My father is Yongle, and all I want is to cultivate immortality.

Chapter 56, Second Imperial Edict of Regent

Zhu Di, his face darkening, said, "This brat, how can he act so well?"

Was he really crying or faking it?

Old Zhu was speechless; he never expected his second son to act like that.

"Fake crying!"

Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Gaosui, and Zhu Zhanji all spoke in unison.

"It's impossible that all the money that kid earned is gone," Zhu Di said jealously. "If I'm not mistaken, he must have transferred it!"

At this point, he stared at Ji Gang and asked, "Back then, did you really search everything?"

Ji Gang said firmly, "I have searched every corner of the Prince of Han's mansion thoroughly."

Zhu Di's eyes flashed, and he paced back and forth several times.

"Alright, you can go now." With a wave of his hand, Ji Gang silently withdrew.

Only members of the Zhu family are left here.

"That second son, he definitely made a profit," Zhu Di said through gritted teeth. "He just won't give me any money!"

"Father, this money was earned by the second son after all. Is it really appropriate for you to ask him for money now?" Zhu Gaochi said subconsciously.

"What do you mean by that?" Zhu Di asked. "What, you want to pay ten thousand taels of silver?"

"Father, I didn't, I didn't!!" Zhu Gaochi wished he could slap himself.

Why did he have to be so talkative?

Zhu Di sighed, "I have no choice."

"After all, the Tatars in the north have been stirring up trouble, and I must prepare for the upcoming campaign!"

"And the second son's ten thousand taels of silver is absolutely a matter of utmost urgency."

"If we had this sum of over ten thousand taels of silver, then whether it's repairing the Red-Clothed Cannons or expanding the Shenji Battalion's arquebuses, it wouldn't be a problem for me," Zhu Di said.

The Crown Prince and the King of Zhao couldn't help but exchange a glance.

"How about we split the ten thousand taels of silver among ourselves, with each of you contributing five thousand taels?"

Zhu Di suddenly set his sights on the two crown princes.

"Cough cough!!"

Zhu Gaochi said with a wry smile, "Father, you know I have no money!"

"Dad, you know I don't have any money either!"

Zhu Gaosui quickly chimed in, "This ten thousand taels of silver was earned by the second son. The Embroidered Uniform Guard didn't receive his money; he must have transferred it."

"Third brother, tell me where he transferred the money?" Zhu Di suddenly asked Zhu Gaosui.

Zhu Gaosui said, "Father, I don't know!"

"You're a well-known member of the Han King's faction, is there anything you don't know?"

Zhu Gaosui wanted to cry but had no tears.

Zhu Di's eyes flashed: "The Ming Dynasty's treasury is already quite empty."

"Now that my second son is making money, of course I'm happy, but I never expected him to pull this stunt."

Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaosui listened silently, afraid of angering the Yongle Emperor.

Zhu Gaochi sighed inwardly. He knew that the reason Zhu Di was so persistent this time was because the money Zhu Gaoxu had earned gave him hope.

But in the end, not only was the money not found, but Zhu Gaoxu's true colors were also exposed.

He only found fifty taels of silver?

This is ridiculous!

"My lord, if I were to launch an expedition to the northern deserts this time, how much money could you provide as support?" Zhu Di suddenly asked.

"This...this..." Zhu Gaochi stammered.

"Speak!" Zhu Di glared at him.

"Dad, we have no money!"

Zhu Di also glanced at Zhu Gaosui.

Zhu Gaosui also smiled wryly and said, "Father, I don't have much money either."

"Look at the state of you all!" Zhu Di said, "I've decided that the important task of overseeing the country will be handed over to the second son!"

"I trust him. Under his regency, the Ming Dynasty will only get better and better!"

Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaosui said in unison, "Father is absolutely right!"

Zhu Di said, "Second Prince, I refuse to believe you'll pretend to be sick again this time!"

The Ming army is large now, but it lacks cannons and muskets made of copper and iron!

If the second son were to oversee the country and invest the money earned into military expenses, then Zhu Di would not face any pressure in this war.

"This time, let the second son be the regent!" Zhu Di said. "Elder brother, you won't have any objections, will you?"

Zhu Gaochi exclaimed, "I couldn't ask for more!!"

He couldn't wait to rest for a few days, after all, being the regent was a huge headache for him.

"And that 'power pill,' is this kid not planning to make it for me?" Zhu Di's expression was not good.

The Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhao exchanged a glance. To be honest, they were also very interested in the Power Pill and the Rejuvenation Pill that Zhu Gaoxu had refined.

But the second brother didn't intend to refine it for them; instead, he refined this so-called beauty pill.

"Let him oversee the country for now. Once he's got the army under control, I'll find a way to get him some 'power pills'!" Zhu Di said through gritted teeth. He was finding his second son increasingly unpredictable and even uncontrollable.

…………

Zhu Gaoxu returned to his residence and couldn't help but sneeze.

"Husband, have you kept all the money you earned?" Princess Han whispered, knowing all about Zhu Gaochi's methods.

Her husband is a cultivator; he probably used some kind of magic to store these things away.

Zhu Gaoxu flicked the nose of the Princess Consort of Han and couldn't help but laugh, "As expected of my beloved consort, she is indeed incredibly intelligent."

"Keep this tael of silver with me for now," Zhu Gaoxu said. "In a while, when the Immortal Pill Retreat releases another batch of pills, they'll sell like hotcakes!"

The Princess Consort of Han nodded in agreement: "Yes, it's true. We are indeed richer than a country."

Zhu Gaoxu smiled; this was exactly the effect he wanted.

"Report!"

Huangfu Yun came to report: "Your Highness, an imperial edict has arrived from the palace, ordering you to go to Fengtian Hall to oversee the country tomorrow."

"My lord, His Majesty is still not giving up!" the Princess Consort of Han said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, I see." Zhu Gaoxu nodded slightly. "Where is the imperial edict?"

Huangfu Yun took the imperial edict and handed it to Zhu Gaoxu. This was an imperial edict given to him directly by someone from the palace.

"This is the second imperial edict already," Zhu Gaochi said with a smile. "It seems our Emperor is determined to send me to oversee the country."

Princess Consort of Han asked, "Then, Your Highness, will you go or not?"

"Let me think about it first," Zhu Gaoxu said thoughtfully.

The old man is going to war recently, and knowing that things aren't going well for the eldest son, he asked me to step in!

Zhu Gaoxu's eyes flashed, and he quickly smiled.

"Husband, what's wrong?" The Princess of Han looked at him.

She couldn't understand her husband; why could he still laugh at a time like this?

"Don't worry, I already have a plan," Zhu Gaoxu said with a smile.

"What countermeasures?" Princess Han asked curiously.

"His Majesty isn't making me regent, but rather asking me to bleed a little. I'll play along, and have a good time with him!"

Zhu Gaoxu smiled, for life is unpredictable.

The Princess Consort of Han knew that something was about to happen in the court.