They exchanged glasses and drank wine. It had been a long time since they had enjoyed each other's drinks.
For a moment, the two seemed to have returned to the past.
After drinking each other, Lan Yu sighed: "We are all old!"
Li Qing smiled and said, "I'm fine."
Lan Yu said angrily: "You are not much better than me. Even though you are in great shape now, how about trying it in ten or twenty years?"
As someone who has been there, he understands deeply, "No matter how heroic you are, you have to lie down when you get old!"
Li Qing smiled and nodded, there was no need to argue about this topic.
The two talked about military affairs for a while, and Li Qing said goodbye and left.
After returning home, Li Qing told the three women about sending troops.
"Sir, be careful along the way. We have food and drink, so you don't have to worry about it." Hong Xiu said sensibly.
Wan Ling nodded, "On the battlefield, swords and guns have no eyesight. I know your skills, but you should not be careless."
"Well, don't worry. This isn't your first time going to the battlefield, sir. You'll be fine." Li Qing smiled, "I'll be fine at home for at least half a year."
The three girls nodded, Lianxiang smiled and said: "Sir, since you have been gone for so long, why don't you go to the brothel to relax?"
"With you, do I need to go there?"
Hongxiu sighed, "We are getting old and we don't look good."
"You're not even fifty yet, you're already old." Li Qing smiled mischievously, "Let's go into the house."
…
Next, after a busy month of adjusting troops and food, the army finally arrived to set off.
Zhu Di was an emperor who was proficient in military affairs and was very aware of the leading role of the commander on the battlefield.
He knew that Lan Yu had not been in charge of the army for many years, and the soldiers in the army had also changed. Without plug-ins, it would be difficult to fully control the army.
So, he gave the blue jade flag and token.
These two things are very useful. Seeing them is like seeing the emperor, especially in the army. With them, they have the power of life and death, and even generals can be killed!
It also has another name: Wangming Flag Card!
In the Ming Dynasty's system, this thing is much more powerful than Shang Fang's sword, or in other words, the two are not on the same level at all.
With this, Lan Yu can be said to be even more powerful, and can fully display his military talents.
Early April.
Liang Guogong Lan Yu and Yongqing Marquis Li Qing's team; Qi Guogong Qiu Fu, Anping Hou Li Yuan, Tong'an Hou Huozhen, Jing'an Hou Wang Zhong, and Wucheng Hou Wang Cong each led a team of 50,000 horses.
The supply line has been prepared, the early march was very fast, and the two armies always kept a distance.
Qiu Fun and his army were all heroes of Jingnan. They were once emperor and courtiers. Lan Yu, the Duke of Liang during the Taizu period, was not cold to them.
Li Qing's speed was no longer slow, but they were faster, and within a few days they completely disappeared from Li Qing's sight.
"Since they are in a hurry, let them go first!" Lan Yu said unconcernedly, "I just want to make meritorious deeds. Let them do whatever they want."
Li Qing nodded slightly and said with a smile: "You don't want to make meritorious deeds?"
"Do I need it?" Lan Yu said, "My achievements are such that they can't even catch up with me."
"..." Li Qing's face was full of dark lines, but there was nothing wrong with Lan Yu's words.
In countless battles from youth to middle age, Lan Yu's troops spread all over the country, and even defeated the Northern Yuan Royal Court in one fell swoop. In comparison, Qiu Fu and his ilk... were really unable to take action.
It's not that they don't have merit, it's that Lan Yu's achievements are too dazzling.
Half a month later, the army left Juyongguan and headed for Mobei.
Lan Yu looked at the boundless land and the blue sky, her face full of joy, as if she had returned to that passionate and glorious era.
He seemed to be several years younger. "I will be able to lead the Northern Expedition again in my lifetime. I will have no regrets!"
Li Qing suddenly felt a little sad and joked: "As you say, the situation in Mobei is complicated and cannot be completely solved by a single Northern Expedition. You are really confident."
"It's not that I'm confident, but..." Lan Yu smiled bitterly, "Even if I have that heart in the future, my body will not be able to support it. After so many years of fighting, my body can no longer bear it. If this battle is delayed two years, let's I am in command, but I am also powerless."
After a pause, "Thank you Li Qing. I know that if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be able to lead the troops."
"You deserve this." Li Qing smiled, "Who made you so powerful?"
"Oh? Haha..." Lan Yu laughed loudly and loudly.
At this time, the grass is fertile and the climate is pleasant, making marching relatively easy.
I was bragging along the way and took a sip of wine from time to time, which was quite pleasant.
…
Yurt.
The woman is in her early forties. She is cutting up the mutton with concentration, her eyes are serious and full of wildness.
At this time, the curtain was raised, and a burly man in his late fifties came in. He put his right hand on his chest, leaned forward and saluted, "King."
"Did Ming Dynasty send troops?" The woman continued her movements, "How many people came?"
"Well, we have entered the grassland area. There are about 50,000 troops."
The woman raised her head, a trace of doubt flashed through her wild eyes, "Look again, it's impossible for Ming Dynasty to send only this few people."
"yes."
"Wait a minute." The woman stopped the man, "Aman, have you contacted Mahamu?"
"We contacted him, but that person is a two-faced man." Aman said angrily, "The Ming Dynasty made him King Shunning, and he is no longer willing to assist us."
"No need to be angry, it's human nature." The woman picked up the fattest piece of mutton and handed it to him, "After this battle, he will know who is the king of the grassland!"
Ah Man took the meat and ate it with a happy face, "Princess Mu Zhuoer..."
As soon as the words came out of her mouth, the woman's eyes suddenly became sharp and full of danger.
Ah Man quickly changed his words and said respectfully, "King."
Mu Zhuoer returned to normal and said calmly: "Send someone to check the eastward direction of the Ming army. Also, let the brothers practice and call some ministers."
Ah Man swallowed the food hard, held his chest and saluted: "Yes."
Mu Zhuoer sat back on the wooden pillar, stepped on it with one foot, put his arms on his knees, and kept spinning the mini scimitar on his calloused hands.
"Haha, 50,000 Ming troops, what if there are twice as many?" Her eyes were full of wildness, "I have been preparing for more than 20 years. This time, I will let you see what it is." That’s what is called the true teacher of the king.”
…
Early July, at noon.
"The whole army is resting and recuperating, burying the pots to make rice." Commander Qiu Fu issued the military order, "Wang Cong, send a team of light cavalry to the front to investigate."
"Yes, Marshal."
Wang Cong clasped his fists, turned his horse's head, and went to convey the military order.
"Commander, according to the map provided by Marquis Yongqing, we should be close to the Tatar tribe's sphere of influence." Li Yuandao.
Qiu Fu took out the map and unfolded it, then nodded slowly, "We are almost there, where are Lan Yu and the others?"
"Hehe... we have been left behind a long time ago." Li Yuan said with a smile, "Maybe when they come over, we will finish the work here."
Qiu Fu smiled heartily, and then said seriously, "This battle must be fought beautifully, so that the world can see who is more powerful, our hero of Jingnan or his hero of founding the country."
Li Yuan nodded: "As an emperor and a courtier, I really don't know why the emperor would use blue jade."
"Why else, it's because of Marquis Yongqing." Qiu Fu snorted coldly, "If you don't look at the current situation and still think about nostalgia, this person can't go far."
"You can't say that," Li Yuandao said, "Yongqinghou contributed a lot in the battle of Jingnan. Otherwise, the emperor would not have used him so highly regardless of past grudges."
Qiu Fu waved his hand, "Let's not talk about this anymore. After the meal, the army will advance immediately. With their ink stains, they can't even drink the soup."
Li Yuan nodded and said with a smile: "Want something to drink at noon?"
"Then have a drink."
The two dismounted and walked into the commander's camp, where they ordered people to prepare food and drinks.
Two-quarters of an hour later, the food and wine were served, and the two were about to raise their glasses and drink. Wang Cong hurried in and reported: "Commander, there is a situation. Tatar stragglers have been spotted ahead."
"Oh?" Qiu Fu perked up, "How many people are there?"
"It's not that many, there are only a few hundred people. Maybe it's a routine patrol." Wang Cong replied, "The brothers were afraid of alerting the snake, so we didn't alert them."
Upon hearing this, Qiu Fu immediately stood up and said, "Hurry up and gather a thousand cavalry, and follow my commander to pursue them."
"Commander, you sit in charge of the army, and the general will chase after you."
"How far is it?" Qiu Fu asked.
"About fifteen miles."
Qiu Fu smiled and said: "It's such a small distance, what's the big deal? Let's go and follow my commander to kill him."
Tong'an Hou Huozhen and Jing'an Hou Wang Zhong also came after hearing the news. When Qiu Fu saw this, he smiled and said: "If you have meat, eat together, and make merit together. Let's go, follow me."
Everyone looked at each other and felt that the commander-in-chief was too eager to perform meritorious service.
"Commander, it's better for you to stay in charge of the central army..."
"Can't you see the current situation?" Qiu Fu said displeasedly, "If we fight a good battle, it will be of great benefit to the King of Han. The greater our contribution, the greater the advantage of the King of Han."
After a pause, "Wang Cong, Li Yuan, you two stay, Wang Zhong and Huo Zhen go with me."
…
