Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 470 Prologue (Part 3)

"Fellow banner lords, princes, and officials..." Huang Taiji's gaze swept over the people in the hall. The teacups on the table had gone cold, and water droplets condensed on the cup walls, winding along the wood grain like a trace of blood that had not yet dried.

He gently traced the rim of the cup with his fingertips, his voice as deep as the rammed earth outside the palace: "Our Great Qing has fought the Ming army in Liaodong to this day, our food supplies are running low, our armor and soldiers are being lost, and the situation is already showing signs of decline. I fear we will be unable to sustain this battle. What do you all think? Should we grit our teeth and hold on, seeking an opportunity to defeat the main force of the Ming army in front of us? Or should we temporarily cease hostilities, recuperate, and then plan our entry into the pass?"

The breathing inside the hall suddenly became heavy, and even the wind between the beams and pillars seemed to have stopped.

"Your Majesty!" Jirhalang took half a step forward and said in a deep voice, "On the battlefield, it is like fighting a tiger in the deep mountains. The tiger is already showing signs of fatigue. If we relax our efforts, we will be devoured by the tiger! Momentum is something that is not easy to build up, and once it is lost, it is as difficult as climbing to heaven!"

He abruptly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall with an undeniable sharpness: "I believe we should mobilize the entire nation's strength to make this final push! The Ming army's eight garrison commanders and over 100,000 elite troops have gathered in Liaoxi, seemingly a formidable force, but in reality, they've put all their eggs in one basket. If we can break that basket, the Ming Dynasty's backbone in Liaodong will be broken! At that point, Jinzhou, Songshan, and Xingshan will be nothing more than spoils in our hands!"

"The Ming army has assembled eight garrison commanders in Liaodong, with an army numbering over 100,000. Can Prince Zheng guarantee that they will be completely annihilated?" Daishan sighed. "Even if, as you wish, 100,000 elite Ming troops are wiped out, do you have any idea of ​​the losses and losses suffered by our Great Qing?"

He glanced at Huang Taiji in the hall again and said slowly, "In the fifth year of Chongde (1640), we lost 1,500 Han soldiers at Songshan. Have you forgotten that when those bondservant soldiers carried the corpses back, the blood on their faces had frozen into ice? This spring, several Niru of my Bordered Red Banners, even thirteen-year-old children, donned armor and went into battle. If this continues, let alone annihilating the Ming army, I'm afraid the very foundation of my Great Qing will be hollowed out."

“Prince Li, sometimes in war, you can’t be too calculating,” Jirhalang smiled. “As long as we can achieve our predetermined goals, that’s enough. What are our goals? It’s to annihilate as many of the Ming army’s elite main forces as possible and gain an overwhelming advantage on the Liaodong battlefield.”

He leaned forward, lowering his voice even further, yet with a seductive power: "Think about it, how much food and supplies are wasted every year fighting the Ming army in Jinzhou? Last winter, the soldiers of the Bordered Blue Banner fought while chewing on frozen horse meat. Do you think they weren't resentful? Why not just use all our strength this time and swallow these hundreds of thousands of Ming soldiers whole? For the next ten or twenty years, we can live peacefully in Shengjing, warming ourselves by the fire and drinking wine, without ever having to see the snow in Liaoxi again!"

“Hong Chengchou is no ordinary man; he is a veteran general of the Ming Dynasty!” Dai Shan’s brows furrowed. “In the past two years, he has been guarding Liaoxi with a steady and methodical approach, with few oversights or weaknesses. The Ming army’s cannons are positioned like city walls; cavalry cannot charge through them, and infantry are bombed as soon as they get close. If we want to swallow him up, we’ll probably have to break our own teeth.”

“Well, everyone makes mistakes,” Jirhalang retorted, sticking out his neck. “The Ming army’s eight garrison commanders, numbering 130,000, actually only have 30,000 to 50,000 truly capable elite troops. Moreover, they are from Xuanfu, Datong, Shanhaiguan, and other places within the Great Wall, each with their own agendas, and their units are not under each other’s command. As long as our Great Qing exerts strong pressure, the Ming army will inevitably change course, and their weaknesses will naturally be exposed.”

"Aren't you worried that we'll make a mistake first?" Dai Shan suddenly raised his voice, causing the inkstone on the table to bounce.

"In the past two years, how many settlements have the new Chinese established along the shores of Beiqinhai (Lake Xingkai)? Last year, our scouts reported that their people had crossed the Heishui and Ussuri Rivers, trading sable furs and grain with the Solon people, and even teaching them blacksmithing! The Solon people used to pay tribute to Shengjing every year, but we haven't seen a single one of them in the past two years. Those new Chinese are not only trying to cut off our support, but also trying to stab us in the back!"

He took a breath and glanced at the banner chiefs and princes in the hall: "And Shen Shikui of Dongjiang Town, under the instigation of the Xinhua people, has been frequently raiding the Liaodong coast and the Yalu River line. Just last month, they blocked one of our grain transport convoys at the mouth of the Yalu River. From the blockhouse they built in Tieshan, you can even see the smoke rising from Uiju, Korea. What is this? They want to turn Korea back into the Ming Dynasty's possession and cut off our grain supply!"

Daishan slammed his fingers heavily on the table: "We only withdrew our troops from Korea last February (1640), and in the blink of an eye, that Prince Gwanghaegun, with the support of the Ming army and Dongjiang Town, has once again grown powerful and even captured Gaegyeong. If we don't suppress Korea, I'm afraid we will lose this vassal state!"

"Furthermore, if we concentrate all the elite Eight Banners troops along the Jinzhou line, leaving only the old, weak, sick, and disabled in Shengjing and Liaoyang, and the Xinhua people attack from the north while the Dongjiang Town forces attack from the south, we'll be caught in a pincer movement. In that case, even our ancestral graves might be dug up!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, immediately causing a stir in the hall.

Meile Zhangjing Zhuohe Nuo of the Bordered White Banner couldn't help but speak up: "Prince Li is right! Last month, my nephew was on duty in Ningguta and secretly saw the ships of the new Chinese shuttling back and forth on the Black Water. The cannons on the ships were even longer than our red-coated cannons. Those people don't rob grain or money, they just rob land and people. They are ten times more troublesome than the Ming army!"

“We also need to be wary of Dongjiang Town,” said Du Lei, the Gushan Ejen of the Plain Red Banner. “Last year, they raided Phoenix City and burned all our winter fodder, causing hundreds of Plain Red Banner warhorses to starve and dozens to freeze to death. If our main force is tied up in Jinzhou and they come to burn the fodder yards in Shengjing again, the Eight Banners soldiers will have to fight on foot this winter!”

"You're boosting the enemy's morale while diminishing our own!" Jirhalang's face turned ashen with anger. "The Xinhua people are nothing but wandering merchants, and Dongjiang Town is full of stray dogs. What can they amount to? The biggest threat right now is the hundreds of thousands of Ming troops in Liaoxi! If we don't crush them while they're gathered together, once Hong Chengchou has fortified Jinzhou, we'll have to crawl over piles of corpses at Shanhaiguan if we want to enter the pass again!"

“Prince Zheng’s words are too absolute.” Fan Wencheng, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up. He was kneeling on the ground, and the mud stains on the hem of his robe were particularly noticeable.

"Although the Xinhua people are far away, they grow potatoes and corn better than we do. I've heard that the pigs they raise in Tieshan are as big as calves. This kind of power that can accumulate wealth is more terrifying than the Ming army, which only knows how to fight. Although Dongjiang Town is weak, it holds Korea by the throat and cuts off our food supply..."

He paused, then looked up at Huang Taiji: "This servant believes that we can divide our forces into two groups. The main force can continue to besiege Jinzhou to contain the Ming army; we can also send an elite force to Beiqinhai and Heishui to try to wipe out the villages of the new Chinese people, and at the same time give the Solon tribe a warning, so that they will give up their hopes. Only then can we concentrate on dealing with Liaoxi."

"Scholar Fan, are you suggesting we divide our forces?" Jirhalang asked menacingly. "Military strategy dictates that dividing forces weakens us! We already lack sufficient troops; if we divide them further north, will the troops at the Jinzhou front be enough to fill the Ming army's cannons? You Han slave, do you even know how to fight?"

"In my humble opinion, it is better to prevent problems before they arise, and we must not allow the new Chinese to take advantage of the situation in the rear of our Great Qing Dynasty and grow too powerful, so that they will be difficult to deal with in the future," Fan Wencheng replied respectfully.

"So you don't approve of mobilizing the entire nation's forces to hunt down the main Ming army?"

"Well, this is a golden opportunity, a chance that won't come again." Fan Wencheng glanced cautiously at Huang Taiji, whose face was ashen, and said in a low voice, "Although Hong Chengchou is a skilled warrior, the Ming court is hindering him, and the morale of his army will surely be in turmoil. This is a godsend!"

"Hmm, very good!" Jirhalang nodded in satisfaction: "Therefore, we still need to concentrate our forces and take down the main force of 100,000 Ming troops in one fell swoop as our priority."

The debate inside the hall grew bigger and bigger like a snowball, with the head of the Bordered Yellow Banner, several princes, and even Prince Badali of the Khorchin Mongols joining in.

Badali was more concerned with his own gains and felt that instead of fighting to the death in Liaoxi, he should follow the example of breaking through the pass in two years, bypass Shanhaiguan, and once again invade the heart of the Ming Dynasty to seize a wave of territory.

Ying Erdai, the Minister of Revenue, kept sighing and complaining that the rice and beans in the treasury were running low, and if the fighting continued, the Eight Banners would go hungry before the autumn harvest. Huang Taiji remained silent, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, making a soft "tap, tap" sound.

He looked at the arguing crowd with eyes as sharp as a hawk's, taking in Jirhalang's decisiveness, Daishan's caution, Fan Wencheng's prudence, Zhang Cunren's scheming, and Ying Erdai's predicament.

The arguing gradually subsided, and everyone realized that it was time to listen to the Emperor's decision.

Huang Taiji slowly stood up, the hem of his dragon robe sweeping across the table, leaving behind a patch of dry sandalwood ash.

He walked to the center of the hall, his gaze sweeping over everyone, finally settling between Jirhalang and Daishan.

"Prince Li's concern for the rear is a wise and mature statement."

His voice was not loud, but it carried a penetrating power: "I know about the actions of the Xinhua people in Heishui and Beiqinhai, and the deeds of Dongjiang Town on the Yalu River. The soldiers of the Bordered Yellow Banner have already built three more beacon towers in Ningguta; the cavalry of the Plain White Banner have also gone to patrol the mouth of the Yalu River. If they dare to make a move, I have my own ways to deal with them."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Jirhalang: "I understand the 'momentum' that Prince Zheng spoke of. This war has gone on for a while now, and it's no longer just a matter of Jinzhou. It's a matter of who can dominate the situation in Liaodong between our Great Qing and the Ming Dynasty."

"The Ming army has gathered 100,000 elite troops here, intending to trap us in western Liaoning. They think they can afford to wait it out, that we lack food and manpower, and that we won't last long." Huang Taiji's lips curled into a cold smile. "But they've forgotten that the bones of my Great Qing were hardened by the snows of Changbai Mountain, not softened by millet porridge!"

He suddenly raised his voice, causing dust to fall from the palace beams: "Issue my decree..."

Everyone in the hall immediately knelt down, their heads bowed low.

"The soldiers of the Bordered Yellow Banner and Bordered Red Banner who are on leave should be assembled within five days and led by Jirhalang to the Jinzhou front!"

"All treasuries in Shengjing, Liaoyang, and Hetu Ala, whether official or private grain, must be loaded onto carts and transported to the front lines! Anyone who dares to hoard grain will be executed!"

"Ying'erdai, go and tell the Korean hostage delegation that if they can bring another 100,000 shi of grain from Hanyang, I will release their crown prince to go home. Otherwise, they will have to farm in Shengjing for the rest of their lives!"

His gaze swept over the kneeling crowd, carrying an undeniable air of authority: "As for the Xinhua people and Dongjiang Town..."

"Order Tulai of the Bordered White Banner to lead 700 armored soldiers to Ningguta and keep an eye on the movements of Beiqinhai and Heishui. If they dare to take a single step out of the village, break their legs!"

"Order Turge of the Plain Yellow Banner to lead 800 armored cavalry to patrol the mouth of the Yalu River. If any ships from Dongjiang Town dare to approach, sink them in the river!"

Finally, he looked at Dodo and Shuo Tuo, his voice steady as a bell: "You two will each lead your respective banner soldiers to Jinzhou to assist Dorgon. Tell the Eight Banner soldiers at the front that if this battle is won, everyone will be allocated fifty mu of good land in Yizhou, with plenty of potatoes and corn!"

"Prince Li, you will stay with me in Shengjing to manage the supply lines and military equipment in the rear. I want the soldiers at the front to know that I will protect their families!"

The hall was deathly silent, save for Huang Taiji's voice echoing between the beams and pillars: "My mind is made up. We will use the full strength of the nation to fight the Ming army to the death at Jinzhou! If we win, Liaodong will be entirely in our hands, and we will be able to roam freely west of Shanhaiguan; if we lose..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the sun outside the palace. "Even if I die with the Eight Banners soldiers beneath the walls of Jinzhou, I will never let the Ming Dynasty laugh at my Great Qing!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jirhalang kowtowed sharply, his forehead hitting the ground with a dull thud: "Your subject obeys the decree!"

After a moment of silence, Daishan slowly bowed down and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."

The kneeling crowd responded in unison, their voices shaking the palace doors.

Huang Taiji turned and walked toward the throne, the black dragon pattern gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

He knew that taking this step would be a gamble with his life on the line.

But he had no choice. The Qing Dynasty was like a horse galloping on the edge of a cliff; it either leaped over the abyss or crashed to its death.

The hot wind outside the hall was still damp, but when it blew into Chongzheng Hall at this moment, it seemed to carry the chill of a blade.

The battlefield in western Liaoning is about to witness the bloodiest battle; and this gamble that will determine the fate of the two countries has just begun with the heaviest stakes.
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(End of this chapter)