Jingnan Strategy

Chapter 551 The Father Analyzes the Son
"Let's see if I catch you!"

"It hurts, it hurts!!"

The Spring Festival is approaching, and on the eve of New Year's Eve, official schools all over the world have also begun their holidays.

In a primary school in Mingshifang, Beijing, Zhu Qiyue, who was a head and a half taller than the students around him, grabbed a young boy in front of him who was half a head shorter than him, and the two were playing around.

"Mu Yue, no matter how young or old you are, I am your uncle after all!"

"The one with the big fist is the uncle!"

Zhu Qiyue grinned, and the twelve-year-old boy he captured was his ninth uncle Zhu Zhanshen (dǎo).

The two are similar in age, and Zhu Qiyue took the initiative to study in primary school after returning from Mobei with Zhu Di.

Of course, he did not study in the first grade, but kept skipping grades to reach the fifth grade.

After today, they will graduate and will be middle school students when school starts again.

"Crackling——"

Outside the school, the expectant sound of firecrackers began to sound.

Zhu Qiyue also let go of his ninth uncle, and said with a smile: "Why are you not as strong as me?"

When Zhu Zhanxi heard this, he felt aggrieved and his face turned red.

When it comes to strength, he is also famous in the school for his strength, but since Zhu Qiyue came to their class, he has been taught a lesson by his eldest nephew every day, not to mention how aggrieved he is.

"Okay, the cleaning is done, let's go home and celebrate New Year's Eve!"

The other classmates tried to persuade the two of them, but their tempers went away as quickly as they came. After a short while, they followed the crowd and walked out of the school, arm in arm.

Young people don't have many feelings about many things. In their view, graduation is just a change of place to study, so they never looked back from the beginning to the end.

What they were looking at was the street of Mingshifang outside the school.

Since graduation results are mainly announced in the morning on New Year's Eve, followed by general cleaning and holidays, it is only noon after everything is done.

In order to celebrate the New Year, the streets are filled with many busy adults.

Some of them were preparing pickled fish and bacon, or they opened the courtyard gate and were chatting and laughing while eating glutinous rice cakes.

Zhu Qiyue was curious and sometimes stood at the door to watch.

While they wait and watch, some people will not let go of this opportunity and will take the freshly made and very sticky glutinous rice cakes to the street stalls to sell them.

The sticky glutinous rice cake quickly turns into a golden dessert after being put out of the oil pan. Add some brown sugar, which is the clarion call for the beginning of the New Year.

"Master, I want to give it a try!"

Zhu Qiyue was an outgoing person. After a few glances, he asked the owner of the courtyard.

Seeing that he was only a boy and a half, the host didn't feel defensive at all. He just reminded: "You can try it if you like, but making glutinous rice cakes is a technical job, don't use brute force."

"Okay!" After hearing that he could do it himself, Zhu Qiyue immediately walked into the courtyard, while Zhu Zhanshen, who was being pulled by him, was shy because he walked into someone else's house rashly.

Unlike him, while he was still coquettish, Zhu Qiyue had already taken the tool from his master and started beating the glutinous rice cake again and again.

After just a few clicks, Zhu Qiyue was secretly stunned, but he never expected that there could be so much truth and skill in making simple glutinous rice cakes.

If you use too much force, your arms will lose strength after a while; if you use too little force, the stickiness of the glutinous rice cake will not show up.

Zhu Qiyue was stronger than some ordinary adults, but he was also exhausted after beating it dozens of times.

The host smiled and fried two glutinous rice cakes as big as their faces for them, and then sent them out of the yard.

After walking out of the yard, Zhu Qiyue unceremoniously picked up the golden glutinous rice cake and started to bite it.

Zhu Zhanxi was quite wary, and it wasn't until he saw that Zhu Qiyue had no problem at all that he started to eat.

As time went by, the sound of firecrackers on the street began to get louder and louder, and there was gradually a lively procession on the street.

Although it is still noon, there are already lion and dragon dance teams on the street.

Even though it's still daytime, there are still children setting off fireworks on the street. Even if they can't see anything, they can't stop them.

Under the protection of the Jin Yiwei, the two boys wandered around the streets until they completely lost interest, and then hurriedly returned to the Forbidden City.

Compared with the peace and prosperity that children saw, as the master of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Gaoxu was laying out the future path of the dynasty.

Even on New Year's Eve when all the ministers had a rest, Zhu Gaoxu was still revising the reform memorial written by Wang Hui in the Palace of Qianqing.

He frowned, sitting in the Hall of Cultivation of the Heart, sometimes writing, sometimes pausing to think.

During this period, even when Zhu Zhanhe came with Zhu Qiyue and others, he did not raise his head to welcome him, but was immersed in his own world.

"Big brother..."

In the main hall, when Zhu Zhanqi returned to Beijing from the southwest, he saluted and bowed to Zhu Zhanhe. Before Zhu Zhanhe could speak, Zhu Qiyue rolled his eyes, stepped forward and said in surprise: "Second uncle, you haven't gone yet. ?”

"The palace and the city have not yet been completed, and we still need to wait for notification from the Ministry of Works."

Zhu Zhanqi said calmly, and Zhu Qiyue also said: "Are you going to leave after repairing it?"

"..." Zhu Qiyue's words made Zhu Zhanqi feel a little unhappy.

He basically watched Zhu Qiyue grow up. This kid is as big as a kid, and now he is even more eloquent.

Seeing that he was setting a trap for himself, Zhu Zhanqi just nodded but did not speak.

"Isn't it not long? I heard them yesterday that Jinghai City is almost completed, and the Song Dynasty Palace has also been completed a long time ago."

"If my second uncle leaves in a few months, what will I do..."

Zhu Qiyue pretended to be sad, which made Zhu Zhanqi embarrassed.

"Children are ignorant, don't be the same as them." Zhu Zhanhe smiled and patted Zhu Qiyue on the back, trying to smooth things over.

Zhu Zhanqi was about to say something, but he didn't expect the sound of singing to be heard outside the Qing Palace.

"Her Royal Highness the Queen is a thousand years old..."

Hearing the sound of singing, dozens of concubines with children in the palace took their children to salute the palace door.

Forty-nine-year-old Guo Yan walked into the palace. Due to proper maintenance, he looked only in his early forties, and his figure was still well-proportioned due to long-term healthy diet and daily life.

"No need to be polite, this is Jun'er, she looks very cute."

Guo Yan walked into it and greeted a female doll held by a concubine.

Zhu Gaoxu now has thirteen sons and nine daughters, a total of twenty-two.

Except for the third and fourth elders who have already joined the vassal, the fifth, sixth and seventh elders are away in the army, and the first three daughters are married out of town, there are a total of fourteen people who can appear here.

"Serve the food. Once the food is served, His Majesty will come out naturally."

After many years of married life, Guo Yan knew Zhu Gaoxu very well.

Only when the food is on the table and must be eaten, he will be willing to put down the memorial in his hand and come to eat with this big family.

"Pass the meal!"

Yi Shiha was still recuperating, and the person who sent the message was Wang Tao, who was promoted to the eunuch of the East Palace.

As he sang, the concubines, princes and princesses took their seats one after another. Only the Queen Guo Yan and the noble concubine Zhang Guifei could sit at the main seat.

In addition, the eight people who can still be seated are Zhu Zhanhe, Mu family, Zhu Zhanqi, Fu family, and Zhu Qiyue, Zhu Qiyong, Zhu Qihao and Zhu Qixuan.

Among them, Zhu Qiyue, Zhu Qiyong, and Zhu Qihao are Zhu Zhanhe's children. Except for Zhu Qiyue who is twelve years old, the other two children are five and four years old respectively. As for the six-year-old Zhu Qishuo, he is Zhu Zhanqi's child.

Zhu Zhanqi did not have any brothers or sisters from the same mother, but Zhu Zhanhe did have his younger brother Zhu Zhankan and younger sister Zhu Yueying.

But Zhu Zhankan is the fifth eldest and is currently serving in the army in Xining. His sister Zhu Yueying also married Jingyuan ten years ago and now lives with Jingyuan in Liangzhou.

Therefore, there are only nine people who can sit at the main table, including Zhu Gaoxu.

Following Guo Yan's instructions, more than thirty people took their seats one after another, and plates of dishes were served on the table.

It was similar to what Guo Yan said. As the food was served, Zhu Gaoxu also put down the memorial in his hand, put it away and then walked out of the Yangxin Hall.

"Father……"

When Zhu Zhanhe and Zhu Zhanqi saw Zhu Gaoxu walking out, they stood up to greet him.

Seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu interrupted directly: "Don't be rigid about the etiquette at the family banquet. Eat it early, and then go to the Daming Palace to see your grandfather."

After giving brief instructions, Zhu Gaoxu also sat down and took the bowl and chopsticks from Guo Yan.

Zhu Zhanqi's mother, Concubine Zhang, served him some food, and Zhu Gaoxu nodded and ate it.

A family banquet started under Zhu Gaoxu's words. There was no lack of sounds of children playing, and Zhu Gaoxu did not interrupt.

During this period, Zhu Qiyue's eyes moved around, occasionally looking at his father and his second uncle.

Time passed little by little, and as the family banquet ended, Zhu Gaoxu did not organize any band performance, but took Guo Yan and his descendants to the Daming Palace.

The Jilin Guards were already waiting at the Xuanwu Gate in the north of the Inner Garden to set off. As more than twenty chariots appeared, they each got on the corresponding large chariot, golden chariot, and elephant chariot.

After the long procession of two thousand Jinyi guards clearing the way, five thousand Jilin guards guarding, and eight hundred Xichang warriors broke up, the people on the streets of the imperial city and the inner city began to get out of the way.

Although this is a bit laborious and laborious, as a royal, safety always comes first.

From Xuanwu Gate to Anding Gate, and then the team walked out of Anding Gate and walked along the stone bridge of Anding Gate to the market towns outside the city gates.

There is no outer city wall in Beijing today. This is because Zhu Gaoxu is confident enough.

As the illiteracy rate continued to be eradicated, the Ming Dynasty's national power continued to grow, and its armaments and technology continued to crush other countries in the world. Zhu Gaoxu never worried about the rise of a second superpower besides the Ming Dynasty.

As worried by all the countries in the world in later generations, the Central Plains Dynasty accounts for a very high proportion of the world's population. Therefore, once the Central Plains Dynasty takes the lead in industrialization, most of the world's resources will be occupied by the Central Plains Dynasty.

With the world's resources, the number of people in developed countries that can be supported is extremely limited.

Once Da Ming raises his head, all the meat in the pot belongs to Da Ming.

Even the soup may not be shared out.

After the rise of populism, as civilization continues to evolve, the killing of civilians will become more and more controversial, let alone the killing of one's own people.

Therefore, Beijing's outer city wall was useless to the Ming Dynasty. Many things happened along the way from Beijing to Daming Palace, which made Zhu Zhanqi feel changes when he returned to Beijing.

The use of phosphate fertilizers and soil fertilizers makes the rice around Beijing plumper than the rice he saw in the south, almost comparable to the japonica rice in the south of the Yangtze River.

In addition, the dark official roads made him feel a little strange.

"What material is this official road made of? It doesn't look like cement."

Zhu Zhanqi asked the military attache who was driving for him. The military attache also took a look and replied: "I heard it is asphalt. Taixue just researched it less than a year ago."

"Hmm..." Zhu Zhanqi nodded and said he understood, but he had many more thoughts in his heart.

As the king of the Song Dynasty, he understood the power of the Ming Dynasty better than anyone else.

In addition to the astonishing size, clean and fast administrative efficiency, the second thing is the Taixue who was gathered together by his father to conduct research.

When he was a child, he went to Taixue once with his father, and he can still recall the technological products that may be born in the future in the model hall.

Although it was difficult, he needed to recruit a group of talents who could research and manufacture these technological products for himself before leaving the vassal state.

"If you chose me..."

Zhu Zhanqi looked across the window unwillingly and towards the big truck in front of him.

While he was unwilling to give in, Zhu Gaoxu in the big chariot was still revising Wang Hui's memorial, while Guo Yan looked at him and sighed:

"At such an age, do you still have to work so hard on yourself?"

"Can't stop." Zhu Gaoxu cherished his words like gold. Seeing this, Guo Yan could only rub his numb shoulders from time to time.

Half an hour later, as the team arrived at Daming Palace, Jilin Guards and Yanshan Guards quickly replaced the entire defense of Daming Palace City.

Led by Daming Palace, the convoy entered a square in the Daming Palace, and everyone got off the car one after another.

Under the leadership of Zhu Gaoxu, they went to the Longevity Palace.

Within a quarter of an hour, the sound of chanting had already sounded in the Longevity Palace: "Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor..."

At the reminder of the singing, Zhu Di, who was about to doze off at the main seat, managed to cheer up and waved his hand: "Come in, everyone."

Zhu Di's eyes were bleary. He had always been sleepy these days, and he didn't know whether it was because of his age or something else.

"Grandpa!"

A familiar figure fell into Zhu Di's arms. Without thinking, he reached out and patted the familiar figure on the back.

"Good boy, you almost sent Grandpa away now."

Zhu Di teased Zhu Qiyue's strength in hugging him, while Zhu Qiyue grinned with big white teeth.

Seeing this scene, Zhu Zhanqi looked at his eldest son Zhu Qixuan with dissatisfaction, but because Zhu Qixuan was still young, he didn't understand why his father looked at him like this, so he just tried to reach out and hold Zhu Zhanqi's hand.

"My sons, princes, grandsons, and princesses wish my father a prosperous life like the East Sea, a longevity as long as the Southern Mountains, and a long life..."

"Long live my grandpa..."

Zhu Gaoxu led everyone to salute and bow, and Zhu Di also waved his hand and said:
"Okay, I'm pretty good for my age, and longevity is all a lie."

Although Zhu Di allocates money from the Daming Palace to build Wudang Mountain and Dabaoen Temple every year, he only does so to pay homage to his deceased wife, not to pursue immortality.

After inviting everyone to take their seats, a figure sitting on an equal footing with him appeared next to Zhu Di.

Zhu Gaoxu sat with him, and beside him stood Zhu Qiyue, who was always waiting to serve him.

Although they had already eaten in the palace, many people had digested it after an hour of traveling, and now they have some appetite.

After the food was served, Zhu Di picked up the wine glass and took a sip, controlling himself not to drink too much. At the same time, he asked Zhu Gaoxu: "How is the third child doing?"

"After the imperial doctor's diagnosis and treatment, my body has basically recovered. My father does not need to worry about my third brother."

Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Di talked about Zhu Gaosui's physical condition, and Zhu Gaoxu then asked: "How is Zhanji doing over there?"

"Zhan Ji is currently leading the guards of the Han Palace, and is working with the Yunnan Dusi and Xingdu Si troops to fight against the Burmese, Babai Dadian and other Xuanwei Si who have returned to their native land. They are in good health."

Zhu Gaoxu patiently answered the questions asked by Zhu Di.

Although he is seventy-two years old, Zhu Di's mind is still clear and his body is still strong, which exceeded Zhu Gaoxu's expectations.

Therefore, seeing Zhu Di's appearance, he was relieved a lot.

After three rounds of drinking, Zhu Di talked more and more, but Zhu Gaoxu was not impatient, but enjoyed it.

At his age, there are very few people who can still communicate with their parents.

After all, the medical situation of this era is here. Although Zhu Gaoxu has made huge improvements in Ming Dynasty's medical treatment, it has not reached the level that can treat most diseases.

"By the way, I heard that the Northwest Railway has been repaired to Hami. I plan to go and have a look after summer."

Zhu Di suddenly spoke. Zhu Gaoxu did not refuse, but nodded and said, "I'll let Qi'er and Yue'er follow you."

When Zhu Zhanhe was studying government, he was unable to accompany Zhu Di to the northwest. In addition, some matters in the Song Palace were not yet completed, so Zhu Zhanqi became the most available person.

Zhu Gaoxu was very relieved that he would protect Zhu Di when he went to the northwest.

As for Zhu Qiyue, this kid's talent is here. There is no problem in learning for a month or two. He can understand the knowledge by himself.

"Okay." Zhu Di didn't say much, just picked up the wine glass and drank, looking at the happy scene of Sun Mantang in front of him, the smile on his face never faded.

Two hours later, as the night gradually dimmed, Zhu Di happily played games with his children and grandchildren in the palace.

Zhu Gaoxu went to the side hall of Changshou Palace and continued to revise Wang Hui's memorial. At the same time, he also summoned Zhu Zhanhe.

Zhu Zhanqi stayed in his seat, drinking, watching the scene of his grandfather and his younger brothers and sisters playing around, without saying anything.

He noticed the way Zhu Qiyue looked at him from time to time, and couldn't help but squint his eyes.

"My nephew is not simple..."

Although he had long known that Zhu Qiyue was smart, he did not expect that Zhu Qiyue could reach such a level after not seeing him for several years.

Zhu Zhanqi thought for a while, if he were his father, based on Zhu Qiyue's performance alone, he probably wouldn't appoint anyone else as the crown prince.

"Oh!"

The cup in his hand was crushed unconsciously by Zhu Zhanqi. The eunuch next to him quickly stepped forward to take away the broken cup from his hand. Fortunately, his hand was not hurt.

After reacting, Zhu Zhanqi looked at his eldest nephew, and sure enough he saw his eldest nephew's joking look.

"Humph!" With a cold snort, Zhu Zhanqi no longer thought about anything else but how to maximize his own interests.

His ideal place to establish a vassal was Mengyang, because there he could go over the mountains to the valley northeast of Sidang, India. After capturing that valley, he could go west to plot Banggara and Numanapuer.

However, my good eldest brother is not a fool, so he wants to canonize himself to Beizhou.

As for the matter of his father changing his title to Dongzhou, he learned about the situation in Dongzhou from the people below, and soon understood his father's thoughts.

My father wanted him to expand territory in Dongzhou for the Ming Dynasty, and at the same time he was controlled by the Dongzhou Xuanwei Division.

After changing the cup and drinking it all in one gulp, Zhu Zhanqi felt a little disappointed.

Obviously they are all his sons, why is there such a big gap...

He couldn't help but look towards the side hall. Although he couldn't see anything, he could still imagine his father teaching his eldest brother.

However, under his gaze, a figure suddenly walked out of the side hall, and Zhu Zhanqi also quickly withdrew his gaze.

"Second son, father asked you to come into the palace. I have something to tell you."

Zhu Zhanhe's voice suddenly sounded. Zhu Zhanqi turned around and saw his good brother.

He stood up and walked to Zhu Zhanhe's side to bow and salute. Zhu Zhanhe smiled calmly and said, "Go in."

"Yes..." Zhu Zhanqi walked into the side hall anxiously, and as expected he saw his father who was revising the memorial by an oil lamp.

Under the light of the oil lamp, he seemed much older, a little twilight.

"It's only been four or five months since the Song Palace and Jinghaicheng arrived. But I'm not calling you here to urge you to join the feudal clan, but to talk to you about the things before and after joining the feudal clan."

Zhu Gaoxu put down the ink pen in his hand and raised his gaze to Zhu Zhanqi.

Under his gaze, he, the brave King of Song Dynasty who dared to ride hundreds of horses into battle, looked like a child at this moment, as if he was waiting for admonishment.

"In the Jinghai Mansion, the food supply mainly depends on the Beizhou Xuanwei Division. After the Zhengdan Dynasty meeting, I will ask the Ministry of Punishment to transfer tens of thousands of prisoners to the Jinghai Mansion. In this way, the Jinghai Mansion will have approximately 60,000 to 70,000 people."

"With 60,000 to 70,000 people, if we properly cultivate some highlands, it will not be a problem to be self-sufficient."

"You don't have to worry about the common people's affairs. People from the Sixth Department will take good care of them, and the same goes for city defense."

"What you have to do is lead your two guards of King Song to clean up the natives around the city."

"Second guard?" Zhu Zhanqi was stunned for a moment. He only had Song Cheng Guard, so why would he have a second guard?
But he quickly came to his senses and quickly bowed and said, "Thank you father for the guard."

"Well, the Fifth Army Commander's Office will allocate another 5,600 new soldiers to you, called Pengcheng Guards."

"Second Controller, I hope you can perform well in Dongzhou. In addition, the vassal kings usually have a court meeting every three years. Since you are relatively far away, you can have a court meeting every five years."

Zhu Gaoxu gave an overview to Zhu Zhanqi. Zhu Zhanqi kept nodding after hearing this, and his mind was filled with things about how he controlled the two guards and had more than 10,000 troops.

During the Hongxi period, the guards of the vassal kings were limited to about 5,600 people in the first guard. If it was a vassal king in the interior, there were only about 3,000 people.

The tyrannical vassals such as Qin and Jin in the past now only have three thousand guards, while I have two guards of 11,200 people, including slaves and maids, there are 12,000 people.

With such strength, a mere Dongzhou native means nothing.

"Okay, get ready. We are allowed to send someone to take over the training of Pengcheng Guards on the first day of March. In addition, we will accompany your grandfather to Hami in mid-April."

"The preparations are almost complete. Let's set off for Dongzhou to join the feudal clan next winter."

Although he had been prepared for it, when the day actually arrived, Zhu Zhanqi couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

He bowed respectfully, and then saw that his father had no instructions, so he slowly left the side hall.

Looking at his leaving figure, a sigh came from the side hall after a long time...

(End of this chapter)