Ming Dynasty: Charge, Emperor Yongle!

Inside the Kunning Palace.

The Crown Prince's principal wife, Lady Chang, the Prince of Qin's principal wife, Wang Yuemin, and the betrothed Prince of Yan's principal wife, Xu Miaoyun, and Prince of Jin's principal wife, Xie Jin, sat at the lower end of the table.

Empress Ma looked at her daughters-in-law with a kind expression and said, "From now on, we are all family. We should support each other and let bygones be bygones."

"Yes, Mother."

The Chang family was the first to express their opinion.

"Yes."

Wang Yuemin spoke up immediately afterward, a hint of hidden resentment flashing in her eyes.

She knew very well that today's meeting was specially arranged by Empress Ma to appease her and Crown Princess Chang. Lan Yu was Crown Princess Chang's maternal uncle, and he was shot in the abdomen by his own niece with a musket, almost losing his life.

From the Ming Dynasty's perspective, it was impossible to punish Lan Yu. But from her perspective, Lan Yu had bullied her sister-in-law and deserved to die.

"Yes."

Xu Miaoyun and Xie Jin exchanged a glance and finally responded.

Just then, a commotion came from outside the hall, which caught the attention of the women.

"Jin'er".

"Go and see what's happening outside. Why is it so noisy?"

Empress Ma waved her hand and said gently.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Jin'er, the personal maid, hurriedly left with small, quick steps.

A short while later, she reappeared before everyone's eyes, her face beaming with joy, and exclaimed loudly, "Your Majesty, it was the scouts sent by the Duke of Wei who sent an 800-mile-long proclamation announcing their victory; the news has spread throughout Yingtian Prefecture."

"father!"

Xu Miaoyun's beautiful eyes lit up, and she quickly looked at Jin'er.

Wang Yuemin also glanced sideways. Duke Xu Da of Wei had issued a proclamation announcing his victory over 800 li. Could it be that something had happened to her brother?

"Lubu reports victory, but is there news from the northern deserts?"

Empress Ma immediately realized the key to it.

Jin'er replied, "Your Majesty, it was His Highness the Prince of Yan who raided the northern desert, captured Karakorum, and took the Northern Yuan Emperor prisoner."

What?

The entire Kunning Palace fell silent suddenly, and everyone's face showed an expression of disbelief.

"Mother, my fourth brother has rendered such great service; he is truly a pillar of our Ming Dynasty."

"Your Majesty, I congratulate the Great Ming Dynasty and my fourth brother!"

Crown Princess Chang was the first to react. She immediately spoke up, turning to Xu Miaoyun with a radiant smile, "Congratulations, Sister Miaoyun!"

Congratulations, Miaoyun!

Princess Wang Yuemin of Qin forced a smile.

Xie Jin's eyes flickered with something unusual, but he feigned generosity and congratulated her, saying, "Congratulations, Sister Miaoyun."

Prince Jin, Zhu Gang, who should have been the most outstanding among His Majesty's sons, received nothing. Instead, it was the younger Prince Yan, Zhu Di, who made such great contributions. Her father was only the Vice Commander-in-Chief, the Left Secretary of Prince Jin, the Prefect, and concurrently the Commander of the Taiyuan Garrison. Xu Miaoyun's father was Xu Da, the Duke of Wei of the Ming Dynasty.

The stark contrast between the two situations truly fueled the jealousy and resentment in the heart of the soon-to-be-married Princess Consort of Jin.

"Thank you, sisters."

Xu Miaoyun responded to the girls with grace and poise.

Although she was surprised by the achievements of Prince Yan, Zhu Di, she did not show it to others, always maintaining a calm and composed demeanor.

"good!"

Empress Ma noticed the changes in each of her daughters-in-law's expressions, and was most satisfied with Xu Miaoyun.

"Woman!"

"Hey, wife, I'm saying..."

Zhu Yuanzhang swaggered in from outside the palace, about to speak, but upon seeing his daughters-in-law beside him, he instantly fell silent.

"Father!"

Chang Shi, Wang Yuemin, Xie Jin, and Xu Miaoyun hurriedly bowed.

"Everyone is here."

Zhu Yuanzhang's face flushed slightly, and he waved his hand, saying, "Rise."

"Thank you, Father Emperor."

Only then did the women, including Chang, get up.

"It's getting late."

"You guys go back first."

Empress Ma glanced at her daughters-in-law and said warmly.

"Yes."

The women, including Lady Chang, all left Kunning Palace, each with their own thoughts.

"Hey woman, what are you up to?"

"They invited such a large group of people over during the New Year and other holidays."

Zhu Yuanzhang plopped down next to Empress Ma, watching his daughters-in-law leave with an ambiguous look in his eyes.

"The relationship between the eldest son's wife and the second son's wife can't be left unresolved forever."

"In the future, we'll inevitably run into each other, so it's always better to be open and honest with each other."

"Now that the third son's wife and the fourth son's wife are engaged, they will be married into the family in two or three years."

"Their close relationship with their sister-in-law enabled the Crown Prince, the Prince of Qin, the Prince of Jin, and the Prince of Yan to maintain harmonious relations and work together."

Empress Ma spoke gently, and her every gesture exuded the grace and dignity of an empress.

"You're right."

Zhu Yuanzhang had to praise Empress Ma for her thoughtfulness in this regard.

"Zhu Chongba".

"What happened to the fourth brother?"

Empress Ma's face turned cold, and she stared at Zhu Yuanzhang with hostility, as if she would never let him off the hook if he didn't give her an explanation.

"Woman"

"We...we had no idea that the fourth brother was so bold."

Zhu Yuanzhang said with a wry smile, "I'm afraid the fourth prince acted first and reported later, and even Tiande didn't know. Otherwise, Tiande's report wouldn't have come so late."

"Do you know that before Tiande's report came, the fourth prince sent someone to deliver a great gift to me?"

'???'

Empress Ma glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang with her phoenix eyes, giving him no kind look whatsoever.

"He sent someone to deliver the Imperial Seal of the Northern Yuan to me."

"What do you think that fourth brother is up to?"

"Skip Tiande and send someone directly to Yingtianfu. The messenger will not pass through Yanmen Pass, but through Juyong Pass, and will travel south from Beiping."

"He's afraid those people from Huaixi will cause him trouble."

At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flickered with uncertainty. His own son, a prince of the Ming Dynasty, was so wary of his subjects.

"Zhongba."

Empress Ma said with concern, "Huo Qubing was enfeoffed as a marquis at the age of 18 and sealed the Wolf-Dwelling Mountain at the age of 21."

"How old is the fourth son? He has accomplished what no one before him could."

"First there was Zhu Liangzu, then Lan Yu. Huai Xi was both your old subordinate and a noble of the Ming Dynasty."

"They were already dissatisfied with your decision to enfeoff the nine border kings, and they were unwilling to relinquish their military power."

"What the fourth brother is doing now has undoubtedly trampled on these people's dignity. How can they be willing to speak up for the fourth brother?"

"If you ask me, the fourth brother's concerns are not without merit."

'Thump!'

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in Kunning Palace became tense.

Zhu Yuanzhang's weathered, square face was filled with solemnity as he spoke, "How could we not know the suffering of our fourth son?"

"Bao'er is still a thousand miles away, Tiande needs to keep Wang Baobao occupied."

"Feng Sheng is too self-serving and has always been on good terms with the people of Huaixi."

"I can only send Fu Youde with 5000 elite cavalry to aid Karakorum."

"Deng Yu, Zhou Dexing, and Wu Liang are again dividing their forces to quell the rebellions of various barbarian tribes in Hunan, Guangxi, and other places."

"Where are the capable generals left in the imperial court?"

The Ming Dynasty was established only five years ago, and many places have only nominally submitted to it, such as the various tribes of Tibet and the chieftains of Hunan and Guizhou.

Yunnan was still under the control of the Prince of Liang of the Yuan Dynasty. These local forces repeatedly rebelled and went to war at the slightest disagreement, which greatly troubled the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty is currently waging war simultaneously in the Mongolian Plateau, Liaodong, Hexi Corridor, and the Southwest, incurring enormous expenses and struggling to maintain its operations.