Chapter 811

Li Li Rusong kept his eyes on the telescope, observing the situation on the shore. Despite his fierce talk and appearance of wanting a quick victory, he had become extremely cautious in actual combat. In Qi Qi Jiguang's assessment, Li Li Rusong was now steady in the face of battle and possessed the makings of a commander.

He kept in mind Qi Qi Jiguang's words: Japan was mountainous, making it easy for the enemy to lie in wait and ambush to gain a local advantage. This was something the Ming army had to guard against and be vigilant about.

The Jin-tian Mountain Fortress was burning; shrines, temples, and houses were all engulfed in raging flames. The Japanese pirates were wailing. The Ming army that had stormed the beach had already deployed in column formation and was advancing. The pirates at the military port were fleeing toward the Jin-tian Mountain Fortress, while the Ming artillery continued to roar, shells landing like raindrops within the mountain fortress with shrill whistles, exploding with a boom.

"This guy is still as fierce as ever," Li Li Rusong remarked, watching Zhao Ji. This man was too dazzling to miss.

If he weren't the Deputy Commander of the Capital Garrison, Li Li Rusong would have charged even more fiercely than Zhao Ji!

But in the fifteen years he had spent in the Capital Garrison, he had fully learned the specific meaning of responsibility.

Zhao Ji, clad in full armor, led the vanguard troops—also in full armor—like a city wall, charging toward the entrance of the mountain fortress. The entrance had already collapsed under the artillery bombardment, and Zhao Ji led the iron-clad army into the fortress.

When the Ming Emperor first received Zhao Ji, Zhao Ji was only sixteen. Back then, during a test of strength with the Emperor, Zhao Ji had already been slightly inferior. If Zhao Ji hadn't learned martial arts, the title of the world's top expert in the youth category might have already changed hands.

Born with natural strength, Zhao Ji had arms a size larger than others. Tall, sturdy, and physically powerful, he led the vanguard battalion, climbing the steps to capture the mountain fortress.

"Sound the signal arrow! Main attack on Jin-tian Mountain Fortress! The third wave of landing troops, move onto the beach immediately!" Li Li Rusong adjusted the strategic plan. The entire Xie-ma-tai military port was clear at a glance; the pirates had failed to organize any effective resistance. The focus of the battlefield shifted to the Jin-tian Mountain Fortress, and the sharp blade led by Zhao Ji had already pierced the enemy's heart.

Zhao Ji was only human. Without follow-up support, the exhausted vanguard troops would fall into danger.

After careful observation, Li Li Rusong confirmed one thing: the Ming army had learned the Emperor's spirit of "anticipating the enemy with generosity" too well, perhaps even overdoing it.

The enemy's morale was already very low. Speed being the essence of war, the Ming fleet had set out as soon as the wind changed, catching the Japanese off guard. The overwhelming firepower coverage and the bombardment had completely shattered the enemy's morale.

Zhao Ji led 130 men up the steps. He took three fully armored soldiers and broke into a pirate stronghold. Before them were seventeen pirates—three against seventeen, full armor against no armor or light armor.

The flickering firelight of the mountain fortress reflected off Zhao Ji's iron armor, making it appear dim and indistinct. The Ming army's intrusion startled all the pirates.

A pirate with a centipede-like scar on his left cheek charged over, holding a sword in both hands, shouting in stiff Chinese while charging: "Ming dog!"

The Japanese sword carried a fishy wind, slashing down toward Zhao Ji, who was in the lead!

The blade was stained with blood. On the ground, a pirate clutching his stomach was wailing; clearly, this samurai had just executed a deserter, and the dark red blood remaining on the blade flicked out in a line.

"Clang!"

Sparks flew everywhere.

Zhao Ji remained motionless. The familiar copper-like smell of blood traveled from the sword guard to his tiger's mouth. His right arm's muscles bulged, and his three-foot-six-inch goose-quill saber drew a semi-arc from bottom to top—this was the "Moon Wheel Slash" from the Qi Family Saber Technique.

The Emperor was also proficient in this move; it was the most commonly used technique in the Qi Family Saber Technique, meaning it could adapt to various battlefield environments.

This move is also what the Emperor is good at, and it is the most commonly used move in the Qi family saber technique. Commonly used means it can adapt to various battlefield environments.

Zhao Ji's slash was powerful and heavy, directly severing the opponent's arm.

"Baka!" The one-armed pirate staggered back but was tripped by the corpse behind him.

The armored soldier behind Zhao Ji stepped forward abruptly. Amidst the sound of iron scales rubbing, the diamond-shaped tip of his twelve-foot steel spear pierced precisely into the gap in the pirate's chainmail at the heart, passing through the chest and bringing out a three-inch-long blood groove behind him.

The pirate looked in horror at the spear tip protruding from his body, his body twitched, and then he went still.

The armored soldier flicked his wrist and pulled out the spear.

Thirty paces away, a pirate holding an iron cannon was frantically trying to bring his lit matchlock to the priming pan. Standing five paces behind him, the last vanguard soldier narrowed his left eye and raised his flintlock musket.

Through the notch of the flintlock's sight, the "Apricot Leaf Crest" on the pirate's helmet was strikingly visible—this was the family crest of the Tsushima Sō clan, an apricot leaf.

"Bang!"

Smoke was still rising from the soldier's barrel when a thumb-sized blood hole bloomed on the pirate's forehead. The lead ball was embedded within. The iron cannon fell into a pool of blood, the unburnt match cord slowly extinguished, never to ignite the cannon again.

The pirate's lacquered armor was like paper before the flintlock musket.

The vanguard soldiers responsible for support began to reload their flintlocks calmly. There was only one iron cannon on the scene, and there were no weapons left that could threaten the armored soldiers.

In just one encounter, within three breaths, it became three against fifteen.

Infantry assault tactics: three men to a group, each responsible for attacking, covering, and supporting. Qi Qi Jiguang's "Mandarin Duck Formation" was based on units of eleven, but to adapt to the arrival of the firearm era, it was simplified into three-man squads. This formation was more flexible and changeable.

Zhao Ji sheathed his saber, seeing nine pirates twenty paces away, organized in groups of three, rapidly closing in. This was the most common formation for Japanese pirates.

Zhao Ji switched his saber to his left hand, pushed the hilt with his left hand, and drew the "Thunderbolt Musket" hanging at his waist with his right. The flint sparked against the steel, igniting the priming powder. With a roar, it spat out several tongues of fire, and the lead balls scattered like a curtain of rain toward the enemy.

The Thunderbolt Musket had great power and was specifically used for large-area damage in close combat. Its drawback was that reloading was troublesome.

Zhao Ji looked at the several pirates wailing on the ground, judging that they had completely lost their combat capability. High-quality armor played a very powerful role on the battlefield; without specialized armor-piercing weapons, it was a complete crushing victory, and the Ming army had a wide variety of firearms at its disposal.

Zhao Ji's leather boots stepped into the blood, leaving dark red footprints on the mud with every step he took toward the pirates.

A quarter of an hour later, the battle ended. All seventeen pirates lay dead under his saber. Zhao Ji sat on a rock, removed his gauntlets, and took out a powder bag to reload. The process of loading powder for the Thunderbolt Musket and flintlock was his rest time, and his movements were extremely practiced.

During the Korean campaign, the vanguard troops had discovered that all the mountain fortresses were dens of evil. The various cruel torture devices hanging with flesh and blood were the most direct evidence.

Killing these pirates was also a relief for them.

After a brief rest, Zhao Ji put his gauntlets back on and continued climbing the steps.

The battle for the Xie-ma-tai military port ended basically by dawn. The Ming army began to hunt down the pirates.

The entire pursuit process would not stray from the rear support, and the pursuit range was only five miles.

Within three days, the soldiers at the Xie-ma-tai military port had to build a camp five miles outside, forming a pincer formation with the Xie-ma-tai military port and the Jin-tian Mountain Fortress to prevent enemy counterattacks.

*The Essential Summary of Military Classics: Chapter on Camps and Formations* had very clear and strict requirements for camping in the field.

For example, the camp should be chosen in a high, dry, and sunny place, with mountains at the back and water in front, avoiding low-lying, damp areas to prevent floods and plagues; for example, watchtowers should be set up at high points to observe enemy movements; a trench fifteen feet wide and ten feet deep should be dug outside the camp, with bamboo stakes or wooden thorns at the bottom to prevent enemy climbing;

For example, a wall of earth one foot wide should be piled inside the trench, called a rampart, about ten feet high, with battlements on top for soldiers to hide and shoot; caltrops and obstacles should be placed between the rampart and the trench to prevent enemy charges;

Camp roads should be three feet wide, "clean latrines" should be set up in the camp, and no fires should be lit in the camp except by cooks; soldiers who committed minor violations of military discipline would have to clean the latrines.

The camp-building method was a compulsory course for every military officer at the Lecture Hall of Martial Arts. As long as the camp was well-built, one could wait for the enemy to attack, using terrain, engineering, and firearms to inflict maximum damage on the enemy's counterattack.

On the 15th day of the 11th month of the 15th year of Emperor Wanli, the camp five miles outside the Xie-ma-tai military port was completed. In this local war, the Ming army won a complete victory, and the battles for Upper and Lower Tsushima also ended, with reports of victory coming in one after another.

The pirates at the Xie-ma-tai military port had at least relied on the mountain fortress for symbolic resistance.

Located at the Jin-shi City of Yan-yuan Port, this was the prefectural city of Tsushima. Sō Yoshitoshi, the head of the Tsushima Sō clan, chose to surrender with his followers the moment he saw the Qi-character banner. He didn't even experience the battle formation of artillery fire; his speed in kneeling and sliding showed he had clearly been prepared.

Sō Yoshitoshi thought very clearly. He had neither organized pirates to invade Ming nor deeply participated in the war invading Korea. Ming wanted Tsushima Island as a springboard to attack the Japanese mainland. No matter how he resisted, it would be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. It was better to surrender directly; he might even get preferential treatment.

He was flexible. If necessary, he could even believe in the Western God! Fight Qi Qi Jiguang? Whoever wanted to go could go. Once that name was put out there, who dared to test his edge lightly!

He made this choice for a reason.

Tsushima Island, where Sō Yoshitoshi was located, was the necessary passage for maritime trade between Japan, Korea, and Ming. Sō Yoshitoshi understood Ming better than most Japanese daimyo. Ming had its own high moral disadvantage; Sō Yoshitoshi was not a war criminal, and the Ming Emperor would not have him beheaded for no reason.

There was an old Ming saying: "He who understands the times is a hero."

The Ming army, divided into three columns, occupied the three most important mountain fortresses on Tsushima Island, and the attacks on the remaining three mountain fortresses were gradually launched. The battlefield situation followed Qi Qi Jiguang's plan perfectly. Ten days later, the Ming army occupied the entire Tsushima Island and began to clear out the pirates.

On the 2nd day of the 12th month of the 15th year of Emperor Wanli, the Ming Emperor received the report of victory from the front line.

"No need, no need." Zhu Zhu Yijun finished reading the memorial and waved his hands repeatedly. Qi Qi Jiguang had flattered him too much in the memorial.

Phrases like "the Emperor's strategy is unique, the calculations are like a god's," "thousands of miles away, providing strategies," "above the nine heavens, deciding victory amidst the waves," "relying on the Emperor's diligent planning and secret instructions," and "the majesty of the heavens" made Zhu Zhu Yijun himself feel a bit ashamed. He had only provided some logistical support within his power.

(Full text of "Qi Qi Jiguang's Memorial of Victory")

Feng Bao said happily: "General Qi's great wish is just for the sea waves to be calm. If not for the Emperor's diligent governance, how could there be today's great victory on Tsushima Island? Even without destroying Japan, with Nagasaki in the south and Tsushima in the west, the pirates can be locked within high walls, unable to advance an inch. The sea waves will be calm, the great wish fulfilled—this is the greatest joy in life."

Qi Qi Jiguang rarely flattered so much. After all, as the Emperor's teacher, he still had to maintain some dignity on weekdays. This time, attacking Tsushima Island had fulfilled his great wish, so naturally, he had to sing the praises of the Emperor who had spent real gold and silver.

Most importantly, Ming had completed this most complex landing operation, which meant that Ming had completely shifted from cold weapon warfare to firearm warfare. Ming's military had entered a new realm.

Ming's military progress was conducive to opening the seas. A small camp, with the support of firearms, could hold out against the siege of barbarians until supplies arrived.

The Ming Emperor Zhu Zhu Yijun picked up his vermilion brush and began to write the vermilion approval: 【This victory relies on the wisdom and courage of you and others, the soldiers' willingness to die for the cause, the unity of all, and loyalty that pierces the sun. The majesty of the heavens is displayed once again; my heart is greatly comforted. Confer upon the Duke of Duke Fengguo an additional salary of 1,000 shi, bestow the Qilin robe; confer upon the Marquis of Ning-yuan Li Li Chengliang an additional salary of 800 shi, bestow upon Li Li Rusong the title of General of Dragon and Tiger; confer upon Ma Lin the title of Earl of Jing-hai; promote Zhao Ji to Regional Commander, pardon his criminal status, and bestow 100 qing of farmland. Double the pension for the fallen, provide generous money and grain for the wounded, and reward the meritorious soldiers according to their ranks.】

【The sea frontiers are initially pacified, and the pirates' courage is chilled. You should reorganize the naval forces, repair armor and weapons, and be vigilant against pirate counterattacks.】

"The front line is finished. Who should be sent to Japan to force Oda Nobunaga to surrender the mining rights?" Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at the map after approving the victory report. Forcing the other side to surrender the mining rights—gold, silver, copper, iron, and coal—Ming wanted it all, and they also needed the right to explore for mines freely.

"Oda Nobunaga's sister, Oichi." Feng Bao said in a low voice: "It would be best to have his sister persuade him."

"That's a good idea." Zhu Zhu Yijun affirmed Feng Bao's suggestion.

Feng Bao was a eunuch, and eunuchs were supposed to be sinister. This was to remind Oda Nobunaga that if he didn't agree to Ming's conditions, his family in Ming might not be safe. Ming didn't have to be the villain; sending Oda Nobunaga's family back to Japan was sending them back to purgatory.

"Let Gao Zhu Qiyu go; that way, the teacher won't have to look at Gao Zhu Qiyu with displeasure all day." Zhu Zhu Yijun designated another envoy, Gao Zhu Qiyu.

Minister of the Court of Ceremonial—this was a very high-ranking envoy. These two candidates represented both grace and power.

Going to Japan as an envoy was quite dangerous. After all, Kublai Khan had sent envoys twice, and both times they were killed by the Japanese. If anything happened to Gao Zhu Qiyu in Japan, Ming could not be blamed for being impolite.

Feng Bao took out a memorial and asked with a smile: "Your Majesty, Yao Yao Guangming, the second son of the Yao family in Beitu City, has petitioned through the Shuntian Prefecture, asking when the donations for the war against Japan can be made again? Not for anything else, just to seek a good name. The Yao family can provide 200,000 silver to prepare money and grain to reward the army at the front."

"I already said they don't need to pay. Now they are rushing to do it? They don't feel comfortable if they don't donate this money?" Zhu Zhu Yijun found it strange. In the past, whenever something needed to be done, they would all hide far away. Now, for the war against Japan, everyone was so active.

Feng Bao said happily: "It's because they are afraid Your Majesty is short of money and intends to confiscate their property. Taking the initiative to offer some saves Your Majesty the trouble."

They were afraid the Emperor wouldn't be polite!

So, the powerful and wealthy intended to take the initiative to offer tribute. If they forced the Emperor to the point of extorting military pay because of the war against Japan, and then had their homes confiscated and their whole families cursed, wouldn't they lose money, property, and reputation all at once?

The military supplies at the front were sufficient. This wasn't Zhu Zhu Yijun talking nonsense. Since they stopped transporting grain to the front, the Capital Garrison's reliance on Ming was mainly for gunpowder, and grain was supplied locally by Korea, which minimized the losses from transporting grain. Last year's donations had just been used up, and the Emperor's contributions had just begun.

Actually, one couldn't blame Qi Qi Jiguang for flattering. In October, the Emperor felt that winter was coming, so he prepared 30,000 cotton coats, 50,000 pairs of cotton shoes, 15,000 fine wool cloaks, and 30,000 dog-skin hats for the Ming army to use in winter. But in fact, Korea was near the sea and wasn't that cold.

Feng Bao poured a cup of water for the Emperor and talked about the news in the capital. The Emperor read the miscellaneous reports, and Feng Bao read them too, telling the Emperor some interesting things that happened in the capital every day.

"Recently, something happened at the Qian-men Tower. A great Confucian scholar came from Jiangnan to give lectures. I don't know if it was because of the change in climate or what, but he was truly packed when lecturing in Jiangnan, with guests never stopping. But when he came to lecture at the Qian-men Tower, except for the first day, every session was just two or three people. It was truly a strange thing."

"This great Confucian complained that the big teahouse didn't arrange good time slots for him, only early morning and noon." Feng Bao talked about the liveliness of the gatherings at the Qian-men Tower.

The Emperor did not oppose scholars gathering to talk, so in recent years, scholar gatherings had become a trend, mainly focusing on criticizing current affairs. Some bottom lines could not be touched in these gatherings, otherwise, it would invite thunderous wrath, such as subverting Ming, beautifying pirates, or attacking the Grand Tutor, etc. Above the bottom line, it was completely left to the invisible hand.

The fees for these gatherings were extremely expensive, and the topics discussed were also varied. Many miscellaneous report writers mixed in, picking up what others said, and could publish a miscellaneous report article just by copying a little from it.

"Is that Zhao Zhao Nanxing?" Zhu Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and said with a smile.

Zhao Zhao Nanxing, a good friend of Gu Assistant County Magistrate, was one of the founders of the Donglin Academy. Zhao Zhao Nanxing should have passed the imperial examination in the second year of Emperor Wanli, but Zhu Zhu Yijun waved his big brush, and Zhao Zhao Nanxing could only move around as a *juren*. Even as a famous scholar, not passing the imperial examination meant he was a bit lacking.

Zhao Zhao Nanxing's lectures in the south were indeed packed, but when he came to the north, no one supported him.

"Your Majesty is wise." Feng Bao said with a smile.

Zhu Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "Li Zhe's gatherings are packed every time, and the melon seeds and tea sell better than the tickets. The big teahouse at Qian-men Tower is also a business. Zhao Zhao Nanxing has no one listening, so naturally, they won't give him good time slots."

"Flies looking for excrement—picking the stinky ones."

"Who invited Zhao Zhao Nanxing from the south? Isn't it those stinky old scholars, old literati, and cheap Confucians in the capital? These cheap Confucians are flies, and this Zhao Zhao Nanxing is that pile of excrement—stinky on top of stinky."

Zhu Zhu Yijun used foul language. He had gone to listen once as "Young Master Huang." Hearing this Zhao Zhao Nanxing talk about so-called "disputes of heart and nature" to "governing the world and saving from harm," Zhu Zhu Yijun almost fell asleep. The whole thing was nonsense, too empty and hollow.

Once he spoke, he said the Ming officials were too vulgar, only knowing how to sing praises, saying Wan Wan Shihe was spineless, saying Shen Li was flattering, and that being upright without flattery was integrity, and only with integrity could the world be shaken.

The words made sense. Xu Xu Chengchu had integrity. The Emperor's will was decided to promote universal education and not prohibit the free movement of people. Xu Xu Chengchu immediately stood up and reminded the Emperor of the dangers. The words made sense, the Emperor accepted the good advice, the monarch was wise, the minister was virtuous, and the world was peaceful.

But the integrity Zhao Zhao Nanxing talked about was completely different. He said that the official selection method destroyed the order of nobility and seniority, that criticizing schools was contrary to the moral principles, that Ming's entry into the war was a reckless use of military force, putting the world in danger, and was a reckless use of military force—all sorts of things like this. This was the "uprightness without flattery" that Zhao Zhao Nanxing understood.

This fit Zhu Zhu Yijun's stereotype of old literati.

Zhu Zhu Yijun didn't throw the big teacup at Zhao Zhao Nanxing's face at the time because he, Zhu Zhu Yijun, was a scholar with cultivation. It was a pity that Zhao Zhao Nanxing, a person of the old era, had not boarded the giant ship leading to the new era.

Letting the pirates occupy Korea, letting the pirates land and stand firm, becoming a great threat in the northeast direction—this Zhao Zhao Nanxing would be happy. The reason his set of theories had no one listening and no one believing was that it was too old-fashioned, already outdated, and even unable to keep up with the times.

At that time, there were scholar-officials who couldn't sit still and stood up to criticize Zhao Zhao Nanxing.

They said: "Criticizing the official selection method is called disrupting the order of nobility; ridiculing the schools is called violating the moral principles; discussing the imperial army is called scolding it for being reckless. Holding onto the past, still holding broken bamboo slips to discuss military strategy; sitting in a well and looking at the sky, actually calling the world a sea of weeds. His so-called integrity is nothing more than decorating the moral principles as chains, treating the ancestors' works as the standard, and the corrupt Confucian's reckless discussion of the temple's strategy is just like a summer insect talking about ice—empty talk ruining the country, nothing more."

Zhao Zhao Nanxing's failure was the success of Ming's great cultural debate, the cultural Emperor Wanli Reform.

"Your Majesty, the Empress and the Eldest Imperial Prince are here." A young eunuch walked in and reported.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was stunned and looked at the sun. It wasn't evening yet, and generally, there was nothing important. Wang Wang Yaozhuo wouldn't disturb him while he was handling government affairs. He nodded and said: "Quick, invite them in."

Wang Wang Yaozhuo walked in, holding Zhu Zhu Changzhi's hand. Wang Wang Yaozhuo was as elegant as ever, while Zhu Zhu Changzhi put his hands behind his back and said mysteriously: "Father, I begged Mother to bring me to see you."

"Oh? Is there something you need, Zhier?" Zhu Zhu Yijun put the memorial aside and asked with a full smile.

Zhu Zhu Changzhi said in a low voice: "I assembled a clock myself. The doctor at the Academy of Things said I was clever, but the lecturer at the Hanlin Academy said I was not attending to my proper duties."

"You assembled a clock yourself? Let Father see." Zhu Zhu Yijun was greatly surprised and signaled for Zhu Zhu Changzhi to quickly take out the clock hidden behind his back.

Zhu Zhu Changzhi placed his assembled pendulum clock on the table, pointed to the wooden toy assembled with mortise and tenon joints, and said: "Father, look, this is the weight. After winding it up, it will fall slowly. This side is the pendulum. The weight falling drives the gears to rotate, the escapement device is driven once, and the pendulum swings once."

"The second hand on the dial will jump one grid. One turn of the second hand is sixty beats, exactly one minute. One turn of the minute hand is sixty beats, exactly one hour. Two hours is one *Zhou Shichen*, and twelve *Zhou Shichen* is one day."

"The doctor of things said it was this falling weight that provided the force for the gears."

"Very impressive!" Zhu Zhu Yijun fiddled with it and asked: "Was it because the homework left by the lecturer wasn't finished that he criticized you for not attending to your proper duties?"

Zhu Zhu Changzhi shook his head repeatedly and said: "I finished the homework. Mother said as long as I practice martial arts well, read and write well, and finish the homework, she would take me to assemble the toy box from the *Yongle Li Dadian* simplified edition."

"This is the first time I assembled it all by myself!"

Zhu Zhu Changzhi emphasized "all by myself," as if he were showing off.

"Impressive, you assembled it all by yourself. Then, do you think the doctor of things is right, or the lecturer at the Hanlin Academy is right?" Zhu Zhu Yijun didn't give the answer directly but asked instead.

Zhu Zhu Changzhi said very firmly: "I think the doctor of things is right, not because he praised me, but because the lecturer's criticism is wrong."

"Grand Uncle De told me that knowledge is meant to be used, not to be talked about. Only knowledge that can be used is useful."

Grand Uncle De was Zhu Zhu Zaiyu, who was also Zhu Zhu Changzhi's teacher of things. Clearly, on the matter of reasoning, Zhu Zhu Zaiyu supported Zhu Zhu Changzhi in "not attending to proper duties." This was actually Zhu Zhu Zaiyu's consistent view: the way of sage learning lies in governing the world and benefiting the people.

"Very good." Zhu Zhu Yijun patted Zhu Zhu Changzhi's head, his face full of sunshine and smiles. The lecturer hadn't taught a submissive child, but instead, a somewhat rebellious boy.

Wang Wang Yaozhuo said helplessly: "He refuses to practice martial arts, so I give him a day off every three days and allow him to assemble mortise and tenon joints. Those scholar-officials always say he is not attending to his proper duties. I don't know what to say, and I don't know what kind of prince those scholar-officials want to be satisfied."

Zhu Zhu Changzhi had finally adjusted to being satisfactory to the Emperor, the Empress, and the Academy of Things, but now the scholar-officials were dissatisfied again.

"They want a submissive, obedient child, not an emperor." Zhu Zhu Yijun answered Wang Wang Yaozhuo's question while playing with Zhu Zhu Changzhi's mortise and tenon toy.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was not polite at all. He had forced through the decision to have Zhang Zhang Juzheng lecture alone for this very reason. These people weren't cultivating a crown prince or emperor who could shoulder responsibilities, but were cultivating the crown prince to be a child, preferably one who would remain a child even after growing up.

Over-reliance on others to solve problems; ignoring the relationship between rights and responsibilities; ignoring the feelings of others; capricious, extreme emotional fluctuations, irritable, and easily angered; prone to panic after causing trouble;

Unable to bear any setbacks or criticism; habitually shifting responsibility and blaming the outside world—that is, others, society, and the injustice of fate—for mistakes; regarding oneself as the center of the world and believing everything is taken for granted; placing one's own needs completely above any rules.

If it were an ordinary person, it wouldn't matter, but Zhu Zhu Changzhi was the crown prince; he couldn't be a child forever.

An emperor who shoulders the sun and moon, with the country and society tied to his body, remaining a child after growing up, is a disaster for the people and a tragedy for Ming.

"Mother, look at Father! He broke it!" Zhu Zhu Changzhi pointed angrily at the broken part.

Father didn't know what he was thinking, he was clumsy, and couldn't even assemble a mortise and tenon joint. If he had known, he wouldn't have asked him to play!

"They want an obedient, well-behaved child, not an emperor." Zhu Zhu Yijun replied to Wang Wang Yaozhuo's question while playing with mortise and tenon toys with Zhu Zhu Changzhi.

Zhu Zhu Yijun was not polite at all. This was the reason why he had insisted on Zhang Zhang Juzheng giving lectures alone. These people were not cultivating a crown prince or emperor who could take on responsibilities, but

cultivating the crown prince to become a child, preferably one whose heart would remain a child when he grew up.

Over-reliance on others to solve problems; ignoring the equivalence of rights and responsibilities; ignoring the feelings of others; capricious, extreme emotional fluctuations, irritable, and fearful after causing trouble;

difficult to bear any setbacks and criticism; habitually shirking responsibility and blaming errors on the outside world, that is, the injustice of others, society, and fate; regarding oneself as the center of the world and believing that everything is justified; placing one's own needs completely above any rules.

If it were an ordinary person, it wouldn't matter, but Zhu Zhu Changzhi is the crown prince. He cannot be a child forever.

An emperor who carries the sun and moon on his shoulders and has the country and society tied to his body, but is still a child when he grows up, is a disaster for the people and a tragedy for Great Ming.

"Mother, look at Father! He broke it!" Zhu Zhu Changzhi pointed angrily at a broken part.

Father didn't know what he was thinking, he was clumsy, and he couldn't even put together a mortise and tenon. If he had known, he wouldn't have asked him to play!