Chapter 404: Aid from Australia

The twentieth year of Hongwu, the ninth day of the seventh month.

Yingtian Prefecture, Prince Wu's residence.

The pomegranate tree in the main courtyard was laden with green fruits, heavy enough to bend the branches.

Cicadas chirped in successive bursts, the heat making people irritable.

Zhu Yong stood under the corridor, hands clasped behind his back, staring at the pomegranate tree; his face showed little expression, but his fingers kept rubbing together.

He was waiting.

He had been waiting since morning, for an hour.

From inside the house came Guanyin Nu's suppressed groan and the midwife's shout: "Princess, push harder, push harder, I see the head!"

Zhu Yong's fingers rubbed faster.

Zhu Huanhuan carried a bowl of cold tea over and said softly, "Father, have a sip, don't rush."

Zhu Yong took the bowl, drank a mouthful, then handed it back.

"When your mother gave birth to you, it took longer; I wasn't in a hurry..." he began.

Zhu Huanhuan froze for a moment, then smiled, "Father, you still remember?"

"I remember. How could I forget? Back then in Yingtian Prefecture, your imperial grandmother was frantic, your elder uncle summoned the best physicians from the Imperial Medical Office, and I, your father, stood at the doorway, even more anxious..."

Zhu Yong turned and looked at the tightly shut door.

Zhu Huanhuan said nothing, standing quietly beside her father.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment, only the cicadas and faint sounds from the house.

Suddenly, a baby's wail rang out from the house, startlingly loud.

Zhu Yong's steps halted.

The door opened, and the midwife emerged holding a swaddling cloth, smiling broadly: "Congratulations, Prince, it's a little prince!"

Zhu Yong took the swaddling cloth, lowered his head to look at the wrinkled little face.

The child cried fiercely, its tiny fists clenched tightly, its cheeks flushed bright red.

He held the child for a while, then handed it to the midwife and strode into the house.

Guanyin Nu leaned on the bed, pale, drenched in sweat, yet her eyes shone.

Zhu Yong sat at the bedside, grasped her hand and said, "You've worked hard."

Guanyin Nu shook her head and said softly, "Prince, the child looks like you."

"Looks good on me, strong..." Zhu Yong reached out to smooth the damp hair on her forehead.

Guanyin Nu smiled.

Zhu Huanhuan followed in, squatted by the mother's bedside and asked softly, "Mother, does it hurt?"

Guanyin Nu touched her daughter's head and said softly, "It doesn't hurt; it was the same when I gave birth to you."

Zhu Qiongjiong burst in from outside, and as soon as he entered, shouted, "Father, where's my little brother! Let me see..."

He ran to the midwife, tiptoed and peered into the swaddling cloth.

The little one had stopped crying, eyes closed, its tiny mouth puckered as if dreaming.

"So small..." Zhu Qiongjiong reached out and poked his brother's face.

Zhu Huanhuan pulled his hand away and said, "Don't poke; he's just born, not yet firm."

Zhu Qiongjiong withdrew his hand, but his eyes still stared at his brother.

"Father, what is the little brother's name?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and said, "Your imperial grandfather said that this generation takes the character 'Qiong'; you are called Qiongjiong, and he is called Qiongwu."

"Zhu Qiongwu, what a good name! When he grows up, I'll teach him martial arts." Zhu Qiongjiong grinned.

Guanyin Nu looked at the children, a smile at the corner of her mouth.

Xiao Zhu entered from outside and said softly, "Prince, people have arrived from the palace, saying they were sent by the Emperor and Empress, bringing many supplements."

Zhu Yong stood up and left the room.

In the courtyard stood a eunuch, followed by several palace maids, each holding boxes of various sizes.

"Prince Wu, the Emperor and Empress heard that the Princess has given birth, and have ordered us to deliver these supplements, as well as a welcome gift for the little prince." the eunuch bowed.

Zhu Yong nodded and replied, "Please convey my thanks to the Imperial Father and Imperial Mother on my behalf."

"Yes..." the eunuch bowed again and withdrew with the maids.

Zhu Yong stood under the corridor, looking at the pile of supplements, feeling warm inside.

Although his parents were absent, they were on his mind.

He turned and walked back into the room, sitting beside Guanyin Nu.

"The palace sent many items; later have Huan Huan tidy them up."

Guanyin Nu nodded, then suddenly recalled something and said softly, "Prince, any news from Australia?"

Zhu Yong's expression tightened briefly.

A few days earlier, Zhu Shuang wrote that in the northwest of Australia, more than ten warships had been spotted, bearing flags identical to the previous fleet's, crewed by blond‑haired, blue‑eyed people.

Mu Ying received the news in the South Sea and had already led a navy to rush over.

The letter had not yet arrived, so the battle situation was unknown.

"Not yet; it should be soon," he said.

Guanyin Nu looked at him and did not ask further.

She knew her husband had matters on his mind, but some things were beyond her concern.

At night, Zhu Yong sat in the study, a map of Australia spread before him.

He had been looking at it for half an hour.

In the northwest of Australia, that is the place most likely for the European fleet to land.

The coastline is long, ports are few, making defense difficult.

Zhu Shuang has thirty thousand troops, and with Mu Ying's South Sea navy, it should be enough to deal with a dozen or so warships.

But what if there are more than just a dozen ships?

The letter says those people mentioned "there will be dozens more warships coming later," indicating their stronghold still has more ships and more men.

Zhu Yong leans against the chair back, eyes closed.

In the previous life's history, Europeans reached Australia in the seventeenth century, over two hundred years later than now.

In this life, many things were brought forward because of Great Ming's rise.

The Timur Empire was destroyed early, the Ottoman Empire was crippled early, and the Europeans' route to the East was opened early.

They arrived faster and earlier than in the previous life.

Still, that's fine.

If they come, Great Ming is not afraid.

He opened his eyes, picked up the pen, and began writing a letter to Zhu Shuang.

"Third brother, reading this feels like seeing you; all is well here at Yingtian Prefecture. Your third sister‑in‑law gave birth today—a son, and Imperial Father named him Qiongwu. Keep a close watch on the battle in Australia; those European fleets—when one comes, fight one; when two come, fight a pair.

But do not underestimate them; their shipbuilding is not inferior to ours, and although our Huogi are not as good as Flintlock Guns, they are not weak either.

Over at the South Sea, I have already tasked Mu Ying elder brother to keep watch; he has five thousand Longxiang Army troops, and with the existing navy, it should be enough.

If you cannot hold out there, write to me, and I will bring troops over.

Take care. Second Prince."

After finishing the letter, he sealed it and handed it to the Imperial Troops outside: "Send a swift horse to Australia."

"Understood."

The Imperial Troops withdrew, and Zhu Yong stood up and walked to the window.

The moon rose, shining on the pomegranate tree in the courtyard, its green fruit glimmering faintly.

In the distance, the faint clank of a gongsman's drum could be heard.

A new day is about to arrive soon.

Three days later, a military report arrived from Australia.

The letter was written by Zhu Shuang, his handwriting sloppy, but the content was fairly clear.

"Second Prince, the battle in the northwest of Australia has ended; Mu Ying elder brother arrived with the South Sea navy in time, and together with my men we executed a pincer attack and sank all those dozen warships.

We captured about a hundred people; after interrogation we learned they were Frangji people, who came from far away, hearing that Australia has gold mines and came to plunder.

The leader said they were only the vanguard; dozens more warships were behind them, on the way.

Second Prince, our forces here in Australia are insufficient; please have the court dispatch reinforcements quickly. I have also written to elder brother and Imperial Father."

Zhu Yong read the letter and fell silent for a moment.

Frangji people.