From Riyue Mountain to the north along the Lala River, where it merges into the Huangshui River, more than 20 riders wearing red tassel hats walked slowly eastward.
The leader of the divisions in Riyue Mountain, Gonpo Dorje, took off his red tassel hat and looked back at the people following him.
The leaders of the seven tribes each brought their sons and nephews, and everyone was as worried and worried as he was.
Autumn is not only the harvest season, but also a time for the court to collect horses and the Mongols to collect horses.
At this time in previous years, it would have been time for them to drive 40 good horses to the Xining Tea Horse Company and 20 pack horses to carry tea to Xiaohetao in the south of the Yellow River.
But this year there was an extra army at the foot of the mountain, and the man with the knife also said that his leader wanted one tenth.
Although Dai Daozi said that from now on, they no longer need to report to the Ming Dynasty or the Mongolian Lazuna Manatemba, in fact all three families said so.
The Ming court said that Nama would ensure peace, and Xiao Lazun also said that there was no need to give Nama to the Ming Emperor. It is one thing to say it, but another thing to do it.
The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty would not fight a battle for forty good horses, and Xiao Lazun would not send troops to harass the border for two thousand catties of tea.
Kampo Dorje is very clear about the difference. Nama and Timba are actually nothing more than protection fees.
It is not to be protected by Ming Dynasty or Xiao Lazun, but to be protected from being plundered by them themselves.
The process of Gonpot Dorje's growth from a boy who first entered the battlefield to a tribal leader was to watch the leaders who were loyal to the Ming Emperor die one after another.
Loyalty is always worthy of praise. Even in Gonpot Dorje's view, loyalty can make the personality of a person who died in vain more noble.
But in the borderless land, the only way to protect everyone is to obey and make yourself unworthy of being attacked.
Therefore, facing this army in the river valley, when the wizard's power was exhausted, Gonpo Dorje had no choice but to obey.
It’s just that it’s hard for them to come up with forty horses or two thousand catties of tea.
From a distance, Kampo Dorje saw the camp. The camp without fences was protected by a white tent, with red flags flying.
Under the flag, two rows of horse soldiers with spears on their backs pressed their knives. The tails of the spears were tied with rope loops and put on their right boots. The horses and horses faced each other, leaving a foot-wide passage.
At the outermost side of the passage, there was a young cavalryman wearing a war horse with a tiger patch on his chest. He was wearing the same red cotton armor as the cavalry behind him and was waiting for them with his sword pressed.
After more than two hundred steps, Gonpo Dorje led his men to dismount, leaving the leaders' sons to look after the horses. The seven leaders took off their red tasseled hats and looked at each other, each seeing uneasiness in the other's eyes.
Gonpot Dorje's brows seemed to have never stretched, and there were deep wrinkles on his face. He hummed indistinctly and walked forward bravely.
We have already arrived here. If we stretch out our head and shrink our head, it is also the same as a knife. There is nothing to hesitate about.
On the way to the camp, he had been secretly reviewing Chinese that he had not spoken for many years. He had been practicing this for several days.
They wore robes on their shoulders and tied belts around their waists. On the belts hung fire sickles, sewing bobbins, gunpowder pots, dog-beating sticks with tied ropes, rope slings, riding whips and knives.
That belt carried almost all of the Spanish man's belongings.
Finally, when he reached the edge of the camp, Gonpo Dorje bowed his hands in an unfamiliar salute: "General, we are the leaders of the Seven Tribes of Riyue Mountain. Please take us to see the commander-in-chief."
Liu Chengzong was stunned for a moment on the horse, then he was relieved, turned over and dismounted with a smile, nodded and said: "Follow me."
He valued the seven Xifan leaders from Riyue Mountain, so he came out to greet them personally.
Although there are not many people in these tribes, there are only a few thousand people including men, women, old and young, scattered over hundreds of miles.
But this is the first batch of Xifan tribes willing to join him, and it is a very good entry point.
As for Chen Qindai's line that has entered Haibei, although Dai Qing is still waiting for five hundred Han people to station, Liu Chengzong is not willing to send people there this year.
It was too cold. There was no house in Daiqing, so he was unwilling to lead five hundred people there to endure the cold. He couldn't warm himself up in Juerwan and send his men there to endure the cold.
So he planned to call Chen Qindai back first, and then go find Dai Qing in the spring of next year.
Anyway, Dai Qing, like Kampo Dorje, was attached to Xiao Lazun who was entrenched in Xiaohetao.
But once again being regarded as a team leader riding a red horse, Liu Chengzong felt that it was almost time for him to change his outfit.
Liu Chengzong, who was born as a border soldier, was different from those generals who were born in martial arts. Rather than gaining prestige by overpowering others in terms of rituals, his prestige had long been derived from victory.
Victory brings money and food, which makes him unfavorable in drought-stricken northern Shaanxi. Even if he wears a linen bag, others will still respect him.
Ordinary armor can ensure his survival rate in front-line battles.
So for a long time, even if he got more beautiful armor, he would not wear it. At most, he would put better quality armor pieces in his old cotton armor.
However, the period when he often had to be on the front line in person was almost over. Liu Chengzong believed that next, he could consider changing his wardrobe.
"General."
After taking just two steps, Liu Chengzong was stopped. When he turned around, he saw Gonpo Dorje taking out a ruby bead from his robe and handing it to him.
Gonpo Dorje whispered: "General, please accept it with a smile and say a few nice words in front of the commander-in-chief."
Liu Chengzong took the bead and smiled. He often saw this kind of gemstone from Uzang in Xining, and it was mostly used by the guards to decorate knives.
As he walked, he asked: "How many households do you have?"
Gonpo Dorje replied: "There are 1,540 households in the seven tribes, with a population of 4,600."
It was an integer. Liu Chengzong estimated how many people there were, but the big leader couldn't tell.
"Then how many acres of land have you cultivated?"
"There are 14,000 acres of mountainous land." Kampot Dorje was already prepared to answer such questions before he came, and he answered eloquently: "There are mature fields where highland barley has been planted continuously year after year, and one acre yields eight times the grain; there are fields where beans are planted every other year. A mature field can produce ten times the grains per acre; and highland barley, which is only planted in idle years, can be planted in September and produce four times the grains per acre."
Liu Chengzong calculated over and over again, but still couldn't figure out how much one acre of land could produce.
They have entered the camp, and Gonpot Dorje quietly observes the camp while answering questions.
Very neat dens were built on both sides of the passage three feet apart. The entrances of the dens faced the outside of the camp. Four rooms were connected vertically, five rooms were connected horizontally, and then there was a narrow passage, and then five rooms were connected.
The outermost underground nest also has perforations on the earth wall one foot above the ground.
Like small military formations buried underground.
Some of the dens had not yet been repaired, and the soldiers leaned against the door and looked at them relaxedly.
How to describe these people in the eyes of Gonpot Dorje?
It's not like he's trying to be intimidating, but it's definitely not friendly either.
Most of the people were tall and strong, but not everyone wore armor and carried weapons. Some even held hoes and shovels in their hands and were covered in mud.
They chewed smoked dried meat into strips with a relaxed and proud expression, and a bit of boring indifference. Everyone looked like they had been through hard work.
I quickly walked to the middle of the camp. It should be a large martial arts field. Not far away, there were soldiers shooting arrows at the target in the open space. There was a space left in the middle. Several clean sheepskins were spread on the ground. There was also a tiger skin to the north of the sheepskin. .
A low table was placed in front of each leather cushion.
On both sides, several people were already sitting, some wearing imperial robes and some wearing armor. Everyone stood up and saluted the young general.
Gonpo Dorje thought to himself, it seems that this young general has a good status in this army. Could he be Liu Chengzong's son?
Just as he was thinking this, the young general stretched out his hand toward the sheepskin mat and said, "Sit down."
Then, Gonpot Dorje's eyes widened, and the man actually sat on the tiger skin mat naturally!
Is this where you sit blindly?
Gonpo Dorje was a little angry, but due to the situation, he did not show it. He just asked respectfully: "Can't we see the commander-in-chief?"
Liu Chengzong smiled easily, raised his hand and threw the ruby bead back. He extended his hand to the seven people again and said, "Sit down, I am Liu Chengzong."
Liu, Liu Chengzong?
The seven leaders looked at me and I looked at you. In the end, Gonpo Dorje reacted first and quickly led people to salute Liu Chengzong again. He was about to say a few polite words, but Liu Chengzong raised his hand to stop him.
"There's no need to say any polite words. Sit down and let's talk about business."
When Gonpo Dorje and others sat down as instructed, Liu Shishi said: "It's good that you are willing to join me, but I still have to ask, what can you provide me?"
Gonpo Dorje wanted to turn around and make eye contact with the leaders. He was a little confused about Liu Chengzong's path, but the position of the cushion made it difficult for him to turn around, so he could only ask, "What does the commander need?"
"Grain, gold, silver, copper, iron, salt, saltpetre, sulfur, as well as war horses and troops."
A series of things popped out of Liu Chengzong's mouth, and then he asked: "What can you provide me?"
Gonpo Dorje looked troubled and explained: "We don't have gold, silver, copper, and iron salt there. We have to provide 280 horses to the imperial court every year. The excess grain is given to the Xining Guards in exchange for tea leaves to supply Xiao Lazun. If the commander-in-chief If you need food, we can get some."
They occasionally do some small handicrafts and small traders, mainly selling to the nomadic Mongolians and processing some stone and wood tools, but Liu Shishi's army obviously does not need these things.
Then the only thing that can be taken out is food.
But he didn't want to provide food. Those who worked in his village were busy for five hours a day and only had two bowls of tsampa to satisfy their hunger.
Squeeze in and let those people eat only one bowl of tsampa every day, which can provide Liu Chengzong with some more food.
Fortunately, this young commander looks like a polite veteran despite his contradictory temperament. He should be a very reasonable person and not too overbearing.
But Liu Chengzong was not satisfied with this answer.
He saw Liu Chengzong turning around, waving to the surroundings, and giving an order. Not long after, the man with the knife came, bowed his head and answered a few questions.
Then Liu Chengzong looked at them again: "Have you given Nama to the emperor and Timba to the Mongols this year?"
Gonpo Dorje shook his head.
"My people have told you that from now on you will no longer have to pay tribute to the emperor and the Mongols. Don't you understand?"
Liu Chengzong paused and said: "Now let me tell you that from now on, you can no longer pay tribute to others."
Gonpot Dorje clearly distinguishes between no need and no use, and the leaders behind them also clearly distinguish between them.
He felt that he had made a mistake. Liu Chengzong was much more domineering than he thought.
Even the Mongols were not allowed to pay tribute to the emperor.
No one was happy about this. Gonpo Dorje quickly shook his head and said: "Commander, we can give you 10% of the harvest, but we have to give it to them. If we don't give it to them, all seven of our troops will be robbed."
"You have to raise horses for the emperor and pay tribute to the Mongols. If you give me another tenth, how much will you have left?"
Liu Chengzong understood their worries in his heart and waved his hand: "Or if you are loyal to me, and the emperor and the Mongols ask for something from you, then let them come to see me."
"First, you have seven tribes of men and horses, each with 200 elite soldiers, and you will obey my orders. I don't care about the affairs of the seven tribes, as long as you pay tribute to 400 war horses every year."
Liu Chengzong deliberately overstated the number of troops. He didn't want these people to make this choice: "Second, save the li and merge the households with the people. You leaders will get my official position, and all taxes will only be paid ten cents." one."
"Would it be better to pay three shares or one share? And if you choose the latter, my people need a lot of things. I will send people to open the market regularly. Bring your extra things here and we can buy them."
After Liu Chengzong finished speaking, he waved to the side, and the guards came forward with the wooden trays that had been prepared, placed them in front of each leader, and removed the red cloth covering the trays.
There is no treasure underneath, just fifty taels of silver.
"If you are willing to be loyal, this is your reward."
In fact, Liu Chengzong didn't care at all what the Seven Divisions of Riyue Mountain could pay him.
In his opinion, these tribes are too poor. Although they can provide the court with 280 horses every year, the horses do not delay their poverty.
Just like Huang Wa's family also provides horses to the court every year, which does not make him poor, and even makes him poorer because of raising horses.
The price of horses in Han Dynasty is high, but here, the value of horses will be slightly lower, but not too low, but just like the money in Liu Chengzong's hands in northern Shaanxi.
There is no market here, and Xining will not trade fairly with the people here, let alone Namafan.
What cannot be spent has no value.
He came to Qinghai not for wealth, but to train his team's ability to get along with the people. How could he train without the people?
Even if they win every battle, they are still not a political power.
But with the people, they can transform into political power. Going west, they can gain experience in governing the people, and going east, they can gain experience in instigating rebellion and mobilizing the people.
Fifty taels of silver is a moderate amount of wealth for the seven-headed people. No one will be excited about it, and no one will be dissatisfied with it.
But this made Gonpot Dorje even more vigilant, and he asked: "The commander-in-chief wants to go to war with them?"
Liu Chengzong smiled and shook his head. Of course he wanted to go to war with Xiao Lazun. These leaders who controlled too much territory were not on his list.
But you can't say it, because if you say it, the leaders of the seven departments will feel uneasy.
"I will try to avoid war. When Xiao Lazun's people come, you ask them to come to me and I will convince them."
