Zhu Sijiu was surrounded by a brigade of knights, and it was more than ten miles out of Daqing County, his base camp on the banks of the Ili River. The county seat of Daqing was a military fort built by Zhu Sijiu's Western Expeditionary Army in more than a year, using tens of thousands of officers and soldiers and more than 30,000 slaves. The design of the six-sided fortress was built on the south bank of the Ili River, and the city was huge, and tens of thousands of troops could be stationed in it. There are also 12 branch cities around the city of Daqing, and between the branch city and the main city are farms and pastures with serfs as labor.

The Ming army here is the largest support in the west of Tianshan Province, in the past nearly a year, God knows how many materials have been transported, and all the warehouses in the county seat of Daqing and the surrounding twelve cities are full of grain and grass materials for the army. Most of them were looted from all over Tianshan Province, and Zhu Sijiu's ruthlessness was somewhat forced, and the consumption of 100,000 troops was very amazing. Without the support of horse-drawn carriages, railways or water transportation, this large army, which had left the Central Plains for thousands of miles, would have no choice but to lose its weight to the enemy because of food...... To put it mildly, it's robbery! Relying on the looted grain, cattle and sheep and serfs, he supported the consumption of an army of 100,000. Although he left behind a dilapidated Tianshan Province that gave the Ming court a headache. But an army of 100,000 can be fed and clothed, and there are horses to ride and people to use. Although he traveled thousands of miles, he did not feel too lucky.

Now the place where the army has passed is still the control area of the Ili Mansion of the Ming Dynasty. In addition to Daqing County, there are three counties under Yili Prefecture: Yinan County, Yibei County, and Dahu County. The two counties of Yinan and Yibei are spread along the north and south banks of the Ili River, and they are both a model of one main city and twelve branch cities. However, instead of surrounding the main city, the branch cities were lined up along the Ili River, each city was less than a hundred miles apart, and there were also farms and pastures in between, all of which were mainly labored by serfs. And the owners of these farms and pastures are the officers and soldiers of the Western Expeditionary Army.

Zhu Sijiu is Chen Dexing's youngest brother. To some extent, it was taught by Chen Dexing. Therefore, his style of acting is very similar to Chen Dexing! From Hexi all the way to the Tianshan Mountains, the alien tribes along the way were all coerced and plundered by him! The property was used for military purposes, and the population was plundered into slavery (serfs, herdsmen), and when they reached the banks of the Ili River, the population was distributed to soldiers who were willing to settle down on the banks of the Ili River. Not only the soldiers of the Ming army have a share. Guo Kan, Yan Zhongji, and the soldiers of Liu's entire department also received granges and serfs.

In just over a year, no less than 20,000 farms and pastures have been built in the four counties of Ili Prefecture, with no less than 400,000 serfs and herdsmen (not only the population plundered from Tianshan Province, but also the population plundered during the Hexi and Qingtang wars). In addition, almost all the officers and soldiers have "war ladies" and have a small home in the county seat and branch city of the four counties of Yili. As a result, many small lives were born......

Now that the army is on the march, many "war ladies" are holding swaddling babies in their arms and watching blankly on both sides of the road. The face was full of complicated expressions, numbness, resentment, and worry, all blended together. There are also many serfs who serve the "war lady" who have already crawled in the dust. Da Ming is already the master of this land, and the majesty of the brigade of men and horses on this expedition is even greater than any elite Mongol army they have ever seen!

In the past few months, Zhu Sijiu also reorganized the three feudal army that fought with him. It was reorganized into three infantry divisions, which were exactly the same as the main force of the Ming army, all of which were large establishments of 18,000 people. Originally, Guo Kanbu, which had the smallest number of people, did not have so many people. Zhu Sijiu used the power in his hands to help recruit warriors to make up for it. Many of Zhu Sijiu's retainers and disciples also joined Guo Kan's silver armor division. This army can now be said to be shared by Zhu Guo. This is also the reason why Zhu Sijiu himself married Guo Kan's daughter.

Compared with plundering the Western Regions and privately accumulating child soldiers, using Guo Kan's brand to form his own private army is probably the closest to rebellion!

However, it was not easy for Chen Dexing, who was thousands of miles away, to discover this act. Because the expansion of Guo Kan's department seems to be a matter of course. Guo Kan's department has always been the strongest combat effectiveness in the Ming Dynasty town army, even stronger than most of the Ming regular army. On the way to the west, they have always acted as pioneers, and they have worked hard more than anyone else. What's wrong with expanding it? The ultimate goal of the Western Expeditionary Army is to destroy the Great Mongolian Kingdom! Don't you need a strong army?

Moreover, the Western Expeditionary Army is now fighting farther and farther, leaving the hinterland of the Central Plains for thousands of miles, during which at least three or four thousand miles are almost white land. It is simply impossible to supply 100,000 troops to fight eastward, and it is impossible to come to the land agitated by Ili Mo. Therefore, the threat of expanding the feudal army to the Ming Empire is almost equal to zero, so the General Staff and the War Department approved them after receiving the report of the General Division of the Western Expeditionary Army, and they did not return the ticket when they reported to Chen Dexing - in Chen Dexing's plan, Guo Kan, Liu Quan, and Yan Zhongji are all masters of "going and not returning", just find a place to build a country in the west, whether it is to Lianghe or to Persia, it doesn't matter, even if it hits Europa to grab Kublai Khan's territory!

It is precisely because of understanding Chen Dexing's attitude towards the Western Expedition that Zhu Sijiu will vigorously expand his strength - how can the feudal state of Southern Mingzhou be compared with the two rivers, Persia and Europa in the Western Regions? Since Guo Kan, Liu Quan, and Yan Zhongji can all build a country in the Western Regions, why can't they?

Moreover, if you want to build a country, you should build a big country! The West is such a boss, why do you want to make a big country with a territory of thousands of miles, right?

Full of ambition, Zhu Sijiu's face was a little gloomy.

After leaving Daqing County, there was no smile on his face, and even the henchmen who followed him frowned one by one, as if something dangerous was in front of them.

Some of Zhu Sijiu's Hakka retainers also specialized in intelligence, not only inquiring about the news on the Mongol side, but also paying attention to changes in the court. Zhu Sijiu already knew the news that the new general of the Western Expeditionary Army, Monk Liu, was on his way to the west.

This expedition may be the last time he will command the army of the Western Expedition! If he did not achieve enough results, his dream of establishing a great power in the West would be shattered.

Moreover, Chen Dexing replaced himself with Monk Liu, making it clear that he did not support himself. If he is really recalled to the Central Plains, I am afraid that he will be directly packed and sent to the desolate place in Nanmingzhou where birds don't. If you don't know what to do, it is possible to get some kind of disease and die young......

Zhu Sijiu could only smile bitterly in his heart, if the ambition was too great, the risk would be great. But now there is no turning back, so I can only go west to fight a piece of the world, while the Western Expeditionary Army is still in hand. Take advantage of it as much as you can! As long as you can destroy Timur, a busy brother, and then fight a bloody road, all the way to Persia, and take the foundation of Abha, you can have a chance to bargain...... When the time comes, his own Western Expeditionary Army will be truly alone. Monk Liu can't come to the army, and he can win a few more years.

If Chen Dexing didn't want to mobilize the people to crusade, then he would pinch his nose and admit his status......

While Zhu Sijiu was thinking about how to use this little strength in his hand, dozens of grassland knights in shabby leather robes were galloping over on horseback. The leading cavalry also had a flag of the Western Expeditionary Army behind him, and he also exchanged orders with the light cavalry of the Ming army who went to block them, and then galloped in the direction where Zhu Sijiu's handsome banner was.

When they arrived more than a dozen steps away from Zhu Sijiu's left front, these people restrained their horses one after another. The first few people all rolled down from the saddle and ran to Zhu Sijiu. Get down on one knee and salute.

The leader of them was a stout man in his forties, with a high nose and black hair, and slightly sunken eye sockets, looking like a hybrid between East and West. The man spoke in stiff Chinese: "Brother Chencha, fortunately, he did not disgrace his life, and brought back more than 30 heroes to the lord!" They are all heroes on the grassland, they have heard of the prestige of the lord, and they are willing to serve the lord! ”

That's right. This grassland man who claimed to be a minister in front of Zhu Sijiu is Zhu Sijiu's Hakka retainer! Zhu Sijiu's doormen are not all strategists who shake paper fans, but also many people of all kinds on the grassland.

The so-called various characters. Naturally, robbers, horse thieves, profiteers, Sam gods and men have everything. Nowadays, there are few people in Central Asia, so naturally we can't be too picky about employing people, otherwise there will be no one to use. And our Zhu Sijiu, who has become a careerist, is not a picky eater. As long as there is a skill and is willing to work hard, Zhu Sijiu will not refuse. Especially those men of the nomadic tribes of the steppe, as long as they are willing to come, there is nothing they want!

Because Zhu Sijiu knew that the number of warriors on the grassland was limited. One more for his own use, and one less person under the busy brother Timur. If he can use a good knife, a pair of leather armor, and some good wine and meat to recruit a warrior, Zhu Sijiu is very willing to recruit all the men on the grassland to his door.

"Good!" His eyes swept over those grassland men on horseback, Zhu Sijiu nodded with satisfaction, and said loudly: "They are all good men!" Those who are willing to stay are my Zhu Sijiu's Ke'er! Later. Just follow me to drink wine and eat meat! ”

After Zhu Sijiu finished speaking, some of the disciples around him immediately said these words again in Mongolian and Turkic. When the men in the tattered leather robes heard this, they all dismounted, came over and kowtowed, and expressed their willingness to follow Zhu Sijiu.

For the nomadic herders in the steppes of Central Asia, the concept of nationality and religion is very weak, and the strong man is the king is the iron law that has not changed for thousands of years. At that time, the Turks were strong, everyone was Turkic, and then Mongolia rose, everyone took refuge in Mongolia, and now the Han people who came from the east are the strongest, so naturally some people are willing to take refuge.

Zhu Sijiu waved his hand gently, and he had a special person in charge of recruiting people to go up and register these new men one by one, and then consider their skills, and then determine the level and treatment according to their skills, and arrange their dispatch. Some people sent their troops directly to serve in the army in the name of mercenaries; Some will become Zhu Sijiu's protégés; Some will be sent back to the grasslands to continue recruiting.

Zhu Sijiu looked at Brother Cha, who brought him more than 20 men, and said with a smile: "Good job!" What do you want? Woman? Wine? Or gold and silver? ”

Brother Cha arched his hand, "My lord, the minister only wants a good pair of armor, good steel armor, and he will be able to fight with the lord in the future!" ”

Zhu Sijiu laughed, "Okay, I'll give you a good armor, and follow the lonely king to work hard in the future, and there will be a day when you will be knighted in the future!" ”

The value of a pair of steel armor in the Central Asian steppes is really not low, this is a treasure transported from the Ming capital thousands of miles away! Even if it is Zhu Sijiu's doorman, not everyone has it.

"Thank you, lord!" Brother Cha kowtowed and went down happily.

Zhu Sijiu looked at the back of this grassland man, and finally some smiles appeared on his face. These days, there are more and more grassland men who have taken refuge in themselves, and it seems that there is a great chance of winning this battle right now! As long as he can beat away his busy brother Timur and arrange Liu Quan and Yan Zhongji in Lianghe, he will be able to take Persia, and even if he is a Chen Shengren, he can only coax himself......

……

"Teacher, teacher, my dad is here!"

Suddenly, Bald Lun jumped up and down and broke into Chen Dexing's big tent, and when he saw Chen Dexing who was reading, he realized that he was a little rude, and hurriedly knelt down to pay respects, and then said with a smile: "Teacher, the disciple's father is here, and the disciple has seen his Jiuyou Daxu!" ”

Kubalun's father was, of course, Haidu Khan, the "legitimate" Great Khan of Mongolia. Now he occupies the Mongol headquarters, and the thousand households under his command are as high as one hundred and five—of course, a thousand households that have been redivided by the sea capital, and each thousand households are no more than 10,000 people—that is, he can muster an army of more than 100,000 men at any time!

Chen Dexing left Beijing to meet with the Mongol Khan when he left Beijing for the Jinlianchuan grassland.

Speaking of his relationship with Haidu, it's really interesting. Haidu Khan's strength is actually limited, and his 105,000 households are men and horses including the four kings of the host province, the kings of the Ogedai lineage, and some of the Chagatai kings. There are only twenty-eight thousand households directly under Haidu, and the number of soldiers who can be mobilized is 30,000.

However, this weak Haidu is under the sign of a Mongolian Great Khan, nominally ruling the entire Great Mongolian State, so it is naturally impossible to claim to the Ming Emperor. However, the balance of strength between the two sides is laid out here, and it is impossible to have equal diplomatic relations. Therefore, Baoyin helped the two sides find a compromise point - the Ming recognized that the Great Mongolia State of Haidu was a great power on an equal footing with it, and Haidu took Tiandaoism as the state religion and recognized Chen Dexing, the Ming king, as the highest religious leader of the Great Mongolia. At the same time, a group of children of Mongolian nobles were sent to the Central Plains to learn Taoism, that is, Kubalun and her classmates.

In recent years, with the support of Haidu, Tiandao Sect has developed rapidly in Mongolia itself, and the number of believers has increased day by day, which has filled the space after the withdrawal of Lamaism and has become the head of all Mongolian religions.

"Good!" Chen Dexing put down the latest version of "Wenshan Manji" in his hand, nodded at Hu Bald Lun with a smile, and then stood up. "Let's go, let's go meet the Great Khan of the Great Mongolia!" (To be continued.) )