Chapter 60: Song Lian as a Teacher; Losing the Person, but Not the Presence

"Looking at your expression, you seem a bit annoyed with Us; do you have any idea how many people in this world beg for an audience with Us?"

Zhu Gaoxu rolled his eyes at Zhu Yuanzhang; the key point was that every time you, old man, summon me, it is never for anything good.

As if he understood this look from Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Yuanzhang gave an awkward, light cough and began to speak of serious matters.

"You little monkey, wandering aimlessly around Jingcheng all day long; you should be like your eldest brother and the others, and find a teacher to study with."

"We told you before, if you took a liking to any official, you should have told Us, but you never paid any mind to it."

Hearing these words from Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Gaoxu expressed his "thanks" in his own way.

If it weren't for Lao Zhu, he would still be a playboy in Jingcheng, already galloping freely through Kyoto.

Now that Lao Zhu still wanted to arrange a teacher for him to attend classes, Zhu Gaoxu was truly between laughter and tears.

But this time, Lao Zhu did not pay attention to Zhu Gaoxu, and said with a firm attitude: "You must name someone for Us today, otherwise don't even think about going home."

Seeing that Lao Zhu was playing for real this time, Zhu Gaoxu thought for a moment and finally said a name.

"I want Song Lian to be my teacher."

"Cough, cough, cough..." Even though Zhu Yuanzhang had been prepared, knowing that Zhu Gaoxu would likely stir up some trouble, he was still taken aback upon hearing this.

To say nothing of other things, Song Lian was previously the Crown Prince's teacher and had also taught Zhu Gaoxu's father.

It could be said that his father's generation were all students of Song Lian; now that Zhu Gaoxu also wanted to be Song Lian's student... wouldn't that make Zhu Gaoxu the same generation as his father?

Moreover, Song Lian was already at the advanced age of seventy-one and had long since retired to his hometown. Although he came to Jingcheng for an imperial audience every year, is it polite to ask a seventy-something-year-old gentleman to teach you?

However, seeing Zhu Gaoxu's look of "anyway, I've already said it, and if it doesn't work out, I can't help it," Zhu Yuanzhang was also provoked into a temper by Zhu Gaoxu.

Are you not trying to embarrass Us?

Fine!

I will have Song Lian summoned for you, and then we shall see what you have to say!

Thinking this, Zhu Yuanzhang directly called Eunuch Li into the Study.

"Issue an Imperial Edict for Us, summoning Song Lian to Jingcheng immediately to see Me; We miss him a bit and want to have a chat with him."

Seeing Lao Zhu being so stubborn, Zhu Gaoxu was dumbfounded.

He naturally knew about Song Lian's situation, which was why he had intentionally said that.

He hadn't expected that he had gone a bit too far and provoked Lao Zhu's damn competitive spirit.

"Uh... actually, that's not necessary; the old man's legs and feet aren't good, so let's not trouble him, right?"

"Hmph!" Zhu Yuanzhang let out a cold snort, looked at Zhu Gaoxu and said: "Regretting it now? Too late!"

Today, Lao Zhu was truly angered to the point of suffocation; he secretly regretted why he had nothing better to do than look for this little monkey—wasn't this clearly asking to be annoyed?

Filled with anger, Zhu Yuanzhang had a headache just looking at Zhu Gaoxu, and waved his hand to tell Zhu Gaoxu to get lost quickly.

Zhu Gaoxu originally wanted to struggle a bit more and plead with Lao Zhu, but seeing Lao Zhu like this, he dared not court death any further.

He obediently walked out of the Study and headed toward the outside of the palace.

It wasn't that he hadn't thought about using this opportunity to complete a system mission, but now was clearly not the time; Lao Zhu had summoned him into the palace, and too many people were watching him.

Since the system had said so about that place, it must be abnormal; it was better to be well-prepared before going. Anyway, he now had Lao Zhu's Imperial Edict and could enter the palace at any time.

When he left the palace, the sun had already set. Zhu Gaoxu did not wander around outside and dragged his tired body back to the Wangfu.

In the evening, he ate a couple of bites to pad his stomach, then Zhu Gaoxu returned to his room and fell asleep.

The next morning, Zhu Gaoxu got up and washed as usual. Just as he pushed open the door, he saw Mao Xiang standing in his courtyard.

Calculating carefully, Mao Xiang had been gone for three or four days, and it was about time for him to return.

"Are the matters all handled?"

"All handled. This time, a total of over two thousand soldiers were recruited. The other prefectures have also finished recruiting, and they should be rushing toward us now."

Hearing that over two thousand people were recruited, Zhu Gaoxu was somewhat surprised; logically speaking, it shouldn't be such a small number.

But after a second thought, Zhu Gaoxu understood.

He had already recruited all the people in the surrounding areas; where else would others find people to recruit later?

Furthermore, Zhu Gaoxu's requirements were too high, only wanting able-bodied men between eighteen and twenty-eight, and that was still assuming they were willing.

So, being able to recruit these people in such a short time could be considered not bad.

"Since they have arrived, let's go take a look."

After saying this, he grabbed two pieces of dim sum at home, ate a couple of bites with Mao Xiang, and then the two of them rushed toward outside the city.

When leaving, Zhu Gaoxu specifically had the three hundred Embroidered Uniform Guards change back into their uniforms and boarded the Feudatory Prince Carriage.

Never mind whether it would be embarrassing later; in any case, he could not lose his presence now.

Just like that, the group marched grandly to the Military Camp outside the city that had been allocated to Zhu Gaoxu for training the New Army.

From far away, Zhu Gaoxu saw dust flying at the Military Camp, and after calling Mao Xiang over to ask, he found out the reason.

It turned out that this abandoned Military Camp was previously a stronghold for a thousand-man battalion under the Shidu Forty-Eight Guards.

It was left behind after a rotation; it could only house one or two thousand people at most. Now that Zhu Gaoxu had made a grand gesture and wanted to recruit ten thousand or so, it simply couldn't accommodate them, so after Lao Zhu learned the news, he had long ago sent people to start expanding this Military Camp.