Haba had seen the matchlock gun before, in a previous border battle.

However, the matchlock guns at that time were of the old version, and had not been effectively improved in terms of power and other aspects.

Occasionally, there would be symptoms of misfiring, and it was already winter at that time, so the performance of the matchlock gun in all aspects was relatively poor.

This time it's completely different.

Zhu Di's army was equipped with the latest model of matchlock guns.

The biggest change is the mass-produced fire bombs and the optimization of the gunpowder formula.

Both the range and accuracy have been greatly improved.

Zhu Di's Han soldiers had been in contact for a long time in the grassland military base and were considered veterans. Naturally, they were more skilled in aiming.

There was a row of musketeers, about two hundred in number, when the gunshots rang out and the air was filled with smoke.

Nearly a hundred Mongolian cavalrymen in the front fell to the ground wailing.

Even though the Mongolian cavalry in the rear tried to evade, many of them still died under the hooves of their comrades' horses.

This scene made Haba, who had been paying attention to the situation, widen his eyes instantly.

"How is it possible? We are still fifty steps away. How could their firearms become so powerful?"

Not only Haba, but also other Mongolian generals and Mongolian cavalrymen were deeply shocked by the scene before them.

You have to know that when using a soft bow, the general range of Mongolian cavalry is about thirty steps, and the effective killing of previous firearms is also roughly within this range, so there is not a big difference.

But now, the lethality of Ming Dynasty firearms has increased by nearly two-thirds. This concept is completely different.

Not to mention a difference of almost twenty steps, even a difference of ten steps would be a huge difference in large-scale combat.

This is the distance between life and death.

The increase in the effective range of firearms means that more lives are needed to fill this gap, and it also means that the combat effectiveness of the Ming army has been greatly improved.

It’s not that Haba had never come into contact with firearms. On the contrary, the Northern Yuan Dynasty was not unfamiliar with firearms. Before that, they were even able to produce them themselves.

But once it was pushed into the grassland, it could no longer be manufactured.

Precisely because of this understanding, he was extremely shocked by the situation shown by Zhu Di's army.

It has only been a short period of time, but the Ming Dynasty's firearms have already developed to such a level. If a few more years pass, will they be able to develop even more powerfully?

The Northern Yuan Dynasty was also able to obtain the capital's gazette published by the Ming Dynasty, and had a general understanding of the current Ming Dynasty. It was very clear that the current Ming Dynasty had completely surpassed the powerful posture of the Yuan Dynasty.

Haba's eyes turned gloomy.

It’s not that we are worried about the present. As long as we are willing to pay a high enough price, we can still take down Zhu Di.

Rather, the current development of the Ming Dynasty will pull the Northern Yuan Dynasty further away in the future.

This means that the Northern Yuan Dynasty will never have the chance to move into the Central Plains again.

What he knew was that the key to the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty today was the current crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, the owner of the Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce.

Bei Yuan used to have very close dealings with the Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce. Many bulk cargo transportation, transactions and smuggling were done with the Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce. Even the snowflake salt in my home, or in the homes of most Bei Yuan nobles, was obtained from the Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce.

"If the Ming crown prince is not removed, our Northern Yuan will never have a chance to rise again."

Haba soon realized this problem.

Such an outstanding successor to the Ming Dynasty, but he is only twenty years old.

If there were no other physical conditions, he would have ruled the Ming Dynasty for decades after inheriting the throne.

It is completely capable of outlasting the older generation like us.

Haba does not expect that in the current environment of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, the new generation can be comparable to the current Crown Prince of the Ming Dynasty.

Even a little sad.

This is because figures like the Ming Taisun are extremely rare throughout the dynasties in the Central Plains.

Suddenly, Haba lost interest. Seeing his cavalry being beaten back, he ordered the general next to him: "Pass the order, gather 30,000 cavalry and attack in one fell swoop."

Haba didn't want to waste time any longer. Even if it cost him more, he had to take down Zhu Di in the shortest possible time.

The sound of trumpets rang out in the Mongolian camp, signaling the entire army to move out.

Except for the hundreds of personal cavalrymen who stayed by his side, Haba sent all his cavalrymen forward at once.

What they wanted was to defeat Zhu Di in one fell swoop.

He knew very well that under such firearms, a small amount of harassment was completely meaningless and was tantamount to giving heads to the enemy.

Zhu Di looked at the galloping horses in the distance and knew that the final test had arrived.

At this time, it is impossible to expect reinforcements. The only one you can rely on is yourself.

"Pass the order. Two thousand fire musketeers will advance. All the rest of you will follow me and mount your horses. Prepare to meet the enemy."

Zhu Di quickly made the right decision.

At this time, we can only have a head-on confrontation. This is just a hillside and there is nothing to rely on.

After three rounds of volleys from the musketeers, Zhu Di led 5,000 cavalrymen to charge forward.

From the initial form, the war horse still has an advantageous position by charging from high to low.

This is a scene of blood and flesh flying everywhere.

The bow and arrow seemed to have lost its effect at this moment. Haba abandoned the Mongols' best horseback archery and instead chose the most direct collision, which made it clear that he wanted to exchange people with Zhu Di directly.

As the commander-in-chief, Zhu Di naturally would not say that he would attack on the front line.

With Yu Zhuneng leading the military discipline team, even the tribal knights who had some ideas had no choice but to charge forward.

The cavalry charged, a matter of life and death.

In just a moment, dust flew everywhere and people and horses neighed.

The Mongolian cavalry continued to charge forward, and Zhu Di's cavalry tried their best to press down. If it was a bloody execution ground, the death toll would have increased greatly.

This kind of battle is a scene that no general wants to see, but Haba knows very well in his heart that there is no way to avoid it.

"Your Majesty, the situation is not clear. We will not be able to hold on for long. Please retreat, Your Majesty."

"Yes, Your Majesty, as long as there is green mountain, there is no fear of running out of firewood. I beg Your Majesty to retreat first."

Under the pressure of numbers, even if there is a slight geographical advantage, it cannot change the overall situation.

Zhu Di's 7,000 cavalrymen were originally of mixed composition. Judging from the situation on the battlefield, the brutality in front had frightened many cavalrymen recruited from the grassland tribes, and they were no longer as brave as before.

Once there is a slight failure, the whole thing will inevitably collapse.

Not only Zhu Di could see this situation, but Zhang Yu and Zhu Neng could too.

Zhu Di tightly grasped the long sword at his waist and said nothing for a long time.

Zhu Di felt somewhat embarrassed to desert the battlefield under such circumstances.

"My Lord, please don't hesitate any longer."

Zhang Yu knelt on one knee and said heavily.

The situation is changing very quickly and it may collapse in the next moment. It will be very difficult to leave at that time.

Zhu Di looked at Zhu Neng who was holding the line in front of him and said in a low voice: "Let Zhu Neng come over and go together."

Zhang Yuhu's eyes were filled with tears. He shook his head and refused. He knelt on one knee and said:

"If Zhu Neng leaves, there will be no one to suppress him. Then there will be chaos and His Majesty will not be able to retreat safely."

"Today and this hour is our fate. Your Majesty, please mount your horse quickly."

The veins on Zhu Di's right hand bulged and he was about to get angry.

When he looked up, he saw Zhu Neng looking here and nodded slightly.

He understood that at this time when the prince had not left, no news could be leaked. If he left, there would be no one to supervise the front line and the entire army would surely collapse in a short period of time.

If the collapse occurs too early, the prince will naturally have no chance to leave.

At this time, Zhu Di also understood Zhu Neng's meaning, and he gritted his teeth and looked at the Mongolian army.

"I swear to destroy you!"

A low growl came from his throat, and Zhu Di no longer hesitated and retreated under the cover of his personal guards.

There were also Mongolian cavalry behind the hill, but they were not as dense as those in the front.

That means there are three sides surrounded but one missing.

It is a way of life, or it may be a way of death, but it is the only chance at present.

When Zhu Di got on his horse, Zhu Neng in front of him shouted: "The prince has ordered the whole army to charge!!!"

…

Lan Yu narrowed his eyes and galloped on horseback with a large number of cavalry.

Zhu Di cannot die, and cannot be captured alive.

No matter what kind of secret struggle there was with Zhu Di before, Zhu Di's safety was absolutely the most important.

If anything goes wrong, given Your Majesty's temperament, there will definitely be a big change.

Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, there has been no case of a prince dying on the battlefield, but if one did happen, a large number of people would be buried with him.

On this point, he believed that His Majesty would be able to do it.

From the moment Zhu Di's scouts came to ask for help, Lan Yu led his army and galloped without even having time to feel tired.

Even though he knew that his hope of rushing over now was very slim, if he stood idly by, he, Lan Yu, might be among the people buried with the dead.

I’m afraid that even His Royal Highness the Crown Prince cannot be saved.

…

Naturally, the capital city had no idea about the situation on the grassland.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly when he looked at the recent information about the grassland.

"Grandpa, what's wrong?"

Zhu Ying asked with concern from the side.

Zhu Yuanzhang put down the intelligence and said, "Recently, Lan Yu and Lao Si's actions on the grassland seem a little too urgent."

"Maybe the progress in the early stage was too smooth, and now it is a little deeper."

"Although the Northern Yuan is now at the end of its strength, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse, and there are still a few capable people among them."

"We are worried that the fourth brother will suffer a great loss in this regard."

After Zhu Ying took the intelligence and read it, he replied, "My grandson put too much pressure on the grassland."

"The embargo and the grassland military base have forced the Northern Yuan Dynasty to unite together."

"The harvest of more than 10,000 war horses has made everyone excited, but if it is a real confrontation, the Northern Yuan still has too many advantages."

"But if we can hold on, it will definitely have a big impact on the Northern Yuan. Their food rations are already insufficient, and the migration of these small tribes will bring greater pressure to the Northern Yuan."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said: "Lan Yu is accompanied by many veterans from Huaixi, and with his reputation, most Mongols dare not provoke him."

"We are more worried about the fourth one now. After all, it is still difficult for us to surpass the Mongols in cavalry."

"Old Four is fighting smoothly now, but if he encounters an encirclement and suppression by the Mongols, it will be troublesome."

Zhu Yuanzhang had a very deep understanding of the battlefield.

There have been many battles in which even if Zhu Yuanzhang did not personally lead the army, he still controlled the overall rhythm in detail.

The current situation on the grassland can be roughly deduced based on simple intelligence.

Zhu Ying thought for a while and said, "The Northern Yuan Dynasty dare not touch Fourth Uncle. If Fourth Uncle really makes any mistakes, our Ming Dynasty will definitely raise a large army to attack the Northern Yuan Dynasty and destroy it to pieces."

Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said, "Our lives are safe, but we are worried that our fourth brother will be captured by them. If that happens, all our strategies for the grassland will be wasted."

When Zhu Ying heard this, he naturally understood what the old man meant and his determination.

If Zhu Di was captured, even if some of the conditions of the Northern Yuan Dynasty were agreed to, Zhu Di's safety must be guaranteed.

If Zhu Di was killed, the Ming Dynasty would conquer the Northern Yuan Dynasty at all costs.

At the same time, it also gave a characterization of the matter.

Zhu Yuanzhang was a man who valued family affection. In some ways, Zhu Di was the son he liked and valued the most.

Among so many princes, Zhu Di was the most like him in all aspects, even their appearances were extremely similar.

Zhu Ying said nothing more.

After all, these things are currently just speculations about grassland intelligence.

Maybe it didn't happen.

Maybe it has already happened.

…

Haba looked at the captured Ming general in front of him, and after thinking for a while, he ordered him to be locked up.

The Northern Yuan Dynasty now could no longer withstand the strong storms. The Ming Dynasty's relentless pressure made it difficult for the Northern Yuan Dynasty to breathe.

This pressure comes not only from the outside, but more from the inside.

Originally, the power structure on the grassland was relatively loose, and the current Khan was not that strong, so there were too many people with ulterior motives.

It was also thanks to the sufficient pressure from the Ming Dynasty that the Northern Yuan Dynasty gained more control.

"Pass the order down, we must catch up with Zhu Di."

"Remember, you can be injured but not killed!"

Haba was very clear about the importance of Zhu Di at the moment. If he could capture Zhu Di alive, he could use this as a condition to force the Ming Dynasty to lift the embargo on the grassland, and the Northern Yuan Dynasty would have a chance to breathe.

This is a huge opportunity. Haba can also consolidate his position further and even gain more military power.

And he himself will become a hero of the Northern Yuan Dynasty.

…

The Mongolians' riding skills are cultivated from childhood to adulthood.

Zhu Di is naturally much inferior in this regard.

The team of more than a thousand people who broke out originally came after several hours.

Now Zhu Di has less than two hundred people around him.

The falcon in the sky has been following closely, and there is no possibility of escape.