Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 333 Fighting for Credit
"You, go and find Yang Gao." When Ji Bai stepped into the battlefield, the situation in front of him was still chaotic. He scanned the battlefield with sharp eyes and pointed at a Green Camp officer and gave an order.

The sounds of fighting and noise around him made it difficult for him to distinguish between friend and foe. All he saw were flashes of fire and smoke everywhere.

After receiving the order, the Green Camp officer immediately rushed towards Yang Gao's flag without any hesitation.

Jibai did not immediately lead the Eight Banners soldiers to attack, but calmly observed the situation. He knew that the success or failure of this battle depended on details, especially on finding out the enemy's details.

In the series of melees that took place under the city before, although the Eight Banners soldiers demonstrated strong combat effectiveness, they also paid a heavy price.

Especially in the contact with the Ming army, not only did they consume a large number of troops, but some of them were also dispersed by the Ming army's strong resistance.

If Gaizhou City had not been besieged, the situation would have become increasingly critical. Coupled with the lack of capable generals within the Qing court and the disorder of the command system, these young generals would have been forced to make quick and decisive decisions under great pressure.

For Jibai, his promotion was not accidental. Although he was still young, he appeared exceptionally calm and composed in this chaotic battle.

In fact, without strong political and military pressure, Ziba might not have been so eager to take action.

After all, the Eight Banners soldiers who had just entered the battlefield had already lost some of their morale, and if they went into battle again at this time, without clear assurance, any blind attack might bring greater risks.

However, when faced with such a challenge, Jibai did not choose to avoid it, but stood at the forefront.

He shared the same strategic vision as Ned and others, and knew clearly that the Green Camp soldiers must attack first and consume part of the Ming army's strength in order to pave the way for the Eight Banners soldiers to join.

All of this requires calm observation and patience, and only when it is confirmed that the enemy's defense line has shown signs of loosening can the final timing of the attack be decided.

Originally, Ji Bai had not planned to deploy the main force so early. He had originally envisioned that Yang Gao would take the lead in launching the attack, and after fully understanding the situation of the Ming army, he would decide whether to dispatch the Eight Banners Army.

However, the development of the war forced him to change his original plan.

When Yang Gao sent an urgent report saying that Zhu Cilang was already in the camp, Ji Bai immediately made a decision - if not take action now, when?
He knew very well that if he missed this crucial opportunity, he might never have the chance to get close to Zhu Cilang again.

So Jibai led the Eight Banners soldiers to the battlefield without hesitation.

At this time, the Qing army quickly gained the upper hand by virtue of its numerical advantage.

With the addition of the Eight Banners Army, the morale of the Qing army was high. On the other hand, although the Ming army had certain advantages in night battles, as the defense lines on both sides were gradually broken, they began to show considerable hesitation.

The Ming army's line began to become unstable, and some soldiers even suffered a rout. If it were not for the strict supervision of the imperial camp, which maintained the discipline of the army, the Ming army's defense line might have completely collapsed.

However, the situation remained complicated, and the Qing army's attack did not easily achieve a decisive victory.

Even so, Jibai did not rush to advance, but remained fully vigilant.

At this time, the Ming army had already shown obvious signs of defeat, but in such a chaotic situation, the morale of the Qing army still made it difficult to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop.

Although the Ming army was facing strong pressure, the soldiers' resistance on the battlefield did not completely disappear. Every counterattack was extremely fierce, and the enemy did not collapse as easily as they wished.

If reinforcements did not arrive in time, Jibai realized that the Ming army's defense line would eventually be broken.

"The Ming army's defense line is retreating, and our advancement is getting stronger and stronger, but if we don't speed up the pace, the battlefield will be stalemate," Jibai knew clearly in his heart that although there had been some breakthroughs in the situation, the enemy's stubborn resistance still made him feel uneasy.

The sounds of gunfire and shouts of killing were heard all around. Under the continuous offensive of the Qing army, cracks began to appear in the Ming army's defense line. Especially when they were attacked from both sides, their resistance was obviously reduced, and more and more Ming army soldiers were forced to retreat.

Faced with a powerful enemy, the morale of the Ming army has gradually declined. However, at the critical moment, the Qing army failed to completely destroy the enemy.

At this moment, Jibai felt an urgent crisis - if he did not make a decision quickly, victory in this battle would become difficult to grasp.

The battlefield at this moment is full of dangers and the situation is changing rapidly. Any careless decision may lead to total loss.

But Jibai did not panic. He always believed that the powerful Eight Banners soldiers could turn defeat into victory at the critical moment.

He observed the situation on the battlefield, quickly commanded his troops, adjusted the formation, and prepared for the next crucial battle.

He knew that in this ever-changing war situation, only by remaining calm could he find a breakthrough and ultimately lead the Qing army to win this crucial battle.

The battle became increasingly fierce, the Ming army's defense line became weaker and weaker, and the Qing army's offensive became more and more fierce.

The battle between the two armies was approaching its climax, and the balance of victory began to gradually tilt towards the Qing army.

However, Jibai knew very well that the ultimate victory depended not only on the strength of troops and attack, but also on the commander's ability to make correct decisions and respond at critical moments.

As the battle progressed, Jibai became increasingly clear that at this critical moment, what determined victory or defeat was not just the number of troops, but more importantly the decisions made by the commander in an instant - this was the real challenge of his trip.

"Beile, the Ming army is already showing signs of defeat! Please increase your forces and intensify the offensive! If we wait for Zhu Cilang's reinforcements to arrive, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will be missed!"

Yang Gao came galloping on his horse, his face anxious and sweating, his tone revealing the urgency that could not be delayed.

Compared to Yang Gao's nervousness, Ji Bai appeared calm and composed.

He slowly reined in his horse, his eyes scanning the battle ahead, his tone calm and low:
"How many troops does Zhu Cilang still have? Has this been ascertained?"

Ji Du, who had fought with Zhu Cilang only a few times, was not intimidated by the other's reputation.

He was young and energetic, and although he was not a reckless person, his courage like a newborn calf and his confidence in victory made him hold back for the time being and appear exceptionally calm.

Yang Gao quickly bowed and replied:

"No more than three hundred. I saw with my own eyes that Zhu Cilang had deployed all his personal guards to the two wings in an attempt to block our offensive.

Now that Beile has led his elite troops to assist, the Ming army is already exhausted and its defeat is only a matter of time."

He paused and added:
"The situation is extremely favorable to our army, but if we don't fight quickly and decisively, we'll only face more trouble!"

The space on the front battlefield was narrow. Although the Qing army had an advantage in manpower, it was difficult to deploy its troops in such terrain.

Zhu Cilang obviously also realized this, and simply sent the imperial camp to the two wings, trying to contain the Qing army with elite forces.

But he obviously underestimated the intensity of the Qing army's attack. Even if the imperial camp went into battle, it would be difficult to stabilize the situation.

Ji Bai nodded slightly, his expression remaining calm.

He raised his hand, pointing to the battlefield ahead, his tone filled with unquestionable decisiveness: "Pass the order! Follow this prince's previous instructions. Fight quickly and decisively, and make sure to capture Zhu Cilang alive before the Ming army reinforcements from both wings arrive!"

When he said this, a sharp light flashed in his eyes.

Obviously, he was not careless, but had already laid out a comprehensive plan before waiting for Yang Gao's report to be confirmed.

Upon hearing the order, several officers responded in unison, then each led their troops and quickly engaged in battle.

Seeing this, Yang Gao breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and wanted to return to the battlefield, intending to lead his subordinates to continue fighting.

However, at this moment, Ji Bai raised his whip, blocked Yang Gao's way, and said loudly:
"General Yang, you've worked hard! This prince will personally command the next battle. You've been leading the troops in battle for a long time. It's time to rest for a while."

Yang Gao was startled after hearing this. He could see that although Ji Bai's words were smiling, they contained both rejection and command.

He bowed slightly, but his tone was more resolute:
"Lord Beile, Scholar Fan has ordered that I must always be on your side. This is my duty. I hope you will understand."

Yang Gao's words were flawless. He mentioned Fan Wencheng's name, which not only showed his loyalty but also hinted at the reason why he could not leave without permission.

After hearing this, Ji Bai frowned slightly, but then smiled. It was obvious that he had already expected that Yang Gao would use this method to block his order.

He spurred his horse forward and suddenly shouted in a stern voice:
"On the battlefield, all orders are to be obeyed by this prince! Scholar Fan's instructions will be discussed after the battle and when we return to the camp. How could we possibly disobey military orders?"

Jibai's tone was forceful, leaving Yang Gao no room for argument. Clearly, he didn't want anyone to interfere with his command, but also wanted to demonstrate his authority as a Beile.

Upon hearing this, Yang Gao could only shut up helplessly, but he did not retreat. Instead, he pulled the reins slightly and stayed not far behind Jibai on the right.

Although he was unable to continue commanding the battle, he was still secretly paying attention to the situation on the battlefield, ready to take action to protect Ji Du at any time.

At the same time, the fighting on the battlefield became more and more intense. The personal soldiers around Jibai quickly pushed the front line to the Ming army's central camp. With every step forward, the Ming army gradually exposed more flaws.

He looked at the chaotic battle ahead, a hint of excitement rising in his heart. He immediately waved his whip and shouted loudly:
"Zhu Cilang is nothing but this! Pass on my military order—the entire army is advancing, seizing the central camp, and capturing Zhu Cilang alive!"

Following his orders, the morale of the Qing army was greatly boosted, and they advanced step by step towards the central army camp with great momentum.

And there was a faint glimmer of victory in Jibai's eyes.

Yang Gao suppressed the rage surging in his heart, his eyes fixed on Ji Du, his voice low but with an aggressive force:
"Beile, I was personally appointed a general by the Prince Regent. Does Lord Beile still have doubts about my abilities?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Ji Bai's hand froze on the reins, a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, he pulled the horse's hooves abruptly, turned around and stared at Yang Gao coldly.

When Yang Gao brought up the name of Dorgon, it was no longer a simple dispute, but a political contest.

Jibai certainly understood that he could ignore Yang Gao's opinions at will, but he could not ignore Dorgon's majesty.

What's more, he was already in a delicate situation in the court, so it was better to have less trouble than more.

After thinking for a moment, Ji Bai put on a neutral smile and said,

"General Yang, you're worrying too much. How could this prince not trust you? If so, why don't you and I join forces to capture the Ming Emperor Zhu Cilang? Wouldn't that enhance our reputation?"

Although the words were spoken calmly, there was a hint of hidden resentment in his tone.

He knew very well that tonight's battle would not allow any mistakes, and since Yang Gao had brought up Dorgon, he had become a chess piece that could not be avoided.

Yang Gao raised the corner of his mouth slightly, and without saying anything more, he simply kicked the horse's belly and charged forward.

Although he was unhappy, he had no choice but to follow closely with a group of personal guards. Now, he not only had to go to the front line in person, but also had to ensure that there would be no mistakes in this military operation to kill or capture Zhu Cilang.

Only in this way can he be invincible in this battle for military merit.

With the addition of the two commanders, the morale of the Qing army suddenly rose.

With deafening cries of killing, the Qing army launched an even more fierce offensive. The Ming army soldiers on both wings of the central army were being pressed step by step by the Qing army, and their defense line was compressed to a distance from the central army tent.

The "crackling" sounds of musket fire rang out one after another, the air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder smoke, the Ming army tents were overturned one after another, and the flames made the night as bright as day.

Although the Ming troops on both wings were suppressed, they did not completely collapse. They struggled to hold on with their tenacious will and slowly retreated under the cover of the musket team and the imperial camp.

Faced with an enemy force several times larger than their own, if they had not been so determined to fight, they would have been reduced to pieces.

However, even so, the Ming army's retreat was irreversible. The soldiers' physical strength was gradually exhausted in the long and fierce battle, and their formation became increasingly disorganized.

Once there is no way to retreat, you can only fight to the death.

On the high ground in the rear, Zhu Cilang's figure stood like a stabilizing force in the chaotic battlefield.

He held the command flag in his hand, his eyes looking straight ahead, without any hesitation.

The firelight reflected on his face, making him look cold and calm. His ears were filled with the endless sound of gunfire and the shouts of soldiers, but he was not moved at all.

At this moment, his thoughts were as clear as a mirror.

"Delay a moment longer, delay a moment longer..." He muttered to himself, his eyes sweeping across the approaching Qing army, and then looking at the personal soldiers guarding him.

There was no fear in his expression, only calmness and determination. He waved the flag in his hand and ordered the soldiers on the position to retreat in an orderly manner. At the same time, he adjusted the defense line of the musketeers to cover the transfer of the main force.

Just now, messengers from Lin Changfeng and Gao Jie's two divisions have respectively brought good news.

According to intelligence, the two reinforcements were rapidly approaching this place as planned. If they were delayed for a moment longer, they could completely lead the attacking Qing army into the preset encirclement.

At that time, the entire camp will turn into a death trap that devours the enemy.

Zhu Cilang took a deep breath and his eyes became colder. He was no longer the royal family member who only knew the ways of books.

Having experienced countless baptisms of blood and fire, he is well versed in the rules of the battlefield: opportunities are fleeting, and only calmness can turn danger into opportunity.

(End of this chapter)