In late August, Chahar Governor Wang Chunqing returned to Beijing from Chahar to report on his duties.
This matter is really not very eye-catching, because there are too many ministers and nobles in Beijing. The return of a count like Wang Chunqing, who is not big or small, does not attract attention.
However, Wang Chunqing was immediately summoned by the emperor.
After some courtesy from the emperor and his ministers, as well as the content of his work report on the scene, Zhu Yixi gave some gifts as a reward. They were nothing more than saddles, sword scabbards and the like. They were not really worth much, but because they were given by the emperor, they looked more noble to wear.
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As soon as the cutscene was over, Zhu Yixi stood up and left the throne.
Although Wang Chunqing could not raise his head to look up, he could see the emperor leaving the table from the corner of his eye, and he was at a loss for a moment.
"Can you play chess?"
The emperor asked casually.
"I will be ashamed!"
"If you don't know how to play chess, I'll teach you."
Wang Chunqing suddenly realized that he was going to meet alone.
He immediately followed step by step and came to the side hall.
This seems to be the place where the emperor rested after working. There are no documents or officials on duty, so it is very clean.
Zhu Yixi sat on a soft couch and waited, pointing to the seat opposite and saying: "Sit down!"
Wang Chunqing immediately raised his hands and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for sitting down."
Wang Chunqing was only in his forties, and before he reached fifty, he was already guarding one side and guarding Chahar for the imperial court.
However, it seemed that the wind in the grassland was stronger, making his skin extra rough, making him look as if he was in his fifties or sixties.
But her eyes looked brighter, and her beard was trimmed perfectly, looking stylish.
The background emerged in Zhu Yixi's mind.
Wang Chunqing is one of the few generals who came from Zuoying.
Zuo Liangyu's subordinates were basically scum. After defeating them many times, Zhu Yixi allowed them to work in the fields. Those who couldn't bear the loneliness and chose to run away would be killed without mercy.
As they were about to face the Manchu attack, they had to select a group of captives who could take a fancy to them and could endure loneliness to serve as baggage auxiliaries and be responsible for escorting supplies.
This is how Wang Chunqing was able to join the army by killing the Qing troops who attacked him.
Then he fought all the way and became a count.
He has a good relationship with the Jia family and has a strong sense of presence in the honor system.
Zhu Yixi reached out and grabbed a handful in the porcelain cup, and there was a "squeak" sound, and black chess pieces came out of it.
He immediately raised his head and said with a smile: "I don't have to be self-effacing. To be honest, I'm still a half-ass at playing Go now. I'm not very good at it."
"You don't know how to do it either. It just so happens that two stinky chess players are fighting against each other, back and forth!"
"Your Majesty has the world in his heart, how can a small chessboard limit it? A mere chessboard is just for leisure..."
After handing him over for a while, the emperor asked: "How is Chahar?"
"The Beihai County Prince and the Chahar County Prince are both honest, and their efforts to reform their native lands and return them to their hometowns are going well. Now 80% of the herdsmen are under the jurisdiction of the Governor-General's Mansion..."
"Now that the world is peaceful, the population is growing, and Chahar is close to the capital, there can be no big trouble."
Zhu Yixi said casually: "But now that Chahar has achieved this, I think you have done a great job."
"What do you think?"
"The last general is just Xiao Gui and Cao Sui!" Wang Chunqing said hurriedly: "Pick up Sun Gong Yahui..."
After the inexplicable conversation, Wang Chunqing left the palace in confusion.
Under the scorching sun, autumn is high and horses are fat
The four prefectures of Suiyuan, Dongsheng, Jiuyuan, Hetao and Guihua.
Among these four prefectures, a majestic city was built as the prefectural city. Normally, herdsmen would come to the prefectural city to conduct business and obtain much-needed salt and tea.
At the same time, the Suiyuan prefectures also strengthened their control over various tribes by controlling the economy, and gradually eliminated the influence of the Mongolian nobles, thereby implementing the reform of the land.
However, compared to the herdsmen in the four prefectures, the Alxa area is more miserable.
This is where the two nomadic tribes of Ordos Elinqin and Gulu Daiqing live, and is divided into two parts with the Ordos Hetao.
Due to the barrenness of the place, the numerous tribes, and the long distance, the Ming Dynasty had always restricted it and did not set up a capital.
As a result, for these two tribes, if they need to exchange living materials, they must go all the way to Linhe City in Dongsheng Prefecture.
The distance between them spans more than a thousand miles.
Therefore, although there is freedom here, materials are scarce.
The former Juyan Sea was divided into two parts, becoming Shuogok Lake and Shuobo Lake. The water was further compressed, and the Badain Jaran Desert in the south was feared by everyone.
On this day, as an ordinary Tanangbu nobleman, Danji woke up from his bed. The servants beside him had been waiting for a long time. He wiped his face and directly ordered: "Bring breakfast!"
"yes!"
A plate of bacon and a plate of mushroom soup made a few days ago were his rich fruits this morning.
He ate regardless of his appearance, feeling very hungry.
At this time, a round-faced woman in a blue robe came in: "You know how to eat, it's almost noon, and I have just woken up from last night's wine."
"What do you know!" Danji occupied his mouth and muttered: "The horses have become fat these days. I happened to be driving the horses to Han'er's to do business with Riren next door. I will pull one for you then.
Cloth to make clothes.”
The woman's eyes immediately widened: "What kind of clothes can you give me? It's time to make a dowry for my daughter."
"She is about to get married, and she doesn't have many clothes. If we don't save more dowry, how can we have the dignity to be parents? Aren't the Sabazhigude family being laughed at?"
Mongolians don't have many surnames, or they basically have tribal surnames.
With the establishment of the Mongol Empire, various tribes were dismantled, and then with the collapse and reconstruction of the Yuan Dynasty, surnames gradually emerged.
Even in the same tribe, the surnames of the noble leaders are different. This is to show their superiority and inferiority.
Ordinary herdsmen naturally have no surnames to speak of, only nobles have surnames.
"I gave you ten cows and two hundred sheep. Isn't that enough?"
Danji said helplessly.
"I want hairpins, jewelry, new clothes, and many novelty gadgets. The more, the better!"
The woman said hurriedly.
Dan Ji had a headache.
However, he was relieved after a bowl of milk tea was brought to his mouth.
"By the way, we don't have enough tea and wine at home, so you have to buy some."
"It would be better if there were a few tea bricks in the dowry."
At this time, Danji felt that the milk tea was difficult to swallow.
"I'll go ask the lama at the temple when he's going to leave."
He put on his robe and straw hat, eagerly mounted his horse and went to the temple twenty miles away.
Several followers followed closely.
The horse is galloping, but it only takes half an hour to know.
The attendants on the side quickly led the horses and went to the stables.
With the spread of the Yellow Sect, temples became more and more widespread. At the same time, because of the respect of the nobles, the speakers owned a large amount of land and slaves and became real feudal lords.
Compared with small nobles like Danji, the wealth of the lamas is much greater.
Therefore, although this temple has many tents, the main hall is made of wood and is only a few feet high, but it is exceptionally majestic on the grassland.
Danji clasped his hands together and bowed his body piously as he entered.
As soon as I entered the temple, I smelled a strong scent of sandalwood in my nose. This was bought from the Han people. I heard that one pound of sandalwood costs a sheep.
Then there was the huge whale candle. Although it could not be lit, its white color and huge size were unforgettable.
Such a huge candle is of great value.
Then there was the sound of drums and chanting.
Although he didn't understand the meaning, it was actually the words of the Buddha. He piously found a futon and knelt down, put his hands down, and knelt down with his head on the ground.
At some point, another person knelt beside him.
Within half an hour, the entire hall was filled with dozens of people kneeling, all of them nobles in gorgeous robes. Ordinary herdsmen were not qualified to enter the hall.
They could only find a grassy area outside the temple and kowtow devoutly.
Although everyone is equal before the Buddha, sesame oil money is not the same.
After listening, Danji handed over five silver coins devoutly, which made the lama smile: "Donor, what do you want to ask?"
In places such as Alxa, because they are inland, not only are they scarce in materials, but there is also very little gold and silver, so the currency value is extremely high.
"Dear Master, I would like to ask, when can I set out to do business with the Han people?"
"How many people have you gathered now?"
"Three friends."
When the lama heard this, he casually said: "Seven days will be suitable. During this period, you can gather as many people as you can."
"Thank you, Master!"
Danji left happily.
As soon as he left the temple, Danji met Riren, a similarly burly man who came to offer incense.
Compared with him, Riren was shorter and fatter. He was panting when he dismounted, and his forehead was covered with sweat.
"Hiren!"
"Oh, my Anda, Tangi!"
The two hugged each other and patted each other on the back.
"Why did you come to the temple too?"
"I'm asking something."
Riren smiled bitterly and said: "We have so many things, can't we find a good time?"
"Don't worry, I've already asked. It will be more suitable after seven days." Danji smiled and said, "Go and ask something else!"
"That's fine!" Riren nodded.
Danji returned home and sent people to contact friends and relatives while preparing goods.
Seven days later, he had organized a dozen slaves, herdsmen, a hundred sheep, ten cows, and a hundred horses.
Other dry food does not count.
At this time, other nobles also gathered one after another.
Eight noble families, big and small, have a total of hundreds of cavalry, thousands of cattle and sheep, and the most important horses, more than a thousand.
Although horses are indispensable on the grassland, not one of them, including the nobles and herdsmen, likes them.
They eat more but produce less. They are more expensive than cattle and sheep. The grasslands are vast and no one would want to raise horses unless they could travel with them.
Horses are also an important bargaining chip in grassland transactions.
So everyone knows that the Han people like horses and they can sell them at a high price, so the nobles are willing to raise horses.
It can be said that the temporary caravan they gathered is already huge.
The team walked all the way, and because they were served by slaves and herdsmen, the nobles were quite leisurely, just hunting every day.
If you can save some meat, save some.
After driving sheep and cattle for more than half a month, we finally arrived at Linhe City.
Compared with the majestic grassland city like Jiuyuan, Linhe, as the capital city of Dongsheng Prefecture, is only two feet high, has two city gates, and the moat is only two or three feet wide. Compared with it, Linhe is particularly desolate.
But for many grassland herdsmen, a big city like Linhe is already considered a majestic city.
Frankly speaking, without catapults and artillery, even a hundred thousand soldiers would never be able to capture this city.
A group of people were waiting outside the city.
Ordinary herdsmen, belonging to Dongsheng Prefecture, just took out their household ID cards and entered directly.
And people like them who live in a foreign land without a license, even nobles, have to be temporarily issued with a wooden card, called a temporary residence permit, and they can only stay for three days and two nights.
In other words, once the time limit is exceeded, you will inevitably be arrested.
After paying a cent, Danji went directly to the city.
And his friends camped directly outside the city.
Danji went into the city alone, looking for merchants to eat the goods.
If he gets money in exchange, he will go to the city to buy things on behalf of everyone.
The importance of being able to speak Chinese is evident.
Entering the city, even though he had seen it several times, his eyes were still full of novelty.
The beautiful and gorgeous clothes, the fragrant food, the exquisite porcelain jewelry, as well as the tea bricks and drinks will make people salivate.
"If we can break the city, the entire tribe will be able to survive for ten years!"
Danji felt hot in his heart.
But soon, he calmed down again.
The soldiers patrolling the streets were majestic, suppressing the excited Mongolian nobles who entered the city, and maintaining order in the city.
The businessmen were accustomed to it and kept shouting.
He speaks Mongolian extremely fluently.
Danji walked along the street to the end and saw a street full of sheep paintings.
Either sheep, cattle, or horses, it can be said that there are no more than twenty or thirty families.
Encountering a Mongolian nobleman like him, these guys went directly to the streets to recruit people:
"My lord, come to my house, my wine is the most delicious!"
"Do you want salt? This is the best lake salt. The mutton soup is the best..."
Danji hid from several people, came to a familiar shop, and greeted them.
"The business is too big, you are in the back room!"
The waiter welcomed him into the back hall.
A chubby middle-aged man with a kind face sat upright: "Brother Danji, you are finally here!"
"This opportunity to sell sheep is rare. I can't come here every day."
Danji said helplessly.
Immediately, a bag of banknotes was thrown over.
"One hundred dollars in silver notes from the world's bank."
"Okay!" Danji showed a sincere smile:
"Everything in the tribe is peaceful, and no one has any ambition to cause trouble."
"And the people in the tribe want merchants more and more, but you don't let merchants come over, so the big guys can only come here to buy things."
"Hmph!" the shopkeeper said with a smile: "Who dares to act recklessly? This is an order from the imperial court."
As he spoke, the shopkeeper lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "How would you feel if a government was set up in Alxa? How many people want to rebel?"
"Half and half!"
Danji thought for a moment and said helplessly: "As long as the city is built, caravans will come, and it is very convenient to buy and sell things, but if we seize the herdsmen and land, everyone will not be happy!"
"Unless you promise not to change."
"However, no matter what you do, E Linqin and Gulu Daiqing's Taiji will definitely oppose it."
"How many troops do they have?"
"Together, there are twenty to thirty thousand people."