Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 318 Fight to the Death

Ba Ming's expedition was determined to win, and a night attack on Shimen Pass seemed to be a foregone conclusion.

But the sudden change in front of him completely shelved his original plan. If this was really just a coincidence of encountering a small group of Ming troops, he would never let them go easily.

This Ming army that dared to take the risk and run into the rear of the Qing army was extremely arrogant.

If he did not completely annihilate them and bring back their heads as trophies, he would not only lose face, but would also find it difficult to explain to the soldiers of Haizhou.

At this moment, Ba Ming's desire to attack Shimen Pass at night has turned into an indelible sense of embarrassment.

In such a massive mobilization, if he fails to capture a single Ming soldier and returns in disgrace, the achievement of this operation will be in vain, and his chance to enhance his prestige will also vanish.

Therefore, for the sake of his reputation and status in the Qing army, he had no choice.

No matter what the reason for this Ming army to appear here, the final outcome can only be annihilation of the entire army, and no one will escape!

"Don't worry, General. The Ming army consists of only a few dozen people. I can wipe them all out in half an hour!" Shen Zhong said confidently.

He had nearly two thousand soldiers under his command, all of whom were elite soldiers who had experienced many battles. They had surrounded the earthen hill tightly.

With such a huge disparity in troop strength, the Ming army of just over a hundred had almost no chance of winning. Even if they had the advantage of terrain, they could not withstand multiple rounds of attacks.

Just as Ba Ming was about to give the order, Wan Ming arrived hurriedly with two Ming army rebel generals. When they saw Ba Ming, they knelt respectfully and said:

"The servant greets the master!"

Seeing this, Ba Ming showed a comforting look on his face and said with a smile:

"General Wan, please stand up quickly."

Wan Ming still obeyed orders respectfully, and the reconnaissance did not find any main force of the Ming army nearby, which greatly reduced Ba Ming's suspicion of Wan Ming.

He thought to himself, if this was really a Ming army strategy to lure the enemy, then Wan Ming should have taken the opportunity to escape, and the main force of the Ming army should have appeared to surround and attack. How could they allow the Qing army to continue its action?

"General Wan, do you know the origin of the more than one hundred Ming troops in the rear?" Ba Ming pondered for a moment and continued to ask.

"Master, I suspect this might be the Ming army's night raid drill." Seeing Ba Ming's gentle tone, Wan Ming's nervousness subsided a little, and he quickly distanced himself from the matter.

"The Ming army would occasionally send small groups of troops out of the city for drills. The time and route were unpredictable, usually around 300 men at a time, divided into three small teams. Their movements were decided on at the last minute, so it was difficult for me to learn their exact movements."

Ba Ming nodded, thought about it carefully, and felt that Wan Ming's explanation made sense.

If this Ming army really went out of the city for training by chance, he could use this opportunity to wipe them out and save some face for the failure of the night attack.

So, he stopped being suspicious and turned to look at Shen Yongzhong, murderous intent in his eyes:
"General Shen, the next action depends entirely on you!"

Shen Zhong was filled with ecstasy and responded confidently:
"General, rest assured. I will personally lead the troops into battle and make sure to wipe out those Ming troops without a single survivor!"

Ba Ming nodded with satisfaction and said happily:

"Alright, this general will await your victory report and personally commend you for your contribution!"

A hint of excitement flashed across Shen Zhong's face. He had already been rubbing his hands, ready to show off his skills.

This small-scale encirclement and suppression campaign was not earth-shattering, but it was a good opportunity to demonstrate his talents, especially to prove his fighting ability and loyalty in front of the enemy.

Moreover, these small groups of Ming soldiers were few in number and it was a piece of cake to besiege them. Shen Zhong was confident that he could win quickly and give Ba Ming a satisfactory result.

Shen Zhong immediately jumped on his horse and led his elite troops straight towards the earthen hill.

The Ming army trapped on the mountain could vaguely see the deployment of troops around them under the illumination of the Qing army's torches in the distance, and knew that they were in a desperate situation.

But they still did not show any panic on their faces, instead they showed a tenacity of facing death with indifference.

Seeing this, Shen Zhong sneered and ordered the soldiers to advance slowly and gradually tighten the encirclement.

He was not in a hurry to launch a frontal attack, but instead ordered his soldiers to harass the Ming army with bows and arrows to test the Ming army's defenses.

Arrows rained down, and although the Ming army was in danger, no one retreated. They relied on each other, took turns to cover each other, held their respective positions, and resisted stubbornly, giving the Qing army no chance to take advantage.

Ba Ming watched all this from afar and felt a little relieved. Although these Ming troops were tenacious, they would sooner or later collapse under the relentless advance of the Qing army.

Moreover, this small-scale encirclement and suppression was both a declaration and a warning to him - he wanted to let the Ming army know that if they dared to easily penetrate into the heartland of the Qing army, they would pay a bloody price.

As the encirclement gradually narrowed, Shen Yongzhong ordered a frontal charge. The Qing soldiers rushed towards the earthen hill like a tide, and screams rang out amid the flashes of swords and shadows.

Although the Ming army was small in number, they relied on the advantage of the mountainous terrain and fought desperately. Every step they retreated used their flesh and blood to block the advance of the Qing army until they fell down due to exhaustion.

In the end, the Qing army paid a heavy price and finally wiped out the Ming army.

Shen Zhong immediately ordered his men to count the results of the battle and confirm that no one had escaped. He excitedly brought the report back to Ba Ming.

After hearing this, Ba Ming showed a satisfied smile on his face. Although he failed to attack Shimen Pass due to an unexpected situation, the annihilation of this Ming army could at least save some face and add confidence to subsequent actions.

"Well, General Shen has lived up to expectations!" Ba Ming praised.

He patted Shen Zhong on the shoulder and gave orders to his left and right:
"Come, announce this victory to the entire army, so that the soldiers will also know about General Shen's heroic performance!"

Shen Zhong's heart warmed, and he thanked her joyfully:
"Thank you for your appreciation, General! I will continue to work hard, bravely kill the enemy, and win more military merits!"

Although the Ming army led by Liu Bin retreated to the top of the mountain and relied on the terrain for defense, the disparity in the strength of the two sides made him feel depressed.

Shen Zhong's Green Camp soldiers numbered nearly two thousand and had completed the encirclement of the top of the mountain, while the number of Manchu soldiers in the rear was even larger.

The siege became increasingly tight, and the situation of the Ming army was precarious.

On the top of the mountain, Liu Bin's troops were deployed according to the terrain, forming an irregular semicircular square.

The outer circle was composed of more than forty musketeers, who held their muskets steadily and stared at the enemy troops below the mountain.

Behind the musketeers were sword and shield soldiers and spearmen. They stuck their spears into the soil, took off their bows and crossbows, drew their bows and arrows, their faces full of murderous intent.

Liu Bin and Chen Liang were each responsible for one side of the hillside, and their positions formed a corner with each other.

These two areas with gentler slopes were Shen Zhong's intended main attack direction, but the Ming army was small in number, especially before and after these two lines of defense, where only thirty people were deployed.

Compared with the Qing army's offensive which was more than ten times as powerful, this was really like hitting a rock with an egg.

Chen Liang narrowed his eyes and scanned the dense Qing army below. The scar on his face twitched and twisted with his muscles, as if he was filled with an uncontrollable excitement.

"That's great! There are at least two thousand Green Camp soldiers!"

He sneered and muttered to himself, with a long-simmering cruelty in his voice:
"Finally, I can kill to my heart's content!"

Liu Bin didn't share his belligerent mentality. Although they had fought side by side for years, they both knew that Chen Liang had carried a lifelong blood feud, had a single-minded focus, and had always been ready to face death.

For Chen Liang, this battle was part of his revenge, something he had been longing for.

But Liu Bin is different. He had just received news of a promotion and his future was bright. He also had just married a beautiful concubine who was now pregnant.

Thinking of his wife and unborn child at home, a trace of struggle flashed in Liu Bin's eyes. If he could avoid this fight, he would. He was unwilling to die like this.

But in the blink of an eye, he forced himself to put these thoughts aside. In the current situation, unless Chen Fu immediately sent troops to support him regardless of the cost, or the friendly troops stationed outside came in a surprise attack.

Otherwise, being isolated and helpless, it would be a pipe dream for him and his hundred men to defend the top of the mountain.

He took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and said in a deep voice:
"There are probably more Manchurian soldiers in the west. If we want to wait for General Chang to lead his troops to rescue us, we'll have to hold out for at least two hours!"

Chen Liang smiled coldly, as if he had expected everything.

"Two hours? Then try your best to hold them back for two hours."

Liu Bin sighed slightly, secretly admiring him, but also feeling a little helpless.

No matter how difficult the situation was, Chen Liang never wavered, but instead it aroused the fighting spirit in his heart.

At this moment, faint commands were heard from the foot of the mountain, and the signal that the Qing army was preparing to attack continued to rise.

"Brothers, listen to me!" Liu Bin's voice was filled with determination.
"Although we are few in number, we are all brave men! The Tartars before us are numerous and powerful, but we can still hold out for a while thanks to the terrain and our equipment!
You are all elite soldiers of our Ming Dynasty. Even if we fight to the last drop of our blood, we cannot let them easily reach the top of the mountain!"

The soldiers responded with low shouts, their eyes showing a look of being ready to die.

Liu Bin continued:

"If the Qing army comes, there's no need to fight. After firing, immediately retreat into the woods, using the trees for cover and waiting for another opportunity to strike! We must hold our position firmly and not give the enemy a chance to breathe!
If General Chang had come to our rescue in time, we would have had a chance to counterattack and wouldn't have had to hold out to the bitter end! "

The morale of the soldiers on the top of the mountain was slightly boosted, and they secretly prepared to fight the enemy.

The musketeers kept checking the barrels of their guns, while the spearmen continued to draw their bows, staring intently at what was happening below the mountain.

At this time, the Qing army had begun to approach the mountain, moving forward in formation and pressing forward step by step. The leading Green Camp soldier had a sneer on his face, as if he had already regarded this small number of Ming troops as a piece of cake.

However, they did not know that the soldiers on the mountain had already put their lives at risk and were ready to fight to the death at any time.

Shen Zhong immediately took charge of the command himself. Seeing that the formation on the top of the mountain was simple but well-organized, he showed a hint of contempt.

He turned to the deputy general and said:

"Although this Ming army is desperately defending the mountaintop, it only has a few hundred men. A single strong attack will annihilate them all!"

However, the deputy general cautiously proposed:
"Although the slope is gentle, it is easy to hide on both sides. The enemy has already set up firearms for defense. If we approach rashly, it will probably hurt our morale."

Shen Zhong snorted coldly:
"They are but a small band of defeated soldiers. What is there to be afraid of? They are but cornered beasts fighting on.

If we miss the opportunity to fight and wait for their reinforcements to arrive, that would be a real problem!"

Shen Zhong waved his hand and commanded the Green Camp soldiers to march forward, preparing to gradually approach the top of the mountain, form an encirclement, and completely block the Ming army's retreat.

He predicted that the enemy on the top of the mountain was just making a last-ditch effort. Although they had the advantage of terrain, they had no chance of winning due to the overwhelming force.

Seeing this, the Ming army on the top of the mountain were all on high alert.

The musketeers aimed their guns at the slowly approaching enemy, while the archers held their bows still, waiting for the enemy to come into range before shooting.

Liu Bin stared quietly at the enemy formation below the mountain, his heartbeat quickening, but he remained calm on the surface.

"Get ready!" he whispered.

For a moment, everyone on the top of the mountain held their breath, waiting for the battle to come, as if even the air had frozen.

Liu Bin looked at the situation in front of him coldly, knowing that the possibility of reinforcements was very slim.

This situation is already an irreversible dead end. Even if friendly forces come to support, there are only a hundred or so people. How can they change the situation?
He gritted his teeth and pondered, secretly knowing that now he had no choice but to fight to the death and there was no way back.

The battle before him was one of life and death. Even if the future was bleak, he would never surrender and save his life.

He had never even thought of cutting off his braids and betraying his ancestors.

In his opinion, as a man of the Ming Dynasty, only by dying a worthy death can he be worthy of himself and the mountains and rivers left behind.

At this moment, Chen Liang, who was standing beside him, snorted coldly with a sinister smile on his face:
"Killing one is no loss, killing two is a profit! Damn it, I hope all those Tartar dogs and slaves come up. I'm too lazy to kill those timid slaves!"

He spat, looked around, his eyes full of provocation, and roared:

"Listen up! Listen carefully! Anyone who doesn't take someone down with him will die. Don't blame me for beating you cowards in hell!"

The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder. The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly and stared fiercely at the enemy troops approaching from the foot of the mountain.

Liu Bin looked down the mountain calmly, and saw the enemy's formation slowly advancing, with drums roaring and waves higher than the last.

He narrowed his eyes, took a deep breath, and quickly raised his hand to issue an order:
"Musketeers, get ready! The Qing army is coming!"

Guan Qifu became more and more nervous as he listened to the drum sounds coming from the foot of the mountain, and his palms became sweaty.

He prayed silently, hoping that the Qing army would not attack. He had just replaced the fuse on his musket, and the red dot was slightly bright, but his arm was extremely sore from holding the gun for a long time.

Facing the upcoming fierce battle, he couldn't help swallowing his saliva, his heart beating like thunder, but he didn't dare to show any fear.

Zhang Xiaoliu and Chen Ruian behind him were also prepared. Zhang Xiaoliu held his sword and shield tightly, staring at the enemy troops at the foot of the mountain with vigilance. He saw shields standing in rows, approaching step by step, surging towards the top of the mountain like waves, full of murderous intent.

The enemy's number is more than ten times ours! Guan Qifu couldn't help but tremble. Such an enemy is terrifying, as if the entire mountaintop is shrouded in a deep despair.

However, although the Ming army soldiers were afraid, no one retreated.

Chen Ruian took a deep breath and gripped the bow and arrow even harder.

He looked up at Guan Qifu standing on his left and Zhang Xiaoliu on his right. Their eyes were looking down the mountain with different expressions on their faces, but there was a determined light in everyone's eyes.

His throat tightened slightly, and he could hear the heavy breathing of his comrades in his ears. Along with the sound of drums gradually approaching from the bottom of the mountain, his heart beat faster and the blood in his body seemed to boil in this tense atmosphere.

The sound of drums was getting closer and closer, more and more rapid, as if the whole mountain was trembling for this battle.

Guan Qifu couldn't help but whispered:

"These Tartars are like ants on the ground. No matter how hard we try, we can never get rid of them... Can we really hold on this time?"

"What are you afraid of? I can just drag someone down with me. We're men of the Ming Dynasty, and our lives belong to the Emperor!"

Chen Liang shouted with gritted teeth, his eyes flashing with flames of anger, as if he wanted to tear the enemy in front of him into pieces.

Although his words were rough, they expressed what everyone was thinking. The soldiers looked at each other with a look of determination on their faces.

Liu Bin looked at this scene and felt a lot of emotions in his heart.

He gripped the knife tightly in his hand, knowing that there was no turning back. Only by dying on the battlefield could he live up to his beliefs and the responsibilities he shouldered.

Guan Qifu tightened the rifle in his hand, widened his eyes, and stared at the approaching enemy.

The drumbeats at the foot of the mountain became more and more rapid, and the Qing army's formation was getting closer and closer, as if a huge net was rushing towards the top of the mountain.

(End of this chapter)