Liu He rushed over and told the crown prince what he had seen.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang had already fallen asleep at this time, so it was naturally impossible for Zhu Ying to go over and wake him up.

"Go back and wait. Let me know when Grandpa wakes up."

"Yes, sir."

Zhu Ying rubbed his temple. It was the first time he felt such a difficult situation.

The old man obviously has given up hope. He originally thought that everything would be fine if Concubine Ning asked Xiao Wencheng to go over and keep her company, but now it seems that the situation may be even worse.

Faced with such a situation, Zhu Ying had no time to arrange the Northern Expedition, so he ordered Huang Guan to make the arrangements.

After thinking about it, Zhu Ying decided to go to Ye Yueqing.

"Your Highness." Ye Yueqing bowed slightly when she saw Zhu Ying coming over.

Zhu Ying waved his hand, indicating that there was no need to be polite, and then told him about the old man's situation.

At this time, he could only find Ye Yueqing to discuss it.

"This is what's going on with Grandpa now. He normally loves meat and eats a lot, but today he lost his appetite after just a few sips of porridge. This is not a good way to go."

"The imperial physician said that heart disease needs to be treated with heart medicine. It didn't help for Xiao Wencheng for now, but I still let Xiao Wencheng stay with grandfather first. This kind of disease is most afraid of being alone. Being too quiet will make you more sentimental and have wild thoughts."

"Now we have to think of a way to cheer Grandpa up again."

Zhu Ying felt inexplicably irritated, and for the first time he felt powerless.

Upon hearing this, Ye Yueqing did not answer immediately, but thought deeply and asked: "Your Majesty's problem now is that you miss the queen, but there must be other reasons for this sudden change. After all, the queen has been gone for so many years."

"Is it because there have been fewer government affairs recently, leaving Your Majesty too idle, coupled with this illness, that this is the cause of this."

Zhu Ying shook his head and said, "I thought so before, but now the Northern Expedition is imminent, and the spring is only a few months away. Logically, Grandpa should pay more attention to this matter. He told me before that not being able to completely defeat the Northern Yuan Dynasty was his biggest regret."

"Now that our Ming Dynasty has become powerful, it is even very likely that we can completely conquer the grassland. Grandpa shouldn't do this."

Ye Yueqing has a quick mind and is more delicate emotionally.

After listening to Zhu Ying's words, he thought for a while and then asked, "Is Your Highness in charge of the Northern Expedition?"

Zhu Ying nodded: "Yes."

Ye Yueqing suddenly realized: "It seems that this is where the problem lies."

Zhu Ying couldn't help but ask, "What's going on?"

Ye Yueqing explained: "Your Highness is now in charge of the Northern Expedition. You are also responsible for all arrangements, big and small. Although Your Majesty is involved, it should not be to a great extent. He is generally responsible for some logistical work. Is that right?"

Zhu Ying listened and seemed to sense something: "That's right."

Ye Yueqing said: "That's it. Who is your Majesty? In his early years, he fought in many battles and conquered the vast Ming Dynasty. Restoring China and expelling the Tartars, his greatest wish was to defeat the Northern Yuan Dynasty."

"Your Highness is His Majesty's favorite grandson. Although His Majesty is happy that His Highness is in charge, this feeling is completely different. His Majesty must be extremely disappointed that his greatest wish cannot be fulfilled personally."

"All these influences, coupled with the evil energy entering the body and causing hallucinations, led to this possibility."

Zhu Ying suddenly realized and said, "You mean to let Grandpa lead this Northern Expedition."

Ye Yueqing smiled and said, "This Northern Expedition will surely go down in history. It all depends on whether Your Highness is willing to give up this credit."

Zhu Ying knew that Ye Yueqing was joking, so she smiled and said, "Why not? As long as Grandpa gets better soon, everything will be fine."

"Now that we have found the cause of the disease, we need to see how to let Grandpa take over the Northern Expedition. We still need to think of a better explanation."

Ye Yueqing said: "This is easy. Your Highness has called on several uncles to return to the capital to participate in the Northern Expedition. Why not take this opportunity to summon all the princes and grandchildren back?"

"Since it's a reunion, let's do it thoroughly. Besides, the railway track is almost completed now. The scenery over there on the grassland is nice. Your Highness, why don't you let His Majesty lead the expedition in person?"

Zhu Ying was a little surprised. He didn't expect Ye Yueqing to be so bold and even come up with the idea of ​​leading the army in person.

But then I realized that this was a really good idea.

Although grandpa looks old, he is actually very good at riding and archery. A depressed person will become more depressed if he stays in one place all the time.

Once the train is built, it will only take a few days to reach the grassland, and it won’t be tiring.

Besides, the grassland offers a wide view and unique scenery, which is like going on a trip.

Following hundreds of thousands of people, there is nothing to worry about safety.

"Great idea. Let's do it this way." Zhu Ying suddenly felt cheerful.

Less than half an hour later, Liu He sent someone to pass on the message that the emperor had woken up.

However, when Zhu Ying wanted to meet him, he was blocked outside the door.

Obviously Zhu Yuanzhang didn't want to see his eldest grandson at this time.

He knew that Da Sun wanted to say something to him, so he simply disappeared.

Fortunately, Xiao Wencheng was there and he immediately started to make a fuss.

"Grandpa, didn't you ask my dad to help build a snowman? Why don't you see him? My dad hasn't done anything wrong."

Zhu Yuanzhang was helpless and had to tell Liu He, "Let the eldest grandson come in."

Xiao Wencheng's assist was quite powerful, and Zhu Ying finally came in.

In fact, if he forced his way in, no eunuch would dare to stop him. However, doing so would make the old man very unhappy and would instead trigger greater conflicts.

"Tell me what you want from me. Didn't I tell you to take a rest? Don't disturb me."

"We let you supervise the country, there are so many affairs to deal with, and there is also the Northern Expedition. This is how you supervise us."

Zhu Yuanzhang said unhappily.

Zhu Ying did not agree with the old man's words, and said, "I haven't told Grandpa yet. On the day Grandpa fainted, I issued an order to let the uncles return to the capital immediately."

Zhu Yuanzhang was furious when he heard this: "You bastard, I'm not even dead yet, are you so anxious to offer me condolences?"

The return of the princes to the capital is a major event, and it is likely to even affect the succession to the throne.

Although it seems that the eldest grandson is in control of everything, some accidents are always unpredictable.

Zhu Yuanzhang was very clear about his sons. They were now very powerful, had obtained a large amount of money from Japan, and had raised a large number of private soldiers.

I had originally planned to go, but if I come back and see that my body is in such a state, I will inevitably have some other thoughts.

The battle for the throne has caused countless fratricide among brothers throughout history.

Even if there is only a slight possibility, I will give it my all.

Even if the eldest grandson wins in the end, the rebellion cannot be easily erased, and some people will die in the end.

They are all his own children, Zhu Yuanzhang would never want such a thing to happen.

The best thing is that when he passes away, his sons are all overseas and his eldest grandson will smoothly inherit the throne.

Zhu Yuanzhang even thought about it. Before his death, he would issue an edict to several princes, prohibiting them from returning to Beijing to pay their respects when he passed away.

Now the eldest grandson suddenly did this, which really disrupted Lao Zhu's plan.

How could Lao Zhu not be angry?

Facing the old man's angry rebuke, Zhu Ying replied calmly: "My grandson used to be a businessman, and I am very familiar with business, but I have no experience in leading troops in battle."

"The Northern Expedition is of great importance. It is the foundation of the Ming Dynasty. Any mistakes will affect the Ming Dynasty's national destiny."

"The grassland is vast, and it is not something that can be decided by a single commander. There are only a handful of generals available in the Ming Dynasty, but I don't know how to reward such a great contribution. For example, Duke Liang, should he be given the title of King of One Word?"

Zhu Yuanzhang cared most about the stability of his throne, so he shouted, "Nonsense!"

Zhu Ying spread his hands and said, "Grandpa, what do you think we should do?"

The ball was thrown over, but Lao Zhu couldn't catch it.

After much thought, it seems that it would be more reliable to let my own son lead the Northern Expedition.

In fact, over the years Zhu Yuanzhang had been continuously taking away the military power of the Huaixi military generals group and giving it to his sons. This is how the Nine Frontiers came about.

Zhu Ying's words were meant to tease the old man into being picky. Even if Lan Yu was allowed to go, he wouldn't worry about the possibility of him becoming more powerful than his master.

But Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't think of this at once. He was already very suspicious of these governors and generals. Zhu Ying's words hit the nail on the head.

Zhu Ying took this opportunity to say, "The emperor's uncles are making a lot of money in Japan now. I don't know how many private soldiers they have raised. This time they are transferred back from Japan, firstly to test them, and secondly to deter them."

"Not only the several uncles in Japan, but also Yun Wen, to whom I sent a letter this time, as well as Gao Chi in Annan and Uncle Seventeen in Goryeo. Let's take this opportunity to have a big reunion in our family."

"My grandson has thought it through. Now that the railway is built, it will only take three to five days to get to the Nine Borders. By then, grandpa will lead the imperial uncles to completely pacify the Northern Yuan Dynasty. It will also be a blessing for our Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows and asked, "Grandson, do you want me to lead the army in person?"

Zhu Ying said as a matter of course: "Of course it is Grandpa who will go. If Grandpa doesn't go, who can calm the situation for the uncles? With Grandpa in charge, what kind of storm can the Northern Yuan Dynasty cause? Does Grandpa have no ability to ride a horse or shoot a bow?"

Zhu Yuanzhang laughed and said: "I am Lian Po. I am old, but I can shoot arrows easily."

A flash of joy flashed across Zhu Ying's eyes.

The old man is now obviously different in spirit and vigor. His previous aging look is gone, his eyes are bright and sharp, and there is no trace of his previous frail look.

As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang's spirit rose, he felt his stomach was empty, and he immediately said to Liu He, "I'm hungry. Let's ask Guanglu Temple to make us a meal."

Liu He listened to the vigorous voice and replied happily: "I will go right away."

Zhu Ying felt relieved, and finally he managed to inspire the old man to fight.

…

Samarkand.

After a month of travel, Cabest finally returned.

He only led a part of his personal troops, and the main army was slowly withdrawing from Tubo and would return there in the spring of next year.

Because winter has arrived, and the winter in Tubo is the coldest, it is a problem to get food there.

Tubo was far away and it was too troublesome to transport food and fodder. They did not carry much food and fodder, and there was nowhere to rob. If they stayed, they would not have to fight. In the winter, the horses would lose weight and the soldiers would starve to death.

When Timur heard the news that Cabest had returned, he asked him to come directly to the palace for an audience.

Although there has always been intelligence exchange, letting Cabest tell the story in person will allow us to better understand the situation in the Ming Dynasty.

In the palace, with a bonfire, lambs and fine wine, Timur listened to the report from Cabest.

Cabest described in detail all the military operations he had taken after arriving in Tubo, including his own ideas and the results achieved.

"At the beginning, everything went very smoothly. The Tibetan chieftains had no power to resist our army. The cities were easily breached by artillery fire. Wherever our army went, they surrendered one after another."

"It's just that Tubo is too poor, and there's not much food in their warehouses, so I sent part of the army to the Western Regions."

"It was in the Western Regions that we encountered the Ming cavalry."

"The Ming cavalry are all heavily armored, and their muskets are very powerful. Even our heavy cavalry cannot be stopped if they get within thirty steps. Arrows have no effect on them at all, and there is no way to penetrate their armor."

"Their armor seems to have been made with special craftsmanship. It's not as heavy as ours, but much lighter. This makes them faster. Although not as fast as light cavalry, they are much faster than our heavy cavalry."

"With 10,000 cavalrymen, they can charge at enemies that are several times their number. Without the suppression of artillery, no one can defeat them on the battlefield."

"The Northern Yuan army had nearly 80,000 cavalrymen, but they were also overwhelmed by them."

Timur's expression did not change much. He had known this information for a long time, and it became clearer after listening to Cabest's explanation.

"Have the Northern Yuan Dynasty told you about the secret recipe for the train?" Timur asked after taking a sip of wine.

Compared with the war in Tibet, trains were Timur's biggest concern.

Now Samarkand has cement roads everywhere, which makes the cavalry faster and transportation easier.

This also means that Timur's control over various places has been strengthened.

Now it is known that the Ming Dynasty invented something called a train, which can travel thousands of miles a day, which makes Timur extremely covetous.

But at the same time, he was also very wary of the Ming Dynasty.

Firstly, the influence of the Ming Dynasty is growing, and secondly, the emperor who founded the Ming Dynasty, like him, is still alive and well.

In history, Timur went to attack the Ming Dynasty because he had heard about Zhu Di's campaign to quell the rebellion after Zhu Yuanzhang's death. That's why he led the army to attack the Ming Dynasty in person, but he died of illness on the way.

It was impossible to lead the army in person now, as it would not make much sense, but Timur's greed for the East made him send Cabest to test the waters first.

Facts have proved that it is extremely difficult to attack the Ming Dynasty today.

Cabest replied helplessly: "When I left, I didn't see the envoys from the Northern Yuan Dynasty, but I heard that they were preparing for war because they were about to go to war with the Ming Dynasty."

"When this winter is over, the Ming Dynasty and the Northern Yuan Dynasty will start fighting. This may be our chance."

Timur said nothing, just nodded and asked Cabest to leave.

Later, at the back of the hall, five ministers in robes walked in.

This is Timur's think tank, equivalent to the military advisor of the Central Plains dynasty, specifically responsible for providing advice to Timur.

Timur was a tyrant, but he was not a coward. He knew how to make others work for him.

"Tell me, how can we seize the Ming Dynasty's train? You have all read the contents of the Ming Dynasty's newspaper. This train is very important to us."

Several ministers looked at each other, and one of them said, "Your Majesty, the possibility of Beiyuan seizing the secret formula of the train is very low. Even if they get it, they may not give it to us."

"Perhaps, we should send an envoy to apologize to the Ming Emperor for what happened to Tubo. This was all caused by the Northern Yuan Dynasty's instigation."

Timur frowned and asked, "Will they give us the secret recipe of the train?"

There was already a hint of anger in his tone.

The minister said quickly: "The Ming Emperor has many princesses. Your Majesty can let the eldest prince or the second prince marry the daughter of the Ming Emperor. In this way, Samarkand and Ming will be the best allies."

"Your Majesty can write a letter to the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. As long as they are willing to marry and give us the secret recipe of the train, then when the Ming Dynasty fights the Northern Yuan Dynasty, we in Samarkand will definitely not help the Northern Yuan Dynasty to attack the Ming Dynasty."

Timur asked: "What if the emperor of the Ming Dynasty disagrees?"

The minister replied: "Then let General Cabest lead the army and march into the territory of the Ming Dynasty when the Northern Yuan Dynasty is at war with the Ming Dynasty, so that they will know how powerful our Samarkand is."