Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 355: Battle by the River
On the brutal battlefield, the Ming army soldiers did not stop there, but continued to launch fierce attacks.

Some of the soldiers held up their shields to provide cover for their teammates and block the arrows shot by the Qing army; some waved their spears and stabbed the Qing cavalrymen fiercely.

Those Mongolian Eight Banners cavalrymen who were knocked off their horses had almost no ability to fight back against the Ming infantry who were pouring in like a tide.

The Qing cavalry had hoped to rely on speed and mobility to gain an advantage, but under the counterattack of the infantry, they were not only unable to fight back, but even lost the ability to protect themselves.

Among the cavalry, a cavalryman was stabbed in the chest by the tip of a spear. Blood gushed out like a fountain and he fell down almost instantly. The Ming army soldier following closely behind him took the opportunity to shoot him directly in the neck, completely killing him.

For these Qing cavalry, whether it was the disadvantage of weapons or the lack of combat effectiveness, they were unable to resist the fierce attack of the Ming army.

With the cover of shields, the Ming army infantry was able to effectively defend against sporadic arrows from the Qing army, and those Qing cavalry who were knocked off their horses became targets for the Ming army infantry's spears.

The changes in the battle situation were rapid and cruel. The Qing cavalry's retreat caused their morale to plummet.

After a long period of resistance, more and more Qing cavalry fell down, unable to turn the tide.

The Ming army's spears quickly pierced the Qing cavalry's weak defense line and tore their cotton armor. Blood continued to spill, and the number of corpses on the battlefield increased.

Although some Qing cavalry still tried to launch a counterattack, their disadvantages in numbers and equipment meant that they were unable to resist the Ming army's counterattack.

Even though the Qing cavalry who tried to resist could draw their swords and fight to the death, they faced more intensive attacks from the Ming army and more elite infantry.

Although the resistance of these Qing cavalry was fierce, they were ultimately defeated by the overwhelming advantage in numbers and weapons.

Soon, the resistance of the Qing cavalry was completely suppressed, and they could only retreat continuously, seeking to escape from the battlefield.

At this time, the situation on the entire battlefield has undergone earth-shaking changes.

The Ming army's counterattack was almost unstoppable. Although the Qing army's cavalry units once showed extremely strong impact, they fell into an irretrievable predicament under the head-on attack of the Ming army's infantry.

The battle seemed to have gradually tilted towards the Ming army.

Despite this, Saige's main force did not give up, and their arrows continued to shoot at the Ming army.

However, although the arrows shot from the Qing army rained down on the Ming army positions, they posed almost no threat to the armored soldiers.

Although the arrows kept piercing the armor, making bursts of "ding ding" sounds, they did not cause fatal damage. Instead, they temporarily disrupted the cavalry's offensive rhythm and blocked their actions.

However, for the Qing army that originally planned to break through the Ming army's defense line through a surprise attack, the most serious problem at the moment was not the threat posed by arrows, but the fact that their formation had begun to collapse.

Originally, the Qing army planned to use its powerful cavalry to quickly break through the heartland of the Ming army and threaten its rear.

But no one expected that there would be such violent chaos on the battlefield.

Thousands of Mongolian Eight Banners cavalry lost control during the attack, and the panicked cavalry retreated one after another, causing the offensive formation of the subsequent troops to be completely disrupted.

At the same time, the narrow river channel on the eastern battlefield also severely restricted the mobility of the Qing cavalry. Thousands of cavalry were forced to stagnate and fell into trouble.

Among them, more than a thousand cavalrymen had broken through the defense line and were directly trapped within it. In the chaos, they could not advance or retreat, and some cavalrymen even showed a tendency to rush into the battlefield in the east.

The remaining 2,000 cavalrymen had not yet broken through the defense line and remained outside, unable to play a role.

At this time, the situation on the battlefield seemed extremely complicated. Although the Qing cavalry had lost the initiative to attack, they had not suffered a fatal blow. If they were given some breathing space and reorganized, they might still be able to launch a counterattack again.

On the Ming army side, as the distance between the two armies gradually increased, the situation on the battlefield became more confusing.

Although the Qing army was in chaos, it still had a certain combat effectiveness. If the Ming army could not seize this momentary advantage in time, the situation would likely be reversed again.

Fortunately, just when the situation was critical, Zhu Cilang's cavalry army finally succeeded in crossing the river and quickly launched a counterattack.

At this time, Zhu Cilang did not directly order a full-scale charge. He knew very well that as the king of a country, his presence was a symbol of the morale of the entire army.

Zhu Cilang had already made plans in his mind. Although he dared to go to the front line to command the battle in person, he would never take the risk of charging into battle easily.

If he rashly rushed to the front line and encountered an accident, it would not only be a personal loss for himself, but would also plunge the situation of the entire country into an irreparable predicament.

Therefore, Zhu Cilang cautiously chose to stand behind the command position and command the entire army to attack.

Zhu Cilang's personal cavalry charged forward as swiftly as sharp swords. Zhang Huangyan personally led more than a thousand cavalrymen and followed closely behind, quickly joining the charge.

As the Ming cavalry's offensive became more fierce, the Qing army's vanguard, which was already in a state of chaos, collapsed instantly.

Although Saige's cavalry once broke through the Ming army's defense line, they immediately fell into a complete dilemma under the siege of Zhu Cilang and Zhang Huangyan's elite troops.

This reversal on the battlefield is not unexpected.

Although the Qing army in Saige once tore through the Ming army's defense line with the speed and impact of the cavalry, their formation in the battle was chaotic and their combat effectiveness was seriously weakened.

In contrast, the Ming army demonstrated strict military discipline and command system. Although outnumbered, they quickly counterattacked with iron discipline and high morale.

The contrast between the two armies was like a solid iron wall against a gust of wind.

Although Saige's cavalry overwhelmed the Ming army's positions in the early stages, they were obviously exhausted and their morale began to decline after a long and fierce battle.

In sharp contrast, Zhu Cilang's personal cavalry maintained a high degree of unity and determination in both tactics and morale.

Their attack was like a huge wave, unstoppable.

The Qing army was disrupted by the attack of the Ming army in just a few minutes. The previous high morale was instantly shattered. Many Qing cavalry began to flee in all directions, with almost no ability to resist.

The personal cavalry around Saige was gradually suppressed by the elite troops of the Ming army. Seeing that he was about to get into trouble, Saige couldn't help but feel a little panic in his heart.

But even so, Saige still tried to command his cavalry to hold their ground, but at this time, he had completely lost control of the battle situation.

The Ming army's counterattack was already unstoppable, and the Qing army's line was collapsing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

At this moment, Zhu Cilang's personal cavalry rushed into the Qing army's position, and Saige's orders could not be effectively responded to at all.

The situation on the battlefield completely reversed in an instant.

The Qing army's rout began to spread, and the battlefield was dotted with Qing cavalry fleeing in panic, with almost no organization or resistance. Zhu Cilang stood on the high ground, his eyes sharp as a torch, commanding his men to quickly attack the Qing army's camp.

The situation on the battlefield changed rapidly. Under the sudden and fierce attack of the Qing cavalry, the front line was once torn apart.

Although the infantry had been left behind and this elite force of more than a thousand cavalrymen was closely chasing the retreating Mongolian Eight Banners cavalry, the Ming army did not sit idly by.

During the retreat, the formation of the Eight Banners of Mongolia gradually became disorganized, and the cavalry, which was already overwhelmed, fell into complete chaos.

Despite this, the Manchu Eight Banners cavalry that followed closely behind also fell into considerable trouble due to the retreat of the Mongolian Eight Banners, and the already crowded formation became even more difficult to expand.

However, although the Ming cavalry had achieved certain victories, repelling thousands of Mongolian Eight Banners cavalry and even killing and wounding hundreds of enemy soldiers, Saige and his personal cavalry still did not rashly advance deep into the enemy camp.

Although the Qing cavalry was extremely elite and had excellent impact power, Saige knew clearly that although there were only a thousand enemy soldiers in front of him, if he rashly advanced deep into the enemy's territory and fell into the enemy's siege, the losses would be immeasurable.

After all, the enemy had a clear advantage in terms of military strength, and if the Qing army's only cavalry continued to pursue, it would be difficult for them to exert their full combat power.

Especially when the enemy was well prepared and had rapid reinforcements, Saige dared not take it lightly.

Therefore, Saige cautiously ordered his troops to advance steadily, taking advantage of the chaotic situation to suppress the Qing troops that had broken through the eastern defense line.

The cavalry remained on high alert, ready to respond to larger-scale battles at any time.

At the same time, within the Qing army camp, the changes in the battle situation made Dorgon feel increasingly difficult.

Just as the war elephants in the front launched a surprise attack, the Qing army's formation was completely disrupted. Coupled with the confusion of the enemy's intelligence, Dorgon felt a little anxious.

Although he was aware of the Ming army's fierce counterattack on the battlefield, he also knew that if he continued like this, he would not only lose a large number of troops, but might also fall into the encirclement of the Ming army.

He quickly judged that there was no need to advance further in the current battle situation, especially in such unfavorable terrain, where the Qing army could not fully deploy its forces, and any reckless advance would put their side in a more passive position.

So, after a brief thought, Dorgon ordered the army to withdraw and quickly reorganize the formation to prepare for the subsequent retreat.

Retreat is not a failure, but the most sensible choice at this stage. After all, preserving strength can pave the way for a counterattack in the future.

It was almost noon. At this time, the battlefield in the north of Qinghe was bloody and corpses were everywhere. The brutality of the battle was shocking.

On the eastern defense line, the Qing army was unable to make a breakthrough due to the perseverance of Chen Fu and Ma Bao.

Thanks to the timely arrival of Zhang Huangyan's personal cavalry reinforcements, the eastern defense line was successfully repaired and the gap was filled, making it difficult for the Qing army to make any further progress.

The two armies formed a confrontation in a short period of time and the battle situation reached a stalemate.

As time went on, the Ming army's counterattack gradually showed its advantage.

Zhu Cilang had long anticipated that with the successful crossing of the Qing River by 5,000 Ming cavalrymen and their joining the battle on the east bank, the pressure on the Qing army would double.

As expected, as reinforcements from the east coast joined the battlefield, the morale of the Qing army began to waver.

Although Dorgon still had a strong military force, he was unwilling to continue to consume it. The Qing army began to retreat gradually, dividing its troops to defend and shrinking its positions.

Faced with such a situation, Zhu Cilang quickly commanded the combat troops and the firearms battalion to cross the river according to the original plan, ensuring the stability of the defense line on the east bank.

After the defense line was completely constructed, he ordered the civilians to cross the river, set up camp, and begin to establish a solid rear defense line.

However, the original plan to take advantage of the Qing army's retreat to quickly send troops to occupy several key deserted villages on the east coast as strategic fulcrums for the general battle had to be temporarily shelved due to the complexity of the current situation.

On the battlefield, no plan can be executed absolutely as expected. Even the most precise arrangements will be adjusted due to complex situations and unforeseen changes.

Zhu Cilang had already prepared himself mentally, and he remained calm in the face of sudden changes.

He understood that every decision on the battlefield was full of variables, and there were very few situations where it could be carried out completely according to the predetermined plan.

In this environment, flexible response and accurate judgment are the keys to success.

However, although the original plan to occupy the deserted village was shelved, Zhu Cilang still did not relax his vigilance.

He knew that once the army successfully crossed the Qing River and confronted the Qing army, Dorgon would have no way to escape.

At this time, any decision to retreat would be self-destructive.

Especially in such a complex terrain, if Dorgon chose to retreat, it would mean that he had completely lost the initiative and might even provide a greater opportunity for the Ming army to counterattack.

Zhu Cilang knew very well that as long as he could stabilize the defense line and take control of the battle into his own hands, the final victory would definitely belong to the Ming army.

On both sides of the Qing River, war drums sounded and military bugles blared. The fierce fighting atmosphere seemed to have already permeated this vast wilderness.

With bursts of rapid trumpet sounds, the armies in the camps on the south bank began to get ready to set off. Thousands of soldiers, war horses, and baggage vehicles poured out of the camps continuously, like a gray tide, rushing towards the north bank and reaching the pontoon ferry.

The military flags of each camp fluttered in the wind and had already been set up at various important locations on the south bank.

Following the guidance of the flags, the soldiers stepped onto the bridge and headed towards the north bank.

The army's steps were neat and steady. Although the other side of the river had been occupied by another large army, the soldiers remained orderly and their morale remained high.

At the same time, as these soldiers advanced, thousands of cavalrymen were already on standby outside the various camps on the south bank, with flags raised high, marking their respective positions and locations.

More than 10,000 troops on guard on the north bank also took their positions one by one. The main and auxiliary forces of each battalion were quickly organized to ensure the smooth completion of the camp's takeover and preparation work.

Although these tasks are complicated, they are extremely critical and cannot afford any mistakes.

Main generals Chen Fu, Ma Bao, Lin Changfeng and Chang Denggui have led their troops deep into the front line and advanced to the border area three miles away from the enemy camp.

Not only did they keep on high alert, they also assigned sentries and patrols to guard against possible raids by the Qing cavalry.

This is an operation that must be carried out with caution. Any mistake may trigger a chain reaction and lead to an unfavorable battle situation.

(End of this chapter)