Yang Rong was not unaware of Zhu Yunwen's desire for land and territory, but Tashkent was so special that it was difficult to occupy it for a long time.
The biggest special thing about Tashkent lies in two words:
too far.
It is more than 2,400 miles from Yilibaili City to Tashkent. If we calculate it from Welumu, it is almost 4,000 miles. It is really difficult to control such a long distance.
If it was just the distance, the Ming army could still overcome it. After all, the Western Region could be controlled seven or eight thousand miles away from the capital, let alone more than two thousand miles? But the problem is that Tashkent is an isolated city, an isolated city hanging outside, and it is also an isolated city with no danger to defend.
Tashkent is located in the Syr Darya River Basin, west of the westernmost tip of the Tianshan Mountains, and to the north is the Wailatau Mountains. If you want to transport supplies to Tashkent, you must climb over the Wailatau Mountains. Although this mountain is not high, it is important for logistics. As far as the Ming army was concerned, every extra mile would cost lives, not to mention that there was still more than 400 miles from Wailatau Mountain to Tashkent!
Not to mention the unbearable logistical pressure, the situation around Tashkent is not very good. To the south is the sphere of influence of the Timur Empire. Now that Harry is back, he can say that he can control the situation well, but if Timur's empire collapses, the first place the scattered forces will invade is Tashkent!
Once Tashkent was besieged, the Ming Dynasty would not even be able to provide large-scale support, and a small amount of support would have no effect. In order to keep the secrets of firearms and establish the Ming Dynasty's leading position, the defenders of Tashkent City, like the Ming Dynasty's frontier army, could only store limited firearms and gunpowder. Only during war could they transfer a large amount of gunpowder and firearms.
For the Tashkent defenders, this would not give full play to firearms, and with sabers and spears, they might not be able to hold on. If the guard system was damaged, the imperial court would be furious and launch another Western Expedition, which would be extremely difficult for the Ming Dynasty's finances.
All in all, Tashkent is isolated, the risk of occupation is too high, and the cost is too high. Instead of keeping it, it is better to retreat to Wailatau Mountain and rely on the terrain to guard the north-south passage. Behind it is Tara, which is surrounded by mountains on two sides and faces the river on one side. Zicheng.
Zhu Di thought for a long time and finally rejected the opinions of Yang Rong, Liu Jun and others: "Although Tashkent is isolated, it is also a strategic location for us to control the Syr Darya River, and it is also our bridgehead to peek into Samarkand. If If Harry disobeys and does not fulfill the agreement, we can go south from Tashkent and directly threaten Samarkand."
"I know what you are saying makes sense. There are many difficulties in logistics and defense. But you must know that it is easy to give up territory, but it is difficult to get it back. No matter how many difficulties there are, we must overcome them. Tashkent must be in On the map of the Ming Dynasty."
Yang Rong, Liu Jun and others had no choice but to agree.
When I opened the door, a gust of wind blew, and the biting cold seemed to strip away a person's clothes and penetrate deep into his bones.
Tengliu looked at the horrible weather, ran to the back of the house, shivered a few times, ran back to the room, and said to Lin Wen and Chimen who were drinking, "It's really cold this winter."
Lin Wen smacked his lips, picked up the Japanese sword on the table and put it behind his back, saying: "No, it can freeze someone to death. The winter on Tsushima Island is really not as good as Changle in Fujian during the Ming Dynasty. It's much warmer there, little one." My wife is also warm, haha."
Chi Men glanced at Lin Wen with contempt: "This happened ten years ago. I can't stop talking. If you have the ability, go to Ming Dynasty to rob again. As long as you bring a little lady, I will call you big brother. If If you don’t have the ability, don’t yell and be upset all day long.”
Lin Wen picked up the wine bowl, threw it directly on Chi Men's face, and shouted: "When I robbed you, you were still naked! You are not big or small, do you need to clean up?"
Chi Men suddenly stood up and glared at Lin Wen: "Don't rely on your old age to show off! The last time they robbed Ming and Fujian, you were the first one to run away. How many of our brothers have you left behind?"
Lin Wen grabbed the Japanese sword and stood up: "You want to slander me again? I didn't leave you and your brothers behind. The Ming Dynasty Navy is here, and you can't see how many officers and soldiers there are along the coast?"
Toroku hurriedly persuaded: "Okay, okay, I invited you here today not for the purpose of fighting. Let the past matter pass. However, the news has not been good these days. Yesterday, the great name Sadamoge came information
, telling us to be more vigilant. The Ming Dynasty may have sent a navy fleet and may attack Tsushima Island. "
"What nonsense!"
"Absolutely ridiculous!"
Lin Wen and Chi Men didn't think this could happen at all.
Thinking back then, how many ships of the Yuan Dynasty wanted to send troops to the four islands, but they all sank in the depths of the sea. Why did the Ming Dynasty go so far? And it’s winter now. It’s such a cold day that you could freeze to death if you don’t stay in the house. The soldiers of the Ming Dynasty are crazy. Will they choose to take action at this time?
"Should we pay more attention to those brats?"
Toroku was a little worried.
Lin Wen waved his hand: "With this kind of weather and this north wind, no one can stand outside for half an hour. I advise you to rest assured, the Ming Dynasty will never attack Tsushima Island."
Although Chi Men didn't like Lin Wen, he still didn't believe that Daming would choose such a winter day that was unfavorable for the march to take action.
In the middle of Tsushima Island, deep inside a mansion.
Daimyo Sodashige was enjoying the tunes when someone announced: "Hayada Zaemon Dairo wants to see you."
Mune Sadashige asked people to invite Hayata Zaemon Dairo and continued to enjoy the music. When he saw Hayata Zaemon Dairo arrived, he asked him to sit aside and asked with a smile: "Is there any news?"
Zaemon Dairo Hayata nodded solemnly: "I captured a North Korean spy. According to his account, the King of North Korea, Li Fangyuan, has promised the Ming Dynasty to send Li Congmao and others to assist the Ming Navy in attacking Tsushima Island."
"Is the Ming army really coming?"
Zongzhenmo drove away the geisha, and his heart became heavy.
Zaemon Dairo Hayata's eyes showed solemn worry: "I'm afraid so."
Mune Sadashige stood up, paced uneasily, turned around and said, "It was Ashikaga Yoshimitsu who provoked the Ming Dynasty. Why did the Ming Dynasty target Tsushima Island?"
Hayata Zaemon Dairo was quite helpless about this. Although Tsushima Island has been controlled by the clan for a long time, since Ashikaga Yoshimitsu took control of the overall situation, Tsushima Island has nominally surrendered and was given a daimyo by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. .
You have already surrendered to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. If the Ming Dynasty hits you, it is not just to fight Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. There is nothing difficult to understand...
"How many people from the Ming navy came?"
Zong Zhenmo asked.
Hayata Zaemon Dairo shook his head: "Hosaku can't tell clearly. He was just ordered to survey the terrain of Tsushima Island and the distribution of our forces. But I think North Korea is involved and they know some of the foundations of Tsushima Island. If the Ming army is careful, there should be no less than 3,000 men."
Zong Zhenmao doesn't like this kind of speculative intelligence. If there is a mistake, it may cost people's lives.
Hayata Zaemon Dairo looked at the worried Mune Sadashige and provided another piece of information: "Sosaku also explained that the Ming Dynasty Navy had arrived at Jeju Island as early as mid-October, but now more than half a month has passed. , they still haven’t made any movement, could it be that they have been eaten by Poseidon?”
Sosada Shige rolled his eyes at Zaemon Dairo Hayata. Although this subordinate who was a Japanese pirate had courage and ability, he somewhat trusted Poseidon too much. If Poseidon could really defeat the Ming Dynasty Navy, then Chen Zuyi would not still be hiding in the water. Somewhere unknown.
"Send someone to Iki Island!"
Zong Zhenmao gritted his teeth and said.
Hayata Zaemon Dairo was shocked, stared at Mune Sadashige and said: "Iki Island is the territory of the Kyogoku clan. Our relationship with the Kyogoku clan is not good. If we go to Iki Island to ask for help now, I am afraid that not only will they not rescue, but On the contrary, it will add insult to injury..."
Soda Shige doesn't know this truth. The Kyogoku clan has controlled Iki Island for at least three hundred years. The clan is extremely powerful. It not only controls Izumo, Oki, Hida, and the four territories of Kitohimi, but also has the head of the shogunate. As a person, even Ashikaga Yoshimitsu did not dare to be too arrogant towards the Kyogoku clan.
But Iki Island is just southwest of Tsushima Island. The distance between the two is only a few dozen miles. Everyone is an island. Tsushima Island is bigger than Iki Island. They both make a living on the sea, and it is inevitable to rob homes and houses, and cultivate a Criticize the pirate forces.
Because we are peers, there is competition.
Iki Island has looked down on Tsushima for a long time, and Tsushima has also looked down on Iki Island.
It's been a while. But the Kyogoku clan has never dealt with Mune Sadashige, and the biggest reason is Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.
Ashikaga Yoshimitsu controlled the Japanese country, and the daimyo from all over the country surrendered, so naturally they needed to give him face. Ashikaga Yoshimitsu hopes that Tsushima Island will be controlled by Munesada Shige, and hopes that the Kyogoku clan on Iki Island will give him face and not bully his younger brother casually.
The Kyogoku family dared to offend Mune Sadashige, but they did not dare to offend Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, so they fought openly and secretly, and the sound of waves remained the same, and they lived an unharmonious life.
Mune Sadashige decided to harmonize for once and sent someone to ask for support from the Kyogoku clan.
It's not that Mune Sadashige didn't want to go to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu for help, but because Ashikaga Yoshimitsu lived in Kyoto, which was really far away from Tsushima Island and was beyond his reach. The distant water could not quench the thirst of the nearby ones. Who knows when the Daming Navy would come to kill him? When Ashikaga Yoshimitsu sends people, will he no longer live on the island?
Of course, asking for help from Ashikaga Yoshimitsu is indispensable.
The Kyogoku clan are all stingy and may not help him. Although they have been given some promises and conditions, they probably want his own life more.
Hayata Zaemon Dairo understood Mune Sadashige's difficulties and arranged for people to go to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and the Kyogoku clan for help.
Jeju Island.
Chen Hui looked at the sea, letting the cold wind blow, and said to Wang Sui, "You know the consequences of doing this, right?"
Wang Sui raised his hand and pointed in the east direction facing Ma Island: "The emperor's instructions are very clear. The purpose of this expedition to Tsushima Island is not to occupy it, but to rescue the captured people of the Ming Dynasty. At the same time, Kill and eliminate the Japanese as much as possible. In this case, wouldn't it be better to kill more and then go back?"
Chen Hui laughed and sighed: "Are people from the Imperial Academy so warlike?"
Wang Sui did not agree with this sentence: "Those in the Military Academy are not warlike, but deputy general soldiers, if someone bullies us and we dare not resist, then we are spineless and wimps. What is the motto of the Military Academy? do you know?"
"What?"
Chen Hui was very curious.
Wang Sui said word for word: "The art of war must be spirited, and the conduct of a man must be dignified!"
Chen Hui coughed twice. The dignified Imperial Academy, instead of using elegant words, used a vulgar one.
All right.
The art of war needs to be divine, but I haven’t seen it yet. You have to be kind in life, I have learned half of it.
Chen Hui looked to the north, feeling the whistling north wind: "If we wait any longer, it will be December. Do you still want to go home before New Year's Day?"
Wang Sui smiled and said, "Don't worry, we still have to wait a while."
"What are you waiting for?"
Chen Hui was a little confused.
Wang Sui smiled and said: "Of course we are waiting for Tsushima Island. Everyone on Iki Island knows that we are coming, so they have prepared ships in advance and are ready for battle..."
