Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 866 Or a Dead End

The soldiers stepped forward to examine the bodies, exhumed several corpses with distinctive features, and placed them in front of Wang Shouren and Zhu Hui.

Zhu Hui pointed at the corpses and said, "Brother Wang, look, they were all killed by firearms, but the power of the bullets was far more terrifying than what we have equipped. Some had a bloody hole punched through their chests, while others were pierced through from the front to the back, literally... shot through!"

Wang Shouren stepped forward to examine it carefully.

Zhu Hui looked at Wang Shouren's serious expression, pursed his lips, and thought to himself, "Is this a scholar? Or a madman? He's just a young boy who hasn't even lost his baby hair yet, but he can be so calm about these strangely shaped corpses? If it were an ordinary person, they would probably be vomiting uncontrollably by now..."

"No wonder the Tatars fear our army like tigers; they've been terrified of us! No matter how thick the armor, it's useless against these firearms. If we face them head-on, we can only wait to die."

Wang Shouren stood up and expressed his heartfelt feelings.

No one agreed.

Wang Shouren was somewhat surprised and glanced over, only to see his soldiers looking at him with strange eyes.

Wang Shouren frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

Zhu Hui said, "Brother Wang, you are truly a pragmatic and meticulous person... However, seeing so many corpses all of a sudden, aren't you afraid?"

Wang Shouren shrugged dismissively: "You said it yourself, we crawled out of piles of corpses, what are we afraid of?"

Zhu Hui laughed, "When you were charging into battle, some people said you were all show and no substance, but now everyone knows that when you get ruthless, you could be the first to capture a city... It's this size that's what makes you so tough..."

The implication is that you are still too frail, and you are ultimately different from those burly soldiers.

"These things are unimportant."

Wang Shouren was somewhat impatient, meaning that you should get to the point and stop rambling on about irrelevant things.

Zhu Hui said, "Brother Wang is good with a pen, not good at manual labor. Just tell the people below to do it... Come on, you guys, turn the body over and examine it carefully to see if there's anything unusual!"

"Order."

Immediately, someone stepped forward to search the body.

Upon smelling the stench of decay, Wang Shouren took two steps back and said coldly, "This is probably why Datong Town dared to send troops... Just looking at these firearms, their power is terrifying, but I wonder about their range and rate of fire?"

Zhu Hui asked curiously, "No matter how fast the rate of fire is, isn't it still a firearm? Doesn't it still need to be loaded with ammunition? Doesn't it still rely on a large number of people to form combat power?"

Wang Shouren had no interest in discussing too many details with Zhu Hui. He looked up at the northern sky and said thoughtfully, "Judging from this situation, the battle should have taken place a few days ago. The Ming army should be within a hundred miles of us... but where exactly are they?"

"And within a hundred li?"

Zhu Hui protested, dissatisfied, "We made a deal: if we don't see anyone by sunset today, we're leaving. You can't go back on your word."

"Ah."

Wang Shouren nodded, "Then let's gather our thoughts and get the soldiers moving out immediately."

"Report..."

Just then, another messenger rode up at breakneck speed. He jumped off his horse in a panic and shouted, "The Tartars are less than ten miles ahead, and we can see Tartar spies all around us."

"Prepare for war."

Wang Shouren immediately issued the order.

He was just worried about not finding an opportunity to keep his soldiers under his control, and what happened before his eyes was exactly what he wanted.

I'm not afraid of you Tartars coming; I'm afraid you'll stay far away and make my bunch of unambitious cowards rush back to await the imperial court's reward!
But if danger really comes, these veteran soldiers will definitely go all out to fight their way home... When it comes to risking their lives, you Tatars have to step aside!
……

……

Wang Shouren's troops were fully prepared and ready to fight a tough battle against the Tatars.

To Wang Shouren's disappointment, the Tatars on the other side, upon discovering them, were even more cowardly than his own cowardly soldiers, and simply fled with their men.

"They disappeared in the blink of an eye."

Zhu Hui led a team of night watchmen out and circled back, his face showing disbelief. "They clearly had over ten thousand men, looking like a strong and well-equipped army. In the past, they would have charged forward long ago... But now they're as cowardly as mice. They run away as soon as they see us, and we can't catch up no matter how hard we try... Compared to them, our horses are still too weak."

Wang Shouren looked anxious upon hearing this.

Zhu Hui said, "Why are the Tartars getting more and more cowardly as the war goes on? Tens of thousands of soldiers encountered only a thousand of us, and knowing that we have no reinforcements from the rear, they actually ran away as soon as they saw us? Don't they pride themselves on being the descendants of the Blue Wolf and the White Deer? How come they have no backbone at all... Don't they have to report to their superiors?"

Wang Shouren resolutely said, "Never mind, let's pursue them relentlessly until dusk."

Zhu Hui sighed, "I'll listen to you until dark. But once the sun sets, you'll have to control your temper. If the Tartars just want to cower, we can still report back to the court. After all, we're not exaggerating... it's the truth. Haha, I'm just afraid those people in the court won't believe us and will think we're making things up... Hey, it's really strange, when did we become able to make the Tartars run away at the mere sight of us?"

……

……

Wang Shouren led his troops in pursuit.

Unfortunately, he and his men were exhausted, and they still had a lot of supplies. Moreover, the soldiers were reluctant to discard the loot they had plundered from the grasslands, so the more they chased, the further they got from the main Tatar force.

"Don't force yourself."

Seeing that the sun was already setting and it would soon be sunset, Zhu Hui began to persuade Wang Shouren, "The Tatars are no longer what they used to be. Our firearms are too powerful and have an absolute advantage over them... After we go back, we will manufacture tens of thousands of guns and then come back to settle accounts with them."

Wang Shouren said, "Since they are so determined not to fight us, why are they going to fight another Ming army?"

"what?"

Zhu Hui frowned and asked.

Wang Shouren turned his head to look at Zhu Hui and asked, "Didn't you ever think about who buried those Tatar corpses? And... what happened in that battle?"

Zhu Hui clicked his tongue in amazement and said, "Tsk tsk, that makes sense. What's the logic behind them running away when they encounter us, but fighting head-on when they encounter the troops sent by Datong? Could it be that it's just an internal conflict among them? And they even invented the firearms?"

"Or... our reputation precedes us, while the forces from Datong are not strong enough to deter the Tatars, leading to a series of fierce battles?"

How many corpses were buried in that pit?

Wang Shouren asked.

“Three pits, at least... there are three thousand Tartar corpses.”

Zhu Hui asked, "Given such a devastating defeat, just how many soldiers did the Ming Dynasty send from Datong?"

Wang Shouren said, "There is only one explanation: that the speed of that army's advance was not hindered by the weight of their loads or their firearms. Their speed was even faster than that of the Tatars, and they had less time to rest when they encountered the enemy. This meant that even if the Tatars wanted to avoid battle, they could not escape and had to face the enemy head-on."

Zhu Hui said, "This...this is impossible, isn't it?"

"How to say?"

Wang Shouren was very meticulous.

Zhu Hui frowned and said, "Firearms fired from horseback are inherently slow. Continuous firing without accuracy may even be less powerful than bows and crossbows... Our people have already verified this."

Wang Shouren said, "But Wang Zhongcheng mentioned that the young imperial brother-in-law is manufacturing more advanced firearms... Perhaps a musket that can fire continuously and accurately on horseback already exists?"

"The young imperial brother-in-law has quite a reputation these past two years, but does anyone really think that he can completely pacify the Tartars on his own? How could a mere young man have such great abilities?"

Zhu Hui was furious when he heard this.

I had been led by the nose by the young Wang Shouren, but now I am being told that there is an even more awesome young man who is leading troops to fight a mobile war against the Tartars.
Still winning one victory after another?
You scholars are awesome, while we warriors are just good-for-nothings?

Wang Shouren said, “Nothing is impossible. Just like before I left the pass this time, I never thought that I would have the opportunity to follow Wang Zhongcheng into battle, or even lead troops as a commoner.”

“That’s because you’re capable, and you’ve also met a mentor,” Zhu Hui said. “But you’re quite reckless in battle, and you don’t care about the morale of your troops. When you encounter the enemy, you just want to charge in… If you continue like this, something bad will happen sooner or later.”

Wang Shouren shook his head: "Our Great Ming Dynasty has a glorious history of driving out the Tartars and restoring China. The Taizu and Chengzu Emperors chased after the Tartars and fought them. To lead such an army, one must have an indomitable spirit. Only in this way can one suppress the enemy in all aspects... If one does not even have the courage to draw one's sword when encountering the enemy, it is tantamount to handing over the advantage to others!"

"You're full of platitudes, I'm not going to talk to you anymore... Shall we continue chasing? It's getting dark soon," Zhu Hui asked.

Wang Shouren said, "Let's continue forward and talk about it after sunset."

……

……

The sky gradually darkened.

Wang Shouren had to accept the reality that he really had to remain an outsider in this great battle.

He was truly powerless to do anything about it. Even he himself felt exhausted, let alone the soldiers who had been tormented by him for months... Everyone was covered in chapped skin, with only a little white showing in their eyes. Even their original white cloth or sheepskin coats were now grimy and covered in mud.

Should we continue?

Zhu Hui asked, utterly exhausted.

Wang Shouren shook his head: "Let's set up camp here."

"You're not going to force me anymore?"

Zhu Hui asked, "Or should we continue the pursuit tomorrow?"

"That's enough, after all, we have to act within our capabilities."

When Wang Shouren said this, his face was full of regret.

Zhu Hui breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Hopefully nothing unexpected will happen this time. They were saying they would withdraw their troops back to Datong. These Tartars are really strange; I've never seen such fickle Tartars before..."

Wang Shouren glanced at Zhu Hui, as if to say, "Are you implying that I am also fickle, just like the Tatars?"
In any case, it seems that Wang Shouren really compromised.

And it seems they have already accepted the reality that they will have to return empty-handed.

……

……

The troops and horses remained stationed in place.

The soldiers had no time to think about tomorrow...

The continuous marches of the past two days had worn away their last bit of energy. Some soldiers sat by the campfire, not even bothering to eat, and fell asleep leaning on their muskets.

Even those who were still active were moving very little, and they would be panting heavily if they did anything even slightly strenuous... The previous forced march had completely drained their souls.

Wang Shouren continued his usual practice, and soon after the army stopped, he began to patrol the camp, talk to the soldiers, personally bandage the wounds of the wounded, and even wash their feet.

When he saw how exhausted his soldiers were, he felt a rare sense of empathy, because after he had also let go of his anger, he also felt that his body couldn't take it anymore.

In fact, he was more tired than the soldiers these days and had done much more work. At this moment, he was more sleepy than anyone else present, but he was able to persevere through sheer willpower.

This is probably the difference between having faith and not having faith.

At midnight, the patrol was finally over.

Wang Shouren planned to return to his tent. He didn't expect to sleep for a long night; he just wanted to find a place to take a nap. He planned to take a group of men out for a stroll during the darkest time before dawn, hoping to find evidence of the Ming army's existence before retreating the next day, so that he could leave his men behind.

But just as he stepped into his tent, he saw Zhu Hui arguing with two soldiers. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the two soldiers were centurions who were scouts at night.

"what happened?"

Wang Shouren stepped forward and asked.

Zhu Hui looked impatient: "They said they discovered a large group of Tartars were fighting with someone."

"Where?"

Wang Shouren immediately became excited.

After overcoming countless difficulties, I thought everything was over, but who would have thought that things would take such a dramatic turn for the better?

But it could also be a dead end.

Zhu Hui casually said, "About three or four miles ahead, there seems to be a Ming army fighting with the Tartars. There are probably... about three or four hundred of them."

"So close?"

Wang Shouren never expected that the incident would happen right under his nose, and he was completely unaware of it.

You should know that in the early days, he would send out scouts dozens of miles away.

Zhu Hui shook his head and sighed: "It might not be our men... Besides, what can three or four hundred people do? It's just small-scale fighting, what's so interesting about that?"

Wang Shouren waved his hand and said, "Let's go. Bring all the officers and soldiers in the army who can still get going. The rest shouldn't sleep either. Eat and drink as usual to conserve their strength. Otherwise, we won't even have the power to fight back when the Tartars charge over... We must go and take a look. If it is really our Ming soldiers fighting nearby, we cannot stand idly by, neither morally nor logically."

……

……

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

When Wang Shouren and Zhu Hui arrived at the battlefield, they never expected to see the Ming army in the heart of the grasslands.

They initially found it hard to believe, and even observed the army calmly from a distance for a long time. Only when they discovered that the army was indeed using firearms and that the flag fluttering in the moonlight was the Ming Dynasty dragon flag did they truly believe that they had "met an old friend in a foreign land".

"The number of Tartars is far too great, far more than anticipated."

Zhu Hui and Wang Shouren can be said to be on par.

The two men stood on high ground, riding their horses, looking at the battlefield not far away, and their hearts sank.

They had only a little over a thousand men, while the Ming army on the other side had at most three or four hundred men.

The Tatar cavalry besieging them numbered five or six thousand, and their military bearing was exceptionally orderly, unlike what one might expect from a defeated and remnant army.

Although the Ming army also had horses, they didn't seem to be very good at fighting on horseback. The three or four hundred men were completely surrounded by the Tatars without leaving any gaps. They were no match for the Tatars' trick of surrounding three sides and leaving one side open. With several thousand men fighting three or four hundred, no tactics were needed. They could simply surround them and annihilate them.

Wang Shouren asked, "Have the Tatars discovered us?"

"You should... have discovered it, right?"

Zhu Hui wasn't quite sure.

Because the Tatars' target seemed to have been those three or four hundred men from beginning to end, and they didn't care about the troops that Wang Shouren brought.

"Given their overwhelming numerical advantage, why don't the Tatars charge?" Wang Shouren asked. "Are they afraid we'll send reinforcements and launch a coordinated attack from within? Or are they waiting for reinforcements?"

Zhu Hui said, "A few thousand men against three or four hundred, a crushing defeat of nearly twenty times, and we still have to wait for reinforcements? Are the Tatars so spineless now? Should we attack now? While they are still establishing themselves, let's launch a direct attack, coordinate from the inside and outside, and give these Tatars a hard time?"

"hold on."

Wang Shouren was not in a hurry.

Zhu Hui thought to himself, "You, Wang, surely aren't afraid to go because you're intimidated by the Tartars' numbers and strength, are you? Since you're not afraid, what are you waiting for?"
(End of this chapter)