Eighth year of Chongzhen

Chapter 225 Messenger

Cao Bianjiao leveled the horse, turned the horse's head and drew an arc obliquely to slow down the horse's speed, and waited until the cavalry behind him had all turned, and then slowly reined in the horse.

Looking around, there are only a few war horses standing alone on the vast grassland in front of them, and there are no signs of Tartars immediately. The withered grass is full of corpses, and occasionally there are wailing sounds of seriously injured people. sounded.

It was September in the ninth year of Chongzhen, and the temperature in the north had dropped below zero. However, since the beginning of winter, there has been no heavy snowfall, and the vast grassland has become very dry.Cao Bianjiao planned to lead his team back to Lintao after the game to avoid being trapped by the sudden heavy snow.

"Gather the horses, search for the wounded, and clean up the battlefield! The sentry sent out fifty miles! After finding the water source, rest and eat!"

Cao Bianjiao put the horse in the pocket of the horse, turned over and jumped off the horse.

After several teams of cavalry took the order, they headed towards the distance separately under the leadership of their respective teams; to the battlefield.

After Cao Wenzhao and Cao Bianjiao led their troops to Lintao Mansion, according to Sun Chuanting's instructions, Cao Wenzhao trained the captured captives and cultivated the fields, while Cao Bianjiao led a thousand cavalry to search west for traces of Mongolian tribes, looking for opportunities to attack .

In a few months, Cao Bianjiao led people to attack several small Mongolian tribes, beheaded hundreds of Mongolian youths, and seized countless cattle, sheep and horses. The Mongolian tribes near Lintao Mansion were frightened and forced to continue to the west far away from Ming Dynasty. migrate.

In the confrontation with the cavalry of the Ming army, the weakness of the Mongols' lack of armaments was fully exposed.

Mongols who lacked iron armor mostly wore leather robes, their weapons were mostly machetes, and the arrows they used were basically made of animal bones.Against the Ming army who used horn bows and long arrows, long-handled brow knives, long spears, and maces, and wore double-breasted iron chain armor on the outside and cotton armor on the inside, their own bows and arrows could not shoot through the locks, which are extremely defensive against bows and arrows. A, the weapons used are not as long as the Ming army's broadswords, and the long-range shots are not a threat, and the close combat is easily slashed and stabbed by the opponent's long soldiers. In addition, Cao Bianjiao led his troops to fight more and less, and quickly counted The Mongolian tribes were completely wiped out, and the casualties of the Ming army were only a few dozen people.

The Mongols are not all brave fighters who are not afraid of death.During the battle with the Ming army, out of a natural awe of the strong, many Mongolian youths would voluntarily surrender when they saw defeat in order to save the lives of themselves and their families.

For these Mongols who surrendered, Cao Bianjiao would send people to Lintao Mansion after the war and hand them over to his uncle Cao Wenzhao for disposal.

According to Sun Chuanting's instructions, Cao Wenzhao would move the surrendered Mongolian women, children, old and weak to the inland area to cultivate fields, while the young and strong would graze cattle and sheep in the border area.

With family members as hostages, they are not afraid of what might happen to these young adults.

Cao Bianjiao was once released to a Mongolian tribe and asked him to bring a message to the king account of the Tumote tribe: quickly surrender to Daming, and Daming will provide Tumote tribe with food, iron, salt, and medicinal materials. It was the heavenly soldiers who killed his family.

"The Tartars who were released last time should have arrived at the king's tent of the Tumote tribe long ago. Why haven't we seen any reply? Are the Tartars really planning to resist to the end? Judging from the slaughtered Mongolian tribes, the Tartars It should be due to the extreme lack of food and salt, even if you are a khan or a king, without these supplies, who will listen to your orders?"

Cao Bianjiao thought to himself while sitting on a mound of dirt.

According to the plan he and his uncle Cao Wenzhao made, he first led his troops to attack and kill the Mongols in order to establish his prestige, and then sent someone to send a letter to show his affinity. I can choose manpower from Mongolian young and strong to form a large-scale cavalry.

Leading thousands of troops to confront the enemy, this scene appeared countless times in Cao Bianjiao's dreams. What he wants to hear most now is the news of the surrender of the Tumed tribe.

Mongols are born warriors on horseback. As long as the elite are selected and armed, they will be a terrifying force.

As for whether they will have a rebellious heart, this is not a concern.

Because since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, countless Mongols have served the Ming Dynasty, and the Mongols do not reject joining the Ming army.Coupled with taking women and children as hostages and providing them with materials sufficient to improve their lives, they are not afraid of their unfaithfulness.

Whether it is a Mongol or a Ming, whoever makes their life better is worthy of allegiance. The era of national righteousness does not exist.

After cleaning the battlefield, a few Ming army scouts came to report that a spring with a large amount of water was found more than ten miles ahead, and there were signs of tribe relocation around. It seems that the Mongolian cavalry who fought against the Ming army just now was for It was only after the clansmen broke up that they took the initiative to find the Ming army who had come to search for it.

"The whole army gathers and goes to the water source! Explore the horses and then go west, and report back immediately when encountering the enemy!"

Clear spring water gushes out, stretching out a small meandering river. Ming soldiers lined up along the two banks, washing the unarmed horses. In a hundred iron pots filled with hot water, the boiled mutton is smelling delicious. Bursts of seductive aroma.

Insert a large piece of fat mutton with a short knife from the boiling iron pot, and when it cools down a little, Cao Bianjiao pulls out the short knife and puts it aside, holding the big mouth with both hands, and starts to bite, washing and feeding the soldiers of the Ming army Take turns eating.

These mutton were seized from the Mongols some time ago. After being slaughtered, they were cut into large pieces. They were spread evenly with a large amount of salt and dried for a few days. They can be preserved for a long time. When eating, they can be directly thrown into the pot and boiled with water. .

For the Ming army, which has been short of meat for a long time, at least in a short period of time, they will never get tired of eating.

Of course, the main reason is that the cold climate in the north has become a natural refrigerator, so the mutton will not deteriorate. If you are in the humid and hot Jiangnan, no matter how much salt you use, it will be useless, and the mutton will stink in a few days.

"General, it seems that those Tartars are determined to oppose us. When we go back to escape the winter and the spring of the next year, we will go to the king's tent of the Tartars and kill the gang of Tartars! "

Guerrilla Chen Gang who was sitting on the side spoke while chewing the mutton.

"Killing people is just to gain prestige, and it is fundamental to recruit more Mongolian cavalry. Some people and the general system speculated that since the emperor ordered us to recruit Tartar cavalry, his intention was to build slaves in Liaodong! The most powerful cavalry in the Liaodong Plain galloped freely. It is also the place where men of my generation have made great achievements! Conquering the Jiannu and conquering the lost land, and gaining a wife and son is what I yearn for!"

Imagining that he led tens of thousands of cavalrymen to attack Jiannu face to face, a frenzy flashed in Cao Bianjiao's eyes.

Chen Gang grinned and said: "The general is brave and invincible. In the future, he will be named a Marquis and Boss! If I can be a general, I will be satisfied! If the general becomes a Marquis in the future, don't forget to promote me." Ah! Hehehe!"

"Look at your worthless appearance! Is it enough to be a general? As long as you follow a certain hero to fight the enemy bravely, the general will be at your fingertips!"

"Chief soldier? My good boy! Isn't that an official as big as President Cao? I dare not even think about it! General, you have made countless achievements, and until now you are only a deputy chief soldier. I will not be able to handle it in this life." I!"

Chen Gang muttered dejectedly.

Cao Bianjiao was about to reprimand, when suddenly there was the sound of hooves coming from far and near, it sounded like dozens of riders, could it be that there was an enemy in front of him?
Chen Gang swallowed the last bite of mutton and stood up: "There must be an enemy situation, general, please rest for a while, I will go and have a look!"

"Little Five! Bake a pancake and eat it!"

Cao Bianjiao ordered casually.

Xiao Wu, a soldier on the side, quickly poured the new-style military rations in the intestine bag into the iron helmet, then added boiling water, kneaded it into a big dough, inserted it with a short knife, and baked it on the fire.

After a while, Chen Gang turned back in a hurry, followed by a dozen Mongolians in leather robes.

"General, these Sao Tartars claim to be the envoys sent by King Tumet Khan, and they have been appointed by their Khan, and they are here to discuss with me, Daming, about surrendering!"

Cao Bianjiao sat on the horse and did not get up. He raised his eyes and looked at the more than ten filthy Mongolians in front of him. A gust of wind blew by, and the stench from the Mongolians made people want to vomit.

Damn!No wonder Chen Gang called them Sao Tartars, this taste is really offensive!
Cao Bianjiao glanced at the group of Tartars with contemptuous eyes, as if to see where to cut off their heads with a knife, the group of Mongols shrank their necks involuntarily.

A burst of tangy aroma temporarily covered the smell of Tartar's body. It was the noodle cake baked by Xiao Wu. This aroma mixed with oil, salt, and sugar made people salivate.

There was a thunderous sound, which was the sound of hunger in the belly of the group of Mongolians.

"This general, can you give me a taste of such a delicious food?"

Amidst the official Ming Dynasty voice, standing at the front, a middle-aged Mongolian saluted with one hand on his chest.

"Sigh! Come and eat!"

　Reply to book friend Sun Zheng’s question, in the eyes of brave generals like Cao Bianjiao, the Mongol Tartars are nothing at all. The Tartars have become insignificant for more than two hundred years, and the Ming Dynasty played a key role in their long-term blockade and embargo. .

　　
　
(End of this chapter)