Ming Dynasty: Zhu Biao's younger brother, the most rebellious son in history

Chapter 36 Zhu Yuanzhang didn’t say anything, and the court officials didn’t dare to ask!
"Messy? I don't think so."

Zhu Biao disagreed with this, thinking of what Zhu Kai had said to him, which was the most appropriate to refute Wang Guangyang, so he said: "Back then, when Dad was fighting against the Yuan Dynasty, he called for 'expelling the Tartars, restoring China, establishing principles and rules, and saving the people'; we are fighting against the Yuan Dynasty to restore ethics and moral principles, but if the people can't even have enough to eat, what ethics and moral principles can we talk about? I think it is more appropriate to replace establishing principles and rules with light taxes and levies."

As for Zhu Kai's suggestion of "equally dividing the land", Zhu Biao was very sensible and did not say it out loud.

Even Zhu Yuanzhang didn't dare to say those four words easily, let alone Zhu Biao.

Before he could think of a practical solution, Zhu Biao would keep the words "equally divide the land" in his heart.

"Ah, this..."

Wang Guangyang never expected that Zhu Biao would think this way.

If you think about it carefully, Zhu Biao is right.

If you can’t even get enough food to eat, who would care about principles and rules?
He was a Jinshi at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. On the way from Yuan Dadu to Dangtu County where he took office, Wang Guangyang saw many hungry people sitting on the ground waiting to die. He also saw people eating grass roots and tree bark, and some were eating human flesh... What's worse, some people even ate their own children!

To put it bluntly, isn't this tragedy happening because they have no food to eat?

Once people are on the verge of starving to death, they are no longer considered human beings.

As long as there is a glimmer of hope to survive, they will use all the methods they can.

After listening to Zhu Biao's words, Wang Guangyang thought silently for a long time. After he figured it out, he stood up excitedly and bowed to Zhu Biao, saying, "Your Highness is right. It's not about establishing rules and regulations, but about reducing taxes and levies so that the people can have enough food! Your Highness's words are really wise. If we can always let the people have enough food, the Ming Dynasty will last for thousands of years!"

After saying this, Wang Guangyang bowed again: "I, your Highness, congratulate you! Congratulate your Majesty! Congratulate the Ming Dynasty! Our Ming Dynasty has your Majesty and you. God bless the Ming Dynasty! God bless the Ming Dynasty!"

Wang Guangyang was very excited.

But after hearing what Wang Guangyang said, Zhu Biao lowered his head in embarrassment.

If Wang Guangyang heard the words "equally divide the land"... he would probably go crazy, right?
If Wang Guangyang knew that these words came from Zhu Kai's mouth, he probably wouldn't believe it at all, right?

But what does it matter?

Why does my second brother need your approval?

Haha...I can’t say, I can’t say.

It’s not the right time yet!

It has to be said that the thorough investigation of commerce has a great influence in Yingtian Prefecture.

It was so big that even if Zhu Yuanzhang didn't mention it, the court officials didn't dare to ask.

There was not even any impeachment.

Zhu Kai was outside, taking advantage of the fact that Zhu Yuanzhang had not issued any decree, and was buying up shops and businesses on a large scale. This had already displeased the ministers, and they had already put the memorial impeaching Zhu Kai in their sleeves, intending to impeach Zhu Kai immediately after Zhu Yuanzhang mentioned the development of commerce to muddy the waters.

Why do you want to restrict business? Old Zhu, you are the emperor, why do you want to compete with us ordinary people for profits?
In the eyes of those court officials, apart from the royal family, everyone else is a commoner, including themselves.

As for Zhu Yuanzhang, he never mentioned the development of commerce.

Instead, they discussed Xu Da's Northern Expedition.

Everyone can see that Zhu Yuanzhang's attitude towards the Northern Expedition has softened slightly, and he might agree to the Northern Expedition.

However, when Zhu Yuanzhang talked about the Northern Expedition, it sounded more like a warning from Zhu Yuanzhang to the court officials. The treasury was not full, and under such circumstances, the Northern Expedition was still needed. Wasn't this forcing the officials to donate money to allow Zhu Yuanzhang to go on the Northern Expedition?

Zhu Yuanzhang had asked officials to donate money and raise funds through crowdfunding.

The court officials, however, did not want to spend a single cent.

They felt that their family had now cut off ties with business matters and were not afraid of Zhu Yuanzhang's investigation at all.

It just so happened that Zhu Yuanzhang had the opportunity to talk about the Northern Expedition.

Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to have softened his attitude towards opposing the Northern Expedition, and Zhu Biao was also pulled over by him, spending the whole day calculating the expenses needed for the Northern Expedition.

Everyone was busy. Zhu Kai went to a super ocean freighter and opened blind boxes for two days. All he got out were clothes, sunglasses, electronic products and the like.

Zhu Kai had no interest in these things. After driving for two days in a row, he saw these useless things and no longer had the heart to continue driving the container.

Moreover, Zhu Kai also felt that he was very bored. He didn't need to think about exhausting himself by opening containers every day. He simply pulled out twenty or thirty mountain bikes from the super ocean freighter and placed them in the Fengxian Hall, and took Zhu Di to practice cycling first.

Bicycles were novel items, and Zhu Di was quite puzzled when he saw them. But after seeing Zhu Kai riding a bicycle around in front of Fengxian Hall, Zhu Di immediately fell in love with this human-powered bicycle!

She kept pestering Zhu Kai and shouting, "Second brother, I want it," "Second brother, I want to learn."

Zhu Di had a background in martial arts, and he was also active by nature.

After practicing for less than half a day, they learned how to ride a bicycle. Zhu Kai took off his robe, changed into a pair of trousers, and started riding a bicycle with Zhu Di.

This day, Wenhua Hall.

Kong Keren, the councillor of the Secretariat, is giving lectures to the princes. Kong Keren is not well-known, but he is as famous as Song Lian in the court. The two of them once served Zhu Yuanzhang together, and he is also a meritorious official who followed the dragon. Now he is a typical member of the prince's party.

He believed that Zhu Biao was kind-hearted, cared for the people and sympathized with his ministers.

In the future, after taking over the throne from Zhu Yuanzhang, he will definitely be a good emperor whose name will go down in history.

That day, in class, Kong Keren did not continue to talk about the words of sages in the textbook, but instead talked about the recent uproar in Yingtian Prefecture regarding the commercial investigation.

It was no secret that Zhu Kai used Xu Miaoyun and Feng Yuting to take over the businesses of shops and merchants in Yingtian Prefecture. One didn't even need to inquire too secretly to know that it was Zhu Kai who was taking action. Otherwise, even if Xu Da and Feng Sheng had a good relationship with Zhu Yuanzhang, they would not dare to commit the crime in front of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Kai was different. Relying on Zhu Yuanzhang's favor, he dared to do anything. In the early years of Hongwu, Zhu Kai made the palace a mess in order to leave the palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang and his concubines were all tortured.

For a Second Prince who is so courageous, is there anything he wouldn't dare to do?
However, the princes did not think so when they heard Kong Keren criticizing Zhu Kai.

After describing him as the greatest scourge of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Chong and Zhu Gang immediately became unhappy.

We can just curse my second brother behind his back, how dare you, an old villain, curse my second brother?

Zhu Gang was intelligent but impatient. When he heard what Kong Keren said, he immediately slammed the table and said, "Don't talk nonsense, old man. My second brother said that man can conquer nature! What a bullshit to follow the laws of nature... Why can't your father investigate the merchants in Yingtian Prefecture? Don't you know that the whole world belongs to the king?"

"It is true that the whole world is the Ming Dynasty, but there is also an imperial saying that the people are like water and the emperor is like a boat. Your Majesty is investigating the merchants, and you sent the villain Hu Weiyong to do it. Isn't this cutting off the livelihood of the people? How can the court compete with the people for profit?"

Kong Keren sneered. This prince, who hasn’t even understood these books, still wants to debate with him?

(End of this chapter)