Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 260 A Decisive Battle

The current battle situation can be said to be that the Palace Army's ambush on the Qing army failed and they even fell into a trap set by the Qing army.

But we cannot conclude that the Qing army's plan to ambush Chen Fu has been successful.

The two sides were now engaged in a bitter battle. Chen Fu's troops had gained an initial advantage on both wings, while the Qing army temporarily had the upper hand in the valley battlefield.

As for the cavalry pursuit between the two sides at the exit of the valley, the outcome is still unknown, but these are all fait accompli.

In the center of the valley, Ajige and Jin Li were personally commanding their troops and trying their best to organize an offensive.

They choose to go to the front line in person not only to boost morale, but more importantly to be able to respond to various emergencies on the battlefield in a timely manner and make decisions quickly.

In this battle, they were facing the elite troops under Zhu Cilang, so they couldn't help but feel fearful.

Dorgon had been defeated by these Ming troops before. Although Dorgon was dissatisfied with his brother Ajige, he knew in his heart that he was not as good as Ajige in some aspects of commanding operations.

At the same time, the troops under Chen Fu also demonstrated tenacious fighting effectiveness throughout the battle.

Despite being ambushed and outnumbered, they reacted quickly and put up a fierce resistance.

Even the elite Eight Banners of the Qing army could not completely defeat it in a short period of time.

Faced with such a powerful opponent, Ajige and Jin Li couldn't help feeling a little anxious.

The battle was fierce and the two men soon met on the battlefield.

Hundreds of elite cavalrymen guarded them.

Seeing that the soldiers of both sides were still fighting fiercely and the attack had been unsuccessful, Ajige and Jin Li frowned.

The situation on the battlefield was at a stalemate and time was running out. They all knew that they had to break the deadlock as soon as possible.

Jin Li said solemnly:
"The Ming army has another reinforcement force on the other side of the valley. It is estimated that they will reach the battlefield in less than three quarters of an hour. We must fight quickly and decisively and cannot delay any longer." He stared at the smoke in the distance with a sharp gaze.

Ajige's expression was also extremely solemn. He nodded:
"Yes, it looks like the support force should be a cavalry unit.

Although the flag is not clear yet, there is no mistake with so much smoke and dust.

There's even worse news. Intelligence just arrived from the Nanyi Mountains: the armored troops we sent have been defeated by the Ming army. The Ming army has deployed at least 3,000 soldiers in the Nanyi Mountains."

Hearing this, Jin Li couldn't help but take a deep breath and muttered to himself:

"It seems that the situation in the mountains to the north is not optimistic either."

Although Jin Li sent Zhong Dingfu to lead the troops to guard the northern mountains, he knew in his heart that facing such a powerful Ming army, the absolute disadvantage in military strength would be difficult to make up.

An experienced general can certainly play a certain role, but in the face of overwhelming military strength, this advantage is not enough to turn the tide of battle.

Especially the troops under Zhu Cilang, each of them is a veteran, with rich practical experience and mature commanders.

Faced with such an enemy, the Qing army's situation became increasingly difficult.

Both Ajige and Jin Li knew that the battle had reached a critical moment.

If they cannot quickly break up the Ming army's offensive, they will be put on the defensive.

Once the Ming army's reinforcements arrive, the situation will become even more unfavorable.

They must make a breakthrough in the shortest possible time, otherwise, what awaits them will be a more difficult battle and possible failure.

The two looked at each other, their eyes showing both worry and determination.

They know that victory or defeat depends on a matter of moments, and any wrong decision could lead to total loss.

It is obvious from the current fighting situation that it is difficult to create a significant gap in combat effectiveness between the Ming army led by Chen Fu and the Eight Banners Army in a short period of time.

The emergence of this situation is not accidental, but is closely related to many aspects of the two armies' training methods, intensity, weapons and equipment, and even tactics.

In other words, the two armies are almost evenly matched in terms of the level of professionalism in their training and their equipment.

Not only are they powerful armies of this era, but they also possess the characteristics of a highly professional army.

The combat effectiveness of both sides is basically at the same level, so in a head-on confrontation, it is difficult to quickly gain an overwhelming advantage through simple formation confrontation.

However, if you want to truly widen the gap with the enemy, you cannot rely solely on a single weapon or military formation.

After all, in addition to the contest of military strength and tactics on the battlefield, there are also multiple factors such as time, place, and people.

Over the past three years, Zhu Cilang's Palace Army has undergone a series of military reforms and gradually moved towards standardization and specialization.

These reforms are not only reflected in the adjustment of the officer system and training methods, but also go deeper into the updating of material supply and weapons and equipment.

Nevertheless, due to the short period of reform, the new army is not yet able to fully unleash its potential strength.

However, the development potential behind this army cannot be underestimated.

The Palace Army has initially acquired the ability to quickly achieve mass production and has become an efficiently operating war machine.

What supports this army is not only the arsenals and training camps, but also the corresponding civil, commercial and bureaucratic systems.

This complete logistical support system is the core of the Palace Army's greatest competitiveness.

In contrast, although the Qing army also had excellent craftsmen to provide weapons and equipment, it was stretched to the limit in terms of the supply of materials needed to maintain the soldiers' high-intensity training.

The areas under the rule of the Qing court had certain shortcomings in resources and logistical supplies, and were unable to provide continuous support to the front lines like the Ming army.

This meant that although the Qing army was powerful, it gradually showed signs of lack of stamina after a long period of war.

In short, war is not just a contest between soldiers on the front line, but also a competition of comprehensive national strength.

At this point, although Zhu Cilang's Palace Army is not yet fully mature, the institutional reforms and logistical support behind it are gradually showing its long-term advantages.

As long as time permits, the new army will inevitably take greater initiative on future battlefields.

"We must disrupt their formation before the Ming army's reinforcements arrive, push the fleeing soldiers to the rear, and block the cavalry sent by the Ming army commander. Otherwise, the battle will become increasingly difficult."

Ajige frowned, with a suppressed sense of urgency in his tone, and continued to speak to Jin Li.

"Your Highness, have you figured out a strategy to break through the Ming army's formation?"

Jin Li raised his eyebrows slightly, his face full of anticipation. However, Ajige remained silent for a moment, and seeing this, Jin Li took the initiative to continue:

"I do have a plan, but it's not a brilliant one. I just discovered a weak point in the Ming army's defense line."

"At this point, any solution is a good one, even if it's not clever enough and it means a few more deaths.

Casualties are inevitable in war; the key is to win. Even if we have to sacrifice all our troops and perish together with the Ming army, it is better than being defeated by them!"

Ajige suddenly shouted loudly, with a fierce determination in his tone.

He has always had a bad temper, and now his face is ferocious and he seems even more excited.

Jin Li knew why Ajige was so angry. The development of the war situation was indeed beyond their expectations.

The baoyi soldiers, who had originally thought they could easily ambush, were vulnerable and collapsed at the first blow, causing the Ming army to quickly realize the intention of the ambush.

The situation has evolved from a carefully planned ambush to the current difficult battle.

What made Ajige even more angry was that he lost face in front of Jin Li, a Han Chinese, which was undoubtedly a humiliation for him. But at the moment, the war was critical and Jin Li had no time to care about these things.

“The Ming army just urgently retreated. Although they quickly distanced themselves from us and took the opportunity to adjust their formation to fight, their defense line on the south side is obviously weak.

If we can concentrate our elite troops and seize the opportunity to launch a fierce attack, we may be able to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop."

Jin Li analyzed calmly, with a hint of cautious optimism in his tone.

Upon hearing this, Ajige's eyes focused and he quickly stepped on the stirrup, stood up, and looked towards the Ming army position ahead.

Although the battlefield was filled with smoke and flying dust that obscured his vision, he could still vaguely see that the Ming army's defense on the south side was indeed relatively weak.

"Your Highness, I still have more than 3,000 armored soldiers available. Let Zhong Dingfu lead the troops to attack first. This is our last chance." Jin Li suddenly seemed extremely generous and put forward his own bargaining chips.

Zhong Dingfu was a capable general under Jin Li. He held a high position in the army, had rich experience in leading troops, and was known for his courage.

Jin Li trusted him very much and often gave him the most elite troops to command, just so that they could be used at critical moments.

As one of the top-ranked generals under Jin Li, Zhong Dingfu is obviously someone Jin Li can rely on.

This time, Jin Li placed his final bet on Zhong Dingfu. He knew very well that if this battle could not be ended quickly, the situation would become even more unfavorable once the Ming army reinforcements arrived.

"Okay, let's do as you say! Gather the troops immediately, and Zhong Dingfu will set off immediately. We must take down the weak points of the Ming army." Ajige gave the order decisively, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

Upon receiving the order, Zhong Dingfu quickly assembled his troops. Four thousand armored soldiers quickly formed up and set out, launching a fierce attack on the Ming army's southern defenses. The ground shook slightly under their footsteps, dust flew, and a solemn atmosphere filled the battlefield.

With the swift attack of the armored soldiers, the southern defense line of the Ming army was indeed shaken.

Despite their desperate resistance, they gradually became powerless in the face of the aggressive Qing army. Ajige and Jin Li were both closely watching this crucial offensive, holding on to the last ray of hope.

"If this attack is successful, the situation of the battle can be reversed!" Ajige muttered to himself, cold sweat already oozing from his palms.

Every minute and every second on the battlefield is related to life and death, success or failure. A moment of hesitation or negligence may determine the outcome of the entire battle.

The elite armored troops led by Zhong Dingfu cut through the obstacles and pressed forward step by step, watching the Ming army's defense line become increasingly weak.

At this moment, Ajige suddenly noticed dust flying in the distance, and vaguely saw a Ming cavalry rushing to support.

His heart sank suddenly, realizing that time was running out.

After listening to the report, Ajige nodded silently. At this moment, he knew the significance of this battle, and victory or defeat would determine the survival of the Qing Dynasty.

At this critical moment, the so-called loss of troops was no longer within his consideration.

Ajige understood that if he failed to win this battle, the fate of the Qing Dynasty would be completely rewritten.

Although Jin Li was not a Manchu, he allowed the Qing army to enter the pass and bore heavy responsibility.

He knew very well that his ability to firmly control military power was entirely due to his rich experience in leading troops and Dorgon's trust.

However, he also knew that all this was based on the premise that the Qing Dynasty still existed. If the Qing Dynasty collapsed, his position would be gone.

Time flew by, and after about a quarter of an hour, smoke and dust rose on the battlefield, and the sound of killing shook the sky.

Ajige and Jin Li gave decisive orders to deploy all the more than 6,000 armored soldiers who had not yet participated in the battle into the military formation in the valley on the south side.

This decision is undoubtedly a fight of life and death.

Jin Li sent out all the last 3,000 armored soldiers in his hands, while Ajige was a little more conservative and only mobilized 3,000 armored soldiers. The remaining 2,000 were sent to the mountains on the left and right wings to block the Ming troops attacking from both sides.

At the forefront of the battlefield, the Green Camp soldiers and the Baoyi soldiers took the lead in charging.

They withstood the first round of firepower from the Ming army. Although they suffered heavy casualties, they paved the way for the attack of subsequent troops.

However, the Qing cavalry did not wait for them to withdraw from the battlefield, but followed them closely and launched a fierce charge, forcing them to continue fighting.

These Green Camp soldiers and Baoyi soldiers were not the remnants of defeated troops originally used to lure the enemy, but the elite troops among the Green Camp and Baoyi, who possessed certain combat effectiveness.

However, with their limited military strength, they were unable to completely break through the Ming army's solid formation. Even if they tried their best, it would be difficult to achieve a substantial breakthrough.

Nevertheless, after several rounds of fierce fighting, these troops had already consumed a lot of physical strength of the Ming army.

Now, the sudden attack of the Qing cavalry left the Ming army with no chance to breathe, forcing them to continue fighting. This undoubtedly created an excellent opportunity for the Eight Banners cavalry to launch a surprise attack.

At the same time, due to the sudden contraction before, the distribution of troops on the southern wing of the Ming army became extremely uneven, and the defense line was obviously weak.

Under the continuous and fierce offensive of the Qing army, the Ming army on the southern wing had shown signs of fatigue and its formation began to loosen.

Ajige keenly grasped the opportunity. Seeing that the charge of the Green Camp soldiers and the Baoyi soldiers had exhausted the energy of the Ming army, he ordered the cavalry to launch a general attack without hesitation.

At this time, the war drums sounded in the Qing army's formation. Although it was not so conspicuous amid the sound of gunfire and artillery on the battlefield in the valley, it marked the arrival of the decisive battle.

More than 5,000 elite cavalrymen of the Eight Banners no longer cared about the nearly 1,000 Green Camp and Baoyi soldiers who were still remaining in front of the formation. They sped up their horses and rushed straight towards the Ming army positions.

The iron hooves of the war horses trampled across the battlefield, raising a cloud of dust. Under such a fierce attack, hundreds of their own soldiers died under the horses' hooves just from the collisions and trampling.

These are the cavalry of the Eight Banners Army. Their charge still possesses incomparably powerful force in this era. At this moment, they are sweeping in like a torrent, launching a deadly attack on this valley battlefield.

(End of this chapter)