Beihai City.
Since the complete destruction of the Manchu rule over Lake Baikal, the imperial court established the Beihai Governor's Palace with Beihai (Lake Baikal) as the center.
Although the states of Fukuo and Liang are further north than Mobei, due to the neutralization of the vast waters of Lake Baikal, summer is six degrees lower than nearby areas, while winter is ten degrees higher, giving it a maritime effect.
The same is true. Two hundred thousand Buryats lived here. After being conquered by the Manchu Qing Dynasty, they were conquered by the Ming Dynasty.
With Beihai City as the center, the Governor's Mansion established a large number of villages and towns, with the size controlled to about a thousand people.
According to the type of work, it is basically divided into three categories:
Fishing, farming, logging.
A large amount of rye and wheat have been planted on the broad and suitable land. After many years of continuous reclamation, the cultivated land area has reached one million acres, which is equivalent to several counties in the mainland.
The increase in food made Beihai a granary, responsible for Mobei, Liang State, and Fuguo, and played a role in logistical support.
Otherwise, the day lily will be cold by the time the court arrives.
In the Governor's Mansion, Xia Wanchun had a headache.
He is only in his mid-forties, and as the number one scholar in Shaowu's seventh year, he has already become a local official.
After one term, he can serve in the central government. After a few years, he can expect to be in the cabinet.
"It's been more than ten years, why are there only 80,000 people?"
Xia Wanchun looked at the chief envoy in front of him, unable to restrain his anger in his words.
The chief envoy was obviously older than him, but he trembled and suppressed his fear: "The governor of the constitution is really powerless unless he is a low-ranking official and does nothing."
As he spoke, his gray beard trembled, and there was a hint of crying in his words:
"The 500,000 people in the North Sea are all greedy for the warm climate here and are unwilling to go north. Only those Mongolians who came north from the grassland and are extremely poor are willing to obey..."
"It took a lot of effort to implement this!"
Hearing this, Xia Wanchun raised his eyebrows but did not refute it.
As the peace progressed and the grassland population increased, some landless herdsmen, or the youngest or second sons of the family, had to come to Beihai to make a living.
Beihai has become a shelter.
However, large trees are scarce on grasslands, and more than 90% of Beihai is forest. There is a lot of logging work. Many herdsmen naturally want to log when they have the strength.
After all, just for the logging industry, the taxes paid on paper, wood, tables, chairs, and benches, etc., exceed 30,000 yuan a year, supporting tens of thousands of people.
Therefore, in order to allow the herdsmen to go north to explore, the Beihai Governor's Office continued to increase the number of recruits, and finally recruited them with favorable conditions of 500 acres of cultivated land and 1,000 acres of forest land.
But human nature is greedy for warmth, and few people are willing to go north. Most people stay in Beihai.
"Brother Zhao, it's not me who is suppressing you, but the imperial court is suppressing me!"
Xia Wanchun shook his head, asked the latter to sit down, and drank hot tea together.
"The Liang Kingdom and Fu Kingdom have been established for many years, and the imperial court has established a large number of vassal states in Nanyang. In turn, the twenty-sixth prince, King Huo, came."
"King Huo is already fourteen, and there are still about twenty princes to come. The cabinet has long planned to establish a city-state in the north, at least twenty!"
Xia Wanchun sighed: "However, your Majesty is always strong and energetic. I'm afraid he may still survive, so he needs to be more prepared."
"The city-state's planning must be stepped up!"
The chief envoy frowned: "Can't we be more relaxed?"
"More generous? It's outrageous!" Xia Wanchun said helplessly: "Twenty thousand people can organize an army of five thousand, which is the minimum."
Considering the future reduction of the Nanyang territory and the country's financial problems, the emperor and the cabinet discussed the implementation of a one-city-one-state system in the vast Hanhai wilderness area.
In the beginning, a city had a population of 100,000 people.
It was immediately reduced to 50,000, then to 20,000, and could not be reduced any further.
The foundation for implementing this plan is the Beihai Governor's Mansion.
The executors are the successive governors of Beihai.
Therefore, when the cabinet faced Beihai's annual tax of up to 150,000 yuan, it only asked for 20%, and the rest was left in Beihai.
Naturally, the evaluation of the Beihai Governor's Mansion is different from that of the mainland. The first is the development of the vast wilderness, and the second is a stable place.
When it comes to his own future, Xia Wanchun dares not to do his best?
"Is there any good strategy?" Xia Wanchun leaned slightly and said solemnly: "This is related to the important affairs of the imperial court!"
It is also related to the future of both of us!
The chief envoy hesitated for a while, then gritted his teeth and said, "The plan now is to increase the stakes, with a thousand acres of cultivated land, two thousand acres of forest land, plus cattle and sheep..."
"This still needs to be discussed!" Xia Wanchun looked like he was thinking: "The price is too high, and it will affect Beihai's treasury..."
The chief envoy heard this and agreed: "It is indeed true. After all, the North Sea is the ballast stone of the grassland."
"Okay, you should think more about what good ideas you can come up with when you go back!"
After he left, Xia Wanchun stretched out, showing a hint of melancholy.
If we want to increase the number of immigrants, we have to come up with more favorable conditions, but this will also delay the safety of Beihai's treasury.
This is a dilemma.
Wearing his jacket, he left the study.
At this time, relaxing becomes the first choice.
The huge Beihai Governor's Mansion was converted from the Manchu Imperial Palace. Although it occupied 30% of the area, it was still huge, covering an area of more than 20 acres.
There were more than twenty soldiers on duty at the Governor's Mansion alone, and hundreds of clerks and followers.
The servant Shen Xi beside him followed closely behind him and went out together.
Beihai City is not big, only housing about 100,000 people. The temperature in March is still chilly, and all the pedestrians are wearing woolen jackets and talking casually.
To the south is the grassland, and there is no shortage of wool and sheepskins. An ordinary woolen jacket only costs thirty or fifty cents, and you can earn it by cutting down trees in three days, so you can certainly afford it.
Xia Wanchun calmed down when the noisy sounds reached his ears.
"Who would want to leave such a prosperous place?" He laughed.
Suddenly, he asked his servant Shen Xi: "If I gave you a thousand acres of land and a thousand acres of forest, would you be willing to go north to Hanhai?"
"This?" Shen Xiwei said, "Sir, although the old servant only has three to five acres of dry land at home, he will never go north."
"Your family has some savings, so it's different. However, do you think those Tatars are penniless, so why are they unwilling to go north?"
Xia Wanchun continued to ask.
"Maybe it's deserted, or it's cold!"
"Tatars are afraid of the cold!"
"That means you can't get a wife!" Shen Xi said casually: "In addition to eating and drinking, in this life, people have to pass on the family line. We can't let the surname left by our ancestors be lost..."
"Mother-in-law?" Xia Wanchun was stunned for a moment, then smiled: "That's it!"
Nine out of ten Tatars who come to Beihai are strong men, and this is even more true for those who go to Hanhai. With a group of big men here, without women, who would want to take root in the wilderness?
Woman, such a simple question, he didn't even think of it.
When he returned to the mansion, he immediately decided to hold a blind date for the group of strong men who had roots in the north and were not yet married.
The places are in Beihai and Mobei.
Men who own land and woodland are property owners and are naturally popular. Of course, getting married is not a problem.
Doing so will also expand the population of the Hanhai region, allowing it to grow in the long term.
"Only for this reason, won't 18,000 people migrate this year?"
Xia Wanchun said proudly.
…
Lower Ural River.
The dust in the sky was rolling in the air, shining like gold when illuminated by the scorching sun, like a beautiful scene.
But on the grass, there was a battlefield filled with blood.
The two warring parties were the Manchu Qing and the Torgut tribe.
The low hills were riddled with holes.
Broken arrows, broken shields, and charred corpses all left deep marks on this land.
The intact war horses lowered their heads and ate grass, while more war horses lay on the ground and lost their lives.
Accompanying them are also a large number of human corpses, wearing felt hats and shabby sheepskin jackets. The most valuable thing is the knife on the body.
Riding on the horse, Xuan Ye's body was as clean as new, and his gorgeous armor reflected the sunlight and looked extremely shining.
During the war he was the best target, and after the war he was the most visible center.
His young face was filled with the joy of victory: "The victory in this battle is all due to your efforts!"
"This is the blessing of our ancestors and the result of your majesty's kindness——"
All the civil and military officials said in unison.
This group of Manchu and Mongolian warriors may not be able to read a few Chinese characters, but they remember the etiquette clearly and dare not exceed the rules in the slightest.
Xuan Ye was naturally noncommittal about this.
The joy of war is naturally deserved, and what makes him even more happy is the growth of a new generation of generals.
The few people standing with their heads held high in the front row were covered in condensed blood and exuded an unpleasant fishy smell.
The leader is the clan general Yue Le, who is the grandson of Taizu Nurhaci and the fourth son of Abatai, King of Raoyumin County. He is only forty years old.
The second best is Tuhai.
The remaining generals such as Yabu, Eza, the king of Xinjun, and Mulima also showed up.
The former generals such as Luck Dehun, Nikkan, and Bolo also had to give way.
"Your Majesty!" Suddenly, a horse galloped over, kneeling down dozens of steps away and shouting:
"After fleeing for more than ten miles, Ayuqi Khan of the Torgut tribe has now led his remaining troops to surrender to our tribe..."
"Hahaha!" Although this incident had been expected for a long time, Xuan Ye was still happy.
"Bring Ayuqi Khan to see me quickly!"
Xuan Ye sighed: "It's not easy to meet him, but he has been fighting for several days!"
"I don't know how many people were killed or injured..."
In order to conquer the Torgut tribe, he not only moved the capital and built a city a few years ago, but also continued to accumulate strength.
Until now, it has an army of 100,000 people, including more than 40,000 cavalry and more than 5,000 muskets. It can be said to be extremely powerful.
After three generations and decades of operation, the Torgut tribe has 50,000 herdsmen in the Volga River Basin, and can raise an army of 80,000 in an instant.
At the same time, the Rakshasa people would not stand idly by when their younger brother was conquered. They not only supported thousands of matchlock guns, but also several cannons, and even encouraged the Cossacks to help.
The war suddenly escalated and turned into 100,000 versus 90,000.
The confidence of the Torgut tribe increased greatly, but they forgot that the Manchus came from the east.
During many years of war, although the Manchus were chased all over the world, the large number of veterans retained by the Manchus were the backbone.
Both disciplined and strong in combat.
The good use of muskets and the sharpness of mounted shooting directly defeated the Torgut tribe.
To be precise, it was the Cossack cavalry who were frightened by the casualties and took the opportunity to escape, thus causing the great rout.
As a result, this conference battle ended in an anticlimactic manner.
Xuan Ye's chest was full of pride.
The vast area from the Liao River (Ural River) to the At River (Volga River) belonged to the Qing Dynasty.
The land that the four generations of the Turgut tribe have continuously developed will be even more prosperous than Liaojing!
Seeing that the emperor was in a state of confusion, no one dared to disturb him.
Only Tang Ruowang was sober: "Your Majesty, after this victory, our Qing Dynasty will show its power in the Khazar Sea (Caspian Sea), and the Ottomans and Persians will also notice us!"
"However, the biggest threat is the Rakshasa people!"
"Mr. Tang, please speak your mind!"
Feeling so proud, Xuan Ye wanted to get angry, but when he saw it was Tang Ruowang, he immediately calmed down and looked calm.
"The Rakshasa people in the past just regarded us as another Torgut tribe. They even thought of hiring us to fight and become mercenaries."
Tang Ruowang analyzed: "So after feeling that we were difficult to deal with, we chose to cease operations."
"Now our Qing Dynasty has conquered the Torgut tribe. It is a mercenary of the Rakshasa people and will never give up easily."
"What's more, the emergence of a huge country in the lower reaches of the At River is something that the Rakshasa people cannot accept and will definitely kill it."
"As the book says, how can others be allowed to sleep soundly beside the couch? You must know that there are tens of millions of Rakshasa people, a large number of muskets and artillery, and a large number of mercenaries."
With these words, not only Xuan Ye woke up, but also the generals nearby, and their joy was swept away.
Everyone looked solemn.
"I understand!" Xuan Ye nodded with a serious look on his face: "This victory is over. Now we have to face Rakshasa people that are several times the size of the Torgut tribe."
"This will be our biggest opponent in the future."
At this time, the first assistant Sony broke the atmosphere:
"Your Majesty, what should be done when Ayuqi Khan surrenders?"
"What does the cabinet mean?" Xuan Ye looked at Sony.
Sony shook his beard and said with a smile: "I feel that the Torgut tribe is too big, so it is best to win over them. They can restrain their leader in Liaojing and rule some of them."
"Not enough!" Xuan Ye said with a faint smile: "I still have to recruit five thousand elites and their family members to join the Eight Banners and call them the Turgut Banner."
"In this way, Turgut can live in peace for the time being!"
All the ministers praised him one after another.
Not long after the time passed, Ayuqi Khan returned in a state of embarrassment.
He is only forty-three years old, but he looks quite old, with rough skin, a round face, sideburns, and a typical Mongolian appearance.
"The sinner bows before His Majesty the Emperor——"
"Finally, I'm sweating profusely!" Xuan Ye suddenly dismounted, walked quickly to meet him, and lifted him up from his kneeling position:
"I have long heard that the Great Khan is famous in the Khazar Sea, and today I finally got my wish!"
Ayuqi Khan was stunned. The insult he imagined did not come, but he was so polite.
"Does the Great Khan have an unmarried daughter?"
"There are two good-looking ones!" Ayuqi Khan realized.
"Then marry me together!" Xuan Ye said with a smile, "I am truly blessed to be able to marry both of you."
(End of chapter)
