"Yes, the secret letter said that we had just received news that a small group of cavalry from the Oara tribe in the north invaded the border a few days ago and plundered a village on the border. There were 120 households in the village, and only one was hiding in the cellar.
The few women and children who survived were all military households, and the murderers were Mahamu’s subordinates.”
"And...and build a base of heads to build a temple."
"What?" Zhu Zhanzhen was furious when he heard this. The barbarians in the north have been plundering our country's borders since ancient times, especially in the bitter cold autumn and winter.
They do not have the tradition of saving food and supplies for the winter. In their culture, it is a tradition to rob the Central Plains. They have never been ashamed of it. Even whoever robs more and whoever kills more is still glorious.
Because of the strong national power of the Ming Dynasty, the barbarians who Zhu Di fought in the Northern Expedition did not dare to be too arrogant, especially last year's main battle, which severely reduced their numbers.
Even if there have been robberies in the past two years, the barbarians are still afraid of the Ming Dynasty's strength and dare not make a fatal move. They focus on grabbing things, just grabbing things. Their cavalry can run fast and will not pursue them to the death in many cases.
But this time it was abnormal. One hundred and twenty households and more than two hundred people were massacred in the village. They lined up in Beijing to watch. This was a demonstration and it was forcing Ming Dynasty to take action.
According to Zhu Di's temper, he should be preparing for the Northern Expedition at this time without even thinking about it, and his fat father would never dare to stop him this time.
The barbarians in the north have been coveting our land of China for many years, and the barbarians are not enough to treat them with courtesy.
Even if Zhu Di beat them hard during the Northern Expedition, surrendered on the surface, and paid tribute, he would break the agreement within two years if he felt that he had accumulated a lot of strength. These agreements, whether verbal or written, had no actual effect on them.
Any restricted capabilities.
They live on the vast grasslands, and it is difficult to find their traces. It is difficult for cavalry to track them. In ancient times, in order to prevent them from harassing our borders, we even had to pay tribute to them or make peace with them.
But in the Ming Dynasty, we only had wars, no ceding of territory, no indemnities, and no marriage.
As soon as they returned to the city, Chen Xuan led Zhu Zhanyi back to the palace. He was ordered to find Zhu Di. Zhu Zhanyi planned to return to the courtyard first, but the eunuch who sent the order said that the prince asked him to come with him.
Zhu Zhanji felt a little doubtful.
In Zhu Di's study, as soon as he entered, he heard the sound of a cup being thrown. Zhu Di had a big fire. This was the first time in the past two days that he had thrown something.
"You guys who are doing things poorly, in July I ordered the border patrol next year, and ordered the Zhou, Jin, Qin and other vassal kings to select five thousand infantry and cavalry to go to the border to wait for training. Now? It hasn't passed yet.
Don’t you take my words to heart?”
"Your Majesty, please calm down." The dozen or so veterans below could only reassure the emperor.
The incident happened suddenly. Originally, the king's troops were ordered to go to the border in the spring of next year. However, the emperor wanted to explain this when it happened.
"I don't care. Within twenty days, the army will gather and follow me to Mobei to clear the grassland."
The people below had obviously been scolded many times. They hesitated and did not dare to speak, but Xia Yuanji stood up and said: "Your Majesty, the winter in Mobei is bitterly cold. We are marching this season. I am afraid that our soldiers will not be able to adapt to Mobei."
"The morale of the army is in chaos in front of the formation. Someone will pull me down and lock him up." Zhu Di, whose anger was rising, arrested Xia Yuanji. The prince hurriedly begged for mercy: "Your Majesty, you can't do it."
"Besides, even you, the prince, have been locked up."
Zhu Di now does not allow anyone to question him, but he is a general who has experienced hundreds of battles, not a blind fool. Could he not know what Xia Yuanji said?
But now, one is that he is angry, and the other is that no one in front of the battle can shake the morale of the army. Even if what he says is right, it will hurt morale.
Anyone who has been at war all year round knows that morale is extremely important.
Zhu Di saw Zhu Zhanzhen and Chen Xuan come in and just glanced at them.
Zhu Zhancheng was curious as to why his second brother Zhu Zhancheng was also here.
In addition to the important civil and military ministers in the court, there are also Zhu Zhanji, the two kings of Han and Zhao, as well as himself and his second brother. It is understandable that he was called here, but why his second brother came, Zhu Zhanyi can't figure it out.
.
After being away for just a few days, Zhu Zhanchun's status suddenly rose to this level?
The prince waved to Zhu Zhanxi and coughed twice. The prince was not feeling well when Zhu Zhanxi left a few days ago. Today, he looked very bad and coughed in a low voice from time to time.
"Zhan Zhen, prepare to publish a second newspaper to record everything that happened in northern Xinjiang." Zhu Di ordered when he saw him.
Let’s talk about public opinion first. Zhu Di is really awesome.
"My grandson is ordered to submit the newspapers and periodicals before tomorrow."
"There is also the matter of the military parade. Something happened unexpectedly. I want to hold a military parade in the imperial city to boost morale before the expedition. You will be responsible for this, Lu Zhen. Zhanzheng will assist you. In ten days, I will organize a beautiful military parade in the imperial city.
If you do well, you will be rewarded.”
"I accept the order." Lu Zhen, Minister of Rites, respectfully accepted the order.
Seeing that a favorite like Xia Yuanji was taken away and locked up just because of a careless word, no one else dared to say anything to stop him.
Zhu Di looked around and said: "King of Han, please lead three thousand troops to the north of Shuntian Prefecture first. The soldiers of the three surrounding prefectures will be controlled by you. They will not leave the pass or pursue them deeply. They will patrol the border and see the northern barbarians, whether they are Mahamu or Ah.
As for the Lutai tribe, all the barbarians in the north will be attacked first with firearms and then attacked with cavalry."
"My son, I accept my order."
Once it comes time to fight, Prince Han's status rises straight up. Who knows that Prince Han is a talented person who is good at fighting?
"King Zhao, you go to Tianjin to supervise the grain, grass and baggage, and supervise the local vassals to station troops at the border. You will set off today."
"My son, I obey."
"Chen Xuan."
"I'm here."
"I will leave it to you to escort the grain and grass and connect the canal. If there are any mistakes, you are the only one to ask."
"I obey the decree."
After arranging these things, Zhu Di patted the table in front of him, and the table shook with a bang.
"After the military parade in the Imperial City, I personally went to Shuntian Prefecture and led troops to go out in March next year to clear the desert."
Everyone saluted: "Long live my emperor."
At this time, an urgent secret report came. Zhu Di took a look at it and said: "You all go down first, Gao Chi, Zhan Yi, Zhan Ji, Zhan Yun stay."
Zhu Di faced the prince and several royal grandchildren and took out the secret report.
"What? Crossing the border again so soon?" Zhu Gaochi was surprised. The secret report recorded that another group of barbarians from northern Xinjiang were plundering the border. This time they were discovered by our cavalry, but they did not dare to pursue them deeply, and a village was massacred.
"What are the barbarians trying to do?!" The good-tempered Zhu Gaochi also became angry.
"These barbarians have no etiquette, justice and shame, and cannot be treated with kindness and righteousness." Zhu Di sighed, but the grassland was so vast that he couldn't kill all of them.
Then he said: "Zhanji, please stay this time. Your father is not in good health, and the heavy responsibility of supervising the country will fall on you."
Zhu Zhanji glanced at his father, gritted his teeth and said, "Grandpa Huang, I still want to go on the expedition with you."
Zhu Zhanji was a man unwilling to be seconded. He wanted to go to the battlefield and establish military exploits like Zhu Di. He had previously refused to stay and supervise the country, but this time Zhu Di persuaded him to stay.
"Your father's body is so cold this winter that it will be difficult for him to go out. If you are really allowed to go on an expedition as you said, will your second and fifth brothers really have to shoulder the burden of supervising the country?"
Zhu Zhanyang was surprised, his eldest brother actually suggested that I should supervise the country?
It turned out that before Zhu Zhanzhen came back, Zhu Di discussed the matter of supervising the country with Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji.
Because Zhu Gaochi was unwell, and the imperial doctor diagnosed him and said that he needed to take good care of himself and not be exposed to cold wind or cold. If he was allowed to serve as a prisoner of the country, he would probably have problems.
What Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Di most wanted was for Zhu Zhanji to come to supervise the country, so that they could take this opportunity to train their eldest grandson and let him supervise the country independently.
But Zhu Zhanji wanted to go out with the army. He believed that he could do a good job in supervising the country, but he also wanted to take advantage of this time to establish military exploits.
Zhu Di understood what Zhu Zhanji was thinking. He was afraid that in the future the army would be filled with second and third uncles, and he would have no merit or prestige in the army. He would have no soldiers and his position would be unstable.
But there must be someone to supervise the country. We cannot let King Zhao of Han come to supervise the country. There is no precedent in history for a vassal king to supervise the country.
What Zhu Zhanji told Zhu Di was to ask Zhu Zhanchen to supervise the country. Why? This guy is smart, and he has not even been granted the title of county king yet, so he asked him to supervise the country in the name of assisting the prince in supervising the country.
But after all, Zhu Zhanzhen was too young and lazy, and although his ideas were good, many of them were too advanced in their opinion. If he had made the decision all by himself, they don't know what he would have done.
At such a young age, the supervisor is unreliable no matter how precocious he is, he is only ten years old.
Zhu Di decided to let Zhu Gaochi supervise the country, and let Zhu Zhanyu and Zhu Zhanyi assist him. When the second brother was old, he also wanted to see his ability, and the two could check and balance each other.
The reason why his fourth child was not included was because he was also a sick man, and the third child, Zhu Zhanyong, was not included because he was also planned to be taken with him during this expedition.
When Zhu Zhanchen heard that he would be asked to serve as a prisoner of the country, his head was pounding. What should he do? If he did not do it well, he would be scolded and punished. If he did well, he would be jealous of his elder brother.
"Father, Grandpa Huang, I am still young, inexperienced, and not prudent enough in my actions. I am afraid that I will not do well." Zhu Zhanyi immediately declined.
Zhu Di rarely smiled today, although it was a bitter smile: "You have a clear understanding of yourself." At this time, Zhu Di thought of Master Yao Guangxiao's evaluation of him. This kid actually let go of the power to supervise the country. He is the acting emperor.
In exchange for a position that even the kings of Han and Zhao could not ask for.
But Zhu Zhancheng's polite refusal was useless. It seemed that they had already discussed it before he came back. Another emperor's grandson, Zhu Zhancheng, who was arranged to supervise the country, was eager to try.
"The matter of Zhan Chang has been discussed." Zhu Gaochi signaled to Zhu Zhan Chang not to refuse. Xia Yuanji had been imprisoned just now, and Zhu Zhan Chang might have been imprisoned in the clan mansion if he didn't know how to promote him.
Zhu Di no longer discussed the matter, but said: "Zhan Ming, you have to do a good job with the newspaper this time. Before going out to the army, I want to do the newspaper and the military parade to boost morale. Can you do it?"
"My grandson will try his best and give his best."
"Also, go and tell Li Shimian that this time the newspaper will write another article similar to the "Book of Conquest of the Barbarians in the Northern Territory". No, it will be better than this. Once it is written, he will be promoted."
Li Shimian probably would have never imagined that he could get promoted by criticizing foreigners in newspapers.
"Go and do it today. It's okay to stay outside at night. I will send the imperial army to follow you. You must give me the first edition early tomorrow morning."
"My grandson understands, let's go now."
"Wait, I'm not finished yet."
"Grandpa Huang, do you have any other instructions?"
"Lu Zhen is waiting for you to discuss the military parade in the imperial city. After you finish the newspaper, go find him quickly."
"My grandson understands."
Zhu Zhanzhen and Zhu Zhanqun walked out first. Zhu Zhanqun seemed to exhale a breath of turbid air in his chest and said briskly: "Fifth brother, let's oversee the country together. We still need a lot of help."
"Second brother, please help your younger brother more."
After saying a few polite words and looking at the happy expression on his second brother's face, Zhu Zhanzhen couldn't help but smile bitterly. This hard work was only done by his second brother happily. The emperor, prince and grandson are all still alive. You, the concubine and the grandson of the emperor, are responsible for overseeing the country.
If you do well, you just need some praise. If you don't do well, go live in a fiefdom.
Anyone who dares to take advantage of this opportunity to form a party is getting tired of life. Not to mention the prince and Zhu Zhanji, Zhu Di is still alive.
Zhu Zhanzhen decided that this was a hard, tiring job with low rewards, but he scratched his head, he still had to do this job.
"Let's go get the newspaper first. Time is tight and the task is heavy."
After seeing the two people leaving, Zhu Di looked sad: "Zhan Ji, have you thought carefully about it? Are you really not going to stay to supervise the country?"
Zhu Zhanji said firmly: "Grandpa Huang, I am willing to accompany you in the battle in Mobei."
"Gaochi." Zhu Di called Zhu Gaochi.
"His Majesty."
"You need to supervise more. Neither of them has experience in supervising the country. You, the crown prince, have to make the final decision on major matters."
"Your Majesty, don't worry."
Zhu Gaochi cannot work too hard, and it will probably be difficult to go out in winter, but it is still possible to do some official work in a warm place in the room.
"Also, Wei Zhe will lock him up for a few days. After I lead the troops and set off, you can find an opportunity to release him and restore him to his original position. He will take care of the affairs of the court and you will feel more at ease."
"My son understands."
Zhu Di walked to Zhu Gaochi's side. His son's physical fitness was so poor that he could only sigh helplessly: "You, you, I usually ask you to take more care of your health, but you can't handle it at critical moments."
He was angry and helpless, how could such a huge Ming Empire be handed over to him with his body and bones? If his son hadn't been able to live up to his ambition, his body, which was always sick, would have been unable to hold his position as the crown prince.
"My son, I know I was wrong."
"Hey, that's all. Take good care of yourself. When I return home next year, you can come out of the city twenty miles to greet me."
"And Yao Guangxiao will come from Shuntian Mansion, so he can also help your two sons."
"My son, I obey the order and thank my father."
Zhu Di thought about whether there was anything he had missed, and arranged for Xia Yuanji and Yao Guangxiao to help. Basically, nothing would happen. If something happened to Yingtian Mansion while he was fighting on the front line, he would be in trouble.
"By the way, Zhan Chen has a very lazy temperament. Gao Chi, do you have a way to control him?"
Zhu Gaochi smiled for the first time today: "Father, don't worry, this time I will not be as lazy as usual."
"Oh? How do you have the confidence to say this?"
"Father, just don't worry. It's just a small solution. If it doesn't make it to the stage, I won't say it."
Zhu Di looked at Zhu Gaochi seriously: "Then it's up to you."
When leaving, the palace maid supported Zhu Gaochi, who was feeling uncomfortable in his legs and feet. Zhu Zhanji followed him to the Prince's East Palace and asked curiously: "Father, can you help Zhan Chen not be lazy? He has to sleep for more than five hours a day, and sometimes even in the afternoon.
Sleep for half an hour."
Zhu Gaochi said mysteriously: "This winter there will be a princess from the Timur Empire who is coming to marry. I have seen the portrait. She is stunningly beautiful."
"Ah?" Zhu Zhanji looked in disbelief, but when he thought about it, it seemed reasonable.
"I guess I came here just as you were during the Northern Expedition. Taking this as an incentive, I believe Zhan Yi can be ten times more diligent."
Zhu Zhanji smiled bitterly: "Father, Zhan Chang is still young."
"As the eldest brother, do you still want to rob your younger brother?"
