The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

With the situation in Liaodong settled, no one objected to Chen Wang's decree.

"The Mongol tribes have been pacified, and the southern and northern deserts are now entirely under the protection of our Great Emperor."

Dai Zhenglin lowered his head slightly and asked.

"However, if we follow the old ways of the Han and Tang dynasties and continue to govern these two places according to the old system, I fear that the Turkic rebellion and the rise of nomadic tribes may happen again in the future. I wonder what plans Your Majesty has for the desert and grasslands?"

"The vast desert and grasslands make it difficult to handle Liaodong in the way Your Majesty does."

The southward migration of the four Jurchen tribes in Liaodong was relatively simple because the population of the four Jurchen tribes was not large.

However, the Mongol tribes had large populations, making it difficult to relocate them all into the interior of China.

“The desert grasslands are indeed difficult to manage.”

Chen Wang frowned slightly.

Throughout history, the Central Plains dynasties often found it difficult to govern the grasslands.

Only regimes established by nomadic peoples could prevent large-scale wars from breaking out between the grasslands and the Central Plains, and eliminate any border incursions.

The Yuan Dynasty itself was a country established by the Mongols, so it was normal that they did not invade the borders.

The reason why the Qing Dynasty and Mongolia could coexist peacefully was due to many policies adopted by the Qing Dynasty.

Instead of simply incorporating Mongolia into the provincial system, the Qing Dynasty created the League and Banner system.

This system was ingenious; it reorganized the traditional tribal structure of Mongolia into independent banners, much like breaking a large magnet into many small pieces, thus weakening the overall strength of Mongolia.

At the same time, the Qing Dynasty granted Mongolian princes high ranks and autonomy, making them feel that obeying Qing rule was beneficial to them.

In terms of religion, the Qing Dynasty vigorously supported Tibetan Buddhism, especially the Gelug school, also known as the Yellow Sect.

This was a very clever move, because the Mongols generally believed in Tibetan Buddhism, and the Qing emperors portrayed themselves as protectors of Buddhism and Chakravartin kings, thus gaining religious legitimacy.

The large number of Mongolian men becoming monks indirectly reduced the Mongolian army's manpower.

Secondly, there was intermarriage. Starting from the early Qing Dynasty, the Qing imperial family frequently intermarried with Mongolian princes. This blood relationship made the Mongolian nobles and the Qing imperial family relatives, and their interests were deeply intertwined.

Militarily, the Qing Dynasty incorporated Mongol cavalry into the Eight Banners, making them fight for the Qing Dynasty.

On the other hand, it deployed a large number of troops on the front line to deter Mongolia.

With a stick in one hand and a carrot in the other, the Qing court mastered the art of manipulation to perfection.

However, of the four points mentioned above, only two can be utilized, while the other two are difficult to implement.

Arrangements through marriage were difficult because, since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, both the court and the people had expressed reservations about the marriage alliances between the Han and Tang dynasties.

Princesses of the Ming Dynasty never married outside the country, so Chen Wang naturally wouldn't arrange a marriage alliance.

However, it is indeed possible for one's second son to marry a woman from one of the Mongol tribes as a queen in the future.

However, for now, Chen Wang only has one son.

Now, his eldest son, who has just turned one year old, has finally been given a formal name, which is Lie!

It signifies prominence and brilliance.

It signifies that he will establish illustrious achievements that will shine in history, and with his vigorous and enterprising spirit, he will create a prosperous imperial empire that will spread like wildfire.

However, all of these are still far in the future.

Chen Wang was also considering whether to take a queen from the grasslands as a concubine, so that if she bore him children, he could better rule the desert.

However, this measure also has drawbacks, because it allows the grasslands to gain a certain legitimacy through this prince.

The religious issue is even more difficult to resolve.

Chen Wang had already issued certain restrictions on Buddhism and Taoism in China. Taoism was not greatly affected, but Buddhism had a far-reaching influence. Chen Wang used his prestige to forcibly abolish many privileges that should not have existed.

Chen Wang didn't know much about the Yellow Sect on the grasslands, so he wouldn't interfere too much, only impose restrictions, and naturally wouldn't promote it vigorously.

However, the league and banner system, and the matter of incorporating them into the military, can be put on the agenda.

“The Qing government previously ruled the desert and grasslands by establishing the league and banner system. I believe that the advantages of this system outweigh the disadvantages, so I decided to continue to implement this system and continue to divide the jurisdiction according to the league and banner system.”

Chen Wang sat back down in his seat, pondered for a moment, and then spoke.

"At the same time, a Western Region Expeditionary Army was established, with a provisional strength of 50,000 men. Cao Bianjiao was appointed as the army commander. More than half of the soldiers were recruited from the various Mongol tribes and the four Jurchen tribes that had migrated into the interior. The remaining half were selected from the elite and brave soldiers of various towns to fill the ranks."

"A new Desert Expeditionary Corps will be established, with a strength of 30,000. Troop selection will follow the precedent set by the Western Regions Legion, and the corps commander will be..."

Chen Wang paused for a moment.

He was somewhat hesitant about the candidate.

The best candidate was naturally Chen Gong, who led his iron cavalry to sweep across the entire desert grassland.

However, he could not keep Chen Gong on the grasslands forever, constantly fighting in the south and north.

As the elder brother, Chen Wang knew Chen Gong very well.

Chen Gong was not a person who liked fighting.

From beginning to end, Chen Gong's actions were solely driven by Chen Wang's needs.

Chen Gong has always followed him closely, just like when they were children, doing everything he can to share the burden on his shoulders.

"Ugh……"

Chen Wang sighed, then chuckled softly, and then said.

"Let Zuo Guang take on the role of commander of the Desert Legion for now..."

Zuo Guangxian was once a garrison commander of the Nine Garrisons, and he was exceptionally capable.

Now that the war in the desert grasslands has been settled, the future mission of the desert legion is nothing more than to march north and reclaim the land of Siberia in later generations, which is now the Northern Plains.

Siberia is divided into three parts: western, central, and eastern.

The Liaodong Army took the east, and the Desert Army took the center, thus cutting off Russia's invasion first.

The Tsarist Russia, which is currently engaged in constant conflict, doesn't have many troops in Siberia.

When Tsarist Russia invaded the Khanate of Siberia, the total number of troops it deployed was only a few thousand.

More than 30,000 fully armed troops were enough to sweep away the Russian army in Siberia at that time.

After all, this was not a poorly equipped Mongol light cavalry with few suits of armor, but a well-organized legion consisting of 10,000 fully armed line infantry and 20,000 elite cavalry.

Chen Wang planned to equip the entire legion with infantry, who, as mounted infantry, could keep up with the movement of the troops and march faster.

The only thing to consider is the climate.

After the establishment of the Desert Legion and the Liaodong Legion, the only thing that could affect the advance of these two legions was not the tenacity of the enemy, but simply the influence of the climate and the problem of supplies.

"Your Majesty, are you preparing to launch a military campaign against the Western Regions at the same time?"

Dai Zhenglin's expression faltered slightly, and he hesitated before speaking.

"In my opinion, now that our Great Chen Dynasty has just been established, the war has just ended, Liaodong has been recovered, the people are eager for peace, Your Majesty is preparing to relocate Chinese people, and the South China Sea is still at war, it is really not appropriate to start another war."

Establishing the Liaodong Expeditionary Army and the Desert Army to conquer the Northern Plains were not particularly important matters.

There are no significant enemies in the north.

However, the Western Regions are different now.

"There is now a unified country in the Western Regions called the Yarkand Khanate. According to merchants, its population is over a million, and it has hundreds of thousands of archers, making it a powerful and well-equipped army."

"The Western Regions are located in a remote area, and Shaanxi is often plagued by disasters, making it difficult to provide logistical support. If we rashly launch a military campaign and fail to achieve a swift victory, the loss of troops and the disgrace to the country will be a minor matter, but the destabilization of the nation will be a major one."

Dai Zhenglin's expression was solemn, and he spoke resolutely.

"Though the world is at peace, forgetting war will lead to danger; though a country is large, loving war will lead to its destruction!" "If Your Majesty insists on launching a western expedition to the Western Regions, please forgive me, but I cannot agree."

Dai Zhenglin's defiance did not anger Chen Wang.

Chen Wang smiled, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured himself a cup of tea.

"I knew Zheng Lin would object."

"How could I not know about the situation in Shaanxi?"

"Sichuan has just been recovered, the rebellion in Yunnan has just been quelled, and the head of Sha Dingzhou has only been sent to Nanjing for a month or two. The domestic turmoil has only just subsided."

The Shapu Rebellion was quelled by Hou Liangzhu in May.

Hou Liangzhu led his troops into Yunnan, and the army advanced rapidly, defeating the Sha army seven times in succession.

Sha Dingzhou summoned the troops of all the local chieftains, conquered all the surrounding chieftains, and gathered his troops in Kunming City, totaling 70,000 men.

Hou Liangzhu led his troops into Kunming, with an army of 20,000.

Sha Dingzhou's military strength was three times that of Hou Liangzhu.

However, the result was that Hou Liangzhu won three battles in a row, and Sha Dingzhou fled in panic.

Hou Liangzhu pursued the enemy for a hundred miles, and his military might shook Yunnan.

Sha Dingzhou had only been on the run for half a month when some of his troops, seeing that things were hopeless, rebelled, captured and killed Sha Dingzhou, and sent his head to Kunming.

The Shapu rebellion was thus quelled.

Hou Liangzhu was thus promoted to the rank of Earl of Nanwu, and further promoted to the rank of First-Class Earl.

Da Chen's current title is that of a first-class marquis or earl, namely Marquis Wu or Earl Wu, and titles generally contain the character "Wu" (武).

Second-class names use honorifics, and third-class names use place names.

Hou Liangzhu's bravery and fortitude were already well-known, as he was a second-class earl.

Chen Gong unified the southern and northern deserts and was granted the title of Marquis of Champion, a first-class marquisate. Although it did not include the character "武" (martial), it was a historically renowned title.

When Hu Zhiyi conquered Sichuan and Shaanxi in the west, he was awarded the title of Marquis of Wuwei, which was also a first-class marquis. Although Wuwei is a place name, it also contains the character "wu" (武), and the title was chosen because of the glory of his martial prowess.

Hu Zhili was also granted the title of Marquis Wu for his eastern expedition to recover Liaodong.

Although the Qing court's strength has been reduced to less than one-tenth, and this is an inevitable outcome, it is not advisable to bestow too high a reward.

However, considering the various things Hu Zhili did in Liaodong, in future historical records, some people may compare him to Li Wenzhong, Chang Yuchun, and others who massacred cities and exterminated tribes.

In addition, there are Hu Zhili's past achievements.

Chen Wang still asked the cabinet to draft the title of Marquis Wu for Hu Zhili. Now the cabinet has made a preliminary decision to grant him the title of Marquis Wuping.

"The Western Regions have been lost for more than 800 years, and the Silk Road has been interrupted for a thousand years."

"The Silk Road brought immeasurable wealth to China, and this trade route cannot be shortened any further."

"The matter of attacking the Western Regions should be handled with caution. My preparation of the Western Regions Legion is not for an immediate attack on the Western Regions."

Chen Wang was well aware of the current situation in the Western Regions. Although the Yarkand Khanate had declined, it had not yet reached its final end.

Defeating the Yarkand Kingdom, which is far away in the Western Regions and has both geographical and popular advantages, is by no means an easy task.

In a direct confrontation, Yarkand is definitely no match.

However, the key point is the logistical pressure that would be placed on if the Yarkand Khanate were to launch an attack.

"Your Majesty's plans are profound and far-sighted, but this humble subject has failed to understand them."

Upon hearing this, Dai Zhenglin breathed a sigh of relief.

"The situation is actually quite clear now."

"The grasslands are submissive, Liaodong has been completely subjugated, and the southern border has submitted."

Chen Wang leaned back in his chair, looking confident.

"In the Southeast Asia, the Western barbarians are hostile and the various vassal states have fallen. However, to this day, our army has recovered Taiwan and Luzon and is advancing into Borneo, but we have not encountered much resistance along the way."

Most of the countries in the southeastern archipelago are now in a precarious situation.

They were either annexed by other countries or destroyed by colonizers.

Aceh is a kingdom that now occupies Borneo and was once one of the tributary states of the Ming Dynasty.

It was established around 1507 AD, during the Hongzhi and Jiajing periods of the Ming Dynasty.

The first official record of paying tribute to the emperor dates back to the Jiajing era, and envoys were sent to the capital multiple times thereafter until the end of the Ming Dynasty.

At the end of the Jiajing reign, Aceh requested that the Ming Dynasty send troops to expel the Portuguese and recapture Malacca.

However, the Ming Dynasty did not provide direct support because its focus on coastal defense was on the Japanese pirates in the southeast.

As Southeast Asia was invaded by European colonists, Aceh stood at the forefront of the fight against Portugal and the Netherlands, and its contact with the Ming Dynasty was severed.

The power of Aceh is currently declining, and the king is a woman.

Her name is: Taj Alam Safiyatudin

This person was also the first queen of Aceh.

These messages were all firsthand reports sent by Cao Dingjiao from Southeast Asia.

In 1629, the Aceh king Iskandar Muda assembled a large army to attack Malacca, but was defeated by a combined fleet of Portuguese, Johor, and Pattani forces.

From this point on, Aceh's power began an unstoppable decline.
Queen Safiatudin is struggling to control the situation, and the country has begun to descend into turmoil.

But all this.

With Cao Dingjiao's arrival, all hopes were dashed.

This is the first time a large Chinese official fleet has arrived in Aceh.

The fleet, with a combined land and sea force of over 50,000 men, and the countless dark cannons on its ships, completely shocked the entire nation of Aceh.

Under Cao Dingjiao's orders, the Queen of Aceh led the country's officials to the port to welcome them.

This is not actually a joyous welcome to the victorious army.

Ultimately, it's mostly fear.

Aceh then submitted to them.

A large number of ships set sail from Guangdong and Guangxi towards Aceh.

Aceh is being supplied nationwide, and Cao Dingjiao is preparing for the upcoming major battle.

By the end of the year, once those seventeen sailing warships are launched, they will set sail for the Strait of Malacca and seize control of the southeast.

"The Western barbarians are insatiably greedy and will never easily give up their interests in the Far East."

"Although Cao Dingjiao's fleet is powerful now, the Western barbarians should have already united and are desperately piecing together a fleet."

"Our navy is still relatively new. Although our warships are large and our fleet is large, it would be undesirable if we suffered too many losses."

Chen Wang's tone was calm, yet his words were firm and resolute.

"Wait until next spring, until our fleet is strengthened once again."

"The Western barbarians will come to a complete understanding."

"On this vast ocean..."

"Their era has passed..." (End of Chapter)