Bright Spring

At this moment, someone shouted: "The enemy is charging!"

Then another group of sergeants rushed over in the captured Tatar armor, waving swords and guns on both sides, like a martial arts show in an opera.Amidst the sound of gongs and drums, everyone gradually left the stage.

Soon came the last scene. Chun Han brought up a pipa, played and sang a ditty: "Plum blossoms are floating all over the post road, and swan geese are soaring. |Niang Nianxiang. The warrior is loyal to the emperor and protects the country, and the spring cold will never forget..."

The tune was written by the virtuous Weng Lord, and the tune is simple and beautiful.When Chun Han played and sang for the second time, many soldiers in front also sang along, their voices getting louder and louder.

At this time, Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help turning his head, looked at Hou Hai and said, "Starting tomorrow night, ask them to perform in each barracks."

Amidst the soldiers' singing, Hou Hai clasped his fists and said, "I obey the order!"

The people around seemed to have more to say, Zhu Gaoxu had left the camp with the virtuous Lord and civil and military officials.

When he returned to the big tent of the Chinese army, the voice of the virtuous old man asked softly: "My lord, I heard that Zhang Yong really existed. Is the story in the play true?"

Zhu Gaoxu turned his head and said in a deep voice, "Since it's a drama, how can we take it seriously?"

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Chapter 696 Chase

On the icy and snowy wasteland, dozens of long teams of the Ming army squirmed|squirmed.To the west of Dajun is the "Lake Like the Sea" (Hulun Lake), but now people don't know the difference between the land and the lake.

"By tomorrow, we won't be able to see the surface of the lake!" Someone in the Chinese army said aloud.

They all looked bloated, and the soldiers' helmets and chain mail were wrapped in cotton and felt to cover their ears; so they had to speak loudly so that others could hear them.

Zhu Gaoxu sat on the horseback, looked at the rough map for a while, and then looked at the scene of the sky, guessing: tomorrow the army will be able to walk to the northeast of the lake like the sea (Hulun Lake).

Except for the banners of the Ming army, there were hardly any living things to be seen.

At the beginning of this month, in the battle that took place on the west side of Yuerhai, the Tatar army suffered a head-on blow from Liu Sheng's troops, and was chased by the Ming army's cavalry and suffered heavy losses.But since then, the main force of the official army has never encountered the Tatar army again.

If it weren't for the definite goal of Beiyuan Wangzhang, Zhu Gaoxu himself felt that it would be difficult to persist in pursuing...

In winter here, the daylight hours seem to be particularly short.After noon, after marching for about two hours, the sky gradually dimmed, so the armies chose places to camp.

After the large tent of the Chinese army was set up, a thick tarpaulin curtain was hung on the door of the tent.A fire was set up in the middle of the big tent, and an iron pot was hung from the top of the tent. The soldiers threw horse meat, tea, cheese and dry food into the iron pot to cook.

The water in the iron pot has boiled, and there is a "cuckoo" sound, and the white steam is mixed with a smell of meat.The meat of the dead horse has no seasoning, and it smells delicious when cooked, but it tastes very bad.

All the generals gathered in the big tent of the Chinese army, waiting to eat horse meat, while discussing military affairs.

Everyone reported the problems of each battalion, and the wounded soldiers and sick people gradually increased the burden on the supply battalion.Zhang Fu, Marquis of Xincheng, suggested: "I think that at this time, the troops can be divided into two groups. Divide the wounded and sick soldiers and some heavy battalions into a large army, form the South Route Army, and retreat to the south slowly; the main force is the North Route Army, chasing the Tartars. Tartar king tent. When the battle is settled, the two armies will meet again."

But Wu Gao immediately raised an objection: "Some tribes in Arutai should still be active in the east of the 'Lake Like the Sea'. The officers and soldiers left the army with wounded and sick supplies, and they may be easily attacked and harassed, which will only increase losses."

Zhang Fu said: "The enemy army was defeated in Yuer Haixi, and now it's winter, it's hard for the Tatars to gather a large army. Let's divide up our troops to guard the south road, there should be no serious problem."

The two argued for a few words.But Qu Neng, Wang Bin and others did not say a word.

Soon the voices in the big tent stopped, and both Zhang Fu and Wu Gao watched Zhu Gaoxu sideways.

Zhu Gaoxu held a dead branch in his hand and was breaking it to add firewood to the fire.Before he had time to consider Zhang Fu's strategy, he was a little distracted just now, thinking about other things.

After setting up camp today, Zhu Gaoxu couldn't help but re-examined the strategy of "continue to advance northward".

Zhu Gaoxu didn't have much hope for the actual benefits of Ben Yali's sweaty king's tent.Perhaps the entire Northern Expedition was already doomed to be a loss-making business. Even if the Ming army managed to rob | the entire grassland, it might not be able to make up for the huge cost of mobilizing hundreds of thousands of troops and expeditions.

However, if the imperial court wanted to change the hostile relationship between Daming and Beiyuan, it had to attack Ben Yali for sweating.

Judging from the news Zhu Gaoxu got from various places, after Ben Yali Shihan became the nominal prairie co-lord, his own political | political proposition was to restore the power of the Yuan Dynasty and publicize its expansion strategy everywhere; Is there any strength.

If the Ming army can eliminate Ben Yali's sweating headquarters, the prestige and influence should be the greatest significance.Perhaps, this will make the Mongolian tribes a little calmer and more rational...

Zhu Gaoxu pondered for a while, then turned his head to look at Zhang Fu and Wu Gao, and said, "There has been no news from the Forward Security Department for a few days, let's wait and find out the latest military situation before making a decision."

After hearing this, all the generals clasped their fists and said: "I will obey the order!"

As soon as he said this, Chen Dachui, Marquis of Zhending, opened the curtain. He stood at the door and bent over, saying, "Your Majesty, General Ping hastened to report!"

"Take it here." Zhu Gaoxu stretched out his hand.

Chen Dachui submitted the report.Zhu Gaoxu tore it open and read it, then handed it to Qi Tai who was beside him.

After a while, Zhu Gaoxu lowered his head, stretched out his hand to smooth the map in front of him, pointed to the map and said, "The distance between us and Beiyuan king's tent has shortened, and it is estimated that there are only two or three hundred miles left."

After hearing this, everyone gradually started talking, and the generals circulated the report of peace to each other, and their emotions rose a bit.

Zhu Gaoxu moved his fingers on the map and said: "At the beginning of the month, I learned from the Tatar army captives that Benjali's sweaty king's tent is located on the east side of the sea-like lake and on the south bank of the Xueshui River (Hailaer River). My forward dispatched many Road cavalry, search for their position, and then take turns to monitor with light cavalry.

A few days later, Ben Yali sweated and crossed the Xueshui River (Hailaer River), and retreated westward along the north bank of the Xueshui River, and turned to the northwest.However, Ping An Qingqi discovered a few days ago that the tribe once again crossed the Xueshui River westward and began to move westward.This Tatar Khan seems to admire Temujin very much. This road is exactly the one that Temujin walked many times. It is said that along the way there are also the camps left by Temujin.

However, the officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty marched northward along the east bank of the 'Lake Like the Sea'; Ben Yali's sweating headquarters made such a turn, and the distance between the two armies was greatly shortened within a few days. "

Qu Neng clasped his fists and said: "Your servant, please attack with [-] elite cavalry, and within three days we will catch up with this group of troops and annihilate them!"

Zhu Gaoxu glanced at him and said: "General Qu has fought hard, and Ping'an is in the front. It is more appropriate for Ping'an to lead the army to attack in this battle." It must be fed with fine grains, and the Qibutang should mobilize military rations from the army's heavy camps to meet the needs of the cavalry."

Qi Tai made a bow and said: "My sage, after this battle, if the officers and soldiers have nothing to capture, the return journey will really have to kill horses to satisfy their hunger."

Zhu Gaoxu nodded and thought for a while.At this time, he looked back at the generals on the left and right, and finally slapped his thighs and said: "Order peace, lead the army to attack the Tatar king's tent, and make a quick decision. After this battle, our army immediately turned around and went south, from the 'Lake Like the Sea', fishing The grasslands on the east side of Erhai sweep|swing back to the division, further weakening the strength of the Arutai tribes."

Everyone worshiped one after another: "Your Majesty is wise!"

Immediately, Zhu Gaoxu deployed military affairs and ordered to select fine cavalry from seven armies, plus a cavalry from Ping'an's vanguard army, to form a cavalry brigade and hand it over to Ping'an for command.

...the Ming army has more than 20 people, and the rations consumed in ten days are not as much as tens of thousands of horses.People mainly eat horse meat killed and wounded in previous battles, as well as Tatar cattle and sheep looted, but war horses do not eat meat, and they can only eat military rations in battle.

In the rear supply camp, the WISCO trucks transporting military rations were more than half empty.However, there are more and more wounded soldiers and sick people.

Early the next morning, in the barracks surrounded by WISCO vehicles, moaning and crying filled the cold air.From today onwards, the major battalions will be stationed in place, and the wounded and sick will stay in the tents, at least they will feel better.

A soldier who had a high fever after being injured was sweating profusely just now, and now he was shaking from the cold, even if he was covered with several layers of felt quilts, it would not help.He opened his eyes, turned his head and looked at the endless wasteland outside the tent, and then saw the sergeant lying on the floor next to him, with his eyes open and lifeless, he was already dead!The wounded soldier shivered for a while, then struggled to find a dagger from under the blanket.

Unexpectedly, a heavy soldier noticed his movement, rushed up and grabbed his hand, and started yelling.

After a while, a general came over with a few soldiers.

The wounded soldier trembled and said: "Wang Baihu, give me a good time..."

The military commander persuaded: "The arrow wound on your body is a flesh wound, neither dead nor maimed. Just bear with me, brother, and you will be fine when you go back."

The wounded soldier didn't seem to listen to the persuasion, and only heard the word "go back". After his weapons were confiscated, he cried there: "I want to go home, go home."

The soldiers stretched out their hands to feel around his bed for a while, and after making sure that there were no weapons left, they left the bed.Then several soldiers found two dead people in the tent and carried them out.

The cold land seems to be full of pain|suffering and death. Not only the Ming army is very difficult, but everyone here may be uncomfortable; even those jackal animals that grow here will die a lot during the winter.And people are different from wolves, not only want to survive, but also find ways to kill each other's people...