Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 879 defection
Pang Qing instantly understood what shamelessness meant.

Even now, you, Li Zisheng, are still thinking about how to curry favor with your brother Lai Zhan?
"Master Dao, what you're doing is very inappropriate... You must have forgotten the old story of how Lan Yu went to war in the northern deserts and secretly harbored the Yuan Emperor's concubine, which led to his disgrace, and ultimately the confiscation of his family's property and the extermination of his clan?"

Pang Qing kindly offered this reminder.

The general idea is that it's best not to touch Tatar women.

Li Zisheng pouted and said, "Lan Yu provoked the concubines of the last emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. Now, times have changed. Look at them now, exposed to the wind and sun. Where is their pampered and gentle demeanor from before?"

"Besides, I'm not finding women for myself, I'm giving them away... Think about what kind of relationship Lai Zhan has with His Majesty? Let alone just picking some beauties for him to take back, even if I were to send him the princess of the Tatar prince, His Majesty wouldn't say anything."

"It's hard to guarantee that... the rabbit won't be killed after the hunt."

Pang Qing disagreed.

Li Zisheng waved his hand and laughed, "Then you don't understand His Majesty. The matter of 'the rabbit dies, the hound is cooked' might be true for other monarchs, but what a kind and benevolent person our His Majesty is?"

"Besides, how intelligent is Lai Zhan? He has seen through the secrets of heaven and long since ceased to contend with the world. Even the late emperor, who was very suspicious, would not have harbored any ill will towards him... That's what you call ability!"

"what!?"

Pang Qing thought to himself, "I almost forgot, not only have you been poisoned by your nephew, but you've also been poisoned by your good brother quite badly!"

In your eyes, he and his son are the epitome of perfect human beings.

But do such people really exist in this world?
Li Zisheng said, "This battle was really not satisfying. It was a complete rout, and the enemy didn't even have the slightest chance to fight back... Hey, I think there are some Tartars moving around over there... We've given them too much face. Send men to wipe them out immediately!"

Pang Qing quickly said, "Those are the people of the Taining tribe... They were the first to express their willingness to surrender to our Great Ming, and even submitted a petition expressing their willingness to obey your orders... It would be inappropriate for us to attack them so soon, wouldn't it?"

"Holy crap, what's over there?"

Li Zisheng then pointed to the other side.

“That’s the Duoyan Guard, it’s not appropriate…” Pang Qing said, “Didn’t we say we should hear the Second Young Master’s opinion? If he says to fight, then it’s not too late for us to fight! Besides, they seem to have no defenses against us now, they’re acting like they can take whatever they want from us, if we fight them… it would be against our principles!”

"The two enemy forces surrendered right under our noses? I never said I would accept their surrender."

Li Zisheng was somewhat exasperated. "They've all surrendered! What if that affects my war merits? I was hoping to use this to get a title and become a high-ranking official!"

Pang Qing said helplessly, "We can only start with the Tartars from the front! Look over there, that's the Chahar main force. We have to find a way to get the credit from them!"

"Just attack them!" Li Zisheng said angrily. "Go tell the people of the Doyan Three Guards that if they want to submit, they have to show some sincerity. If it helps defeat the enemy or allows them to retain their territory, they can become vassals of the Ming Dynasty in the future. Otherwise... we'll destroy them all, leaving them with nothing!"

……

……

The battlefield situation has undergone significant changes.

In other words, after the reinforcements led by Li Zi Province arrived, the peripheral forces on the grassland, especially the marginal tribes like the Doyan Three Guards, began to defect one after another.

For no other reason than to survive.

Previously, the Ming Dynasty sent more than 3,000 men to the grasslands, but they couldn't fight them. Later, they split their forces into one group of only 300 or 400 men, but they were still helpless.

What else can I do?
Just vote!
In any case, this was not the first or second time they had surrendered to the Ming Dynasty. From the very beginning of the Ming Dynasty, these border tribes on the grasslands had been engaging in all sorts of pretense and deception with the Ming.

The best course of action is to send the Ming army away as soon as possible. At worst, we can increase the tribute. In any case, the emperor of the Celestial Empire will reciprocate. Then, we can win their hearts and minds for a few years, without causing trouble or making a fuss. After a decade or so, we can have more people and then get back at them when internal strife breaks out in the Ming Dynasty!
The Doyan Three Guards were the first to join the Ming Dynasty's camp, and subsequently, some peripheral tribes moved towards Lizi Province.

The reason they all sought out Li Zi Province was because the Ming Dynasty's reinforcements were numerous, numbering nearly five thousand, and were equipped with advanced weaponry.

Logically speaking, the group arriving at this time should be a high-ranking official of the Ming Dynasty.

It was also because Zhang Yanling's group had been ruthless and cold-blooded, and they refused to negotiate with them... The main reason was that the difference in strength was too great, and even the Tatars felt that they lacked confidence in negotiating with Zhang Yanling.

The new arrivals seem to be larger and more like a "king's army," who will likely "preach benevolence and righteousness" to them and agree to their submission.

When they learned that the commander of this army was Li Zisheng, a powerful minister of the Ming Dynasty, the envoys who were surrendering rushed to the Ming army camp one after another, eager to surrender as soon as possible, fearing that if they surrendered too late, their territories would be divided up by other tribes that had surrendered earlier.

"Something's not right."

On the hilltop, Zhu Hui used binoculars to observe the movements of the troops under Li Zi Province.

At the same time, they were also observing the activity patterns of more than a dozen large and small Tatar tribes in the surrounding area.

Wang Shouren asked, "Is something wrong?"

Zhu Hui said, "It seems the Tartars don't want to fight anymore... Why are they all flocking over there? Did the Tartar prince send them to fight the newly arrived Ming army? It's already this late, and we still don't know who the commander of the reinforcements is..."

Many Tatar tribes now know that the Ming army has come from Lizi Province, but Wang Shouren's troops, which are blocked by the armies of many Tatar tribes, do not even know who came.

After quickly packing his things, Wang Shouren said coldly, "I'm going to see Qin Yun... Is there anything you want me to tell him?"

"no need."

Zhu Hui shook his head and smiled wryly, "You two can talk whatever you want, I won't bother you anymore. Speaking of which, this group of people is just here to steal the limelight... We've already done most of the hard work of charging into battle, are they just here to pick up the scraps?"

Wang Shouren had no interest in discussing the situation of this reinforcement with Zhu Hui, and instead led his men to Qin Yun's camp on his own.

……

……

Qin Yunjun.

At this moment, Qin Yun received an official notification from Zhang Yanling.

"General Wang."

When Qin Yun met Wang Shouren, he showed him great respect.

Over the past few days, he and his soldiers have gone from being arrogant towards Wang Shouren and Zhu Hui to viewing them as equals, and then gradually coming to accept them.

Wang Shouren and Zhu Hui's group may seem like a disorganized rabble, but they were, after all, veterans of continuous battles on the grasslands and long marches, and were equipped with the second-best firearms of the Ming Dynasty. They were also elite troops sent by Wang Yue... More importantly, Wang Shouren's abilities impressed Qin Yun.

As the commander, Qin Yun deeply felt that the two thousand men next door were absolutely essential to his victory, not just there to cause trouble or wait to die. Wang Shouren asked, "Is there any news of Zhang Guojiu?"

"Have."

Qin Yun did not hide anything and spoke frankly, "The troops that came to our aid are the newly appointed governor of Jizhou, Li Zisheng, who currently holds the title of Minister of Rites... His Majesty sent his troops out of Jizhou to inspect the old territories such as Daningwei, but unexpectedly he brought troops here instead."

Wang Shouren was relieved: "Indeed, it was imperial troops that came from Jizhou."

Qin Yun nodded: "In this way, all my forces are basically complete."

Wang Shouren asked, "Won't the imperial court send reinforcements from Datong and Xuanfu?"

"I have not heard any related news."

Qin Yun said, "But... if the situation changes, there might be, but right now..."

Wang Shouren sighed, "It seems that people in the court are not optimistic about this battle. However, given the current situation, the Ming Dynasty's annihilation of the enemy is a foregone conclusion, and it may happen in this battle."

"Yes."

Qin Yun also seemed very excited, saying with great enthusiasm, "The Uriyangkhai and other tribes in the eastern part of the grassland have already submitted their requests to Minister Li and are currently waiting for Zhang Guojiu to give final instructions. Next, we will unite all forces to defeat the main force of the Tatar Chahar in one fell swoop and completely pacify the grassland."

Wang Shouren found this quite strange.

It is understandable that the Doyan Three Guards submitted to the Ming Dynasty, and it is also reasonable for them to propose submission to Li Zisheng. Li Zisheng's acceptance was simply a matter of following the trend...

but--

Do we really have to wait for Zhang Guojiu's approval for this?

What kind of logic is that?
However, he immediately realized something.

The person who truly held sway over the emperor was none other than the young imperial uncle from the Zhang family, who secretly orchestrated everything.

Wang Shouren asked, "Where is the main force of the Tatar central army? When will the battle begin? What are the specific tactics to follow? What do you need us to do?"

As the questions came one after another, Qin Yun was taken aback.

Clearly, Wang Shouren was concerned with the overall strategy of the war, which is different from someone like him who was content with his own corner of the country and only cared about the immediate situation.

"Everything depends on the Second Young Master's specific instructions."

Qin Yun shrugged.

Wang Shouren sighed: "The war should not be delayed; it should be resolved quickly, otherwise things will change."

Qin Yun said, “General Wang, I know you are anxious, but being anxious won’t help. There are huge rifts within the grassland tribes now. If we talk about a quick victory at this time, we need to find the right opportunity. Just like the Tatars won’t just wait for us to attack… there will be a tug-of-war between the two sides.”

Although Wang Shouren did not quite agree with Qin Yun's statement, he still nodded helplessly: "That's true. We don't have a complete advantage in terms of troop strength and power. The Tatars still have a chance to win this battle."

Qin Yun blinked, puzzled, and asked, "Is there still a possibility of our army being defeated? Then, in your opinion, where are our weaknesses in this battle, and how should we overcome them?"

Wang Shouren shook his head and said, "Actually, we have done very well now. It's like when the Three-Border Commander-in-Chief, Wang Zhongcheng, led his troops into the grasslands, the Tatars never intended to engage in direct combat."

"On the contrary, here, Zhang Guojiu put on the posture of the weak, making the Tatars think that they had an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, so that they gathered their troops here to seek a decisive battle. As a result, the entire army became too big to handle after it was assembled, and it was difficult to withdraw in a hurry... This is the brilliance of Zhang Guojiu."

Wang Yue may not have brought a large army into the grasslands, but because he was already very famous and had more than 20,000 troops under his command, he defeated the Tatars in a direct confrontation, and the Tatars subsequently dealt with him through guerrilla warfare.

But in Wang Shouren's opinion, Wang Yue did not actually do anything wrong.

Leading troops to pacify the grasslands, with auxiliary troops totaling 20,000, is that a lot?
We must always know when to advance and when to retreat, right?
We have to ensure logistical support, right?
Even if he loses, he must at least ensure the safe return of his troops to the Ming Dynasty, right? He must also ensure that he is not criticized by the court for negligence after the war, right?
Because Wang Yue always had a politician's mindset, he couldn't do what Zhang Yanling did: lead three or four thousand men into the grasslands, even dividing his forces and creating small, mobile groups... This made the Tatars think that the commander of this Ming army had gone mad, or that the Ming's purpose in leaving the pass was not to eliminate them, but merely to interfere and train their troops...

The Tatars made a major miscalculation, so they gathered their forces and ultimately trapped themselves.

Qin Yun said, "The Tatars could have returned to their respective territories."

"impossible."

Wang Shouren sighed, “The battle with Wang Zhongcheng north of Yinshan has severely damaged the morale of the Tatars. Now that they have gathered here, and are outmatched in battle, they are retreating. What prestige will the Tatar prince have left on the grasslands?”

"Moreover, winter has already arrived, and the Tatars have wasted their resources and manpower on this war. If they lose this battle, it means they will not be able to survive the winter. Even worse, if they choose to retreat, it means that from now on Zhang Guojiu's troops can run rampant on the grasslands, and what awaits them will only be annihilation."

Even if they gather together, they can't defeat a small, scattered force. Can they win by retreating to their own territory?
Zhang Yanling could even divide his forces into ten routes and sweep across the grasslands.

Even if some routes encounter problems and there are some losses, the majority of the troops will be able to move freely.

At that time, the various tribes of the grasslands would surrender even faster... After all, without Batumonke's restraint, who would care about face and dignity?

All I want is to survive.

If surrender and fighting to the death are the only two options, who would put their tribe in such a precarious situation?
Qin Yun smiled and said, "General Wang, you are a scholar with foresight and wisdom. I am not capable of discussing matters with you, but if you meet the Second Young Master, I think you can become close friends. His abilities are truly unparalleled in my life."

Wang Shouren sighed, “A man whom even Wang Weining admires truly seems to be the hope of the Ming Dynasty. I do not believe I am capable of comparing myself to him. I only hope to participate in the battle to pacify the grasslands, which would be enough to make my life worthwhile.”

"Since you've said that, why didn't you wait until the Second Young Master had completed the entire plan and issued the order before you came?" Qin Yun said.

Wang Shouren said, "I would like to pay him a visit."

Qin Yun said, "The situation is too chaotic right now, and it is too difficult to meet with you, especially since you are in charge of your troops to deliver the final blow."

Wang Shouren lamented, "If we meet again after the war, the passionate spirit of our wartime meeting will be lost, and I will be unable to understand his true thoughts. This may become a lifelong regret for me. Besides, General Zhu is in charge of the army, so I don't have much to worry about."

"No."

Qin Yun directly refused this time, saying, "Under such circumstances, it would be too risky to try to cross the Tatar defenses. All we can do now is wait for the Second Young Master to give us specific instructions."

"How did you contact me? Can I go with the contact person? I don't mind the trouble."

Wang Shouren was very persistent.

Qin Yun still smiled and shook his head: "The specific contact method cannot be disclosed to outsiders, and you wouldn't understand even if I did. This is the result of more than half a year of training, using only professionals. Even I don't understand the tricks of the trade; I'm only responsible for translation and understanding the final intention! You'd better not think about meeting them."

(End of this chapter)