Jingming

Chapter 501 Nothing can be done more than three times

[Although the Japanese Japanese pirates' tactics include detours and deception, they still follow the example of the Japanese and use their axes and ears. The miscellaneous soldiers are said to be light enough, and most of them hold bows and spears, and only use hats, grass folds, and carcass armor to protect themselves. The elite are called warriors, and they are called prepared because of their appearance. They have bloody bravery but little wisdom in battle. A few elite red and green preparations, only one or two out of ten. But the cavalry that attacked quickly were only elite warriors, and only three or four out of ten were able to defeat them. Although his horse is accustomed to running in the mountains, it is short and weak, far inferior to the northern captives...]

Over at the Xuan Mansion, Zhu Houcong was still looking at the summary submitted by Xia Yan.

Maybe it just happened to be stuck at the right time. There were very few firearms in Japan.

Although the total military strength of the local princes in Japan was hundreds of thousands, they were divided into countless families.

In the "famous battles" that have occurred so far, it would be remarkable if one side invested more than 10,000 troops.

In terms of the composition of the troops, Zhu Houcong now also understood why ordinary soldiers were called Ashigaru: bamboo hats, grass skirts, wooden pieces, bamboo pieces, or better, iron pieces strung together and tied together to only protect important parts, constituted their armor.

The name is also called Yudai Jushou, and it is an armor borrowed from the lord.

Since the war has been going on for decades, the supply of troops has been depleted very quickly. Most of these cannon-fodder ashigaru cannot undergo long-term training, which leads to the fact that the generals who command them are not very familiar with them. In order to distinguish between ourselves and the enemy during the war, some people would print their family emblem on the breastplate, while others would make a family emblem flag and tie it to their back, called a finger.

Although the armor of elite warriors is better, the reason why it is made into a uniform color with precious dyes is not only to make it look more imposing, but also to make it easier for your soldiers to recognize their boss on the battlefield.

From the summary that Xia Yan and the others received from the actual combat, Zhu Houcong felt relieved.

The difference in combat power is too big. Cold weapons can shine because the popularity of armor with stronger defense is too low. And the armor of the ordinary soldiers who accounted for 70% to 80% of the troops there was like paper in front of the cold weapons of the Ming army, not to mention the flintlock guns and artillery?

Without a large-scale cavalry force, could it be so easy to break into the Ming Dynasty's army just by relying on legs, or in the narrow and rugged mountainous terrain?

The only remaining thing that has not given up is the supply problem of the expedition and the trouble of controlling more with less.

Fortunately, Xia Yan also gave his new plan.

Zhu Houcong frowned slightly while thinking about the method proposed by Xia Yan.

Unlike China, which has been continuously suppressed by the unified dynasty and established order through the imperial examination system, the Japanese side is a serious hereditary family, not even as good as North Korea - North Korea still has a scholar sect, and it also has its own examination system to obtain scholars.

It is not known how many people will move there in the future, but at least during this transition period, if we want to establish a new order there, we have to leave a large number of such hereditary families.

In the past, a large number of warriors and retainers there had a dependent relationship with the local daimyo. To keep one is to keep a group.

If they were all eliminated, to be honest, there would really not be many talents among the remaining ordinary people who could work for the new dynasty.

After thinking for a while, he put the matter aside.

Let’s see what kind of opinions my son will give in Beijing.

Since he is allowed to supervise the country, the future of Japan is also something he needs to think about. What kind of handling advice can be given can reflect the son's current skills.

Zhu Houcong was in Xuanfu, and the news communication channel from Beijing to Xuanfu was not broken.

There are also general affairs envoys, factory guards, and accompanying ministers.

Accompanying Zhu Houcong were Zhao Zhenji, who was appointed as the chief accompanying scholar in the imperial study after Hu Zongxian, Shen Lian and others went east.

After being recommended to assist in the investigation of various enterprises under the Assets Bureau, and finally handling the major case of Duke Xianning, Zhao Zhenji has now entered the reserve sequence of the younger generation of important ministers.

Zhu Houcong's impression of Zhao Zhenji was naturally just an artistic image with a rearranged plot, but now it is more concrete.

What he didn't know was that Zhao Zhenji's official career in history was actually very bumpy. After working as a Qingliu officer for ten years, Yan Song was demoted because he was provoked by An Da soldiers' siege of the capital. From then on, most of them could only hang out in Nanjing. Later, he continued to hang out like this, and even became the right minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs in Beijing, and then was driven home by Yan Song.

The real change in Zhao Zhenji's official career was due to the disappearance of the Yansong people, the disappearance of the Jiajing people, and the Longqing Dynasty. He became the Minister of Rites and entered the cabinet.

Now that I have met a different Zhu Houcong, I actually have that feeling of tears of gratitude: Chief reading companion of the royal study room, who has not achieved great achievements?

Oh... It seems that there is only Xu Jie at the moment. Because of the Pujin Bridge incident, he went to Shaanxi to help plant trees, and his promotion seems to be lower than expected.

But this time he was accompanying me on another expedition to the north.

There are only three things that can happen. This is your Majesty's third northern expedition. This northern trouble should be eliminated, right?

Seeing that the emperor stood up after reading the report, Zhao Zhenji stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, General Ma is waiting outside."

"Oh, Ma Fang is here? Announce it."

Zhu Houcong stood up to stretch his muscles. When Ma Fang came in, he saw the emperor stretching his muscles.

"I failed to pick up the driver, and my crime deserves death!"

Zhu Houcong stepped forward and helped him up: "You are the commander-in-chief of Xuanning under my command. How can you leave the front line so easily when the northern rebels have not retreated? Now are you sure that the Tatars have withdrawn first?"

"They retreated three hundred miles away. After a whole winter, according to the rules on the grassland, their horses must go back to recuperate. I still sent people to burn the wasteland as usual."

In the past ten years or so, Ma Fang has basically led the troops in the northern border, or sent people out to harass them every year by burning wasteland.

It's a bit like training cavalry in rotation.

Of course, the purpose is not just this.

Now that Ma Fang is here, Zhu Houcong walks to the Mobei sand table in Xuan Mansion: "After more than ten years of research, how sure are you of the current migration patterns of Tatar pasture lands and sweat tents?"

"Reply to your majesty, I'm sure, I can't talk about it."

Ma Fang's honest reply made Zhao Zhenji look at her with admiration, but he did not dare to despise it.

After all, this was the young general whom His Majesty looked upon with special favor and promoted him to the temporary rank of Commander-in-Chief Xuanning.

Zhu Houcong nodded instead: "That is to say, if a fight really breaks out, how can they escape and still have the initiative?"

Ma Fang shook his head: "I said I'm not sure. It's not that I can't pursue him, but that I need to prepare for an eastern expedition if I pursue him. There are many ways."

"Oh? Tell me about it."

Ma Fang pointed to the sand table and gestured: "First, advance east and west in parallel, leaving only the north. If the Tatars still flee north, they will stay in their old nest for two or three consecutive winters. For the Tatars, if they only Fleeing north, I don't know how many people, cattle, and sheep will die in two or three years, it is a dead end. This is forcing them to fight to the death, as long as they are determined and have enough money and food, the Tatars have no chance of winning."

Zhu Houcong nodded, this is the truth, it consumes national power. Either I don't want to avoid war, and then a battle will determine the outcome; or the Ming Dynasty spends tens of millions of dollars to drive the Tatars to a dead end.

"The second method is to let me command the Hetao and Xuanning cavalry, and only use the cavalry to fight against the Tatar cavalry. Every year, I not only burn the wasteland and raid, but also aim to eliminate several tribes every time. Over the past few years, the Beilu The losses were heavy, so naturally we had to consider moving westward.”

"Would the same come and go like the wind?" Zhu Houcong murmured, "In that case, the power of the Ming Dynasty firearms would be useless..."

"The third method is to march northward to suppress the pressure, and I will lead the cavalry to block the retreat. This requires them to dare to go south like last winter, and I can lead the cavalry to sneak past in advance. In such a battle, it depends on your majesty and the court. I have planned it. Last year, the military order was just to stick to it first, and I did not make any decisions on my own."

Zhu Houcong nodded.

If we could make dumplings out of the nearly 50,000 Tatars who went south last year, the strength of the Khan Court would also be greatly damaged.

But last year, the court's attention was still on the Eastern Expedition.

"The other way is to persuade each other to surrender." Ma Fang added, "In the past few years, I have been going to the pastures of Tumote and Chahar. They have suffered deeply, and I may not necessarily accept them all. On the Khalkha side, in the past ten years or so, there have been private commercial and private market interests with Hetao and Xuanning, all of which were done by the Mongolian people. Now that the Tatars can come from the northern foot of Yinshan Mountain, it seems It’s because I have spent all my efforts to persuade Khalkha to surrender in the past few years after I stopped going to the west. It’s not like the imperial court has no room to persuade Khalkha to surrender.”

Zhu Houcong glanced at Ma Fang and asked with some surprise: "I thought you only knew how to fight."

"I really only know how to fight, but after all, I grew up with the Tatars, and I also know the thoughts of ordinary herdsmen." Ma Fang hesitated for a moment, and then said, "To be honest, I have experienced Yinshan and Dasha. It's really difficult for us Han people to farm there. It's easy to kill more of them and drive them away. What will happen in the future... I sometimes think about it, I'm afraid we should leave some obedient people to guard it." "Can you? Thinking about this makes it even more valuable.”

Zhu Houcong praised him, and then said: "Since the Tatars have temporarily retreated, I'm afraid they really want to use this harassment to consume the Ming Dynasty's national power. I also know that I hope he can ask for a war, otherwise I will chase him everywhere in the vast Mobei. , Get twice the result with half the effort. No, I am indeed on my way to the north. You first ask the sentries not to relax, and always pay attention to their movements. Now that you are here, discuss the methods you mentioned with me and the civil and military forces of the border area. "

"...I am an old man. Your Majesty has naturally thought of any solution I can think of. I just obey your orders."

"It's all the same." Zhu Houcong smiled, "I shot an arrow outside Xuanfu City in the past. If I don't pull it out this time, I won't return to the capital."

Ma Fang was overjoyed. Of course he knew the story.

In the battle of Zhen'anbao, Duke Xingguo killed Bodi, the leader of the Khan Court, with an arrow, and Marquis Chicheng fought to the death to win the big banner.

When the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was inspecting the soldiers after the war, he shot an arrow outside Xuanfu City and swore an oath: Keep this arrow until the day when the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty no longer has a Khan Court to eliminate it.

Now that His Majesty has said this, it shows that he has made up his mind this time.

When Ma Fang, an important figure in the northern cavalry unit, arrived after the threat from the northern invaders temporarily eased, the Xuanfu officially began to discuss strategies for the subsequent northern expedition.

With the overall strategy discussed in Beijing, Zhao Zhenji participated in the preparation and planning of the northern battlefield here, and also participated in the banquet where the emperor met with the tribes in the north after stationed in Xuanfu.

At this banquet, many clan chiefs came to submit to the tribe, including the Ordos tribe and the Duoyan tribe.

And the two women they dedicated to the Emperor of Heaven were also present in their attire.

"You put down your bows, arrows and scimitars, but you have lived a stable life in the border area these years." Zhu Houcong looked at them, "I know that there are still some injustices between the Han people and you, and between the Han officials and you."

This statement immediately attracted cautious rebuttals from many people, meaning: It doesn’t matter, we are fine, we are very happy, and we can herd horses and sheep for the Ming Dynasty, which is much better than in the past.

Zhu Houcong didn't care about these details and just said: "It all takes time. Hundreds of years of hatred are not easy to let go of. However, my will, the constitution and purpose of the imperial court are to hope that all ethnic groups can put aside their prejudices and use their talents to their advantage." You can live and work in peace and contentment. You are used to living in pursuit of water and grass, and you can continue to use the pastures of the herd supervisors and the grazing areas designated for you. In these years in the border area, at least you want to buy some daily necessities. Isn't it much more convenient than in the past? "

"What is your Majesty saying..."

"So, take your time." Zhu Houcong sighed, "Most Han people only like to farm, and they won't actually snatch your pastures. When the grassland people encounter cold weather, they will definitely have to go south to seek survival. It's all for There is nothing right or wrong about living. But in the past, when doing business, I felt that the Han people in the south were lying to you, and I felt that the Han people were not brave. In addition, some people were ambitious, so they always went south to raid grass valleys and plunder, and even wanted to occupy the Central Plains. Become a pasture.”

When the emperor talked about the past history, these people did not dare to speak out.

They are still people who have experienced this for more than ten years, and they are always confused about the future.

"I have thought about it over and over again, and ultimately it is because we cannot trust each other. Different races, different cultures, different educations, and ignorance of customs, the gap is difficult to eliminate. I refuse to let go of my obsession, and I cannot leave any trouble for the border area to be invaded again in the future. , so there must be a winner. After the winner is determined, I will establish a rule."

Zhu Houcong looked at Tana and Agala, and then said: "Now, my sons have both Han and grassland blood. When the Khan Court talks about blood, can the blood of the Emperor of Heaven not be as good as the blood of Genghis Khan? In the future, , Yinshan Mountain and the grassland to the north of Dashawo, several large pastures have been designated, and my son, who has the blood of the two clans, will be the Khan King, so there will be no more disputes."

He looked at these clan leaders again: "Those who want to settle down can stay in Xuanning, Hetao; those who want to graze here can also stay; those who want to live more freely chasing water and grass like in the past can also go to the north. We will always be friends. Trade is a long-term solution. What do you think?"

"What your Majesty said...I...I am willing to stay here, it is warm here..."

"I have a large army approaching the border and launching provocations on the border. If he succeeds, all of you will join other tribes and become traitors on the grassland." Zhu Houcong said lightly, then shook his head, "I don't want to commit more crimes. , let the hatred become deeper and deeper. I know that some of you still have contacts with the various tribes in the north, so please pass on my message to them."

The last sentence is just: "I am once again driving the Northern Expedition. They must also be worried."

He is qualified to say this.

The emperor of the Ming Dynasty made his first northern expedition, and the leader of the Khan Court died within the border wall of the Ming Dynasty.

During the second northern expedition, I abandoned Fengzhou Beach and counterattacked the Khan Court. The Ordos tribe was defeated and the northern border of the Ming Dynasty was pushed hundreds of miles north.

Now, the Ming Dynasty is heading north for the third time, and this is the Ming Dynasty that has accumulated strength for more than ten years.

It’s only three things, isn’t there a final result this time?

Both lines of war and care began to be officially launched.

Zhu Houcong also had to pick up some practices that proved to be useful later, and he has now figured it out.

We must respect climate and geography. Places further north are not suitable for farming, and there is no need to move actual governance forces to the north.

As long as we take advantage of the current stronger military situation, establish a new pattern, and then use economic and cultural power, we will officially enter an irreversible direction.

The reason why grasslands in the past could not obtain enough living materials from their output was because they were not strictly needed.

horse? fur? Cattle and sheep? The Han Dynasty had such a large area, which does not mean that there was no territory at all. Even war horses, if it were not for war, would we really need so many?

Because the output does not have much bargaining power, and the accumulation of business skills is too little, this leads to always being cheated when trading with the south - there is no way, this is the law of the market.

But things are different now. Zhu Houcong has turned Ming Dynasty onto a new path.

There is at least one thing that Ming Dynasty will have great demand for in the future, and Mobei's reserves are sufficient.

Mineral trade is the main focus, and other trade is supplementary. As long as the mechanism is well established and benefits are well distributed, what is there to fight between the North and the South?

By relying on the military, they first established a Ming prince as the Khan of the Grassland, and then assisted him with various ethnic groups as princes. At least the two sides had a basis for mutual trust.

Zhu Houcong knew that among the small and medium-sized tribes that had now joined, some people still missed the freedom they had in the past when they commanded their clans on the grasslands.

That's okay, you can go back.

The premise is to participate in the Ming Dynasty's Northern Expedition strategy, contribute and make achievements.

In short, if the Khanate is established again and diplomatic relations are established, channels for personnel exchanges will also be established in the future. Those who yearn for a settled lifestyle should come here; those who don't want to live in fear under the Ming Dynasty's system should come here.

Today, Zhu Houconn is nearly forty years old, and every move he makes is calm, calm, kind and easy-going, which has accumulated more than 20 years of experience as an emperor.

But among the tribes who originally admired the strong, no one dared to doubt his majesty and ability.

I thought they were coming here after the Northern Expedition to be beaten and told not to cause trouble during the Northern Expedition, but I didn't expect that they were coming to participate in making the profit cake to be distributed after the war.

There is no doubt that after this battle, the tribal leaders who are unwilling to surrender under the Khan's court will be eliminated, leaving only a large number of bewildered herdsmen and ownerless pastures.

If you want to score more points, everyone should show their magical powers and increase the chances of Ming Dynasty winning in one game.

After Ma Fang stayed here for more than half a month, he finally ordered his soldiers with a racing heart: "No matter what the situation is, you go back quickly and let Lao Xing lead only seven or eight people to quietly move north along the Daxingan Mountains. Keep an eye on what’s going on over there!”

No matter where An Da's plan leads the final battle, Ma Fang has determined that his cavalry talent is indispensable.

At first it was just out of hatred that he secretly studied and practiced hard in Fengzhoutan, and became familiar with the migration habits and fighting methods of the Tatars.

Later, he found an opportunity and went to the camp where he was during the last northern expedition.

When he was tied up and saw Wu Dinghou, Wu Dinghou looked at him a few times and then asked: "Are you that Ma Fang?"

Then he heard that His Majesty actually wanted to see him directly and believed him.

The destiny of a nobody to become a prince and an honorable minister starts from that moment!

(End of this chapter)