Jingnan Strategy

Chapter 6
"Sorry..."

In the afternoon, outside the university, as Zhu Yuanzhang got on the chariot, six variegated horses pulled the chariot toward the Forbidden City in the distance.

The accompanying officials also had their own carriages, but most of them used mules and donkeys to pull them.

Compared with the embarrassment of the civilian officials, the military attachés on the side were able to ride horses, but most of them could only ride rhinos, while the Hezhou Guards and Baotao Guards, as elite cavalry, escorted the convoy on foot.

Zhu Yuanzhang was sitting in the chariot, looking at this scene and frowning.

The Ming Dynasty has been short of horses since the founding of the country. Even though Zhu Yuanzhang has implemented the horse policy for many years, the number of horses in the country is still extremely rare.

"How are the arrangements for buying horses from Korea and Ryukyu going?"

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly spoke, and Zhu Yunwen, who was sitting aside to help process the memorial, heard the sound and bowed:
"The officials of the Ministry of Rites have almost made arrangements. They can buy 420 and six horses this time, but most of them are of the lower class."

"Well..." Zhu Yuanzhang responded: "How about the horse conquest of Xifantu?"

"It's not going too well...According to the memorial written by Geng Zhong, the commander of the Songzhou Guards, currently only the chieftains from Songpan are paying, while the chieftains from Duogan, Uzang and other places are trying to fend off the court by citing rugged roads."

Zhu Yunwen looked ugly, and listening to his truthful confession, Zhu Yuanzhang's face didn't look good either.

Ever since Uzang surrendered, Zhu Yuanzhang had not paid much attention to the affairs of Xifan. It was not until the 16th year of Hongwu that he issued an order for the native people of Xifan: "Three thousand households will have one horse for each of the three households, and one horse for four thousand households." Then four households will produce one horse in total."

However, after all is settled, the only places where the Ming Dynasty could directly interfere with Xifan were Xining, Songpan, Qamdo and other places. Therefore, it was quite normal for the chieftain of Xifan to prevaricate local gifts for many years.

Xifan was an important source of horses for the Ming Dynasty, and the policy of "losing horses as gifts" also worked well, and could obtain hundreds of horses for the Ming Dynasty every year.

It's just that the number of horses is nothing compared to the population of Xifan and the number of Ming troops.

Zhu Yuanzhang knew that the chieftain of Xifan had violated the Ming Dynasty's decrees, but he was currently unable to conquer Xifan.

Besides, he has a better way than using force to conquer...

"Tell the Ministry of Rites and the Tea Department to reduce the number of Xifan Chayin who refuse to pay tribute to horses. I want these Xifan people to hand over their horses honestly!"

Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes and chose to use tea as a financial blow in response to Xifan Tusi's disobedience.

For the Ban people living on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the climate and environment in the Ming Dynasty were not as good as those in the Tang Dynasty. Once there was no tea, the Xi Fan people would easily get sick and then suffer from terminal diseases.

Zhu Yuanzhang knew this, so even if he didn't send troops, he could still make the chieftains hand over their horses honestly.

When Zhu Yunwen heard this, he admired his imperial grandfather from the bottom of his heart. At the same time, he also signaled the eunuch and eunuch beside him to record the government order.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned when he saw it: "There is no need to write it down, just pass it on orally. If Xifan Tusi finds Xining, Songpan and Lijiang, he will also tell the officials of the Tea Department to say that the tea production this year is not good."

"Since they are prevaricating me, I will also prevaricate them so that he can't tell the story of his suffering."

"Yes..." Zhu Yunwen agreed, but he still felt that his grandfather's method was not in line with the way of a gentleman.

But although he didn't say it on his face, his expression betrayed him.

Seeing Zhu Yunwen's expression, Zhu Yuanzhang also taught him earnestly: "Yunwen... the emperor inherits the way of heaven and controls all directions. You can read the classics and history of those Confucian scholars, but you cannot follow them. As an emperor, you must have your own ideas. You can’t be led by others.”

"My grandson would like to listen to the teachings of Grandpa Huang." Seeing that his thoughts were exposed, Zhu Yunwen quickly responded to express that he understood.

But looking at his appearance, Zhu Yuanzhang could only sigh in his heart, and couldn't help but miss the deceased Zhu Biao.

Although Zhu Biao is also a little Confucian and angry, he can at least distinguish the difference between his own family and foreign ministers, but his grandson...

Zhu Yuanzhang remained silent, just silently handling the prelude to the case.

[In Gengxu, Yunnan Mozidong barbarian bandit Jianchang attacked the Hexi garrison. Xu Kai, the governor of the Chinese Army's Dudu Mansion, defeated them with Chengdu and other guards]

[Guichou, the native barbarians in Siling Prefecture, Guangxi Province disobeyed orders, but the native official Wei Shou defeated the native soldiers]

[In Wuchen, more than 29 people including Pan Da, a Daozhou barbarian, rebelled. Huguangdu commanded the commander to send troops to capture his party. Zhou Zichang and other [-] people were killed, and they all collapsed]

"These barbarians never stop for a moment."

Looking at the memorials about the rebellion of the young people in Yunnan, Guangxi, Huguang and other places, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but recall the performance of the military attachés' children just now, and couldn't help but feel a little worried.

Fortunately, when he thought of his grandson Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but feel a little thankful in his heart.

"Gao Xu is very capable. You can ask the subordinates of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion to test his strategy. After the test, come back and tell me." Zhu Yuanzhang ordered Zhu Yunwen without raising his head, and Zhu Yunwen bowed in agreement upon seeing this. .

Soon, the chariot and hundreds of officers and soldiers gradually disappeared at the end of the road, heading towards the Forbidden City in the north.

"It's time to go, it's time to stay..."

As the chariot left, Zhu Gaoxu also experienced a farewell in the university.

He leaned at the door of the barracks and looked at some of the military attachés' children packing their bags inside, feeling a little sad.

There are more than [-] barracks in the teaching grounds, each occupying four quarters and can accommodate ten people under a small banner.

However, since the victory of the Northern Expedition, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered craftsmen to build houses at the gates of the Imperial City, Inner City, Outer City and other places to house the soldiers stationed in Nanjing.

The large training ground that was once used for military training, in the end, only the Imperial Leopard Tao Guard Jingqi and the Hezhou Wei Xifan Jingqi were permanently stationed here.

Looking at the military attachés' children who were packing their luggage and preparing to leave one by one, Zhu Gaoxu felt doubly sad.

"Your Highness, we are leaving."

After packing their luggage, a young man who had known Zhu Gaoxu for more than three months bowed to Zhu Gaoxu, and eight of his disciples followed behind him.

This young man is Li Ying, whom the military attachés praised previously, and his father is Li Nange, the commander of the Xining Guard.

Li Ying and his family are all Tubo people who were naturalized in the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, they are dark-skinned and not tall, but they are also quite brave. They are three years older than Zhu Gaoxu.

When Zhu Gaoxu didn't stay in this barracks, Li Ying was undoubtedly the overlord of the barracks. But since Zhu Gaoxu moved into the barracks and knocked Li Ying down with two punches in front of everyone, Li Ying became Zhu Gaoxu's subordinate. The top thug.

Originally, Zhu Gaoxu thought that Li Ying could return to Peiping with him, but now it seems that this may not be possible.

"You all leaving?"

Looking at the looks of Li Ying and the others, Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but feel a little reluctant.

"We are all from Shaanxi. If we pass the exam this time, we will naturally go back."

Li Ying explained with a smile, but he also quickly added: "But please rest assured, Your Highness, we will never forget His Highness's teachings to us. If His Highness has the opportunity to lead troops in the northwest in the future, we will definitely follow His Highness to fight!"

As soon as Li Ying said his words, the eight disciples behind him also bowed.

But their move really made Zhu Gaoxu look helpless.

"Just don't come and hit me in the future..." Zhu Gaoxu couldn't laugh or cry in his heart, thinking of the battle of Jingnan in history.

If he remembered correctly, Ganliang's side cavalry seemed to have cooperated with Yuqian's elite cavalry to pierce the front of Yan's army's elite cavalry, and these brothers of his...

Zhu Gaoxu looked at the faces of Li Ying and others. Looking at the smiling faces of everyone, he could only hope that they would not meet on the battlefield in the future.

"Let's go, let's go. When you go back, don't let me hear that you are not good to the soldiers and civilians stationed there. Otherwise, when I have time, I will have to deal with you sooner or later."

Zhu Gaoxu turned aside and let out half of the door, while not forgetting to remind everyone.

He remembered clearly that Li Ying and others had a very unruly attitude towards ordinary soldiers and people. It wasn't until he beat them up once that they became honest.

Now that they are separated, I wonder if they will continue to bully the people after they return.

"Your Highness, please don't worry..." When Li Ying heard Zhu Gaoxu's words, he couldn't help but feel some physical pain in his body, and said helplessly:
"We all remember your words: The strong attack the stronger, and the weak attack the weaker."

"Our swords are guaranteed to be reserved for the Tatars in the northwest and will never be used for soldiers and civilians."

"Okay, let's all go, leave me alone." Zhu Gaoxu didn't say much when he saw this, and waved for them to leave faster.

"Then let's go." Li Ying and the other eight people looked at Zhu Gaoxu, reluctantly stepped forward and hugged Zhu Gaoxu one by one, and then walked out of the barracks with their luggage.

But even so, the nine people took three steps and turned back, feeling very reluctant to let go of Zhu Gaoxu.

It wasn't until Zhu Gaoxu closed the door of the barracks that Li Ying and the others sighed and left the teaching ground...

(End of this chapter)