Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

When Emperor Jianwen's head was brought to Zhu Di after a long journey, Zhu Di was outside the wall.

During this period, not only was Jiang Xinghuo in the south carrying out operations to clear the fields, Zhu Di also began to strengthen the northern border security according to the predetermined plan.

Of course, in Zhu Di's logic, strengthening security is not about doing more defense, but taking the initiative to kill all the enemies, and you will be safe.

The north wind blows and the white grass breaks on the ground, and the sky is full of snow in August.

The sky was so low that it seemed to be pressing down on the ground, and the dark clouds were as dense as a thick quilt, blocking the light of the stars and the moon, making the night even darker and deeper.

The first snowfall in Mobei is like countless tiny pieces of paper, falling from the sky. Each snowflake seems to tell the coldness and ruthlessness of winter. At this time, the ground has been covered with a thick layer of snow. The cotton boots of the Ming soldiers on patrol would make a creaking sound when they step on the snow blanket. This is a unique music to the North.

In this silver-white world, the tents of the Ming army stood in the wind and snow like isolated islands on the sea. They were covered with thick snow. Only the sentinels who always stood seemed to be lighthouses in the sea, guarding everyone. The safety of the Ming army.

The heavy snow was accompanied by strong winds. Even the hot breath exhaled by the patrol soldiers was blown away by the strong winds before they could take a breath. Only a few weak firelights were left swaying in the darkness, like wandering souls who had lost their way. Looking for a home in the cold wind.

The patrolling soldiers were wrapped in thick new cotton armor, wearing fur hats and cotton towels wrapped around their ears. They walked through the snow and walked through the camps with difficulty. They carried long guns on their backs and held the handles of knives in their hands. The light was looming, and even so, their faces were red from the cold, but their eyes were particularly firm, especially when they looked at the Chinese army's tent.

In the past two years, due to the main force of the Yan army moving south, the situation on the northern border has become very unstable. Although there are many Mongolian tribes that have attached themselves to and expressed surrender, acting as a buffer zone on the border, the Mongols led by the Tatar tribe have They would still go south to raid the grass valley from time to time. The Ming army on the border was not only at a numerical disadvantage, but also defended an extremely long border, making it difficult to form an effective counterattack. Often the opponent would have withdrawn after receiving the news to gather troops.

But Zhu Di's actions were very bold.

On the way north, Yu Henan began to turn around and head west, all the way into Tongguan. Then the main force was led by Zhu Di and marched to Xi'an. The remaining part was led by Zhu Neng and entered Shanxi from Puban. From Puban to Tongguan, it not only formed the Guanzhong It is an important line of defense in the region against the east and is also the bridgehead for the Guanzhong region to attack outwards. At that time, the Qin State controlled this mountain and river strategic point to achieve hegemony. He is a person who keeps his mouth shut." This is the reason.

Zhu Di controlled these two key points, which not only cut off the connection between the Qin and Jin vassals, but also directly made them lose their defensive significance. At the same time, Sheng Yong and Ping An, who had already assembled in Daibei, led their troops from Datong Town. , and then enter the basin via Yanmen.

There is no need to say more about what happened next. Faced with the physical visit to relatives by the fourth uncle with a big knife, the two eldest nephews who were not ready were as good as quails. The three guards who were unwilling to return life and death before, this time Offer them all honestly. It doesn't matter if you don't give them, because their three guards and tens of thousands of people have been surrounded. If you don't have dignity, my fourth uncle will help you.

Although the two boys finally understood the general situation, the fourth uncle was very happy, but the fourth uncle did not like the two boys' previous unruly and domineering behavior.

So these two boys were imprisoned in the prince's palace. They were studying in the big prison formed by their own homes. It would depend on when they would be released.

After that, they waited until the supplies were nearly stocked in Beijing, collected enough intelligence on the grasslands, and then began to lead the army out of the fortress.

Generally speaking, the nomadic peoples on the northern grasslands will go south to harvest grass and valleys when the autumn is high and the horses are fat. However, the Han army will not use troops during the autumn harvest, because once they use troops, they must recruit one to several times their own army. The civilian laborers are required to carry out logistics and escort work, which will inevitably affect the autumn harvest.

Now after the war in the north, the population is even sparser than during the Hongwu Dynasty. Therefore, Zhu Di did not send troops during the autumn harvest, but set out in the summer. But now after a month of wandering on the vast grassland, the supply line is getting longer and longer, although it is also He conquered some small tribes and obtained a large number of cattle and sheep, but it was not an option to continue to consume them like this.

But it is not easy to find traces of the enemy on the grasslands and deserts. If it were really easy, it would not be as difficult as Li Guang.

At this time, in the Chinese army's tent, a dim oil lamp hung in the center. The swaying light stretched the shadow of the bed in the tent and cast it on the curtain. However, this shadow continued to move as the owner moved. The ground changes.

Zhu Di was lying on the bed, with the lower corner of the brocade quilt on his body kicked aside by him. He was tensed, his brows furrowed, and his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat. It was obvious that he had not slept peacefully, and his breathing was heavy and rapid. , as if experiencing something thrilling in a dream.

The thick fabric of the tent was constantly swaying under the raging wind, making a rustling sound. This sound was particularly clear in the silent night, as if something was peeking outside, and this sound was intertwined with Zhu Di's heavy breathing to form a Created a depressing and tense atmosphere.

In the dream, Zhu Di seemed to have entered an unknown world, surrounded by thick fog. The fog was white. He didn't know where he was or how to leave. He could only keep looking around. Hoping to find a clue or an exit, Zhu Di tried to open his eyes wide, but his sight was still blocked by the fog and could not be penetrated.

Zhu Di drew out his sword, but did not see the enemy and did not know where his target was. His steps began to become unsteady, as if he was looking for something but did not know where to go. This kind of helplessness And the feeling of confusion made him feel as if he was being swallowed by this fog.

"Who? Who's hiding there?"

Zhu Di seemed to feel something. He held the knife tightly in his hand, and then slashed forward, but there was nothing in front of him. He seemed to be trapped in an invisible cage and could not escape.

But the next moment, Zhu Di suddenly broke through a door. He tripped over the threshold and staggered. When he got up again, the knife he was holding tightly in his hand disappeared for some reason, and Zhu Di chose He clenched his fists and continued to observe his surroundings vigilantly.

And a figure gradually appeared in front of him. As the figure got closer, Zhu Di finally saw the face of the person clearly - that was his father, Emperor Hongwu Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Di's fists that were clenched tightly just now began to be filled with sweat.

Seeing his father, Zhu Di immediately felt a huge pressure and fear. His legs softened and he knelt on the ground. He couldn't believe his eyes. Wasn't his father already dead? How would it appear here?

Zhu Yuanzhang's face was serious and cold, and his eyes revealed deep dissatisfaction and anger towards Zhu Di. His eyes seemed to penetrate Zhu Di's heart, leaving him nowhere to hide.

Zhu Di did not dare to look directly into Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes. He could only look down at his hands. His hands, which had always held a knife and bow with great stability, were trembling.

He knew that he had committed an unforgivable crime, killing his nephew Zhu Yunwen and usurping the throne. This behavior was undoubtedly treasonous in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes.

Zhu Yuanzhang sternly questioned Zhu Di why he had committed such a treasonous act and killed his own nephew Zhu Yunwen. His voice echoed in the fog, as if from another world. This voice was full of majesty and anger, and Zhu Di felt his heart being tightened. Holding tightly, he couldn't breathe, couldn't argue, and could only bear his father's anger silently.

Under Zhu Yuanzhang's repeated questioning, Zhu Di finally spoke to defend himself.

"Father! Father! I didn't kill my eldest nephew!"

Zhu Di's voice was trembling and weak, as if it would be blown away by the wind at any time.

He tried to explain that his act of fengtian Jingnan was out of loyalty to the Ming Dynasty and responsibility to the old Zhu family. However, Zhu Yuanzhang's anger did not dissipate. These excuses seemed so feeble in the face of Zhu Yuanzhang's anger. He stepped closer to Zhu Di, but Zhu Di could only sit on the ground and backed away step by step with his hands on his back.

Zhu Di retreated to the edge of a cliff. He had no way to retreat. He felt a deep despair and helplessness, as if he was standing on the edge of life and death.

And Zhu Di looked at the angry Zhu Yuanzhang, his eyes full of fear and helplessness. He knew that his behavior had offended his father. No one in the world could resist Zhu Yuanzhang's anger, not even him. He could not ask for help. Have to forgive.

Zhu Di was about to be forced to fall off the cliff by Zhu Yuanzhang. At this moment, Zhu Di spoke.

"Father, my son has done better than him! Let my son be the emperor!"

When Zhu Yuanzhang heard what he said, he fell silent. Then he no longer approached him. Instead, he unexpectedly walked towards the cliff. With one step, he fell into the cliff and disappeared into the white mist.

Zhu Di subconsciously stood up and tried to pull him back, but couldn't pull him back.

Zhu Di shouted loudly, hoping that Zhu Yuanzhang could hear his confession and regret, but Zhu Yuanzhang's figure could not be seen at all in the white mist.

Zhu Di felt his heart was empty, as if something was moving away from him. He stretched out his hand to grab something, but in the end he could only hang down feebly.

"Father, don't leave me. I am no longer the emperor. I am no longer the emperor!"

Zhu Di muttered to himself alone.

At this moment, he felt unprecedentedly lonely and helpless.

"Dad, why don't you pawn it for me?"

Suddenly, Zhu Di woke up from his dream and sat up suddenly. Sweat soaked his inner lining. The cold wind outside the wall that rushed in from the gaps in the tent made him feel chilly.

Zhu Di was breathing heavily, his heartbeat was still fast and strong. Looking around, the dim lights and swaying tent fabric told him that he was still in the military camp of the Northern Expedition.

The sound of the wind and snow outside vaguely reached his ears, allowing him to gradually distinguish the boundary between reality and dreams. However, everything in the dream was so real that it left him with lingering fears.

But all the lingering fears turned into anger when facing his tall and tall second son.

Zhu Di slapped Zhu Gaoxu on the arm.

"You want to be the emperor, right?"

"no."

Zhu Gaoxu scratched his head and said: "Dad, you said it yourself. You just said that you asked grandpa not to leave you. You are no longer the emperor. I think you are no longer the emperor. No one wants this throne. Just sit down for me." chant."

Zhu Di resisted the urge to rub his palms. He slapped him just now. Zhu Gaoxu was fine, but he was hurt by the slap.

"Okay, I'm not dead yet and you already care about me. I make you want to be the emperor. I make you want to be the emperor!"

Zhu Di jumped out of bed, pulled out a knife with one hand and was about to chop Zhu Gaoxu. Zhu Gaoxu was so frightened that he jumped and hid on the other side of the bed: "No, I am just kidding, please calm down!"

When he is joking, he calls him daddy, but when he is not joking, he immediately switches to his father. Zhu Gaoxu is quite conscious.

At this time, looking at Zhu Gaoxu, who had dark circles under his eyes, Zhu Di actually felt a little sorry for his second son. Even if he was made of iron, he couldn't bear to stay awake for him on the small bed outside for half the night.

It's just like Li Shimin after Xuanwu Sect. Without the most trusted person to keep vigil for him and give him a psychological hint, it would be difficult for Zhu Di to sleep peacefully with such a heart disease.

"Get out and sleep!"

Father's love is like a landslide. He originally wanted to express his love with thousands of words, but this is all that is left on his lips.

Zhu Di waved his knife and roared at Zhu Gaoxu: "If you dare to talk such nonsense again, I will twist off your head and use it as a chamber pot."

"According to the order!"

Zhu Gaoxu ran out of the big tent and breathed a long sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, raised his head, and found that the horizon outside had turned fish belly white, and the sky was gray.

Strange to say, when Zhu Di was in Nanjing, he lived in the same place where Zhu Yuanzhang lived. He always had nightmares like this, and even needed Zhu Gaoxu to guard the door before he could fall asleep. However, on the way to the North Expedition, he basically didn't have such nightmares anymore. Today is the day again. what happened?

This was the time when people were most sleepy. Seeing two young flamers dozing off guarding the tent, Zhu Gaoxu patted them on the shoulders. The two flamers immediately woke up and were scared to death. If you take a nap while on duty, it is considered a capital offense.

Seeing that it was Zhu Gaoxu, he relaxed and called out respectfully: "Your Highness."

Zhu Gaoxu took out a few golden beans from his waist, stuffed them into their hands, and asked quietly: "What happened yesterday?"

The two little flamers hesitated for a moment. It was a capital crime for the servant to communicate with the foreign minister, but they remembered their godfather's instructions and the second prince not only woke them up to avoid trouble but also gave Jindouzi to them, so they still said it truthfully: " There is a small box sent from the south, I don’t know what’s in it.”

Zhu Gaoxu nodded, patted the two little flamers and left.

Based on the content of Zhu Di's sleep talk just now, Zhu Gaoxu has actually guessed it.

——What was delivered was probably Zhu Yunwen’s head.

In the big tent, Zhu Di sat by the bed. He did not lie down immediately, but fell into deep contemplation. He recalled the scene in his dream. The angry face and stern questioning of his father Zhu Yuanzhang were still vivid in his mind. I know that the dream may be the condemnation of my father's spirit in heaven, the anger and dissatisfaction with his fight for the throne and the fight between uncle and nephew.

But things have come to this, where is there any way back?

Zhu Di lost his sleep, bent down and took out a box from under the bed. When he opened the box, it was Zhu Yunwen's salted head.

Looking at the head, Zhu Di's expression gradually darkened.

"My eldest nephew, did you just go to complain to your grandfather?"

At this time, Zhu Di had completely recovered from the brief fragility of the dream.

"It doesn't matter, you can sue."

Zhu Di patted his eldest nephew's head kindly and said, "You haven't been to the north yet. This time I will show you how I defeated the Tatar tribe and purged the north. This is what you will do all your life. Things that are impossible can only be accomplished by me as emperor, you know?"

Zhu Di locked the box and kicked it under the bed.

This is the cruel side of Zhu Di. Sometimes he is such a person, cruel to himself and cruel to others.

If it were not for this kind of character, Zhu Di would not have been able to climb the ice and snow to achieve great victory in Mobei, nor would he have been able to pretend to be crazy and act stupid to delay his rebellion plan for enough time.

Similarly, it is precisely because of this character that Zhu Di can love killing and war, and can make the decision to kill the ten tribes.

After a brief period of contemplation and introspection, Zhu Di gradually regained his calmness and determination. He knew that no matter what the dream was, he could not change what had happened. Now, the only thing he could do was to move on and complete the Northern Expedition. Mission, prove yourself with practical actions.

As Zhu Di walked out of the tent, a biting cold wind hit his face, making him shiver. However, when he looked up, he was shocked by the sight in front of him.

The white fish belly gradually expanded in the eastern sky, and then a wisp of red cloud slowly rose, dyeing the whole world into a warm color. This was the first ray of sunshine at dawn. It sprinkled on Zhu Di's body, as if covering him with a layer of The golden armor gives him endless strength and courage.

Zhu Di looked into the distance, his eyes full of determination. He knew that the road to the Northern Expedition was still long, full of unknowns and challenges, but famous generals in ancient times had faced these problems when setting out for the fortress. He was fully prepared for this expedition, regardless of what lay ahead. No matter how many difficulties and dangers there are, he will march forward bravely like he did during his first northern expedition when he was young, until he returns victorious.

And the most important thing is that when Zhu Di came to this land, he didn't feel any strangeness at all, because he had already traveled this route fourteen years ago.

In the 23rd year of Hongwu's reign, Zhu Di, who was still the king of Yan, led Fu Youde and other famous generals out of Gubeikou. They discovered that Nai'er Buhua, the Taiwei of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, was stationed in Mu Yidu, so he sent his troops forward.

It was snowing heavily at this time, and all the generals wanted to wait for the snow to stop before advancing. However, Zhu Di believed that with the heavy snowfall, the enemy must not have expected the Ming army to arrive, and they should take advantage of the snow to advance quickly. So when the army arrived at Yidu, he and Yuan The army was only separated by a sand moraine and was not discovered.

Zhu Di surrounded the Mongols and sent people to persuade them to surrender successfully, and obtained a large number of cattle, sheep and horses. The news of the success reached Zhu Yuanzhang, and Lao Zhu said happily: "The one who cleared the desert is King Yan!"

From then on, the reputation of King Yan Zhu Di began to spread throughout Mobei, and going out to attack Beiyuan was Zhu Di's main task in the ten years after the 23rd year of Hongwu.

The footsteps of Zhu Di's war horses traveled all over this land. Only when he came here did Zhu Di feel that he had returned to the most familiar territory.

As the sky grew brighter and the blizzard stopped, the armies began to cook food. After eating and drinking, they set off again.

On the march, Zhu Di rode his horse to a high ground. He rode a majestic war horse and stood on the hill thinking. Behind him were densely packed Ming army soldiers as far as the eye could see.

Looking back at the huge army he led, Zhu Di's eyes shone with confidence and pride. This army, which has been at the forefront of the entire Chinese history, cannot be defeated by any nomads when it is well supplied. , so all he has to consider is how to find the enemy.

The detective horses had dispersed hundreds of miles around to look for traces of the main force of the Tatar tribe. Zhu Di was very patient. Although the enemy was always avoiding the battle, they could not hide for long because the main force of the Tatar tribe was too large to carry these troops. There are not many pastures for people, and there are only a few fixed locations. As long as they don't split up and run away, then I can always catch them.

There is a sea in the northwest under the hill. The sea is full of birds such as geese, geese, swans, and geese. The white ones are like snow and the black ones are like ink. Several Ming army cavalry who are fetching water are galloping over. These birds immediately rise from the water. Flying up, waiting for others to leave before coming back, soaring gracefully on the water, full of vitality.

A group of geese finished their rest and flew up from Haizi. If someone could observe the land below from the eyes of the geese, they would be able to see the spectacular scene of the three battalions of the Ming army marching in formation. Determined; the cavalry galloped like torrents of steel on the plains; the artillerymen carefully pushed the artillery carriage from behind to ensure that the mules and horses would not be too strenuous.

The army stretching for tens of miles from north to south is like a giant dragon meandering forward. The five-color flags of the Ming army are fluttering in the wind. Each flag represents a combat unit. They gather into an unstoppable force. , flashing with cold light, even the wild geese couldn't look directly at it.

Zhu Di was riding on a war horse, overlooking this spectacular marching scene from the height of the hill. His heart was full of complex emotions.

On the one hand, he felt extremely proud and satisfied. This well-trained and well-equipped army was the fruit of his many years of hard work, and it was also the most powerful guarantee for the stability of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Di firmly believed that as long as he had this army in hand, he would He has the ability to protect the Ming Dynasty and realize his ambition of "ruling the Tang, Song, and Han Dynasties".

On the other hand, Zhu Di also felt a heavy responsibility. As the supreme commander of the army, he shouldered the expectations and heavy responsibilities of these good men. As the world's number one general, Zhu Di clearly understood that the victory of the war not only depends on The number and equipment of the army depend more on the commander's wisdom and courage. Therefore, he must remain calm at all times and make correct decisions in order to lead the Ming army to victory, especially in the complex situation in Saibei. Intelligence and logistics are facing great challenges, and he must not be confused, otherwise problems may arise in the national destiny of the Ming Dynasty.

In addition to these, last night's dream also left Zhu Di with a deep feeling of loneliness. Although there were countless loyal soldiers and civil servants around him, they could not fully understand his inner thoughts and feelings.

However, Zhu Di also understood that as an emperor, he must learn to bear this loneliness, because this is his fate and responsibility.

While Zhu Di was silently thinking about his thoughts, the civil servants also looked at the scene in front of them with some emotion.

"At this point in military power, who dares to take the lead in this formation!" Jin Youzi put down his brush and rubbed his hands, which were red from the cold, with emotion as he faced the advancing army.

"Did you finish writing?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, the writing is finished!"

Because the Jin Yiwei who went to Oara to inquire about the news had already come back, Zhu Di asked Jin Youzi to draft an edict for the Oara tribe. Jin Youzi wrote it directly while leaning on the saddle. Unfortunately, in this weather, not only was the brush difficult to use, but he was also freezing after finishing writing. No, my whole body was shaking a little.

In fact, not to mention people, they were war horses with their hooves wrapped in cloth to prevent them from slipping. At this time, they were also shaking their bodies slightly to keep warm.

"Do you know the weather in Shuofang today?"

Zhu Di looked at Jin Youzi's somewhat thin clothes and smiled. He asked someone to get him a thick cotton coat to put on. He also ordered someone to get him some hot water to prevent the cold from entering his body and falling ill here. The current medical conditions are poor. In addition, Jin Youzi's body was not very strong, so he might really die if he fell ill.

After completing the writing task, several civil servants rode their horses to follow the emperor and continued the march. The march was not boring at all. Zhu Di was worthy of being a scout when he was young. He was very familiar with the scenery of the northern part of the country. He leaned over the horse and grabbed it from the side. A bunch of plants gave the accompanying civil servants some popular science.

"This is a ginseng root. The root is white. The largest one can take root two feet underground. The smaller one is similar to a small ginseng. It has a pungent and slightly bitter smell and is not tasty, but it is edible. If a scout can't find food, I have to rely on this thing to satisfy my hunger."

"The snowstorm last night was a bit heavy, and the bottom of the sand was covered. You must follow the footsteps of the army when marching, and don't lean on the roadside."

"Ouch."

As soon as Zhu Di finished speaking, Yang Shiqi almost fell down. It turned out that the horse's hoof fell into a small pit.

Zhu Di signaled him not to act rashly, lest the horse become angry after being injured and instead throw him off the horse and throw him out.

Then Zhu Di comforted the war horse. Miraculously, the war horse calmed down immediately.

Zhu Di squatted down, dug the snow under the horse's hooves with his hands, and explained to the civil servants.

"This is a rabbit hole in the sand. Horses walking on it in the snow can easily fall into it."

Soon Yang Shiqi's horse got out of trouble. Zhu Di smiled and asked the guards around him to poke out the sand rabbit hole, which would give Yang Shiqi, Jin Youzi and others a lot of experience.

When the panicked Shatu was found out, Yang Shiqi and others were amazed.

This thing is the size of a mouse, but its head, eyes, and hair are like a rabbit. Only its claws and legs are like a mouse. Its tail is very long, its front legs are short, and its hind legs are long.

"Let it go."

As soon as the guard loosened his grip, the little thing slipped away quickly.

"The sand rabbit is agile and jumps when walking. It is as cunning as a rabbit and can't be caught by dogs."

"What is this thing called the leaping rabbit in "Poetry"?" Yang Shiqi asked curiously.

Zhu Di patted the snow on his hand: "Who knows? Anyway, the nomads on the grassland and desert call it sand rabbit."

After the small episode, the army continued to march. Because the sudden snowstorm had no follow-up, it actually had little impact on the march. When they arrived at the Luqu River, Zhu Di was in a good mood and asked someone to find an angular stone. He stood on the side of the road, carved a stone tablet on it with an axe, and named it Yinma River.

But as the army crossed the Yinma River, Zhu Di soon became serious, because news came from the sentry in front that they seemed to have found the main force of the Tatar tribe.