Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 193 New Strategy

After the great victory in the "Battle of Wuchang", the central army in front of the palace, the left and right armies, as well as the camp troops of Changsha and Yuezhou prefectures, quickly started new operations under the dispatch of the Five Army Commander-in-Chief's Office, either going north to assist in the battle or going south to defend.

Zhu Cilang then moved back to Yuezhou. The reconstruction of Wuchang City would take a long time. The food and supplies seized by the army from Tunqi were not enough to support the reconstruction of tens of thousands of civilians and the operation of tens of thousands of soldiers and officials inside and outside the temporary palace.

Of course, the most crucial thing is that Zhu Cilang is still concerned about the situation in Chongqing and Xiangyang. By moving his throne to Yuezhou Prefecture, he can better coordinate the military affairs of the two places, control southern Hunan, and radiate to Guangdong and Guangxi.

As for the military and political affairs in the south and north of the Yangtze River, Li Banghua would naturally take care of them. Zhu Cilang had complete trust in this old minister.

Moreover, he also wanted to see what kind of trouble Ma Shiying and his ilk could cause during the time when he was personally leading the army!
As soon as Zhu Cilang returned to Yuezhou City, he immediately climbed up the city wall and looked down at the land and rivers and lakes below.

At this time, Yuezhou City had returned to its busy peacetime scene. Soldiers were on duty and patrolling inside and outside the city walls, while people were going out of their homes again. The market had regained its former bustle and bustle, with crowds of people bustling about.

The victory of the "Battle of Wuchang" was not only a victory on the Wuchang battlefield, but also a boost in the morale of the Ming army and the vitality of the Han people all over the world.

Zhu Cilang, returning to his old place and gazing out from a height, naturally felt a surge of emotion. However, the mountains and rivers had not yet been restored, so he quickly collected his thoughts and returned to his temporary palace in Yueyang Prefecture. He then summoned his civil and military officials to discuss subsequent military strategies.

At the same time, when the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty returned to the palace, imperial edicts were quickly issued from Yuezhou City to all directions, summoning military and political ministers from all over the country.

A month later, in the temporary palace of Yuezhou, Zhu Cilang sat at the head of the table and looked around. Li Banghua, Du Yinxi, He Tengjiao, Chen Fu, Chang Denggui, Lin Changfeng, Zheng Sen, Li Guo and other central and local military and political ministers had all gathered, most of whom were heroes of the "Battle of Wuchang".

At the beginning of the meeting, Zhu Cilang directly said:

"While the victory in Wuchang is certainly gratifying, the strength of the Qing army cannot be underestimated. Over the past month, the battles in Nanyang, Xuzhou, Guide, and other places have not progressed smoothly. I have summoned you today to discuss the future military strategy of the Ming Dynasty against the Qing Dynasty."

As soon as these words were spoken, a tense atmosphere instantly filled the air. The ministers looked at each other, each thinking about their next speech in their hearts. This did not allow for any negligence.

At Zhu Cilang's signal, Chen Fu was the first to stand up. As the general of the left army in front of the palace and the admiral of the Five Army Commander-in-Chief's Office, he had rich combat experience and was familiar with the entire battle situation.

Chen Fu saluted Zhu Cilang with his hands clasped together, then said respectfully:
"Your Majesty, although the main force of the Qing army in the north has temporarily retreated, its main force has not suffered heavy losses. According to reports from the front-line troops, Dorgon is now assembling a large army in Shandong, Henan, and northern Sichuan. The deployment is strict and ready for a counterattack at any time.

Although our army won the battle of Wuchang, the soldiers have been fighting for days since their march north, and are exhausted both physically and mentally. They are also in urgent need of food and fodder. We must make a decision quickly on whether to advance or retreat."

After hearing this, Zhu Cilang nodded and motioned Chen Fu to continue. Seeing this, Chen Fu added:
"The main reason why the situation has developed to this point is that the Qing cavalry is highly mobile on the vast plains, coming and going without a trace and being difficult to predict.

Although our Chaotian Cavalry is very powerful, its manpower is limited. Most of the main forces in each place are combat troops. If we pursue them rashly, we will easily fall into the ambush circle of the Qing army..."

As soon as these words came out, the solemn-looking generals in the hall nodded in agreement. They had actually tried to break through the harassment of the Qing cavalry, but it was almost always in vain.

After all, on the battlefield, in the face of true strength, any conspiracy or trick is nothing but a paper tiger.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang recalled the details of the "Battle of Wuchang" and how the troops after the war attacked everywhere, basically recovering the entire Huguang area except Xiangyang, and repelling the Qing army in Huaibei and southern Sichuan.

Although the Ming army did not make much progress elsewhere, it had already established a firm foothold throughout the south and established contact with the rebel gentry in Yunyang, Kuizhou, Shaanxi and other places by sea and in North China.

However, as the war continued, the Ming army's offensive gradually reached its limit, and the Qing army, with nowhere to retreat, began a local counterattack.

Now, Zhu Cilang has ordered all armies to suspend the attack and consolidate their positions, and has also ordered each army to send out small forces to harass the defense and test the strength of the Qing army.

Thinking of the current situation, Zhu Cilang looked around at the ministers and immediately pointed out the most core issue.
"My dear ministers, what do you think? Should we send more troops to attack Xiangyang and capture the city?"

Instantly, the entire hall fell silent. The ministers looked at each other, each pondering their own response strategies. But soon, the Cabinet Chief Minister Li Banghua stepped forward, bowed, and said:
"Your Majesty, I believe it is inappropriate to continue to send troops to Xiangyang. Although our army has achieved success, as Admiral Chen said, our troops are tired and our food supplies are low. If we launch another expedition, we will be worried about our rear. Rather than rushing too far, it is better to rest and recuperate for a while, comfort the people, and wait until the time is right before making a major move."

Li Banghua is indeed a master of strategy. In just a few words, he revealed his careful consideration of the war.

However, as the leader of the "clean stream" in the court, he was deeply respected by Du Yinxi and others, but he was not on good terms with Ma Shiying and others. His words undoubtedly caused dissatisfaction in He Tengjiao.

He Tengjiao did not make any contributions in the "Huguang Campaign" and the "Battle of Wuchang". In addition, Zhu Cilang eventually handed Wuchang over to Du Yinxi. He Tengjiao felt a huge crisis.

Now, he was determined to make achievements in the war to consolidate his power, and he completely scoffed at Li Banghua's proposal.

He Tengjiao immediately stood up and said with a cold laugh:

"Lord Li, if our army chooses to rest now, wouldn't that give the Qing army a chance to catch their breath? Tens of thousands of our soldiers have risked their lives and labored so hard to recapture Wuchang. How can we stop advancing because of a temporary setback? Moreover, our morale is now high. Wouldn't it be a shame if we didn't seize the opportunity and pursue the enemy?"

His words immediately resonated with Lin Changfeng. Lin Changfeng had always been a radical in the army, and after the Battle of Wuchang, he had repeatedly advocated for gathering the main force and launching a major attack.

Lin Changfeng immediately stood up and echoed:

"Lord He is absolutely right. Although our army is somewhat exhausted, the Qing army has also suffered heavy casualties. Your Majesty, I believe we should seize this opportunity to send out our elite cavalry to attack the Qing army and disrupt their formation. Only in this way can we truly maximize our victory."

Upon hearing this, He Tengjiao looked at Lin Changfeng. The two looked at each other, and there was actually a tacit understanding between them.

Then, he slammed the table and stood up, clasped his hands towards Zhu Cilang, and said excitedly:

"To repay your majesty's kindness, I am willing to fight to the death! As long as your majesty issues the order, I will personally lead a hundred thousand elite troops north to attack Huanglong."

The ministers' expressions varied after hearing He Tengjiao's words. Chen Fu frowned, clearly worried about He Tengjiao's radical strategy; Li Banghua looked displeased, clearly disgusted by He Tengjiao's eagerness for quick success.

At this moment, seeing the delicate atmosphere in the hall, Zheng Sen suddenly stood up, trying to ease the atmosphere. He was now the supreme commander of the navy, and had played a huge role in the "Huguang Campaign" and the "Wuchang Battle". He immediately put forward a new suggestion:
"Your Majesty, while what Lord He and Admiral Lin say makes sense, I believe we don't need to engage the Qing army head-on. We can leverage our naval superiority and continuously send warships to harass the Qing army's coastal strongholds, or even land in northern Zhili and sever the Qing army's canal supply lines. Those Tartars will surely become disorganized."

Zheng Sen's timely proposal immediately caught Zhu Cilang's attention. He nodded slightly, expressing his approval:

"Mr. Zheng is right. Maritime harassment is indeed a good option."

Zhu Cilang listened to the words of several civil and military ministers and quickly formed a judgment on each person's position and purpose. However, he did not speak directly. Instead, he turned his head and asked Chang Denggui:

"However, the current situation is becoming increasingly serious, and military strategies still require comprehensive analysis. Chang Qing, in your opinion, should the siege of Xiangyang continue?"

Chang Denggui heard this and without even a moment's thought, he immediately stood up, bowed, and said:
"Your Majesty, I believe the current situation in southern Shandong, southern Henan, and northern Sichuan is indeed complex. Although our army achieved a great victory in Wuchang, the Qing army's defenses throughout the north are quite tight. In particular, Dorgon has sent a large number of cavalry, who are like fish in water on the vast plains, coming and going without a trace. If our army attacks rashly, it may be in danger of being ambushed by the Qing army."

When he said this, he secretly glanced around and saw that all the ministers were listening attentively, so he continued:

"Although the Qing army is now poised to strike back, it is severely divided internally. The conflict between the Manchus and the Han, and the struggle for the throne, are both the Tartars' weaknesses. If we can exploit these contradictions and sow discord among them, we will surely cause their internal divisions to fall apart, greatly weakening the Qing army's combat effectiveness."

Zhu Cilang nodded, secretly admiring Chang Denggui's extraordinary insights and the fact that he had learned to think about problems from perspectives other than military ones.

However, what he didn't expect was that these were what he usually said, and Chang Denggui had always remembered them in his heart, and now they happened to be useful.

Zhu Cilang then looked at the ministers before him and asked, "My dear ministers, do you agree with Lord Chang's analysis?"

But He Tengjiao was still unwilling to give up, and then he said:

"Your Majesty, I believe that it is precisely because of the numerous internal conflicts within the Qing army that our army has a chance. Their cavalry's might cannot be underestimated. However, if our army can find suitable terrain on the plains, ambush a group of elite cavalry, and lure the enemy deeper, we can surely annihilate their main force in one fell swoop."

His proposal immediately piqued Lin Changfeng's interest, but as a battle-hardened cavalry commander, he wasn't so confident. After all, He Tengjiao's so-called strategy of luring the enemy deep into their territory was merely empty talk.

Li Banghua also heard the problem, but he still maintained a conservative attitude and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I still feel that it is inappropriate to attack rashly. It is not easy to lure the enemy deep into our territory. In military affairs, the most taboo is to lose your composure.
Right now, although the Qing troops in Xiangyang and southern Henan are active, they are unable to advance south. Rather than continue to fight, our army should rest temporarily and make plans once its strength has recovered and the situation has become clearer.

Upon hearing this, Zheng Sen interjected, "Our navy is powerful and can harass the Qing army through sea raids. No matter how strong the Qing cavalry is, they will be powerless."

After Zheng Sen played the old tune again, Du Yinxi, Chen Fu, Zhang Huangyan, Li Guo and others also spoke up, most of whom supported Li Banghua.

Zhu Cilang listened to the ministers' arguments, weighing the pros and cons in his mind. He understood that each minister before him had his own position and purpose. As the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he had to make the decision that was most beneficial to the overall situation.

Now, the situation was leaning towards Li Banghua, which was exactly what he wanted to see. He immediately stood up, walked to the huge map hanging on the side, pointed at the location of Xiangyang, and said with foresight:
"For thousands of years, Xiangyang has been a battleground for military strategists, whether in the Northern Expedition or the Southern Expedition. But judging by the current situation, if Xiangyang cannot be conquered in one battle, then it would be better not to fight at all."

After Zhu Cilang finished speaking, he looked at the slightly changing expressions on the faces of the ministers in front of him and continued to analyze:
“Now, although our army has achieved victory, if we continue to attack Xiangyang, I am afraid that we will fall into the trap of the Qing army as Li Qing said.

Mr. He, what Mr. Lin said makes sense. I admire your courage and determination to serve the country very much. However, if the Qing army sets an ambush, even the Tianqi Army will not be their match on the plains of southern Henan.

Zheng Qing's maritime harassment plan is indeed a good supplement and can greatly disperse the Qing army's forces, but it also requires comprehensive preparation."

After evaluating the strategies proposed by all parties, Zhu Cilang paused, looked around, and continued:
"What Chang Qing said makes the most sense. The Tartars are plagued by internal conflicts. We can exploit these conflicts, especially by stirring up the deep hatred between the Manchus and the Han people, to cause internal divisions.

But the iron must be forged with strength. During this period of rest and recuperation, all units must intensify their training, especially the Celestial Cavalry, to improve their mobility and combat effectiveness. Only in this way can they strike a fatal blow to the enemy in the future decisive battle."

Zhu Cilang's analysis integrated the opinions of all parties, and at the same time was clear and well-organized. The ministers who originally supported Li Banghua nodded in agreement. Even the radical He Tengjiao and Lin Changfeng had to admit the risks of rashly launching a northern expedition.

After leading the troops to so many great victories, Zhu Cilang's prestige was at its peak, and his words had unparalleled authority among every minister.

However, after Zhu Cilang looked around with a sharp gaze, he immediately looked at Chen Fu, signaling him to continue analyzing the situation.

War is not that simple. Whether to fight or not is one thing, but when is the right time to fight and what needs to be prepared in advance are also very important.

Upon seeing this, Chen Fu bowed to Zhu Cilang and said in a calm tone:
"Your Majesty is wise. What we are discussing today is not the gains and losses of a city or a pond, but the offensive and defensive tactics of a large army, which is the foundation of the overall strategy.

Moreover, the Tartars are not completely without troops capable of field battles. In Shaanxi and Gansu, there are still Wu Sangui's Guanning Army, as well as the Green Camp Army, which was reorganized from the Nine Frontier Army. Dorgon, Duoduo, Ajige and others also have tens of thousands of elite cavalry at their disposal. The Qing army's defenses in various places are quite tight."

Chen Fu's words naturally turned the ministers' thoughts to war preparations. Li Banghua stroked his beard and nodded in agreement.
"Commander Chang is absolutely right. The most important thing now is to prepare for the training of the army and to provide the food, fodder, weapons, and armor needed for the Northern Expedition. Although our army won the battle of Wuchang, if we ignore the depleted treasuries in various regions and continue to attack Xiangyang, simply providing food and fodder for the army will be a major problem."

Zhu Cilang was very satisfied when he heard this. He always knew that Li Banghua was the backbone of the court and was loyal and reliable. Now he did not disappoint him.

But He Tengjiao was still unwilling to give in. After hearing this, he immediately turned around and looked at Li Banghua, sneering:
"Lord Li, you're worrying too much. The Qing army may be strong, but our Ming generals and soldiers are all brave and fearless. If we boost morale, we will surely defeat the enemy in one fell swoop. The problem of food and fodder will be easily solved. Why should we rely so heavily on food and fodder?"

His words resonated with Lin Changfeng and the other generals who had won consecutive battles. Lin Changfeng immediately echoed his words:
"What Elder He said is absolutely correct. If our army can quickly defeat the main force of the Qing army, we can obtain supplies from the enemy camp as we did before. Why worry about a shortage of food and fodder?"

Zhu Cilang listened to the two men's speeches and couldn't help but ponder. He knew He Tengjiao was a talker, but he hadn't expected Lin Changfeng, a radical within the army, to be so overly critical of the enemy.

He turned his head again to look at Chang Denggui and asked, "Chang Qing, what do you think?"

Chang Denggui smiled slightly upon hearing this, and said with a salutation:
"Your Majesty, I believe that our army must proceed cautiously and not launch a rash attack. As Lord Li has said, the issue of food and fodder is crucial. Without adequate preparation, we may face future troubles."

Furthermore, while the internal conflicts within the Qing army can be exploited by our army, as Your Majesty just said, if we do not have sufficient strength, all our schemes will be in vain."

Chang Denggui's tone was very calm, clearly one of deep thought and confidence. Zhu Cilang nodded in agreement, turned to the other ministers, and asked loudly:

"Do you have any other suggestions?"

As soon as Zhu Cilang finished speaking, Zheng Sen stood up again. However, when he saw the looks the ministers were giving him, he suddenly paused and swallowed back the words he was about to say. After a moment's pause, he bowed and said,
"Your Majesty, I still insist on naval harassment, and our dynasty can easily reconnect with Korea, which will surely cause the Qing court to lose its composure."

Zhu Cilang naturally knew that Zheng Sen was experienced in naval warfare and that his suggestions were all about taking advantage of the sea. However, after hearing what Zheng Sen had just said, he couldn't help but secretly admire him. Although the diplomatic offensive against North Korea had little effect, such political awareness was the most critical.

He nodded and continued:

"Logistics are paramount in marching and fighting, and food and fodder are crucial. If we launch an attack rashly, and the situation becomes stalemate, and we fail to provide timely logistical support, our army will likely be defeated without even fighting."

As soon as these words were spoken, a solemn and tense atmosphere filled the air in the hall, and everyone knew that His Majesty was about to make a decision.

Zhu Cilang did not show any emotion at all because of the expressions of the ministers, and continued to analyze:
"The current food reserves in Huguang and Jiangxi can only barely support a 30,000-man army for a two-month northern expedition. If we continue to send more troops to attack Xiangyang, the number of troops must be increased to at least 30,000.

Now, the offensive and defensive situation has changed. There is no internal support in Xiangyang City. It will be impossible to capture the city in two months.

Therefore, if the Northern Expedition is to be carried out safely and Xiangyang is to be captured successfully, the Ministry of Revenue needs to intensify the storage of food and fodder during the army's rest period to ensure the logistical supply of the army in the future Northern Expedition.

Moreover, while ensuring military priority, each province must also appease the people and restore production.

Although the victory in Wuchang had greatly boosted morale, a rash attack and failure would not only dampen morale but would also likely cause unrest among the people, and future attempts to pacify them would certainly be difficult.

Now, the best and safest strategy is to proceed steadily and restore the strength of the army, and then work slowly to try to wipe out the Qing army's field combat forces in North China within two years.

As long as the Qing court loses these main field forces that it has painstakingly cultivated over decades, even if it can recruit a million Green Camp troops in the north, what is there to fear? "

As soon as Zhu Cilang finished speaking, Li Banghua said:

"Your Majesty is absolutely right. Although there are no rebels in Xiangyang City yet, the people in various places are currently in high spirits. If the Jinyiwei can strengthen their infiltration during the army's rest period, they will surely be able to exploit the weakness and create the glory of the Battle of Wuchang again."

Chang Denggui also nodded and said:
"Furthermore, the garrisons throughout Huguang could fully utilize this period to send out small units to conduct reconnaissance and harassment against the Qing army, demonstrating their military might and undermining their morale while disrupting their deployment. They could also conduct rotational training for new recruits and improve the soldiers' combat effectiveness, especially the mobility of the cavalry."

Chen Fu also said:

“The Qing army is only counterattacking now, but they are not prepared to move south. They dare not move south in large numbers. Therefore, as long as we do not take the initiative to attack Xiangyang and Yanzhou, the main force of the Qing army will retreat quickly.

As Your Majesty said, once our army has recovered its strength and we are fully prepared and confident in our Northern Expedition, we will surely be able to win a decisive battle!"

As Zhu Cilang set the tone, the military meeting continued, and the ministers expressed their opinions and discussed specific strategies and action plans.

Although He Tengjiao was dissatisfied, he had to admit the risk of advancing at this moment. However, he was still a little unwilling and said with a folded hand:

"Your Majesty is far-sighted and far-sighted. Listening to your words, I, an old minister, was truly enlightened.

Now that the nation is in crisis, the situation on the front lines remains precarious. I, this old minister, request to be transferred to Chengtian and personally take charge. I will lead our elite cavalry to harass the Qing army and disrupt its deployment in Xiangyang and southern Henan."

After He Tengjiao finished speaking, he turned to look at Lin Changfeng and said, "General Lin, are you willing to follow me on the battlefield?"

Lin Changfeng was obviously shocked when he heard this, but he had already been persuaded by Zhu Cilang. He would follow His Majesty wherever he went. How could he lose sight of the main point? He immediately said:

"I am naturally willing to join Elder He in the attack and make further contributions to the Ming Dynasty, but the Heavenly Cavalry Army suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Huguang and the Battle of Wuchang and truly needs a rest!"

(End of this chapter)