Although it has just passed five years, for the Ming Dynasty, it seems to be a little ominous, since the Tancheng earthquake in June, floods and droughts have appeared one after another in the Central Plains, and the relief of millions of people has not only brought pressure to the Ming Dynasty's finances, but also a series of subsequent expenditures such as the resettlement of the victims, all of which have overwhelmed the imperial court. But even so, the revised "Ming Colonial Law" was promulgated in the name of the imperial court, and after the earthquake and floods and droughts, news came from Europe and North America that the Ming Dynasty had obtained colonies in the Americas.

This news undoubtedly brought some comfort to the Ming Dynasty in the midst of natural disasters, after all, for the people of this era, the country's ability to expand its territory itself means the arrival of a prosperous era, although those places are tens of thousands of miles away. But the price of getting that land is very small. It can even be said that it is not worth mentioning. Although on the surface, it seems that the Chinese people do not like expansion, but for this kind of expansion that is almost a business, no one will refuse.

Because of this, officials in the imperial court quickly enacted a series of laws to encourage immigration, such as the Sponsored Immigration Act. In the face of natural disasters, whether the officials of the Ming Dynasty wanted to or not, for the first time, they really regarded overseas as a solution to the problem, and finally for the first time, emigrating to overseas colonies became the solution to the problem.

Of course, they did this for another reason. The sub-sealing system now implemented by the Ming Dynasty is bound to continue. In the future, it is very likely that the land there will be divided among the princes. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen and increase the number of immigrants there as much as possible, although it is tantamount to the ends of the earth for the Ming Dynasty.

No one knows what this year means, but one thing is for sure that it will be remembered in history for future generations. It was also from this year that the Ming Dynasty began a large-scale overseas migration, and in just half a year, the Ming Dynasty emigrated as many as 600,000 people to overseas colonies and Nanyang Zhuxia, which even exceeded the sum of the past few years.

In fact, not only did the Ming Dynasty do everything possible to promote overseas immigration, but Nanyang Zhuxia also did everything possible to introduce immigrants, and the five years of Xingqian were just the beginning, and the six years of Xingqian were a year full of hope for many people in this era.

This year, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, from the south to the north, in the ports, one after another merchant ships have sailed to the vast ocean, the ships are full of immigrants from all over the world, they are full of hope for the future, and even among these ships, there are several ships sailing to the Americas. Almost every day, countless people leave Daming with hope and go to that unknown world.

No one knows what kind of prelude will be set off in the sixth year of Xingqian, but it is certain that everything has changed since this year!

When the merchant ships loaded with immigrants sailed away from the Ming Dynasty, far away at the other end of the northern Ming Dynasty, on the Mongolian grassland, which had brought countless pains to the Central Plains civilization, the heavy snow had begun to melt, and the withered grassland was once again overgrown with tender green pastures. Of course, it also began to welcome businessmen from all over the world.

However, unlike in previous years, the life of those Mongolians on the steppe is changing, although most of the herders are still grazing, but there have been several cities on the steppe, such as Kulen City, which is the largest city on the steppe, which is not only the largest city in Mongolia, but also the residence of its living Buddha Jebtsundamba, three years ago, the Ming Emperor funded the construction of Qingning Temple in Kulun for Lobsang Danbei Gyaltsen, and since then, Lobsang Danbei Gyaltsen has been resident here. According to the alliance between the Imperial Court and the Imperial Court, Lobsang Dambe Gyaltsen had to pay an annual tribute to the Qing government on eight white horses and a white camel, known as the "Nine White Tributes" to symbolize friendship.

Of course, this "friendship" also shows that the Mongols were not vassals of the Ming Dynasty, and they still maintained a great deal of independence, although at this time, the Ming army set up corresponding fortresses on the Mongolian steppe, but it still could not change this fact. But it seems that neither side has the intention to change that now.

The reason why the Mongols tolerated the existence of the Ming army on the grassland was more of a practical interest - the grassland needed a market for the Ming Dynasty and needed to export wool to the Ming Dynasty. Now the relationship between the Ming and Mongolia is not so much a friend as it is a friend driven by commercial interests. But I have to admit that this kind of friendship, driven by interests, is sometimes extremely strong.

Every year in the spring, these merchant castles will be lively, those sheep grow a winter's wool, began to shear, thousands of tons of wool from various pastoral areas to the merchant fort, those who accepted the Ming canonization of the Khan, the marquis, all refer to this income, to maintain the new year's life - the luxury of the wine pond meat forest life, life is not only what they yearn for, but also the Ming deliberately brought to them, brought to the grassland.

Compared with the restrictions imposed on the grasslands by the Central Plains regime in the past, the Ming Dynasty now does the opposite, not only does not restrict the import of goods, but also encourages them to consume and encourage them to live a luxurious life. They will also take the initiative to help them have the wealth they need to live this life.

As long as they are willing to enjoy this kind of life, as long as they indulge in this extravagant life, it is impossible to go back to the past, that kind of barbaric state that is almost like eating and sleeping in the open. They are even willing to pay a certain price to maintain this state.

At this time, no one can understand the effect of this boiled frog in warm water. But the effect will be felt slowly in the end. At that point, there will be no one to resist. Resist the Ming Dynasty's changes to the grassland.

And that's just the beginning.

In the spring, when the merchants of Shangtun began to buy wool with white strips, the caravans from the interior would also come here in big carriages, and they would bring the most fashionable luxuries of the Ming Dynasty, the most luxurious silks, all of which the princes desired, and they and their concubines had long been accustomed to this luxurious life, and all they needed was to pay a little wool.

Of course, they must abide by the covenant, and only under the covenant with the Ming can they get everything they need, otherwise, war awaits them.

However, under the deterrence of the Ming Dynasty against the Karaqin and Horqin tribes and other Inner Mongolian Manchu accomplices in the near-devastating war, at least until now, the Khalkha tribe still maintains "taming", of course, this "taming" is more subject to practical interests.

The grasslands need to export wool to the Ming Dynasty, the princes need goods from the Ming Dynasty, and they need to enjoy the luxurious life they have now. As for Lobsang Danbei Gyaltsen, who enjoys the most noble position on the grassland and has faintly become the political and religious leader of the various tribes of Outer Mongolia, he also needs the support of the Ming Dynasty.

Ten years ago, Lobsang Danbei Gyaltsen returned to Mongolia to preach the Dharma, and after ten years of preaching the Dharma, he has now faintly become the political and religious leader of the various tribes of Outer Mongolia.

"The Great Lama should have seen that although spring has begun this year, the grassland seems to be much more deserted than in previous years. This is not only happening in the remote Fort of Commerce. Even the ever-lively city of Cullen is sparsely populated this year. The snubbing of the courtyard in the grassland markets everywhere is because the Han merchants dare not come here to trade, and in the long run, it is not only not conducive to the Ming Dynasty, but also to Mongolia. ”

After returning from Europe last year, with the merits of making Europe, he was reused by His Majesty, and Fang Zhongde, who became the squire of the Li Fan Yuan, looked at Lobsang Danbei Gyaltsen, the "Great Lama" given by His Majesty the Emperor, and his tone seemed quite respectful.

After all, the Ming Dynasty has not yet established a real rule in Mongolia, and even if it is a nominal rule, it is meaningless. As a squire of the Ministry of Affairs, the reason why he entered Mongolia was at the request of Zasaktu Khan, under the instruction of His Majesty, came to Mongolia to mediate, of course, what he could do was to express to the Great Lama, the "concern" of the Ming Dynasty. That's enough.

"Fang Shilang, please also ask the Han merchants not to worry about safety, the kings of the steppe khans will definitely protect the safety of the caravan, and the contradiction between Zasaktu Khan and Tushetu Khan will be resolved soon, and the emperor does not need to worry about the grassland at all, let alone the safety of the Han merchants."

The reason why Lobsang Danbei Gyaltsen was uneasy was because he was worried that the emperor of the Ming Dynasty would take advantage of the conflict between Zasaktu Khan and Tushetu Khan as an excuse to get involved in the grasslands, perhaps Mongolia has become more and more dependent on the Ming Dynasty because of wool exports in recent years, but he is worried about the existence of the Ming Dynasty in the Mongolian steppe.

Perhaps there were only a few thousand Han troops on the grassland, and these Han people were scattered among dozens of castles, and their role was almost not worth mentioning. But the presence of those people still makes people feel uneasy, after all, the neighbor living in your house with a gun in his hand is easy to make people vigilant. It is precisely because of this that he does not want the Ming Emperor to have a reason to enter Mongolia. In fact, not only did he not want it, but all the Mongolian princes did not want it, and of course, they did not want the relationship with the Ming Dynasty to become strained, after all, they were used to this kind of economic dependence and used to the current life. Accustomed to enjoying the glory and wealth of the world in the winter, in the warm palace like spring, rather than enduring the freezing cold wind in the tent.

But that's just it, perhaps, they can acquiesce to the Ming army stationed in the trading station, but it does not mean that they will agree to the Ming Dynasty to mediate the internal affairs of Mongolia under the pretext of directly intervening in it, for them, maybe they have adapted to the current good state of life, but it does not mean that they are willing to sacrifice their rights and even freedom for this state of life.

"Of course, His Majesty the Emperor believes that under the protection of the Great Lama, the safety of the Han merchants will definitely be guaranteed, but His Majesty the Emperor, I hope that the Great Lama will be able to come forward with the contradictions between the two Khan kings......"

Fang Zhongde told Lobsang Danbei Gyaltsen very directly, telling him that the Ming had no intention of interfering in Mongolia's internal affairs, and it was not until he said this sentence that Jebtsundamba finally breathed a sigh of relief. The next meeting became more relaxed with Fang Zhongde's frankness, and after the meeting, Fang Zhongde of course once again invited Jebtsundamba to go to Beijing to give a lecture to His Majesty at the right time.

Of course, all this is just a matter of politeness, and after leaving the monastery of Jebtsundamba, on the way to the merchant station outside the city, Zhongde glanced at Kulun, smiled in his heart, and then closed his eyes.

"Qixian, let's leave for Zhang Heng tomorrow."

"But isn't there mediation yet? Why did you go back so quickly? ”

Li Lingong looked at the squire with some puzzlement, if he was not mistaken, wasn't the reason why they came here to mediate the conflict between the two khans and avoid another war on the grassland?

"Squire, what if there is another war on the grassland?"

Facing Li Lingong's worries, Fang Zhongde said with a smile.

"Let them call, what do you have to do with me!"

As early as when he left Zhongdu, His Majesty had already told him that Daming's current policy on the grassland was not to directly intervene, let them fight by themselves, and Daming only needed to be a bystander.

"Ah......h

With his eyes wide open, Li Lingong's eyes were full of inconceivable looks. He didn't expect that this was such a result, he came to Kulen with great fanfare, but as a result, he didn't achieve any promises and results, so he went back, and even, from the beginning, the squire didn't think about mediation. ，

"Do you think that in this way, the prestige of my Ming will be hurt, after all, Zasaktu Khan is the first Khalkhakha King canonized by our Ming Dynasty?"

Looking at Li Lingong, Fang Zhongde said with a smile.

"But so what? I, the Ming Dynasty, still can't really rule Mongolia, in that case, why do you still meddle here, it's annoying to others, rather than this, then let them kill themselves first! ”

Wait until the end of the day when they're both defeated.

"But we need the wool from the grassland, if there is chaos here......"

The subordinates' worries made Fang Zhongde laugh.

"Don't forget, in addition to Mongolia, we also have the Northeast!"

It is the least common sense not to put all your eggs in one basket, and besides Mongolia, the daimyo had another land, which was far richer than Mongolia.