After a fierce overnight attack, under the stubborn resistance of the Ming army, the Tatars suffered serious losses, almost as much as the casualties they suffered during the desperate crossing.
The Ming army did not fare much better, with more casualties than the Tatars. Things were worse than Zhang Fu expected.
The Tatar attack far exceeded his expectations. They attacked from all directions at the same time and were divided into two shifts of three hours each. There were also rests in the middle. The Tatars could always maintain a relatively high combat power.
The Ming army couldn't compare, because they didn't have enough manpower. With 35,000 men, it was already very difficult to face the impact of nearly 30,000 cavalry. If they could even out half of them to preserve their combat power, there would be no need to fight.
"Damn it, I can't hold it anymore!"
Zhang Fu gritted his teeth, his face full of ferocity.
It was foreseeable that in two days at most, or even less than two days, the Ming army would be broken through by the Tatars' uninterrupted attacks in two shifts.
At this point, we still rely on the artillery and muskets from the Shenji Battalion. If they were all cold weapons, they would probably be almost there by now.
The square formation is the simplest defensive formation, but it is also the most practical.
The Ming army gathered together, and the people outside fought to death on the people inside, using their flesh and blood as a fortress to resist the waves of attacks.
All the soldiers served their lives sincerely, some were loyal to the country, and some were afraid of being implicated, so they all risked their lives.
Especially the generals. Behind them is the emperor. If the emperor makes a mistake, the bulk of the soldiers will be fine. Officials like them will definitely be liquidated.
Based on this mentality, they had to risk their lives to fight.
"What's the situation?"
"I'm not happy..." Zhang Fu turned around and saw Zhu Qizhen coming up again, and said anxiously: "Your Majesty, please return to the commander's camp quickly. It's too dangerous here."
Zhu Qizhen looked solemn. Of course he could see that the situation was not good, but psychologically he believed that the Ming army would not be completely defeated.
He was a little panicked, but not much.
This courage was given by Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Di, and Zhu Zhanji. The reputation of his ancestors was so great that it gave him an innate sense of superiority.
Zhu Qizhen looked down on his neighbors psychologically.
Zhang Fu is not as optimistic as he is. He has spent his entire life in the military and his understanding of war cannot be matched by a hundred Zhu Qizhens.
"Your Majesty, why don't you withdraw?" Zhang Fu prayed, "It should be too late to withdraw now. No matter how late it is, we won't be able to withdraw even if we want to!"
"If I leave now, will I be worthy of those soldiers who fought desperately to resist?" Zhu Qizhen said decisively, "If I just leave like this, let alone what the world says about me, just take the current situation as an example. , morale will plummet, how long can you hold on?"
Zhang Fu was silent.
Zhu Qizhen knew the truth, but why didn't he understand that once the emperor left, the soldiers would never work so hard, and they would completely collapse in less than a day.
But in comparison, the emperor is undoubtedly more important, at least Zhang Fu thinks so.
"Okay, Duke, let's continue." Zhu Qizhen said with a smile, "I won't create pressure for you here."
Zhu Qizhen looked at the rising sun, and Shi Shiran left.
Zhang Fu sighed, braced himself, continued to observe the situation, and issued instructions...ωＷω.ＧoＮЬ.οrＧ
~
"Eunuch Wang, hurry back and report to the Emperor and the Duke!" Li Qing urged, "It is necessary to stabilize the morale of the army. You have been with us in the middle of the night, so hurry back."
"Mr. Li, the war has begun. Under the chaos of the army, our family number 100 can't get in at all!" Wang Zhen said with a bitter face.
Wang Zhen was afraid of death, but what he said was true. There were nearly a hundred thousand people on both sides, and he, number 100, couldn't even make a splash when he rushed in.
Li Qingcai didn't care whether he died or not. In front of tens of thousands of Ming army soldiers, Wang Zhen was nothing.
"are you going?"
Shi Heng was shocked. Li Qipin actually threatened Wang Zhen directly?
The King's Order Flag is easy to use, but isn't he afraid of retaliation afterwards? This guy doesn't think about the future at all... Shi Heng stayed far away from Li Qing. He thought Li Qing was a lunatic.
Who wouldn't be afraid of a madman holding a royal flag?
Wang Zhen said nonchalantly: "Mr. Li, it's not that our family is afraid of death, it's really..."
"I'm counting to three." Li Qing was really impatient. He didn't let the army move quickly in order to preserve combat power. It wasn't that he wasn't in a hurry, he was more anxious than anyone else.
"Mr. Li..."
"two."
"one."
"Qiang...!"
"Sure, let's go right away." Wang Zhen gritted his teeth and took the risk. If the little emperor really made a mistake, he would still be alive.
Wang Zhen waved his hand and said, "Come back to camp with our family!"
Shi Heng swallowed and looked at Li Qing in awe.
Awesome!
Li Qing turned his head and said: "The soldiers have been marching all night, burying pots and making rice. Let's rest for four or three hours. Wake up and march again."
"Hey, okay." Shi Heng nodded and asked the soldiers to do it.
Li Qing walked to a slope and looked ahead with his brows furrowed. He was filled with emotions. He had to prepare for the worst and the impact it would have on Ming Dynasty after the worst outcome occurred.
Generally speaking, the Ming Dynasty is still in a state of upward development, and turbid officialdom is the norm. It would be too petty to only focus on this. What he looks at is the national economy and the people's livelihood of the Ming Dynasty.
In terms of food: the introduction of Yongle beans, Yongle rice, and Xuande potatoes solved the problem of hunger.
Economic aspect: Maritime trade stimulated the development of handicraft industry, and the embryonic form of capital emerged. The issue of excessive issuance of treasure banknotes is also being prepared.
These two aspects are the most basic. The Ming Dynasty preserved them and developed extremely well.
From this point of view, even if the emperor is lost, it will not have much impact, mainly on the court situation... Li Qing secretly thought: This time the little emperor has brought so many officials, the capital is almost Yu Qian's world, with him here , the court situation should not be in any chaos.
Thinking of this, Li Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
The situation is serious, but it is not so serious that the country will be destroyed. Even if the little emperor is really kidnapped, it will only be the loss of an emperor.
"Eat some." A chicken leg was handed over.
Li Qing woke up from his thoughts, waved his hand and said: "I don't have any appetite, please do so, General."
Shi Heng stopped being polite, opened his mouth, took a bite, sat down next to Li Qing, and asked: "Are you really seventh grade?"
"The seventh-grade military department is in trouble, Li Qing." Li Qing nodded, "Is there any problem?"
"No problem." Shi Heng shook his head hurriedly and said with a smile: "I'm just a little curious. They say Wang Zhen is wanton and vicious. I didn't want to be so... polite to you."
If something goes wrong, Li Qing will take the blame, and Shi Heng doesn't want to get into too much trouble with him.
"Wang Zhen is indeed a very evil person, but he is not as exaggerated as the rumors." Li Qing smiled and said, "General Shi, if something happens, I will bear the responsibility, but I have a request. "
"Say." Shi Heng nodded.
"This possibility is extremely small, it is just a precaution, and it will only benefit you without any harm." Li Qing said thoughtfully, "If the emperor is kidnapped, you can send more people to set up spies around Datong and Xuanfu. Once If there is any trouble, immediately lead the army to the aid of the capital."
"Ah?" Shi Heng was shocked.
"This is just a precaution." Li Qing said with a smile: "If that's the case, if you do as I say, you will never be implicated, and you will even get to a higher level."
Shi Heng nodded slowly: "That's no problem, but we should still march as soon as possible. If the emperor is true... none of us will get better."
"We can only support by preserving our combat power." Li Qing shook his head and said, "The current marching speed is already close to the limit of the soldiers. If it goes faster, even rushing there will not help."
Shi Heng knew that he couldn't be persuaded, so he simply stopped talking.
To put it bluntly, someone is taking the blame anyway, and he is restricted by the king's order. If he really wants to investigate, there is room for evasion. The law of the Ming Dynasty: follow orders, and the guilty will not be held accountable.
~
Noon the next day.
Wang Zhen heard the fighting sounds from both sides in the distance and did not dare to go any further. He was a little frightened.
It wasn't until nightfall that Wang Zhen found a break and risked his life to return to camp.
Fortunately for him, he accidentally chose a vacuum zone where the two sides were fighting fiercely, and returned to the military camp without any danger.
Half an hour later, Zhu Qizhen was finally found.
Wang Zhen squatted on the ground and said pitifully: "Your Majesty, I almost couldn't come back just now."
"Why did you come back so soon?" Zhu Qizhen ignored his hard work and frowned, "I asked you to call for reinforcements..."
"My slave has asked for reinforcements." Wang Zhen said hurriedly, "My slave met Mr. Li on the road. He is rushing to help with reinforcements. The earliest he can get there is early morning the day after tomorrow, or the fastest he can get there is tomorrow evening."
"Seriously?" Zhang Fu, who hadn't eaten much all day, came over. When he heard this, he immediately became energetic and asked anxiously: "How many people did he bring?"
Wang Zhendao: "I guess there are 20,000."
"Twenty thousand... probably brought all the fighting power in the city." Zhang Fu praised, "This Li Qing came just in time."
Zhu Qizhen was also overjoyed: "The day you arrive, sir, will be the time for our counterattack."
Zhang Fu: "...Your Majesty, our casualties are greater than those of the Tatars. Even if another 20,000 people come, we are no match for them. We still have to wait for the people from the Xuanfu to arrive and the three route armies will join forces before launching another attack." A general attack is better."
Just as Zhu Qizhen was about to say more, a captain rushed over, knelt down on one knee and clasped his fists, saying:
"Your Majesty, Duke, something bad has happened. The Tatars are about to launch a general attack. All troops must go into battle!"
"What?" Zhang Fu's expression changed drastically, the flesh on his face was bulging, and he rushed towards the observation deck.
~
Hold on, we'll be there before tomorrow evening, no, at noon... Li Qing looked at the bright stars and prayed secretly.
In the second half of the night, the whole army rested, and in the early morning they cooked two meals at a time, eating one, leaving one for the road, and then made the final 'sprint'.
Under Li Qing's operation, the Ming army achieved the fastest marching speed possible on the premise of ensuring combat effectiveness.
Finally, at noon the next day, we arrived at the scheduled battlefield.
Hearing the sounds of fighting in the distance and the vague movement of people, Li Qing and Shi Heng both let out a long sigh of relief.
The war is still going on, which shows that they are not too late.
Li Qing's face was full of joy and he whispered to himself: "Finally... we caught up!"
It’s not easy, it’s not easy. This time, he is finally not on his way here...
