I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 388: Following His Highness to this inn!

After Yang Jinshui left the Qinzheng Hall and went to Gao Gong's house, Zhu Yijun sat on the chair for a while, sorted out the things in his mind, turned around and asked Qi Yan: "When was Mr. Wenchang originally scheduled to be summoned?"

"Your Highness, after the afternoon break, at two o'clock."

"Now that you are free, ask someone to invite him over."

"Yes."

After Zhu Yijun finished his instructions, he stood in front of a screen, on which hung a map of the Northeast with small stickers marking the latest enemy and friendly situation.

He stood in front of the map and looked at it for half an hour, then gently patted the Luju River in the east of the Khalkha tribe with his right hand.

"This is it!"

Zhu Yijun turned around and returned to his desk, glanced at the neatly arranged memorials, picked up the top memorial list, read it through, and then began to review it.

An hour later, Qi Yan walked to the door with Xu Wei, who was dressed in official uniform.

"Your Highness, Xu Wei has arrived."

"please!"

Xu Wei took a few steps forward and knelt down in front of the desk.

"I, Xu Wei, the Minister of War, pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"Mr. Wenchang, please stand up."

After inviting Xu Wei to sit down and serving him tea, Zhu Yijun said, "Something went wrong during the Taiji Hall meeting this morning, so we ended it early. Since you have nothing to do here, I invited you to come here early."

"I have been at the post station at any time."

"Well, the battle in Liaodong is over. I have never understood why Tumen Khan wanted to move to Liaodong. If he had this strategy, why was he driven out of his old place by Altan Khan and moved east to the Liaohe River and Heishan area?"

"In reply to your Highness, I have already investigated the matter.

According to people close to Tumen Khan, Tumen Khan had been trapped by our army's cautious advances and siege on three sides, and he could not come up with a good strategy no matter how hard he thought.

One day he got very drunk and suddenly had an idea to ask a shaman for help.

The shaman performed a long dance and then told Tumen Khan that the Chahar tribe's chance of survival lay in the east, and asked him to act in secrecy and not reveal the secret.
So Tumen Khan spent three months moving the main force of the Chahar tribe eastwards under various pretexts such as hunting and hunting down horse bandits. He also said he was going to inspect the Khalkha tribe, but halfway through the journey he turned back eastwards.

After hearing Xu Wei's answer, Zhu Yijun shook his head: "Things on the battlefield change rapidly and are often beyond people's expectations."

"Yes, Your Highness. This is how the battlefield works. As Your Highness said before, victory or defeat is often determined by which side of the battle makes a mistake."

"Okay. Tumen Khan's sudden idea of ​​such a move has brought us a huge threat.

At one point I was prepared for the possibility of losing Liaodong, but fortunately, with the blessing of my ancestors and the dedication of my fellow soldiers, I was able to escape danger. I was able to defeat the main force of the Chahar tribe in one fell swoop, seize its royal tent and lair, and annihilate the main force of the Haixi Jurchens in one fell swoop.

Our military plan for the eastward attack can be completed two or three years ahead of schedule."

Xu Wei replied respectfully: "It was all because of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's foresight and his wise decision to attack the east and make peace with the west. He then took every step carefully and guided me to implement the military strategy, which led to this great victory."

Zhu Yijun laughed and said, "You make it sound like this is all my own achievement!
But I know my own strengths and weaknesses. I can make a strategic plan, but if I really need to respond to the battle on the front line, I am not as good as you.

This great victory in Liaodong was won with the blood and lives of Zhou Guotai, Qi Jiguang, Tan Lun, you, Mr. Wenchang, Li Chengliang, Wei Xuezeng, Wei Jianping and Gao Ce, and tens of thousands of soldiers. "

Xu Wei's eyes were red, and he knelt on the ground, saying loudly: "Your Highness is wise. Thousands of soldiers in Liaodong fought bloody battles to repay Your Highness's grace and to comfort the people's expectations."

Zhu Yijun continued in a clear voice.

"The rewards for this battle have not yet been decided. We are waiting for Mr. Wenchang to represent the frontline soldiers and report back to the Rong government in detail about the battle situation. After the Supervisory Office has made a decision, we can announce it to the whole country.

The Ming Dynasty will reward the soldiers who have made contributions to the country with titles, official ranks, and gold and silver money! As for the soldiers who died in battle, we will choose a place with green mountains and clear waters, bury them solemnly, build a shrine for heroes, and hold sacrifices in spring and autumn, so that future generations will remember everything they have done for the Ming Dynasty. "

Xu Wei's eyes were filled with tears, and his voice was hoarse with excitement. In the past, emperors had never treated meritorious soldiers so favorably, giving them all the titles, official ranks, money, fame and honor they could without hesitation.

"On behalf of the soldiers of the Liaodong Army, I would like to thank His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for his grace!"

Zhu Yijun reached out his hand and helped Xu Wei up. "Mr. Wenchang, accompany me for a walk. I have asked the kitchen in the West Garden to prepare lunch. After walking around twice, it will be just in time. Accompany me to have lunch."

Xu Wei quickly said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

The two walked slowly along the tree-lined path by the lake.

Zhu Yijun was wearing a vermilion robe with a round collar and a dragon pattern, and a Yishan crown. He was half a head taller than Xu Wei, with his hands in his sleeves, walking slowly in front.

Xu Wei followed closely behind, half a step behind.

"Now Tumen Khan has fled to the Khalkha tribe?"

"Yes, Your Highness. According to reliable information, Tumen Khan led more than 3,000 remnants to the west to the Khalkha tribe.

General Qi deployed two armies. Li Chengliang, the general of Liaodong, led 35,000 light cavalry from the Uruxu River to the north, crossed the Raknor Gobi Desert, and headed northwest directly to the Luju River (Kerulen River), which was the only way for Tumen Khan to flee westward to the Khalkha tribe.

Another route was led by Xiao Wenkui, the general of Liaoxi, who led 30,000 infantry and 20,000 cavalry. Relying on wagons, they set out from Tongliao City, crossed the Uruxu River, and headed north along the west of Heishan Mountain.

According to the latest news, Xiao Wenkui's vanguard found traces of the remnants of Tumen Khan in the area of ​​the Halaha River, east of Buyuer Lake. As predicted by the ministers, they went westward from the Yudai River area between Buyuer Lake and Xuanming Pool into the Luju River basin.

Xiao Wenkui dispatched light cavalry to bite the tail of Tumen Khan, and also sent a scout team westward to contact Li Chengliang's troops, preparing to attack from both sides. "

"It's hard to find someone in the vast grassland."

"Your Highness, our cavalry has flares. The scouts will head west, firing one flare each morning and evening. They will be visible within a hundred miles.

Our army is the only one on the grassland that has this signal flare, so we can recognize it at a glance. When the time comes, Li Chengliang will send someone to follow the direction and we will definitely meet."

Zhu Yijun nodded: "Technology has indeed changed a lot. After defeating Tumen Khan and conquering the left wing of Mongolia, we will continue with our previous military strategy and build cities along the river.

Luan River, Huang River, Tu River, Xiliao River, Tar River (Zhaoer River), Halaha River, and Lujuma River, we built castles along the rivers on the grassland.

Where there is a castle, there are our Ming Dynasty garrisons and flags. With this as the node, we form chains, and the chains form a net, encircling the grassland and the herdsmen on it.

Head west all the way to the end of the world!"

Build castles along the rivers and move forward river by river. The Russians used this tactic to move eastward, cross the Ural Mountains, and conquer tens of thousands of kilometers of territory. Now I want to make the Ming Dynasty move westward.

Xu Wei was filled with passion when he heard this: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is a man of great talent and wisdom. Under your command, the Ming cavalry and infantry are marching forward with banners flying, expanding territory and strengthening the Ming Dynasty forever."

Zhu Yijun turned to look at Xu Wei: "My wish is that wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever the rivers flow, all belong to Han territory! Didn't the Western barbarians say that our world is a sphere, with the sun and moon revolving around it, which is why there is a cycle of day and night.

Then let the places where the sun and the moon shine shall be the territories of our glorious Ming Dynasty!"

All that the sun and the moon shine upon is Han territory!

The ancients only wrote this in books, but Your Highness is going to make it happen.

What a boldness!
Xu Wei was so agitated by Zhu Yijun's words that he was almost unable to control himself.

Zhu Yijun stopped, looked at the clear blue sky and the sparkling lake, and said without looking back: "Life is like a journey, and I am just a passerby.

Mr. Wenchang, since you and I were born here together, we should work hard to build a vast territory for the Ming Dynasty and its people, so that generations will no longer have to worry about land.

He has accomplished unprecedented feats and will be remembered for eternity. "

Xu Wei looked at Zhu Yijun's back, which was gleaming in the sunlight, and said firmly with red eyes: "I swear to follow Your Highness till death, and come to this inn!"

(End of this chapter)