The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 208: Dai Wangfu Collaborates with the Enemy and Sells Out the Country
Datong Town is the place where the northern barbarians caused the most trouble.

Since the Zhengtong period of Emperor Yingzong, Datong Town has been invaded countless times.

During the Jiajing period, Datong Town was captured by Altan Khan. Both the general and the deputy general were killed in the battle, and all the elite border troops were wiped out.

The current area of ​​Datong Town is actually less than half of what it was during the Hongwu period.

During the Hongwu Dynasty, the Qiantao Plain and the Houtao Plain, including the grazing areas of the current Kalachin and Chahar tribes, were actually under the jurisdiction of Datong Town.

Since the Zhengtong reign of Emperor Yingzong, most of the territory has been seized by the northern barbarians in the past hundred years. This shows how badly Datong Town was beaten by the northern barbarians.

In the later period of history, the Ming Dynasty was unable to fight back and could only allow itself to be bullied by the northern barbarians.

However, things are different now.

Under Wanli's aggressive military policy, the Beijing army became powerful again, and the border garrisons were gradually replenished. The Ming Dynasty was about to launch a counterattack against the northern barbarians.

On the second day of the sixth lunar month, just after noon, a thunderous sound of horse hooves was heard from the east of Datong Acropolis.

The cavalry of the Shenwu Camp and the light cavalry of the Imperial Guards came galloping like a giant, winding and circling dragon, and the ground was shaking.

In the past, such a large number of cavalry must have been from the Northern Tartars. When the civilians of Datong Town heard the terrifying sound of hooves, they would be so scared that they would quickly hide in the mountains. The border troops would also quickly pick up their weapons and climb up the city walls, ready to fight the Northern Tartars to the death.

At this moment, the civilians of Datong Town were filled with joy when they saw the endless cavalry. The border army garrison had already cleared out a huge camp under the leadership of General Ma Gui, ready to welcome the emperor.

Tens of thousands of cavalrymen poured into the enclosed camp, and Wanli also rode his horse to Ma Gui and a group of border army generals.

After the emperor and his ministers exchanged greetings, Wanli couldn't wait to dismount and enter the shed that Ma Gui had ordered built.

Water is also provided here, but it is boiled water, not cold at all.

He drank several cups in a row, but the sweat kept coming out.

Upon seeing this, Ma Gui quickly ordered his personal guards to bring a few large palm-leaf fans and fan him and Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan vigorously.

Wanli took the towel handed to him by Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan and wiped his sweat. He then let out a long sigh and said kindly, "General Ma, don't you make money by cutting ice in the winter?"

Uh, this.

The Emperor must have fainted from the heat, as he actually asked this.

Ma Gui sighed slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I have heard Yikui and the others mention making money by chiseling ice, but unfortunately, not many people here use ice, and shipping it to the capital is too far. We can't even make back the shipping costs, so I won't order anyone to waste time digging ice cellars."

Well, Datong Town is indeed a bit poor.

Because most of the farmland here has been annexed by the Dai Wangfu, except for the military farms, almost all of it belongs to the Dai Wangfu, and there is very little farmland for the people.

Since ordinary people have no money, the ice naturally cannot be sold.

However, things are about to change dramatically here.

Wanli nodded slightly, then asked, "How is it going? Has the Northern Tartars made any moves in the past two days?"

Ma Gui shook his head repeatedly and said, "No, at least there's been no activity from the Northern Barbarian tribes within a hundred miles of Xuandewei, Tucheng, Maoerzhuang, and Liangmatai. I can't send scouts to investigate further afield."

Very good, they did not play by the rules, and the Northern Tartars really couldn't react.

The next step is to collect food and supplies.

Wanli looked at the towering walls of Datong City and asked, "General Ma, are the grain carts ready?"

Ma Gui nodded repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty, Datong Town's five thousand grain carts are ready and all on the parade ground in the city."

Fifty thousand border troops are equipped with five thousand grain carts. This is the standard configuration. Dong Yikui had already explained it to him yesterday.

Wanli nodded slightly, then asked, "Has there been any movement in the Dai Palace these past two days?"

Dai Wangfu?
Why are you asking me this?
Ma Gui said somewhat awkwardly, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. The affairs of the Dai Palace are not under my jurisdiction. I really don't know what they are doing."

Okay, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know, someone else will know.

Wanli thought for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "You go back to the city and guard it. I'll send someone to find you if I need anything. Remember, don't tell anyone that I'm here, including the officers and guards you brought with you."

What does this mean?
Ma Gui was quite puzzled, but he still quickly bowed and said, "I obey your order."

Next, the cavalry of the Shenwu Camp and the light cavalry of the Imperial Guards began to set up camp and rest.

They ran seven or eight hundred miles in two days and were really tired. The horses also needed rest, which seemed normal.

However, things got a little weird at night.

As soon as night fell, Luo Sigong arrived at the camp with several thousand secret guards.

The next morning, something even more unusual happened. The cavalry from the Shenwu Camp actually sent out scouts to investigate everywhere.

It would have been fine if they had been exploring north, but this time their target seemed to be the Tumed tribe in the northwest. The problem was, the scouts from the Shenwu Camp weren't just exploring north, they were exploring east, west, south, and north. Several teams even passed through Taiyuan Prefecture and headed for Pingyang Prefecture.

Pingyang Prefecture is thousands of miles away from Datong Town, and it would take two or three days to get there by horseback riding.

What are they going to do?
The remnants of the three major families in Puzhou were all a little confused.

The cavalry from the Beijing camp had all come to their territory, so they naturally had to secretly monitor their every move.

The question is, they really don’t understand why the scouts of the Shenwu Camp went to Pingyang Prefecture.

They couldn't possibly stay in Pingyang Prefecture waiting for the Shenwu Camp cavalry to catch them, and the Shenwu Camp scouts didn't seem to be looking for them.

These 90,000 cavalrymen rested in the camp outside Datong City for three days. On the afternoon of the fourth day, the food carts and artillery carts of the Shenji Camp arrived, but they still seemed to have no intention of heading north.

On the morning of the fifth day, at about 1 a.m., just as the sky was getting light, Ma Gui was summoned to the camp outside the city.

He thought Wanli was preparing to attack.

Who would have thought that when he rode his horse to the camp, tens of thousands of imperial guards were waiting in neat rows on horseback, and did not dismantle the tents.

At this time, Wanli, Imperial Noble Consort Qin Lan, and a group of officers from the Beijing camp were already waiting on horseback.

After the emperor and his ministers exchanged greetings, Wanli waved his hand and said, "General Ma, take me into the city and to the general's office."

what?
You've been here for a few days and haven't been into the city. Why do you suddenly want to go into the city today?

Ma Gui is so confused.

He was stunned for a moment, then quickly turned his horse around and rushed towards the city with Wanli and his entourage.

After entering the city's general's office, Wanli went straight to the main hall and took the main seat. He then arranged the officers of the Beijing Camp and the Datong Town Border Army to form a line, and then announced in a loud voice, "The prince is here to see me."

Prince Dai Zhu Naixuan was also puzzled.

He had no idea Wanli was coming.

How come the eunuch suddenly came to convey the oral order for him to go and see the emperor?
The eunuch who came to deliver the oral order was Li Xuancheng, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, the seal holder of the Imperial Horse Department, and the governor of the Eastern Depot.

It was rumored that this was the uncle of the current emperor, and he couldn't help but believe it.

He had no choice but to hastily order his men to tidy up his appearance, and then he took his guards and got on a sedan chair to rush to the general's office.

The Datong City Wall is not very big, and the Prince of Dai's Palace and the General's Office are both in the middle of the city, not very far away.

When it was almost dawn, he had already arrived at the general's office.

This guy has so many imperial guards!

When Prince Dai Zhu Naixuan saw the imperial guards filling the streets and courtyards, he couldn't help but tremble in his heart.

What is the little emperor going to do?
He walked tremblingly to the main hall of the government office, bowed respectfully and said, "My humble servant pays respect to His Majesty."

When Wanli took a look, he found that this guy looked even older than Li Shizhen.

According to the list of vassal states, Prince Dai Zhu Naixuan seemed to be only in his fifties, which was definitely the result of his extreme extravagance.

He took a quick look and then said coldly, "Prince Dai, tell me the truth. How many rebels from the three great families of Puzhou are hiding in your vassal state?"

what?
Upon hearing this, Prince Dai Zhu Naixuan was so frightened that his calves trembled and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Can such a thing be admitted?
He gritted his teeth and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, I did not harbor the traitors from the three great families of Puzhou."

You're not honest, are you?

Wanli snorted coldly: "Where did you get the tens of millions of acres of land in the Dai Palace? Do you think I don't know?
What are you going to do with all this grain you grow for the three great families in Puzhou? Do you think I don't know?

Do you think I don't know why the Tumed, Kharchin and Doyan three guards joined forces to attack Datong Town last year?
I ask you again, how many rebels from the three great families of Puzhou are hiding in your vassal state?"

Can I say it?

I can't say anything even if you hit me.

What's more, I am a royal prince, and you may not dare to hit me.

Dai Wang Zhu Naixuan trembled all over and said, "Your Majesty, I really did not harbor the rebels from the three great families of Puzhou."

Do you think it will be okay if you don’t say it?

Wanli shouted coldly: "Come here, arrest this traitor who has colluded with the enemy and betrayed his country."

(End of this chapter)