Yang Ling returned to the Imperial Envoy Temporary Residence and recounted the entire process of his negotiation with the Huadang ambassador to Zheng De. Zheng De raised his brows and sneered, "Huadang is a descendant of the Northern Yuan after all. They are penniless but full of ambition. In the past, he was sandwiched between Ming Destiny, Tartar and Wala. Now that he heard that he can suppress the other two, he immediately dreamed of rebuilding the Mongolian Empire. "
He stood up and said, "You negotiated well with Duoyan Sanwei today. You must reject the rude request. How can Ming Destiny be controlled by others? My Ming Destiny Dynasty has the power to surpass the ancient times. We control the invaders in the north and drive away the foreigners in the west. We do not have the friendship between the Han and Tang. We do not have the Great Song to cede their land. We do not have the courtesy of serving the enemy as brothers. Little Hua Dang wants to marry my imperial sister … Humph!
It is really hard to share a bed with someone I don't like. I have suffered from it. How can I let my imperial sister suffer? If I am a man, I can find another woman I like. If Yongfu wants to marry the wrong person, what will she do?
Although I am an Emperor, I know how to love my sister. If Yongfu wants to marry, as long as she is in love with him, I do not care if he is a noble or a commoner. If she is not willing to marry, even if Hua Dang gives up the land of Duoyan Sanwei, I will not exchange my sister for it! "
Yang Ling smiled and said, "Your Majesty, a person's ambition always grows along with the continuous expansion of their power. The original Huadang was only aiming for a corner of Liaodong. Now that they heard that they can unify the grasslands, their greedy eyes naturally look even further.
Your Majesty is right about the ambition of the barbarians. Even if they are not nomads and learn the farming and weaving of the Han people, it will not change their nature of invasion. They are partial to the grassland. Above them are the Luocha countries. On the left, bottom and right are surrounded by my Ming Destiny Guards. Once the grassland is unified, it will not be able to provide for the expansion of the population. Therefore, I advise Your Majesty to take advantage of the internal conflicts of the three factions to pacify the northern frontier as soon as possible and incorporate the whole grassland into Ming Destiny's territory.
Zhengde nodded his head in high spirits and said with a smile, "That's right, I want to leave an iron empire for my descendants …"
He suddenly thought of something and couldn't help but say enviously, "By the way, Yang, I heard that Big Sister Young-niang is pregnant. When will she give birth?"
At the mention of this matter, Yang Ling's brows were also overflowing with joy. He smiled and said, "Around the middle of August, when the osmanthus flowers are fragrant."
Zhengde chuckled and blinked his eyes. He slapped his thigh and said, "Alright, if it's a boy, I'll accept him as my godson. If it's a girl, I'll accept her as my godson. This matter has to be settled first. No one is allowed to snatch it from me!"
He clapped his hands and laughed. "I really want to know what it feels like to be called daddy by a child. It must be very fun."
Yang Ling was startled. The emperor wanted to be his child's godfather? Thinking about it, there didn't seem to be any harm. Besides, since Zhengde had spoken, who would dare to not give him face?
Yang Ling chuckled and said, "If a child doesn't grow to about one year old, how can he open his mouth to call someone. Your Majesty is strong and healthy. Your age is also like the rising sun. In the future, you will definitely have a house full of children and grandchildren. "
Zhengde beamed and said, "He he, I hope so."
He waved his hand and said, "Let's not talk about this for now. Come, come, let's talk about the Hua Dang Conference. Do you think Hua Dang will agree to our conditions?"
Without hesitation, Yang Ling said, "They definitely will! First of all, Hua Dang and Bo Yan have always been at odds with each other. If Bo Yan suffers losses from us, he will definitely rob Hua Dang to replenish his food. Furthermore, the three Jurchen tribes rely heavily on Ming Destiny. They are sincerely relying on Ming Destiny. Within the three Duoyan Guards, Hua Dang's control is not as good as Bo Yan's control over the Tartars. With such generous conditions, the leaders of the tribes will definitely be moved. Hua Dang must consider this reality. "
Miao Kui had also arrived at the guest house. He and Zhang Yong were both people in the inner palace who were familiar with military affairs. They had also gone deep into the desert and had a good understanding of the three Mongolian tribes. Hearing this, he said, "Your Majesty, according to what I know, the Yuan Empire was split into three tribes. The Tartars are the direct descendants of the Huang Jin family and have always looked down on the other two tribes. Wala is the second largest power after the Huang Jin family. Also, when the former Grand Preceptor was appointed, he once ruled over the Tartars. Their ambitions were not small.
When Man Duhai attacked Wala and defeated them, he ordered their leaders not to call their houses palaces. They are only allowed to kneel at home and not sit. When the nobles eat meat, they are only allowed to tear it with their hands and are not allowed to use knives. This kind of humiliation has caused their hatred towards the Tartars to far exceed their enmity towards Ming Destiny.
Therefore, according to your servant's opinion, when Bo Yan and Huo Xi start their internal strife, we will gather a large number of troops to attack Wala from the direction of Hami Wei and drive this trapped tiger into the Tartars grasslands. For the sake of pastures and cattle, they will not let go of this good opportunity. They will definitely not hesitate to participate in the internal strife of the Tartars. They will either form a three-legged tripod or join one side to attack the other. According to your servant's estimation, they will most likely choose Huo Xi as their ally. This will greatly reduce the pressure on the eastern front and allow our army to calmly make arrangements. According to Mr Yang's plan, we will send troops to clean up the mess and swallow the three Duoyan Guards. "
Zhengde's eyes brightened and he asked excitedly, "What does Official Yang think?"
Yang Ling looked at Miao Kui with admiration and cupped his hands in obeisance, saying, "This is a brilliant plan. I wonder if Wala still has the strength to fight the Tartars?"
Miao Kui said happily, "When your servant went deep into the desert, I once entered Wala's territory from the west. After a short battle, I found that their tribes have a lot of strong men. Obviously, this time Bo Yan is summoning all the tribes to fight for Datong. Those Wala sent are all old, weak, sick and disabled. They only intend to wave the flag and shout for Bo Yan. Although their strength is not enough to deal with Bo Yan, if Huo Xi rebelled and Hami Wei exerted pressure, the war situation will not be able to change according to our plan."
Zhengde laughed and slapped the table, saying, "Wonderful! Your strategists may not be better than the ministers in the court but they only know how to defend and do not know the importance of going out. Just on this point, your ministers are much better than them. "
※ ※ ※
The real negotiations have always been carried out outside the game. When the leaders of both sides meet, it is just for show and signing documents. Special envoys from both sides frequently communicate through Shengkou. The secret negotiations between Ming Destiny and Duoyan Sanwei are in full swing.
During the Qin, Han, Sui and Tang dynasties, good horses were produced in Hetao, Qilian, Zhangjiakou, Hulun Buir and other places. Today, only Zhangjiakou and Chengde are under Ming Destiny's control. This place is suitable for raising horses but because the Tartars often come to plunder, the horse policy has been abandoned for many years.
Horses play an irreplaceable role in cold weapon warfare. The speed and impact of the cavalry is incomparable to that of the infantry. If the two sides are equal in strength, the cavalry can not wait for the infantry to finish forming a formation. Before the infantry can form a deep defense, the cavalry can charge and scatter the infantry.
If the infantry side has a large number of people, the cavalry can lie low during the day and repeatedly attack at night. They can retreat with large strides to lengthen the infantry's supply line and then calmly cut off their food supply line. When the infantry is exhausted, they can surround and annihilate them. Even if the infantry can defend and counterattack, the cavalry can escape at any time and the infantry will not be able to pursue.
Therefore, the infantry can only win a small victory against the cavalry. If they lose, they will be completely annihilated. It is difficult to fight with the cavalry on the plains. The Central Plains army is generally good at fighting with chariots. Although the chariots have a strong impact, they are easily damaged in long-range attacks. Moreover, it is difficult for a dense convoy to turn and turn around on the battlefield. It is far less flexible than the cavalry. It can only be used for decisive attacks and counterattacks in defense.
Nowadays, the use of firearms can not completely replace cold weapons. Yang Ling estimated that it will take at least five years for the new guns in the inner factory to achieve the perfect effect, mass production, equipping the army and training the soldiers to be proficient in using them. These things cannot be rushed. Even if the most modern weapons appear soon, it is impossible to train the instructors and then the army for a year and a half.
At the same time, before there is a large number of advanced and portable artillery equipment for the army, and before there is modern transportation equipment, horses will play a decisive role in the war against the northern people, especially when they take the initiative to attack. Yang Ling knows this well, so the negotiation focus of Ming Destiny's side is focused on this item.
In addition to furs, the Duoyan Three Guards can mainly provide warhorses. There is no need to worry about them focusing on this. However, the Duoyan messenger suggested that only one or two out of ten of the three guards are rich, and seventy to eighty percent are poor. Ming Destiny should export more rice, flour, salt and tea, and less luxury goods such as porcelain, silk and silk.
Yang Ling agreed, and took the opportunity to propose that Ming Destiny can provide rations of rice, salt, and even some copper coins, ironware, sulfur, and flame saltpeter. However, Ming Destiny's side wants to buy horses, and the Duoyan Three Guards will send people to teach them how to raise horses, and part of the farms of the three guards will be opened.
It is more convenient to obtain military supplies such as horses through trade than to graze and breed in the Han area, and the cost is actually less. Several areas of the Duoyan Three Guards can be designated to raise horses, which can be used to train excellent herdsmen. Once the Duoyan Three Guards replace the Duoyan Three Guards, there will be no problem in the supply of horses. The Duoyan Three Guards could not resist the generous conditions offered by the Ming Dynasty, and finally agreed.
The amount of sulfur and flame saltpeter exported is limited, and they are all one-time consumables. The Mongols do not have many corresponding firearms, and they do not have the best formula. The export of a small amount of military equipment shows the sincerity of Ming Destiny's side, and in fact, the military development of the Duoyan Three Guards is in the hands of the Ming Dynasty. These problems will only be exposed when the Duoyan Three Guards start their business, so it is difficult for them to find out the disadvantages.
The two sides negotiated about the import of camel hair, mink fur, ginseng, horses, and the export of shovels, cattle, seeds, rice, salt, cloth, iron pots and so on. After some bargaining, they finally reached a satisfactory result. Finally, they began to discuss the location of the horse market.
This time, the Ming Dynasty is very generous. In addition to the three horse markets set up in the Yongle period, the Yuannan Pass, the Yuandong Pass, and the Guangningwei Pass, they also set up five passes: Fushun, Baitu Chang, Kuandian, Fengyang, and Qinghe. The opening time of the horse market is set to be a regular one, and the Ming Dynasty will send troops to assess prices, collect taxes, and regulate trade.
All the details of the negotiations have been settled, and it is already seven days later. At this time, the Fire Sieve Division is still harassing the Mongols outside the pass, but their attacks are getting weaker, and they have lost the will to fight. Boyan's army returned north from Pingshun, but did not meet up with the Fire Sieve Division, as if they have the intention of returning to the desert.
Tomorrow is the day Ming Destiny will meet with the Duoyan Three Guards, and personally set up an agreement to attack and defend the alliance. Although the Tartars outside the pass did not make any moves, Yang Yiqing is still on guard, as if he is facing a great enemy. He personally guarded Victory Fort, and ordered more than two hundred passes, beacons, and guard posts along the Shanxi border to be on full alert, with a large number of troops gathered. Wang Shouren personally led two guerrilla generals to guard outside the pass, to fight on the spot, and monitor the Fire Sieve Division's movements.
Taiyuan Guard Zhang Yin's 20,000 men and horses are in reserve, guarding Guangwu Fort in Shanyin County, waiting for orders at any time. Du Renguo is guarding Datong City, while Xu Tai leads 7,000 cavalry to lie in ambush in Datong City. As soon as Mount Bai gives the alarm, they will immediately rush to help.
Mount Bai has built a guest pavilion and a large tent for the alliance meeting, and hidden under the slopes of Mount Bai are seventy poison cannons.
These poison cannons can fire explosive shells, and can also fire grapeshot shells, shooting out more than a hundred iron pellets. The range is not far, but when fired, the big and small bullets fly out together, creating a thunderous sound. The destructive power and radiation range are very large, especially suitable for bombarding the enemy's dense battle formation, effectively suppressing their crazy attacks.
Bayan's army is still outside the Great Wall, blocked by tens of thousands of soldiers, and personally led by Yang Yiqing. Yang Ling is not worried that they will attack, but the Maitreya Sect is very resourceful, and can actually gather 200 fierce bandits in Beijing to attack Gaolaozhuang at night. Yang Ling does not know if they will gather thousands of fanatical followers to attack Mount Bai, so he buried 500 machine guns in the wilderness, and made a secret plan in advance. If they can't be used, they have to be taken out as they are, so as not to accidentally injure the common people in the spring.
Hua Dang's troops agreed to enter at the Flying Fox Crossing Gate. This is a small mountain pass, from the outside to the inside, it is extremely dangerous and difficult to cross, but from the inside to the outside, there is no danger to rely on, and it can be broken in one charge. Choosing this place to enter dispelled Hua Dang's doubts.
On the left and right of the Flying Fox Crossing Gate is a chain of steep and dangerous peaks, difficult for birds to cross, and difficult to set up an ambush on the bare stone walls. The mountain range stretches on like a dragon, isolated from the grasslands to the west of Datong, forming a natural moat. Bayan's army can't cross the mountains from here to enter the pass. If they go around the mountain range for dozens of miles and attack from the end, the beacon set up in the distance can send out a warning, and the pass will be closed. But for insurance, on the basis of the original soldiers at the pass, Yang Ling still moved Jing Fuer's thousand soldiers and horses over.
Such a plan can be said to be foolproof, but Yang Ling, Hu Zan, Yang Yiqing, Zhang Yong, Miao Kui and the others were still not at ease. In the deep of the night, they were still deliberating in their room, trying to deduce all possible loopholes.
Hu Zan said, "The pass, Datong and Mount Baideng can be reached in an instant. There is no danger to rely on in this dozens of miles of open plain, no place to hide. If they really want to harm His Majesty, the only way is to attack forcefully. But unless Maitreya Cult has the ability to cast beans to form soldiers, where else can they get these soldiers and horses? In my opinion, we should guard against the enemy's crossbows and stray arrows accidentally injuring us. "
Yang Ling smiled and said, "Inspector Daren can set your mind at ease. There is a cave on the mountain that is more than four hundred feet deep. After I sent people to level the top of the mountain, we have dug a horizontal hole and added stone steps. The Great Alliance Tent will be set up above the entrance of the cave. If anything happens, His Majesty can go to the cave to take shelter temporarily."
Zhang Yong said, "Maitreya Cult will lead a group of villagers to harm His Majesty? Unimaginable. They don't have an army and a group of ignorant villagers are useless. In my opinion, it is more likely that they will use assassins. Will there be people in the army or even the three Duoyan Guards who will be bribed by them to become death warriors? His Majesty will have to wear at least two layers of soft armor and choose the most skilled imperial bodyguards who will never leave his side … "
Zhengde saw that these officials were discussing endlessly for his safety. He could not help but shake his head. Suddenly he interrupted and said, "I wonder what Hua Dang is doing now? Are the tribal leaders of the three Duoyan Guards also spending the whole night deliberating on how to protect Hua Dang's life? "
Everyone was startled. Zhengde stood up and said, "Dear ministers, please continue. I, this porcelain man, want to go back to my room to rest."
Before the officials could kneel down to pay their respects, Zhengde had already lifted the curtain and walked out.
The night was as dark as ink and the sky was filled with stars. The two rows of guards at the door saw the Emperor coming out. Two guards quickly took down the lanterns to accompany the Emperor back. At this moment, a delicate figure flashed into the study courtyard. Zhengde's eyes brightened. He quickly made a hand signal to the guards and then stepped forward to greet the figure.
He was still dressed as a military officer, so Tang Yixian thought he was the guard at the door. She tiptoed to look into the study, the light from the lamp shone through the window lattice, revealing a few shadows, still waving their arms and talking to each other.
Tang Yixian gently frowned and said, "These two days cousin has been very busy and did not have time to see me. There seems to be a lot of people in the room. What are they busy with?"
Zhengde gently pulled Tang Yixian's sleeve and gave a look to the outside before quietly walking out. Tang YiXian followed her out of the courtyard in astonishment, she saw Zheng De with his hands in his sleeves, looked up at the stars in the sky and muttered, "Every Sovereign King, will transform into a star in the sky, the sky is filled with stars, those brightest stars, must be the most accomplished Sovereign King.
Tang Yixian curled her lips and said, "Don't be so sour. Why did you call me out?"
Zhengde glanced at her and said with a smile, "Tomorrow the Emperor will be meeting with the leaders of the Duoyan Three Guards outside the pass. Daren has many things to do these few days. You should not go in yet."
Tang Yixian nodded and suddenly said, "Oh, I was wondering. So it is the Emperor …" Her eyes suddenly widened and she cried out, "The Emperor? The Emperor is in Datong? "
Zhengde raised a finger and made a 'shh' sound. He lightly laughed and said, "Lower your voice. The whole world will know about the meeting tomorrow. But tonight it cannot be known."
Tang Yixian rolled her eyes at him but lowered her voice and said, "Then why are you telling me?"
She thought for a while and asked, "The meeting should not be dangerous. Do you want to go too?"
Seeing Zhengde nod his head, she walked forward and straightened his collar like a big sister. She exhorted, "Going out with the Emperor, it must be very grand. But you are young and do not understand the affairs of the world. You must know how to take care of yourself. Do not be disrespectful in front of the Emperor and lose my brother's face. It will also affect your future. "
Zhengde nodded and suddenly said with a smile, "You are young but you know how to take care of others. You were like this in the past. Until now, I still remember that time when you were concerned and sympathetic …"
Tang Yixian's eyes brightened and she excitedly said, "My past? I cannot remember a single thing. Cousin has many things to do so it is not good for me to ask him. How did I care and sympathize with you? Tell me. "
Zhengde regretted his slip of the tongue. After a moment of hesitation, he could only brace himself and say, "There … there was one time, you and … daren's second wife and third wife were on the streets and were harassed by a scoundrel. I happened to see it and went forward to stop it. I was too late and was punched in the nose by that scoundrel. Blood kept flowing. You handed me a handkerchief …"
Tang Yixian giggled and said in annoyance, "You idiot, what kind of concern and sympathy was that? Even if it was someone passing by who spoke up for justice, it is only me who should be grateful to them. You ah, if others give you benefits, you should remember it in your heart. But do not belittle yourself and feel that your status is low and that whatever you do for others is what you should do. "
Zhengde nodded and said in his heart, "If Yang did not bring me out of the palace, how could I have met you? If that is the case, the one I should be grateful to should be Yang Ling. But on the other hand, if I had not barged into the 'Silk Flower House', how could Yang Qing have met his two beloved concubines and even been ransomed by me and given to him? It's so rare to see you again this time. I'll definitely cherish it. I won't let you leave my sight for the rest of my life. "
* * *
Thousands of cavalry marched majestically on the streets. Today was the official day of the alliance meeting. There was no need to hide the news of the Emperor's arrival in Datong. It was not like the ruler of a large country would need to be secretive when he was meeting with a small tribe on his own soil. So Yang Ling borrowed a full set of ceremonial guards from the Acting Prince's residence and bought a new yellow silk canopy.
The Acting Prince and the Inspector-General of Datong, Hu Zan, drove their horses forward to see the Emperor out of the city. There was a sentry every five steps and a sentry every ten steps. The streets that the Emperor's carriage passed through were tightly sealed. The common people were all outside the cordon set up by the soldiers and looked in amazement at the Emperor's ceremonial guards that they might only have the chance to see once in their lives.
At the corner of the street, Cui Ying 'er calmly sized up the endless procession of people and horses. The bright yellow satin imperial sedan chair had arrived. On the left and right sides were thirty-two imperial bodyguards wearing flying fish robes and embroidered spring knives. They surrounded the sedan chair so that the wind and rain could not pass through. Only the yellow silk canopy on top of the sedan chair could be seen slowly passing by.
Uncle Huo quietly squeezed over and motioned for her to take a few steps back. He whispered, "Just now, in the middle of the ceremonial guards holding the Sun Flag, the Moon Flag, and the Flying Tiger Flag were Yang Ling, the Acting Prince, and Inspector-General Hu. They were heavily guarded. There was no way to make a move."
Cui Ying 'er was stunned and asked, "Uncle Huo, didn't you say you were going to relieve yourself? Why did you follow the ceremonial guards down? "
Uncle Huo regretted his slip of the tongue and hurriedly explained, "I just came back from relieving myself and saw the ceremonial guards pass by. I didn't have time to see you, so I followed them down. It looks like it will be even more difficult to make a move once we leave the city. After the alliance meeting, the Emperor will return to the capital and we won't have another chance."
Cui Ying 'er looked at him suspiciously and hesitantly said, "Since we can't do it, why don't we … stop here? The Emperor and the Duoyan Guards have formed an alliance and opened up a trade market. The common people at the border are very happy. If we mess up this matter, I don't know how many people will curse us. "
Uncle Huo glanced around and said, "There's no hurry. The Emperor has personally come to Datong. It is clear that he values this alliance very much. After this matter is over, the officials of Datong will definitely hold a banquet to celebrate the Emperor's success. Yang Ling will also have many social engagements. We still have a chance."
Cui Ying 'er sighed in her heart and frowned. Uncle Huo was so enthusiastic. What else could she say?
She looked listless and said lazily, "Well, let's go back to our hiding place first. The city is even more tightly sealed today. When the Emperor leaves the city, he will definitely be escorted by thousands of soldiers. Yang Ling will be by his side. No matter how capable they are, who can get close to the Emperor today?"
* * *
The Emperor's ceremonial guards slowly advanced up Mount Bai under the protection of five thousand elite soldiers. Scouts came and went like a trotting horse lantern. Yang Ling listened to Hua Dang's schedule and controlled the speed of the army's advance.
The Emperor could not arrive before Hua Dang. He must let Hua Dang wait for the Emperor. However, Ming Destiny was the host and the Duoyan Guards were guests. He could not let them wait at the foot of Mount Bai for too long. This required a lot of knowledge.
Flags were placed all over Mount Bai. Two rows of soldiers lined up from the foot of the mountain to the top. The Duoyan Guards and the leaders of the Jurchen tribes had just lined up their troops at the foot of the mountain. Yang Ling's army had also arrived.
The Duoyan Guards' army did not have a uniform uniform or a flag. They even had a variety of weapons. However, their heroic spirit showed that they were valiant and heroic. Zhengde looked at them from afar and could not help but exclaim, "In the past, the Duoyan Guards followed Emperor Yongle to attack Jinling. Every time they encountered the southern army, they were the vanguard. Three thousand cavalries against thirty thousand cavalries. They were defeated in one charge. Now, their combat power is far from what it used to be. But looking at their spirit now, you can imagine how powerful the Duoyan Guards were back then!"
Zhang Yong smiled apologetically and said, "Your Imperial Majesty, our Great Ming's military might is not weak. At the beginning, I found it strange that Yang daren chose strong soldiers from the twelve battalions of more than a hundred thousand soldiers. Why did he discard some of the soldiers who were skilled in martial arts but had delicate and pretty appearances, and instead specifically chose large men who were skilled in martial arts and had rough, bold and unconstrained appearances? Only now do I understand his intentions."
Hearing this, Zhengde smiled and did not say anything.
Ming Destiny's army was indeed not inferior to the Duoyan Guards. There were five thousand cavalries. Each of them was tall and sturdy. Their golden armors and spears pointed towards the sky were like a forest. This army was indeed frightening.
The neighing of horses and the sound of swords hanging on their waists could be heard. There were cheers and crowds. After the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, Zhengde's sedan finally arrived at the foot of Mount Bai. The leader of the Huadang Guards had already led the three noble leaders and the chiefs of the three Jurchen tribes to wait at the foot of the mountain.
The Emperor's guards of honor parted to two sides. Yang Ling stopped his horse and looked up. There was a big man in front of him. His fierce aura was clearly shown on his red square face.
Yang Ling's eyes locked on him like lightning. 'Why is it the Blackwood Map? Where is the Huadang Guards? ' Yang Ling was startled and involuntarily tightened his grip on the sword hanging on his waist. He was about to shout, but the Blackwood Map had already taken off his sword and threw it to an attendant behind him. With his bare hands, he walked out from between the two rows of guards.
He strode as if he was flying and stopped in front of the sedan. Then, with a loud and clear voice, he said, "The commander of the Duoyan Guards, Huadang Guards, kowtow to Ming Destiny. Long live the Emperor!"
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