Zhu Ying had already made up his mind about the arrangements for the vassal kings.

The speed of information dissemination determines the territory that the Ming Dynasty court can directly control.

For example, the Western Regions were nominally under the rule of the Ming Dynasty, but in fact it was difficult for the Ming Dynasty to achieve direct control.

Just talking about the transmission of information back and forth, even if we work at full speed, it will take nearly a month.

This time difference resulted in many of the Ming Dynasty's policies being unable to be implemented in the Western Regions.

Zhu Ying did not want to launch a large-scale war. Fighting with the whole country's strength would easily shake the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.

In this regard, the only ones who suffer are the common people.

Although at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, more than 70% of the country's regions are still enjoying good weather, once the war starts, the reserves accumulated over the years will be consumed.

From this perspective, only small-scale local wars are most in line with the current interests of the Ming Dynasty.

This was also the biggest purpose of Zhu Ying inventing the matchlock rifle as a professional soldier.

Adding the two together, the effect will be very obvious for some small areas.

And the princes are the best pioneers.

Regardless of whether they are vassal kings who have already established their fiefdoms or not, Zhu Ying plans to move their fiefdoms outside the Ming Dynasty.

If you want a fiefdom, that’s fine. I’ll give you a matchlock gun and professional soldiers and you can go and fight for it yourself.

Of course, even the conquered vassal states, their economy, culture, and local government affairs were all subject to the control of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Ying currently has twenty-six uncles, two of whom died young, and several others died early.

There seem to be a lot of princes, and perhaps Zhu Yuanzhang was a little worried about these princes.

But in Zhu Ying's opinion, it is not enough.

There will be no problem even if it is several times more.

Not to mention other places, Goryeo alone is enough to enthrone dozens of princes.

That's right.

What Zhu Ying wanted to do was similar to the enfeoffment of princes during the Zhou Dynasty.

For example, Goryeo was divided into more than a dozen regions and granted to vassal kings.

Under the influence of Han culture, it was only a matter of time before the entire Goryeo was completely Sinicized.

And there were so many tributary states. In name, the Ming Dynasty was the suzerain state, but they later developed into vassal states and then became vassal states of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Ying didn't think it was a big problem.

Anyway, there is no other meaning. Even if the vassal state is poor, it’s better to spread Chinese culture first and assimilate the local people into Chinese.

In the Huagai Hall, Zhu Yuanzhang was listening to Liu He reporting on the conversation between his eldest grandson and the princes.

After listening to it, Zhu Yuanzhang did not express much, just sighed a little.

"This eldest grandson, eh, but this is not bad. Our eldest grandson is right. We are all family. We should help each other. Our sons can't just rely on their eldest nephew."

"It's worthwhile to contribute a little to our Ming Dynasty. No matter how hard it is, there's nothing bad out there. It's all developing slowly."

"And the sweet potatoes and other crops that my eldest grandson sent us can also be planted along with them. We can all have enough to eat, and there won't be much hardship."

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately saw through Zhu Ying's thoughts.

He knew very well that it seemed that the eldest grandson was going to hand over the military power to these princes, just to let them lead the troops to fight.

Just thinking about such a powerful weapon as the matchlock gun, Zhu Yuanzhang personally thought it was good.

This can also greatly reduce the conflicts between the emperor and the princes.

…

The princes were young and could not hide things in their hearts. Soon, the news that Zhu Ying supported the princes and intended to let them take charge of the military power spread in the palace.

"Mother, why do you think my brother wants to do this? If the princes control the military power, won't it lead to a situation where many heroes fight for power?"

In the back hall of Chunhe Palace, Zhu Yunwen told Lu about this matter.

Then he asked doubtfully.

Although he only served as the crown prince for a period of time and did not pass the canonization, he had after all thought about it along the emperor's path.

After listening to this, Mrs. Lu was silent for a long time, and her beautiful eyebrows were slightly frowned.

For a moment, she didn't figure out the key to this.

Although Lu was intelligent, the information he had access to was limited. Without sufficient intelligence, it was difficult to make an accurate judgment.

After thinking for a while, Mrs. Lu said, "This matter is not as simple as it seems. Although I haven't figured it out yet."

"But your elder brother is definitely not such a simple person. Even if your elder brother is not aware, His Majesty will intervene."

"From the current situation, it seems that His Majesty clearly supports your elder brother's actions, which means there must be something we know."

"Not only do we not know, but perhaps no one except Your Majesty knows your elder brother's purpose."

Lu analyzed and said.

Although she didn't know why His Royal Highness Changsun did this, there was no doubt that Lu was very good at guessing people's minds.

Putting this matter aside, if we look at His Royal Highness Changsun and His Majesty, we will find that something is wrong.

Zhu Yunwen nodded, agreeing with his mother's words.

Huang Zicheng was the teacher assigned to him by the Emperor.

Above Huang Zicheng, there are many more learned gentlemen who are all here to give advice to the Emperor.

There is no way that the Emperor doesn't know this.

This shows that what my mother said makes sense.

"It's just that mother, no matter what elder brother and grandfather think, this is military power. If the prince has military power, it will be completely different."

Zhu Yunwen said with a little excitement.

In the early Ming Dynasty, there was a clear distinction between having military power and not having it.

For example, the vassal kings who guard the borders and the vassal kings within the Ming Dynasty are not on the same level.

It seems that when he is enfeoffed, he will also be able to control the military power.

At this moment, Zhu Yunwen suddenly thought of the soldiers training in the imperial palace's military training ground.

Those scenes of neat military appearance and powerful deterrent force.

My heart is burning with anxiety.

"Don't think too much about it for now, and don't get involved too much in this matter. Controlling military power may not be a good thing. I always feel that there is something fishy going on."

“It’s not that easy, and it won’t be that simple.”

Lu said warningly.

She didn't come from a high-class family, and although she wasn't from the lower class, she had some understanding.

Some things seem easy to get, but while getting them, you may also lose something greater.

Before she became the Crown Prince's Second Consort, her family also ran a business, and Lu helped manage it behind the scenes, from which she learned a lot.

Although the status of women in the Ming Dynasty was low, it was not obvious in the palace, and Lu would read every day.

Hearing his mother's words, Zhu Yunwen said unhappily: "Mom, you told me a few days ago that you would go to the vassal state as soon as possible. Why do you have to wait now?"

"I have been thinking about whether I can ask Grandpa Emperor to make me a king first. Perhaps the best time is when I can make my eldest brother a king."

"I think when the news of my enthronement is revealed, Grandfather Emperor will definitely give me a good fiefdom."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Lu did not intend to blame her, and taught her patiently, "If it was a favor from other aspects, I would naturally not say more."

"But you also know very well what military power means. In my opinion, there are only two situations in which military power can be given up."

"The first is to replace the generals in the army and put most of the military power in the hands of the royal family."

"Secondly, there can only be a war. The Ming Dynasty is generally stable now. Although some places are not willing to obey the king, it is not to the extent that the princes will go to war."

"It seems that your elder brother intends to launch a foreign conquest."

At this point, Lu's eyes suddenly lit up.

She suddenly thought of the possibility that Zhu Ying did this.

In particular, allowing the princes and grandchildren of the emperor to directly participate in the training of soldiers and even relaxing restrictions on military power was naturally for outward expansion.

Thinking more about Zhu Ying's past, Lu felt more and more that his guess was accurate.

Giving Zhu Yunwen a complicated look, Lu said in a gentle voice, "Listen to me on this matter. Don't talk to His Majesty or your elder brother about the matter of becoming a vassal."

"Leave it alone for now. According to the rules, your fiefdom will be arranged after your eldest brother ascends the throne."

There is no doubt that Zhu Yunwen was Lu's most beloved son.

When it was speculated that Zhu Ying might want to expand the territory and let members of the royal family lead troops to fight, how could Lu, as a mother, bear to let her son live such a hard life.

In Lu's opinion, the place where Yunwen was enfeoffed must be a prosperous one, and being a wealthy prince and living a stable life would be the best thing.

However, Zhu Yunwen obviously did not understand Lu's good intentions.

She said irritably, "Mother, I don't want to stay in the palace anymore. Uncle Seventeen is the same age as me, just a few months older."

"For example, the Eighteenth Uncle and his friends are younger than me, and I am also old enough to be enfeoffed. Why should I wait until my eldest brother ascends the throne?"

"Grandpa Emperor is so majestic, and it's still unknown how many years it will take for my eldest brother to ascend the throne. Do you think I have to wait in the palace all this time?"

"Besides, this September is my chance. If I miss this chance, I will have to wait for too many years."

"After my eldest brother ascends the throne, he will be the crown prince of the Eastern Palace. If your grandfather allows my eldest brother to live in the Eastern Palace, then the place where I live will have to be given to my eldest brother."

"Mom, I don't want that. I want to be a vassal."

As Zhu Yunwen spoke, his voice became sharper.

The thought that the place where he lives now might have to be vacated and given to them made him very angry.

All of this should have belonged to him.

The more he thought about this, the more a hint of cruelty began to appear in Zhu Yunwen's eyes.

It is the hatred towards the eldest brother for taking away everything he has now.

"Yun Wen!"

Lu shouted sternly.

Zhu Yunwen, who was immersed in resentment, was awakened by Lu.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

At this moment Zhu Yunwen asked somewhat confusedly.

"Do you know that the reason your elder brother gave up the military power was to let the princes lead the troops to fight and fight to the death with those barbarians who drink hair and eat blood."

"If my guess is correct, then maybe by then, you will need to lead your own troops to fight with those barbarians, and only after a life-and-death battle with them, will you be able to control your own fiefdom."

"Moreover, those vassal states are all poor and remote places, so everything has to be managed from scratch."

"This kind of enfeoffment is what you want, right?"

Lu said in a deep voice.

Originally, she didn't want to explain the above speculation to her son in detail. First of all, these were just her own guesses and there was no evidence to prove them.

Secondly, he was afraid that his son would spread his speculation and cause a rift between the princes and His Royal Highness the eldest grandson.

By then, Yunwen might have to bear all of this.

"This, this is impossible. How is this possible?"

Zhu Yunwen said with some trembling.

After training this month, Zhu Yunwen is now three points less weak and three points more heroic.

However, as he had been educated in Confucianism and guided by civil officials since childhood, he was still a little afraid of things like fighting.

Because he was the emperor's grandson, unlike other princes, he was not taken to train troops by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Fighting a war is no joke. Zhu Yunwen, who had been involved in government affairs, knew that it could really result in casualties.

Besides, not everyone can endure the hardships of marching.

"Otherwise, why would your elder brother let the princes take charge of the military power and know about military affairs? There are not so many fiefdoms to be granted in the border areas of the Ming Dynasty."

"But now, your eldest brother is not just protecting the fiefdoms of one or two princes. He has clearly lifted restrictions on military power for all the princes."

Lu explained.

Zhu Yunwen hesitated for a moment and asked, "Mother, but Grandpa Emperor has already sealed off all the fiefdoms."

Lu said, "So what? Where the fiefdom is is just a matter of a word from His Majesty. His Majesty will definitely support your elder brother now."

"By then, I'm afraid all the fiefdoms of the vassal kings will have to be adjusted."

Lu said firmly that at present, this was the only possibility.

"Well, then I'll listen to my mother."

Zhu Yunwen's lips moved and he finally said helplessly.

He really doesn't want to go to war.

…

The news from the palace soon reached Li Jinglong's ears.

After all, he is quite popular in the palace, especially among the princes and grandchildren.

In addition, as a member of the royal family, he is relatively free to enter and exit some areas of the palace.

After receiving the news, the first person he thought of was Zhu Di, with whom he grew up.

So he immediately sent someone to pass on the message.

"My uncle will probably be very happy to hear this news."

…

In Kunning Palace, Zhu Ying frowned deeply as he looked at the accounts reported by Ye Yueqing.

He didn't expect that the profits his Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce had earned in Ming Dynasty this month were so low.

Compared with the profits in the border areas, it did not even reach 30%.

"Is there something wrong with the statistics somewhere? This number is obviously inconsistent with the current situation."

Zhu Ying asked Ye Yueqing.

Although the profits from smuggling in the frontier areas are indeed much higher, the Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce now has unimpeded access in Ming Dynasty.

In nature, they are imperial merchants and can easily get support from the government no matter what business they do.

The territory of the Ming Dynasty is so vast that it cannot be compared with places like the Western Regions and the grasslands.

But both in terms of trade volume and profits, the situation is very pessimistic.

The Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce has now begun to shift its focus towards the Ming Dynasty, but the actual situation has shrunk significantly compared to before.

There are more people and the industrial chain has expanded, but the money is much less.

Ye Yueqing replied: "Your Highness, there is no mistake in the account. This is the result of checking ten times."

When Ye Yueqing saw the accounts, she also thought there was a problem. She counted them for several days but did not find any mistakes, so she presented them to Zhu Ying.

Zhu Ying frowned.

Through this account, he seemed to have discovered a serious problem.

After thinking for a while, Zhu Ying called Guo Zhong, who was waiting outside the door, in and ordered, "Go to the Hanlin Academy and retrieve all the books related to the Ministry of Revenue of the Song Dynasty."