Zhang Yu and the others suddenly broke into a cold sweat behind their backs.
Hadir said: "The Ming Dynasty is also Han, so why is it not afraid?"
Zhu Bai grinned: "Because the Ming Dynasty focused on riding and shooting, which is better than the Mongols. So they should be afraid of us. It's just that the Ming Dynasty didn't think about expansion."
Otherwise, Hami and Tubo will not even think about establishing a country.
Hadir said after a while: "There is more."
Zhu Bai: "Third, in the late Song Dynasty, due to economic recession, agricultural crisis, natural and man-made disasters, after crossing south, there was no fighting spirit. Not only did there not be enough military pay to support the army, but the defense of the north was completely abandoned. It was already weak, but it was completely If you don't defend yourself against the enemy, you will lie down and die. Fourthly, the diplomacy of the Song Dynasty was too weak. A weak country has no diplomacy. Holding gold and silver in both hands and begging others not to beat one's own people, one can only kneel down and speak. Especially the 'Jingkang Disgrace' made The prestige of the monarch and the court has been severely hit. Our Ming monarch is very good at this. He will fight if he disobeys. He never engages in suing for peace and marriage. The men of our Ming Dynasty would rather die than kneel down to talk, let alone rely on women to seek stability. . On the other hand, if the surrounding small countries want to survive and be protected by the Ming Dynasty, they should obediently hand over their women, gold, silver and horses."
Hadir pursed his lips.
The surrounding soldiers listened very carefully.
Zhu Bai simply continued to talk and let these people listen to the experiences summarized by so many historians in later generations.
"Fifth, because the country has no prestige, the economy is not good, natural disasters continue, wars continue, and the people are in dire straits. Civil rebellions continue to occur. Internal and external troubles. Sixth, the emperor of the Song Dynasty was content in a corner. He only wanted to live his own stable life and did not pay attention to reform. Innovative development of armaments and technology. This is not an exaggeration for the common people, but as a monarch, this is absolutely not possible. At that time, Europe was reviving, and our Chinese political system, science, technology, and culture were all left behind, facing the invasion of foreign nations. .The weapons and technology are not as good as humans, so they can only be beaten passively."
Then a guard heard this and suddenly said, "That's why Your Highness keeps improving the weapons and equips us with wild goose feather knives and fire guns."
Zhang Yu and the others' hairs stood up, and they all turned around and glared at the guard.
The guard realized that he had let slip his words and winced.
Hadir seemed not to have heard, and raised his hand to Zhu Bai: "I have been taught. Although I am a few years older than you, you are enough to be my teacher."
Zhu Bai grinned and returned the greeting: "It's easy to talk, and that's what Master taught me. Never forget the past and be the teacher of the future. Master always told us that we must study the failures of previous dynasties and sum up experiences and lessons, so that the Ming Dynasty's national destiny can last long." "
Zhang Yu and the others looked at each other: they had a strange feeling, as if after last night, Zhu Bai suddenly gave up pretending in front of Hadir, and was not afraid of Hadir discovering his true identity.
Hadir pointed to the remnants of Yumen Pass and said: "It is a pity that the Ming Dynasty will not be able to return to the grand glory of the Han Dynasty, and even the Sui and Tang Dynasties will not be able to return."
Zhang Yu and the others were so excited that they clenched the knives in their hands. If this was not a child, they would have asked him to kneel down and apologize.
Zhu Bai smiled and said, "We'll see."
One day, I will make the glory of Yumen Pass return again! ! Reclaim the mountains and rivers!
After watching the horses rest enough, they set off again.
After walking and resting like this, the sun set in the afternoon and arrived outside Guazhou City.
I originally expected to see a loess wilderness and a dilapidated ancient city, but I was surprised by a vibrant oasis.
The unique tamarisk next door and sea buckthorn are dense crops not far away.
It gives people a feeling of two worlds blended together.
Zhu Bai exclaimed in surprise: "Hey, there is actually an agricultural irrigation system."
Dredging projects, dams, main canals, branch canals, bucket canals and main canals are like human blood circulation systems like spider webs, criss-crossing the farmland and arranged in an orderly manner.
The neat fields cultivated like a chessboard are filled with food crops such as sorghum, buckwheat, and beans. Mulberries and hemp were planted here and there on the field ridges.
This is not the Gobi Desert in the desert, it is clearly the Yumi Township in the south of the Yangtze River.
Hadir said proudly: "These are the Central Plains people brought by the judge to teach us how to build ditches, irrigate and farm. Today's Guazhou is the paradise next door."
In the distance under the setting sun is the golden Guazhou City Wall. It is also made of compacted loess and has no guards. It looks even lower than Suzhou City, but is obviously much more lively.
The merchants staggered into the city on camels.
I could hear the bustling sounds of the city in the distance.
Zhang Yu and the others were also surprised: it was so lively here.
Zhu Bai smiled: Sure enough, if there is demand, there will be a market. Where there is a market, people will gather, and when people gather, there will be a town.
This is how the first towns were originally created.
It was like this before and it will be like this in the future.
Because of the urgent need for trade between the East and the West, even if the Ming Dynasty did not support it, transactions on the Silk Road continued spontaneously.
It has become a center for free trade and rest for merchants.
Previously, this function was undertaken by places like Lanzhou, Chang'an, and Luoyang.
Lao Zhu's retreat is to push the development opportunities to others.
Hadir led them to the largest inn in the city, and said with a bit of pride: "The proprietress here is our Mo Sanniang's twin sister Huo Erniang. As long as I bring you, Erniang will definitely entertain you well."
Then he ran in quickly.
After a while, a beautiful woman came out.
If this woman hadn't been wearing the long "cassocks" worn by Uighur women, Zhu Bai and the others would have thought that Mo Sanniang had a way of doubling herself, or that she had teleported here from Suzhou City.
Seeing beautiful women is a joy.
Seeing twin beauties is doubly joyful.
Huo Erniang said with a smile: "A distinguished guest is coming. If you don't know how to welcome us from afar, come in quickly."
Then she asked the waiter to serve milk tea and various dried fruits.
Hadir had already gone to the back to play.
Huo Erniang asked Zhang Yu: "What do these guests come to buy?"
Zhu Bai grinned: "Melon. It would be better if it has Hetian jade seeds."
Huo Erniang said: "There is a merchant who specializes in selling melons and Hetian jade. He comes from Hami. If he doesn't arrive tomorrow, he should arrive the day after tomorrow."
Zhu Bai replied: "That's great, we'll wait for him here."
Fugui asked innocently: "It's the end of February, and there are still cantaloupes."
Huo Erniang pursed her lips and smiled: "Yes. Haven't you heard that poem? 'Keep the late melons until they are past their waxy half, and hide the autumn fruits until they are dry in spring.' It means to keep the late-ripening melons in the twelfth lunar month until they are dry." It was still good in the late spring of the next year. There are also people who store melons specially. When everyone else's melons are sold out, they will take them out and sell them at a high price."
Zhang Yu frowned slightly: Hami... Hami again. What is this woman implying by mentioning this word intentionally or unintentionally?
