Chapter 156 Negotiation Direction
For Yang Chen, Lu’s entanglement with him was just an episode.

He forgot it in the blink of an eye. Just now, he asked the eunuchs and palace maids at the door and learned that the place where Zhu Chong was imprisoned was only three hundred meters away.

Following the instructions, he found a most remote villa. This place was a little off the beaten track, but it was much larger than the villa of the Lu family just now.

The key point is that this place is more lively. In addition to the two armored soldiers in charge of guarding outside the door, there are also two palace maids standing outside, looking inside from time to time, as if they are worried about something.

“Uncle, when I grow up, can I make a hot air balloon by myself, just like the teacher said? Do you know a hot air balloon? It is something that is hundreds or thousands of times bigger than a Kongming lantern. People can sit on it and fly hundreds or thousands of meters high, overlooking the territory of Daming like a bird. By then, I will be the first person in Daming to fly into the sky.

When the time comes, I will take my father, my teacher, my grandfather and grandmother, my second uncle, my third uncle, my fourth uncle, my fifth uncle, and all my uncles and aunts to fly into the sky, like a bird being caressed by the clouds and blown by the wind to watch the fields where the farmers are working hard. There are so many things that Xiongying wants to see.”

Inside the villa, Zhu Xiongying held his cheek with his jade-white arms and round, jade-carved palms. With an innocent expression on his chubby face, he imagined his future life with his uncle beside him.

Looking at his nephew who was much younger than him, Zhu Chong, dressed in a loose purple-black robe, couldn’t help but reveal a gentle smile.

He stretched out his hand and rubbed Zhu Xiongying’s head, then opened his stubble-covered mouth and said:

“What Xiong Ying wants to do will definitely be accomplished in the future, but why do you want to take your uncle with you? Wouldn’t it be better to just take Grandpa Huang and Grandma Huang and your father with you?”

His big eyes kept rolling around in his eye sockets, and Zhu Xiongying said bluntly:

“Why are there so many whys? Because my second uncle is my family, and so are the other uncles and aunts! Father and teacher once taught Xiongying that as a qualified child, one must clearly recognize one’s family. There are so many people in the world, but not many can become one’s family. In addition, my uncles will leave the imperial city when they reach a certain age, and the number of times we can meet in the future can be counted on one’s fingers. If you don’t cherish the days with your family, within a few years, this family relationship will fade away.”

Zhu Xiongying’s voice gradually weakened in Zhu Chong’s ears. He was in a daze, and his eyes became increasingly blurred.

‘family?’

Zhu Chong asked himself when he had experienced the feelings of his family.

The last time seemed to be during the Yuan Dynasty, when he was just born. Since he was born, Zhu Chong remembered that he could only meet his father a few times, which was pitifully few.

We only see each other a few times a year.

The only people around him were his elder brother, his mother, and a very strict teacher, Song Lian.

At that time, Zhu Chong felt that such a life was very peaceful. Apart from Zhu Biao who was his eldest brother, the only person who could discipline him seemed to be Empress Ma who played the role of a father.

As for Song Lian and Zhu Yuanzhang, to be honest, Zhu Chong was not actually very fond of them.

That’s right, the same is true for Zhu Yuanzhang.

He knew that Zhu Yuanzhang was his father, and he also knew that this father was very strict and harsh, and would beat his son with a stick if he made a mistake.

But Zhu Chong only obeyed under his nose, at least that was the case before.

When Zhu Yuanzhang announced the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, he went from being a rich kid to a descendant of the royal family.

However, he was not happy at all. Since he was crowned king, his stepfather had been ordering all his sons except Zhu Biao in the name of the emperor.

Zhu Chong didn’t understand why they couldn’t get the same treatment when they were all sons.

He was also born to Empress Ma, also born in troubled times. He was only one year younger than his elder brother. Does that mean he was not worthy of the love of his father Zhu Yuanzhang?

Zhu Chong, who couldn’t figure it out, could only bury this depressed feeling in his heart.

He knew that if he revealed even a little bit, endless punishment would be waiting for him.

Family is the least valuable thing for ordinary people, but it is a hopeless luxury for the royal family.

Zhu Chong showed a self-deprecating expression on his face, his eyes were a little moist, he looked at the innocent look of his eldest nephew and thought to himself:

“My eldest brother’s child is exactly like my eldest brother when he was a child. He always thinks that he can do whatever he wants. Little does he know that identity is a shackle that is permanently fastened from birth. He can’t get rid of it, can’t break free of it, and can never open it!”

Although he thought so, Zhu Chong had no intention of attacking Zhu Xiongying.

After all, this little guy is his nephew after all. If he, an imprisoned uncle, is not tactful enough to undermine the other party’s confidence, and his eldest brother finds out, based on Zhu Biao’s current attitude towards him, he will definitely be beaten.

“Of course I support you if you want to fly, but you have to think carefully, Xiongying. It’s very dangerous to be a hundred meters high. If you are not careful, something unsafe may happen. You must be well prepared before going up.

If all else fails, come to your uncle and he will personally help you through this mess.”

Looking up at his uncle, Zhu Xiongying said with a smile:

“Okay! Since Second Uncle has said so, then Xiongying will not be polite then.”

“What are you guys talking about?”

Just when Zhu Xiongying wanted to share other interesting things with Zhu Chong, Yang Chen, who had been standing outside the door listening to the two people talking for a while, stepped over the threshold under the compliments of his subordinates on both sides and officially appeared in front of the two people.

The moment he saw Yang Chen, the expression on Zhu Chong’s face became very interesting. All kinds of bad expressions changed again and again, even faster than the face-changing in Sichuan Opera.

Zhu Xiongying seemed very excited.

He jumped down from the stone bench in excitement and ran towards Yang Chen.

“Teacher! Why are you here?”

Looking down at Zhu Xiongying in front of him, Yang Chen smiled and said:

“The teacher is here to see your second uncle today.”

When Zhu Chong heard that they were looking for him, his heart skipped a beat. He thought to himself that something was wrong. Every time he was involved with Yang Chen, it would be a terrible and troublesome thing.

He could still vividly remember the last time he was beaten up by his father and elder brother. Afterwards, he was put on a bench and beaten with a stick for a full hundred times!

One hundred hits! You know, ordinary people who commit crimes can be unconscious for ten days or half a month if they are beaten with twenty hits at most.

If he wasn’t in good health, these one hundred blows would have taken his life.

Even so, he had to lie down for nearly half a month before he caught his breath. When he saw Yang Chen again, it seemed as if these things happened yesterday. The wound on his back was aching slightly, making him feel uncomfortable.

Yang Chen did not immediately pay attention to Zhu Chong but asked Zhu Xiongying why he was not in the harem to accompany Queen Ma today but appeared here.

Zhu Xiongying answered honestly.

“Today, the Empress and Grandpa left the Imperial City. I don’t know where they went with my father. Xiongying was just playing in my father’s East Palace. Just now, when he was flying a kite, it happened to fall into my second uncle’s courtyard. Xiongying came over and talked to my second uncle.”

Following the direction of Zhu Xiongying’s finger, Yang Chen saw that there was indeed a kite with a hole in it on the house.

I guess it was hit by some stupid bird.

Yang Chen asked Zhu Xiongying a few questions and tested him on some of the knowledge he had taught him to see if he had forgotten it. It turned out that Zhu Xiongying had a good memory and could remember all these knowledge points in his mind.

No wonder he wanted to make a hot air balloon himself.

Making a hot air balloon during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty seems to be an impossible task, but it is actually possible.

The first hot air balloon in history that carried humans into the sky was made of linen, which was available even in the Stone Age.

Linen mixed with varnished cloth can be made into a hot air balloon that wraps up rising gas and carries humans into the sky.

As for fuel, that’s even simpler.

The Montegofield brothers used straw and added various unrefined petroleum as fuel.

Although these fuels were very primitive, they were able to allow this simple hot air balloon to fly to a height of 900 meters and stay there for a full 20 minutes. This was the first time that humans truly flew into space.

Yang Chen had only instilled a concept into Zhu Xiongying at first, but he did not expect that the other party would remember it so deeply in his heart, which made him feel very gratified.

“The teacher will talk to your uncle about something later. Can you go to the backyard and fly the kite by yourself?”

He patted Zhu Xiongying on the forehead, and after the other party responded, he asked the guard to take the kite and go to the backyard with him.

Only Yang Chen and Zhu Chong were left in the front yard.

When Yang Chen sat in front of him, Zhu Chong couldn’t help but frown. He felt very uncomfortable inside, but he didn’t dare to say anything.

In Zhu Chong’s heart, he really didn’t know how to evaluate this person from the future, but he had to admit that this person from the future was indeed very capable and could analyze the entire Central Plains situation in just a few words.

From the mechanical court that runs the dynasty to the class divisions of tens of millions of people in the society.

The last time Zhu Chong was taken to class by Zhu Biao to listen, Zhu Chong could be said to be convinced by Yang Chen. The only thing he was not convinced about was that the other party caused him to get beaten up.

I already had a bad impression of my father, and now it’s even worse.

“What do you want to see me for?”

When Zhu Chong noticed that Yang Chen sat down without saying a word, he couldn’t help but ask.

The silence lasted for a few seconds, and after a long while, the other party finally responded:

“You should go now. Your father promised me last time that when I leave the imperial city and go to Ningming County in Zhenjiang Prefecture, you will leave with me. I’m sure you won’t forget this.”

It was he who first said that one of his subordinates was from Zhenjiang Prefecture, so Zhu Chong would certainly not forget it.

After coming to his senses, he nodded and said:
“I know when you’re leaving.”

“In two days.”

“So fast?”

“It’s all because of your father’s delay, otherwise I would have gone there long ago.”

“Can you tell me the real purpose of your going there?”

As he communicated with Yang Chen, Zhu Chong gradually let down his guard towards Yang Chen, and he spoke to him not so strangely anymore, but almost like a friend.

Zhu Chong didn’t believe that Yang Chen left the imperial city just to develop in a place near the river. This idea sounded really unrealistic.

In his heart, he was more willing to believe that the other party was doing this for some selfish motive.

What he didn’t expect was that Yang Chen’s answer was very straightforward, without any beating around the bush.

“There are many purposes for going there, roughly three.

Firstly, it is to prove that what I have can be used in Ming Dynasty, and secondly, it is to gain the real trust of your father.

You know, your father is suspicious by nature. He doesn’t trust you sons, even his brothers who have experienced life and death battles, let alone me, a man from the future.

So I have to do something, this is exactly what I want. Otherwise, when I am old and my mind starts to forget things clearly, your father will ask me to realize my ambitions, and then I will not be happy.

As for the third one, it was commissioned by your eldest brother.”

Hearing about his elder brother, Zhu Chong’s heartbeat suddenly stopped, and with a look of three parts expectation and two parts worry, he asked:
“My eldest brother’s commission? What did he commission you to do?”

Yang Chen kept a warm smile on his face and said:
“He told me that as the Qin King of the Ming Dynasty and Zhu Biao’s younger brother, he doesn’t want you to sink into despair. He hopes that you can understand the weight of your identity as the Qin King. At the same time, he told me that he has always believed that you, his younger brother, are no more mediocre than others.”

In an instant, Zhu Chong, whose face was covered with stubble, lost his focus and tears welled up in his eyes uncontrollably.

Finally, she turned around, turned her back to Yang Chen, and raised her hand to wipe away her tears.

The man did not shed tears, but he did not go to the sad place.

Since becoming a member of the royal family, Zhu Chong believed that he no longer had any relatives, including his mother and elder brother.

Especially the last time, when he saw the deep disappointment in the eyes of Empress Ma and Zhu Biao, Zhu Chong was heartbroken to a certain extent.

Even when Zhu Biao asked him to listen to Yang Chen’s lecture, he just moved. Now hearing what Yang Chen said, Zhu Chong felt a pang of sadness in his heart. Unspeakable emotions burst out in his chest and turned into tears that flowed from his eyes.

When he turned to face Yang Chen, Zhu Chong seemed like a different person, and his eyes were much brighter than before.

“My eldest brother calls you Brother Yang, so I’ll call you Brother Yang too!
May I ask Brother Yang, what should I do next? “

Fighting spirit can transform a person completely. Yang Chen found that this sentence was very suitable for the other person.

He just told the other party according to his original plan.

“The thing is, Hu Weiyong ordered his subordinates to gradually reduce their ranks and order them to obstruct the implementation of your elder brother’s policies.

As a Censor, I will go to Ningming County, Zhenjiang Prefecture, and use this as a pilot to conduct a pilot test of land enclosure.

The purpose is to see whether your elder brother’s policies are feasible. If so, these policies will be promoted nationwide, and land surveys, silver tax collection, etc. will all be implemented.

In this process, I play the good guy and you play the bad guy.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chong revealed an icy cold sneer, as if he looked down upon Hu Weiyong and said sarcastically:
“Hu Weiyong? How dare this old soldier disobey my elder brother’s wishes? Humph! He is so bold! Does he think he is the emperor’s father?”

(End of this chapter)