The food in Datong was not enough to support tens of thousands of local troops and 200,000 guest troops in Beijing.
The problem lies in the fact that Yingzong didn't understand war at all, and rushed into battle without careful preparation of food, grass and baggage.
"The army left Beijing and headed west. After that, reports of defeats spread frequently. The morale of the army was low. Coupled with the heavy wind and rain, everyone was in danger. Due to lack of preparation, the untimely supply of food and supplies, the violent storm and the lack of tents to shelter from the rain, the military discipline was bad, and the residents along the way were robbed. Food and clothing are used to satisfy hunger and keep out the cold."
"The ministers who accompanied the army came to the table many times to persuade Yingzong to stop. Wang Zhen was furious and ordered the ministers to come to the front of the battle to support him. Seeing that Wang Zhen actually wanted to send them to the front of the battle to fight, he sent them to the battle. The ministers were frightened. Before the army reached Datong, the Ming army had already begun to run out of food. The soldiers were hungry and tired, and there were many zombies along the way. Corpses were lying in the wilderness along the way. The scene at that time was extremely tragic."
What Yang Fan hates most is not taking the lives of soldiers seriously. Perhaps he comes from a later generation that respects human life and emphasizes the unity of officers and soldiers and the equality of personality. After hearing Zhang Shize talk about what Yingzong and Wang Zhen did, his sympathy for them also dropped a bit.
Yang Fan said: "It seems that the main reason for Yingzong's retreat was not only the successive heavy rains in Datong, but also the lack of food."
Zhang Shize nodded and said: "I think this is the main reason. The emperor wanted to find Wala for a decisive battle, but he couldn't find anyone. He divided his troops to fight, and then the whole army was destroyed one after another. It was also in the dark first, and the Ming army was in the light. It was concentration. Superior force combats isolation. It has an absolute advantage in force on local battlefields. If it continues, Datong’s food will not be enough. After all, Datong’s food is prepared for tens of thousands of local people. Now 200,000 people have arrived all of a sudden. Where is enough to eat?”
Yang Fan said: "Then I can understand why they decided to go back to Beijing from Datong via Zijingguan. Because that is the best way to go recently. From Zijingguan to Shanxi Town to eat. It is to ensure the food supply. After all, we have finished eating. For food in Datong, we have to continue to find the next one that has food. And the nearest one is Shanxi Town."
Yang Fan asked in confusion: "Why did the emperor return to Datong again?"
Zhang Shize said: "It's very simple. The emperor can't find the Wala people. After all, it's easy for the cavalry to avoid the infantry. The reason for retreating is because they want a decisive battle and they can't do it. The local area can't support so many people. They can't hold on. They have no choice but to do so." Retreating. On the way, we got news that the Wala people were entering the Great Wall in large numbers. Yingzong was overjoyed and decided to go back and kill them."
Yang Fan smiled bitterly and said: "After Yingzong returned to Datong, he marched again and then retreated again. New problems must have arisen. It is very likely that he discovered that more than half of the soldiers in the Beijing camp were tricked by nobles and ministers. It's just a flower display. The emperor was anxious, so he ran back."
Zhang Shize said: "There is only one explanation. After all, paper can't contain the fire. This time, the problems in the Beijing camp have exploded one after another. The emperor is neither stupid nor blind."
Yang Fan said: "After the emperor discovered the problem with the Beijing camp, he finally woke up. At that time, Datong Town usually had tens of thousands of troops, and in June there were 30,000 reinforcements from the Beijing camp. So Song Ying and others had to assemble a force A force similar in size to Yexian was not a big problem. But the result was that the entire Ming army was wiped out, and both Song Ying and Zhu Mian died in the battle. Guo Jing, the eunuch who oversaw the army, escaped by lying in the grass."
"Both Song Ying and Zhu Mian came from a family of military generals and have been leading troops in battles since they reached adulthood. They are definitely not playboys who do not understand military affairs. Guo Jing, the eunuch who supervises the army, was a veteran of the four dynasties. He participated in the Jingnan and supervised the military border towns for a long time. He was Those who understand military affairs are not simple characters. Their defeat shows that the Ming army is no longer as powerful as Ye Xian in terms of the commander's strategy and the quality of the army."
"The emperor saw the frontier troops in Datong and the Beijing camp he brought with him. He found that the Beijing camp was far from the frontier troops in Datong. He finally realized that he could not win with these rabble. First. So I ran back."
Zhang Shize nodded and said, "What you said is very close to the truth."
"On the way back, on August 4th, Xinhai, the first drop of water. On August 5th, Renzi came to Hongzhou Fangcheng. On August 6th, Guichou, the third Baideng. At this time, Yingzong was still very satisfied with his search. Fight first. He even went to Baishan Mountain to reminisce about the past."
Yang Fan said with a smile: "The Baideng Road is the place where Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty was surrounded by the Xiongnu Modun Chanyu. He almost didn't get sent there. Moreover, the Baideng Road was the passage where the Central Plains and the grasslands fought each other. It shows that Yingzong was very ambitious when he went there."
Zhang Shize recited: "The Han descended on the road in vain, and the Hu peered into the Qinghai Bay. From the place where we fought, no one returned."
"Yingzong, you are such a passionate young man."
On August 7, Jiayin came to the west of Huai'an City.
On August 8, Yimao, we visited Wanquan Valley.
August 9, Bingchen, Ciyang and Beishaling.
On August 10th, Ding Ji announced his government for the second time. At this time, the Wala army had already caught up.
The time wasted back and forth was very fatal, and it directly caused those who were following behind to bite the rearguard of the Beijing Camp Army. The situation suddenly became urgent.
As soon as the Beijing camp set off from Xuanfu, Zhu Qizhen received a secret report from the Jinyi Guards, and the Xian army followed behind the Ming army.
At this time, Yingzong still had the illusion of defeating Yexian, and ordered Wu Kezhong, the respectful marquis, to lead his army to fight.
Wu Kezhong himself was originally a Mongolian and returned to the Ming Dynasty in his early years. He had accompanied Zhu Di, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, on his northern expeditions to Mongolia many times. He was a veteran general who had experienced many battles. But facing Ye Xian, who was born in Mongolia, the Eastern Mongolian general was still unable to resist, and was soon defeated.
At this time, Yingzong understood that Yexian's core military strength came from Mongolia. Their combat effectiveness is superior to that of Eastern Mongolia. The previous experience in dealing with the Tatars, that is, Eastern Mongolia, was no longer enough.
In the evening, news of Wu Kezhong's defeat spread back to the camp. News came that the entire army had been wiped out. There was panic in the camp. The civil servants and generals had known this result for a long time. Everyone was panicked.
Zhu Qizhen also sent Duke Zhu Yong and Yongshun Bo Xue Shou to fight with 40,000 troops.
Zhu Yong was the most trusted general in the Beijing camp at that time. Not only did he participate in Ming Chengzu's Northern Expedition, he was also responsible for the daily affairs of the Beijing camp for a long time.
At this time, the remaining number of people in the Beijing camp was between 90,000 and 120,000. Zhu Qizhen handed over 40,000 troops to Zhu Yong. On the surface, it showed that he had high hopes for him. However, Yang Fan has experienced many battles and can tell it at a glance. At this time, Yingzong already understood that he had been deceived by his ministers. Already know that this battle will be lost.
Sending troops to fight in this way becomes a fueling tactic, which can only be defeated by the enemy one by one.
If Yingzong is not a fool, there is only one possibility. He planned to cut off the tail of the gecko to survive.
However, even this last effort was quickly smashed into pieces.
After being ordered to counterattack, Zhu Yong led his army back to the vicinity of Yao'er Ridge in Jiming Mountain.
Before the Ming army could form a formation, Liu Seng, the eunuch who oversaw the army, led his men into the pass regardless of the terrain.
Zhu Yong was worried that Liu Seng had made a mistake, so he quickly mobilized his troops to pursue him. As a result, the whole army was ambushed by Ye Xian and died together in Yao'erling.
At this point, Ye first eliminated three large-scale troops of the Ming Dynasty with his own 30,000 cavalry. The Mongols also killed a duke, two marquis, and two counts during the battle.
This force was finished so quickly, and it did not play any role in blocking Ye first and buying Yingzong time to retreat.
