stubborn thief

In April of the eighth year of Chongzhen, the entire northern China was covered with war clouds.

The Marshal's Mansion in the northwest gathers generals in Lanzhou. From Golmud in the depths of Qinghai to the banks of the Yellow River adjacent to Zhongwei in Ningxia, tens of thousands of horses are galloping everywhere, transporting grain, grass and military equipment to the east for the army's eastward expedition.

On the other side of the Ming Dynasty, Hong Chengchou, the governor of the three sides, and Chen Qiyu, the governor of the five provinces, gathered in Qingyang to shrink the line of defense along Liupan Mountain to prevent the battalions from being divided and wiped out. He and the Xi'an government tried every means to mobilize grain and grass.

Huang Taiji in the Northeast is also gearing up, and once again ordered Horqin Batuluhan, Jinong Badali and Dorgon to prepare for the western expedition to Monan along the way, but this time his goal is not Xuanda of Ming Dynasty, but to occupy the Monan is in Yang Qi.

And Yang Qi from the Marshal's Monan Governor's Mansion... In this tense atmosphere of preparations everywhere, Yang Qi's painting style is different from others, and no one can find him.

Dudu Yang is busy deceiving the emperor, smuggling, extorting money, enfeoffing the princes in this piece of paradise where there is nothing but happiness. Anyway, he has nothing to do with the serious business of preparing for war. He leads the Han army to build everywhere all day. Water conservancy, intimidating and luring Mongolians to plant land on the grassland, has been busy since last winter.

Even Ji Tutaiji and He Huchen couldn't find Yang Qi. The communication between the two parties was completely one-way and Yang Qi wrote them intermittently, telling them what to do next.

It's not that Yang Qi is stupid, he's as smart as a monkey, and he already knows the situation he's in. Given his situation, every day he opens his eyes, he has to laugh out loud: Hey fuck, I'm still live a day!
To the southwest of him is the murderous Ningxia Town; to the south is Yansui Town, which is full of bitterness and hatred; to the southeast, are the plague-ridden Shanxi and Xuanda Towns; Assassinate Shenbu.

And in his hinterland, there are [-] Mobei Mongolian troops whose eyes are red with hunger.

What battle is he preparing for, and with whom?It's not bad to be alive, but the top, bottom, left, right, and middle are all fucking enemies.

So he had to move, taking his own governor's office to move on the grassland at irregular times and directions: As long as I don't know where I am, others can't find me, and if they can't find me, they can't kill me ——And I am alive, and the Monan Dudu Mansion is alive.

The cruel reality does not allow him to consider the revenge of the Jin army at all.

In order to fill his stomach, Yang Qi did everything possible. In the west, he sent Mongolian cavalry to Ningxia to beg for food every day, and asked Hong Chengchou for food; He wrote a letter, said all the good things, and tried his best to convince Yang Sichang that their surname Yang was on the sidelines.

In those more than 80 letters, Yang Qi portrayed himself as a loyal minister of the Ming Dynasty who was defeated and captured. He committed himself to serving as a thief and tried his hardest, and finally got the chance to leave the town. He will now break with Liu Chengzong and never return to Qinghai up.

He analyzed a lot of specious information to Yang Sichang, such as Hou Jin's current strategic advantage over Ming Dynasty, stated the reason why the Monan Governor's Mansion can be used as Ming's strong support outside the border, and made a promise that Hou Jin would like to detour Attacking Xuan Da, he will definitely fight against all opinions and send troops to help Da Ming.

After all, Yang Qi was like a bright mirror in his heart, if Huang Taiji came to Monan again, he must be the one who beat him, maybe he would join forces with Daming to beat him together.

Because Liu Chengzong told him that the most important thing for the Houjin right now is to conquer Mongolia and collect the inheritance of the Northern Yuan Dynasty. In terms of the Beiyuan legacy, the Ming Dynasty, which established the country by expelling the Tartars, is not a competitor at all. Only the Marshal's Mansion and the Houjin On the Monan Grassland a bull.

On the surface, Yang Qi said that he would be Da Ming's strong support, but in fact, what he thought in his heart was to wait for Hou Jin to beat him, and let Da Ming come to help him.

What is soft food hard food?It's just that people don't think you are eating soft food.

Yang Sichang almost bored Yang Qi to death, sending letters every day, every day, as if he had endless things to say.

It's fine if it's normal, Shanxi is plagued by plague this spring, and the soldier who delivered the letter to Yang Qi still took the letter to deliver it to him, crossing the epidemic area with his eyes closed, isn't this fucking harmful?
Still can't stop Yang Qi, there is Fang Zhenghua, the eunuch who is the supervisor of ceremonies, and the eunuch Fang Zhenghua, who delivers the letter to him, is holding the customs clearance documents stamped with the seal of the supervisor of ceremonies. , but Yang Qi must promise to deliver the letter to him.

Now Yang Sichang felt sick to his stomach when he saw the seal of the Supervisor of Rites. He thought to himself that if he got sick and died suddenly, even if he delayed his reincarnation, he would have to take Yang Qi away first.

As for Yang Qi's foolish words, Yang Sichang didn't believe a single word.

Because those obedient words all point to one goal in the end-to get Daming to provide him with military rations.

But Yang Sichang really has nothing to do with him, because this thing is outside the border, saying the same things as Lin Danhan, and doing the same things as Lin Danhan, regardless of whether he is the governor of Monan in the Marshal's Mansion, or the brave Da Ming Whether it's a loyal minister or not, it doesn't matter.

Throw anyone on the Monan grassland of this era, the role and what he can do is already doomed, he is the Beilu, and the Beilu can only do two things, either exchange his life for food, or take his life to rob grain.

In this environment, everyone is the same.

Yang Sichang was really afraid that Yang Qi would be cornered, so he turned his face and led the Mongolian cavalry into the side wall. Xuanda's frontier defense was already under enough pressure from Houjin, and he really didn't want to provoke any more beggars.

What's more, the geographical situation is here. If Yang Qi wants to live, Daming and Hou Jin must rely on one person. No one in the court can trust Yang Qi's character of being a thief. Fortunately, Yang Qi is not a real captive.

There was a disaster in the north, and the Ming court sold grain.

The tribes of Mongolia are also human beings, but if they can live, they will not seek death; but if there is no food, they can only take risks.

In order to avoid this situation, the Ming court would choose to sell the grain to various ministries. Although Emperor Chongzhen was full of eyesight, he was afraid that the grain would be transported to the enemy and would not allow Mongolia to resell it to Houjin. Food is provided by rations, and the number of people who are starving is ascertained, but these methods are very difficult to implement.

Because even if the number of hungry people in Mongolia is 5, and the Ming court provides food for [-] people to survive starvation, some of them will still be sold to Houjin in the end.

The reason is very simple, Mongolia can't beat Houjin, it's just a simple multiple-choice question: whether to starve to death or kill a lot of people.

Switching to Yang Qi, this matter is much simpler. After Yang Sichang reported to the emperor, he clearly told him that the imperial court would not provide enough military rations. In the name of the Khalkha tribes, they went to Zhangjiakou and Shahukou for mutual market.

Anyway, regardless of how many horses you bring over, Zhangjiakou and Shahukou only provide a maximum of [-] stone grain per month.

This was Chongzhen's idea.

Zhangjiakou is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is the north gate of Beijing, while Shahukou is the north gate of Xuanfu. Only when the mutual market is located in these two places can Yang Qi ensure that his troops are placed in the old places of Tumed and Chahar , then beat him first when Jin comes, so that the food can be spent more valuable.

The most important thing is that Yang Sichang inquired. Yang Qi's Mongolian troops have more than [-] troops, and [-] stones and grains per month are just a drop in the bucket. More; whoever is disobedient will get less, and using soldiers and rations to control this Mongolian army, even if Yang Qi is emptied, it is not impossible.

Of course, Yang Qi had thought of this situation long ago, it didn't matter to him, and he even sent a special letter to Chongzhen, expressing his gratitude to Dade.

Because there are more than 3000 people in the four towns under his command, and even including the tribes of Tumed and Ordos, the number of soldiers is less than [-]. In Monan, there is no need to worry about raising horses. Struggle.

As for the [-] troops of the Mobei tribes?What does the [-] troops have to do with him, Yang Qi?

The three Khans of Mobei are planning to go home.

They went to the south to avoid the drought and wind disaster in the Mobei grassland. Even though fighting in the south made thousands of people fertilize the land, it was better than starving to death in the north, not to mention robbing a lot of things. It was Yang Qi who had been tempting people with the land. The army of Beisan Khan stayed in Monan all the time.

But now that the harsh winter has passed, the Mobei Sanhan dare not stay any longer—fools know that Hou Jin was beaten last year, and he will definitely be beaten back this year. Can make do.

If they stay in Monan and fight Hou Jin, Huang Taiji will go straight to their hometown next year, and anyone who is taller than the wheel of a baby carriage will not be able to live.

What's more, staying here can't support them. The Ming court did give them a city reward in Ningxia, but people can't just rely on iron pots to cook silk to survive.

But Yang Qi had resorted to all means in order to survive. He insisted on contacting the nobles of the various tribes in Mobei, and bought silk from the three tribes of Mobei with grain at a low price.

Not so much, he also promised San Khan that the place of Monan is the spoils of our joint operations, and we cannot take it all by ourselves, not to mention that you have to receive the city reward of Khalkha, leaving 5 horses, I will come out In pasture land, they send troops during wars, and at other times let them swim up and down the grasslands, living their own lives.

Yang Qi discussed this matter with Mobei San Khan four times, and by the second time San Khan was a little moved, and the third time Yang Qi had already started to move in the various armies, promising that as long as he stayed, the soldiers would give a hereditary ten Heads of households and ten households are given to heads of twenty households, twenty households are promoted to forty households, forty households are promoted to hundred households, and hundred households are promoted to thousand households Nayan.

The hereditary nobles of Etuoke in the Northern Yuan Dynasty depreciated greatly.

By this time, the large number of lower-level military officers and nobles in Mobei could no longer hold back, and they were rushing to stay. Shuo Lei and the three of them had no choice but to settle for the next best thing. They could each keep 6000 troops, but Yang Qi It is necessary to ensure that these 8000 people can survive.

He is only claiming the title of a hereditary nobleman. In fact, there is nothing on the Monan Grassland except the land. A single Ordos made Yang Qi seal out [-] households, and there are only [-] males in one piece. This person looks crazy. Similarly, even Shuo Lei, who doesn't care about the strength of the troops the most, is reluctant to leave the army to him.

Yang Qi said that this is easy to handle. Isn’t it just the rations for 8000 people? .

"Don't you guys think that stuff is not tasty? I'll replace it with food for you. Rice, fried noodles, and dried noodles are all fine."

This is simple to say, but Yang Qi’s asking price is really ridiculous, but in the Monan Grassland these days, rice and dried noodles are hard currency, more valuable than iron knives and iron pots, Mobei Sanhan took the market rewards in exchange Shanxi Lu'an Mansion Silk Satin, holding his nose and exchanging fried noodles with Yang Qi.

Yang Qi turned his head and asked Bai Wenxuan to rush into Fu Renxi's defense zone, the deputy general of the Xuan Mansion: "Marshal Fu, your soldiers, do you want silk or satin? Lu silk, the best Lu silk in Lu'an mansion!"

In the seventeenth century the circle trade emerged.

The Ming court transported the silk from Lu'an Mansion to Ningxia to prey on the Mobei nobles who wanted to buy grain. Yang Qi exchanged the grain for silk at a low price, and then sold it to Shanxi at a low price through Fu Renxi's soldiers. Fu Renxi's frontier soldiers traded for food.

The Shanxi frontier soldiers were so hungry that their eyes glowed green, but the more they were like this, the more they became more enthusiastic about this smuggling trade.

Although there is only one side wall, the price of Lu silk and grain is already two. If the grain is exchanged for silk outside the border, you can buy grain from merchants when you return to the border.

Shanxi Bing crazily lowered the price, Yang Qi earned half of it with tears in his eyes, and Daming's market reward of 49 taels of silver forced him to use circle trade to generate a GDP of 200 million taels.

Shuo Lei and the others left with a large army, and Dudu Yang, who had made a lot of money, had already asked the four military headquarters to find farmland on the grassland and began to clear the fields.

The Guihua City of the Tumote tribe originally had Bansheng. This was originally the most affluent place on the grassland, but the years were unfavorable. The Tumote tribe lost wars year after year. Not many people died. In disrepair, Yang Qi entered Guihua City, and he was extremely envious of the land in Fengzhou Beach.

As early as Chinese New Year, he put down his words: Even if I die tomorrow, I have to replant this land today.

In order to lead this army to survive, Yang Qi was so desperate that he lost his face, but even if he used all the methods he could think of, he still knew in his heart that whether this army could survive until autumn mainly depended on luck.

If he couldn't survive Houjin's offensive, no matter how much food he got from Daming, it would be useless.

Because he is confident that he will use more than 3000 people under his command to fight against Houjin. The chances of losing are relatively large, but he is not incapable of fighting; , Monan Dudu Mansion will cease to exist after the war.

But to pin the hope of victory on the Xuan Daming army, it obviously only depends on luck.

However, in the spring of the eighth year of Chongzhen, the most desperate person on the Monan Grassland was not Yang Qi, but another 30-year-old Mongolian nobleman, Sa Nangchechen Hongtaiji.

In the vortex of the times when the whole Mongolia was falling apart, Sa Nang Chechen Hong Taiji was out of tune with this era. He got rid of all the dust and went back to the Eight White Room of Genghis Khan Mausoleum in his hometown Ordos. With the strong hope born of despair, he wrote a pen for his A nation, a nation that was born in war and is about to perish in war, writes history books.

The name of the book is Hadun Wendusunu Erdenitubchi, also known as Mongolian Origins. (end of this chapter)