After 52 days of trekking, at the end of July, the 50,000 army led by Hei Yunlong arrived in Lanzhou. This time the Western Expedition and the Shuote Department, with Zhao Shujiao as the commander and Heiyunlong as the deputy commander.

The 50,000 troops of the Beijing Governor's Mansion went on an expedition, and Zhao led the Jiao to put it in the rear of the army, and the front team was the army of the 50,000 Lanzhou Governor's Mansion. Before leaving, Zhao Shujiao specially told Heiyunlong to protect Zhu Ciyan.

After Zhu Cijun arrived in Lanzhou, he kept his identity hidden, assumed the pseudonym Huang Yan, and served as a staff officer. In the Lanzhou Governor's Mansion, there are no more than ten people who know Zhu Ciyan's identity, and Zhao Shujiao is one of them.

"The last general, the Black Cloud Dragon, knocks on His Highness!" The Black Cloud Dragon saluted.

"General Black, please get up!" Zhu Ciyan hurriedly picked up Heiyunlong and said, "There is no prince here, only third-class staff officer Huang Yan." ”

"Your Majesty has decreed that the prince's history must not be treated differently." Zhao Shujiao said.

"Lord Zhao, I still ask your lord to allow me to follow the army to the front line." Zhu Cijun said.

"Staff Officer Huang, the soldiers and horses go first before the grain and grass are moved, logistics supply is particularly important for such a big war, you better handle the logistics affairs first, and when the time comes, I will arrange for you to go to the front line." Zhao Shujiao said.

Although Zhu Youxiao said that Zhao Shujiao treated Zhu Ciyan as an ordinary soldier, Zhu Cixuan himself hoped not to be treated differently, but Zhao Shujiao did not dare to take risks, in case Zhu Cixuan had an accident, he would die and would not be able to escape the blame.

"My lord......" Zhu Ciyan naturally knew what Zhao Shujiao meant, but he still wanted to go to the battlefield to see.

"It is the duty of a soldier to obey the orders of His Majesty and his superiors, this is the first rule of imperial military discipline, Staff Officer Huang will not forget it, right?" Zhao Shujiao said solemnly.

"I haven't forgotten, it's just ......" Zhu Ciyan still didn't give up.

"It's an order." Zhao Shujiao said.

"No." Zhu Ciyan saluted.

"Admiral Black, Huang Yan will be handed over to you." Zhao Shujiao patted Hei Yunlong's shoulder and said.

Seeing all this, Hei Yunlong really felt a little big, and he said to Zhu Ciyun from the bottom of his heart: Do you know something? You just stay in the rear, and when the army wins a great victory, you will certainly not lose your credit, and if something happens to you, even if the army wins a great victory, it will all be in vain.

Of course, Hei Yunlong only dared to say this in his heart, and he said to Zhu Ciyan: "Staff Officer Huang, this westward expedition is a long way, before the decisive battle between the two armies, it is most important to ensure the smooth logistics of our army, and when the army is decisive, we will consider the matter of going to the front line." ”

"No." Zhu Ciyan said helplessly.

……

At the end of August, the 50,000 troops led by Zhao led by Jiao all arrived at Jiayuguan.

In the eleventh year of Zhengde (1516), Dunhuang was occupied by Turpan. In the third year of Jiajing (1524), the Ming Dynasty ordered the closure of Jiayu Pass, the relocation of civilians in Guanxi, and the abandonment of Gua and Shazhou. Jiayuguan became the border city of the Ming Dynasty. Out of Jiayu Pass is the original Chijin Mongolian Guard, Chijin Mongolian Guard is one of the seven guards in Guanxi, after the Ming Dynasty moved inward, the Chijin Mongolian Guard was slowly abandoned.

After Zhao Shujiao stayed in Jiayuguan for a day, he went out of the customs to Chijin Mongolian Guard. This expedition to the west was not only to defeat the Heshute Division, but also to rebuild the Kansai Seven Guards. In the Kansai area, the enemies of the Ming army included not only the Mongols but also the Hui. During the Yongle period, there was a rebellion in the Kansai Huihui. This is also the reason why Zhu Youxiao asked Taoism and Buddhism to enter Kansai.

After Taoism and Buddhism entered Kansai, they developed extremely rapidly in the local area, and there were several conflicts with the local religions, which even led to rebellions. Within a few years, the population of Kansai had halved.

Under the favor of the imperial court, Taoism and Buddhism gradually became the main religions in the region, while other religions gradually moved west west of Jiayuguan. In order to ensure logistical security, the first thing to do is to clear the unstable factors of the seven guards in Kansai.

The liquidation of the Seven Guards of Guanxi was very smooth, and the advance speed of Zhao Led Sect was also very fast, and by the ninth day of the ninth month, the vanguard troops of Zhao Led Sect had arrived at the left guard of Handong. The Handong Left Guard is the most important logistics transit station set in the plan of the western expedition. And Zhu Ciyan also arrived at Jiayuguan at this moment.

On the 10th day of September, Zhu Cijun was ordered to escort a batch of grain, grass and ammunition to Guazhou. The left guard from Jiayuguan to Handong has been combed by the army, and it should be relatively safe, but Zhu Ciyan's escort has encountered danger. As soon as Zhu Ciyan's army of grain and grass came out of Chama City, he encountered a sneak attack by 16,000 people led by Hara Erchi.

Half a month after Zhao led the army to leave Lanzhou, the tribes of the Seven Guards in Guanxi received news one after another.

When the other tribes organized the westward migration, Hara Erchi only moved the old and weak women and children westward first, and he himself led 15,000 elites to lurk in the local area. Zhao Shujiao's attention was not on the local tribes in Kansai, and Zhao Shujiao did not care about their westward migration, and his goal was the Heshute Division. This gave Harat Chi a chance.

Hara Erchi led 15,000 men all cavalry, while Zhu Ciyan's escort team consisted of only 1,000 dragoons and 2,000 infantry. Hara Erchi led the cavalry to suddenly kill, so that Zhu Ciyan's army was caught off guard, the formation must be too late, Zhu Ciyan ordered: "The whole army is moving closer to me, relying on the baggage cart to launch a counterattack, the dragoons will collect the people, and take the weapons in the baggage nearby and distribute them to the people to resist the enemy." ”

Seeing the enemy's cavalry rushing over, more than 20,000 people were in a mess, some people abandoned their baggage and began to run, some people were at a loss, and some people quickly moved closer to the army. The dragoons were quick to gather the people who could be retracted.

The speed of the advance of the army of Hara Erchi was very fast, and they did not come to burn the baggage of the Ming army, but to rob the Ming army. Of course, revenge and killing were also an incidental purpose, and the counterattack organized by Zhu Ciyan became the target of Haraerchi's attack.

"My lord, the front of our army is full of gunpowder, as long as the gunpowder is detonated, it can stop the enemy for at least a quarter of an hour or two, and our army can form a formation." At this time, someone suggested.

"Use a grenade, use a grenade to detonate the baggage cart in front of you." Zhu Ciyan ordered without hesitation.

The Ming army threw the grenades in their hands one after another at the baggage carts in front of them, and there were several loud noises of "boom, boom...... and the baggage carts loaded with gunpowder were detonated.

(End of chapter)