The First Uncle of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 29 Time is life
For Ma Xun, time is not money, but life.

The purpose of speeding up the march now is to create more foundation for victory in the Ming Dynasty's strategic decisive battle in Shaanxi and Gansu, and to save Chang Yuchun's life.

It was the seventh month of the lunar calendar, which was August in the solar calendar, and it was the hottest time of the year.

Ma Xun felt that his whole body was greasy. Even though he was shirtless, he was still sweating and there was a layer of fine salt particles on his body.

Although there are no ingredients such as patchouli oil and perilla leaf oil, there are still medicinal herbs such as atractylodes, tangerine peel, and poria.

Although the effect is average, it is a bankrupt version of Huoxiang Zhengqi Water.

Sima Xu brought a bowl of mung bean porridge and said, "Uncle, this will cool you down."

Ma Xun took the mung bean porridge and asked, "How is the preparation of the righteousness water for the soldiers going?"

"It's boiling, but the soldiers don't like to drink it." Sima Xu complained with a smile. "These soldiers don't know what's good for them. Some people secretly poured out such a good thing, aren't they afraid of being sunburned to death!"

Ma Xun smiled and said, "The weather is so hot, if you really get heat stroke, just do as I teach you."

The military knows some simple treatments for heatstroke, but due to the limitations of the times, some first aid measures are not complete.

Ma Xun taught everything he knew and used all his knowledge.

In the Ming Dynasty, there were medical officers in the army. Young soldiers were usually selected for basic training and then sent to the Imperial Hospital for further study. Or more directly, the Imperial Hospital would select medical officers to go to the garrisons.

This is also the benefit of a long history. The medical officer system existed during the Qin and Han dynasties.

By the Ming Dynasty, most garrisons had medical officers, medical assistants, pharmacists, veterinarians, etc. However, usually a garrison had only one medical officer and two medical assistants, or even less.

Ma Xun also taught some knowledge to the medical officers and medical men who were accompanying the army on this expedition. The focus during this period was to prevent heatstroke.

Along the way, some soldiers were not used to the local climate. Those who were not seriously ill continued to follow. Those who were seriously ill stayed in the nearest prefectures and counties, and caught up with the team as soon as they recovered.

If non-combat casualties really occur, there is nothing we can do but bury them.

The long history has brought sufficient experience, and the brutal wars have also prompted the army to become more and more mature in rescuing wounded soldiers.

Setting up places to house the wounded, dispatching medical officers to treat them in a timely manner, assigning special personnel to take care of them, and providing food and medicine are the basic guarantees.

The assessment of medical officers is to check the number of soldiers who died of illness and the number of wounded who were rescued, and then reward them for their merits and punish them for their mistakes.

However, there were relatively few military doctors in the Ming Dynasty, and ordinary soldiers who were injured relied more on mutual help among their comrades.

Because the battlefield is a life-and-death struggle, it is difficult for military doctors to rush to the battlefield to rescue the wounded in the first place. By the time the war is over and the battlefield is cleaned up, many wounded have already missed the best time for treatment.

This is due to the limitations of the times, the limitations of medical level, and the cruelty of war.

Mu Ying came over sweating all over, "Uncle, the soldiers have been settled."

Ma Xun asked, "Where are we now?"

Mu Ying replied, "I went to Xuanhua yesterday."

"Xuanhua?" Ma Xun was stunned for a moment and asked, "Why don't I know?"

Xuanhua is very famous.

This is near Zhangjiakou, Hebei. The ancient city was built in the Tang Dynasty.

This place has been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times. It protects Beijing from the south and controls the desert from the back, while it holds the strategic Juyong position on the left and the Yunzhong position on the right.

During the Yongle period, nine border towns were set up inland, and this place became a throat to prevent the Oirat from moving southward.

The Grand Tutor, the mighty general, and the Duke of Zhenguo Zhu Houzhao built the Zhenguo Mansion in Xuanfu. This is in Xuanfu.

When the overseas student Zhu Qizhen heard that the Oirat was about to attack, he went from Beiping to Xuanfu to Datong, and then returned to Xuanfu. On the way back to Xuanfu, he was attacked from both sides and lost tens of thousands of people. Zhu Yong, the great hero of the Jingnan Campaign, was ambushed and his entire army was destroyed and died in Yaoerling. When the overseas students left Xuanfu and arrived at Tumubao, their entire army was destroyed.

However, Xuanfu was called Xuanfu Town during the reign of Emperor Zhu Di, and it is still just an earthen city.

Mu Ying and others had long been accustomed to Ma Xun asking some seemingly low-level questions, because Ma Xun was not familiar with military affairs.

When we arrived in Xuanfu, we were closer to Kaiping and would soon enter Inner Mongolia.

Just as Ma Xun was earnestly asking about the geographical location and other matters, Ping An came hurriedly and said, "Uncle, the Tang cavalry has encountered the scouts of the Duke of E."

Ma Xun immediately became excited, "Duke E? Where is he now?"

Ping An said, "It's just north of Xuanhua, and it takes less than two days to walk to Yulinbao."

Mu Ying smiled and said, "General Chang is also worried about the war in Shaanxi and Gansu, but given his personality, it's not surprising. General Chang always likes to lead his troops on a charge, and his marching speed is always very fast."

Ma Xun took a deep breath. Could this be the moment of life and death for Chang Yuchun?
Ma Xun no longer hesitated and gave the order directly, "Rest for an hour, and we will head north immediately!"

Mu Ying didn't understand. "Uncle, since General Chang is leading his troops back..."

"Shut up!" Ma Xun said without allowing any argument, "He is leading his army south, so Kaiping must be empty. Since His Majesty has ordered us to go to Kaiping, let's go now!"

Mu Ying had never seen Ma Xun angry before, and was stunned for a moment.

Sima Xu, Ping An and others were also very surprised, but they understood it in an instant.

My uncle was still timid and worried that he could not complete the military order of His Majesty. When General Chang heard that the war in Shaanxi and Gansu was tense, he led his troops back directly, and Ma Xun, the uncle of the emperor, was worried that Kaiping would be short of troops.

In the opinion of Mu Ying and others, Chang Yuchun would certainly not make such a low-level mistake. Even if he led his troops back now, he would definitely leave a certain number of troops behind to prevent the Yuan army from making a comeback.

But since my uncle is determined to carry out His Majesty's military order, it is not wrong for him to hurry up and march.

Mu Ying and others would not make Ma Xun unhappy because of such a small matter. Although serving in the army would be a little harder, being in the army would always be hard.

Ma Xun had a hard time expressing his grievances. I couldn't say that General Chang Yuchun was destined to face a disaster, and it was imminent, right?
I rushed to Xuanhua as fast as I could, but you, General Chang, became even more anxious!
Amid the soldiers' complaints, the Yulin Zuowei and Feixiongwei continued their march.

In the north, Lan Yu rode his horse excitedly to Chang Yuchun's side, "Brother-in-law, the scouts encountered the prince's spies!"

Chang Yuchun laughed, "This uncle of the emperor is really anxious. I thought it would take another five days to meet him."

"What can the uncle do?" Lan Yu said directly, "Mu Ying will definitely lead the troops. The uncle is just a scholar, and I'm afraid he won't be able to endure a two-month march."

Chang Yuchun stared at his brother-in-law and warned him sternly, "If you say one more word, I'll beat you!"

Lan Yu has been bold and reckless since he was a child. He has been following Chang Yuchun for many years and has learned most of Chang Yuchun's skills in leading troops.

Many people said that he was very similar to Chang Yuchun, and Lan Yu was also very proud of this, as he was imitating his brother-in-law in every way.

But Chang Yuchun was in a bad mood, so his brother-in-law learned the external appearance.

Even though Chang Yuchun looks like a fierce general, who can command an army of 100,000 is not brave and careful?
Others said that Chang Yuchun came from the green forest and was known as the bravest man in the world.

But Chang Yuchun knew that his roughness was only an outward appearance. If he was not careful and sharp, he would not have become the second most important figure in the military after Xu Da and be trusted by His Majesty.

As for that kid Lan Yu, he only learned how to fight a war and knows nothing about the current situation and political affairs!
I’ll teach you later. Lan Yu is only thirty and he still has a lot to learn!
"Since the uncle's troops are approaching, speed up." Chang Yuchun looked into the distance and gave a decisive order, "Let the uncle guard Kaiping, and I will go to fight Zhang Liangchen!"

Lan Yu was also very excited. He had just captured Yuan Shangdu and heard that the Yuan court was now mobilizing troops from all over to support Qingyang.

Now, let’s follow my brother-in-law and kill them completely to annihilate those Yuan Tartars!

(End of this chapter)