L.F-Hist.Novelist Chapter 111 It's too late to retreat.
Chapter 111 It's too late to retreat.
Chapter 112 It's too late to retreat.
In Chapter 111, when Ma Shilong led the elite Liaodong army on a frantic march toward Liaoyang, he had not yet officially set off. A secret letter had already been sent to Shenyang and then passed on to Nurhaci.
Although Sun Chengzong is said to be the founder of the Guan-Ning Army, the name Guan-Ning Army actually refers to the Guan-Ning-Jin defense line. As early as the second year of the Tianqi reign, Sun Chengzong had already organized an army of 110,000.
These consisted of twelve chariot battalions, five water battalions, two fire battalions, and eight vanguard and rear guard battalions, totaling twenty-seven battalions. These troops were recruited and received full military pay from the imperial court. They were completely different from the Guan Ning Army during Zu Dashou's time.
The elite Liaodong army led by Ma Shilong was evident from their marching speed. They truly lived up to their reputation as the elite troops of the Ming Dynasty. Under normal circumstances, when the Ming army was fighting on the inner lines, their marching speed was thirty to forty li per day. Since they were more than six hundred li away from Liaoyang, it would take them at least twelve to fifteen days.
The problem is that Ma Shilong's elite Liaodong army could march 90 li a day. Even in later times, such a marching speed would only be achievable by an absolutely elite force.
Ma Shilong's way of leading troops was particularly interesting. He adopted a very simple and brutal approach. He led his cavalry and chariot troops, relying on mules and horses to march at a very fast speed. Every day, after walking ninety li, he would set up camp, cook, and then the soldiers who couldn't keep up would just starve. Those who didn't want to die would run for their lives.
Ma Shilong also knew that Ningyuan City had been infiltrated like a sieve, and he didn't know how many people were colluding with the Jurchens. He could only race against time with the Jurchens. As long as he was fast enough, Nurhaci would not have time to react. He only needed to capture Liaoyang, and the entire Liaodong region would be shaken, especially the Mongols, who were always opportunists.
Within Mongolia, there was a serious division between those who pledged allegiance to the Ming Dynasty and those who surrendered to the Jurchens. Take Ligdan Khan, the 35th Great Khan of Mongolia, as an example. He was a die-hard. He actually wanted to recreate the glory of Genghis Khan. However, he was just as unlucky as the Tianqi Emperor. He encountered the rise of the Jurchens and inevitably went to war with them. He was repeatedly defeated by Nurhaci and fled. Just like the Ming Dynasty, he was completely Nurhaci's punching bag.
He would punch the enemy when he was in a good mood and kick them when he was in a bad mood. When the Jurchens were powerful, his strategy of allying with the Ming Dynasty to resist the Jin Dynasty was not unwise. However, it was a great pity that after repeated defeats, he desperately needed the resources of the Ming Dynasty. Even without firearms and steel, he needed salt and grain.
The problem was that the officials of the Ming Dynasty, whether they were fools or too shrewd, actually offered only six taels of silver for each of the warhorses that Ligdan Khan was trading for, even though the original price was thirty to thirty-five taels of silver per horse. It was practically a 20% discount.
When Ligdan Khan saw this situation, he was furious. They were treating him like a fool. So, he sent his troops to plunder the nine border regions of the Ming Dynasty, trying to get some compensation from the Ming Dynasty. As a result, he angered the Ming Dynasty. Not only did he fail to save his tribe, but he also made himself a target for both the Jurchens and the Ming Dynasty.
Don't be fooled by later historical records that portray the Ming army as weak and easily defeated. Only Ligdan Khan knew that the Ming Dynasty was still their father. When they attacked, the Ming army could easily beat them. The Ming army could not only completely crush his Mongol army, but also achieve extremely impressive victories.
Of course, Ma Shilong also believed that as long as he defeated the Jurchens once, those opportunists would switch sides. Just like this time when he was marching, a Mongol army of more than a thousand men actually appeared in front of him.
"What happened?"
Ma Shilong asked in surprise, "How come there are Mongol cavalry here?"
The Mongol cavalry in front of them numbered over 1,500 men and 3,000 horses. Their sabers and bows were obediently hung on their hooks, one hand holding the reins of their horses while the other was raised high, indicating that they were unarmed.
"Could this be a trap?"
Ma Shilong said dismissively, "Man Gui, you speak Mongolian, go up and ask them what they want. The wagon camp should be prepared; if things go wrong, open fire immediately!"
Soon Man Gui returned, bringing with him a Mongol general. After Man Gui translated for him, it was learned that his name was Boketu, the leader of the Balda tribe of the right wing of Khorchin.
The Khorchin tribe was used as cannon fodder by Nurhaci, and was repeatedly wasted on the battlefield. Although Nurhaci established good relations with the nobles of the Khorchin tribe through marriage, the lower-level tribes contributed men, sheep and labor to fight, but gained nothing and lost many people.
Of course, if the Jurchens continued to win, they wouldn't dare to betray them. But the problem was that Daishan was defeated by Chen Boying and suffered heavy losses. Of the thousands of men who went to war with them, less than a hundred returned. They knew all too well the true situation of this battle. Now they were not satisfied and decided to rebel against the Jin and return to the Ming.
Ma Shilong asked in bewilderment, "Why do you want to surrender? Even if your cavalry can't defeat our infantry, you could at least escape!"
Why should we run away?
"If we don't run, we're dead. Why even ask why?"
"Besides fighting and fleeing, we can also choose to surrender!"
Bao Ketu said, "Sir, you want to attack Liaoyang, right? We can lead the way. Those Jurchen bastards in Liaoyang are always holed up in the city, indulging in debauchery and making us patrol. We can lead you in, sir, and storm in to wipe out those scum!"
Ma Shilong's expression was somewhat strange. He had seen many Ming soldiers surrender to the Jurchens, but this was the first time he had seen one defect from the Jurchens to the Ming. Of course, it wasn't the first time. Yuan Keli had also tricked Liu Xingzuo, the Jurchen deputy general of the four prefectures in Liaonan, who had surrendered to the Ming with more than 20,000 men.
Under Bao Ketu's leadership, Ma Shilong galloped towards Liaoyang at a speed of ninety li per day. In particular, with Bao Ketu's more than three thousand warhorses, Man Gui was overjoyed. He obtained more than a thousand warhorses without losing a single soldier, and all he had to give up was some food and equipment.
The 29th day of the twelfth lunar month in the fourth year of the Tianqi reign (tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve).
At the foot of Liaoyang City.
Ma Shilong stood on a slope three miles outside the city, gazing at the city he had dreamed of countless times, and a surge of heroic spirit welled up in his heart.
Liaoyang, the most important town in Liaodong, has been in the hands of the Jurchens for four years.
For four years, countless Ming soldiers tried to recapture it, but none of these ideas could be realized because the defensive faction dominated, and Sun Chengzong's defensive-offensive strategy almost ended in failure. But today, Ma Shilong will personally raise the banner of the Ming Dynasty atop Liaoyang.
"grown ups!"
Man Gui rode up, his face beaming with excitement: "Baoketu's men have already infiltrated the city! They've contacted the Han Chinese who were forced into military service and agreed to open the west gate at midnight tonight!"
Is it reliable?
"Baoketu said that those Han people have had enough of the Jurchen oppression. They've secretly gathered more than two thousand people, just waiting for us to arrive. As soon as we get there, they'll take action!"
Ma Shilong pondered for a moment, then suddenly waved his hand: "Pass down the order: the entire army rests. Artillerymen, advance and bombard the north and south walls of Liaoyang. Attack the city at midnight tonight. All cannons in the wagon camp, aim at the west gate. Once the gate is opened, immediately bombard the Jurchen camp inside the city!"
"Yes, sir!"
As night fell, Liaoyang City was shrouded in a thick darkness.
Inside the city, in a dilapidated courtyard near the West Gate, dozens of men dressed in worn-out Ming army uniforms sat together. They were once military households in Liaodong, but after being captured by the Jurchens, they were forced to join the Han army and serve the Jurchens.
Although Western historians refer to the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties of China as the period of slavery, this is actually a false proposition and is incorrect. In fact, there was no slavery era in the Western sense in Chinese history, because the Zhou emperor's enfeoffment system in the Western Zhou Dynasty was a standard feudal era.
In fact, the Chinese people have always been tough. Wherever there is oppression, there will be resistance. The history of the Qing Dynasty has always been a history of resistance. From Shunzhi to Guangxu, resistance never stopped. It's just that the history written by the Manchus is covering up this.
The Jurchen invasion of the Ming Dynasty was not smooth sailing, nor was it without resistance as they believed. For example, in the Battle of Tieling, more than 4,000 Ming soldiers were killed in action, and not a single one surrendered.
"Big brother, is it really going to work?"
A young man asked, trembling.
The leader, Li Tieniu, was originally a centurion in Liaoyang City. He gripped his gleaming, sharpened woodcutter's knife and said in a deep voice, "Whether we can do it or not, we have to do it. The imperial army has already reached Liaoyang City. If we don't act now, they'll have no chance once they recover. Tonight at midnight, heed my command. Kill the Jurchen guards, open the city gates, and let the Ming army in. Anyone who's afraid of death, get out of here now—"
A timid Han soldier had just stood up when he uttered a soft "pfft—"
His head fell to the ground.
"I told you to leave, and you actually left? Trying to betray us to the Tartars? No way!"
Li Tieniu nodded, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "Alright! Brothers, let's fight!"
At 11:45 AM, at the West Gate.
The Jurchen soldiers guarding the gate were dozing off. As usual, the night was bitterly cold. Ming artillery outside the city fired intermittently. They huddled in the gatehouse, wrapped in fur coats, trembling with fear.
The sound of cannons masked the footsteps inside the city, and several dark figures stealthily crept up behind them, a flash of blades.
"Snap!"
Several Jurchen soldiers didn't even have time to cry out before they fell into pools of blood.
Li Tieniu kicked aside the last Jurchen corpse and rushed towards the city gate. He called to his brothers behind him and pushed open the two heavy city gates with all his might.
"It's open! It's open!"
Outside the city, the elite Liaodong army, which had been waiting for a long time, poured in like a tide.
Man Gui took the lead, wielding his huge saber and slashing at anyone in sight. Behind him, thousands of Ming cavalry roared past, but even faster were the Mongol cavalry, whose hooves crushed the snow and shattered the Jurchen defenses.
"Kill! Kill all these Jurchen slaves!"
Chaos erupted instantly within the city.
Turgh was jolted awake from his sleep by the sounds of fighting outside, and his expression changed drastically.
"What happened?"
"My lord! The Ming army has entered the city! The city gates have been opened by those Han dogs!"
Enraged, Turgh grabbed his sword and charged out. Just outside the camp gate, he was met head-on by a troop of Ming cavalry, led by a towering figure—none other than Man Gui.
Boketu said, "He is the garrison commander Turge, a bastard of Eidu!"
Man Gui laughed wildly: "Prepare to die!"
The two men clashed, their swords flashing, and fought.
Although Turge was brave, Man Gui was the fiercest general in the Liaodong Army. The two fought for less than three rounds when one of Turge's Mongol cavalrymen shot his horse. Just as he was about to get up, Man Gui slashed his shoulder with a knife, and he fell to the ground with a scream.
"Tie him up!"
Man Gui roared.
By daybreak, the fighting within Liaoyang City had largely ended.
Of the 1,500 Jurchens, over 800 died in battle and over 500 were captured. Of the 6,000 Han soldiers, over 5,000 surrendered, and the few who resisted were beheaded. The Jurchen banner that had once flown over the city walls was thrown into the snow and trampled to pieces.
Ma Shilong rode his horse into Liaoyang City. Looking at the surrendered soldiers and civilians kneeling on both sides of the street, he was filled with emotion.
He dismounted, walked up to Li Tieniu, and patted him heavily on the shoulder: "Good man! What's your name?"
Li Tieniu knelt down: "I am Li Tieniu, formerly a centurion of Liaoyang. Now I serve the Ming Dynasty with utmost loyalty, and I have no regrets even in death!"
Ma Shilong helped him up: "What do you mean by 'no regrets in death'? I want you to live, to live well! From now on, you are the Right Military Advisor of the Liaodong Army Vanguard, in command of all the Han soldiers who have returned to the Han ranks. You are given five thousand soldiers!"
Li Tieniu was stunned, then tears welled up in his eyes. He had originally been a centurion of the Ming Dynasty, but after being captured by the Jurchens, he had become a Han Chinese cannon fodder with an uncertain future. Now, he was actually a third-rank military officer in the Liaodong Army, a meteoric rise indeed. He kowtowed heavily, saying, "This humble one—this humble one is willing to die for you, sir!"
Ma Shilong laughed heartily: "They're not dying for me, they're dying for the Ming Dynasty!"
Meanwhile, three hundred li north of Shuangchengwei, Nurhaci's army was making a difficult retreat northward.
Three days ago, he received an urgent report that Liaoyang was in dire straits. Ma Shilong had arrived at the walls of Liaoyang, where the Han troops had rebelled. Liaoyang—
He was in imminent danger and almost spat out a mouthful of blood. Liaoyang was his foundation. If Liaoyang was lost, Shenyang would be lost, and the entire Jin Dynasty would be finished!
"Retreat! All troops, retreat!"
Nurhaci can no longer afford to worry about Yongning Port. If they lose their base and continue fighting, the Mongols will definitely rebel, and it's normal for them to switch sides in the heat of battle.
Retreat? It's not that easy.
Would that madman Shuangchengwei just stand by and watch them leave?
Sure enough, on the first day, Chen Boying received a message from the Mongol cavalry that the Jurchens were about to retreat. He immediately and decisively modified the plan and personally led the Wolf Cavalry to catch up.
At the same time, Chen Boying issued a slave-killing order, stating that anyone who beheaded a Jian slave could exchange their head for a cow, 25 catties of snow salt, a sword, or goods worth a cow.
Upon receiving this order, not only the various tribes of the Haixi Jurchens, but even the Xingzhou Situnwei of the Ming Dynasty dispatched their elite troops. Although most of the military households in Xingzhou Situnwei were unable to fight, and even a broken boat still had a few nails, the Situnwei had nearly 300,000 men. Even among the sick and weak, they could still find many brave warriors skilled in archery and horsemanship.
The Haixi Jurchen, the Wild Jurchen, the Solon tribe, and others were overjoyed upon receiving the order, as if it were New Year's Day. Chen Ying was now simply a generous benefactor, giving them benefits.
Thus, countless tribes, regardless of gender, clung to their tails like maggots clinging to bones.
The most awkward situation now is for Nurhaci. He is facing the same predicament that the Ming army faced back then. He can neither fight nor retreat, so he just follows from a distance, occasionally rushing up to kill a few who have fallen behind.
Nurhaci was trembling with anger, but there was nothing he could do.