Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 338 Battlefield Cleaning
The Ming army was like a tiger descending from the mountain, and they launched a fierce attack and shooting at the defeated Qing army soldiers who fell behind. Without exception, those Qing soldiers who tried to escape for their lives became prey under the swords and guns of the Ming army.

The cavalry's iron hooves kicked up dust as they galloped out of the camp and pursued relentlessly.

Along the way, the Ming cavalry followed closely behind the Qing army, keeping close to the rear and never giving the Qing army a chance to breathe.

It was not until the Qing army fled to within a mile of the city wall that Fan Wencheng on the wall ordered the artillery to open fire. The dense sound of artillery forced the Ming army to stop pursuing.

In comparison, the situation of the Qing troops in the east and west was even more tragic. They were unable to enjoy the good fortune of Fan Wencheng's artillery cover and were almost completely strangled.

The four main Qing army generals, Lin Chengde, Ni De, Chen Shiyou and Zhang Zhong, tried their best to break out, but the more than 4,000 soldiers behind them were not so lucky.

In the end, only less than a thousand people were able to successfully break out, and among these defeated soldiers, hundreds of them were scattered along the way, became prey to the Ming cavalry, and died tragically outside the city.

At the same time, inside the Ming army tent, Zhu Cilang was sitting in the newly set up tent.

There was an arrow stuck in his chest, which he was obviously reluctant to pull out on the battlefield before, but now he gently took it out and put it aside.

He took the latest military report sent back, glanced at the paper, frowned slightly, and his expression revealed an imperceptible dissatisfaction.

Although the outcome of this battle was a victory, it was obviously not as perfect as he expected.

"The enemy was defeated but not completely annihilated, and their main force was able to retreat into the city." General Zhu Cilang placed the report on the table, his eyes like torches falling on several accompanying generals in the tent.

He was not angry, but the suppressed majesty made the people present feel nervous.

Then he raised his hand and signaled the officer beside him:
"Order all units to redeploy their defenses and guard against an enemy counterattack."

At the same time, the Ming army's pursuit on the battlefield continued.

The Ming army soldiers held spears and moved smoothly. They took a standard stabbing posture with the left side low and the right side high, and used the momentum to thrust forward.

The sharp tips of the spears pierced through the chain mail of the Eight Banners soldiers. With a painful groan, the Eight Banners soldiers' bodies leaned back violently and then fell to the ground.

His back was hit by such a huge force that he fell to the ground with dirt flying everywhere. Before he could struggle to get up, several Ming soldiers quickly surrounded him and came forward, stabbing his neck and head with swords and spears in their hands.

At the same time, Yagyu led his troops to charge and took a look at the enemy's corpse with a calm and cold look.

He waved his hand, ordered his soldiers to continue the pursuit, and warned:

"Put away all the armor that's intact. Don't damage it. It's a treasure from the battlefield."

The Ming army always treasured trophies such as armor. Even though they had a lot of spoils, they understood that the accumulation of supplies was directly related to the outcome of future battles.

Yagyu then led a dozen or so soldiers under his command to continue advancing forward, with steady steps and his eyes fixed on the front.

The battlefield was filled with scenes of Ming soldiers chasing and killing defeated Qing soldiers, and the smell of blood filled the air.

The defeated Qing soldiers fled in all directions. Some even dropped their weapons and ran with their heads down, but they still could not escape the fate of being hunted down.

Almost without exception, those soldiers who fell behind fell under the swords and guns, and even their screams were drowned out by the noise of the battlefield.

On the top of Gaizhou City, the Qing army's musketeers and archers were already on full alert, while the baoyi and Green Camp soldiers were busy carrying wooden beams and stones in preparation for a possible city defense battle.

At this moment, deafening cannon fire rang out one after another, and huge orange-red flames rose up along with thick white smoke.

One after another, artillery shells streaked through the air, whistling towards the pursuing Ming army. The sound of the explosion was like thunder, shaking everyone's eardrums.

Under the threat of fierce artillery fire, the Ming army finally stopped the pursuit.

Yagyu also received the order quickly and immediately withdrew his troops. He led his soldiers to stop advancing, quickly turned back, and at the same time began to clean up the battlefield.

In his camp, two other captains received orders to be on alert and led their troops to block the surrounding area to prevent the enemy from launching a counterattack or other unexpected situations.

Yagyu wiped the spear in his hand and glanced coldly at the battlefield behind him. The battlefield was littered with the corpses of Qing soldiers, their blood staining the soil red.

Yagyu didn't say much, but silently ordered the soldiers to clean up the battlefield.

As the pursuit came to an end, the Ming army gradually restored order, with officers and soldiers from all divisions systematically counting spoils, treating the wounded, and redeploying their forces.

Although the main force of the Qing army successfully retreated into the city, the victory was already firmly in the hands of the Ming army.

But within the sturdy walls of Gaizhou City, the mood of the Qing soldiers and generals was like the embers after a fire had burned out, tired and anxious.

After a night of fierce fighting, Ma Bao became particularly cautious. After the battle, he repeatedly confirmed the status of each camp, fearing that the Qing army would counterattack after its defeat.

However, such excessive caution may no longer be necessary.

More than half of the elite Qing troops who attacked at night had been lost. The people in Gaizhou City were in panic, and the remaining soldiers and generals were like frightened birds.

The main generals of the Eight Banners and the Green Camp gathered the fleeing soldiers and hurried back to the city. They were unable to take care of themselves, let alone organize a counterattack.

Even so, the mobilization within the city was limited to sending Fan Wencheng to the city wall to be responsible for defense.

He personally took charge of the situation, worried that the Ming army would take advantage of the victory to attack the city, and tried his best to command the defenders to rest and stabilize the situation as much as possible.

At the same time, Yagyu led his soldiers to clean up the battlefield.

They divided into small teams and carefully searched the battlefield, focusing on the bodies of Qing soldiers, especially those with well-preserved armor, muskets and other equipment.

Yagyu asked the soldiers to pile up the spoils and insert the logo of their flag team in a conspicuous place to ensure that the ownership of the equipment was clearly identifiable.

The more important task was to cut off the heads of the Qing army for the purpose of counting their military achievements.

The soldiers wielded their swords and beheaded those Qing soldiers who had fallen to the ground or were still struggling slightly.

In order to distinguish between Manchus and Han people, they carefully sorted the heads and stacked them into different categories, waiting for the military judge to come and verify them.

These heads not only symbolize military achievements, but also serve as a deterrent to the enemy.

The equipment of each Qing soldier was extremely expensive, and the armor and weapons seized after the war were a pleasant surprise. The Ming army suffered astonishing equipment losses in the continuous battles.

Some swords and short axes are often only used a few times before they can no longer be used in battle. The captured equipment can just meet the urgent needs of the front line, and it also greatly alleviates the pressure on military supplies and finances.

By the time the battlefield cleanup work was completed and Yagyu led his soldiers back to the camp, it was already dawn.

At this time, order was restored in the Ming army camp and morale was high.

Zhu Cilang inspected the camp and felt quite relieved when he saw that the camp was being gradually repaired in various places.

Soldiers, laborers and craftsmen from various camps in the south are flocking in.

They were busy cleaning up the mess left on the battlefield and repairing damaged tents and siege equipment.

To prevent a Qing counterattack, Zhu Cilang had already made careful arrangements. No important military supplies were stored at the northern end of the southern camp; artillery, ammunition, and various siege engines meticulously crafted by the craftsmen had already been moved to a safe location and heavily guarded.

Such an arrangement not only effectively avoided accidents, but also ensured the completeness of siege preparations.

As the post-war inventory drew to a close, the commanders, generals, and governors of the various camps who had pursued the remnants of the Qing army returned one after another.

They gathered in the large tent that Zhu Cilang had rebuilt to report on the results of the battle.

At this time, the atmosphere in the tent was lively and there was a lot of discussion.

Many people have already heard about the thrilling scene last night: His Majesty, despite being wounded by an arrow, still personally held the flag and commanded the imperial camp to tenaciously resist the fierce attack of the Qing army.

This heroic deed quickly spread throughout the army, and all the generals came forward, either flattering or praising and congratulating him, each vying to show their loyalty.

Although Zhu Cilang appeared humble on the surface, he was quite proud in his heart. This move not only stabilized the situation, but also won him the trust of the soldiers and prestige in the army.

The significance of this prestige goes far beyond the victory of a battle. The deeper purpose of this move is to lay the foundation for future armed reduction of vassal states.

Therefore, he needed this military achievement to be spread throughout the army and even known to the world, so as to accumulate unshakable political reputation.

After the post-war inventory, the Ming army's losses were relatively limited, and the captured equipment was sufficient to make up for the losses.

More importantly, the Qing army's defeat demoralized them, and the defense of Gaizhou City was no longer impenetrable.

Zhu Cilang already had a plan in mind. He looked around at the generals in the tent and said in a deep voice:
"The battlefield cleanup hasn't been completed yet, and the enemy troops in the city are still in a state of panic. Now is the time to seize the opportunity and expand our victory. Order all battalions to continue pursuing the defeated enemy and not to relax!"

All the generals accepted the order in unison, and the atmosphere in the tent suddenly became solemn.

Just when the generals' admiration for him reached its peak, Zhu Cilang stood up and ended his somewhat lengthy flattery. He raised his hand slightly, and said in a low but majestic voice:

"Enough of the idle chatter. I will discuss military affairs with you all."

After he finished speaking, all the generals in the tent stood in awe and dared not say anything more.

Although the battle had been basically won, Zhu Cilang's expression remained calm.

The generals knew that this battle was still far from the perfect outcome the emperor had in mind - the Qing troops that left the city were not completely wiped out, and many defeated soldiers still retreated to Gaizhou City.

This made them feel uneasy. They stood with their hands hanging down, their expressions revealing a bit of nervousness.

Zhu Cilang sat on a high seat, narrowed his eyes slightly, and looked around at everyone in the tent.

His eyes swept across every general like a knife, and then he said in a deep voice:
"I have reviewed all the military reports submitted by various departments.

This battle was fought well enough. The elite Qing troops in Gaizhou City lost more than half their strength and were unable to launch another night attack in the short term. This is all thanks to you."

He paused and raised his voice slightly:

"Every one of you in this account is a great contributor."

At this point, the generals felt a little relieved, but Zhu Cilang's next words made the atmosphere tense again.

His gaze stopped at Zhang Huangyan, and he nodded slightly, his tone adding a hint of meaningful approval:

"However, the most difficult of all is Xuanzhu."

When these words were spoken, everyone looked at each other in surprise.

Zhang Huangyan was slightly taken aback, then he stepped forward and answered respectfully:
"Your Majesty, I am unworthy of this."

However, his heart was already in turmoil. In the previous battle, due to negligence in command, he failed to respond as quickly as Ma Bao, causing the western camp to fall into chaos for a time.

If it weren't for Lin Chengde's mistake that created an opportunity, and the soldiers' desperate fighting, the battle would have been out of control long ago.

He originally thought that he would be severely punished by Zhu Cilang for this mistake, and even take this opportunity to further enhance Ma Bao's status.

But to his surprise, Zhu Cilang not only did not blame him, but gave him such high praise.

However, Zhang Huangyan was a man who had experienced many storms after all. He understood that Zhu Cilang's intentions had not yet been fully revealed, and the wisest choice at the moment was to be cautious in his words and actions.

He just bowed his head slightly and added modestly:
"Your Majesty, I am deeply humbled by your compliments. This time, it was all thanks to the concerted efforts of all the officers and men. I was simply fulfilling my duty."

The other generals in the tent were obviously shocked by this sudden change, and they all had expressions of surprise on their faces.

Especially Ma Bao, he stood there in a daze for a moment, seeming a little caught off guard.

He originally thought that his performance completely met Zhu Cilang's requirements - strictly executing orders without any mistakes and achieving remarkable results. This should have been a great opportunity for him to be further reused.

However, Zhu Cilang chose to publicly praise Zhang Huangyan instead of himself, and this unusual move forced him to reassess the situation.

It would be naive to say that Zhu Cilang's favoritism towards Zhang Huangyan was simply due to his trust. There may be deeper considerations behind this.

Although he felt a little unwilling in his heart, Ma Bao quickly adjusted his mentality, lowered his eyes, quickly restrained his slightly complacent expression, and regained his composure.

Zhu Cilang seemed to have a full grasp of the reactions of the generals in the tent. He did not rush to express his opinion, but after a brief pause, he slowly spoke:
"Xuan Zhuo responded calmly at the most critical moment of the battle and stabilized the situation in the western camp.

This is not only his responsibility, but also a reflection of his talent, and I am very pleased."

He spoke in a calm tone, yet every word carried undeniable weight.

His words were not only a compliment to Zhang Huangyan on the surface, but also had a deeper meaning.

The generals in the tent couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts - perhaps the emperor was not just rewarding them, but redefining the power structure between them.

Zhu Cilang cleverly used these words to show that Zhang Huangyan's importance cannot be ignored, and at the same time he also reminded others that the real victory or defeat is not just on the battlefield, but in the accurate understanding of the intentions of imperial power.

After these words, the atmosphere in the tent became tense again.

Every general was wondering what his position was in the eyes of the emperor, and what impact the outcome of this military meeting would have on the future distribution of power.

Seeing that the atmosphere had reached the effect he expected, Zhu Cilang smiled slightly and softened his tone:

“Although this battle was a victory, the Qing army was not completely annihilated, and there are still hidden dangers in the Gaizhou area.

You all must remember: do not be arrogant in victory, and do not be discouraged in defeat. You must prepare your forces for battle and ensure that there are no future troubles."

When the military meeting ended, the generals in the tent had different expressions, but no one dared to leave easily.

They all had their own plans in mind, but one thing was clear: this young emperor was not just a monarch who enjoyed flattery, he was also a master of political strategy who was well versed in the art of ruling.

(End of this chapter)