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

Chapter 210 The Shen Family is Terrified! Good News Reaches Yingtian! Exhilaration!
Zhu Yuanzhang immediately looked at Zhu Biao, a gentle smile appearing on his face, and said, "Biao, you tell us."

The moment the words fell.

All eyes of the court officials were focused on Zhu Biao.

"The Northern Yuan originally controlled dozens of cities in the northern border of our Great Ming Dynasty, all of which were within the Great Wall."

Zhu Biao stood ramrod straight, exuding the majesty of a crown prince. Then, he spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice resounding throughout the Fengtian Hall.

"These cities cover an extremely vast territory, almost half the size of Beiping Prefecture."

"As for how to divide these territories into prefectures, that is still up to Father Emperor to decide."

Zhu Biao paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials, his expression revealing a hint of solemnity.

"and."

Zhu Biao continued, "Since the Northern Frontier was taken over by the Yuan Dynasty, the Great Wall has been almost completely destroyed by the Northern Yuan and is now in dire need of repair."

"When the General was stationed in the northern frontier, he had already mobilized tens of thousands of troops to repair the Great Wall. However, the Great Wall stretches for thousands of miles, and such a scale of repair is far from enough."

"If our Great Ming Dynasty wants to maintain long-term peace and stability in the northern border, the repair and maintenance of the Great Wall is indispensable."

Having said that.

Zhu Biao also looked serious.

Although he had never been to the northern frontier in person, he already knew about the dilapidated state of the Great Wall.

As a defensive line protecting the northern frontier, Zhu Biao naturally attached great importance to it.

Although the Northern Yuan dynasty has collapsed, the threat to the northern frontier remains, and the Great Wall must be repaired.

"of course."

Zhu Biao changed the subject, his expression softening slightly: "The Northern Yuan has been severely weakened by our Great Ming and is unlikely to pose a significant threat in the short term."

"Therefore, while the work of repairing the Great Wall cannot be relaxed, there is no need to rush it."

"However, the Ministry of Revenue must draft relevant regulations as soon as possible and make long-term plans."

Zhu Biao presented his arguments clearly and logically, revealing a profound understanding of national affairs.

After Zhu Biao finished speaking in one breath, the hall fell into a brief silence.

He raised two crucial issues: the division of prefectures and the repair of the Great Wall. For the Ming Dynasty, each of these issues was related to the fate of the nation.

"Biao'er is right."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly, a look of approval on his face: "These matters are indeed urgent and must be addressed as soon as possible."

"In particular, the division of prefectures is more urgent than repairing the Great Wall and should be given priority."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was deep and resonant, exuding an unquestionable authority. His expression was also exceptionally serious, his eyes filled with the importance he placed on governing the frontier.

The territory encompassed by those dozens of cities had just been recovered, and the population was large, estimated to be two to three million.

after all.

Many wealthy households from the Northern Yuan Dynasty migrated to the northern frontier, along with their slaves and tenants.

Such a large population and territory, if poorly managed or improperly divided, will inevitably lead to much chaos and may even endanger the stability of the border regions.

Zhu Yuanzhang would naturally show no mercy to the former powerful figures of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, those who controlled vast industries.

In his view, this was a perfect opportunity to confiscate property and replenish the national treasury to make up for the huge financial losses caused by the war.

however.

Zhu Yuanzhang had different considerations for ordinary people.

These commoners are now subjects of the Ming Dynasty and cannot be killed at will. They must be properly governed in accordance with the national policies of the Ming Dynasty, and a reasonable division of prefectures is the key first step in governance.

"Biao'er."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Biao again, his eyes full of expectation: "What are your specific views on the division of prefectures? Please explain in detail."

Obviously.

Zhu Yuanzhang had already planned this matter in his mind.

Such a vast territory cannot be simply divided into a single prefecture.

After all, he had enfeoffed several border kings in the frontier regions. Although the kings had behaved themselves well while he was in power, no one could predict what would happen in the future.

Power often corrupts people's nature. In order to prevent the power of the vassal kings from expanding too much and threatening the central government, Zhu Yuanzhang went to great lengths and thought things through carefully when enfeoffing the vassal states.

The various vassal states checked and balanced each other, forming a system that was interconnected. Even if they united, they would find it difficult to contend with the imperial court.

"Father."

Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's question, Zhu Biao pondered for a moment before replying methodically: "In my opinion, a portion of Beiping Prefecture can be separated and incorporated into Zhengding Prefecture and Daning Prefecture."

"At the same time, let Beiping Prefecture expand northward, and incorporate this entire territory of the former Northern Yuan into the territory of our Great Ming Dynasty, and place it under the jurisdiction of Beiping Prefecture."

"My fourth brother, Zhu Di, is a man of great talent and ambition. If we send several capable ministers skilled in local governance to assist him, I believe he will be able to quickly govern this newly incorporated territory in an orderly manner and make it a truly stable part of our Great Ming territory."

Zhu Biao spoke earnestly and analyzed the situation logically, demonstrating his accurate grasp of the situation in northern Xinjiang.

Upon hearing Zhu Biao's insights, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with satisfaction and pleasure. He smiled as he looked at Zhu Biao, his eyes full of admiration.

Clearly, what Zhu Biao said was exactly what Zhu Yuanzhang was thinking.

Although Zhu Biao was known for his benevolence, as the future emperor, he was also well-versed in the art of checks and balances of imperial power.

In his mind, he would never allow any single force to become too powerful, especially the excessive expansion of the power of the vassal kings, which was absolutely unacceptable.

Throughout history, the calamities caused by regional princes have been numerous, and many historical lessons are still fresh in our minds. Naturally, Zhu Biao dared not take it lightly and acted with extreme caution.

"Biao'er, you're right."

Zhu Yuanzhang could not contain his joy and burst into laughter, his hearty laughter echoing throughout the hall: "That's exactly what we were thinking."

Zhu Yuanzhang made no attempt to hide his praise for Zhu Biao, his eyes filled with pride.

"Then this matter of dividing the prefecture will be entrusted to Minister Zhao to draft a specific plan."

"The task of selecting officials and clerks will be left to Minister Chen."

Zhu Biao turned around and looked at Zhao Mian, the Minister of Revenue, and Chen Jing, the Minister of Personnel, who were standing in front of the court officials.

As Zhu Biao's gaze fell upon them, Ministers Zhao Mian and Chen Jing immediately understood and quickly stepped forward with solemn expressions.

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the two replied in unison, their voices loud and firm: "We will certainly not fail the expectations of His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"And the Ministry of War."

Zhu Yuanzhang seemed to suddenly remember something, his expression instantly turned serious, and his eyes revealed a hint of worry.

Sensing the change in Zhu Yuanzhang's expression, Tang Duo, the Minister of War, felt a tightness in his chest, and his face also became serious, fearing that he might hear something troublesome next.

"In this Northern Expedition, the soldiers of our Great Ming fought bravely, and many of them sacrificed their lives. Countless soldiers died on the battlefield."

Zhu Yuanzhang's voice was low and tinged with sorrow, each word seemingly carrying a heavy weight.

"We hope that the Ministry of War can compile a complete list of their names as soon as possible and properly formulate a plan for the appropriate pension payments."

"At that time, the pensions that should be paid must not be shortchanged by a single penny, and the families of the soldiers who deserve favors must be properly taken care of. There must be no slights whatsoever."

Zhu Yuanzhang emphasized his words, his gaze fixed on Tang Duo, his eyes revealing an undeniable authority: "This is our requirement, Minister Tang, do you understand?"

"Your subject understands!" Tang Duo quickly replied, his voice tinged with nervousness: "The Ministry of War will complete the roster as quickly as possible, ensuring there will be no omissions!"

"The Ministry of War will draft the list, and the Ministry of Revenue will be responsible for distributing the pensions."

Zhu Yuanzhang reiterated, his voice icy and chilling: "Let me reiterate, if anyone dares to embezzle the compensation for soldiers who have served the country loyally, we will not let them off lightly!"

"Once discovered, all the men in their clan will be executed, and all the women will be demoted to the brothel!"

"The Ministry of Justice has also made preparations for us. We know that there will definitely be some fools who will risk their lives to embezzle pensions for their own selfish interests."

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, and the entire hall was instantly enveloped in a suffocating atmosphere. Everyone dared not breathe, as if they could feel the invisible pressure.

The emperor's aversion to corrupt officials was already common knowledge throughout the land.

however!
Corrupt officials are like weeds; they can never be eradicated.

The temptation of profit is too great. In order to obtain enough profit, some people will not hesitate to take risks and break the law.

All Zhu Yuanzhang could do was use severe punishments to deter such occurrences and prevent them from happening as much as possible.

of course.

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang was celebrating the great victory of the Northern Expedition. His cold admonition lasted only a moment before he slowly put away his serious expression and continued to discuss other matters with his ministers.

The court meeting continued in a tense but orderly atmosphere, and time passed quietly.

As the court meeting concluded, the entire court immediately sprang into action, with officials from the six ministries taking action and performing their respective duties.

Even the Ministry of Rites, which was busy with the imperial examinations, had to spare some energy to deal with the proclamation from the Heavenly City.

After all, the victory of the Northern Expedition was a momentous event that the whole country was celebrating, and it was necessary to let all the people of the world know about it. The announcement was made first in Yingtian City, and in the future, it would be the whole Ming Dynasty.

at the same time!

Many court officials had already begun secretly preparing gifts, knowing full well that once Marquis Zhu Ying returned, his residence would be bustling with visitors.

Zhu Ying's illustrious military achievements in sealing the wolf's lair and residing in the Xiongnu were enough to make him a legendary figure in the Ming Dynasty, forever remembered in history, with unlimited potential.

As Zhu Ying grows older, it is almost certain that he will be granted the title of Duke in the future.

Even though Zhu Ying is young and has not yet arrived in Yingtian, his position in the court is already very important, making him the focus of everyone's attention.

Inside the Shen family mansion.

"Father."

Shen Rong stood respectfully before Shen Wansan, his expression cautious: "As per your instructions, the businesses in Beiping Prefecture have been properly withdrawn."

"My second brother has also made preparations for his return trip and can set off at any time."

"As for the business in the surrounding prefectures of Beiping, we haven't withdrawn yet. But I don't know if Zhu Ying will continue to send those 'mountain bandits' to deal with my Shen family's caravan." Shen Rong frowned slightly, a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Let's evacuate the businesses from Beiping first, and we'll make plans for other places later."

Shen Wansan sat in his chair, his expression solemn and his brows furrowed: "Also, you must tell your second brother to be extra careful when he returns."

"Spend more money to hire some famous escort agencies, and make sure there are as many guards as possible."

"Moreover, you must try to take the official roads, and it would be best if you could be escorted by government officials along the way."

"Only in this way can we ensure his safe return to Yingtian."

This is mentioned.

Shen Wansan's tone was full of worry and concern, reflecting his deep anxiety about the safety of his son.

"Father."

Shen Rong was somewhat doubtful and couldn't help but ask, "Is Zhu Ying really that bold? Would he dare to kill my second brother?"

In Shen Rong's view, although the Shen family suffered considerable losses due to the "mountain bandits" in Beiping Prefecture, the core members of the Shen family had always been in Beiping City and had not been directly harmed.

He felt that if Zhu Ying really sent people to kill the Shen family, then things would get really out of hand. Did Zhu Ying really not care about the consequences and the impact?

"This Zhu Ying is vindictive and ruthless."

Shen Wansan snorted coldly, his face full of anger and resentment: "What else is he incapable of doing?"

If Zhu Ying were just an ordinary person, he might have been secretly eliminated by the Shen family a thousand times over.

however.

Zhu Yingjin is no longer the same as before; he has become the Marquis of Champion of the Ming Dynasty, holding a prestigious position.

The social hierarchy was strictly divided among scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants.

Zhu Ying was promoted to the highest rank of Shi (士), and also possessed the most prestigious title among all military generals in the land—the Marquis of Champion.

Even though the Shen family was incredibly wealthy, they were still just a merchant family.

Faced with the power of the imperial court, the power of merchants seemed so insignificant.

Faced with the current situation, the Shen family has no choice but to endure it for the time being and secretly plot to find an opportunity to deal with Zhu Ying.

"Father."

Shen Rong suddenly lowered his voice and said mysteriously, while cautiously glancing around to make sure no one was eavesdropping: "My son has prepared another ten thousand taels of gold and secretly trained a group of assassins."

"He operates with extreme secrecy. In addition to training assassins, his son is also secretly searching for killers on the black market, offering huge rewards."

"Anyone who can kill Zhu Ying will receive a reward of ten thousand gold pieces."

"Zhu Ying is just lucky to have climbed to his current position."

"I don't believe he can keep having such good luck."

“He only has one life. I’m offering a huge reward. Assassins will come one after another to take him down and rid the Shen family of this major threat.”

Shen Rong revealed a sinister sneer.

As soon as he said that!
Shen Wansan's expression changed drastically; his brows furrowed, and his demeanor became unusually cautious.

"You actually put a bounty on his head? If the authorities or the imperial court find out, my Shen family will be completely finished!"

Shen Wansan's voice trembled slightly, and his eyes were filled with fear and worry.

"Father, don't worry."

Shen Rong said confidently, his face beaming with pride: "My son's actions this time were absolutely flawless."

"The people I sent out to offer the bounty have taken care of everything properly, and the deposit has been paid."

"And the person who was sent to put the bounty on the person has also been dealt with."

"No matter what, no one will be able to trace it back to my Shen family, not even the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Shen Rong patted his chest and assured himself that he was full of confidence in his plan.

Hearing Shen Rong's words, Shen Wansan breathed a slight sigh of relief, but still solemnly warned, "Remember! This matter must never be mentioned again!"

"My Shen family knows nothing about this matter!"

Shen Wansan's resolute expression indicated that he intended to bury this matter deep in his heart.

"Please rest assured, Father, I understand." Shen Rong nodded quickly.

This time!

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

Followed by.

Butler Shen's voice rang out from outside the hall: "Master!"

His voice was filled with panic and tension.

Shen Wansan gave Shen Rong a look, signaling him not to say anything more.

Then he said to the people outside the hall, "Come in."

Respond!

Steward Shen strode into the hall.

But his face looked unusually pale, as if he had encountered something terrible.

"What happened again?"

Looking at Steward Shen's expression, Shen Wansan felt a sense of foreboding and asked in a deep voice.

Over the past year, the Shen family seemed to be shrouded in misfortune, with almost nothing good happening. Every time he heard bad news, his mood became increasingly heavy.

"master."

Butler Shen's voice trembled slightly, and his face twitched as he tried his best to hide his fear: "Zhu Ying has sealed the wolf's lair!"

"what?"

Upon hearing the words "Fenglang Juxu," Shen Wansan abruptly stood up from his chair, his usual composure vanishing instantly.

His wrinkled old face was now filled with horror and disbelief, his eyes wide open as if he had heard something unbelievable.

Shen Rong was equally shocked and speechless, his eyes wide open and his mouth slightly agape, completely unable to believe his ears.

"Seal the wolf to live in Xu!"

"Zhu Ying's victory report has arrived! He has penetrated deep into the northern border, breached the Northern Yuan royal court in one fell swoop, inflicted a great defeat on the Yuan army, and even captured the Yuan emperor alive!"

Butler Shen tried to calm himself down and continued, "He has achieved the feat of sealing the wolf's lair, a feat that is unique in all of history!"

"It is said that the current emperor was overjoyed and issued an edict ordering Zhu Ying to return to the capital immediately for an audience, promising him great rewards and honors."

"Moreover, the Ministry of Rites is already preparing to issue a proclamation throughout Yingtian City."

"This is because His Highness the Crown Prince personally bestowed this favor upon Zhu Ying, and it has been announced to the world in Yingtian City beforehand."

"In the future, when Zhu Ying returns to Yingtian to pay homage, he will announce to the world his illustrious military achievements in sealing the wolf's lair."

"Fenglang Juxu... Zhu Ying... Alas..."

Butler Shen sighed deeply, his tone filled with helplessness and fear.

Ever since Zhu Ying was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Champion, he had been afraid of Zhu Ying.

Now that Zhu Ying has made such an extraordinary contribution, he feels even more desperate, wondering what fate awaits the Shen family in the future.

Apparently!

The Shen family, with their immense wealth, had won over some court officials, and it was from those officials that they learned of this news.

That is why they were able to know everything so accurately before the news had fully spread.

"How is this possible? This is impossible!"

Shen Wansan muttered to himself, his steps faltering as if he had lost his footing.

He simply couldn't accept this fact, and his heart was filled with shock and regret.

Even as a merchant, he knew what sealing the wolf's lair meant; it was the highest honor for a military general and a feat that would go down in history.

Shen Rong, who was standing to the side, was also completely stunned. His mind went blank, and he couldn't say a word.

In just a few short years, Zhu Ying has risen from an ordinary person to become a renowned general who has achieved great feats.

All of this is simply unbelievable.

Moreover, Zhu Ying originally had no such opportunity. It was the Shen family who sent him to the army in an attempt to harm him, but unexpectedly, it backfired and led to Zhu Ying's glory.

Over the past few years, the Shen family has watched Zhu Ying grow step by step, but they are powerless to stop his rise.

At this moment, the inner hall of the Shen family fell into a deathly silence, an eerie quiet.

They all seemed stunned by the sudden news, speechless, and no one dared to utter a single word.

And it was in this quiet moment.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Suddenly, a series of rapid gong sounds came from outside the mansion. The sound was crisp and loud, and even penetrated the thick courtyard wall to reach inside the mansion.

Accompanied by the sound of gongs, someone shouted at the top of their lungs: "Great victory in the northern frontier! Our Ming Dynasty's Champion Marquis Zhu Ying has achieved unparalleled feats! Leading an army of 50,000, he has utterly defeated the Yuan army of 300,000, breached the Northern Yuan royal court, and captured the Yuan emperor alive! He has sealed the Wolf Mountain!"

As the gong was struck.

The shouts were passionate and rousing, as if they wanted all the people of Yingtian City to know this exciting news.

……

(End of this chapter)