Chapter 195: Worth It

……

After leaving Zhuangzi, it was already noon.

Zhu Yong rode his horse back and suddenly asked Wang Gui, "Wang Ge, do you think I should look for something to do?"

Wang Gui was startled and said, "Prince, why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

Zhu Yong said, "I'm bored to death; big brother is busy with state affairs every day, fifth brother is researching herbs in the manor, and as for me, I have nothing to do."

Wang Gui thought for a moment and said, "Prince, if you can't stay idle, you could go train the troops! Those kids of the Longxiang Army haven't seen you for many days."

Zhu Yong's eyes lit up: "Right! Training!"

He clamped his hand on the horse's belly, and the reddish‑brown horse sped toward Yingtian Fu.

……

In the days that followed, Zhu Yong went to the Longxiang Army Military Camp every morning, leading the soldiers in drills.

The Longxiang Army is the elite of the capital garrison, totaling thirty thousand men, half stationed outside the city and half on duty inside.

Zhu Yong, this Grand General Zhenglu, usually doesn't handle concrete affairs, but whenever he goes, the troops work especially hard.

Not for any other reason, it's simply because Prince Wu is truly capable in battle.

Zhu Yong's training isn't fancy; it's just building strength, stamina, and coordination.

He led the way himself, bearing the pair of 1,200‑jin drum‑jar golden hammers, and had the Imperial Troops run laps around the Training Ground.

One lap, two laps, three laps…

After ten laps, the Imperial Troops were panting like oxen, while Zhu Yong's face stayed unflushed and his breath steady.

"Everyone get up, don't lie on the ground; that's only ten laps. I usually run thirty laps without issue," Zhu Yong said, kicking each of them in the butt.

Zhang Wu lay on the ground wailing, "Prince, your strength is a gift from the heavens; we can't match it!"

"Even if we can't match it, we must train; training is always better than not training," Zhu Yong said.

The Imperial Troops had no choice but to get up and continue training.

In the afternoon, Zhu Yong returned to the manor to keep Guanyin Nu company, or to teach Huan Huan a few characters.

Zhu Huanhuan was a little over four years old, the age most eager to move about.

She ran in and out of the manor, followed by a group of maidservants hurrying to feed her.

Sometimes Zhu Yong took her to the garden to play, and the little girl would perch on his neck, giggling nonstop.

"Father, does mother have a little brother in her belly?" one day, Huan Huan suddenly asked.

Zhu Yong was startled and asked, "Who told you that?"

"Grandma said it, Grandma said mother will give Huan Huan a little brother," Huan Huan replied.

Zhu Yong chuckled, "Whether it's a brother or a sister, they'll both be your companion."

"Then Huan Huan wants a brother; a sister would be bad, a sister would snatch Huan Huan's candy," Huan Huan said seriously.

Zhu Yong was at a loss, neither laughing nor crying.

"This girl must have learned it from her third and fourth uncles, right?"

……

One day at the end of June, Zhu Biao suddenly arrived at Wu Wang Fu.

Zhu Yong was in the back courtyard, playing cuju with Huan Huan.

Zhu Huanhuan took short steps to chase the ball, gave it a kick, and the ball wobbled away as she giggled.

Zhu Biao came in and happened to see the scene.

"Big brother!" Zhu Yong stopped his steps and turned to meet him.

"Second brother, Huan Huan, have you missed big uncle?" Zhu Biao said, smiling, patting his shoulder, then squatting down to hug the running Zhu Huanhuan.

"Missed you! Big uncle, did you bring candy?" Huan Huan clung to his neck, speaking in a baby voice.

"Got it, got it. It's being held at the doorway; I'll give it to you in a moment," Zhu Biao said, laughing.

"Big uncle, you're the best!" Huan Huan immediately wriggled out of his arms and ran toward the doorway.

Zhu Yong shook his head helplessly, "This girl, I don't know who she resembles, but she's always thinking about food."

"Third brother and fourth brother have left; Huan Huan is bored and misses them," Zhu Biao said.

The two brothers sat on a stone bench.

"Big brother, why do you have free time today?" Zhu Yong asked.

Zhu Biao said, "I just came back from Zhuangzi outside the city; the potatoes have matured, I dug a few mu to test the harvest. Guess how much?"

"How much?"

"Twenty‑three shi, the highest‑yield field gave twenty‑three shi, more than the twenty shi you mentioned," Zhu Biao said, his eyes sparkling.

Zhu Yong grinned, "That's great then."

"The sweet potatoes and corn are also ripening soon; the yield should be fine. Second brother, with these three crops, Great Ming will never have anyone starve again."

Zhu Biao smiled.

He paused, looked at Zhu Yong seriously, and said, "Second brother, big brother thanks you on behalf of all the people."

Zhu Yong scratched his head and said, "Big brother, you keep saying that, and I feel embarrassed. The items came from the White-bearded Old Man; I'm just the one who delivers them."

Zhu Biao chuckled and said, "No matter who gave them, you're the one who delivers."

He stood up and looked at the pomegranate tree in the courtyard.

"Imperial Father has been in a great mood these days; yesterday at court he said, 'Yong Er is Great Ming's lucky star.'"

Zhu Yong gave a simple laugh.

Zhu Biao turned his head and suddenly said, "Second brother, big brother has something to ask you."

"Big brother, go ahead…"

"You, those… the things the White-bearded Old Man gave you, where did they actually come from?"

Zhu Yong was startled for a moment, then brushed it off: "Big brother, I don't know how they came, it's just that every Spring Festival, I fall asleep, dream of that old man, he gives me something, and when I wake up the thing is in my arms."

Zhu Biao looked at him, his gaze deep.

After a moment, he nodded and said: "Big brother, I believe you."

He paused, then said: "Big brother asks you this not because I doubt you, but to remind you, don't tell anyone about this anymore."

"If anyone asks, just say you had someone buy it from overseas."

Zhu Yong blinked and said: "Big brother, are you afraid someone will harm me?"

"It's not that I'm afraid someone will harm you, it's that I'm afraid someone will covet you; any of those things you have, if taken out, can drive the world mad. Someone will wonder if they can squeeze more out of your mouth."

Zhu Biao said.

Zhu Yong nodded seriously and said: "I understand; from now on I'll say it's all arranged by big brother."

Zhu Biao patted his shoulder and said: "Also, every Spring Festival, stay inside the mansion more, don't go out much; big brother will send people to guard outside Wu Wang Fu, and let no one enter."

Zhu Yong chuckled naively: "Big brother, you're more thoughtful than I thought."

Zhu Biao looked at him, softly: "Second brother, you are big brother's younger brother; in this life, big brother will always protect you."

Zhu Yong felt warm inside and nodded heavily.

……

In the evening, Zhu Biao ate dinner in the Eastern Palace before leaving.

Zhu Yong saw him off; when he returned, Guanyin Nu was sitting under the lamp watching Huan Huan write characters.

"Big brother left?" Guanyin Nu looked up and asked.

"Mm." Zhu Yong sat down and told Guanyin Nu the words Zhu Biao had said.

Guanyin Nu, after listening, said softly: "The Crown Prince treats the Prince so well."

"Big brother is indeed kind to me, but he's much closer than the other brothers," Zhu Yong said.

Guanyin Nu smiled, said nothing.

Huan Huan finished the last character, looked up and bragged: "Dad, Mom, Huan Huan is done!"

Zhu Yong leaned over to look; on the paper were a few crooked big characters: "Wu Wang, Huan Huan."

"Who taught you this?" Zhu Yong asked.

"Elder uncle taught me. Elder uncle said this is the name of Huan Huan's dad, and also Huan Huan's name," Huan Huan said proudly.

Zhu Yong lifted her up, kissed her and said happily: "Huan Huan is really clever."

Huan Huan giggled.

Outside the window, the moon rose.

In the night wind came a faint lotus fragrance.

The summer of the ninth year of Hongwu drifted quietly like this.

……

Meanwhile, outside the city, a village.

Chen Liang stood at the edge of the potato field, looking at bags of packed potatoes, his face full of excitement.

Over twenty shi!

One mu of land, harvest over twenty shi.

What does this mean...

It means the same land can sustain five to ten times as many people.

It means those poor places with many mountains and little land can also grow food.

It means Great Ming's famine will never return from now on.

"Lord, what shall we do with these potatoes?" a minor official asked.

Chen Liang thought for a moment and said: "First store them in the cellar; tomorrow report to the Ministry of Revenue, then decide what to do with them."

"Yes..."

The minor official led people to move the potatoes into the cellar.

Chen Liang stood on the ridge, looked up at the sky.

The starry sky was brilliant.

He suddenly recalled the words the Wu King said during the day.

"Lord Chen, if you work hard and these things are cultivated, you, Lord Chen, will be a meritorious official of Great Ming."

Whether he's a meritorious official or not, Chen Liang didn't think that much.

But he knew that this life, it was worth it.