Chapter 351: The Great Ming's Maritime Strategy

Emperor Chengzu Wen appointed the first overseas Viceroy of the Great Ming, the Viceroy of Luzon, Xu Chailao. Later, Emperor Chengzu Wen attacked Annam and transformed it into the Thirteen Offices of Jiaozhi. This was Emperor Chengzu Wen's maritime opening strategy: walking on two legs, using a pincer offensive to embrace the ten-thousand-mile maritime territory.

At the same time, over a dozen official factories were established within the ten-thousand-mile maritime territory. These factories were involved in a vast array of activities, primarily shipbuilding, with the goal of bringing the treasures and resources of the ten-thousand-mile maritime territory back to the Great Ming.

These overseas official factories were fundamentally different from the colonies established by the Westerners, because the overseas official factories would bring more benefits to the local areas, whereas colonies were merely simple exploitation without any feedback.

Emperor Chengzu Wen was extremely successful. While Emperor Chengzu was still alive, Luzon was within the Great Ming's jurisdiction. Xu Chailao died of illness in the twenty-second year of Yongle, and the Thirteen Offices of Jiaozhi also broke away from the Great Ming's rule after Emperor Chengzu Wen passed away.

The Great Ming's maritime opening strategy, aside from not forming a terrifyingly large fleet to head south to the Western Oceans, basically followed the footprints left by Emperor Chengzu Wen. This is also why Zhu Yijun did not let Deng Zilong take Great Ming troops to risk traveling to the New World for trade; Emperor Chengzu Wen had already left deep footprints, and the Great Ming could follow the glory of its ancestors and continue to move forward.

Advancing on both land and sea is the basic line of the Great Ming's new policy, but the current focus remains overseas, so regarding the Northern Hu, the Great Ming primarily uses various economic means to increase the loose-rein control.

Regarding the Great Ming's expansion on land, both the imperial court and the Emperor tend toward reconciliation. Even the most radical Tan Lun did not choose to start a war with a single order in Xuanfu.

San Niangzi believed she had grasped the Great Ming Dynasty's weakness, which is its obsession with face. As long as the grassland people lived honestly and did not plunder the border passes, and San Niangzi occasionally entered the capital to kowtow to the Emperor, the Great Ming had no interest, nor the energy, to insist on clashing head-on with the Northern Hu while the temperatures outside the passes were dropping daily.

San Niangzi was right; the Great Ming indeed cared about face. If San Niangzi truly had such a submissive heart, and after Andahan died, she remained so submissive as the sole ruler, the Great Ming would not take the initiative to go outside the passes.

Moreover, the Great Ming does not like to fight wars. Not liking to fight wars is not a shortcoming; it is a high moral standard.

Those who are good at fighting are subject to the highest punishment. Fighting wars means people will die. Every soldier who dies, every commoner affected by the scourge of war, is a child of parents and a parent of children. Fighting wars is a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood; it is the success of one general built upon ten thousand withered bones.

Reconciliation is the current main trend. San Niangzi enters the capital to pay tribute at least three times a year; in fact, the purpose is to enter the capital to kowtow and maintain the voice of reconciliation in the Great Ming court.

But now, the process of reconciliation is stuck. San Niangzi wants to go a step further, but the court officials do not agree, and they are extremely opposed.

Even Hence Hai Rui, who prefers to bend rather than break, came to the Imperial Study in the Western Garden, found His Majesty, and reproached Chen Shan.

The reason was the son of Emperor Yingzong who was on the grassland, Zhu Dagezi.

Zhu Yijun actually knew about this matter.

Zhu Qizhen's life on the grassland was known because when his biological son, Zhu Jianshen, was compiling the Veritable Records of Yingzong, he did not completely hide the experience of Zhu Qizhen being captured. Thus, one could catch a glimpse of the whole picture: when Zhu Qizhen was on the grassland, he was accompanied by a woman named Molo. Yexian said this woman was his sister, and later she gave birth to a child, named Zhu Dagezi.

After the Tumen Incident, Duke Zhongguo Shi Heng was in Datong and took away Molo and the child, and killed all her attendants. Shi Heng killed this woman and the child. Later, Duke Zhongguo Shi Heng was imprisoned on charges of treason and eventually died in prison, and the Duke's title was also stripped.

Various historical materials prove that this was an out-and-out unjust case. Shi Heng had no actual actions of treason, nor did he possess any intent to rebel, let alone the strength to do so. Yet Shi Heng had the merit of "following the dragon." In the Tumen Incident, Shi Heng was a military officer who participated in the coup. Why Zhu Qizhen and Shi Heng broke off relations likely had a great deal to do with the deaths of Molo and Zhu Dagezi.

A military officer who killed the Emperor's woman and the Emperor's son indeed had a reason to die.

Hence Hai Rui could not prove these things, but he was convinced that if San Niangzi truly begged for the dragon seed, it would inevitably cause disputes in the future. Qi Jiguang is a Great General of the Great Ming; if he were to lose his integrity in his later years because of such a matter, that is not what Hence Hai Rui wants to see.

"I have already understood what the Censor-in-Chief has said." Zhu Yijun looked at Hence Hai Rui. This reply was a bit like the "Understood" written when reviewing memorials.

Regarding the ugly affairs of the Zhu family, it is not appropriate for the monarch and his subjects to discuss them too much, but the opposition from the Ministry of Rites and the Censorate officials must be responded to.

Zhu Yijun looked at the two officials and thought for a moment before saying: "I am merely receiving her; just follow the usual practice."

The Prince of Han outside the passes is a Prince of the Blood, or he could be a Commandery Prince. The Great Ming's Prince's Mansions had long since lost the significance of establishing fiefs at the beginning of the dynasty, leaving only this last function as a political symbol.

During the Jianwen years, the Jianwen Emperor cut back the power of the princes; during the Yongle years, Zhu Di also cut back the power of the princes, and the intensity even exceeded that of the Jianwen Emperor. However, Zhu Di did not kill people, but established more restrictions on the princes. After the Prince of Han rebelled, the restrictions were further tightened. Any unauthorized departure from the Prince's Mansion would lead to a reprimand.

The restrictions on princes lasted until the end of the Ming Dynasty. In the ninth year of Chongzhen, Ajige invaded the capital region, and the world was shaken. Prince Tang, Zhu Yujian, disregarded the restrictions and led troops to defend the Emperor, was demoted to a commoner, and was locked inside the high walls of Fengyang.

The restrictions on princes, the Great Ming's "happy pig-raising plan"—under these restrictions, whether a Prince of the Blood or a Commandery Prince, they could only do one thing, and that was to enjoy themselves.

"Prince Lu is very fond of beauties from all nations." Zhu Yijun still explained his plan clearly to the high officials. This was the expectation of Zhu Yiliu himself, and also a method thought of by the Great Ming Emperor Zhu Yijun. It was even more of a need for the state; establishing the Prince of Han's fief outside the passes was an important step in the transformation by the King. Zhu Yijun did not intend to give up, and he did not prepare to do it himself, but to let Prince Lu do it.

"Your Majesty is wise." Wan Shihe let out a heavy sigh of relief. He took out a memorial with a solemn expression, handed it to Feng Bao, and presented it to His Majesty.

"I am old and sickly, the Ministry of Personnel has many affairs, and I am old and muddled. I implore Your Majesty to allow me to return to my family and live in leisure." Wan Shihe flicked his sleeves; the matter was finished, so it was time to retire.

Wan Shihe knew his position very clearly; he was a sycophant. When His Majesty did not have a clear imperial will, Wan Shihe's such fierce opposition had already lost his foundation, and he had lost the necessity to remain in the court. Having lost his usefulness, continuing to stay would only annoy the Emperor.

Which Emperor wants an uncontrollable official? Wan Shihe's move this time was somewhat rebellious.

Zhu Yijun took the memorial, looked at it, picked up the vermilion brush, drew an 'X', shook his head, and said: "Grand Secretary Wan is a high official of the court. Reproaching Chen Shan is the duty of a court official. Eating the monarch's salary, doing the monarch's work, putting the country first—you are clearly not ill, so why talk of retirement? Sit down and speak."

"Ah?" Wan Shihe was a bit confused. He stood up, sat on the grand master's chair, and was still a bit dazed. Is His Majesty actually not angry?

Wan Shihe's foundation in the court was not deep; he relied on imperial favor to sit steadily in the position of Minister of Personnel until now. Otherwise, the covetous Jin Party and Zhang Party would have pulled him down long ago.

"The court cannot do without Grand Secretary Wan for even a day. Without a figure like Grand Secretary Wan to communicate and mediate in the middle, our Great Ming court would have been fighting to the death long ago. I still rely on you, my dear official. This matter was originally a small affair; no need to say more." Zhu Yijun looked at Wan Shihe and solemnly stated one thing again: he was truly not angry. Wan Shihe was still the Great Ming's most steadfast imperial party member, one whom he, Zhu Yijun, had personally approved.

The meaning of this passage was very clear: you, Wan Shihe, are still the imperial party member designated by His Majesty.

Wan Shihe was the "all-purpose oil" of the court. Wan Shihe, who could freely enter and exit the Quanchu, Quanjin, and Quanzhe Guild Halls, was an extremely special existence.

Hence Hai Rui actually never expected that His Majesty would compromise so easily. He had actually prepared himself. During the Jiajing years, he scolded the Jiajing Emperor; during the Longqing years, he scolded the Longqing Emperor; during the Wanli years, he could also scold His Majesty. He had originally prepared a long-winded argument, expounding from multiple angles on the harm to the Great Ming of an Emperor's child wandering on the grassland, starting from the relocation of the Prince of Ning's mansion, and speaking reasonably. Whether His Majesty listened or not, Hence Hai Rui was going to say it.

But everything he prepared fell through. There was no room for him to perform at all. His Majesty agreed directly and promised that it would not happen.

His Majesty's promise is worth a thousand gold; he never breaks his word.

Hence Hai Rui and Wan Shihe left the Imperial Study. As they walked, Wan Shihe suddenly said: "Censor-in-Chief Hai, we both thought wrong. His Majesty perhaps never had this intention from the start. Issuing the decree to receive her was just receiving her, to show the court's continued attitude of supporting San Niangzi, not really to give birth to a grassland imperial prince."

Hence Hai Rui nodded and approved of Wan Shihe's thought. They indeed made a mountain out of a molehill and over-interpreted His Majesty's imperial decree. He shook his head and said: "It is indeed our mistake. His Majesty was never keen on this path. My lowest expectation was actually that His Majesty would insist, then let her give birth, it's no big deal. But if San Niangzi is favored, she cannot leave; she must stay in the Great Ming."

Having been married is not a problem. Throughout the dynasties, there were those who became Empress Dowagers after being married, and even those who presided over the government, such as Empress Dowager Liu E during the time of Emperor Renzong of Song, who had been married, yet still became Empress Dowager. And until her death, she did not let Emperor Renzong of Song personally govern, and did not even tell Emperor Renzong of Song who his biological mother was.

The Great Ming Emperor is the supreme figure in this world. Since His Majesty has put aside past grievances and taken her in, letting bygones be bygones, we won't discuss the past. But what about the future? No matter what status San Niangzi had on the grassland, she would only have one identity left: His Majesty's woman. No matter what, she could not go back. Both she and her child could only stay in the Great Ming.

San Niangzi's reputation is not good; she is relatively dissolute. If she were allowed to return to the grassland, wouldn't His Majesty be the same as Andahan, truly becoming a grassland king?!

Emperor Huizong of Song and Zhou Bangyan were "fellow travelers" at the famous courtesan Li Shishi's place, fighting for jealousy over a prostitute—that is the style of a monarch of a fallen state. His Majesty is a wise ruler and a brilliant monarch determined to revive the Great Ming.

Fortunately, the matter was perfectly resolved.

Zhu Yijun actually had only one thought regarding San Niangzi's request for the dragon seed: San Niangzi thought the matter too simple!

Zhu Yijun agreed, and the court officials accepted it through gritted teeth. Could San Niangzi still run away with the child? Even if San Niangzi ran to the Westerners, the Great Ming court would still have to catch her back.

Zhang Juzheng had actually been closely monitoring this matter, and even San Niangzi's residence had been arranged. That's right, Zhang Juzheng's attitude toward this matter was to firmly support all of His Majesty's decisions. If he wants to mess around, let him mess around a bit; what's the big deal! His Majesty is still a seventeen-year-old child; messing around is normal. Being so mature—that is what Zhang Juzheng needs to worry about. The rebellious phase has arrived; the more the court officials oppose, the more His Majesty will do it. This is completely reasonable.

After Wan Shihe and Hence Hai Rui left, Zhang Juzheng sent someone to ask Wan Shihe, and then immediately chose to go to the Western Garden for an audience.

"Your Majesty, actually it's nothing. If Your Majesty wants to, it's not impossible." Zhang Juzheng ran to the Western Garden for an audience just to tell His Majesty that he could mess around, there was no need to restrain himself. San Niangzi is no longer on the grassland; just support another representative of the reconciliation faction. If the court officials oppose, just suppress them.

No need to suffer grievances. His Majesty works so hard to revitalize the Great Ming; can't he enjoy himself?

When a person suffers grievances, a knot will form in their heart. Once a knot forms in His Majesty's heart, wanting to untie it would be as difficult as ascending to heaven. In the Great Ming, where everything is designed around the imperial system, big problems would arise. To this day, there is a knot in His Majesty's heart that cannot be untied no matter what, and that is his prejudice against civil officials.

His Majesty does not trust any civil official other than him, Zhang Juzheng. It has always been this way.

What's the big deal? Zhang Juzheng can handle it!

The "Ming She Zong" Zhang Juzheng is as doting on His Majesty the Emperor as always.

"Teacher, sit, sit, sit." Zhu Yijun was full of smiles, shook his head, and said: "It was originally dispensable. My receiving Lady Zhongshun was also to express recognition of Lady Zhongshun's reconciliation. After Yiliu's wedding, I'll just stuff a Hailar for him. Speaking of Yiliu, I get angry. This brat, he is extremely lazy in other matters, but exceptionally enthusiastic about practicing martial arts. I thought he had the ambition to make achievements, but it's not that at all!"

"The fierce horses of the grassland are better off galloping on the grassland."

San Niangzi is the Gyrfalcon of the grassland; let her fly on the grassland. If you break her wings and keep her in a birdcage, she loses the sky. The Great Ming is not the grassland. As Andahan's wife, she could still run around, but in the Great Ming, that is absolutely impossible.

Zhu Yijun appreciated San Niangzi extremely much. This appreciation was based on the appreciation of a political figure for a political figure. San Niangzi could practice her political propositions day after day for years, bringing peace back to the grassland; this was her practice of her political promises. If standing from the perspective of the grassland people, San Niangzi is indeed a heroic figure.

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhang Juzheng heard that His Majesty truly had no intention of this, so he did not insist too much. He supported all of His Majesty's decisions; his duty now was to support.

Zhu Yijun thought Zhang Juzheng would firmly oppose, but his attitude exceeded Zhu Yijun's expectations. Combining it with the matter of the small railway reaching the Northern Tucheng, Zhu Yijun asked suspiciously: "Teacher is becoming more and more indulgent of me. If the Empress Dowager finds out, I'm afraid she will issue an imperial decree to blame you, Teacher."

Zhang Juzheng held his hands and said somewhat seriously: "Your Majesty, 'The crooked can be straightened; the hollow can be filled; the worn can be renewed; the little can be gained; the much can be confused.' Therefore, the sage embraces the One as the model for the world."

"In the affairs of this world, excessive harshness and excessive urgency will both lead to problems."

This passage comes from the *Tao Te Ching*. The Way of the Mean is not unique to Confucianism.

Zhang Juzheng understood the principle. Historically, he was somewhat overly harsh and overly urgent toward the Wanli Emperor, which eventually led to the Wanli Emperor harboring dissatisfaction with Zhang Juzheng, which also directly led to the Wanli Emperor liquidating Zhang Juzheng after his death.

Now, His Majesty is practicing the Great Way; there is no need to be overly demanding about minor details.

Zhu Yijun looked at the map, his gaze focused on Xuanfu and Datong, and said calmly: "This small railway is excellent. If there were one that could reach Xuanfu and Datong, what would our Great Ming have to fear from the Northern Hu?"

From its founding to its demise, the Northern Song was always seeking to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun. The capital region of the Great Ming is the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun; it is Yan. Xuanfu and Datong are also the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun; it is Yun. Datong Prefecture was the "Lord of Yunzhong" in ancient times; it is Yunzhou.

How important are the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun to the Central Plains dynasty? Only those who obtain Yanyun can obtain the world.

Without the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, the vast North China Plain would always be under the iron hooves of the Northern Hu. In the early years of the Northern Song, Emperor Taizong of Song, Zhao Guangyi, saw that he could not recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, so he had to relocate a large number of commoners on the North China Plain, digging pits and filling lakes everywhere on the North China Plain. Baiyangdian was dug out at that time. To guard against the iron hooves heading south, the Northern Song changed the course of the Yellow River three times, repeatedly tossing this "above-ground river" until it was in an uproar, and the commoners were in dire straits. The Northern Song court's main strategy for resisting the enemy was to delusionally try to use water to lead troops to block the iron hooves.

The Great Ming's north freezes in winter. Wanyan Zongwang only took half a month to fight from Yanshan Prefecture (Beijing) to Kaifeng Prefecture. The tactic was the "frog-leaping tactic"—not attacking the fortresses, but heading straight for the Northern Song capital.

In the end, the Northern Song also perished due to the Northern Hu heading south. Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Zongwang of the Jin State headed south, captured Emperor Huizong of Song and Emperor Qinzong of Song, and the Northern Song perished.

Without the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, it is equivalent to living in fear all day long. The Hu people can head south from the North China Plain, but they can also head south from Datong, straight to Taiyuan. If Taiyuan falls, the world is lost.

Ever since Shi Jingtang presented the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun to the Khitan people, for 432 years since then, the land of Yanyun has been in the hands of the Hu captives.

In the first year of Hongwu, Xu Da and Chang Yuchun broke through the Yuan capital and conquered all the enemies of Yanyun. Since then, the land of Yanyun has returned to the hands of the Han people.

Only with Yanyun in hand can one call oneself the legitimate successor of the Central Plains.

However, because the Taihang Mountains and the Yanshan Mountains intersect, the land of Yanyun is divided into the "Nine Prefectures outside the mountains" and the "Eight Prefectures inside the mountains" by the Inner Three Passes—Juyong Pass, Zijing Pass, and Daoma Pass. It is also called the "Nine Prefectures behind the mountains" and the "Eight Prefectures in front of the mountains." The intersection of the Taihang Mountains and the Yanshan Mountains makes it very difficult for the inside of the mountains to reinforce the outside of the mountains.

If a "fast road" could be built from the capital to Xuanfu, connecting the inside and outside, the Northern Hu would completely lose their mobility advantage. The Great Ming Capital Battalion could reinforce Xuanfu within three days and Datong within five days. Even if Andahan were given the courage of a bear and a leopard, he would not dare to harass the border passes.

The railway section from the capital to Xuanfu (Zhangjiakou) is also China's first self-built railway in later generations—Zhan Tianyou's Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway.

The significance of this railway lies in the fact that if Andahan dares to jump again, Zhu Yijun can beat him until his own mother wouldn't recognize him.

The significance of this railway lies in the fact that once it is built, there will be no more Jin Party, and the Jin merchants will never dare to sway left and right again.

The Great Ming court will strengthen its control over the Northwest. By then, the Hetao, which the Great Ming has been thinking about, will have the possibility of being completely recovered and ruled. At that time, the Hetao will truly have returned, because the Hetao will be within the range of the Great Ming Capital Battalion's rapid projection and rapid response.

"It's difficult, but it must be done. Five years, ten years, one hundred years—it must be done." Zhang Juzheng looked at the map, his gaze flickering with determination. Once he decided to do something, he would definitely succeed, just like his will to revitalize the Great Ming when he returned to the capital after traveling everywhere.

Zhang Juzheng stood up, walked to the map, pointed at the map, and said: "And another one to Liaoyang, to Fushun, to the Nurgan Regional Military Commission, to Yongning Temple!"

The Nurgan Regional Military Commission was established by Emperor Chengzu Wen during the Yongle years, at the estuary of the Heilongjiang River. By the sixth year of Wanli, the Nurgan Regional Military Commission had jurisdiction over 384 guards, 24 battalions, 7 post stations, and 1 fortress, collectively known as the "384 Guards." Compared to the 130 guards during the Yongle years, it had increased by 254 guards, battalions, and post stations.

Until the sixth year of Wanli, the Great Ming had never given up its rule over the Nurgan Regional Military Commission, and had been increasing its military loose-rein control over it, until the forty-seventh year of Wanli, the Battle of Sarhu, where the Great Ming was defeated and lost the Nurgan Regional Military Commission.

Zhang Juzheng meant that building another fast road to the estuary of the Heilongjiang River would make it absolutely impossible for Li Chengliang to rely on his troops to act independently, and both the Great Ming court and Li Chengliang could be decent.

In Zhang Juzheng's eyes, Li Chengliang was still a warlord who occupied a region, and still had the possibility of relying on his troops to act independently and neglecting defense to curry favor with the enemy. Even if Li Chengliang truly obeyed orders and declarations, looking like a loyal bone of the Great Ming, and if the Great Ming Emperor told him to enter the capital, he would enter the capital, and if told to fight someone, he would not be ambiguous, he could very likely become the Great Ming's An Lushan.

"Good." Zhu Yijun was not overly urgent, and didn't even ask Zhang Juzheng when he planned to do it or how. Since he said it, he would definitely do it. Zhang Juzheng was Zhu Yijun's Grand Tutor, and the monarch and his subjects were very similar—valuing faith and keeping promises. If they said they would definitely do it, they would do it. If they said they would kill your whole family, leaving even one earthworm would be breaking their word.

Chen Xuehui, the Minister of the Court of Ceremonial Guests, told his concubine about His Majesty's plans. San Niangzi's sister arrived at the Four Barbarians Hall and met San Niangzi.

"What is mine is my fate; what is lost is my fortune. If it is in your fate, you will eventually have it; if it is not in your fate, do not force it." After San Niangzi learned of the Emperor's will, she was slightly dejected. The Great Ming Emperor did not care, and she could not force it. She indeed wanted a child, but with her current status, the father of the child must be sufficiently noble.

Since His Majesty was unwilling, she could only give up this thought.

As for Prince Lu, Zhu Yiliu? Just a little brat. Just stuff a Hailar for Prince Lu; the Pearl of the Grassland is just that.

"Sister, my husband said that sister's considerations were not thorough, and the matter she plotted did not take into account mutual decency." Her sister asked somewhat uncomprehendingly.

San Niangzi was surprised, her brows furrowed as she said: "Mutual decency? Andahan lost decency, and the Great Ming lost decency too?"

San Niangzi thought for a moment and suddenly realized: the Great Ming court would also lose decency. Because she was favored, the Great Ming would inevitably have to give her a status. Then, as the monarch and father of the Great Ming, wouldn't the Great Ming Emperor be taking the concubine of his subject, the Shunyi King?

The last one to do this was Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji—the old "ash-scraper" who snatched his son Prince Shou Li Mao's daughter-in-law, Yang Yuhuan!

The Great Ming also has its own national conditions. Doing this is indeed a bit of messing around.

On the seventh day of the fifth month of the seventh year of Wanli, San Niangzi had an audience in the Wenhua Hall. Zhu Yijun expressed support for reconciliation and made a reward, hoping that San Niangzi would continue to play her role as always, representing the reconciliation forces within the Northern Hu, and continue to promote the complete reconciliation between the Great Ming and the Northern Hu. At the same time, he expressed the Great Ming court's high concern for the war between Andahan and Tumanhan, reiterated the Great Ming's position, and hoped that both sides could clash to the end, showing their style and level.

San Niangzi stated that she would continue to promote reconciliation as a representative of the reconciliation forces. At the same time, she congratulated the Great Ming Empress on her pregnancy. San Niangzi said: "The imperial heir is the foundation of the Great Ming. The Empress's pregnancy represents the stability and order at the top of the Great Ming. The Northern Hu reconciliation forces also hope to see the continuation of the policies brought by the Great Ming's stability." San Niangzi emphasized the pressure exerted by the Great Ming court on the various tribes of the Right Wing, which caused much dissatisfaction, and hoped that the Great Ming could fulfill its promise and, after receiving the "congratulatory gifts," no longer provide military support to Tumanhan.

San Niangzi expressed her personal envy for the dragon seed.

"Extortion is extortion. Lady Zhongshun is too polite. I hope that after Lady Zhongshun returns to the grassland, everything will go smoothly." At the end of the audience, Zhu Yijun spoke bluntly again. What political pressure? It was clearly extortion. Zhu Yijun generously admitted it.

Regarding the Emperor's lack of shame, this was not the first time San Niangzi had seen it. His Majesty had always been such a person, speaking directly.

"Your Majesty, I have one thing I have always been unable to understand. Those Marquis of the Beacon Towers are very strange. Logically speaking, they are licking blood on the tip of a knife, and their temperaments should be extremely violent. But I have observed the actions of the Night Scouts over the years, and there is no excessive cruelty." San Niangzi voiced her confusion.

It is very strange. The Marquis of the Beacon Towers and the Night Scouts have their heads tied to their waistbands to collect intelligence. They should be extremely cruel villains, burning, killing, and looting, doing all kinds of evil. But for so many years, aside from the wasteland-burning tasks assigned by the court, the Marquis of the Beacon Towers are truly collecting intelligence. They are like ghosts drifting on the grassland, and they have not done too many evil deeds.

Of course, there are individual exceptions, but with an establishment of three thousand people over 170 years, it is normal to have a few individual cases. These Night Scouts are absolutely not full of evil.

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and said: "Because behind them is home."

"Home..." San Niangzi repeated, sighing heavily. The grassland does not have this concept. The sky is the quilt, the earth is the bed; they follow the water and live, making the four seas their home.

"Your subject takes her leave." San Niangzi kowtowed five times and bowed three times again. When she left, she looked back at the Emperor. His Majesty's appearance was extremely upright. If they could be happily married, the descendants, whether an imperial prince or a princess, would be extremely good-looking.

Alas, alas.

In life, things that do not go as planned are eight or nine out of ten.

San Niangzi saw that His Majesty was also looking at her, revealing a brilliant smile. A summer breeze blew past, the silk curtains in the hall all rose, and her black hair danced.

Begging for monthly tickets, Awoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

(End of chapter)