Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2404: Drastic Change (V) The Two Armies at Shanhaiguan

The north wind was howling and the snow was falling like waterfalls. The sky and the earth seemed to be covered by a white curtain. There was no trace of the official road. If it were not for the trees beside the road, one would have almost no idea where the road was.

However, at this moment, Ma Gui was leading the First, Fourth and Fifth Armies of the Imperial Guard, marching rapidly towards Shanhaiguan in the snow and wind.

How could it be the army of three towns? Where did the army of three towns come from? According to the deployment a few days ago, Ma Gui should be in Changping waiting to welcome Shunyi King Ba Hannaji to the capital for the first time; the fourth town should have arrived in Zhuozhou, blocking the road to Beijing from Baoding; the fifth town should have arrived in Wuqing, blocking the road to Beijing from Tianjin. How come the army of three towns is now gathered together and is heading straight to Shanhaiguan under the personal command of Ma Gui?

Who issued the transfer order? Who gave the tiger talisman? These are still mysteries.

Nearly 40,000 soldiers of the Imperial Guard were all wearing heavy black armor over their mandarin duck-patterned battle robes. Under the light of the snow, the armor glowed with a cold glow, like an indestructible iron curtain.

Their steps were as firm as iron, and every step they took left deep footprints in the snow, and the splashed snow was instantly blown away by the strong wind. The Wanli Type 3 muskets on the soldiers' backs had bayonets installed, standing straight, and the small red tassels on the tips of the blades rustled in the wind, just like burning flames, adding a bit of fiery murderous intent to the icy and snowy ground.

Thanks to technological improvements, the Wanli Type III rifle could be loaded and fired while the bayonet was inserted, allowing the army equipped with this new gun to resist even if it was attacked while marching.

Not only were the light weapons advanced enough, but the artillery of each town was neatly arranged in the team, and was towed by two types of artillery carriages, four and six horses, and advanced quickly without slowing down the march. The barrels of the No. 2 and No. 3 army guns were wiped spotlessly clean, and the muzzles were pointed majestically into the distance.

These cannons, along with their gun carriages, are all fine products of Jinghua Military Industry, representing powerful combat power and deterrence. With just one order, they can emit earth-shaking roars and quickly destroy the enemy's defenses. Each cannon is carefully pulled by several soldiers, who are focused and skilled, showing extremely high military accomplishments.

Ma Gui rode on his jet-black warhorse, his figure as straight as a pine tree, like a towering mountain. At this moment, he was wearing a black cloak, which fluttered in the strong wind, making him look even more imposing.

Ma Gui's eyes were firm and sharp, scanning the marching troops like a hawk, not missing any details. His face was red from the cold wind, but his resolute expression never wavered.

"Soldiers!" Ma Gui's voice was powerful and penetrated the whistling wind and reached the ears of the surrounding soldiers. "Shanhai Pass is ahead. In Guanzhong are the famous Liaodong elite cavalry! And my Imperial Guards have been known as the best army in the world since its establishment! Now the elite meet the elite, are you willing to belittle our reputation?!"

"No!" The soldiers roared in unison, the sound seemed to burst out from their chests, carrying endless loyalty and courage, and echoing for a long time in the wilderness. This uniform shouting made the earth tremble, demonstrating the unparalleled high morale and strict military discipline of the Guards.

During the march yesterday, they encountered an ice-covered river in front of them. The ice on the river surface was particularly smooth under the cover of heavy snow. But the guards did not hesitate at all, and they acted quickly according to the order.

The vanguard troops dispatched their respective engineering battalions, and the soldiers, armed with tools, carefully explored the ice, looking for areas with thicker ice and marking safe routes.

Afterwards, the large group of troops moved forward in an orderly manner along the markings. The infantrymen walked steadily and kept the formation tightly, while the cavalrymen followed closely, controlling the speed of the horses to ensure the safety of the entire team. The entire crossing process was orderly, without any confusion or mistakes, showing that the army was well-trained.

As night fell, the snow eased slightly, and a few cold stars twinkled in the sky. Ma Gui ordered to set up camp on the spot. The soldiers acted quickly, each doing his job.

The soldiers who were setting up the tents were very skilled, and in the blink of an eye, the tents were neatly arranged on the snow; the soldiers on guard quickly dispersed around the camp, fetched equipment from the baggage camp, quickly set up temporary watchtowers and sent people to guard, watching the movements around them vigilantly with binoculars, not missing any abnormalities; the soldiers who were making fires and cooking either skillfully collected dry firewood, or directly took the charcoal brought by the baggage camp to light a bonfire, and soon, curls of smoke rose in the camp.

In short, whether marching or camping, the entire army was in good order. Although they were in the wilderness, they did not appear to be in a hurry or disorder at all.

Ma Gui inspected the camp and felt very pleased to see the soldiers busy and orderly. He knew that he had a heavy responsibility, and he also knew that the Imperial Guards had a heavy responsibility. The title of "the best army in the world" was both an affirmation and a spur. Whether it lived up to the title depended on actual performance.

What kind of performance? First, loyalty, and second, the ability to fight. At this critical moment, the Guards need to remain absolutely loyal and in good condition to deal with everything that is coming.

After the inspection, Ma Gui returned to his tent. Inside the tent, a personal soldier handed him a cup of hot water. Ma Gui took the hot water, took a sip, and felt the warmth it brought. He looked at the night outside the tent, thinking about the upcoming meeting with Li Rusong, with a hint of solemnity and expectation in his eyes.

He knew very well that this meeting would determine the direction of the situation and the future of the Ming Dynasty, so he had to be cautious and not make any mistakes. Thinking of this, he reached into his arms and tightly grasped a letter.

Back to the present, Ma Gui's army is like a black torrent, majestically arrayed at the foot of Shanhaiguan under the backdrop of white snow. At this time, Shanhaiguan is even more majestic and majestic in the snow, with flags on the towers waving, and 20,000 elite cavalrymen lined up in an orderly manner, with great momentum.

Li Rusong's scouts discovered nearly 40,000 imperial guards rushing from the direction of the capital early this morning, but this did not seem to shake the will of the 20,000 Liaodong cavalry. At this moment, they were all wearing heavy armor, holding muskets and crossbows, and the war horses under their crotch pawed their hooves from time to time and neighed, as if they were eagerly eager to fight.

The few rays of sunlight that occasionally appeared through the gaps in the dark clouds shone on the armor of the soldiers on both sides, reflecting a cold light that was truly frightening. Even the birds flying around disappeared, as if they had been scared away by the evil spirit.

Ma Gui knew that the situation was complicated and that any mistake could lead to a war, which was exactly what the person who ordered him to come was trying to avoid. So when the two armies faced each other, he immediately sent a messenger, holding a command arrow and riding a fast horse, to gallop towards Shanhaiguan. The snowflakes raised by the horse's hooves formed a white smoke behind him.

"Report! Commander Ma of the Imperial Guard has important matters to discuss with Marshal Li Liao. Please move to the front of the formation for a meeting!" The messenger shouted loudly in front of the Liaodong Army. His voice penetrated the wind and reached the ears of Li Rusong of the Central Army.

In the central army formation, Li Rusong, who was dressed in military uniform, had not yet expressed his opinion after hearing the report, but the generals beside him were already in an uproar.

"Marshal, Ma Gui must have come with bad intentions! Marshal, you can't go out easily, maybe they have set a trap long ago!" A young and energetic general, his hand on the hilt of the sword, said anxiously, with a look of deep vigilance in his eyes.

"That's right, Marshal! We have 20,000 elite cavalry here, are you afraid of their Imperial Guards? Although the Imperial Guards are well-equipped, their cavalry are not as elite as ours. If they dare to make any unusual movements, we will charge out and kill them without leaving a single piece of armor!" Another bearded general waved his saber and echoed loudly, his eyes flashing with excitement and desire for battle.

"It doesn't matter if they take out that damn bayonet hollow square formation. We will move in and out quickly. If we can fight, we will fight. If we can't fight, we will consume the enemy's energy. We want to see whether our elite soldiers from the bitter cold land of Liaodong can outlast them, or their young masters' soldiers from the prosperous capital can outlast them!"

For a time, the generals requested to fight one after another, the spirits were high, and the whole pass was filled with a tense atmosphere of eagerness to try.

Li Rusong's face was solemn, his eyes were deep and calm. He glanced coldly at the excited generals, and slowly raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

"Generals, please be patient. Ma Xiquan is a famous general of the time. I have known him for a long time. He is loyal and will not easily betray his loyalty. The situation in the capital is unclear now. If our army rashly clashes with the Imperial Guards, it will only lead to injustice. This is not what loyal men like us should do.

Besides, I believe that Marshal Ma must have something important to discuss with me this time, and I must listen to him no matter what. I have made up my mind and will go out to meet him alone immediately." Li Rusong's voice was steady and firm, revealing an unquestionable majesty.

When the generals heard this, they all tried to dissuade him. "Marshal, you must not go alone! It's too dangerous. What will we do if something goes wrong?" "Yes, Marshal, you are our backbone. How can you take risks so easily?"

"Besides, Ma Xiquan didn't say he wanted to meet alone! If you go out alone, and he brings a few guards with him, if something goes wrong, I'm afraid even with the might of the commander-in-chief, he won't be able to defeat four people..."

Li Rusong shook his head slightly and said with a firm look: "I, Li Rusong, have fought on the battlefield for many years and have long disregarded life and death. Now the situation is unclear. In order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and sacrifice, I must go to meet Marshal Ma. You just stay here and wait for orders. Do not act rashly... This is a military order."

After saying that, Li Rusong jumped on his horse and jumped out. He was also wearing a bright red battle robe, a black armor, and a sharp saber hanging from his waist. The simple metal pattern on the plain scabbard shone coldly in the sunlight that shone through the dark clouds.

He rode out on his horse alone. The horse's hooves made a "clacking" sound on the snow, and every step seemed to step on everyone's heart. Under the gate and on the tower, the Liaodong Army and the soldiers guarding the gate looked at his back, with both worry and admiration in their hearts, and their eyes were full of concern and reluctance.

Ma Gui secretly praised Li Rusong when he saw him leave the city alone. He knew that Li Rusong's move required great courage and responsibility, and this kind of courage was not comparable to that of ordinary generals.

"People say that Li is in the east and Ma is in the west, but I will not fall behind!" Ma Gui laughed loudly, and rode alone, slowly galloping towards Li Rusong. He also took off his cloak, revealing a black armor, which shone brightly in the sunlight, and the red cloak fluttered in the wind, making him look even more majestic.

The two met in front of the battle line, several feet apart, and pulled the reins as if they were in sync. For a moment, the battlefield was so quiet that only the neighing of horses and the whistling of the cold wind could be heard. Snowflakes fluttered down, landing on their shoulders and armor, but it did not affect their firm and nervous expressions at all.

Ma Gui was the first to break the silence. He clasped his fists and said loudly: "General Li, how are you? I didn't expect that our meeting today would be in such a tense situation. It's really sad." Ma Gui's voice was powerful and carried a bit of emotion.

Li Rusong nodded slightly, clasped his fists and returned the greeting, "Commander Ma, I hadn't thought of it either. It's just that the situation in the capital is now complicated and unpredictable... You and I both serve the court, I wonder if Commander Ma has any advice for you?" Li Rusong's eyes were as calm and steady as usual, but there was a hint of worry in his eyes.

Ma Gui looked at Li Rusong with a sincere and firm gaze, and said, "General Li, it is not appropriate to be eloquent in front of the battlefield. I will make it short: Yuanfu knows that you and I are both loyal people. Now the capital has been disturbed by Concubine Zheng and others. There are many chaos. Yuanfu hopes that you can put the overall situation first and not get involved in this rebellion...turmoil. This is a secret letter written by Yuanfu himself, please take a look at it, General Li."

As he spoke, Ma Gui took out a secret letter from his arms, gently held it between his horse's belly, slowly walked forward, and handed it to Li Rusong.

Li Rusong took the letter, stroking the envelope with his fingers, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes. He took a deep breath, slowly unfolded the letter, and moved his eyes on the letter paper.

As soon as he took a look, his expression changed slightly. Then, following the words on the letter, Li Rusong's eyes first flashed with shock, then a hint of relief, and finally fell into deep silence.

After a brief emotional fluctuation, Li Rusong quickly regained his composure. His face was calm, his eyes were calm and resolute, and he suddenly placed his left hand on the hilt of the saber at his waist.

Ma Gui's pupils suddenly shrank, and he subconsciously bowed slightly - in Chinese martial arts, waist strength is crucial, and "bending slightly" is a state of being ready to strike. It can be said that although Ma Gui said nothing and there was no obvious movement, he had already demonstrated the subconscious reaction of a top general.

"Commander Ma, don't be nervous. You and I are both past our prime. Do we really need to fight each other on the battlefield?"

Li Rusong looked calm, and as he spoke, he slowly untied the sword that had been with him for many years. This sword had accompanied him in the battlefield, killing countless enemies. The blade emitted a cold light, as if telling of his glorious military exploits in the past.

He held the knife in his left hand and gently stroked the blade with his right hand. There seemed to be infinite reluctance in his eyes, but he finally sighed and slowly handed it to Ma Gui. His voice was low but firm: "Commander Ma, say hello to Yuan Fu for me."

Ma Gui took the saber and felt the warmth of the hilt, knowing that Li Rusong had made a decision. He looked at Li Rusong with admiration in his eyes, and said, "General Li is indeed a man of great integrity. I admire you!" Ma Gui's voice was filled with sincere admiration, and it could be heard far away in the snow.

Li Rusong said nothing more, but nodded slightly, turned his horse around, and slowly returned to the city. His back was straight, his steps were steady, and every step seemed to be on the tip of everyone's heart. Although his heart might be surging with waves at this moment, on the surface he still maintained the calmness and composure of a veteran in the battlefield.

Ma Gui looked at Li Rusong's receding back, feeling a lot of emotion in his heart. He knew that it was not easy for Li Rusong to make this decision. Behind this was not only the consideration of the fate of the family, but also the loyalty and responsibility to the court. In today's extremely complicated situation, Li Rusong was able to put the overall situation first and resolutely give up possible risky actions. Ma Gui really admired this decisiveness and mind.

Ma Gui did not hesitate at all and immediately ordered the entire army to return to the capital. However, his order aroused opposition from his generals.

"Commander, are we leaving just like that? We should at least wait until Li Rusong withdraws his troops, and then remind the original garrison of Shanhaiguan not to let anyone from outside the pass in. This is the only way to be safe!" A slightly younger general said anxiously, his eyes full of worry.

"Yes, Commander! Although Li Rusong has agreed, human hearts are unpredictable. If he changes his mind once we leave, we will be in trouble!" Another general also echoed, looking quite nervous.

"That's right, he has 20,000 elite cavalry. If we don't stop them outside the pass, once they get inside, we won't be able to stop them!"

Ma Gui waved his hand and said firmly, "You don't have to do this. Who is Li Yangcheng? Since he has made his choice, he will keep his word and will never go back on his word. We must return to the capital now. There is no time to lose. The situation in the capital is critical. The longer we delay, the more dangerous it will be.

The four Tengxiang guards control the capital, and Li Rumei's attitude is ambiguous. Although Yuan Fu has been prepared, my imperial guards have to go back and make the final blow... Do you know why Li Yangcheng gave me his sword?" Ma Gui's tone was firm, but he finally threw a question to the generals.

After hearing what Ma Gui said, the generals still had some doubts, but seeing that the commander was so determined, they could not persuade him anymore. As for the commander's question, they found it difficult to answer. Most of them just expressed doubts, saying that this was probably the Li family's way of admitting defeat?

Ma Gui first sneered, then shook his head and said, "I don't know either, but... I'm afraid this knife is not only to be presented to Yuan Fu, but before that, I'm afraid I have to show it to Li Rumei first."

The generals were thoughtful after hearing this. So Ma Gui led the army to turn around quickly and gallop towards the capital. The sound of horse hooves rang out on the snow, like an exciting war song, echoing across the vast land.

On the other hand, just as Ma Gui expected, Li Rusong summoned his generals immediately after returning to Shanhaiguan. He looked serious, his eyes firmly swept through everyone, and loudly ordered: "All troops, listen to my order, withdraw to Liaodong immediately!" The generals were a little surprised when they heard this order, but seeing the commander's resolute expression, they did not dare to ask more questions and followed the order.

Soon, the 20,000 elite cavalry began to withdraw in an orderly manner. The sound of horse hooves rang out on the snow, like thunder rolling, gradually fading away.

In front of Shanhaiguan, which was originally on high alert, calm gradually returned to normal, leaving only the white snow and the howling cold wind, as if the tense confrontation just now was just an illusion.
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PS: 5K chapters, to make up for the delay during the Spring Festival.

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