Chapter 21: Old man, do you dare to gamble? (Please read, vote for the monthly ticket, and recommend!)

"Humph! Then tell me how to govern the country!"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly and looked at Zhu Gang.

"Tell me?"

“Old man, you are really not rigorous. You can explain the governance of a country with words.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gang shook his head and said, "But if you insist on abolishing the power of the prime minister, have you ever thought about abolishing the power of the prime minister and the disadvantages of strengthening the imperial power?"

Is there anything wrong with what Zhu Gang said on this point?

Zhu Yuanzhang was slightly stunned, and Zhu Biao nodded, as if there was no problem at all.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not think of abolishing the drawbacks of the prime minister's power at the beginning, but it is normal to think about it. Which emperor would want his descendants to be incompetent rulers?

Which emperor doesn’t want his dynasty to prosper forever?
So we can’t blame Zhu Yuanzhang too much. After all, he just wanted his descendants to not be constrained by the power of the prime minister.

"Just this one thing denies me!"

But Old Zhu had been stubborn all his life, so how could he admit his mistake so easily? He just straightened his neck and looked at Zhu Gangdao.

"I'm not denying you, I just want to say that if you are wrong, then you are wrong. After all, there is no private matter in the royal family, all are state affairs."

"I am only thinking about the country."

"But you, old man, don't know how to appreciate kindness. Isn't it your son's original intention to help you consolidate the foundation of the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Gang shook his head first, then glanced at Old Zhu unhappily and said, "Or do you think your son will compete with your elder brother for the throne?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in Concubine Hui's palace froze in an instant, and even Empress Ma and Concubine Guo Hui, who had come out, narrowed their eyes.

Zhu Gang was being a little too bold. He was talking about competing for the throne in front of the emperor and the crown prince?
Even Zhu Yuanzhang's expression changed again and again, but Zhu Biao's expression remained the same.

"elder sister."

A hint of worry flashed in Concubine Guo Hui's eyes, and she pulled Empress Ma's sleeve.

"fine."

In response, Empress Ma patted Concubine Guo Hui's hand, indicating that everything was fine.

Didn’t you see that Zhu Biao’s expression never changed?
There are only two reasons for this. First, Zhu Biao did not care about the throne at all. Second, Zhu Biao was never afraid of others competing for it, even if it was his own brother!
"You little brat, you really dare to say anything."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Gang again with displeasure.

"If I want to argue, what does it matter whether I say it or not?"

Zhu Gang waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "I can only say that I have no interest in the emperor, not that I don't dare to compete with my elder brother."

There was a casualness in his words, but there was a kind of domineering aura that could not be ignored!

"So you are really not interested in the throne?"

Zhu Biao frowned slightly and looked at Zhu Gang.

With this tone, not to mention Zhu Yuanzhang, even Empress Ma and Concubine Guo Hui were a little confused?

Why do I feel that Zhu Biao is still a little dissatisfied?
"Nonsense, being an emperor and holding the highest power is indeed very cool, but it is actually too tiring."

"After all, I have the whole world in my hands. While I control the lives and deaths of all people, I am also responsible for the livelihoods of the people of the world."

"If you do well, you will be praised as a wise ruler. If you do not do well, you will be praised as a tyrant. That is why I do not want to do such a thankless task."

Zhu Gang glanced at Zhu Biao and rolled his eyes, then smiled to himself again: "But being a prince won't be like that. Anyway, as long as I don't rebel, even if the emperor reduces my power, I can still live a life of wealth and glory. Although my power is not as good as the emperor's, who among the civil and military officials in the court dares to speak rudely to me?"

"really."

Even Zhu Yuanzhang could find no fault with Zhu Gang's words, and Empress Ma and Concubine Guo Hui nodded repeatedly.

"Besides, if I want to be the emperor, I can mobilize all the soldiers in Taiyuan and ride 200,000 cavalrymen on the grassland. It only takes me 20 years to build a dynasty on the grassland."

Afterwards, Zhu Gang looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao very seriously and said, "And the national strength far exceeds that of the Ming Dynasty. Do you believe it?" "Yes!"

Before Zhu Yuanzhang could speak, Zhu Biao nodded firmly.

Zhu Biao naturally understood the ability of his own son Zhu Gang. Zhu Gang would never say anything he was not sure about.

"This brat."

Zhu Yuanzhang also took a deep look at the confident Zhu Gang, and couldn't help but agree in his heart.

Zhu Yuanzhang was naturally aware of the 200,000 cavalrymen in Taiyuan, and everyone in the court knew about it. They were definitely elite cavalrymen, otherwise how could Zhu Gang have defeated the Northern Yuan Dynasty without any chance of fighting back?
It was for this reason that the court officials wanted Zhu Yuanzhang to take back Zhu Gang's military power. After all, who wouldn't be afraid of those 200,000 cavalrymen? Who wouldn't be afraid that Zhu Gang would rebel in order to fight for the throne?

"The country's strength far exceeds that of the Ming Dynasty. Are you really not afraid of your tongue being blown away by the wind?"

But even though Old Zhu agreed in his heart, he still looked at Zhu Gang with a sneer on his face.

"That's just being stubborn."

Zhu Gang was not angry at all. Instead, he still looked at the stubborn Zhu Yuanzhang with a smile and said, "Old man, do you dare to make a bet?"

"What bet?"

Upon hearing this, not only Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao, but even Empress Ma and Concubine Guo Hui had a glimmer of curiosity in their eyes.

"Let me go back to Taiyuan. With those 200,000 cavalry, I can conquer the grassland in one year, and in three years I can make my country more powerful than the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Gang's eyes flashed with a gleam of brilliance, and he looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and said with a smile: "As for what we're betting on, if I lose, then whatever you say is fine, but if I win, I'll hand over the Ming Dynasty to my elder brother, and you'll retire early, do you dare to bet?"

"hiss--"

As soon as Zhu Gang finished speaking, Concubine Hui's palace fell into silence. Even Empress Ma and Concubine Guo Hui could not help but gasp.

"You little brat, you are my son. Even if you lose, I can't do anything to you. But if I lose, I will have to abdicate. You think that's a nice idea."

But how could Old Zhu be so easily fooled by Zhu Gang? Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Gang with a cold smile and said, "Let's not gamble."

What the hell.

How to bet on this?
From childhood to adulthood, has Zhu Gang ever lost?
But Mr. Zhu doesn’t really care whether he retires or not, but the key point is not to lose face.

After all, I lost to my son. If this gets out, will Old Zhu still have any face?

Besides, Zhu Gang is still his own son and a prince of the Ming Dynasty. He must stay in the Ming Dynasty. How could he go to the grassland?

So don’t gamble, absolutely don’t gamble.

"Tch, it's boring."

Zhu Gang rolled his eyes at Zhu Yuanzhang, then spread his hands, looked at Zhu Biao helplessly and said, "Brother, this old man doesn't dare to gamble, I have tried my best."

Even though Zhu Yuanzhang was very angry about this, he could not refute it. He had to either agree or be really scared, so his face turned red and he didn't say anything.

"Don't make trouble."

As for Zhu Biao, he couldn't slap their old man too much in the face, so he looked at Zhu Gang and shook his head.

As expected, from the very beginning, Zhu Biao knew that Zhu Gang had not given up and still wanted to push him to the throne.

"Okay, since there's nothing else to do, I'll take my leave first. I've been back for so long, but I haven't been back to the palace yet."

In this case, Zhu Gang didn't insist on anything anymore. He stretched himself and then looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and said.

"Humph!"

Old Zhu just snorted coldly and did not speak. The Empress Ma standing beside him waved her hand gently and said with a smile: "My mother has issued an imperial decree, allowing you to enter and leave the palace at any time. Go ahead."

"Come and sit here if you have nothing to do."

Concubine Guo Hui also looked at Zhu Gang, nodded and smiled.

(End of this chapter)