In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 690 Refusal to Send Troops Leads to Renewed War

The 30,000 troops from the three Tianjin garrisons filled the previously empty and weak defenses.

The addition of ten thousand men instantly made the entire Thirty Thousand Guards impregnable.

The surrounding roads and forests are all within the protection zone.

More importantly, the Yingchengzi iron mine, which had been unable to be mined until now, could continue to be mined, continuing to provide the Ming Dynasty with high-quality iron ore.

The laborers and porters of the garrison were awakened from their sleep.

But I was still very happy, finally able to work again.

As long as you work, you can earn money.

However, the atmosphere within the 30,000-guard camp was not so harmonious.

Huang Yingzhi stood motionless before a grave on the edge of the Sanwanwei area.

Looking at the lonely stone monument standing there, his eyes were filled with complex emotions.

Rough fingers rubbed incessantly the jade pendant at his waist.

That was the item Lu Yunyi used to verify his identity.
The most accurate information about the situation and news could be obtained from Xu Cheng, the commander of the 30,000 guards.

Huang Yingzhi is full of expectations for this.
But now, the person is actually dead.

Looking at the hastily written characters on the inscription,

Huang Yingzhi sighed, turned around, and looked at the scene before him.

The uneven ground, the dilapidated thatched huts, and the crooked fences all looked like a desolate place that had been through a war.

But Huang Yingzhi, on the other hand, found the 30,000 patrolling soldiers and the laborers still working in the fields...
They did not see the shadow of war, and more importantly, they were not afraid.

Even soldiers on the front lines of battle feel fear.
Moreover, there are 30,000 guards in front of us, more civilians than soldiers.

At this moment, Yao Xiujie, the commander of Haijin Guard, was wearing armor.

He strode over, his face grave.

"My lord, the Marquis of Runan requests your presence in the main hall of the government office for a meeting."

"A meeting this late?" Huang Yingzhi asked, looking surprised.

"They say the scouts at the front have discovered important information and need to inform you, sir."

"Let's go."

Huang Yingzhi waved his hand and led his personal guards quickly toward the government office.

Arriving at the entrance of the government office, Huang Yingzhi looked at the wooden beam above the main gate.
The exposed parts have been covered by the eaves.

However, there are still some traces of smoke, with a blackish-gray tinge.

He silently took in what he saw and went inside.

The public hall was very spacious and warm.

The interior was rather empty; apart from tables, chairs, benches, and a pile of ironware in the corner, there was nothing else.
Even the ground is made of exposed blue bricks.

At the head of the table sat Marquis Mei Yi of Runan, gently sipping his tea.

Because he inherited his father's position, he was very young, not yet forty years old.

His skin wasn't rough like that of a typical military general, exposed to the elements; rather, it resembled that of a shopkeeper in Beiping.

Seated to the left below is Zhao Zunian, the Vice Commander-in-Chief of Liaodong.

Liu Xian, Commander of Tieling Guard, and Shi Jianu, Vice Commander of Sanwan Guard.

Huang Yingzhi could clearly sense the tense atmosphere. After a slight pause, he cupped his hands in respect.

"This humble general pays his respects to the Marquis of Runan."

"Please sit down, Lord Huang, there's no need to be so polite."

Mei Yi appeared very enthusiastic, waving with a smile.

Huang Yingzhi walked to the first seat on the right and sat down, while Yao Xiujie sat next to him.

"May I ask, Lord Marquis of Runan, what news has been received from the front lines?" Huang Yingzhi spoke first.

Mei Yi's expression immediately turned serious, and he nodded slightly.
With a wave of his hand, a guard standing not far away handed him a document.

While Huang Yingzhi was opening the document, Mei Yi spoke in a deep voice:
"General Huang, the situation at the front is not optimistic."

The number of Jurchen people is continuously increasing.
The area has now been explored to the point that nearly 10,000 people have been identified, including at least 3,000 warhorses.

They were distributed throughout Liaodong, forming battalions of a thousand men each, thus encircling the Liaodong border.
In my opinion, they intend to take advantage of our inferior troop strength.

They attacked from all sides, encircling and besieging us.

Huang Yingzhi finished reading the document, and his expression became serious:
"My lord, how many soldiers of the 30,000 guards are still holding the line?"

"The number of troops at Lingchuanpo in the north is less than three thousand, and the other two places are about the same."

"Lord of Runan, if you have three thousand men..."
It should be sufficient to safeguard the peace and tranquility of the Liaodong border.

After all, although the Jurchens were numerous, they did not have many soldiers capable of fighting.
Even if a fight breaks out, it won't pose any real threat.

Zhao Zunian, the Assistant Commissioner of Liaodong, coughed lightly and said in a deep voice:
"General Huang, you are mistaken. Three thousand soldiers have been holding the border for at least three months."
They were already exhausted and unable to continue.

Meanwhile, the Jurchens of Liaodong on the opposite side...
Although they were a motley crew, their fighting spirit was astonishing.

Each time, we achieved considerable success, but we also suffered significant losses.

Three thousand soldiers won't last long. If they attack recklessly like last time, they'll be in trouble.

They might collapse in no more than three days.

Yao Xiujie frowned and retorted:

"Lord Zhao, Liaodong occupies 90% of the elite troops in Northeast China."
The Jurchens were nothing but a group of starving savages; how could they not defend themselves?

"Heh," Zhao Zunian chuckled and slowly shook his head.

"Lord Yao, you too have fought your way through the country, and now you're here to fight in battles all over the country."
The most difficult enemy to deal with is not a well-trained army, but a starving population.

Huang Yingzhi and Yao Xiujie's expressions immediately turned serious, and a sense of solemnity suddenly filled the main hall.

If you ask when the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty were at their most valiant...

Not now, but when they were entrenched in the Huai River region.

At that time, defeat in battle meant starvation.

All the soldiers and officers were risking their lives; surviving was a bonus, and dying would save them trouble.

At that time, both the Yuan army and the local rebel armies were utterly defeated by them.

Now, the Ming soldiers have eaten their fill, but it is the Jurchens who are starving.
If that's the case, three thousand people might not be enough.

After a moment of silence in the main hall, Huang Yingzhi spoke in a deep voice:
"May I ask, Lord Mei, how has the Commander dealt with such situations in the past?"
"I was referring to the situation when facing such starving soldiers."

Mei Yi's expression remained unchanged, and he sighed softly:
"In the past, only a thousand or so soldiers would come to harass us, and we would repel them."

Once they've suffered some casualties and there's enough food left, then it's fine.

These matters were all overseen by the Marquis of Yan'an.

Who knew that as soon as the Marquis of Yan'an left, the Jurchens would mobilize so many starving soldiers at once.

Of course, it's also related to the unpredictable weather this year.
It's almost mid-March now, and the snow is still falling non-stop.

Very few Jurchens will survive this winter.

Huang Yingzhi breathed a long sigh of relief:

"Lord Mei, our troops have just arrived in Liaodong after a long journey and need more rest."
Three days from now, I will lead men to the Liaodong border. How does that sound?

Mei Yi's face darkened, and Zhao Zunian, who was standing beside him, quickly spoke up:
"General Huang, you mustn't!"
Currently, the troops in Liaodong are all on the eastern front to defend against the Jianzhou Jurchens.

All the available troops were thrown to the north, leaving only these few survivors.

If they suffer heavy losses, even if Lord Huang leads the army to the front,
Even after you leave, Liaodong will still face the awkward situation of having fewer soldiers than enemies.

We implore General Huang to understand our situation and send troops as soon as possible.

This preserved some seeds of hope for our Liaodong Military Command's northern front.
It's good that next year we can use experienced veterans to mentor and train the new recruits!

Huang Yingzhi felt that what he said made sense.
But his soldiers had traveled non-stop from Tianjin for two months and were already exhausted.
Going to the battlefield at this time would be tantamount to suicide, and it would also affect morale.

After much deliberation, he said in a deep voice:
"Two days! Two days from now, my troops will be stationed on the northern defense line."

Mei Yi's expression darkened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and said in a deep voice:

"General Huang, one should press on with one's might, for the second will be weaker, and the third will be exhausted."

Arriving at the front lines early allows for rest and recuperation.

Within the 30,000-strong garrison, if the enemy were to launch a sudden attack, there would be no time to send reinforcements.
If we lose our defensive line because of just a few miles, neither of us can bear the responsibility.

Huang Yingzhi had already made up his mind.
No matter what the person in front of you says, you must stay in the 30,000 Guards for at least two days!
"Lord of Runan, the Jurchens are invading the borders, and Liaodong has already suffered heavy losses."
The anger that needed to be expressed in His Majesty's palace and the Governor's Office has already been vented.

If we suffer another defeat because of our recklessness, then it will truly be irreparable.

Our troops were exhausted. We rested for only one day in Daning, and then for two more days in Sanwanwei.
"We've traveled nearly three thousand miles; three days of rest is already our limit. Please understand, Lord Marquis of Runan."

Mei Yi's face darkened, he took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice:

"General Huang, if I remember correctly, in your previous letter, the Three Guards of Tianjin did not have enough grain."

Yes, that's true, but for some reason.
The Northern Pacification Command received the news a month late, leaving them no time to prepare, and could only muster enough manpower for six thousand men.

We've traveled quite a bit, stopping frequently along the way, and most of it is already gone.
We hope that the Marquis of Runan will send the grain supplies as soon as possible.
"If we soldiers are well-fed and well-clothed, we can also defend against the enemy."

Mei Yi ignored his explanation and spoke decisively:
"General Huang, all the provisions for the 30,000 guards have been looted."
The supplies we're using now are all sent from Tielingwei and Liaoyang City.

If General Huang could have arrived at the front lines sooner,

I promise you that I can give priority to allocating grain and fodder to Tianjin.

How about this be provided for your use?

Huang Yingzhi was stunned. He looked at Mei Yi with some astonishment:
"My lord, our elite troops have arrived in Liaodong to confront the enemy."

Could it be that we won't even get priority in the supply of food and provisions?

"Who else can get supplies before the three defenders of Tianjin?"

Mei Yi's face was extremely gloomy.

This time, he didn't pretend anymore and stared straight at Huang Yingzhi.

"General Huang! It's true that we should prioritize supplying provisions to the border troops, but we also need to be skilled in the field."

The granaries of Tielingwei are now empty, and Liaoyang is nearly two hundred li away, a long journey.
After a long journey of eating and feeding the horses, by the time they reached the Thirty Thousand Guards, very few remained.

He looked at Liu Xian: "Lord Liu, is that right?"

Liu Xian, the commander of Tieling Guard, nodded repeatedly:

"Yes, General Huang."
The soldiers and civilians of Tielingwei also needed food.
We can't neglect the rear while focusing on the front lines.

The ironworks in Tielingwei are now working day and night to produce military equipment so that the front lines can win.

"It wouldn't be right to let the soldiers and civilians of Tieling starve to death."

Huang Yingzhi looked at the two people opposite him and understood.
This is a case of wanting Tianjin to do the work, but not wanting to provide it with food and supplies.

Having understood this, Huang Yingzhi's mind calmed down completely, and she said calmly:
"Since we've run out of supplies, what's the point of fighting?"
My lord, Tianjin Wei can be placed in the Sanwanwei area.
We'll only go to the front lines to fight the enemy when we have usable supplies.

Otherwise, a group of starving soldiers going to the front lines would be completely demoralized.

Mei Yi looked at him coldly:
"The orders from the Ministry of War and the Governor-General's Office have already been written. Obey the General's orders."

General Huang's actions have put me in a difficult position.

Huang Yingzhi looked at him with some surprise, thinking that this person was somewhat overrated.

If a mere written document could make people obediently follow orders...
There aren't that many rebellious things in this world.

"A general in the field may disobey some military orders."

Without enough provisions, the soldiers of Tianjinwei would be sent to their deaths.

"Then we should hold out at 30,000 garrison troops, mobilize all soldiers and civilians, and at least get through this winter."

"Huhu."

Mei Yi's breathing suddenly became heavy, and his hands gripped the armrests of the seat tightly, his veins bulging.

If this old man in front of me insists on not going to the front lines,
He really didn't have many options, after all, they were someone else's soldiers.

After a brief silence, Mei Yi slowly stood up and said in a deep voice:

"Since Lord Huang wishes to rest, then let him rest."

After saying that, Mei Yi quickly left.

Zhao Zunian and Liu Xian quickly stood up and followed, glancing at Huang Yingzhi and Liu Xian as they left.

After they left, Yao Xiujie's expression turned serious:
"My lord, isn't it a bit inappropriate to offend the Marquis of Runan like this?"

"With my life hanging in the balance, who cares about this?"

Huang Yingzhi spoke coldly:
"The three defenses of Tianjin are our family's foundation; we cannot afford to lose them in Liaodong."

First, conserve your strength and wait for supplies.

"Without provisions, we will certainly not leave the camp."

"Sir, this could offend people terribly."

Huang Yingzhi's face turned cold, and she gave a soft snort:
"If they don't fight well, they'll leave the mess for others to clean up. They should worry about themselves first."

Marquis Mei Yi of Runan, having left the main hall, stood not far from the public office.
His face darkened as he looked at the snow-covered land not far away.

Zhao Zunian followed over and said cautiously:
"My lord, in my opinion, Huang Yingzhi is determined not to act until he sees a clear benefit."

"Do you have any good ideas?" Mei Yi asked calmly.

Zhao Zunian's face stiffened, and he stood there stunned, stammering as he spoke:
"My lord, what can I do?"
"How about we give them some provisions?"

“If we give them provisions, what will happen to Tieling Guard? What will happen to the 30,000 soldiers and civilians?” Mei Yi countered.

Zhao Zunian stammered and then fell silent.

His lips twitched slightly, and he thought to himself, "What am I complaining about?"
You were the one who asked me for ideas, but you weren't satisfied with what I gave you.
Mei Yi also knew that such an important matter could not be entrusted to others.

"Let's go back first. We've been traveling for so long, let's get some rest."

"Yes!"

The next morning, before dawn, the rapid sound of horses' hooves and shouts rang out in the Sanwanwei.

Two soldiers, covered in blood and with knife wounds on their faces and arms, rode up on their warhorses in a hurry.

Before it could even get close, it fell to the ground with a thud.

The soldiers on duty rushed forward to help them up. The two men, their faces showing resentment and fear, cried out:

"The border is invading, the Jurchens are invading!"

"The front lines are in dire need of help!"

The soldiers on duty paled; one of them immediately stood up, picked up the bugle slung across his back, and...
"Uh-huh--"

A heavy sound lingered in the still-dark night, waking everyone up.

Huang Yingzhi was fast asleep when she heard the noise and frowned with some impatience.

Who's making a fuss?

When thoughts begin to fester in dreams,

Huang Yingzhi was startled awake and opened her eyes abruptly.

Only then did he realize that the horn sounds and shouts were happening in the real world.

There was a loud knocking on the door, and the guard's voice came through:
"My lord, bandits are raiding the borders of Liaodong!"

The next moment, a somewhat impatient voice came from outside the door:
"Get up! What time is it? Open the door!"

The door was pushed open, and Yao Xiujie, wearing half-armor and carrying a helmet, rushed in. He saw Huang Yingzhi, who was still sleepy-eyed.
"Sir, we have just received news..."

The Liaodong bandits have invaded the border, and the front lines are putting up fierce resistance, suffering heavy losses!

"what?"

Huang Yingzhi sat on the bed, completely stunned.

What a coincidence! They just arrived in Tianjin, and now Liaodong is already invaded?
"Where is Mei Yi? Where is he?"

Huang Yingzhi quickly asked, "No matter what, I should find my superior first."

He convened a meeting of the 30,000 guards in the main hall of the government office.
He was preparing to go to the front lines and even had his subordinates address him as "Sir."

Huang Yingzhi didn't rush to get up; instead, she sat there with her brows furrowed.

He looked at Yao Xiujie: "What do you think of this matter?"

Something's fishy.

Yao Xiujie didn't hold back his guesses, but then hesitated:

"But sir, border incursions have already occurred."
"You must participate in the discussion no matter what, otherwise you'll be labeled with a serious accusation."

"you're right."

Huang Yingzhi crawled out of the warm bed.

He quickly donned his armor, already having made up his mind:

“Send the best scouts to the front lines and back quickly. I will await their news.”

"My lord, the 30,000 guards have already begun to assemble. Isn't it a bit too late?" Yao Xiujie asked hesitantly.

Huang Yingzhi said firmly:

"Let them go if they want to. We're new here."
We must not act rashly without definite information; no amount of intervention will help.

"Alright, go quickly, act discreetly, observe the battlefield situation, and distinguish between truth and falsehood!"

"Yes!" Yao Xiujie hurriedly turned and left.

(End of this chapter)