Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 314 Night Attack
Ba Ming commanded three thousand elite Manchus of the Zhenglan Banner and two thousand Green Camp soldiers. They were in a strict formation, marching in unison, and were as powerful as thunder.

The soldiers had resolute eyes and stern expressions on their faces. They were obviously a carefully selected elite force, ready to launch the next round of fierce attacks towards the Shimen Pass area.

Ba Ming looked at the terrain ahead with a sharp gaze and a look of determination.

He has fought on the battlefield all his life and knows that opportunities are fleeting and he must not miss any chance for a breakthrough.

At his command, three thousand Manchu soldiers quickly formed a formation and moved forward with steady and swift steps, approaching Shimen Pass step by step.

At the same time, two thousand Green Camp soldiers followed closely behind under the command of the deputy general, ready to provide support at any time.

The atmosphere on the battlefield was tense and solemn. Ba Ming knew very well that this battle was of vital importance to the Qing army. Success or failure would determine the morale of the army and the direction of future wars.

Shimen Pass, as an important defense line of the Ming army, was one of the key obstacles for the Qing army to enter the hinterland.

If this place can be quickly captured, the Ming army's will to resist will be completely destroyed, clearing the way for subsequent attacks.

As they moved forward, Wan Ming looked back at Ba Ming from time to time, secretly sizing up the Qing army commander in his heart.

He was shocked by Ba Ming's calmness and courage. He knew that by following such a commander, he might have the opportunity to gain a higher status and reputation in the army.

This battle was an important opportunity for him to consolidate his position in the Qing army.

Shuosai and Shen Zhong beside Ba Ming did not dare to be negligent. They looked serious and kept observing the progress of the team.

The two deputy generals understood that the current situation did not allow for any slacking, and that the Manchu and Han soldiers must work closely together to remain invincible on the battlefield.

Shimen Pass was right in front of him. Ba Ming rode his horse forward, a hint of fighting spirit appearing on his stern face.

He raised his arm and gave the final order to charge.

Suddenly, the elite Manchus rushed towards Shimen Pass like a tide. The sound of horse hooves and trumpets intertwined, echoing through the valley like rolling thunder.

The Ming army's defense at Shimen Pass was extremely tight. The pass was surrounded by rolling low hills, which ran from north to south and the terrain was winding and steep.

Such an environment is extremely unfavorable for the army's advance. Even if Ba Ming wants to launch a surprise attack, he can only advance lightly and select a small group of elite troops to maintain the speed and flexibility of the attack.

Ba Ming knew clearly that this adventure depended on the support of Wan Ming's former subordinates in the city, and benefited from their earlier reconnaissance and clearing of the bunker.

Without inside support and detailed intelligence, he would never act rashly. Another failure would cause the morale of the Qing army to plummet and completely lose its offensive advantage.

At this time, Dorgon was determined to break the deadlock and seize the initiative on the Gaizhou battlefield.

Ba Ming understood that the other party was determined. Since victory was in sight, they could retreat at night even if things were not going well.

Regardless of the outcome, they must give it a try in order to realize their plan of a full-scale counterattack.

Therefore, Ba Ming decided to make careful arrangements.

He ordered Shuosai to lead two Niulu armored soldiers to break in first, with them as the vanguard; Shen Zhong was responsible for the rear support, while he personally led the central army to command, with the troops deployed in an orderly manner, morale high, and a momentum of determination to win.

Ba Ming has already obtained key information about Shimen Pass from Wan Ming and his former subordinates.

This important checkpoint was guarded by the renowned Chen Fu, but almost half of the soldiers under Chen Fu were new recruits.

After being stationed here for a long time, the soldiers gradually became tired and lacked vigilance and morale. For Ba Ming, this weak defense was undoubtedly a great opportunity.

While he was sorting out the military deployment, he was thinking:

"Although Chen Fu has a certain reputation, if his soldiers are not yet fully trained, then tonight is our opportunity to strike."

In fact, Chen Fu was originally ordered to garrison Shimen Pass, with the important task of testing the Qing army's defense in Liaozhong.

However, Dorgon's tight defense made it impossible for him to start. He tried several times to test the enemy but failed. He had to stay and wait for an opportunity.

This long-term wait-and-see state had already caused low morale among the Ming troops inside Shimen Pass, and they were tired of the endless waiting, which created an opportunity to be taken advantage of.

At this time, Wan Ming rode his horse to Ba Ming's front, knelt on one knee, clasped his fists and reported:

"Master, the intelligence is correct! The Ming troops in the four bunkers have been completely cleared out. There will be no hidden dangers."

There was a hint of pride in his tone, and he was obviously proud of the task accomplished by his former subordinates.

Upon hearing this, Ba Ming raised his eyebrows, nodded slightly, and motioned Wan Ming to continue.

"My insider has sent me news: About half a month ago, Chen Fu transferred troops from Shimen Pass to Gaizhou for reinforcement, and now there are less than 2,000 Ming troops left in Shimen Pass.

Tonight is the shift change in the city. As soon as the army arrives, they will lower the drawbridge, and with the help of the inside and outside forces, the city will be easily captured."

Wan Ming's tone was firm, and his eyes showed the determination to win, as if he had foreseen the scene when he succeeded.

After hearing this, Ba Ming smiled with satisfaction and patted Wan Ming on the shoulder:

"General Wan, you have made a tremendous contribution to this nighttime assault on Shimen Pass! If we are victorious, I will petition the Regent to appoint you as General!"

There was appreciation in his words and a hint of expectation in his eyes.

The two Ming army rebel generals, General Wu and General Liu, who were standing nearby, also heard Ba Ming's praise and looked happy.

Ba Ming lost no time in continuing:
"General Wu, General Liu, if you have any merit in this battle, you two will not be short of rewards. This king will definitely reward you handsomely and will not let you down!"

His words were full of encouragement, and he obviously wanted to stabilize people's hearts and boost morale.

The words and expressions between the few people were full of confidence and anticipation for the upcoming victory.

Ba Ming knew that in order to firmly control the rebel generals, in addition to promising them fame, wealth and honor, he also needed to make them have enough confidence in the strength of the Qing army.

Tonight's battle is not only a strong attack on Chen Fu, but also a test for these surrendered Ming army generals.

Wan Ming immediately bowed his head and said humbly:

"I thank you for your kindness, Master!"

The other two surrendered generals followed suit and expressed their gratitude respectfully.

Ba Ming smiled slightly, then dismounted, bowed his head to signal, and then the personal soldiers behind him stepped forward, holding a map and unfolding it in front of everyone.

After Wan Ming, Ba Ming, Shuosai and Shen Zhong, who had just returned after reorganizing their troops, arrived, they filed in and walked into a secret bunker at the west end, where they planned the final details of the night attack on Shimen Pass.

At present, they are only fifteen miles away from Shimen Pass. Although the mountain road is rugged and difficult to travel, they expect to reach the pass within two hours by marching at night.

Wan Ming pointed to Shimen Pass marked on the map and said:

"Master, generals, my brother is in charge of guarding the east gate of Shimenguan tonight and will be on duty until tomorrow morning.

"There are only about fifty Ming soldiers on the East Gate Tower now, and about half of them are my former subordinates. As long as the main army launches a surprise attack before dawn, while the Ming soldiers in the city are still unaware, I am confident that I can break through the East Gate!"

Wan Ming continued:

"I have already agreed with them. When the time comes, I will send a signal from the ravine, and they will immediately take control of the situation from the city wall and lower the drawbridge, allowing the army to cross the river."

There was a hint of ruthlessness in his tone, and it was obvious that he had put a lot of effort into this long-awaited internal conspiracy plan.

You must know that the traitor Wan Ming had long been considered a "dead man" in the Ming army and had been nominally expelled from the army.

However, his former subordinates were not completely purged, but were given light punishments according to military law.

Because Chen Fu was busy and the current war was urgent, he had no time to deal with Wan Ming's former subordinates, which allowed these people to collude with him internally and externally, becoming the source of internal support for the Qing army at Shimen Pass.

"Chen Fu's official residence is located in the northern part of Shimenguan. According to intelligence reports, he is currently in the city."

Wan Ming paused briefly and pointed to the official residence mark on the map:
"To the east of the official residence is one of the garrison barracks, housing approximately 1,100 soldiers. More than half of the Ming army in the city is concentrated here, with the remainder stationed in another barracks east of the city.

Enter the city from the east gate and walk five hundred steps to reach the destination."

Wan Ming's explanation was thorough, and every word he said showed his familiarity with the situation inside Shimen Pass. It was obvious that he had been prepared for this.

When the word "Chen Fu" was mentioned, the expressions of Ba Ming, Shuo Sai and Shen Zhong changed slightly and they exchanged glances with each other.

Especially Ba Ming, there was a hint of joy in his eyes, and he seemed to care about this person particularly.

Chen Fu was the number one general under Zhu Cilang. He made many military achievements in battles such as Xuzhou, Cangzhou, and Gemashan, and had an outstanding record, which earned him the deep trust of Zhu Cilang.

Today, Chen Fu's reputation has long spread throughout both the Ming and Qing dynasties. He is so famous that he has almost become one of the symbols of the morale of the Ming army.

For Ba Ming, if he could kill or capture Chen Fu in the first battle when he led his troops south, the political significance of capturing Shimen Pass would be unparalleled. It would not only greatly undermine the morale of the Ming army, but also make him famous.

Thinking of this, Ba Ming couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth, as if victory was already in sight.

Ba Ming moved slightly, stared at the map, and said after a moment of silence:
“If we can capture Shimen Pass, our army will be able to advance and several cities in the southeast will be frightened and surrender one after another.

Although Chen Fu's presence is a variable, if we can capture his head, it will be enough to completely shake the morale of the Ming army."

Having said that, he looked around at the generals present, with a hint of determination in his eyes. It was obvious that he had made up his mind to turn this battle into a highly deterrent victory.

Shuo Sai looked solemn and said with a folded hand:
"I am willing to lead my elite troops and personally accompany my master to attack Chen Fu's residence from the east gate and catch the Ming army off guard."

Although he appeared calm on the surface, he was eager to try inside. After all, being able to achieve military merit in front of Chen Fu was a rare opportunity for him to gain military merit.

Shen Zhong also echoed:

"I am willing to cooperate with my master and defeat the enemy with a surprise attack. I will definitely live up to everyone's expectations."

Ba Ming nodded slightly and said slowly:

"The goal of this battle is clear. We must not delay in attacking. Once the east gate is breached, while the Ming army is still unaware, we will move from the east gate to the north city and quickly seize key strongholds."

His voice was deep and powerful, as if every word of his command was resounding and unambiguous.

At this time, the night became darker, and the faint moonlight sprinkled on the mountain path outside the bunker, providing secret cover for the Qing army.

Ba Ming then issued an order:

"Arm your troops and march out. Maintain silence, avoid Ming patrols, and reach the East Gate before daybreak!"

Everyone bowed and accepted the order, quickly walked out of the bunker, and prepared to launch a night attack on Shimen Pass.

Under the starry night, three thousand elite Manchus and two thousand Green Camp soldiers marched in silence, their steps steady and swift, with an unspoken look of coldness and determination on each soldier's face.

Ba Ming rode forward, carefully observing the expressions of each soldier, as if to confirm whether they were ready.

Gradually, the outline of Shimen Pass appeared in the darkness, the lights at the pass flickered, and occasionally patrolling soldiers walked on the top of the city wall.

Ba Ming observed the terrain with sharp eyes, not missing any details.

He thought in his mind:

"Tonight's battle must be swift and deadly. If a single strike fails, we will retreat at night and never engage in a lingering battle."

In this tense and silent atmosphere, Wan Ming secretly approached the city gate with his old subordinates. The insider responded as planned and was preparing to open the drawbridge to pave the way for the Qing army.

Wan Ming looked at the city gate in front of him, his heart filled with complicated emotions - he had completely surrendered to the Qing army, but he still felt a little uneasy, fearing that his decision might bring unpredictable consequences.

However, for the sake of fame and survival, he had to put these thoughts aside and throw himself into the night battle that was about to break out.

When the night attack troops approached Shimen Pass, Ba Ming whispered orders, and the accompanying soldiers held their breath, waiting for the moment to break through in one fell swoop.

The air was filled with murderous intent, the darkness seemed to be still, and everyone held their breath, listening to every command of the commander.

Ba Ming raised his hand slightly to convey the attack signal. The team quickly dispersed, forming an encirclement and ready to launch an offensive at any time.

At this moment, the suspension bridge slowly lowered, and the sound of heavy iron chains broke the silence of the night.

At Ba Ming's command, Qing soldiers rushed in like a tide and quickly occupied the passage.

The Ming army inside Shimen Pass was almost defenseless. Faced with the sudden rush of enemies, they were extremely shocked and were cut down by the Qing army's swords before they could react. Within just a few minutes, dozens of people were killed.

Ba Ming personally supervised the battle, commanding the soldiers to quickly expand the results of the battle and block all exits of Shimen Pass.

There was a cold murderous look in his eyes. At this moment, there was only victory in his mind and he would not tolerate the possibility of failure.

Seeing the city gate breached, Wan Ming's anxiety gradually turned into relief and joy, and he thought to himself:

"I really chose the right side."

A smug smile appeared on his face. As the Qing army rushed into Shimen Pass, his loyalty had completely turned to the Qing army, and his heart gradually ignited a desire for future honor.

In the distance, Ba Ming, who was standing on the hill, was extremely excited when he saw the success of the night attack. It seemed as if he had already seen the rich results of tomorrow's battle. He held the command knife in his hand firmly.

At this moment, he knew very well that this night attack would become a turning point on the Gaizhou battlefield and win a decisive strategic advantage for the Qing army.

On both sides of them, teams of Qing soldiers marched quietly under the moonlight. There was no fire in the darkness, and they moved forward only under the faint moonlight, their steps steady and silent.

Except for the faint sound of footsteps, the entire team was silent, like lurkers in the dark night, silently approaching their target.

(End of this chapter)