Emperor Ming: Your Majesty, you have caused me so much suffering.

Chapter 93 I'll be the bait

Zhu Qiyu and his men were unaware of the outcome of the night raid. Afterwards, both sides sent out scouts to probe each other, and there were no further attacks.

Zhu Qiyu slept for just over an hour, and before dawn, he was to head to the Deshengmen camp.

Yu Qian and the others had already been discussing countermeasures in the main tent. This group of people were like iron, working almost non-stop.

Upon seeing Zhu Qiyu arrive, they were immediately alarmed.

Yu Qian hurriedly advised, "Your Majesty, you must not return to the camp. Esen might launch an attack at dawn. Your Majesty must enter the city!"

Zhu Qiyu saw that it was still early and even if Esen came to attack, it was only about half a mile away, and he could enter the city in a flash.

"It's alright, it's still early before dawn. Do you have any plans to deal with the enemy?"

Yu Qian had no choice but to explain: "Your Majesty, in a direct confrontation, our army will definitely be at a disadvantage. The safest course of action is to lure Esen's main force to Desheng Gate. Our Ming Dynasty's most elite soldiers are all here, and we have the strength to fight. If we can defeat one-third of Esen's main force, the threat to the capital will be greatly reduced, and Esen will know that it is difficult to retreat."

"Furthermore, north of the Deshengmen camp, there is a large area of ​​civilian houses, which is the only way in and out of the camp. This place is the best ambush point. If we can lure Esen's army into the civilian houses and shoot them with firearms and arrows, we can cut off their way out and annihilate the army that has entered the civilian houses."

Zhu Qiyu asked, "Is it currently impossible to determine Esen's direction of attack?"

Shi Heng replied, "Your Majesty, that is indeed the case. However, we deduced that the Oirats were more likely to attack Desheng Gate. The heavy artillery fire last night weakened Desheng Gate's defenses, and Esen, as a veteran general, could not have been unaware of this. But having just experienced a night raid, the Oirats will certainly be more cautious in their march. Even if they were to launch an attack, it would be difficult to succeed. If Esen were to send scouts into the houses first, he would surely discover something amiss!"

"If that's the case, our soldiers who ambushed in the civilian houses will have done nothing. If Esen turns around and attacks the other city gates, the soldiers who ambushed in the civilian houses will not be able to provide timely support to the other gates. The pressure on the other city gates will increase, and they may be in danger of being destroyed."

Zhu Qiyu pondered for a moment, a bold idea popping into his mind, and asked, "What if I personally invite Esen to fight?"

Yu Qian failed to grasp Zhu Qiyu's meaning this time, thinking that Zhu Qiyu intended to use the clumsy method of issuing a challenge, since this was no longer a major war like in the Spring and Autumn Period, where both sides would schedule a time and place to fight.

Yu Qian shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, sending a challenge would undoubtedly alert Esen and make him wary. This is absolutely not the way to go."

Upon hearing this, Shi Heng and the others also felt that this move was too deliberate and might backfire, so they hurriedly advised against it, saying, "Your Majesty, this is not a good strategy."

Seeing that his ministers had not grasped his meaning, Zhu Qiyu simply stated directly: "No, my intention is that I will personally lead my cavalry across the residential area in front of Desheng Gate to engage Esen's army in battle, and then feign defeat and retreat. Even if the Oirat army senses something amiss, they will certainly pursue us. No one can refuse the feat of capturing two emperors of the Ming Dynasty!"

The ministers were startled and stared blankly at the king before them, their hearts filled with admiration. What courage and brilliant strategy!

Yu Qian immediately realized that apart from being a bit risky, this plan was incredibly effective. The Ming Dynasty was known for its emperors who were always on horseback, and emperors throughout history had a habit of personally leading military campaigns. Zhu Qiyu's personal campaign was probably just a common occurrence in the eyes of the Oirat Mongols, and it certainly wouldn't arouse suspicion.

If the emperor didn't personally lead the expedition, how could they have captured the Ming emperor? The terrified Ming emperor in the camp is the best example.

Moreover, the night raid directly bombarded the main camp, which suggests that Esen and his men must have guessed that the emperor was in charge. Otherwise, the Ming officials would not have dared to bomb their own retired emperor.

However, the generals had many concerns. The plan was certainly good, but they dared not make the decision to put the emperor's life at risk.

The generals hurriedly looked to Yu Qian, their pillar of support. After some thought, Yu Qian shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, you must not take such a risk. If Your Majesty is in trouble, the Ming Dynasty will truly collapse. I cannot gamble with the fate of the nation."

The king before us already has the appearance of a wise ruler, and wise rulers are a rare breed in any dynasty.

Yu Qian firmly believed that they could win the battle even without taking such a risk. If Zhu Qiyu were to perish in this battle, Yu Qian would be a sinner for all time.

Seeing Yu Qian and the other generals hesitate, Zhu Qiyu suddenly stood up and said, "Minister Yu, hesitation will only lead to chaos. Although I am not good at fighting, I am very fast at escaping! Besides, the Embroidered Uniform Guard will escort us, so what is there to worry about?"

"If this battle succeeds, the Oirat army's power will be greatly diminished, and our Ming soldiers will no longer be trapped in endless bitter fighting, nor will they suffer the loss of their families. I am the Emperor, and I must also consider you, the soldiers loyal to our Ming Dynasty, and not let you die in vain. It is time for me to protect our Ming soldiers!"

"His Majesty!"

Hearing such heartfelt words, the generals were deeply moved and quickly saluted. Who wouldn't love such a king!

Lu Zhong nodded repeatedly upon hearing this. He could attest that Zhu Qiyu's horsemanship was indeed excellent, especially after his recent diligent practice with Lu Zhong's help. The fact that he had been galloping through the nine gates at such a high speed these past few days demonstrated His Majesty's exceptional talent in horsemanship.

Yu Qian was about to offer some advice when Zhu Qiyu immediately stopped him, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Governor Yu, give the order!"

Seeing that Zhu Qiyu addressed him by his military rank, Yu Qian knew there was no way to reverse the order. He respectfully pleaded, "Your Majesty, I have one request: the dragon flag can remain in place a little longer, but Your Majesty must retreat at the first sign of battle. Otherwise, I swear to disobey your command to the death!"

"I can grant your request!"

On the other side, after resting, Esen quickly summoned his generals to discuss and decided to launch a preemptive attack on Desheng Gate.

There are two reasons for choosing Deshengmen.

The shortest distance between two points is a straight line!

Esen's main camp faced Desheng Gate directly, and once the Desheng Gate camp was breached, the terrain beneath the gate would be open, making it ideal for a siege.

Secondly, the night raid was launched from Deshengmen, and after a night of attrition, Deshengmen would certainly be short of ammunition. If the main attack on Deshengmen were to break through its camp, then the firepower of the defending troops would be greatly reduced when attacking the city.

Esen was extremely cautious and sent out scouts to investigate, but they found that the defenses at Deshengmen had been extended and that the city walls were still closed.

Immediately, Boluo and Maonahai were dispatched to lead over ten thousand elite cavalry in a surprise attack to crush the Deshengmen garrison in one fell swoop. The main army would then follow up and directly attack the city.

To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, Esen even moved his army towards Xizhimen in the direction of the capital, giving the impression that he was going to attack Xizhimen, thereby tying down the troops at Xizhimen and preventing them from rushing to Deshengmen.

After daybreak, Boluo and Maonahai led their troops forward. After traveling no more than three miles, they saw smoke billowing from the south.

"The Ming army has discovered our movements and has already issued a warning. Accelerate your advance!"

Bolu immediately gave the order, and the Oirat cavalry roared in.

As Boluo approached Deshengmen, the Ming army appeared out of nowhere and lined up in formation half a mile in front of the civilian houses.

Boluotongmao was startled; the Ming Dynasty was not unprepared, and the surprise attack plan had failed.

However, in open field battles, the warriors of the Oirat were not afraid at all. Boluo had lost more than twenty riders that day and was also attacked at night. He was full of anger. This time, the Ming Dynasty was not so lucky.

Just as Boluo was preparing to launch an attack, a scout came to report.

"Boluopingzhang, Maonahaipingzhang, it's as if the Ming Emperor himself is leading the expedition, and the dragon flag is raised in the Ming army!"

Boluo and Maonahai exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with fervor, and they felt their blood boiling.

Could it be that all the emperors of the Ming Dynasty liked to personally lead military campaigns? It seems that apart from Emperor Renzong, they all had a tradition of personally leading military campaigns. The emperor in the camp was captured by Prince Saikan. Boluo deeply regretted that he had not been able to personally capture the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Now that the opportunity was in front of him, how could he not be excited?

"Go, double-check it!"

As the scouts rode forward, the soldiers of the Ming army shouted.

"The Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty is here! You traitors, dismount and surrender at once!"

These words instantly ignited Boluo's ambition; Boluo was like a bull in heat!

"kill!"

With bugles blaring and flags waving, the Oirat army surged forward like a tidal wave.

The vanguard of the Ming cavalry was Shi Biao, Shi Heng's nephew. He wielded a long axe and possessed superhuman strength. Zhu Qiyu was willing to call him his fierce general brother.

Seeing the Oirat army charging, Shi Biao seemed undaunted, his eyes filled with fervor, and led his troops to meet them head-on.

A major battle was about to break out, and Zhu Qiyu quietly reined in his horse and retreated behind his generals and soldiers.

Shouts of battle suddenly rose up, and a large-scale cavalry battle began. The tactics were simple and straightforward, just two words: head-on confrontation!

As soon as Shi Biao made contact with the Oirat cavalry, he drew his bow with both hands and killed two men in quick succession, which greatly boosted the morale of the Ming army.

Seeing this, Lu Zhong hurriedly urged, "Your Majesty, it's not advisable to watch any longer, let's leave quickly!"

Zhu Qiyu nodded helplessly and retreated quickly under the protection of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Zhu Qiyu did not lie to Yu Qian. He was quite skilled at escaping and acted decisively. On the battlefield, Zhu Qiyu disappeared in an instant.

Only high-ranking Ming generals knew that this was a feint, but ordinary soldiers were unaware. They were fighting desperately, and it didn't seem like a ruse at all; it was like a life-or-death struggle against the Oirat army.

Boro was surprised by the ferocity of the Ming army, which was on par with the Oirat cavalry. Boro could no longer sit still and, together with Mao Nahai, led the charge to intensify the attack on the Ming army.

These two top-notch Oirat generals led their troops in a charge. The Ming army's commander, Fan Guang, was certain that Zhu Qiyu had already gone far away. Seeing that all the Oirat cavalry had been mobilized, he dared not linger in battle, otherwise these Ming cavalry might be completely annihilated. He immediately issued a retreat order.

Shi Biao was clearly not satisfied with the killing, but upon hearing the bugle call, he had no choice but to hastily retreat.

Seeing the Ming army routed, Boluo was overjoyed. Seeing the dragon flags fleeing frantically towards the houses, Boluo made a decisive move, ignoring the Ming cavalry fleeing from both sides of the houses.

"Charge towards the dragon flag! The brave warrior who captures the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty will be promoted to the rank of Ten Thousand Household Commander!"

At the command, the Oirat cavalry seemed to be injected with chicken blood, wishing their horses had eight legs so they could capture another Ming emperor, and then the Yuan Dynasty would be the rightful heir of Heaven.

The Ming soldiers who were carrying the dragon flag were slower to escape and were caught up by the Oirat cavalry, and died on the spot!

Upon seeing the captured dragon flag, Boluo was overjoyed and ordered his troops to launch a fierce attack, believing that the Ming emperor must be right ahead.

Yu Qian finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Zhu Qiyu return to the camp.

"Your Majesty, please return to the city quickly. Leave the rest to me."

"Alright, I'll leave everything to you. Give them a good beating!"

Zhu Qiyu no longer hesitated. Staying in the camp at this moment would only make the soldiers more wary. Without saying a word, he used his escape skill to the fullest and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Yu Qian commanded the side cavalry (Note 1) to quickly build a defensive line in front of the houses the moment the Ming cavalry fled back, blocking their way.

(Image of a sidecar van)

Fan Guang and his men did not flee back to the main camp without stopping, but instead moved back from the right flank, preparing to cut off the Oirat army's retreat.

Shi Heng, at this moment in a state of rest and conserve energy, led his troops in a flanking maneuver from the left, joining forces with Fan Guang on the left and right, preparing to launch a surprise attack on the Oirat army.

"Making dumplings".

People shouldn't get carried away!

Boluotongmaonahai clearly lacked this awareness. He was blinded by his desire to capture the emperor. Just as he was about to rush out of the house, he found a wooden wall in front of him.

"Oh no, an ambush! Charge out!"

On the Ming side, horns sounded and drums beat in unison.

The Shenji Battalion soldiers behind the side carriage had already placed the fire arrows in the square holes, and the infantrymen with bows suddenly appeared.

Muskets fired in unison, arrows rained down, and the Oirat cavalrymen fell to the ground.

In a civilian house, the Shenji Battalion soldiers, who had been holding back their anger, finally had a chance for revenge. The Tumu Campaign almost wiped out the elite Shenji Battalion before they could even fire a single shot, and the Shenji Battalion's invincible reputation was thus shattered.

Your Majesty is right in saying that no one is born an elite, and the soldiers of the Shenji Battalion today are indeed elite.

"To avenge the defeat in the Civil Engineering Campaign!"

A sudden explosion erupted from the residential houses, followed by the deafening roar of thousands of guns. Using the houses as cover, guns fired from pre-drilled gun ports, and the Oirat cavalrymen fell to the ground, riddled with bullets.

In an instant, the Oirat cavalry were thrown into chaos, swinging their swords left and right, but they didn't know where the enemy was, and a trace of despair flashed in their eyes.

This is a tunnel warfare system unique to the Ming Dynasty.

"Retreat! Escape the residential area!"

Boluo was also in a state of extreme panic. Being ambushed was not the worst thing; the most fatal thing was not knowing where the enemy was!

The order was relayed, and the Oirat rear army turned into the front army, preparing to evacuate from the civilian houses. Fan Guang and Shi Heng could not agree to this, and directly blocked their way, trapping the Oirat army like turtles in a jar.

Arrows and fireballs almost completely blocked the Oirat army's retreat route. Even if one or two riders managed to break through, they were surrounded and killed on the spot by the Ming cavalry.

Within the cramped dwellings, their retreat was blocked, and the Oirat cavalrymen clashed with each other, with many falling from their horses and dying tragically from being trampled.

Seeing that he could not break through the encirclement, Boluo immediately gave another order.

"Dismount, engage in street fighting!"

No sooner had the order been given than Boluo was unaware that he had already been targeted by the Ming army's Shenji Battalion. As the saying goes, to catch the thief, you must first catch the king. The sound of muskets rang out, and Boluo was shot in the head and fell to the ground.

The Shenji Battalion soldiers seemed worried that Boluo wasn't quite dead, so the fire blasts rained down on him as if they were free. The horses were startled and ran wildly in all directions. Boluo was trampled by the horses' hooves several times before he died, and he was beyond dead.

Upon seeing this, Mao Nahai was terrified and spurred his horse forward. Bo Luo was Esen's own brother, born of the same mother, and even in death, he wanted to bring his body back. It was precisely this action of Mao Nahai's that caused this man, known as the fiercest general of the Oirat, to fall to the ground with a scream, unable to escape Huo Tong's attack.

Mao Na Hai came with Bo Luo and went with Bo Luo, both heading towards the Yellow Springs.

With their commander killed, the Oirat army was thrown into chaos. Without anyone to lead them, they dismounted and scattered, trying to escape the houses. But as they fled, they were either shot down by firearms, struck by stray arrows, or even had spears suddenly emerge from holes in the walls, piercing straight through to the heart.

The civilian houses became a living hell for the Oirat Mongols, where almost all of their more than 10,000 cavalrymen were buried.

Boluo never imagined that his dream of capturing the emperor would end before it even began.