Since the dynasty had only been established for a short time, the military ranks were still very strong and capable of fighting. Whenever there was a battle, they would volunteer to fight. There was no embarrassing situation of having no great generals in the court, which made Zhu Yunying feel at ease.

Lan Yu and his group all volunteered for the mission, naturally hoping to make a name for themselves.

They envied the glory of the Xu and Chang families, and perhaps with some effort, they could learn from Mu Ying. Although he was sent to guard the wild and untamed Yunnan, he truly held immense power. The Duke of Qian's status in Yunnan was even higher than some local chieftains; he was practically a local emperor.

Li Jinglong felt he had a chance; compared to the Mu family, he actually had a closer relationship with the royal family. Lan Yu also felt he had a chance; the current emperor was the biggest backer of the Chang faction, and he, Lan Yu, was currently the leader of the Chang faction.

Even Fu Youde, who seems somewhat lacking in 'background', has an eldest son who is the son-in-law of the emperor, albeit an unfavored princess of the Zhu family. Fu Youde, at least, is still considered a member of the imperial family and is currently a high-ranking general of the Ming Dynasty...

Looking at the generals who were all eager to fight, Zhu Yunying said with a smile, "The Duke of Zhongshan should not be moved lightly; it would be better for him to remain in Yingtian Prefecture."

Xu Huizu was somewhat disappointed, but it was understandable. Leaving aside the fact that he was the eldest son of Xu Da, the Prince of Zhongshan, and nominally the current leader of the military, it was impossible to let him leave easily. Staying in the court was more important; he could crush any rebellious civil official group at any time, which was one of his functions.

Moreover, Xu Huizu is the Crown Prince's maternal uncle, and he can be considered one of the Crown Prince's pillars of support, so naturally he cannot be allowed to leave.

Looking at Lan Yu, Zhu Yunying said with a smile, "Duke Liang should still go to the north. Although the Tartars in the north have been driven out, we need to prevent them from making a comeback. The north is a place that Duke Liang is familiar with, so it will be better for him there. The defenses of the nine borders must be well built, and we must continue to move forward to compress the Tartars' space for maneuver."

Lan Yu didn't dare to be disrespectful to Zhu Yunying. He was actually quite obedient to the eldest Zhu, and the same was true for the younger Zhu. While he sometimes acted recklessly, he was always controlled by the three generations of the Zhu family. Moreover, Lan Yu knew Zhu Yunying's background, so he naturally dared not treat him carelessly.

Being grateful is one thing, after all, Lan Yu had no son before, and if it weren't for the then Crown Prince's strong insistence, there would have been no way to turn his grandson into a son. This was the second legitimate son brought back from the Prince of Shu, and the royal family had given up a member of the imperial clan, which was a unique honor in the history of the Ming Dynasty.

If you don't believe me, ask Tang He. The title of Duke of Xin has never been inherited. It's not just because Tang He recently passed away. The main reason is that Zhu Yuanzhang's brother's offspring were not numerous to begin with. Furthermore, the heir apparent died when he was just a little older. The court had no intention of taking back the title of Duke of Xin, but it had been waiting for the heir to come of age.

Looking at Li Jinglong, Zhu Yunying said, "Cousin, you are of great use in the court. I suppose you are aware of the establishment of the Martial Academy. Your grandfather is personally the headmaster, but he is very busy. The Martial Academy still needs you to take charge of the overall situation."

Li Jinglong was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed.

The importance of the Martial Academy is self-evident, and many military officers have heard of it. Some veteran generals will be appointed as instructors at the academy. In the future, most of the mid- to high-ranking generals of the Ming Dynasty will be assigned to the Martial Academy. To be able to manage the affairs of the Martial Academy requires not only ability and talent, but also sufficient trust from the imperial family.

Li Jinglong is a more suitable candidate. He is a member of the imperial family, and his father, Li Wenzhong, once served as the head of the Imperial Academy. Now, like father, like son, Li Jinglong has taken charge of the Martial Arts Academy, which is probably a good story.

Fu Youde became excited. Now that there was a general qualified to guard and expand the Western Regions, there was no other choice but to take over. Everyone else had their own missions and arrangements, and it was time for him, Fu Youde, to go to the Western Regions to set up the outpost.

Zhu Yunying looked at Fu Youde and said, "The matter of the Western Regions is of great importance, and the Duke of Ying should be cautious. In the coming days, the Duke of Ying should think more about it and submit a proposal to us, which we will discuss with the Emperor Emeritus."

Although he didn't seem to agree immediately, Fu Youde was overjoyed. As long as his plan to manage the Western Regions was approved by the emperor and the retired emperor, he could go into battle and display his talents in the Western Regions.

This was incredibly exciting news for the valiant general Fu Youde, as he had commanded armies on several occasions, but not a particularly large number. Most importantly, the imperial court was likely to begin a period of truce in the coming years, with fewer battles. This was also a kind of ordeal for military commanders; they were accustomed to the bloodshed and fierce battles of the battlefield, and the lack of activity would be unsettling.

It's impossible for weapons to be sheathed and horses to be released to graze freely. Even if Zhu Yunying intends to adjust the garrisons, it doesn't mean he can carry out a major military downsizing, nor does it mean he thinks he can rest easy and enjoy peace.

It was true that the Ming Dynasty was powerful, and there didn't seem to be any particularly strong enemies around it at the moment. However, Zhu Yunying understood that if he became careless, those seemingly weak enemies would grow stronger and might take a serious bite out of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yunying would naturally not allow such a thing; the Ming Dynasty should always be strong. Only with a powerful military could the Ming Dynasty deter rebellious neighbors. Only with a strong and well-equipped army could Zhu Yunying's plans proceed smoothly.

After all, military means were indispensable in Zhu Yunying's plan, and he couldn't afford to cripple himself.

Yu Xin and the others were now frowning with worry. Although the emperor seemed to be temporarily halting his campaigns, his decree stipulated that military training would continue in the coming years, and the court would even begin to continuously reinforce the troops.

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!