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

Chapter 139 Zhu Ying: It turns out that Zhu Di had the intention of rebellion a long time ago!
"From the commander to the ordinary soldiers, everyone will participate in the training."

When Zhu Di heard these words, a look of surprise instantly crossed his originally calm face.

Just one sentence caused a stir in Zhu Di's heart, allowing him to keenly grasp the effectiveness of this training method.

In the long-standing military tradition of the Ming Dynasty, officers were responsible for commanding troops. Although training soldiers was also within their purview, most officers only needed to sit in command and coordinate the overall situation.

It is almost unheard of to personally participate in the training and fight with the soldiers.

Even the Beiping Army, which Zhu Di personally supervised and was proud of, had always been committed to creating a harmonious atmosphere between generals and soldiers and had a fine tradition of eating and living together, but had never engaged in joint training.

"Zhu Ying is really good at training soldiers." Zhu Di smiled appreciatively, full of emotion.

"Yeah." Li Jinglong agreed and nodded, showing his approval of Zhu Ying's method of training troops.

“But this approach is difficult to implement.”

"Many generals are used to a life of luxury, so why would they come down to the camp to train together?" Li Jinglong said solemnly.

In this regard.

Zhu Di said nothing more.

But come back to your senses.

"Come here." Zhu Di shouted to the outside of the palace: "Pass on my order."

"Send a message to Zhu Ying, the commander of Daning, to come to my tent as soon as he finishes breakfast."

"Subordinates take orders!"

Zhu Neng, the commander of the personal guards outside the palace, heard the order and immediately responded loudly.

……

On the training ground of the Daning Border Army!

The five-lap drill was quickly completed, the soldiers stopped one after another, and the neat formation began to loosen.

At this time, soldiers from each military camp went to the logistics army to collect breakfast. For a while, the training ground was bustling with people and filled with the smell of bread.

In the past, daily routine training was a chore for many Daning border troops, and they were often resistant to it.

After all, high-intensity training day after day will inevitably make people feel tired and bored.

But as Zhu Ying set an example and participated in training with the soldiers every day without fail, the attitudes of all the border troops quietly changed, from initial resistance to willingness.

In their eyes, Zhu Ying, as a commander, held a high position and great power, but was willing to endure hardships with them every day. What reason did they have to retreat?

"General."

While munching on the bread in his hand, Liu Lei quickly walked over to Zhu Ying and said respectfully with an expression of irrepressible curiosity, "I was just on patrol outside and saw that there are several places ready for camping."

"How many troops are they going to mobilize this time? They've prepared so many camps."

As he spoke, Liu Lei raised his hand and pointed towards the newly separated camps in the distance, with some doubt in his eyes.

When the surrounding generals such as Chen Heng and Wei Quan heard Liu Lei's words, they all looked at Zhu Ying.

"Three hundred thousand troops." Zhu Ying said calmly, "Including the logistics troops and other forces, there are more than four hundred thousand troops."

"Such a large force is almost double the number during the Liaodong expedition."

Wei Quan's expression was serious, and he said in a deep voice, "It seems that the imperial court is determined to completely destroy the Northern Yuan Dynasty this time."

"Nothing else to say." Chen Heng looked confident, his eyes gleaming with admiration as he looked at Zhu Ying and said, "The general is invincible. This time, I will accompany him on the expedition and will surely achieve new merits."

"I firmly believe that after the war, the general will be able to make further progress and be promoted to deputy commander."

The entire Daning border army is well aware of their general's combat effectiveness and command ability.

On the Liaodong battlefield, Zhu Ying commanded with confidence, fought bravely and led by example, and the results he achieved were the best proof of this.

Therefore, in this Northern Expedition, every soldier of the Daning Border Army was in high spirits and full of fighting spirit, because they had absolute trust and confidence in their generals.

In the prefectural garrison, Zhu Ying's official position had reached the highest position of garrison commander.

There is no more promotion in the garrison.

But above the guards there are the capitals.

If one can be promoted to the rank of Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Associate Commander-in-Chief, Commander-in-Chief, he will be a true frontier official, in charge of military power, and can be called a third-rank official.

Zhu Ying remained calm regarding the discussion among his generals, only revealing a faint smile. He appeared very relaxed and composed, and did not participate in it.

Now that the Northern Expedition is about to begin, everything we are talking about at this moment is still just a mirage. Only fighting bloody battles on the battlefield and killing the enemy to achieve real results.

What rewards you will receive in the future depends on the battle with the sword in your hand.

"Where is General Zhu?"

At this moment, a voice came clearly from outside the training ground.

I saw the commander of the personal guards of Prince Yan Zhu Di walking towards this side in a hurry.

This man has an upright posture, a brisk gait, and a long sword on his waist.

Zhu Ying happened to know this commander of the personal guards.

In the past, Zhu Neng went to Daning City and personally escorted the official who framed Zhu Ying to Daning. He was Zhu Neng, a thousand-householder guard in the Prince of Yan's Mansion.

"Captain Zhu." Zhu Ying stood up, dusted himself off, and asked with a kind smile, "What's the matter?"

"General Zhu." Zhu Neng stepped forward, bowed, and said respectfully, "I'm here by the prince's order to invite General Zhu into the camp for a conversation."

"Okay." Zhu Ying nodded, his expression unchanged, and immediately replied, "I'll go right away."

However, after standing up, Zhu Ying turned to look at Chen Heng and said seriously, "The war has not yet arrived. Daily training must continue as usual. Especially the formations I taught you. You must intensify your training to ensure that there are no mistakes."

Obviously.

This formation is naturally the Dragon Gate Formation.

"The last general takes command!"

Chen Heng immediately responded loudly.

It didn't take long.

Zhu Ying then came to the outside of Zhu Di's tent.

The guards of Prince Yan today are more vigilant than yesterday.

There was a guard post every three steps and a sentry every five steps around the tent. All the soldiers held long spears. They had stern expressions and looked around vigilantly. Their number had increased significantly compared to yesterday, and the atmosphere was particularly tense and depressing.

"The military camp is so alert. What is Zhu Di planning to do? Is he planning to ambush and kill me here?"

Seeing this scene, Zhu Ying couldn't help but complain in his heart, but in a flash, he suppressed his doubts and didn't think about it anymore.

After all, Zhu Di is still the prince of the Ming Dynasty. I have no grudges against him in the past, so there is no need for him to be so cruel to me.

Furthermore, if someone really dared to attack him in the military camp, not to mention that he was not afraid at all, if this matter reached Zhu Yuanzhang's ears, it would definitely cause an uproar.

Zhu Di was not so bold.

"General Zhu, please come in."

Zhu Neng stepped forward, stretched out his hands, carefully lifted the curtain, and said respectfully: "The prince has instructed that General Zhu has arrived, please go in directly."

"Ah."

Zhu Ying nodded, said nothing more, and strode into the tent.

Zhu Di's invitation today was indeed a bit strange, but although Zhu Ying had some doubts in his heart, he decided to find out the truth first and see what Zhu Di was going to do.

After entering the tent, I saw Zhu Di sitting upright on the main seat with a calm expression, waiting very quietly.

But he was not the only one in the tent today.

On the side of his main seat.

There was another person wearing a black monk's robe, holding a rosary in his hand. His head was bald, and he was obviously a monk.

It was Yao Guangxiao.

The moment he saw Yao Guangxiao, Zhu Ying's heart was slightly shocked, and the identity of this person instantly emerged in his mind.

"The demonic monk in black, Yao Guangxiao."

Zhu Ying thought to himself, "I thought he would come to Zhu Di only after Zhu Biao's death, but I didn't expect him to show up so early."

"Historically, he threatened to give Zhu Di a 'white hat'."

"Could it be that Zhu Di now has ambitions to covet the throne?"

"Zhu Yuanzhang is still alive, and Zhu Biao is firmly seated on the throne of crown prince."

"He's really brave!"

"Sure enough, the temptation of the throne is enough to make people lose their minds."

"There really is no family affection among the royal family."

"No wonder Zhu Di was able to win in history. It's not just because Zhu Yunwen was too stupid, but also because Zhu Di had already started planning a rebellion and seizing the throne long ago."

Zhu Ying's thoughts were out of control at the first sight of Yao Guangxiao.

Combining the historical records that Zhu Ying knew and his understanding of Zhu Di and Yao Guangxiao, Zhu Ying had already vaguely guessed Zhu Di's ambition.

At this moment, Zhu Ying finally figured out one thing: why did Zhu Di, whom he had never met before, show kindness to him in Daning? Not only did he send the criminal official who had harmed him, but later when he got married and had children, Zhu Di also sent someone to deliver a gift to him.

This wasn't just an appreciation of him as a military general; it was clearly an attempt to win him over!

"Zhu Di."

Zhu Ying secretly sighed in his heart: "No wonder he often shows his affection to me, so this is his plan."

"If he really rebels in the future and I am still stationed in Daning Prefecture, the first army ordered to suppress him will most likely be the Daning Border Army."

"Now that he's showing goodwill, I'm sure he's hoping I'll show mercy on the battlefield in the future."

"As expected! There is no kindness without reason in this world!"

At this moment, Zhu Ying felt that he had seen through Zhu Di's thoughts.

As Zhu Ying walked into the tent, Yao Guangxiao's eyes immediately fell on Zhu Ying's face.

That gaze seemed to contain a myriad of things, with a look of scrutiny and inquiry.

Yao Guangxiao narrowed his eyes slightly and looked Zhu Ying up and down carefully, with an elusive look in his eyes, as if he was trying to dig out the secrets hidden deep in Zhu Ying's face.

"This humble general pays homage to His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan."

Zhu Ying walked into the tent, clasped his hands together, leaned forward slightly, and saluted.

"General Zhu, please excuse me."

Zhu Di smiled slightly. The smile seemed gentle and kind, but in fact it was difficult to see his true thoughts. He raised his hand and made a gesture of no need to be polite.

"Thank you, King Yan." Zhu Ying thanked him, then with a calm expression, he asked directly, "I wonder why King Yan summoned me here?"

"General Zhu was summoned here today not for military matters."

"It's the master beside me who is quite curious about General Zhu."

Zhu Di said with a smile, turning his gaze to Yao Guangxiao: "This master is a high-ranking Buddhist monk, well-versed in Buddhism, and especially skilled in physiognomy."

"He has long admired General Zhu's name, and today he specifically requested this king to introduce him to the general."

Hear the words.

Zhu Ying turned his gaze towards Yao Guangxiao. His expression was calm as water, but a look of scrutiny welled up in the depths of his eyes.

Zhu Ying stared at Yao Guangxiao with inquiry.

Yao Guangxiao stood up slowly, his movements neither hurried nor slow, appearing calm and composed. He smiled slightly, and his smile was a bit mysterious.

When he reached Zhu Ying, Yao Guangxiao clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha!" "I am Daoyan, the poor monk, and I am honored to meet you, General Zhu."

Seeing this, Zhu Ying also clasped his fists and responded: "Greetings, Master Daoyan."

"I have long heard of General Zhu's great name. We have been friends for a long time. It is truly an honor for me to meet you today."

Yao Guangxiao wore a faint smile on his face and said, "I have observed General Zhu's face and it shows that he is rich and noble. He is so noble that it is beyond words."

"But it's hard to tell the whole story just by looking at a face. General Zhu, could you please tell me your birth date and time? I'd be happy to do a detailed divination for you."

Hear this!

Zhu Ying thought about it for a moment.

"I have never believed in the study of fortune-telling, but since it is the King of Yan who has invited me today, and since you, the master, think so highly of me, I shall obey your command."

Zhu Ying smiled faintly, with a touch of carefreeness in his smile, and immediately announced his birthdate: "I was born in December of the eighth year of the Hongwu reign, and I am seventeen years old this year."

Upon hearing this birthday, Yao Guangxiao clasped his hands together, slowly closed his eyes, and his expression became extremely focused. His brows slightly wrinkled, and his lips moved slightly, as if he was silently calculating something in his mind.

"The black-robed demon monk Yao Guangxiao."

"Although I don't believe you know the so-called witchcraft at all, I won't be so honest when we first meet."

"You and Zhu Di are both very deep-minded and have many schemes. I won't trust you."

Zhu Ying appeared pleasant on the surface, even with a polite smile on his face, but he was already secretly criticizing her in his heart.

Of course, the birth date just reported was false. Zhu Ying deliberately reported his age as one year older. His real birth date was the seventh year of Hongwu.

One must always be on guard against others. Zhu Ying's mind was as clear as a mirror and he was extremely alert.

After Zhu Ying reported the eight characters, Zhu Di secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and his originally slightly tense expression also eased a little.

His gaze stayed on Zhu Ying for a moment, then moved away without a trace. Obviously, he was also alert in his heart.

He remembered his eldest nephew's birthday clearly. The age reported by Zhu Ying did not match, so he naturally could not be the person he was worried about.

Moreover, with the help of Yao Guangxiao's divination, it will surely be possible to further confirm it.

After a while, Yao Guangxiao slowly opened his eyes, and a complex look of confusion and emotion flashed in his eyes.

"General Zhu's destiny was to go into business, not the military."

Yao Guangxiao shook his head slightly, his tone firm: "Fate is predetermined, destiny has its own trajectory."

"Of course!"

"It is precisely because General Zhu resolutely joined the army and broke the original destiny that he has achieved his current success."

"As long as General Zhu continues to uphold this ambition, he will surely become a great general of the Ming Dynasty in the future."

"Haha." Zhu Ying responded with a hearty laugh: "Then I'll take advantage of the Master's good words."

Hearing this, Zhu Di was completely relieved and thought to himself: "It seems that I thought too much and mistook Zhu Ying for Xiong Ying."

"The dead are gone, why are you so obsessed? I am just too obsessed."

"Maybe I'm worrying too much."

Coming back to his senses, Zhu Di immediately said, "Monk, your divination is really accurate."

"Zhu Ying had previously ventured into the trade trade and even opened a winery. The fine wine he brewed was considered one of the best in Beiping Prefecture."

"If he hadn't been framed by the Shen family, he wouldn't have given up business to join the army, let alone come to Daning Prefecture."

"Indeed," Yao Guangxiao nodded, his expression solemn. "General Zhu's destiny was originally destined for a career in business, but due to external interference, his destiny was broken and his life trajectory was changed. Judging from his destiny, he was surrounded by dangers after joining the army. This journey can be said to be a defiance of fate."

Listening to their conversation, Zhu Ying nodded in agreement on the surface, and showed surprise and admiration on his face from time to time, as if he had complete faith in Yao Guangxiao's calculations.

"Does this monk really have any real skills, or is he just fooling around and talking nonsense?"

"Could it be that this random birth date I made up actually matches this destiny?"

"This so-called black-robed demon monk is nothing more than this."

"History has portrayed him as a god, but it seems to be an exaggeration."

Zhu Ying smiled secretly in his heart. If he hadn't considered the current occasion, he really wanted to laugh out loud.

In his opinion, Yao Guangxiao's statement was really far-fetched.

"General Zhu."

Zhu Di changed the subject, his eyes revealing a hint of eagerness: "I heard that you have opened many restaurants in Daning. Why don't you consider developing in Beiping Prefecture?"

"Nowadays, the fine wine your winery once brewed is hard to find in Beiping Prefecture. I have no choice but to send people to Daning to purchase it."

Hear the words.

Zhu Ying gave a helpless, wry smile, revealing a look of embarrassment. He said, "Your Highness! Although the laws of the Ming Dynasty are strict, there is more or less local protection in various places."

"In Daning Prefecture, with the authority of this general, I can still protect the restaurant business."

"But when we arrived in Beiping Prefecture, the Shen family was so powerful that I really didn't dare to get involved rashly!"

Having said that, Zhu Ying had other meanings in his mind. When he said this, Zhu Ying's eyes flashed slightly, and he was observing Zhu Di's reaction intentionally or unintentionally.

Zhu Di heard this, his eyes rolled, as if thinking about something, and immediately said: "Beiping Prefecture is my fiefdom, a small merchant, it can't cause any trouble!"

"The fine wine brewed by your winery has a mellow taste and is of superior quality. It can be said to be the best in the world, even better than the imperial wine."

"General Zhu, are you willing to partner with me and open a restaurant in Beiping Prefecture?"

"With the fine wines from your winery and my protection, you will surely be a great success in Beiping Prefecture and make a fortune."

"Compared to Daning, Beiping Prefecture has a larger population, a broader market, and greater profits."

As Zhu Di spoke, the eagerness in his eyes became more and more obvious.

perhaps.

This must be the second purpose for Zhu Di to ask Zhu Ying to come.

The profit margins on alcohol are too huge.

"Your Highness." Zhu Ying's face showed worry, and he frowned slightly. He hesitated for a moment and said, "I am really worried that Yingtian will blame me for doing business with the royal family."

In fact, with Zhu Ying's own strength, he was not afraid of the so-called imperial edict, nor was he afraid of the crime of genocide.

With his abilities, he could easily take his family away from home, and it is not impossible for him to make a comeback one day.

But at the moment, Zhu Ying still wants to use the Ming Dynasty as a big tree to develop his own power. The Ming Dynasty still has value to him.

If he were impeached for opening a restaurant in partnership with Zhu Di, he would most likely be considered as forming a clique for personal gain. After all, Zhu Di had a special status and a big tree would attract wind.

of course.

Although they were partners, Zhu Di would not be so stupid as to show up himself.

But Zhu Ying didn't want Zhu Di to have any leverage over him, so he absolutely couldn't directly open a restaurant with the other party.

This is stupid.

but.

Beiping Prefecture has a large population, and under Zhu Di's management, its business is prosperous. It is undoubtedly a great place to make money, and it is also an ideal place to train black guards.

It would be such a pity to give up like this.

Zhu Ying thought for a moment and then said, "However, I do have a way to achieve the best of both worlds."

"Your Highness, you can open your own restaurant. My winery is willing to supply you with fine wine at cost price."

"Also, I can open another restaurant in Beiping Prefecture to create healthy competition. What do you think of this plan, Your Highness?"

As Zhu Ying spoke, he stared at Zhu Di with a hint of tentativeness in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di, who was originally a little disappointed, his eyes lit up and a smile appeared on his face instantly.

Subsequently.

Zhu Di immediately slammed his hand on the table and said, "This is a brilliant plan! I will take this opportunity to send the steward of Prince Yan's Palace to Daning to discuss this matter in detail with your stewards. What do you think?"

Say it!

Zhu Di stared at Zhu Ying with anticipation and eagerness.

Zhu Di had tasted the fine wine from Zhuying Winery and knew its value!
in the north.

You may be able to live without women, but you really can't live without wine, especially in winter.

So as long as you get the wine from Zhu Ying Winery, you won’t have to worry about selling it.

It’s definitely a real profiteering!

"Of course it's okay if His Majesty suggests it."

"As long as I write a letter to the steward, he will take care of everything."

Zhu Ying said calmly with a smile on his face.

Subsequently.

Then he thought of something and added, "It's just a matter of negotiation. Even if war breaks out immediately, it will definitely not affect the opening of the restaurant."

"The steward of my house is my elder and can decide all the rules."

Actually.

Zhu Ying had long expected that Zhu Di would agree to this matter and was not at all surprised.

After all, Zhu Di already had the intention to rebel, so he must accumulate strength and develop himself!
The source of money, that’s the problem!
of course.

Zhu Di naturally had his own considerations when he proposed to cooperate in opening a restaurant. This was absolutely not acceptable.

After all, in Zhu Ying's layout, those restaurants, in addition to selling wine, are also the open bases of the Black Guards. Their importance is self-evident, and naturally they cannot be too involved with outsiders.

"Okay!" Zhu Di nodded vigorously, his smile growing even wider. "I admire General Zhu's decisive and thoughtful approach to handling matters."

Now that the cooperation was about to be achieved, Zhu Di also praised Zhu Ying.

"But..." Zhu Ying frowned slightly, a trace of worry on his face. With some concern, he took a small step forward, approached Zhu Di, and gently reminded him: "Your Highness, you need to be more careful when opening a restaurant. It's better to be as secretive as possible."

As he spoke, Zhu Ying revealed a hint of caution, and his eyes subconsciously swept around the tent, as if he was afraid that there were eavesdroppers on the other side of the wall.

Thinking of the many guards guarding it before.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons why Zhu Di was cautious.

"Haha!" Zhu Di laughed, waved his hands, and said confidently: "Of course!"

"My father, the Emperor, has issued a clear order prohibiting the royal family from engaging in business. How could I not know the pros and cons of this?"

"This time, when we open a restaurant, we will naturally advertise it to the outside world in the name of a private merchant under my command. We will definitely not leave any evidence behind."

After saying this, Zhu Di smiled confidently, very satisfied with his plan.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Ying secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a look of relief appeared on his face, and he nodded gently, saying, "That's good."

His reminder just now was also deliberate. After all, Zhu Ying knew in his heart that with Zhu Di's shrewdness and prudence, he would definitely not violate taboos on such matters.

However, Zhu Di was a thoughtful person, and Zhu Ying also understood that in future interactions, the less overt involvement he had with him, the better.

After all, no one can predict how the situation will develop in the future. If it really comes to the point of Jingnan, I have to leave a way out for the future, so that I can judge the situation and wait for the right price.

of course!

If he really waited until the Jingnan Campaign, how powerful would Zhu Ying be? Would he truly transcend the ordinary?
How powerful has the power under his command become?

All this is unpredictable!
……

(End of this chapter)