Zheng Zhiwan's victory in the naval battle in the Seto Inland Sea temporarily freed Zheng Zhilong to prepare for the crusade against the shogunate. Since Dolgon and Korqin withdrew from Nuergandusi, they did not follow Zhu Youxiao's plan to develop northward, but actively expanded westward.

During the Xiaoice period, the weather became colder and colder, and the aborigines of the north could not survive, and for the Jurchens and Mongols who fled north, life was even more difficult, and Dolgon led the tribe to develop westward and made contact with the Khalkha Mongols again.

"I am ready to fight against the Chechen Khan." Zhu Youxiao said.

"Your Majesty, the Chechen Khan's heart is clearly revealed, and he has repeatedly colluded with Jianyu with bad intentions, and the minister is willing to be the vanguard of the crusade against the Chechen Khan." Man Gui took the initiative to ask. In the past few years, the empire has been fighting in the east and west, and Mangui has been lacking the opportunity to make contributions, and this crusade against the Chechen Khan will definitely use the armies of the Beijing Governor's Mansion and the Shenyang Governor's Mansion.

"Your Majesty, the Chechen Khan is located in a wild land, and the three Khans of the Khalkha Mongols are closely connected, and the Chechen Khan will definitely come to the rescue of Tushetu Khan and Zasaktu Khan, and the Northern Expedition believes that at least 50,000 troops need to be used, costing millions of taels of silver, but this year's budget does not include the Northern Expedition plan, and it may be difficult to raise such a huge amount of food and ammunition and other materials for a while." Qin Liangyu said.

"I understand that the decision to go north is too hasty, but this northern expedition is about Jianguo, I know that Jianyu intends to develop westward, if Jianyu goes north, I don't mind, the north of the empire is more desolate, the weather is even worse, but if Jianyu goes west, Jianguo will inevitably unite with the three Khans of Khalkha Mongolia, and it will become a threat to the empire in the future, and I will never sit back and watch Jianguo become a threat to the empire again." Zhu Youxiao explained.

"The minister thinks that if the troops are sent too hastily, they may not be able to achieve the effect that His Majesty wants, and the minister thinks that he can send troops to approach the Chechen Khan and force the Chechen Khan to sever ties with the Jianju." Qin Liangyu suggested.

"Your Majesty, the minister thinks that he can make the Manchu Governor lead an army of 10,000 to approach Tushetu Khan, force Tushetu Khan to save himself, and then order the Shenyang Governor's Mansion to station troops on the left flank of Chechen Khan, and the Shenyang Governor's Mansion has sufficient military supplies, although it is not enough to start a major war, but it is enough to threaten Chechen Khan." Chen Si suggested.

"Your Majesty, the Khalkha Mongol Three Khans are the weakest in the middle of the Tutu Shetu Khan, Zasaktu Khan and Oirat have been fighting for many years, and their main force is far away in Tarbagatai, if the Shenyang Governor's Office can contain the army of Chechen Khan, the minister only needs 30,000 troops, and he is sure to conquer Kulen within three months and completely cut the Khalkha Mongols into two pieces." Man Gui said.

Mangui's army was stationed in the border area of Tushetu Khan, and they often had some minor frictions with Tushetu Khan's army, and they had many dealings, and the two sides had always attacked and defended each other. Man Gui always wanted to send troops to destroy Tushetu Khan, but without a holy decree, he didn't dare to move.

"How are you going to solve the problem of food and ammunition?" Zhu Youxiao asked.

"Our army has more than a month's worth of food and ammunition in the border area, and the minister is ready to use this batch of military supplies, and after entering Tuxietu, the minister can supply food and salary on the spot, and the minister only needs the governor's office to provide arms supplies." Man Gui is eager to fight.

"The minister thinks that it can't, if the Admiral takes away all the military supplies on the border, how to defend the border, once there is an enemy invasion, you can drive straight into Datong Mansion, now the defenders of the entire Datong Mansion are only a few thousand, once the Datong Mansion is lost, the consequences are unimaginable." Qin Liangyu objected.

"What the Governor of Qin said is extremely true, this must not be risked, the Mongol cavalry comes and goes like the wind, once it enters the hinterland of the empire, the damage caused will be irreparable even if the entire Khalkha is taken." Zhu Youxiao said.

"Your Majesty, if it is delayed any longer, I'm afraid that Jianyu has already completed its westward expansion." Man Gui still didn't want to give up.

"Full of Admiral's intentions, I understand that if I decide to go on a northern expedition, you must be the first general." Zhu Youxiao said with a smile.

"How long will it take to prepare for the military supplies needed for the Northern Expedition?" Zhu Youxiao asked again.

"If the funds are abundant, it will take at least half a year, and after half a year, our army will be able to complete all the preparations for the Northern Expedition." Qin Liangyu said.

"If the Northern Expedition is carried out next year, then the southern expedition to Annam will need to be postponed." Zhu Youxiao thought for a while and said.

"Annan is already in Your Majesty's bag, Your Majesty can take it at any time, and the Northern Expedition should be the top priority." Zu Dashou said.

"If the Northern Expedition is postponed to next year, I will demand that Tushetu and Chechnya be taken at the same time." Zhu Youxiao said.

"The minister thinks that he will take Tushetu first, and after obtaining Tushetu, he will then attack Chechnya." Man Gui said.

"The minister seconded the proposal." Zu Dashou said.

"Governor Qin, what do you think?" Zhu Youxiao asked.

"The minister agrees with what the Manchu Governor said, the minister thinks that after obtaining Tuxietu, the Shenyang Governor's Mansion is not suitable to march into Chechnya, once it enters Chechnya, the back of the Shenyang Governor's Mansion will be completely exposed to Jianlu, and it will inevitably give Jianyu a chance, and the minister believes that the army should attack Chechnya from the south and from the west, and the army of the Shenyang Governor's Mansion will focus on defense and cut off the connection between Chechnya and Jianyu." Qin Liangyu suggested.

"According to what the Governor of Qin said, I will ask the cabinet to fully assist the Metropolitan Governor's Office, I demand that the deployment be completed by April next year, and I demand that an offensive against Tushetu and Chechnya be launched in April." Zhu Youxiao ordered.

"No."

……

After Zhu Youxiao finished discussing with the Metropolitan Governor's Office, he immediately proposed the plan for the Northern Expedition at the court meeting. Although there were a few opposing voices in the imperial court about Zhu Youxiao's Northern Expedition, relatively speaking, there were slightly more supporters than opponents, and more of them neither approved nor opposed.

"Your Majesty, the Apocalypse Gun is put into production on a large scale, and a lot of financial support is needed, Your Majesty requires the army to start changing its outfit next year, and it will take tens of millions of taels of silver to be invested here, and the minister thinks that the Northern Expedition can be postponed." Hou Sui said.

"This time, I am going to transfer 10 million taels of silver from the internal treasury to support the construction of the empire's army, so there is no need to worry about the financial problem. And from next year, I plan to hand over 50% of the profits from the banknote printing bureau to the state treasury. Zhu Youxiao said.

The banknote printing bureau has always been in the hands of Zhu Youxiao, and printing money is an issue related to the national economy and people's livelihood, how much money needs to be printed every year, and now no one knows this issue, and Zhu Youxiao does not know how much banknotes need to be printed, and Zhu Youxiao can only print money according to the reserves of gold and silver. Although silver is now gradually being withdrawn from the currency market, it is being deposited in the treasury in large quantities.

(End of chapter)