Xu Huizu wanted to lead his troops to attack Tubo, but Zhu Yuanzhang actually did not agree with it.

It was Xu Miaojin who found Zhu Ying, and only then did he agree to let Xu Huizu lead the troops.

Zhu Yuanzhang meant that Xu Huizu was Xu Da's eldest son, so there was no need for him to run around like that.

In fact, Zhu Ying knew what the old man meant. Although all of Xu Da's daughters were married into the royal family, including Xu Miaojing, who had become the crown prince's concubine, Xu Da actually had a very high prestige in the army.

Zhu Yuanzhang knew that Xu Huizu was very talented in military affairs, but he did not want Xu Huizu to inherit Xu Da's old subordinates, or he might become the second Lan Yu.

The reason why Lan Yu had such great military achievements had a lot to do with the fact that he inherited Chang Yuchun's old subordinates.

After the Red Turban Army became powerful in his early years, Zhu Yuanzhang rarely led troops to fight in person. Xu Da and Chang Yuchun were his right-hand men.

It can be said that Xu Da and Chang Yuchun had higher reputations in the army than Zhu Yuanzhang at that time.

Among them, Xu Da's reputation is three points lower than Chang Yuchun.

Even when Zhu Yuanzhang sent Xu Huizu out to train troops, he deliberately avoided the area where Xu Da's old subordinates were located.

Later, Xu Huizu went to gain experience, which was actually to gild his reputation. When he came back, he directly inherited the title of Duke and served as the Left Commander-in-Chief of the Central Military Governor's Office.

In terms of status, he is naturally extremely noble, but in fact he does not have much military power.

It is normal for the imperial power to reap the military power and suppress the power of the generals, and Xu Huizu was not too dissatisfied.

It’s just that Zhu Ying appeared and the military has changed so much after the reform.

First, veterans were replaced on a large scale.

Zhu Yuanzhang was already over seventy years old, and the earliest batch of surviving soldiers were not much younger, especially those old subordinates of Xu Da. Except for those with titles, basically 90% of them had been replaced.

If it were before, the Ming Dynasty would have no way to resettle these retired veterans, but now it is different.

Some of those who had made contributions became police officers of the Public Security Office and the Public Security Bureau, and even military officers such as the director, and they also ate official rations.

There are also some people with physical disabilities who are taken in to military academies in various places to serve as instructors.

The retirement benefits are high, and when retired soldiers return to their registered place of residence, the local government will help arrange jobs for them.

As a result, Zhu Ying's major reshuffle of the army did not cause any ripples.

Many veterans were extremely grateful to the Crown Prince.

Having sacrificed their lives and shed their blood for the Ming Dynasty for most of their lives and built this bright and peaceful world, Zhu Ying did not let them down.

The new generation of soldiers will complete basic training, political education, and cultural courses in military academies established in various places. Depending on the situation, they will be arranged to enter the garrison after about three to six months.

These young soldiers would not say that they worship generals like Xu Da and Chang Yuchun.

The reason they volunteered to join the army was because of the generous treatment offered by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the possibility of becoming officers in the future.

It is undeniable that the role of official newspapers and public opinion played a very powerful role in recruiting so many soldiers.

In the imperial gazettes of the capital, as well as in the gazettes of various places, a certain amount of space must be reserved for military recruitment propaganda.

The propaganda direction is the tone set by Zhu Ying.

To put it simply, it is about creating heroes while showing benefits.

Most people do not have a high level of political awareness. If you talk about winning glory for the country and defending the country, many people will basically just listen in one ear and out the other and will not have the slightest thought about it.

How to show benefits.

For example, it was publicized in the court bulletin that a certain soldier, who used to be from a certain village, joined the army because he could not afford food. Now, under the latest policy of the Ming Dynasty, he has retired and is serving as the director of a local security station, with hundreds of servants under his command.

For example, a certain soldier made great contributions and was appointed as a centurion, thus bringing honor to his family.

This is visible, and it is also something that ordinary people can really get if they try hard.

For example, in the official gazettes of various provincial capitals, many of the people promoted were locals, and some were from the same village.

Such ** will naturally be even bigger.

Under such a propaganda offensive, the large-scale replacement of veterans not only did not lead to a decrease in the total military strength of the Ming Dynasty, but instead slightly increased it.

The guardhouse has undergone a lot of changes in the past two years.

This is mainly reflected in the conflict between recruits and their superiors.

According to incomplete statistics, new recruits reported their superiors for taking empty salaries, embezzlement, bribery, and abusing soldiers.

The new recruits have all received formal and professional ideological training. How could they possibly spoil you like the veterans?

In the past, soldiers followed their superiors, which was like selling themselves. They would do whatever they were told to do, even if it meant rebelling.

Today's soldiers have received ideological education before they even enter the army.

The teachings at the military academy will tell them.

You are loyal to the country, His Majesty, and the Crown Prince, not to your superiors.

It is your duty to obey the orders of your superiors.

If you see anything that endangers national security or affects national interests, you must resolutely resist it and report it to the court.

Many officers of the older generation still have old ideas.

Under such circumstances, the conflicts that arise are naturally extremely acute.

After many military tumors were eliminated, they were replaced by a new generation of officers, such as those from the Ming Military Academy or graduates from military academies in various places.

This caused the prestige of the older generation of generals to decline and strengthened Zhu Ying's control over the army.

Once upon a time, a general shouted rebellion.

Everyone followed suit and shouted the opposite.

Now the general shouted rebellion.

Everyone just started tying him up.

As the eldest son of Xu Da, Xu Huizu has encountered many of his father's former subordinates in the past one or two years. They want to ask Xu Huizu to come forward and restore the prestige of the former King of Zhongshan.

Xu Huizu naturally refused to agree. He was not stupid. It would be useless to go against the crown prince even if he had the title of royal relative.

Your Majesty even executed the prince consort.

But now there are new changes.

The reform of the army has basically been completed. Both the Huaixi noble group and the imprints left by their older generations in the army have been thoroughly cleansed.

So Xu Huizu must make some achievements.

It was not for military power, but for the continuation of the Zhongshan Palace.

When Xu Huizu set out this time, Zhu Ying did not go to the army to give a speech or anything.

Because many of the thousands of people Xu Huizu brought from the capital this time were former subordinates of Xu Da or his personal guards.

The speech didn't mean much.

In order to express his appreciation for the Xu family, Zhu Ying personally went to the Xu family.

The eunuchs had delivered the decree before, so the Xu family naturally knew about it. In order to welcome the arrival of His Royal Highness the Crown Grandson, everyone in the Xu family came to greet him.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

More than two hundred people knelt down and kowtowed in unison.

Even though Xu Huizu was a duke and exempt from the kowtow ceremony, he still knelt on both knees.

Xu Huizu was obviously afraid that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would be wary of him.

The Xu family should be the defenders of imperial power, not the enemies.

"Why do you have to do this, Duke Wei? Hurry up and get up."

Zhu Ying was surprised when he saw this, and he took a few steps forward and quickly helped Xu Huizu up.

It must be said that Xu Huizu was eight feet and five inches tall, and was extremely sturdy when he stood up. In front of Zhu Ying, he was half a head taller than him.

Eight feet and five inches is almost equivalent to 1.9 meters in later times.

Zhu Ying's height is 1.78 meters, which is more star-like compared to 1.9 meters.

That would be fine, but Xu Huizu's noodle shop is like jade, in other words, he feels a bit like a gigolo.

Xu Da himself practiced martial arts since he was a child, and Xu Huizu naturally also practiced martial arts with his father since he was a child.

So Xu Huizu, who is 1.9 meters tall, not only does not look thin, but also looks quite strong.

If this happened in later generations, I wonder how many girls would go crazy about it.

"No need to be polite."

"Let's go inside and talk."

Everyone stood up and bowed their heads. Zhu Ying, led by Xu Huizu, went to the study.

Seeing Xu Huizu's timid look, Zhu Ying said with a smile: "Don't be so nervous. After all, you are my brother-in-law. We are all family. Why should we be so formal? Don't stand. Let's sit down and talk."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

After hearing this, Xu Huizu only dared to sit halfway on the chair.

He felt that he was much more nervous when facing the Crown Prince than when facing His Majesty.

I didn’t have this feeling before, but in the past two years I have discovered that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s majesty has become increasingly stronger.

Even though he had almost never seen, and even less heard of, the Crown Prince getting angry.

Most of the time when I saw the Crown Prince, he had a smile on his face, and his expression was calm and natural, which seemed to make him seem somewhat approachable.

But the more this happened, the more afraid many officials, including Xu Huizu, became.

Zhu Ying hesitated for a moment, and seeing Xu Huizu's expression, he had no choice but to speak first.

He got straight to the point and said, "We are family, so we don't talk about different things. Miao Jin has often talked to me about the current situation of the Xu Mansion."

"The Xu family is the descendant of a middle-upper king and has made countless contributions to our Ming Dynasty. Naturally, our Ming Dynasty will never treat the Xu family unfairly at any time. We should all prosper together."

Zhu Ying paused for a moment before continuing, "I heard that recently, many generals in the army came to Xu's residence, eager to express their wishes for military service."

Xu Huizu's heart trembled, knowing that the critical point had come.

The Xu Mansion is the most top-level noble family, and the salary of the Zhongshan Palace has always been the highest in the entire Ming Dynasty, which also means the most favored.

Only Xu Huizu knew clearly that the Jinyiwei were the ones who were spying on the Xu Mansion the most.

Even now there are still many.

After thinking it over, Xu Huizu replied frankly: "Your Highness, many former generals have come to see me."

"There are a lot of changes in the military nowadays, especially the conflicts between new recruits and veterans are becoming more and more prominent, which makes many people feel uncomfortable with the current changes."

“他们想要通过这次去吐蕃立功，从新来稳定自己的权力。”

“因此便就把主意打到了臣这里。”

“臣心里很明白，现在的军队陋习太多，许多武官仗着统兵为所欲为，这些害群之马，必然是在消失在改革的潮流之下。”

“许多曾经父亲的旧部，他们跟下面的将领们息息相关，有着许多藕断丝连的联系，一层层反馈上来，最后是求到了臣这里。”

“但请殿下放心，臣定然不会插手其中，如果他们自身不作出改变，又如何再在军中待下去。”

朱英闻言，笑着回道：“我就知道大舅哥不会让我失望。”

“我一直致力于改革军队，培养出真正可以保家卫国的士兵来，而不是胡作非为，令百姓害怕，厌恶，如同盗匪一般。”

“我曾经在想一个问题，什么叫做正义之师，后来，我就想明白了。”

“保卫国家，保卫家园，不拿百姓钱粮，真正的为国而战，有着忠诚信仰的军队，那才叫做正义之师。”

“也只有这样的军队，才能是得到百姓们的认可，自愿加入其中。”

“曾经，抓壮丁，服兵役，让所有的百姓都恐惧发抖，心中厌弃。”

“可看现在，我大明每逢招兵之际，再也不用担心兵源，军队里的主流，再不是那些罪恶滔天的恶贼，也不是欺行霸市的强盗，而是各个家庭里的良家子。”

“忠于大明，爱戴百姓，人们不再是害怕，恐惧，会为他们在外的流血流汗，夺取胜利而欢欣鼓舞，他们的父母，也会因为自家儿子当兵感到的是骄傲自豪。”

“你说如此有坚定信仰的军队，如何不能战无不胜，攻无不克。”

朱英的语气，有着很强的感染力，这是他前世自带的，也是在这个时代吃饭的本事。

徐辉祖的脸上，都流露于非常明显的激动，显然已经被带入到这等气氛之中。

回过神来，徐辉祖立即起身躬身作揖：“臣惭愧，直到今日方时，这才明白殿下鸿鹄大志，远不是臣能够相提并论，臣……”

朱英摆摆手，打断了徐辉祖的拍马屁行为。

这家伙还是个正儿八经的读书人，真要拍起马屁了，犹如滔滔江水，连绵不绝。

以前朱英还感觉不错，只是这马屁拍多了，马也疼啊。

“坐吧，我说这些，也不是否定曾经老将们为大明立下的功勋，若没有他们，自然不会有现在的大明。”

“但人要朝前看，谁都希望未来的大明，越来越好是吧，改革也好，变法也好，这都是不可阻挡的洪流，谁妄图想要以此拦截，必定会被冲得粉身碎骨。”

“只要不是违背国家安全，利益，无视军规，律法，欺压百姓，那么都是可行的，自也不用担心自身。”

这话相当于是给徐辉祖一个承诺。

朱英不会刻意针对老一辈的将领，但是他要知趣，守法。

不要因为自己曾经立下的功劳就无法无天，肆意妄为。

话到了这里，徐辉祖也明白了朱英的意思了。

也算是可以给曾经父亲的旧部一个交代。

不管怎么说，人情关系在那里，不是说割断就能割断的。

“谢殿下。”徐辉祖拱手道谢，他心里也知道，太孙能够说这么多，自然是看在小妹的面子上。

徐家是很不错，但那都是对陛下而言。

一朝天子一朝臣，能否延续富贵荣华，还得是看面前太孙殿下的意思。

还好，小妹能够嫁给太孙，真是徐府的幸运。

否则太孙若真要针对徐府，徐辉祖也是一点办法都没有。

其实就现在来说，太孙的要改革军中的意图，已经是非常的明显了。

否则那些新兵，哪里能有状告上官的地方，更不用说还能得到支持，真的就把那些百户，千户，全部都给拿下了。

“题外话聊完了，现在说说帖木儿的事情。”

“此番魏国公领兵出征，想来是对帖木儿已经有所了解了。”

朱英转到这次来徐府的正题。

兵法有言，知己知彼，方能百战百胜。

徐辉祖没有参与过大型战事，自然不会大意轻敌。

从去年年底到现在二月中旬，一直都在搜集关于帖木儿的情报，还有作战的准备。

心中思量一番后，徐辉祖说道：“吐蕃地区平原居多，骑兵占据了很大的优势，想要一举击溃帖木儿的军队，显然没那般简单。”

“臣这番虽有远超帖木儿军队数目，又能得到北元骑兵，吐蕃当地的支持，大败帖木儿自当有所信心。”

“这次去到吐蕃，臣觉得最麻烦的并非是应对帖木儿军队，整合吐蕃，北元骑兵，还有我大明军队才是重中之重。”

“军报上说，帖木儿大军于吐蕃之地势如破竹，无可阻挡，吐蕃各境疲于招架。”

“臣分析，这里头自然有帖木儿大军强势的缘由，但吐蕃诸部各自为战，也是其中关键。”

“倘若吐蕃诸部能够齐心协力，即便帖木儿大军再是厉害，也会造成巨大损失。”

“是以臣在进入乌斯藏后，不会贸然深入，先行让士兵们适应环境，重新整合军队，身体无法适应吐蕃者，则只能留守后方。”

“其次是收拢吐蕃溃兵，获取足够多的帖木儿军队情报，逐步联络吐蕃各部，形成对帖木儿军队的防御，再伺机寻找作战机会。”

从一开始，徐辉祖就知道这次去吐蕃，并非是闪电战，而是要打一场持久战。

朝廷并不舍得把最新训练出来的骑兵直接投入到战场中，那么可供调遣的骑兵数目必然很少。

步兵对骑兵没有任何优势，火绳枪和火炮也只能是让军队多了一层龟壳。

能打，不能追。

所以这次徐辉祖的作战计划，突出的就是一个，稳。

稳中求胜。

吐蕃是吐蕃各部族的大本营，他们定然会比大明更为着急。

徐辉祖没说的是，这次进入吐蕃，也是大明插手吐蕃的机会。

之所以没说，是因为现在人还没去，不了解情况，等到了地方如果能多收服吐蕃部族，也是个极大的功劳。

朱英微微点头，对于徐辉祖提出的作战方案比较认可。

在来之前，他其实已经找黄观聊过支援吐蕃的作战方针了。

黄观也没让他失望，果然对于兵事极为了解，所提出的情况大致跟徐辉祖差不多。

“你刚刚说了这般多，却没有提到北元骑兵。”朱英提醒道。

徐辉祖苦笑着道：“此番为我大明耗费大量钱粮，从北元借兵入吐蕃对抗帖木儿骑兵。”

“臣曾经跟北元的一些人打过交道，他们的性格大多都是蛮横粗鲁，肆无忌惮。此番又是我大明出钱粮，其所统帅定然会目中无人。”

“要想让北元骑兵乖乖听话，那就只有让他们知道痛才行，臣预计北元骑兵在进入吐蕃之后，定然不会配合我大明步步为营，而是率先杀敌。”

“帖木儿在大明名声不显，然实际上却是盘踞整个东亚的庞大势力，于其西，北，南横推，三面开战。”

“加之我大明，等于是四面为敌。即便是如此，也依旧战场之上连连告捷。”

“听闻在西方，古老强势的奥斯曼帝国之皇帝，都已经被俘虏掉了，其军队之所强，可见一斑。”

“在臣看来，北元骑兵大胜帖木儿骑兵的可能不大，其溃之后，才会老老实实的跟我大明配合。”

朱英不由笑问：“倘若北元骑兵大胜如何，你这一趟岂不是白跑了，还会累得军中将士颇有怨言，没能得到功劳。”

徐辉祖轻松回道：“如若北元大胜，则臣估计错误，即便三军埋怨也是正常，且也说明帖木儿也就这般实力，反而是北元要更加提防。”

朱英轻轻点头，对徐辉祖的话表示认可。

相爱的恋人都有分手那天，更何况大明跟北元这样很是松散的利益牵扯所出来的联盟。

不过看似北元从大明这里得到了不少好处，但实际上大明的文化正在逐渐同化草原。

很多贵族都已经离开草原，搬入到大明边境府城里享受生活。

况且朱英对大明很有自信，现在的工业化基础正在逐渐完善，加强。

于海贸获取的财富，也不断的在进一步填充整个大明。

同时大明的人口，也在呈现直线上涨的趋势，和平年代的新生儿，将会在不久的未来出现类似于人口大爆炸。

反观草原人口正在逐步流失，财富也在不断进入到大明境内，北元雇佣协会让草原大多数部族得到了更多的钱粮，但是在完成任务的同时，也一样带来伤亡。

到了那个时候，哪怕是大明草原联盟破裂又如何，耗都能把北元给耗死。

要知道，北元可没有临海啊。

而未来，是属于大航海时代，这就注定北元，乃至于整个草原都无法吃到时代的红利。

徐辉祖让朱英还是很满意。

It was originally thought that such new generation generals were young and energetic, eager to make achievements, and would likely launch a rash attack and cause heavy losses to the Ming army.

Now it seems that he is as steady as an old dog.

When it came to Tubo, it was certainly not as simple as it sounds, but those old subordinates who had fought for most of their lives and followed Xu Da also went with him.

Xu Da was able to win every battle. Although the personal qualities of his subordinates might be somewhat low due to the times, these veterans had no shortage of combat experience.

Xu Huizu finally said: "It may take a long time to go to Tubo, and we can only rely on the court's logistics for more supplies."

In Tubo, there are 300,000 people, and the daily consumption of food and fodder is a huge number.

However, Tibet had a vast territory and a sparse population, as well as few crops, so it could only fight a protracted war, which required strong support from the imperial court.

Even if we defeat Timur's current army, there is no guarantee that the other side will send new troops, and it is very normal to fight for several years.

Of course, it is impossible for an army of 300,000 to consume food day and night. While advancing step by step, they will also develop military farms to supplement the consumption.

Zhu Ying said generously: "Don't worry, the imperial court can definitely guarantee the logistics and food supplies. Not to mention fighting for a few years, even if it's ten or eight years, it will be a small problem."