Chapter 126: Anxi City

In the fifth year of Hongwu, the nineteenth day of the tenth month.

Autumn arrives early in the Western Regions; a thin frost has already covered the Gobi flats outside Hami City.

Zhu Yong stood on the newly built city wall, gazing at the vast heavens and earth to the west.

The wall rose a little over two zhang, constructed of rammed earth mixed with broken stones; although it could not match the solidity of the blue‑brick walls of the great cities in Zhongyuan, it was already a rarity on this land.

This was the first city he supervised the construction of in the Western Regions, Anxi City.

Indeed, the name used was exactly that of the Anxi City built by the Northern Song.

However, Zhu Yong did not know that; he chose the name merely because he wanted the sense of a peaceful western region.

"Prince, the south wall can be closed today; the north wall still needs three days," Minister of Works Officer Wang Chong said, holding a blueprint and pointing at the busy laborers in the distance.

Zhu Yong nodded, took the blueprint and glanced at it.

Anxi City was sited eighty li east of Hami, backed against the Tianshan Subrange, fronting the Shule River, in a strategically difficult terrain.

The city was square, each side three hundred zhang long, with arrow towers at the four corners, east and west gates, capable of garrisoning five thousand troops and storing one hundred thousand shi of grain.

"How is the irrigation canal of the Shule River progressing?" he asked.

"We have dug three li, channeling water into the city; twelve wells have been dug inside, and the water supply is sufficient," Wang Chong replied.

Zhu Yong placed the blueprint down, satisfied.

This city is not solely for the garrison.

He intends to put down roots here, giving Great Ming a solid foothold in the Western Regions.

A month after that great battle, the main forces of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate were scattered, and the Black Fire faction fled back to Turpan.

But the Western Regions are vast, with tribal powers interwoven; without establishing a base, once the great army withdraws, this area will quickly slip out of control.

Therefore, Zhu Yong decided not to rush the pursuit, but to build the city first.

"Prince, General Guo and General Feng have arrived," Zhang Wu shouted from below the city.

Zhu Yong descended the wall and saw Guo Ying and Feng Sheng each leading a squad of Imperial Troops, standing before the freshly repaired city gate opening.

"Prince Wu," the two said, bowing their hands.

"No need for formalities, Uncle and Uncle, let's go talk in the camp tent," Zhu Yong said with a simple smile.

The three went to the temporary Central Command Tent erected in the middle of the city.

Inside, the tent was simple, with only a wooden table, a few long benches, and a map of the Western Regions hanging on the wall.

After sitting down, Guo Ying got straight to the point: "Prince, Anxi City is more than half built; what are the next plans? Our troops have been stationed here for over a month. Though grain and fodder remain plentiful, a prolonged stay may bring trouble."

Feng Sheng added: "News from Turpan says the Black Fire faction is gathering its remnants, contacting the Oirat and Yelqiang tribes, seemingly intending a counter‑attack."

Zhu Yong walked to the map and pointed at several locations.

"I'm thinking that building just one city is not enough,"

He paused, then continued: "The Western Regions are vast—800 li from Hami to Turpan, 1,200 li to Yutian, and 1,800 li to Kashgar.

One Anxi City cannot defend such a vast territory."

"Your meaning is..." Guo Ying said thoughtfully.

"Build several more. Here, upstream of the Shule River, a city can be built to control the southern route of the Tianshan; here, at the Yiwu Oasis, a city can be built to block the east‑west thoroughfare.

Here, the Kuche Old City can be rebuilt and fortified to guard the former site of Kucha," Zhu Yong said, drawing several circles on the map.

Feng Sheng frowned: "Prince, building cities consumes massive resources; both labor and finances are issues. Anxi City already required thirty thousand laborers and a month to complete. Constructing three more cities would need at least one hundred thousand laborers and half a year."

"We have laborers; we have twenty thousand captives who can be put to work, and we can levy more from Hami and Dunhuang, offering them money and grain; we should be able to muster fifty thousand. As for finances..."

Zhu Yong said slowly.

He recalled the words Zhu Biao had given him before the expedition.

"Second brother, conquering the Western Regions is easy, holding them is hard. Imperial Father said that the money that should be spent must be spent, the cities that should be built must be built, do not be reluctant. The Ministry of Revenue allocated two million taels; if that's not enough, request more,"

Zhu Yong had then said naively: "Elder brother, I don't understand managing money."

Zhu Biao laughed and patted his shoulder: "If you don't understand, find someone who does; the Ministry of Works has sent capable officials to accompany the army. You just make the decisions; let them handle the details."

Remembering this now, Zhu Yong felt reassured.

"The matter of money, I have already reported to the court; Imperial Father and elder brother will support it," he told the two.

Moreover, it's not just the court; this campaign in the Western Regions has already yielded a great amount of gold and silver, as well as local specialties—gems, Dragon's Saliva Incense, rhinoceros horns, and the like.

Guo Ying and Feng Sheng exchanged glances, each seeing surprise in the other's eyes.

They hadn't expected that this usually simple‑minded Prince Wu possessed such strategic vision.

"Prince, your plans are thorough, but during the construction period, if the enemy attacks..." Guo Ying said, bowing his hands.

"Therefore we cannot just build cities; we must strike proactively so they dare not come," Zhu Yong said, pointing toward Turpan.

He turned to the two and said, "Uncle Guo, you will command twenty thousand troops, garrison Anxi, supervise the city construction; Uncle Feng, you will command thirty thousand troops, advance west to Kuche, rebuild the old city, and intimidate the Yelqiang."

"What about you, Prince?" Feng Sheng asked.

Zhu Yong grinned and said, "I'll take the Longxiang Army to make a tour of Turpan."

……

Three days later, the Longxiang Army's ten thousand cavalry were fully assembled.

Zhu Yong did not bring much grain and fodder; each man carried only ten days' rations, traveling light.

What he sought was not siege and plunder, but raids.

Turpan lay four hundred li away; the cavalry could reach it in three days at a rapid pace.

On the night before departure, Zhu Yong wrote a report in the tent.

His handwriting was still crooked, but it conveyed the meaning clearly.

"Imperial Father, elder brother, Anxi City will be completed; I, your son, propose to build three more cities to control the key routes of the Western Regions, and now lead troops to raid Turpan so it cannot look eastward.

The required money and grain, I request the court to allocate."

After finishing the writing, he glanced at it, thought it was acceptable, sealed it and handed it to the messenger.

"Eight Hundred Li Urgent, send back to Yingtian."

"Yes!"

The messenger set out through the night.

Zhu Yong stepped out of the camp tent, gazing at the star‑filled sky.

The Gobi night sky was unusually clear, the Milky Way spanned the horizon, and the countless stars glittered like sand.

He thought of Yingtian Prefecture; at this hour, Guanyin Nu should be coaxing Huan Huan to sleep.

His daughter was only half a year old, not yet able to call him "dad," but every time he returned, she would beam at him.

There were also his parents, elder brother and sister‑in‑law, and Xiong Ying's nephew…

"Prince, you should rest," Zhang Wu said as he approached.

Zhu Yong nodded, went back to his tent and lay down.

At dawn the next day, the army set out.

Ten thousand cavalry surged westward like a black torrent.

Zhu Yong rode at the forefront, Double Hammers hanging at his horse's side.

His horse was a fine steed from the Western Regions, entirely jet‑black, newly acquired because his previous mounts had already collapsed—after all, his hammers were too heavy.

It seems he'll have to look for a finer mount sometime.

A mount with better stamina, otherwise constantly swapping horses leaves few good ones for him to use.

A sturdy mount—perhaps a wild boar would do…

I'll become a wild‑boar rider in the future….

Lost in idle daydreams.

Longxiang Army soldiers followed close behind, hooves crushing the morning frost and raising clouds of dust.

On the first day, they marched 150 li, reaching the upper reaches of the Shule River.

The area was rich in water and grass, with scattered herders grazing.

Seeing the army arrive, the herders fled in panic.

Zhu Yong ordered that they not disturb them, only take water and rest.

The second day, they passed through the Tianshan Pass.

The mountain road was rugged, and the cavalry moved slowly.

On the mountain stood the Beacon Ruins, likely built during the Han–Tang eras, now only broken walls remain.

Zhu Yong halted his horse, looked for a moment, and said to his left and right, "When the city walls are finished, these beacons must be rebuilt, all the way to Yumen Pass."