I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 681: Sharing the Bright Moon Across the World

“On our grasslands, wolves are the most dangerous enemy of herders.

There is a type of wolf pack that is very dangerous. Their leader is very smart and cunning. He will command his wolves to take away the slower-running lambs, calves or foals, but not to kill them. Instead, he will leave them somewhere, and then the wolves will disperse and ambush them.

The injured animals would scream miserably, one after another, slowly attracting the distant ewes, cows or mares to the ambush circle, and then the wolves lying in ambush would rush forward and bite the fat ewes.

After listening to Huo Jing's explanation, Tian Le felt a little creepy.

"Are the wolves on the grassland so cunning?"

"Yes, but they are rare. The wolves on the grassland are cunning and ferocious, and are already difficult to deal with. Such a cunning wolf pack is simply a monster. I have only seen it once in all my years on the grassland.

When I was twelve years old, there was a group of wolves in the north of Yinshan Mountain. They ate cattle, sheep, and even people. In the end, they were out of control, so Altan Khan stepped in and gathered a thousand guards and cavalry to capture them.

Huo Bian, who was standing next to him, said, "At that time, Altan Khan ordered a thousand elite cavalrymen to hunt down the wolf pack. They chased them for more than ten days and let them escape several times.

Brother Qiejin happened to be a guest in the king's tent. After hearing about this, he volunteered to catch the wolf. Others laughed at him for overestimating his abilities. As a result, he led his men to the place where the wolves were active, and after searching for three days, he found a litter of wolf cubs.

Then they used the wolf cubs as bait, wounded them, and set up three ambushes far away. After waiting for a long time, the wolf pack could no longer bear it and rushed into the ambush circle, and then they were all hunted down. "

Tian Le said in surprise: "My lord, you are giving him a taste of his own medicine."

"Your words sound very profound, but I don't understand them. I only know that wolves can use such tactics, so why can't we?

It worked on the first try.”

Tian Le said happily, "Great! Originally I just wanted to rush to my city to lure the snake out of its hole. But in the end I ended up using the wolf pack hunting method.

In the past few days, when we captured Gancheng and Akesi cities, we had one cavalry regiment in the main attack, one cavalry regiment in the detailed attack, and one cavalry regiment hiding in the dark for maneuverability.

In both attacks, only six or seven thousand cavalry were mobilized, and they were under the banner of reinforcements requested by the Bukhara people.

Now that Myandgan and Aksi have been bled by us and have become the wounded lambs of Yarkand, I believe that some of the soldiers and civilians from the two cities who were driven out of the city have already rushed to Hasikhar and Yarkand to inform their masters.

Six or seven thousand cavalrymen of unknown origin will not make the Yarkand people feel intimidated. They will definitely send people to reinforce the Fernagan area.

I wonder how many sheep will come this time?"

Huo Jing thought for a moment and said, "To deal with the 6,000 to 7,000 cavalrymen of unknown origin, Yarkand may mobilize about 15,000 cavalrymen, so that they can be sure of victory.

According to the correspondence documents seized from Gancheng and Akesi, the area around Yilibali was the main source of cavalry for the Yarkand Kingdom, with approximately 20,000 cavalrymen.

Their leader, Abduhalin Khan, took away 20,000 cavalrymen, including 10,000 from Yarkand, Hasihar and other places, and 10,000 from Yilibali area.

There are still 10,000 cavalrymen in Yilibali. The Prime Minister of Yarkand who stayed behind will definitely give priority to the cavalrymen there, and then add the 5,000 cavalrymen from Hasihar and Yarkand."

Tian Le said admiringly: "You are a brilliant envoy. Before we set out, the emperor repeatedly emphasized that our mission is to contain the enemy. We must contain most of the troops of the Yarkand Kingdom, especially those in the Yilibali area, to reduce the pressure on the northern army.

Now we have penetrated into the heart of Yarkand, and have turned it upside down, forcing them to draw troops from everywhere. The troops from Yilibali were drawn here, but they were ambushed and annihilated by us, leaving them with a lack of troops, and it became much easier for the northern army to fight.

If we annihilate this reinforcement army from the Yarkand Kingdom, Abduhalin Khan, who is leading his troops to the east to attack Turpan, will have to return no matter what. "

Huo Jing's eyes flashed red in the bonfire, "Abduhalin Khan is the fattest sheep."

Huo Bian threw away the lamb leg bone he had just gnawed and wiped the oil from his mouth, "Brother Qiejin, you can't snatch this big fat sheep from me."

Huo Jing laughed, "Let's eat the first batch of reinforcements that will arrive in a few days first."

"It takes three or four days for a fast horse to get from here to Yarkand, and another five or six days for a fast horse to get from Yarkand to Yilibali. It looks like it will take at least half a month for the first group of fat sheep to be delivered to the wolf.

Fortunately, we have seized a lot of food and cattle and sheep in Amdegan and Akexi, so we can have enough food for one or two months. In one or two months, we may have been able to break into Yarkand City. "

Huo Jing said at the side: "Brother Han, now you understand why Mr. Tian insisted on killing all the nobles and officials in Gancheng and Axi City."

Huo Bian chuckled, "I understand, I understand everything. We want to take away all their food, cattle and sheep. We are sworn enemies. There is nothing to say. Just kill them all."

The three of them sat around the campfire, eating roasted lamb, drinking strong tea, and chatting and laughing.

The wilderness was very quiet, and the starry sky was like the sea under the moonlight, shimmering with countless sparkling waves. These lights were bright or dim, near or far, like countless diamonds inlaid on the walls of the mine.

The Milky Way crosses the sky, pushing the moon to the west. It is like a floating ribbon of light, as if connecting the past and the future, reality and fantasy. Staring at it, slowly, you have a dreamlike feeling.

Tian Le lay on the grass, looking at the starry sky above his head, with a lot of thoughts in his mind.

"Brother Zhongming, Brother Jingbian, have you two ever been to Xiyuan as a guest?"

Huo Jing and Huo Bian were lying on the grass nearby, holding straws in their mouths, also immersed in the starry sky.

"Yes, during the New Year, my brother and I went to the court to pay homage to the emperor, and were blessed by God to receive a banquet in the West Garden."

"Xiyuan, they say that there, one can experience the formlessness of the great way and the inaudibility of the great sound."

"What do you mean by invisible and silent?" Huo Jing asked, "But Xiyuan is indeed quiet, and the scenery is pleasing to the eye."

"The Great Way is formless, giving birth to the heaven and earth; the Great Way is emotionless, moving the sun and the moon; the Great Sound is silent, the highest virtue is like a valley; the Great Image is formless, the Way is hidden and nameless.

The emperor is the great way of our Ming Dynasty, and his words are invisible and silent."

Huo Jing and Huo Bian looked at each other. What the hell was Mr. Tian talking about?

"Zhongming, Jingbian, can you tell me about the banquet you were hosted by the emperor in Xiyuan?"

Huo Jing laughed, "What's there to say?"

Tian Le said, "I like this, I love to hear this, tell me about it, tell me about it."

"Old Tian, ​​after we finish this battle and return with the seal of the Khan of Yarkand, the emperor will surely give you a banquet in the West Garden. It will be better for you to visit in person than for us to say."

"My two brothers, war is unpredictable. We are isolated thousands of miles away and have watched us win several victories in a row, but we can't be sure when we will be defeated.

To be honest with you two brothers, the moment I left Lanzhou Jincheng, I had no intention of returning alive. A real man sacrifices his life for his country and repays the emperor’s kindness.”

Huo Jing looked at the clear starry sky and said happily: "Okay, Xizhi, I will tell you about the banquet given to my brother and me by the emperor in Xiyuan.

That day was the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month in the first year of the Wanli reign. The weather was fine and the two of us arrived at Xi'an Gate early. According to Mr. Wenchang, the emperor's rule was to go through Nanhua Gate for official business and through Xi'an Gate for banquets and private talks. The emperor clearly distinguished between official and private affairs.

Mr. Wenchang said again that the emperor was trusted by the whole world and it was difficult to distinguish between public and private affairs. We followed Mr. Wenchang and entered the West Garden under the leadership of Eunuch Qi Yanqi.

At this time, the West Garden was also moonlit and starry, and it was quiet and peaceful.

The leaves danced in the breeze, the insects chirped rhythmically, and the nightingales occasionally chirped like dancing companions. In the study room at the back of Yaohua Palace, Zhu Yijun was watching Xue Baoqin painting.

"Well, the Queen's painting of Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix is ​​really well-painted and full of charm. If I were asked to paint it, the most I could do would be to paint a picture of a divine bird eating rice."

"The picture of the divine bird eating rice?" Xue Baoqin put the pen on the pen holder and chuckled, "The emperor's divine bird is also unique, especially the halo on its head, which is already superb."

"Haha," Zhu Yijun couldn't help laughing.

Xue Baoqin took a bowl of Tremella and lotus seed soup from the palace maid, took two sips, and felt that it was just the right temperature, so she held it in both hands.

"Your Majesty, please have some Tremella and Lotus Seed Soup."

Zhu Yijun took it, sat on the chair and started eating.

Xue Baoqin watched from the side, staring at Zhu Yijun's every move, as if she could never see enough.

Zhu Yijun ate half a bowl, raised his head and asked, "Why is the Queen looking at me like that?"

"The emperor has been restless today, and only now has he calmed down. Is he worried about Luqixuan?"

"Shun Fei is due to give birth in these few days. She will give birth immediately. Whether it is a boy or a girl, it will be my first child, which is of great significance.

But I am not too worried about her. In the past few months, she has been accompanied by the female doctors of the obstetrics department of the Imperial Medical Office. At my suggestion, she walks around Beihai Lake twice a day. She looks very healthy, and the female doctors also say that the fetus in her belly is doing well.

The obstetrics department of the Imperial Physician's Office has also made all the necessary preparations. We have done everything we can, and now it all depends on God's will."

"Then the emperor is uneasy, what is he worried about?"

Zhu Yijun finished the white fungus and lotus seed soup in his bowl, put the bowl on the table next to him, and wiped his mouth with a towel.

"I have so many things to worry about all day long. Right now, I am most worried about two things. One is the Western Expedition. How are Qi Jiguang and the Huo brothers fighting in Jinshan and the Western Regions?
However, Qi Jiguang's northern army was still on its way westward, and it would probably take another month or two before it came into contact with the Wala tribe in Jinshan.

I believe in Qi Jiguang, and I also believe that the 150,000 soldiers of the Ming Dynasty can definitely conquer Jinshan in one battle and Tianshan in two battles.

I have instructed Qi Jiguang to remember to search carefully for the Dzungar and Dzungar tribes after he has destroyed the Oirat tribe. These two tribes were inherited by the descendants of Oirat Grand Master Yesen, and to find and send back the golden seals and white banners.

I sent officials to take these gold seals and white banners of the Oirat tribe, which were related to Grand Tutor Yesen, to Yuling to pay homage and tell Emperor Yingzong that I helped him to settle his troubles. "

Xue Baoqin picked up a crystal red cherry from the plate with her jade-like fingers and put it into Zhu Yijun's mouth.

"I know that the emperor is a good and filial grandson of our ancestors."

Zhu Yijun bit the cherry in his mouth and spat the pit into the copper basin with a "puff".

"I can't help it. I've been changing the ancestral rules a bit too much recently. I'm worried that they might be unhappy. I want to find a way to make them happy so that they won't come to me in my dreams."

Zhu Yijun leaned back in his chair, relaxed his whole body, and felt extremely comfortable.

Xue Baoqin lowered her head, picked out a beautiful cherry from a pile of ruby-like cherries with her fingers, and put it into Zhu Yijun's mouth.

As he chewed, he muttered, "The Western Expedition South Route Army should start fighting. They are a small army, they will fight if they can win, and run if they can't.

Huo Jing is as cunning as a fox, Huo Bian is as fierce as a tiger, and Tian Le is meticulous. If the three of them were to perform on the same stage, they would surely put on a splendid show for me.

Three arrows to conquer Tianshan!"

Zhu Yijun had just spit out the cherry pit when Xue Baoqin stuffed another one into his mouth.

"Well, is there anything else that I am worried about? By the way, Yang Jinshui said a few days ago that if you find a money tree, it will really be a money tree that will bring you a lot of money.

I asked him what the money tree was? This bastard actually kept me in suspense, saying that I had mentioned it to him at the beginning and he remembered it. Now it has matured and he wants to show it to me, but it is still a little short of the mark, so he should wait a few days before showing it to me.

This guy, I talked to him about everything. I don’t know how much we talked, so how can I remember him?

I have opened up many sources of income, but the Ming Dynasty is too big and money needs to be spent everywhere. I spend money like water. I think about increasing income day and night.

Porcelain, silk, tea, cotton, sugar, glass, Yang Jinshui explored the old three and new three of the maritime trade to the extreme. Yu Dayou led the Suzaku Navy to open up the markets of India and the Arab world.

They traveled thousands of miles across Southeast Asia and fought hard for more than a year, with the ultimate goal of bringing goods to the Ming Dynasty trading company.

So, throughout history, the ultimate goal of any event that involves a large number of people is to bring in goods.”

Xue Baoqin stuffed a very serious cherry into Zhu Yijun's mouth.

"Your Majesty, isn't there a fight in the southwest? Aren't you worried?"

"I just received an urgent report today that Yang Zhaolong has taken action against Sinan City. Once he took action, I felt relieved. The fish in Bozhou has taken the bait.

Wang Yi'e is an osprey, and his secretary Li Mingchun is also a fishing expert. Deng Zilong and Chen Lin don't know how to fish, but they are good at catching fish.

They are in the southwest, I have nothing to worry about. Yang Yinglong is not some rare genius, he is just a monkey who claims to be the king when there is no tiger in the mountain, and he is bold and reckless relying on the dangerous terrain in southern Sichuan and northern Guizhou. "

"Your Majesty, I have heard that Yang Yinglong is cunning and cruel, a venomous snake."

"So what if it's a poisonous snake? It's offering its weak spot to us, we'd be embarrassed if we don't do that. Great and Mighty Heavenly Dragon! I'm not even afraid of a thousand-year-old white snake, so why should I be afraid of a poisonous snake like him that can't even become powerful?"

As they talked, their voices were as gentle as the night outside the window.

The night sky was clear and the moonlight was like water, gently sprinkling on the window frames and on the garden outside, covering the flowers and trees with a layer of light silver gauze.

The shadows of the trees danced, swaying gently in the breeze, as if they had endless whispers to tell.

Thousands of miles away in Sinan City, Li Mingchun stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the silver-plate-like moon in the sky.

Two days have passed, why is there still no news?

After Yang Zhaolong withdrew from Sinan City the night before, he turned around and ran to Longquanpingsi, and went straight to Meitan County which led to Bozhou Xuanweishisi. He felt like his house was on fire and he was rushing back to put out the fire.

The rest of the news had not yet arrived, and there was chaos everywhere, with all kinds of news flying around, and it was impossible to tell the truth from the false.

"There's news!"

Ren Boan ran in hurriedly.

His voice alarmed everyone in the back yamen. Zhang Yong, Yang Piandao, Qiu Qizhuo and others rushed out of the room and asked in unison.

"what news?"

(End of this chapter)