Chapter 59: Reinforcements? Reinforcements?

  Now that he has been granted the title of Prince, it can be said that there is some balance in his heart. However, since the imperial edict and official seal have not yet arrived, it cannot be helped but to feel a sense of regret. As for Ma Bao's intention to surrender to the Qing dynasty, from a historical perspective, he led his troops to surrender several months later. Now that he has such thoughts, although they are not yet strong, it is not unusual either.

  The situation is getting worse, the remaining soldiers retreated to the remote and barren areas, plagued by malaria and epidemic diseases, with difficulties in food and grass... In such an environment, who can think of a way out for himself and his subordinates without any personal thoughts? How many people can be like Li Dingguo and Zhang Huangyan, holding on to their loyalty no matter how difficult the situation is?

  "Brother Ma." Ma Wei Xing did not address Ma Bao's new title, but instead said with a serious face: "Since the Zheng family has provided guides, why don't we head to Tengchong? If we obtain the imperial edict and official seal, it will be even more convenient for us in the future. When the Duke of Min first entered Yunnan, he had few soldiers under his command, so the sooner he leaves, the better. Besides, the rainy season is approaching, and even if the Qing army has a strong momentum, they may not be able to hold on for long. Even if the Duke of Min is defeated, we can still make other plans."

  The words were somewhat ambiguous, but Ma Bao understood them. With the imperial edict and seal, his value would naturally be different, and even if he surrendered to the Qing army, he would still receive attention, and the official title he would get would not be comparable to his current one as a national duke. Moreover, even if Xiang Shizong was defeated by the Qing army, it would make little difference whether he surrendered now or later. Furthermore, Zheng Shaoren had already said that there were many Ming troops scattered in western Yunnan, and once the news spread, some generals would rush to surrender first in order to get reused and rewarded. Therefore, it's better to go early than late, and better to go than not to go at all.

  "This is a heartfelt advice, and it's mostly for my own consideration." Ma Bao looked at Ma Wei Xing with gratitude, nodded slightly and said: "Thank you, brother, for thinking of me. If that's the case, let's prepare to set off and head to Tengchong."

  "We share the same joys and sorrows, why must we thank each other?" Ma Wei Xing chuckled and said with a very generous expression: "Brother Ma has been in battle for many years, his military achievements are brilliant, he was promoted to Duke of Jun, it is indeed a well-deserved reward, if you don't accept it, wouldn't that be a great pity."

  "Hehe." Ma Bao chuckled twice, patted Ma Wei Xing's shoulder and said: "Your achievement is not inferior to mine, this time it was just luck. When I see Master Min, I will definitely speak for you."

  "If only one army is brought, it's probably not enough. Ma Wei Xing's eyes rolled around and said: "Zheng's words cannot be trusted completely, we are on good terms with the King of Han Yang, why don't we write a letter to have Zheng deliver, for both armies to march together, to make our momentum stronger."

  "It's all right." Ma Bao was already a junwang, and could sit and stand on an equal footing with Qingyang Wang Ma Jinzhong, so there was no question of who would listen to whom.

  Two people consulted for a while, and after discussing everything, they sent someone to call Zheng Zhaoren. After Zheng Zhaoren received an accurate and satisfactory reply, he arranged to come down the mountain. Just one day later, several loads of supplies, including medicine, arrived, providing great help to the injured and sick Ming army, and also firming up Ma Bao's determination for their long journey.

  …………

  At the end of the dynasty, with a sense of despair in one's eyes, it is unrealistic to demand that others be loyal and unyielding, refusing to surrender to the Qing army even if it means death. The best approach is not to grant official titles or offer verbal encouragement, but rather to demonstrate a resolute spirit and signs of revitalization through concrete actions. Even if temporary, this will boost people's confidence and delay their decision to surrender.

  Zhu Yongxing didn't know how many people would be affected, but he had to try his best, using the faint light he emitted to bring a glimmer of hope to those shrouded in darkness. At the same time, as he fearlessly moved forward, he was also constantly influencing the people around him, adding to his own charisma.

  As the anti-Qing banner commonly supported by all parties, Emperor Yongli had never shown any overbearing manner of self-righteousness. Externally, he was coerced by the governors and internally controlled by powerful ministers. It had become a common occurrence for him to be intimidated by rumors since his accession, let alone having the heart to jointly face national difficulties.

  But Yongli Emperor's self-inflicted chaos was a heavy psychological blow to the Southern Ming loyalists who pinned their hopes on the great cause of restoration, abandoning the country and entering Myanmar, how could there be any intention of restoring the kingdom or dominating the world.

  Zhu Yongxing, under the name of a royal family member left to guard Yunnan, resisted the Qing dynasty and to a large extent eliminated the unfavorable impact caused by Emperor Yongli's escape into Myanmar. It was as if he had raised the anti-Qing flag again, which was already half-fallen. The Zhu Ming dynasty, the imperial family of the Ming dynasty, had an extraordinary appeal among the Ming army and civilians at that time. Not to mention that in times of crisis, people always hoped for a great hero who could turn the tide and change the course of events, or a savior.

  Zhu Yongxing certainly doesn't think of himself as a savior, and there isn't one in this world either. But he hopes that on his own body, on the body of this fake imperial clan member who forged sacred decrees and crossed over, this responsibility is indeed heavy, but he still has to bear it. This is the arrangement of heaven, and also the expectation of the country, nation, and countless kind-hearted scholars.

  Victory, I need a victory, even if it's a small one, or driving back the Qing army led by Zhang Yong, that would be a stimulating tonic for the people and soldiers, a flash of lightning cutting through the dark night.

  Zhu Yongxing thought that his demands were not excessive, but to achieve this goal, it was obviously not easy. Because Zhang Yong did not intend to retreat, and continuously transported supplies, and another supporting army also rushed over, the Qing army seemed to have made up their minds, determined not to give up until they defeated him.

  The Qing army's momentum was indeed like an all-out attack, with heavy casualties. But did the Qing army really have so many troops to spare? Zhu Yongxing had doubts about his own judgment again, suspecting that Zhang Yong might be creating a false impression and secretly plotting something else. After all, he was known as a famous general, and he didn't dare to underestimate him.

  But the situation was indeed turning for the better, with Qing reinforcements arriving and Ming reinforcements also coming. Bai Wenzuo led more than 6,000 troops out of Mubang to Langchuan, and upon receiving definite news in Mangshi, he rushed directly to Tengchong to join forces.

  Although Bai Wenzuo's troops were not a few wounded and exhausted from the long journey, after resting for ten days or half a month, they would undoubtedly be a rejuvenated army, which was a key factor in Zhu Yujing's victory. Moreover, Bai Wenzuo's loyalty to the Ming dynasty had been recorded in history, his strength was relatively strong, and his military ability also existed. In the late Southern Ming Dynasty, he was known as one of the two generals, Jin and Gui, along with Li Dingguo, and was a person worthy of Zhu Yujing's trust.

  In the distance, dust was flying everywhere. Zhu Yongxing dismounted his horse first and made a gesture of respect to welcome the famous general from ancient times, who was also the first heavyweight figure to come and meet with him.