Volume 1: The Wind Rises in Tumubao Chapter 29: Troops Arrive at Badaling
The Ming army marched eastward in a mighty force . When they passed through the camp on the way, Chen Ying hurriedly ordered people to drag out the artillery.
Zhu Qizhen stopped him and said, "The Wala people may catch up with us at any time. For safety, we must travel light!"
"ah?"
Chen Ying was dumbfounded. Are they just going to throw away the twelve Great General Cannons like that?
Isn't this a prodigal son?
"Your Majesty, these artillery pieces..."
“No!”
Zhu Qizhen was straightforward, as if these cannons were just something he picked up from the roadside and he didn't feel sorry for them at all.
Chen Ying was very conflicted. In his eyes, this thing was a treasure, more important than his own life.
"Why don't you lead the army ahead and leave a team of 100 people for me to transport the cannons? If the Wala people catch up, I will abandon them..."
“No need!”
Zhu Qizhen waved his hand to stop them, saying: "If the cannons are gone, we can build new ones. But if the people are gone, then we will lose everything. I don't want you and your soldiers to take this risk!"
"But……"
"You don't need to say more. Just pass on my order. Abandon all baggage and head towards Juyong Pass at full speed!"
Chen Ying was very puzzled as to why the emperor regarded these soldiers as more important than cannons.
In this era, human life is the least valuable.
For ordinary people, a human life is far less valuable than a cow.
The same is true for marching and fighting. To cast a large cannon, thousands of kilograms of pig iron are needed. Its strategic value is immeasurable. How can it be compensated by the lives of a few soldiers?
What's more, now it is not simply discarded, but handed over to the Oirat people.
After thinking it over, he still felt unwilling. If the twelve general cannons were put in Yesen's hands, God knew what the consequences would be !
"Your Majesty, if you insist on abandoning the baggage, why don't I send someone to destroy these cannons?"
Although I feel very sad, this is all I can do now.
"Forget it!" Zhu Qizhen shook his head and said, "Just think of it as a gift from me to Yesen!"
Chen Ying was speechless. Can this thing be given away casually?
Your Majesty, these are all silver!
Seeing Chen Ying's tangled expression, Zhu Qizhen smiled faintly and said, "Don't worry, I have my own plans."
Chen Ying felt helpless, but did not insist.
"Your Majesty... obeys your order!"
The orders were passed down one level after another, and the army continued to advance. Chen Ying looked back at the twelve large cannons in the camp, his heart bleeding.
Little did they know that Zhu Qizhen looked down upon these things at all. The reason he did not let Chen Ying destroy them was because he had other plans in mind.
When we return to the capital, the first thing we have to do is to improve our weapons and equipment. It is time for outdated artillery like this to be phased out from history.
The choice to leave it to Yesen was not a helpless one.
First of all, if you don't have ammunition, this thing is just a pile of scrap metal and poses no threat at all.
If Yesen gets the cannon, he will be overjoyed and will invest a lot of manpower and resources into it in the later stage. Mongolia already lacks pig iron. If it wants to mass-produce cannonballs, it will inevitably occupy the resources of armor and weapons. When you take out the cannon with confidence, I will let you see what a Gatling gun with blue flames is!
The Ming army traveled day and night, and finally arrived at Badaling two days later.
Looking at the towering city walls, Zhu Qizhen finally felt relieved.
"Your Majesty, your servant Zhang Fu respectfully welcomes you! Long live the emperor!"
"Your Majesty, I, Kuang Ye, respectfully welcome you! Long live the Emperor!"
"Your Majesty, your servant Luo Tong respectfully welcomes you! Long live the emperor!"
Zhang Fu was withdrawn three days ago because Zhu Qizhen insisted on staying on the battlefield, and he was needed to take charge of the situation.
Kuang Ye arrived even earlier. He was originally going to follow the wounded soldiers back to Beijing. After arriving at Juyongguan, he was always worried about the safety of the emperor, so he asked the Minister of Revenue Wang Zuo to lead the team back to Beijing first, while he returned to Badaling to wait.
Now seeing the emperor standing before him unharmed, he was overjoyed and burst into tears with excitement.
"Your Majesty, you... have lost weight!"
Seeing Kuang Ye crying, Zhu Qizhen found it a little hard to accept. Old man, I'm not dead, why are you crying?
"Since you are interested, please stand up and reply!"
Kuang Ye and others stood up and escorted Zhu Qizhen into the city gate.
Badaling is the gateway to the Yanshan Mountains. From here to the west, it is a flat plain, and to the east, it enters the 36-li Guangou, which is like a deep well leading directly to Juyongguan.
After Emperor Taizong Zhu Di moved the capital, in order to strengthen the defense of the capital, he built two lines of defense in the north, namely the Inner Great Wall and the Outer Great Wall.
The Outer Great Wall goes northwest through Chicheng, Zhangjiakou, and Huai'an into Shanxi, and then through Tianzhen and Datong to Baiyangling in Pianguan County. The Inner Great Wall goes southwest through Yixian, Laiyuan, and Fuping into Shanxi, and then through Lingqiu and Fanshi to Baiyangling, where it connects with the Outer Great Wall.
There are six famous passes on the Inner Great Wall. Juyongguan, Zijingguan and Daomaguan on the east side are called the Inner Three Passes, and Pianguan, Ningwuguan and Yanmenguan on the west side are called the Outer Three Passes.
Among these passes, Juyong Pass is the most important gateway to the capital, and Badaling is an important outpost of Juyong Pass. Since ancient times, there has been a saying that "the danger of Juyong Pass lies not in the pass but in Badaling".
Zhu Qizhen entered the city gate and stood on the city wall looking down. He saw that the two peaks were sandwiched together and the mountains were majestic, as if one man was blocking the pass and ten thousand men were unable to break through.
At this moment, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Starting from Tumubao, he blitzed the Guishui River and blocked Boyan, and got out of the dead end step by step.
As for Wala Yesen, I will remember this grudge for now. Just wait, I will come back to find you!
That night, Zhu Qizhen finally had a good sleep.
These days, apart from fighting, they have to guard against night attacks and are not allowed to sleep.
The siege of Tumu Fort has been lifted, and the army will return to Beijing tomorrow. The real life of an emperor is finally about to begin.
In his dream, he seemed to see the beautiful receptionist girl again, who was recommending the store’s Imperial Supreme Set Meal to him.
"Boss, are you still going to order Technician No. 18 tonight?"
"okay!"
"Your Majesty, wake up! The Wala people are attacking us!"
"Yes, massage your feet first..."
Fan Zhong was stunned again, wondering what was wrong with the emperor recently, why was he massaging his feet again?
He hardened his heart, touched the soles of Zhu Qizhen's feet and pressed down hard.
"Hey, what's wrong with you..."
Zhu Qizhen sat up suddenly, and then saw that the pretty face of Technician No. 18 had turned into the unshaven-bearded Fan Zhong.
"Your Majesty, the Wala army is closing in on the pass!"
"What?"
"The Wala people are chasing us and have set up camp five miles outside Badaling Pass!"
Zhu Qizhen was furious. I’m just massaging your feet… No, I can’t even sleep well. Is this ever going to end?
It was about five o'clock in the morning, just before dawn, and a cold wind was blowing, cutting through people's skin and bones.
Zhu Qizhen climbed up the city wall wearing a cloak and looked around. The camp in the distance was brightly lit, with about tens of thousands of people.
Judging from the situation, Yexian was ready to launch a strong attack!
