Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

"That's great! We do need artillery and ammunition, as well as skilled gunners."

Guru was so happy that he could hardly contain himself. He stood up and saluted Zhang Shikang again.

He didn't dare to mention the artillery and ammunition. After all, these things were the killing weapons of the Ming Dynasty. He didn't expect that the smiling marshal in front of him would take the initiative to provide them. This really made him overjoyed.

"Of course, I can provide you with forty French machine guns, as well as all the gunners and ammunition.

In addition, if other tribes or the Jianlu dare to attack you, the Ming Dynasty will directly send troops to help you."

Zhang Shikang still had a gentle smile on his face and spoke again.

"If my father Khan knew this news, he would naturally be very grateful to the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and the Grand Marshal!" Guru said happily.

He felt that this trip to Ming Dynasty was really worth it.

With the material supplies and military support promised by the Ming court, their tribe no longer had to fear invasions from other surrounding tribes.

Even if the Qing Dynasty attacked, he had heard that since this great marshal took control of the military power, he was not afraid of the Qing Dynasty at all and had won several battles.

However, he was still too young and was happy too early. He did not understand that all the gifts from fate were secretly marked with a price.

Zhang Shikang likes to eat all kinds of delicious food, but he never likes to suffer losses.

The nest was ready, the black carp in the water were full, and the float had begun to sway up and down. Zhang Shikang then said:

"This is as it should be. Since your ancestor Altan Khan has accepted the title bestowed by the Ming Dynasty, he is now a citizen of the Ming Dynasty.

It is the court’s duty to help its people resist foreign enemies and overcome difficulties.”

What Zhang Shikang was talking about was naturally the events of the Longqing period. At that time, in order to end the long-standing disputes, Altan Khan accepted the enthronement of Emperor Longqing and became the hereditary King of Shunyi of the Ming Dynasty outside the Great Wall.

The Guihua City mentioned by Guru was also built by the Tumed tribe with the help of the Ming Dynasty. The Mongols called it Kukuhetun, and the Ming Dynasty named it Guihua City.

The so-called naturalization means submission and conformity, and this city is the predecessor of Hohhot.

But after the end of the Wanli period, the financial situation of the Ming court became increasingly worse, and peasant uprisings had already begun during the Tianqi period.

After Brother Chongzhen took over, peasant uprisings were in full swing. The imperial court was so busy with its own affairs that it had no time to pay attention to its little brother outside the Great Wall.

So much so that by the early years of Chongzhen, the succession of the title of King of Shunyi had long ceased.

The reason why Zhang Shikang gave us such good treatment is certainly not for nothing, that is, we have to continue this vassal relationship.

Sure enough, Guru was stunned when he heard this.

"Grand Marshal, I need to go back and ask my father Khan about this matter."

"Yes, as long as your father agrees, I can give you all the supplies I promised.

Not only that, I can even send a special elite force to assist you in defending the city.

Or if your father Khan agrees, I can also set aside an area for you inside the pass so that you can bring the elderly, weak, women and children in your tribe to live inside the pass, so that you don’t have to worry about anything.”

Zhang Shikang was silent for a moment.

At that time, the Tumed tribe was invaded by the Later Jin Dynasty and sought help from the court, but Chongzhen simply did not have the energy to take care of it.

As a result, the Tumed tribe soon split, the Eastern Tumed completely surrendered to the Later Jin, and was incorporated into the Eight Banners of Mongolia.

Although Xitumed also expressed his submission to Huang Taiji, he had been secretly conducting small-scale trade with the border towns of the Ming Dynasty.

But no matter how, when it comes to handling this matter, the court always put its subjects aside. Now that they want to renew their relationship, Zhang Shikang has certainly shown his sincerity.

In short, as long as you acknowledge that you are subjects of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Shikang of the Xitumed tribe will be safe, and even the Jade Emperor will be unable to stop him!

But Zhang Shikang's words still frightened Guru.

Whether the Ming Dynasty sent troops to Guihua City or brought the elderly, the weak, women and children into the interior, these were extremely sensitive matters.

After all, that was almost equivalent to voluntarily handing over hostages, and allowing the Ming Dynasty to move into Guihua City was also equivalent to handing over one's own defense forces.

Of course, the same thing can be viewed completely differently from different perspectives.

Of course, the Guru would have many concerns, even if Zhang Shikang sincerely wanted to help them.

This is actually a kind of game. After all, a relationship cannot be renewed just by saying so, and you are not truly loyal to the Ming Dynasty just because you say you will be loyal to the Ming Dynasty.

But if you let the Ming Dynasty send troops to settle there, or bring the elderly, the weak, women and children to seek refuge in the interior, then everything can be proven.

After all, Zhang Shikang was not lying. Throwing 30,000 to 40,000 old, weak, women and children into the Ming Dynasty pass would not cause any splash.

"Your Excellency the Grand Marshal, you should understand that I cannot make the decision on such an important matter. I should go back and ask my father Khan." Guru repeated.

"Okay then, you'd better go back and ask as soon as possible, time waits for no one.

I won't hide it from you. I just killed 10,000 elite soldiers of Huang Taiji in Jinzhou City. He is so angry that he doesn't know where to vent his anger. Don't go after you." Zhang Shikang said casually.

As soon as he finished speaking, the Guru was surprised again.

Huang Taiji's 10,000 elite troops naturally refer to the Eight Banners. Regardless of whether they are the Eight Banners Mongolians or the Eight Banners Manchus, their combat effectiveness is quite strong.

That’s ten thousand people!

With such surprise, Guru quickly left Xuanfu City with his entourage.

He must go back as soon as possible to tell his father Khan Ombu that this is a matter of great importance concerning the survival of their tribe and a decision must be made as soon as possible.

"Does the Marshal intend to recruit them?" Lu Xiangsheng asked after Guru left.

Over the past two hundred years, the Ming Dynasty has incorporated Mongolian tribes. In fact, the 3,000-strong camp among the original three camps of the Ming Dynasty was composed mainly of the 3,000 Mongolian cavalry who surrendered when the country was founded.

The so-called Shunyi King's tribe seemed to be enthroned, but in fact it was just a superficial submission. The Ming court paid a lot and even helped them build a city.

You have to know that before this, the entire grassland nation had not had a decent city for thousands of years.

But this kind of relationship is not reliable after all. To put it bluntly, the court's control is too weak.

It’s different if you recruit as a whole. If you are loyal, your elderly, the weak, women and children will all live well, but if you are disloyal, I’m sorry, those people are really hostages.

After all, fists are the truth.

"Why should we recruit them? Herdsmen are herdsmen. After they move to the city and become farmers, who would still want to practice horse riding and archery?" Zhang Shikang shook his head.

He really just wanted to help these Mongols solve their worries, and let them continue to graze when the situation eased or the Ming Dynasty started its Northern Expedition.

Cultural assimilation is not always a good thing, especially in the era of cold weapons. After assimilation, barbarism is gone, and the power of bravery will naturally be weakened.

He did not want to solve the threat from the north in this way. The cavalry could still thrive for at least another two hundred years.

Even if he devoted all his energy to the study of firearms, it would not be a problem for him to continue for another few decades or a hundred years, because the Ming Dynasty also needed cavalry.

"Governor Lu, I will only rest in Xuanfu for one day and will rush to Yulin tomorrow.

Later, you will inform Sun Chuanting and tell him that after receiving the letter, the Qin soldiers will immediately go on alert, and your Tianxiong Army will do the same.

I will gather the generals and deputy generals of all the military towns in the west in Yulin to discuss matters and solve all problems at once."

……