Daming: Dad, you are really not good at governing the country

Chapter 470: Selecting a new place to breed war horses across the country

After a long while, Zhu Yuanzhang slowly opened his eyes, as if he had finally come back to his senses from deep thought.

He nodded gently and said slowly: "What Liang Aiqing said does make some sense.

My fellow ministers, the shortage of war horses cannot be delayed any longer.

Just think about it, the border threat in the north has always been eyeing us covetously.

If our Ming Dynasty's cavalry does not have enough war horses, how can they guard the border and protect our Ming Dynasty's vast territory?
The shortage of war horses concerns the border security of our Ming Dynasty and the foundation of the country.

This must be properly resolved as soon as possible, do you understand?"

Everyone hurriedly responded in unison: "Your Majesty is wise, and we will obey your Majesty's orders!"

But after this shout, the officials from the six ministries present all understood clearly in their minds that this matter could not be resolved so easily.

The Minister of Revenue Fan Min secretly groaned in his heart, thinking that fighting a war would cost a huge amount of money and food.

Now, in order to solve the shortage of war horses, money has to be spent like water.

But he didn't dare to show it at all and could only agree with them.

Li Huanwen, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, frowned, thinking about the current situation of horse farms in various places, which was also very complicated.

It is difficult to see results in a short period of time.

Although they all agreed verbally, they were still thinking about their own things in their hearts.

They all wanted to go back and think about it carefully, hoping that the next time they discussed this matter, they would be able to come up with a more comprehensive solution immediately.

It would be good to show off one's skills in front of the emperor and live up to the important responsibility of the court.

At this moment, the wind and snow outside the imperial study window seemed to have subsided a little.

The whistling sound of the wind was no longer so harsh, as if God wanted to ease the tense atmosphere in the imperial study.

But everyone's hearts were still heavy, and they did not relax at all even though the wind and snow gradually subsided.

At this time, Liang Yesian took a deep breath, as if forcing himself to calm down.

He straightened his robes a little and sorted out his thoughts.

Liang Yexian then said calmly, "Your Majesty, I have another matter that I feel is extremely important.

I think we should set up special breeding areas in horse farms in various places to select excellent stallions.

This excellent stallion must be selected carefully, and it must be one with a strong physique and pure bloodline.

Your Majesty, think about it, this is just like building a house, you have to lay a solid foundation first.

This excellent stallion is the foundation of the quality of our Ming Dynasty's future war horses, and we cannot afford to be careless in the slightest."

As Liang Yesian spoke, his eyes revealed determination and persistence.

His eyes were bright, as if he had already seen the future scene of the Ming Dynasty with herds of war horses and a stable border defense.

He knew very well that this was a long-term solution to the war horse problem. Although it was difficult, it was imperative.

Even though everyone looked embarrassed at the moment, Liang Yesian was determined to make this idea clear.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand slightly and said calmly: "My dear minister, please feel free to speak. Tell me in detail what you think."

Liang Yesian took a step forward, his expression becoming more anxious and determined.

He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, to be specific, you need to immediately select a place across the country with a suitable climate, abundant water and grass, and open space.

In the Longyou area, for example, the four seasons are distinct and the grass and water are lush.

The local people have lived with horses for generations and have extensive experience in raising horses.

I heard that the children there have been playing on horseback since they were young and are very familiar with the habits of horses.

The Hetao area has a flat and open terrain, and is blessed with abundant water and grass resources. The vast grasslands are endless, making it the perfect place for horses to run freely and reproduce.

The local herdsmen rely on the good grass and water to raise many fine horses.

There are also some grasslands in Liaodong, which are also good places for raising horses.

The horses there are all very strong and have great endurance. It is said that when they run, even the wind can’t catch up with them.

These places have natural advantages for raising horses and can serve as new breeding areas.

As long as we work hard, we won't have to worry about not having good war horses in the future."

As he spoke, Liang Yesian's eyes were full of anticipation, as if he had already seen the beautiful scene of those excellent stallions breeding and growing in these places.

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly, as if he was considering the feasibility of this move and many subsequent issues.

He looked at Liang Yexian and said slowly: "And then?

If you have any suggestions on horse policy, please feel free to speak up without any hesitation. "

Liang Yexian took a deep breath and continued, "Your Majesty, the court can take action later."

Zhu Yuanzhang narrowed his eyes slightly, with doubt in his eyes.

"What action do you mean, my Lord?"

Liang Yexian looked serious, clasped his hands together, stepped forward and said, "The court can send 50 experienced horse officials, divided into five groups, to go to various places without stopping."

Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows and asked, "What are the abilities of these officials? Are they competent for their respective duties?"

Liang Yexian straightened up and said confidently: "Your Majesty, they are all veterans who have been working in horse politics for many years.

Take for example Mr. Wang from the Imperial Household Department. He has been working in the horse farms with the older generation since he was young, and he knows the conditions of horse farms in various places very well.

He can tell at a glance which horses are of good quality and which horses are suitable for breeding.

There is also Bater who was recruited from the grassland, and he is an expert in horse identification.

It is said that he could tell whether a horse was good or bad just by listening to the sound of its hooves.

They are a group of people who not only understand the art of horse selection, but are also familiar with the conditions of horse farms in various places, so they will definitely be able to take on this important task."

Zhu Yuanzhang crossed his arms and continued to ask, "What exactly do these horse officials do? Do you have any detailed rules?"

Liang Yexian looked serious and said seriously: "Your Majesty, their task is to communicate with local horse farm owners and horse breeding families.

Rely on your own vision and experience to find stallions with excellent bloodlines and who have performed outstandingly in horse racing and other events many times.

Every time a suitable stallion is found, it must be registered in detail.

The bloodline, character, past breeding history and other information of each stallion must be recorded clearly without any ambiguity.

This matter must be done meticulously, just like a craftsman carving a piece of jade, which cannot tolerate even the slightest flaw!

Otherwise, if something goes wrong when breeding war horses in the future, it will be too late to regret it."

Liang Yexian was recording as he spoke. Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang asked solemnly, "Anything else?"

Liang Yesian rubbed his hands anxiously and said, "In addition, we must bring the selected stallions back to the breeding ground within five days. There can be no delay.

After all, time is of the essence, as this concerns the great plan of breeding war horses of our Ming Dynasty.

Your Majesty, think about it, as spring goes and autumn comes, horses also have their own breeding season.

If you miss this best opportunity, all your efforts will be in vain."

Liang Yesian gestured as he spoke, his expression nervous and serious, as if he was already in the busy scene of selecting studs.

I wish I could go there in person to make sure everything goes perfectly well.

(End of this chapter)