Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

The sky was just beginning to light up, the morning mist still lingering. In the Ming army camp at Quanzhou, a long, wide table sat in the center of the main tent, covered with a rather crude topographical map.

This map was created over the course of nearly a year by Jinyiwei spies, dispatched under the guise of caravans. While far less detailed than later maps, it clearly marked key landmarks such as roads, mountains, and important towns surrounding Chikan City.

Inside the central military tent, the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Dozens of generals gathered around a map, their gaze fixed on the winding mountain ranges and marked fortifications. Zhu Cilang sat at the head of the tent, his expression composed, his gaze sweeping across the room, silent.

The urgent mobilization order issued last night had put the entire camp into a state of war readiness. The clanging of armor filled the air as soldiers geared up, ready for battle. However, everyone was more concerned at the moment—the intelligence on Chikan City remained missing.

"Your Highness," Zhou Shixian broke the silence, his voice tinged with worry as he said, "The intelligence from Chikan City hasn't arrived yet. I'm afraid..."

But before he could finish his words, Zhu Cilang raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Even if the intelligence doesn't arrive, we can still fight this battle," Zhu Cilang said in a deep voice, a hint of hardness in his tone. "Chikan City is isolated and isolated overseas. The reinforcements sent by the Dutch Governor have just arrived and are still struggling to gain a firm foothold. This is the perfect time to attack. He Nan has already planted spies, and the morale of the Han army in the city is unsettled. If we can seize this opportunity to coordinate internal and external forces, our chances of victory are significant."

His eyes were like torches as he slowly swept over the generals present. His voice became increasingly firm as he said, "Everyone, this battle cannot be delayed."

Upon hearing this, everyone bowed in agreement. Zhu Cilang then pointed to the coastal landing port southwest of Chikan City on the map and said, "Lin Changfeng, the Wuwei Battalion and the Central Army Battalion have assembled here. You will lead 2,000 troops and directly assault the port. Make sure to cut off their supplies before the reinforcements arrive."

"I obey your command!" Lin Changfeng bowed and clasped his fists, his eyes fierce.

"Zhou Jie, you will lead the central army. Follow me across the river from the east and attack the main gate of Chikan City." Zhu Cilang continued, "If He Nan rebels as planned, we will attack from both inside and outside. If the situation changes, we will retreat immediately."

"I obey your order!" Zhou Jie responded in a deep voice, his expression full of determination.

Inside the central army tent, the atmosphere was as solemn as a mountain. Zhu Cilang slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the generals, finally landing on Zhou Shixian.

"How is the combat effectiveness of the Third Battalion of the Guards?" Zhu Cilang asked in a deep voice.

Zhou Shixian stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Your Highness, rest assured. The Third Battalion of the Imperial Guards is composed of our veterans. Although we've just added new recruits, these men were selected from the first batch of trained soldiers. They are all skilled in formations and marching, and they performed extremely well in training. Their combat effectiveness is no less than that of veterans."

After hearing this, Zhu Cilang nodded, with a hint of satisfaction on his face.

"Very good." He said slowly, "The vanguard of the Wuwei Camp, disguised as tribal mountain people, will conduct a preliminary test of the enemy's situation tonight. But remember, do not engage the Dutch army lightly."

He paused, then added in a more serious tone, "If anyone from the action team returns, they must deliver the intelligence immediately."

All the generals responded in unison.

Zhu Cilang's eyes were sharp, and his voice was deep. "Let's wait until tonight. If there's still no intelligence coming from Chikan City, we'll immediately activate our backup plan—siege the city! Surround Chikan City, and then wait for an opportunity to strike. As long as He Bin at the North Gate remains in his post, we'll have a chance to cooperate internally and externally and take Chikan in one fell swoop."

As soon as he finished speaking, a calm but doubtful voice sounded.

"Your Highness..." Xu Biao stepped forward and asked solemnly, "Is He Bin at the North Gate really reliable?"

Everyone's eyes immediately focused on him.

Xu Biao pursed his lips and continued, "If Kuiyi takes advantage of our strategy and deliberately deploys troops to feign a withdrawal, our troop deployment will be manipulated. By then, our plan will have been completely exposed."

He paused, his tone growing more worried. "Your Highness, this isn't just my concern. The personal army will follow me across the river and attack the north gate directly. If He Bin rebels, the troops crossing the river will be in dire straits. Especially those two lightly armed commanders. They're lightly equipped, without armor or supplies, and barely have the ability to fight the Dutch in the field. If the Dutch set an ambush..."

He didn't say anything else, but everyone understood the implication. A brief silence fell in the tent.

"News from the island hasn't arrived yet," Xu Biao continued, his brow furrowed. "Is the Dutch Governor only deploying 2,000 troops? We still don't have any definitive information. What if the enemy force is far greater than expected? Our current operation..."

These words swept through like a cold wind, and the generals in the tent fell silent. Zhu Cilang's brows furrowed slightly, and after a moment's hesitation, he turned his gaze to Zhou Shixian: "What do you think?"

Zhou Shixian pondered for a moment and said slowly: "He Bin should be reliable."

"Why are you so sure?" Xu Biao asked.

"He Bin is a member of the Imperial Guard. He served with the Embroidered Uniform Guard in his early years and has long-standing friendships with several of their commanders," Zhou Shixian said in a low but firm voice. "If he truly defected to the Dutch, the Embroidered Uniform Guard would certainly be able to find out. Furthermore, we have spies planted in Chikan City. If He Bin made any unusual moves, it would be impossible for them to remain unnoticed."

He changed his tone and continued, "What's more, when the imperial army crosses the river and attacks the north gate, General Chang will also lead his men to land on the beach southwest of Chikan City, forming a pincer attack from both inside and outside. As long as the two armies cooperate with each other, even if something goes wrong at the north gate, the entire army will not be wiped out."

He raised his head and slowly scanned the crowd. "Besides, the Jinyiwei will personally send someone to assist us this time. As long as they are still taking action, it means the plan is still under control."

"But..." Xu Biao's brows were still furrowed, and he looked very worried.

Zhou Shixian's eyes sharpened, and he interrupted, "General Xu, don't worry too much. Neither Kuiyi nor He Bin has the ability to bribe the Jinyiwei. If He Bin really dares to turn against us, my men will know better than us."

"I'm more worried about He Bin being dismissed," Zhou Shixian's tone suddenly grew grave. "If He Bin is suddenly removed, the North Gate will be out of control. If we storm the city, we'll likely suffer losses and even fail." With these words, the expressions of everyone in the tent grew increasingly solemn. Zhu Cilang listened quietly, his gaze steady and sharp. He slowly walked over to the map, staring at the spot marked "North Gate," and remained silent for a long moment.

After a moment, he took a deep breath, his eyes flashing as he said in a deep voice, "General Xu, the personal army camp will temporarily postpone crossing the river. We will make a decision after receiving intelligence from Chikan tonight."

He paused, looking up at the crowd. "If the intelligence doesn't arrive by then, the backup plan will be implemented immediately. General Chang's troops will remain unchanged, but the troops at the north gate will be assaulted by the third battalion of the Imperial Guards."

"Your Highness!" Xu Biao looked up suddenly, obviously surprised by the decision.

"General Xu, the Imperial Guards are heavily armored. Once they cross the river, their movement will be slow. If they encounter an ambush, they'll be in great trouble," Zhu Cilang said firmly. "The Imperial Guards' Third Battalion is lightly armed and agile. If there's any movement at the North Gate, they'll be able to break free more easily."

Xu Biao opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't insist any more. He clasped his fists and said, "I understand."

Zhu Cilang's eyes were deep as he slowly looked around at everyone. "Everyone, tomorrow's battle will be the deciding factor. Regardless of the intelligence, we must act."

"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison.

Zhu Cilang looked into the distance again, his eyes looking through the gap in the tent to the distant coast.

"He Xing..." He muttered to himself, his expression firm. "I hope you've returned safely."

He slowly stood up and walked out of the tent with his hands behind his back. The morning light shone through the clouds, illuminating his young yet stern face.

That evening, the Jinyiwei intelligence finally arrived. Zhu Cilang gazed at the map, his finger slowly moving along the marked topographical lines. He spoke in a steady and resolute voice, "The intelligence the Jinyiwei has sent back is accurate. The Dutch garrison at Chikan City has significantly increased its forces, likely more than doubling their strength. Otherwise, they wouldn't have so many skilled patrol boat sailors operating on the front lines."

He paused for a moment, frowning slightly, thinking about the enemy's deployment.

"Clearly, the Dutch are urgently adjusting their defenses, and there's still chaos everywhere. This presents a rare opportunity for us." Zhu Cilang raised his eyes, his gaze sharp, and said, "If we wait until they've completed their redeployment and stabilized their defenses, it will be difficult to take action."

Upon hearing this, the generals in the tent all looked solemn. Zhu Cilang continued, "Currently, it appears that the Dutch scouts southwest of Chikan City are on the most stringent alert, clearly the focus of their defense. However, in the mountains north of Chikan City, defenses remain lax, indicating that our spies within the city have not yet been exposed. According to the original plan, the three-pronged assault is still feasible."

He slowly scanned the generals, his tone emphasizing, "Although the Dutch army is powerful, its core combat strength is nothing more than those two thousand elite Dutch soldiers, plus about two thousand mercenaries. If we can force them out from behind the sturdy city walls, these troops will not be a threat."

At this point, Zhou Shixian slowly stepped forward. As the head of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he added, "However, the two captains of the imperial guard camp must depart half a day in advance and quickly move to the mountains northwest of Chikan City ahead of the main force at Quanzhou Port. Next, we must dispatch elite scouts deep into the mountains to ambush the Dutch guard posts there to ensure the army's unimpeded progress."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, but a hint of worry still lingered between his brows. His gaze returned to the map, knowing that time was running out. Another day's delay would strengthen the Dutch defenses. If the enemy had sufficient forces, they might even set up an ambush in the mountains north of Chikan City, making the three-pronged assault plan impossible.

He was unwilling to take risks, but the opportunity was fleeting. If he hesitated any longer, He Nan and the others would be forced to evacuate the city gate, and the plan of attacking from both inside and outside would be completely thwarted. This battle could not be delayed any longer.

Zhu Cilang raised his head, looked at Zhang Huangyan with a sharp gaze, and asked, "How are the preparations of each unit?"

Zhang Huangyan cupped his fists and bowed, then reported in a deep voice, "Two captains from the Imperial Guards have boarded their ship today and will soon reach the waters north of Penghu. Once we reach shore, we can travel light and quickly, skirting the mountains north of Chikan City to the city walls. Meanwhile, the Central Army has selected elite scouts from each camp, disguised as tribal villagers, to serve as vanguards, specifically to eliminate any Dutch scouts along the route."

"In addition," Zhang Huangyan paused, then continued, "the troops in Quanzhou and Haicheng have also been mobilized and are ready to go at any time. Xu Zhibiao has already assembled his army and even stationed them along the coast, so they can be deployed almost as soon as they board a ship. With the command of Your Majesty, all units can be dispatched immediately."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang nodded gently, a hint of satisfaction on his face. He knew full well that the key to this battle lay not only in manpower but also in timing. The Dutch were meticulous. Once they had consolidated their defenses, they would leverage Chikan City's sturdy walls and firepower to buy time. If they waited any longer, enemy naval reinforcements would surely arrive, and even if they captured Chikan, it would likely come at a heavy price.

"Give the order," Zhu Cilang said solemnly, "The Royal Army Battalion must march immediately according to the plan and reach the mountains north of Chikan City within three days. The scouts must proceed with caution to avoid alerting the enemy."

He changed the subject, his eyes sharp as he said, "At the same time, send a message to the Shenwu Left and Right Battalions, telling them to march at any time without delay."

"Yes!" Zhang Huangyan and Zhou Shixian responded in unison.

Zhu Cilang watched the two men leave, his gaze returning to the map. His finger slowly traced the northern mountain range, his mind musing—success or failure depended on this one move.

At night, the north wind howled, and the silence of the mountain forest was oppressive. He Xing huddled deep in a dense forest, his body drenched in mud, his hands tightly gripping a dagger, his eyes gleaming with vigilance. After returning, after a day of arduous trekking, he finally shook off the pursuing Dutch scouts and hid in the mountains.

"I hope my brothers can hold on..." He Xing gritted his teeth and prayed silently in his heart.

Suddenly, there was a faint sound of footsteps in the distance. He Xing's body tensed up suddenly, and he crawled on the ground as fast as a cheetah. He slowly pulled out the dagger and stared at the figure floating in the darkness without blinking.

It was a Dutch patrol. Five soldiers approached slowly, muskets in hand, their steps cautious and steady. He Xing held his breath, motionless, even trying to suppress the hot breath. As the soldiers slowly passed within a few feet of him, one of them seemed to notice something, stopped abruptly, and looked in He Xing's direction.

Oops!

He Xing's forehead was covered in sweat, and his fingers slowly reached for the throwing knife in his arms. If he were discovered, he would have to risk preemptive strike. However, the soldier stared at him for only a moment before shaking his head, muttering something under his breath, and continuing on his way. When their figures completely disappeared into the forest, He Xing finally breathed a long sigh of relief, his body slumped to the ground, his back drenched in sweat.

We can't delay any longer. We must rush to the city and send the information back! He Xing gritted his teeth and stood up. He took a deep breath and ran along the winding mountain road towards the outline of the distant city wall. (End of this chapter)