Chapter 306: If You Come, I'm No Longer the King

……

Back on the boat, the sky was already dark.

Guanyin Nu was waiting in the cabin; seeing him come in, she hurried to greet him.

"Prince, are you all right?"

Zhu Yong shook his head and sat down on the chair.

"I'm fine, just went swimming for a while."

Guanyin Nu was startled for a moment, then smiled wryly.

"Your swimming saved a few lives."

Zhu Yong also laughed.

Zhu Huanhuan and Zhu Qiong Jiong ran in, and Zhu Qiong Jiong grabbed Zhu Yong's leg.

"Dad, you just went into the water, I also want to swim!"

Zhu Yong lowered his head, looked at him, and laughed, "After we return to Yingtian Hou, Dad will take you swimming again."

Zhu Qiong Jiong pursed his lips and said, "I want to swim right now."

Zhu Huanhuan whispered beside him, "You fool, the river is so swift; go in and you'll die."

Zhu Qiong Jiong glared at her and snorted in dissent.

……

On the fifth day of the fourth month, the fleet entered Xi Ling Xia.

This water route was more treacherous than before; the river was so narrow that only two boats could pass side by side, the cliffs on both banks towered, and looking up the sky was reduced to a slit.

Zhu Yong stood at the bow, his gaze sweeping the banks, when he suddenly saw faint markings on the cliff wall.

He squinted and examined them; they were a few lines of engravings, ancient and blurred, but one could vaguely discern that they were verses left by scholars of the Tang and Song eras.

"The monkeys on both banks keep crying, while the light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains," he whispered.

"Dad, what are you reciting?" Zhu Huanhuan walked over, asking curiously.

Zhu Yong lowered his head, looked at her, and laughed, "It's a poem by Li Bai, written here."

Zhu Huanhuan's eyes lit up, and she followed his gaze toward the cliff.

"Were those characters carved by Li Bai?"

"Not necessarily; they may have been carved by later generations, but the poem is indeed his."

Zhu Huanhuan nodded thoughtfully, then said, "Dad, I also want to write poetry."

Zhu Yong looked at her, smiled, and said, "Fine, when you grow up, write a poem better than Li Bai's."

Zhu Huanhuan's little face flushed slightly, and she nodded gently.

……

At noon, the fleet anchored at a shallow sandbank.

It was called a sandbank, but really it was just a small patch of pebbles, barely enough for a person to stand on.

Zhu Yong led his family off the boat to stretch their legs.

Zhu Qiong Jiong hopped off the boat, ran to find a stone, picked one up and tossed it into the river, splashing a spray of water.

"Jiong Jiong, stop throwing things recklessly!" Guanyin Nu shouted.

Zhu Qiong Jiong turned back, made a funny face, and kept throwing.

Zhu Huanhuan sat on a large stone, opened the Shijing, and read aloud softly.

"Guan Guan Ju Wine, on the islet of the river. Graceful and modest lady, a gentleman makes a good match..."

Her voice was crisp, echoing through the canyon.

Suddenly, a mournful monkey howl came from the cliff wall, interrupting her recitation.

Zhu Huanhuan looked up and saw several monkeys scrambling and leaping on the cliff, glancing this way.

Zhu Qiong Jiong also saw them and waved excitedly toward them.

"Come down! Come down and play!"

The monkeys, hearing his shout, darted into the forest and vanished.

Zhu Qiong Jiong pursed his lips and kept throwing stones.

Zhu Yong stood by the riverbank, watching the swift current, when he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

It was Zhang Wu.

"Prince, there's a situation."

Zhu Yong turned around.

Zhang Wu lowered his voice and said, "A scout just reported that ten li ahead, there's a band of river bandits, about a hundred men, entrenched on a river island."

Zhu Yong raised an eyebrow.

River bandits...

It's the first time we've encountered them on this journey.

"Did you get a clear report?"

"Yes, those river bandits have been operating in this area for several years, preying on passing merchant ships; the authorities have tried to eradicate them several times but haven't succeeded."

Zhu Yong was silent for a moment, then his mouth curved slightly.

"Perfect, let the brothers of the Longxiang Army practice their skills."

Zhang Wu also laughed.

……

At dusk, the fleet sailed toward that river island.

The island was small, only about a li in radius, with a few crude wooden huts on it, and one could vaguely see people moving about.

Zhu Yong stood at the bow, his gaze sweeping over the island.

"Zhang Wu, take five hundred men, circle around from behind and block their retreat."

"Yes!"

"Chen Heng, take three hundred men, launch a frontal assault."

"Yes!"

The orders were passed down one after another.

The Longxiang Army soldiers prepared silently, loading their Flintlock Guns and drawing their Waist Knives.

The sky gradually darkened.

The moon had not yet risen, and the river surface was pitch black.

A few small boats slipped silently away from the rear of the fleet, carrying Zhang Wu and five hundred soldiers, and vanished into the night.

Half an hour later, firelight suddenly flared on the island, followed by war cries that shook the heavens.

"Kill!"

"Don't let a single one escape!"

Chen Heng led three hundred men, steering a large ship toward the island in the river's heart; before the boarding ramp was steady, the soldiers surged forward.

The crack of Flintlock Guns, the clash of blades, and the wails of the wounded tangled into chaos.

The river bandits had never seen such a display; before they could react, they were stunned.

In less than half an hour, the battle ended.

Over a hundred river bandits: more than thirty were killed, over eighty captured, and none escaped.

Zhang Wu escorted several leaders to Zhu Yong.

The leaders knelt on the ground, trembling all over, not daring to lift their heads.

"M‑Master, spare us…" the one at the front kowtowed repeatedly.

Zhu Yong lowered his head, looking at him, and asked, "How many years have you been here?"

"M‑Master, we… we have been here… five or six years…"

"How many ships have you seized?"

"Th‑this… I can't recall…"

Zhu Yong looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"If you can't remember, then don't bother."

He waved his hand and said to Zhang Wu, "Take them all away; tomorrow send them to Kui Prefecture, and hand them over to the authorities."

"Yes!"

The bandits were dragged away, still shouting "Spare us."

Zhu Yong stood at the bow, watching the river surface gradually calm.

The moon rose, its light glinting on the water.

The river bandits' wooden huts were still burning, the flames reddening half the sky.

"Father!"

A shout came from behind.

Zhu Yong turned back and saw Zhu Qiong Jiong running toward him, his face excited.

"Father, there was a battle just now, I heard a huge noise!"

Zhu Yong bent down, lifted him, and laughed, "It's over, go back and sleep."

Zhu Qiong Jiong pouted, "I haven't even seen it yet."

"There's nothing to watch in a battle, go to sleep."

Zhu Qiong Jiong was reluctantly carried back into the cabin.

Guanyin Nu stood at the cabin doorway, watching the father and son, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

……

On the seventh day of the fourth month, the fleet sailed out of the Three Gorges.

The river opened up, the mountains on both banks gradually lowered, and the current eased.

Zhu Yong stood at the bow, gazing at the increasingly distinct outline of the city ahead.

Kui Prefecture, arrived.

At the dock, the Prefect of Kui Prefecture was already waiting with officials.

Obviously, someone had sent word in advance.

The fleet slowly docked, and the boarding ramp was lowered.

Zhu Yong disembarked with his family, and the Prefect of Kui Prefecture immediately came forward, kneeling in salute.

"I, the Prefect of Kui Prefecture Zhang Chongwen, respectfully welcome Prince Wu!"

Zhu Yong waved his hand and said, "Rise, no need for formalities."

Zhang Chongwen rose, carefully accompanying a smile.

"Your Highness has traveled far; I have prepared a modest feast to receive you and freshen you…"

Zhu Yong looked at him and suddenly asked, "Prefect Zhang, what do you intend to do with those river bandits?"

Zhang Chongwen was startled, then replied, "This… I shall punish them severely without mercy!"

Zhu Yong nodded, then asked, "How many years have you been in office?"

"Sir, I… have been in office for two years."

"Two years, that band of water bandits have been active here for five or six years; do you know?"

Zhang Chongwen's forehead broke into sweat, stammering: "I, the servant... I know, but... those water bandits are entrenched on River‑Heart Island, easy to defend and hard to attack. I have sent troops to besiege them several times, and... all returned without success..."

Zhu Yong looked at him, saying nothing.

That gaze made Zhang Chongwen's heart bristle.

"Prince, I... I..."

"Fine, this time I hand the men over to you. If you let them escape again, or give them a light sentence, the next one who comes won't be this king." Zhu Yong cut him off.

Zhang Chongwen shivered and nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, yes, I will certainly handle it severely!"

……

That night, Zhu Yong stayed a night at the Kui Prefecture yamen.

Early the next morning, they set out again.

The fleet left Kui, entered the Han River, and headed north.

The scenery on both banks gradually became familiar: villages, fields, towns, each flashing past.

Zhu Qiong Jiong leaned over the ship's rail, looking at the herd of cattle on the shore, and shouted excitedly.

"Father, cattle! So many cattle!"

Zhu Huanhuan sat in the cabin, cradling the Book of Songs, and read it softly.

Guanyin Nu was mending clothes, occasionally looking up at the two children with a smile at the corner of her mouth.

Zhu Yong stood at the bow, facing the river wind, gazing ahead.

At this speed, another ten days and they'll reach Xiangyang.

Beyond Xiangyang lies Hanzhong, then Guanzhong.

Then the Western Regions.

Then the Timur Empire.

He didn't know what was waiting for him over there.

But he knew, no matter what he encountered, he was not afraid.

Because he is Zhu Yong.

Great Ming's Wu King.