Di Ming

Chapter 497 "Fourth Master and Zhu Zhihu...may be the same kind of person!"

By the time the Mongol nobles on the left and right flanks realized that the newcomers were not Mongol cavalry, tens of thousands of "Mongol cavalry" had already surrounded the meeting place from all sides, only a hundred feet away from them.

The two thousand cavalrymen on both sides were still engaged in fierce fighting.

"Stop! It's Ming cavalry!" Chechen Khan roared. "Sound the retreat! Let's meet the enemy together!"

Third Sister also ordered the retreat to cease fire, and together they would deal with the large Ming cavalry force that was attacking.

However, it was too late.

Before the two thousand Mongol guards on both sides could even mount their horses in time, the Ming cavalry surged within a hundred paces.

Only then did the Mongol nobles clearly see the enemy's appearance. Although the enemy wore Mongol cavalry leather armor and helmets, and their banner was the Mongol Blue Wolf Banner, their appearance was still somewhat different from that of the Mongols; they were clearly Han Chinese!
They were not cavalry from the Khorchin tribe at all; they were undoubtedly Ming soldiers!

But this place is deep in the grasslands, a hundred miles behind the two Mongol camps. How could tens of thousands of Ming cavalry suddenly appear? Did they fall from the sky?

The Mongol army has been at the foot of Yehuling for almost ten days. Scouts have been patrolling the area within a 200-mile radius, but why have they not found any trace of the large Ming cavalry outflanking the rear?
With so many Ming cavalrymen, it was impossible for them to go undetected.

Unless... Ming cavalry had been lying in ambush nearby for at least ten days!

If this is the case, it would be sufficient to prove that the Ming commander anticipated their meeting at this location and laid an ambush somewhere nearby beforehand. This seems to be the only explanation? Without a prior ambush, it would be impossible for the Ming cavalry to appear suddenly and without warning!
Having figured this out, both Chechenhan and San Niangzi were horrified.

They've been outmaneuvered by Zheng Guowang! It's a huge trap! From luring them to Yehuling to encircle the main Ming army force, to creating an opportunity for them to reconcile, it was all Zheng Guowang's scheme.

This sudden cavalry attack was just the beginning!
Chechenhan and the Third Sister-in-law felt a chill run through them instantly, and looked at each other in horror.

Finished!

However, the young Shunyi King Bushitu, although nominally the paramount leader of the Right Wing Mongols, held real power in the hands of his "ancestral wife," the Third Sister. He was driven only by courage and could not comprehend this at all.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—" The Ming cavalry approached, their bows drawn like the wind and their arrows rained down like a storm, their archery skills were truly remarkable!

Many Mongol cavalrymen who were unable to retaliate were shot dead or wounded, and were unable to accelerate their horses to break through the encirclement. Many could only stand on the ground and use their foot bows to fight back.

It turns out that these Ming soldiers were all elite cavalrymen selected by Zheng Guowang from the nine border regions. Zheng Guowang selected and transferred them from various towns to independently form 10,000 of the most powerful field cavalry.

Although this field cavalry force numbered only ten thousand, they were the elite horse archers rigorously selected from across the army. Zheng Guowang equipped them with two horses, fine armor, and excellent weapons, and supported them with the generous military pay of his personal guards. They were provided with fine wine, fat sheep, fine rice, and white flour, and were even rewarded with land and houses. He even took them to the Hetao grasslands for a month of intensive joint training.

Therefore, the fighting strength of these 10,000 cavalrymen was sufficient to withstand 10,000 of the most elite Mongol cavalrymen. Their archery skills were no worse than those of the Mongol cavalrymen, and their close combat skills were even superior.

Half a month ago, Zheng Guowang took advantage of the fact that the Mongol army was still hundreds of miles away, and sent out 10,000 cavalrymen at night to secretly ambush them in Heifengkou Gorge and Huapi Ridge, waiting for an opportunity to attack.

To conceal his identity, Zheng Guowang also used the leaf camouflage technique that Zhu Yin had used, and purchased a large quantity of marching rations produced by Ningyin Trading Company in advance.

Today, as expected, the ambush troops received news that the leaders of the left and right wings of the Mongol army were meeting nearby, and immediately launched a surprise attack according to plan!
Zheng Guowang's order was to annihilate the Mongol guards at the meeting place and capture Mongol nobles such as Chechen Khan, San Niangzi, and Shunyi Wang.

The Mongol guards at the meeting place numbered two thousand. As guards, they were all elite Mongol troops with considerable fighting strength.

However, due to the previous chaotic battles, they did not have time to deal with the Ming army and had no time or space to accelerate their warhorses.

Once the Mongol cavalry lost their speed, their fighting strength became a serious concern. Conversely, the Ming cavalry charged in from the outside, their speed being precisely when their impact was at its peak.

With the Ming army having as many as 10,000 cavalry, the 2,000 Mongol guards were in dire straits.

"Kill!" The Ming cavalry commanders shouted, and the Ming cavalrymen removed their Mongolian robes, revealing their Ming armor underneath, thus distinguishing friend from foe.

Ten thousand cavalrymen surged in and surrounded the area, like a raging tide sweeping over the reefs.

With a loud crash, the two sides collided violently, and screams and neighing of horses suddenly filled the air.

The two thousand Mongol guards, having lost their speed, were suddenly plunged into annihilation, like a pile of beans struck by a sledgehammer, or a string of beads torn apart by a giant hand, instantly collapsing and being quickly swallowed up.

The Mongol nobles on the altar stared wide-eyed in disbelief, their expressions filled with shock and anger, as they watched the Ming cavalry surging in from all sides.

They never imagined that one day, on their own territory, on the grasslands where the Mongols roamed freely, they would be ambushed and surrounded by Han Chinese cavalry!

It has always been the Mongols who used cavalry to attack the Ming army and ambush them.

Why is it reversed?

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—" The Ming cavalry circled the altar of Heaven, unleashing a torrential rain of arrows. The Mongol guards suffered heavy casualties, and the protective barrier thinned and dissolved at a visible speed. The dead and wounded, falling from their horses, cried out in agony amidst the hooves of their fallen steeds, which then galloped wildly away, their steeds now without their masters.

The Ming cavalry were using tactics commonly employed by the Mongol cavalry. Unfortunately, today the Ming army was using them against them!
"Ukhtulada! (Fight to the death!)" Prince Shunyi, Bushitu, roared. "Jala! (Breakout!)"

Third Sister said angrily, "It's no use! Surrender! I told you not to rebel against the Ming so easily, but you wouldn't listen!"

"Ah!!" The nineteen-year-old Prince Shunyi roared, brandishing his sword. "Those Han people, cunning as foxes, cowardly as rabbits, and treacherous as jackals! Those despicable enemies who only know how to launch sneak attacks! They will be cursed by Mao Wusi!"

"Enough, Bu Shitu!" Third Sister's almond-shaped eyes widened. "You are far inferior to your father and grandfather! Can't you see that this is a trap carefully set by Zheng Guowang! We have no chance to break through. We either surrender or die fighting!"

The Prince of Shunyi was furious when he saw that she was nearly thirty years older than him, had been married to his great-grandfather, grandfather, and father, and was now marrying his "ancestral wife".

"I am a descendant of Genghis Khan! A descendant of the Golden Family!" The Prince of Shunyi, as if possessed, brandished his sword and charged at the Ming army. "I would rather die than surrender! Kill! You! If you're afraid of death, then surrender!"

Third Sister sighed, closed her eyes, and sat down quietly, refusing to look at her young husband's back as he charged towards the Ming army with his sword.

The Chahar King, the ruler of the Northern Yuan, and Chechen Khan, a hero who had lived half his life, held his ancestral Khan's carved bow, trembling all over, his expression one of despair.

Taking advantage of the Ming Dynasty's division, he rallied hundreds of thousands of troops from the left-wing Mongol tribes to march south, intending to recapture Dadu (Beijing) and rebuild the Yuan Dynasty by conquering the Central Plains.

To everyone's surprise, his army was still at Yehuling and had not yet entered the pass. He himself was besieged there, with no way to escape to heaven or earth!

What difference does it make if there are many cavalry at Wild Fox Ridge? What difference does it make if Wild Fox Ridge is captured? It's meaningless to him now.

Seeing the large Ming army charging towards him, he threw away his ancestral bow, drew the jewel-encrusted scimitar from his waist, and attempted to commit suicide.

But when he saw his seven-year-old grandson, Lin Dan, trembling under the horse's belly, he hesitated.

In that moment of hesitation, several Ming soldiers pounced...

The 9th day of the fourth month in the 25th year of the Wanli reign (2nd year of the Taichang reign).

The Great Khan of the Northern Yuan, Buyan Chechen, the Right Wing Mongol leader, Shunyi Wang Bushitu, the true ruler of the Right Wing Mongol, San Niangzi, and more than a hundred Mongol nobles were all captured when they met at the Baichengzi Altar of Heaven.

Despite his desperate resistance, Shunyi King Bu Shitu was eventually captured.

With the exception of a few Taijis who commanded the battle at Yefuling, most of the Mongol nobles on the left and right wings fell into the hands of the Ming army.

A Ming army captain with a gloomy expression walked up to the subdued Third Lady and said with a smile, "Madam Zhongshun, this humble general is on the orders of Grand Tutor Zheng to ask you to write a military order."

"Madam, please write it like this... After you finish writing it, affix your seal. Also, please hand over the tiger tally for mobilizing troops."

The still charming Third Sister's face turned deathly pale; the Ming army commander's treachery and ruthlessness exceeded her expectations.

If I had known, I shouldn't have rebelled against the Ming Dynasty. Why is the Ming Dynasty still so strong even though it's fragmented?
"What if I don't agree?" Third Madam took a deep breath and said in a hoarse voice.

"You won't agree?" The captain gave a sinister smile, reaching out to pluck a leaf from her crown. "If you don't agree, the Prince of Shunyi will die. All the Taijis of the Right Wing Mongols, young and old, will be beheaded as traitors! The women, children, and the elderly of the Qingcheng Royal Court will be exterminated! Madam, the choice is yours."

Third Sister closed her eyes in anguish, and two lines of tears streamed down her face.

The Ming army captain continued, "Why did I advise you to cooperate instead of Chechen Khan? Because Chechen Khan was the first to launch an attack on the Ming Dynasty, and the Grand Tutor said he was doomed! All the nobles of the Left Wing of Mongolia will be killed."

"As for you, Madam... you have always been respectful to the court, so your crime will be reduced by one degree. Therefore, Grand Tutor Zheng is willing to give you a chance. Of course, if you do not cooperate, then this chance will have to be given to Chechen Khan."

At this point, the captain stood up and walked towards Chechen Khan's position.

"Wait!" The Third Lady's chest heaved violently as she trembled, "This lady... agrees! I only ask that Grand Tutor Zheng show leniency!" The captain immediately turned around and smiled, "As you wish, Madam!"

But when Third Sister reluctantly finished writing as required, stamped the seal, and handed over the tiger tally she carried with her, the captain took it and walked towards Chechen Khan again.

Third Sister was dumbfounded. Wasn't she supposed to only give herself a chance? Why was she going to Chechen Han again?
The Prince of Shunyi, not far away, shouted, "Zhong Jinhatun! What kind of rubbish have you written!"

Third Sister snorted coldly, "What did I write? I wrote something that could save your life! Nothing is more important than living! We Qingcheng should never have gone south to attack the Ming! It was you who insisted on restoring the Great Yuan!"

Meanwhile, the captain, holding the military order written by the Third Lady, approached the bound Chechen Khan, calmly opened it, and showed it to him:

"Chechen Khan, look, this is a secret order written by Third Sister, ordering the Right Wing Mongols to join forces with the Ming Dynasty's royal army to attack your Left Wing Mongol camp from both sides! Allies have turned into enemies in the blink of an eye, haha, your Left Wing Mongols are finished."

Chechen was both shocked and furious. He stared wide-eyed in the direction of the Third Sister, but she kept her head down and avoided his gaze.

"You are despicable! She is a cowardly woman too!"

The captain squatted down, his snake-like eyes coldly fixed on Che Chenhan, making Che Chenhan very uncomfortable. He disliked the man's gaze.

“Chechen Khan, you can also write a military order. I’ll teach you how…” The captain’s voice sounded to him like the babbling of a vengeful spirit:
"If you don't write it, your left-wing Mongolia will only be passively attacked, caught in a pincer movement. If you write it, you can take the initiative to attack the right-wing Mongolia and have a glimmer of hope. Don't you think so?"

Chechen Khan was sweating profusely, staring intently at the Ming man before him.

This is an open conspiracy! It's an unbreakable open conspiracy, too vicious!
Zheng Guowang is so insidious. I heard he looks like a woman, and sure enough, he acts like no man at all!

"I'll write it," Che Chen said dryly, feeling as if his heart was being gnawed by rats, filled with unbearable pain.

The two Mongol wings had been at odds for nearly a century. They originally thought that by taking advantage of the opportunity to march south together to attack the Ming Dynasty, they could resolve their conflicts and form an alliance.

Who knew that in the end, not only would the alliance fail, but they would also have to fight each other! And the scale of the conflict would be larger than any previous internal strife!

His ambition to march south into the Central Plains and restore the Yuan Dynasty was thus stillborn. What a pity! What a pity!

If he hadn't written this military order, his left-wing Mongol tribes would have lost the initiative, and their fate would have been even worse.

If it's written, the left-wing factions can strike first and avoid being too passive.

Left with no other choice, Chechen Khan had to write down the so-called "Great Khan's Military Order." Meanwhile, seven-year-old Lindan, watching his grandfather's pained expression, seemed to understand something.

The captain patted Lin Dan's little head with its braid and laughed, "You're the Khan's grandson, aren't you? You're quite cute with your chubby face, good boy."

As she spoke, she took a milk candy from her sleeve and handed it to Lin Dan's small hand. "This is milk candy, a special treat we only have in the Ming Dynasty. It's very sweet. Eat it!"

Lin Dan accepted the beautifully packaged milk candy with a mixture of fear and curiosity, and timidly said, "Thank you, Anda."

The captain laughed and said, "Eat up, it's very sweet. As long as you behave, you'll have plenty to eat in the future."

Chechen said, trembling, "Please don't hurt him."

The captain was surprised and said, "Khan, you're overthinking it. How could I possibly hurt him?" His Mongolian was fluent, and anyone who didn't know him would think he was a real Mongolian.

After Chechen Khan finished writing, the man took the seal and tiger tally and then stopped.

Immediately afterwards, several Mongol cavalrymen from the Ming army changed into tattered, blood-stained leather armor belonging to Mongol guards and, posing as personal guards of the Mongol leaders on both flanks, sped off to the two Mongol camps at Yehuling to "report the news."

After the Ming cavalry succeeded, they did not go to Yefuling. This was because there were more than 200,000 Mongol cavalrymen at Yefuling, and going there would be tantamount to walking into a trap.

According to Zheng Guowang's plan, the Ming cavalry, along with all the high-ranking prisoners, immediately moved to the Black Wind Pass Gorge. Tens of thousands of cavalrymen withdrew into the valley, imprisoning the Northern Yuan Khan, San Niangzi, and others in the Black Wind Pass. At the same time, they piled up stone walls at the gorge entrance and set up defenses from a high vantage point.

A huge wooden door, which had been prepared in advance, was also placed at the entrance of the valley.

The second step of the plan has begun.

……

"good news!"

In the Ming army's central command tent at Wild Fox Ridge, Zheng Guowang finally received news of the success of the first step of the plan.

"We've succeeded! Third Sister and Chechen Khan have also been forced to issue military orders!"

Zheng Guowang breathed a sigh of relief, his pale face flushed slightly, and his eyes shone brightly. "Send orders to all generals! Tell them that the enemy chieftains have been captured, the Mongol army is leaderless, and all armies should prepare for a full-scale attack! Await my counterattack order!"

"Yes, sir!" The messenger obeyed and left.

The trusted servant said, "Fourth Master, now that the plan has reached this stage, those few spies from the puppet regime hidden within the Embroidered Uniform Guard are no longer useful. Should we..."

He made a throat-slitting gesture, "to prevent future trouble!"

Zheng Guowang shook his head, his gaze complex and profound. "Although they are Zhu Yin's spies, they are meritorious officials this time, that is, meritorious officials of the Han Dynasty. How can we kill them? Arrest them first, keep them under secret control, give them good wine and meat, and I will personally meet with them after the war."

"Yes!" The confidant accepted the order, then asked, "How did Fourth Master know that they weren't from our Embroidered Uniform Guard, but rather spies from the puppet regime?"

Zheng Guowang said quietly, "I've only been reorganizing and disciplining the Jinyiwei spies for two years. I know exactly what kind of people the Jinyiwei were before. Do you think they can successfully infiltrate the upper echelons of Qingcheng and Baicheng and spy on the top secrets of the Mongol leadership? In just two years, they've made such great progress? Before, all they knew was how to make money."

"But this time, intelligence gathering went exceptionally smoothly, and we were able to obtain a lot of top-secret information. This has exceeded the current capabilities of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Is this just luck?"

She shook her head slightly, a bitter expression on her face. "Of course not. It's more like..."

He pointed south and said, "It was him who made the move. Zhu Zhihu!"

The confidant looked puzzled. "Yin the Thief? Why is he helping us?"

“Simply because he is Zhu Yin,” Zheng Guowang said softly, his expression full of melancholy. “Among all the officials in the court, no one understands Jiang Ningshi better than me. I am the enemy who understands him best.”

"I suspect he has a secret spy organization. Although I don't know the name of this organization, it must be very powerful."

"Everyone in the court thought he was an ambitious and treacherous traitor, but only I knew that power was not what he truly wanted."

The confidant was even more bewildered. "Isn't power and the empire what he truly desires? Is this still a traitor? May I ask, Fourth Master, what exactly does he want?"

"May China prosper and its people live in peace and happiness!" Zheng Guowang uttered eight words. "This is what he pursued throughout his life. I didn't quite understand it at first, but after seeing how he didn't cut off the grain transport from the Grand Canal, provided military supplies for the national war, and provided intelligence, and recalling his previous actions, I finally understand it completely."

"A prosperous and peaceful China, with its people living in peace and happiness?" The trusted servant's eyes welled up slightly. "This... this is truly what Yin... this is truly what Zhu Zhihu wants?"

Zheng Guowang nodded and sighed softly, "Once you understand this, all his outrageous actions can be explained. That's why he wanted to help us. Because in his view, the safety of China is above all else, even more so than the North-South conflict."

"This man is... outwardly loyal but inwardly treacherous!"

"Great loyalty can appear as treachery?" The trusted servant pondered these four words, feeling somewhat bewildered.

Looking at the vast Wild Fox Ridge, Zheng Guowang smiled bitterly and said, "Zhu Zhihu's great loyalty is not to the Ming Emperor, or even to the ancestors of the Zhu family. His loyalty is to... China! He once told me that the interests of China are paramount! At the time, I thought he meant the Ming Dynasty when he said China. Now I know that's not the case."

The trusted servant exclaimed, "Fourth Master, I finally understand. If it weren't for your patient explanation, I would never have believed that such a person existed in the world."

Zheng Guowang's eyes were clear and bright, and he smiled slightly:
"Throughout history, there have been many such figures, not just Zhu Yin. Ancient sages, such as Zhuge Liang of the Han Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang of the Song Dynasty, and Yu Shaobao and Hai Gong of our dynasty, are all examples of this kind of person. This tradition has continued through generations, and it's not just Zhu Yin who is unique. It's just that Zhu Yin's actions are unconventional and radical. He was disappointed with the court and the emperor, which is why he started his own faction. As for reclaiming the throne of the eldest son's family, that should not be his ultimate goal."

Upon hearing this, the confidant was moved and couldn't help but say, "Fourth Master, I've discovered that you are also this kind of person."

"Fourth Master and Zhu Zhihu... might be the same kind of person!"

……

P.S.: My confidant said that his Fourth Master and Little Tiger are the same kind of people, which is obviously an exaggeration. What do you all think? Thanks, goodnight!

(End of this chapter)