Chapter 601 Glory
The 30th year of the Jiajing reign was a turning point for the Altan tribe.
The internal predicament caused by the snowstorm is still continuing. Although it has improved a lot, the powerful people still complain that the losses are too great and the Khan is helpless.
The same was true for ordinary herdsmen. The entire royal court, and even the entire interior, were all looking at the royal tent.
In the past, whenever there was a problem that could not be solved on the grassland, Altan had only one solution: go south!
They would plunder and kill, and then return in triumph with the stolen money, food, people, and precious craftsmen.
After returning to the royal court, he was still the Great Khan respected by his people, and still the Altan Khan who made the Ming people tremble with fear.
"Since when did the Khan become more cautious?"
In Jineng's tent, he asked comfortably while drinking tea made from the tea leaves he had just bought from the caravan.
The counselor Ma Tianlu also got a cup of tea. He was recalling his days in the Central Plains with a sense of melancholy. Hearing this, he said, "It seems to have started... two years ago."
"The year before last was the twenty-eighth year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty."
"Exactly."
"What happened that year?" Jinen thought about it.
"That year... it seems we were defeated." Ma Tianlu narrowed his eyes, "We were defeated three times by Jiang Qingzhi, and the Jingguan outside Datong City became our shame. From then on, the Khan became much more cautious."
Jineng sighed, "My uncle came to power illegitimately, and what he worries about most is failure. If everything goes smoothly, it will be fine, but if he fails miserably, those tribes will definitely turn against him. At that time..."
Ma Tianlu whispered: "This Khanship should have been yours!"
Jineng's father was Altan's elder brother. When their father passed away, it was also Jineng's father who inherited the position. However, Altan later stood out and successfully snatched it all away.
Although Jineng seemed to be in a high position, Altan was always wary of him.
"Jineng is here?"
Someone outside asked.
"Who?" Ji Neng stretched out his hand and signaled Ma Tianlu to be quiet.
"I, Tuotuo."
"Come in."
The curtain was lifted, and a gust of cold wind came in along with Tuotuo.
Jineng shuddered, "You are not with the Khan, what are you doing here?"
Tuotuo sat down and took off his boots while saying, "Give me a cup of tea. It smells so good. Was it just delivered by Mingren?"
"Yeah!" Jineng signaled Ma Tianlu to make a cup of tea for Tuotuo.
Tuotuo took off his boots, and his socks were soaked. "I don't even know when these damn boots were torn."
He took off his socks and put his feet, which had turned white from being soaked, by the fire to warm them. He took the teacup handed to him by Ma Tianlu, sniffed it, and said, "The Khan just ordered me to question him. He mentioned the Ming guards and asked me if I knew how the Ming guards were being reorganized."
"Aren't you in charge of the secret agent? Why are you asking me?" Jineng said with a smile.
Tuotuo leaned back slightly, looked at the hot steam rising from his feet, and sighed comfortably, "Zhao Quan hasn't come yet, there is some news that needs your consultation."
Jinen laughed and said, "Should I avoid it?"
Tuotuo looked at him for a long time and said, "The Khan never suspected you, why do you do this?"
Ji Neng smiled but said nothing.
Tuotuo looked at Ma Tianlu, "The secret agent sent me news that the Ming Dynasty's Beijing Guards were almost rebuilt last year. The main generals were either dismissed or punished, and most of them were replaced. The old and weak were eliminated very thoroughly. If so, how strong is the Beijing Guards after the reconstruction?"
Ma Tianlu took a sip of tea, pursed his lips and thought for a while, "Ming Dynasty... The officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty were weak, the generals were greedy, and the soldiers were like slaves. The reconstruction of the Beijing Guards this time was based on this drawback. I think those generals who were replaced will be able to cheer up for a few years."
"How many years?" Tuotuo asked, "Why?"
Ma Tianlu smiled, with contempt in his eyes, "That is a big dye vat, rotten from top to bottom. Even if it is rebuilt, in a few years, those soldiers will still be assimilated by that big dye vat."
Ma Tianlu put down his teacup and said, "In that big dye vat, if you don't go along with the crowd, you will be mediocre. Otherwise, once you stand out, you will definitely be attacked by everyone."
Jineng was surprised, "Isn't this... not doing your job properly, and not allowing others to do it?"
Ma Tianlu nodded. "If others do the right thing, it will highlight their incompetence and ugliness?"
"Tsk!"
Jineng shook his head, with greed in his eyes, "The Ming Dynasty has countless money, grain and craftsmen, but it is just like a fat sheep."
Tuotuo asked again: "At the end of last year, Jiang Qingzhi went to the Huben Zuowei intensively, and then the emperor and his ministers also went to review them. It is said that the Emperor Ming called him my Huben. What do you think? By the way, the secret agent reported that he heard the sound of firearms in the Huben Zuowei."
Ma Tianlu laughed and said, "It seems that the Ming Dynasty's Beijing Guards have been rebuilt, but most of those soldiers have never seen blood. Once they are on the battlefield and see real cavalry, how many of them can lift their swords? How many of them can swing their swords calmly?
In my opinion, the only people the Emperor can rely on now are the Tiger Guards and Jiang Qingzhi. How can we inspire people if we don't encourage them?"
"That makes sense." There was admiration in Tuotuo's eyes. It was heard that someone had secretly tried to recruit Ma Tianlu, but he declined.
"In addition, firearms are no secret in the Beijing Guards." Ma Tianlu said, "When Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di went to the frontier, the Shenji Camp once shone brightly. But later it gradually declined. Perhaps the Emperor Ming intends to rebuild the Firearm Camp!"
"Firearm Battalion?" Tuotuo had never experienced the time when the remnants of the Mongols were beaten like dogs by Emperor Chengzu, so he was a little confused.
"They are firearms that are more powerful than fireworks." Jineng knew about this. "When the Yuan Dynasty conquered the world, firearms were also popular for a while. But they are not as convenient as swords and guns."
"That's right." Ma Tianlu said, "Firearms are clumsy and inconvenient to carry. And gunpowder becomes waste once it gets wet."
"Nowadays, the warriors who charge into battle are all heavily armored. What's the use of those firearms?" Jineng waved his hand and stopped the topic. "It's better to worry about Jiang Qingzhi."
"The war between Confucianism and Mohism has continued to this day. Jiang Qingzhi built a biogas digester, which is said to increase the yield per mu of land by more than 10%." Tuotuo's face was solemn. "When the Khan heard the news, he executed all the prisoners who should have been exiled, and executed all the males of the tribes that should have been taken under his command... who were taller than the wheels."
There was silence in the tent.
After an unknown amount of time, Ma Tianlu said quietly, "Back then, Yi Ren was held hostage in Handan. If he had been killed in Handan, how could the Central Plains have survived?"
Jinen frowned, "Who is the alien?"
Ma Tianlu said:
"The biological father of the first emperor of the Central Plains!"
"Who was the first emperor of Central Plains?" asked Jineng.
"First Emperor!"
"Is it great?"
"The greatest emperor of all time!"
Ma Tianlu looked solemn.
Jineng smiled awkwardly. Tuotuo said sarcastically, "Why, are you proud of it?"
Ma Tianlu was startled, and his solemnity turned into silence.
"This is the Yuan Dynasty!" Tuotuo said.
"Yes."
Ma Tianlu then stood up and left.
Walking out of the tent, he took a deep breath, exhaling the smell of stinky feet and the regret that had just arisen in his lungs.
First Emperor!
Han and Tang Dynasties!
Great Song Dynasty!
Ming dynasty!
Since he was a child, he has memorized these stories fluently, and he knows all the emperors and generals by heart, and he can recite all the popular stories fluently...
——Whoever openly offends the mighty Han will be punished, even though they are far away!
——Wang Xuance destroyed the country alone!
Countless allusions flow through my mind.
The pride and honor he had heard at the beginning, now became thorns that pricked his heart and caused him great pain.
He squatted on the ground, gasping for breath.
Why did you come to the grassland in the first place?
Ma Tianlu raised his head and looked blankly ahead, as if he saw the young man who was full of vigor and vitality back then.
——Sir, I will definitely pass this exam!
He was full of confidence, but failed in the provincial examination.
Just when he was traveling to relax and was preparing to return to avenge his previous humiliation, he encountered the cavalry of Altan Khan's tribe.
He was kidnapped and taken to the grasslands, where he was assigned to do hard labor. Less than half a month later, Ma Tianlu looked at his dead companion and stroked his thin face, and he became timid.
He didn't want to die, and after struggling all night, he went to find the supervisor the next day and said that he was a scholar and was willing to serve the Khan.
The supervisor whipped him so hard that he began to doubt his life. At this moment, Ji Neng, who was passing by, recognized Ma Tianlu's Confucian robe and stopped the supervisor.
Ask: "Would you like to follow me?"
Ma Tianlu had almost no hesitation. At that moment, even if the devil came, he would answer.
"I am willing, little man!"
From then on, he became Jineng's follower. After making several plans and showing his talents, he suddenly became Jineng's strategist and think tank.
From then on, every New Year's Day morning, Ma Tianlu would hide in his tent and not go out.
At this time of ancestor worship, he hid in the tent and cried bitterly, begging his ancestors to forgive him.
He was too ashamed to offer sacrifices to his ancestors and could only repent.
"Mr. Ma."
Ma Tianlu turned around and saw Jineng and Tuotuo walking out of the tent, and Jineng's followers were calling him.
The meeting is about to begin.
The nobles came one after another and gathered outside Altan's tent, talking in low voices.
How is the year going this year? Are your cattle and sheep doing well?
Gradually, the topic changed.
“Maybe going south this year?”
Unlike the Central Plains dynasties, which would only solve problems from within when faced with natural disasters, the ethnic minorities on the grasslands were more accustomed to "borrowing" some from their neighbors when they lacked something.
Over time, they developed a bandit spirit in their bones, unwilling to build and only wanting to plunder.
"The Khan has arrived."
Altan, who had been away on an inspection trip, returned.
"Meet the Khan."
The dignitaries bowed and saluted, but there were many unfriendly eyes staring at Altan.
"Are you all here?" Altan glanced at them, "Come in!"
Everyone looked up and saw Altan looking deeply at the south, and they couldn't help but look over there.
That was once their place of glory, but they were eventually driven back by a cowherd.
"When can we rule the Central Plains again!" Altan said softly.
In the distance, Zhang Hui and Chen Nan were among a group of herdsmen. The herdsmen looked at the gathered nobles curiously, wondering what big event was about to happen.
"Go south!" said a shepherd.
"If the Khan decides to go south, I will sharpen my sword and follow him with my horse. I will certainly bring back a few slaves."
"I want a Han woman!"
"I just want money!"
"The Han people are the weakest. Once they are afraid of being killed, they will never dare to go west if you ask them to go east."
A team of guards were patrolling around the royal court, monitoring the surroundings.
"Captain!" Zhang Hui and the other two walked to the side, pretending to watch the fun. Chen Nan said in despair: "I can't find a chance!"
Zhang Hui observed carefully for a long time, but still could not find a chance to sneak in.
"Summon Yang."
The three of them then talked in low voices in a sheltered place.
Zhang Hui said with a piercing look in his eyes: "My family has ordered us to get the news at all costs. At all costs... even if we all die, we have to send the news out before we die."
Yang Zhao was short and inconspicuous, and he was agile, making him the perfect choice.
Yang Zhao shuddered, and Chen Nan gritted his teeth, "Forget it, this guy is afraid of death, Captain, I'll go!"
"Who is afraid of death?" Yang Zhao straightened his back, "I'll go!"
(End of this chapter)
