Di Ming

Chapter 494 "Now that I see you, brother, I no longer have any thoughts of Yunshu!"

Emperor Wanli issued an edict dismissing Qi Jiguang from his post and revoking his title of Earl, but still not satisfied, he asked:
"What about Yin's family wealth? How much of his property was confiscated?"

Gao Cai forced a smile and said, "Replying to Grandfather, I don't know yet. We'll have to wait a while for a report."

"This is of utmost importance!" The emperor's fat face darkened. "The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs must immediately dispatch eunuchs on horseback to Nanjing to investigate Zhu Yin's wealth. He rebelled in Nanjing; how could he not have amassed a fortune? His wicked wife, Ning, is a shrewd businesswoman who has made a considerable amount of money!"

"Remember, all of it must go into the imperial treasury!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Gao Cai said with a forced smile, her cheeks practically numb. "This servant will personally arrange for reliable people to inventory the stolen property."

He lied to the emperor more and more often, and he didn't care anymore. He just considered it an official duty to accompany the emperor in a play, carried out by the empress's decree.

What else could he do?
Emperor Wanli took a puff of opium, puffing out smoke with great satisfaction, and instructed, "Once all the stolen goods are deposited into the treasury, the imperial treasury should have twenty million, right?"

Gao Cai lowered his head, not letting the emperor see his face, and said, "Reporting to Grandfather, the exact amount of the stolen property is unknown, but it is certainly not small. When it enters the treasury, even if it doesn't reach twenty million, it will probably be close."

Wanli nodded, tapped his opium pipe, and his gaze suddenly turned cold. "Issue an edict to Mangyingli of Burma, the man who murdered his father and brother, ordering him to immediately hand over Zhu Yin, Changluo, and their followers. If he refuses, order the Governor of Yunnan and the Duke of Qian to send troops to punish him. If he obediently hands them over, the court can recognize his throne and resume trade."

"According to the order!"

"Where is Qing Ni in the west? Has Li Rusong reported this? Shouldn't he have already captured Ili? I want to see Qing Ni's head."

"Replying to Grandfather, because Gansu is short of food supplies and cannot meet the needs of the Western Army, Li Rusong can only temporarily stay in Turpan and wait for the military supplies in Guanzhong."

"Tell the Ministry of War to issue an order urging Li Rusong to act! Without grain from Guanzhong, he can't fight? Does the rebel army not have any food? I don't believe that such a vast Western Region doesn't have provisions. How did the Han and Tang dynasties manage to establish their control over the Western Regions?"

"According to the order!"

"Go ahead, I'm tired and a little dizzy."

"Grandpa, please rest well. The imperial physicians have repeatedly advised you not to get angry or worried."

"Yes, go back and tell the Imperial Concubine to come to the Guanghan Palace tonight to keep me company. I miss her. Also, invite Gao Huai along; it's been a long time since we played mahjong together."

"According to the order!"

.........

Gangao Pass, Myanmar.

On the fifth day of Mao Wenlong's defense, another army arrived from outside the pass, but judging from their banners, they were Ming troops.

"General! Could the newcomers be the royal army from Yunnan?" the general asked.

Mao Wenlong knew what was going on. "These should be the troops of Hao Yunlai, the Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou! He successfully defended the Lancang River defense line and even dared to follow the Burmese army to take the initiative to invade Burma. With this kind of courage, he really doesn't seem like a civil official!"

"Liu Kan, go out of the pass and verify his identity. If he is Governor Hao, please come to the pass."

"Yes, sir!" The general accepted the order and left the city.

At the same time, the Ming army had arrived at the city gates. Leading the way was a civil official dressed in the robes of a second-rank official, about thirty years old, who was none other than Hao Yunlai, the Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou.

After the Burmese army withdrew, Hao Yunlai led 20,000 elite troops from Yunnan and Guizhou, maintaining a distance for several days, and followed them into Burma.

He was worried that Zhu Yin's troops were too few, so he decided to join forces with Zhu Yin to fight against the Burmese and Vietnamese troops.

Although 20,000 people is not a large number, it can still play a significant role.

"Lord, Lord Mu," Hao Yunlai said to Mu Changzuo and Mu Qing, "There was a fierce battle here a few days ago, and the Burmese army suffered heavy losses. Hmm, the defenders used fire."

Hao Yunlai glanced around and immediately guessed how the battle had unfolded a few days earlier.

"Is the visitor Governor-General Hao of Yunnan and Guizhou?" Liu Kan asked loudly as he came out of the city. "This humble general Liu Kan greets you!"

Hao Yunlai immediately dismounted, and so did Mu Changzuo, the Duke of Qian, Mu Qing, the head of the Mu family, and Song Wanhua, the head of the Song family.

"I am the Imperial Commissioner, Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou, concurrently Vice Minister of War, and Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate!" Hao Yunlai said with an air of official authority.

Liu Kan still dared not be careless, and clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Please verify the imperial envoy's seal and the governor's seal!"

Hao Yunlai knew that being cautious was the right thing to do, and it was also part of the procedure. He waved his hand dismissively and said, "Guards! Bring out this official's flag! Show us the official seal!"

"Yes, sir!" The guard responded, raising the royal command flag and presenting the official seal, saying, "Is there anything amiss?"

Liu Kan said, "No problem! Please let the Governor-General and other officials enter the city, while the main army will remain outside the pass for the time being!"

Hao Yunlai chuckled, "Very well, you're quite cautious. Who is your general?"

Liu Kan replied, "It is General Mao Wenlong."

Hao Yunlai nodded approvingly, "So it was him! No wonder the Grand Tutor values ​​him; he's strict in managing the army and is capable of handling important matters!"

As they talked, they entered the city with Mu Changzuo and the others.

The 20,000 troops had no choice but to stay obediently outside. This was Mao Wenlong's caution; he not only needed to confirm Hao Yunlai and his group's identities, but also their intentions.

Mao Wenlong personally came to greet Hao Yunlai and his group after they entered the city.

"Oh dear! It's been a long time since I've seen you, Master Hao! I am ashamed that I was unable to greet you properly!" Mao Wenlong bowed apologetically.

"Greetings, Master Hao! Please!"

The two had known each other for a long time. If this were the Northern Dynasty, Mao Wenlong would definitely have bowed and knelt to greet Hao Yunlai, a civil official governor.

However, the rules in the Southern Dynasty were different. They had long established the equality of civil and military officials and only performed the rites according to their ranks. Hao Yunlai was a second-rank civil official, while Mao Wenlong was a third-rank deputy general. The difference between them was only one rank. Even though Hao Yunlai was a governor-general, Mao Wenlong only had to pay his respects first.

"General Mao," Hao Yunlai returned the greeting with a cupped hand, "I guessed the Grand Tutor would send troops to guard Gangao Pass, but I didn't expect it to be you." Hao Yunlai also had a beaming smile on his face as he introduced him:
"General Mao, this is Duke Mu of Qian. This is Duke Mu of the Mu family in Lijiang."

Mao Wenlong quickly bowed to Mu Changzuo and Mu Qing, "This humble general Mao Wenlong greets the Duke of Qian and Duke Mu!"

Hao Yunlai then introduced Mao Wenlong, saying, "Duke, Duke Mu, this General Wenlong, though young, is the Regent's trusted and beloved general. With him guarding this pass, the Burmese army will certainly not gain any advantage."

Mu Changzuo and Mu Qing looked at the dashing Mao Wenlong and couldn't help but admire him.

Once Mao Wenlong understood the situation and was completely relieved, he ordered the city gates to be opened, allowing Hao Yunlai's 20,000 elite troops to enter.

At the same time, a fast horse was dispatched to inform Zhu Yin.

After a brief rest in Gangaoshan City, Hao Yunlai led his army westward to Awa City to meet with Zhu Yin.

Hao Yunlai was a civil official who passed the imperial examination, but he came from a poor family and had served as a local official for several years. He paid close attention to the people's sentiments and customs.

After entering the pass, he deliberately observed the Burmese villages along the way, paying attention to everything, big or small. He soon discovered that the Burmese were very different from the Ming people: it was not uncommon to see people carrying firearms!

In every village, you can see people with muskets. The sound of muskets can be heard from time to time in the mountains and forests, presumably from hunting.

Officials like Hao Yunlai placed great importance on local security. He immediately dispatched troops to arrest and question serfs from several villages.

It turns out that in recent years, Myanmar has been deeply influenced by the West. The royal court not only spent huge sums of money to purchase foreign guns and cannons, but also allowed workshops to be set up in various places to imitate matchlock guns, forming Myanmar's unique "gun-making villages".

These "gun-making villages" that imitated matchlock guns produced matchlock guns that were far inferior to those made by foreigners, but they were still powerful firearms. As a result, more and more Burmese hunters were acquiring homemade firearms, which were showing a trend of replacing hunting bows.

Roughly one in ten adult men possessed homemade firearms. Does that mean there were hundreds of thousands of homemade firearms among the Burmese people? Fortunately, these people with firearms were unorganized serfs, and for the time being, no one had rallied them to rebel against the Ming army.

Hao Yunlai was secretly alarmed, and his face immediately darkened.

It is absolutely unacceptable for civilians in Myanmar to possess so many firearms! This should be strictly prohibited!
The Ming Dynasty did not allow its people to possess firearms, let alone a country like Myanmar where so many people possess firearms.

If organized by those with ulterior motives, it would pose a significant threat to the Ming Dynasty and Yunnan-Guizhou region! The Ming Dynasty's control and tethering over Burma would certainly be hampered.

Hao Yunlai immediately decided that the Burmese people should no longer be allowed to possess firearms, and all "gun-making villages" must be shut down. Hao Yunlai also discovered that Burmese criminals were tried in temples, where monks served as judicial officials. Even schools were located in temples, and students studied Buddhist scriptures.

Hao Yunlai fell into deep thought. Would it really benefit the Ming Dynasty to have Burmese monks in charge of education and law? He considered both the advantages and disadvantages, and couldn't figure out whether to suppress Burmese Buddhism or support it.

His only principle was: whichever was more beneficial to the Ming Dynasty!

Observing and thinking along the way, Hao Yunlai arrived in Ava City three days later.

……

Ava City.

At the end of March, local officials from various provinces came to Ava to pay homage to the new king, Mangla.

Of the 36 Myoches in Myanmar, 15 Myoches had already sent officials to Ava by the end of the month.

Besides paying their respects, they were also forced to pay homage to Zhu Yin, the regent of the Ming Dynasty. Zhu Yin was nominally the commander-in-chief of the Ming army, but in reality, he was the retired emperor of Burma.

Under the military might of the Ming Dynasty, the puppet regime in Burma was able to establish a foothold.

Zhu Yin, holding the new king hostage, exerted his influence over Burma with a series of swift and decisive actions. He also requisitioned grain, elephants, sulfur, and laborers in the name of the royal court.

On this day, Zhu Yin finally learned that Hao Yunlai and other high-ranking officials from Yunnan and Guizhou had led their troops to Ava City.

"Hahaha!" Zhu Yin laughed loudly upon hearing the news. "The Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou and the Duke of Qian have arrived, bringing with them 20,000 elite troops!"

"Let's go! We'll personally go out of the city to welcome these meritorious officials!"

Zhu Yin was very pleased. He not only led his generals out of the city to welcome them, but also ordered a welcoming ceremony to be set up, giving Hao Yunlai and the others a great deal of face.

Upon reaching the city gate, another Ming army banner came into view. Beneath the banner, on a chestnut horse, sat a second-rank civil official. His robe, adorned with a pheasant emblem on his chest, was a striking red cloud, making him stand out in the crowd.

It was Hao Yunlai, whom they hadn't seen for more than half a year. Governor Hao looked travel-worn and his face was pale. Although he looked much thinner, he was more energetic and capable.

"Brother Huaji!" Zhu Yin hurried out of the city to greet him. "Brother Huaji, you've had a long and arduous journey! Now that I see you, all thoughts of Yunshu are gone!"

"Brother Zhihu!" Hao Yunlai quickly dismounted and looked at Zhu Yin, who was walking towards him with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, and couldn't help but feel a little hot-eyed.

After more than half a year apart, the young tiger has grown into a man of age, and has become even more majestic and heroic.

"How dare I say it's been hard!" Hao Yunlai cupped his hands and stepped forward. "If it weren't for Brother Zhihu's divine intervention, sweeping through Burma and relieving the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao, we would have already been defeated in Lancang. But Brother Zhihu, leading your army across the sea, braving the wind and waves, you must have had a truly arduous journey."

Zhu Yin laughed heartily and grabbed Hao Yunlai's arm. "What are you saying! You are a meritorious official of the court! You have both merit and hard work! Brother Huaji, I will remember all your contributions!"

Speaking of which, there aren't many people in the world today who can still be considered brothers with Zhu Yin, but Hao Yunlai is one of them.

After exchanging pleasantries with Hao Yunlai, Zhu Yin finally had time to attend to the Duke of Qian and the others.

"Your subject pays respects to the Regent!" Mu Changzuo, Mu Qing, and Song Wanhua bowed respectfully together.

"Gentlemen, you may rise!" Zhu Yin quickly returned the bow. "In the past six months, thanks to your diligent service to the king, your bloody battles, and your painstaking efforts, the situation in Yunnan and Guizhou has not collapsed. You are all meritorious officials! You deserve my bow!"

Everyone said they didn't dare. But Zhu Yin's affirmation of their contributions made them feel grateful.

Hao Yunlai laughed and said, "Brother Zhihu, Mang Yingli is no match for you. Would it be redundant for me to lead my troops here?"

"Huh?!" Zhu Yin waved his hand. "How is this unnecessary? Brother Huaji, your arrival is perfectly timed! You must have guessed that the Zheng family of Annam would send troops?"

Hao Yunlai nodded and said in a low voice, "It is precisely because of this concern that I rashly led my troops into Burma to do my part. In particular, there are too many Japanese pirates and surrendered Cuan people in your army, and not many truly reliable soldiers."

Zhu Yin secretly praised Hao Yunlai for his thoughtfulness, and as he led the group into the city, he said:
“Annam’s Zheng Song is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. This scoundrel will surely send troops to take advantage of our troubles and cut off our southern rear. I must lead my army north to fight the Burmese army in Molo Town. I have no time to deal with anything else. I can only leave the King of Siam to resist the Vietnamese army.”

“But the King of Siam only brought 40,000 troops, which is probably no match for the Vietnamese army. I am not at ease leaving the King of Siam alone to guard the south, after all, Naresuan is not one of our own people.”

"Brother Huaji, your 20,000 troops have arrived at just the right time; they are a timely rain."

Hao Yunlai immediately declared, "I am willing to lead 20,000 troops to join forces with Naresuan to guard the south and deal with the Vietnamese army. You can rest assured to lead your troops north to fight the Burmese army."

Zhu Yin nodded, "With Brother Huaji in charge of the rear, I feel much more at ease. The enemy outnumbers us, and we have many surrendered soldiers, so we must be extremely cautious."

Hao Yunlai said, "On my way into Burma, I found that many people in the area had homemade firearms, and the quality was actually quite good. The gunpowder was also decent. They have learned a lot from the foreigners, which is definitely not a good thing!"

"Oh?" Zhu Yin frowned. "I've been preoccupied with important matters lately and haven't paid attention to these things. As for Brother Huaji's suggestion—"

Hao Yunlai slashed with his right hand, "How can barbarian people possess firearms? Absolutely not. They should be banned and confiscated immediately. This matter can be handled by using monks..."

After listening, Zhu Yin agreed with Hao Yunlai's suggestion.

"Good! This matter should be addressed as soon as possible. I will have Mang Luo give the order immediately!"

...

The next day, Zhu Yin, in the name of the new king Mang Luo, issued the "Gun Hunting Order" to shut down the "Gunsmith Village".

For Zhu Yin, who wanted to annex Myanmar, he certainly wouldn't allow the Burmese to possess a large number of firearms.

He ordered the closure of the "gun-making village," using the pretext of maintaining order to purchase homemade firearms from the Burmese and prohibit their manufacture. This tactic was strikingly similar to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's "Sword Hunt Edict."

Mang Luo, following Zhu Yin's instructions, obediently issued the "Gun Hunt Order." Then, under Zhu Yin's secret instruction, he demanded that the various Miao officials who came to pay homage use the implementation of the "Gun Hunt Order" as a performance evaluation criterion for officials.

If there are any Miao from the gunsmith village within a year, or any Miao with a considerable number of muskets, the officers will be dismissed and investigated.

To effectively enforce the "Arsenal Edict," Zhu Yin also utilized the power of the monks. He ordered "Sangha Courts" in various regions to severely punish criminals who violated the "Arsenal Edict," and to confiscate the criminals' property for temple use.

Zhu Yin knew better than anyone that without the support of a powerful Buddhist community, the "Guardian Order" could not be effectively implemented in various regions and would only become a formality.

It's not too late to deal with the Sangha when it loses its usefulness in the future. Until then, preserving the Sangha is beneficial to the Ming Dynasty.

Clearly, the sharp-eyed Hao Yunlai had also noticed this.

...

On the last day of March, Huya delivered the latest intelligence:

"King Mang Yingli's army detoured north, but was indeed blocked at Jiangxinpo by Siyuan of Mengmi, and could not enter Myitkyina. Mang Yingli's army was exhausted from traveling thousands of miles, and after several days of failing to capture the strategic Jiangxinpo, they had no choice but to abandon the attack and turn south. The southward-bound Burmese army still had 180,000 men left."

Upon receiving this news, the Ming generals were filled with admiration. The Regent was truly a visionary; he had mobilized the Burmese army, keeping them constantly on the move and exhausted.

As expected, the Burmese army had no choice but to fight a decisive battle in Molok.

The second piece of military news was not good: the Annamese ruler, Trinh, had indeed sent troops, personally leading an army of 100,000 westward to aid Burma in the war.

The Vietnamese army has been deployed for five days, still traversing Laos and marching eight hundred miles. It will be able to enter Myanmar by the end of April at the latest, and will join forces with the Burmese army to attack the Ming army from the south and the north.

At that time, the Burmese-Vietnamese allied forces numbered 280,000, while the Ming-Siamese allied forces numbered 170,000, a stark disparity in troop strength.

But Zhu Yin remained confident. He told his generals, "The advantage lies with us!"

Zhu Yin ordered Hao Yunlai and the King of Siam to guard Ava City, secure the rear, and resist the Vietnamese army. He himself led the main force of the Ming army northward.

The real Ming-Burmese war is about to break out!

……

P.S.: According to historical records, firearms were widespread in Burma during the late Ming Dynasty, and Burma was heavily influenced by the West. Burma almost became the first modern nation in Southeast Asia. (Requesting monthly votes.)

(End of this chapter)