By the end of May, Cai Shusen's troops of the third division heading north had basically recovered the surrounding grassland tribes.
Even the Ejina Turgut Banner in the far west declared its allegiance to China.
This place is just north of Suzhou Prefecture in the westernmost part of the Hexi Corridor.
To the south of the Ejina Turgut Department, Zuo Jigao's army has also arrived here, and the forward troops have reached Anxi Prefecture.
There were not many battles in the process of conquering the attached steppe tribes.
On the one hand, Dong Shuheng transferred Yi Xin to help persuade various ministries to surrender, which played a great role.
On the other hand, it turned out that Inner Mongolia had been ravaged by the cavalry regiment that went north, and a large number of herders were swept away.
Later, a large number of young men were recruited by Seng Gelinqin.
At the end of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the population on the grasslands was much smaller than before. It has to be said that the Manchu Qing Dynasty was the most successful in ruling the grasslands among all dynasties.
Now, the entire enclosed grassland tribe has been severely weakened and seriously lacks combat effectiveness.
In addition, the inner grassland system and the inland prefecture and county system are similar. They do not have unified leadership and can easily be defeated individually.
Dong Shuheng was not in a hurry to change the grassland system. He only sent civil affairs officials to each banner alliance to be responsible for trade and taxation, and established military fortresses at important locations. The original banner owners still controlled their own property and their herdsmen.
This is very similar to the way he treats landowners in the Central Plains. However, Dong Shuheng will give herders the option of free movement in the future.
Once this system is implemented, herders will have better choices in the future, and these flag owners will slowly evolve into ranchers.
For the benefit of the pasture, when no one is available, they will spend money to hire grazing workers, otherwise they would not be able to recruit people at all.
The development of productivity will inevitably affect production relations. The production model on the grassland has remained unchanged for thousands of years, but it is not without the possibility of change.
Dong Shuheng hopes that in the future, grassland areas will be operated as pastures.
This mode of operation facilitates the promotion of scientific grazing and is conducive to the protection of pastures.
However, Cai Shusen did not continue north to Mobei.
Because the envoy from the Lifanyuan who was sent to General Qingru of Ulia Sutai was bombarded back.
Qingru did not finish the matter, and the envoy at least came back alive. But this means that there is still a long way to go to peacefully solve the problem in Mobei.
Moreover, the Third Division was exhausted from continuous combat marches. Cai Shusen's troops were unable to boast of crossing the desert and marching to Mobei.
The 1st Cavalry Brigade in Kyaktu did not move, but the 1st Cavalry Brigade alone could not solve the problem in Mobei by relying solely on force.
Mobei is too big, and the major tribes are scattered over a vast area. If we play hide and seek with the Renaissance Army, the war will not end in a short time.
Will Tsarist Russia give the Baath Army that much time?
Qingru's plan was known to everyone on the road.
He felt that he was unable to fight against the Renaissance Army. The entire Manchu Qing Dynasty collapsed in an instant, let alone the desolate Mobei grassland.
But Qingru also had his own support, which was Tsarist Russia in the north.
Tsarist Russia has always coveted the Mobei grassland. Their caravans and Orthodox missionaries are often active on the grassland.
Qingru naturally knew about it, but he had just taken office and had not had much contact with these people. However, the subordinate officials of the General's Mansion had many contacts with people from Tsarist Russia.
Since the destruction of Junggar and the pacification of Amursana during the Qianlong period, Deputy General Dingbian Zuo has become the resident minister in charge of the affairs of the four Khalkha tribes, Khovd and Tangnu Ulianghai. Because he is permanently stationed in Uliasutai
, also known as General Ulyasutai.
This is Qingru’s current position.
However, in the 26th year of Qianlong's reign (1761), the Minister of Affairs of Kulun was appointed, and the civil affairs of the Tushetu Khan Department and the Chechen Khan Department were managed by the Minister of Affairs of Kulun.
In the same year, the Councilor and Minister of Khovd was appointed to manage the Khovd area.
After that, General Ulyasutai still supervised the civil affairs of the Seyinnoyan tribe, the second division of the Zasak Tuhan tribe, and Tangnu Ulianghai, and took charge of the four Khalkha tribes, Tangnu Ulianghai and Khovd.
Mongolian soldiers.
In other words, Qingru does not have the final say in the huge Mobei alone.
If he wants to go it alone, he must also get Minister Cullen and Counselor Khovd.
So Qingru sent two teams, one team went north to look for Tsarist Russia to lend troops and seek help.
In addition, we went all the way to various places in Mobei to seek support from various ministries in Mobei.
Qingru is obviously a sensible person, or there are experts around him to help him.
His handling method is very comprehensive.
But they only missed the old monk in Kulun Temple.
The old monk really has no sense of existence at ordinary times. He seems to prefer to exist in the hearts of the herdsmen.
He rarely interfered with military and political affairs, so the big shots on the grassland easily ignored him.
However, no one can ignore his influence.
Lama Ashingdali Gyatso came from Qinghai and is the current Zasaktu Lama. Although he is only in charge of the Kulun Lama Banner in name, in fact, his influence is far less than this time.
All the Yellow Sect temples on the grasslands north of Qinghai have to obey his orders, because he controls the three major temples in Kulun, and the three major temples are the holy places of the Gelug Sect of the Yellow Sect all over the Mongolian grasslands.
On the grassland in May and June, the weather changes drastically.
It was sunny at first, but soon dark clouds seemed to spread over the grassland.
It's like emerging from the ground.
On the vast grassland, a motorcade drove slowly north along the official road.
After passing the Gobi Desert and entering the grassland area, the surrounding area became a green sea.
As far as the eye can see are green grass and small flowers of various colors.
Occasionally, you can see sheep grazing leisurely, and wild yellow sheep hiding in the trees.
There were hundreds of fully armed cavalry in front and behind the convoy guarding the convoy.
There are two strange-looking carriages at the front and rear. The wheels of these two carriages are larger and have been reinforced.
The roof of the car is covered with light green canvas, and outsiders cannot see what is under the canvas.
In fact, underneath the canvas is an inner lining covered with iron sheets, which can block the attacks of bows, arrows and muskets.
The rear of the car is open, and a piece of canvas hangs there, blocking the view so that people outside can't see clearly what's inside.
There were only three passengers in the huge carriage. At the rear of the carriage was a revolving machine gun from the Renaissance Army. It had a metallic sheen.
On the front of the carriage were neatly stacked boxes of bullets.
Each horse was found to contain more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition.
Three passengers, a primary shooter, an assistant shooter, and a loader.
This is a chariot team, and of course there is a carriage driver.
The modified carriage is modeled after the large carriage used by Mongolian herders to migrate, specifically to adapt to the terrain conditions on the grassland.
Chariots and cavalry are the two major weapons of the Renaissance Army in fighting on the grasslands.
Sitting in his luxurious carriage, Qi Bin had some doubts about whether he was here to be a lobbyist or to fight.
He carefully estimated that he could probably defeat Cullen just by relying on the few hundred men in his hands.
However, his goal is not Cullen, but to make the four Khalkha tribes take the lead in falling to the Renaissance Army.
When the time comes, the troops will enter Ulyasutai and then control the Outer Mongolian grassland.
What is gratifying is that Lama Ashindali Gyatso has agreed to meet Qi Bin.
This news came from the Intelligence Department from Culun. At the same time, Qi Bin also knew that Qingru was connecting with others, trying to unite the various ministries in Mobei for independence.
"Battle Commander Zhang, please ask the team to speed up. We will arrive in Kulun today." Qi Bin asked someone to call Zhang Menglong, the guard battalion commander in charge of security work.
This battalion was transferred from the guard regiment by Dong Shuheng and was specifically responsible for the safety of the envoy led by Qi Bin. Of course, it could also be used as a knife when needed.
Just last night, when the convoy was camping, it was suddenly attacked by more than a thousand Mongolian cavalry.
As a result, the Guards did not even use rotating machine guns, but only used rifle volleys to successfully repel this group of enemies.
The group abandoned hundreds of corpses and fled in a hurry.
They looked like ordinary herdsmen. Because it was dark, the guards did not pursue them and did not catch them.
Kulun is a city composed of temples. The three major temples, Xingyuan Temple, Xiangjiao Temple, and Fuyuan Temple, are located in Kulun, forming a huge building complex.
It is rare to see so many buildings on the grassland.
Along the way, Qi Bin saw mostly simple yurts that were in dilapidated condition.
It turns out that life on the grassland is so difficult. This is Qi Bin’s first time to go to the grassland.
The vastness here made Qi Bin feel relaxed and his horizons opened.
The grassland in Mobei is obviously more difficult than the grassland in Monan, and the life of the herdsmen here is even more difficult.
Perhaps it is precisely because of such a difficult life that people here use religion to distract themselves from the pain in reality.
Lama Ashindali Gyatso, the living Buddha of the grassland and the speaker of the Yellow Sect in Mobei, personally received Qi Bin in Xingyuan Temple.
This temple is said to have been built during the Shunzhi period and is now nearly two hundred years old. Moreover, this temple has a total of ninety-nine and eighty-one halls.
Qi Bin met the great lama at his residence.
A cup of tea, this is what the Great Lama treats Qi Bin.
"Donor, you don't seem to be from the Central Plains." This great monk could also speak Manchu Mandarin. He seemed to see that Qi Bin was not from the Central Plains.
"Yes, Master, Qi Bin is from Japan, but now he is also from China." Qi Bin replied, clasping his hands together and bowing.
"The donor also believes in Buddhism?" the old monk said in a gentle tone.
"Practice Buddhism after middle age to hone your mind!" Qi Bin replied.
The old monk nodded and said no more.
"I came to Culun this time because I have something to ask you for help with." Seeing that the old monk was silent, Qi Bin could only explain his purpose.
"Oh, the poor monk can only chant sutras and recite Buddha's name. He can only help the benefactor resolve his knots. For other things, please forgive me that the poor monk is unable to do anything." The old monk was still trying to quarrel with Qi Bin.
"Master, let me tell you the confusion in my heart. Our Buddha is compassionate and saves all living beings. Hundreds of years ago, Buddhist temples were spread all over the Western Regions, from the north to the far north. But why are they now shrinking to the grasslands? All the herdsmen in the Western Regions have converted.
Orthodox or Catholic, the former Buddhist temples become churches. Is this what the master wants to see?" Seeing that the old monk had not let go, Qi Bin directly pointed out the current predicament of the Yellow Sect.
"Before I left Beijing, I heard our president say that the Rakshasa people have been expanding eastward for hundreds of years, compressing the living space of herdsmen. The original Far North all the way to the Ural Mountains were occupied by grassland herdsmen for fishing, hunting and nomadism.
place."
"The Orthodox monks followed their troops and forced the people there to change their faith."
After hearing this, the old monk's eyebrows trembled.
Now that his Zen skills are broken, there is no need for the old monk to continue to put on pretense.
"Donor, can you tell me about this new Lord of the Central Plains?" the old monk asked.
"Master, to be honest, two years ago, I had a hostile relationship with this master."
"But later I realized that I was acting like a chariot. He was different from many Han people in the Central Plains."
"For example, he believes that the Han people and other ethnic groups living in East Asia today should be counted as Chinese ethnic groups as long as they identify with Chinese culture. Everyone has black hair and yellow skin."
"So his ethnic views are different from many people. His mind is broader and more tolerant. He will hate the Rakshasa people, but he does not hate the Mongols."
"Donor, as a Japanese, why do you want to follow the Lord of the Central Plains?"
Although the old monk was old, his eyes were very bright, and Qi Bin felt that he could see through his mind.
"Because I agree with his goal, he wants to expand the living space of Chinese people. Our living space in Japan is very narrow. I hope to follow the strong and get a free ride on China's expansion."
"Master, our president has said that the land in the north is very vast. Although the environment is harsh, it is rich in resources."
"Herdsmen's life is difficult now because they can only use the water and grass on the grassland, but cannot use the treasures underground."
"If the herdsmen join the Chinese people, they will definitely be able to live a life of food and clothing."
"Moreover, our president feels that the bitter cold in the north makes people's hearts prone to evil spirits. The teachings of the Gelug sect can help people calm down this evil spirit. Therefore, the president will support the spread of the Gelug sect in the grasslands."
Hearing this, the old monk's eyes lit up.
"If this Lord of the Central Plains can really make the Yellow Sect of the Gelug Sect flourish, then I will help him even if I go to Abi Hell." Lama Ashindali Gyatso thought in his mind.
Buddhism was also expansionist when it was first founded, but later the sect became too divided and fell into internal strife.
Lama Ashindali Gyatso has been worshiping Buddha all his life. If he still has any obsession, it must be to carry forward his Gelug sect.
The teachings of many religions have content that makes people transcend and become open-minded. This is because this can indeed alleviate people's psychological pain.
However, religion as an individual has the basic characteristics of biological individuals, which is expansion and continuity.
This may be the basic condition for the existence of religion. Those religions that do not have such characteristics may have been nearly annihilated in the long river of history.