Could it be that the Northern Yuan Dynasty didn't want to better control the grassland?
No, they simply can't do it.
Even when the Mongols moved into the Central Plains, the grasslands of the Northern Yuan Dynasty are still in great chaos.
You have to know that there are a large number of tribes here on the grassland. It would be more accurate to call it the Northern Yuan Tribal Alliance rather than the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
The various tribes below were like the warlords who once ruled the Central Plains. They only followed orders and not announcements regarding matters of the Northern Yuan court.
If you are really dissatisfied with something, just run away.
This is also a major feature of the grassland. In the absence of a fixed residence, the Northern Yuan Dynasty itself did not dare to put too much pressure on most tribes.
Of course, if one or two small tribes are disobedient, they can be taught a lesson.
A large tribe like Guilichi is not particularly obedient in many aspects, and even the Northern Yuan Dynasty finds it difficult to start fighting directly at present, for fear of causing greater conflicts.
It's not that the Northern Yuan Dynasty didn't want to, but that it couldn't do it.
Zhu Ying spread his hands and said, "Why can't this be done? Simply put, all the chambers of commerce at the border of the Ming Dynasty will register."
"This registered number is the specific details of the goods. You can send enough cavalry to provide protection and ensure the safety of the caravan on the road."
"This way, we can kill two birds with one stone."
"As for the escort troops, they can be given a commission for each escort, so it's not a wasted trip. I believe many people are willing to do it, and they can also go for a ride on horseback frequently, which is a great thing."
What Zhu Ying meant was that he should directly treat the Northern Yuan army as an escort agency, which was equivalent to official escort.
If it can really be achieved, it will definitely be a huge breakthrough for the grassland area.
This approach really shocked all the Northern Yuan officials, including Elbek. Even the Han officials of the Northern Yuan Dynasty fell into deep thought.
When it comes to business, it seems that no one can keep up with Zhu Ying's pace.
From this perspective, all of Zhu Ying's current arrangements are sincere preparations for the development of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
Such a good and complete strategy certainly cannot be thought of in a flash.
At this moment, Elbek was really touched.
He felt that these things must have been instructed by His Majesty the Great Ming himself, just for the sake of the friendship they had back then.
The Northern Yuan Dynasty discussed it for a long time, and after a stick of incense, the old Han minister Ou Anmin, as a representative, nodded to Elbek, indicating that this method was completely feasible.
In fact, the development of this model is based on the peaceful coexistence of the two countries. Once war breaks out, it will be completely invalidated.
However, the Northern Yuan Dynasty now has no other choice. The embargo has caused too much loss to them.
If the ban had to continue for a few more years, the Northern Yuan Dynasty would probably have either undergone a large-scale migration or been overthrown and had a new leader.
Once the direction is decided, it means you agree to it.
However, specific matters still require more in-depth communication and detailed discussions. These matters do not need to be agreed upon by Elbek and Zhu Ying, but should be negotiated and handled by the ministers of both sides.
It might just take a day or two to wait until all the terms are agreed upon, and then Elbek and Zhu Ying will stamp them, and then the negotiations will be completely completed.
Elbek felt a little bored in here, so he invited Zhu Ying to go out for a walk.
Zhu Ying has nothing to be afraid of, given his personal strength, so the one he should be worried about is Elbek.
If he was really ruthless, it wouldn't take too much effort to kill them directly. Those personal guards of Elbek seemed extremely tough, but in Zhu Ying's eyes, it would only take a few more breaths.
Elbek looked at Zhu Ying's Black Armor Guards and said with a smile, "The horses of the Crown Prince are really good. They must be fed with the most fertile and fresh grass."
Zhu Ying smiled and explained: "Khan, you don't know, there is a new crop in our Ming Dynasty, called corn, and I have heard of it."
Elbek nodded and said, "I have heard of this. It's not just corn, but also sweet potatoes and yams."
"It is said that your yield is huge and it is relatively easy to grow. It has solved the problem of food for many people and has played a great role in the development of the Ming Dynasty today."
Speaking of this, Elbek sighed.
If there had been such high-yield crops during the Yuan Dynasty, then the Central Plains would definitely still be under the Yuan Dynasty.
Zhu Ying said, "Corn is a crop, but its stalks are more nutritious than grass. Especially for livestock, they are like a delicious meal."
"The difference is far from concentrated feed. If you feed them for a long time, they will grow stronger and firmer."
"The yield of corn is extremely high. The corn cobs can be eaten by the people, and the corn stalks can be eaten by livestock. It is a very good treasure."
Elbek was immediately interested when he heard this and asked, "This corn is on the trade list of the Ming Dynasty to the Northern Yuan Dynasty."
Zhu Ying nodded and said, "Of course we do. The current planting area is not large. As the planting area increases, we will be able to supply more grasslands in the future."
After hearing this, Elbek was silent for a while, and then asked seriously: "Grandson, I think you also understand that the expansion of the grassland is of no benefit to the Central Plains."
"But why do you support the grassland so much?"
"I'm very surprised. It was you who proposed the embargo in the first place, and now it's you who are supporting the grasslands. Aren't you afraid that when the Northern Yuan Dynasty rises again, it will invade the Central Plains?"
"There are some things that I cannot decide even if I am the Emperor of the Northern Yuan Dynasty."
Elbek's words truly expressed all of his thoughts.
From the emperor's perspective, the Northern Yuan Dynasty had gained enough benefits this time. He felt that although Prince of Yan Zhu Di was very important, it was not worth doing so given the conflict with the Ming Crown Prince.
Everyone is very clear about the character of nomadic peoples. Once they rise, they will inevitably invade the Central Plains.
I really can't understand what the purpose of the Ming Dynasty's grandson doing this is.
Zhu Ying did not give a direct answer, but looked into the distance and asked in a leisurely voice: "Khan, look, is this grassland big?"
Elbek had no idea what the Ming emperor's grandson was up to, so he could only reply, "It's huge, very big, you can't see the end of it."
Zhu Ying smiled and said, "In my opinion, it's very small, so small that the Northern Yuan Dynasty has only one or two million people, and it's a bit too small to accommodate them."
"Genghis Khan's territory was large enough. The current Oirat, Eastern Chagatai Khanate, Golden Horde, and Timur today, if you look further ahead, there are even more vast territories."
"With the strength of the grassland and the strength of the Ming Dynasty, the territory should not be limited to this."
"Khan, tell me, if the Mongol Yuan Dynasty had been as prosperous as the Ming Dynasty is now, would it be possible to present the splendor of Genghis Khan's time?"
Elbek didn't understand what Zhu Ying meant, so he just said, "If that's the case, I think it's very likely."
In fact, Elbek did not say that in his heart, the Ming Dynasty's crown prince in front of him was similar to Genghis Khan.
Zhu Ying continued, "Today's negotiations are extremely beneficial to the Northern Yuan Dynasty. I know this very well."
"But what I want is cooperation between Ming Dynasty and Beiyuan."
"Today's Ming Dynasty is the most prosperous country in the world. No country can compare with it in terms of military, politics, system, or people's lives."
"The most powerful part of the Northern Yuan Dynasty is its cavalry. However, as the firearms of the Ming Dynasty continue to improve, it will not be easy for the grassland cavalry to enter the country in the future."
"Let's not talk about it in the future. At least after I ascend the throne, this possibility will no longer exist."
Hearing this, Elbek also expressed his agreement. Although he didn't want to admit it, what Zhu Ying said was indeed true.
Zhu Ying continued, "The current population of the grassland has actually completely exceeded the grassland's carrying capacity. I discovered this when I was still working for the Qunying Chamber of Commerce."
"If I want to delay the Northern Yuan Dynasty to death, I only need to impose an embargo for five years, and then the Northern Yuan Dynasty will inevitably suffer from internal strife, leading to subversion."
"It's just that the chaotic grasslands don't mean much to the Ming Dynasty. What's more, the Khan, my grandfather and I are very familiar with each other."
"Overseas, in Japan, in Annan, Champa, places that Kublai Khan once failed to conquer, the Ming Dynasty has now achieved great success. Perhaps as long as I send an order, I can easily make them change their masters and submit to the Ming Dynasty."
"The grasslands have consumed too much of the Ming Dynasty's military strength. Almost a quarter of the country's military strength is deployed at the border to guard the grasslands. This has created a great obstacle to the Ming Dynasty's outward development."
"If the Northern Yuan Dynasty can really cooperate with the Ming Dynasty, then the Ming Dynasty can withdraw more troops to expand to the south, and the Northern Yuan Dynasty can also conquer more territory to the north and west."
"My Great Ming cannot defeat us, but do you think your Northern Yuan can defeat us?"
"Why should our two countries waste their energy on each other's consumption?"
Zhu Ying's meaning is already very clear.
But of course he couldn't say anything about the black soil now.
When it comes to the black soil, we can only stabilize the Northern Yuan Dynasty first and then try to conceal it as much as possible.
We will naturally know it later, but by that time, there should be no possibility of a fallout from the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
Not only on the black soil, Zhu Ying actually has a longer-term plan.
But Elbek seemed unable to understand Zhu Ying's thoughts.
After a brief silence, Elbek asked, "I really can't think of any good way to cooperate with the current Beiyuan."
"The main reason is that we cannot have stable control at the moment. If there is any good way, please give me some advice, Grandson."
After saying this, Elbek bowed.
Even when facing the Ming Crown Prince, who was a generation younger than him, Elbek behaved very modestly.
In today's world, every country neighboring the Ming Dynasty knows that the current prosperity of the Ming Dynasty was created by the crown prince who has just reached adulthood.
The existence of the Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce is a legend in itself, and the current Ming Dynasty is a legend among legends.
Looking back over all dynasties, the comprehensive national strength of the Ming Dynasty is probably already firmly in the forefront.
Upon careful reflection, it is discovered that such changes only occurred within a few short years after the enthronement of the Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty.
Such a terrifying natural king is in control of the most powerful dynasty. To go against him is simply to seek death.
Thinking about it now, Elbek still feels a little scared. If the Minister of War under his command had not happened to capture Prince of Yan Zhu Di, within a few years, the Northern Yuan Dynasty would have fallen apart under the planning of the Ming Crown Prince.
During the past six months or so, Elbek has felt exhausted and has been struggling to hold on.
Fortunately, the current Ming Crown Prince has the intention to cooperate. This is probably the best news Elbek has received since he ascended the throne.
Zhu Ying thought for a moment and then said, "I am relatively familiar with the situation in the Northern Yuan Dynasty."
"In fact, the biggest problem for the Northern Yuan Dynasty is that it restricts the development of population and various aspects of the economy."
“To put it simply, the seemingly vast grassland is actually like a bird in a cage.”
"To the north is a bitter and cold land, where life will be even harder than it is now, and there is absolutely no room for development."
"It's even easier to go south. The Khan knows how much it will cost for the soldiers at the border of the Ming Dynasty. Even those who come to take advantage of the situation now have few who dare to approach us."
"To the West Wala and the East Chagatai Khanate, the two forces are intertwined. Although the Northern Yuan Dynasty is stronger than any of them, once it goes there, it will definitely be besieged by the two."
"The Liaodong area in the east is a land of poor mountains and bad waters. There are also the Jurchen tribes. Although they are few in number, they are extremely fierce. Attacking them won't have much effect."
"From this perspective, the four directions of east, south, west, and north are like barriers, locking the seemingly powerful Northern Yuan firmly here."
"Khan, I am right."
Hearing this question, Elbek could only nod helplessly.
This is the biggest dilemma facing the Northern Yuan Dynasty at present.
The grassland itself could not support a powerful Northern Yuan Dynasty, and the declining Northern Yuan Dynasty was unable to conquer other forces, as its internal affairs were a mess.
Zhu Ying turned his head slightly, looked at Elbek seriously, and said slowly: "The Ming Dynasty has money, and the Northern Yuan Dynasty has soldiers."
"If I say I am willing to spend money to ask the Northern Yuan to send troops to help me conquer the world, what do you think, Khan?"
Having said this and having laid enough groundwork, Zhu Ying finally stated his purpose.
That’s right, he wanted to develop the Northern Yuan Dynasty into a country similar to a mercenary country.
Judging from the current situation, this is possible.
If this can be achieved, then the Northern Yuan Dynasty will no longer be a threat to the Ming Dynasty.
After gradual infiltration, the Northern Yuan Dynasty will slowly be integrated into the Ming Dynasty's system.
In the development of civilization, the advanced civilization will have an extremely strong attraction to the backward civilization.
Some things cannot be compared. When the two sides are compared, a series of aspects such as benefits, treatment, living environment, etc. will have a huge impact on the weaker party.
Simply put, after the cavalry on the grassland have experienced the prosperity of following the Ming Dynasty, will they be willing to return to the grassland?
I think most people are unwilling to do so.
Among these, there is a very crucial point, that is, Mongolian culture is very weak and does not have much advantage itself. In addition, the current Northern Yuan Dynasty is the former Mongol Yuan Dynasty.
In the current Northern Yuan Dynasty, many Mongolians have been missing their former lives in the Central Plains.
Even children born later on the grassland would listen to their father or mother talking about the good memories of life in the Central Plains.
In today's world, the gap between barbarism and civilization is truly like a chasm.
Elbek frowned. He didn't expect that Zhu Ying's intention was to borrow troops from the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
Is the Ming Dynasty short of soldiers?
The Ming Dynasty has two million soldiers. Do they think highly of his cavalry of over one hundred thousand?
If a large number of cavalry were loaned out, the Northern Yuan Dynasty would be in danger.
The tribes here are already ready to make moves, how can we suppress them in the future?
"I don't quite understand what you mean, could you please explain it in detail?"
After hesitating for a moment, Elbek did not directly deny it, but asked again.
Zhu Ying nodded and said, "There are many tribes in the Northern Yuan Dynasty now, and the military strength is in disarray."
"Although the Ming Dynasty has enough soldiers, the territory it guards is too vast, and it is extremely difficult to expand outward."
"I intend to form a joint force of the Northern Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty. The cavalry of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, combined with the infantry and firearms of the Ming Dynasty, will almost crush many small countries."
"I also know the Khan's concerns, but the Khan forgot one thing. When there is profit to be made, there is no need to send troops. The tribes will naturally choose to seek a way to survive, as long as the Khan can guarantee that their young and strong men will be able to protect the safety of the tribes after they go out."
"At the same time, the Khan can also collect a portion of taxes from the tribal cavalry who go out to fight and receive rewards. This will not only better maintain the stability of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, but also provide the tribe with a new way out."
"For most tribes, they are more concerned about how to survive. I can promise the Khan that as long as the tribe is willing to send troops, they can advance part of the money and food in advance, and then settle the account when they return."
"The cavalrymen who died in battle also received generous compensation."
Elbek was deeply moved after hearing these words.
What he has always been most worried about is the impact of various tribes on the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
As the former overlord of the grassland, the Northern Yuan Dynasty actually suffered from severe acclimatization problems after it emerged from the Central Plains.
The Northern Yuan Dynasty, which seemed to be a powerful force, was actually riddled with holes in its lower-level institutions.
Elbek himself was not a powerful leader and he felt overwhelmed by the many troubles.
Now that there is such a good solution in front of us, there is nothing to hesitate about.
"Okay, this is a good idea. They will definitely be willing to lend us troops, and then our Northern Yuan will be able to settle down."
"As long as the Crown Prince can solve the problem of food for the people of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, the Northern Yuan Dynasty can also establish a lasting friendship with the Ming Dynasty."
Elbek laughed heartily and said in a very happy mood.
This solved his urgent problem. Moreover, if he continued on this path, the Northern Yuan Dynasty would have real control over the grassland.
Of course, he also knew that the Ming Dynasty was going to use his Northern Yuan cavalry to charge, but what did it matter.
Could the situation be any worse than it is now?
As for the aspects of civilization assimilation planned by Zhu Ying, they had already touched upon Elbek's blind spots in knowledge.
Not to mention Elbek, even in today's world, no matter how many talented and learned people there are in the Ming Dynasty, there is no concept of civilization assimilation. The export of Han culture in the past was not active dissemination, but passive absorption by the surrounding small countries.
Seeing Elbek's excitement, Zhu Ying immediately said, "To be honest, Khan, I have a small request. I wonder if the Khan can agree to it."
Elbek smiled and said, "Grandson, please speak frankly."
Zhu Ying said: "There are many Han ministers in the Northern Yuan Dynasty now. I know that they do not respect the Khan. Many of them have close contacts with Prince Hal and have conflicts with the Khan's position."
"The Mongol nobles are already dissatisfied with the Han officials occupying high positions. Can the Khan hand over all these Han officials to me for disposal?"
Elbek frowned and said, "This is not a good idea. Although they have some problems in various aspects, they have served the Northern Yuan Dynasty and most of them have made many contributions."
"Such words would chill people's hearts."
Zhu Ying nodded slightly.
Of course he knew that Elbek would not do so. He just raised a more advanced question first to make it easier to discuss the subsequent issues.
"I am a bit abrupt, but I really don't like these Han officials."
"In this case, if I use some means to target them, if they resign from the Khan on their own initiative, please let them come and don't stop them by force."
Having been rejected once before, it would seem impolite to refuse again now that Zhu Ying has compromised.
After all, from the beginning of the negotiations to now, Zhu Ying has given a lot of benefits to the Northern Yuan Dynasty. From a deeper perspective, he has helped the Northern Yuan Dynasty consolidate its ruling position.
Elbek himself did not like those Han ministers, mainly because they were not completely loyal to him, but more loyal to his younger brother Hartaiji, which made Elbek very unhappy.
But for the sake of the overall situation of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, we cannot touch them.
Now that we have the help of the Ming Crown Prince, there is no need to care about them.
"Okay, if they leave on their own, I certainly won't care."
"Thank you Khan."
The two men smiled at each other and were extremely satisfied with the current negotiations.
As the negotiations progressed, the details were gradually finalized.
The two parties, who were once at loggerheads, suddenly became very good friends after this round of negotiations.
Among them, Han officials such as Ou Anmin were the most embarrassed.
When the two forces are no longer in hostility, their identities become somewhat eye-catching.
Moreover, after Zhu Ying's previous ridicule of them, Qi Tai and others' original respect for Ou Anmin was completely gone.
The results of the negotiations soon spread between the Ming Dynasty and the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
Before this, Zhu Ying naturally guided public opinion in the official newspaper, widely publicizing that the grassland would not be a threat to the Ming Dynasty in the future.
The official report is like a powerful weapon that allows the people to hear what they want to say.
Easily control the direction of public opinion.
Otherwise, such behavior, driven by someone with ulterior motives, could easily cause a major impact on Zhu Ying's reputation.
Even though the Ming Dynasty is now a peaceful and prosperous country, there are actually many villains in the country who will seize any opportunity to discredit the Ming Dynasty.
This is extremely difficult to avoid no matter what time or era it is.
Just think about it and you will realize that it is completely impossible to make more than 160 million people in the Ming Dynasty united.
In Zhu Ying's opinion, it is to unite the majority of people and eliminate the minority.
As long as the general trend is strong, a few storms won’t matter.
After the negotiations, Prince of Yan Zhu Di was quickly released, which was also the first expression of sincerity by the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
After all, it was a negotiation between major powers. As the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Ying had a very high credibility. There was naturally no need for Elbeke to make both parties unhappy for such a short period of time.
After the negotiations, Zhu Ying did not leave Northern Yuan immediately.
Instead, he personally stationed at the border and set up the Border Trade Department.
This can be said to have demonstrated the sincerity of the Ming Dynasty to a great extent.
The establishment of the Border Trade Bureau first determined the prices of goods on the grassland. The official purchase prices, plus part of the transportation costs, were almost the same as the purchase prices in the Jiangnan area.
This price is quite friendly for the grassland.
Previously, the same supplies available to the grassland people were now worth three or four times more.
The same fur could once be exchanged for one stone of grain, but now it can be exchanged for more than three stones.
The price increase is a huge blow to the smugglers at the border.
When smuggling is not that profitable, who would be willing to take the huge risk to do this business?
The basis for rampant smuggling is itself built on huge profits.
In the border areas, in order to express its sincerity, the Northern Yuan Dynasty specially dispatched 10,000 cavalrymen as bodyguards to protect the trade routes. Any lawless people along the designated routes would be subject to their jurisdiction.
The Mongolian cavalry had very poor discipline, so the people responsible for controlling them were the centurions sent by the Ming Dynasty.
These centurions never dreamed that they would one day become generals of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
You should know that their current identities are equivalent to dual positions. They have also been canonized by the Northern Yuan Dynasty and have powers equivalent to those of generals of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
This meant that the Mongolian cavalry also had to obey their orders.
Because of cultural differences, the formulation of laws was basically based on the Ming Dynasty. Those Han officials seemed to have smelled some wind and became much more low-key during the negotiation process.
In just less than half a month, with the cooperation of the Northern Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty, many trade markets were established on the grassland.
A large number of grassland tribes came here to trade, and Elbek's reputation suddenly spread throughout the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
Whether it is the people of the Ming Dynasty or the herdsmen of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, for them, it is not very important under whose rule they are. What is important is who can feed them. This is the most important thing.
What national justice? For people who can’t even get enough food to eat, who would care about these things? Not to mention that they won’t understand these things if you tell them to them without any education.
The worst-off people here are probably the Shanxi merchants.
In the past, they completely monopolized the smuggling industry after breaking away from the Heroes Chamber of Commerce.
And because of the embargo, they drove up prices and made a ton of money.
Now that everything has been liberalized, the herders are not fools. Why should they buy their expensive supplies?
Even luxury goods that only nobles need, such as snowflake salt and porcelain, can be provided by the Ming Dynasty Chamber of Commerce.
Some of the smarter Mongolian herdsmen are buying in large quantities.
Because the goods from the Ming Dynasty were cheap, they were able to earn more profits. After starting from the Ming Dynasty, they could sell them to the Oirat and the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, thereby earning more.
In the northwest region, corn has begun to be planted in large quantities. After Zhu Ying's promotion, corn stalks have become a necessity for grassland herders.
The originally skinny cattle and sheep completely changed in just half a month after being fed with corn feed. This is an effect that even the freshest grass cannot achieve.
In less than a month, corn feed has become the best-selling commodity on this side of the grassland.
The herders could raise the cattle and sheep and then sell them to the Ming Dynasty at a good price.
Even the milk produced by the cows will become much sweeter and richer.
A month later, Zhu Ying began to make arrangements against the Han officials of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
Because of this month of interaction, the hostility between the two countries has been reduced a lot. Even in the Northern Yuan court camp, many Ming Dynasty merchants can be seen.
Through the investigation of the Jinyiwei and with the help of Elbek, Zhu Ying almost controlled the information of all Han officials of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
Immediately afterwards, the clans of these Han officials were investigated within the Ming Dynasty.
The key point is Ou Anmin.
After all, he now has a great influence on the Han officials of the Northern Yuan Dynasty. As long as we take him down first, things will become much easier.
The surname Ou is widely distributed, accounting for 60% in Guangdong and Hunan.
However, Ou Anmin's clan is in Xinzheng, Henan.
After all, Ou Anmin is quite famous, and you can easily find out by doing a little inquiry.
After receiving the news, the team led by Song Zhong immediately went to Xinzheng, Henan.
…
Xinzheng County, Henan Province.
Here, Ou Anmin's family is considered to be one of the most prominent landlords.
The rise of the Xinzheng Ou family is naturally inseparable from Ou Anmin. After all, in the late Yuan Dynasty, Ou Anmin was a second-rank Han minister.
At that time, of course, he took great care of his family.
Even when Zhu Yuanzhang swept across the country, the Ou family in Xinzheng was not greatly affected.
Although Henan has the word "Nan" in its name, it actually belongs to the northern region and is inhabited by northern Han people. This place is a battleground for military strategists, and the people here have a tough character all year round.
Because of the Mongols and Yuan Dynasty, the aristocratic families without any support suffered heavy losses. The Ou family of Xinzheng only gradually grew up in the late Mongols and Yuan Dynasty.
The Ou family in Xinzheng was naturally willing to spend a lot of money on education, so basically everyone in the family, young and old, had attended private schools at least.
This also led to the fact that in addition to Ou Anmin, many members of the tribe were developing official careers.
For example, the current magistrate of Xinzheng is a member of the Ou clan.
Song Zhong was already familiar with this information before arriving in Xinzheng, so his first step was to go directly to the county magistrate's office.
The Xinzheng County Magistrate's Office is extremely imposing. As a central county, Xinzheng's is even more imposing than the general county magistrate's offices in other counties.
When Song Zhong and his men arrived, the Xinzheng County Magistrate's Office had not received any news.
The bailiffs of the prefectural yamen looked at the dozens of imperial guards who suddenly appeared before them in bewilderment, and had not yet reacted.
After seeing the Jinyiwei's token, the guards at the city gate had no time to notify anyone.
"Who are you?"
A yamen runner bravely asked, with a trembling tone in his voice.
Anyone can see that the identity of the person wearing the brocade robe must be extraordinary.
"Jinyiwei is doing business, get out of the way."
Before Song Zhongshi could finish his words, the captain of the Jinyiwei guard next to him went up and scolded him.
The two bailiffs dared not say anything more and immediately stepped aside.
Dozens of people dismounted and ran straight towards the yanei.
At this time, Xinzheng County Magistrate Ou Shuzhong was taking a lunch break in the back.
He was immediately awakened by the noise and shouted unhappily, "Who is making so much noise here and disturbing my rest?"
The Jinyiwei were in such a hurry that they didn't give the yamen runners and servants any time to react.
Rush all the way into the backyard.
Song Zhong looked at the county magistrate in front of him, who was wearing plain clothes and had messy hair. He took out the token from his waist and said, "Song Zhong, the governor of the Jinyiwei Guards in the capital, has been ordered by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to interrogate the Ou family of Xinzheng for colluding with the Northern Yuan Dynasty and committing treason."
"Let's go to your office and give an account to this official."
President Song said with a sneer, and at the same time, the captain next to him immediately took out the Crown Prince's order.
The prescribed regulations still have to be followed.
Ou Shuzhong was struck by lightning. He took the order tremblingly and checked the content. It was exactly the same as what Song Zhong said. The seal of the crown prince was clearly visible below, without any falsehood.
"It's an injustice. Such a huge injustice."
"There has been no news about Ou Anmin for thirty years. He has never had any contact with the family. This must be a frame-up by a villain."
"My Ou family has worked diligently in Xinzheng and has never committed any acts of treason."
Song Zhong sneered and said, "Don't complain. Do you know why we suddenly investigated your Ou family?"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince saw this with his own eyes at the frontier. Ou Anmin is now an important official of the Northern Yuan Dynasty. I wonder how many plans he has made in secret."
"As members of his tribe, you received his kindness during the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. How could you not know this?"
"Don't let me get violent. You are also a scholar. Just follow me obediently."
Ou Shuzhong felt as if all his energy had been drained away, and his whole body was on the verge of collapse.
Since the Imperial Guards from the capital have come in person, this must be a huge case.
So he had no choice but to follow him to the lobby of the yamen.
This lobby had always been where he handled official business, but now it had become the place where he was interrogated.
Song Zhong sat at the top, where Ou Shuzhong once sat, and was not in a hurry to handle the case.
He drank tea leisurely, as if waiting for someone to arrive.
Ou Shuzhong was kneeling on the ground in a white shirt, not daring to speak first.
About two incense sticks later, bursts of noise were heard outside.
Ou Shuzhong didn't think anything at first, but when the sound got closer, his eyes widened instantly.
He heard familiar voices, they were all members of the Ou clan.
This means that the Jinyiwei in front of them may have captured all the members of the Ou family.
However, at this time, Ou Shuzhong was already in a desperate situation, unable to save himself, so how could he have the ability to protect his people?
As the door opened, Ou Shuzhong turned around and saw that everyone, young and old, had been captured.
The leader was the commander-in-chief of the garrison near Xinzheng. Obviously, in order to capture the Ou family, he bypassed the military forces in Xinzheng County and directly dispatched the garrison troops.
"Guidewei Commander Wang Ling has come to report."
"According to the investigation, there are a total of 486 people in the Ou family genealogy, 19 of whom are officials outside, 34 are students outside, and 25 are absent due to personal reasons. Except for Ou Shuzhong and the other five people in the county government, the remaining 403 people have been arrested and brought to justice."
Song Zhong nodded and said, "Put it in."
Following an order from Wang Ling, the commander of Guide Guard, the soldiers outside escorted more than 400 members of the Ou family into the county government office.
Fortunately, this county government office is big enough, otherwise it would not be able to accommodate all of it.
A large group of people knelt on the ground, filling the lobby of the county government office and every corner of the front yard.
All the elderly, the weak, women and children were included, including babies who were only a few months old, who were brought here directly.
The Ming Dynasty's Jinyiwei were very particular about doing things cleanly and efficiently; even if a baby was born yesterday, they had to be brought home today.
Song Zhong did not interrogate Ou Shuzhong first, but slowly bowed to the commander-in-chief, and then asked: "Commander Wang, but did you find the name of the treacherous minister Ou Anmin in the family tree?"
Wang Ling clasped his fists and replied, "Reporting to the Governor Song, I have not searched the family tree for the name of the traitor."
Song Zhong snorted coldly, glanced at the kneeling Ou family members outside, turned to Ou Shuzhong and said, "It seems that you have been prepared for this. I think you want to use the family tree as an excuse to say that Ou Anmin has been expelled from the family and his actions have nothing to do with you, right?"
"In my opinion, this is a guilty conscience. If you don't know where Ou Anmin is, why bother to remove his name from the family tree? Everyone knows that Ou Anmin is the Imperial Censor of the Yuan Dynasty, a high-ranking second-rank official, and the pride of your Xinzheng Ou family."
"To play this trick now is enough to prove that he has something to hide."
"It seems that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has a keen eye for the conspiracy with the Northern Yuan Dynasty. Now that the evidence is irrefutable, do you have anything else to say?"
"Let me tell you first, the Jinyiwei will execute first and report later. The emperor has given permission. With the order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I can execute the entire Ou family today. It is just a matter of thought for me."
"I advise you to think carefully and not to say anything unfair to me."
After Song Zhong finished speaking, before Ou Shuzhong could reply, the young master started to cry.
Hearing the words that the entire family would be executed, all the members of the Ou family, women, teenagers, elders, etc., cried out in protest.
It makes people feel upset.
Song Zhong immediately waved his hand, and then more than a dozen Jinyiwei came down and shouted for silence.
Those who disobeyed would be slapped in the face, and even worse, the scabbard would hit them in the face, causing blood to splatter everywhere.
They caught anyone in the crowd and beat them up without caring about the elderly, women or children.
Soon, the yamen became quiet.
Even though she was sobbing, she covered her mouth tightly, fearing that she would get angry and get beaten.
Given the current situation, beating someone to death would be a waste.
When Ou Shuzhong saw this scene, he knew that quibbling was of no use.
He gritted his teeth and said, "Reporting to Lord Song, the traitor Ou Anmin did have correspondence with our family."
"After joining the Northern Yuan Dynasty, he wanted to get help from our clan and persuaded the tribe members to go to the Northern Yuan Dynasty to serve, but our clan never agreed to this."
"The sword thief once said in the letter that when he is old and weak, he wants to return to his roots and live in hiding in his family."
"But our family has never agreed to these things. Some young people in the family who have not achieved fame and honor were bewitched by them and went to the Northern Yuan Dynasty."
"When the previous clan leader discovered this, he immediately expelled him from the clan, which is why he is not in the family tree."
"Every word I said is true, please examine it carefully, Lord Song."
After Ou Shuzhong finished speaking, he kowtowed repeatedly to Song Zhong, making banging sounds on the ground. When he raised his head, his forehead was covered in blood.
It’s just a pity that acting pitifully is of no use in front of a cruel official like Song Zhong.
Song Zhong sneered, "How can I say that you are not colluding? What evidence do you have for what you said?"
"Do you think the traitor's letter can still be preserved?"
Ou Shuzhong replied bitterly: "I never kept it back."
Song Zhong laughed and said, "Without any evidence, I have to listen to your nonsense just because you are talking nonsense?"
At this point, Song Zhong suddenly changed the subject and said, "Actually, it's not that there is no way to prove it."
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has personally told me that if Ou Anmin is willing to abandon Beitou Ming and come to his senses, then it will be considered a merit, and I will no longer pursue the matter against your Xinzheng Ou family."
"Are there any relatives of Ou Anmin in your clan? Tell me the truth. Don't try to hide. If I find out, I won't be able to deal with you so easily."
Ou Shuzhong dared not hide anything at this moment. Compared with the more than 400 people in the family, Ou Anmin naturally became humble.
There was indeed some care at the beginning, but that was thirty years ago. Now, thirty years have passed, and except for a few people, the affection has long faded.
"Yes, sir."
"In the clan, there are two sons, one daughter and four grandchildren."
"They themselves don't know that their father is Ou Anmin. In name, he has been adopted by his brothers in the clan."
"He's his own brother."
Ou Shuzhong explained everything in detail in a disjointed manner.
If other people were investigating these matters, perhaps some of them could be concealed, but the Jinyiwei's methods were too cruel.
When Ou Shuzhong went to the capital to report on his work, he had heard about the power of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang was killing officials most ruthlessly.
This left Ou Shuzhong with a lot of confusion. Those high-ranking officials in the capital were simply sentenced to death one by one.
In fact, it was not his turn to be the magistrate of Xinzheng earlier.
However, the previous county magistrates were all executed by Zhu Yuanzhang, so it was Ou Shuzhong's turn to become the county magistrate.
After he finished speaking, an elder of the Ou family who was kneeling in the front yard stood up tremblingly and walked into the lobby.
"I am Ou Anfang. Tian is the elder brother of that traitor, so his children were adopted by me."
Ou Anfang is also in his seventies, with white hair and face, but he looks in good spirits.
In the face of family justice, sacrificing one's own family to protect the whole family is the tradition of most families.
Faced with the crime of treason, they dared not conceal anything. Any concealment would only make things worse.
Song Zhong chuckled and instructed the captain next to him, "Bring the writing brush and ink, and have him write down the names of his children and grandchildren."
"I don't think they have the guts to deceive."
The captain next to him brought paper and pen. Ou Anfang took it, then lay on the ground and wrote his name clearly.
In the crowd, there was a middle-aged man, a woman, and two young men with pale faces.
They are the descendants of Ou Anmin.
Although no one in the family has ever talked about this, it is not a big secret.
The rest are either serving as officials or studying abroad and are not here.
After everything was ready, Song Zhong took it, looked at it, and casually placed it on the table, saying, "According to the order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, all officials of the Ou family in Xinzheng will be temporarily suspended from their posts."
"All members of the tribe will be temporarily detained in the local security bureaus and will be punished as they await criminal prosecution."
After saying this, Song Zhong paused for a moment and continued, "I will give you one chance. You can select three people, write three family letters, and I will pass them on to Bei Yuan."
"If they are willing to turn back, your current situation will be forgiven, officials will be reinstated, and students will not be deprived of their academic status."
"If you refuse to repent, your entire clan will be charged with treason and all your honors and official positions will be revoked, and you will be punished with hard labor in the cold."
"Think carefully about what to write in the letter."
After Song Zhong finished speaking, he said nothing more and turned to leave.
All the members of the Ou family will be imprisoned in the Public Security Bureau prison and will wait there until any letter arrives.
Whether to release or punish depends on the choice made by Ou Anmin of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
This kind of situation is not unique to Song Zhong.
The families of all other Han ministers who served in the Northern Yuan Dynasty were generally similar to the current Ou family.
This is no joke. If you really do not choose to return to the Ming Dynasty, then you have to do what you have to do.
In today's world, there are not as many saints as in later generations, and guilt by association is an extremely common crime.
If one person makes a mistake, the whole family will suffer. To put it simply, the family must have the responsibility to educate every member of the family.
It's okay for ordinary cases, but there is no need to talk about mercy when someone is working for another country against the Ming Dynasty.
What Zhu Ying did was to let all the scholars in the world understand that in the future, you can serve other countries and be their vassal.
But when this country is hostile to the Ming Dynasty and asks you to come back, you must come back.
Even if you are alone and have no worries, you will still be infamous in history.
Soon, with urgency from all parties, a large number of family letters were delivered to the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
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