The fierce grandson of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 137 Xu Zengshou: My brother-in-law has the makings of a commander!

The Duke's Mansion of the State of Wei.

Upon hearing his father's words, Xu Yungong, as the eldest son, bowed deeply and solemnly said, "Father's teachings are correct! Your son will remember your instructions!"

"Furthermore, after the New Year, my son will also be heading north with the army. While serving in the military, he will listen, observe, and act diligently! He will not dare to slack off in the slightest, and he will certainly not bring shame to the Xu family!"

With the eldest brother taking the lead, Xu Zengshou and the others followed suit one after another.

Xu Da looked at his sons with a relieved expression, nodded, stroked his beard, and said, "I'm relieved that you all think this way!"

"After all, we're getting old, and the burden of the Xu family will fall on your shoulders from now on—"

As soon as he finished speaking, he composed himself, staring intently at his eldest son, and continued, "Speaking of accompanying the army on this Northern Expedition, Yun Gong, you bear a heavy responsibility. There are a few things we need to instruct you on!"

Xu Yungong immediately bowed and said, "Please give your instructions, Father!"

Xu Da stood up, walked to his eldest son who was slightly taller than him, glanced at him, and said in a deep voice, "The first thing to remember is that your primary task as a soldier is to protect the safety of the Emperor's eldest grandson!"

"Speaking of which, His Majesty sent that boy from the Li family this time, and also sent you along, which shows he trusts the Xu family!"

"Once we reach the northern front, wherever the eldest grandson of the emperor is, you will be there; wherever the eldest grandson goes, you will follow! Even if it means facing mountains of knives and seas of fire, you must stay by his side! If anything goes wrong, the entire Xu family will be held accountable with ten thousand deaths!"

Xu Yungong replied, "Your son understands!"

Xu Da narrowed his eyes and then said, "The second point is to remember that once you are in the army, you must be low-key and do things diligently!"

""

"Guosheng and Lanyu are veterans with illustrious war records, but they're also arrogant. Don't get into conflicts with them! If you encounter any unresolved issues, you can consult Siben!!"

"Just as we said before, Siwen is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and is also the emperor's nephew. He is extremely loyal to the court. With him in the rear, there won't be any major trouble!"

"And Changmao, the eldest son of the Bo Ren family, is about your age. Our two families have a deep friendship, so you should spend more time together and look out for each other!"

"yes!"

As his eldest son responded, Xu Da paced back and forth, saying, "Thirdly, the weather on the northern frontier is bitterly cold, so take good care of yourself. Write home every now and then to let them know you're safe! Your mother is getting old, don't let her worry—"

Xu Yungong's eyes welled up with tears, and he lowered his gaze, saying, "I remember everything, but please, Father and Mother, take good care of yourselves at home and don't overwork yourselves!"

Xu Da nodded and returned to his desk.

He was deep in thought, about to send his sons down.

Just then, Xu Zengshou suddenly stepped forward and asked, "Father, I have another question!"

"Isn't my brother-in-law enfeoffed in Beiping? He's been training troops there for years, driving away the remnants of the Yuan dynasty several times. He's so capable, so why didn't His Majesty send him to lead troops in this Northern Expedition?"

He was the brother-in-law of Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan.

They had a very good relationship since she entered the palace to accompany him in his studies at a young age!

Among all the sons of the Xu family, he was the closest to them.

Upon hearing the mention of his son-in-law, Xu Da smiled and said, "Your brother-in-law is a good prospect!"

"Having served in Beiping for so many years, I have always upheld my duties and never enjoyed a single day of comfort. I spend my days leading troops to patrol the border regions, braving wind and rain, and have kept the garrisons in various places in perfect order!"

"Last year, we received news that the Yuan general Nahachu led three thousand cavalry south to plunder the border people. Your brother-in-law personally led five hundred personal cavalry, making a night raid of over a hundred li, circling behind enemy lines to launch a surprise attack, and managed to behead over two hundred enemies, sending the enemy packing in defeat!"

"His courage and skill alone are unmatched among the younger generation!"

Regarding his son-in-law, Zhu Di.

During Xu Da's tenure overseeing military affairs in the northern frontier, the father-in-law and son-in-law frequently met.

He witnessed their military skills and abilities firsthand, and in addition to being full of admiration, he also imparted all his military strategies to them!

Moreover, in Xu Da's eyes, once the fourth prince Zhu Di grows up, he will inevitably become the pillar of the Ming Dynasty's northern border. Even if he was not born into the royal family, he will become a pillar of the state and a prime minister!

As for why the emperor did not send his son-in-law to lead the army into battle?

Xu Da was equally aware of this.

He glanced at the three men and explained, "But your brother-in-law is still inexperienced; he hasn't experienced major battles, let alone commanded tens of thousands of troops!"

"Furthermore, this Northern Expedition is of paramount importance, and the commanders are all seasoned veterans such as Guo Sheng, Si Ben, Lan Yu, and You De!"

"Letting a young prince like him lead the war effort is bound to cause resentment among some, and it will also make command more difficult!"

"Not to mention, Beiping is the rear base for the Northern Expedition. All supplies, weapons, and manpower must be transported from here. Stability is even more important than the front lines!"

"The Emperor has ordered your brother-in-law to remain in the city to oversee the supply of provisions and reinforce the city's defenses. This is both a sign of trust and a way to give him experience!"

"Only by becoming familiar with the logistics of a large army, observing how veteran generals deploy their troops, and accumulating sufficient experience can one take on a leadership role in the future!"

"Based on my understanding of your brother-in-law, in a few years, once he matures, those barbarians beyond the northern borders of our Great Ming Dynasty will not be able to even think about making a single step south!"

Seeing that her father spoke so highly of her.

Xu Yungong, Xu Zengshou, and their ilk were all shaken.

Before we knew it, it was the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.

Lunar New Year's Eve is just around the corner.

The princes and grandsons will also have their studies suspended for a few days so they can properly celebrate the New Year.

This was the last class of the day.

Zhu Xiong Ying led his younger brothers away from the main hall and together they arrived at the rear hall of the Wen Hua Hall.

Looking at my brothers sitting in a row.

Zhu Xiong Ying, seated at the head of the table, gestured for San Bao to pass the written papers down in turn, then coughed lightly and said, "Our main hall has passed the formal ceremony—"

Classes won't start until the 15th of the month! We've thought about it and assigned you all some winter break homework, but it's not much; you can finish it in about an hour each day! After you're done, please have Gao Chi check it!

As the eunuchs distributed the items, Zhu Yunwen and the others all wore bitter expressions.

Zhu Xiong Ying added, "Besides that, you can't stop practicing calligraphy—"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen reacted the most, muttering softly, "Big brother, it's the New Year, and you still have to practice calligraphy?!"

Looking at his own brother.

Zhu Xiong Ying was completely speechless and couldn't help but tease, "Look at you all these years, Yun Tong, your handwriting hasn't improved at all. It looks like it's been scratched by chicken claws. Don't you want to practice more?"

Laughter filled the hall, leaving Zhu Yunwen blushing deeply.

After a short while, Zhu Jixi couldn't help but ask, "Elder brother, the news has been circulating in the palace these past few days that you will be leaving the capital on the third day of the first lunar month to go to Beiping with the army. Is this true? When will you be able to return?"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent instantly.

They all looked up at the head of the table, their expressions filled with curiosity, surprise, and worry.

Zhu Xiong Ying glanced at everyone, took the honey water Lai Shun offered, took a sip, straightened her back, and nodded with a smile, saying, "Of course it's true! It's just that the return date to the capital is still uncertain—"