Chapter 96
"It's just a slightly larger tribe. How could he deserve such favor from His Majesty that you would support him?"

Yuan Chonghuan was also puzzled and asked: "Who knows this?"

"Your Majesty, however, is very wise in saying that we should guard Huang Taiji's passage to Mongolia. But why did you choose Dorlot instead of Lin Dan Khan? Has Your Majesty seen that Lin Dan Khan is just a weak person who is not fit for great tasks?"

"This is somewhat unexpected," Zu Dashou continued, "Your Majesty can see this, which proves that you have put a lot of hard work and research into border affairs."

"But no matter how you choose, you shouldn't choose Dulot. In my humble opinion, it would be better to support the thirty-six families of Kalachin."

Zu Dashou said this deliberately for Yuan Chonghuan to hear, because he knew that Yuan Chonghuan had always wanted to use the more powerful Kharchin tribes to contain Huang Taiji.

Recently, despite Chongzhen's clear order to stop trade, they secretly sold rice and salt to Kalaqin.

This incident is also one of the evidences for later generations to debate whether Yuan Chonghuan was a traitor.

As everyone knows, Kalaqin ate the rice of the Ming Dynasty, but turned around and defected to Huang Taiji, and acted as a guide, taking Huang Taiji from his own territory to Xifengkou to invade the Ming Dynasty.

Judging from the actual results, Yuan Chonghuan's selling rice to the Kharchin tribes was indeed aiding the enemy.

However, this move can also be understood from Yuan Chonghuan's perspective, because in history, after Ligdan Khan moved westward, the only force that could block Huang Taiji from entering Mongolia was the Thirty-six Kharchin Tribes, although they were all loose alliances of small tribes.

But at least they nominally have a common leader like the so-called "Karachin Khan". If they unite, they can indeed be a force that cannot be underestimated. If they just want to stop Huang Taiji from entering Mongolia, it is enough.

As for the Dorote tribe, which actually had better relations with the Ming Dynasty, Yuandudu had never considered it at all.

If Lindan Khan had not moved westward, relying on the power of the entire Chahar, Yuan Chonghuan might have looked up to Dorote as a member of it.

But now Dorote is alone guarding the old Chahar territory, and although he has some military strength, it is not very strong.

It is indeed a bit unrealistic to win them over to resist the Jiannu.

And this was indeed the case. In the Battle of Aomulun not long after, the vanguard army led by Dorgon wiped out Dorgon in one fell swoop.

Yuan Chonghuan knew that Zu Dashou was speaking for him. He looked at Zu Dashou affirmatively, but sighed helplessly and said, "It is His Majesty's will to support Dulot and wipe out Kalaqin. What can I do?"

Zu Dashou tried to test him: "As the saying goes, a general in a foreign country may not obey the orders of his sovereign, or..."

Zu Dashou did not continue speaking. Some things can only be understood but not expressed in words. If you really say them out loud and they get out, it would be fatal.

Yuan Chonghuan was quite tempted. In his opinion, Ligdan Khan's westward migration was a foregone conclusion, and the Dorlot tribe alone would certainly not be able to resist Huang Taiji's army. As for supporting Dorlot to annex Kharchin, it was too difficult and not cost-effective at all.

It would be easier and more convenient to directly win over the Kharchin tribes.

However, the emperor's order cannot be disobeyed, at least not openly.

Moreover, there is no evidence to prove that Kalaqin has indeed joined forces with Huang Taiji. If we attack Kalaqin at this time, it will be difficult to win him over after the two sides fall out.

After thinking for a long time, Yuan Chonghuan said, "Didn't Zhu Mei resign due to illness? Then you can order your troops and Zhu Mei's troops to go to Jinzhou. Jinzhou is very close to the Duolot tribe. During this period, you can send more night guards to the grassland for reconnaissance. If you really find Huang Taiji leading troops to attack, you can rescue the Duolot tribe."

"After all, His Majesty has issued an order. If we really allow Huang Taiji to destroy the Duoluote tribe, I'm afraid neither you nor I will be able to report to the emperor."

Zu Dashou clasped his fists and accepted the order, saying, "Then your majesty wants us to wipe out the Kalaqin?" Yuan Chonghuan waved his hands and said, "Your majesty, I don't know where this news came from. How can you wipe them out without any evidence? Besides, the 36 families of Kalaqin are not pigs. They can't be wiped out just like that."

"Let's take a look first and then talk."

"Yes!" Zu Dashou accepted the order immediately.

"By the way," Yuan Chonghuan raised his handwritten note and said meaningfully, "In addition to the matter of the Dorote tribe, Your Majesty also mentioned something very interesting."

"Oh, I wonder what it is." Zu Dashou couldn't help but be curious. If Yuan Chonghuan found it very interesting, then it must be really interesting.

"Your Majesty said that he would send a military supervisor to Mao Wenlong's place, and it's not a eunuch!" Yuan Chonghuan couldn't help but laugh and said, "Guess who it is, Dashou?"

Zu Dashou was shocked when he heard this, because the military supervisors sent by the emperor to local areas had always been eunuchs.

Because eunuchs are the emperor's household slaves, in theory they are the most loyal to the emperor.

The term "military inspector" means exactly what its name suggests. It means he is responsible for monitoring the generals in charge of the troops. Either don't employ him if you don't trust him, or employ him without doubt. If you really have to send someone, of course you would send someone you trust.

This is the first time I've heard of a military supervisor other than a eunuch.

Zu Dashou's curiosity was aroused and he asked, "Please enlighten me, Governor!"

Yuan Chonghuan laughed even more happily and said, "He is a member of the Donglin Party, named Jiang Yueguang."

"I met him when I passed through Liaodong on my way back from my mission to Korea in the seventh year of the Tianqi reign. He was a talented man, but..."

Speaking of this, Yuan Chonghuan couldn't help laughing again.

Zu Dashou also understood and said with a smile: "These Donglin Party members are all moral gentlemen. Considering what Mao Wenlong did on the island, I'm afraid the two of them will fight, right?"

"Hahaha!" Yuan Chonghuan burst into laughter and said, "I was originally thinking of finding a way to get rid of this guy, but I don't know why Your Majesty is obsessed with Mao Wenlong, which makes it difficult for me to do it."

"But now that Jiang Yueguang has been appointed as the military supervisor, we can really give Mao Wenlong some eye drops."

At this time, Jiang Yueguang, who was far away in his hometown in Jiangnan, had already received the imperial edict of Chongzhen and went directly to Pi Island to take up his post without going to Beijing.

Although he was a little confused at first, Jiang Yueguang understood after the angel who conveyed the imperial edict read out the appointment and then handed him a handwritten letter.

After reading the imperial edict, Jiang Yueguang solemnly kowtowed three times towards the direction of the capital, secretly vowing that he would never let His Majesty down!
The imperial edict from Chongzhen to Jiang Yueguang and the handwritten note to Yuan Chonghuan were issued on the same day, which means that when Yuan Chonghuan was laughing at the possible failure of Mao Wenlong, Jiang Yueguang had already embarked on the journey to Pi Island.

In order to complete Chongzhen's instructions as quickly as possible, Jiang Yueguang chose to take a boat directly to Pi Island.

This is much faster than reaching Liaodong by land and then taking a boat to the island.

After only seven or eight days, Jiang Yueguang set foot on Pi Island for the second time.

(End of this chapter)