Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 873 Life or Death: A Battle That Must Be Won
Outside Qin Yun's camp.

Soldiers are cleaning up a Tatar camp that has just been burned to the ground.

Although not many people or livestock were captured, a dozen or so prisoners were still brought over. The Tatars were still muttering something in their tongues, seemingly pleading for mercy... Because it was too late and the people were facing away from the firelight, Wang Shouren could not see them clearly from a distance.

"We captured a few people alive."

Qin Yun explained, "But they were all elderly, weak, women and children who didn't have time to escape... The able-bodied young people who could run away all ran away."

Zhu Hui laughed and said, "That's good. Our forces are not many. Along the way, they have been burning, killing and looting... Ah, that's not quite right. It should be said that wherever the royal army goes, not a blade of grass will grow."

Wang Shouren asked, "Has the approximate location of the troops led by that Imperial Uncle Zhang been determined? When will they be able to rendezvous?"

Qin Yun said, "I told you two before that we would be gathering troops in this area. There is no exact location, but judging from the current terrain, it should be close. The Second Young Master's troops have not arrived yet, so we need to clear the area in advance to prepare for the upcoming battle."

"That's very visionary."

Zhu Hui praised him from the side.

Wang Shouren didn't know whether he was praising Zhang Yanling or Qin Yun.

Wang Shouren asked, "Will the Tatars bring their troops here as Zhang Guojiu planned?"

Qin Yun said, "The strategy given by the Second Young Master is that our troops should not linger in battle. We only need to defeat the Tatars we encounter. There is no need to pursue them relentlessly. We should lure the Tatars we encounter to the agreed location. Once our troops have gathered here, the Second Young Master said that the Tatars will naturally come to meet us."

"He's quite confident."

Wang Shouren asked doubtfully, "What if the Tatars passively avoid battle, or even actively migrate to the northern desert region, recuperate for a few years, and then return to fight our army?"

Qin Yun laughed and said, "How could I possibly know so much about matters of grand strategy? We just do what the Second Young Master tells us to do."

Zhu Hui leaned closer and said, "I think Zhang Guojiu is very resourceful, and since his whole family knows how to predict the future, perhaps he has planned everything in advance?"

Wang Shouren ignored Zhu Hui's flattery and continued, "If the Tatars do not fight according to the established plan, are there any other countermeasures? Or even a withdrawal?"

"This one……"

With a polite smile, Qin Yun said, "The Second Young Master didn't say anything explicitly. If you have any questions, why not ask him in person after you meet him? I'm just following orders and really can't answer this question. It's getting late, and I still have tomorrow's marching plan to arrange. Please forgive me for not keeping you two company any longer."

……

……

"Brother Wang, you already said that Commander Qin wouldn't tell us the truth, so why did you keep pressing him for answers?" Zhu Hui was very dissatisfied on the way back.

I wanted to ask him for firearms, but you always seemed to be concerned with strategy...

Shouldn't we be more pragmatic?

Wang Shouren said, "Even if you don't consider us fellow travelers, you should at least consider us allies... What problems can't you tell your allies the truth?"

Zhu Hui said, "I think he really doesn't know... The Zhang family is very shrewd, why would they tell Commander Qin about something like this?"

Wang Shouren sighed, “As the commander-in-chief of an army, if you don’t even explain the specific plans to your subordinates, how can you expect them to be loyal and obedient?”

What is the rationale for concealing and failing to report this?

"what!?"

Zhu Hui never expected that Wang Shouren would consider the issue from such a unique perspective. After thinking about it carefully, he said with great seriousness, "That's probably because he has too much personal charisma, especially in the army, where he has a lot of prestige."

Wang Shouren said, "I wonder where his prestige comes from? Is it because he once led troops south to quell banditry? That's just too absurd!"

Zhu Hui smiled and said, "That depends on who's backing him... Young Master Zhang is His Majesty's brother-in-law and is deeply trusted. Who would dare to underestimate him?"

"this one?"

Wang Shouren frowned.

"There's definitely more than that."

Zhu Hui said, "He is also very wealthy... As far as I know, nearly half of the Ming Dynasty's military pay is raised by him and his son. Even General Wang has praised them highly. Furthermore, he is respectful to scholars and has built a very good relationship with the soldiers when he was training the new army."

Wang Shouren said, "You still haven't answered the most crucial question... If he's not honest with his subordinates, how can he guarantee that his soldiers will be truly loyal to him?"

"This firearm, it must be real, right? When others see that he invented and manufactured something so powerful, wouldn't they be filled with admiration?"

Zhu Hui said, "That's how people in the military are. They only care about who can help them gain military merit, or who can come back alive and get everything they want."

"As for the age, background, and qualifications of the person leading them, they don't really care that much. Just like Brother Wang, do you think... what's the difference between you and the second young master of the Zhang family?"

Wang Shouren shook his head and said, "My background is far inferior to his."

"Isn't that okay?"

Zhu Hui laughed and said, "You still manage our army very well, and everyone in the army respects you. Of course, you don't need to belittle yourself about your background. The man in your household is from the Imperial Academy, not much different from his father... Of course, he is a member of the imperial family, and he will definitely be granted a title in the future."

"In terms of his own strength, that Second Young Master Zhang is not weak either. At least everything he does is reliable. Over time, he has both background and ability, and he is also a skilled craftsman... If you make a contribution under his command, it will be noticed by the higher-ups immediately, and may even reach the ears of the emperor directly."

"Where can you find someone as capable as that?"

……

……

Another heavy snowfall has descended upon the grasslands.

They experienced extreme weather again, but the Ming soldiers, from top to bottom, had already adapted to the various hardships and dangers they had encountered before.

Because the road ahead was difficult, and Qin Yun's troops had already arrived at the agreed location, Qin Yun decided to temporarily set up camp and wait for the heavy snow to stop, as a precaution, and sent out scouts to explore the way.

Wang Shouren took the initiative to send someone to deliver a message, accepting the task.

“Brother Wang, let them investigate, why should we pay attention to them?” Zhu Hui said. “Our own brothers are having a hard time in this weather too.”

Wang Shouren said, "We have to do something, right? Otherwise, people will just think we're useless."

"I'm afraid that when it comes time to reward those who have done their part, they won't give us credit just because we helped them scout out the enemy. The brothers in the army who are still able to fight should be careful to conserve their strength so that they can contribute when the big battle comes."

At this point, Zhu Hui fully revealed his utilitarian side.

Wang Shouren appeared very anxious, saying, "There's still no news of Zhang Guojiu, and we don't know how things are going on his end. The situation on the grasslands is unpredictable, and then there's this sudden heavy snow..."

"Are you afraid...they won't be able to come?"

Zhu Hui looked bewildered and shook his head, saying, "No way? What if in the end, Zhang Xiaoguojiu's main force doesn't show up, and only Commander Qin arrives with his troops...? This is no joke!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of nervousness appeared on Zhu Hui's face.

If, as Wang Shouren said, all the forces Zhang Yanling dispatched were utterly defeated, then they would have to worry about whether they could return alive.

The Tatars deployed their superior forces to first eliminate Zhang Yanling's central army, and then gradually dealt with the scattered troops...

It’s scary to think about it.

……

……

The stay in place lasted for less than a day.

The heavy snow stopped the next day. Although the surroundings were covered in white, the night scouts had already scouted the area for miles around. "No lakes or marshes have been found in the vicinity yet."

Zhu Hui came to report the situation: "Even if there are any, they should be frozen over and covered by snow, making them impossible to find. Our familiarity with the terrain is far inferior to that of the Tartars. Even with mountains and rivers as obstacles, the Tartars walk on them as if they were flat ground. We are at an absolute disadvantage in terms of timing and terrain."

Wang Shouren nodded and said, "Pack your bags and get ready to set off."

"Ah...we're leaving?"

Zhu Hui was surprised.

Wang Shouren looked up at the other side, at Qin Yun's camp, which was only two or three miles away. At this moment, Qin Yun's men were also packing their belongings.

Wang Shouren said, "We just received news that the central army of our friendly forces is in position... less than twenty miles from here. We need to hurry over and meet them."

"It's finally here."

Zhu Hui seemed very excited and said loudly, "This is really the start of a decisive battle... Didn't Qin Yun say he'd send us some new firearms as a reward?"

Wang Shouren glared at him, as if asking, "Are you kidding me?"
How can someone still have the mind to think about good things at a time like this?

Just then, Qin Yun sent someone over as a courtesy to inform them: "Young Master, General Wang, our General Qin said that he has already informed Young Marshal Zhang that you two are staying here, and he expects to make specific arrangements for you."

Zhu Hui laughed and said, "So, Zhang Guojiu will soon find out we're here? But if you're going to assign us tasks, you have to equip us with new firearms. Otherwise, with just our small force, it will be difficult to fight against the Tartars who outnumber us by dozens of times."

The messenger on the other side was clearly unable to give Zhu Hui any response on this issue.

"I will relay your words to General Qin verbatim."

The messenger then mounted his horse and sped away.

Wait for people to leave.

Zhu Hui mocked, "Young Marshal? You're so young, yet you want to be a marshal? You don't even have many soldiers under your command."

Wang Shouren asked, "General Zhu, you are old, but do you have the courage to fight a battle of this intensity?"

"What's the word?"

Zhu Hui appeared quite arrogant, "After all, we come from a military background, and none of my men are afraid of trouble..."

Wang Shouren looked at him with a narrow-minded gaze, appearing quite impolite.

All that's left is to expose Zhu Hui's dirty secrets.

You kept making excuses and kept saying you wanted to go back to the Ming Dynasty. Have you forgotten so quickly who did this terrible thing?

Wang Shouren looked to the northwest and said, "I wonder what the situation is like over there. Have the Tatars gathered as expected?"

"In terms of troop numbers, we are at a significant disadvantage. However, thanks to the new firearms, this battle... can be considered evenly matched."

Zhu Hui said, "Isn't the advantage on our side? The Tatars may have an advantage in the number of troops, but when it comes to direct combat, they are far inferior to us."

Wang Shouren shook his head and said, "If the Tatars believed they had no chance of winning, why would they come to fight? I think that since Zhang Guojiu had planned this battle, he wanted to give the Tatars the illusion that they could win. He wanted the Tatars to believe that they had to stifle the Ming Dynasty's progress in developing new firearms, otherwise... after the Ming Dynasty developed for a few more years, what chance would they have?"

Zhu Hui also sighed and said, "Since the new firearms are so powerful, why can't we wait a few more years before sending troops? Why do we have to start the war now? Once the entire army is equipped with the new firearms, we can win without even fighting."

Who doesn't want to achieve great things?

Wang Shouren said, "Rather than letting time unfold and things come to fruition, it would be better to have a grand and spectacular war. Moreover, the Ming Dynasty faces too many constraints in developing firearms, and it is not something that can be changed by a mere maternal relative."

Zhu Hui was taken aback at first, but then he understood what Wang Shouren meant.

The Ming Dynasty was not entirely under the control of Zhang Luan and his son.

If the Zhang family were to develop firearms, who in the court would agree?
We can't rely entirely on the Zhang family to provide financial support to the Ming Dynasty, can we?
If the imperial court were to allocate funds and provisions to improve firearms in the future, given the nature of those civil officials, would they actually provide such funds?
Without victory as a foundation, the people in the court would find fault with the new firearms in every way, and the final result would be that the Ming Dynasty would have the new firearms technology but would not be able to use it because of a lack of money to manufacture them. In the end, when fighting, they would still use the old firearms or fight hand-to-hand with the Tatars.

Throughout history, the wars waged by the Central Plains dynasties were not primarily about the quality of their equipment, but rather heavily reliant on their policies…

The Ming Dynasty's soldiers were constrained too much by the overall environment of the imperial court in their desire to win battles.

The war is no longer a war; it's a political game.

Wang Shouren said, "I hope this battle will change the future territorial landscape of the Ming Dynasty. I feel honored to be here for this battle."

……

……

Wang Shouren and Zhu Hui led their troops closely behind Qin Yun's forces, following the snow tracks they had left behind, heading northwest.

After crossing a hilly area, a valley stretching for six or seven miles came into view, and in the distance, one could see rows of camps.

"Those are... Tartars?"

Zhu Hui appeared shocked.

Wang Shouren quickly used his binoculars to check the situation ahead.

Wang Shouren then said, "Yes. The Tartars have a continuous camp, which means there are at least... tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people in the camp."

"Then let's..."

Zhu Hui originally wanted to say that we could leverage our advantages, lead our troops directly in, and seize a wave of opportunities.

However, when he saw a large number of Tatar troops moving around in the snow, he instantly felt that they were the sheep entering the tiger's den.

Wang Shouren said, "The Tatars have blocked our way forward."

Zhu Hui was speechless and said, "Brother Wang, you were right. The Tartars feel they can win, so they've brought out so many troops to try and stifle our army before it rises. If Zhang Guojiu wins this time... they won't have a good life in the future."

Wang Shouren nodded and said, "That is exactly what I am worried about. If the Tatars come out in full force, and the various tribes unite as a result, it will be very disadvantageous for us."

Zhu Hui said, "Even if we have brand new firearms, bullets are not unlimited, are they? And after firing for a long time, the guns will eventually explode, right? If the Tatars get close after a few rounds, how can we fight this battle?"

Wang Shouren didn't say anything after that.

Upon seeing Qin Yun's troops in the distance, they began to use artillery fire to make contact with the Ming Dynasty scouts scattered across the valley.

"What's this?"

Zhu Hui asked.

Wang Shouren said, "If I'm not mistaken, Zhang Guojiu's troops, or some other group of men, are behind the hill opposite."

"Then why are there no signs of war?" Zhu Hui asked. "A major battle is clearly imminent, so why does it give people a... very quiet feeling?"

Wang Shouren shook his head, indicating that he himself could not understand the situation at hand.

Zhu Hui said, "That's true. The situation in this battle is too special. The Tartars are also afraid of death and know that whoever charges first will die. And Zhang Guojiu's troops also know that they don't have the strength to directly charge the enemy camp! But they have quite a few cavalrymen... I just don't know how effective their firearms will be on horseback..."

Wang Shouren said, "Both sides are probably preparing for war."

"Preparing for war right under the enemy's nose is something I've never heard of or seen before. If I tell others about it when I get back, they'll definitely think I'm bragging."

Zhu Hui said with a self-deprecating tone, "When we were fighting before, I thought the Tartars had already reached the limit of their cowardice. I never thought they would be even more cowardly now."

Wang Shouren commented: "They are better than when they fought us before. At least now they know that life and death are at stake and they must fight with all their might!"

(End of this chapter)