Agutai also knew that Zhu Jinsong was stating facts. After all, the entire Solun tribe, including the old, weak, women, and children, numbered no more than twenty thousand. Those who could actually fight were only around five to eight thousand cavalry.
As Zhu Jinsong had said, only one to two thousand Solun people might survive to reach Jinan Prefecture.
After a moment of silence, Agutai raised his head and looked at Zhu Jinsong, asking, "Then what do you suggest we do?"
Actually, Zhu Jinsong was also troubled.
Theoretically, the best course of action would be for the Solun tribe to remain in Heilongjiang, and for Menglianggu to stage a play with the Solun Camp to deceive the Qianlong Emperor.
However, the crucial issue was that although the Solun tribe had rendered meritorious service to the Great Qing, in the eyes of the Qianlong Emperor, they were merely a dog he kept. The Qianlong Emperor treated the Solun tribe with a mix of utility and suspicion, never considering them his own people.
Since the Qianlong Emperor had conscripted the Solun tribe to suppress the rebels at Menglianggu, he would certainly send his own men to the Solun Camp as supervisors. Even if Zhu Jinsong and the Solun Camp had pre-arranged how to stage the act, it might not be enough to fool the Qianlong Emperor.
Once the Qianlong Emperor discovered that the Solun Camp was colluding with Menglianggu, a deep-rooted threat, it was hard to say whether the Great Qing court would not take action against the elderly, weak, women, and children of the Solun tribe remaining in Heilongjiang.
Therefore, the real solution was not to find a way to deceive the Qianlong Emperor, but to have the Solun tribe remain in Heilongjiang, while also compelling the Qianlong Emperor to not dare to attack the Solun tribe.
Zhu Jinsong habitually bent his fingers and slowly tapped on the table in front of him, while slowly refining his idea in his mind.
After careful consideration, Zhu Jinsong said to Agutai, "If you are willing, Menglianggu will send people to accompany your Solun cavalry directly to Heilongjiang, to help you set up farmer's associations in Solunbu and teach you farming and animal husbandry."
"At the same time, Menglianggu will send people to contact the tribes within the Eight Banners of Mongolia who are dissatisfied with the Great Qing court. If successful, your Solun tribe can unite with those dissatisfied Mongolian tribes."
"Furthermore, our Menglianggu will also dispatch troops to attack Wuding Prefecture, Dongchang, and Linqing."
"This will create a pincer movement against the Great Qing, forcing the Great Qing court to be unable to divide its forces to attack your Solun tribe and the Eight Banners of Mongolia."
At this point, Zhu Jinsong took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "However, you must think carefully. If Menglianggu sends people to help you with the farmer's associations, it means that your tribal leaders, who were once in positions of power, will be like ordinary Soluns, no longer able to lord over them."
Agutai exchanged a glance with the Solun scout beside him, then burst into laughter, tears streaming down his face. He then looked at Zhu Jinsong and said, "You probably don't know what kind of life our Solun people are living now."
"Let me put it this way, I, Agutai, the son of a Solun Taiji, also have to hunt and fish like my tribesmen. Our Solun tribe has no so-called high and mighty leaders, because the Great Qing court does not allow us to live good lives. They even forbid us from farming."
"A few years ago, there was a white plague in our Solun tribe, and many livestock died. We couldn't catch much fish, and we Soluns were forced to beg for a living. The Governor-General of Hulunbuir took pity on us and memorialized the Qianlong Emperor, asking him to send people to teach us farming."
"Later, the Qianlong Emperor did send people, and they taught us farming. But as soon as we learned to farm, and the tribesmen had a little harvest, the Qianlong Emperor took away all those who taught us to farm and ordered us to continue hunting and raising livestock, and not to learn farming from you Han people again."
"High and mighty leaders? There are still some among the Eight Banners of Mongolia, but our Solun tribe has none. Our Solun tribe only has Soluns who fish and hunt; we have no high and mighty leaders."
Even though Zhu Jinsong knew that the Great Qing court had always acted unscrupulously, he had not expected the Solun people to live such a bitter life.
They clearly relied on the Solun people for their conquests, and the Qianlong Emperor's so-called great military achievements were all accomplished with the help of the Solun people, yet he treated them like this?
Even when keeping a dog, one should give it a bone or two from time to time.
However, this also made things easier for Zhu Jinsong. At least Zhu Jinsong could directly dispatch people to Solunbu to help them set up farmer's associations without worrying about the leaders causing trouble.
Just as Zhu Jinsong was about to reach an agreement with Agutai, Agutai looked at Zhu Jinsong and asked, "We can agree to you setting up farmer's associations in our Solun tribe. We can also agree to you asking us to speak the Han language, write Han characters, and follow Han laws."
"But how can you make us believe you? Or rather, how can you, the great leader of Menglianggu, truly trust us?"
Being asked this by Agutai, Zhu Jinsong immediately felt a headache.
Yes, one was the rebel group from Menglianggu, and the other was the Solun tribe far away in Heilongjiang. Although the two groups had agreed to resist the Qing together, there was currently a major problem between them.
How could the trust between the two sides be guaranteed?
To put it bluntly, even if Zhu Jinsong showed his heart and soul to the Solun tribe, and could guarantee that he had no ill intentions, why would the Solun tribe necessarily believe Zhu Jinsong?
And vice versa, even if the Solun tribe treated Zhu Jinsong with sincerity, could Zhu Jinsong guarantee that he would not treat the Solun tribe with a mixture of utility and suspicion, like the Qianlong Emperor?
In the final analysis, this was a problem of insufficient contact and trust between the two sides.
After all, this was a matter of life and death between two ethnic groups, and neither dared to stake their chips based solely on the other's words.
Of course, Zhu Jinsong's greatest advantage at the moment was that his Menglianggu rebel group was very capable. Zhu Jinsong could do without the Solun tribe, but the Solun tribe might not be able to do without Zhu Jinsong.
After a period of silence, Zhu Jinsong finally spoke, "I can guarantee that I have no ill intentions towards your Solun tribe, and I know that your Solun tribe will not easily believe what I say."
"But it's alright. Even if you don't trust me much now, I will still send people to teach you to farm and raise livestock. As we interact more, your Solun tribe will come to know what kind of person I am."
Agutai shook his head and said, "My father told me that before the Jurchens entered the pass, they treated us quite well. Now you haven't ascended to the throne yet, so you can treat us Soluns well. But who can guarantee that after you ascend to the throne, you will still treat us the same?"
Being asked this by Agutai, Zhu Jinsong suddenly felt a bit frustrated.
The future had not yet happened, who could say for sure? Moreover, even if Zhu Jinsong guaranteed that he would treat the Solun tribe as his own people in the future, would the Solun tribe necessarily believe him? Why should they?
After thinking for a long time and not coming up with a good idea, Zhu Jinsong simply looked at Agutai and said, "Then tell me, do you have any good ideas?"
Just as Zhu Jinsong thought Agutai would also be stumped, Agutai, who had just appeared to be very simple and honest, suddenly seemed to change into a different person, with a hint of a cunning smile on his face.
Agutai said, "I actually have a good idea, which is for you to marry my sister."
"..."
Zhu Jinsong stared at Agutai in a daze, his mind in a turmoil like tens of thousands of mud horses galloping past.
What was going on?
Sitting in Jinan, a wife from heaven?
The key point was, did he even know who his sister was? How old was she? Was she tall? Short? Fat? Thin? Pretty?
Of course, judging by Agutai's appearance, his sister should not be very old, and her appearance should not be too bad.
Although Zhu had intended to become emperor from the moment he started rebelling, and he also knew that an emperor sometimes took concubines for political alliances and to contribute to the nation, regardless of height, weight, beauty, or ugliness, this was too absurd. He hadn't even taken the throne yet, and Agutai was rushing to offer his sister?
Agutai continued, "I know some of your Han customs, so I won't make things difficult for you. Therefore, if you can ascend to that position, you don't have to crown my sister as empress, nor do you have to crown my sister's son as crown prince. But you must grant the territory where our Solun tribe resides to my sister's son as his fief, and it must be hereditary."
"As long as you agree to this condition, everyone in our Solun tribe guarantees to obey your commands, and our Solun warriors can fight for you."
"Besides, my sister Aguna is a famous beauty among our Solun people, and she can speak your Han language and knows some of your etiquette. Marrying you, you won't suffer a loss."
Zhu Jinsong felt a little uneasy.
Was Agutai taking him for a lecher?
And just as Zhu Jinsong was thinking about how to politely refuse, Agutai continued, "Our Solun tribe just wants this kind of guarantee."
Upon hearing Agutai's words, Zhu Jinsong was also moved.
After all was said and done, the people of Solunbu were afraid of being tricked by the Jurchens, which was why they came up with this seemingly absurd, yet actually very absurd, method as a guarantee.
Thinking of this, Zhu Jinsong finally nodded and said, "I can agree to your conditions. However, as you know the current situation, it's no exaggeration to say that it's a time of war and chaos. Therefore, after your Solun Camp arrives near Jinan Prefecture, I will first send people to return with you to Heilongjiang. After the Tartar court and the Eight Banners of Mongolia are no longer a threat, I will then marry your sister."
Agutai chuckled and said, "There's no need for so much trouble. Our Solun tribe doesn't have your Han land's messy rules. Coincidentally, my sister is in the Solun Camp. So, after our Solun Camp arrives near Jinan Prefecture, I will directly send her to you, brother-in-law."
He's already calling me his brother-in-law?
Oh my god!
Zhu Jinsong suppressed the urge to complain and asked, "Will it be too much of a hardship for your sister?"
Agutai's expression turned somewhat somber: "Hardship? Compared to marrying you, a pale scholar, it would probably be a true hardship to marry an old man in his seventies or eighties."
Before Zhu Jinsong could ask, Agutai continued, "After the New Year, my sister will be sixteen. According to the rules set by the Qianlong Emperor, she will soon be sent to the capital to participate in the selection. Once selected..."
"It's already absurd enough that a decrepit old man in his seventies or eighties wouldn't let go of his father's concubines, but what's even more absurd is that he doesn't even spare men."
"Even if I have to lay down my life, I won't let my sister marry such a decrepit old man."
"Since our Solun tribe plans to join forces with you to fight against the Tartars, I brought my sister with me."
Zhu Jinsong immediately understood.
Damn it, who said the Solun people were simple and honest?
Look at this calculation. Zhu was handsome, so Agutai eagerly offered his sister. If Zhu wasn't good-looking, Agutai would probably have other excuses.
Can speak Han? Knows etiquette? These were probably preparations for the selection.