For today's Ming Dynasty, the two most difficult places to attack are not the grasslands and the Western Regions.
But Annan, the Japanese country.
Although these two countries are very different from the Ming Dynasty, these two small countries caused heavy losses to the former Mongolian and Yuan armies.
The two failures to defeat the Japanese did not discourage Kublai Khan, nor did he fear typhoons and the Japanese.
Kublai Khan was not one to give up halfway. Having already taken control of the Central Plains, he was not willing to admit defeat easily.
So he reorganized the army to fight against the Japanese, and built sea ships again in various places in the south of the Yangtze River, conducted naval training on a large scale, collected food and fodder, and carried out the third war against the Japanese.
With the experience of two failures, Kublai Khan believed that his Mongolian cavalry would be able to flatten the entire Japanese kingdom.
However, something happened on Annan's side.
Three hundred thousand troops conquered Annan and failed miserably!
There are pirates on the Japanese side, which is not conducive to the Mongolian and Yuan cavalry, but Annan is a land country, how can it defeat the Mongolian Yuan army of 300,000 people.
What a shame! ! !
The next year, he once again organized an army of 300,000 elite troops to expedition to Annan.
Defeat again!
Come again!
If Kublai Khan is not willing to do so, he will conquer Annan three times.
Unfortunately, at this time, Kublai Khan was seriously ill, and all kinds of ailments struck him, and he was overwhelmed at once.
The most important thing is yourself. As for opening up new territory and expanding the territory, let’s put it aside first.
Once you let it go, it's over.
Those who succeeded him later did not dare to fight.
Meng Yuan, who had lost four consecutive games, was severely damaged, and more than half of the core elite died tragically in a foreign country.
Until now, Annan has stationed troops to conquer the Japanese country.
Annan, which the Mongolian and Yuan armies of 300,000 troops failed to capture twice in a row, is now occupied by 50,000 elite Ming troops.
Sometimes things like fighting depend not only on strength, but also on timing.
For example, the current Japanese state is actually a good opportunity for the Ming Dynasty.
The war between the Northern and Southern Dynasties did end last year.
However, the special virtual monarch system and the unique emperor system do not mean that the current Japanese country is peaceful.
On the contrary, the accumulated legacy problems are getting worse. Whether it is the victorious Emperor Gokomatsu or the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, they are also facing the situation of insufficient rewards.
This is also why there are invasions by Japanese pirates along the coast. To a large extent, the Japanese pirates’ behavior towards the Ming Dynasty was tacitly tolerated.
It is even believed in many places that those who can steal money from the powerful Ming Dynasty are the real heroes and real warriors.
An army of half a million people was equivalent to a quarter of the military strength of the entire Ming Dynasty.
The amount of food and grass consumed every day is an astronomical figure.
Zhu Ying personally inspected the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of War, and repeatedly issued strict orders to maintain the stability of the army's logistics.
At the same time, we must speed up the establishment of a maritime channel from Haikou to Jeju Island.
Because a Jeju Island cannot supply rations for an army of 500,000 people.
When the army moves, thousands of loads of food and grass are brought; when the cannon is fired, thousands of taels of gold are brought.
At this time, food prices in various parts of the Ming Dynasty showed a rapid upward trend.
Household lobby.
Zhu Ying said solemnly: "No matter what method is used, even if it is forceful pressure, we must keep the price of food down for me."
"There must not be any mistakes in the supply of the 500,000-strong army, but at the same time, the price of food in each prefecture must not rise beyond the market price."
Zhao Mian, the Minister of Household Affairs, the ministers on the left and right, and other principals all looked at each other in confusion.
"Your Highness, thanks to the maintenance of the Qunying Chamber of Commerce in the southern Zhili area, food prices are stable with slight fluctuations."
"But the provincial officials were unable to control the market. Landlords and gentry were hoarding grain. Most grain merchants closed their doors and refused to sell. This led to a sharp rise in grain prices."
Zhao Mian said with a wry smile.
Although the Ministry of Household Control controls food and money, its control over money and food is seriously insufficient.
In fact, Zhu Ying was very clear in his heart that there was nothing that could be done about the current situation, whether it was the household department in the capital or the provincial officials.
Market behavior cannot be regulated if desired.
If the grain dealers don't sell and the landlords don't come out, then the Ministry of Household Affairs can only sell grain to keep the price down and fill the grain vacancy.
But now because of the logistics of the half-million-strong army, a large amount of food is strictly restricted. Even if some are freed up, it will be a drop in the bucket for the current overall market.
Some big grain merchants, landlords, gentry, and wealthy families even joined forces to continue to eat cheap grain from the government.
This kind of behavior is difficult to combat.
It does not mean that it can be achieved according to the population limit. Grain is purchased secretly at high prices. After some people get the grain, they resell it and get the price difference.
What do you mean by stupid people? In the eyes of stupid people, the government has to take care of things anyway. If you have money but no food, you can only make trouble. The law does not punish the public, and there is nothing to be afraid of.
Some even take a chance and think that if others don't sell it, I will sell it. If I sell it two or three times, I can make a lot of money.
When food prices come down, it will be a huge profit.
How can ordinary people think of these things? It's just someone behind the scenes who is watching, spreading and instigating them.
Zhu Ying had already guessed that the driving force behind this was mainly Shanxi merchants.
Shanxi merchants are simple to say, but extremely complicated to practice.
That represents the people of a province.
The most important thing is the complicated situation in Shanxi.
In the early Ming Dynasty, the mountains and rivers were broken, the population of the Central Plains was withering, and hundreds of wastes were waiting to be revitalized.
However, Shanxi, which is known for its natural dangers and mountains and rivers inside and outside, has not suffered much interference.
The people are relatively stable and the population is large.
In the twenty-five years before Hongwu, they had immigrated several times.
This is the reason why Zhu Ying, who had almost explicitly ordered Shanxi merchants to be interrogated in the capital, seemed to have only scratched the surface and not been hurt at all.
Shanxi immigration was not only the largest in the early Ming Dynasty, but also the largest, longest-lasting, and most widely distributed movement in history.
In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, large-scale immigration and reclamation were carried out in order to bring the farming system into full play.
And on top of culture, it also plays a considerable role.
The rule of the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty had a huge impact on the entire Central Plains, especially traditional Han culture.
Zhu Yuanzhang wrote in his message to the Northern Expedition of the Yuan Dynasty: Since ancient times, when emperors came to rule the world, they always lived in Shenzhou to control the Yi Di, and the Yi Di lived outside to serve the Shenzhou. It is unheard of to use the Yi Di to live in the Shenzhou and control the world. .....
Expelled the barbarians, restored the Chinese state, established the principles and disciplines, and rescued the people.
In this century, I haven't heard of anyone who managed the world and brought peace to the people. I have made you and others wary and cautious. We are in the land of Qin Dynasty and Chu Dynasty. We are sincere and respectful.
After the demise of the Song Dynasty, there is a saying that "there will be no more Central Plains after Yashan".
Influenced by a large number of ethnic minorities, coupled with the deliberate attack by the Mongolian and Yuan rule, at the beginning of the founding of Zhu Yuanzhang, it can be said that the Han family was in decline. The traditional principles, etiquette and morality were no longer the mainstream culture.
But Shanxi is different.
It has a long and rich traditional Han culture. Especially as the hometown of Yao and Shun, southern Shanxi can be said to be the birthplace of Han national culture.
Confucian culture has thoroughly penetrated into the hearts of every Shanxi people.
The immigrants from Shanxi will definitely bring with them the traditional Confucian culture and spread it throughout the Ming Dynasty along with their footsteps.
Due to the impact of the war, large-scale immigrants moved in, which turned the local people into a minority and the immigrants into the majority.
Coupled with the influence of strict laws, relatively backward ethics and morals can be quickly regulated.
Among them, Shanxi immigrants mainly come from the Central Plains and Lianghuai areas, and there are also a few immigrants from other places.
This is the reason why Shanxi merchants have such a huge advantage among the world chamber of commerce.
With the ties of clan and blood, merchants traveling out of Shanxi can rely on intra-clan relationships to receive a great degree of protection during their business journey.
This mutual exchange can quickly reach a consensus of interests.
Because of this intricate relationship, even if the rumor case occurs, it will only clean up the capital and cannot be extended further.
Once the impact is too wide and the impact is too great, it will destabilize the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.
The officials of the Ministry of Revenue were naturally aware of this situation, so even the grandson himself was helpless.
After Zhu Ying thought for a moment, he said in a deep voice: "Since the grain merchants will not sell it and the landowners are hiding it, then order the local officials to measure the land. Anyone who conceals something and fails to report it will be fined and confiscated."
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Book recommendation: Brother, I will never take medicine
Introduction: "Brother, please take medicine."
"Get away, get these disgusting bugs away quickly, I don't want it, I don't want it!!!"
"Senior brother is possessed by a demon. There are no insects in this jade liquid. It is clear that there are only bursts of spiritual light flowing around."
