Jingnan Strategy

Chapter 605: The Underworld: Looking Forward to Zhu Gaoxu

"You just have a good son. Without him, what would you be?"

"What a coincidence! I just have a good son, unlike that guy...tsk tsk."

"Zhu Laosi!"

"enough……"

Inside the Changchun Hall of the Daming Palace, while Zhu Gang and Zhu Di were bickering, Zhu Yuanzhang interrupted their quarrel and glanced around.

There were more than ten people sitting on the long table in the Changchun Palace. They were the five legitimate sons Zhu Biao, Zhu Di, and Zhu Gang, as well as Zhu Yunwen, Zhu Xiongying, Empress Xu, Zhu Bo, Li Wenzhong, Zhu Wenzheng, Mu Ying, Li Jinglong and others.

The main seat undoubtedly belonged to Zhu Yuanzhang and Queen Ma, while Zhu Di sat in the first position on the left.

There was no way. Although Zhu Yuanzhang preferred Zhu Biao's lineage, Zhu Di and Zhu Gaoxu were too capable.

Without Zhu Di and his son, Zhu Yunwen would have no problem reducing the power of the princes. After all, Zhu Su and Zhu Bo had been dealt with, and Qin Jin were the third-generation descendants of Zhu Shangbing and Zhu Jixi. If nothing unexpected happened, after Zhu Di reduced the power of the princes, the whole plan would have been completed.

However, he never expected that Zhu Di and Zhu Gaoxu were so capable that they sent Zhu Yunwen down to see him ahead of time.

"Old Four, tell me the whole story of the Jingnan Incident honestly, and don't add any extra fuel to the fire!"

Zhu Yuanzhang racked his brains to figure out how Zhu Di and Zhu Gaoxu managed to defeat the Ming Dynasty, which he had ruled for more than 30 years, with only tens of thousands of people.

What he left to Zhu Yunwen was a million soldiers and enough money and food to sustain the court for several years!
"Dad, it's like this..."

In response to Zhu Yuanzhang's question, Zhu Di's eyes rolled and then he told the story.

In his words, the story from the time he led the 800 Yan Mansion guards to start an uprising to the Battle of Zhending was quite consistent. But after the Battle of Zhending, when Li Jinglong began to march north, the picture changed instantly.

Zhu Di and Li Jinglong confronted each other, and Zhu Di would occasionally launch sneak attacks on other places to distract Li Jinglong's attention.

"Dad, I originally thought that since I already have 70,000 or 80,000 men, Yunwen would probably talk to me properly, and then I would honestly stay in Beiping and guard the border for Yunwen. Unfortunately, I led Gao Xu in the battle so smoothly that he became proud."

"What's wrong with him?" Zhu Yuanzhang was particularly concerned about Zhu Gaoxu's affairs, and Zhu Di, with his kind nature, began to explain what was happening on Zhu Gaoxu's side.

"At first I didn't know Gao Xu had so many troops, so I asked him to contain Wu Gao. As a result, Gao Xu had 40,000 troops from the Jurchens, Mongols, and Han."

"I asked him to go south, originally intending to contain Wu Gao, but he defeated Wu Gao in Tieling and marched straight into Shenyang."

"Yun Wen did not trust Wu Gao and transferred him away. Then I let Gao Xu take Liaodong and raid Daning. I let Chen Heng cooperate with him to control Daning. During this period, Wuliangha invaded. I commanded Gao Xu to encircle and annihilate most of them. Ha La Wu was buried alive by him."

"When I saw this, I personally led more than 100,000 people and Jiujiang's 500,000 people, and ordered Gao Xu to build warships to attack Denglai in Shandong from Jinzhou in Liaodong."

"My original idea was to let Gao Xu take over Shandong, and then I would control Daning, Liaodong, Beiping and Shandong to discuss with Yun Wen and ask Yun Wen to hand over Huang Zicheng and the others... Alas! It's a pity that I underestimated Gao Xu's intentions."

"After Gao Xu crossed the sea, he led tens of thousands of troops and marched all the way to Yangzhou, where they drank water from the Yangtze River."

"At this time, the navy surrendered to him again, so Gao Xu surrounded Nanjing."

"When I found out, Yunwen had already committed suicide. I was afraid that Gao Xu's men would neglect my eldest brother's children, so I immediately went south to Nanjing."

"Fortunately, I arrived in time. Except for Yunwen who set himself on fire, all of my eldest brother's children and grandchildren are still alive and well."

"After Gao Xu forced me to take the throne, I treated my eldest brother's children and grandchildren very well. Before I died, my eldest brother's children and grandchildren already numbered forty!"

Zhu Di took most of the credit for the first year of the Jingnan Campaign without blushing or beating his heart, which made Empress Xu lower her head in shame, while Zhu Gaochi and Li Jinglong were stunned.

Zhu Di did not feel the slightest bit of guilt about this. After all, he had explained this to his second son many times when he was alive, and his second son also said that the Jingnan Rebellion could be blamed on him.

Since the second brother said so, why should he be ashamed of doing this?
Thinking of this, Zhu Di felt his back straightened a lot.

"What you said... is true?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was a little bit unconvinced. In his memory, ever since Zhu Gaoxu changed his personality, he would think three steps ahead before doing anything.

If this guy really planned a rebellion before his death, he should have thought of all the subsequent steps.

Even if he was rejected or even reported by the Fourth Brother, this guy should have thought of a way out and would not have fallen to the point of letting Zhu Di command him to fight.

"Dad, everything I said is true. If you don't believe me, ask Gao Xu in twenty years!"

Zhu Di stretched out his hand and swore, thinking at the same time that he lived to be seventy-five, so his second son should at least live to be over seventy.

"Gao Xu is here, I will ask him myself, but you..."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Zhu Di, and Zhu Di immediately began to tremble as if he was physically unwell.

"Since you have done a good job, I will not pursue the matter for the time being. But when Gao Xu comes down, if what you said is inconsistent, then you..."

"I am willing to be punished!" Zhu Di answered first, but in his heart he was praying that his second son would live a long life, and at the same time he must keep his word.

"Hmph!" Zhu Yuanzhang stood up and glanced at the Changchun Palace.

"Dad, I live in the Changshou Palace next door. This palace is for you. There is also the Shouning Palace next door, which is for my eldest brother and his family!"

Zhu Di spoke immediately with sharp eyes. Zhu Yuanzhang nodded calmly after hearing this, and then said to Zhu Biao:
"Talk to the fourth brother about the rules here, and leave if you have nothing else to do."

"My son, please retire..."

Zhu Biao was the first to stand up and bow, and the others also bowed and left.

After they left Changchun Palace, Empress Ma smiled and said, "Laugh if you want to. I know you."

"Hehe... sister, I want to laugh when I think of Temujin, Kublai Khan, and Li Shimin. Do you think they hate me to death right now?"

Zhu Yuanzhang paced back and forth with a smile, and even used "I" as his self-reference.

When Queen Ma heard this, she smiled and said, "It's better to be more cautious. After all, we have fewer family members than them."

"That's right..." Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but be amazed when he thought of Temujin's dozens of children and grandchildren.

But even though he knew he shouldn't do that, Zhu Yuanzhang still felt itchy and wanted to show off.

I just thought about it and suppressed the idea.

"Old Four, you did a great job..."

"Brother, I was forced to do this."

After leaving Changchun Palace, Zhu Biao immediately looked at Zhu Di, and Zhu Di responded awkwardly:

"In fact, my biggest wish in this life is to protect the land in the north for you, big brother. But Yun Wen...he...Alas!"

Zhu Di's words immediately transferred Zhu Biao's anger to Zhu Yunwen next to him.

Seeing this, Zhu Yunwen, with a bruised face and nose, lowered his head guiltily, but he couldn't help feeling sad and angry in his heart.

I was bullied by Zhu Di and his son when I was alive, and I was still plotted against by them after I died. My life was so frustrating!
"Never mind. The matter is already settled, and you can't do much."

Zhu Biao was still clear-headed. After all, Zhu Di had expanded the territory of the Ming Dynasty so much that as long as his descendants did not have unfilial sons like himself, the dynasty would most likely last for more than ten generations.

If I give him a hard time, it will only benefit me now and cause trouble in the future.

Besides, as far as the issue of reducing the power of the feudal lords was concerned, it was indeed his own unfilial son who was the first to offend Zhu Di. As for Zhu Gaoxu, he was not very familiar with him, and it was not the place for an elder to scold a junior. So let it be.

"Brother, you can still understand me."

Zhu Di was immediately moved and nodded. Seeing this, Zhu Biao also talked to him about various things in this world.

Zhu Di felt very curious about the things in this world. After all, under the influence of his second son, Zhu Di had almost become a firm materialist. But after his death, he came to a place like the underworld.

When Zhu Di learned that his appearance had increased the territory of the Ming Dynasty by more than five times, he finally understood why Zhu was willing to listen to his explanation.

It turns out that they already knew about his achievements before he appeared. No wonder they were all willing to listen to his explanation.

Thinking of this, Zhu Di breathed a sigh of relief and became proud at the same time.

"It's just me. Otherwise, the Han territory would have been bullied and ridiculed by the Hu people for many more years."

"Mongolia is just a country with a territory of only 3,300 miles. How dare you mock the Ming Dynasty?"

Thinking of this, Zhu Di smiled and said to Zhu Biao: "Don't worry, brother. After twenty years of prosperity, the territory of our Ming Dynasty will at least increase by more than a thousand miles."

"I don't know what my grandson is capable of, but my great-grandson will surely be able to expand the territory. By then, the territory of the Ming Dynasty will certainly not be small!"

Zhu Di was laughing, but Zhu Biao felt even more uncomfortable after hearing what he said. He glared at Zhu Yunwen fiercely, making Zhu Yunwen want to cry but without tears.

He knew he was going to be beaten again...

"Brother, I will take you to your Shouning Palace to live. Actually, you don't have to be too harsh on Yunwen. Yunwen is a little timid, and the rest is not his fault. It's just that he is too young and was deceived by Huang Zicheng and his group of treacherous ministers."

Zhu Di's words seemed to be speaking for Zhu Yunwen, but Zhu Biao knew Zhu Yunwen's character very well.

Although Zhu Yunwen was stubborn and self-willed, his attitude was very tough. If he had no ideas, it would be impossible for Huang Zicheng and his group to persuade him.

"Come with me." Zhu Biao suppressed his temper and motioned Zhu Yunwen to follow.

Zhu Yunwen was in tears, but Zhu Di, who was gloating, led the way to Shouning Palace and then left the palace happily.

Before he had gone far, he heard his eldest brother's roar, which made him smile from ear to ear.

When he walked back to Changshou Palace, the people who appeared in the palace also made him happy.

"father!"

Zhu Di walked up cheerfully and greeted Xu Da. Xu Da was sitting in the main seat, with Empress Xu and Zhu Gaochi, Xu Huizu and others standing next to him.

"I knew you could do great things, but I didn't expect you to do something this big."

"I know you. Your words are eighty percent true and two percent false."

"But I'm not going to tell you these true or false things. I just want to ask what kind of person my grandson will be when he grows up. I remember that he was quite naughty before. From what you said, he seems to have become the pillar of the Ming Dynasty now."

The year Zhu Gaoxu was born was the year Zhu Di was enfeoffed in Beiping.

During the last few years of Xu Da's reign, he was basically stationed in Beiping, and Zhu Di learned most of his military skills from Xu Da.

When Xu Da went south to recuperate, Zhu Gaoxu was only four years old, so it was normal that Xu Da did not know him.

"Dad, Gao Xu is fine..."

When talking about Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Di began to talk endlessly about Zhu Gaoxu's good points.

After listening to this, Xu Da looked at Xu Huizu and the others. "If it weren't for Gao Xu, my brother-in-law might not have succeeded..."

Facing Xu Da's gaze, Xu Huizu gave the highest evaluation.

Seeing that Xu Huizu praised Zhu Gaoxu, Xu Da also laughed and said, "It seems that my grandson is still extraordinary..."

"That's right, that's right..." Zhu Di said flatteringly, and looked at Empress Xu: "It's also because of Sister Xu and I who taught you well."

"Hmm..." Xu Da nodded, then stood up and said:

"Okay, we've heard what we need to hear, so we have it. People say that a short separation is better than a new marriage. You two can catch up on the past."

"Two?" Zhu Gaochi looked at his parents and grandfather, then looked at himself.

I am so big, but I am being ignored?

"Oh, and Gao Chi." Xu Da reacted and looked at Zhu Gaochi and said:

"You won't gain weight by eating in this world, so you can eat without worry."

"Okay!" Zhu Gaochi's eyes lit up, Xu Da also laughed heartily, and left Changshou Palace with Xu Huizu and others.

"Girl, I want to know how you've been living alone these years..."

As soon as Xu Da left, Zhu Di started to get mushy.

In response, Empress Xu chuckled and said, "There will be plenty of time to tell you later. I'll go make something to eat for you and Gao Chi first."

"Hey!" Zhu Gaochi nodded happily. Zhu Di glared at him and said, "You are such a grown-up, but you still need your mother to serve you."

"You're so fat from eating so much, don't you have any cooking skills? Go?"

"Go cook something for me and your mother!"

"Ah? Me?" Zhu Gaochi pointed at himself in disbelief.

He has been pampered since he was a child. Not only can he not cook, he can't even burn firewood.

"Forget it, I'll go. Gao Chi has never done any work. I'll make you a bowl of noodles."

Empress Xu stood up, and Zhu Di followed immediately: "Then I will go with you. While you are cooking, you can tell me how you have been living in the underworld for the past twenty years."

"Okay~" Empress Xu chuckled and nodded. Zhu Gaochi could only stare at the Changshou Palace where he was the only one left.

"Old Second, Zhanji, when are you coming down? I'm too lonely."

Zhu Gaochi sighed deeply, put his hands behind his back, and walked out for a stroll, shaking his head.

When he passed by Shouning Palace, he could vaguely hear someone's screams and roars, which made him shake his head and sigh.

As he sighed, his family gradually began to become familiar with this world.

Time passed bit by bit, and Zhu Gaochi could only wait anxiously for Zhu Gaoxu and others to arrive.

However, Zhu Gaoxu did not wait for that event, but instead waited for the imperial gathering that took place once every ten years.

This time, three beams of light appeared, which lifted Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Di and Zhu Yunwen into the air.

"Mom, come out and see! Dad has ascended to heaven!"

Zhu Gaochi's voice was still echoing in Zhu Di's ears. Before he could react, he was led by Hua Guang to an island with magnificent scenery.

The hundred-meter waterfall was a pleasant sight, but Zhu Di didn't have much time to appreciate it before he saw a group of people rushing towards them in the distance.

"Zhu Yuanzhang! You, a fellow with thick eyebrows and big eyes, are actually trying to play this trick on us?"

Ying Zheng and his men rushed over aggressively. Zhu Yuanzhang bowed and said, "In fact, I didn't expect that the successor of my Ming Dynasty would be so capable."

"Come, let me introduce you to my useless son Zhu Di."

"In fact, the territory of our Ming Dynasty is not that big. If you don't believe me, just take a look."

As Zhu Yuanzhang spoke, he unfolded the "General Map of the Four Barbarians in the Ming Dynasty" which Zhu Di had been perfecting over the past few years.

The seven-foot-long and four-foot-wide "General Map of the Four Barbarians of the Ming Dynasty" was unfolded by Zhu Di and Zhu Yunwen, showing the entire world in front of hundreds of emperors.

“The world is so big?”

"Longshan, Hetao, Liaodong... Is this all that my Great Qin has?"

"The big man is okay, but Xiu'er, why did you lose most of the Hetao?"

"Grandmaster, this is a long story..."

"The Tang Dynasty is still not as good as when I was here."

"Dad, the Tang Dynasty was actually at its greatest..."

"shut up!"

"The Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun... Me!!"

"How come this is all that's left of my great Mongolia?!"

As Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Zhu Di and others to unfold the map, the other kings were comparing the territories of their own dynasties. Only Genghis Khan was so angry that he wanted to vomit blood when he looked at the two deserts, the Western Regions, and part of the Transoxiana region that had been incorporated into the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

Hearing Genghis Khan's voice, Zhu Di stuck his head out from behind the map and said with a simple and honest face:

"By the way, the Golden Horde and the Timurid Khanate are both my vassal states. I also captured the Yuan descendant Bayanchur, so who is his father?"

"Men of the Golden Family, take action!"

"Come on, you shameless guy!"

As soon as Temujin and Kublai Khan opened their mouths, dozens of people from the Golden Family rushed forward.

When Zhu Yuanzhang saw this, he immediately turned around and glared at Zhu Di: "Old Four! Who told you to talk nonsense!"

"I'm here, let's see who dares to touch my father!"

Zhu Di was not afraid at all. He was brave, but not as brave as Zhu Gaoxu, Ping An, Qu Neng and other perverts.
"Damn it! Go ahead and hit me!"

Zhu Yuanzhang rolled up his sleeves, and Zhu Yunwen was also eager to try, thinking that after being beaten for so many years, there would always be a day when he would be able to beat others.

Although later generations described him as weak, the fact that he was able to chop Xu Zengshou off with his bare hands shows that Zhu Yunwen was not a powerless person.

"Beat them to death!"

"Leave Zhu Di to me!"

In the clash between the Ming and Mongolian sides, although there were only three people, Zhu Di and Zhu Yuanzhang were both quite brave. Even Zhu Yunwen, who was relatively weak among the three, could deal with one or two of the pampered Yuan Shundi and Ningzong.

Of course, after a long time, Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di were overwhelmed by the Mongols' human wave tactics and were hit several times.

"Ouch! Who hit me? You guys just wait until my second son Gao Xu comes down..."

"You can still fight me even if I come down!"

"Come on, don't lose face!"

Seeing that the fight had turned into a case of the majority bullying the minority, Liu Che became a little eager to give it a try.

Ying Zheng and Yang Jian had few people, and when they thought about how this was the reward they received for comforting Zhu Yuanzhang for thirty years, they immediately became reluctant to take action.

Li Zhi looked at Li Shimin and said, "Father, shouldn't we take action?"

"No hurry, no hurry. Wait until they are exhausted, and then we can reap the benefits."

Li Shimin said this, but he was very depressed in his heart.

As soon as Zhu Di came, he, the Han Khan, immediately lost his status.

Seeing Zhu Di being bullied, he felt secretly happy.

However, he did not intend to stand idly by. It would be a good idea to take this opportunity to beat up the Hu people.

"What are you all looking at? Go ahead!"

Zhao Kuangyin, who was holding a wooden stick, glared. Most of his clan members rolled up their sleeves. However, except for a younger emperor from Zhao Guangyi's clan who rolled up his sleeves, the rest of them were submissive.

"Second brother, we don't need to go up, right?"

Zhao Guangyi hesitated, and Zhao Kuangyin glared at him and grabbed him by the collar:
"Zhu Yuanzhang, at least help our family get Yun'er's skull back and bury it. If you keep being so timid, I'll beat you first!"

"Zhao family's sons and daughters, stand shoulder to shoulder!"

"Wanyan family's men, let's go too!"

"Taizu, who should we help?"

"Who cares? We have a grudge against each other anyway, so let's just beat them all up!"

"Taizu, the Jurchens are coming!"

"Then we will go too, warriors of the Yelu family, we will avenge our enemies and seek justice!"

"Let's go together, Li family!"

"Fellow Liu family members, come to me..."

Soon, the emperors' gathering, which took place once every ten years, turned into a group fight among emperors from multiple dynasties.

Faced with this situation, Zhu Yuanzhang quickly grabbed Zhu Di and Zhu Yunwen and ran out of the melee.

Even though he was a man with a restrained temper, he couldn't help but get angry at this moment: "When my grandson Gao Xu comes, I'll see who can deal with me!"

"Shizu, Taizu, and the three with the surname Zhu are here!"

"Damn it! Run!"

(End of this chapter)