The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 648 The Five Tigers Go to Yangzhou

In March of the third year of Guangde, Deng Changxiong led the Second Corps to capture Xi'an. Northern Shaanxi, Guanzhong, and southern Shaanxi were all pacified, and the entire Shaanxi region returned to the rule of Da Qi.

The victory news was reported back to Nanjing, and the military and civilians were excited.

On March 12, the retired emperor, accompanied by the two empress dowagers and all civil and military officials, offered sacrifices at the Taimiao.

Liu Zhaosun knelt in front of the Taimiao and informed his parents, who had passed away many years, and his adoptive father Liu Jing of the news that he would recover Shaanxi and unify the northwest.

On March 16, the retired emperor issued an edict in the name of Emperor Guangde, appointing Deng Changxiong as the Prince's Tutor and the General Manager of Gansu and Shaanxi, and controlling the military and political power of Shaanxi and Gansu provinces together with the Censor Zhao Yanguo and the Chief Instructor of the Second Corps.

Deng Changxiong's wife, Zhou, was granted the title of a second-rank lady, and Deng Changxiong's two sons were also given titles.

The officers and instructors of each battalion of the Second Corps were rewarded, and the soldiers were judged based on their performance on the battlefield, which is needless to say.

The Mongolian cavalry of the 12th Corps, who was in charge of the 2nd Corps and covered the attack on Xi'an, also received rewards.

The retired emperor rewarded the Mongols with several grasslands near Lake Baikal that had just been incorporated into the empire.

The Mongols knelt down to worship Eternal Heaven, the Heavenly Khan, and kowtowed to Emperor Guangde.

The battle in Shaanxi has come to an end, officers and soldiers have been rewarded according to their merits, and the army is resting and recuperating. Needless to say.

Civil affairs officials from all over Liaodong were transferred to Shaanxi to participate in the restoration and reconstruction.

Since the 47th year of the Wanli reign, the entire province of Shaanxi has experienced floods, droughts, locusts, wars, and banditry. Although it has not yet resulted in nine out of ten houses being wiped out, there is no doubt that the population loss and the barrenness of farmland have been severe.

After more than ten years of rule by the Great Western Kingdom, the economy of the Three Qins became even more desolate, and land annexation became even more serious...
All of these require drastic reforms.

Shaanxi's social and economic ecology is different from that of other provinces.

After years of continuous turmoil, the gentry and wealthy families were basically wiped out.

The new nobles of the Great Western Kingdom are like trees without roots and water without source. Compared with those aristocratic families that have been passed down for hundreds of years, these people are much easier to deal with.

In the original history, the reason why Sun Chuanting was able to successfully clear the fields (army) in Shaanxi and basically achieve self-sufficiency of the Qin army was largely due to Shaanxi's unique political ecology.

Historically, Sun Chuanting was doing very well in Shaanxi, but once he left Tongguan, he suffered repeated defeats, died, and his country was destroyed.

The reason for this, apart from military issues, is that other provinces do not have a political ecology like Shaanxi.

To put it more bluntly, at the end of the Ming Dynasty, Shaanxi's original gentry ruling system was on the verge of collapse under the combined attacks of natural disasters, bandits and soldiers. Only in Shaanxi could Sun Chuanting integrate resources and train a new army (for a certain period of time).

For those who maintain the status quo (such as the God of War of Coal Hill), Shaanxi is a nightmare.

But for gambler adventurers like Liu Zhaosun, this is a perfect country.

Here, the empire could try to implement a more radical policy than the Qi Dynasty's Land System, which is what later generations called a special economic zone...
~~~~
In March of the third year of Guangde, Shaanxi was in a state of disrepair and needed to develop, and a new land system needed to be promoted;
New schools and workshops need to be built, and new urban planning is required...

All the heavy responsibilities fell on the civil affairs officials.

To be precise, it fell on Xie Guangkun.

Xie Yang is not only the chief of civil affairs, but also the Minister of Revenue of the Great Qi Dynasty (formerly Qiao Yiqi). He is now busy with all kinds of affairs and is the busiest person except for the Emperor Guangde, the retired emperor.

In the first month of the year, he went to Taicang to clear the fields, in the second month he went to Suzhou to inspect taxes, and in the third month he went to Yangzhou to assist in clearing out the grain transport troops. He has been busy until now and has only returned to Beijing to report.

"Thank you, Minister, the Great Qi still has a lot of work to do, and the burden on you is very heavy."

March 18th, Wenhua Hall, Forbidden City, Nanjing.

The retired emperor looked at Xie Guangkun's head, which was exposed even more by the wig, and said worriedly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your mercy. I am in good spirits and can eat two bowls of rice at a meal. I can continue to contribute my humble efforts to Your Majesty."

Perhaps the previous trip to the Pacification Office had left a deep impression on the civil affairs officer. Although many years had passed, Xie Guangkun would always have nightmares of himself being tied up on a tiger bench, being interrogated by the straw raincoat guards about what one plus one equals. Over the years, Xie Yang's loyalty to the emperor and the empire had become a virtue that flowed in his blood.

"You're in your forties or fifties, so you should take care of yourself. There are fewer and fewer elderly people around me."

As Liu Zhaosun spoke, tears began to flow again. Xie Yang did not believe in the tears of the retired emperor. Every time the retired emperor cried, someone would die.

This is a bad sign.

"Shaanxi's affairs are complicated, and we need someone to take the lead. Deng Changxiong is known as the Governor of Gansu and Shaanxi, but as you know, he knows nothing about civil affairs. I am not satisfied with the other candidates. After much deliberation..."

His eyes fell on Xie Guangkun.

"I am willing to do my best for Your Majesty, but I cannot do it alone. Right now, we are measuring the land in various places, and Yangzhou also needs people. We simply do not have enough manpower for civil affairs..."

The Emperor interrupted, "Make a list and I'll let you choose someone."

Xie Yang had no choice but to rush to Xi'an.

After Liu Yue'er committed suicide for her husband, the head of civil affairs lost a powerful figure and has not been able to find a suitable adjutant.

In the past two years, Xie Yang has grown older, and Da Qi's pace of expansion has become faster and faster, and he feels increasingly overwhelmed.

We arrived in Xi'an in early April and by mid-May we had found out the current population and acreage in Shaanxi.

There are six prefectures and thirty-seven counties with a total population of more than 3.8 million and more than 8 million mu of land, but less than 2 million mu of arable land.

The situation is not optimistic.

No matter what, if the Three Qins were conquered, the empire's territory would further expand to the northwest.

The northwestern territory of the Great Qi would soon collide head-on with the equally prosperous Galdan tribe (the Galdan Khanate had not yet been established).

Liu Zhaosun was very interested in this enemy with whom he had never fought before.

They are called enemies because according to the logic of the emperor, anyone who blocks the progress of the empire is an enemy.

Historically, the Galdan tribe first allied with the Later Jin, and then began to grow stronger as it grew stronger. Finally, during the period of Ge Erdan, they launched an expedition to the south, which almost forced Kang Mazi to meet his father Shunzhi Mazi in advance.

In history, the empire ruled by Ge Erdan was a veritable great power, and at one time had the ability to dominate the world.

It is hard to imagine what would have happened if China had not encountered several perverted emperors in the early Qing Dynasty but had instead encountered the late Ming Dynasty.

After Liu Zhaosun traveled through time, the Later Jin Dynasty was eliminated early, and the Khorchin tribe of Mongolia was also conquered by the Great Qi. Liu Zhaosun was not sure what Galdan in this dimension had become now.

The imperial intelligence network is currently unable to penetrate into the vast area north of Gansu.

Intelligence capabilities in the northwest need to be strengthened urgently.

Liu Zhaosun planned to add more Suoyi Guards in this area, and the northwest would also be the home of the Great Qi.

One thing is certain, no matter whether he is Ge Erdan or Ge Sandan, he cannot stop Liu Zhaosun's ambition to conquer the Eurasian continent.

~~~~
After Shaanxi was pacified, the next move was Sichuan. Liu Zhaosun ordered Deng Changxiong to pacify the bandits in Gansu first to eliminate the threat to the army, and then he and Qin Jianxun attacked from both sides of the northeast to take Sichuan in one fell swoop.

The existing strength of the Second and Fourth Corps is far from enough.

To attack Shu, an army of 100,000 is required, so the two major corps must continue to expand.

Deng Changxiong continued to suppress the rebellion in Gansu, while Qin Jianxun advanced towards Badong.

"I wonder how Emperor Guangde is doing in Yangzhou?"

Pei Dahu comforted him, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. Pu Gang is a veteran warrior. With his and Eunuch Dongfang's help, Emperor Guangde will surely have nothing to worry about."

Liu Zhaosun looked stern:
"Using a tiger to fight a rabbit, a full-strength attack will succeed. These million canal workers are not little white rabbits."

Pei Dahu was silent.

"Send the Five Tigers to Yangzhou to reinforce Guangde. Abolish the canal transport and implement sea transport. This is related to the great cause of the Great Qi for generations to come. We must not allow any mistakes!"

(End of this chapter)