Ming Dynasty: The Jingnan Rebellion has just been successful, and Zhu Yuanzhang has been resurrected

Zhu Yunwen looked at Zhu Di, shrugged noncommittally, and said, "Fourth Uncle, you are right. If we intervene in Annam now, our Ming Dynasty will indeed face great resistance. In fact, to put it more seriously, we may send troops but end up failing."

Upon hearing Zhu Yunwen's words, Zhu Di smiled and echoed, "Indeed, Annam has a complex terrain. If our Ming Dynasty were to send troops, we might get bogged down in a quagmire, which would not be a good thing for our Ming Dynasty."

He felt that Zhu Yunwen had listened to his advice, and he was very gratified. Zhu Yunwen was gradually maturing, which was a very good thing for the Ming Dynasty and for him personally.

Zhu Yunwen shook his head and said, "Fourth Uncle, there's something you've misunderstood."

Upon hearing Zhu Yunwen's words, Zhu Di was taken aback, his face showing astonishment: "I made a mistake? What do you mean?"

Zhu Yunwen nodded and said, "That's right, Fourth Uncle. Although there are many downsides to the Ming Dynasty sending troops to Annam now, I must get involved in this crisis in Annam."

"This..." Zhu Di was a little confused, looking at Zhu Yunwen with a puzzled expression: "Your Majesty, why is this?"

He couldn't quite understand Zhu Yunwen's thoughts. He clearly knew that Annam's current situation was a pit of fire, but he still wanted to jump straight into it. Why was that?

Why are you so unable to see the light?

Was it merely for Annam's meager tribute? To be honest, Annam's tribute made little difference, since the Ming Dynasty always returned even more generous gifts to Annam when it presented its tribute, in order to demonstrate its status as a great power.

This unhealthy trend, though it's unclear who started it, simply emerged. From the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, every time a small country offered tribute, it received even more generous gifts in return. This situation led many small countries to be very enthusiastic about paying tribute.

If you give one dollar and receive ten dollars in return, who wouldn't do that? Of course, the actual amount might not be calculated in monetary terms, but the result is roughly the same.

Zhu Yunwen smiled and said, "There are two reasons!"

"Two reasons?" Zhu Di looked at Zhu Yunwen with curiosity in his eyes. He wanted to know what two reasons led Zhu Yunwen to get involved in Annam's current mess.

At the same time, he also wanted to know just how important these two reasons were that made Zhu Yunwen willing to take such a great risk to go to Annam.

Zhu Yunwen composed himself and slowly said, "Firstly, Annam's geographical location makes this region very suitable for cultivation. Secondly, this is an excellent opportunity to expand the Ming Dynasty's influence in Southeast Asia."

As a neighbor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yunwen had studied the Annam region extensively. Although the terrain was complex, the climate made it very suitable for growing crops. This meant that if the Ming Dynasty's influence were extended to Annam, it would become a continuous granary for the Ming Dynasty.

Long ago, Zhu Yunwen had already made plans for the Annam region. In his strategic layout, Annam was a region that the Ming Dynasty had to take over, and it was of great importance.

Previously, Zhu Yunwen's next plan was to expand into Annam, but unexpectedly, something happened in the Northern Yuan first. Then, considering the importance of the northern frontier, he led his army north to pacify the grasslands. After all, Annam was his direction of expansion, while the Northern Yuan was a danger to the Ming Dynasty.

In terms of danger, Annam was negligible compared to the Northern Yuan. It was precisely for this reason that Zhu Yunwen led his army to conquer the grasslands. He originally thought that after returning to Yingtian Prefecture, he would need to find an excuse, but he never expected that the reason for sending troops to Annam would be delivered directly to him.

Zhu Di hesitated, only half understanding what he was hearing. Although he was quite capable, he couldn't understand Zhu Yunwen's theory based on later generations.

A person's knowledge and perspective are related. Zhu Di was capable, but he had never heard of or seen the things Zhu Yunwen was talking about. Under such circumstances, how could he be expected to understand their meaning? That was truly a bit difficult.

However, Zhu Di did not dwell on it for long. He shook his head, suppressed his doubts, and said, "Alright, since Your Majesty has already made up your mind, I will not say anything more. However, please be extremely careful about sending troops to Annam to avoid heavy casualties."

Being in an unfamiliar place, and with the other side controlling all of Annam's power, one only needs to think about it briefly to realize that the danger involved is absolutely extremely high.

Zhu Yunwen waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, Fourth Uncle, I know what I'm doing, there won't be any danger."

He also knew that the situation in Annam was extremely complicated, and that rashly intervening could result in heavy losses. However, the bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish!

The risks in Annam are high; a single misstep could result in heavy losses. However, the good news is that if the Ming Dynasty can truly conquer Annam, it can extend its reach to the southeastern region. Furthermore, if it takes a more aggressive approach, it could even establish a military base nearby.

Of course, most importantly, Zhu Yunwen has a system, and he is very clear about the system's power. Now with the system's help, he is not worried at all about whether he can take down Annam. It is not a question, but a certainty. He will definitely be able to solve the Annam matter.

"Hmm!" Zhu Di nodded. He knew that Zhu Yunwen had a purpose in mind, and it was not just about coveting Annam's tribute. That was enough.

"Alright, let's go back. We'll drink until we drop tonight!" Zhu Yunwen patted Zhu Di on the shoulder and said softly.

Zhu Di followed behind Zhu Yunwen, and whether it was his imagination or not, he felt that Zhu Yunwen's imperial aura was growing stronger and stronger, making him more and more respectful. Take the current internal strife in Annam for example.

He saw the internal strife in Annam and the complexity of its terrain, but what about Zhu Yunwen? Zhu Yunwen saw opportunities. He didn't know exactly how big the difference was, but he knew clearly that he would never be as clever as Zhu Yunwen in his entire life.

Of course, this is quite normal. After all, Zhu Yunwen is a time traveler from the future. Although his abilities are average, he knows how to copy homework!
History is a mirror. Although Zhu Yunwen's abilities may not have been as good as Zhu Di's, his knowledge was far superior. Against Zhu Di, Zhu Yunwen didn't even need to use his abilities; his superior knowledge alone was enough to completely overwhelm Zhu Di.

To illustrate this with a common, modern analogy, some people are born in Rome, while others may work hard their entire lives and never reach it. Zhu Yunwen's knowledge and experience can be seen as being born in Rome, while Zhu Di, no matter how hard he tries, has never even seen some things before, so how could he know them?
Ying Tianfu!
Inside the courtyard, Zhu Yuanzhang found a map of Annam. He was frowning and deep in thought. He guessed that Zhu Yunwen would eventually get involved in the chaos in Annam, so he planned the route of his troops in advance.

Many people know that Zhu Yuanzhang was an outstanding politician. Although he made a mess of the Ming Dynasty's court, it is undeniable that it was because of his series of actions that the Ming Dynasty was able to rule for more than two hundred years. There is no right or wrong in this matter.

Many people have overlooked one point: Zhu Yuanzhang's background. Throughout history, the most legitimate rulers of the country were the Han and Ming dynasties. Liu Bang even served as a village head in the Qin dynasty, but Zhu Yuanzhang was definitely not an official in the Yuan dynasty.

This was unavoidable. Zhu Yuanzhang was a peasant by birth, so how could he possibly become an official in the Yuan Dynasty? Looking at things from Zhu Yuanzhang's background, one is amazed to discover just how astonishing his series of actions were.

An ordinary person's knowledge is very limited. Even though Zhu Yuanzhang read a lot of books later on, his background meant that there were some things he couldn't see. However, Zhu Yuanzhang's subsequent actions were truly insightful.

Perhaps some top strategists think Zhu Yuanzhang's actions were very problematic, but don't forget that Zhu Yuanzhang didn't have that much insight, which highlights how brilliant his actions were.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang was not only a brilliant strategist, but also a skilled warrior. As mentioned earlier, Zhu Yuanzhang came from a humble background. What does someone from a humble background rely on to rise to prominence, especially since Zhu Yuanzhang rose to prominence among rebel armies?

Most of the rebels were ordinary people. To stand out from the crowd—let's call it standing out for now—was it because Zhu Yuanzhang was a brilliant strategist?
There is a logic that is absolutely universal at any time and in any dynasty: the lower you are, the more you need to be different from others if you want to be different, while at the top you need to be outstanding if you want to be intelligent.

This is a cruel reality that cannot be ignored.

Some say that Zhu Yuanzhang's rise to power was due to Empress Ma, but first of all, how did Zhu Yuanzhang manage to catch Empress Ma's eye?

Make suggestions?

Stop joking. When Zhu Yuanzhang first joined the rebel army, he was just a lowly soldier. A lowly soldier going to advise the commander-in-chief? Not to mention how low the possibility of that is, even if he did go, would the commander-in-chief be crazy enough to listen to the advice of a lowly soldier? That's simply impossible.

Therefore, when it comes to force, things are much simpler. After Zhu Yuanzhang joined the rebel army, he gradually rose to prominence by relying on his own martial prowess. Eventually, he received help from his childhood playmates and rose further to catch the eye of Empress Ma or Guo Zixing, which led to his eventual rise to power.

Which step was the most crucial? It was undoubtedly Zhu Yuanzhang's military strength and combat capabilities.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang's political maneuvering is so deeply ingrained in people's minds that many people overlook his military prowess. This is a very normal situation; when one ability is outstanding, another is often overlooked.

For example, even if a top scorer in the humanities exam is also very skilled in combat, what people will remember most is definitely the title of top scorer in the humanities exam.

After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang never personally led troops on the battlefield again. Under such circumstances, who could have a deep memory of Zhu Yuanzhang's military capabilities?

Standing before the map, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned, planning various routes for launching military campaigns, making corrections and alterations from time to time.

"Your Majesty!" At this moment, Jiang Huan stepped forward.

Zhu Yuanzhang's train of thought was interrupted, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant. He looked at Jiang Huan and asked, "What is it?"

"The grandson of the Emperor Yuntong sent a message from Beiping, instructing that the King of Annam be well protected," Jiang Huan said respectfully. He saw the map drawn in front of Zhu Yuanzhang and felt a surge of emotion. No wonder they were grandfather and grandson; they were thinking the same thing.

In fact, there was something Jiang Huan never said to anyone: he saw the shadow of Zhu Yuanzhang in Zhu Yunwen, and the feeling was very strong. This was something he had never felt in anyone else, including the deceased Crown Prince Zhu Biao of the Ming Dynasty.

"Hmm?" Zhu Yuanzhang was taken aback by Jiang Huan's words, then a smile appeared on his face: "This brat, he really is going to interfere in Annam's affairs!"

Protecting Chen Tianping—what does that mean? It's all too easy to guess. If he didn't intend to get involved in Annam's affairs, he could have either sent Chen Tianping to Annam as a gift or let him fend for himself. But Zhu Yunwen's choice was to protect Chen Tianping.

Protecting Chen Tianping would provide the best reason to send troops to Annam.

Shaking his head, Zhu Yuanzhang asked, "Has this news been told to the Empress and the Cabinet?"

Jiang Huan shook her head and said, "Not yet!"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said, "Go and tell the Empress and the cabinet about this news, especially the cabinet, and tell them to prepare to take action."

Zhu Yunwen wanted to intervene in Annam, but in war, the army always needs supplies first. It was hard to say before, but now that Zhu Yunwen's intention to attack Annam was very clear, supplies naturally had to be prepared.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Jiang Li nodded, turned and walked away.

Zhu Yuanzhang's face showed a thoughtful expression as he pondered, "Yun Tong is so decisive in sending troops to Annam without the slightest hesitation. Does he have some ulterior motive?"

Such decisiveness and quick decision-making after receiving the news suggests that this was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a well-planned and natural outcome. However, if this is the case, a new problem arises: what is there in Annam, such a poor and remote place, that Zhu Yunwen would be interested in?
If something is coveted, it must be something one needs. But the Ming Dynasty is far richer than Annam. The Ming Dynasty coveting Annam's things? That's ridiculous! (End of Chapter)