I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 743: The Dragon Rises in the Third Year of Wanli

Zhu Yijun hurried to Ziguang Pavilion, read the urgent military report from the northwest, and said to Li Chun: "Please invite the Chief Military Envoy Tan Gong, the Cabinet Minister Zhang, and the other two advisors, Mr. Zhao and Mr. Jianchuan, to come to Ziguang Pavilion."

"According to the order."

Soon, four senior councillors, Prime Minister Zhang Juzheng, Chief Military Commissioner Tan Lun, Chief Censor Zhao Zhenji, and Left Prime Minister Wang Chonggu, arrived one after another.

"I have met the emperor."

"The four old gentlemen, please take a seat and have some tea."

Zhu Yijun and the other four sat down and got straight to the point.

"Today, the Rong government received an urgent report from the Tianshan Commandery that the troops from the north and south were sent out from Yilibali and Beshbalik in the north and from Tarbugul (Luntai) and Chalish (Yanqi) in the south to attack Turpan before the heavy snow blocked the roads last winter.

The Turpan army was defeated, and the Turpan Khan Ma Hemasutan fled east to Hami with the remnants of his troops, intending to escape to the grassland in the north from Barsike (Barkol).

Qi Jiguang dispatched Li Chengliang and Taining Hou Ge Zhiwen early to lead troops to set up an ambush near Barhaizi, annihilating the remnants of Turpan in one fell swoop and killing Ma Heimasutan.

Then he marched eastward and conquered the Chijin, Handong, Quxian, and Aduan tribes in the Hami area. On the fourth day of the first lunar month in the third year of the Wanli reign, he attacked Jiayu Pass in Suzhou, Gansu.

Tan Lun already knew the news and remained calm.

Zhang Juzheng, Zhao Zhenji and Wang Chonggu were overjoyed. They stood up and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I congratulate you! Your Majesty has great talent and strategy, and has finally recovered the Western Regions of the Han and Tang Dynasties.

The territory of the Ming Dynasty eventually surpassed that of the Han and Tang dynasties, and was the largest in all dynasties.”

Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said, "It is the soldiers who fought bravely in the front, and the military government and the cabinet who dispatched food and supplies and worked hard without complaint. That is the real hard work and great merit."

Zhang Juzheng and the other three sighed in their hearts, this is what makes the emperor different from others.

Other emperors, who had some political and military achievements, would soon be lost in the congratulatory messages after being instigated by their ministers. They would offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, and be promoted to the highest position, wishing that everyone in the world would know about their "great achievements".

But the emperor was different. He wanted to push all the credit to his subordinates, confer official titles and distribute rewards to them. He stood aside with his hands in his sleeves, watching the fun like an outsider.

This is what broad-mindedness is!
You are the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. No matter how good your political achievements or military exploits are, they will be your glory. The more modest you are, the more generous you appear.

You have taken all the political and military achievements for yourself, can you still give yourself a promotion and a higher rank?
"The cabinet should receive an urgent report from Gansu soon." Zhu Yijun paused and continued, "After the Tianshan Commandery submits its summary report, the Rong government will organize the General Staff, the Political Work Bureau, the Censorate, and the Imperial Horse Administration to verify it. After confirming that it is correct, we will give out rewards."

"According to the order."

"The biggest problem now is to manage the recovered Western Regions. From Hami Turpan to the north and south of Tianshan Mountain, and then to the north and south of Jinshan Mountain, Yilie River, Chu River and Fernagan Valley west of Huozhan River.

Mr. Tan, please first briefly explain to the three gentlemen the current battle situation of the Tianshan Military Command’s northern and southern armies.”

“As you wish.

The northern army of the Tianshan Military Command defeated the main force of the Oirat coalition at the Korondo camp and killed the leader of the Dzungar tribe, Halahula.

The chief of the Torghut tribe, Beigoerleke, and the chief of the Durbet tribe, Yanistaish, each led their troops to surrender, and the chief of the Huite tribe, Ikminandash, surrendered after being captured.

Darga of the Oirat tribes and Haninoyan Honggor, the great taiji of the Khoshut tribe, led the remnants of their troops to flee northwest along the Yershi River.

Xiao Ruxun, the man from Zhenshuo, led the cavalry regiment in pursuit. So far, the Rong government has not received any news. The latest military report said that more than four months ago, Xiao Ruxun led the pursuing troops into the territory of the Shibir Khanate. "

Wang Chonggu couldn't help but ask: "Shibir Khanate? Where is it?"

"Mr. Wang, the Sibir Khanate is the Siberian Khanate.

During the Hongwu period, after the rise of Timur in the Mesopotamian region, he defeated the Golden Horde, which was divided into the Kazakh Khanate, the Kazan Khanate, the Crimean Khanate, the Astrakhan Khanate and the Siberian Khanate.

The Kazakh Khanate was in the western part of the Western Regions, the Siberian Khanate was in the northwest of the Western Regions, and further away were the Kazan Khanate and the Astrakhan Khanate, one in the north and the other in the south.

The Khanate of Kazan was once Russia, and the Khanate of Astrakhan was once Crimea, which was across the sea from the Ottoman Empire.

This information was collected over the past decade by the Ming intelligence department who infiltrated various merchant caravans, traveled thousands of miles, and went through untold hardships. When combined with Zhu Yijun's knowledge of world geography, the information became very clear.

Not only Zhang Juzheng and the other two were shocked, but even Tan Lun was a little shocked.

Tan Lun had seen these maps before, and his head felt buzzing after reading them.

Without modern geographical knowledge, no matter how many times you look at it, you can't remember where it is. He was shocked at how the emperor could talk so freely, as if there was a ball in his head with the whole world drawn on it.

Zhao Zhenji couldn't help but sigh: "So, it's going to the far west, which is unbelievably far away."

"Mr. Zhao, in my mind, it is not far. The Far West is further west in Russia, all the way to the coast of the sea. I don't know how many years it will take for my cavalry to see that sea."

Zhang Juzheng and the other three looked at each other in shock.

"One of our biggest rivals in the Western Regions will be the Kazakh Khanate. We will not interfere with Transoxiana, Afghanistan, Khorasan, and Persia. Our main direction is to continue westward and attack the Kazakh Khanate."

Zhu Yijun began to describe his strategic deployment, "The Kazakh Khanate is vast and its location is very critical.

To the south, it overlooks Transoxiana and Persia, and to the east it reaches the Caspian Sea, bordering the Astrakhan Khanate and the Crimea, and peering into the heart of Russia.

Once we occupy this place, we will not only have an extra place for the Mongolian tribes to graze, but we can also threaten countries such as Transoxiana, Persia, the Ottoman Empire and Russia at any time.

If it is occupied by others, then the Western Regions of the Ming Dynasty will never have peace!"

Zhu Yijun looked at the shocked expressions of Zhang Juzheng and the other three and smiled, "Let's get back to the topic of how to manage the Western Regions."

Tan Lun said: “The Rong government has convened several meetings of the Five Military Commands Office and Xuanhuiyuan to discuss this matter.

It was preliminarily agreed that the Jinshan area and the northern Tianshan route, including the Yile River, Chu River basins, and the Beshbaliq area, would all be divided according to the example of the left and right rear wings of Mongolia.

The southern Tianshan route, including cities such as Yarkand, was divided into counties.

It is just that the Western Regions have just been settled. It is suggested that, as the emperor said before, military control should be implemented first, and two mountain governors should be appointed to manage the Tianshan and Jinshan regions.
The chief of the Torghut tribe, Beigo Erlek, the chief of the Durbert tribe, Yanistaishi, and the chief of the Huite tribe, Ikmin Andash, all surrendered to the Ming Dynasty and were granted the title of Earl according to the rules. However, the people of the Torghut, Durbert, Huite tribes, as well as the gathered Dzungar and Khoshut tribes, were all re-registered.

In this Western Expedition, the Mongolian left, right and rear wings made outstanding contributions, and the newly promoted centurions, thousand-householders and commanders were all granted new fiefdoms westward. The Ajihai (Kusubo), Hangai Mountains and Juyan Lake were the boundaries, with the Mongolian rear wing to the east and the Mongolian right wing to the west.

The area south of the Yeshi River and Jinshan Mountain, including the Yile River Basin and the Chu River Basin in the northern Tianshan Mountains, all the way to the Kazakh Khanate and the Transoxiana region, belongs to the left wing of Mongolia.

The previously appointed Left and Right Wing Marquis, Commander, Thousand Households, and Hundred Households Ranches were greatly adjusted.

The whole adjustment plan was to assign the first and most loyal Mongolian tribes to the rear wing, and the tribes that had made contributions in the Western Expedition to the right and left wings. The Zasaktu and Tushetu tribes of the Khalkha West Road who had surrendered during the Western Expedition, and the Dzungar, Khoshut, Torghut, Durbert, and Huite tribes of the Oirat were mixed and assigned to the left and right wings.
Zhu Yijun nodded, "I think it's feasible.

Qi Jiguang mentioned in his report that the leader of the Torghut tribe, Beigoerlek, changed his name to Tuguole, the leader of the Durbet tribe, Yanistaishi, changed his name to Duyani, and the leader of the Huite tribe, Ikmin Andash, changed his name to Hui'anming, and he requested titles for them.

Tuguole was granted the title of Suijing Earl and stationed in Tarbagatai (Tacheng); Duyani was granted the title of Changji Earl and Huianming was granted the title of Huinan Earl. Each of them was stationed in a different place. Each of them was given 5,000 tents and divided into pastures.
Huo Jing was conferred the title of Marquis of Yining, and Yilibali was renamed Yining City as his residence; Huo Bian was conferred the title of Marquis of Yiwulu. The Seven Rivers Basin along the northern route of the Tianshan Mountains all the way to Barhaizi was divided among them for pasture.

The Chijin, Handong, Quxian, Aduan and other Mongolian tribes that surrendered east of Hami, as well as the original Junggar and Khoshut tribes, were divided into 20,000 and 15,000 tents respectively for them.

Zhang Juzheng said hesitantly, "Your Majesty, is the reward too great?"

"Not too much! The two of them destroyed the Yarkand Kingdom in three months, and their extraordinary achievement must be rewarded heavily.

And in the future, they will have to face the Kazakh Khanate, Bukhara, Uzbekistan and other Khanates. If they don’t provide enough troops and tribes, how can they expand the territory for the Ming Dynasty? "

"The Emperor's Holy Might."

"After the enfeoffment, the question is how to manage it. Huo Jing is a disciple of the abbot of Qinghai Zhizhen Temple, Master Xuanchi, and a devout Buddhist. Before leaving Beijing, he asked me to restore the Western Regions to the Buddhist kingdom on earth.

I agree."

Zhang Juzheng and the other three were shocked, but then they thought that this was also a good thing for the Ming Dynasty. Religion is related to the strength of the regime.

After the recovery of the Western Regions, Buddhism will flourish and will inevitably overflow, forming a Buddhist area in the area west of the Western Regions. In this way, there will be a buffer zone with their sphere of influence.

In the past two years, Zhu Yijun has been teaching important officials and started to talk about geopolitics.

It's time to put what you have learned into practice.

But if this happens, there will probably be countless bloody storms.

"But I told him that the heavens are merciful and kind. The Buddhist kingdom on earth should be revived, but we should not commit too much murder.

Those who are unwilling to convert to Buddhism, unwilling to learn the Ming language, and unwilling to accept the Ming teachings can completely let them give up their secular homes and return to their spiritual homes. "

Your Majesty, what you said is very nice.

It's nothing more than letting the soldiers drive them away, and anyone who dares to stay will be killed without mercy!

Zhang Juzheng and the other three chanted in unison: "Amitabha, may Buddha have mercy on us!"

"To manage a place, of course, we need to let the people live and work in peace and contentment. Only in this way can the Ming Dynasty's territory be permanently secure. We will still use the old method to manage the new territories north and south of the Tianshan Mountains and north and south of the Jinshan Mountains.

A method doesn’t have to be old, as long as it works.

We continued to build cities along the way, constructing city fortresses along the rivers, guarding the important passes, and then the fortresses and cities were connected into blood vessels, spreading to the grasslands, deserts, and the new territory of the Ming Dynasty.

Food, tea, silk, cotton, salt, sugar, tobacco and alcohol from the east were carried by ox carts, horse carts and camels and distributed into every tent along these roads.

We opened wool mills, woolen cloth mills, canning factories and cement factories around the city to bring wealth to the nearby herdsmen.

We have implemented this approach very successfully in the Luan River, Xiliao River, Heishan (Daxinganling Mountains), Yinma River (Kerulen River), and Xilinge River (Selengge River).

Starting from the management of Luanhe River in the 43rd year of Jiajing, 65 cities and 271 fortresses were built in the 7 or 8 years, spread across the south and north of the desert, playing an important role in helping us control the Mongolian tribes.

Now we continue to use this successful method to build cities and fortresses far away, all the way to the sea coast in the far west!"

Zhu Yijun's voice was loud and clear, echoing in the hall of Ziguang Pavilion.

"Your Majesty," Lin Fu ran over breathlessly, "What's wrong?"

"The Queen, the Queen is about to give birth!"

Zhu Yijun immediately stood up and said, "Four gentlemen, let's stop here for today. Qi Yan, organize the minutes of the meeting and send them to the four old gentlemen.

Please take a look at it first, and then think about it carefully. If you have any opinions or ideas, please raise them when we discuss it again on another day."

He walked while talking, and when he heard the last sentence, the voice came from outside the door.

He walked so fast that Zhang Juzheng and the other three did not have time to bow and say hello. They only saw Zhu Yijun's back as he quickly disappeared at the door.

The queen is giving birth!
Zhang Juzheng and the other three looked at each other, and their hearts were suddenly filled with waves.

Xue Baoqin's delivery was extremely difficult. The contractions started in the morning and her amniotic fluid broke in the evening, but the fetus was not born yet.

Zhu Yijun was waiting in the left front hall of Yaohua Palace, while Empress Dowager Chen was worshiping the statue of Guanyin and reciting Buddhist scriptures in the right front hall. Concubine Song and six other girls were accompanying her.

Xue Baoqin's cries of pain continued to be heard from the back hall, making everyone feel extremely panicked.

After midnight, Xue Baoqin's cries of pain began to weaken, but the fetus was still slow to come out.

For the first time, Zhu Yijun felt panicked and at a loss.

He stood in the yard with his hands in his sleeves, braving the biting cold wind, breathing out white air, and looking up at the night sky.

Tomorrow is the second day of the second month, and I don’t know where the moon has already disappeared.

The night was silent and bone-chillingly cold, and the stars seemed frozen in the sky.

"Namo Buddha, Namo Dharma, Namo Sangha, Namo Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva who saves the suffering and the distressed.

The gods of heaven and earth, the gods of earth, will save people from disasters, and all disasters will turn into dust. "

The sound of Empress Dowager Chen and the concubines chanting scriptures came from the right hall, and echoed in the Yaohua Palace like the wind in the quiet and deep darkness.

Zhu Yijun felt a sense of powerlessness rising from the bottom of his heart.

He can control the life, death and destiny of hundreds of millions of people, but he cannot control the life, death and destiny of his own wife and children.

As time passed, Xue Baoqin's voice became weaker and weaker, almost inaudible.

The sound of chanting sutras came from the right hall, accompanied by soft crying sounds.

Zhu Yijun lowered his head, ready to accept his fate.

"what--!"

Xue Baoqin suddenly let out a loud shout, as if a dormant volcano had suddenly erupted.

Zhu Yijun turned his head and looked, with a hint of surprise and anticipation.

"Wow-Wow!"

Less than a minute later, the clear cry of a baby broke through the window and the darkness and spread throughout the West Garden.

Zeng Shang Gong, who was helping inside, stumbled out, ran and crawled to the front, and fell to the ground with her legs going weak.

"Your Majesty, the Queen has given birth!"

Concubine Zeng said with tears in her eyes.

Zhu Yijun asked anxiously, "How is the queen?"

"Okay, although he fainted, the doctor said his life is not in danger."

Empress Dowager Chen rushed out, grabbed Shang Gong Zeng's arm and asked, "What did the queen give birth to?"

"She gave birth to a prince."

After saying this, Concubine Zeng could no longer hold back and collapsed to the ground, crying loudly.

Her crying mixed with the baby's clear and loud crying, tearing through the darkness.

"Dang-dang-dang!"

The morning bell of the Forbidden City rang, and the deep and loud sound echoed throughout the capital.

In the east, a red sun suddenly jumped out, covered with thousands of feet of golden clouds, and came between heaven and earth.

On the second day of the second month of the third year of the Wanli reign, the dragon raised its head and at six in the morning, the eldest son of the Ming Emperor was born.

(End of this chapter)