Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 351 Dorgon's Strategy
At this time, the battle on the west side was indeed in a stalemate. The Qing army's attack failed to break through as quickly as expected, but was instead met with stubborn resistance from the Ming army.

However, this may not be a bad thing for Zhu Cilang.

The more tense the situation on the west side, the faster Dorgon is likely to retreat - and this speed is an extremely delicate balance.

Because, if they move too fast, the Qing army may make bigger mistakes due to impatience, or even be taken advantage of by the Ming army; and if they move too slowly, they may miss the best opportunity to retreat because they are too dull in their sense of crisis.

"This is very likely. The longer the battle on the west side lasts, the more difficult it will be for Dorgon to make a decision." Gao Jie finally spoke, his voice steady and powerful.
"If he doesn't dare to retreat immediately, it means he is full of hesitation. Faced with the uncertainty before him, his sense of crisis will gradually increase.

If we can apply more pressure, we can force him to make a choice sooner rather than later.

If he decides to retreat, that would be our golden opportunity to defeat him in one fell swoop before he completely escapes the encirclement."

Li Lixiong nodded, but still had some doubts:

"But if he waits until the main force arrives, coupled with the support forces on both sides, wouldn't that be..."

Gao Jie turned around, his eyes as sharp as an eagle, and his deep gaze made Li Lixiong stunned for a moment.

“Do you think he will take the risk and wait for the main players to arrive?

If he chose to wait, he would be exposing his own fate.

Although Dorgon is clever, he is not invulnerable. When he realizes the crisis is irreversible, it will be the perfect time for us to launch a fatal attack."

While the two were talking, Gao Jie's eyes suddenly lit up and he noticed an imperial flag fluttering in the distance on the eastern hills.

The flag fluttered in the wind and spread out in the wind, making it particularly conspicuous.

Gao Jie's gaze froze instantly. He tilted his head slightly to look, and a complicated expression involuntarily appeared on his face.

"Is that... His Majesty's flag?" Li Lixiong couldn't help but ask in a low voice, with a hint of surprise and admiration in his voice.

"Well, it seems that the emperor has made a decision." Gao Jie said in a deep voice, with a hint of deep thought in his eyes.

He suddenly realized that Zhu Cilang did not just rely on military orders and changes in the situation as the outside world thought, but was secretly manipulating things behind the scenes, and everything was under his control.

At this time, Li Lixiong finally couldn't suppress the doubts in his heart and said:

"I've heard some rumors in the army, and I'm not sure if I should tell you."

He paused, and seeing Gao Jie didn't respond, he continued:
"I heard... some generals are beginning to doubt our actions, believing Your Majesty is being too radical. A rash action could allow the Qing army to retreat calmly, or even cause us considerable losses."

Gao Jie frowned slightly, seemingly not interested in this topic, but on second thought, he understood that it was this kind of rumor that made him more convinced that the decision he made was correct.

In fact, these rumors in the army reflected the enemy's fear of Zhu Cilang's strategy. As long as the enemy felt doubtful, they would begin to waver.

"Don't worry about these rumors, General Li." Gao Jie's words were firm and powerful. "We have only one mission, and that is to fully support His Majesty's decisions. No matter how the situation changes on the front line, we must stand on the most stable side. Only in this way can we have a chance of victory."

Li Lixiong nodded silently, and the doubts in his heart were slightly relieved, but he could still feel that the situation before him was more complicated than he had imagined.

"What's the matter? Tell me!" Gao Jie frowned slightly, and a hint of alertness flashed in his eyes.

He has always been calm and composed, always paying close attention to the reports from his subordinates, and any unusual movement will arouse his vigilance.

Li Lixiong received the order and quickly moved closer to Gao Jie, saying in a low voice:

"This morning I heard someone in Nanjing say that His Majesty is planning to re-arrange officials in Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, and other places!"

After saying this, Li Lixiong's eyes were complicated, as if he was waiting for Gao Jie's reaction.

"Is this true?" Gao Jie frowned and a hint of alertness flashed through his mind after hearing this.

He knew that if this was true, it meant that the situation would change beyond their expectations.

Nanjing, as one of the capitals of the Ming Dynasty, has never lacked administrative officials, but the political arrangements in these places are of great importance, especially in the current chaotic times.

Gao Jie knew very well that provinces such as Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian were not only the front lines against pirates, Zheng family forces and chieftains, but also that many sensitive forces were competing in secret.

If Your Majesty personally intervenes and adjusts the officials in these places, it will inevitably have a huge impact on the existing situation.

"These provinces must be the ones that His Majesty has trusted, or they must be the ones that he personally presided over the imperial examinations and granted the official positions to, otherwise there is no way he would be reused." Gao Jie muttered to himself.

He already had a vague idea in his mind that Zhu Cilang's move was not a simple adjustment of government affairs, but a precursor to dealing with the Zheng family and the chieftains.

If these local officials could collude with the Zheng family and the chieftains, it would inevitably complicate the situation, and Zhu Cilang would never allow such a thing to happen.

"This move...perhaps intended to completely exclude the Zheng family." Gao Jie pondered for a moment, then said firmly, "Your Majesty is determined to deal with the Zheng family. All these changes in the situation are precisely for this purpose."

While thinking, he nodded to Li Lixiong:
"You continue to pay attention and report the situation at any time."

Gao Jie's tone was flat, but his words revealed a majesty that could not be ignored. Li Lixiong was slightly stunned and immediately responded and withdrew, feeling complicated in his heart.

Gao Jie did not give orders immediately, but turned around and rode away. He circled the second-line headquarters camp and took a look around.

At this time, the situation inside and outside the camp remained relatively calm, but the waves in Gao Jie's heart were far from subsiding.

He knew in his heart that once Zhu Cilang's action was implemented, it would involve more far-reaching strategic arrangements.

As a commander who had experienced many battles, he knew very well that every slight change in the situation could affect the entire war situation, especially when it came to Zhang Xianzhong's movements, which could affect the entire war.

However, as he expected, this was not isolated, and his eyes became more determined as he realized that he did not have much choice in his situation.

He must make his own decision at this critical moment.

When he returned to the command tent, Li Lixiong was already waiting nearby. Upon seeing Gao Jie return, he immediately stepped forward to report: "Sir, I just received news that the Qing army has begun to gather its forces and seems to be preparing for a large-scale operation."

Gao Jie nodded, his eyes still stern: "It seems that the situation has become more complicated."

At the same time, the smoke of the battle in the deserted village gradually dissipated. After a few days of short rest, neither side had the advantage in this confrontation.

Although both the Ming and Qing dynasties had their victories and defeats, the morale of both sides remained in a stalemate.

For Dorgon, this situation obviously could not satisfy his eagerness to turn the tide of the war. At this time, he no longer had any illusions.

Dorgon knew very well that a head-on decisive battle was not what he wanted. What he needed was a strategy and a more threatening covert action.

In order to completely break the deadlock, he decided to adopt a surprise approach - pretending to retreat, luring the Ming army into advancing, and then launching a sudden counterattack and a surprise ambush.

For this purpose, he personally rode his horse and stood on a hill on the east side of Qinghe River. Looking from afar, the Ming army camp in front of him was still white and silent.

As no horses came to report, his uneasiness grew. However, just as he was about to give up and return, the sound of horse hooves suddenly came from afar.

"Two Tangma!" Dorgon's heart skipped a beat. He immediately pricked up his ears, anxiously waiting for news.

A moment later, two Tangma knights came galloping. After seeing Dorgon's central army flag, they quickly dismounted and ran towards him.

Then they handed the report to Dorgon's personal soldiers.

The moment Dorgon got the Tangbao and opened it, a happy smile immediately appeared on his face, and his heart, which had been hanging in the air, finally relaxed.

The news in the Tang newspaper made him feel relieved - the main force of the Ming army finally began to retreat to the north, and the opportunity for ambush he expected had finally arrived.

"Send a message to Lor, Bahas, Tajik, and Nikan that their armies are ready and order them to march immediately!" Dorgon's voice was low and powerful, with a hint of fighting spirit in his eyes.

A long-lost smile appeared on his face. This was not only a counterattack, but also a key action that could change the situation of the battle.

Immediately, he ordered the nearly 5,000 Manchu and Mongolian cavalry who had been hiding in the east of Qinghe to prepare for battle. These cavalry had been lurking for four days with the cover of hills and bushes, ready to launch a fierce attack at any time.

As his order was issued, the Qing army began to move, preparing for this fateful battle.

On this gentle, low hillside, the atmosphere on the battlefield gradually became solemn, with smoke and tension filling the air.

Although the hill itself was not high, its terrain provided a natural advantage for cavalry.

The cavalry were able to assemble quickly and, relying on this gentle slope, charge down from top to bottom at an extremely high speed, like a huge wave that was unstoppable.

Whether it was the sloping terrain or the impact of the cavalry, it was destined that the Ming army would face an unprecedented disaster ahead.

The cavalry on this hillside were divided into several units, approaching the Ming army from different directions. These Qing cavalry were not only large in number, but also carefully deployed, forming a multi-point encirclement pattern.

Five thousand elite vanguard cavalry quickly deployed to the east and north. They would cooperate with other cavalry to attack the Ming army's river crossing vanguard from both sides.

At the same time, 5,000 cavalrymen in the west took advantage of the fact that the Ming army's vanguard was entangled and launched a fierce attack from the rear of the Ming army.

Being attacked from three sides, with powerful enemies in front and pursuers behind, the morale of the Ming army will completely collapse, and they will not be able to hold their ground. They will definitely be destroyed in this battle.

As the Qing army's formation cut towards the Ming army like a knife blade, a tense atmosphere spread.

All of these arrangements were tactics carefully planned by Dorgon.

He had set up camp here, waiting for the right moment to strike, all for today's battle. His goal was clear—to annihilate Zhu Cilang's army in one fell swoop, pushing this hateful Ming army into the Qing River, and burying them forever in that water.

Dorgon knew very well that this battle was of vital importance to him. If he could succeed, it would not only make up for the mistakes he made in entering the pass before, but also provide an additional layer of protection for his position in the court.

No matter how hard Fulin tried to pursue the matter, he could always find countless excuses to justify himself, and Oboi, who had been loyal to Huang Taiji, had long since become a thing of the past. This strategy of using a knife to kill someone completely eliminated Oboi's threat, and from then on, his power within the dynasty would be unmatched.

Dorgon secretly calculated everything in his mind, and his thoughts became more and more determined. For the sake of this victory, he chose to take the initiative to attack rather than continue to retreat. He knew that if he retreated, Shunzhi would not let him go easily, and he would ultimately bear the responsibility for the series of battle failures.

Therefore, he decided to place all his bets on this battle, a decisive battle. After receiving the order, the Qing troops in the east, north and west quickly reorganized their teams and began to assemble and deploy according to the established plan.

Each unit has clearly defined the order and direction of attack, and the tasks have been allocated in an orderly manner. Every general knows his responsibilities and mission, and the soldiers will fight this decisive battle with the strongest morale.

Slanta sat on the warhorse, the chain mail on his body gleaming in the sunlight, and the cotton armor under the armor also looked unusually strong.

He was a tall and strong man with a stern face and excellent fighting ability, but he also fell into a brief panic after the "Battle of Dapianling Pass" when he witnessed the tragic scene on the battlefield with his own eyes.

But Dorgon stepped in in time to stabilize the morale of the army. He regained his spirits and recalled the repeated victories of the Zhengbai Banner along the way.

After receiving the strict order, the soldiers were no longer timid, especially those who fled because they were afraid of the enemy. Under Dorgon's rebuke, they were beheaded on the spot to serve as a warning to others.

This series of events allowed Silanta to quickly regain his composure and once again inspired his long-lost fighting spirit.

His eyes were firm, and he secretly made up his mind:
"This time, I must kill many people, chop off a few more heads of Nikan, and earn more military merits. After returning to Shenyang, I will take the money to see a doctor for my son."

After finishing his equipment, he took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming with the fire of battle. He knew that today's battle was not only about victory or defeat, but also about his own future. If he could achieve great military success, it would not only elevate his status, but also bring more glory and wealth to his family.

As the order was issued, Silanta mounted his horse and led his troops to join the main attack formation of the Qing army. Their goal was clear: to defeat the Ming army and win this decisive victory for Dorgon.

On the battlefield, the Qing army had completed its assembly, and the cavalry were on standby on the hillside in an orderly formation.

At the same time, in the Ming army camp, two battle-hardened generals, Ma Bao and Lin Changfeng, were leading 5,000 elite cavalrymen, quietly passing through the thick fog, successfully crossing the Qing River, and entering the heart of the enemy camp.

Due to the cover of heavy fog, their actions were almost unnoticed, and all this was done to counter the impending ambush of the Qing army.

Their mission was not only to disrupt the Qing army's deployment, but also to buy time and opportunities for the subsequent main force.

(End of this chapter)