Zhu Yuanzhang, who commanded the wind and rain, lived a long and arduous life.

Zhu Yuanzhang continued, "After the start of the year, the princes will not return for the time being; they will probably not leave until after the Lantern Festival."

"During this time, you should carefully observe and ponder these vassal kings."

"Although we've analyzed their personalities for you before, theory is no substitute for practice; you still have to rely on yourself for everything."

"As the old saying goes, the master leads you through the door, but the practice depends on yourself. We have complete faith in you, and you definitely have the ability."

However, Zhu Yuanzhang certainly wouldn't let Zhu Xiong Ying suffer a loss.

When meeting the princes, Zhu Yuanzhang always made sure to arrange for the military men from Huaixi to go and support Zhu Xiong Ying.

Zhu Xiong Ying felt a warm glow in her heart: "Thank you, Grandpa."

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled and said, "There's no need for thanks between us, grandfather and grandson. Everything we do is for your own good. Do you know which of your words touched us the most?"

Zhu Xiong Ying shook her head: "I don't know."

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Every single sentence."

amount.

this….

Zhu Xiong Ying couldn't help but start to let his imagination run wild.

Zhu Yuanzhang explained, "Your filial piety towards us is reflected in every word you say, every action you take, and every expression you make. We see it all clearly."

"We have children and grandchildren, but very few can truly be like you, Xiong Ying!"

“My children and grandchildren always think that I, as their father and grandfather, should think about them. But no one has ever thought about or done things like the crow feeding its parents, the swallow returning to its old bed, or carrying grass to repay kindness. Now I’m old, so old that I can no longer see the truth of some things, but I can see you, and you are definitely real!”

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled awkwardly, only then realizing that he seemed to have misunderstood the old man's meaning.

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke gently, but his gaze was profound.

"Grandson, Grandpa is getting old and can only help you for a few more years at most. When Grandpa passes away, many things will fall on your and your father's shoulders. National affairs, family affairs, and world affairs—you two must not let us down!"

Zhu Xiong Ying's smile vanished, replaced by solemnity. He said, deeply moved, "Don't worry, sir! I promise you, one day I will definitely take you to see the fireworks of our glorious Ming Dynasty!"

"The Ming Dynasty back then must have been ten thousand times more prosperous than it is now!"

"At that time, the territory must have spanned across the southeast, northwest, and even the sea!"

"At that time, everyone will have enough to eat and everyone will be able to go to school!"

"We, the sons of Han, will live upright and proudly in this world. We will not be bullied; we will be the ones to bully others!"

"That prosperous era... will surely be as you wish!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned, staring blankly at Zhu Xiong Ying, the grand scene described by Zhu Xiong Ying appearing in his mind. Gradually, the old man grinned.

The old man said with satisfaction, "Good, good! We'll wait... cough cough, wait... cough cough cough!"

Zhu Yuanzhang covered his mouth and began to cough uncontrollably. "My child, don't worry, Grandpa will entrust you with an empire that poses no threat whatsoever."

You just wait to be a peaceful emperor, only needing to take care of the people!

Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang coughing incessantly, Zhu Xiong Ying's heart tightened: "Old man, I, I'll go find a doctor!"

Zhu Yuanzhang grabbed him and said, "It's alright, it's alright. I know my own body. Don't worry, I'll be fine after coughing for a while."

……

The next day.

That morning, Zhu Di got up very early.

At this moment, he was practicing his morning exercises at the Court of State Ceremonial. Even after arriving in the capital, he still wielded his goose-wing saber with great skill and power.

"Your Majesty."

Xu Miaoyun walked over carrying tea.

Zhu Di stopped wielding his sword, smiled at Xu Miaoyun, picked up his teacup, and drank it all in one gulp.

Today is the 29th of the twelfth lunar month.

Xu Miaoyun said in a low voice, "We've finally come back, Your Highness, could you please find a way to see my three older brothers and younger sister?"

Zhu Di was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Of course! I'll go to the palace later to ask Father Emperor for permission."

Xu Miaoyun was delighted: "Thank you, Your Highness."

Zhu Di waved his hand: "We are all family. It's not easy for us to meet. Father Emperor wouldn't be so unreasonable."

"I also want to meet my brothers-in-law, hehe."

Zhu Di knew that his father would definitely have spies watching over him to prevent him from plotting anything with the Xu family.

But it doesn't matter, Zhu Di already knows all the information he needs to know.

……

Last night, rain fell heavily, but this morning, the sky was filled with rosy clouds, and the morning glow illuminated the peaceful streets and alleys of Yingtian.

Zhu Yuanzhang got up early.

Grandpa and granddaughter had a heart-to-heart talk last night, and Zhu Xiong Ying is full of energy today.

Zhu Yuanzhang admired Zhu Xiong Ying's courage, fearlessness, and indomitable spirit.

Especially after being taught by his father, Zhu Changye, this drive became even more intense.

now,

Seeing that Zhu Xiong Ying was acting as if nothing had happened, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "Alright, let's go back. Make yourself something to eat, and then take a nap."

Seeing that the old man was feeling much better today, Zhu Xiong Ying was relieved.

Last night, the old man kept coughing, and Zhu Xiong Ying also didn't sleep well in the middle of the night, staying by Zhu Yuan Zhang's side the whole time, fearing that something might happen to the old man.

Zhu Yuanzhang kept all of this in mind, so he no longer lingered here, but rather hoped that the child would get more rest.

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded: "Alright then, the weather is nice today, Grandpa, walk slowly and take a look at the bustling streets outside. I won't see you off."

Zhu Yuanzhang left with his hands behind his back.

As if remembering something, the old man magically handed Zhu Xiong Ying a booklet: "Think about it yourself."

With that, the old man strode away.

Zhu Xiong Ying was somewhat suspicious.

Upon opening the booklet that the old man had given him, Zhu Xiong Ying was instantly terrified!

That bit of sleepiness completely vanished!

The Emperor appointed Marquis of Dingbian and Minister of War of the Great Ming Dynasty, Your subject Zhao Renji: This is a record of 2,367 military officers in the capital!

The total number of troops in the capital region is 207,283!

Warhorses: 4,751!

There are a total of 13,742 military officers stationed outside the capital!

Cavalry and infantry force: 992,154 men!

Warhorses: 40,329!

This is the total number of troops in the Ming Dynasty. A rough estimate puts the total at over 1.2 million.

Of course, the actual situation will vary, but the difference will not be too great.

This is the statistical result given by Zhao Ren, Minister of War, this year.

These are top secrets.

Zhu Xiong Ying couldn't possibly be unaware of this.

However, the old man handed over these secrets to me without even thinking about it!

Zhu Xiong Ying was stunned, remembering the old man's high regard for her, and at the same time, she was also very excited.

These troops were the very founding army, the elite, the best, and the most battle-hardened.

Even now, with 1.2 million soldiers, the garrison system is still in place, which is a huge burden on the country.

Such a large army incurs considerable expenses.

If a country spends more than one-thousandth of its total fiscal expenditure on military spending, it means that deflation is imminent.

The old man kept saying that the imperial court was short of money.

It seems the actual situation is far worse than I thought!

These troops, once deployed, would be enough to instill fear and tremble the scalp in any nation they were to fight!

However, supporting such a massive military force would be a severe test of the imperial court's financial system.

However, in other words, the dynasty had only been established for a little over a decade.

The fact that the court could support such a large army and keep the national finances stable for more than a decade is enough to show just how powerful the current court is!

The civil and military officials of the imperial court are all top talents, and they are by no means mediocre.

Their wisdom was in no way inferior to that of later generations!

Sure enough, those who sit in the upper echelons are the most talented among the most selected!

Zhu Xiong Ying continued flipping through the pages, looking at the national documents from the twenty-fifth year of the Hongwu reign.

His heart was pounding like a flame.

This was the first time he had ever truly witnessed such a vast national landscape!

The booklet was filled with numbers.

All the guards and garrisons in the empire were to be paid their salaries according to custom, of which: infantry captains received 1.5 shi of grain, junior officers 1.2 shi of grain, and soldiers 1 shi of grain. Those who guarded cities received the full amount, while those who cultivated land received half.

For soldiers with four or more members, the allowance is one extra shi (石). For those with three or fewer members, the allowance is six dou (斗). A monthly allowance of salt is two jin (斤), and for those without family, one jin (斤).

Winter clothing made of cotton cloth and cotton were provided annually, and summer clothing made of summer cloth were provided in summer. When going to war, cloth, padded jackets, shoes, trousers, etc. were provided!

Looking at the dense data, Zhu Xiong Ying couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. No wonder the Ming Dynasty achieved a series of victories against the powerful Northern Yuan in the early years of its founding.

Warfare is all about the economy, about money and supplies. The Ming Dynasty provided such comprehensive supplies to its soldiers that soldiers and their families had no more worries.

Moreover, these provisions and salaries were completely detached from the civil service system and were all distributed by the Five Military Commissions, which controlled all the garrisons and military forces in the country.

Although the old man came from humble beginnings, he was exceptionally knowledgeable.

Knowing the harm that the civil service system posed to the army, the Ming Dynasty completely separated civil and military officials, appointing meritorious generals with military expertise to lead troops, establishing garrisons, and allowing soldiers to farm in their spare time and fight in wartime.

By the time Zhu Xiong Ying finished reading this year's military equipment data, his forehead was drenched in sweat!

Such massive data, such a proud army—who wouldn't be moved upon seeing it?

But while Zhu Xiong Ying was excited, she was thinking about another issue.

Of these more than one million troops, at least half were stationed in the northern frontier, and Zhu Di commanded more than half of them.

Although the military forces in each region are nominally under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, there are many variables.

Lan Yu had a group of absolutely loyal generals under his command, who could mobilize more than 10,000 troops in the capital at any time.

If I were to truly stand at the pinnacle of power, how would I restrain and manage such a massive army?

This booklet also contains statistics on financial expenditures, which were reported by Fu Youwen, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, regarding the situation this year.

However, Zhu Xiong Ying did not intend to continue watching.

He knew without even looking that the imperial court was severely short of money.

The data on troop strength alone was enough to shock Zhu Xiong Ying.

He needs to digest and become familiar with these forces and the garrison troops in various places.

Zhu Xiong Ying hid the booklet in the study.

"Grandpa... sigh, he's truly omnipotent."

"These secrets must have taken countless hours to copy, so entrusting them to me is an act of absolute trust."

This is a treasure! An absolute treasure!

Tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve, and Zhu Xiong Ying is going to Lan Yu's place to celebrate the New Year.

At that time, we can also discuss with Lan Yu how to defend and attack if we really have to go to war with Zhu Di in the future.

Planning ahead is Zhu Xiong Ying's nature; he doesn't fight battles he's not confident of winning, even though this major battle still has several years to go.

But now that the planning is complete and the discussions are thorough, there's no chance of making a mistake.

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

Zhu Yuanzhang returned from outside early in the morning.

As if he had timed it perfectly, Zhu Di waited until Zhu Yuanzhang arrived at the Jinshen Hall and had rested for a short while before requesting an audience.

"Your son greets his father." Zhu Di knelt down before Zhu Yuanzhang.

In the Ming Dynasty, kneeling was generally not required for the etiquette between the emperor and his subjects, but kneeling was required for the etiquette between father and son.

Zhu Di performed the rites of respect between father and son.

Zhu Yuanzhang grunted in agreement: "What brings you here so early?"

Zhu Di said, "Father, we don't have anything to do, so we've brought our two sons to kowtow to you."

With that, Zhu Di cursed at the two half-grown boys beside him, "Kneel down! Kowtow to your grandfather!"

Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaoxu immediately knelt respectfully in the Jinshen Hall and kowtowed three times to Zhu Yuanzhang: "Grandsons greet grandfathers."

The traditional Han Chinese filial piety was fully embodied in the Zhu family.

Zhu Yuanzhang was a person with strong traditional values, especially emphasizing family ethics, and he valued family relationships even more than the etiquette between the emperor and his subjects.

Upon seeing the two boys, one chubby and one thin, the old man smiled and pursed his lips.

"well!"

“We didn’t get a good look at you two at the banquet.”

"Time flies! In the blink of an eye, my two grandsons are already so big."

"Everyone, get up."

Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaoxu stood up respectfully. The two boys were full of energy, and even the eldest, Zhu Gaochi, looked around the palace with curiosity.

Both of them looked down on the imperial palace.

The buildings here are not as magnificent as the Prince's Mansion in Beiping.

"Ah!"

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled and said, "Both of my sons are just like you, fearless and audacious, even daring to peek around in the palace."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled. Little did the old man know that his simple and frugal ways were so looked down upon by his two sons.

Zhu Di hurriedly clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Father, I know my sins. The two boys are ignorant of the ways of the world and do not know the rules of the inner palace. I will punish them when I get back."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and waved his hand: "No need, no need. There's no one else here. We're all family. What need is there for palace rules?"

Zhu Di smiled nonchalantly: "Father is right."

"My son has come to see his father today out of necessity," Zhu Di said with a helpless smile.

His every word was proper, befitting of a son, and also showed a touch of Zhu Yuanzhang's generosity!

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "What's wrong? You look so worried, what's wrong?"

Zhu Di laughed and said, "The mother of these two children said that since we have come all the way from Beiping, we want to see her brothers and sisters. The two children also want to see their uncle."

“The whole family knelt before my son and begged me. I had no choice but to ask my father for permission because I was fed up with their nagging.”

Zhu Di was not at all coy, spoke frankly and was quite straightforward; at first glance, he seemed to have no guile whatsoever.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded knowingly: "Yes, the Xu family also needs to be reunited. I'm not an unreasonable father. You're holding a banquet at the Court of State Ceremonial, so I'll issue an imperial edict to allow the Xu family to come over tonight."