Although Zhu Gui was being given a minor education by two generations of emperors in the Qianqing Palace, the atmosphere was generally quite pleasant.

Ten miles outside Yingtian Prefecture, the Crown Prince Zhu Wenyin of the Ming Dynasty, dressed in imperial robes, stood at the head of the procession with his hands behind his back. Following him were his grandfather Zhu Su, his uncle Zhu Yunwen, his younger brother Zhu Wenjin, and other members of the imperial clan.

Behind these nobles and dignitaries were meritorious officials and civil and military officials, all dressed in solemn court attire. Such an occasion naturally required even more formal attire.

Of course, with these people at the pinnacle of power in the Ming Dynasty appearing, there were also some brightly armored Imperial Guards and burly generals, with those strong and robust Imperial Guards standing guard beside them.

Zhu Yunwen chuckled and said, "Your Majesty really knows how to make an example of someone. Our Ming Dynasty's army has just defeated Goryeo, and now we're sending those vassal envoys over. That's good, it'll be good to see them present their captives."

Zhu Su glanced at Zhu Yunwen and calmly said, "Little Goryeo is nothing to worry about. It's just a pity that we couldn't capture the Li family. It's only because Your Majesty is merciful that the Li family has been allowed some dignity."

Ju Su truly looked down on Yi Seong-gye and his son. To be honest, that father and son were truly treacherous and rebellious, not only usurping the throne but also engaging in fratricide and father-son infighting, killing each other in a truly spectacular display for the throne.

So, to say that Goryeo was destroyed now is actually not a big deal. The father and son's country's destruction and their own deaths were, in Zhu Su and Zhu Yunwen's eyes, perfectly normal. It's unclear when it started, but everyone believed that the Ming Dynasty's army was invincible, and over the years, everyone had long been accustomed to the Ming Dynasty's frequent victories.

This is not something that has only happened in recent years; it has been a series of victories since before the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

Suddenly, two fast horses appeared in the distance; these were the messengers.

Little Zhu turned around and looked at Zhu Su, asking, "King Zhou, how are the preparations going?"

Zhu Su immediately stepped forward and replied, "Your Highness, all the officials have made thorough preparations."

Little Zhu nodded in satisfaction, straightened his imperial robes, and said, "The great virtuous one has returned in triumph; the ceremony is absolutely essential. As the army approaches, play the music immediately!"

This was inevitable, not only in the Ming Dynasty but also in other dynasties. Different occasions required different music. Although we don't strictly follow the ritual and music system now, people often tacitly understand this.

The smoke and dust in the distance grew thicker and thicker, and Little Zhu was ready, standing calmly at the front of the line.

Suddenly, the drums sounded and the deep horn call rang out; it was time for music to be played.

Fully armored and of imposing stature, Fu Youde rode his warhorse and led several generals at a rapid gallop. After dismounting, he loudly reported his arrival.

"This humble general, Fu Youde, can annihilate the rebellious and return victorious."

Little Zhu looked at Fu Youde with a solemn expression, "Excellent! May the Great Ming Dynasty be victorious!"

"May the Great Ming Dynasty be victorious forever"

"May the Great Ming Dynasty be victorious!"

"May the Great Ming Dynasty be victorious!"

After a resounding shout of "May you be victorious!", Xiao Zhu slowly raised his right hand, and Shuang Quan knelt before Xiao Zhu, holding the imperial edict high.

Little Zhu took the imperial edict, and needless to say, everyone else knelt down except for Little Zhu, who remained standing.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Duke Fu Youde of Ying, with his iron cavalry, swept across a thousand miles, denouncing Goguryeo. He captured several cities, destroyed the surrendered king and his kingdom, and beheaded generals and raised the banner. The barbarians fled in terror, and the savages trembled in fear. His great achievements are worthy of being recorded in history. The Holy Ancestor initiated a prosperous reign for ten thousand years, and thus this illustrious minister was born, who crushed the enemy, cleared the land, and assisted in the unification of the empire..."

Fu Youde was overwhelmed with emotion. This was the greatest recognition His Majesty had given him for his achievements; the imperial edict was practically a continuous praise.

After the imperial edict was read aloud, Little Zhu said, "Duke of Ying, please accept the edict."

Fu Youde kowtowed deeply, excitedly accepting the imperial edict, "Your subject Fu Youde accepts the edict!"

After Fu Youde received the imperial decree, Shuangquan knelt down again and presented another imperial decree. This decree praised the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty and arranged for them to be rewarded and given a banquet upon their return to the capital, which was a standard procedure after a victorious army.

In fact, there's not much need to worry about these things; the imperial court already has sufficient systems and experience in this regard. The Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Revenue all know how to do it, and the Five Military Commissions know even better how to reward merit.

After arranging the soldiers, Xiao Zhu said to Fu Youde, "I am very pleased that the army has defeated the rebellious ministers. It is just a pity that I am too young to experience the battlefield and have no chance to witness the demeanor of the Duke of Ying."

Although he was inwardly excited, Fu Youde immediately said, "Your Majesty is wise and valiant; such treacherous subjects can be destroyed in the blink of an eye. I am unworthy, but I am willing to serve as Your Majesty's vanguard."

"You should save these words for Father Emperor!" Little Zhu gently tugged at Fu Youde's wrist and said with a smile, "However, you should still restrain yourself. Everyone knows that Father Emperor is fond of martial arts, but he has not been able to fulfill his wish in recent years. At the banquet, do not talk too much about beheading generals and seizing flags, or Father Emperor will definitely not be pleased."

Fu Youde didn't think the Crown Prince was warning him, nor did he think His Majesty was suspicious of him. Rather, he thought it was because His Majesty and the Crown Prince liked and trusted him that they were giving him these pointers.

Everyone knows that the current emperor was fond of martial arts from a young age, and it is said that he studied martial arts with Xu Da, the Prince of Zhongshan, Li Wenzhong, the Prince of Qiyang, and Feng Sheng, the Duke of Song. But what was the result? Several of the top five military generals who founded the Ming Dynasty provided careful guidance, yet the current emperor just couldn't master it.

Therefore, in earlier years, the retired emperor said that if the current emperor were in the military, he would at most be a deputy general.

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