Ming Dynasty: Charge, Emperor Yongle!

The Lan residence, within the inner city of the capital.

"It's just that we killed a few more Yuan people."

"What's so great about it?"

"To dismiss me from my post and relieve me of my duties is an outrageous act."

"Ouch!"

In her anger, Lan Yu aggravated her wound and shuddered.

"Master! Master!"

The maidservant serving nearby was so frightened that she was completely at a loss.

"You won't die, all of you get out of here."

Lan Yu shouted angrily, and the maids around her all left the room.

Hu Weiyong put down his teacup and said calmly, "General, please be careful with your words. The old prime minister intervened repeatedly and finally managed to protect you."

"With the Prince of Yan returning victorious, Wang Baobao will likely also come to Yingtian Prefecture."

"At this critical juncture, we must not create any unnecessary complications."

"Expand your territory, humph!"

Lan Yu snorted coldly, completely disregarding Wang Baobao.

"The Marquis of Zhongshan remained in the northern desert, while General Mu Ying stayed in Beiting."

"The 150,000 elite troops of the northern expedition have all remained in the region; His Majesty's intentions are perfectly clear."

"The Prince of Yan was not only a member of the royal family, but also a general who led troops into battle, achieving great military exploits and being honored with the title of 'Feng Lang Ju Xu'."

"The situation with the Duke of Song and the Marquis of Yingchuan is still unresolved, and the Western Route Army has gone too far this time."

"The general is both the brother-in-law of Commander Chang and the maternal uncle of the Crown Princess. When he is about to be reinstated, there is no need to rush."

Hu Weiyong earnestly advised him.

Lan Yu was a rising star among the nobles of Huaixi. He was only 32 years old this year and a staunch supporter of the Crown Prince. Zhu Yuanzhang intended to cultivate him as a wingman for the Crown Prince. His status among military generals was extraordinary. If an ordinary person committed such a serious crime, he would have been beheaded long ago. However, Lan Yu was only stripped of his military post.

"The Prince of Yan is nothing but a greenhorn."

"Blind cat stumbles upon a dead mouse and gains so many military achievements."

"If we hadn't crushed Koko's main force, how could he have conquered Karakorum?"

"If it weren't for the Duke of Song's efforts, the Yuan people would have been routed and lost their armor. They wouldn't have had a chance to come and take advantage of the situation."

When Zhu Di was mentioned, Lan Yu looked at him with sarcasm and disdain, thinking that this fourth son of the emperor was an opportunist.

"Please rest well, General. I'll take my leave now."

Hu Weiyong got up and walked outside. The middle-aged man waiting in front of the Lan residence immediately went to greet him: "Prime Minister Hu."

"Return to the residence."

Hu Weiyong waved his hand, stepped onto a low stool, and entered the carriage, with the middle-aged man following closely behind.

"Respectfully seeing off Prime Minister Hu."

The gatekeepers and servants of the Lan family watched the carriage gradually disappear into the distance.

"Lan Yu is too arrogant."

"Such a mindset cannot last long."

"I'm afraid His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince will have a negative opinion of him."

Hu Weiyong sat inside the carriage and sighed.

After Chang Yuchun's death, Lan Yu, the Crown Princess's maternal uncle, became the direct liaison between Huai Xi Xun Gui and the Eastern Palace.

They had created countless opportunities for Lan Yu, but Lan Yu was so unrestrained and arrogant that he squandered all those chances. Otherwise, this northern expedition would have at least earned him a count's title and placed him among the most distinguished nobles.

"Prime Minister Hu"

"Is General Lan Yu going to be sidelined?"

The middle-aged man asked cautiously.

"It's not that bad."

Hu Weiyong shook his head and said with certainty, "His Highness the Crown Prince is only 18 years old. Most of the nobles and military generals in the court are in their 4s or 50s. Only Lan Yu is 32 years old, which is the prime of his life. If we don't use him, one of our own, who else can we use as a general?"

"Bullying the Princess Consort of Beiyuan Qi may seem like a heinous crime, but in reality it's nothing serious."

"It just so happened that Lan Yu ran right into the King of Yan's trap, and the King of Yan just happened to have subdued Wang Baobao."

"Even so, Wang Baobao, a surrendered general, is powerless in the court. How could he possibly do anything to Lan Yu?"

"In order to appease Wang Baobao and other former Northern Yuan troops, Your Majesty will have to severely punish Lan Yu, and he will inevitably suffer physical pain."

"I see!"

The middle-aged man suddenly realized.

"The old prime minister is still in Fengyang overseeing the construction of Zhongdu, and is instructing me to look after all matters of the court and the meritorious officials of Huaixi."

"The imperial edict summoning the Marquis of Yongjia back to the capital has been issued. Go and report to the Marquis of Yongjia's residence, and instruct Zhu Liangzu to come to see me as soon as he returns to the capital."

"Also, tell the nobles in the capital to behave themselves and not to offend His Majesty."

Hu Weiyong gave instructions one by one.

"Yes."

The middle-aged man immediately wrote it down.

..................

Shaanxi, on the Guanzhong Road.

"Da da da! Da da da!"

A group of figures galloped on horseback, dressed in black, with long swords at their waists, stirring up a cloud of dust along the way.

"Whoa!"

Suddenly, Zhu Di tightened the reins, bringing the galloping warhorse to a halt.

"Your Highness."

A guard rode up and reported, "The Duke of Cao has dispatched Li Jinglong, the Vice Commander of the Right Battalion of the Eastern Route Army, to welcome Your Highness."

Jiujiang.

Zhu Di's eyes lit up, and he asked in surprise, "Where is he now?"

"Return to your highness."

Commander Li is waiting in Xi'an.

The guard added.

"it is good."

"The entire army must accelerate and reach Xi'an before sunset."

Zhu Di had a great fondness for his nephew Li Jinglong, who was only three years older than him. The two had grown up playing together since childhood, and Zhu Di wished he could fly over to him immediately.

"Giddy up! Giddy up! Giddy up!"

Hundreds of guards escorted Zhu Di as he sped along the official road.

Xi'an Prefecture was originally Fengyuan Road established by the Yuan Dynasty. It governed Xi'an City, Xianyang City, Tongchuan City, Weinan City, and Shangluo City, covering almost the entire Guanzhong Plain. The Ming Dynasty recovered it in March of the second year of Hongwu (1369) and named it Xi'an, meaning to stabilize the west.

At that time, Xi'an had a population of less than 50,000 and was in ruins. Mu Ying was ordered by Zhu Yuanzhang to oversee the reconstruction and expansion, and gradually restored it to the appearance of the largest city in the Northwest. The city wall alone had a circumference of 13.74 kilometers and was equipped with Changle Gate, Anding Gate, Yongning Gate and Anyuan Gate.

Moreover, the Qin King's Palace was being built in the northeast corner of the city, forming a city within a city.

In just three years, this great city had 50,000 households and nearly 300,000 people under its jurisdiction. Countless fertile fields were reclaimed in the Guanzhong Plain, and it had become the most important tax-generating area for the Ming Dynasty in the northwest.

As Zhu Di and his entourage passed through, they saw a thriving and prosperous scene everywhere they went, which made them feel very gratified.

"Father has chosen a good place for Second Brother."

Looking around, Zhu Di couldn't help but make a joke.

King Zhu Shuang of Qin, a simpleton, accidentally obtained the best fiefdom: the fertile Guanzhong Plain, stretching for eight hundred li, a place where tigers crouch and dragons coil.

If he had been the Prince of Qin, why would the Jingnan Campaign have been fought so brutally, almost resulting in the fall of Beiping? With the Guanzhong Plain secured by four strategic passes, the conquest of Hexi, the acquisition of Bashu, the Hetao region, and the advance into the Central Plains, Zhu Yunwen would not have dared to rebel even if he had ten lives.

"Your Highness."

"Beiping was the former capital of the Yuan Dynasty, how could it be compared to Xi'an or Taiyuan?"

"When you take up your fiefdom in the future, the Mongol tribes of the northern, southern, and Liaodong regions will surely flock to you. Why envy His Highness Prince Qin?"

"The head of the guards, Zhang Wu, said loudly."

"Hahaha."

"drive!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di burst into laughter and spurred his horse forward.

Xi'an and Taiyuan are things of the past; Beiping is the true birthplace of the Chinese imperial family.