Especially for the envoys from some of the smaller neighboring countries, seeing Xu Huizu's serious expression made them uneasy. This esteemed military leader seemed poised to lead another campaign for the Ming emperor at any moment.
All the officials seemed quite calm as they listened to Xu Huizu report on the Ming Dynasty army's battles in Goryeo, including the various victories. No one seemed surprised.
Goryeo was only a small country, slightly stronger than the smallest, and no one thought the Ming Dynasty's army couldn't do these things. The once mighty Yuan Dynasty was defeated, and the Northern Yuan, which inherited a large portion of the Yuan Dynasty's wealth, was also destroyed.
As for the Tatars who split off, they were already incredibly weak. So Goryeo was nothing to worry about, since the common enemy in everyone's eyes was the nomadic people from the north, and Goryeo was never seen as a threat.
Zhu Yunying was in a good mood. Although he already knew a lot of things, the various reports had given him a thorough understanding of the situation in Goryeo. In fact, many of the things that the civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty had known about beforehand were also known to him.
However, the fact that it was Xu Huizu who reported it made it all the more significant, as it signified that the matter had been settled.
Zhu Yunying, with a serious expression, slowly said, "The soldiers of the Great Ming are raising righteous troops to fight against the rebellious. All departments should perform their duties diligently. Matters such as relief and merit-making should not be delayed. The Governor-General's Office and the Ministry of War should approve this matter as soon as possible and report it to the emperor as soon as possible."
No one was surprised; it was to be expected. The Ming Dynasty's army had achieved a great victory, and naturally, rewards and punishments were due. These matters required the joint efforts of the Five Military Commissions and the Ministry of War, so that the Emperor could personally approve them.
This matter could be considered a big or small issue, but everyone knew that given the emperor's emphasis on it and the power of the Five Military Commands, the civil service group dared not slack off at this crucial moment.
The matter is so obvious that it's clear at a glance. Although not all the opinions of the Five Military Commissions will be implemented without reservation—the civil service will certainly be stricter during the verification process—the general direction can be basically determined.
Little Zhu remained silent at this point; the little guy was actually quite clever.
He wasn't exactly a child prodigy, but through years of experience, and the teachings and influence of his parents, Old Zhu and Little Zhu, he learned what he should do. Even though he was only of average appearance, he knew how to imitate others in many ways.
Knowing his main purpose for attending court this time, he would focus on doing that thing well; other matters were temporarily irrelevant to him as the Crown Prince.
Since the Emperor didn't ask, there's even less reason to take on responsibilities at this time. To demonstrate one's presence in court, simply being present in the court is enough; it doesn't necessarily require accomplishing anything.
Seeing his beloved son's performance, Zhu Yunying was naturally very satisfied. At least, there was nothing wrong with little Zhu's performance so far.
Xu Huizu and Chang Mao accepted the imperial decree. Chang Mao naturally felt that having this task was perfectly normal. For him, accepting the decree was enough; he just needed to explain the matters assigned by His Majesty.
But Xu Huizu was different. Last night, he tossed and turned, constantly thinking of ways to speak up for His Highness the Crown Prince.
The goal is to subtly and gradually bring up certain matters, making it seem natural for His Highness the Crown Prince to step forward and recommend certain individuals. This is no small matter; His Highness the Crown Prince may not care, and His Majesty the Emperor certainly doesn't need to overthink it.
However, Xu Huizu had to think carefully. If he failed to handle these matters well, he would be unworthy of his reputation as a senior official. More realistically, as the Crown Prince's maternal uncle, he needed to project an image of competence.
Now it seems like a pretty good opportunity, and Xu Huizu also thinks this is a good pretext.
Xu Huizu stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I am assisting the Duke of Zuo Ying in this campaign against Goguryeo. It would be inappropriate for me to determine the military merits."
Indeed, since Xu Huizu has said so, the civil officials who previously had some objections naturally wouldn't hesitate. They didn't dare to directly contradict the emperor, or perhaps they didn't want to offend Xu Huizu. But now that the Duke of Zhongshan himself has brought it up, there's no need for everyone to pretend to be deaf and dumb.
Yang Jing stepped forward at this time. He was originally honest, upright, and exceptionally intelligent, and he was not afraid of offending people.
"Your Majesty, I believe that what the Duke of Zhongshan has proposed is reasonable. The Duke of Zhongshan has long served in the military, and this time he led a large army on the expedition to Goguryeo with countless soldiers under his command. If the Duke of Zhongshan were to assess the military merits, it might be suspected that there would be bias."
Chen Di also hurriedly stepped forward to report, saying, "Your Majesty, I believe that the Duke of Zhongshan is upright and dignified, which is beyond dispute. However, this matter is of great importance. Any rumors and gossip will not only damage the Duke of Zhongshan's reputation, but also violate the court's original intention of rewarding merits."
It seems that everyone's opinion is relatively consistent, and they all feel that this matter can be changed, and the current decision is not the most appropriate.
Isn't this obvious? Xu Huizu was originally the top military officer, having cultivated his influence in the army for a long time. Furthermore, although Xu Huizu was only a deputy general this time, he had been leading his own army with a large number of soldiers under his command.
It would indeed be inappropriate to let Xu Huizu preside over the awarding of merits and the verification of military achievements.
Even though Xu Huizu was relatively humble and respectful, rumors and gossip were inevitable. If his generals received rewards, people might think that Xu Huizu was showing favoritism towards his own faction.
If some soldiers are not satisfied with the rewards, rumors may spread that Xu Huizu is suppressing Fu Youde and others, which is quite possible.
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