Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 224: A Selection from Zhu Biao, the Eldest Son

"I think Marquis Yongjia, Zhu Liangzu, is quite good."

Zhu Biao looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and announced his choice.

Just as Zhu Yuanzhang had expected, he had already considered this matter before coming to discuss it.

"Biao'er, tell me, why did you think of appointing Zhu Liangzu to this position?"

Zhu Biao knew that this was a test his father was putting on him.

At the same time, it was also a time for my father to give me guidance.

Only if I can clearly explain the situation will my father listen to my opinion or give me some guidance.

He immediately said, "First of all, Zhu Liangzu is a very capable man, and can be described as having made great military achievements."

They are capable of taking on this important task.

These dukes, including Li Shanchang, the Duke of Han, are not allowed to lead troops into battle.

Duke Chang Mao of Zheng was still young, and he only obtained his title of Duke through the military achievements of his uncle.

If he were to lead troops, putting aside whether he could command respect, his abilities alone would be lacking.

Entrusting the army to him is tantamount to treating the lives of countless young men as a game.

Cao Guogong Bao'erge also had an important mission, as he was stationed at the Five Military Commands Office and guarded the capital, so he could not leave.

Duke Deng Yu of Wei was stationed in the west to guard against enemies from the west and northwest. He was also unable to leave his post and was already shouldering a heavy responsibility.

Uncle Xu, the Duke of Wei, carries heavy responsibilities, and Beiping needs him even more.

Duke Feng Sheng of Song also had important responsibilities.

If we were to choose from the remaining marquises, Zhu Liangzu would undoubtedly be among the most capable and have the prestige to rank first.

Let him stay in Guangzhou and plan for the upcoming military campaign in the southwest; no one objected.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, signaling Zhu Biao to continue.

Clearly, he was quite satisfied with what Zhu Biao said.

"Secondly, the Guangdong and Guangxi regions were not conquered back then."

It was our Ming army that arrived there, and they had already surrendered.

Therefore, the situation there appears to be quite complicated.

The deeply entrenched local officials, clan forces, and powerful clans created serious problems.

There were also many small tribes that were difficult to govern and lacked education.

In this situation, it is necessary to find a capable, shrewd, and highly respected person to oversee things there.

This will not only prepare for the upcoming attack on the Liang King in the southwest, but also stabilize the people's hearts there.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

Zhu Biao said, "My father is from Huaixi, and his old brothers from Huaixi have all become quite influential."

Because they had many opportunities following their father, they were indeed willing to fight desperately in battle. Therefore, after their father gained the throne, the strongest force under his command was this group of old brothers from Huaixi.

This wouldn't have been a problem in itself, but after gaining power, many of these people's thoughts changed.

This actually led to the formation of the so-called Huaixi Gang.

They wielded immense power, formed cliques, and their actions increasingly diverged from the emperor's expectations of them.

Last year, the Zhongdu City case occurred, and the Emperor took drastic measures to suppress them, which curbed their arrogance.

However, the Huaixi gang still exists and remains extremely large.

It is foreseeable that many of them will only temporarily restrain themselves, and will not truly realize their mistakes.

The problems of the Huaixi clique cannot be avoided; they need to be faced squarely.

My father once said that one family should not be too powerful, as it is not good for one family to be too powerful.

I think Father is right, so naturally we need to find a way to resolve this situation.

Therefore, for this attack on the southwest, it would be best to select people who are not from Huaixi.
This would prevent the Huaixi clique from growing too powerful.

Among those who are not from Huaixi, there are not many who meet these criteria, so the selection is quite easy.

Zhu Liangzu was undoubtedly the most suitable one among them.

"Haha, well said, Biao'er, anything else?"

"Father, these are all I can think of for now."

"Good, that's great."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and praised him, his smile undisguised.

He was genuinely happy that Zhu Biao was able to say these things at this time.

"Biao'er, what you said is very true and makes a lot of sense. That's how things are."

Biao'er is becoming more and more comprehensive in his thinking, especially since you can talk about the Huaixi Gang, see their problems, and face them squarely.

And they wanted to find ways to solve the problems existing in the Huaixi gang, which is most commendable.

These old brothers from Huaixi truly deserve the name "Huaixi Gang" and live up to the arrangements you made, Biao'er.

We must face their problems squarely and find ways to solve them.

In addition to suppressing and dividing them, we can also support people who are not from Huaixi to resist them and prevent them from becoming too powerful.

Zhu Liangzu's abilities, achievements, and prestige certainly qualify him for the job.

With his merit in conquering the southwest, Zhu Liangzu was qualified to be granted the title of Duke.

Having a duke who is not from Huaixi is indeed very good for the situation of our Ming Dynasty.

"We can give this Huaixi gang a good beating."

Zhu Yuanzhang greatly appreciated what Zhu Biao said.

Zhu Biao smiled as his father praised him.

It's all thanks to your excellent teaching, Father. If it weren't for you knowing about all the things happening in Zhongdu and exposing them, it would have been a huge loss.

This showed the child how outrageous and heinous the actions of these people were.

"I had no idea that these uncles and elders who followed Father in conquering the world would change so quickly, becoming like this."

“But, Biao’er, I don’t think Zhu Liangzu is suitable for such an important task. We can’t entrust him with such a crucial matter.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao was stunned, taken aback by what his father, the emperor, had said.

It was full of surprises.

The Emperor's change of heart was truly astounding.

He was just praising himself for considering everything very well.

He wholeheartedly agreed with all the conditions he had set for Zhu Liangzu to assume the important responsibility.

Why would you suddenly say something like that?

"Father, what is wrong with me?"

"Biao'er, your considerations are all very good overall, there's nothing to criticize or find fault with."

I'm really glad you've thought of all this.

But the reason we disagree is because of Biao'er, something you haven't considered either."

Zhu Biao listened attentively, wanting to see from his father, the emperor, where he had overlooked something.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't deliberately keep anyone in suspense and spoke to Zhu Biao: "Biao, there's one thing you haven't considered, and that's Zhu Liangzu's own character."

Considering all aspects, Zhu Liangzu is indeed a very suitable candidate.

However, Zhu Liangzu's personality was not good; he was also no pushover.

They are bold, and their ambitions are equally great.

It is not a blessing for the local people to have him guard the area.

One of the expectations behind having him lead troops to Guangdong and Guangxi was to prevent the people there from acting rashly, thus achieving long-term stability and avoiding reckless actions.

But if we were to send such a scourge, someone who preys on the people and bullies men and women, it would likely contradict our original intentions.”

"How could the Marquis of Yongjia do such a thing?"

Zhu Biao was so surprised by his father's words that he couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.

“Biao’er, he will definitely do that.”

This person was also arrogant.

If he were to be put in charge of a region, his actions would be extremely excessive and his behavior would be utterly heinous.

Compared to those people in Huaixi, they are even worse.

Zhu Biao looked astonished; was it really that serious?

Is Zhu Liangzu really that kind of person?

Seeing his son Biao'er's expression, Zhu Yuanzhang comforted him, "Biao'er, this guy usually hides his true intentions quite well."

We didn't expect him to be like this either.

It was only later that I discovered this guy's true colors.

Zhu Yuanzhang's words were not entirely meant to comfort Zhu Biao and put his mind at ease.

But I really didn't expect Zhu Liangzu to be this kind of person.

In his past life, a lot happened around Zhu Liangzu.

For example, the Daotong case, which is recorded in history books and remains famous even in later generations, had Zhu Liangzu and his son Zhu Xian as key figures.

In my past life, I had the same considerations as Biao'er, based on these same factors.

So they sent Zhu Liangzu to Guangzhou to oversee things.

On the one hand, it was to intimidate the people of Guangdong and Guangxi, making them obedient to the imperial court's orders, and letting them know to abide by the imperial laws and be aware of the imperial court's authority.

On the other hand, this was also a preparation to launch a military attack on the southwest from the Guangdong and Guangxi regions, and to eliminate the Mongol Yuan Liang King who occupied the southwest.

Let Zhu Liangzu take command and give him a good promotion.

After his victory, he was made a Duke, allowing this man, who was not from Huaixi, to shine brightly.

But in the end, Zhu Liangzu turned out to be a complete scoundrel!

Once they arrived, he completely betrayed their expectations, ignoring their words entirely. His actions were outrageous: bullying men and women, running rampant in the area, and disregarding the law – these were all standard operating procedures.

As for killing people in the street, protecting the ringleader, and colluding with smugglers from Guangzhou, he was also involved in other crimes.

There was a good magistrate in Panyu County named Daotong.

He is an extremely upright, righteous, and responsible person.

They strongly disapproved of the things that Zhu Liangzu and his son Zhu Xian had done.

They rose up in resistance, defended the local people, and urged them not to go too far.

The outcome was predictable: on one side was the Marquis of Yongjia, a powerful regional official who held great authority and guarded the territory.

The provincial governors and other officials in Guangdong and Guangxi all had to obey his every whim and dared not disobey him.

Dao Tong, such a lowly county magistrate, actually doesn't know his own limitations and dares to go against them.

Therefore, Daotong quickly received many insults.

For example, Zhu Xian led his men to arrest and kill the yamen runners who obeyed Dao Tong's orders.

Furthermore, he severely beat up Dao Tong, the county magistrate, in the county government office and made threatening remarks.

If the county magistrate hadn't been an official appointed by the imperial court, killing such an official would have been a grave crime, and they probably wouldn't have been able to suppress it.

Daotong was already dead long ago.

Ordinary people, faced with such a situation, would have already given in and would never have dared to oppose Zhu Liangzu and his son Zhu Xian again.

However, Daotong is not like that.

They did not give in after experiencing these things.

After beating up Dao Tong, Zhu Xian and his gang went even further.

This has caused many families to be torn apart, people to be displaced, and a great deal of instability.

Dao Tong, the local official in charge, used his life to deliver the final blow.

He recorded the actions of Zhu Liangzu and his son Zhu Xian, as well as the corresponding evidence of their crimes.

Then it was sent to the capital via the post stations.

They directly reported the matter to the highest authorities, intending to use their position as county magistrate to launch an attack on Zhu Liangzu, a high-ranking official in charge of a region.

Thanks to the post station system and various regulations that he himself established.

When Magistrate Dao Tong submitted documents through proper channels, no one dared to intercept them.

No one dared to delay.

Therefore, Dao Tong's memorial impeaching Zhu Liangzu and his son was quickly transmitted to the capital.

However, Zhu Liangzu and his son Zhu Xian were not idle either.

Upon receiving this news, they immediately took action.

They falsely accused Daotong of being a Mongol, because the surname Daotong is indeed rare.

Moreover, there was a rather famous person in the Mongol Yuan Dynasty whose surname was Dao.

It is said that Tonghe and the Mongol Prince Liang and others in the southwest colluded to exchange military intelligence.

They fabricated the relevant evidence and sent it to the capital via express courier.

The army's urgent dispatches, which traveled 800 li (approximately 400 kilometers) each time, were naturally much faster than those delivered by regular post stations.

Therefore, it arrived first despite being a latecomer, and was presented to his desk.

I hate evil so much, how could I stand seeing this?

Furthermore, this was personally sent by Zhu Liangzu, a high-ranking official who was in charge of a region, and it was delivered by express courier.

I subconsciously believed it was real and got completely carried away.

Without doing much else, he sent someone with an imperial edict to execute Daotong.

A few days after the order was issued, Daotong's petition was also delivered.

After reading Daotong's letter, he was greatly shocked.

Although this doesn't definitively prove that Zhu Liangzu and his son have problems, it does reveal that there's something very fishy going on here.

So they sent people to chase after them, hoping to bring back the people who were carrying out the mission and stop the operation.

And investigate thoroughly to find out the intricacies involved.

But it was too late.

Zhu Liangzu and his group had been plotting this for a long time, just waiting for him to take over so they could kill Daotong.

It can be said that the moment their orders were delivered, they carried them out and executed Daotong.

Only after sending people down to investigate did they realize how wronged Dao Tong was and how much evil Zhu Liangzu and his companion had committed.

At that time, I was truly enraged and arrested Zhu Liangzu and his son Zhu Xian.

At that time, preparations were already underway to launch a military campaign in the southwest to deal with the Prince of Liang in the southwest of the Mongol Yuan dynasty.

Changing generals on the eve of battle has always been a major taboo in military strategy.

Zhu Liangzu had the same idea in mind, which is why he dared to act in this way.

First, he deceived himself into killing Daotong, then reluctantly admitted it.

He then led his troops to attack the southwest.

As long as he performs meritorious service later, I won't hold it against him in this matter.

But he miscalculated; was he really the kind of person who would swallow his pride and eat shit?

A major taboo in military strategy? What's wrong with a major taboo in military strategy?
Even if we have to postpone the plan to attack the southwest, we must first capture Zhu Liangzu and deal with him!

In the Golden Hall, he ordered his men to read aloud the charges against Zhu Liangzu and his associates, and for each charge, he would lash them with a whip.

Those people who were found to have been persecuted by them and died because of them, were also considered human lives, and were also punished with a lash.

As a result, before the whipping was even finished, both of them had already breathed their last and lost their lives.

He didn't stop at that moment; he whipped the whip enough times before finally stopping.

The two were whipped until they were covered in blood and flesh, unrecognizable.

Even after killing Zhu Liangzu and his son Zhu Xian, he still felt uneasy.

After all, Dao Tong was such a good magistrate, yet he was killed because he naively believed slanderous words...

Since the dead cannot be brought back to life, he was the sovereign and father whom his followers regarded as their last hope, someone who could uphold justice for him.

Not only did they not uphold justice for him, they also personally ordered someone to carry an imperial edict to kill him.

How disappointed, how desperate, how utterly devastated must Daotong have felt at the final moment, having made a last-ditch effort with such high hopes?

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't bear to think about these things in detail.

Just thinking about it makes me feel unbearably sad.

In his past life, he wrongfully killed Daotong because of Zhu Liangzu, which became another great regret for him.

Now that I have a second chance, I will never let something similar happen again.

Zhu Liangzu can forget about getting his important responsibilities again!
From now on, I'll just hold a sinecure in the capital and live a peaceful life until I die!

Of course, if he becomes restless and wants to do something else, and there is concrete evidence of his guilt, then I will kill him without hesitation.

"Father, then... who should be sent to Guangzhou to guard the area and prepare for the upcoming attack on the southwest?"

Zhu Biao looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and asked, because he really couldn't find anyone more suitable than Zhu Liangzu.

Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a moment and said, "Let Feng Sheng go."

What Feng Sheng is doing now is indeed important, but it's not that he can't leave.

Some adjustments can still be made.

Not only Feng Sheng, but also your brother Wenying, after he returns from his mission to Goryeo, we will involve him in this matter as well.

How could we attack the southwest without him?

Not only him, but I think Lan Yu should also be sent out to gain some experience.

This is a talent for fighting; keeping him in the Embroidered Uniform Guard is a waste of his abilities.

Zhu Yuanzhang then announced his plans.

In fact, he really wanted his adopted son, Mu Ying, to take command and lead the attack on the southwest.

He was very clear about Mu Ying's abilities.

And Mu Ying's loyalty is beyond any doubt.

His character is also impeccable.

However, it's not enough for just yourself to know these things.

He also needs to convince everyone, especially the soldiers who went to war with Mu Ying.

At this time, Mu Ying had not yet achieved any particularly outstanding results.

He was not granted a title of nobility. He was competent as a general, but it was clearly inappropriate for him to be the commander-in-chief of the attack on the southwest.

If those arrogant and unruly soldiers don't submit to him, he won't be able to enforce his orders, and then the battle won't be won.

As for Lan Yu... although he has great flaws in his personality, the things he did in his past life were truly disappointing.

However, it cannot be denied that Lan Yu possesses abilities.

We should still use it if necessary.

If I keep a close eye on him and have Biao'er discipline him more, there's still hope.

He could keep him under control, and so could Biao'er.

And in this life, Biao'er will not die young like he did in his previous life.

Then there's no need to worry about Lan Yu becoming too arrogant in the future...

……

At the Yongjia Marquis's residence, Zhu Liangzu was in a very good mood, always smiling.

His mouth was split all the way to the back of his ear.

He was so happy because he felt that something incredibly good was about to happen to him!
(End of this chapter)