Bringing the Railway to Daming

Chapter 91: Father and Son Talk, Zhu Di Visits [Seeking Follow-up Reading]

Zhu Di was feeling lost.

Daoyan, Yuan Gong, Zheng He, Zhang Yu and others mentioned by Liu Kuan should all be his people - even if it is impossible for him to seize the throne through the Jingnan Rebellion now, these people can serve as his team for future overseas vassalage.

Now that the emperor knows about it, I'm afraid they will be found and promoted in advance.

People like Zheng He, who are still children and have not grown up yet, will probably be trained and left for their elder brother to use.

It would be extremely difficult for him to win him over and it would also be taboo.

In such a state of mind, when Zhu Di heard what he said, and it was difficult to tell whether he was happy or angry from his expression, he felt nervous, guilty, fearful, and aggrieved.

Then he cupped his hands and said sullenly, "Father, even if what Liu Kuan said is true, it is something that happened in the future. It is impossible for it to happen again now."

Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Why, after hearing so much, do you still suspect Liu Kuan of deliberately fabricating events from later generations to frame you?"

Zhu Di thought back to what Liu Kuan had said today, and found that although the fight between his second and third sons for the throne was very irritating, and his good grandson was not worthy of the title of "Good Saint" which made people grit their teeth in anger, most of the words about him were good and praiseworthy.

If Liu Kuan really wanted to frame him, he could have concealed his achievements - after all, he was the only one who knew what happened in later generations, and no one could disprove what he said.

Then he shook his head and said, "I don't doubt what Liu Kuan said."

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted, "Then why are you so angry? Are you unwilling to accept this and still have some ambitions for your eldest brother's position?"

Thinking that his father and elder brother knew about his seizure of the throne during the Jingnan Rebellion in later generations, Zhu Di was not so afraid anymore - he did feel a little unwilling in his heart.

He then said, "Now that I know what will happen in the future, I have absolutely no desire for my eldest brother's position. Although I am reluctant, I do not covet the throne of succession. The talents that Liu Kuan mentioned should have been my team. I hope that the emperor will show mercy and keep half of them for me to use."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned and asked, "I'll leave half for you. What will you use it for? To quell the rebellion?"

Zhu Di said angrily, "If Your Majesty still doesn't trust me, just imprison me. Why keep questioning me?"

Seeing Zhu Di feeling aggrieved and angry, Zhu Yuanzhang softened his heart.

After all, Zhu Di was also his son, and the one who looked most like him. If it were not for the purpose of avoiding the internecine struggle among his descendants for the throne and for the sake of the stable continuation of the Ming Dynasty, it would not be impossible to pass the throne to Zhu Di.

However, passing the throne to the eldest legitimate son is the fundamental national policy of the Ming Dynasty and cannot be changed.

No matter how talented Zhu Di was, he could only treat him unfairly.

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed inwardly and said, "Alright, I just asked a few questions, and you look so aggrieved, like a miserable wife. If you have no intention of succeeding the throne, what's the point of having those people?"

Zhu Di heaved a sigh of relief and immediately explained, "I think Liu Kuan's suggestion of establishing a vassal state overseas is very good. I am willing to be the first vassal king of the Ming Dynasty to go overseas."

"I asked the Emperor for those people because I hoped to have some capable helpers when I go overseas in the future."

Zhu Yuanzhang felt relieved when he heard this.

"Since the Fourth Prince supports the establishment of a vassal state overseas and wants to be the first to go overseas, he must have truly given up on the throne."

"Even if he still has some intentions, as long as he is sealed away, it will not be easy for him to fight back in the future."

"Reclaiming wasteland overseas, multiplying and establishing a nation—that kid Liu Kuan talks a lot of good stuff, but in reality, how can it be that easy? If a vassal king really goes overseas, it will take several generations of hard work to achieve great power."

"After several decades or even hundreds of years, I'm afraid the fourth brother's descendants won't have the will to fight back."

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Except for that monk Daoyan, we don't even know where the others are. Why are you so anxious?"

"We will try our best to find these people and see their quality. If there is a suitable one, we will give it to you."

Hearing this unclear promise, Zhu Di was still a little unwilling, but he also knew that it would be difficult to get more, so he could only say: "Thank you, father."

Zhu Yuanzhang added, "If you truly wish to establish a vassal state overseas, then don't harbor any grudges against Liu Kuan. Spend more time with him. He comes from a later era, and his mind holds many useful insights. Perhaps one of them could be of great assistance to you."

After Zhu Di calmed down, he realized the importance of Liu Kuan and planned to make friends with him, but he was worried about being suspected.

Zhu Yuanzhang's reminder was equivalent to allowing him to make friends with Liu Kuan.

Therefore, Zhu Di's face lit up when he heard this, and he thanked him again: "Thank you, father, for the reminder!"

Zhu Yuanzhang continued, "Your children, including the unborn third child, should have been good children. It was only because you did not teach them well and set a bad example that they caused all those troubles."

"Now that we know about the future, we should spend more time teaching them. The boss told him to practice martial arts more and not grow up to be fat and short-lived."

"The second son should encourage him to study more and instill in him the virtues of brotherhood, and the third son should teach him filial piety and benevolence. Do you remember this?"

Zhu Di, who was only 22 years old, was deeply moved by these words.

I thought to myself: Father’s earnest teachings show that he still cares about my lineage.

His eyes were slightly reddened as he choked out a little, "Your Highness will remember my father's teachings!"

···
A few days later, September was almost over. After Liu Kuan took office that day, he stayed in his "office" as he had done for the previous two days, drafting a memorial.

According to Lao Zhu's request, he still had three copies to submit.

The first one was a proposal for reforming the six ministries. He had finished writing it long ago, but felt it still needed revision and polishing.

The second one is a memorial on how to develop science and technology, which he recently drafted.

The third one is a memorial about the enfeoffment of overseas vassal states, but I haven’t started writing it yet.

Liu Kuan wrote these memorials concerning national affairs as essays, so he wrote very slowly.

Of course, this was also because Old Zhu was not in a hurry to get it, otherwise Liu Kuanda could have written it more sloppily.

Suddenly, a clerk came to the door and reported, "Vice-officer Liu, the Prince of Yan is here to visit."

Liu Kuan was slightly surprised and immediately stood up and came out, only to see Zhu Di already standing in the yard, and coincidentally standing under the big tree that was in bloom.

Seeing this, Liu Kuan shuddered and subconsciously looked towards the treetops.

Seeing that the branches were full of golden osmanthus and not the white pear blossoms, I felt inexplicably relieved.

He immediately bowed and saluted, "This humble servant greets His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan."

"Haha, no need to be so polite, brother-in-law." Zhu Di laughed heartily, helped Liu Kuan up, and said, "I've been back in Beijing for a few days and have heard a lot about your son-in-law. I admire him very much, so I took the liberty of visiting you - I hope it won't interfere with your official duties."

'hold up.'

Liu Kuan thought so in his heart, but said: "It won't delay me - but I don't know what your Highness wants to see me for?"

Zhu Di said: "I mainly want to have a chat with my brother-in-law."

Liu Kuan didn't understand Zhu Di's intentions, so he could only say, "Your Highness, please come inside and talk."

Even if a prince comes to visit him, he always refuses to let him sit down.

When the two of them entered the house, Liu Kuan personally made tea and served it to them, and then they sat down.

Liu Kuan was wondering what Zhu Di would ask, when he heard him say, "Father has told me everything my brother-in-law said about future generations."

This sentence almost broke Liu Kuan's defense.

I thought: Just get straight to the point?
Do you want to be so direct?
Or is he trying to trick me?

So Liu Kuan smiled and said nothing.

Zhu Di smiled at this and said, "I fully agree with my brother-in-law's proposal to establish vassal states overseas. I came here today mainly to inquire about this matter."

After hearing this, Liu Kuan knew that either Zhu Di was in Fengxian Hall that day as he had guessed, or Zhu Yuanzhang had later relayed the story.

He thought for a moment and said, "The issue of overseas vassalage involves a wide range of issues, but I wonder which aspect Your Highness would like to hear about?"

Zhu Di asked, "If I wish to establish a fiefdom overseas as soon as possible, how many years do you think it will take? Where would be the best place to choose as a fiefdom?"

Zhu Di's directness once again surprised Liu Kuan.

Although he didn't know whether Zhu Di really wanted to be a vassal overseas or it was just a fantasy, he could only say it truthfully.

So he said, "If the Ming Dynasty wants to establish vassal states overseas, it will first need large ships that can withstand the wind and waves of the sea, and secondly, it will need a navy that can escort them."

Zhu Di asked, "Is this navy the name for the navy in later generations? Is there a difference between the two?"

"This Zhu Di is as sharp as the old Zhu."

With a sigh in his heart, Liu Kuan replied, "I wonder if Your Highness knows that ships that can sail the ocean are different from boats that sail the rivers."

"For example, because rivers are shallow, ships are generally flat-bottomed. The ocean is bottomless and the waves are huge, so most ships have pointed bottoms."

"Similarly, naval warfare on the ocean is different from naval warfare on rivers. Furthermore, now that guns have replaced swords, naval warfare has undergone even greater changes."

"In addition, in later times, maritime defense became as important as land defense. Powerful nations all competed for supremacy on the seas, so coastal nations all valued navies skilled at sea warfare."

"To distinguish it from the inland river naval forces and to highlight their importance, they were named the navy. At that time, the troops used for land warfare were also renamed the army."

Perhaps it was because he was deeply passionate about the military, that when Zhu Di heard Liu Kuan talk about the division of navy and army in later generations, his eyes lit up and he murmured, "Navy? Army?"

Then he asked, "How long do you think it will take for the Ming Dynasty to build a navy?"

　Please collect, read and vote.

　　Good night~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)