Emperor Ming Dynasty

As the heavy snow melted, the more than [-] Manchus and Eight Banners entrenched in the Seven Rivers Basin also began to wake up.

Enslaving tens of thousands of Kazakh Khans gave the entire Eight Banners a fat winter.

In the past few months, the Manchu Qing court has not been idle, but formed the Kazakh Eight Banners.

That is to say, forty Niulu, each Niulu has 300 people, that is, 1 people.

Including their family members, that is nearly 5 people.

It can be said that the scale of the Eight Banners has been further expanded.

The Eight Banners are originally an alliance of interests, and have never been limited by race or appearance.

The three banners of Manchu, Mongolian and Han were integrated into one, collectively known as the Eight Banners of Manchu, while the remaining ones were the Eight Banners of Cossacks with more than a thousand people, and the Eight Banners of Kazakhs today.

The grassland stretches as far as the eye can see, and a majestic man stands on the huge yurt, with bright ocher yellow floating.

People kept dismounting and stepping into the camp.

After a while, the tent was full, and many people were forced to listen outside the tent.

Nowadays, most of the people who can reach the camp are Dutong.

One ox is recorded as 300 people, and he is the assistant leader. Five oxen are called Jia La, and their leader is the chief leader. Five Jia La are called Gushan, and they are led by the capital.

After reintegrating Manchu, Mongolian and Han into one, the scale of the Eight Banners has not expanded but shrunk.

Each of the eight banners has thirty niulu, or 9000 men, for a total strength of 7.

In addition, there are 1 Zasak Eight Banners.

It can be said that this has the potential to crush the Kazakh Eight Banners with more than [-] people.

However, even if the Kazakhs were recruited, Shunzhi was not in a good mood.

You must know that in the peak period, there were only [-] Niulu in the Manchu Qing Dynasty, but now it is only half of its size.

Armor, weapons, and training levels are all inferior to those at that time.

It can only abuse the Kazakhs.

With the passage of time, especially the arrival of spring, the Kazakh Khanate began to unite vertically and horizontally, and several large tribes were preparing to rob the Seven Rivers Basin.

After Ning Wan, I had a circle of miscellaneous hair on my forehead, and several braids at the back of my head, as did the Manchu and Han ministers, including Sony and Shuotuo.

It's not that they don't pay attention, but that it's meaningless to shave their hair and change clothes.

As a large number of Mongolians merged into the Eight Banners, braided hair became the mainstream.

The Han people were happy not to have to shave their hair, and the Manchus and Mongols found it suitable.

The reason why the Qing dignitaries recognized braiding was to better integrate into these vast Tatar Turkic groups.

After all, money rat braids are too conspicuous.

"Your Majesty, several countries in Kazakhstan are plotting against the law. According to the news spied on by businessmen, once summer comes, they will undoubtedly send troops."

Ning Wan and I said seriously: "In addition, the Ming army in Anxi seems to have found our traces and is ready to move."

"Your Majesty, there are [-] frontier troops of the Ming army in Anxi. They are almost elite. Once they are flanked by them, the consequences will be disastrous."

These words woke up the originally comfortable nobles, and their faces instantly changed to cautious, even fearful.

After being defeated by the Ming army time and time again, the fear of the Ming army in the army is increasing day by day, and when encountering the Ming army, it will naturally lose three points of momentum.

"What does the cabinet think?"

Shunzhi was satisfied when he saw that Ning Wanwo was a blockbuster, so he asked.

"Your Majesty, relying on last year's plan, continue to move westward, go to the so-called lower reaches of the Volga River, and find the Tuhu Special Department."

Sony said: "There are many pastures and fertile land, it is the best place for us."

The specific introduction is not mentioned, after all, this suggestion has been said countless times.

But there is no way, every time we pass through a comfortable place, everyone doesn't want to leave, and wants to stay for a rest.

Only these high-ranking officials clearly know where the crisis lies, and they continue to exhort, guide, and unify the hearts of the people.

"Now that it's all decided, let's set off again!"

After saying that, with the order of the king, the Eight Banners began to move.

With Niulu as the center, a large number of cattle and horses moved, and many herdsmen were forced to herd their sheep and head west.

Moving and raising livestock at the same time is the norm for nomadic people.

As soon as the Seven Rivers Basin was emptied, it immediately attracted the competition of the three major Yuzi, and the Kazakh Khanate became a mess.

The Manchus, on the other hand, took everything with them and began their own migration.

The tribes along the way either fled or were annexed and looted.

After walking for half a month, the large army arrived near the Caspian Sea.

This is where the former Nogai Khanate was located. After the Kazakhs destroyed it, they plundered a lot of wealth and returned, and this place became their prison.

A large number of Nogai tribes began to pay tribute to the Russians, but they only competed with each other for pastures, and the land was in a mess.

The Manchu Qing Dynasty seemed to be the Tuhu Special Forces who moved westward back then. They were so huge that no one dared to provoke them.

Almost effortlessly, half of the old land of the Nogai Khanate was taken.

This time, the Russians were immediately surprised.

You know, after the demise of the Golden Horde, Russia has always regarded itself as its successor. These tribes are its mercenaries and tribute cows. How could the Manchus get involved?
Unsurprisingly, the Russians sent envoys with pride on their faces:

"Your department has only two choices, either surrender to our country and fulfill its obligations of military service and money and food, or prepare to perish!"

These words made the entire Eight Banners nobles very angry.

Some young nobles clamored to teach the Rakshasa a lesson.

Even some veterans, such as Nikan, were angry: "The Raksha people rely on only muskets, and I can kill them."

Ning Wan and I sighed: "What our army lacks most now are muskets and gunpowder, and the Cossacks are very close to here, and their combat power should not be underestimated."

The difference between grassland nomads and farming lies in the difference in materials.

In the Central Plains, there are blacksmiths who can cast guns and cannons, as well as iron, coal, sulfur, etc.

In this Nogai area, even iron is scarce, and making guns is impossible.

Although there are [-] to [-] troops today, Russia can not only recruit tens of thousands of Cossacks, but also a large number of serfs.

The Manchu Qing Dynasty, which moved far away, was at its weakest time.

"Go to the Ottomans and buy guns."

At this time, Tang Ruowang said: "Occupying the hegemony of the Mediterranean, the Ottomans are greedy in their bones. Whether it is muskets or gunpowder, they will sell..."

"Okay, let's deal with the Raksha people for now."

Shunzhi coughed: "Send a team to Ottoman to buy muskets and artillery."

"Then, send someone to find the Tuhuts to see if they can form an alliance."

"The cabinet will seize the time to appease the Nogai tribes and form an Eight Banners!"

Forming the Nogai Eight Banners, absorbing those tribes and elites into the Eight Banners team, and using them for me, this is the key to the prosperity of the Manchu Qing Dynasty.

Of course, interest groups are interest groups.

After absorbing a small number of people, most of the land and property fell into the hands of the Eight Banners nobles and were divided up.

Benefits are eternal.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, most of the Nogai herdsmen were turned into serfs and servants of the nobles of the Eight Banners.

For a moment, with the unprecedented unity of the Eight Banners, it seemed that the threat of the Raksha people was no longer worth mentioning.

……

In the early morning, the Forbidden City is still shrouded in black with dim light, but a large number of candles are still dancing on the stone platform.

At this time, a group of eunuchs carried lanterns, looked at the stars in the sky, and the rising sun shrouded in clouds, and started a collective fire extinguishing operation.

Torches are not safe, and lanterns burn easily.

So on some main roads, stone pillar candlesticks were erected one by one.

Candles are placed on it, and then covered with a glass that emits a halo of yellow light.

Although the light is not too big, it is very safe.

The same is true. Due to the need for fire protection, its candle holder even surrounds a small pool to prevent fire.

"Whoosh-"

Looking at the sky, the eunuchs quickly put in new spermaceti and lit it to ensure that it was fully illuminated.

At the same time, they will also fill the small pool with water.

Every day, hundreds of eunuchs get up early to perform candle changing.

"This candle costs two or three yuan a piece in the market!"

Seeing such a luxurious scene, the eunuch couldn't help muttering.

There are no less than a thousand candles burning in the Forbidden City every day, and there are three hundred candlesticks on the road alone, which can be described as extremely wasteful.

After finishing their work, the group began to retreat.

"Third brother, there is no one walking around in the palace at night, isn't it a waste to light this candle?"

"You know a fart!" The eunuch pouring water said casually: "This is the way for the princes to enter school."

"These roads lead directly from the halls to the Qianqing Palace!"

"Oh!"

"Let, let!"

Suddenly, a group of eunuchs came over, holding glazed lamps in their hands, radiating light to open the way ahead.

Then, on the chariot carried by several eunuchs, sat a child, wearing ordinary silk clothes and a hat, with a plump figure.

"Look down!"

The elder eunuch immediately grabbed him and brought him to kneel down together.

Soon, the team moved slowly along the route of the lamppost.

"Don't get up!" The little eunuch remembered again, and the third brother held him down again: "This is the way to go to school. The princes go to school one after another. It's better to kneel when you get up."

Sure enough, many teams passed by, it can be described as continuous, one kneeling for nearly two quarters of an hour before the eunuchs got up.

The young eunuch rubbed his knees: "Third brother, it's not dawn yet, why are you going to school?"

"In class, wouldn't it be necessary to arrive two-quarters of an hour early to review yesterday's homework?"

The third brother said in a low voice: "Princes, don't look at the rich clothes and fine food, but you are suffering. There are classes every day, and the cold and heat are constant..."

"Hey, it's still really hard."

"That's right. In the future, the princes will all want to take over the country. His Majesty sent people to lay down the land for them to govern. Can you learn some real skills!"

In spring, the nights are long and the days are short, and when the sun's rays appear in the sky, the time has come to Chenshi.

The side hall of Qianqing Palace was already full of children.

In order to pay attention to the education of the princes, the teaching place was placed in the side hall of Qianqing Palace. The emperor could walk more than a hundred steps to it and supervise the princes to study at any time.

It can be said that the pressure is added to the full.

It was a good thing that the emperor liked to stay overnight in the palace of concubines. Otherwise, not only the princes, but also the teachers would be trembling.

Although it was already bright outside, candles were still lit in the side hall, and the faint scent of sandalwood overflowed, which could be described as refreshing.

There are 14 princes, all of whom are schoolchildren who have reached the age of five. The oldest is 16 years old, and the youngest is only five years old.

Although the masters are divided into several parts, the enlightenment is carried out at the age of five to eight, and they are responsible for the basic content.

From the age of eight to fourteen, they are Confucian classics and receive traditional Confucian worldview education.

At the age of 14 and above, the pure way of kingship, traditional books such as Shang Junshu, Han Feizi, Shiji, Zizhi Tongjian and other books are taught.

Therefore, the enlightenment masters are basically ordinary doctors, and when it comes to the monarchy, it is the prince of the country who offers wine, or the eight ministers.

Sometimes even cabinet veterans are invited to give lectures.

The thirteenth son of the emperor, Qi Wang Zhu Cunnan stayed on the seat sullenly, staring at the blackboard in front of him in a daze.

He is already 15 years old, but he still wants to study. After ten years of studying, he is so bored!
I don't know when I will be able to go out to practice, and I will be a master when I go out.

When I ruled the country, there were thirty or fifty people in the harem who rode horses, taking turns every day...

"Get up!"

At this time, the old Jiuxiang King stood up and shouted.

"Master, good morning!"

All the princes stood up and bowed, full of etiquette.

Guozijian Jijiu with a gray beard stroked his beard and said with a smile, "The one who is teaching you today is Jin Shangshu from the Ministry of Finance."

Immediately, the wealthy Jin Bao walked slowly into the school to give lectures to the fourteen-year-old princes.

"The Ministry of Finance, as the name suggests, is to gather wealth for the country."

Jin Bao has been in office for almost two years, and he is already familiar with the Ministry of Finance. He explained briskly:

"In the Tang Dynasty, it was the Du branch, in the Song Dynasty, it was the Sansi, and in the Mongolian, Yuan and Qian Ming dynasties, it was the Hubu."

"At the beginning of Shaowu, Your Majesty was wise enough to observe the closure of the Ministry of Finance, so the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Households, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs were separated."

"My Ministry of Finance collects business tax, land tax..."

Next, he explained the importance of the commercial tax and land tax of the Ministry of Finance, especially the commercial tax:
"There are countless acres of land in the world, and people are constantly multiplying. The more people there are, the more intensive the exchanges, and naturally there will be more business taxes."

"It can be said that the potential of commercial taxation is endless, and it is also indispensable to the court, and even the most important."

"In the former Ming Dynasty, there was a lack of wealth, and tax increases forced the people to rebel. There was no money to support the army, and thus the country was overthrown..."

Then, he told these princes the importance of restraining local taxation powers.

"Three rings are only one cent and two cents, but those corrupt officials extorted money and plundered the common people ten times and a hundred times, which caused a catastrophe."

"So the financial power must be collected from the imperial court..."

This narration is easy to understand, especially with the example of Qianming, it can be said to be convincing.

King Qi listened for a long time, then raised his hand and asked: "Why was the wealth sufficient during the Taizu period, but not enough in the Chongzhen year?"

"This is the key point." Jin Bao smiled and said, "During the reign of Taizu, there were no border troubles, and the military household system did not collapse..."

Immediately, Jinbao introduced how to increase revenue and reduce expenditure:
"It is better to increase the commercial tax than to increase the land tax."

"If you are really short of money, you can just search the house. Whether it is those wealthy businessmen or those corrupt officials, they are the best help."

"Wang Anshi's reform in the past and the whipping method of the Ming Dynasty were all just for money."

"Today's homework is to discuss the pros and cons of Wang Anshi's reform..."