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

Zhu Xiong Ying shook her head and said softly, "Why would they come to offer tribute? This doesn't make sense!"

Zhu Xiong Ying's face looked unwell, and her heart was racing.

If he remembered correctly, his master had told him the story of this country.

The Timurid Khanate and the Ming Dynasty were sworn enemies, and also the two most similar countries on the planet in the 15th century.

It is said that two years after the old man established the Ming Dynasty, the Timur Khanate was founded by Timur, a seventh-generation descendant of Genghis Khan.

That's not the magic.

The amazing part comes later: after Timur's death, he passed the throne to his eldest grandson, Pir.

Mahama, and his grandson's fourth uncle, who was also Timur's fourth son Shah Rukh, eventually rebelled and usurped the throne.

Looking at the development of Timur's regime, it almost followed the same pattern as the Ming Dynasty.

Both cases involved the eldest grandson succeeding to the throne, while both involved the fourth son usurping the throne.

Even more similar are these two powerful empires, which were founded only two years apart, and their strengths are so close!

To be honest, Zhu Huai wasn't even sure who was stronger.

At that time, there were four super empires in Eurasia: the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Timurid Empire, and the Ming Dynasty.

At this time, the Byzantine Empire was in decline, while the Ottoman Empire in the west was entering its golden age. Just two years earlier, the Ottoman Empire had decisively defeated the combined forces of Serbia, Bulgaria, and Hungary. This victory shocked the rulers of various European countries.

However, the Ottoman Empire did not stop its expansion into Europe. Soon after, it defeated the combined forces of Hungary, France, and Germany and took control of the Asia Minor region.

However, even such a powerful Ottoman Empire was nothing but trash in front of Timur the Lame!

Ten years later, the Timurid Empire swiftly and decisively defeated the Ottoman Empire, the dominant power in Europe. In just a few days, it mobilized 10,000 cavalry to capture the Ottoman Sultan.

In this battle, Timur completely conquered all Western countries! He was also revered by Western countries as the god of war and an invincible legend!

Some even believe that Timur was more ferocious than Genghis Khan!

Judging by the timeline, Timur is expected to conquer Persia this year.

At this very moment, Timur set his strategic sights on the Ottomans in the west and the Ming Dynasty in the east.

Fortunately, his final strategic decision was to first conquer the Ottoman Empire to the west, and then conquer the Ming Dynasty to the east!

Timur's dispatch of envoys to the Ming Dynasty was definitely not simply to pay tribute and submit to Zhu Yuanzhang!

This is clearly a test of the Ming Empire's strength.

Historically, Timur died suddenly during his eastern expedition against the Ming Dynasty. Otherwise, this great war of the century would have broken out. Would the Timurid Empire have won a great victory, or would the Ming Empire have emerged victorious?

Hard to say!

At the very least, Zhu Xiong Ying is not confident at the moment!

Although historical records state that Timur died of illness during his eastern expedition, this great war was ultimately averted.

If Timur were to lead his army to conquer the Ming Empire ten years later, would the Ming Dynasty be able to break Timur's undefeated myth?

"Grandson, what are you thinking about?"

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and waved it in front of Zhu Xiong Ying.

Zhu Xiong Ying tried to calm herself down and asked the old man, "Grandpa, what do you think of Timur's visit to the court this time?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked suspiciously, "What's so interesting about this? These Mongol nobles have already been defeated by our Ming Dynasty and have come to submit as a sign of respect. What else could it be?"

Due to a lack of communication, the Ming court, including Zhu Yuanzhang, believed that the Timurid Empire was a remnant of the Northern Yuan dynasty.

Zhu Xiong Ying shook his head: "They are not the Yuan people from the Central Plains back then."

"What?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was somewhat curious.

Zhu Xiong Ying said: "The Yuan Dynasty history records that when Genghis Khan conquered the West, he left a group of Mongol nobles on the western continent."

"The Timurid Khanate and the Yuan Dynasty that ruled the Central Plains are not the same thing!"

"They were the Mongol nobles who remained in Europe to rule under Genghis Khan!"

Ok?

Zhu Yuanzhang squinted, "When did you ever read the History of Yuan?"

However, the old man didn't seem to pay attention to this trivial matter.

If what Zhu Xiong Ying said is true, and if the so-called Timur Khanate was not just a group of fleeing Northern Yuan nobles...

Zhu Yuanzhang smacked his lips and looked at Zhu Xiong Ying, saying, "Grandson, what do you think they can possibly do in our Great Ming?"

Zhu Xiong Ying smiled and said, "Those who are not of our kind will surely have different intentions. In any case, it won't be anything good."

This……

There was no way to let the old man know that this ambitious empire actually harbored the ambition to swallow up the Ming Dynasty!

Europe is in complete chaos, with the Ottoman Empire expanding at an alarming rate and the Timurid Empire also expanding at an alarming rate.

In ten years at most, Timur will be the undisputed ruler of Europe. At that time, looking across Eurasia, Timur will have no rivals other than the Ming Dynasty.

They will definitely declare war on the Ming Dynasty!

for sure!

If history were to change, and if Timur were not dead, the clash between these two superpowers on the Eurasian continent would be nothing short of a collision between Mars and Earth!

Zhu Xiong Ying looked at Zhu Yuanzhang with a worried expression and said, "Grandpa, although we have repeatedly won great victories against the remnants of the Northern Yuan beyond the northern border, we cannot let victory blind us. We will be blind to what is happening thousands of miles away."

"What if one day they suddenly launch an eastern expedition against the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned. He looked at Zhu Xiong Ying and said, "Say it again. We don't believe anyone is stupid enough to launch a surprise attack. Every military plan is meticulously planned and laid out!"

"Moreover, this is a war between nations?"

"Tell me, what should we do if he wants to conquer the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Xiong Ying paused for a moment, then said, "The best strategy is diplomacy, espionage, and enticement; if that doesn't work, the middle strategy is to first seize the Oirat and Tatar territories in the northern border of the Ming court and wait for reinforcements; if that still doesn't work, the worst strategy is to control the Hexi Corridor, seize the Guanzhong region, and wait for reinforcements."

Zhu Yuanzhang squinted: "So, this diplomatic mission is likely Timur's best, or even first, strategy for invading the Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded: "It was all just my wild imagination, but they are still not Han Chinese, so we still need to be on guard."

Zhu Yuanzhang hummed in response, seemingly lost in thought.

The spring rain was pattering in the courtyard, growing heavier and heavier.

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes were dark and unreadable, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

However, he did not continue to dwell on this topic.

No matter how strong the opponent is, our Great Ming Dynasty is not afraid of anyone.

He asked with some curiosity, "You know quite a lot, kid. Where did you get all this Yuan Dynasty historical material from?"

Zhu Xiong Ying paused for a moment, then casually smiled and explained, "Didn't Master Xie spend some time at the Hanlin Academy before?"

"When he has free time, he'll sometimes give me a couple of books to read."

"Over time, I saw all of this."

Anyway, Xie Jin is far away now, and when he really comes back, Grandpa won't have time to worry about these things.

So Zhu Xiong Ying used Xie Jin as an excuse.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, then said in realization, "I see."

As he spoke, he gave Zhu Xiong Ying a satisfied look: "You kid, you've been doing a lot of homework lately, but don't overwork yourself. Remember to rest properly, okay?"

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded: "Understood."

As if remembering something, Zhu Xiong Ying said to Zhu Yuan Zhang, "By the way, Grandfather, this morning I went to see Prince Ning off to the Daming Commandery."

"He talked to me a lot."

Zhu Yuanzhang was taken aback, then his heart tightened: "What did I say to you?"

Zhu Xiong Ying thought for a moment and said, "Saying that a dragon swimming in shallow water is still a dragon... do you think there's something wrong with this kid?"

Zhu Xiong Ying pointed to his head.

Zhu Yuanzhang burst into laughter: "How can you make up such a story about a prince of our Great Ming Dynasty?"

Zhu Xiong Ying shrugged: "Anyway, this guy has always been unreliable, and his words are quite unreliable and strange. I don't know what he means."

"Oh, right, he also asked me to help his mother if necessary, because he said he can't let go of her."

Zhu Yuanzhang said "Oh", "Yes, his biological mother died early, and this child grew up with Consort Zhang."

The old man looked at Zhu Xiong Ying and said with a smile, "Perhaps he felt empathy because he was about the same age as you."

Zhu Xiong Ying nodded: "Mm."

The grandfather and grandson chatted casually as the rain outside gradually intensified.

Zhu Xiong Ying originally wanted the old man to stay and have lunch at the Zhu residence before leaving.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang felt uneasy after hearing Zhu Xiong Ying's words about the Timurid Khanate, so he waved goodbye to Zhu Xiong Ying while holding up his umbrella.

Return to the palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't wait to send Zheng He to the Hanlin Academy History Museum to retrieve the History of Yuan Dynasty, and also summoned a Hanlin Academy compiler from the History Museum to the Jinshen Hall.

Upon seeing the old editor of the Hanlin Academy, the old man eagerly asked, "Tell me, which countries did Genghis Khan conquer during his western expeditions?"

The old scholar, unaware of the Emperor's question or his sudden interest in Yuan history, stammered, "Your Majesty, Genghis Khan's military route should have led to the conquest of Khwarazm, Persia, and the Ilkhanate..."

These places are all thousands of miles away from the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yuanzhang continued, "After the conquest, how did you govern the region?"

The old scholar replied, "One reason is to maintain diplomatic relations between the two countries through tribute from foreign states. Another reason is to leave some of their descendants in the local area, establish an army, and personally govern the local area. For example, many countries west of the Western Chagatai Khanate were governed by the descendants of Genghis Khan at that time."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression darkened, and his heart suddenly raced.

Da Sun was right after all!

This group of Mongol envoys was indeed not the same lineage of the Northern Yuan nobles who fled from Buyur Lake.

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand, dismissing the old scholar, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.

The visitor is evil?

Kind of!

"Go and summon Li Yuan."

Zhu Yuanzhang squinted and spoke to Zheng He beside him.

Shortly after.

Li Yuan appeared in the Jinshen Hall.

"Wei Chen has met the emperor."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Li Yuan and said in a deep voice, "Tell the Timur envoy that we will meet with them first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yes!"

……

into the night.

The rain subsided slightly, and the palace fell into peace and tranquility.

Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a moment, then casually picked up a small bottle from the table and walked towards the inner palace with his hands behind his back.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" Zhang Meiren's Palace.

A young maid, with a round, puffed-out face and cheeks full of excitement, rushed hurriedly into Consort Zhang's bedroom.

Zhang Meiren was somewhat displeased.

However, she had a fairly good temperament and was quite gentle with the maids and servants in the palace.

"Disoriented and lacking manners, do you want me to send you to the Bureau of Etiquette?"

Mentioning the Bureau of Etiquette, the chubby-faced maidservant immediately felt her scalp tingle and her whole body tremble.

"Your Majesty, spare my life!"

Lady Zhang snorted coldly, "Speak, what is it? I'm tired, hurry up and tell me."

The chubby-faced maidservant excitedly reported, "Your Majesty! The Emperor is here! He's heading towards our side palace. It seems he intends to spend the night here."

Zhang Meiren trembled, her eyes widened suddenly, and she exclaimed with delight, "Really?!"

The chubby-faced maid nodded excitedly, "It's true!" Consort Zhang said urgently, "Quickly, go and greet His Majesty!"

She was overjoyed, but then, as if remembering something, Zhang Meiren was startled again.

The Emperor's sudden visit to the side palace certainly wasn't because he hadn't taken the initiative to remember that he hadn't favored her in a long time.

The only possibility... is Zhu Xiong Ying!

It was Zhu Huaihe who mentioned himself.

Zhang Meiren was both moved and disappointed.

She was moved that the old man finally remembered her, but disappointed that she had served him for nearly twenty years. Twenty years of affection could not compare to a single sentence from his own grandson!

Just like when Consort Yang, the mother of Prince Ning, was favored by Zhu Yuanzhang's own son, it was only because of a single sentence that Consort Yang was favored. Otherwise, there would have been no Prince Ning!

Whether it's the current Crown Prince Zhu Biao or the current grandson of the emperor Zhu Huai, only these are the old man's true relatives.

The others... sigh!

Zhang Meiren felt a pang of emotion, but besides envy and jealousy, there was nothing she could do.

While she was lost in thought, Zhu Yuanzhang had already walked into the palace courtyard with his hands behind his back.

Zhang Meiren was overjoyed.

The palace eunuchs and servants all knelt down respectfully.

"This servant greets Your Majesty!"

Consort Zhang also gracefully curtsied and excitedly said, "Your Majesty, I greet you."

Zhu Yuanzhang grunted in agreement and waved for the palace maids and eunuchs to leave.

He glanced at Zhang Meiren, then walked forward with his hands behind his back: "It's been a long time since I've been here. I'm busy with court affairs and have a lot to deal with, so don't take it to heart."

Consort Zhang hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, I dare not. I understand."

Zhu Yuanzhang entered the central hall.

The layout of the central hall was simple, no different from that of an ordinary household, and the furnishings were simple and plain, but clean and tidy.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "It's still a bit chilly at the end of spring, why don't we burn some smokeless coal inside?"

Lady Zhang hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I am not afraid of the cold, so burning it would be a waste."

Zhang Meiren's hesitation made Zhu Yuanzhang realize something. Zheng He quickly went out and then quickly returned.

With just a glance from Zhu Yuanzhang, Zheng He knew what the old man wanted to hear.

"Your Majesty, the eunuchs of the Xixin Division did distribute less smokeless coal to Consort Zhang."

Zhu Yuanzhang gave an "oh" and said expressionlessly, "They are all our family members, our wives. These rootless bastards, do they think they are the mistresses of the harem?"

"Drag out all the eunuchs of the Xixin Division and behead them, then replace them with a new batch!"

Zhang Meiren's heart skipped a beat.