Feng Cheng was genuinely anxious. He knew perfectly well what His Majesty had arranged for him: to enable him to make some contributions so that he could rightfully become a hereditary ruler.

It should be noted that his father was Feng Guoyong, a general under the early Hongwu Emperor. It was Feng Guoyong who suggested that the Hongwu Emperor take Yingtian Prefecture as his base.

Furthermore, his second uncle was Feng Sheng, the Duke of Song. Had it not been for Emperor Hongwu's deliberate suppression, Feng Sheng could have easily become a general no less capable than Li Wenzhong and Lan Yu. Feng Sheng was indeed a major figure in the Ming Dynasty's military. Had it not been for Emperor Hongwu's suspicion and other reasons, Feng Sheng might have achieved even greater merit.

Although his father was posthumously granted the title of Duke of Ying, his current title of Duke is a downgraded one, not a hereditary title.

Now his brother-in-law has prepared a legitimate opportunity for him to make a name for himself, and his brother-in-law is also very generous in giving him this unparalleled achievement. If he can't seize such an opportunity, then it would really be unreasonable.

The officials in the court were still discussing other matters, leaving Feng Cheng anxiously waiting.

Just as Feng Cheng was getting anxious, Chang Mao, who felt sorry for his nephew-in-law, objected, "Your Majesty, I believe that the Minister of Personnel, Ru Chang, and others should be punished. These traitors are disrupting the order of the court, and their intentions deserve to be punished!"

Everyone knows that the founding duke Chang Mao is an absolute tough nut to crack. Considering his special status, people really don't know what to do with him. They show him respect on the surface, but they can't help but talk bad about him behind his back.

But look at what this person did. They inexplicably threw such a huge accusation at us. Who can stand that?

Zhu Yunying, with a stern face, said, "Duke of the Founding State, one should not speak recklessly in the court!"

At this point, the civil and military officials seemed to have found some confidence. Although everyone knew that Chang Mao, that stubborn scoundrel, would not be punished more severely for this matter, even a small punishment would be good. It could suppress that guy's arrogant attitude and prevent him from always speaking recklessly in court.

At this moment, Chang Mao said in a serious tone, "Your Majesty, the court has long had regulations that require a subject to report back to the capital before returning to the capital. Furthermore, since this matter concerns military affairs, all other matters should be reported first."

Zhu Yunying feigned sudden realization, and also looked somewhat guilty, saying, "This matter is indeed my fault."

This made Ru Chang and the others uneasy. The emperor's words seemed casual, and he even appeared to be taking the blame voluntarily. But if everyone were to casually assume that it was the emperor's responsibility, that would be truly naive, and that would be the end of their careers.

This matter could naturally be attributed to the emperor, for example, by not consulting Feng Cheng and the others first, seemingly making the emperor the one who should take the blame. However, wasn't it also because these civil and military officials were in a hurry to discuss other matters, disrupting the normal procedure for reporting matters?

So the emperor can take the blame, but he should never think that this is solely his responsibility. Especially if the emperor himself admits his mistake, then the minister is doomed to die for his lord's disgrace.

That's a bit of an exaggeration, but that's the nature of the matter.

In no time, civil and military officials in the imperial court were all apologizing. With everyone's attitude clear, the matter naturally came to an end.

Chang Mao was somewhat smug. He was indeed a tough nut to crack, and many people felt that he was the worst son among the best, a disgrace to the illustrious reputation of the 100,000-strong Wangchang of Kaiping.

But so what? He is still one of the key figures in the Wuxun Group, and he still holds considerable influence in the imperial court.

Who can underestimate him? Who dares to underestimate him?

Knowing when to stop, Chang Mao didn't plan to dwell on the matter any longer, and Zhu Yunying didn't feel the need to make a big deal out of it either. So, that was that, and the important matter was more important.

Looking at Feng Cheng, Zhu Yunying asked, "Imperial Son-in-Law, have you reported anything during your inspection of the various garrisons?"

This is blatantly pretending to be ignorant while knowing the truth. Zhu Yunying knew why his brother-in-law was going out on inspection this time, and Chang Mao and others also knew the truth. It was just that the civil and military officials in the court were kept in the dark.

However, these officials and clerks didn't see anything wrong with Feng Cheng going out on inspections. Even if he didn't do it, other nobles would; inspecting the various garrisons was simply what they were supposed to do. Even if there seemed to be no war within the Ming Dynasty's borders, it didn't mean that weapons could be sheathed and horses could be allowed to graze freely.

It's certainly nice to have a peaceful and prosperous world, but necessary military preparedness is still required.

Moreover, everyone is well aware that with the current lack of warfare, some garrisons have become somewhat lax, and some garrison commanders may be engaging in various illegal activities. Since the civil service system is unable to participate more in military affairs, it is natural to rely on these military officers to handle these matters.

Whether it's a matter of each fulfilling their own duties or the emperor's pursuit of balance, many people are well aware of the current power dynamics in the Ming Dynasty, both in terms of civil and military affairs. It's understandable that both civil officials and military leaders want to outdo each other.

However, it should also be clearly understood that it is best not to cross the line, otherwise the emperor will definitely not be happy.

At this moment, Feng Cheng stepped forward and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, I was ordered to inspect the various garrisons and found a total of fourteen illegal acts. All of them have been prepared as memorials, and I request Your Majesty to review them."

Zhu Yunying's face was ashen; no emperor could be happy about such a thing.

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!