The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 651 The Former Site of the Royal Court
Military generals also have their own code of conduct.

This path can also be considered the glory of a military general.

The glory of a military general is not something that can be achieved through empty words, but rather through real achievements.

The highest honor for a military general is to "seal the wolf's lair and reside in the Xu capital".

As a military general, Qi Jiguang was also inevitably obsessed with this art.

After returning to his main tent, he ordered the soldiers of the Divine Martial Camp to assemble and prepare to depart.

At this moment, Wanli was still studying the map in the large tent where it was specially placed.

Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan held little Zhu Changxun and watched from the side without making a sound to disturb him.

After watching for a while, Xiao Zhu Changxun couldn't help but ask curiously, "Father, what are you thinking about?"

This is a development issue, or rather, a resource utilization issue.

These will likely be your main responsibilities from now on, and I need to explain this to you in detail.

Emperor Wanli pointed to the map and explained in detail: "Father is considering the issue of how to keep the cattle, sheep and horses here through the winter."

This vast grassland covers at least 100 million acres. If the problem of wintering cattle, sheep, and horses can be solved, then at least three to four million cattle, sheep, and horses can be bred.

We can't let this vast grassland go to waste, so we need to build as many heated stables, cattle sheds, and sheep pens as possible.

The problem now is where to build it. Stables, barns, and sheep pens to accommodate millions of cattle, sheep, and horses are incredibly large; even a city spanning hundreds of miles wouldn't be able to fit them all.

what?
Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhu Changxun exclaimed in surprise, "Father, isn't a city with a radius of over a hundred li larger than the capital? Are we going to build such a large city here?"

This is of course impossible.

Wanli slowly shook his head and said, "Father's meaning is not to build one city, but to build many cities, the total area of ​​which should exceed a hundred li in circumference."

Oh, I see.

Xiao Zhu Changxun thought for a moment, then asked, "Father, can't we just order people to build it? Isn't it just a matter of saying how big or how many cities to build?"

This is not something that can be resolved with just a few words.

You can't take this too lightly.

Emperor Wanli shook his head slightly, then patiently explained, "We can't just say we'll let people build it."

We also need to consider where to build it, how many people to send to build it, how long it will take to complete, and how to transport all the materials, among other things.

Oh, so much to consider.

After pondering for a while, Xiao Zhu Changxun still asked, somewhat puzzled, "What are Father Emperor's considerations?"

This naturally requires comprehensive consideration.

Emperor Wanli thought for a moment, then explained in detail: "We should try our best to consider all aspects."

For example, when it comes to the question of where to build it, we must consider whether it is convenient to transport materials. If we start from this point of view, it is best to build it along the railway line.

Because waterways are impassable here, supplies can only be transported by rail.

There's also the question of how many people to send to build it, which definitely requires considering the construction time.

It will freeze over here by the end of October, leaving us with only about four months. It's unrealistic to think we can build a city that spans over a hundred miles in circumference.

We can only mobilize 500,000 garrison soldiers to build the city. With so few people, we probably wouldn't even be able to finish building the city walls, let alone the stables, cattle sheds, and sheepfolds.

In this situation, we can only try our best to save the existing cattle, sheep and horses so that they can survive the winter.

As for the rest, we can build them slowly later, since it takes time for cattle, sheep and horses to multiply.

The existing cattle, sheep and horses here amount to less than a million, which should be enough to build a city with a radius of thirty or forty miles.

If we consider the location and material transportation issues together, it would be best to build a fortified city with a radius of about ten li near this station, and then build another fortified city with a radius of about ten li near the station on the other side of the Yinma River.

This would cover an area of ​​about twenty li in radius. Then we can build ten more thousand-household stations, each about two li in radius, along the Hailar Railway. That should be about right.

"Once we complete the construction of these fortified cities and garrisons, we can simultaneously solve the protection problem of the Hailar Railway, which is killing two birds with one stone."

Is it that complicated?

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhu Changxun fell into deep thought.

Seeing this, Wanli simply said loudly, "Dingchen."

Zhu Dingchen, the heir apparent of the Duke of Cheng, entered in response, cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant is here."

Wanli pointed to the map and carefully instructed: "You and your Jinwu Guards will command 500,000 garrison troops to build the garrison city and the thousand-household garrison."

Here, a city called Hailarwei, with a radius of about ten li, was built. Then, along the railway line, a thousand-household garrison with a radius of about two li was built every hundred li or so. These were the front, back, middle, left and right thousand-household garrisons of Hailarwei.

Furthermore, every hundred li or so, build a thousand-household garrison, each about two li in circumference, which will be the front, back, middle, left, and right thousand-household garrisons of Yinmahewei, continuing until near the Yinmahewei railway station. Then, build a garrison city, about ten li in circumference. Please note that we have limited time. These garrison cities and thousand-household garrisons must be completed before the end of October, and they must also have stables, cattle sheds, and sheepfolds capable of accommodating about a million cattle, sheep, and horses.

Moreover, before the railway to Yinmahewei is completed, construction materials certainly cannot be transported here. You can't let the garrison soldiers sit idle; you have to get them to dig the foundation and fire the bricks as soon as possible.”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Dingchen, the heir apparent of the Duke of Cheng, nodded repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty, I understand."

Emperor Wanli nodded slightly and said, "Go ahead and make the arrangements quickly."

Zhu Dingchen, the heir apparent of the Duke of Cheng, quickly bowed and took his leave.

Before long, over 100,000 garrison soldiers began digging foundations near the station.

Meanwhile, 100,000 garrison soldiers searched for clay near the hillside by the river to build kilns and prepare to fire bricks.

The remaining 300,000 garrison soldiers, along with their tents and tools, headed southwest along the railway embankment.

Emperor Wanli personally oversaw the operation, and supplies arrived incredibly quickly: grain, fodder, railway sleepers, building materials, fruits, vegetables, meat, boilers, heating pipes, and even trains—all were being sent here at breakneck speed.

The construction of the city, stables, cattle sheds, sheepfolds, and railways here was also very fast. In less than a month, the railway was built to Yinmahewei, which was thousands of miles away.

Once Qi Jiguang received the replenishment of provisions and supplies, he immediately led his army westward, heading straight for Langjuxu Mountain.

He really wanted to seal the wolf's lair.

However, Langjuxu Mountain is nearly two thousand li away from Yinmahewei, and the terrain in between is complex, making it difficult to build a railway. Therefore, he cannot rush to Langjuxu Mountain all at once.

If he advances too hastily and the supply of provisions and supplies cannot be provided, then things will be in trouble.

He was very clear about this.

So, in early July, after advancing a thousand miles, he stopped and waited for nearly a month until the railway reached the middle reaches of the Yinma River. Only then did he continue his westward advance, heading straight for Langjuxu Mountain.

In early August, news reached Hailarwei that Qi Jiguang had led his army to Langjuxu Mountain.

However, he also discovered that the main force of the Er'e tribe was located on the grassland south of Langjuxu Mountain, where the former Xiongnu royal court was situated.

At this point, he was no longer in a hurry to seal the wolf's lair.

The meaning of "Fenglang Juxu" is not simply about building an altar and offering sacrifices to heaven at Langjuxu Mountain.

When Huo Qubing first sealed the wolf's lair, he had already destroyed the Xiongnu royal court.

The meaning of "Fenglangjuxu" is to have won a great victory over the northern barbarians, established outstanding military achievements, and then build an altar to worship heaven.

Qi Jiguang followed in the footsteps of Huo Qubing, and on the grassland where the former Xiongnu royal court was located, he defeated the Oirat Er'e tribe and took over their forces. Only then did he build an altar to worship heaven and seal the wolf's lair.

Immediately afterwards, he led his army north along the Mulun River, reaching the southern shore of Beihai, the hometown of the poet Li Bai, Suyab.

By this time, it was already October, and the Hailar Grassland was already experiencing howling winds. The army could no longer advance, as it would likely freeze to death or suffer frostbite if it snowed halfway there.

It's time to consider the issue of the army getting through the winter.

Qi Jiguang meant that the area where the former Xiongnu royal court was located was protected by the Langjuxu Mountain, which spans over 500 li, so it was definitely not as cold as the Hailar Grassland in winter.

Moreover, the army is already four or five thousand miles away from the Hailar Grassland. They also have 300,000 soldiers in the garrison battalion who are building the railway. It will probably take them nearly two months to get back, and another two months to get there next year. It's such a waste of time.

Furthermore, they also have to hold onto the territory they have captured. If they return to the Hailar Grassland in winter, and the other Oirat tribes occupy the former territory of the Xiongnu royal court or the North Sea the following year, then this year's battle will have been for nothing.

Therefore, he decided to lead his army to camp in the former territory of the Xiongnu royal court for the winter.

Emperor Wanli was also somewhat helpless. If he were to bring back 800,000 soldiers, more than 500,000 warhorses, and tens of thousands of grain carts by train, it would take at least 2,000 trips.

At this point, they had fewer than a hundred trains in total.

In other words, the train would have to make at least twenty trips to bring back 800,000 soldiers, more than 500,000 warhorses, and tens of thousands of grain carts.

The problem is, it's a distance of four or five thousand miles. A round trip by train would take ten days or so, and twenty or so trips would take more than two hundred days. This place is estimated to freeze over in less than twenty days, which is obviously unrealistic.

He could only quickly gather supplies such as grain, meat, fruits and vegetables, tents, coal stoves, and coal, and rush them to the former territory of the Xiongnu royal court before the heavy snow fell.

In order to save the more than 500,000 warhorses, he even ordered people to bring over 100,000 tents for the winter.

This means that the warhorses also spend the winter in tents.

As for the garrison soldiers of the Hailar Grassland, they didn't have any warhorses or supply wagons.

He immediately ordered the million-strong garrison troops here to march quickly to Alunhewei to board boats and head to the Laoha River Valley to prepare for the winter.

He left 50,000 Shenji Battalion soldiers and 100,000 garrison soldiers in the newly built garrison city and thousand-household garrison to guard the cattle, sheep and horses.

With supplies and personnel deployed, the Hailar Grassland is about to freeze over.

Emperor Wanli could only rush back to the capital with Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan and Xiao Zhu Changxun, among others.

He still has to deal with state affairs; he can't be trapped in this icy wasteland, isolated from the world for almost half a year.

(End of this chapter)