After listening to Taishi Arutai's explanation, all the tribal leaders also flattered him one after another.
Arutai pressed his hand downwards, and the camp became quiet again.
"Although the Ming army's commander is dead, this Ming army has not lost its command. Instead, we have lost many warriors."
"Now I have received the exact information. The man who leads the Ming army is Emperor Hongwu's seventeenth son and Emperor Yongle's younger brother, Prince Ning...Zhu Quan."
As soon as these words came out, the leaders of the various tribes at the scene looked at each other.
They had heard of Prince Ning Zhu Quan's reputation.
Some of them even fought with King Ning Zhu Quan, although they were beaten very badly.
"So don't pray that the enemy will pull back and give us a chance."
"Zhu Quan is an excellent general. He will not fail to see my intentions."
"So, he will definitely stay in place and wait for reinforcements."
"And we need to completely defeat them before Ming reinforcements arrive."
Arutai's tone was solemn.
"Master, what should we do? We will obey your orders." A tribal leader said.
"Yes, Grand Master!" someone echoed.
They knew very well that with their own strength, they could not defeat Ning Wang Zhu Quan.
But he didn't want Zhu Quan and the others to go back like this.
After all, they had just wiped out three thousand elite Ming soldiers led by Qiu Fu not long ago.
At this time, their confidence is unprecedentedly strong.
"This is the purpose of my discussion with you."
Arutai said slowly.
Analyze the situation.
"Although the Ming army can hold on until reinforcements arrive with sufficient supplies."
"But they have an obvious shortcoming."
"That's the water issue."
"As long as their drinking water runs out, they will just have to wait to die."
"No matter how capable Zhu Quan is, if he wants to drink water, he still has to ask our Tatar warriors if he will agree."
"Now, I command!"
The leaders of each tribe all stood up.
"Each tribe sent warriors to control all water sources within a hundred miles radius."
"If the Ming army comes to rob it, don't be polite."
"Their cavalry is limited and it is impossible to dispatch all of them."
"The infantry did not dare to leave the camp at will."
"Of course, if you can't hold on, then throw the dead cattle, sheep and animals into the water."
"In short, we just can't let the Ming army get a drop of water."
"Also, send warriors to continue to harass the Ming army and consume their drinking water at a faster pace."
"Our time is limited and we must defeat this Ming army before the Ming army's reinforcements arrive."
Arutai ordered calmly.
Water is the basis for the survival of their nomadic people, and they do not want to pollute the water if it is not necessary.
But in order to wipe out the Ming army led by Zhu Quan, what should be given up must be given up.
"Yes, Grand Master!" The leaders of each tribe bowed their heads and saluted.
Afterwards, they all left the camp and arranged for the cavalry to control the water source.
At the same time, the cavalry was once again arranged to harass the Ming army camp.
…
In the next two days, no large-scale battles occurred, but there were many small-scale battles.
In the Ming army camp.
Li Yuan and Wang Zhong looked anxious.
"Your Highness, we don't have much drinking water now."
"The teams sent out to find water were either surrounded and killed by Tatar cavalry, or the water sources they found were contaminated by Tatars and were undrinkable."
Zhu Quan had no good solution for this.
In these two days of fighting, the cavalry suffered the greatest losses.
He also tried sending people to deliver messages to the Ming Dynasty.
However, the messengers sent out were all intercepted and killed by the Tatars.
All he can do now is to stabilize the morale of the army and wait for reinforcements.
Fortunately, before the confrontation with the Tatars, he had already sent out military reports.
Now, I can only pray that the court can react quickly and send reinforcements.
…
Suncheon.
The scouts Xu Huizu sent to the grassland hurriedly and slowly came back.
Without taking a rest, he came directly to Xu Huizu.
"General, the situation in the grassland is not optimistic."
"The Duke of Qi led three thousand cavalry deep into the grassland and was surrounded by Tatar cavalry. The entire army was wiped out."
"Now the main force led by His Highness Prince Ning is confronting the main Tatar force and cannot escape."
"On the way, I met the messenger sent by His Highness Prince Ning to deliver military reports. The other party informed me of all this."
"Where are the others?" Xu Huizu's expression changed and he asked hurriedly.
"Back to the general, he is dead. This is the military report he gave to his subordinates." The scout replied, took out the military report and presented it with both hands.
Xu Huizu took it, with a flash of sadness on his face.
"Here comes someone." Immediately afterwards, Xu Huizu shouted towards the door.
"General!" The soldiers appeared.
"Inform all the generals to come quickly to discuss matters. In addition, please also invite Shuntian Prefecture Yin to come quickly." Xu Huizu said quickly.
"Yes." The soldier clasped his fists and went down immediately.
Then, Xu Huizu asked people to wait and rest.
Then he arranged for someone to send the military report to the capital. He did not dare to open the military report sent to the capital without permission.
At this time, he remembered the imperial edict that Zhu Di had sent people 800 miles away to rush.
In my heart, I admire Zhu Di's foresight.
The imperial edict stated that if something unexpected happened to the grassland situation, he could act expeditiously.
I thought this imperial edict would not be used, but I didn't expect it.
Soon, a group of generals under Shuntian Fuyin and Xu Huizu arrived.
Xu Huizu didn't talk nonsense to them. He went straight to the point and told them the current situation in the grassland.
"Everyone, His Highness Prince Ning and our Ming Dynasty's nearly 100,000 troops are in danger now."
"I hope you will obey my orders with full authority."
Xu Huizu looked at everyone and said.
"Wei Guogong, you are in charge of the military affairs of the important town of Shuntian, while Xiaguan is in charge of government affairs. They are not under each other's control!" said Yin of Shuntian Prefecture.
Hearing this, Xu Huizu glanced at the other party, and then took out Zhu Di's imperial edict.
Zhu Di implemented a policy of separation of military and political affairs. Without his will, even if Xu Huizu was the Duke, he would not be able to interfere in local government affairs.
After reading Zhu Di's imperial edict in front of everyone, Shuntian Prefecture Yin immediately stated that everything would follow the instructions of Wei Guogong.
With the imperial edict, it will be easier to handle.
Lest His Majesty suspect him of colluding with Wei Guogong.
After his thoughts were unified, Xu Huizu asked about the troops that could be mobilized now.
The military situation is urgent, and what is being mobilized now is the highly mobile cavalry.
"General, the cavalry we can mobilize now totals 15,000."
"That's almost enough." Xu Huizu said.
Then, he came to the map and made deployment.
"Our journey alone is no longer enough."
"We have to ask General Ping'an who is stationed in Daning to also send troops."
The deployment was over, Xu Huizu said again.
"But, general, we don't have the power to mobilize the troops and horses in Liaodong?" his subordinate said.
"Your Majesty has given me the power to act expediently. If I am questioned afterwards, I will bear the responsibility myself and it has nothing to do with you."
"Besides, in extraordinary times, extraordinary things are done."
"Okay, let's all go down and carry out the order!"
…
