It was already early April when Chongzhen returned to Beijing with Ran Sanniang and Li Xiangjun.
By the way, Chongzhen took the train directly from Nanjing back to Beijing this time.
After more than a year of construction, the Beijing-Beijing railway was finally fully connected, and Chongzhen took the first passenger train.
After the Beijing-Beijing Railway was opened to traffic, the Yunxi Railway Freight Company was established immediately and began to prepare for the construction of the Yunxi Railway, that is, the railway from Yunti Pass to the Western Regions.
The length of this railway will be more than 10,000 miles.
Of course, the Yunxi Railway will be divided into two phases.
In the first phase, the railway from Yuntiguan to Xi'an will be built.
The second phase will continue with the construction of the railway from Xi'an to the Western Regions.
In addition, preparations for the Beijing-Shenyang Railway have also begun.
The Beijing-Shenyang Railway is the railway line from Beijing to Shenyang.
With the experience of building the Beijing-Beijing Railway, railway construction in the Ming Dynasty began to be fully rolled out.
Chongzhen’s goal is to build a basic railway network with two vertical and two horizontal lines within ten years.
The so-called two verticals, in addition to the two-Beijing railway, are the vast railway from Datong via Taiyuan, then via Zhengzhou and Wuhan, and finally to Guangzhou. In the future, the West-Kunming railway from Xi'an to Chengdu, then to Guiyang and even Kunming will be built. However, currently
There is no capability at this stage because the engineering difficulty is too high.
At this stage, the main reason is that the technical level of engineering and construction is insufficient.
The number of workers is sufficient. In addition to Osaka Company, which is continuously recruiting workers from Japan, Nanyang Company, which was founded just one year ago, has also officially started operations.
In addition to the normal trade of goods, the Nanyang Company is also responsible for recruiting labor from Nanyang.
In just over a year, Osaka Company and Nanyang Company imported more than 1 million workers from Japan and Nanyang to the Ming Dynasty, which greatly alleviated the labor shortage in the Ming Dynasty.
Speaking of which, I cannot but mention one thing.
That is, among the workers "recruited" by the Nanyang Company, in addition to a large number of Southeast Asian indigenous people, there were also black workers trafficked by the Red Yi from South Asia and even Africa.
When the first batch of black workers came to Jiangnan, it caused a very fierce reaction from the new gentry class in eight prefectures and one state in Jiangnan.
In addition to the old Jinchuo, the new gentry in the eight prefectures and one state in the south of the Yangtze River now has wealthy businessmen who have profited from the development of industry and commerce. These wealthy businessmen have not only become rich economically, but also politically because of their connections with the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Wuying Palace.
Inextricably linked, they also have a considerable degree of say.
Regarding the Nanyang Company's move to traffic in black labor, the old and new gentry groups in eight prefectures and one state in the south of the Yangtze River showed a high degree of unity, that is, they were firmly opposed to it.
New and old newspapers, led by Huangming Times and Hanlin Daily, published articles in succession, heavily criticizing black workers, believing that the introduction of these "Yaksha" workers would pollute the Yanhuang bloodline.
Since ancient times, Chinese civilization has almost never talked about blood.
But this time, Ming Dynasty's media talked about bloodlines uncharacteristically.
Hanlin Daily even dug out the story of the Kunlun slaves of the Tang Dynasty from the pile of old papers. The dignitaries of the Tang Dynasty also purchased Kunlun slaves. However, the Kunlun slaves sold to the Tang Dynasty through Arab merchants were all castrated, so they were docile and
It will not stain the blood of the Tang Dynasty, so it is sought after by the powerful people of the Tang Dynasty.
Due to pressure, Nanyang Company added a rule.
Only castrated male blacks and sterilized female blacks can enter the Ming Dynasty to work. Even young males or female blacks must be castrated or sterilized.
Regarding this matter, Chongzhen did not advocate it but did not oppose it either.
…
As soon as I returned to Beijing, I received good news.
"Your Majesty, King Ding has pacified Juyanhai." Jiang Tianyi happily reported, "The two banners on the left and right of Tumote and the Junggar banners entrenched near Juyanhai have been completely wiped out. Bumubutai and Fulin have been completely wiped out.
The mother and son, as well as Sangar and others, were captured alive by our army and are currently on their way to Beijing."
"Really?" Chongzhen said happily, "This is really good news."
After a pause, Jiang Tianyi said again: "In addition, King Ding is preparing to continue the westward expedition to pacify the Oirat Mongolian tribes, and is even preparing to lead his army to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to pacify the Khan of the Kingdom of Ding."
"What? He wants to continue the western expedition to pacify the Oirat Mongolia and Qinghai-Tibet?"
This is something Chongzhen never expected. This brat is quite ambitious.
"Yes, King Ding said that he would unify the Qiuye Begonia mentioned by the Holy One." Jiang Tianyi smiled and said, "I thought I could let King Ding give it a try. After all, we can pacify Horqin, Chahar, Khalkha and so on.
The Sanghars have fought very well in these battles, with small losses but very great results. They are both descendants of Temujin and descendants of the Mongolian Golden Family. The performance of the Oirat tribes and the Qinghai-Tibet National Preceptor Khan may not be better than other tribes.
Where to go."
"Don't worry about things on the battlefield. Not to mention Wang Jiali and Li Yan, they have six cavalry divisions. Even if they only have four cavalry divisions, they will be enough to sweep across the Western Regions and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau." Chongzhen said, "What I'm worried about is how to replenish the supplies.
?Right now, the first phase of the Yunxi Railway has just been approved, and it will take at least one year to be completed, and the second phase will take at least three years!"
Jiang Tianyi smiled and then said: "Your Majesty, King Ding is planning to imitate the tactics of the Mongols' Western Expedition, driving cattle and sheep on the road while marching westward. This can at least solve the problem of food and grass supply, and free up the mules.
The horses can all be used to carry ammunition. King Ding said that it can carry ten basic ammunition, which is enough for a year."
Chongzhen pondered for a moment and then made a decision: "In that case, I will take the lead in the expedition myself."
This is really not about competing with his son for battle glory, nor is it because he is afraid that Zhu Cijiong will lose his tail.
Mainly because Chongzhen liked fighting and didn't want to miss such a grand Western Expedition.
…
In May 1651, the 24th year of Chongzhen's reign, Chongzhen swore to fight the Western Expedition from Guihua City.
Because Horqin, Chahar, Khalkha and Tumut were wiped out one after another, and the vast land further north only had armed strongholds established by the Rakshasa people along several rivers, there was actually no enemy in the northern border of the Ming Dynasty.
existence, only a small group of cavalry is enough to ensure the security of northern Xinjiang.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! In view of this, Chongzhen mobilized almost all the cavalry.
Among the ten cavalry divisions, except for the 1st Cavalry Division stationed in Liaodong and the 4th Cavalry Division stationed in Mobei, the remaining eight cavalry divisions all participated in the Western Expedition.
In addition to the eight cavalry divisions, the army of the Western Expedition also included hundreds of thousands of women and children as well as female soldiers in the female barracks.
Yes, that's right, these hundreds of thousands of women and children are all the wives and children of the cavalry division officers. In addition, there is also the eight thousand female barracks led by Li Xiangjun. The female barracks are all serious warriors, and their combat effectiveness is not bad.
.
So the process of the entire Western Expedition was roughly like this. Eight cavalry divisions were responsible for fighting along the way, and hundreds of thousands of women and children were responsible for herding more than two million sheep, more than 300,000 cattle, more than 500,000 horses, and 3,000 horses.
There are many camels, and the eight thousand female soldiers in the female barracks are responsible for protecting women, children, cattle and sheep, and preventing sneak attacks by small groups of enemies.
On the route of the Western Expedition, Chongzhen's army did not go straight westward.
Although the distance from Hetao to the Western Region via the Hexi Corridor is the shortest, the route along the way is either desert or Gobi, which is not suitable for grazing. If we have to take this route, a large number of cattle and sheep will die.
Therefore, Chongzhen took the northern route, which is now in Outer Mongolia.
In early June, the Ming army arrived at the banks of the Arutula River at the foot of Kent Khan Mountain, near today's Ulaanbaatar City.
Along the Arutura River to the north is Lake Baikal. Lake Baikal is an eternal pain in the hearts of all Chinese people in another world. The pearl that originally belonged to the Chinese nation was snatched away by Lao Maozi.
But in this world, Lake Baikal can no longer be taken away.
In the evening, Chongzhen and his son took Xu Wuniu and other personal guards to the bank of the Alu Tula River.
"Father." Zhu Cijiong pointed at the Alu Tula River winding northward with the riding whip in his hand and said with a smile, "You are the second Han emperor to conquer the Alu Tula River in eight hundred years."
"Prince Ding, who is the other emperor?" Xu Wuniu looked confused.
"Idiot, of course it's Emperor Chengzu." Zhu Cijiong said with a dark face, "In the twelfth year of Yongle, Emperor Chengzu personally led his army to defeat Mahamu at Hulanhu Wenwen, and pursued him all the way to the banks of the Alu Tula River.
It is a pity that in the end, this old boy Mahamu was allowed to run away, leaving behind future troubles."
"That's right." Chongzhen also said, "Emperor Chengzu's five expeditions to Mongolia failed to completely surrender Mongolia. During the reign of Emperor Yingzong, the Mongolian Taishi also led his troops to invade and almost captured Beijing."
"Then Grandpa Cheng is far worse than the Holy Emperor and Prince Ding." Xu Wuniu said.
Hearing this, father and son Chongzhen and Zhu Cijiong had no reaction, but the expressions of the accompanying eunuchs and generals such as Lu Jiude, Li Yan, Hu Guozhu, etc. changed drastically. Can they say this casually?
Lu Jiude even scolded him with a straight face: "Bold, are you the one who can comment on Mr. Cheng?"
"Eunuch Lu is such a powerful official." Zhu Cijiong snorted, "You can control the world but how can you control other people's mouths? Grandpa Cheng did not defeat Mongolia during his five expeditions. This is a fact. Why don't others say it?"
After a pause, Zhu Cijiong said again: "You need to know how to defend the people's mouth and even the river."
Chongzhen also said quietly: "Eunuch Lu, if you let people speak, the sky will not fall."
"Long live my Lord, this is not what I mean." Lu Jiude was so anxious that he quickly got off his horse and knelt on the ground.
"Get up, what are you doing? Our Ming Dynasty has abolished the kneeling ceremony." Chongzhen said angrily.
When Lu Jiude got up, Chongzhen turned around and asked Zhu Cijiong: "Jiong'er, have you sent out the pioneering team to the Far North and the Far East?"
"Father, we have already dispatched." Zhu Cijiong said, "A total of eighteen armed pioneering groups have been dispatched. Each pioneering group has about a hundred people. In addition to some retired veterans, they are mainly Mongolians and Koreans.
"
Chongzhen calculated in silence that eighteen armed pioneering regiments, totaling more than a thousand people, were barely enough.
Because at this time, there were only a thousand people in the Tsarist Russian pioneering group active in Siberia and the Far East.
In the desolate Far North, it is impossible to send a large army to conquer, so sending an armed pioneering group is the first step.