Chapter 6: A Four-Year-Old Child Enfeoffed as a Prince

Crown Prince Zhu Biao thought for a moment and said, "If we were to use the Qin military merit system as the Great Ming's imperial clan system, wouldn't that mean the status of royal family members would plummet?"

"Those without military merit cannot be enfeoffed; they would only hold royal titles with absolutely no power, let alone fiefs!"

"If our Great Ming dynasty were to have an ambitious minister, the consequences would be dire."

"Father Emperor, the feudal screen system concerns the very foundation of Great Ming; I beg you to think thrice!"

Zhu Biao felt that the current situation was already completely under his control.

The forces of the Huai-Xi faction and the Feudatory Princes had reached a perfect balance.

This was the effect he wanted.

"I never intended to change the imperial clan system, but..."

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at his eldest son, a trace of sorrow appearing on his face.

His eldest son, Zhu Biao, would pass away in the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu.

If not for that, why would he, Lao Zhu, need to worry about these things?

"Biao'er!"

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said.

"You can indeed suppress your brothers, the other Feudatory Princes, right now, but the future monarchs of Great Ming are destined not to tolerate them."

"If I cannot resolve this during my lifetime, I fear the Rebellion of the Seven States of the Han Dynasty will soon be reenacted in our Great Ming."

Zhu Yuanzhang's original thoughts were the same as Zhu Biao's.

The Crown Prince would hold down the fort in Jingcheng, while the other sons would all go out to their fiefs.

Once the Crown Prince ascended the throne, his prestige would ensure the Feudatory Princes dared not make a move; at that point, wouldn't stripping them of their power be as simple as a single word?

But once Zhu Biao was gone, everything would change!

A young sovereign is easily bullied!

"Father Emperor, rest assured; with me here, it is impossible for a Rebellion of the Seven States to ever occur in Great Ming."

Zhu Biao smiled and said, "However, as long as the Northern Yuan and remnants like Nailuohua exist, I will still need Father Emperor to help me cultivate more great generals."

"Well said; I indeed must help you cultivate a group of trusted generals."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at his eldest son before him, burying some matters deep in his heart.

"Biao'er, what do you think of this lad Zhu Gaoxu? Is it possible for him to become Great Ming's second 'Chang the Hundred Thousand'?"

Chang the Hundred Thousand!

One man worth an army of one hundred thousand!

This referred to Zhu Yuanzhang's old comrade, Chang Yuchun.

"Father Emperor seems to hold nephew Gaoxu in high regard."

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment before saying, "As for the fourth brother's children, I actually prefer nephew Gaochi; although he is physically weak and stout, he already possesses a talent for internal administration at such an age—he can be called a child prodigy."

Hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily: "Haha! It seems the fourth one is quite capable of siring children; two geniuses in one go!"

At the thought of his own grandsons' generation, his mood improved significantly.

"Zhu Gaochi handles internal affairs, Zhu Gaoxu handles external affairs; for Great Ming, they are both future pillars of the state."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao followed with a smile: "That would be perfect to leave for Xiongying."

"Xiongying..."

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed deeply in his heart upon hearing the name of his eldest grandson by the crown princess.

If the Simulation system were to be believed, Zhu Xiongying only had two years of life left.

At this moment, Zhu Gaoxu was being hung high up in a large tree.

"Mao Xiang! Don't wait for me to grow up; once I am grown, I will surely take revenge!"

Mao Xiang stood expressionless beneath the tree, his heart remaining completely unmoved upon hearing this threat.

From the moment the Brocade Guard was established, it had been a job that offended people.

As the Commander of the Brocade Guard, he naturally did not fear offending anyone.

Never mind Zhu Gaoxu; even if his father Zhu Di came, as long as the Emperor gave the order, he would never retreat a single step.

Just then.

A group of eunuchs and palace maids surrounded two children as they walked over.

"Zhu Gaoxu, you really were hung in a tree by Imperial Grandfather!"

"Hahaha! Zhu Gaoxu, do you want us to help you go beg Imperial Grandfather for mercy?"

The arrivals were none other than the Prince of Jin's third son, Zhu Jihuang, and the Prince of Zhou's second son, Zhu Youxun.

Everywhere the two went, they were protected by a large crowd of palace maids and eunuchs.

Zhu Gaoxu looked at this scene and curled his lips in annoyance.

His mother was strict, so he did not have such treatment.

"This young master doesn't need it; I am standing high and seeing far—what do you lot know!"

Facing the mockery of the children, Zhu Gaoxu retorted loudly.

And just at this moment, a stern female voice rang out:

"Zhu Gaoxu!"

The person who arrived was none other than the Princess of Yan, Miaoyun!

After receiving news that her son had been punished by the Emperor, she had rushed over without stopping.

Seeing this, Zhu Jihuang and Zhu Youxun quickly hid to the side.

Mao Xiang bowed respectfully and said, "This subject pays respects to the Princess of Yan!"

Xu Miaoyun nodded at him, then looked up at her son in the tree: "Zhu Gaoxu! Why are you being disobedient again? You've made your Imperial Grandfather angry!"

"Mother, I didn't make Imperial Grandfather angry."

"Still being dishonest!"

Looking at Xu Miaoyun's stern face, Zhu Gaoxu had no choice but to mumble a confession: "Probably, perhaps, maybe it's because I talked back to Uncle Crown Prince."

"You!"

Xu Miaoyun was so angry that she trembled all over.

Daring to talk back even to the Crown Prince?

This brat must have lost his mind!

Just as she was itching to administer family discipline directly.

A eunuch hurried over.

"By the Emperor's decree!"

"Effective immediately, the second son of the Prince of Yan, Zhu Gaoxu, is enfeoffed as the Nanyang Commandery Prince, permitted to enter the palace in armor, and granted the convenience of riding a horse in Jingcheng!"

As soon as the words fell.

"Wow!"

Zhu Jihuang and Zhu Youxun, who were standing to the side, immediately showed expressions of both surprise and envy.

Mao Xiang, who was under the tree, was also stunned.

As for Xu Miaoyun, she was even more dumbfounded, standing rooted to the spot, her heart filled with questions.

What is going on?

This brat talked back to the Crown Prince in public, and as a result, he was rewarded by the Emperor?

And it wasn't just an ordinary reward; he was directly enfeoffed as a Prince!

But what everyone failed to see was that Zhu Gaoxu, who was in the tree, was currently wearing a bitter smile.

"It's all over now! In the end, I still couldn't escape Lao Zhu's reward!"

Wenhua Hall.

Zhu Yuanzhang was watching the Crown Prince Zhu Biao handle state affairs.

And the reward for Zhu Gaoxu was precisely proposed by Zhu Biao, and then finalized by him.

Generally speaking, an imperial prince can only be enfeoffed as a prince at the age of ten.

But because of Zhu Gaoxu's performance, and Lao Zhu's high regard for him, he was granted an exception and enfeoffed at the age of four.

【Ding! The host can now designate a person to conduct a Simulation!】

Designate a person?

Zhu Yuanzhang was startled, and then subconsciously looked at the Crown Prince Zhu Biao, who was hunched over his desk reviewing state affairs.