Di Ming

Chapter 227 "My life is over!"

Tengger Desert!
Zhu Yin couldn't help but feel excited; this was the first time he had seen the desert since he traveled to ancient times six years ago.

This vast desert was the battlefield where Han heroes displayed their prowess!

In the second year of the Yuanshou era, Marquis Huo Qubing led 10,000 cavalry out of Longxi, crossed the Wushaoling Mountains, traversed the Tengger and Badain Deserts, passed Juyan Lake, and made a detour of more than a thousand li. Then, he marched south along the Ruoshui River and then, in just six days, made a rapid raid of 1,300 li, sweeping across Hexi like lightning and defeating the Xiongnu.

Now, he is leading 5,000 Ming soldiers, both infantry and cavalry, out of the Helan Mountains, and will also cross two deserts, following Huo Qubing's route, passing Juyan Lake, and heading straight for Hexi!

At this very moment, the blood-red evening glory is about to sink into the edge of the desert, the sunset glow as fiery as fire, magnificent and picturesque.

Between heaven and earth, the vastness and desolation are like stepping into a grand and magnificent dream.

Many soldiers who had never seen the desert before were quite shocked by what they saw.

"This is the desert?" Ding Hongying's bright eyes were a little dazed. "Uncle Tiger, I finally saw the desert sunset from the book today. It's so beautiful."

Although also a woman, Qin Liangyu frowned slightly and said, "In this desolate desert, if our supplies run out, our army will be in danger. At this point, the White-Spear Army's marching speed can't keep up with the cavalry. How far is the nearest pastureland?"

The two women's different reactions show that Qin Liangyu can be a general who can coordinate the overall situation, while Ding Hongying can only be a fierce general.

Li Rusong then said, "General Fu, I suggest that I lead two thousand cavalry as the vanguard to pursue the rebels and keep them pinned down. General Fu will lead the White-Spear Army to cover the rear and provide support from both sides."

"Since the governor has personally gone beyond the Great Wall, the court and the emperor will not blame the governor for being hesitant, and there will be no need for him to go to the front line in person."

Zhu Yin shook his head and said, "Once we enter the desert, we are no longer in control of our own destiny. How can we know that if your cavalry leaves, the infantry won't encounter other Mongol cavalry? It might not be safe for me to follow the infantry. I might be safer following two thousand cavalry."

In the past few days, Zhu Yin has also lost some weight, and his youthful appearance has become somewhat weathered.

The course of the battle became increasingly unpredictable. Even though the Tiger Fang agents obtained intelligence in time, they were unable to locate Zhu Yin and relay the message. This was ancient times, and there was no modern communication technology.

The biggest variable in the desert now is that a second or even a third enemy cavalry force could appear at any time on the battlefield. Danger is unpredictable, and Zhu Yin might die in the desert.

Li Rusong and Qin Liangyu glanced at Zhu Yin, both looking worried.

They were worried about Zhu Yin's safety!
Logically, as the commander-in-chief, Zhu Yin should have stayed in Ningxia to oversee the rear and sent his generals to fight beyond the Great Wall for safety reasons.

But now that Prince Qing has actually declared himself emperor, this is no longer a simple military rebellion. As the commander-in-chief, Zhu Yin must personally lead the troops out of the border to pursue and quell the rebellion; he cannot hide in the rear. Otherwise, he will soon be stripped of his military power by the emperor and imprisoned.

"General Li, please do not worry," Zhu Yin said calmly. "Although I am a civil official, I am not a weak scholar who cannot even kill a chicken."

Although Zhu Yin appeared calm on the surface, he actually regretted taking charge of suppressing the rebellion in Ningxia.

In the past few days, he has repeatedly considered abandoning his army and fleeing with the Ning sisters to escape the Ming Dynasty and become king on an island.

But after much thought, he still couldn't convince himself, so he had no choice but to grit his teeth and keep going.

History was changed because of him, and he must bear historical responsibility.

According to existing intelligence, the Western Tatars have decided to send troops in order to seize control of the Northwest. The Oirat and Khoshut tribes should also be sending troops. The 20,000 Ordos Mongol cavalry who previously fled Ningxia have already joined the Huoluochi and Tuman tribes of the Western Tatars.

There are many enemy troops.

Zhu Yin immediately ordered the army to march forty li under the setting sun and set off the next night at Jilu Village, a remnant of the Han Dynasty.

No one knew the map better than Zhu Yin. Setting up camp at Jilu Village, and using Jilu as a temporary base, was also part of the plan. The subsequent 4,000 cavalry and 9,000 infantry would also camp at Jilu Village after leaving Helan Mountain.

Intelligence from places like the Oirat Mongols, the Hetao region, Qingcheng, and Beijing would first be sent to Jilu Village, and then from Jilu Village to Zhu Yin.

At Zhu Yin's command, more than 5,000 Ming soldiers set off together, heading northwest along a dried-up tributary of the Yellow River.

Amidst the slow, swirling dust, the Ming army rolled forward towards the setting sun, appearing like a tiny, weary fish in the vast, boundless sea.

The neighing of warhorses sounded distant and ethereal. The gleaming swords and spears were quickly covered in dust, losing their cold gleam.

The cavalry were one thing, but the infantrymen's shoes were filled with sand with every step. The White-Clad Soldiers simply took off their distinctive oil-studded shoes and walked barefoot, which actually made them faster.

Qin Liangyu dismounted her warhorse, took off her boots, and marched barefoot with the Tujia soldiers.

"Sister, you are truly a model of heroism!" Zhu Yin praised, without urging Qin Liangyu to ride a horse. He knew that the White-Spear Army's formidable fighting power was largely due to the leader's style and example. Qin Liangyu not only maintained strict military discipline but also shared weal and woe with her soldiers.

It was only late April, still late spring. Yet the desert heat was oppressive, already quite scorching. The group couldn't remove their armor, and were reluctant to drink much water from their canteens, leaving them all drenched in sweat.

Qin Liangyu and Ding Hongying, in particular, felt extremely uncomfortable because of the smell of sweat.

Zhu Yin rode his white horse at full gallop, his clothes soaked with sweat, his magnificent armor dull and lifeless, looking disheveled, yet his agile figure reminded one of the Marquis of Champion of the Han Dynasty.

Zhu Yin suddenly turned around and shouted, "Murong Gou Dan, send out the hawk to scout!"

"Yes, sir!" Murong Gou Dan, one of the attendants, replied.

"Screech—" A hawk soared into the sky, flying high above the vast expanse. It was Zhu Yin's Flying Tiger.

A full quarter of an hour later, the Flying Tiger circled back, neither howling nor returning directly. This indicated that there was no enemy activity within a radius of several dozen miles. Otherwise, the Flying Tiger would have flown directly from the direction of the enemy, howling as it came.

...

On the afternoon of the third day, the Ming army had penetrated more than two hundred miles into the desert.

"Ding-dong... ding-dong..." The melodious sound of camel bells came, and then a caravan of dozens of people, all dressed as nomadic people from the grasslands, emerged from behind the sand dunes ahead.

Each camel carried two large sacks.

This place is not far from the old Dengkou ferry crossing, which is part of the "lake salt trade route" from Brante Salt Lake to Shaanxi and Shanxi. The grassland people of Brante Salt Lake sold the red salt produced by the salt lake to Shanxi and Shaanxi, which was comparable to green salt.

This was undoubtedly smuggling. But with such a vast border stretching thousands of miles, how could the Ming court possibly oversee everything? Furthermore, with steppe merchants bribing border generals and corrupting minor officials at Yellow River post stations, no one really cared. Besides smuggling red salt, these merchants were also tasked with gathering intelligence on the border towns, and they were backed by Mongol nobles.

The caravan clearly hadn't expected to encounter a Ming army; they had initially thought it was a Mongol army, believing they were mistaken. They had never seen the Ming Khan's troops in this desert before, nor had they ever even heard of them.

This desert has always been a place where various tribes of the grasslands roam.

But the bright red Ming army flags and the distinctive Han Chinese armor clearly told them that this was indeed the Ming army.

The merchants immediately panicked.

With a wave of his hand, Li Rusong summoned a group of cavalrymen who rushed out and surrounded the caravan.

"Misunderstanding! Misunderstanding!" the merchant leader shouted in broken Chinese. "We are friends!"

Li Rusong looked at Zhu Yin, waiting for Zhu Yin's order.

Given his style, he would have shot these Hu merchants dead on the spot. It wasn't that he had a penchant for killing, but rather that he couldn't allow this caravan to reveal the royal army's marching route, so of course he had to silence them.

But these people were, after all, just merchants, not enemy soldiers. He had no authority to decide their life or death; he could only obey Zhu Yin's orders.

Zhu Yin didn't want to kill him, and even if he wanted to, he couldn't.

Chen Lin was a little worried that Zhu Yin would fall into the old habits of civil officials, and couldn't help but say:
"My lord, although they are merchants, they are actually..."

Zhu Yin touched the tiger tooth fossil in his hand, shook his head and sneered: "Merchants? They are not merchants, they are spies posing as merchants, they are enemies."

After saying that, he gently scratched the tiger tooth fossil in his hand.

Li Rusong and Chen Lin exchanged a glance, and after a brief moment of surprise, they both smiled.

Li Rusong laughed heartily, "Following the General on his campaigns and letting the horses roam freely is truly exhilarating! Having a General like Mr. Zhihu is a blessing for us warriors!"

Before he could finish speaking, he waved to the servants.

The servants, who had already drawn their bows and nocked arrows, fired at once, instantly killing dozens of merchants.

"Buddha..." The caravan leader only had time to call out "Buddha" before he was shot dead by an arrow.

Soon, the bodies were buried in the desert, and the camels and cargo all became spoils of war.

Qin Liangyu opened her mouth, looking at Zhu Yin's stone-carved figure, but swallowed her words back.

The general did not do anything wrong; there was nothing that could be done. The army's whereabouts could not be revealed to the Tatars.

Chen Lin laughed and said, "When I was young, these Tatars believed in the Eternal Heaven, but now they all believe in the Yellow-Robed Buddha of the Tibetans."

Zhu Yin narrowed his eyes and said, "A tribe that abandons its own traditions and beliefs will perish sooner or later."

Upon hearing this, Li Rusong and the others seemed to be deep in thought.

The sun sets slowly in the desert. The Ming cavalry arrived at Jilu Village before it was completely dark.

Jilu Village was originally a summer palace of the Xiongnu Chanyu, a place with abundant water and grass. Later, it was occupied by Huo Qubing's Han army and turned into a military city.

The Han Dynasty established many prefectures and counties in the grasslands and deserts beyond the Great Wall, and carried out land reclamation and military farming. This Jilu Village was once a city beyond the Great Wall during the Han Dynasty.

To the north of Jilu Village lies Langshan Mountain, and to the west, the Great Wall of Han Dynasty. It guarded the passage westward from the Yinshan Corridor to Juyan, serving as an important military stronghold during the Han and Tang Dynasties. Although long abandoned, the stone walls, over ten feet high, still stand, enough to withstand cavalry charges. Beside the village lies a nearly dried-up lake, the very same Xiutu Marsh mentioned in ancient texts.

The group discovered that Jilu Village was a square city, several tens of feet wide, large enough to garrison ten thousand troops. Moreover, outside the city was a small lake, and within a radius of ten miles were meadows and wetlands, just right for raising warhorses and livestock.

Legend has it that after Zhaojun left the village, she stayed at Jilu Village.

Upon entering Jilu Village, the Ming army immediately deployed defenses both inside and outside the village and watered their horses at the lake. Zhu Yin, on the other hand, climbed a high platform and looked south towards the ruins of the Qin and Han Great Wall.

The Qin and Han Great Wall has long been abandoned in the yellow sand, forming a stark historical contrast with the brand-new Ming Great Wall hundreds of miles to the south.

Every time the moon rises, it still shines on this land, but it is no longer the homeland of the Han and Tang dynasties, but a barbarian land.

Jilu Village is located in a small oasis, about ten miles in circumference. To the west lies a red desert, which the Mongols call "Ulanbuhua," meaning "red bull." Dozens of miles to the north is the Aolongbulege Grand Canyon, a Danxia landform. Tomorrow, Zhu Yin will lead his army through the Aolongbulege Grand Canyon, where there are more water sources along the way.

At this very moment, a cold, clear moon had just risen, looking down indifferently at the Ming army, seemingly feeling utterly alienated.

Zhu Yin sat on a stone platform in the desolate city, looking up at the moonlight and the night sky, and down at the Han Dynasty roof tiles on the ground. He seemed to see a young general riding a horse and brandishing a sword, with the Han banner fluttering in the vast desert. His glance back came from the depths of history, like a gaze that transcended time and space.

Zhu Yin then vaguely saw a woman in Han clothing, holding a pipa, turning her head back with every step she took. She looked towards Chang'an and up at the wild geese in the sky, like the loneliest rainbow in the world.

Zhu Yin picked up a broken Han Dynasty tile, stroking the rope patterns on it, his gaze blank.

This place bears the footprints of Huo Qubing, Wang Zhaojun, Dou Xian, and others; today, it is I who remain here.

“Uncle Tiger,” Ding Hongying walked over, holding naan and dried meat in her hands, “Don’t look at these broken bricks and tiles, have something to eat first.”

Ding Hongying's role with Zhu Yin this time was not just as his personal bodyguard, but also as someone who took care of his daily life.

Zhu Yin took the naan and dried meat, gave one portion to Xiao Hei next to him first, and then ate the rest himself.

"Uncle Tiger, you're really something. You feed the dog first, then you eat it yourself," Princess Hongying laughed.

She was actually already part of Zhu Yin's family, and spoke to him very casually. In the army, she was known as "Mrs. Matchmaker."

Everyone knows that this matchmaker is the eldest niece of the military governor.

Zhu Yin said, "Black Tiger is my brother, not just a dog."

Hongying was even happier upon hearing this.

"So, according to seniority, I should call it Uncle Dog?"

"Hahaha!" Zhu Yin was also amused by Hongying. This niece is so heartwarming and adorable.

Just as the two were talking, Kangxi suddenly strode over and said:

"My lord, news from the Western Sea Mongols has finally arrived. It was delivered personally by Li Xuancheng."

After saying that, he handed over a wax pellet.

Zhu Yin opened it and his face immediately darkened.

After receiving Bo Bai's letter, the Western Mongol immediately agreed to support Prince Qing as emperor, advocated the alliance of several parties, and planned to use Prince Qing as a puppet to rally more than four million Han people in Hexi, first to seize Gansu and Liangzhou, and then to conquer Guanzhong!

These barbarian tribes of the Western Sea decided to pull off a big heist, and dispatched more than 20,000 troops!

Including the 20,000 Ordos people who surrendered to them, they had a total of more than 40,000 cavalry!

More than 10,000 cavalrymen of the Oirat Khoshut tribe have also marched south!

Several forces joined together, forming a force of over 60,000 cavalry!
Although the so-called Mongol cavalry were just herdsmen who became cavalrymen once they mounted a horse, and there weren't many elite cavalrymen with armor, with a massive base of over 60,000 cavalrymen, there must have been at least 10,000 elite cavalrymen wearing armor!
Even the combined forces of several Ming garrisons in the northwest didn't have that many cavalry.

Even if he joins forces with Ye Mengxiong in Liangzhou next month, he will only have 10,000 cavalry under his command.

Li Xuancheng's intelligence also stated that the Khoshut tribe had dispatched troops to escort Bo Bai and King Qing, and more than 10,000 cavalrymen would march south from the Aolongbulege Grand Canyon northwest of Langshan.

However, they found it difficult to locate Bo Bai and Prince Qing immediately.

"Aolongbulege Grand Canyon..." Zhu Yin frowned. This was the road he would have to travel tomorrow.

Unexpectedly, I was heading north from here, while the Khoshut people were heading south from here; we almost bumped into each other.

No! Lee Hyun-sung's intelligence report has been out for several days.

So, the more than 10,000 cavalrymen of the Khoshut Taiji were very likely in the vicinity of...?
Thinking of this, Zhu Yin broke out in a cold sweat.

"Someone! Summon General Li!"

Soon, Li Rusong arrived in a hurry with a solemn expression.

"General Li," Zhu Yin said bluntly, "I suspect that a large enemy cavalry force may be approaching from the northwest! It will be difficult for them to detect our army's movements!"

"What will happen if they discover our troops and our whereabouts are exposed?"

Li Rusong said, "Then our army will be surrounded by enemy cavalry! Within a few days, several enemy forces may come. Our army must either retreat to Ningxia immediately or relocate immediately!"

"Relocate?" Zhu Yin shook his head. "Where can we relocate to? This is the desert. We can only follow the water routes. Even the Marquis of Champion went south along the Weak River back then."

"The Mongols are masters of long-distance reconnaissance in the desert. Their scouts constantly change horses on the grasslands, and can even capture wild horses to ride, covering three or four hundred li a day. How long can our army hide? At most, we'll be discovered by the enemy tomorrow!"

Li Rusong said, "Since a large number of enemy cavalry are nearby, I request that the pacification army be moved immediately! If the pacification army falls into the hands of the enemy, our army will be leaderless in this desert and will become prey for the enemy!"

"The general should prioritize the overall situation and immediately retreat to Helan Mountain to join the main force before coming to support me! Qin Liangyu and I will lead our troops to garrison here and draw the enemy's siege. With the city walls in place, even if there are tens of thousands of enemy troops, I can hold out for at least five days!"

As soon as Li Rusong finished speaking, he immediately dispatched scouts to investigate in the northwest direction.

Zhu Yin also released a falcon to scout out enemy activity towards the Aolongbulege Grand Canyon.

He hoped his guess was wrong.

However, half an hour later, Flying Tiger flew directly back from the northwest and landed without circling. This indicated that a large enemy force had appeared in the northwest!
Li Rusong urged again, "General Fu! Enemy reinforcements will surely discover our whereabouts. Our army is outnumbered and not enough to fight a decisive battle with the enemy in the desert. I urge you to move your headquarters immediately and join the rear guard!"

Qin Liangyu said without room for doubt, "The Governor's Army cannot afford to fail! We will hold this position to draw the enemy's attention, and I urge the Governor's Army to leave the city immediately! Otherwise, before our army can catch up with Bo Bai and Prince Qing, the enemy will have already caught up with the Governor's Army!"

Zhu Yin finally made up his mind and stopped hesitating.

"Very well! I will move out first, and will surely lead my rear guard to join you within five days! General Qi will also lead his army eastward..."

Zhu Yin made some arrangements and then led three or four hundred soldiers as guards, along with Cao Wenzhao's more than one hundred elite cavalrymen, southward overnight.

Less than two hours after Zhu Yin left, the sound of hooves thundered from the northwest, and more than 10,000 Khoshut cavalrymen indeed came rushing in.

The moonlight in the sky was dimmed by the dust kicked up by the warhorses.

Several thousand Ming soldiers were no small target, and they were quickly spotted by Khoshut scouts. Soon after, a large cavalry force arrived.

"Woo woo woo..." Amidst the desolate sound of horns, fifteen thousand Khoshut cavalry surged in like a tide, slowly surrounding Jilu Village.

Although the Mongol tribes were a society where every man was a soldier and could become a cavalryman, the Khoshut people still had five thousand elite armored cavalrymen.

Li Rusong and Qin Liangyu together had only five thousand men, most of whom were infantrymen without warhorses. In this desert and Gobi region, which was favorable to cavalry, they could only rely on castles for defense.

Khoshut Taiji did not immediately attack the city, as he had not yet ascertained the strength of the Ming army.

While besieging the city, he sent people south to notify the Huoluochi tribe heading north, asking them to join in the attack on the Ming army!

……

Day two.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yin led several hundred men toward Helan Mountain and was already close to Hala Forest.

In a single day, he could encounter a rear guard of 13,000 Ming soldiers.

With 18,000 Ming troops assembled and Qi Jiguang arriving, the situation would be much more stable.

Zhu Yin was always cautious. He did not immediately enter the Hala Forest, but instead released a falcon to scout the southeast direction of the Hala Forest for any movement.

Soon after, Flying Tiger flew back and let out a long cry.

This indicates that there are sizable forces to the east and south of Hala Forest. The question remains: are these the Huoluochi cavalry heading north, or their own rear guard?
Flying Tigers can scout the location of large groups of people, but they cannot determine whether they are friend or foe.

Zhu Yin was still worried, so he sent his own soldiers to investigate.

Three-quarters of an hour later, a soldier on horseback reported with a grave expression: "It's a large contingent of Tatar cavalry! There are at least ten thousand riders on the east and south sides!"

Zhu Yin almost cursed out loud and immediately fled in the due west direction.

The people to the north are the Heshuo people, and the people to the east and south are the Huoluochi people. At this time, he can only go west!
His intelligence is indeed excellent, but the problem is that it's difficult to get the information to him. It takes at least several days; how can he determine the enemy's location in such a long time?
However, the Tatar cavalry, skilled in using scouts, had already discovered several hundred Ming soldiers.

Immediately, a large number of cavalrymen pursued them.

The desert was the home ground of the Tatars, and Zhu Yin only had a few hundred men. He had no choice but to flee.

"My life is over!" Zhu Yin thought to himself.

Seeing the large enemy cavalry pursuing him, he couldn't help but panic.

In the blink of an eye, Zhu Yin had already fled more than ten miles, but the Tatar cavalry were hot on his heels. Their horsemanship was superior, and they were closing in faster and faster.

Fortunately, there was a large area of ​​Danxia landform in front of us.

"Ejen! This servant will hold them off!" Lancha shouted. "Cover the master's retreat! One hundred men, turn around and follow me! Kill!"

More than a hundred elite soldiers followed Lan Cha as he turned his horse around, spreading out in a line to guard the entrance of the Danxia landform and block the pursuers.

Ding Hongying, Mao Wenlong, Cao Wenzhao, Wei Zhongxian, and others escorted Zhu Yin straight into Danxia.

Zhu Yin turned around and shouted, "Lancha! Don't linger! Come back alive!"

"Yes, sir!" Lancha shouted as he received the order, brandishing his long spiked club and wearing two layers of armor, leading the charge against the Mongol cavalry at the forefront!
"Kill!" More than a hundred elite soldiers, all clad in iron armor and with distinctive pistols hanging from their waists, charged fiercely towards the enemy.

(End of this chapter)