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

Chapter 125 Prince Yan Zhu Di’s show of goodwill!
To know!
Apart from his acquaintance with Zhang Yu, Zhu Ying's only remaining connection with Beiping Prefecture was the thin bond of his hometown.

He grew up in Beiping City since he fled to Beiping Prefecture at the age of eight to escape famine, but the trajectory of his fate quietly changed the moment he joined the Daning Border Army.

As Lin Fu and Shen Yuer followed here, the family settled down in Daning, and the past connection with Beiping Prefecture naturally became nothing.

"Prince Yan? What on earth are the people coming from his palace for?"

Zhu Ying thought to himself, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

However, after a brief moment of thought, he didn't hesitate too much. He straightened his expression and calmly ordered, "Go and welcome the people into the mansion. I'll be waiting in the outer hall."

"Yes!" After hearing this, Lin Fu quickly turned around and left.

Soon, in the lobby of the mansion!
A young man, about eighteen years old, dressed in a gray-black robe, walked in slowly with steady and powerful steps.

Every step he took was firm, his back was straight like a javelin, and he exuded an indescribable heroic spirit.

Zhu Ying looked up and immediately came to a conclusion: "This man must be from the military."

Having been in the army for so long, Zhu Ying knows very well that military life can give people a unique temperament. Even if not every soldier always maintains a standard military posture and demeanor, the competence and tenacity tempered by the battlefield are completely different from those of ordinary people.

"Zhu Neng, the captain of the guards at Prince Yan's Palace, greets General Zhu."

Zhu Neng stepped into the lobby, straightened his back instantly, clenched his right fist, placed it on his left chest, performed a standard military salute, and then bowed. His movements were smooth and flowing, showing the heroic demeanor of a soldier.

"Zhu Neng?"

Zhu Ying was slightly startled and thought to himself, "So it's him, the hero of the Jingnan Rebellion!"

Before this, Zhang Yu's figure was still lingering in his mind, and now Zhu Neng appeared here again. Both of them were capable generals under Zhu Di, and left a strong mark in the long river of history.

Thinking of this, Zhu Ying's face quickly showed a warm smile, and he said enthusiastically: "Captain Zhu, please don't be polite! I wonder what brings you to Daning this time?"

Zhu Neng clasped his hands together, his expression respectful, and said loudly, "I am here on the orders of His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan to bring General Zhu a great gift!"

"Your Highness the Prince of Yan wants to give me a big gift?"

Zhu Ying's face was filled with astonishment, with a look of great surprise in his eyes. He thought for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but was speechless for a moment, and the doubts in his heart became stronger.

Seeing this, Zhu Neng smiled meaningfully and asked, "Excuse me, General Zhu, is your hometown in Beiping Prefecture?"

Zhu Ying nodded and answered truthfully, "That's right, my hometown is Beiping."

Zhu Neng nodded slightly, then said, "The Ming Dynasty's military recruitment regulations stipulate that young and strong men who join the army are given priority in being enlisted in their place of origin."

"If the quota of soldiers in the garrison where your native place is located is full, they will be deployed to other prefectures."

"General Zhu enlisted in the army in the 20th year of the Hongwu reign. At that time, the Beiping Army Garrison was recruiting new soldiers. According to common sense, General Zhu should have been reorganized into the Beiping Army."

As he spoke, Zhu Neng sighed softly, his tone full of regret.

Zhu Ying understood the reason in his heart, but he just smiled calmly, his expression calm, as if he was talking about a trivial matter that had nothing to do with him: "Perhaps this is all a coincidence."

but.

Zhu Neng said so much here, naturally he also wanted to find out Zhu Ying's hometown and the reason for his coming here. However, Zhu Ying became more and more curious about the purpose of Zhu Di sending Zhu Neng here.

Zhu Neng's expression straightened up and became serious. He said, "General Zhu, the prince has sent people to investigate the reason why you entered the Daning border army."

"Everything is due to collusion between officials and businessmen. Someone is trying to kill General Zhu."

"Therefore, by the prince's order, this criminal official was brought to General Zhu's residence."

Whenever Zhu Neng mentioned Prince of Yan Zhu Di, his expression was one of fanatical awe.

Hear the words.

Zhu Ying's face showed surprise, and he couldn't help but blurt out: "Offending officials?"

"Bring it up!"

Zhu Neng suddenly raised his voice and shouted, his voice echoing in the hall.

echoed.

I saw several people dressed in ordinary people's clothes, escorting a man who was tied up and had a black cloth covering his head into the lobby.

These people, like Zhu Neng, walked with steady steps and sharp eyes. Their aura in every gesture was exactly the same as Zhu Neng's. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that they were from the military and were most likely the guards of Prince Yan's Palace.

They walked in unison, each step was very rhythmic, and it was obvious that they were well-trained.

"This person is the mastermind behind colluding with others to bring General Zhu to Daning Prefecture, attempting to use the bandits in Daning Prefecture and the war in the border prefecture to take General Zhu's life."

Zhu Neng pointed at the hooded man, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes. "This man was originally a recruiting officer in Beiping Prefecture, responsible for recruiting soldiers."

Hear this!

Zhu Ying's smiling face suddenly turned gloomy, and his eyes shot towards the tied man like a knife, with murderous intent surging in his eyes.

Zhu Ying knew clearly that it was the Shen family who colluded with this person and abused their power for personal gain, which led to him coming to Daning.

If he didn't have that magical pickup attribute panel, he would have died on the battlefield long ago.

It was not just a battle to suppress bandits, but also in the Jiannu territory in the northern border and on the Liaodong battlefield. He charged into battle without fear of life and death. Ordinary people would have died countless times already.

"Take off his hood."

Zhu Ying raised his hand and shouted in a cold voice.

"Pick."

Zhu Neng immediately made a gesture. The guards from Prince Yan's Palace who were escorting the prisoner quickly stepped forward. One of them reached out and ripped the hood off the man's head.

Only the face of a middle-aged man was revealed. At this moment, he was full of panic, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead, sliding down his cheeks. His eyes were full of fear and despair, and his body was shaking constantly.

The middle-aged man raised his head and the moment he saw Zhu Ying, his face instantly turned as pale as paper, his lips trembled, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Obviously.

Of course he knew Zhu Ying.

and.

I also know what Zhu Ying’s current identity is.

"It's really you!"

Zhu Ying said coldly, his voice seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with endless hatred.

Zhu Ying recognized this person at a glance.

Before going from Beiping to Daning, Zhu Ying had met this man in Beiping City, and was then sent directly to the Daning military camp. Now that he saw him here, his anger grew even stronger.

"General Zhu, please spare my life! Please spare my life!"

The criminal official fell to his knees on the ground with a thud, kowtowed and cried out, his forehead hitting the ground with a dull sound.

He burst into tears, his face filled with fear and pleading: "Everything was ordered by the Shen family. I have no choice! General Zhu..."

Obviously.

It's not that he knows he's wrong, but that he's afraid.

He is afraid of death.

When Zhu Ying's name became famous in Liaodong, the news naturally reached Beiping Prefecture.

After hearing the name Zhu Ying, he prayed in his heart that this Zhu Ying was not the one that the Shen family had arranged to the Daning border army with the help of his authority.

Since Zhu Ying came to prominence, he has been promoted step by step.

The Shen family is wealthy and powerful, and it's good that they didn't leave any evidence. Although they are wary, they also think that Zhu Ying won't dare to go too far.

But this criminal official was different.

He felt like he was sitting on pins and needles every day, afraid that his crime would be exposed.

When the guards from Prince Yan's Mansion arrived at his residence, he knew that everything was over.

If it were any other dynasty, perhaps his corruption might have had some chance of survival, but the Ming Dynasty had only been established for twenty-one years, and the Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, who hated corrupt officials the most, was still in power. The money he embezzled left him with no way to survive.

"General Zhu, the prince has sent people to verify it."

Zhu Neng stepped forward and said seriously, "This criminal's name is Li Tao. He has been a recruiting officer for six years and has accepted bribes of no less than a thousand gold."

"According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, he should be sentenced to death."

"Therefore, Your Highness, hand this criminal official over to General Zhu for punishment."

talking.

Zhu Neng took out a disposal document with the seal of the Beiping Prefecture Criminal Office from his bosom and handed it to Zhu Ying.

The paper of the document is slightly yellowed, and the seal is bright red, as if telling of the seriousness of the case.

Zhu Ying's expression changed slightly, and a complex emotion surged in his heart.

He also didn't expect that Zhu Di would do him such a favor.

Zhu Ying's gaze lingered on the document for a moment, then he raised his head, saluted Zhu Neng with a serious expression, and said, "Please, Captain Zhu, take this message to His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan. I will remember this favor!"

Zhu Ying's voice was solemn, and his face showed gratitude.

"I will definitely convey General Zhu's words!" Zhu Neng responded with a smile, also showing a relieved smile.

Obviously.

This is what King Yan wants.

Zhu Neng naturally understood why the prince asked him to travel thousands of miles to Daning Prefecture. It was to gain Zhu Ying's favor and make friends with him.

Using the life of a convicted official to make friends with Zhu Ying is naturally a great achievement, and it also brings Li Tao's value to the extreme.

Zhu Ying pondered for a moment, then looked at Zhu Neng and asked, "Since we've found this person, I wonder if we've found the Shen family as well?"

Obviously.

Zhu Ying was also curious about what Zhu Di had found out.

"General Zhu, this is the complete document we found. Please review it."

Zhu Neng immediately took out a booklet from his arms and handed it to Zhu Ying with both hands.

Zhu Ying took it and quickly opened it to read.

As he looked at her, his expression grew colder.

"The Shen family is extremely secretive, and the people who came into contact with this criminal official have disappeared."

Zhu Neng explained: "Therefore, there is no conclusive evidence at present."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Ying didn't say much, but simply said in a deep voice, "In short, thank you, Your Highness, the Prince of Yan. Sending this person to me is a great gift, and I am grateful for it."

Zhu Ying was not at all surprised that the Shen family got away with this matter.

Zhu Yingke knew very well what kind of old fox Shen Wansan was.

The fact that he was able to become a wealthy man in the Ming Dynasty, and that he had become wealthy during the Yuan Dynasty, is enough to prove his skills and ability.

If he had failed in such a small matter, he would not be Shen Wansan.

but.

One thing that the Shen family cannot control is that Zhu Ying is no longer the Zhu Ying of the past.

Zhu Neng was very satisfied with Zhu Ying's attitude and said with a smile, "As long as General Zhu is satisfied! The mission assigned by the prince has been completed, and it is time for me to return to Beiping to report."

Zhu Neng saluted and said, "General Zhu, I hope to see you again in Peking one day."

"If I have the chance to return to Beiping City one day, I will definitely visit His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan!" Zhu Ying immediately clasped his fists in return and said politely.

"Farewell!"

Zhu Neng didn't stay for long. He turned around and strode away, quickly leaving the lobby with a group of guards, leaving Li Tao collapsed in the lobby like a lamb to be slaughtered.

After Zhu Neng and the others left, Liu Lei immediately advanced with several personal guards, without Zhu Ying's orders. With swift and deft movements, he subdued Li Tao. Zhu Ying looked at Li Tao, seemingly calm, but the murderous intent in his eyes was undisguised. He approached Li Tao, each step heavy and heavy, causing Li Tao to tremble.

"How much money did the Shen family give you to buy your life?" Zhu Ying asked coldly. The whole lobby seemed to become depressing.

"General Zhu, please spare my life! I... I won't dare to do that again! Please spare my life..."

Li Tao knelt on the ground, his body trembling, and kowtowed repeatedly. His forehead was bleeding, staining the ground red.

Zhu Ying strode forward without any hesitation.

With a swish, he drew out the Qinghong sword from his waist.

The sword flashed with a cold light, like a flash of lightning. With a "crack", Li Tao's head instantly fell to the ground, and blood spurted out like a fountain, spreading across the floor of the lobby and emitting a strong smell of blood.

"Kill the enemy and pick up 1 point of strength." The prompt sound of the panel sounded in my mind.

For death, for killing!
Several personal guards were already accustomed to this, and they watched it all with indifference, their expressions showing no emotion at all.

Only Lin Fu felt a tingling sensation on his scalp and a slightly pale face.

This was the first time he had seen his young master kill someone, and he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

It also made him understand what his young master had experienced on the battlefield over the past year and how much suffering he had endured to remain so calm.

"Liu Lei, arrange for a few people to clean up and throw the body directly into the mass grave."

Zhu Ying said in a deep voice, without a trace of emotion, as if what had just happened was just a trivial matter.

"Yes!"

Liu Lei respectfully accepted the order and waved his hand. Two bodyguards quickly stepped forward, lifted up Li Tao's body and walked out. The body left a long trail of blood on the ground.

Then several more guards came in with brooms and buckets and began to carefully clean the bloodstains in the lobby.

"Master, is this the man who tricked you into joining the Daning Army?"

Lin Fu walked up to Zhu Ying and asked with a grim expression.

He did not feel uncomfortable because Zhu Ying killed this man, but when he thought about his young master being harmed by this man, his heart was filled with anger, and there was a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes.

"He's just a pawn that has been bought."

Zhu Ying's expression was extremely cold, and he said in a deep voice: "The real culprit is the Shen family. Once the Shen family is eliminated, that will be the real revenge."

"Master, although the Shen family is a merchant family, they are extremely wealthy and are said to be as rich as a country. There must be many people in the court and government who are in collusion with them."

"It is inevitable that he will take revenge on the Shen family one day, but young master must also be cautious." Lin Fu said with a serious face and earnest words.

Zhu Ying turned his head and looked at Lin Fu. He smiled slightly and said gently, "Uncle Lin, don't worry. I have a plan in mind on how to deal with the Shen family."

Isn’t training death squads just one part of the process?

As soon as the assassins are formed, the first target will be the Shen family.

Zhu Ying cannot kill people openly, but who can find out secretly?

This is Zhu Ying's character. He will never give up until the slightest grudge is taken. Since the Shen family is already at war with him, Zhu Ying will never give up his revenge.

"It's good that the young master has an idea in mind." After hearing this, Lin Fu nodded with relief, and the worry on his face gradually faded away.

"By the way, Uncle Lin."

Zhu Ying's eyes softened as he said, "Let's go buy some wedding supplies later, like the phoenix coronet, bridal veil, and other items."

As he spoke, Zhu Ying's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a hint of longing.

"Master, what are you doing..." Lin Fu was stunned for a moment, then he reacted, his face showing joy, his eyes instantly lit up: "Master, are you going to marry Yu'er?"

"Yu'er followed me here from afar and gave up everything for me."

Zhu Ying's eyes were full of tenderness: "Of course I have to give her a name."

"Then, young master, do you want to make some invitations to invite guests?" Lin Fu asked immediately.

"Except for Prefect Bu Wan, there's no need to send invitations to anyone else." Zhu Ying thought for a moment and said, "This time, I plan to marry Yu'er in the presence of my fellow soldiers."

"Firstly, I want to properly entertain these brothers who have shared life and death with me. Secondly, it is also in line with my status as a military commander. I don't like the clichéd banquets in official circles."

"Holding a wedding banquet in a military camp is quite unique." Lin Fu said with a smile, "I'll listen to you, young master."

"I have put several thousand gold coins into the treasury and asked the personal guards to buy more wine and meat. As for the wedding date, let's choose a good day nearby." Zhu Ying said with a smile.

"Don't worry, young master. I will definitely take care of it!" Lin Fu nodded immediately, his face full of smiles. He was so excited that he almost trotted out of the hall. Even his steps became lighter, as if he was ten years younger. His heart was full of joy and anticipation for Zhu Yingcheng's family.

Wait until Lin Fu leaves.

Zhu Ying also had a thoughtful look on his face.

"Prince of Yan, Zhu Di."

"Emperor Yongle after the Jingnan Rebellion."

"He's trying to show me his affection."

"Now he has already tried to win over the generals for a purpose?"

"Zhu Biao is not dead yet."

"Or perhaps this was instigated by Yao Guangxiao, who was known in history as a dragon-slaying warrior?"

Looking at the bloodstains on the ground that were gradually clearing away, Zhu Ying was also thinking about the purpose of Zhu Di's show of goodwill.

Zhu Di.

Yao Guangxiao.

Even if others don’t know, how could Zhu Ying not know?

"who cares."

"Zhu Yuanzhang is still alive and well."

"The same goes for Zhu Biao."

"There are still so many years before the Jingnan Rebellion begins."

"Let Zhu Di make his plans, it's none of my business."

"But I'll have to find a chance to repay his favor later."

"Killing Li Tao can be considered as a way to relieve some of my hatred." Zhu Ying thought secretly in his heart.

After the bloodstains in the lobby were cleaned up.

"General, I just received the news."

Liu Lei came running over again, his expression respectful. "The troops returning from Liaodong have already been divided into groups and have returned to their respective camps. The Daning City camp will be back in a day at the latest."

"Pass on my orders." Zhu Ying's expression straightened. "Tell Chen Heng, Liu Zhen, Zhang Wu, and other generals above the rank of deputy commander to arrange the military affairs of each camp and then rush to Daning City."

"The battle is over, it's time to reward people based on their merits."

"When they come back, they will be rewarded in full."

Hear the words.

"I will send someone to pass the message immediately! By the way, Prefect Bu Wan asked the general to go to the government office to discuss matters." Liu Lei added.

"Ready your horse!"

Zhu Ying did not hesitate at all. When he heard Bu Wanxiang's invitation, he immediately stood up.

Although I had just returned to Daning, away from the smoke and noise of the battlefield, many complicated affairs followed one after another.

As the commander of a garrison, he holds a high position and has great responsibilities, so he is naturally extremely busy.

In front of the Daning Prefecture government office!
Zhu Ying came galloping on his horse.

A sharp-eyed yamen runner immediately came forward, bowed and said, "General Zhu, the prefect is already waiting in the main hall of the yamen."

"Yeah." Zhu Ying nodded and got off the horse.

Liu Lei behind him also quickly dismounted and took control of Zhu Ying's mount, Wu Feng.

Led by the yamen runners, Zhu Ying strode towards the main hall of the government office.

Enter the main hall.

Bu Wan was seen sitting upright in the main chair, wearing official uniform and hat, looking dignified and solemn.

On the left and right sides of the hall stood six officials in official robes, who were obviously subordinate officials of the Daning government office.

"I thought you were going to be stuck in your sweet dream."

Bu Wan saw Zhu Ying come in and teased with a smile on his face and a familiar tone in his voice.

Seeing this, the six officials in the hall stood up and saluted respectfully.

"The prefect has summoned me for something, otherwise I would really like to have a good rest." Zhu Ying responded with a smile, looking relaxed, and his relationship with Bu Wan was very harmonious.

"Ha ha!"

Bu Wan laughed heartily, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere very much. His laughter echoed in the hall, blowing away some of the serious atmosphere.

"Meet General Zhu!"

The six officials in the hall clasped their fists in unison and saluted Zhu Ying.

"I've met you all."

Zhu Ying immediately returned the greeting with a humbly and polite attitude.

He did not act arrogantly because of the difference in his official position. Zhu Ying treated everyone with respect.

Zhu Ying really couldn't learn the arrogance and madness of the Huaixi people.

"These six are clerks from the six offices of the government office."

Bu Wan smiled and introduced: "The person on the far left is the clerk of the barracks. He will have a lot of dealings with General Zhu in the future."

As he spoke, he pointed to an official on the left.

"I am Huang Yao, the clerk in the military quarters. I am honored to meet you, General Zhu!" Huang Yao, the clerk in the military quarters, immediately stepped forward and saluted Zhu Ying respectfully. His actions fully demonstrated the respect of a subordinate for his superior.

Although the barracks was under the jurisdiction of the prefect, it still had a close relationship with Zhu Ying.

"Huang Sili, please excuse me!"

Zhu Ying smiled and clasped his fists in return, with a friendly attitude.

Regarding the division of powers and responsibilities of the government office.

Zhu Ying was also very clear that the six offices of the government office were like the six ministries of the imperial court, each with its own responsibilities, and in charge of all affairs of the prefecture.

This barracks is mainly responsible for many matters such as the repair of weapons, the dispatch of food and fodder, the recruitment of soldiers, and the distribution of food and wages for the army within the prefecture, which will inevitably be closely related to his own military affairs in the future.

"Thank you, General Zhu!"

Huang Yao thanked him and stood up straight.

Then he said respectfully, "General Zhu, the barracks have completed the list of casualties among the border troops. You must use your seal before submitting it to the Ministry of War, which will then issue the compensation."

"In addition, the troops lost by the border troops will need to be recruited again."

Huang Yao spoke clearly and in a steady tone, and it was obvious that he had prepared the report long ago.

"Have these records been drawn up?" Zhu Ying asked. "If they have, please send them directly to my residence. I will review them and stamp them as soon as possible."

Zhu Ying was also very serious about military affairs. It was not that he did not trust Huang Yao, but he was well aware of the complexity of officialdom. This matter also concerned the compensation of his comrades and soldiers, so he could not afford to be careless and had to review it personally.

……

(End of this chapter)