Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 321 Vow to Die
Under the cover of darkness, the bloody smell that permeated the battlefield slightly concealed the suppressed despair.

If the corpses lying on the ground were clearly visible in broad daylight, it would probably further weaken the morale of these soldiers.

However, they had no time to indulge in fear and sorrow. The battle was not over yet, and they had to fight on even if they only had one breath left.

The few soldiers who were still able to move were carefully searching for weapons and supplies among the pile of corpses. They gathered the usable muskets, bows and arrows, as well as the blood-stained spears and swords, in preparation for the next round of Qing army's attack.

Chen Liang was a man of strong physique and outstanding endurance. At this moment, he was hiding behind the corpses for cover, skillfully taking water bags and dry food from the bodies of the fallen soldiers, and then throwing these precious supplies to the soldiers around him who were still able to fight.

His face was full of fatigue, but his eyes were still firm, and there was no sign of retreat.

Hearing Zhang Xiaoliu complaining in a low voice, Chen Liang frowned and his anger rose instantly.

He stood up suddenly and roared:
"Zhang Xiaoliu!" As the voice came out, the two water bags in his hands smashed towards the other party accurately.

Zhang Xiaoliu was startled by the sudden shout and stood up reflexively, his voice revealing a hint of nervousness: "Yes!"

This action frightened Guan Qifu and Chen Ruian so much that they were stunned. They could hardly believe that Zhang Xiaoliu dared to expose himself like this within the range of the enemy's arrows.

Guan Qifu couldn't help but gritted his teeth and whispered:

"Brother Zhang, are you going to die?"

"Squat down!" Chen Liang shouted sternly.

He was already accustomed to Zhang Xiaoliu's impulsive habits. If this kid had not shown some "promising talent" in the battle later, Chen Liang estimated that he would have to beat him a few more times.

However, when he heard these discouraging words, a surge of anger rushed to his head.

He looked around, his eyes sweeping over every soldier who lowered his head and remained silent - most of these people had wounds on their bodies, blood had long since stained their clothes and armor, and their faces were full of fatigue, but no one dared to look him in the eye.

"Listen up to me!" Chen Liang suddenly raised his voice. His hoarse voice echoed across the hills, shaking the air as if to tremble.

"There are no cowards among the soldiers I lead! If anyone dares to say something discouraging again, the dogs down at the foot of the mountain can't kill you. I will chop him down first!"

The remaining thirty or so people all looked up at the military judge whom they hated so much. He was once their nightmare and they would punish him severely according to military law at any time.

But tonight, they witnessed Chen Liang's performance on the battlefield. He was like a tiger descending from the mountain, wielding a blood-stained blade and killing no less than ten people in the enemy camp.

The grievances of the past, along with the bloodshed of this battle, turned into deep respect in the heart.

Seeing that no one retorted, Chen Liang simply took a few steps forward, walked to the body of his fallen comrade, and pointed at the recognition flag soaked in blood.

That was Liu Bin’s flag, still fluttering stubbornly in the breeze.

"I heard it clearly!" His voice was hoarse but full of power:

"As long as our flag is still there, it proves we haven't been defeated! As long as one of us is still alive, we will drive those dogs away and trample those Tartars underfoot!"

A glimmer of light gradually ignited in the soldiers' eyes. It was hope in the dimness and a silent resonance.

Chen Liang continued to roar:

"Brothers, among the thirty or so of us, who is not a man? If we hadn't held back these Tartars, Shimen Pass would have been lost long ago!

Those two thousand strong troops are no match for our hundred or so men! We are heroes, we must hold out until reinforcements arrive!"

Guan Qifu gritted his teeth and whispered to Chen Ruian:

"Judge Chen Jun is right. We can't fail."

Chen Ruian looked up at Chen Liang, then at the shadows of the enemy troops still below the mountain, and took a deep breath.

"As long as we hold on, we still have a chance."

Seeing that the atmosphere had eased somewhat, Chen Liang snorted coldly:
"Everyone, get ready! We're out of weapons, aren't we? Hurry up and find usable muskets and bows. Gather them all for me."

The rest of you, brothers, tie your armor tighter. If anyone dares to say it's boring later, I'll give him a beating! "

The soldiers were inspired by him and took action.

Guan Qifu and several soldiers searched through the corpses and found a few usable muskets. Zhang Xiaoliu pulled out a few barely intact arrows and ran over to hand them to Chen Ruian.

While giving orders, Chen Liang kept cursing under his breath, as if he couldn't suppress the anger surging in his chest unless he vented it this way.

After a short busy period, the soldiers gathered again. Although their eyes were still full of fatigue, they also had more determination.

Chen Liang glanced at the equipment he had found and said coldly:

"Weapons are ready, so save your bullets. We have no way to retreat, so we can only push forward. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" The soldiers responded in unison, with an indescribable bloodiness in their voices.

Chen Liang nodded, took one last look at the recognition flag, and whispered:
"God bless us."

Among these soldiers who have fought bloody battles until this moment, which one is a coward?

They had long understood that the situation here and now was doomed to be a life-or-death situation, and they might even be completely wiped out.

On the other side, when the defeated soldier shouted these words in a resounding voice, the suppressed sadness and fatigue in the soldiers' hearts seemed to be completely dispelled.

Yes, they are heroes, iron-blooded warriors who fight to defend the Ming Dynasty and for their homeland!

Seeing that morale had improved slightly, Liu Bin felt a tightness in his heart, knowing that the fleeting excitement needed to be further ignited.

He stood up slowly, covered in dust and blood. He raised his hand and pulled out the military flag in front of him. Blood dripped down the flagpole. It was the result of the battle he and his brothers had fought for.

He waved the flag with one hand and punched with the other, shouting hoarsely:
"Brothers! As long as the flag is there, I, Liu Bin, am here! As long as the flag is there, we will not be defeated!" The loud voice echoed in the mountains.

He inserted the recognition flag back into the ground with a firm and powerful movement, as if he wanted to turn this small hill into an indestructible Great Wall.

The soldiers' blood boiled at the sound of these solemn oaths. Looking at the blood-stained flag, any remaining fear in their hearts was completely burned away by the aroused fighting spirit.

Several soldiers took the lead in raising their arms and shouting:

"As long as the flag is there, we will never give up!"

Soon after, more voices joined in, and the scattered shouts merged into a deafening roar.

"As long as the flag is there, we will never give up! As long as the flag is there, we will never give up!"

The sound echoed on the hills, even drowning out the drums and shouts of the Qing army as they lined up.

At the foot of the mountain, the Qing army was forming a battle array and preparing to attack again. The deputy general in charge of liaison was standing in the formation. When he heard the shouting from the top of the mountain, his face turned pale.

He looked at the Ming army that was like a burning flame that had not yet been extinguished, and couldn't help but feel a little scared:
"Are these people crazy, or do they simply not want to live?"

He gritted his teeth and cursed inwardly, then looked at the smart soldier who had been picked out beside him.

The clever soldier had a bitter look on his face, knowing in his heart that he was being taken advantage of, but since he had the order, he could only nod and obey.

The deputy general ordered:
"Wait until our army advances to seventy paces, then you can come forward and offer surrender."

Although his tone was firm, he was faintly guilty. He himself knew that he had no confidence in whether the negotiation with such a crazy opponent would be successful.

"Madman, really crazy!" the deputy general muttered in a low voice.

He recalled the scenes of the previous two attacks on the mountain. The Ming troops seemed tireless. They threw swords, spears and stones with all their strength. The Qing soldiers who rushed to the position were defeated by their desperate counterattacks.

It was unbelievable that a force of less than a hundred men could withstand the attack of several thousand men. His expression grew increasingly grim, and a trace of fear actually formed in his heart.

At the same time, the Ming army on the top of the mountain saw that the Qing army had surrounded them again, and immediately gathered their troops, gathered their remaining forces together, and formed a formation to defend.

At this moment, the army has shrunk to the core area of ​​the mountain top. Every soldier's face is filled with fatigue, but their eyes reveal an indomitable fighting spirit.

However, to the surprise of the Ming army, the Qing army did not launch a direct charge this time.

When they advanced to a position seventy steps away from the top of the mountain, they suddenly stopped, and then a man walked out of the formation.

The man's face was filled with fear, his steps staggered, he held up a white cloth in his hand, and shouted:

"Brothers of the Ming army, surrender quickly! If you don't surrender, your entire army will be wiped out!"

The sudden appearance of this Qing soldier stunned the Ming army for a moment. They looked at each other, but still held their weapons tightly.

"What tricks are you trying to play?" Guan Qifu frowned and stared at the Qing soldier, asking in a low voice.

Chen Liang beside him smiled coldly and tightened the knife in his hand:

"Whatever trick he plays, if he dares to come any closer, I'll chop him down."

His voice was low but full of chill.

The Qing soldiers at the foot of the mountain held their breath and waited. The legs of the clever soldier who was sent up the mountain trembled with every step he took.

He resisted the urge to run away, stood about forty steps from the top of the mountain, and shouted with all his might:

"It's useless for you to persist! The Manchurian reinforcements are on the way, and you will die! It's better to surrender early and save your lives!"

When the news reached the top of the mountain, the soldiers burst into laughter. Someone couldn't help but retort:

"Haha, Manchurian soldiers? We will never surrender to the Tartars even if we die!"

Liu Bin glanced coldly at the Qing soldier, with a hint of contempt in his eyes.

He took a step forward and said in a low but authoritative voice:
"Brothers, tell him with your bows and arrows what our answer is!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several arrows shot straight at the Qing soldier with the sound of breaking through the air. The man was so scared that he crawled back into the formation, and the Ming army on the mountain burst into thunderous cheers again.

"As long as the flag is there, we will never give up!" The shouts became louder and louder, and the momentum was like a rainbow.

At this moment, the Qing army at the foot of the mountain began to feel a chill. They had originally held an absolute advantage, but now they felt deeply wary of this group of desperate criminals.

Seeing this, Liu Bin immediately understood that this might be an opportunity to delay time.

After thinking quickly, he decisively let Chen Liang engage in a fight with the enemy, taking the opportunity to delay the Qing army. Even if it was only for a moment, it would allow the extremely exhausted soldiers to catch their breath and accumulate some strength.

After receiving the order, Chen Liang immediately started speaking. He spoke to the Qing army in a somewhat sarcastic tone, mocking the enemy's ineffective offensive and their incompetent command, trying to anger the other side while calming the minds of his own soldiers.

The Ming army soldiers on the top of the mountain cheered loudly. Although they were physically and mentally exhausted, they still used shouting to cover up their fatigue.

However, the deputy general in the Qing army was obviously not an easy person to deal with.

He keenly realized that the Ming army was only delaying time, so he immediately ordered the soldiers responsible for surrender to withdraw to avoid being further fooled.

Just as the Qing soldier who delivered the message was about to turn around, a cold light flashed in the eyes of Liu Bin on the top of the mountain.

He knew that he could not let the Qing army escape easily - such an opportunity was rare, and he had to seize this opportunity to strike a blow to the enemy's morale.

"We can't let them go!" Liu Bin shouted in a low voice, then, using the moonlight, he pulled the bowstring to its full extent and calmly aimed at the Qing soldier.

With a sharp "whoosh" sound, an arrow broke through the air and hit the Qing soldier's chest accurately. The Qing soldier screamed, his body shook violently, and he fell to the ground.

However, although the arrow was sharp, it failed to take the opponent's life.

The Qing soldier was obviously prepared and was wearing three layers of armor. Although the arrow penetrated the outer layer, it failed to penetrate the vital parts.

He struggled on the ground for a while, then crawled towards the Qing army position, looking extremely miserable.

Although they failed to shoot him dead, the morale of the Ming army soldiers on the mountain was immediately boosted when they saw this scene.

They cheered loudly, laughed and taunted the enemy, their voices filled with anger and pleasure that had been suppressed for too long.

Although such a small victory was not fatal, it was like a spark falling into dry wood, instantly igniting the fighting enthusiasm of the Ming army.

When the Qing army deputy general at the foot of the mountain saw this, his face turned pale and his heart was filled with anger.

He pointed to the top of the mountain and roared:

"Kill them! Destroy these arrogant Ming troops!"

Under his roar, the Green Camp soldiers had to cheer up again, suppress their inner fear, and launch a final attack.

The Qing soldiers, holding spears, swords and shields, gritted their teeth and rushed towards the hill. Their formation was dense and quickly approached the top of the hill.

Seeing the enemy coming in full force, Liu Bin did not panic at all. He ordered his soldiers to organize a defense line on the spot and quickly fired two rounds of volleys with muskets, forcing back the enemy's vanguard.

Then he ordered the archers to fire another round of arrows, and the rain of arrows poured down. There were shrill screams from the enemy army, and chaos broke out.
After all, these Qing troops were elite Green Camp soldiers who had experienced many battles. Under the supervision of the deputy general, they quickly adjusted their formation and continued to advance towards the top of the mountain.

"Prepare for close combat!" Liu Bin commanded loudly.

A moment later, he drew his sword and, along with Chen Liang and the remaining thirty or so soldiers, launched a counter-charge, charging towards the enemy.

The two armies came into close combat in an instant, and the battlefield was suddenly filled with the sound of metal clashing and screams.

Liu Bin knocked down a Green Camp soldier with one sword, turned around and used his shield to block the oncoming spear. Chen Liang was also covered in blood beside him.

Although their attack was effective, their manpower was limited. Faced with an enemy force several times larger than theirs, the Ming army soon fell into a tough battle.

The battle line was gradually compressed, the Ming army's space for activities became smaller and smaller, and the enemy troops were large in number and kept surging like a tide.

On the chaotic battlefield, Zhang Xiaoliu, Guan Qifu and Chen Ruian always fought side by side. They covered each other and persevered with difficulty in the chaos.

Zhang Xiaoliu chopped down a Qing soldier with his axe, then moved sideways to block the long sword of another enemy soldier, shouting:
"Brother Guan, be careful on the right!"

Guan Qifu turned around upon hearing the sound and pierced the throat of the enemy who was trying to launch a sneak attack with a spear. Chen Ruian, dragging his injured leg, still held his position behind him and chopped down two Qing soldiers who wanted to go around behind him.

The three of them worked together to kill four more enemy soldiers, but the enemy's attack was fierce and more and more Qing soldiers surrounded them.

They gradually became exhausted and could hardly breathe. Seeing the critical situation, Liu Bin decisively and loudly ordered:

"Retreat to the top of the mountain first! Re-form the formation!"

While fighting hard, the Ming army soldiers slowly retreated towards the top of the mountain. The enemy took advantage of the situation and pursued them, trying to completely annihilate them.

However, Liu Bin's command was decisive. He and Chen Liang fought to the death to cover the rear and killed all the Qing soldiers who were at the front, buying precious time for the remaining soldiers.

Despite heavy casualties, they stubbornly retreated to the top of the mountain and reorganized their defense line.

The battle paused for a moment, and the hills under the night sky fell into a brief silence again. The Ming army soldiers, their faces covered in blood, gathered together again, gasping for breath.

They knew that the battle was not over yet and the enemy would not give up easily.

(End of this chapter)