Ming Dynasty: Is a mere unruly commoner rebelling against heaven?

"Lord Shangshu, the front is Datong Prefecture!"

Ma Wensheng, the newly appointed General Officer of Datong, Xianning Marquis Qiu Yue, pointed to the scarred city wall in the distance and shouted loudly.

Ma Wensheng nodded, looking at the thirty-odd carriages behind him: "The whole army listens to the order, full speed ahead!"

"Yes, sir!"

The crowd quickened their pace and quickly approached Datong Prefecture.

Ma Wensheng had already secretly left the city on the same night he received the urgent dispatch.

He left in a great hurry, taking nothing with him except for these thirty-odd carriages.

No soldiers, no provisions, only thirty-odd carriages, lightly equipped, came to Datong Prefecture.

Datong Prefecture is only eight hundred li away from the capital, and after the Tartar Prince breaks through Datong Prefecture, he may reach the capital at any time.

There was not enough time for Ma Wensheng to gather soldiers and provisions.

Ma Wensheng traveled day and night, and only then did he reach Datong Prefecture.

Therefore, at this time, Ma Wensheng did not know that in the few days he was away, earth-shaking changes had taken place in the capital.

The Empress Dowager Zhou was placed under house arrest by Zhu Youtang, and the Zhou family was raided and exterminated.

The imperial palace underwent a major purge, and the spies arranged by court officials and relatives in the palace were all cleaned up by Zhu Youtang.

Zhu Youtang took charge of the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, reinstated Wang Zhi, and reopened the Western Depot.

Three Grand Secretaries, four Ministers, and more than one hundred officials were all replaced by Zhu Youtang, waiting for the Western Depot to investigate.

Every event caused overwhelming fear.

Ma Wensheng was not in the capital that day to attend court, but he was lucky enough to escape a disaster.

Of course, before coming to Datong Prefecture, Ma Wensheng did not do nothing.

He also sent an urgent dispatch of eight hundred li to Xuanfu.

Ordering Zhang Qi, the Deputy General Officer of Xuanfu, to quickly dispatch 30,000 soldiers and horses to aid Datong Prefecture.

He also appointed Xianning Marquis Qiu Yue as the new General Officer of Datong Prefecture, ordering him to come up with a plan to repel the enemy.

Qiu Yue lived up to expectations and actually came up with a way to repel the enemy.

Qiu Yue ordered people to prepare these thirty-odd carriages overnight, and then personally escorted these carriages to Datong Prefecture with Ma Wensheng.

Arriving at the city of Datong Prefecture, Ma Wensheng cautiously stopped and sent a captain to call for the gate to be opened.

After the captain discovered that the soldiers guarding the city were still soldiers of the Great Ming, he immediately cleared his throat and roared.

"Behind me is Lord Ma, the Minister of War of the Great Ming, and General Qiu, the newly appointed General Officer of Datong Prefecture, quickly open the city gate!"

After the soldiers guarding the city relayed the message, they quickly opened the gate.

Zhang Qi, dressed in military uniform, walked out and greeted with cupped hands: "This humble officer Zhang Qi, greets Lord Ma and General Qiu."

Ma Wensheng pointed to the carriages behind him: "General Zhang, please drive these thirty-four carriages into the city and guard them strictly."

"Without the permission of this official, no one is allowed to approach these carriages by half a step."

"Violators will be punished by military law!"

"Yes, Lord Ma."

Ma Wensheng and Qiu Yue dismounted at the same time and walked towards the city tower side by side with Zhang Qi.

"Tell me, what is the situation in Datong Prefecture now?"

Zhang Qi organized his words, trying to introduce the current situation of Datong Prefecture to Ma Wensheng and Qiu Yue as concisely and accurately as possible.

"Lord Ma, when I led 30,000 soldiers and horses to aid Datong Prefecture, Datong Prefecture had already fallen."

"The General Officer of Datong Prefecture, Lin Chun, was killed in battle, and the original garrison of Datong Prefecture fled in all directions."

"After the Tartars entered the city, there were no signs of occupying Datong Prefecture, they were just looting food, cattle, sheep, tea, salt and iron and other things."

"After this humble officer led the team into the city, the Tartars basically did not resist, dragging the things they had robbed, and ran out of Datong Prefecture again."

"After this humble officer took up residence in Datong Prefecture, I gathered the remnants of the Datong Prefecture soldiers while ordering people to repair the city walls."

"But the city walls are too badly damaged, and the supplies for defending the city have been used up almost, if the Tartars commit another crime, I am afraid we will not be able to defend for long."

As Zhang Qi introduced, he led Ma Wensheng and Qiu Yue to the city wall.

Ma Wensheng and Qiu Yue looked at the damaged city wall, and their hearts calculated, knowing that what Zhang Qi said was true.

"General Zhang, you have worked hard during this period, leave the rest to this general."

"This general has his own strategy to repel the enemy."

Qiu Yue, who had rarely spoken, suddenly spoke at this time.

Qiu Yue looked very young, only in his twenties, and Zhang Qi had not paid attention to him before.

Seeing Qiu Yue's confidence at this time, he couldn't help but be a little surprised.

Zhang Qi: "General Qiu is indeed brave and resourceful, intelligent and courageous!"

Qiu Yue smiled and took out a letter that had been written long ago from his arms and handed it to his confidants Shi Zhong and Hou Fu.

"You two, quickly deliver this letter to the Tartar Prince."

"Yes, General Qiu."

Shi Zhong and Hou Fu took the letter, immediately mounted their horses and left the city, heading towards Guanwai.

Ma Wensheng, Qiu Yue and Zhang Qi had been waiting on the city wall until Hou Fu returned safely.

After Hou Fu entered the city, he handed a letter to Qiu Yue.

"General Qiu, this is a letter from the Tartar Prince to you."

"Okay, let this general take a look."

After Qiu Yue finished reading, his face showed joy.

"Lord Ma, it's mostly done, the Tartar Prince invites me to leave the city at midnight to discuss matters."

Ma Wensheng's worried brow relaxed a little, then he sighed again, his expression a little helpless.

"Alas... I hope your method can be of some use."

"Otherwise, this old face of mine will be completely lost."

"You will be fully responsible for what happens next, this official is tired."

Ma Wensheng shook his head and walked down the city wall.

Qiu Yue's face was also a little embarrassed, but he still did not forget to complete the etiquette.

"Yes, sir."

After Ma Wensheng left, Qiu Yue put away his smile.

"General Zhang, clean up a bit, and wait until midnight to leave the city with this general."

Zhang Qi was very puzzled when he heard that he was going to leave the city at midnight, but he still agreed.

At midnight, Qiu Yue took Zhang Qi and Hou Fu, as well as several accompanying captains, and drove ten carriages out of Datong Prefecture.

After arriving at Guanwai, they had not gone far when they encountered a group of Tartars holding torches to greet them, and Shi Zhong was also among them.

There were also some Han people among the Tartars.

A man in Confucian shirt cupped his hands and asked: "General Qiu, I am Liu Chen, I have been waiting here for a long time."

"Please follow me."

"Please!"

Zhang Qi was secretly surprised, why were these Tartars so polite to Qiu Yue?

On the way to see the Tartar Prince, Shi Zhong came over and reported that everything had been negotiated.

Qiu Yue was relieved, and his face returned to his confident look.

The group drove the carriages and soon came to the outside of a huge tent.

This is the Wang Zhang of the Tartar Prince.

Qiu Yue and Zhang Qi walked into Wang Zhang, and a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy sat in the main seat, looking at the people with an arrogant expression.

"You are the new General Officer of Datong Prefecture?"

Qiu Yue responded with cupped hands: "That's right."

"Hahaha, a Ming Dynasty general ran to pay tribute to my Dongmeng Great Khan, this is the first time, hahaha!"

The Tartar Prince jumped up from his seat and laughed extremely happily.

The other Tartars in Wang Zhang also laughed, and the air was filled with a happy atmosphere.