Ming Dynasty: Charge, Emperor Yongle!

Zhu Di: Old man, is this all you've got?

"Father."

"Your subject agrees with what your fourth brother said."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao blurted out that Zhu Di's words were a true reflection of his teachings, which truly pleased him.

"We second that proposal!"

Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong, and other civil officials had to admit that Zhu Di's approach was very much in line with Confucian principles, and they all expressed their approval.

"Fourth brother."

"Since you made this suggestion, I think it would be better to hand over the jurisdiction of the Doyan Three Guards to the Southern Protectorate."

"You shall arrange for the officials of the Prince of Yan's residence to deliver the imperial edict and seal of investiture together; there is no need to go through the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonies."

Zhu Yuanzhang gazed at Zhu Di and said calmly.

"What?"

Upon hearing this, all the officials turned their heads in surprise. What kind of operation was it to hand over the Doyan Three Guards to the Southern Protectorate?

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

Zhu Di gave Zhu Yuanzhang a deep look and said expressionlessly.

Although the Southern Protectorate is known as one of the three major protectorates along with the Northern Protectorate and the Northern Court, its military strength is far inferior to the latter. Currently, it only has five guards under its direct command: Kaiping Guard, Yingchang Guard, Daning Guard, Quanning Guard, and Chengde Guard.

Zhu Yuanzhang nominally handed over the three guards of Doyan to him, but in reality, he wanted to use this to shut him up and ensure that the five local guard posts in southern Mongolia would remain in place.

As the Grand Protector of the Southern Desert, he was far away in the capital, making it extremely difficult for him to influence the Southern Desert, let alone control the Three Guards of the Doyan.

In the end, the three guards of Doyan obeyed the imperial edict of the Ming emperor, not his orders.

As the saying goes, "Don't bother two people with one thing."

"The three guards of the Prince of Yan are of great strength. It would be better to transfer them all to Beiping after the spring, go out through Shanhaiguan, and recover the Daning Road."

"Before the Daning Guard and Jinzhou Guard are fully established, the Yan Prince's Three Protectorates will be stationed on the spot to defend against the remnants of the Yuan forces."

Zhu Yuanzhang continued.

The confrontation between the father and son suddenly made the atmosphere in the Fengtian Hall tense, and everyone sensed that something was wrong.

Xu Da, Wang Baobao, Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong and others realized that Zhu Yuanzhang was using this opportunity to weaken the power that Prince Yan Zhu Di could control, sending all of Prince Yan's three guards to Liaoxi, leaving Zhu Di with only the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

"Father."

Zhu Biao's lips moved, his eyes showing reluctance, but he still didn't speak.

He knew very well that Zhu Yuanzhang did this not only to consolidate imperial power, but also to ensure that he could secure his position as crown prince. Zhu Di's existence had already threatened the crown prince. Just the presence of Xu Da and Wang Baobao behind him was enough to make all the civil and military officials tremble with fear.

"hehe."

Zhu Di sneered, met Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze, and said loudly, "I have no objection to sending the Prince of Yan's Three Guards to recapture Daning Road."

"According to regulations, the Southern Protectorate should have ten guards. What arrangements should be made?"

"Thump!"

The ministers were startled. Was the Prince of Yan about to break ties with the Emperor?

"Father."

"Fourth brother must have a good plan."

"Why don't you listen to it first?"

Zhu Biao couldn't hold back any longer and quickly stepped in to smooth things over.

"Um."

Zhu Yuanzhang never took his eyes off Zhu Di.

"After the recapture of Daning Road, Daning Guard and Jinzhou Guard will be established in western Liaoning."

"It is no longer appropriate to continue using the current Daning Guard of the Southern Protectorate."

"The Hulunbuir Grassland on the western slope of the Greater Khingan Mountains is the birthplace of the Mongolian tribes. The land is fertile, with abundant water and grass, and there is no shortage of places where arable land can be cultivated."

"The Northern Protectorate already has ten guards under its jurisdiction, so it can no longer extend its reach into Hulunbuir."

"And there's the Horqin Grassland, which controls the only entrance from the Mongolian Plateau to Liaodong."

"These are the key factors for our Great Ming Dynasty to limit and suppress the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty's power."

"Old man, you can't be blind, can you?"

Zhu Di looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with a mocking expression.

"Holy crap!!!"

In front of all the civil and military officials, the Prince of Yan openly addressed Zhu Yuanzhang as "old man," which was more than just frivolous.

Fourth brother.

Zhu Biao's expression changed slightly, as if he wanted to stop Zhu Di.

However, Zhu Di paid no attention to Zhu Biao's actions and spoke again: "I have a report to make."

"In order to control Nahachu in Liaodong, the Southern Protectorate was renamed the Eastern Protectorate."

"The Daning Guard was moved to Horqin, and a city was built in Tongliao, which became the Tongliao Guard."

"A city was built on the shore of Hulun Lake, and Hulun Guard was established, which also governed the three guards of Duoyan."

"His Highness Prince Yan's words are far-sighted and truly for the benefit of the country. Your Majesty, I request that Your Majesty grant Prince Yan's request to establish the Eastern Protectorate."

Grand Commander Xu Da stepped forward to support Zhu Di's proposal.

"Your Majesty, we beseech you to grant the Prince of Yan's request to establish the Eastern Protectorate!"

"Your Majesty, we beseech you to grant the Prince of Yan's request to establish the Eastern Protectorate!"

Civil officials such as Wang Baobao, Feng Sheng, Deng Yu, and even Li Shanchang, Hu Weiyong, and Liu Bowen all recognized the importance of Zhu Di's move.

Changing the southern part of the Gobi Desert to the eastern part of the Gobi Desert is nothing more than adding a Hulun Guard, but how much manpower and resources can the Ming Dynasty save? With the cooperation of Liaoxi and Liaodong, Nahachu can be completely confined between the Black Water and the White Mountains. Who could disagree with that?

"Old man, are you still playing or not?"

Zhu Di raised an eyebrow at Zhu Yuanzhang, his provocation undisguised.

Seeing that all the ministers had sided with Zhu Di, Zhu Biao carefully observed Zhu Yuanzhang's facial expression, fearing that he would fly into a rage.

"Okay! Okay!"

Zhu Yuanzhang forced a smile. Zhu Di was using Zhu Di's strength against him, coercing him with the prevailing trend, and he couldn't refuse.

Because the establishment of the Eastern Protectorate was already a foregone conclusion, unless he didn't want to deal with Nahachu in Liaodong.

"Issue my decree."

"The Southern Protectorate is hereby renamed the Eastern Protectorate, to be remotely administered by the Prince of Yan."

"The Eastern Protectorate governs the Kaiping Guard, Yingchang Guard, Quanning Guard, Chengde Guard, Tongliao Guard, Hulun Guard, and the three Duoyan Guards."

"All military supplies will be left to their discretion!"

In the end, Zhu Yuanzhang still set a trap for Zhu Di by refusing to supply the Eastern Protectorate with food and weapons from the imperial court.

"Your subject obeys the decree!"

Zhu Di chuckled to himself; this wasn't creating trouble for him at all, it was practically giving him an opportunity.

The imperial court did not supply military supplies, which meant that the Southern Protectorate had to solve its own problems, including food, weapons and armor. With this newfound freedom, once the initial difficult period was over, the Ten Guards of Southern Mongolia would become Zhu Di's private army.

"Father."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao said, "According to my fourth brother, the entry of the two guards in Liaoxi, the three guards in Liaodong, and the guest troops into Liaodong all require careful planning."

"Furthermore, without the common people, how can our Great Ming Dynasty expand into Liaoxi and Liaodong with only soldiers?"

"Your Highness is absolutely right."

The civil officials echoed this sentiment.

Xu Da and other military officers and nobles did not speak up, mostly because they were unfamiliar with local government affairs, and some simply did not want to get involved.

"What's so difficult about solving this?"

Zhu Di said with a relaxed expression: "Establish the Liaodong Regional Military Commission to oversee the military affairs of the Five Guards."

"The Liaodong Provincial Administration Commission was established, under which Liaoxi Prefecture and Liaonan Prefecture were set up to oversee local government affairs."

"The Liaodong Military Command is under the command of the Five Military Commissions, and the Provincial Administration Commission is under the command of the Secretariat."

"The imperial court issued an imperial edict allowing people from Hebei, Shanxi, and Henan to leave the pass and recruiting people from Shandong to travel by boat from Dengzhou to Liaonan."

"The taxes in Liaodong will be waived for three years, and all the people who go to Liaodong to develop the land will keep all the land they reclaim."

"Local government offices provided farm tools and oxen for the people to rent, helping them to reclaim wasteland and grow grain."

"As a result, people flocked to Liaodong in droves."

"Within three years, the population of Liaoxi and Liaonan prefectures will be at least several hundred thousand, and when combined with the original population of Liaodong, it will approach one million."

"Brilliant!"

Upon hearing the words of the Prince of Yan, all the civil officials showed expressions of delight and joy.

"Fourth brother."

"Just tell me all the tricks you've got up your sleeve."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Di, knowing full well that his fourth son had already made a comprehensive plan for Liaodong before submitting his memorial.

"The Liaodong Regional Military Commission and the Liaodong Provincial Administration Commission must select capable and efficient personnel to go there."

"I recommend Marquis Lu Ju of Henan to serve as the Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong, leading 5,000 Huai soldiers across the sea from Dengzhou to Posuo (present-day Dandong) to build a city and defend it."

"The other five commanders are Zhang Yi, Zhu Shou, Cao Tai, Chen Huan, and Zhang Wen."

Zhu Di's voice suddenly rang out in the Fengtian Hall.

"What?"

The nobles of Huaixi all looked at Marquis Lu Ju of Henan, wondering when he had pledged allegiance to the Prince of Yan.

Lan Yu's face turned ashen. The commanders of the five guards of Liaodong recommended by the Prince of Yan were all rising stars from Huaixi who had befriended him. No one would believe this wasn't revenge.

"allow!!!"

Zhu Yuanzhang calmly said, "Lan Yu will be appointed General of Anbei."

"Xu Ben, the Guangdong Provincial Administration Commissioner, was transferred to Liaodong as the Liaodong Provincial Administration Commissioner, while Zhao Jun and Xie Si were appointed as the Liaoxi Prefect and Liaonan Prefect, respectively."

"Zhao Xian, the deputy commander of the Five Military Commands, was appointed as the deputy protector-general of the Eastern Desert, and Hong Yi was appointed as the chief secretary of the Eastern Desert Protectorate."

"Old Deng, is that all?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di's face showed disdain.

Zhao Xian was the ninth founding meritorious official and the eldest son of the late Duke of Liang, Zhao Desheng. Hong Yi, a meritorious official's son whom Zhu Yuanzhang valued, was an important and capable official promoted by Zhu Yuanzhang. Arranging for these two to go to the eastern desert was simply to sideline him.

Zhu Yuanzhang may not have known what the grasslands were like. It was a place of survival of the fittest, where the only way to seize power was through absolute violence. No official position or title would work there. How could governing the grasslands be the same as governing Han territory? It was a joke.

"This subordinate obeys the order!"

Marquis Lu Ju of Henan stepped forward with neither arrogance nor servility, completely ignoring the gazes of the nobles of Huaixi who regarded him as a traitor, and accepted the imperial edict.

From the moment he stepped onto the Taiping Causeway, he had already made his choice.

From the moment he left Xuanwu Lake, he understood that the Ming Dynasty had more than one sun. If Crown Prince Zhu Biao was the rising sun, then Prince Yan Zhu Di was a blazing sun. Which was better, the rising sun or the blazing sun, was still unknown!

"This subordinate obeys the order!"

Zhang Yi, Zhu Shou, Cao Tai, Chen Huan, and Zhang Wen responded with bitter expressions, accepting the order.

Without exception, everyone felt a pang of regret, wondering why they had followed Lan Yu and ended up in this desolate and harsh place.