Chapter 128 The Tartars are here

At such a critical moment, these damn Tartars really know how to choose a life. Xie Hong whispered in his heart, could it be that my brother said he was robbing and so he attracted professionals?

"Your Majesty, it's the Tartars." After living in the border town for more than a year, Xie Hong was a little excited when facing the barbarians for the first time.

At the beginning of last year, Zhang Jun fought a war with the Tartars. Although he was defeated, the reinforcements of the Ming army came very quickly. In the end, the Tartars broke several forts north of Xuanfu, plundered for a while and then left the wall. Not to mention Beizhuang County further south, even Xuanfu City and others had never been there.

Xie Hong's face was calm and his tone was faint, but the other three people's reactions were different. Gu Dayong was so scared that his face was pale and his body was like a sieve. He said to himself in a state of silence: "What should I do? What should I do? Did the Tartars know that Long Live Lord has arrived at Xuanfu, so..."

Qian Ning also felt sweaty on his forehead, and his face was fine, but the hand holding the knife hilt exposed his nervousness. Xie Hong saw his hand holding it so hard that his knuckles turned white. Qian Ning insisted on calming down and comforted Gu Dayong and said, "Don't panic, Eunuch Gu, there are tens of thousands of border troops here in Xuanfu City, which is as solid as the Tartars can't attack."

Zhengde was stunned for a while. When Xie Hong was about to remind him, he suddenly laughed: "It's a coincidence that I came here this time. I actually met the Tartars for me. Let's lead the way. Let's go to the city to see the Tartars. I've heard of it for a long time, but I haven't seen the living Tartars once."

He is worthy of being Emperor Wuzong. Looking at Zhengde's eagerness to try, Xie Hong sighed in his heart, not knowing whether Zhu Houzhao was born bold or too nervous. In short, Xie Hong could not see a trace of fear on his face, except for excitement and expectation.

"Long live, you can't go, the Tartars may be coming for you." After hearing Qian Ning's words, Gu Dayong's emotions were already stable, but when he heard Zhengde's words, he was anxious again.

As Qian Ning said, Xuanfu City is still very safe. The Ming Dynasty and the Tartars fought for years, and Xuanfu City has been as stable as Mount Tai. Even if it is a big defeat like Tumu Fort, it is still safe. Staying in the city should be safe.

But Gu Dayong was not afraid of the Tartars, but because Zhengde was here. The Tartars came to Xuanfu just when Zhengde and his group arrived. This was a coincidence. Last night, someone plotted against the royal palace and tried to rebel, which was even more scary. What if there was any connection here?

Thinking of the story of Emperor Yingzong of Ming and Wang Zhen, Gu Dayong was almost unable to stand firm. He followed the Emperor Wansui to Xuanfu and didn't know how to end it. As a result, he was so desperate that he met the Tartars again. If the scene of Tumu Fort reenacted... He trembled, then our family would be unjustly dead.

God is sorry to see that Master Wansui is coming to Xuanfu, but he doesn't know at all, let alone instigating him. Even if Master Wansui is prosperous and the Tartars retreat on their own, I'm afraid that things will not be good today, and the courtiers will definitely not let us go.

"Your Majesty, the war is fierce and dangerous. You should wait in the city. I heard that the Tartars are riding and shooting very well. It is too dangerous for you to go to the city." Qian Ning also advised.

"Oh, I'm just going to the top of the city to check it out. It's not important, Xie Hong, are you right?" Zhengde was so helpless by these two people, especially Gu Dayong. As he spoke, he cried with tears in his eyes. He glanced at Xie Hong, who was walking as if nothing had happened, and hurriedly pulled Xie Hong to help.

Although Xie Hong didn't know the Tartars very well, he didn't think the Tartars would come for Zhengde. Zhengde set out from the capital in the first day of the New Year. Even if there were traitors in the capital to send letters to the Tartars, it would be too late to go. The Tartars couldn't fly, so how could they hit Xuanfu City in an instant? There were many fortresses on the way from the Great Wall to here?

Therefore, Xie Hong felt that it would be okay to go to the city to see. Unless the Tartars had already started siege, how could they shoot bows and arrows on the wall? In his impression, the Tartars had poor ability to attack cities, and the reason was very simple. The Tartars did not understand technology and had no resources, so they could not make siege equipment at all.

What's more, except for the Tumu Fort, it seems that the Mongolian Tartars have never posed much threat. Only during the Jiajing Dynasty had records of attacking near the capital. Xie Hong did not think that the Tartars' invasion this time could pose any major threat.

Xie Hong echoed: "Yes, Eunuch Gu, Lord Qian, the emperor just went to the city wall to check it out. It doesn't matter. The alarm bell was not because the war started, but just found traces of the Tartars."

"That's right, Da Yong, don't cry, I'm just looking. If the Tartars attack the city, will I come down and not be able to come down?" Zhengde became more excited and patted Gu Da Yong's back and comforted him.

Gu Dayong didn't believe it. He had known Zhengde for a long time or two. If this young master was intrigued, no one could stop him. Otherwise, shouldn't he be in the capital now? How could he be frightened in Xuanfu?

"Qian Ning, bring some people and go up to the city to watch the Tartars." Seeing that he was stubborn, Zhengde stopped persuading him, greeted Qian Ning, pulled Xie Hong and walked out.

He said he was looking at the Tartars, but Xie Hong felt that his tone was a bit strange, which was similar to that of children in later generations who said to go to the zoo to see elephants. Okay, go to see elephants... No, it’s better to see Tartars, but don’t be so tight.

The rest of the family were also alarmed by the alarm bells. Seeing that Xie Hong was about to go out, Erniu also followed him out.

He was dragged out of the gate all the way, and Xie Hong found that there was not much difference in the streets and the pedestrians were not panicked. There were many more soldiers who went to various places under the command of their respective generals. It was indeed a border town that had been in battle for a long time.

"Where are the Tartars?" Qian Ning stopped a hundred households, lit up the waist sign, and then asked.

The Baihu was still a little hesitant when he saw Qian Ning's waist card. He had never seen such a big official before, and he didn't know whether the waist card was true or not. Seeing that Baihu refused to answer, Qian Ning was very angry and was about to have an attack, but Xie Hong also asked.

"Report to the master, look at the direction. The Tartars should have come from Qingbiankou. The one who came should not be a large group of people. Now they are surfing near Gaoyuan Gate."

Seeing Xie Hong, there was nothing to doubt about these hundred households, and he answered happily, which made Qian Ning very upset. He was a Tongzhi, but none of them had prestige. He couldn't help but complain like Gu Dayong that the place of Xuanfu was too strange. Moreover, which gate is Gaoyuan Gate?

"Gaoyuan Gate is the North Gate." Seeing that Qian Ning was still confused, Xie Hong added.

"Then go to the north gate." Zhengde still didn't let go and pulled Xie Hong to the north. At this time, Gu Dayong also followed. He heard that there were only a small group of people outside, and he was a little relieved. Although he was still worried about what happened after returning to Beijing, the difficulty in front of him should have passed.

Xuanfu City was not big, and the group arrived at Gaoyuan Gate shortly after a long time. When they were up the city wall, Qian Ning didn't believe in evil and snatched the waist card in front of him, but the result was the same. The general flag on duty could not recognize the waist card, but refused to let it go. It was not until he saw Xie Hong that he put the group up with a smile on his face. Although this incident made Qian Ning very depressed, even Xie Hong himself was inexplicably.

He has a great reputation in Xuanfu and many people have seen him, but Xie Hong is completely confused about why he has such prestige in the army.

"Where are the Tartars?" Qian Ning was depressed and Gu Dayong was surprised, but Zhengde didn't care at all. He thought Xie Hong was powerful and just thought that others had the same feelings as him.

Moreover, he was determined to see the Tartars now, so it would be even better if he could see the scene of the border troops fighting against the Tartars. So after getting on the wall, Zhengde let go of Xie Hong and looked outside with the battlements. Gu Dayong stood next to him nervously, for fear that he would have an accident.

Xie Hong looked into the distance, but found that there seemed to be no one in the north, but there was dust and smoke flying in the east. He was surprised and pulled an officer from the top of the city to ask. In addition to asking about the movements of the Tartars, he also wanted to ask clearly his previous doubts, why the generals in the army were so respectful to him.

"Mr. Xie, the Tartars came from the north, and only about a thousand people showed up. However, General Zhang ordered that the war was not allowed. The Tartars yelled at the North Gate for a while, and now they have gone to Andingmen." The officer was also a hundred households, and his expression was quite respectful when answering.

"Why did the Tartars change places?" Zhengde looked at it for a while and couldn't find anyone. He happened to hear Xie Hong's answer and came over.

After hearing Zhengde's question, the hundred households hesitated for a moment. Although these things were not important, they were considered military information after all. It was OK to say that to Mr. Xie, but it was difficult for others to answer.

Xie Hong said: "This big brother, this is Young Master Shou, and his status is quite noble, but you can say it's okay."

"This is the usual trick of the Tartars. Send small groups of troops to patrol near the castle. If the defenders do not go to war, they will bypass the city and go to weak places to rob."

"What?" Xie Hong was shocked and said anxiously: "The Tartars are preparing to go to the east of Xuanfu..."

"If we don't go to war here, the Tartars might go to Baoanzhou." The hundred-house nodded.

"Why is that general named Zhang unwilling to fight?" It was Zhengde's voice, but this tone? Xie Hong turned his head and saw that Zhu Houzhao's face was very serious. Since the two met, Zhengde had been smiling. Xie Hong had forgotten his identity a little. At this time, he was also in awe of the heart. This was the Ming Wuzong who was doing something small but not vague in big things.

"Good Lord," the hundred households felt something, and Xie Hong proved the identity of the young man, he unknowingly used a respectful title: "Mr. Zhang said that the Tartars were cunning, and more than a thousand cavalry outside must have been to lure the enemy. The large number of troops must have been ambushed, so he ordered that they would not fight. Only after confirmation can they be assured to meet the enemy."

"Nonsense! How can this make sense?" Xie Hong became angry. "When he confirmed, I'm afraid the Tartars have arrived in Baoanzhou. Can he catch up with him all at once?"

Baoanzhou is the heart of Xuanfu Town, far less defensive than the west and north of Xuanfu. For Xie Hong's hometown, Beizhuang County, there are not even enough soldiers to defend the city. Once the Tartars arrive, the familiar villagers may suffer. Xie Hong was very anxious for a moment and didn't care that Zhengde was by his side.

"I don't know this, I don't know. Lord Zhang naturally has something to do with it." The Baihu lowered his head, his voice a little low, and his tone also felt unfair.

"Where is Zhang Jun now?" Xie Hong asked coldly.

"Sir, Lord Zhang is watching the enemy at Andingmen..."

"Let's go to Andingmen, we must let him go to the battle." After Xie Hong finished speaking, he found an echo. It turned out that Zhengde spoke in unison with him again.
Chapter completed!