After Yang Ling returned to the capital, he had originally been worried that the news of the two princesses marrying down would cause an earth-shattering reaction in the capital. Unexpectedly, it was like throwing a pebble into the ocean and did not cause any waves.
No one cared. Even if he married all of the Emperor's sisters, one willing to fight and one willing to suffer, no one would be willing to get involved.
The military and political leaders of the various prefectures in the country changed. Every feudal official had to leave their jurisdiction within a time limit and take up a post in a new place. After leaving the place that had been painstakingly managed for many years and the entangled local power, no one could command an army and be independent.
They listened to the orders of the court and could still govern the place, but that would depend on the prestige and power of the court. Even if they had the intention to cultivate new trusted aides and personal power, it would take a long time. The court could easily deploy for a long time and further increase the control of the central government.
This kind of thing had happened since ancient times, but such a large scale transfer was unprecedented. This was incited by Yang Ling, and Yang Ling had learned from a great person of the later generation. However, this kind of action that would not have been carried out without great boldness was in line with Zhengde's personality.
If it was another emperor, perhaps he would have many misgivings and be overcautious and indecisive, but Emperor Zhengde had always done things without any scruples and was bold and unconstrained. There was no need for careful consideration before he carried it out.
At the same time, the officials in the capital who had close ties with King Ning were all caught in one fell swoop. Other than a few who had a clear subordinate relationship with King Ning, most of the officials who only had close personal relationships or accepted bribes were not imprisoned or beheaded.
This was the result of Yang Ling's efforts to dissuade him. Otherwise, it was hard to guarantee that Zhu Houzhao would not follow the example of his ancestors and mobilize the Three Ministries and One Guard to carry out a bloody purge. Throughout history, once the imperial vassal states rebelled and colluded with the inside and outside, this was the inevitable result.
Yang Ling did not appreciate Zhu Yuanzhang's cruel methods of attacking his political enemies. On the contrary, he admired the Song Dynasty's gentlemanly politics. Perhaps no one would believe it if it was said that Yang Zhantou, who would cause bloodshed wherever he went, was actually someone who opposed the inevitable death of political struggles. Who would believe that he had no choice but to kill?
However, he was unable to make greater efforts. Rebellion had always been a taboo for the Emperor, and it was even more so for members of the royal family to rebel. This roster was discovered in front of the Emperor, so Yang Ling could only use reason to persuade the Emperor to use less weapons.
Speaking of which, there were some ministers who were wronged. Accepting gifts and gifts had long been the norm in the officialdom. Some people might not even think that King Ning was plotting a rebellion. However, it didn't mean that it had become the official system.
Many people were receiving gifts, but not all of them were trying to rebel. If you met someone who was trying to rebel, then you had to admit that you were unlucky. Everything would be fine as long as nothing happened, but if something did happen, he would have to take responsibility for it. Be it in the past or present, this was the case. If it was another emperor, there would be plenty of people under him that he could use. Why would he put a person with a grudge in his eyes?
Political struggles could be bloodless, but there would never be tender feelings!
However, there were not many who were pushed to the execution ground, but many who were pulled down from the horse. The promotion, demotion, and large-scale transfer of officials attracted all the attention of the court. Who cared who the Emperor's sister married?
In this way, the speeches that Yang Ling and Emperor Zhengde had prepared, and the divination prepared by the Taoist master Zhang in advance were all in vain. Except for the Empress Dowager who expressed her dissatisfaction, there was no more opposition from the court.
The marriage of Yang Ling and the two princesses was thus smoothly settled. Of course, the Observing Sky Officials had to calculate an auspicious date for the royal family to marry the princesses. The royal family had to make careful preparations. Princess Xiang 'er was the daughter of the King of Shu, so the King of Shu had to go to the capital to congratulate her. All the preparations were complete. Even with the fastest speed, it would take at least half a year. Besides, there was no need for the royal family to marry off their daughter in a hurry, so the wedding date had not been set yet.
Yang Ling was concerned about the situation outside the Great Wall and waited in the capital for more than half a month. When the situation in the capital had completely stabilized, he took the initiative to go to Liaodong for an inspection.
In history, Ming Destiny was destroyed by the barbarians from the north. At the critical moment when it transformed from a cocoon into a butterfly and was about to spread its wings, when its power was at its weakest, most turbulent, and most promising to move towards the next civilization, it was replaced by a more backward and ignorant power.
Yang Ling knew this history in detail, so he paid the most attention to the area outside the Great Wall. As long as the situation outside the Great Wall was not resolved, it would always be a worry for him. What's more, there were Hong Niangzi, Cheng Qiyun, and Adeni here. What about his loved ones?
After working hard for a long time, Yang Ling finally got permission from Emperor Zhengde. He packed his luggage and rushed outside the Great Wall. Now, he had passed the territory of the Liaodong Governor and was about to reach the Wuzhe Guards of the Governor's son.
Carriages rumbled, horses neighed, the morning sun was like fire, and the weeds were tall …
What was supposed to be Bing City was now a wasteland under the jurisdiction of Haixi Jurchen. Yang Ling remembered that when he was a child, he lived here for a few years. It was very exciting to revisit an old place. If it was the old place from hundreds of years ago, the scenery and people were no longer the same. The feeling of a thousand years passing in an instant and a hundred reincarnations was full of sorrow.
"Thinking of the long Heaven and Earth, I shed tears of sorrow." Yang Ling was very emotional. He sighed softly and thought about a myriad of things, but after a long time, he still couldn't recite a poem. He could only wave his sleeves, lie down on the brocade couch, and continue to sleep.
"Reporting to the Duke, we have arrived at the Wuzhe Guards ahead. The Wuzhe Guards Commander is here to welcome you."
"… …"
"Reporting to the Duke … …"
"En, en, where are we?" Yang Ling lifted the curtain and poked his head out. His hair was messy, his robe was open, and his eyes were hazy. He was sleeping soundly.
"Reporting to the Duke, we have arrived at the Wuzhe Guards. The Wuzhe Guards Commander Lian Yunshu is here to welcome you."
"En, stop the carriage!" Yang Ling's head immediately shrunk back into the carriage.
After a while, Yang Ling lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage. His robe was neat and tidy, and his hair was combed neatly. He stood proudly at the front of the carriage.
What came into view was a neat phalanx of infantry and cavalry. Their swords and spears gleamed coldly, their simple and shabby battle robes, and their faded flags fluttered high in the air. Yet, they had a majestic aura. There were only 2,000 soldiers, but they were like a magnificent army with thousands of horses and horses.
The Commander of the Wuzhe Guards, Lian Yunshu, galloped forward with a dozen or so cavalry officers. Most of these commanders were in their thirties and were in the prime of their lives. Commander Lian was relatively young. As the commanding general of an important garrison, he was not even in his forties.
He was clad in light armor and had a saber hanging from his ribs. His square face was angular, and his pale black face outlined the lines of a resolute and tough man. The generals who greeted him according to their ranks were also full of vigor and extraordinary aura.
When Commander Lian saw Yang Ling, he quickly dismounted and went forward to pay his respects. For a moment, mountains of gold and jade were toppled over. There was no need to pay such respects in a military formation, but they had long heard of Yang Ling's reputation.
Deciding a person's wealth and fortune, deciding a person's life and death, holding the position of a high official, and also receiving the Emperor's bestowment of two princesses as his wives. This kind of special honor and status is unprecedented, and will never be surpassed in the future. Such a person, not to mention him, Governor Lian, even your servant's son, the Governor of the Military Secretary, would not dare to disrespect him like a deity.
Yang Ling quickly got off the carriage and helped Commander Lian up. After exchanging greetings, they walked toward the city of the Wuzhe Guards. The cavalrymen on both sides of the road stood solemnly on their short but strong Mongolian horses. Although their clothes and weapons were not as bright as those of the soldiers in the capital, they exuded endless majesty and fierceness.
The Wuzhe City was not large, with a circumference of no more than 20 li. It had four gates and the main street was a crossroad. It did not have the complicated alleys and Taoist alleys of other cities. This way, it was convenient to quickly assemble troops, set out for battle, and defend the city.
The barracks in the city were neat and tidy, but most of them were mud houses built with rammed earth and plywood. The roofs were in the shape of a chevron and were covered with thick firewood that was oozing with yellow mud. Only when they reached the center of the barracks did they see five or six brick houses. The city was also very simple. Its height and sturdiness could probably only prevent wild beasts from breaking in.
In fact, they did not need a tall and sturdy city. The surrounding area was the pastures of the Savage Jurchen and Haixi Jurchen. These semi-primitive tribes did not have the guts to invade the Celestial army. They did not even dare to offend the ordinary Han people.
Further east were the Fuyu, Duo Yan, and Taining Garrison, which relied on the Greater Khingan Ridge to form the protective barrier of Ming Destiny's army. Unless the three garrisons were captured, Boyan's men would not be able to penetrate deep enough to pose a threat to Ming Destiny's army.
The group entered the largest and most spacious house. Commander Lian rubbed his hands and said awkwardly: "Lord Duke, this is the best house in the Wuzhe Guards. It is really simple and crude. I am really worried that Lord Duke has to live in such a place."
Yang Ling noticed that the house had just been refurbished. Even though the decorations in the house were a little crude, it was very clean and tidy. There was not a speck of dust. Even the cracks in the bricks on the floor were clean, without a speck of dust. It must have been hard on Commander Training. Who knew how many soldiers had been sent to clean the house?
Yang Ling chuckled and said, "It's alright. The generals have been guarding the borders for many years, and it can be said that they have done a lot of hard work. If you can live in such a place, why can't I live here? I did not come to the Great Wall to sightsee. Haha, there is no need to be restrained. Come, come, please take a seat. "
Yang Ling walked to the head of the table and sat down calmly. He spread his hands and pressed them down, saying: "All of you, sit down. It is inconvenient to talk like this."
Only then did the generals take their seats. Some soldiers brewed tea and served it to them. Yang Ling looked around and smiled: "We have just met the generals and do not know each other well yet. But it doesn't matter. This Duke will be staying in Nu 'er Gan for a period of time. We can slowly get to know each other. I, Yang Ling, am a very easy person to talk to. "
"Yes, yes." Commander Lian smiled apologetically. "There has never been a distinguished person like Duke in the bitter cold land beyond the Great Wall. This lowly official specially went to the mountains to hunt some rare animals and bought some things from the Jurchen tribes. We will hold a welcoming dinner for Duke in a while."
"Don't stand on ceremony, Sir Lian. This Duke is very happy to get to know all of you brave and skillful generals today. In a while, I will have to drink a few cups with all of you. Hmm, it is still early. Sir Lian, please tell me about the situation here first. "
Commander Lian respectfully replied: "Yes, this lowly official obeys."
He licked his lips to ease his nervousness and began to talk about the situation here. Yang Ling was very familiar with the three northeastern provinces. However, this was not the three northeastern provinces. It was still a wasteland and the power structure was even more complicated. It was somewhat strenuous for him to talk about it.
At the beginning, he was still stuttering, but he slowly became fluent.
The territory set up by Ming Destiny was huge, including the present Outer Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, the Soviet Union, and parts of the three eastern provinces. However, due to the sparse population, many places did not have enough troops to station, nor did they have enough population to open up the wasteland. At present, it was still an inaccessible virgin forest and prairie.
The Ming army's Guard Posts were scattered all over the major rivers, mainly at Heilongjiang, A Su River (today's Wusuli River), Songhua River, as well as Naowen River (today's Nenjiang) and Wusuli River basins. There were more than one hundred and thirty Guard Posts, big and small. Nu's son's Dushi yamen is located on the other side of the Rolling Estuary, the main officials of the Dushi are hereditary, this is different from the officials inside the pass.
Their jurisdiction extends from the Onan River (today's Enen River) in the west to the Outer Khingan Mountains in the north, the sea in the east, the Tumen River in the south, and the sea in the northeast. There is also a Guard Post on Sakhalin Island. There are many ethnic groups, such as Mongolians, Jurchens, Jirimi, Kuyi, and Daur, who mostly make a living by fishing and hunting.
The special thing here is that the three Duoyan Guards, Jurchens, and other more powerful ethnic groups have their own independent territories and leadership organizations, just like a country within a country. Moreover, due to the sparse population, it is useless to station too few troops in the border area with Tartary, and there is not enough troops if there are too many. Therefore, no troops are stationed in that area, making it an ungoverned area.
Therefore, after Red Lady occupied a large territory around the Onan River, and expanded eastward to Lake Hulun, Lake Beier, and even to the Fishing Sea, Ming Destiny's army did not make a move, which did not arouse Boyan's suspicion. Because in fact, there are no guards stationed in this land.
Yang Ling had already informed Cheng Qiyun of his arrival. Yang Ling reckoned that he would be able to understand the current situation of the Tartars, Wala, Duoyan Guards, and Red Lady from her. These Border Guards Station generals probably wouldn't be able to say much about the current situation.
Therefore, after listening to Commander Lian's explanation, he took the initiative and said, "Hmm, I came to visit the border to visit the soldiers guarding the border. I also want to go to Rolling River to appease the hereditary governors and commanders of the Rolling River Command. However, in view of the fact that Queen Yinqi of the three Duoyan Guards is about to open, and Damu is going to hold a public search for a son-in-law … "
Speaking of this, Yang Ling thought of Yinqi, who he met once on the White Mountain. That witty little girl, he couldn't help but smile and continued, "Queen Yinqi's actions have attracted the attention of all parties. Whether the three Duoyan Guards are divided or united is the key to breaking the current balance of the grassland.
Bayan, Huo Sieve, Yi Bula, Red Lady, as well as Aguda and Baiyin of the three Duoyan Guards are all paying attention to this matter. Therefore, I will stay here, and when necessary, I will quietly approach the three Duoyan Guards' encampment to observe and understand the situation at any time. This is to prevent the imperial court from lagging behind and falling into a passive position. "
Speaking of this matter, Deputy Commander Qiu Haotian also revealed a nervous expression and said, "What High Duke said is right. The three Duoyan Guards are now a gathering place of heroes, especially Bayan Meng. Since the age of seven, he has dominated the grassland and conquered the world. He suppressed Wala, who originally had the absolute advantage, to retreat to a corner in the northwest, never to rise again.
Hua Dang took the opportunity to send troops to punish the rebels and conquered all of Bayan Meng's territory. But Bayan Meng seemed to have the help of God and regained his grassland with a lone army. This person is as cunning as a fox and as fierce as a tiger. Many grassland shepherds say that the Longevity Heaven favors the Gold Family. Bayan Meng is the natural master of the grassland. There are also many magical legends about him. "
Yang Ling said with a faint smile, "For every great hero, there will always be people who, intentionally or unintentionally, weave all kinds of legends about him to prove how extraordinary he is. What is there to be surprised about?"
He swept his gaze and said with a smile, "Before the tide of Qiantang River, this High Duke swept away three thousand Wokou pirates with eight hundred foreign guards. There were people who made a farfetched claim that this High Duke had borrowed the water power of the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace from Taoist Master Zhang to annihilate the enemy. The defeated barbarians of Pingdu in Bashu still firmly believe that our Duke is the reincarnation of Zhuge Kongming. They even used their supernatural powers to make their Frog God abandon them. Hahaha, these things are told to some foolish men and women, but it sounds so vivid. Generals, you are all heroes who have dominated the battlefield with your martial arts. Do you believe such nonsense? "
Commander Lian, Qiu Haotian, and the others all laughed. At this moment, a soldier walked in and whispered a few words to the commander. Commander Lian rubbed his hands and said to Yang Ling, "High Duke, the banquet is ready. Do you think …?"
"Good! Let's go and have a few drinks. All the generals are a little restrained now. Let's drink to our heart's content at the banquet and talk freely! "
There weren't any outstanding cooks in the military station, but the food cooked in the big pots and bowls was very delicious. Fat and tender yellow lamb, delicious and savory chicken, fragrant black bear paws, crispy and fragrant snort, flying dragon soup, deer tendons in scallion oil, iron sparrow mushroom rings cooked in hashma oil, fresh osmunda, and bracken — all of these were natural game.
It wasn't easy to eat all of these things in the Pass. Although the rich and powerful families had the financial resources, they couldn't make bear paws and snort so fresh.
Yang Ling was easygoing and approachable. He didn't put on any airs at the banquet and even chatted excitedly with these generals about women. The feeling of restraint gradually disappeared from the generals, and in addition to their respect for Yang Ling, there was also a sense of familiarity.
Yang Ling was inspecting the guards outside the Pass because the political situation inside the Pass had just been reshuffled. It was necessary to send an important official to patrol the Northern Frontier on behalf of the Emperor and appease the various marquises who had been guarding the Pass for generations. In addition, he had to make the relay stations from the Prefectural Secretary to the capital more effective and strengthen the communication between the inside and outside the Pass.
Of course, these things had to be done. This was also the reason for the public announcement. But the main purpose was for the Damu Assembly of the Duoyan Guards to understand and decide on the future actions of the Deputy Khan of Dayuan and the Red Lady of Northern Ying. This secret reason did not need to be said out loud to these military commanders.
After the banquet, it was almost dusk. It had been a long time since Yang Ling had had such a good drink. He had been waiting for Cheng Qiyun's news in the Guard Station for the past two days, so there shouldn't have been anything to do. Coupled with the fact that he had been rushing all the way here, he was rather tired. After this banquet, he toasted and drank with the generals who had a high tolerance for alcohol. He was tipsy and his blood was boiling. He also bathed in a crude wooden barrel that emitted the fragrance of pine wood.
The evening wind blew gently and the grass rippled. Yang Ling was dressed in a light robe. His handsome face was slightly red and his feet felt weak as he strolled along the city walls. The moat outside the city was filled with lush aquatic plants that grew almost as long as the ground. The moat was narrow and shallow. The city was not very tall, only about two zhang high. However, there was not a single building in the distance, so one could still see as far as the eye could see. Far away, there was still a stretch of green waves that reached the sky.
This undeveloped land was rich in mineral resources. The ground was covered with large tracts of fertile soil and forests. It was of utmost importance to the future of Ming Destiny. But now, only a few soldiers were stationed here to stand guard. This only represented the symbolic meaning of the country. No one realized how rich the treasures it contained.
The imperial court did not realize the importance of this so-called barren land in addition to its political and military significance. Every year, they offered a few horses, a few sea holly, and a few thousand-year-old ginseng to the imperial court. This was the obligation of the subjects of this land and the taxes they paid.
Currently, the crisis of Bayan had to be resolved. But even after Bayan was dealt with, there was still Huo Sieve, Yi Buci, the three Duoyan Guards, and … the Jurchen Dynasty, which was still like a plate of loose sand that no power paid any attention to …
That could be a matter of a few years, a few decades, or a hundred years. If they could not fundamentally resolve this antagonism and curb the development of these foreign powers, then who could guarantee that there would not be a second Bayan, or even a second Temujin, or … a Nurhaci that should have appeared?
"Ethnic groups are just different groups in history formed from different cultures, customs, beliefs, ideas, and so on. The sea will not be complacent about how many rivers it is made up of. If these rivers were always clearly divided and maintained their own characteristics, they would not be able to become the sea. There are many ethnic groups, but they still consciously divide and maintain these differences. That is to remember the past and give up on the future. The final world should be integration.
Through force, through common interests, through culture, and through race. Only in this way can the hidden dangers be completely eliminated. Through force, through common interests, this is what is being done now. The next step is to focus on economic development within the Pass, and military attention must be paid to Liaodong. By strengthening the mutual market and trade, it could subtly strengthen the relationship between the various races.
Through culture, Yang Shen is doing it. He is collecting many classics and culture and has contacted a group of scholars, hoping to spread the culture and ideas of the Central Plains among these nomadic tribes through books, plays, songs, and other forms.
Assimilating them into the clan was also a long-term plan. When we strengthen the relationship with common interests and deepen our understanding through culture, then the concept of living together and marrying of different ethnic groups will be acceptable. The hundreds of thousands of Han who migrate to the northeast will gradually integrate with the people of the various ethnic groups until they become one. "
However, to realize these things and not give up halfway, we need a stable environment. Then we must eliminate ambitious people like Bayan, Huo Xi, Yi Bula, and so on. We must weaken the power of separation of these ethnic groups and strengthen their sense of belonging and identity. Otherwise, once the imperial court is weak, the various ethnic groups will have second thoughts, and the cycle will start again. The chaos of war will be endless.
"The hero of one ethnic group will often become the devil of another ethnic group. If the price of blood must be paid in exchange for eternal peace, then let me, Yang Ling, play the role of the devil. "
The drunk Yang Zhantou looked at the endless green grass that bowed its head in the night wind and uttered these evil words.
He let out a breath that reeked of alcohol and, accompanied by a few personal guards, walked drunkenly to the tent. At this moment, on the horizon, hundreds of valiant knights escorted a luxurious carriage in the style of a Mongol prince and galloped towards the Wuzhi Guard.
The brass bells on the carriage curtain jingled, just like the heart of the beauty in the carriage, hurried and full of joy. The setting sun was like blood and the grassland was undulating. Cheng Qiyun had yet to see the outline of the Wuzhi Guard, but her heart had already flown into the city and to Yang Ling's side.
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