The First Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Tang Yin and Zhu Yi had no choice but to temporarily abandon the route to the capital and head towards Zijing Pass.

Tang Yin wasn't quite used to traveling by land, as he had spent the past few years surviving almost entirely on the Yangtze River and wasn't yet accustomed to riding a horse.

He originally wanted to apply for a carriage ride, but was told that time was not an option and he had to continue riding a horse, which would take six or seven hours a day.

Not to mention Tang Yin couldn't stand it, Zhu Yi also suffered a lot.

On March 14th, the group finally arrived at Zijing Pass and rested there temporarily. When Tang Yin produced the emperor's edict, he was treated like a VIP.

"How can we fight this battle rashly?"

Compared to the physical torment he suffered, Tang Yin was also experiencing mental anguish recently.

He appeared to be complaining to Zhu Yi, but he was just short of asking for advice.

But he still couldn't bring himself to admit it.

Zhu Yi then dismissed the Ning family guards who were speaking to him before walking over and saying, "Mr. Tang, do you really have to discuss this kind of thing at the border? Aren't you afraid of being overheard?"

Tang Yin said, "It will be three or four days before we reach Xuanfu, and by the time we get to Zhangjiakou, the war will be imminent. What can we possibly accomplish then?"

Zhu Yi countered, "In the wars on the Ming Dynasty's borders, which battle requires someone to strategize? What difference does it make whether you strategize or not?"

"What do you mean by this?" Tang Yin asked, looking puzzled.

Zhu Yi said, "Your value has never been in your military talent. What the emperor values ​​in you is your ability to predict the future. As long as your predictions of the time and place are correct, and the Tatars do appear in Zhangjiakou exactly as you predicted, as long as Jiang Bin and Zhang Yong deploy enough troops in suitable locations to create a sufficient deterrent against the invading Tatars, how could this war possibly break out?"

"A fight won't break out?"

Tang Yin had clearly never studied the border wars of the Ming Dynasty; he was still immersed in the anxiety of about to go into battle.

Only now do I realize that my trip to Zhangjiakou, where war might break out, was merely to serve as a figurehead.

Zhu Yi said irritably, "Even if you want to fight, the Tatars won't take the initiative to fight. There haven't been any major disasters on the grasslands in the past two years, so it's not to the point where they're willing to give up."

Tang Yin said, "Since it makes no difference whether I'm there or not, why did His Majesty send me?"

"Isn't it because he can't go himself? If he could go, we wouldn't have anything to do with this," Zhu Yi said again. "I told you before, you're just going to pave the way. With your predictions about the Tatars' movements, the emperor's personal expedition will be based on your prophecies, and defenses will be set up along the route. When the battle begins, you'll be responsible for predicting the heavenly secrets..."

"..." Tang Yin was speechless for a moment.

The emperor clearly values ​​a skill I lack.

Although I might be able to deceive the emperor for a while, in the long run, the emperor will not realize that I am just a charlatan.

Zhu Yi then handed over a pre-drafted memorial, saying, "You can choose a suitable time to submit this document so that the emperor knows what you are going to do next."

"What are you doing?" Tang Yin seemed to have no interest in looking at it at all.

Zhu Yi said, "Of course, it's about enriching the country and strengthening the military. Just say you've foreseen future technological developments and developed a relatively complete weapons improvement plan from them. Show the emperor your military talent, and incidentally, describe the future you saw in your dream to him!"

"What is this? When did I ever dream of such things? Am I deceiving the emperor?" Tang Yin seemed very angry.

Zhu Yi retorted, "Are you trying to deceive the emperor, or do you want to act like a madman?"

Tang Yin was so angry that his whole body was trembling.

Just then, the guard's voice came from the doorway: "Young Master, there is a letter from Nanchang. His Highness Prince Ning is inquiring about the arrangements made by the imperial decree."

"Okay, I'll come out and see you later. I'll also write back personally. Please wait a bit."

Zhu Yi said something casually.

He then gestured to Tang Yin, meaning, "You see, I'm also under a lot of pressure."

The emperor suddenly arranged for the two of us to go to the Northwest. What do you think my father, who has rebellious intentions, would think when he heard this?

Could he be trying to interfere with our work in the Northwest in his own way?

Did he treat us like his puppets?

"Mr. Tang, I know you don't want to be used as a pawn, but you must understand that in the arena of power, neither you nor I are in control of our own destiny. Unless we can play this game well ourselves," Zhu Yi reminded him.

Tang Yin asked, "Do you want me to help your father, or the emperor?"

Zhu Yi said, "Of course you should go and help the emperor! Only in this way can you gain wealth and honor."

"If the emperor asks whether Prince Ning will rebel in the future, what am I supposed to say?" Tang Yin was furious.

Zhu Yi laughed and said, "You are different from me. I told my father right away that I came from five hundred years in the future and that I know almost everything that will happen in the future, so he can ask me whatever he wants. But you are different. Your character is that of a prophet who can occasionally dream about future events. You can only see what the heavens show you. So, since you didn't see whether Prince Ning rebelled or not, you can't answer that, so it doesn't count as deceiving the emperor."

"This..." Tang Yin wanted to say, didn't you tell me that Prince Ning's rebellion failed?

If I know all this and don't tell, wouldn't that be deceiving the emperor?

Zhu Yi said, "You have the right to choose what you see, depending on what I tell you. Even if you tell me what you didn't see, the emperor can still think you're deceiving him, can't he?"

"what?"

Tang Yin was certainly a smart man.

He immediately understood what Zhu Yi meant.

If he were to accuse Prince Ning of treason, when in fact the incident never happened, why would the emperor believe him?

Not to mention that Prince Ning would directly find a way to get rid of him... To become an informer for something that hasn't even happened in the future, he would most likely end up dead...

It would have been better to just say from the beginning that I knew nothing about the Ning Fan affair, and that I didn't see it, then it wouldn't be considered deceiving the emperor...

Who can truly see the future?

"If Mr. Tang can prove his ability to predict the future a few more times, then the people around the emperor will fawn over you, and Jiang Bin, Qian Ning, and others will also try to bribe you. Your status will rise accordingly, and you will become the focus of the world's attention," Zhu Yi said.

Tang Yin frowned and said, "Aren't you afraid that once I gain fame, I'll turn around and harm your Ning Prince's Mansion?"

Zhu Yi said, "Reporting a prince's rebellion is no small matter. Even if you do it and the emperor believes you, without evidence, what can the emperor do? My Prince Ning's Mansion gave you a chance to make a name for yourself, and you're so heartless?"

Tang Yin pondered for a moment, and realized that a person who was already timid would naturally feel like he was caught in a dilemma, unable to move forward or backward.

"I've already drafted a letter for you, which can be sent to Xuanfu in advance and delivered to Jiang Bin," Zhu Yi said. "Jiang Bin is also very eager to win a battle to prove his ability, and he also wants to return to the capital as soon as possible, or bring the emperor to Xuanfu. If you can truly understand what he needs, then Jiang Bin will be your first ally!"

Tang Yin said, "Jiang Bin enjoys the Emperor's favor; would he take me seriously?"

"To him, you are a stepping stone for him to gain military merit. The soldiers in the Northwest want to repel the enemy, but he wants to win battles, preferably a great victory."

Zhu Yi laughed, "If you truly can predict the future, you will be the most capable person by the future emperor's side. At that time, others will only come to flatter you. You only need to maintain your current aloofness and arrogance; in fact, the more arrogant you are, the more people will admire you!"