Long after Liu Xian left, Zhu Yuanzhang sat there in a daze, his brows furrowed.
The eunuchs and palace maids serving the emperor were as quiet as chickens, let alone trying to solve his problems in a clever way.
In the early Ming Dynasty, the emperor learned from the lessons of the previous dynasty and was extremely disgusted by eunuchs interfering in politics. Not only were the ranks of eunuchs set very low, but they were also strictly controlled in all aspects.
At this time, the eunuchs were not as arrogant as they would later become known as "Nine Thousand Years Old".
However, seeing that the emperor's hand was about to touch the teacup when he tapped the table, the chief eunuch serving Zhu Yuanzhang was still terrified and secretly cursed his bad luck.
It was so close, it almost happened. The head eunuch watched silently, rehearsing how to rescue her.
Suddenly the emperor spoke, breaking the silence:
"Go and summon the Duke of Han, the Duke of Xin, the Duke of Wei... and Lan Yu as well, and bring them all here."
The chief eunuch keenly observed that while the other emperors were addressed with respectful titles, only Marquis Yongchang, Lan Yu, was addressed by his given name. This revealed a great deal about the emperor.
Before he could think it through, the head eunuch respectfully agreed and prepared to leave the hall, when the emperor added another sentence:
"Let the Crown Prince come along too, and ask him if Xiong Ying's illness has improved."
Mentioning this, Zhu Yuanzhang's expression darkened further. Zhu Xiong Ying, the eldest son of the Crown Prince, was intelligent, filial to his elders, and the best grandson in Zhu's heart.
These days, however, he has fallen ill and has not recovered. How could Zhu Yuanzhang not be afraid? He, after all, has a destiny that brings misfortune to his wife and children.
Who knows if it will bring misfortune to grandchildren?
Before long, everyone who was supposed to arrive had arrived. Without further ado, Zhu Yuanzhang explained in detail how Liu Xian had invited him to "make a fortune" earlier that day.
Finally, Old Zhu looked at the stunned crowd with a troubled expression:
"Don't you think it's wrong to attack other countries without cause?"
Faced with the emperor's innocent appearance, what could the ministers say? Yes, Your Majesty, this is morally unacceptable and damages the dignity of our Celestial Empire.
Only a fool would say that.
Moreover, everyone knows that the national treasury is short of money. Every time the various ministries compete for the Ministry of Revenue's allocation of funds, everyone present has fought over it.
Now that there's a way to make money, I have to admit I'm a little tempted. Most importantly, Liu Xian guarantees that this trip will be fruitful.
Tang He was the first to support his own emperor, needing no reason, only saying: "I humbly submit to Your Majesty's decisive and unwavering rule."
Zhu Yuanzhang almost burst out laughing. As expected of his own comrade, he then gestured to the others with a bright and expectant look.
What could the other ministers do? Of course, they readily agreed that they would do the same, that they would all listen to His Majesty, and that attacking other countries was their good fortune.
However, Li Shanchang still raised a few questions.
First, the Ming Dynasty must have a legitimate reason for sending troops, and since this expedition is for profit, the first country chosen is of paramount importance.
Second, if a country is conquered, should officials be sent to govern it, or should foreigners be supported as puppets, and should the country be controlled in the long term?
When the third question came up, Li Shanchang instinctively lowered his voice and his expression became serious:
"Your Majesty, may I ask, does Liu Xian intend to attack other countries to acquire gold and silver, merely to cast idols and collect faith?"
I believe there is a great secret involved.
Zhu Yuanzhang's brow twitched slightly, and he leaned forward a little, calmly saying:
"Humans have seven emotions and six desires, and they fight for power and interests. Demon immortals like Liu Xian fight for a further step on their path of cultivation."
"The Ming Dynasty has the legacy left by immortals and gods, and other countries may not be without it. Liu Xianzuo is only doing this for these reasons."
The ministers nodded, and Zhu Yuanzhang leaned back in his chair.
"As for who to attack first, Liu Xian has already decided: it will be Japan." He became slightly agitated as he said this.
"Liu Xian said frankly that it had discovered the place where the essence of the five elements of heaven and earth gathered, and found that Japan was rich in silver mines, and that there was also the world's largest silver mine."
"Furthermore, Japan currently has two emperors fighting each other, and the imperial power has been usurped by powerful ministers..."
Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his fist on the table, his hair standing on end in fury:
"The Ming Dynasty is a superior nation to Japan, so of course we should help them rectify their ways, eliminate powerful ministers, and support the legitimate emperor."
Of course, a small fee will be charged.
The more he spoke, the brighter the ministers' eyes became. They looked at each other and laughed. "My goodness, Liu Xian is really amazing! I've never seen a country that meets all the requirements."
Thus, the emperor and his ministers at the pinnacle of power in the Ming Dynasty reached a pleasant consensus.
As the officials withdrew, Zhu Biao, who had been by Zhu Yuanzhang's side, noticed that Lan Yu glanced at him hastily.
"Lan Yu is a skilled commander, but he is too arrogant. If it weren't for his merits, I would have demoted him long ago."
Zhu Yuanzhang said something indifferently, but Zhu Biao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, which meant that his father still intended to use him.
Lan Yu had a very close relationship with him; to put it another way, Lan Yu was the Crown Princess's maternal uncle.
Zhu Yuanzhang didn't say much. He believed that the crown prince he had carefully cultivated could keep this group of founding heroes and arrogant generals in check.
…………
Ling Xiao's side went smoothly, and at the same time, she also began her own work.
Three “people” stood in front of the floating system orb: a limping Taoist priest, a bald-headed monk, and in the very center, a stunningly beautiful woman in palace attire, exuding an extraordinary air.
Looking at its three subordinates, the system coughed lightly twice:
Do you know what your task is?
The three answered in unison, "We know."
Nodding slightly, with his hands behind the ball, he floated slowly around them, sharing his experience:
"Remember, the best acting is to forget that you are acting, to immerse yourself in the character, and to achieve a state of oneness with nature."
"Now, let's each introduce our own persona."
The bald-headed monk clasped his hands together in prayer:
"This humble monk is a Buddhist spirit beast that has been self-proclaimed for a thousand years. The reason for this self-proclaimed status is that I made one mistake after another after falling in love, which harmed my fellow disciples."
Yeah, it's alright, although it's a bit cliché.
The sloping Taoist priest said, "I am a Taoist immortal who failed to transcend the tribulation eight hundred years ago and has been practicing the Taiyin method to seal my soul."
Finally, it was Fairy Disenchantment who stepped forward. Her eyes sparkled, and her every movement exuded a captivating elegance. She gently opened her lips:
"I am Princess Nongyu, daughter of Duke Mu of Qin. I lived in seclusion with Xiao Shi to cultivate myself. Xiao Shi unfortunately died, and I have been in a deep sleep ever since due to my grief."
The system, while marveling at the host's eccentricity—even the cougars were so agile—said:
"Everyone is doing very well. Let's not delay, go ahead. This system will be watching from behind."
The three nodded and quickly disappeared.
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