"The grass people are Ma Fang, see Hou Ye."

Ma Fang had her hands tied, but she simply knelt on one knee.

He only knew that he was a marquis, and he didn't have the right number.

Guo Xun enthusiastically stepped forward and helped him up: "Get up." Go, Your Majesty wants to see you. ”

"Your Majesty...... Your Majesty wants to see the grass people? ”

Ma Fang was very confused, he thought that Guo Xun was here to deal with him.

As the marquis of the Ming Dynasty, he must be one of the commanders of the Northern Army. Ma Fang brought some information over, whether it was to identify the truth of his identity, to return to sincerity, or to learn from him about the military situation of the Northern Captives, the Marquis was enough.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he arrived at the camp of the Ming Dynasty, the emperor wanted to see him in person.

The reason why Guo Xun is so enthusiastic is also because the emperor looks at him differently.

For some reason, he thought of the emperor asking Li Quanli to personally take Li Yuan over that day.

Therefore, he first untied Ma Fang personally, and he said that he couldn't lose his honor when he saw it.

As for the emperor's safety, Ma Fang was already bare-handed, how well guarded were the inside and outside of the palace? Lu Bing is always accompanied by the knife, and he Guo Xun is also inseparable from Ma Fang.

Along the way, Guo Xun first asked about Ma Fang's experience and the information I answered.

"Really subdued all the tribes......" Guo Xun looked at Ma Fang, his eyes were a little uncertain, "You said you know the location of the pastures where more than a dozen tribes are stationed for grazing?" Do you know the right way? ”

"The grass people begged for a living with them at the age of eight, and they had no other thoughts, they devoted themselves to honing their bows and horses, and paying attention to their tactics." Ma Fang said with certainty, "Although I was only ordered to crusade against some tribes who did not want to submit, the grass people repeatedly asked for battle, but they ran away a small part of the territory of the left wing of the Tartars. ”

"Then you are here to lead the way for Master Wang?"

Cao Min thought to himself, if he didn't come again, he was afraid that he would have to be the enemy of the Ming army in the future. The grass people were willing to kill the Tartars, but they were not willing to kill the Ming army. On the Tartar side, the captive chief always said that we would fight after the snow melted, and the grass people wanted to come and serve their lives. ”

Guo Xun was noncommittal, but reminded him: "If you just return to the south sincerely, don't say this in front of Your Majesty, just say how I answered how to subdue the ministry." ”

"Master Hou, why is this?" Ma Fang asked first, and then understood, "Worried that the grass people are fine?" ”

"I see you talking boldly, and I know that you are open-minded." Guo Xun said his first impression, "However, you are from the north after all, don't expect to be reused right now." Besides, the Tartars are on a variable migration, and as soon as the snow melts, it will not be where it was last autumn and winter. Those messages, it's useless to say. ”

“…… The grass people Xie Hou Ye mentioned. Ma Fang was silent for a moment and then said, "The grass people don't want to be reused, they are willing to obey the dispatch and do anything, as long as they can kill the tartars." ”

"That'll be fine."

Even from Guo Xun's own point of view, he would not fully believe Ma Fang's words now, so the other civil and military generals in the palace would naturally think the same.

How important is the Northern Expedition, what if it is really a treacherous plan to lure the Ming army into a trap?

Guo Xun just looked at the emperor differently, and first formed a good relationship with Ma Fang.

What he said is true or false, but in fact it does not affect the current decision-making. It is also a fact that the northern captives will migrate with the heavens. The Ming army was going to clear the northern captives in the wider grassland, and the problem that the emperor said still existed.

The size and combat power of the cavalry of the Ming army were still much worse than those of the northern captives. As long as the northern captives are bent on avoiding the war, and the detectives and cavalry detect the Ming army, they will dodge.

Now that the Ming army has won a great victory in Hetao and Daning, it can't lure the enemy, so it can only be found.

When he arrived in the palace, Ma Fang knelt down and bowed to the emperor, and sure enough, he only talked about his experience, and then waited for the emperor to ask questions.

Zhu Houxi looked at Ma Fang, who was seventeen years old, and was sure that it was him.

"Let's talk about how I took the throne of the Great Khan and subdued the other tribes last year."

Ma Fang said there, and the ministers still had the patience to listen to him.

After Zhu Houxi asked, he was actually thinking about something else in his heart.

He believed that Ma Fang was more familiar with the steppe tribes, and that there were then captives from Gunberik's side.

But the problem still exists, the cavalry strength of the Ming is not enough. Even if you can find the main force of the opponent's tribe or cavalry, if you want to kill a sufficient number of Tartars, you must wait until the Ming Dynasty's foot soldiers are much less mobile.

If it's just for a while, there's no point. It is impossible to destroy the living force, and it is impossible for the Ming Dynasty to be stationed everywhere in the vast grassland.

But there must still be a fight.

Even if Zhu Houxi felt that it was enough to consolidate the results of the battle for the time being, the soldiers in the Northern Expedition camp were all ready to move. Hearing the news from Ma Fang's mouth that he was full of bald robberies and robbing the Jurchens, Li Quanli and Guo Xun both wanted to ask for war.

The royal expedition to the north also needs a symbolic result in the direction of the main force.

"In other words, the sweat tent of Altan is now in the south of the Yuqu River, southeast of the Kender Khan Mountain?" Li Quanli's eyes lit up, "I have so much courage to answer!" The bald man who was full of robbing the Jurchens, he led the main force so far away. Your Majesty, as long as you block it from the fishing sea, you will get something! ”

"No!" Chen Jiuchou immediately said, "Your Majesty, if the army rashly goes north, I will just lead the army to cut off the Wang Division from west to east!" The Khanting Khan tent has always been not far north of Kaiping, and it has not yet reached the fishing sea. This place that Ma Fang said is already the Khalkha pastureland, how can I be there? This person has ill intentions, Your Majesty must not be gullible! ”

There was a sudden commotion in the hall, and Ma Fang was at a loss.

This Luqu River is also recorded in the Ming classics. In the eighth year of Yongle, Zhu Di personally went to the upper reaches of the Yuqu River and renamed it the Yinma River. In the same year, it has been hitting along the river to the downstream fishing Erhai and Kuoluan Haizi. In the twenty-first year of Hongwu, Lan Yu destroyed the Northern Yuan royal court in the area of Yuerhai.

This wide Luanhaizi was called Hulun Lake in later generations. The lower reaches of the Yuqu River and the area around the two lakes are the Hulunbuir Prairie.

It stands to reason that it is better for the Khan court to avoid the front of the army and retreat three to five hundred miles north, but in fact, it is better to run to the Hulunbuir grassland.

But for now, it is reasonable for me to integrate the Mongol tribes and set up the khan tent closer to Khalkha.

The place Ma Fang was talking about was the original center of the Mongol Khanate, a little south of the area that Genghis Khan used to call Da Hu'er. The whole old land is located between the Xuqu River and the Yannan River, and the water source and grassland are good. To the northwest is a mountainous plateau represented by Mount Kenthan.

If the Ming army does not come, I can not only suppress the Khalkha, but also control the vast Hulunbuir grassland to the east. If the Ming army came, retreated to Mount Kent Khan or even hid in the area of Lake Baikal to the northwest of it, what could the Ming army do?

Or go further north to the middle and lower reaches of the Troubled River, which is the northernmost part of Zhu Di's footprints - the area known as Killing Hu Yuan. And Zhu Di's life also came to an end there.

The distance between Kaiping, where Zhu Houxi is now located, and the current residence of Altan Khan, named Wener Khan, is more than 1,000 miles. and his forward guard cavalry is located in Hara Manglai, that is, Guangwu Town recorded in the Ming classics, which is also six or seven hundred li.

Zhu Houxi looked down at the map on the case, which was naturally not very detailed.

Now Kaiping is the northernmost line, in addition to the Xilin Gol grassland that is one or two hundred miles wide in the north and distributed diagonally in the northeast and southwest, and then go to the original sweat tent, there is a desert called Dashawo in the middle.

Now I have shrunk farther away, and it has the meaning of faintly bounded by the big sand nest.

If Da Ming's appetite only stops there, then he can still faintly control the fertile grassland where the original sweat tent was located in Guangwu Town, and he can still faintly control the fertile grassland where the original sweat tent was located in the north and northeast of Dashawo.

Further north, between the Xuqu River and the Hunan River, the Hulunbuir prairie in the area of the fishing sea is also enough to recuperate.

And if the Ming Dynasty wants to continue to march north to attack the main force of the Khanting, Dashawo is the first hurdle, and Hara Manglai is the second. If Alta continues to retreat north, there will be the Yuqu River and the Kent Khan Mountain.

He has depth to the east, to the west, and to the north.

Between this big sand nest and Guangwu Town, it is a buffer zone.

There was still a lot of quarrel in the hall, and Zhu Houxi opened his mouth: "Okay." This Ma Fang is really Hanmin, he does not forget his background, and he is dedicated to Nantou, and I believe in him. ”

Ma Fang, who had already heard that many important ministers felt that he was very suspicious, and was worried, suddenly burst into tears.

The emperor believed him, so what else could he say?

But Zhu Houxi also said: "If I retreat thousands of miles away, even if the snow melts, I'm afraid I won't be able to win." This person is resolute, and now although the Hetao has been restored, the Ming soldiers are advancing to this point, but I have got the result he wants. The Hetao won too quickly, and it was not easy to find a plan to eliminate the northern troubles in one fell swoop. ”

Zhang Bi and Chen Jiuchou breathed a sigh of relief.

There are too many places for the Ming to digest, and the protracted but ineffective northern expedition is too much of a burden for the Ming Dynasty.

"However, now that the Northern Expedition has arrived, it's time to plan for the future." Zhu Houxi said again, "It will be pulled out after February." Datong generals, west to the city of Talu, sand wells; Xuanfu and Jizhou generals marched north to the Yingchang area. The generals of the Beijing camp waded into the big sand nest and arrived at the Xuanshi Slope and Saihan Mountain. ”

Guo Xun and Li Quanli were stunned.

Now with such a decision, it is difficult to have a big war. I have already run so far, and the emperor's arrangement is just to redraw the border.

Ying Chang once served as the Northern Yuan Dynasty, and later set up Ying Changwei, which was to restore the old borders. Xuanshipo is one of the starting points of Taizong's several northern expeditions, and it can be regarded as a bridgehead for entering the grassland. And Shajing and Talu City are just the frontier outposts from the eastern foot of Yinshan to Datong and Xuanfu.

Zhu Houxi looked at them and laughed: "To control this area, there is no need for the main force to go over." In March, the main forces of the three roads went to Guangwu Town together and approached the Khan Court. If I still want to avoid the war, at least let him not have the blessing to enjoy the pastures in the south this year, and let him run with sweat and urine, and his prestige will be greatly lost. Whether he fights or not, he must make a mark in the land of Genghis Khan's king! ”

"Your Majesty Shengming!" At this time, Guo Xun and Li Quanli were happy again.

After all, I want to go to the Yinma River, at least like Taizong and Lanyu in the past, to that area.

Zhang Bi and Chen Jiuchou have no objection to this, as long as they don't want to take the liberty of ending the old nest of the Beiyu and slowly advancing it once, there is no problem.

And this can be regarded as a yang strategy, in the future, just use spring and summer to make some moves, so that the Tartars can not rest at ease in the southern pasture where the water and grass are more fertile.

In the long run, we must solve the problem of not having enough and not enough elite cavalry in the Ming Dynasty.

How to solve it?

The shepherds, the three tribes, and the upcoming Gunbiric.

But Zhu Houxi knew that there must also be a general who was good at leading cavalry battles.

"Hundred?" Guo Xun looked at the emperor unexpectedly, "Your Majesty, whether what Ma Fang said is true or not, you still have to distinguish ......"

"If you should go to investigate, you will visit without delay." Zhu Houxi looked at him meaningfully, "You are watching, and at the same time, let him serve in the cavalry of the three thousand battalions first, can you do this little thing?" I can seal him a hundred households, and I am willing to give him a chance. ”

“…… Chancellor understood. ”

Zhu Houxi decided to gather the main force to go to the Altan Khan's court, which was not only the inevitable launch of the Northern Expedition army, but also to give Ma Fang a chance to stand out.

From the south of Mongolia, he must have the opportunity to prove himself. In this way, Zhu Houxi can give him a higher starting point and make him a brave general stationed in this area in the future.

As for Yan Chunsheng...... He is too strong in the limelight, so he can only make other arrangements, or save it for the future when he really has a chance to fight the northern captives.

Ma Fang began his career in the army in Daming, and it can be said that this starting point is much better than that of him in another story, and the time to rise to the top is much earlier.

Guo Xun gradually came back to his senses, and this Ma Fang was only afraid that it was his own chance.

The characters that make the emperor look at him differently have never been simple.

After comparing Ma Fang's riding and archery skills, Guo Xun believed this even more - if he wanted to gain a foothold in the Ming army and lead a small team of cavalry as a hundred households, Ma Fang must also be recognized by his comrades.

This is all a small episode in the camp of the Northern Expedition.

The camp of the Northern Expedition is now awaiting both the opening of February and the upcoming sacrifice ceremony at the end of the month.

That is not only a boast of the merits of this imperial expedition, but also a pledge for the Northern Expedition army to continue to advance northward.

Zhang Bi, the minister of state who received the gift and handed over the ministry, presided over the preparations, and the patriarchs of the three tribes of Duoyan must also arrive.

Zhu Houxi was in the palace reviewing Zhang Fujing's strategy presented from the capital.

Hetao returned to the embrace of the Ming Dynasty, Xuanda and a large area of land north of it were recovered, and the captives of the trap and the three departments of Duoyan must be properly arranged.

According to Zhang Fujing and Xia Yan's suggestion, Datongyi was reincorporated into the scope of Shanxi Province and withdrew from the system of border areas.

The Hetao and Hetao regions south of the Yellow River, along with Ningxia and Gansu, as well as Qinghai, which had been retracted by the Gunbiric, now had to be reconsidered. At the suggestion of the State Council and the Military Council, Gansu and Qinghai were changed to the Qinggan border area, while the Houtao and Qiantao of Ningxia and the north of the Yellow River were changed to the Hetao border area, and the Hetao south of the Yellow River was placed under the jurisdiction of Shaanxi Province.

As for the large area of Xuanfu and Zhangbei, Liangcheng, Guanting, Shajing, Kaiping, and Yingchang, it is a new front line, and the Xuanning border area can be set up, and the Jizhou defense line will move north to the Yingchang area.

Related to this, that is the disposal of the three parts of Duoyan.

The meaning of the military council was that the former Chahar grazing land in northern Changbei and the pastures in the Xuanning border area could allow them to graze. However, Duoyan Sanbu has to be changed. Those who still graze and set up cavalry are changed to rangers, and they are directly controlled by the Xuanning border area. Those who remained in the original Daning area were set aside from the land of Sanzhou and given them a hereditary transition of local officials.

Zhu Houxi is now thinking about this problem. Daming lacks cavalry, and there are actually some cavalry in the three divisions of Duoyan, but their combat power is really average.

Now, if they are willing to live and work in peace and contentment and enjoy wealth, they will temporarily become local officials and be confined to the border areas. Those who are still more willing to graze are grazing inside and outside the Xuanning border area, and wandering for the three guards, but they must be dispatched by the Ming Dynasty.

It's not too long, and it's impossible for the three Duoyan tribes to be assimilated by the Ming Dynasty, and they really need to transition.

It's just that in this way, the border city of eastern Liaodong is not aimed at the three departments of Duoyan, and the same is true for the propaganda envoy.

This time, it is to Duoyan Sanbu to directly become the courtiers of the Ming Dynasty.

The biggest problem was the large number of Ordos prisoners.

Undoubtedly, it must be broken up. At the suggestion sent by Beijing, the herd supervisors accepted some of it and moved some of it to the south of the Yellow River. The Hetao Border District is in charge of a part of the war horses, and it is necessary to move the young and strong capital to the Xuanning Border District, so that the Construction Bureau and the transfer operation can manage them to build forts, build roads, and serve in the army.

There is also a big plan, to move the people to Shibian - just a few years ago, there were too many people in the Ming Dynasty who could encourage them to go to Hetao and Xuanning.

In addition to supporting policies, the most important thing is that the Ming Dynasty is not what it used to be, the offense and defense are easy to shape, and the border area is not necessarily so dangerous.

This raises the question, what kind of policy should be adopted in the Hetao and Xuanning border areas, especially for the Tatar people?

In fact, there is no psychological barrier - the steppe tribes, which are more backward in form, are now defeated and captive, and they are very accustomed to being slaves and servants.

Zhu Houxi rubbed his eyebrows: In order to eliminate hatred and assimilate some, in addition to enough time, it is also necessary to make it impossible for me to become a hope, and it is also necessary to make life in the border area better than before.

Even the person of Gunberik, what will happen to him, will become the wind in the hearts of those Mongol captives.

In order for them to be honest and accept the status quo without everyone being in danger, Gunbilik must have a passable ending - this is the joint suggestion of Zhang Fujing and Xia Yan to make him a prince.

They even suggested that Zhu Houxi, after driving me away once, also add a khan himself, use a more moderate policy to further divide the grassland tribes, and use the better life in the Hetao and Xuanning border areas to attract more people to Nantou.

This does not mean that the confrontation between the north and the south of the Ming Dynasty and the Khan Court has been accepted from then on, but it is just to eliminate the hidden dangers that may be brought by so many Mongols in the territory when the northern tribulation is wiped out again in the future, and also to have more leading parties during the northern expedition. For this reason, it is necessary to accept the suggestion of Yan Chunsheng of Zhen'an Bo, and take a daughter from the Ordos Department as a concubine.

Zhu Houxi pondered in his heart, such a practice seems to have been done by Tang Taizong, and later Qing Dynasty emperors have also had it.

In the final analysis, it is a question of productivity, the means of transportation and communication needed to control a huge territory. For the nomadic steppe tribes, this kind of "submission" seems to be the peak, coupled with marriages and beatings from time to time.

Zhu Houxi felt that before I was completely driven away or even eliminated, he should do this. Zhang Fujing: They understand this era better, and they will make adjustments after the unified Khan court that still exists is really wiped out in the future.

Yan Chunsheng and Gunbilik are gradually approaching Kaiping, and this time the Northern Expedition has entered garbage time.

Zhu Houxi has already seen the ending: I answer that such a smart person should still be able to resist, but it will kill two birds with one stone, not only to let the tribes directly feel the strength of the Ming Dynasty now, but also to weaken the power of the tribes that are still not particularly loyal.

A strong external enemy helps him to gather internal strength.

The tiebreaker is not this time.

At the end of the first month, seeing Yan Chunsheng sitting on a horse and appearing in sight proudly, Zhu Houxi's eyes were complicated.

This is a character who came out of his own and never had an impression on him, who would have thought that it would be so fierce that it would even overshadow Tang Shunzhi and Yu Dayou?

It can only be said that this land has never lacked heroes, but they just need history to give them opportunities.

From this time on, Zhu Houxi probably doesn't need to be personally recruited to motivate any morale, as long as he gives him a chance, more people will come out and complete his orders.

Months of sorrow are gone.

I made the right choice again, so what? It's just a lost dog, and the grassland version has been greatly updated.

Stay until the weather is warm, and it's time to go back to Beijing.

Spend your energy on developing the skills that will allow the future Alta to be good at singing and dancing.

(End of chapter)