Ming Dynasty: Charge, Emperor Yongle!

Chapter 100 Imperial Prison Strategy, Wang Baobao: I am willing to be a loyal subject of His Highness Prince Yan!

"Haven't you already taken command of the Embroidered Uniform Guard for Emperor Zhu?"

Hai Bie blurted out, his bright eyes looking at Zhu Di with a worried expression on his face.

The marriage between the two was arranged on the day Zhu Di returned from his campaign, and they were bound together for life, sharing both glory and misfortune.

"ha!"

Zhu Di glanced at Hai Bie, shook his head, and said nothing more.

Wang Baobao and Wang Yuemin understood him well. Doing dirty and tiring work for the emperor did not mean that he was the emperor's most trusted person.

If Zhu Di had not been the emperor's son, he would have been discarded like a used tool.

"What do you want me to do?"

Wang Baobao asked directly.

"I want the north-facing house to take a break for a while and disappear from everyone's sight."

"The south-facing room will be handed over to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, to be used as their secret agents."

"When I hand over the Embroidered Uniform Guard completely, people will gradually forget about the former scouts."

"During this period, Hai Bie will need to learn the ways of the scouts and start managing the internal affairs of the Prince of Yan's residence."

"The Dongyou I brought back from the northern deserts are all stored in Beiping. I recommended Chen Heng, the Beiping Commander, to be the Hebei Assistant Commander, and I will also recommend Wang Guangyang to be the Hebei Governor. They will surely remember my kindness and turn a blind eye to everything the Prince of Yan's mansion does."

"Wang Guangyang, Right Chancellor!"

Wang Yuemin couldn't help but cry out.

The Right Chancellor of the Central Secretariat of the Ming Dynasty, a first-rank official second only to the emperor, actually needed the Prince of Yan to recommend him for a post as a regional governor. What could have happened? Surely he couldn't have been involved in a treasonous crime.

"Was Emperor Zhu going to heavily rely on Hu Weiyong and abandon the literati of eastern Zhejiang?"

Wang Baobao frowned, and suddenly realized the key point.

"That's not the case."

Zhu Di solemnly said, "After this incident, all the imperial edicts of merit in Huaixi will be revoked."

What?

This news shocked Wang Yuemin and her niece Hai Bie once again, and the two women were instantly stunned.

"What courage!"

Wang Baobao couldn't help but sigh, "Emperor Zhu's skill and boldness are beyond the reach of ordinary people."

Apart from Kublai Khan, no emperor in the history of the Yuan Dynasty could compare to him. No wonder the Ming Dynasty was able to sweep away the Northern Yuan so easily.

Only five years after the founding of the dynasty, the emperor took action against Xun Gui, who had broken the law and violated discipline. This was an action taken within the army. No other emperor would have had the courage to do this. Only Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bang dared to do so, because they were both founding emperors who truly rose from humble beginnings.

Zhu Yuanzhang's actions were in no way inferior to Liu Bang's dealings with a group of feudal lords and even Han Xin, the Marquis of Huaiyin.

Thinking of this, Wang Baobao glanced at Zhu Di a few more times, probably because part of Zhu Yuanzhang's confidence came from the young Prince of Yan in front of him.

The border troops behind Zhu Di were powerful enough to suppress the military power in Huaixi. The soldiers all regarded Zhu Di as a reincarnation of Huo Qubing, and the title of Grand General Wang was far more famous than that of the Ming Emperor.

"Emperor Zhu has revoked the imperial edict, so naturally he needs to appease the nobles of Huaixi."

"So, you're the biggest scapegoat?"

Wang Yuemin, having grasped the key point, spoke up.

"Um."

Nodding slightly, Zhu Di couldn't help but look at his "second sister-in-law" with newfound respect.

Since ancient times, using one's beauty to please others has been the lowest form of trickery. Throughout history, from Empress Lü of the Western Han Dynasty, Empress Deng Sui of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Empress Feng of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Empress Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty, to Empress Xiao of the Liao Dynasty, none of them were not strong women whose wisdom and skills were no less than those of men.

Zhu Zhenzhen was truly blind; compared to the Qin King's principal wife, Consort Deng, the concubine of the Prince of Qin was nothing but a pretty face.

If Zhu could win Wang Yuemin's heart and take the southern branch of the scouts into his service, she would likely become his strongest rival on his path to the throne.

"Emperor Zhu wanted to restructure the Ming Dynasty court and the local government."

"right."

Meeting Wang Baobao's gaze, Zhu Di said frankly, "There are sixteen provinces and twenty-five directly governed prefectures. Each province has a governor and a military commander, with one thousand prefectural soldiers and three hundred county soldiers. The military commanders of each province are in charge of the troops and are directly under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War."

"Except for the Hebei military commander, who was recommended by me, the other fifteen military commanders are all meritorious officials from Huaixi."

"Moreover, the Ming Dynasty established the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, who was in charge of the inland rivers and lakes and commanded 3,000 canal soldiers. There was also the Nanjing Navy, which commanded 30,000 water soldiers. Yingtian Prefecture had the Yingtian Assistant General, who was in charge of 12,000 Yingtian Prefecture soldiers. All these positions were in the hands of the powerful and influential people of Huaixi."

"The Emperor decided to appoint Hu Weiyong as the Right Chancellor of the Secretariat, to jointly govern the government with Li Shanchang."

"Liu Bowen was reinstated as the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, a position equivalent to the Ministers of the Six Ministries."

"The Imperial Guards appointed their own sons and cronies as generals, while the capital army was led by rising stars from Huaixi, with Lan Yu standing out from the crowd."

Blue Jade!

Upon hearing this name, Hai Bie's face was filled with hatred, while Wang Baobao and Wang Yuemin also revealed murderous intent in their eyes.

If Lan Yu weren't the Crown Princess's maternal uncle, they would have ordered the scouts to assassinate him long ago; why wait until today?

"Father-in-law."

"Lan Yu and I have an indelible grudge."

"He was the most trusted military general of the eldest brother, and one of the core members of the team that the old man prepared for the eldest brother."

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"Although he was unruly and rebellious, he had mastered the essence of the late Prince Kaiping in military strategy and was even more outstanding than his master."

"Among the rising stars in the army, Lan Yu's military skills are the most outstanding."

"The meritorious officials of Huaixi were sent down to local areas as generals. The Six Ministries were directly under the Central Secretariat, which was tantamount to forming a large network from the imperial court to the local areas."

"It's just that military power has been concentrated in the old man's hands again, with the Imperial Guard, the Capital Army, and the local garrison troops of the directly governed prefectures checking and balancing each other."

"On the surface, the Huaixi faction seems to be more rampant, but in reality, it would be as easy for the old man to crush them."

Zhu Di said meaningfully.

That makes sense.

Wang Baobao strongly agreed with his view, believing that Zhu Yuanzhang had already surpassed all previous dynasties in his mastery of imperial tactics.

Using this incident as a cover, Zhu Biao quietly seized the military power of Xun Gui of Huaixi. The rising stars of Huaixi would all flock around Zhu Biao. Lan Yu was not one to submit to anyone, so how could he listen to the wishes of Li Shanchang and Hu Weiyong? Huaixi was essentially divided in two.

The local prefectural and county troops probably couldn't even defeat the garrison troops of the directly governed prefectures, who were constantly fighting and confronting ethnic groups such as the Western Barbarians and the Miao people, let alone fight against the capital army, the imperial guards, and the border troops.

If the nobles of Huaixi were to rebel, the garrisons and guard posts of the directly governed prefectures and garrisons in each province would immediately extinguish the flames of rebellion, and the capital's troops could be dispatched to the local areas at any time to suppress the rebellion.

"The Ming Dynasty had a shrewd and capable crown prince."

"You, the Great General, are undoubtedly the biggest obstacle to the Crown Prince's succession to the throne."

"You single-handedly built up the northern desert and the northern court, and you also hold the position of the Grand Protector of the southern desert. This means that the 168000 most valiant border troops of the Ming Dynasty are all under your influence. Without this protective shield, how could Emperor Zhu have allowed you to take charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

"I think the reason he put you in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was to use time to weaken your influence over the border troops."

"According to the rules of your Great Ming Dynasty, men marry at the age of 16, and princes will not be enfeoffed for at least a year."

"At present, it seems that the King of Qin and the King of Jin may take up their fiefs first, or they may take up their fiefs together with you."

"Then it will be at least three years from now, and a lot can happen in three years."

"Marquis Tang He of Zhongshan and Marquis Mu Ying of Xiping may both be transferred back to the capital."

"By then, your control over the northern deserts and Beiting will have plummeted, and Emperor Zhu will naturally not care to release you to your fiefdom in Beiping in order to resolve the threat from Liaodong."

The side that Wang Yuemin was showing at this moment was that of Princess Beiyuan, the younger sister of Prince Qi, Wang Baobao, whom she had never acted out in the Qin Prince's mansion, Minmin Temur.

Wang Baobao looked at Wang Yuemin with heartache and guilt in his eyes. His sister was originally the most dazzling pearl of the Boyetai family, but because she married the second son of Emperor Zhu, she became so delicate and unsmiling.

Hai Bie looked at his aunt, whom he hadn't seen for many years, with newfound respect. Such a shrewd and resourceful woman had never appeared on the grasslands before.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

Zhu Di couldn't help but applaud and cheer. Wang Yuemin, relying on his own speculation, pieced together the answer that was closest to the truth from the limited and fragmented information.

In Zhu Yuanzhang's plan, Tang He and Mu Ying were both important candidates to be transferred away from the north. Tang He would replace Xu Da and become his most trusted sworn brother. Mu Ying was the elder brother personally acknowledged by Crown Prince Zhu Biao and was also Zhu Yuanzhang's most trusted adopted son, so naturally he would be arranged to be stationed in a certain region.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Marquis Mu Ying of Xiping will be assigned by Zhu Yuanzhang to guard Yunnan, in accordance with the original historical account, to expand the western frontier of the Ming Dynasty.

"Father-in-law."

"You need to be mentally prepared."

"Like the Duke of Wei and my eldest cousin, the old man will keep you in the capital and you will not be able to lead troops."

Zhu Di gave Wang Baobao a deep look and said in a deep voice.

After the Zhu Wenzheng incident, Zhu Yuanzhang was no less wary of his own family than of outsiders. Xu Da and Wang Baobao were both Zhu Di's fathers-in-law. The former was the pillar of the Ming Dynasty army, and the latter was the savior of the Northern Yuan.

Li Wenzhong is only 33 years old this year, just 15 years older than Crown Prince Zhu Biao. He was raised by Zhu Yuanzhang and once changed his surname to Zhu.

The influence of the three men in the army had seriously threatened the rule of the imperial power. With only Liaodong Nahachu left in the northern frontier, Zhu Yuanzhang could naturally choose to abandon the three men, keeping them in a high position, in charge of the Grand General's Office, but without real power to lead troops into battle.

"I know."

Wang Baobao understood perfectly; he had anticipated this.

brush!!!"

Zhu Di reacted swiftly, grabbing Wang Baobao's left hand with one hand and then switching to his right.

"Your Highness, Prince Yan."

Wang Baobao was somewhat bewildered by his actions.

Wang Yuemin and Hai Bie were completely baffled; what was going on?

"Father-in-law."

"There is a chill lingering in your body, like a maggot clinging to your bone."

"Insufficient kidney essence, excessive worry."

"Those chronic illnesses left over from battles are not a major problem."

"These are the two main points. If you don't take care of yourself in time, you'll only live for three years at most."

Zhu Di shook his head, his brows furrowed. In the original history, Wang Baobao died in 1375, and now it was the end of 1372.

"What?"

Hai Bie's expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly pleaded, "Please, Your Highness Prince Yan, save my father."

Wang Yuemin also discerned from Zhu Di's behavior that this Prince of Yan of the Ming Dynasty possessed extraordinary medical skills, and pleaded, "I beg Your Highness Prince of Yan to lend a hand, and I will repay your great kindness with my life."

"Father-in-law, please bear with it."

Zhu Di's eyes narrowed, and with two fingers like swords, he repeatedly pressed on Wang Baobao's acupoints, injecting bursts of energy.

Wang Baobao felt as if small snakes were surging all over his body, causing unbearable itching, until all his strength gathered into one and surged up to his throat.

"puff!!!"

In an instant, Wang Baobao spat out a mouthful of purplish-black bloody phlegm, and a foul stench filled the air.

He felt much more relaxed, and his face regained its color, which shows the importance of Zhu Di's move.

"The coldness in my father-in-law's body has been removed, and the blockages in his meridians caused by his chronic illness have also been cleared."

"I will prescribe another dose of medicine to strengthen the kidneys and regulate the body. Take it for three months, and you will be fine."

"However, you must not touch women during these three months."

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Zhu Di beckoned, and the guards immediately presented him with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Hai Bie intended to grind ink for him, but Wang Yuemin took the initiative and watched him write the prescription first.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

The two women's worries gradually dissipated, and they quickly bowed to express their gratitude.

"Your Highness, Prince Yan."

"Will I be able to have more children?"

A look of anticipation appeared on Wang Baobao's face.

"sure."

Zhu Di replied with a smile, "Wang Baobao is not even 45 years old this year. Some men can still have children at 6 or 70. What's so special about this?"

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Wang Baobao's face lit up with joy, and he quickly bowed.

If he hadn't surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, whether he had descendants or not wouldn't matter. But now he is the Duke of Yuan of the Ming Dynasty, and his daughter Haibie is a concubine of the Prince of Yan. If he has no children, how will he inherit the title of Duke of Yuan? After he passes away, his daughter will be all alone in the Prince of Yan's mansion, with no one to rely on.

Now that he had received a definite answer from Zhu Di, he was finally relieved of one of his worries.

"Father-in-law, you don't need to be so polite."

"We are all family. In the future, I will still have the opportunity to rely on my father-in-law."

Zhu Di said with a sincere expression.

Given Wang Baobao's age, after recuperation, he could live to at least 70, and it's not impossible that we'll see him ascend to the throne.

By then, Wang Baobao's military strategies would be a treasure of the Ming Dynasty. Unlike Zhu Yuanzhang, who feared Xu Da, Wang Baobao, and Li Wenzhong and kept them on a pedestal, he dared not act rashly.

Ultimately, the training of military officers in the Ming Dynasty had to fall into the hands of these veteran generals, thus creating a modern military system.

"well."

Wang Baobao finally truly accepted Zhu Di as his son-in-law, and Hai Bie's shyness grew even stronger.

"While Hai is here, I will teach her everything I know."

"And Ulan Tuya helped her take over the scout headquarters."

Wang Yuemin immediately expressed his opinion.

"She's still young and doesn't understand many things, unlike you who are so thoughtful."

"Your life only truly begins after you leave the Prince of Qin's mansion; the Embroidered Uniform Guard is merely a temporary stop."

"With your father-in-law and me by your side, this old man will not keep you here until you die."

"After all, the imperial court will announce the news of the sudden death of Princess Qin early tomorrow morning."

Zhu Di did not give Wang Yuemin a direct promise, but only gave some vague words.

Even so, the flame that had been extinguished in Wang Yuemin's heart was rekindled, and she nodded slightly, saying gratefully, "Thank you, Your Highness."

"It's getting late, Father-in-law, it's not appropriate for me to stay here any longer. I must also go to the palace for a banquet."

"If there is anything you need, tell Hai to tell Zhang Wu that the guards inside the courtyard are all my personal guards."

Zhu Di continued.

"Yes."

Wang Baobao bid farewell to Hai Bie and Wang Yuemin, and then left the Embroidered Uniform Guard office. Zhu Di rode his horse into the palace to attend the banquet.