To put it bluntly, the main reason for the demise of the Ming Dynasty was not actually the exile of bandits or the establishment of slaves, but the financial collapse of the Ming Dynasty itself.
The biggest enemy of the Ming army in the late Ming Dynasty was not the Manchus or the bandits, but the lack of pay!
How did you say that!
The Ming army is not satisfied with its pay, but it is invincible if it is fully paid!
Even with the combat capabilities of the elite servants of the Ming army, as long as you give them enough money, they can cut down the slaves for you.
However, it is quite helpless that since Wanli ascended the throne and the state treasury was empty after Wanli's three major campaigns, the remnants of Zhang Juzheng's reforms were gradually exhausted.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the financial situation of the Ming Dynasty was extremely unhealthy!
Rich areas such as Jiangnan and Jiangbei have been in arrears with taxes year after year, but Guanzhong, which has suffered from drought for more than ten years, has to bear nearly one-fifth of the country's taxes.
Under such circumstances, if the people in Guanzhong do not resist, there will be no way for them to survive!
If the Ming Dynasty could collect taxes from Jiangnan and Jiangbei at that time, it would be a waste to settle the matter, and it would be a waste to think of thieves!
In fact, this is also the reason why Zhu Hongyu chose Nanjing as his capital.
He wanted to use Nanjing's radiating influence to firmly control the prosperous areas south of the Yangtze River and north of the Yangtze River.
Because, the next era is the era of industry and capital!
If Zhu Hongyu wants to firmly control the country, industry and capital are the most important, and their importance is not even worse than the army.
Because, in the coming industrial age, what determines the outcome of a war is no longer the handful of elite armored soldiers in an army as in the cold weapon age, but the density of firepower.
No matter how elite and skilled an armored soldier you are, you will be turned into minced meat after being hit by a cannonball!
In the age of firearms, the abundance of industrial production capacity and capital is the key to determining the firepower density of an army!
Of course, the reason why Zhu Hongyu made Nanjing his capital was because he knew about the prospects of railways and telegraphs.
He knew that as long as the railway and telegraph existed, he could ensure that he would have sufficient control over the border troops even if he was based in the capital.
Even if the capital is thousands of miles away from the frontier and there are telegraphs and railways, there is no need to worry about the army mutiny.
This is the so-called technology changing era!
…
In the cabin!
Although boating on the canal is not as bumpy as the sea, it is not uncomfortable for a group of Mongolians who have never seen water.
Burni and other Mongolian nobles were in the cabin and vomited all kinds of meat and vegetables.
In the crowded, narrow, dimly lit cabin, the sour smell of vomit was constantly fermenting.
It makes people sick to hear it!
Burni's hands were tied behind his back, and his face was full of deep helplessness. He kicked away a Mongolian nobleman who fell on top of him, and said in a very unkind tone.
"Go away, don't squeeze!"
"Damn dog slave!"
The Mongolian nobleman saw that the person who kicked him was Dahan, but he did not dare to say anything. He could only cower with a look of fear on his face.
Everyone has become a prisoner, but he did not dare to fight back when being bullied. It can only be said that the Golden Family does have a high prestige on the grassland.
However, Burni now has no idea that he was bullying others.
In other words, as a descendant of the Golden Family, he does not take ordinary Mongolian nobles seriously.
He has been constantly instilled with the concept since he was a child that he is a descendant of the Golden Family and that the entire grassland should be dominated by himself and no one can oppose him.
It is precisely because of this that he developed such a domineering and arrogant character!
At this moment, an officer of the Ming Army walked in from outside the cabin. He glanced around and waited until everyone calmed down under his gaze before he spoke.
"What? It's too crowded? Do you want me to help you relax?"
As soon as the Ming army officer finished speaking, the Mongolian nobles who were still whispering all became silent.
Because they all know what the Ming army officers mean by loose and fast.
It's nothing more than killing a few people and making more space for them!
Except for Burni, no one can guarantee whether he will be killed!
I can't tolerate them not being afraid!
Facing the murderous words of the Ming army officers, these captured Mongolian nobles all showed a look of fear.
Even Burni, who was extremely arrogant just now, restrained his arrogance when faced with Ming army officers who were really capable of killing people.
Now that he is a prisoner of the Ming Dynasty, he can only be arrogant towards the Mongols, but he does not dare to be arrogant towards the Ming army.
Because those Mongols couldn't do anything to him, and although the Ming army wouldn't kill him, they could teach him a lesson!
Seeing this, the Ming army officer glanced around, a flash of disdain flashed deep in his eyes, and sneered and said.
"Haha, not bad, they are all very sensible!"
The Ming army officer held his nose and walked around the cabin, then spoke.
"I am here today to give you a chance to survive!"
"I received instructions from the top that you and other prisoners of war need to sing and dance to entertain you at the Ming Dynasty's prisoner presentation ceremony!"
"Just prepare and rehearse!"
"If your singing and dancing can satisfy His Majesty, maybe Your Majesty will be happy and pardon your death penalty!"
After saying that, the Ming army officer turned around and left the cabin.
It wasn't that he didn't want to stay longer, but the smell in the cabin was too pungent.
Most people can’t stand the taste!
After the Ming army officers left, there was a burst of noise in the cabin.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
"If you ask me and other Mongolian nobles to entertain a group of Han people with singing and dancing, we will never accept it!"
"Yes, I would rather die than suffer this humiliation!"
"..."
Burney on the side looked even more ugly.
He is a descendant of the dignified Golden Family. It is absolutely unacceptable for him to dance for the Han Emperor!
Because this is a complete humiliation to the Golden Family!
If Burni really performs this dance, the Golden Family's prestige on the grassland will be completely destroyed by him.
Everyone looked at Burni, and everyone was looking forward to Burni's statement.
As long as Burni dares to stand up and express his position, they will dare to follow Burni to make the matter bigger.
The worst possible outcome is death. People can die, but this dance is absolutely impossible!
However, under everyone's gaze, Burni twitched the corners of his mouth, pulled out a very ugly smile, and said.
"Everyone wants to ask Ben Khan, what kind of dance can we dance?"
Brain: I, Burni, am a descendant of the Golden Family and have very hard bones. I must not dance this dance!
Knee: No, I'm a little weak!
…
On the deck, the Ming army officer who had just gone to deliver the order in the cabin strode to Zhao Yingdong, clasped his fists and said.
"Master Marquis, I have conveyed your wishes to Burni and other Mongolian prisoners of war!"
When Zhao Yingdong heard this, he nodded slightly and said.
“Well done!”
"If this matter is done well, I will give you a great credit!"
When the Tang Dynasty defeated the Eastern Turks, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty asked the auspicious Khan of the Eastern Turks to perform a dance under the palace, thereby achieving the reputation of Emperor Taizong as the Heavenly Khan.
Now that the Emperor of Heaven has asked the Mongolian Khan, who was born in the Golden Family, to dance at the palace, he will definitely be able to intimidate all nations.
This can be regarded as a congratulatory gift from Zhao Yingdong to the emperor!
As a veteran minister, Zhao Yingdong still has some skills in trying to figure out the Holy Will.
…
Under the gaze of everyone, even a person as shameless as Burney felt embarrassed.
But he still spoke.
"Now that we are prisoners, we don't have to force ourselves to gain face that is unnecessary!"
"Since the Emperor of Ming Dynasty wants me to perform the dance, I'll just dance!"
"Surviving is more important than anything else!"
Burney said earnestly, and the expression on his face was full of sincerity and earnestness.
It seems like he is thinking about everyone!
But, to put it bluntly, he is still afraid of death!
The rest of the people were silent when they heard the words.
Yes, surviving is more important than anything else!
If they were not afraid of death, they would not have chosen to surrender to the Ming army in Zhangjiakou, but would have died heroically on the battlefield.
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…
Western Region!
Hami City!
People and horses were everywhere outside the city, and teams of armored knights rode back and forth outside the city.
The flag of Wu Zhou is flying between heaven and earth!
Wu Sangui sat on his horse, looking at Hami City in the distance, his eyes slightly focused.
After receiving the Ming Dynasty's arms, the main force of Guan Ning's army set out from Lanzhou and continued to move westward.
The army first settled in Qinghai Lake, and the vanguard continued westward.
Wu Yingqi, Wu Guowei Wang Fuchen and others led their troops to encounter the Jungar cavalry on the eastward expedition in a basin east of Hami, and defeated them.
Behead thousands of levels!
There are countless people who fled in panic!
The main force of the Zhungeer tribe was defeated and was forced to withdraw westward into the city of Hami, preparing to stand firm and wait for reinforcements.
Then, the main force of Guan Ning's army set out from Qinghai Lake and continued to advance westward to Hami, besieging Jungar Khan Sengge in Hami city.
Guan Ning's army set up a posture outside Hami City and made preparations to attack the city.
Wu Sangui coughed violently, and it felt like he was about to cough up all his lungs.
After a while, Wu Sangui finally calmed down his breathing, but still asked in a weak tone.
"Approximately how many defenders are there in Hami City?"
Wu Yingqi on the side said with his fists clasped.
"For your information, father, there are probably more than 17,000 defenders in Hami City!"
"Almost all the troops that the entire Zhungeer tribe can control, Khan Sengge!"
The Jungar tribe is still in civil strife, and the rebellion of several Sengge brothers has not yet been put down.
The strength in Seng Ge's hands is very limited.
"If our army attacks Hami, will anyone come to help?"
Wu Sangui asked the question he wanted to know most.
Now Wu Sangui has the idea of encircling the point to mobilize reinforcements, severely damaging the entire Zhungeer tribe in Hami City in one fell swoop, and then relying on the reputation of the Great Zhou Dynasty to severely damage the Zhungeer tribe, to take over the entire Western Region in one fell swoop.
Wu Yingqi heard this and stood up and said.
"Reporting to my father, the Jungar tribe is currently in civil strife!"
"Brothers of Sengge Khan, such as Chechnya, Zhuoteba and others, support their own troops, and some are even at war with Sengge Khan."
"Now that I, the Great Zhou Dynasty, have surrounded Sengge in Hami, it is good for the rest of the Zhungeer tribe to rejoice in the misfortune, and there is no way they can come to the rescue."
When Wu Sangui heard this, he nodded clearly.
But he also began to think deeply in his heart.
Surround the spot for support: x!
So what should they do next?
The territory of the Western Region is really too vast and too desolate.
It would be too nerve-wracking if the enemy could not be concentrated and annihilated, but instead ran to the vast grasslands to play chase and hide-and-seek with the Mongols.
After pondering for a while, Wu Sangui asked.
"Ying Qi, if you want to tell me, how can I, the Great Zhou, defeat the Zhungeer tribe and completely take over the entire Western Region?"
After Wu Sangui negotiated peace with Ming Dynasty, he indeed launched the Western Expedition.
But now that he has reached the Western Region, he doesn't want to go further west!
But I want to gain a foothold in the Western Region!
He doesn't want to be too far away from his hometown!
When Wu Yingqi heard this, a trace of embarrassment flashed across his face, as if he remembered the fear of being dominated by Ming on the battlefield.
"Father, from my perspective, establishing a foothold in the Western Region may not be a good choice for me, the Great Zhou!"
"If we establish a foothold in the Western Region, we will be too close to the Ming Dynasty!"
"And there is no room for buffering in the middle. If a conflict breaks out, it will be detrimental to me, Da Zhou!"
The Huguang War left a huge psychological shadow on Wu Yingqi. Now Wu Yingqi is full of fear of the Ming Dynasty.
Even though Wu Zhou had already sent troops to conquer the west, Wu Yingqi still felt that they were too close to the Ming Dynasty and wanted to continue heading west.
I can’t wait to run to Europa in one breath!
Seeing the shrinking and faint fear on his son's face, Wu Sangui couldn't help but sigh.
Some hate it, but most of them feel pity!
It turns out that Wu Yingqi was so brave. He was brave and adept at fighting on the battlefield and was invincible. He could be called a famous general of his generation.
But now, when he mentions the Ming Dynasty, he becomes so embarrassed and afraid.
Wu Sangui was in a complicated mood.
But after thinking about it, Wu Sangui felt that what Wu Yingqi said was reasonable.
The Western Regions are indeed too close to the Ming Dynasty, and there is no buffer in between.
At such a distance, conflict will break out between the two sides sooner or later.
Because, if there is no buffer, both sides will have no choice but to accumulate heavy troops at the border in order to defend each other.
Once the two sides form a confrontation with heavily armed groups, peace talks will be useless!
Moreover, once a conflict breaks out, there is a 99% chance that Wu Zhou will suffer.
Today's Ming Dynasty is still quite full of martial virtue!
Wu Sangui nodded and said.
"What Ying Qi said is true. If the Zhou Dynasty established itself in the Western Regions, it would indeed be too close to the Ming Dynasty!"
"After taking care of the remaining Zhungeer troops in Hami City, our army will prepare to continue the western expedition!"
Seeing this, Wu Yingqi excitedly clasped his fists and said.
"Father, I would like to ask you to command the siege!"
Wu Sangui nodded and said.
"Can!"
Wu Yingqi clasped his fists and accepted the order, then led the team to prepare for the siege.
…
The drums of war were beating loudly on the battlefield, and the sound of artillery fire also began to roar.
Cannonballs kept pouring towards the city of Hami.
Hami is just an earthen city, and its city defenses are not considered strong.
In the face of the artillery bombardment of Guan Ning's army, large holes were smashed into Hami's city walls, and smoke and dust mixed with masonry and earth debris were scattered everywhere.
Guan Ning's army began to push shield carts, ladders and other siege equipment and launched an attack on Hami City.