The Prosperous Era of Longwan

"Let me tell you Shandai, he has already arranged all the naval forces in the southeast, northwest, and four seas for the Ming Dynasty."

Zhang Juzheng answered with a smile.

"Want to hear the details."

Feng Bao looked at Wei Guangde and said seriously.

Sihai, a Chinese vocabulary from "Erya Shidi", the original text: Jiuyi, Badi, Qirong, Liuman, which is called the four seas.

It generally refers to all parts of the country, but also refers to the world and the whole country; in modern times, it can also refer to all parts of the world.

In addition, according to traditional Chinese medicine, the four seas are the collective name for the sea of ​​marrow, sea of ​​blood, sea of ​​qi, and sea of ​​water and valleys. They are the places where subtle substances such as the essence of qi and blood of the human body gather.

The seas in these four directions do not refer to specific oceans, but symbolic geographical divisions, representing the four borders of China.

The East China Sea is roughly equivalent to today's Yellow Sea, the South China Sea is equivalent to today's South China Sea, and the West China Sea and the North Sea are different from time to time.

Therefore, Wei Guangde told Feng Bao about the Sihai he was sure of.

“Although the war in Burma has not yet ended, reports of overwhelming success from various departments of the Ming army are spreading frequently. Judging from the current situation reported by the Ministry of War, the Ming Dynasty will definitely win the war in Burma.

In this way, a branch of the Nanhai Navy was separated and stationed in Burma, and the so-called Western Sea during the Yongle period became the Western Sea of ​​the Ming Dynasty.

As for the North Sea, it is naturally the sea area north of Nuer Gandusi. During the Yongle period, Emperor Chengzu sent the eunuch Yi Shiha to lead his troops to inspect Beijing, which is why Nuer Gandusi was created. "

Wei Guangde's Yishiha played an important role in the Ming Dynasty's inspection of the Northeast.

In the seventh year of Yongle, he was appointed as the Imperial Envoy and visited the Northeast on behalf of the Ming Dynasty Central Court.

Yishiha was very familiar with the customs and customs of the Northeast. When he inspected Sakhalin Island, he appeased the tribes and people on the island, causing the Ming Dynasty's military flag to fly over Sakhalin Island.

In addition, the Ming Dynasty established multiple guard posts on Sakhalin Island, including Nanghar Guard, Polo River Guard and Uleh Guard. These guard posts were affiliated with Nuergandusi to strengthen the management of Sakhalin Island. .

It should be noted in particular that it was not as troublesome as everyone thought for the Ming Dynasty to send troops to and from Nuergandusi, because the Ming Dynasty's transportation to Nuergandusi was all through waterways.

Although the Northeast region is vast, due to the dense river network, boats were the most convenient means of transportation in the region at that time.

As early as the Yuan Dynasty, the central government built shipyards in the Songhua River Basin in Northeast China.

After the Ming Dynasty began to rule the Northeast, a large shipyard was built near the Ashhada cliff carvings on the Songhua River to build ships specifically for the Ming Dynasty's personnel in the Northeast.

In order for Yi Shiha to make this long journey, Zhu Di specially ordered people to build 25 giant ships at the shipyard near the cliff carvings on the Songhua River in Northeast China as a means of transportation for Yi Shiha.

Starting from this shipyard, you can directly enter the main channel of Heilongjiang and then reach other areas in the Northeast. Therefore, it was chosen by Yi Shiha and others as the starting point for their trip to the Northeast.

After Yishiha and the accompanying 1,000 officers and soldiers boarded the ship at the shipyard, they first went along the Songhua River to Haixi, Yishiha's hometown, then entered the main stream of Heilongjiang, and then sailed all the way to Nurgan City in the lower reaches of Heilongjiang.

Nuergan City, referred to as Nuergan, Nuerge, etc., is an ancient Chinese place name. It is located near the estuary on the east coast of the lower reaches of Heilongjiang River.

During the Ming Dynasty, the entrance to the sea on the east coast of the lower reaches of Heilongjiang was actually located near Sakhalin Bay, across the sea from Sakhalin Island.

During the Yuan Dynasty, in order to expedition to Sakhalin Island, the Yuan army used this as the starting point for the army's departure.

This is also the reason why Wei Guangde delimited the North Sea near Nurgandusi. The sea is connected. Of course he knew that he could reach the Arctic Ocean from here, but in fact, the exploration of the far north of the Ming Dynasty was very limited.

Yi Shiha only reached here and stopped going north.

Not only because of the cruel natural environment in the far north, but more likely because the Ming Dynasty's ships had no way to go.

If we continue to travel north, we will inevitably have to take the sea route, enter the Sakhalin Bay, and then enter the Orhotsk Sea.

Wei Guangde could understand it. He couldn't go north by boat and ended his journey here. In fact, that was what a smart person should do.

As for the area north of Nurgandusi, it is really not an area that ordinary people can explore in this era.

People in later generations can look at the globe and covet the vast land in the north, but in fact, although that land is large, it will not be developed much even in later generations.

Without him, the natural environment would be too harsh.

It's not that Wei Guangde didn't think about it, he would take advantage of the opportunity to sign a contract with the Mongols, and the relationship would get better, and he would use troops in Liaodong to intimidate the Jurchen tribes, and conduct a so-called "exploration" of the Far North until he found the Arctic Ocean.

If another monument is erected there, what will it prove?

Actually, it’s useless.

If the people of the future generations are still weak, then this monument can only be a shame.

In fact, there is a reason why Siberia was inaccessible during this period.

When the Russians move eastward, they do not go north, but move eastward close to the countries to the south. In other words, they expand their land eastward in the marginal areas suitable for human survival.

As for how they found Alaska in the end, it can only be said that they may have accidentally discovered Alaska while looking for the easternmost point of the continent.

Then I realized that this place actually belonged to North America.

You know, the Spanish arrived in the Americas earlier, and they only chose to establish colonies in the rich central America, and had no intention of exploring and alleviating the harsh areas.

From a profit perspective, the gains outweigh the losses.

Wei Guangde now views it this way. He does not think there is any benefit in bringing Siberia under the rule of the Ming Dynasty, because it cannot be ruled at all.

Han people living in Liaodong find it bitter and cold, so who would continue to move north?

I'm afraid I can only let Jurchens and exiled felons go there.

Therefore, in Wei Guangde's view, restoring the Ming Dynasty's actual control over Nuergandusi is already the limit of this era.

As for what to do when Maozi comes in the future?

Just call it back.

The war between the Manchus and Russia was described as a victory in the textbooks, but in fact it was a failure at all.

Regardless of Kangxi or Qianlong, the war against the Northeast ended in failure and did not prevent Russia's eastward expansion at all.

It can only be said that that period of history was whitewashed by literati.

In the final analysis, Kangxi and Qianlong probably felt that this transaction was a loss. Although the land in the north was large, it was not valuable, so they chose to give up that land.

But if Mao Zi encountered the Ming army, which was fully armed with firearms, Mao Zi might not be able to take advantage.

In the final analysis, it depends on how much China’s leaders valued the northern land.

With the Ming Dynasty's view of land, it is absolutely impossible to give up the northern land.

"Nu'er Gandusi? Isn't it too remote there?"

Feng Bao hesitated for a moment and finally said.

The Ming Dynasty had actually given up there, but if it wanted to regain control, it would naturally have to mobilize the garrison to the north.

But who wants to go there?

"Let the guard stations be rotated. For example, assign a guard station in Nurgan City and change it every two years. No family members will be arranged to accompany them."

Wei Guangde suggested.

Under the military household system of the Ming Dynasty, when the guard station was mobilized, the family members of the guard station would follow them to reclaim wasteland.

Wei Guangde now only plans to arrange for the garrison to be stationed in Nurgan City, which is a temporary garrison, which is considered a precedent.

“You can get there by ship, and although it’s bitterly cold, it’s not impossible.

In the past, guard posts could be reduced in strength and stationed in units of a thousand households, and some areas could also be stationed in units of a hundred households.

Materials are transferred once a year and rotated every two years, so the Ministry of War should be able to bear it. "

Wei Guangde took another step back. Nuergandusi had several guard posts, among which there were three guard posts near Nuergan City and Sakhalin Island.

Wei Guangde reduced the guard station to a thousand-household station, so that the price Ming Dynasty had to pay would be much smaller.

According to Wei Guangde's plan, each time he was transferred to the north, a fully staffed 1,000-household station with 1,200 people would be arranged, which could be stationed in several areas, all of which were originally abandoned fortresses of the Ming army.

In these places, you can only go to a hundred-household office and station a hundred or ten people there.

In this way, the food and cold clothing needed for them to survive the winter will be greatly reduced than in the past.

There are no family members to drag you down, and you can return to Liaodong after staying for two years. I think the resistance of the soldiers will not be too great.

After all, there is always hope.

When the time comes, you can go back and reunite with your family.

What people fear most is that there is no hope.

If the family members stay in Liaodong, it means they can go back and they won't be stupid.

"What about the boat?"

Zhang Juzheng suddenly asked.

"We can only mobilize warships from the East China Sea Navy first."

Wei Guangde said helplessly that the shipyards in the early years had long been abandoned, and it was basically impossible to expect to continue building ships in the Northeast to ensure Nurgandusi's shipping.

"However, we can rebuild shipyards on the Yalu River or Songhua River, or directly transfer small and medium-sized ships to Heilongjiang."

Wei Guangde suggested again.

"As long as the Ministry of War and the Liaodong Governor can be persuaded, I have no objection."

Feng Bao suddenly spoke.

This matter is a matter for the court. He can put forward opinions, but he does not need to be responsible.

Wei Guangde suggested that he would naturally handle the follow-up.

The Ministry of War is still in charge of Tan Lun, and the current commander of Liaodong is Qi Jiguang. Presumably, they will not oppose Wei Guangde's proposal.

Liaodong Dusi sends thousands of people to Nuer Gandusi every year, and the two-year rotation may not be possible in the future.

The people were withdrawn in the first place because several guards in Nuergandusi were complaining and the internal situation was extremely unstable.

If it weren't for the remote location, I'm afraid a large number of soldiers would have chosen to flee.

It was precisely because of the instability and fear of a major mutiny that the imperial court finally chose to withdraw from Nuergandusi.

At that time, there were tens of thousands of people, so the pressure on the court was naturally great.

But if there are only a thousand people, there should be no problem.

"When the time comes, the soldiers who go to Nuergan Dusi will be paid full pay by the Ministry of War and the Liaodong Dusi during those two years."

Wei Guangde said again.

If the conditions are difficult, then give them money. If you don’t believe it, they won’t want to stay there for two years.

Zhang Juzheng and Feng Bao stopped talking. It was better to let Wei Guangde handle the affairs of the Sihai Navy. Anyway, the affairs of the Ministry of War were under his control.

"The banquet at my place should be almost done. How about we go to the banquet table and talk?"

Feng Bao suggested at this time.

"Brother Shuanglin, why don't you tell us what the palace's attitude is so that we can talk freely at the banquet later."

Wei Guangde smiled.

After hearing what Wei Guangde said, Feng Bao saw Zhang Juzheng with a serious face and said, "There is only one question in the palace. How will the imperial court regulate water transportation in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde knew that concerns in the palace were still there.

"Shandai, let me tell you something. Uncle Wu Qing's family has invested a lot of money in Tongzhou and Dezhou. I heard that they are still preparing to develop southward."

Feng Bao's words were also a reminder to Wei Guangde that this was related to the Empress Dowager Cisheng's family.

This Wuqing Earl Li Wei was the grandfather of the current emperor.

"Haha, Brother Shuanglin, you worry too much. The court has never thought of giving up the grain transport."

Wei Guangde smiled, "It's still what I said before. The court's grain transport has gradually changed to sea routes, and the Grand Canal is mainly transported by official ships and merchant ships. The court will naturally not ignore the canal.

The river government will still invest real money to control the water, and will also do its best to ensure the smooth transportation of grain transport."

In fact, after the grain transport was changed to sea, the money and grain invested by the court in the maintenance of the canal must be reduced, but Wei Guangde plans to collect the difference from merchant ships.

Official ships never pay.

In addition, because of the reduction of grain transport ships, the water used in the canal will also be reduced, so the water volume of the Huanghuai River will also increase, hoping to wash away some silt.

In fact, even if the Yellow River changes its course, it may affect the canal shipping for a period of time, but in the long run, the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal will still maintain smooth shipping.

Think about the future, the Yellow River has long been changed, but the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal is still in operation.

"As long as the court will maintain the canal, there will be no problem.

The palace only cares about the effectiveness of water control. As for whether the canal boats go by canal or sea, that is the court's business, and the two elders will make the decision."

Feng Bao said happily, "This matter was raised by Shandai. To be honest, the palace has always been very confident in you."

Wei Guangde has done a lot of things in recent years, and everything seems to be satisfactory in the end.

With this past record, Feng Bao can say this.

In fact, after returning to the palace today, the two palaces are most concerned about whether the canal transportation will be abandoned by the court after the grain is changed to sea.

For them, even if their mother's family has invested in countless industries along the canal, it is not as important as making the throne of the little emperor stable.

As long as the young emperor Zhu Yijun's position is stable, even if some money is lost, it can be recovered from other places.

What they are worried about is the livelihood of the people on both sides of the canal for thousands of miles, which is related to the long-term stability of the court.

If the people on both sides have no food and clothing, it may cause a great disaster, and even endanger the court, which is where they have to be careful.

These things may not be what they really understand, but someone reminded them, so that they know the importance of the canal.

Even if the court loses money, sometimes it has to bite the bullet and do it.

"Is the banquet ready?"

Feng Bao shouted outside.

"Master, it's ready, you can invite the two elders to the table."

Xu Jue walked into the house quickly, smiling.

"Uncle, Shandai, let's go and drink. I have prepared good wine to treat you today. You will know when the time comes."

Feng Bao stood up and led the way, and Zhang Juzheng and Wei Guangde followed behind and went directly to the wing room.

In the side room, the banquet was ready.

The things to be discussed had been discussed, so it was nothing serious, so we just drank. (End of this chapter)