It was the first day of May in the twenty-eighth year of Chongzhen reign in the Ming Dynasty. In the Xinchengwei territory of the Governor of Yanning in the Ming Dynasty, on the official road leading to Daning, thirty or forty men and horses passed by. These men and horses were all dressed as military attaches who had been worn by the world, wearing thick linen armor, and underneath the armor were Neat linen arrow jacket. Each man carried a long carbine on his back, and hung a flintlock pistol, saber and quiver on his belt. In addition to a dozen feather arrows, there was also a recurve bow in the quiver.
In addition to their own horses, these thirty or forty horsemen also drove thirty or forty horses carrying luggage. On average, it is probably a configuration of one person and two horses. This kind of scene of thirty or forty knights and seventy or eighty horses galloping on the official road was rare in the Jiubian Army Town in the early years of Chongzhen. The northern nine sides of the Ming Dynasty were close to the grassland, and there was no shortage of horses. However, such tall and strong horses were relatively rare. Generally, only a few generals or close servants of big warlords like Li Chengliang could own them.
However, after Emperor Chongzhen conquered Monan Mongolia, the supply of good Mongolian horses greatly increased, and the shortage of good horses on the nine sides gradually improved. After Emperor Chongzhen's "Great Confession of Heroes" arrived at Xunzhuang outside the Great Wall, the number of good horses in various places inside and outside the Great Wall began to increase. Not only were a large number of good horses from the Monan grassland purchased and bred in these new villages, but also stallions from the Western Regions and overseas were introduced to these villages in large numbers - after all, most of the owners of these villages were He was born as a knight in front of the tent, and earned his wealth and glory through his skills on horses. Now, of course, he must raise horses well and teach his children and nephews well, so that this wealth can be passed down from generation to generation.
In the 28th year of Chongzhen, as the climate conditions in the north improved slightly and the long-lost peace era came, Xunzhuang and Wangzhuang such as Liaodong, Liaoxi, Yanshan, Daning, Xuanfu, and Datong began to gradually become wealthy. Get up and start enjoying the dividends of peace and the dividends brought about by the rapid economic development of the Southeast.
Among the dividends brought about by the rapid economic development in the Southeast is the increased demand for mules and horses—although the Southeast's water transportation is very developed, which can minimize logistics costs. But this does not mean that the demand for mules and horses does not exist.
In fact, when the economy of the Southeast really started to take off, the demand for mules and horses began to increase - water transportation could only solve long-distance and medium-distance transportation, while short-distance transportation still relied on horse-drawn carriages, mule carts or manpower. So as the economy really develops, the demand for mules and livestock (mainly horses, mules, donkeys and mules) must have increased.
In the southeastern metropolises such as Yangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Suzhou, horse racing and polo have become popular in recent years. Horse racing and polo are not only something for the upper class to show off to, but they are also used to make money through gambling!
Therefore, every Jockey Club and Polo Club will buy good horses at any cost!
In addition, the armies of the Ming Dynasty and the armies of feudal lords who fought everywhere have also purchased a large number of war horses, pack horses, mules and camels from these Xunzhuang and Wangzhuang in recent years.
Driven by the needs of the southeastern metropolis and the Ming army and the vassal army, the horse breeding industry in Xunzhuang and Wangzhuang outside the northern wall and outside the mouth also developed very well. The number of horses, especially good horses, has increased significantly.
Therefore, it is not surprising that these thirty or forty knights with one person and two horses appeared on the official road in New City Guards.
The so-called New City Guard is an administrative district integrating military and political affairs under the Daning General Military Department. He manages some Qianhu Offices, Xunzhuang and Wangzhuang. Of course, Xinchengwei's authority over "house" and "village" are different. "Suo" refers to the direct jurisdiction, while "zhuang" refers to feudal territory, governed by various nobles or princes. Within Xunzhuang and Wangzhuang, the lord and prince are the masters!
The "village" under the governance of various lords and lords is the kind of feudal manor that is as self-sufficient as possible.
Although most of these estates sell horses, camels, and mules, they also import iron, salt, firearms, raw silk, cotton, tea, and other things they cannot produce themselves.
However, if it is possible to produce it by itself, the manor usually will not purchase it from outside - these feudal manors believe that buying is worse than building!
The reason for this is that the only products that these manors can sell out are mules and horses. Although the food is a bit rich, it cannot be sold at a high price because the transportation cost is too high, and there are not many rich people, so it is better to save it for future use. . The income from the export of mules, horses and livestock is simply not enough to pay for the various daily necessities required by the villagers and the purchase of weapons and equipment required by the private soldiers of the lords.
Therefore, the lords and lords simply organized the villagers to produce their own products, and used local products as much as possible to reduce the expenditure of money. As long as the money was spent as little as possible, the lords' income from selling horses and mules would be mostly It can be turned into the profits of Xunzhuang and Wangzhuang and put into the pockets of the lords... This is the model of feudal economy!
The products of this self-sufficient Zhuangzi, except for livestock, have no competitiveness, and there is no scale effect. The output is very low, and it may not be enough for self-use, so there is no problem of export.
Therefore, the things used and the clothes worn by the military households in Wangzhuang and Xunzhuang were extremely poor. Only their horses, weapons in their hands, and their useful bodies (these Zhuangzi are in places with very abundant land, so when the climate improves, there will naturally be no shortage of food), all look good.
As for these knights, who were in their thirties or forties and were wearing sackcloth but carrying sharp weapons, they could tell at a glance that they were from a certain Xunzhuang or Wangzhuang. Seeing them surrounding one person like stars holding the moon, one knew that it was Zhuangzi's lord or young lord who was on his way.
The road along the official road is very desolate. Although you can see many farms, pastures, and hundreds of forts, there are no market towns, let alone any cities. If travelers want to stay overnight, they have no choice but to enter the heavily defended Baihu Fort.
However, these hundreds of forts are feudal fortresses, and it is not easy for outsiders to enter, unless they are people from the imperial court...
Today, there is no fortress that cannot be entered by the thirty or forty cavalry galloping on the official road in New City Guards. After stopping for a while at several hundred-house forts, at dusk that day, we entered the largest fort in New City Guards - Siwang Fort at the foot of Mameng Mountain.
This is the main castle of Zhu Cizhao, His Royal Highness Prince Si of the Ming Dynasty!
As this group of knights arrived, the gate of Siwang Castle was opened, and a large group of people in the castle came out with lanterns and cheered. They bowed to the leading knight and saluted, saying, "May the King be blessed with a thousand years of life."
It turned out that it was Zhu Cizhao who had rushed back from Beijing after a long journey!
"Madam! Madam! Good news!" The person on the horse was none other than Si Wang Zhu Cizhao. He shouted at a young woman in the crowd, with a happy smile on his face.
That young woman is Zuo Mengmei!
Chongzhen knew the fate between Zhu Cizhao and Zuo Mengmei, so he brought her to Zhu Cizhao as his princess in this life. By the way, he also helped Zhu Cizhao find a cheap father-in-law, Zuo Liangyu (Zuo Liangyu is Zuo Mengmei's adoptive father). Zuo Liangyu is still alive and is serving as the chief military officer of Guangxi. And he also has a bunch of mengzi sons - without the Xuzhou mutiny, of course his family would still be alive.
Zuo Mengmei walked up to Zhu Cizhao's horse, which was five years younger than her. She watched her husband turn over and dismount, then smiled and said a blessing ceremony: "Your Majesty, what's the good news?"
"Look at this!" Zhu Cizhao handed a long bundle to Zuo Mengmei.
"What is this?" Zuo Mengmei asked.
"This is the traitorous contract signed by Gu and Boss!" Zhu Cizhao said with a smile.
"Treason?" Zuo Mengmei was surprised, "What are you talking nonsense about? Which country do you want to betray?"
"Of course I'm selling Annan Kingdom!"
"Your Majesty is joking again," Zuo Mengmei glared at her husband, "Does Annan Kingdom belong to you? Why do you sell it?"
Zhu Cizhao tore open the baggage and patted the contract text rolled into a barrel. "Sign this... Annan is ours!" He raised his voice, "His Royal Highness will lend it to the orphan." The king's military expenditure of 5 million taels will also help the lonely king contact the First Official Bank, Liu Xiang Shipping Company, Li Family Shipping Company, the Portuguese and the Dutch!
Therefore, in the battle of Annan, the lonely king will definitely win! We will convene a military meeting with the vassals tomorrow and prepare to send troops! "
"The king is a thousand years old! The king will surely win!"
The sound of cheers suddenly sounded in Siwang Castle.
