Worried King Ning

As for how Southern Xinjiang would ask Northern Chu for an explanation later, King Jin didn't care at all.

Because he knew very well the character of the leader of Southern Xinjiang, and he also knew very well that after so many years of development, Southern Xinjiang had been eager to get involved in the Central Plains.

After all, in the past few years, Dongzhou and Beichu have been constantly conquering, and Xirong has also been taking advantage of the fire to plunder. Only Southern Xinjiang has been keeping a low profile and conducting friendly exchanges with neighboring countries.

In the situation of one ebb and flow, Southern Xinjiang is domestically stable and has strong military strength, while the other three countries have become increasingly disadvantaged in terms of national strength.

From this time, after he learned that the envoy was killed, he did not immediately write a letter to question him. Instead, he waited until the army was approaching and then pretended to write a threatening letter.

He just wanted an excuse.

When he learned that the southern Xinjiang army was approaching the border, King Jin had already guessed what the southern Xinjiang monarch was thinking.

We also know that Southern Xinjiang wants to expand urgently, but the current situation in Dongzhou is not very good, and starting a war is definitely not an option.

So when Duke Zhen asked him to go on a mission, he agreed to the mission without hesitation.

If he wants an excuse, give him one.

Nowadays, Northern Chu is at war with Xirong, and the fighting is fierce. The power in the country is empty. The king of Southern Xinjiang is a smart man. He knows very well who is more beneficial, whether to fight Dongzhou or Northern Chu.

Besides, in the capital of Dongzhou, letters from Wen Songtao and King Jin were delivered one after another.

The civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty were overjoyed, but Emperor Hongwen was a little worried while he was happy.

Why did he take the Duke of Zhen out of the capital earlier?

Isn't it just to take this opportunity to seize the military power in the capital?

In the past period of time, he has been making arrangements, and it will take some time before he can launch an attack. Now that there is nothing going on at the border, doesn't that mean that Duke Zhen is about to return?

If he returns, I'm afraid his plan will go out of control.

He is worried, and his son Prince Ning has also been worried recently.

Nowadays, he no longer has the confidence he had at the beginning, thinking that the position of crown prince is within his grasp.

Especially what happened at the Tiefang and Yanfang last time made him understand his position in Emperor Hongwen's heart.

Nowadays, the queen is under house arrest, and the Duke of Zhen has no enthusiasm for him in the past. He immediately realized that there are some things that cannot be relied on others, and he must become stronger himself.

No, during this time, he has been discussing with his staff in the palace how to improve his power.

"Your Highness, the current situation is very unoptimistic for you."

"This time regarding the matter in southern Xinjiang, Your Majesty asked the Duke of Zhen to go there in person. There must be something wrong with it."

When King Ning heard this, he frowned and asked in surprise, "Didn't all the courtiers say that Duke Zhen was a marshal of soldiers and horses? In the past, he only served to intimidate the other party so that they would not dare to act rashly."

"Even if the other party really wants to attack, he will not be too passive in Dongzhou."

"You also said that this is what the courtiers said. Does your Majesty think so too?"

The middle-aged man opposite, dressed as a scholar, touched his beard on his chin and looked at Prince Ning with a half-smile.

Today's Prince Ning is no longer the naive prince he once was.

The change in situation caused his thoughts to change accordingly.

"Are you saying that Emperor Father intends to let Duke Zhen Guo leave the capital?"

"But he is like this"

He was just about to say what his purpose was when he suddenly had a bright light flash in his mind.

"military power."

To put it bluntly, the main reason why he is in his current situation is because the power behind him is so great that even Emperor Hongwen is afraid of him.

The queen is now under house arrest, and the only one left is the Duke of Zhenguo.

He had too much military power in his hands, and because of the empress' imprisonment, his relationship with Emperor Hongwen was no longer what it used to be.

"Your Highness has a good idea. His Majesty's move may be to seize the military power around the capital from the hands of the Duke of Zhenguo."

Prince Ning nodded, he had no doubt about this at all.

In fact, he had thought before that if he ascended to that position one day, he would never be like his father who foolishly handed over most of the world's military power to one person.

Even if this person is the Duke of Zhenguo, it won't work, because family ties are very fragile in front of imperial power.

Now my father has finally come to his senses.

However, he was a little unhappy.

Because now his situation is also very worrying.

"Your Highness, this may be an opportunity for you."

"Opportunity? What does Mr. Zhou mean by this?"

"Your Highness, please think about why you are back to this situation today, and then think about what you are lacking now."

Prince Ning immediately frowned and began to think deeply.

Why did he get to this point? He felt that his mother and uncle Zhen Guogong were too anxious in the past.

He wanted to push him to the position of prince.

It is true that he also wanted this position very much, but his decline in status during this period made him start to think about things he had never thought about in the past.

When my father is in the spirit of Ryoma, he still has at least twenty or thirty years to live in the future.

And what about him? He is now nineteen years old. If he ascends to the position of prince, he will have to wait at least twenty or thirty years before he can ascend the throne. What if his father lives longer?

Does he have the patience to wait forever?

He thought he would not have this patience, especially when he had the queen behind him and the full support of the Duke of Zhen, he would never be willing to be the second child all the time.

I will definitely find a way to go further.

He could think of it, and his father could naturally think of it, so he kept suppressing him and not making him the prince, because he was also afraid that once he sat on the throne, he would replace him in a few years or more than ten years.

That's why he was granted the title of Prince Ning. Mr. Zhou also told him earlier that granting him the title of Prince Ning was just for appeasement. He didn't want to do what the Empress said at all, and that position must be his.

If it really was his, why should it be given to Prince Ning first?

The position of Prince Ning seems to bring him one step closer to the position of prince, but in fact it is not the case.

If the eldest prince is always sitting there, it means that His Majesty is still hesitant, but by conferring the title of Prince Ning, it means that the father's intention to make him the prince has weakened.

He deliberately waited for other princes to grow up and then choose from them.

And this can be seen from the fact that his mother was imprisoned earlier. He is most aware of his mother's control over the harem.

It is no exaggeration to say that as long as Emperor Hongwen showed any intention of having another prince, that prince would most likely die a violent death.

The second prince in front was actually very dangerous, but this guy was so useless that before his mother could take action, he blocked his own way first.

Now that the queen is banned, her control over the palace and the harem is probably completely wiped out. His father is probably paving the way for the subsequent support of other princes.
Chapter completed!