Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 317 Guaranteed Defeat
The sudden attack by the Ming army was like a tiger descending from a mountain, causing heavy losses to the hundreds of Green Camp soldiers led by Shen Zhong in the rear formation, with more than half of them killed or wounded.

The defeated Qing soldiers retreated hastily, attacking other Qing troops that had not yet fully reacted, causing chaos.

This situation allowed Liu Bin's assault team to continue to have the upper hand, moving flexibly and maneuverably in the enemy's formation like the wind.

However, Liu Bin clearly understood that his own military strength was still too weak compared to the huge main force of the Qing army.

Although the surprise attack created a temporary advantage, it was only a temporary measure. If the Qing army restored its formation and concentrated its counterattack, the Ming army would be in an extremely unfavorable situation.

Liu Bin realized that his only choice at the moment was to take advantage of the chaos caused by the surprise attack and evacuate quickly while the Qing army had not yet fully recovered, so as to preserve the manpower to the greatest extent possible and accumulate strength for the subsequent defense of the hill.

He had considered letting the Qing army advance for a few miles, and then ordering the entire army to retreat at the right time to ensure the safety of his own troops.

However, he knew very well that if he really waited until then, it would be too late to complete the military mobilization at Shimen Pass on the front line.

If the Qing army launched a full-scale attack with lightning speed and the Ming army inside Shimen Pass had not yet assembled, the defense line of this pass would collapse in an instant and be broken through by the Qing army's internal and external support.

For Liu Bin, a veteran with rich battlefield experience, he cannot and dares not take this risk.

He had no choice but to sacrifice his own safety, use himself as bait, and use the terrain of the battlefield to delay the Qing army and gain more mobilization time.

The narrow mountain paths became the key to the battle, limiting the Qing army's formation advance and making the Ming army's raid more deterrent.

On this dirt road, both the enemy and our side were restricted by the terrain. The Ming army could not fully deploy, but the Qing army's advance speed was also greatly hindered.

Liu Bin calmly observed every subtle change on the battlefield and keenly captured the signals of changing situations.

When he found that the Qing army's vanguard was gradually stabilizing its position and reorganizing, he quickly ordered his troops to retreat.

The long and rapid sound of the bugle call echoed in the mountains, conveying the order to withdraw.

When Zhang Xiaoliu heard the horn, he immediately prepared to evacuate.

However, a Qing army spearman had already locked onto him and stabbed him with his spear.

Zhang Xiaoliu immediately raised his shield to block the opponent's fierce attack, then he exerted force sideways, causing the spearman to lose balance and fall towards Zhang Xiaoliu.

At this moment, Liu Bin, who was standing behind, seized the opportunity and thrust out his spear like lightning, piercing the throat of the Qing soldier, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

After repelling the enemy soldiers, the two men did not stop at all and quickly joined up with other veterans who were responsible for providing cover, fighting and retreating on the mountain road.

As the Qing army gradually restored their formation, they rearranged themselves into a dense military formation and advanced layer by layer. The swordsmen, spearmen and archers in the front responded to each other, compressing the Ming army's counterattack space.

At this moment, the Qing army had completed its reorganization, and its overall advancement was unstoppable like a wave, forcing the Ming army's covering troops to retreat step by step.

This Green Camp soldier was indeed the elite of the Qing army. They reacted quickly and fought tenaciously, gradually forcing those Ming army stragglers who had no time to retreat into a desperate situation.

Seeing that retreat was hopeless, some Ming soldiers resolutely turned around to meet the enemy, intending to fight to the death.

But they were facing a tightly organized Qing army formation. Even though some Ming army soldiers were highly skilled in martial arts, they found it difficult to gain a foothold in the Qing army's airtight formation and were cut down by sharp blades in just a moment.

When Liu Bin retreated to the rear, he looked back at the soldiers who had failed to withdraw, and felt sad and angry.

However, the current situation was serious. He quickly stabilized the retreat order of the troops, used the hilly terrain to set up cover, and arranged for the remaining musketeers to be deployed on the top of the mountain.

He wanted to ensure that every musketeer under his command could shoot at the critical moment to break the Qing army's pursuit momentum.

As soon as the retreating troops stabilized, he gave orders again, asking the musketeers to prepare at specific positions.

The cold wind in the mountains carried a solemn and murderous atmosphere. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the direction of the Qing army's pursuit, their expressions tense but not afraid.

Liu Bin knew that it was these small sacrifices on the battlefield that gave the Ming army inside Shimen Pass precious time to defend.

He whispered to the soldiers around him that if there was an opportunity later, they should cover the retreat of the defeated soldiers, otherwise they should do their best to stop the enemy and hold their ground.

The fire in the mountains flickered in the night, and the shouts of the Qing army in the distance gradually approached. The whole valley was echoing with the shouts of the armies of both sides and the sound of weapons clashing.

The Green Camp soldiers marched slowly and steadily. Although they were moving at a slow pace, they obviously did not intend to retreat rashly.

Liu Bin stared closely at every move of the enemy, weighed the pros and cons again and again, and immediately waved his hand to give orders, directing his soldiers to quickly withdraw from the frontal confrontation.

Under the cover of night, they quickly turned around and retreated to the hill.

A team of nearly forty musketeers was lying in ambush on the hill, their guns locked on the ground, waiting for the Green Camp soldiers to fall into their trap without any knowledge.

At this moment, Guan Qifu was standing on the hill holding a musket, staring at the mountain below. The flame on the musket flickered slightly, and his heart was beating violently in his chest.

Although the fuse had burned more than halfway, the wait seemed endless, and every second of silence around him increased his inner uneasiness.

This was his first time standing on the battlefield. Although he had undergone countless trainings, the pressure of actual combat was very different from usual.

Seeing that the Qing army had not appeared for a long time, his anxiety almost broke through his rationality.

Guan Qifu's gaze occasionally swept towards the foot of the mountain, with worry in his eyes.

He knew clearly that Zhang Xiaoliu and Chen Ruian had already gone down the mountain to join the battle, but because of the darkness of the night and the chaotic melee at the foot of the mountain, he could not make out their figures at all.

As a new recruit, he could not ignore his concern for his comrades, but discipline kept his body firmly in place.

On the battlefield, military discipline is ironclad, especially for musketeers, where discipline is even stricter. Any slight violation could result in military punishment and beheading on the spot.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but shudder, and suppressed the restlessness in his heart, trying to focus on the battle in front of him.

At this moment, Liu Bin led a team of soldiers back to the mountain quickly.

About a hundred steps behind them, the Green Camp soldiers of the Qing army were swarming in with high morale.

The Qing army paused at the foot of the mountain for a while, and then began to advance again with heavy and orderly steps.

The Qing army formation at the foot of the mountain advanced like a torrent of iron, pressing forward step by step with murderous intent.

The Qing army's advance was slow but extremely firm. They approached step by step on the hillside, and suddenly stopped after walking more than thirty steps.

In an instant, dozens of archers in the Qing army raised their bows and arrows. The arrows drew cold rays in the night sky, whistling with sharp winds, and poured down on the Ming army that had already retreated to the top of the mountain!

The Ming army soldiers calmly stood their ground under the rain of arrows, relying on their heavy iron armor and solid shields to block most of the arrows.

Although some soldiers were hit by arrows, the damage was not serious. Only five people were injured, but they were still able to fight.

Suddenly, the Ming army's bugle call sounded on the top of the mountain. The sound pierced the night sky, and three sounds came in succession, inspiring everyone.

Immediately after this signal, the musketeers raised their muskets and aimed their crosshairs at the Qing army formation below the mountain.

The orange-red flames instantly formed a line, illuminating the dark mountaintop. The explosions were as deafening as thunder. Dozens of lead bullets were fired from the matchlock guns, hitting the Qing army below the mountain with deadly speed.

Lead bullets rained down on the front row of the Green Camp soldiers. The bangs and cracking sounds of armor were intertwined. The Qing soldiers in the front row screamed and fell to the ground, struggling in pain.

The expensive iron armor was rendered useless by the impact of the lead bullets, and it was so fragile that it could not withstand a single blow. The sudden and fierce attack caused the Green Camp soldiers' lines to fall into chaos, and shouts of terror rang out among the army.

The soldiers were in a panic, and even the commander's shouts could not make them regroup. Fear engulfed the formation like a tide.

Liu Bin and his soldiers firmly occupied the high ground of the hill, using the terrain advantage to form a natural line of defense.

The night was as dark as ink. Liu Bin calmly commanded the soldiers to maintain their formation and wait for an opportunity to move.

On the top of the mountain, musketeers took turns firing, and flames and smoke continued.

The Qing army's offensive was repeatedly blocked on the mountainside. After several rounds of volleys, the Qing army suffered heavy losses, and dozens of Green Camp soldiers' bodies were left on the hillside.

Seeing that the battle situation was unfavorable, the Qing army finally had to retreat to the foot of the mountain and temporarily gave up the attack.

However, the retreating Qing army did not completely give up their intention to attack. They re-formed their formation at the foot of the mountain, forming a defensive posture and waiting for further instructions.

The Ming army on the top of the mountain did not act rashly. Liu Bin realized that although the Qing army had suffered a setback, it would not necessarily retreat.

He glanced at his soldiers, all of whom had resolute expressions. They were in a standoff with the enemy, and no one dared to let their guard down.

Guan Qifu and other musketeers were also reloading ammunition, skillfully loading their matchlock guns with gunpowder, while nervously looking at the Qing army at the foot of the mountain.

The matchlock guns in their hands were extremely powerful, but had a long usage cycle, so every shot was extremely precious.

Guan Qifu's heart gradually calmed down, and a hint of determination flashed in his eyes.

The unexpected encounter between the two armies completely disrupted the Qing army's sneak attack plan, especially since Liu Bin had already fired signal flares in advance to inform Shimen Pass.

Now, even if Ba Ming wanted to launch a sneak attack again, he had lost the initiative and it would be a waste of effort.

After all, the Qing army's vanguard was still five or six miles away from Shimen Pass, and the number of existing cavalry was less than a hundred.

Even if Ba Ming immediately mobilized a large army and marched at high speed through the flat valleys on both sides of the river, by the time he reached Shimen Pass, Chen Fu would probably have already made full preparations.

Thinking of this, Ba Ming's mind changed and he made a prompt decision. He immediately sent out scouts to investigate and determine the movements in the surrounding area.

At the moment, he knew very little about the situation on the battlefield. He could only confirm that a small number of Ming troops appeared in the rear, but they were extremely powerful and were obviously not ordinary enemies.

"Send the message! Have Shuosai and his troops halt their advance and immediately deploy defenses in the valley ahead based on the terrain to prevent a surprise attack from the main force of the Ming army!"

Ba Ming weighed the pros and cons in his mind. The current situation was unclear, and he would rather miss the opportunity than take any risk.
"Also, have Wan Ming come to see this general immediately. If he makes any unusual moves or delays, he will be executed immediately!"

A moment later, Shen Zhong rode up from the east. Seeing Ba Ming, he dismounted and reported with a fist clasped:

"General, I have sent people to investigate. There is indeed a Ming army on the mountaintop behind us, numbering about a hundred people. I have surrounded them. This Ming army cannot escape even if they have wings."

Ba Ming frowned slightly and asked thoughtfully:

"Are there any other traces of Ming troops nearby? It can't just be a coincidence, right?"

"General, when I arrived, I didn't find any signs of activities of other Ming troops. This is indeed a bit strange." Shen Zhong couldn't help but feel puzzled and continued to speak along with Ba Ming's words.

Ba Ming pondered for a moment and said:
"With less than a hundred men... General Shen, are you confident you can completely annihilate this Ming army within an hour?"

A hint of cruelty flashed in Shen Zhong's eyes, and he replied in a deep voice:

"Please rest assured, General. Give me one hour and I will completely annihilate this small group of Ming troops. No one will be left alive!"

After hearing this, Ba Ming nodded with satisfaction, but his brows were still slightly furrowed.

Although the enemy troops are small, they dare to go deep into the rear of the Qing army. They are clearly a group of people willing to die. Their actions are strange, and there is no guarantee that they may not have other conspiracies.

Thinking of this, he added seriously:
"Clear it out as quickly as possible to ensure there are no future problems. Report any signs of movement immediately!"

Shen Yongzhong nodded in acceptance of the order, and rode away with a murderous aura, ready to completely encircle and wipe out the Ming army on the top of the mountain as ordered by the prince.

But Ba Ming couldn't relax at this moment. The night wind in the mountains was a little chilly, blowing coldly on his face, as if foreshadowing the turbulent night ahead.

He knew very well that this small group of Ming troops could not appear here for no reason. There must be a deeper intention, or even a strategy to lure the enemy.

But for now he cannot act rashly, he can only respond carefully and wait and see.

Under Ba Ming's command, the Qing army quickly deployed defenses in the valley. The soldiers looked around nervously, fearing that the main force of the Ming army would suddenly appear.

Ba Ming kept thinking over various possibilities in his mind, his thoughts running as fast as arrows.

The current situation is unclear. He has to guard against an ambush by the main force of the Ming army, and he also needs to deal with the Ming army in the rear with caution. Any mistake may lead to a complete loss.

Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves came from a distance, breaking the silence of the night.

A scout came running over, dismounted and reported:

"General, we've discovered traces of what appear to be Ming troops on the mountain trails. The number of troops is unknown, but it seems they're setting up an ambush."

Ba Ming's heart suddenly tightened, and various strategies quickly emerged in his mind.

The mountain path is not the main road, but the terrain is complex. If the Qing army sets up an ambush, it will be difficult to carry out the operation here.

After calming down for a moment, he looked determined and said to the messenger in a deep voice:
"Immediately inform the soldiers deployed on the front lines to closely monitor the surrounding movements and be vigilant against Ming army ambushes. At the same time, dispatch additional personnel to continue searching the mountain path and ensure the safety of the slopes on both sides!"

He realized that the Ming army in front of him was just a diversionary force and the real threat might not have surfaced yet.

We must now advance step by step carefully. We must not neglect this small group of Ming troops, nor can we be easily led astray.

Ba Ming was secretly alert. After the order was issued, he did not act rashly, but chose to observe the situation before making a judgment.

The Qing army deployed defenses at various important roads and reinforced them layer by layer. The soldiers held their breath and stood ready, as if ready to face an unknown battle at any time.

At this time, a guard whispered:
"General, if the enemy has an ambush, I think it would be better to test it with fire. If there is any movement, we can find out what's going on."

Ba Ming nodded slightly, thought for a moment and then ordered:

"Just as you said. Order fires to be set along the mountain path. If there's any movement, ignite them immediately to force the enemy to reveal themselves."

As the night deepened, the Ming and Qing armies each had their own thoughts and were testing each other, not daring to engage in a clash easily.

Every sound of wind and grass on the mountain path made the soldiers nervous, and a solemn and murderous atmosphere seemed to be brewing in the pre-war tranquility.

Ba Ming looked around the battlefield again to confirm that all units had been deployed as ordered.

He was still full of doubts in his heart, but no matter what, he would not allow a small group of Ming troops to disrupt his plans.

(End of this chapter)