The fierce grandson of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 87 I love you, Fourth Uncle, see you in Beiping!

Marquis Mu Ying of Xiping was ten years older than Crown Prince Zhu Biao.

The two grew up together and were as close as brothers.

Even on ordinary days, Zhu Biao affectionately addressed his sworn brother Mu Ying as "Big Brother"!

Historically, not long after Zhu Biao's death, Mu Ying heard the news and cried until he vomited blood. Two months later, he unfortunately passed away from illness!

This further demonstrates the depth of their affection.

As for last winter, I learned of the upheaval in Yunnan.

Zhu Xiong Ying only casually mentioned her worries to Old Zhu.

What he didn't expect was that after his grandfather gave the order, his uncle Mu Ying and his uncle Feng Cheng carried it out so thoroughly!

And now, he has also earned a share of the credit for his perseverance!

No wonder Lao Xu, Lao Tang, and their uncles Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu looked at them with those kinds of eyes just now.

But given Zhu Tiebi's meticulous nature...

And the last time, he used so many eye drops.

We will certainly not let the rebels of Silunfa's group get away with it easily!

Zhu Xiong Ying stepped forward and asked, "Father! Is the campaign to quell the rebellion, which Uncle is leading, nearing its end?"

"Is Grandfather planning to prepare for war to defeat the rebels and prioritize resolving the threat in Luchuan?"

Zhu Biao looked surprised, glanced at his eldest son, stroked his beard, and smiled, "Ying'er is right!"

"I just summoned the Duke of Wei and the others because I received your imperial grandfather's decree."

"In your last letter, your Uncle Mu also suggested that we take this opportunity to completely subdue these barbarians, so as to bring peace to the southwest for eight to ten years, allowing the court to focus on preparing for the war in the north!"

In the past two years, I have come to know my eldest son's military talent.

Once Zhu Biao started talking about military affairs in the southwest, he went on to explain the general strategy in detail.

In summary, the Ming court decided to take a four-step approach to dealing with the local forces, including Luchuan, led by Silunfa.

First, regarding the matter of troop reinforcement, it was decided to mobilize border troops from the Sichuan Military Command.

The original Shu soldiers fought in mountainous areas year-round, were familiar with the terrain, and could withstand the miasma.

Secondly, the Ming dynasty bestowed titles and rewards upon the chieftains of Cheli and Pingmian, ordering them to surround Silunfa, thereby using barbarians to control barbarians, dividing the Ming forces, and reducing Ming army casualties.

Third, we should use both suppression and appeasement. In the short term, we should make Si Lunfa dare not have any rebellious thoughts, but we should not push him too far, lest he hold his ground and the war drag on for too long, which would only hinder the overall situation of the Northern Expedition.

Fourth, after forcing the rebels to retreat, military settlements will be added in Jingdong and Jinchiwei to strengthen the control of the passes, so as to avoid the need to frequently transfer troops and grain from the interior and excessively consume national resources.

After listening.

However, some of the plans were not much different from what he had mentioned to Lao Zhu last time!

Clearly, his grandfather had already drafted the general plan.

Zhu Xiong Ying immediately felt a sense of accomplishment.

Although he was thousands of miles away, he made a significant contribution to the stability of the Ming Dynasty!

Furthermore, with his uncle Mu Ying in charge of the overall situation in the southwest, there's no worry about not being able to subdue the chieftain forces like Luchuan!

When the topic turned to border affairs, driven by a spirit of striving, we discussed them.

Zhu Xiong Ying thought for a moment and couldn't help but ask, "Father, since last year, the Emperor has sent generals such as the Duke of Song and the Duke of Ying to train troops in Beiping and other places."

"So, does this mean our Great Ming's northern expedition against the remnants of the Yuan dynasty is imminent?"

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Zhu Biao picked up his teacup, took a sip, shook his head, and said, "This Northern Expedition won't proceed so quickly!"

"This is just the beginning. In two months, we will need to send generals to train troops in Henan and Shandong, and then move them north!"

"Not to mention places like Daning, which are under the supervision of your fourth uncle. Forward outposts still need to be built to provide support for the army's expeditions in times of war. These matters will take at least another year and a half to complete!"

"Our Ying'er must remember: haste makes waste. Whether it's troops, supplies, or logistics, these are all crucial to victory on the battlefield!"

Sun Tzu said: "War is a matter of vital importance to the State; a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected."

In fact, both Old Zhu and Biao'er's father were extremely cautious in dealing with the formidable enemy, the Northern Yuan!

During the Hongwu era, his maternal uncle Lan Yu was able to win the Battle of Buyur Lake, mainly due to the coordination between internal and external forces, as well as the accumulation of experience in the previous years!

It will take another year or two to prepare for the next Northern Expedition.

Zhu Xiong Ying was even more reassured.

By then, he'll be almost fifteen years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning), and Old Zhu will have to release him eventually!

And as he thought last time, he should ask Zhu Yuanzhang for the position of Grand Marshal of the Army and lead a group of fierce generals into battle. That way, people's hearts will be at peace!

His fourth uncle, Zhu Di, stayed in Beiping for the time being, and took care of all the troops for him.

When that day comes, uncle and nephew will work together and pull off something big!

For example, after destroying the remnants of the Yuan dynasty, they arrested all the false emperor's concubines, as well as officials such as the Grand Tutor.

They were escorted to Yingtian Prefecture to be given to Old Zhu as a birthday gift!

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Zhu Xiong Ying approached the table and asked about the important matters of the university.

"Father, in a little over two weeks, around mid-February, the university will begin classes!"

"Has the student enrollment list, lecturers, and regulations been finalized?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao's brows relaxed.

He pulled out two booklets, placed them in his beloved son's hands, and said with a smile, "Our Ying'er, take a look! This is the plan you initially drafted, which I discussed with the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Ministry of Rites, and now it has received the imperial approval of your grandfather—"

"The regulations were simplified and adjusted slightly from those of the Imperial Academy. Lecturers focused on practical knowledge, and a total of two hundred students were admitted, all selected through examinations."

"As for Mr. Fang, whom you met today, in my opinion, he could temporarily assume the position of Director of Studies, overseeing the students' moral conduct and academic progress, and imparting the meaning of the classics!"

Biao'er's father then began to explain in detail.

Zhu Xiong Ying flipped through the roster and couldn't help but sigh, "My cheap old man is really reliable."

Those talents he valued, such as Wang Pu, were all placed in his positions!

Some served as Doctors of the Five Classics, while others held positions as Educational Administrators and Registrars.

The column for "Doctor of Practical Learning" at the end usually consists of industry leaders who specialize in teaching agriculture, mathematics, water conservancy, firearms, crafts, medicine, and the like.

When Zhu Xiong Ying glanced at the firearms expert and saw the three characters "Tao Jingchu," her heart skipped a beat.

He suddenly thought of the first famous person in world history who wanted to fulfill his dream of flying!

Ten thousand households!

This man, whose original name was Tao Guangyi, was later given the name Chengdao by Zhu Yuanzhang, and thus changed his name to Tao Chengdao.

From the eighteenth year of the Yuan Dynasty's Zhizheng era, after Zhu Yuanzhang proclaimed himself King of Wu, Tao Chengdao led his eldest son Tao Jingchu and three hundred followers to join him, using firearms to help the Ming army achieve a great victory!

Zhu was not a stingy man, and immediately bestowed upon him the title of "Wanhu" (a high-ranking official), who later rose to the position of Vice Minister of War, granting his entire family wealth and honor!

But this old man Tao couldn't stand the loneliness. Even though he was over eighty years old, he still wanted to take a rocket to space, and in the end, he crashed and died!

Therefore, I saw the name Tao Jingchu.

Zhu Xiong Ying knew she had found the right person.

When I have time, I must visit Lao Tao's house and pay my respects to this pioneer of spaceflight!

With Tao joining the company, he had even more confidence in manufacturing new firearms!

During this period, the research on cold weapons such as bows and crossbows by craftsmen could not be stopped.

The extra-long draw length design of the Qing bow is something we can definitely learn from!

When Zhu Xiong Ying opened the admission list and saw the family backgrounds of the first batch of students, she was quite surprised!

How come the sons of officials and nobles in the court make up a full 30% of the total?

Even Marquis Guo Ying of Wuding had the heart to let his fourth son, Guo Jian, learn strange and lewd skills.

Zhu Xiong Ying quickly realized what was happening.

Isn't this behavior a clear attempt to curry favor with the Crown Prince?

It's all about human relationships and social interactions!