Lin Junhong packed up his salute, looked at Chen Duan who came in, and said, "I have to make tea myself, I have to speed up here and I have to leave early tomorrow morning."

"Is it so urgent?" Chen Duan was a little surprised. He had been appointed as a general in the Guanxi Appeasement Zone and dominated all military and political affairs outside Yumen Pass. This appointment was expected. After all, he was born in the attendant's room and worked as an official in the East Palace for four years. He could have been released from home. Although his qualifications were a little less, after entering the Western Regions, he personally led all military operations, and the credit could be made up.

Lin Junhong said: "Yes, there is a school graduation exam and a graduation ceremony in July, which I must attend. The emperor sent me a letter to let me go home quickly. Fortunately, Tuerson solved the problem of Hami Melon well."

Lin Junhong must have to clean up the things on the desk himself. While talking to Chen Duan, he finished preparing and packed four boxes. He stopped, took the teacup handed over by Chen Duan, drank a full cup, took a breath, and waited for the guard to carry all the things away, and then he said, "Fortunately, you, the appeaser general, came from the attendant's room, and you have the ability to do everything in military and political affairs, otherwise the emperor would not urge me like this."

"In fact, there are still many matters that require your Highness to make a decision. I just came back from the Barrykun grassland..." Chen Duan said. Of course, he did not think that a fifteen-year-old young man was better than him, but wanted to use the prestige of His Highness Cheng.

Lin Junhong said: "Don't, I can't do such a shitty thing as a subordinate of the flag. When I was a child, I couldn't cut watermelon evenly, so where did I do this."

"Of course I dare not bother you in small matters. It is a big matter. The first thing is, where is the Pacification Office located? Hami or Barrykun." Chen Duan asked.

Lin Junhong nodded and understood Chen Duan's contradiction. He said that the most important military force under the Pacification Office was the vassal soldiers of the Zhasak in the Pacification Zone, especially the grassland cavalry. But those were all in the Balikun grassland north of the Tianshan Mountains, and Hami and Turpan were the focus of the suppression of the Guanxi Pacification Zone. You should know that the Western Expedition Army returned with Lin Junhong, leaving only Chen Duan with an infantry brigade, a cavalry regiment, two artillery companies and a military police force.

"You have only sixteen Zasaks under your command now, and twenty-two will be next year. But there are Hami and Turpan under the Burke system. There are probably no less than three hundred officials in the General Office alone. There are also garrisons. Balikun now has only one village, and he cannot produce his own food, so it is difficult to support the officials of the Office. But if it is set up in Hami, the army will be in contact with all ethnic groups, and there will be chaos. If there are rebellions and changes, there will be a disaster...." Lin Junhong suddenly snapped his fingers and said, "Then let it be, build another new city with Hami City, and the garrisons are all inside. How about it?"

"That would be too labor-intensive and material resources." Chen Duan said.

"This is a century-old foundation. How can you care about these? There are more than 300,000 people in Hami and Turpan, and there are eight newly created Zhasak Banners in the local area, so that they can go to labor and build cities, and refugees from the west can also be accommodated." Lin Junhong didn't care.

Chen Duan had no choice but to respond. He thought for a while and asked, "Your Highness, is it related to the Northern Expedition?"

"Why did you ask this? You have been with the emperor for many years. Don't you know that I'm the same as those big things?" Lin Junhong smiled.

Chen Duan was promoted to the chief of attendants for many years, but later he followed the crown prince and became the chief of attendants, no secrets of military affairs in the empire could be hidden from him. Although he was not qualified to participate in the discussion, he knew everything because of his position. However, after becoming an official from the Eastern Palace, the channels for obtaining information were basically cut off, so this question was asked.

"You should be your appeasement general here. This is a practical experience. If you hadn't been by the emperor for many years and followed the prince, you wouldn't have such a good opportunity? How many heroes would be envious of you later? Don't want to go back to Beijing to participate in the Northern Expedition." Lin Junhong and Chen Duan had a good relationship and reminded him.

Chen Duan said: "I didn't want to go back to Beijing to participate in the Northern Expedition, but could I include the Guanxi Appeasement Zone in the Northern Expedition route? A few days ago, I searched from Balikun to the north and found that the southern line of Altai Mountain was indeed smooth, with valleys that could cross mountains, and rivers across the mountainside to the north of the desert. From then on, we used troops to go north or west, without the natural barriers of the vast sea, and we rushed straight to the Qing side. It was a good opportunity."

"It's different. There are indeed no natural dangers from Hami to Mobei. However, the Guanxi Appeasement Zone has just been established and the war has just ended. There are so many things to be done. Where can we support the Northern Expedition? If we move the main force north from now on, we must support Gansu and Shaanxi. The Hexi Corridor and the deserts and Gobi around Hami are more fierce than the vast sea. If you really have the intention to make achievements, you can manage it here well. If you achieve success and save money and food properly, you don't need to mention it, the emperor will also use troops here." Lin Junhong was not easy to fool. He knew Chen Duan's idea that the Northern Expedition should be the last large-scale use of troops in the empire. Who wouldn't want to take this opportunity to achieve something?

Chen Duan was bitter when he heard this. The Guanxi Appeasement Zone was only given to the Zasak Banner dispatched by the Lifanyuan from the surrounding area. The original intention was to settle the border. As for Shangtun and other major strategies to serve the Northern Expedition were not launched in Guanxi. First, this was not the original plan, and second, the war had just ended and the security problem had not been resolved. But Chen Duan was worried that the Northern Expedition would be launched within one or two years, and the Guanxi Appeasement Zone would not seize the opportunity.

"When will the Northern Expedition begin and what kind of advance strategy is determined by the emperor. You and I can't argue with it. General Chen, please feel free to operate here. In the future, if there is an opportunity for the Western Appeasement Zone, the prince and I will say a few words to you." Lin Junhong had no choice but to comfort Chen Duan.

"Thank you for your fulfillment."

In June of the fifth year of the empire, Lin Junhong set out from Hami in the scorching sun and entered the pass along the Hexi Corridor east. Because of his triumphant success, there were as many as a thousand people, and the one who accompanied him was Rishit. Lin Junhong originally intended to send him to the Central Plains and then head south to Guangdong, but he never wanted to be intercepted by the Lifanyuan.

It is also a coincidence that the imperial cabinet was going to send a large diplomatic group to the Ottoman Empire to negotiate economic and trade cooperation, and handle diplomatic disputes and war conflicts. This is actually the outbreak of decades of conflicts accumulated between the Empire and the Ottoman. The two sides established exchanges very early, and there have always been conflicts.

The rise of the empire strengthened maritime trade between the East and the West, and the trade route to Europe via land was less important. The economic interests of the Ottomans were damaged. Moreover, the empire expanded rapidly along the Indian Ocean coast, especially on the east coast of Africa. After the African colonial company stabilized the territory of Yingzhou and East Africa, it colluded with the East African Governor of Portugal to expand its commercial interests northward, which compressed the sphere of influence of the Muscat Sultanate, and behind it was the Ottomans supporting it.

Originally, this thing that was far away had nothing to do with Risste, but because of religious beliefs, he dealt with the Tianfang Cult nation, and the empire needed someone who understood its doctrine. This person could not be a priest because the priest was not rational enough. Risste showed enough rationality during the Western Expedition, that is, to know the current affairs. He was familiar with the teachings of the Tianfang Cult because he had dealt too much with religious people in his life, such as those so-called Holy Holy Holy Residues who returned to the Yarkand Khanate after the pilgrimage in the Middle East.

When King Cheng's etiquette left Lanzhou, Gansu, Lin Junhong boarded an ordinary carriage in a costume of the people. This was the carriage that Rishte was riding in. Rishte's eyes were red, his eyes were already black, and he didn't look very energetic. Lin Junhong picked up the teacup beside him, sniffed the black liquid inside, and asked in surprise: "Mr. Rishte, how much have you drunk?"

Risht shook his head regretfully: "Four cups, maybe five cups, from yesterday to now, I haven't fallen asleep."

Lin Junhong couldn't help but smile. The drink in this cup was given to Rishte, which was actually coffee. Rishte heard that this dark, bitter and bitter thing was a mainstream Ottoman drink. He thought that he would go to Mecca to celebrate in the future, so he tasted it. After adding sugar and milk, it tasted quite good, but he never thought that after drinking it, he couldn't sleep at all.

"I finally understand why coffee is the main drink of the Tianfang scholars." Risht rubbed his eyes and said, "The Sufi doctrine is widely circulated in the Tianfang scholar country, and this kind of prayer ritual is really held at night. This kind of drink that can make people unable to sleep is really suitable."

Lin Junhong laughed after hearing this explanation: "Because of me, your Hajj plan has been changed. I am sorry, but after hearing your explanation, I found that the Lifanyuan really found the right person. You are really rational. Okay, Mr. Rishit, I am here to say goodbye to you."

"Goodbye, where is Your Highness going? Don't you go to the capital?" Rishte was surprised.

"Of course, I have to go to the capital, but I don't want to follow the ceremonial guards. This is too boring. I decided to return to the capital by myself, from the northwest to the Central Plains, and have a good taste of the mountains and rivers of the empire. This is worth the trip." Lin Junhong said with a smile.

"It's a pity that I can't be with you." Rishte said regretfully.

The mission to the Ottoman was raised by the diplomatic department of the cabinet, so Rishte would separate from King Cheng's ceremonial guard in Henan and go south to Nanjing City.

After Lin Junhong said goodbye to Rishte, he rode a gentle Mongolian horse and walked on the road to Guanzhong. There were only three guards pretending to be entourage by his side. They were all old men who had been with Lin Junhong for many years. Knowing the temperament of King Cheng, he often took the prince around the city when he was in the capital. This time, he had such a good opportunity, how could he not have fun?

After the four of them visited Guanzhong, they saw more prosperous scenes. After the establishment of the empire, the people's livelihood in the northwest recovered very quickly. The war in the Western Regions ended, and the Tianshan Mountains returned to peace. The Silk Road, which started to go west, started to reopen, making the commercial activities here more active.

Xi'an is a thousand-year-old capital, with many scenic spots around it. Lin Junhong stopped in Xianyang for half a day and went to Xi'an. When he crossed the floating bridge at the Weihe Ferry, there were many merchants and travelers coming and going, and Lin Junhong took people to eat tea and wait in the tea shed beside him. After drinking herbal tea, he relieved the heat. After waiting for a long time, there were still people coming and going on the floating bridge. Lin Junhong and the four of them had horses, but they still couldn't cross the bridge.

"Boss, are you so busy on weekdays? When will you be able to cross the bridge?" Lin Junhong threw a few copper coins on the table and found out.

The tea shop owner smiled and handed the teapot to the clerk to the clerk, lowered his voice and said, "That's not the case. Today is the big day for the vegetarian and preaching in the Xianyang Temple of Hongyang Sect. The surrounding church members are coming. It's a huge area, and it takes an hour or two."

"What kind of religion is Hongyang Buddhism? But the court allowed it?" Lin Junhong was puzzled. Because of the Western Expedition, he learned a lot of religious information. According to his understanding, the only religions allowed by the empire were local Buddhism, Taoism, foreign Tibetan Buddhism, Tianfang Buddhism, Catholicism, and Christianity, but he had never heard of Hongyang Buddhism.

"Oh, it's hard to say whether it's right or not. If you want to say it's wrong, it's a branch of Buddhism. If you want to say it's right, there are no covenants, and there are no religious officials. You can't tell it clearly or not." The owner of the tea shop said, and obviously he didn't want to say it plainly.

Obviously, that is an illegal religion, but this is very common in the empire. Various religious branches derived from Buddhism and Taoism emerge one after another. The White Lotus Sect is represented in the north, while the Luosect is mainly in the south. These two major religions also have various branches and sects, and are also called various names. The Red Yang Sect is mostly derived from the White Lotus Sect or Luosect.

"Is the incense in Xianyang Temple so popular? I came from Gansu, but I have never seen such a scene." Lin Junhong asked again.

The owner of the tea shop said: "It's not all. The main reason is that there are many immigrants to Zhendian across the river. The Hongyang Sect is fighting with them. It was not very popular at first, but when the immigrants in the past two years, there are probably tens of thousands of people in the church."

"Where do immigrants from where they believe in the Hongyang Sect?"

The tea shop owner smiled: "Actually, it was from the prefecture in the north. There was another drought in northern Shaanxi last year, but the court wanted to use troops to the Western Regions, shortening the rice and grain for disaster relief, causing a lot of chaos. Later, the court simply moved all the villages and towns that were causing trouble to come to Guanzhong. The most were around Xianyang, and probably 70,000 to 80,000 people were moved. These people came from afar, and naturally joined forces and had conflicts with the court. By organizing a gathering in the Hongyang Church, the Xianyang Temple had such a situation today."

Lin Junhong thought to himself that his feelings were related to his Western Expedition. He also knew that in the northwest, especially in the early stage, the food and grass were mostly supported by Shaanxi and Gansu, and the land of Gansu was exhausted and the people were poor, and Shaanxi still supported the most. However, he had missed the relief because of the use of troops.

"A group of unruly people and fools, and they don't believe in the court who believes in these gods and fools who pretend to be gods and fools." A guard next to Lin Junhong said disdainfully.

As soon as these words came out, a man on the tea table next to him retorted: "That must be the local officials who abused the people. Good guy, 70,000 to 80,000 people forced to move here. Not only did the people who left their hometowns be cheap, all the ancestors' tombs were lost. If they were not moved, they would be beaten and tied up by soldiers. Under such tyranny, who would still believe in the court?"

When the guard heard this, he got up suddenly, but Lin Junhong held his hand down. Lin Junhong had long noticed the guests on the table next to him, with three people, two men and one woman. In addition to the man in his twenties, he was a middle-aged man who was elegant and easy-going. However, that woman was only thirteen or fourteen years old, and she was in bud. Perhaps because she was out and dressed in men, Lin Junhong had seen many such women in the capital. He saw it at a glance that the northwest wind was as fair as the man's skin, not to mention that the ear piercings of his daughter's house could not be hidden.

"Don't conflict with others, be at ease." Lin Junhong ordered.
Chapter completed!