Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 842 is all aimed at me.

Faced with Wang Yue's unauthorized expedition to the grasslands, Zhu Youcheng felt helpless and tried his best to distance his father-in-law, Zhang Luan, from the matter.

Unfortunately, after the news leaked out, many people in the court already disliked Zhang Luan, and this gave them an outlet to vent their frustrations. They took the opportunity to unleash their negative emotions on Zhang Luan, and memorials impeaching him were sent to the palace like snowflakes.

Zhu Youcheng found it annoying.

"Didn't I tell you to tell those civil officials that your father-in-law has always opposed Wang Yue's decision to send troops?"

Zhu Youcheng was somewhat annoyed.

As a person who was very protective of his own, Zhu Youcheng hated nothing more than others attacking those close to him. Even his father-in-law, Zhang Luan, who was not related to him by blood and was merely his wife's father, was an untouchable taboo in his eyes.

Qin Chang said with difficulty, "Your Majesty, many ministers in the court are currently unable to think things through and urgently need to establish a target for concentrated attack. It just so happens that Zhang Guozhang has come up with the perfect solution!"

"Others may have acted out of consideration for their colleagues, performing routine tasks without much malice. After all... Wang Yue's return to the court was personally recommended by Zhang Guozhang, which was the trigger for a series of subsequent events."

Zhu Youcheng said with a stern face: "Then let someone take Wang Yue's memorial to the throne and display it to the outside world, so that the world will know that Wang Yue has sent troops without authorization!"
"I'm setting the tone here: if Wang Yue wins, fine; I'll promote him and grant him a higher rank. But if he loses, I'll hold him accountable when he returns!"

"Your Majesty, the soldiers at the front are fighting in enemy territory. If such an edict is issued, I'm afraid it will destabilize the morale of the army," Qin Chang said worriedly.

The young emperor in front of us has little experience in governing.

How can you stab your soldiers in the back while they are out on the battlefield?

Even if you don't think your orders are a knife, they are still a tight rein on the soldiers at the front. What if they are really defeated or lose everything and become increasingly angry and turn around and mutiny?
Seeing that the emperor was still angry, Qin Chang added, "In fact, before Wang Yue sent out his troops, he must have foreseen all the possible consequences and weighed the pros and cons before launching the campaign..."

Zhu Youcheng said, "But... he went to the Tatars in such a grand manner, carrying heavy weapons and equipment that required a lot of manpower to transport, and there was a shortage of mules and horses. How could he force the Tatars to fight him, win in one fell swoop, and then retreat smoothly?"

"Your Majesty, you..."

Only then did Qin Chang understand the emperor's meaning.

In other words, the emperor did not have high hopes for Wang Yue's victory and was even prepared for defeat.

In the emperor's plan, there was no option for Wang Yue to pacify the grasslands. The previous speculation that the emperor was betting on Zhang Yanling to lead the army to victory became increasingly reasonable.

But that was just speculation based on human relationships and social dynamics.

Judging from the actual situation, Zhang's young uncle was only leading two or three thousand men to mine and manufacture weapons in Datong. It seemed that he did not have the confidence to pacify the grasslands.

Even whether Datong Town is willing to cooperate with its troop deployment is questionable.

Even if they cooperate, they will only be cheering from behind. How could the officers and generals of Datong be willing to follow their orders?

Without the support of the troops from Datong Town, and only with the men under Zhang Yanling's command... is this a pacification of the grasslands or a self-inflicted humiliation? Why do you keep running into their slaps when they haven't even insulted you?

"Issue an edict for me, clearly stating the origins of this war, especially to explain it to the civil officials at tomorrow's court meeting."

Zhu Youcheng's gaze was cold and his tone icy. "The pacification of the grasslands was an act I made in accordance with the late emperor's will, not based on anyone's persuasion, nor was it a decision made on a whim. As for Wang Yue's military campaign, it had its justifications. Anyone who questions this matter is going against me!"

At this moment, Zhu Youcheng finally stood up for himself.

To protect those around you from being harmed by public opinion, you must get yourself caught in the vortex of public opinion... As the emperor, you must intimidate those ministers who think they have the truth and are relentlessly attacking Zhang Luan.

Qin Chang said tremblingly, "But...but...Your Majesty, you have already decreed that Wang Yue should withdraw his troops at the appropriate time! If he is forced to continue advancing simply because of the criticism from the court officials, things might get complicated if something goes wrong, wouldn't that be difficult to handle?"

He was reminding Zhu Youcheng that it was understandable for the emperor to want to protect his father-in-law, but he couldn't just rush forward on his own.

Let Wang Yue bear the consequences alone; there's no need to emphasize that his actions were due to your tacit approval.

Zhu Youcheng looked him over and asked, "Comrade Qin, do you also think that my plan to pacify the grasslands is outdated?"

"This servant had absolutely no such intention."

Qin Chang quickly offered an explanation.

Zhu Youcheng said: "So far, only Wang Yue's army has sent troops to the border, totaling no more than 20,000 men. They have launched a surprise attack across the north and south of Yinshan, but have not yet achieved any results. They may not even have fought against the Tatars yet."

"The attention paid to this matter by the court is clearly excessive! Those civil officials are not questioning whether this battle was a success or a failure, but just like when they brought down Wang Yue, they are jealous of talent and ability, taking trivial matters as important ones, and even making veiled accusations... It is truly despicable!"

"Your Majesty, what do you mean..."

Qin Chang was somewhat puzzled.

In terms of ability, Qin Changyuan cannot compare to Huai En.

When he had to step up to support the emperor at a crucial moment, he seemed powerless and would fall into a state of confusion.

Zhu Youcheng waved his hand and said, "What the ministers are targeting is always my personnel selection and strategy, not my father-in-law or Wang Yue! Qin Daban, they are targeting me, can't I retaliate?"

……

……

Wang Yue led his troops deep into the grasslands.

Because the specific activity routes of the Tatars were unclear, Wang Yue's tactic was to advance as far as possible into areas with fertile water and grass, especially into the Tatar wintering grounds.

By taking advantage of this information gap, and with most Mongol tribes unaware of the Ming army's approach, he swept through the enemy lines, killing as many Tatars as possible to gain the military merits he desired.

First, Zhu Hui, as a guerrilla general, led a thousand cavalry as the vanguard of the entire army, holding the line for two days. Then Zhu Yong took over the important task of clearing the way. In the blink of an eye, two days had passed, and it was time for the rotation of troops.

Zhu Hui dismounted and went to greet his father, saying, "Father, there is a great river blocking our way, and the army cannot advance."

Zhu Yong was somewhat surprised. He jumped off his horse and followed his son to the top of a hillside several tens of meters high. Looking at the surging, unfrozen river in front of them, he asked, "Which river is this? Isn't it marked on the map?"

Zhu Hui said, “Judging from past geomantic maps, this river should be the Xiaohei River. However, records say that the narrowest part of the river is no more than thirty zhang. In winter, the water flow weakens, and a pontoon bridge can be built to cross the river. But judging from the current situation, the river is now more than one hundred zhang wide, and the current is rapid. The army simply cannot cross it, and it is also difficult to build a pontoon bridge.”

Zhu Yong took out his binoculars and carefully examined the area. He discovered a large river stretching across the river before him, flowing south until it merged with another major river about ten miles away. Then it turned southwest, which must be the Dahei River the guide had mentioned. Now Zhu Yong was in a dilemma: "The boats we used to cross the Yellow River were all left in the Hetao region. We only brought deflated sheepskin rafts with us, which are clearly insufficient as a base for a pontoon bridge. And judging by the weather, the river won't freeze over anytime soon. What should we do?"

Zhu Hui said, "I estimate that we can only turn north and re-enter the Yinshan Mountains, then enter the Guanshan area from the region north of the Yinshan Mountains."

Zhu Yong picked up his binoculars again, looked at the indistinct cluster of buildings across the Xiaohei River, and asked, "What's that ahead? Why are there so many residences?"

Zhu Hui replied, "It should be Daban Shengcheng, which is Guihua. Three hundred li south of here is the former site of the Ming Dynasty's Yunchuan Guard, and another two hundred li is the territory of Datong. Six hundred li to the east is Weininghai, and five hundred li to the southeast is Xiashuihai, the former site of the Ming Dynasty's Xuande Guard."

Zhu Yong roughly located his position in his mind, shook his head, glanced through the binoculars at the area with rows of low buildings but no city walls, casually tucked his riding whip into his waistband, and gave the order:

"I'll go see Commander Wang right away. You take good care of your men. We've been in the grasslands for over half a month and haven't seen any sign of the main Tatar force yet. This is not a good sign."

……

……

That night.

Inside Wang Yue's central command tent.

Although it was late at night, the meeting was still in full swing. Wang Yue gathered the important generals in the army, as well as Wang Shouren, whom he had just recruited, together to study the current situation on the map, the possible directions in which the Tatars might appear, and what strategies should be implemented to ensure that everything goes smoothly.

After Zhu Yong arrived, Wang Yue appeared very cautious.

Clearly, even at this point, Wang Yue still regarded Zhu Yong as an outsider.

Subsequently, at Zhu Yong's insistence, Wang Yue dismissed the others.

The two walked to the table. Zhu Yong did not seem interested in looking at the map; he probably just wanted to say a few words to Wang Yue.

"General Wang, our army's route is currently blocked. Even if we manage to cross the Xiaohei River, we will have to cross the Dahei River again after passing Dabansheng City. With the current artillery equipment of our army, the pontoon bridge built with sheepskin rafts will hardly be able to withstand it. If the Tatars attack us while we are crossing, our army will be in danger."

"Given this situation, we must head north again and cross the Yin Mountains. Further east lies the Tatars' sacred mountain, Wengguan Mountain, where the terrain is treacherous, making it difficult for our heavy firepower to be effectively deployed... Under the current circumstances, should we still proceed with our previous plan and continue our advance towards Guanshan?"

Zhu Yong inquired.

Wang Yue explained, "The first reports of Tatar invasions in the Northwest came from the Sanbian region. But when it comes to actually sending troops to the grasslands, Pianguan or Datong would be more suitable, and even Xuanfu would be better than this place, since the Tatar royal court has always been in the east!"

Zhu Yong asked curiously, "So... you think that if the court intends to have you destroy the grassland forces, it would be better to have you lead the troops from Datong?"

Zhu Yong singled out Datong here because Zhang Yanling is currently in Datong.

"Yes."

Wang Yue said bluntly, "North of Datong, just a hundred li outside the pass, is Mao'erzhuang. Further north from Mao'erzhuang is Weininghai. The area within a hundred li around Weininghai is fertile land where the Tatars roam, and it is also a key area contested by various tribes of the grasslands. Therefore, stationing troops in Xuanfu and Datong, launching a decisive attack, and achieving a swift and decisive victory is the best choice!"

Zhu Yong said: "But the problem is... we are sending troops from the Hetao region, thousands of miles away. Is this inappropriate?"

"Winter is here now. We encountered snowfall when we crossed the Yinshan Mountains, but the snow stopped after we reached the plains. However, judging from the weather, it is expected to snow again soon. Once the vast grasslands are covered with ice and snow, the soldiers will be eager to return home, and this battle will be much more difficult."

Wang Yue sighed, “How could I not know the current predicament? Sending troops to the Hetao region has already exhausted the soldiers and horses. Later, we even had to cross the river and climb over the Yinshan Mountains, barely holding on by sheer willpower.”

"If we can't cross the Xiaohei River in front of us, we'll have to climb Yinshan Mountain all over again, which will be incredibly difficult. But the problem is that our troops are already on the verge of defeat and have no choice but to go. If the army suffers a crushing defeat, how will we explain it to the imperial court?"

"We don't need to explain anything to the imperial court."

Zhu Yong patiently persuaded, "In recent years, the Tatars have been weakened by the continuous attacks of our Great Ming, and they rarely invade the border."

"This was especially true after the border markets opened this year. All the tribes of the grasslands flocked to the places designated by the court to barter. Merchants from the Ming Dynasty acquired a large number of cattle and sheep, as well as various leather products, without lifting a finger."

"It was only because of the ongoing internal strife within the Tatars that some tribes migrated to the border regions for safety, but there have been no reports of large-scale invasions. Moreover, previous warnings of Tatar border incursions mostly occurred in remote areas such as Ningxia, Gansu, and Liaodong, the veracity of which is questionable..."

Wang Yue straightened his face and demanded, "Does the Duke of Baoguo think that my trip is a waste of time?"

"This humble general did not have such an intention."

Zhu Yong explained, “This humble general simply believes that we should look for traces of the Tatars nearby, instead of taking the old road. We only need to eliminate a few small tribes or drive them out, and kill a few dozen Tatar heads. When we return, we will have an explanation to give to the court.”

Clearly, veteran Zhu Yong was also a master at taking credit for others' work.

Even if we don't kill innocent people to claim credit, surely we can plunder some grasslands?
Currently, we are sticking to the old roads and main roads in order to seek a decisive battle with the main force of the Tatars, rather than going to some small, lush areas.

Previously, they might not have been interested in those small tribes hiding in the shadows, but as the Ming army entered the grasslands and crossed the Yin Mountains, penetrating deeper into the heart of the Tatars, even a veteran general like Zhu Yong, who had experienced countless battles, began to have doubts in his heart.

On the battlefield, just because an army is equipped with advanced firearms and has a numerical advantage does not guarantee a brilliant victory...

Doesn't warfare also depend on favorable timing, location, and popular support?

When the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty move on someone else's territory, their every move is under the watchful eyes of that person. In which respect do they have the advantage?
Wang Yue shook his head and said, "If that's the case, why should we go to all this trouble? Besides, after this incident, there's still the possibility of us flattening the grasslands in the future."
"If there's a next time, it might be several years from now!"

Zhu Yong was quite annoyed when he heard this.

Seeing how wary you are of me, I know you're afraid I'll steal your credit, and you're also worried the court won't give you a second chance.

The method I'm about to describe is beneficial to both of us, and it's also a relief for the soldiers—they can achieve their military merits without any trouble and go home to enjoy a prosperous New Year. The only benefit it won't bring you any reward for your title...

What you want is not a promotion, but a noble title...

Clearly, the merit of taking dozens of heads is not enough to win the emperor's favor and regain the title of Earl of Weining.

In other words, you, Wang Weining, are willing to disregard the interests of everyone in the army for that illusory title?

I traveled all the way from Datong to seek refuge with you, but it seems I've entrusted myself to the wrong person.

(End of this chapter)