New Shun 1730

Guazhou, the emperor's camp.

To the east is Jiayu Pass, and to the northwest is Xingxing Gorge, the only way to enter the Western Regions.

Liangzhou has been lost for forty years, and Helong has invaded 7,000 miles. In peacetime, Anxi has a border of thousands of miles, but today the border is in Fengxiang.

Since the Tang Dynasty, no Han emperor has come here for a thousand years.

The seven guards of Guanxi in the previous dynasty were just vassal areas. It would not have any impact if they were lost. It would be a waste of money to fight for them, and it would not affect the legitimacy of the Celestial Empire if they were lost.

Even after the establishment of Dashun, it compared itself to Li Tang, but there were still many voices of opposition in the court to the recovery of Gansu.

The great Confucian Wang Fuzhi once said: Therefore, mountain birds have sparse feet, marsh birds have dense feet, riding birds have horizontal strength, farming birds have pine strength, water farming is suitable for the south, and frost farming is suitable for the north. It is not that we can bear to let them disperse and separate their major clans, but also that we cannot save each other and eliminate their disasters... The Chinese are equal to the barbarians in terms of bones and pores, and they gather and separate equally, but they cannot be separated from the barbarians. Why is this so? If people do not isolate themselves from things, the heaven will be torn apart. If Huaxia does not isolate itself from the barbarians, the earth will be torn apart.

The general idea is: birds in the mountains have claws, and birds on the water have webbed feet. This is the reason why the way of heaven prevents them from killing each other. The orthodox Huaxia is suitable for the Central Plains, just like a bird with claws and no webbed feet should not go to a place with water.

His original intention was just to clarify the debate between Hua and Yi, but this statement was misinterpreted.

Although Dashun compares itself to Li Tang all day long, it has attracted some young people to be passionate.

But for some people who have grown up and are no longer passionate, it is inevitable that they feel that it is a waste of money and labor.

They misinterpreted Wang Fuzhi's words and thought that Wang Fuzhi meant that the orthodox Celestial Empire is only suitable for the Han provinces, and the rest of the places are where the barbarians should live. Huaxia should be isolated from the barbarians, not in contact with them, so the Great Wall should be built to isolate the barbarians.

In the eyes of some people, the Western Regions and Mongolia are not suitable for China at all. Why not build a Great Wall to isolate them? Why spend money to attack these useless places?

Not to mention the cost, it is basically impossible to collect taxes after conquering them, and the taxes collected have to be paid by Jiangnan and North China.

In a sense, their ideas are right.

Confucianism is not suitable for those border areas, and it is basically impossible to educate them. Birds in the mountains and forests have claws, and birds by the water have webbed feet. Confucianism is suitable for farming areas, but not for nomadic areas.

Since Confucianism cannot be taught there, how can it be considered part of the world? Therefore, if it is lost, it is lost. The legitimacy of the world only needs the Central Plains. Those places cannot represent the legitimacy of the world, and Dashun really has no need to use troops in those directions.

It’s just that Dashun started in the northwest, so it is inevitable to be particularly concerned about the things in the northwest. In addition to the legacy of Emperor Taizong, Dashun recovered Hetao, immigrated to Gansu, and finally extended its influence to Xingxing Gorge, stationed troops in Hami and cultivated land.

In recent years, wars have frequently occurred around Qinghai, Snow Mountain and other places.

Even though this place is no longer under the control of the Seven Guards of Guanxi in the previous dynasty, and has a prefecture and county government, it is still not safe.

The emperor camped here, and the soldiers and generals accompanying him were very worried.

They were worried that the Junggar would bypass Qinghai and besiege Guazhou. If a Tumubao was attacked, everything would be over.

Although the soldiers and generals were confident that they could defeat the Junggar, no one could say what would happen on the battlefield. There was no foolproof way on the battlefield.

The army was stationed here, and most of the military rations for the Western Expedition were piled up here. Going west along Xingxing Gorge is Hami City, the outpost of Dashun's strategy in the Western Regions.

These days, a steady stream of soldiers and generals marched towards Hami, and the post stations along the way were also constantly transporting military rations. It was said that the Junggar army was in front, and the army had to gather its forces and advance slowly.

Build a city in front and follow the soldiers behind. You must be fully prepared. You must not underestimate the enemy and rush forward, so as to be exploited by the Junggar army and cut off the supply line from Luntai to Hami.

At least, before yesterday, the Western Army was worried about this.

But with the news of victory coming from the north today, this worry turned into a bubble. There were cavalrymen galloping along the road, passing the news to the front and urging the troops to advance.

The main force of the Junggar was annihilated north of the Altai Mountains, and the west of Hami was empty. It was just a trick of the Junggar before!

Now there is no need to gather 20,000 auxiliary troops and 30,000 combat troops, and consume huge logistics to move forward.

The emperor's order is to gather 10,000 combat troops and 8,000 auxiliary troops to build a city in Luntai.

The army that went forward was reduced from 50,000 to less than 20,000, which had a huge impact on logistics and the speed of marching.

In the camp, the emperor's hearty laughter continued to echo in the big tent, and the generals and ministers who followed the army to the expedition also sang praises.

In fact, the emperor's heart was still shaken a day ago.

The emperor deeply agreed with Liu Yu's analysis of the most likely strategic intention of the Junggar. He also felt that if the Junggar used troops, this was the only way to survive.

However, there has been news that the Junggar army is west of Hami.

The strategy of confusing the enemy made it difficult for the emperor to make a judgment.

If the northern line is forced to take advantage of the Junggar army in the west and quickly cross the mountain, what if this is a strategy of confusing the enemy? What if the army is really on the northern line?

He only believed half of Liu Yu's words.

For the sake of safety, he did not say everything, only saying that Liu Yu could act at his convenience on the front line.

If he won, it was because he had guided the strategy well, had long anticipated the strategy of the Junggar, and had formed the Qingzhou Army against all odds; if he lost, he could only "shed tears and execute Ma Su".

The emperor was not completely sure that less than 20,000 Qingzhou soldiers and light cavalry could win a field battle against 30,000 Junggar troops.

But the temptation of winning was too great.

The news from the front line was unclear, and the emperor was in doubt, but he finally withstood all kinds of pressure and let the northern line continue to act conveniently instead of crossing the mountain quickly.

Although he urged twice, he did not say it firmly, just saying that if there was no large army on the northern line, they could quickly cross the mountain and build a city.

A few days ago, news came from the northern line that Liu Yu encountered the main force of the Junggar.

The emperor also couldn't sleep all night. On the one hand, he hoped that Liu Yu could really defeat the main force of the Junggar in one fell swoop on the northern line, which could save money and show that the emperor's decision was correct; on the other hand, he was really worried about whether the Qingzhou army really had such strength. In war, heroes can only be judged by success or failure. No matter how neat the team is, if they can't win, it's useless.

Liu Yu has been saying that if the team can march neatly, it means there is discipline. If there is discipline and there is enough food and military pay, there is really no reason not to win. This is correct, but who can say for sure what will happen on the battlefield?

Until this morning, the expedited horses galloped over and brought the news of the great victory on the northern front, and the whole camp was boiling.

The main force of the Junggar was annihilated, the young Ze Lingdun Duobu was killed in battle, and the big Ze Lingdun Duobu was captured. Such news quickly spread throughout the army.

Those ministers who had been worried about the appearance of "Tumu Fort" also put their minds at ease, while those who were eager to be awarded titles and meritorious service by this battle were unhappy.

Anyone would fight if the war reached this point.

Hami did not need to worry about the main force of the Junggar when sending troops to Luntai, so the number of troops sent out could be reduced. Reducing the number of troops sent out could save a lot of expenses and could also march at the fastest speed.

After gaining a foothold in Luntai, Liu Yu crossed the Altai Mountains and advanced from the north to the south. Even if the Junggar could still gather some remnants, they were close to defeat.

Amid the ministers' praises, Li Gan had not lost himself. He raised the memorial sent by Liu Yu in an urgent manner and said, "My lords, now that the battle of Pingzhu has been fought, there is no longer a major war. It's just that the Western Regions are stable, and this has just begun."

"Liu Yu said in the memorial that he would lead the Qingzhou army over the mountains and go straight to Yili through Alashankou. Taking advantage of the chaos of the Junggar, so that they cannot gather, he will go straight to Huanglong."

"But what happens next is not something that the army can solve. He said that some people who know surveying and mapping should be arranged quickly to follow the army along the way to draw a detailed map of the Western Region; a place should be selected in the Ili River Valley to build a city and immigrate as soon as possible. As for the army, it can't be wasted here all the time. The household government can't afford the cost of tens of thousands of taels a day."

"My lords, please take a look at the matter about Da Ce Ling Dun Duobu first."

After that, he passed the memorial to the ministers and nobles who followed him and asked for their opinions.

Is it to completely eradicate the Junggar?

Or allow the Junggar to surrender?

For the former, it is necessary to support Yarkand and Kazakhstan.

The latter requires a large army that can suppress the Western Regions, as well as more immigrants to settle and cultivate.

Li Gan is more inclined to the latter. Liu Yu defeated the Junggar army, and what is valuable is that he thought about the stability of the Western Regions in the future. This is a talent that can be a general or a prime minister.

Dashun restored the tradition of generals becoming prime ministers in the Tang Dynasty. Although there is no truth, the name still sounds like a prime minister when it is mentioned in Tianyou Hall.

While the ministers were looking at the memorial and discussing in a low voice, Li Gan was calculating in his mind.

The Qingzhou Army won, and it won so easily.

Liu Yu fulfilled his original promise and trained a well-regulated army. The memorial also said that once he arrived in Yili, he would hand over the military power of the Qingzhou Army, because the deputy general Zhang Jin could fully handle the rest.

The Qingzhou Army won, and it won so easily, like a weight, making all the things Liu Yu said before become heavy and more weighty.

Dashun...should have military reforms.

The number of the Beijing camp is maintained at 70,000 to 80,000, and the soldiers in various camps are concentratedly trained. Only an army of about 200,000 is needed to completely avoid worrying about the border and the interior.

The Qingzhou army is really cost-effective. It has less armor, replaced with muskets, and can fight three enemies at once.

This is both gratifying and terrifying, because Liu Yu learned all the things from Westerners, which makes the shadow hanging over Li Gan's head heavier and darker.

In the past, the Celestial Empire, after fighting to this point, could look around and let its horses go to the south mountain. The Western Regions have been settled, what else is worth conquering? Just pay tribute and surrender.

But now, there is a huge Rakshasa in the north, which, according to Liu Yu, is also the combat power level of the Qingzhou army.

In the South Sea, the Netherlands, Britain, France, Spain... and Portugal in Macau, if one day in the future they really threaten from the East China Sea as Liu Yu said, what should we do?

Li Jiusi said that day that the Beijing camp could not beat the Qingzhou army. Now it seems that it is not only that they cannot win, but I am afraid that the Qingzhou army can completely fight two or more people alone.

What about the Westerners?

In the past, the emperor was skeptical, and no one in the court believed it, waiting to see Liu Yu's joke.

Now, Liu Yu is not proving that he can make meritorious deeds, but proving that the threat of Westerners is terrible. If Dashun does not reform, it will fall behind.

Eighty years ago, Dashun's military system was still on par with Westerners. In just eighty years, there is such a gap. What about the future?

To reform the army, you need to make a big decision.

This battle on the northern foothills of the Altai Mountains finally made the emperor make up his mind. The suggestions that were asked at the Jinshui Bridge seem to have come true now.

Unified training, staff planning, selection and assessment of officers abandoning the practice of swordplay and gunplay and instead testing the actual study of mathematics and physics, nobles in charge of the army... This is a complete system.

And the most critical bargaining chip of this system, combat effectiveness, has been proven.

Military reform is also closely related to the affairs of the Western Regions.

If the latter is chosen, and the Junggar surrenders and follows the Mongolian affairs in the south of the desert, then some bastions need to be built and an army stationed.

The number of people in this army cannot be too large, and it should be scattered everywhere, but it is better to gather 10,000 people.

This army should be able to solve the disputes of a tribe with about 2,000 people, and will not be defeated by the seemingly large number of nomads. Once a problem occurs, it must be suppressed and resolved immediately, otherwise when the army gathers, the daylily will be cold.

It should be mainly infantry, supplemented by cavalry, because elite cavalry is too expensive and cheap cavalry is pulled to the same level as nomads. The strength of the Han Empire lies in firearms, and it is unwise to abandon firearms.

In the past, such requirements were too high.

Now, the Qingzhou Army, which can be trained quickly, is mainly infantry, can solve disputes between the army and the army with only 2,000 soldiers, and does not need to worry about being attacked during marches, is the most suitable.

It is simply a replica of the large yellow crossbow used by Emperor Wu of Han against the Xiongnu cavalry.

Seeing that the ministers were still buzzing about how to deal with the Junggar, Li Gan thought that military reform must be carried out.

Schools must be built, even if they are tried, all officers cannot be from good families; Wude Palace must be changed, and some assessments must be abandoned appropriately; the balance between good families and nobles and civil officials must be reconsidered.

Imperial examinations... The imperial examinations must not be carried out lightly, and the Wude Palace can only be changed first, and the number of non-good families can be gradually increased, and the Wude Palace can be slowly changed into a parallel imperial examination.

The imperial examinations test the classics, and the Wude Palace tests practical studies, arithmetic, geometry, and physics to ensure sufficient talent reserves.