Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 340 Justification
After this defeat, the atmosphere in Gaizhou City was as gloomy as lead, the morale of the army fell to the bottom, and the prestige of Fan Wencheng, Ji Bai and others was seriously damaged.

Faced with the defenders' precarious mentality and unstable military morale, they knew that if they did not quickly come up with a convincing explanation, the situation would completely get out of control.

This emergency military meeting, attended by many middle and high-level military officers, became a critical moment for them to save face by "humbly admitting their mistakes and seriously reviewing themselves."

However, there were obviously many different voices in the military meeting. Zhang Li was particularly tough at this time, and his words directly pointed out the mistakes in the decision to launch a night attack.

His attitude was not simply to preserve his strength, but to use this opportunity to build his reputation and seek a brighter future. He knew that after this battle, if he could seize the opportunity to stand out, he would be able to stand out in the chaos and gain greater voice.

After hearing this, Fan Wencheng felt depressed and a gloomy look appeared on his face. Although he bore the responsibility in this battle, he could not let the situation get further out of control.

However, Zhang Li's aggressive attitude made it difficult for him to refute for a while.

Just when the atmosphere was at a stalemate, Yang Gao spoke:

"General Zhang, you can't say that. When we discussed the night attack, you agreed. Now it's all our fault?
Can we deny everything just because the action failed?"

As soon as these words were spoken, people in the big tent nodded in agreement, and the generals who had insisted on a night attack seemed to have regained some momentum.

Yang Gao's voice not only rescued Fan Wencheng, but also saved some face for Ji Bai at the critical moment. This was undoubtedly a move to relieve the worries of the two coaches.

Yang Gao changed the subject and said:

"In fact, although this night raid was not a complete success, it was by no means a complete failure."

He slowed down his tone and glanced at Zhang Li:
"I anticipated that some would raise doubts, but in my opinion, the Ming army's victory in this battle was merely a fluke."

Zhang Li sneered at the words and glanced at Yang Gao with a bit of contempt:

"Oh, Yang Gao, you're really good at making excuses for yourself! If the night attack wasn't considered a failure, then where's your contribution?"

Zhang Li did not dare to criticize Ji Bai directly, and was also afraid of Fan Wencheng, but he obviously did not buy Yang Gao's words, and there was sarcasm in his tone.

Seeing this, Fan Wencheng quickly intervened to ease the atmosphere:

"Oh, Yang Gao, what clues did you find? Tell us quickly!"

He knew very well the intention behind Zhang Li's attitude, but he also understood that it would not be easy for Zhang Li to take advantage of the opportunity to turn the tables, and he still held the initiative.

Yang Gao received the order, and immediately stood up, clasped his fists, and said in a firm tone:

"I personally went to the front lines and engaged the Ming army head-on many times. What I learned was truly true. Furthermore, one of my archers managed to hit Zhu Cilang with a single arrow. While it didn't kill him, it was enough to frighten him into retreat.

Let me ask you, among all of you present here, who knows the strengths and weaknesses of the Ming army better than me?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the generals in the tent began to whisper to each other, and many of them looked surprised.

Yang Gao's statement was undoubtedly a defense of himself, but it also provided more information to those present.

He paused for a moment, then looked at Zhang Li again and said in a slightly provocative tone:
"From my experience fighting the Ming army, I can see that our defeat wasn't due to a lack of planning, but rather to the relentless fight of Emperor Zhu Cilang. Had he shown even a hint of cowardice, this night attack would have been victorious."

The strategy of attacking from both sides, involving the imperial scholar and the prince, was a brilliant plan. The only problem was Emperor Ming, Zhu Cilang. He was too stubborn and had no fear of death!

Yang Gao's last sentence was powerful, but there was also a hint of helplessness and indignation in his words. Although his words caused a lot of discussion in the audience, it was still difficult to completely dispel Zhang Li's doubts.

Zhang Li snorted coldly and said:
"Zhu Cilang's refusal to retreat has become an excuse for your failure?
I really don't know whether he is not afraid of death, or our night attack is disorganized!"

Fan Wencheng raised his hand to stop everyone from talking, his tone slightly calmer:

"General Zhang, General Yang's words are not entirely without reason. Regardless, the Ming army did demonstrate a strong fighting spirit, and this is the key point we must address.

However, today's defeat is by no means irreparable. As long as we maintain a strong defense and wait for the opponent to reveal a flaw, we still have a chance to strike back."

Fan Wencheng's speech not only calmed the debate but also set the tone for subsequent actions.

He knew that in the current situation of low morale, continuing to argue would only further divide the military, so it would be better to shift the focus to how to reverse the situation.

The power of the Ming army and their own situation have made everyone realize that the top priority at the moment is not to fight for credit or shirk responsibility, but to stabilize the city defense and seek a way to break out.

However, as soon as these words were spoken, there was a commotion in the room, and the generals whispered to each other with different expressions.

The plan that Fan Wencheng and Ji Bai had previously formulated was based on the premise that Zhu Cilang would be scared away, so they boldly carried out this night attack.

The core idea was to disrupt the command of the Ming army's central camp through a surprise attack and force Zhu Cilang to retreat. But now we hear that Zhu Cilang is not afraid at all. Doesn't this mean the complete failure of this military operation?
"If this is true, doesn't it mean that even though the Ming army suffered such a heavy blow, Zhu Cilang still did not retreat?" A general couldn't help but speak, with a bit of panic in his tone.

Seeing this, Yang Gao remained expressionless, but he understood in his heart.

At this moment, if the low morale situation is not reversed quickly, the morale of the soldiers in the city will probably be more difficult to deal with than the offensive of foreign enemies.

He replied calmly:

"That's right! Zhu Cilang is indeed not afraid of death, but his soldiers may not be afraid either! Otherwise, how could we break out of the encirclement of 8,000 people against 60,000 or even 70,000?
Doesn't this prove that the so-called strength of the Ming army is only this strong? They are not made of steel and iron, and in some areas, they are even inferior to us! "

Yang Gao's words were powerful and particularly clear amid the noise.

He knew very well that the most fatal problem in the city at the moment was not the foreign enemy at the gates, but the "fear of the Ming" caused by successive defeats.

If this excessive fear of the enemy continues to spread, it may even cause soldiers to revolt. Compared with Zhu Cilang's fearlessness, this collapse from within is more deadly.

After hearing Yang Gao's words, Fan Wencheng immediately understood his intention.

He coughed lightly, took over the conversation, and said slowly:
"General Yang is absolutely right. Just imagine, with a disparity in forces of 8,000 versus 100,000, and Zhu Cilang setting up an ambush in advance, yet the result was nothing special. Aside from a few elite personal guards, the remaining tens of thousands of troops might not be as formidable as we imagined.

If they were truly such a powerful army, how could they have allowed us to successfully break through the encirclement?"

These words were spoken calmly and encouragingly. The discussion in the room gradually subsided, and many generals showed thoughtful expressions.

However, although Zhang Li felt unhappy when listening to Yang Gao and Fan Wencheng's analysis, he had no way to refute it.

What Yang Gao said, "Ming army soldiers are afraid of death," is a common psychology on the battlefield, which he cannot deny.

As for Fan Wencheng's disparagement of the Ming army's combat effectiveness, while somewhat exaggerated, it was also intended to stabilize morale at this moment; a direct argument would have seemed inappropriate. He sighed inwardly and ultimately chose to remain silent.

At this time, Jibai also spoke out at the right time, trying to steer the discussion in a direction that would be beneficial to him.

He glanced at everyone present, his tone slightly unwilling, but his words already carried a hint of self-excuse:

"That's right! If the Ming army hadn't dispatched a large number of cavalry in advance and besieged with several times the number of troops, this prince would not have been able to break through their defenses, let alone behead Zhu Cilang with his own hands!

It was just a momentary mistake!"

Ji Bai's words were in line with Yang Gao and Fan Wencheng's analysis, but were also intended to shirk responsibility. After the defeat, someone would always have to bear the consequences.

The current situation is obviously not suitable for pursuing the so-called right or wrong. The best way to protect oneself is to turn the topic to the enemy's advantages and one's own efforts.

The atmosphere in the room gradually calmed down with this conversation, but everyone knew in their hearts that the real crisis had not been resolved.

The enemy's strength is certainly terrifying, but what is even more terrifying is the collapse of the morale of the soldiers in the city. If they want to maintain the current situation, they need not only strategy, but also the concerted efforts of everyone.

As Yang Gao and Fan Wencheng hinted, the most important thing at this moment is not to hold people accountable, but to restore morale and defend this city that is crucial to the overall situation.

After Fan Wencheng and Ji Bai finished their speeches, the other Qing army generals were obviously unwilling to lag behind, and they also spoke up, trying to excuse their performance in this defeat.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room became lively.

Everyone emphasized in unison that the reason why Zhu Cilang's army outside the city was able to gain the upper hand was simply because of its superior military strength.

Some generals even insisted that the Ming army was not attacked at night, but that the attack had been premeditated and a trap had been set, and they were the ambushers.

These self-comforting words seemed to trigger a chain reaction among the generals.

The atmosphere in the room improved noticeably. The frustration on many people's faces gradually faded, and they even showed a bit of rekindled hope.

It seemed that these generals understood that the battle of Gaizhou City was not unsolvable, and the chances of defending the city were gradually emerging.

However, as the debate continued, responsibilities were cleared one by one, and guilt was shifted layer by layer, as if everyone had completed a "ritual" of exonerating each other.

Finally, the topic returned from settling right and wrong to the reality at hand, and the atmosphere in the big tent became gloomy again.

After all, everyone knew that what they said just now was just an excuse to deceive themselves.

Putting the blame on Zhu Cilang's "trick" and the disparity in military strength will not change the current predicament.

How to strengthen the city's defense and how to deal with the powerful Ming army are urgent problems.

Fan Wencheng cleared his throat and looked around at everyone. His eyes remained calm, but his tone was low and powerful:
"Now that we have seen the situation clearly, we understand that although the Ming army outside the city is not without organization, it is just so-so, relying only on Zhu Cilang's reckless courage.

Then, we need to adjust our city defense strategy."

He paused for a moment, stroked his long beard, and continued:
"Although this night attack exposed the Ming army's strengths and weaknesses, it also cost us a heavy price. The military strength in the city has been greatly reduced.

If Zhu Cilang really insists on attacking the city at all costs, it will be difficult for us to hold out until the end of the year with the remaining troops."

Ji Bai nodded slightly and continued:

"Perhaps the Regent can send some reinforcements to support us."

He pondered for a moment, then added:
"However, even without reinforcements, there are still thousands of elite soldiers in the city, enough to organize a field battle. If Zhu Cilang dares to split his forces to block the reinforcements, we can seize the opportunity to attack and disrupt his position, forcing him to lose sight of the big picture."

As soon as these words were spoken, all the generals in the room nodded, and morale seemed to rise slightly.

Ned pondered for a moment, then spoke:
"In fact, the reinforcements don't necessarily need to enter Gaizhou City directly. As long as they are stationed in the area around the large ridge pass in the east, they can contain the Ming army.

Zhu Cilang cannot sit idly by and must divide his forces to defend against this. This will make it difficult for his forces to form an effective concentration."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chengde slapped the table heavily and continued excitedly:
"That's right! As long as there are reinforcements at the Dapanling Pass to the east, Zhu Cilang won't be able to capture Gaizhou even if he puts all his efforts into it. No matter how brave he is, he can't ignore our flank threat!

Their so-called fierce attack is nothing but wishful thinking. Do they really think our city defense army is just a mere decoration?

Everyone echoed the sentiment, and the depressed mood among the Qing army generals began to gradually recover.

Although these remarks may be somewhat exaggerated and self-encouragement, at this moment, boosting morale is clearly more important than any strategy.

At this moment, a low but majestic voice suddenly came from the door:

"The Regent's army should have arrived at Dapanling Pass by now. As long as Dorgon arrives in person, the crisis here will no longer be a concern."

The person who spoke was Jirgalang, the regent who had missed many military meetings due to illness, but now stood in front of everyone in high spirits.

His appearance immediately silenced the generals in the room. Jirgalang glanced at everyone and continued:

"Defending the city is not without chance of success. Gaizhou City is strategically located and has strong walls, which are sufficient to hold back the Ming army's attack.

If we can stabilize the situation and then rely on the reinforcements to counterattack, no matter how many troops Zhu Cilang has, he will be doomed to failure!"

Jirgalang's words were powerful and instantly ignited the fighting spirit of the generals present.

Fan Wencheng took over the conversation at the right time and concluded:
"Since that's the case, let's adjust our strategy accordingly. We must do our utmost to defend Gaizhou City, while utilizing the terrain outside the city and the support of our reinforcements to gradually reverse our disadvantage.

As long as we can survive the Ming army's strongest offensive, victory will be ours!"

Everyone responded in unison, the fighting spirit rekindled in their eyes. Although this military meeting started with excuses, it ended with high morale.

The defensive battle of Gaizhou City also ushered in new changes.

On the same day that Zhu Cilang led his army to besiege Gaizhou and showed his strength, Dorgon's army, which set out from Shenyang, had already approached Gaizhou for more than 50 miles.

(End of this chapter)