Chapter 176: Zhu Quan: Fourth Brother, how is it that this Zhu Ying looks so much like Xiongying?

Zhu Ying smiled and returned the greetings of everyone who came to congratulate him, his etiquette flawless, without the slightest negligence.

Seeing that all matters were concluded, Guo Ying waved his hand and announced loudly: "The imperial edict has been conveyed, generals, please take your seats!"

"Yes!" the generals responded in unison, their voices very loud.

Immediately, they walked in an orderly fashion toward their respective seats.

After everyone was seated, Guo Ying's expression became stern, and he went straight to the point: "Currently, our army is only two garrison cities away from the Yuan capital."

"According to the intelligence we have now, the Yuan army's strength in these two cities is no less than three hundred thousand."

Guo Ying's voice was low, revealing a sense of seriousness.

"If we are to launch a frontal assault, this will inevitably be a difficult battle."

"Generals, what are your thoughts on this?"

Guo Ying said, his gaze slowly sweeping over the generals, his eyes filled with inquiry and expectation.

"Nothing else!"

Lan Yu stood up abruptly, his voice resonant and very confident: "After these months of the Northern Expedition, even though the Yuan army still has strength, their morale has long since collapsed, and they are exhausted."

"Furthermore, the Yuan army is completely different from our Great Ming army."

"Our army is working together for the great cause of the Northern Expedition, while the Yuan army is composed of forces temporarily pieced together from various tribes, each with their own agendas."

"In order to preserve their own strength, they will never fight to the death."

"We can see this from the situation of our Northern Expedition breaking through cities along the way; although the Yuan army has the advantage in numbers, they are nothing but a rabble."

"For the remaining two garrison cities, I will lead one army and will definitely be able to break through one of them."

"Within three days, the city will definitely be broken!"

Lan Yu held his head high and chest out, scanning the generals, carrying a sense of arrogance and confidence, as if victory and breaking the city were already in sight.

"Since Marquis Yongchang has said so, then our second army will attack the other one."

"We will move our troops at the same time and will definitely be able to break through this Yuan capital garrison city at the fastest speed."

Li Jinglong also stood up quickly, saying with a firm expression.

Although he did not appear as arrogant as Lan Yu, his words were also full of fighting spirit.

Of course.

The foundation of his confidence lay in Zhu Ying.

Seeing that both main generals had expressed their attitudes so firmly, Guo Ying nodded with satisfaction, stopped wasting words, and immediately said: "Good! Then we will move our troops against these two garrison cities tomorrow."

"After taking these two cities, our army will strike directly at the Yuan capital and completely annihilate Northern Yuan!"

"This unparalleled merit of the Northern Expedition will belong to our army!"

Guo Ying's voice was impassioned, full of high aspirations, and also carried the intention of encouraging the generals.

As soon as he finished speaking, the generals shouted in unison: "We will strictly follow the Grand General's orders!"

"Alright, with the great battle imminent, generals, please return to your camps to rest first."

Having reached this decision.

Guo Ying waved his hand, signaling everyone to withdraw.

His complexion also revealed a trace of fatigue, but more of it was expectation for tomorrow's great battle.

The success of the Northern Expedition was getting closer and closer.

"This subordinate takes his leave!"

The generals stood up one after another, bowed neatly to Guo Ying, and then filed out.

After everyone left, only Zhu Di and Zhu Quan remained in the tent.

"Your Highness, Prince of Ning."

Guo Ying looked at Zhu Quan, who was sitting in the first seat on the right, his tone carrying a bit of concern: "This time, you will stay in the same camp as His Highness the Prince of Yan."

"The personal guards by your side will also be settled here."

As he finished speaking.

"I have troubled the Grand General," Zhu Quan stood up with a smile to thank him: "My coming here this time is mainly to observe and learn."

"The Grand General is busy with many things, no need to worry too much about me."

"After the Northern Expedition ends, I still have to return to Daning."

Compared to Zhu Di's heavy and capable demeanor, Zhu Quan still appeared very immature, but his smile was gentle and humble, and he was very polite.

The royal children, except for Zhu Yuanzhang's second and third sons, were all fine.

"After tomorrow's battle ends, the Prince of Ning can go find General Zhu Ying to understand the situation in Daning Prefecture."

Guo Ying suggested with a smile. Naturally, he also revealed a hint of deep meaning, as if hinting at something.

Zhu Quan nodded immediately in agreement: "I will remember the Grand General's words."

"The Marquis of Champions is young and promising, unlike ordinary people; I indeed need to ask him for more advice."

Zhu Quan's words were full of admiration for Zhu Ying; likewise, his eyes also carried a sense of anticipation, looking forward to a real exchange with Zhu Ying.

"Haha, then I will not disturb the two Princes' rest."

Guo Ying laughed a few times and did not keep the two any longer.

"Grand General, we will take our leave first," Zhu Di smiled and cupped his hands.

Zhu Quan did the same.

Not long after.

In Zhu Di's tent, Zhu Quan was like a little bird that had just come out of a cage, full of curiosity about everything around him.

Even if it was just a small military tent, he looked around, his eyes flashing with excitement: "Fourth Brother, do you usually live in this tent?"

Zhu Quan reached out to touch the fabric of the tent and carefully observed the furnishings around him, occasionally letting out exclamations.

Clearly.

This was a canary that had just escaped from the capital of Ying Tian and was spreading its wings.

Far away from the capital, no longer having to live under his father's severity, for Zhu Quan, it was also very enjoyable.

Now, he was free.

However!

Zhu Di, at this moment, had no heart to chat with him about these trivial matters.

He looked at Zhu Quan with a serious expression and asked: "Old Seventeen, how do you view Zhu Ying?"

In his words, Zhu Di's eyes were deep and sharp, staring at Zhu Quan, as if he could see through a person's heart.

"View Zhu Ying?"

Zhu Quan was stunned by this sudden question, a look of confusion appearing on his face, his brows slightly furrowed as he fell into deep thought.

After a moment.

The scene of seeing Zhu Ying in the tent just now appeared in Zhu Quan's mind.

Zhu Ying's steady temperament, especially his eyes—no, it was that familiar feeling.

This made Zhu Quan involuntarily think of his childhood playmate, Zhu Xiongying.

Zhu Quan subconsciously lowered his voice, scanned the surroundings vigilantly to ensure no one was eavesdropping, and then said with a serious expression: "Fourth Brother, do you have a feeling?"

In his words, Zhu Quan's voice trembled slightly, as if he were suppressing the excitement in his heart.

"What feeling?"

Zhu Di asked, his face also revealing a bit of curiosity.

"Zhu Ying, he is too much like Xiongying."

Although Zhu Quan's voice was low, at this moment, every word felt like a heavy hammer striking Zhu Di's heart.

"Although in appearance, he doesn't have much similarity to Xiongying when he was a child, those eyes are exactly the same."

"If I hadn't watched Xiongying being buried with my own eyes, I would really suspect that Zhu Ying is Xiongying."

"Too similar, it's exactly the same."

"They are completely the eyes of one person."

"And if you look closely, looking down from his eyes, it seems there is a bit of Xiongying's former outline."

Zhu Quan's eyes flashed with amazement and doubt; at this moment, he also looked at Zhu Di, as if trying to find an answer from him.

Hearing these words from Zhu Quan, the doubts that Zhu Di had buried deep in his heart were instantly ignited.

Those thoughts he had once deliberately forgotten now surged into his heart like a tide.

"Seventeenth Brother also thinks this Zhu Ying is like Xiongying?"

Zhu Di asked in surprise, his voice slightly raised, carrying a sense of disbelief.

"Xiongying often played with Fourth Brother, so Fourth Brother can naturally distinguish better."

"Those eyes are simply carved from the same mold."

Zhu Quan nodded affirmatively, the expression on his face becoming increasingly serious.

As his words fell.

Zhu Di's complexion instantly became very complex, and he remained silent, falling into deep thought.

"Sigh."

Zhu Quan let out a long sigh, his eyes flowing with endless nostalgia: "When we were young, Xiongying always took me and the twelve brothers to play everywhere."

"At that time, although he was young, he had many clever ideas and could always think of various novel and interesting ways to play."

"Moreover, as long as Xiongying was there, no matter how much trouble we caused, Father's anger would instantly dissipate."

"Ever since Xiongying and Mother passed away one after another, Father seemed to have become a different person, immersed in grief all day long."

"Eldest Brother is also no longer as cheerful as before, always looking preoccupied."

"If Xiongying were still here, how good that would be."

As he spoke.

Zhu Quan's voice carried a bit of choking, his eyes filled with nostalgia and attachment for the beautiful times of the past.

And even more so, longing for the nephew who grew up and played with him.

Zhu Di listened quietly to Zhu Quan's memories, but felt no emotion; instead, his complexion became increasingly ugly.

His hands clenched involuntarily.

If Zhu Xiongying were truly still alive, wouldn't the ambition that had just ignited in his heart become a huge joke?

As the legitimate eldest grandson, Zhu Xiongying possessed the Great Ming's righteous title, the support of court rites and laws, and the backing of the Huaixi powerful elites; his status could be described as solid as a rock, and no one could shake it.

Even if it were truly as Yao Guangxiao said, that the future Crown Prince Zhu Biao would not have a long life, as long as Zhu Xiongying was there, nothing would change.

"Could it be that there really is some connection between Zhu Ying and Xiongying?"

At this moment, when someone else said that Zhu Ying and Zhu Xiongying were extremely similar, Zhu Di could not help but feel an indescribable sense of unease.

Even, the more he thought, the more terrifying he felt, and that sense of unease grew stronger and stronger.

"Fourth Brother, why is your complexion so ugly?"

"Could it be that you caught a cold?"

Zhu Quan came back to his senses from his memories, and when he looked up, he happened to see Zhu Di's ugly complexion, and a sense of worry immediately surged in his heart.

He walked forward with concern, reaching out to touch Zhu Di's forehead.

Zhu Di then came back to his senses, dodged backward, and managed to squeeze out a smile: "It's nothing, I was just lost in thought."

"Hearing you talk about Xiongying, I couldn't help but think of many past events."

Zhu Di's smile appeared somewhat stiff, and a trace of worry still remained in his eyes.

"Sigh, I only dare to say such things in front of Fourth Brother."

"When I was in Ying Tian, even in front of my mother, I didn't dare to mention Xiongying."

"After all, this is a taboo for Father and Eldest Brother."

"Anyone who accidentally mentions it will inevitably suffer a punishment."

Zhu Quan sighed and shook his head helplessly.

It could be seen.

Regarding his own father, even if he mentioned it once, he revealed a sense of fear, and saying the things just now still made him feel lingering fear.

"Father asked you to come to your fief, did he ever say whether Liaodong Prefecture would be under your control in the future?"

"Also, how is the military power of Daning Prefecture arranged?"

Zhu Di suppressed the waves in his heart, changed the subject, and asked with a smile.

His gaze seemed casual, but if one observed carefully, one could find a few points of hidden tension and expectation.

"The fifty thousand border troops of Daning Prefecture should be under my control," Zhu Quan said truthfully: "But the Huizhouwei, and the two guards of Liaodong Prefecture, I am not too sure."

"Moreover, the specific control order has not yet been issued by Father."

"I also don't know whether I will control the Daning Guard or the Huizhouwei in the future."

Zhu Quan furrowed his brows slightly, carrying a bit of confusion.

Regarding how he would control Daning Prefecture in the future, and the military power, he also did not know too much.

Of course.

Even if he did not know too clearly at this moment.

In front of Zhu Di, Zhu Quan had no reservations and told him everything he knew frankly.

He was simple-minded by nature, and coming here to his fief this time was just following his father's decree, with his heart set only on governing Daning Prefecture well.

Although he was a vassal prince, he knew in his heart that all financial and military power, fundamentally speaking, was still under the court's dispatch and directly under the Ministry of War.

The greatest power of a border vassal prince was being able to more flexibly dispatch troops and generals when facing foreign invasion, in order to deal with crises.

The border vassal prince garrison system carefully set up by Zhu Yuanzhang was interlinked, both guarding the Great Ming's territory and acting as a mutual check and balance.

However!

Zhu Yuanzhang had not expected that this system would trigger many chaotic phenomena in the original historical future.

"In this way, Father should still send another vassal prince to garrison the future Liaodong Prefecture."

From Zhu Quan's words, Zhu Di keenly deduced this point.

Liaodong Prefecture was vast, with one hundred thousand troops stationed there; Zhu Yuanzhang would never hand it over entirely to Zhu Quan alone to control.

The military power of every border vassal prince was limited.

It would not be too great.

This was also conducive to the court's management and control.

"Liaodong Prefecture is so important, they will definitely send another vassal prince."

Zhu Quan nodded, expressing agreement, and changed the subject: "I just don't know if there will be good generals serving under me in the future."

"If Zhu Ying can continue to stay in Daning, that would be truly great."

"With him there, I don't need to worry about foreign invasion when governing Daning."

"He became the Marquis of Champions before he was twenty; he is truly young and promising, and admirable."

Mentioning Zhu Ying, Zhu Quan's eyes flashed with admiration; he was full of confidence in Zhu Ying's ability.

Of course, he also looked forward to Zhu Ying being able to continue commanding troops in Daning Prefecture.

"After this Northern Expedition battle ends, his official rank will definitely go up another level."

Zhu Di said affirmatively.

He knew his father and Eldest Brother's style of doing things well; since they had given Zhu Ying such heavy rewards, enfeoffing him as Marquis of Champions, and even announcing his achievements to the world.

Once the Northern Expedition was successful, Zhu Ying's promotion in official rank was a matter of course.

"Indeed," Zhu Quan nodded in agreement, without a doubt.

At this time!

Zhu Quan felt a wave of fatigue, yawned, stretched, and smiled: "Fourth Brother, we are going to attack the city tomorrow, and I am exhausted from the journey today."

"I'll go back to my tent to rest first, and come to see the city attack tomorrow."

Zhu Quan waved his hand casually and turned to walk out of the tent. His steps were somewhat heavy, clearly exhausted.

After Zhu Quan left, Zhu Di looked at the empty tent and spoke slowly, his face carrying an undisguised look of solemnity: "Tell me, is it possible that Zhu Ying is really Zhu Xiongying?"

As his words fell.

The tent was silent!

After a long time, a faint sigh came: "Prince, you are obsessed."

"The dead cannot come back to life, you are thinking too much."

This voice seemed to come from inside the tent, carrying a sense of helplessness and persuasion.

"At first, when I saw him for the first time, I had a similar feeling, as if I saw Zhu Xiongying."

"Today, when Seventeenth Brother mentioned it, the thoughts I had suppressed popped up again."

"I am really worried, what if this Zhu Ying is really related to Zhu Xiongying, then I... do I still have a chance?"

Zhu Di's voice was full of anxiety and unease, and his expression showed struggle.

"Although I also know this is almost impossible, I always have an inexplicable worry in my heart that I can't get rid of."

Zhu Di's brows were tightly furrowed, as if he had fallen into a nightmare he could not escape.

"Since the Prince already has this worry, you must have a plan in your heart."

Yao Guangxiao's voice sounded again, calm and deep.

"I, do not want him to return to Ying Tian."

A trace of ruthlessness flashed in Zhu Di's eyes: "Regardless of whether he is related to Zhu Xiongying, as long as he cannot be used by me, he is definitely my great enemy."

"Perhaps, this is the reason for the greatest unease in my heart. Since I cannot control him, I would rather destroy him."

Zhu Di clenched his fists tightly, as if he wanted to crush the fear and unease in his heart together.

"In that case, this monk has a plan that might fulfill the Prince's wish," Yao Guangxiao said slowly, carrying a bit of seriousness.

"What plan?" Zhu Di asked impatiently, full of expectation.

"The Great Ming Northern Expedition army has reached the garrison city of the Yuan capital and will definitely break through in a few days."

"The Yuan Emperor will definitely flee to the north," Yao Guangxiao said unhurriedly: "In this Northern Expedition, the greatest merit is to completely annihilate Northern Yuan and make it fall apart; this is exactly what the current Emperor thinks in his heart."

"So... when the Yuan Emperor flees, Guo Ying will definitely order a pursuit."

Yao Guangxiao gradually became serious, as if he had already deduced the many situations of the subsequent Northern Expedition.

Zhu Di's heart moved, as if he understood something.

"The Daning border army under Zhu Ying's command is entirely cavalry, with nearly forty thousand troops."

"If they are to pursue, Zhu Ying will definitely be the first to bear the brunt. Once he enters the territory of the northern frontier, it will be difficult for him to retreat unscathed."

"The heartland of Northern Yuan is a place of grasslands and deserts, very easy to lose one's way, and it is the home field of the Northern Yuan tribes."

Zhu Di continued, the murderous intent in his eyes becoming even more intense.

"As long as we leak some military intelligence to the Northern Yuan tribes, such as Zhu Ying's location... would the Northern Yuan tribes let him go?" Yao Guangxiao's voice even became cold.

Hearing this, a look of struggle appeared on Zhu Di's face: "Northern Yuan has always been the great enemy of our Great Ming."

"If Zhu Ying enters the northern frontier and cannot return, that is his own fate."

"But to let me leak news to Northern Yuan and bury the lives of our Great Ming soldiers, I cannot do it."

Having said this.

Zhu Di was very firm: "After all, I am only wary of him."

"His death alone is enough."

Under Yao Guangxiao's influence, for that white hat, although Zhu Di was ambitious, he still had his own bottom line in the face of righteousness.

"That was just a suggestion from this monk."

"Whether the Prince follows it or not is entirely up to the Prince himself," Yao Guangxiao said calmly.

"Of course, the northern frontier desert is full of unknowns."

"The Prince can actually go and test Zhu Ying; if he can be used by the Prince, that would naturally be best."

Yao Guangxiao's words carried a faint smile, as if hinting at something.

"Naturally."

Zhu Di nodded heavily, but his complexion remained solemn: "Eldest Brother treats him so kindly, wanting to make him submit to me is easier said than done!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 177 =====

(End of chapter)