Chapter 26: The Crisis

  Gong Chen hadn't been to the Zhangjiakou market for a long time, and since the Chahar people had made such a big fuss, the guards at the Zhangjiakou fortress had never been idle again.

  The matter of the city reward has just been settled, and a big war broke out again between the Tumet people and the Chahar people. The town of Xuan Da was ordered by the border army to strictly prohibit Tumet refugees from escaping into the Great Ming. Many of the refugees were Han people from Shanxi and Shaanxi who went to the Western Pass to serve as herders for the Tumet people during the famine, and now they have no way to return to the Great Ming.

  The streets are no different from before, it just looks like some shops have changed their signs and the staff are busier.

  He dragged him into a small tavern on the street, and he saw Di Zhe in the corner at a glance. The young master of this wealthy family liked their hobbies, otherwise they would not have become friends.

  The weather is sweltering, and the smell of wine and meat mixed with sweat in the tavern is really unbearable.

  Gong Chen sat down in front of Di Zhe with a plop, picked up the wine jug and poured himself a full cup, saying: "Little brother, it's been a long time since I've seen you, have you returned to Laojia?"

  "No!" Zhai Zhe stuffed a piece of braised beef into his mouth. People who knew him were aware that he didn't really like drinking, and the wine was all for his friends to order.

  "What's the hurry in finding me?" Chong Chen picked up his chopsticks.

  Di Zhe furrowed his brow and asked: "Do you know that the great war on the grasslands has come to an end?"

  "While serving dishes, he said: 'Shouldn't your information be more timely than mine? At the end of July, the Tumet and Chahar had a decisive battle in Zhao City north of Guihua City. The Tumet were defeated, and the Chahar also suffered significant losses."

  It's been just a few days since then, and the border troops of Daming Xuan have been paying close attention to this battle.

  "Haven't you found anything unusual in the collection recently?"

  "Ha ha, little brother's wealth is overflowing, I'm also too excited to keep up!"

  Di Zhe shook his head repeatedly and said seriously: "I'm not joking with you, the goods of these merchant teams that came out of the collection have never been checked by you, right?"

  "Aren't you clear yet? It's our turn to check the merchant group! Once they leave the gate of Xuanfu, they'll be free!" Bowen moved his wine cup away and hummed softly through his nose, "I know where those goods went!"

  Di Zhe leaned in and lowered his voice, saying: "The Doyan grasslands have been very strange lately. Do you think the Jurchen people will detour through the Mongolian border?"

  Gong Chen's face was full of surprise, he looked around and asked in a low voice: "Do you have any news?"

  Di Zhe shook his head and poured himself a glass of wine.

  Gong Chen saw Di Zhe's serious expression and said: "You're looking for me because of this matter?"

  Di Zhe was silent for a moment before deciding to speak up.

  "It's not that I'm afraid of ten thousand things, but rather the one-in-ten-thousand chance. If you believe me, I'll find an opportunity to report this message upwards. The Doyan Grassland is indeed very suspicious! If something really happens, we can also take precautions early."

  "Little brother, who do you think I am?" Bowen sighed, "Without your help, I wouldn't even be able to become the leader of this fort! The people inside are all useless, no one dares to speak out!"

  "Whatever! Let's drink!" Di Zhe raised his wine cup.

  Gong Chen saw that Jia Zhe was different from usual today, as if he had a lot of thoughts hidden away, and couldn't help but ask: "Little brother, what's going on?"

  "Nothing to do, let's drink!"

  By the end of August, the result of this big battle in Mo Nan had finally spread.

  The final battle between the two strongest tribes in Mongolia ended with the Tumet tribe being defeated, and the Khan of Tumet, Ombu, escaped into the mountains without a trace. The rest of the tribe surrendered to Chahar. However, there was no winner in this war, as the Chahar tribe also lost more than 30,000 cavalrymen. Lindan Khan finally occupied the south of the desert and opened up space to the west, but only he knew if it was worth it.

  The war on the Mongolian grasslands had just ended, and Lin Danhan was still not stopping, leading the Chahar cavalry to invade Datong Town again, demanding that they receive the regular market rewards from the Ming Dynasty and the Western Tumet tribe at Hu Kou. With the precedent of Lu Fu's friendship, no one in the business community was willing to take on this kind of business that would clearly lead to family ruin. In the end, it was only when the Governor of Shanxi Province stepped forward and the government paid out the money that Lin Danhan's temper was soothed.

  Di Zhe spent ninety percent of his time on the grasslands, partly because the merchant caravan needed frequent escorting and also because he didn't want to return home again.

  After September, the weather started to cool down, and the Zhangjiakou business slowly became idle after running at full capacity for nearly three months. In these few months, the eight major businesses made a fortune, and the apprentices were also in high spirits. The year-end bonus must not be less, and within three months, Fan Yongdou completely erased the traces left by Lu Fuyou in Jizi.

  The merchant caravan was gone, and Di Zhe was delighted to have some leisure time. Every day, he would ride his horse across the empty grasslands with a few bandits, occasionally hunting for wild game to taste its freshness.

  Xiao Zhi's words, starting from June, took two or three hundred people to see the dragon's head but not its tail. Every time they went out, it was short for seven or eight days, and long for more than ten days, back and forth between Liaodong and Shangu Old Camp. Each time they came back, they had some gains, but the people he brought were also reduced by forty or fifty.

  In October, Di Tang ordered the merchant team to send winter supplies and sent a message asking Di Zhe to return to the village. The marriage between Di Zhe and Fan Yi was set at the end of the year, and it was certain that they could not get married in Zhangjiakou, so he asked him to go back to Jixiu's old home to make early preparations, but Di Zhe ignored it.

  In the valley, Di Zhe was holding his brother's letter in a daze, and Di Tang came again to urge him to return to Ji Zi, with some anger in his words. Outside, there were footsteps, and Che Feng reported at the door: "The second master has returned."

  Xiao Zhiyan has been away for only three days, how come he's back so soon!

  Di Zhe put the letter in his bosom and walked out. At the entrance of the valley, the returning bandits were entering one by one. Xiao Zhisheng's face was stern, he handed over his war horse to his personal soldier and strode towards this side. Di Zhe knew at a glance that something was wrong.

  Xiao Zhiyan walked closer, pulled Di Zhe near the house and closed the door before saying: "Something big has happened?"

  "What's wrong?"

  "Duan Yan grassland was blocked by the Jurchen people, and there were scouts everywhere!"

  Dai Zhe jumped up from the stool with a "hiss", and then slowly sat back down. What was meant to come indeed couldn't be avoided!

  "It seems they are going to invade the Great Ming from Duo Yan!" Xiao Zhi's words were anxious and uneasy.

  "The location of the valley is quite far north, there shouldn't be any danger, I'll go back to gather some things, you take charge and keep everyone in order, don't let anyone go out again recently!" Zhai Zhe got up and was about to head outside.

  "What are you going to do?"

  "I'll go report!" After saying this, Zhai Zhe pushed open the door and walked out.

  He rode his big black horse across the withered yellow grassland, rushing towards Zhangjiakou like a thunderbolt, but not to the gathering town, rather directly to Zhangjiakou Fortress. He had to inform Bowen as soon as possible about this news. Whether it was useful or not, now he could only make do with what he had.

  After briefly telling Duan Yanchen about the situation on the grassland, Diu left Bowen with a shocked face and returned to the town.

  The market is bustling and prosperous, a stark contrast to the desolate scene at this time last year. The people here are complex in Zhai Zhe's eyes, they are diligent and hardworking, but also ruthless and greedy, for money, everything can be sold.

  Dai Tang was delighted to see Dai Zhe return and thought that his letter had taken effect.

  Di Zhe stayed in Wangshun Pavilion and didn't go there either.

  In mid-October, the bad news finally arrived. The Jurchen people concentrated their national strength, and the Eight Banners army broke through the Shanhai Pass of the Great Wall from Xifengkou, entered the territory of the Ming Dynasty, and directly threatened the city of Beijing. This is something that has not happened in decades. The last time Beijing was besieged by enemy troops was 80 years ago during the reign of Emperor Jiajing when Yan Song was in power.

  Envoys galloped swiftly to Liaodong, Xuanhua and Shaanxi, ordering the nine border troops to enter the capital to defend the emperor.

  Xuan Town also sent dozens of cavalry out of the pass, and it was said that they were going to Guihua City to ask the Chahar people to intercept the Jurchen army's rear. The Ming Dynasty had accepted so many unreasonable demands from Lin Dan Khan, with only one purpose.

  "Damn it!" In the house, Di Zhe kicked his desk flying with one foot.

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