With the imperial edict issued by Zhu Houzhao, five thousand cavalrymen in the city attacked.

This is already all the cavalry that Zhangjiakou Fort can temporarily draw. Even if it is not as good as the Tatar cavalry, it is the elite trained on the border. In terms of momentum, it is much higher than the local troops.

First, the flag bearer riding a horse rushed out of the city gate, and then the cavalry came out one after another, raising the dust and sand in the sky. Then, cavalrymen also rushed out of the two corner gates, and advanced forward in an arrow-shaped manner with the cavalry in the middle, and cooperated with each other in a very tacit understanding. The cool way of appearance alone made the city shout loudly. Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but patted his thigh and said, "This is the steel city I rely on!"

Although these cavalry are well-trained, the biggest problem is that the number of dragon cavalry holding muskets is only about one thousand, and they are just pieced together temporarily.

The dragoons trained and formed in the Ming Dynasty are mainly under Lin Heng, that is, the three-sided land. Although Xuanfu and Datong are also promoting it, they have to fill their own ammunition when using muskets on horseback. The requirements for riders are too high, and the training work has never been carried out smoothly. In addition, the scarcity of war horses in the imperial court seriously affects the development progress of the dragoons in Xuanda.

But holding a musket is not as good as wearing a saber, a bow and arrow, and a red tassel spear, and a domineering person. Standing at Zhu Houzhao's perspective, he felt that the cavalry that used cold weapons were more like elite soldiers, while the subsequent dragon cavalry was dull, like a group of old, weak, sick and disabled.

The cavalry echoed each other and continued to rush to the distance in an arrow shape.

The dust was shining with sand, and the wilderness in the northern part of Zhangjiakou Fort was dim and almost covered the sky and the sun. Zhang Yuan used his half-banging knowledge to tell Zhu Houzhao about the geography of Zhangjiakou Fort.

"Your Majesty, look at the surrounding Zhangjiakou Fort, where there are undulating mountains and numerous fortresses, there is a smooth road ahead. This straight road that is more than ten miles long is the only route that the Tatars can take to attack the city. This terrain is easy to defend but difficult to attack, and it is a barrier given to the Ming Dynasty by God!"

Zhu Houzhao asked, "Why was this place captured by the Tatars during the late emperor?"

One sentence left Zhang Yuan speechless, dumbfounded and extremely embarrassed. Fortunately, Zhu Houzhao did not observe his reaction, so Zhang Yuan retreated aside in shame and stopped saying a word.

Some people can't help but gloat when they see this scene.

Zhu Houzhao picked up the telescope and looked carefully for a while, then turned her head to look at Concubine Li: "Beloved concubine, do you think this battle can lead to something?"

At this time, Zhu Houzhao wanted to get recognition from others. Before Lifei could answer, Zhang Yuan couldn't help but jumped out again: "It will definitely be successful!"

"Shut up!"

Zhu Houzhao scolded impatiently.

Concubine Li said: "Reply to Your Majesty's words, in my opinion, if the Tatars learned that the Ming Dynasty sent troops, they would have avoided some taboos. The military strategy said, 'Therefore, those who are good at using the troops should avoid their sharpness and attack their laziness, and this is the one who treats the qi', so I guess that the Tatars might choose to avoid the war!"

Zhu Houzhao was somewhat disappointed and continued to pick up the telescope and look into the distance. At this time, the cavalry had gone away and could only vaguely see the tail. The infantry formed a formation five miles north of the city to prepare for war.

It was said that it would take half an hour to reach the Tatar formation, but after an hour, no news still came back. It was noon in the blink of an eye. Now is the hottest time of the year. The scorching sun is in the sky, and the people on the city are either wearing thick armor or wearing official uniforms. The scorching sunlight shines directly on their bodies, which is extremely uncomfortable.

Everyone was sweating profusely and couldn't resist it. Zhu Houzhao was also dry and her head was dizzy due to the scorching sun.

Zhu Houzhao was so hot that she gasped and asked, "What's going on? Hurry up and send someone to check what the situation on the front line is? Should I send infantry to cooperate?"

"Get orders!"

This time the person who passed on the deathbed became Xu Tai, and he strided down the city with his head held high.

Zhu Houzhao was a little impatient. He was originally a night owl and liked to go activities at night. When the yang energy was strong during the day, he was inactive. When the sun was sunny, he felt so sad that he was so angry that he saw that there was a place in the corner of the city gate tower that was not shining by the sun. So he simply let someone move the imperial carriage and run to hide from the shade.

But as the sun rose to the sky, the only shade soon disappeared again. Zhu Houzhao was wiping sweat and muttering something. Zhang Yuan observed his expression and stepped forward to make a suggestion: "Your Majesty, why not do this? You can go to the building to rest first and leave it to all the adults to watch here, how about it?"

Zhu Houzhao hesitated, which proved that he didn't want to stay in the sun and wait for news. Then he stood up decisively: "In this way, I will go in and have a cup of tea first, so that the soldiers can drink some water, so don't have heatstroke."

Although Zhu Houzhao was very happy, she still felt sympathy. Seeing that the situation of the soldiers outside the city was worse than that of him, now it was the scorching sun, so she was kind enough to let the soldiers drink water and replenish their energy.

After the military order was conveyed, Zhu Houzhao, accompanied by Li Fei, Xiao Taozi, Zhang Yuan, Wang Shouren and Bai Yu, and entered the interior of the city tower and followed the stairs to the terrace on the second floor. In addition to the shade, the strong wind from the north came whistling, and Zhu Houzhao suddenly felt refreshed.

"If I had known this, what would I do when I was waiting outside? How good is this place? It stands high and looks far, and it is not comparable to the one below... I thought that when I was fighting with the Tartars in the capital, I was still the prince, and I was also waiting for news on the second floor of the city tower. At that time, Master Xie was with me..."

Zhu Houzhao hadn't climbed to the high place of the city tower for a long time. Looking at the scene in front of him, he suddenly remembered many past events, "The battle situation was in a stalemate at that time, and the city gate was about to be broken. Shen Shangshu was like a divine weapon descending from the sky, and suddenly killed the Tartars with his men and horses. I watched from a high place, and that courage was really like a tiger!"

Zhang Yuan said beside him: "If Your Majesty personally directs today's war, you will definitely be angry."

Zhu Houzhao smiled and said, "I don't ask to kill the Tatars without leaving any armor. Let's get a certain result first. It's better than Yansui's battle. In this way, I can explain to the soldiers in the army. What do you think?"

The people next to him heard that Zhu Houzhao's requirements were too low. He created such a big battle, but he only wanted a better result than Yansui...

No one else responded, and Zhang Yuan smiled and said, "This battle will definitely win! It will definitely win!"

Zhang Yuan emphasized the words twice in a row, but in the end he himself didn't believe it, because today's attitude was obviously that the Tatars did not take action, and no news came from the front. Zhang Yuan was worried that there would be another Tatar ambush later, causing heavy losses to the Ming army.

Until noon, military information finally came, but this time the news was Hu Lian, who had not shown up before.

"Your Majesty, news came from the front line that the Tatars retreated the camp for thirty miles, and there were signs of Tatar soldiers being mobilized in a distance of fifty miles. Will they withdraw their troops immediately?"

Hu Lian reported carefully as soon as he arrived.

"ah!?"

Zhu Houzhao asked in surprise, "It's been a long time since the war has begun? What have you done before?"

Hu Lian didn't know how to answer, so Zhang Yuan came out and said, "Mr. Hu, this is your fault. The Tartars retreated, and you can order the cavalry to chase after him. We have five thousand cavalry, are you still afraid that they will not be able to do it? The cavalry is very mobile, and even if they encounter ambush, they can retreat calmly!"

Wang Shouren hurriedly advised: "Your Majesty, the Tatars' withdrawal of troops may be a trick to lure the enemy, so don't chase the enemy!"

Zhu Houzhao hesitated. After the Ming Dynasty sent troops, the Tatars retreated thirty miles. This made it fifty miles away from the Zhangjiakou Fort of the Ming Dynasty, and there were traces of Tatars' activities around...

Zhu Houzhao felt that there was a deception in it, and hesitatedly asked: "Now that the troops left the city and returned without success, will it be a big blow to the morale of the soldiers?"

In Zhu Houzhao's eyes, sending troops must achieve results, and this involves the emperor's face and cannot be careless.

Wang Shouren said: "Your Majesty, this time is just a tentative dispatch of troops. As long as the Tatars can be repelled, it is a victory. Why should we take the risk to advance and take advantage of the Tatars?"

Zhang Yuan felt uncomfortable when he heard this. He saw that Zhu Houzhao was inclined to continue sending troops, so he straightened his back and jumped out to question: "Mr. Wang, the withdrawal of the Tartars means they are afraid. If this battle cannot be won, then how can His Majesty remain? Are you trying to make the soldiers and civilians in the city laugh at His Majesty?"

"Shut up!"

Because Zhang Yuan's words were too ugly, Zhu Houzhao stopped immediately.

Seeing that he had a conflict with Zhang Yuan, Wang Shouren stopped talking. Influenced by his father, he seemed too sleek and sophisticated in some matters, and he would give in if he could. Of course, he also had his own plans: "Although it is dangerous to continue to advance, there are only a few thousand Tatars outside the city. When I encounter my five thousand cavalry attacking, the Tatars chose to retreat. It is basically impossible for them to think about fighting with me, the Ming Dynasty, and they should escape in the future. Why do they go against His Majesty and Zhang Yuan?"

Hu Lian said: "Your Majesty, the cavalry has stopped twenty miles outside the city, waiting for your military order. Should we advance or withdraw our troops?"

Zhu Houzhao thought he had his own opinions, but he was hesitant at this time. On the one hand, he felt that there was a fraud in it, and on the other hand, he was worried that he would suffer a face loss when he slacking off his troops and it was difficult to decide for the moment.

Zhu Houzhao looked at everyone present, and finally his eyes fell on Bai Yu: "General Bai, do you think you should continue to advance?"

Bai Yu was watching the show, and there were so many "big bosses" in front of him, so it was not his turn to speak, but now the emperor suddenly asked him about it and was stunned. After a while, he stuttered: "I... I hope to listen to Your Majesty's drive."

Zhu Houzhao shouted sternly: "Okay, I decided to continue to send troops. General Bai will be the vanguard, and lead 10,000 infantry to cover the front line. The cavalry will continue to carry out raids to the Tartars' garrison. If the Tartars set off the camp again, there is no need to pursue them... General Bai, do you understand?"

Hu Lian quickly advised him: "Your Majesty, if a diplomatic war begins fifty miles from Zhangjiakou Fort, there is a chance that something will happen. Since the Tartars have withdrawn their troops and lift the threat to our border, there is no need to pursue them."

Hu Lian said this before, but now Zhu Houzhao has made a decision, and it seems that he is deliberately quarreling. Zhu Houzhao said angrily: "What I decided cannot be changed. Hu Qing's family, you have arranged 20,000 troops to cooperate. There are 50,000 or 60,000 outside the city. This time, we have to rely on the mobility of the cavalry to obtain the results. Of course, we should try our best to stop as soon as possible."

It was another vague military order, and the decision was made by the officials and generals under his command. Zhu Houzhao, the head coach, seemed very incompetent.

Hu Lian glanced at Wang Shouren. Wang Shouren said nothing, and he had no choice but to take the order and leave.

Hu Lian thought to himself: "Perhaps Bo An felt that the Tartars had not had many troops, and now our military and horses are neatly shaped. This is a good time to test the results of daily training. Even if there is a certain danger, he should not give up halfway."

Hu Lian and Wang Shouren both knew about the army. With the idea that "there are not many Tatars just to restrain the soldiers and horses of the Xuanfu, it is impossible to start a war on their own initiative." He felt that this battle had great potential, so he did not give any advice to remind Zhu Houzhao not to start a war.

Bai Yu quickly followed Hu Lian and said pitifully: "Mr. Hu, please point out a clear path to the last general!"

Hu Lian looked down on Bai Yu, a villain who behaved with eunuchs, and his tone was cold at this time: "Your Majesty has a clear order. If the enemy retreats, he will not continue to pursue him. If you stop when you see it, don't you understand this?"

"Then how can I stop when I see it?"

Bai Yu was confused and was not sure about it. Now Zhang Yuan was by the emperor and could not ask questions. He was about to lead his troops to attack, so he could only come to ask Hu Lian for advice.

Hu Lian shook his head, without answering Bai Yu's question, and went straight down the city tower.

Bai Yu seemed very hesitant: "Since you stop when you see it, it means that you must have certain results. Your Majesty personally supervises the battle. If you return without any achievements, it means that Your Majesty will not be able to explain to the soldiers and civilians in the city... In this way, I can only take one step at a time."

...

...

As Hu Lian and Wang Shouren expected, the Tatars did not intend to start a war with the Ming Dynasty in Zhangjiakou Fort.

The Tatars sent out troops led by the third prince Balsborot and the national teacher Susuha, with a total of more than 20,000 cavalry and were automatically divided into two factions. Susuha's troops were at Yanghewei, Huyukou, and Arieskou, and were attacked near Datong Town, while Balsborot's troops were on the eastern front, that is, from Zhangjiakou Fort to Wanquan Right Guard.

Balesborot has only one team of ten thousand people under his command, but with the local tribes, the number of troops under him is close to 20,000.

The one who harassed Zhangjiakou Fort before was not the main force of the Dayan tribe brought by Balsborot, but the small tribes on the grassland outside the mouth, with a number of only three or four thousand.

These small tribes were originally coerced by the Dayan tribe and came to harass the border of the Ming Dynasty. It was impossible to fight the Ming army to the death. After learning that the Ming Dynasty's troops were attacking, the three or four thousand people immediately chose to retreat, and at the same time sent people to inform Balsborot and asked the elite troops of the Khan tribe to assist them in withdrawing their troops.

The Balsborot received the military order from his father Batumonk, which also restrained the troops of the Ming Dynasty so that the main force of the Khanate could go to war with Shen Xi's troops and Yongshebu's troops, commanded by Yibula.

Therefore, from the beginning of this war, the Ming Dynasty was generally in a stable victory. Wang Shouren and Hu Lian supported the dispatch of troops and made a decision through analysis of the entire battle situation. They believed that this battle was an excellent opportunity for Zhu Houguan to see the situation clearly, and at the same time broke the blockade of battlefield intelligence by local military generals and officials led by Zhang Yuan.

However, it is obvious that Hu Lian and Wang Shouren did not expect one thing, that is, the third son sent by Batumonk was not a good-looking person. Balesborot was determined to make contributions in front of Batumonk. He asked for a war with Shen Xi but was transferred to the front line of Xuanfu. Now, he was unwilling to accept it when he learned that the Ming emperor sent troops to attack, how could he bear it?

"... The third prince, the Khan told the national army that our troops are limited, and we only need to harass the Ming Dynasty's borders. The harassment will change places at a time. Now the Ming Dynasty sends troops, it is likely that their emperor notices that our troops are insufficient and wants to fight with elite soldiers and exchange their lives for life... And those small tribes are not the same as us, so we should avoid their edge..."

Balesborot led his troops to the front line of Zhangjiakou Fort to block the Ming army's troops. The military advisor named Losette sent to him by Dayan Khan kept reminding him. Balesborot was young and energetic, and he was only seventeen years old this year. He was very energetic, so Losette's words were not accepted by him at all.

Balesborot said: "Did you get the news? My brother Urus has been killed by Chenxi of the Ming Dynasty and Yibula joined forces to commit suicide by conspiracy. I must avenge Urus and let the Ming people bury him... Since I am facing the troops led by the Ming emperor at this moment, I will let them pay their blood debts and blood debts!"

The reason why Ballsborot sent troops so resolutely was based on the subtle relationship within the Dayan tribe.

His eldest brother Tuluborot was injured in the battle to defend the capital. His health deteriorated and his injuries would recur every year. He could not go to the battlefield to kill the enemy himself.

One day or another, Tuluborot might die of illness at any time. His second brother Urus Borot had a chance to become the first heir of Khan, but Urus died inexplicably. Bales felt that he was one step closer to Khan's position. It would be better to do more things so that his father would look at him with admiration. Even if he didn't become the prince, he could be a 30,000-household hen, so that he would not obey everything like now.

Lochette's persuasion was ineffective and he had to give up in the end.

Balesborot originally had 10,000 cavalry. He excluding the troops and horses that were harassing other places in Xuanfu, as well as those cavalry who were responsible for logistics supply and could not be used casually, he personally led 3,000 cavalry to Zhangjiakou Fort. In addition to full of hatred, he also had a desire for military achievements. He wanted to prove to his father Khan that he was no longer a teenager and could bear the rise and fall of the Dayan tribe and even the entire Mongolian grassland.

Balesborot's determination is in sharp contrast to the Ming cavalry's retrenchment.

The Ming cavalry was not ready to go to war with the Tatars. This time the troops were sent to the air. After the Tatars withdrew their troops, the camp was fifty miles away from Zhangjiakou Fort, which made the army full of doubts about the assistance and protection in the rear.

The troops of Balsborot would probably arrive thirty miles north of Zhangjiakou Fort in Weizhong, and Bai Yugang led his troops through this place.

At this time, Zhangjiakou had not received any news about the Tatars' light cavalry assault, but the Tatars who harassed the Xuanfu border began to retreat, obviously trying to support the outside world. This made it possible for the Tatars to set up an ambush in advance.

"Nothing should go wrong."

Zhang Yuan, who walked out of the city tower, asked Xu Tai and others about military information in detail, breathed a sigh of relief.

Others don’t know why Zhang Yuan is so confident, because they don’t know that Zhang Yuan had known that there were not many Tatar soldiers outside Zhangjiakou, and his support for sending troops was also due to his roots.

"As long as you win this time, your Majesty will be pleased, and you may no longer want to continue sending troops. Then you can go back to the court." Zhang Yuan had a wishful thinking in his heart.
Chapter completed!