Editing Hongwu Emperor (section)

===The emperor's sons===
According to the emperor's decision, his sons, who were given the titles of princes (''wang''), were assigned military command on the border to protect the empire.{{sfnp|Langlois|1988|p=118}} Along with receiving Confucian education, which emphasized moral values, the emperor's sons also learned about warfare. The emperor placed great importance on the education of his sons and entrusted it to scholars led by [[Song Lian]] and Kong Keren ({{zhi|c=孔克仁}}).{{sfnp|Chan|2007|pp=51–52}}

The decision to place his sons in charge of the army was made in order to diminish the influence of the military [[Nobiles|nobility]] on the state. The emperor was highly concerned about potential conspiracies among the generals, and, as seen in the cases of [[Hu Weiyong]] and [[Lan Yu (general)|Lan Yu]], a number of generals were executed.{{sfnp|Dreyer|1982|p=103}} The emperor's fears were not unfounded, as the threat of conspiracies among the generals was always present. He himself came to power through the betrayal of the heirs of Guo Zixing and later faced conspiracies from his subordinates.{{efn|For example, the rebellion of Shao Rong ({{zhi|t=邵榮}}) in 1362.{{sfnp|Dreyer|1982|p=67}}}}{{sfnp|Dreyer|1982|p=67}}

The most capable military leaders among the princes were Zhu Di and Zhu Gang, later joined by Zhu Fu, [[Zhu Zhen (Ming dynasty)|Zhu Zhen]], [[Zhu Zhi (prince)|Zhu Zhi]], and Zhu Bai. Among the literary-minded imperial princes, [[Zhu Su]] stood out for his works on Yuan court poetry and medicinal plants, while [[Zhu Quan]] was known for his lyrical dramas and encyclopedias on alchemy and pharmacy. Other princes, such as Zhu Zi, Zhu Tan, Zhu Chun, and Zhu Bai, were also comfortable in the company of scholars and skilled in the art of war.{{sfnp|Chan|2007|p=54}} However, not all princes behaved properly, as seen in the cases of Zhu Shuang, Zhu Su, Zhu Fu, Zhu Zi, Zhu Tan, [[Zhu Gui (prince)|Zhu Gui]], and the emperor's great-nephew [[Zhu Shouqian]], who were often reprimanded by the emperor for their behavior.{{sfnp|Chan|2007|pp=54–55}}

In 1370, the emperor appointed nine oldest sons (after the heir to the throne) as princes.{{efn|At the same time, the emperor's great-nephew Zhu Shouqian (1364–1392) also became a prince (of Jingjiang).{{sfnp|Chan|2007|p=48}}}} Five more were appointed in 1378, and the remaining ten in 1391. Once they reached around twenty years of age, they were sent to their designated regions, with the first being sent in 1378. As they settled into their regions, their importance grew.{{sfnp|Dreyer|1982|p=148}} The most influential of these princes were the second, third, and fourth sons—Zhu Shuang, Zhu Gang, and Zhu Di—who were based in [[Xi'an]], [[Taiyuan]], and [[Beijing]] respectively. They were responsible for commanding the armies on the northern frontier.{{sfnp|Langlois|1988|p=120}} Other members of the imperial family were not involved in the administration of the country, as there was a fear of repeating the dynastic disputes that were common during the Yuan dynasty.