In May, at nightfall, Mars goes retrograde and affects Di.
A big red star hung in the night sky, shining with a strange light.
Nurhaci raised his head and watched intently.
Perhaps the theory of astrology spread by the White Lotus Sect really corresponds to reality.
At least, the current situation of the Jianzhou Jurchens is really like this astrology, like fire or tea, oh no, it seems to be in full swing.
Nurhaci is a mountain city in Hetuala in March.
But after I came back, I didn't feel the security of going home, but was overwhelmed by a sense of tension.
The Jurchens in Jianzhou started fighting with the Ming Dynasty.
To be more precise, it was his stepmother's father, the adopted son of Zhang Xueyan, the governor of Liaodong Province in the Ming Dynasty, the most powerful of the Three Guards of Jianzhou, and the chief of the Xitala clan, Wang Gao, who once again plundered the Ming Dynasty.
This was not the first time that his cheap grandfather Wang Gao had wrestled with the Han people.
Seventeen years ago, after Wang Gao returned to Jianzhou from studying abroad in Fushun, he gathered his troops, fought back to Fushun City, and beheaded the Ming Dynasty guard Peng Wenzhu.
Twelve years ago, Wang Gao trapped and killed Heichun, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Han people, invaded Liaoyang, robbed Gushan, and captured Fushun. He successively killed dozens of people including the commander Wang Guozhu, and established an unmanned power among various tribes.
Comparable prestige.
It was not until four years ago that Zhang Xueyan, the governor of Liaodong, his grandfather's cheap adoptive father, personally came forward and led troops to defeat Wang Gao. The two sides began to exchange prisoners and open a tribute market.
Four years ago, it was also the day when Nurhaci was working as a servant in Wang Gao's house.
The year before last, when the mutual market was at its peak, Nurhaci was ordered by his stepmother to go into business.
I thought that the mutual market would continue to operate peacefully, but who knew that when Nurhaci returned to Jianzhou in March, he was shocked to find that the mutual market between the Jurchens and the Ming Dynasty had been closed.
After asking around, I found out that his cheap grandfather, Wang Gao, became murderous again. Taking advantage of the mutual market, he trapped and killed Pei Chengzu, the garrison officer of the Ming Dynasty, and a general named Liu Chengyi, and robbed them wantonly.
But this time, the Ming Dynasty did not swallow its anger like before.
Perhaps he hit a knife edge, but the commander-in-chief Li Chengliang was not ready to give up. He immediately counted his troops and sharpened his knives, as if he was about to attack the enemy with a large army at any time.
Faced with the unprecedented aggressiveness of the Ming Dynasty, the Jianzhou Jurchens finally felt panicked.
Nurhachi could not sleep all night.
At most, outsiders were afraid of disrupting their stable life, but for Nurhachi, this cheap grandfather was very likely to involve him - the story of the Han people having three tribes and nine tribes, Nurhachi often heard about it when he was running business.
In his opinion, his grandfather was extremely stupid.
Why offend the Han people for nothing?
If it were him, he would definitely not rob the Han people, but would show his utmost loyalty to the Han people.
Not only should we pay tribute, trade with each other, and be vassals to the emperor, but we should also beg for mercy from the emperor of the Han people and serve as a vassal barrier for the Han people.
If you are respectful enough on the surface, how can you easily attract attacks from the Han people?
Only in this way can we allocate our energy to integrate the Jurchen tribes in Jianzhou, Haixi, and Donghai.
Why couldn't his grandfather, who only knew how to kill and plunder, think carefully about retrieving the Jurchen's lost writings, promulgating the Jurchen code, and establishing the Jurchen dynasty?
Alas, it would be great if I could replace myself.
When can we separate our families and establish our own power?
Perhaps, as long as he is not harmed, it would be a good thing for his cheap grandfather to be beaten to death by Li Chengliang, so that his stepmother would not be so strong, and when he divides the family, he might be able to get more of the property.
I was thinking wildly.
Suddenly he heard footsteps coming from outside the house.
Nurhachi was startled and stuck his head out of the window.
I only saw my brother running towards me in a hurry.
Nurhaci quickly walked out of the house.
Before he could speak, he heard Adi's urgent voice.
"Brother! Something happened!"
Nurhachi held his brother's shoulders and frowned in confusion: "Shurhachi, what happened?"
Shuerhaqi's anxious forehead was covered with sweat: "Brother, some Mongolians came to the city and said they would take my brother away!"
When Nurhachi heard this, he felt that he had no clue.
What does it mean to be a Mongolian and take yourself away?
Nurhaci brought his brother into the room: "Tell me clearly, who are you Mongolians? Where do you want to take me?"
Shuerhaqi took a deep breath and started dancing and gesticulating: "It was in the evening that several Mongolians on good horses entered the mountain city of Hetuala."
"I just found our house and said that I want to take my brother with me to live in a Han Dynasty palace as a eunuch and enjoy happiness."
"Eniang agreed as soon as she heard it!"
"My grandfather didn't dare to offend the Mongols, so he had to offer wine to them. While the Mongolians were drinking, he asked me to tell my brother to leave quickly."
Shuerhaqi said a long list as if he were pouring beans out of a bamboo tube.
Nurhachi was listening with a frown, but his expression suddenly changed!
Be a eunuch?
He knew that eunuchs in the Southern Dynasties had to be castrated!
How dare his stepmother, who owes sex, harm him like this!?
Nurhachi glanced bitterly in the direction of his stepmother.
He had little contact with the Han people or the Mongols. Apart from the fact that his stepmother was afraid that he would break up the family and take away the property, there was no other reason at all!
Nurhaci quickly turned around, started to rummage through the boxes, and packed up his luggage - if he didn't run away at this time, he might not even be a man, let alone the king of the grassland!
His hands were full of luggage, and he kept asking about the situation: "Which movie is the Mongolian?"
You have to ask your stepmother clearly who she is colluding with so that you can run in the right direction. Otherwise, if you put it in your mouth, there will be no chance for him to regret it.
At this critical moment, Shuerhaqi naturally answered whatever he asked: "They are the Mongols from Wuliangha Wanhu."
Nurhachi took a breath of cold air and shouted in his heart that something was wrong.
The mountain city of Hetuala is already in the pastoral area of ​​Wuliangha Wanhu, so it will be even harder to escape now!
The north is his stepmother's native tribe.
To the west are the tribes of Uliangha.
To the east is the Bohai Sea.
There is absolutely no way out.
Nurhaci couldn't accept it. Suddenly, it seemed as if there was no way to go to heaven and no way to enter the earth.
He gritted his teeth and said, "Why did that bitch of Hadanara's family suddenly collude with Uliang Hawanhu?"
Shuerhaqi hesitated and said: "It doesn't seem like E Niang sent someone here..."
Nurhaci was startled.
Just listen to Shuerhaqi continue talking.
"What the Mongols told me was that Chang'ang of Duoyanwei was defeated and was called by the Han to pay tribute to the capital."
"In order to let the Han people know his surrender, Chang Ang named a tamed wild wolf Chang Ang and gave it to the Han emperor."
"The Han emperor was very happy and taught people to distinguish between wolves and dogs."
"Tell Chang'ang and his Han men that you can tease them and see their reactions. Chang'ang is a wolf, and Angry and Hachi are dogs."
"In order to please the Han emperor, Chang Ang responded by saying that there happened to be a dog named Nurhaci in the pastoral area of ​​Fu Yuwei, which could be given to the Han emperor to be a eunuch and paired with a domesticated wolf."
"Then someone came to the door..."
Shuerhaqi spoke softer and quieter.
Nurhachi was stunned.
Is there such a reason!?
Can these two beasts, the Han Emperor and Chang Ang, be a little more playful!?
Relying on his high position and power, he implicates innocent people.
It’s so deceiving!
Nurhachi was originally thinking about joining Li Chengliang and leading the way for the Han people - selling his grandfather would weaken his stepmother, and he might also be able to gain a future.
But now...
He immediately put aside this thought and packed his luggage without saying a word: "Shulhaqi, I want to go out and hide for a while. I will not come back until the Han people and the Mongolians in Uliangha forget about this matter."
"I will take advantage of this period of time to travel north and south until I reach adulthood."
Shuerhaqi asked in a worried voice: "Where are you going?"
Nurhachi was about to say it, but after thinking about it, he held back.
He squeezed Adi's shoulder hard: "Take care of yourself."
Then, without waiting for Adi's response, he turned around and left without any delay.
Shuerhaqi watched helplessly as his brother's figure, following the wind, dived into the black night.
…
Half a month later.
Kaiyuan City welcomed a Jurchen caravan.
This city was the closest city adjacent to Jianzhou in the Ming Dynasty. It was bounded by Biankou in the north and Bohai in the east. It had East Road generals and Ma Shi officials stationed there.
After the East Road General carefully inspected the caravan, he allowed the caravan to stop at the inn.
This caravan was able to enter Liaodong when the two sides were at war with each other, naturally because it sent a signal of peace.
The Jianzhou Jurchen Wang Gao was unable to get in, so as a last resort, the Haixi Jurchen Wan Khan finally couldn't hold it back and came forward to negotiate an agreement.
Not only did he personally redeem the eighty-two Han people that Wang Gao kidnapped from the exchange market and return them to Liaodong, he also took the initiative to send his son to Beijing as a hostage, hoping to show his submission and quell the dispute.
It is precisely because of this that the Han border troops were able to let the Jurchens enter Liaodong at this time.
Nurhaci was mixed in the team, looking around cautiously and curiously.
In the team, there were elders who were familiar with the Han Dynasty and whispered to the tribesmen - especially Meng Gebulu who had come to Beijing to serve as a hostage - about the situation in Liaodong.
"...The generals of Liaodong are all local chickens and dogs, and they are vulnerable to attack. Within ten years, Yin Shangzhi, Yang Zhao, and Wang Zhidao died one by one at the hands of us and the Mongols. It was not until Li Chengliang took office that he began to overhaul the army. Select the general school, recruit the best talents from all over the world, give them generous meals, and use them to select the vanguard."
"Since then, we have never taken advantage."
"So, the first person we cannot provoke is Li Chengliang."
After saying this, someone naturally asked questions.
"But now that I have been offended, what should I do if Li Chengliang really wants to invade my Jurchen tribe?"
When the elder heard this, he was silent for a long time and spread his hands: "It's just Wang Gao who doesn't know whether to live or die. How can he attack my Jurchen tribe?"
Everyone understood and couldn't help but sigh.
At this time, someone asked curiously: "But I heard that the largest leader of the Han people in Liaodong is called the governor. Why does it sound like Li Chengliang, the commander-in-chief, is bigger than the governor?"
The elder shook his head and said something that no one could understand: "This man can fight and be an official."
Nurhachi didn't know why, but he remembered the name. Li Chengliang must be a key figure in the situation in Liaodong.
But now that he has changed his name, he is most afraid of attracting attention and it is difficult to ask questions.
While Nurhachi listened quietly, he also observed whether his forged identity raised any suspicion.
His escape to the territory of the Ming Dynasty was a helpless move that took a lot of risks.
It was impossible to escape to the territory of his stepmother's tribe, let alone go in the direction of Wu Liangha.
Not to mention going overseas and North Korea.
The Han people all say that the most dangerous place is the safest place.
It was like the only escape route Nurhachi could choose. It seemed dangerous, but he would definitely not run into the Mongols or his stepmother's people.
Even the Han people would not search for him in the pass.
He just needs to escape at the right place, and he doesn't have to worry anymore.
Of course, the suitable place is definitely not Kaiyuan City. It is still too close to Jianzhou. Over the years, many people in Liaodong have met him, so accidents are inevitable.
Moreover, he told his brother that he wanted to travel north and south, and it was not just words.
He really intended to see with his own eyes what the Han culture and the Han border - a place that had been defeated by the Jurchens and now became the strongest country again - looked like.
With this mentality, Nurhachi calmly played his role in the team and did not do anything that would arouse suspicion.
The next few days.
The team moved forward according to the route designated by the Ming Dynasty's frontier army - the 30,000 Guards Post in the west for ninety miles, the Haozhou Post for the next ninety miles, the Yilu Post for the next ninety miles, and the Shenyang Guards at the City Post for the sixty miles.
Nurhachi followed the team and observed Liaodong all the way.
The life of the Han people does not seem to be as good as the legends of the tribe. Everyone is well-dressed and well-fed, but the Han people who are like slaves make up the majority.
Everyone, young and old, men and women, was sallow and thin, and most of the houses on the roadside looked abandoned for a long time.
One day, he also saw some Han people at the post station lamenting that "life is destroyed by whipping, fat is exhausted by sucking, and ten rooms are empty", and then they were taken away by the Yamen in public.
Only later did he realize that he was lamenting that the taxes were too heavy.
Nurhachi concluded at night that the Han rule in Liaodong was like cattle and sheep losing blood, which would fall at any time and be scattered by the wind.
The appearance of the border troops was not as scary as on the battlefield.
He often encountered soldiers who were escaping being captured and escorted past the inn.
Furthermore, through his cautious eavesdropping and inquiring, it seemed that the general named Li Chengliang also had common weaknesses among Han people, similar to those of Han businessmen.
Greedy, irritable, and extravagant are comments that can often be heard among the Han people in Liaodong.
Nurhachi drank with a postman one time, and heard him comment on Li Chengliang as "a great success". He not only suppressed his colleagues to gain credit, but also "covered up defeat and made merit, killing good people and pretending to be superior."
Nurhachi kept all this in mind.
As the team progresses.
The weather is getting hotter and hotter, and it is already midsummer.
The team is also getting further and further away from Jianzhou.
One hundred and twenty miles to Liaoyang Town, sixty miles to Anshan Post, ninety miles to Haizhou Weizai City Post, ninety miles to Niujiazhuang Post, eighty miles to Shaling Post, seventy miles to Guangning City Banqiao Post...
After passing Shanhaiguan all the way, we arrived at Luanhe Station in Yongping Prefecture.
Everyone ate fruits and melons to cool off the summer heat and enjoyed the coolness in the stream next to the inn.
"Pave the way for Kuanhe mutual trade?" Nurhaci asked curiously.
"Yes, since the Luanhe River water transportation was established in the Han Dynasty, we have always looked at God's face. If there is more rainfall, it will be smooth, but if there is less rainfall, it will be unsmooth. Now, in order to transport freight between the wide rivers, the imperial court naturally has to sort out the hydrology and say it will be divided. There are two waterways in the east and west, the Luanhe waterway and the Douhe waterway..." The old postman talked about it like a treasure trove.
Nurhachi listened carefully to the old postman's introduction.
After the old postman finished speaking, he asked again: "The construction of the mutual market has begun? Is it true that the Jurchens can go there to trade?"
The old postman chuckled: "The inner city has been built, and the outer city is still under construction. It is called Kuanhe Free Trade Zone. It will be led by Jizhou Yao, and will be stationed together with the Duoyan Guards. It will be open to all tribes and barbarians."
"As for the Jurchens..."
He glanced at Nurhachi and nodded in approval: "Not only for transactions, Yi people like you who can speak Chinese can also be entered into the Yellow Book of the Kuanhe Free Trade Zone. Whether they are settling down or doing business, they will have preferential treatment.
.”
When Nurhaci heard this, a trace of solemnity flashed in his eyes.
He forced a smile and replied covertly: "Even if it is, it is a qualification only for noble people."
"Just like Li Chengliang in Liaodong, he took all the interests of merchants and people in Liao into his own name and made friends with powerful people. There was no chance for ordinary traders to interfere."
He heard this statement from the Han people. As for whether it was correct, he would definitely verify it himself in the future.
The old postman smashed his mouth and did not refute, but said with hope: "Qi Shuai has a better reputation than General Li. Maybe he can control it a little and give some soup to ordinary traders, so that our area can get some glory.
, prosperous business.”
Perhaps because the unhappy topic was brought up, the old postman shook his head and ended the chat with the Yiren.
Nurhachi recalled the words of the old postman just now and began to think deeply.
According to this statement, this is not as simple as just opening a mutual market - even the inn has been opened in advance.
In the future, ships will be opened, Han and foreigners will be attracted to live together, trade will be carried out, and the market will be open all the time, which will be too many tricks.
Is it necessary to rebuild Daning Dusi?
When Nurhaci thought of this, he couldn't help but look a little ugly. If Daning Dusi was really rebuilt, would it be a garrison or a vassal king as before? What would the Jurchens do then?
With a vigilant mind, Nurhaci then observed and inquired more carefully.
Especially after entering the scope of Jizhou.
Nurhachi was slightly less cautious than when he was in Liaodong, but more proactive in talking to Han people, observing the soldiers who occasionally passed by the post station, and asking around about Prime Minister Qi Jiguang.
This inquiry shocked Nurhachi.
The first is Qi Jiguang.
This man's reputation was much better than that of Li Chengliang. He didn't even meet any Han people complaining or insulting him along the way. It was even said that the emperor of the Han people also trusted this man very much.
In addition, the faces of the border troops were much better than those of the soldiers in Liaodong.
He even saw a scene where Nan soldiers were passing through the border in silence, but they walked around the crops when they encountered them.
as well as.
Perhaps because of the proximity to the capital and fear of the imperial censor, the Han people had much fewer strange and miscellaneous taxes.
Although there are still many people with sallow faces and thin muscles, they are much better than in Liaodong.
Border defense is even more speechless.
Ever since Qi Jiguang killed Dong Hu at the turn of spring and summer, Duoyanwei had resigned himself to serving as a barrier for the Han people.
Now that summer has passed and autumn has entered, it is the time when the horses are fat, but the Mongols did not knock down the pass and plunder.
All of this made Nurhaci feel invulnerable for a moment.
Just like the weather in autumn, his mood was also tinged with a hint of coolness.
Observing along the way, the time came to August.
As the team moved forward, after leaving Jizhou, they reached Tongzhou.
It's very close to the capital.
Because of the proximity, Nurhachi felt the prosperity that was different from the grassland and had never seen before.
At the same time, I also learned a lot of idioms that I had never heard before.
Row after row.
Busy traffic.
Live and work in peace and contentment.
It turned out that it was just the people in the frontier who were suffering. The closer to the capital, the more prosperous it became.
In particular, at Sanheyi in Tongzhou, Nurhachi saw a scene he would never forget.
He pointed tremblingly at the large ship docked at the dock, looking at the graceful orioles and swallows wearing veils on the ship.
He was stunned and lost his voice: "Is this the Han emperor marrying wives? Hundreds of beauties at a time?"
Nurhaci was so surprised that he accidentally shouted out while talking to himself.
When the Korean next to him saw that he was a Jurchen, he sneered and continued smoothly in Mongolian: "I have never seen the world, and this ship is just a woman from a province."
"I want you to know that the number of women entering Beijing this time is five thousand!"
Nurhachi was stunned: "Five thousand!?"
Then he murmured to himself: "Big man...big man..."
Seeing Nurhaci's reaction, the North Korean couldn't help but feel secretly happy about the power of their overlord country.
He deliberately showed off his Mongolian language and pretended to have a chat: "I want to teach you, a barbarian, that this is the Kingdom of Heaven, and you can have a good look at the world."
Nurhachi finally came to his senses and realized that he was being ridiculed.
With his young mind, he had no choice but to save face for himself, and said with a pinched neck, "It's just a fill-in. No matter how many wives the Han emperor marries, he will still be controlled by his mother for the rest of his life, and he will never be a real man in the family."
"When I grow up, my mother-in-law can also discipline me!"
Seeing that the barbarian was not convinced, the North Korean also became determined to win: "What do you know, you barbarian? As soon as our Majesty ascended the throne, he brought his royal guards Wei Ye into the palace to ask his aunt, the Queen Mother, to supervise the country. At that time, he could also force the Queen Mother Chen
He lowered his head to control the country, and held the constitution of heaven in his mouth."
As soon as he said this, even though he said it in Mongolian, he couldn't help but look around carefully.
Seeing that no one was paying attention, he proudly took his chin and tapped the barbarian next to him.
It's a pity that this barbarian looked confused and didn't seem to understand the meaning at all.
The Korean couldn't help but shook his head, clicked his tongue in disinterest, and turned to leave.
Only Nurhaci was left staring at the beautiful woman on the boat.
Nurhachi, who originally planned to leave the team at Sanheyi, stared blankly for half an hour. When all the beautiful ladies got off the boat, he reluctantly looked back.
Marrying a wife for five thousand dollars is so terrifying.
I don’t know if I can be busy.
If one day I can become the leader of the Jurchens, I will definitely learn the good customs of the Han people.
He touched his neck, stopped thinking, and focused on the current situation.
Now that we've arrived in Tongzhou, it's almost time to leave the team.
He did not intend to enter the capital - the Han capital was very strict in censorship, and even Han people entering the capital were subject to heavy scrutiny, let alone him, a Jurchen who used a false identity.
Therefore, in order to prevent his secret from being exposed, he decided to leave the team in Tongzhou, travel alone from Miyun to Yanqing, exit Xuanda, and return to the grassland.
By then, he would no longer have to worry about being taken into the palace to be a eunuch.
At nightfall.
Nurhachi put on the clothes of a merchant and the identity of the West Sea Jurchen that he had prepared in advance - it was better not to use Jianzhou Jurchen. On the way, he heard that Li Chengliang sent troops to Jianzhou, but on the eighth day, he invaded Gule Village
, killed many people.
If Wan Khan, the female princess of the West Sea, had not already made a respectful gesture, I am afraid that the village would have been massacred this time.
The only pity is that his grandfather ran away.
Nurhachi wrapped his clothes around him and quietly left the inn.
Autumn is already here in August.
The weather is getting colder.
Nurhachi also robbed several farmers along the way - according to his experience, farmers are almost like slaves, and if they are robbed, there is a high probability that they will not be hunted down by officials.
Of course, the reality was as he expected.
He started from Tongzhou, traveled through Miyun, Yanqing, robbed homes and houses, and arrived at Xuanfu. The whole journey went smoothly without any setbacks.
On the way, he even teamed up with people from the White Lotus Sect and snatched a wave of carriages from rich families.
Unfortunately, perhaps because of his association with the White Lotus Sect, he was finally pursued by officers and soldiers.
Nurhachi also gave up as soon as he saw the opportunity and prepared to leave Xuanda.
On the first day of October, the weather has already become wintery.
Late at night, light snow gradually began to fall in the sky.
Nurhaci took off the Han clothes and turban provided by the garrison to hide his identity, and put on his own Hu clothes.
Then he took out the few remaining belongings from the Han people's clothes that had been plundered by the defenders, as well as a copy of "White Lotus Morning Repentance" and put them in his bag.
Nurhaci took one last look back at the Great Wall behind him.
After staring for a long time, he turned around and walked in the direction of Bansheng.
Chapter completed!