Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 357 Anxious Dorgon

You know, retreat is one of the most difficult actions in war, and it tests the army's discipline and command ability more than attacking.

The fact that the Ming army was still able to maintain its formation and retreat under such circumstances was enough to demonstrate the rigor of its training and the high quality of its troops. This performance was already the embodiment of an elite army.

However, Saige did not intend to let the Ming army retreat easily.

He stood on his warhorse, looking at the Ming soldiers who were fleeing in panic with their backs to him, a glimmer of pride in his eyes.

"These Nikan deserters are our prey!" Saige shouted and ordered the entire army to give chase.

The Qing cavalry had a natural advantage in speed and impact, while the Ming infantry was already exhausted during the retreat. How could they withstand the Qing army's pursuit?
During the chase and escape, the Ming army soldiers became complete targets of the Qing cavalry.

Under the arrows and spears of the Qing cavalry, they fell one after another, and their blood covered the grass along the way.

In this battle, Saige's cavalry defeated part of the main infantry of the Ming army with a swift offensive, killed hundreds of people, and captured more than 300 war horses. He couldn't help but become complacent.

"The front troops will stay behind to support the main force, and the rest of the troops will follow me in pursuit!" Sage gave the order to pursue.

In his eyes, the defeated Ming army was already vulnerable. As long as he put in a little more effort, he could completely defeat the enemy. He immediately led 3,000 elite cavalry, left the main force, and pursued the Ming army that fled to the south.

However, after being separated from the main force for more than 30 miles, when Saige's army chased to the outskirts of Dapanling Pass, he was greeted by a high-flying Ming army flag, which was Chang Denggui's camp.

Saige's heart was shocked, but then he smiled and said, "Let's fight again and destroy their general flag!"

He ordered his troops to launch an attack quickly and sent out 500 guards as vanguard to attack Chang Denggui's camp.

However, he never expected that this time he would run into Chang Denggui's "iron wall".

Chang Denggui had already made preparations to meet the enemy. He personally led a thousand cavalry as the vanguard and charged forward with thunderous momentum.

The cavalry blades reflected a cold light in the moonlight, and the neighing of war horses rose one after another.

"Kill!" Chang Denggui roared and rushed into the enemy camp himself.

His long sword danced like the wind, flashing with cold light, and he killed five Qing soldiers in a row without mercy.

The morale of the Ming army on the battlefield was completely ignited, and the soldiers followed closely behind, going in and out three times, with the sound of killing shaking the sky.

This Qing army vanguard unit, which dared to face 4,000 with only 500 men, was defeated step by step under the powerful counterattack of Chang Denggui and the Ming army. It was defeated in just two quarters of an hour, and the remaining troops fled in panic.

Saige originally thought that he could pursue the victory and annihilate the Ming army in one fell swoop, but he underestimated Chang Denggui's battlefield wisdom and the combat effectiveness of the Ming army.

However, his strategy of advancing alone and taking the enemy lightly also brought great hidden dangers to the overall situation of the Qing army.

"Your Majesty, how should we deploy the defense of the four deserted villages to the west?"

Bahas's voice broke the silence in the tent. He looked at Dorgon with a serious expression, waiting for instructions.
"The Ming army has intensified its reconnaissance efforts in the two deserted villages at the eastern foot of the mountain, and Ming scouts are approaching every day.

If this continues, it will definitely increase the pressure on our flanks."

Dorgon frowned slightly, his eyes pensive. If the Ming army could control these deserted villages, they could effectively cut off his army's retreat and even completely expose the western defense line. The Ming army's occupation of the hills already posed a threat to his flank, and if they lost the two deserted villages to the west, the situation would become even more dangerous, and the entire left wing defense line would become precarious.

He took a deep breath and did not make a decision immediately, as if he was thinking of a more comprehensive strategy.

Then, he turned to Chaerfu next to him and asked in a deep voice:

"Chaerfu, what do you think about this?"

Chaerfu paused briefly, pursed his lips, and swallowed, appearing a bit nervous. He was a young general serving with Dorgon. Although he came from a prominent family, he was far behind his fathers in both combat experience and strategic vision.

Chaerfu's eyes rolled, and after quickly sorting out his thoughts, he spoke:

"Your Majesty, the four deserted villages to the west are extremely important to our army, especially the two villages to the east. If the Ming army controls them, our left wing defense line will be breached.

To this end, we must step up deployment, appropriately increase troop strength, and strengthen our preparedness to prevent any unforeseen events."

Although Chaerfu's answer was cautious, it seemed a bit simple and direct, lacking some profound military strategy.

He did not consider the possible counterattack of the Ming army or other strategic intentions of the enemy, but only proposed a response plan from a defensive perspective.

Upon hearing this, the other generals in the camp lowered their heads, but they felt a little disapproving in their hearts.

If it weren't for the lack of experienced generals in the Qing army, Chaerfu would never have been in this position.

It can even be said that his command ability at this moment has not yet reached the level of his father's generation, and he actually lacks a mature vision of war.

However, Dorgon did not show any displeasure when he heard Chaerfu's proposal. He remained calm and nodded:
"Well, proceed as instructed. Chaerfu, you will personally lead a thousand armored soldiers and a thousand bannermen to the two deserted villages to the west to reinforce their defenses."

After saying this, he turned to another general and ordered:
"Lor, you will personally lead one thousand armored soldiers and two thousand musketeers to garrison in the north. Make sure the two deserted villages do not fall into enemy hands."

Dorgon made this decision quickly and decisively, as if he had already made up his mind. Seeing this, Chaerfu, Aljin and others could only bow and agree.

However, they each had their own thoughts: Chaerfu knew that his proposal might be a little weak, but he had no way to refute it at this time, so he had to bite the bullet and accept the task; Aljin was dissatisfied, as he believed that such a defensive deployment was not comprehensive and might leave the enemy with an opportunity to take advantage.

At this time, Dorgon suddenly sighed and said in a deep voice:

"Everyone, after the setback in the ambush the other day, the soldiers of each flag have become fearful. Morale is low, and the military spirit is unstable. This is a serious threat and must not be underestimated."

His tone became sad, and his eyes were stern:
"Therefore, from today onwards, an order is issued to all Niulu Bayalas: if anyone spreads rumors or acts in fear of the enemy and avoids fighting again, he must be severely punished!" If the low morale and the shaken military spirit are not resolved in time, it will undoubtedly seriously affect the entire war situation.

Dorgon understood that as a commander, his prestige must be based not only on victory on the battlefield, but also on ensuring the cohesion and combat effectiveness of the army through strict military discipline.

If the military discipline cannot be enforced, how can we expect these soldiers to repeatedly achieve military success on the battlefield?
The generals in the camp were silent, each with their own thoughts in their minds, but in the face of Dorgon's orders, they all bowed and agreed.

After all the generals responded in unison, they began to leave the tent. The guards quickly gathered around and assisted the generals in leaving.

The atmosphere in the battle camp seemed to become even more tense. The generals rode away on horseback and quickly returned to their respective bases to begin preparing for the next defense and counterattack.

As the generals left one after another, only Dorgon and a few of his close associates were left in the tent. Dorgon looked at the sky gradually darkening in the distance, but his heart was still unsettled.

Although he appeared calm in front of outsiders, he felt a sense of unease in his heart.

He was never able to fully control the movements of the Ming army, and the low morale of his own army also made him worried.

He knew that if he could not quickly boost the morale of the army and curb the fear of war in the army, future battles would be extremely difficult.

Dorgon sat on a chair in the central army camp, his brow furrowed and his expression distressed. His mind kept replaying the progress of the battle in Gaizhou City. He knew clearly that this battle would determine the fate of the Qing Dynasty in Liaodong.

And it seemed that he had no more choice in all this. In the past few days, the battle situation in Gaizhou City had become increasingly tense.

Although the situation with Zhu Cilang's army seemed to be a stalemate on the surface, Dorgon had already sensed something from it. Perhaps, to be more precise, he was almost certain: "This battle is destined to be a brutal and bloody one."

In other words, in such a situation, even if they ultimately won, their Eight Banners Army would likely have lost nearly 10,000 soldiers; if they were defeated, the possibility of the entire army being annihilated could not be ignored.

"Is there really no other way?" Dorgon's heart was filled with anxiety. His fingers pressed tightly on the table, his brows furrowed.

The past few small-scale conflicts had not resulted in a decisive victory or defeat, either tactically or strategically. The ambush a few days ago was particularly noteworthy; although neither side had a clear winner, the Qing army had suffered far more casualties than expected.

The Eight Banners Army was already at a relative disadvantage, and the psychological pressure and casualties of the past few days of conflict had caused a significant decline in morale. For the Qing army in particular, low morale was almost equivalent to a weakening of combat capability. Dorgon knew that if this situation continued, the ultimate outcome would only be disadvantageous to him.

He calmly recalled the pre-war deployment. Although he and Zhu Cilang both wanted to fight a decisive battle in Liaodong, the situation was complicated and the troops were limited. How to maintain strong combat effectiveness had become the biggest challenge he faced.

Unlike Zhu Cilang, Dorgon shouldered a much heavier responsibility than the other. He not only had to preserve Liaodong for the Qing Dynasty, but also had to consider the future of the entire empire.

Every military expedition and every battle is not just about immediate victory or defeat, but about the survival of the Qing Dynasty.

"We can't attack rashly..." Dorgon said to himself.

If we underestimate the enemy and advance rashly, even if we win the battle, we will only consume a large amount of troops and will eventually fall into trouble.

If he was defeated, not only would Liaodong be lost, but his personal political status would also be fatally threatened.

He couldn't help but think of the vast land in the north, which was his retreat route. The power in the Heilongjiang River Basin was gradually rising, and some people had even contacted him through connections, secretly seeking cooperation.

Although this was his last resort, he was reluctant to use it unless absolutely necessary.

He knew very well that once the retreat was opened, the Qing Dynasty would have to face a more complicated situation and might even fall into more political and military difficulties.

However, the current situation also makes him feel extremely oppressed. Liaodong, the vast land outside the Great Wall, is far from enough to rely on the existing Eight Banners Army.

Although he had a considerable force, it was still very difficult for him to completely control this land. Even if he could successfully defeat Zhu Cilang's army, it would still be a huge challenge for him to continue to control Liaodong.

Dorgon's inner uneasiness grew, and the pressure almost made him breathless. He knew that the situation was inevitably approaching the moment of decisive battle. Any hesitation or retreat would bring unbearable consequences. He could not retreat, and he did not dare to retreat.

If he chose to withdraw at this time, it would not only mean losing the entire Liaodong, but also mean that the fate of him and the entire Qing Dynasty would collapse.

In Dorgon's eyes, Zhu Cilang had certain advantages and was fully capable of suppressing the Qing army tactically, but even so, Zhu Cilang's limitations were very obvious.

First of all, Zhu Cilang's military strength was inferior to his, and he lacked sufficient strategic reserve forces. If he could guide the battlefield to his preset advantageous position in time, Zhu Cilang's advantage would gradually fade away.

At the same time, Dorgon knew that Zhu Cilang's decision-making was not completely free from interference from within the court. Although the Ming Dynasty regime seemed stable, internal friction and corruption within the court were still serious.

If Zhu Cilang could be forced to face real pressure, the combat effectiveness of the entire Ming army would likely be damaged.

But the cost of this strategy is also very high. Without extremely high tactical qualities and timely decision-making, his efforts will be in vain.

Therefore, at this moment, Dorgon decided that he must place all his chips on this upcoming decisive battle.

Dorgon walked quickly to the desk and picked up the heavy brush without hesitation. He had to make a decisive decision, a decision with no way out.

His pen danced across the paper, quickly scribbling down a few brief military orders. Each word seemed incredibly weighty. After finishing, he fiercely stamped his seal, sealing the order. Regardless of the consequences, there was no turning back from this decisive battle.

In Gaizhou City, in the tent of the Qing army’s base, Jirgalang sat quietly at the table, holding in his hand a second military order that had just been delivered by a fast horse.

He glanced at the note urging him to fight. On the paper was written in large seal script: "Fight quickly and decide quickly, and make sure to annihilate the enemy completely", as if urging him to make a decision.

Jirgalang folded the paper, his expression stern and his eyes flashing with complex light.

He slowly put down the military newspaper in his hand and turned to look at Jiala Ezhen on the right. He was his long-time adviser and right-hand man, with deep eyes and a serious face.

Jirgalang asked in a deep voice, "Will the reinforcements outside the city arrive tomorrow?"

Upon hearing this, Jiala Ezhen replied without hesitation: "Your Majesty, reinforcements will arrive tonight!"

(End of this chapter)