Huangming

Chapter 446 The Weixu army is depleted, and refugees gather in distress.

The camp on the north bank of Chahan Nuoer.

The morning light spilled over from the edge of the grassland, casting a pale golden glow on the messy ground.

Overturned tents, scattered weapons, and congealed bloodstains mixed with white salt grains formed mottled lumps on the ground. The air was filled with the sour smell of mare's milk, the stench of blood, and the unique salty bitterness of the salt fields.

The sounds of fighting and shouting had long since ceased after a night of battle.

Only the footsteps of the soldiers from Xuanzhen clearing the battlefield and the suppressed sobs of the prisoners remained.

Dozens of surviving rebel soldiers were tied up with ropes and squatted on the ground like a string of grasshoppers. They were all dejected, some of them with wounds, blood scabs stuck to their tattered armor, and their eyes were full of numbness and fear.

Hei Yunlong was among them, his armor torn to shreds, his face covered in dust and tears, his legs wet, and a foul stench wafting in the wind.

When the Ming army stormed in last night, he was so frightened that he lost control of his bowels and bladder. He didn't even have the strength to resist, and he didn't dare to commit suicide. The Ming army pinned him to the ground and tied him up tightly.

"General, the count of the mutineers has been completed. Forty-six are alive, and the rest have been executed."

A guard walked up to Ma Shilong, bowed and reported, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over Hei Yunlong, his brows furrowing, clearly having also smelled the strange odor.

Ma Shilong followed his gaze to Hei Yunlong, only to see the latter with his head bowed low, his shoulders trembling, his lips quivering, unable to utter a single word of begging for mercy.

He couldn't help but frown, raised his hand and pinched his nose, his tone full of disdain:

"Put all these people on the prison cart and take them back to Xuanfu to be dealt with by the military governor."

Especially keep a close eye on this Black Cloud Dragon; make sure he doesn't take his own life on the way.

This fellow was the direct murderer of Imperial Envoy Zhang Heming, so he certainly shouldn't be let off easily.

Tortures like slow slicing, skinning alive, and stuffing straw into his clothes would definitely be inflicted on him.

"The last general takes command!"

The guards agreed and waved for their men to take the prisoners to the prison carts outside the camp.

Supported by two bodyguards, Hei Yunlong staggered forward. As he passed Ma Shilong, he finally mustered the courage to look up, his voice trembling with tears:

"General Ma... I beg you to have mercy... I beg you to spare me for the sake of our past relationship."

I was forced into this by Wang Guoliang... I didn't want to rebel..."

Ma Shilong didn't even lift his eyelids, and said coldly:
"Once we arrive in Xuanfu, we will speak to the Governor-General."

Hei Yunlong wanted to say something more, but his personal guards pushed him forward, leaving only a series of desperate sobs as he gradually disappeared in the direction of the salt fields.

After dealing with the prisoners, Ma Shilong led a few guards out of the camp.

Just as they reached the edge of the salt fields, they saw Subudi riding a horse, surrounded by dozens of Mongol cavalrymen, waiting for them.

The Mongolian chieftain was still wearing his leather armor studded with copper, but now, without the vigilance of the night, he rubbed his hands together incessantly, a fawning smile plastered on his face.

Upon seeing Ma Shilong emerge, he immediately spurred his horse forward to greet him, his tone becoming noticeably warmer.

"General Ma! We've been waiting for you! That Wang Guoliang... he must have been beheaded by now, right?"

Ma Shilong nodded, his tone calm:

"Of course. His head has been collected and will be brought back to Xuanfu for public display."

Subu's eyes lit up instantly, he rubbed his hands together more frequently, and he could no longer hide the probing in his words:
"Then... General Ma, is it convenient for you to accept the ten thousand taels of silver that Commander Xiong promised?"

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Ma Shilong's expression, afraid that the other party might renege on his promise.

The tribes on the grasslands had long heard that Ming generals sometimes used excuses to kill Mongol chieftains who came to collect rewards in order to save money, and then reported the heads as "traitorous" achievements. He didn't want to be caught up in this.

Seeing his greedy yet wary expression, Ma Shilong chuckled inwardly but didn't point it out. He simply said:

"I have already had the silver prepared at Dushi Fortress. You can come with me to collect it."

"Dushibao?"

Subu's smile froze instantly. He quickly waved his hand, his tone tinged with panic.

"No, no! General Ma, I won't go to Dushibao."

"It's quite inconvenient for us Mongols to enter the Ming army's camp. I'll wait for you at Shili Slope outside the fort. You can just have someone send the silver over!"

Ma Shilong understood perfectly well the hidden meaning in his words.

Dushibao is a key border defense location for the Ming army, and at this moment, a portion of their troops are stationed there. Subudi fears that if he goes in, he will be detained by the Ming army, and then he will not only lose his money, but also his life.

Over the years, the Ming army had dealt with Mongol tribes, and there were indeed many similar rumors of "luring and killing the Mongol chieftains," so it's no wonder he was so vigilant.

Ma Shilong didn't press the matter, but simply smiled faintly:
"Since you have doubts, then wait at Shilipo."

I'll have someone send the silver over; you won't be shortchanged by a single tael."

Subu breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile returned to his face:

"Thank you for your understanding, General Ma! I'll go to Shili Slope right away and wait for you. Please hurry!"

After saying that, he cupped his hands to Ma Shilong, turned his horse around, and led his cavalrymen toward Dushibao, but he was moving very slowly, obviously to keep a distance.

Ma Shilong watched his retreating figure, shook his head, then mounted his horse and led his personal guards toward Dushibao.

The morning light had risen higher, illuminating the path across the grassland. In the distance, the outline of Dushi Fortress gradually became clear in the thin mist, and the Ming army flags on the city walls fluttered in the wind.

When he returned to the fortress, Ma Chengxun was already waiting inside the city gate. Upon seeing him return, he quickly went forward:
"General, has the matter concerning Wang Guoliang been settled?"

"It's done. Here's the head."

Ma Shilong pointed to the cloth bundle in his guard's hand and then gave the order:
"Load the 10,000 taels of silver that had been prepared earlier onto the carriage and send it to Subudi at Shilipo."

Remember to count everything in front of him, so he can't find fault with it.

"Don't worry, General, I'll make the arrangements right away."

Ma Chengxun agreed and turned to allocate the silver.

Before long, a carriage loaded with silver drove out of the fortress. The carriage was piled with heavy silver ingots, wrapped in linen, which gleamed dazzlingly white in the sunlight.

On Shili Slope, Subu was pacing back and forth anxiously, glancing towards Dushibao every now and then.

His eyes lit up when he saw the carriage, and he quickly went to meet it.

When the guards lifted the burlap sack, revealing the gleaming silver ingots inside, Subudi's breathing quickened. He reached out, picked up an ingot, and bit it.

The silver ingot had clear serrations, indicating it was genuine official silver.

"Hahaha! General Ma is indeed a man of his word!"

Subu smiled so hard his eyes narrowed into slits, and he quickly ordered his men to load the silver onto his camel.

"If General Ma ever needs to 'guide' again in the future, just come to me, Subudi!"

"As long as the money is there, there's no one I can't find on the southern grasslands!"

After all the silver had been moved, he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards Dushi Fortress, his tone full of obsequiousness:

"Tell General Ma that I'll head back now!"

If you ever need my help in the future, just send someone to deliver a message!

Having said that, he led his camel caravan, laden with silver, into the depths of the grassland with great excitement, his back view exuding an indescribable lightness.

Ma Shilong stood on the city wall of Dushibao, watching Subudi's troops disappear into the horizon of the grassland, and the smile on his face gradually faded.

He raised his hand and touched the ring-pommel sword at his waist, his gaze lingering on the distant southern grasslands, his eyes becoming profound.

Today's ten thousand taels of silver is just a small favor for this Subudi.

Once Xiong Jinglue has reorganized the nine border regions and secured the defenses of Xuanfu, Datong, and Shanxi, these Mongol tribes will either have to submit to the Ming Dynasty or be forced to leave the southern grasslands.

Three days later.

Xuanfu City.

The town was bustling with activity.

On South Street in the city, shops on both sides simultaneously opened their doors.

In front of the grain shop were piles of golden millet and white flour.

The shop assistants were hanging bolts of indigo and ochre cotton cloth outside the store.

The sound of forging echoed from the blacksmith shop.

Even the street corner food stalls were filled with steaming flatbreads and soy milk. Pedestrians thronged the streets, mostly soldiers in blue uniforms or small vendors carrying loads of goods, their faces showing a long-lost liveliness.

These changes were all brought about by the arrival of imperial merchants in the town.

Ever since Xiong Tingbi took charge of Xuanfu, he requested that the imperial merchants of the inner court lead the way, bringing silk from Jiangnan, grain from Shandong, and ironware from Shanxi into the town in a continuous stream.

Salt and tea, which were once scarce, can now be easily bought in general stores.

The soldiers' pay, which they had been waiting for for half a year, was finally paid in full.

With heavy silver ingots tucked into their pockets, many military households took advantage of their rest days to bring their families to the street to make purchases.

He bought a new piece of cloth to make clothes for his child, bought a box of rouge for his wife, and even added a pair of durable horseshoes to his warhorse. His voice was louder than usual.

"Brother Zhang, is this saddle newly made?"

A young soldier pointed to the black iron saddle on his companion's hip, his eyes filled with envy.

The soldier grinned and patted the saddle:
"That's right! After receiving three months' back pay, I quickly came to the blacksmith's shop to have a new one made."

The old one was cracked; it'll fall down if we keep using it!

The two walked toward the grain shop, chatting and laughing, followed by a woman carrying a cloth bag, her eyes full of smiles.

The bustling town did not allow Xiong Tingbi, the military governor, to relax in the slightest.

He was sitting at his desk, holding a thick military register of the garrison in his hand, his brows furrowed in worry.

The register was filled with dense records of the number of soldiers in each garrison:

The Xuanfu Left Guard had "eight thousand registered soldiers, but only two thousand three thousand actually served."

The Wanquan Right Guard had "7,500 registered soldiers, but 1,800 actually arrived."

Huai'an Garrison had "6,000 registered soldiers, but only 1,500 actually served"...

In total, of the 80,000 soldiers listed on the Xuanfu Town garrison, only a little over 30,000 were actually counted. After deducting the more than 5,000 who died or defected during Wang Guoliang's rebellion, only 25,000 were still capable of fighting.

"absurd!"

Xiong Tingbi slammed the general's scroll heavily on the table, causing the ink in the inkstone to splash out.

He had seen the problems of embezzlement in Liaodong before, but he never expected that Xuanfu would be so corrupt.

The vacancy of more than 50,000 vacancies meant that hundreds of thousands of taels of military pay were embezzled by officers at all levels every year. Some garrisons even had half of their camps collapsed. The "soldiers" on the roster were either the officers' tenants or old soldiers who had long since died. There was not a trace of them.

In addition, many loyal soldiers died under the rebels' swords during Wang Guoliang's rebellion. Now, these 25,000 men are simply a drop in the ocean in order to guard the thousand-mile border wall of Xuanfu.

“Lord General, the veterans of the garrison say that during the Yongle era, Xuanfu alone had 150,000 soldiers, but now…” The military advisor beside him added in a low voice, his words full of helplessness.

Xiong Tingbi rubbed his temples, his gaze falling on the "Refugee Recruitment Order" on the corner of the desk.

In the past few days, he has had notices posted in the four suburbs of Xuanfu to recruit refugees displaced by the war to serve as auxiliary soldiers.

They provide food and lodging, and give out grain and 300 coins every month. Refugees who are willing to join the army can also be allocated a small piece of wasteland. After they have completed their training, they can be added to the ranks of soldiers.

Within three days of the notice being posted, thousands of refugees had come to register, most of them strong and able-bodied young men, their eyes filled with an urgent desire to survive.

"Of the 25,000 soldiers, at least another 25,000 need to be added to make it 50,000."

Xiong Tingbi traced his finger across the military register, his tone resolute.

“Among the refugees, select the young and strong who have a good foundation and have Chen Ce train them. First, they will serve as auxiliary soldiers to guard the city walls and transport grain and fodder. Once they have mastered the skills, they will be assigned to the garrisons as combat soldiers.”

The remaining elderly, women, and children were to be sent to cultivate the wasteland outside the city, planting millet and buckwheat to reduce the consumption of military rations.

Just as he was about to agree to join the army, the sound of footsteps from his personal guards came from outside the door. Before they even entered, their voices preceded their arrival.

"My lord, good news!"

Ma Zongzhen and Chen Zongzhen are back from the grasslands!

"We've brought back Wang Guoliang's head for you!"

Xiong Tingbi suddenly looked up, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

He got up and went to the door, where he saw his personal guards standing bowing on the porch, their faces full of excitement:

"General Ma said that they didn't stop at Dushibao for long and led their troops back to the city. They are now ten miles outside the city and are heading this way!"

"it is good!"

Xiong Tingbi strode into the courtyard and gave instructions to the eunuch.

"Prepare the horses! This strategist is to go out of the city to greet you!"

Wang Guoliang's head not only brought an end to the Xuanfu rebellion case, but also reassured the imperial court.

Sending this head to the capital will not only reassure His Majesty but also deter the border generals who are still observing.

Not long after.

Xiong Tingbi then led his personal guards out of the Xuanfu city gate.

On the official road outside the city, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard in the distance. Ma Shilong and Chen Ce led a troop of cavalry galloping towards them. Ma Shilong was carrying a wooden box covered with a red cloth. It was the box containing Wang Guoliang's head.

The cavalrymen, still covered in the yellow sand of the grassland, were all in high spirits. Upon seeing Xiong Tingbi at the city gate, they all reined in their horses and dismounted.

"Your humble servants Ma Shilong and Chen Ce pay their respects to the Commander-in-Chief!"

The two knelt on one knee, and Ma Shilong held the wooden box above his head with both hands.

"We have successfully completed our mission. Wang Guoliang has been beheaded. We are bringing his head back to await the General's decision!"

Xiong Tingbi stepped forward, personally helping the two men up. His gaze fell on the wooden box, and his tone was calm and slow:
"Thank you both for your hard work."

Wang Guoliang's head must be sent to the capital immediately to report the victory to His Majesty.

Let the court see that the rebellion in Xuanfu has been completely quelled!

The soldiers and civilians around cheered, and many people stood on tiptoe to see the wooden box, their eyes filled with relief.

When Wang Guoliang rebelled, countless families were destroyed and people died. Now that the traitor has been executed, the dead can finally find some solace.

Xiong Tingbi looked at the lively scene before him, but he felt little relieved.

He looked up and gazed northwest, towards Datong Town.

With the matter in Xuanfu settled, the next step is Datong.

That place was more complicated than Xuanfu, with a more serious problem of embezzlement of salaries without working, and there were also many treacherous individuals among the border troops.

However, he didn't feel any pressure:
"Those people in Datong Town, if they know what's good for them, they'll cooperate with the rectification; but if they dare to follow Wang Guoliang's example, assassinate the imperial envoy, and rebel..."

I want to see if they're bold enough!

the other side.

Datong Town

Since Xu Da's northern expedition and the construction of the city in the early years of the Hongwu reign, Datong has become an iron gate in the northern border of the Ming Dynasty.

In the fifth year of the Hongwu reign, Xu Da, acting on the orders of the Taizu Emperor, expanded Datong City. He extended the old city wall outward by three li, covered it with blue bricks, and made the city wall 35 feet high and 30 feet wide. Each of the four gates was topped with a gate tower, surrounded by barbicans and corner towers. Even the moat was dug to be 30 feet wide and 10 feet deep.

This system of regulations was designed to defend against attacks from the remnants of the Northern Yuan dynasty, making Datong the "key to the northern gate" that protects Shanxi and shields the capital.

In the seventh year of the Yongle reign, Emperor Chengzu established the Datong Garrison Commander-in-Chief system and appointed a general to command the border troops. From then on, Datong officially joined the ranks of the "Nine Border Garrisons" and became a crucial link in the Ming Dynasty's northern border defense system.

From a high altitude, the territory of Datong Town can be described as vast.

Connecting to the Yinshan Mountains in the north, the Great Wall, like a giant dragon, winds along the mountain ridge, with passes such as Yanghekou and Shahukou guarding the main routes for the Mongol tribes to move south.

Located on the western foothills of the Taihang Mountains, with ancient roads such as Feihu Pass and Zijing Pass passing through the mountains, if Datong were to fall, the enemy could use these roads to directly attack the capital.

It extends westward to the foothills of the Lüliang Mountains, where the Guancen Mountains and Luyashan Mountains form a natural barrier, blocking threats from the northwest.

Located south of the Fenhe River Basin, the flat river valley is not only a grain-producing area but also a vital link between Datong and Taiyuan Prefecture.

This geographical layout, with mountains surrounding it and a long river flowing through it, made Datong a strategic location with a stronghold for both advance and retreat, and also destined it to be a defensive stronghold that "can hold off ten thousand men."

In terms of military organization, Datong Town's system can be described as sophisticated.

The entire town implements a four-tier management system:

The highest rank was the Garrison Commander-in-Chief, who commanded the four circuits of Yanghe, Datong Left Guard, Datong Right Guard, and Shuozhou.

Each route has three sub-routes, making a total of nine routes.

For example, Yanghe Road governed Shunshengchuan East, Shunshengchuan West, and Weizhou Road, while Datong Zuowei Road governed Zuowei, Youwei, and Pinglu Road. Each road was responsible for the military forts and garrisons within its jurisdiction.

The town comprises seventy important castles, ranging from the large Left and Right Guard Castles that can house thousands of people to the small outposts that can only accommodate a hundred people. Each castle is staffed with a garrison commander responsible for daily defense and fortification maintenance.

The Datong Garrison was equipped with 83,000 officers and soldiers and 23,177 warhorses. This troop strength was second only to Xuanfu and Liaodong among the nine border garrisons, which shows the importance the imperial court attached to it.

In terms of official appointments, in addition to the garrison commander-in-chief, there is one deputy garrison commander-in-chief to assist the commander-in-chief in coordinating military affairs.

The nine officers were stationed in nine different routes, each directly commanding the troops in their respective routes.

For example, the Yanghe garrison commander was stationed in Yanghe City, specifically responsible for defending against the Mongol tribes in the Yinshan direction.

The Pinglu military commander was stationed in Pinglu City, with a focus on preventing raids from the Hetao region.

These generals are mostly veterans with extensive battlefield experience, and each of them is familiar with military affairs on the border. However, in recent years, due to the influence of the "ghost employee" phenomenon, many positions have become "gilded places" for the sons of the powerful and wealthy, and there are fewer and fewer generals who can actually fight.

The defensive fortifications of Datong Town represent the pinnacle of Ming Dynasty border wall technology.

The core is the "Inner Five Forts" defense complex built during the Jiajing era.

These five fortresses—Zhenbianbao, Zhenchuanbao, Hongcibao, Zhenlubao, and Zhenhebao—are arranged in a long, straight line about 30 li north of Datong City. The fortresses are 10 li apart from each other. Elite border troops are stationed inside the fortresses, and deep trenches are dug outside them, with thorns planted along the edges, forming the first line of defense in depth.

This fortification was built in the 24th year of the Jiajing reign by Governor-General Weng Wanda to defend against the invasion of Altan Khan. After its completion, it thwarted the surprise attacks of the Mongol tribes on many occasions and became the "iron wall" north of Datong City.

Further out lies the border wall system overseen by Yu Zijun, the governor of Yansui, in the twenty-first year of the Chenghua reign.

This section of the border wall stretches from Datong Youwei in the west to Yanghekou in the east, with a total length of over 300 li. The wall is constructed of rammed earth and covered with blue bricks. It is 25 feet high and 15 feet wide at the top, allowing two horses to ride abreast.

Every two li, a watchtower was built. Each watchtower was three zhang high and was manned by sentries. A hundred soldiers could be hidden below the watchtower. In case of enemy activity, signals could be transmitted between the watchtowers by raising smoke signals or firing cannons.

During the day, they would light smoke signals and at night, they would light fires. If they encountered a large enemy force, they would fire cannons as a signal. Within half a day, the news would spread throughout the town.

This set of side walls, combined with watchtowers and trenches, formed a second line of defense, echoing the five inner forts and creating a pattern of "internal and external joint defense".

The outermost layer is the Fenghuo communication network, which covers the entire town.

The seventy castles under the jurisdiction of the four routes and nine circuits each had a beacon tower. There were three beacon towers next to the large castles and one next to the small outposts. The beacon towers were three miles apart, forming a dense signal network.

Once the Mongol tribes entered the territory, the forward outposts would light a fire first, and the neighboring beacon towers would relay the signal in turn. Within an hour, the General's Office would know the direction and strength of the invading forces.

This system operated smoothly during the Chenghua and Hongzhi periods, but by the late Wanli period, due to the lack of pay for the border troops and the desertion of sentries, many beacon towers became empty, and the communication efficiency was greatly reduced.

Because of its important strategic position, Datong was known as the "protective shield of the capital".

It can be said that if Datong is at peace, then the northern border is at peace; if Datong is in chaos, then the capital is in danger.

However, this strategically important town now harbors a huge hidden danger.

The further west you go from Datong, closer to Shaanxi, the drier the climate becomes.

Since the beginning of summer in the first year of the Tianqi reign, northern Shaanxi and western Shanxi have not received a drop of rain. Crops in the fields have withered and died, and the rivers and ditches have dried up. People have no food and have no choice but to leave their homes and flee towards the relatively prosperous Datong.

at first.

There were only a few scattered refugees who survived by begging.

However, by the spring of the second year of the Tianqi reign, the refugees had gradually gathered into a considerable number, ranging from several hundred to over a thousand people, forming an "organized" refugee group.

Unlike ordinary refugees who scattered and fled, they settled in remote counties such as Zuoyun and Youyu, west of Datong, occupying abandoned military forts as their gathering places.

These refugees were mostly farmers, with a small number of deserters and artisans. Although they had not yet raised the banner of rebellion, they had already begun to plunder passing merchants and travelers.

On the trade route from Datong to Shaanxi, caravans carrying grain and cloth were often robbed. Merchants were either robbed of their goods or extorted for "tolls." If they resisted, they would be beaten or even killed by refugees.

The people of Zuoyun County are even more distressed by this.

When refugees are short of food, they will sneak into villages and steal the people's stored grain.

When salt is scarce, they will smash up the salt shops outside the county town; at night, they will also roam outside the county town, scaring the people so much that they dare not go out.

Local officials also sent troops to drive them away, but the number of refugees was too large, and as soon as the officials and soldiers arrived, they hid in the deep mountains.

As soon as the government troops left, they returned to the military fort. This happened several times, and the local officials had no choice but to report to the General's Office of Datong Town and request that troops be sent to suppress them.

However, Datong Town itself is also facing the dilemma of "receiving salaries without working".

The official count was 83,000 soldiers, but in reality, only about 30,000 could be mobilized. They also had to defend 70 castles, so there was simply not enough manpower to deal with the refugees.

What's even more worrying is that many of these refugees are deserters from the Shaanxi border army. They are skilled in martial arts and know how to deploy troops. If they stay there for a long time, it's hard to guarantee that they won't develop rebellious intentions.

This intelligence was the result of an investigation by Lu Jianxing, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

If the main problem in Xuanfu was the rebellion of the border troops...

Then
The problem west of Datong Town is that the people are about to rebel.

If so, the imperial court will push these border generals to the brink.

The border troops are inciting civilian unrest, which could really lead to major chaos.

And
The hidden dangers of the migrant population in Datong Town are likely being fueled by someone else!

(End of this chapter)