April 20, night.

Jingshi, in the Qianqing Palace of the Imperial Palace, Zhu Youzhu dragged his slightly tired body, his eyes were bloodshot, and he came from the direction of Kunning Palace.

At the same time, those who were called to the Qianqing Palace were also the eunuchs Xiao Jing, Li Rong and Wei Bin, who stayed on duty at night.

"Your Majesty." Because Zhu Youzhi has not been paying much attention to official affairs recently, Xiao Jing and the others still don't quite understand the purpose of the emperor's summoning them.

Zhu Youzhu said: "I couldn't sleep at night, so I came over to see if there was any military situation in the northwest." ”

Xiao Jing said respectfully: "Back to Your Majesty, although there has been news in the northwest in the past two days, there is no news of the Tatar movement, perhaps...... We'll have to wait a little longer. ”

Now that the celebrant knows Zhang Zhou's layout, it is equivalent to opening a net and waiting for the prey to be sent by himself, not to mention that the emperor is in a hurry, even Xiao Jing and them have expectations, but Xiao Jing is embarrassed to say it...... Is this any different from waiting for the rabbit?

"Alas!"

Zhu Youzhu sighed heavily and said, "It's a pity that it's different from the past, this time Bingkuan didn't say what time it was, but I think he ...... Take the instructions that Bingkuan gave to Yang Yiqing in Ningxia and other places, and then bring it to me to see. ”

"Yes."

Xiao Jing responded.

But he was a little embarrassed, because this kind of thing obviously had to go back and find it, if the emperor wanted it temporarily, where could he find it?

But Li Rong unhurriedly took out something from his arms, presented it to Xiao Jing, and gave Xiao Jing a look.

Xiao Jing was stunned.

He looked at Li Rong curiously, and said in his heart that you Li Rong is quite powerful, do you know that the emperor's purpose in summoning us is this? Prepared in advance? Why didn't you say that when you came?

"Your Majesty, here." Xiao Jing read it first, and after finding that there was no problem, he presented it to Zhu Youji.

Zhu Youzhu nodded: "Hmm." ”

It's just this that makes the emperor feel that the celebrant is not all waste, and he knows that I may mention this matter when I summon you at night, so he is prepared in advance.

Xiao Jing saw that the emperor was looking at it seriously, and he was embarrassed in his heart, if it weren't for Li Rong's experience and precautions in advance, this would ......

"The lights are a little dim, add two." Zhu Youzhu looked at it by candlelight, but found that he was a little powerless, after all, to look at this kind of thing full of words at night, for him, who is very slack on official duties this year, is a little unrefreshed.

Li Rongdao: "Back to Your Majesty, Cai Guogong's intention is to let Yang Yiqing, the governor of Ningxia, guard against several weak points on Ningxia East Road, especially the Huamachi bordering the land of Donghetao. Cai Guogong meant that the Tatars would probably be on the side of Huamachikou. ”

Zhu Youzhu didn't look at it either, and directly raised his head and asked, "Then if the Tatars come, how should they set up an ambush?" ”

Li Rong looked at Xiao Jing, Xiao Jing couldn't answer this time, so he simply nodded and let Li Rong continue.

Only then did Li Rong say: "With artillery, there are ...... Mighty Sky Gunpowder. ”

"Oh. Right. Zhu Youzhu immediately figured this out, "It's the heavenly gunpowder used in the First Battle of Biguan, because it can only be buried in the ground, and in the next few battles, except for the first time after Xinjian Bo used it in Weininghai, it seems that no one has used it anymore, right?" ”

Li Rong said: "Back to Your Majesty, that's exactly the case. The power of the heavenly gunpowder is huge, but because it needs to be preset in advance, and it must be set on the path that the Tatars must pass, so the requirements are extremely high, and it can only be miraculous if the Tatar army route is known in advance. ”

"Hehe, if the Tatars really come from this way, it's good, it's good." Zhu Youzhi seems to have a number in his heart, and his mood is much happier.

Li Rong continued: "In Cai Guogong's instructions to Yang Yiqing, he also mentioned that he must use artillery well, and he must not be in a hurry, and he must wait for the main force of the Tatars to pass through Huamachi, and then cut off its rear road with heavenly gunpowder and artillery. ”

Xiao Jing asked on the side: "Is this to put the Tartar inside our Daming to fight?" Isn't it a ...... Shut down the door and hit the dog? ”

Li Rong said: "No, the purpose of cutting off the back road is to disturb the Tatar army's morale, if the Tatar army enters the ambush circle and uses heavenly gunpowder and artillery, then the Tatars will definitely withdraw their troops, it is likely to ...... It will also attack other places. Instead, it's better to let them enter the flower horse pond......"

Zhu Youzhu nodded and said, "Instead of letting them run around, it's better to fight in Huamachi." Prepare in advance, the fortresses and fortresses around Huamachi will be equipped with more artillery and firearms, and it will be even more difficult for the Tatars to achieve results here. ”

"Your Majesty is wise." Li Rong laughed and touted.

When Zhu Youzhu heard this, he was very useful.

Zhu Youzhu said with emotion: "It's still thoughtful and thoughtful, if Wang Shouren is replaced in Ningxia, the Tatars will definitely be beaten to the ground." But this is Yang Yiqing...... In the previous battle of Ningxia, he cooperated with Zhijie, but the results were somewhat ...... It's not right. ”

In the emperor's ears, tactics are good tactics, but the people who execute them are not good.

Mainly in the battle of Ningxia last year, Yang Yiqing and Zhu Feng defended Ningxia with one article and one force, but they were defeated and retreated by the little Tatar prince, Zhu Feng's losses were not small, Yang Yiqing was even more excessive, and directly let Zhu Feng lead the troops to maneuver outside, while he himself stuck to some strong fortresses.

From that, it made the emperor feel that Yang Yiqing was not a person with great ability.

What's more, Yang Yiqing is not Zhang Zhou's person, which makes the emperor lose his trust in him even more.

Li Rong said: "The slave maid once asked Cai Guogong, and he said that although this Governor Yang did not perform well last year, it was limited by the conditions, after all, there were not many firearms in Ningxia at that time, and after the end of last year, more firearms and gunpowder were transported everywhere. In addition, the Tatars may be contemptuous of him, but it is easy for Governor Yang to be ashamed and courageous. ”

"Hmm." Zhu Youzhu nodded, "That makes sense." Even I don't think he can succeed, the Tatars after last year's war, they will feel that he is not strong, they will treat the land of Ningxia in the Ming Dynasty as a soft persimmon, just ...... Give them lessons! ”

Xiao Jing saw that the emperor's face was a lot ruddy, and he was obviously in good spirits.

He hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, it's not too early, you better go back and rest early." Early tomorrow morning, there will be an early pilgrimage. ”

Zhu Youzhu said with a smile: "The only one who can encourage and inspire me in my heart is Bingkuan, which will make me even less sleepy." I'll go out for a walk in a while. ”

Xiao Jing said: "Your Majesty, the night breeze is a little cool. ”

"I don't think so." Zhu Youzhu said, "Recently, Bingkuan has been conditioning my body, I feel that my body is much better, if I exercise again, I can actually drive the expedition in person." ”

Although the three eunuchs knew that this was a sign of danger, no one persuaded them.

It's because they know that the emperor is on the rise, and if they let the emperor disappoint the mood, the emperor will not give them a good face.

"Tomorrow." Zhu Youzhu added, "Let Bingkuan give a few more copies of the strategy of the march, by the way, see what else is in the palace, and send a little to Bingkuan." Recently, the reward for Bingkuan has been a little less...... If there is anything suitable, give more sends. I can't use him in vain...... Each time, he was asked to open mines to fill the imperial court...... It's a pity that I can't be an in-law with him...... Alas! ”

……

……

April 21.

Zhu Hui had already had to turn back and head southwest, although his plan to "sweep the Hetao with five men" was still unfinished.

He was "forced to do so".

Because more and more information shows that the Tatars have indeed made an invasion of Ningxia, and they are going to the west of the Hetao, and his five men and horses are coming in from the east of the Hetao...... If the Tatars marched under his nose and he couldn't complete the proper blocking action, it was obvious that he would not be able to communicate with the emperor after he returned.

"Do the Tatars still use them to remind the commander? Didn't the marshal send someone to get information about the Tatars? What about Zhang Lun? ”

Zhu Hui originally suppressed Zhang Lun's discovery of the Tatars' movements, and even tied the six heads he brought back to himself, saying that this was the result of fighting the Tatars.

But as the people in the frontier were in a hurry, he quickly reported the situation to him, and he had to re-attach importance to the tactical value of Zhang Lun's intelligence.

"The commander, for the sake of the present, is to hurry up and send troops to block the back road of the Tatars."

At the military meeting, there were generals who were making proposals.

Zhu Hui said angrily: "The Tatars enter from the Hetao, not necessarily from the Hetao, if they really send tens of thousands of soldiers and horses in, where do they want to knock out of the fortress, except for our way, can anyone stop it?" Listen to the commander's orders, march fifty miles every day, send scouts from all walks of life to investigate the enemy's situation, and those who venture will be punished as missing the fighter! ”

"If the Tartars run away......"

"Who still dares to question the military order of this commander? Whoever talks nonsense again, handed over to military law! ”

Zhu Hui was embarrassed to say that he didn't want to kill, because he didn't kill a few Tatars, and then cut the generals before the battle...... It's hilarious, and when you go back, you will definitely be drowned by the spittle of the group of officials.

……

……

April 26.

Zhu Hui's department traveled more than 300 miles, and finally braved the strong wind and sand to re-approach the border fortress of Daming.

The place where they followed the line newspaper was the Huamachi of the Daming Ningxia guard, and when the army was sixty miles away from Huamachi, Zhu Hui's department had already tossed and turned, but he would not move forward.

In Zhu Hui's words, this is called "caution first".

That night, after the army was stationed, Zhu Hui even had a bit of a sense of being a soldier, for fear that the Tatars would attack.

Cui Yuan and Li Yan went to meet Zhu Hui and informed him of the latest information.

"Baoguo Gong, according to the current investigation, the Tatars have passed through the Huamachi." Li Yan said.

"Oh? Huamachi, which is far away from the Ming Dynasty, seems to be more than ten miles away...... Then they ......" Zhu Hui wanted to ask how the Tatars got in and what was the ratio of battle losses between the two sides.

Li Yan said: "There was no report from the night, saying that the Ming and the Tatars experienced a tragic battle in the south of Huamachi, and then the Ming army retreated, and the fortresses around Huamachi were lost. ”

"Just say you shouldn't be presumptuous......" Zhu Hui seemed to suddenly harden, feeling proud of his "foresight".

Cui Yuan added: "Although the Ming army has withdrawn, but no trace of the Tatars has been found, with the battlefield report brought back by the sentinels, it is said that it is full of devastation, all of which were blown up by the Ming artillery and gunpowder, many small hills have been blown flat, and the remains of Tatar soldiers and horses can be seen everywhere, as well as a large number of lost military uniforms, military flags, materials, etc." Looks like...... We should ...... Didn't fall into the wind. ”

"What?"

Zhu Hui frowned and said, "What about the corpses of the Ming soldiers?" ”

"I didn't see it." Cui Yuandao.

Zhu Hui said coldly: "It may also be taken away by the Tatars, it is all military merit." It may also be a deliberate attempt by the Tatars to introduce their men into the urns they had set up...... How could Ben Shuai fall for their tricks? ”

(End of chapter)