"Biao'er is finally coming back, but three more children are leaving. When will we be able to be reunited in this palace!" Queen Ma sighed in a low voice.
Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a long time and sighed: "Don't talk about it, who made us the supreme leader of the Ninth Five-Year Plan? Sitting in this position, there is no other way, don't you think so?"
Empress Ma also nodded, "That's what I said, the children should get more experience and don't embarrass the old Zhu family. But Biao'er is back, he is almost sixteen, and it's time to arrange the wedding. Later, we have to talk to Chang Guo
Let’s be honest.”
Zhu Yuanzhang thought about it again and again, and finally nodded. In fact, from his point of view, marrying the daughter of the Chang family was just a whim and not a perfect match. But unfortunately, when things got to this point, he had no other choice.
"Get married early and start a career early. While we are in good health and can still raise our grandchildren, if we educate our children well, the Zhu family will last forever!"
Queen Ma smiled secretly and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Even if it lasts for thousands of generations, it can be passed down to several generations or more than a dozen generations. Even if God takes care of it, there has been no prosperity for three hundred years since ancient times. It is too tiring to think too much.
Empress Ma didn't talk nonsense to Lao Zhu. She called Zhu Xi and Zhu Fan in front of her one after another. The two children had also grown up. They were very similar to Zhu Yuanzhang, with a slender figure. As they grew older, they gained a lot of heroic skills.
gas.
"You went to Guanzhong and Shanxi, do you know what to do?"
Zhu Feng said quickly: "I understand, Governor Feng and his friends are marching to the Western Regions. I will just serve as a transport team for them. Then there is land reclamation and trade, and proper troop training."
Empress Ma nodded, "As long as you understand, your father changed Chang'an to Xi'an, and the stability of the western half of the Ming Dynasty will be yours."
Zhu Xi nodded quickly, "I understand, kid!"
Empress Ma looked at Zhu Fan again, and before she could ask questions, Zhu Fan said directly: "Mother, when my son goes to Shanxi, he must immigrate properly and help his second brother to stabilize Guanzhong."
Empress Ma smiled and said: "Are you thinking about it? Are you thinking about asking your second brother to listen to you?"
Zhu Fan blushed, "Mother, I was ignorant when I was a child. It's been several years, how come you still remember it?"
Queen Ma smiled and said, "I will always remember it!"
While speaking, she took out two envelopes from her arms and handed them to her two sons respectively.
The two children subconsciously wanted to watch, but Queen Ma waved her hand.
"Let's wait until we get out of the capital to discuss it. It's my mother's private money for you."
The two boys were moved in their hearts, so they quickly put it away, knelt down together, and kowtowed.
Turning around, the two princes went down. Finally it was Zhu Di's turn.
Due to the difference in age, the second and third eldest children already have the appearance of a young man. Although Zhu Di is not short, he is still a little short, and he is also more naughty. After coming in, he looked around to see if there was anyone hiding.
... Empress Ma saw this and couldn't help but laugh.
"You are such a bastard, you are so anxious. You have to go to Peking now, why don't you wait a few years?"
Zhu Di had a smile on his face, "Mother, please go there as soon as possible, expand the territory as soon as possible, make money as soon as possible, so that I can honor you and my father!"
Empress Ma chuckled, "It's difficult for you to be filial. But you are still young, so you can't rush to lead the army. I have told Zhu Wenzheng and Li Wenzhong to watch you! Among these children, you are the least troublesome.
, please don’t let your mother worry anymore!”
Zhu Di blinked, Zhu Wenzheng and Li Wenzhong, they are still in the north!
When it comes to fighting skills, they are not much worse than Xu Da and Chang Yuchun! If you can find a way to let them charge into the battle for you, you will definitely be successful!
Zhu Di's eyes were rolling wildly. Queen Ma saw this and couldn't help but darken her face, "Zhu Di, please listen to me. Don't make trouble or take risks. Once you go to Peking, just stay there."
Zhu Di was stunned for a moment, and said aggrievedly: "Queen mother, my child is the king of the vassal, and he has to guard the border! You can't stay in the palace all the time, right? Can you tell me, when can my child be able to lead the army?"
Empress Ma was really stunned for a moment, and then said: "Why don't you go to Peiping after you are fifteen years old? You just want to familiarize yourself with the people's sentiments and understand the people's sufferings. Do you understand?"
Zhu Di finally nodded, "I understand, kid."
Queen Ma nodded, then took out an envelope and handed it to Zhu Di.
"Keep it! You are still young and uncertain. Don't mess around. When something happens, you can think more and write a letter to your mother." Then Queen Ma asked someone to bring in another box, which actually contained several pieces of clothing.
, there are single ones, cotton ones, sweaters, and furs.
Queen Ma took one piece, measured it on Zhu Di, and showed a satisfied smile.
"Children grow up fast. These are only one year old. When you look back on how tall you have grown, tell your mother and let her do it for you! When you have a family and a career, you will have a wife who will love you!"
Zhu Di's face turned red, and he quickly lay down on the ground, sticking his butt out and kowtowing, exerting extra force, making a loud noise.
After confessing her three sons, Mrs. Ma felt empty in her heart.
It's not up to one's parents to have children grow up, especially for the royal family. Even more so, the children are not very old. As for the feudal clan, Empress Ma can't say whether it will benefit the people or bring harm to the clan.
These vassal kings, especially those assigned to the border areas, have a lot of power in their hands.
Take Zhu Di as an example. He was directly under the Qianhu of three princes. The establishment of this Qianhu was larger than the ordinary Qianhu, with a population of 1,700.
In other words, Zhu Di had 5,100 bodyguards.
In addition, there are military doctors, craftsmen, baggage trains, scouts, etc., totaling 600 people, which adds up to 5,700.
In addition, Zhu Di also had the troops and horses of the capital commander.
A few years ago, Zhang Ximeng presided over the division of provinces.
Among them, Hebei Province was taken out. Peiping was subordinate to Hebei Province and had a capital commander to lead the army. Since it was an important border area, there were 48,000 soldiers and horses.
In any area guarded by a feudal prince, he commanded the envoys and accepted orders from the royal palace.
Zhu Di could control more than 50,000 troops.
That's not all. In the Peiping area, there are the Forbidden Army led by Li Wenzhong, Zhu Wenzheng and others, as well as a considerable number of soldiers and horses stationed at the Great Wall, as well as soldiers from the Changlu Saltworks.
All calculated, there are not 200,000 people, but that's about right.
Of course, Zhu Wenzheng and Li Wenzhong were not able to give orders to Zhu Di, and Hu Dahai, the Duke of Yue, would not listen to Zhu Di's manipulations.
But even so, Zhu Di's authority is still very scary.
After all, in addition to commanding the army, Zhu Di could interfere with local finance, taxation, personnel, and criminal matters as long as he was willing.
Apart from not being able to annex acres of land, Zhu Laosi could do whatever he wanted.
He very much hoped that Zhang Shuning could go to Peking with him, just because he thought he could be free and at ease, covering the sky with one hand.
But unfortunately, Zhu Di's idea came to nothing.
It turned out that even if he became the vassal king, he still could not compete with Mr. Zhang.
No...we must make greater contributions, gain more authority, and have the final say as soon as possible.
But the problem is that the queen mother has issued a strict order not to allow him to lead the army. This matter is too troublesome!
What should we do?
Zhu Di thought for a long time. Before evening, he changed into the clothes of a soldier and secretly ran to see Zhu Biao.
Yes, Zhu Biao has also returned from Peking and is about to enter Beijing.
He stationed in Peiping for Zhu Di for several years. Frankly speaking, these days were also a test for him. Zhu Biao became much more mature than before.
Zhu Biao has a delicate character, a kind demeanor, is calm and gentle, and has a gentle and jade-like energy. In fact, if you look closely, you will find that Zhu Biao is trying to imitate someone. That person is not his father Zhu Yuanzhang, but Zhang Ximeng, the right minister of King Lu.
Zhu Biao felt that Zhang Ximeng's kind of gentleness and calmness were the true style of governing the country. In comparison, his father was still too rude.
But no matter what, Zhu Biao was still very happy to be able to return to Yingtian and reunite with his parents.
Zhu Biao didn't have much ostentation. He was welcomed into the capital by important ministers and couldn't wait to enter the palace.
Zhu Yuanzhang and Empress Ma had been waiting for a long time, and they called Zhang Ximeng over to have a family dinner together.
"Biao'er, you have done a good job in governing the country in Beiping. My father is very pleased."
Zhu Biao hurriedly smiled and said: "Father, you are ridiculous. In fact, the children are continuing the rules left by the husband. There are many talents in the left-behind department. As long as they don't cause trouble, it will be fine."
After a pause, Zhu Biao said again: "Father, in fact, there is no need to worry about the fourth brother. With so many people helping him, his life will be very good."
Zhu Yuanzhang hummed: "If the fourth child was a law-abiding person, we wouldn't be afraid, but he is not that kind of person. What can we do? I just ask him not to make too much trouble."
Zhu Biao said with a smile: "No, the fourth child is young and has a pure nature. Last night, he went to the child's place and said a lot of thanks to me. I think he is also knowledgeable and polite, better than the first few. I'm much older, so I'm really different."
Lao Zhu raised his eyebrows and suddenly sneered, "Biao'er, that's what you call him! Ask others, who doesn't say he is a demon king?"
While the father and son were chatting, Zhang Ximeng suddenly remembered something, "Your Highness, did you bring back the seal of the Peking Left-behind Department?"
Zhu Biao was stunned and said: "This, shouldn't this belong to the Prince Yan's Mansion that guards Beiping?"
Before Zhang Ximeng could speak, Zhu Yuanzhang immediately said: "That's ridiculous! Zhang Ximeng was in charge of Beiping before, and then you were the crown prince, so there is the Beiping Remaining Secretary! How can an ordinary vassal king hold the title of Remaining Secretary in Xi'an? Otherwise, would there be a Remaining Secretary in Xi'an? , Taiyuan Left-behind Division, it’s simply ridiculous!”
After Lao Zhu finished speaking, his face changed slightly and he couldn't help but said: "Zhu Biao, you, you gave the seal of the left-behind secretary to Zhu Di?"
Zhu Biao's face also collapsed, "Father, my fourth brother met me last night and said a lot about how difficult it is to govern. He asked me a lot for advice, and I told him all of them one by one. In order to make it easier for him to manage the place, my son, The kid didn’t think much about it!”
Lao Zhu's face turned dark instantly, "Zhu Biao, Zhu Biao! You have been practicing for several years, and you only have this little skill? You let a child fool you! You, you are so mad at us!"
Zhu Yuanzhang ignored Zhu Biao and issued an order to recover Zhu Di's seal and abolish the Beiping Remaining Department!
"etc!"
Zhang Ximeng stopped Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "Your Majesty, I think it's better to give the Duke of Yue a secret order! If he really does something wrong, let the Duke of Yue take him down!"
Empress Ma thought for a while and advised: "Your Majesty, I think the fourth child is probably just curious and has no other meaning."
Lao Zhu couldn't help snorting coldly and turned his head to the side, "You guys, don't worry! If this fourth kid doesn't break the truth, he is not Zhu Yuanzhang's son!"