Li Jinglong appeared rather reserved. Tall and handsome, with refined features, he possessed a commanding presence and an air of nobility, making him the dream lover of many young ladies in Yingtian Prefecture. Unless one was actually on the battlefield, few could defeat Li Jinglong in a sand table exercise.
“Cousin, you must be careful. Among the students of the Martial Arts Academy, we still need to focus on cultivating commanders.” Zhu Yunying said to Li Jinglong with utmost seriousness, “Cousin, you are quite capable. This matter still needs to be handled by you. Furthermore, whether you become a commander or a general, you must be loyal to the Ming Dynasty.”
The martial arts academy of the Ming Dynasty not only needs to focus on cultivating the abilities of its generals, but also on their ideological education, which must not be neglected.
Li Jinglong quickly replied, "Your Majesty, the military has always been based on merit in battle. However, when recruiting students for the Martial Arts Academy, we still need to select sons from good families and descendants of meritorious officials."
Zhu Yunying was quite satisfied with Li Jinglong's answer; 'political vetting' was indeed necessary. The Martial Arts Academy certainly needed the control of the military officers, and they should at least receive more resources.
Reality is cruel. Not just in the Ming Dynasty, but in the past and future, lineage still plays a significant role. These noble sons have an easier time rising to prominence, not only because they have a higher starting point, but also because they have access to more resources.
Li Jinglong understood this principle. If he treated everyone equally, the military officers would definitely cause trouble. Moreover, if he did that, the emperor would certainly not agree. It was true that the emperor needed fresh blood in the military officer group, but some military officers were too deeply tied to the royal family, and he couldn't let those people leave the court so quickly.
While valuing the cultivation of talented individuals, Zhu Yunying also needed to set certain thresholds, as achieving upward social mobility would not be easy.
Therefore, the students admitted to the martial arts academy are basically from good families and noble families. The courses offered by the academy are bound to be different. While teaching according to aptitude, some differences can also be seen. The training and opportunities for some people are obviously different.
Zhu Yunying discussed the martial arts academy with Li Jinglong in detail. After all, the academy is still in the planning stage, and Zhu Yunying doesn't need to confirm certain things immediately, such as instructors or courses. For now, it's just simple communication to get a general idea.
When the Martial Arts Academy was about to be built, Zhu Yunying would definitely need to gather some veteran generals and some of the court's top commanders to discuss it.
Zhu Yunying was well aware of his own abilities; he didn't have much experience in military affairs. In the words of the late Zhu, Emperor Zhu Yunying shouldn't interfere in military matters; otherwise, he wouldn't be a true emperor who could fight on horseback.
After discussing these matters, Zhu Yunying naturally continued reviewing memorials. As emperor, Zhu Yunying was always a model of diligence. No one dares to compare themselves to the late Zhu Yunying because the late Zhu Yunying set the standards too high; even the most hardworking emperor cannot match him.
Having just finished dealing with official business, Zhu Yunying immediately felt somewhat speechless. It seemed that it wasn't just Old Zhu who wanted to help him make a name for himself; even his lackey Wang Chengen was constantly eyeing Zhu Yunying's glorious image.
In fact, Zhu Yunying had 'written poems' before, and now he has written another good poem, or rather, composed a good poem, which once again proves the emperor's literary talent.
The emperor simply didn't like composing poems; he was just not enthusiastic about them. Otherwise, no one else would have a chance to survive. The emperor could compose a poem in seven steps and speak eloquently.
So be it, Zhu Yunying didn't feel any guilt about seeking fame and reputation. Perhaps in the future people would say that Emperor Yingshi was a ruler who was both cultured and martial, which probably wouldn't be a bad thing.
Especially since Joo Yoon-young himself didn't seem very happy, while everyone around him looked incredibly excited, which made Joo Yoon-young feel both annoyed and amused.
It would be better to say nothing at all. Poetic talent is just a minor skill. What Emperor Zhu Yunying should do is to govern the country well. This is the most important thing to him and what he hopes to do well. This is the ideal and ambition of an emperor!
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