Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 140 The Prince's Anger

"Grandson thinks what uncle said makes a lot of sense!" Zhu Zhanhe handed the memorial he had just read to his father, Prince Han, and turned to Emperor Yongle and said.

"Do you also think we should withdraw our troops?" Emperor Yongle looked at Zhu Zhanhe and asked in a low voice.

"The Ming Dynasty boasts a 600,000-strong Heavenly Army, but we also have over 300,000 combat-capable soldiers! Even if we don't have the Divine Machine Battalion, we can still win in a one-on-one cavalry fight!

It's just that the cost will be greater!" Zhu Zhanhe knew that Emperor Yongle would never withdraw his troops, so he replied with a firm face.

At this time, thunder suddenly sounded again outside the tent, and another thunderstorm was coming.

"It's going to rain again soon. The Shenji Battalion is completely ruined. The enemy will continue to consume our resources!

Moreover, there is not much food in the camp, and there is only enough for one month. "The Prince of Han, who had been silent since entering the door, spoke at this time and announced an important news: the army is short of food!

"Because our army's battle line is too long, the baggage and food are greatly affected by the enemy. What's more, someone is harassing the food supply!" Zhu Zhanji could only say helplessly.

"If we can't win the battle quickly, the enemy will continue to consume us. If our food and supplies run out, it will be dangerous." Zhu Zhanhe said while looking at Emperor Yongle, waiting for his opinion.

"What are their shortcomings!" Emperor Yongle asked the key question.

“The alliance of the grassland tribes may seem powerful, but in reality, each tribe has its own agenda!
It is better to cut off one finger than to injure ten! If we can forcefully attack one of the tribes, one by one, they will eventually collapse!" Zhu Zhanhe understood what Emperor Yongle meant, so he followed his words.

"It's been raining all the time, we have no chance at all!" Prince Han pointed out the key issue.

Emperor Yongle sighed deeply with a pale face.

"There is one that can!" Zhu Zhanhe looked at Emperor Yongle's sighing eyes and spoke.

"Where?!" After hearing this, Emperor Yongle immediately became alert.

"Send cavalry to patrol the food supply route. We have many people and cannot counterattack, so let's strengthen the food supply route!

"It can not only solve the food and grass crisis, but also deter the tribes that harass the food supply route! It's best to kill them if you can!" Zhu Zhanhe said with murderous intent.

These words instantly made Emperor Yongle's eyes light up...

As expected, in the next month, the weather seemed to be against the Ming Dynasty. There was no sign of clearing up, and it just rained continuously.

The various tribes on the grassland also continued to harass the Ming army in turns, giving them no chance to retreat.

During this period of time, the morale of the Ming army was low and the casualties were huge. Even with the cavalry guarding them, the supply of food and fodder began to run out.

In order to deal with this situation, Emperor Yongle actually thought of dividing his troops!
He planned to have the King of Han and the King of Zhao command an army of 3,000 battalions and 200,000 men, and Emperor Yongle himself command the central army of 400,000 men.

Zhu Zhanhe originally thought that after dividing the troops, Emperor Yongle would order the central army to retreat slowly, and the 3,000 and 5,000 cavalry battalions of the King of Han and the King of Zhao would be used to resist the harassment from various tribes on the grassland.

However, although Emperor Yongle said that the troops had been divided, he still maintained unified command and had no intention of retreating. He continued to march slowly towards the grassland in the rain!

Obviously, Emperor Yongle was on guard against King Zhao and King Han!

It was raining continuously on the grassland. Today was another battle in the heavy rain. Both sides retreated after leaving behind several corpses.

Zhu Zhanhe stood in the pouring rain, clutching his heavy broadsword. Although he remained strong and healthy, he was exhausted. This was because, since the rain began, Zhu Zhanhe had been personally leading his battalions into battle almost every day, responding to the harassment from the Tatars, the Oirat, the Uriankhai, and other tribes of the steppes.

Even if Zhu Zhanhe did not go to battle one day, the soldiers would go to invite him in person!
Because Zhu Zhanhe is the beacon of all the Ming troops in this heavy rain. As long as he is there, no matter how the battle goes, he can always defeat the enemy and the Ming army will win!
His bloody killing, the scene of men and horses being shattered and bodies being torn into two pieces, once frightened all the tribes on the grassland and made them dare not stand out!
In the heavy rain, Zhu Zhanhe was still wearing armor. The rain poured down along his helmet, soaking his whole body and washing away the blood on his sword! There were no cheers, no surprises, only numb killing!
When Zhu Zhanhe and others returned to the military camp, they found that there were still cannons that had not been brought into the tents. They immediately began to arrange manpower to move all the gunpowder and firearms into the tents.

Sitting around the stove, Zhu Zhanhe drank hot tea and took off his wet armor and clothes. Wei Jizhong was helping Zhu Zhanhe dry his clothes and clean his armor and sword! Another day of fighting had passed.

The supply of food and fodder continued to run into problems, disrupted by the Arutai tribe in the rear, and often there was a shortage of supplies...

And this stalemate lasted for four months!
On the other side, in the imperial palace in Beijing, the weak Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi was also struggling to hold on.

His body had been stretched to its limit! But the Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi's terrifying belief made him still strong and he dared not fall! He kept telling himself: My son is still on the battlefield!
The elite troops of our Ming Dynasty are still on the battlefield!
The problem of the Ming Dynasty’s demise has not been solved yet!

I can't die yet!
I must hold on!
In this way, the prince persisted day by day, spitting blood...

Finally, summer came, and the rainy weather on the grasslands dissipated. When the weather cleared up completely,
The soldiers of the Shenji Camp were busy drying their gunpowder and cleaning their weapons, while the generals gathered in Emperor Yongle's tent.

At this moment, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Han had a dispute. Perhaps it was because of the previous rainy weather, or the consecutive defeats in battles, which caused the Crown Prince's mood to not change and his temper to be particularly bad. Today, he actually started to argue with the Prince of Han.

"You know nothing!
Once you pass the Three Gorges, there will be a wide road between the two mountains!

This passage is so narrow that it can only accommodate one horse!

It is easy for these cannons and vehicles to get in, but difficult to get out!

If those grassland people deploy 30,000 troops on the mountain, they can defeat a hundred with one! No matter how many people we send, they will all die!

Therefore, this approach simply won't work! "Grandson Zhu Zhanji stood in front of the sand table, spitting wildly at the Han prince who was sitting on the edge of the sand table. Zhu Zhanhe was stunned by the sight, his eyes full of inexplicable expressions.

Sure enough, as soon as Zhu Zhanji finished speaking, he started to be criticized.

"Who are you talking to, kid!" Prince Han frowned and scolded Zhu Zhanji with dissatisfaction. There was nothing wrong with his second uncle scolding his nephew!

"That's right, who are you talking to!" Prince Zhao, who was standing next to Emperor Yongle, echoed with a smile on his face, staring at Zhu Zhanji.

"What did you say?" Even Emperor Yongle, who was looking at the map, raised his head and stared at Zhu Zhanji.

"I said, I'm nothing!" Zhu Zhanji may have realized that he was a little rude when talking to his elders, so he looked left and right, and after looking at Emperor Yongle's eyes, he pointed at his nose helplessly and said.

After saying this, perhaps feeling embarrassed, Zhu Zhanji turned around and went to the door of the tent to calm down.

"As long as we pass the Three Gorges, we will reach the Tatar camp!
These two mountains must be taken down!
If I take a detour, I don’t know how long this war will last!” Emperor Yongle looked at the map in his hand and said firmly.

However, Zhu Zhanhe saw that Zhu Zhanji, who was sitting at the door, shook his head vigorously after hearing this.

"Dad, don't be afraid. The third brother and I will each divide our forces into 100,000 and go to provoke them and lure out their main force!

Use cannons and muskets to slow down their cavalry!" Prince Han said eagerly. In fact, he also had his own plans in mind. He wanted to use this opportunity to completely seize military power and make great achievements!

"Dad, don't be afraid of being narrow-minded. After the second brother and I climb the mountain, we will have the upper hand and the advantage!" Prince Zhao was also a smart man. He immediately understood the second brother's meaning and immediately came to the sand table, sitting half of his butt on the edge of the sand table, pointing at the Three Gorges. His eyes met with Prince Han's, and there was a tacit understanding in their eyes.

(End of this chapter)