."

Lao Zhu asked, "Have you memorized the name?"

"How can he be demoted now?" Zhu Yunhuan said with a smile, "After some time, if he is demoted now, the play will be in vain. I still feel that the time is not right, and I plan to go to Longjiang Shipyard in a few days to take a look."

Old Zhu was in a good mood and pointed at Zhu Yunhuan, "If you keep making trouble like this, outsiders will think you are going to become Yang Guang. I'm afraid they will build some boats for you and let you go to Jiangdu!"

"My eldest and second sisters scolded me yesterday. Fortunately, there are no cats and dogs in the East Palace now, otherwise they would have thought that I was alive again." Zhu Yunhuan complained with a smile, "It's hard to hide it from even your closest relatives!"

The same is true for Old Zhu. There are very few people in the world who know what his physical condition is like.

Even if it was his own legitimate daughter, he would have known a little bit, or Yun Hu said it on purpose. Otherwise, Zhu would have kept it a secret from all his children and grandchildren. After all, he was the emperor, and he was playing a big game.

Old Zhu nodded and said, "You can help out at the Five Military Commandery. We can train the soldiers and perform martial arts in a few days."

Zhu Yunhuan poured wine for Old Zhu and said with emotion, "If this is really the case, those people will have to believe it even if they don't want to!"

Old Zhu was even more proud, and drank the wine in one breath again, "These people are also cautious. I am thinking of sleeping in a few days, and you can go to court for me."

Zhu Yunhuan, who once again felt that there was a pit ahead, refused to agree, "I will go to observe government tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow I will be in charge of government affairs, and the day after tomorrow I will be the regent, right?"

"How can it be so fast!" Old Zhu said earnestly, "Even if you want to be the regent, I am still worried. Even if my body is broken, if I still go to court every day, those people will not believe it? Since I am sick, I have to be seriously ill and unconscious from time to time, so only you, the crown prince, can go to court!"

Zhu Yunhuan sat down depressed and put the wine pot away. "I wanted to trap those civil officials, but now I am the one who is trapped! If this continues, after I kill those people next year, I will have no choice but to be the regent and manage the government!"

Old Zhu had a bright smile on his face. It was a good thing that his grandson was so smart. But he was too young, and now he was in a difficult situation.

Originally, Zhu Yunhuan was just building up momentum, as he was a playboy and not worthy of being appointed, so he was anxious to take charge of the army to stabilize the situation.

Zhu Yuanzhang was old and sick, and could no longer take care of his grandson, nor could he take care of the government. But this did not stop him. No matter what his grandson thought, he would give him as much military power as he could.

If you want to return it after you get it, it will be impossible. If you go to the court more often this year, many things in the future will naturally be handled by the crown prince.

Lao Zhu knocked on the table and said, "It's just two glasses of wine, that's a bit outrageous!"

"This wine is too strong. You shouldn't drink too much." Zhu Yunhuan picked up the bowl and served soup to Old Zhu. "Drink more soup. Can you drink alcohol every day when you are sick? Drink more soup, and you will get better faster!"

Zhu Yuanzhang had no choice but to deal with this daring and narrow-minded grandson. This child was thick-skinned and reckless. Even if the emperor made him uncomfortable, he would still do his best to make the emperor unhappy!

Let’s hurt each other.

After eating and drinking his fill, Zhu Yunhuan left with his wine jug, and Old Zhu could only glare in dismay.

"Go outside and tell them that the prince takes care of the sick and provides medicine every day." Old Zhu's smile faded and he said, "We can survive because of the prince's filial piety."

Whether what Old Zhu said was true or not, others did not know. But on the surface, Zhu Yunhuan did come to "attend to the illness" and visit every day.

Even though he was busy making firecrackers, even though he was busy taking over the military power, he never neglected his filial duties.

(End of this chapter)