The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 337 Tumen Khan is dead

A lot happened in the winter of the 18th year of Wanli's reign.

The birth of Crown Prince Zhu Changxun was just one of them.

A major event that could influence the course of history also occurred on the grasslands outside the Great Wall, but it would take some time for the news to reach the Central Plains.

Winter passed and spring came, and in the blink of an eye it was the first month of the 19th year of the Wanli reign.

The New Year comes in the first month of the lunar year, and every household lights red lanterns.

The streets and alleys of the capital were filled with laughter and joy, and the palace was even more festive.

Wanli spent a lively New Year's Day with his concubines, princes and princesses, and then began to think about the issue of Japan.

Early in the morning on the 16th day of the first lunar month, around noon, he came to the Qianqing Palace and walked towards the side hall where maps were placed.

At this time, Qi Jiguang was already waiting at the door of the side hall.

After the emperor and his ministers exchanged greetings, he led Qi Jiguang into a side hall, took out a few maps, and placed them on a large table. He then solemnly asked, "How about it, Yuan Jing, have you thought of a plan to lure the enemy?"

Qi Jiguang nodded slightly, then pointed to the map of Korea, his vassal state, and explained in detail: "Your Majesty, the strategy of luring the enemy is to pretend to be defeated and lure the enemy deep into our territory.

Therefore, the cavalry of the Shenwu Camp cannot attack first. If the cavalry of the Shenwu Camp rushes forward, more than 100,000 or 200,000 Japanese pirates will probably not be able to withstand it. Once we defeat more than 100,000 or 200,000 Japanese pirates in one fell swoop, they will definitely flee back and defend to the death.

The cavalry cannot go up first, and the Japanese pirates' chariot formation is difficult to break through. We can only mobilize tens of thousands of infantry to help our vassal state, Korea, defend the city.

As defenders of the city, we cannot just run away when we see the Japanese pirates attacking. We still need to prepare more rolling stones, wooden slings, and other things, and we also need to release some arrows. Anyway, we need to make the Japanese pirates feel that we are evenly matched, and they can capture us as long as they send more troops.

As long as they send more troops, we will pretend to be defeated and go to the next city to organize more infantry to garrison it. The Japanese pirates will have to dispatch more troops to attack the city, otherwise they will fail.

In this way, as we continue to retreat, the number of Japanese pirates will increase, and our army will penetrate deeper and deeper into Korea. Once we lead them to the northernmost part of Korea, we can consider closing in."

Your strategy is good, but you haven't considered one issue.

Wanli thought for a moment and then reminded: "Yuan Jing, at this moment, the Japanese have actually threatened their vassal state, Korea, that if they don't allow them to pass through the country, they will attack them, but Korea has not said a word to us.

They are still arguing among themselves. I guess some of them are pro-Japanese. Those pro-Japanese people want to pass through here, so they don’t want us to know.

The Japanese regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi is already preparing for war, and they are still arguing. If Toyotomi Hideyoshi sends troops directly, they will definitely be caught off guard.

In this situation, I'm afraid that before we even get there, the Japanese pirates will have already reached the northern part of Korea, our vassal state, and we won't have much room to lure the enemy."

When Qi Jiguang heard this, he was stunned.

These guys are crazy. They are still arguing about whether to let me pass through at this time?

Don’t they know the evil ambitions of the Japanese pirates?

What is the difference between borrowing the road and not borrowing the road?
Even if they borrow the passage, what can they do? Can the Japanese pirates let them get stuck between Japan and the Ming Dynasty?
This is impossible.

If they don't let the Japanese pass through, they will fight; if they let the Japanese pass through, they will also fight. The Japanese pirates will definitely have to destroy them before they can attack the Ming Dynasty with peace of mind.

Why don't you quickly gather your men and prepare for defense at this time? You are still arguing about whether to let me pass through or not. Are you looking for death?

He frowned and pondered for a while, then pointed at the map and explained in detail: "Your Majesty, if this is true, then we can only send infantry to help our vassal state, Korea, defend the front, and then use the navy warships to bring in some troops to harass the Japanese pirates in the rear.

We will send a small group of elite troops to intercept their food supply, burn their food supplies, and launch surprise attacks on their troops scattered in various cities.

In this case, if the Japanese pirates do not want to withdraw, they must dispatch more troops to guard the city behind the main army and protect the grain transport convoys."

Well, this trick is not bad.

Wanli nodded slightly, then pondered: "The Japanese pirates must know that we have cavalry, and a lot of them.

If we don't send out cavalry for no apparent reason, they will definitely feel that something is wrong. If they feel that something is wrong, they will most likely withdraw.

Therefore, we cannot inexplicably not deploy cavalry. We must deploy a large number of cavalry to do something else, such as conquering the Northern Tartars."

He certainly hadn't considered this.

The Japanese pirates must know that they have cavalry. If they don't send cavalry for no apparent reason, the Japanese pirates will definitely think something is wrong.

Upon hearing this, Qi Jiguang nodded repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty is wise. We must indeed dispatch a large number of cavalry to fight the northern barbarians. Only then will the Japanese pirates feel at ease to increase their forces."

The question is, which side of the Northern Tartar should we attack? The Tumed and Kharchin tribes in the west seem to be a little weaker. The problem is that the terrain there is too complex and there is not much grassland.

The Korchin grassland in the east is flat, but Tumen Khan is still powerful. If they want to attack, they will have to dispatch a large number of troops.

When they have to fight on two fronts, will they be able to mobilize enough troops to destroy Japan?

Wanli was staring at the map, frowning in deep thought, when Li Xuancheng suddenly poked his head out of the doorway and said, "Your Majesty, Luo Sigong requests an audience."

What's going on with this guy?
Wanli was stunned for a moment, then said loudly: "Announce."

Soon, Luo Sigong walked in quickly.

After the emperor and his ministers exchanged greetings, he took out a secret letter and solemnly said, "Your Majesty, Tumen Khan passed away at the end of last year."

Tumen Khan is dead!
Wanli took the secret letter and read it, and he suddenly understood.

Tumen Khan died and Buyan Khan succeeded him, and the Tatars were doomed.

After Buyan Khan came Ligdan Khan, and it seems that the Tatars perished at the hands of Ligdan Khan.

At this time, the Jiannu would definitely have some ideas. After all, Tumen Khan was still relatively powerful in the Japanese Tatars. If Tumen Khan died, it would be a good thing that the Tatars did not fall apart.

Wanli thought about it carefully, and then said decisively: "This information is good. Whoever sends it back will be rewarded with ten cows, one hundred sheep, and one stallion and one mare.

In addition, you are to thoroughly investigate the situation of the Nurgan Dusi, especially the movements of the Jiannu. Anyone who can find out will also be rewarded with ten cattle, one hundred sheep, and one stallion and one mare."

Upon hearing this, Luo Sigong hurriedly bowed and took his leave.

Wanli pointed at the map and said solemnly, "This time we will attack the Tumed and Kharchin tribes. Send the Shenwu Battalion cavalry there and fight them with great fanfare and momentum."

what?
Tumen Khan is dead, don’t you want to take advantage of his illness to kill him?

Qi Jiguang cautiously reminded him, "Your Majesty, the territories of the Tumed and Kharchin tribes are thousands of miles away from our vassal state, Korea.

Moreover, the terrain over there is complex, and we may not be able to encircle and annihilate the Tumed and Kharchin tribes. If they flee westward, we will be chasing them further and further away."

I naturally know this.

Wanli pointed to the map and explained in detail: "Yuan Jing, even if we didn't encircle and annihilate the Tumed and Kharchin tribes, and they fled west, the territory in the east will all be ours.

We gathered more than 200,000 cavalry and charged forward. Even if we cannot annihilate them in one fell swoop, there will definitely not be many of their troops left. Then we can let the border cavalry chase them. Who would have known that the cavalry of the Shenwu Camp had come all the way from the outside of the Great Wall through Datong Town, Xuanfu Town and the Beijing Xingdusi?
Moreover, after we cripple the Tumed and Kharchin tribes, there will be no more threats to the west. A few border towns will be enough to hold it, and then we can concentrate our forces to deal with the enemy in the east."

Oh, so he just hit me and then ran back.

Upon hearing this, Qi Jiguang nodded repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

This is not over yet.

Wanli pondered again, "If we want to make sure the Japanese pirates have no worries this time, we have to pretend to spend more time in the west. The terrain in the west is also more complex and not suitable for pure cavalry defense. We can build a city fortress to defend it.

"That area is thousands of miles wide. It would take who knows how long to build all the cities and fortresses. The Japanese pirates will definitely think that the war there is protracted and that we can't possibly send cavalry back."

When it comes to surprise, he really feels inferior.

Qi Jiguang could not help but nod repeatedly and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

Stop taking pictures of me.

Wanli pointed at the map and said, "The main battlefield this time is in the east. We can't go to the west to take command. Who do you think would be best to put in charge of the west?"

That depends on the cavalry you send from the border towns to attack.

Qi Jiguang thought for a moment, then asked, "Your Majesty, which cavalry from the border towns are you planning to send to the western battlefield?"

Wanli pondered, "The troops in Liaodong Garrison cannot be moved. The troops in Xuanfu Garrison and Datong Garrison must remain to defend against Dayan Khan. The troops in Gansu Garrison and Ningxia Garrison must also guard against the Tumed and Kharchin tribes bypassing Jiayuguan and heading southwest. The only troops we can mobilize are from Pianguan Garrison, Yansui Garrison, and Guyuan Garrison."

Who is more suitable to be the main general among Du Tong, Du Song and Xiao Rulan?

Qi Jiguang thought about it carefully, then said solemnly: "Your Majesty, we may appear to be attacking in the west, but in fact we are defending. I think the experienced and prudent Du Tong is more suitable."

Upon hearing this, Wanli nodded without hesitation and said, "Well, then let Du Tong take charge of the west."

(End of this chapter)