Chapter 564 Actual control of nineteen provinces, three powerful neighbors in the west

The "Da Ming Bao" newspaper office is affiliated to the Propaganda Department and is one of the imperial yamen. The reporter came impartially and Chen Zilong had no reason not to receive him.

As for the newspaper's promotion of Liu Rushi, Chen Zilong didn't think much about it, or even expressed any emotion.

The relationship he had with Liu Rushi more than ten years ago may have been an unforgettable love affair for Liu Rushi, but for him, it was just an ordinary emotional experience.

When he was eleven years old, his father Chen Suowen arranged a marriage for him with the eldest daughter of Zhang Guiduan, the magistrate of Zhaoyang County.

If his father had not died of illness in the sixth year of Tianqi's reign and he had been a mourner for three years, he would have married Zhang at the age of eighteen.

Even after three years of delay, he still got married to Mr. Zhang, whom he had never met, as promised after observing his filial piety.

As for Liu Rushi, he only met Liu Rushi five years ago, and had an "emotional" relationship two years later. At that time, he and Zhang's daughter were several years old, so how could he have such an unforgettable affection for Liu Rushi?

emotion?

At that time, Liu Rushi was a Liuying in Songjiang Prefecture, but he failed the examination, the government was in chaos, and the current situation was turbulent. He was confused, and even became discouraged about his official career. He buried his poems, and then he had a relationship with Liu Rushi.

He was not a heartless person. He originally wanted to take Liu Rushi as his concubine, but because of his family's objections, he decided not to do so.

Of course, at that time, he never imagined that the former Liuying would not only become one of the famous Qinhuai prostitutes famous in the south of the Yangtze River, but would also become an official in the same court as him after the great changes in the world.

Now that Liu Rushi was a wife, and he was being put in great importance by the emperor, he naturally had no time to think about the emotional affairs of the past.

Therefore, when dealing with this newspaper reporter, Chen Zilong adopted a business-like attitude.

First, I did an exclusive interview, and then promised to hand over a handwritten article about the grassroots restructuring area to the newspaper for publication in two days.

···

Since the matter of grassroots restructuring has been decided, officials will naturally implement it. Zhu Yuyao only needs to pay attention to it from time to time and supervise the progress.

Although the territory of the Ming Dynasty is not among the top five in the history of China's dynasties, it is still very large. Since she established the provincial system, even if only the actual control area is considered, the Ming Dynasty now has nineteen provinces.

After breakfast that day, Zhu Yurao came to Wuying Hall and looked at the various provinces on the newly made map of the Ming Dynasty's territory.

Looking from top to bottom, the northern Xinjiang area currently controlled by the Ming Dynasty is Beizhili, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Gansu from east to west.

Then there are the provinces between the Yellow River and Yangtze River basins, namely Shandong, Jiangbei, Henan, Hubei, Chongqing, and Sichuan.

South of the Yangtze River are Nanzhili, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, and Yunnan. The southeast and southern coasts are: Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and Guangxi.

When looking at the map, Zhu Aelao's eyes mainly focused on three places: northeast, northwest, and southwest.

The Qing captives in the Northeast were the target of the Ming Dynasty to be eliminated in two or three years. Western Liaoning and Eastern Liaoning would also be recovered. This was planned.

Although there is Shadingzhou in the southwest, Sun Kewang and his like rebelled and took hold, but she has already mobilized her troops and made a good layout, and it is only a matter of time before it is quelled.

She has only recently slowly figured out the situation in the northwest. The reason for this is not only because the situation in the northwest is no less complicated than that in the southwest.

Also because Li Zicheng occupied Shaanxi two or three years ago, the Ming court lost understanding of many things there.

It was also at the end of the Northern Expedition last year that the past events of Gansu and Shaanxi were brought to Zhu Yuluo's desk through the three major intelligence departments: Military Intelligence Department, Nanzhen Fusi, and North Town Fusi, gradually allowing her to understand a little more about the situation in the northwest.

When talking about the northwest, we have to talk about the nine border towns in northern Xinjiang of the Ming Dynasty.

The northern frontier of the Ming Dynasty was actually the most vast during the Hongwu period. After all, the blue jade had reached the fishing sea (Bell Lake, in the southwest of today's Hulunbuir Grassland, not the North Sea/Lake Baikal).

At that time, there was a Nuer Gansi in the easternmost part of the Northern Territory of the Ming Dynasty, who was in charge of the tribes in the Northeast, and established the Nanghaer Guard on Kuwu Island (Sakhalin Island, which is actually a transliteration of the local dialect).

The Wuliangha Three Guards were also established on the grasslands north of the Liaoxi Corridor.

As for the far west, the Seven Guards of Guanxi were established west of Jiayuguan in Suzhou Guard.

The overall situation is in the rhythm of outward military expansion, and the northern tribes are either bowing down or running away. Naturally, there is no need for a nine-sided city to defend against various northern invaders.

Unfortunately, after experiencing the Jingnan War, first the three Uliangha guards faced Tatar persecution, annexed, continued to move south, and finally split and rebelled.

During the Xuande period, the Ming Dynasty's military strength declined further, and it gradually turned from offense to defense, almost giving up its rule over the grasslands beyond the Great Wall.

When Baozong succeeded to the throne, first the southwest war consumed military expenditures, and then there was the earth-shattering Battle of Tumu Fort. Ming Dynasty had to switch to passive defense in the north.

After that, the various tribes of the Northern Lu invaded repeatedly, forcing the formation of the Ming Dynasty's nine-border stronghold.

By the time of Tianqi and Chongzhen, there were actually more than nine military towns in the Nine Borders.

According to the information obtained by Zhu Yushuo, during the Chongzhen period, the nine important towns mainly referred to Liaodong Town, Jizhou Town, Miyun Town, Xuanfu Town, Datong Town, Shanxi Town (northern Taiyuan Prefecture), Yansui Town (Yulin Town), and Ningxia Town

, Guyuan Town, Gansu Town.

That's right, there were ten important towns on the nine frontiers in the northern border of the Ming Dynasty. This is normal.

Therefore, when it comes to Shaanxi in the northwest, a word often heard in the Ming Dynasty's military remarks about Shaanxi is "trilateral governor".

Its full name is "Governor Shaanxi Trilateral Military Affairs", but it actually governs four border towns.

In order: Yansui Town, Ningxia Town, Gansu Town, Guyuan Town.

Speaking of which, Hao Guangming was a little confused when he first learned about this. In the end, he had to sigh that "I have five of the Four Heavenly Kings of China" is really a long-standing joke.

During the Tianqi and Chongzhen years, the Ming Dynasty's rule over Shaanxi also became complicated.

First, the three governors were in charge of the military affairs of the four towns, and Guyuan Town was established as the administrative office.

Where is this place? It is in Guyuan Prefecture in the middle of Pingliang Prefecture, and sometimes it is also called Shaanxi Town in writing.

Just like there is Shanxi Town in Taiyuan Prefecture, Shanxi Province, there is no need to worry about being confused with the title of Chief Secretary.

Of course, there is a reason for the trilateral governor-general to be located in Guyuan Town - it is located to the south of Ningxia Town, and can control the Xiaoguan Ancient Road on the north-south central axis of Ningxia Town, and is connected to Gansu Town and Yansui Town on the left and right. It is a strategic location

Very important.

In addition, in order to balance the civil and military affairs, the imperial court not only established a general military commander in the four military towns, but also appointed a governor in each of the four military towns.

Hong Chengchou once served as governor of Yansui, and in this position he earned the name "Hong Shatou" from the peasant army.

In other words, the governors of the three sides are in charge of the governors of the four towns, and these governors are in charge of the generals and other generals of the four towns.

Zhu Yasuo had previously withdrawn border towns into the provincial government system and canceled the establishment of border towns. Now, Shaanxi Province will naturally not have up to five governors like before.

Today, there is only one governor of Shaanxi, Chen Junchong, who previously participated in politics in northern Sichuan and was responsible for logistics for Lu Daqi's Northern Expedition.

Zhu Yuyao also learned about the successive governors of Shaanxi during the Chongzhen period and found that excluding those who were accused of crimes or disappeared within two months of taking office, or those who were accused of crimes and disappeared before taking office, the remaining few were quite influential at the time.

A famous minister.

Yang He, Wang Qiaonian, Ding Qirui, and then the last one - Sun Chuanting.

After that, Zhu Yulao looked towards Gansu again.

In the Ming Dynasty, although Gansu was a military town, a governor was established during the Tianshun period (Baozong era).

As for the Chongzhen period, there were four governors of Gansu: Liu Hao, Lu Daqi, Lin Rirui, and Yang Rujing.

In the 16th year of Chongzhen, Li Zicheng occupied Shaanxi and sent troops to attack Gansu. This coincided with Lin Rirui's resignation and Yang Rujing's appointment. As a result, the last two governors of Gansu died for their country.

Because of Hao Guangming's guidance and the knowledge of later generations that changed his vision, among the three sides and four towns in the northwest, Zhu Yurao paid the most attention to Gansu Town.

However, when Zhu Aela sorted out the information gathered from all aspects, she discovered that since Jiajing, Gansu Town had become a supporting role in the three sides.

Because with the changes in the forces of the surrounding Beibei tribes and even the changes in the environment (land desertification), the Beibei invaders from the three sides prefer to go to Yansui Town, followed by Ningxia Town, and very few go to Gansu.

As for the situation in the west of Gansu Town, it is complicated and long story...

Although there is currently very little information related to the western region sent by the Fusi and Military Intelligence Department of Beizhen, Zhu Aao still has an understanding of the general situation in the western region through some historical events in later generations.

If the situation in the west is no different from that in later history, at this time, the Oirat Mongolian tribal alliance with the Jungar tribe as the core was in the process of expanding its strength and annexed the Turpan Khanate.

The Western Ming Dynasty vassalage below Oirat Mongolia was inherited from Yarkand, the old khanate of the Mongol Empire. Its strength was also expanding, occupying a small part of the original Turpan territory.

Of course, the most aggressive expansion in the west was the Khoshote Khanate - during the Tianqi and Chongzhen years, they destroyed the Zangba Khan on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and now occupy almost the entire Qinghai-Tibet Plateau!

Second update.

This is another thankless chapter. The author's level is really limited, so I apologize. (This kind of dry narrative will be as few as possible)

Good night~

I was so dizzy looking up the information that I made mistakes and corrected them later.
Chapter completed!