Ming Dynasty: He was ordered to give lectures in prison, but Lao Zhu eavesdropped and made people nu

Chapter 707 Zhu Yuanzhang and his son outwit the Jurchens

In the early spring of the twentieth year of the Hongwu reign, Nanjing was still shrouded in a chilly atmosphere. Inside the Forbidden City, Zhu Yuanzhang sat alone in his study, a secret report from the Liaodong Military Command spread out before him. The flickering candlelight illuminated his tightly furrowed brows.

"The Jurchen tribes outwardly submit, but in reality, they are secretly growing stronger." Zhu Yuanzhang's fingers tapped heavily on these words, producing a dull sound. He looked up at the window; the night was as dark as ink, as if concealing countless unknown threats.

"Father," a respectful voice came from outside the door, "your son and fourth brother have come by imperial decree."

"Come in." Zhu Yuanzhang put away the secret report, his expression returning to calm.

Crown Prince Zhu Biao and Prince Yan Zhu Di entered the Imperial Study one after the other. Zhu Biao was gentle and refined, with a scholarly air about him; Zhu Di, on the other hand, was tall and imposing, with sharp features, and was still in his military uniform, clearly having just returned from the military camp.

"Biao'er, Di'er, sit down." Zhu Yuanzhang gestured for the two to sit, then cut to the chase, "Have you heard anything about the recent movements of the Jurchens in Liaodong?"

Zhu Biao frowned slightly: "Father, the Jurchen tribes only paid tribute and became vassals last year; they should be content with their lot."

"Should be?" Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, throwing the secret report onto the table. "Take a look at this."

Zhu Di took the paper first, his gaze sweeping across it like lightning. His brows furrowed deeper and deeper, his knuckles turning white from the pressure: "The Jianzhou Jurchens are secretly training troops, and the Haixi Jurchens are secretly communicating with Goryeo. Father, this is an attempt to rebel!"

Zhu Biao was shocked upon hearing this and hurriedly leaned closer to examine it: "How...how is this possible? Didn't Nahachu just receive an official title from the court?"

"They outwardly submit, but harbor treacherous intentions." Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, his back to the two men. "When I was conquering the world, I knew the nature of these barbarians well. They are like wolves on the grasslands; they can never be tamed."

The candlelight cast a long shadow of Zhu Yuanzhang, illuminating his two sons. Zhu Di's eyes gleamed, and he suddenly rose, clasping his hands in a fist salute: "Father, your son is willing to lead the army north and wipe out the Jurchens in one fell swoop!"

"No!" Zhu Yuanzhang turned around, his eyes blazing. "To send troops now would be without justification. Moreover, the remnants of the Northern Yuan have not yet been eliminated. If we join forces with the Jurchens, our Great Ming will be attacked from both sides."

Zhu Biao hesitated and asked, "Then what does Father mean?"

"Appease them openly, but guard against them covertly," Zhu Yuanzhang said, emphasizing each word. "Externally, we should treat the Jurchen leaders even better, bestowing upon them gold, silver, and silk; internally, we should strengthen our military and secretly monitor them. Once they slip up, we will annihilate them in one fell swoop."

Zhu Di's eyes flashed with admiration: "Father is wise. However, I believe that relying solely on the Liaodong Regional Military Commission's surveillance is far from sufficient. The Jurchen tribes are scattered, and news travels slowly; by the time we receive intelligence, it is often too late."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked intently at Zhu Di: "What brilliant ideas do you have, Di'er?"

Zhu Di took a deep breath, took out a scroll of sketches from his robes, and spread it on the table: "Your Majesty, I have boldly devised an intelligence network. We can establish an elite scout force called the 'Night Scouts,' specifically to infiltrate the various Jurchen tribes."

Zhu Biao looked at the sketch in surprise: "How much manpower and resources will this require?"

"At any cost." Zhu Di traced lines on the map with his finger. "We will establish three intelligence centers in Liaodong, each with ten squads of five men each. These men must be fluent in Jurchen and Mongolian and familiar with the terrain beyond the Great Wall."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he bent down to examine the sketch closely: "Continue."

“The night scouts disguise themselves as merchants, hunters, or even slaves to infiltrate the Jurchen tribes.” Zhu Di became more and more excited as he spoke. “They not only monitor the Jurchens’ movements, but also sow discord among the tribes. When necessary,” he made a throat-slitting gesture.

A hush fell over the imperial study. Zhu Biao's face turned pale: "Isn't this going too far?"

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures," Zhu Yuanzhang declared, slamming his hand on the table. "Di'er, this plan is brilliant. I hereby appoint you to take full charge of establishing the 'Night Watch,' with the necessary funds drawn directly from the Imperial Treasury." Zhu Di knelt on one knee: "Your subject obeys the decree and will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust!"

Zhu Biao hesitated, then finally sighed softly. Zhu Yuanzhang observed everything and had already made his decision: "Biao'er, you are responsible for dealing with the Jurchen envoys, showering them with favors and rewards to lull them into a false sense of security."

"Your subject obeys the decree," Zhu Biao replied respectfully.

After the two men left, Zhu Yuanzhang stood alone by the window, gazing at the gradually brightening sky in the east. He recalled the scene of his decisive battle with Chen Youliang many years ago—sometimes, the most dangerous enemy is hidden behind the most submissive mask.

"Jurchen... I hope you won't force me to commit massacres," Zhu Yuanzhang murmured to himself, his fingers unconsciously stroking the jade pendant at his waist. It was a gift from Empress Ma, a reminder that governing the country required a balance of firmness and leniency.

Three months later, at a secluded mountain villa outside Liaoyang City in Liaodong.

Zhu Di, dressed as a merchant, was listening to a report from Lan Yu, the commander of the night watchmen. This young general was a confidant of Zhu Di and had made great contributions in the Battle of Buyur Lake.

"Your Highness, we have successfully infiltrated the Jianzhou Three Guards," Lan Yu said, pointing to the map. "Especially around Nahachu, we have placed two night scouts, one of whom has become his personal guard."

Zhu Di nodded in satisfaction: "What about the Haixi Jurchens?"

“This is troublesome,” Lan Yu frowned. “Meng Ge Timur is inherently suspicious; we lost three men just to manage to infiltrate one. However, this person has sent back important intelligence—Meng Ge is secretly contacting Goryeo, intending to borrow troops.”

A cold glint flashed in Zhu Di's eyes: "Do you have any evidence?"

Lan Yu took out a secret letter from his bosom: "This is a copy of Meng Ge's handwritten letter to the Goryeo general, agreeing to launch a joint attack on our Ming Dynasty's Liaodong Commandery when the autumn horses are fat and ready."

Zhu Di took the secret letter, read it carefully, and his expression grew increasingly grim: "That Menggetemur, indeed harboring treacherous intentions. This matter must be reported to Father Emperor immediately."

“There’s one more thing,” Lan Yu lowered her voice, “The remnants of the Northern Yuan have also sent envoys to contact the Jurchens, intending to form an alliance.”

Zhu Di sneered, "They're all in the same boat. Issue the order to intensify surveillance on all Jurchen tribes, especially Mengge and Nahachu's every move; I need to know everything they do!"

That night, Zhu Di secretly returned to Nanjing and went straight to the imperial study. After reading the secret letter, Zhu Yuanzhang flew into a rage, slamming his fist on the corner of the desk and smashing it: "You audacious barbarians! I have treated them well, yet they dare to do this!"

"Father, please calm down," Zhu Di said calmly. "Now is the perfect opportunity to wage war. We have evidence of their rebellion, and our cause is legitimate. We can annihilate them while their alliance is still fragile, thus securing ten years of peace in Liaodong."

Zhu Yuanzhang took a few deep breaths to calm his anger: "What does Di'er think we should do?"

"A combination of overt and covert tactics," Zhu Di said confidently. "On the surface, Father can issue an edict stating his intention to hunt in Liaodong and lead the Imperial Guards north. Secretly, I will mobilize the elite troops of Beiping and Daning to form an encirclement. When the Jurchen leaders gather for an audience..."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed with approval: "A good plan. However, if I personally lead the expedition, it will cause too much of a commotion. It would be better if you went on the northern hunt in my stead, while I remain in Nanjing to oversee the overall situation."

Zhu Di was deeply moved—this was an immense trust his father placed in him. He knelt solemnly, saying, "Your subject will certainly not fail Your Majesty's expectations!"

(End of this chapter)