The position of Crown Prince Zhu Xiaozhu is secure, and this carefree prince has no need to worry about vying for the throne. He doesn't need to consider competing with his brothers, cultivating his own power in the court, or winning the emperor's favor.
Everything was decided the moment he was born; after all, he was the emperor's eldest son, and that was his advantage. So, many things were essentially decided the moment he was born.
Zhu Yunying felt it was only natural to let little Zhu get to know some martial arts, as it was for little Zhu's future development.
The so-called military merits were not merely about resting on their laurels; they also had to uphold imperial power, which was their duty and responsibility. In some cases, the interests of these military merits were actually quite aligned with those of the imperial power.
It's feasible to let Little Zhu come into contact with some military officers, especially since the officers he comes into contact with are all "unreputable." Many of them might only be given important positions after Little Zhu ascends the throne.
Zhu Yunying naturally didn't need to consider the evaluation of military merit children, although those were things he valued relatively. However, he couldn't immediately focus on the training of military merit children; what he needed were military merit children who were already capable of being put to use.
For example, Li Jinglong, this Duke of Cao, is still very useful. "Cousin Jiujiang, we've heard that some of the arrogant and fierce generals in the martial arts academy are getting restless. Is that true?"
Li Jinglong naturally dared not be careless. His father was the nephew of the Hongwu Emperor, and although he was the cousin of the Ying Shi Emperor, Li Jinglong was well aware that he was not merely a member of the imperial family, but also a subject of the emperor. His duty was to uphold imperial power. Giving him military power and control over the military corps were all part of the emperor's ruling strategy.
The Martial Arts Academy holds a special position, a fact that is widely acknowledged. However, in such a prestigious place, setting aside the loyalty of some military officers and high-ranking generals to the Emperor, it's safe to say that, unbeknownst to many, there are undoubtedly some secret police or secret agents operating there.
Li Jinglong immediately spoke solemnly, “Your Majesty, the sons of military officers are mostly from wealthy families, relying on the merits of their fathers and grandfathers, and many of them are arrogant. Those who enter the Martial Academy to train as generals are mostly those who have been through the trials of battle, with hearts of iron and stone.”
There is absolutely no problem with saying that. Don't expect everyone to be humble and polite, or to be low-key. That's simply impossible.
The ancestors worked hard to build their empire, not only because these people had some ambition, but also because they were desperate to survive and had to risk their lives to find a way to live.
Of course, there are also some people who are unwilling to be ordinary. They still hope to make achievements and have some wealth and honor. This is one of the fundamental reasons why they work hard and strive for success. This point cannot be denied.
Zhu Yunying understood this principle, and many others also understood similar principles, and they didn't think there was anything particularly wrong with it.
In the end, many people did make great contributions to the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, and some people did shed their blood to make the Ming Dynasty appear so powerful.
Therefore, bestowing titles and honors upon them was a recognition of their contributions. Allowing them to enjoy wealth and honor was only right and proper. The emperor could not simply sit atop the throne and remain aloof; he also needed to give these meritorious officials more glory, so that more people would feel loyal to the Ming Dynasty and have a sense of belonging.
These military heroes and generals achieved their accomplishments only after facing countless dangers, so expecting them all to be humble is unrealistic. They've all worked hard their whole lives; what's wrong with enjoying life a little?
These people may have come from poor backgrounds, but their descendants were certainly not commoners. These descendants of nobles grew up in luxury and felt superior to others, which was perfectly normal.
Their ancestors' virtues and achievements were their glory. Coming from a prestigious family naturally meant more opportunities, including more privileges, a common occurrence throughout history.
Looking at Li Jinglong, Zhu Yunying said seriously, "We know that many of the descendants of military merit are arrogant and spoiled, and we don't intend to have anyone reprimand them. They certainly deserve to live a life of luxury. But Cousin Jiujiang, those people should also know their limits. You should understand the reasoning behind this, right?"
Zhu Yunying's words weren't particularly harsh; in fact, some people considered his reprimands to be somewhat insignificant and trivial.
After all, it sounded like the emperor was just giving a slight reminder, and he wasn't particularly annoyed or furious.
As long as some people restrain themselves a little, it seems the emperor still recognizes their contributions and status. Therefore, he granted them some privileges, which isn't really a big deal, as long as it's not excessive.
Li Jinglong was naturally aware of the situation. There were indeed some minor issues at the Martial Arts Academy, and some people were being a little unruly. However, everything was within a controllable range, and nothing had escalated to the point of causing public outrage.
Most importantly, there's nothing illegal or disorderly about it; at most, there's a slight moral deficiency, which everyone can overlook.
After mentioning it briefly, Zhu Yunying said with a smile, "In a few days, the sons of meritorious officials will be assessed, and our idea is to have the Crown Prince go. Cousin, you should spend more time with the Crown Prince these days, as he is also interested in these matters. Our Crown Prince is even more fond of military affairs than we were when we were young."
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