In the capital, the Ming Dynasty once had a central capital, that is, Emperor Gao's hometown Fengyang, in the second year of Hongwu, the Ming Dynasty began to build the capital in Fengyang. In the sixth year of Hongwu, the walls and foundations of the imperial city and the forbidden wall were basically completed, and the outer city of Zhongdu was also built. In April of that year, Emperor Gao gave up the plan to build the capital of Fengyang on the grounds of "labor expenses". Later, the capital was gradually abandoned, and during the Chongzhen period, all the buildings in the capital were burned down by thieves.

And now the central capital of the Ming Dynasty is not where its capital is located, but this central capital is not Fengyang, but the north bank of the Yellow River, close to the Qinghe River of the Yellow River - this was once the seat of Huai'an Prefecture, and it was also the seat of Emperor Xingqian's Qianlong River when he was in the north of the Qianlong River.

In the past few years, whether it is the government of Jiangbei or the capital of the Ming Dynasty, it is far more suitable as a capital than Beijing, in terms of population, because hundreds of thousands of bannermen fled with the Manchus to the north, the population of the capital is only 200,000, while the population of Qinghe is more than 350,000.

Economically, with Qinghe as the capital, there is no need to go through the Grand Canal to hand over millions of stone of grain to the Jingshi and the northern army, which can reduce the cost of millions of taels. On the other hand, the southward migration of the Beijing division no longer needs to be like after Yongle moved north, and for more than 200 years, it had to choose the strategy of "protecting the luck and curing the Huang", so that it could return to its old way in the north, dredge the Huai River, and let the Huai River return to its original way into the sea, which can not only make the banks of the Huai River, which are constantly drought, flooded again, become the land of fish and rice, but also enable both sides of the Huai River to obtain food nearby.

In short, there is no harm in moving the capital.

As for "the Son of Heaven guarding the country", now Jiannu is stealing the northwest according to Tongguan, according to the principle of "the Son of Heaven guarding the country", Yu Qinghe can also be regarded as "guarding the country".

Of course, everything is an excuse, and the reason why Qinghe was chosen is because Qinghe is Zhu Mingzhong's base camp and his roots, and Qinghe is more suitable as the imperial capital of the "New Dynasty" than the unfamiliar Jingshi. Of course, on the other hand, taking Qinghe as the imperial capital also marks the difference between the "new Ming Dynasty" and the "old Ming Dynasty" to a certain extent, although for the outside world, Emperor Xingqian is the son of Emperor Chongzhen Zhu Cijiong, but Zhu Mingzhong is clear about his identity, he is Zhu Mingzhong, as for Zhu Cijiong, it is just a name.

He, like Emperor Taizu, is the founder and founder of the new dynasty, not the "successor", and when it comes to inheritance, he just inherited a name, nothing more.

Therefore, the emperor must move to Qinghe, as long as he moves to Qinghe, the world will remember the merits of Emperor Xingqian - to expel the Tatars and restore the Ming Dynasty.

Of course, it is not an easy task to move the capital, first of all, it is necessary to build a palace, and at the same time, it is necessary to build the official office, and of course, there is also the mansion of the nobles, and these construction projects consume a lot of financial resources. However, because before this, Qinghe had already built the Huaiwang Mansion and the official hall, so it was simple and simple, and it could barely be used. Despite this, Zhu Mingzhong deliberately planned a new city – a new city in the northwest of the old city, with a new development block of 40 square miles and a planned population of 500,000 according to the first five-year plan. As for the required funds, the basic principle is to "unify land purchase, maintenance, and sales, and use the proceeds for urban development", that is, it is exactly the same as the idea of the development zone in later generations.

After the completion of the acquisition of part of the private land, the Ministry of Industry not only carried out land leveling according to the beginning, but also carried out the basic configuration of water and sewerage, as well as streets, similar to the three links and one level in the later generations, and of course became the "three links and one leveling" in the 17th century - water, roads, sewers and site leveling. Subsequently, the "Relevant Regulations on the Sale and Lease of Land and Buildings in the Imperial Capital" was promulgated, which made detailed and strict provisions on the construction period, transfer principles, land use, area size, and bidding methods, which are no different from the current relevant requirements. Except for the public land such as the Yamen official hall, the land for government schools, roads, and park greening, the rest of the land is listed and traded, so as to obtain land income for the construction of Zhongdu New Town.

However, in just one year, with the efforts of more than 100,000 laborers, mainly prisoners of war of the Tang Army, and with the application of epoch-making building materials - cement and other building materials, in April of the second year of Xingqian, the main body of the imperial palace and the official hall and yamen had been completed, and the residence of the official office was also ready to be completed, so Zhu Mingzhong immediately ordered the capital to be moved.

Although many officials were quite resistant to moving the capital, they had to obey the emperor's order and move to Qinghe.

It was also from April that Qinghe began to serve as the capital of the empire, as for Beijing and Nanjing, they were only the capital of the Ming Dynasty, and Fengyang, the former central capital, naturally canceled the identity of the capital. There is only one central capital in the Ming Dynasty, which is Qinghe.

As the core palace of Zhongdu, it is located between the two new cities in the east and west, that is, the Huaiwang Mansion based on the old city of Qinghe, but now the Huaiwang Mansion is planned to become larger, and there are many more palaces. Although palaces such as the "Fengtian Palace" as the main body have been built, Zhu Mingzhong still likes to meet the ministers in the imperial study next to the Wenhua Palace.

"Driving tigers and devouring wolves?"

When the ministers in the imperial study listened to the emperor's words, they were all stunned. Although they were no strangers to the word, they did not know why His Majesty would use it.

"Your Majesty, I don't know what a tiger is? What is a wolf? ”

Zhang Huangyan, as the first auxiliary minister, held the wat board in his hand and said with a slight salute.

"Exactly, Your Majesty, this tiger and wolf who can speak in the northwest is only a prisoner, so how can there be a tiger and a wolf?"

Gu Yanwu also asked in a voice.

"The tiger is the Qingyu!"

Zhu Mingzhong, who was sitting on the dragon chair, smiled slightly, and then continued.

"As for this wolf......

After pondering for a moment, Zhu Mingzhong said.

"For example, Dzungaria in the Western Regions is a wolf!"

Perhaps, the current officials in the court do not know about Dzungaria, but Zhu Mingzhong knows that in history, the Manchu Qing Dynasty spent more than 100 years, and three generations of ancestors and grandchildren unswervingly eliminated Dzungaria. The reason why they spend so much energy naturally has their intentions and reasons.

"Dzungaria?"

Whether it is Zhang Huangyan or Gu Yanwu, and Qian Lei, Zhu Daxian and others are all stunned? They had never heard of any Dzungaria.

"This Dzungar department, well, its predecessor can be traced back to the Warat Department of Yingzong, the Dzungar Department was subordinate to Moxi Mongolia, and there were three small tribes in the same period: Shuote, Turgot, and Duerte. Dzungar is the most powerful tribe of them all. More than 20 years ago, Heshute and Turghut sent envoys to Houjin to express their submission on behalf of the four tribes. After the Manchu Qing Dynasty entered the customs, the four chiefs of the four tribes had the appearance of Shunzhi, submitted to the Qing Dynasty, Shunzhi gave each department bows and arrows armor, and ordered the King of Gushi Khan to be the leader of the alliance and lead the tribes, thus establishing the rule of the Qing Dynasty over Moxi Mongolia, however, at present, there are constant conflicts between the four tribes of Moxi Mongolia, and if we march into Shaanxi, then the Qing captives will inevitably move west again......"

Seeing that everyone seemed to be suspicious, Zhu Mingzhong restrained his smile and said.

"That's for sure, the military department sent intelligence that now, the Qing captives are moving troops to the northwest, and their intention is to attack Hami, once they capture Hami, once I order the army to march westward, the Qing captives will inevitably march to the Western Regions in order to survive, so we must consider a question, whether to pursue or stop!"

Looking at the ministers, Zhu Mingzhong asked casually.

"Zhongqing said, when the time comes, will you continue to pursue to Hami, or stop at Shaanxi?"

The emperor's question made everyone silent for a while, they are not young people in their twenties, and they will not open their mouths to "those who commit strong men, although they are far away, they will be punished", they know very well what kind of preparations need to be made to pursue the Western Regions.

"Your Majesty, from Xi'an to Hami, nearly three thousand miles, if you pursue to Hami, or even the Western Regions, I am afraid that it will be no less than four or five thousand miles, and there are no less than 100,000 soldiers under the Qing Dynasty, if I want to pursue the Qing captives, I will definitely send no less than 100,000 elites, and the monthly military rations of 100,000 elites will be no less than 200,000 stones, and three or four thousand miles of transfer ......."

"Don't sell wood for a hundred miles, don't sell millet for thousands of miles", this ancient proverb is naturally not unfamiliar to them, which probably means that there is no trafficking of firewood and grain thousands of miles away. The reason why the ancients said this is because of the cost of transportation.

"One stone of rice grain to the front line, and the transfer of rations for people and animals, I am afraid that it will not be less than dozens of stones......"

Even if he didn't make a careful calculation, Qian Lei's heart added up a little before he continued.

"I'm afraid that by the time I get to Hami, there will be no less than twenty or thirty taels of sorghum in one stone."

The reason why I say sorghum is because sorghum is cheap, and it can be eaten by people and animals, for the army, sorghum can be used as both a soldier's ration and a soldier's ration, but the cost, the cost is indeed very scary.

"It should be about forty taels!"

Zhu Mingzhong directly said a number. He didn't say where he got the figure, but the ministers didn't have any doubts. Because the Military Governor's Office and the Governor's Office of the Five Armies will naturally make corresponding calculations. But they didn't know that this figure was what Zhu Mingzhong saw in later generations - this was the cost of the Fan family's Fan Yuma to transport military rations during the Yongzheng period, and it was not shipped to Xinjiang, or to Qinghai closer!

Thousands of miles from the mainland to Qinghai, for more than ten years, whether the imperial court was going north or west, the heavy responsibility of carrying military rations was on the Fan family, and with the efforts of the Fan family, the military rations transported to Qinghai per stone dropped from 40 taels to 25 taels and 19 taels at the beginning. It is precisely because of this that Zhu Mingzhong chose the number 40 taels.

"Your Majesty, if this is the case, I am afraid that it is not appropriate to use troops in the Western Regions......"

Shen Guangwen's voice here just fell, and he was immediately refuted by Qian Lei.

"If that's the case, wouldn't the captives be a greater threat to my Ming Dynasty after recuperating in the Western Regions for more than ten years? Your Majesty, the minister thinks that even if it costs hundreds of millions of dollars, it is necessary to cut the grass and eradicate the roots! ”

Cut the grass and eradicate the roots!

This is a fundamental principle!

If you can't cut the grass and eradicate the roots, everyone knows what the powerful northern barbarians will do. For thousands of years, the threat on the grassland has always shrouded the Central Plains, and from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period to the present, it has never escaped this shadow.

The barbarians on the grassland are like weeds on the grassland, the wildfires are inexhaustible, and the spring breeze blows and grows. The Xiongnu destroyed the Turks, the Turks destroyed the Mongols, and the Mongols drove away the Jurchens. For thousands of years, this has been like a cycle, and the regime of the Central Plains may be able to subjugate a steppe people by force and assimilate a barbarian race. But it was not long before an even more ferocious and savage enemy rose again on the steppe. When the Central Plains are strong, the Central Plains can conquer them, but the price to pay is extremely heavy. When the Central Plains Dynasty was weak, those barbarians would invade the Central Plains, and the Central Plains would pay an even heavier price, just like the massacre after the Manchu Qing Dynasty entered the customs.

How could the Mongols in the northern steppes be tamed?

From the time of the emperor's expedition to Liaodong, he had already begun to carry out the plan, but it was the Mongols, and now the strength of the Mongols is not to be feared, perhaps, in a few decades, or even hundreds of years, they can be conquered. But what about the Qingyu?

If they occupy the Western Regions, will they become another barbarian?

Will they invade the Central Plains again?

Despite Qian Lei's rebuttal, Shen Guangwen, the Ministry of Industry Lang in Hongguang and the Ministry of Industry who entered the court from the official of the Min Palace, spoke again.

"Your Majesty, the minister thinks that Your Majesty has the grand wish of stepping on the Huns and leveling the Western Regions, but it is actually for the safety of my Ming Dynasty for thousands of generations. But now that the Central Plains has been decided, it is the time when the world is in ruins and the people are resting and recuperating, it is really not appropriate to start a military affair again, and the use of troops in the Western Regions may cost no less than hundreds of millions, and please ask Your Majesty to think twice for the sake of all the people in the world. ”

Shen Congwen's words immediately made several other ministers present echo him, they were not all officials from the Fujian Mansion like Shen Congwen, and there were also many Huai officials, the reason why they were unwilling to raise troops in the Western Regions.

"What Shen Shilang said is very true, the minister thinks that since our dynasty uses troops in the northwest, it must first focus on Shaanxi, and after Shaanxi recovers, it should be allowed to recuperate, as for the Western Regions, you can slowly map it ......"

"The minister seconded the ......"

In a burst of seconding, Zhu Mingzhong saw Gu Yanwu and the others, and they were also hesitating. The reason why they hesitated was because they knew that the threat of the Qing Dynasty's theft of the Western Regions to the Central Plains was not only immediate, but also in the future.

For thousands of years, in order to pacify the border troubles in the north, the Central Plains Dynasty can be said to have worked hard and lost money, but even so, it has never solved the border troubles in the north. From the Mongols to the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the lessons of two enslavements, two falls of civilizations, and two tragic killings of hundreds of millions of people told them that if the northern border troubles are not eliminated, the Central Plains will not be able to live in peace.

But reality is also telling them what the price of conquering those barbarians is not just a waste of money and labor. It may even hurt the Central Plains Dynasty a lot. They even thought of the war between the Mongols and the Mongols, although in the end the Mongols no longer posed a threat to the Central Plains, but the Ming Dynasty was also greatly damaged, and even if it weren't for that, how could they relax their vigilance against Nuergandusi and let the Jurchens rise?

"The border troubles in the north must be solved, otherwise, they will definitely suffer from the Central Plains! So ......"

After a slight pause, Zhu Mingzhong spit out those four words again.

"That's why we have to drive the tiger and devour the wolf and solve the border trouble in the north once and for all!"