Emperor Zhu Yunying, a good emperor, is now busy further improving people's livelihoods, striving to make the people prosperous and the country strong, and ensuring that the people of the Ming Dynasty are well-fed and clothed. This is his pursuit and ambition, and he is determined to do these things well.
On the northern battlefield, Li Jinglong was filled with excitement. With a major battle imminent, Li Jinglong, clad in armor, looked incredibly dashing. After completing his mission of escorting supplies, he naturally joined Fu Youde's ranks.
Li Jinglong, full of vigor and confidence, spoke eloquently: "General, the Tartars are exhausted and their horses are worn out. We have ample troops and can carry out an ambush from all sides. Our Ming generals and soldiers are strong and well-equipped, with numerous cavalry and infantry that are quite adept at countering cavalry."
Fu Youde listened quietly, but Lan Yu immediately disagreed, "Ambush from all sides? Is this the right situation now? Even surrounding us from three sides with one side missing is better than an ambush from all sides! Right now, only a real, head-on battle is suitable!"
Li Jinglong was somewhat embarrassed and didn't bother to mention his status.
He inherited the title of Duke of Cao, while Lan Yu earned his title of Duke of Liang through his own efforts; Li Jinglong is the current emperor's cousin, while Lan Yu is, by definition, the current emperor's maternal uncle.
No one should look down on anyone else, and no one should overestimate anyone else's status; we're all just average.
Even Xu Huizu was the same; the only one whose status was truly "out of touch" was Fu Youde, the commander-in-chief. Fu Youde was able to hold onto his position as commander-in-chief because of his numerous military achievements.
This time, the military has quite a few generals. In addition to this group of dukes, there are also many founding marquises. The power of the nobles in the Ming Dynasty is terrifying. If the civil officials try to make any small moves, they will definitely be beaten up.
Fu Youde looked at Lan Yu and said, "Duke of Liang, in this battle you will be on the left wing, and Duke of Wei will be on the right wing!"
Lan Yu felt a little uncomfortable, but still said, "Alright! But we still need to agree that if the Tartars are defeated, you're not allowed to stop us from pursuing them! This time we have received a royal decree to kill our way to the Tartars' royal court!"
Seeing Lan Yu's smug expression, the others were at a loss for what to do.
The royal court was the Tartars' 'capital'. However, during the previous raid, Lan Yu had already obtained the Tartar Khan's royal tent and wolf flag. This was an undeniable achievement, a trophy that could be presented as a high-profile prisoner.
They launched a direct, frontal assault, without resorting to tactics like dividing their forces. Although a portion of the Tartars had been scattered earlier, they still boasted an army of 100,000. On the Ming side, the three armies combined, with infantry and cavalry totaling 150,000, making them a formidable force.
However, neither side dared to claim victory easily, as the Tartars were primarily cavalry. Apart from a very small number of heavy cavalry, they were mostly light cavalry. The Ming Dynasty, on the other hand, had far fewer cavalry, but fortunately, the infantry of the Central Plains dynasties had long since developed methods to counter cavalry.
In the central command tent, Fu Youde suddenly asked, "Duke of Liang, Duke of Wei, have you received His Majesty's secret edict?"
"What secret edict?" Lan Yu laughed heartily, somewhat smugly saying, "It's nothing! If we win this great victory, we'll make a trip to the royal court and find some good things for His Majesty!"
Fu Youde's expression was serious, and he said, "Duke of Liang, if the Tartars are routed in this battle, and you make a long-distance raid to strike at their heart, I hope you will take my good-for-nothing son with you!"
Fu Rang immediately stepped forward, displaying a heroic demeanor. If there were a real opportunity to strike at the heart of the enemy and carry out some special missions at the royal court, Fu Rang would very much like to participate, even if it meant going deep into enemy territory alone and facing a near-certain death.
Whether we can get the chance to strike at the heart of the enemy depends on the upcoming decisive battle. Only by defeating the main force of the Tartars can Lan Yu lead his army to strike at the heart of the enemy. Otherwise, we cannot take the risk.
With the decisive battle imminent, many are eager to fight. While some are eager to try, others are naturally terrified. Such a great battle will likely determine the course of events in the north for decades to come.
Yesu must win. He and Kublai Khan's direct descendants were locked in a fierce battle for the Khanate. First, he lost his vanguard, and then the Ming army stormed his camp. Yesu now has no way out and no choice.
He had originally intended to gain enough prestige from the battle against the Ming Dynasty to make his Khanate appear more secure. But now, if he were to lose again, he wouldn't just lose prestige; he would utterly and completely lose face.
In this decisive battle, Yesu had no choice but to put up a fight. He had originally seized power through regicide, and this battle with the Ming Dynasty was only possible because the Ming army had marched deep into the grasslands. Yesu also took the opportunity to call on the various tribes to temporarily unite.
Ultimately, Yesu clearly understood that his army lacked cohesion, and his prestige was insignificant.
For Yesu, this was also an opportunity. Because the wind was strong and there was some drizzle, it meant that the Ming Dynasty's firearms wouldn't fire, allowing his cavalry to fully utilize their advantages.
The Ming army looked mighty and mighty, while the Tartar cavalry were also full of vigor. This was the final battle between two powerful armies, and a great battle was about to break out.
Lan Yu, the general under his command, gazed into the distance. His warhorse, seemingly eager to pounce, paced back and forth impatiently. Perhaps it was this oppressive yet tense atmosphere that stirred the animals' keen senses.
Fu Youde waved his hand fiercely, and as the command flags fluttered, the cannons roared. The Ming army immediately pressed forward, while the Tartar cavalry began to slowly advance, preparing to charge.
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