Prince Ning's Mansion.
Zhu Quan, who is in his early thirties and has a beard, looks very dignified like an ancient pine standing upright when sitting or standing.
Zhu Quan was holding a letter and stroking his short beard while reading it.
Seeing the faint smile on Zhu Quan's face, the princess couldn't help but ask: "Why is it that the prince has been smiling for so long?"
"Ah ha, it was my fourth brother who invited me to hunt."
"Hunting?" The princess was also born in a noble family and had great interest in wielding swords and guns.
Zhu Quan nodded with a smile and glanced at her: "Princess Yan is coming too. Maybe you haven't seen each other for a long time, so we can catch up on old times."
The fiefdoms of Zhu Quan and Zhu Di were originally adjacent to each other. They used to jointly resist the grassland tribes and often helped each other.
Therefore, the relationship between the two is very good. The two often organize things like hunting and entertainment together. Sometimes, like now, it is Zhu Di who invites Zhu Quan, and sometimes Zhu Quan also invites Zhu Di.
Although the court stipulated that the vassal king was not allowed to leave the fiefdom under the five imperial edicts, this rule did not restrict Zhu Di and Zhu Quan. They stationed troops at the border and were ready to send troops outside the border at any time. If they didn't leave the fiefdom, would they still be able to fight?
Zhu Quan didn't think much, prepared his troops and horses as usual, and took his concubine and the crown prince to the hunting place at the agreed time.
Zhu Di seemed to have arrived here a long time ago, waiting here with Princess Xu and his three sons early.
When Zhu Quan saw Zhu Di waiting for him, he quickly stepped forward and dismounted.
He laughed loudly: "Quan has met Fourth Brother! Met Mrs. Wang!"
Zhu Di stepped forward, hugged Zhu Quan forcefully, and slapped him on the back several times.
"Brother Seventeen is getting stronger and stronger. It seems that your life in Daning is very comfortable!"
"Hahaha, fourth brother is doing well. To be honest with fourth brother, since the grassland was calmed down, we have indeed had a lot of leisure in the past few years."
Zhu Di smiled and nodded: "I know your spleen is getting stronger, so why don't I come to you specially to stretch your muscles and bones?"
Then he turned around and cursed at his three sons, "Do you still understand the rules? Why don't you come and see Prince Ning soon?"
Zhu Gaochi's fat body swayed from side to side as he stepped forward, with a sweet smile spreading from the corner of his mouth: "My nephew, please pay homage to Prince Ning!"
"Okay!" Zhu Quan nodded generously.
Although Zhu Gaochi was not a few years younger than him, he was an elder, and he accepted Zhu Gaochi's gift generously without any embarrassment.
After the two reminisced about old times, Princess Xu showed a long-lost smile and stepped forward to hold Princess Ning's hand: "Sister, let them hunt while we talk on the sidelines."
"Listen to my sister."
When Zhu Di saw the two leaving, he laughed and asked Zhu Quan meaningfully: "Seventeenth brother, are we still following the old rules?"
"Old rules are the same!" Zhu Biao did not show weakness and added through gritted teeth: "This time we will take back the treasure that fourth brother won last time!"
Zhu Di laughed and got on his horse, with a long bow and arrows placed on the horse's back.
"Okay, fourth brother, just wait! Drive!"
"Fourth brother! You are trying to cheat!" Seeing Zhu Di running out on horseback, Zhu Quan immediately became anxious and quickly called to his soldiers: "Bring my king's horse over quickly!"
After the soldiers brought the horse over, Zhu Quan couldn't wait to get on the horse, picked up the reins and rushed out with the soldiers.
This time in hunting, he must not lose to King Yan again!
After a busy afternoon, Zhu Quan returned home with a full load. Behind the horse's butt were densely hung rabbits, pheasants, and even a wild deer.
The ordinary prey on Zhu Di's horse was no less than that on Zhu Quan's, and there were even a little more, but there was only one deer missing.
The moment Zhu Di saw the wild deer, his eyes couldn't help but light up. Then he shook his head and sighed: "Seventeenth brother is really amazing. He can even catch this treasure! You won this hunting!"
"Hahaha, luck, just luck!" Zhu Quan was very happy to hear his fourth brother admit defeat.
Especially when he was inferior to Zhu Di in terms of ordinary prey, but he won because he was lucky enough to hunt a wild deer.
The hunting lasted for three days, and Zhu Quan was very happy.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to eat roasted lamb, Zhu Quan couldn't help but ask: "Fourth brother is always busy with work, how can he have time to hunt with his younger brother this time?"
When Zhu Di heard this, he instantly felt that the roast mutton in his hand was no longer fragrant. With a long sigh, his hands dropped in vain.
Seeing the expression of Fourth Brother, Zhu Quan quickly stopped what he was doing and couldn't help but ask: "What's wrong with Fourth Brother?"
Zhu Di looked distressed and asked with a tearful voice: "My dear brother, in your opinion, do we have meritorious service in guarding Peiping?"
"What are you talking about, Fourth Brother? Fourth Brother guarded Beiping to resist the southern invasion of the Mongolian and Yuan tribes, and protected the pass from the iron hoof. He not only has meritorious service, but also has outstanding merits." Zhu Quan was a little confused about what happened to Zhu Di, but Zhu Di definitely deserves what he said.
"In my opinion, my dear brother, is there anything wrong with the fourth brother that I can't do to the emperor?"
Zhu Quan slowly shook his head and said bluntly: "No! The fourth brother guards Beiping and is very respectful to the emperor. He takes the initiative to offer tributes every new year and there is never a shortage."
"Have you ever heard, dear brother, that my fourth brother harmed people?"
"Fourth brother is strict in running the army and strictly disciplines his subordinates. Let alone fourth brother, even the soldiers under his command have never heard of any illegal behavior."
Zhu Di burst into laughter upon hearing this, but his laughter had a bleak and desolate flavor.
Standing up suddenly, Zhu Di said angrily: "Since I am worthy of the emperor and worthy of the common people, I have never retreated even half an inch in the bloody battle! Then why does the emperor want to cut off my military power and seize my power?" The fiefdom?"
After Zhu Quan heard this, his eyes widened instantly, looking stunned: "What? The emperor took away the fiefdom and military power of the fourth brother? Is there any misunderstanding here?"
The fourth brother is a vassal king, but he is still a vassal king who is stronger than him. If the emperor can even seize the military power of the fourth brother, how can he be in a good position?
"Hmph!" Zhu Di glared with very angry eyes, "Does my dear brother think that this king will cut off his military power for no reason?"
"A few days ago, the emperor ordered Fu Youde to take over Beiping City and Yanshan Guard."
Zhu Quan was shocked and didn't know what to say. He just looked at his fourth brother with sympathy.
After a pause, he persuaded without confidence: "Four, fourth brother... Is there any misunderstanding here? After all, the emperor is our elder brother. We know his character, so there should be no misunderstanding." Will do such a thing. Perhaps, this is only temporary? After a while, the emperor will return Beiping City and Yanshan Guard to Fourth Brother?"
Zhu Di sighed: "Why don't we believe the emperor? But you have to know that this time it is Fu Youde!"
"Fu Youde and Lan Yu only have one pair of pants to wear, and Lan Yu is very wary of us. He even falsely accused us in front of the emperor brother. If he takes over Beiping City and Yanshanwei, then the fourth brother and his family will... Is there any way to survive?"
"Fourth brother, this shouldn't be enough, right?" Zhu Quan knew this. Although he was trying to persuade Fourth Brother, he actually didn't have the confidence in his heart.
Zhu Di snorted coldly, with a cold look in his eyes: "Isn't that the case? If it were only the Imperial Brother, then we wouldn't think that the Imperial Brother would do anything to us. But does the wise brother know that Han Du wants to get rid of the Fourth Brother now?"
Handu!
Zhu Quan's expression didn't look good when he heard the name. He was also forced by Han Du and had to hand over his troops.
Fortunately, after Han Du's squadron returned to the court, the emperor's brother specially returned the soldiers and horses to him, and even gave him a lot of rewards, which made him feel better.
But even so, Zhu Quan still felt angry when he thought about the situation when he was forced by Han Du.
Zhu Di naturally knew that Zhu Quan had also suffered a loss from Han Du, and he said so deliberately just now.
Zhu Quan looked up at Zhu Di and said hesitantly: "???????????????? Even if Han Du targets the fourth brother, as long as the emperor believes in the fourth brother, Han Du can't defeat him even if he wants to come." What kind of storm is going on?"
Zhu Di laughed heartily and miserably, crying in despair: "But the emperor believes in Han Du very much. If there was no instigation from Han Du, how could the emperor issue an order for Fu Youde to come to Peking?"
"Have Fourth Brother tried to explain to the Emperor?" Zhu Quan suggested.
"Why not?" Zhu Di became even more sad, "But Han Du is the chief minister of the cabinet. I am afraid that the fourth brother's memorial could not reach the emperor at all, so it was intercepted by him. I have submitted it to the emperor several times, but it is No news at all.”
Although Zhu Quan has a reputation as a good planner, he has no good way to deal with the emperor's imperial edict.
I had no choice but to change the subject, "If Fourth Brother feels uneasy in Peiping, why don't I tell the Emperor how about Fourth Brother moving to Daning?"
Zhu Di smiled coldly, cupped his fists and bowed to Zhu Quan.
Zhu Quan quickly jumped up and got out of the way, and asked eagerly: "What is the fourth brother doing? The younger brother can't bear it!"
Zhu Di straightened up, looked up to the south, and said in a deep voice: "My fourth brother appreciates my good intentions! But, how can a man live in heaven and earth and stay depressed for a long time?"
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"What does fourth brother want to do?" Zhu Quan heard something was wrong in Zhu Di's tone, and was suddenly startled, and asked quickly with his eyes widened.
Zhu Di looked back at Zhu Quan, staring into his eyes with burning eyes: "I can fight in a bloody battle and die wrapped in horse leather, but I will never die because of Han Du's conspiracy!"
"Doesn't Han Du want to press forward step by step and trap me to death? I no longer accept his petulance, and I will use all my heroes to fight him with real swords and guns!"
"No! Fourth brother. You absolutely must not!" Zhu Quan quickly grabbed Zhu Di's arm.
Zhu Di's eyes were like those of a tiger, staring closely at Zhu Quan and asking sternly: "Why not?"
Zhu Quan was forced by Zhu Di's momentum and couldn't help but take a step back, and reluctantly persuaded: "Fourth brother, if you raise an army, it will be the emperor who rebels. If you do this, where will you put the emperor?"
"Don't worry! This king only raises troops to protect the Qing Emperor." Zhu Di waved his big hand fiercely, with determination on his face: "My father once had a decree. If there are no honest ministers in the court and there are treacherous traitors, then the kings can raise troops to Qing Jun!"
