Two places are busy preparing for war
This year was a leap year, with an extra May, so the emperor's arrival on the grasslands was still in May. Shujia's return to the grasslands was marked by a different mood than in previous years. Not only her, but also the interactions between those around her, had changed.
Officialdom is all about the fickleness of human relationships. When the previous emperor was in power, you were favored by everyone; when the new emperor ascends the throne, I'm promoted, and you can't just ignore it. A prominent example of this is the Orontai. Kangxi favored his mother's family, and while the Orontai were once incredibly powerful, even now, they're unlikely to cause any trouble.
Yinreng had disliked the Tong family from the beginning. Even when he was still the crown prince, he refused to bow down to them because they were not close to the Crown Prince. He was willing to turn a blind eye to anyone around him having connections with the Tong family. Longkodo had caused another disaster, and Yinreng was generous enough to bring Orondai out this time. This was also to show the new emperor's benevolent side.
As for Orondei, his temper hadn't changed much, but his actions had become noticeably more low-key. His inner thoughts were one factor, but the lack of flattery was also a major factor. Back then, no one dared to stop him from causing trouble. He had served as an imperial guard and a high-ranking official, never shying away from getting into trouble. Now that the situation had changed, he could get drunk and try to get a few people to wrestle with him, but no one would respond. Even if someone did, they would be stopped by others.
Qingde, a smooth-talking man, had found time to visit him. They drank a little wine and listened to Orondai's complaints. Orondai still mostly railed against his relatives, especially his cousin Longkodo and his younger brother Fahai. Today had started the same way, the roasted leg of lamb wafting an alluring aroma. The two of them poured themselves a few glasses of wine and sipped them.
Orondai rambled on and on, but Qingde didn't take it seriously. He just said, "Old Orondai, drink less. We're going hunting tomorrow, so be careful about your shaking hands."
Orondai's cheeks were already red, and he waved his hands: "It's okay, this is the skill of eating, I won't forget it."
Qingde stopped talking, but heard Orondai say, "Tell me the truth, are we going to have a war?"
Damn! How did he know that? Qingde's eyes widened: "Lao E, you can't say that!"
"Tsk~ Who can't see that?" Orondei was no fool; he had a keen eye. He had another idea: to achieve some military merit. He couldn't say he was turning things around, but at least... he could lay the groundwork for his family's revival. Although he no longer held any official position, he still held the title of Duke Cheng'en, and his family commanded several assistant commanders. If he moved around, there were still opportunities.
Qingde was already shocked beyond belief. If Orondei could see what was happening at the imperial court… who else could not see it? It was nothing for some people in the court and the country to see it, but did Tsewang Arabtan in the west see it?
Qingde was quite secretive, at least he knew about this aspect of the Firearms Battalion, and they weren't fully prepared. Mr. Dai, the firearms officer, was still researching and improving the weapon, and hadn't yet produced any new results. He was obsessed with fixed ammunition and breech-loading rifles. Researching this kind of thing doesn't mean everything will go smoothly once you have an idea. While your creativity certainly opens up new horizons, it took God six days to create the world, and even then, he still had to create everything else.
They did have artillery, but in the eyes of Qingde, who was eager to achieve some results, his soldiers were extremely unskilled in using it! Even if artillerymen didn't have specific and rudimentary calculations, they at least needed experience. At what angle did the gun barrel make the shot the longest? How should the gun barrel be positioned to hit the target at a distance of 100 steps? How long should the interval between shots be to maintain the firing rate and prevent the gun barrel from overheating? And so on. If you don't have the math to back you up, you have to rely on your instincts.
practise!
This is not to mention the other kind of practice after the pistol is equipped.
Thanks to his sister finally unleashing the three powers of a time traveler, he had begun to use a method of pre-packaging the gunpowder for the artillery ammunition, tearing the gunpowder package open and then loading it with gravel, projectiles, etc. This method really made the gunners' work easier and relieved their psychological pressure.
But... I still don't have enough practice.
Judging from Yinreng's tone, he was going to make good use of firearms to increase the troops' combat effectiveness, hoping to win the war quickly. The Qing court was not completely ignorant of the plateau climate; at least the current high-ranking officials knew that at high altitudes, the combat effectiveness of those who were not physically adapted would be severely reduced. Rather than relying on men, it would be better to rely on guns and artillery. Qingde's task was indeed quite heavy.
He became increasingly reluctant to reveal any details, saying only, "You can just guess! I haven't received any instructions."
Orondai's smile was tinged with contempt, and he vaguely resembled the rogue uncle of the past. "Then you set off firecrackers every day, are you just teasing the children? You've brought all the eight banner commanders here, and ordered all places to check for vacancies. If there's no military or national emergency, how can you do that?"
Qingde was speechless. After all this time, how could everyone figure this out? He put down his wine cup and leaned forward: "Since I'm in charge of the Firearms Battalion, I have to do something decent, right? If I don't use the new cannon, wouldn't that be dereliction of duty?"
Orondai smiled but said nothing. Qingde also stopped talking and drank for a while. Suddenly, Qingde said, "Don't drink anymore, or your hands will shake."
Orondai raised his eyebrows and drank even more happily: "It's okay, it's okay."
Seeing that he couldn't persuade him, Qingde's mind raced, and he made up his mind to report to Yinreng after this drinking: the court's preparations for war may have been leaked, and I may also be responsible. You... take care of it.
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Inside Yinreng's tent, the emperor and his minister were one sitting and one kneeling.
After hearing Qingde's "apology", Yinreng was speechless. After a while, he said, "Get up and sit down to talk."
Qingde didn't dare to move. His apology was a helpless act. If this was just Orondei's private speculation, and he accidentally let it slip, it wouldn't affect him at all. You said that firing a cannon would make a noise, and if you have new equipment, you can't not practice. If he guessed it, then he guessed it. He was just worried that if someone accused him of "leaking military secrets," he wouldn't be able to explain himself clearly.
Yinreng wanted to be angry, but he couldn't. Qingde said again: "Now that Orondai can guess it, others can guess it too. This is what I am most worried about."
Until Yinreng said again: "You get up first."
Only then did Qingde dare to thank him and sit down.
Yinreng also came to his senses. Qingde had trained the Firearms Battalion with considerable success. The Shi family produced two types of talent: generals and people-oriented officials. Qingde was the former. Furthermore, while the Shi family's generals might not be particularly renowned for their military exploits, they did have some experience in leading and training troops. He couldn't find a suitable and loyal candidate even if he tried to replace them.
The Firearms Battalion was particularly important, especially considering the Eight Banners' training over the past few months. Their hardworking spirit rivaled even that of the imperial school's students. Well, given the perverse learning standards set by Emperor Kangxi, the children of his own family who met the training requirements were indeed more qualified than the young soldiers in the army.
No wonder Yinreng looked down on her.
To appease Qingde, he told the truth. Yinreng spoke earnestly, "This matter cannot be concealed. Such a deployment involves the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Personnel, and involves the Han and Banner peoples, involving the large-scale deployment of several provinces. Not to mention Ehai's efforts to raise grain and horses for the war in Sichuan and Shaanxi. The reorganization and training of the Eight Banners alone is unprecedented in recent years. Abnormal things are demons. If Tsewang Arabtan is truly capable, he will surely be able to see it." A wry smile appeared on his lips. "This battle is not for the court, but for Tsewang Arabtan! If he doesn't send troops, the court knows he is a disaster and cannot launch a long expedition thousands of miles away. He is always watching covetously. I don't want to add unrest to the border when I am reforming domestic affairs. It is not a blessing for the country to be trapped internally and externally. It is better to leak it sooner. The sooner he takes action, the court will have a reason to send troops! If he is defeated, I will have freed up my hands to implement the land tax system."
Qingde felt relieved, but still suggested: "In that case, I ask Your Majesty to speed up the preparations."
The Imperial Council had already figured it out. Tsewang Arabtan was biding his time. Once Lazang Khan's control reached a certain level, he would launch an invasion of Tibet. The key to national affairs was the health of that old man, Lazang Khan!
Qingde suggested: "One of Lazang Khan's sons is there, and the other is stationed in Qinghai..." If Tsewang Arabtan does it on the first day, we will do it on the fifteenth. Once Tsewang Arabtan is not kind, we will immediately call Lazang Khan's other son to serve as a banner.
Yinreng smiled but said nothing.
Qingde wiped the sweat off his forehead, knowing that he had passed this hurdle.
Asking Qingde to kneel down and pay his respects, Yinreng felt dark in his heart, trapped both internally and externally, and he spoke it out!
In fact, the situation he faced was much better than the one Yongzheng faced in history! At least his brothers weren't sabotaging him, at least the business he inherited wasn't particularly bad, and at least no one could say anything about it. But for him, he still couldn't tolerate the fact that he was in charge of a country that seemed to be on the verge of collapse!
He was a supreme ruler, yet he wanted to attack a disobedient vassal state, and he had to see if the vassal state was willing to let him do it! What a shame and humiliation!
He had to endure, for he was truly trapped, both internally and externally. Even if Tsewang Arabtan controlled both north and south of the Tianshan Mountains and was on the verge of swallowing up Hami, he still had to endure. This thought suddenly made him feel relieved—even if Tsewang Arabtan could see that the imperial court was planning to send troops, so what? The imperial court also saw his evil intentions. What would be the result? Both sides would have to meet certain conditions before they would take action. So what if they knew?
Pulling out a piece of paper, he personally wrote several edicts: First, contact the son of Lazang Khan stationed in Qinghai. Second, intensify the preparation of war supplies. Third, train the troops seriously.
After receiving the order, Qingde became more relieved and focused on camp affairs without mentioning them.
Yinreng still has other tasks to do. Governing such a large country requires more than just fighting against Tsewang Arabtan.
Ma Qi entered with a sheaf of memorials. Some of these were from the capital, reviewed by the Crown Prince and the officials who remained behind, with written recommendations for handling. Minor cases were dealt with immediately, with a written report submitted. Major cases, however, involved written memorials, requesting the Emperor's final decision. The other section consisted of secret memorials from various regions addressed to the Emperor, documents that could only be sealed by the Emperor.
Hongdan had already handled many things, such as the preparations for the princesses' marriages, and he wrote detailed memorials about where the two princesses' mansions were built, how many rooms each had, how many houses were demolished, how much compensation was given for the demolition, how the princesses' dowries were prepared, where the baoyi allocated to the princesses came from, etc. He wrote in great care and detail.
Judging from these, Hongdan already has the ability to handle ordinary affairs. Hongdan is also doing a favor to his fourth and seventh uncles. The two princesses are their biological daughters. Treating the princesses well can also help him get closer to his uncles.
Furthermore, rice prices in Guangdong and other regions soared, and Hongdan also expressed his views. This, of course, called for a fair price. However, where to source the rice was another matter. This matter needed swift action, sooner rather than later. So, Hongdan, following Kangxi's example, requested that the imperial rice be temporarily intercepted to alleviate the immediate crisis, while also using sea transport. With this hurdle overcome, the remaining post-processing work would naturally be a matter of "requesting the emperor's judgment."
Yinreng gradually felt relieved about his son, and his frown relaxed.
Then, there were more memorials reporting pirate rebellion, and Yinreng approved them one by one.
After doing all this, he called out, "Jia Yingxuan." Gao Sanxie was kept in the palace by him in order to keep some useful people in the palace for his son, so he brought Jia Yingxuan and a few others with him.
Jia Yingxuan responded: "I am here."
"Go get my bow and arrow." Tomorrow will be the first time he will demonstrate martial arts in front of the Mongolian tribes as an emperor, and he needs to familiarize himself with the weapons.
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The men's work was quite demanding, making the women's petty affairs seem much simpler in comparison. Shujia could freely interact with the concubines and Mongolian noblewomen, no longer worrying about the "second-in-command" theory. This "second-in-command" theory sometimes meant not only that you had to be careful, but also that if someone's excessive flattery upset the top leader, it would be troublesome. Now, although there was a Grand Empress Dowager above her, in practice, she was already the top leader.
Traveling with the Grand Empress Dowager was like being in a state of panic. She was already old and aging, and her health had deteriorated since the late Emperor's passing. If I took her with me, I was worried she would die from the fatigue. If I didn't, I was afraid she would die in the heat of the capital.
After much deliberation, he decided to go out to escape the summer heat on the orders of the Empress Dowager.
Unexpectedly, after arriving at the Great Wall, the Empress Dowager seemed to be in better spirits and rarely dozed off while talking to others. Shujia heaved a sigh of relief when she saw this.
The Tenth Concubine's mother, Concubine Fujin, laughed and said, "The Grand Empress Dowager is in such good spirits. I envy her so much."
The Empress Dowager said modestly and cheerfully, "I feel much more refreshed after coming out. I was also a bit lackluster in the palace."
Shujia twitched her lips and smiled. "In that case, we'll come out again next year," she added. "The Chengde Mountain Resort has already been roughly designed. The Emperor said we should all move in next month."
The Grand Empress Dowager became interested, and the Mongolian wives also perked up. They heard the Grand Empress Dowager ask, "What's it like? Is Changchun Garden good? It's probably not as good as the one in Beijing, but at least it's cool..."
Shujia thought to herself, if this Summer Resort is the same Summer Resort, it's no worse than Changchun Garden! "This... I haven't seen it either, but I heard it was Yangshi Lei's work, so it can't be bad." Kangxi had given many names to the various scenic spots in this resort during his lifetime, but she didn't want to say this out loud and hurt the Empress Dowager.
The women began to chatter, and the Third Lady laughed and said, "I heard that the Imperial Household Department built many gardens around the Mountain Resort. Are they used to house ministers of the royal family?" Although Yunzhi had been demoted and exempted from official duties, he was still the first among the late emperor's sons to stand in the court, and he was also married to the empress's family, so it was very convenient for him to speak here.
After hearing her talk, all the other wives were moved. The Imperial Household Department's gardens, of course, were of varying sizes, good and bad, close to the emperor and far from him, and each family's assigned location was a subject of considerable expertise. They all immediately became interested. Shuhui thought for a moment, then turned away, excitedly asking her sister, "Our master hasn't even been allocated a residence yet. Could I take a look inside this farm?"
The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Consorts also watched eagerly. The three of them were in a similar situation. From the moment the Fifteenth Consort started, they understood what she was trying to do. None of their husbands had been granted a title or a mansion. Even if they were given a garden now, it wouldn't surpass what their brothers had. They would have to be far away, and their contact with the Emperor would be limited. The royal family spent several months and half a year away from the frontier each year. Half the year, they weren't close to the Emperor. It was hard to even hope for a higher title. They might as well stay at the villa...
The other concubines also had different moods. The Fourteenth Concubine rolled her eyes and asked, "I wonder if the children are still studying in the villa?" It would be a good idea to send her son over to maintain the relationship!
Shujia smiled and said, "It's still the same as in Beijing," and then she said to the Mongolian wives, "You also have places to live." The purpose of touring the frontier was to strengthen the relationship between Manchus and Mongols, so she naturally would not neglect these women.
Everyone started talking about Chengde's scenery again. There were hot springs nearby, vast grasslands, mountains, and water. Its scenery rivaled that of southern China. However, few of the women had ever been there, let alone visited the Mountain Resort, so their comments were just speculation.
The Grand Empress Dowager, like everyone else, speculated for a while, hoping to see the Mountain Resort sooner rather than later. "Oh, the Emperor is going to have a hunting and martial arts performance tomorrow. After we finish this, we can set off, right?"
The old lady acted like a child, which amused everyone. Everyone suppressed their laughter and said in unison, "You are right."
The next day, at the martial arts performance, Yinreng, along with his royal family, led the royal family in a demonstration. His skills were impressive, hitting the target with all three arrows. He breathed a sigh of relief, and the crowd cheered. Then came the performances of his sons and nephews, followed by the hunting party. Of course, the first prize went to the emperor.
After winning the first prize, Yinreng reined in his horse and slowed down, no longer competing with his subjects for the hunt. Instead, he led his horse up a small hill and looked around. Watching the Manchu and Mongolian tribes move in unison, their movements seemingly well-organized, gave him a boost of confidence in the battle against the Dzungars. Even if their individual combat effectiveness was slightly inferior, with such overall coordination, victory would still be easy, right?
Thousands of horses were galloping below, and the sounds of their roars could be heard. Yinreng dismounted his horse, and the guards around him hurriedly followed.
At the end of the day, the prey was counted. The emperor did not participate in the competition, but everyone else had their share. They then prepared a feast and enjoyed themselves to the fullest.
Several days passed before the emperor's carriage finally departed for the Mountain Resort. The accompanying men and women, both military and civilian, were jubilant, though it was difficult for them, especially those from the capital, as living in tents all the time was simply not in line with their current lifestyle. Hearing about the beautiful scenery, pavilions, and towers of the new residence, they were all overjoyed and even walked a little faster.
The team was filled with a cheerful atmosphere along the way, and naturally some people would chat about family matters with their good friends whenever they had time, and invite each other to visit their new homes.
Of all the people involved, Yunlu was the busiest. The Ninth Master was genuinely reluctant to accompany the Emperor this year. It was rumored that he had even submitted a petition requesting to remain in the capital to serve, claiming he couldn't afford a comfortable life. It was also said that his second brother nearly popped his eyes out after reading the petition, and he pulled Yunlu over to examine it carefully several times.
Looking at his Ninth Master, whose physique was heading towards the 200-jin mark, Yinreng wondered: What's up with this Old Ninth Master again?! You're so fat, aren't you afraid of the heat? I took you out to escape the heat, yet you're hiding? In the past, when Khan Ama toured the frontier, you were always among those who cried and begged to go with him. Why are you acting so strangely this year?
Little did he know that Jiu Ye was addicted to his business! Yun Lu was in the entrepreneurial stage, and people at this stage were always concerned about the development of their careers and had no time for pleasure. With the powerful and influential people leaving the capital en masse, he had more room to maneuver using his privileges. After all, the Crown Prince who stayed behind was his nephew, and the younger generation always had to show some respect to the older generation. Unlike his second brother, who would pick him up and scold him for no reason, he had to endure it.
He had wronged Yinreng. Of all his brothers, this ninth brother was the least ambitious. Even though his appearance didn't quite match his aesthetic standards, Yinreng found his plump figure incredibly adorable. He often summoned him to talk, demonstrating his favor and wanting to prevent others from looking down on him.
Yinreng withheld the memorial, forcing Yunlu to pack his bags and leave. The distances the Ninth Prince's messengers had to travel grew longer and longer as the emperor's journey progressed, and Yunlu became increasingly distant from his entrepreneurial base. The cooler the weather, the more irritable he became. He angrily ordered, "Stop asking me questions! Raise the price!" Thinking of the profits from the price increase, Yunlu's mood brightened.
Then he thought, with more and more money on hand and the salt administration being reformed, he thought he could seize the opportunity to participate in this high-profit industry openly and honestly. He was busy making arrangements, entertaining guests, and then he adjusted his attitude and went to his second brother to "talk".
When they heard that the emperor was going to stay in the Summer Resort, they all had gardens. They also thought that the furnishings in the new place would not be very good, so they hurriedly wrote letters and sent people to their own warehouse in Beijing to get things - they were very busy.
Along the way, there were quite a few people who had been thinking about setting up the new place with him, and there was an endless flow of letters between the capital and the emperor.
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At the same time, in the north and south of our motherland, there is another place that is equally busy.
As expected, Tsewang Arabtan was also intensively planning an attack on Tibet. Learning from the defeat of his uncle, Galdan, Tsewang Arabtan adopted the principle of "pacifying the country before resisting foreign aggression." He could not, like his uncle, allow instability in the rear—even though he was this instability at the time, contacting the Qing court to cut off Galdan's retreat and even poaching his people.
Therefore, he has been constantly expanding his power, successively annexing the areas north and south of the Tianshan Mountains (there are still traces of the Dzungar Empire in Xinjiang - the Dzungar Basin), and then sent troops to attack Hami. The next step is Tibet and Qinghai.
Tsewang Arabtan looked at the map and felt a surge of excitement. He wanted to rebuild the glory of the Mongol Empire!
Contrary to popular belief, Xinjiang, a place now associated with the Uyghurs, was actually under Mongolian control. Similarly, Tibet was also under the control of the Mongol tribes. Therefore, the marriage between Tsewang Arabtan's daughter and Lazang Khan's son was a natural fit.
He stretched out his finger and traced the map from top to bottom, to Lhasa. Then, from Lhasa eastward, eastward again, a flicker of enthusiasm flashed in Tsewang Arabtan's eyes, but then he regained his composure. This was a tough battle, he knew. But if they took Lhasa, if they took Lhasa, a "real lama" would reside in the Potala Palace.
Tsewang Arabtan said to himself: "Didn't you say that the one who opposed you was a fake lama? Didn't you kill Diba? You said this one is the real lama, then I will get the real lama! When the time comes, when the time comes... Hey!" [1]
The Qing court really guessed that Lhasa would be taken over by him. The Dalai Lama, who was certified by the court as a real lama, was his ultimate weapon. At least when the court used the Mongolian tribes, it had to worry about whether they would be instigated to rebel under the banner of the Dalai Lama.
After narrowing his eyes, Tsewang Arabtan thought for a while and then ordered a military meeting.
This was a purely military meeting, the topic being how to quickly eliminate Hami, then occupy Tibet, and then leverage their power into Qinghai. During this meeting, someone happened to report, "The Qing court seems to have taken precautions. They're stockpiling grain in Sichuan and Shaanxi and marrying off princesses far away. Our people report that there's constant gunfire in the capital. The emperor has sent people to oversee the manufacture of artillery."
Tsewang Arabtan extended two fingers and tapped the armrest. "Let him go! If I don't take action, he'll just have to wait!" He sneered, "Ever since they entered the pass, they've lost their edge. They're full of effeminate behavior and care too much about face to dare to move."
Tsering Dundub laughed and said, "The Khan is right. They always find excuses to deceive themselves. They are clearly dying to help, but they are unwilling to take action."
Galdan Tsering, Tsewang Arabtan's son, continued in a deep voice, "As long as we're prepared, we can launch an attack." He reached out and traced the route his father had just drawn on the map. "We can do whatever we want. Can the Qing court do the same?" They stopped in Qinghai. "They won't move until we get here."
Tsering Dundub glanced at his nephew and said to Tsewang Araptan, "We can fight if we want. We want to unify the world anyway. These places are not ours now, but once we reach them and occupy them, they will be ours. These places sound like they belong to the Qing court, but can they just station troops there? If they really do, what will the Taijis think?"
Yes, they didn't need to care too much about the feelings of the Mongolian tribes, they just occupied it. The Qing court couldn't do that, they had to consider whether sending troops would cause local resentment.
Tsewang Arabtan said, "Even so, we must appease them. We are also Mongolians. The tribes should be closer to us and not push them to the Qing court's side."
As for how to appease them, everyone tacitly avoided mentioning the lama, but a consensus had already been reached. Furthermore, the Mongols were also a minority with a small population, so fellow ethnicity was more important. I believe everyone understood: I have conquered the world, and I need people to rule with me. As long as you don't hinder me, you will benefit.
"As long as we are strong enough, enough people will come to us," Tsewang Arabtan concluded. "The Qing court is already prepared, so we can't ignore it. We can't wait for them to prepare everything. After all, they own China. We need to speed up our actions." Artillery is really troublesome! Galdan was badly defeated by artillery in the past, so we have to be on guard! We have to act quickly, before they produce more weapons. Well, let's contact Orus and get some muskets.
With the last word, everyone's faces grew serious. They discussed it again in whispers, deciding to focus on conquering Hami and then marching into Tibet. The route was to pass through Yarkand, around the Gobi Desert, over the snow-capped mountains, and on to Lhasa.
From this point of view, the Qing court's military preparations did achieve Yinreng's goal: forcing Tsewang Arabtan to speed up the pace of the attack and provide the Qing court with an excuse to send troops as soon as possible.
The war is imminent.
The author has something to say:
[1] “Fake Lama” refers to the Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, who was not recognized by Emperor Kangxi. “Real Lama” is a mocking term, referring to the Sixth Dalai Lama Yeshe Gyatso, who was newly appointed after Lazang Khan entered Tibet and was later recognized by Emperor Kangxi.
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