Eighteen years old is indeed not young, and in this era, it is already considered an adult.
The tall and imposing Zhu Xiong Ying was dressed in military uniform, and Xu Miaoqing and Lian Qiongqiong's eyes shone brightly. Looking at their valiant husbands, they felt an indescribable pride and immense honor.
Lian Qiongqiong handed the cloak to Xu Miaoqing, who smiled and draped it over Zhu Xiong Ying.
"May my husband return in triumph!"
"Your Majesty, I wish you a triumphant return!"
Zhu Xiong Ying laughed and said, "I'm just going to inspect the border, there's no triumphant return!"
Zhu Xiong Ying then said to Wang Cheng En, "You stay in Beiping Prefecture. If you cannot make a decision on any matters, large or small, let the Crown Princess handle them."
Xu Miaoqing was slightly excited, but she still bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, I accept the decree."
"Qiongqiong, remember to keep an eye on Yue'er. That girl is getting married soon." Zhu Xiong Ying seemed to remember something and looked a bit troubled. "That girl has been getting wilder and wilder lately. Don't let her continue to cause trouble."
Xu Miaoqing and Lian Qiongqiong lowered their heads and remained silent. Zhu Xiong Ying could complain about his sister, but if anyone else chimed in, he would definitely be unhappy. They also knew that if it weren't for Zhu Xiong Ying's doting, Zhu Yue wouldn't have been so bold.
Zhu Yue rushed over in a flurry of activity, dressed entirely in military uniform. "Brother, take me to the grasslands! It's not like we're fighting a war!"
"What were you thinking?!" Zhu Xiong Ying was speechless and said irritably, "Hunting around the area is one thing, but you want to go to the grasslands?! We're about to get married, don't be ridiculous!"
Having said this, Zhu Xiong Ying tossed his cloak aside, gripped the long sword at his waist, and strode out of Fulong Palace. The women in the household also bowed in greeting; even if it was just the Crown Prince seeking out the border, it was still a momentous event.
Outside Beiping City, the five princes—the Prince of Qin, the Prince of Jin, the Prince of Zhou, the Prince of Qi, and the Prince of Lu—each led a garrison of troops to assemble. These were the princes closest to Beiping Prefecture, relatively close to the border.
Zhu Xiong Ying rode his Akhal-Teke horse at full gallop, expertly twisting the reins, "Nephew greets Imperial Uncle!"
Sitting on horseback, Zhu Shuang cupped his hands in greeting and said with a smile, "Nephew, no need for formalities, let's set off!"
It wasn't that Zhu Xiong Ying wanted to show off; it was mainly because Old Zhu had given the order long ago. These princes searching the border was a task Old Zhu had arranged beforehand, so it was only natural for Zhu Xiong Ying to lead the princes to search the border again.
Although these five princes are all of Zhu Xiong Ying's uncle generation, Zhu Xiong Ying is the Crown Prince. Leaving aside the fact that he is the heir to the throne, and even according to the current court's established ranks, Zhu Xiong Ying is "on the same level" as these princes, receiving the same treatment and ceremonial regalia. However, in everyone's hearts, the Crown Prince carries a very special weight.
Xu Yungong, Li Jinglong, and Feng Cheng were all related to Zhu Xiong Ying, and they could now be considered imperial relatives. These second-generation nobles naturally followed Zhu Xiong Ying's lead.
Qiu Fu, Zhu Neng, Zhang Yu, and others were all key military personnel promoted by Zhu Xiong Ying, and naturally, they all followed Zhu Xiong Ying's lead. Meanwhile, Fu Youde, Wang Bi, Guo Ying, and other founding nobles were also now labeled as Zhu Xiong Ying's men.
Seeing the strength and power of Zhu Xiong Ying's troops, Zhu Shuang and his men felt envious, but they dared not harbor any other thoughts. From the moment they were born, their status was essentially set—a position they could never touch.
The mighty army set off, Zhu Xiong Ying's banner gleaming brightly—this was the commander-in-chief's position. As for the other princes, they naturally also carried their own banners, which were the centers of their respective troops.
If there are trees ahead, raise a green flag; if there is fire, raise a red flag; if there are bandits, raise a white flag; if there is flood, raise a black flag; if there are hills, raise a yellow flag.
In ancient times, military campaigns were not simply about a large army marching in a grand procession. The color of the flags naturally indicated the situation encountered, allowing the rear guard to react quickly based on these circumstances.
Zhu Xiong Ying, who was in charge of the central army, said to the messenger, "All units shall set up camp. Command the vanguard, the left and right wings, and the rear guard to come to my camp!"
Zhu Xiong Ying, with his spear inserted into the weapon rack and his long sword hung up, sat in the main seat, looking imposing.
Zhu Shuang, the vanguard commander, lifted the tent flap, looking incredibly pleased. "Nephew, why are we camping here?"
"Second Uncle, it's good to get some rest." Zhu Xiong Ying laughed and said casually, "This time, our royal army is mighty, and the Tatar tribes must have fled at the mere sight of us."
Zhu Shuang laughed and then said, "Nephew, do you have some ideas?"
"Second Uncle, I'm short of people to farm and cultivate the land, and I also need people to build bridges and repair roads," Zhu Xiong Ying said with a smile. "We didn't mobilize any troops last year, but this year I'm thinking of whether we should launch another campaign against a few small tribes."
Zhu Shuang was taken aback. He was well aware that Beiping was short of manpower, especially laborers. In fact, it wasn't just Beiping that was short of people; Zhu Shuang and his men had also sent some death row inmates and convicts from their fiefdoms to Beiping. They even had a number of people to frame others, because Japan was short of people to mine.
Zhu Xiong Ying continued, “Last year, the regicide Borjigin Yesuder died, and his son Borjigin Enke succeeded him. Now the Mongol tribes are fighting and attacking each other, and our royal army can continue to weaken them.”
Zhu Shuang didn't care about the situation of the Mongol tribes; he only stared at Zhu Xiong Ying. "Nephew, if my men have captured a lot of cattle and sheep, that's fine. But this person, I want to send him to Japan. This one person should be worth fifty taels of silver, right?"
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