[G 12 / Mongol] pressure, meanwhile was increasing. In 1548, the Ming suffered a defeat at the hand of [G 01 / Altan Khan]. This was followed by another the next year. These were in response to trade blocks imposed by China.
Further threats were made on Beijing when the Chinese continued to refuse trade. When the attack on the city was made, however, Weng's defence held firm and the nomads were unsuccessful. The area northeast of Beijing was relatively unguarded though, and, in 1550, the Mongols rode on the capital via this route. This provoked an outbreak of policy discussions and trade with the Mongols was agreed upon briefly.
This softening of attitudes lasted only as long as it took for the immediate Mongol threat to fade and hardened again as soon as it had. The conflicts rose again, however, and warfare was met with increased wall building.
