The fierce grandson of the Ming Dynasty

Inside the warm pavilion.

Zhu Yuanzhang leaned back on his throne, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

Taking advantage of this brief moment, Zhu Xiong Ying stepped forward and bowed deeply, saying, "Grandfather, in my opinion, this matter should not be taken lightly!"

"Oh?"

Zhu Yuanzhang raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways, saying, "Why would our great-grandson say such a thing?"

Zhu Xiong Ying replied, "Your Majesty is wise! I have seen the map of the southwest and know that Weiyuan Prefecture is located at the western gateway of Jingdong, and the two places are connected by mountains and rivers..."

"Currently, Si Lunfa has occupied Weiyuan Prefecture, and the entire Jingdong region is exposed to the onslaught of Luchuan's troops. If this man is merely seeking revenge against the Dao Suan Gang, why would he need to deploy his troops here?"

"I believe this is a harbinger of a large-scale invasion of Jingdong!"

The Luchuan forces led by Silunfa were named after the Luchuan Circuit established by the Mongol Yuan dynasty.

Looking back at the 276-year history of the Ming Dynasty.

Their group has always harbored ambitions and been eyeing the enemy covetously.

First, during the Hongwu era, after a short period of reliance on the court, they broke ties with it and openly rebelled.

He was later defeated by his uncle Mu Ying, who beheaded 30,000, and only then did things quiet down for several decades!

During the reigns of Jianwen, Yongle, and Xuande, they outwardly submitted to the emperor and paid tribute, but secretly expanded their territory.

Ultimately, this led to the "Three Expeditions against Luchuan" during the Zhengtong Dynasty.

After this battle, the Ming Dynasty's Three Xuan and Six Wei system was officially established and placed under the jurisdiction of the Yunnan Provincial Administration Commission.

At that time, Yunnan was twice the size of its present-day counterpart!

After the Tumu Crisis, the Ming Dynasty's national strength declined from its peak.

By the time of the three great campaigns during the Wanli era, the national treasury and the elite of the Ming army had been exhausted, ultimately leading to the collapse of the tributary system!

Judging solely from the timing, this action by Silun is quite significant.

This was precisely the opportunity to persuade Zhu De to strengthen control over the Southwest!

Zhu Xiong Ying urgently said again, "Grandfather, if we are not prepared, and Si Lunfa launches a large-scale attack, the fall of Jingdong will leave the western gateway of Yunnan wide open!"

"When that time comes, seeing that the imperial court is powerless to protect them, the various chieftains will surely surrender to Luchuan without hesitation, and our entire southwestern border defense will be put in a passive position!"

Hearing his beloved grandson's words, he found that every sentence hit the nail on the head.

Zhu Yuanzhang's smile faded, his expression turned serious, and he said in a deep voice, "What my grandson said is not without merit!"

"But you don't know that the main force in Yunnan is now under the command of your Uncle Mu, and they are all quelling the rebellion in eastern Yunnan."

"The imperial court will find it difficult to dispatch a large army to Yunnan in the short term..."

"The only force we can rely on right now is the troops led by Feng Cheng..."

That said, the weakness in western Yunnan is mainly due to strategic misjudgments by the imperial court in recent years.

First, they underestimated Silenfa's separatist ambitions and military strength, thus nurturing a potential threat.

Secondly, after pacifying Yunnan, Lan Yu and other main forces withdrew in large numbers, and placed heavy troops in eastern and northern Yunnan, failing to form an effective defense in western Yunnan.

Third, the war in the southwest had only lasted a few years, and a complete intelligence system had not yet been established.

In addition, many people from Jiangnan have been transferred to places like Beiping, leaving the reserve forces depleted.

As Zhu Rongji said, the result is that there are not enough reinforcements available to send troops to Yunnan...

He understood immediately upon meeting his grandfather.

He truly lived up to his reputation as the wise and mighty Hongwu Emperor.

Zhu Xiong Ying pondered for a moment, then said, "Grandfather, after much thought, I have a few ideas that might prevent the situation from worsening. What do you think, are they feasible?"

Old Zhu's eyes lit up, and he looked surprised.

What surprise will his beloved grandson bring him this time?

He looked up and said, "Let our eldest grandson tell us!"

Zhu Xiong Ying, unhurriedly, picked up the teapot, refilled it with water for Old Zhu, and said loudly, "The art of war says, 'The essence of war is speed. Take advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness, attack them by unexpected means, and strike where they are not on guard.'"

"Grandfather, you see, if Silunfa really dares to come to war, he will definitely find out the extent of our weakness in western Yunnan."

"In that case, Your Majesty, you may order Uncle Mu to immediately dispatch two thousand elite troops to reinforce Jingdong overnight, under the command of Uncle Feng. If Si Lunfa attacks, we can be well-prepared and hold the line!"

"In this way, suppressing the rebellion in eastern Yunnan will not have a significant impact!"

"Furthermore, the Three Strategies states: 'The key to military operations lies in upholding propriety and valuing rewards. When propriety is upheld, wise men will come; when rewards are generous, righteous men will be willing to die for their country.'"

"My imperial grandfather just said that Prefect Etao of Jingdong has been guarding the region with utmost caution these past two years. I believe that an imperial decree should be issued to commend him, thus stabilizing the people's hearts and encouraging them to unite in their defense!"

"Sun Tzu's Art of War states: Victorious armies first secure victory and then seek battle; defeated armies first engage in battle and then seek victory."

"Yunnan's terrain is complex, and if an army advances alone, it is easy to be defeated by the enemy. The troops of Silunfa in Luchuan rely most on their elephant formations."

"Therefore, before Uncle Mu quells the rebellion and leads his main force to assist, Uncle Feng's primary task is to hold Jingdong firmly. It is crucial that he not act rashly. At the same time, gunpowder and other military equipment should be transferred from Sichuan, Huguang, and other places as soon as possible to strengthen preparations for war..."

After listening, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately understood the profound meaning behind it.

Suddenly, he burst into loud laughter, clapping his hands and exclaiming, "Excellent! Our grandson's idea is brilliant; it truly solves this urgent problem!"

Upon hearing Old Zhu's praise, Zhu Xiong Ying showed no joy. He then said solemnly, "Grandfather, in my opinion, even defeating the Luchuan Silunfa tribe will only bring temporary stability! If we want to achieve long-term stability in the southwest, we must make medium- and long-term plans!"

Subsequently, Zhu Xiong Ying proposed numerous strategies.

For example, dividing and weakening the internal structure of Luchuan, improving the border garrison system, and expanding military garrisons...

Half an hour later, the eldest grandson of the emperor left.

Zhu Yuanzhang closed his eyes and pondered for a long time.

He came from humble beginnings, rose through the ranks in Haozhou, and spent his entire life building an empire. His greatest fear was that his descendants would not be able to maintain it.

Now, looking at my grandson, who is so young yet so adept at military strategy, I feel even more at ease.

But then, Old Zhu's face darkened again.

For the past six months, he has devoted most of his energy to investigating and recovering stolen grain and to the war in northern Xinjiang.

If it weren't for the reminder from the eldest grandson, and if the situation had been handled in the usual way, we might have been defeated by those barbarians!

If we were to mobilize troops again at that time, who knows how many soldiers and men would be lost, and how much food and supplies would be wasted?!

It's a shame that someone who fought a lifetime of war made such a foolish mistake.

Frustrated, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately made a decision.

Just as Da Sun said, we can't just defeat that scoundrel Si Lunfa and call it a day.

This is a perfect opportunity to strengthen our defenses and force him to relinquish the territory he has swallowed, piece by piece!

As for that kid Feng Cheng, he is the son of Guo Yong.

Raised by his side since childhood, he is spoiled and prone to making mistakes, so we need to give him some pointers!

And then there's Mu Ying, that boy, so loyal and skilled in military strategy.

Today I will explain my grandson's plan to him in detail. With his intelligence, he will surely know what to do!

A moment later, Zhu Yuanzhang picked up a vermilion pen and personally wrote a letter to his adopted son Mu Ying and his friend's son Feng Cheng.

He then summoned Hanlin scholars to draft an imperial edict, which was immediately dispatched to Yunnan, Sichuan, Huguang and other places...

Two weeks later, the Winter Solstice festival had passed.

In early November, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty sent a personal letter, along with his decree, to Marquis Mu Ying of Xiping.

However, from the emperor's writings, it was learned that the military plans contained therein were the words of the emperor's eldest grandson, Zhu Xiong Ying.

Mu Ying was surprised and amazed.