As soon as the sun came out, the ground was already like a fire, and some gray gas that seemed to be clouds but not clouds, like fog and not fog, floated low in the air, making people feel suffocated.

On the outskirts of Ava, Myanmar, a bamboo city was erected a month ago, and more than ten thatched houses in the city were the "palaces" of the Yongli Emperor. The miscellaneous thatched huts are the residences built by the accompanying officials and others with bamboo and wood. It has been more than a month since the small imperial court moved from Jing Gan to this place, and although it is across the river from the city of Awa, it has never been officially received by the Burmese side.

When he first arrived, the Burmese authorities also gave some local products, that is, the so-called "considerable tribute" in the history books. Emperor Yongli also carried a little savings, intending to give back a generous gift, which was a condescending "reward" in the usual words of the Ming Dynasty. Burmese officials said: "I dare not bow without the king's order." It is clear that Burma is no longer willing to practice vassals to the exiled court. Exchanging gold and silver for local products? was also rejected by others, but now it is no longer the Celestial Empire looking for feelings, but the emperor in distress to buy safety.

At this time, the small imperial court had few guards, and there were only about 100 unarmed soldiers "guarding the palace" every day. Outside the bamboo city, it was guarded by Burmese soldiers. Since the Southern Ming army that entered the Burmese territory received the edict and returned immediately, Yongli became a "hostage" for the self-protection of the king of the soil. It was precisely because of the strange goods that he could live in, the Burmese king blocked the internal and external news more strictly, and did everything possible to prevent the Southern Ming army from finding Emperor Yongli and his party.

Many ministers no longer wear official uniforms, each short coat is stomped on their feet, carrying baskets and carrying pockets, sitting on the ground and flirting with Burmese women who set up stalls and do business, bargaining, and having a good time. There are even many officials who pay for wine, get drunk and noisy, gamble wildly, and have no demeanor like a minister of the Heavenly Empire.

In order to maintain the safety and integrity of the small court, Emperor Yongli decided to send officials to take turns to patrol the night. Suining Bo Puying, eunuchs Li Guotai, Yang Guoming, etc. even opened casinos, shouting day and night, and there was a lot of noise. Emperor Yongli was furious, and ordered the Jinyi guards to go to demolish the casino, and the ministers were gambling in a hurry, so what did the emperor's holy decree be, reopen the casino in another place, and the noise was the same.

"Happiness in suffering, without any intention of going to the national disaster together, how can you not let the Burmese people despise it?" Mu Tianbo sighed and shook his head again and again.

Some Burmese people also despised the behavior of the court officials, and they discussed: "These old men are becoming less and less like a person who wants to be a tyrant, so playful, and the world will not die?" Even the person who acted as a messenger (translator), as a Dali person, was also deeply dissatisfied, and said to people in private: "If you enter the customs before, if you don't give up your weapons and armor, you still have the power of self-defense, and you will be defenseless, and you will abolish the etiquette of the Heavenly Empire, and I am afraid that you will die!" ”

These words reached the ears of Mu Tianbo and others, and some people turned a deaf ear, but they made him worried, and secretly discussed measures with Wang Qilong, the chief soldier who originally belonged to the king of Jin.

"When I was in the well, I didn't use the words of the national government, so I am in a dilemma today. Now that the car is in the tiger's den, what can I do? Whew, whew! Wang Qilong smiled bitterly and spread his hands, indicating that there was nothing he could do.

Mu Tianbo looked north through the window of the simple thatched hut and muttered: "Repeated edicts ordering the soldiers to retreat will not make the soldiers feel cold. If you are loyal and brave and do not retreat, you will become a forced palace. I don't know what is going on with His Highness Min, whether he has already joined His Highness Jin, or—"

Wang Qilong was silent for a while, and said: "His Royal Highness Min's insistence on entering Yunnan is also prescient, and the prince of the country does not see that the people and horses who come by land are all separated by wife, family property is gone, and there are many deaths. ”

Led by Pan Shirong, the Ming officials and soldiers who traveled south by land arrived across the river from the city of Ava, the capital of Burma, in March, causing the Burmese king to be uneasy due to the crowd of people. Then he sent soldiers to surround them, and forcibly placed these Nanming personnel, regardless of men, women, and children, in the nearby villagers' homes to take care of them, one family by one, and forbade them to come and go. In an instant, their wives were separated, their family property was wiped out, and they lost their personal freedom, and many of them were so humiliated that they committed suicide in anger.

Mu Tianbo's eyes flashed, Huo Ran stood up, and said angrily: "While the Burmese people are not yet restrained, why not fight to the death, organize the daredevils to kill the traitors, and protect the prince to break through and defect to the second domain of Jin Gong." ”

Wang Qilong was taken aback, and it took a long time before he said: "The plan of the prince is too manipulative, why don't you first reveal to Ma Jixiang about the return of the prince, and then make a plan." ”

Mu Tianbo also felt that his words were too ruthless, and he suddenly frightened Wang Qilong, and couldn't help but laugh and said: "Yes, Ma Jixiang is in charge of Jinyiwei, and he should discuss it with him first." ”

How could Wang Qilong not know who the traitor in Mu Tianbo's words was referring to, Ma Jixiang should be the head of the traitorous ministers, but at this time, he could only pretend to be confused, and said with a smile: "The eunuch Li Guotai is also a traitor, and I have long had the heart to eliminate traitors for the country." Hehe, haha. ”

"We still need to plan in detail before we can act." Mu Tianbo saw that Wang Qilong pushed the eunuch Li Guotai out, and knew that he was timid and suspicious, so he slowed down his tone, "Breaking through into Yunnan, the road is long, and it is difficult to make the trip without a guide!" ”

"It's the pole, it's the pole." Wang Qilong saw that there was room for relaxation, and hurriedly nodded yes, "If you don't plan carefully, won't you fall into the danger of the prince, and it will be difficult for us to redeem our deaths." ”

Mu Tianbo echoed casually, but sighed in his heart, it seems that there is no critical moment, people are always undecided, but when the Burmese side sends troops to strictly guard it, I am afraid that the time is no longer there.

………………

The terrible rainy season in the subtropics is not that it rains all the time, and there are no sunny days at all, but that the thunderstorms are raging to show the power of the sky, and what prompted Zhu Yongxing to make up his mind was not only the factor of the clear sky.

It was shivering with cold rain, and when the sun came out, it was as roasted as Futian. Zhu Yongxing gently covered his nose, dampness, corpse odor and other complex smells filled the air, maggots, mosquitoes crawled around, and they could be seen everywhere on the top of the mountain, which was disgusting. I thought that leaving the corpses of the Qing army down the hillside could temporarily isolate the source of the plague, but it seems that it is still simple.

Fortunately, I had already asked the soldiers of the Ming army to tie the leggings, which was a simple little thing that could not only play the role of boots, but also prevent the bite of locusts and insects; It also helps in the march and can prevent the swelling and pain caused by the accumulation of blood and veins; It can even be treated as a bandage.

Bai Wenxuan, the newly promoted king of Zhao, once asked Ying to supervise the battle and wanted Zhu Yongxing to go to the rear, but Zhu Yongxing politely refused, and arranged for him to garrison troops at the Longchuan River ferry to ensure that the retreat was foolproof. And now, Bai Wenxuan came overnight, right by Zhu Yongxing's side.

Bai Wen chose to come here because he was worried about Zhu Yongxing's safety, and he was also a little worried about the battle situation on the front line. He also brought the latest information on Tengchong. He may not have made up his mind when he came, but at the Nansai Mansion, Bai Wenxuan was shocked by the cruelty of the battlefield and decided to lean towards the backup plan planned by Zhu Yongxing.