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In the early summer of the twenty-first year of the Hongwu reign, news of a victory in the northern frontier shook the entire city of Nanjing like a thunderclap.

At Buyur Lake, Marquis Lan Yu of Yongchang decisively defeated the Northern Yuan court, capturing the second son of the Yuan emperor, Dibaonu, more than a hundred concubines and princesses, as well as more than three thousand princes and nobles. He also seized the Imperial Seal (made by the Yuan Dynasty), gold seals, and military tallies, rendering the Northern Yuan court a mere shell of its former self.

When the good news reached the capital, Su Ning was discussing the map of northern Xinjiang with students at Xiaoling Academy.

"Grandson of the Emperor! Great victory! Marquis Yongchang has won a great victory at Buyur Lake!" Ma He, holding a military report, strode into the classroom, his voice filled with excitement.

The school was immediately filled with jubilation, and the students all stood up to celebrate.

Only Su Ning remained calm. He took the military report and read it carefully. When he saw the report that "the second son of the Yuan emperor, Dibaonu, and more than a hundred concubines and princesses have been captured," his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Pass down the order: all branches of Mingtang Trading Company shall be decorated with lanterns and colorful banners, and offer a 12% discount to celebrate this great victory." Su Ning put down the military report and said in a calm tone, "In addition, in the name of Daming Bank, allocate 50,000 taels of silver to reward the soldiers who went north, and take full responsibility for the compensation and follow-up arrangements for the dead and wounded soldiers."

"Grandson, this puts us under tremendous pressure!"

“Ma He, you need to understand one thing: money only has meaning when it's spent.”

"Yes, Your Highness!"

After Ma He left to carry out his orders, Li Shouchong, the oldest student in the school, couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, why don't you seem happy about such a great victory?"

Su Ning looked at the huge map of northern Xinjiang hanging on the wall, his gaze deep: "We have won, but I'm afraid the seeds of disaster have been sown here."

"Does Your Highness not think highly of Marquis Yongchang?"

"Shouzhong, you must understand that the only people I can trust and have confidence in are you elite students from the academy."

"Your Highness, Shouzhong will surely serve you to the death."

"We will surely serve Your Highness to the death."

……

Three days later, Lan Yu's detailed battle report arrived in the capital, along with news that enraged Zhu Yuanzhang...

Lan Yu actually desecrated Consort Yuan in the army, causing her to commit suicide.

Inside the Jinshen Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the battle report to the ground, furious: "That Lan Yu! That Marquis of Yongchang! Does he have no respect for the law?!"

Zhu Biao quickly tried to appease him: "Father, please calm down. Although the Marquis of Yongchang's behavior was inappropriate, he has after all made unparalleled contributions..."

"Merit is merit, and fault is fault!" Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted the Crown Prince. "If he dares to humiliate the Imperial Concubine in the army today, he will dare to show no respect for the Emperor in court tomorrow! Such arrogant and unruly soldiers will surely become a great threat in the future if they are not severely punished!"

At this moment, Mao Xiang, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, quietly entered the hall and presented a secret report: "Your Majesty, this is the recent movement of the Third Prince."

Zhu Yuanzhang unfolded the secret report, and the more he read it, the more complicated his expression became.

The secret report recorded Su Ning's reaction upon learning of the victory, as well as his various arrangements in the army over the years.

"Yunzhen is not only generous, but also remarkably composed." Zhu Yuanzhang handed the secret report to Zhu Biao. "Take a look."

"What? They've taken over the entire compensation work for wounded and injured soldiers?" Zhu Biao exclaimed in surprise after reading it. "And it seems Yun Tong had anticipated that Lan Yu would get into trouble?"

"Hmph! It wasn't that he expected it," Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "but that he understood Lan Yu's character better than anyone else—inflexible and stubborn!"

"..."

"Biao'er, I now truly believe that Yunhuo was just spouting nonsense at the age of four. Otherwise, why would he have so many schemes and policies?"

"Father, do you think Yunwen is hiding something from us? For example, does he get more information in the other world of his dreams?"

"Well, that's the only explanation right now."

……

That night, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned Su Ning alone.

"Grandson greets His Majesty."

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang was looking at his grandson kneeling in front of him. At the age of ten, he already possessed a composure and wisdom beyond his years.

"Get up!" Zhu Yuanzhang pushed the report of Lan Yu's victory in front of him. "What do you think of Lan Yu's matter?"

Su Ning quickly glanced through the text and calmly said, "Marquis Yongchang's victory in this battle can guarantee ten years of peace for the northern border of our Great Ming."

"That's all?" Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes blazed. "We're asking you, what do you think of his humiliation of Consort Yuan, which led to her suicide?"

Su Ning was silent for a moment, then looked up and stared directly at Zhu Yuanzhang: "Grandfather, I remember you often taught me: a general should win people over with virtue. Although Marquis Yongchang is great in martial arts, he is lacking in virtue."

"Go on."

“Over the years, my grandson has had many dealings with the military through the Daming Bank and Mingtang Trading Company,” Su Ning said slowly. “The Marquis of Yongchang in the army often acts as if he is the successor to his maternal grandfather, the Prince of Kaiping, and suppresses many young generals. I heard that last year he forcibly seized three hundred mu of military farmland in Datong Garrison, and this spring he also allowed his servants to beat innocent civilians to death…”

"Bang..." Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his hand on the table, then glared angrily at Su Ning before him. "Yunyi, why didn't you report these things sooner?"

“Because there is no evidence.” Su Ning said frankly, “The Marquis of Yongchang has deep roots in the army. Without solid evidence, rashly impeaching him would only alert him.”

Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at his grandson and suddenly asked, "If I were to deal with Lan Yu, what do you think I should do?"

Su Ning was startled, realizing that Zhu Yuanzhang was testing him.

He pondered for a moment before saying, "Grandfather, although Marquis Yongchang has made mistakes, his contributions to the country are significant. If he is severely punished, it may discourage the soldiers; if he is not punished, it may encourage arrogance."

"so?"

"I think his title should be changed to 'Duke of Liang' as a punishment. At the same time, his subordinate generals should be given separate titles and rewards, and his military power should be divided."

A glint of light flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes: "Divide their military power? How?"

“Over the years, I have discovered many talented young generals in the army.” Su Ning took out a list and handed it to Pu Bucheng, who then quickly passed it on to Zhu Yuanzhang. “Most of these people come from humble backgrounds and have risen through the ranks based on their military achievements. They have little connection with the noble families of Huaixi.”

Zhu Yuanzhang took the list and saw that it detailed the names and resumes of more than twenty generals, and even the names of their sons and nephews who studied at Xiaoling Academy.

"You've put your heart into it," Zhu Yuanzhang said meaningfully.

Su Ning bowed and said, "Your grandson is only thinking of the Ming Dynasty."

"Hmph! I hope you mean what you say."

……

Three days later, the imperial court bestowed rewards upon the soldiers who had led the northern expedition.

As expected, Lan Yu's title was changed from the planned "Duke of Liang" to "Duke of Liang State." Although it was only a one-word difference, the warning meaning was all too clear.

The news sent shockwaves through both the government and the public.

Inside the Duke of Liang's mansion, Lan Yu angrily smashed her beloved jade ruyi: "What does Your Majesty mean by this! I, Lan Yu, risked my life for the Zhu family, and this is all I get in return for the name 'Liang'!"

His trusted general quickly tried to calm him down: "Lord Duke, please calm down. The Emperor is just doing this for the civil officials to see."

"Bullshit!" Lan Yu roared. "Someone is stabbing us in the back! Investigate! Find out who is slandering us to the Emperor!"

"promise."

Meanwhile, inside Qingyan Pavilion, Su Ning was receiving several special guests.

"This humble general pays his respects to Your Highness the Prince." Three generals in military uniforms knelt down and saluted.

"Generals, please rise." Su Ning personally helped them up. "I have heard about your valiant fighting during this northern expedition."

These three men were all mid-level generals in Lan Yu's army. They came from humble backgrounds but made great contributions in this northern expedition.

“These are checks from the Ming Dynasty Bank,” Su Ning said, pushing three envelopes toward them. “Consider this a small token of my appreciation. Also, all expenses for your family members’ children at the Xiaoling Academy will be waived.”

The generals were moved to tears: "We are willing to die for Your Highness!"

"Haha, good! With you all here, I am like a tiger with wings."

After the generals left, Ma He whispered, "Grandson, isn't it too risky to bribe Lan Yu's generals like this?"

Su Ning said calmly, "Lan Yu is arrogant and never takes these generals from humble backgrounds seriously. I'm just giving them a way out."

"But……"

He walked to the window and looked in the direction of the Duke of Liang's mansion: "The roots of Lan Yu are already rotten. What we need to do is make sure that when this tree falls, it won't crush us. Ideally, we should take all the nutrients for ourselves."

"Grandson, can't we try to subdue Lan Yu?"

"Naive! Trying to change a person is nothing short of foolish! A person like Lan Yu not only has no fear of imperial power, but also cannot truly be loyal to anyone. I don't think I'm any better than my grandfather."

"..."

A month later, Lan Yu discovered that Su Ning was behind it all and angrily went to Xiaoling Academy.

Although Suning has now returned to the Eastern Palace, he still frequently visits the Xiaoling Mausoleum to inspect the school.

"Yun Teng! I am closely related to your maternal clan, the Chang family, and we have always supported your actions. Why would you want to harm me!"

Su Ning calmly looked at the enraged Lan Yu: "What makes you say such a thing, Uncle?"

"Hmph! Don't call me Uncle!" Lan Yu sneered. "You slandered me before the Emperor, changed my title, and secretly bribed my generals. Do you really think I didn't know?"

Su Ning slowly rose to his feet, his gaze suddenly sharpening: "Since Uncle has made things so clear today, then your grand-nephew might as well speak frankly as well. Do you really think that Grandfather and Father are unaware of what Uncle has done in the army?"

Lan Yu's momentum faltered, never expecting a child to possess such a strong aura. "You... what do you mean?"

“Occupying military farmland, allowing slaves to commit violence, humiliating the Imperial Concubine…” With each sentence Su Ning spoke, Lan Yu’s face paled a little more. “Which of these things isn’t a capital offense? Which one doesn’t warrant being skinned alive as straw?”

"Nonsense!"

"Hmph! Uncle, your grand-nephew pleaded for you before the Emperor, which saved your title of Duke. Instead of being grateful, you come here to interrogate me?"

“I…” Lan Yu stared in disbelief, speechless for a moment.

"Uncle," Su Ning's tone softened, "I'll give you one last piece of advice: Don't treat your grandfather and father like fools! And don't mistake their patience for limitless."

"Hmph! Yunwen, you have disappointed your great-uncle greatly."

After Lan Yu left in a huff, Ma He said worriedly, "Grandson, you've angered Lan Yu so much, I'm afraid..."

"It's alright," Su Ning said calmly. "A person who is courting death is not worth the trouble."

"But he's your maternal uncle! I'm worried about the negative influence he might have among the noble families of Huaixi."

However, Su Ning casually took out a list: "Don't worry! These are the generals in Lan Yu's army who are worth winning over. Let the money shop provide them with low-interest loans to help them settle down in Nanjing and give priority to arranging for their families to work in our workshops."

"What is the imperial grandson going to do..."

“We need to let these elite troops know,” Su Ning said with a far-sighted look, “that following me, Zhu Yunwen, will lead to a brighter future than following Lan Yu.”

"..."

In the summer of the twenty-first year of the Hongwu reign, while Lan Yu was immersed in his dreams of success and fame, an invisible net had already been quietly cast. And the one who wove the net was none other than the ten-year-old child he had never taken seriously.

……

In the sweltering summer of the twenty-first year of the Hongwu reign, a chill permeated the Jinshen Hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed a secret report onto his desk, his face turning ashen.

"That Lan Yu! Does he really think I wouldn't dare to touch him?"

Crown Prince Zhu Biao hurriedly picked up the secret report, and the more he read it, the more alarmed he became.

The above details the recent words and actions of Liang State Duke Lan Yu: openly complaining about the unfairness of the titles at a private banquet in the army, condoning his subordinates to seize farmland, and even privately discussing the weakness of the Crown Prince.

"Father, please calm your anger. Although Lan Yu is arrogant, he has made outstanding military achievements after all..."

"Military merits?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. "Does he have Xu Da's loyalty, or Chang Yuchun's bravery? Biao'er, remember this: those whose merits overshadow their lord never have a good ending!"

At this moment, Mao Xiang silently entered the hall: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince, and His Highness the Third Prince request an audience."

Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao exchanged a glance, both surprised.

"Let him in."

Su Ning entered the hall, bowed, and presented a thick booklet: "Grandfather, Father, this is the 'Memorial on Military Reform' compiled by Yun Tong."

Zhu Yuanzhang opened the booklet, initially not paying much attention, but the more he read, the more surprised he became.

This was not an ordinary memorial, but a complete plan for military reform.

Then Zhu Yuanzhang handed the memorial to Zhu Biao, who was standing to the side, and Zhu Biao was immediately shocked as well.

"Yun Tong, what do you mean by this?" Zhu Biao asked, puzzled.

Su Ning calmly replied, "Father, I believe that the army is now deeply entrenched in corruption and it is time to rectify the situation."

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed to one of the items: "What is the meaning of establishing branches of the Great Ming Bank to be in charge of distributing the salaries of soldiers?"

“Your Majesty,” Su Ning explained, “the current distribution of military rations and pay is often subject to deductions at multiple levels. If the Ming Dynasty Bank distributes the rations directly, it will not only eliminate corruption but also ensure that the soldiers receive their pay. Moreover, it will make it clear to the Ming soldiers who are paying and distributing their rations.”

A glint of light flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes: "Continue."

"Furthermore, I suggest establishing a 'Wounded Soldiers' Pension Fund,' operated by the Daming Money Shop, to ensure that wounded veterans are cared for in their old age. There should also be a 'Military Children's School,' specifically for enrolling the children of soldiers and military households..."

Zhu Biao grew increasingly alarmed as he listened: "Yun Tong, these measures will likely affect the interests of many people."

“Father, you are wise,” Su Ning bowed and said, “but it is precisely for this reason that we should implement this policy. The military is currently deeply entrenched in power; if we do not fundamentally change this situation, I fear…”

He didn't finish his sentence, but Zhu Yuanzhang already understood what he meant.

"You may step back now," Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand. "I have important matters to discuss with your father."

"Yes, grandson takes his leave."

After Su Ning left, Zhu Yuanzhang slammed the "Memorial on Military Reform" onto the table: "Biao'er, did you see it?"

Zhu Biao's expression was complicated: "Yun Tong is trying to... undermine our efforts."

“That’s right!” Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and paced around the hall. “He’s using the pretext of reorganizing the Ming military to uproot the power base of nobles like Lan Yu!”

"But Father, Yunhua is still so young, how could he have such a deep mind?"

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, "Hmph! You underestimate your son. He's just taking advantage of my intention to take action against Lan Yu, hoping to seize Lan Yu's power!"

Zhu Biao was shocked: "Father, are you saying that Yun Tong had this intention all along?"

“Biao’er, do you still remember all the little tricks he’s played in the army over the years?” Zhu Yuanzhang asked with a deep gaze. “Providing low-interest loans to junior officers, subsidizing the children of soldiers to attend school, transporting supplies to soldiers on the border through the Mingtang Trading Company, and even taking in those helpless and disabled veterans… In fact, he had already started planning all along!”

"So, what Father Emperor means is..."

"Let's turn the tables on them!" Zhu Yuanzhang said decisively. "Lan Yu should indeed be dealt with, and the nobles of Huaixi should indeed be deterred, but we must also guard against Yunhu's ambition."

"..."

……

Three days later, Zhu Yuanzhang issued an edict approving all the matters reported in the "Memorial on Military Reforms" and ordered Liang Guogong Lan Yu to assist in handling them.

When the news reached the Duke of Liang's mansion, Lan Yu was furious.

"That Zhu Yunwen! He's trying to seize my military power!"

The advisor quickly tried to dissuade him: "Your Highness, please calm down. This might not be a bad thing. If we can take this opportunity to control the distribution of military pay, wouldn't that be..."

"What do you know!" Lan Yu roared. "This is putting me in a very difficult position! If I agree, the soldiers will all say that I, Lan Yu, am conspiring with the royal family to embezzle military pay; if I don't agree, I will be disobeying the imperial edict!"

Meanwhile, inside Qingyan Pavilion, Ma He said worriedly, "Your Majesty, His Majesty's actions clearly intend to pit you against Lan Yu."

Su Ning laughed: "Grandpa is testing me. He's seeing if I have the ability to take over this army from Lan Yu."

"But Lan Yu has cultivated deep roots in the military over many years..."

"Even the deepest foundation cannot compare to real gold and silver."

"But……"

"Ma He, how are those generals you asked me to recruit going?"

"The progress is going very smoothly! After all, you are the grandson of Chang Yuchun, the Prince of Kaiping."

“In addition,” Su Ning took out another plan, “we will open ‘military service stations’ near major military camps to sell daily necessities to soldiers at cost price.”

Ma He suddenly realized: "The grandson of the emperor is trying to win people's hearts! Isn't he worried about arousing the suspicion of His Majesty and the crown prince?"

"It's alright! I'm just a ten-year-old child now, who would take a child seriously?"

"..."

Two weeks later, subtle changes began to appear in Lan Yu's army.

Some mid-level generals began to secretly deal with the Ming Dynasty's money shops, and the reputation of the Third Prince for his compassion for his soldiers continued to circulate in the army.

That day, Lan Yu summoned his trusted generals, only to find that several of them looked strange.

"What have you all been busy with lately?" Lan Yu asked suspiciously.

"Your Excellency, we are... processing the military pay account," a general replied cautiously.

Lan Yu was furious, but suppressed her anger: "Very well. You may all go."

"Yes!"

After everyone left, Lan Yu said to her eldest son, Lan Chun, "Did you see that? This is the kind of tactic your cousin Zhu Yunwen uses. He's trying to poach all the members of our Lan family without making a sound!"

Lan Chun said indignantly, "Father, are we just going to let him do whatever he wants?"

Lan Yu sneered: "Hmph! What's the rush? I want to see how much trouble this ten-year-old can cause! Without me, Lan Yu, Zhu Yunwen is just a brat who hasn't even grown up yet."

However, Lan Yu underestimated Suning's determination and methods.

Over the next month, Su Ning distributed a large number of low-interest loans to junior officers through Daming Bank, and supplied supplies to border soldiers at cost price through Mingtang Trading Company.

Even more impressively, the Xiaoling Academy added a martial arts course specifically for the children of military personnel, hired retired generals as instructors, and arranged for their families to work in the workshops of the Mingtang Trading Company.

Zhu Yuanzhang saw all of this.

"Biao'er, what do you think of Yunhu's actions?" Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly asked.

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment: "Your Majesty, I believe that Yun Tong has indeed grasped the key to the army. However, his actions are too swift and forceful, which may provoke a backlash from the nobles of Huaixi."

"A backlash?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. "With me and you here, let's see who dares to backlash!"

"This……"

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and walked to the huge map: "Yuntong is even more capable than I imagined. He knew he couldn't directly confront Lan Yu and the Huaixi nobles, so he started to dismantle their power from the bottom up. That's a brilliant move!"

"So, what Father Emperor means is..."

"Hmph! Yun Tong is so unscrupulous because he is just a fox borrowing the tiger's power. After all, with you and me in charge, Lan Yu and the Huai Xi nobles can't cause any trouble."

"Should we stop Yun-hu's reckless behavior?"

"Hmph! If something goes wrong, that's considered reckless! If it succeeds, it's considered a favor from heaven."

"This……"

"Let him continue." Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze was deep. "I want to see if he can digest Lan Yu's power without causing turmoil."

"..."

At this moment, inside Qingyan Pavilion, Su Ning was receiving a special guest, Zhang Yi, a commander of the Blue Jade Army.

"Commander Zhang, I heard that your family in Tongzhou has been settled?"

Zhang Yi said gratefully, "Thank you for your help, Your Highness. If it weren't for the low-interest loan from the bank, I would still be worrying about where my family lives."

"This is what I should do," Su Ning said gently. "The soldiers serve the country, so it is only natural for me to take care of their worries."

"Your Highness, I will serve you faithfully for the rest of my life."

"Rest assured! As long as I am here, the Zhang family will not be left destitute."

"Thank you, Your Highness?"

After Zhang Yi left, Ma He whispered, "Your Highness, this is the thirty-seventh commander from Lan Yu's army to surrender."

Su Ning nodded: "It's not enough. Lan Yu's influence in the military is too deep; we need more time."

"But the Emperor's patience..."

"Don't worry," Su Ning said confidently, "Grandfather wants to get rid of Lan Yu even more than we do. He's not making a move now because he's waiting for the right opportunity."

In the autumn of the twenty-first year of the Hongwu reign, the power structure within the Ming army was quietly changing.

The mastermind behind all of this was a child who was only ten years old.

"When Heshen falls, Jiaqing is rich..." Su Ning murmured to himself, gazing at the falling leaves outside the window, "Lan Yu, do you know that your downfall will pave the way for my rise?"

...(End of chapter)