Daming: At the start of the showdown, Lao Zhu was stunned

Chapter 846 The host and guest enjoy themselves
The horn sounded, and a large group of people followed Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu forward for the first time. The infantry and cavalry phalanxes were all in high spirits, with swords and spears flashing and spirits high. At a glance, one could see the big flags fluttering, and the soldiers' ranks were solemn and motionless like mountains.

From afar, the troops led by Zhu Su came in a mighty force, with bright armor, neatly arranged saddles, spears pointing obliquely, muskets shining, and flags fluttering, and they marched as slowly as a forest of trees!

"Then, then that is, His Royal Highness Prince Zhou of the Ming Dynasty..."

Some chieftains looked at the troops brought by Zhu Su and couldn't help but feel a little worried. Aren't the Sizhou bandits just some ignorant barbarians? Why did the court act like this?

So many more soldiers were sent...

According to the system set by Emperor Hongwu, the princes of the Ming Dynasty could have three guards, called "the princes' three guards", with the number of soldiers in each guard ranging from 3,000 to 19,000. Zhu Su's three guards were not fully staffed with 19,000 soldiers, but on average, each guard had as many as 10,000 soldiers. It is said that when there are more than 10,000 soldiers, there is no limit, and when there are more than 100,000 soldiers, there is no limit. These 30,000 people came in an orderly manner from the official road, and they were really like a mountain that was pressing down on them, making people breathless.

The army in front of him stopped in silence, separated to the left and right, and a high carriage pulled by four horses emerged proudly.

The curtain of the carriage was lowered, and four horsemen followed closely behind it, all the way to the front of the troops in Lianzhou who came to welcome the emperor. The eunuch driving the carriage stuck the whip at his waist, turned around and lifted the curtain of the sedan chair. A young man wearing a pearl and jade crown, a five-claw dragon robe, and a pair of official boots with white soles and black surfaces, bent down and walked out of the sedan chair, holding a roll of bright yellow satin imperial edict in his hand.

"Your servant Li Wenzhong pays homage to His Majesty King Zhou!"

"Your Highness, Lan Yu, pays respect to His Majesty King Zhou!"

When Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu saw Zhu Su getting out of the carriage, they quickly dismounted and greeted him with the imperial greeting. The two dukes bowed, and behind them, a large group of officers and soldiers knelt down. Although everyone knew that the King of Zhou was young, they were still secretly surprised when they saw his appearance. This prince was really young, handsome, and majestic. He had a captivating aura when he looked down. His handsome appearance was enough to fascinate countless lonely ladies and celebrities. His experience of being in a high position and holding power for a long time has precipitated a majestic temperament that makes heroes bow down to him.

After just one encounter, the chieftains and officials present had a feeling: this prince did not seem like a second-generation rich man who inherited the legacy of his father and grandfather and only had many empty titles.

Zhu Su first nodded to Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu, then he solemnly raised the imperial edict and said, "There is an imperial decree!"

Everyone bowed their heads to listen to the order, and Zhu Su unfolded the imperial edict and read it. He led the troops out of the capital, using the title of governor of the southwest military affairs and suppressing the rebellion of the barbarians. This was all written in the imperial edict. It just emphasized that during the period of suppressing the rebellion, all military and political affairs in Lianzhou were decided by King Zhou, and officials were not allowed to disobey. Everyone heard it and didn't take it seriously. The Sizhou barbarians were just a group of mountain bandits. Such a small threat could be eliminated overnight. After King Zhou left, this place would still be the same as it was.

This prince may have just been busy leading troops for a long time in the early years, and just found an errand to come to Lianzhou to relax...

After Zhu Su read out the imperial edict, he put away the seriousness on his face and replaced it with a smile: "I have been ordered to suppress the bandits, and I still need the help of you gentlemen."

"You are all my great Ming dynasty's backbone, I hope you can spare no effort to help me."

"That's natural, that's natural..." A group of officials echoed in a mess, and the responses rose one after another.

"Your Highness has just arrived here. I have the guts to prepare a banquet in the city to welcome you. Please come into the city," invited Wang Dabin, the prefect of Lianzhou.

Zhu Su had no objection, so he ordered Di Meng to lead his troops to camp with the guards of Lianzhou, and he went to the city with Li Wenzhong, Lan Yu and a group of officials to attend the banquet. This was also an opportunity to have a good contact with the chieftains of Lianzhou, and Zhu Su would not miss it.

At the banquet, both the host and the guests were very happy. Although Lianzhou was not rich, the prefect Wang Dabin had made great efforts to prepare it, so it could be considered a sumptuous feast. Zhu Su and Li Wenzhong were cousins. Since Li Wenzhong was here, Zhu Su would naturally stay at his house in Lianzhou. So after the banquet, Zhu Su, Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu returned to Li Wenzhong's house in Lianzhou City.

It was not until this time that these three people with the highest status in Lianzhou Prefecture were able to discuss some private matters.

"Brother Baoer, General Lan, long time no see..." Zhu Su said with a smile, being very intimate with Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu. Needless to say, Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu were not only very close relatives, but also closely related. The brothers of the Zhu family were watched and raised by their cousin Li Wenzhong. Moreover, the relationship between Li Wenzhong and Zhu Su was inexplicably deep. In the past, in Bifeng Royal Manor, Li Wenzhong also helped train the royal guards under Zhu Su. Among Zhu Su's three guards, many were the nephews and brothers left behind by Li Wenzhong's subordinates who died in battle.

As for Lan Yu, the two also had a close personal relationship. Lan Yu was awarded the title of nobility in the war against Japan because he and Zhu Su worked together. It can be said that they were comrades-in-arms.

When these three people get together, they can naturally talk about everything.

"Your Highness, why did the court suddenly change its policy of expanding territory? Could it be that some evil scholar has spread rumors again?" Lan Yu couldn't wait to ask as soon as he sat down. He and Li Wenzhong were not outsiders. Li Wenzhong was Zhu's nephew, and he, Lan Yu, was the brother-in-law of Chang Yuchun, Zhu's favorite general, and the brother-in-law of Crown Prince Zhu Biao. They were all real people. Therefore, before Zhu Su arrived in Lianzhou, the two of them received a secret order and knew that Zhu Su was coming to rectify the chieftains in the southwest and return the chieftains to the officials, so that they could proceed safely when conquering Annan in the future.

Recovering Annan was also a big deal for the two of them. Both of them had been promoted to Dukes, and now that the Ming Dynasty had no troubles in its surroundings, Annan was the biggest goal. They both hoped to win an overseas territory by conquering Annan.

They had been preparing for war in Lianzhou for many years, so they were unable to speak out at the welcoming banquet. They had also been outside the central government for a long time and were not very sensitive to the policies of the court. Naturally, they were most concerned about whether there would be any changes in the court's policy of expanding territory.

Seeing Li Wenzhong also showing an interested look, Zhu Su laughed. He had guessed that they would ask this question a long time ago, and Zhu Su had also prepared words to comfort them: "Expanding territory is a national policy. This policy will naturally not be easily changed."

"Annan is the former land of the Han and Tang dynasties, and it is also a fertile territory, which makes it even more coveted than the land outside the Great Wall... Now that the land outside the Great Wall has been taken, how can we not take Annan?"

(End of this chapter)