Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 188 The Pancake in Prince Su's Mansion

Inside the Prince Su's residence, everyone was kneeling on the ground.

All military and political personnel within Shaanxi Province are petitioning for orders.

Those present all understood that the term "Jingnan" had another name for it.

If it is someone else who is plotting rebellion, it concerns the lives of the entire family. If they are not careful, they may end up with their property confiscated and their clan wiped out. They need to consider this carefully.

However, Shaanxi has a strong and well-equipped army, with many powerful soldiers.

Tens of thousands of Vajra Realm experts, thousands of Finger Profound Realm experts, hundreds of Celestial Phenomena, and more than ten Land Immortals!

Even if all the top experts in the Ming Dynasty were included, they still couldn't assemble such a lineup.

This is only a small part of the information they have. Based on their understanding of Zhu Jinzhen, this may only be the tip of the iceberg, and the reality is likely to be even more terrifying.

Therefore, even the most cautious civil officials could not imagine how they were going to lose!
If you don't show your loyalty now, are you going to wait until your subordinates climb up to your head and you have to bow and scrape when you meet them?

"Taking this step is a matter of life or death. Have you thought it through?" Zhu Jinzhen asked with a smile as he served tea.

"To repay Your Majesty's kindness, I will serve you to the death. Your Highness, give your orders. I will follow you through thick and thin, even in the face of fire and water!" Yang Qingyi seized the opportunity to be the first to declare his loyalty.

"We, your humble servants, are also willing to serve Your Highness with our lives."

The others also expressed their opinions.

Those summoned by Zhu Jinzhen for discussions were all officials in charge of Shaanxi, who generally had a clear understanding of the strength of their prince's forces and the region within Shaanxi.

The two powerful armies, Tian Ce and Cang Yun, are invincible in this era.

The Twelve Guards of Shaanxi have recently received the favor of their own prince and have undergone a transformation. They are now all as strong as tigers and wolves, and can easily take on ten men at once. The provincial governor in charge of logistics is drooling over the daily revenue.

If we don't express our stance now, are we supposed to wait until Zhu Jinzhen has captured the capital before making a statement?
Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty by Emperor Taizu Gao and the establishment of the Hongwu era, it has been 150 years. The social hierarchy has long been solidified. To continue climbing the social ladder, one needs exceptional talent, numerous merits, and powerful connections. Let alone the central government, many people cannot even take another step forward.

And now, a tremendous opportunity is presented to everyone.

The merit of following the dragon.

As for the Ming Dynasty?

How many tens of millions of troops are there?
Zhu Jinzhen looked at the crowd in front of him and smiled with satisfaction.

"Qingyi, I remember you have a niece named Yang Yan, who is said to be 'unforgettable at first glance'?"

"Your Highness, this is indeed the case," Yang Qingyi replied.

He wondered to himself, "My lord is not a womanizer, so why did he suddenly mention his niece?"

Could it be...?

Shen Bing, Ma You, Xu Yu, and the others looked on with envy.

They all guessed Zhu Jinzhen's unspoken meaning: although their prince had married the Cangyun commander Changsun Wangqing and taken several concubines, times had changed.

How can a concubine in a prince's mansion be compared to an imperial concubine?

Most importantly, His Highness has no children yet. If Yang Qingyi's niece were to conceive a royal heir first, she might have a chance to sit on that throne!

How can one not be envied?

Realizing what had happened, Yang Qingyi bowed again in excitement: "This humble general thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness."

Upon hearing those four words, Zhu Jinzhen's face stiffened slightly, and the others also wore strange expressions.

That's true, and it's also true.

To say it's wrong would be presumptuous.

However, considering that they had all respectfully invited Zhu Jinzhen to raise an army to quell the rebellion, no one pursued these minor matters.

Moreover, they subconsciously looked at Zhu Jinzhen, only to see that he had a slight upturn of his lips, and instead of rebuking them, he calmly nodded and slowly stood up. "The ancestral precepts say: If there are no upright ministers in the court and there are treacherous and rebellious officials within, troops must be raised to punish them and cleanse the evil from the emperor's side." "I, Zhu Jinzhen, am a descendant of the Prince Su, the fourteenth son of Emperor Taizu Gao. Since inheriting the title, I have followed the rites and laws and guarded the borders of our Great Ming for many years. Now, the Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi dares to disrupt the government of our Great Ming with the false emperor, intending to rebel and usurp the country. As a close relative of the country, how can I sit idly by?"

"Send a proclamation throughout the land."

"I, the King, hereby command my troops!"

"By order of Heaven, we quell the rebellion!!!"

Zhu Jinzhen could have had many excuses, but he didn't use any of them. Instead, he openly declared to the world that he could defend the borders of the Ming Dynasty, protect the Ming Dynasty, and ensure its peace and prosperity. When the Ming Dynasty was in turmoil and there were treacherous officials in the country, he could also follow the example of Emperor Taizong, raise an army to quell the rebellion, and take that position for himself.

"We swear to follow Your Highness to the death!" Yang Qingyi and the others shouted excitedly.

wait.

They had finally waited for this day.

Zhu Jinzhen looked at Xu Yu, the provincial governor: "Xu Yu, your ancestor was the Duke of Wei, a founding hero of the Ming Dynasty. In recent years, he has worked diligently for the Ming Dynasty. Shaanxi can be said to have made great contributions to its current state."

"The cabinet colluded with Zhu Wushi to plot rebellion and usurp the throne. I cannot bear to see the Ming Dynasty fall into the hands of traitors. I wish to follow the late Emperor Taizu's instructions and quell the rebellion in accordance with Heaven's will. You shall write the proclamation to punish the traitors. Is there any inconvenience?"

Xu Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she almost cried out.

Despite his excitement, he knelt on the ground and replied loudly, "Your Highness's order is my duty. Two, no, one hour. This concerns the safety of the Ming Dynasty. Please grant me one hour to write a proclamation against the rebels for Your Highness's review."

His Highness has once again addressed the affairs of the Cabinet.

He even made a special mention of Xu Yu's ancestral glory, which almost indirectly told Xu Yu that a bright future was ahead of him, with the positions of cabinet minister and duke beckoning him. If it weren't for the importance of the matter, Xu Yu would have even torn off his clothes on the spot and started writing a proclamation against the traitor.

“Ma You, there are treacherous officials in the court. As the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Shaanxi, you have the duty to supervise all officials and distinguish between the wicked and the wicked. You must be very familiar with the laws of the Ming Dynasty.” Zhu Jinzhen then looked at Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Ma You.

"Yes, Your Highness, I have already memorized it thoroughly. Please test me." Ma You was extremely excited. His Highness had not forgotten him after all!

Zhu Jinzhen smiled and said, "Why am I testing you? It's just that the court is so corrupt. Since I have been entrusted by Heaven to quell the rebellion and punish the treacherous officials, I must rectify the excesses. In this chaotic situation in the capital, the cabinet is plotting a rebellion, the Six Ministries are doing nothing, and the Court of Judicial Review has seriously failed in its duties. I need a great talent in this area."

With each additional word Zhu Jinzhen spoke, Ma You's body trembled.

The cabinet plotted a rebellion, and the six ministries did nothing.

The Dali Temple was seriously negligent in its oversight.

Does His Highness intend for him, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, to take charge of the Court of Judicial Review, or the Ministry of Justice? Or perhaps he should hold multiple positions, or even be telling him that if he performs well, he could enter the cabinet?

Thinking of this, Ma You bowed deeply and said excitedly, "Your subject will surely serve Your Highness to the death!"

Although Ma You had already guessed the meaning behind Zhu Jinzhen's words.

He even vaguely foresaw a scene in the capital, in the imperial court, where heads rolled and blood flowed like rivers.

Just like how the Prince Su's Mansion vigorously reorganized the entire Shaanxi province back then.

But what does that have to do with Ma You?
Even if he had no connections with the civil and military officials in the court, Ma You would never show mercy to anyone who stood in his way to the cabinet, even if they were former colleagues.

"So, very good!"

Zhu Jinzhen's lips curled up, revealing a happy smile.

Most of the officials in the three departments within Shaanxi were promoted by him, so their loyalty was guaranteed. However, Zhu Jinzhen did not like empty promises. This time, with the imperial mandate to quell the rebellion, the Ming court would be purged, and many positions would definitely become vacant.

Zhu Jinzhen simply took it out in advance and distributed it as a form of profit.

The Cabinet, consisting of six ministries.

Even the future position of a member of the royal family.

While others may only have empty promises, Zhu Jinzhen's distribution of benefits, though seemingly just empty promises, was tangible, real, and attainable.

(End of this chapter)