To be honest, Li Zicheng still underestimated Gushi Khan.
As the leader of the Oirat tribe, the founder of the Kashote Khanate, and the 19th grandson of Zhuochi Hesar, the younger brother of Genghis Khan, Gushi Khan's military ability is not outstanding, but his control of power and strategy is first-rate.
One.
In the early years, the Heshuote tribe was located between Khalkha Mongolia and Tsarist Russia. It was overpopulated and had insufficient pasture. He decisively seized the opportunity to go south and occupied Qinghai and Uzbek areas.
As he grew older over the years, he lived in Lhasa for a long time. However, because Heshuote supported the rule of the Gelug Sect (Yellow Sect) in Tibet, the Heshuote Khanate became independent and had unprecedented cohesion.
With the support of the ruling class, chieftains, feudal lords and temple forces, Gushi Khan gained unprecedented strength.
But it was precisely because of the support for the Gelug Sect that the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau began to fragment.
For example, the Kagyu sect is in power in Bhutan; the Ladakh region has been independent for a long time and is also the fundamental area of the Kagyu sect; and Sikkim is in power by the Nyingma sect.
"It's no longer possible to go south."
Li Zicheng sighed: "We can't live in the fertile land in front of us, and the desolate places we conquered are not as good as Qinghai!"
"Your Majesty, I have not been idle these days."
Song Xiance was panting, with a hint of plateau red on his face, and his skin was much tanned. He held his waist and showed a smile:
"Although Gushi Khan has the support of the Yellow Sect, Uzang is not monolithic. There is still a place, but it is just right."
"where?"
“The Kham region.”
Song Xiance proposed his plan: "In the early years of this place, there was a chieftain Baili who believed in the Bon religion and excluded the Yellow religion, so he was destroyed by Gushi Khan."
"The northwest of this place is connected to Qinghai, and the climate is almost the same as that of Qinghai. It is not as good as the Uzangmo people. The two are just one."
"Besides, I also found out something. To the east of the Kham area is Sichuan Province."
"Sichuan?" Li Zicheng's heart was moved and he asked excitedly: "How far is it to Sichuan?"
"Crossing several mountains and hundreds of miles, this is much better than what we are doing in Qinghai."
Li Zicheng was overjoyed, and strong passion burst out from his single eye: "If I can return to Han before I die, I will die without regrets."
Once he breaks through the mountains and attacks Sichuan, Li Zicheng is 80% sure to take control of Sichuan and establish his own independent small kingdom.
This is much better than eating goat milk in Qinghai.
"This trip was not in vain -"
Li Zicheng was overjoyed. Suddenly, he coughed, and then he coughed continuously, and for a while it became unstoppable.
Song Xiance was shocked and patted his back to comfort him for a long time before he recovered.
Li Zicheng sat on the floor, his face showing a hint of paleness: "If you can't go to Lhasa, then go to the Kham area as soon as possible."
"yes!"
Song Xiance accepted the order and quickly went to convey the military order.
When it comes to retreat, the Chuang Army has rich experience.
One unit was stationed in Naqu, plundering people, money and food, and pretending to be preparing to march to Lhasa.
The large force quickly headed east, aiming for the Kham region-Ganzi.
After delaying for several days, the powerful Gushi Khan could no longer bear his temper. The daily consumption of the 60,000 troops was so huge that it almost crushed the Kashote Khanate.
Gushi Khan waved his hand and sent a cavalry group to explore Nagqu.
After struggling for more than ten days, the spies came to report that the building was empty and there was not a trace of Han people in sight.
Gushi Khan breathed a sigh of relief, dismissed the monks, nearly half of the nobles and elites directly under the Khanate, and took more than 20,000 people with him to prepare to regain Qinghai.
As a result, after reaching Naqu, they were forced to withdraw due to lack of money and food.
Sixty thousand people had too much to eat.
Li Zicheng led the main force of troops and horses all the way to Kham District, and captured the important hub of Ganzi in one fell swoop.
As the center of the Kham region, Garze has fertile land. There are more than 100,000 Tibetans in the entire Kham region. Since it is at the end of the Tea Horse Road, trade here is prosperous. Many merchants from Lhasa come here to purchase tea, and the people are relatively wealthy.
After all, Ganzi is also a city with a large number of settled farmers and herdsmen, which is much better than Qinghai.
Whether it's iron-making or weaving, you can do it in Ganzi. The altitude is not high, so it's much better than Uszang.
This time Li Zicheng learned well and did not simply reject the Yellow religion. Instead, he promoted Confucianism and the Yellow religion simultaneously.
That is, Confucianism governs the people, Huang Jiao governs the faith, and continues to implement measures to eliminate benzene, barely stabilizing the rule.
It was at this time that through the Ancient Tea Horse Road, a group of merchants came to Kham District to transport tea, and Li Zicheng learned the news that Jianchang had been captured.
"Zhang Xianzhong, if you want to enjoy a few years of happiness, your descendants will not be able to protect it now."
Li Zicheng laughed, but there was countless sadness in his words.
In the past, the two went in opposite directions, one went to Sichuan and the other to Shaanxi. However, they were defeated one after another and fled.
Zhang Xianzhong lingered for several years and died of depression, but in the end his bloodline remained, and what about me?
The family was ruined and there were no heirs.
In the blink of an eye, it was the Hungry Ghost Festival. After offering sacrifices to his ancestors in Ganziyuan, Li Zicheng's body, which had been fighting for decades, was completely broken.
"Quickly, order Li Zijing to come to Ganzi urgently."
Li Zijing is Li Zicheng's third brother, and he is the person closest to him now. Although he is a bit mediocre, he is older and is the perfect successor.
Moreover, there is one thing better than him, he has children.
Therefore, from Xiangyang to Kaifeng, then to Xi'an, then to Beijing and Qinghai, Li Zicheng took him with him as his successor to appease the morale of the army.
During this expedition, the one who stayed in Qinghai was Li Zijing.
The journey from Ganzi to Qinghai is more than 2,000 miles, and even riding a horse would take more than half a month.
Li Zicheng covered his chest and looked up at the blue sky, hoping that he could hold on until then!
In the blink of an eye, Tian Jianxiu, Liu Fangliang, Yuan Zongdi, Hao Yaoqi, Li Laiheng and other five commanders of the army received the summons.
"emperor--"
Several people were panic-stricken. Looking at the aging Li Zicheng, they all turned pale with fright, with a rare look of panic on their faces.
Although he suffered repeated defeats, Li Zicheng had a unique charm that won over everyone, especially the military Confucian Liu Zongmin and other powerful generals. Most of the people in charge of the army now are his descendants.
No one can be second to Liu Zongmin, and naturally they can't restrain the loyal army after Li Zicheng's death.
"When I came to Ganzi, I thought I would cross the mountains and return to the Han Dynasty. No matter what happened, I would be able to return to my hometown. I never thought that today I fell on the plateau."
"I have urgently ordered Zijing to return to work. If I die unfortunately, you will support him to inherit the throne of Dashun."
Li Zicheng's single eye was slightly cloudy, and his voice was a little hoarse. He ordered word by word, then shook his head with a smile and said:
"Forget it, let's proclaim him the king. Ganzi is not far from Sichuan. The Ming court might be upset when he sees him. Proclaiming him the king can appease his heart."
"Qinghai is the best place, but it's too close to Xiningwei. Surrounded by the mountains of Ganzi, it's condescending. It's a good place to settle down..."
Everyone naturally obeyed these instructions, and Song Xiance wrote non-stop, writing down all these words to prevent any unexpected events.
"After Ganzi is captured, don't give up on Qinghai. Kham and Qinghai are connected together. When the time comes, Kham and Qinghai will be able to rush to Qinghai if something happens. It can be regarded as a retreat..."
Immediately, after giving Tian Jianxiu the decision to handle Ganzi affairs, he fainted.
At the beginning of August, Li Zicheng, who was waking up and falling asleep, finally waited for his younger brother Li Zijing.
"You have to take good care of these old brothers, I'm sorry for them..."
Li Zicheng's single eye showed sadness, and tears came to his eyes.
In front of him, the figures of Chuang Wang Gao Yingxiang, the tough Liu Zongmin, the preaching Li Yan, his nephew Li Guo and others continued to appear...
On August 13, the fourth year of Shaowu's reign, Li Zicheng died in Ganzi at the age of forty-five.