Gou was a member of the imperial family in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 272: Asking for a Seal
The matter of Yuan Chonghuan was eventually left unresolved and was suppressed by Sun Chengzong.

After hearing the news, Yuan Chonghuan finally felt relieved and smiled. It seems that having someone to lean on is good. As the saying goes, it is good to lean on a big tree for shade. With a big man like Mr. Sun helping him, what else should he worry about?

After keeping a low profile for half a month, Yuan Chonghuan did not take any responsibility after the incident. Then, Sun Chengzong summoned Yuan Chonghuan to discuss the construction of Ningyuan City with him.

Last year, Yuan Chonghuan proposed the construction of Ningyuan. Ningyuan was originally the second line of defense of the Ming Dynasty west of Shanhaiguan during the time of Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen. However, because of Wang Huazhen's defeat, Xiong Tingbi decided to withdraw the entire army to Shanhaiguan, and thus gave Ningyuan to the Later Jin.

After the Ming army withdrew to Shanhaiguan, all the land east of Shanhaiguan fell into the hands of the Later Jin. After Sun Chengzong took office as the commander-in-chief, he reorganized the troops at Shanhaiguan and began to recover the lost territory by defending instead of attacking. After about a year of preparation, the Ming army had tentatively moved towards the east of Shanhaiguan by building castles and advancing step by step. The effect is quite good so far. After all, the Later Jin had insufficient population and difficulty in supply, and the Ningyuan area was not suitable for the Later Jin's long-term garrison. It didn't take much effort to recapture Ningyuan.

After taking back Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan and Mao Yuanyi suggested to build a city in Ningyuan, and to establish the Guanningjin defense line with Ningyuan as the main base together with Shanhaiguan and Jinzhou, so as to further stabilize the defense east of Shanhaiguan. This suggestion was approved by Sun Chengzong, who originally planned to let Mao Yuanyi build Ningyuan, but not long ago, Juehua Island was short of people, so Sun Chengzong had sent Mao Yuanyi to Juehua Island, so Yuan Chonghuan became the most suitable candidate.

After learning of Sun Chengzong's idea, Yuan Chonghuan volunteered to go to Ningyuan, and Sun Chengzong readily agreed. In addition to Yuan Chonghuan, Sun Chengzong also handed over the two divisions of Man Gui and Zu Dashou to Yuan Chonghuan. Yuan Chonghuan was temporarily stationed in Ningyuan as the Shanshi Military Preparations Road, and was fully responsible for Ningyuan's construction and defense work.

This appointment can be said to be a major turning point for Yuan Chonghuan. Before being stationed in Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan only served as the military inspector and military governor. Although his two positions were not low, they were not high either. He usually worked as an assistant to Sun Chengzong and did some auxiliary and trivial work.

But it was different in Ningyuan. Although the garrison of Ningyuan was led by Man Gui and his deputy general was Zu Dashou, Yuan Chonghuan, as a civilian official, was temporarily in charge of Ningyuan's military preparations, which actually meant that Yuan Chonghuan became the top leader of the Ningyuan army.

From then on, Yuan Chonghuan could be said to have officially started to take charge of things on his own. He was extremely grateful for Sun Chengzong's trust in him. Before going to Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan patted his chest in front of Sun Chengzong and promised that as long as he stayed in Ningyuan for one day, the Later Jin and Jian Nu would not be able to pass Ningyuan.

Sun Chengzong personally saw Yuan Chonghuan off from Shanhaiguan. Looking at Yuan Chonghuan in military uniform who was about to head east, he held his hand and gave him instructions for a long time before letting go. After Yuan Chonghuan and his men left, Sun Chengzong still did not retract his gaze from the distance. He sincerely hoped that Yuan Chonghuan could grow and mature as soon as possible by garrisoning in Ningyuan, and become the pillar of the Ming Dynasty that he expected.

Zhang Xijun’s study in the capital.

In front of Zhang Xijun was a letter, which he had just received.

The letter was written in secret. After the code book was translated, Zhang Xijun had learned everything that had happened in the grassland tribe, including how Zhu Shenzui and his wife had taken control of the tribe.

To be honest, the news came too suddenly and surprised Zhang Xijun. He never expected that such a huge change would take place in Astemur's tribe, and Zhu Shenzui's eldest son Tenger would actually become the Taiji of the tribe, and he also controlled the entire tribe through Tana and Tenger.

All this is really too outrageous. A Ming Dynasty person, and a member of the Ming Dynasty royal family, suddenly became the controller of the Mongolian tribe. Tenger, a little kid who couldn't even speak clearly, became the Taiji of the tribe?
However, after being astonished, Zhang Xijun became excited for a moment. You know, Ashe Temur's tribe is not a small tribe, it is a large tribe with tens of thousands of people. Although its strength is not the strongest among the Tumed tribes, it is not bad either.

What would it mean for such a tribe to fall into Zhu Shenzhu's hands? Zhang Xijun was smart enough to think of it. As for what Zhu Shenzhu would do next and what purpose he would use the tribe to achieve, Zhang Xijun also knew it well.

Zhang Xijun picked up the letter and read the contents of the letter carefully again, and then he began to think silently. In this letter, Zhu Shenzhui and Zhang Xijun explained some things, and Zhang Xijun had to think carefully about what to do next.

Mongolia and the Ming Dynasty, although the two countries fought for nearly three hundred years from Zhu Yuanzhang's uprising to the expulsion of the Northern Yuan Dynasty and the restoration of China, and have always been rivals of each other, there have been intermittent periods of peace and even close cooperation between the wars during such a long period of time.

In the past, the advantage of the Ashetimur tribe to Zhu Shenzhui was at best to continuously obtain wealth from the grassland, strengthen ties, and use the power of the tribe if possible in the future. But now it is different. With the tribe officially falling into Zhu Shenzhui's hands and becoming his sphere of influence, there are too many things he can do besides continuing to increase grassland trade in the future.

After thinking about it all night, Zhang Xijun found Wei Liangqing the next day and asked Wei Liangqing for a favor in private. Wei Liangqing had a very good relationship with Zhang Xijun and readily agreed to Zhang Xijun's request. Not long after, he passed the news to Wei Zhongxian. After learning about it, Wei Zhongxian considered it for two days and personally summoned Zhang Xijun for questioning.

"The Tumed Right Wing? Isn't the Tumed Right Wing the Shunyi King?" In the side hall of the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Tianqi frowned and asked. "Your Majesty has a good memory." Wei Zhongxian flattered him first, and then explained: "The Tumed Right Wing is indeed the Shunyi King. The current Shunyi King is Bu Shitu, the fifth-generation grandson of Altan Khan. In the 41st year of the Wanli reign, Bu Shitu was officially conferred the title of Shunyi King. It has been eleven years since then."

"If that's the case, why do we need to enthrone the Tenger tribe? The Tenger tribe is just a subordinate tribe of King Shunyi. Why bother with this?" Emperor Tianqi continued to ask disapprovingly.

Wei Zhongxian had known that Emperor Tianqi would ask this question, and he immediately explained to the emperor the details about the Tumed tribe. He told Emperor Tianqi that Bu Shitu was conferred the title King of Shunyi mainly because of Sanniangzi. Back then, Sanniang assisted Altan Khan and Huang Taiji and his son. According to Mongolian rules, after Altan Khan's death, Sanniang married Huang Taiji. After Huang Taiji's death, Sanniang married Altan Khan's grandson and great-grandson. The last time she remarried was to Bu Shitu.

According to Sanniangzi's generation, she could be regarded as Bu Shitu's great-grandmother, but she married again and again, four times in total, and the last time she married her great-grandson. This was unthinkable in the Ming Dynasty, but it was normal in Mongolia.

Sanniangzi had a high prestige in Mongolia. As early as the reign of Emperor Muzong, the Ming Dynasty had conferred her the title of Lady Zhongshun. When she married Bu Shitu, Sanniangzi was already 63 years old, and she died of illness not long after the marriage. But because of Sanniangzi, Bu Shitu took the opportunity of marrying Sanniangzi to obtain the title of Shunyi King from the Ming Dynasty.

Although Bu Shitu was awarded the title of King of Shunyi and became the nominal leader of the Tumed Right Wing, he did not completely control the Tumed Right Wing after Sanniangzi's death. The Tumed Tribe was known as the Twelve Tribes, and Bu Shitu was only one of them. Moreover, after Lin Danhan succeeded to the throne of the Great Khan and the Mongolian headquarters moved eastward from Tumed to Chahar, Bu Shitu could not possibly have the prestige of his father and grandfather.

In other words, Bu Shitu's position as the leader of the Tumed Right Wing is only nominal, and his actual status is no different from that of other tribal leaders. In addition, in recent years, Lin Dan Khan has always intended to unify Mongolia by force. Although the Tumed tribe has always been one of the Mongolian tribes, Bu Shitu has always been disobeying Lin Dan Khan.

"According to you, Bu Shitu's Shunyi King has long been unworthy of his title?" Emperor Tianqi asked with a frown.

Wei Zhongxian nodded and said, "Your Majesty is wise. Please look, this is the information collected by the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard." As he spoke, Wei Zhongxian handed over the information he had prepared long ago.

Emperor Tianqi took it and looked at it carefully. After a moment, he seemed to be thinking about something.

"Wei Banban!"

"The slave is here!"

"If you agree, what good will it bring to the Ming Dynasty if we reward the Tenger tribe?"

"Your Majesty, this is what I think..." Wei Zhongxian said to Emperor Tianqi that the Ming court had always wanted to unite with the Mongolian tribe to deal with the Later Jin Jiannu in Liaodong. As the common leader of Mongolia, Algdan Khan had been the target of Ming Dynasty's wooing since the time of Emperor Wanli.

The Ming Dynasty had a good plan. Lin Danhan and the Later Jin Dynasty were not on good terms, and the Ming Dynasty and the Later Jin Dynasty had a blood feud. So it would be a good thing for both sides if the two families joined forces to deal with the Later Jin Dynasty.

But the problem is that Lin Danhan is a man with great ambitions but little talent. While he cooperates with the Ming Dynasty on the surface, he is always scheming in private, and his situation of working without putting in any effort has never changed.

Ligdan Khan was largely responsible for the Ming Dynasty's previous defeats in Liaodong, especially the loss of Shanhaiguan by Wang Huazhen. Although there was certainly a problem with Wang Huazhen himself, Wang Huazhen's excessive trust in Ligdan Khan was also a reason. When the war broke out, Wang Huazhen still had great hopes for Ligdan Khan, intending to wait for Ligdan Khan's reinforcements to arrive and switch from defense to offense. Unfortunately, until the loss of Liaodong, Ligdan Khan's cavalry was not even seen.

Yuan Yingtai before him was also like this, pinning his hopes on Lin Danhan, but he never saw the appearance of the Mongolian cavalry until he died for his country. Once, twice, and three times, Lin Danhan's actions had already exhausted the patience and energy of the Ming Dynasty. It was simply unrealistic to continue to expect Lin Danhan.

In this case, why should the Ming Dynasty hang itself on the tree of Ligdan Khan? It would be better to cooperate with other Mongolian tribes. Originally, the most suitable target was Bu Shitu, who was not only the leader of the right wing of the Tumed, but also the Shunyi King canonized by the Ming Dynasty. But now Bu Shitu, the Shunyi King, is not worthy of the title at all, and only wants to live his own life. In this case, the Tenger tribe fell into the eyes of Wei Zhongxian.

(End of this chapter)