The eldest grandson of Emperor Ming Dynasty!

Chapter 509 The Threat From Afar

Food is fundamental.

No matter how wealth changes, people must have enough food to survive.

If you can't even solve the basics of eating, money will naturally be meaningless.

On this point, Zhu Ying has always been very clear in her heart.

The three high-yield crops of sweet potato, potato, and corn are constantly being spread. According to the current situation, there are basically quite a lot of areas in provinces across the country to plant them.

On this basis, Zhu Ying did not stop at the expansion of rice.

Among them, the water conservancy facilities are constantly expanding, especially the water diversion.

Now that the Ming Dynasty has enough soldiers, criminals no longer have the option of being sent to the army. After they are all locked up in prisons for reform, they will be sent to prison for hard labor.

The number of death-row prisoners is also constantly decreasing. According to the current sentencing laws and regulations, most of the death sentences in the past were basically sentenced to 50 years of hard labor.

This made the entire prison system suddenly flourish.

A large number of prison factories are constantly emerging, and the skilled craftsmen from the Qunying Chamber of Commerce will conduct a basic teaching, and then set up factories everywhere.

For example, the largest prison in Nanjing currently has more than 3 prisoners.

These more than 3 people worked in breweries, garment factories, paper factories, printing factories, etc. in the prison.

In addition to food and clothing, there is no need for any other expenses.

And the cost is also reduced on a large scale.

For example, the Jingshi Mansion News, which was losing money before, is not talking about turning losses into profits now, but there is not much difference in the price of losing money.

The labor is so fast, which directly saves 50.00% of the cost.

And all the provinces are copying the method of Nanjing Prison, setting up many factories under their banners, and letting these prisoners work.

In terms of growing food, Zhu Ying directly set strict targets for each prison.

There must be a sufficient amount of rice field reclamation before other factories can be opened to earn money.

It has to be said that under the current situation, the prison system has indeed begun to generate a lot of income for the Ming court.

Looking at it from another perspective, it seems that the prison itself has become a bigger landlord, but in fact this method of punishing labor has been highly recognized by the people.

Because food and housing are included.

In the age when there is no food to eat, it is better to go to prison to serve a sentence. Among other things, at least you will not starve to death.

In today's Ming Dynasty, at least [-]% of the people feel the taste of starvation, the feeling of extreme hunger, and they really want to take a bite of everything they see.

Not to mention, in the current prison system, there are really many people who are fleecing the prison wool, and many of them commit crimes on purpose and want to stay in prison.

For such people, the prison side basically does not reject anyone who comes.

In the final analysis, it is still the confidence given by high-yielding crops.

Sweet potatoes are too full.

Only a small amount of rice and a few pieces of sweet potatoes are needed, and even the porridge made is extremely sticky, which can satisfy hunger.

In the current prison system, there are still two meals of meat every year.

These are the two days of Zhengdan and His Majesty's birthday respectively.

With such good conditions, some former wanted criminals simply surrendered directly, which can be regarded as avoiding detours of 30 years.

On the capital's side, a resolution was unanimously passed on the establishment of a grassland military base.

Even many ministers are very optimistic about this plan.

We must know that in the tribute trade, Daming spends a lot of money every year to appease the surrounding border troubles.

Daming Nine Sides is even more important.

With Zhu Ying's grassland embargo, the mutual market at the border is tantamount to canceling.

But the war horses in the grassland can't be left alone.

It used to be a pack of teacups and a war horse.

Now that trade is not allowed, then Daming's income will be much less.

The establishment of a grassland military base now can, to a large extent, achieve the acquisition of grassland horses and raise many cavalry.

It is absolutely feasible to use grassland cavalry to attack the grassland.

The main thing is to see the specific operation.

However, with the backing of the frontier, coupled with the recent containment and retreat of Beiyuan, the initial stage should have been very smooth.

With the advent of deep winter, the grasslands are basically covered with heavy snow, so there is no need to think about fighting.

The absorption of grassland population is an important work direction of Daming border gate in winter.

Based on the Nine Frontiers, food from the inland side was continuously transported to the frontier, including a lot of clothing to keep out the cold and coal for heating.

To protect people's livelihood.

During the battle between Daming and Beiyuan.

The Timurid Empire was not idle either.

It was this year, at the end of the 26th year of Ming Dynasty, news about the Timur Empire finally reached the capital.

Timur this year conquered Persia.

At the same time, Timur has been on a winning streak in the use of troops against the Golden Horde and the Eastern Chagatai Khanate.

A large amount of land was continuously taken into the bag by Timur, and the momentum was extremely monstrous.

The surrounding small countries are trembling.

Unlike Daming, Timur conquered in the way of the Mongols, which is similar to Genghis Khan back then.

Often after the city is broken, the city will be massacred.

This has left a shadow of fear on the people of many countries, and often some cities surrender directly when they encounter Timur's army.

Originally, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't know much about Timur, because it was the great country far away who first recognized Ming's orthodox status, and Timur treated Zhu Yuanzhang with a humble attitude.

This point was written very clearly in the letter of credence submitted to Daming.

So there is a good feeling.

At present, Timur's territory is actually in line with the Western Regions.

It's just that the situation in the Western Regions is complicated, and there are many small countries, so when Timur attacked the Western Regions, he stopped his eastward advance and turned westward.

Timur feels that he can't be hostile to Daming for the time being.

It's just that Zhu Ying has been in the Western Regions for a long time and has a large territory. In terms of Timur's information, it is more accurate.

In the Huagai Palace, Zhu Yuanzhang summoned the Minister of Rites and asked, "Did Timur pay tribute this year?"

The servant of the Ministry of Rites quickly replied: "Your Majesty, this year Timur has not paid tribute except for Prince Pierma Heima."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slightly.

After seeing the current intelligence about the Timurid Empire, Zhu Yuanzhang felt threatened.

So he called grandson again.

"Great grandson, is the situation of the Timur Empire really as reported in the information? Today's Timur has a territory not much smaller than ours?"

Since ancient times, the feeling of being number one in the Central Plains has been deeply engraved in everyone's heart.

But now that Zhu Yuanzhang knows that Yuwuzang, that is, Timur bordering the Western Regions, is about the same size as the territory of Ming Dynasty, then the situation is completely different.

Zhu Ying nodded and said, "It was a lot worse before, but this year Timur has already won Persia, and it is indeed much larger than our Ming Dynasty in terms of territory."

"The foundation of Timur's present position is the former Xichagatai Khanate. Now Timur does not call himself Khan because he is not a descendant of Genghis Khan, but his ambition is great."

"In the Western Regions, all businessmen who have been to Timur's territory know that the person he admires most is Genghis Khan Temujin. In addition to Timur's current strength, he claims to have millions of cavalry under his command. The nations are invincible."

After Zhu Yuanzhang heard the words, he thought for a while and said: "So, it is true that the domestic post stations are more coming than ours in the Ming Dynasty?"

This is the position that Zhu Yuanzhang is most worried about.

For the role and understanding of the station, who can be more clear than Zhu Yuanzhang.

"Earlier, didn't Pier Ma Heima bring the cement recipe to Timur, but now there is any feedback." Zhu Yuanzhang asked after thinking for a while.

According to what Dasun said earlier, the cement formula will make Timur's internal contradictions more acute.

Zhu Ying nodded: "There is indeed news that the current Timur is capturing slaves and driving them to build new concrete roads."

"Presumably, a large number of concrete roads have been built in Timur's territory."

"Today's Timur, after acquiring Persia, the campaign in the Golden Horde and the Eastern Chagatai Khanate has ceased, and a large number of soldiers have been transferred back. According to his grandson, he is accumulating strength and wants to To attack South Tianzhu."

"South Tianzhu is located in a rich and fertile place. Once Genghis Khan almost hit South Tianzhu."

"It seems that Timur wants to complete Genghis Khan's unfinished journey and conquer South Tianzhu in one go."

"Timur's poor soldier, Dou Wu, has great ambitions, and his constant victories lead him forward. His wolfish ambitions are clearly revealed. He thinks that after he conquers South Tianzhu, he is very likely to go on an Eastern Expedition and want to invade our Daming."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, and said: "He will definitely have the intention of going east in the future, so we must guard against it. The grassland military base established by Dasun is the best way to stop him. Let's see if Timur is really there. Dare to invade our Daming."

"We want to send a team of envoys to Timur's side, so it's just a matter of time to see what's going on there and what Dasun thinks."

In history, the news that the Persian Empire was destroyed by Timur was not known to Zhu Yuanzhang until two years later. It was at that time that the envoys of the Ming Dynasty were sent to find out the truth.

The final result was that the envoys of the Ming Dynasty were detained.

In the 30th year of Hongwu, the Ming envoy who was sent to Timur for the second time was detained again and suffered abuse.

Only then did Daming know Timur's sinister heart.

At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang had already died, and he could not get news from Timur.

After five years of detention, Timur carried out the Eastern Expedition in the name of Zhu Di's improper position, and then died on the way to the Eastern Expedition.

"Grandson also thinks it's okay. Now Timur's territory is expanding, and now he is constantly leading wars on the grassland. Suner heard that it is expanding westward and winning streaks all the way."

"When it grows stronger, it will definitely send its ideas to our Daming. If it comes to wealth, my Daming should be the number one in this world."

"It must first swallow up small countries to strengthen itself, and then offend my Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Ying said very directly.

Zhu Yuanzhang once had a good impression of Timur. After all, Timur was extremely surrendered to Daming.

In fact, in Zhu Ying's view, the main reason why Timur surrendered so much was because of Meng Yuan.

Meng Yuan itself was once extremely powerful on the grassland, and Timur was also a figure born during the Meng Yuan period.

At that time, although the grassland was divided into several khanates, the influence of the Mongolian Yuan covered the entire grassland. For Timur, such a powerful Mongolian Yuan was finally expelled by the Ming Dynasty.

According to the custom of worshiping the strong on the grassland, Timur was naturally the first to express his submission.

And at least a distant military alliance can be formed, and it will not be contained by Ming in many ways.

Uzang Commander, but connected to Timur.

Even if the Western Regions surrendered to Daming in name, at least on the bright side, they would not directly provoke Daming.

It seems that there are only so many people in the command department of Uzangdu in the Western Regions of Ming Dynasty, but in the name of unity, they can actually drive all parties to submit to the aborigines of Ming Dynasty.

It only needs to give a part of the benefits, or give preferential treatment during the mutual market, these indigenous tribes who are hungry and full on weekdays will raise their knives and brandish them at the enemies of Ming Dynasty without hesitation.

The Delhi Sultanate, which is close to Timur, will also be influenced by the Uzbek Command to a large extent.

If the two are combined, it will be an extremely headache for Timur, at least he can't go west with all his strength, and he has to divide his troops to defend.

But if Timur surrendered to Daming, it would be impossible to say that he was attacked in name.

It is impossible for the entire Western Regions to integrate a large amount of power to fight against Timur. As long as Timur does not take the initiative to invade, then there is no need to worry too much here.

Even now, Timur is mobilizing troops against the Golden Horde Khanate and the East Chagatai Khanate at the same time. When the Uzbek Commander has not received an order from the capital, he will not say that he will take the initiative to attack Timur. a confrontation.

This is undoubtedly an excellent scene for Timur.

From this aspect, it can be seen that Timur's thoughts are extremely meticulous. In the letter of credence to Daming, it is almost completely a manifestation of a loyal minister, and he also gave Daming a high face.

If Zhu Ying hadn't pointed out Timur's vast territory, extremely strong military strength, and ambition to continuously attack other countries, Zhu Yuanzhang would not have said that Timur was an enemy.

It's just that Ming is different from other countries. Even the relatively weak Song Dynasty can resist the more powerful Genghis Khan's army for decades, let alone Daming, which is now at the peak of its military strength.

Brother Meng died on the land of the Central Plains back then. Although Timur was very strong, if he really wanted to fight Daming, he had to think about the consequences.

Will it be dragged to death by Daming?

The strong cities and walls in the various countries and regions of Ming Dynasty are not small countries like Obaro. It is often more difficult to conquer a city than to conquer more than ten small countries of Obaro.

(End of this chapter)