Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 303 Fuzhou
After the army led by Zhu Cilang successfully landed in Gaizhou, the vanguard troops, led by Lin Changfeng, first arrived at the city of Fuzhou and quickly deployed their troops.

Zhang Huangyan then commanded the main force to set up camp outside the city, while Ma Bao's troops were sent by Zhu Cilang to the west side of Fuzhou City to defend against a surprise attack by the Qing army.

This was not only a defensive arrangement, but also had the profound meaning of using this battle to support Ma Bao - as a talented general with training potential, Zhu Cilang specially transferred him from Gao Jie's army and gave him greater responsibilities.

The Qing army in Fuzhou City was well prepared. Oboi had withdrawn all the large and small artillery deployed outside the city into the city in advance, making the firepower of the Qing army stationed in the city strong and difficult to break through.

If the total force is combined with the Green Camp Army and the Baoyi Army, the number exceeds 10,000. For the small Fuzhou City, such a force and equipment are enough to form an iron wall that is difficult to shake easily.

Although the Ming army won the landing battle, it captured very few spoils. It was difficult to suppress the Qing army on the city wall with firepower relying solely on its own artillery. If it forced an attack on the city, it would inevitably suffer heavy losses.

Under this situation, Deng Zhang's role as an insider undoubtedly became the key to breaking through Fuzhou City.

The morale in Fuzhou City was extremely low and almost collapsed.

In less than a year, the Ming army advanced to Liaodong, and the Eight Banners Army suffered a series of defeats inside the Great Wall, and the Qing army paid a heavy price.

Under multiple blows, the morale of the Qing army was in turmoil and its morale declined significantly.

You know, the morale of the army not only depends on the supply of military pay and food, but victory is the backbone of maintaining the morale of the army.

However, the Qing army was suffering repeated defeats, and not only the Green Camp Army and the Baoyi Army were afraid, but even the Eight Banners Army themselves began to fear the Ming army.

In the eyes of the Qing army, the former Ming army was just a symbol of heads and military exploits, which meant achievements, rewards and endless wealth.

But now, they have become the source of fear, shadows and nightmares.

Despite this, after half a year of reinforcement, the walls of Fuzhou City have become strong and the material reserves are abundant. The surrounding people had been massacred by the Qing army decades ago, and there were no villages nearby to rely on.

Oboi selected 3,000 strong men from the captured people of Northern Zhili to serve as laborers to help strengthen the city's defenses. In addition, he also brought hundreds of women for the entertainment of the Eight Banners soldiers.

Under such defensive conditions, the army in Fuzhou City is sufficient to hold out for more than a year.

In addition, in the last round of troop adjustments before the Ming army landed, there were more than 3,000 Eight Banner soldiers, more than 2,000 Green Camp soldiers and 6,000 Baoyi soldiers in Fuzhou City, and most of their families were distributed in the Liaodong area.

Although these soldiers gradually developed a fear of the Ming army's field combat capabilities, their families and their homes were all here, so even if they were afraid of the enemy, they would not easily choose to surrender.

Zhu Cilang was well aware of the defensive advantages of Fuzhou City and the psychological weaknesses of the Qing army. He stood on the command platform, looking through the camp with fluttering flags at the sturdy city.

At this moment, Fuzhou City was not only an obstacle to his military operations, but also a fortress in the strategic advancement of the Ming army. If it could be successfully breached, it would undoubtedly further shake the Qing army's defense system in Liaodong.

He whispered:
"Once Fuzhou is lost, Liaodong will be in chaos. Right now, the most important thing is how to take advantage of Deng Zhang's internal support and achieve a breakthrough at the lowest cost."

Zhu Cilang surveyed Fuzhou City with a deep gaze, already having a battle plan in mind.

He knew very well that it was unrealistic to attack the city directly with the current military strength, and a rash attack would come at a heavy price.

Although Fuzhou City was small, it was defended by the Qing army like an impenetrable wall of steel, and the morale of the defenders in the city was slightly eased because the captured civilians were used as labor.

That night, Zhu Cilang's orders were quickly transmitted to the front lines. Ming scouts and guerrillas frequently launched harassment around the city walls, sometimes whistling and shouting, sometimes approaching quietly, making the Qing sentries nervous and exhausted.

At the same time, Zhu Cilang also sent out several teams of death squads, waiting for opportunities to ambush at night and using guerrilla tactics to attack the Qing army garrisons on the edge of the city wall.

The Qing troops in the city were forced to stay awake all night, setting up defenses and running around.

After several days of harassment, the Qing army in the city began to show signs of loosening, especially some of the bondservants who were discussing privately. Some even doubted the outcome of the war and believed that the Qing army was at the end of its rope.

However, Oboi was extremely vigilant and quickly cracked down on these morale-shaking remarks and strengthened discipline in the city.

He also personally patrolled the night sentries and deployed defenses everywhere in an attempt to stabilize the morale of the troops.

However, the higher the pressure, the greater the tension in the city.

At the same time, under the strong cover of the Ming army, tens of thousands of civilians worked day and night to dismantle the numerous defensive obstacles set up by the Qing army outside Fuzhou City.

After three days of continuous clearing, all the outer obstacles have been cleared, and the only remaining defense of Fuzhou City is a wide moat, towering city walls and cannons on the walls.

"General, that Deng Zhang is truly a traitor secretly colluding with Nikan!
Although he's from Shandong, most of his soldiers are his clan members. If he were to collude with Nikan, the consequences would be disastrous," a Green Camp officer reported solemnly.

Maka pondered for a moment, glanced at the officer in front of him, and slowly shook his head:

"The morale of the soldiers in the city is already shaken, but you have no solid evidence. If I were to believe your one-sided story and rashly deal with Deng Zhang, what would become of his thousand-plus soldiers? How would the morale of the soldiers be maintained?"

In fact, after the Green Camp officer's secret reports over the past few days, Maca began to have some doubts about Deng Zhang.

However, the situation in Fuzhou City was very serious. Zhang Huangyan's army was outside the city, ready to attack at any time. At this critical juncture, it would not be wise to make a rash decision.

Maka knew that there had always been discord among Han officials, and that mutual slander often occurred.

The Green Camp officer in front of him has ulterior motives and may just want to use this opportunity to gain power.

Moreover, without solid evidence, acting rashly would only lead to greater civil unrest. Thinking of this, Maka did not immediately express his opinion.

"General, every word I said is true! This is what my servant heard with his own ears. Deng Zhang's servants have already been discussing it privately.

If he hadn't been linked to Nikan before, how could he have escaped the Shandong battle almost unscathed? "The Green Camp officer continued to report with a firm tone, relentlessly.

Maka narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling slightly moved, and began to think secretly.

Deng Zhang only had a little over a thousand men under his command, so getting rid of him wouldn't be difficult. However, morale was low, and arbitrarily weakening the city's defenses wouldn't just mean losing a garrison; it would also directly impact the resolve of the defenders.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Maka seemed to have thought of something, raised his eyebrows and said coldly:
"Commander Chen, I want to remind you that a general was once falsely accused of something. When the truth was revealed, the informer was beheaded and his entire family implicated. This matter is of great importance, so you must reconsider!"

The lieutenant general was slightly startled after hearing this warning. A hint of hesitation flashed across his face. After weighing the pros and cons, he said firmly:

"General, this is absolutely true! My servant heard Deng Zhang's servant say, 'We should have joined forces with the enemy in Dengzhou, Shandong. Why bother coming to Liaodong and suffering?' These are the exact words, no additions or deletions.

General, please make a decision as soon as possible, otherwise it may be too late."

Seeing how confident he was, Maka couldn't help but feel shaken again.

However, after weighing the pros and cons, he didn't give in easily and just said perfunctorily:
"This matter is of great importance. This general will consider it further. Please withdraw for now!"

The Green Camp Army lieutenant general sighed helplessly. He wanted to make a few more arguments, but when he looked up, he saw Maca with a frown on his face and a stern expression. His heart tightened immediately, and he didn't dare to say anything more. He had to retreat quietly.

Despite the Qing army's repeated setbacks on the battlefields within the Great Wall and the rapidly deteriorating situation, many Manchu nobles and bureaucrats, especially those in the upper echelons of the Qing, believed that the situation was not irreversible. Many, especially tough figures like Maka, still believed that the Qing court still had advantages in the Liaodong region.

After all, back in Liaodong, the Qing army took advantage of the Ming army's disadvantages in fighting on the outside, gradually eroding the enemy, and eventually became strong and established the foundation of today.

In addition, those Han officials in the Qing court who came from the imperial examination system, especially the converts who loyally followed the Qing Dynasty since it started the imperial examination system, were fanatically loyal to the Qing court.

Although these people were Han people, because of the official positions granted by the Qing court, they were more determined to identify with and maintain the rule of the Qing Dynasty, and worked hard for the Qing Dynasty's wars without any second thoughts.

After the Green Camp Army Lieutenant General left, Maca closed his eyes and thought quietly for a moment, quickly calculating the changes in the situation in his mind.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and there was a hint of coldness in his eyes.

He knew that if Deng Zhang really wanted to rebel, it would not only threaten the safety of Fuzhou City, but also shake the morale of the army.

However, hastily eliminating Deng Zhang might cause unnecessary panic. With the enemy troops approaching, if internal disputes arose again, there would inevitably be fatal loopholes in Fuzhou City's defense line.

Maca recalled Deng Zhang's past deeds. Although Deng Zhang was born in Shandong, he had always been brave in battle and performed outstandingly in several battles in Shandong.

However, upon closer inspection, Deng Zhang's troops did suffer almost no losses in several fierce battles.

If it weren't for his outstanding military achievements and close contacts with him, Maka would almost suspect that this man had other intentions.

The sky gradually darkened, the candlelight flickered in the tent, and Maka fell into deeper thought. He realized that if this matter was not handled properly, the consequences would be disastrous.

The most critical thing at the moment is the defense of Fuzhou City. If the combat effectiveness is weakened due to internal suspicion, the entire defense line will be vulnerable.

On the contrary, if Deng Zhang really had second thoughts but failed to be verified in time, the consequences would be even more unpredictable.

Maka said loudly: "Someone come!"

Maka called over several trusted subordinates and gave them careful instructions:

"This matter should not be made public. Each of you should go and secretly investigate Deng Zhang's troops. Be sure to proceed with caution and report any signs of trouble immediately."

He decided to send someone to monitor Deng Zhang first in order to obtain solid evidence and avoid rash actions that would cause unnecessary chaos.

After a day of observation, Maca's confidants brought back some scattered information. Although there was no conclusive evidence, there were indeed many rumors circulating in Deng Zhang's military camp about collusion with Nikan.

Some soldiers were whispering to each other, and there seemed to be uneasiness in their words.

Maka was alert and realized that this matter might not be groundless, but he still decided to investigate it again and again to avoid wrongly accusing a loyal minister.

For several days in a row, Maca couldn't sleep at night, repeatedly weighing the pros and cons.

He knew that this matter concerned the stability of the army and could not be taken lightly, but he could not make rash decisions without considering the safety of the soldiers.

In the end, Maka decided to hold a secret meeting and summoned Deng Zhang and several other generals into the tent, trying to test Deng Zhang's reaction through words.

During the meeting, Maka vaguely mentioned Nikan's covetous eyes on Fuzhou City and the possible intelligence channels within the enemy army.

Deng Zhang looked calm and handled the situation with composure, without revealing any flaws. All this made Maca even more confused. Was Deng Zhang really that meticulous, or was he truly innocent?

After the meeting, Maka whispered to his confidant:
"Continue to closely monitor Deng Zhang's movements. Report any unusual activity immediately."

He realized that even if he had doubts about a suspicious general, he had to act with caution and not act rashly.

In the days that followed, Maka's doubts did not subside.

Outside Fuzhou City, the enemy's pressure was getting closer and closer, but the situation inside the city was still unclear. Faced with the enemy's relentless pressure, Maka had no choice but to strengthen the defense and order all units to be on high alert.

He knew that if Fuzhou City remained safe and sound, the doubts within the city would naturally dissipate; but once the enemy army broke through the city defenses, all doubts and disagreements would turn into meaningless disputes and lose their meaning.

*
Outside the door, a sturdy man came in upon hearing the noise.

This man was burly and had a gloomy face. He had a pair of sharp axes on his waist, a hideous scar across his face, and sharp eyes.

After entering the room, he looked around to make sure no one was peeping, then he closed the door gently with confidence.

"General!" Zhao Kui stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and saluted respectfully in a low voice.

Deng Zhang nodded slightly, signaling him to be patient, his eyes full of determination and resolution.

After a moment, he whispered, "Zhang Huangyan has sent the signal. Move tonight!"

The current conditions for information transmission are limited, and Deng Zhang and Zhang Huangyan can only communicate through letters, and so far, the only instructions they can receive are delivered through a letter.

Whenever an action was approaching, Zhang Huangyan would order the troops outside the city to hang different flags every day to convey the action plan.

If a specific flag is seen in Fuzhou City, it means that the city will be attacked that night. Although this method is simple, it is the only effective way at the moment.

At present, the entire city of Fuzhou is under strict security. The Green Camp soldiers are not as well-ranked as the Baoyi soldiers and are subject to layers of precautions by the Qing court. Any slight movement may arouse suspicion, making it even more difficult to transmit intelligence.

It was inconvenient for Zhang Huangyan to arrange spies in advance, and there were no reliable Ming army spies around Maca. All plans could only rely on Deng Zhang's improvisation and his careful planning.

After hearing this, Zhao Kui's face darkened, and a sharp light flashed in his eyes:

"General, this opportunity is fleeting. How should we respond?"

Deng Zhang smiled slightly and said calmly:

"The Qing court's strict defenses cannot prevent the will of heaven. Tonight, as long as heaven helps our army, Fuzhou City will undoubtedly fall. You will lead your elite troops. When the order is given, immediately deploy internal forces and ensure that they will form a coordinated force with the army outside the city.

Remember, act quickly and don't delay!"

Zhao Kui nodded and answered with a firm look:

"I will do my best to live up to the general's expectations."

Deng Zhang turned around, stood with his hands behind his back, and stared coldly at the faint moonlight outside the window. His plan was gradually taking shape, and he was mentally prepared to deal with any emergency.

(End of this chapter)