Chapter 59: The Turning Point

  It was a cold and painful winter for both the Northern Territory of the Ming Dynasty and the Mongolian Plateau.

  The Hanzhai people endured in semi-starvation, and the Tumote people also struggled to make ends meet.

  The Mongol tribes in eastern Mongolia, who had been wavering between the Khalkha and Jurchen peoples, could no longer endure the torment of famine and defected to the Liaodong Jurchens for food. Throughout the winter, Chahar cavalry swept across eastern Mongolia, punishing the tribal leaders who betrayed the Mongol Khan.

  When spring arrived, Lin Dan finally couldn't hold on any longer.

  The drought led to the Chahar tribe being unable to supply enough livestock, and Lindan Khan disbanded the 30,000-strong regular cavalry, leaving only 10,000 people to guard the Zhangba grassland, allowing the other 20,000 people to return to their tribes to fend for themselves, hunt or graze, in short, they had to find a way to survive.

  The Tumets in the Hetao Grassland and Horinger Mountain have slaughtered 70% of their livestock, most people are desperate about the future, without livestock, how can they survive on the grassland?

  In March, the spring rain on the grassland came late, and for several days in a row, sweet rain fell from the sky. The small grass began to sprout. Lin Dan was overjoyed and once again came to the suburbs of Hohhot to worship at Genghis Khan's mausoleum, thanking the long-lived heaven for not abandoning Mongolia, and thanking his ancestors for their blessings.

  As long as the grass grows, Chahar people can recover. Cows and sheep will give birth to lambs, and lambs will also give birth to lambs.

  But some people don't want to give them a chance to recover.

  In March, after the Jurchen chieftain Huang Taiji ordered the surrender of the Later Jin, the Mongolian cavalry from the eastern grasslands gathered in Shengjing. After nearly ten years of confrontation and skirmishes, it was finally time to take action against Lin Dan Khan. Through Han merchants passing through Zhangjiakou, Liaodong had a clear understanding of the severe drought that occurred on the southern grasslands last year. The astute Huang Taiji would not let the tiger return to the mountain.

  Chahar has been continuously victorious in battles against various Mongolian tribes in recent years, and Huang Taiji did not dare to underestimate them. In April, the tribal leaders of Khorchin, Zaruud, Barin, Naiman, Aohan, Khalkha, Tumed, Ar Horqin, Wunüte, Asud, etc. gathered on the west bank of the Xilamulun River, with a total force of about 100,000 troops.

  In late April, Huang Taiji personally led the army across Xing'an Ridge and stationed at Doule River, ready to strike at any time.

  It was late at night, and the Mongolian allied army's camp was noisy. The leaders of various tribes were still unclear about the specific movements of the Jurchen army, but wise men had their own calculations. Although they had surrendered to the Jurchens for survival, some people still felt uneasy thinking that they would have to be enemies with the Great Khan of Mongolia and the descendants of the Golden Family.

  The Mongol allied army was surrounded by the Jurchen Eight Banners camp, and no one dared to make any unusual moves.

  At the hour of Ox, it was the best time to sleep. In the northwest direction, two fast horses quietly slipped out of the Jinzheng Yellow Flag camp and quickly disappeared into the heavy darkness of night.

  At dawn, the army was mustered and Du Dian, the commander of the yellow banner, was shocked to find that two Mongolian grooms were missing from the camp, along with two horses.

  Four scouts went out and soon discovered the trail left by the Mongols when they fled. Doudou did not dare to conceal it, and personally went to Huang Taiji's tent to confess his crime.

  Inside the big account, all the generals gathered together, Du Duan wore armor and entered the door to kneel down on the ground.

  "Great sweat! Last night, two Mongolian horse herders escaped from the Yellow Flag Camp!"

  "What?" Taizong's stout body bounced up from his seat.

  "I'd rather die!" Du Duzhen was so angry that he wanted to slap himself in the face. The Upper Three Banners were the Khan's personal troops, and he was also one of the Khan's most trusted banner owners, how could such a thing happen?

  "You, you're a useless thing!" Hong Taiji thundered. The fleeing Mongols would certainly inform Lin Dan Khan that the Jurchen were gathering a large army, and a surprise attack was no longer possible.

  "The Mongols! The Mongols are all dogs that can't be fed!" Huang Taiji was furious, rarely losing his composure like this.

  Waiting for the Great Khan to calm down, Beile Yuke stepped forward and said: "Great Khan, this matter is not worth worrying about. Even if the Chahar people get the news, they won't have time to react. The army values speed, and recently the grasslands have had heavy rainfall, with lush water and grass. Our great army should now launch a full-scale attack on Lin Dan Khan, not giving Chahar a chance to breathe."

  The account is all about the female Zhen's heavy minister. Huang Taiji nodded in approval and said, "You all see it too, Lin Danhan is not removed, Chahar people do not surrender, our great Jin control over Mongolia is not so stable after all. This expedition against Chahar people is inevitable."

  This is the golden shadow left by Genghis Khan, the Son of Heaven, among the Mongolian people for hundreds of years.

  Yue Tuo controlled the Doyan grassland's horse thief Ertuozhuo, and was closely related to Fan Yongdou and others. He knew the recent situation of the Tumote people and said: "We can contact the Tumote people in the Hetao area. If they can attack with our army from east and west, the Chahar people will surely be greatly disturbed!"

  Hong Taiji's gaze fell on Yue Tuo, without concealing his approval, saying: "It should be so, the news has already leaked out, you quickly inform the merchants of Zhangjiakou to contact the Tumet Mongolian department, and attack the Chahar people from both sides."

  The Zhangjiakou Chahar garrison, Amur received the news in the dead of night, he didn't dare to delay for a moment, and rushed to Lindan Khan's bedroom.

  Lin Dan was embracing his wife Xie Xiang and indulging in a sweet dream, the rain on the Mongolian grassland made him relax for several days.

  Outside the tent, Amur was anxious and impatient, and the guards of the Khan's tent did not dare to disturb the Khan no matter what. The matter being urgent, Amur dared not to shrink back, and loudly shouted at the guards of the Khan's tent.

  Lin Dan was awakened from his dream with a start, and rushed out of the big tent in his underwear, ready to lose his temper.

  Amur fell to his knees and urgently said: "Great Khan, the Jurchen people have come, the great Jurchen army has gathered at the Duerle River."

  In an instant, Lin Dan's sweat was like a basin of cold water poured over his head, and all drowsiness disappeared. The drought in the Mo Nan grasslands had just been alleviated, and the Chahar tribes were scattered across the grasslands grazing, unable to gather all their cavalry in a short period of time.

  "Too careless, too careless!" Lin Dan paced back and forth, the thrill of victory making him let his guard down.

  Amur hastily said: "There is still some time, please Khan concentrate on migrating the herdsmen of various departments to the north of the desert, and jointly defend against the Jurchens with the three Mongolian departments in the north of the desert."

  The Jurchen army of 100,000 men, with the entire nation's strength. The Chahar people, even if they made good preparations, were no match for them, and fleeing was an inevitable choice.

  Lin Dan cooled down, nodded and said: "Horse messenger, all the tribes with rich wealth and many livestock are not allowed to stay in Mo Nan, and must migrate to Mo Bei."

  "Light cavalry scouts are on full alert in the east, closely monitoring the movements of the Jurchen army."

  In the dead of night, Chahar Khan's yurt sent out messengers on horseback to Liang City, Ji Ning Hai Zi, Tuoketuo Grassland and all places where Chahar people lived. The sleeping Chahar herdsmen were awakened, packed their bags in the dark, and when a faint white light appeared in the east, they flowed northward like a tide.

  The grasslands are vast and the messengers on horseback cannot find all the herdsmen in a short time, Lin Danhan dare not wait for long, on the third day after noon, he led the gathered 600,000 to 700,000 troops, men, women, old and young together migrated north of the desert, leaving behind the Amur tribe to continue collecting scattered Chahar herdsmen from all over.

  The Chahar people of southern Mongolia almost disappeared in three or four days.

  Mt. Mote is close to the Tokto Grassland, and Princess Ulan soon discovered something was amiss. The Chahar herdsmen who originally inhabited the Tokto were nowhere to be seen, and even the bold Tumet herdsmen ventured deep into the grasslands without finding a single Chahar tribe.

  It's no wonder that a small number of herdsmen have moved to nomadic migration, but now the Tokto Grassland is empty, and the lush grasslands with abundant water and grass have no livestock.

  Princess Wulan sent out scouts to continue searching while reporting back to Han's camp about Di Zhe.

  Before waiting for Zhai Zhe's reply, the scout cavalry returned to report that Chahar cavalry were galloping endlessly on the grassland, and a large number of Chahar tribes in Guihua City were migrating northward.

  "It's finally here! The day has finally arrived!" Although there was no definite news, Princess Wulan had a strong premonition that the most difficult days of the Tumet people were over. She could not calm down anymore and ordered all the Tumet tribes to hide in the mountain stronghold, personally preparing her horse to rush to the Han stronghold.

  Daiyan received a letter from Tumote cavalry in the morning, and in the evening, Princess Wulan personally rushed to Handai's camp.

  "The Chahar people are all migrating north, probably to the north of the desert, there must be a change." Princess Ulan's forehead and temples were covered with sweat, the May weather had already started to warm up slowly, the rapid galloping made her pant constantly, her full chest heaving up and down.

  "Can it be confirmed?" Zhai Zhe was very calm after planning and waiting for so long.

  "Not yet, but now almost all of Tuktuk Grassland is empty!"

  "Don't be impatient, it's not time to act rashly yet." Zhai Yan suppressed his excitement with all his might, while signaling Princess Wulan to calm down.

  But after waiting for more than a year and passing through the most difficult times, she finally welcomed a turning point. How could Princess Wulan calm down?

  "The Chahar people are still very powerful, they can turn around and kill us."

  Dai Zhe's words made Ulan Princess's boiling blood cool down, this is the last chance for Tumet people, absolutely can't make any mistakes. Just past winter, Tumet people lost most of their livestock, already on the edge of life and death.

  Di Zhe closed his eyes and carefully thought through every detail.

  "Quickly inform the Tumet people of the Yellow River Prairie, let Gezhitu lead the livestock and troops to escape to the border of the Great Ming, don't let the Chahar cavalry seize the opportunity."

  Now the most important thing is to preserve his strength, of course he doesn't know that Lin Dan's sweat has no more energy to care about the Tumet people.

  Princess Wulan nodded.

  "What's the Yellow River water like?"

  "The Mozi did not have heavy rain, but after the spring rain in Mozhou, the water level of the Yellow River rose, and the Junzi Crossing on the Tokto Grassland could be crossed by horseback." Wulan Princess and Geriletu kept in touch and were very clear about the situation of the Yellow River.

  "Send someone over as soon as possible!"

  Princess Ulan specially chose two cavalry with good water quality and rushed to the Kuzi crossing of the Yellow River on the Tokto grassland.