Zhu Yuanzhang was stunned. In fact, the living conditions of many Mongol tribes were harsh; they didn't even have iron pots. Zhu Yuanzhang's continuous embargo had weakened the Mongol tribes, which was an important factor in the overall stability of the northern border of the Ming Dynasty, as the Mongol tribes had no power to invade.
Old Zhu looked at Zhu Xiong Ying with a stern expression and said fiercely, "Ying'er, you better remember this! Right now, those people are powerless to cause trouble, but once they have the strength, they'll be thinking of heading south to herd horses!"
"That's why I want to give them weapons!" Zhu Xiong Ying said with a smile, patiently explaining, "Our Ming Dynasty has many skilled craftsmen, and also many discarded weapons. I'll repair and send them a batch, in exchange for some cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep. Then, I'll also give them iron pots and grain."
Old Zhu, with a stern face, remained silent. He felt that his grandson was usually very smart, so why had he made such a mistake in this matter?
Zhu Xiong Ying further stated, "Grandfather, the Black Fire Clan is weak. Let's help them and make them fight with other tribes. Their weapons are stronger than those of other Mongol tribes, but they are all outdated. When they need weapons, they will have to contact us and spend a lot of money to buy them."
Old Zhu paused for a moment, then said unhappily, "By then, he might have ambitions and start harassing the border. At that time, he can also recruit craftsmen."
Zhu Xiong Ying nodded and said with a smile, "The weapons we gave them were slightly better than those of the Mongol tribes, but much weaker than those of our Great Ming. Nowadays, most of the Mongol tribes are those that don't have craftsmen and don't know how to smelt iron. Our Great Ming has many craftsmen, so it would be a pity to melt down the discarded weapons."
Forget about the "monkey version" or anything like that; these are just some unsellable obsolete items from the Ming Dynasty's armory upgrades and border troop weapon replacements. While they weren't very useful in the Ming Dynasty, they were quite sought after elsewhere.
Zhu Xiong Ying smiled and continued, "Grandfather, those people have readily available weapons. They can just exchange them for cattle and horses. Why would they bother to smelt iron or train craftsmen? The Mongols don't have the patience to train craftsmen. As long as they can't train craftsmen in the future, I can control them at any time."
Old Zhu seemed to realize something and asked with a smile, "You mean, we can cut off his weapon at any time?"
"Let them dispose of the weapons we've replaced. Our weapons are newer and better." Zhu Xiong Ying nodded and said repeatedly, "By then, their weapons will be more than one or two levels inferior to ours, and they'll be able to subdue us at any time."
When a country's arms supply is controlled, it becomes difficult to assert itself. As an arms exporter, Zhu Xiong Ying could naturally supply his adversaries with some inferior weapons, or even more than that.
By continuously supplying weapons, the research and development capabilities of those tribes can be weakened, creating a sense of dependence among them. The supported tribes may appear to be growing stronger, but their dependence on the Ming Dynasty is also increasing.
Old Zhu listened attentively, feeling intrigued by Zhu Xiong Ying's fantastical tales and ingenious ideas. He also felt that his grandson was not only cunning but also engaged in some overt schemes, schemes that would ultimately lead the Mongol tribes to their doom.
The reason these neighboring states of the Fire Clan are less powerful than the Ming Dynasty is because their overall technological capabilities are inferior, and their technological advancements are also less advanced. The Ming Dynasty still holds a technological advantage, and they can continue to expand this advantage, as Zhu Xiong Ying has no intention of being satisfied with this.
He continued to invest manpower and resources in the science and technology of the Ming Dynasty. The scientific progress of the Ming Dynasty was not limited to shipbuilding; gunpowder and firearms were also constantly improving. This was the source of Zhu Xiong Ying's confidence.
Moreover, Zhu Xiong Ying was well aware that the overall national strength of the Ming Dynasty was improving, and the Ming Dynasty could continue to maintain its suppression of neighboring countries.
The arms trade itself has a certain profit margin, and this is also a political tactic in Zhu Xiong Ying's view. It is a means of controlling some neighboring countries, and control is not just about directly deploying troops.
In Zhu Xiong Ying's view, taking a multi-pronged approach was the best solution.
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