Di Ming

Chapter 234 Governor-General of the Five Garrisons!

Zhu Yin thought for a moment, then slowly nodded and said, "If we want to send troops out to rescue Jilu Village overnight, this seems to be the only way. Then let's use the surrendered troops! War is dangerous and dangerous. What war is not risky? Famous generals throughout history have taken many risks, and they have fought many close calls."

In order to provide support to Li Rusong and Qin Liangyu as soon as possible, Zhu Yin decided to take the risk and arm three thousand prisoners!
Between two evils, choose the lesser. Compared to the risk of backlash from the surrendered troops, the risk of losing Jilu Village is greater.

He stroked a foot-long tiger tooth in his hand and said with an undeniable air, "Without these surrendered soldiers, our army would have to delay the rescue by at least one day. That one day and one night is enough to affect the course of the battle."

Zhu Yin was somewhat frustrated. This was supposed to be an elite Ming army, but their resilience wasn't strong. The cavalry could only march a little over two hundred li before they could no longer ride horses.

How did Huo Qubing and Li Jing manage to do it?
The Ming cavalry was not as resilient and formidable as the Han and Tang cavalry.

Although the Ming army on the mainland had no fewer than 100,000 cavalry, most of them were merely infantrymen who could ride horses, not true cavalry. The elite cavalry of the Nine Border Garrisons, numbering 50,000 to 60,000, were not well-trained due to their desire to conserve their horses' feed and their reluctance to venture beyond the Great Wall, and their training grounds were often inadequate. Their so-called "elite" status was only relative to the cavalry on the mainland.

To expect such cavalry to march continuously for hundreds of miles is asking too much.

Li Rubai said, "A day's rest is actually more than that, and that's just for cavalry. Even cavalrymen, with their inner thighs chafed raw, would need at least a day before they could mount their horses. Their skin was ulcerated and in excruciating pain, so their riding speed certainly wouldn't be very fast. Not to mention infantrymen, marching in the desert is already arduous, and they are much more tired than cavalrymen when they travel on foot. They need at least two days of rest until the swelling in their legs and feet subsides before they can continue marching."

As Li Rubai spoke, he frowned slightly and touched the inside of his thigh, where faint traces of blood were seeping out.

At this moment, he couldn't help but admire the Mongols. Mongols could ride horses for days on end without ever worrying about developing ulcers on their inner thighs. They rode horses from a young age, practically growing up on horseback; horses were an integral part of them.

Mongolians have five thick calluses on the inside of their legs, the tips of their buttocks, and their tailbone, which they develop from childhood.

The Han Chinese were different. Even with intensive training, Han cavalry could not match the Mongol horsemanship. Even elite border cavalry would suffer from chafing and ulceration after continuous riding and could not sustain it, making them incomparable to the Mongols.

Hao Yunlai suddenly gasped as if he had a toothache. "I can't ride a horse anymore. It's excruciatingly painful, so I have to stop."

Zheng Guowang's face was a little pale, but she held firm to her manly spirit and gritted her teeth without uttering a sound. However, the insides of her legs were also ulcerated, making it painful to walk, let alone ride a horse.

“The cavalry needs at least a day of rest, otherwise they can’t ride horses.” Zheng Guowang frowned. “The infantry needs two days of rest. So, we have to risk using the surrendered troops. It all depends on whether the pacification army can control these newly surrendered barbarians.”

Shang Yang laughed and said, "From my observation, those surrendered soldiers, especially the Tuda people, are completely subservient to the Fu Army, as if they were gods. If our lord personally leads them, the possibility of them rebelling is extremely small. If our lord further appeases and wins them over with promises of official positions, they will surely be willing to die for us!"

"With the loyalty of the Tatar soldiers, the more than one thousand Tatar prisoners can be commanded with peace of mind. Although they are the lord's prisoners, they also have awe for the lord. If the lord promises them benefits and reappoints officers at all levels, they will be willing to serve. This is a strategy of using barbarians to control barbarians."

Xiong Tingbi said, "Mr. Shang is right, but to be on the safe side, we should still select a group of soldiers who can continue the journey to supplement the Fujun's personal guard, just in case. I am still in good physical condition and can continue riding, so I will go with you!"

His legs were actually ulcerated and the skin was broken, so how could he not be in pain?

But for a tough guy like Xiong Tingbi, this kind of pain was completely bearable, and he had plenty of energy. Of course, people like him are in the minority.

In fact, the ability to endure pain and hardship is an important standard for whether a soldier is resilient and strong.

Zhu Yin asked, "Feibai, how many strong soldiers can you select from your army who can continue marching and fighting? People who can leave tonight?"

Xiong Tingbi thought for a moment, "We can probably select forty or fifty."

Zhu Yin said, "We have thirteen thousand men. Even if we only select one out of a hundred, we can still find more than a hundred soldiers who do not need rest. Everyone, go and select them immediately. We will set out in one hour, before six quarters past 7 PM!"

"Also, collect milk candy from all the soldiers and provide it to those who march through the night."

As soon as Zhu Yin gave the order, the generals immediately began the selection process.

A very small number of soldiers with exceptional physical strength, resilience, and the ability to march and fight continuously were selected one by one on a voluntary basis.

Of the more than 13,000 elite Ming soldiers, only more than 300 “strongmen” were selected, making it one in forty!

This was no ordinary one-in-forty selection, because these forty men were elite troops, not ordinary Ming soldiers.

The more than 300 selected men were all strong, endurance-rich, physically capable, and resilient warriors, no less so than Zhu Yin's personal guards.

Zhu Yin temporarily incorporated these three hundred-plus men into his personal army, placing them under the command of Xiong Tingbi and Cao Wenzhao.

In this way, Zhu Yin's personal guards and personal troops numbered over six hundred. With these six hundred-plus men as a base, Zhu Yin could command thirteen hundred Tatar soldiers and, in turn, control seventeen hundred Tatar prisoners.

That way, we can be safe and sound.

Then, Zhu Yin removed his armor and changed into a Taoist robe. He then ordered incense to be burned, gathered 1,300 surrendered Tu soldiers, stood on a high place, and solemnly addressed them in the Tu language:
“I led the royal army to quell the rebellion, exterminate the wicked, and eliminate the disloyal, not only by the royal decree of the court, but also by the will of Heaven.”

"The fate of the world and the gods are all predetermined and cannot be changed by human power. If one goes against the will of heaven and goes against the trend, then the punishment of heaven will inevitably come and bring disaster to one's family and descendants. Isn't that the most tragic thing?"

The Tu language (Tu ethnic language) was later recognized as a close branch of Mongolian, with vocabulary and grammar very similar to Mongolian. However, Zhu Yin knew that the Tu language actually originated from the Xianbei language.

When the Tuda people heard Zhu Yin speaking their language, they all prostrated themselves on the ground, their hearts filled with even greater awe.

At this moment, in their hearts, Zhu Yin was the reincarnation of the Star Lord, an invincible being.

Otherwise, how could he have a shrine to live on, and how could a few hundred men defeat an army of ten thousand and shoot down the arrogant Huoluochi Taiji?
Zhu Yin continued, "All tribes, large and small, will unite under one master and speak with one voice. The Ming Dynasty will not only be a celestial empire but will also become the greatest and brightest world. Your opportunity to submit is a rare and precious stroke of luck..."

"I command you to mount your warhorses, don the armor I bestow, and gather under my banner to become the whip of divine punishment... If you fall on the battlefield, your people and your souls will receive glorious blessings..."

"...You will receive generous rewards, fertile land and pastures, be freed from the enslavement of Mongol nobles, and have the opportunity to become officials of the Celestial Empire..."

At this time, Zhu Yin was not like a Ming army commander, but more like a shaman.

The thousand-plus Tuda soldiers, speaking in unison, said, "We devoutly obey the will of the gods, and under the banner of our lords, we become the whip of divine punishment..."

Seeing that the Tuda soldiers' respect for him was genuine, Zhu Yin immediately understood the situation.

Available!

He immediately ordered that each person be given a warhorse, armor, weapons, and milk candy.

These Tuda soldiers, who had never worn armor before, were incredibly excited to be wearing it for the first time in their lives. When they finally got to eat the milk candy, they couldn't help but shed tears.

What is this precious thing? It tastes so delicious!
I've never even dreamed of such a wonderful taste.

They fought for Huoluochi and suffered heavy casualties, but they had never received such treatment before.

"We are willing to die for you, sir!" many people shouted in broken Chinese. "We thank you for your kindness!"

Zhu Yin immediately reappointed the missing centurions and then allowed the promoted centurions to appoint their own squad leaders, thus quickly rebuilding command at all levels.

Zheng Guowang and Hao Yunlai, who were not far away, exchanged a glance, both with complicated expressions.

Zhu Yin's ability to so easily win over the surrendered Tuda soldiers and make them willingly serve him is something I can't compare to.

After winning over the hearts and minds of the surrendered Tatar soldiers, Zhu Yin gathered 1,700 Tatar prisoners and addressed them, saying:

"Those Taiji who drove you to your deaths, and those Oirats hiding in the northwestern grasslands, are more despicable than a lame she-wolf, more cowardly than a stag with broken antlers! The Eternal Heaven will send down ninety-nine bolts of black lightning to shatter their spines! Let wildfires burn their ancestral ovaries, and let vultures devour their intestines! Those who oppose the Celestial Empire, their souls will surely be trapped in camel calf ampulla, and ten generations of their descendants will be trampled into mud by horses' hooves!"

"I, the protector of all grassland tribes, the messenger of the Eternal Heaven, the one entrusted by Genghis Khan, the one who slayed Huoluochi Taiji, will bring happiness to the descendants of the Blue Wolf and White Deer because of me..."

"If you do not wish to become disgraced prisoners, then the opportunity is before you!"

"Warriors! Follow my banner, take up your scimitars once more, and mount your warhorses..."

Only then did the Tatar prisoners realize that Zhu Yin was actually going to lead them on an expedition!
However, they didn't seem to have much of a sense of rejection; in fact, they were quite willing to fight for Zhu Yin.

The Tatars have always admired the powerful. A powerful figure like Zhu Yin was entirely worthy of their service. Upon hearing Zhu Yin's promises of rewards, they were even more tempted.

Half an hour later, Zhu Yin personally led more than 600 personal guards, 1,300 Tatar soldiers, and 1,700 Tatar prisoners, a total of 3,600 people, carrying only two days' worth of rations, one person and three horses, and left Danxia Land overnight, galloping to Jilu Village!
Zheng Guowang and his men will lead an army of 13,000, rest for a day and two nights, and then set off early the day after tomorrow to follow.

The next afternoon, Zhu Yin arrived at a place about 30 miles away from Jilu Village.

Scouts reported that Jilu Village was still holding out.

The Oirat army besieged the village for four days, but still could not capture Jilu Village.

But it seems that Jilu Village won't be able to hold out for much longer.

.........

Jilu Village reeked of corpses.

Four days of fierce fighting resulted in thousands of casualties for the Oirat army!

The formidable Ming army, relying on abandoned and collapsed fortresses, withstood a massive Oirat army several times their size. However, Li Rusong's two thousand cavalry had suffered more than half casualties. Qin Liangyu's White-Spear Army had also lost nearly a thousand men.

The Ming army had only three thousand soldiers left capable of fighting.

What's worse is that after several days of fierce fighting, the soldiers were exhausted, but the enemy had more troops and could take turns resting.

Jilu Village was not a complete city after all, and it was already difficult to defend.

At dusk that day, Qin Liangyu and Li Rusong repelled another attack by the Oirat Mongols, both of them suffering heavy wounds.

The Oirat troops had already stormed into the city, but were driven out by the White-Spear Soldiers' fierce counterattack, leaving behind more than a hundred corpses.

After another failed attack, the Oirat army finally retreated temporarily.

Exhausted, Qin Liangyu leaned against the city wall, gazing at the blood-red sunset. Her oval face had become thin and pointed, and her silver armor was stained with blood, obscuring its original color.

The white-handled spear in his hand had turned dark red.

Li Rusong stood on the low city wall, his beard unshaven, his face covered in soot, and he looked very tired.

In the past few days, he and Qin Liangyu, with their infantry and cavalry working in close coordination, have fought very well. They have fought a bitter four-day battle against a number of Oirat cavalry that are several times their size.

"General Qin, our army can only hold out until tomorrow afternoon at most," Li Rusong sighed. "If reinforcements do not arrive by tomorrow afternoon, we will have no choice but to die on the battlefield."

Qin Liangyu removed her helmet, her hair disheveled, and said, "I am not afraid to die on the battlefield, but it is a pity that the three thousand soldiers who followed me into battle will not be able to return to their homeland."

She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, about to continue speaking, when suddenly her gaze sharpened.

As the sun sets, a Ming army banner slowly appears on the eastern horizon—it is the Ming army's red banner!

Meanwhile, the Oirat cavalry, who had discovered the Ming army, were also alerted.

"Reinforcements! It's reinforcements!" Qin Liangyu pointed eastward with joy. "General Li! That must be the reinforcements from the Grand Marshal!"

Li Rusong couldn't help but burst into laughter, saying, "With the arrival of the reinforcements from the General of the Army, our army has nothing to worry about!"

When the Ming soldiers in the fortress learned that reinforcements had arrived, they cheered and were all in high spirits!

.........

Beijing, Wenyuan Pavilion, the inner cabinet office.

It was already 4:45 PM, but none of the Grand Secretaries had left.

Two weeks ago, the imperial army achieved a great victory at Wuliangsuhai, which greatly boosted the morale of the entire court. The increasingly vocal pro-restoration sentiment in the court over the past few years has surged even higher. Memorials demanding the restoration of the Hetao region and the establishment of cities and garrisons have been submitted to the Office of Transmission in droves.

Meanwhile, officials who opposed the restoration of the system also submitted memorials, strongly arguing that restoring it would be a waste of resources and manpower, and not worth the effort. These officials had always been powerful and the mainstream, only their voices had weakened in the last three years.

Within the cabinet, both Grand Secretary Wang Xijue and Second Grand Secretary Zhao Zhigao were traditional advocates of abandoning the Hetao region, arguing that it was indefensible and that defense would inevitably lead to defeat.

Shen Yiguan had already received Zhu Yin's letter and joined the faction of the "repetition" school. Zhang Wei had always leaned towards the "repetition" school.

The faction adhering to the old system consisted mostly of young, low-ranking officials. Meanwhile, the Grand and Lesser Nine Ministers were largely conservative, advocating against the old system. Therefore, the advocacy faction still held the upper hand in the court, although the influence of the faction adhering to the old system was growing.

As for the Directorate of Ceremonial, Tian Yi stood on Zhu Yin's side, which was naturally the "reincarnation faction." With the Directorate of Ceremonial siding with the reincarnation faction, the two factions were immediately evenly matched.

For a time, even the emperor found it difficult to decide whether to reinstate the set or abandon it.

Soon, Consort Zheng in the palace also advised the emperor to restore the Hetao region and not give up again. Consort Zheng's words made the emperor no longer hesitate. He then sent officials to request the restoration of the Hetao region, issued an edict to restore the region, build a city and station troops there, and posthumously recognized the actions of Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang in the Hetao region.

Therefore, due to the great contribution to the Hetao region, many court officials petitioned that, in accordance with custom, Zhu Yin should be granted the title of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, and Qi Jiguang should be granted a noble title.

Unexpectedly, a few days ago, the urgent report from Prince Qing declaring himself emperor arrived in the capital again, causing an uproar throughout the court and enraging the emperor.

The emperor said in the palace: "Bo Bai, having coerced Prince Qing into usurping the throne, fled Ningxia. This was due to Zhu Yin's ineffective suppression of the rebels, which emboldened the bandits to intensify their scheme to install a new emperor..."

As for Zhu Yin's great achievement in the victory at Wuliangsuhai, the emperor seemed to have completely forgotten about it and planned to issue an edict to punish Zhu Yin, arrest him, and bring him to the capital for trial.

Tian Yi advised the emperor, "Judging from the reports of various people, Bo Bai has long harbored the intention to support Prince Qing. The purpose of this rebellion is also to support Prince Qing. Regardless of Zhu Yin's actions, Bo Bai will support Prince Qing. Therefore, Zhu Yin is truly without fault and has rendered meritorious service."

After hearing Tian Yi's advice and carefully reviewing the memorials submitted by Zhu Yin and others, the emperor decided not to pursue Zhu Yin's matter further. He then ordered the cabinet to draft an edict, strictly commanding Zhu Yin to eliminate the threat within a specified timeframe, without fail.

Then a court official submitted a memorial suggesting that in order to suppress Prince Qing and Bo Bai as soon as possible, Zhu Yin should be granted the Shangfang Sword and ordered to control the military affairs of the five towns of Ningxia, Shaanxi, Gansu, Guyuan, and Yansui!
The emperor consulted the cabinet, but Wang Xijue objected and demanded the removal of the young and inexperienced Zhu Yin, and the appointment of the senior official Zheng Luo to take charge of the situation.

Shen Yiguan and Zhang Wei agreed, insisting that Zhu Yin must be given a more important position and that the commander should not be changed on the eve of battle, so as not to give the rebels a chance to regroup.

After careful consideration, considering that Prince Qing had already usurped the throne and the military situation was dire, it would be inappropriate to change commanders on the eve of battle. Moreover, Zhu Yin was indeed knowledgeable in military affairs. Therefore, the emperor issued an edict to bestow upon him the Imperial Sword and appoint him as the Governor-General of the Five Garrisons, in charge of the military affairs of the Five Garrisons!
(End of this chapter)