Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 257 Cavalry
Ten miles outside Yuanzhou City, a group of people and horses were marching in the mountains. In the front were more than 300 cavalrymen, and in the back were more than 2,000 infantrymen. Thousands of people and horses formed a long line in the mountains.

The clothes in the team were mixed. The more than 300 cavalrymen in the front were fine, as they were basically wearing cotton armor. However, the infantrymen in the back were basically unarmored. The clothes worn by the infantrymen were also varied, including round-collared robes, cross-collared Confucian robes, brocade robes, linen clothes, and basically everything else.

If the team had not managed to maintain its formation while marching, people who didn't know would have thought it was a group of refugees from somewhere.
At this time, everyone in the Loyalty Camp looked exhausted. After marching for half a month, they were already exhausted.

Although the loyal camp had Du Yinxi, the governor of Huguang, accompanying them, many counties on the way still refused to follow suit. Seeing the army passing through, they closed their cities to protect themselves.

The Loyalty Camp was going to the imperial court to pay homage this time, so everyone was cautious and did not dare to make things look too bad. Therefore, most of the time, everyone in the Loyalty Camp had to sleep outdoors. Fortunately, Yuanzhou was finally approaching.
At the front of the queue, Gao Yigong looked tired. He glanced at Li Laiheng beside him and said:

"Where are you?"

"We have passed Mayang this morning and will probably reach Yuanzhou in the afternoon."

Gao Yigong was relieved when he heard this. He was about to order Li Laiheng to sort out the infantry troops at the rear, when suddenly a sound of horse hooves came from the front.
Gao Yigong and the other man fixed their eyes and looked forward, only to see seven or eight red-armored cavalrymen suddenly rushing out from the official road and running directly towards them.
The cavalry scouts in front of the Loyalty Camp also discovered these armored cavalry that suddenly appeared, and dozens of cavalry scouts also stepped forward to intercept them.

The number of cavalry scouts in the Loyalty Camp was almost twice that of the Red Armored Cavalry, but at this time they were unable to stop the armored cavalry that had suddenly charged in.
Seven or eight red-armored cavalrymen dispersed, mounted their horses and galloped away, leaving the loyal camp cavalry scouts behind.

These seven or eight cavalrymen were quite brave. Seeing the thousands of troops ahead, they were not afraid at all. They shook off the cavalry sentries of the Loyalty Camp and charged straight at the troops. They stopped only when they were only three or four hundred meters away from the cavalrymen in front.
Several cavalrymen stopped a few hundred meters away and investigated the situation of the troops for a while. After seeing the red Ming army flag in the team, they raised a flagpole.

A leading cavalryman in front of him held a flag and spear and rushed directly towards Gao Yigong and others.

In the army, Gao Yigong and others saw the Ming army flag on the lance, and their faces relaxed.
Several imperial guards cavalry scouts quickly rushed to the army formation, and the tall soldier in the lead was also brought to Gao Yigong and others.

Gao Yigong looked at the cavalrymen in front of him. They wore iron helmets, red cotton armor inside, and half-body leather armor outside. They had iron arm guards on their arms. They rode on Liao horses with various colors. They were equipped with swords, bows and arrows, and grain bags and quivers were hung on the side of the horses.

Compared with these cavalrymen, they looked like refugees and bandits.

Before Gao Yigong could say anything, the tall cavalry soldier spoke directly

"You are the loyal camp"

"Yes, we are from the Loyalty Camp, and we are here to meet the emperor at the order of the court."

Gao Yigong sat on his horse without saying anything, while Li Laiheng beside him answered

When the leading cavalryman saw Li Laiheng speaking, he stopped paying attention to Gao Yigong in the middle and looked directly at Li Laiheng and said:

"Yuanzhou is ahead. His Highness is staying in the city now. You can't wait any longer. Someone will come to lead you into the camp later."

After the leading cavalryman finished speaking, he glanced at the people in front of him and said

"Huguang Governor Du Yinxi, Governor Du is here"

Du Yinxi, who was behind him, heard this and rode forward and said

"I am Du Yinxi. May I ask the military envoy if the court has any instructions?"

Seeing the middle-aged man with gray hair and wearing a square scarf, the leading cavalryman also looked respectful and said:

"There is an order from the court. Please report to the court first."

As soon as the cavalryman finished speaking, Li Laiheng and others changed their expressions and immediately spoke

"What about us in the Loyalty Camp?"

The people of the Loyalty Camp have not yet arrived in Yuanzhou, but the court wants to take Du Yinxi away first. They are instinctively alert.
"Didn't I tell you before that you wait here and someone will come to take you to the camp later?"

The leading cavalryman glanced at Li Laiheng with a cold expression on his face. Li Laiheng and others also looked gloomy when they saw the attitude of the soldier.

They had come all the way here, but they had never imagined that the Ming court was so arrogant that even a cavalry scout would dare to be so disrespectful to them.

Du Yinxi also noticed the tense atmosphere in the field. After thinking for a while, he spoke

"The court has issued an edict. I will go to the court first. How about letting Zheng Guai, the magistrate, stay in the army and accompany General Gao to the camp?"

Gao Yigong and others had no choice but to agree.
Du Yinxi quickly followed the two cavalrymen away. After Du Yinxi left, the leading cavalrymen ignored Gao Yigong and others in front of them.

Several cavalrymen retreated a dozen steps, then dispersed slightly, blocking the official road, obviously not allowing the Loyalty Camp to move forward again.
On the official road, the more than 2,000 Loyalty Camp infantrymen in the rear finally caught up with the cavalrymen in the front and stopped on the road.

Several Ming cavalrymen looked out to see the group of Loyalty Camp infantrymen coming from behind, but they curled their lips and then turned their heads away, no longer looking at the people from the Loyalty Camp.
Li Laiheng, Helan and others saw the expressions of the cavalrymen, and their faces were also gloomy. They were also generals commanding thousands of troops in the camp. When had they ever been looked down upon like this? These soldiers of the Ming court were really too arrogant.

Gao Yigong also had an unpleasant look on his face, but after thinking for a moment, he stopped the people behind him.
They did not come here to vent their anger. They had not even seen the head of the Ming court yet. If they had a conflict over these two small soldiers, it would only bring shame to the Loyalty Camp.

On the official road, two quarters of an hour passed in the blink of an eye. Li Laiheng and others showed a trace of impatience on their faces. They were about to step forward to inquire about the situation when suddenly a sound of horse hooves came from afar.
Rumble, rumble
The sound of horse hooves became louder and louder, and finally it was like thunder, constantly echoing and roaring in the mountains. When Gao Yigong, Li Laiheng and others heard the thunderous sound of horse hooves, their expressions suddenly changed.

At the end of the official road, a group of red-armored cavalry suddenly jumped out of the ground. All the cavalrymen were wearing red cloth armor. They rushed forward after leaving the official road, like a high red wall pressing down on the Loyalty Camp.

There was even more smoke and dust on the road behind. A large number of red-armored cavalrymen kept rushing out of the smoke and dust, and then surrounded the Loyalty Camp.
When Gao Yigong saw the cavalry rushing towards him, his expression suddenly changed. He was about to order his men to form a defensive formation, but before the order was given, the cavalry in the front had already rushed to the front of the Loyal Camp.

The red-armored cavalry in the front ran to a mile in front of the Loyalty Camp, and suddenly pulled the reins of their horses and stopped in front of the formation, while the rest of the cavalry bypassed the front cavalry and continued to outflanking to the two sides.
The three Ming armies surrounded the front and left and right sides of the Loyal Camp, and then they stood still.
On the official road, the faces of the soldiers in the Loyalty Camp were filled with panic. All the soldiers held their swords and spears tightly, staring nervously at the thousands of cavalrymen who suddenly appeared.
The people in the Loyalty Camp clenched their swords, but the thousands of red-armored cavalrymen seemed to be oblivious to the situation. They just sat on their horses and looked coldly at the pale-faced Loyalty Camp soldiers in the center.
Thousands of cavalrymen stood in silence. As time went by, the atmosphere in the field became increasingly heavy.

Li Laiheng and his men looked at the five or six thousand red-armored cavalrymen in front of them, and panic flashed across their faces. These cavalrymen didn't need to do anything, they might be defeated with just one charge.
Li Laiheng and other cavalrymen in the front drew their swords and surrounded Gao Yigong tightly in the center. However, Gao Yigong's face darkened and he shouted loudly:
"What are you doing? Put away your swords."

Li Laiheng and the others were stunned when they heard what Gao Yigong said. Then they looked at the red-armored cavalrymen standing quietly opposite them, and they all woke up from their dreams. They quickly ordered the soldiers to put away their swords.

The soldiers of the Loyalty Camp hurriedly put away their swords. It was only at this moment that the cavalry in front of them made a move.

Dozens of cavalry suddenly rushed out from the front formation and headed straight for the Loyalty Camp in front.
These dozens of cavalrymen were all wearing black iron armor, iron helmets and arm guards, and even the horses under them were covered with black iron armor.
Although there were only a few dozen riders at this time, the momentum was so great that Gao Yigong and the others felt as if an iron wall was pressing down on them, making them almost unable to breathe.

The dozens of armored cavalrymen rushed all the way and directly broke into the Zhongzheng Camp, and did not stop until they reached Gao Yigong and others.
A general in front stopped his horse and suddenly took off his helmet. Gao Yigong and others immediately looked at the man in front.
Ma Bao glanced at the people in front of him, and his eyes fell directly on Gao Yigong in the middle, and he said

"But Mr. Gao is in front of me."

Gao Yigong looked at the strange general in front of him with a burly figure. He was stunned at first, but then he immediately reacted and bowed and said
"This is Brother Ma Baoma"

"I am Ma Bao, and I am here on the orders of His Royal Highness the Regent to take Master Gao and the members of the Loyalty Camp into the camp."

Gao Yigong looked at Ma Bao in front of him, wearing iron armor, and felt a little relieved.
Compared to other people, Gao Yigong would rather Ma Bao came to pick him up. Although they didn't know Ma Bao, at least Ma Bao was once one of their own. Gao Yigong's eyes turned, and he rode forward and said,

"Brother Ma, you are too polite. We are all brothers from the same battalion. How can you call me lord? We should just address each other as brothers."

Gao Yigong has a special status in Shunying and has a long history. Except for the generals at the level of general, all the others in Shunying have to bow down to him.

But Gao Yigong did not dare to be arrogant at this time. Apart from other things, the five or six thousand red-armored cavalry in front of him were enough to make Gao Yigong respect him.
Ma Bao just smiled when he heard this, but did not reply. Gao Yigong saw this and could not figure out Ma Bao's temper, so he did not dare to try to establish a relationship with him.

The two of them explained their identities. Gao Yigong looked at the red-armored cavalry in front of him and suddenly said:

"These cavalry are the horse brothers."

"General Gao, what are you talking about? These are the imperial army. How can they be Ma's troops?"

Gao Yigong looked at Ma Bao, who had a serious face, and was stunned at first. Then a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes, and he said

"Brother Ma is right. It was the imperial court's troops who were wrong."

Ma Bao is now a general in the Ming court. These people in the Ming court value reputation the most. As the saying goes, all the people in the land are the king's subjects. If Ma Bao directly claims that this soldier is his own, wouldn't that be courting death?

Ma Bao is very thoughtful and never gives anyone a chance to criticize him. He seems to be a cautious person.
Gao Yigong looked at the thousands of cavalrymen in front of him, and a trace of envy flashed in his eyes. Gao Yigong had already determined in his heart that these people must be Ma Bao's subordinates.

This Ma Bao was able to bring these people out and make these soldiers obey his orders. Who else could it be but Ma Bao's troops?

Gao Yigong was also amazed in his heart. This Ma Bao was really powerful.

Ma Bao was just a small captain in the camp before, but now he has 4,000 to 5,000 armored cavalrymen in his hands. I'm afraid that even when the previous emperor was at his peak, he was only like this.
Gao Yigong was looking at the cavalry standing in formation in the distance, sighing in his heart, but at this moment Ma Bao suddenly spoke

"Where is General Li Guo? Why didn't he come? And why are nearly half of his soldiers missing?"

Gao Yigong heard this, his eyes flickered, and he said

"Brother Ma, you may not know that since our camp failed to capture Jingzhou last year, the Tartars have stepped up their siege against our camp."

"Recently, the Qing invaders in the Jingxi area have been making frequent movements. General Li has to stay in the camp to prevent any changes in Jingxi. This is really forced by the situation. I hope General Ma can make it clear to the court on our behalf."

This was also the excuse given by the Loyal Camp to Du Yinxi. Now that they knew that the Qing army from Huguang was coming, Li Guo and others naturally used this as an excuse.
It is reasonable to have someone in the camp to guard the Qing army's movements. It is reasonable to have enough people to guard against the Qing army's movements. Therefore, fewer people were sent, which is also reasonable.
Ma Bao heard this and the smile on his face suddenly disappeared. He looked at Gao Yigong beside him quietly.

Gao Yigong saw Ma Bao staring at him silently, with an unnatural look on his face. He was about to explain, but Ma Bao suddenly spoke in a deep voice.

"You know, if Li Guo doesn't come, the Loyalty Camp has already lost points in His Highness's heart."

Gao Yigong's expression changed slightly when he heard this. Before, he didn't care whether the Ming court was satisfied or not. But after seeing these thousands of armored cavalry, Gao Yigong no longer dared to look down on the Guangdong court.
These 6,000 men are all cavalry. If the Ming court can afford 6,000 armored cavalry, how many infantry can it have?
Gao Yigong was about to explain, but before he could open his mouth, Ma Bao waved his hand to stop him and said

"Ma and the Loyal Camp are both from the Shun Camp. If you can truly join the imperial court, Ma will be happy to see it happen."

"Therefore, Ma also reminds General Gao that when you meet His Highness later, if His Highness asks why Li Guo didn't come, General Gao should think carefully and tell the truth. Don't be clever and try to evade His Highness by saying that the Qing army was acting strangely."

"Your Highness is very clear-headed and will not be deceived by such lies. General Gao, you know that there was an important official in the court who also used the unusual movements of the Qing army to evade Your Highness, but Your Highness has already dealt with this person."

"That's all Ma has to say. It's up to you to decide whether to believe it or not."

"Brother Ma, what are you talking about? Thank you for reminding me, otherwise I would have made a big mistake."

Gao Yigong's expression froze when he heard what Ma Bao said, but he soon came to his senses and replied in a deep voice:
Although Ma Bao's words were impolite, the information he revealed was indeed useful. Someone in the court had just used the unusual movements of the Qing army to evade Gui Jianguo. If they used this excuse again at this time, they would probably run into Gui Jianguo's gun.

But Gao Yigong was in a dilemma. If the excuse of the Qing army's unusual movement was not acceptable, how could he explain why Li Guo could not come? He couldn't really tell Gui Jianguo that the Zhongzheng Camp had no trust in the Ming Dynasty court.

Ma Bao looked at Gao Yigong, whose expression changed slightly, and didn't care whether he had listened or not. He glanced at the people in the Loyalty Camp in front of him and spoke directly

"Your Highness has been waiting for you in the city for several days. All the officers of the Loyalty Camp, please follow me into the city to meet His Highness."

After Ma Bao finished speaking, he turned around and left, but Gao Yigong, Li Laiheng and others' faces changed slightly.
Du Yinxi has been taken away, and now Ma Bao is going to take away the generals of the Loyalty Camp. Once they leave, these thousands of soldiers will lose their leader. Won't they be slaughtered at will?
Gao Yigong also spoke quickly

"We are still on the way. Brother Ma, can you let us set up camp first, settle the soldiers, and then go into the city to meet His Highness?"

"Don't worry. The court has already set up the camp in advance. Someone will lead the soldiers of the Loyalty Camp into the camp later. You can follow me into the city to meet His Highness first."

Seeing Gao Yigong and the others looking more and more serious, Ma Bao also knew what Gao Yigong and the others were thinking.

Ma Bao looked at Gao Yigong beside him, but suddenly chuckled and said

"General Gao, don't worry too much. If the imperial court really wants to deal with you, why would it go through so much trouble?"

Gao Yigong and the others heard Ma Bao's chuckle, and a trace of shame and anger flashed across their faces at first, but when they looked at the thousands of cavalry standing still in front of them, they fell silent again.

At this time, it was just as Ma Bao said. If the Ming court wanted to attack them, they would be powerless to resist. Three thousand infantrymen against four or five thousand armored cavalry, there was no need to fight.

If the imperial court really wanted to attack them, they would have been defeated with just one charge from this cavalry.

Gao Yigong thought of this and did not hesitate any longer. He called the officers behind him and gave them some instructions, asking them to stay where they were and follow the guidance of the court. Then, he, Li Laiheng, Helan and others followed Ma Bao and rushed towards Yuanzhou City.

The group rode quickly and soon arrived outside Yuanzhou City.
At this time, Yuanzhou City had become a large military camp. Looking outside the city wall, white tents were everywhere.
The roads outside the city were almost entirely filled with soldiers. On the official roads, cavalry sentries were crisscrossing each other. Teams of soldiers on the roadside were driving civilians to deliver carts of food, fodder, fruits, vegetables and meat to various barracks.
Gao Yigong secretly observed the Ming troops coming and going, but the more he looked, the more frightened he became.

Almost all of these soldiers had ruddy faces, strong shoulders and thick waists. They were almost all bigger than the soldiers in the Loyalty Camp.

Gao Yigong had been in the army for a long time. Just by looking at the soldiers coming and going, he was sure that they were all excellent soldiers.
When Gao Yigong and his companions entered the city, the people in the Loyalty Camp became more and more numb. Looking at the city gates, walls, and streets, almost all the soldiers they met were wearing new or old cotton armor.

In the Loyalty Camp, apart from the generals and their servants, few ordinary soldiers had armor.
Almost all of the Ming soldiers in front of them were armored, which made Gao Yigong and others feel more serious.

They could not judge the actual combat effectiveness of these Ming troops, but Gao Yigong and others knew that soldiers with armor might not be able to fight, but soldiers without armor would definitely not be able to fight.
With so many armored soldiers, as long as they are equipped with a decent general, they can almost immediately train a usable elite force.

Gao Yigong and his companions looked at the Ming army patrolling through the city, feeling mixed emotions. On one hand, they cursed the extravagance and corruption of the Ming court, but on the other hand, they became more and more fearful. However, before Gao Yigong and his companions could think about it any more, they had already arrived in front of the Yuanzhou government office.

(End of this chapter)