In the late Ming Dynasty, rising from the grassland

Chapter 221 People’s hearts are in China but not in China

Even before the Chinese army arrived, the entire Xuanfu of Datong was thrown into chaos. This shows that Lin Rui's vicious reputation was very lethal in Datong.

To the military attaches and gentry of Datong Xuanfu, Lin Rui was the god of plague, but to ordinary people and households, Mr. Lin and the Lin family army were definitely the saviors.

No, as the news of Lin Jiajun's imminent call spread, countless military households in the Xuanfu area of ​​Datong became restless, and everyone was looking forward to it.

I just hope that Mr. Lin will come with his troops and horses soon, and then lead everyone to attack the castles of those gentry and military officers to share their money and food.

Especially those who had made a fortune with Lin Jiajun in the past were the most active and had begun to communicate secretly in private and invite relatives and friends.

This made the whole Xuanfu of Datong panic for a while, some were happy and some were sad. Hong Chengchou, who had not yet arrived at the Xuanfu, saw that just a little leak of news had caused such a big response, and he no longer doubted Wang Pu and The words of eight guerrilla generals.

He led his men to kill Xuanfu hurriedly and slowly. As for the situation in Datong, he was no longer able to control it.

It can be said that since Lin Rui left three years ago, the civilian military households in the entire Xuanfu Datong area have been looking forward to the Lin family army's return one day.

And Hua Guo's actions were indeed very fast.

After all, the army does not need to assemble. It can set off directly as long as it brings food, grass and baggage. The cavalry of each tribe also directly goes to the Great Wall to assemble.

In order to attract the Ming army and succeed in the sneak attack this time, Lin Rui chose to directly attack Shahukou in the northwest of Datong City.

In order to arrive before the snow started, Namuzhong led the army and only took seven days to reach Shahukou.

At this time, under the pass where Hukou was killed, a large army gathered, with flags standing in many places, and there were as many as 13 horse and infantry troops.

Shahukou and Zhangjiakou to the east are collectively known as the East and West Kou, and are important passes in and out of the Hetao.

The Datong General Army has always dispatched border troops to garrison the area.

However, five days ago, Wang Pu withdrew the two thousand border troops stationed here and handed over the defense to the Yulin Guards and Datong Right Guards.

The two commanders handed over the defense tasks to the two Qianhu under their banners, while they hid in the tall acropolis with their servants and close relatives, and drove out all the idle people in the city.

At this moment, looking at the overwhelming troops and horses in Guanxia, ​​the two Qianhu's legs and feet felt weak and their backs felt cold.

"Quick, go and light the beacon tower, and then retreat quickly!"

The two thousand households only brought a hundred servants each, and they had no intention of defending at all. After ordering people to light the beacon tower, they abandoned the gate and ran away.

There was no way, it wasn't that they didn't want to defend, but that they couldn't defend. The opponent's troops were overwhelming, and it was simply a dream for them to defend Shahukou with their little servants.

As for relying on ordinary military households, that is a joke. In the end, there may not even be a chance to escape back to the city.

"My dearest concubine, something is wrong. This Shahukou is the main transportation road from Datong to Hetao. Why are there only beacon fires and no defenders closing the gate?"

"Something is indeed wrong!"

Huang Ben, Shang Kexi and other generals all looked at each other in astonishment as they looked at the quiet and scary pass in the distance.

Namuzhong, who was about to order the army to set up camp first, was also full of doubts and couldn't figure out what was going on.

Finally, he had to say: "Send a team of people to investigate first and see what's going on. The army remains alert."

"Yes!"

Ebutu responded and personally led a group of cavalry towards the pass. Everyone also got off their horses and rested.

Half an hour later, Ebutu came back in a hurry with his men.

"Sister, there is no one on the pass at all, not even a shadow of a ghost. Our people climbed up easily along the rope..."

"what?"

"how can that be?"

Na Muzhong and everyone were so shocked that they couldn't open their mouths from ear to ear.

"Really, sister, there is not a single Ming army. Not only are there no people on the pass and the Great Wall on both sides, but there is no one behind the pass. It's really a ghost."

Ebutu said quickly again, his face also full of confusion.

"General Shang, do you think this is a trick of the Ming army? Like the empty city plan or something?"

Compared to its boring war books, Na Muzhong also likes to read Romance of the Three Kingdoms, so the first thing that comes to mind is that the Ming army is playing an empty city strategy, so she looks at Shang Kexi who is aside.

After all, Rui Lang told her when she came that if she encounters an emergency, she can discuss the countermeasures with Shang Kexi.

"This...is due to the concubine. I think it is unlikely. The Governor of Xuanda, Hong Chengchou, knows how to fight and is cautious. He can only send heavy troops to defend. It is unlikely that he will take risks and play an empty city strategy."

Shang Kexi also quickly replied.He was also confused about this situation.

"Sister, who cares? Why are you thinking so much? We have an army of more than [-] and no one is defending us, so hurry up and get in!"

When Ebutu saw Namu Zhong frowning and thinking, he immediately urged.

And all the leaders of the Tumut tribe were also gearing up, and some couldn't wait.

"General Shang, do you think our army should go in directly, or are you doing some snooping?"

Namu Zhongping waved her hand, stopping the impatient Ebutu and the Mongolian leaders, and looked at Shang Kexi again.

"The mountains here are dangerous and handsome, and it is difficult for our infantry of more than [-] horses to deploy. In order to prevent the Ming army from setting up an ambush against the mountains and deliberately luring our army, we can first send a group to enter the pass first. Once it is safe, the army can carry out supplies again." It’s not too late to enter.”

Shang Kexi said with a cautious expression.

He had heard about Hong Chengchou's achievements in the past, so he probably wanted to lure them deeper so that they could ambush them.

"Ok!"

Na Muzhong nodded. In fact, that was what she planned.

So they sent two thousand cavalry and three thousand Han garrison troops to explore the way first, while the army set up camp on the spot.

5000 people came to the pass. The gate had already been opened by the cavalry sent to investigate earlier. Zhou Meng, who was in charge of leading the team, did not hesitate. He led his troops directly through Shahukou and headed south along the official road.

The 5000 people marched unimpeded all the way to the Yulin Guardstown without encountering any Ming troops. This made Zhou Meng and everyone else who had been on tenterhooks heave a sigh of relief.

Just when Zhou Meng was about to send someone back to report the news, countless military households heard the news and came from all directions to kill him.

These military households were both men and women, both middle-aged and young. Some were carrying rusty spears and weapons, and some were holding wooden sticks and dung forks, but almost all of them had a rag to cover their faces. stand up.

Zhou Meng and others were startled at first, thinking it was an ambush by the Ming army, especially the three thousand garrison who almost ran away. Fortunately, Zhou Meng realized in time that these were just ordinary military households.

There were thousands of military households who came, and they did not come directly. Instead, groups of dozens or hundreds of people stayed in the distance, pointing here, as if discussing something.

Obviously, these military households were not sure whether it was the Lin family army who came, and they did not know whether the Lin family army was really what the rumors said.

But despite this, these military households still chose to take the risk and try their luck.

Because this was their only chance to get rid of the oppression of the military attachés. Even if the Lin family army left afterwards, as long as they received money and food, they could take their families and hide in the mountains to live, or they could flee directly to Shanxi.

"General, these people seem to be coming for us. Do you want to kill them?"

A cavalry general asked Zhou Meng for instructions.

"No, send two brothers who speak Chinese well to ask them what they want to do."

Zhou Meng thought about it and waved his hand. A thousand ordinary military households were no threat to them at all, so he planned to ask clearly first. After all, the king had repeatedly issued strict orders not to loot, harass and kill ordinary military households and civilians.

Then the two Mongolian cavalry rushed towards the military household in the distance.

Seeing the cavalry coming, the military household also became commotion. Fortunately, there were only two cavalry, so they did not flee directly.

"Who are you?"

"We are the military households of the Yulin Guard and the Datong Right Guard. What about you? Are you from the Lin Family Army, Master Lin's men?"

Not only did the two Mongolian knights speak Chinese, their hair was tied up, and they wore black armor. The military households only thought they were Han Chinese, so they boldly communicated with them.

"We are the Lin Family Army, but now it has been changed to the Great China Army. My king's surname is indeed Lin."

"Then your king is here?"

"Are you planning to attack the Acropolis?"

"Do you still need some help?"

"After the city is captured, will everyone be able to receive money and food?"

"Are you free to stay or leave at any time?"

As soon as the military households heard that it was really the Lin family army, they all became eager and started asking questions.

Obviously, the rules of the Lin family army have been spread for a long time, which is why everyone is willing to take the risk.

This made the two Mongolian cavalry immediately confused. After all, they were both from the Tumote tribe and did not know Lin Rui's operations and rules in the Yanghe Datong area.

(End of this chapter)