The Ming army continued to retreat south.

After two days of rapid marching, it must have been bitter in the army in the past, but with Zhang Zhou and Wang Shouren sitting in the army, and although it was two days and two nights of non-stop, the line was only more than 100 miles, which was not so terrible for the soldiers.

The Daming Pass is in front of you, and the whole army, especially the officers and soldiers of the expeditionary force, are like arrows.

After a day and a night of marching, it was less than sixty miles away from Yanghekou at this time, and the range of the night exploration was already about a hundred miles in the surrounding area.

Wang Shouren followed Zhang Zhou and also saw Zhang Zhou's unique side.

"The fire sieve headquarters is indeed here, but it doesn't seem to have any intention of committing a big attack."

Zhang Zhou rode on a horse, holding the night report he had just gotten, and looked at Wang Shouren with a smile.

Wang Shouren looked at Zhang Zhou's leisurely appearance, thinking that Zhang Zhou said that he was going to fight a decisive battle with the fire sieve before, he actually wanted to ask, didn't you say that you gave us all the gunpowder in the mighty sky, and there were not even many shells? The fire sieve is coming, what do you rely on to fight him?

Zhu Hui next to him asked with a smile: "Mr. Zhang, how many people did the fire sieve bring this time?" ”

Zhang Zhou shook his head: "At present, it is only roughly speculated that he is a hundred miles away from us, and he has not yet arrived at Maoerzhuang, and when he comes, we will know how many people he has." ”

"Where is the direction of Datong Town's troops?"

Wang Shouren asked a question that he was concerned about.

It has always been said that Datong Town will send troops, but until now, let alone the regular army of Datong Town, I haven't even seen the shadow of the scouts coming from Datong, no matter how you look at Datong Town, it doesn't look like it has sent troops.

Zhu Hui asked with a smile: "General Wang, what you mean by this is to gather soldiers and horses and fight a decisive battle with the Tartars." Courage is commendable. ”

After Wang Shouren experienced the two battles of Weininghai and Tushan, the soldiers of the expeditionary force first called him Major General, and now even Zhu Hui and others have changed their words.

There is probably also a sense that Wang Shouren is the second generation of officials, Wang Shouren doesn't feel that he is a soldier, and he is actually a little resistant to this title, but others call it so, so he acquiesces.

"In my opinion, the retreat of the fire screen will bring back at least thirty or forty thousand cavalry, and it may be difficult to win a head-on battle." After Wang Shouren finished speaking, he seemed to suspect that Zhang Zhou had bragged before, and changed his words, "Unless all parties cooperate with the troops and horses, and use the troops properly." It is also necessary to have the strategizing of Zhang Zhengtai. ”

"Yes, it's up to Mr. Zhang." Zhu Hui heard that Wang Shouren was complimenting Zhang Zhou, and he also helped to say a word.

Zhang Zhou said with a smile: "The troops from Datong Town should go through the lonely shop, and the official road of the horse market out of Fangshan cannot be connected to us." Probably missed. ”

Wang Shouren really wanted to ask, since you ordered Datong Town to send troops to coordinate with the emperor's order, and explained that you were going to send troops to Maoerzhuang, now that the march of troops and horses in Datong Town has not reached your strategic intentions, can you still deal with it so easily?

"But who let them go astray, and they can't even share the credit?"

Zhang Zhou joked with a smile.

Everyone around who heard it, except for Wang Shouren, was laughing.

It's a smug laugh.

Most of the credit is from the expeditionary force, but Zhang Zhouqin led 7,000 soldiers and horses to gallop to help, and the pursuing soldiers and horses of the Menggol Lejin Department were retreated, and the credit was not small, and Zhu Hui and others were also waiting to go back to receive the reward.

Wang Shouren didn't think so, if it was just that the soldiers and horses of Datong Town didn't get the credit, even if it was a punishment for them, then it would be too cheap.

They didn't send troops, but they almost killed our expeditionary force.

Zhang Zhou smiled and glanced at Wang Shouren, which probably means that some things are inconvenient to say publicly, so it is better to wait until you get to a suitable place and then interview you alone.

……

……

Da Ming said that it was a rapid march, but because he drove nearly 100,000 cattle and sheep, he did not walk fast.

Sometimes people don't need to rest, but the horses need it, and at the same time they have to feed the cattle and sheep with fodder, and the army will stop to rest for a while, and it is also based on the temperament of these animals, they need to eat forage, and the man will stop to eat dry food, and sometimes he will simply bury the stove so that the soldiers can drink hot soup.

The broth tube is enough.

Coupled with wild vegetables, whether it is the soldiers of the expeditionary force or the 7,000 soldiers and horses brought by Zhang Zhou, it tastes very delicious.

The expeditionary force led by Ma Yi himself, with part of the cavalry brought by Zhang Zhou, was in charge of the palace.

Except that the people behind the palace may be a little nervous, although the army has not seen the side wall of the Great Wall, the atmosphere of the army is very relaxed.

When Wang Shouren rode a horse to inspect the march of various departments, he found that the soldiers looked leisurely and complacent, as if they had come out to play artillery, and even the officers and soldiers of the expeditionary force who had marched with him for more than ten days and experienced two major battles seemed to be relaxed, probably thinking that with Zhang Zhou's presence, this battle would be absolutely stable.

Wang Shouren also doesn't know where this group of people got their confidence.

The fire sieve led the soldiers and horses back to help, wanting to rescue the prisoners, according to Wang Shouren's estimate, there should be 30,000 or 40,000 people in the fire sieve headquarters.

But Zhang Zhou once told him that the fire sieve was not so good...... It would be nice to be able to bring back 20,000 elite soldiers, and it is likely to be all the belongings of the fire sifter.

After the army finished burying the stove, when he continued to set off, Wang Shouren took advantage of the fact that Zhang Zhou did not have Zhu Hui and these people by his side, and hurried over to inquire about the situation.

"The Mongolian right wing is a total of 30,000 households, and the Menggol Jin Department is not satisfied, there are about 8,000 households, I count him as a group of four soldiers, with the loss of his battles such as Biguan and Weininghai, he can leave at most 25,000 men and horses, and his headquarters is only 17,800, and the remaining 7,000 or so are left in Maoerzhuang and other places...... You've all been photographed. ”

When Zhang Zhou said this, it was as if he knew all the situation in the grassland.

Wang Shouren asked, "But all parties in the imperial court were saying that there were more than 50,000 people in the Fire Sieve Headquarters. ”

"That's an exaggeration." Zhang Zhoudao, "The northwest is disturbed by fire, especially Xuanda and other places, often looted by its Koubian, if you don't exaggerate his strength, just say that he has a total of 30,000 soldiers, of which 10,000 are still old, weak, sick and disabled, does the Ming border army still have face?" ”

"Besides, you have also captured Wei Ninghai and his relatives in his headquarters, except for a few who escaped, as well as the women who accompanied the army, do you think that with these more than 10,000 captives, how many people in their family can be behind them? Saying that he can bring 25,000 soldiers and horses, I am lifting him! ”

"However, there are also many tribesmen and horses attached to him in his army, and there may be a few thousand, just like you fought them with a fire horse formation before, and there are many small and medium-sized tribes who are coerced into battle."

"Even the Menggoljin tribe itself is divided into big banners and small flags, and the grassland is a pattern of interests, and it is difficult for most tribes to obey the dispatch of the fire sieve for their own interests at this time."

Only then did Wang Shouren know that what the border army knew was also false.

No wonder Zhang Zhou is so confident that the fire screen does not dare to commit.

Wang Shouren alone had less than 3,000 soldiers and horses, and he made Weininghai and other places restless, and Zhang Zhou himself went into battle and brought 7,000 soldiers and horses...... This digital fire screen is also difficult to investigate clearly, even if the fire screening is clear, with its 20,000 or so headquarters people, dare to directly confront Zhang Zhou?

I'm afraid I forgot how to lose in Biguan and Weininghai, right?

Even if you are in Tushan, you have nearly 10,000 soldiers and horses, and you have not been cut off by two or three percent of me Wang with more than 2,000 people?

Zhang Zhoudao: "Bo'an, the previous battle of Weininghai was also embarrassing for you, if you change to other generals, you may not have the courage of you." It seems that you have a lot of military attainments. ”

Wang Shouren thinks about it now, Zhang Zhou is also hard enough, knowing that there are likely to be nearly 10,000 people left behind in the fire screen, and he dares to send 3,000 cavalry to attack Weininghai, in fact, it is a time difference, so that the front banner soldiers and horses stationed in Maoerzhuang can't react.

Wang Shouren sighed: "Perhaps, the fire sieve doesn't want to start a war with my Daming?" ”

"Hmm." Zhang Zhou nodded, as if he agreed with Wang Shouren's opinion, "You're right!" The withdrawal of the fire sieve from the front line shows that he has no intention of competing with Dayan Khan on behalf of the Mongol right wing, and the lack of his fire sieve soldiers and horses will not greatly reduce their chances of victory. Doesn't the fire sieve understand the truth of cold lips and teeth? ”

"Then he's ...... Does it mean to return to the Ming Dynasty? Wang Shouren asked in surprise.

"Who knows?" Zhang Zhou was laughing.

Wang Shouren felt a strong "malice" from Zhang Zhou's smile, which was aimed at the fire sieve, and even laughed at the fire sieve.

Wang Shouren also suddenly figured out the pattern only now.

Originally, he also felt that the fire sieve felt that the lair had been sneak attacked, and he was angry, and he didn't even care about the battle between the front line and Dayan Khan, and came back with his headquarters to run hundreds of miles, and he had to fight to the death with Daming.

Now he seems to understand why the fire sieve will rush with the troops, but he doesn't seem to be in a hurry to fight the Ming Dynasty, because the fire sieve is not only afraid of Zhang Zhou, but also afraid that Zhang Zhou will kill the captured hostages of his tribe, and even more afraid that Dayan Khan will destroy the Yibu and other troops, and turn around to clean up his fire sieve.

So the fire sieve followed, more to make peace with Daming......

Zhang Zhou saw that Wang Shouren's expression was complex and changeable, and reminded: "But in the future, we can't always catch the fire to sift this sheep wool, half a year has not yet arrived, and the Menggol Jinbu is about to be bald." The weakness of the Mongolian right wing is not necessarily a good thing for my Ming Dynasty, because it will mean that the little Tatar prince will rise completely in the steppe, and the era of steppe unification may come soon. ”

"Hmm."

Wang Shouren is also a little worried about this.

Although it seems that Da Ming took advantage of the fire to rob and became a fisherman.

But in doing so, it indirectly helped Dayan Khan, the most powerful in the steppe, and gave him the opportunity to complete the unification of the steppe.

Wang Shouren asked: "At this time, maybe we should help the Mongolian right wing, next time we should send troops from Ningxia and other places to raid the rear of the Har Department?" ”

Zhang Zhou looked at Wang Shouren with a smile.

Wang Shouren still doesn't understand why Zhang Zhou thinks of himself like this, is it because his proposal is a bit too radical?

Zhang Zhou looked at Wang Shouren, more because he felt that although Wang Shouren seemed to be young and had no actual combat experience, he understood the strategic intent very quickly, in fact, many people can also understand it, but there are very few people who are willing to implement it like Wang Shouren, or even dare to execute.

"Bo'an, your proposal, even if it is put on the side of Qin Lao's platform, he may not have the courage to implement it, it is rare for you to dare to think and dare to do it, then in the future, you will definitely need your help in pacifying the grassland."

Zhang Zhou said that he wanted Wang Shouren to help, more to tell him that in the future, if the grassland tribe is completely wiped out, it must be me Zhang and someone personally, and you can do a good job of helping.

But Wang Shouren also heard that Zhang Zhou didn't seem to be in a hurry to pacify the grassland.

"We've changed the landscape of the grasslands, and there's no need to change it so completely."

Zhang Zhou looked up at the front, sighed and said, "Let the grassland be turbulent for a few years first, and let me accumulate for a few more years." It's like today, we have to fight a war, and the artillery and gunpowder that can be used are still insufficient, if we give the Ming Dynasty another three or five years, when a war pushes thousands of cannons out, and every soldier can bring a flint gun in his hand, do you say that this battle still needs to be fought? ”

When Wang Shouren heard this, he also understood.

Zhang Zhou is not afraid of war, but he wants to fight a prepared war.

At present, the biggest problem of the unpacified grassland is not that there is no opportunity, but that there is a lack of preparation.

Obviously, in a few years, you will be able to come up with more advantageous weapons, and it will be easier to calm down, so why should you take advantage of the current shortage of food, grass and baggage?

It was very difficult to make a fire sieve, not to mention that Dayan Khan and other tribes went to the ...... together Once the Ming Dynasty comes up with the posture of stepping on the grassland, the tribes of the grassland will definitely abandon their previous suspicions and unanimously deal with the outside world, and perhaps help the Mongolian right wing avoid the disaster of annihilation.

Shoot and run, this is the strategy that Zhang Zhou has set now.

He Wang Shouren completed the task of shooting a shot, and Zhang Zhou is now helping him implement the strategy of "running", which seems to be retreating, but in fact it is to give up the field and let Dayan Khan eat dog between the right wing of Mongolia.

"My next plan is to prepare to send troops from Yansui, and the trilateral commander-in-chief will personally lead the troops to recover the Hetao, but it may have to wait a month or two first, but I estimate that the Tatar departments may withdraw from the Hetao and other places in the coming period. And that's thanks to you, Boan. ”

Zhang Zhou looked at Wang Shouren with appreciation.

Wang Shouren hurriedly said: "Don't dare to be." ”

said so, but Wang Shouren also thought in his heart that the surprise attack on Weininghai and the battle of Tushan was of great significance to the Ming Dynasty.

It not only deterred the fire sieve, as Zhang Zhou said, but also made Dayan Khan and other tribes realize that it was not a good choice to forcibly make enemies with the Ming Dynasty.

The border army of the Ming Dynasty is now sharp, and three thousand soldiers and horses dare to copy your nest, and they still dare to garrison in Hetao? Let Daming feel threatened, once Daming sends troops, it is difficult to say what the pattern of the grassland will be.

"Advanced pass, this time we will directly garrison Datong, in fact, I also want to ask the governor of Datong, the military order is so clear, why is it so difficult to implement?"

"It seems that you should ponder whether you are stationed in Datong, or let you go back to garrison Xuanfu."

When Wang Shouren heard this, Zhang Zhou was planning to change Hong Han, the governor of Xuanfu?

But he also felt that this battle was worth fighting, and it was just enough to be promoted to governor, but he could still choose where to be the governor by himself?

……

……

The soldiers and horses marched all the way to Yanghekou.

Because he had sent people into the pass in advance to say hello, the general of the defending army at Yanghekou, the commander of Yanghewei, made Song Xian even lead his troops out of the pass to greet him.

Zhang Zhou was five miles north of the pass, arranging for soldiers and horses to be stationed, and at the same time letting people drive prisoners and cattle to the pass, and at the same time met Song Xian himself, who came to kneel and salute him.

"Commander Song, be polite, get up, you don't have to be formalized in wartime, let me introduce you, this is Wang Shouren Wang Zhongcheng who led the troops to win the two victories of Weininghai and Maoerzhuang."

Zhang Zhou did not forget to introduce Wang Shouren to Song Xian.

This made Wang Shouren a little embarrassed.

Wherever Zhang Zhou goes now, he wants to promote him well, and he knows that Zhang Zhou has no malicious intentions.

Based on his speculation, Zhang Zhou just wanted people to know that he Wang Shouren was his right-hand man, and he would be stationed in the northwest for Zhang Zhou in the future and become the next Anbian Marquis Zhu Feng, or the next Wang Qiong.

Although Wang Qiong has military merits, his merits are obviously not as prominent as his Wang Shouren, but Wang Shouren also knows that he is just following orders, Wei Ninghai and Tushan are two battles, nominally commanded by Ma Yi and Cao Shun, and he is just a military director, and he really needs Zhang Zhou's "backer".

The so-called shade under the big tree.

No matter how far-sighted, ambitious, and capable you are, others will only respect you in courtesy, and will not be free.

But if Zhang Zhou praises him well in front of others, it will be different, even if others don't look at his face of Wang Shouren's military exploits, they must also look at Zhang Zhou's face.

Zhang Zhou not only has the will of heaven, but also has the sacred heart, and he can spread the blessings of military merit by sprinkling it casually, who in the northwest does not want to follow Zhang Zhou?

After the salute.

Zhang Zhou asked Song Xiandao: "This official ordered Datong Town to send troops to Maoerzhuang with the emperor's order, why does it seem that there is no movement until now?" Commander Song, do you know the situation? ”

"I heard it is...... The soldiers and horses came out of the pass, but after a few days...... was attacked and harassed by Diyi, and the soldiers and horses withdrew to the ......"

"Huh."

Zhang Zhouxiao looked at Wang Shouren on the side, probably saying, do you know now why I am so anxious to rescue you?

I'm not going to save you, there's really no one to save you.

"But this official went all the way, but I heard that the Tartars were all restrained by Wang Zhongcheng's soldiers and horses in Maoerzhuang, where did the Tartars attack and disturb the pass? It seems that the governor of Datong and the local generals can't quite understand the meaning of the annex. Zhang Zhou looked aggressive.

Song Xian didn't know how to answer.

Wang Shouren wanted to remind Zhang Zhou that now that we are on the ground in Datong, don't just criticize these local snakes.

It would not be good if you made the snake think that you were intent on curing them, stumbling on you, or even making trouble for us.

On the contrary, it is the land of Xuanfu, which is the place where we sent troops and should go back, even if there is a Ma Zhongxi over there...... It's not a big hassle either.

Zhang Zhoudao: "It is difficult for the governor of Datong to become a big thing." ”

This is a sharp assessment.

The historical Honghan, it was precisely because of the fire sieving Koubian that its resistance was unfavorable, and he was recalled to Beijing in June of the thirteenth year of Hongzhi, and took over the post and lived idle that year.

The person who succeeded Hong Han was Liu Yu, a member of the eunuch party who was good at bribery and stammering.

"Two days ago, the official sent the battle report to the Beijing division with a fast horse, and he crossed the sun and the mouth, and he was not blocked, right?" Zhang Zhou asked.

Song Xian hurriedly said: "No, I have successfully passed the pass." ”

"That's good, it is estimated that the news of the great victory of the grassland is about to reach the Beijing Division, and it can be regarded as an explanation to Your Majesty."

(End of chapter)