First Minister of Ming Dynasty

With a loud shout, all the officials looked north.

"Where is that? It's the land beyond the Great Wall, the desert grassland... the place where the great Yuan Dynasty flourished! The Emperor Yuan escaped from Dadu and went to Shangdu to live on his last breath! Our Northern Expedition this time only took Dadu back, and so There are many lands that have not been subordinated, and there is no plow court to sweep holes, and go straight to Huanglong! The remnants of the Yuan court are still there, and hundreds of thousands of troops are watching."

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly changed his tone, and the banquet changed from joy to solemnity.

This is how the emperor laughed when he was happy, and the emperor changed when he was angry.

"We award meritorious officials, it is necessary to reward, we have to reward! They assisted Zuozhen, from a commoner to the king of the world. They have the merit of starting a business and the restoration of China!"

"But we want to tell the big guy that there are still greater achievements waiting for the big guy. Le Shi Yanran, seal the wolf and live in Xu. Open up the territory and expand the country. He is Genghis Khan, who can run for thousands of miles and destroy the country forty. Today, outside of the Western Regions, there are still countless Mongolian vassal kings who belong to the country... There is no reason why we can't do what they can do!"

Lao Zhu sighed: "We heard that Genghis Khan suffered a lot when he was a child. His father was poisoned to death by his enemies, and he was displaced for several years. He and his mother and brothers struggled to survive. The family only had a few cows and horses. Let us ask ourselves, can he stand out and fight well?" It is indeed not easy to be in a prosperous Mongolian age, and we can be called the pride of a generation. But we feel that when it comes to suffering, our early experience is probably still higher than him, and our future achievements will also far surpass him!"

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at the group of officials, including those who had been sealed and those who hadn't.

"Whoever of you can be Wei Qing and Huo Qubing of Ming Dynasty, who can be Ban Dingyuan of Ming Dynasty... We are waiting for you! Whoever can destroy the Yuan court, regain the Western Regions, sweep the Mongolian kingdoms, a champion, we are also willing to give it!"

After Lao Zhu said these few words, Lan Yu's eyeballs were rounded, her breathing was short of breath, and the blood rushed to her head desperately.

It's just killing me!

He had been by Zhang Ximeng's side for a long time, so he knew Huo Qubing's record, and he also knew the title of Champion Marquis.

I'm afraid even my brother-in-law's Zheng Guogong can't compare to him!

Seal the wolf to live in Xu, Le Shi Yanran.

The pinnacle of generals, the romance of men!

This is what a man should pursue.

Even though he knew that Zhu Yuanzhang might be drawing big cakes, Sapphire and many other generals were uncontrollably poisoned.

This location is really good, with the Yanshan Mountains stretching and the Bohai Sea turbulent.

The wind from Liaodong blows towards our faces.

There are drums and horns contending in the wind, there are gold and iron horses, and there are countless famous generals shouting... It turns out that the real focus of today's awards is not the rewards for heroes, but the outlook and longing for the future.

The mountains are high and the sea is wide, and heroes emerge in large numbers.

I'm a young man, and I should be a horse and a whip.

Zhu Yuanzhang raised the golden cup in his hand, "Come, let's drink this cup together!"

The generals accompanied Zhu Yuanzhang, drinking fine wine and looking at Guanshan. Everyone was full of emotions and couldn't help themselves.

Old Zhu came from a humble background, so why not them.

Along the way, they have become Kaiyuan heroes, and there will be even greater contributions waiting for them.

Zhu Yuanzhang returned to his seat, needless to say that he was motivated by this award.

Afterwards, the big guys toasted frequently, sang and drank, and it was very lively.

Zhang Ximeng obviously can't drink much. He didn't drink much during the wedding, but today he made an exception and drank a lot. Even if it was just wine, he felt a little lost.

"Xu Da, how do you manage Yanyun Land now? Do you have an idea?" Zhang Ximeng asked proactively.

Xu Da couldn't help cheering up, and hurriedly said: "Sir, I thought there were still a lot of remnants of the Yuan court, especially in Liaodong, where there were several 10 troops. Liaoyang is an important town, and we must get it in our hands. "

At this time Weiyuan Hou Guanduo immediately stood up, and walked over quickly, bowed and said: "The king of Lu is here, and the officials thought that they could send troops from Goryeo, go east and west, take back Liaoyang, and expel the Liaodong Yuan army in one fell swoop!"

With these two people taking the lead, the rest of the generals called for battle one after another, wishing they could lead their troops out immediately and slash people with their knives.

Zhang Ximeng laughed loudly, "What you said is very reasonable. From a military point of view, it is true. But what I want to ask you guys is, since most of them have been recovered, how can we defend such a large piece of land?"

Zhang Ximeng said again: "This place is different from Jiangxi, Huguang, and the Central Plains. In those places, as long as we implement the equalization of land and organize the people, we can hold the place. At a few key points, station troops and horses, that is, gone."

"But it won't work here. After crossing Yanshan Mountain, there are countless tribes. They grew up on horseback, riding horses and archery, just like eating and drinking water. Every autumn and winter, survival is difficult, and they have to go south to plunder. Slaughter the people, Do no evil."

"If we just hand over the land to the people and let them farm here, they will become the prey of the Mongolian cavalry, killed and robbed, and they will not be able to gain a foothold. If the peasants cannot gain a foothold, we will have no way of controlling this place."

"Besides, the Emperor Yuan is still in Shangdu, and the remnants of the Yuan court are still there. They won't let it go. The Central Plains' world of flowers and flowers is lost. These people must be heartbroken. I don't believe that they are sincerely united from now on. But they are not willing to endure hardships and suffer, and want to take back Dadu and live a good life of domineering and blessing again, but it is certain."

Zhang Ximeng paced among the generals, analyzing what might happen next.

Among the crowd, Lan Yu suddenly said: "Mr. Zhang, since they are not willing, let's send troops and beat them to their heart's content!"

Zhang Ximeng smiled, "That's right, but it's not comprehensive. Of course we have to send troops, but the problem is that if we don't have a solid rear, we don't have a suitable forward base. It all depends on transporting food, grass and supplies from the hinterland of the Central Plains. How many battles can we fight?" The first battle? I believe that you are all powerful warriors in the world, with both wisdom and courage, so you are not afraid of the Yuan army. But I want to ask you, if you are hungry, if you don’t touch your lips for a few days, surrounded by enemy soldiers, and you are exhausted, You can fall asleep while walking, how can you fight?"

"Besides, the grassland is so vast and stretches thousands of miles. If we send troops there, if the enemy flees far away and doesn't fight us, relying on the large number of horses, they will drag us down and drag us down to death? What will you do?"

Zhang Ximeng questioned them one after another, which made the freshly released heroes of the Ming Dynasty feel a little hesitant. Indeed, if the Yuan army used this almost rogue style of play, they really had nothing to do.

Xu Da thought about it: "What do you mean, sir?"

Zhang Ximeng said with a smile: "I think the top priority is that we need a special soldier who can fight and farm, with a hoe in one hand and a long knife in the other. There are not many people left in Dadu, and they only rely on the supply from the south. The pressure is too great. Big. We must find a way to grow food, feed livestock, and solve the problem of military supplies by ourselves.”

"But then again, the Yuan army will not let us farm with peace of mind, they will definitely come to destroy, so we must be able to fight tough battles!"

When Zhang Ximeng said this, the answer seemed to be ready.

Hu Dahai stood up and said loudly: "Mr. Zhang, I understand what you mean. Ten years ago, most of us were farmers. For more than ten years, we are used to holding knives and guns. Now let us use one hand to re- Pick up a hoe, we can do it! I, Hu Dahai, am willing to be the first!"

Chapter 568 The Prince Guards the Frontier

Drinking Yanshan is not only to reward the meritorious service, but also to find a way out and arrange the next stage of combat deployment.

Taking advantage of the wine, Zhang Ximeng chatted with the generals. They are located near the mountains and the sea, and the terrain is dangerous, so they can build a pass city.

Even the place name is ready-made, it is called Shanhaiguan.

Next, it is inseparable to use troops to the north, continue to pursue the remnants of the Yuan court, and consolidate the northern frontier.

"It should be very clear to you that you have fought northward all the way. The land of the Central Plains has ten rooms and nine empty spaces, and it is still difficult to maintain. The population in the north is even more depleted, and with the remnants of the Yuan court on the side, the wars continue, and the people are difficult to survive. But just took The returned land cannot be handed over to others, and the homeland that has been lost for 500 years cannot be given up."

"So this burden has to be carried by all the soldiers. I know that the big guys will find it difficult, and maybe a little bit unfair. It was originally the peace you created and the homeland you took back. It's too late to enjoy it, and it's not a few days The days of prosperity and wealth. Instead, it is really inappropriate to ask you to cultivate and farm in the bitter cold land, build cities and fortresses, and resist enemy soldiers... It is really inappropriate for you to suffer all the hardships."

As Zhang Ximeng said, his eyes flicked across everyone's faces, and he could see all the big guys' expressions.Indeed, up to now, many people want to return to their hometowns with their wives and yin sons, show off, and then return to Yingtian with a golden sword and enjoy the benefits.

It is really embarrassing for them to continue to endure hardships in the north, fighting wars and farming.

With a dark face, Hu Dahai suddenly poured a mouthful of wine into his mouth, clenched his fists, gritted his teeth and said: "It is unnecessary to say, Zhang Xiang, maybe it is a little unfair, but since it is a country and a family, we can't do anything." It's fair... Some people have to pay more and work harder. Otherwise, what can we do? Is it possible that they have been defeated, retreated, and then give up the great mountains and rivers to the Yuan army? Let them continue to grow and grow, and recharge their batteries , come back to the shame of Jingkang, Yashan’s disastrous defeat?”

Hu Dahai waved his fist fiercely, "As long as I am still alive, I can't agree! The soldiers can't agree either! According to my idea, let's simply set up a farm camp in the north and require all soldiers to guard the border for generations and not return to their hometowns." Take this place as your hometown!"

After saying this, many people's faces changed, and they were obviously a little panicked.

Among the generals, Wu Zhen pondered over it and said in a low voice: "It's not like we don't have this field camp. Kang Maocai has been a field envoy for a long time, and he is responsible for this matter. It's just that in the past, some veterans were used, and they were not in good health. Okay, those with disabilities, they are farming behind, real soldiers, although they also farm, but after crossing the river, they don’t do much of this work.”

Hu Dahai stared at him, "What do you mean? I can't do it anymore? Or what's going on? Can you explain it more clearly?"

Wu Zhen's face was flushed, "This... of course you can farm. It's just that the big guys have worked hard for more than ten years, and they should be guarding the fields. But if you say that you can't even go back to your hometown after guarding the border for generations, you will die in a foreign land from now on. Also, it's too unkind!"

After he finished speaking, several generals, including those who had been knighted, nodded their heads in agreement.

After thinking about it, Zheng Yuchun said, "I don't have any other intentions. I'm willing to defend the border. I'm just wondering if the brothers below can set a time limit, say five years or ten years, and there must be a rotation. It’s time to go home, or to go home. Then give the big guys some compensation, so it’s reasonable.”

Hu Dahai raised his brows and wanted to speak, but unexpectedly Xu Da held his shoulder and signaled Hu Dahai not to continue talking.Xu Da stood up, cleared his throat, and said to the big guys: "What you said makes sense, but this truth can't be put into the present..."

Xu Da turned around, pointed to the open field around him, and said in a deep voice, "There is nothing around Dadu now. Even if we set up military settlements, the rule is that they will be rotated every three years and every five years. How can you ensure that the soldiers are willing to stay here?" Here? What if someone can't bear the loneliness and runs away?"

"Even if the soldiers don't run away, it doesn't make sense to be alone and far away from home. We want the big guys to stay here with peace of mind, have children, and settle down. Then develop all kinds of industries, gather more people, let Most of them are about the same as Jiangnan. But if there are only military villages, only a group of old men farming and fighting here...No one else is doing other things. In the end, there is still no foothold, and it is still not safe enough."

"Think about it, is this the truth? If it's just farming, it's enough for the big guys to live in a barracks. But if you want to start a family, you need to build a house, you need to buy furniture, you need food, clothing, housing, transportation, food and drink, and there will be ten or eight years. In a few years, villages and towns can be gathered one by one, and only in this way can we have peace of mind, live forever, and completely keep this piece of land."

After Xu Da said this, Hu Dahai nodded immediately, "Yes, that's what I mean, he said it more clearly than me!"

After listening to the other generals, they also felt something.

The truth is this truth.

You can set up a pot to cook rice, but you can't set up a pot to cook the truth.

In this wasteland, it is really too difficult to live a life as it is!

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't say anything, just drank silently.

Obviously, there was already a storm brewing in the heart of His Majesty the Emperor.

In fact, many policies that have been controversial in later generations did not have many problems at the beginning of their implementation. It can even be said that they are in line with the times and belong to well-intentioned efforts.

After all, with Zhu Yuanzhang's personality, if there are obviously problematic policies or strategies that are full of ills, he has already abolished them, and they will not last for future generations.

Taking the current situation as an example, the north has been separated for hundreds of years, the customs are very different, and there are many barbarians. If we don't take some measures, how can we keep these territories?

Made by the military household guards, it is naturally ready to come out.

Force the soldiers to settle down in the north, give them land, and let them farm and defend the border.Not only them, but their descendants also stay in the frontier to enrich the population and reproduce.

Only in this way can we completely control this land.

Is this wrong?

Looks like not!

Is there a better way?

Neither does it seem.

As for more than 200 years later, the military households collapsed, the guards were empty, and it was difficult to maintain... God is sorry, Lao Zhu had been dead for so many years at that time.

What's more, this is not a problem with the guard system, but failure to abide by the rules of the guard system!

Holding the wine glass, Zhang Ximeng thought for a long time, and finally said slowly, "This matter boils down to two levels. One is to keep this land, and the other is to keep people. People are on the ground, and people are on the ground." It’s a well-known fact.”

"In addition to forcing the soldiers to farm and defend the border, can we think of a way to make it not so difficult for everyone to stay?"

Zhang Ximeng said: "I see that my lord has brought so many civil servants and scholars. The first rule is that each field camp will be attached to a school. In the future, all soldiers and soldiers will be able to receive the best education. They can read and write, and take the imperial examination to become an official. Anyway, to give the big guys a bright future, this is what their fathers paid for with blood and sweat, it's a matter of course!"

"Secondly, the officers and men who farm the fields themselves should also enjoy twice the salary. Secondly, the land they cultivated should be exempted from the land tax for ten years, and the land tax should be halved in the future. Let the big guys live rich and comfortable."

These few words of Zhang Ximeng touched the hearts of some people, and they became a little tempted.

But there happened to be someone who didn't know what to say, Hu Dahai said in a muffled voice: "Mr. Zhang, if you do it this way, everyone will be able to live comfortably. Who is willing to endure hardships and farm? Are you afraid of turning people into waste?"

The big guy was so angry that he almost snorted, and if he couldn't speak, don't speak.

The purpose of raising troops in the field is to save military expenses. If the food and salary are doubled, wouldn't it be better to simply recruit soldiers?

If it is really posted like this, there will be tens of thousands of people, I am afraid that Li Shanchang will cry.

When the matter came to this point, the answer was already on the verge of coming out. Although the soldiers in the field could get considerable compensation, in the final analysis, the big guys still had to endure hardships and pay.

You have to start from scratch and start from scratch.

Old Zhu stood up slowly, after some deliberation, he had already made up his mind.

"Sir, we all agree on the establishment of schools and the reduction or exemption of land taxes. This is true, but the item of food and salary is not acceptable. Not only is it not possible, but at the beginning of farming, we need to pay more food, otherwise it will not be enough to maintain Frontier spending."

Zhang Ximeng also nodded helplessly, "That's true. It is difficult to have the best of both worlds in this world. The minister was also whimsical just now. I begged Your Majesty boldly to allow the minister to stay in Dadu and come up with a proper solution. If not, let the minister be in charge of reclamation. It's..."

"no!"

Hu Dahai stopped again, "Master Zhang, you study heaven and man, and you are His Majesty's confidant. There are so many things in the Ming Dynasty, how can you be allowed to stay in Dadu! It's the same sentence, I, Hu Dahai, am not afraid of hardships, and I am insignificant, so let me I will plow the fields here to defend against the enemy, and I promise not to lose an inch of land! Within three years, I will allocate 200 million mu of land to His Majesty, if I can't do it, I am willing to accept the military law!"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, Hu Dahai really has the overall situation in mind and is selfless.

"It's true that Duke Yue has to work hard on farming. But it can't just make the soldiers work hard. The Zhu family can't do anything."

Lao Zhu thought it over and said: "We are going to let the prince guard the border and share weal and woe with the soldiers!"

Upon hearing this, Song Lian was the most anxious person, "Your Majesty, the prince is still young, I'm afraid something is wrong!"

Old Zhu said: "The crown prince is ten years old this year, so he is not too young. We should let him understand the hardships of the people, and know that the country is not easy to come by."

Song Lian was shocked, "Your Majesty, the crown prince must not be on the frontier!"

Old Zhu said with a smile: "It's true that the prince is not good, but it is his duty to be a brother to let him work hard for his younger brothers for a few years. When the other princes grow up, after they are ten years old, they will come out to understand the people's feelings, and then they will go to the frontiers to defend the country and guard the borders." !"

"Others have to suffer, and Zhu's family is no exception!" Old Zhu's attitude is firm and unquestionable!

Chapter 569 Salt

After Zhu Yuanzhang announced that the prince was guarding the border, he took the wine glass and went to other tables... Except for the civil and military ministers of Ming Dynasty, everyone else was a little far away.

The emperor rewarded the meritorious officials, and when the titles were handed out, they also chanted long live together, beaming with joy. It is naturally an honor to be able to participate in such a big scene and witness history.

Next, Zhang Ximeng talked about garrisoning fields and guarding borders, and they also knew something about it.

Afterwards, the generals talked about specific measures, even loudly and softly. Some disputes were not heard very clearly due to the distance and the noisy voices.

But the big guys are not fools, and they can feel the solemnity in the air.