On the first day of May in the twenty-eighth year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty, in the Xinchengwei territory of the Governor-General of Yanning in the Ming Dynasty, on the official road leading to Daning, thirty or forty horsemen and horses passed by.

Thick linen armor, and underneath the armor is a neat linen arrow jacket. Each person carries a long carbine on his back, and a flintlock pistol, saber and quiver hanging on his belt. In addition to a dozen feathers in the quiver,

Arrow also has a recurve bow.

In addition to their own mounts, these thirty or forty knights also drove thirty or forty horses carrying luggage. On average, it was probably a configuration of one person and two horses. These thirty or forty knights were paired with seventy or eighty horses.

Scenes of galloping on official roads were rare in the Jiubian military town in the early years of Chongzhen. Jiubian in the north of the Ming Dynasty was close to the grassland, and there was no shortage of horses, but such tall and strong horses were relatively rare.

It is rare, generally only owned by a few generals or close servants of big warlords like Li Chengliang.

However, after Emperor Chongzhen conquered Monan Mongolia, the supply of good Mongolian horses greatly increased, and the shortage of good horses on the nine sides gradually improved. And after Emperor Chongzhen's "great meritorious officials" arrived at Xunzhuang outside the Great Wall, the supply of good horses everywhere inside and outside the Great Wall

The number of horses kept began to increase. Not only were a large number of good horses from the Monan grassland purchased and bred in these new villages, but also a large number of stallions from the Western Regions and overseas were introduced to these villages - after all, these

Most of the owners of Xunzhuang were born as knights, and they all earned their wealth and glory by riding horses. Now, of course, they must raise horses well and teach their children and nephews well, so that this wealth can be passed down from generation to generation.

In the twenty-eighth year of Chongzhen, as the climate conditions in the north improved slightly and the long-lost peace era came, Liaodong, Liaoxi, Yanshan, Daning, Xuanfu, and Datong, Xunzhuang and Wangzhuang began to gradually become wealthy.

Get up and start enjoying the dividends of peace and the dividends brought about by the rapid economic development of the Southeast.

Among the dividends brought about by the rapid economic development of the Southeast is the increasing demand for mules and horses. Although the water transportation in the Southeast is very developed, logistics costs can be minimized. But this does not mean that the demand for mules and horses does not exist.

.

In fact, when the economy of the Southeast really started to take off, the demand for mules and horses began to increase - water transportation could only solve long-distance and mid-distance transportation, while short-distance transportation still relied on horse-drawn carriages, mule carts or manpower. So the economy really

With the development of China, the demand for mules and horses (mainly horses, mules, donkeys and mules) must have increased.

In the southeastern metropolises such as Yangzhou, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Suzhou, horse racing and polo have become popular in recent years. Horse racing and polo are not only something for the upper class to show off, but they are also used to make money through gambling!

Therefore, every Jockey Club and Polo Club will buy good horses at any cost!

In addition, the armies of the Ming Dynasty and the armies of feudal lords who fought everywhere also purchased a large number of war horses, pack horses, draft horses, mules and camels from these imperial villages over the years.

Driven by the needs of the southeastern metropolis and the Ming army and the vassal army, the horse breeding industry in Xunzhuang and Wangzhuang outside the northern wall and outside the mouth also developed very well. The number of horses, especially good horses, increased significantly.

Therefore, it is not surprising that these thirty or forty knights with one man and two horses appeared on the official road in New City Guards.

The so-called Xincheng Guard is an administrative district under the Daning General Military Department that integrates military and political affairs. It manages some Qianhu Offices, Xunzhuang, and Wangzhuang. Of course, the New City Guard's authority over "stations" and "villages" is

It's different. "Suo" is directly under the jurisdiction, while "zhuang" is a feudal territory, governed by various lords or princes. In xuzhuang and wangzhuang, the lords and princes are the lords!

The "village" under the governance of various lords and lords is the kind of feudal manor that is as self-sufficient as possible.

Although most of these estates sell horses, camels and mules, they also import some iron, salt, firearms, raw silk, cotton, tea and other things they cannot produce themselves.

However, when it is possible to produce it by itself, the manor usually does not purchase it from outside - these feudal manors believe that buying is worse than building!

The reason for this is that the only products that these manors can sell out are mules and horses. Although the food is a bit rich, it cannot be sold at a high price because the transportation cost is too high, and there are not many rich people, so it is better to save it for future use.

. And the income from exporting mules, horses and livestock is simply not enough to pay for the various daily necessities needed by the villagers and the purchase of weapons and equipment needed by the private soldiers of the lords.

Therefore, the lords and lords simply organized the villagers to produce their own products, and used local products as much as possible to reduce the expenditure of money. As long as the money was spent as little as possible, the lords' income from selling horses and mules would be mostly

It can be turned into Xunzhuang and Wangzhuang, and the profits can be put into the pockets of the lords... This is the model of feudal economy!

The products of this self-sufficient Zhuangzi, except for livestock, have no competitiveness, and there is no scale effect. The output is very low, and it may not be enough for self-use, so there is no problem of export.

Therefore, the things used and the clothes worn by the military households in Wangzhuang and Xunzhuang are extremely poor. They only have the horses on their legs, the weapons in their hands, and their useful bodies (these Zhuangzi are all in very rich lands).

(As the climate improves, there will naturally be no shortage of food)), and they all look pretty good.

As for these knights in their thirties and forties, who were dressed in sackcloth and carried sharp weapons, they could tell at a glance that they were from a certain Xunzhuang, Wangzhuang. Looking at them surrounding one person like stars holding the moon, one could tell that he was the lord or young master of Zhuangzi.

The Lord is on his way.

The road along the official road is very desolate. Although you can see many farms, pastures, and Baihu Fort, there are no market towns, let alone any cities. If travelers want to stay overnight, they can only enter the tightly defended Baihu Fort.

However, these hundreds of forts are feudal fortresses, and it is not easy for outsiders to enter, unless they are people from the imperial court...

As for the thirty or forty cavalry galloping on the official road in Xinchengwei today, there was no fortress that they could not enter. After stopping for a while at several hundred-house forts, they entered the largest fortress in Xinchengwei at dusk that day.

——Siwang Fort located at the foot of Mameng Mountain.

This is the main castle of Zhu Cizhao, His Royal Highness Prince Si of the Ming Dynasty!

As this group of knights arrived, the gate of Siwang Castle was opened, and a large group of people in the castle came out with lanterns and cheered. They bowed to the leading knight and saluted, and said, "May the King live a thousand years of peace."

It turned out that it was Zhu Cizhao who had rushed back from Beijing after a long journey!

"Madam! Madam! Good news!" The person on the horse was none other than King Zhu Cizhao of Si. He shouted to a young woman in the crowd, with a happy smile on his face.

That young woman is Zuo Mengmei!

Chongzhen knew the fate of Zhu Cizhao and Zuo Mengmei, so he brought her to Zhu Cizhao as his princess in this life. By the way, he also helped Zhu Cizhao find a cheap father-in-law, Zuo Liangyu (Zuo Liangyu was Zuo Mengmei's son).

(Adoptive father), Zuo Liangyu is still alive, and is worshiped as the Chief Military Officer of Guangxi. Moreover, he also has a bunch of sons of Mengzi generation - without the Xuzhou Mutiny, of course his family members are still alive.

Zuo Mengmei walked up to Zhu Cizhao's horse, which was five years younger than her. She watched her husband turn over and dismount, and then she smiled and said a blessing ceremony: "Your Majesty, what's the good news?"

"Look at this!" Zhu Cizhao handed a long bundle to Zuo Mengmei.

"What is this?" Zuo Mengmei asked.

"This is the traitorous contract signed by Gu and Boss!" Zhu Cizhao said with a smile.

"Treason?" Zuo Mengmei was surprised, "What are you talking nonsense about? Which country do you want to betray?"

"Of course I'm selling Annan Kingdom!"

"Your Majesty is joking again," Zuo Mengmei glared at her husband, "Does Annan Kingdom belong to you? Why do you sell it?"

Zhu Cizhao tore open the baggage and patted the contract text rolled into a barrel. "Sign this... Annan is ours!" He raised his voice, "His Highness the Great Nephew will lend it to the orphan."

The king's military expenditure of 5 million taels will also help the lonely king contact an official company, Liu Xiang Shipping Company, Li Family Shipping Company, the Portuguese and the Dutch!

Therefore, in the battle of Annan, the lonely king will definitely win! We will convene a military meeting with the vassals tomorrow and prepare to send troops!"

"The king is a thousand years old! The king will surely win!"
Chapter completed!