Totoku respectfully kowtowed his head, and then prostrate on the ground, waiting for the fate of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty.

finally waited for Zhu Yuanzhang to open his mouth to let him calm down, and then he breathed a sigh of relief and quickly stood up.

Tokhtar peeked and saw two people sitting in front of the palace hall.

A young man with a beard on the front is only about thirty years old, but his face is full of majesty, so that people dare not look at it directly, and he knows that it is Zhu Yuanzhang, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

And next to Zhu Yuanzhang, there is another younger man, who has been sprinkling silver and Western Regions jewelry in Yingtianfu these days, and he has already found out the news in the Ming Dynasty very clearly, knowing that this younger person is Zhu Han, the British king of the Ming Dynasty.

There was no direct territorial border between the Ming and the Chagatai Khanate, so there was no point of conflict between the two sides over the matter of forming alliances and vassals.

Soon, the Ming Dynasty decided to send troops to the northwest to clear the remnants of the Mengyuan forces, and also gave the Chagatai Khanate a guarantee, that is, within a year, the Ming army would clear the remnants of the Mengyuan forces in the area from Shazhou to Ganzhou.

At the same time, the Ming Dynasty would also give intelligence and weapon support to the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, which sent troops to Turpan.

"What are the specialties of your Eastern Chagatai Khanate?" After the two sides communicated the conditions for sending troops to attack Meng Yuan's forces, Zhu Han asked.

"Tell His Royal Highness that our Chagatai Khanate has a large number of bloody horses, as well as precious products such as gold, gemstones, and medicinal materials, all of which can be used to trade with the Ming Dynasty." Tokhtar said respectfully.

Tokhtar acted as an envoy this time, in order to get through the blinds of the Mengyuan forces in the Shazhou and Turpan areas, which can be said to be very real.

Not only are all the staff dressed as businessmen.

He also hired many real merchants to act as guides and advisors to the legations.

And in the team accompanying the envoys, they brought a large number of goods, and now after coming to Yingtianfu, these goods also came to Yingtianfu with their hind feet.

Of course, these goods were not goods to be bought and sold, but to pay tribute to the Ming Emperor.

According to the tributary order before the Ming Dynasty, after the vassal state paid a part of the tribute, the Ming Dynasty would give part of the return.

And these rebate products are often precious specialties of the Central Plains, most of which are silk porcelain and rare treasures that far exceed the value of the tribute.

However, not long ago, Zhu Han was in charge of the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple for a while.

For this kind of stupid hat behavior of the vassal state paying tribute to a basket of grass, and the Ming Dynasty gave them a basket of silver, a drastic reform was carried out.

Zhu Han set a new rule for the tributary state, that is, all tributary tributes must be inspected by the Ming Rites Department and the Inspection Department, not only for use, but also to pass the epidemic prevention and sanitation before they can enter the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

Otherwise, they will be returned in situ in the border area or destroyed in situ.

As for the gifts in return.

The gift specifications that have been set are all used, and the previous silk porcelain is no longer used, but new low-cost goods such as glass sugar that have been mass-produced by the Ming Dynasty are used.

Zhu Han also reformed the behavior of many vassal states that wanted to trade in the form of tribute.

No matter how many items the vassal states pay tribute, there must be a fixed amount of gifts given back by the Ming Dynasty.

No rebate will be given to any amount in excess of this quota.

If you really want to get any goods from the Ming Dynasty, you must go through the formal trade market.

As an envoy of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, Tokhtar already had a very good understanding of the strength of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, there was not the slightest opposition to the proposal to pay tribute, and they all accepted it.

Detached and deferential attitude, Zhu Yuanzhang appreciated it very much.

Immediately rewarded some official uniforms and silver coins, all of which were the latest minted silver coins of Daming Hongwu Tongbao.

Except for some nobles of the Ming Dynasty, ordinary people could not obtain these silver coins, so Tokhtar was very grateful for these rewards.

The matter of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate's claim of tribute to the Ming Dynasty was thus decided.

Moreover, the two sides also agreed that after attacking and eliminating the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty in the northwest, they would carry out large-scale trade exchanges in the areas of Shazhou, Ganzhou and Lanzhou.

For the increasingly numerous military and political affairs, Chang Yuchun felt a little powerless.

He was a military general who only knew how to march and fight, but he was not very good at how to establish good relations with the Eastern Chagatai Khanate and join forces to deal with the remnants of the Mengyuan forces.

So for the main general of Northwest Lanzhou, Zhu Han had different ideas.

"Brother, I think Chang Yuchun is in the northwest, and it is still very good in terms of marching and fighting, but now joining forces with the Eastern Chagatai Khanate is not only a military matter to deal with, but also many political and trade matters, which require a more secure general to preside over the defense of Lanzhou."

After hearing this, the elder brother Zhu Yuanzhang also nodded and said: "Chang Yuchun, this person, is a general!" The march and battle are like a tiger, but the temper is a little impatient, I am afraid that it is really not suitable to preside over government affairs in Lanzhou, do you have any good candidates? ”

Zhu Han thought about it for a while, and also felt that there were not many military and political compound talents in Daming now.

Except for one Xu Da, Zhu Han couldn't think of any other candidates.

He told his brother what he thought.

After hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang also nodded and said: "Let Xu Da return to the northwest to preside over military and political affairs, Chang Yuchun will still be his deputy, but Xu Da is gone, who will deal with the affairs of Beiping?" ”

Zhu Han is not worried about this problem.

He pointed to himself with his hand and said, "I'll go, and I'll go to Beiping to take charge." ”

Hearing that Zhu Han took the initiative to invite Ying to go to the Northern Parallel Capital Division to sit in the town, the elder brother Zhu Yuanzhang was a little reluctant.

"Beiping is too far away from our Ying Tianfu, if you go, we won't be able to discuss national affairs for you anymore."

Now that the Ming Dynasty is attacking from all sides, the chief generals of each place are not just marching and fighting, but must be handled by both military and political talents.

So even if the elder brother Zhu Yuanzhang is reluctant.

The matter of the Northern Parallel Capital Division is now necessary for Zhu Han to take charge in person.

After dealing with Yingtian's affairs, Zhu Han left Yingtian with the envoy of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate.

They first traveled north along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal to Linqing, Shandong, where they parted.

Escorted by the Ming army, the emissaries of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, Tokhtar, traveled overland westward, into Guanzhong, then back to Lanzhou, and finally to their Eastern Chagatai Khanate, bringing their tributary alliance with the Ming to the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, Balluhei Timur.

Zhu Han continued north along the canal from Linqing and came all the way to Beiping.

At this time, Xu Da had also received an order from the imperial court, and Xu Da had already handled all the military and political affairs of the Northern Parallel Capital Division, sealed the seal letter and the order arrow, and waited for Zhu Han to come to receive it.

As soon as he saw Xu Da, Zhu Han was also very emotional, because in just a few months, Xu Da had lost a lot of weight than before, which shows how busy the affairs in Beiping are, and Xu Da, the first man in the Ming Dynasty, has been tired like this.

"Brother Xu, the military and political affairs in the northwest, Chang Yuchun can't deal with it, Lanzhou Xingdu Division is very important, this errand looks at the entire Ming Dynasty, except for you to pick up the beam, I don't worry about anyone." Zhu Han said.

For Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Han's trust, Xu Da was very moved in his heart.

"My Xu Da's ambition is not to eat and drink spicy food in the city, how can there be military merits if I don't fight in battle, there will be no pie in the sky, haha!"

Xu Da is very open-minded about these.

He had long been accustomed to his military career, and after Zhu Han arrived, Xu Da immediately led some of his guards to embark on a journey to the northwest.

And Zhu Han looked at the pile of military newspapers in his hand in Beiping, making plans for the next step.

Zhu Han sat in Beiping this time, not only in the name of the British king, but also obtained the sword of Shang Fang from Zhu Yuanzhang, which could give the officials, people, soldiers and generals below the third rank the power to cut down before playing.

Therefore, no one in the entire Northern Parallel Division dared to disobey Zhu Han's orders.

After a few days of planning, Zhu Han made a series of arrangements for the Northern Parallel Division.

At this time, the generals of the Northern Parallel Capital Division mainly included Huaixi veterans such as Guo Ying and Zhou Dexing, as well as some new generals from Huaixi such as Qi Xiang, and then there were young generals from the Ming Military Academy in Luo Guanzhong in Yingchang Mansion.

All of us have a strong desire to make a difference.

Zhu Han is also taking advantage of their thoughts.

It was decided to launch a purging attack on the Mongol tribes in the Monan steppe.

"These tribes on the steppe are really cunning, as soon as our army arrives, they will flee in the wilderness, our army is gone, they will run back like leper dogs, and then continue to graze or rob, I think about it, there is really no good way to take them." Zhou Dexing heard that Zhu Han planned to purge the Mongols on the Monan grassland, and immediately complained.

"Haha, to deal with the Mongols on the steppe, we must use new methods, not tactics in the Central Plains, their logistics and supplies move with cattle and horses, we can no longer use the original method of attacking cities and plundering land to force them to fight, we must fight steadily." Zhu Han then said.

"I sent Luo Guanzhong a group of generals from the Ming Military Academy to build a fortress in Yingchang Mansion, and now a few months have passed, it should be a little successful, you go to Yingchang Mansion with me once, and see how the fortress tactics there are effective."

Zhu Han led Guo Ying, Zhou Dexing, Qi Xiang and others to Yingchang Mansion from Beiping.

As soon as I arrived at Yingchang Mansion, I saw towers standing on both sides of the road.

Zhou Dexing, Guo Ying and others didn't know what this thing was, they had been staying in Beiping and had never been to Yingchang.

And Zhu Han is very familiar with these small fortresses, because this is what he taught Luo Guanzhong in fortress tactics.

Zhu Han pointed to these small fortresses and said to Guo Ying, Zhou Dexing and others.

"This thing is called a tower, it is specially used to carry out guard duties on the road, there are two small guns in it, and a dozen muskets, as long as the iron gate under the tower is closed, the soldiers inside can hold the tower with muskets and artillery, and then light wolf smoke on the top of the tower, you can alert the tower in other positions."

"It turns out to be such a thing, isn't this similar to the Great Wall beacon tower outside Beiping City? It's just taller than the tower, and it looks stronger. Zhou Dexing said beside him.

"Yes, the beacon tower on the Great Wall and the tower on the grassland are actually the same function, which is nothing more than a beacon fire for storing troops and issuing warnings."

Zhu Han continued to point to several towers next to him and said.

Ying Chang's commander Luo Guanzhong has also received the news that His Royal Highness the King is about to come to Ying Chang to inspect.

But he didn't know that Zhu Han came so quickly, and he didn't stay in Beiping for a few days at all, and ran to Yingchang.

Therefore, Ying Changfu did not specially arrange people to come to greet Zhu Han on the road, so they could see the most real situation.

Many towers have been built on the grassland outside Yingchang Mansion, and every once in a while, a strange-looking fortress will stand on the ground.

Zhu Han immediately ordered his subordinates to unfurl the military flag of the Northern Parallel Capital Division and came to inspect a fortress.

The defender of this fortress was also a cadet of the Ming Royal Military Academy.

He naturally recognized the British King Zhu Han, and immediately ordered the gate of the fortress to be opened to welcome Zhu Han and others to go in and inspect.

Zhu Han led Guo Ying, Zhou Dexing, Qi Xiang and others to inspect the new fortress and felt very satisfied.

Although spring is now in the spring, the climate on the grassland is still cold.

The soldiers' quarters inside the fortress are all built underground, and there are other heating measures, so once you enter, it is warm like spring, and you are not afraid of the cold at all.

The ammunition depot on the bastion is also buried in this basement, which can be very good against fire attacks and play the best protective role.

Regarding the defensive power of the fortress, Zhu Han said that he was very satisfied.

Later, Zhu Hanyou led everyone to inspect farther away.

Halfway through the road, they happened to meet a group of Ming soldiers and horses, who were Luo Guanzhong, the commander of Ying Changwei.

"The last general, Luo Guanzhong, see His Royal Highness!" Luo Guanzhong and the others immediately dismounted and saluted Zhu Han.

Zhu Han asked Luo Guanzhong to lead the way and inspect many fortresses outside Changfu, and Zhu Han was very satisfied with the inspection for several days.

These forts are built solidly and the soldiers are well-trained, which shows that Luo Guanzhong has a strong ability to lead troops.

When Zhu Han and the others came to inspect a fortress called Wolf Castle.

It happened to encounter a cold spring storm, and everyone stayed in Wolf Castle.

Unexpectedly, early the next morning, nearly 10,000 Mongolian cavalry came to attack outside the fortress!

These Mongol cavalrymen, the sentinels in the Wolf Castle found them and reported the garrison of the Wolf Castle in time.

The garrison of Wolf Fort also received a signal last night and rushed to Fort Wolf to prepare for reinforcements.

As a result, before he got close to the Wolf Castle, he encountered a cold spring storm and was forced to stop at the periphery of the Wolf Castle to camp and rest.

"This star really wants to retire"

When Zhu Han heard about the incident of the Mongolian cavalry, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart: What's the matter? Could it be that his plan was leaked, and the Mongols discovered it in advance, and they were ready to strike first?

However, after thinking about it carefully, Zhu Han felt that it was unlikely.

Because no one else knows about this plan except Guo Ying and Zhou Dexing.

Moreover, even if Guo Ying and Zhou Dexing leaked their plan, it stands to reason that it would never be known to the Mongols, you must know that this plan is very secretive.

In any case, since the Mongols came to the door, they would definitely not have come to pay New Year's greetings to Zhu Han.