The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 600 Battle in the Jungle

In the dense forests of Yongle Mountain, the Sichuan Army's White-Spear Soldiers continued their rapid advance.

In just three days, these guys actually advanced sixty or seventy miles north!
This speed startled Nurhaci.

They grew up in the mountains, and he knew very well what running more than twenty miles in the mountains in a day meant.

Those hundreds of thousands of Ming soldiers were probably all raised in the mountains.

Otherwise, let alone running more than 20 miles in the mountains for three consecutive days, even someone who didn't grow up in the mountains might not be able to run more than 20 miles in three days!

At that time, he was unaware of how formidable the Sichuan Army was in the mountains and forests.

Because the historically famous Yang Yinglong Rebellion in Bozhou did not break out, the Bozhou Army and the White-Clad Soldiers, two formidable mountain warfare forces, did not engage in a decisive battle at Hailongtun.

They never even fought each other; they just merged into one. Who knows how formidable they were in the mountains?
At this moment, Nurhaci had no idea how formidable the Sichuan Army's White Spear Soldiers were in the mountains and forests, so he decided to send someone to test them out!
Early on the fourth day, around 7 a.m., just as the sun was rising, he received a message from the south.

The Ming army is still advancing rapidly!
If the Ming army were advancing at the same pace, they would have already reached the mountains and forests more than ten miles, or even less, to their south by today.

At such close range, they probably won't be able to escape!

Because these guys can run faster than them in the mountains and forests.

They must have been exhausted after running more than 20 miles through the mountains for three consecutive days and needed to rest.

However, these guys seemed completely unaffected, and were still making rapid progress on the fourth day!
At this point, they had to test the strength of this Ming army; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to decide whether to flee north or break out south.

Nurhaci frowned and pondered for a while before summoning all his trusted generals to the newly built stone fortress.

At this point, none of his sons and nephews had grown up, nor had any escaped from Hetu Ala.

His generals were his three younger brothers, Murhaci, Shurhaci, and Yarhaci, who had been by their side since early on, as well as his old generals Fei Yingdong, He Heli, Huerhan, Eidu, and Anfeiyangu.

After everyone had arrived, he pointed to the simple map on the wooden table and said, "The Ming army in the south is advancing very quickly, advancing more than 20 li every day."

Yesterday they were only about 30 li away from us, and today they probably managed to get to the mountains and forests about 10 li south of us.

We must test their strength; otherwise, we won't be able to decide whether to flee north or break out south.

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded solemnly.

They didn't say anything.

Saying anything now would be superfluous; they all understand the principle of knowing yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

Now they don't know the strength of the Ming army in the south, and it's really hard to decide what to do next.

If the Ming army to the south is stronger than them in fighting in the mountains and forests, then their reckless attempt to break out to the south is tantamount to suicide.

In this situation, they should choose to flee north.

If the Ming army in the south can only run away and is no match for them in the mountains and forests, then they should choose an opportunity to break out to the south, or choose to defeat them one by one and deal with the Ming armies in the vicinity.

The problem is that they don't know the true strength of the Ming army in the south, so they naturally have to test them.

Nurhaci looked up and slowly scanned the area, then decisively said, "Eidu, you lead five thousand men and all the miscellaneous soldiers of the Donghai Jurchens to give it a try."

Without hesitation, Eidu bowed and waved his sleeve, saying, "Scum."

Nurhaci then pointed to the map and instructed in detail: "You must immediately assemble your troops and set off. You must arrive at both sides of this valley before noon and set up an ambush."

I estimate that the Ming army on the south side will definitely choose to camp and rest in this valley.

They had been running for three days straight, and this was the fourth day. They must have been exhausted when they reached this valley.

Don't hesitate. Once they come over, immediately lead your troops to surround them and slaughter them to see how strong they really are.

Also, you have to be careful of the Ming troops surrounding you from the left and right.

Each of their groups was only about ten miles apart, and given their speed in the mountains and forests, they could surround them in a little over an hour.

Therefore, you can only probe for a maximum of one hour. After that, regardless of the outcome, you must retreat immediately.

Eidu still waved his sleeve and bowed without hesitation, saying, "Scum."

Having said that, he turned and strode away.

Soon, five thousand Jurchen soldiers and six or seven thousand miscellaneous soldiers from the Eastern Sea Jurchen tribe rushed into the mountains and forests, heading south at high speed.

It has to be said, they were a bit unlucky.

Their new stone fortress was built in a roughly central location running east to west, and Qin Liangyu, as the commander-in-chief, naturally had to command from the center.

In other words, Qin Liangyu and Ma Qiancheng's troops were directly to their south!
At this time, Qin Liangyu and Ma Qiancheng were also leading tens of thousands of troops northward through the towering mountains to the south.

The two vehicles were traveling towards each other at breakneck speed, and the distance between them was rapidly decreasing at a speed visible to the naked eye. It seemed that it was only a matter of time before they collided.

Around 9:00 AM, the Eidu tribe stopped and hid on both sides of the designated valley, and no one knew what was going on.

Qin Liangyu and Ma Qiancheng seemed oblivious to the situation and continued to lead their troops at a rapid pace.

However, one thing is extremely abnormal.

Although the migratory birds in the nearby mountains had already taken flight, the calls of birds continued to echo from the surrounding hills.

These are scouts they sent out to deliver a message.

As they traveled at a brisk pace, they were surrounded by the cheerful chirping of magpies. However, shortly after 9 a.m., a loud cry of wild geese suddenly came from ahead.

"Gah, gah, gah."

Almost everyone stopped in their tracks at the same time, and the rustling jungle suddenly became incredibly quiet.

Ma Qiancheng quickly and deftly opened the telescope cover on the back of his bodyguard, took out the telescope, and glanced at the mountain in front of him.

The scout atop the mountain was holding a small telescope in one hand and pointing the other continuously toward the distant valley, their designated campsite for the day! Ma Qiancheng glanced at the valley again with the telescope and then carefully adjusted the focus.

Soon, he discovered the Jurchens hiding in the dense forest on both sides of the valley. Although their bodies were concealed, their heads were still sticking out.

At this moment, Qin Liangyu approached and asked urgently, "What's wrong?"

Ma Qiancheng quickly handed her the binoculars and said simply, "There are ambushes on both sides of the valley where we are camping tonight."

Qin Liangyu took the binoculars and scanned them carefully, then decisively said, "Order all soldiers to rest on the spot for half an hour."

Ma Qiancheng raised his hand and made a few gestures, then asked, "Should we order our troops from both sides to come and surround us?"

Qin Liangyu raised her binoculars again and scanned the area carefully. Then she slowly shook her head and said, "Don't rush. There are only about ten thousand Jurchens lying in ambush on both sides of this valley."

The Jurchens certainly had more than this number of troops; we still don't know whether they really wanted to launch an ambush or take the opportunity to escape.

If we order our left and right flanks to encircle them, then two gaps, each twenty or thirty miles wide, will be left on either side. If the remaining Jurchens escape through these gaps, then we'll be in trouble.

We'll deal with these Jurchens ourselves first. You go left, I'll go right, each leading five thousand soldiers to charge down the hillsides. Before charging, have your soldiers switch to muskets and load the bullets.

At that moment, E'yidu, on the highest mountain on the right side of the valley, was also looking in this direction.

However, he did not have a telescope.

He could only vaguely see countless red dots surging towards them from the forests to the south.

The Ming army's uniforms were predominantly red, and the movement of red dots indicated that the Ming army was advancing rapidly in this direction.

He originally thought the ambush had been successful.

To everyone's surprise, those red dots suddenly stopped moving several miles away.

Has this been discovered?
Not likely.

They weren't wearing red clothes, and they were all hidden in the jungle, not moving.

How could the Ming army have discovered them from such a distance?
It is very likely that the Ming army was tired from running and needed to rest.

If it's a break, it shouldn't take more than half an hour.

Sure enough, after about half an hour, those red dots started surging towards them again.

Upon seeing this, Eidu couldn't help but reveal a cruel smile.

If this Ming army were to surge into the valley below them, they would be finished. Arrows, rolling stones, spears, dry grass, and firewood would rain down on them, and they could take care of these guys in less than half an hour.

However, he soon stopped laughing.

This Ming army had clearly entered the valley ahead, but instead of taking the main road through the valley floor, these guys charged straight towards them along the slopes on both sides!
They were discovered long ago?!

Before Eidu could react, the sound of gunfire suddenly rang out like firecrackers, and in an instant, at least a thousand people on their side fell to the ground, clutching their faces and screaming in agony.

It's obvious they were discovered long ago.

However, he had no intention of running away.

This Ming army had been marching swiftly through the mountains for four days, and today they had already covered more than twenty li (about 10 kilometers), so they were probably exhausted.

As for the Ming army's muskets, as long as they hide behind big trees and boulders and don't show their faces, the muskets can't hit them.

He thought for a moment and then decisively said, "Send the order: put on your weapons, hide yourselves, and prepare for close combat."

With a wave of command flags, the Jurchens abandoned their bows and arrows, spears, hay, firewood, and other weapons, and drew their own, waiting behind the big trees and boulders.

Upon seeing this, Qin Liangyu and Ma Qiancheng drew their weapons without hesitation, roared "Kill!", and charged forward first.

The newly appointed military officers and their personal guards behind them also drew their weapons and rushed forward.

The tens of thousands of White-Spear Soldiers also didn't hesitate to tie their muskets to their backs, draw their white spears, and charge forward.

Soon, the jungle was filled with the sounds of weapons clashing and screams.

When two armies meet, the brave one will prevail.

Eiduna was also a famous and fierce general among the Jurchens.

Seeing that a fight had broken out below, he immediately drew his weapon, ready to charge down.

However, he cannot charge blindly. He must charge to the enemy's commanding general and kill him. Killing ordinary soldiers would be a waste of time and would have no significance for the battle.

He glanced up and carefully surveyed the jungle below, then suddenly stopped, his leg, which was about to step out, halted abruptly.

Because the Ming army generals were too capable.

That guy's two greatswords flew up and down, and anyone he encountered was either cut down to the ground along with their weapon, or sent flying backwards coughing up blood!
None of his men could even come close to defeat him.

The guy's men around him seemed to be really good fighters; they could take down one of his men in no time.

Moreover, the Ming army's advance speed was frighteningly fast; in just a short time, the Ming army had advanced nearly a hundred paces!
Isn't rushing in to his death?
Although Eyid is fierce, he is not brainless.

He was ordered to test the strength of the Ming army, not to fight them to the death.

The strength of the Ming army has now been tested.

They simply can't beat them!
Then hurry up and run!

He thought for a moment and then decisively ordered, "Send the order for a full retreat."

After saying that, he dashed down the north-facing hillside in a flash.

(End of this chapter)