The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

Of course, the imperial court was not always on the defensive. Every autumn in September, the generals of Xuanfu and Datong would each lead 5,000 elite cavalry, and set fire to the border for 300 to 500 miles in different directions. They would burn the land for several days, leaving the grasslands for thousands of miles outside the border in ruins. The livestock of the Anda tribe would starve and have a hard time getting through the winter. This was called "burning the wasteland".

At the same time, the night scouts kept watch day and night, and when they found out the location of the small Tatar tribes, they sent light cavalry to raid them at night, killing the old and weak, burning tents, driving away cattle and sheep, seizing grain, and destroying iron pots, which was called "destroying the nest".

The two sides continued to harm each other. The Anda tribe constantly crossed the Great Wall to plunder the interior, while the Ming army went out to burn wasteland, destroy nests, drive horses, and demolish tents. The Nine Garrisons were filled with the smoke of war, and everywhere presented a scene of desolation and ruin.

Yan Shifan was even more puzzled upon hearing this: "Then what does Your Highness mean?"

"Could you recommend a suitable person to serve as the General of Datong next year?"

"Huh?" Yan Shifan was completely baffled. After a moment of silence, he could only answer truthfully: "It's not easy. The newly appointed General Zhang Da of Datong is a border general from the faction of Weng Wanda and Yang Bo. He was also recommended by them. Without any major mistakes, it's difficult to replace him."

"What if something happens?" Zhu Zaizhen's expression remained unchanged, as if he were asking how much a sesame seed cake cost on the street.

"If there are any mistakes, perhaps it can be tolerated, but His Majesty would not dare to allow them to hold all the positions of generals forever."

After understanding the situation, Zhu Zaizhen simply said, "I do not like Qiu Luan."

Yan Shifan was even more confused. It was the first time Prince Jing had left the palace, and he had only met so many people. It was impossible for him to know Qiu Luan, let alone have any conflict with him.

However, this was their first meeting, and Yan Shifan did not want Prince Jing to have any complaints. Moreover, this was also a pledge of loyalty, so Qiu Luan was nothing to him.

"Your subject understands."

Qiu Luan was the grandson of Qiu Yue, the Marquis of Xianning, and served as the General Commander of Guangdong and Guangxi, the General Commander of Ningxia, and the General Commander of Gansu.

Until the twenty-fifth year of the Jiajing reign, Zeng Xian, the governor-general of the three border regions, impeached Qiu Luan for obstructing the restoration of the border region, withholding military pay, being corrupt and abusive, and falsely reporting military achievements. Grand Secretary Xia Yan strongly requested that Qiu Luan be severely punished, and he was subsequently imprisoned and stripped of his title.

While in prison, Qiu Luan bribed Yan Shifan. At that time, evidence was needed to bring down Xia Yan, so Yan Shifan helped Qiu Luan. After Xia Yan was executed, Qiu Luan was released from prison and his title was restored.

However, after his release from prison, he lost his official position. Recently, they have been sending him money in hopes that he will be transferred to a certain place to continue serving as a general, profiting from the soldiers' blood and living a carefree life.

Yan Shifan originally planned to help him by taking a few thousand more taels of silver from him, but now it seems that he is destined to be unlucky.

However, he still had to keep collecting money, but it was difficult to keep people around. He was particular about his work; once he had taken the money, he had to get the job done, whether it was a matter or a person.

A moment later, Yan Shifan took his leave. Ma Dezhao watched his retreating figure and asked softly, "Does Your Highness believe what he said?"

"I don't believe it, but he needs me, and I need him too."

"He said he was afraid of dying," Zhu Zaizhen said softly. "But a person who is truly afraid of dying would not come here in person. He came not because he was afraid of dying, but because he wanted to win too much. He wanted to win against his father."

"Why?" Ma Dezhao was puzzled. He couldn't understand Yan Shifan. How could he survive after defeating the emperor?

"Because he regarded himself as an exceptionally intelligent genius, and at the same time he believed that in the whole world, only his father was a genius of the same level as him."

But his father looked down on him and always regarded him as Yan Song's one-eyed son.

So he wanted to prove, by supporting me, that he, like my father, was a player in this game of chess, not just a slightly fatter pawn.

But he hadn't considered that, in the end, whether Prince Yu or he won, his father would purge the Yan faction, because they represented a stain, and only by personally erasing that stain could his father close his eyes in peace.

Ma Dezhao nodded upon hearing this and did not ask any further questions.

Zhu Zaizhen smiled at Ma Dezhao and asked, "Doesn't the eldest brother have anything else to ask me?"

"This servant has nothing more to ask." Ma Dezhao looked at his prince's face, his eyes filled with only affection and pride: "This servant simply doesn't want Your Highness to be deceived."

As for Qiu Luan, what is he?

…………

"His Highness Prince Jing has arrived!"

They had been standing there for almost the entire afternoon, and just when they thought Prince Jing wouldn't come, they were about to disperse and rest. But then Prince Jing suddenly arrived. Fortunately, they were all dressed neatly and didn't embarrass themselves in front of His Highness.

"Aunt and Uncle, please don't stand on ceremony."

Upon hearing this, Lü Fu knew he was now completely on King Jing's side. Instead of feeling uneasy, he was only concerned with how to help His Highness and bring glory to his ancestors.

Aunt Lu was so moved that tears almost fell from her eyes. She had thought that after so many years, His Highness would probably only come down to see her because of the Empress's orders, and wouldn't be very affectionate towards her.

Lü Fu still solemnly led his family in performing the four bows. King Jing could treat them as relatives, but they could not truly treat King Jing as a relative or junior.

The children of the Lü family didn't dare to look at Zhu Zaizhen, their eyes instead fixed on the Imperial Guards and the secret police who had suddenly appeared around them.

The group entered the main hall, and Zhu Zaizhen was invited to sit in the main seat. Only then did Madam Lu formally introduce her children to her nephew.

The Lü family had a rich history and strict family rules. In addition, Lü Fu hoped that his children and grandchildren would restore the family's prestige, so his children were all very well-behaved and dignified.

Especially the eldest son, Lü Jin, who was sixteen or seventeen years old, had a handsome and refined appearance. When he stepped forward to pay his respects, his steps were steady and his voice was clear and bright, without the slightest hint of stage fright.

Zhu Zaizhen couldn't help but take another look. He noticed that although the boy had his head down, his back was ramrod straight, and his demeanor already showed signs of maturity beyond his years. With a little training, he would be useful anywhere.

Zhu Zaizhen couldn't really rely entirely on Yan Shifan, and Yan Shifan wasn't exactly reliable either; what he wanted was to use someone else's resources to his advantage.

Taking advantage of the power held by Yan's faction, he promoted his own people. Only when those people gradually rose to prominence and established themselves in the Six Ministries, the Nine Ministers, and the border towns did he truly have cards to play.

Lu Jin, standing before them, was undoubtedly a good start: he was highly qualified, had a clean background, and was also a relative.

"Have you passed the imperial examinations?"

"Your Highness, I just passed the imperial examination and became a scholar."

Zhu Zaizhen offered a few words of encouragement. He wanted to get closer to them, but apart from his aunt, everyone else was very reserved and respectful, so he didn't say much.

After sitting for a while, the Lü family accompanied him on a tour of the mansion. Zhu Zaizhen seemed to be doing alright. When they arrived at the study, Lü Fu said that there was a rare Tang Dynasty book that he wanted to present.

In reality, it meant that they wanted to say something privately, and everyone naturally understood.

So only the two of them and Ma Dezhao remained in the study. Lü Fu actually took out a rare copy of the Diamond Sutra, written in regular script by Cheng Daibin.

It was a family heirloom of the Lü family, but at this time, it was just a superficial facade.

Lu Fu handed the rare copy to Ma Dezhao, then said to Zhu Zaizhen, "Although I hold a lowly position, I have some connections within the Military Affairs Bureau and can do things for Your Highness."

Originally, the ancestral bond had been almost exhausted, but from the moment the prince came to his home, a stream of fresh water was introduced into the quagmire that was nothing short of a battlefield, and everything changed.

…………