If not abolished

After walking for more than a month, Hu Shanxiang finally arrived in the capital near the end of the year.

Eldest sister Hu Shanwei came out from the palace to welcome her.

A green oil-covered carriage stopped at the gate of Hu's residence in Chang'anfang. Hu Shanxiang helped the maid get off the carriage. It had just rained on the road, and there were puddles and water in some places. Hu Shanxiang looked at the door for a while, and then the door was opened from the inside. The gatekeeper asked if it was the third girl. Hu Shanxiang said yes, and the gatekeeper welcomed her in, then said to the child beside him, "Go and tell the third girl to come back."

"Come in quickly, young lady. The eldest lady was still talking about it yesterday. She said it should be here in a day or two."

"I'm not feeling well. It should have been over in the next 20 days, but it's been delayed for over a month."

"The girl's health is the most important thing. It will only take about ten days."

Just after passing through two doors, Hu Shanwei came over. Hu Shanxiang was surprised and said, "Why did the elder sister come out in person?"

"I'm glad you're here. As soon as I heard that you were here, I was so anxious to come out and see you. I'll take you there. Your two brothers are here today, so let's meet them first. They have to go back to their duties later."

"Have my elder brother and second brother been selected?" But is this confirmed in just over a month? I remember that in history, it was not until the 13th year of Yongle that Zhu Di specially selected young soldiers for the crown prince. Now it is only the end of the 7th year of Yongle, a full six years earlier. How could it be so much earlier? Will there be variables in the future? Will I have a chance to escape my fate?

"Hu An is now the assistant commander of the Palace Guard, a fourth-rank official, one level higher than me. Hu Xuan is a captain of the Palace Guard. Although he is only a fourth-rank official, it is a hereditary military position." Hu Shanwei replied.

"That's great." This is exactly the same as what happened in history. My eldest brother has been strategic since he was young, and the position of Chief of Staff is in line with his personality. Hu Shanxiang still asked her doubts, "How old is the grandson this year? Why is he selecting a young army so early?"

"In September, the Crown Prince went to the temple to burn incense and was accidentally injured. Therefore, Your Majesty has brought forward the selection of young soldiers."

"So that's how it is." Hu Shanxiang thought thoughtfully.

As they were talking, they had already reached the inner hall. The two brothers saw them coming and stood up and walked forward.

"Third sister has finally arrived, and I can finally let go of my worry." Second brother Hu Xuan came over and touched her head and said.

"Did the journey go smoothly?" asked the eldest brother Hu An.

"The journey was relatively smooth. I'm sorry to have caused my brothers and sisters to worry about me," Hu Shanxiang said apologetically.

"Okay, stop standing and sit down. I asked someone to prepare something that Third Sister likes to eat. Come and try it." Hu Shanwei pulled her to the dining table.

Normally, boys and girls should sit at different tables after the age of seven, but the Hu family was a family of military generals and were not bound by so many rules, so the two elder brothers ate with them.

"Is it delicious?" Hu Shanwei filled Hu Shanxiang's bowl with dishes.

"It's delicious. Eat some too, sister. I won't be able to finish it later."

After the meal, Hu An and Hu Xuan went to work.

"The palace has been very busy these days. His Majesty will go on a personal expedition next February. I was able to come out today because I swapped shifts with someone else. I can't spend much time with you as the year is coming to an end. After this busy period, I will take you around Nanjing." After the meal, Hu Shanwei took her to the courtyard where he lived and told her some things about the palace on the way.

"Sister, don't worry about me. Just do your own thing. I'm an adult now and can take care of myself. I have a lot of maids around me, so you don't have to worry about me." Hu Shanxiang said easily.

Hu Shanwei was very pleased to hear his sister's sensible words. He smiled and said, "I won't be back to the palace until tomorrow afternoon. I'll take you for a walk in the yard tomorrow. You haven't been to this house yet? This is a good time to take a good look."

"Okay." They had already arrived at Hu Shanxiang's residence. Hu Shanwei said, "You are tired today, take a good rest, I won't disturb you."

"Take care, big sister."

"Do you want your sister to sleep with you?" Hu Shanwei teased her.

Hu Shanxiang really lowered her head to think about it, then raised her head and said, "If my sister doesn't worry that I won't sleep well, there's nothing I can't do."

"Forget it. You don't sleep well. I'd better go and rest by myself. I'll come see you tomorrow."

"Ah."

After seeing Hu Shanwei off, she was indeed a little tired, so she asked someone to help her wash and settle down. She didn't like people serving her in the inner room when she slept, so she asked everyone to go out. There was no light in the room. Looking at the moonlight coming in through the window, Hu Shanxiang lost her sleepiness again. She didn't know what would happen to her in the future. The direction of history was different from what she knew, but there was no difference in major events. In history, Emperor Yongle also personally led his first expedition to Mobei in February of the eighth year of Yongle. But her brothers were selected into the young army so much earlier. It seemed that all the time and characters related to Zhu Zhanji had changed, such as her brother, and she came to the capital in advance, which was different from history. Could it be because she traveled through time? Alas, she couldn't figure it out, and she couldn't figure it out. She would take it one step at a time. Thinking about it, Hu Shanxiang fell asleep unknowingly.

Early in the morning, her elder sister pulled her out of bed.

"Sister, it's too early." Hu Shanxiang said yawning.

"It's already sunny now. I heard from people around you that you slept until noon every day in Jining. Now that you are in the capital, I have to control your laziness." Hu Shanwei pulled her to sit in front of the bronze mirror and helped her dress up personally.

"Sister, you have such a skillful hand." Hu Shanxiang said praisingly.

Hu Shanwei braided her hair into two small braids and said, "You have never seen the hands of the costume embroidery department really skillful. I have only learned a little bit of kung fu."

"Okay, go have breakfast first, and I'll take you around the yard."

After breakfast, the two sisters walked in the yard. Hu Shanwei did not let anyone follow him. Hu Shanxiang thought that he might have something to say to her, so she did not speak first, just waiting for Hu Shanwei to start the conversation.

When they walked to a long corridor beside a pond and sat down, Hu Shanwei finally spoke: "Although I have already mentioned entering the palace to you in the letter, I still want to ask you in person now. If you don't want to, I will never force you. Naturally, you are still the most important thing."

Hu Shanxiang looked at the pond that was already a little frozen, and after a while she said, "Sister, you are willing to enter the palace, and your sister really wants me to be a female official, right?" She looked into Hu Shanwei's eyes and asked.

"Of course, I have been a palace lady for many years, and I may have to leave the palace in a few years. My father was dismissed from office and has no chance to come back. I can only bring glory to our family in the next few years. For the future, I have to make plans early. There are many sisters in my family, and you and I are born of the same mother. Naturally, you are the first one I think of. But if you don't want to, I will choose someone else from my family."

"It's not that I don't want to. I have always aspired to become a female official like my elder sister since I was a child. I was just being mean just now. I hope you can forgive me." Hu Shanxiang lowered her head and apologized.

Hu Shanwei held her hand and said, "Sister doesn't mean to blame you."

"Thank you sister."

"You are still young, and we cannot allow you to enter the palace right away. The one in charge of public affairs now is Concubine Wang, and this matter still needs to be cleared with her."

"Ah."

"We'll probably have to wait until after the New Year. Let's make plans after His Majesty goes on the expedition. What about you? Is there any place you want to go? Where do you want to go among the six departments and one bureau?"

"Can I go wherever I want?"

"If you have a particular place you want to go, you can."

"Then sister, let me think about it for a while."

"Of course, if there is a chance, I can also let you go to the Shanggong Bureau to have a look around, and then you can make your own decision."

In February of the eighth year of Yongle, Emperor Yongle personally led an army of 500,000 to conquer Mobei. In July of the previous year, Zhu Di sent Qiu Fu, Duke of Qi, as the general of conquering the enemy and led an army of 100,000 to conquer the Tatars. However, because Qiu Fu first led more than a thousand troops to the Luqu River, he underestimated the enemy and advanced rashly, and his command was improper. He died in battle with Wang Cong, Marquis of Wucheng, Huo Zhen, Marquis of Tongan, Wang Zhong, Marquis of Jingan, and Li Yuan, Marquis of Anping, and his troops were also annihilated in the Luqu River. Zhu Di was furious and decided to personally lead the expedition. After more than half a year of preparation, the 500,000-man army went to Mobei in a mighty manner. This was the first time Zhu Di personally led an army after ascending the throne.

The crown prince, princes, and ministers all saw Zhu Di off at the city gate. Zhu Di even called Zhu Zhanji to his side and said, "When you grow up, you can go to Mobei with me."

"Next time, I will definitely accompany you, Grandpa. The journey to Mobei is long and the battlefield is brutal. Please take good care of yourself, be careful and don't fight too long. I will wait for you in the capital to return victoriously and promote the prestige of the Ming Dynasty."

"Well said, this is what a man of the Ming Dynasty should be like. He has ambition." After saying that, Zhu Di mounted his horse and whipped the horse, and several armies marched out of the city gate in a mighty manner.

Zhu Zhanji did not return to the palace immediately, but stood on the city wall and looked at the army below. The wind blew the flags. When he could no longer see anyone, Zhu Zhanji came down from the tower.

Young Army

"Hu Er, why are you back so early today? Come drink with us later."

"No. I have to go back to accompany my sister today. I'm leaving now."

"Hey."

"Why are you running so fast?" the man turned around and said.

"Hu Xuan's sister has come to the capital." The man suddenly heard someone above him asking loudly, feeling somewhat surprised and astonished.

"Your Highness, I am here to see Your Highness." The man took a closer look and saw that the person coming was actually His Highness the Crown Prince. He quickly knelt on one knee to salute.

"Did Hu Xuan just say that he was going home to be with his sister?" Zhu Zhanji didn't let him get up, but just asked the question again.

"It seems... that's what he said." Although he didn't know why the prince asked such a question, he had to answer since his master asked him. He couldn't figure out anything else.

The man maintained the posture of saluting and did not dare to look up. However, after half a day, he did not hear the order from the crown prince to stand up. He finally looked up despite the disapproval, and found that the person who had just stood in front of him had disappeared, as if he had never been there, like a gust of wind.