Jingnan Strategy

Chapter 145 The King Outside the Pass
"There are 530 six military horses available, and 320 four horses that can be trained into military horses..."

"Two thousand, seven hundred and fifty six draft horses, one thousand, six hundred and ninety four cattle, five thousand, six hundred and fifty two sheep..."

"Food is 250 six dan, arable land is over 720 760/620 acres, men are 710 and a half, women are 720 and [-], children are [-] and [-], and households are [-] and [-]..."

On September [-]th, as the sound of Yi Shiha's report came out, smiles appeared on the faces of everyone in the former Buyan Stone Castle and Anton City.

Five days have passed since the war ended. During these five days, Yishiha followed Zhu Gaoxu's instructions and counted the amount of farmland captured in this battle and the number of cultivated lands in Andong City.

It has to be said that Xiyang Ha's family is still rich. Although Hu Lawen City in the east has not yet been captured, taking Andong City alone will be enough to make Jilin City rich. It is no wonder that he will become rich in one fell swoop after Zhu Di takes over. He took out 350 military horses as tribute horses in exchange for Zhu Di stopping the encirclement and suppression of him.

In Anton City, Zhu Gaoxu nodded with satisfaction as he listened to Yi Shiha's account report.

Sitting in this stone castle wooden house were Fu Rang, Yi Shiha, and Zhang Chun, and myself, a total of four people. If we add Lin Su and Wang Yi from the south, they would be Jilin City's current team.

"We lost more than 800 military horses in this battle. Fortunately, we have harvested more than [-] military horses, and we can draw more elite cavalry out to fight."

"Of course, draft horses and cattle are what I care about." Zhu Gaoxu said his plan:
"The situation has become clear in the past few days. There are 160 brothers from Jilin City who are willing to move to Andong City, with more than [-] people."

"This is more than I thought, so the old Nanjing brothers who want to stay now can reduce it as appropriate."

During the conversation, he looked at Fu Rang: "This Anton City is in ruins, I can only let you stay here."

"In addition to the Jilin City brothers who are willing to move here, I will use the Nanjing brothers to make up for you 500 people and [-] draft horses."

"Okay!" Fu Rang did not shirk, but nodded in agreement and put forward his request:
"I don't want any converted men. I still can't trust them. If you can trust me, keep Yishiha's ten brothers and give me a thousand single women and five hundred cattle. I can only have a thousand draft horses."

A thousand single healthy women, this topic is very sensitive. Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but ask Fu Rang: "I can give you healthy women, but what if there are brothers in the army who don't follow the rules and molest them?"

Zhu Gaoxu could accept the marriage between both parties. He not only accepted it, but also strongly supported it.

But getting married and teasing women are two different things.

"If anyone dares to commit a crime, I will definitely punish him severely with military law!" Fu Rang looked at Zhu Gaoxu intently. When Zhu Gaoxu saw this, he nodded and looked at him:
"You will take some people to inquire about Gui Jurchen in a moment. Those who are in love or are married will return to Jilin with the team in the future."

"For those who are unmarried, a thousand single women who are acceptable can be kept. In addition, they are told that if they fall in love with their brothers in the house in the future, they will be immediately exempted from three years of hard labor and will become Han women from then on. .”

Supporting Jurchen girls to marry Han men is Zhu Gaoxu's best way to promote national integration, and it is also one of the rules set by Zhu Yuanzhang in the fifth year of Hongwu.

There are many rules about ethnic marriages in the "Da Ming Law". For example, Han women are not allowed to marry outside the ethnic group without meritorious service, and women with lustful eyes are not allowed to intermarry with the same ethnic group. The rules are all for ethnic integration.

In this regard, Lao Zhu's rules were correct. Even because of these rules, many Tatar and Semu officials rebelled during the Hongwu and Yongle years. However, as time went by, the various ethnic groups were gradually assimilated and integrated by the Han people, and eventually it became clear that Nothing like the rebellion in the Qing Dynasty ever broke out.

In this place outside the Pass, Zhu Gaoxu also used the same means to assimilate the Jurchens.

"Your Highness, the victory report has been written. Please read it."

Yishiha responded to Zhu Gaoxu's instructions and at the same time handed over the success report he had written in the past few days.

Zhu Gaoxu took it, looked at it, and handed it back after confirming that there was nothing wrong with it: "Just write it like this, and also write down the matter of recruiting more than [-] Jurchens to surrender."

"I will write a letter to grandpa later and ask him to transfer some military households to Jilin City."

Although he knew that Lao Zhu might not transfer military households to him, Zhu Gaoxu still wanted to give it a try.

"Although this battle was won and so many livestock and food arable land were obtained, winter is coming soon, and the ships in Jilin City cannot transport so many livestock and people."

After listening to what Zhu Gaoxu said, Fu Rang immediately said what they needed to face now:

"The grain in Jilin City is only over 5 dan. Even including the more than [-] dan seized this time and the grain harvested in Jilin City, it is only [-] dan."

"Originally, there were more than 8000 soldiers and civilians in Jilin City. Now plus the more than [-] people here, the total number of people is more than [-]."

"People eat horse chews. Can these more than 5 stones last until the snow melts next year?"

Speaking of this, he looked at Zhu Gaoxu. After all, outside the customs, food was always a problem.

Zhu Gaoxu did not ponder or think about this, or he had already thought about it during the two days of rest.

Facing the looks of Fu Rang, Zhang Chun and Yi Shiha, Zhu Gaoxu said loudly:

"Over in Jilin City, the monthly expenses for the eight thousand soldiers and civilians together with military pay and rations is five thousand dan. For these nine thousand or so Jurchens, based on five dou per month for big mouths and three dou per month for small mouths, the rations are almost four thousand dan. .”

"Putting the two together, it's really only enough to last until mid-March, which is half a month short of rations."

"I thought about it before setting off. Although I didn't expect the gap to be so big, a lot of dried fish have been pickled in Jilin. In addition, from the sheep seized this time, I plan to select [-] for cold food, Slaughtering on the Winter Solstice, Laba Festival, Xiaonian, New Year’s Eve, Zhengdan, Lantern Festival and other days..."

"Kill the sheep?" Before Zhu Gaoxu finished speaking, Fu Rang interrupted in disbelief, and further said: "Do you know how much these [-] sheep would be worth if sold to the south?"

"Yes, Your Highness, it's better to drive the sheep to Denglai to sell and buy grain before winter has completely set in." Zhang Chun couldn't help but persuade.

It's not that they are stingy, it's just that mutton is too expensive.

Even at the price of mutton in Denglai, Shandong, 800 sheep can be sold for more than [-] guan, enough to buy [-] shi of grain.

Although they were greedy for mutton, they killed [-] sheep just to survive for half a month. Such a thing was really not something ordinary people could do.

Facing their words, Zhu Gaoxu chuckled with a kind expression: "Thousands of soldiers and civilians have suffered for so many years, and now they have finally pacified the old slaves and only rewarded the army with [-] sheep. I feel stingy."

“I’ll have a comfortable winter this year, but I’ll have to start farming next year.”

He raised his head and looked at everyone with a magnanimous gaze. Fu Rang and Yi Shiha couldn't help but avoid his gaze, cursing in their hearts that they had gotten into Qian's eyes.

Zhang Chun, on the other hand, did not feel ashamed at this moment. Instead, he felt warm in his heart.

Since he followed his father to guard the border in Jilin, the Shangguan who came to inspect all the time only asked them to prepare banquets and never cared about the lives of the soldiers and civilians in Jilin.

Now Zhu Gaoxu had given [-] sheep to the military households and their families. Zhang Chun felt a sore nose. He turned his head and rubbed his eyes, then lowered his head and bowed to Zhu Gaoxu:
"In this case, we will arrange for the brothers in the army to go south with the Jurchen men and draft horses and cattle."

"Well..." Zhu Gaoxu nodded, turned to Fu Rang and ordered: "Leave the four thousand stones of grain here. When we return to Jilin City, we will send another four thousand stones of grain by ship to feed the soldiers and civilians of Andong City for the winter. You are here During the day, I took my brothers to prepare firewood for the winter and repaired the house."

"Okay" Fu Rang nodded in agreement, and upon seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu waved his hand to signal them to leave.

Without staying too much, everyone left one after another, and the entire Anton City became lively as they walked out of the wooden house.

Compared with the light equipment when they came, the returning Bohai Navy team was much larger. More than 700 people and more than [-] Jurchen men escorted the livestock across the river starting from noon.

It was not until September [-]th that all the livestock were sent across the river. At the same time, Wang Yi, the official of one hundred households, also arrived at Andong City with all the ships in Jilin City.

More than 700 children were picked up by him and returned to Jilin on relatively labor-saving ships. On September 5000, Zhu Gaoxu and others began to lead more than [-] Jurchens southward.

The road they walked was too rough when they came, and now that the team has grown, they must not be able to go any further.

So they hung up the Bohai flag, walked on the old Liao-Jin road that connected several Jurchen fortresses, and returned all the way south.

As they headed south, news began to spread that Xiyang Ha was killed and Buyanzhai Fort was captured.

For the Bohai Navy, they eliminated Xiyang Ha, a bandit who had been at odds with them for many years, but for the Jurchen tribes living outside the Pass, this was undoubtedly a reshuffle of the forces outside the Pass.

Although Xiyangha's sons still occupy the land of Hulawen, everyone knows that Buyanzhai Fort is stuck in the valley between the two mountains and forests of Azhemi and Cuihahe.

If they want to get out of Hulawen, they must face the Ming army in Buyanzhai Fort.

Judging from the character and courage of Xiyanghan's sons, they would definitely not dare to come back.

In other words, the Songhua River Basin has now basically become the one-spoken hall of the Ming Dynasty, or the one-spoken hall of the Bohai Palace.

No matter it was the Land of Six Cities or the seven Jurchens who originally rebelled against the Ming Dynasty with Xiyang Ha, they could not fight against the Bohai Navy alone.

If they don't want to be destroyed in the coming year, they have to please King Bohai this winter.

The Jurchen tribes who understood this began to send envoys to Jilin City. When they came to Jilin City again after many years of absence, the scene in Jilin City had changed to the point that they did not dare to recognize each other.

Aqueducts made of gray stone, tens of thousands of acres of cultivated land, countless livestock and brand-new urban areas...

All these changes have made Jilin City the most prosperous place outside the Pass. Even the six former cities in front of it are just a few slightly larger market towns.

Time flies, nearly half a month flies by.

Before September [-]th, Zhu Gaoxu finally arrived in Jilin City with the overwhelming number of Jurchens.

Because of Tangqi's message, many people in Jilin City were waiting eagerly on the west bank of the Songhua River.

After seeing Zhu Gaoxu and his team, everyone burst into their loudest cheers.

"The King of Bohai is a thousand years old!"

"Your Highness is a thousand years old!"

"Bohai Navy..."

On the west bank of the Songhua River, thousands of people cheered and cheered. Even though it was very cold in Jilin at this time, everyone was warm and their faces were red.The pontoon bridge had already been built, and more than [-] riders crossed the pontoon bridge under the leadership of Zhu Gaoxu, followed by more than [-] Jurchens and nearly [-] livestock.

"Your Highness!"

"father!"

"Sauro!"

"Second baby!"

On the west bank of the Songhua River, the scene of the Bohai Navy's triumphant return was a spectacular scene. People cheered for it, and the entire west bank was enveloped in an atmosphere of celebration.

Some people are looking for their fathers, others are looking for their sons, their husbands...

Some people found it, hugged and cried with joy, while others did not find it. They could only watch the advancing team helplessly, trying to find their relatives.

The people who found their relatives began to chant Zhu Gaoxu's king's trumpet. The sound became louder and louder, and finally turned into a burst of cheers.

When the Jurchen envoys in the city heard this voice, they rushed out of the post house, ran all the way to the city gate, and finally gathered at the city gate, ready to welcome the King of Bohai whom they had never met before.

As Zhu Gaoxu's team got closer and closer, all the Jurchen envoys at the city gate knelt down and offered the highest courtesy to Zhu Gaoxu and his team.

In the middle of the team, Zhu Gaoxu was riding a tall Chi Huan, wearing a simple mandarin duck war coat inside and a bearskin fur seized from Xiyang Ha's property.

He was holding the horse's reins in his hand, and the bearskin fur made him look particularly majestic.

Facing the half-kneeling salutes of the Jurchen envoys from various tribes, Zhu Gaoxu smiled and waved to greet them.

After receiving the response, the Jurchen envoys from various tribes began to follow closely behind the team, hoping to present gifts from their tribes to the King of Bohai today.

Such a scene made the people of Jilin City in the rear puff up their chests.

The triumphant return of the Bohai Navy not only brought the good news of victory, but more importantly, made people feel the unity, glory and pride, as well as the strength of Jilin City.

Xiyang Ha has been destroyed. Today's Jilin City will become the center of the land outside the pass, and they will also usher in a day of peace and well-being.

"Your Highness is a thousand years old!"

"Okay, let's all disperse and go home to reunite with our families."

Arriving in front of the palace, Zhu Gaoxu issued an order to disband the army to the brothers behind him. Hearing this, the soldiers and horses bowed in succession: "Yes!"

After a while, more than 6000 riders dispersed one after another, and Fu Rang also unknowingly left the team, presumably to arrange for the more than [-] Jurchens.

Zhu Gaoxu got off his horse and handed Chi Huan to a soldier guarding the palace: "Take good care of it."

"Yes, don't worry!" Soldier proudly puffed out his chest and led Chi Huan to the stable in the backyard of the palace.

Watching him leave, Zhu Gaoxu also told Yishiha who had just dismounted beside him: "Call the envoys from all ministries to the Chengyun Hall."

"Aren't you going to rest?" Yi Shiha looked at Zhu Gaoxu worriedly, but he shook his head: "If you finish your work today, I can have a good rest tomorrow."

As soon as he finished speaking, he led Zhang Chun into the palace. Yi Shiha was also waiting at the door for the envoys from various ministries to arrive at the gate of the palace, and sorted them according to the strength of each ministry.

"Your Highness!"

As soon as he entered the palace, Zhu Gaoxu saw Lin Su walking quickly in a red fat coat with a smile on his face.

"I will see you, Your Highness!" Lin Su respected Zhu Gaoxu as always, and Zhu Gaoxu also helped him up: "Tell me how the more than 2000 dolls are arranged."

"As your Highness told you, they have all been arranged to live in Xicheng. The general will now take people to arrange for their parents to move in." Lin Su said and looked behind Zhu Gaoxu.

"Go ahead and get Yishiha back." Zhu Gaoxu smiled and patted his shoulder, then led Zhang Chun into the Chengyun Hall.

In the Chengyun Hall, there were now three rows of twelve chairs on the left and right, a total of 72 chairs. It was obvious that Lin Su was busy with this just now.

He knew Zhu Gaoxu very well. Zhu Gaoxu was not the kind of person who would postpone matters until the next day, so he arranged these tables and chairs to facilitate Zhu Gaoxu to convene envoys from various ministries to discuss matters.

Seeing this scene, Zhu Gaoxu looked back at Lin Su, who had already walked out of the palace, with a warm expression on his face: "I haven't read in vain in the past six months, and now I am more organized."

While praising him, he also looked at Zhang Chun: "My father's revenge has been avenged. You should also study hard in the military academy and don't slack off."

"Your Highness, don't worry..." Zhang Chun's face showed a maturity that was different from that of his peers: "Your Highness avenges the general, and the general will naturally learn his skills to repay you."

Although Zhang Chun participated in the battle of the Northern Expedition to Xiyang Ha, in fact, due to the outstanding performance of Zhu Gaoxu and Fu Rang, he and Yi Shiha basically acted as subordinates and did not participate in the command.

After experiencing the war, Zhang Chun naturally longed to lead an army on his own, so learning was essential.

Seeing that he was mature, Zhu Gaoxu didn't say much to educate others. He didn't like to educate others when nothing happened.

After walking to the main seat and sitting down next to Da Ma Jin Dao, Zhu Gaoxu took off his fur and put it aside. Zhang Chun stood aside, took the fur and put it on the wooden stand next to him.

The soldiers on duty at the entrance of Chengyun Hall began to serve meals one after another. Needless to say, this scene was arranged by Lin Su.

Zhu Gaoxu was very satisfied with all this, and he also made up his mind to take Lin Su and others with him in the war against Wuliangha next year.

"The young man's tower from Futijin City was lost, the young man Dole Heqi from Tuowen City, the young man Nimacha from Fusimucheng, the young man Ta Cichi from Fukixi City...and other envoys from the six cities congratulated. King Bohai has achieved great victory!”

Suddenly, the sound of singing salutes sounded, and then six short and stocky young men wearing mink furs came towards Chengyun Hall one after another.

After them, Yi Shiha continued to sing, and tribes with more than a thousand people, such as Zhusheli and Nayin, were named, and more than ten people came in one after another.

All this was just the beginning, and dozens of singing ceremonies followed, and they all walked to the open space in front of Chengyun Hall and stood there, waiting for Zhu Gaoxu's call.

As the last one walked into the palace, Yishiha quickly walked into the palace from the door of the palace, then walked past the envoys of the ministries into the Chengyun Hall, and bowed to Zhu Gaoxu who was sitting on the throne:

"Your Highness, 69 tribes from all over the border have come to congratulate you on your great victory. This is a gift from all tribes."

Yi Shiha presented a post with both hands. Zhang Chun stepped forward to take it without thinking and handed it to Zhu Gaoxu.

Zhu Gaoxu didn't read the post, but raised his chin: "Let them all come in and sit down. The dishes will get cold if they wait too long. I still like to talk while eating."

"Yes..." Hearing that Zhu Gaoxu used the title of 'lone' for the first time in a long time, Yishiha felt a little uncomfortable, but he also knew that this was Zhu Gaoxu's show in front of the envoys.

It has been almost half a year since Zhu Gaoxu came to Jilin City to establish the vassal state. However, during this period, only Shanchu and Su Zhenwu Diha were the only ones. Futigin City took the initiative to send people to visit, and the rest were all after Su Zhenwu Diha. Just visited one after another.

They visited Jilin City and obtained the Bohai Navy flag only to obtain nominal protection and substantial mutual trade.

Therefore, at that time, they did not really regard Zhu Gaoxu as the lord outside the pass and the king of Bohai County who was canonized by the Ming Dynasty.

But now, with Xiyang Ha being almost completely wiped out in Daheishan, everyone is paying attention to the Bohai Navy.

Today the Bohai Navy made a triumphant return. Although Zhu Gaoxu himself did not wear armor, the more than [-] elite cavalry of the Bohai Navy were equipped with armor.

This kind of strength is enough to sweep any city in the six-city land, not to mention that it is only a part of the Bohai Navy's strength.

Since Zhu Gaoxu destroyed Xiyang Ha, the Bohai flag is no longer a nominal protection, but a real deterrent.

Looking at the 69 envoys who walked into the Chengyun Hall and carefully took their seats, Zhu Gaoxu didn't know whether to be happy or sad.

After Nurhaci unified the Jianzhou Jurchens in the late Ming Dynasty, he could recruit as many as 13 men over the age of [-] to invade Liaodong.

After conquering the Hercynian Jurchens, forcing North Korea to trade with them, and seizing Liaodong from the Ming army, [-] armored soldiers repeatedly entered the border and robbed millions of Han people.

On the other hand, in the early Ming Dynasty, the so-called 69 troops could not even gather 30 troops, and they could not even pull out [-] armored soldiers.

Looking at them, Zhu Gaoxu really should thank the Mongols.

If they had not massacred the Jurchens in the Northeast, the enemies they faced would not be so weak.

Just defeating a Xiyang Ha and beheading more than a thousand people can intimidate the entire Songhua River Basin. This is a result that he did not expect.

He secretly rejoiced for a moment, and then began to scan the 69 envoys in the palace.

Seeing that none of them dared to move their chopsticks, Zhu Gaoxu picked up the wine glass and raised it: "Drink a glass first and talk while eating."

No one dared to speak easily, but they all raised their glasses, toasted to Zhu Gaoxu with both hands, and then drank it all.

Seeing their appearance, Zhu Gaoxu was also in a happy mood, raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.

In less than two years, what he was pursuing had gone from life-saving to power now.

In this Jilin City, no matter how bitter and cold it is, Zhu Gaoxu is always the King of Bohai who sticks to his word.

Without Lao Zhu's suppression, he can use his hands and feet with confidence to realize the things he once wanted to do but could not do.

Now is the best time for him to expand his strength...

(End of this chapter)