Chapter 106: Humiliation, Imitating the Ugly
At the same time as Chen Pin was on his diplomatic mission, Altan sent out his generals, and Wanhu Shayibu led an army of more than 10,000 people to follow closely behind, waiting for the decision of the Ming emperor and his ministers.
"The Khan ordered that once Chen Pin is executed by the Ming people, we will use this as an excuse to launch an attack on Datong Town."
It was a bit stuffy in the big tent. Sha Yibu looked at his generals and thought about Altan's instructions before he left.
——It will make the Ming people panic.
What could make the Ming people panic?
Only killing!
"Could a spy have sneaked in?" Sha Yibu, with his messy beard, stretched out his hand and stroked it a few times.
A civilian official accompanying the army said, "Wan Hu, we have sent out several groups of spies in succession, but there has been no news reported so far."
"It seems that Datong Town is very cautious." Someone joked, "Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty led five northern expeditions to the grasslands, but now his descendants are not up to the task and shrink when they see us."
"Hahahaha!"
Everyone laughed.
Sha Yi did not stop smiling. "During this expedition, the Khan asked us to intimidate the Ming people. If we can find an opportunity to capture the city, it will be a great achievement. For this reason..."
The generals stood up.
Sha Yibu's eyes were cold. "The Ming people have a saying that I deeply agree with. Knowing yourself and the enemy, you will win every battle. We must encircle and suppress their scouts and make the Ming people blind and deaf. Then, we can slaughter them."
"Leader!"
The generals agreed with a roar.
They had fought scout battles with the Ming people for many years and had never lost.
Sha Yibu walked outside the big tent, under the scorching sun, and said with a light smile: "Now, I am afraid that Zhang Da will not come out."
The civil servant beside him laughed and said, "If he stays put, we can just rob him all the way and pretend to harass Datong in depth. Can Zhang Da still pretend to be a turtle?"
"Yes, last time he was defeated and captured by the Emperor Ming and taken to Beijing, he was said to have been nearly executed. If he allows us to attack recklessly this time, he will not be able to escape."
Sha Yi did not smile as he explained the next arrangements to his generals.
Teams of cavalry kept going back and forth with high morale.
"Look, our warriors are back."
In the distance, a group of cavalry were galloping towards this side.
"I hope it's good news." someone said.
"It must be good news." Sha Yibu's eyes were shining. He thought that the Ming people did not dare to go out to fight. If he had not been worried about the subsequent supplies not arriving yet, he would have dared to go deep into Datong at this moment.
More than ten riders broke away from the cavalry and headed straight over here.
As he came closer, Sha Yi did not recognize him as the cavalry commander.
But the dozen or so soldiers behind the general looked panic-stricken, as if they had just experienced a disaster. What was going on?
The general knelt down, "Wan Hu, we are defeated."
Sha Yibu was startled, and the civil servant beside him shouted, "But Zhang Da led the army to attack?"
The general's head hung even lower.
The civil official was startled, but Sha Yibu asked, "How many troops are there in the enemy army?"
The general said: "Over a hundred...more than a hundred cavalrymen."
"How long are you waiting?"
"More than two hundred."
Sha Yibu couldn't believe it. "They were defeated? The general who led the team had the nerve to come back? Where are the people?"
With more than 200 rangers and more than 100 enemies, even if they were defeated, the loss would not be great. This was everyone's understanding.
"Killed in battle." The general knew he could not escape punishment. "In this battle, we lost... almost two hundred cavalrymen."
"Idiot!" Sha Yibu kicked the general and roared, "Even Zhang Da's servants can't do it. You idiot!"
The civil servant sighed, "Since the Great Khan attacked the Ming people, there has never been such a defeat."
The general choked up, and the huge sense of humiliation made him tremble all over. "Yes."
"Who is the other party?" Sha Yi asked.
The civil servant sighed, "Most likely Zhang Da gathered the elite retainers and took advantage of their underestimation of the enemy to launch a surprise attack."
Sha Yibu also thought so. He did not expect that the civil servants also had such insight and could not help but look at him with admiration.
The general looked up and said, "I don't know. But I heard the other party shouting... Lord."
Ye Bushou won the first battle, which made everyone very happy. Recalling Jiang Qingzhi's words that as long as he trained according to his arrangement, Ye Bushou would definitely become the most powerful scout in the world, they could not help but admire him and shouted that the master was mighty.
The enemy troops being hunted could only hear intermittent sounds.
"Uncle?"
Sha Yi was startled, "Probably a general!"
The civil servant said: "This battle is the biggest loss we have suffered in recent years. We must take revenge! Otherwise, how can we go back to see the Khan?"
Sha Yibu nodded, "Call all the generals."
The civil servant looked behind him silently, and Sha did not turn around either. The generals were not far behind him.
"Zhang Da only sent out a hundred soldiers in this battle, which shows that he doesn't dare to fight me."
It was too hot inside, so Sha Yibu simply discussed it outside the tent.
"In that case, I have decided to divide the more than 10,000 cavalry into ten groups, like a comb, and comb through the city. If we come across a village, we will massacre it. If we come across a person, we will kill him."
Sha Yibu's eyes were sharp, "I want to let the Ming people know that if they kill more than a hundred warriors of the Khan, they will pay them back tenfold, a hundredfold!"
"Wan Hu, what if Zhang Da's army attacks?" someone asked, "Our army is divided into ten parts, which seems a bit weak."
"Last time our army attacked, Zhang Da was afraid to fight and did not go out. Later, for some reason, he went out to fight and was defeated by our army. If he dares to fight this time, I will do as he wishes."
Sha Yi Bu said with a grim smile: "But I guess that after the last defeat, the Ming army has been scared. And the evidence is this battle. More than a hundred cavalrymen attacked and defeated my more than two hundred cavalrymen. It can be seen that they are the elite of the elite of the Ming army in Datong Town. With that few people, I have more than a thousand cavalrymen. How can they shake it?"
"Although I have divided my troops into ten groups, it is not easy to defeat my group alone even if the Ming army goes all out. As long as we persist, the other nine groups will come to our aid quickly and surprise attack the Ming army. In this way, the Ming army will surely be defeated!" He said in a deep voice: "In this battle, we must make the Ming army lose their courage!"
The civil official stroked his beard and smiled, "Tell the soldiers the result of this battle. Tell them that Zhang Da surrounded our two hundred cavalrymen with more than ten thousand cavalrymen, and our army killed countless enemies. The remaining ten or so cavalrymen broke through the siege. This can boost morale."
"Excellent!" Sha was not very happy, "Go and tell the message quickly."
Afterwards, the enemy's morale was indeed boosted.
……
Jiang Qingzhi’s residence.
Jiang Qingzhi was a little unaccustomed to the magnificent decoration of the lobby. However, after seeing a few calligraphy and paintings, he could not help but evaluate it with the eyes of later generations, and felt that he could at least buy an old and small house within the third ring road of the capital in the future.
"…After defeating the enemy, I led my troops in pursuit until we encountered a large group of enemy cavalry, numbering about 700 people."
Chen Ji finished his report.
"Seven hundred rangers, then the army behind them will be at least tens of thousands." Zhang Da is a veteran general with rich experience in this area. He analyzed: "The enemy troops are all cavalry, coming and going like the wind, and it is difficult to defend against."
"Hold on!" someone suggested.
"Yes! Otherwise, once we get stuck outside the city, it's easy for the cavalry to evacuate, but it's difficult for the infantry to evacuate."
The generals were talking about it, but Xu Li didn't say anything, just observing Jiang Qingzhi. The same was true for Hu Zongxian.
"Are you done?" After everyone finished speaking, Jiang Qingzhi slammed the table and stood up suddenly.
"Before I came, there was a discussion in the court. Some people suggested that we kill the messenger as usual to avenge the deaths of the soldiers and civilians in the three forts."
The generals all agreed with this and felt that this was what should be expected.
"But I suggest that there is no need to kill the envoy without any reason!" Jiang Qingzhi said.
So it was your suggestion not to kill the messenger?
The generals were secretly angry, thinking that you are generous, but how can the soldiers who died in the three forts rest in peace?
"Someone asked me, should we just sit there and watch the three forts be destroyed?" Jiang Qingzhi thought of Cui Yuan and smiled contemptuously, "My answer is, blood should be returned with blood!"
An old general said in a trembling voice: "Master, your desire to avenge the soldiers and civilians of Sanbao is evident to all. But...Master, don't be impulsive!"
Yes!
After the excitement, all the generals were confused.
For many years, Datong Town has suffered more defeats than victories when facing Altan's troops. Recently, it has even become a coward and dared not to fight.
It's easy to say blood for blood, but when it comes to real fighting, no one present dares to do so.
If Hu Zongxian had not forced him to do so, Zhang Da would not have fought. In that battle, he was defeated without any suspense.
"A bunch of ballless women!"
Everyone was furious when they heard this, but the one who ridiculed them was Jiang Qingzhi.
"Some people say that the guards in the capital are just watchdogs." Jiang Qingzhi pointed at Chen Ji, "But in today's battle, Ye Bu Shou defeated the enemy with more than a hundred men, beheading more than a hundred people."
He looked at the generals, "You have an army several times larger than the enemy's, but you are afraid of the enemy like a tiger. You are all women!"
The generals' faces turned red.
Someone was anxious and whispered, "Is Uncle going to force them to turn against each other?"
Hu Zongxian showed a look of surprise and said, "This is... a method of provoking someone. This young nobleman is quite interesting."
Just when the generals were about to explode with anger, Jiang Qingzhi said, "If you are not a woman, then prove it to me."
He pointed to the top of his head and said, "The souls of the soldiers and civilians who died in the Three Forts are watching us from above."
"Master, should we report to the capital first..." Xu Li had received instructions from Yan Song's party, so naturally he opposed whatever his opponent wanted to do. But this was an opportunity, so he gave a few false advice.
"No need. I'm here with His Majesty's order. You can act as you see fit." Jiang Qingzhi took out the order, Zhang Da looked at it and nodded.
Xu Li also watched from the side and stopped trying to stop them.
"Scouts." Jiang Qingzhi ordered.
"Take orders."
Xu Li was in charge of the scouts and immediately accepted the order, and was even a little excited.
After returning to his own place, he called his staff member Zhang Qian and said, "More than a hundred cavalrymen of the Tiger Guards defeated more than two hundred enemy cavalrymen and beheaded more than a hundred of them. I suspect that the enemy troops coming this time are not the right ones."
Zhang Qian stroked his beard and smiled, "Although Altan has become powerful by defeating and annexing many tribes, he has many internal conflicts because of this. Many times, killing someone with a borrowed knife... is a good way to eliminate the enemy without making a fuss!"
Xu Li's eyes lit up, "Yes, if Altan wants to suppress the internal situation, he can use deterrence or appeasement. If both are ineffective, then he will kill with a borrowed knife. In this case, the enemy troops that are attacking this time must not be the elite troops under Altan's command."
"This is an opportunity." Zhang Qian said, "You are in charge of the scouts. You only need to send out the elite scouts to attack. If we win in one battle, we can suppress Jiang Qingzhi's spirit. The Prime Minister will surely be happy to hear the news."
"it is good!"
Afterwards, Xu Li selected three hundred elite scouts and ordered his trusted general Wang Chao to lead the attack.
He stood on the north side of the city wall, waiting.
"Why haven't you come yet?"
On the other side, Jiang Qingzhi ordered Chen Ji's troops to attack again, but this time there were only fifty cavalrymen, divided into ten teams.
Five people in a group, this is a standard night scout. Not to kill the enemy, just to get information. Or to find an opportunity to assassinate the enemy general.
"A group of five, are they going to die?" Xu Li saw it and laughed.
It was getting dark.
The sound of horse hooves could be heard in the distance.
Five riders appeared.
Then came five more riders.
At the foot of the city, Chen Ji, who was waiting, asked, "Any news?"
A team of scouts nodded vigorously, "Yes!"
"Okay, go and report to the uncle!"
Chen Ji was overjoyed.
Then, he shouted towards the top of the city wall: "Deputy General Xu, we will leave first."
"Haha!" Xu Li sneered and said to the people around him, "I am so proud."
"They're back," someone shouted.
Xu Li was overjoyed, "Where is it?"
"there!"
The setting sun was dim today, making dozens of riders look particularly miserable.
When they arrived in the city, Wang Chao knelt down and said, "Your subordinate, I am guilty of death!"
Xu Li shook his body a few times and asked, "But we encountered the main force of the enemy? In this case, it's not your fault!"
Wang Chao bowed his head and said, "I advanced seven miles and encountered more than a hundred enemy troops. I led the troops to fight... I shall be sentenced to death."
More than a hundred riders!
The three hundred cavalrymen under Wang Chao's command were elite.
Even though they outnumbered the enemy three times, they were still defeated.
Moreover, only a few dozen riders returned.
Jiang Qingzhi's army of more than a hundred cavalrymen defeated enemies that were several times their size and killed more than a hundred and seventy of them.
Comparison of the two hatchbacks...
"That's impossible!" Xu Li hissed, then went over and kicked Wang Chao over. "But you're not in command? Idiot, I shouldn't have ordered you to lead the army to attack!"
He turned back, breathless.
I found that everyone was looking at me with pity.
Three hundred cavalrymen against more than a hundred cavalrymen. If the strength is equal, even if Wang Chao is a pig, he will not lose.
This is... invincible!
Not strong enough!
A centurion whispered, "This is fucking terrible. I've heard a scholar say something like... ugly women imitating beautiful women. Isn't this exactly it?"
……
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(End of this chapter)
