In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 696 A raging fire erupts, shifting the balance of offense and defense.
As night deepened, the wind and snow seemed to stop at that moment.
The weather in Liaodong has returned to its long-awaited calm.

A silvery-white jade disc emerged from beneath the clouds, illuminating the entire Liaodong land in a snowy white glow.

The trees formed the earth's lush hair, appearing eerie and terrifying in the darkness.

Within this patch of black "hair," three faint points of light can be seen.
Those were the strongholds of Lingshan Slope and two other defensive lines.

The candlelight illuminated the darkness, creating a fleeting moment of light.

At Lingshanpo camp, everyone breathed a sigh of relief after yesterday's victory.
The soldiers slept soundly today, and even the guards on duty in the north were somewhat distracted.

The Jurchen camps were all burned down, so where could they go?

But soon, a faint light appeared from the dense forest.

The soldier, who was dozing off, jolted awake, almost thinking he was seeing things.
He rubbed his eyes hard and noticed red dots lighting up in the dense forest.

Suddenly, his heart started racing, and his face turned deathly pale.

He ran to the side, picked up the shared telescope that was lying there, and looked into the distance.

After the first glimmer of light emerged from the dense forest
The soldier's pupils suddenly contracted, and he shouted:
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!! The savages are back!!"

A series of piercing screams rang out, waking the soldiers one by one.

He rushed to the side, picked up the warhammer, and began to beat the red drum violently:
"dong dong dong"

The sound lingered, and the soldiers who had stayed behind to await orders immediately rushed out of the camp.

They were still wearing their armor, carrying long swords, and cursing.
The most common comments were things like the Jurchens overestimating themselves and coming to their deaths.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, Huang Yingzhi also woke up from her sleep.

He was old, and when he woke up, his head was completely foggy and he couldn't think clearly about anything.

It took him a long time to realize what had happened.
He cursed loudly, then donned his armor and rushed out of the barracks.

Outside the military camp on Lingshan Slope, the trenches had been filled in.
The reason for this was that the enemy camp had been destroyed.

Many cavalrymen and their horses have been killed, and now the cavalry has the advantage on Lingshan Slope, so there is no need to cripple our own strength.

At this moment, the filled-in trenches were densely packed with people.

Without a doubt, they were all Jurchen people, dressed in disheveled clothes and wearing various colored furs.

They held torches, their forms withered and emaciated.
He just stood there in the open space, staring blankly at the camp.

When Huang Yingzhi arrived, he was startled by the scene before him and couldn't help but burst into curses:
"What the hell is this thing?"

The hundreds of people in front of me seemed like ghosts that had drifted out of the mountains and forests, deathly silent, making one feel a chill in their heart.

Yao Xiujie also rushed over and was shocked to see this scene.
He was startled and cursed:

"Grass!"

"What's this~"

Huang Yingzhi was already a bit grumpy when he woke up, and upon seeing such an ominous sign, he didn't hesitate at all and gave the order in a deep voice:

"Who cares what it is, shoot it dead."

The next moment, more than a hundred crossbowmen who had been waiting in ambush stepped forward.
With a series of "click-click-click" sounds, the arrows were suddenly fired in a volley!
"Whoosh-"

"Pfft,"
Two distinctly different sounds rang out, accompanied by muffled groans as people fell to the ground.
More than a hundred people lost their lives in less than a breath.

Huang Yingzhi felt much better and thought to himself:

If muskets could be used in this freezing weather, killing the enemy would be much faster.”

Before the thought could even form, the savage group suddenly stirred.

The Jurchens, who had been slowly swaying in the jungle, suddenly rushed out.

Like locusts, they swarmed under the silvery moonlight.

It ran wildly across the snow with a ferocious appearance.
They were clearly after the camp!

"Bang bang bang-"

The figure crashed into the wooden fence with a dull thud.

One after another, figures with ferocious expressions began to climb upwards, and even the sharp wooden spikes that pierced their flesh could not stop them.

"Open the gates and slaughter them all!"

Huang Yingzhi gave the order decisively, without a trace of mercy in his eyes.

These savages were not even considered human by the Haixi people, who were also Jurchens.

As people of the Ming Dynasty, we have no such obligation.

As the military order was given, drums and bugles sounded one after another, waking up some soldiers who were still asleep.

When they realized this was a rallying cry,

They rushed out of their military tents immediately and began to gather in the open space on Lingchuan Slope.

"squeak--"

With a loud thud, the unpleasant sound of wood scraping against the ground rang out, and the two gates of the camp slowly opened.

The Jurchens who had been gathered on the perimeter rushed in, their expressions ferocious.

But his eyes were lifeless, like a walking corpse.

"Meet the enemy——"

Upon receiving the order, the pike phalanx was the first to charge forward.
The spear thrust repeatedly, drawing blood with each thrust!

These Jurchen people, dressed in animal skins, were unable to stop them in the slightest and were mercilessly slaughtered.

The spear formation began to push outwards.
Each thrust was accompanied by an advance.

Gradually, a gap was cleared in the doorway.
The cavalry followed, galloping like flying swallows, and swarmed out!

The loud hoofbeats were especially noticeable in the darkness, and the sound of long swords slashing was particularly jarring.

Time flies by.
A quarter of an hour passed, then another quarter of an hour passed.

Huang Yingzhi's expression grew increasingly solemn.

How can the savages be endless?

The number of torches burning brightly in the mountains and forests has not decreased at all; on the contrary, it seems to be increasing.

However, Huang Yingzhi did not change the military order.
These unarmed Jurchens, they'll kill as many as they come!

Just as everyone was silently watching the carnage unfold before them...
A piercing scream came from afar behind us.
Even the shouts of killing and screams right in front of them could not be blocked:

"Fire! Fire!!!"

"Walk through the water—walk through the water—"

"Someone come quickly!"

Huang Yingzhi turned around abruptly, her sharp gaze sweeping over him, and her breath caught in her throat!

He immediately spotted the half of the sky behind the camp glowing red.

At first, it was just a faint red glow.
But after only a few glances, it began to expand rapidly, at a speed that was astonishing!

Everyone on the high platform to the north of the camp stared blankly at Huo Hong, their pupils suddenly contracting.

"The entire army will rise for the night. The number of soldiers fighting on the front lines will remain unchanged. The rest of the troops will go to fight the fire!"

Huang Yingzhi was the first to react, and a cry came from his aged throat.

The messenger also realized what was happening at that moment.

They were banging drums and gongs while shouting energetically.

More and more soldiers ran out of their tents without armor.

They saw the rushing crowds and the snow piled up in their wooden buckets.

They immediately understood what had happened and joined the team!
Huang Yingzhi's breathing became slightly rapid, and her face flushed red.

He looked at Yao Xiujie, giving instructions as he ran down from the platform:
"You stay here and kill all the Jurchens in front of you, leave no one alive, and be careful at the same time!"

"Yes!"

Only now has Yao Xiujie been able to break free from the fear in his heart.

Even so, his pupils still swayed violently.

If I remember correctly, that location was where grain and supplies were stored.

"Damn it!"

"asshole!!"

A surge of anger welled up in Yao Xiujie's heart, causing him to smash his fist against the wooden fence of the camp.

He was breathing heavily, his eyes red as he looked at the Jurchen people in front of him.

"Kill! Don't hold back your arrows, shoot them all!!!"

"Yes!"

Huang Yingzhi rushed down the platform in a hurry, almost staggering, her steps unsteady.

He hurriedly mounted his warhorse and rode towards the rear camp.

The sky, now dyed an eerie orange-red, swallowed the darkness and cold of the night. The light shone on Huang Yingzhi's face, illuminating the wrinkles on his features clearly.
For some reason, the wrinkles seemed to deepen as the distance between them increased.

When he arrived near the grain and fodder area, the scene before him almost suffocated him, and his heart sank to the bottom.

The once neatly arranged stacks of grain and straw have now been turned into a sea of ​​fire.

Flames shot skyward, thick smoke billowed, obscuring the starlight.
The fire was so fierce that even the wind and snow seemed to give way to it.

The scorching heatwave licked at every inch of the dry air, crackling and popping!
In the firelight, the bodies of several trapped soldiers could be vaguely seen.

They fell to the ground, their flesh and blood slowly melting away.

It was quickly engulfed by the merciless fire, turning into wisps of smoke.

Follow these provisions and rise into the night sky.

Huang Yingzhi's heart clenched suddenly; that was a month's worth of rations for the entire army.

This was the source of their confidence to fight the Jurchens in this icy and snowy land.

Now, all of this is about to vanish into nothingness.

"Who, who is it?!"

When the soldiers arrived, they were utterly astonished by the sight before them.

They all grabbed buckets, dug snow from the nearest snowdrift, and threw it into the firelight.

But all that could be heard was a "plop plop" sound.

The fire showed no signs of being extinguished.
It even seems to have become more insane.
It was as if they were mocking their futile efforts.

Some soldiers tried to rush into the fire to salvage the supplies.
But he was instantly engulfed in flames, screamed, and fell to the ground.

Some soldiers coughed repeatedly from the thick smoke.
Forced to retreat, his eyes were filled with despair.

The area behind the entire camp had become a living hell.

"Sir, the fire is too big and we can't control it at all!"

A soldier with a face covered in soot ran up to report, his voice trembling with tears.

Huang Yingzhi gritted her teeth, her hands clenched into fists, feeling her heart pounding faster and faster.

"Thump, thump, thump," it was almost jumping out!
And the world before our eyes began to slow down.
Slowly, the flames in front of me began to distort greatly, as if they didn't exist at all.

Huang Yingzhi clutched her chest tightly, staggered forward a few steps, and felt it becoming increasingly difficult to breathe.
Two soldiers beside him noticed his appearance.

He rushed forward, calling out, "My lord, my lord!"

But to Huang Yingzhi's ears, the sound seemed to grow ever more distant.

Until finally, everything before my eyes was shrouded in darkness.

Huang Yingzhi regained consciousness three days later.
He groggily opened his eyes, and a faint light streamed in through his slightly open eyelids.

He looked at everything in front of him with a somewhat blurry vision.
The last memory in my mind is still that raging fire!
"water"

A dry feeling rose from my throat and lips.

It's like cutting it hard with a sharp knife!
"She's awake! She's awake!!"

Upon hearing the sound, the soldiers quickly moved closer and saw the eyeballs moving back and forth.

His previously dull face suddenly lit up, and his voice rose sharply!
The sound of hurried footsteps rang out, as if a group of people were entering the barracks.

"Gulp, gulp."

Huang Yingzhi took a big gulp of water, but the army doctor forbade him to drink any more and gave instructions to the soldiers attending to him:

"Feed them little by little, just a small half-spoon at a time, don't rush!"

"Yes Yes Yes"

After drinking a glass of water, Huang Yingzhi felt like she had come back to life.

The soldiers helped him up and leaned him against the headboard.
He looked at the figures standing beside the bed, his voice hoarse:
"Has the fire been extinguished?"

Everyone lowered their heads in unison, their eyes dimming.
Seeing their appearance, Huang Yingzhi's eyes flickered slightly and dimmed. He asked in an aged voice:

"How much is left?"

Yao Xiujie stepped forward, pursed his lips, and said softly:

"My lord, the grain supplies were stored in three locations. Two of them were burned, leaving about 30% near the central command."

"Thirty percent."

A flicker of relief crossed Huang Yingzhi's eyes, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's good that there's still some left, it's good that there's still something left."

After pausing for a long time, he asked, almost as if possessed:
When will the commander deliver the grain supplies?

After asking the question, he looked hopefully at the group of people ahead.
I hope to receive some good news.

But no one spoke; the atmosphere was heavy.

Huang Yingzhi's lips trembled a few times, but in the end, they all turned into a soft sigh.

Yao Xiujie said softly:

"My lord, the Marquis of Runan says that the Commandery currently has no surplus grain."
The next batch of grain supplies will be transported from Liaoyang, and it may take more than twenty days to get here.

"Ah"

Huang Yingzhi chuckled softly and shook her head somewhat helplessly.
"How absurd! What has become of the Jurchens?"

"For the past few days, the camp has been implementing a strategy of holding firm and not venturing out."
The Jurchens did not attack again, but they had already rebuilt their camp in the jungle, and it wouldn't be long before they emerged from the jungle.

Huang Yingzhi nodded, her expression immediately becoming dejected.

How is morale in the army?

Yao Xiujie shook his head:
"All the brothers saw the news about the fire."
Morale is somewhat low now, and there are some rumors circulating in the army.

They said the commander wasn't planning to give us any more supplies, and some brothers wanted to go home.

"This is reasonable and there's no need to scold them."

Huang Yingzhi then asked, "Has the arsonist been found?"

Several Jurchen people were found in the fire.
They were all prisoners of war.

They were originally imprisoned in cells, but that day they were extremely hungry.

So they broke into the prison and set fire to the supplies.

As he said this, Yao Xiujie's expression was somewhat strange.
He himself wouldn't believe such a bizarre reason.
The colleagues standing around also looked resentful.

Even a general in his forties gritted his teeth:

"My lord, let's turn back. The remaining provisions can sustain us until we reach Daning."

"What nonsense are you spouting? Retreating from the front lines without a fight?"

If this gets back to us, where will we put our faces?

Someone offered a rebuttal,

"Easy for you to say, but what do the soldiers eat?"
The remaining rations can last for seven days! What will happen after seven days?
It will snow again in a couple of days, and the Jurchens will come to fight again.
"The Jurchens are starving soldiers now, and in seven days we'll be starving soldiers!!"

Upon hearing this, the room fell silent instantly.
Everyone had complicated expressions, even the military doctor stood aside sighing.

As the commander-in-chief, Huang Yingzhi could only imagine what the soldiers must be like when he saw that the morale of the generals was so low.

He coughed a few times softly and said in a hoarse voice:

"No need to rush, aren't the Jurchens building a camp?"
The Wild Jurchens had no food, but the Haixi Jurchens certainly did.

At worst, we can just rob them of their food.

If we can get through the spring, we can definitely weather the storm.

"Yes, yes, things will work themselves out; we'll get through it no matter what."

Yao Xiujie forced a smile and spoke, and the group laughed along.
But ironically, even this kind of smile seemed somewhat forced.

Five miles east of Lingchuanpo, three white "ink spots" wriggled on the white snow.

If you don't look closely, you can't tell what it is at all.
Even the sentries of the Jurchen camp not far away did not notice that three "ink dots" slowly approached the foot of the camp.

"Damn it, how many camps do the Jurchens have?"

Qin Yuanfang crawled at the very front, cursing as he moved at a steady pace.

"Who knows!"

A soldier following behind him muttered something in annoyance.

Traveling eastward from Haramulin
The vanguard scouts have already destroyed at least thirty Jurchen camps.
The number of people ranged from three hundred to one thousand five hundred.

The advance scout team unexpectedly encountered the camp again in the freezing cold.
"Damn, Liaodong is great. There are so many trees that the Jurchens don't have to put much effort into building camps."

Qin Yuanfang muttered something to himself, glanced at the obvious hidden sentries on the two trees ahead, and gave the order:
"Same as usual, clear out the sentries, sneak up close, and check the camp's layout and the number of people."
"Take good notes, and break through the stronghold quickly."

"Yes"

(End of this chapter)