After inspecting the fleet, weapons depot, and barracks of the Japanese Navy, His Royal Highness King Yan expressed great satisfaction and announced on the spot that a banquet would be held at the General Military Office at noon today to reward all officers.
Of course ordinary soldiers also get rewards, but they can only eat and drink in the military camp.
The weather is hot and the journey is long, so it is inconvenient to transport the pork and mutton for the reward. Fortunately, Chongming has a prosperous population and prosperous commerce, so it can be purchased locally.
However, His Highness King Yan did not come empty-handed. His two boats were filled with wine jars, all of which were fine wines brewed by Guanglu Temple.
The officers and soldiers of the Yanshan Guards were transported off the ship like a stream, and some were sent to the General Military Office and some to the military camp. All the soldiers were good drinkers, especially the navy. Seeing so much wine brought to them, the soldiers all smiled.
Xisha Island is full of cheerful atmosphere.
~~
Before the banquet began, Zhu Di met with Wu Gao and Wu Zhong in the official residence where he was staying.
The two of them had no words to thank King Yan, thanking him for giving themselves face in front of the people below.
Zhu Di wiped his face with a handkerchief and said with a faint smile: "We grew up together, studied together, and fooled around together. In the words of my sixth brother, it is called 'faxiao'. If I don't support you, who will support you?"
"Justice!" Wu Gao and Wu Zhong were extremely grateful and gave thumbs up: "Your Highness is truly righteous, and we brothers will support you to the end!"
"Hahaha, of course, 'a fence has three stakes, a hero has three gangs'." King Yan laughed, wrung out the towel, and changed the topic: "Since you guys still recognize me as a brother, then I will too."
I can’t hide it from you anymore.”
"Yes, your highness, if you have anything to say, just say it." The two brothers quickly puffed up their chests.
"My king's visit this time to inspect the labor force is just an excuse. The real reason is-" Zhu Di did not show off, and said to the two of them straightforwardly:
"My imperial brother has received a large number of reports saying that the Japanese navy has been colluding with the pirates for a long time, informing them, providing cover, etc. The circumstances are very bad, so I was sent to investigate!"
"Ah..." Brother Wu Gao and Wu Zhong turned pale when they heard this. They didn't expect that His Highness didn't have any foreplay at all and just came hard.
"Your Highness, these are all false accusations." However, under the strong pressure of His Highness King Yan, the two of them did not dare to move. They could only sit there and wipe their sweat away.
"No, it's nothing..."
"You two, don't deny it in a hurry. I will give you another chance to organize your words." King Yan stared at the two of them with his falcon-like eyes and said in a deep voice:
"Let me tell you, this king has already acted as guarantee for the prince and picked you two out."
"Man, thank you for your support, Your Highness..." The two of them looked obviously relieved, and then said with tangled faces: "No, but we are really innocent..."
"That's why I took you out. I believe your father was not involved. The two princes are also very respected ministers. How can they be mixed up with a group of stinky pirates? What's the benefit?"
"That's right," the two of them nodded hurriedly and said, "No one in our family will be involved in those nasty things."
"You have insulted your family for no reason."
"So, you guys don't know anything about it, right?" Lao Si said, keeping a firm grasp of the rhythm.
"Yes, I don't know anything." The two brothers continued to nod.
"The purpose of my investigation into the Japanese Navy is to clear your father's name." Lao Si said solemnly, "Believe me, I will definitely clear their name."
"Thank you, Your Highness." The two brothers were dizzy and couldn't think of the pros and cons for a moment. They said in their hearts that they would accept it first and ask their father later.
"Then, I will tell you another secret." The fourth child squeaked the towel and said in a calm tone: "My sixth brother, your Highness the King of Chu, will lead the fleet to sea this time.
, Saving people is secondary, the real purpose is to eliminate in one fell swoop the two pirates from Fang and Chen who have been causing trouble in our waters for many years!"
"Ah?" The two brothers were completely numb. Wu Gao lost his voice and said: "Didn't King Chu just send out ten ships? How could he be the opponent of those pirates?"
"That's right." Wu Zhong also echoed: "Your Highness, hurry up and catch up with King Chu. He is really no match for those pirates. No one is their match, not even the Japanese Navy. Otherwise we won't be able to do it."
I will always...make excuses with them."
After he finished speaking, he wished he could give himself a slap in the face. Why was his mouth so full as he spoke?
"My sixth brother is invincible in the world. He has the ability to kill all those pirates in one fell swoop!" Fortunately, Zhu Di didn't seem to hear it, and still kept to himself and said in an unquestionable tone: "Don't worry about how he does it, just give it to me.
Think carefully about what will happen to the Japanese navy if those pirates are destroyed!"
"This..." The two brothers had been completely led by the fourth child, and they couldn't help but follow his thoughts. Then they broke out in sweat again.
If those two gangs of pirates are wiped out, then the Japanese Navy, which has the same origin as them, will definitely panic and will probably run away. No matter what, first escape to the sea to be safe.
Let’s talk about it later.
When the time comes, will they run away, or stay? If they run, they will become bandits. The two brothers are both the legitimate sons of a marquis. If they just lie around and do nothing, they will inherit the title. How can they be willing to leave the colorful world of the Central Plains and run away?
To suffer on a useless island?
So it's better to stay. Their family has an iron ticket to avoid death, or two deaths. And their father is a hero in the temple, so as long as they don't rebel, nothing will be too bad. The emperor can at most exempt the old man from death.
Official, let the two of them punish themselves with three cups of wine and then go home to take care of their grandson.
However, the two brothers still have a lot of good times, so they can't go home with them. So they have to draw a clear line with the old man and make contributions to the court!
Inspired by Lao Si's strong charisma, the two brothers were finally successfully brought into the ditch...
"Tell me, Your Highness, what do you need us to do?" Wu Gao patted his chest and said, "Through fire and water, we will do whatever it takes!"
"That's right, we will do whatever His Highness asks us to do." Wu Zhong also nodded heavily.
"Simple." Zhu Di said in a deep voice, "I just want you to remove the guards outside the banquet hall and replace them with my people."
"Ah? Your Highness, what are you going to do?" The two of them were startled, because this was usually the rhythm of a fight.
"Don't worry, I won't harm you." King Yan laughed and said, "I only have so many people, how dare I attack them? Why don't you let the soldiers outside chop them into pieces?"
"Indeed, Your Highness..." The two brothers asked tentatively: "What do you want to do?"
"It's just to prevent them from escaping." Zhu Di said calmly.
"That's it." The two brothers fell into muttering. They felt that what His Highness said made sense, but they were afraid that he would be fooled.
"What if, Your Highness, I mean what if, King Chu loses?" Or when my brother's IQ is a little higher, he finally thought of another possibility.
"If my sixth son loses, then they don't have to flee. Naturally, my people don't have to stop them. They will stand guard for your family's guards." Zhu Di saw through the minds of the two people and released his big move at the right time:
"Let's do this. I'll send out all the guards around me. You two will follow me closely. If I do anything detrimental to your father and son, you will kill me with a knife. Now, always
Are you relieved?"
"Well..." The two brothers thought about it and finally nodded. His Highness has put his life in their hands, what else do they have to believe?
"It's not that we don't worry about His Highness, we are simply willing to be His Highness's bodyguards!" Wu Gao also wisely clarified the two sentences.
