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

Chapter 128 Zhu Yuanzhang knows the relationship between the Shen family and Zhu Ying!
Inside Wenyuan Pavilion!

Zhu Yuanzhang was dressed in a gorgeous bright yellow dragon robe. Although his hair was already white, his majestic aura seemed to carry infinite oppression.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat upright on the dragon throne, his expression full of emotion, and whispered, "We got married so soon."

Subsequently.

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly raised his head and looked at the elegant Zhu Biao in front of him. A faint smile appeared on his face and he called out, "Biao'er."

"It seems that your idea of ​​recruiting him as your son-in-law will not come true."

Hearing this!

Zhu Biao frowned slightly, a trace of imperceptible disappointment flashed in his eyes. He shook his head gently and said with a bit of jealousy: "The Liaodong war ended less than a month ago, and Zhu Ying got married."

"This is indeed too fast. Could the process of three letters and six engagements be so quick?"

For Zhu Ying.

Zhu Biao was undoubtedly very optimistic about him. At that time, he even looked forward to marrying his daughter to this promising general and completely winning him over to become an arm of the royal family. But now, all this has come to nothing.

After Zhu Ying got married, he reported the matter to the Daning government office as per custom, and solemnly included Shen Yuer, whom he had married, as his "wife".

In today's era, although the phenomenon of having three wives and four concubines is common in society, under the strict regulations of the law, there can only be one wife, and the rest are concubines.

Unless Zhu Ying chooses to divorce his wife, her position as the legal wife has been determined and cannot be changed.

Zhu Biao's daughter was of extremely noble status and was of royal blood, so it was naturally impossible for her to become someone's concubine.

As a result, this marriage that was once highly anticipated had to be declared broken.

"That's all."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand gently, a broad-minded smile appeared on his old face, and his expression was indifferent.

"It's probably just fate." Zhu Yuanzhang said calmly.

In his mind, although Zhu Ying was a promising talent with a natural talent for commanding troops, he was ultimately just a minister of the Ming Dynasty. There were many ways to win over ministers, and marriage was not an indispensable method.

He is still alive, and Zhu Biao is so capable, how could he not have any means?

"father."

Zhu Biao also smiled with relief, his expression respectful and gentle, and said, "Since Zhu Ying is getting married, this is also a happy event. My royal family should send a generous gift to show the royal family's generosity."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, his eyes revealing his approval of his son, and said casually: "You can arrange this matter as you see fit."

Zhu Biao bowed slightly, put on a humble smile, and replied, "Son, I understand."

"Also, the reorganization plan has been issued."

The voice changed.

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression instantly became serious, and he said in a deep voice, "Once the surrendered soldiers are reorganized, let Feng Sheng and his men return. As for the main army, they will be stationed in Liaodong for the time being."

Zhu Biao responded quickly, his tone full of competence: "My son has already instructed Tang Duo. We just need to wait for the surrendered soldiers to be reorganized! Duke Song, Marquis Yongchang and others can return to the capital immediately to report on their duties."

"The mission of recovering Liaodong has been accomplished."

A sharp light flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes: "The territory that once belonged to the Han Chinese has finally returned to the territory of the Ming Dynasty."

"The next step is to deal with Bei Yuan."

"One year from now, when Liaodong is completely stabilized, it will be time for the Ming Dynasty to mobilize its forces again."

When mentioning the Northern Yuan Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes instantly became cold. The Northern Yuan Dynasty was like a thorn deeply embedded in his heart and was a major threat to the northern border of the Ming Dynasty.

If the Northern Yuan Dynasty is not completely defeated, they will always covet the opportunity to move south to the Central Plains, dreaming of destroying the Ming Dynasty and re-enslaving the Han people. The northern border of the Ming Dynasty will never have peace.

The recovery of Liaodong this time achieved a phased victory, and Zhu Yuanzhang naturally wanted to press on and further expand the results.

"father."

Zhu Biao looked serious, his eyes fixed on Zhu Yuanzhang, his concern for the military deployment revealed in his eyes. He asked in a deep voice, "Who should lead the troops in the next expedition?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao's serious expression and smiled slightly, full of understanding and trust in his son.

Then he smiled and asked, "Biao'er, it seems you have a suitable candidate in mind."

Zhu Biao had no intention of hiding anything from Zhu Yuanzhang and immediately said frankly: "To be honest, father! In this battle, I think Yongchang Marquis Lan Yu can be the commander."

As soon as these words came out.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked calm as usual, without any surprise, and it was obvious that he had already expected Zhu Biao to make such a proposal.

He raised his hand slightly and made a gesture of "please continue", indicating Zhu Biao to continue.

"Ever since following my father, Marquis Yongchang has fought in countless battles, fought on countless battlefields, and achieved remarkable military exploits."

"Although we have made some mistakes, overall, our achievements outweigh our faults."

"Given his qualifications and outstanding military abilities, if it weren't for his past mistakes, he might have been granted the title of Duke long ago."

Zhu Biao said solemnly that he obviously trusted and valued Lan Yu.

"Marquis of Yongchang, Lord Lun, is one of the outstanding generals of the Ming Dynasty who is good at commanding troops! Personally, he is also my son's uncle."

"My son hopes that his father can give him another chance to show his talent and prove himself on this battlefield once again."

"It is also to win the title of Duke and allow him to take a step forward."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, a pleased smile on his face, his eyes full of admiration for his son's ability to judge people: "Biao'er! Actually, you and Dad have the same idea."

"Over the years, many of our old brothers have passed away, and some have retired and returned home."

"In the court, apart from those who inherited the title, there are only a few available dukes."

"Although Lan Yu has a somewhat domineering personality, he does possess extraordinary talent in commanding troops and fighting battles. My Ming Dynasty is in urgent need of such talents."

"Now that the old dukes have retired, it is time for Lan Yu to rise to the fore and take on more important responsibilities."

After hearing this, Zhu Biao was sincerely convinced. He clasped his hands together and bowed respectfully, his tone full of admiration: "Father, your majesty is wise! Your son pays homage!"

"but."

Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened slightly, revealing a worry: "Lan Yu was a general in Huaixi at the time, and had close ties with many Huaixi people. Now he is the leader of Huaixi."

"This battle is of great significance. It concerns the fate of our Ming Dynasty. We cannot just have one general."

"We can't let him go alone."

The Huaixi issue and factionalism have always been a thorn in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.

When Hu Weiyong was the prime minister, the circle of Huaixi forces reached its peak, and he almost had absolute control over the court.

But as Zhu Yuanzhang decisively dealt with Hu Weiyong, the Huaixi forces were effectively suppressed and controlled, and everything was under his control.

Even though there were occasionally domineering generals, under Zhu Yuanzhang's iron-fisted rule, without the cooperation of powerful officials in the court, the Huaixi forces, although holding military power, could not mobilize the army at will. This fully demonstrated Zhu Yuanzhang's absolute control over the army.

But as for Huaixi, Zhu Yuanzhang could use it and suppress it.

There is also a meaning revealed in these words, that is, we cannot be biased towards one person or one side.

"Biao'er, do you understand what your father means?" Zhu Yuanzhang stared at Zhu Biao with expectation in his eyes.

"I understand what Dad means."

"Huaixi is a minister, Lan Yu is a minister."

“It has to be usable, but also pressed.”

"In the future, our Ming army must allow a hundred flowers to bloom, not just Huaixi."

"Everything needs to be controlled by my son." Zhu Biao replied immediately, his eyes full of understanding.

Hear this!

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Haha, I'm glad you understand."

"A ruler should control his officials and use them for his own benefit."

"You must keep this in mind. Once you reach this position, although you may have selfish motives, you must prioritize the public interest."

Zhu Biao replied solemnly: "My son will be well advised."

Zhu Biao and Zhu Yuanzhang had been father and son for many years, and they had a deep understanding of each other. Zhu Biao immediately understood his father's profound meaning.

Coming back to his senses, Zhu Biao continued, "Lan Yu cannot directly command the troops. Is he going to mobilize the Daning Border Army this time? And the reorganized Liaodong Three Guards?"

“A year is a long time.”

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were firm, as if he could foresee the development and reorganization results of the three guards in Liaodong in the coming year.

"After a year of meticulous training, these three guards must have developed a formidable combat capability."

"Moreover, it will be completely brought under the control of our Ming Dynasty."

"Since we are going to attack the Northern Yuan, we must concentrate an overwhelmingly superior force. We must decisively defeat them in one battle and completely destroy them, leaving them unable to advance south."

"This battle must be like the conquest of Liaodong. We need a highly respected general who can control the situation and serve as a check and balance for the other generals."

"This person must be Guo Ying."

"Lan Yu can only be deputy."

Zhu Yuanzhang said in a deep voice, revealing unquestionable confidence.

Although the attack on the Northern Yuan Dynasty was not launched until a year later, he had already planned it over and over in his mind and thought carefully about every detail.

"Should we continue with the military system from the Liaodong expedition?" Zhu Biao continued, his mind carefully considering the military deployment. "Under the Grand General, there will be two commanders. Lan Yu can be one. As for the second commander, does Your Majesty have a suitable candidate in mind?"

"Tell me more." Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao with a smile, his eyes full of expectations and encouragement for his son, and he also expected Zhu Biao to come up with better insights.

He could also use this to teach Zhu Biao and help him grow.

Zhu Biao's government affairs were impeccable and he would surely be a benevolent ruler in the future.

But in military affairs.

Zhu Yuanzhang still wanted Zhu Biao to be good at what he did and know how to use people and generals.

That's enough.

"My son recommended my fourth brother."

Zhu Biao smiled and expressed his thoughts without hesitation, his eyes showing trust and expectations for Zhu Di.

"Let Fourth Brother serve as the chief general and accompany the army to attack Northern Yuan." "However, as the chief general, he will mainly be responsible for providing advice and strategies, and will not be able to directly command the troops. A capable deputy general will also be dispatched to assist him."

"After all, although Fourth Brother has been guarding Peking for many years, he still needs more training."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately revealed a pleased smile, his eyes filled with admiration and satisfaction: "Biao'er, you are indeed our good son, with the aura of an emperor."

"Indeed, your brothers have received the best education and have achieved considerable accomplishments in both civil and military affairs, but they all need to be constantly honed in actual combat."

"The fourth brother guards Beiping Prefecture, which is a key location in the northern border of the Ming Dynasty. In the future, it will be an important barrier to protect the Ming Dynasty."

"Use this opportunity to attack the Northern Yuan Dynasty and train the Fourth Brother well. He will surely be able to firmly defend this northern border for you in the future."

"The reason we divided your brothers into different places in the Ming Dynasty is to ensure the longevity of the Ming Dynasty and even more so, to ensure the eternal stability of your dynasty!"

"We have bestowed great honor upon these brothers, but their existence is ultimately to assist you."

"You must make good use of them."

Zhu Biao nodded solemnly: "Please rest assured, father. I understand."

"Haha."

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily, and his laughter echoed in Wenyuan Pavilion, full of relief.

"Seeing you doing so well, I feel relieved."

Zhu Yuanzhang knew very well that his son had grown up fully. Whether in terms of his ability to govern the country or his vision in employing and judging people, he already possessed the style of a great monarch.

He had no worries about Zhu Biao taking charge of state affairs in the future, and firmly believed that the future Ming Dynasty would become more prosperous under Zhu Biao's governance and usher in a more glorious era.

At this moment, a steady and rhythmic sound of footsteps was heard outside the Wenyuan Pavilion Hall.

Then, a loud and respectful voice sounded: "Your Majesty, I, Jiang Lin, request an audience with the Emperor."

"come in."

Zhu Yuanzhang responded casually, his smile faded, and what followed was an imperial majesty and solemnity. One could feel the pressure of imperial power from his voice.

He was only kind and friendly in front of Zhu Biao.

In front of his ministers, Zhu Yuanzhang was still the cold and majestic Zhu Yuanzhang.

Respond!

A figure dressed in a Feiyu suit strode into the hall.

The Feiyu suit was very tight, revealing a solemn and murderous aura. The man wore a thousand-householder certificate and had a stern look on his face. He was none other than Jiang Lin, the commander of the Jinyiwei, who frightened all the officials in the Ming court and even the officials all over the world.

See this person coming.

The smile on Zhu Biao's face disappeared instantly, replaced by a look of majesty and indifference.

Look at this person.

Zhu Biao's eyes revealed his dissatisfaction and disgust towards the Jinyiwei. He always firmly opposed the existence of the Jinyiwei.

He believed that although the Jinyiwei could exercise the power of supervision over all officials in the world, its power should not be excessively expanded, otherwise it would become a sharp blade that would damage the foundation of the court.

However, the Jinyiwei was directly under the command of Zhu Yuanzhang. Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, countless people have died at the hands of the Jinyiwei, who executed people without authorization.

Zhu Biao hated this, but he could do nothing about it.

Many times.

Zhu Biao directly advised to abolish the Jinyiwei's power to execute first and report later, so that the Jinyiwei's status would not be so transcendent, and even more so, the Jinyiwei should not be allowed to sneak into the residences of court ministers like spies.

But this was rejected by Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Let's start playing, Your Majesty."

Jiang Li bowed respectfully, straightened his body, clasped his hands together, and looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with a look of awe.

"Da Ning Commander Zhu Ying is getting married. All relevant information has been thoroughly investigated."

"Your Majesty, please take a look."

As he spoke, Jiang Li held high with both hands a letter that had been carefully investigated by the Jinyiwei.

When Zhu Ying got married, although the Daning government office had already reported the matter, the Jinyiwei, with its huge and sharp intelligence network, had already known about it in advance and quickly reported it.

After Zhu Yuanzhang learned the news, he immediately ordered the Jinyiwei to secretly investigate Shen Yuer's background. He was always cautious about the marriage of his ministers, especially when it came to important generals, and he had to ensure that there was no room for error.

"Just get to the point."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked calm, and his tone revealed unquestionable majesty. He seemed to have no interest in reading the record himself. He was more accustomed to quickly obtaining key information from the reports of his subordinates.

Jiang Li immediately bowed, lowered his head slightly, and said slowly: "Your Majesty, the wife of Zhu Ying, the commander of Daning, is from Beiping City, Beiping Prefecture."

"She is the daughter of Shen Wansan of the Shen family and comes from a merchant family."

"However, although she is nominally the daughter of Shen Wansan, she actually has no status in the Shen family and has always been a slave in the Shen family."

"Zhu Ying met her after he settled in Beiping Prefecture with his grandmother, and they have been in contact ever since."

Jiang Li's voice was steady and clear, and every word seemed to have been carefully considered, without any mistake.

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, a look of surprise appeared on his face. He frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and he couldn't help asking: "Is Shen Yu'er the daughter of this servant?"

"Reporting to the Emperor, there is no such person as Shen Yu'er's mother."

"Moreover, she seemed to have suddenly appeared at the Shen family's home. The Jinyiwei who were responsible for monitoring the Shen family were unable to find out the identity of Shen Yuer's mother."

Jiang Li still answered respectfully, with a hint of trepidation in his tone: "However, there are rumors in the Shen family that Shen Yu'er is not Shen Wansan's biological child, but a foster child from outside. Therefore, Shen Yu'er has never been known as a Miss of the Shen family."

"External sustenance?"

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, his face instantly became gloomy, revealing dissatisfaction and anger, and stared at Jiang Li closely.

"We have given the Jinyiwei the greatest power, and we have given you the right to execute first and report later."

"You actually told us that there is no such person and you don't even know Shen Yu'er's true origin. Is this the result of the investigation given to us by the Jinyiwei?" Zhu Yuanzhang said coldly.

The words just fell!

Jiang Lin's face suddenly changed, turning pale with fear. He quickly knelt on his knees, his body trembling slightly, and said in panic, "Your Majesty, please calm down! Please give me some time. I will do my best to find out Shen Yu'er's true family background and origins."

As for Jiang Li, he was well aware of the difficulty and danger of his position. Although he held great power, he was actually walking on thin ice and could not sleep or eat well.

This position is destined to make him a lonely minister. All the civil and military officials in the court hate him to the core and want to tear him into pieces.

All his powers were granted by the imperial authority. Ever since learning about the tragic end of the previous commander, Jiang Li has been living in constant fear, fearing that if he is not careful, he will suffer the same fate.

But now, he can only rely on this identity to survive. If he loses this identity, his entire family will suffer a devastating disaster.

Moreover, he also knew clearly that the prince was extremely dissatisfied with him, and his future fate seemed to have been predetermined and would not have a good ending.

But there is no other way except to obey the imperial power.

"Okay, now go on and tell me what the connection is between Zhu Ying and the Shen family."

Zhu Yuanzhang's expression eased a little, but his eyes were still full of scrutiny as he stared at Jiang Li, as if he wanted to see through him.

"Since Zhu Ying's hometown is Beiping Prefecture, why did he join the Daning Border Army? You must explain all of this to us in detail." Zhu Yuanzhang also grasped the key.

Jiang Li did not dare to slack off. He knelt on the ground and said tremblingly: "Your Majesty! There was an engagement between the Shen family and Zhu Ying."

"According to the Jinyiwei's investigation, it seems that the Shen family was unwilling to fulfill the marriage contract, so they arranged for Zhu Ying to live in Daning."

"They intended to have Zhu Ying die on the battlefield of Daning. This way, the Shen family's engagement with Zhu Ying could be dissolved, and no one could blame the Shen family."

When Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao heard this, their faces instantly turned extremely cold.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes revealed anger and murderous intent, while Zhu Biao's eyes revealed disappointment and helplessness.

They all knew that this behavior not only violated morality and etiquette, but was also a blatant violation of the court laws.

"The Shen family, how did they manipulate the new recruits into the army? And why did they allow Zhu Ying to go to Daning?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked coldly. Although he already had the answer in his mind, he still couldn't help asking.

At this moment, his voice seemed to be frosty, making people shudder.

He knew very well that behind this must be the ugly collusion between officials and businessmen, which was the behavior he could not tolerate the most.

"Your Majesty," Jiang Lin replied hastily, his voice trembling slightly with nervousness. "The Shen family bribed the recruiting officer in Peking, causing Zhu Ying to be assigned to Daning instead of serving in Peking."

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's face became even gloomier.

He came from a low-income family and had experienced the darkness and cruelty of troubled times. He hated corrupt officials deeply.

In his eyes, collusion between officials and businessmen, abuse of power for personal gain, and oppression of the people were heinous crimes, and he wished to kill the entire clan as soon as possible.

"Bastard!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that his face turned blue and he shouted angrily. His voice echoed in the Wenyuan Pavilion hall, making people's eardrums hurt.

"What we hate most are corrupt officials, and what we detest most is the abuse of power for personal gain and the oppression of the people."

"What a recruiting officer! For his own selfish gain and money, he disregarded the Ming Dynasty's recruitment laws and manipulated them at will!"

"He deserves to die, he really does!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's control over officials was extremely strict, but corrupt officials continued to emerge in large numbers, and officials who harmed the people continued to do so despite repeated bans, which made him extremely angry and disappointed.

"Your Majesty," Jiang Lin said hurriedly, a hint of urgency in his voice, trying to ease Zhu Yuanzhang's anger. "The offending official has been dealt with. His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan personally investigated and dealt with the case, and a report has been submitted to the Ministry of Justice."

Hearing the name "Prince of Yan", Zhu Yuanzhang's expression relaxed slightly. He frowned slightly, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then asked: "What does this have to do with the fourth brother?"

"Your Majesty," Jiang Li replied respectfully, his tone full of respect for the Prince of Yan. "His Royal Highness learned from Zhang Yu, the commander of his Beiping Army, that General Zhu Ying was from Beiping. He became puzzled as to why Zhu Ying, who was originally from Beiping, had moved to Daning. He subsequently dispatched an investigation and ultimately identified this recruiting officer and the Shen family."

"After uncovering the truth, His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan, in accordance with the laws of the Ming Dynasty, sentenced this criminal official to death, and implicated his entire family, reducing them all to slavery."

"Where's the Shen family?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked coldly. At this moment, he had already developed murderous intentions towards the Shen family.

He had always looked down on merchants, and now that something like this had happened, he was even more disgusted with the merchants' emphasis on profit over loyalty and their selfishness.

His eyes revealed a cold murderous intent, as if he wanted to completely wipe out the Shen family from this world.

……

(End of this chapter)