The lake rippled. The pavilion in the middle of the lake had red pillars, green tiles and four cornices. It looked like a swallow spreading its wings. The tall and majestic main hall had a front hall, a screen wall, a winding corridor, a central hall, a garden in the courtyard, a back hall, a back garden, a side garden, and a row of houses. It was a very luxurious place.
In front of the door was a wide and flat bluestone floor with a drainage ditch. It led to the canal not far from Duke Wei's door. There was a flying bridge on the canal that connected the two mansions. As a nunnery, the white marble foundation and the signboard that was dozens of feet high seemed a little exaggerated. However, Eunuch Wei Bin had said that this was a ready-made material that was taken from Xuanming Palace. They couldn't possibly break it and make it smaller. What was the point of wasting manpower and money?
Eunuch Wei, one of the Eight Tigers, was so concerned about the country and its people. What else could Yang Ling say? He could only let him be. The stone lion in front of the nunnery was also moved from Xuanming Palace. It was extremely tall. One could not see the lion's mane on the back of a horse because its base was very tall.
This nunnery was not finished yet. One could still see the craftsmen carrying things in and out. Under the millennium ginkgo tree that was transplanted to the door, three people sat. Beside them was a table with a teapot and tea bowls. The three of them were all wearing ordinary green robes. They were sitting on a small stool, drinking tea and chatting. From their appearance, they seemed to be foremen.
Some of the craftsmen were in charge of the pavilion, some were in charge of the temple, some were in charge of the rockery, and some were in charge of the flowers. They all had their own orders. It was normal that they did not recognize the three people. However, when they passed by the three people, they put in extra effort.
Among the three of them, one was an old man with a white beard and a kind face; one was a young man with a straight nose, square mouth, and bright eyes; and the last one was fair and tender, with a smile on his face even when he was not smiling. Although he was over fifty years old, his chin was smooth without a single hair, and he looked like a very kind old lady.
A poor man in rough robes wandered around for a long time before plucking up the courage to come over. He smiled and whispered, "Three masters, this place … is it still hiring?"
He thought that the beardless old man was the kindest, so he was talking to him. Unexpectedly, the beardless old man pulled a long face and said with a straight face, "Hmm! It's almost finished here, so we don't need any more manpower. "
"Oh, thank you, Master!" The man's shoulders slumped and he said with a face full of disappointment.
Seeing him turning around to leave, the young man suddenly said with a smile, "Er Ge, are you from Shandong?"
When the people of Shandong met a male stranger, they would address him as Second Brother instead of Big Brother like in other provinces. It was said that there were two big shots in Shandong, one in literature and the other in martial arts. Both of them were the Second Brother. These two were none other than Confucius and Wu Song.
When the poor man heard this young master call him 'Er Ge', he was pleasantly surprised; he thought this young master was from Shandong. Hastily he smiled apologetically and said, "Ah, I am from Shandong."
As he spoke, his eyes shone with hope, hoping that this young master would arrange a job for him on account of his hometown.
"Oh … where are you from in Shandong?"
"From Liaocheng, Dongchang Prefecture."
"Liaocheng? Haha, please sit down and let's chat."
The poor man did not dare to sit down and smiled apologetically. "No, I'll just stand and reply to young master."
The young master did not insist and chatted with him for a while with a smile. It turned out that this poor man's ancestors were also from Shanxi and had migrated to Shandong during the Taizu period.
The green-clothed young master laughed and said, "Haha, if not for Hu Dahai and that Dongguiyan, you would still be living in your hometown in Shanxi."
When the poor man heard this, he was also happy and said, "That's right. So young master, you are also from our hometown?"
The green-clothed young master smiled but did not say anything.
It turned out that in the past, the immigrants from Shanxi did not want to leave their hometown but were forced to do so, so they resented the imperial court. It was clear that the war had caused the population to decline, but these immigrants made up a story. They said that when Zhu Yuanzhang's general Hu Dahai begged for food in Henan, because of his ugly appearance, few people were willing to give him alms. Hu Dahai was bullied by the locals in Henan, so he bore a grudge.
Later on, he defected to Zhu Yuanzhang and was promoted to the rank of a general. After Zhu Yuanzhang ascended to the throne, Hu Dahai only asked to be allowed to go to Henan to take revenge. Zhu Yuanzhang decreed that he would go there and kill everyone within a stone's throw of land.
When Hu Dahai arrived in Henan, he saw a flock of wild geese flying in the sky. He had an idea. He shot an arrow at the wild geese's tail and it flew away with the arrow. Wherever it flew, Hu Dahai killed. When the wild geese flew from Henan to Shandong, Hu Dahai killed everyone in Henan and Shandong, causing the land to be barren for thousands of miles. The imperial court had no choice but to migrate to Shandong.
The common people used this story to vent their dissatisfaction with the imperial court. However, the story of migration, Hu Dahai, and Dongguiyan was taboo. Although the imperial court was very lenient with this kind of legend and no one paid attention to it, most people only talked about it in private. No one dared to make it public. Moreover, this story was only known to the local people in Shandong. The green-clothed young master was joking with him, so he must be from the same hometown.
Seeing someone from the same hometown, one's eyes were filled with tears. The poor man immediately warmed up and his attitude became much more casual. He took the opportunity to sit on the stool and chatted with the green-clothed young master.
When the White Uniform Army was wreaking havoc in Shandong, he brought the old and the young back to Shanxi. Although his father and grandfather often mentioned that place, he had left for more than a hundred years. How could he still have any relatives? Who did he seek refuge with? Moreover, Zhao Sui was in Shanxi and it was not peaceful there. Therefore, he fled with his family to the capital.
The green-clothed young master laughed, "Crazy Zhao, I heard that he did not go around attacking cities and villages in Shanxi. Instead, he escaped to Mount Zhongtiao to recruit soldiers and buy horses. Is this true?"
"Yes, Crazy Zhao is not like the hooligans and Yang Xihu. He does not go around robbing cities and villages, nor does he go around killing and looting. He also does not rely on opening warehouses to attract starving people. I heard that he opened a government office in the mountains, trained his soldiers and practiced martial arts. He also recruited refugees from all over to farm. Now even the Red Lady Army has sought refuge with him.
If you say that he is a bandit, he does not look like a bandit. If you say that he is not a bandit, he often goes against the military. I always feel that it is not right to do all this. I still have a wife and child, so I did not go and cause trouble. "
The green-clothed young master laughed and said, "Second Brother, you are doing the right thing. Hmm … there are too many refugees in the capital. It is not easy to find a job. Shandong has regained its peace. However, this spring, there were bandits in white and they have missed the farming season. If all the refugees return to Shandong, the yamen will not have enough food to support them. "
"Yes, you are right. Otherwise, why didn't I go back?" After the poor man finished speaking, he said with a sad face, "But there is no way to survive if I go back, and there is no work to do in the capital. My wife and child, a big family, how are they going to survive?"
"I will show you a way to survive. What do you think?" The green-clothed young master pondered for a moment and said, "The imperial court is now opening workshops and building farms in Liaodong. They want as many people as they can. The black soil there is very fertile. Just sprinkle some seeds and there will be a good harvest after autumn. It is good to feed people in the mountains. Pheasants, deer and fat rabbits. Sometimes, walking in the grass can startle a group of them. Do you think you can survive by doing odd jobs and begging for food? I think it is better to break into Guandong. Maybe you can make a living. "
"Break into Guandong?" When the poor man heard this, he suddenly hesitated.
The green-clothed young master sighed softly and said, "If you plan to live by doing odd jobs and begging for food, you can survive. But what about your child? Let him continue on your path when he grows up? Farming, hunting, working in shipyards, leather armor workshops, ranches, and even doing some small business in the mutual market. It is also a legitimate job. After a few years, your child can earn a family business, marry a wife, and have a fat grandson. Isn't that good?
That is a place supported by the imperial court. When you go there, you will be given a house and food rations. You don't have to walk all the way there. There is a 'Voluntary Immigration Office' at the north gate. If you go there and register, the government will send you there by boat. They will also provide food and shelter along the way. What do you think? "
For the child, this reason completely moved the poor man. He thought for a moment and slapped his thigh, "You are right. I can beg for food myself. I can't let my child grow up and still do this. Young master, are you talking about the north gate? I … I have five children. Will the yamen care about us? "
The green-clothed young master was amused and said, "Don't worry. You can go and register. The imperial court can still afford this little bit of food. But when you get there, you have to rely on yourself. There are many ways to earn money. You can't refuse to work hard."
The poor man patted his chest and said gratefully, "Young master, don't worry. I have the strength and I will spare no effort. I will go and register now. If I make a name for myself in the future, I will remember your kindness for the rest of my life. "
Looking at the back of the poor man who left in a hurry, the young master smiled slightly.
* * *
The official immigration to Nu 'zi's Command Office had already entered Heilongjiang.
Nu 'zi's Command Office was the highest local yamen in the Heilongjiang and Wusuli river basins of the imperial court of Ming Destiny. Its jurisdiction extended from the Onan River (today's Enen River) in the west to the Outer Xing' an Mountains in the north, the sea in the east, the Tumen River in the south, and Sakhalin Island in the northeast. The Mongolian, Jurchen, Jili, Kuyi, Daur and other ethnic groups in the territory mostly lived by fishing and hunting. But they were all the people of Ming Destiny.
The northern guards were divided by the three groups of Jurchen and the three groups of Duoyan. The Nu 'ergan area was separated by Haixi Jurchen, Savage Jurchen and Shenyang guards. Shenyang guards and Liaodong guards were separated by Jianzhou Jurchen and the three groups of Duoyan guards.
Now these tribes were still weak and did not have the intention to rebel against Ming Destiny. The various guard stations could still communicate with each other. Once these local tribes gradually became stronger and had the intention to rebel, the major military stations would immediately be isolated and surrounded and annihilated.
The first step of Yang Ling's immigration was to migrate Han people to the Nu 'zi's Command Office in the northernmost part of Ming Destiny. The large increase of Han immigration would change the ethnic composition of the Nu' zi's Command Office and would greatly enhance the influence of the imperial court in this area.
Furthermore, the Prefectural Priest Nu's son lived next to the Hai Xi Jurchen tribe, which was the most backward of the three Jurchen tribes. They only knew how to hunt and fish, and were skilled in farming and breeding. It was extremely easy for them to assimilate the most backward and primitive tribes of the three Jurchen tribes.
How much grain could one mu of land produce? How many cows and sheep could one mu of pasture feed? The people who were backward were not stupid. They would not think too much. Instead, they valued these practical benefits the most. Once they realized the benefits of farming, these warriors who were born to be good at fighting on horseback would become the most honest and loyal farmers of Ming Destiny after two generations.
There had long been people who came here to survive. But this was the first time the government started a large-scale immigration. From now on, there would be an endless stream …
On the majestic Black Dragon River, more than ten large ships were braving the wind and the waves. On the left, there was an endless plain. Under the gentle breeze, the green waves floated and the grass waves rippled like the sea. On the right, there was an endless primeval forest.
From afar, the primeval forest looked like green mushroom bumps on the plains. But when they got closer, all they could see were huge trees that were more than ten zhang tall. There were pine trees, birch trees, oak trees, poplar trees … They were so dense that it would take six to seven people to wrap their arms around them.
The people on the ship went ashore when they stopped to relieve themselves. They saw that the primeval forest was filled with flowers and wild vegetables. Bees and butterflies flew up and down. There were mushrooms, hazelnuts, millet, and all kinds of wild fruit trees. Sometimes, if they were not careful, they would even step on a nest of quail eggs and pheasant eggs.
There was a lot of game here, and the one they liked the most was the roe deer. The roe deer here had never seen a human before. When they saw a human, they would not turn around and run. Instead, they would stand there and stare foolishly. When a human walked up to them with a stick, they would be able to knock them down. Because of their arrival, the roe deer received a cute nickname: Silly Roe Deer. Many years later, some people used it to describe their own kind.
They had never seen the big fish in the river before. It was a silver-gray fish with red spots and a big mouth with sharp teeth. But its meat was very unique and very delicious. According to the local boatmen who carried them, this kind of fish could only be found here. It was called salmon.
The ship reached the middle of the river. With the fierce beating of the waves, the ship shook violently. The boatman appeared barefooted like a crab. He stepped on the deck that was warmed by the sun and walked to the bow with his bare shoulders. He suddenly turned around and shouted into the cabin, "Are there any Shandong people on the ship?"
Liaodong Wei was under the jurisdiction of Shandong. Therefore, most of the people who had the conditions to move through Liaodong were Shandong people. After a long time, a legend was left here. It was said that Heilongjiang was originally called White Dragon River. There lived a bad-tempered white dragon in the river. Later, a new dragon god came. He was a Shandong man called Bald-Tailed Old Li. He defeated the white dragon and made this place his Immortal's Cave. That was why this place was renamed Heilongjiang.
Therefore, at this point, whether or not there were Shandong people on the ship, they had to ask loudly. Whether the people on the ship were Shandong people or not, they had to answer loudly, "Yes." This way, when Bald-Tailed Old Li heard that it was his fellow countryman, he could bless the people on the ship to have a smooth sailing. This was the rule of sailing.
Most of the volunteer immigrants in the cabin were Shandong people. There were also people from Hebei and Henan. But when they heard the boatman's question, they immediately answered in unison without hesitation, "Yes! I'm from Shandong! "
There were also several monks, Taoist priests, and two Western missionaries on the ship. The news that Ming Destiny had built a Western church in the capital had been spread by the envoys of various countries. Many missionaries scattered in Luzon, Japan, and even Nanyang immediately rushed to Ming Destiny happily. These two volunteered to go to the Great Northern Wilderness to preach and give alms.
They had already asked this question when they set sail, and they had asked again when they entered the river, so they already knew this custom. The monks and Taoist priests smiled without saying a word, but the two blonde and blue-eyed Caucasian monks knew quite well that when in Rome, do as the Romans do, so they also shouted in a strange tone, "We are also from Shandong!"
The temporary boatman was General Peng Xiaoshou. He glared at the immigrants in the cabin with a pair of big frog-like eyes and thought, "Damn, are you all full? Why are you shouting so loudly? If I'm ruined, I'll be ruined in Shandong! "
He turned around and looked forward with his hand on the awning. He was worried, "How far is it from here to Kemei? Official Yang is truly ruthless. All I did was set off a huge firecracker, and I didn't cause too much trouble. Is there a need to exile me to this place for three thousand li?
But I can't not come. My old man admires Mr. Yang the most. If I don't listen to Mr. Yang, won't he skin me alive? The deputy envoy of the Department of War Preparation and the commander of the Regimental Training Division are not as prestigious as the original general. But I heard that it's to manage the army and the people. Well, it's quite broad. "
I'm in charge of the Department of War Preparation. I'm not only responsible for the organization of the military. In this semi-militarized area, the Department of War Preparation is responsible for taxes, regimental training, money and grain, water conservancy, farming, salt, tea, courier, and even punishment. I'm also responsible for controlling the local tribes and suppressing rebellions. Not only can I manage the civil officials of the prefectures, states, and counties, but I can also manage the military officials of the area under my jurisdiction, such as the Prefect, Garrison, Head of Thousand, and Head of Generals.
This is the first level of administrative organization inserted between the Prefect of War Preparation and the hundreds of half-military and half-civilian guards in this area. The military, political, and civil affairs will be handled at the same time. Of course, Peng Xiaoshu can't do such a big thing. He's just a sub-patrol under the Department of War Preparation. He's in charge of the training of land and water troops and the training of the immigrant troops.
The imperial court appointed the Imperial Censorate Deputy Imperial Messenger Ma Lun to be in charge of the Department of War Preparation. He was given the rank of Inspector and was in charge of important military, political, and civil affairs affairs. Yang Shen was sent out to be the deputy envoy of the Department of War Preparation and was in charge of civil affairs. Peng Xiaoshu and the two promoted generals from the Northeast Guards were in charge of the military and political affairs.
Peng Xiaoshu rushed to the side of the ship and sat down next to the railing at the bow. He swung his legs and waves splashed under his feet. From time to time, two to three meters long fish jumped out of the water.
Peng Xiaoshu frowned and hugged the railing. His big black face was pressed against the smooth wood that was hot from the sun. He sighed heavily, "It's fine to call me the Navy Division, but I still have to manage the cavalry and train the infantry. It's just a group of refugees. I have to train them to be soldiers who can fight when mounted and plow when dismounted. Cough! Other places raise the soldiers like civilians, but Mr. Yang wants to raise the civilians like soldiers. It's so difficult … I … I have to learn how to ride a horse first … "
Peng Xiaoshu had a lingering fear when he thought of riding a horse, "If I knew this, I wouldn't have accompanied Adeni to Texas. It's all women's fault … It's all because of the firecrackers!"
He hugged the flagpole and scratched it with his nails. He looked at the forest in the distance with a face full of hidden bitterness.
※ ※ ※
"This person is looking for work everywhere, but I've never heard of officials helping to migrate voluntarily. It seems that the government has to hurry up and publicize it to the people." The old man twisted his beard and smiled. This person was the Grand Secretary Li of Li Dongyang who had retired and did not return to his hometown.
Yang Ling laughed and said, "The refugees have no fixed residence. Some people will always know the news later. Other than the government, the carriage and ship shops, people have been arranged to spread the news in other places. Even if he didn't meet me today, this person would have heard the news sooner or later."
Li Dongyang nodded and frowned slightly, "Immigration is a long-term project. It's slow to see results, but the results are outstanding and stable. It involves military, political, economic, and cultural aspects. The corresponding measures should be taken according to the problems encountered by the immigrants. Relevant policies should be formulated in time to solve the problems. In a short period of time, there won't be any problems.
The most important thing now is to deal with the bandits. Zhao Sui came to Shanxi in a threatening manner but pretended to be the king of the mountain. He didn't move his troops and even opened up the mountain fields. I can see that this person is quite ambitious. Liu Liu, Liu Qi, and Yang Hu joined forces and left Shandong, entered Henan, went down to Huguang, and entered Southern Zhili. Along the way, they still behaved like bandits and mountain bandits. They now have about fifty thousand soldiers and horses. These fifty thousand soldiers were tempered by thousands of soldiers and horses. Their combat power is even stronger than Yang Hu's one hundred thousand soldiers.
Now that the imperial court has implemented the principle of everyone taking responsibility and guarding their own territory, they won't be given any opportunity to take advantage of. Although they don't have a place to build a stable stronghold, but if they continue to wander like this, who knows how many people will suffer. Once they enter the Central Plains, they will have more room to maneuver. It won't be easy for the imperial court to gather and annihilate them. "
Yang Ling nodded and said, "You're right, my lord. I also want to annihilate them in one fell swoop. But if they don't want to avoid a decisive battle, we won't be able to fight them as we wish. However, their army has a major weakness. Their soldiers are from two different places but their military strength is equal; their generals are from two different places but their generals are equal. This means that they can only be in a cooperative relationship and can't be truly united as one.
They run all over the place, using war to sustain war. In the beginning, they can still catch the enemy off guard and play a role before the imperial court can react. But now, wherever the bandits go, they fortify the walls and clear the fields. The soldiers are stationed there to defend themselves. Their pursuers are relentless and relentless. Not a single army can go without rest and reorganize. They are in a state of war for a long period of time. The day of their defeat is not far away. "
Seeing that Li Dongyang still looked worried, Yang Ling comforted him, "This kind of aimless, mobile warfare is a battle of strength. It's not a problem that can be solved by one or two famous generals. Because they don't have a clear target, there's no way to predict their possible movements and encircle them. Moreover, the situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly. We can only rely on the soldiers on the battlefield to play their part."
Yang Ling took a sip of tea from his teacup and said, "They are in Jiangnan while Zhao Sui is in Shanxi. At present, Zhao Sui seems to be the most obedient. But I feel that his threat to the imperial court is far greater than Yang Hu and Liu Liu. I want to find a chance to go to Shanxi and encircle Zhao Sui with troops and appease him with kindness. If we can turn hostility into friendship, that would be the best."
Li Dongyang agreed, "Yes! Bayan traveled thousands of miles to Qinghai Lake and beheaded Jia Si Bu, placing his tribe under his control. Although some nomadic tribes that don't belong to Ming Destiny have settled down in Qinghai and are thriving there, they don't have a clear regime. The imperial court can only turn a blind eye to Qinghai because it's too far away.
But Bayan Meng is different. Once Bayan occupies Qinghai, he may cut off Hami Wei's retreat route. As for the north, it's the territory of Wala and Huo Xi. They won't sit by and watch Bayan Meng stay in their territory. Once they march south into Qinghai, Hami Wei will be implicated, endangering Gansu and the four provinces. By then, the imperial court will have no choice but to send troops.
The situation now is not good. Shanxi is located at the border and is the gateway to the northwest of the imperial court. It's responsible for protecting the capital. Only after solving the problem here can the imperial court send troops to Qinghai Lake. "
Yang Ling's face turned solemn, "I think so too. If Zhao Sui is sensible, it's a great merit and we can even give him a high position. If he doesn't want to give up, we must chase him out of Shanxi. It's impossible to build a base there. The encirclement of the Central Plains is slowly closing in. When the time comes, we can chase him in and deal with him together with Yang Hu! "
The pale-faced, beardless old man was Eunuch Wei. He was unable to interrupt the conversation between the two of them, so he had been standing there like a deaf ear. Now that he heard Yang Ling's bold words, he took the opportunity to interrupt. He clapped his hands and praised, "High Duke, you have great foresight. Those clowns are definitely no match for you."
Yang Ling faintly smiled, "I have no choice. If not for this incident in Qinghai, I will focus on dealing with Liu Liu and Yang Hu. If Zhao Sui wants to take a breather in Shanxi, then let him do so. The imperial court is tired and needs a breather as well.
But it's not possible now. If Qinghai is lost, the narrow corridor to the northwest of Gansu will be cut off immediately and Hami will never be able to recover. Hami is the main transportation route out of the Jade Gate Pass through Hexi Corridor and the throat of the Silk Road. To successfully manage the countries in Nanyang, Mancha cannot be lost. To successfully manage the countries in Western Region, Hami cannot be lost either.
Once the whole Western Region is connected, it will be hard for me, Ming Destiny, to take back the large piece of land that I have lost. Moreover, I will be isolated from the Western Region. There will be no hope of recovering the Hetao region that is said to be the most dangerous part of the Yellow River. It will become the most stable frontier for the barbarians. They can attack Ming Destiny's hinterland from here at any time … Eunuch Wei, the situation in Qinghai thousands of miles away is a hundred times more serious than Liu Liu's rebellion in the Central Plains. "
Wei Bin was enlightened, "No wonder Duke Wei immediately rushed back to the capital from Shandong when he heard that Boyan Meng can attack Qinghai Lake. Most of the officials in the imperial court are scholars from Jiangnan. Duke Wei did not pursue the bandits when they ran to Jiangnan and caused trouble in his hometown. Some people even angrily accused him of supporting the bandits but he ignored them. So there is such a saying."
"If I tell this to the Emperor, the Emperor will definitely praise me for my knowledge." Thinking of this, Wei Bin quickly got up and said: "Oh, Duke, Lord Li, you two can chat first. I remember that we need to plant a few more shrubs at the racecourse, and the fences around the racecourse should be tighter. We need to raise some deer, pheasants, and so on. I have to inform them."
* * *
Looking at the figure of Wei Bin leaving in a hurry, Yang Ling was stunned for a while. Then he sighed and smiled bitterly, "Is this … building a nunnery? Building a racecourse and raising animals, it is unimaginable. Nuns riding horses … "
Li Dongyang did not understand the reason. He frowned and said, "It is not strange for nuns to ride horses, but they are not in a hurry. It is strange to build a courtyard in the Emperor's nunnery and ride horses for no reason. But … the royal family is grand. Besides, the Emperor feels sorry for Princess Yongfu. Maybe it is to make up for it.
Or maybe it is the Emperor taking the opportunity to build a garden for himself. Anyway, it is donated by the rich gentry in the capital. He did not use the national treasury's money. He also found a large number of refugees to work so that they would not cause trouble … But when he thought of leaving the wooden fish and leaving the nunnery, and wearing black clothes to ride horses, it really makes him nervous …
Hey, why do I need to check this! Duke, I think the war in Qinghai cannot be fought. We can all see the importance of Qinghai, but I think you also know that sending troops to Qinghai will cost ten times more money and food than suppressing the White Coat Army. The imperial court … can not send troops now! "
"I know, I also thought about this problem on the way back to the capital." Yang Ling also frowned, "But the war situation does not necessarily need to be solved by war. Now we need to solve the White Coat Army's internal strife as soon as possible. As for Qinghai … I want to use other methods to drive Bayan Meng there."
Yang Ling took a sip of tea and said, "Qinghai belongs to Ming Destiny in name, but the actual users include many nomadic tribes. Bayan Meng occupies Qinghai Lake. With his identity as the Mongolian Great Khan, it will definitely arouse the fear of Hami, Beishbali, Samarkand, Hutulu, Khotan, Shulasi, Anduhuai, and other western countries.
In addition, there are many nomadic Mongolian tribes in Qinghai that are no longer under the rule of Tatar or Wala. They are most worried about being annexed by Bayan Meng. At the same time, Bayan Meng will lead troops for a surprise attack. His headquarters are still on the Tatar steppe. After he led light cavalry to attack Qinghai, the troops left behind as a distraction returned to the steppe.
This part of the army was ambushed by Hua Dang, who took the opportunity to attack. Ten thousand Steel Cavalry either died or surrendered. I heard that his most beloved Empress also fell into Hua Dang's hands. This humiliation is hard for the proud Bayan Meng to bear. At the same time, he will not be willing to give up the large steppe in the north. Even though the wisest way is to stay in Qinghai, accumulate strength and plan to rise again, he must have the intention to lead his tribe back to the steppe to fight.
In this case, we can add some weight to him and force him to leave. Maybe we can temporarily solve the problem of Qinghai without bloodshed. This will free us to focus on dealing with the White Coat Thief first. "
Li Dongyang's eyes flashed. He stroked his beard and said, "The best strategy is to defeat the enemy without fighting. I wonder what Duke Wei has in mind? "
Yang Ling said, "I want to see His Majesty in the afternoon and persuade him. I want His Majesty to communicate with those Tantric Dharmaraja, Living Buddhas and the highly respected Ahmadis of Islam who came to the capital to study Buddhism. I want to invite these Dharmaraja, Living Buddhas and Ahmadis back to Qinghai. The nomadic tribes there believe in religion and their influence is not below that of the tribal chiefs."
Yang Ling continued, "This is the political aspect. On the economic aspect, the trade in the Western Region has always been very prosperous. After the opening of the market in the north, the trade in the west has been completely liberalized. The silk, porcelain, ironware, grain, tea bricks, oil and salt, fine wine, gold, jade and lacquer ware from the Central Plains flowed into the Western Region through Qinghai. The prices of daily necessities such as cloth, salt, tea bricks and so on have fallen greatly. The people of the Western Region have benefited greatly.
Their cattle, horses, alpacas and other livestock have also been sold in large quantities to Ming Destiny. Their furs, meat, hair, woven felt blankets and other goods have also been sold to Ming Destiny. Not only have their princes and nobles profited greatly, the common people have also become much wealthier.
I will advise His Majesty to use the excuse that Boyan can occupy Qinghai. For the safety of the Shang people, he will order Sichuan and other places to stop the trade with the Western Region indefinitely until Boyan, this dangerous person, leaves. The price of the Western Region's salt, rice, tea bricks and other necessities will immediately skyrocket.
It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Once they are used to living a good life, if they are asked to eat meat without salt, have no milk tea on the table, and have no rice to eat, their tribes will definitely oppose. The princes and nobles can afford it, but they usually have mountains of gold and silver. Now that their source of wealth has been cut off, how will they view the culprit?
The lofty religious leaders will oppose it, the tribal leaders and nobles will oppose it, the common people and nomadic knights will oppose it. We will then send spies to Qinghai and the Western Region to spread the news that Ming Destiny is about to send troops and Wala is about to go south to fight Boyan. The tribes in the Western Region, who are already extremely dissatisfied, are afraid of getting into trouble and are bound to take action.
If all the countries and tribes in the Western Region are hostile to Boyan, then no matter how brave Boyan is, he will not be able to fight Wala in the north, resist Ming Destiny in the east, and face the armies of Hami, Hutulu, Yutian and other countries in the west and south. Escaping back to the grasslands in the north, taking back everything he has lost from Hua Dang and regaining his lost dignity is his only choice. "
Li Dongyang thought for a long time and nodded. "I think Duke's plan is feasible. With this move, there is an eighty to ninety percent chance that Boyan can only return to the grasslands in the north. Then, Huo Sieve and Hua Dang, who are currently encroaching on his territory, will form a situation of three tigers fighting for food with him. We can then free up our hands to settle the turmoil in our own inner circle with peace of mind. "
Yang Ling quietly gazed at him and said, "Old Sir, I have already shown you my 'Twelve Commentaries on Jingzheng'. Do you think … it is feasible?"
Li Dongyang's eyes narrowed slightly. A meaningful smile appeared on his face that had experienced the trials and tribulations of officialdom. "Duke, the officialdom has its rules, the internal rules that have been formed over thousands of years. You have overcome many obstacles and killed six generals, and have made great achievements in the imperial court. But when it comes to matters that involve the officialdom, one must be extremely cautious.
The core of officialdom is power. Without power, there will be no officialdom. And the core of power is profit. This profit includes the benefit of the country, and also the benefit of one's own small self. This profit includes the benefit of the country, and also the benefit of one's own territory and a corner of one's own mountain. As long as you can arrange the relationship between them well, then you will be successful in every endeavor. Otherwise, even if you can be pushed to the peak of power, you can also be pushed down by the big and small officials who make up the power. "
He looked deeply at Yang Ling and softly said, "Don't underestimate the small officials who make up the power. Otherwise, even if you can implement your own strategy, you will not be able to carry it out effectively. You don't have a thousand hands and a thousand eyes, but you must consider their interests. This includes those who follow you. Flatterers do it for the sake of riding horses. Followers, what is it for? "
Li Dongyang chuckled, stood up and said with a smile, "This old man is no longer a person in the officialdom. I can only tell Duke some of my decades of experience in politics. Duke still needs to consider carefully.
In this old man's opinion, it's best to first find an unimportant person to present this' Twelve Strategies of Pacification 'to the Emperor, so that he doesn't have anything to do with you. When the Emperor reports it, we can see who the opponents are and what issues they are focusing on. Then, we can prepare countermeasures and change the irreconcilable plan. Sometimes, making some compromises can better achieve the goal. "
He stroked his beard and said with a smile, "This old man will go back first. Duke might as well discuss with Elder Jiao. That old fellow is very experienced in the ways of the world and the rules of the officialdom. He is a cunning old fox, how can we not use him? Hahahaha … "
After sending off Li Dongyang, Yang Ling looked back at the almost completed Huang's Nunnery. Thousands of thoughts came together in his mind, "Hua Dang is ambitious. Once he successfully controls Boyan's territory, it is hard to say whether he will not turn around and deal with Ming Destiny. The Guandong immigration and reserve army are in full swing. The war in Qinghai, Jiangnan, Shanxi, and the reconstruction of Hebei, Hebei, Shandong …
Huang's Nunnery will be completed in less than two months. I wonder if that poor and cute little Yongfu will shave her hair and move in. It will be half a year of national mourning soon, and the day of His Majesty and Yixian's wedding is also near. The affairs of the country, family, and the world, there are many things to worry about. "
With his mind full of worries, Yang Ling returned to the mansion in a daze. He slowly walked under the grape trellis in the back porch, "The affairs of the country, family … family … that's right, the White Shirt Army's movements are erratic. When they attacked Zhejiang, they were counterattacked by the army that I had already arranged. Now there are signs of movement towards South Zhili.
I'm afraid that war is about to break out in South Zhili. Although Nanjing is impregnable, Yang Hu, who suffered in Tai 'an, may not dare to go to Nanjing. But for safety's sake, it is better to bring Lian' er and her daughter back. I have to arrange for Wu Hanchao and Xiao Ai to go to Jiangnan to bring Lian 'er and her daughter back by sea.
And Adeni, that Western beauty, the two of them were so intimate in the carriage last time. Although they did not achieve anything good, how can I send her away again? That honey-colored skin, that hot swaying body, that sexy and gentle sweet response … uh … the country is in trouble, isn't it a bit too shameless to think about women now? "
"It shouldn't be …" Duke quietly comforted himself, "Don't neglect public and private affairs. War needs to be done, love … also needs to be done …! "
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