But after hearing this, the leaders of each department refused to leave their troops. In their view, it was unclear who would die in the conflict between Timur and the Ming Dynasty, but they themselves would lose in a war with Timur, and those who stayed would be destined to die, so they were determined
He refused to keep anyone. Although Shami Chagan was a powerful khan in Yili, he was only about thirty years old and had not fought any major victories, so his prestige was not great. There was nothing the leaders of the ministries could do if they did not listen to him.
Since the other ministries are not keeping people, Shami Chagan will not keep his trusted troops: the ministries are not listening to him now, and if the cronies are all damaged again, they will be even less controllable. After all, he still takes the overall situation into consideration, knowing that
In order to delay the city of Urumqi, he forcibly recruited some old, weak and disabled people from various ministries. He kept another 10,000 and collected 20,000 and 50,000 horses. He used his younger brother Mahama as the commander to fight guerrillas in the Gurbantunggut Basin.
.
After a while, Shang Bing held back his anger and said: "In this case, there is nothing else to do, but the tribes who moved to Turpan will fight with my soldiers to defend the enemy; if the soldiers of the Samarkand Kingdom attack the iron gate
The tribes near Guan, Korla, and Bosten Lake must also help defend Tiemen Pass."
"There is no problem for the tribes near Korla and Bosten Lake to help defend Tiemenguan, but the tribes in Turpan may not be able to help defend Turpan City." The tribes in Yili were unwilling to fight Timur and moved to Korla.
, because the tribes near Bosten Lake have no retreat - it is not easy to find a place that can support hundreds of thousands of people in the Tarim Basin - they will agree to assist in the defense; but the tribes who retreated to Turpan all thought: If Samar
When the Han soldiers reached Turpan, they continued southward across Kuruktag and fled to Lop Nur. They were not willing to help defend Turpan City.
When Shang Bing heard what he said, he recalled the news from Xizuo who was sent to Beslopali. He suddenly understood that he could not fully control his tribe. His anger was half gone. He thought for a while and said: "Brother Shami Chagan
, I am not doing anything against you, but if Yiwu falls, the Ming Dynasty will have no place in the Western Regions. You also know that the Hexi Corridor is very barren and cannot be used as a basis to counterattack the Western Regions. The initiative of the war will be entirely in the hands of Timur.
It’s over! You can’t defend your khanate!”
"So don't worry about the loss of your strength. You don't have to send troops to defend the city of Turpan, but your soldiers must be combined with my cavalry to defend Yiwu together!"
After hearing this, Shami Chagan twirled his beard and thought deeply. Of course Shang Bing's words were reasonable, but if all his trusted followers were defeated, he would not be able to defend the khanate even if he defeated Timur. His subordinates
Of course, the tribal leaders did not dare to usurp the throne, but he was not the only one with the surname Boer. They could kill him and establish someone else.
"How to join forces together?" Shami Chagan asked after thinking for a long time.
"I'm not asking your troops to mix with my cavalry, I'm just forming a coalition to lead the army under unified command. However, strict discipline must be set, and those who disobey orders will be severely punished!" Shang Bing replied immediately.
"Okay, but I must be among the generals commanding the coalition forces." Shami Chagan said.
"Now all the cavalry can be handed over to the command of brothers. However, when the reinforcements from the Central Plains arrive later, brothers can only be one of the commanding generals." The cavalry under Shang Bing are basically Mongolians, and now they are handed over to Shamicha.
There's nothing wrong with being a conductor.
"Okay. I am willing to bring out 30,000 elite main force and unified command with Brother Shang Bing's cavalry." Shami Chagan finally said.
When Shang Bing heard the number, he knew that he had still concealed some of his troops. He was angry but did not show it. He just agreed on the details and invited him to have dinner together before they went to rest.
On the morning of the next day, April 23, Shang Bing set off back to Yiwu and arrived on the 28th.
But after entering the city, he did not return to the palace immediately. Instead, he walked into the Thousand Buddha Temple in the city, knelt down facing the Buddha statue of Tathagata, lowered his head and prayed silently.
'Buddha, if you have a spirit, please protect me. If I finally defeat Tamerlane in this battle, I will spread Buddhism throughout the Western Regions and let your glory, Buddha, shine on this vast land again.'
After praying for a while, he stood up and looked at Master Fang Sheng, the abbot of the temple, who was running hurriedly from the backyard beside him, and said to him: "From tomorrow onwards, Qianfo Temple will hold a ceremony to pray to the Buddha to protect Yiwu City!"
"Yes, Your Highness." At this time, Fang Sheng was still not sure what happened. Although he was surprised by this order, he bowed and agreed.
Shang Bing immediately left the Buddhist temple and returned to the palace to summon Song Sheng.
"What's the matter with your Highness?" Song Sheng asked after saluting.
"Shamechagan did not stay in the Gurbantunggut Basin to resist the soldiers of the Samarkand Kingdom. Instead, he led his troops south to Korla and near Bosten Lake, leaving only 20,000 old and weak people harassing them. Today
It is already the 28th, and most of the soldiers from the Samarkand Kingdom have arrived at the gates of Urumqi, and the city of Urumqi may even have fallen," Shang Bing said.
When Song Sheng heard this, a look of panic flashed across his face, but he recovered immediately and saluted Shang Bing: "Your Highness, since the situation is so critical, please move all the people in the acropolis into Yiwu.
Please Your Highness and Princess lead the crown prince and the princes to evacuate Jiayuguan to the south." If Urumqi has been lost now, then we can only prepare for the defense battle of Yiwu! Although Turpan City is almost completed, the enemy can surround it without attacking.
, the main force drove directly to Yiwu City!
"Why is this happening? Why is it happening like this?" Shang Bing murmured. Although he was mentally prepared, it was still difficult to accept Song Sheng's words for a while.
After a while, he came back to his senses and said to Song Sheng: "Arrange for the princess to lead Gu's children to evacuate south to Jiayuguan, and Gu will stay behind in Yiwu."
"Your Highness, Yiwu may not be able to hold it, so please retreat to Jiayuguan!" Song Sheng shouted.
"No, Gu is here in Yiwu and will never retreat south." Shang Bing said firmly: "Gu's hard work for the past five years has been in this city. If this city falls, Gu would rather die with the city!"
Of course Shang Bing didn't want to die, but he was even less willing to have his hard work over the past five years and his hard-earned business be ruined. Timur's fighting style was the same as the Mongols back then, and he defeated the cities that resisted resolutely.
In the end, the city will basically be slaughtered, and only beauties and craftsmen will survive. If he escapes, even if he fights back with the army later, they will all be destroyed. He would rather be destroyed together with the foundation he has worked so hard to save.
Seeing that Shang Bing was so determined, Song Sheng secretly hoped that His Highness would stay, so he bowed and said, "I understand." Then he thought of something and asked, "Your Highness, do you want to send someone to Wa Larang Mahamu?"
send troops?"
"Send people to Oara? Just send people, but don't have any expectations. These Mongols, when encountering something, the first thing they think about is to preserve their strength and let the Ming Dynasty contribute. Now the troops of Samarkand are unstoppable, how can they
Will be willing to send troops."
"They don't seem to understand at all. If the Ming Dynasty is expelled from the Western Regions, they will never be able to stop the soldiers of Samarkand!" Shang Bing couldn't help but complained.
"Yes, Your Highness." Of course, Song Sheng did not count on Wala. He just fought to strengthen his own strength and weaken the local strength as much as possible. Even if Wala just sent a few thousand troops to harass him, it would be better than not doing anything.
Song Sheng was about to retreat immediately, but Shang Bing stopped him again: "Let Song Ying be the general who will escort the princess, prince and others back."
"I, I thank you for your grace!" Song Sheng knelt down, kowtowed, and then withdrew.
He called Gao Xiang over again, first introduced the current situation and then said: "Gao Aiqing, please immediately post a notice in the city and tell the people in the city that the soldiers of the Samarkand Kingdom will attack Yiwu City within twenty days at the earliest."
"Timur, the son-in-law of a descendant of Temujin, is also very similar to Temujin. After conquering a city, he often massacres all the people in the city, leaving no one alive except beautiful women, even children.
, for the sake of the Ming Dynasty, for the Qin vassal, for the sake of my family, and for my own life, ask the people in the city to help the officers and soldiers defend Yiwu City!"
"Gu Ye will not leave Yiwu to escape, but will stay to command and defend the city." Shang Bing felt that instead of letting the people guess, it would be better to tell them the truth openly. Anyway, they are not allowed to go out to fight in the city, but the city defenders are willing to cooperate.
of the soldiers.
"Your Highness, it is only necessary for ministers and Prime Minister Song to stay behind. Your Highness does not need to stay in the city." Gao Xiang's reaction was the same as Song Sheng's.
"I am the King of Qin, and Yiwu is my fiefdom. There is no reason for a vassal king to lose his own fiefdom! You don't have to persuade me. I have made up my mind and will never leave Yiwu City!" Shang Bing said firmly again.
Gao Xiang tried to persuade him a few more words, but seeing that His Highness was determined, he had no choice but to shut up.
Shang Bing then ordered Gao Xiang to write another memorial asking for help and asked him to retreat.
He was about to lean back on the chair to rest for a while. Princess Tang Yuewan of Qin heard about his return and came from the backyard. After a few greetings with concern, she asked: "Husband, you are not going to Urumqi, why have you returned to Yiwu now?"
"She once passed through Urumqi and went with Shang Bing to Beishibali. Knowing the round trip time from Yiwu to Urumqi, she couldn't make it back now even if she worked hard.
"There is no need to go to Urumqi. Shami Chaqian has fled south. By the way, Yue Wan, ask your servants to pack your luggage and wrap up you and your concubine, the children's clothes, food, and precious treasures. You will be alone tomorrow morning.
Send generals and troops to escort you out of Yiwu."
"What's going on? Why did I suddenly let my concubine leave Yiwu?" Tang Yuewan asked in surprise.
Shang Bing briefly introduced the situation, and then said: "Yiwu City may not be able to be defended. You take the children to Jiayuguan, and then go to the palace of the Fourteenth Uncle."
"How did the situation get so bad!" Tang Yuewan said in surprise, then noticed something and asked, "Why don't you leave together, husband?"
"My husband cannot leave." Shang Bing said: "I am the backbone of this city. If I leave, the morale of the soldiers and people in the city will be low. Even if they could originally defend the city, they would not be able to defend it in the end."
Tang Yuewan wanted to persuade her again, but for some reason she opened her mouth but no words came out. Instead, after a while she said: "Husband, send a general to escort Zhiwen and the others to Uncle Fourteen's place. I, my concubine, will stay here with your husband."
.”
"Yue Wan, you, what are you doing here?" Shang Bing said in surprise.
"I stay with my husband." Tang Yuewan said: "I don't understand the important matters of the country. Since my husband said that I should stay in Yiwu, I should stay in Yiwu. But I am my husband's wife, and the husband and wife are one.
Wherever your husband is, there will be my concubines."
"Yuewan," Shang Bingben also wanted to persuade her to leave, but again, he couldn't say the words. He just held her hand and said emotionally: "In this case, you and I will stay in Yiwu and live together.
Let’s die together!”
"Well, we will live and die together." Tang Yuewan leaned in his arms and said.
===============
I finished writing this chapter last night, and revised it and sent it out today.
For the place Hami, Timur called it Hami, and the Ming Dynasty called it Yiwu. The errors in the previous article have been corrected. The word count is not included.