Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 246 Empress Ma was stunned

After calming herself down a bit, Empress Ma looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and asked the question that had been on her mind for a long time.

She truly didn't understand this matter.

It can be confirmed that Zhuge Liang did not do anything that involved releasing military power without a banquet.

After all, before the Chongba Emperor ascended the throne, he was so angry when talking about how Zhu Yunwen promoted civil officials and suppressed military generals. He cursed him.

The fourth prince certainly didn't practice the policy of valuing civil officials over military ones, nor did he try to suppress military generals.

After all, the fourth prince spent his entire life in war, and even after becoming emperor, he continued his campaigns.

He never left the battlefield until his death.

Neither Chongba nor the fourth prince, two pivotal figures, did this, setting a bad precedent. Therefore, it's highly unlikely that later emperors would do something similar.

Even if I wanted to do it, I wouldn't have that much ability.

That's why she couldn't understand it at all, and she always felt that something was wrong with this whole thing.

Upon hearing Empress Ma ask this, Zhu Yuanzhang's mood immediately changed.

My thoughts were suddenly pulled back from many things in the late Qing Dynasty, and I felt like cursing.

This is something that makes me angry just thinking about it.

"Girl, well, there are many reasons for this."

For example, many people in later generations said that it was we who slaughtered meritorious officials and military generals in the later stages of the war.

This claim is, to a large extent, nonsense.

Even if this matter has an impact, it won't be significant.

Later on, we will take action to deal with Lan Yu and his subordinates.

It's because Lan Yu went too far..."

Ok? !

Empress Ma was taken aback upon hearing this.

What did Chongba say? Clean up Lan Yu and all of Lan Yu's men?!

Later, Chongba launched another major massacre.
And it was Lan Yu who made the move!
Zhu Yuanzhang clearly noticed the expression on his sister's face.

Without Empress Ma even asking, he took the initiative to explain.

"Sister, how should I put it, Lan Yu is too arrogant."

After achieving results, they became arrogant and refused to acknowledge anyone.

Around the twentieth year of the Hongwu reign, we appointed Lan Yu as commander-in-chief, leading Wang Bi and others on an expedition, where they decisively defeated the Northern Yuan court at Buyur Lake.

This completely ended the legal system of the Yuan Dynasty.

As a result, after fighting such a battle, Lan Yu went straight to heaven, acting recklessly and arrogantly.

When the troops returned, because the border general opened the gate late, he ordered his soldiers to set up cannons and bombard the border of our Great Ming, and they were driven down...

Empress Ma had no time to feel happy about Lan Yu's great contribution when she heard what Zhu Yuanzhang said.

They were immediately dumbfounded.

She knew Lan Yu's personality; he was somewhat arrogant and lacked the composure of Mu Ying.

But I never expected that they could be so arrogant.

They bombarded their own border fortress and then sent troops to attack and capture it.

What are you trying to do?
Are they rebelling or causing chaos?
"We didn't hold this against him at the time, but Lan Yu not only didn't restrain himself, he became even more arrogant and domineering, thinking that no one in the court could control him."

In addition, our Biao'er also passed away. He was the uncle of our eldest daughter-in-law and was from Biao'er's hometown.

From the very beginning, we were training him as part of the core team for the team.

Our Biao'er can keep Lan Yu in check. With Biao'er around, we're at ease.

Even after Ke Biao'er passed away, Lan Yu remained so arrogant.

Furthermore, we have appointed that beast Zhu Yunwen as the Crown Prince, intending to give him the throne.

Given Lan Yu's temperament and the military power he wields, if he is not kept in check, he will definitely cause serious problems.

He was like this while we were alive. If we were gone, the throne would not be occupied by the eldest son's wife's son, but by Zhu Yunwen. What do you think he would do?
Therefore, we purged Lan Yu and many of his subordinates.

This matter has an impact, but not a significant one.

Because our fourth son won the Jingnan Campaign.

His move can be described as tantamount to founding a nation.

During the Jingnan Campaign, a large number of people with military merits and fighting skills also emerged.

These formed the new nobility.

Many of the nobles of our Hongwu Dynasty have been replaced.

After Yongle, what continued to influence the Ming Dynasty were the large number of generals who emerged during the Yongle reign, and the military reforms such as the establishment of the Three Great Camps by the fourth emperor.

It doesn't really have much to do with us anymore.

The fourth prince followed us through hard times, and later we groomed him to be a regional king.

He was entrusted with guarding a region, and he indeed won a great victory, which was quite remarkable.

It wouldn't work until the next generation. His eldest son, Zhu Gaochi, was in poor health and was overweight.

He was a master at handling domestic affairs, and when the fourth prince was at war, he often served as the crown prince overseeing the country.

Government affairs were handled in an orderly manner, and no major problems arose.

But he wasn't one who enjoyed fighting.

After his fourth brother passed away, he immediately went into a state of rest and recuperation.

As for Zhu Zhanji, who was highly regarded by the fourth prince and praised by Xie Jin as a promising grandson who could bring prosperity to the third generation, this grandson, who was once placed with great expectations by the fourth prince, was someone who had been on the battlefield.

He also failed to live up to the expectations of the fourth brother.

It's a huge difference.

After he ascended the throne, he did not, like his father, want to move the capital back from Beiping to Yingtian.

After that, he officially established the capital in Beiping.

However, when it comes to fighting wars and managing foreign affairs, he is far inferior to his grandfather.

He withdrew his troops from Annam at that time, and also abandoned Nurgan Commandery in the northeast at that time.

The fourth son painstakingly conquered many territories, but his grandson lost much of them…

Upon hearing this, Empress Ma couldn't help but sigh. How could this... resemble Zhu Yunwen somewhat?
They're all the kind of people who sell their grandfather's land without a second thought!
"Chongba, could it be... that the military equipment fell into disuse under his command? Did he ruin the nobles and other elites of our Great Ming Dynasty?"

When Empress Ma inquired about this matter, her expression became somewhat serious.

The tone of voice also changed somewhat.

Is it possible that our own Ming Dynasty is always at odds with its grandsons?
Empress Ma and Zhu Yuanzhang shook their heads upon hearing this: "Sister, it's not like that, it's not him."

Although, in our opinion, if we compare ourselves to the fourth brother, he is indeed far behind.

However, compared to the other emperors of our Ming Dynasty, he was still quite capable.

He lost many places during his time in power.

He was far less concerned about the soldiers and horses than his grandfather was about them.

Overall, it's not bad.

At least as emperor, he could still ride his horse and lead his army to patrol the border, doing some practical things...

After Zhu Zhanji's death, his nine-year-old son Zhu Qizhen succeeded to the throne, and that was a real disaster!

Zhu Yuanzhang hated Zhu Qizhen so much that his teeth itched.

This is a damn important figure who played a crucial role in the decline of the Ming Dynasty!

At the very least, it ruined the Ming Dynasty's fate for thirty years!

Nine years old?

How come she's only nine years old?

Empress Ma was taken aback upon hearing this.

Isn’t this too small?

"Zhu Zhanji, how old was he when he died?" "Thirty-seven years old, or thirty-six years old according to the Western age system."

Why so early?!

"How did he die?"

Empress Ma suddenly became concerned about the affairs of her descendants.

Although Zhu Zhanji was the grandson of the fourth princess and her great-grandson, at this time, no one knew where he was.

As an elder, hearing of his untimely death still made me a little worried, and I wanted to know what had happened.

Especially considering that his own son, Chongba, lived to be seventy-one, and his fourth son lived to be over sixty, the contrast between them and Zhu Zhanji becomes all the more striking.

I couldn't help but be curious, but I didn't want to ask for clarification.

There is no clear record of it.

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head: "There are quite a few speculations about what happened afterward."

Among them, the most widely circulated and somewhat convincing explanation is the genetic theory.

For example, his father, Zhu Gaochi, died quite young, in his forties.

He also died young, in his thirties.

This suggests that it is highly likely they have some kind of genetic disease, which is why they don't have long lifespans.

It's because of this?
Empress Ma was taken aback upon hearing this.

"But... Chongba, this doesn't make sense either!"
Your lifespan, and that of our fourth son, were both quite long, weren't they?

Even if it's hereditary, he shouldn't have died so young.

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Sister, this matter is not about us or the fourth brother, but about Miaoyun."

Ok? !

Empress Ma was taken aback: "Wow... Miao Yun, this child, isn't going to live a long life either?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said, "Yes, sister, Miaoyun's lifespan was also short; she passed away at the age of forty-six."

Empress Ma swayed upon hearing this.

How could this be?

How could this be? !
"Sister, we've both been right about Miaoyun."

She is such a good girl; her abilities, character, and everything else are impeccable.

She became a wise empress of our Great Ming Dynasty, and she and you, my sister, are equally famous, known as the two great wise empresses of our Great Ming Dynasty.

You two are among the most outstanding empresses in history.

They can all be called virtuous empresses throughout the ages.

Empress Ma was stunned for a moment. A wise empress for all time, a wise empress for all time... In the end, she left a good reputation and a good evaluation in history.

I just feel that the title of "a virtuous empress for all ages" is a bit too much.

Do I really deserve such high praise for what I've done?
Miaoyun's evaluation was also so good. This daughter whom Chongba had favored since childhood was indeed a good one!
He recalled the mistakes he had made regarding the Deng family and the Xie family, whom he was about to discuss with Tiande.

While Empress Ma had mixed feelings, she also felt a sense of relief.

My judgment wasn't as bad as it used to be; I finally picked some people right.

It's just that Miaoyun died too young.

Such a good person, yet he didn't live long...

Zhu Yuanzhang also felt uneasy when he mentioned this matter.

In later generations, many people said that the fourth son was no less capable than his father.

It's not unfounded to say that of all his sons, he is the one most like himself.

The fourth brother does indeed have many similarities to himself.

For example, they are all quite capable fighters, and they are all very resourceful, not easily manipulated by Confucian scholars.

For example, they have all achieved great success.

Even their fates are so similar.

Both were very devoted to their husbands and both married good wives who were known as virtuous empresses.

Moreover, they all left us very early.

Neither he nor his son ever appointed a new empress after the death of their first empress...

A jumble of thoughts surged through my mind, making me feel unbearably uncomfortable.

"Chongba Miaoyun...and what was the cause of Miaoyun's death?"

Empress Ma realized that she seemed to have endless questions to ask about this matter.

There are simply too many short-lived descendants.

There is also no clear record of the cause of Miaoyun's death.

Only later generations have speculated.

One theory is that Miaoyun gave birth to several children in a short period of time, which depleted her vital energy.

Some say that she worked tirelessly for a long time handling the affairs of the Prince of Yan's residence, and that even after becoming Empress, she still had many things to deal with, leading to overwork.

Some people say it's a lung infection or something?

There are various versions of the story, but I don't know the specifics either.

Upon hearing this, Empress Ma could only sigh and shake her head.

They placed their hopes on the medical school established by Chongba University.

These are things that only medical schools can work on.

We should strive to overcome as many difficult and complex diseases as possible, so that more people can be cured and their lives can be saved.

"What about Gao Chi? Is there any clear record of him either?"

Having learned from experience, Empress Ma no longer held any hope for a specific cause of her illness.

"Zhu Gaochi's statement is more accurate."

This grandson has been fat since he was a child, and I estimate he weighs over 200 pounds.

Sometimes, I need someone to help me walk…

He had naturally met Zhu Gaochi, that grandson of his.

When he passed away in his previous life, this grandson was already twenty years old, so naturally he remembers it clearly.

That was truly a body covered in fat.

Therefore, later generations mostly speculated that his cause of death was cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases caused by excessive obesity.

For example, it can trigger strokes, heart attacks, etc.

According to historical records, from the onset of his illness to his death, it was only three days, and he passed away very suddenly.

These symptoms do indeed match those of death from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

So, being overweight is bad too!

This is definitely a disease of affluence; it's not true that the fatter the better.

More control is needed.

Empress Ma took this as a warning and kept it firmly in mind.

"Therefore, it is precisely because three generations in a row, including Zhu Qizhen and others, did not live to a very old age that the concept of hereditary disease came about."

However, we think the possibility is not very high.

Because, according to historical records, they all died young.

However, the causes of their deaths were different and cannot be attributed to the same cause.

Empress Ma nodded, then asked, "How many years did Gao Chi, Chongba, reign as emperor?"

The fourth prince lived a long life, while Gao Chi died young. Zhu Zhanji also died early, otherwise Zhu Qizhen wouldn't have been only nine years old when he ascended the throne.

Therefore, Zhu Gaochi's reign as emperor was certainly short-lived.

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Ten months."

Empress Ma: ? ? ? !!!
(End of this chapter)