I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 95: Enemies in Liuhe
In March of the 44th year of the Jiajing reign, the area 200 miles north of Zunhua was outside the border.

There are rolling hills and green grass here. It is the season of late spring and early summer.

A convoy of cars moved slowly along the winding road.

The convoy consisted of about a hundred vehicles, half of which were vans and the other half were carts, which were piled high with packages of goods.

There were about four to five thousand coachmen, servants, and escorting officers and soldiers.

Qi Jiguang was wearing the armor of an ordinary officer, riding a war horse, and walking inconspicuously in the middle of the team.

The sound of horse hooves came from behind, and soon a good horse galloped up, then slowed down and walked side by side with Qi Jiguang.

The visitor was also wearing ordinary officer armor, was not tall, and had a slightly dark complexion.

"General."

Qi Jiguang nodded and replied, "Shichen, have you checked everything?"

"Replying to the commander-in-chief, I have checked everything and all the troops are on high alert."

The man was Zhang Yuanxun, a lieutenant general of the new army camp, from Taizhou, who passed the imperial examination at the age of 15. His father was killed in the fight against Japanese pirates, so he joined the army to avenge his father, and he made many military achievements in the war against Japanese pirates, quickly becoming famous.

Later, he was transferred to the Marine Corps by Hu Zongxian and became a general under Qi Jiguang.

When Qi Jiguang was transferred north, he took him with him, and then he served as the lieutenant general of the new army camp.

"Okay." Qi Jiguang looked forward, raised his whip and pointed ahead, saying, "The Baima River is ahead. After crossing the Liu River there, we will enter the territory of the Khara-Wusu tribe."

"General, will Xin Ai come?"

Qi Jiguang turned his head and looked at Zhang Yuanxun, pointing his whip at the long convoy of carriages in front and behind, and said, "More than a hundred carriages are loaded with property given by the court to the leader of the Khara-Wusu tribe, Dong Huli, and the imperial edict appointing him as the commander.

Do you think Xin Ai will come and snatch it?"

Zhang Yuanxun thought for a moment and said, "The Kharawusu tribe is part of the Duoyan Guard, and its territory is located between the Kharachin tribe and the Chahar tribe, so it is very important.

The leader Dong Huli is said to be brave and resourceful, and is well-known in the Luanhe River area. If he joins the Ming Dynasty, the situation outside the pass north of Jizhou Town will change, and Xin Ai, who is closest to him, will definitely be restless.

General, if Xin Ai sent troops to rob our caravan, wouldn't that offend both the Kharawusu tribe and the Ming Dynasty? It might even lead to Dong Huli joining forces with the Ming Dynasty to attack the Kharachin tribe together."

Qi Jiguang shook his head: "Dong Hu will not join forces with the Ming Dynasty to attack the Kharachin tribe."

"why?"

"Because Dong Huli had been secretly colluding with Xin Ai for a long time and became Xin Ai's lackey. At the end of last year, Xin Ai married one of her sisters to Dong Huli. But both sides kept this a secret and kept it a secret."

"what!"

Zhang Yuanxun's face changed.

Dong Huli and Xin Ai have been secretly colluding for a long time, so why are we sending gifts and imperial edicts to the Khara Usu tribe?

Isn't this a sheep walking into a wolf's mouth?
Just as he was about to speak, he heard the sound of horse hooves from the front, and four Yebushou came galloping towards him.

He ran up to him, bowed and reported: "General, a large group of cavalry was found north of Liuhe River, crossing the river and heading south."

"How many people? How far away are they from us?"

"About five thousand riders, about an hour's ride from us."

Qi Jiguang looked up at the sky. The sun was high in the sky, around noon!
"Pass the order down, the entire army must continue to march, and must reach the Stone Mountain beside the Liu River within an hour."

"Yes!"

Santunying is the headquarters of the general's mansion of Jizhou Town.

A team of cavalry came rushing over and stopped outside the Acropolis. The garrison officer stepped forward to check the badges and documents, then turned around and went in to report.

After waiting for a quarter of an hour, an officer and several followers rode out hurriedly, bowed to a scholar in the cavalry and said, "Mr. Wenchang, General Tan is waiting for you." "Okay!"

The group entered the Acropolis gate, walked through the dusty dirt road, and arrived at the gate of the general's mansion.

Xu Wei dismounted, threw the reins to the guard, and followed the officer into the mansion in a hurry.

Walking through the halls and corridors, he arrived at the signing room. Tan Lun, wearing a scarlet official robe, was walking around the room anxiously with his hands behind his back.

Seeing Xu Wei come in, he hurried forward and took his hands as he bowed.

"Mr. Wenchang, you're welcome. I've been waiting for you."

The two sat down, and after the servant brought hot tea and left, Tan Lun went straight to the point.

"General Qi and Lieutenant General Zhang led 6,000 new troops out of Malanyu Pass and headed north along the road. It is estimated that they have reached Baimachuan, near the Liuhe River."

Xu Wei frowned slightly. "After crossing the Liu River and heading north, we will reach the territory of the Khara-Wusu tribe. If Xin Ai wants to take action, he will probably do so south of the Liu River. So, General Qi may have encountered an enemy now?"

Tan Lun answered anxiously, "Yes! Now the 6,000 new troops led by General Qi and Lieutenant General Zhang are like kites with their strings cut, flying outside the Great Wall, their lives or deaths hanging in the balance.

Mr. Wenchang, Yuan Jing and his men’s expedition this time has made me very nervous. I have never been so nervous in the previous battles against the Japanese in the southeast, no matter how dangerous they were.”

Xu Wei also sighed and nodded to show his understanding.

"As we fight the Japanese pirates in the southeast, we become more and more confident. The Japanese pirates are nothing special. But the northern barbarians are our first time to fight, so we are not sure.

In the southeast, we are suppressing the Japanese pirates. The sea is vast. It is difficult for us to find the Japanese pirates. It is also difficult for the Japanese pirates to find us. It is different in the desert outside the Great Wall. The vast grassland is the home of the northern barbarians. It is difficult for us to find them. It is easy for the northern barbarians to find us. "

Tan Lun glanced at Xu Wei and added, "Mr. Wenchang, there is another reason that you don't want to reveal."

Xu Wei stroked his beard and sighed, "I know, it's His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

This plan was vigorously promoted by Your Highness. When you summoned us to discuss matters last time and proposed this plan, neither you nor I agreed, thinking it was too risky. Yuan Jing agreed and even volunteered to lead troops out of the pass as bait.

If they lost this battle, it would not only be the annihilation of Yuan Jing and his 6,000 new troops. Once the news of the defeat was reported back to the capital, the civil officials and censors would investigate and find that Zi Li would be charged with the two crimes of sending troops without authorization and provoking border conflicts.

But don't worry, His Royal Highness will not shirk his responsibility."

Tan Lun waved his hands and said firmly: "The military order was issued by me, the Governor of Ji and Liao. I, Tan Zili, am not irresponsible enough to need His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to help me share the responsibility.

I, Tan Ziri, took on all the responsibilities. Life or death was no longer a consideration when I issued the military order.

The emperor of the Ming Dynasty guards the national border! What he guards is a shame! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's words struck me hard like a morning bell.

When the lord is worried, the minister is humiliated; when the lord is humiliated, the minister dies!
Breaking the Ming Dynasty’s century-old fate begins with me, Tan Lun.

If Qi Yuanjing and I fail this time, Wenchang, you, Ruzhen, Renfu (Liu Tao), and Zizhong (Cao Bangfu) succeed in the northern expedition and no longer let the emperor of the Ming Dynasty guard the national gate, remember to offer sacrifices to me and Yuanjing! "

Xu Wei's eyes were filled with tears. He held Tan Lun's hand. He had a thousand words to say, but they were all stuck in his throat and he couldn't utter a single word.

"Report!"

An officer was reporting at the door.

Tan Lun rushed over, opened the door, and asked loudly, "What's the matter?"

"The border sentry tower discovered that there were three plumes of black smoke rising from the direction of Baimachuan!"

Tan Lun took a deep breath, and his expression became extremely grim at that moment: "Okay, General Qi has encountered the enemy.

"Order all the generals to come to the front hall to discuss matters immediately. In less than a moment, I will sacrifice his head!"

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)