bullyxtreme Chapter 15 You said this is a 6-year-old boy?
Chapter 15 You said this is a 6-year-old boy?
"Prince Xin has run off to the Fragrant Hills Palace!" Zhang Yan said helplessly, picking up the conversation.
"Tsk! Where did Fifth Brother go and what was he doing?" Zhu Ming frowned, his tone somewhat speechless.
This wasn't just a casual question.
During the year that Zhu Ming traveled through time, his feelings towards the future Chongzhen Emperor were quite complicated.
On one hand, this was his original body's younger brother, a blood relative; on the other hand, he knew in his heart that in the original history, this younger brother later sat in his chair.
Therefore, from the very beginning, Zhu Ming used the pretext of "cultivating" Zhu Youjian as one of his backup plans.
It's not the kind of backup plan that's meant to be a precaution, but rather, what if something happens?
In case something happens to him, in case the situation in Liaodong collapses, in case those monsters and demons in the court turn the world upside down, someone has to be able to take his place.
Rather than letting the civil service group randomly pick someone from the imperial clan to be a puppet, it would be better for him to personally cultivate a reliable one.
This is the awareness of a time traveler, and also the survival philosophy of the Ming Dynasty—always have a Plan B.
In 1900, he sent Zhu Youjian to the army for training, ostensibly to "let Prince Xin experience military life and strengthen his physique," but in reality, he wanted his younger brother, who had grown up in the deep palace, to see blood and feel the wind, so that he wouldn't become a bookworm from reading those classic texts all day.
The effect was quite good. At least after Zhu Youjian returned, the way he walked was different. He was no longer the weak and timid boy he used to be.
Before the Tianqi Grand Military Review, Zhu Ming took the opportunity of reorganizing the three major military camps to issue an imperial edict summoning the princes and brothers of the Ming Dynasty to the capital, forming a "Zhu Family Army".
That's a pretty underhanded tactic.
Ostensibly, it was to "display the majesty of the royal family and have the vassal kings jointly protect the imperial family," but in reality, it was to bring the sons of the vassal kings from all over the country under their watchful eyes.
Aren't you rich? Aren't you soldiers? Send your sons here, and I'll teach them for you.
If they are taught well, it is my achievement; if they are not taught well, it is your sons' own fault for being unworthy, and it is not my fault.
Zhu Ming entrusted the actual training of this "Zhu Family Army" to Zhu Youjian.
Firstly, Zhu Youjian had been training in the army for more than half a year, so he had the qualifications;
Secondly, if Prince Xin were to manage those princes and their relatives, the princes wouldn't be able to say anything, since they were all members of the imperial family, and no one was more noble than the other.
Thirdly, and most importantly, Zhu Ming wanted to see if his younger brother had the ability to lead troops.
As for the result...
During the Tianqi military parade, Zhu's army almost made a fool of itself.
The ranks were out of alignment, and the soldiers couldn't hold their weapons steady. Some pampered young princes couldn't even mount their horses and nearly fell flat on their backs in front of tens of thousands of eyes. In the end, they had to be thrown onto the horse.
After the military parade, Zhu Ming ordered Zhu Youjian to intensify the training of these imperial soldiers!
Logically speaking, Zhu Youjian should still be in the military camp supervising the group of young princes practicing their exercises at this time. Why did he go to Xiangshan Palace?
"The Prince of Xin said that he admired General Qin's demeanor, and coincidentally, the training place wasn't far away, so he went there!" Zhang Yan explained.
"Loyal Marquis Qin Liangyu?" Zhu Ming thought for a moment, then instantly realized what he meant.
Emperor Chongzhen of history did indeed have great respect for Qin Liangyu, this female general, which is a good reason.
Zhang Yan glanced at him, her lips twitching slightly: "Your Majesty, do you really not understand?"
"Understand what?"
"Prince Xin was scared away by the marriage proposal."
"Scared away by the marriage proposal?" Zhu Ming was taken aback, somewhat bewildered. "It's just a blind date? What's there to be afraid of?"
Zhang Yan slowly began, "A few days ago, I had someone from the palace inform him to look at the portraits of the women chosen for him and ask for his opinion. He kept putting it off, three times in total. Finally, I sent someone myself to urge him, and he reluctantly agreed to take a look."
"and then?"
"Then he ran away."
"..."
"His Highness Prince Xin said he has no time for marriage right now and must prioritize state affairs," Zhang Yan said with a hint of helplessness. "He said something like, 'With the Jurchens not yet defeated, there's no time for a family!'"
"?" Zhu Ming was silent for a few seconds, speechless. "That's such a flimsy excuse."
Zhu Ming once said to Zhu Youjian, "My brother should be like Wei Qing and Huo Qubing." Wasn't that a bit of an overstatement?
So next time, just tell him "My brother should be the overlord," wouldn't that max out his fighting skills?
"So he went to Fragrant Hills," Zhang Yan shrugged. "He said he admired General Qin Liangyu, but actually he was just trying to avoid an arranged marriage."
"Moreover, General Qin sent word that Prince Xin has been constantly challenging the military officers to sparring these past few days. If Prince Xin isn't brought back soon, either their officers will continue to suffer, or their military rations will run out!"
Are the military rations about to run out?
"Did Fifth Brother go over there to freeload a meal?" Zhu Ming said, feeling even more helpless.
"Yes, Prince Xin's appetite has been increasing lately, and he eats the equivalent of more than a dozen people's meals in one sitting!" Zhang Yan initially didn't believe it, but since it was Qin Liangyu's handwritten letter, she naturally had to believe it to a large extent!
Campfires flickered outside the Fragrant Hills Imperial Palace.
"So spicy! But so fragrant!"
A burly man sat by the campfire, tearing into a large, golden-brown, juicy lamb leg with both hands, muttering as he ate, his mouth covered in chili flakes and cumin seeds.
In the firelight, the man appeared majestic and tall, with broad shoulders and a powerful build, his muscles gleaming with a golden sheen in the flickering flames.
But it is precisely this rugged, almost fierce physique that has a face that is completely disproportionate to his body.
With sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and handsome features, he looked like a figure who had stepped out of a painting.
When he smiles, there are two faint dimples at the corners of his mouth, adding a touch of youthful innocence and approachability to his handsome face.
With that face and that physique, he was like a walking Vajra, strong enough to lift a cauldron yet with a spring-like smile.
"...Aunt, are you saying this really is a sixteen-year-old child?"
A young general in his twenties, with a resolute face and piercing eyes, stared wide-eyed, mouth slightly agape, his face filled with disbelief.
He stared at the imposing young man in front of him, whose powerful aura seemed to emanate from him, his eyes practically popping into the fire.
Sixteen years old?
What was he doing when he was sixteen? He was practicing shooting with his aunt in Shizhu. At that time, he had only grown to seven feet tall and couldn't even ride a horse steadily.
This young man looks like this at sixteen. What will he be like in two more years? He'll be like a door god, able to scare away enemy troops just by standing there.
"That's right! This is His Highness Prince Xin."
Qin Liangyu, who was in her fifties, sat to the side, holding a bowl of hot tea in her hand, and spoke in a very calm tone.
Although this renowned female general from Shizhu is over fifty years old, her back is straighter than a spear. The white hair at her temples does not make her look old; on the contrary, it adds to her imposing and dignified aura.
At first, she thought it was Xiong Manzi from Liaodong, or one of Xiong Manzi's generals. After all, there were few like him in the entire Ming Dynasty.
When she found out it was Prince Xin, she was shocked, but she was well-mannered and didn't glare like her nephew.
"Yiming, why haven't you paid your respects yet?"
Qin Liangyu paused for a moment, then reminded her nephew.
"This humble general, Qin Yiming, pays his respects to His Highness Prince Xin!"
The young general was Qin Liangyu's nephew, Qin Yiming. He came to his senses, quickly straightened his armor, clasped his hands and bowed, his voice so loud that it made the campfire jump.
"Get up, get up. There are no outsiders here. Why do you need to be so formal?"
Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian, still chewing on mutton, waved his hand indistinctly.
He had already eaten more than half of the lamb leg, and oily juices were dripping down his fingers, but he didn't care. He casually wiped them on his clothes, then grabbed another freshly roasted lamb leg and handed it to Qin Yiming.
"Want a bite? This lamb leg is made with a secret recipe from the palace chefs, and the chili powder was given to me by my elder brother. It's incredibly flavorful!"
Looking at the glistening lamb leg and the sincere gaze of Prince Xin, Qin Yiming was unsure whether to accept it or not.
He subconsciously looked at his aunt, Qin Liangyu.
Qin Liangyu took a sip of tea without changing her expression, and said in a nonchalant tone, "Your Highness has given you this as a reward, so just accept it."
Qin Yiming then took the lamb leg with both hands and took a bite.
The spiciness shot straight to the top of my head, and I almost burst into tears, but then, the rich aroma of meat and the flavor of spices mixed with chili and cumin exploded in my mouth. First it was spicy, then fragrant, and finally sweet!
That's the natural sweetness of the mutton, grilled perfectly over charcoal, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. With one bite, the juice bursts between your teeth.
It smelled really good, so good that he couldn't help but take another bite.
"Hehe, isn't it delicious?" Zhu Youjian grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.
"It's really good! Compared to Sichuan peppercorns and dogwood, this chili powder has a unique flavor!"
Qin Yiming's mouth was stuffed with mutton, and he nodded indistinctly, his face showing an expression of great enjoyment from the spiciness.
He is from Sichuan, and people from Sichuan have been eating spicy food for three thousand years; their love for spiciness is ingrained in their bones.
From childhood to adulthood, he has tasted countless spicy seasonings, including Sichuan peppercorns, dogwood, mustard, and ginger... each with its own flavor and unique characteristics.
But that bite of chili powder truly opened his eyes.
Qin Yiming took another bite of the lamb leg, chewing as his eyes slowly brightened.
He looked down at the lamb leg in his hand, which was stained bright red with chili powder, then looked up at Prince Xin. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he was a little embarrassed to speak.
"...?? I wonder if His Highness Prince Xin would like this chili powder...?" As a Sichuan native who loves spicy food, Qin Yiming didn't want to miss out on such a good ingredient, so after hesitating for a moment, he finally spoke up.
Cough cough...
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Liangyu interrupted him, but Qin Yiming's meaning was already very clear.
"It's alright, General Qin!"
Zhu Youjian paused for a moment, then smiled, revealing a set of white teeth and two dimples that were faintly visible: "My imperial brother once said that people from Sichuan have a particular fondness for spicy food. Seeing it today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved."
As he spoke, he took a small cloth bag off his waist, tugged it in his hand, and it made a rustling sound.
The cloth bag wasn't large, only about the size of a palm, but it was stuffed full and gleamed with a dark red sheen in the firelight.
"This is a good thing." Zhu Youjian's tone was tinged with pride. "My imperial brother only gave me a few kilograms. In the entire Ming Dynasty, you don't have any, and you can't buy it on the market."
A few kilograms.
Qin Yiming's eyes followed the cloth bag up and down twice, and his Adam's apple involuntarily bobbed.
A few pounds of chili powder wouldn't be considered a rare item elsewhere. But this was a rare commodity "unseen throughout the entire Ming Dynasty," a gift personally bestowed by the emperor upon Prince Xin, a exotic item transported from the distant South Seas. This thing couldn't be measured in silver.
He suddenly realized that his question had been somewhat presumptuous, and quickly clasped his hands and bowed his head: "This item is so precious and rare, this humble general has been truly impolite."
Despite saying it was rude, he couldn't help but glance at the cloth bag.
He really wanted it!
No, it's not that I want it, I just want to find out where this thing came from.
A man who has eaten spicy food in Sichuan for twenty years, when he encounters a new and exotic spiciness he has never tasted before, feels like a drunkard smelling the aroma of wine, his heart and liver are itching with desire.
"Your Highness, may I ask, with a heavy heart, where can this item be found?" Qin Yiming reluctantly withdrew his gaze and voiced his deepest question.