Chapter 2 Chapter 73 Returning

In the battle of Yinma River and Liuhua River, the Ming army killed more than 17,000 enemies and captured more than 40,000 people. On the way back, they brought back all the tribes that could be encountered in the southeast of the Horqin Grassland, which made the Tatars vigorous. Injury, even if Arutai's lungs exploded with anger, he will not have the strength to fight Liaodong for a while, unless he has the idea of ​​​​rather subjugating the country, and adjusts the western front to fight against Oirat. This battle not only completely resolved the military pressure faced by the Liaodong capital, but also had a far-reaching impact. The tribes in the Nuergan area that had long been out of the control of the Yuan Dynasty sent envoys to show their favor to Xia Xun, and invited the Ming court to send people to appease him. , At the same time, the tribes attached to North Korea in Liaodong also stepped up their activities, trying to attach themselves to the Ming Dynasty.

North Korea is angry and anxious, but there is nothing it can do about it.It did not dare to use force. Even if the Ming court had not won the great victory in Liaodong, it could not deal with it. Originally, it could show off its force to the affiliated Jurchen tribes and intimidate them not to act rashly. These tribes are close to North Korea. You can't help but look at its face. However, when the North Korean envoy raised the issue of the ownership of these Jurchen tribes to Xia Xun, they deliberately cited this reason that they thought was very powerful: their tribes are located very close to our North Korean country!

Xia Xun only replied lightly: North Korea is also very close to Liaodong! Because of this sentence, North Korea did not even dare to use force to intimidate the dissident Jurchen tribes. The governor of Liaodong is so different from the previous Ming officials. Daming's kingly way taught him, but he was afraid of the knife in Xia Xun's hand. Therefore, Zhu Di’s cheap father-in-law Aha came out (the leader of Jianzhou Jurchen, a woman was accepted as a concubine by Zhu Di, who was still the king of Yan at that time, and after Zhu Di ascended the throne, she was named Li Chengshan.) First joined the Ming court, followed by the Jurchen tribes one by one. Submitting forms to the Ming court one after another, expressing their attachment, the only thing North Korea can do is protest and serious concern.Xia Xun had no time to talk to North Korea, he was digesting the fruits of his victory.

Xia Xun has no intention of continuing the Western Expedition against Tatars. It is in his interest to let Tatars and Oirats continue to confront each other at present, not to mention that the last battle was so easy, and it mainly relied on Meng Getimur's defection. If there is another battle, Xia Xun is not sure that he will win the battle. If he loses, all previous efforts will be wasted. Even if he wins, rapid expansion will be beneficial and harmless. The only benefit it can bring is to make yourself famous in history, but in a few years, these baseless territories will have to be spit out. Daming can't absorb so many people and territories at once. This place is not rich. Every time a place is occupied, the investment is far more than the gain.

So Xia Xun is trying his best to stabilize now, eating away slowly, and consolidating every step he takes. Otherwise, some accidental factors may happen, and the good situation will completely collapse.This stability, for Liaodong at present, is mainly internal consolidation, integration, and rooting, which are the main aspects of Xia Xun's current governance. The various ethnic groups here live together, and the subordinate tribes have considerable autonomy. The situation is very complicated, and it will take a long time to change slowly. People who are strong will break, and who don't know how to compromise and tolerate, can't become great weapons.To achieve such a goal, of course, Xia Xun cannot be expected to do it alone. He can formulate policies, but someone must unswervingly implement his policies. In this case, all available forces must be tied together Son.

Using economic interests, he has tied together the Jurchen, Goryeo, Mongolian, and Han people in Liaodong. If he wants to tie the civil and military bureaucrats of the Liaodong shogunate together, he needs common political interests. This political interest is now military merit. . Therefore, in Xia Xun's memorial, the list of meritorious service listed is as long as a thousand lines. These people are not all soldiers who fought bloody battles on the front line.For example, when he mentioned the loyalty of Wuliangha Sanwei, he had to mention by the way that Yishiha, Zhang Xitong and others promoted and educated the above-mentioned ministries. The tribe only strengthened the heart of loyalty.

When it comes to the great victory on the front line, one has to mention how Wanshiyu, Huang Zhen, Shaoyunfeng and others raised food and grass and transported soldiers' salaries in the rear; Responsible for the defense of the rear and strict defense, making the Tatars have no chance.In short, only when everyone is happy can we be united. In the governor's mansion, Xia Xun and all the civil and military generals gathered together, discussing official business.Rose girls Sanapova and Zilata came in with a fruit plate and tea. They still only know the simplest Chinese vocabulary, so they don't care what these officials are talking about, just like two butterflies wearing flowers After serving the tea, the atmosphere of the meeting became much more relaxed because of these two beautiful and delicious women.

Zhang Jun said with a smile: "My lord, after this great victory, we can ensure that there will be no war in Liaodong for the time being. The war between Tatar and Oirat is getting more and more fierce. The two sides refuse to give in to each other. We have hurt the vitality of Tatar this time , Wala is pressing every step of the way, the more the fighting power between them is consumed, the safer we will be. Xia Xun nodded and said: Yes, but military training must not be relaxed for a moment.On the Tatar side, don’t let them treat us as evil spirits. I know that some Tatar tribes used to pretend to be nomadic tribes in the northern Nuergan area to come to trade and trade for some daily necessities such as tea and iron pots. Let them go back. , not to be hunted down.

We have to show our goodwill and let them know that we welcome them to do business in an orderly manner. This will help eliminate the hostility between ordinary herdsmen and us.Furthermore, every time they sell us an extra horse, we will have one more horse, and they will lose one correspondingly. If we buy more cattle and sheep, they will have less raw materials for making bows and crossbows, but we are still just the opposite. If you ask them to provide other things, they will not be able to provide anything. This is in the interest of the country. When it came to political affairs in the second half, he was talking to Wanshiyu, and the shogunate quickly nodded in agreement.

Xia Xun said to him again: "Agriculture, commerce, all aspects, you must seize them. The most important thing for us next is to manage Liaodong and turn our place into an indestructible outpost fortress at the northernmost end of the imperial court."In this way, it is necessary to maintain sufficient supplies. In the event of a war, our military reserves here must be able to provide for long-term combat needs.The replenishment of soldiers, the replenishment of army horses, and the storage of military rations, if these things are transported from the pass, will consume much more than the grain and fodder transported, and the burden on the court is too heavy.

At this time, a guard hurried in and said excitedly: "Master Butang, Ding Yu and Ding Dusi are back!" What? Xia Xun was overjoyed, and stood up abruptly: "Is he still alive?" Pei Shitmuer and Meng Ge Timur also stood up together, saying in unison: Can my daughter (mother) be rescued? Pei Shitmoor is an official appointed by the imperial court, so of course he is eligible to attend the meeting.As for Meng Ge Timur, the news that he led his troops to join him was also reported. It is estimated that when the emperor made his northern tour, he would let Xia Xun go with him to see him and give him an official position. Now Xia Xun took advantage of the convenience of the shogunate, For the time being, he was appointed an official position in the shogunate, so he also participated in the discussion! The guard didn't know what to say, all he knew was that Ding Yu was rushing back to Kaiyuan City, and specially asked someone to report first, Xia Xun couldn't hold back, immediately ended the meeting, and greeted him out of the mansion together with Zhu Wenwu.Everyone arrived outside the shogunate, and after a while, a large group of people came from West Street.A Mongolian with a big beard rode a tall horse galloped to the front, got off the horse, clasped his fists and saluted, and said loudly: "The last general Ding Yu, pay homage to Lord Butang!" Ding Yu! Xia Xun looked him up and down a few times before he recognized him. He couldn't help walking forward, punched him hard in the chest, and laughed loudly: "Good boy!"This is pretty strong, I thought you weren't coming back!How do you dress like this? Ding Yu grinned and said, "Meng Ge's mother and daughter-in-law, I rescued them all. Because I was worried about encountering Tatar troops on the road, I changed into Mongolian clothes so as not to be too conspicuous." Pei Shitmoore was about to ask a question when his daughter came running over, and shouted joyfully: Dad, my sister has been rescued! oh? When Pei Shitmuer and Meng Ge Timur saw the sign, they rushed up to meet him.Ding Yu whispered to Xia Xun, "The commander-in-chief of the Tartars took Meng Ge's mother and daughter-in-law with him and fled all the way. He will chase after him. The horse ran too fast. Who would have known that Meng Ge's wife and daughter-in-law were pregnant?" , Under the bumps, I had a miscarriage, which made the blood flow profuse, and my body was very weak.Otherwise, the last general would have returned long ago, and he walked slowly because he had to take care of her. Xia Xun nodded, and hurriedly stepped up to meet her. Pei Shitmoor received her daughter, and when she saw her haggard face and weak body, the father and daughter couldn't help crying with their heads in their arms. tears.Meng Ge Timur personally helped the old woman off the horse, and the mother and son also embraced and wept. Xia Xun originally wanted to come forward to express his condolences to show the leadership's concern, but looking at the scene, he seemed to be unable to intervene at all, so he could only stand by holding his nose and watching the show. At this time, those people dressed as herdsmen came to the front, and they all stood there. Some of them were dressed as Mongolian herdsmen, but they were actually Ding Yu's subordinates. There are old and young, strong and weak, and some women, all standing aside, watching helplessly, Xia Xun only thought that they were the tribe that was taken away together with Meng Ge's old mother, and didn't pay attention to them. . I was the first to react, and when I saw those people standing there waiting for my introduction, I wiped away my tears, walked up to Xia Xun, and pointed out to him: "Lord Ministry, these people are from the Huaguna tribe." People, Alutai slaughtered his whole family, these shepherds escaped to death because they were grazing outside, and now they all rushed to join the ministry! Xia Xun was very happy when he heard it. Although these people in front of him were only about a hundred people, they represented a tribe. If one more tribe joined, the more glory and credit would be given. Why didn't he like it?Xia Xun hurried forward to meet him, and the people from the Huaguna tribe pushed out the oldest Amu'er, crying to Xia Xun about the persecution by Alutai, and begging Xia Xun to take him in. Xia Xun said to them with emotion: Don't worry, I, Yang Xu, have always been open to all those who come.Now that you have come to my place, the Bendu will arrange for you properly. When you get here, you will be safe, and you will no longer have to wander or be afraid! Thank you, Governor! Amu'er knelt down in gratitude, and all the Huaguna tribe behind him also knelt down in unison. Amu'er raised his hands, palms up, and said respectfully to Xia Xun: Thank you, kind lord, we Travelers on long journeys have lost their yurts and their relatives, and there are few precious things that can express our sincere gratitude to adults.Fortunately, we still have a lark on the prairie, the most beautiful flower in Huaguna, and we would like to dedicate her to adults to express our endless gratitude and loyalty to you! Following Amu'er's voice, at the end of Huaguna's tribe, a young girl stood up gracefully. She was wearing a white gown embroidered with deer patterns. Wearing a white khata, she walked towards Xia Xun gracefully. The big braids are combed behind, and the black and beautiful hair is slightly combed with bangs on the forehead. This is the hairstyle of an unmarried girl. Married women have their hair tied back on their foreheads.It seemed that before entering the city, they had simply washed up by the river outside the city, and the dust on their faces had been washed away. There were still a few crystal drops of water hanging from the bangs on this beautiful girl's forehead. She approached Xia Xun step by step, with black hair and blue eyes, skin like white snow reddened by the morning glow, red lips and white teeth, a nose like a gall, and extremely bright facial features, such a girl can be called Hua Guna The most beautiful flower in the tribe, even if it is placed in the Jiangnan water town where there are endless beauties, it is still a first-class and pleasant girl. She walked gracefully to Xia Xun's side, staring at her feet with lowered eyes, and at the same time raised the half-folded khata high up, bending over and leaning forward.Xia Xun had been in Liaodong for a long time, and he understood some of their etiquette. Knowing that this is the etiquette of presenting a khata to the superior, no matter whether the person accepts it or not, the gift cannot be refused, so he clasped his hands together, gestured with a smile, and stretched out his hands Go pick up Hada. Suddenly, a man sprang out from the side of the road, holding a wrist-removing sharp knife in his hand, taking advantage of Xia Xun standing in front of the people of the Huaguna tribe, separated from many of his guards, and walked away with three strides. The kneeling Huaguna tribe rushed to Xia Xun's side, and with a black tiger's heart out, the sharp knife pierced Xia Xun's heart. The moment this man suddenly broke into the crowd, Xia Xun was already alert. Seeing that the knife was approaching, he suddenly grabbed the arm of the white-robed girl, pulled her aside, and at the same time took a step back. Xing leaned back slightly, and the knife almost missed, the tip of the knife was touching his chest, but he was powerless to go any further. At the end of the crossbow, it is difficult to penetrate Lu Jin.It's simple to say, but to be able to accurately judge the opponent's speed, strength, and arm length, and make fine-tuning adjustments at any time according to the opponent's pitch, so that it is difficult to hurt him, this kind of martial arts is really brilliant to the extreme, and he was pulled aside. The girl in white robe couldn't help but be amazed when she saw his outstanding skills. Xia Xun put his hands on the man's wrist, and the sharp knife fell to the ground with a clatter. Xia Xun's right hand slid up like a snake, and pinched at his joints again. Gritting his teeth, he stared at Xia Xun with hatred, but his vitals were restrained, and he was powerless, and it was impossible to stand up. The guards from all around swarmed up to protect Xia Xun in the center. The frightened civil and military soldiers also came forward to ask for their health. After interrogation, it turned out that this person was a prisoner who escaped from the Tatar captives who were taken to the pass. However, the Judiciary Department of the shogunate has already made shadows and is arresting him in various places in Liaodong. Who knows that this person did not escape to the grassland, but actually sneaked back to Kaiyuan City, waiting for an opportunity to assassinate the governor. After a commotion, the assassin was escorted away by the inspectors from the Shogunate Judiciary Bureau who came after hearing the news. Xia Xun turned around and smiled and nodded at the stunned girl. That girl! With a soft cry, he suddenly realized that he quickly stood in front of Xia Xun again, stared deeply at Xia Xun with his eyes as clear as water, and then held up the khata respectfully. Xia Xun took the khata with both hands, and the white-robed woman bowed deeply to him again. She turned lightly with her lotus steps, and naturally stood behind him, pretending to be a maidservant. Yanjing, the governor's office of the Fifth Army. The mansions in the north are like this, not as exquisite as the south, but they are spacious, wide and deep, and the high-walled courtyard is like a fortress, full of style. On top of a row of stone steps at the gate of the yamen is a huge vermilion lacquer gate, with stone lions facing each other beside the gate. There are three-legged thin handles that bend upwards, and the head of the handle is often made into the shape of a beast's head. It can be used for cooking by one person during the day, and can be used for patrolling and knocking at night.) In the skyscraper, a string of lanterns is hung and a large flag is erected. You can see all the streets.On the stone steps between the doors, eight hulking-backed soldiers, wearing mandarin duck battle jackets, stood imposingly with their hands on the handles of their knives. A fast horse came galloping from afar, dismounted hurriedly in front of the gate of the mansion, fastened the horse to the hitching post, ran up the stone steps, flashed his waist badge, and walked quickly into the mansion. Qiu Fu, dressed casually in a toga with long sleeves, was sitting on a casual chair under the eaves, drinking tea.He likes the north, where the four seasons are distinct, unlike the south where the air is always sticky, making it difficult to breathe, regardless of spring, summer, autumn and winter.But although the north is comfortable, he was relegated here, but he was not without depression in his heart. The emperor is going to make a tour of the north, and Qiu Fu is very concerned about this matter, repairing the camp, building roads, and cleaning up the market. After all, he is an old minister who has followed the emperor for many years. He hopes that the emperor will be able to remember the old feelings when he comes this time, and then transfer him back to the center.No, he just sat down to take a rest after finishing his preparations for the drive, when someone sent him some unpleasant news: Great Victory in Liaodong. Qiu Fu's face was cloudy and uncertain, and he said: 17,000 people were beheaded, and more than 40,000 people were captured?How can it be! He said to Tang Jie, the governor of the Fifth Army who delivered the letter: Tartar soldiers are always brave, and it is especially difficult to fight annihilation battles on the grasslands. Could it be that Yang Xu, who won the battle, was born handsome?snort!I don't believe it! Tang Jie said: I heard that he is going to drive the prisoners of war into customs and resettlement. I'm afraid this is true! Qiu Fu shook his head and said: "Tarzi soldiers are soldiers in war, and they are civilians. If he takes the initiative to provoke and capture some shepherds to serve as soldiers, why not?"Didn't his battle report say that because he set up an ambush as far as the northern grassland of Horqin, he returned quickly to prevent pursuit, and did not return the weapons and heads of the Tazi soldiers?According to the old man, this is fraud! Qiu Fu rolled his eyes and said: "The emperor is about to go on a northern tour. He won such a big victory. It's hard to guarantee that he deliberately concocted it to invite favors and lied about his military achievements!"Tang Jie, you are originally from Liaodong, so you went back to Liaodong under the pretext of visiting relatives, and checked him clearly. If he lied about his military exploits, wait until the emperor arrives in Yanjing, hum! Tang Jie understood, and hurriedly bowed and said: I obey my orders!