Chapter 748 The Tartars retreated, and the pursuit began!

（o748）

In fact, the tea production of the Ming Dynasty was still very good, and the sowing area was very wide. Almost every province has its own famous tea. As for those that are not famous teas, there are even more. The annual tea output is more than hundreds of millions of catties. Among them, Sichuan's annual tea output is more than 30 million catties. With such a huge output of tea, in addition to the consumption of the Ming Kingdom itself, it was sold to the outside world and turned into a silver tael of white flowers.

I don't know when tea became an important material for China's foreign trade. In almost every dynasty, a large amount of tea was exported. North Korea, Japan, Annam and other places import large quantities of tea from China every year. After the Age of Discovery, the demand for tea increased around the world. The Western powers consumed large quantities of tea every year. It seems that the British of Saviara has formed the traditional custom of afternoon tea.

The sale of tea has become an important part of commercial trade. It seems that the big merchants in Jiangnan basically have meddled in the tea business. It's like the Shen family, where Shen Lingfei is located, was also engaged in tea trade before. The annual profits of the Shen family from tea basically account for about 20% to 30% of the total profits. Tea, porcelain, and silk have become the three major pieces worthy of the name.

However, the freak is that the tea tax in the Ming Dynasty was very small and even completely negligible. For example, in Fujian Province, a major tea-producing province, the tea tax is only more than 30 taels a year, which makes people mistakenly think that the word "10,000" is missing at the back. Sichuan's tea tax seems to be slightly more, in fact, it is two or three thousand taels of silver. That's already the most.

Some people estimate that the annual tea trade in the Ming Kingdom is more than millions of taels of silver, but the treasury does not receive 10,000 taels of tax silver. It sounds ridiculous, it sounds incredible, but it's the truth. Otherwise, Taicang, which Hou Sui is in charge of, will not be so empty, and Chongzhen will not have to worry about money and food all day long.

Of course, at present, Zhang Zhun and his concern is not the issue of tea tax, but the tea and horse trade. The tea and horse trade was a very important part of the Ming Dynasty and an important means for the Central Plains Dynasty to control the nomads. And because of the problem of tea and horse trading, the friction and even the war are endless. Every time a major war breaks out, almost the shadow of tea looms in it.

Due to the characteristics of their diet, nomads have decided that tea is an indispensable necessity of life. If there is not enough tea, their lives will not be sustainable. The huge grassland does not produce any tea, and it must be traded with the Central Plains Dynasty to obtain it. And what the Central Plains Dynasty needs most is war horses, so it is logical to exchange tea for war horses.

When the Ming Dynasty was founded, a war horse of the Mongols could be exchanged for 12o catties of tea, and in the Wanli period, a high-quality war horse could only be exchanged for less than 3o catties of tea, and if it was a bad war horse, it could only be exchanged for 15 catties of tea. Such an exchange ratio is indeed far from enough for nomads. Ming Guo is clearly bullying. In order to survive, the nomads repeatedly went south and plundered, and there were indeed unavoidable reasons.

Why is the chief eunuch of Taifu Temple so sought-after? It's really because it's a huge beauty difference. As long as the operation is done well, in just one or two years, there is no problem at all to accumulate a net worth of hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. Buying a large amount of tea at a low price, and then selling the war horses of the Gao family is the only way for them to make money.

Well, I'm not wrong, after the war horse arrives here in Taifu Temple, it has to be paid by the army before it can really be used. If it were calculated in silver, each horse would cost 15 taels of silver. The war horse that Zhu Dadian bought from Taifu Temple is basically this price. Tian Hongyu's Zhang Zhun who sold to Zhang Zhun through illegal channels is also at this price.

But if you count tea, 15 catties of ordinary tea, you don't need 15 taels of silver, at most a few taels of silver. Even, in the tea producing area of Fujian, 15 catties of ordinary tea can be bought for only about 1 tael of silver. 1 tael of silver to buy 15 catties of tea, and then exchange a war horse with the Mongols, and then sell it for 15 taels of silver, do you say this profit margin is not big?

exchanging tea with the Mongols for war horses, the profit in the middle is really too big, and the Ming State can be said to have taken advantage of it. However, the Ming State took advantage of it, and in other words, the nomads suffered all the losses. No matter who you are, if you suffer too much, you will be dissatisfied in your heart. This dissatisfaction accumulates to a certain point, and it will explode. This is not subject to human will.

Liu Hang said casually: "If we were fair, if each war horse could be exchanged for a hundred catties of tea, the Mongols would not give up the alliance with the Ming Kingdom and turn around and throw themselves into the arms of Jianyu." I have heard that the Mongols have fallen and are not willing to shed blood until the last moment. Alas, the people of Taifu Temple are indeed too greedy. ”

Liu Baoyu said with a smile: "I also look at the same." If a war horse could be exchanged for a hundred catties of tea, Hadan Baatel and Arislan might not be willing to follow Huang Taiji south to make trouble. It would be better if the two of them had some conflict with Zai Sambu and He. Once the Mongols were in civil strife, Huang Taiji would have even more trouble. ”

Zhang Zhun made a rough calculation. The value of a pound of coarse tea is actually only about two silver, which is only about six or seven percent of the normal price, which is still a "very fair" price. If tea is used as bait to make Hadanbatel and Ajislan change their ways, it is definitely done.

After the battle at Dongjiabao ended, there was information that the two men, Arislan and Hadanbatel, had been in contact in private and exchanged views on certain issues. Although the two of them did not make other moves later, and they looked completely the same as before, Zhang Zhun believed that the loyalty of the two to Huang Taiji was counted.

The three major tribes of Mongolia, Korqin, Halashen, and Tumut, have the closest relationship between Horqin and Huang Taiji, whether it is the connection of interests or the connection of in-laws, it is not something that the Tiger Army can easily separate. Therefore, the only way to provoke the Mongol tribes to fight among themselves was to start with the other two tribes, especially the Tumut tribe of Arislan.

There is no doubt that Arislan, who was once the general of the Iron Lance under Lin Dan Khan, would not easily succumb to the authority of Huang Taiji, but because of the strength of the Dajin Army, he had to give in temporarily. Once he has a chance to escape, he will definitely break away from the coercion of Huang Taiji, and he will not continue to work hard for the Dajin Army. The Tiger Army is to create a suitable environment for the separation of Arislan.

Last time, the Tiger Ben Army attacked Huang Taiji's base camp, which made Huang Taiji's face suffer a great blow again. The majesty of the Dajin Army has almost fallen to the bottom. Zhang Zhun's raid made more people with good intentions see the decline of the Dajin Army and the gloomy future of the Dajin Army. Even such an elite as the forward battalion can't stop the onslaught of the Tiger Army, what strength does the Dajin Army have to block the attack of the Tiger Army?

This is a good opportunity for Arislan to get out of the way. If Arislan was really unwilling to succumb to Huang Taiji's power, then, after returning to the prairie, he should find another way out. If he had been braver, he would have given Zhang Zhun some useful information before leaving Beizhili and returning to the prairie, laying a solid foundation for a good relationship between the two sides in the future.

As long as the Tiger Army separates the Tumut tribe, it is equivalent to finding a spokesperson in the Mongolian steppe. Whether it is the source of war horses, or the battle of cavalry, or even the expansion in all directions, there are great benefits. As mentioned earlier, the current Mongols are a knife, and where the knife will go, the one who holds the knife.

In fact, Zhang Zhun also had an idea, which was to ask the Mongolians to exchange wool for tea. Why not war horses, but wool? This is related to the long-term strategy of the Tiger Ben Army. Zhang Zhun is interesting, turning the huge Mongolian steppes into pastures for sheep, rather than producing war horses. When you look around, all you see are fluffy sheep, the threat of the nomads to the Central Plains Dynasty is completely gone.

"Lord Governor, let's find a way to get a foot in the tea business."

Liu Hang suddenly said eagerly.

"Oh? Do you have any good suggestions? ”

Zhang Zhun said quietly.

"We should vigorously promote tea cultivation"

Liu Hang said without hesitation.

He briefly introduced that Shandong's tea production areas are mainly in Laoshan, Rizhao and other coastal areas. The climate here is ideal for growing all kinds of green tea, and the local people have a long tradition of growing tea. However, compared with the tea mountains and hills that stretch continuously in the south of the Yangtze River and cannot be seen at a glance, the tea production here is indeed relatively primitive. Tea production is also not very large. Last year, the total tea output may be less than 100,000 catties.

However, it is entirely a matter of consciousness guidance. Because Shandong's tea sales are not up to date, they do not participate in maritime trade, they can only produce and sell locally, and the profits are not large, and the enthusiasm of the people to plant tea is naturally not high. However, as long as the tiger army is determined to increase tea production, increase capital investment, and actively explore the market, so that the people who grow tea can get more profits, more people will naturally join the ranks of tea planting. In a year or two, it is not impossible to increase the output of tea to more than one million catties.

Nomads don't really have much research on the quality of tea. They are not going to taste tea, but to use tea to dilute some of the drawbacks of meat. Therefore, as long as it is tea, they are acceptable. In fact, what the Ming Kingdom exchanged to the nomads every year was the old tea of flatbread and flatbread, and the real good tea almost did not exist. This is also an excuse for Altan Khan to attack the Ming Dynasty back then, thinking that the tea he got was moldy.

The point is, how can you exchange tea for war horses?

At present, there is only one place in the tea and horse exchange market with the Mongolian steppe. All other border gates are closed. In fact, even if all the passes are open, it doesn't have much to do with the Tiger Army. Because, these passes are in the hands of the Ming army. It was impossible for them to involve the Ming army in the tea and horse trade.

Of course, if the Tiger Ben army was anywhere, bordering the Mongolian steppe, it was possible to trade tea and horses. The restrictions on this pass were completely set by the Ming army itself. The nomads hoped that tea and horses could be exchanged at all passes. The problem is, in the short term, it is basically impossible for the Tiger Army to border the Mongolian steppe, so where to find such a pass?

"Why don't we just pull a hole out?"

Liu Hang suddenly said eagerly.

"Pick up a hole? Where to pull from? ”

Liu Baoyu frowned and said.

"Let's go north from Tianjin, along the line of Liangchengsuo, Yutian, and Zunhua, open a pass, you see here, just a straight line up"

Liu Hang's thinking was very jumpy, and he said quickly.

He stood up, drew a straight line with his finger on the map, and came to the place where the Saiwaihara Loop was. This is the future Chengde City, where the famous Chengde Summer Resort is located. At present, it is the jurisdiction of the Harashen tribe. The number of horses in the Harasan tribe is actually very large, and if there is a horse market pass, it is entirely possible that the Tiger Ben army will exchange horses from here.

Zhang Zhun shook his head and said, "Are you trying to sever the relationship between the imperial court and Liaodong?" ”

Liu Baoyu also shook his head and rejected Liu Hang's suggestion.

Putting aside whether this plan is feasible for the time being, even if it is realized, the pressure on the Tiger Ben Army is very great, and no one can predict the possible consequences. Liu Hang's straight line is simple to draw on a map, but it is very stressful to actually implement. This area is under the jurisdiction of Jizhen. And Jizhen is subordinate to the Liaodong Army of the imperial army. The Ming army stationed at least 30,000 or 40,000 men and horses in the above-mentioned areas.

To be precise, it is not a big problem for the Tiger Ben Army to take the above-mentioned areas. The Tiger Ben Army has enough ability to attack fortifications, and it is not a problem to conquer a town like Zunhua. The most critical issue is the possible ripple effect of the capture of these areas. It is difficult for Zhang Zhun to speculate on all the consequences of the Tiger Ben's capture of the above-mentioned areas. There are too many variables in this.

The Liaodong Legion is the largest military group in the imperial court, and it is impossible for Chongzhen to sit idly by and watch the Liaodong Legion being cut off, he will definitely have corresponding orders. Or, the two sides immediately fought, and the Tiger Army and the Imperial Army fought in a mess. Or, it was Chongzhen who immediately withdrew the Liaodong Army, abandoned Liaodong, and concentrated on defending the Beijing Division.

If it was the former, Huang Taiji would definitely die of laughter. Because, the imperial court and the tiger army fought, and the Tartars sat on the mountain to watch the tiger fight, just enough to lick the wounds, accumulate strength, and wait for the opportunity to come again. If it was the latter, Huang Taiji would also die of laughter. Because, Chongzhen withdrew the Liaodong Army, and the Dajin Army could completely control the Jinzhou line. The strength of the Tiger Ben Army is limited, and at this time, it is impossible to control Shanhaiguan and Jinzhou, and once the Ming army withdraws, these areas will definitely fall into the hands of the Dajin Army.

The Tiger Benjun took this move, no matter how you look at it, the one who got the biggest benefit was Huang Taiji. Especially at this time. At present, Huang Taiji has been severely damaged by the Tiger Ben Army and is at the lowest ebb in history. What he feared most was the Tiger Ben Army and the Imperial Court Army, who would join forces to chase and beat him. He's just waiting for a great opportunity to make a comeback.

Liu Baoyu said cautiously: "Let's still find a way to keep the Tartar's war horse as much as possible." Didn't the intelligence say it before? The Tartars marched south with 100,000 troops and more than 200,000 horses. Even if we only get 20%, there will be 40,000 horses, even if it is only 10%, there will be 20,000 horses."

"This is the right way, I agree"

Wang Shide's voice came.

Since it was time to drink tea and chat, Wang Shide didn't mind joining in. Anyway, within the Tiger Army, the atmosphere of discussion is very relaxed, and Zhang Zhun often encourages Daduo to discuss more and expand his own thinking. Perhaps in the middle of casual discussions or arguments, new ideas are inadvertently burst out.

The current number of war horses in the Tiger Ben Army is almost 10,000, and if you get another 20,000, the number will be considerable. With 30,000 elite cavalry in hand, it can basically sweep through the northern country. Therefore, even if only 20,000 war horses were grabbed, the cavalry of the Tiger Ben Army would form a terrifying force that no one dared to ignore.

In order to snatch the war horses of the Tartars, the key is to destroy the living forces of the Tartars. When the Tartars died, the horses naturally fell into the hands of the Tiger Army. To put it simply, it is necessary to continue the offensive against the Tartars and fight a few big victories. However, this involves the issue of military affairs, and Liu Hang and Liu Baoyu are not good at it.

Liu Hang said without giving up: "My plan really doesn't work? ”

Zhang Zhun said thoughtfully: "It's not completely impossible, it's a bit difficult." ”

Liu Hang asked curiously, "How old is it?" ”

Zhang Zhun said slowly: "It is impossible for us to go north by ourselves. We are not yet able to control so much territory and deal with the complex and changeable consequences that may be bringed. However, if Wu Sangui is stationed in Jizhen, it is not impossible to be flexible. ”

I don't know why, when Liu Hang mentioned this suggestion, Zhang Zhun immediately thought of Wu Sangui. The Tiger Ben army was stationed at Dagukou, and Wu Sangui was under great pressure, and it was very likely that he would evacuate Tianjin and then choose another place to garrison. If Wu Sangui was stationed in Jizhen, Liu Hang's suggestion was not completely impossible to consider.

"Your Excellency, Urgent Information"

Zhang Zhun was about to explain in further detail, when Huang Xian suddenly hurried over and handed Zhang Zhun an urgent piece of information marked in red. The red mark, inside the Tiger Army, means 100,000 urgent. Therefore, everyone's eyes instantly fell on Zhang Zhun's body.

"Huang Taiji is leaving"

"We've got work to do"

Zhang Zhun stood up and said excitedly.

The information was sent from Beizhili, and the content was simple: the Tatars began to transfer people and supplies from Hejian Province to the outside of the Saiwai in batches. The Tartars, who entered Beizhili in December last year, were finally willing to withdraw their troops in April this year.

Now that the Tartars have started to move, the Tiger Army should also start moving.

The days of sitting in the office are over, or go back to the front

[It is customary to ask for a monthly pass...... Check out the list, now everyone's June, it's not very powerful, are they all dizzy? Haha**, if there is another power outage, my brother will go to the end of the world to post]