Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

Chapter 724 Lan Yu's Defeat (Subscribe!!)

In the cold wind, on the grasslands of Mobei, Lan Yu led 40,000 elite cavalrymen, like a torrent of steel, galloping northward. Their goal was to pursue the victory and take down the remaining 300,000 troops of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in one fell swoop!
Lan Yu's heart was burning with a burning desire to fight, vowing to wipe out the remnants of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in one fell swoop and make an unparalleled contribution to the Ming Dynasty. However, this pursuit was destined to be a test of blood and fire.

Although he only had 40,000 men, which was much less than 300,000 men, Lan Yu was a veteran general who had blocked Chen Youliang's 300,000-man army with only tens of thousands of men. Now he had 40,000 cavalry, of which more than 4,000 were top-level cavalry equipped with alloy armor. The enemy had been defeated once. As long as he grasped the rhythm well, he could completely defeat the opponent in one go! !
However, when he chased to the Northern Yuan army's camp, he found that the camp was empty, which made Lan Yu very upset!

But Lan Yu had no intention of giving up, but continued to order a pursuit, he must get the credit.

After two days and two nights of galloping, they finally found the trace of the Northern Yuan army, but at this time the Ming army was already exhausted.

The horses' mouths and noses were spitting white foam, and the sound of their hooves was no longer as sonorous and powerful as before. The soldiers' faces were full of fatigue, and their bodies under the armor were numbed by the cold wind. The deputy general repeatedly advised Lan Yu to take a break, but Lan Yu turned a deaf ear to him. All he had in mind was the unreachable Northern Yuan emperor. He whipped his whip and roared: "Keep going! The remnants of the Northern Yuan are already at the end of their strength. If this battle is successful, we can all be made marquises and generals!"

"After the great victory, this great general will definitely let you have enough rest. The wealth and women of the Northern Yuan people will all be yours!"

The soldiers were originally very tired, but after hearing Lan Yu's words, they immediately became energetic again, with shining eyes.

Lan Yu had long anticipated the recovery of his troops' morale. Having been a general for so many years, he naturally knew what the soldiers wanted, which was nothing more than money and women. As long as he had merits, he could share the spoils with his soldiers. He had used this trick for many years, and he fulfilled his promise every time. That was why the soldiers would believe him when he said this, as this was the credibility he had cultivated over the years.

"Keep chasing, General. Find the Northern Yuan army and kill them without a single piece of armor left!!"

Boom—Boom—

More than 40,000 cavalrymen turned into a cavalry torrent and continued to advance towards Buyuer Lake!

Finally, the Ming army arrived at Bui'er Lake. At this time, the sky was dark, the sky was full of sand, and the surrounding grasslands were dead silent, with only the whistling of the wind. Lan Yu felt a sense of foreboding in his heart, but he had been blinded by fame and insisted on continuing the pursuit. The Ming army went deep into a narrow valley, with towering hills on both sides and an open lake in front. Suddenly, the sound of trumpets rang out all around, and then arrows rained down from all directions.

"There is an ambush!" Someone in the Ming army exclaimed, but it was too late. Kuokuo Timur, a famous general of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, personally led 100,000 elite cavalry and had already set up a trap here. The ambushers emerged from behind the hills and rushed towards the Ming army like a tide. The Ming army's formation was instantly in chaos, and the war horses were frightened and ran away neighing. Lan Yu hurriedly ordered a battle, but the Ming army was already exhausted and faced with the well-rested Northern Yuan army, and immediately fell into a bitter battle.

The battle instantly became fierce. Amidst the flashes of swords and sabers, the Ming soldiers fought desperately, but the Northern Yuan cavalry was as fierce as wolves and tigers, and their offensive was fierce. Kuyuk Timur, wearing black armor and holding a long sword, personally rushed into the Ming army, splashing blood wherever he passed. Li Rong, the deputy general of the Ming army, tried to organize a counterattack, but was shot in the throat by an arrow and fell off his horse and died. Lan Yu was horrified when he saw his trusted generals fall one after another, and hurriedly waved his spear and rushed forward to fight.

However, the encirclement of the Northern Yuan army was getting tighter and tighter. The Ming army's formation was completely broken up, and the soldiers fought on their own, with screams and the sound of swords clashing. Lan Yu's personal soldiers fell one after another, and his armor was covered with blood, and he couldn't tell whether it was the enemy's or his own. The warhorse was shot by an arrow and fell to the ground with a wail. Lan Yu had to fight on foot, waving his spear, barely blocking the attack of the Northern Yuan cavalry.

At this moment, Kuyuk Timur sneered and waved his hand to order the whole army to press forward. The Northern Yuan cavalry surged like a tide, and the Ming army was defeated and suffered heavy casualties. Lan Yu saw that the situation was not good and regretted it, but it was too late. He desperately commanded the remaining troops to break through and tried to kill his way out. The Ming soldiers tried their best and used their flesh and blood to clear the way for Lan Yu, and finally tore a hole in the encirclement of the Northern Yuan army.

Lan Yu got on his horse and fled with thousands of remaining soldiers. The Northern Yuan cavalry chased him relentlessly, arrows whizzing past like locusts. Lan Yu's armor was broken, his face was covered in blood, and the soldiers behind him fell one after another. In the end, he took the remaining hundreds of cavalry and tried his best to escape the pursuit range of the Northern Yuan.

In this battle, Lan Yu's 40,000 elite cavalry were almost wiped out, with only a few thousand people fleeing with him. His armor was broken, his expression was depressed, and his heart was full of regret and unwillingness. Kuyuk Timur stood on the high ground of Buir Lake, looking at the backs of the Ming army going away, and sneered. In the wind and sand of Mobei, the victory cheers of the Northern Yuan soldiers echoed!
In the dead of night, the candlelight flickered in the commander's tent, reflecting the frowning brows and slightly pale face of the Ming Emperor Zhu Biao. He held a military report in his hand, his fingertips trembling slightly, but his eyes always stayed on the map in front of him. On the map, the location of Buyuerhai was circled heavily by Zhu Biao with a red pen, and the route of Lan Yu's pursuit was marked next to it. However, several days had passed since Lan Yu led 40,000 elite cavalry to attack, but no news had been sent back.

Zhu Biao stood up, and paced back and forth in the tent with his hands behind his back, his steps heavy and hurried. His eyes glanced outside the tent from time to time, as if expecting a messenger to suddenly rush in with news from the front. However, outside the tent, there was only the sound of the wind and the faint light of torches in the distance, and the silence was so unsettling. Zhu Biao's brows knitted tighter and tighter, and his fingers unconsciously tapped on the table, making a dull sound.

"Lan Yu, Lan Yu, what happened to you..." Zhu Biao murmured in a low voice, with anxiety that was difficult to conceal. He knew that Lan Yu's battle was of great importance. Although the main force of the Northern Yuan army had been defeated by his brother-in-law Ouyang Lun, it was still a serious threat. If the remnants of the Northern Yuan could be wiped out in one fell swoop, the northern border of the Ming Dynasty would usher in decades of peace; but if Lan Yu was defeated, not only would the 40,000 elite cavalry be lost, but the Northern Yuan might also take this opportunity to make a comeback and threaten the border of the Ming Dynasty. By then, the people of the northern border would be caught in the flames of war again, and the prestige of the Ming Dynasty would also suffer a heavy blow.

The key point is that this is his first time as emperor to lead an army in person. If he fails, it will be a huge blow to his prestige!

Thinking of this, Zhu Biao's heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and his breathing became rapid. He walked to the entrance of the tent, opened the tent curtain, let the night wind blow his face, and tried to calm himself down. However, the scene of Lan Yu's defeat kept appearing in his mind: 40,000 soldiers stained the grassland with blood, the Northern Yuan cavalry went south to plunder, and the border was in flames... These scenes made him unable to calm down.

"Someone come!" Zhu Biao suddenly turned around, with a hint of urgency in his voice. A guard walked quickly into the hall and bowed to listen to the order. Zhu Biao said in a deep voice: "Send someone to find them immediately, and urge them to send more scouts to find out the movements of Lan Yu's army as soon as possible! If there is any news, report it immediately!" The guard took the order and left, but Zhu Biao still couldn't feel at ease. He sat back at the desk, picked up the pen, and tried to review military affairs, but found that his hands were shaking so badly that he couldn't even write steadily. Finally, he put down the pen, sighed, and cast his eyes on Buyuer Lake on the map again. There, it seemed that the fate of the Ming Dynasty was hidden, and also the deepest uneasiness in his heart was hidden.

"Lan Yu, you must not lose..." Zhu Biao whispered to himself, with deep worry and helplessness in his voice. He knew that this battle was not only about Lan Yu's life and death, but also about the fate of the Ming Dynasty. As the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, he could only stay in the deep palace, anxiously waiting for the unknown news.

However, the tent remained silent, and no news came in. He became more and more upset, and his fingers tapped the table unconsciously, making a dull sound.

"Come here!" Zhu Biao suddenly stood up, his voice full of urgency. A guard walked into the hall quickly and bowed to listen to the order. Zhu Biao said in a deep voice: "Go and invite the military advisor Ouyang Lun immediately, and tell him that I have something important to discuss with you!" The guard took the order and left, while Zhu Biao continued to pace in the tent, with a lot of thoughts in his mind.

At the same time, in another tent, Ouyang Lun had already fallen asleep. He was lying in the warm bed, dreaming sweet dreams, but was awakened by a hurried knock on the door outside the tent. He opened his eyes in a daze and heard the voice of the guard outside the tent: "My Lord, His Majesty wants to see you, saying that there is something important to discuss!" Ouyang Lun frowned, feeling a little unhappy, but he did not dare to neglect it, so he had to put on his coat and hurriedly got up.

The late autumn night wind was chilly, Ouyang Lun wrapped his coat tightly and followed the guards. His eyelids were heavy, and he yawned continuously, complaining in his heart: "What urgent matter does His Majesty have to call me over at this time in the middle of the night?" However, he also knew Zhu Biao's temperament. If it was not really an important matter, he would never mobilize such a large number of troops.

Arriving at the commander's tent, Ouyang Lun saw Zhu Biao pacing back and forth in the tent with his hands behind his back, looking solemn. He pulled himself together, stepped forward and saluted, saying, "Your Majesty, your servant Ouyang Lun." Upon hearing the voice, Zhu Biao turned around immediately, with a flash of eagerness in his eyes, "Brother-in-law, you are finally here!"

Ouyang Lun forced a smile, but his tone was somewhat helpless: "Your Majesty, it's the late night, I wonder what important matter you have that requires you to summon me at this time?" As he spoke, he could not help but yawn, obviously not fully awake yet.

Zhu Biao felt a little apologetic when he saw this, but he was too anxious to care about it. He walked quickly to Ouyang Lun and said in a deep voice, "Brother-in-law, you know that Lan Yu has been chasing the Northern Yuan army for several days, but there has been no news. I am really worried, so I asked you to come and discuss it."

Ouyang Lun frowned slightly when he heard this, and realized the seriousness of the matter. He put away his lazy look and said calmly: "Your Majesty, General Lan Yu is a master of military tactics, so I'm sure he will be fine. Maybe General Lan Yu is killing people in Buyuerhai right now!!"

"Brother-in-law, please stop joking with me!" Zhu Biao said helplessly, "I already regret it now. If I had listened to you and stopped when I saw the good, and not let Lan Yu attack rashly, I wouldn't have to worry here!"

Zhu Biao sighed, "I am now worried that if Lan Yu is defeated, not only will the 40,000 elite cavalry suffer heavy losses, but the Northern Yuan may also take this opportunity to move south and threaten the border of the Ming Dynasty. By then, the consequences will be disastrous."

Seeing Zhu Biao's anxious expression, Ouyang Lun also felt a little sorry for him. He comforted him, "Your Highness, don't worry too much. I will send more scouts to find out the movements of Lan Yu's army as soon as possible."

"Lan Yu is not that important. If he loses, we will just end up in a tie with the Northern Yuan Dynasty. We may even still have the upper hand. You know, we defeated nearly half of the Northern Yuan army, and they dare not attack the Ming Dynasty again!"

Zhu Biao heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this, patted Ouyang Lun on the shoulder, and said, "Thank you, brother-in-law. I am also very worried, so I disturbed you so late at night."

Ouyang Lun smiled. Although he was still somewhat dissatisfied, he also understood Zhu Biao's feelings. He bowed and said, "Your Highness has been working hard for state affairs, and I will do my best. But next time if there is an emergency, please notify me earlier, so that I won't be pulled out of bed and can't even finish my dream."

Zhu Biao couldn't help but smile when he heard this, and the annoyance in his heart eased a little. He nodded and said, "Okay, I will pay attention next time. Thank you for your hard work tonight, brother-in-law."

Ouyang Lun waved his hand and said with a smile: "It is my duty to share the worries of His Highness. I will arrange it right away." After that, he turned and left, his back was slender in the candlelight. Zhu Biao looked at his back and felt a little relieved, but his eyes were still cast outside the palace, expecting the unknown news.

Just as Zhu Biao and Ouyang Lun were discussing countermeasures, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the palace. A scout covered in dust and pale, stumbled into the tent, knelt on the ground, and reported in a trembling voice: "Your Majesty, urgent news from the front! General Lan Yu was ambushed by the Northern Yuan army at Buyuer Lake, and 40,000 elite cavalry were almost wiped out. General Lan Yu only led a few thousand remnants to break through, and is now resting ten miles away from our army!"

As soon as these words came out, the air in the tent seemed to freeze instantly. Zhu Biao's face suddenly changed, and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a "smack" sound, breaking into several pieces. His body shook slightly, as if he was hit hard by this sudden bad news. After a moment, he stood up suddenly, his voice hoarse and urgent: "Lan Yu... was defeated? The 40,000-man army... was completely wiped out?"

The scout lowered his head and dared not look directly at him, and said in a trembling voice: "Yes... The famous general of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, Kuokuo Timur, personally set up an ambush. Our army was caught off guard and suffered heavy losses..."

(End of this chapter)