unclear

Chapter 675: Loyalty and Treachery
The attack launched by the Mongolian cavalry came and went quickly. When they found that the Ming army was huddled in the ditches under the ground and shooting with muskets, making it difficult for the cavalry to cause harm to them, they whistled and retreated, leaving behind only some wounded people and horses that wailed from time to time. Then there was no movement all day, as if they were waiting for something.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..." Hong Tao went to bed early. After the battle of Ningyuan City, he was more confident in the defense capabilities of this army. Although there was no city wall to rely on, the three trenches were still not a big problem.

But in the early morning of the next day, when the sky in the east had just turned pale and the Mongols had not yet launched their attack, Wang Chengen whispered in their ear.

"What happened?" The army also slept in tents in the wild, but as an emperor, he had the privilege of occupying two carriages as his bedroom.

"Ding Shun has something important to report!"

"Go ahead, I'm listening!" When he heard that it was about the war situation, Hong Tao had to get up and ask through the car door while putting on his clothes.

"Your Majesty, a lieutenant general from Datong has arrived with the seal of General Zhang Bingzhong, and I left it outside the defense line." Ding Shun's voice was not loud, but there was obvious surprise in his tone.

"Are the reinforcements coming?"

"Yes, the general of Datong led more than 10,000 elite troops out of the border overnight and is now thirty miles away. I have sent someone to ask Your Majesty to move and break out to the south before dawn. He will provide support and cover the rear. This is Zhang Bingzhong's handwritten letter. Your Majesty, please take a look."

Even if the emperor was very good at predicting and foreseeing things, Ding Shun was under great pressure when more than 5,000 soldiers were surrounded by at least 20,000 Mongolian cavalry in the hilly wilderness. If he could get help from the nearby border guards at this time, he would naturally be happy.

"I don't remember ordering people to ask for help. How did Zhang Bingzhong know about it and how did he come so timely?" Hong Tao didn't take the letter. He put on his shoes and got out of the van, asking while stretching his legs.

"…It should be a letter sent by Prince Shunyi or the Kharchin tribe, right?" Ding Shun hesitated for a moment before answering.

"They have neither my token nor the army seal. How did they enter the pass to deliver the letter and how did they gain trust? Let's see what the letter says." After stretching his legs, Hong Tao began to move his ankles and waist, as if he was going to play a game, except for holding a racket in his hand.

"This... was not mentioned in the letter... Could it be that Zhang Bingzhong dared to deceive the emperor?"

Ding Shun originally wanted to report the good news, but he was a little uneasy because of the emperor's two consecutive questions. He quickly opened the letter and read it carefully, but found nothing. His eyes suddenly showed strong vigilance and he couldn't help but ask questions.

According to convention, border army generals would certainly not easily believe what foreigners said. Even if they knew that the emperor had left the border, they would first send a small group of scouts to confirm it, and then send troops to rescue him according to the situation.

Although Datong Prefecture is an important border town, it is difficult to gather tens of thousands of elite troops in one day, and it is even more impossible to rush to a place dozens of miles away so quickly. If they had such ability, they would not have to hide behind the border wall and passively defend, and they should have counterattacked long ago.

Under normal circumstances, they should first send a small number of cavalry to explore the way and conduct reconnaissance, then quickly draw troops from various guards and raise food and fodder, and rush to Xinghe City from several directions. If they can arrive within three days, it would be considered a quick response.

"Don't talk nonsense. Now that he's here, let's give it a try. Wang Chengen, prepare paper and pen... You can ask the messenger to return and deliver the order to Zhang Bingzhong, ordering him to lead the army to continue northward and join forces with me to attack the Mongols." Hong Tao was fair to Ding Shun's doubts. He would not casually convict the border generals without solid evidence. They stayed away from prosperous cities all year round, guarding the bitter cold land and fighting for the Ming Dynasty. If they were a little abnormal, they would be regarded as traitors. It would be too chilling to spread the news.

Of course, fairness also means that you cannot trust anyone easily. You don't need to bother to analyze and guess whether someone is loyal or treacherous, nor do you need to listen to what they say. Just look at what they do and you will know immediately.

"Your Majesty, is there really no need to send someone back to report?" Ding Shun left with the emperor's handwritten edict with his seal. While Wang Chengen was preparing toiletries, he bravely reminded him in a low voice.

He had a general idea of ​​what the emperor was going to do, and even though he didn't quite agree with using such a risky method to eliminate the traitor, he didn't feel too worried.

But imagination is always different from reality. When I saw the desolation outside the Great Wall, I immediately felt that there was no answer for me. Fear also lingered in my mind. The emperor seemed not to be so omniscient and omnipotent.

"I'm afraid you'll never be able to leave me in this life. You're not smart, you don't like to learn, and you're timid. I won't eat canned food in the morning. I'll boil some water, make some oatmeal porridge, and boil two eggs. Wait a minute, do you know what's in those vans?"

Seeing Wang Chengen, who was obviously very scared but pretended to be fine, Hong Tao felt cheated. He thought that this guy was brave, knowledgeable and loyal to Emperor Chongzhen, but the more he met him, the more he felt that he was not as good as he was in person.

But to say that he is a complete waste is a bit unconscionable. At least he is quite loyal, and I have never seen any actions or words that are not in line with his status. I often say that no one is perfect, and since he can do his job conscientiously, it seems that I should not ask too much of him.

Intelligence, ability, loyalty and bravery are qualities that are lacking in all human beings and are also contradictory to each other. The probability of them appearing together in eunuchs is too low.

"Your Majesty said that these were instruments from Liuguangzhai and Shijiangongfang, and were brought as gifts to the leader of the Mongolian tribe."

Wang Chengen had no idea about the emperor's evaluation of him. He swiftly took out an alcohol stove, a small copper pot and half a bag of cornmeal from another compartment, then squatted aside to light a fire and cook.

I was indeed not smart. The emperor didn't need to tell me. The Cuju team had already reached a consensus. I didn't seem to be very brave either. Every time I reached a critical moment, my legs would go weak and my heart would keep pounding.

But the emperor was not a cold-hearted person. He would not be bored as long as he served with all his heart. It was reasonable to criticize him. Wang An and Zhang Ran were often criticized by the emperor, so why couldn't he say anything?

"Well, it's not wrong to call it a gift. It's indeed for the Mongols, but it's not glassware and clocks, it's gunpowder and bullets. If they don't come, it's fine. If they come, don't think about going back. With these ammunition, the army's vanguard can deal with tens of thousands of people for ten days without losing.

If I am not doomed, the army led by Sun Chengzong should be not far from Datong. If there is no problem with my meeting with the Mongolian leader, he will escort me for the rest of the journey. If something unexpected happens, I will have to experience what it feels like to be an army officer. "

Seeing Wang Chengen's confused face, Hong Tao finally told the truth. Not only Wang Chengen didn't know about this, but even Yuan Keli and Li Ruzhang didn't know about it.

(End of this chapter)