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

Chapter 523 The Capital Garrison is in Turmoil, Zhu Jinzhen's Intentions

That's right, Zhu Jinzhen is preparing to upgrade his forces again.

Although the Earth Dragon Pill will be prioritized for supply, it will definitely be distributed to the entire Cangyun and Tiance armies first.

However, with the Imperial Guards about to embark on their campaign, in order to prevent casualties, Zhu Jinzhen planned to give them a "small" boost before they went to conquer the Ming Dynasty.

"This, everything is entirely up to Your Majesty's decision!" Zhang Mao's voice trembled. Did he have any objections? No, not at all. He wished the Imperial Guards he brought with him were as strong as possible. After all, although he was supposed to be going to war, Zhang Mao and the civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty knew that his trip was just to save the day and show off.

After all, the capital guards consisted of 30,000 top-rank martial artists, plus 1,000 new recruits from the Tian Ce faction composed of masters at the Finger Profound Realm, and a group of Xuanjia secret guards assisting them.

Even if you sent a pig to lead an army, it could easily crush the entire military force of that other Ming Dynasty, no, that other world, into nothing.

What Oirat?
That's trash, the kind of people who might not even get a single kill per person in a single round of fighting for the capital.

"Okay, let's go back and prepare."

"We will depart in three days."

Zhu Jinzhen thought for a moment and then gave them an extra day. "In addition, He Jian and others mentioned last time that they wanted to go and take a look. Have someone inform them and confirm the candidates who will accompany the army on the expedition."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will remember. I will take my leave now." Zhang Mao bowed deeply with excitement, then left the Hall of Mental Cultivation with a swaying gait, his face beaming with confidence.

The news quickly reached the ears of the officials in the capital.

After the departure time was confirmed, from the cabinet to the six ministries, the three offices and five temples, all departments and ministries began to work intensively on government affairs, fearing that they would miss this grand event.

That night, at the Imperial Guard camp.

A team of Tian Ce soldiers escorted ten boxes of elixirs into the capital's garrison overnight, prompting all garrison troops to assemble immediately.

Soon, they found out what had happened.

"What? Earth Dragon Pill?"

"Isn't that the legendary elixir that only circulates within the Tian Ce and Cang Yun regions?"

"His Majesty is preparing to send us to conquer another world. To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, he has bestowed upon us the Earth Dragon Pill in advance, to be compensated based on our merits and spoils of war. Is there really such a good thing? His Majesty is truly benevolent!"

The Imperial Guard camp was instantly thrown into chaos.

That's the Earth Dragon Pill. Just one pill can increase the strength of a dragon, making one's physical body comparable to a Vajra Realm expert with external strength training. Its ferocity is enough to rival a Finger Profound Realm Grandmaster.

Even the most ignorant person knows that such a pill would be worth a fortune, or even more than ten thousand gold pieces, if it were available elsewhere.

Now, Zhu Jinzhen is actually rewarding them in exchange for allowing them to receive their war merits and spoils in advance?!
For a moment, many guards in the capital garrison wondered if they were still half asleep.

"Quiet."

Yang Ning frowned, gave a cold rebuke, and a hint of divine authority instantly suppressed the noisy Imperial Guard camp, "This is the first time that the Great Ming has waged war outside the world. His Majesty has granted you permission to keep 10% of the spoils from all the wars fought in countries outside the Great Ming, and to hand over the remaining 90% to the emperor."

"But one thing is certain: if anyone dares to act recklessly in the Ming Dynasty of that world and violate the laws and regulations of the Ming army, regardless of their military achievements or status, they will be severely punished to the end."

Upon hearing the news, the Imperial Guard camp fell silent.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, their expressions revealing disbelief.

Can I secretly take ten percent of this campaign?
past.

No, apart from some rather eccentric armies among the various uprising armies during the initial struggle for power, there has been virtually no precedent for such a case among the more strictly disciplined armies.

There was no precedent for this in the Ming Dynasty.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the 10% seizure may seem small.

In fact, after several battles, all 30,000 guards in the capital were rolling in money.

After all, it was a world waiting for them to conquer.

In particular, that world also has Japan.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" After one of the imperial guards excitedly knelt down and shouted, countless other imperial guards also excitedly knelt down and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

Seeing this, Yang Ning nodded in satisfaction and waved for the Tian Ce soldiers to begin distributing the Earth Dragon Pills according to the roster.

……

Just as the Beijing garrison was taking earthworm pills overnight to increase their strength.

After a day and a night of struggle, Zhu Youyun, along with his princess, embarked on their journey back to Hengyang.

Inside the carriage, facing the princess's curious gaze, Zhu Youyun selectively revealed a few insignificant secrets.

"His Majesty secretly ordered the secret guards and me to play a game of 'chess'."

"chess?"

"Yes, chess."

Zhu Youyun looked back towards the capital, his voice filled with solemnity: "A chessboard filled with grains of rice, one begets two, two begets four, four begets eight, and so on, endlessly."

Princess Yong still didn't understand, and Zhu Youyun didn't expect him to understand either.

He simply looked back towards the capital and said quietly, "The Ming Dynasty is not just the Ming Dynasty of the Zhu family. By getting involved, I can stir up the waters even more and make things even bigger."

“Naturally, it will be easier for His Majesty to handle this!”

Cut off the vassal!

When Zhu Youyun received the secret edict, he never expected that Zhu Jinzhen would order the secret guards to tell him without any hesitation what to do and how Zhu Youyun, the Prince of Yong, should cooperate.

What was even more unexpected was that after the secret guards explained the advantages and disadvantages to him, Zhu Youyun realized the enormous harm that the Ming Dynasty would cause if it did not further reduce the power of the princes, to such an extent.

Is raising pigs a sign of national peril?!

At first, Zhu Youyun felt that Zhu Jinzhen was being too hasty in trying to reduce the power of the princes as soon as he ascended the throne. He and other members of the imperial family did not actually pose any threat to Zhu Jinzhen's throne.

until……

Zhu Jinzhen placed the Ministry of Revenue's account books regarding the tributes paid to all the princes in front of him.

Zhu Youyun realized that if the salaries and benefits of the princes were not reduced, the Ming Dynasty would be dragged down sooner or later. By the Zhengde period, the tributes from the princes of the whole country accounted for more than 45 percent of the court's fiscal revenue.

The annual military expenditure of the Ming Dynasty, the expenditures of the Six Ministries, and local governments combined were not even as much as the expenditures for supporting the Ming Dynasty's princes.

Even more frightening was that none of the fiefdoms and territories granted to princes of the Ming Dynasty were subject to taxes.

The imperial court's annual revenue was cut by more than half.

If the power of the princes is not reduced, given the rate at which the rice grains on the rice platter that Zhu Jinzhen's secret guards placed for Zhu Youyun increase, the imperial treasury will be completely ruined in at most three generations, and the expenditure on the princes' salaries and support will account for more than 70% of the imperial treasury's expenses.

The imperial court uses 70% of its annual revenue to support the vassal kings across the land!

No matter how powerful the Ming Dynasty was, it could not escape the fate of national subjugation.

On his way back, Zhu Youyun was still reminiscing about the scene and feelings of that day. At that time, he knew clearly that Zhu Jinzhen, the new emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was determined to reduce the power of the princes and that no one could change that.

He understood a crucial point: apart from Zhu Jinzhen, who ascended the throne after the Jingnan Rebellion and held the invincible Cangyun and Tiance armies, any subsequent emperor who wanted to touch the salaries of the princes would find it as difficult as ascending to heaven.

That's why Zhu Youyun got involved and participated in the rebellion.

Despite bearing the infamy, Zhu Youyun knew that he had sacrificed himself for the greater good of the Zhu family. As long as Zhu Jinzhen was not as cruel and ungrateful as some emperors, his final fate would not be too bad.

To Zhu Youyun's utter surprise, the rewards far outweighed the effort.

On his way back to Hengzhou Prefecture, Zhu Youyun was still thinking about the idea that “you treat me like a national hero, and I will repay you as a national hero”, and the thought lingered in his mind for a long time.

After all, compared to Zhu Jinzhen's many rewards, being demoted from a prince to a marquis and bearing some infamy was really just a "trivial matter"!
Princess Yong was unaware of all the intricacies of the situation. She touched her abdomen, as if sensing whether a new life was already growing inside her!

(End of this chapter)