What Mustafa definitely didn't know was that he actually didn't return empty-handed at all. At least Emperor Chongzhen rewarded him with something.
So, just like that, the entire conversation between him and the Ottoman border guard was known to Emperor Chongzhen.
He told Mustafa before that he could let Ottoman go with the Black Sea Strait as the boundary, which was indeed true. Because underground oil is mainly in the Baghdad area and Persia, there is nothing beyond that.
The reason why we have to go to the Black Sea Strait is also to protect the oil areas. We can’t just say that we just use underground oil as the boundary. There needs to be a buffer anyway!
As for using the Black Sea Strait as the boundary, we will no longer continue fighting. It's not that it can't be fought, but it's not necessary. In addition, with the Ottomans blocking the European countries, Ming Dynasty could also develop well in so many new territories it occupied. After all, he wanted to turn these places into real Ming territory, not colonies. Only in this way can it be permanently occupied.
However, they would definitely not be willing to let the Ottoman Empire cede such a large territory as long as there was a slight possibility. After all, this is still the land of Longxing in the Ottoman Empire.
If you don't want to, then don't want to. If it's too big, it's too big. You can just hit it slowly!
Based on this idea, Emperor Chongzhen left Zhennancheng and led his troops to the Ottoman border. They didn't wait for reinforcements, they just took their time. Anyway, the territory in Persia was almost stable. Even if there is a situation, I can handle it in time if I am there.
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Bitlis, an important border town of the Ottoman Empire, controlled the transportation route from the Lake Van Basin to Mesopotamia and was of great military significance. At the same time, it was also an important place for the Ottoman Empire to deal with the Ming Dynasty.
In the past, it was said that there was a heavy concentration of troops here, but in fact it was a bluff. Even later, more troops came from all over the country, but they only reached 120,000 troops, which was far less than the more than 200,000 troops during the Ottoman Empire's Eastern Expedition.
And in terms of the elite level of the troops, these 120,000 troops are far less than the elite troops during the Eastern Expedition. It is for this reason that even though Bitlis now has far more troops than the Ming army they face, in the end it is the Ming army soldiers who are rampant and arrogant outside the city, that is, the Cossack Ming army under Racine.
Emperor Chongzhen's goal was to first destroy this important town where the Ottoman army was gathering. In order to get it done once and for all, reduce running around. Before he set out, he sent a decree to Racine, asking him to publicize it widely, saying that he was about to conquer Bitlis personally.
From Zhennan City to Bitlis, it will still take a lot of time for the army to march. Emperor Chongzhen felt that he could attract more Ottoman troops to Bitlis.
But there was one thing that Emperor Chongzhen never expected. This point will have to start in a few months.
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Tsar Alexei originally wanted to steal a chicken and gain some benefits when the Ottoman Empire and the Ming Dynasty went to war. Unexpectedly, the Ming army turned out to be so powerful that he was so frightened that he gave the military supplies he brought with him to the Ming army, and then fled back to his lair in panic.
Tsarist Russia was originally occupied by Sweden and Poland, and then attacked Poland again, which was already weak enough. If we do this again, it will simply add insult to injury, and Tsarist Russia will become even weaker.
With no hope of re-emergence in sight, Alexey is naturally worried!
Later, he received news that Poland was in civil strife, and Swedish countries took the opportunity to attack Poland again. To be honest, he was moved again and wanted to take the opportunity to participate and gain some benefits.
However, as a lesson learned from the past, just trying to get some benefits ended up costing all the money in the coffin. If we use swords and guns again at this time, we will definitely deprive the people of their food rations. If there is another accident, Tsarist Russia will really be dead!
Therefore, Alexey finally decided to lie dormant, heal his wounds obediently, and rest before recuperating.
As a result, he never thought that a few months later, Poland was still fighting for life and death. Several countries besieged Poland and the winner had not yet been determined. However, the news came from the east that the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was personally on the expedition. The army that defeated the Persian Empire is now said to be preparing to destroy Persia.
"Anyone who offends the Ming Dynasty will be punished no matter how far away he is." Alexey had to chew on these words of the Ming Dynasty emperor over and over again. "Could it be that Persia is really going to fall?"
To be honest, he didn't believe it. War is not a child's play, you can destroy whoever you say you can! The Persian Empire was so huge, how could it be destroyed so easily!
Although he thought so, he finally decided to send out spies to see what the situation was like instead of passively waiting for news.
As for himself, of course he still has to add to his wounds. He has never been more concerned about people's livelihood and is saving supplies for emergencies.
By the next summer, Alexei finally had some savings and was thinking of joining the Polish side and getting some soup to drink. But at this time, the countries were exhausted from fighting and showed signs of going on strike. This made him very unwilling, continue!
However, at this time, the spies reported back, indicating that the emperor led the army and really destroyed Persia and swallowed up the Crimean Khanate. Now that the army is approaching the Ottomans, it is likely to start a new war.
Upon hearing the news, Alexei was so shocked that he was stunned for an unknown length of time.
Do you really want to destroy it? The Emperor of the Ming Dynasty really did it!
The Ming army is so powerful, who can stop it?
After coming back to his senses, Alexei began to inquire carefully about the situation of the battle. Ask as much detail as you can until Tan Ma really can't tell.
After that, Alexei was afraid. Because he remembered the words of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty again. It was really not just a casual saying. Anyone who offends the Ming Dynasty will be punished no matter how far away he is!
Recalling that I also fought a battle with the Ming army in Samara Fort, although I finally signed a contract, I wonder if this situation is still considered an offense against the Ming Dynasty?
Also, the thing I did secretly before was thanks to me adapting to the situation and retreating with food and grass in both hands. However powerful the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was, would he discover his true intentions and commit a crime against the Ming Dynasty?
Today's Tsarist Russia, not to mention the fact that the emperor of the country personally conquered it, even the commander-in-chief of the Ming army in Samara Fort has the ability to destroy it, right?
The more he thought about it, the more afraid Alexei became. So, that worry, my hair turned white!
On this day, he was worried and worried. Suddenly, it was like a bolt of lightning splitting the dark sky, giving him a feeling of enlightenment.
Didn’t the Ming army include the Torgut tribe and the Cossack tribe? If we could be like them and surrender to Tsarist Russia before the Ming Emperor made a decision, wouldn't we have no worries about being destroyed?
Besides, Tsarist Russia today is really too weak. If Sweden is determined to destroy it and there is no depth to retreat to, Tsarist Russia may really be destroyed.
Even if he recuperates, will Sweden and other congresses continue to let him do nothing?
Previously, they were playing against Poland. Now that it seems to be showing signs of stopping, will Sweden turn its target to Tsarist Russia?
Thinking like this, Alexey no longer hesitated. When he was so weak, he could only stand a chance of survival by hugging his thighs. Since you want to hug the thigh, you must hug the thickest thigh!
With this thought in mind, he no longer hesitated, and immediately packed up the rare treasures he could get his hands on, and then sent his important ministers to Samara Fort to find the Ming army commander, no matter how far they went to Persia.
Hong Chengchou looked at the rare treasures and was a little surprised when he heard the purpose of the Russian envoy. Unexpectedly, Tsarist Russia actually asked to be a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty. It was willing to listen to the Ming Dynasty and bite anyone it asked! Is this still the polar bear that the emperor once commented on?
But with his intelligence, it's not difficult to understand after a little thought. Given the current situation of Tsarist Russia, the best solution is of course a vassal state called the Ming Dynasty. In this way, they can ensure that when they cannot defeat the Western European countries, they will still have the support of the Ming army.
One thing Hong Chengchou didn't expect was that Alexei finally made this decision because he was afraid that the Ming army would label Tsarist Russia as having committed crimes against the Ming Dynasty and send troops to destroy Tsarist Russia.
Although Hong Chengchou understood what Tsarist Russia meant, he could not make the final decision on this matter, so he wrote a report, sent troops to escort the Tsarist Russian envoy to Zhennancheng, and told the Ming Emperor himself.
As a result, this matter also spread in the Volga River Basin.
After hearing this news, the people of the original Torgut tribe and Cossack tribe were full of pride, and they felt great admiration for the foresight of Punchuk and Racine.
Look, Tsarist Russia is not as smart as us. After surrendering first, Tsarist Russia followed suit.
Now we are people of the Ming Dynasty, and they are coming to us to beg for their allegiance!
The power of the Ming Dynasty undoubtedly gave the people a sense of pride.
After this news spread, it also became known to the tribes in the Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania who were resisting aristocratic rule. That's right, why don't you follow what Tsarist Russia did and hug a big thick leg? Then you won't be bullied, and you won't have to fight so hard!
Especially those Cossack tribes, because of the presence of Racine's tribe, they felt that they should seek refuge. As a result, all the weak tribes in various places sent envoys to meet the Ming Emperor with their most precious things. Some tribes even simply moved their entire clan to the territory of the Ming army.
Emperor Chongzhen destroyed hundreds of thousands of the Ottoman Empire's Eastern Expedition Army, and also destroyed the Eastern Expedition Army led by the Persian Emperor, and directly invaded the territory of Persia, sweeping everything, and annihilating Persia with a power of swallowing up thousands of miles. Such a major historical event inevitably affected all countries and tribes in Eastern Europe.
Envoys from various countries and tribes, headed by the envoys from Tsarist Russia, were like streams that converged into a river and flowed towards Zhennan City.
