prosperous age

Near the border of Shaanxi and Ningxia in the northwest of the Ming Dynasty, there are two mountains, one large and one small, which the local people call Big Pine Mountain and Little Pine Mountain.

In the documents of the Ming Dynasty, this place was called Songshan or Hamishan.

Located in the eastern section of the Qilian Mountains, it boasts abundant water and lush vegetation, making it suitable for animal husbandry.

From the reign of Emperor Yingzong of the Ming Dynasty onwards, the Songshan area, from Maomao Mountain to the north of Laohu Mountain, south of present-day Dajingchuan, and from Huangyangchuan in the west to Changling Mountain in the east, became a battleground between the Tatars and the Ming Dynasty.

During the Jingtai and Longqing reigns, the Ming court's power further contracted, and the Tatars settled in Songshan.

In the thirty-eighth year of the Jiajing reign, Altan Khan of the Tumed Mongols, along with his son Bingtu, nephew Bintu, and tens of thousands of others, attacked and occupied Qinghai. Later, they withdrew, leaving Bingtu's tribe to occupy Haixi and Bintu's tribe to occupy Songshan, historically known as "Songshan Bintu".

The Bintu tribe had long occupied Songshan, "and when they raided the east and west markets, the roads were crowded with bandits, and the east and west banks of the river were almost blocked from breathing. They then shrank the land to build long trenches and climbed the embankments to block the way, but it was too late."

Subsequently, with Songshan as the center, the Mongol tribes in the Hetao and Qinghai regions almost formed a contiguous area.

Following the Longqing Peace Treaty, the Ming Dynasty and the Right Wing Mongols achieved peace.

With frequent trade, various tribes "borrowed" routes from the Ming Dynasty, using Songshan and Xihai as springboards to travel between Tibet and Hetao. The thousands of miles between Yunzhong, Hetao, Songshan and Qinghai were unimpeded, like a gateway.

These Mongol and Tibetan groups who used the Western Sea as a transit point were called "Liu Lu" (流虏), and they played an important role in promoting the spread of Tibetan Buddhism.

Anda also attached great importance to the management of the Western Sea. He was eager to welcome the Buddha and conquered the various tribes of the Western Regions. Qinghai became the center for welcoming the Buddha and a prosperous new territory for the Mongols.

In the fifth year of the Wanli reign, Altan Khan led 10,000 men into the Western Sea to welcome the Buddha. Subsequently, the number of Mongol tribes migrating to the Western Sea greatly increased, reaching 29 tribes, which made the Mongol power in the Western Sea even stronger.

No wonder the Ming dynasty people lamented, "The Huan and Gan regions are all under our control."

In May of the sixth year of the Wanli reign, Altan Khan and Sonam Gyatso held a historic meeting at the newly built Yanghua Temple on the shore of Qinghai Lake.

"At that time, more than 100,000 people, including Han Chinese, Tubo, Mongols, Vygotsky, and Lamas, gathered together," creating an unprecedented spectacle.

The large number of Mongol tribes frequently traveling between the Hexi Corridor and the Hehuang region made some Ming Dynasty scholars feel uneasy.

However, although many Ming people were dissatisfied, there was Altan Khan, a powerful leader who could control his subordinates. The Songshan and Xihai tribes were all under his command, and although there were occasional frictions, they did not affect the overall situation.

The Northwest remained "from Haizhi in the east to Ganzhou in the west, stretching for five thousand li, without any beacon fires or alarms."

After Anda and Bintu died, their wives and their successors, such as Zaiseng, Achitu, and Zhuolitu, became bandits, squeezing the strategic route from Lanzhou to Hexi into the river terraces between Zhuanglang River and the Great Wall on the east bank, as well as the Wushaoling and Gulangxia lines, making the Ming Dynasty feel like it had a bone stuck in its throat.

The Ministry of War and other military units in Ningxia and Shaanxi have repeatedly suggested that the Mongols near Songshan be expelled and that a new border wall be built between Yong'an Suspension Bridge in the east and Sishui and Gulang Tumen in the west to prevent the Mongols from entering Songshan again and to effectively protect the passage from Lanzhou to Hexi.

However, since the Ming Dynasty and the Mongols had already made peace, even though the border generals were confident in defeating the local Mongol tribes, the imperial court had not yet agreed.

After all, this would be an act of provocation on the border, which would disrupt the current peaceful relationship between the Ming Dynasty and the Mongols.

The Ming army was hesitant and could only allow the Mongol tribes of Songshan to multiply.

Today, at the foot of Xiaosong Mountain, a large contingent of Mongol cavalry has gathered like clouds, led by the leader of the Yongxie tribe.

Achitu, the leader of the Yongxie tribe, gathered nearby Mongol tribes and assembled 8000 cavalrymen in half a month. He planned to launch a surprise attack on Yongdeng Zhuanglang Garrison City from Xiaosongshan.

After breaching the city, they advanced westward and plundered Xining.

As for Lanzhou, which is much more prosperous to the south, they dared not go there.

The Ming army had a large number of garrisons near Lanzhou, which were not a tough nut for them to crack with their small force.

As for Lanzhou, it is certainly a tempting target for Western Mongolia, which is already trying to break free from the control of the Tumed.

However, their current strength simply does not allow them to move south.

This is also the key reason why the Ming Dynasty gritted its teeth and built the Songshan New Frontier in the mid-Wanli period, incorporating the entire Songshan area into the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty.

Lanzhou is located right along the Great Wall, making it extremely dangerous and vulnerable to enemy cavalry.

Before the construction of this new border wall, the Ming army launched the Battle of Songshan, completely driving the Mongol tribes near Songshan northward.

However, in the current Ming Dynasty, this timeline has clearly been pushed forward by sixteen years.

The Ministry of War has already sent an urgent message to military towns in Ningxia and Shaanxi, warning them to guard against the enemy cavalry raiding the Hetao region and the vicinity of Songshan.

At the same time, the Ministry of War also tightened the conditions for Mongols to travel through Shaanxi and other places to Qinghai, and prohibited Mongols from crossing the border without proper precautions.

It can be said that this document made the atmosphere tense again on the northwestern border of the Ming Dynasty after twenty years of peace.

Wherever the military order passed, the Ming army's various garrison troops and the new army camps broke camp and set up fortifications, and a large number of Ming troops marched towards Ganzhou.

In the imperial court, people were quick to act upon hearing the news, and officials in the capital were searching for information everywhere, even neglecting the Ministry of Personnel's preparations for selecting cabinet ministers.

After all, the Ministry of Revenue needed to send documents to various prefectures along the way to prepare provisions and funds for the troop deployment, so the news of the troop deployment could not be kept secret.

Qingbaduer Taiji was the leader of the Kharachin tribe, a Wanhu (ten thousand households) of the Yongxie tribe of the Right Wing of the Mongols during the Ming Dynasty. He was also mobilizing troops to fight the Bairin tribe because of his falling out with Subahai of the Inner Khalkha Bairin tribe.

Qingbaduer Taiji was not actually very capable. Although he inherited the position of leader of the Kharachin tribe, a ten-thousand-household unit of the Yongxie tribe of the Right Wing of the Mongols, he lacked the ability to control his subordinates. His brother Habushen and others did not obey his orders at all.

Not to mention that they actually belonged to the Tumet tribe that invaded the area.

In reality, his status as a lord was merely nominal; he only held nominal control over this land, nothing more.

Although the changes on the northwestern border made the officials in the capital nervous for a while, the Wanli Emperor remained on the dragon throne, and the cabinet allowed the Ministry of War to act without interference.

This calm and collected response quickly put the officials at ease.

The Ming Dynasty has just won a great victory in its expedition against Japan, and at the Ministry of Personnel's meeting these past two days, Wang Xijue, the strategist in charge of defending against the Japanese, was nominated as a candidate for cabinet minister. The Ming Dynasty's military prowess has given everyone a strong boost.

The Ming Dynasty had no shortage of capable military generals and civil officials who could lead troops into battle.

The Grand Secretary and the newly appointed cabinet ministers are both skilled commanders and generals.

The initial timidity was quickly swept away.

Inside the cabinet, in Wei Guangde's office, Liu Shouyou was showing a map of Southeast Asia that they had drawn based on the latest intelligence.

In fact, a small number of coastal areas were occupied by red.

Liu Shouyou pointed to the red areas from Annam to Siam and Luzon and said, "Grand Secretary Wei, these red areas are the regions where merchants have purchased land overseas."

Merchants were active in almost every major city in Southeast Asia.

"hehe."

Wei Guangde smiled; he had actually expected this.

Since it was maritime merchants buying land, they naturally bought land near port cities they were familiar with.

This also made it easier for them to manage their land. It can be said that the merchants purchased land according to the sea routes they chose.

They travel to these places every year, resting there after each voyage and taking the opportunity to check on their businesses.

What's the situation in Aceh?

Wei Guangde stared at the nautical chart for a while, then suddenly asked a question.

"Since the last standoff between the Kingdom of Aceh and the government troops at the border, they have retreated several miles, seemingly to avoid conflict."

However, there are reports from Malacca that the Portuguese have recently traded five hundred muskets and ten bronze cannons with them.

This cannon was transported from the Bucharau cannon foundry in the Hagia.

Liu Shouyou carefully chose his words.

"The Bugalau Cannon Foundry, aren't they going to relocate to Nanjing?"

Why would they forge cannons for Aceh?

Upon hearing that the Kingdom of Aceh had acquired cannons from Haojing, Wei Guangde frowned.

"That cannon was ordered by the Governor of Malacca, and it is said that it was originally intended to equip the left and right gun emplacements."

The Kingdom of Aceh offered a high price, so it was resold. Liu Shouyou replied cautiously.

"The transaction is complete?"

Wei Guangde was dissatisfied and pressed for an answer.

Although it might be too late, Wei Guangde felt it was still necessary to teach the Embroidered Uniform Guard how to operate overseas.

"It's uncertain. The Portuguese are very tight on information. The deal may have already been completed, or it may not have."

It is said that a large sum of money is needed, which the Kingdom of Aceh cannot provide in a short time and is currently raising.

Liu Shouyou could only reply, and as he spoke, he lowered his head.

"If we discover that forces that are not friendly with our Great Ming are purchasing Western firearms to strengthen their own combat power, the Embroidered Uniform Guard should launch a full-scale operation to investigate the specific details of their transactions."

If given the opportunity, the Embroidered Uniform Guard should decisively allocate manpower to sabotage the operation.

They even went so far as to mobilize local government troops and merchant ships to provide assistance.

When all ships were dispatched, the ship owners promised that they would unconditionally relinquish control of their vessels should they be summoned by the imperial court.

Wei Guangde stared at Liu Shouyou, who was counting ants with his head down, and said.

"But what if this gets exposed?"

Liu Shouyou spoke hesitantly and vaguely.

Wei Guangde knew what Liu Shouyou was worried about. If this matter were exposed, it could trigger a conflict between the imperial court and the foreign vassal states.

Ultimately, the Ming Dynasty rarely had disputes with foreign vassal states. If there was one major incident, it was probably the tribute dispute that led to the court closing the maritime trade routes in the early years of the Jiajing reign.

The situation was extremely serious at the time, but the imperial court still did not respond strongly.

Well, although the Ming Dynasty was a leading power in East Asia, Japan at that time was also very special.

What's special is that even the mighty Mongol Yuan dynasty couldn't conquer them.

It can be said that the Japanese people's fear of China had already faded by the Yuan Dynasty.

It was only after suffering a defeat that this fear of the superior nation was rekindled.

"Does the Ming Dynasty still need to fear impeachments from foreign vassals?"

Wei Guangde looked at Liu Shouyou and sneered, "As long as the Embroidered Uniform Guard does the right thing, His Majesty and the Cabinet will not punish them."

On the contrary, dereliction of duty could lead to punishment.

In the past, in order to maintain its image as a nation of etiquette, the Ming Dynasty often exercised forbearance when conflicts arose between its own people and its vassal states.

These disputes were all initiated by the rulers of vassal states, who impeached Ming Dynasty officials for alleged "illegal acts" before the Ming emperor.

However, Wei Guangde had no intention of continuing this practice. Since he had reclaimed the obligations of the suzerain state, the vassal states should naturally fulfill their obligations.

This is not a matter of whether they are willing to accept it or not, but rather something they clearly stated in their letter to the Yongle Emperor more than a hundred years ago.

Those official letters, the originals, are still preserved in the palace.

The Ming Dynasty's exercise of its suzerain rights was naturally justified.

"Now that war is breaking out in the Northwest again, your concerns may not be unfounded."

Wei Guangde was merely giving Liu Shouyou a warning, letting him know how the Embroidered Uniform Guard should operate overseas. As long as the interests of the court were prioritized, there would be no problem.

However, if someone commits illegal acts under the guise of the imperial court, the court might still save face, but it will definitely deal with the matter privately.

Therefore, Wei Guangde still needs to appease Liu Shouyou.

"Has any intelligence been sent from Northwest Mongolia?"

Several days have passed since the last message was sent.

Wei Guangde spoke up.

"No news has been delivered yet, but according to previous intelligence, several Mongolian tribes near Songshan seem to be secretly joining forces to launch a surprise attack on the border town."

Similar messages have appeared before.

However, the alliance failed because some tribes withdrew due to concerns.

Liu Shouyou answered in a low voice.

The intelligence from last time really threw the imperial court into chaos.

With a large number of border troops heading west, the capital city thought a major battle was about to break out in the northwest.

But if they end up standing still and no fight breaks out, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will lose face.

False intelligence has caused the court to waste countless amounts of money and grain, and who knows how the mad dogs of the Censorate and the Six Ministries will howl.

Although the Imperial Guards were not afraid of them, their presence in their ears was still annoying.

"Scared?"

Wei Guangde said coldly, "But if we keep it a secret for fear of being impeached, what if the enemy cavalry really breaches the border wall?"

Siyun, the Embroidered Uniform Guard must remember this: it's better to make a mistake than to conceal it.

Unless it's someone below deliberately lying to claim credit, then you should be punished.

If a fight doesn't break out, consider it a training exercise for those tens of thousands of people.

This kind of training is a hundred or a thousand times better than having them practice on the drill field.

Wei Guangde refrained from speaking of the price that would later result in large-scale military exercises.

Airplanes are charged by the minute when they fly in the sky.

A single salvo from a battalion of long-range artillery can cost hundreds of millions of yuan.

And those equipment, every time you move them costs money.

Don't assume that it's just the equipment that's expensive; it's a one-time expense.

That's all continuous output; as long as it's not put into storage, the cost will be substantial.

The cost of troop mobilization in those days was much cheaper than firearms in later generations.

"By the way, what is the general strength of those Mongol tribes near Songshan?"

Wei Guangde suddenly asked, and then took the initiative to explain: "The Ministry of War's Department of Military Affairs has a plan. If the movement of the government troops alarms the enemy cavalry and they dare not close the pass after they know it, should we take advantage of the opportunity of the army pressing on the border to drive out the Mongol tribes near Songshan?"

Zhang Ke dug out that old map again, wanting to build a new border wall outside Lanzhou, bringing the entire Songshan area within the Great Wall.

"The area around Songshan is mainly inhabited by the Xitumote and Yongxie tribes, among which there are three major tribes with a total population of around 100,000, and those with armor can number up to 20,000 to 30,000."

Qingbadu, the leader of the Kharachin tribe, was unable to control his people. This time, it was a conspiracy between Yongxie and certain tribes and the increasingly out-of-control Xitumet tribe that provoked the border conflict.

If the imperial court really mobilizes troops at Songshan, it will likely only target those 20,000 to 30,000 people. Neither the right nor the left wing of the Mongols will likely send troops to their aid.

According to reports from scouts on the grasslands, most of the Mongol tribes are still loyal to the Ming Dynasty, especially after the court provided timely food and supplies aid during last year's ice storm on the grasslands.

Most herders believe that if another ice storm strikes, they can still head south to seek protection from the imperial court.

Liu Shouyou replied.

"So that means it's feasible?" (End of Chapter)