The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 339 Initial Settlement of Yunnan
Chengdu, the Han Prince's Mansion.

Zhao Sheng, Li Xinghuai, Wang Chengbi, and others sat in a side hall, arguing endlessly over the battle reports sent from the Yunnan front.

Opinions were clearly divided into two camps.

Officials like Zhao Sheng and Li Xinghuai, who were in charge of money, grain, and household registration, tended to be more pragmatic.

They believed that since Sha Dingzhou was willing to submit voluntarily and promised to pay taxes on time and provide provisions and supplies, it was not something that could be considered.

After all, places like Yunnan and Guizhou are mountainous and densely forested, plagued by miasma, and inhabited by both Han and Yi people.

In the eyes of many people in this era, Yunnan and Guizhou were simply barbaric lands, with fragmented terrain and inconvenient transportation.

Throughout the year, the taxes collected were meager, and they also frequently faced rebellions by local chieftains.

The rebellions in Bozhou and She'an in those years cost the Ming Dynasty a great deal of manpower and resources before they were finally quelled.

If Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty had not incorporated these two provinces into the territory at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, some officials might have actually proposed abandoning them, just like they abandoned Annam in the past.

Now that there are local powerful figures like Sha Dingzhou willing to pledge allegiance, we might as well use barbarians to control barbarians, which would also free up our troops to focus on the struggle for the heartland of the Central Plains.

However, this viewpoint was immediately met with opposition.

Led by Wang Chengbi, a group of people believed that if they really followed Sha Dingzhou's words, wouldn't that be tantamount to treating Yunnan as an outer vassal state, tacitly acknowledging its separatist rule and its status as the King of Yunnan?

Judging from Sha Dingzhou's actions, he first betrayed his master for personal gain and then besieged the Mu family mansion, which shows that he was fickle and had no integrity whatsoever.

With the Han army at his side today, he naturally submits obediently.
If the main force of the Han army is transferred away in the future, and his power grows stronger, he will surely develop rebellious intentions.

Wouldn't it be asking for trouble if we had to send troops south to quell the rebellion?

It would be better to launch an attack and wipe them out before they grow too powerful, thus eliminating any future threat!

Both sides held their own views and could not reach a consensus.

At that moment, Jiang Han stepped forward and resolutely said:
"In my opinion, there is no room for negotiation regarding the Yunnan issue."

"First of all, it must be made clear that since Emperor Taizu pacified Yunnan and established prefectures, counties and districts, it has been part of the territory of the Ming Dynasty and an inseparable part of our Han Dynasty!"

"Now that the Ming court has established a province in Yunnan, we absolutely cannot give it up."

"That man surnamed Sha is nothing more than a barbarian chieftain. What right does he have to bargain with me?"

Jiang Han's meaning was very clear: although Yunnan is located on the border and is far away with high mountains and long roads, it should not be given up easily.

Geographically, Yunnan borders Guizhou and Guangxi to the east, controls Sichuan and Tibet to the north, is adjacent to Myanmar and Siam to the south, and connects to India to the west, making it an absolute key strategic location.

If unrest breaks out in Yunnan, the heartland of Sichuan will face the direct threat of war.

That's why Zhu Yuanzhang didn't hesitate to mobilize 300,000 troops to bring Yunnan into his territory.

Furthermore, although Yunnan may appear to have a fragmented terrain, it actually contains abundant resources such as minerals, timber, and medicinal herbs.

The Ming Dynasty has been implementing the policy of replacing local chieftains with centrally appointed officials here for over two hundred years. Now that the time has come, it's time to reap the rewards.

As for the Mu family, it has been more than 250 years since Mu Ying, the Marquis of Pingxi, was stationed in Yunnan in the sixteenth year of Hongwu.

Objectively speaking, the Mu family made invaluable contributions to stabilizing Yunnan, developing the frontier, spreading Central Plains culture, and resisting foreign aggression.

The Duke of Qian's Mansion, to some extent, was not only a symbol of the Ming Dynasty in Yunnan, but also a spiritual pillar for the Han people in Yunnan.

For this reason, Jiang Han generally had no prejudice against the Mu family.

As a barbarian chieftain who rose to power through rebellion, Sha Dingzhou could not replace the status and prestige accumulated by the Mu family over a century, whether in terms of virtue or ability.

He wanted to obtain the legitimate imperial mandate to govern Yunnan from Jiang Han, but in essence, he lacked both the Han-Yi identity cultivated by the Mu family over a long period of time, and the centripetal force of representing the Han regime.

Allowing such a person to govern Yunnan will only cause Yunnan to regress to a chaotic state of numerous chieftains and constant warfare.

This guy might even invite trouble, collude with foreign powers, and covet the fertile lands of Sichuan.

Based on all these considerations, Jiang Han finally made the decision:

"There is absolutely no way we can agree to Sha Dingzhou's demands."

"But for now, we don't need to rush into action."

"Sha Dingzhou launched a surprise attack on Kunming, and his relationship with Mu Tianbo has become irreconcilable."

"We might as well hold back for now and let the two sides fight amongst themselves and wear each other down."

"Wait until they are both exhausted before letting Li Zicheng send troops to clean up the mess."

His tone was firm,
"Yunnan must be attacked, and it must be thoroughly purged, several times over, to completely eliminate all restless forces!"

"At that time, we can follow the example of Guizhou, relocate people to the border areas, and completely incorporate them into our territory."

To ensure the swift pacification of Yunnan, Jiang Han ordered an additional 20,000 troops to be sent out, along with the troops that had returned from Guizhou for rest and recuperation.

Led by Cao Er, the team immediately headed south from Chengdu and assembled in the direction of Qujing.

At the same time, a secret letter was delivered to Li Zicheng at the front.

In the letter, Jiang Han explicitly instructed Li Zicheng to temporarily halt the attack and adopt a wait-and-see attitude.

Li Zicheng understood immediately, and on the one hand, he sent documents to Songming Prefecture and Yiliang;
On the other hand, a large number of scouts were dispatched to closely monitor the directions of Kunming and Chuxiong.

During this period, the envoys sent by Sha Dingzhou repeatedly requested an audience, anxiously inquiring about the Han army's attitude and Chengdu's response.

They hoped to gain official recognition as soon as possible so that they could rightfully rule Yunnan and command the troops of the various chieftains.

However, the messenger was met with a slight rebuff each time he visited.

Li Zicheng kept making excuses, saying that the matter was of great importance and could not be decided easily by him; he had to wait for the king's decree.

He has not yet received a reply from Chengdu, so he dares not take any rash actions.

This explanation was reasonable and logical, leaving Sha Dingzhou's envoy anxious but helpless.

Meanwhile, at Jiang Han's behest, He Hong, the temporary prefect of Qujing, "privately" hosted several banquets for Sha Dingzhou's envoy.

During the meeting, Stanley Ho made several suggestions to the envoy:
"As you may know, there is an old saying that goes, 'If the name is not correct, the words will not be proper.'"

"Mu Tianbo is still in Chuxiong. In his capacity as Duke of Qian, he can still command some local chieftains and remnants of the Ming army."

"As long as he lives, he will be a thorn in your side, and there will always be people who will take the opportunity to cause trouble."

"As far as I know, Chengdu's concerns also lie in this: how can two tigers share one mountain?"

"Only by capturing Mu Tianbo can we have a more legitimate reason to guard Yunnan."

Upon hearing this, the envoy suddenly understood and immediately sent someone to report the matter to Sha Dingzhou, pointing out the crux of the matter.

In fact, he didn't need to remind him; Sha Dingzhou himself was well aware that as long as the Duke of Qian was alive, he was a threat.

At this time, he dispatched a large army to besiege Chuxiong, attempting to wipe out Mu Tianbo and his remaining followers in one fell swoop.

After Mu Tianbo retreated to Chuxiong, he did indeed issue proclamations to the local chieftains in the name of the Duke of Qian, demanding that they lead their troops to Chuxiong. However, things were different now.

The Ming Dynasty's military presence in the southwest is now negligible, and its influence is extremely low.

Although the Duke of Qian was a renowned figure, at this critical juncture, few were willing to risk a direct confrontation with the powerful and ruthless Sha Dingzhou for the sake of a young duke.

Apart from a few loyal chieftain tribes, very few responded to the proclamation.

Mu Tianbo was short of troops and generals, and faced with the fierce attack of Sha Dingzhou's army, he could only rely on the strong city of Chuxiong to hold on.

Just when Sha Dingzhou thought victory was assured, an unexpected turning point quietly appeared.

Long Zaitian, the chieftain of Shiping who escorted Mu Tianbo out of the encirclement and back to Chuxiong, pointed out that now all the chieftains have their own ulterior motives and are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant.

With the strength of this rabble alone, it was impossible to defeat the powerful Sha Dingzhou.

To reverse the defeat, external forces must be sought.

The only force currently capable and willing to intervene in this matter is the Han army stationed in Qujing.

However, as the Duke of Qian of the Ming Dynasty, Mu Tianbo was unwilling to bow down to the Han army from the bottom of his heart.

This is a thief! If he agrees, how will he face his ancestors in the afterlife?

Long Zaitian tried his best to persuade him, even bringing up the names of Mu Tianbo's deceased grandmother, mother, wife, and younger brother, before finally managing to convince him.

Subsequently, Long Zaitian secretly sent an envoy out of the city to Qujing to contact Li Zicheng.

The envoy explained the advantages and disadvantages to Li Zicheng and strongly urged the Han army to intervene under the pretext of "avenging the Mu family, quelling the rebellion, and restoring order."

Mu Tianbo is willing to step forward and call on the Ming army and other chieftain tribes to surrender, provided that the Han army is willing to help and promise to preserve the Mu family line afterward.

This was the opportunity and justification that Li Zicheng had been waiting for to send troops, and he immediately sent a report to Chengdu via express courier.

After receiving Jiang Han's approval, Li Zicheng quickly changed his plans.

He raised the banner of "Raising a Righteous Army to Avenge the Mu Clan and Suppress the Rebellion of the Sand Rebels," and launched a three-pronged attack.

A detachment of 20,000 men, led by Liu Zongmin, marched south, heading straight for Sha Dingzhou's stronghold in Mengzi.

The aim was to relieve the siege of Wei by attacking Zhao, thus forcing Zhao to return to its aid.

The other route, led by Ma Ke and Yu Chengye, was ambushed in the area of ​​Amizhou, a crucial route for Sha Dingzhou's return to reinforce.

Li Zicheng himself led his main force to remain stationed in Qujing Prefecture.

Sha Dingzhou, who was overseeing the battle outside the city of Chuxiong, was startled when he received news of the Han army's sudden attack.

Before he could even sort things out, another messenger arrived from his hometown of Mengzi, reporting that he had been ambushed by elite Han troops and was in imminent danger.

Sha Dingzhou was immediately thrown into chaos. His hometown was his foundation, and he could not afford to lose it!
He could no longer care about Chu Xiong in front of him and Mu Tianbo in the city. He immediately ordered the siege to be lifted and personally led the main force back to his hometown of Mengzi to provide reinforcements.

Sha Dingzhou couldn't understand it at all. He had already been very submissive, and had even presented more than two hundred boxes of gold and silver as gifts.

These Han soldiers are utterly shameless. Not only did they accept the gifts, but now they're even helping the Mu family.

In order to return to his hometown of Mengzi, he ordered his troops to march all the way back in a great hurry.

However, as soon as they entered Ami Prefecture, Sha Dingzhou was met with a head-on attack by Ma Ke and Yu Chengye.

As the army passed through a narrow valley, they were suddenly met with deafening shouts of battle, as ambushes sprang up from all sides.

Logs and boulders rained down from both sides, while arrows and muskets overhead were as dense as locusts.

Sha Dingzhou's troops were caught completely off guard. Their marching column was cut in half, and they were unable to support each other. They immediately fell into chaos and suffered heavy casualties.

Although he led his troops in numerous charges, he was powerless to reverse the situation and could only abandon his supplies and lead his remaining troops in a hasty retreat.

Sha Dingzhou originally intended to flee back to Kunming to hold out, but he never expected that Kunming had already changed hands again.

Taking advantage of the fact that he had returned to reinforce Mengzi and Kunming was undefended, Li Zicheng had already captured Kunming with his main force.

Meanwhile, in Chuxiong, Mu Tianbo led his troops to block his retreat.

At this point, Sha Dingzhou had no way to retreat. Not only was his old base destroyed, but he also lost the newly occupied Kunming.

Like a stray dog, he was surrounded by the Han army on all sides and trapped near Dianchi Lake, east of Kunming.

Sha Dingzhou led his troops in several attempts to break through the encirclement, but without exception, they were all driven back.

Ultimately, with no other options, he threw himself into Dianchi Lake and committed suicide. His subordinates, seeing that all was lost, chose to surrender.

After suppressing the rebellion, Li Zicheng, as agreed, sent men to welcome Mu Tianbo and others back to Kunming.

Having avenged his great grudge, Mu Tianbo stopped resisting and obediently moved into the Duke of Qian's mansion, staying indoors.

All matters concerning Kunming's city defense, civil administration, and other affairs were handed over to the Han army for control.

Of course, ninety percent of the wealth accumulated by the Duke of Qian's mansion over the years has now been confiscated, leaving only one-tenth for Mu Tianbo.

After all, these valuables had changed hands through Sha Dingzhou and had now become spoils of war for the Han army, so they naturally had nothing to do with the Mu family anymore.

Jiang Han was already being incredibly merciful by returning even 10%.

In return, Mu Tianbo was required to swear an oath with Li Zicheng and, in the name of the Duke of Qian, order all the local chieftains to surrender to the Han army.

In a secret letter to Li Zicheng, Jiang Han explicitly proposed to make full use of the Mu family's political influence in Yunnan as a tool to integrate various forces in Yunnan and stabilize the ruling order.

In the governance of Yunnan, the Duke of Qian's Mansion can be considered a symbol, but it is only a symbol.

Specific military and political affairs will be taken over by Sichuan personnel.

On the outskirts of Kunming, a tall altar stands, displaying sacrificial animals of pig, cow, and sheep.

On both sides of the altar, elite Han soldiers stood in gleaming armor, holding halberds, and the area was completely silent.

Under the watchful eyes of numerous chieftains, officials, elders, and villagers, Li Zicheng and Mu Tianbo slowly ascended the stage.

The two stood side by side before the altar, and in accordance with the ritual, burned incense, knelt and worshipped, offering wine on the altar and proclaiming to heaven and earth.

The two sides then swore an oath by swearing a blood oath and breaking an arrow as a pledge.

Li Zicheng, representing Jiang Han, promised that in Yunnan, "no officials or common people would be killed indiscriminately, and no houses would be burned or women would be raped," and so on.

In exchange, Mu Tianbo promised to cooperate with the Han army in Yunnan's measures such as "equal distribution of land and elimination of corrupt officials".

During the oath-taking ceremony, both sides wisely avoided the topic of the Ming court, simply setting it aside for the time being.

Jiang Han was very pragmatic. Since he had already acquired the territory, he could just take it one step at a time and manage it step by step.

Time will tell, and I believe that over time, the people of Yunnan will gradually get used to the rule of the Han army.

Li Zicheng's next task will shift from suppressing the rebellion to a campaign of pacification, gradually eliminating stubborn resistance forces.

(End of this chapter)