If I fail to overcome the tribulation, I can only return to the Ming Dynasty and become a prince.

Chapter 215
After the sacrifice, the Ming army returned to Belan and suddenly became hypothermic. Waiting for the subsequent delivery of military rations, they really wanted to return to the court.

However, before Banshi returned to the court, Zhu Di still needed to make arrangements for the sudden hypothermia in Bulan. At the very least, the new city built by Zhu Zhanquan could not just give up.

If it were in the past, Zhu Di might not have cared so much about this city. After all, it was just a walled city built with rammed earth and had no other functions except for garrison defense.

For the Ming Dynasty, garrisoning troops thousands of miles away from the mainland was really a waste of time and money but of little practical significance.

After all, the Ming Dynasty cannot achieve effective actual control over this territory of thousands of miles. A partial army stationed so far away from the mainland cannot bring any practical benefits to the court. It is very likely that the Anxi Army of the Tang Dynasty will repeat itself. Old things.

But Zhu Di was not a person without strategic vision. If his vision was not long-term enough, he would not have moved the capital of the Ming Dynasty from Nanjing to Beijing.

Therefore, Zhu Di could understand the strategic significance of Zhu Zhanquan's proposal to garrison troops in Belanhu and Wenwen and bring this territory under the control of the Ming Dynasty.

Just understanding the strategic significance of doing so, and whether the court has enough strength to support doing so, are two completely different concepts.

Today's Ming Dynasty can be said to have been fighting for several consecutive years, and its national power has been severely depleted. If it cannot cultivate and rest for a few years, it will affect the national destiny.

Because of this, although Zhu Di supported the garrison of troops in Belan Huchengwen, he still needed to convene ministers to discuss it.

However, in order to express his support and allow this matter to pass as much as possible, Zhu Di did not wait until he returned to the Ming Dynasty to convene the civil servants and generals to discuss it. Instead, he convened the military generals in the big tent of Belanhu to discuss the matter. thing.

This time, Zhu Zhanyu did not pretend to be hungover to avoid speaking like last time. Instead, he took the initiative to stand up and said to the generals: "The imperial court spent a lot of money on two consecutive northern expeditions in just a few years. The national treasury is now empty of manpower and material resources, and Xia Shangshu of the Ministry of Revenue has turned his hair gray in order to meet the consumption of the army.

If Gu had not borrowed money from merchants in Lianghuai and asked them to supply the army for the northern expedition this time, I am afraid we would have to find a way to defend the Great Wall now.

Therefore, the imperial court cannot work like this again and again without results, and must find a way to solve it once and for all!
And garrisoning troops in Belanhu, long-term and effective control of the place is an effective means to eradicate the root cause. Moreover, this place is deep into the hinterland of Mongolia and is the place where the Mongolian dragon thrives. Suppressing this place can also effectively suppress the Mongolian Yuan. The development of the country has made them unable to invade the south. "

Zhu Zhanjun's words aroused extensive discussion among the generals in the big tent. Everyone recognized that the garrison could effectively control the Mongols' southward invasion.

But these generals are not idiots or fools. Everyone also understands how much food and materials it costs to station an army in such a place. Just maintaining such a supply line all year round is enough for Ming Dynasty to drink a pot.

So immediately someone asked Zhu Zhankun this question: How should the Ming Dynasty maintain its army's consumption and expenditure when it suddenly lost its temperature in Belan. "Belanhu Wenwen has been the site of the Huns' court since the Han-Hungarian period. The water and grass here are abundant and suitable for grazing. There is no problem in reclaiming the land in the valley for farming. Therefore, if the imperial court stationed troops here, it would be a good idea to garrison the fields. A method that can solve most of the food problems." Regarding how to maintain an army stationed here, Zhu Zhanquan did have comprehensive considerations: "But it is definitely not enough to have farms alone. Soldiers' weapons, clothing, horses, food and wages, etc. …These all need to be transported from thousands of miles away by the imperial court, and the expense involved will make Xia Shangshu strangle me to death, or he himself will hang himself in the Ministry of Household Affairs.”

Zhu Zhanjun made a joke, which made the generals laugh out loud. Who in the court didn't know that Xia Shangshu of the Ministry of Revenue was the stingiest person.

On weekdays, the Ministry of War needs to replace cotton-padded clothes, armor, etc. for the army. If the Ministry of Household Affairs wants to allocate money, they have to talk to Xia Shangshu for a long time to get the money. Sometimes they don't even get the money. Everyone has seen it.

However, it was a joke that all the generals in the army knew Xia Yuanji's position in the hearts of the emperor and the prince, and no one dared to gossip about the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

Zhu Zhanquan laughed with everyone, and then said seriously: "So we can't expect the court to keep supporting Wu Lan. Therefore, in addition to farming, the garrison also has to do business with the surrounding tribes. The court should set up this place." It was a trading ground for the tea and horse trade, allowing merchants to come here to trade with the Mongols.

This can not only profit from the Mongols and maintain the existence of Belan Huanwen, but also allow those merchants to transport food here, eliminating the burden of the imperial court to transport food itself, so that Belan Huanwen can maintain its existence. Go down. "

Hearing what Zhu Zhanqun said, the generals in the big tent couldn't help but nod in praise. They really didn't know how to run and maintain a city and garrison, but they could still figure out how much it cost to station an army in a border town. .

Therefore, they can also calculate how much manpower and material resources Zhu Zhanquan can save the court by doing this.

After hearing Zhu Zhankun's words, Zhu Di couldn't help but nod his head in praise, and then said: "This is a good idea. Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, there has been a trade between the Central Plains and the grassland tribes. This dynasty has been at war with the Mongols. We have not set up a forum, so it would be a good thing if we could establish an effective method to reduce the burden on the court."

Zhu Di was able to calculate clearly, and he could also see that the real purpose of Zhu Zhankun's proposal to set up the Qianqian was not simply to maintain the garrison in Belan, which was suddenly hypothermic, but to make the Mongolians on the grassland lose their toughness. The spirit becomes weak.

After all, it is bitterly cold in Mobei. If these Mongolians want to obtain daily necessities, if they have any channels to buy from the Central Plains, the only way they can think of is to go south to grab them.

But if someone can transport these things to the grassland, and at the same time have enough force to deal with them obediently instead of forcefully selling and buying, then they will naturally become accustomed to using transactions instead of swords to get what they want. s things.

Over time, without swords, bows and horses in their lives, and without the habit of robbery, these Mongolians will really become like what Zhu Zhantun described, from being good at riding and shooting to being good at singing and dancing. .

"Grandpa, you are wise, the Mongolians have always had a great demand for salt, iron and tea. If the imperial court can transport these materials to the grassland and buy horses, cattle and sheep from the grassland, it will actually be beneficial to both of us." Zhu Zhancheng said The words seemed to be harmless, but his eyes revealed a deeper meaning.

(End of this chapter)