Chapter 7: Dispatching Troops Against the Jianzhou Tartars!

“Highly likely.”

Zhu Ying nodded.

Having received Zhu Ying’s confirmation, the soldiers were all somewhat worried.

“Brothers, what are you afraid of?”

“Don’t the mountain bandits and marauders have one head and two legs just like us? Our armor and weapons are superior to theirs; it is they who should be afraid of us.”

“Anyway, when the time comes to suppress the bandits, just follow me and charge.”

“Since we’ve entered the military register, fear is useless.”

“Better to think about killing bandits and earning merit.”

“Let’s go,” Zhu Ying said with a smile.

He then strode out of the barracks.

Seeing Zhu Ying’s calm and fearless demeanor, the soldiers felt their anxiety dissipate somewhat, and they followed him out of the barracks toward the drill ground.

Soon.

On the drill ground.

The soldiers of the Qianhu Battalion stationed in Ansha County were all gathered.

Wei Quan stood on the command platform, his expression stern.

Once everyone had arrived.

“Soldiers of the Ansha Qianhu Battalion.”

“This Qianhu has just received military orders. The root cause of the banditry within our Danning Prefecture has been identified: it is the work of the Jianzhou Tatars from the northern border. They have sent soldiers to infiltrate our Great Ming, recruiting mountain bandits and marauders to disrupt the peace of our Great Ming.”

“Now.”

“The Commander has issued an order to strike at the Jianzhou Tatars, eradicate the banditry, and make these barbarians who disrupt our Great Ming feel the pain.”

“By military order, our Ansha Qianhu Battalion is to mobilize immediately to the border to join forces with all the Qianhu Battalions under the Guard Post.”

“No more nonsense.”

“Mobilize immediately, no delays.”

Wei Quan did not waste any time and issued the order at once.

Upon hearing this news, the soldiers on the drill ground had mixed thoughts.

They had originally thought it was just bandit suppression, but now it was a larger-scale war, and they would truly be facing the northern barbarians.

As soldiers in the border region of Danning Prefecture, they naturally knew the cruelty of the barbarians. It could be said that because of the existence of the Northern Yuan, the tribes to the north were all enemies of the Great Ming.

And dealing with them was far more dangerous than suppressing bandits.

This would inevitably be a fierce battle.

“Just as I thought, those mountain bandits were planted by the barbarians.”

“Going to fight the Tatars this time will indeed resolve the root of the banditry in Danning Prefecture.”

“Tatars, Tatars.”

“These are the scourges of China.”

Zhu Ying thought to himself, feeling no fear, but rather a sense of eagerness.

Having lived a second life, Zhu Ying naturally knew what these Tatars would do to China in the future. They would plunge China into humiliation and endless suffering.

The dignity of the Han people would be completely lost.

All of this was because of the Tatars.

“If I truly have the ability to change things in the future, I will first wipe out the Tatars.”

“I suppose the intention from above this time is to repel the Tatars and teach them a lesson, not to exterminate their race.”

“Perhaps this is also paving the way for the conquest of the Northern Yuan.”

“As a prefecture adjacent to the Northern Yuan, it is not a good thing for Danning Prefecture to remain in chaos,” Zhu Ying thought to himself.

With his knowledge of history, Zhu Ying naturally deduced what the higher-ups' strategy was.

Sending troops against the Tatars was meant to clear up the chaos of banditry in Danning Prefecture.

Of course, for Zhu Ying, this was also a good thing for increasing his strength.

He would be able to improve his attributes once again.

“Qianhu Battalion, set off!”

Wei Quan shouted loudly.

……

Two days passed!

Great Ming, northeastern border of Danning Prefecture.

The Great Ming territory now controlled the entire Central Plains, but in the north, the Northern Yuan still existed, and in the northeast, there were many barbarian tribes, such as the Jianzhou Tatars.

Of course, there was another country east of Liaodong called the Goryeo Kingdom, but they did not pay tribute to the Great Ming, instead still paying tribute to the Northern Yuan.

Looking at the Great Ming Empire, while its national power was at its peak, there were actually many hidden dangers externally.

Not just the Northern Yuan to the north.

There were also undercurrents in Yunnan and Annam to the south.

However, the Great Ming Taizu, Zhu Yuanzhang, had a firm hand, and the Great Ming Empire continued to grow under him, gradually resolving these external threats.

Thinking back a few years ago, this Danning Prefecture, Beiping Prefecture, and even many prefectures to the north were still under the control of the Northern Yuan; now, they had all become the territory of the Han people of the Great Ming.

Danning Border!

Twenty thousand Ming troops set up camp at the border.

Inside the main tent!

Chen Heng, Liu Zhen.

And many other generals gathered here.

Twenty Qianhu were seated in rows on both sides.

“This time, the Crown Prince’s decree is to clear out the banditry of our Great Ming and strike hard at the Jianzhou Tatar tribes behind it.”

“General Liu and I will command the main army, while the soldiers of Danning Prefecture will comprehensively clear out the mountain bandits and marauders within Danning Prefecture to thoroughly eradicate the banditry.”

“Generals, Qianhu.”

“Do you have any thoughts?”

Chen Heng sat in the main seat, looking at the generals in the tent.

“Reporting to General Chen.”

“These Jianzhou Tatars border our Great Ming and have many eyes and ears in Danning Prefecture. The news of our mobilization in Danning Prefecture must have already reached their tribe. They must be prepared, but their base is not on our Great Ming border.”

“This subordinate believes that speed is the essence of war; we should mobilize and attack directly tomorrow.”

“Giving these barbarians a deterrent is enough.”

“If they dare to send troops to meet us, then we kill them,” one general said.

“Indeed.”

“At this point, only killing will do. Only when these barbarians pay the price will they know fear.”

“Tomorrow, this subordinate is willing to lead my Qianhu Battalion as the vanguard.”

“This subordinate is also willing to be the vanguard.”

“This subordinate requests the honor…”

One Qianhu after another requested to be the vanguard.

The Great Ming military system was strict, and they naturally did not want to miss this great opportunity to earn merit.

Seeing the high fighting spirit of the many generals, a satisfied smile appeared on Chen Heng’s face.

“The Jianzhou Tatar tribe is located just ten miles from our border.”

“Tomorrow.”

“The First Guard Post, the First Qian-shi Battalion, and the First Qian-shi Battalion of the Second Guard Post will act as the vanguard for a frontal assault.”

“The remaining forces will attack from the flanks in two routes.”

“If you encounter the enemy, kill them.”

“Leave no survivors.”

“This battle must give these barbarians a bloody lesson.”

Chen Heng issued the order immediately.

“Understood,” the generals replied in unison.

……

Inside the military camp!

Zhu Ying and his ten brothers were busy carving characters onto their feathered arrows.

Each arrow was engraved with their own name.

This way, after the great battle, they could use them to calculate their military merit.

“Xiaoqi.”

“How many arrows did you collect?”

“Can you even shoot all of these?”

Seeing Zhu Ying quickly carving his name and noting that the arrows far exceeded fifty, the soldiers around him were very surprised.

An archer could carry at most fifty arrows in a quiver.

But Zhu Ying had collected over a hundred.

“If I can’t shoot them all, they’ll be spares.”

Zhu Ying smiled.

After filling one quiver, Zhu Ying began filling another.

As an archer, he was much safer than those charging directly. In order to collect attributes, and even more so for military merit, Zhu Ying had to be fully prepared.

The Baihu Battalion to which Zhu Ying belonged was an archery battalion.

If they went to the battlefield, they would be a crucial long-range weapon.

……

PS: Seeking all support, I am deeply grateful.

(End of chapter)