prosperous age

The capital of the Ming Dynasty, the Forbidden City, the Grand Secretariat.

"Sir, this is a note from the Grand Secretary's family."

The court session had ended, and Zhang Siwei and Shen Shixing had already taken their leave. Wei Guangde was also preparing to leave the duty room and return home when Lu Bu rushed in from outside, presenting a note with both hands.

"The Grand Secretary."

Wei Guangde was slightly surprised; he hadn't expected Zhang Juzheng to write him a note even at this point.

He took it, opened it, and glanced at it, his expression remaining completely unchanged.

He folded the note again and put it in his sleeve, then said to Lu Bu, who was waiting, "Tidy up the duty room, and then you can go back."

After saying this, Wei Guangde waved his sleeves and strode away from the duty room with wide, square steps.

It's not surprising that Zhang Juzheng knew about what was happening on the grasslands.

Whether it was Zhang Siwei or the people in the Grand Secretary's office, they were all Zhang Juzheng's spies in the cabinet. They would keep abreast of major events happening in the court and then report the key points to Zhang's residence.

However, Zhang Juzheng's current condition was actually not conducive to him still caring about these matters.

If you've agreed to rest, then you should rest properly.

Even so, he probably won't live much longer.

Unless history is changed.

Wei Guangde has instructed Zhang Ji to keep an eye on Zhang Juzheng's current condition.

It is said that his condition fluctuates, which is actually very dangerous because it indicates that his condition is unstable. This is the result after the imperial physicians and the Zhang family consulted many famous doctors.

As for Li Shizhen, he had already gone to Jiujiang by this time.

Three months ago, a letter arrived from home saying that Wei Guangde's father was seriously ill. Therefore, Wei Guangde asked Li Shizhen to temporarily put aside his important task of collating the "Compendium of Materia Medica" and go south to Jiangxi to treat his family member.

The timing is somewhat sensitive, and Wei Guangde really doesn't dare let his father get into trouble in the next two years.

It wasn't that he coveted power, but rather that once he left the court, the plan to conquer Japan would likely be shelved.

Even with the allure of Zuo Du entering the mountains and the Iwami Silver Mine, Wei Guangde couldn't be sure if Zhang Siwei would take the plunge.

After all, the painful lessons of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty's expedition against Japan were still fresh in everyone's minds, and civil officials were the type of people most accustomed to learning from history.

Even if Wei Guangde were to return to the capital, it would be difficult for him to become the Grand Secretary again and control cabinet decisions in the short term.

The Ming Dynasty generally adhered to the principle of "avoiding the original place of residence and exchanging officials of the same rank" when arranging for officials returning from mourning periods.

The so-called avoidance of one's place of origin does not refer to one's place of birth, but rather to being barred from being reinstated to one's original position or returning to the post before the mourning period.

This is done for two reasons: first, to prevent officials from colluding with each other, forming cliques, and creating interest groups; and second, because when an official leaves office due to mourning, the position has already been filled, so no new appointment can be made.

If an official like Wei Guangde were to return, he could be appointed to the position of Minister after being reported to the Ministry of Personnel.

If the emperor still trusts them, they can naturally enter the cabinet, but they will not be appointed as the chief minister immediately upon entering. Instead, they will be ordinary cabinet ministers who will work their way up step by step.

Of course, this is an exception, except for special imperial edicts, which are very rare.

When Emperor Longqing recalled Gao Gong, he only became a cabinet minister, while the chief minister remained Li Chunfang and the second minister was Chen Yiqin.

It wasn't until he ousted Chen Yiqin and replaced him, and then Li Chunfang retired, that he had the opportunity to become a cabinet minister.

It should be noted that when Daogong was in power, he was already the Second Grand Secretary.

Although the titles of Grand Secretary and Second Grand Secretary are merely a conventional way of speaking in the court, and there is actually no distinction of rank among the cabinet ministers, the emperor has accepted this arrangement, which has effectively become a system.

As night fell, Wei Guangde was in his study looking at the letter that had just been delivered that day.

The letter was written by his elder brother, and it said that their father's condition was improving, which relieved Wei Guangde.

Meanwhile, in the Ming army camp east of Bansheng City, Ma Gui was receiving a special visitor.

"Madam Chungshun, I have come here on the orders of the Governor-General, and the Governor-General should convey his intentions to you in writing."

"Madam is perfectly free to make her own choice. I believe she knows how to maximize her benefits without causing him any rudeness."

Although Ma Gui asked Lady Zhongshun and Qiataiji to come to his camp the next day to discuss the dispute, Lady Zhongshun still came to the Ming army camp that night, wanting to know the true intentions of the Ming Dynasty.

Although Zheng Luoshu had made it clear in his letter that he hoped she would accept Ban Shengcheng and that it would be best if he could not rudely marry Da Cheng Biji.

Of course, he must also ensure that Hannaji's children, once they reach adulthood, will receive at least a tribe of five thousand people.

Compared to the 10,000-strong tribe left behind by Hannagina, this was only half of what was given to him, but such a tribe was still a formidable force on the grasslands.

Third Sister didn't care about splitting off this tribe, after all, she would gain more than she did by doing so. Not only would she have more tribes than that, but most importantly, she would also have a city.

Building a city on the grassland is extremely labor-intensive.

If the White Lotus Sect hadn't brought in a large number of Han Chinese, building a city with the help of the Mongols would have been a pipe dream.

However, after experiencing Bansheng City and Guihua City, San Niangzi had realized the importance of cities.

Moreover, Bansheng City is located at a distance that is neither too far nor too close to the Ming Dynasty, and it can receive support from the Ming Dynasty at any time, as long as it remains loyal to the Ming Dynasty.

"If the general says so, then I know what to do."

However, the messenger sent into the city today returned saying that Daisei Hikichi did not immediately agree, but needed to consider it.

Lady Zhongshun said to Ma Gui.

"Don't worry, Madam. I have already sent someone to deliver a letter to Banshengcheng. If Dacheng Biji is sober, he should know how to choose."

Ma Gui clasped his hands in greeting to Madam Zhongshun.

"But what if the mediation fails tomorrow?"

Lady Chungshun suddenly asked, "Will the general join me in the campaign to produce a Qiataiji?"

"Madam, your battle with Chataiji can be understood as an internal struggle within Mongolia."

However, if our Great Ming intervenes, it may provoke unanimous opposition from all the Mongol tribes. I urge you, Madam, to consider this carefully.

I was ordered to come here, primarily to intimidate and prevent my wife from being bullied by Huang Taiji.

Ma Gui reminded him.

If Lady Zhongshun wanted to use the Ming Dynasty to eliminate Huang Taiji's right-hand men, or even make other decisions, Ma Gui would absolutely not dare to accept the challenge.

The imperial court had no intention of asking him to find someone to replace the Prince of Shunyi. Neither the Ming Dynasty nor the Mongols wanted the grasslands to fall into chaos, and the Ming Dynasty had no plans to send troops to the grasslands.

"Understood. I think the talks tomorrow will not yield any results. We can only wait for the arrival of the Prince of Shunyi, and perhaps Governor Zheng will need to come in person to mediate."

Lady Zhongshun said to Ma Gui.

"Don't worry, Madam. I have already sent word back to Xuanfu by fast horse about today's events."

As for whether the Governor-General needs to come, we will decide based on the results of the talks over the next two days.

Ma Gui laughed.

He was just a military officer; even if he could mediate the dispute, he still didn't have the final say.

Zheng Luoke did not give him the right to intervene in grassland affairs; he only asked him to help Lady Zhongshun.

However, no one expected that this would lead to a massive battle involving tens of thousands of people in Bansheng City, which was beyond his ability to mediate.

Tomorrow's talks will primarily be held in the name of the Ming Dynasty to restrain Qiataiji from further provocations and the outbreak of an even larger-scale war.

And the meeting on the second day unfolded exactly as expected. When Third Sister and Chataiji met in the main tent, they accused each other, and their subordinates rushed out to accuse the other of deliberately attacking them.

In fact, it is no longer important who started the war; both sides suffered considerable losses after yesterday's battle.

San Niangzi's troops suffered over a thousand casualties, while Qia Taiji and his reinforcements also suffered roughly the same losses. With equal numbers of troops, neither side actually gained any significant advantage.

"Snapped."

Just as Chebu and Hagel were glaring at each other, practically ready to roll up their sleeves and fight in the tent, Ma Gui finally spoke up.

"I called you here to negotiate a truce, to stop fighting over this and prevent innocent civilian casualties."

I believe this is something that both the benevolent Emperor of Ming and the Prince of Shunyi would like to see.

And what are you doing now? Do you really want even more of your men to die before you feel better?"

Ma Gui roared angrily at both sides.

"General Ma, I appreciate the Ming Dynasty's good intentions. I have already sent someone to inform the Great Khan overnight. I believe the Great Khan will come to mediate this matter soon, so there is no need for you to worry."

At this moment, Qiataiji spoke bluntly to Ma Gui.

When the Ming army arrived, even the foolish Qiataiji knew what was going on.

So even though he knew that the Ming army was now numerous and powerful, he was not afraid of Ma Gui at all, and could not let down the Mongol spirit.

He figured Ma Gui wouldn't dare to actually send troops to fight him. At that time, it wouldn't just be a dispute over Bansheng City, but a Ming attack on Mongolia, disrupting the Longqing Peace Treaty.

Okay, as Chataiji has already stated, it was San Niangzi who led her troops to attack his forces, which triggered the subsequent series of battles.

However, Ma Gui downplayed the situation, saying that the two armies were fighting in a chaotic battle and it was impossible to determine who started the fight. Instead, he asked Ma Gui about the purpose of bringing his troops to this place.

While it was called an inquiry, it actually carried a subtle implication of questioning.

He knew that the Ming Dynasty wouldn't truly come to reconcile their grievances, but rather to help Third Sister.

The talks ended unhappily, but Chataiji still promised that he would not send troops within 30 li of Bansheng City before the Great Khan arrived.

The entire meeting was tense and the atmosphere was not pleasant.

However, the three of them were not the only ones present today; there was also an envoy from Itagaki Castle's Daisei Hikichi, who listened to their argument silently throughout.

In terms of strength, Banshengcheng could easily muster an army of three to five thousand men, but that would still be insufficient against Lady Chungshun and Prince Shunyi.

In fact, what is nominally a feud between Lady Chungshun and Chataiji is actually a struggle between Lady Chungshun and King Shunyi for control of the tribe.

After the meeting, the envoy immediately took his leave of Ma Gui and hurriedly returned to Bansheng City.

"Brother Ali, how did today's talks go?"

Inside the palace of Bansheng City, Daesung Hikichi urgently inquired about the envoy he had sent, Aliko.

Alige and Bahannaji had a special relationship. Alige had followed Tubo in his early years. Because he was the husband of Bahannaji's wet nurse, he continued to follow Bahannaji and was an important general by his side.

When Hannaji surrendered to the Ming Dynasty in the fourth year of the Longqing reign, Alige also went to the Ming Dynasty with him.

Ali is now Hannaji's right-hand man, and he usually helps him manage Bansheng City.

"Without any resolution, both sides are blaming each other. It's almost certain that the Khan is behind Chataiji, and he probably wants his son to marry the woman and inherit the legacy left by Chataiji."

Ali said to Dacheng Biji with a heavy heart.

"What should I do then? Yesterday, the Queen Consort sent someone to express her marriage proposal, but what if the Khan also sends someone here?"

Daisei Hikichi was, after all, a woman, and at this moment she was completely flustered and didn't know what to choose.

“Madam, before you left today, General Ma Gui of the Ming Dynasty told me that no matter what you choose, the Ming Dynasty will guarantee that the young master will inherit a large tribe of five thousand people.”

Moreover, he had already discussed this request with the Princess, and she readily agreed.

Ali hesitated before speaking, but still managed to repeat what Ma Gui had said when he left.

"That's good. It's good that Haige'er has a tribe to inherit. It's a good thing that we've done right by Taiji."

Daisei Hijikichi said somewhat heavily.

Haige'er is the son of Bahannaji. He is only seven years old this year and will be at least eleven years away from adulthood.

However, with the backing of the Ming Dynasty, Haige'er would at least not be marginalized and would be able to obtain a tribe no matter what.

"Madam, this matter may not be so simple."

Alige looked up at Dacheng Biji and reminded him, "If it were the Khan's son Chelik or someone else, they might not do as the Ming Dynasty asks."

After all, by then he was probably already the Khan, and the Ming Dynasty could not possibly force the Khan to compromise, unless…

Ali didn't continue speaking; this was something he thought of on his way back.

Huang Taiji is over sixty years old; it's hard to say whether he can live another eleven years.

At that time, it was possible that Chelik would inherit the Khanate.

Whether Haige'er can obtain the tribe depends on the will of the Mongol Khan, Shunyi Wang.

If they refuse, the Ming Dynasty will force them, unless the Ming Dynasty is willing to go to war with the Mongols for Haige'er.

But this is obviously impossible.

Before finishing his sentence, Ali changed the subject again, saying, "The reason why Bansheng City is in its current state is entirely due to the good relationship between Taiji and the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty is willing to supply us with ample grain and tea, as well as ironware and cloth."

But if the Lady chooses the Khan's side, the Ming Dynasty will definitely tighten its grip on these matters, and things won't be like they are now.

Bansheng City boasts the best living conditions among all the tribes on the grasslands, entirely thanks to the fact that Hannaji surrendered to the Ming Dynasty back then.

Hannaji genuinely submitted to the Ming Dynasty, which is why he was able to obtain many resources controlled by the Ming.

While it may not be able to fully meet all needs, it can still fulfill most requests and meet the minimum requirements.

Even so, they have already surpassed many other tribes on the grasslands.

The only tribe that could rival Banshengcheng was the one that was not as impolite as him.

Daisei Hikichi understood that what the Ming Dynasty meant was not a choice between two options, but rather a choice between two options.

Alige understood why Dacheng Biji hesitated; indeed, he was too young, still only a thirteen-year-old child.

However, Ali finally mustered up his courage and asked, "Madam, do you still remember Manduhai Hatun?"

Upon hearing Ali mention Manduhai, Dacheng Biji suddenly looked at him.

After a long silence, Ōsei Hikichi finally asked slowly, "Is it the only option left, Lady Chūshun?"

"There's no rush now. We should wait until the Khan, Lady Zhongshun, and the Ming Dynasty have made their stance clear. If the Ming Dynasty's attitude is firm, then it would be best not to be impolite to them."

Ali spoke up.

When Bahanagi was alive, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to Bahanagi's needs.

Now that he's gone, Alige must do everything he can to think about Haige'er.

In his view, given the relationship between Third Sister and Da Ming, she would certainly not refuse the conditions proposed by Da Ming, and it would be difficult for her to refuse.

Everything she has now depends heavily on the support of the Ming Dynasty. (End of Chapter)