Huangming

Chapter 388 Rejecting Demands for Border Security, Taming the Grasslands

Kaiyuan City.

Although it is a major trading city.

However, it is now in a state of disrepair.

The plaque above the city gate bearing the inscription "Kaiyuan Guard" has a deep crack, and the paint on the edges has long since peeled off, creaking in the wind.

This city, which changed hands three times in two months, stood like a weathered old man, scarred and battered, on the Liaohe Plain. But with the arrival of the Ming army, it gradually began to recover.

Beneath the city wall, groups of prisoners dressed in coarse cloth prison uniforms were working diligently.

Among them were the Jianzhou Jurchens with their shaved heads and the Mongols wrapped in sheepskin coats. At this moment, they were all carrying bricks and stones and pushing earthen carts, repairing the city wall under the supervision of Ming soldiers.

These prisoners were captured during the battles of Fushun, Honghe Valley, and Tieling, and their total number was as high as 10,000.

Instead of dealing with them simply, Xiong Tingbi organized them into a "labor team".

Some were sent to nearby mines to mine and replenish the raw materials for military equipment casting.

Most remained in Kaiyuan and its surrounding areas, responsible for repairing the city and abandoned fortresses.

"Keep up the good work! This section of the wall must be repaired before dark!"

The Ming army centurion who was supervising the work held a whip, but did not actually lash out; he simply urged the workers on loudly.

Although the prisoners looked exhausted, they dared not slacken their efforts.

Xiong Tingbi set a rule that as long as you are willing to work, you can receive two full meals a day; if you are lazy, your food rations will be reduced, or you may even be sent to a more arduous mine.

For these people who have already witnessed the cruelty of war, having food to eat and being able to survive is the best outcome they can hope for.

Therefore, they did not dare to resist and simply buried themselves in their work.

Xiong Tingbi stood on the city wall, his gaze sweeping over the busy figures below before turning to the distance.

Following his gaze, the outlines of ten fortresses and a pass could be vaguely seen in the open fields outside Kaiyuan City.

That was the "Kaiyuan Ten Forts and One Pass" defense system built between the Hongwu and Wanli periods.

Weiyuan Fort guarded the vital northwest route, Zhenbei Fort faced the Mongolian grasslands, Qingyang Fort and Yongning Fort protected the grain route, and the ancient castle, Qingyun Fort, Songshan Fort, Jing'an Fort, Zhenyi Fort and Dingyuan Fort were distributed in a fan shape. Together with Qinghe Pass in the center, they were once an important barrier for the Ming Dynasty to resist the northern nomadic tribes.

However, years of war and the deliberate destruction by the Jurchens have left most of these fortresses abandoned.

Some gate towers have collapsed and are buried by weeds; some walls have cracked and become dens for wild animals; and some have even had their foundations almost buried by sandstorms.

"If we can build all these fortresses and connect them to Kaiyuan City, then whether it's the Jurchens or the Mongols, they'll have to think twice before attacking."

Xiong Tingbi muttered to himself.

He actually had an even bigger idea in his mind.

If the imperial court were to allocate funds, he even considered repairing the abandoned sections of the Ming Great Wall along the defense line from Kaiyuan to Fushun.

But he also knew that the national treasury was empty, the new policy had just been implemented, and the tax revenue from Jiangnan had not yet been deposited into the treasury. The cost of repairing the Great Wall was too high, so he could only suppress this idea for the time being.

"General, your injuries haven't healed yet, so don't stand in the cold wind on the city wall."

A steady voice came from behind.

Xiong Tingbi turned around and saw Chen Ce walking slowly towards him.

This veteran, well past sixty, was still wearing his armor, which was covered with frost. Yet, he remained upright and walked steadily, showing no signs of fatigue from days of fighting.

Chen Ce walked closer and reached out to help Xiong Tingbi, but Xiong Tingbi waved his hand and refused.

"I'm perfectly healthy, what's a little injury like this?"

Xiong Tingbi smiled and pointed to the bandage on his left arm.

That was during the Battle of Red River Valley, when I was directing the soldiers' charge and was grazed by a stray arrow from the Jurchens. Although it has scabbed over, I still cannot engage in strenuous activity.

Looking at Chen Ce's energetic appearance, he couldn't help but tease him:

"But you, old general, after days of fighting, aren't you tired at all?"

After the battle of Red River Valley, we didn't rest for a single day. We then captured Tieling and Kaiyuan, and the fighting only truly stopped five days ago.

Even I, a grown man, am finding it hard to keep up, yet you seem to get more and more energetic the more you fight. Who can I complain to about this?

When the war was mentioned, a smile appeared on Chen Ce's face.

"It's natural to feel tired, but as long as you keep your spirits up, you won't feel exhausted."

The Battle of Red River Valley resulted in the defeat of Nurhaci, and Tieling and Kaiyuan were successfully recovered. This was a victory that our Ming Dynasty had not won in many years!
The soldiers were all fired up, and I, an old general, couldn't let myself lose heart before the younger ones.

"Furthermore, although we have recovered Kaiyuan, the Jurchens are still in Hetu Ala, and the Mongol tribes have not completely submitted."

This current stability is only temporary. If I keep a closer eye on defenses, the Grand Coordinator will have less to worry about.

After all, your health, General, is far more precious than my old bones. In the future, the overall management of Liaodong will depend on you, General."

Xiong Tingbi sensed the concern in Chen Ce's words and felt a warmth in his heart.

Chen Ce appears to be full of energy, but in reality, he needs to drink herbal medicine every night to fall asleep.

After all, his age is a factor, and the continuous running around and fighting has taken a huge toll on his body.

However, this veteran never complained and always stayed on the front line, using his prestige and experience to stabilize the morale of the troops.

"With the old general around, I feel at ease."

Xiong Tingbi patted Chen Ce on the shoulder, then turned his gaze back to the distant fortress.

"Once these fortresses are completed, we can replenish our troops and make Liaodong's defenses more secure."

At that time, no barbarians will dare to harass Liaodong, and we can safely cultivate the land on this black soil.”

The reason for establishing military settlements was because the war in Liaodong had consumed too much resources.

Although His Majesty did not say it in the secret letter, his friends in the capital revealed to him that there were already several baskets of memorials from court officials and censors impeaching him, but His Majesty had simply kept them from being released.

The main point of the impeachment was that Liaodong had spent too much money and grain.

Thinking of this, Xiong Tingbi could only sigh.

Although the Liaodong campaign was won, the consumption of supplies was like a bottomless pit. The silver allocated from the imperial treasury in Beijing, the grain transported from the Jiangnan canal, and the winter clothes hastily made by the Shandong textile workshops almost emptied half of the Ming Dynasty's savings.

It was originally thought that canals and sea transport would reduce losses, but in the dead of winter, the canal surface was covered with thin ice, and the cargo ships had to rely on laborers to break the ice to move forward, and could only travel ten miles a day.

Maritime transport is even more dangerous. The winds and waves in the Bohai Bay often capsize grain ships, and every voyage is like gambling with one's life.

Even if they could reach Liaodong smoothly, the losses along the way were shocking: grain ships leaked, winter clothes were stolen, and laborers embezzled them. In the end, only 20% to 30% of the grain could be delivered to the army.

In addition, there were casualties among the laborers.

In order to transport supplies before the roads were blocked by snow, countless laborers braved the bitter cold to travel. Many lost fingers and toes to frostbite. Every day, people collapsed by the roadside due to frostbite and hunger. Their bodies were hastily buried beside the grain route without even a tombstone.

"If this continues, let alone fighting, just transporting supplies could cripple the Ming Dynasty..."

Xiong Tingbi sighed softly.

now.

As he was pondering how to establish settlements and reduce transportation pressure in Shenyang, Liaoyang, Fushun, and other places, his personal guards quickly stepped forward, bowed, and reported:
"Reporting to the General, the envoy of Ligdan Khan of Mongolia has arrived and is waiting outside the city."

"An envoy of Ligdan Khan?"

Xiong Tingbi's attention was immediately diverted.

He turned around abruptly, his eyes filled with surprise, which was then tinged with a hint of sarcasm.

"This fellow still has the nerve to send an envoy? He's probably here to reclaim the benefits he promised."

"Lord General, should we... leave him waiting for a while?"

Seeing that Xiong Tingbi looked unwell, the guards whispered a suggestion.

Xiong Tingbi pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "No need. Although Ligdan Khan is an incompetent fool, he is the Khan of the Chahar Mongols. The situation in Liaodong is unstable right now. If we force him to the Jurchens, it will only create more trouble."

He straightened his official robes and said, "Have the envoy wait at the White Tiger Hall. I will arrive shortly."

A quarter of an hour later.

Xiong Tingbi returned to the White Tiger Hall of the Military Governor's Office in Kaiyuan City.

The room was simply furnished, with a map of Liaodong hanging in the center, several rows of bookshelves on either side, and unfinished military reports spread out on the table.

He had just sat down when a guard led in an envoy dressed in a Mongolian brocade robe.

The envoy was none other than Guiyingqia, a close confidant of Ligdan Khan.

As soon as he entered the hall, he bowed to Xiong Tingbi and said in somewhat broken Chinese:

"Guiyingqia, envoy of the Shunyi King of the Chahar Mongols, pays respects to the Grand Ming Dynasty's Liaodong Military Commissioner!"

Upon hearing the words "Prince Shunyi," the coldness in Xiong Tingbi's eyes lessened somewhat.

This title was bestowed by the Ming Dynasty. Gui Yingqia specifically mentioned it, rather than referring to himself as "Envoy of the Great Khan of Chahar," which clearly indicated Ligdan Khan's subservient attitude towards the Ming Dynasty, making him feel more satisfied.

He raised his hand to indicate, "Your Excellency, please do not stand on ceremony, please sit down."

Guiying thanked him and carefully sat down in the chair in front of the desk, placing her hands on her knees, clearly a little nervous.

After a while.

He composed himself before getting straight to the point: "Lord General, the Ming Dynasty previously invited my Prince Shunyi to send troops to attack the Jurchens from both sides, promising rewards such as silver and trade."

Now that the Jurchens have retreated and the war in Liaodong has temporarily ceased, one wonders if the Ming Dynasty will still fulfill its previous promises?

As soon as she finished speaking, Guiying stared intently at Xiong Tingbi's face, fearing a negative answer.

After Ligdan Khan's defeat, his people suffered heavy losses and urgently needed money and supplies to appease them. If the Ming Dynasty refused to honor its promises, the Chahar tribe would likely be in real trouble.

Xiong Tingbi picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and concealed the impatience in his eyes.

Ligdan Khan's military expedition was more of a hindrance than a help. However, the attitude of the Mongol tribes was delicate at the moment. The Khorchin tribe had already submitted to the Ming Dynasty. If the Chahar tribe could be stabilized, it would be able to form an encirclement of the Jurchens.

If they were to turn against each other now, they would not only lose the trust of the Mongol tribes, but might also push Ligdan Khan to Huang Taiji's side, which would be a losing proposition.

"Rest assured, envoy."

Xiong Tingbi put down his teacup, his tone calm and composed.

"Our Great Ming has always been a man of his word. The promised rewards and trade agreements will naturally be fulfilled."

"The silver and cloth rewards have already been delivered. As for the trade market, it will be held in Qingyun Fort, west of Kaiyuan, and will officially open on the first day of next month. The cattle, sheep and furs of the Chahar tribe can be traded freely. The Ming Dynasty will also provide salt, iron, tea and other supplies, and the tariff will be reduced by 30%."

The candlelight inside the White Tiger Hall flickered, casting a particularly subtle shadow on Gui Yingqia's face.

Upon hearing Xiong Tingbi's promise to honor the reward and the trade agreement, he not only did not show joy, but his eyes flickered.

"My lord, besides the reward and the trade, my Khan has another request."

Unbeknownst to them, the self-proclaimed title of "envoy of the Shunyi King" had changed to "envoy of the Great Khan of the Chahar Tribe."

Xiong Tingbi paused, his hand holding the teacup twitching slightly, and raised an eyebrow, but he still didn't react.

"Please speak, envoy."

"My Khan said that he was unfortunately defeated by Nurhaci outside Kaiyuan City, losing not only 20,000 troops but also 300,000 cattle and sheep."

Gui Ying deliberately emphasized the words "300,000" and "20,000," as if the loss was entirely due to the war fought for the Ming Dynasty.

"When we made an alliance with the Ming Dynasty, we agreed that if our Chahar tribe could help the Ming Dynasty conquer Kaiyuan, we would receive the people, treasures, cattle and sheep in the city as compensation."

Now that Kaiyuan has fallen to the Ming Dynasty, I request that the General calculate this 'compensation' and deliver it to my tribe in the form of 300,000 head of cattle and sheep and 20,000 slaves to make up for the losses suffered by my Khan!

With a loud thud, Xiong Tingbi slammed his teacup down on the table, spilling some tea onto the spread-out military report.

He looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment, which was then replaced by a chilling coldness: "Say that again?"

Guiying shrank back slightly, intimidated by his sudden and sharp aura, but still forced herself to repeat:
"My Great Khan humbly requests that the Ming Dynasty deliver 100,000 head of cattle and sheep and 5,000 slaves to compensate for the losses suffered in the Battle of Kaiyuan..."

"Humph!"

Xiong Tingbi abruptly stood up, walked up to Gui Yingqia, stared down at him, and spoke in a voice as cold as the ice outside Kaiyuan City:

"The envoy seems to have forgotten the premise of the alliance. It was agreed that the city's supplies could only be obtained after 'capturing Kaiyuan,' but where is your Khan?"
Before even capturing Kaiyuan, they were routed by Nurhaci outside the city. Their 20,000 cavalrymen fled faster than rabbits, not even managing to take their cattle and sheep with them. Can this be considered 'helping the Ming Dynasty conquer Kaiyuan'?

His tone was full of sarcasm: "You were incompetent and fled in the face of battle. The cattle, sheep and people you lost were taken by the Jurchens. What does that have to do with my Great Ming? Now you want compensation from the Great Ming after losing the battle. Is there any reason like this in the world?"

Do you, Ligdan Khan, think that my Great Ming Dynasty is a pushover, or do you think that I, Xiong Tingbi, am easy to fool?

Guiying's face turned red and white as she was scolded, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

He knew that Ligdan Khan's demands were indeed excessive, but since the Great Khan had given the order, he dared not disobey and could only grit his teeth and explain:

"My lord, my Khan has indeed sent troops after all..."

"send troops?"

Xiong Tingbi interrupted him, his eyes growing even colder.

“If you’re going to send troops, you should act like you’re going to send troops! Not only did your Khan’s army not help, but they also dumped their supplies on the Jurchens, causing a lot of trouble for our army on the front lines.”

"If it weren't for the desperate fighting of our soldiers, whether Kaiyuan could have been captured is questionable! And now you have the nerve to mention 'compensation'?"

Guiying was rendered speechless by the rebuttal. Her lips trembled for a long time before she remembered the second thing Lin Danhan had instructed her to do. She quickly backed down and softened her tone:

"Please calm your anger, General. If the matter of cattle, sheep, and slaves is truly difficult, then let it be put aside for now."

However, my Great Khan's First Consort Namuzhong and Third Consort Suqin were separated from their followers during the defeat at Kaiyuan and their whereabouts remain unknown. I implore the General to order an expedition to help my Great Khan find them, so that he may have peace of mind.

"Oh, your Khan?"

Xiong Tingbi chuckled.

"They've all become homeless dogs, yet they still act like the rulers of the grasslands? They lost their wives and don't go looking for them themselves, but instead expect the Great Ming to help them find them."

"Your Majesty Lin Dan's influence is a bit too much."

That being said, Xiong Tingbi was unwilling to go too far.

He suppressed his anger, sat back down at his desk, and spoke in a more relaxed tone.

"Regarding the search for people, this strategist can send people to search in Kaiyuan and the surrounding area. Once there is any news, your department will be notified."

But when you get back, you must give me a message to Lin Dan Khan!

He paused, his eyes sharp as knives, and said, word by word:

"The situation in Liaodong is different now than before. The Ming Dynasty has recovered Kaiyuan and Tieling. I, Xiong Tingbi, am stationed here. The Jurchens are nothing to fear."

If Lindan Khan knew what was good for him, he would have kept to himself and properly received the rewards and benefits from the trade.

If they dare to push their luck any further, or secretly collude with the Jurchens, be careful, there will be no place for the Chahar tribe on the grasslands anymore!

These words struck Guiying's heart like a heavy hammer.

Seeing the undisguised murderous intent in Xiong Tingbi's eyes, he knew that these words were by no means a threat.

The Duke of Jinglue before us could even defeat Nurhaci, so dealing with the defeated Chahar tribe would be a piece of cake for him.

He dared not put on a brave face any longer, and nodded, his face pale, his voice strained but still trying to appear tough:

"I will certainly convey these words back to the Great Khan!"

Having said that, Guiying turned around almost as if fleeing, staggering out of the White Tiger Hall, forgetting even the proper etiquette of taking her leave.

As soon as Gui Yingqia's figure disappeared outside the White Tiger Hall, Zhou Wenhuan, the strategist who had been standing quietly beside Xiong Tingbi, slowly stepped forward.

His gaze fell on the military report on the table, soaked with tea. His brows furrowed slightly, and his tone was grave.

"My lord, the attitude of Guiying just now has already shown that Lindan Khan must be harboring resentment because his demands were not met this time."

Although this person is incompetent, he is also vengeful.

On the surface, they may not dare to act rashly out of fear of the might of the Ming Dynasty, but in secret they may be colluding with the Jurchens of Hetu Ala, or even condoning their people to plunder the fortresses and farmlands on the Liaodong border.

After all, the Chahar tribe had suffered a defeat at Kaiyuan, leaving them short of food and clothing. If they could not obtain what they desired from the Ming Dynasty, plundering was their most direct means of survival.

Zhou Wenhuan assisted Xiong Tingbi in handling border affairs for many years and had a deep understanding of the customs of the grassland tribes.

These nomadic peoples, once they run out of food for the winter, will turn into bandits. There have been many precedents of Mongol tribes taking advantage of the Ming Dynasty's weak border defenses to plunder.

"What we need to be wary of is that Huang Taiji, having just succeeded to the throne, will be eager to establish his authority. If he sends someone to win over Ligdan Khan with promises of benefits, even if it is just to have the Chahar tribe restrain our army on the border, it will cause a lot of trouble for our Liaodong defense."

"Hmph, a good-for-nothing who could scatter even 20,000 cavalrymen with just a few thousand Jurchens, dares to be considered a threat?"

Upon hearing this, Xiong Tingbi sneered, his eyes filled with disdain.

"Although I did not witness the Battle of Kaiyuan, I learned the details from the prisoners."

When Ligdan Khan led 20,000 troops and encountered Nurhaci, he actually wanted to reap the benefits without lifting a finger and watched his vassals fight against the main force of the Jurchens. This led to the defeat of his vassals, which in turn caused the defeat of his own troops. The soldiers lost their cattle and sheep and abandoned their weapons, only caring about running to the grasslands. They didn't even care about his own wife.

With such courage and fighting prowess, even if they harbor resentment, what trouble could they possibly cause?

He stood up, walked to the window, gazed towards the distant grassland, and his tone grew increasingly cold:

"Now that the Khorchin tribe has just submitted to the Ming Dynasty, and the five Inner Khalkha tribes also have pro-Ming forces, as long as I issue an order for these two tribes to send troops to attack the Chahar tribe from both sides, Ligdan Khan's troops, who have just suffered heavy losses, will not even have the strength to resist."

He had no choice but to either surrender in defeat or flee to the northern deserts; the southern grasslands offered him no refuge.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wenhuan's worries lessened slightly, but then he remembered another matter and asked:
"What you say is absolutely right, but the Khorchin and Inner Khalkha tribes, although they are currently allied with the Ming Dynasty, may not be able to maintain this relationship for long."

The nomadic tribes have always respected the strong. If the Ming Dynasty's military strength declines even slightly in the future, or if their own power grows, they might develop disloyalty and repeat the mistakes of Ligdan Khan.

These words struck a chord with Xiong Tingbi.

“You’re right, that’s the real problem. Since the reigns of Hongwu and Yongle, our Ming Dynasty has dealt with the nomadic tribes with nothing more than two strategies: ‘military suppression’ and ‘pacification’.”

Emperor Chengzu's five campaigns against the Mongols terrified the steppe tribes, but upon his death, border troubles returned. Later policies of "tributary system" merely involved granting titles and opening trade, but they failed to curb the ambitions of tribal leaders, who continued to plunder and rebel as before.

He sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness:

Ultimately, the problem with the grasslands lies in their "mobility." Herdsmen move with the water and grass, without fixed dwellings or stable livelihoods. Once they encounter natural disasters or the decline of their tribes, they can only survive by plundering.

You kill a batch today, but tomorrow the nomadic people from the northern desert will migrate over. You can't kill them all, and you can't stop them.

To completely resolve the threat from the grasslands, we can't rely solely on weapons; we need a different approach.

A hint of curiosity flashed in Zhou Wenhuan's eyes: "Does Your Excellency already have a good plan?"

Xiong Tingbi had indeed come up with a way to eradicate the Mongol tribes.

But specifically, this wasn't his method, but the emperor's method.

In a secret conversation with him, His Majesty revealed his vision for a complete solution to the problem of the grasslands.

Xiong Tingbi's eyes flickered as he began to recall the contents of the secret letter Zhu Youxiao had written to him.

The first step is military conquest and deterrence, laying the foundation for all subsequent measures.

Your Majesty's plan is not simply to defeat a particular tribe, but to "sweep away their entire territory and eliminate their deepest foes."

The Ming army concentrated its elite troops from Liaodong, Xuanfu, and Datong to first wipe out the unruly forces in the southern grasslands, especially fickle tribes like Ligdan Khan.

After suppressing the tribes by force, the "Mongol Protectorate" was established in the core area of ​​Mongolia, under which guard posts were set up and at least 20,000 Ming troops were stationed. They were not only to monitor the movements of the tribes, but also to confiscate scattered weapons, investigate household registrations, and even designate "no-grazing zones" to strictly prohibit tribes from approaching the Ming army's garrison.

"Strike hard, suppress hard."

His Majesty wrote at the time: "Let them know that the sword of the Ming Dynasty can not only cut down the Jurchens, but also the unruly steppe people."

The second step was political division and the league and banner system, which broke the "whole bone" of the grassland into small pieces of "minced meat".

His Majesty drew dense circles on the paper and explained, "We cannot allow the Mongols to gather into a large clan again. We must break them into more than two hundred banners. For example, the Khalkha will be divided into eighty-six banners, the Chahar into thirty banners, and the rest will be distributed to the Inner Khalkha, Khorchin, and other tribes. Each banner will have a maximum of three hundred households. Any more than that will be split up."

Each flag must designate a fixed pasture, mark the boundaries with boundary markers, strictly prohibit migration beyond the boundaries, and forbid private alliances between different flags.

The highest-ranking official of a banner, the "Zhasak," had to be appointed by the Ming court personally, and was often selected from nobles with less seniority and power in the tribes. It was also stipulated that "Zhasaks must report to the Protectorate every three months, and Zhasaks of neighboring banners must supervise each other. If there is any unusual activity, the first to expose it will be rewarded."

As a result, the tribe's cohesion was completely shattered, making it difficult to form a force that could rival the Ming Dynasty.

You want to unite, but the ranches are not adjacent.

If you want to rebel, the Jasak of the neighboring banner will be the first to report you for the reward.

The third step was religious control, using the "soft knife" of the Yellow Sect to cut off the martial spirit of the Mongols.

His Majesty specifically mentioned "promoting the Yellow Sect to pacify the Mongols" at that time, which was not simply supporting a religion, but rather turning the Yellow Sect into a tool for the Ming Dynasty to control the Mongols.

The Ming Dynasty planned to build temples in each banner and invite Tibetan lamas to preside over them. It also stipulated that "Mongolian men who become lamas can be exempted from their tribe's taxes and corvée labor, and their families can receive cloth as a reward from the Ming Dynasty."

Under such enticing incentives, many Mongolian men would choose to become monks.

Firstly, it avoids military service, and secondly, it allows the family to live a better life.

In the long run, however, if more men become monks, Mongolia's population will naturally decrease, leading to a shortage of young and able-bodied laborers. Even herding will become a problem, let alone forming an army.

As temples gradually gained control of the pastures and wealth of each banner, the lama class, relying on the support of the Ming court, naturally became the Ming's "agents" in Mongolia.

They would preach "those who obey the Ming Dynasty will be blessed" during their sermons, and they would inform the Protectorate on those tribal nobles who had "disloyal intentions," subtly transforming the Mongols from "martial" to "submissive."

The fourth step was a dual blockade of the economy and culture, keeping Mongolia forever trapped in a backward "cage".

In Your Majesty's strategy, "keeping the people ignorant" is the key.

The Mongol tribes were strictly prohibited from engaging in any trade with the Central Plains except for "mutual markets." The mutual markets only allowed the trading of primary products such as furs, cattle, and sheep. The sale of high-end goods such as ironware, agricultural tools, and silk was strictly prohibited. Even salt and tea were to be supplied in rations, ensuring that they would always be dependent on the Ming Dynasty.

Culturally, the rules were even stricter, prohibiting Mongolians from learning Chinese, recognizing Chinese characters, intermarrying with Han Chinese, and even forbidding Mongolian nobles from going to the Central Plains to study.

"Let them only know the sky over the grasslands and not the prosperity of the Central Plains. Let them feel that everything in the Ming Dynasty is 'given by heaven,' and that they can only depend on it."

In addition, Mongol nobles were required to come to the capital regularly to report on their duties, ostensibly as a "favor," but in reality as "hostages."

Your family is in the capital, and your movements are being monitored. If you are not careful, you may lose your title and salary.

At the same time, it encouraged nobles to expose each other, even those with unfounded accusations of "disloyalty." As long as they reported it, they would receive a reward from the Ming court. By using benefits, they made each other suspicious and unable to unite as one.

The final step, which His Majesty considers the "softest" yet "most resilient" move, is also the one he is most adept at.

Marriage was tied to titles of nobility.

The royal family wanted to marry a noblewoman from Mongolia, thus establishing a blood relationship between the Mongolian tribes and the Ming imperial family.

His Majesty said at the time that this step was the most difficult because it involved the dignity of the royal family and needed to be done step by step, but once it was done, the effect would far exceed that of swords and spears.

Your grandson may inherit the position of Jasak. This blood connection will make Mongolian nobles think twice about their family members before "rebelling".

In addition, the Mongol nobles were granted titles such as "Prince," "Prince of the County," and "Beile," and were given generous salaries so that they could "live better than before without plundering," using benefits to gain loyalty and titles to tame their ambitions.

Thinking of this, Xiong Tingbi couldn't help but sigh softly, the chill at his fingertips spreading through his veins to his heart.

Your Majesty's strategy is like a sophisticated "combination punch".

"Dismantling the bones" (political division) rendered the Mongols powerless to resist; "changing their minds" (religious control) made them unwilling to resist; "cutting off their paths" (economic blockade) rendered them unable to resist; and finally, "blood ties and interests" (marriage and titles) bound them firmly to the war chariot of the Ming Dynasty.

The problem of the northern border that has plagued the Ming Dynasty for more than a century seems to be solved with this strategy.

However, this "solution" was far too cruel for the Mongol tribes.

The bloodshed of military conquest, the bitterness of political division, the dullness of religious control, and the pain of economic blockade—each step was like an invisible knife, slowly cutting away the backbone and strength of the Mongols, turning them from eagles soaring across the grasslands into lambs kept in pastures.

Xiong Tingbi could even imagine what it would be like a hundred years from now:
The Mongols no longer ride horses and shoot arrows; they only graze their livestock on fixed pastures.

Their children grow up listening to lamas preach, unaware that their ancestors once established an empire spanning Eurasia.

Their nobles relied on the Ming Dynasty's stipends for survival and no longer dared to have any thoughts of "contending for the Central Plains".

This scene is efficient, yet also cold.

"Emperors are heartless..."

Xiong Tingbi murmured softly, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He admired His Majesty's foresight in eliminating a century-old border threat for the Ming Dynasty, but the thought of the ruthlessness behind that strategy still sent chills down his spine.

His Majesty's heart is filled with the vast land of the Ming Dynasty and the desire for lasting peace and stability, but the word "compassion" is nowhere to be found.

But perhaps only someone like His Majesty can completely revitalize the Ming Dynasty, which is currently in such a mess!

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(End of this chapter)