Rebirth of the Ming Dynasty: Sixth Generation of Glory, I don't want it

"Okay, mother."

Zhang Xin did not speak to the sisters-in-law on behalf of her brother-in-law. After agreeing, she started to prepare tea.

Then he sat aside and listened quietly to the conversation between Zhu Gaochi and Xu.

"This time, King Zhou also led Henan Dusi to patrol the Beiping Pass, but returned empty-handed."

Zhu Gaochi brought the news from the outer courtyard back to report to Xu.

"Prince Ning reported that there might be a threat of invasion, so the people sent out were Prince Wang and Prince Zhou. What about Prince Jin? He has a strong army and is not needed?"

Xu's hands tapped on the surface of the coffee table, making a regular sound, which together with Xu's voice formed a very special rhythm.

For a moment, the three of them were silent and fell into deep thought.

"Prince Yan is good at fighting, while Prince Ning is good at making plans. Haha, it is said that this is what the people in the court said."

Zhu Gaochi was silent for a while and then spoke again.

"More than that, the three guards of Duoyan are in the hands of Prince Ning."

Zhang Xin interjected.

"Wow, my wife knows this?"

Zhu Gaochi was surprised.

"I said that to be the Crown Prince's Consort of our palace, you have to know a little bit about everything. You can't be a woman in the harem who knows nothing."

Xu opened her mouth to explain for Zhang Xin.

During the past six months of taking care of Zhang Xin, she has also been gradually adjusting her original expectations of Zhang Xin, from a down-to-earth housekeeper to a prince's consort who is capable of presiding over major events.

The current situation is becoming more and more tense. If you don’t want to be the meat on the chopping board, the future head of the palace must stand up.

She felt that Zhang Xin had the ability, so she needed to be trained well.

"Grandfather, you have great talent and vision—"

Zhu Gaochi sighed secretly in his heart, but finally said nothing more.

During this period of time, anything you say could potentially get out.

"Humph, it is indeed a great talent, and every one of them is used just right."

Xu sneered coldly, and the topic came to an end.

Zhu Gaochi reported everything that happened outside the mansion to Xu one by one, and Xu also shared bits and pieces of information with Zhu Gaochi. Only then did the dinner end successfully.

Zhang Xin had just been listening to the conversation between the mother and son without interrupting them until she returned to Yande Palace with Zhu Gaochi, then she asked the questions in her mind.

"Why do I feel like there's something else behind what you say to mom?"

"Which one?"

"Great talent and strategy, just right?"

Zhang Xin humbly asked for advice.

Although she has been in power for many years, to be honest, the political affairs are still handled by the old ministers, and what she was given in the end was multiple-choice questions, not essays.

She didn't know much about what happened during her grandfather's reign, and she really didn't have enough time to learn about it.

"Let's talk about it after we lie down."

Zhu Gaochi did not answer immediately, but waved his hand and asked the people in the palace to help him wash up.

The injury was almost healed, so Zhu Gaochi naturally could not delay this important matter of creating a villain.

The couple chatted harmoniously for a while, and after listening to the night watch drum outside, Zhu Gaochi began to tell Zhang Xin in detail some of his own speculations.

This is the eighth northern expedition since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, and the tug-of-war between the Ming Dynasty and the Northern Yuan Dynasty has lasted for more than twenty years.

At this point, it was no longer a struggle between the old and new imperial power, but a counterattack by the Ming Dynasty against the invasion of vagrants from the north.

But if you think about it more deeply, the only thing left is "terrifying when you think about it carefully."

The purpose of the Northern Expedition in the early years of Hongwu was simple and clear, which was to destroy the Northern Yuan Dynasty in one fell swoop.

The first northern expedition was a great victory.

So the emperor's grandfather quickly arranged for a second time, but the result was not as he wished.

The second northern expedition ended in a great defeat.

Grandfather Huang realized that the Northern Yuan was still strong and could not be defeated for the time being, so he suspended the northern expedition.

Later, my great grandfather thought it through and launched the third, fourth and fifth northern expeditions.

The people who went on the expedition were gradually replaced by founding generals such as Lan Yu from veteran ministers such as Xu Da. Finally, during the sixth northern expedition, Lan Yu defeated the Northern Yuan Dynasty in the Battle of Buir Lake.

From then on, the Northern Yuan Dynasty was no longer a major threat.

The emperor’s grandfather’s northern expedition changed its tone.

In the previous battles, it was veteran ministers and famous generals who fought against the enemy. As the fighting went on, some got older, some died, and some were disabled.

When it came to the seventh northern expedition in the 23rd year of Hongwu, the people he used were naturally his father and his second uncle, the Prince of Jin.

From Zhu Gaochi's own point of view.

For the seventh northern expedition, my grandfather gave up the unreliable target of "Yongqing Desert".

Even whether or not you can find the enemy, or whether or not you can win the battle is not the most important thing. Winning is the best. To put it another way, as long as you don't lose, you win.

The purpose of this expedition was to train his son, establish the military prestige of the kings of the frontier, and transfer the command power from the original meritorious generals to the Zhu family.

The remnant Yuan forces became the sword in the hands of the Emperor's grandfather to sharpen the kings of the Frontier. He also used this sword to support the kings of the Frontier and accumulate their experience in fighting wars so that they could better guard the border in the future.

As expected, Zhu Gaochi had expected that when the eighth northern expedition was launched this year, his father led the troops alone.

If my second uncle had not been poisoned to death, he should have been among them this time.

My father is the peerless sword that the emperor’s grandfather left to the current crown prince.

But in the eyes of my grandfather, my father's knife is a knife for external use. But in the eyes of the crown prince who pretends to be generous and benevolent, it may not be the same.

The sharper it is, the more taboo it attracts.

As Zhu Gaochi spoke, he entered an indescribable state of disappointment, hopelessness, and faint despair.

"So, our palace is very dangerous, right?"

Zhang Xin made a casual summary.

"That's right. Hey, I find that mom really has a good eye for talent. You really understand what I'm saying."

Zhu Gaochi's eyes widened, making him look a little stupid.

"Ah, shouldn't you understand this?"

Zhang Xin was amused and asked back.

"It should. It certainly should."

Zhu Gaochi was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

"So what are Dad and Mom going to do?"

Zhang Xin asked again.

"What can we do? Just wait. The building is about to collapse. If water comes, we can only cover it with earth, and if fire comes, we can only flood it with water."

Zhu Gaochi was a little depressed. In this matter, his grandfather used to use his father as a whetstone, and now he used his father as a knife. What could he do?

My father was not born into a good family, so my ranking is neither high nor low, and I can’t start over again.

"Shouldn't the building be reinforced?"

Zhang Xin was anxious.

"How can we add it? How can we make it stronger? Grandfather Huang has chosen cousin Yunwen to be the crown prince. Whatever my father does is against the taboo."

Zhu Gaochi had been thinking about this matter since Zhu Yunwen was appointed Crown Prince, but he had never figured out a solution.

"Become the king yourself!"

Zhang Xin blinked and whispered something into Zhu Gaochi's ear.

"puff--"

When Zhang Xin said this, Zhu Gaochi's jaw almost dropped, and he reached out to cover Zhang Xin's mouth.

"Ancestor, don't be so straightforward——"

“Wuwuwu————Let—go——”

"Don't scare me, I'll let you go."

Zhu Gaochi broke out in a cold sweat.

"I'm serious. Our father is both civil and martial, and our mother is also very capable. How can we be defeated by a child?"

Zhang Xin lowered her voice but still spoke close to Zhu Gaochi's ear.