novelhk Page 2335
Page 2335
"Last year, all units were ordered to follow the army south,"
"To be honest, I went too."
"With a dozen or so tribal warriors,"
"Following the leader of the Megusi tribe on the expedition,"
"They belong to Wanyan Loushi's command."
"You've arrived in Han territory?" Zhao Zhong asked in surprise.
Cui Youzhi said, "Attack Taiyuan first, but we can't take it."
"The dozen or so warriors I brought with me,"
"They were assigned to several other light cavalry units,"
"Investigate in the valley southeast of Meng County,"
"We were lucky to escape back to the grasslands."
"The son of the chief of the Megusi tribe,"
"I heard he died in battle alongside his brave warriors (actually, he surrendered)."
Ma Kuo finally understood.
This guy surnamed Cui was terrified of being beaten.
Moreover, the grasslands are in disarray.
They wanted to curry favor with the Ming Dynasty.
Cui Youzhi proactively provided information, saying:
"The various tribes of Tanggu have heard that the Jin Kingdom suffered a great defeat,"
"Now they are even more defiant of the Jin dynasty's rule."
"The horses that the Jurchens demanded as tribute,"
"More than the Liao Dynasty before,"
"If this continues, how can the various tribes of Tanggu withstand it?"
Ma Kuo pointed to the herdsmen in the distance and asked:
"How many Han Chinese descendants are there in your tribe?"
Chapter 344 Intermarriage
Cui Youzhi replied, "It's hard to explain. More than ten tribes have intermarried for over a hundred years."
"How can one still distinguish between Han Chinese and non-Han Chinese?"
These tribes were formed by the assimilation of captives from various ethnic groups.
During the Yuan Dynasty, they were even classified as Semu people.
The next day, Cui Youzhi, along with Ma Kuo and others,
They went to pay their respects to the leader of the Megusi tribe.
The first thing they did upon meeting was inquire about the son's whereabouts.
He was unaware that his son had been abandoned by Wanyan Loushi to cover their retreat.
He decisively led his troops to surrender to Chen Ziyi, who was relentlessly pursuing him.
When the Megusi tribe surrendered...
There were only about a hundred people.
The main group that surrendered was the Khitan cavalry from the further east.
Ma Kuo wandered around the grasslands of the ancient Tang tribes for more than ten days.
He visited the chiefs of several tribes.
Suddenly someone ran in to deliver the news.
It is said that the Jurchens learned of their existence.
They are sending troops to block their path.
Ma Kuo, Yu Yunwen, Zhao Zhong,
Leading his cavalry and the envoys of the Western Liao,
We quickly set off to head further west.
They entered Western Xia territory without incident.
He visited Li Qianshun in the capital of Western Xia.
Then he rode back to Kaifeng at full speed.
When everyone returned to the capital,
It was the fourth day since the meritorious officials were rewarded.
"Are you a descendant of the Cui family of Qinghe?"
Zhao Yuan looked at the boy in front of him with curiosity.
Uncle Cui Fang also came.
Furthermore, he wanted to acknowledge his ancestors and return to his clan.
Inside the boy's body,
Not only does it have Han Chinese heritage,
It also has bloodlines from seven or eight other ethnic groups, including the Xi, Uyghur, and Tangut.
Uncle Cui Fang quickly knelt down: "Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty!"
Zhao Yuan offered a few words of encouragement.
He then dismissed the boy and said to Ma Kuo:
"Tell me in detail."
Ma Kuo said gleefully, "Ever since the Jin Kingdom suffered its great defeat last year,"
"The Tanggu and the various Khitan tribes all harbor rebellious intentions."
"They already resented the Jin dynasty's excessive demands for tribute,"
"They were simply afraid of being forced to submit by the Jin army."
"Once the royal army breaks through Yunzhong (Datong) and marches north,"
“The tribes in the southern desert will surely rise up in response.”
"If the Jin dynasty dares to forcibly conscript various tribes to fight in the south,"
"They'll defect at the slightest sign of defeat!"
"Are you sure?" Zhao Yuan asked.
Ma Kuo said, "I have visited the leaders of two large tribes and seven small tribes."
"They all expressed their dissatisfaction with the Jin Dynasty."
"I originally intended to connect with even more tribes,"
"Unfortunately, the Jin army attacked upon hearing the news."
"Fortunately, thanks to the reports from various departments, we were able to escape."
Zhao Yuan then asked, "Does Yelü Dashi know that the Jin army suffered a major defeat last year?"
Ma Kuo replied, "It was precisely because we received the news that we sent an envoy to accompany us back."
"Yelü Dashi said he would be here for the next year or two,"
"He will lead his troops to attack Linhuang Prefecture,"
"Recover the former territory of the Liao Dynasty's Shangjing (Bairinzuo Banner)."
"He hopes that His Majesty the Emperor will launch a northern expedition as soon as possible,"
"Attack the Jin people from both the north and south."
"After the Jin dynasty was destroyed, the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun came under the rule of the Ming dynasty."
"The grasslands south and north of the Gobi Desert belonged to the Liao Dynasty."
"From this day forward, our two countries will forever be brothers."
"He always thinks of wonderful things."
Zhao Yuan smiled gently.
Ma Kuo said, "Yelü Dashi's words must have come from the bottom of his heart."
"He heard that the Jin army had suffered a great defeat,"
"I have already guessed that the royal army is exceptionally fierce and brave,"
"I dare not even entertain the thought of taking back Youyun."
Zhao Yuan asked, "What is his prestige in the northern desert?"
Chapter 345 News about Ma Kuo
Ma Kuo said, "For now, we lack sufficient prestige."
"Some powerful and large tribes,"
"It's just a superficial compliance."
"However, I've played a few matches in the last two or three years,"
"Yelü Dashi has been winning all the way,"
"His prestige is steadily increasing."
"Once he recovers Linhuang Prefecture of Liao,"
"It is very possible that he could become the overlord of the grasslands."
"It's a major threat."
Zhao Yuan couldn't help but sigh.
Ma Kuo reminded them, "The ancestors of the ancient Tang tribes were captives of various ethnic groups captured by the Liao Dynasty."
"He was a slave for a very long time,"
"They were placed in the northeast of Western Xia during the reign of Emperor Shengzong of Liao."
"They also merged with the nearby Khitan tribes,"
"It's unclear which ethnic group they belong to."
"As long as we bestow titles and win over the leaders of the four great Tanggu tribes,"
"This will motivate them to fight for the Ming Dynasty."
"These people don't care about Yelü Dashi!"
Zhao Yuan said, "Zhang Guangdao fought against the Jurchens last year."
"The steppe cavalry left behind by Wanyan Loushi to cover their retreat,"
"Many laid down their weapons and surrendered."
"Go and take a look in Shanxi,"
"Make more contact with those prisoners,"
"Then they were all released through the Western Xia."