Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 335 Dog bites dog

However, at this critical moment, Jibai's performance was completely different from Yang Gao's.

Perhaps it was because of the large "Ming" flag flying high in the center of the Ming cavalry, or perhaps it was due to some subconscious hostility, Jibai became increasingly anxious.

Faced with the changes in the situation, he did not make a decisive decision like Yang Gao, but instead seemed a little hesitant.

At this moment, seeing the Ming cavalry getting closer and closer, he gritted his teeth, his voice filled with anger and unwillingness:

"Zhu Cilang is right there. There's no way the main force of the Ming army could have assembled so quickly. How could you retreat like this?"

When he said this, there was a glint of disdain and suspicion in his eyes:

"Yang Gao, you are a general appointed by the Regent himself, are you afraid now?

Weren't you so heroic just now? Why are you so timid now? "

Yang Gao frowned and felt helpless.

He was already impatient with Jibai's delay, but now facing his questioning eyes, he had to persuade him again:
"Beile, your ability in marching and fighting is indeed far superior to mine, but now is not the time to act on impulse!

We have been fighting for so long, there is no need to continue to fight with the Ming army.

If we continue like this, by the time the Ming army's reinforcements arrive, our elite troops may have been wasted!"

Yang Gao knew clearly that he had done his best in today's battle, and it even exceeded many people's expectations.

He had personally charged into battle many times before and almost escaped death. If he continued to fight, he would only die. Therefore, his determination to retreat became even stronger.

However, Jibai obviously did not give up so easily. Seeing that the piece of meat was moving away from him, he became more and more anxious and unwilling, and even began to worry about gains and losses.

He began to harbor a glimmer of hope, thinking that if he retreated at this moment, it would be too shameful. Not only would all his previous efforts go to waste, but he would also bear the stigma of failure.

So he gritted his teeth and said:
"If we are repelled by Zhu Cilang like this, then wouldn't all our efforts of the past half month be in vain? Even if the Ming army's reinforcements arrive, we can't retreat so easily!

If that were the case, wouldn't our reputation be completely ruined?"

Yang Gao's mood had reached its limit and he almost wanted to explode in anger, but he knew very well that losing control of his emotions was not a wise choice at this critical moment.

He suppressed his inner anger and tried to calm himself down. Although he wanted to express his dissatisfaction with Jibai's stubbornness at this moment, as a veteran, he knew that he had to remain calm and rational at this time.

"Beile," Yang Gao took a deep breath. Although his voice was calm, it was already filled with a sense of urgency.

"The purpose of the night attack has been achieved. Zhu Cilang, frightened by this, will definitely move his camp. You see, the Ming army's formation has begun to loosen. If we don't retreat to the city, the consequences will be disastrous.

If you insist on not withdrawing, our troops will face unprecedented difficulties, and the ultimate outcome will probably be annihilation."

The anxiety in his tone was self-evident. Yang Gao knew that if he continued to fight hard, he and his soldiers would surely be killed.

The enemy Ming army has now regrouped and is gaining momentum, but their advantage is no longer there.

The Ming army was about to organize an effective counterattack. If they did not retreat, they would not only lose more soldiers in vain, but they might even miss the opportunity to escape back to the city.

However, Jibai still did not make a decision. As he looked at the Ming army gradually approaching, the resentment and anxiety in his heart became more and more intense.

The smoke and shouts of killing on the battlefield seemed to become even more harsh. He didn't want to be defeated like this. He even wanted to take a gamble, thinking that as long as he held on, the situation might be reversed.

"Retreat?" Jibai's voice was almost crazy:
"If we retreat back into the city now, won't Zhu Cilang see that we fear his strength? If Ming reinforcements have already arrived, wouldn't we give them an excuse to retreat so hastily, completely losing the initiative?"

Yang Gao sneered inwardly, but he suppressed his emotion and tried to make his voice more steady.
"Beile, retreat doesn't mean fear, but rather a way to preserve strength. Victory or defeat on the battlefield is ever-changing, and not all enemies can be defeated in one blow.

If we can preserve our strength, we will have more opportunities to meet challenges in the future. Right now, the most important thing is not to save face, but to retreat unscathed with this elite force."

After Yang Gao said this, Ji Bai finally fell silent for a moment, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

However, his heart was still filled with reluctance and hesitation, and he was wavering as if he had lost his judgment.

At this moment, a hurried voice broke their deadlock:

"Report...Beile!"

Two Qing army standard bearers rode their horses quickly and arrived with urgent news:

"A large number of Ming troops were spotted around the camp, the number is unknown."

The moment Jibai and Yang Gao heard the order, they were stunned, and their eyes were filled with surprise and confusion.

Obviously, they did not expect the situation to take such a sudden turn for the worse.

"Yang Gao, lead your troops and resist Zhu Cilang's counterattack at the front. Don't let the Ming army break through here!"

Ji Bai's voice sounded coldly, his eyes fixed on Yang Gao, his expression revealing an unquestionable sense of command:
"Fight and retreat at the same time, hold them back! This prince will personally lead the troops to clear out the Ming troops on both sides and ensure our retreat is clear!"

Hearing this, Yang Gao was shocked, but he quickly suppressed his inner dissatisfaction and doubts.

The Ming army's counterattack came so swiftly and fiercely, almost like a series of untimely blows, that it directly suppressed the Qing army to the brink of encirclement.

What's worse is that Emperor Ming Zhu Cilang did not seem to have any intention of retreating. Instead, he became more and more courageous as the battle went on, showing his strong command ability and tenacious determination.

If he followed Jibai's order, he would probably only make sacrifices and delay the counterattack of the Ming army, and might end up returning empty-handed.

However, as a loyal general, Yang Gao did not have the extra time to worry about these things.

He knew that he could not hesitate for a moment. Faced with the ever-changing situation on the battlefield, he had to obey orders and carry out his mission.

"Yes."

Yang Gao took a deep breath, quickly bowed in agreement, then squeezed his legs together and jumped onto the horse like an arrow, the horse's hooves making bursts of dull sounds in the mud.

The flag then unfolded in the wind, and the word "Yang" was prominently inserted in front of the warhorse, like a sharp sword pointing directly at the enemy formation.

The cavalry then re-equipped themselves and followed closely behind, galloping towards the front line.

The battlefield was filled with smoke. With his order, hundreds of cavalrymen waved their whips and began a fierce collision with the Ming army.

At the same time, Jibai's face was solemn, and there was a cold determination in his eyes.

He knew that only by quickly controlling the situation on both sides could he buy time for the front line and avoid being completely surrounded.

He immediately ordered his troops to gather and concentrate his main forces in preparation for a counterattack. As the Ming army's offensive became more and more fierce, any hesitation could lead to disastrous consequences.

On the other side of the battlefield, at the Ming army's western camp, shouts of killing shook the sky.

The Ming army's musketeers lined up in neat rows, with heavy steps and extremely strict formations, aiming at the Qing army positions ahead.

A burst of fierce gunfire suddenly rang out, and the smoke of gunpowder spread instantly. Dozens of Qing soldiers fell down, and their blood dyed the battlefield red.

Lin Chengde's Green Camp soldiers had paid a heavy price in the battle for the fence with the Qing army just now, losing about 300 people, and now, their strength was less than 800.

Faced with the fierce firepower of the Ming army's musketeers, the offensive they had just formed suddenly came to a halt.

The Eight Banners soldiers under Ned's command, who were following closely behind, immediately realized the change in the situation when they heard the gunshots and immediately stopped their original urgent offensive pace.

Despite this, the Ming army did not give the Qing army any chance to breathe. Just when the Qing army paused for a moment, the Ming army under the command of Zhang Huangyan launched another attack.

This time, the Ming army mobilized thousands of elite soldiers and formed a neat square formation. The long spears in their hands were as straight as a forest, flashing with a sharp cold light. With each step closer, the pressure on the Qing army became heavier.

"Quick! Keep suppressing! Surround the enemy!" Zhang Huangyan ordered loudly, with courage and coldness flashing in his eyes.

The time is ripe, and he must seize the opportunity to completely defeat the Qing army in one fell swoop and break their defense line.

The Ming army's spearmen formation was like a huge wave, fierce and unstoppable.

The Qing army's positions were impacted. Although they still fought hard and were never completely defeated, the situation was gradually becoming unfavorable.

At this point, the Qing army was unaware that they had been cleverly surrounded by the Ming army. Their offensive momentum persisted, and while morale hadn't completely collapsed, they were facing immense pressure and casualties. For a moment, the Qing commanders were unable to determine whether to retreat, and the battle situation gradually became increasingly confusing.

Although the Eight Banners soldiers under Lin Chengde and Nied only have more than 1,800 soldiers, they are still an elite force. They are well-trained and quick to respond, and their combat effectiveness should not be underestimated.

However, even so, under the pressure of such a powerful Ming army, they were still unable to gain the upper hand.

The battle continued, but both sides had begun to fight in a pool of blood, and casualties continued to increase.

What was even more troublesome was that the Ming army's follow-up troops arrived continuously, gradually filling the gaps and forming a strong military advantage.

On the contrary, the Qing army had fallen into an unprecedented predicament, with heavy casualties, morale began to waver, and the front line began to show signs of collapse.

Although Yang Gao led his troops to the front line at this time, he was not at ease. Facing the increasingly fierce counterattack of the Ming army, he was well aware of the seriousness of the situation.

Although he tried his best to keep the distance between the two armies within a certain range to avoid being completely surrounded, Zhu Cilang's indomitable spirit still followed him like a shadow and should not be underestimated.

At this time, the Qing army led by Jibai was still fighting a desperate battle with the Ming army on both sides.

The Ming army's step-by-step advance and the Qing army's step-by-step retreat formed a sharp contrast.

Whether it was the rapid assembly of the Ming army or the gradual collapse of the Qing army, the changes in the situation made every commander feel deeply pressured.

There was a flicker of unwillingness in Yang Gao's eyes, but he knew that even though he led his troops to charge bravely, the outcome of this battle was no longer in his control.

How to preserve one's own military strength is the most critical issue at present.

He turned back suddenly and gritted his teeth:

"Beile, order a retreat!"

In the Qing army's formation, the soldiers at the front were the Green Camp soldiers led by Lin Chengde.

Most of these soldiers had just come out of the camp to fight. Due to the long march and fighting, they looked exhausted, their physical strength was overdrawn, and their condition was low.

Ned's Eight Banners soldiers were arranged at the rear of the formation, shouldering the heavy responsibility of holding the line.

Originally, this should have been an elite force capable of maintaining a stable formation and responding to emergencies. However, in the tough battle just now, the performance of the Eight Banners soldiers did not satisfy Lin Chengde. Although he personally led the servants to charge into battle, he was still unable to change the downward trend of the battle.

The battle gradually intensified, and after fighting for dozens of rounds, Lin Chengde began to sense something was wrong.

The situation was getting worse and worse. His troops were defeated faster and faster under the fierce attack of the Ming army. Most of the Green Camp soldiers who were able to withstand the enemy's attacks had now collapsed.

Even though Nide's Eight Banners soldiers arrived in time to reinforce, their support seemed to be stretched to the limit.

The Qing army's formation almost completely collapsed, the soldiers' morale was low, and their fighting will quickly faded.

Lin Chengde hurriedly gave orders everywhere, trying to stabilize the situation, but he soon discovered that there was no longer any battle he could continue to command.

Most of the servants and Green Camp soldiers around him had either fallen or were fighting desperately with the Ming army.

Even so, Ned never gave up and continued to command the Eight Banners soldiers to block the Ming army and prevent them from advancing.

However, the turning point of the situation came quietly.

After about a quarter of an hour, Ned keenly noticed that the enemy's pace was accelerating and felt that the situation was not optimistic.

He began to order a retreat, but the order seemed to be issued a little too late.

Lin Chengde saw that soldiers were constantly being defeated in front of the battle, and his own Green Camp soldiers suffered heavy casualties, so the order to retreat could not be executed quickly.

For those soldiers who were still fighting desperately, retreat was more like an unbearable blow.

Most of the soldiers had completely lost their will to fight, or fell in the life-and-death struggle with the Ming army, and the current situation was becoming increasingly difficult to control.

During the retreat, Lin Chengde only took away more than 200 servants and guards.

Most of the remaining Green Camp soldiers either died under the sharp swords of the Ming army or were still struggling to fight the enemy.

Those soldiers who were supposed to remain calm during the battle fell into extreme panic and confusion in an instant.

The Ming army's offensive became more and more fierce. As the Ming army pressed forward step by step, the Qing army's position completely fell.

Many soldiers had completely lost the desire to fight and turned around to escape, but their escape did not bring them safety.

Swords flew, blood poured down like rain, and groups of defeated soldiers became prey to the Ming army from behind. Their blood dyed the entire battlefield red.

As the Qing army was defeated, Ned realized that if he did not make timely adjustments, his troops would probably collapse completely.

He saw that the battlefield before him was no longer under his control, and he felt anxious, but calm thinking still occupied his mind.

In order to avoid a complete collapse, he suppressed his inner anxiety and ordered the mobilization of four or five hundred Eight Banners soldiers, preparing to organize a counterattack in the face of the fierce attack of the Ming army.

Ned gritted his teeth and looked at the soldiers fleeing madly from the south, and a heavy pressure suddenly surged in his heart.

Behind them was the Ming army surging like a black tide. With a momentum that could not be ignored, they rushed towards the Qing army positions like a wave.

Ned took a deep breath, a trace of pain flashed in his eyes. He suppressed the fear in his heart, swallowed the bitterness in his throat with difficulty, and decided to risk his life.

"Flag! Raise the flag!"

Ned shouted orders, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, and suddenly commanded his soldiers to launch a counterattack, leading his troops to fight hard with the incoming Ming army.

The moment the two armies collided, the battlefield instantly turned into a hell with blood and flesh flying everywhere.

Dozens of soldiers at the front fell down almost instantly, their figures flashed and disappeared.

The cold spears, short axes and machetes raged and cut through the air, blood splattered everywhere, screams continued, and every inch of the battlefield was stained red with blood.

Although the Eight Banners soldiers had undergone years of training and were very powerful, they were clearly outnumbered by the Ming army, which had a numerical advantage.

Ned's troops tried their best to block the advance of the Ming army, and the two sides fell into a stalemate.

The fierce clash between the two armies showed no sign of easing, the positions of both sides kept changing, and the casualties were gradually increasing.

During this short battle, Ned began to feel a little proud. Seeing that his Eight Banners soldiers had stabilized the situation, he couldn't help but have a lucky thought in his mind.

As long as they hold on for a while longer and wait for Lin Chengde to gather the remaining troops from the rear, they can retreat smoothly.

He thought that as long as they could escape the pursuit of the Ming army, they would still have a chance to counterattack and preserve their remaining forces.

However, just as these thoughts flashed through his mind, an accident happened.

Lin Chengde's figure appeared again at the forefront of the battlefield. He hurriedly returned to the front line from his position, panting and pale.

His appearance was unexpected by almost everyone. Even Ned had never thought that Lin Chengde would suddenly return.

"Ambush... We've been ambushed... The Ming army has already..." Lin Chengde's tone was hurried, and he couldn't speak clearly while panting.

He originally planned to retreat to Gaizhou City, but as soon as he walked out of the camp gate, he found that he was surrounded by the Ming army and the enemy had set up an elaborate ambush.

At this time, Lin Chengde was covered in sweat, his eyes full of anxiety and despair.

When Ned heard Lin Chengde's report, he was struck by lightning. His face changed drastically and he hurriedly covered Lin Chengde's mouth, fearing that he would continue to say more words and incite panic and collapse among the army.

If the army's morale had been shaken, defeat today would have been almost certain.

At this time, the morale of the entire Qing army camp was already crumbling. Although many soldiers were still fighting, they had completely lost their clear goals.

On this chaotic battlefield, the Ming army's fierce attack did not stop, and their footsteps were getting closer and closer.

(End of this chapter)