Chapter 120 This is the intense political struggle.

Royal Garden.

"Uncle Li, do you think this battle can bring Tibet into the territory of the Ming Dynasty?"

While a heated debate was still going on in the Imperial Study, Zhu Gang and Li Shanchang came to the Imperial Garden, talking as they walked.

"Your Highness, your ambitions are so far-reaching that I, this old minister, can naturally understand them."

"But Tubo is located in the remote southwest, and its people are fierce and tough. It is easy to conquer them at first, but if we want to incorporate them into the territory of the Ming Dynasty."

“I think it’s unrealistic.”

"First, Tibet is too poor and can provide no substantial help to the Ming Dynasty, so incorporating it into the territory would only increase the financial burden."

"The second reason is that the people are so fierce and unruly that they simply refuse to be controlled. If they are suppressed by force, they will surely riot. After all, most of them are tribes and each has its own territory, making them difficult to control."

"So I think that sending troops is to show the power of the Ming Dynasty and to deter disobedience, but we can't be too harsh, lest the dog jumps over the wall and bites back."

"Unless, Your Highness wants to raze U-Tsang to the ground and make it uninhabited, then it is not a bad idea to incorporate it into the territory of the Ming Dynasty."

"After all, Tubo is also part of U-Tsang, so it's unavoidable."

“And facing the entire U-Tsang, even if we can win, our Ming Dynasty will be hurt.”

"And the price of doing this is just for a piece of barren land, so old minister..."

Li Shanchang stopped and shook his head slightly.

Perhaps in terms of strategy, Li Shanchang is not as good as Liu Bowen.

But as Zhu Yuanzhang's first adviser, he was also the earliest adviser to follow Zhu Yuanzhang.

Li Shanchang's political vision was definitely the best in the Ming Dynasty except for Zhu Yuanzhang.

After all, when it comes to assessing the situation and making strategic plans, Li Shanshu can definitely be ranked number one in the late Yuan Dynasty.

"You are right, but what I mean by inclusion in the territory is not today, nor tomorrow, but in the future."

In response to Li Shan's words, Zhu Gang nodded.

"Ok?"

Li Shanchang raised his eyes slightly, not understanding what Zhu Gang meant.

"This battle must be fought."

"If for no other reason than to eliminate the hidden dangers in the southwestern border, this battle is unavoidable."

"But in order to win this battle, we must also maximize the benefits."

"So I think one of them is war reparations. After all, they are the fish and I am the knife. If I don't kill them with this knife, they won't feel the pain."

"Second, establish the U-Tsang Commandery, so that it will nominally submit to the Ming Dynasty and pay tribute every year."

"And set up a garrison army in U-Tsang. In name, it is to maintain peace and protect civilians. And the food and clothing supplies for this army need to be provided by U-Tsang."

"Third, collect corvée labor. After all, the weak have no diplomacy, and they are not worthy of making conditions with the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, as the defeated party, they need to provide young and strong labor to the Ming Dynasty."

"It is used to strengthen the defenses of the southwestern border and make the best use of it."

"Fourth, support."

"Duke Han should also understand that the interior of U-Tsang is extremely chaotic and there are many tribes and clans, so you can send someone to brainwash them."

"The ultimate goal is to create internal conflicts and control the overall situation, supporting whichever forces are obedient."

"In this way, the internal conflict will only benefit the Ming Dynasty. After all, it will consume their manpower."

Zhu Gang sat in the pavilion, looked at Li Shanchang beside him, and said softly.

"Support in the name of the Ming Dynasty?"

Li Shanchang frowned slightly.

"I don't have any reason to do so. After all, our Ming Dynasty is a country of etiquette. How can we act so despicably?"

Zhu Gang said with a smile on his face.

"You mean, at least the official name cannot be Ming Dynasty."

"So as to support the weak forces within U-Tsang. After all, they are just pawns. They cannot be too strong or too weak. They can be discarded at any time."

Li Shanchang also understood the smile on Zhu Gang's face, and he suddenly realized.

"Uncle Li's resignation is a real loss to the Ming Dynasty."

"That's right. After all, what I want is to incorporate U-Tsang into the territory of the Ming Dynasty, so as to stabilize the southwest border."

"Then this reputation must be maintained."

"It's like the court, forming a balance. Whoever is weak or about to die, we will push him secretly."

"We just need to ensure that the internal fighting continues, and that they consume their manpower every day, every month, and every year."

Zhu Gang still looked at Li Shanchang with a smile.

"Your Highness is really calculating. In this way, it doesn't matter whether the living forces are exhausted or not."

"They all long for a life without the suffering of war and yearn for peace. The Ming Dynasty can then incorporate them into its territory without bloodshed and implement sinicization."

"And in this way, they will only be grateful to the Ming Dynasty, but internally, hatred is still everywhere and difficult to wash away."

Li Shanchang was shocked and couldn't help but speak.

There was even a hint of horror in his tone.

How could this be a good plan? This was clearly a vicious plot to destroy their race.

But Zhu Gang always played the role of a good guy and never got criticized. As for his secret instigation, no one would suspect the Ming Dynasty.

This is the disagreement between tribes. They believe that strength is king, brutality and toughness are the most important.

Moreover, even if there were wise men, in these hundreds and thousands of years of friction, what they sought was to maintain their own interests rather than consider the entire U-Tsang.

"And no matter what kind of conflict breaks out among them, the Ming Dynasty will always be the peacemaker."

"We are providing nominal assistance to them in the name of a friendly country, and the purpose of this assistance is not to be a goody-goody."

"It is to establish the image of our Ming Dynasty in U-Tsang."

"Anyway, all the bad things we do cannot have any trace of the Ming Dynasty, and the good things we do must be publicized in the name of the Ming Dynasty."

"Of course, the Ming Dynasty will not pay money. The so-called taking from the people and giving back to the people means using their compensation to establish the image of the Ming Dynasty."

"This is deterrence, the deterrence from the great country of Central Plains!"

Zhu Gang narrowed his eyes slightly again and smiled softly.

"Your Highness has a long-term vision, and I admire you."

Li Shanchang slowly stood up and bowed slightly.

"What if they ask for military support? What will you do?"

At this moment, a very majestic voice sounded, and Zhu Yuanzhang had come to their side and spoke.

Just now, when Zhu Gang was talking with Li Shanchang, Zhu Yuanzhang had already arrived at the Imperial Garden.

After all, the Tubo's killing of the tribute envoys from U-Tsang was a provocation to the dignity of the Ming Dynasty, so Zhu Yuanzhang, as the emperor, would definitely know about it and could not hide it.

So after Zhu Yuanzhang went to the Imperial Study, he went directly to the Imperial Garden, wanting to see what his son and Li Shanchang were talking about.
It doesn't matter if you don't hear it, but it will be shocking when you hear it.

But if you think about it carefully, the Ming Dynasty not only maintained the demeanor of a great ceremonial country, but also incorporated U-Tsang into its territory at the lowest cost.

A fiery look flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes again.

But one thing is, what should we do if both sides want military support from the Ming Dynasty?
You can't just leave it alone, right?
That's why he looked at Zhu Gang and asked.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be well and healthy."

Li Shanchang did not dare to be rude and bowed quickly.

"No need."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand carelessly, then sat down opposite Zhu Gang and looked straight at him.

"reject."

Zhu Gang said without even thinking.

"But we can't completely refuse." Seeing the confusion in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, Zhu Gang said again.

"What do you mean?"

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't understand.

"The Ming Dynasty could have refused under the pretext of not intervening in its internal struggles. After all, this is the etiquette of a great country."

“But out of humanitarianism, we can provide symbolic support to U-Tsang in the name of civilian support.”

“It doesn’t matter if there are fewer things, but the publicity must be huge. It would be best if everyone in U-Tsang knew about it.”

"Then we can also send people to instigate those small forces that we secretly support. After all, if we don't strengthen them now, when will we?"

"Given the behavior of this group of people and the friction that has accumulated for a hundred years, they will explode in one fell swoop, and commit all kinds of evil, including burning, killing, looting and committing all kinds of atrocities."

"And if one family moves, hundreds of families will come out, and the entire U-Tsang will be plunged into endless internal strife."

"Add to that external threats, what do you think U-Tsang should do?"

Zhu Gang thought about it, then looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and asked.

"Even if it means paying a price, we must ask the Ming Dynasty to help pacify the internal and external troubles of U-Tsang."

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes flashed, and he spoke immediately.

"Yes."

"And there is one thing you haven't thought about, which is that it has been a selfless struggle hidden within oneself from the beginning to the end."

"In the Central Plains, it is equivalent to a political struggle, a life-and-death struggle."

"And if they were not in danger of destruction, they would never ask the Ming Dynasty for help."

"After all, they also understand that once the Ming Dynasty intervenes in this war, once the Ming Dynasty intervenes in their internal struggles."

"Can the U-Tsang where they live still be theirs?"

"So unless it's a critical moment, a matter of life and death, they will never easily let the Ming Dynasty send troops."

After saying this, Zhu Gang picked up the teapot and poured a new cup of tea for Zhu Yuanzhang, then Li Shanchang, and finally himself.

"The Ming Dynasty established the U-Tsang Commandery, nominally to protect civilians, but not to interfere in their internal politics or the intrigues among them."

"But secretly, they sent people to sow discord among the tribes, causing them to engage in endless fighting."

"As long as more than 80% of its internal forces are engaged in internal consumption, and it is a permanent internal consumption, then this long-accumulated resentment and hatred will not be stopped just because someone wants to."

"As for what the Ming Dynasty has paid, compared to the use of force to suppress it, it is just a drop in the bucket and insignificant."

Zhu Yuanzhang hammered the stone table heavily and said with a smile on his face.

"And even if it can't be completely Sinicized."

"But the hatred that has lasted for thousands of years will not focus on the Ming Dynasty, but still on each other's tribes."

"After all, such sorrow and resentment can only be washed away by extermination."

"Then as long as they are forever caught in endless internal struggles, the southwestern border of our Ming Dynasty can be forever stable."

“This is a plan that has been in the works for thousands of years.”

Li Shanchang also spoke after thinking for a moment.

"If one strategy could pacify the enemy, things in this world would be much simpler."

"But it's obviously not possible, so there are some things that we have to do ourselves, and strive to achieve the best of both worlds, all for the benefit of our Ming Dynasty."

"After all, country and family are what we should consider first."

"As for the so-called peace, it is all based on bloodshed and sacrifice. I hope that this bloodshed and sacrifice is not done by the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Gang also nodded with some emotion.

"This child."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Gang who was somewhat emotional, and a look of satisfaction flashed across his eyes, but he sighed softly in his heart.

When it comes to military strategy, Zhu Gang was victorious in every battle and suppressed the grassland by himself, and was hailed as the God of War.

In this respect, Crown Prince Zhu Biao cannot compare.

As for political skills, I originally thought that Zhu Biao was slightly better, but today's remarks

This made Zhu Yuanzhang look at him with new eyes. Whether in military strategy or political skills, Zhu Gang was far superior to Zhu Biao.

After all, once it is linked to politics, being dirty is just a means, but Zhu Gang is already a very outstanding politician because he can fully grasp the greater good and control the overall situation.

Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang no longer doubted whether Zhu Gang had the ability to divide the land and be crowned king.

It is obvious that Zhu Gang already possessed all the abilities to be a founding emperor.

And he is definitely not inferior to Zhu Yuanzhang.

If such a child were released outside, the Central Plains would probably have a real rival.

Of course, it was impossible for Zhu Gang to compete with Zhu Biao, but would his descendants in later generations be able to do so?

Could it be that Zhu Gang, who was so powerful and domineering, really left behind bad descendants?

"What are you thinking about?"

Zhu Gang looked at Zhu Yuanzhang who was in deep thought and couldn't help but ask.

"I'm wondering who should we send out?"

A look of surprise flashed across Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes, and he shook his head.

When you can’t figure it out, you have to go back and ask the girl, so don’t think about it for now, just solve the problem at hand.

"How about Duke of Wei, Deng Yu?"

Li Shanchang suggested.

"I want to use young generals, what do you think?"

Zhu Gang shook his head without even thinking about it.

"Young general?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang and Li Shanchang frowned and shook their heads.

"Among the young generals of the Ming Dynasty, apart from your eldest brother and our other adopted sons, there is almost no one who can take charge of the overall situation."

"Unless you take charge yourself."

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Gang again and said in a deep voice: "But do you think we will let you take charge?"

"You want me to take charge, but I won't go."

"The wedding is coming up soon, I don't have the time to make this trip."

Zhu Gang rolled his eyes.

"Then what do you mean?"

Zhu Yuanzhang still frowned.

"Since my eldest brother is in the capital, let him lead the army to the border to wipe out the barbarians."

"There are also He Wenhui and Ping An under your command, who can also be entrusted with important tasks."

"Then transfer all of my subordinates, Deng Zhen and Tang Ding, to the Pingxi Army and have them under my command."

"We will definitely return victorious from this battle."

After a pause, Zhu Gang turned to look at Li Shanchang and said, "Uncle Li, I don't want to use the Secretariat for food and grass supplies, so I would like to ask you to take care of it for a while."

"Old minister understands."

Li Shanchang first glanced at Zhu Yuanzhang, and seeing that there was no strange expression on his face, he looked at Zhu Gang and bowed.

"I disagree."

But at this moment, a clear voice was heard, and everyone looked at it sideways.

King Qin Zhu Chong was seen striding into the imperial garden.

(End of this chapter)