"After all, Hu Wei is a big trouble for the imperial court, and his son has already begun to intervene in it soon after he arrived in Bohai."

In the Wuying Palace, in the face of Zhu Di's meaningful words, Zhu Gaoxu replied unhurriedly, which made Zhu Di a little uncertain.

He really wanted to take Hami for his own use and lay the foundation for his children and grandchildren to enter the Western Regions.

But now that Zhu Gaoxu said this, he was not sure whether to canonize Ankh Timur as the king of loyalty.

Anker Timur is alive, Hami can still maintain the existing order, but Anker Timur is dead, then Hami is afraid that it will have to be a mess of porridge, and Daming not only has to pay someone to appease him, but also has to find a way to restore order, which is a bit difficult to do.

"What do you think the court should do with Hami?"

Zhu Di had an idea in his heart, but he was still ready to listen to Zhu Gaoxu's opinion.

"Erchen thinks that the best way is to reward but not to make, only to reward and not send envoys, and it is enough to give rewards back and forth through the mutual market in Suzhou."

"When the imperial court is stronger and can shelter Hami, it will not hurt to negotiate with Hami to shelter the garrison."

Zhu Gaoxu said his suggestion, but Zhu Di shook his head: "Although this can keep Hami in a short time, once that ghost Li Chi becomes a Great Khan, he will inevitably exchange markets with the imperial court through Hami's mutual market." ”

"If the court is unwilling, then Ghost Lichi may still attack Hami."

"If the imperial court is willing, then the ghost power can continue to grow, which is not in line with the weak policy of the imperial court."

Zhu Di scratched his beard, as if he was pondering, and after a while, he continued: "I want to send an envoy to Hami at the end of the year, but the reward is not crowned king. ”

"When the news reaches Gui Lichi, it just so happens that the imperial court has also begun the northern expedition, and if Gui Lichi is the new Great Khan, he will definitely send troops to rescue Uliangha."

"However, the distance from Moxi to Modong is far away, and before they reach the upper reaches of the Troubled River, I am afraid that they have already expelled Uliangha."

"At that time, I will send someone to build an official road to Mobei in Modong, so as to confuse Ghost Lichi and make him mistakenly think that I want to beat him."

"In the face of these big things, even if that ghost Li Chi wants to deal with Hami's small things, he is also powerless."

Zhu Di said this, and finally looked at Zhu Gaoxu: "But there is a little problem with doing this, and you need to produce food from Bohai." ”

"That's not a problem." Zhu Gaoxu bowed his head, and then expressed his worries:

"If it's just food, it's nothing, what Erchen is worried about is that if Ghost Lichi invades Modong with the Tatars and Warats, then Modong may be difficult to defend."

Modong is too big, and Zhu Gaoxu's initial idea was to set up three guards and eighteen thousand households, so as to slowly expand the scope of Han people's survival in Modong.

The premise of this is that Modong must have a peaceful time, otherwise it may be difficult for the military households who migrated to the past to reclaim the wasteland smoothly.

"I know that you don't want to use Modong as a tug-of-war battlefield, so I'm ready to gather heavy troops in Kaiping to confuse Ghost Lichi."

Zhu Di said his thoughts, but in this way, the food burden of maintaining Kaiping's heavy troops increased.

"How many troops and horses do you want to gather to Kaiping?" Zhu Gaoxu asked worriedly, and Zhu Di also scratched his beard: "50,000 soldiers, at least 900,000 stone per year, counting the consumption of the people, it is 1.2 million stone." ”

"I'm afraid it's a bit more than worth it." Zhu Gaoxu frowned, if he wanted to send 1.2 million stone grain every year to attract the attention of the Tatar and Warat departments, then he would rather send 10,000 people to take Hami in one fell swoop.

In his previous life, he traveled to northern Xinjiang in Xinjiang, and naturally passed through Hami.

Even if the temperature rises in later generations, the rainfall line moves westward, and with the blessing of modern technology, the cultivated land is only more than 800,000 acres.

Even if Zhu Gaoxu built a qanats in Hami, it would probably be difficult to reach half of this number.

Tossing 1.2 million stones in Kaipingwei every year for the sake of a Hami is obviously not worth it in Zhu Gaoxu's opinion.

"With detachment in hand, Erchen would rather sit back and ignore Hami and put 1.2 million stone of grain into Guazhou."

"My people have been to Guazhou, and they say that although the oasis in Guazhou is not big, it can build a city and reclaim more than 100,000 acres of arable land."

"If the imperial court chooses to keep 3,000 soldiers and horses and 7,000 troops in Guazhou, and reclaim wasteland as arable land in the local area, then tens of thousands of stone grains can be accumulated every year, and the distance between the imperial court and Hami can be shortened to 600 miles."

"Even if the ghost power is red and Hami is destroyed, the imperial court can immediately take off as the king, gather heavy troops in Guazhou, and go out from Guazhou to take Hami."

"With firearms, our Han army of 5,000 is enough to block tens of thousands of Hu cavalry, and the ghost power is not to be feared."

Zhu Gaoxu discussed with Zhu Di with burning eyes, and Zhu Di felt that it was not bad to do this, but the current Shazhou and Dunhuang areas were occupied by the descendants of the former Yuan Xining King, which was a little difficult to do.

"The area around Shazhou and Dunhuang is occupied by the descendants of Xiningwei of the former Yuan Dynasty, and if you want to attack them, I am afraid that the imperial court will have to spend a lot of money and food."

Zhu Di expressed his worries, but Zhu Gaoxu was familiar with history, and the seven guards of Guanxi didn't want to stay in Shazhou and Dunhuang at all.

They do not have enough craftsmen and skills, and the cultivation of cultivated land in the local area is not only tiring, but the grain output is also very low, only three or four buckets of real grain.

Historically, Shazhou Wei heard that he was going to move inward, and immediately happily entered Gansu with his belongings, and like other Wei, he was very happy to plant melons and lend money, and he did not have the idea of going out of the customs at all, but regarded Gansu Erzhou as a paradise.

As long as these people see the Ming army and reward them with some pastures, I am afraid that the speed of entering the customs and settling down will be faster than Zhu Gaoxu's taking of Nanjing.

"In the land of Kansai, if there are skilled craftsmen to build qanats, it is good, if not, it is purgatory."

"I see that the Mongols in Guanxi such as Shazhou, Dunhuang, and Chijin are living in poverty, but if Your Majesty is willing to give them some loose steps of the fifth and sixth grades, and give them pastures, then I am afraid that they can immediately turn their heads and take refuge in the imperial court."

"But under this premise, I have to ask Song Sheng to take the troops to Kansai to deter this group of nonsense."

Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Di talked about their attitude towards Kansai, Zhu Di was also a little unsure after hearing it, and wanted Jinyiwei to check the situation: "I sent Jinyiwei to check first, if it is really as you said, then I can give them hereditary ranks, and I can set aside a ranch for them in Ganzhou." ”

"Your Majesty is wise." Seeing that Zhu Di agreed with his idea, Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but pat him on the back.

"Go, go, go! Don't follow that group of rotten Confucians. ”

Zhu Di waved his hand, and then continued to lead the topic back to Mobei: "According to Ling, Ghost Lichi is probably a big enemy to the imperial court. ”

"No, please rest assured, Your Majesty." Zhu Gaoxu shook his head: "The real enemy is the Timurid state in the Hezhong and Persian regions. ”

"Huh?" Zhu Di looked at him in surprise: "What's the movement?" ”

"According to the sons, Timur is at war with the Rumi Kingdom (Ottoman) and will be victorious by the end of the year at most."

Zhu Gaoxu told Zhu Di about the changes in Central Asia at this moment, and said in detail:

"Once Timur returns to his division in triumph, I am afraid that after a short rest, he will launch an eastward crusade."

"At that time, he should raise troops in the name of the Eastern Expedition Imperial Court, but in fact, it is to take the Western Regions and spy on Mobei."

Zhu Gaoxu never thought that Timur would stupidly travel thousands of miles to fight the Ming Dynasty in a national war, after all, the national war is fought by national strength.

There is no country that can compete with the Ming Dynasty in terms of national strength, not to mention that with a population of five or six hundred thousand in the Western Regions, it is simply a fool's dream to meet the logistics of Timur's army, even if the Timurid people cannibalize each other, they can't support Suzhou.

It is impossible for Timur not to know such a distance and situation, after all, he has sent envoys to pay tribute to the Ming Dynasty many times to inquire about the news.

In comparison, Zhu Gaoxu felt that he wanted to take over the Western Regions and spy on Mobei.

After all, the attitude of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate towards the Timurid state has changed, and with the old enmity between the two sides, Timur's Eastern Crusade may be a false way to defeat the people.

"According to what you said, then this Hami, I have to take it earlier." Zhu Di frowned, but Zhu Gaoxu chuckled:

"Father doesn't need to bother himself, that Timur's health is getting worse, I'm afraid he won't live for a few years."

"Then you still say that Hezhong is the great enemy of the imperial court?" Zhu Di looked at Zhu Gaochu suspiciously, but Zhu Gaochu nodded:

"This great enemy does not refer to any one country, but to the huge Mongol population in the Transoxiana region."

"Now Timur has a descendant in his hands, named Benjamli."

"I know that." Zhu Di interrupted Zhu Gaoxu, and then said suspiciously: "That Ben Ya Li's subordinates are only more than 100 people, except for the identity of a Yuan descendant, there is almost nothing, what are you mentioning him for?" ”

"If Timur hadn't died, he would have been strictly controlled." Zhu Gaoxu explained: "If Timur died, then his children and grandchildren would inevitably break out into infighting, and Benjamin would not be able to control it." ”

"With the name of the Yuan descendant, he can recruit troops and horses, retreat to Beshi Bali to find out the situation in Mobei, and then make peace with Arutai, the old department of Emperor Tianyuan, with the support of Beshi Bali."

"Warat and Tatar have a deep enmity, and once Benjamin returns, the ghost is afraid that life and death will be unpredictable."

Zhu Gaoxu said, but Zhu Di was puzzled: "This is a good thing for the imperial court, why are you worried?" ”

Hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu smiled bitterly and said, "With the name of the Yuan descendant, this Ben Ya Shili can recruit people from the Seven Rivers and the Land in the River. ”

The name of the Yuan descendant was a diplomatic panacea for the Mongol state of this era, and the reason why Benjamin was so famous was because of this name, and the successive Great Khans after his death were not very famous because they did not have this name.

"That's true, but I have field guns and arquebuses in my hands, as long as I have 50,000 iron horsemen, I can gallop to Mobei, but I don't worry about this."

Zhu Di scratched his beard and said what he thought.

After Zhu Gaoxu heard this, he realized why Zhu Di acted so indifferently about Benjamin.

Historically, it was because of the need to have more than 100,000 troops to maintain logistics against the Mongols, so as to ensure that the main force of 350,000 arrived in Mobei.

But now, with cannons and arquebuses, plus the water transportation of the Annoying Wenjiang River, as long as Modong can produce stably, the distance of Zhu Di's northern expedition will be shortened by 800 miles all of a sudden, and the logistical burden will be reduced all of a sudden.

With the same logistical population, the former can only hit Hulan and lose temperature, and the latter may allow Zhu Di to penetrate Mobei and hit the foot of Jinshan (Altay Mountain).

Of course, Bohai can't pull out so many logistics troops, but with nearly 2 million people outside the Guan, it is not a problem to pull out 100,000 people.

If these 100,000 people set out from Wuliang Ha Bald Mountain, they would be able to ensure logistics to the upper reaches of the Troubled River in one go.

Just like Zhu Gaoxu said to Zhu Di before, as long as it can gain a foothold in the upper reaches of the Difficult River, the Ming army can completely rely on the Difficult River to fight until Hulan loses temperature, or even to Moxi.

The climate in the northwest of the Ming Dynasty was indeed harsh, but the Eurasian steppes still existed tenaciously.

Relying on the grasslands of the Eurasian continent, as long as the logistics can keep up, the Ming Dynasty can successfully take Mobei and Moxi, but in this era, these two places are not of much value.

What Zhu Gaoxu wanted was to rely on Mobei, Modong, and Hami to take over the Western Regions, and then develop the gold, iron, and jade mines in Yili, Shule and other places, so as to give the Ming a necessary reason to occupy the local area for a long time.

Of course, this is his hope, and if it can't be realized, he won't force it, after all, the place he really cares about is the south where he can farm.

"Okay, you pay attention to the things in the west, you don't have to worry about the things in the north, you just need to deliver the firearms of the northern expedition team as soon as possible."

Zhu Di asked Zhu Gaoxu to leave after talking about the matter, but there was a feeling that there was something to do, and there was nothing to do.

"The retainers retired."

Zhu Gaoxu returned the salute and left the Wuying Hall without stopping.

It's just that not long after he left, Ji Gang, the commander of the Jinyi Guard, appeared in the Wuying Palace.

At this moment, he didn't know that Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Di had discussed the matter in the river, so he thought that the emperor summoned him to target political enemies.

"I want you to send someone to Guanguan, Don't lose Bali and Timur to find out the news, to see if Timur has returned triumphantly from the country of Lu and is ready to be an enemy of my Daming."

Zhu Di got straight to the point, he realized the weakness of his intelligence abroad, so he summoned Ji Gang.

"Command!" Ji Gang made a gesture and did not refute anything, after all, he didn't need to go to spy on the intelligence himself.

"Let's go." Zhu Di sat back on the chair, crossed Erlang's legs, and put his hands on the armrests, mighty and domineering.

......Seeing this, Ji Gang returned the salute and left, and after he left, Zhu Di got up and walked to another side hall next to the side hall.

"Old monk, do you hear clearly?"

Zhu Di walked into the hall and asked, only to see Yao Guangxiao, who was sitting on the chair, also slowly got up and saluted: "I heard clearly." ”

Zhu Di sat on the main seat and touched his beard, his expression was disapproving, but he cared more than anyone else.

"The second child is not big or small with me, the news is more well-informed than my brocade guard, you said that if he really can't wait one day, then what should I do?"

"Hehe......" Yao Guangxiao chuckled, and Zhu Di reminded first: "This time, you have to give me a reason, you have to say that I can't reply, and dispel the doubt in my heart." ”

He changed his name, obviously wanting to know the answer from Yao Guangxiao.

"The prince is well-informed, and he has more than half of the world's military power in hand, and he also has all the money and food in the six ministries."

"In such a situation, you can still maintain the heavenly family affection for Your Majesty, which is the greatest loyalty and filial piety."

Yao Guangxiao gave Zhu Di an answer, in fact, Zhu Di also knew that the second child was good to him, but he was always worried about the people under the second child.

"I won't mention the second child, if the bunch of people below him give him a yellow robe, what do you say you will do?"

Zhu Di asked again, but Yao Guangxiao shook his head: "Your Highness thinks earlier than Your Majesty, so Meng Zhang, Wang Yi, Fu Rang and others will be transferred to other places." ”

"The military attache left by His Royal Highness in the capital is nothing more than Zhaozhou Bo Li lost a few of them."

"Li lost their prestige enough, even if they wanted the yellow robe to add themselves to His Highness, it was impossible."

"If Meng Zhang and the others can return to add body to His Highness's yellow robe, then I'm afraid it will be a few years or even more than ten years later, so why should you worry."

"It's just that I can't bear the chair when I ask like this."

Yao Guangxiao looked at Zhu Di with a smile, but Zhu Di felt like he was on pins and needles.

"The chair is really comfortable to sit on, and my merits are not great enough."

"Old monk, you don't know, since I sat in this position, I can dream of my father almost every day, and I am so afraid that I will die, for fear of seeing my father."

"I'm forty-three now, and I've lived a long time compared to the previous three, so I'm afraid that my body will collapse at some point."

"It's okay if the body collapses, there is a second child, he takes over my team, I can rest assured."

"But if it really goes on, my father will ask about my merits when the time comes, and if I don't say enough, what do you think I should do?"

Zhu Di is pitiful, in the final analysis, he is reluctant to position.

Yao Guangxiao listened to his words and shook his head constantly, and only then did he finally say: "The theory of ghosts and gods is the most unbelievable, and people will die when they die. ”

"These things are just things that the ancients made to fool future generations."

As a monk, Yao Guangxiao would say this, which really made Zhu Di feel novel, but he was still worried: "Of course you say that, when I go down, you don't know where it is." ”

"The poor monk is already sixty-seven, if you want to continue, it is the poor monk who will go down first, and it will not be your Majesty's turn." Yao Guangxiao suddenly talked about his age, which made Zhu Di react, the old monk in front of him was already sixty-seven.

"You said that you are sixty-seven years old and still sharp-tongued, and you speak for the second child everywhere, do you say that you are in collusion with the second child?"

After Zhu Di became suspicious, he didn't even let Yao Guangxiao go, which made Yao Guangxiao laugh: "At this age, in this position, do you still need to collude with people?" ”

"Yes, you don't have a son." Zhu Di scratched his beard, and Yao Guangxiao also said kindly after laughing:

"The poor monk and His Majesty said these words in order to enlighten Your Majesty, for example, there are many people today who want to see the jokes between Your Majesty and the Prince, if this joke really comes true, then Your Majesty will definitely regret it for life."

"That's not going to happen, I'm not going to do anything to the second child." Zhu Di is still very confident in himself, and he spoils all three sons, it's just a matter of priority.

"Now that you have an idea, the poor monk will retire."

"Wait, I'm not done talking to you yet."

Yao Guangxiao got up and was about to leave, but was stopped by Zhu Di: "Although I trust the second child, you also said that the second child's generals are not qualified to help him add to the yellow robe, then I also want to ask you what you think of the relationship between the second child and the three brothers." ”

Zhu Di was never worried about himself, he knew that the second child could not be ruthless to him, but he couldn't eat the second child against the eldest and third children.

"What is Your Majesty worried about?" Yao Guangxiao asked knowingly.

"I just want to ask, if I really abdicate in the future or die, will the second child kill the eldest and third."

Zhu Di went straight to the point, and he did not shy away from life and death.

Seeing him say this, Yao Guangxiao did not answer immediately, but thought about the Buddha beads.

"Although King Han looks dangerous, he is the safest, because he can see it and carry it clearly, so until now, the guards of King Han's Mansion have not been full."

"Moreover, judging from the news that the poor monk knows, it seems that the King of Han is ready to hand over most of the guards after taking up the domain, and only keep a small number of guards to guard the palace."

"In this way, the threat of the King of Han to the crown prince is the least, although the prince is approachable, but his heart is very arrogant, and he is destined not to do anything to the king of Han."

"It's King Zhao, if you really change your mind in the Great Sect, then maybe there will be nothing, but if you still have ambitions, then I'm afraid it will be useless for Your Majesty to protect you."

"In the eyes of the poor monk, the more you protect King Zhao, the more you push him into the fire pit."

Yao Guangxiao expressed his opinion, and Zhu Di also frowned and listened to everything.

After Yao Guangxiao finished speaking, he was silent for a long time, and then slowly spoke: "I believe the second child, but I am worried that the group of people in the temple will provoke their brotherhood. ”

"If you can't even provoke you and the crown prince, how can you talk about provoking the prince and the two highnesses?" Yao Guangxiao asked rhetorically, obviously seeing something.

At this moment, Zhu Di also realized that his face was a little ugly.

"The scholars chosen by His Majesty seem to have their own thoughts." Yao Guangxiao didn't mention the name, but Zhu Di reacted:

"These people are not good things, but I still need them for now, so I will keep them for the time being."

"And the poor monk retired." Seeing that Zhu Di's heart knot was untied, Yao Guangxiao got up and prepared to leave.

This time, Zhu Di did not stop him, but watched Yao Guangxiao leave, and then returned to the side hall to deal with government affairs.

However, when he was dealing with government affairs, Yao Guangxiao, who walked out of Wuying Palace, actually saw the golden chariot parked on the Sanlong Bridge.

After Yao Guangxiao appeared, Zhu Gaoxu's figure also walked down above the golden chariot, and he was separated by seven or eight steps with Yao Guangxiao.

"The young master has come to enlighten my father again?"

Zhu Gaoxu asked with a smile, honoring Yao Guangxiao as a young master.

Yao Guangxiao also shook his head and smiled bitterly when he heard this, only feeling that the father and son were more shrewd than the other.

"Since Your Highness knows, why bother staying here, it will only increase Your Majesty's suspicions."

"It's normal for the father and son of the heavenly family to be suspicious, but I can talk to my father." Zhu Gaoxu is confident, and this is also in line with Yao Guangxiao's evaluation of his arrogance.

It is precisely because of his self-confidence and spirit that Yao Guangxiao feels that he doesn't care about Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaosui at all, as if Li Shimin never cares how many younger brothers Li Yuan has given birth to him.

Because he knew that those younger brothers had no power in their hands, and they were not a threat to themselves.

Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Gaosui are also like this for Zhu Gaoxu, and it is precisely because of this that he will boldly and reassure each of these two brothers to have a guard.

"I want to know what my dad is worried about."

Zhu Gaoxu asked straight to the point, and Yao Guangxiao did not hide it: "It's just that I'm just worried about the relationship between His Royal Highness and King Han and King Zhao." ”

"That's it?" Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help laughing and said, "My father still looks down on me." ”

After that, he bowed to Yao Guangxiao: "Since you have the answer, then don't stop, the young master walks slowly." ”

"Your Highness, go slowly." Yao Guangxiao returned the salute, then turned around and walked in the direction of Xihua Gate.

Zhu Gaoxu looked at his back, and then walked on the golden chariot.

After a while, Jin Zhen got up and walked towards the East Palace, passing by the Wenhua Hall in the middle, many Wenchen looked at Jin Zhen from a distance, with different expressions.

However, Zhu Gaoxu, who was sitting in the golden brim, had a flat expression, after all, for him, no one could threaten his position, but his existence could threaten everyone.

(End of chapter)