On the vast grassland in the north of the Crimean Khanate, more than a dozen horses galloped rapidly on the grassland, like a whirlwind. The leading knight carried a large Ming dragon flag, fluttering in the wind, and making a hunting sound.
Behind the tail, there is also a knight carrying the flag of the Black Sea Escort Agency. The black flag is embroidered with a map of the Black Sea, and the four large golden Chinese characters are very eye-catching.
In the middle of the team were Alexei and Andrei, the escorts this time. At this moment, both of them seemed very anxious.
Judging from what we know now, the situation in the Principality of Moscow is not very optimistic. The Tatars of the Crimean Khanate are now addicted to threshing straw and paddy. They used to thresh straw and paddy in autumn, but now they do it no matter what season it is.
They all go to the grass valley, which has become the main way for many Tatar tribes to make a fortune.
There is no way, the slave market continues to be hot now, the price is high, and it is easy to sell, and the business of threshing grass and grain is a capital-free business, the money comes quickly, and it will become addictive.
The Principality of Muscovy was often plundered by the Tatars. The originally prosperous Principality of Ryazan was plundered by the Tatars and turned into a dead place.
Even in the Principality of Muscovy, bold Tatar tribes often go to Moscow to clear grass in the valleys, which makes Andrei and Alexei very anxious.
Especially Andrei, who was born a serf and whose family conditions were very poor. He had no way of living in Moscow. Once he encountered Tatars working in the valley, his family might be captured and sold as slaves, just like
It was the same as myself back then.
Alexey is better. He is from a noble family. He fought in the army and was captured and sold as a slave. His family has good conditions and he can move to Moscow to live. Even in the face of a chaotic situation, he still has enough money.
Come live.
But they still hope to return to the Principality of Moscow as soon as possible and find their relatives as soon as possible, because the Principality of Moscow is fighting a war with the Tatars. Once the Tatars break through the Principality of Moscow, even in the city, they will not be able to escape.
There is no way to escape the fate of being captured.
More than a dozen horses galloped on the grassland, heading towards the Principality of Moscow in the north.
From time to time, Zhang Wei would ask the team to stop, not only to give the horses time to rest, but also to take out a map to carefully identify the direction and check the surrounding situation.
"The current location is within the Principality of Ryazan, several hundred miles away from Moscow. Based on our current speed, we will arrive in about ten days."
On a hill, Zhang Wei drew a point on the map, calculated the next journey, and said to Alexei and Andre beside him.
Zhang Wei, who joined the army, used to be a scout. Drawing, surveying terrain, calculating distances, and identifying directions are all basic required courses.
"We can return to Moscow in about ten days!"
When Alexey and Andrei heard this, they immediately became more excited, and their desire to go home became even stronger. At this moment, they wished they could fly back to their hometowns immediately and see their relatives and friends.
"Captain Zhang~ There's a situation!"
At this moment, someone beside him said warily.
Suddenly, everyone who had been sitting on the ground to rest immediately became alert and got on their horses one after another.
Zhang Wei took out his binoculars and looked over quickly, and soon saw a group of Tatar cavalry rushing towards him on the grassland directly in front, waving their swords one by one, seemingly
very excited.
"Murad, do you think this is a tribe?"
Zhang Wei handed the binoculars to a Tatar next to him and said, this man named Murad is a local guide hired by Zhang Wei and is a local Tatar from the Crimean Khanate.
Murad took the telescope and looked at it carefully, and quickly said: "These are the people of the Bakhchi tribe. They are a famous tribe that relies on robbery for a living. Breaking grass and valleys is their main means of survival. It is estimated that they are
They want to rob us."
"Bachchi tribe?"
When Zhang Wei heard this, he immediately wrote it down, and then said: "You wait and have a good talk with them, tell them our identity, let them know enough to let us go, otherwise, we Ming people are not easy to mess with."
Then he ordered the bodyguards under him: "Prepare for battle. If you can't talk, just talk to them. If you can't talk, talk to them with your fists."
"yes!"
The dozen or so bodyguards under his command immediately responded in unison, each one quickly arranging their bows, arrows, swords, muskets, etc., in preparation for battle.
"Sir, do these Ming people want to die?"
"When encountering these Tatars, not only did they not run away, they even prepared to fight. A dozen of them were not enough to kill the more than 100 Tatars in front of them."
Next to Alexei and Andrei, Sergey, whom Andrei bought at the Kaffa seaport, was already scared to death.
The ferocity of the Tatars was almost imprinted in his mind. When he saw the Tatars, his legs were shaking and he was scared to death. These Ming people were not afraid at all. The key is that they were still very arrogant.
.
Murad rode his horse and rushed out at the lead, and soon met the people from the Bachchi tribe who rushed up. The two sides also talked to each other, and then Murad rode his horse quickly.
Return to Zhang Wei.
"The people from the Bachchi tribe have said that you can go there if you want, but you have to come up with five hundred Ming Dynasty silver coins."
"Five hundred taels of silver?"
When Zhang Wei heard this, he immediately glared and said, "I worked so hard to be an escort, and the entire escort agency only collected 1,200 taels of silver. They opened their mouths and asked for 500 taels of silver."
"This is robbery, just dream."
"They do intend to rob, but I explained your identity to them. The people of the Bachchi tribe are not willing to provoke you Ming people, but since they are here, they cannot return empty-handed."
Murad said again.
"Come on, let's go over and have a good chat with them in person. If they dare to blackmail us Ming people, they really think we are being manipulated by persimmons."
Zhang Wei immediately became angry. With an order, everyone rode on horseback and quickly arrived in front of the people of the Bachchi tribe.
"My name is Zhang Wei, and I'm from the Black Sea Escort Bureau. Let your leader speak out."
Murad quickly translated Zhang Wei's words, and soon, several people from the opponent's cavalry also walked out.
"For the sake of you being from the Ming Dynasty, if you leave five hundred Ming Dynasty silver dollars, you can pass here."
Gerharz rode his horse and looked at the Ming people in front of him. Although there were only a dozen riders, they gave people the impression that they were very difficult to deal with. They were all armed to the teeth, and their actions seemed to be very organized.
Moreover, among these dozen or so people, except for a few Slavs who looked very scared, everyone else had calm eyes and showed no sign of fear.
"Did you see my flag?"
"This is the dragon flag of the Ming Empire, and we are the people of the Ming Empire!"
Zhang Wei pointed to the Ming Dynasty Dragon Flag beside him and said very loudly.
Gerharz frowned. The Ming man in front of him actually dared to speak to him so loudly in such a situation.
"I tell you, if you don't have money, you have nothing."
"Either get out of here or kill us all."
"When I came here, I had already registered with our Ming office here at the Kaffa seaport. If something happens to us, our Ming Empire will never let you go. When the time comes, your Khan will definitely be the first to kill the members of your tribe.
Hand them all over."
"Also, as long as something happens to us Ming people overseas, our revenge fund will be activated. At that time, you will be wanted with a high reward around the world."
Zhang Wei's attitude was extremely arrogant and his voice was loud. He was not afraid of the Tatars in front of him at all.
"you wanna die!"
After hearing the translation, Gerhaz immediately became angry. He pulled out the knife in his hand and wanted to order the Ming people in front of him to be killed.
But someone around him quickly stopped him and started talking loudly. Anyway, at the end of the day, Gerharz held the knife but didn't know what to do.
The people under his command just now made it clear to him that the Ming people cannot be messed with. Not only will the Ming government put strong pressure on the Crimean Khanate, but the Ming people themselves also have a revenge fund, and they will offer a reward when the time comes.
Once the order is issued, I don't know how many bounty hunters will come to take your head.
"If nothing happens, we'll leave first."
Zhang Wei looked at the other party's uncertain expression and couldn't help but want to laugh out loud.
Over the years, whether in the military or overseas, he has understood the truth that no matter where you go, don't be timid. The tougher you are, the less likely anyone will dare to provoke you.
What's more, as a member of the Ming Empire, you don't have to be afraid of these things. You should have the confidence to face everything, because you have the powerful Ming Empire behind you to support you.
"Let's go~"
Zhang Wei didn't bother to look at the other party anymore, and continued walking north with his people on horseback.
Without Gerhaz's orders, the people of the Bakhchi tribe could only watch them leave, but there was nothing they could do.
"The Tatars just let us pass?"
Sergey rode away quickly on his horse tremblingly, while asking Alexei and Andre beside him in disbelief.
"if not?"
Alexei straightened his waist and asked confidently.
"But, but~"
"These Tatars are the most ferocious wolves on the grassland. They will not let go of any prey. Is the sun rising in the west today?"
Sergey was in disbelief and shook his head.
The Tatars in my impression were the nightmare of the Slavs, the existence that could cure children crying at night, but these Ming people were so arrogant, these Tatars could only let them go.
"That's because the prairie wolf doesn't want to provoke the angry Da Minglong!"