Xu Miaoqing did not object; on the contrary, she was very supportive. "Yin'er is, after all, a descendant of the Zhu family. It is only right that he returns to Fengyang to pay homage to the imperial tombs."
“That makes sense, otherwise we wouldn’t have sent Yin’er back.” Zhu Yunying said with a smile, “This time, we’re thinking of making things more formal, with officials from the six ministries accompanying us. If Yin’er really turns ten, he should go back again.”
At ten years old, it was a significant occasion, a solemn ceremony, to bestow an official title upon someone. Even now, a trip there still holds meaning.
Ultimately, young Zhu was the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty. Even though he had returned with his father once before, it was only then that his father was the main character. You could even say that his father had gone back to "visit relatives," and he was simply taking his great-grandson with him.
This time, the main character is naturally Little Zhu. Sending Little Zhu back with the imperial family, nobles, and civil and military officials carries a different significance.
Hearing Zhu Yunying say this, Xu Miaoqing felt even more strongly that Little Zhu should go back, as she knew this was a formal declaration. Although Little Zhu was still young, he could be considered grown up, and leading the civil and military officials back to pay homage to the ancestral tombs was a way of informing their ancestors, something that should certainly be supported.
"Mom, we're back." Little Zhu's voice came, but it was very untimely. "I mean, untimely?"
Zhu Yunying looked at Little Zhu helplessly and said, "Tell me yourself, who else in the palace is so rude besides you?"
"Dad," Little Zhu said with a smug grin, "I've heard about it. After all, I'm your son, and I learned everything from you. I guess my lack of manners shows that I've surpassed my father."
Xu Miaoqing rolled her eyes at Xiao Zhu and said seriously, "Yin'er, don't talk nonsense."
Zhu Yunying shook his head and said, "We just talked to your mother about some things and are planning to have you return to Fengyang in a few days. Don't run around aimlessly these next few days. When you have some free time, go to the Wenhua Hall to sit down and gather some of the Crown Prince's officials and the officials of the Six Ministries to accompany you."
Little Zhu was unhappy. "Father, you can choose. Or our great-grandfather can choose, but how would we know about the officials in the court?"
Zhu Yunying's face hardened, and Little Zhu dared not murmur anymore, only lowering his head and saying obediently, "Your subject obeys the decree."
It's alright. Although Xiao Zhu is a bit mischievous and sometimes even disrespectful, he's still quite sensible. He knows what he can let go of and what he absolutely must do.
Since Little Zhu had no objections, Zhu Yunying felt much more at ease. "Remember to summon your second uncle later. Although we'll have your second uncle come along too, you should also bring someone knowledgeable in military affairs. We'll feel more at ease with your second uncle coming with you."
Little Zhu immediately said, "Dad, let the brothers Qu Yu and Qu Tao come with us, so we can train the troops."
Qu Yu and Qu Tao were the two sons of Qu Neng, the Vice Commander of the Central Military Commission, and could be considered outstanding members of the new generation of noble families.
Zhai Neng's father, Qu Tong, was the commander of Fengyang Guard who followed Zhu Yuanzhang back then, and was definitely a confidant. Zhai Neng was not to be underestimated either, as he followed Lan Yu in conquering Bashu and assisted Mu Chun in making his name known in the southwest. Currently, Zhai Neng is still in Yunnan, assisting Mu Chun in reorganizing his troops and conquering the Tusi (local chieftains). His descendants are also Zhu Yuanzhang's attendants.
“Take them with you. Those two kids seem alright.” Zhu Yunying laughed and said, “I remember that Zhai Neng was a young hero, especially skilled in archery. Of his sons, only Qu Yu and Qu Tao are somewhat capable.”
Little Zhu was well aware of the abilities of his companions. "Qu Yu is a brave general, while Qu Tao has some strategy. Our great-grandfather also said that both of them lack experience, but I reckon they could be vanguard generals."
To put it mildly, it probably means that Zhai Neng's eldest son was brave but lacked strategy, while his second son had some strategy, but it was difficult for him to become a commander-in-chief; at most, he was just a general with some talent.
Zhu Yunying smiled but didn't say much. If it were a matter of judging Zhu Yunying's talent as a general, Zhu Yunying would likely not be so convinced. After all, no matter how talented Zhu Yunying is, he is still not even eight years old.
But if this was Zhu Yunying's assessment, then Zhu Yunying would naturally listen obediently. It was highly unlikely that Zhu Yunying would misjudge the heroes of the land.
As for the people around Little Zhu, Zhu Yunying didn't care, which was intentional on his part.
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