This Is For Your Own Good!

Seeing Zhu Zhanjun's expression, as if he had swallowed a fly, Zhu Gaochi felt incredibly pleased.

You little brat, always mocking your father, calling me timid, saying I'm squeamish about blood!

Now you know how capable your father is, right?

"Father, aren't you being a bit... unreasonable?"

Zhu Zhanjun tried one last desperate plea.

"This Great Snow Dragon Riders is something my master left me for self-defense, my personal force. How can you just requisition them like that?"

"What personal force?"

Zhu Gaochi's eyes widened, adopting the stern demeanor of the Crown Prince.

"Under the heavens, all land belongs to the king; all subjects under the king's rule are the king's ministers!"

"You, and your army, all belong to the Great Ming!"

"Now that the nation is in crisis and the northern border is in peril, it's an honor for me to requisition your army to fight and kill for the country!"

"It's an opportunity for you to earn merit!"

His words were righteous and grand.

Zhu Zhanjun opened his mouth, finding himself utterly speechless.

He looked pleadingly at Zhu Di, who stood nearby.

"Grandfather, look at my father..."

Zhu Di coughed and turned his face away, pretending to admire the scenery.

"Hmm, the weather today is quite nice."

Jokes aside, getting such a divine force for free, one that can resolve the urgent crisis on the northern border, I'm delighted! Why would I help my grandson speak up?

Besides, this kid has too many good things and is too strong, so strong that even I, the Emperor, feel a bit uneasy.

Bringing this elite army under the court's control, to be jointly commanded by him and his father, will also make him more obedient.

Two birds with one stone, why wouldn't I do it?

Zhu Zhanjun saw that these two were playing good cop, bad cop, cooperating seamlessly. He knew his three thousand Great Snow Dragon Riders were lost today.

He was so angry!

If only I hadn't shown off!

What do you call this?

This is what they mean by 'showing off leads to disaster'!

"Fine! Requisition them if you want!"

Zhu Zhanjun gritted his teeth, deciding to go all out.

"However, I'm telling you now, my army is very precious!"

"They eat fine grains, their horses are fed with beans, they get hot baths every day, and their monthly pay must be disbursed on time!"

"If you withhold their pay and starve my horses, they'll quit!"

"Don't worry!"

Zhu Gaochi waved his hand grandly, full of spirit.

"From today onwards, the Treasury will provide double the supplies for the Great Snow Dragon Riders!"

"The best things in the Great Ming will be prioritized for them!"

He was in high spirits now, feeling as if the wound on his chest didn't hurt anymore and his squeamishness about blood had vanished.

He walked up to the army, puffed out his chest, and imitating Zhu Di, began inspecting this "new army" that now belonged to him.

The more he looked, the more he liked it, the more excited he became.

He could already see himself, clad in golden armor, wielding a sharp sword, leading this invincible iron cavalry, galloping through the icy wilderness of Mobei, kicking Arutai's head like a ball, achieving unparalleled merit, and completely washing away the shame of being "frail and sickly."

Lost in his triumphant thoughts, he turned around and announced to Zhu Di and Zhu Zhanjun with great spirit, "Imperial Father! Your humble son requests to personally lead these three thousand Great Snow Dragon Riders north immediately to reinforce the front lines!"

"Your son is willing to sign a military pledge: within three months, I will definitely flatten the Tatar royal court, capture Arutai alive, and present him as a prisoner to the court!"

His words were passionate and heroic.

However, after hearing him, both Zhu Zhanjun and Zhu Di wore strange expressions.

"Father, you... you want to lead the troops personally?"

Zhu Zhanjun asked tentatively.

"Naturally!"

Zhu Gaochi thumped his chest, but the movement pulled at his wound, causing him to hiss in pain. Yet, he insisted, "As the Crown Prince, I should naturally share the nation's burdens!"

"Now that we have such divine weapons, if I were to cower in the Capital City, wouldn't I be ridiculed by the world!"

Zhu Zhanjun and Zhu Di exchanged a glance, seeing the same thought in each other's eyes: This fatty has gone mad.

With his scrawny build, he wants to lead troops into battle himself?

Forget fighting a war, just riding a horse from the Capital City to the border would probably shake him apart halfway there.

"Nonsense!"

Zhu Di was the first to object, his face darkening.

"You're injured, so you'll stay in the Capital City and recover obediently!"

"You don't need to worry about affairs in the north!"

"Father!"

Zhu Gaochi became anxious.

"My injuries are not a problem!"

"And, I can't let you continue to overwork yourself for the country!"

"You've already personally led campaigns to Mobei five times, it's time for you to rest properly!"

"This time, let me go in your stead!"

He spoke with such sincerity that Zhu Di was momentarily at a loss for words.

Zhu Zhanjun watched from the side, his eyes darting around as an idea struck him.

He quietly slipped out of the training ground and ran all the way to his mother, Crown Princess Zhang's, chambers.

"Mother! Mother! It's bad! Something terrible has happened!"

He shouted at the top of his lungs as soon as he entered.

Crown Princess Zhang, who was chatting with several ladies of rank, was startled by his shout.

"Zhanjun? What are you fussing about now, child?"

"Mother!"

Zhu Zhanjun ran up to her, his face a mask of "anxiety" and "grief."

"My Father... he's gone mad!"

"He insists on taking my three thousand Great Snow Dragon Riders to fight in the north!"

"My grandfather and I can't persuade him no matter what!"

"Mother, think about it, his body can barely handle riding a horse, and he wants to go into battle? Isn't that just sending him to his death?"