After instructing Lan Yu and Xu Yungong, Zhu Xiong Ying naturally needed to discuss this matter with Old Zhu. Ultimately, Zhu Xiong Ying was still only the Crown Prince; he was not yet the emperor who could make decisions on his own.

Old Zhu was in a good mood. Looking at the map, he said to Zhu Xiong Ying, "If we send troops to Yunnan and Guizhou this time, from which regions should we mobilize our troops?"

Zhu Xiong Ying understood that this was naturally a test for him. "Grandfather, if we are to send troops, I think the Right Army Commandery will be the main force. The Yunnan and Guizhou Commanderies will be the main forces outside. The Sichuan and Guangxi Commanderies can also assist. Since I want to drive out the rebels, the Shaanxi Commandery should also send some troops."

Old Zhu remained noncommittal, somewhat mockingly saying, "When others send out troops, they sweep through with overwhelming force, fearing the war will drag on indefinitely. But you, on the other hand, send out the imperial army, and we'll see if they can win or not."

Zhu Xiong Ying ignored this and said with a smile, "Grandson is laughing and telling Uncle Liu, Uncle Eleven, and Uncle Eighteen to also contribute some troops. There are still some imperial uncles watching with longing. Uncle Four and the others went to Japan and freed up three fiefdoms, but it's still not enough."

Old Zhu was both amused and exasperated. He said to Zhu Xiong Ying, "You've really done something good. It would be a miracle if your uncles agreed! Sending their guards to help their brother, who hasn't even been enfeoffed yet, conquer the world? Do you really think such a good thing is possible?"

"Isn't this just a matter of getting the Emperor to issue an edict?" Zhu Xiong Ying said matter-of-factly. "Once the Emperor's decree is issued, the Imperial Uncles will naturally not dare to object. Besides, if the Imperial Uncles want a place to establish their own territory, then they can go. If they don't want it, I think that when the Nineteenth Uncle and the others are enfeoffed, they will also have a place to go."

Looking at the map, Old Zhu chuckled and said, "Your nineteenth uncle doesn't want to go there, so we'll move your third uncle there. But remember, if your third uncle goes there, you can't be stingy."

Zhu Xiong Ying paused for a moment, looking quite surprised. "Grandpa Emperor, is Third Uncle really willing to leave Taiyuan?"

"He has to go, whether he's willing or not!" Old Zhu said to Zhu Xiong Ying with an air of domineering confidence. "Your third uncle is also an arrogant person. He was alright when your father was alive. Give him Annam and let him be the ruler of a native kingdom!"

Zhu Xiong Ying trembled with heartache and said, "Grandpa, isn't it too big? I'm thinking of my two uncles..."

Old Zhu slapped Zhu Xiong Ying on the back of the head and said, "That's settled then. Since you let your third uncle leave Taiyuan, you should give him some benefits. This time, let your third uncle send some troops over as well. Your fourth uncle went to Japan, and your seventeenth uncle also has some garrisons in Huguang. Let him do some work for his brothers."

How domineering! They haven't even conquered the territory yet, and they're already busy dividing it up.

What's even more audacious is that Zhu Yuanzhang revised the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty" again, removing some of the previously designated "countries not to be conquered." He acted as if nothing had happened, and these "unconquered" countries might become the foundation of his descendants' rule in the future.

Zhu Xiong Ying muttered under her breath, "Third Uncle only thought of this because he saw Fourth Uncle having a good time in Japan..."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Being a local king in Annam is nothing compared to being a prince in Taiyuan!" Old Zhu said. "We've already thought it through. After we conquer Japan, we'll change things up. Let your fourth and seventh uncles divide up the territory. Three kingdoms aren't good enough; we'll get two."

Zhu Xiong Ying thought about it again and realized that the main reason was that he had lived in the Central Plains dynasty for a long time and really looked down on some small places.

Old Zhu's thinking was actually quite simple. If tiny Japan were divided into three kingdoms, his three sons would only be able to lord it over a tiny place, which wouldn't be considered a foundation for his dynasty. Furthermore, the imperial court also wanted to seize the silver mines, which would leave even less land for his sons, reducing the three kingdoms to two.

Furthermore, it was unexpected that some samurai and commoners in Japan were so loyal to the so-called Emperor. The three kingdoms were too small, which would give the so-called Emperor the opportunity to recover his strength and defeat them one by one. It would be better to simply support two relatively large kingdoms and not give the Japanese Emperor any chance to retaliate.

Zhu Xiong Ying did not object, but said, "Grandfather, we can't give away all the good places. Not to mention that my younger brothers and I need to be settled, my descendants should also have a place to go in the future."

Old Zhu just stared at the map without saying a word. Although his great-grandchildren were good, in Old Zhu's eyes now only his eldest great-grandson, Zhu Wenyin. Besides, great-grandchildren were ultimately not as close as his sons, and he was still considering giving his sons some good places.

"Take some of those gunpowder and muskets you've been procuring," Old Zhu glared at Zhu Xiong Ying and said. "The court is full of complaints. Tell me how many honorary titles and ranks you've given them! We've given the lowest-ranking craftsmen the most lowly positions, yet you still give them official titles and ranks!"

Zhu Xiong Ying chuckled, quite pleased with himself, "Grandpa, that's not quite right. Those artisans do have some benefits, though. Our ships, muskets, and gunpowder—aren't they all good things for the country and the people? Now, when we're clearing mountains and paving roads, I'll have explosives to blast them open!"

The Ministry of Industry's research institute still plays a role. Although the technology tree did not blossom all at once, it is good that it has made steady progress.

As for the official positions and titles bestowed by Zhu Xiong Ying, they were mostly honorary titles, just with a better reputation. In reality, very few titles were given out, and they were all low-ranking ones, but this still made countless skilled craftsmen deeply grateful.

Everyone's focused on research and development these days; who cares about preserving the skills passed down from their ancestors? It's better to serve the emperor, get an official position, and elevate the social class of the whole family. Maybe they'll even get a noble title, ensuring their descendants have secure jobs and become nobles.

These artisans, who have risen from the lowest ranks of craftsmen to officials and nobles, are now incredibly excited. It's just that they can't currently manufacture atomic bombs or machine guns, otherwise they would have already put them to use.

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