The north-south Heilu River and its tributaries are usually used as the natural dividing line between the Blue Plains and Red Plains pastures.
The tank cavalry company led by Lu Ming was the first armed force of the Montenegro Principality to arrive on the east bank of the Heilu River.
The rivers and lakes in the grassland are all places with abundant water and grass. Ruru City was originally located on the eastern branch of the Heilu River.
At this time, Lu Ming's tank and cavalry company had become a fast mobile company directly under the brigade headquarters.
More than 300 armed men arrived at the uppermost reaches of the Heilu River. There are small rivers here, but generally the water surface is shallow. In some areas, the water is less than half a meter deep. The cavalry can easily cross. When the rainy season passes, tanks can also cross. river.
On both sides of the upper reaches of the Heilu River, the pasture here was originally not good, because to the north is the majestic Tianshan Mountains, and the towering glaciers seem to bring a chill. Historical records indicate that there are often snowstorms here, which is very difficult for herdsmen. , that is the most terrible disaster.
Therefore, this area is traditionally regarded as an ominous place.
This area is also the exile place of the Black Wolf Tribe where Ma Chinu'er is located.
In the river grassland with a radius of more than 100 kilometers, there are dozens of large and small settlements of the Black Wolf tribe with a total population of more than 20,000 people.
Lu Ming's company is currently stationed in a large settlement with a population of thousands on the east coast.
…
Walking on the thick green grass, his feet felt very comfortable. Lu Ming looked at the Tianshan Mountains in the north, which seemed to end in Chi Chi.
The southern slopes of the mountains are lush and green, and the northern slopes should look like snow-capped mountains, with continuous huge glaciers visible.
The Tianshan Mountains are very strange. The lowest point of the mountain range is probably as high as Mount Everest in the previous life, and the highest point is so high that you can't even see the top of the mountain.
Such strange and huge mountains completely block the cold air from the far north.
In fact, it seems that the mountains are very close, but they are actually far away.
Lu Ming looked at it from a distance, imagining the terrifying sight of the dark and dense army of barbarian giants pouring out from behind the mountains, whether it was a legend or a reality, and his heart shuddered slightly.
"Will His Royal Highness really come to inspect our department?" Next to Lu Ming was a short, wrinkled old man. He was Ma Acu, the leader of the Black Wolf tribe. He came from the settlement on the west bank of the river, where Ma Chinu'er also lived.
In terms of blood relationship, Ma Chinu'er is his grandson, but Ma Chinu'er was selected to be trained as a wolf rider when he was a baby, so it is difficult to say that there is any family relationship between the two.
Lu Ming looked at him and smiled: "It will come sooner or later. You must keep the documents signed by His Highness the Prince."
"Yes, yes, that's for sure!" The old man agreed repeatedly, but his face was full of hesitation.
The official letter signed by the Prince of Black Mountain Castle grants freedom to all the people of the Black Wolf Division, and the traditional pasture managed by the Black Wolf Division for Ma Quanyou will be owned by the Black Wolf Division from now on, and they only need to pay the eleventh tax. The so-called Eleventh The tax means that for every ten livestock in the Black Wolf Department that reach adulthood, one can be paid to His Highness the Prince, and so on.
Isn't this what people in Central China call pie in the sky? How can such a good thing happen?
"Sir, my troops are young and strong. From now on, I will obey your orders and serve!" The old man gritted his teeth and made an instant decision.
Look at the magical iron cannon carts, and I also heard that there are flying weapons, and the Montenegrins have occupied the eastern grasslands. All the gentlemen that Ma Quanyou had originally sent to the headquarters to act arrogantly had fled.
Not to mention whether the Black Mountain people are strong or not, even if they sacrifice the entire youth of the clan for the freedom and land given by His Royal Highness the Prince's order, they will not hesitate to win a bright future for the descendants of the Black Wolf Tribe. , even the most tragic sacrifice is worth it.
There is no doubt about the validity of the promise signed by a nobleman like His Royal Highness the Imperial Prince.
However, I think His Highness the Prince made such a generous promise because he needed the service of his clan.
Lu Ming glanced at the old man who was gritting his teeth and smiled: "That's not necessary, but now we are recruiting ambitious young people to form a militia to protect the fruits of freedom that His Highness the Prince has brought to the people of the prairie. But they are all voluntary participants, so , Chief Ma, don’t interfere, the places are limited, first come, first served.”
The old man didn't quite understand, but he nodded repeatedly.
Lu Ming looked up again at the towering, cloud-like mountains.
But he was thinking about the secret message from the eldest prince that he received in Montenegro yesterday.
The secret message stated that Ma Quanyou's Miyuan Khanate and Chen Xingchang's Baihai Kingdom had sworn allegiance to him and voluntarily merged into the Grifenni Kingdom.
From then on, it was the same as the Principality of Montenegro and became the autonomous domain of the Kingdom of Grifenni.
The eldest prince hoped that he and they could put aside their past grievances and negotiate a peaceful outcome to end the war in the Northern Territory.
The eldest prince even said that an envoy should have been sent to the Northern Territory to hold a grand ceremony to celebrate the kingdom's absorption of new territory.
But considering that you are still fighting with them, you will not send an envoy. As soon as you restore peace in the northern region, the envoy will come.
The implication is that he was completely concerned about his own face, so he temporarily stopped and postponed such a grand event.
The eldest prince's message also said that at this time, all states in the kingdom should unite to quell the rebellion of the second prince.
After peace is restored, you hope to send elite troops to Kyoto as soon as possible to serve the king.
Thinking about this sealed electricity, Lu Ming shook his head.
Apparently, the eldest prince was suddenly filled with confidence because he was intoxicated by the likes of Ma Quanyou, Chen Xingchang or other staff.
Originally, we had just negotiated peace with the second prince, and it was said that in the secret agreement, the eldest prince had to pay a large amount of war compensation.
The eldest prince had already recognized the second prince's status as King of Sonia, but both of them had claims to the emperor, which was a dispute over the legitimacy of the throne.
Now, suddenly the second prince turned into a rebel again?
In fact, Westerners have always ignored the armed forces in the Northern Territory, and small regimes like Ma Quanyou and Chen Xingchang have no idea what they mean.
It can only be said that the lobbyists sent by the two men are very powerful, or there have been major changes in the strategy of the imperial capital.
Ma Quanyou had been indifferent to the Black Mountain Corps entering the grassland. It turned out that it was because he hugged his thigh.
As far as the Northern Territory is concerned, the four provinces and the kingdom are equal imperial confederations, and the land in the Northern Territory naturally does not belong to the Kingdom of Grifenni.
Ma Quanyou and Chen Xingchang broke this thousand-year taboo.
Moreover, the eldest prince is really prepared to accept this barbarian land in the eyes of Westerners.
It can only be said that the world is already in chaos, and the wheel of history is rolling towards the unknown.
Of course he didn't care about the eldest prince's message.
But now is the rainy season, and there are too many detours to enter the hinterland of the grassland. It is better to wait for the dry season.
During this period, it happened to digest the eastern grassland tribes and establish a new management order for them.
It was also to consolidate the rear for the Western Expedition.
But he completely ignored the eldest prince's peace initiative and went directly to exterminate Ma Quanyou and Chen Xingchang. I was afraid that his own ambitions would be exposed.
The development of the Northern Territory also relies on the funds and technology of the Eastern Alliance.
If the members of the Eastern Alliance start to fear themselves and worry that the Principality of Montenegro will not lose its tail but will threaten their security, the gains and losses also need to be carefully considered.
Lowering his head and thinking, Lu Ming slowly walked towards the felt bag not far away.
