Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 471 A High-Stakes Gamble in the Western Regions: The Desert Devours the City!
Upon hearing this, Chen Cheng and Huo Liancheng's breathing suddenly quickened, their chests heaved, and their hearts surged with emotion, making it difficult for them to contain themselves.

"With just our delegation, even with a few more men, it's wishful thinking to think we can control Beshbaliq and influence the entire situation of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate."

Chen Cheng frowned, his tone revealing deep doubt.

Li Boyue gently shook his head: "You two must have heard of the story of Ban Chao of the Han Dynasty."

"In the past, Ban Chao led only thirty-six horsemen, yet he roamed the Western Regions, intimidated the various states, and made countless city-states submit to him."

"You should know that Ban Chao's soldiers back then only wielded ordinary swords, but now the Ming army is equipped with the divine firearms that His Majesty has improved."

"The power of muskets far surpasses that of swords and blades by a hundred times!"

"Ban Chao was able to subdue the Western Regions with only thirty-six men. How could you two, leading a much larger force and carrying such divine weapons, possibly fail to control Beshbaliq?"

This was like a heavy hammer blow, striking hard into the hearts of Chen Cheng and Huo Liancheng.

The two were speechless for a moment, looking at each other with shock in their eyes, but also with a hint of ambition that had been ignited.

Their original plan was simply to rely on the formidable military power of the Ming Dynasty to force the Eastern Chagatai Khanate to submit to the court and pay tribute.

However, they never imagined that the mission itself could directly control the fate of such a vast empire.

This idea was so bold as to be almost arrogant, yet Li Boyue's words revealed a tempting feasibility.

Chen Cheng lowered his head in deep thought, his brows furrowed.

Huo Liancheng narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze filled with eagerness and a hint of excitement.

indeed.

Whether this mission will be able to persuade the Black Fire People to submit to the Ming Dynasty remains to be seen.

Even if the Black Fire King agrees, no one can guarantee whether the princes, nobles, and tribal leaders within the Khanate will secretly oppose it, or even cause a coup or a coup d'état.

If the mission can control the situation on its own, rather than placing all its hopes on others, it would undoubtedly be a more prudent and better strategy.

After a long pause, Chen Cheng took a deep breath and looked up at Uncle Li: "If that's the case, what are your specific plans? Please explain in detail."

Li Boyue's expression hardened, and he said bluntly, "The most important task is to raise sufficient funds."

"The more the better, at least six or seven hundred thousand taels of silver, or even more."

"After arriving in Beshbaliq, we can use these funds to secretly win over the local princes, nobles and tribal leaders, bribing them with large sums of money to gain their support."

"As long as we win over enough allies, we can gain a foothold within the Khanate and lay the foundation for controlling the situation."

“Secondly,” Li Boyue lowered his voice slightly, “we need to borrow several hundred elite soldiers from the imperial army stationed nearby.”

"These people need to be agile, loyal, and equipped with plenty of muskets and ammunition. They need to disguise themselves as members of the mission, mingle in the caravan, and enter Beshbali under the guise of transporting goods."

"In the event that the situation changes, we will have a force capable of dealing with any unforeseen circumstances!"

"At a critical moment, it may be able to turn the tide."

After Li Boyue finished speaking, the room fell silent once again.

After a moment, Chen Cheng sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Although the court did allocate a sum of money when we set off from Yingtian, it is simply beyond our capabilities to raise such a huge amount."

"Moreover, carrying such a large sum of money on a long journey of thousands of miles is fraught with danger. How can we ensure our safety?"

"Not to mention that we simply cannot raise that much silver."

"As for borrowing troops from the military, it is even more difficult."

"The imperial court has always strictly adhered to the ironclad rule of separating military and political affairs. Although we were sent on a mission by imperial decree, we do not have an imperial edict personally issued by His Majesty."

"Without any evidence, why would a military commander readily send troops to help?"

Huo Liancheng, however, turned his gaze to Li Bo: "Magistrate Li, since you have proposed such a bold plan, you must already have a solution. Please speak frankly."

Li Boyue smiled confidently: "The success or failure of this matter depends on whether the two of you dare to take a gamble."

"If one has the determination to burn one's boats, neither money nor troops are insurmountable problems."

Huo Liancheng leaned forward, his tone urgent: "I'd like to hear the details!"

Li Boyue smiled and said, "The solution to the problem of money is actually quite simple."

"The banknotes issued by the Great Ming Bank are now widely circulated on the grasslands, and even as far away as Beshbaliq, they are a hard currency that can be used without hindrance."

"Although there is no branch of the Great Ming Bank in Beshbali and we cannot use drafts, we do not need to carry heavy cash; we only need to prepare enough paper money."

“The paper money is light and easy to carry, far superior to silver. It is not difficult to carry a million strings of paper money.”

“A branch of the Daming Bank was established in Jiayu County, and because the area was bustling with commerce and travel, the bank had plenty of funds.”

"As long as the two gentlemen make up their minds to borrow one million strings of cash from the bank as imperial envoys, with the agreement to repay it upon their return from their mission, and with this county acting as guarantor, the bank will surely agree."

"The funding problem was then solved."

"As for the matter of borrowing troops," Li Boyue's voice revealed a hint of cunning: "Although the two gentlemen do not have an imperial decree, they do hold the seals of envoys, which is the highest authority granted by the court."

"Moreover, prior to this mission, the Military Affairs Department must have already issued an official document to the generals stationed on the frontier, ordering them to fully cooperate with the mission."

"The two gentlemen only need to go to the military camp in person, use the seal as proof, and declare that they are acting on His Majesty's secret decree, requiring several hundred elite troops to accompany the group, and strictly order the military to keep quiet."

"The border generals, fearing the authority of the imperial court and having no way of verifying the authenticity of the oral edicts and secret decrees, would certainly not dare to openly disobey orders."

"In this way, both money and troops can be prepared."

Upon hearing this, Chen Cheng and Huo Liancheng were so shocked that they almost stopped breathing, their eyes filled with astonishment.

Chen Cheng stood up and paced rapidly around the room, saying, "Borrowing a million strings of cash from the Great Ming Bank? Using an imperial edict to mobilize troops from the border?"

"This...this is far too audacious!"

"If we fail, how will we repay our enormous debt?"

"Not to mention the crime of falsely conveying imperial edicts; once the court discovers this, I'm afraid we'll all lose our heads!"

Huo Liancheng remained silent, his brows furrowed, his hands clasped together, his gaze shifting between Li Boyue and Chen Cheng.

Li Boyue, however, remained calm and unconcerned about Chen Cheng's words: "If you want to achieve unparalleled feats, how can you not take some risks?"

"If you two gentlemen can bring the Eastern Chagatai Khanate into the territory of the Ming Dynasty, wouldn't a mere million strings of cash be worth it?"

"You should know that if the imperial court were to launch a military campaign against the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, the amount of money spent would be far more than ten million strings of cash."

"If the two gentlemen can use the delegation to take control of Beshbali without bloodshed, wouldn't that save the court millions of strings of cash in military expenses and establish an unparalleled achievement?"

Although the Ming Dynasty's new army was invincible, it was backed by countless sums of money.

Muskets were far more expensive than bows and arrows, and bullets could not be recycled and reused like arrows. After a bullet was fired, only the casing could be melted down and remade.

In a major battle, bullets can easily be dozens, or even hundreds, of times more expensive than arrows.

Li Boyue, who had once served as the factory supervisor of a bullet factory, knew this all too well.

The strength of the new army today depends on Your Majesty's effective governance and the abundance of the national treasury, which is able to support such a huge military expenditure.

"When a general is in the field, he may disobey some of the emperor's orders in order to serve the country."

"This is a universally accepted principle since ancient times."

"Your Excellencies bear heavy responsibilities and should also have the authority to make decisions on the spot."

"Using an imperial edict to mobilize troops is indeed a serious crime, but if the Eastern Chagatai Khanate can be pacified, then it would be a courageous act of loyalty to the country by both of you."

"The court will not only not punish you, but will also engrave your merits in history and pass them down for eternity!"

Chen Cheng remained somewhat hesitant, his lips barely moving as he began to retort, "That's true, but the risk involved is too great..."

Li Boyue interrupted him, saying, "Since I dare to offer this suggestion, I am naturally willing to share the burden with you two gentlemen!"

"As I just mentioned, I have another small request: I humbly request to accompany you two gentlemen to Beshbali. Regardless of the matter of borrowing money or troop deployment, if there are any consequences, I am willing to share the blame with you two gentlemen and will never back down!"

He stood tall, his eyes shining brightly, revealing a resolute determination that showed no fear of death.

Chen Cheng stared at Li Boyue in shock: "As the magistrate of Jiayu County, how could you leave your jurisdiction without authorization? A superior official who abandons his post without cause is guilty of a capital offense."

Li Boyue remained calm: "My lords need not worry. I have already made proper arrangements for the affairs of the county. The county magistrate is highly capable and can handle daily government affairs, while the county lieutenant is brave and responsible and can maintain local peace."

“Even if I am temporarily away, Jiayu County will remain orderly and there will be no worries about the future.”

“Vacant positions of county magistrates are common in various places and are not a major problem.”

His tone revealed an unwavering determination: "However, if I were to accompany you two gentlemen to Beshbali, I believe I could play a greater role and help you two gentlemen achieve a great and earth-shattering feat."

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; how could I possibly miss it?"

Since being transferred to the frontier, Li Boyue had always longed to make achievements so that he could return to Nanjing.

However, no matter how well he governed Jiayu County and how outstanding his achievements were, he could not realize this dream.

He might even spend the rest of his life in this desolate place.

However, if one could accompany the mission to Beshbaliq and help the Ming Dynasty control the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, thus making an unparalleled contribution, one's future would be completely rewritten.

Therefore, Li Boyue had already secretly planned ahead and made all the necessary preparations before the delegation arrived, just waiting for this high-stakes gamble.

"This humble official has already made up his mind to go through danger with you two gentlemen and accomplish this great task!"

Upon hearing this, Huo Liancheng's eyes flashed with admiration. He suddenly stood up and said with great pride, "Since Magistrate Li has such courage and dares to risk his life, how can I, Huo Liancheng, fall behind?"

"Alright, this time, I will give it my all and work with you to achieve great things!"

As a seasoned general, Huo Liancheng was already accustomed to the dangers of battle, and facing life and death was as commonplace as eating a meal for him.

At this moment, Li Boyue's decisiveness ignited the passion in his heart.

That burning desire to achieve great things and make a name for oneself was like a raging fire.

A flicker of struggle crossed Chen Cheng's eyes. After a moment, he finally steeled his resolve and said, "In that case, let's follow Magistrate Li's plan, borrow money and troops, and gamble everything to achieve lasting glory!"

……

A few days later, under Li Boyue's careful arrangements, the delegation successfully borrowed one million strings of cash from the Ming Bank and, using the seal as proof, successfully persuaded the border general to borrow five hundred elite soldiers.

In addition, they secretly purchased a large number of camels, tea, porcelain, and various handicrafts produced by the Ming Dynasty factories at the market in Jiayuguan.

Subsequently, this large delegation, carrying a dazzling array of goods and claiming that these were precious gifts presented by the Ming Dynasty to the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, departed from Jiayuguan in a grand procession.

With carriages and horses rumbling and banners fluttering, the procession, like a long dragon, wound its way westward, stepping into the boundless desert and heading towards Beshbaliq.

……

Beshibali.

Yellow sand obscured the sun, and the world was shrouded in a vast expanse of desolation.

The landscape of the Western Regions is completely different from that of the northern grasslands.

The climate here is hotter and drier, and the vast desert, like a golden sea, devours all life.

Therefore, oases with abundant water resources became a sanctuary for people to survive.

The desert stretches for thousands of miles, uninhabited, with people living in oases.

Beshbali, meaning "great city," was a magnificent capital city standing on an oasis.

As the political core, cultural hub, and economic lifeline of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, this city was extremely prosperous.

Because of its location at the throat of the Silk Road, it attracted merchants from both the East and the West, and a diverse range of ethnic groups converged here, with cultures flowing into the sea like rivers, colliding and blending.

The city is home to various schools of thought, including Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, as well as other religions, which interact and permeate each other, creating a cultural melting pot that is completely different from cities in the Central Plains.

In recent years, with the surge in population, the oasis's ecology has become overburdened, and its fragile balance has been ruthlessly broken.

The land is cracked, the vegetation is withered, and the once lush oasis is now often swallowed up by raging sandstorms.

Yellow sand filled the sky, obscuring the sun, becoming a persistent nightmare for Beshbali.

Today, in the royal palace of Beshbaliq, the Great Khan is summoning princes, ministers, and tribal leaders to discuss matters.

Inside the magnificent hall, the carved beams and painted rafters exude an air of majesty, while the gilded pillars, illuminated by candlelight, create a unique ambiance.

Outside the palace, the wind and sand howled, as if whispering the suffering of this land.

The hall was completely silent, with only the occasional soft rustling of robes.

Compared to the grand procession of the mission, the messenger's horse was naturally much faster.

The Ming Dynasty delegation had barely stepped onto the border of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate when the news was already delivered to Beshbaliq by fast horses from the post station.

The sheer size of the mission was astonishing.

The Black-haired Fire King sat on the high throne, his gaze, like that of a hawk, slowly sweeping over the princes and ministers standing solemnly below.

"The Ming Dynasty has sent an unprecedentedly large delegation, numbering several hundred, carrying countless horses and camels, and laden with rare items, claiming to offer them to Beshbaliq. What is your opinion on this matter?"

……

(End of this chapter)