"Master Tang, I wonder what you mean by resolving the issue of the Jiannu in the Northeast?" Zu Dashou naturally couldn't immediately agree with Tang Qie's intentions. Instead, he turned to Qie and asked.
"Haha, General Zu, Huang Taiji is dead now. This makes me feel a little regretful that I wasn't able to bring him to justice when he was still alive. This land originally belonged to the Ming Dynasty, but these Jiannu have occupied it for so long. These Jiannu have committed countless murders against our people. Now is the time to reclaim this land. If General Zu is interested, I might as well tell you. After I return this place to the Ming Dynasty, I will divide it into three provinces and let General Zu be the Chief Inspector of the three provinces. As for General Zu's relative, General Wuxiang, I will let him be the Chief Inspector of Siberia to the north of the three provinces. What do you think, General Zu?" He put forward his conditions. He was not worried that Zu Dashou would not agree. If the negotiations failed, Tang He would simply use force to solve the problem.
Zu Dashou didn't know what the position of the General Inspector General was, but it sounded like it governed a large area outside the Great Wall. It seemed to have considerable power. So, Zu Dashou couldn't help but feel a little tempted. If he were to manage this vast area occupied by the Jiannu, not only would his power be far greater than that of a general, but if he didn't leave his family's home, it would be a huge help to their development. Such a good offer. It seemed that Lord Tang was very sincere.
Although Zu Dashou claimed to be a minister, when it came to his own interests and those of his family, he had no choice but to consider them. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Sir Tang, you are no longer an official of the Ming Dynasty. It seems you no longer have the authority to hold an official position. I wonder under what pretext Sir Tang has asked me to take on this responsibility?"
As a man who had held official positions for a lifetime, Zu Dashou's position was legitimate. Tang Lu hadn't established a new dynasty, leaving Zu Dashou behind. His position was somewhat unreputable and unrecognizable. "General Zu, although I'm no longer a high-ranking official, I'm still a Han Chinese. The reason I haven't declared a new dynasty is because I don't want to establish a capital or palace outside the Ming Dynasty. Furthermore, I wasn't strong enough before, so claiming the throne would have been a laughingstock. Now that I've gained sufficient strength, it's natural for me to ascend to this land. Whether I accept the Ming Dynasty as the legitimate ruler or establish my own, it's not a big deal. I only ask General Zu if you agree." If Tang Lu had said this a few years ago, it would have been treasonous. But now, to Zu Dashou's ears, it seemed like a matter of course.
The Ming Dynasty is no longer
Anyone with more intelligence could see that Zu Dashou also saw this. And rightly so. He had to consider his future. Although Tang Lu's final words sounded a bit coercive, Zu Dashou could only ignore them and think seriously about it. This was a matter concerning himself and the entire family, and Zu Dashou couldn't help but be involved.
"Lord Tang, could you please give this matter some more thought?" Zu Dashou sighed inwardly. The situation was stronger than he was. It seemed impossible to refuse this. They were already at the gates. But if he agreed too quickly, he would be looked down upon. Zu Dashou had no choice but to resort to procrastination, to save some face.
"Haha. This matter certainly requires more consideration, General Zu. However, General Zu, the world is vast. If you wish to establish something, there are many great resources out there for you to explore." Tang Qi smiled and said, "Here is a small gift from me. Although it's a bit meager, I hope General Zu won't laugh at you."
Tang Qi waved his hand, and immediately someone brought out gifts. Ten exotic beauties, some Westerners, some Indians, some Japanese, some Southeast Asian natives, and even a black man. Ten tall Arabian horses, ten coral trees, and a plethora of exotic specialties. A team of soldiers brought these ashore. Zu Dashou's men looked at them, and they couldn't help but marvel at them. The black man was especially peculiar. As soon as Zu Dashou saw the ten Arabian horses, he knew that Tang Qi's move this time was significant. But Zu Dashou didn't know that although Tang Qi and his men hadn't conquered the Arabian region, the colonial forces had already plundered many of them. Tang Qi now had plenty of Arabian horses. Ten such horses were nothing to him.
Tang Yang put down the gifts and led his men down the river. Seeing that Tang Yang and his men had left, Zu Dashou ordered the city gates to be opened and the gifts brought in. Although some of Zu Dashou's men were intent on gazing at the beauties, none dared to harbor any ulterior motives. If the host didn't give a gift to a woman, then no one would have any intention of taking it. However, those people all had their eyes on the ten horses.
This majestic and powerful horse was a must-have for any general. While lacking in stamina, it was capable of running at impressive speeds over short distances. Its stature was significantly larger than the Mongolian horses of the time. Even if it wasn't a hit, it still looked much more imposing.
"Sir, these horses look really good," said one of Zu Dashou's men. His dark face was filled with a flattering yet pitiful expression. It was clearly saying, "Sir, please give me a horse."
Before Dashou could say anything, another of his men said, "Yes, sir. I wonder where they got these horses from. They are so tall and majestic. They are much better than our horses."
Zu Dashou rolled his eyes and said angrily, "This isn't mine. Even if you want it, I can't give it to you now."
"Sir, we are all good brothers here. I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should or shouldn't. Sir, what are you going to do?" a young general asked. This man was Zu Dashou's cousin, and he was closer to Zu Dashou than the others. At this moment, he was the only one who dared to ask Zu Dashou such a sensitive question.
"What do you think?" Zu Dashou asked. Zu Dashou was still very confident about the men around him.
"Sir, I've heard that Lord Tang commands hundreds of thousands of troops and occupies a vast territory overseas, said to be no smaller than that of the Ming Dynasty. If they truly destroy Jian this time, they will certainly not let go of the Ming Dynasty's territory in the future." One person glanced at the crowd and spoke first.
"Yes, sir. I heard that they have wiped out all the countries in the South. Even if they don't set their sights on the Ming Dynasty in the future, with such a large territory, they can still be considered a great power. If they also occupy the territory of the Jiannu, they will almost surround the Ming Dynasty. It is impossible for them not to set their sights on the Ming Dynasty in the future. Not only is the Ming Dynasty no match for them, but those so-called rebels will also not be their opponents. In the future, 100% of the world will belong to this Lord Tang. If we surrender to him before he establishes a country, we can at least be called founding ministers." The second person spoke for a long time. From his tone, it was obvious that he wanted to surrender to Tang Lu.
"Sir, with their strength, they can easily defeat the Jiannu even without us. They've repeatedly beaten Huang Taiji in the past, leaving him powerless. Now, some of the Jiannu have surrendered to Lord Tang. Sir, I've heard that Amin Manggurtai, one of the Jiannu, served under Lord Tang years ago. I also heard that many Mongols have also surrendered to Lord Tang. So, defeating the Jiannu won't be a problem at all." One of Zu Dashou's men hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking.
Zu Dashou raised his eyebrows. His eyes widened. "How did you know about this?"
"Sir, one of my cousins is a subordinate of Lord Tang. He's now a captain under him. Some time ago, my cousin came to persuade me to join them, but I was unwilling to do so. He even had my grandfather kick him out. I heard all this from him." The man had been with Zu Dashou for over a decade and was one of his most trusted confidants. Zu Dashou's expression softened as he nodded.
"We still need to think about this matter carefully. After all, it concerns our future life and property. We must be careful. But the Ming Dynasty is in such a mess now. It's really hard to decide what to do." Zu Dashou sighed and observed the expressions of the crowd with a cold eye.
Although everyone's expressions varied, they all lowered their heads, as if in thought. This was the time to test everyone's loyalty. Loyalty to the Ming Dynasty, or loyalty to Zu Dashou? The answer would be clear at this crucial moment. Only one person looked up at Zu Dashou, as if he had something to say.
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