Chapter 719: A fork in the road of territorial expansion

The news of Liaodong's victory was sent back to the capital one after another.

The last time was to win the big battle, this time, it was to win the Tartar lair, this kind of surprising results, constantly impacting the city of Beijing.

Forbidden city.

Yang Reform already has some accustomed feelings, and the field battle has won, so there is no surprise in taking the Tartar lair. The news of taking the Dongyu lair was two days later than the news of the victory in the previous war.

The matter of taking down the Tartar lair was expected, and it didn't take much effort, but it was also a considerable matter, and Yang Reform had to summon important courtiers to discuss the matter.

Platform.

Yang Gai stared at the sand table in a daze, looked at it for a while, and then took a ruler to gesture at the sand table.

"Have you arrived?" Yang Gai gestured for a while, looked at the ministers around him, and asked.

"Back to Your Majesty, it's all here." Wang Chengen replied immediately.

"Oh, it's all here." Yang reformed and said, taking down the old nest of Dongyu and driving Huang Taiji into the grassland, in fact, the strategy has entered a new stage, and at this stage, a lot of things can be started.

“…… Now that my Ming Dynasty has taken the old nest of the Eastern Captives, and the captive chief Huang Taiji has escaped into the grassland, what should I do next, everyone will talk about it......" Yang reformed and said. The people who came here are actually some henchmen, or rather, people who are more closely related to this matter. Huang Taiji escaped into the grassland, and he still has a lot of strength, so there is no controversy among the ministers about the Ming Dynasty chasing into the grassland, and they all agree that they should enter the grassland to clear and eradicate the grass. Yang Gengai consulted with these people today, but in fact, he laid out a new strategy.

"Your Majesty, I think that we should chase into the desert and completely clean up the Dongyu......" Shi Fenglai was still the first to speak, of course, don't expect him to say anything good, this is actually just a repetition of the words of the previous two days.

"Well, yes, I'm definitely going to chase after the desert......" Yang Gengai nodded, affirmed Shi Fenglai's words, and looked at the others.

Han Yi, Bi Ziyan, Yuan Chonghuan, and others all know that the emperor is coming to them today, there must be something important, it is impossible to repeat the old tune of the previous two days, the tone of the previous two days is really just to set the tone, today, it is to talk about the right thing, talk about the details.

"Yuan Qing's family, tell me, now that my Ming Dynasty has driven Dongyu into the grassland, what should I do next?" Yang Reform did not let Han Yi, who was a cabinet minister, say it first, nor did he let Bi Ziyan say it first, but let Yuan Chonghuan say it first, this matter is a big strategy one after another, and military action is the first link in this series of links.

"Back to Your Majesty, now that our dynasty has won the Battle of Tiger Skin Station, and has taken the Tartar's lair, weakened the strength of the Tartars, and driven the Tartars into the desert, I think that we can start a new strategy...... Yuan Chonghuan said with a light in his eyes.

"Well, go on......" Yang Reform nodded, this is actually for the people present, Yang Reform understands this matter very well, but there is no need to say it, now to arrange the next action, it is necessary to introduce the situation to these people.

Several other people also tensed their nerves when they heard that a new strategy had been launched. Looking at today's posture, this matter is not a small matter.

“…… Yes, Your Majesty,...... Now that the strength of the Tartars has been greatly damaged, it is time for the Imperial Army and the Imperial Army to fight, and it was afraid that the border army and the Imperial Army will not take advantage of it, and it will be a big deal, but now the strength of the Tartars has been greatly damaged, and it is time for the border army and the Imperial Army to intervene in the war......" Yuan Chonghuan said with a light in his eyes.

When Yuan Chonghuan said this, he didn't say anything, and looked at the emperor.

Yang Reform listened carefully, he fought with Dongyu before, all of them were first-class elites, although their combat power was outstanding, but there were also a lot of drawbacks, the most important drawback was that they burned money badly, and now although Yang Reform is not the emperor, the pressure on military spending is still quite large, and the military expenditure is tens of millions. The elite combat power is outstanding, and the materials that can be consumed are even more astronomical, and the training and maintenance in peacetime have already given Yang Reform a headache, not to mention wartime, it consumes more resources than peacetime maintenance, and Yang Reform can't afford this kind of expense. …,

Previously, there was no need for the Imperial Association Army and the Border Army to follow the main force to fight Huang Taiji, mainly because they were afraid that the Imperial Association Army and the Border Army would send food to Huang Taiji, and they were afraid that they would not be able to bear the pressure of fighting against Huang Taiji, so they were always arranged on the side wall, and they were not allowed to participate in the war with Huang Taiji, mainly for defense.

However, now it is different, Huang Taiji's strength has been greatly damaged, the strength has dropped to a certain extent, the Ming Dynasty has completely occupied an overwhelming advantage in terms of morale, military spirit, or military strength, etc., Yang Reform is immediately ready to use almost free combat power, although these combat power is not very reliable, but it should not be bad to beat the down-and-out Huang Taiji, these free combat power, by now, should also be able to withstand the pressure of fighting against Huang Taiji, and then there are elites on the side. These border armies and imperial armies should be able to fight.

Yang Gai was pondering how to use the huge border army and how to use the Mongolian Imperial Army, but he heard Bi Ziyan say: "Your Majesty, use the border army and the Imperial Army to assist in the battle?" …… Your Majesty, if you want to deal with Lin Da Khan, it's okay, but if you want to deal with Huang Taiji, I'm afraid it's dangerous...... Your Majesty wants to reduce the elite to save expenses? Bi Ziyan listened to Yuan Chonghuan's introduction, and immediately asked, he thought that the emperor was overwhelmed by the huge military spending, and intended to reduce the number of elites, and replace elite combat with almost free combat power.

"Hehehe...... yes and no......" Yang Gengai looked at Bi Ziyan and said with a smile.

“…… So, what does Your Majesty mean? ......" Bi Ziyan asked puzzledly, Bi Ziyan now felt a headache when he thought of the emperor's huge military spending, and he was even more distressed.

Yang Reform smiled and said nothing, this matter, in fact, he had mentioned it before, and now it is just a time to officially start.

“…… Oh, what does Your Majesty mean ......, isn't Your Majesty going to reduce the elite? Instead...... "Bi Ziyan only subconsciously thought that the emperor could not bear the pressure of military spending, so he had to cut military spending and reduce the number of elite troops in order to save expenses. But he is also the emperor's party, and he is also the emperor's confidant, and it is not a day or two to follow the emperor on errands, and he also knows a lot about the emperor's plan, seeing the emperor's denial, he immediately came back to his senses, the emperor is by no means to reduce the elite troops, but to do other ......, Bi Ziyan looked at the emperor in surprise, is the Ming Dynasty really going to enter an era of expanding territory from this moment on? This kind of "sudden" thing made Bi Ziyan, who had already been psychologically prepared, not too adaptable.

"Hehehe...... Yes, now that Huang Taiji's strength has been greatly damaged, Lin Dan Khan doesn't seem to be able to make up his mind, and he is still waiting, I think it's time for me to show my skills and expand my territory......" Yang Gai said with a smile.

Expanding the territory, although the people present are not unfamiliar with this term, and they have heard the emperor mention this matter, but this thing is really going to happen, and everyone feels that this word is so unfamiliar. The expressions of several people present were all strange.

The scene fell silent all of a sudden, and the territory was expanded! How long has this term not appeared in the Ming Dynasty? Since the Ming Dynasty climbed to the top, there is only the constant retreat, before the Ming Dynasty was able to go deep into the desert, and then retreated to the side wall, Jiaozhi that place, once included in the jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty, but later also lost, to these years, and almost the entire Liaodong was lost. Over the years, the Ming Dynasty has been constantly shrinking, and the expansion of territory has nothing to do with the Ming Dynasty. Now that the matter of expanding the territory is suddenly mentioned, everyone can't accept it for a while.

Yang Gai looked at everyone with a smile, and did not immediately urge everyone to say something. …,

It took a long time for the silence to be broken.

“…… Your Majesty, isn't the minister dreaming...... opening up the territory, the minister is at this age, and he can still see the day when I open up the territory, the old minister,...... Lao Chen is really ......" Han Yi sighed, almost crying. Han Yi is also a rare age, he has lived long enough, almost a third of the Ming Dynasty, and he knows the situation of the Ming Dynasty best, he never thought that he would be seventy or eighty years old, and he could still see the day when the Ming Dynasty expanded its territory and rejuvenated itself. I really don't know how to say this in my heart, and it can be described as a mixed taste.

If the emperor told him that he wanted to expand the territory, he would definitely resolutely oppose it, and he would definitely scold the emperor for not knowing the current affairs, not knowing what to do, and whimsical, but after getting along with the current emperor for a long time, Han Yi knew that the emperor was by no means funny, nor was he ignorant and whimsical, and there must be waves of means to let those who opened up the territory and expand the land firmly in their hands, and continued to create wealth. Han Yi, who is familiar with the emperor, knows that today's expansion of territory is completely different from the previous expansion of territory, the land obtained by opening up territory in the past is a wild land, and the nature of opening up territory is a fee, and now, even if it is barren land, the emperor can squeeze oil out of him, and today's expansion of territory is completely a money-making business.

Several people present also woke up to some extent, the emperor said that this matter is not to save military costs, but the current strategic situation has reached a turning point, from then on, the Ming Dynasty is about to enter the era of expanding territory.

Those present really don't know what to say about this event, and they really can't imagine how history will evaluate this moment.

“…… Your Majesty...... is it really going to expand the territory? ”。 Bi Ziyan sighed and looked at the emperor with a complicated vision, this matter, although Bi Ziyan was prepared in his heart, and the emperor repeatedly described to him the beauty of opening up the territory, but Bi Ziyan still had a lot of doubts in his heart, and his heart was even more complicated.

Yang Reform's gaze swept over the people present, and said solemnly: "Yes, defeat the Dongyu, drive the Dongyu into the grassland, and take the nest of the Dongyu, my Ming Dynasty will definitely enter a new era, an era of expanding territory, not a question of whether my Ming is willing or not, but a question that must be done, sailing against the current, if you don't advance, you will retreat, I have no choice, except to advance in the face of difficulties, and there is no other way to ......."

The advent of the era of territorial expansion was indeed a bit sudden, and Yang Reform himself was not fully prepared, recalling the ignorance he felt when he first came to the Ming Dynasty; recalling that he was anxious to save his fate; recalling that he tried everything possible to save the fate of the Ming Dynasty was like in a dream. At this moment, he was still trying to survive, but at the next moment, he came to a new era, an era of expanding his territory. And myself, is about to start this era. This fate is indeed very wonderful, which makes people sigh and sigh at the impermanence of fate.

Yang Gai also couldn't stop sighing in his heart, and once again sighed for the wonder of fate. This time the battle with Huang Taiji was actually an elite against an elite, and the battle was fought very concisely, Yang Reform did not let the border army and the imperial army get involved, first, because he was afraid that they would not be able to withstand the pressure of the war, so he sent food to Huang Taiji; It is also to save military spending, although these people do not need to pay military salaries, but the consumption of the war is also a lot; It is also waiting for the moment for this day.

In the past, it was an elite war, and the distance of the attack was not far, at most only three hundred miles, so it was enough to use only the elite, but it streamlined and saved the trouble of grain and grass transportation, and it was all elite, so the enemy did not dare to attack easily, and the victory rate of the war was much higher. …,

But now to go deep into the desert, that is to say, with the advancement of the war, the scope of the battle will be larger and wider, more and more wide, and the territory that is beaten down will also need more manpower to occupy and control, in this case, it is not very reliable to rely entirely on the elite, the elite power is unlimitedly dispersed, and the elite will not be able to get up, so in the future, there will definitely be more auxiliary forces to intervene, that is, the border army and the imperial army will intervene.

They may not be able to fight and resist too strong the pressure of war, but it is still no problem to defend and control the territory, and they still have the strength to fight under the pressure of elite bullets.

The intervention of auxiliary forces in the war is actually an outward expansion action, because whether it is the border army or the imperial army, it is impossible for them to fight for anyone for free, they all have to rely on wealth to feed. Obviously, Yang Reform is already quite struggling to bear the cost of the elite, and it is naturally impossible to bear the cost of these auxiliaries, if this is the case, there is no need to fight, Yang Reform himself will be eaten down by these people. It is impossible for Yang Reform to pay for these people by himself, but these people must have wealth to feed, so they can only continue to plunder more wealth and more land, so once the war in Liaodong is defeated and the auxiliary troops intervene, in fact, history has gone to another road. A path of constant expansion, constant plunder.

“…… Defeated the Dongyu and recovered Liaodong, actually, it is not finished, there are more things to do, north of Liaodong, there are more lands, and there are more tribes, these are all that need to be cleared, these lands need to be occupied,...... Or that sentence, now the land of Liaodong will become richer and richer, if such a vast land I Ming ignore, or how many years, it will definitely raise one after another Dongyu out, a Dongyu will make my Ming disgraced, lost millions of people, countless money, how can there be a reason to make Dongyu stronger? Therefore, these places must not be as laissez-faire as before, and must be firmly controlled in the hands of my Daming......" Yang Reform's eyes flashed with an astonishing light, Yang Reform has been waiting for this day for a long time.

“…… In addition to Liaodong, this vast desert also needs to be cleared, to be honest, I spend so much military money every year to guard against the Mongols, it is better to pocket these lands and extend the battle line thousands of miles away......," Yang Gai kept telling.

“…… These lands, in your eyes, may be barren and savage, not worth fighting for, but in my eyes, they are rich places, and I have the means and the ability to earn countless riches from these lands......"

“…… These lands, just like Liaodong, if I don't occupy them, but just go deep into the desert and retreat, I will definitely raise another Dongyu, and I will be beaten passively, worried about the loss of the country and the species, it is better to pocket these lands and firmly control the ......" Yang Reform said, with an undoubted momentum in his words. The spirit of the king is overflowing.

Yang Gai knew that at this time, he had brought Daming to a new historical fork. Today's Liaodong, in fact, is only the Liaoning Province of later generations, according to the map of China in later generations, there are at least three eastern provinces, that is to say, just China, there is at least Jilin, Heilongjiang These two provinces of the territory to be "expanded", to be developed, such a vast and fertile land, with a variety of new crops and warm and cold methods of promotion and application, the land in the Northeast must be rich and oily, not occupied, it is really unreasonable, Yang Reform has no reason to refuse, and there is no reason not to do so.

The border army and the imperial army intervened in the war in Liaodong, which was the beginning of all this, the border army and the imperial army did not have military salaries, and some were only symbolic, more to rely on the capture of the war, more to rely on rewards, undoubtedly, these vast lands could be squandered by Yang reform for a long time.

In addition to the three eastern provinces, there is also the vast Siberian region, this place, in the future, will also be a place rich in resources, this place, Yang Reform is impossible to give up.

It is not realistic to use all the elites to conquer and occupy these places, Yang Reform is now supporting 60,000 elite battles, and he is about to vomit blood, and the combat radius of these 60,000 elites is only two hundred miles. Therefore, if you want to occupy the entire northeast and the steppe by the elite, you can only use this kind of almost free auxiliary forces, tie their interests with your own interests, and let the war and the land pay for themselves.

With war to feed the war, the "farming war" to the end, the Ming Dynasty reached a fork in the road to expand the territory.

…………，