Chapter 23: The End and the Beginning

  At this time, the internal situation of the Ming Empire was also thriving. The destruction caused by war had become a thing of the past, the economy had recovered, the national treasury was gradually filling up, and Zhu Yuanzhang's efforts had restored vitality to this land that had been ravaged by war.

  Zhu Yuanzhang was very satisfied with this situation. He could be said to be a good father and grandfather. The misfortunes of his youth made him unwilling for his children and grandchildren to suffer. In order to allow his successors to rule the world with peace of mind, in order to maintain this thriving scene, he established a complete system for his empire. He firmly believed that as long as his children and grandchildren adhered to the institutions he had created, the Ming Empire would last forever.

  However, to ensure that the throne would always belong to his children and grandchildren, some people still needed to be eliminated. These people included Hu Weiyong, Li Shanchang, Lan Yu, and others (the list was long). After more than 20 years of tireless efforts and the bloody storm of the Hu-Lan case, he had basically solved the problem.

  Was everything perfect now? Had all the necessary killings and purges been carried out?

  No, not yet. There were still a few old friends who needed to be settled with.