Daming: I am the Crown Prince

When the army returns triumphantly, under normal circumstances, even if the royal family members do not go to greet them, important ministers should go to greet them.

Originally, the army had not achieved any significant results this time, so it was not necessary for the crown prince Zhu Yunhuan to go to welcome them. However, the kings of Qin, Jin, Yan and others were leading their armies, so they had to go to meet them.

Outside Yingtian Prefecture, Zhu Yunhuan was waiting with civil and military officials.

The Ming army returned to Beijing with banners flying and swords and spears everywhere. The civil and military officials were used to it. Not to mention that the country had been established for nearly 30 years, even when they were fighting for the world, they were always victorious.

Victory is something normal for people living in Yingtian Prefecture.

Whether it was Chen Youliang or Zhang Shicheng, or Ming Yuzhen and the Mongols, the situation was the same. The Ming Dynasty eventually won and eliminated the enemy.

And for some of the seasons in various countries that accompanied us, this was a small shock.

Even though some people had seen the Ming army before, they had mostly watched the army drills on the parade grounds. The army before them was a real army that had come from the battlefield, so their momentum was naturally more impressive.

For example, Li Yuancheng's mood at this time is even more complicated. Now he basically knows that it is difficult for him to return to Annan.

The thoughts of the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty were really hard to guess. At first, Li Yuancheng thought he was a hostage, forcing his father not to usurp the throne.

But looking at it now, this hostage seems to be a little special. The Ming Dynasty does not seem to care much about the situation in Annan.

Whether the throne was usurped or not, the Ming Dynasty seemed not to care about so many things at all. It was just a small vassal state and was not worthy of more attention from the Ming Dynasty.

What is Li Yuancheng doing now? He is with the craftsmen and officials of the Gunpowder Bureau, constantly studying gunpowder and firearms. This is his life in the Ming Dynasty now.

As the son of a powerful official in Annan, even though he is somewhat helpless now, he can only be a special craftsman in the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yunhuan didn't care what Li Yuancheng thought. He had more important things to do now, such as greeting people.

Of course, there are procedures to go through before that. It is necessary to read the imperial edict, announce the rewards for the expedition, etc. These are also very important things.

Apart from this, the army could only return to the camp. It was impossible to let the soldiers who went out to fight return to the city in a swarm. The camp of the Beijing army was actually outside the city of Yingtian Prefecture.

At this time, the generals and officers are needed to bring the troops back, and people from government offices at all levels need to reward the army. Enough wine and meat is also one of the basic requirements.

Only after these things were done, was it time for Zhu Yunhuan to go and greet people, because it seemed that the serious work was done.

But if you think about it carefully, the following greetings are also extremely important. After all, if you want to sit firmly on the throne, balancing various relationships is also very important.

Looking at his second uncle, Zhu Yunhuan joked, "Second uncle should not stay in one place all the time. If he walks around and takes a look, his spirit will be very good."

"Just don't let me go back to my hometown to farm. I'm impatient." Zhu Chong said with a smile, "Old Seventh was a bit naughty. Even if I'm bold, I dare not interfere in border affairs."

Zhu Gang also said quickly, "He was just fooling around a bit, I didn't think he was that bold! This is all his own fault, I just hope he can make some progress, don't make such a big mistake again!"

This is also what Zhu Gang thought in his heart. He thought that he had been basically honest all these years. Compared with other brothers, what he did at the beginning was really not worth mentioning. Those talents were truly bold.

Zhu Chong, who dared to build the dragon bed privately, has also become honest. What he did back then was "youthful and frivolous", but now he is in awe. Thinking back on what he did back then, he still feels cold on his back.

These can be regarded as learning from their mistakes. They naturally have a clear idea of ​​the current political situation and naturally dare not act recklessly.

"Don't worry too much about Uncle Seventh's affairs. It's just that he went a little too far this time." Zhu Yunhuan said with a smile, "The affairs of the palace are still managed by the Prince of Qi, and the title of Prince of Qi must be retained."

After listening to Zhu Yunhuan's words, Zhu Chong and others seemed to be relieved, because this sounded good and would not be a really severe punishment.

But if you taste it carefully, you can figure out some things that are wrong. For example, the title of King of Qi is to be retained, but who exactly is the King of Qi? This makes people feel a little unsure.

However, Zhu Chong and others would not say much, not because they did not care about the matter, but because even if they were the most prominent princes of the Ming Dynasty, they could not say much about this matter.

"Fourth uncle, I'm afraid you're a little disappointed that we didn't find the main force of the Tartars this time." Zhu Yunhuan looked at Zhu Di and said with a smile, "If there is a chance in the future, let Fourth Uncle lead the army."

Zhu Di felt a little ashamed, but also a little hopeful, "I hope your Highness will see the effect. I pride myself on my bravery and strategy, but this time it has been in vain."

In Zhu Di's eyes, the slight results of the war were not worth mentioning at all. In his opinion, this expedition was a futile effort and only served as a deterrent.

Of course, this would make him feel a little unsatisfied. After all, he was leading a main force and the imperial court also sent out its best troops, but they only defeated a few small tribes, which was not up to standard.

Zhu Yunhuan smiled and said, "Uncle, you are serious. This trip can drive the Tartars back to Mobei and make them dare not covet Da Ning. That's enough."

These can be considered to be true. In the eyes of Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Yunhuan, it would be the best thing if they could encounter the main force of Mongolia. They could take advantage of the situation and strike hard again.

But it doesn't matter if the Mongols avoid fighting. As long as they don't dare to go south, letting them consume their energy in the even more bitter and cold Mobei is also a good solution.

Even if it takes a little longer to be effective and seems to lack some passion, it is not unacceptable. The Ming Dynasty can take this opportunity to recuperate and consider a major war in a few years.

"I'll leave the affairs of the Northwest to my second uncle. You should hurry up and build the ranch and the fortress in the next few years." Zhu Yunhuan turned to look at Zhu Gang and said, "The other uncles are waiting and are always urging us."

This was also Zhu Yunhuan's way of keeping things balanced. There was some discord between Zhu Gang and Zhu Di, which was something many people knew about.

It would not be said that they were hostile to each other. They were more of a struggle for the title of the most important prince of the royal family and a position of being valued.

Leading troops to the frontier, building cities and cultivating farmland, and controlling the troops and horses along the border are all manifestations of Zhu Gang's current status. It is no exaggeration to say that he is valued and reused to a greater extent than Zhu Chong.

Zhu Yunhuan knew very well that these uncles of his could still provide a lot of help and did not necessarily become a threat, so he was not too nervous.

At this time, you even have to comfort these uncles of yours so that they can feel a little more at ease and don't have to think too much.

The way the King of Qi was dealt with could indeed serve as a warning to some members of the royal family, so that they would not continue to act recklessly.

The past days may indeed be very comfortable, but those good days are gone forever, and now we should be more restrained, so as to ensure wealth. But in many cases, it is necessary to use both kindness and power, whether it is for civil and military officials, or for the royal family and vassal kings.

Several people were chatting and laughing, and the atmosphere seemed quite harmonious.

However, such a scene was within everyone's expectations. After all, the relationship between the Crown Prince and the royal family members had always been good over the years.

The princes of the royal family have never shown any dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince and have always been supportive of this heir.

The Crown Prince Zhu Yunhuan was returning the favor. Even though it seemed that the treatment of some members of the royal family was reduced, it did not make their lives difficult.

He would not try every means to make these royal family members die, and he has not shown any tendency to be ruthless to them.

Of course, some people also think that this may be the reason why the crown prince dare not do anything more because the emperor is still alive.

After a brief chat with the royal family members, there will definitely be a banquet after returning to the palace, and there will be many opportunities to continue chatting.

Looking at Fu Youde, Zhu Yunxun smiled and said, "Duke Ying, are you okay?"

Fu Youde replied, "Your Highness, although I am old, I can still fight in the battlefield."

This veteran still has some "reluctance to admit old age". Having fought for most of his life, Fu Youde still prefers the glorious days of leading thousands of troops. If he really has to choose, he still hopes to continue leading troops to fight.

The issue of age is naturally a big problem, but for Fu Youde, the most important thing is to gain the trust of the emperor and the crown prince, so that he will not be idle.

"Everyone says Lian Po is old, can he still eat?" Zhu Yunhuan said with a smile, "If you ask me, the Duke of Ying is no less capable than the ancients."

Fu Youde didn't know how to answer for a moment, and couldn't guess what the Crown Prince meant.

This seems to be a compliment to Fu Youde for his vigorous age, but the ending of "Can Lian Po Still Eat?" is not good. Lian Po, who refuses to admit his old age, says he can still fight in battle, but the messenger deliberately framed him and made up a story that Lian Po defecated three times while eating.

Fu Youde had no choice but to think about it. Previously, the emperor and the grandson had intended to leave him idle and let him manage the Wu Garden. And now it seemed that after the war was over, he still needed to return to the Wu Garden.

Zhu Yunhuan looked at Li Jinglong and said with a smile, "My cousin looks more heroic. He should go to the battlefield more often."

"Knowledge gained from books is always shallow. One must practice it in person to truly understand it." Li Jinglong replied, "I often boast that I have read a lot of military books, but I have underestimated the heroes of the world. Previously, Your Majesty and Your Highness trusted me to train the troops several times, and this time I can go on an expedition with the army, which has broadened my horizons."

After hearing what Li Jinglong said, Zhu Yunhuan naturally felt a lot more comforted.

Zhu Yunhuan has always been a little worried about Li Jinglong. He feels that there is a high possibility that he will repeat the same mistakes and is worried that Li Jinglong is just talking big.

Although some of his doubts have not been dispelled yet, Zhu Yunhuan would naturally feel relieved that Li Jinglong could have such awareness.

You should still reuse him when you should, and still be cautious when you should be cautious. This is how Zhu Yunhuan views Li Jinglong.

After all, even if Li Jinglong could hardly become a real general, it would be difficult for him to achieve great achievements on the battlefield.

However, the title of Duke of Cao can play a significant role. Li Jinglong is not just a general, but also his status as a relative of the emperor cannot be erased.

Be it checks and balances or suspicion, those are actually not particularly important to Zhu Yunhuan. The key is just to do well the things he has asked him to do.

Therefore, making good use of Li Jinglong is a great art, and it is indeed a test for Zhu Yunhuan in the future.

Fortunately, Zhu Yunhuan did not have to worry too much. With Lan Yu and Xu Huizu around, Zhu Yunhuan did not have to worry about not having a general to lead the army.

It was simply impossible to make Zhu Di a general. It was impossible to give a vassal king the opportunity to lead the army in the true sense.

Looking at Xu Huizu, Zhu Yunxun smiled and said, "Miao Jin is in confinement now, so I can't see him easily. Go see him later."

Xu Huizu's attitude became more humble, "I obey your order."

"Okay, you don't have to be like this in the future." Zhu Yunxun said to Xu Huizu with a smile, "I know the family tradition of Zhongshan Palace. In the future, you should be Wen Yao's right-hand man in the court. Sometimes, you have to show some momentum. Look at how good it is to be a founding duke. You have to consider Wen Yao more in the future."

Xu Huizu still said very humbly, "Your Highness, I have received the emperor's grace for generations, and I dare only to serve the court."

The imperial court?

Who is the court?

Old Zhu was the court, Zhu Yunhuan was the court, and before Zhu Wenyao was named the crown prince, it was not considered the court.

Zhu Yunhuan loved and hated Xu Huizu's stubbornness at times. "I don't even want to talk to you anymore. You won't change your temper anytime soon."

Xu Huizu didn't know how to answer. He had been taught by Xu Da since he was a child, and his character was indeed calm and humble. It was unrealistic to expect him to change his way of dealing with people all at once.

Moreover, from Xu Huizu's point of view, he should be more cautious in the future so as to consolidate the positions of Xu Miaojin and Zhu Wenyao.

It is definitely not a good thing for the emperor if his relatives are too powerful. Especially for the crown prince, it is also a test and risk.

The army returned triumphantly and everyone was in a very good mood.

Although everyone’s focus is different, basically everyone is happy.

If they win, it will be a good thing, and there won't be too many twists and turns. What's more, there is a big happy event now, the emperor and the crown prince are in a good mood, and for many people, it is a good time.

When these two are in a good mood, the pressure on others will naturally be reduced. (End of this chapter)