After finishing writing the letter to Huang Zhiting, it was already late, so Gao Pragmatic was ready to go to bed. He had just taken off his clothes and lay down on the bed. The quilt had not even warmed up when he suddenly heard someone calling "Master" from outside.
The voice calling him was a male voice, not a maid, so Gao pragmatically sat up quickly and immediately put on his clothes and got out of bed - if it was a maid, it would usually be no big deal, but if it was a servant, it would not be a big deal.
Since he is now married, even though his wife is not in Yanjing, the rules of a wealthy family will not be broken. Except for the special case of Gao Mo, no male servants usually come to the backyard, even if Gao Mo comes.
, and must be accompanied by a maid to see him.
It was almost midnight, and a male servant came to the backyard to look for him. It must be no small matter.
There was some noise downstairs at first, but Gao Qinggong could only faintly hear a few words upstairs. It was probably the maid in the backyard scolding the servant for not knowing the rules and daring to enter the backyard in the middle of the night. Listening to the voice, it seemed to be Huang Zhiting's maid who stayed in Yanjing.
It is said that he also knows some martial arts, but Gao Pragmatic has never seen it with his own eyes - and he is not that interested.
Even in the Zhuangyuan Dynasty in Zhaohui Jinggongfang, the servant escort team left almost two hundred people to guard the inside and outside. If there is still a situation where the maid Huang Zhiting needs to go into battle to protect himself, then there is no way to save him.
Spring had just begun and it was still very cold in Yanjing City. Gao Pragmatic just put on a coat casually and did not go downstairs immediately. Instead, he opened the window and looked down. Sure enough, he saw several maids and several servants downstairs in the small building.
"Confrontation". The maids believed that this was the inner courtyard. They showed no weakness in the face of several tall escort servants, and scolded them all.
Gao Pingshi listened to a few words, generally reproaching them for not disturbing the master's rest. He smiled helplessly, and then shouted loudly from upstairs: "What's the fuss about?"
"Master, these people said they had something to do and asked to see the master. Sister Xiaolan asked them to come back tomorrow morning. They couldn't wait, so they barged in..."
Upon hearing this, Gao pragmatic knew that the maids were going to complain, and he quickly waved his hands and said: "We'll talk about this later - why do you have to see me now?" The latter sentence was obviously addressed to several servants.
The three servants standing in front quickly moved aside, revealing another person hidden in the dark behind them. It seemed that that person had something to say.
Gao Pragmatic's eyes were neither bad nor bad. Although he couldn't see the man's appearance clearly in the night, he could tell at a glance that his clothes were wrong - the clothes of the servant escort were brown shorts, while the visitor was wearing brown trousers.
This is a riding style.
The visitor was supported by two bodyguards on the shoulders. He seemed to be a little weak. It wasn't until he saw Gao Pragmatic that he perked up and said as loudly as possible in a hoarse voice: "Master, something big happened in Gansu. Mr. Cao is the eighth."
Baili sent the secret letter in such a hurry that even the Ministry of Internal Affairs had time to report..."
Gao Pangshi still doesn't know what the big event is, but he is very clear about the concept of eight-hundred-mile expedited service within Jinghua.
Don't watch movies and TV shows where even the most important things are "eight hundred miles urgent". In fact, that is generally impossible to be true. In fact, in the Tang Dynasty, the highest express delivery was five hundred miles a day. Due to the huge post station system in the Ming Dynasty,
And complete, so it has been improved a bit, reaching a maximum of six hundred miles. The real so-called "eight hundred miles expedited", current research has proved that it probably happened during the Taiping Rebellion during the Xianfeng period of the Qing Dynasty.
In fact, if you think about it, you will know that Dai Zong, the "divine walking Taibao" created by Shi Naian in "Water Margin", is nothing more than the so-called "walking eight hundred miles a day". In connection with "Water Margin" itself, it belongs to the nature of ancient "high martial arts"
Judging from the novel, eight hundred miles is the ultimate speed imagined by the ancients in a non-mythical system. How can it be so easy to achieve, and why do you always rush to eight hundred miles to speed up?
The Ming Dynasty's six-hundred-mile express is already very powerful! That is to say, Jinghua has neither horses nor good riders, so it can create this eight-hundred-mile express. However, in fact, it has only been used a few times until now.
, I can count them on one hand.
According to Gao Pragmatic's own regulations, the eight hundred miles of express delivery can be delivered directly to him at any time, and he can even skip reporting to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which is why today's announcement was made.
"You guys, bring him up to talk." Gao pragmatically ordered, paused, and then told the maid downstairs: "Go and see if there is any hot water, and prepare some warm tea for him. It can't be cold or cold.
hot."
The maids were naturally not happy after hearing this, but the master's words were equivalent to heaven's decree, so they had no choice but to obey and leave. Before leaving, a maid deliberately made a fierce look and lowered her voice to warn several people: "Although the master asked you to
Go in, but if you dirty the inside, I will definitely settle the score with you tomorrow!"
The servants did not dare to offend the maids around the master, so they had to apologize and say that they must be careful.
Gao Jingshi didn't hear this. He went back to get dressed. Now that the maids were all downstairs, he had to do it himself.
After getting dressed, I walked from the bedroom to the study. Several servants were already standing there helplessly, two of them holding the knight.
Gao pragmatically took a look and was shocked. He was originally thinking that Riding Ding was running on his way and he was not running on two legs. How could it be as if he had lost strength? It turned out that Riding Ding's trouser legs were worn out on his thighs, and his inner thighs were worn out.
You can even see blood stains.
It's winter, what kind of rush will you have to do to end up like this?
Gao Pangshi quickly pointed to the chair next to him and scolded: "Help him sit down, what else do I need to say?"
The servants did not dare to say that they had been warned just now, but they did not dare to refute the master's words, so they had no choice but to hurriedly apologize and help the knight sit down.
At this time, Riding tremblingly pulled out an extremely tightly sealed letter from his riding boots, and handed it to Gao Pangshi tremblingly. He opened his mouth, but could not speak.
Gao Pragmatic did not open the secret letter immediately, but nodded to him: "Thank you for your hard work. When Gao Mo contacts you later, tell him that he will just say what I said and I will give you a first-class merit.
"
The cavalryman immediately struggled to kneel down. Gao Qingshi stretched out his hand to hold him down and said: "No need to thank me, just sit down and rest. If I don't have anything to ask you after I finish reading, you can go down and rest. There is no need to go anywhere else."
As for the place, just go to the guest room in the front yard.”
The servant was even more grateful, but his throat was so smokey that he couldn't speak, so he had to nod vigorously.
Gao pragmatically smiled at him comfortingly, then walked back to the desk and sat down, checking the paint and opening the seal.
This sealed letter was sent from Xi'an. Judging from the handwriting and seal, it must be Cao Gan's own handwriting.
Gao Pingshi was relatively calm when he came here before, but after reading a few lines, his expression changed. He even gasped when he read the last line, and then hurriedly read it again to confirm. He didn't even notice that the maid brought warm water to the knight.
.
He took a deep breath and asked: "Besides the secret letter, are there any oral messages to be conveyed along the way?"
The rider quickly put down the water and shook his head vigorously.
Gao pragmatic waved his hand, indicating that he should continue drinking, then stood up and said to the other servants: "When he finishes drinking, you can send him to the front yard to rest." Then he ignored them, went downstairs, and went to the front yard first.
.
When they arrived at the front yard, Gao Jingshi realized that the front yard had been alarmed for a long time. Some servants on duty from the escort team immediately gathered around. Gao Jingshi randomly named someone and said: "Find a few people and take my name..."
At this point, he suddenly hesitated again, paused, and then said slowly: "Go to the house of Mr. Wu Ge and Da Sima, and tell them that I have something important to do. I will see them tonight and ask them to come over."
A brief introduction to the government."
The servants were about to go their separate ways, but unexpectedly Gao Pragmatic said again: "Send someone else out of the city and ask Gao Mo to come into the city immediately to meet me."
Not only did the Ming Dynasty have a curfew, but the city gates were closed at night. Zhang Juzheng, who held a high position as an assistant minister at that time, was deceived by Gao Jingzheng.
However, Zhang Juzheng was very pragmatic and had already prepared for it, which made it difficult for him to use his elder status. In fact, the current rules are much more relaxed than those in the early Ming Dynasty, especially in normal times, they are not so strict.
At least, it would not be difficult for him, Gao Mo, to send people out of the city, and Gao Mo would not encounter much trouble if he wanted to enter the city.
It is not for nothing that money can connect to the gods. If it cannot, it just means that the money has not been given enough.
What happened that caused Gao Pangshi to notify Wu Dui and Liang Menglong to meet him in the middle of the night?
To put it simply: Xining City is lost.
Yes, this later capital of Qinghai Province, an important western place that was as stable as Mount Tai in its original history, was actually lost this time.
Losing Xining is already a big deal, but what is even more serious is that the loss of Xining this time has something to do with Jinghua.
The Xining area borders Qinlong to the east, the Western Regions to the west, Shu and Tibet to the south, and Ganliang to the north. It has always been an eye-catching strategic location and a key business area for successive dynasties.
In the first year of Hongwu (1368), the Ming Dynasty was established, and Emperor Shun of the Yuan Dynasty abandoned most of his capital and fled north. Although the Yuan Dynasty fell, the Khan's court retreated to Mobei and still maintained a considerable military force, facing the Ming Dynasty from a distance.
In order to better control the Western Fans and strengthen the military defense of the northwest, the Ming Dynasty established the Western Fan Guards in the "Guanlong Fanhan" line of He, Huang, Tao and Min to protect against the Mongols and use the military guard system to manage them.
Military and civilian affairs in the border guard area. The Ming Dynasty established the Xining Guard in the fifth year of Hongwu (1372) to strengthen military defense and political control over the area, further stabilizing and consolidating the stability of the western frontier, and became a key component of the Ming Dynasty's frontier security system.
important pillar.
"The martial arts of the Ming Dynasty determined the world and revolutionized the old system. From the capital to the counties and counties, they all established guard posts." In the winter of the fifth year of Hongwu (1372), the Xining Guard was set up. From a geographical point of view, the Xining Guard in the Ming Dynasty was under the jurisdiction of "Zhuangzhuang in the east"
Lang reaches Xishixia in the west, then leaves the Great Wall in the west to the hometown of Handong Wei, borders Datong River in the north, 400 miles to the southeast, and merges with the Hezhou boundary, 600 miles to the northeast, to Gulang City, and 1,500 miles to the southwest.
Arrive at the homeland of Anding Guard; 600 miles to the northwest, connect with Yongchang Guard; 2,300 miles east to the Chief Secretary of Shaanxi Province, and there are the ancient Xiping, Ledu, Xihai, and the land of watering rivers, where the fifteen tribes live, still
"As ancillary".
In terms of construction, Xining Guards was initially under the control of the Shaanxi Dusi. In the eleventh year of Hongwu (1378), it was transferred to the Shaanxi Xingdusi. In the late Ming Dynasty, it was controlled by the Gansu Chief Military Officer and the Gansu Governor. The Ming Dynasty regarded Xining as "the important land of Western Yi"
", "Hexi Giant Town", Geng Bingwen, the Marquis of Changxing during the Hongwu Period, commanded troops to garrison Xining Guards.
During the reign of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, garrison officers were placed in Xining Guards, who were served by the governor of the Right Army Dudu Mansion or the commander of Shaanxi Xingdu Sidu. In the eighth year of Chenghua, the garrison officers were replaced with separate garrison guards. In the 31st year of Jiajing, the garrison officers were replaced with separate garrison generals.
, during the Wanli period, the deputy commander-in-chief of the cooperative defense was appointed.
In addition, in the first year of Hongzhi (1488), the Ming court established the Xining Military Preparation Road, which was in charge of the affairs of ethnic minorities along the border.
The preparation officer (mostly appointed by the deputy envoy of the Shaanxi Envoy Department) is stationed in Xining Guard, serving both military and political affairs, and has a prominent position.
The Xining Guard has one commander, seven commanders, and seven commanders. Each subordinate has one governor, one experienced governor, and one governor. Each post has the posts of Chief Thousand Households, Deputy Thousand Households, and Town Governors. Civil service
Handled by the Experience Department.
Along with the establishment of the Xining Guard, the local military official system was established one after another. "In the Ming Dynasty, the capital was set up to lead the guard post, and the generals and generals were set up to conduct guerrilla and garrison operations. They were also responsible for the administration of offense and defense. They were also responsible for the constitutional ministers and the censors for supervision.
It is governed by the capital constitution and unified by the general system."
Xining area "set up one member of the local general military officer to guard Xining and other places; one member of the Chinese guerrillas in the middle camp, one member of the central army's headquarters; one member of the left camp guerrillas; one member of the Chinese army garrison; one member of the right camp guerrillas; and one member of the Titang garrison
"One member". The battalion is set up with "one member of the Chinese army, three thousand officers, six sentry officers, and two firearms officers. Under guerrilla control, there is one Chinese army officer, two thousand officers, and two officers. Under garrison, there are one officer and one officer.
Take the total one."
In addition, the defense officer centered on the defense and defended in four directions, so I won’t go into details here.
The officers and soldiers of the guard station were inspected in batches and sent out to garrison. Their main tasks were to guard the city, defend against barbarians, and prepare to contain thieves.
The Xining Guard is somewhat similar to the Liaodong area where Gao Jingshi once served. They are governed by both military and civilians. They govern Xining, Nianbo, Zhenhai, Beichuan, Nanchuan, and Gushan with 6,000 households. They also command the "Four Guards Outside the Great Wall" - that is, Hongwu
Eight years later (1375), the Ding, Aduan, Quxian and Handong armies were successively established in the western part of the Qaidam Basin. They were all under his control. The reason was that "the power of the Western Fan became more and more powerful, and its power in the western border became weaker."
The policy strategy of "preventing troubles and having few troubles" maintained the ruling order of the Ming court here.
Xining Wei is an agency that also oversees local administration. It has four registered households, namely Bazhou, Hongya, Laoya and Sanchuan. It is managed by the Wei Experience Department and controls the surrounding Tibetan tribes (collectively known as the "Xining Thirteen Tribes" in the Ming Dynasty).
They also exercised the power of supervision. The leaders of the monks and laymen of each tribe "went to the Wei every year to celebrate the Longevity Festival, Zhengdan, and the Winter Solstice, and they also went to the Wei every month to listen and be restrained."
Among the officials at the guard command level, there are those who are responsible for "pacifying the barbarians". After the establishment of the Xining Military Preparation Road in the early days of Hongzhi, "pacifying the barbarians" was also an important responsibility of the deputy envoy.
The Xining Acropolis of the Ming Dynasty was roughly located in the center of Xining today (the North City Wall, the East City Wall, and the South City Wall are partially in ruins). Regarding the construction of Xining City in the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, Hongwu, Jiajing and even Wanli years all started construction
Start work.
There is no need to talk about the construction during the Hongwu and Jiajing years, but the construction during the Wanli period has to be mentioned.
In the third year of Wanli (1575), governors of the three sides, Shi Maohua, Minister of the Ministry of War, and Donglai, the censor of the governor's capital, built additional buildings on the grounds that "the earthen walls of Xining City were gradually crumbling, and the calendar has been worrying from time to time, but it has become tame and can be worried."
This project was built by the Xining Guard Deputy Envoys Ping Kangyu and Dong Ruhan, the sub-garrison commander Xiao Wenkui, and the Liangzhuang guerrilla governor Wu Yue led the army and civilians. This construction can be called a "brick-clad city", and its scale and solidity are unprecedented.
The inscription "Rebuilding the Xining Acropolis" written by Zhang Wenren, the counselor of Xining Guards, records the size of the city built this time.
This new Xining City has a converted circumference of 5,704 meters, a height of 15.3 meters, a bottom width of 16.65 meters, and a top width of 10 meters. It is larger than the ones in the Hongwu and Jiajing years of the Ming Dynasty.
This project "planned the situation, discussed the work force, used materials, divided the work, agreed on the schedule, and applied for laws and regulations." It mobilized a large number of troops and mobilized a lot of financial, material and manpower. After the city was built, there were buildings, oars, pavilions, poles, and tools.
If it is not refined, it will be as bright as a wing, solid and beautiful.
Just like this, Xining New City, which was newly built only a little over ten years ago, was unexpectedly attacked by the Qinghai Tumut Special Forces very suddenly.
Originally this was a military matter for the imperial court and had nothing to do with Cao Gan, the big boss of Jinghua Trading Company. However, he told Gao Jingshi in a secret letter that Brother Huo Luochi, the leader of Qinghai Tumote, probably relied on Jinghua's gunpowder to explode.
He opened the city wall of Xining and conquered Xining in one fell swoop.
This matter has to start with Jinghua Mining.
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