Zhu Youxiao carefully studied the distribution location of these merchants and the local conditions, and finally decided to start with Zhangjiakou, the largest trade market in the north.
Zhangjiakou can be said to be the lifeline of the Monan Mongolian and Tumut Mongolian tribes, and it is also an important way for domestic businessmen to make a lot of money.
The Ming Dynasty opened a total of four areas in the northern border for official mutual trade with various Mongolian ministries, namely Xinpingbao, Shoukoubao, Deshengbao and Zhangjiakou.
Among them, Zhangjiakou is the most important mutual trade area between the two sides, because only here among the four areas is open year-round and is not affected by the war.
The other three areas are only open once a year, for one month at a time. In other words, they are only open for a limited time during large-scale mutual market cycles defined by the court, and are closed at other times.
It is precisely because Zhangjiakou is stable and has official support from the court that it has attracted countless businessmen.
Zhangjiakou was originally just a small military fortress, but due to mutual trade, the economic development here was astonishingly fast.
From a shabby little fort, it has become the most prosperous and commercially developed city in the entire northern border.
As long as there is a businessman here, there is no one who does not make money, and there is no such thing as a loss.
And such a profitable place is except for the large-scale mutual market held once a year.
In normal trade, the court could not get any benefits at all, the treasury's revenue did not increase at all, and sometimes it even had to repay the money, which is simply an endless irony.
If Zhangjiakou can be brought under control, it will not only hit these black-hearted and unscrupulous businessmen in China.
It can also directly influence the various Mongolian ministries outside the customs, and you can also make a fortune yourself.
If their crimes are made public, it can also increase the reputation of the court and the good impression and reputation of the emperor in the hearts of the people.
As long as it goes as smoothly as he expected, Zhangjiakou's wealth and income will definitely shock him.
Basically, in the entire north, those with a certain background and strength have opened shops here, or have caravans going back and forth, and trade with the Mongols.
Even many officials and courtiers in the court who usually pretended to be cool were more or less involved in it, reselling grain, iron and other materials to the Mongols.
There are even some greedy and dissatisfied nobles who are more or less involved and collude with those businessmen.
This time, he was going to catch them all by surprise.
It doesn’t matter who you are or what your background is. Anyone operating in Zhangjiakou will be inspected.
Anyway, these are the money they plundered from the people. It is natural for them to take it back without any feeling of guilt.
In a place like this, those truly conscientious, patriotic, and righteous businessmen will basically not do business in a mixed-race area like Zhangjiakou.
Therefore, there is no chance of wrongful killing. Even if there is, the chance is very small. Maybe one or two of a hundred companies will lose such a situation.
Because the capital was close to Zhangjiakou, Zhu Youxiao wanted to go out in person to direct this vigorous operation to eliminate profiteers in the north.
Zhangjiakou is next to Xuanzhen, and Zhu Youxiao has already issued an order to Mangui, asking him to cooperate with all Ma Xianglin's actions.
During this period, the civil servants and military officers in Xuan Town must be closely monitored to ensure that nothing goes wrong.
He also asked him to send cavalry to join forces with Ma Xianglin's army to surround and block all the entrances and exits of Zhangjiakou. During this period, anyone who came out of Zhangjiakou would be arrested, no matter who they were.
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At the same time in Zhangjiakou, Ma Xianglin's banner had been inserted in the most conspicuous place.
Inside the city wall, armored soldiers with their swords drawn could be seen everywhere, and some soldiers' long knives were still dripping with scarlet blood.
Within the walled city, shouts of killing could be heard from time to time, but they soon subsided.
"Don't move around. Everyone, put your hands on your head and squat down, otherwise I will keep you alive for a breath!"
A man wearing a general's armor rode up and down the street on a war horse, shouting and yelling repeatedly.
The saber in his hand flashed unabashedly in the corner of these people's eyes.
On both sides of the street, there were sergeants with swords and guns, staring at every corner of their field of vision with murderous looks on their faces.
The people who were scolded and squatting on the ground were all dressed in different clothes. Some were wearing silk and satin, some were dressed as literati and Confucian scholars, and some were also wearing coarse clothes and rags.
The closer to the central area of the walled city, the louder the sound of soldiers and armor.
Ma Xianglin had no idea that these people would dare to confront the imperial court. It seemed that what His Majesty said was indeed correct.
These businessmen look harmless, but in fact, they have so much power and courage behind them.
Among the people fighting against him, Ma Xianglin even saw border troops among them, which was really unbelievable.
He originally thought that His Majesty was making a fuss out of a molehill. As long as the army arrived, wouldn't everything be solved?
But before he entered the Zhangjiakou Walled City, he was blocked by an official and a group of soldiers.
I repeatedly asked myself, what is the purpose of bringing so many soldiers here?
Ma Xianglin originally wanted to muddle through, but he didn't expect the civil servant to insist on asking questions.
If you don't explain why you came, you won't let him go at all.
Ma Xianglin took out the imperial edict, and the civil servants did not dare to disobey the imperial order, but he played a trick and secretly sent someone back to report the news.
Ma Xianglin made a quick decision, drew his saber and chopped down the noisy civil servant, and then led the cavalry directly towards Zhangjiakou.
When he arrived at the walled city of Zhangjiakou, he encountered the same problem.
Ma Xianglin immediately took out the emperor's imperial edict and ordered them to open the door immediately.
After the city gate was opened, Ma Xianglin, fearing something might happen, personally led his sergeants to control the city gate, and hundreds of elite cavalry swarmed in.
After entering the city, Ma Xianglin personally took control of the Zhangjiakou military camp with more than a hundred elite cavalry, and confiscated all the weapons and armor of the more than a thousand sergeants inside.
The people in the walled city had no idea what was happening. They only saw groups of cavalry that they had never seen before, galloping through the streets.
After the cavalry controlled the city gates everywhere, Ma Xianglin evacuated all Zhangjiakou officials to the military camp.
But the most important sub-defensive general was nowhere to be found. According to the defenders of Zhangjiakou, they had not seen their general in nearly ten days.
Ma Xianglin had no patience to wait any longer and quickly read out the emperor's imperial edict in front of the officials.