unclear

Chapter 873 I’m not a good person

“Why is the Han emperor so kind to the herdsmen?”

He just couldn't figure out one thing. In the past, the Mongolian tribes and the Han people could not be said to be mortal enemies, but they were definitely not friends. If that was the case, why did the Han emperor do this? The motto of "no profit, no early rise" may not exist in Mongolia, but similar principles are applicable to the world.

"I am not the Buddha, and I certainly will not give alms to others for no reason." To this question, Bushitu, Baihong, Oba and Subahai were unable to give a completely convincing answer.

But it's not that no one could answer. When Elke was completely shocked by the palace of the Ming Emperor, he followed the eunuch into the Hall of Mental Cultivation in a daze. After paying his respects to the seemingly gentle man, he came without waiting for the answer.

"The submission of the various tribes in Inner Mongolia can avoid many wars. War costs money. I will save the money from war to build some factories and produce more wool yarn, felt, and woolen cloth, which can not only feed the Han people but also the herdsmen. This is the answer. Are you satisfied?"

"I know what you said is not true, but I can't find any fault with it. When it comes to doing business with the Han people, herdsmen are no match." Elek came here with no hope. He just wanted to chat and take a look along the way. After all, what counts is what you see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears.

If the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty acted like a man of his words, he could talk to the other two leaders after returning. Even if they did not form an alliance, they could find a way to live in peace and avoid conflict.

However, since he saw the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he immediately had a strange feeling. The hairs on his body stood up involuntarily, as if he had met a natural enemy. He instinctively developed a fighting spirit and wanted to have a contest.

"Hahaha... You are brave and smart. What I just said is not entirely true, but it is not entirely false either. I do have a way to make you and your people live a better life. Do you want to hear it?"

After listening to the staff officer's translation, Hong Tao sat up straight instantly, looked carefully at the man at the other end of the table, and then grinned. His smile was very happy and pure, like a child who found a toy.

As the king of cakes, the cake he threw was actually seen through by someone, and it was a tribal leader he met for the first time. It was quite interesting. There are different levels of fooling people. The smarter the person, the harder it is to fool, but also the more challenging it is. And once a smart person is fooled, he will be more convinced than an ordinary person.

"As long as it's not a lie, I'm willing to listen."

Elek also laughed, but not naturally, and clenched his hands into fists under the table. He believed that the enraged Han emperor dared to kill him, but subconsciously he couldn't help but want to fight, and in the end his reason couldn't suppress the impulse.

"Since ancient times, there has been no free benefit for anyone. Soon I will lead my army to the west, and the Tumed, Kharchin, Khorchin, and Inner Khalkha tribes must send warriors to follow me. If one day the seven Outer Khalkha tribes go south to become enemies of the Ming Dynasty, they will also have to send troops to help resist.

I will let the herdsmen live a good life slowly, for example, by having merchants exchange some food and supplies for the winter, or by sending Taoists to the grassland to treat people and livestock.

There is now a new school in Guihua City. Shepherds can send their children there for free to learn to read and write. In the future, they can also go to university in the capital and become officials in the court after passing the examination.

Do you know why the herdsmen are not as good as the Han people in business? It is not because the Han people are cunning, nor is it because the herdsmen are dull, but because they do not have enough knowledge. When the herdsmen's children go to school and learn enough knowledge, they will be able to write and calculate as well as the Han people, or even better.

Do you know why Lindan Khan and the Xitumed tribe could not defeat the Ming army? It was also because they did not read enough. Guns and cannons did not fall from the sky, nor were they brought out by the Han people from their mothers' wombs. They were created by reading to make their brains flexible. These are the benefits that I can bring to the herdsmen. They are not charity, generosity, or God's will. They are the result of mutual exchange, just like doing business. Only when both parties are suitable can the deal be concluded.

Can you not do business with me? No! Because I am very powerful, I can mobilize tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of soldiers with muskets and cannons at any time, and guard a larger number of craftsmen to build a city like Bagua City all the way to Karakorum or even further north.

You claim to be the descendants of Genghis Khan, so you must remember how the Mongols unified the northern desert. Imagine if your tribe happened to be in the way, what would you do? "

Hong Tao really spoke the truth, without any hesitation, and even compared the Ming Empire at that time to Genghis Khan, revealing his ambition to unify all of Mongolia. Then he pointed to the staff officer in charge of translation, signaling him not to think about it and translate it verbatim.

"… Riyue Khan is not Genghis Khan, and the Mongolian tribes are not fighting alone. If Khalkha and Oirat unite, no matter how powerful the Ming army is, it will not be able to build cities all over the Gobi Desert. It is still uncertain who will win or lose!"

Elek listened very carefully, and even asked the staff officer repeatedly about words he was unsure about. The more he listened, the more serious his expression became, and his final reply was also very firm, as if he was not frightened at all.

"I don't want to be Genghis Khan, who only knew how to conquer and destroy, but didn't understand peace and construction, which was also the root cause of the Mongol Empire's disintegration.

Although war can quickly gain spoils, it cannot last long. What should be done when all the ethnic groups, tribes, and countries that can be plundered have been plundered?

The Ming Dynasty is different. Conquest and plunder are only means, not goals. I will open factories to produce more valuable products. I will also do business and sell products across the sea to countries that Genghis Khan has never been to, in exchange for more things, and then bring them back for distribution.

Just like the spoils of war, officials, generals, and nobles took more, soldiers and merchants took less, and civilians and herdsmen took even less.

But the spoils of war require many people to die, so they are one-time. However, the goods in the factory are produced and sold every day, every month, and every year, so every citizen of the Ming Dynasty can get a share.

If I tell this to the leaders of the Wala tribe, do you think they would be willing to give it a try? Maybe, but maybe not.

But I can afford this risk, but the Outer Khalkha tribes may not be able to. I don’t have that much spoils to share, so I can only choose between Wala and Outer Khalkha. You should be able to guess the fate of the other one.”

Hong Tao had no intention of bluffing anyone. The reason he said so much to Elek was because he was smarter than Bushitu, Bai Hong and Oba. Bargaining with smart people did not require too many lies.

Of course, we can't tell the truth in every word. It's more appropriate to tell half and keep the other half. For example, we won't mention the plan to assimilate all the Mongolian tribes and the great migration in the future. When we implement it in the future, we have to say that no one asked and we didn't deliberately lie.

Therefore, all politicians are bad. No matter who sits in this position, they have to tell lies, be evil and immoral. Otherwise, they are unprofessional and will harm others, themselves and the country.

(End of this chapter)