Chapter 177

"Anyone who recklessly reveals their whereabouts or covets merit by advancing rashly shall be beheaded!"

"Immediately order Wang Xun of Yingzhou: starting tomorrow, before noon each day, he must sortie from the city and fight the enemy to the death!"

"Yes!"

Having spoken, Zhu Houzhao immediately distributed maps, compasses, and other items to the various generals.

All the generals in the entire camp shouted in unison,

"This subordinate receives the order!"

Watching Zhu Houzhao in the central command tent, directing affairs with calm certainty, Zhu Yuanzhang, who had originally felt uncertain in his heart, also relaxed slightly.

Once his nerves relaxed, Zhu Yuanzhang did not forget to glare fiercely at Zhu Qi.

He gritted his teeth and said in a low voice,

"Look at him!"

"And look at you!"

In the deep of night, the Ming army, which had originally been resting in place for several days,

immediately began to move.

This place was sixty li from Yingzhou; arriving in two days was already the limit for the Ming army.

If they rashly started the battle like this, it would inevitably allow the Tatars to wait at their ease.

Therefore, Zhu Houzhao had ordered the Yingzhou garrison commander to sortie and engage the enemy daily in advance to achieve the effect of exhausting the foe.

Watching Zhu Houzhao in the central army,

Zhu Di, who had originally intended to offer some guidance on the state of affairs, chose to remain silent at this moment.

That night.

A heavy fog descended from the sky; by dawn, even a few steps away, figures were already invisible.

Zhu Di knew.

The Tatars could have sent out the entire camp's troops as scouts and still would not have discovered the Ming army's whereabouts.

119, Zhu Yuanzhang: This battle is not right!

Marching in the heavy fog was like sailing a boat on the sea.

The more one could not distinguish direction in such times, the more obvious the technological advantage of Great Ming became.

Great Ming possessed detailed maps and precise direction-finding carts.

But the Tatars on the grasslands.

had at most a few rolls of sheepskin scrolls.

And a few compasses that were sometimes accurate and sometimes not~.

Comparing the two.

The superiority and inferiority were immediately apparent.

And Zhu Yuanzhang in the chat group also noticed that although Zhu Houzhao seemed not to be taking things seriously,

every military order he issued landed exactly on the mark.

Zhu Di revealed an envious look.

When he himself campaigned five times into Mobei, if only once Heaven had opened its eyes and given him such a heavy fog, the things he wanted to do would have been finished long ago.

And the impact of this heavy fog had only just begun to unfold.

When the Ming army arrived beneath the walls of Yingzhou City,

the heavy fog gradually lifted, and the Tatars opposite, seeing the Ming army suddenly appearing before their eyes,

were clearly stunned.

And Zhu Houzhao seemed to have anticipated their reaction all along.

In an instant, the war drums on the city walls roared loudly.

The Ming army inside and outside the city almost simultaneously launched an attack on the Tatars.

Most importantly, this battle of the Ming army clearly did not follow conventional tactics.

Fighting in such a way made the opposing Tatars feel constrained and hesitant.

Watching the enemy's reaction,

Zhu Di could not help but laugh out loud.

"Hahaha, Father, these Tatars probably think a large army is pressing at the border."

The heavy fog concealed the Ming army's movements.

Who could guarantee that the Ming army consisted only of this small force before their eyes?

The Tatars' troop strength was already not large.

They still had to exhaust all their strength to send out scouts to investigate the situation.

Most critically,

Zhu Houzhao had arranged a troop detachment in almost every direction!

Zhu Yuanzhang in the chat group, looking at Zhu Houzhang before him, could not help but snort coldly and say,

"Fourth Brother, you young man shouldn't think this child is just lucky."

"He came on a day he calculated in advance!"

Hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Zhu Qi asked with some confusion,

"Great-Grandfather, what do you mean by that?"

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Qi and scolded him with the feeling of hating iron that would not become steel,

"Do you think everyone is like you?"

"What the local area looks like, anyone with a shred of sense can find out by asking two old farmers."

"This place, Yingzhou, probably sees several bouts of heavy fog every year at this season!"

"This boy calculated his battle around this very fog!"

The troops were few.

That did not matter.

It was enough that the enemy thought your troops were numerous!

On the walls of Yingzhou City, Zhu Di had already become a complete bystander.

He watched with his own eyes as Ming generals led their troops out to charge and fight again and again.

The Ming army fought at ease while the enemy was exhausted.

Behind them lay the strategic stronghold of Yingzhou.

Inside Yingzhou City, there were ample supplies of grain and military equipment.

When the Ming soldiers grew tired, they returned to the city for a sleep.

Defending the city required only a few men.

Once rested, they went back out to continue fighting the Tatars.

This cycle repeated, dragging on for a full four days.

And for the first three days, heavy fog often shrouded the area.

Until the fifth day.

Even Zhu Di on the city wall cast a glance.

"The Tatars can no longer hold out!"

Clearly, the Tatar military formation had grown worse day by day.

The moment the Ming army ventured out to fight today, the Tatar formation showed signs of crumbling.

"Brilliant! This battle was fought brilliantly!"

Zhu Di slammed his fist hard against the city wall.

Even Zhu Yuanzhang in the chat group could not help but show an admiring gaze.

"If every future ruler of our Great Ming fought every battle like this, I fear the Great Ming would truly have no end to its troubles."

He was just about to praise Zhu Houzhao behind him.

Unexpectedly, the wailing of several young Eunuchs came from behind.

"Your Majesty, you cannot go! Swords and blades have no eyes!"

"At this time, if you do not let Your Majesty go, did I not come out here for nothing?!"