Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 330 Zhu Gaoxu’s power and changes in the military factory!
Today the sky is clear and the sun is high in the sky.

The golden light poured unreservedly on every inch of Jinling City.

The city inside and outside is shrouded in this brilliant sunshine, as if a shining painting is slowly unfolding.

In the distance, the sound of bells from the bell tower could be heard slowly. The powerful and long sound waves were like lively ripples, rippling and swirling in the air, adding a solemn atmosphere to the quiet day.

Zhu Gaoxu walked forward with firm and powerful steps, his posture as straight as a pine tree, and his eyes revealed a determination and courage.

Looking back, just two years ago, he was just an ignorant boy who had a little cleverness but focused entirely on having fun. He was naughty, mischievous and a troublesome kid.

For adults, two years may be just a brief moment, passing by quickly like a flash of lightning.

However, for a teenager whose body and mind are in a stage of rapid growth, these two years are a very long time.

In two years, an ignorant and naughty child went through a journey full of hardships and transformation.

During these two years, Zhu Gaoxu experienced many people and events, and his mind was quietly changing. His former immaturity and stubbornness gradually faded away, replaced by a gradually awakening ambition and aspirations.

He is not yet a true adult, and does not have the awe-inspiring attitude that adults have towards everything in the world. Instead, deep in his heart, he has an indomitable "courage".

And the ambition to not be inferior to others and to stand out.

In the past, he had suppressed these thoughts deep in his heart and never thought about them carefully.

It was not until Zhu Yuanzhang passed away and Zhu Yunhuan inherited the throne that Zhu Gaoxu keenly realized that there seemed to be some "trick" hidden.

At that moment, the ambition that had been hidden in his heart for a long time was completely ignited.

It's like a raging fire, once it's started it can never be easily extinguished.

Although his father did not agree with this and his brother strongly opposed it, Zhu Gaoxu had made up his mind. Like a wild horse that had broken free from its reins, he stubbornly ran in his chosen direction, and no one could stop him from moving forward.

Behind Zhu Gaoxu followed a team of about a hundred people and a dozen horse-drawn carriages.

These people were all carefully selected by him from the three guards of King Zhou.

After all, in order to ensure that everything is safe when coming to the military factory to collect the weapons, bringing someone to "escort" them is an essential step.

However, in fact, the power he has prepared is far more than what is available now.

There are even more people hiding in the dark, which is not easy to detect.

When Zhu Yunhuan arrived at the gate of the military factory, the guards immediately came to inquire.

Zhu Gaoxu looked calm, without any delay or hesitation, he immediately took out the token of the Ministry of Justice and related documents from his arms.

When the guards saw this, they did not dare to slack off or be disrespectful in the slightest and hurried forward to report.

Not long after, the military factory director Wu Zicheng and factory supervisor Zhang Muyang hurried over to greet them.

"Meet the young prince!"

The two men walked forward respectfully and saluted, with a humble and cautious attitude.

The director of this military factory, Wu Zicheng, was originally a member of the Ming Manufacturing Bureau. After the restructuring, he became the director of the military factory.

The factory supervisor Zhang Muyang was appointed by the Ministry of Personnel to work in the military factory after the establishment of the Assets Department of the Ming Dynasty court.

He had been an official in the imperial court before, had rich experience in officialdom, and had met Zhu Gaoxu several times.

Since Zhu Yunhuan took charge of the government, many vassal kings have been suppressed to varying degrees.

However, the family of Prince Yan Zhu Di was an exception.

Zhu Di took the lead and took the initiative to ask Zhu Yunhuan to be his teacher. From then on, their family was highly "favored".

Zhu Di's eldest son was in charge of the Ming Manufacturing Bureau and later of the Ming Dynasty Court Assets Department, occupying a pivotal position in the court's economic field.

The second son first took charge of the Department of Taxation and then took control of the Ministry of Justice, holding great power.

Zhu Di himself was in charge of the affairs of the Zongrenfu. He also served in the Ming Military Academy, where he was responsible for managing students. He was extremely powerful at the time.

In the eyes of outsiders, their family is extremely powerful and in great demand.

Many officials with ulterior motives secretly speculated that this was the Emperor's preparation for the abolition of the feudal system, intending to set a positive example and show other feudal kings that as long as they obeyed the orders of the court, they would still be able to enjoy wealth and prosperity and have no worries about food and clothing even after the abolition of the feudal system.

On the other hand, this can also create an image in front of the people of the world that the emperor is not mean and ungrateful, and let the world know that as long as the princes behave themselves and obey the arrangements of the court, they will receive the due preferential treatment.

No matter what people talk about, it is an indisputable fact that Zhu Gaoxu's family is deeply favored by the emperor.

Because of this, for the sons of other princes, the directors and supervisors of military factories might only show perfunctory respect on the surface, but they might not take it to heart in their hearts.

After all, although the princes have a respected status, they can hardly have a direct influence on these people in terms of actual power.

However, Zhu Gaoxu was completely different. His elder brother Zhu Gaochi, as the chief official of the imperial property department, held considerable power and could largely decide their promotions and appointments.

Therefore, they naturally did not dare to be negligent towards Zhu Gaoxu in the slightest.

Zhu Gaoxu raised his head slightly, put on a condescending attitude, glanced at Wu Zicheng and Zhang Muyang indifferently, made a slight response from his nose, and then strode into the service lobby of the military factory.

"This time, the king came here to collect a batch of guns."

Zhu Gaoxu strode to the main seat, sat down without any hesitation, and spoke with a dignified look.

"The Ministry of Justice has recently formed three internal security forces to strengthen the security of Jinling City and assist the Anti-Theft Bureau in arresting criminals. For this purpose, three thousand guns are needed."

After saying that, he took out a document from his pocket and slammed it hard on the table.

"This is the approval document from the Ministry of Justice. Please read it carefully. If there is no problem, we will deliver it immediately."

At first, Zhu Gaoxu had hoped that his brother Zhu Gaochi could lend him a helping hand and issue a document in the name of the Imperial Assets Department to assist him in obtaining guns.

However, Zhu Gaochi rejected his request without hesitation.

After being rejected by his brother, Zhu Gaoxu did not get discouraged.

He suddenly remembered that the Anti-Theft Division under his Ministry of Justice was also equipped with guns.

Not only that, the newly formed internal security forces also need guns.

Although these guns are inferior to those used by the Ming Dynasty's new army in terms of advancement and power.

But a musket is a musket after all. The muskets produced by the Ming Dynasty military factory were undoubtedly a qualitative leap compared to previous bows and arrows.

Therefore, he came up with the idea of directly obtaining thousands of guns from military factories in the name of setting up internal security forces under the Ministry of Justice.

As long as these guns are taken out and distributed to King Zhou's men, the military factory can be occupied by force.

In this case, wouldn't the military factory's arsenal be at his disposal?
The more Zhu Gaoxu thought about it, the more he felt that this plan was feasible. He was secretly proud of himself, so he couldn't wait to come to the military factory in person to get the guns.

"This..." Wu Zicheng and Zhang Muyang looked at each other, with a hint of hesitation and embarrassment in their eyes.

Zhu Gaoxu saw this and immediately showed displeasure on his face. He frowned and asked loudly, "What's wrong with this document?"

"That's not true!"

Zhang Muyang quickly forced a smile and said flatteringly, "It is clearly written on the document, and it has the seal of the Ministry of Justice. Besides, it is you, the young prince, who came in person, so there is naturally no problem."

"In that case, then quickly open the warehouse and get the gun."

Zhu Gaoxu waved his hand impatiently and spoke in a tough tone.

"I'm busy with official duties, and I don't have time to waste here."

"It's such a small matter, why does the young prince have to make this trip in person? Wouldn't it be the same if you sent a subordinate to handle it?"

The smile on Zhang Muyang's face remained unchanged, but there was a hint of evasion in his words.

Zhu Gaoxu straightened his expression and raised his voice, saying, "This matter concerns the overall security of Jinling City. Receiving thousands of guns is by no means a trivial matter."

"Besides, the princes have brought their personal guards and are stationed outside Jinling City. The situation is urgent and we need to put these guns into use urgently. We can't delay for a moment."

"Those subordinates are slow and inefficient. How can I trust them with such an important matter? That's why I came here in person."

At this point, his tone became more urgent.

"Okay, stop talking nonsense to me and get the guns out."

Zhang Muyang showed an embarrassment on his face. He hesitated for a moment and asked cautiously, "Young Prince, logically speaking, since you came here in person and have the official document from the Ministry of Justice, we should indeed issue guns. However..."

He paused for a moment, staring at Zhu Gaoxu closely.

"I wonder why the young prince doesn't go to your brother first and get the approval document from the Imperial Assets Department? Wouldn't that be safer?"

"Isn't this urgent?"

Zhu Gaoxu looked a little anxious, but he was relieved in his heart.

The two of them only talked about the official document from the Imperial Court Assets Department and did not mention the Government Affairs Office and the military. This means that the instructions issued by the Government Affairs Office today have only been sent to Zhu Gaochi's Imperial Court Assets Department and have not yet been sent to their military factory.

Right.

After all, it takes time to deliver official documents, and the military factory is located in the suburbs.

This is not an urgent document, and those who sent it are not in a hurry.

It is issued on the same day, but it does not necessarily have to be delivered immediately.

Zhu Gaoxu arrived quickly and got ahead of them.

"I have already sent someone to the Imperial Assets Department to get the approval document, which will be delivered tomorrow at the latest. Time is running out and I cannot wait any longer."

Seeing this, Wu Zicheng quickly interrupted and said, "In that case, why not wait until the approval from the Ministry of Assets arrives tomorrow before we send out the guns? This is in line with the rules and can ensure that nothing goes wrong."

When Zhu Gaoxu heard this, he was immediately furious. He stood up suddenly and shouted, "What do you mean? Are you going to make me come here for nothing?"

His voice was filled with anger and dissatisfaction, and his eyes revealed a fierce murderous intent.

It is like an enraged beast that may attack and hurt people at any time.

The atmosphere in the entire service lobby suddenly became tense, as if the air was filled with a strong smell of gunpowder.

Zhang Muyang felt nervous when he saw Zhu Gaoxu suddenly get furious, and he quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile on his face.

There was a hint of flattery and fear in that smile, and he said anxiously: "Young Prince, calm down, Young Prince, calm down!"

"There must be some misunderstanding here. Let me explain it to you slowly."

Having said that, he quickly turned around, picked up a cup of fragrant tea that had been prepared long ago from the table beside him, bent over, and handed it to Zhu Gaoxu with slightly trembling hands.

His posture was extremely humble, as if a servant who had made a mistake was begging for forgiveness from his master.

Zhu Gaoxu was not moved at all and glared at both of them fiercely.

That look was like a sharp blade, which frightened Zhang Muyang and Wu Zicheng so much that they trembled in their hearts.

He didn't take the cup of tea either. After a cold snort, he sat back in his chair, crossed his arms, and looked unhappy and impatient.

Zhang Muyang had no choice but to carefully place the teacup on the coffee table next to him and forced a smile on his face again, but this smile was more forced than before, with a bit of bitterness and helplessness.

He said softly, "Your Highness may not know this, but the imperial court has extremely strict management over the production of firearms, like a solid wall of steel, without the slightest omission."

"Firearms and artillery are related to national security and stability. If something goes wrong, it would be a capital crime that could cost you your head!"

"Without the approval of the Imperial Assets Department, we cannot bear this responsibility with only a document from the Ministry of Justice! I hope that the young prince can understand our difficulties."

After hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu secretly regretted it.

He thought to himself, if he had known Zhu Gaochi would be so tough, he should not have told him his plan truthfully.

If we ask Zhu Gaochi for approval directly in the name of the Ministry of Justice, and the reasons are legitimate and reasonable, he will surely not deliberately make things difficult for us.

But now that things have developed to this point and I have already had my cards on the table with my brother, there is no point in regretting it.

Zhu Gaoxu had no choice but to suppress his anger and said coldly: "My brother is in charge of the Imperial Assets Department. How could he embarrass me?"

"Besides, my Ministry of Justice's internal guards need to be equipped with guns. This is something that His Majesty has already agreed to."

"Why would the Imperial Assets Department not approve it?"

"The official document was only delivered one day late. What's the big deal?"

"Or do you think I am lying to you? Could it be that this document from the Ministry of Justice is fake?"

There was a hint of questioning and threat in his voice, and his eyes were fixed on Zhang Muyang and Wu Zicheng, waiting for their answers.

Zhang Muyang still had a smile on his face, but it looked more and more awkward and unnatural. He stammered, "Well...well..."

As he spoke, he frequently exchanged glances with Wu Zicheng next to him.

There was hesitation and worry in the eyes of both of them.

Seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu snorted in his heart and decided to continue to exert pressure.

He stood up suddenly and slammed his hands on the table. The teacups on the table shook slightly and some tea splashed out.

Zhu Gaoxu said angrily: "You are deliberately making things difficult for me. Do you really think that I, Zhu Gaoxu, am an easy target for bullying?"

"I tell you, when I was the Commissioner of Taxation, I was never afraid of the difficulties and opposition from the nobles and ministers in the court."

"Humph! Now, a small military factory director and supervisor dares to shit on my head and deliberately embarrass me?"

"In that case, I won't take these guns today."

"You can try and see if I can cure you."

"I will go to the Imperial Assets Department to find my brother now."

"I want to see if you can still keep your positions as factory director and supervisor securely."

After saying that, he flicked his sleeves and walked out with big strides.

At this moment, Wu Zicheng's face turned pale in an instant, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead. He knew very well that if this matter became a big deal, the consequences would be disastrous.

Zhang Muyang was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot. He rushed forward and grabbed Zhu Gaoxu's arm tightly. His face was full of pleading. He said in a crying voice: "Young Prince, don't be angry, don't be angry! Open the warehouse and fire the guns, open the warehouse and fire the guns, we will open the warehouse and fire the guns!"

As he spoke, he winked at Wu Zicheng frantically.

If Zhu Gaoxu really went to Zhu Gaochi to file a complaint, given Zhu Gaochi's power and status, it would be easy for him to remove them from their posts.

Although in theory, their official positions were appointed by the Ministry of Personnel.

But in fact, everyone knows that Zhu Gaochi, as the head of the Assets Department of the Ming Dynasty court, has great say in their appointments and dismissals.

After all, the military factory was still under the jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty’s Assets Department.

The Ming Dynasty’s Assets Department managed as many as seventy or eighty similar factories.

There are six military factories that manufacture muskets and cannons alone.

The military factory they were in was just one of them.

From this point, it is enough to see that there is a huge gap in status between them and Zhu Gaochi, who is in charge of the Ming Dynasty court's assets department.

Once Zhu Gaochi was determined to remove them from their posts, the Ministry of Personnel would definitely agree in the end.

It's nothing more than appointing two new officials.

By then, all the future they had worked so hard for would be in vain.

Looking at Zhang Muyang's anxious eyes, Wu Zicheng's expression changed again and again, and he was still a little conflicted.

He knew very well that this matter was of great importance. Once this precedent was set, if any problems arose in the future, they would inevitably be held responsible.

But now Zhu Gaoxu was being aggressive again, which really put him in a dilemma.

Zhu Gaoxu glared at Wu Zicheng coldly, and seeing that he was still hesitating, he continued to pretend to walk out, taking bigger and faster steps.

Zhang Muyang became even more anxious when he saw this. He tugged at Wu Zicheng's clothes and urged him, "Brother Wu, please speak quickly. We have the official document from the Ministry of Justice and the young prince is here in person. We can add the approval document from the Ministry of Assets tomorrow. What's wrong with that?"

"Let's be flexible this time. If we really offend the young prince, we will be in big trouble."

Wu Zicheng sighed softly in his heart. He knew in his heart that he really could not afford to offend Zhu Gaoxu because of his power and background.

Besides, the other party did not come to ask for guns without any evidence.

The official document from the Ministry of Justice clearly stated the details, including the quantity and purpose of the guns required.

I will get the approval document from the Ministry of Assets tomorrow. Although there are some flaws in the procedure, it is not an irreparable mistake as long as it can be completed in time.

"Forget it!" Wu Zicheng gritted his teeth, finally made up his mind, and said loudly: "Open the warehouse and fire the guns!"

These four words seemed to have exhausted all his strength.

After saying this, a look of relief appeared on his face.

……

(End of this chapter)