Chapter 757: The country is destroyed and the warriors die.
The autumn wind blew over the top of the city wall. Two soldiers looked to the north, shrinking their necks. One of them muttered, "I don't know how the battle in the north is going."
His companion simply squatted down, leaning his back against the top of the city wall, squinting his eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun. "The Prime Minister is accompanying the army, and the most famous general of the Ming Dynasty, Chang Wei Bo, is leading the army. Most of the Beijing guards are accompanying. By the way, it is said that the Yanshan Vanguard has also gone to the north?"
The companion nodded, "Yes, they left the camp in a big way that day, and many people saw it."
"Hey! You and I both know what our Beijing Guards were like before. Chang Wei Bo was ruthless, and those superiors were forced by him to vent their anger on us. Think about that period, the training was too fierce!"
"It's like being tortured."
"That's right. I lost a lot of weight during that period and couldn't even wear my original clothes. Later I gave them to my eldest brother. Fortunately, he was able to wear them."
"Most of the imperial guards followed Chang Wei Bo to Datong. I was wondering, if...if we lose this battle, and Altan's army marches south, what will happen to the imperial court?"
"Aren't there still thousands of troops?"
"A few thousand men and horses are useless. Altan Khan has an army of 200,000, and only a few thousand men and horses. A single spit from one of Altan Khan's men can drown us."
"So what? Damn, if I had known earlier... How much better would it have been if we had not attacked and stayed in the capital?"
"Then Datong can probably stop Altan's army?"
"Can't stop it."
"Isn't that the same nature?"
"At least the capital can be defended, right?"
"Have you forgotten what happened after the Tumu Fortress?"
"Tsk! I remember my ancestors saying that Yesen defeated the Ming army of hundreds of thousands that year. When the army arrived at the capital, it was packed with people.
Fortunately, there was Yu Qian, the great pillar that held up the sky! He saved the Ming Dynasty. Otherwise, neither you nor I would have been able to handle it... Now we are all slaves of those Tartars."
"What do you think we should do if this happens again?"
"We can't defend it. At least Young Master Yu had a lot of troops back then."
"There are quite a few troops around the capital now."
"How can we compare? Those soldiers and horses were all heroes who had fought with Emperor Chengzu. Now... let's not talk about others, let's just talk about the two of us. If Your Majesty hadn't rebuilt the Beijing Guards and Chang Wei Bo hadn't forced the generals to train us, with our previous appearance, if Altan's army came, do you think we could have held on?"
"Damn it, I'm afraid... If it were in the past, I would have to run away. Even if I didn't run, I would have been killed in a single encounter."
"That's right. I did scold Chang Wei Bo, but on second thought, if he hadn't acted so ruthlessly, given the current state of the Beijing guards, Altan would have been able to march to the capital this time. In the end, we should thank Chang Wei Bo."
"How did you say this?"
"If it weren't for him, the north would have been wiped out by Altan. Your family and mine would have been killed or captured. You and I would have died in the end."
"Ah! After all, the battle of Datong is the most important."
"Long Wilbur leads an army of 100,000..."
"Ten farts!"
"What do you mean?"
"Last time I heard Shangguan muttering, how could an army of 50,000 be a match for Altan Khan?"
"fifty thousand?"
"Yes, just fifty thousand!"
"Damn it! Even if we include the Datong defenders, there are less than 100,000!"
"That's why I'm so nervous."
"Oh my! Now that you mention it, I feel a little disappointed. Tell me, what will we do if Long Wei Bo is defeated?"
"What to do? Just leave it to fate!"
At this time, a sergeant came over, squatted down and whispered: "Have you heard? It is said that Long Wei Bo's army was defeated."
"Who the hell is talking nonsense?"
"Nonsense? Yesterday a nobleman secretly wanted to leave the city."
"Where?"
"Southside."
"You're going south at this time of year, you must be afraid of the cold!"
"Have you seen the dozens of large carts that the temporary residents of the south brought? My eyes are known as the most piercing in the capital, and I can tell at a glance that most of the carts are loaded with money."
"This is……"
"Escape from disaster!"
"Tsk tsk! The storyteller said... after the fall of the former Song Dynasty, those nobles fled all the way to the south."
"Fuck! This matter..."
"wrong."
"What's wrong?"
"Can we go to Xin'an Lane?"
"I don't know."
"He didn't leave. Someone saw someone from Xin'an Lane yesterday. He said he went to the palace to ask for the imperial physician."
"Then rest assured."
"What?"
"Chang Wilbur's wife was about to give birth, but she didn't leave. This shows that the defeat was false news."
"You really didn't leave?"
A group of soldiers gathered around.
"I really didn't leave."
Suddenly everyone's face was filled with smiles.
The two generals were talking in low voices not far away.
"Three families left yesterday."
"Yeah! But I saw people from the East Factory watching."
"What do you mean?"
"What do you mean? What's the character of the current emperor? If these people dare to run away, you will see what will happen to them in the future."
"Don't you want to run?" "Where to run? South? Don't be ridiculous. If the Nine Borders really fall, the capital will not be spared. Your Majesty's temper... he will definitely not be willing to go south, otherwise the country will be destroyed. Why should we go south?"
"It's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death."
"Have you forgotten what Long Wilbur said?"
"Long Wilbur has said so much, how can I remember it?"
"The Ming Dynasty is huge, but the capital is behind us. We cannot retreat! If the country is destroyed, the warriors will die with it!"
The general spoke word by word.
"But those nobles really want to run away."
"Did Changwei's family escape?" The general looked at his comrades with sharp eyes, "Xin'an Lane is still there. Changwei is in Datong fighting for the country, and his wife is alone in the capital waiting to give birth... He is practicing what he said, and I will follow him, either to destroy the foreign tribes on the grassland, or... die for my country!"
"Martyr for the country..."
"If a person dies, his eggs will fall into the sky, and he will not die for tens of millions of years!"
"Look, another family."
A convoy arrived at the city gate, and a man who looked like a manager went over to negotiate. He raised his head high and said arrogantly, "My uncle is going to visit relatives in the south."
These days, if you want to travel far away, you need a travel permit, otherwise you will be treated as a refugee and captured.
And if a powerful official travels without a pass, it will be a lot of fun... The censor will be overjoyed and will bury this person in a flood of impeachment.
"Do you want to..." The general raised his eyebrows.
"Forget it. To be honest, if such people stay in the capital, they will do more harm than good."
"Yes, they are fighting right now! Damn it, these people suddenly shouted about surrendering the city or negotiating peace, which really cooled the blood of the soldiers."
"Peace?"
"Well! Recently, someone in the court suggested to negotiate peace with Altan Khan."
"Captain Wei Bo is leading his troops in a fight with the enemy. Damn it..." the general angrily said, "They are stabbing us in the back!"
"Who said it wasn't? The soldiers in the front shouted for a fierce battle, but some people in the back were saying why fight, wouldn't it be better to negotiate peace?"
"This reminds me of the pre-Song Dynasty... Yue Wumu led his army to fight in the front to reclaim his homeland. But behind him, that bastard Qin Hui secretly drew his knife. Twelve golden medals! Each one was a death sentence. Isn't this a repeat of the past?"
"Do you think it's Qin Hui?"
"If not Qin Hui, then who is it?"
"That day I heard Changwei Bo and Xianzhang Hou mention this matter. Changwei Bo said that if Zhao Gou didn't agree, would Qin Hui dare to attack a general? Could it be that Qin Hui could also get those twelve gold medals?"
"You mean... Zhao Gou?"
"It's that dog emperor. Qin Hui is just his thug."
"Tsk tsk!"
"But the current emperor is not Zhao Gou."
"That's right. Let alone the current emperor, Yesen once captured that emperor. But what was the Ming Dynasty's response? No peace talks, let's establish a new emperor."
"Look, it's gone."
The convoy slowly drove out of the capital and headed south.
"Hateful!" The general pounded the top of the city wall.
"It's so depressing to guard Bird City. I wish I could lead my army to Datong right away and fight under Chang Wei Bo's command. It would be better than watching these bastards every day..."
"next time!"
"What next time?"
"Last time when Long Weber was teaching the art of war, he mentioned that the Ming Dynasty would not only have to keep the enemy out of the country, but also attack the enemy at their doorsteps and smash all the pots and pans in the homes of those who covet the Ming Dynasty."
"Good! That makes me feel better."
"Look, the people from the East Factory have left."
The spy from the East Factory passed the news to Rui Jingxian, who cursed, "Even we know that when the country is in trouble, we must share the joys and sorrows with the country. These bastards have been eating the rice and grain of the Ming Dynasty for generations, living a life of luxury. When the time comes, they don't even talk about contributing to the country! And now they run away!"
You tell me, it's better to spend so much money and food every year to support these people and use it to make some armor and weapons."
"That's what the governor said." Someone laughed and said, "In my opinion, it's better to feed the dogs!"
Rui Jingxian was a little bit stubborn, and he couldn't help but chuckle when he heard this, "Exactly, it's better to feed the dog!" He stood up and said, "We should go and inform His Majesty."
Rui Jingxian went all the way to the West Garden, and seeing that the West Garden was still calm, he couldn't help but say, "That young cabinet minister is quite capable."
When he met Emperor Jiajing, he was listening to Wang Yiqi's report, and several close ministers were also present.
"... Chang Wei Bo's intention is to go with the flow. Since Altan wants to force our army to fight, we should keep our troops in place to daunt the enemy. As for Luanling Pass, Chang Wei Bo has already arranged for reinforcements."
"Where will the reinforcements come from?" asked Emperor Jiajing, tightening his grip on the jade awl.
His eldest son is just around the corner. If...
"Last time, Lord Changwei came to me and said that he had heard that there were some brave wolf soldiers in Guangxi. If we could get some of them over, it would be very helpful in the war. So I mobilized 7,000 wolf soldiers, and then... Lord Changwei ordered them to go to Datong."
"The soldiers?"
"Yes!"
"Tsk!" Cui Yuan frowned. "I have seen those local soldiers. Their armor is in disarray and their weapons are all kinds of different. These people are going to Datong..."
He didn't say that giving away lives was considered kind.
"Your Majesty." Rui Jingxian came in. Wang Yiqi hesitated for a moment, "Your Majesty, I think that Lord Chang Wei's move must have a deeper meaning."
Emperor Jiajing nodded, suppressed his worries, and asked, "What's the matter?"
Rui Jingxian handed over the booklet and said, "Seven families have left the capital in the past few days."
Emperor Jiajing sneered: "What's the reason?"
"Most of them were visiting relatives. One family said they were going south to see a famous doctor."
"Search all the houses, all the land, houses and shops in the north. Leave the people alone, and let them join the scholars and officials in the south!"
This……
Everyone felt that this punishment was not only cruel, but also heartbreaking.
At this time, Zhang Tong came in hurriedly. "Your Majesty, the Princess of Huating County has launched an attack."
Emperor Jiajing stood up suddenly and said, "Send the imperial physician!"
(End of this chapter)
