The Daning Guards walked south-west for about 1,300 miles, passing through Taipusi Banner and Zhangjiakou on the Mongolian grassland, and reached Peiping. King Yan's team left Daningwei and meandered southward.
It's still only October, but the grassland is already frosty and dewy, making it quite chilly. The north wind is bleak, the grass and trees are all withered and yellow, the high and vast sky is like a dome, and the clouds are too high to reach. From time to time, flocks of wild geese chirp and pass overhead in formation, "the wind blows away the autumn geese thousands of miles away", which makes people feel the vastness of the world.
Zhu Di used the local garrison for his expedition. He was accompanied by only more than a hundred soldiers from the royal palace. Three servants, including Ma Sanbao, Wang Jinghong and Hou Xian, led the soldiers on horseback. There was no luggage, so it was very light. A carriage was arranged for Lianhua, and Zhien sat with her. Lianhua felt bored, so she rode Xiaoxue and Zhu Di side by side.
The soldiers have been familiar with her since they were in the desert. They have regarded Lotus as a fairy since the mirage incident. It is not surprising to see her riding a horse. However, those who are familiar with the story of sandstorms can't help but laugh when they think of the incident that frightened the horse that day.
Zhien came to the grassland for the first time and was amazed by the vastness of the grassland. He often sat on the shaft of the car and looked around curiously with his dark eyes. When they see wild geese, wild birds, or even wild flowers, they shout in surprise. The one who shouts the most is "Master Wang!"
The last time Wang Jinghong went to Seoul to deliver a message, "Master Wang" became synonymous with the blue sky in the minds of the North Korean people. Before Zhien set off, the princess and Mrs. Cao repeatedly told her to find "Master Wang" after arriving at Daningwei in the Celestial Dynasty, so "Master Wang" was already deeply ingrained in Zhien's mind. Wang Jinghong also had a special affinity with Zhien. He was an old man who was usually very serious about his speech and could express his emotions and anger. But when he saw Zhien, his face lit up with smiles. The two of them, one big and one small, could not finish talking. Really popular people.
Zhu Di has his sweetheart by his side and sees her smiling face all the time. Although he knows that there will not be many days together, he still feels overflowing with happiness. The two of them chatted and laughed while riding. The scenery in Saibei became beautiful for the first time in Zhu Di's eyes, and he wished that this road would never be completed.
Occasionally, scattered yurts can be seen on the grassland. Lianhua asked curiously: "Which tribe do these belong to, and why are they solitary? It's already late autumn. What should I do if I can't graze in winter?"
Zhu Di explained with a smile: "There are several large tribes such as Harqin, Wengniute and Chahar in this area. However, the nomadic people live from grass to grass. Even if they belong to a tribe, they usually live in families around a water source and The grasslands live on their own, and they are not too far apart. When there is a big event in the tribe, the tribal leader will call everyone together. In spring and summer, they herd sheep and horses, and they will store hay food, and in autumn and winter, they will live on storage."
Lianhua opened her eyes wide and sighed: "It's really not easy. Isn't this just like having no fixed place to live?"
Zhu Di said: "Yes, the nomadic life is boring and hard. After hard work, you can only get enough food and clothing. Families with few animals can't even talk about food and clothing. They are much more miserable than farmers in the Central Plains. Mongolians in this area , and the same goes for Xianbei, Khitan, Turk, Xiongnu, Wuheng and Kumoxi."
Lianhua asked: "What about the other daily necessities of the herdsmen? Where are they traded?"
Zhu Di said: "There are no fixed trading channels. If you are lucky, you can exchange some with merchants in the Central Plains, but often you can't. Clothing can wait, or it is common for a piece of clothing to be worn until death. But salt and so on If these necessities cannot be exchanged, they will become anxious, and sometimes the herdsmen will just ride their horses to rob them. Therefore, robberies often occur at the border."
"Plunder?" Lianhua was surprised.
Zhu Di nodded and said: "Yes, it is blatant robbery. The scale of the robbery varies. When there are many herders, hundreds of herdsmen gather together and rush into the Han villages to grab clothes, salt, seasonings, silver and tea leaves. The village wants to protect itself. , began to spontaneously organize armed forces, the hostility between the two parties became more and more intense, the herdsmen began to carry knives, and the villages also prepared their own weapons, and when they actually started fighting, it was almost like a war."
Lianhua asked puzzledly: "Why doesn't the imperial court set up a trading place? There must still be a market for the horses, cattle and sheep of the herdsmen. Even if the merchants can make a small profit, it will be a good thing for the people on both sides."
Zhu Di sighed: "It's easier said than done! I have submitted several memorials to this matter, but not only my father and emperor were opposed to it, but the ministers in the court also thought that there was no need to condescend to seek benefits for the Yi and Di. The war in northern Xinjiang continued this year, and the court regarded Mongolia as a great power. It is impossible to fight against our enemy, so how can we trade with them?"
Lianhua thought of the struggle she had in her heart that night in Checheer Mountain. In fact, what did the Mongolian herdsmen deserve? There are also the herdsmen of the Xianbei, Khitan, Turks, Xiongnu, Wuheng and Kumoxi ethnic groups. Aren't they just common people like the people of the Celestial Dynasty and North Korea
Thinking of this, Lianhua turned her head and said to Zhu Di: "We Buddhist disciples all believe that all living beings are equal. The Chang Agama Sutra says, 'At that time, there were no men and women, no superiority and inferiority, no superiority and inferiority, no different names, all living beings coexist in the world, so they are called all living beings.' Even if the Buddha , is just a member of all living beings, including herdsmen of course.”
Zhu Di glanced at her appreciatively and said: "Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, once said, 'Since ancient times, all people have valued China and despised the barbarians, but I have loved them all.' How confident he was at this time! A truly powerful family should have the tolerance to embrace all rivers. . Only when the nation is weak will it have a petty national sentiment."
As he was talking, there was a faint sound of horse hooves. When Zhu Di looked intently, he saw a group of galloping horses coming towards the end of the grassland in the distance. Hou Xian, who was walking at the front, raised his right hand and shouted: "Get ready!" All the horses stopped, and the soldiers stood upright and quickly took out their weapons. Everyone looked forward motionless, waves of murderous intent filling the air. The wild birds in the grass were frightened and flew away. Zhien had been driven into the carriage by Wang Jinghong. He secretly opened the corner of the carriage curtain and looked out, his dark eyes shining with curiosity and nervousness.
Zhu Di took the reins and the green horse stood in front of Xiaoxue. Ma Sanbao and Wang Jinghong rode their horses to stand beside King Yan.
At this time, the people on the horses were running and shouting: "King Yan! King Yan!"
Following everyone's doubtful glances, the galloping horse had already arrived in front of them. There were about twenty or thirty people, and they jumped off their horses from a long way away and knelt on the ground to salute King Yan.
Hou Xian did not move and was still waiting with his soldiers; Ma Sanbao and Wang Jinghong also watched with vigilance.
The leader was a Mongolian young man, not tall but very strong, with a face the unique iron-red color of the grasslands. The sapphire blue robe must have been worn for a long time, and it was a little dark and shiny; a pair of riding boots were almost worn to the bottom. While saluting, he said loudly: "See King Yan! The younger one is from the Arutai tribe and has many skills. Please salute King Yan!"
Zhu Di thought for a while and said: "How many skills? Are you Boha's eldest son? Have you grown so big?" He raised his right hand slightly to indicate. Hou Xian and his soldiers put away their weapons, and their murderous intent gradually dissipated.
Shuerduo said: "Exactly. The last time I saw the prince was seven years ago."
Zhu Di recalled that, yes, seven years ago, he also went on an expedition and reached the Atai Mountain area where the Arutai tribe is located. The leader Boha later led the tribe to surrender. The two sides shook hands and talked happily.
Thinking of the past, Zhu Di couldn't help but smile: "Get up, everyone. Why are you here?" After saying that, he got off the green horse and stood talking to Shu'er. Ma Sanbao and Wang Jinghong stood behind.
Shu'erduo kowtowed again, stood up and said, "The news from Daning Guards is that the prince is returning to Peiping from Daning. I guessed that I would pass through this road, so I specially waited for the prince here. I waited for four days. I've really been waiting for it." He was overjoyed as he spoke.
Zhu Di knew that people from all ethnic groups in Daning Guard City were mixed, and many tribes specially sent spies to investigate in the city. It was not necessarily hostility, so he had to prepare for something in advance. He didn't care at the moment and smiled: "Did Boha ask you to come? Is he okay?"
Shu'er probably lowered his head and said, "Dad left last month."
Zhu Di was stunned: "Leaving?"
Shu'erduo said: "My father accidentally caught a cold that day and fell ill. He passed away within a few days of his illness." After a pause, he added, "I didn't suffer much."
Zhu Di said after a long while: "I remember that your father is about the same age as me... He likes Shaodaozi wine from the Central Plains the most. That night we drank Shaodaozi wine and kumiss together, and everyone was drunk." Zhu Di looked at the sky. The voice was low, as if he was talking to Shu'er, or mumbling to himself.
Everyone was silent and looked at Zhu Di.
After a long time, Zhu Di turned around and looked at Shuerduo and said, "Then you are the leader of the tribe now?"
Shu'erduo bowed and said, "Yes, my father ordered me to take over when he left, and the six elders also agreed."
Zhu Di nodded: "Is the tribe okay?"
Shu'erduo replied: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. There was a lot of rain this spring, the grass in summer is luxuriant, and the cattle and sheep are growing well." After a pause, he said, "My father asked me to thank King Yan. Last time I made a thorough decision." The more than 600 people repatriated by Ershan are now living well in the tribe, and they are all grateful to King Yan for his great kindness."
Zhu Di smiled and said: "Oh? How is the one named Haqi?" while recalling: "Is there also Houhuo? Nairhua?" Wang Jinghong helped recall: "Zhi Taoqi? Zanha?"
Shu'er replied with a smile: "Haqi and Chidaoqi both got married last month, and they married girls from the tribe. They said that when they give birth to a son, they will take him to kowtow to the prince. The others will soon follow. "
Zhu Di smiled and said: "Okay, then I have prepared a red envelope and am waiting."
Shu'er scratched his head naively and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, please don't be too nice to a few boys and spoil them all." He paused and said, "There are no good things in the tribe. These ten horses are worth thousands." Please don’t be dissatisfied with your choice of horses.”
Shuerduo said and waved his hand, and the man behind him led ten horses. Sure enough, all of them looked like good horses, with long limbs and strong waists, and the horses were shiny. He only had the bridle on and no saddle.
Zhu Di couldn't help being moved and walked up to Shuerduo: "Okay, I'll take these horses. Go back and toast me a glass of wine in front of your father's grave." Ma Sanbao was already standing aside with the wine bag, pulled out the cork and handed it to Zhu Di.
Zhu Di took a big sip and handed it to Shuerduo, who also took a big sip. Without waiting for instructions, Wang Jinghong took off all the wine bags on the carriage and handed them over to Shu Erduo's men. There were also some half-new robes and riding boots that were also handed over. When Lianhua saw it, she quickly took a few rolls of cloth, a few bags of salt and food from the car and put them together with Zhien. Shuerduo did not refuse, smiled and nodded in thanks. These things are all useful in the Mongolian tribes.
After a long time, Zhu Di looked at the sky and said to Shu'er: "It's getting late and we're on our way. You lead the tribe to live a good life. If you need anything, go to Peking to find me."
Shuerduo still held the wine bag in his hand, took another big sip and handed it to Zhu Di. Zhu Di took a sip and gave it back to Shuerduo, waving his hand for him to keep it. Shuerduo had tears in his eyes and took another sip.
The Mongolian behind him took out a bamboo slipper and started blowing it.
The sound of the bamboo flute is plain and sad. Wang Wei once wrote "The sad bamboo flute sheds tears on its dancing clothes" to describe the sadness of the Hu bamboo flute. Cai Wenji even wrote a long poem "Eighteen Beats of the Hu Jia" to describe her sadness and sadness of homesickness.
The Mongolians are not familiar with Qupai, but they are passionate and impassioned. At this time, they raised their heads and blew the music in the pale autumn sun. The sound of the music was particularly desolate, penetrating through the thin dusk and resounding through the sky. The wild geese flying south raised their necks and let out bursts of whining, echoing the sound of the whistle. The sound of bamboo pipes and the singing of wild geese are intertwined with each other, stirring in the vast grassland. The grass and trees lower their heads in sadness, and the birds hold their breaths.
Lotus listened, and Cai Wenji's poems floated through her mind one by one: "The wild geese are marching to the south to send their thoughts, and the wild geese are returning to the north to get the Chinese sound. The wild geese are flying high and the mountains are hard to find, and the hearts are broken and the thoughts are startling!"
Lianhua looked at Zhu Di's burly figure in the dusk from a distance, mist appeared in her eyes, and her eyes slowly blurred.
After Zhu Di ascended the throne, he indeed established tribute trade with Mongolia and other nomadic peoples. That is, the tribal missions maintained a certain frequency and scale according to the time and route specified by the court, and presented horses and livestock as tribute; the court rewarded the envoys sent by the tribal leaders with silver, silk, textiles and other Central Plains products, which was actually a high price paid by the court. Collect tribute. Later, a location was designated to allow nomadic people and the people of the Central Plains to trade here. Although this provided horses for the Ming Dynasty cavalry, the more important purpose was to make the nomadic tribes peacefully nomadic, and to pay tribute to legitimately obtain goods from the Central Plains instead of raiding the borders. Among them, the Arutai tribe paid tribute nearly a hundred times through missions during the Yongle period.