Zhu Xiong Ying was in a good mood, mainly because many things had been handled well during this period, and the progress of many things was quite satisfactory.
This was certainly good news for him. If this pace continued, the Ming Dynasty could grow stronger with more stable development. This was his expectation, and this was his expectation for the development of the Ming Dynasty.
The noble clique led by Xu Huizu has also become aware of some things, even though the current Crown Prince still values the noble clique. It's clear that the Crown Prince is now consciously supporting the civil service clique.
This situation left them with slightly mixed feelings, as they felt that things were not quite in line with their expectations or their interests.
This has been the case since the founding of the Ming Dynasty; military power has always been valued more than civil power. Many people believe that this power structure will continue, as the current emperor, the previous crown prince, and the current grandson of the emperor all have close ties with the military elite.
Now it seems that some things have changed slightly, and the civil service has received conscious support.
This is probably due to the mindset of emperors, who are all concerned with maintaining a balanced situation and will never allow any one side to become too powerful.
Xu Huizu arrived at the Wenhua Hall and said to Zhu Xiong Ying, "Your Highness, this expedition to the northern desert will be led by the Duke of Liang and the Duke of Ying. Our Ming army will be divided into two routes, and princes are not allowed to accompany the army."
Zhu Xiong Ying couldn't help but laugh and said to her brother-in-law, "Oh? So the Duke of Wei has realized that I am weakening the military power of the vassal kings."
In fact, it's not necessary to look further to know that the Crown Prince doesn't oppose some princes taking up their fiefdoms; he simply dislikes those princes holding military power—this is obvious to everyone. Furthermore, many people know that the current inability of some princes to take up their fiefdoms is also due to the Crown Prince's intentions.
The princes will be granted fiefdoms remotely, and this will likely be the future structure for them, significantly impacting their lives. They will find it increasingly difficult to wield power and influence within their fiefdoms. Unless, of course, these princes choose to establish kingdoms in remote, undeveloped regions.
Xu Huizu remained silent, while Zhu Xiong Ying continued, "Go and record the situation of the princes' three guards. Their rations and pay should indeed be sufficient. However, if it is necessary to mobilize troops, those of the three guards who should contribute should do so. Those who should not contribute should fill vacancies in their respective garrisons."
This is how Liu Bei borrowed Jingzhou. The Crown Prince's move can be considered a well-intentioned scheme. Even if many princes felt the pinch, they probably wouldn't dare say anything at this point and could only suffer in silence.
In fact, Zhu Xiong Ying was quite adept at doing such things. For example, when he went to fight in the southwest, the Prince of Chu and the Prince of Xiang either directly sent their own three guards, or had their own guards fill the gaps in the garrisons left by the imperial army's expedition.
As for whether these princes and guards could return after the imperial army's triumphant return, that was just wishful thinking.
To consolidate its gains, the Ming Dynasty is constantly establishing garrisons or deploying troops along the border, continuously shrinking the living space of some foreign and barbarian states.
The Ming Dynasty is currently facing a shortage of troops. The princes' three guards have been transferred out, so there's no point in even thinking about taking them back. That's not a wise choice, and it's best not to bring it up first.
After all, their fiefdoms were mostly within the territory of the Ming Dynasty, which was generally a relatively stable place. Even if there were uprisings, there were nearby garrisons, so the princes didn't need to hold military power. Being a peaceful and stable prince was better than anything else.
Xu Huizu naturally understood Zhu Xiong Ying's thoughts and felt that there was nothing wrong with what the Crown Prince was doing.
He was more than just the Duke of Wei; he was also the Crown Prince's brother-in-law. The Crown Prince's wife was his sister, and the Crown Prince's eldest son was his nephew. As the head of the nobility, Xu Huizu felt that he was fighting for the Xu family's power, and naturally, he hoped that his nephew would one day rule the country and that he wouldn't have to worry about the princes causing trouble.
Throughout history, powerful princes who held military power have always been a potential threat, even if the current threats to the Ming Dynasty don't seem too significant. Nevertheless, they are still a threat, and it would be ideal if they could be resolved now.
Xu Huizu understood what he needed to do, and Zhu Xiong Ying felt at ease, knowing that he didn't need to worry about these things anymore.
At this moment in the Eastern Palace, Xu Miaoqing displayed the magnanimity of the Crown Prince's wife. Looking at Lian Qiongqiong, who was six months pregnant, Xu Miaoqing felt no jealousy. Mainly, the chubby little boy lying on her lap was adorable, and Xu Miaoqing's confidence stemmed from this boy.
"Yin'er, do you want a younger brother or a younger sister?" Xu Miaoqing picked up her chubby son and asked softly with a smile.
Little Zhu immediately exclaimed in a sweet, childish voice, looking very excited, "I want a little brother! I want a little brother, not a little sister!"
Xu Miaoqing chuckled and said to Xiao Xiaozhu, "But your dad just wants a daughter. He already has you, this little rascal. If he had a little brother, wouldn't he be able to catch bugs with you?"
Little Zhu became serious and said, "But Great-Grandfather said he only wants boys, not girls. Boys can help us fight bad guys!"
Xu Miaoqing didn't know what to say. Her precious son spent a lot of time with the current emperor. Although the Crown Prince occasionally complained that his grandfather shouldn't be teaching Yin'er things at this time, these were just the Crown Prince's words; Xu Miaoqing dared not say them aloud.
Xu Miaoqing carefully explained things to Lian Qiongqiong, as she now had considerable experience with childbirth.
Just as the two were chatting, Wang Chengen rushed over and said, "Your Highness, the Emperor is seriously ill. He has ordered Your Highness to lead the concubines, princesses, and county princesses in praying for his well-being. Concubines may rest for the time being. Concubines in the palace who are pregnant or whose children are less than one year old do not need to pray for their well-being."
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