The grassland is covered with snow.

Many old people looked at the heavy snow falling from the sky with a look of despair in their eyes.

The Ming Dynasty has closed the trade fairs and prohibited anyone from transporting supplies to the grassland. Once discovered, they will be killed without mercy.

Many grassland nobles can only obtain food through smugglers. Even if it is ten times or even dozens of times more expensive than the usual price, they can only accept it willingly.

However, even so, they may not be able to get it.

A large number of cavalry are constantly patrolling, and if they find any caravans hauling grain and grass, they can kill them on the spot.

Even under such strong pressure, many smugglers still take risks.

Because it only takes one transaction, they can earn money that they would not have been able to earn for several years.

Gold jewelry cannot be turned into food. As the cold winter approaches, the nobles on the grassland have offered the same price as gold.

One pound of grain, one pound of gold.

When the news reached the border, many soldiers' eyes were red, let alone businessmen.

To this end, a large number of law enforcement officers were dispatched from various towns in Jiubian.

The court's strict laws and regulations left a lot of blood on this vast white land.

"One tael of food and one tael of gold. Bei Yuan is really forced to have no choice this time. Hey, it's a pity that he can't earn this money."

"It's not the money we can take, no matter how much it is, it's useless. I've spoken to the top. If any brother dares to participate, he will definitely be killed. Our military pay is directly distributed to the family. Even if you get the gold, where can you hide it?

go."

"That's right, if your life is gone, no matter how good the gold is, it's useless. Only those merchants dare to make money."

"How much money have you made? How many people have you killed in recent days? All checkpoints are guarded and no one is allowed in or out. Anyone who wants to enter the grassland is breaking the law."

"After this winter, I'm afraid many people will die on the grassland."

"If you die well and die more often, it will be much easier when we fight next year."

"Hahaha, that makes sense."

The patrolling soldiers chatted and took steps in the snow.

Who doesn't know that gold is good, but it's a pity that you can earn money but spend it.

This sudden sanction on the grassland caught the grassland tribes by surprise.

Nomads migrate frequently, so they basically have no habit of storing food.

Many small tribes close to the Ming Dynasty finally had no choice but to migrate to the Ming Dynasty.

The Royal Court of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.

The price of grain and grass is set by them.

Inside the big tent.

The generals and ministers from all parties, as well as the Emperor of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, are discussing matters.

"Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty has imposed an embargo on us. We have enough food for this winter, but there is less concentrated feed for the war horses. If we don't find a way, then after this winter, our war horses will be greatly affected."

"Near the Ming Dynasty, many tribes have now abandoned the Changshengtian in order to survive. They all went to the territory of the Ming Dynasty in groups. The Ming Dynasty is really hateful. They use food to attract the people of the grasslands."

Emperor Elbek of the Northern Yuan Dynasty felt a little upset as he listened to the ministers below performing the performance one after another.

He himself didn't want to break up with Daming. Aren't beautiful women attractive?

Since establishing good relations with the Ming Dynasty, all kinds of exquisite porcelain, food, wine, and beautiful women have been available.

Whatever he wanted to eat, the merchants of the Ming Dynasty would try their best to get it for him, which made Elbek really live a happy life.

Even the government affairs were basically left to the management of Tatsuyu Hokai.

As soon as there was a breakup here, everything was suddenly in short supply.

He had just promised a new beauty a few days ago to buy her delicacies that only the Ming Emperor could eat, but now he can only do it.

"Okay, you can arrange these things. If you want to fight, then win."

Elbek felt very boring. After saying something, he stood up and left.

"Quit the court!" the eunuch following him shouted loudly, leaving the ministers looking at each other with helpless expressions.

At this time, Guilichi stood up and stopped Elbek.

"Your Majesty, my people are suffering from the cold and the streets. Please give us some food to survive this winter."

Elbek frowned and said angrily: "It's you who want to fight the Ming Dynasty, and now it's you who say there's no food."

"There are so many people in your tribe, so what does it matter if some of them die? There is no winter where people don't die."

Haohai Dayu quickly scolded: "Gui Lichi, you are so brave, you dare to block His Majesty's way. Do you want to rebel?"

Hearing the word rebellion, a gleam flashed in Gui Lichi's eyes, he lowered his head and stepped aside and said, "Gui Lichi doesn't dare."

Elbek snorted and left.

Seeing that His Majesty was gone, Haohai Tatsuyu smiled and said to Guili Equator: "The winter in the grassland is a test of the longevity sky. Only those who survive are warriors, and it can also save the tribe a lot of burden."

"When spring comes next year, these surviving warriors can go to Ming Dynasty to seize wealth."

Gui Lichi said in a deep voice: "But my people went to Tubo and suffered heavy casualties. Your Majesty did not give us the gold we promised them."

Haohai Dayu said: "Are you the only one who died? With so many great Yuan cavalry lost, doesn't the imperial court suffer greater losses than you?"

"The gold promised by the Ming Dynasty was not fulfilled, so we will grab it ourselves in the spring of next year. Even if we give you gold now, can we still eat it?"

Gui Lichi was silent for a while and said: "I, the members of the Qiljis Tribe, cannot sacrifice their lives in vain."

Haohai Dayu's face also darkened, and he said: "It seems that your beggar Ji tribe doesn't want to obey Dayuan's orders."

Gui Lichi didn't say anything. After taking a look at Haohai Dayu, he turned around and left.

He knew that no matter how much he asked, the court would not give his tribe food for the winter.

Haohai Dayu's complexion was ashen. He did not expect that Gui Lichi would not give him face in this royal court.

I just thought that Guilichi's Qilis tribe now had a large number of people, so I could only endure it.

‘After this winter, I will let your Qilis tribe take the lead.’ Haohai Dayu thought in his heart.

After Guilichi left the royal court, he did not return to the Qilghis tribe, but went to the Asut tribe.

The Assut tribe are Mongolized Iranians, but they are not valued by the Mongols, and their status is much inferior.

Guilichi wanted to unite with the Asut tribe to overthrow the Northern Yuan Dynasty and kill Elbek.

——

Bering Strait.

This is the far north.

After a long journey of half a year, the Ming Expeditionary Force finally arrived near the Bering Strait at the end of this year.

As early as two months ago, the ships could no longer sail, and the 50,000 expeditionary force could only advance on foot.

At this time, it is time to meet the true test of nature.

As far as the eye can see, there is an endless expanse of ice and snow, and the extremely cold weather is their biggest enemy.

Ever since we approached the Bering Strait, every morning, many of our colleagues would never wake up and turned into ice sculptures.

It's too cold here, and thick cotton clothes can't stop the bone-chilling cold.

"Wang Baihu, do you regret it? I came to this far north. I don't know if I can wake up tomorrow. Maybe the next time I go to bed, I will be like my colleagues who were frozen into ice sculptures and never wake up again.

"

"I really can't figure it out. You are different from us. You are an outstanding student of the Capital Military Academy. In the future, you will be in a position of one hundred households. It is not too difficult to have one thousand households. Why should you take the risk to find the Weeping Tree?"

Chen Dayou looked at Wang Tianlu who insisted on walking forward and said with a sigh.

In the current expeditionary force, hundreds of people are freezing to death every day, and no one knows whether they can survive until tomorrow.

The snowstorm of the past few days caused the expeditionary force to suffer great losses, and many of their colleagues were missing.

In this hellish place, once you break away from the large army, it is almost impossible to survive.

Wang Tianlu looked ahead and continued to step on the snow step by step.

"There is no question of whether it's worth it or not. This expedition has to be carried out by someone after all. You ask me, why don't you talk about our commander-in-chief. He is the son of Duke Liang. Even if he cannot inherit the title of Duke Liang, he will be prosperous and wealthy for the rest of his life.

Is he worth it if he enjoys endless enjoyment?"

"Even if you give me another chance, I will still choose to join. Even if I become an ice sculpture in the Northland tomorrow, I will not regret it."

"Some things have to be done by someone after all. I'm here, and so are you, Chen Baihu, right?"

Hearing Wang Tianlu's answer, Chen Dayou smiled bitterly and said: "I do regret it a little. Unlike you, I have no chance of promotion. As long as I can come back alive, I can win three levels in a row."

"Hey, we're already here. Returning means death. We can only move forward."

The 50,000-strong expeditionary force had lost more than 10,000 people in just over a month.
To be continued...