Entering the customs from Liaodong, the world seemed to have changed the world, and the pungent smell of gunpowder smoke and the deafening sound of artillery all disappeared.

On the wide and clean road, pedestrians are weaving and urging, green mountains, green waters, blue skies and white clouds, a peaceful and peaceful scene.

In May, the weather in the Guannai was already a little hot, and Hou Xuanyan's guard of honor passed through Kifu and wanted to rush back to Jiangnan from the Daimyo's Mansion via the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal. In fact, it is faster to take the sea route, but Hou Xuanyan still chose the river, so that he can take a look at the scenery of various places and understand the degree and effect of his decree below. Second, the sea is vast, always giving people a feeling of insecurity, "Zhuge is only cautious in his life", Hou Xuanyan, who is the first in safety, rarely takes the sea route unless he is forced to do so.

When he arrived at the boundary of Xuzhou, when Wu Sangui dug the Yellow River, he didn't know how many villages and towns along the way were submerged, and even many big cities were buried under the yellow sand.

The power of the Yellow River is difficult for ordinary people to imagine, and this is no longer a disaster, but a disaster.

A pitch-black horse with a slender white mane stepped on the dry ground, which was full of the scene of yellow sand.

The guards behind him followed closely, Qin He grabbed the reins of the horse, gasped and said, "Lord Wang, you can get on the boat for a night trip today, or you can stay in Xuzhou for one less day." ”

Hou Xuanyan looked down at the surroundings, it was all this kind of land, and the cracks told that a rain-deficient spring had just passed here. The spring rain is as expensive as oil, and now it is May, just after the mango planting. In Xuzhou, however, there are very few farmers working in the fields.

Hou Xuanyan nodded lightly and didn't answer, but rode to the shade of a tree in front, where an old man was resting, with a black broken straw hat covering his face, wearing only a short shirt that exposed his two thin arms, and sleeping sweetly.

"Uncle..."

After all, he couldn't sleep in the wild, and when he was called by Hou Xuanyan, the old man took off his straw hat and saw that he was surrounded by a group of soldiers riding tall horses.

"Ladies and gentlemen, do you want to ask for directions?" The old man hurriedly got up and asked with a smile. Recently, the soldiers have repeatedly passed through this place, and the relationship between the military and the people has also eased because of the strict military discipline of the Northern Expeditionary Army.

He took a closer look at this team, the military uniforms of these people are really good-looking, better than the official uniforms of the county lord, and they are majestic.

Hou Xuanyan asked with a smile: "I see that there are a lot of fields here, but no one cultivates them, only the old man is guarding here, what about the laborers in our village?" ”

"The military master doesn't know that these fields are the sediment in the river, which was picked up by Wu Sangui's big traitor and flowed out of the Yellow River, and crops will not grow on this kind of land. We have to wait until the next year, when the grass and trees that have been suppressed become nourishment, and the land can be regarded as alive. The Qingtian lord in our county, afraid that everyone would be idle and have no food to eat, took the villagers to Liaodong to transport grain. The old man said with his teeth bared, and he could see that he was in a good mood.

“....”

Of course, Hou Xuanyan knew why he seemed to be in a good mood, because there was money to be made by transporting grain to the Liao soldiers and horses. And it seems that the people in this county have made a lot of money, otherwise this old man would not have been able to hold back his laughter when he talked about it, it was happy from the heart, and Hou Xuanyan saw it really well.

Hou Xuanyan's original intention was to mobilize the enthusiasm of grain merchants, mobilize the whole people to conquer Liao, and ensure adequate supplies. Moreover, commerce is the easiest way to connect a country, and when merchants transport grain, they will invisibly bring opportunities for the residents on the road to earn a living.

Unexpectedly, this county magistrate saw that the land in his county did not grow grain, and he had a whim and took the people under his rule to transport grain and get rich.

"Do you want the prefect of Xuzhou to come to see you?" Qin He asked cautiously, this magistrate can be regarded as not doing his job, and he doesn't abide by the golden rules of persuading farmers and mulberries, and leads people to do business...

Although Hou Xuanyan vigorously developed commerce and encouraged the enlightened gentry to set up factories, the ranking of Shinong industry and commerce was still very marketable in Daming. It's a subtle process, and some things aren't meant to change all at once.

Hou Xuanyan waved his hand and asked rhetorically: "Why do you want to alarm the prefect of the people, this county order is doing a good job, people just have to learn to be flexible." These grains on the ground have not been harvested, and he has to live in the mud and sand, remember the name of this county for me, and I will praise the county order here after I go back. ”

Everyone mounted their horses and continued to the port by the river, except for Hou Xuan's own personal soldiers, there were no local officials accompanying him.

Along the way, Hou Xuanyan had already passed the order, and the local officials were not allowed to come to usher in the send-off, at most they would arrange a residence. Therefore, none of the officials of Xuzhou Mansion came to pay homage to the prince, but saw a lot of old defenders.

Shang Kexi had arrived in Jinling by sea, and Hou Xuanyan didn't even see him, this dog thief and traitor was a hardcore slave of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and he was loyal. Later generations actually let him live to the age of antiquity, and left a large number of descendants, and sang praises to him.

When they arrived at the riverside port, there was already a big ship waiting here, and the arrival of Hou Xuanyan and others ushered in everyone's sideways.

With such a big pomp, I don't know which powerful person is traveling, the people point their fingers, and Hou Xuanyan goes to the cabin and falls asleep.

The days of rushing on the water are very boring, especially this time, after a few days of bumps, I finally arrived at Longtan Port.

Jinling is already late May, the busy scene by the river is different from the north, Hou Xuanyan, who returned to Jinling, stepped on the port, took the prince's frame, and returned to Jinling City after a long absence for half a year.

Although this time it was not like the previous victory and returned, after all, it broke the Shanhai Pass and recovered Ningyuan, which can be regarded as a victory and return.

Chen Mingyu waited in the palace outside the palace with the officials, and Hou Xuanyan entered the palace and went to meet with the officials first.

Hou Xuanyan walked into the lobby, hundreds of officials looked sideways, and Hou Xuanyan walked to the throne calmly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, long time no see."

The hundred officials suddenly said in unison: "Lord Wang." ”

After being away from the dynasty for so long, seeing the prince again, everyone found out that it was the same as if he hadn't left for half a year. Hou Xuanyan's decree is still being implemented step by step, and the convenience of transportation and the improvement of roads have made the Ming Empire more united.

"I returned from Liaodong, and the people's livelihood was comfortable and the Haiyan River was clear along the way, which is all the credit of all of you." Hou Xuanyan said sincerely.

Ma Shiying came out and said: "Where did the prince say, the officials just did what they did, but it was the prince who broke the Shanhaiguan Pass, and it was gratifying to be captured, and then he made immortal achievements, it is really the pillar of the country, and the Ming Dynasty really can't live without a regent for a day." ”

The words were impassioned, and there was no hint of falsification from his face, Hou Xuanyan gasped, this guy is really a talent.

As the saying goes, it's cool to be patted every day, and it's cool to be photographed every day, Hou Xuanyan raised his eyebrows and was in a good mood, and said: "Master Ma doesn't have to be too humble, you are really doing well in the rear, and all the officials who have passed the assessment will be given an additional month in May this year." ”

The hundred officials thanked him happily, and the current officials are different from the early Ming Dynasty, and now the officials are very high, in order to pay high salaries and support their integrity. The harsh punishment and the high amount of money have turned corruption and dereliction of duty into a matter of great risk and low benefit, and the atmosphere of officialdom has been cleared up.

Hou Xuanyan greeted the officials for a while, and only when he knew that the sun was rising, he sent the reluctant officials out.

The officials who sent Wu Yang away, leaving only three scholars plus Hou Xuanyan and four people to sit in the inner room, looking at a huge map.

In the empty inner room of the lobby, the faces of the four people were solemn, and news came from Mobei that Xia Wanchun had gathered heavy troops and had begun the northern expedition. They know too little about the intelligence of the Rakshasa Kingdom, and everyone is a little uncertain about this battle, because the opponent is an existence that you don't know his strength.

Hou Xuanyan pointed to the northernmost and southernmost sides and said: "Now that we have started a war with the Rakshasa Kingdom in Mobei, there is a decisive battle on the grassland at every turn, and no one knows when the main forces of the two sides will meet." Most of the soldiers and horses in Mobei were recruited by local herdsmen, and there were also Han people who crossed the Great Wall to make a living. The only concern was that the front was dragging on too long, and supplies could not keep up with the advance of the army. ”

Hou Xuanyan is also very unfamiliar with Mobei, he has never been there, but he has always heard people mention the harsh environment there. I have the impression that Tsarist Russia is at this time when it is crazy to expand, and it seems that there will be a ruthless queen or something soon, and he can't remember the specifics.

The battle with the Rakshasa country, that is, Tsarist Russia, is actually a ground confrontation with the European continent, and Hou Xuanyan also wants to know what level the Ming under his control is now. At this time, the white-skinned people can resist the empire that began to take off under the drive of their little butterfly.

Zhang Huangyan pondered for a moment and said: "The soldiers and horses have not moved the grain and grass first, what the prince said is very reasonable, but the grassland is different from the Central Plains, there is no city shelter, no guard and no garrison, so it is actually very dangerous to transport grain. The Mongolian tribes have not surrendered, the Dzungar in Moxi is also ambitious, and there is no imaginary peace in Jingbei. How to transport the baggage to the front line and cooperate with Xia Wanchun's expedition is indeed a headache. ”

Hou Xuanyan really wanted them to learn from Huo Qu's illness and rob while fighting, but this was unrealistic.

Huo Qubing led very few troops, broke into the rear of the enemy, and fought indiscriminately. But Xia Wanchun brought hundreds of thousands of troops, who did so many people rob? The loot is not necessarily enough.

Ma Shiying suddenly opened his mouth and said, "If only there was a transportation road like the Grand Canal." ”

Hou Xuanyan couldn't cry or laugh, and scolded: "Mobei is full of grasslands and Gobi, you should be our Jiangnan, and you will be lucky." If you can dig up a river, I will make you the commander of the Mobei Water Division. ”

Zhang Huangyan and Chen Mingyu laughed together, if he was really named a Mobei Navy Commander, it was estimated that he would be very idle for the rest of his life.

Ma Shiying's face turned red and explained, "What Xia Guan means is that we can open up a path. Specially used for transportation, the grassland is not easy to pave the road, we lay a fixed track, let the horse drive forward, along the way set up a post station to be responsible for changing horses. In this way, it can be transported day and night, and there is a fixed track, and there is no worry about walking more, delaying the military aircraft. ”

Hou Xuanyan's eyebrows moved, this is an idea, it is equivalent to a horse-drawn train.

With such a thing, the demand for power will slowly arise, and people will become more and more disgusted with the lack of horsepower, and it is estimated that the appearance of steam locomotives is not far away.

Hou Xuanyan nodded and said, "Your idea is good, let the Ministry of Industry immediately start to do it, mobilize all the manpower of the Craftsman Academy, and plan this matter." But there are reformers, and there are many rewards. ”

War is a magical thing, and it always gives birth to many wonderful and amazing new things. People often have the best potential when they fight each other.

-----

Wuliang Mansion and Lin Wei, after Xia Wanchun gathered troops and horses, finally embarked on the road of the Northern Expedition.

60,000 iron cavalry opened the way, followed by 150,000 foot soldiers, this is the first time Jingbei launched a war against a big country, and all forces on the grassland are staring at this desolate place in Mobei.

There is no doubt that this battle will affect the sphere of influence in the entire grassland and even beyond, and it is more likely to give birth to a new round of hegemony in the grassland.

Mobei is full of battlefields, and riding a horse across such a vast world, it is easy to have a sense of pride.

Tubazov didn't let Xia Wanchun wait too long, and soon they met less than a hundred miles ahead of Lin, and the Jingbei army on the march was ambushed by Tubazov, and countless Cossack cavalry rushed from all directions, and the scene was like a flood.

Xia Wanchun is no longer the original Jiangzuo boy, at this time he has long been experienced in a hundred battles, standing on the lookout car and commanding Ruoding, but no matter how you look at it, there is a strong shadow of Hou Xuan's performance. After all, he once watched Hou Xuanyan command one war after another.

Tubazov thought that his plan would be sold, but he did not expect that these soldiers from the Far Southern Empire would form a strange formation.

The car formation, also known as the car camp formation, is a cavalry formation designed by Qi Jiguang for the nomads.

The infantry formed a phalanx of chariots, and the horses and infantry used the tall chariots as cover, first attacking the enemy with firearms, and when the enemy approached, the infantry used horse repellents to line up in front of the formation, holding spears to assassinate the enemy, and after the enemy retreated, the cavalry in the formation attacked in full force to expand the results.

With this formation, Qi Jiguang fought the Tatar cavalry at the border pass without the power to fight back. In the more than ten years that Qi Jiguang guarded Jimen, Jimen has always been impregnable, becoming the grave of the death of the Northern Barbarian cavalry and an insurmountable barrier.

Where have the Rakshasa people seen such a mysterious and mysterious thing as the formation, on their side, when they hear the formation, they will think that it is used for fortune telling.

After the fire was finished, the Cossack cavalry, armed with spears, was lucky enough to avoid the fire, and immediately encountered the second barrier. Their slender spears pierced the chariot and had no effect other than a screeching sound. But behind the chariots, there were constantly spears piercing out, and those cowardly cowards, and the musketeers who hid behind the chariots to shoot, all caused heavy losses to the Cossack cavalry.

Seeing that his prey was showing its might, surrounded and constantly harvesting the lives of his men, the key was that he could not see the slightest hope of victory.

"Withdraw the troops, withdraw the troops first, don't go up again and die!"

With a hideous roar, the Rakshasas began to withdraw their troops, and the knights who poured out from behind the battle formation began to harvest the heads of their enemies.

In May of the third year of Jing You, the Marquis of Xiangxi marched north to Rakshasa and won the first battle. The slain warriors were cut off and hung on their spears, and inserted into the battlefield to shock the people from all walks of life who were watching from Mobei.