Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 848 A person with real ability can earn respect anywhere.
The migrating Tatar tribesmen were resting in a low-lying area.

The previous rain and snow made their journey difficult. In addition, they felt that they had entered the territory of the Chahar tribe, which was under the control of Batu Mongke, the legitimate descendant of the Golden Family, and that Chahar troops could come to their aid at any time. Therefore, they chose to camp in a low-lying area with some water and grass nearby. This would allow them to replenish their water supply in time and also shield them from the view of those with ulterior motives.

Little did they know that this choice would bring them utter ruin.

It's like playing hide-and-seek. If you hide and only look at your head, and the Ming army finds you, then the Ming army can turn the tables and launch a surprise attack.

When the Ming army surged out of the hillside like a tsunami, the Tumed herders were completely dumbfounded.

The intelligence from the previous few days said that the Ming army had already moved eastward along the southern foothills of Yinshan Mountain, and had not come north... They also thought that their plan to lure the enemy had been a great success.

Unexpectedly, the Ming army sent a surprise force that, after several days of rapid marching, caught up with them and arrived here... Moreover, the commander seemed to be a reckless young man who, despite knowing that their main force was intact, still launched a surprise attack despite having fewer troops.

The information gap led to serious inadequacy in the preparations of the Tumed tribe.

Because the Tumed tribe had sent some of its troops to the north in order to negotiate with the Chahar tribe, they were afraid that the Chahar tribe would take advantage of their predicament and annex them, compared to the Ming army.

Who would have thought that this special transfer would result in an insufficient number of troops to defend the rear.

When the Ming army charged down the hill, the Tatar herdsmen, seeing the situation was not good, quickly drove their cattle and sheep to block the Ming cavalry's charge, but it was a drop in the ocean.

Wang Shouren personally led his vanguard and stormed into the Tatar camp.

Just like during the Battle of Weininghai, when the Ming army suddenly appeared in front of the Tatar camp, the Tatars were completely dumbfounded by what was happening before their eyes.

However, the Tatars are naturally adept at fighting against harsh climates and difficult living conditions, so they react relatively quickly when faced with emergencies. They quickly gathered their strength and prepared to send men to intercept them.

When it comes to short-range archery, their skill in both archery and horsemanship is certainly not inferior.

If it were a nomadic tribe from the grasslands launching a surprise attack, their range and strength would not be too different from the enemy's. After all, it's cavalry against cavalry, archers against archers. If it really comes down to close combat, the difference in individual combat strength between the two sides will not be significant. In many cases, it comes down to the formation of the two cavalry units.

But this time...

They faced a massive influx of Ming Dynasty cavalry armed with firearms.

The Ming cavalry, abandoning their traditional practice of exchanging arrows, charged forward directly with muskets, a situation far beyond the comprehension of the Tatar soldiers.

The problem lies in the fact that the firearms of this era were very heavy, making it difficult for a single soldier to fire them. In the past, even when the Ming Dynasty used firearms, they used "fire arrows," which were similar to firecrackers, except that gunpowder was added to the back of the arrow. After being fired, the explosive force generated by the gunpowder would propel the arrow forward a certain distance.

This would greatly sacrifice the accuracy of the arrows. After being propelled by gunpowder, the arrows would fly off into the unknown, so the Tatars were not very worried about the Ming army's rockets.

The Ming Dynasty soldiers who were charging forward with Wang Shouren were almost all armed with flintlock muskets, which were pre-loaded. Even if they were not standard firearms, they could at least load and fire by themselves. They could load two rounds at a time and fire twice. After firing, they could use bows and arrows or reload and fire again.

In an encounter battle, being able to launch two attacks at medium to long range at the start is already a huge advantage, let alone in this kind of surprise attack.

So when Wang Shouren led his troops quickly across the depression in the grassland and into the range of the muskets, the Tatar cavalry had not even formed a complete formation yet, while the Ming army's firearms had already fired deafening shots one after another.

"Bang bang bang..."

As the smoke rose, one by one, the Tatar cavalrymen who were about to engage in battle inexplicably fell off their horses.

Most of them wore armor, which was the protective gear required for the soldiers who stayed behind to guard the outer layer of the camp and act as shields. Together with the highly mobile patrolling light cavalry, they could provide comprehensive protection for the camp.

Unfortunately, this time they were facing the Ming cavalry equipped with long-range muskets, which were not only powerful but also much more accurate than before. In addition, the Tatars were hastily assembled and their troops were in disarray, unable to disperse, which limited their defense to a small area, giving the Ming cavalry a perfect opportunity to take aim.

If you spread out, we might not be able to hit the target accurately.

But who told you to prepare so hastily, and with your herdsmen scattered throughout your camp? In order to organize an effective counterattack, you had to gather your limited forces in one place, which gave us the perfect opportunity to launch a full-scale attack.

The Tatars had no idea that the Ming soldiers opposite them were no longer carrying the rockets that used to fly around randomly. They believed that their armor and shields could effectively block the long-range attacks of the rockets, which is why they did not disperse their formation.

However, this also allowed the Ming cavalry to gain the upper hand at the very beginning of the war by suppressing the enemy with long-range firepower.

When the Tatars discovered that the Ming dynasty's firearms could fire continuously and that their own armor offered no protection, they panicked.

They disregarded the need to regroup and began to scatter, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.

The number of defensive troops they had set up behind the camp was already severely insufficient, and with a large number of livestock from the herdsmen blocking the road, once they dispersed, it was as if they were fleeing in disarray.

Wang Shouren's original plan was to lead his troops in a charge, and then retreat when the Tatars gathered their forces to counterattack. At that time, they would use the slow-moving but more extensive and longer-range breech-loading cannons in the rear to launch a greater area attack on the Tatars.

In other words, he planned to bring his own men up as bait to lure the Tatars out before attacking them.

Before the decoys could even get close, their lighter flintlock muskets proved invaluable... directly causing the makeshift defensive formation of the Tatars to crumble after just a few rounds of fire.

Thus, the Ming vanguard cavalry did not need to retreat and pursued the enemy in their victory, leading their troops directly into the center of the Tatar camp.

……

……

Zhu Hui, who was preparing for a major operation in the rear, did not expect that Wang Shouren would lead less than a thousand musketeer cavalrymen to cleanly and decisively charge into the Tatar camp.

It was like wolves entering a flock of sheep, chasing and killing the Tatar herdsmen. Even if all the able-bodied men of the Tumed tribe took out their weapons to fight back, it was to no avail. After all, the Ming soldiers on the other side were equipped with firearms and were launching a surprise attack in groups. Individual efforts were simply insignificant. Before they could even fire an arrow, they had already fallen into a pool of blood.

The Ming soldiers were almost invincible in the Tumed camp, wreaking havoc.

Zhu Hui was stunned when he saw this scene through the binoculars.

Zhang Qi, the adjutant beside him, was somewhat flustered and asked, "Young Master, they just broke in like that? It seems we've fallen behind! Won't all the credit go to someone else?"

"Do you need to tell me that?"

Zhu Hui got angry.

He thought to himself, "If I had known the Tatars were so easy to defeat, I would have led my men in an attack."

This way, I would appear brave and fearless, earning a reputation for leading from the front, while also seizing credit and achieving outstanding merit... It would be a perfect situation where I could gain both fame and fortune...

Now you've just handed the opportunity over to Wang Shouren?
"On my command, move out immediately! This opportunity won't come again!"

Zhu Hui quickly ordered the entire army to advance at full speed. Zhang Qi said, "The Tartars have never been this cowardly before... We don't have many troops charging, so how can the Tartars be so weak and helpless?"

Zhu Hui retorted angrily, "Have you ever had the opportunity to invade the heart of the grasslands before?"

Zhang Qi remained silent.

In the past, the strategic pattern was basically that the Tatars were responsible for attacking, while the Ming soldiers were responsible for defending. Some Ming soldiers were only responsible for hiding in the fortresses and never had the opportunity to fight the Tatars head-on.

Of course, there were times when Wang Yuewei took the initiative to attack, like in the Battle of Ninghai, but very few people actually experienced it.

This, on the contrary, made the Ming soldiers unaccustomed to this feeling of unstoppable advance...

I always thought of the Tatars as so brave and skilled in battle, almost never able to win in a one-on-one fight. In the past, I mainly drove them away and never intended to engage them in direct combat.

But now the Tatars seem to be all show and no substance.

Zhu Hui sighed, "This is not the main force of the Tatar prince's central army after all. We should be careful. If the Tatars gather their troops and charge in, we may not be able to handle it with our small force."

……

……

The Ming soldiers were also gradually adapting to this combat method of "fighting with fewer troops" and "taking the initiative".

In the past, most of the time, the Tatars were few in number and would attack with light cavalry, taking unconventional routes, which kept the Ming soldiers busy.

This time, however, it was the Ming soldiers who launched a surprise attack after penetrating deep into the grasslands, and their numbers were significantly fewer than those of the Tatars on the other side.

The Ming soldiers then discovered that the Tatars had no fortified cities, which made it all the more convenient for them to plunder and kill.

If people, livestock, and valuables are right in front of you, just kill them, just rob them; if you can't take them, just burn them.

As soon as the battle began, fires broke out in the camp of the Tumed tribe.

Zhu Hui was actually quite opposed to and had reservations about the soldiers setting fires everywhere. In his view, setting fires would increase the risk of exposing the presence of his own troops, letting the Tatars know where the main enemy was, and attracting Tatars from other places to gather and rush to his aid.

You commit arson, murder, and looting; can't you at least be a little more discreet?
As expected, scholars have little experience in leading troops; they couldn't even consider such a small matter.

But Wang Shouren seemed to be leading his troops recklessly, wanting to make the battle as large as possible. It seemed like he was bluffing, but it also seemed like he really had the strength to do so, deliberately luring the Tatars over to complete the strategic decisive battle he had planned.

This was particularly difficult for the Tumed people, who had already left their homes and their place of survival south of the Yin Mountains.

It was winter, so they should have stayed in the south, under the protection of the Yin Mountains, to recuperate and wait for the spring to arrive. They could even have gathered troops to harass the borders of the Ming Dynasty, plunder its people and livestock, and set off wars everywhere, keeping the Ming soldiers busy.

Who would have thought that the Ming border troops would act unpredictably and directly rob them!
They came on strong and fiercely, and even though the Tumed cavalry organized several counterattacks, they were all in vain.

Wang Shouren led his troops and immediately displayed overwhelming momentum, completely suppressing the Tumed cavalry. In addition, the Tumed cavalry were unsure of the power of the Ming Dynasty's firearms, causing most of their soldiers to focus only on their own territory...

If the sky falls, the soldiers and herdsmen guarding the rear should hold it up.

Your wives, children, and elderly relatives are all on the other side of the camp. You can go and fight your way. Our goal is to safely move our women, children, and livestock away.

The elderly, weak, sick and disabled should go first. You have to contribute to the clan, otherwise we've been supporting you for so many years for nothing.
Because the Ming soldiers were coming in a fierce manner, and the Tatars indeed had no natural defenses, this led to great divisions within the Tumed tribe. Different ethnic groups and factions were only concerned with their own situation and could not take the overall situation into consideration.

Wang Shouren then led his men on a charge towards the furthest point.

They only engaged in simple looting and killing along the way, followed by setting fires to create a greater spectacle, and then rushed towards the most densely populated areas. Upon arrival, they engaged in further killing and arson, followed by pursuit and driving away, which essentially created conditions for the Ming army to arrive from the rear.

Zhu Hui led his troops behind, finding everything that was happening before his eyes incredible.

He said to the soldiers around him who were looting, "What are you doing? What are you doing? Are you still worried about valuables at a time like this? Charge forward! That Mr. Wang has already gone far ahead! It's really damn strange. He managed to create the momentum of 20,000 people with only 2,000 men! That kid charged in from one direction and made it seem like he was using only 1,000 men to encircle tens of thousands of Tatars? How did he manage to do all that?"

Su Liu, the adjutant standing nearby, said, "Young Master, haven't you realized it yet? This gentleman is very capable... No wonder even Commander Wang speaks highly of him and has him assist us in the battle."

"Who said he came to help us?"

Zhu Hui said, "He's here to order us around. Fine, we'll do as he says! We'll do everything he says! Capable people should be respected everywhere."

"For the sake of military merit, we should be more humble."

……

……

Only after Wang Yue pursued them out of Yinshan did he learn of Wang Shouren's decisive battle against the Tumed tribe.

At this moment, he seemed to have aged several decades in an instant. Facing the generals who had followed him into the grasslands, he made no attempt to hide anything and said with emotion, "The student surpasses the teacher. It seems that I am too old and no longer capable of shouldering the responsibility of fighting against foreign barbarians on the nine borders."

Xu Mao, the deputy commander standing to the side, said, "General Wang, even if the young master and Mr. Wang in front of us are very brave, it is because of your good guidance that we have been able to do so. You are the one who is in overall control... We are willing to follow your orders."

Wang Yue sighed and said, "There are many situations that I cannot explain to you clearly, but in my opinion, Wang Bo'an's ability should be no less than mine. He was able to lead troops north and face foreign cavalry that outnumbered him by several times without any fear. When he led troops north and encountered the Tatar forces moving south, he fought and fought them. This courage is beyond the reach of ordinary people."

This relates to the tactics Wang Shouren used previously.

The generals present actually had only a superficial understanding of Wang Shouren's achievements; they didn't even know how many victories he had made.

All they knew was that Wang Shouren, in cooperation with Zhu Hui, led troops in pursuit for two days and two nights, encountered the Tumed tribe's camp, launched a surprise attack, and achieved brilliant results.

"Immediately issue my order for the Duke of Baoguo to head north, so he no longer needs to guard the Yinshan Pass... The main force of the Tatars has already begun to assemble, and they are all to our north... If there is an opportunity, this will be the last battle against the Tatars!"

Wang Yue gave the order in a loud voice.

He then addressed those present, saying, “You will all march north with me to confront the Tatar prince. If we succeed in this battle, you will all be remembered in history. If we fail, we will have no face to return to His Majesty and the court. This is a battle that concerns the honor of us soldiers.”

The crowd shouted in unison, "We are willing to fight the foreign invaders to the death and will never back down!"

(End of this chapter)