Ming Dynasty: Pick up attributes from the battlefield to create the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 116: Zhu Ying is conferred the title of [Commander of the Daning Border Army]! The father-son relationship between Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao!

"Prince."

Zhu Yuanzhang sat upright on the dragon throne, looking at Zhu Biao gently, and asked softly, "Since you are the one who single-handedly managed the Liaodong war, how do you think we should reward Zhu Ying this time?"

His voice echoed in the solemn and majestic hall with unquestionable majesty.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao stepped forward, immediately bowed and saluted, and replied loudly: "Reporting to the Emperor, Father."

"Since the establishment of the prefecture, Daning has never appointed a guard commander. Instead, the prefect has temporarily taken on this position."

"Now Liaodong is about to be pacified. Zhu Ying rose through the ranks of the Daning Border Army. He has made countless contributions and killed countless enemies for the country."

"I believe that the position of commander of the Daning Guard is the best choice for Zhu Ying."

When Zhu Biao said this, his expression was firm and his tone was unquestionable, as if he was declaring to all the ministers the rationality of this appointment.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, a faint smile on his face, and then said: "In the past, the appointment of the commander of the garrison required selection."

"The selection will be based on military merit in each region, and then the Ministry of War will consider it and make the final decision with our approval."

"Moreover, among the generals who hold the position of commander of the garrisons in our Ming Dynasty, the youngest one is already nearly 30 or 40 years old."

"Zhu Ying is only seventeen years old, which is the youngest in the Ming Dynasty."

As he spoke, he gently stroked the armrest of the dragon throne, his eyes revealing a hint of admiration for Zhu Ying's youthful and promising future.

Listening to Zhu Yuanzhang's words, the ministers in the court naturally knew that the matter of Zhu Yingjin's appointment as the commander of the guards could basically be settled.

After all, Zhu Ying's military achievements were too dazzling. These dazzling military achievements were enough to make up for his age and the tedious procedures required to be promoted to commander.

You know, the commander of a border garrison commands at least 50,000 troops and guards one side. This can be regarded as a high-ranking official with military power.

Reaching this position at the age of seventeen had never happened in the history of the Ming Dynasty.

"Father."

Zhu Biao smiled and said, "If Zhu Ying had not been promoted three times this year, I would have wanted to promote him again."

When Zhu Biao spoke, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, and his eyes were full of admiration and respect for Zhu Ying.

Hear this!

All the ministers couldn't help but look at Zhu Biao, and they were deeply impressed by how much Zhu Biao valued Zhu Ying.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince really values ​​Zhu Ying." A minister whispered to the person beside him.
"In just one year, he was promoted to Vice-Minister of Command based on his military achievements, and now he's about to be appointed Commander-in-Chief. This is truly unique. And he's even been promoted three times to Earl of the Ming Dynasty, instantly becoming a noble. Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, only Zhu Ying has received such a great honor. Earl of Champion! Extraordinary!"

Everyone murmured in agreement, their eyes filled with envy for Zhu Ying and admiration for Zhu Biao's ability to employ people.

This may be the case of rewarding and promoting based entirely on merit, without any hypocrisy.

of course.

The fundamental reason may be that the Battle of Liaodong was also personally handled by the current emperor and the crown prince.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled slightly and said, "One should do his job according to his position. This is an eternal principle."

"Zhu Ying is still very young, and he has already received a great deal of grace. Let him hone his skills as the commander of the guards first."

"Commanding an army and governing a government is not as simple as it is on the battlefield."

"Crown Prince, after you return to the Eastern Palace, draft an edict. Jin Zhuying will be appointed as the Commander of the Daning Guard and given the Commander's Seal!"

"In addition, I will give you a thousand taels of gold! I will grant you a mansion in Yingtian, and give you the plaque [Champion Mansion]."

When Zhu Yuanzhang said this, his expression was solemn and his tone revealed that there was no room for doubt. It was obvious that he had made the final decision on Zhu Ying's reward.

Hear this!
Zhu Biao immediately bowed and replied in a resounding voice, "Your son obeys my order."

"All right."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the ministers in the court and asked with a smile, "On the occasion of this great victory in Liaodong, do you have any other memorials to offer?"

Scanning his eyes.

He was extremely majestic, as if he could see through the thoughts of the ministers in the hall.

"Your Majesty," Tang Duo stepped forward and respectfully said, "General Feng Sheng has reported that nearly 200,000 surrendered soldiers from Liaodong need to be dealt with. Your Majesty needs your explicit instructions on this."

As Tang Duo spoke, he lowered his head slightly, holding the memorial in both hands, looking very respectful.

"What do you think about these surrendered soldiers?" Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment, then looked at the ministers in the court again, with a questioning look in his eyes.

"Let's start playing, Your Majesty."

Zhao Mian stood up and said seriously, "I think it would be best to simply demote these surrendered soldiers into slavery. Our Ming Dynasty has a vast territory. Many roads need repairing, many cities need strengthening, and even the Great Wall needs strengthening and repairing!"

"All of this requires sufficient manpower and material resources. If we can make good use of these surrendered soldiers, it will be of great benefit to the national strength."

Zhao Mian spoke and gestured at the same time, trying to make Zhu Yuanzhang understand his ideas more clearly.

"I think it's a pity that such a skilled warrior army should be reduced to slavery."

An old minister slowly stood up with a thoughtful look on his face.

"What do you think, Mr. Shao?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked directly.

In the Hongwu period, after Hu Weiyong was executed, Zhu Yuanzhang abolished the position of prime minister. The prime minister who once held great power no longer existed, and was replaced by the Grand Secretary who assisted Zhu Yuanzhang in handling government affairs.

Four palaces and two pavilions!

Nowadays they are called Grand Secretaries, but in the post-Ming Dynasty they were called Grand Councilors.

Although he no longer had the power of a prime minister, he still held great power, and his status was slightly higher than that of the six ministers.

The old minister who spoke was none other than Shao Zhi, the Grand Secretary of the Huagai Palace, who was also a minister trusted by Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Let's start playing, Your Majesty."

Shao Zhi smiled and respectfully began, "The Northern Yuan Dynasty is no longer the Great Yuan it once was. Its national strength has weakened, and it was driven out of the Central Plains by our Ming Dynasty. However, their army is not weak, and their combat power is also outstanding."

"If these troops can be used by the Ming Dynasty to defend it from foreign enemies, they will definitely be of great use."

"After all, there are many wars in the northern border areas. It would be a pity to abandon such a strong army."

When Shao Zhi spoke, his words were clear and steady, and his eyes revealed a thoughtful look.

"Master Shao."

At this time, another minister stood up and said doubtfully: "Although the combat effectiveness of this surrendered Yuan army is not bad, has the Grand Secretary ever thought about one question?"

"At least half of the surrendered soldiers captured in Liaodong this time are Yuan soldiers. If we use them to guard the northern border, can you guarantee that they won't collude with the Northern Yuan?"

As he spoke, his brows were furrowed and his expression was serious, showing strong concern about Shao Zhi's proposal.

And this person is none other than Wu Bozong, the Grand Secretary of Wuying Palace.

"Grand Scholar Wu."

Shao Zhi said slowly, "The current situation in the Ming Dynasty and the world is no longer the same as it was during the Qin and Han dynasties."

"In the Central Plains, countless ethnic groups already live there. Not only the Mongolians, but also many other ethnic groups have all integrated into the Ming Dynasty. They are all citizens of the Ming Dynasty and serve the Ming Dynasty."

"In Liaodong, there are no fewer than one million Mongols living there."

"Does the Ming Dynasty have to kill them all?"

"Population is part of the strength of the Ming Dynasty, so we must make good use of it."

"As far as I know, Liaodong has always been managed by Nahachu. Although it has connections with the Northern Yuan Dynasty, all its recruits are done in Liaodong. The families of those soldiers captured by our Ming Dynasty are all in Liaodong."

"If the Ming Dynasty were to surrender and reorganize them, and they dared to rebel again, it would be a crime punishable by genocide! I don't believe they would dare!"

When Shao Zhi said this, his eyes were firm and his tone was decisive, as if he was completely sure of his point of view.

After hearing his words, many ministers in the court nodded.

When the Ming Dynasty was first established, Zhu Yuanzhang's slogan for conquering the world was to drive out the Tartars and restore the Han Dynasty.

This process caused a lot of killings, but the Ming army was also restrained. The Ming court did not divide the Mongolians who lived in the Central Plains and behaved themselves into different levels, and treated them all as civilians!

Even in the army, there were many Mongolians who served the Ming Dynasty and killed enemies for it.

The Central Plains of the Han Dynasty is no longer dominated by a single ethnic group as it was during the Qin and Han dynasties. Instead, it is a mixture of countless ethnic groups that have completely integrated into China and been sinicized.

From ancient times to the present, the Han family!
The most powerful thing is not the military force, but the sinicization, and the thousands of years of propriety, righteousness, integrity and culture.

This also allowed the foreigners who entered the Central Plains to gradually integrate into the cultural circle of the Central Plains Han people and become one with them.

Of course, if we talk about the most complete sinicization, it must be an emperor who once served in the Yuan Dynasty. He was also the emperor who destroyed the Song Dynasty and established a vast territory, the Yuan Emperor, Kublai Khan.

Before he went south, he was the Great Khan Kublai Khan, but after he destroyed the Song Dynasty, occupied the Central Plains, and ruled the world.

He became the poster boy for the Han family, claiming to be the orthodox Kublai Khan of the Han family, also known as Liu Bilie! !
This is the power of Han Chineseization.

"Shao Qing is right."

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly said, "This group of surrendered soldiers must indeed be put to good use."

When Zhu Yuanzhang said this, he narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he was thinking about something. His seemingly calm agreement actually showed that he had his mind set on reorganizing this group of surrendered soldiers.

"Father."

Zhu Biao said seriously, "This batch of surrendered soldiers is quite large."

"According to General Feng Sheng's report, there are over 180,000 of them. If we truly want to reorganize these surrendered soldiers, we can't just set up a single garrison. Furthermore, the reorganization must be meticulous, and we must be able to completely control them."

When Zhu Biao spoke, his brows were furrowed, and his eyes revealed his worry and caution about this matter.

If so many surrendered soldiers were really reorganized at one time, it would be unprecedented for the Ming Dynasty. With hundreds of thousands of surrendered soldiers, each one would have to feed a person. Not only would the daily food consumption be extremely high, but there would also be hidden dangers after the reorganization.

"These surrendered soldiers naturally cannot form an army."

Zhu Yuanzhang also nodded seriously: "This matter must be carefully discussed before reorganization."

"Crown Prince, draft an edict and send it to Feng Sheng, asking him to discuss with his generals the reorganization of the Liaodong surrendered soldiers."

"Give us a reasonable reorganization method as soon as possible. This force cannot be wasted."

"We come from a poor background. If we don't use so many soldiers, it would be a waste."

When Zhu Yuanzhang said this, his eyes revealed his importance to this army. This time he asked Crown Prince Zhu Biao to personally inquire about it, which was obviously also an announcement to the court officials about his intention to recruit the surrendered soldiers.

"My son, I accept the decree."

Zhu Biao bowed, accepting the order. Then, as if struck by a thought, he said, "Father! Now that Liaodong is about to be pacified, should Generals Feng Sheng and others return to Yingtian to report on their duties? Should their troops also be transferred back?"

Zhu Biao asked tentatively, with a questioning look in his eyes.

"What does the prince think?" Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and asked, his eyes revealing his expectation of Zhu Biao's thoughts.

"Liaodong has just been settled, and many things are happening."

Zhu Biao said immediately without any hesitation: "There must be remnants of the Yuan army hiding in various places in Liaodong causing trouble. The army needs to garrison to ensure peace. Moreover, the hundreds of thousands of surrendered soldiers also need to be watched by the army to prevent chaos."

"Once the situation in Liaodong has been completely pacified, we can issue an order for General Feng Sheng and his men to return to the capital to report on their work."

When Zhu Biao spoke, his logic was clear and his analysis was logical, demonstrating his outstanding political talent.

"Just as the prince said." Zhu Yuanzhang said immediately with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhu Biao bowed immediately, his face filled with joy that Zhu Yuanzhang recognized him.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao and smiled gently. The moment he turned his head, his gaze became majestic again as he looked down at the court.

Subsequently.

He spoke directly: "Tang Duo, Zhao Mian, Chen Jing."

The three names were shouted out from Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth in a majestic and loud voice.

"The minister is here."

The three ministers whose names were called immediately stood up and responded in unison.

The three of them stood straight with serious expressions on their faces, waiting for Zhu Yuanzhang's order.

"The Liaodong War will soon be finalized."

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "The Ministry of War, as the main army, must quickly prepare a list of the casualties on the Liaodong battlefield for us, and then submit it to the Ministry of Revenue for review so that the compensation can be implemented as soon as possible."

"As for the Ministry of Revenue, actively raise funds and food, and prioritize the issue of compensation. All the soldiers who died fighting for the Ming Dynasty must not be treated unfairly."

"There's also the appointment and dismissal of officials in Liaodong. This is the foundation of Liaodong's future governance. Although the Crown Prince has selected the prefect of Liaodong Prefecture and brought a group of assistant officials with him, Liaodong is a large territory with a large population, and it still needs sufficient officials to govern. The Ministry of Personnel must select and transfer officials as soon as possible. Now that Liaodong is settled, the key is to fully integrate Liaodong into the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke to the three ministers in front of him with a firm tone and his eyes revealed the importance he attached to these matters.

The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Personnel are the three most critical among the six ministries.

"I accept the decree."

Tang Duo, Zhao Mian, and Chen Jing, the Minister of Personnel, bowed respectfully and responded in unison.

"All right."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced around the court and asked loudly, "We have said everything we wanted to say. Do you have anything else to add?"

His eyes swept over the ministers again, waiting for their response.

"Let's start playing, Your Majesty."

Chen Jing respectfully said, "Now that Liaodong is about to be pacified, should our court reduce taxes?"

"After all, the war has just ended! It may take a long time for the people of Liaodong to recover."

When Chen Jing spoke, he lowered his head slightly, and his eyes revealed his concern for the people of Liaodong.

"Indeed." Zhu Yuanzhang also came back to his senses and nodded. "Prince, how much do you think Liaodong's tax revenue should be reduced?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao again, his eyes filled with inquiry and expectation.

"This matter is of great importance," Zhu Biao said in a deep voice, his face thoughtful. "Your son also needs to consider it carefully. Should we reduce or exempt agricultural taxes alone, or should we reduce or exempt all taxes at once?"

As Zhu Biao spoke, he frowned slightly, as if he was carefully thinking about various possibilities in his mind.

Zhu Biao did not dare to make a decision lightly on matters of taxation and national foundation.

After all, the impact is too great.

"There's no rush for this," Zhu Yuanzhang said with a smile. "We'll give you time. Since Liaodong is under your control, you must govern it thoroughly."

When Zhu Yuanzhang said this, his face was filled with a gentle smile and he was full of trust in Zhu Biao.

"Your son thanks you, father." Zhu Biao immediately expressed his gratitude.

After a while of court discussion, the court was dispersed.

In the Fengtian Hall, only Zhu Yuanzhang and his son Zhu Biao were left.

"father."

With no outsiders present, Zhu Biao bowed to Zhu Yuanzhang with great solemnity.

"Thank you, son." Zhu Biao said this with his eyes full of gratitude.

See this.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled gently, slowly stood up from the dragon throne, walked to Zhu Biao, and helped Zhu Biao up.

"You and I are father and son, what are you thanking me for?" Zhu Yuanzhang smiled gently, his voice full of kindness, and his hands gently rested on Zhu Biao's shoulders.

"Dad," Zhu Biao said gratefully, "The recovery of Liaodong will go down in history. You have given your son so much."

Zhu Biao looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with emotion in his eyes.

"Haha."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said, "Don't even mention the achievement of recovering Liaodong! The entire Ming Dynasty will be yours in the future."

"Everything I do while I'm alive is so that you can inherit a better Ming Dynasty from me."

"During the Han Dynasty, the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing were recorded in history."

"Dad was born into a common family. His hands are stained with the blood of countless people, and he has killed countless corrupt officials!"

"There's no way my father could become an emperor like Emperor Wen, who will be remembered for all time."

"But you can. Dad hopes that you will follow the example of Emperor Wen and become the Emperor Wen of our Ming Dynasty, bringing grace to the world and the people, resting with the people and starting anew with the people."

"This is Daddy's greatest expectation for you."

When Zhu Yuanzhang said this, his eyes were full of expectation and trust in Zhu Biao, and his hands tightly held Zhu Biao's shoulders.

"son……"

Zhu Biao looked directly at Zhu Yuanzhang with a determined gaze, and replied in a very serious tone: "I will definitely not let Dad down."

At this moment, he stood straight.

It was as if all his determination was concentrated in this one sentence, and he exuded a convincing aura.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao like this, and a hearty smile instantly blossomed on his face. Then he stretched out his broad palm, patted Zhu Biao's shoulders repeatedly, laughed with satisfaction, and said, "Haha, Dad believes in you."

He patted Zhu Biao's shoulder with full strength yet full of love, and each pat seemed to convey trust and encouragement.

In this Fengtian Hall.

The sunlight shines through the gaps in the glazed tiles, casting bright rays of light, illuminating the figures of the father and son.

For Zhu Biao, as the crown prince, he shouldered heavy responsibilities.

On weekdays, he needs to deal with the court, handle various military and political affairs, and balance the forces of all parties.

In the face of many complex state affairs, he never slacked off in the slightest. Relying on his outstanding military and political talents, he arranged many affairs in an orderly manner.

When ministers reported on government affairs, he was always able to quickly grasp the key points and make reasonable decisions. In military deployment, he also demonstrated extraordinary strategy and made great contributions to the stability and development of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Biao! He really never let Zhu Yuanzhang down.

"father."

Zhu Biao narrowed his eyes slightly, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and with a hint of understanding, he asked softly: "Liaodong will be pacified. The reason why the army is left in Liaodong to garrison is not just to stabilize Liaodong, right?"

In fact, as early as when Tang Duo and the Ministry of War submitted a memorial on whether to summon the generals back to the court, Zhu Biao, who was sharp-minded, had already vaguely sensed the deeper meaning behind it.

"sit."

Zhu Yuanzhang's smile did not fade. He moved slightly and sat directly on the stairs of the hall. He looked at Zhu Biao gently, his eyes full of love and closeness, as if they were not in the majestic court at this moment, but in an ordinary home.

Seeing this, Zhu Biao did not feel restrained at all. He got along with his father without any barriers and sat next to Zhu Yuanzhang naturally like an ordinary father and son.

"Recovering Liaodong, in addition to taking back the territory that originally belonged to our Han family."

Zhu Yuanzhang straightened his back slightly, his eyes becoming deep and determined. He slowly said, "What's more crucial is to remove the sharp blade from the Northern Yuan Dynasty that is ready to pierce the Ming Dynasty at any time."

As he spoke, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, as if the threat from the Northern Yuan Dynasty was right before his eyes.

"Now that the blade hanging overhead has been dealt with, the next step is naturally to deal with the culprit behind this dangling blade."

When mentioning Liaodong, a fierce look instantly flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes. It was the fierceness that was unique to being at the pinnacle of power for a long time and facing the enemy.

Zhu Biao naturally understood that the culprit his father was talking about was, of course, the Northern Yuan Dynasty.

The Northern Yuan forces have been entrenched in the north, eyeing the Ming Dynasty covetously. They have invaded the border for many years, bringing many hardships to the people and keeping the Ming Dynasty in a tense defensive state at all times.

"It seems that Dad is planning to target the Northern Yuan Dynasty once Liaodong is completely stabilized."

Zhu Biao raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a confident smile, and spoke softly.

He had already understood his father's strategic intentions and knew that this was an important decision that concerned the future destiny of the Ming Dynasty.

"Liaodong is like a sword hanging over its head."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded heavily, his tone filled with unquestionable determination: "The Northern Yuan Dynasty is the real enemy. We can't sleep unless we completely defeat them."

"If we don't completely defeat them, how can we let you rule the country peacefully?"

Speaking of which!

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed loudly. The laughter was hearty and heroic, echoing in the Fengtian Hall for a long time, showing the domineering power of an emperor.

"All a son can do is never let his father down."

Zhu Biao once again solemnly expressed his position. Although Zhu Yuanzhang's words were full of imperial arrogance, Zhu Biao deeply felt the strong father-son love contained in them.

Everything his father did was for the Ming Dynasty, and more importantly, for him to be able to smoothly take over the throne. Thousands of words surged in his heart. In addition to being moved, there was also an unspeakable sense of responsibility that fell on Zhu Biao.

……

(End of this chapter)