Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

Zhu Ming soon found out about what Yang Yao did in Jambi - someone had reported him.

Zhu Song was ordered to move the Governor's Office to Jambi City. He knew what happened without much inquiry. Yang Yao even left him a share of the spoils.

Faced with the gold, silver and treasures, Zhu Song declined on the spot and sent someone back to the mainland to send a secret telegram to the emperor.

Zhu Ming's approach was very interesting.

First, the contents of the secret telegram were not made public, so that the court officials would not know that Yang Yao was messing around.

Second, Yang Yao was conferred the title of Earl, but the entire army, including Yang Yao, did not receive any material rewards. Yang Yao himself was fined for three months and his military rank was demoted by two levels.

Third, Zhu Song's official rank was promoted by one level, and he was awarded 100 gold yuan, 500 silver yuan, and a set of brocade clothes, and continued to stay in Jambi as the Governor.

Fourth, the imperial censor was sent to Jambi and Malacca to rectify the discipline of the civil and military officials.

Fifth, he conferred titles on more than ten vassal states at once, but only left Balinbang (Paleang) unconferred, suggesting that Yang Yao could continue to attack there.

Sixth, he ordered the immediate construction of several warships, increasing the number of gunboats under Yang Yao to 20.

Seventh, he rewarded the civil and military officials in Fujian and Guangdong who helped organize immigration.

Probably in midsummer, Yang Yao received the emperor's handling results.

He was surprised, happy and angry. He was surprised because the emperor knew about it, happy that the emperor did not pursue it too much, and angry that Zhu Song secretly impeached him!

A huge contradiction arose between the civil and military officials in Zhanbei.

In the following days, Yang Yao did not hide his disgust for Zhu Song. Even the soldiers and officials who got the benefits felt that Governor Zhu Song was too ignorant.

…

The destruction of Srivijaya not only caused a dramatic change in the situation in Nanyang, but also had a profound impact on India, Arabia, Egypt and West Asia.

The maritime trade between the East and the West was decided by the Ming Dynasty.

If Yang Yao had not embezzled money and goods wantonly, Zhu Ming would have even wanted to confer him a title of nobility - although the intensity of the war was not great, the impact was extremely far-reaching, and he deserved the title of a marquis.

Srivijaya was just a weak fat man.

After a period of decline lasting more than a hundred years, Srivijaya only had the navy to suppress other countries. Its army was rotten to the core, and even when the palm-sized Java Kingdom next door was seeking independence, it could repeatedly repel the Srivijaya army that went to suppress it.

Its internal structure had long been torn apart, and not only did each of its vassal states have an independent tendency, but even its homeland was controlled by the lords.

This overlord of the South Seas was actually destroyed by Yang Yao with more than a thousand sailors, which simply shocked countless people.

The court's support for the civil and military officials of Zhanbei was limited to sending more warships, the army and immigrants. Zhu Ming's eyes were now on the Western Regions.

The news of Yelu Dashi's death had long been heard in Luoyang.

But last year, there was a serious flood in the south, and Ningxia had only been recovered for a few years, so human resources were relatively scarce. Zhu Ming decided to delay the dispatch of troops for another year.

Military rations have been transported to the Hexi Corridor, and merchants are engaged in open trade, that is, private merchants organize people to transport grain to Shazhou and sell it to the government at a fair price. They can make a small profit and get a share of salt permits.

This open way of transporting grain can only solve part of the military rations. When the war really starts, the court will have to intervene.

Shazhou is frantically building military warehouses, waiting for the grain to be transported and stored. It will serve as a logistics base for the attack on the Western Regions.

The strategic plan formulated by the Privy Council is to attack Yizhou (Hami) first, and then capture Gaochang (Turpan).

In the first stage, the farthest can only be Gaochang, otherwise the logistics will not be able to keep up.

After occupying Yizhou and Gaochang, it will take at least two years to migrate and consolidate the territory. A group of local nobles and peasants should also be left. As long as they accept the rule obediently, they will not be killed, and they will provide logistics for the Ming army.

...

The situation in Western Liao is extremely tense.

The last words left by Yelu Dashi were to kill the King of Gaochang and his descendants to avoid a fire in the backyard when the two countries went to war.

Last spring, when the Queen of Western Liao, Xiao Tabuyan, succeeded to the throne, she immediately sent Xiao Chala Abu to Gaochang. Xiao Tabuyan did not serve as the regent queen mother, but became the monarch of Western Liao as the queen, and returned the state affairs after her son came of age.

Xiao Chala Abu arrested and executed the King of Gaochang on charges of colluding with the Ming Dynasty and plotting rebellion. However, in order to stabilize the nobles of Gaochang, the king's descendants were not killed, and the Gaochang royal family was only detained in Husihan'erduo (the capital of Western Liao).

Gaochang was completely destroyed, and it could not even become a vassal state of Western Liao.

Xiao Chala Abu was appointed as the Governor of Gaochang, directly governing Gaochang (Turpan) and Yizhou (Hami). He worked hard to strengthen the defense of Yizhou City, and sent more garrisons and food to Yizhou City. He also built many castles near Yizhou City in an attempt to stop the invasion of the Ming Dynasty here.

At the same time, Xiao Tabuyan began to sort out the household registration.

It has been almost ten years since the establishment of Western Liao, and Yelu Dashi has been busy expanding, and even the basic household registration work has not been sorted out.

Xiao Tabuyan can only check the capital area (Husihan Erduo and surrounding areas) for the time being. After a household registration census, there are more than 84,000 households in the capital area of ​​Western Liao. And based on this, strictly implement the new tax system to consolidate the basic base of Western Liao.

"Will Ming really send troops?" Xiao Tabuyan was worried.

Xiao Worila said: "Since the late emperor left a will, Ming will most likely send troops, and it is estimated to be within three years. If three years have passed, Her Majesty the Queen has stabilized the country, and it will be more difficult for Ming to attack again."

Xiao Tabuyan sighed: "Three years. Now it has been a year and a half, and the Ming army may come next year. Are you sure you can stop the Ming army?"

Xiao Worila knelt down and expressed his attitude: "We are all willing to fight to the death!"

"We, mother and son, rely on the general." Xiao Tabuyan was unsure.

She had a private letter from Emperor Zhu in her hand. Yelu Dashi asked his wife to circulate it to the generals when the front line was defeated before he died.

But Xiao Tabuyan was unwilling to surrender easily. At least she would not accept her fate until the Ming army broke through the mountain pass west of Yili and the border of Western Liao was undefended.

Even if the entire territory of Gaochang was lost, Xiao Tabuyan would still insist.

No, you can still move the capital!

Give up Hu Sihan's ears, move to Hezhong Prefecture with officials and troops, and rely on the Pamir Mountains to block the Ming army in the east.

…

The Ming Dynasty is expanding everywhere, about to attack the Western Regions, and take Zhanbi in Nanyang.

In the direction of western Sichuan, two routes are advancing.

The southern army successfully captured the Xishan Yechuan tribes (big and small Jinchuan). There are dozens of Tubo tribes there. The Ming army has killed them all, and the tribes are still unable to unite. Some small tribes even take the initiative to lead the way.

The northern army successfully captured Songpan and took Jiuzhaigou.

In the next few years, the entire western Sichuan plateau was slowly eroded. Each time the Ming army sent out a small number of troops, because they were all scattered Tubo tribes, and there was not even a unified Tubo regime. The logistics and supplies could be supported by Sichuan alone.

In the past, Sichuan's finances were mostly used to recover iron money.

Now that the iron money has been recovered, Sichuan has a huge surplus of taxes, which is just right to stay in the province for military expansion.

Sichuan's military generals do not need to fight big battles. They always bully the surrounding tribes and accumulate military exploits through one small battle after another. Civil officials also accumulate political achievements, raise money and food for the army, organize immigration, etc.

The western Sichuan plateau has not been completely pacified, and Sichuan's civil and military officials even have new combat plans.

They reported to the cabinet and the Ministry of War, and have been approved. Next year, they will go south again to completely eliminate the crippled Ma Hu tribe (Mabian, Suijiang, and Leibo counties).

As for the Shimen tribes further south (Yanjin, Daguan, Yiliang, Zhaotong, Ludian, Qiaojia, Huize, Dongchuan), because they are too remote and have complex terrain and climate, Zhu Ming plans to appoint chieftains to carry out tributary rule first. It is best to destroy the Dali Kingdom and establish Yunnan Province, and then send troops from Yunnan to gradually expand northward. It may take two or three hundred years to change the chieftains to the Han people.

What is the current situation of the Dali Kingdom?

The eight insects are fighting for the throne and the king and the prime minister are unable to control it. Internal war may break out at any time.

Once the Dali Kingdom breaks out in civil strife and forces Duan Yu to become a monk, the Ming Dynasty will have an excuse to send troops. The reason for the expedition is: the ministers and princes of the Dali Kingdom are unfaithful and unfilial, so the court wants to take back the Chinese homeland and govern it personally!

…

India has an overseas territory called the Andaman Islands, named after the Malay name for the Indian monkey god.

During the Tang Dynasty, China called it "the country of naked people". That means they don't wear clothes. They don't want the clothes sold by merchants, but use all their supplies to exchange for ironware. The islanders are not dark-skinned and of medium build. They should refer specifically to the Malays along the coast of the island.

During the Song Dynasty, China called this place "Yantuo Barbarian Country". The foreign Malay islanders were probably assimilated, their skin became dark, and their height was not even as high as that of the Japanese. There are records of cannibalism, grinding shells into knives, and eating bananas, yams, fish, shrimps, wild boars and jackfruits.

The Ming Dynasty built a port here, named Hougang, which was under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Malacca - now changed to the Governor of Jambi.

Merchant ships from various countries coming from the Strait of Malacca can replenish fresh water at Hougang, and then cross the Bay of Bengal to Ceylon.

When the six second-generation officials landed on the island, Lin Riyan, the commander of Hougang, was watching the wild boar baring its teeth.

Lin Riyan was a native of southern Fujian. When Li Bao recovered Fujian, he and his father led the navy to surrender to the Ming Dynasty.

He was working in the navy of the Ming Dynasty, but he was convicted for smuggling with his superior. His superior had been beheaded, so Lin Riyan could make up for his crime by serving as a commander in the remote Monkey Port.

Now he only had a small warship under his command, and all the soldiers and crew members had committed crimes.

There were no officials in the port, only a few clerks who were also exiled.

"Commander, another ship is coming." A clerk came to report.

Lin Riyan yawned and said, "Supply them with fresh water as usual, and buy some wine by the way. You can do it yourself."

Lin Riyan had no hope of returning home. When he brought his wife, he didn't even bring his children with him, leaving them in his hometown to be taken care of by his brothers.

This broken place made people completely lose hope, and they only hoped to return to their roots after death.

The supply ship came once a year and would bring enough rice and salt.

If you want to drink, you must purchase it from passing ships. Therefore, Lin Riyan made a rule that if they wanted to resupply fresh water in this port, those merchant ships must sell him wine.

Lu You was shocked before he even landed: "Are all the Kunlun slaves working?"

Fan Chengda muttered: "The Kunlun slaves here are so short."

There are still some places under construction in the port, and the workers are all short blacks captured from the island. If we only talk about race, they are short blacks like the mainstream Kunlun slaves in Guangzhou, but the short blacks here are even shorter.

The average height is less than 1.2 meters, and the adult strong men are no more than 1.5 meters.

Li Zuqia sighed: "This is the real dwarf country, and there is no record of it in "Arabian Nights". If you don't go to sea yourself, how can you know that there are such short blacks in the world?"

Wang Lianqing has taken out paper and pen, intending to draw the short blacks.

They went to meet Lin Riyan, and after chatting for a few words, Lu You asked: "Commander Lin, why don't you give those Kunlun slaves clothes? Young women should wear clothes."

Lin Riyan sighed: "They didn't wear the clothes they were given. Do you think I want to see the two black lumps on their chests swinging around all day? It's really an eyesore!"

Those short black women used leaves to make skirts to cover their shame, but their upper bodies were not covered at all.

It was really an eyesore.