Signed to Zhu Cihong, Prince of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 296 Chapter 296, Zhu Cihong's soldiers came to Lhasa, and the Junggar cavalry went south
After listening to Watulu's words, Zhu Cilang pondered for three seconds, and directly refused: "No."

Watulu wanted to say something more, but Zhu Cihong waved his hand to stop him.

"This palace already fully understands what you mean, but now that it is approaching Lhasa, how can it be possible to return without success? Well, you have worked hard, let's go down."

Watulu could only retreat.

The British Duke pinched his chin and said, "Your Highness, in fact, his words are not unreasonable."

Zhu Cihong smiled slightly, and asked a question: "Mr. Ying, how long has it been since we dispatched troops?"

The British official said without hesitation: "It's been more than three months."

Zhu Cihong nodded and said: "For three whole months, the number of days of fighting in these three months is very few, and most of the time we are engaged in long marches."

Britain is fair: "The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is indeed too far away, and the miasma is really too tormenting. Frankly speaking, the veteran doesn't even want to come back again in the future."

Zhu Cilang said with a smile: "This is the problem. If even a veteran general like you, the British Duke, doesn't want to do it again, how can the soldiers below like to do it again?"

Combat in the plateau is very difficult, so difficult that even professional generals and soldiers can hardly bear it.

Even Zhu Cihong himself is not sure, if he really chooses to retreat temporarily this time, will he have the patience to continue advancing all the way here next time.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is a very vast and desolate land!
The army continued to set out for Lhasa. The original 7000 people when they set off from the territory of Ming Dynasty had now become 6000 people.

The effect of joining a large number of Heshuote cavalry was immediate. First of all, the water source and route were no longer a problem. Secondly, it attracted more Heshuote tribes to surrender after hearing the news, allowing Zhu Cihong to go very smoothly in a month. Marched to Lhasa.

More than two months of marching and fighting were not without wear and tear. More than 300 soldiers of the Ming army stayed on this land forever. Symptoms died.

This non-combat attrition is exactly why the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been able to belong to the state of "playing by yourself" for thousands of years.

But the truth is, with enough will and resilience, this plateau is not invincible.

The Mongols proved this, and now, the Ming army led by Zhu Cihong will prove it for the second time.

Finally, Zhu Cihong saw the city of Lhasa.

This is a city built on a plain area. The Lhasa River flows through Zhu Cihong's line of sight, walks around the entire city and then slowly leaves.

A tall palace was built on the mountain, even from such a distance, there is still a very thick and majestic momentum.

There are still some ruins in other places on the mountain, and it can be vaguely seen that it used to be a temple.

The sky was clear and cloudless, and the sun shone down, making the whole city look radiant.

"It's such a good place." Zhu Cihong sighed.

The British Duke on the side also nodded repeatedly: "Seeing such a beautiful scenery, I have a feeling that this trip is worthwhile."

Li Dingguo was concerned about another matter: "Your Highness, when will we start attacking the city?"

Siege, this is a more troublesome proposition.

In this war, Zhu Cixiang did not bring the Hongyi cannon.

It's not that I don't want to bring it, it's too much trouble, and the shipping speed is too slow.

This time Zhu Cihong was carrying [-] ordinary cannons from the Daming Shenji Battalion with the army. Whether these cannons could break through the walls of Lhasa City, at least at this moment, Zhu Cihong couldn't guarantee it.

While Zhu Cihong was thinking, the army gradually approached the city of Lhasa, and began to set up a large camp outside the city of Lhasa.

Although he is a time traveler, Zhu Cihong is very clear that he is not omniscient, so he very calmly called all the generals under his command and held a military meeting to brainstorm.

"Everyone, the city of Lhasa, the base of Gushri Khan, is right in front of us. As long as we can break through this city, then the battle against the Heshuot Khanate will be a complete success."

After hearing Zhu Cihong's words, the hearts of all the generals present were excited, and their faces were full of complacency.

It took three months to set off from Shaanxi and fight all the way to the city of Lhasa, Tibet. People who have not experienced it will not be able to experience how hard it is.

They are justifiably proud of it.

But everyone is very clear that Lhasa must be defeated in order to be considered a complete victory.

Li Dingguo was the first to speak: "Don't we have a cannon? Just set it up and keep blasting it."

Zhu Cihong reminded: "Our shells are limited."

Britain is fair: "Perhaps we can besiege this city for a long time. I feel that Gush Khan could not have predicted that we would be able to fight all the way to Lhasa. Presumably the supplies in the city will not last long."

Zhu Cihong nodded and said: "This is indeed a solution, but it should also be noted that winter on the plateau comes earlier."

Generally speaking, in the two seasons of winter and spring, that is, from November to April in later generations, the entire city of Lhasa is covered with ice and snow.

The assembly that is really suitable for combat is the short window period of five months from May to October.

The above mentioned is the Gregorian calendar. If it is calculated according to the Ming calendar, that is, the lunar calendar of later generations in China, the suitable time for combat is from April to September.

It is already the fifth month of the lunar calendar, and it will soon be June. In about a hundred days, Lhasa will be covered in ice and snow.

Considering that the return journey will take at least a month, the real time left for the Ming army to occupy the city is 70 days, a little more than two months.

Time is running out!

At this moment, Fang Gongqian walked in hurriedly.

"Your Highness, a messenger from the Heshuote Khanate has just been intercepted, and an urgent battle report was found from the messenger."

Zhu Cihong was a little surprised: "Battle report?"

Fang Gong nodded and said: "That's right. The servant has asked someone to translate this battle report. Please read it, Your Highness."

Zhu Cihong took a look at the translated battle report, and immediately frowned.

"The leader of the Junggar tribe, Harahula, sent his son Batur Huntaiji to lead [-] cavalry to cross the Kunlun Mountains from southern Xinjiang and enter the territory of the Heshuot Khanate!"

This was a situation that Zhu Cihong did not expect in advance.

Why did the Junggars suddenly appear in the Heshuote Khanate? Did they come to loot the Heshuote Khanate, or did they come to support the Heshuote brothers who were also in the Oara Oirat Alliance?

(End of this chapter)