eldest son of Ming dynasty

Chapter 955: Military and Territory in the 35th Year of Zhengde

Chapter 955 Military and Territory in the th Year of Zhengde

Thirteen years later, using the traditional era, it was the 1540th year of Zhengde, which is in the Western calendar.

This year, the emperor turned fifty years old.

This age is older than his father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and fifty is considered a long life.

On October 1491, 10, the fourth year of the Hongzhi reign, Emperor Zhengde was born in the Forbidden City.

Therefore, one of the most important events for the court in the 35th year of Zhengde was the Emperor's birthday celebration, and all preparations basically began before the New Year.

Not only that, all the princes, nobles, and ministers who were on business trips outside also had plans to return to Beijing.

Although the emperor did not agree with making such a big fuss just to celebrate a birthday, it was really a waste to spend two or three million yuan.

However, the Minister of Rites Gu Dingchen and the Left Censor-in-Chief Yang Shen took the lead in opposing it.

They believed that the emperor was celebrating his 50th birthday and had been on the throne for exactly 35 years, which was a major event worth celebrating in the eyes of people both at home and abroad.

If you insist on not doing something that should be done, it will cause discussion among the people. Not only will they discuss the affairs of the palace, but gossip may also spread.

Foreigners paid even more attention to this place. Since the Ming Dynasty was the Celestial Empire with the most prosperous culture, the most advanced technology, and the richest country, the great emperor who led his subjects to create all this did not even celebrate his 50th birthday... This is really unacceptable and there must be a reason.

They even wondered if the emperor was in poor health again.

In the 31st year of Zhengde, Zhu Houzhao fell seriously ill. He thought it was due to his old age and weakened body functions. The symptoms were dizziness and headaches, which lasted for several months. Even the government affairs were affected. He did not feel any pain. He originally thought it was high blood pressure, but it never recurred later, so he gradually forgot about it.

In addition, another reason for the court officials' opposition was that they hoped the emperor would show his good mental state on the birthday of the emperor. Because they all found that in the Ming Dynasty's foreign relations, the emperor himself had become a symbol, so his presence was different.

Of course, we also have to talk about the reason of sharing happiness with the people and celebrating together.

Later, Zhu Houzhao felt that there was some truth in it. Advocating diligence and thrift does not mean that one should always live in poverty. One should not hold back on happiness when one should be happy, and it is not right to make everyone feel uncomfortable.

So, that's how it happened.

So October this year is bound to be very lively.

Those generals guarding the border will probably have to work harder and travel a long way.

The present-day Ming Dynasty extends to the northernmost part of the North Sea, a hundred miles north of where Su Wu grazed his sheep. The land there is frozen all year round and cannot be used for planting or farming. However, the emperor ordered the establishment of thirteen outposts and castles of various sizes on the northern shore of the North Sea.

There are not people there all year round. Basically, only in the summer, the Bulat tribe, which is surrendered to the Ming Dynasty, sends people to guard the border. For this reason, the Bulat tribe can obtain 3,000 sheep, 2,000 tons of salt, and some cotton-padded clothes, quilts and other supplies from the Ming Dynasty every year.

In an area like this, you must conquer them, maybe you can, but how can you defend it? And sending troops here will cost more than just these supplies.

Therefore, the combination of hardness and flexibility is definitely the best strategy to be adopted in reality. Killing gods if gods stand in the way, and killing Buddhas if Buddhas stand in the way only exists in mindless fantasies.

Apart from these things, the Ming Dynasty's demands were very simple. The first was to declare submission to the Ming Dynasty, and that all the surrounding territories belonged to the Ming Dynasty. It was only the emperor who granted you the right to graze here. The second was that you must not violate the Ming court's absolute ban that the Mongolian tribes could not attack each other without reason.

This has been proven many times on the grasslands. Whenever a tribal leader wanted to annex other people's grasslands to expand his own power, the result he got in the end was that Emperor Zhengde resolutely attacked him.

All these battles were fought by one person, the most capable military commander of the time, the fourth son of the emperor, who was personally named Prince Yu!

In addition, there was another condition, which was that the men had to be young and strong men, and the women had to be young girls. This policy was called "Choosing Ding", and it had been implemented in many places.

The reason is that one of the things that must be done to rule the Mongolian grasslands is not to allow their population to expand. Although it sounds a bit cruel, the court must have a "reducing population" policy.

This is what the Qing court did later.

There were two main reasons for these men to be donated. The first was that the Ming Dynasty lacked labor. Zhu Houzhao still underestimated the potential of industrial development. In the era of large-scale production, there was always a shortage of labor.

The second is to join the army.

In the 12th year of Zhengde, the Ming Dynasty established large military regions in the northwest, north, and northeast. The northwest was the largest. The Xinjiang Military Region had a total of well-equipped cavalry.

The second largest direction is due north, with a total of 10 troops stationed in Hetao.

The least number of troops was in Liaodong, with 3 troops stationed in the Nurgandusi headquarters.

A total of 25 elite soldiers equipped with sophisticated war horses, Rumi fourth-generation muskets, and super cannons.

However, the majority of the personnel in these armies were still Han people. The place where the young and strong men from various Mongolian tribes really gathered was the 20-strong army under Prince Yu that marched westward.

That's right, in addition to conferring the title of prince on the fourth son, the emperor also appointed him the General of the Western Expedition, and after restoring the name of the Anxi Protectorate of the Tang Dynasty, he appointed him the Grand Protector, representing the emperor in exercising administrative authority over a large area stretching from the Caspian Sea in the west to the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang in winter.

There is no doubt that this is a powerful prince. He is not only good at fighting, but also can speak both Chinese and Mongolian.

Some people also suggested to Zhu Houzhao that the Fourth Prince had Mongolian ancestry and was brave and good at fighting. The Mongolian tribes had always respected such leaders, so he should not be given such great military power.

What would you do if those people on the grassland gave him a yellow robe?

But Zhu Houzhao did not listen. If the Ming Dynasty wanted to form such a powerful army for the Western Expedition, the number of people must be increased. It is impossible to have only 60,000 people like when they conquered the Kazakh Khanate. After those two fierce battles, there would be no follow-up.

If he didn't give the 200,000 soldiers and horses to his son, would he give them to someone other than his own?

At least the relationship between him and the fourth brother and his son has been good over the years.

Besides, the fourth brother is good at winning battles, so who else should we give it to if not him?

Of course, it's impossible to say that he was completely unprepared.

For example, all factories and technologies for producing muskets, cannons, ammunition and shells have always been top secret, and technical workers have always kept strict control over them.

The emperor said that Han and Mongolia were one family, but in fact he did not allow outsiders to come into contact with these things.

A general who knows how to fight a war must understand that after the emergence of firearms, the logic of the battlefield is no longer whoever is better at riding and shooting will win.

The military theory of the Ming Dynasty also developed in this direction under the guidance of Zhu Houzhao. Although it is not weapon determinism, combat weapons and ammunition in the era of hot weapons are a very, very important factor.

In the 27th year of Zhengde, the emperor issued a clear decree: all officials and government offices responsible for the production of firearms were not allowed to have any public or private contact with generals stationed outside the country.

The reason is simple and direct: it is for the stability of the country and for the emperor to secure his own position.

There is nothing to hide. Border army generals are not allowed to inquire about such matters. Just use whatever is given to you.

To the extent that, to this day, the location of the factories that produce these weapons has become a military secret of the imperial court.

The firearms supply for Lao Si's 200,000-strong army on the Western Expedition was transported from Xinjiang. It was very economical and convenient to produce, debug and put into service locally. Yes, after their generation is gone, it will be easier for the people after them to split apart and become independent, or even turn around and attack you.

This is on the west side.

In the eastern area, the jurisdiction of the Nurgan Regional Administration extended to Kuwu Island in the east, to the Onon River in the west, to the Tumen River in the south, and to the Greater Khingan Range in the north. The area further north was so sparsely populated that even fishing and hunting peoples were unwilling to go there.

The control over the Nurgan Regional Administration was also strengthened. After the Chenghua Li Ting, there was no strong resistance in the Northeast, so what the court did for decades was to further build up the bureaucratic system and bring the policy of "conscription" here.

Of the 20 troops that marched west, about were recruited here.

As for Korea, it has been incorporated into the Central Plains region economically by the Ming Treaty. Politically, it was originally a vassal state, and a relatively loyal vassal state like Ryukyu. The king's succession to the throne needed to be consulted by the Ming emperor, and the Chinese characters and currency were all the same as those in the Central Plains.

Korea was also a place where the policy of conscription was applied, and the population here was mainly used to support the Japanese garrison.

Today's Japan has become a place where order has been lost. A total of 130,000 Ming and Korean troops are stationed here, and their main task is to suppress rebellion.

Only when things are miserable here will they feel happy to go out and become slaves.

In the south, the Ming's presence was manifested in the form of a navy, which was stationed in various military ports.

More than a decade ago, Prime Minister Gu suggested to the court that more warships should be built, which was of course approved. So now the Ming Dynasty has more than 120 large and small warships stationed in Kaohsiung Port, Shitang Port, Cam Ranh Bay Port, Wanli Port, Qingshui Port on Java Island, and Datang Port in Siam, with a total of 110,000 naval soldiers.

The imperial court's policy of conscription has not yet been applied to these vassal states.

This is also what they are dissatisfied with.

Because the Ming Dynasty is very reasonable, when I take people from you, it is equivalent to taking the best young labor force, so usually I will give you some compensation.

Like what the Bratt tribe got.

This method can last longer. Otherwise, if you always keep oppressing people, they won't care who you are, Emperor Zhengde. If you only give them one way to survive, which is to resist, then they will have no choice but to go.

That's it on the surface.

But in fact, the reason why Zhu Houzhao did this was to "corrupt" the ruling classes of various tribes and countries.

Human nature is like this. It is difficult for wise and brave leaders to be born among luxurious enjoyment. They take some food, drink and clothes, and then "sell" their young people. This is not surprising. Even in the so-called modern civilized world, there are many leaders who sell out their country for personal gain.

Over time, these young people who go out will be divided into good and bad ones between the Ming Dynasty and the leaders of their own tribes.

The reason why the Southeast Asian countries did not promote conscription was, on the one hand, because it was not necessary. Southeast Asia is now the focus of economic development. Not many countries are fighting here, and no one dares to fight here.

Another reason is that they were not good fighters. They were short and thin, and people living in the tropics were naturally unorganized. Mongolian men were easier to train than them.

In this way, in the four directions of east, south, west and north, the real vast territory is the Ming Dynasty in the 35th year of Zhengde.

Not only that, at the emperor's instruction, Marquis Bowang set out again in the 25th year of Zhengde. Last time he headed west, this time he headed east. Zhu Houzhao's target was naturally the future Oceania, which is still inhabited by indigenous people.

In the 29th year of Zhengde, Marquis Bowang returned and brought back news of the existence of a supercontinent.

Since then, many businessmen have rushed there excitedly to sell their goods, but most of them have returned with a loss.

Actually, there is very little land in Oceania that is suitable for human survival. Most of it is wasteland and desert, so it is also known as the cursed continent. There are only relatively good places on the eastern and southeastern coasts.

And because it is an independent continent, it is very difficult for people to get out on their own once they arrive there. It is like a natural cage.

Therefore, Zhu Houzhao did not refuse this use. During the Qing Dynasty, there was a saying of exile to Ningguta, and he also came up with a similar punishment, which was to exile the Ming Dynasty to the secondary mainland - this was the name he gave it.

Well, there is one more secondary continent, although only in name.

But this is still a huge territory. Some people call Tang the Giant Tang, and now the Ming Dynasty can also be called the Giant Ming.

In order to rule well, the Ming Dynasty relied on not only 250,000 northern border defense troops, 200,000 western expedition troops, 110,000 navy stationed in Southeast Asia and 50,000 navy stationed in domestic naval ports, but also one of the most powerful forces, which was the famous Beijing Garrison Military Region.

The above-mentioned 450,000 ground forces, 160,000 naval forces, and the second-rate troops stationed in Japan and the secondary continent are not the limit of what the Ming Dynasty can support today.

Far from it.

Because in each region, such as Xinjiang, Hetao, and Liaodong, there is corresponding land reclamation, and food is not a problem for them at all. The garrisons in Nanyang are in the name of protecting various countries, and the local vassal states have to share this part of the cost.

So where did the wealth generated by the prosperous Jiangnan, the flourishing maritime trade, and the booming industries go?

The answer lies in the Beijing Garrison Military Region.

In the 35th year of Zhengde, Duke of Yue Zhou Shangwen was still alive. He was 65 years old, but in good health. After all, in history, there were many people who went to the battlefield in their 70s.

This veteran general, who was promoted by the emperor himself and has almost earned the status of a founding hero over the decades, still commands the powerful Beijing Garrison Military District, with a total of 300,000 professional soldiers.

It should be said that after the northern border expanded outward, the original nine-border system has gradually disintegrated, and it is meaningless to continue to station troops along the Great Wall. The impact on the surrounding areas of the capital is that the original military strongholds such as Xuanfu, Datong, and Jizhou have continued to decline in status.

Now they have lost the color of military garrisons and have begun to become more like a prefecture in the interior and have started economic construction.

However, given the importance of the capital, Zhou Shangwen devoted himself to studying and formulating a defense network for the capital area in the following years. Naturally, these 300,000 people were not all concentrated in the city, but were distributed in important towns and passes around the capital, thus forming a clearly defined and interconnected defense system to achieve the purpose of protecting the center.

Places like Juyongguan and Zijingguan have been put under the jurisdiction of the Beijing Garrison Military District. Datong, Xuanfu and Jizhou are also garrisons at some of the nodes.

Not all of these people are cavalry. Although cavalry have their bravery, three hundred thousand cavalry are simply too many, and this is not Beiliang.

Besides, there is no need for that. Since the purpose is to protect the central government, the overall military training and combat capability improvement are carried out by combining cavalry, infantry and firearms, and they can also rely on strong cities and passes.

This was a decision Zhu Houzhao made in light of the An-Shi Rebellion, which was to build a strong central government. It can be said that if the capital of the Ming Dynasty were to fall, there was only one possibility, and that was internal chaos. If the defense system was functioning normally and someone outside rebelled and wanted to attack the capital, then the cannons at the outer defense nodes would be enough to deal with him.

A powerful Gyeonggi Army may never see the day of its blossoming in its entire lifetime. Its value is to intimidate those ambitious people in ordinary days, use this strength to calm them down, and make them give up their plans.

So even though some people don't understand, there has never been an unbreakable iron barrel or an unconquerable fortress in the world's military history. Perhaps by the time this power is really needed, the world will have already been corrupted. But Zhu Houzhao understands that its value lies in keeping the four directions stable and the people's hearts at ease for a few decades.

It is also because of this that he, the emperor, can receive the worship of all officials in the Forbidden City!

(End of this chapter)