"All men over the age of fourteen and under sixty must go with the army. All cattle and sheep fodder must be requisitioned!"
Keltai is a relatively large tribe, with a total of more than 2,000 people. This time they also recruited troops first, and most of the young men have already gone to the front line.
Who would have thought that this war would be endless and there would be another round of conscription.
"All the men have been taken away, where are the people left?"
"My old man is fifty-nine years old this year. He has difficulty walking. Why should he go on an expedition with the army?"
"That is, fourteen-year-old children are going to the battlefield, and only some old and weak women and children are left. How will they survive in the future?"
"Before the army went out, all the cattle and sheep in the tribe had been requisitioned. Now there are less than two hundred of them left. If they are all taken away, what will we eat? Is it possible for us to eat grass?"
Faced with numerous protests, the centurion who came to deliver the order suddenly cracked his whip.
"What are you going to do? Are you going to rebel?"
As he spoke, the soldiers behind him showed their swords and guns and stood ready.
"This is the order of Grand Master Ye Xian. The war on the frontline is tense now. If the tribes don't give their full support, you will be dead when the Ming army comes over!"
Everyone was silent. Indeed, if the front line was defeated, the tribes would not be able to escape the fate of being massacred.
"I'll give you one night. I'll pick you up at this time tomorrow!"
So, amidst the outcry, the remaining men, cattle and sheep in the tribe were recruited and prepared to go out with the army.
That night, everyone gathered around the bonfire, waiting for the farewell the next day.
"Clan chief, there are 257 men aged above fourteen and below sixty, all of whom are ready."
Patriarch Uratu nodded heavily and said slowly: "There are two hundred and fifty-eight people."
"I just counted them, and there are indeed 257 people."
"No, it's two hundred and fifty-eight people!"
Uratu looked extremely melancholy and said: "I am fifty-nine years old this year."
"But, you are the patriarch..."
"The clan leader is also going to war!"
Ulatu sighed and said: "Back then, I fought with Mahamu Khan, and the Ming army was still very powerful."
"What will happen to the tribe if you leave?"
Uratu looked at an older man next to him and said, "If anything happens, just ask Cha Cha. Among the tribe, he is the oldest and has rich experience..."
At this moment, I suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves in the distance.
Uratu was immediately dissatisfied and said: "Didn't you agree to come tomorrow? Why do you come so late at night to ask for help?"
Everyone got out of the tent angrily, ready to argue with the visitor, but they heard a sharp sound breaking through the air.
Countless arrows came towards me, causing immediate death and injury.
Uratu looked horrified and shouted: "The enemy is attacking, the enemy is attacking! Prepare to fight!"
But, where are the people...
In the darkness, countless cavalrymen rushed into the tribe. The bright steel knives shone coldly under the light of the bonfire, and they slashed at the helpless herdsmen, who suddenly wailed all over the place.
As the last wailing suddenly stopped, the Keltai tribe regained its tranquility.
Wulan, the commander of the Beihai Guard, came forward and said: "Report to the commander, we have already searched and there are no survivors!"
Ha Ming raised his head and asked: "Which tribe is next?"
"Thirty miles to the south, Unozalang tribe!"
Ha Ming nodded and said: "Rest where you are and continue tomorrow night!"
"Yes!"
Ha Ming led five thousand cavalry and made a surprise attack all the way from Beihai to the south.
The tribes living far away in the rear of Mobei never expected that in a battle on the front line, the rear would be the first to suffer.
The soldiers slaughtered the tribe's cattle and sheep on the spot, and after eating and drinking, they began to rest.
At noon the next day, scouts came forward to report that a small group of Wala troops was approaching.
Haming immediately ordered the troops to hide, and everyone and the horses were hidden in the tents.
Centurion Botunqi found nothing unusual and came to Kertai as agreed yesterday.
This time I came to the rear to recruit troops, and I only brought thirty people with me. However, this is the rear area of Mobei, and there will be no danger.
"Hey, where are the people?"
Bo Tunqi was a little surprised. Could it be that these people were unwilling to go to the front line and ran away overnight?
But why are there not even women and children there...
Suddenly, he felt something was wrong.
Because there is a bloody smell in the air.
"No, withdraw!"
But, it’s too late!
Countless Ming troops rushed out of the tent and slaughtered thirty Wala soldiers in an instant.
Bo Tunqi wanted to resist, but in the face of countless Ming troops, he could only drop the knife in his hand.
Wu Lan came forward and asked in Mongolian: "What is your name?"
Bo Tunqi immediately beamed with joy and stepped forward and said, "I am Bo Tunqi, the centurion of Grand Master Ye Xian. Which department are you from? Is there any misunderstanding?"
Ulan kicked him away and shouted: "Stop talking nonsense, let me ask you, what do you do?"
"I, I... came to recruit soldiers."
"Conscription?"
"Yes, the war on the front line is tense, and the Grand Master has issued an order that all men over the age of fourteen and under the age of sixty must go with the army."
Ulan waved and said: "Bring the person over here!"
Immediately afterwards, two guards escorted Bo Tunqi and followed Ulan to Ha Ming at the bonfire.
"Sir, this boy is still a centurion, here to recruit soldiers!"
Ha Ming smiled faintly and said: "So, life is not easy for you now."
Bo Tunqi also knew some Chinese. After hearing this, he finally understood that the opponent was the Ming army.
But why do they appear deep in Mobei?
This... doesn't make sense!
Ha Ming asked: "Where are the soldiers you recruited?"
Bo Tunqi's forehead was dripping with sweat, and he looked very frightened.
Ha Ming turned his head and winked at Ulan who was standing beside him.
Wu Lan pulled out the knife and put it on Bo Tunqi's neck.
Botunqi suddenly felt a biting chill coming over him, and said quickly: "I said, I said, in... Unozalang's department!"
Haming suddenly felt his eyes light up. Isn't this the place where he is preparing to attack?
"How many people were recruited?"
"The area I'm responsible for is about... about fifteen hundred people..."
Ha Ming looked at Ulan and nodded slightly.
Ulan understood, took Bo Tunqi aside, and killed him with a knife.
"Sir, the other side has more than 1,500 combat troops. Should we formulate a combat plan?"
"No need!"
Ha Ming shook his head and said: "Didn't you hear just now? The people recruited are all children aged fourteen or fifteen, as well as old people over fifty or sixty years old. Send the order, and in an hour, we will head south. I
We must make sure that no one from Wala can be conquered!"
"Yes!"
The Ming army had a hearty meal and then lit the remaining cattle, sheep and tents on fire.
Amid the raging fire, five thousand cavalry marched southward.