In particular, some lower-class people who had been oppressed by the nobles saw that reporting was really useful and spread the word. The Sujing Department of the Chief Minister's Yamen received several waves of herdsmen who came to report almost every day.
There was a sudden turmoil, and even the surviving aristocrats, wealthy merchants and ranchers were arrested one after another.
…
In the study room of the snow-white domed palace, Lu Ming looked at the latest battle report.
In the Liudao of the Northern Territory occupied by Ma Quanyou, the war was going smoothly, but there were signs that most of Ma Quanyou was moving to the northwest, and it was unclear whether he was going back to the prairie.
But if they come to capture Chishui City, they will definitely be dragged to death here. This is the time to annihilate their main force.
The central grassland is actually very chaotic now, and we only control Chishui City and a few large trading points.
The rest of the vast grassland areas can be regarded as the world of Ma Quanyou's old tribe.
There are probably hundreds of nomadic settlements, large and small, and the method adopted by our side to completely destroy their superstructures makes it impossible to recruit these nomadic tribes to surrender.
Because the grassland owners of these tribes regard themselves as the real enemy. If they surrender, they will die. If they don't, they will die. So why surrender?
The bottom herders are completely controlled by them ideologically, and there is no fixed location in the village, so it is impossible to propagandize and encourage them to become slave owners.
What's more, with thousands of years of deep-rooted ideas, how can one's propaganda of some slogans of freedom and equality inspire them to rebel against their own masters?
It is in Chishui City that those who are keen to report the dignitaries and even the old masters in the secret city are usually not law-abiding elements themselves, nor are they influenced by the idea of freedom and equality. Some simply want to see the nobles become the soles of their feet.
mud.
Those honest and hard-working herdsmen, who are the backbone of the prairie economy, are mostly loyal to their masters. They have the mindset that they deserve to be punished by their masters, and they deserve to be beaten to death.
It's sad and pitiful, but there's nothing we can do about it.
While Lu Ming was thinking about it, Ma Chinuer's voice came from outside: "Master, Ma Quanchang is here!"
Lu Ming responded.
The door to the study room was pushed open, and the guards led in a spirited old man named Ma Quanchang, a very prestigious elder in Chishui City.
He is Ma Quanyou's brother by generation, but the blood relationship is very far away. Only the generation of his great-great-grandfather is the same family.
Because Ma Quanchang was very prestigious in the clan, he was originally a competitor for the clan leader. After Ma Quanyou gained power, he severely suppressed Ma Quanchang's clan. Ma Quanchang's eldest son was even executed by Ma Quanyou ten years ago for violating clan rules.
.
In this way, Ma Quanchang escaped the catastrophe of Chishui City being destroyed that day, but he was still arrested the next day.
Now he has been taken out of prison.
The old man was neither humble nor arrogant, and stood in front of Lu Ming.
Lu Ming smiled slightly: "Mr. Ma, please sit down!" With a gesture, the guard brought a chair to Ma Quanchang.
In the study room of this palace, the chairs are all inlaid with precious stones and are colorful.
Ma Quanyou's luxurious life can be seen in his plundering of the grassland.
Ma Quanchang shook his cloth robe and slowly sat down.
Lu Ming smiled: "Mr. Ma, I have drafted a list of pardons. The people on the list do not even need to go to court. You are the first on the list because it is found out that you have a very good reputation in these years.
, has a reputation of being honest, so there is no need to stand trial, but your property comes from the brutal plunder of herdsmen, so it will be confiscated, most of it will be distributed to your herdsmen, and a small amount will be confiscated and put into the treasury. Of course, Mr. Ma
Please rest assured that the amount will be enough to support your family's decent life."
Ma Quanchang was stunned for a moment. His original indifferent expression disappeared and he opened his eyes wide. "Are you telling the truth?"
Originally, I thought I could not escape death and wanted to die with dignity, but I didn’t expect that I would be pardoned and regain my freedom?
As for the confiscation of property, etc., the mansion has been sealed off and the entire clan has been locked up. According to the way the Montenegrins enter the city, aren't they all going to be shot?
Nowadays, if you escape from death, what does your property mean?
Ma Quanchang felt great joy in his heart, but he couldn't believe it.
Lu Ming continued: "The general manager's office is also planning to hire you as an appeasement envoy to help the principality appease and surrender various settlements."
Ma Quanchang smiled bitterly, that's it.
Lu Ming added: "However, the ugly words are ahead. I will not coax them to surrender and settle the accounts later. The past things and the evil they did can be forgotten. However, the blood debts are another matter. Moreover, each settlement
Lord, I want to donate all my property. Well, like you, I can keep a family property to maintain a decent life, and other properties, including livestock groups, are distributed to the herders of the settlement."
Ma Quanchang listened and shook his head disapprovingly.
Lu Ming smiled: "Mr. Ma, do you have a different opinion?"
Ma Quanchang sighed, "I understand that His Highness the Prince wants to completely destroy the old order here, so he will nominally take over everything in the prairie to the royal family, and confiscate all the property of the old nobles. However, every settlement has
"His Royal Highness can definitely send someone to take care of it. What if the horses, cattle, and sheep are also distributed to each herdsman in the settlement?" Ma Quanchang shook his head: "Each herdsman is allocated so many cattle and sheep. Sir, have you ever thought about it?"
?So the efficiency of nomadic herding is completely lost? Originally, a few people could manage a large number of livestock herds. Now, how can they nomadically manage so many animals per family? Even breeding and breeding in the future will be troublesome!"
Lu Ming smiled: "It's good not to be nomadic!"
Ma Quanchang was stunned, and then a chill rose from his heels. Perhaps the Montenegro people's original intention was to change the living customs of their own ethnic group and cut off the roots of their own ethnic group.
Lu Ming smiled: "In short, in the future, the lives of grassland herdsmen may be busier than before, and they will not have so much time to practice martial arts and archery, but their lives will definitely get better and better. Times have changed. Each generation has its own way of life. Ma
Sir, what do you think? Embracing the future and embracing civilization is the long-term way for a race to exist."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Ma Quanchang was silent.
Lu Ming said: "In short, Mr. Ma, it's up to you whether the many settlements can be reunited peacefully or whether they are still going to be bloody and require us to send armed detachments to attack and exterminate them one by one!" He glanced at him and said, "Mr. Ma, you need time to think about it.
?”
Ma Quanchang made a decision almost instantly, "Your Excellency does not despise me for being old and old, and you have given my family a way to live. I am dedicated to my life and do not dare to slack off!"
Lu Ming smiled and said, "That's good! Then, Commissioner Ma! Have a pleasant cooperation in the future!" He stood up and extended his hand.
Ma Quanchang also quickly stood up and stretched out his hands to shake Lu Ming's hand.
Lu Ming asked again: "Commissioner Ma, do you want to meet Empress Tuoba Khan?"
Ma Quanchang was stunned for a moment: "Is that possible?" Then he understood, "If Tuoba Khan is willing to send a letter, the Tuoba tribe will be able to submit."
After Tuoba Khan, she became Ma Quanyou's first wife.
According to prairie customs, a khan has one queen and four concubines, and all five are official wives, but the queen of the khan has a higher status.
The Tuoba tribe is the fourth tribe in the prairie after the three major tribes. The nomadic pasture is in the southeastern area of the central grassland belt. There are dozens of settlements and a population of 50,000 to 60,000.
When Ma Quanyou became more and more powerful, in order to become a real overlord of the grassland, he married the Tuoba tribe and married Tuoba Lan, the beloved daughter of the Tuoba tribe leader.
Ma Quanyou called him Khan, and after Tuoba Lan was honored as Khan, he got his wife and became one of the four concubines.
However, Ma Quanyou respected and feared Tuoba Khan, and was bored with his old wife.
All in all, he probably didn't feel that comfortable in front of the two of them.
Therefore, during this southern expedition, Ma Quanyou brought his two most favored young concubines, Tuoba Khan and his first wife, Ma Hanfei, and another elderly concubine, who were left behind in Chishui City.
Now, they are all prisoners, but they are treated very well and are under house arrest in this palace.
In fact, many noble women who were shot to death or imprisoned were also imprisoned in the palace. A total of more than 200 women, old and young, were under house arrest here.
They are all waiting for court rulings, either hard labor or restoration of freedom.
After Ma Quanchang heard that he could see Tuoba Khan, his face was slightly excited.
In the past, the two families had a feud and could even be said to be enemies. However, in the current chaotic situation, it may be possible to discuss the matter with Tuoba Khan, who has always been a wise and high-ranking person.
At first, the left-behind ministers wanted to execute Montenegro's "internal spies" and Montenegrin intelligence officers. After Tuoba Khan, they firmly opposed it. Unfortunately, the left-behind people thought they had the support of Westerners, and the Montenegrin people would never dare to go west again. The left-behind people voted.
Even more unanimously, in accordance with grassland customs, they rejected Tuoba Khan's advice and tortured and executed all the "internal agents" and intelligence personnel of the Principality of Montenegro. This led to today's disaster, and they also paid a heavy price. Some "
Almost all the seven noble families who stayed behind on the ship were killed.
For today's grassland tribes, we still need to listen to Tuoba Khan's advice on what the future changes will be.
While Ma Quanchang was thinking, there was a knock on the door, and Ma Chinuer's voice said, "Master, there is an emergency call."
