Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 266 The Qing Army's Final Defeat

After gathering his troops, Chen Fu quickly deployed his 600 elite cavalry guards as the core force on the right wing of the offensive formation, followed by hundreds of gathered cavalry.

The other one thousand or so cavalry were arranged on the left wing of the formation.

As for the center, the soldiers were arranged closely in phalanxes, forming a solid offensive shield.

Chen Fu personally took to the battlefield, leading the charge and greatly boosting the morale of the Ming army.

The Ming army, which had already seemed exhausted due to days of fighting, suddenly showed new vitality.

This offensive formation, composed of five or six thousand remnant soldiers, led by Chen Fu, launched a fierce attack on the Qing army line without hesitation. Their momentum was like a rainbow and they seemed to have infinite power.

Chen Fu's plan was very clear. As long as the cavalry he led could break through the Qing army's left wing defense line, they could join forces with Lin Changfeng's troops.

By then, thousands of cavalrymen would be enough to penetrate the entire Qing army's line and defeat the enemy in one fell swoop.

With the loss of the central and southern positions, the Qing army will inevitably collapse and flee like a frightened bird, and the situation of the war will be completely reversed.

However, just when the Ming army was at its peak, a dull "bang bang bang" sound of gunfire came from the Qing army's position, instantly disrupting the offensive rhythm of the Ming army's front row.

The soldiers in front of Chen Fu fell one after another. Hundreds of Ming army front-line soldiers died in the musket fire, and more than a dozen cavalrymen beside him were unfortunately shot and fell off their horses.

In a flash, they were crushed into a bloody mess by the horses' hooves.

Even so, Chen Fu maintained his composure and led his army forward.

On the Qing army's position, Zhong Dingfu personally led more than 200 elite servants and commanded the battle nervously.

His remaining musketeers were less than a thousand, but they were regrouped and continued to fire volleys in an attempt to curb the Ming army's swift offensive.

Although the Qing army's volleys still had a certain degree of lethality, facing the Ming army with high morale, this firepower was no longer a threat.

Zhong Dingfu saw that the Ming army's offensive line was getting closer and closer, especially the big flag fluttering in the wind - that was Chen Fu's personal arrival, and realized that the situation was irreversible.

Despair even began to rise in his heart.

"I'm afraid the Manchus will lose this time..." Zhong Dingfu muttered to himself.

His voice was low and painful, and his eyes gradually lost their sharpness.

At this moment, he had no way to retreat, and the battle situation had reached the brink of life and death.

As the distance between the Ming and Qing armies grew closer, the battlefield suddenly entered its most brutal stage.

The musket fire continued one after another. The front-line soldiers of the Qing and Ming armies fell down almost in rows, and the cavalry were also killed one after another in the hail of bullets.

The war horses were frightened and neighed uncontrollably and jumped around. The scene was in chaos and the entire battlefield seemed to be in uncontrollable turmoil.

Soon, the distance between the two armies was less than fifty steps.

Accompanied by a deafening shout of killing, the infantry and cavalry of the Ming and Qing armies launched a fierce charge at the same time.

The entire valley was filled with deafening cries of killing. Soldiers from both sides rushed towards each other like a tide, swords and guns clashed, blood rained everywhere, and the entire battlefield was shrouded in a strong murderous aura.

Zhong Dingfu looked at the Green Camp Army and the Eight Banners Army who had already rushed forward, and his heart was still full of hesitation.

Even though he was a veteran who had fought many battles, the decision between life and death was still difficult when faced with such a tragic battle.

He clenched the knife in his hand, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, his eyes fixed on the battle situation in front of him, and his inner struggle was clearly visible.

At this moment, a group of aggressive cavalry suddenly appeared in the rear of the Qing army, raising a cloud of dust.

The large yellow flag was particularly eye-catching, and Zhong Dingfu recognized it as Ajige's flag at a glance.

Seeing the reinforcements appear, his heart sank suddenly. Without time to think any more, Zhong Dingfu made a quick decision.

Without hesitation, he led more than 200 elite servants around him and rushed forward, following Ajige's team.

The appearance of Ajige seemed to give the Qing army the last hope.

This team of hundreds of cavalrymen swept across the battlefield like a gust of wind, raising dust and hearing the neighing of horses wherever they passed.

The servants led by Zhong Dingfu followed closely behind and rushed straight to the front line of the Ming army.

On the battlefield, the soldiers on both sides were already blood-thirsty.

Under Chen Fu's command, the Ming army fought bravely, as if they were not afraid of life or death.

The Qing army, led by Ajige and Zhong Dingfu, also fought back with all their might, vowing to defend their positions to the death.

The armies of both sides continued to fight on this battlefield, with swords flashing and blood splattered everywhere, and the air of the battlefield was filled with a strong smell of blood.

Although the Ming army was advancing with great momentum, Zhong Dingfu knew that the outcome of the battle was still uncertain.

Ajige's joining helped to boost the morale of the Qing army, especially this sudden appearance of cavalry, which dealt a heavy blow to the Ming army.

Zhong Dingfu also gritted his teeth and charged forward with all his might.

Ajige was completely different from Jin Li. At this moment, he no longer thought about lingering on.

He had almost no illusions about the current situation. His repeated defeats had made him realize that if there was a post-war reckoning, he would probably not escape punishment.

Rather than living in humiliation, it is better to die heroically for the Qing Dynasty and leave behind the last bit of loyalty.

The roaring sound of horse hooves shook the earth and sky. Ajige led the Qing cavalry and rushed towards the flank of the Ming army like a storm.

The long spears and broadswords flashed with cold light and swung out swiftly. Wherever they passed, the Ming army soldiers fell one after another.

Blood splattered, swords flashed, and the Ming army soldiers raised their spears and muskets, trying their best to resist the attacking cavalry. The sounds of close-range shooting and stabbing rang out one after another.

The shouts and screams on the battlefield flooded the entire world like a tide.

However, not long after, hundreds of Ming cavalry attacked from the flank and cut off this unstoppable Qing cavalry.

They were like a sharp blade, splitting the Qing army's offensive into two and curbing the original offensive.

This interception caused the situation to change rapidly, the Qing army's morale was curbed, and the atmosphere on the battlefield became more tense and chaotic.

Chen Fu jumped up and rode on the warhorse of his personal guard.

His original mount was hit in the neck by a Qing army musketeer and fell to the ground in pain, unable to escape death.

Fortunately, Chen Fu was agile and skilled in martial arts, so he did not fall. He quickly found a second horse, put on his armor, and joined the battle again.

Chen Fu had already replaced his wielded a sharp spear. His frail waist knife had been severed in the previous fierce battle, rendering it unusable. On the battlefield, shouts and the clatter of horses' hooves intertwined. He roared furiously, leading the cavalry around him in a continued charge. They quickly charged into the chaotic battle, fearlessly and courageously.

At the same time, Ajige was also waving a big knife on horseback, his eyes as sharp as an eagle.

He killed one Ming soldier after another, his blade cutting into the enemy's neck again and again, blood gushing out like a fountain, quickly dyeing his armor red.

However, just as he turned his horse and prepared to launch a new charge, a flash of fire suddenly appeared in front of him.

The flames of several Rumi guns exploded in front of his eyes. The roar of the guns was deafening even though they were only ten steps away.

Ajige was hit hard by three bullets in the chest. Although he was wearing heavy triple armor, he was still unable to withstand the fierce shooting.

His huge body swayed a few times, and then he fell heavily from the horse like a huge rock.

Ajige, who landed on the ground, opened his eyes wide and made a faint babbling sound.

His throat seemed to be blocked by blood, and he couldn't make a sound. Blood kept gushing out from under the broken armor on his chest, as if announcing that his life was rapidly slipping away.

He looked up at the smoke-filled sky above the battlefield, and before his eyes was a blurry scene - countless cavalrymen were moving quickly, the harsh sound of weapons clashing, the neighing of war horses, and the clamor of golden swords and iron horses, as if it were a long nightmare.

"The Qing Dynasty... was defeated... was defeated..." He muttered to himself, but his voice was swallowed by blood, leaving only the remaining consciousness in his heart that flashed for an instant.

As Ajige's battle flag fell, the morale of the Qing army collapsed like the flag.

Soon after, Zhong Dingfu's flag was broken in the chaotic army formation, symbolizing that the battle was coming to an end.

The remnants of the Qing army began to flee. They were no longer an organized army, but scattered soldiers struggling for survival.

The entire line gradually collapsed from south to north, the Qing army fled in all directions, rushed eastward, and completely lost control.

The atmosphere on the battlefield has not subsided yet, and Chen Fu's figure is still standing tall in the smoke.

He had already mounted the third warhorse. Although his armor was badly damaged, he still had high morale and fighting spirit.

He led more than ten personal soldiers, charging with all his might, his voice hoarse but filled with murderous intent. Like a sharp knife, they plunged into the fleeing Qing army, pursuing the battle flag that Jin Li had recognized, and continued their fierce attack.

As Ajige's flag fell, the last mobile cavalry of the Qing army quickly disappeared under the iron hoofs of the Ming army commanded by Chen Fu.

At this time, the Ming army launched the last round of fierce offensive, with great momentum, and launched an overwhelming attack on the Qing army's center from the south wing.

Chen Fu personally led the cavalry guards and broke through the Qing army's defense line in one go.

Under the overwhelming attack of the Ming army, the Qing army's central defense line collapsed instantly after losing its command and flank support.

The northern wing's front also fell like dominoes, the defeat was devastating, and total rout was inevitable.

Tens of thousands of defeated Qing soldiers fled in all directions, pushing and shoving each other, scrambling for their lives. The once elite Qing army had now become a disorganized defeated army.

At the same time, the Qing troops on both wings fell into chaos due to the defeat of their main force.

In the valley, the defeated soldiers were chased and killed by the Ming army, and shouts of terror were heard everywhere. The various Qing army units had lost their coordination and cooperation with each other and fell into a state of collapse.

Many Qing soldiers panicked and trampled on each other, and the shadow of death hung over the entire battlefield.

In order to survive, the cavalrymen mercilessly swung their swords to kill the infantrymen blocking their way, while the infantrymen used their spears to stab back at the cavalrymen who were paused on the ground.

The Eight Banners soldiers, the Green Camp soldiers, and the Green Camp Army fought each other without any distinction between high and low classes. In the face of death, everyone's life was equally fragile.

After breaking through the Qing army's defense line, the Ming cavalry quickly turned their horses around and cut off the escape route of the Qing army's defeated soldiers.

Thousands of defeated Qing troops were trapped in the valley, creating a huge deadlock.

In order to intensify the chaos and killing among the fleeing soldiers, the Ming army deliberately did not completely block the retreat route, but left a narrow exit.

This made the fleeing Qing troops even more desperate. They rushed to this only way to survive, pushing and trampling on each other, and the scene was tragic.

The wilderness in the valley was soon covered with the corpses of the fleeing soldiers, and the narrow passage was gradually filled with layers of corpses.

Blood flowed like a river, the ground was stained red with blood, and corpses piled up like mountains.

In the end, the people and horses in the passage could no longer move forward, and the Qing troops behind had to flee in all directions, trying to climb the nearby hillside to escape.

However, every attempt to break out was intercepted by the Ming army's cavalry and infantry phalanxes.

Blades flashed, blood splattered, and the charge fell on the heads of these fleeing soldiers like a rainstorm, wave after wave. They had no way to escape and were soon killed or wounded.

On the battlefield, the defeated Qing army had become lambs to be slaughtered.

Although the Ming army's formation was slightly chaotic due to the rapid attack, they never encountered any effective counterattack from the Qing army.

The musketeers, spearmen and sword and shield soldiers worked closely together, and the formation still maintained sufficient lethality.

Each round of attack was like the scythe of the god of death, reaping life after life from the Qing army who were fleeing in panic with their backs turned.

Some Qing soldiers tried to escape from the side of the hillside, but they soon discovered that both sides of the valley had already been blocked by the Ming army.

The Qing troops who fled to the foot of the mountain encountered Ming cavalry that were ready to attack. Each round of charge was like thunder and defeated the fleeing soldiers in an instant.

These defeated soldiers were completely disorganized and could not even form the most basic defense. Faced with the ferocious Ming army, they could only passively take the beating and had no power to fight back.

The battle gradually turned into a massacre. The once powerful Qing army now became the target of the Ming army's slaughter.

The cavalry, wielding scimitars, passed through the ranks of the fleeing soldiers, leaving behind a trail of fallen corpses.

The infantry followed closely behind, stabbing the enemy's chest with their spears and suppressing the Qing army's attempts to resist with their shields. The only thing left on the entire battlefield was the smell of blood and death.

The sound of swords and horses clashing with each other continued in the ears. The smoke on the battlefield gradually dissipated, and the sunlight shining on the corpses on the ground and the valley stained red with blood was particularly dazzling.

Those once proud Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty are now nothing but rubble and corpses strewn all over the ground.

The defeated soldiers in the valley were almost completely wiped out by the Ming army, and only a few people escaped in the chaos.

Those remaining Qing soldiers who were lucky enough to squeeze through the narrow exit at the beginning were now exhausted and looked ashen.

They didn't know whether they had really escaped the pursuit. All that remained in their minds were the bloody battles and the screams of their comrades.

For the Qing Dynasty, this battle was not only a collapse of confidence, but also a complete destruction of its main force.

Although the victorious Ming army seemed a little tired after the long pursuit, they did not stop.

Under the commander's order, they began to clean up the battlefield and eliminate the remaining enemies. The face of every Ming army soldier was filled with joy of victory.

(End of this chapter)