The Nine-Border Frontier Army, among the entire Ming Dynasty army, can be described as the most courageous among the three armies.

Jiubian's combat power is the most ferocious. They can kill several times the enemy, making the Great Wall of the Empire stand firm.

The pro-army's equipment is the most sophisticated. The Ming Dynasty's most advanced firearms and equipment, and the toughest armor and stomach, allow this central armed force to crush all the ways.

These are the two strongest military forces recognized by the empire.

Over the years, the imperial court has invested a huge amount of resources in Jiubian. Before the 24th year of Hongwu, it was even known for its overwhelming power.

Every large-scale operation by the frontier army has an impact that can directly affect the entire area north of the Yellow River.

Even during these years of suppressing the Japanese state in the east and conquering Jiaozhi in the south, the imperial court never thought of using the troops of the Nine-Border Frontier Army.

However, it seems that all this is about to be broken.

Beiping Dusi, Congtai Station outside Handan City, Guangping Prefecture.

This post is located in Handan, which is considered an important location in the entire Beiping Dusi. From Congtaiyi, go southeast and pass through the Daming Mansion of Beiping Dusi, and you can enter Dongchang Prefecture of Shandong Road. Go southwest and cross Handan City, and you can enter the northernmost part of Henan Road.

Zhangdefu.

Congtaiyi is the place where three official roads and post roads converge and are controlled.

But today, more than 10,000 cavalrymen, carrying the cold wind from the north, went south from outside Jiubian Pass to Congtaiyi without any warning.

More than 10,000 cavalrymen were enough for the imperial court to coordinate with the infantry to organize a massive military campaign to the north.

But today, these more than 10,000 cavalry are under the command of the Peking Capital Envoys Division, the Yan Palace Guard Command Division, and Zhang Zhiyuan, a popular figure in the new army in the north. They have stopped outside Congtaiyi.
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When more than 10,000 cavalrymen were ordered to stop, the team in the front reined in their horses and stopped. The rolling horses behind them immediately responded and stopped one by one. The left and right battalions dispersed out of Congtaiyi according to the marching method and stationed themselves on the left and right to guard.

In front of Congtai Station, most of the busy merchants, passers-by, and officials who heard the arrival of the military officers and soldiers emptied out in the blink of an eye and disappeared without a trace.

After hearing the news, the postmaster of Congtaiyi hurriedly led people from the post station to greet him.

Yi Cheng left the post station and looked at the border army horses parked on the official road outside the post station, and his heart couldn't help but tremble.

In the past few years, the imperial court has been continuously promoting the reform of post stations. Every year, various post stations, express shops, etc. will be added to the number of disabled soldiers from the frontier and the army.

Congtai Station is located in the capital city of Peiping, and is where the three passes are controlled. In the past, it was considered a large station. In recent years, it has been increasingly expanded, adding many disabled soldiers and personnel who retired from the border army in the capital city of Peiping.

Countless increases.

It is precisely because of this that the Yicheng of Congtaiyi has a far better understanding of the Nine-Border Frontier Army than ordinary people.

The dark army in front of me was silent, with only countless war horses breathing hot air.

With just one glance, Yi Cheng knew that this must be the best among the best in the frontier army.

If it is placed outside the fortress, it will be an elite heavy division that can charge forward and determine the order of the army.

But today, these frontier troops who were supposed to be stationed outside the fortress, waiting for an opportunity to march north to exterminate the remnants of the Yuan thieves, suddenly appeared in Congtai Station, which had to make the Yi Cheng's imagination wander.

"Yi Cheng, the army seems to be resting at our Congtai Station."

The post guard who was following Yi Cheng reminded him in a low voice.

The postman's legs were a little shaky and bumpy as he walked, and the palms hidden under his sleeves twitched for no reason from time to time.

This postman is also someone who retired from the border army in the past two years.

Yi Cheng swallowed a mouthful of saliva and nodded uneasily.

Quickly jog forward and rush towards the front of the army formation.

Zhang Zhiyuan, who was leading more than 10,000 frontier cavalry, held the reins and sat upright on his horse, his eyes slightly lowered, overlooking Congtai Station in front of him and the Congtai Station Chief who was driving over with his people.

It took several days to lead the troops south from Peiping.

But Zhang Zhiyuan still clearly remembers what happened when King Yan got the official document requesting transfer from his grandson.

This year’s Northern Expedition of the Peking Dusi had actually been decided at the end of last year. As soon as spring began, all parties in Peiping were preparing for the Northern Expedition.

The sudden arrival of Taisun's official transfer request directly disrupted the deployment of the Peiping Dusi. A group of people, led by the generals within the Peiping Dusi, were unwilling to send troops south.

The people in Prince Yan's palace strongly supported Prince Yan in sending troops south to Henan Road. Especially led by Yao Guangxiao, who came after hearing the news.

At the beginning, the two sides had a lot of conflict of opinions. The first compromise and proposal was that the Peiping side mobilized more than 10,000 infantrymen to go south to Henan. It was considered that they had listened to the official request for transfer from the emperor's grandson who now held the emperor's order.

Yao Guangxiao and others reluctantly agree with this.

However, no one expected that when King Yan finally made the decision, he would directly change the more than 10,000 infantry into more than 10,000 cavalry.

Moreover, the most elite cavalry from the Ma Junying under the Peking Dusi were sent.

This greatly exceeded the expectations of the Peiping governor, exceeded Yao Guangxiao's expectations, and even surprised Zhang Zhiyuan.

On that day, no one in the city of Beiping could understand why His Highness King Yan would dispatch more than 10,000 elite soldiers from the military camp to go south to respond to the official request to support the emperor's grandson when he was facing the imminent Northern Expedition.<

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What Zhang Zhiyuan didn't expect even more was...

Originally, he had been designated as the vanguard general of Hongwu's 28th Northern Expedition, but he was directly pulled down by His Highness King Yan and asked him to lead the more than 10,000 cavalry troops south to Henan.

Did King Yan really transfer the official document for the emperor's grandson's request, or was it because the Crown Prince of Yan was also in Henan, or did King Yan have other ideas?

Zhang Zhiyuan didn't have the slightest clue about this, so he could only lead the people all the way to Congtai Station outside Handan City in such a confused state.

"I am humbled by Congtai Yiyicheng, please see the general."

The postmaster of Congtaiyi finally led the people to the front of Zhang Zhiyuan's horse, bent down and held his hands, politely, and carefully asked: "I wonder if the general is commanding the border troops to go south to Congtaiyi. How can I support the army?"<

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Yi Cheng did not dare to ask what the purpose of so many cavalrymen from the Jiubianma camp was heading south.

This has exceeded the scope of what he, a little Yi Cheng, can deal with.

A post station, whether it is a big one or a small one, just obey the orders of the army at this time.

Zhang Zhiyuan still held the reins and whip in his hands, sitting upright on the horse, his body swaying slightly as the horse swayed back and forth.

He lowered his head and looked at Yi Cheng in front of his horse, chuckled and said: "The army is passing through and has disturbed Congtai Post. I hope Yi Cheng will forgive me. Our army will be waiting here, and there will be a lot of trouble in the future. Please Yi Cheng can talk to me."

The army will go to Handan City together and inform the local government so that our army will not be without rice to cook."

This time Zhang Zhiyuan led the army and horses to go south. Because the Northern Expedition was still advancing, in order to ensure the supply of the frontier troops after they left the fortress, they did not bring much military rations, and they needed support from local officials along the way.

How could Yi Cheng dare to say anything?

Hearing that this army and horses would be stationed here at Congtaiyi for an unknown amount of time, the army looked around, and Yicheng did not dare to say any words of rejection.

The postmaster hurriedly spoke: "This is nature, this is nature. Although Congtai Posthouse is not big, it has the advantage of occupying a good location. A lot of food and supplies have been stocked in the posthouse.

The general has just arrived today to command the army and horses. I am now preparing food for the army, as well as beans and refined grains for the army and horses.

After the army has settled down, I will go with others to the Handan County Government Office to report the matter to the county magistrate, and the county office's warehouse will supply the general's needs."

"Trouble with Yi Cheng."

Zhang Zhiyuan sat on the horse and cupped his hands towards the other party as a return gift.

However, the cavalry of more than 10,000 horses in the military camp dismounted under the orders. The officers and soldiers led the horses and gathered to draw a ground for the camp. They borrowed the wood stored in Congtai Station, cut down the surrounding trees, and built the fences needed for the war horses before sunset.

OK.

The tents were quietly erected under the night. After the officers and soldiers on patrol had eaten their meals early, they began to patrol the wild areas around Congtaiyi.

Tan Ma shuttled back and forth between the camps of the central army and the left and right armies, gathering and synchronizing the latest situations in each military camp.

The magistrate of Handan County rushed over after receiving the news in the evening.

Along with the arrival of the Handan County Magistrate, there were also thousands of loads of grain and grass urgently transferred from the county government warehouse. I was afraid that because of the shortage of grain and grass for the army, these murderous border troops would be allowed to rob the place.

Come.

As the saying goes, soldiers pass through a sieve.

Although the Ming Dynasty is not as good as this now, even though the army is a powerful weapon of the empire, local officials and people still dare not offend it.

Even the cautious Handan County Magistrate might not have enough food and fodder for the army. When he left the city, he had already asked the county magistrate to contact the big gentry households under Handan's jurisdiction and be ready to donate food and fodder to the army at any time.

"Laogui County is here today, and there will be more disturbances in the future. If there is anything inappropriate, I hope your county can inform you in time."

In the wilderness not far from Congtaiyi, Zhang Zhiyuan led a group of military generals and sent the magistrate of Handan County and other people who had brought food and grass out of the camp gate. Zhang Zhiyuan was apologetic and explained sincerely.

The Handan County magistrate repeatedly waved his hands and shook his head: "The generals used to bleed for the country outside the Great Wall, but now in Handan County, we will never let the generals go hungry again."

The Handan County Magistrate said it very politely.

Zhang Zhiyuan cupped his fists and raised his hands: "So we have Lao Gui County. It's late at night, so I will ask someone to escort Gui County back to the city."

As he spoke, Zhang Zhiyuan called the generals in the army to organize the team to escort the Handan County magistrate back to the city.

The Handan County Magistrate was still trying to shirk, but he saw that the army had already organized a cavalry team. He knew that he could not refuse, so he could only say goodbye with enthusiasm and polite thanks.

When the crowd was late at night, the sound of insects came from the wilderness.

In the wilderness outside the camp, the sound of horse hooves could be heard just now. It was the military horses that escorted the Handan County magistrate back to the city. No one would notice that when the team came back, there were a few more people than when they left.

After everyone entered the camp, one of them quickly dismounted from his horse and quickly ran towards the Chinese army's tent.
To be continued...