The fierce grandson of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 173 Empress Ma: Our eldest grandson is so thoughtful!

Inside the Kunning Palace.

Thinking of the nobles of Huaixi who had been convicted and executed over the years, Empress Ma felt a pang of compassion. She turned to the side and asked softly with concern, "What does Chongba plan to do?"

"Guosheng has won this battle; do you really intend to punish him?"

These words silenced Zhu Yuanzhang, his expression revealing a complex mix of emotions.

Since ascending the throne, he has severely punished corruption and executed countless corrupt officials.

But Feng Sheng was, after all, a former subordinate of Huaixi, who had followed him for over thirty years!

Moreover, although Liaodong has been pacified, the northern desert is still unsettled, and the region still needs manpower.

If he is severely punished, it will not only discourage the soldiers on the front lines, but also make him a target for his wife.

But given his temperament, he cannot be let off so easily.

Old Zhu picked up his tea, took a small sip, and scoffed, "What my sister said!"

"Treat him! Of course we'll treat him! Back when this old bastard embezzled money and supplies after we captured Pingjiang, we didn't pursue it because he had rendered meritorious service! And when we were conquering Shaanxi, he withheld military pay again, and we only gave him a scolding!"

"Look at him, sister. He's getting bolder and bolder. He's even started doing the same old bad things again. Does he think we're blind?"

, 7

When Zhu Yuanzhang got angry, he couldn't help but spit and talk nonstop.

"But then again, if anyone else dared to do this so often, we would have beheaded them and confiscated their property long ago! It's only because Guosheng has been with us his whole life that we can tolerate him!"

"But he, on the contrary, ignores our leniency and keeps pushing his luck!"

"Of course, because of what happened today, we need to summon him back to the capital, dismiss him, and imprison him. I'm afraid you won't agree to that, sister."

"Even over the years, whenever I had murderous thoughts, only you, sister, dared to speak up and advise me, protecting these old brothers. How could I not know your good intentions?"

Upon hearing her husband bring this up, Empress Ma shook her head, glanced at the flickering candlelight, and sighed, "Chongba is mistaken!"

"I am not protecting them, but protecting the Ming Dynasty!"

"People like Guosheng are the very foundation of our dynasty! With the borders still unsettled, protecting even one of them adds to our strength!"

"Zai Guosheng made a mistake this time, but he took the initiative to admit it, which shows that he has always kept you, Emperor Chongba, in his heart! His loyalty has never wavered!"

"Furthermore, many hands make light work. With his abilities, we'll still need him for future expeditions to the northern deserts!"

The wife's meaning was already quite clear.

Zhu Yuanzhang calmed down, leaned on his chair, and nodded, saying, "I understand!"

"To be honest, we're both a bit conflicted—"

Empress Ma narrowed her phoenix eyes, thought for a moment, and said, "How about this: merits are merits, and demerits are demerits!"

"Guosheng has rendered meritorious service in pacifying Liaodong and should be greatly rewarded, but he has also made a mistake, so his merits and demerits should be balanced!"

"Isn't he greedy? Then fine him another three years' salary, so he'll learn his lesson!"

"And I heard from Chongba a month ago that we're going to launch a campaign against the northern deserts next year, right? Guosheng doesn't need to be recalled to the capital; let him stay in Beiping and atone for his crimes through meritorious service—"

Empress Ma's methods were a combination of kindness and severity, and the degree of her punishment was just right.

Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and nodded, saying, "Alright, let's do as my sister says!"

"We need to let that old bastard Guosheng know that we're not easily fooled!"

On the other hand, after his anger subsided, Old Zhu changed the subject and sneered, "As for his initiative to plead guilty this time, mentioning the oversight in the documents—"

"We just don't believe that old bastard Guosheng could have thought of this. If someone hadn't reminded him, would he have done it?"

"On the other hand, we think he's also scared; afraid that if we find out, we'll chop off his head!"

Seeing that her husband's tone had softened, veteran Feng Sheng felt he had passed this test.

Empress Ma felt relieved and followed up, saying, "Now that you mention it, I also find it strange!"

"Guosheng's actions must have been prompted by someone. Has Chongba guessed who it was? Could it be Bao'er?"

When talking about his good nephew Li Wenzhong.

Zhu Yuanzhang stroked his beard and shook his head, saying, "Bao'er is impossible!"

"That kid's personality is just like his father's—straightforward, stubborn, and intolerant of injustice!"

"If Bao'er finds out, he'll definitely submit a memorial to the emperor to impeach him—besides, he's busy guarding the northern pass of Jinshan right now, how could he have time to meddle in such trivial matters?"

Old Zhu treated his second brother-in-law, Li Zhen, very well.

However, their temperament and other traits are somewhat unlikable!

My nephew, too, I didn't like his temperament.

Empress Ma, intrigued, asked, "What about Lan Yu?"

Zhu Yuanzhang scoffed and shook his head, saying, "Lan Yu is even more impossible!"

"Compared to Bao'er, he's more like a hothead, and quite arrogant!"

"Furthermore, we didn't appoint him as the commander this time, so he must be harboring resentment! If he knew about Guosheng's illegal activities such as hoarding valuables, would he have resorted to these underhanded tactics?"

Empress Ma pondered for a moment and said, "Could it be Youde?"

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled, paused in stroking his beard, and said, "Don't mention Youde; he's the same kind of person as Tiande (Xu Da)!"

"Whether in public or in private, he's always cautious and careful! He avoids such potentially offensive work like the plague; would he really get involved?"

Old Zhu said that Fu Youde and Xu Da were no different, but he treated the two differently, with some being closer to the other than the other.

After all, Xu Da was his childhood friend, like a brother.

Fu Youde's background was not exactly impeccable.

However, in terms of the latter's fate, at the end of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Biao died in order to pave the way for the grandson of the emperor, Zhu Yunwen, and like Lan Yu, he had no choice but to die!

From the root of the matter, it is clear that Old Zhu was never at ease with Fu Youde!

The couple had a lot to say to each other.

Looking at each of these candidates, they were all eliminated.

Meanwhile, the husband was still racking his brains, determined to find the person responsible.

Empress Ma's eyes flashed, and she smiled, saying, "Speaking of the victory, we've been thinking about the front lines, but we've overlooked one person..."

Zhu Yuanzhang was taken aback, and said thoughtfully, "Sister, you mean—"

Empress Ma patted her husband's arm and said, "Of course it's Xiong Ying!"

Upon hearing this, Old Zhu suddenly realized, slapped his thigh, and exclaimed, "That's it! It must be our eldest grandson!"

"How could we forget about our eldest grandson! He's in Beiping, not far from Liaodong, so he's the most well-informed!"

"Furthermore, our eldest grandson is meticulous, kind-hearted, and understands the importance of considering the bigger picture!"

"Looking across the Northern Territory, no one but him would do this, and no one else could make that old codger Guosheng obediently listen and admit his mistakes—"

"Your Excellency, although Guosheng is the commander-in-chief, he may not care about anyone else's face, but we cannot disregard our Great Sun!"

Whenever they talk about his eldest grandson, Zhu Xiong Ying.

Looking back over the past six months, news has been coming from the north.

Both of them felt gratified.

Empress Ma exclaimed, "Indeed, our Xiong Ying always knows how to speak and act with discretion!"

"If they hear of Guosheng's actions, they will not expose him directly, but will instead subtly explain the consequences to him and give him a way out!"

"Guosheng isn't stupid; he knows Xiong Ying is protecting him, and he'll handle it properly."

"And Xiong Ying clearly knows that Guo Sheng and the others have had a hard time conquering the world with you, Chong Ba! This action not only corrects Guo Sheng's mistake but also saves face for all parties. He is truly thoughtful!"

'