OBS Chapter 393 Thanks to Earl Chengyi, Praise to Earl Chengyi
Chapter 393 Thanks to Earl Chengyi, Praise to Earl Chengyi
Zhu Biao's eyes lit up, and he looked at Yang Shaofeng, asking, "Brother-in-law, do you have any ideas?"
Yang Shaofeng nodded and smiled, "The herdsmen on the grasslands are actually no different from the ordinary people in the Central Plains. They all hope to live a life with their wives, children, and a warm bed."
"The crux of the problem is that the people in the Central Plains have a real chance of living a good life with their wives and children in a warm bed, while the herders on the grasslands can't see even the slightest hope."
This is obvious.
In fact, many of the soldiers in the Ming Dynasty's army were Mongols.
Many herders from the grasslands even fled to the Central Plains to surrender to the Ming army.
Indeed, while many gentry and scholars were crying out to be loyal to the Yuan dynasty, a large number of Mongols and nomadic herders on the grasslands instead voluntarily surrendered to the Ming army, shouting slogans such as "Expel the Tartars and restore China" while brandishing their scimitars at the Yuan army.
It's definitely magical.
Yang Shaofeng shook his head slightly, banishing these chaotic thoughts from his mind, and continued, "Therefore, the most important thing to completely resolve Hu Yuan's problem is to settle them down."
"For example, building a city on the grassland."
Zhu Biao was slightly taken aback and asked, "Build a city?"
Yang Shaofeng nodded and said, "That's right, it's about building a city."
"The city doesn't need to be tall or the walls need to be strong. The main thing is to have a city where troops can be stationed and people can live."
"Being able to station troops means being able to protect the city. If the distance between them is not too far, the closer cities can form a defensive triangle, preventing the Hu Yuan cavalry from attacking."
"The ability to live in the city means that people from the Central Plains can live in the city, and herders from the grasslands can also live in the city."
"Of course, the goal is not to move people to the city."
"The goal is to find a new way of life for the herders on the grasslands."
After hearing Yang Shaofeng's words, Zhu Biao was even more confused.
What does it mean to find a new path for the herders on the grasslands?
Just as Zhu Biao was pondering this, Yang Shaofeng continued, "May I ask, Your Highness, are there food shortages in Jiaozhi, Champa, Siam, and other places?"
Although he didn't know why Yang Shaofeng suddenly asked this question, Zhu Biao still honestly shook his head and replied, "Didn't my brother-in-law just say that Jiaozhi, Champa and other places have two or even three harvests a year, so there is no shortage of food at all?"
Yang Shaofeng nodded and continued, "Then I have another question for Your Highness: is there a shortage of food on the grasslands?"
Zhu Biao's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "Brother-in-law, do you mean to transport the grain from Jiaozhi to the grasslands?"
Yang Shaofeng nodded again.
"What the grasslands lack is grain and ironware, but not cattle and sheep."
"What the Central Plains lacks are cattle and sheep, but not ironware and various ships."
"What Champa and Jiaozhi lack are all kinds of goods from the Central Plains, but not grain."
"Therefore, the most fundamental issue in order to completely solve the problem of Hu Yuan is to give the people on the grasslands a way to survive."
“By combining methods such as building cities, repairing roads, mining, setting up workshops, transporting grain, and trading cattle and sheep, the people on the grasslands can fight against white disasters, black disasters, and gray disasters.”
"In this way, the practice of grassland herders raiding southwards to combat the white and black disasters will naturally no longer occur."
Zhu Biao nodded unconsciously, and Yang Shaofeng continued, "Of course, we still have to fight. If we don't completely destroy the Hu Yuan Dynasty, we can't carry out the so-called city building, road construction, mining and other measures."
As Yang Shaofeng finished speaking, Zhu Biao's gaze was immediately drawn to the white paper with a few lines drawn on it.
Overthrowing Hu Yuan's court was not too difficult.
Conquering the grasslands is not too difficult either.
The Han and Tang dynasties have proven through countless battles that as long as the Han dynasty itself does not falter, the grasslands cannot defeat the Central Plains dynasties.
The real challenge was how to stabilize the grasslands and how to make the herders on the grasslands wholeheartedly identify with the Han dynasty.
My father once said: "What ordinary people care about most is whether they can have enough to eat and wear. They don't care who is the emperor."
and so……
The approach proposed by my brother-in-law might actually be able to completely solve the problem of the grasslands?
Just as Zhu Biao's heart was pounding wildly, Yang Shaofeng casually drew a few dots on the paper: "There must be minerals on the grassland, whether it's coal or iron, there must be minerals."
If there's nothing nearby on the grassland, we can explore further afield.
At that time, Mongolia didn't really have the distinction between "inner" and "outer" regions.
In short, there is absolutely no shortage of mineral resources.
"As long as we can find the location of these mines, we can build cities around them and turn the herders on the grasslands into miners."
Yang Shaofeng smiled meaningfully: "There's money to be made, food to buy, no fear of winter disasters, and no need to worry about parents, wife, and children starving to death..."
A great sweater?
What the hell is this "big sweater"?
I only acknowledge the Heavenly Khan!
Zhu Biao could no longer sit still. He cupped his hands to Yang Shaofeng and said, "I'll go back to Jiucheng first and come back in a while."
Yang Shaofeng, at a loss for words, stopped Zhu Biao.
"What is Your Highness doing returning to the capital at this time?"
Yang Shaofeng said, "If we return to the capital now, there's no starting point for dealing with these messy matters, so naturally we can't talk about how to completely resolve Hu Yuan's problem."
"Besides, didn't His Highness just offend His Majesty and run away to avoid trouble?"
"In my opinion, Your Highness would be better off staying in Dengzhou for a while longer, until His Majesty's anger subsides, before returning."
"As for how to completely resolve Hu Yuan's problem, Your Highness can take your time to think about it and then list out all the relevant issues later."
Zhu Biao unconsciously hummed in agreement and said, "Brother-in-law is right. I should stay longer so I can ask you for advice if there's anything I don't understand."
Ok?
May I ask you for advice?
Yang Shaofeng smiled and shook his head, saying, "Your Highness, this is all I can think of, and it is really not worthy of Your Highness's request for guidance."
"Moreover, this involves the entire grassland and many other aspects, which is beyond my ability to plan."
Pointing to the dots on the paper, Yang Shaofeng continued, "Your Highness, if you have any questions, feel free to list them out first. When we arrive in the capital, we can consult with the Marquis of Chengyi."
Earl of Chengyi...
Thank you, Uncle Chengyi.
Praise the Earl of Sincerity.
Zhu Biao even wondered if his father should give Liu Bowen, the Earl of Chengyi, some more rewards.
After all, if Liu Bowen hadn't offended his brother-in-law this time, and his brother-in-law hadn't wanted to retaliate, he probably wouldn't have heard this profound theory on how to completely solve the grassland problem.