Zhu Di's words immediately aroused everyone's curiosity, including of course His Royal Highness Zhu Gaochi, and Fang Xiaoru on the side.
Finally, when Zhu Di looked north again.
Suddenly, a young eunuch trotted in from outside the palace.
"Report, long live my lord, Jinghai Marquis Chen Kan has led two hundred personal guards to the Hongwu Gate."
"What?"
"Chen Kan?"
"Jinghaihou?"
Upon hearing the little eunuch's report, the courtiers immediately exclaimed, with faces full of surprise.
"Marquis Jinghai returned to Beijing for no reason. Could it be that he also came for the vacant post of Governor?"
"Well, since the Marquis of Jinghai has come to Beijing in person to announce the birth of his eldest daughter, why did he need to send someone to deliver the message?"
"Chen Kan is back?"
The hall instantly became noisy, and everyone in the court was wondering why Chen Kan chose to return to the capital at this time.
Mainly because there is no reason.
As for the vacant post of Grand Governor, with Chen Kan's qualifications, it is impossible to convince the public. It is almost enough to let Qiu Fu come back.
Chen Kan is qualified for the post of president of the Naval Academy. After all, the Naval Academy and the Army Academy were originally run by Chen Kan. Even if his qualifications are slightly junior, he will not attract opposition from the courtiers.
But he has been operating in Beijing for so long. Even if he wanted to take up the post of president of the Naval Academy, there is no reason to come back at this time.
You can wait for Zhu Di's edict to be sent to Beijing and come back soon.
What happened that made Chen Kan rush to Beijing without even waiting for his daughter's full moon drink?
The ministers were talking a lot, but Zhu Di, who was sitting on the dragon throne, couldn't help being happy and laughed: "Hahahaha, Chen Kan is here, Xuan!"
The little eunuch who was kneeling on the ground received the order and hurried to the door of the hall, singing in a sharp voice: "Xuan Jing Haihou Chen Kan comes to see you~"
The little eunuch's voice was passed one by one. When it reached Hongwumen from Fengtian Palace, it was already the voice of the ninth eunuch.
"Xuan, Jinghaihou Chen Kan comes to see you~"
Chen Kan, dressed in iron armor, stood in front of the Hongwu Gate, looking at the vermilion palace wall in front of him.
I couldn't help but feel a lot of emotion for a while.
The Forbidden City in Nanjing is where his dream began. He was rewarded several times in this Forbidden City, and also helped Zhu Di plan the world in this Forbidden City several times.
But for some unavoidable reasons, he had to hide in Beijing to avoid trouble, and he stayed there for several years.
Although he came back once during this period, he came to cause trouble.
It was the first time that I stood in front of Hongwu Gate waiting for an announcement in such a very formal manner.
When the little eunuch's voice announced, Chen Kan took off the sword from his waist and handed it to the Han general behind the door.
It is an honor to go to the palace with swords and shoes, but Chen Kan will not regard honor as the norm.
Chen Kan still has this bit of self-awareness.
What's more, what Chen Kan is wearing this time is not a ceremonial sword, but a war sword that has killed people with a single strike.
Striding along the royal road to the gate of Fengtian Palace, Chen Kan once again asked to see you: "Your Majesty, I am the general of the Beijing garrison, the commander of the remaining guards, the prince-in-law, and the Marquis of Jinghai, Chen Kan, please see your majesty!"
"Xuan!"
The voice of the great eunuch Song Xin came from the hall. Chen Kan adjusted his armor, took off his helmet and handed it to Fanzi who was guarding the door of the hall, and walked into the hall with his head held high.
"My lord, I have met His Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for wearing my armor and not being able to perform the full ceremony!"
Chen Kan cupped his hands and fists toward Zhu Di with a look of confidence on his face.
But as soon as these words came out, several censors immediately scolded him: "Jinghai Marquis is so bold, how can we allow you to be so rude in the Jinluan Palace? Why don't you quickly take off your armor and greet our emperor!"
It's a pity that Chen Kanniao didn't care about him.
This time Zhu Di asked him to come back to fight. Why should he take off his armor?
Zhu Di also ignored the censor who scolded him.
Sitting on the dragon chair, there was a rare smile from the heart on his face.
"Not bad, he looks a bit like a general!"
Zhu Di praised him from the bottom of his heart, and then calmly ordered to the eunuch on the side: "Please sit down!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Chen Kan was not polite to him either. He could tell that the reason why Zhu Di summoned the civil and military officials of the court today was probably because he was waiting for him.
Seeing Chen Kan sitting down, Zhu Di smiled and said: "Today is Laba, also known as the Little New Year among the people. I gave porridge to Fengtian Palace. It's a pity, it's a pity. Marquis Jinghai, you are late, and the porridge in the imperial dining room is already cold. .”
Chen Kan straightened his back, cupped his hands towards Zhu Di and said with a smile: "It doesn't matter, as the saying goes, you don't have to worry about being late if you have a good meal. Now that all my colleagues have eaten, the rest will all be returned to me."
As soon as he said this, Zhu Di burst into laughter.
Overjoyed, he stopped and said, "It's all yours, it's all yours!"
"Come here, give Marquis Jinghai some porridge."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Zhu Di and Chen Kan asked and answered questions, but all the civil and military officials in the court were silent.
At this moment, they also understood that Chen Kan's return this time must be related to the war.
Otherwise, with Chen Kan's cautious temperament, it would be impossible for him to go directly into the palace to face the saint without even taking off his armor.
However, they remembered that there seemed to be no wars in the Ming Dynasty recently.
Could it be that His Majesty planned to march north to the grasslands, so he transferred Chen Kan back to be the vanguard?
This possibility cannot be ruled out.
After all, it is no secret among the courtiers that His Majesty plans to march north.
As early as the third year of Yongle reign, His Majesty had already expressed his intention to unify the grasslands.
What's more, the grasslands are now divided, and the Ming Dynasty has spent several years cultivating and recuperating. Not to mention strong soldiers and horses, but there is still no problem in supporting a war.
Therefore, although the Northern Expedition is launched now, although it is a bit hasty, most courtiers still support it.
Of course, this support is also limited. The Northern Expedition can be done, but Zhu Di cannot lead the troops himself.
And just this time, whether we can conquer the grassland or not, it can only happen once.
Just when the officials were confused, Song Xin personally brought a pot of porridge to the table in front of Chen Kan.
That’s right, it’s one pot.
Zhu Di said that the porridge was cold, which was naturally a joke. It was impossible for the imperial kitchen to serve cold porridge to a prince in the middle of winter.
So when a steaming pot of Laba porridge was placed in front of him, Chen Kan immediately moved his index finger.
It only took Chen Kan ten days to travel from Beijing to Nanjing in the heavy snow.
Along the way, I almost ate and slept on horseback, drank ice water, and ate dry food.
At this time, Zhu Di gave him a large pot of steaming Laba porridge, which was just the right time.
Chen Kan held a wooden spoon in his hand, cupped his fists towards Zhu Di, and thanked: "Thank you Your Majesty for the food. I have been marching for ten days. I am already hungry. If I have been rude, please forgive me."
When the officials heard that Chen Kan had rushed from Beijing to Nanjing in just ten days, there was another uproar.
Now they are even more curious about Chen Kan's purpose of coming to Nanjing.
In the spring and summer, the elite cavalry rushed from Beijing to Nanjing on the 10th. Although it was difficult, it was not impossible. If it was 800 miles faster, it could be faster.
But it's winter now, and the North Country is a land of ice and snow.
Ordinary people, let alone galloping on horseback, would like to wrap their bodies in quilts even if they go out.
Why did Chen Kan come so quickly and in such a hurry?
Zhu Di didn't care about the reaction of the officials, he just gave up and said calmly: "Eat with confidence, I don't care."
With Zhu Di's correct words, Chen Kan no longer cared about the reactions of the ministers, and took large gulps into his mouth with a wooden spoon.
The porridge in the palace naturally uses the best ingredients in the world.
Even though it was just porridge, Chen Kan still ate it very sweetly.
Halfway through eating, Chen Kan felt that using a spoon was not enough, so he simply lifted the pot, which was larger than his head, and poured it into his mouth.
Chen Kan is a military general. As a military general, it makes sense for him to eat rough.
Chen Kan's move immediately made all the courtiers in the palace swallow their saliva.
Mainly because he ate so deliciously, even though they had already eaten in advance, they still couldn't help but have a strong appetite at this time.
"Hiccup~"
After pouring a pot of Laba porridge that exuded the fragrance of grain into his stomach, Chen Kan couldn't help but burp.
Two palace men came forward, one took away the pot on the table, and the other wiped Chen Kan's mouth.
After doing all this, Chen Kan grinned, with a fierce look in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, I'm full!"
Zhu Di nodded slightly and said calmly: "Now that we are full, let's talk about business."
As soon as these words came out, the courtiers immediately pricked up their ears.
The mystery behind Chen Kan's return to Beijing will finally be revealed.
Some people looked at Chen Kan, such as the Zhu brothers, Fang Xiaoru, and Ru Yu.
Some people looked at Zhu Di, such as Jian Yi, Yang Shiqi, and Song Li.
But without exception, they all had a look of curiosity on their faces.
After pondering for a moment, Zhu Di spoke: "I have conquered the world with my majesty, conquered all directions, made the district peaceful, surrendered to foreign rulers, and followed the canals beyond the sea. No matter how far away I am, there is no court, and no thought is dissatisfied."
Nowadays, there are Sumatra, Manchuria, and other small tribes, who are responsible for consolidating the Southern Ocean. They do not measure their strength, show no sympathy for their people, refuse their orders with all their will, compete with the superior country, and invade our maritime borders.
In Luzon, Nanyang, he blocked Zheng He's fleet. His nature is very evil, and his actions can be punished.
Today, I have ordered Chen Kan, Marquis of Jinghai, to take the title of general of the Three Guards. He will lead 15,000 men from the Guanhai Guard, Shaoxing Guard, Fuyu Guard, and the Three Guards Navy to go to Nanyang to punish Sumatra, Manchuria, and promote our greatness. Tomorrow is awesome! "
As soon as these words came out, the whole palace was shocked.
Rujun, the Minister of War, changed his expression. He stood up in a hurry and asked, "Your Majesty, is this happening?"
Zhu Gaochi also widened his eyes. He was really shocked that he didn't receive any news about such a big thing beforehand.
Zhu Gaoxu was also shocked.
But after the consternation, excitement followed.
He hurriedly stood up and held his hands towards Zhu Di, saying loudly: "Father, my son, please go with the army to show off my great power."
Zhu Gaoxu spoke, and Zhu Gaosui hurriedly took over the conversation: "Father, my son is also willing to contribute to the consolidation of our Ming Dynasty's maritime territory. I also ask my father to allow my son to go to sea with the army."
The courtiers were very confused, but what they were confused about was where the two countries of Manchuria and Sumatra were.
Among the countries that came to Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifices, it seems that there are no names of these two countries.
At the critical moment, it was the officials from the Ministry of War who whispered to the confused courtiers.
After all, the Ministry of War deals with maps every day.
Although these two countries are far apart, there are still records in the Ming Dynasty.
And when the courtiers heard that these two countries were still further south of Siam, Chenla and other countries, they couldn't help but have a strange look on their faces.
When did a place so far away become the Ming Dynasty’s maritime territory?
Moreover, Zheng He's fleet was actually trapped in Nanyang by two countries whose names he had never even heard of?
This thing sounds a bit fanciful.
You must know that Zheng He's fleet had more than 10,000 Ming elites, and the total number was more than 20,000.
And the ship also carried hundreds of Hongwu cannons.
Such strong firepower was trapped, which is enough to show that these two countries are not simple. Is it possible for Chen Kan to bring 15,000 people there?
Perhaps it was because the Ming Dynasty had become really wealthy in recent years, but many courtiers' reaction was that what was the use of Chen Kan bringing so many people there?
Instead of going to war again, wasting people and money.
Compared with the previous dynasty, when Lord Hongwu went to war and the courtiers cried out for poverty, the Yongle dynasty's courtiers were extremely tolerant towards war.
Of course, this may be related to the Ming Dynasty's continuous shipment of silver from Japan, and the exchange of Benshiyali for the Jingtieshan iron ore.
Because so far, no war in the Ming Dynasty has lost money.
After pacifying Annan, the Ming Dynasty gained many excellent ports and maritime trade developed greatly.
Chen Kan captured Ben Shiyali from the grassland, and the Ming Dynasty obtained the Jingtieshan iron mine. Both wars were hugely profitable.
It was completely different from the situation in the previous dynasty when Lord Hongwu went to the north to conquer the grassland, losing both his wife and his troops.
War can make money, and everyone has vested interests, so naturally no one will object.
So at this moment, even Fang Xiaoru, a scholar leader, rarely spoke up to stop him.
The noisy voices of the courtiers and the voices of the generals asking for battle made Zhu Di tireless.
He waved his hand and shouted: "Quiet!"
Zhu Di's majestic voice came out and immediately attracted the attention of all the courtiers.
Man Chao Wenwu closed his mouth knowingly.
Zhu Di automatically ignored the voices of his two sons calling for battle, looked at Chen Kan and said calmly: "Jinghaihou, don't let me down."
Chen Kan stood up and rustled the armor leaves on his body.
He cupped his hands towards Zhu Di and said, "I will live up to your majesty's high expectations!"
Zhu Di showed a look of satisfaction on his face and said: "The three guards and soldiers have gathered in Liujiagang. I will send someone to deliver your personal information and military symbols to you later. You go now!"
"My lord, take the order!"
Chen Kan bowed his hand to Zhu Di again, turned around and strode away from Fengtian Hall without looking at the civil and military performance of the Manchu Dynasty.
Looking at Chen Kan's back, the courtiers had different expressions.
Chen Kan came and went in a hurry, but the preferential treatment Zhu Di gave him was unprecedented in the civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty.
In the short time of a pot of porridge, they understood that perhaps for a long time, this young prince would enjoy an unparalleled status in the Ming Dynasty.
The emperor Zhu Di valued him, the prince Zhu Gaochi respected him, and the emperor's grandson Zhu Zhanji worshiped him.
What kind of grace is this?
Chen Kan walked to the entrance of the hall, took the helmet from Fan Zi, walked to Hongwu Gate, and took the sword from the Han general.
Outside Hongwu Gate, two hundred soldiers stood solemnly.
Chen Kan got on his horse and laughed loudly and said, "Gentlemen, follow me and conquer the world!"
