If there is anything that excites Zhu Di more than making achievements and expanding the territory, it is probably getting rich. Especially this kind of business with millions of taels per year makes Zhu Di's heart beat even more.
But when he saw what Xu Jingchang took out, he frowned again.
"How can you ask me to admit that the Hu family has usurped power?"
Xu Jingchang said: "Your Majesty, Annan is just a new leader. As long as he still listens to us, what's wrong?"
Zhu Di hummed: "The leader of Annan was conferred by the superior country. If they change the leader at will, they are disrespectful to the superior country. I must send troops to attack him."
Xu Jingchang frowned, he really couldn't understand Zhu Di's thinking.
"Your Majesty, I dare to ask you, who are you going to attack in your crusade against Annan?"
"Of course it's the Hu family who usurped the country."
"Then if you destroy the Hu family, who will Annan give it to?"
"Leave it to Chen Tianping, and I will help him restore his country."
"What happens after the restoration of the country? Can he secure the throne?" Xu Jingchang asked again.
Zhu Di was speechless. If the Chen family could secure the throne, they would not be overthrown by the Hu family. Now there is only a little boy left. It is impossible to expect him to secure the throne.
"I can send troops to help Chen Tianping and stabilize the situation in Annan."
Xu Jingchang smiled lightly, "Your Majesty, so you are going to intervene in Annan's internal affairs? I would like to ask you, who is your opponent at this time?"
Zhu Di frowned and thought for a long time before saying, "Please make it clear."
Xu Jingchang said: "If Your Majesty wants to garrison troops in Annan, conflicts with the locals will inevitably occur. In the eyes of these people, the Ming soldiers and horses are bad guys who invaded their homes, and they will definitely arouse their resistance. I admit that the Ming soldiers and horses are very powerful.
, head-on confrontation, they are not afraid of them at all, but the continuous and continuous harassment, can the Ming Dynasty withstand it? At that time, hundreds of thousands of troops of the Yuan Dynasty conquered Annan, and suffered repeated defeats and heavy losses. This is a lesson learned from the past. Because the monarchs and ministers of the Yuan Dynasty simply did not
I didn’t think clearly about whom I was fighting!”
Zhu Di hummed: "Tell me, who are you fighting?"
Xu Jingchang took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty, please allow me to bring up Annan's map."
Zhu Di nodded, and not long after, a eunuch brought up the map of Annan, and the monarchs and ministers gathered around him.
Xu Jingchang began to explain that Annam was the northern part of Vietnam in the future, bordering Guangxi and Yunnan in the Ming Dynasty... The bordering part has undulating mountains and dense jungles. It is a traditional smog-infested land.
A bloody hell place.
The best parts of Annam are around the capital city of Thang Long and the flat areas extending to the south. The water and heat conditions here are excellent, and food is harvested three times a year.
Faced with this map, Xu Jingchang has nothing to say.
"Your Majesty, please see that in the north and west of Annan, among the high mountains and ridges, there are many tribes, just like our chieftains, maybe much more loose. They rely on the geographical advantage and are not convinced by the king. Not to mention the people of the Ming Dynasty,
Even the Annan court doesn't care. No matter who enters their territory, they will be attacked. How to deal with such an enemy?"
Zhu Di frowned. He didn't know. There were a lot of chieftains in the southwest during the Ming Dynasty. How powerful do you think these chieftains were?
That's not necessarily the case. If you pull them out, a hundred thousand troops might not be able to defeat a few thousand elite Ming troops.
But once they spread out in the rugged mountainous areas, rely on the terrain for shelter, and appear elusive, making you unable to catch or hit them, things will become troublesome.
The imperial army requires logistical equipment. The mountainous terrain is barren and cannot support the consumption of the army. It must be transported from outside, and the rugged terrain in turn restricts the efficiency of transportation.
One hundred shi of grain was sent to the front line at the expense of people and money, and it is estimated that not even ten shi would be left.
The supply of troops and horses could not keep up, and soldiers were prone to diseases due to the heat. Non-combat attrition was serious. Within a few months, a strong army was reduced to a pile of sick and disabled waste. It was difficult to escape unscathed, let alone fight.
From a military perspective, it is definitely not cost-effective to attack a place like this.
Zhu Di pondered and said: "Even if what you say is reasonable, isn't it okay for me to arrange for troops and horses to pass through through the road and only attack the Hu family's traitors?"
Xu Jingchang shook his head, "Your Majesty, Annan only became independent from the Central Plains at the end of the Tang Dynasty, and it did not last long. There are many aristocratic families in the country, and there are many tribes in the local area. Any court in this place is far less stable than the Central Plains Dynasty. Your Majesty sent troops to kill them.
The Hu family, without the local power to suppress it, will definitely become chaotic. When the time comes, they will no longer be able to move around, so they can only continue to invest in it and support the Chen Dynasty that cannot be supported. Annan will become the ulcer of the Ming Dynasty, bleeding endlessly, consuming wealth and soldiers
Horse, it’s definitely not worth the loss.”
Zhu Di weighed it in his mind. Xu Jingchang said that Annan was not only a Hu dynasty, but also had a lot of local forces, which were complicated. The problem could not be solved by solving the Hu dynasty.
This shocked Zhu Di deeply.
Secondly, if troops are sent here, it will be difficult to escape, and it will become an ulcer for the Ming Dynasty, which also makes Zhu Di worried.
"You said you can't send troops, so will your method work?"
Xu Jingchang said: "Your Majesty, I believe that in dealing with a place like Annan, the key is not to focus on who the king is. The real key is to have someone have the final say and establish order. We will do business with the Hu family and provide them with benefits and help.
They trained talents, gave them weapons, and helped them swallow up the scattered tribes and establish a truly unified political power. At this point, we can only have hope by directly annexing the Hu Dynasty."
Zhu Di said: "What do you mean, do you want to help Hu Chao?"
"No." Xu Jingchang said again: "What I mean is that the first step is to get money from Annan. If you want to make money, no matter what you do, you can't lose it!"
Xu Jingchang once again picked up his draft contract.
Like no other in Annan, food is abundant, especially in the coastal plain area, which is rich in food.
As long as the Ming Dynasty obtains a port and establishes a trade route, it will be able to obtain a steady stream of food. In addition to supplying the fleet going to the Western Ocean, it can also be sent back to the Ming Dynasty.
"Your Majesty, in fact, the national conditions in Annan mean that the Hu family cannot control the overall situation. As long as we enter, we can take advantage of their internal contradictions, manipulate them and make great profits. Even if the Hu family is unwilling to trade with us, they feel that selling food to us is a loss.
Now, they can't stop it. After all, if they block those families' financial path, these people will rise up, overthrow the Hu Dynasty, and replace them with another king."
"And as long as we control a stronghold, we can build a strong castle with its back to the sea. As long as we arrange one or two thousand people to defend the city, even tens of thousands of Annan soldiers and horses will not be able to break it. We can reinforce it at any time by sea.
At that time, it will be the main force of Annan that attacks us, instead of our hundreds of thousands of troops going all over the mountains and plains looking for the Annan people. This is especially critical. The money for these constructions and raising troops can be earned from Annan. Not only does it not need to use the national treasury, but it can also provide
Ming Dynasty provided a lot of food and enriched Ming Dynasty’s treasury.”
When Xu Jingchang introduced him here, Zhu Di couldn't help but be moved.
Zhu Gaochi next to him was even more impressed. His cousin's hand was really beautiful and impeccable.
In fact, it's not that the past dynasties have never thought of incorporating Annan into the territory, nor have they ever sent troops to fight. The problem is never how to break in. The trouble is how to hold on and how to use lower costs to control the territory.
It will not work no matter what, if a hundred thousand troops attack with great fanfare.
One of the most basic things in Xu Jingchang's thinking is not to burden the Ming Dynasty's treasury, and there is no need to invest too many troops.
Mainly focusing on commerce, making money first, and then eroding everything, the most important thing is to use local conflicts to cultivate forces close to the Ming Dynasty.
"Father, my sons and I think that what Duke Dingguo said is the right way to pursue the country. Those ministers who are in charge of the war have no regard for the national conditions of Annan, nor do they care about the difficulties of the national treasury. They also abandon their past opinions and are just warlike. I really don't know. What's your intention?"
Zhu Gaochi did not hesitate and launched an impeachment campaign against several ministers who were leading the battle.
Liu Jun, the Minister of War, also had an embarrassed look on his face... He thought that Zhu Di was in charge of the battle, and if he wanted to expand the territory and cater to the emperor, he would definitely succeed. But no matter what, he never expected that Xu Jingchang would take action and come up with a complete plan... It can not only make a fortune, but also annex Annan.
Not to mention whether you can do it in the end, but it is always right to make some money first.
After all, the Ming Dynasty was not well off. Zhu Di wanted to use troops, but he also wanted to use troops to the north to completely eliminate the threat of the Mongolian tribes. Using troops against Annan and other places was a small loss but a big loss. If the troops were lost and the generals were lost, it would not be worth it.
"Your Majesty, the Hu family has usurped the country, and Chen Tianping cried for mercy and help to restore the country. Instead of helping the Chen family, the Ming Dynasty actually helped the Hu family and his rebellious ministers. I am afraid that I will lose the hearts of the people!"
Zhu Di frowned and suddenly shouted angrily, "Who said the Hu family is a traitor? When did I say that? Could it be that you, Liu Shangshu, meant it?"
Liu Jun was trembling with fear, and his face changed too quickly, "Your Majesty, I don't dare. I don't have this intention. Please forgive me."
As he spoke, Liu Jun knelt on the ground and kowtowed.
He was really frightened. Not only did he offend the prince, but his majesty also turned against him. Now he was thinking about resigning as soon as possible.
Zhu Di pondered for a moment and did not say anything further. After all, he was also one of the main battlers.
"Send a message to the Duke of Guizhou and ask him to submit a copy of Annan's situation. He must be detailed and careful."
Zhu Di issued an edict and the officials dispersed.
Zhu Gaochi happily caught up with Xu Jingchang, "Brother, what you said this time is so good. If you listen to them, not only will you waste money and people, but you will also easily lose your troops. These guys keep saying they cherish fame and wealth and benevolent government... but something happened. It always adds to chaos and harms the country and the people."
Xu Jingchang smiled and said: "That's right, how to deal with vassal states, we can't listen to corrupt scholars like them. Because we put the interests of the Ming Dynasty first, when necessary, we need to deal with villains, and we have to abandon some who are uncooperative and worthless. Good people, this is something that their heads cannot understand. Therefore, they should avoid involving them in specific external affairs in the future. They only need to know who is good and who is bad. Of course, this good and bad is what we define."
