The Tatars did not usually raid the city, and their main goal was to plunder, both men and goods.

However, after nearly a year of endless harassment, the common people close to the front line of the Great Wall have moved south, and even if they are refugees, it is better than making cattle and horses as slaves for Tartars. Due to the instability of the border pass, the merchants did not dare to go to Datong Town and Yansui Town, except for a few who wanted to fight for luck to make a lot of money, most of the rest did business in Zhangjiakou, and the scale was not large, for fear that the Tartars would break through.

As a result, Xuanfu, Datong, Yansui and the northern part of Taiyuan Prefecture suddenly became depressed and barren, one by one villages were deserted, all the fields were abandoned, even during the day were deserted, there was nothing to rob at all, and the Tatars would probably not have anything to gain from this invasion.

However, since there is no robbery in the winter, why the Tatars still choose to send troops, Shen Xi can't understand, maybe there is something in between.

But these have nothing to do with the current Shen Xi, he safely sent the Fran cannon to Datong Town, which can be regarded as completing half of the errand. Even if he encounters a Tatar offense, a civil servant like him is not qualified or necessary to express his opinions, he is protected by the city wall, and he just needs to rest in peace.

It wasn't until the evening that the riots outside the city ended, and Shen Xi thought to himself, how could there be as many as four or five thousand garrisons in Datong Town, so they let the Tatars come and go freely? I wonder how many men and horses the Tatars crossed the border to plunder?

At this time, Yu Niang brought back the news: "The number of Tatar cavalry is about three or five hundred, but they are all very brave, one person and two horses can be transferred, and the traveling merchants and people who transported grain to Datong this time are about fifty or sixty people, and more than thirty horses......

The report was three or five hundred cavalry, and the specific number was vague, but according to the consistent urine nature of the officials' reports, it must be more than they could report, and sometimes it was possible to multiply the number several times. In other words, in fact, the Tatars may have only one or two hundred horsemen this time, and finally robbed fifty or sixty people, as well as more than thirty livestock, plus some food supplies.

It's a good deal with no money!

Shen Xi asked, "Just let it go?" ”

"How else?"

Yu Niang was extremely helpless about this.

Now it's not a question of more robberies and fewer robberies, the problem is that every time the Tatars commit a border, the Ming soldiers are helpless about it, and can only watch the Tatars do whatever they want outside the city, "Lord Shen, don't worry, Liu Shangshu is now on the three sides, I think I will make some appropriate measures in the future, so that my Ming Dynasty border is stable......"

Shen Xi stalled his hands, meaning that I was in a hurry? Or rather, what am I anxious about?

Liu Daxia is on the three sides, and it is very likely to go to Yansui Town at the moment, anyway, now that the Tatars are raging, the capital cannot go back for the time being, and going to Yansui Town to continue to send artillery at this juncture is equivalent to looking for death, it is better to stay in Datong Mansion for a few days, under the pretext of teaching the soldiers of the three armies to use artillery, and wait for this group of Tatars to retreat, and then I will wait for the opportunity to go to Yansui.

After making up his mind, Shen Xi was relieved.

Shen Xi said: "If there is any news from Yu Niang, please inform me as soon as possible." ”

Yu Niang nodded yes and hurriedly went.

Shen Xi continued to look at the schematic diagram of the Beiguan defense line he had drawn, in fact, how the defense force of Beiguan was an absolute secret of the Ming Dynasty, and it was impossible to know it with his identity. Shen Xi expected that if this Shangshu was dedicated to Emperor Hongzhi by Xie Qianjin, if the emperor felt that it made sense, he might re-plan and arrange the defense forces of the frontier according to his Shangshu.

"I'm so persistent, am I thinking too highly of myself?"

Shen Xi pondered it repeatedly, and couldn't help but feel a little unconfident...... Even if his suggestion is very good, it is based on various historical data of the Ming frontier during the Hongzhi period recorded in later history, as well as the summary of the Tatar conquest in the next few years, but it is too one-sided, because many historical records themselves are self-contradictory and one-sidedly exaggerated, and because of his appearance, history has changed, and the Tatars may not attack according to his plan, and there are certain variables.

Entering Datong City for two days, every day Shen Xi will learn from Yu Niang about the situation of the Tatars committing the border, so he is worried that he can't sleep is the Datong chief military officer and the town guard eunuch, Shen Xi is just a passerby, nothing to do with him, even to explain the maintenance and use of the Fran cannon for the border soldiers, but also by Zhang Lao Wu and other military personnel sent by the "technicians" in charge, these two days he has not even gone to the city to see, has been nested in the official post.

To put it bluntly, Shen Xi is equivalent to the "courier" of delivery, and Datong Town has already "signed" his goods, so he only needs to plan when to leave for Yansui and deliver the second order of goods, and then he can go home.

There was a shortage of soldiers outside, and I didn't know when the Tatars would come and when they would leave, let alone the situation on the Yansui side.

In the end, it was Song Shu, who was dragging his feet everywhere, who came to urge: "...... If you can't return to Beijing before the end of the year, you won't be able to make a difference. ”

Shen Xi thought to himself, is this still up to you?

I still think about my wife and children at home, and now my wife is pregnant with her first child, and my little lover has traveled thousands of miles from Fuzhou City to Beijing, and I still want to take good care of her from harm. Shen Xi was silent for a moment and asked, "The Tatars outside the city have not yet evacuated, could it be that Deputy Song Qianhu thinks that we can withstand the attack of the Tatars and send ten artillery pieces to Yansui safely?" ”

Song Shu's face was full of sinister smiles: "That's the case, Lord Shen, the military department sent you to take charge of this errand, you see...... You can't move yourself, or you can'...... You went to complete this errand in person, and we are waiting for you to come back in Datong Mansion? ”

Shen Xi looked at Song Shu, this proposal is simply ruined, do you really think I am faint for meritorious service?

Shen Xi smiled coldly and asked, "Dare to ask Deputy Song Qianhu, how can I escort the artillery alone?" ”

"Lord Shen only needs to bring the manpower of the military department, and then borrow some soldiers and horses from Datong Mansion......"

Shen Xi directly interrupted Song Shu's words and asked, "Then what did Your Majesty send you here for, are you greedy for life and afraid of death staying in Datong Mansion to be poked in the back?" ”

One sentence stopped Song Shu, and he replied after a while: "It's not Your Majesty, it's the ...... of the military department."

Shen Xi was aggressive: "I am on the emperor's errand, not the tolerance of the Ministry of War, as the right commander of the Zhan Mansion, I am a close minister of His Majesty, dare to ask the people of the Ministry of War what reason can recruit me?" ”

"But ......"

"But there are a group of people like you who are greedy for life and afraid of death, and you are all the way to the official, and when you arrive at Datong Mansion, you actually cower, and now you want to be a shrinking turtle and don't even do the emperor's errand, but you want me to play Your Majesty and treat you and others? Do you want to cut off your head, or will you be exiled and you can't return to Beijing? ”

Shen Xi was unceremoniously, regardless of whether you Song Shu was Zhang Heling's person or not, he would first scold him with his head and face, and then vent the resentment in his heart first.

"Your Excellency, can you not say that this Tatar is a border offender...... Isn't it not in the plan? ”

Song Shu was very jealous when he heard this, Shen Xi didn't say that he forgot that Shen Xi was not from the military department at all, but he came to the border with the identity of Hanlin Lecturer, East Palace Lecturer, and Japanese Lecturer.

In the previous appointment of the imperial court, Shen Xi was also the deputy envoy who cooperated with Gaoming City to pacify the soldiers at the border pass, but it was just because the escort artillery was behind.

Shen Xi said: "How can the things of the world be as good as they should be? Go back and prepare, obey the orders of the official, and be ready to go to Yansui at any time! ”

"Lord Shen, you are a strong man." Although Song Shu didn't want to listen to Shen Xi's order, Shen Xi was the person in charge of this group in the end.

Shen Xi stood up angrily, stood there for a while, his expression eased, paced to the window, looked out of the window, and said calmly: "Actually, this official doesn't want to make it difficult for others, if you want to set off, you have to wait for the Tatars to withdraw first." ”

Song Shu was scolded by Shen Xi just now, and at this time he suddenly felt that what Shen Xi said was very pleasant, it turned out that this principled Shen Hanlin was also greedy for life and afraid of death, so it was not the same as us?

Said that he would wait for the Tatars to withdraw before leaving, and he was still worried about a bird? At this time, he had forgotten that he was here to urge Shen Xi to get on the road!

"What Lord Shen said is that if you want to set off, you have to wait for the Tatars to withdraw first, and it is best to find the border army of Datong Town to escort you along the way, what does Lord Shen think?"

Song Shu had already regarded Shen Xi as a "gang" with him at this time.

Shen Xi didn't expect this kind of method of intimidating first, beating a stick and then giving a sweet date, which was extremely effective for Song Shu, and immediately nodded and said: "As for the Datong General Military Mansion, this official will find someone to say, but we can't distinguish between priorities and priorities, Your Majesty didn't decree that I, the Qincha, can mobilize the soldiers of the border army." ”

Song Shu said: "In the end, it is more important to be the emperor. ”

Shen Xi nodded, so the two people who were still arguing just now released their suspicions, and Song Shu even admired Shen Xi a little more.

When Song Shu left, Shen Xi couldn't help pouting, what the hell is a fool, almost all of you will be in it! I'm acting so righteously, but I'm just gagging your boy's mouth, and don't want me to go on my way alone...... Really, am I as greedy for life and afraid of death as you are? However, Shen Xi thought again, he would rather be later than too early, at least wait for Liu Daxia to straighten out the affairs of the three sides.

It is expected that in a few days, the Tatars will concentrate their attention on three sides, and even if they are not victorious, I will be able to safely escort the artillery to Yansui.

Shen Xi was already waiting for Liu Daxia's good news at this time.

Of course, Shen Xi couldn't be sure that Liu Daxia came to the three sides this time to take the initiative, but it was expected that Liu Daxia would not be indifferent to the Tatars like other generals at the border pass, and an appropriate counterattack was necessary, otherwise what did Emperor Hongzhi send Liu Daxia to the border for? Do you want to be a turtle with a shrunken head with those border generals who are greedy for life and afraid of death?

Shen Xi is quite confident in Liu Daxia, after all, in history, he took over the post of secretary of the military department from Ma Wensheng, and he is a minister who knows the army, and he will not end up dismal after attacking like those reckless young people.

I don't ask you to win any battles, you are in front, it won't take long for me to go back and forth to Yansui, and I will return to Beijing just after completing my errand.

A few more days later, in late winter, the Tatars who had invaded the town of Datong were gone.

For the defenders of Datong, the Tatars this time the border is a bit pediatric, did not rob many things, let alone rob many people, after the withdrawal of the city is a joy, the official "repulsed" the enemy, according to the routine can be added to the official into the knight, at the same time, because the Tatars committed the border, there is an excuse to reach out to the court to ask for a little more money and food, and then propose to repair the gap in the Great Wall, and then strengthen the city wall, and the court to ask for another fund, and then apportion, raise some, you can live a rich year.

Why the Tatars withdrew, the soldiers of Datong Town did not care much. But Shen Xi expected that the Tatars' evacuation was mostly due to Liu Daxia's move, and without further ado, it was advisable to leave early, if Liu Daxia's attack was found by the Tatars to be just a feint, then the road to Yansui might be blocked.

"Adults are leaving so soon? Can...... The Tatars have just withdrawn, how can you be sure that they will not return? "Song Shu didn't talk like that this time.

"It doesn't matter if they come or not, we must leave when the Tatars withdraw, otherwise we won't be able to complete the emperor's mission." Shen Xi scolded angrily.

"The reinforcements of Datong Mansion ......"

Shen Xi scolded: "Are you still thinking about reinforcements? It's good that the chief military officer of Datong didn't detain some manpower for us, now let's go to Yansui and return to the capital to ask your majesty for the title. ”

Shen Xi's blank check did not get a response from Song Shu and other generals, for them, their lives are the most important, and what kind of reward for merit is secondary.

*********

PS: The third update is here!

The last chapter was just sent out just before nine o'clock, and the Son of Heaven naturally had to do things according to his promise, burying his head in code words, and now he finally rushed out another chapter and sent it to everyone!

Keep asking for subscriptions, tips, referral tickets, and monthly passes! (To be continued.) )