Jiayuguan leads to Hami for a thousand miles, and it is an arid road with mostly Gobi and deserts along the way, with only a few oases.

Fortunately, Jin Yiwei has been reconnoitring the Western Regions for a long time, and they have a very detailed grasp of the routes here, where there are oases, where there is water, and even where they can dig wells to get water, they are very clear. With these maps, experienced guides, and the water and food that the great military had brought first, it would not be difficult to traverse this thousand-mile journey.

As long as the Dzungars are unable to attack and intercept, a thousand miles away, for the cavalry, it is a matter of four or five days, even if it is infantry, a rapid march can be reached in seven days, artillery and logistics are slow, but there are many camels and horses, and ten days is about the same.

Although the 15,000 cavalry were Han troops, they were elite field cavalry, and they surpassed the Mongolian cavalry in terms of equipment and training. It only took them four days to rush outside Hami day and night.

At this time, Batur had already left Hami, and he received the news that Luntai was defeated and his son was killed in battle later than Liu Jun. Immediately afterwards, he received the news of the loss of the Iron Gate, and after receiving this news, Batur gave up Hami without hesitation.

He left behind 10,000 defenders in Hami, and he himself led most of the troops to retreat to Turpan. Although he still left 10,000 horses behind, he had actually given up Hami, but he was still a little unwilling in his heart, so he finally left 10,000 soldiers and horses here.

10,000 people remained in Hami, but these 10,000 garrisons were not Dzungars, but were guarded by Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Tajiks, Slavs, and other tribes of the Dzungar Khanate.

When the Han cavalry arrived, they found that Batur had already run away, and after only 10,000 defenders left, they also launched a direct attack. They used the mounted artillery they carried to bombard the city of Hami Tu together.

Those Dzungar vassals were fierce, but no matter how fierce they were, they couldn't withstand the continuous bombardment.

After holding on for a long time, they could not hold it, the city wall was broken in several places, and the Han army entered the city.

Seeing that Hami could be captured, the 50,000 Dzungar, Dulbert, Huite, Turghut and other troops led by Tulu Baihu who went north to recapture Altan suddenly rushed back to the outside of Hami.

Gushi Khan had previously accepted Batur's request and led 50,000 troops and horses north to fight for Artan. But after he went north, he immediately found that it was difficult to recapture Altan. Instead of attacking Altan easily, Tulubaihu retreated dozens of miles.

He sent people back to Hami and asked Batur to send more troops and horses, and concentrate all his efforts in order to quickly defeat Altan's Mobei Mongol army, so as to recapture the city of Altan and stabilize the security of the north.

It's just that he didn't expect that he didn't wait for Batur's reinforcements, but what he waited for was the news that Luntai had been lost and the Han army had been killed from the south. Batur asked Tulu Baihu to immediately lead his troops back to Hami.

After receiving the order, Tulu Baihu did not hesitate, but he did not simply evacuate. He first made a posture of attacking with great fanfare, and then waited until midnight to order the whole army to quietly retreat south.

When it was dawn, the Han army saw that the Dzungar camp was not moving, and sent people to investigate, only to find that Gushi Khan had made a move to break out of the shell of the golden cicada and escaped.

The princes of Mobei were tricked, and they were all annoyed and angry, and they also raised their troops and horses to catch up.

Gushi Khan led a large army back to Hami, but it was still a step too late, and Batur had already withdrawn to Turpan.

The cavalry of the Han army, who had just entered Hami City, were still a little stunned when they saw a Mongol army killed.

The Dzungar army in the city was excited.

"Damn, withdraw from the city, immediately, the whole army outside the city is arrayed, ready to fight!"

Pioneer General Zhang Guodong looked at a black line in the sky and ordered with a gloomy face.

"General, we'll be able to take Hami City soon." A general hurriedly said.

"Leave Hami alone." After Zhang Guodong discovered the Dzungar army that appeared outside the city, he had already guessed that they must be the army from the north, and now he didn't have time to look at Hami City again.

It's just a little bit of a failure.

Zhang Guodong was extremely angry in his heart, these damn Dzungar people, they didn't come early, they didn't come late, but they came at this time.

The order is passed on.

Although Hami is at his fingertips, the military order is like a mountain.

The troops that rushed into the city quickly broke away from the battle and withdrew from the city.

The defenders of the city also wanted to counterattack, but after they rushed out from all directions, they were immediately shot by the Han army behind the palace and fled in all directions.

Soon, the Han army withdrew from the city and formed a formation outside the city.

Zhang Guodong looked at his subordinates.

Fifteen thousand elite cavalry, day and night, four days to travel a thousand miles, and just fought under the city of Hami for half a day, at this time people are sleepy and tired, but no matter what, he will not be afraid to fight, let alone run away.

Zhang Guodong clamped the horse's belly between his legs and galloped lightly in front of the battle.

The sword was unsheathed, Zhang Guodong ran past the front of the formation with the sword, and he shouted loudly.

"Warriors of the Empire, I know you are tired now, and it only took us four days to travel a thousand miles. We arrived here, without rest, immediately besieged the city, and I knew that everyone was tired. I also know that everyone is very angry now, and we have marched for four days and have already entered Hami, and we will soon win the victory, but the damned Dzungars are here again, and I can tell you that there are quite a few people coming, they are the Dzungar army that went north, a full 50,000 horses. ”

"Soldiers, let me ask you, are you afraid?"

He was echoed by the sound of a landslide.

"Don't be afraid, not afraid, not afraid!"

"I followed His Majesty's expeditions in the south, the north, the east, and the west, and hundreds of battles. There have been many times when we have faced a worse situation than we are now, but not once have we flinched. His Majesty once said that when the brave meet on a narrow road, when there is no way to retreat, knowing that he is invincible, he must also show his sword. Now, light up your swords and join me in hacking down these bitch Dzungar rebels! ”

"Kill, kill, kill!"

Outside the city of Hami, one by one, the killing words rose up one by one, and the Han cavalry, who were already tired and even a little flustered, were once again in high spirits.

Zhang Guodong raised his sword, he only had more than 10,000 people, but there were 50,000 Dzungar people. But he did not intend to retreat, and he would never let the Dzungars enter Hami again.

"Nine-headed bird, draw your sword!"

One by one, the Imperial cavalrymen put away their guns, and they drew their cavalry swords.

"Nine-headed bird, armor!"

Zhang Guodong shouted again.

During the previous march and siege, these imperial cavalrymen wore only steel helmets and no armor. When they attacked the city, they actually dismounted and fought on foot, using muskets and grenades, and entered the city under the cover of the artillery.

But now, now that he is about to start a field cavalry battle with the Junggar cavalry, Zhang Guodong has chosen another way of fighting.

The cavalrymen untied their armoured bags from their horses, and inside were a pair of steel armor.

It's a simplified half-body armor that's really just a cuirass. The cuirass has only the front half of the plate, and there is no north back. The other armor bag also contained several small pieces, namely wrist guards, arm guards, leg guards, and iron mesh gloves.

These armors are made of stainless steel, which is an alloy made of molten steel mixed with some other metals, and then rolled into a uniquely shaped steel plate, and finally sent to the calciner, where it is hammered thousands of times according to the shape with a large hydraulic hammer to be processed into strong and light armor.

In the end, after many processes, it became a piece of exquisite cavalry armor. However, the armor stream has been eliminated in the Han army, and the vast majority of soldiers in the empire are only equipped with a steel helmet. The cavalry was the only one that still had several pieces of armor. But their armor has also been greatly simplified, leaving only a few small pieces.

Just a few armor accessories are completely because of the resolute requirements of many cavalry generals, and the military department took into account some of the current tactics of the cavalry, so they made reservations.

This armor was retained to match the cavalry's charging tactics.

Although it was the age of firearms, the cavalry of the empire still retained the cavalry charge tactic, and this tactic was approved by the emperor himself.

One by one, the cavalry quickly put on their cuirasses, arm guards, wrist guards, leg guards, and iron mesh gloves, and then drew their cavalry swords.

The military band played a rousing sound.

To the sound of drums, a cavalryman quickly adjusted his position.

The cavalry were in a company, close to each other, and leaned closer and closer.

The standard-bearers in the company raised their battle flags aloft in the air.

"Nine-headed bird, charge!"

Zhang Guozhu waved his knife and ordered.

The cavalry began to stir up their horses and gallop slowly.

On either flank of these cavalrymen, there were two rapidly adjusted artillery positions, which they had reoriented their guns and aimed them at the north.

The Dzungars also sounded the trumpet.

They galloped on horseback, but unlike the Han cavalry charging in a neat and dense cavalry array, they charged freely, scattering and galloping, like wild horses galloping.

"Stay in formation, control the speed!"

The company commanders of the Han cavalry shouted orders from time to time, unlike the Dzungars, who galloped with all their might once they launched a charge. The company commanders of the Han cavalry have been giving orders to the company to maintain formation and control the speed.

They maintained the pace of their trot from beginning to end, and at this speed, the company was always tight and neat.

The Dzungar cavalry rushed like a flood that burst the embankment, but the Han cavalry moved like a wall.

Zhang Guodong did not participate in the charge, as a vanguard general, he commanded the 15,000 cavalry, and was not allowed to directly participate in the charge. He stood on an artillery position, behind him was the only reserve in the whole army.

The two armies were getting closer and closer, but Zhang Guodong gradually showed a smile on his face.

"It's time to fire, we've won."

A cavalry cannon roared, and the cannonballs flew over the heads of the Han cavalry, and then fell into the cluster of the Dzungar cavalry charge, one after another, so that the charging Dzungar cavalry was disturbed, and the casualties were not small.

However, the cavalry of the Han army has always maintained a formation, charging in an orderly and unhurried manner.

However, the number of artillery is limited, although the artillery fire can support and cover the charge of the Han cavalry, and can interfere with and disrupt the charge of some Dzungars, but after all, the number is limited.

What gave Zhang Guodong great confidence was that the cavalry of the Han army had maintained their formation until now, and they were still in a dense formation.

This is the source of Zhang Guodong's self-confidence, and it is also the reason why the Han cavalry still retains some of the armor, a set of core tactics of the Han cavalry, charging in formation.

This tactic is not about speed, but about formation. Moving like an impregnable wall, they did not charge with guns, but with cavalry knives.

Maintain the speed of jogging, as well as dense and neat arrays, bump into them, and cut a few at a time. After rushing over, rearrange the formation, turn around and run over again.

This tactic requires some armor such as cuirass, so that they are more defensive against the cavalry of the enemy's cavalry.

At the same time, this tactic requires excellent training. Without adequate training and tacit cooperation, it is actually more difficult to make the cavalry charge in a neat and dense formation and maintain it on the battlefield all the time.

The core idea of this tactic is also very simple, which is to play to the advantages of the array. Just like an ordinary skirmisher, he will definitely not be able to defeat the infantry phalanx, because the array is not a simple one plus one, it is not addition but multiplication, which brings greater efficiency.

Under such tactics, the Han cavalry generals even demanded that the use of muskets be forbidden when charging. Because the use of muskets during the charge would break up and hinder the formation of the cavalry.

As long as a neat array is maintained, you can kill in and out over and over again.

This tactic is also the cavalry tactical innovation adopted by many military powers in the world after entering the musket era. The experience of later generations told Liu Jun that this kind of cavalry group charge was far more powerful than the traditional cavalry free charge tactics, so he fully supported this cavalry tactics in the army and provided supporting equipment support.

Zhang Guodong watched the imperial cavalry maintain a standard formation under the pressure of the battlefield, and already knew that he had won this battle. In addition, the Han army had artillery to cooperate with the cavalry attack, and constantly used artillery fire to scatter the already scattered Dzungar cavalry, and the cavalry battle formation of the empire was even more powerful.

The two armies finally approached.

Zhang Guodong held the clairvoyant mirror and watched carefully, he was also very nervous, the most critical time had come. No matter how intact the formation of the Imperial cavalry was before, if they could not continue to maintain it after engaging the enemy, then it would be meaningless. Without the formation, more than 10,000 imperial cavalry could not defeat 50,000 Dzungar cavalry.

"Control the speed, keep the formation, and hack these wolves to death!"

"Crush them!"

One of the company leaders shouted loudly, and he controlled the speed of his mount as he swung the knife in his hand fiercely. The entire company was lined up in three rows, each of which was exactly a cavalry platoon. The cavalry horses of each platoon were next to each other, and they did not even need to control the reins, nor did they have to worry about attacks on the sides and behind, where they were protected by their comrades.

Under this array, they only need to stare at the enemy directly in front of them. Moreover, their platoon is so dense that often one enemy cavalry rushes closer, and they can cut one at the same time with two or three.

The bows and arrows fired by the Dzungars from a distance basically did not kill much.

Protected by a steel helmet and cuirass, most of the body in front was protected.

Zhang Guodong saw in the telescope that as soon as the two armies took over, the array in front of the Han army just shook, and then continued to advance. The Dzungar cavalry, who stood in front of them, were quickly cut down, knocked away, trampled, and run over

"We won!"

Several officers who were also watching the battle couldn't help but shout loudly.

Fight until sunset.

Although the Han cavalry was few, with their excellent quality, they were crushed by repeated charges with a cavalry formation, and finally the three times the Dzungar allied army was completely at a disadvantage.

No cavalry can withstand the bombardment of the Han artillery from time to time, and can withstand the cavalry of the Han army again and again.

Every time the Han army crushed them, they wanted to seize the gap in the Han army's entire team to kill them, but at this time, the Han army would always shamelessly pick up muskets and shoot them with rows of lead bullets, and they fell into the water. After the battle, these Han soldiers calmly formed their formations, put away their muskets, drew their cavalry swords and ran them over again, over and over again, they were like a machine, tireless, and infallible.

By sunset, Gushi Khan could only hope for time, he knew that this Han army was tired, and he himself was tired, but it was obviously better than the Han army, and he hoped that he could drag down the Han army. By the time they were exhausted, and when it got dark, their arrays would certainly not be so good at that time, and their artillery would be difficult to use.

Seeing that it was about to get dark, Gushi Khan finally saw a glimmer of victory.

But at this moment, there was a trumpet from the north.

It was not the sound of bull horns, but the sound of brass horns, which was the sound of trumpets only in the Han army.

With the sound of the trumpet, countless Mobei cavalry appeared with a golden glow, and their horses galloped, like the sky collapsing and the earth cracking, like mountains and tsunamis, all the way to the wild.

Gu Shi Khan was like falling into an ice cave, he didn't expect the Mobei cavalry to arrive so quickly.

It's over, he sighed in his heart, the Mobei cavalry has arrived, and the Han army has joined this new force, they have no chance of victory, and it is even difficult to run now.

"Let's go!" Gu Shi Khan said to the two sons beside him, waved his horsewhip and slapped the horse's buttocks, and galloped westward with his body bowed, he didn't even care about the soldiers and horses that were still fighting on the battlefield, and he couldn't care so much.

The sky was getting darker and darker, and Gushi Khan left the battlefield without looking back, taking his two sons and hundreds of his own guards.

Behind him, the battlefield outside Hami City was already in chaos, and the Dzungar army, which was already on the verge of collapse, immediately collapsed as soon as they saw countless Mobei cavalry killed.

There was no longer a will to fight, and they scattered and fled.

The newly arrived Mobei cavalry was just in time to drink the last mouthful of soup. They excitedly brandished their sabers and surrounded and chased down those defeated Dzungar soldiers.

Zhang Guodong put down the clairvoyant mirror, and his hands were trembling slightly.

Won, finally won, still a big victory.

With the arrival of the Mobei cavalry at a critical time, not only the victory of Hami City was preserved, but also the Dzungars also took another 50,000 horses.

"Let the Mobei princes chase those routs, and we will enter the city." Zhang Guodong looked at the dilapidated Hami City, with a smile on his face. (To be continued.) )