Chapter 41: Is Uncle Fifteen Interested in the Japanese?

"Come on! Dear uncles, take a good look at the areas circled in red here and pick one!"

Zhu Yunxuan walked up to the screen, pointed at the massive map hanging there, and looked at Zhu Gui and the others with a half-smile.

This was a world map he had spent over three years piecing together from memory, a vertical projection verified by the standards of later generations.

In truth, the imperial treasury already housed a "Map of All Nations," and Zhu Yunxuan had personally seen that even the Americas were depicted on it. However, many of the annotations were inaccurate, which was why he chose not to use it.

In fact, this proved one thing: the Americas were never "discovered" by Columbus; they had been known to their ancestors long ago. Perhaps the people of the Central Plains back then simply held no interest in those barbarian lands overseas, and thus, they were never incorporated into the Ming territory.

But just because Zhu Yuanzhang had no interest did not mean Zhu Yunxuan felt the same. If for no other reason than to prevent his descendants from cursing him as a transmigrator, and to save them from having to learn English, Zhu Yunxuan was determined to bring all those lands under the Ming banner.

As for those who paraded under the banner of "scientists" while actually busying themselves with translating the ancient classics of China—if possible, Zhu Yunxuan wouldn't mind rounding them up to test their competence. And if they came up short... heh!

Zhu Gui had been completely docile ever since Consort Guo left. Now, far from daring to act arrogant before Zhu Yunxuan, he was the first to lead the way toward the screen. Zhu Zhi, Zhu Quan, and the others followed.

But when they saw the areas Zhu Yunxuan had circled in red, they couldn't help but wear expressions as if they had just lost their fathers. They hadn't looked that miserable even when keeping vigil for Zhu Yuanzhang; if the old Emperor could see them now, he would surely have beaten these rebellious sons until they were paralyzed with his heavy shoe.

"Yunxuan, are you... are you trying to exile us?" Zhu Quan, only fourteen years old, looked at Zhu Yunxuan with a sorrowful face, his eyes welling up with tears. He desperately wanted to say that it was Zhu Gui who had provoked him, so he should settle the score with him alone and not drag his other uncles into it. But seeing the smile on Zhu Yunxuan’s face—a smile that looked exactly like his own father’s—he forced the words back down.

In truth, one couldn't blame Zhu Quan. Zhu Yunxuan was simply being too ruthless. The red-circled areas on the map were either in the extreme frozen north or on islands far removed from the Ming coastline in the south.

The north was so far away that even the nomadic tribes of the grasslands could barely reach those regions. And the south... it was said that those were places inhabited by apes, with monkeys everywhere you looked. If they went to such places, let alone enjoying themselves, they would be lucky just to avoid starving to death.

Zhu Yunxuan had a decent impression of Zhu Quan. Setting aside his historical image, Zhu Quan was the only one in the Imperial Academy who hadn't bullied Zhu Yunxuan during his time of hiding his brilliance.

Therefore, Zhu Yunxuan draped an arm over Zhu Quan’s shoulder, pointed at a spot circled in red, and laughed: "Seventeenth Uncle, you are all my dear uncles; how could I bear to exile you?"

"Look here. This is called the White Horde! Do you know why it’s called that? Because the women there are fairer than the next, and their figures and beauty are beyond compare—far more fiery than the women sent as tribute from Hami."

He then pointed to another spot: "This is the Grand Duchy of Moscow. Not only are there countless beauties there, but there is also endless land and all kinds of resources."

He moved his finger again: "And here! Don't let the rugged land fool you; the beauties here are all golden-haired and blue-eyed, and each one is as passionate as fire."

Zhu Quan was completely dazed by Zhu Yunxuan’s words. At fourteen or fifteen, the age of budding youth, he couldn't help but raise a hand to wipe the drool from the corner of his mouth.

Just then, Zhu Zhi, standing nearby, couldn't help but wipe his own mouth as well. He pointed to a spot on the map and asked, "Yunxuan, isn't this Japan?"

Zhu Yunxuan looked back at him and smiled: "That’s right, this is indeed Japan! Why, is Fifteenth Uncle interested?"

Zhu Zhi’s jaw dropped in shock; he looked at Zhu Yunxuan in disbelief: "Yunxuan, Japan is a tributary state of our Ming Dynasty. What do you mean by this?"

"A tributary state? Well, yes, it is for now. But as long as you are willing to go, Fifteenth Uncle, I can have it removed from the list of tributary states tomorrow." Zhu Yunxuan’s face was full of smiles, but his eyes held a hint of ruthlessness.

*Slap.*

He slammed his hand onto the location of the Japanese islands, his voice cold: "Although the Japanese islands are isolated overseas, their location is strategically vital. If you are willing to lead the troops to take it, this will become your fiefdom."

"I’ll tell you a secret, Uncle: the Japanese islands have endless silver, and their women are especially skilled at serving men. I guarantee it’s a level of pleasure you couldn't even imagine—far better than the brothels you usually frequent."

Zhu Yunxuan tried his best to entice Zhu Zhi. To his surprise, however, Zhu Zhi withdrew his gaze, shook his head, and set his eyes on the East Asian peninsula instead.

A mysterious light flickered deep in his eyes, and he said in a slightly hoarse voice: "Yunxuan, if you are truly going to enfeoff us overseas, can I go to Korea?"

Hm?

Zhu Yunxuan was taken aback. He hadn't circled the East Asian peninsula. Moreover, in his plans, he had no intention of giving up the entire East Asian continent; those were to be the future territories of the Ming, an inseparable part of the empire.

But then it dawned on him why Zhu Zhi was so fixated on the peninsula. It had to do with his lineage. Zhu Zhi’s mother was Consort Han; her specific name was unknown, but Zhu Yunxuan knew she had been a maiden sent as tribute from Korea. Perhaps because of this connection, Zhu Zhi wanted to return and rule the land from a position of superiority.

Knowing this, Zhu Yunxuan still shook his head: "Fifteenth Uncle, it’s not that I’m being stingy! But Korea was declared a 'non-conquest country' by the Imperial Grandfather. You wouldn't want to put me in a difficult position, would you?"

"Sigh!" Zhu Zhi sighed, looking deeply disappointed.

"Yun... Yunxuan! Where is this? Why did you draw a cow on it?"

Just as Zhu Yunxuan was wondering how to comfort Zhu Zhi, Zhu Gui, who had been looking aggrieved just a moment ago, pointed to a vast area to the west of the Ming Empire and asked.

Hearing this, Zhu Yunxuan couldn't help but look back at him with curiosity...