Returning from the camp of the Yinglong army, on the way, Zhu Cihong consciously instructed Zheng Sen to follow back to the palace.

Seeing Zheng Sen following the emperor away, Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Hongkui sighed helplessly, a little sad.

"Big brother, it seems that the emperor has a great influence on Sen'er, which is very unfavorable to our Zheng family, which is worrying!" Zheng Hongkui frowned, obviously extremely dissatisfied.

Zheng Zhilong didn't reply immediately, he was stunned for a while before he took a deep breath and said slowly: "Hongkui, do you know that when I first arrived in the capital, I entered the palace to meet the emperor, and he told me something?" ”

"What?" Zheng Hongkui asked.

"The emperor asked me if there were more than 130,000 sailors under the command of our Zheng family, and more than 3,700 warships of all sizes." Zheng Zhilong said faintly, the light in his eyes flashed, but also with some fear.

"Hiss" Zheng Hongkui gasped, and said in disbelief: "This is impossible, how could the emperor know this, and it is so clear, that is, our entire Zheng family knows so clearly, and it is just our two brothers, where did the emperor get the news!" ”

Zheng Hongkui's shocked reaction was expected by Zheng Zhilong, not to mention Zheng Hongkui, didn't Zheng Zhilong himself be frightened on the spot at that time, you know, the Zheng family's sailors are all over the South Seas, Zhancheng, Luzon, Beigang, etc., across nearly 10,000 miles of oceans, if it were not for the Zheng family's power, it would be impossible for anyone to know the true strength of the Zheng family, even the Dutch, who had dealt with the Zheng family for 20 years and often fought with the Zheng family, did not know, but the Ming Emperor actually knew.

Deep, steady, and incomprehensible, these characteristics should be things that can only be possessed after living for dozens of years, but they appeared in the little emperor who was still at the age of a weak crown.

This is a kind of weirdness, so weird that it is terrifying, and at the same time, he is also frightened by the strength of the Ming court, otherwise, how can he find out the true strength of the Zheng family so clearly.

In the face of the behemoth of the Ming Dynasty, although Zheng Zhilong has never underestimated it, he has always had a trace of awe, but at this time, it seems that he also underestimated the Ming Dynasty, and the strength of the Ming Dynasty is not only superficial, there must be a deeper strength, the Zheng family is not an opponent.

"Maybe it's okay to let Sen'er stay with the emperor, at least the emperor's look at Sen'er doesn't seem to be fake, as long as Sen'er is fine, it means that the emperor won't touch our Zheng family." Zheng Zhilong said.

Zheng Hongkui was still in shock and didn't react, and when he heard Zheng Zhilong's words, he sighed helplessly: "What the eldest brother said is that maybe it can only be like this first." ”

There is no way, seeing the strength of the Ying Long Army, the Zheng family can't turn their faces with the Ming Dynasty anyway, otherwise they can only go to the sea again, since the emperor values it so much, it is better to let Zheng Sen stay by the emperor's side to serve, if the emperor really turns his face with the Zheng family in the future, maybe he can still kill it for Zheng Sen's sake.

Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Hongkui made a decision, so they did not plan to stay in Nanjing City, and returned to Quanzhou in a few days.

Palace.

Zhu Cihong summoned Zheng Sen to the imperial study alone, and dismissed all the idlers and others.

"Zheng Sen, with your cleverness, watching my every move towards your father these days, you must have felt something, I told you the truth, I will never allow others to sleep under my couch, and Da Ming will not allow any internal disobedience to orders, or even threaten the existence of Da Ming, do you understand what I mean?" Zhu Cihong looked directly at Zheng Sen.

"Minister, I know." Zheng Sen showed a hint of embarrassment.

"Okay, I ask you, if one day in the future I want to take over your Zheng family, what will you do?" Zhu Cihong asked very directly.

There is no doubt that Zhu Cihong values Zheng Sen very much, many things, since Zheng Sen cannot be hidden from Zheng Sen now or in the future, since this is the case, Zhu Cihong will not beat around the bush, but be honest with Zheng Sen, and say it directly, it will also be more open-minded, he wants to give Zheng Sen a chance to make his own choice, he will not force Zheng Sen, what route to take Zheng Sen chooses by himself.

Zheng Sen was silent there, not shocked at all, as if he had expected it.

"You've thought about answering me, whether to stay by my side or go back to Quanzhou, I won't stop you!" After Zhu Cihong finished speaking, he was silent and quietly waited for Zheng Sen's answer.

"Thank you for your trust." Zheng Sen was a little moved, although he knew that this day would eventually come, but the emperor's honesty made him impeccable.

Honesty is the basis of a person's trust, with this foundation, Zheng Sen did not hesitate much, and said with a firm attitude: "Zheng Sen is willing to stay by the emperor's side all the time to serve, the Zheng family will always be the emperor's courtiers, if one day the emperor wants to take over my Zheng family's fleet, Zheng Sen will support the emperor." ”

Zheng Sen made a promise, and his attitude was sincere and by no means perfunctory.

Zhu Cihong heard Zheng Sen's sincerity, and immediately smiled, stepped forward and patted Zheng Sen's shoulder and said with relief: "I know that you will not let me down, and I also give you a promise here, if there is really such a day, I will not treat the Zheng family badly, and the Zheng family's wealth will not be less!" ”

"Zheng Sen thanks the emperor for his grace, and in the future, he will definitely go to the sword mountain and the sea of fire to repay the emperor's grace, and there will be no complaints!" Zheng Sen knelt on one knee and made his attitude clear that he was loyal.

"Okay, hahahaha! Zheng Sen deserves to be Zheng Sen, I am very relieved! Zhu Cihong laughed.

After talking to Zheng Sen, he gave him a big move in the future, so that he was prepared, so he went back first.

After two consecutive strong shocks, Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Hongkui brothers were more in awe of the imperial court than ever before, and they were not so resolute in wanting to take Zheng Sen back to Quanzhou, but left Zheng Sen to serve by the emperor's side with peace of mind, although it was like a disguised hostage, which would make Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Hongkui brothers uncomfortable, but this could increase the emperor's trust in the Zheng family, and also pay attention to the emperor's attitude towards the Zheng family through Zheng Sen.

Since it was beneficial for the Zheng family to let Zheng Sen continue to stay by the emperor's side to serve, Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Hongkui did not continue to persecute Zheng Sen and never mentioned the matter of letting him return to Quanzhou.

On the seventh day of October, Zheng Zhilong and Zheng Hongkui returned to Quanzhou with Zhu Cihong's holy decree that they should go to Nanyang to buy sweet potatoes, corn and other seeds.

In November, after two months of training, the various armies of Yinglong's army gradually regained their pre-battle strength in Xuzhou, and the number rose again to 120,000.

With the recovery of the strength of Yinglong's army, Zhu Cihong had the confidence to prepare for the coastal salt administration.

On November 4, the Third Army of Yinglong's Army was transferred to Yangzhou, and the Fourth Army was transferred to Suzhou.

...