Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 877 Both War and Negotiation Available
In the camp south of the small river in the valley.

The blazing campfire illuminated Wang Shouren and Qin Yun's weathered faces, making them glow red.

Qin Yun looked at Wang Shouren and said apologetically, "I have no way of knowing the specifics of the talks between the Tatars and Young Master Zhang, or what conditions they agreed to, or whether they agreed at all."

"However... the Tatars can't do anything to us, that's for sure! If they refuse to make peace, then it will be our turn to lead the troops and wipe them out!"

Wang Shouren frowned and asked, "You mean... the imperial court has already sent reinforcements, and they're on their way? The Tatars are feeling immense pressure?"

"This one……"

Qin Yun shook his head and said, "Although I do not know the exact information, it seems very difficult to get the imperial court to send reinforcements."

Wang Shouren nodded silently.

I thought to myself, it really is difficult.

Although he disagreed with Zhu Hui's assessment of the civil officials in the court, there was one thing he could not deny: the court did not support the war against the grasslands.

Wang Shouren said, "If the people in the court know about the progress of this war, and understand the advantages we currently have, and that we can render the Tatars helpless with only a few thousand men, forcing them to make peace with us, then they should understand and support this war, and devote their energy and manpower to fully cooperate in the battle."

Qin Yun smiled but didn't say anything.

Obviously, it was unrealistic to expect all the Ming Dynasty officials to personally witness the plight of the Tatars.

When court officials do things, they have a politician's mindset. They say there are too many details to consider, but in reality, it's all about making trade-offs and not doing anything that doesn't benefit them.

Clearly, in the eyes of politicians, the war against the Tatars was completely unnecessary.

What good would it do to win?

Does working for the royal family affect their lifetime salary?

If we fail, who can bear the consequences?
Wang Shouren asked, "Should we launch an attack next, in conjunction with this peace negotiation?"

They fought while negotiating.

To force peace through conflict.

In Wang Shouren's view, it was an acceptable outcome to be able to get the entire Tatar population to surrender to the Ming Dynasty with such a small number of people and accept the Ming Dynasty's investiture and resettlement.

It's not quite a case of subduing the enemy without a fight, but it's practically impossible for the Tatars to cause any more trouble in the future.

Who made the Ming Dynasty's firearms so advanced for the times?

Even if the Tatars were to replicate firearms, they would no longer be able to gain an advantage using their previous strengths in cold weapon warfare, such as mounted archery...

Who made the Ming Dynasty so vast and rich in resources, and also had a population of countless?

According to records, during the century of peace in the Ming Dynasty, the population expanded rapidly. Today, the registered population alone is over 60 million. This figure is based on local officials deliberately exaggerating to evade taxes, and does not include informal groups such as migrants and military households. The true population is estimated to have exceeded 100 million.

Since both sides were using firearms, the competition was no longer about bravery, but about population potential and the cultural level of the soldiers. In this way, the disadvantages of the Ming soldiers disappeared instantly.

Qin Yun said, "Let's rest first. If the Tatars make any moves, we'll deal with it. Right now, let's make sure the soldiers get enough rest."

……

……

Wang Shouren returned to the central command tent.

Zhu Hui has already summarized the gains and losses of the battle against the Tatars over the past day.

"We lost four brothers, and Commander Qin's side had about a dozen," Zhu Hui said. "Brother Wang, guess how many Tatars were killed or wounded? Uh... let's put it this way, guess how many ears were cut off?"

Wang Shouren asked, "Two or three hundred?"

"It's scary to think about, there were about 600 pairs of ears in total, not counting the wounded who were taken away by Qin Yun and his men, as well as the more than 60 prisoners who were captured."

After Zhu Hui finished speaking with great enthusiasm, he added with some concern, "This battle didn't seem very dangerous. All the fighting took place in the distance, and there was almost no close-quarters combat. The Tartars' sabers didn't play any role... But I always feel that this battle went too smoothly. Could there be a problem?"

Wang Shouren did not answer Zhu Hui's question, but instead asked himself, "Did you include the charred ears of the Tatars in the camp earlier?"

"Not counted."

Zhu Hui shook his head and said, "Those are probably only a few dozen, not worth mentioning! Speaking of which, the evolution of this war is very different from what I remember. In the past, when we were shooting at each other with bows and crossbows, the deaths and injuries happened right before our eyes, and we could immediately feel the cruelty of war. But now, we are shooting from a distance. It is only when we go up and cut off ears that we realize how tragic this war really is."

Wang Shouren said, "Isn't this a good thing for us? The soldiers don't have to feel the constant threat of death, which helps the whole army to stabilize their morale and prepare for long-term war."

"Moreover, without close combat, even novices can grow quickly, which is extremely rare for our Great Ming."

Zhu Hui nodded and said, "That's true. But our people have crawled out of piles of dead bodies, so they're different from raw recruits."

"I only found out today that many of Zhang Guojiu's men are greenhorns who have never been on the battlefield. This kind of firearms for long-range combat has really turned these greenhorns into battle-hardened soldiers in no time! No wonder they never cut off ears or behead people; it's too bloody for novices."

Wang Shouren thought to himself, "So that's why Zhang Guojiu's men don't do this."
Didn't they dig pits and bury corpses before?
Perhaps in their view, the overall victory of the war was the key, and the gains and losses in small areas were insignificant.

Wang Shouren said, "It seems that the Tatars have compromised because they have realized the gap in strength between the two sides and have taken the initiative to send envoys to negotiate with the Ming Dynasty. But this young imperial brother-in-law is probably not qualified to make peace with the Tatars."

“Brother Wang, the situation is not necessarily true. You don’t know, this young imperial brother-in-law, and his father, Zhang Guozhang… are deeply trusted by His Majesty. Otherwise, how could this young imperial brother-in-law have led troops into the grasslands in just over a year after His Majesty ascended the throne? Who else could gain such trust?”

Zhu Hui still finds it incredible when he mentions Zhang Luan and his son.

For a subject to gain such trust from the emperor and to achieve such accomplishments, becoming so influential in the court in such a short time, is probably unprecedented in history.
Wang Shouren asked in surprise, "So, His Majesty will grant the Zhang family's young uncle the power to negotiate while fighting?"

"Why is this impossible?"

Zhu Hui sighed, "This battle might not have even started if it weren't for this young imperial brother-in-law. Just look at the trust and respect that the Ming soldiers in the neighboring camp have for him, and you'll know just how capable he is... He truly has the emperor's favor and the people's hearts!"

Wang Shouren looked somewhat hesitant.

As a young man, I feel it's already quite an achievement to have reached this point.

But compared to Zhang Yanling...

It seems there's no comparison at all!
"We must guard against the Tartars attacking again at night."

Zhu Hui stood up and said loudly, "We also need to seize territory and credit, so that the Tartars will think we are important figures and dare not provoke us easily."

"If the Tartars are ultimately defeated by our allies, but choose to use us as a sacrifice to raise their flag, and send out their entire army... then we will become mere foils to the victory of our three armies, and in the end... we will become a laughing stock!"

……

……

In the following days, the Tatar offensive continued like a tidal wave, one after another, which was somewhat overwhelming for Wang Shouren and Qin Yun's forces.

Another night raid! Until dawn, the Tatars were still engaged in fierce fighting around the valley.

The air was thick with the smell of smoke and dust. Even Wang Shouren himself sometimes had to go upwind to get some fresh air, but then he would have to lead his men to complete the assault, ensuring that the Tatars were driven back and preventing them from crossing the valley.

"Boom..."

As dawn broke, a muffled thud was heard through the thick smoke.

A huge oil bomb with a trail of flame fell from the sky; it was obvious that the Tatars had launched it from a catapult.

Although Zhang Yanling had destroyed most of the Tatars' catapults using long-range artillery and surprise attacks, the Tatars had occupied the grasslands for too long and had a large stockpile of catapults. They could find some to use on the battlefield from time to time. It is estimated that the incendiary bomb was set up and launched by the Tatars at the front of the position under the cover of night and smoke.

However, their oil bombs could not travel two or three miles like the cannons of the Ming Dynasty, and in the end they only landed on the frozen river in front of the camp.

As the incendiary bomb exploded in the ice, creating a large crater, it burst into flames and soon burned through a large hole, falling into the ice beneath the river.

Although the bullet did not hit the Ming army's camp, it still had a significant impact on the soldiers holding their ground in the trenches south of the Xiaohe River. It at least proved that the Tatars were still trying to outgun the Ming army in terms of firearm range.

If the range were increased by another 100 or 200 meters, the incendiary bombs might land inside the Ming camp, causing considerable casualties and chaos.

"No, we still have to fight our way out!"

Zhu Hui crawled out of the trench and looked into the distance through binoculars, but unfortunately, because the sun hadn't risen after daybreak and the smoke from the battlefield obscured his view, he couldn't see very clearly.

Wang Shouren said, "The Tatars' offensive is relentless, they don't even give up at night, it seems they are indeed under tremendous pressure... I wonder where this change came from."

Zhu Hui said, "Could it be that the Tartars are trying to lull our soldiers into a false sense of security by talking about peace, while actually intending to swallow us whole? Fortunately, Zhang Xiaoguojiu didn't fall for it..."

"However, if this situation continues, the other forces might be overwhelmed by the Tatar offensive... The Tatars are clearly filling the gaps with their lives."

As the oil bomb landed, it was thought that the Tatars would seize the opportunity to retaliate or launch more oil bombs.

But for some reason, for a long time afterward, the Tatars seemed to have given up.

Just when the stalemate was at its peak, Qin Yun sent someone to the trenches where Wang Shouren's troops were stationed, bringing the latest news: "The Tatars have retreated."

"Why did you cancel it again?"

Zhu Hui popped his head out, his voice dry. He wanted to spit, but there wasn't a drop of saliva in his mouth. He could only mumble, "The Tartars are using a war of attrition to wear us down... No, we have to teach them a lesson, so they won't bite us like mad dogs all the time."

Wang Shouren picked up a new type of firearm from the side. Although there were less than three bullets left in it, he still seemed to want to use it to fight the Tatars to the death. He ordered, "Several men, come with me to the opposite hilltop... I want to go up to a high place to see the Tatars' movements."

Zhu Hui asked in surprise, "Brother Wang, are you crazy? The Tartars could come back at any time, and you still dare to run to the other side of the mountain?"

Wang Shouren said, "The Tatars are currently retreating. If we don't take this opportunity to go forward and check their situation, when will we? Their desperate actions these past two days must have a reason, and we must find out..."

Zhu Hui suggested, "Why don't we look from a higher vantage point behind us?"

"The limitations are too great; I want to see the whole battlefield."

With that, Wang Shouren disregarded Zhu Hui's strong objections and led two attendants out of the trench, then quickly headed towards the other side of the river.

……

……

Zhu Hui had no other choice but to urge his soldiers to go forward and cut off the ears of the Tatars who had died in battle. In this way, he managed to gather a force of more than a hundred men and cross the river with Wang Shouren.

As they passed the large crater created by the incendiary bomb, Zhu Hui paused to look around, then shook his head helplessly and followed Wang Shouren, who was crouching low and rushing forward.

“Brother Wang, do we really have to risk going to where the enemy is active? If we stay here, the Tartars won’t be able to easily kill us.” Zhu Hui meant that we should just guard this corner and not worry about the Tartars on the opposite mountain.

To rush forward so rashly is tantamount to putting oneself in danger... What's the point just to scout out the enemy's situation?
"Or, you could send a few scouts up there, or listen to what Commander Qin has to say, wouldn't that be better?" Zhu Hui didn't want to do it himself.

Wang Shouren seemed not to have heard Zhu Hui's words at all, and just kept walking forward.

After traveling for more than half an hour, the last group of people finally reached the high ground on the opposite side.

Upon reaching the top of the hill, Zhu Hui felt exhausted and turned to find a place to sit down. However, he saw Wang Shouren, who looked like a scholar, standing next to him, full of energy and looking across the hill with binoculars.

Zhu Hui wondered, was it really necessary?

"So that's it."

Wang Shouren sighed deeply.

Zhu Hui asked, "How is it?"

When Zhu Hui looked around, he instantly felt refreshed by the wide-open view before him.

Although their location on the hill behind them was relatively good, the mountains in front of them blocked their view of the main battlefield to the northeast, and they didn't even know where Zhang Yanling's main force was.

The Tatar camps were often only partially visible.

Once they reached the hilltop that had originally been occupied by the Tatars, they realized that they could truly have a complete view of the entire situation from there.

In the distance, however, the Tatars had begun a full-scale withdrawal.

The Ming Dynasty had at least three or four fresh forces, forming a defensive formation with each other in a triangular pattern. In some places, the flickering firelight indicated that the artillery bombardment was not yet over.

"It must be more than ten miles away, right?"

Zhu Hui pointed to the spot in the distance where firelight was shooting out and asked.

Wang Shouren's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly: "No wonder, no wonder!"

Zhu Hui asked, "What did Brother Wang discover?"

"Look over there."

Wang Shouren pointed northeast.

Zhu Hui said, "What's going on there? There seem to be more people there. Could it be the location of Zhang Guojiu's central army? I was wondering where Zhang Guojiu's troops were."

“Zhang Guojiu’s troops should not be within our sights,” Wang Shouren said. “Or perhaps, his men are among the other scattered forces.”

"What?"

Zhu Hui looked at Wang Shouren with a puzzled expression.

At this moment, the sun finally peeked out from behind the clouds and shone on Wang Shouren's resolute face.

(End of this chapter)