It seems that the matter of Southwest Yi cannot be escaped.

Yan Ming could only reluctantly accept this matter. is the relationship between him and Liu Che, this chat openly and secretly, can be regarded as once again showing his heart, and it can be regarded as giving Liu Che a reassurance pill again.

Southwest Yi, small countries and small tribes are numerous. The most difficult to manage are these small tribal countries.

Nanyi is actually the combined name of two places, gathered in the large mountains and grasslands due south, led by Yelang, and the place where other small tribes are vassals, called Nanyi. And in the southwest, in the land headed by the Dangqiang State and the two big tribes of Laoshen and Mimo, there are also countless small tribes, which are called Xiyi.

The reason why it is difficult to deal with the Baiyue War is also because the southwest Yi is blocked in the middle.

I don't know how Tang Meng's guy got along with these places before he developed Southwest Yi? If nothing is done, it will be death to let this group of people directly develop the road of Southwest Yi.

Yan Ming directly found Yousi Yamen and wanted to know the progress of the development of Southwest Yi.

The results made Yan Ming feel helpless.

No wonder history has not left much evaluation for Tang Meng. This guy developed Southwest Yi by completely arrogant means, and he did not meet the conditions for development at all, so he rashly started construction, which was like child's play.

As for Sima Xiangru, there is no actual action. His reputation has been overdrawn, and in a place like Nanxiyi, it is simply not working.

If you want to develop Southwest Yi, you must first pacify the small tribal countries here.

Since ancient times, there has been an idiom of Yelang's arrogance, and Yan Ming wants to start with Nanyi, the country of Yelang.

He wanted to see how arrogant he was, Yoro.

This time, Liu Che was very generous to Yan Ming, and directly handed over the elite Eight Cavalry Captains to Yan Ming to take charge.

even handed over a few old people who had fought together to Yan Ming.

One is Li Guang, the other is Gongsun Ao, and Chi Yihou, all of whom are counted as Yan Ming's orders.

handed over to Yan Ming together, as well as the command of the embroidered captain. The official seal that pointed directly to the embroidered envoy was given to Yan Ming, and he was even in control of the most mysterious embroidered lieutenant in the court.

Just when Liu Che and Yan Ming were vigorously preparing to go on the road, a bad news came.

The Empress Dowager Dou has returned to heaven.

This is a national mourning.

During the Han Dynasty, all entertainment was banned. At the same time, there are also various upcoming actions.

The matter of Southwest Yi was naturally suppressed first.

Most of the officials and people of the Liu family were concentrated outside the Changle Palace.

Now, the coffin of the Empress Dowager Dou is parked in Changle Palace.

This old queen mother, who has experienced three generations of emperors of the Han Dynasty and supervised the government for almost half her life, left quietly like this. Around his coffin, there were naturally countless maids.

But where her coffin was placed, it still looked so lonely.

When Yan Ming heard the news of the old lady's return to heaven, he met Liu Che, and the two of them felt Changle Palace for the first time.

In just half a day, the entire Changle Palace was like a heavy snowfall, and everyone changed into white clothes. It's really the best in the world.

Liu Che and Yan Ming's eyes were already red from crying.

Both of them are sincerely crying for the Empress Dowager.

If it weren't for the Empress Dowager Dou before she died, she would have asked Yan Ming to come back and take a look. I'm afraid that the knot between Yan Ming and Liu Che will never be untied.

Dou Ying and Tian Wei were responsible for the funeral of the Empress Dowager Dou.

This grand funeral allowed Yan Ming to see the huge family of the royal family.

The descendants surnamed Liu alone are enough for thousands of people to come to kowtow. Not to mention the people of the Dou family. If people from both sides are added, I am afraid that it will be more than 10,000 people.

The funeral was busy for half a month.

In the past half a month, everyone has been tired to death.

After putting the old lady in the ground, everyone was relieved of their grief and relaxed.

Liu Che also knew that everyone was tired, and used the excuse that during the national funeral, there was no need to go to court. I took fifteen days off in a row, and this was a month.

For the remaining half a month, Yan Ming did not take a vacation. Instead, he took many soldiers with them to the East Valley.

Sulphur and saltpeter were brought back by their extensive mining.

The development of Southwest Yi is indispensable for war.

In Yan Ming's mind, the lives of Han soldiers are very valuable. If you go to the southwest, war is indispensable.

Where there is war, there are casualties.

The only material that can be used here now is gunpowder.

If you are in Tohoku, you can also make gasoline by using a small oil refinery. That would make an incendiary bomb. The incendiary bombs made of gasoline are much more lethal than this primitive black powder.

It's a pity that now far water can't quench the thirst of the near.

Fifteen days later, Yan Ming prepared a lot of things.

In the col east of Maoling, he built a small gunpowder factory again.

It's a pity that there are all makeshift tents and the like, and there is no fixed building.

During this period, Lao Xu came a few times and asked Yan Ming if he needed to build some fixed buildings.

Yan Ming thought about it for a while, but still rejected Lao Xu's kindness.

This is just a temporary place to refine gunpowder, and if you really want to build a factory, you really need to think about urban planning.

We can't leave a mess for future generations, no.

For half a month, Yan Ming was preparing the things he needed to come to Southwest Yi, and at the same time familiarized himself with the establishment of Zhizhi Xiuyi.

This is a structure similar to that of the later generations. It is no longer within the scope of the supervision of the various yamen of the imperial court.

Yan Ming thought of the secret yamen such as the Jinyi Guard in later generations. I couldn't help but touch my chin. It's like I'm a father-in-law.

But when I thought of it, Jinyiwei was not the leader of my father-in-law, but the east factory and the west factory were. I couldn't help but laugh to myself.

This time, he planned to take the embroidered captains and go to the southwest to take a walk together. This group of people are all people who have achieved kung fu. Used to spy on all kinds of privacy, wasted. It should be made into a big man's sharp knife and become a special soldier.

With this idea, Yan Ming was not so reluctant to the position of the straight embroiderer.

The people who embroidered the clothes, Yan Ming sent them out in batches a long time ago. He didn't have anyone left around to protect him. Just bring the nameless and the Great Ring.

This time, it was Chengxin, who was also left at home by Yan Ming.

After all, the old and the young in the family also need to be taken care of. The people of the Demon Gate are haunted, and they can't help but be on guard. Fortunately, Father-in-law Yang also came to Maolingyi to retire, and with his old man's home, the safety factor is much higher.

After everything was ready, Yan Ming was about to set off.

In the midst of Maoling-eup, there were once again people standing with people seeing them off.

Among them, Liu Ling was the most unhappy.

Originally, her relationship with Yan Ming was about to be decided.

But because of the death of the Empress Dowager Dou, they had to let go of this matter.

And now, among the crowd of farewells, only Liu Ling is not there.

Yan Ming didn't care. Liu Ling herself is a maverick girl with her own attention.