Loop?
Xie Jin, Yang Shiqi, Xu Huizu, Tie Xuan and others were all stunned by Zhu Yunwen's jumping thinking. It wasn't about Gansu, Xijiang, or Tatar. Why did they suddenly transfer to Hetao?
Zhu Yunwen picked up the bamboo wood, pointed to the map, and said solemnly: "The Yellow River is in Ningxia, running north along Helan Mountain, eastward at Bayannaoer south of Langshan Mountain, and then southward into Shanxi. It is in the shape of a 'ji', like a nest. Hence the name Hetao. To the east of Helan Mountain and within a few characters of the Yellow River, we, the Ming people, call it Dongtao, and to the west of Helan Mountain and beyond Wuwei, Gansu, we call it Xitao."
"During the Hongwu period, generals Xu Da and Li Wenzhong once took back part of Dongtao and set up five guard posts, including Dongsheng, Zhenlu, and Liancheng, to control the northeastern position of the Yellow River. However, these city gates were isolated and far away from the Great Wall. The city gate is far away, and the transportation of supplies can easily be cut off by cavalry. Over the years, Dongsheng and other places have become more and more difficult, especially as the Tatars continue to penetrate deeper into the Hetao, and Dongsheng and other cities are in danger."
Zhu Yunwen looked at the map and sighed in his heart.
It was probably because of this that Zhu Di in history gave up Dongsheng and other places. There were times when the great Emperor Yongle was helpless, but he gave up the Loop, which brought great harm to the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Qizhen became the God of War, which was one of the consequences. After all, Wala uses Hetao as the front line and goes directly to Datong.
Zhu Yunwen knew the importance of the Loop. Although it was outside the customs, it was a place that had to be contested.
If the Loop is lost, Shanxi will become the frontline.
By guarding the Loop, Shanxi can become the inner line of defense.
By that time, Beiping will be equivalent to having three westward or northwest defense fronts of Hetao, Shanxi, and Jingshi.
Zhu Yunwen focused on the position of Dongshengwei and said sternly: "There is no room for loss in the Hetao. I think it is time to consider taking back the entire Dongtao area."
Jie Jin was a little nervous and said quickly: "Your Majesty, I think this is not the time to plan a Loop. The household department is in dire straits and there is not much left over. If there is another war, the treasury will be exhausted. If there is some natural disaster, , the court will have no money to use."
Regarding Emperor Jianwen, Xie Jin was somewhat uneasy. He was the second-generation monarch. Logically speaking, he should maintain his status, inherit Lao Zhu's legacy, and live a good life.
But Emperor Jianwen was not content with mediocrity. Although he had never personally led troops to fight, he liked to use force and started wars. In Xie Jin's view, the monarch's warlike nature was not a good thing for the Ming Dynasty.
I originally thought that after defeating Timur, Ming Dynasty could rest for five or ten years, but now, less than three years have passed, and Zhu Yunwen plans to fight the Tatars again.
Yang Shiqi was silent and thoughtful, and after his opinion was made clear, he also stood up and persuaded: "Your Majesty, now is the critical period to promote the new army strategy to the entire army. The imperial court needs to direct more money to the local guards. I am afraid that it will not be able to do so." Another large-scale battle. The important towns on the front line are replacing firearms, and the sergeants are still rehearsing to familiarize themselves with the new combat methods. It will not be able to form a strong combat force in a short time. If the Beijing army is used, it will be very expensive. I think that Hetao can be taken over slowly. .”
Xu Huizu stood up and accused Xie Jin and Yang Shiqi with a sullen face: "Xu Xu Tuzhi, if such words fall into the ears of Dongsheng, Zhenlu, Liancheng and other guardsmen, what will they dare to think? Your wives, sons and daughters are not the same. Not outside the pass, not under the sword of the Tatars! They guarded the Hetao for the Ming Dynasty, vigilant day and night, and ready for danger, but what about you? This difficulty, that one has no money, let’s be honest, you want Dongsheng and other soldiers at the guard station to die in battle Are you willing to do so?"
Listening to the harsh words, Jie Jin quickly explained: "Wei Guogong, you can't say that. Didn't the Tatars nomadic in Hetao this year not invade Dongsheng and other cities? What's more, what we said is also true. Have you forgotten the Fujian rebellion? If the new army policy is not implemented throughout the army, there will be big trouble sooner or later. Which is more important, the Loop, or the countless local sergeants?"
Xu Huizu's face was very ugly. The chaos in Fujian was like a needle pricking people. The reason why Wang Zhonghe was able to start the chaos was because he had mastered the dissatisfaction of the sergeants. Although he didn't cause much trouble, he made a bad start and gave those guards officers who did not enjoy the new army's strategy an excuse and confidence to urge.
Although the imperial court gave a timetable for promoting the New Army policy to the entire army, the implementation of this timetable was based on finance. If the finances cannot keep up, there will be no strategy for a new army.
Fighting a war requires a lot of money, and one war is enough to support several guard posts and a new army for several years.
Seeing the fierce argument between Xu Huizu and Xie Jin, Tie Xuan quickly said: "The Hetao is an important place and cannot be lost. However, in the past two years, the government has indeed spent more on infrastructure, primary industry, culture and education, the new capital, shipyards, and the north and south navy. , which one does not need money and food. Your Majesty, I believe that what the cabinet said is correct, and what Wei Guogong said is also correct."
Zhu Yunwen looked at the friendly Tie Xuan and asked, "What do you think?"
"I?"
Tie Xuan wished he could slap himself twice. Xu Huizu wanted to reconcile Jin's quarrel, so let them quarrel. Why did he get involved? In the end, he was the one who was in trouble...
However, Tie Xuan did not gain his reputation in vain, and simply found a solution: "Dongsheng and other places are outside the customs, and the difficulty of guarding them is mainly due to the difficulty of logistics. You might as well take advantage of the Tatars to go west, and in winter and spring Transport grain and grass supplies and increase firearms in two seasons to ensure that the guardsmen will stick to it. After two years and the government's financial situation improves, troops can leave Datong and capture the entire Hetao."
After listening to Tie Xuan's plan, Xu Huizu and Xie Jin had no objections.
Zhu Yunwen looked at the map. The Hetao area has fertile water and soil, and if it is well managed, there will naturally be no shortage of food and grass. But the problem is that if the Ming Dynasty sergeants could not defend the entire Hetao and only guard a few isolated cities, once the crops matured, before the sergeants could pick up the sickles, the Oara and Tatar cavalry might come to harvest or set fire to them first.
The crops are outside the city and it is difficult to defend them when the cavalry comes. You can't fight to the death for a few acres of crops.
If you want the Hetao to become a fortress in the south of the Yangtze River, you need to completely control the entire East Hetao. At least there should be no trace of Mongolian cavalry in the north and south of Yinshan Mountain, Langshan Mountain, and east of Helan Mountain.
Zhu Yunwen stared at the map and said slowly: "Since you think that entering the Loop is too costly, then give up."
Xie Jin and Yang Shiqi breathed a sigh of relief.
Stability is paramount. Now the Ming Dynasty's national power is booming, and its culture, education, and military are developing. One more year of peace will make it stronger.
Zhu Yunwen pointed in the direction of the Hetao and said calmly: "It's not appropriate to send troops to the Hetao. It's okay to arrange for sergeants from Shanxi and Shaanxi to recruit some people and build a few cities in the Hetao."
"ah?"
Xie Jin and Yang Shiqi looked at Zhu Yunwen in shock.
Build a city?
Xu Huizu burst out laughing, admiring the sinister, no, wise Zhu Yunwen.
Thinking about that scene, Arutai was still gathering wool in Hetao this summer. When next summer comes, he suddenly sees a few more cities appearing on the familiar grassland. I wonder if he will be frightened and run away.
Building a city on the grassland is no longer a difficult task for the Ming Dynasty. Even though there are few logs there and there are no mountains around some places, it doesn't matter, the Ming Dynasty has concrete.
Just transport lime there, other materials are easy to find, but if it's really hard to find, just transport some pebbles. As long as everything is in place, concrete slabs can be poured out and concrete walls can be used to directly surround the city. The speed is much faster than traditional city construction.
If the soldiers work together and several thousand people build a small city with a radius of two miles in three months, it will not be a problem.
What's more, during winter and summer, when the main Tatar force is away, it is not dangerous for the sergeants of the two provincial guards to go out for a period of time. If there is a military situation, they can hide in the city.
Xie Jin and Yang Shiqi looked at each other and understood Zhu Yunwen's plan. He wanted to encroach on the Hetao area bit by bit, and did not intend to engage in a large-scale battle with the Tatars in the Hetao.
The Tatars are a nomadic people. They travel here in the spring, change places in the summer and autumn, and change places again in the winter. It is normal to travel to several places a year. If the Ming Dynasty has more cities in Hetao, I think the Tatars will also change places. Let's swim instead of start a war.
Moisturizing things silently, nibbling without spitting out bones.
Xu Huizu suppressed his smile, rubbed his face and tried to become serious: "It is a good thing to build more cities outside the pass. If the court wants to adjust the guard posts in the pass, it might as well move some guard posts outside, build the city first, and then move the guard posts. , step by step, we can control the Loop."
Xie Jin and Yang Shiqi could no longer object.
City repairs and concrete are all part of infrastructure construction. The emperor wants to build some roads and build a few cities. What is there to object to? Compared with the cost of recruiting tens of thousands of troops to go on an expedition, this is simply too low.
After discussion, Zhu Yunwen ordered the cabinet to draft a decree, ordering Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Datong guards to mobilize 10,000 sergeants and 20,000 civilians, assign Xue Lu to take charge, and build three cities in Hetao and other places to expand the Ming army's presence in Hetao. Control range.
Ministry of War.
Tie Xuan informed Lu Yuan and Yang Rong of Emperor Jianwen's decision, and sighed: "If the Loop can be recovered without fighting, it will be a blessing for the Ming Dynasty."
Lu Yuan looked at the map, pointed to the Great Wall in Shanxi and said: "Such a land with rich water and grass should have been taken back long ago. I would say that the Great Wall in Datong should be built directly to Yinshan Mountain, connect to Helan Mountain, and protect the entire Dongtao. Inside!"
Yang Rong took a look at the map and knew that Lu Yuan's idea was not whimsical. Judging from the trend of the mountains and rivers, it was actually more reasonable. But the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty was built on the ancient Great Wall. No one built the Great Wall in the Hetao in ancient times. Mobilizing the people to build such a long Great Wall would cost immeasurable money, and the Ministry of Revenue would not agree.
Tie Xuan looked at the pensive Yang Rong and asked: "Do you think the way of building the city can control the Loop?"
Yang Rong looked away from the map, smiled at Tie Xuan, and said: "Tie Shangshu, what the emperor wants is not the Loop. If you only focus on the Loop, you will misunderstand the emperor's intentions."
"Um?"
Tie Xuan was a little surprised and quickly asked the reason.
Yang Rong's eyes were determined, his finger pointed at the prairie, and he said solemnly: "The emperor is testing the city to tighten the Loop. If this is proven to be feasible, the next one to be trapped will be the grassland, the entire prairie!"
