Chapter 26: Your grandfather intends to launch a campaign against the Oirats, and your uncle wishes to abdicate in my favor.

"I want to hear your opinion." Prince Han, Zhu Gaoxu, looked at his son with a serious expression. He held his son in high regard and felt a deep affection for him.

For Prince Han, his household officials, including the Chief Administrator, were all stationed in Yunnan managing his fief, leaving him without a single strategist by his side. Furthermore, his son was clear-headed, logical, and composed in his actions—someone with whom he could truly deliberate. Most importantly, he was his own flesh and blood, a person he could trust implicitly.

"Father, what kind of wife are you looking for me to have?" Zhu Zhanhe asked tentatively, trying to gauge his father's current thoughts.

"The people I know are all rough soldiers. In my opinion, we should naturally find a daughter from a military family; that way, our influence will be even greater." Prince Han was blunt, stating his intentions directly. He planned to secure a daughter-in-law with military connections to bolster his own power and increase his chances in the struggle for the throne.

"If you ask me, I think it would be better to find someone from a civil official's family, or even a farmer's daughter would be fine. We are all rough men; finding someone educated and refined to help manage the household would be perfect. Look at Mother—she keeps our estate running in perfect order." Hearing his father's words, Zhu Zhanhe shook his head helplessly. He took the opportunity to compliment his mother, causing her to beam with delight and cover her mouth with a handkerchief. Zhu Zhanhe then looked back at his father, realizing he still didn't grasp the underlying point. He sighed inwardly, thinking that if this was his father's level of political acumen, he might as well give up the throne bid and go to sleep.

You are already a military heavyweight; if you take on a daughter-in-law with the same background, you are creating a power bloc that even the Emperor would never tolerate. Moreover, you are entirely surrounded by military men without a single civil official in your camp. Why not use this marriage to balance your faction with a civil scholar's influence? If you ever actually ascended the throne, how would you govern with only military strength and no civil support? A crippled government? Zhu Zhanhe glanced at his father, unable to suppress a flicker of frustration.

"My son, do not speak nonsense. I naturally intend to find you the best wife possible—a woman who can truly assist you is the best choice!" Although the Princess Consort, Lady Wei, was pleased by her son's filial words, she remained clear-headed. After steadying her emotions and reflecting on the matter, she firmly advised that the best choice would be a woman of refined upbringing who could provide true support to her son.

"Mother, Father is a military man, and I will eventually have to go to my own fief. I need a woman who is well-read and capable of managing both internal and external affairs. Perhaps we should look for someone from a scholarly family," Zhu Zhanhe insisted, shaking his head. He looked at his father, who remained oblivious. You've been handed the answer on a silver platter, and you still don't understand? How do you expect to seize the position of Crown Prince? Just give up.

Seeing his son's look of utter disdain, Prince Han seemed to grasp something, though it remained hazy. He spoke with hesitation.

"What He'er says makes some sense. Perhaps it would be better to find a well-educated woman." Although Zhu Gaoxu still did not fully understand why his son insisted on a civil official's daughter, he instinctively sensed that this was an opportunity his son was presenting to him. Without fully comprehending the logic, he agreed.

"Then it is settled. We shall seek a wife for our He'er from a family of civil officials. As for concubines and the like, we can discuss those later." Finally, Princess Consort Wei looked at her son and husband, setting the tone for their son’s future marriage.

"Very well." The Prince of Han and his heir had no further objections.

Late that night, Zhu Zhanhe, feeling a sense of tenderness, held the two young maids who had been exhausted by him once more. As he gently stroked their delicate skin, his consciousness drifted once again to the vast ocean.

In the quiet, pitch-black night, the endless sea rose and fell in waves. Not far away, a vast fleet of ships moved in an orderly fashion.

Suddenly, Zhu Zhanhe noticed that two smaller scout ships had detached from the main fleet and were heading in a different direction.

"What is going on? I must go see!" Seeing the two boats leaving the fleet, he was startled, and a myriad of thoughts flooded his mind: Were they deserting? Or were they returning to the Great Ming early?!

Without hesitation, he decided to investigate. He commanded the great crocodile to move forward. The beast thrashed its thick tail, sending up a spray of waves, and quickly approached the fleet.

"The Dragon King is approaching! Look, everyone!" A sailor caught sight of the great crocodile and shouted.

The others crowded around.

"Is there a reason the Dragon King is coming at this hour?"

"Keep quiet! Can the Dragon King even understand you?"

"Shut up, I think he definitely understands."

"Look, the Dragon King seems to be watching that direction."

"That's the direction of the capital. Didn't a few men just return to the capital to submit reports to the Emperor? Perhaps the Dragon King is wondering why they left."

"You know, that's actually quite possible. Should we report to the Dragon King?"

Everyone chattered excitedly, but as they looked at one another, no one dared to step forward. Finally, they chose a brave man who approached the side of the ship and began to speak.

"Reporting to the Dragon King, the two small ships that just left are returning to the capital. We are also returning at the end of the year; they are simply going back early to report recent information to the Emperor." A man dressed in official guard attire stood at the edge of the ship and shouted toward the great crocodile. Hearing this, the consciousness of Zhu Zhanhe, hidden within the beast, felt a surge of joy. He knew that this time, the great crocodile would finally be able to return to the Great Ming and bring the two sides together.

To be safe, Zhu Zhanhe kept the great crocodile close to the two returning ships, unwilling to delay for even a moment.

The great crocodile did not hesitate; it whipped its tail and surged toward the two ships, which were gradually disappearing into the distance. Its speed was so incredible that it left the startled crew of the fleet looking at one another in disbelief.

A few days later, his father, Zhu Gaoxu, returned home in his full court robes, looking visibly excited. He leaned against a table, gulped down a pot of water, and burst into uncontrollable laughter. Zhu Zhanhe walked over, looking at him inquisitively.

"Father, what are you doing?" Zhu Zhanhe asked, looking at his father, who seemed on the verge of laughing himself into a fit.

"Son! Son! Let me tell you, we were just discussing the Emperor's plans to attack the Oirat, and your eldest uncle arrived. He submitted a memorial to resign his position as Crown Prince and offered it to me! He wants to hand the position of Crown Prince to me! To me! The Crown Prince's seat! Tell me, has your uncle lost his mind?" Zhu Gaoxu looked at his precious son, his face glowing with pride and surprise.

"And your grandfather didn't believe a word of it! He asked your uncle if he intended to return to Shuntian, build up rebel forces, and then, just like he did back in the day, launch an uprising against your grandfather!" Zhu Gaoxu recounted the story with great relish, his face full of schadenfreude.

Zhu Zhanhe watched his father's arrogant display without interrupting, simply observing his father as he preened.

"He'er, your grandfather even gave your uncle a painting filled with tigers, big and small, and told him to write an inscription on it," Zhu Gaoxu said, excitedly describing the events at the palace.

His wife stood by, stunned and at a loss for what to do. She could only look back and forth between her son and her husband, unable to get a word in.

"Your Highness, Princess Consort, Heir Apparent, Uncle Wei is here to pay his respects. He says the tributes from the Yunnan fief for this year have arrived—dozens of carts! He requests that you inspect them," the Chief Steward Hu reported from the doorway.

"Send him in!" Upon hearing that the annual tribute from Yunnan had arrived, Zhu Gaoxu beamed. Although he didn't particularly care for the remote fief, the sudden influx of wealth made him exceptionally happy. He turned to his son.

"Son, the tribute from Yunnan has arrived. What would you like?" The Prince of Han was feeling generous, and with his eldest brother showing such "insight," he was in a wonderful mood, asking his son with a smug air what he desired.