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

Chapter 132: The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children! The eldest son is born!
Perhaps only Zhu Yuanzhang and his son could deeply understand the true sorrow.

Whenever the end of the year approaches and every household is immersed in the celebration of family reunion, this sadness becomes more intense!

"Okay." Zhu Yuanzhang sighed, and that sigh seemed to carry endless vicissitudes and sadness. Then he raised his head slightly and looked at the Kunning Palace in front of him.

"Go into the palace and pay your respects."

Say it!

Zhu Yuanzhang walked towards Kunning Palace with slightly heavy steps. Zhu Biao followed behind Zhu Yuanzhang quietly, looking at his father's slightly hunched back, with mixed feelings in his heart. A trace of sadness flashed in his eyes, and then he nodded slightly.

Inside Kunning Palace!

Since the passing of Empress Ma, all the furnishings and decorations have remained unchanged, as if they had been covered in dust by time.

The tables and chairs in the house are still arranged as they were when Empress Ma was alive, and the calligraphy and paintings on the walls hang quietly, bearing witness to the past years.

Perhaps, Zhu Yuanzhang did this deliberately. He wanted to keep the good memories he spent with Empress Ma, even if it was just a little bit.

Inside the palace, three spirit tablets are placed quietly!

For many years!
The incense here has never stopped burning, and everything was instructed by Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Sister."

Zhu Yuanzhang slowly walked to the spirit tablet, looking at his sister's spirit tablet with gentle and affectionate eyes.

"Daughter-in-law."

Zhu Yuanzhang paused, tears flashing in his eyes: "Grandson."

Each of these names is filled with Zhu Yuanzhang's deep longing for his relatives.

"We're here to see you."

The corners of Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth trembled slightly, and he raised his hand and gently stroked the spirit tablet, as if he was touching the face of a loved one.

Then he turned around and picked up the incense and candles from the table beside him.

His movements were slow and solemn, and his hands trembled slightly as he lit the incense sticks. He then carefully inserted the lit incense sticks into the incense burner in front of the spirit tablet. He then picked up the offerings and placed them one by one in front of the spirit tablet. His movements were gentle, as if he was afraid of disturbing the sleeping relatives.

"mother."

"Sister Chang."

"Yongying."

"Dad and I are here to see you."

Zhu Biao stood behind his father with a solemn expression. He bent slightly and bowed to the three spirit tablets. His movements were steady and pious, and his eyes were full of sorrow.

As he spoke, his face was filled with memories of his time with his mother, wife, and son.

then.

The father and son stood quietly in front of the memorial tablet.

At this moment, silence is better than words. The longing and pain in their hearts can be deeply felt by each other without words.

……

Inside the East Palace Hall!
The so-called family dinner has begun.

The interior of the hall exudes royal luxury.

Zhu Biao's concubines and children all gathered here.

Among them, the most favored Lu sat in the seat on the left that originally belonged to the Crown Princess, with a hint of silent pride in her eyes.

She gave birth to three sons, and Zhu Yunwen, the eldest son, sat next to her.

The other two sons sat on her right.

Zhu Yunhuan was also sitting not far away, but his expression seemed very gloomy. He lowered his head slightly, his eyes looking at the ground, and his hands unconsciously fiddled with the corners of his clothes, as if he was forgotten by the lively atmosphere.

As for his two sisters, they were also silent.

There were also three children of Zhu Biao whose names were not recorded in the long river of history.

After all, after the brutal Jingnan Campaign, Zhu Di, in order to consolidate his imperial power, used extremely cruel means and killed almost all of Zhu Biao's descendants.

In this seemingly glamorous royal family, family affection is often fragile and vulnerable in the face of power.

Once the supreme power of the world is touched, the so-called blood ties will be ruthlessly abandoned, leaving only the endless pursuit of power.

Compared to the family dinner in the palace, the atmosphere in the East Palace Hall was eerily calm.

The four concubines each sat in their own seats. Some were surrounded by their own children, their eyes full of love, while others were surrounded by the children of the former Crown Princess, and their expressions were slightly embarrassed.

Beside Lu, the three Zhu Yunwen brothers whispered to each other from time to time. Although their voices were small, they were particularly clear in the silent hall.

Zhu Yunhuan sat aside, occasionally raising his head, a trace of loneliness flashed in his eyes, and then he lowered his head again.

Although everyone was eating, no one in the entire hall spoke except for the sound of tableware colliding. The silent atmosphere made people feel as if they were in an ice cellar, with a chill.

"Mother." Beside Lu, Zhu Yunwen's younger brother Zhu Yunwen raised his head and looked at Lu innocently, his eyes full of doubt: "When will father return from the palace?"

His clear voice broke the long silence.

"Why can't we go to the palace for the banquet?" Zhu Yunwen asked again, with confusion written all over his face.

Hearing this, a gentle smile appeared on Lu's face. She gently reached out and stroked Zhu Yunwen's head.

"There are too many rules for banquets in the palace," Lu said softly, explaining slowly, "That's why we won't go. There are fewer rules in your father's palace."

"Oh." Zhu Yunwen nodded as if he understood, the doubt on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by an innocent smile.

But Zhu Yunwen on the side seemed to be thinking about something. He frowned slightly, and a hint of desire appeared in his eyes. He raised his head slightly and looked towards the palace gate, as if he was looking forward to Zhu Biao's return, and seemed to be looking forward to the unknown palace banquet, or looking forward to his legitimate son and the prince.

After comforting her son, Lu's eyes inadvertently swept over Zhu Yunhuan on the left, and then looked at Zhu Yunhuan's two sisters. A trace of imperceptible disgust flashed in the depths of her eyes.

"The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children!" Mrs. Lu gnashed her teeth inwardly, "Damn the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children."

"If it weren't for this distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, I could have gone to the palace with the Crown Prince for the family banquet. If it weren't for this damn distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, I might have already become the Crown Princess, and Yun Wen would have already become the Crown Prince."

Lu clenched her hands tightly, trying her best to calm the resentment in her heart: "One day, I will become the Crown Princess and let Yunwen become the legitimate heir."

At this time, Mrs. Lu still appeared calm on the surface with a gentle smile on her face, but her heart was like a surging wave that could not calm down for a long time.

Perhaps the speaker was unintentional, but the listener was intentional.

When the other concubines in the hall heard what the two sons of the Lu family asked, they dared not breathe. They lowered their heads slightly, with a hint of fear in their eyes.

Lu already holds great power in the Eastern Palace, and no one dares to defy her will.

They could only sit in their seats silently, moving their chopsticks carefully, for fear that they would accidentally anger Mrs. Lu.

Time passes quietly!
Daning Prefecture, Huizhou City!
Fifty thousand reorganized Yuan surrendered soldiers have been stationed in the military camp within Huizhou City.

The military camp was surrounded by high walls with Ming Dynasty military flags flying on them, fluttering in the wind.

Under the wall, the patrolling soldiers walked in step with alert eyes.

On the parade ground, 50,000 surrendered soldiers wearing Ming Dynasty military uniforms were lined up in neat rows. Although their uniforms were brand new, they were not equipped with armor or weapons.

Among them, all positions above the small flag were transferred from the border troops of the Ming Dynasty. All officers were soldiers of the Daning border army.

Originally, the imperial court ordered that the small flags be allocated to the border troops, but after careful consideration, Zhu Ying submitted a memorial to the Ministry of War, earnestly arguing that the small flags, as grassroots officers in the army, were of vital importance and should be completely controlled by the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Ying wrote this memorial in a clear and well-organized manner with sufficient arguments.

After Zhu Ying submitted the memorial, it was personally reviewed by Crown Prince Zhu Biao and approved for implementation.

From the small flags onwards, all officers of the 50,000 surrendered soldiers were appointed from among the meritorious officers and soldiers of the Daning border army.

Now, this reorganized army has been trained by Zhu Ying himself for eight months.

During these eight months, Zhu Ying arrived at the training ground early every day to train with the soldiers.

After eight months of hard training, this surrendered army has initially formed combat effectiveness and has also completed the running-in of the Ming Dynasty military system.

On the platform, Zhu Ying was wearing a Ming Dynasty military uniform, but no armor. His long hair was tied behind his head, making him look particularly energetic.

After Zhu Ying glanced at the troops on the parade ground, he suddenly waved his hand and shouted loudly: "Out for drill!"

The sound was like thunder, echoing throughout the training ground.

"The general has an order."

Zhu Ying's guards shouted in unison, their voices uniform: "Out for drill!"

next moment!
"Kill, kill, kill!"

The fifty thousand troops simultaneously issued a deafening cry of killing.

The sounds gathered together, like thunder, resounding through the sky.

Afterwards, the army began to run around the parade ground in a very orderly and strict posture.

Their steps were in unison, and the entire training ground shook with every step they took.

Since Zhu Yingcheng became the commander of Daning and took charge of the army, he combined the original training methods of Daning border army and incorporated his own advanced training concepts that were known to later generations.

First, focus on training the soldiers' physical strength, so that the soldiers have a strong physique through long-distance running, weight-bearing and other training methods.

Second, strengthen the training of fighting skills and teach soldiers various close combat techniques so that they can defeat the enemy on the battlefield.

Third, we focus on cultivating the temperament of a soldier. From standing and sitting to saluting, every detail is strictly required, so that the soldiers can exude the majesty of a soldier from the inside out.

After eight months of training, the results are remarkable.

The Da Ning border army under Zhu Ying's command was the first to implement Zhu Ying's training methods, followed by the reorganization of the surrendered soldiers.

As Zhu Ying's new training method became popular in Daning, the temperament of the army under Zhu Ying's command has now been completely renewed.

If some soldiers used to look like ruffians, walking with hunched backs and no discipline at all, now every one of them has a straight posture and a firm look in their eyes, and they are obviously well-trained soldiers.

Looking at the soldiers running for drill on the training ground, Zhu Ying nodded slightly, a satisfied smile on his face, his eyes filled with relief and pride.

This was all trained by Zhu Ying himself!
"General."

Liu Lei walked quickly to Zhu Ying's side, his face brimming with excitement. "My Daning Border Army and this surrendered army have greatly increased their combat effectiveness under the general's training."

"Compared to the past, the current combat capability has improved immensely."

"Sweat more in peacetime and bleed less in wartime."

Zhu Ying looked serious as he stared at the training ground. He said slowly, "Border troops are most likely to be exposed to combat. Although the training method I have prescribed is arduous, it has indeed improved my physical fitness."

"But..." Zhu Ying paused.

"But what?" Liu Lei looked at Zhu Ying with a puzzled look.

"The court said they would transfer him to be the commander of the Huizhou Guard. It's been over eight months. Why hasn't he been transferred yet?"

Zhu Ying shook his head helplessly.

Originally, Zhu Ying only needed to control the Da Ning border army under his command, and he did not need to pay too much attention to the training and military affairs of this surrendered army.

However, things went against their wishes. Less than a month after the New Year, the 50,000 reorganized surrendered troops had moved to Huizhou.

However, the commander had not yet arrived, and some generals assigned by the court had not yet arrived. For these reasons, Zhu Ying was forced to control this group of surrendered soldiers and be responsible for their training and reorganization.

For eight months, Zhu Ying submitted a memorial to the Ministry of War every month in order to urge the transfer of the commander.

However, every time the memorials were reviewed, the Ministry of War’s response was that the current emperor and the crown prince were still considering who would be the commander-in-chief, so it had been delayed until now.

"General." Liu Lei smiled. "You, as the commander of the guards, are in charge of a hundred thousand troops. This is the power of a commander-in-chief. Others would love to have it, but the general despises it."

"If it's the position of the commander-in-chief, then of course there's nothing to say." Zhu Ying shook his head slightly and said helplessly, "But I'm just a guard commander. I have to put in twice as much energy to train another guard. It's really a waste of time."

"Perhaps," Liu Lei said thoughtfully, revealing a bystander's clear view. "The Emperor and the Crown Prince want the General to hone himself by commanding a hundred thousand troops. In the future, they will give the General greater power."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Ying's heart moved, and a trace of thought flashed in his eyes. Thinking about it carefully, it seemed to be true.

"That's all." Zhu Ying sighed softly, "Let it be."

At this moment, Xiao Han quickly stepped onto the platform to review the generals.

"General," Xiao Han reported respectfully, "A group of people have arrived at the camp gate, holding imperial decrees and the commander's seal. The new Huizhou commander has arrived."

"It's finally here." Zhu Ying smiled with joy when he heard this. He was finally going to be free.

"Please invite this new commander to enter the barracks."

Zhu Ying gave the order immediately.

"Yes." Xiao Han immediately turned around and retreated quickly.

After a while, a group of generals in armor came over, escorted by their personal guards.

The leading general stood tall and straight. Although he was young, he also had the majesty of a veteran on the battlefield.

When they arrived at the training ground.

"Kill, kill, kill."

The soldiers who were doing drill and running were divided into many military formations and ran in an orderly manner. Every time they passed a certain distance, they let out a deafening shout of killing, which seemed to break through the sky.

Seeing this scene, the generals who had just entered the training ground were all surprised and shocked.

"General Mu, are these the surrendered soldiers reorganized by the Yuan army?" A general said in surprise, with a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"This is the Huizhou military camp, not the Daning border military base."

Another general analyzed, "And with so many troops here, they must have been reorganized into an army of surrendered soldiers."

"It has been more than eight months since the surrendered soldiers were reorganized, but this time is not long at all. In such a long time, a group of surrendered soldiers can be trained to such a level. This Duke Guanjun really lives up to his name. He is not only good at commanding troops, but also good at training them." Another general said with emotion.

As soon as these words were spoken, all the generals looked at the army on the parade ground with horror. As military commanders, they knew how to judge the combat effectiveness of an army.

Unless someone is deliberately hiding their shortcomings, their spirit and energy can be seen at a glance.

This surrendered army obviously no longer had the defeated and decadent spirit of the surrendered army. After eight months, it has become brand new.

"Champion Zhu Ying." The leader among these generals looked at these troops, with a look of surprise and admiration in his eyes, as if he recognized Zhu Ying's training results.

Then he came to his senses and walked towards the reviewing platform without stopping.

After a while, Zhu Ying saw these generals.

In response to the reorganization order issued by the former Ministry of War, generals above the rank of Commandant would be directly dispatched by the imperial Ministry of War, while generals below the rank of Commandant would be transferred from the border troops.

Zhu Ying glanced around, and the moment their eyes met, the leading general stepped forward, clasped his fists in salute, with a sincere smile on his face: "This must be the commander of Daning, the champion, General Zhu, right?"

"That's right." Zhu Ying nodded, looking at the generals with a bit of curiosity: "I wonder who the general is?"

The leading general immediately clasped his fists and replied, "General Mu Sheng has been transferred by order of the Ministry of War and the Imperial Edict, and has been appointed Commander of the Huizhou Guard."

Zhu Ying was slightly surprised when he heard the name Mu Sheng.

Zhu Ying, who was well-versed in history, naturally knew who Mu Sheng was.

He was the second son of Mu Ying, Marquis of Xiping, who had guarded Yunnan and the southern border of the Ming Dynasty for generations.

Who is Mu Ying?

Among Zhu Yuanzhang's most trusted ministers, he was definitely one of the most trusted ones.

He was not only a minister, but also Zhu Yuanzhang's adopted son. He was adopted by Zhu Yuanzhang when Zhu Yuanzhang started the rebellion.

Even the current crown prince Zhu Biao calls him "big brother".

Originally, his name was Zhu Ying, but later, in order to maintain the orthodoxy of the royal family, Mu Ying changed back to his original surname.

"It seems history has really gone astray. Mu Ying has actually been dispatched to Daning Prefecture, even leading a separate guard!"

Zhu Ying thought to himself, "There's no such thing as this in history. It seems my existence has caused some kind of butterfly effect."

Come back to your senses.

Zhu Ying immediately clasped his fists in return and smiled faintly: "I have long heard of General Mu Ying's name. I never expected to meet General Mu Ying's son here today. This is a great honor for Zhu Ying."

Upon hearing this, Mu Sheng immediately smiled and replied, "General Zhu, you're too polite! Although my father has some reputation, as his son, Mu Sheng has not achieved any achievements. I am able to come to Daning to serve as a general because I have long heard of General Zhu's reputation for galloping and killing enemies in the northern border and making great contributions to the country. Therefore, I have specially requested the order from the Ministry of War to come to the northern border to guard the border for the country."

"It is a great honor to meet General Zhu and Mu Sheng today."

When Mu Sheng said these words, his expression was extremely solemn, his eyes were full of sincerity and excitement, and it was obvious that they came from the heart.

Zhu Ying's military achievements have been recognized by many generals, and Mu Sheng is naturally one of them.

In the battles against the Jiannu in the northern border and the Liaodong War, Zhu Ying led his troops to charge into battle, and his army was extremely powerful. Wherever they went, they were invincible, and their performance was brilliant.

As the Battle of Liaodong came to an end, Zhu Ying's military achievements quickly spread among the powerful and influential classes of the Ming Dynasty.

In the court, many ministers praised this up-and-coming general highly.

Mu Ying, a general who had long been famous in the army and was deeply trusted by Zhu Yuanzhang, naturally also heard about Zhu Ying's battle achievements.

After all, such a dazzling record caused quite a stir in the Ming army, and it was hard not to be noticed.

Otherwise, with Mu Sheng's identity, how could he travel thousands of miles and resolutely go to this northern border.

Obviously for training.

"General Mu, you are too kind."

Zhu Ying smiled slightly and looked at Mu Sheng gently.

Then he slowly turned his head and looked at the army training on the parade ground.

"I have been waiting for General Mu for a long time."

Zhu Ying sighed slightly, a sense of relief in his tone: "Now that General Mu has finally arrived, I can now safely hand over the state guard to General Mu."

"General Zhu is really good at training troops."

Mu Sheng looked at the parade ground with a burning gaze, his eyes full of admiration, as if he was still amazed at the transformation of the army before him.

"The Huizhou Guards were reorganized from surrendered soldiers from the Northern Yuan Dynasty. Initially, their morale was low and they were a loose group, making it extremely difficult to organize them. However, under General Zhu's leadership, they were reborn and became so powerful."

Mu Sheng said this, clasping his hands together and giving Zhu Ying a solemn military salute: "I admire you!"

"General Mu is a commander just like me. There is no need to call yourself a junior general." Zhu Ying smiled and waved his hand with a friendly look.

"No, no, no." Mu Sheng hurriedly shook his head vigorously upon hearing this, his face looking extremely serious: "When I take up my post in the future, the Ministry of War will specifically issue an order!"

"During my time in command of the Huizhou Guard, I was directly under the command of General Zhu. Whenever there was any critical military intelligence or important military affairs, all decisions had to be made by General Zhu."

Mu Sheng leaned forward slightly as he spoke, his attitude extremely sincere: "Therefore, in Daning Prefecture, my position is indeed below General Zhu."

"certainly,"

Mu Sheng paused, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "To have the opportunity to serve under General Zhu in Daning Prefecture and follow him into battle is the honor of my lifetime."

See this situation!

A smile appeared on Zhu Ying's face again. He nodded slightly and said no more.

Subsequently.

Zhu Ying turned around and pointed towards the training grounds. "The 50,000 soldiers of the Huizhou Guard have been completely reorganized, and the daily training program has been finalized."

"After General Mu takes over the army, he can directly command the troops according to this outline."

Zhu Ying said, turning his gaze to Mu Sheng: "If General Mu has any questions about military affairs, you can send someone to Daning City to find me at any time."

"Thank you, General Zhu." Upon hearing this, Mu Sheng clasped his fists again and bowed deeply, his words full of gratitude.

Just at this moment, Xiao Han hurriedly ran up to the platform again, but this time he looked anxious and was breathing heavily.

"General." Xiao Han suppressed his excitement and reported in a trembling voice, "News came from Daning. Madam is already showing signs of labor and will probably give birth soon."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Ying's originally calm expression changed instantly, his eyes were full of surprise and expectation, and his joy was beyond words.

"General Mu."

Zhu Ying quickly turned around and looked at Mu Sheng, speaking faster than he could. "I'll leave Huizhouwei in your care. My wife is about to give birth, and I urgently need to go back and take care of household matters."

"If there is anything important in the future, you can send someone to Daning City to find me at any time."

Say it.

No waiting for a response.

Zhu Ying strode towards the edge of the reviewing platform.

Upon seeing this, all the guards immediately followed Zhu Ying and quickly left the military camp.

Not a moment.

A group of royal guards quickly rode out of the military camp and galloped towards Daning City.

Although Huizhou is not far from Daning City, it can be reached within two hours.

Daning City, Zhu Mansion.

Outside Shen Yuer's dormitory, the atmosphere was tense and full of anticipation.

A group of maids came and went in a hurry.

Some held steaming basins steadily in their hands, while others carefully held soft towels and walked anxiously back and forth between the houses.

Lin Fu stood outside the dormitory, his brow furrowed, pacing back and forth. His eyes were filled with anxiety.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps came from a distance.

"How about it?"

Zhu Yingyi ran to Lin Fu and asked impatiently, with a barely perceptible tremor in his voice.

"The midwife has been gone for two hours." Lin Fu saw Zhu Ying coming and hurried forward, forcing a comforting smile on his face: "It is said that the first delivery will take longer. Don't worry, young master, just relax."

It's too late to say.

The next moment, from behind the tightly closed bedroom door came a clear and loud "Wa...wa...wa..." sound of a baby crying.

……

(End of this chapter)