Chapter 526: Traveling the World

The 28th year of Hongwu, the first day of the fifth month.

At the Yingtian Prefecture dock, a sea of people.

Zhu Biao wore a bright yellow dragon robe and stood on the dock.

Chang Wan stood beside him, dressed in a phoenix robe.

Zhu Xiongying stood behind his father; the 22‑year‑old Crown Prince stood tall.

Zhu Wenwen stood beside her mother; the 19‑year‑old princess had already married, and she had returned today especially to see them off.

"Father, now that you have arrived in Europe, write a letter for your son," Zhu Biao said, looking at Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang, dressed in plain clothes like an ordinary wealthy man, waved his hand and said, "What letter to write? You attend to your business, we'll enjoy ours."

Zhu Biao smiled, his eyes a little red.

Empress Ma took Chang Wan's hand, speaking softly, "Wan'er, Biao'er is now yours to look after; you worry a lot."

Chang Wan nodded, "Mother Empress, rest assured; your son will be spared."

Empress Ma looked again at Zhu Xiongying.

"Xiong Ying, you are the Crown Prince now; you must share your father's worries."

Zhu Xiongying bowed and said, "Grand Empress, rest assured; your grandson will be spared."

Zhu Yong stood beside them, wearing a dark robe with golden threads and a python pattern.

Guanyin Nu stood next to him, dressed in a bright red long skirt.

Zhu Huanhuan came with her husband Gu Xian to see them off; Zhu Qiongwu stood beside his parents, the thirteen‑year‑old boy already tall, and he liked martial arts just like his older brother.

Zhu QiongJiong stood at the rear, shouldering a Wolf Fang Club; the 21‑year‑old youth was sun‑tanned dark, his arms full of muscle.

He had only just returned from Africa, and now he was to go out with the imperial grandparents.

"Grand Emperor, it's time to board the ship," Zhu QiongJiong hoisted the Wolf Fang Club onto his shoulder.

Zhu Yuanzhang glared at him and said, "Why the hurry? We haven't boarded yet."

Zhu QiongJiong tucked his chin in and fell silent.

Zhu Yuanzhang cast one last glance toward Yingtian Prefecture, then turned and strode onto the gangplank.

Empress Ma followed behind, with Zhu Yong and Guanyin Nu trailing after Empress Ma.

Zhu QiongJiong, shouldering the Wolf Fang Club, walked at the very rear.

The roar of the steam engine sounded, and the fleet slowly set off.

Zhu Biao stood on the dock, watching the ship grow farther away until it became a white speck that vanished on the horizon.

He stood for a long while, until Chang Wan came over and took his hand.

"Your Majesty, return now."

Zhu Biao nodded, turned, and walked back.

On the streets of Yingtian Prefecture, electric lights flickered on one by one, illuminating the whole road as brightly as a rainbow.

The 28th year of Hongwu, the beginning of the sixth month.

Lanzhou…

The train slowly pulled into the platform, its whistle echoing over the platform.

Zhu Yuanzhang stepped out of the carriage, stood on the platform, and gazed at this major northwestern stronghold.

It was his first time coming to Lanzhou.

He had only seen it on maps before, and now he saw it with his own eyes.

The city walls rose majestically; at the gate people came and went—merchants hurrying with horse‑drawn carts, travelers leading camels.

On the platform stood a utility pole, its lamp at the top glinting with a white‑glazed light in the sun.

The telegraph line from Lanzhou to Yingtian had been completed last year, so messages traveled from Yingtian to Lanzhou in an instant.

"Zhong Ba, this place is larger than we imagined," Empress Ma said as she stepped out of the carriage and stood beside him.

"It's big, Zhong Ba; it's all what Yong Er and his men captured."

Zhu Yuanzhang strode out of the platform.

Zhu Yong followed behind, with Guanyin Nu walking beside him.

Zhu QiongJiong, shouldering the Wolf Fang Club, walked at the very rear, looking around; everything seemed fresh.

They rested in Lanzhou for a day, then changed to a carriage and continued westward.

The road was paved with cement, very flat, and the carriage rode smoothly.

From Lanzhou heading west, they passed through the He Xi Corridor, and the towns along the way were more prosperous than before.

There were immigrants from Yingtian Prefecture, merchants from Europe, miners from Australia, and all sorts of people bustling through the streets.

After half a month's travel, they arrived at Jiayuguan.

The veteran commander who guarded the pass was gone, replaced by a young general.

Zhu Yuanzhang spent the night inside the pass, and the next day continued west.

Leaving Jiayuguan, they entered the Western Regions.

The Western Regions have changed greatly in recent years.

Zhu Di had been operating in the Western Regions for over a decade, subduing the tribes into obedient order and keeping the trade routes perfectly open.

Every town was lit by electric lights, and the telegraph line ran from Yingtian Prefecture all the way to Samarkhan.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat in the carriage, watching the scenery outside the window, and sighed, "Girl, when we were begging for food in Fengyang back then, could we have imagined today?"

Empress Ma laughed, "Never imagined."

"We never thought so either."

After two months' travel, they arrived at Samarkhan.

The city was larger than Zhu Yuanzhang had imagined, its walls towering, and the blue‑dome mosque glittered in the sunlight.

Soldiers of the Longxiang Army stood at the gate, clad in iron armor, with Long Swords at their waists.

Zhang Wuhe and Chen Heng had garrisoned Samarhan for over a decade, keeping the land in perfect order.

Hearing that the Taishang Huang had arrived, the two hurried out to greet him, kneeling at the gate.

"We, servants Zhang Wuhe and Chen Heng, request audience with the Taishang Huang, request audience with the Empress."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, telling them to rise, and strode into the city.

The streets of Samarhan were wide, with shops lining both sides in dense rows.

There were Han People tea houses, Persian carpet shops, Turkic kebab stalls, and a few blond‑eyed European merchants haggling with locals.

An old man selling flatbread pushed his cart around the corner, shouting hoarsely.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood by the street, watching the old man, and suddenly laughed.

"Girl, look—does this look like the way we were back in Fengyang?"

Empress Ma also laughed.

After resting three days in Samarhan, they continued westward.

Another month later they arrived at Constantinople.

Zhu Di was stationed here; hearing that the Taishang Huang had arrived, he led people out of the city to welcome him.

"Father! Mother!" Zhu Di knelt on the ground, his eyes reddened.

Zhu Yuanzhang bent down, helped him up, and surveyed him from head to toe.

"You've grown thin, darkened, endured hardship abroad."

Zhu Di laughed, "Father, it's not hard; this place is fine."

Empress Ma held Zhu Di's hand, examined him up and down, crying and laughing.

"Di Er, you've grown thin."

Zhu Di looked at his mother, his eyes also reddened.

"Mother, your son is fine."

Zhu Yuanzhang rested five days in Constantinople, and Zhu Di took him to tour the entire millennial city.

The Hagia Sophia had been converted into a school, and the sound of children reading the Analects and Mencius drifted from within.

The Great Ming flag on the city wall fluttered rustling in the morning breeze.

Standing on the wall, looking toward the Marmara Sea, steamships passed over the water while their smokestacks puffed white smoke.

"Di Er, you've managed this place well," Zhu Yuanzhang patted his son's shoulder.

Zhu Di laughed, "Father, it's all Second Prince's merit; he captured it."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, saying nothing more.

Leaving Constantinople, the fleet entered the Mediterranean.

Heading west, they passed Athens, Rome, Venice, and Genoa.

At each city, Zhu Yuanzhang would go ashore to see the lands subjugated by Great Ming and the people who had been assimilated.

In Rome, he visited the ruins of the Papal State; the church had been turned into a school, the priest sent away to mine, and Confucian scholars and Daoist priests taught there.

"Yong Er, you once said the church should become a school; we thought it unreliable, but now it proves very reliable," Zhu Yuanzhang said, standing at the school's doorway, listening to the reading inside.

Zhu Yong laughed, "Father, this is the work of the Confucian scholars and Daoist priests, not mine."

Zhu Yuanzhang hummed once, saying nothing further.

Departing Rome, they headed north, passing Frankfurt, Paris, and Berlin.

Each city bore Great Ming's imprint: electric lights, telegraphs, cement roads, schools, and hospitals.

The common folk wore Great Ming garments, spoke Han language, and read the sacred classics.