Ming Dynasty: Charge, Emperor Yongle!

On the fifteenth day of the tenth month of the fifth year of the Hongwu reign (1386), at the Qianqing Palace.

"hehe!"

Zhu Yuanzhang held the military report sent from Beiting via express courier, and he was so angry he laughed.

"Father."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao stood at the lower end, holding another memorial that he had not yet presented.

"Establish the Northern Desert Protectorate and the Northern Court Protectorate."

"The Eastern Route Army and the Central Route Army remained in the northern desert, while the Western Route Army remained in Beiting."

"My 150,000 elite troops have been wasted by the fourth prince."

"He's even doing my work."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved the military report in his hand, his face filled with barely concealed anger.

The entire Northern Expeditionary Army, which the Ming Dynasty had drawn from various garrisons in the north to form, remained in the northern deserts and Beiting. This meant that the Ming Dynasty would be unable to assemble an army of more than 100,000 men for large-scale military operations for at least five years.

Originally, Zhu Yuanzhang planned to conquer the northern deserts before attacking Liaodong. Now, how could he deal with Nahachu in Liaodong?

"Father, please calm your anger."

Zhu Biao frowned deeply; Zhu Yuanzhang's words were extremely serious.

"Calm down? How can I calm down?"

"This brat has learned to act first and report later, what kind of general can disobey the emperor's orders when in power?"

"Is he a general? He's the emperor's son. He didn't do a single thing his father told him to do, but he did everything his father forbade him to do."

"I won't even mention the raid on the northern desert and the destruction of the Northern Yuan. This time, he personally risked his life again. What, does he think he's a god descended to earth, invulnerable to swords and spears?"

"Does our Great Ming Dynasty have no generals besides Prince Yan, Zhu Di, who can lead troops on the battlefield?"

As Zhu Yuanzhang brought up these matters, his anger surged even higher, and he continued to ramble on, completely unaware of Empress Ma's arrival.

"Mother Empress."

Crown Prince Zhu Biao quickly bowed.

"You may all step back."

Empress Ma flicked her sleeve, and her gentle voice reached the ears of all the eunuchs and palace servants.

"Yes."

The eunuchs and palace maids all left.

"Woman"

"Why are you here?"

Zhu Yuanzhang restrained his temper, frowned, and asked in surprise.

"If I hadn't come, how would I have known that you, Zhu Chongba, were here to turn the tables on me?"

Empress Ma glared at her and said coldly, "How was the northern desert pacified? If it weren't for the fourth prince risking his life to conquer Karakorum and capture the Northern Yuan emperor, the Ming Dynasty would probably still have to launch northern expeditions day after day and year after year, wasting countless military and civilian resources."

"You sent so many letters to Wang Baobao, but he didn't even glance at them. It was only the fourth brother who personally went to subdue Wang Baobao."

"The Western Route Army did so much in Hexi that the people were full of complaints, and it was your son who stepped in to clean up the mess."

"With 100,000 Mongol troops stationed in Beiting, if we don't defeat them, will the northwest of the Ming Dynasty be constantly threatened?"

"Now you're saying that the fourth brother is disobedient, and that the fourth brother is like this and that."

"I'm asking you, as a father, aren't you ashamed to expect your son to clean up his mess?"

"Wife, we..."

Zhu Yuanzhang was speechless after being rebuked, and for a long time he couldn't utter a complete sentence. He could only look at Zhu Biao and change the subject.

"Boss."

What are you holding in your hand?

"father."

Zhu Biao hurriedly presented the memorial: "This is a memorial of apology from Duke Feng Sheng of Song, Marquis Fu Youde of Yingchuan, and others."

"Memorial to Plead Guilty"

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't even glance at it, simply tossing the memorial aside. Why didn't he do this sooner?

"father."

"The Secretariat recently submitted a memorial praising achievements."

"Hu Weiyong said that Zhu Liangzu, the Marquis of Yongjia, was sent to govern Guangdong. He mobilized 30,000 soldiers and civilians to expand the northern city of Guangdong and made meritorious contributions to pacifying the region. He wanted him to return."

Zhu Biao then added a piece of information.

"snort!!!"

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, his face unfriendly, and said: "In September, the magistrate of Panyu County submitted a memorial stating that Zhu Liangzu had committed many illegal acts in Guangdong."

"In Panyu County (present-day Guangzhou, Guangdong), landlords bullied and monopolized the market. If the people did not comply, they would be falsely accused and imprisoned."

"Dao Tong arrested them one by one and paraded them through the streets in shackles. These people bribed Zhu Liangzu and asked him to intercede on their behalf."

"If Daotong refuses, Zhu Liangzu will send men to break the shackles and release these landlords, and will also find an opportunity to whip Daotong."

"No matter how low the magistrate of Panyu is, he is still my official. He is not just disrespecting Dao Tong, but disrespecting me."

"I have also heard that he has taken a concubine in Guangdong, who is the daughter of the local gentry Luo family. The Luo family, relying on his power, has committed all sorts of evil deeds in the area."

"When Hu Weiyong says Zhu Liangzu has made contributions, are those contributions to the Ming Dynasty or to Huaixi?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Qianqing Palace fell into silence.

"Father."

"The magistrate of Panyu County, Dao Tong, was not influenced by the powerful and wealthy, and he enforced the law strictly."

"Your subject believes that he should be rewarded."

Zhu Biao spoke directly.

"Imperial decree: The magistrate of Panyu County has been diligent and conscientious in his duties and has governed with integrity. He is hereby promoted to Chief Secretary of the Northern Protectorate, a third-rank official."

"Zhou Wenxiang, the Vice Prefect of Hangzhou, was honest and decisive, and had a number of achievements. He was promoted to Chief Secretary of the Beiting Protectorate."

"Yes."

Zhu Biao's expression changed slightly, and he replied.

One of these two men had an irreconcilable feud with Zhu Liangzu, while the other was from Huaidong and had a long-standing feud with Huaixi.

Zhu Yuanzhang's decision to send the two of them to serve as chief secretaries in the northern deserts and Beiting was quite telling.

"Didn't Hu Weiyong want Zhu Liangzu to return to Beijing?"

"Then transfer him back, select someone from the capital to be sent down to Panyu, confiscate the property of those wicked gentry, and exile them to Beiting to serve in the army."

Zhu Yuanzhang's gaze was deep and unfathomable.

"My son understands."

Zhu Biao nodded and secretly made a mental note of it.

"Jupachi."

"What are your plans regarding Tang He and Wen Ying?"

"Since the fourth brother chose them, it means they are the most suitable candidates."

Empress Ma mentioned the officials of the Northern Protectorate and the Northern Protectorate.

"Woman"

Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and solemnly said, "Tang He is experienced enough, and he fought a brilliant battle."

"When asked to cooperate with the fourth brother, he actually listened and directly wiped out the remaining Yuan forces in the northern desert, supervised the construction of cities, arranged for military farming, and distributed grasslands equally."

"That's exactly why I can't promote him to a higher rank. Once he becomes a duke, he won't be suitable to govern a region from the outside."

"As for Wenying, it is no longer appropriate for him to continue as a member of the imperial clan. He should be promoted to a marquisate and given the title: Xiping."

"Gu Cheng, the Deputy Protector-General of the Northern Frontier, has distinguished himself in numerous battles over the years. He is hereby granted the title of Earl and the honorary title of Jiangdu."

"Nairbuhua was a surrendered general who made great contributions to the pacification of the northern deserts and the northern court. He was granted the title of Marquis and the official name: Suining."

Where is Wang Baobao?

Empress Ma pressed further, "He is not only the Prince of Northern Qi, but also the elder brother of the Princess Consort of Qin."

"If he hadn't surrendered this time, the northern deserts and the northern court would probably not have been so easily pacified."

"Moreover, his surrender will deal an unspeakable blow to those remnants of the Yuan dynasty."

"After this battle, neither Wang Baobao nor Tiande is fit to lead troops."

Zhu Yuanzhang met Empress Ma's phoenix eyes and said.