"The Vice-President and Vice-President of the Imperial Governor's Office, Mr. Lan Zhen, has met Your Majesty."
"Li Jinglong, the right governor of the Governor's Mansion, has met your Majesty."
"Huang Huai, Minister of Rites, has met your Majesty."
"I, the Minister of Hubu, Lian Zining, have met Your Majesty."
"Xiao Yong, the right deputy of the imperial court, has met your majesty."
"I have seen your majesty, Zhang Wuji, the imperial censor of the right capital of the Inspectorate."
…
Several ministers saluted in front of Yunxi and said.
"You all love me," Yunxi said with a smile.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Several people bowed again and sat down on the chairs that had been placed. But they didn't sit down properly. Lan Zhen glanced sideways and saw six princes sitting beside them. She was not surprised either.
He just quickly passed over the faces of the six princes and observed their expressions.
"I summoned you all today because I have something very important to tell you. I plan to send troops to attack India." Yunxi said directly without any nonsense.
Everyone present was not surprised. It can be said that Yunxi's thoughts about India were known to everyone in the official circles of the capital. As early as many years ago, before the war with the Timur Khanate, he sent people to
He went to India to explore (referring to Zhang Tan), and also sent navy to determine the shipping route and encourage merchants to do business in India. Anyone who pays attention to diplomacy can guess it.
And they all know the current situation in India. India is not in a unified state at this time, but in a state of great division. Southern India is better. There is a Kingdom of Vijayanagar that has basically unified southern India, but the central and northern regions are in chaos. It turns out that
The Delhi Sultanate that ruled North India was gradually weakening and split from the Bahmani Sultanate. In the 31st year of Hongwu, Timur led troops to attack Delhi, completely dividing the country and fighting against each other endlessly.
After the separation of the Khanate, the governor of Punjab also proclaimed himself Sultan, and the situation became even more chaotic.
However, this is a good thing for the Ming Dynasty to attack India. The more chaotic India is, the easier it will be for the Ming Dynasty to invade India. Therefore, although many middle- and lower-level civil servants are opposed to it, the upper-level civil servants promoted by Yunxi believe that the financial expenditure of attacking India will not
It's very big, and it's still within the tolerance range. I've never received any advice.
"Your Majesty, from the seventh year of the founding of the country to the present, the national treasury has had a surplus every year, which can support sending troops to India. However, I think that your majesty should not send more troops. Although the national treasury has a surplus, it is better not to use up all the supplies to prepare for any emergencies.
"Lian Zining spoke first.
Hearing Lian Zining's words, Lan Zhen, Li Jinglong and others breathed a sigh of relief. Although they knew that the treasury had a surplus and knew the attitude of the upper-level civil servants, they were always uneasy until they heard Lian Zining's statement in person. After all, the Ministry of Revenue was in charge
As for the money, if the Ministry of Accounts does not cooperate, nothing will be raised.
"Don't worry, Mr. Lian, I won't send too many troops, at most 50,000 troops." Yunxi said with a smile.
"Your Majesty, 50,000 troops may not be enough to attack India," Lan Zhen couldn't help but say. Even if India is in chaos and 50,000 troops are elite, it will not be enough to conquer India. Unless His Majesty only wants to occupy a small part of eastern India.
Thinking of this, Lan Zhen couldn't help but feel the urge to admonish. If he only captured a small area this time, he would not be prominent even if he had made great achievements as a commander; and the next time he attacks India will be at least five or six years away.
He was over fifty by then and was no longer suitable to lead troops to conquer places as far away as India. After all, the new generation of generals was also growing up. He must persuade His Majesty to agree to send more troops to attack India, and use him as the commander-in-chief.
His achievements are comparable to those of Xu Huizu in the Western Regions.
But just before he spoke, Yunxi said: "Lan Qing, I am not sending only 50,000 soldiers and horses, but the imperial court is sending only 50,000 soldiers and horses."
"Your Majesty means to let the Nanyang vassal countries send troops?" Li Jinglong said.
"Of course we need them to send troops. They are much closer to India than the imperial court. If the imperial court has something to do, why don't they send troops to help? Not only the vassal states, but also Siam and other foreign countries will also send troops. Huang Qing, I will go to court on the 18th
After that, you discuss with Fu An and send envoys to Siam and other foreign countries in Southeast Asia to ask them to send troops to assist."
"Yes, I obey the order." Huang Huai agreed.
"In addition, I will confer several vassal kings in India, and these vassal kings will also lead some troops and horses. Although their troops and horses are also brought from the Central Plains, they are not included in the 50,000 troops dispatched by the imperial court.
"Yunxi said again.
Lan Zhen, Li Jinglong and others heaved a sigh of relief. The imperial court had 50,000 troops, and each of the Nanyang vassals was calculated as 10,000 people, as were Min Fan, Yue Fan, Song Fan, Su Fan, Luo Fan, and Pu Fan.
Sixty thousand horses, that’s 110,000 horses. I don’t know how many vassals your Majesty will confer in India, but India is so big, there should be at least five princes. Each prince is calculated as ten thousand horses, plus several
The country's troops must be at least 200,000 men, which is almost enough. It is said that Indians have never won a battle. Countries in the north and west can fight whenever they want, and they will win if they fight. 200,000 men is enough.
"Lan Zhen, you select five guards from the Shangzhi Guards and two from other capital guards for my inspection." Yunxi ordered again.
"Yes, I obey the order." Lan Zhen agreed.
"In addition, recruit soldiers who are willing to go to India from guard posts across the country. The soldiers of the vassal kings who will be granted to India in the future will naturally stay in India, and many soldiers may not be willing to go. Recruit those who are willing to go first, and if there are not enough, then dispatch troops and horses
." Yunxi ordered again.
"Your Majesty, how many people do you want to recruit?" Li Jinglong asked.
"Recruit as many as you can. I'm not afraid of too many people, I'm just afraid of not being enough." Yunxi replied. Even if the number of people willing to go to India far exceeds his imagination, he will send all of them to India.
"Huang Qing, prepare one more thing. Preparing to send troops to attack India will not happen overnight. The court will just pay it back. There are not many people and horses sent out, so it is easier to prepare. Each vassal country is small, and it takes at least 100% to prepare troops, money and food.
It will take half a year, and it is normal for us to send troops again at the end of the year. I plan to summon the princes of each vassal state to the capital to discuss this matter."
"In addition, Huang Qing, I remember that the land of Pu Fan has gone north to a place called the Kra Isthmus. Am I remembering it correctly?"
"What your Majesty said is true. In November last year, he received a memorial from His Highness King Pu, saying that he had gone north to seize the Kra Isthmus. However, Siam believed that this place was its own territory, and petitioned the court to request His Majesty to order His Highness King Pu to withdraw from the area.
.I remember that the Siam envoy came to Beijing this year for this very reason."
'No wonder I let the Siamese envoy go down after he finished speaking. His expression was so aggrieved. It turned out that he had something to ask me for.' Yunxi thought about it and said: "Since Siam considers the Kra Isthmus to be its own territory,
Then just divide it into two halves. However, after he gets half of the land, he still has to do one thing for me. Build the Kra Isthmus Canal." (To be continued)