Chapter 210: This kid is sure to become a fierce general someday

……

After returning from the palace gate, Zhu Yong followed Zhu Biao to the Eastern Palace.

Chang Wan was playing with Zhu Xiongying in the courtyard.

The five‑year‑old Zhu Xiongying wore a short little outfit, held a small wooden stick in his hand, and poked at the Stone Lock in the courtyard.

"Xiong Ying!" Zhu Biao shouted.

"Father!" Zhu Xiongying dropped the stick, ran over, and clutched Zhu Biao's leg.

Zhu Biao bent down, lifted him up, and laughed, "What are you doing?"

"Practicing! Uncle Two said that when I grow up, he'll teach me to wield a hammer!" Zhu Xiongying answered loudly.

Zhu Yong chuckled dumbly, "Right, when you're a bit older, Uncle Two will teach you."

Zhu Xiongying's eyes brightened, "Really?"

The little fellow probably didn't know that he would never swing a hammer like his Uncle Two in his whole life.

"Really."

"Then when will I grow up?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and said, "In a few more years, when you're as tall as Uncle Two."

Zhu Xiongying looked at Zhu Yong's over Eight Chi frame, his little face drooped and said, "That'll take a very long time…"

Chang Wan laughed beside them, "Xiong Ying, come down, don't let Father hold you."

Zhu Xiongying struggled to get down, then ran off to find his little wooden stick again.

Zhu Biao and Zhu Yong sat down in the courtyard, and Chang Wan had someone bring tea and snacks.

"I heard something happened in the palace today?" Chang Wan asked softly.

Zhu Biao nodded, "Imperial Father issued an iron plaque forbidding eunuchs from meddling in state affairs."

Chang Wan sighed lightly, "It's about time this rule was set; over the years in the palace I've seen many eunuchs bully others."

Zhu Biao grasped her hand and said, "Don't worry, with Imperial Father here, and me here, no one dares to act rashly."

Chang Wan smiled and said nothing more.

Zhu Yong sipped tea beside them, but his mind was on other matters.

Today is the ninth day of the fifth month, more than four months after New Year's Day.

The reward for this year's sign‑in was the method of making alcohol; he has already handed the Blueprint to the Ministry of Works for the craftsmen to study.

Alcohol is incredibly useful.

Medical alcohol can save lives, high‑concentration alcohol can serve as fuel, and in the future it could be used in internal‑combustion engines…

But those are matters for later; right now the priority is getting the Ministry of Works to figure out that filtration device.

In the evening, Zhu Yong returned to Wu Wang Fu.

Guanyin Nu was soothing a child in the main chamber.

Zhu Huanhuan, already five, was perched on the edge of the couch, teasing her younger brother Zhu Qiong Jiong, who was not yet one year old.

"Father!" Zhu Huanhuan saw Zhu Yong and immediately ran over.

Zhu Yong lifted her, smiling, "Were you good today?"

"Good, I helped Mother look after my brother!" Zhu Huanhuan answered loudly.

Zhu Yong walked to the couch's edge and glanced at his son.

Zhu Qiong Jiong lay on the couch, eyes wide and round, babbling "ah‑ah" with his little hands and feet kicking wildly.

This kid, barely over a year old, already has quite a bit of strength.

A few days ago he squeezed the wet nurse's hand until it turned red.

Zhu Yong knew it was inherited Divine Strength from him.

"This kid will definitely become a fierce general someday," Zhu Yong couldn't help but laugh.

Guanyin Nu gave him a blank stare, "He's so young, and you're already thinking of sending him to war?"

Zhu Yong chuckled dumbly, "He doesn't have to fight; he can do anything."

Guanyin Nu lifted the son and patted him gently.

Zhu Huanhuan asked beside them, "Father, what happened in the palace today? Sister Xiao Ying told me someone was beheaded?"

Zhu Yong was startled; he hadn't expected the matter to be known even in the Wang Fu.

"It was two eunuchs who were beheaded for speaking out of turn in the palace," he nodded and said.

Zhu Huanhuan blinked and asked, "What's a eunuch?"

"It's… people who serve in the palace."

"Then what did they say?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and simply said, "They said things they shouldn't have, discussing state affairs."

Zhu Huanhuan nodded as if half‑understood, then earnestly said, "Then I won't speak out of turn either."

Zhu Yong patted her head and said, "Good."

……

It was late at night; Zhu Yong stood by the study window, gazing at the moon.

The day's events reminded him of a book he had read in a previous life.

The book said that the eunuch calamities of the Ming Dynasty began in the Yongle era, flourished in the Zhengtong era, and peaked in the Tianqi era.

The iron plaque erected by Zhu Yuanzhang was later moved by Zhu Di to Beiping; from then eunuchs began to rise in power, and eventually they even smashed it.

In this life, he wondered whether things would be different.

He let out a soft sigh.

However, all of this has changed; since Zhu Yong appeared, history has already altered.

Northern Yuan is gone, Nüzhen is gone, Goryeo became the Joseon Prefecture, and Wa Country also became Great Ming's East Sea Prefecture.

The Jiangnan aristocratic families, because of the Lu Clan case, were cleansed once and no longer dare to strut.

Father and elder brother's relationship is much better than in history, and elder brother is no longer often exhausted.

Also Chang Yuchun, Xu Da, Li Wenzhong and these meritorious officials are all living well.

"System, you say, in this life, can the Ming Dynasty continue to prosper?" Zhu Yong asked inwardly, though the system has no intelligence.

Sure enough, Zhu Yong did not get a reply.

However, Zhu Yong smiled; all of this already has an answer.

Paving roads?

Perhaps!

Zhu Yong only knows that in this life, he has a father, a mother, an elder brother, a wife, and children.

Zhu Yong only wants to protect them.

That's all.

Outside the window, Moonlight is like water.

From a distance the night watchman's clapper rang: "Heaven is dry, beware of fire..."

Zhu Yong turned and headed toward the bedroom.

In the bedroom, Guanyin Nu was already asleep, and the two children were also sleeping soundly.

Zhu Yong gently lay down, closing his eyes.

Tomorrow is another new day.

……

Early the next morning, Zhu Yong had just gotten up when he received a message from the palace; Zhu Yuanzhang summoned him to the palace.

In Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yuanzhang sat behind the imperial desk, a stack of blueprints spread before him.

"Yong Er, come over and take a look," Zhu Yuanzhang beckoned.

Zhu Yong walked over, and upon seeing the blueprints, realized they were the Ministry of Works' improved steam engine blueprints.

"The Ministry of Works people say this steam engine should now be able to run for a year without breaking; they followed the method you gave, replaced the sealing ring, added lubricating oil, and altered a few parts."

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed at the blueprints and said.

Zhu Yong examined carefully, nodded, and said, "Hmm, it looks much better than before."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at him, suddenly laughed, and said, "Yong Er, these years, father and Great Ming should both thank you for the things you produced."

Zhu Yong was startled, then scratched his head and said, "Father, I am your child; these are only natural."

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a moment, then said, "No matter where they come from, they are all good things: Spinning Wheel, white sugar, Salt Method, Flintlock Gun, steam engine… these things make Great Ming ever stronger."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the sky outside.

"Yong Er, tell me, in a few dozen years, what will Great Ming be like?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment, and said naively, "I don't know, but it will definitely be better than now."

Zhu Yuanzhang turned his head to look at him and smiled.

"Yes, definitely better than now."

Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, bathing the father and son.

Outside Qianqing Palace, the newly cast iron plaque shimmered with a cold, forest-like light in the sun.

"Inner officials must not interfere in state affairs; violators beheaded."

Eleven characters, engraved on the iron, also engraved in the heart of every person who sees it.