Ming Dynasty entry: I am Chongzhen, the greatest emperor of all time!

Chapter 106 Dorgon was stunned by the beating.

Zhu Youjian's fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of the newspaper.

He didn't know why Dorgon did this, whether it was to force him to divide his troops or to force him to send troops on his own initiative.

It doesn't matter anymore. Now both sides are waiting for the decisive moment.

If he had not been mistaken, Dorgon's strategic objective should have been to capture the capital or to have him captured and executed at Xifengkou, so that he could sweep through Northern Zhili in one fell swoop.

Only in this way can the loss of Daishan's capture be made up for.

However, he was still unclear how Dorgon's division of troops would help these two points.

But he wasn't going to wait any longer.

Dorgon withdrew from Henan with only a little over 40,000 men.

Seven thousand troops were sent to the capital, and now another fifteen thousand have been sent to the surrounding areas.

In other words, the Manchu army on the opposite side had less than 20,000 troops left.

On his side, there were 40,000 Mongol cavalry, 30,000 Li Guo's troops, plus 30,000 of his own troops, totaling 100,000 troops. Although the former two were not very strong, they could still fight when things were going well.

With 100,000 against 20,000, the advantage is mine!

As he lay down, Zhu Youjian called out towards the door, "Someone come here."

Two eunuchs immediately pushed open the door and entered, their steps quick yet silent.

Zhu Youjian stared at the report and the map and said.

"A separate decree was issued to the Duke of England."

"Since the Bordered Blue Banner dared to abandon their horses and enter the mountains, they must have other ways to capture them. Tell Zhang Shize not to care too much about them. After burning the mountain, immediately return to defend Guangning. I want to cut off Dorgon's route back north!"

"Proclamate to all cities in Beizhili: hold out until the morning of the day after tomorrow. If a city is lost after 7:00 AM the day after tomorrow, it will not be a crime but a meritorious deed! If a city is lost before 7:00 AM the day after tomorrow, no amount of merit can compensate for it!"

"I hereby issue an imperial edict to Ni Yuanlu, instructing him to prepare the troops in the capital and, once Shi Kefa's reinforcements arrive, to ensure the safety of the capital, to feign a rout to lure Dodo's forces."

"It is also said that Huang Degong will do his best to preserve his strength in the next two days, mainly to conserve the strength of the Xuanjia Army and Qi Family Army, and will regroup for the decisive battle the day after tomorrow!"

The reason for setting it for the day after tomorrow is twofold: firstly, reinforcements from the capital will not arrive until tomorrow night; and secondly, it will take Zhang Shize two days to travel to Nuluerhu Mountain.

By blocking Dorgon's two key battle points, Zhu Youjian was confident that he could defeat the two Yellow Banners with his ragtag group!

Just as the eunuch delivering the imperial decree had passed the screen wall, the sound of thunderous hooves came from the west wing again.

The great battle has begun again today.

Huang Degong stood in the middle of the formation. The third wave of messengers seeking reinforcements dismounted, half of a feathered arrow still stuck in their chainmail. "Three battalions of Li Chuang's troops on the west wing have been routed. General Li is leading his cavalry to block them. The Jurchen light cavalry have already broken into the western deer fortress!"

"Where are Abunai's Mongol cavalry?"

"The Noyans said the horses had stomach problems last night."

Huang Degong flicked his sleeves and shouted sternly, "Let the elite guards go first! Tell those Mongol lords that if they don't join the battle on the western flank within half an hour, I will use their heads to trim the borders of the armored chariots!"

It's unclear whether the warhorse was genuinely suffering from an upset stomach, or whether Abuna and the others were simply trying to conserve their strength.

In any case, under Huang Degong's firm orders, in less than 45 minutes, Abunai led tens of thousands of cavalrymen to press forward, holding up the white ox-tail banner.

They successfully drove the 5,000 light cavalry back into the Eight Banners formation.

the other side.

Below Yutian City.

The iron city gate slammed down with a groan as its hinges creaked, and a roar came from the city wall from the defending general: "The Jurchens are attacking! Fight back!"

Yutian is not a large city, but it is not particularly small either. The city walls are about two zhang high, and the city gates are quite thick.

The garrison consisted of a thousand-household unit, plus 20,000 civilians in the city, so the defense was quite adequate.

However, Dorgon sent three Niru (a unit of military units) with nine hundred men each, almost a one-to-one ratio of soldiers to troops, which made the Ming army defending the city somewhat desperate.

Behind each battlement stood laborers with shovels; these same men who had been toiling in the fields just yesterday now dared to pour boiling oil over the heads of the Manchu soldiers.

The same scene played out in Miyun City, which had already been breached.

The Banner Chieftain, Jia La'ezhen, could hardly believe his eyes as he watched the scholars in blue robes rush out of the courtyard. These southern barbarians, who used inkstones as shields and rulers as knives, had actually used their flesh and blood to block the advance of the iron cavalry.

Even more terrifying was the old woman who appeared around the street corner; when the pottery jar in her arms exploded, the splattered oil instantly engulfed a soldier.

With Zhu Youjian's groundwork laid in the capital, the entire Beizhili region unleashed unimaginable power.

In a single day, the Qing army failed to capture a single city!
Another fierce battle ensued, followed by a tacit withdrawal of troops.

Watching the setting sun gradually disappear.

Dorgon flicked the blood off his knife, took a bite of roasted mutton, and asked, "Where is Tan Tai?"

Fan Wencheng thought for a moment, "According to the walking distance, we should be passing Huyu."

“Huyu…” Dorgon repeated.

"After passing Tiger Valley, the road becomes smooth. At Tan Tai's pace, he should be able to reach Datong in about five days."

"More or less." Fan Wencheng nodded, then reminded him, "Your Highness should not place your hopes on the Southerners themselves, after all, they are all one family."

Dorgon chuckled lightly, "I have never placed my hopes on others. If Tan Tai succeeds, great; if not, it will simply be a hidden arrow planted in the shadows."

"Moreover, I believe that Li Zicheng is a reasonable and ambitious man with a strong sense of righteousness. Once he has the ability to control his troops, he will not remain in hiding."

As the two were talking, messengers from various places arrived on horseback.

Upon learning that he had failed to capture a single city, Dorgon, who had been brimming with confidence just moments before, was stunned.

There was even a Niru (a military unit) that was defeated by the defending troops and fled back to the Qing army camp.

When the Niru Ejen knelt before Dorgon, even the sable fur in the tent couldn't mask the burnt smell emanating from him.

"Master, those Han people have gone mad!" The Baturu, who had once followed Huang Taiji in sweeping across Korea, trembled. "An old man was still laughing as he rolled into the fire with me in his arms, saying that the Ming emperor had distributed land to them."

Dorgon kicked over the gilded charcoal brazier, and the flying sparks burned blisters on Fan Wencheng's face.

"So this is your reason for being defeated by the weak Southerners?!"

"The city wall of that small town is less than ten feet high; you could jump over it! The garrison only has two centurions, while you have an entire Niru!!"

"Where did your courage go?! You still dare to call yourself a Baturu?!"

Dorgon grew angrier as he spoke, recalling the obedient people who had offered their necks to be slaughtered when his father, the Khan, massacred the Han Chinese in Liaodong fifteen years ago.

I recall the cowardly Abatai who knelt by the roadside to offer his wife and daughters when he entered the pass five years ago.

But nowadays even the postmen of Changping Post Station dare to strangle lone bannermen with horse reins, and the tenant farmers of Zhangjiazhuang even know how to form a spear formation with pitchforks.

Daishan was captured.

Dorgon always blamed others for their mistakes and the rise of the Southern Dynasty emperors, but never considered that it was his own fault.

He reached up and smoothed his shaved, bluish scalp. "Tell Wuzhen Chaoha Camp to prepare."

"Master!" Several Gushan Zhangjing knelt down with a thud. They thought Dorgon wanted to give more important positions to the Han soldiers, and hurriedly tried to show their loyalty, saying, "We are the brave warriors of the Eight Banners!"

"Didn't you see the sun and moon flag planted outside the Great Wall at Xifengkou?" Dorgon didn't give them a chance to speak.

He grabbed his riding whip and pointed it south, where the faint clanging of armor from Qi Jiguang's army could be heard. "Back then, when the old Khan raised his army with thirteen suits of armor, he didn't rely on brute force."

He grabbed Fan Wencheng by the collar and sneered, "Mr. Fan, what do you think the Han people fear most?"

"Your Highness, I'm afraid...afraid of people's hearts..."

"That's right!"

Dorgon shoved aside the ashen-faced Han official and spat out through gritted teeth, his words dripping with blood, "They're afraid of their own people!"

"Order the entire Wuzhen Chaoha camp to change into the bandit's armor, drive the refugees captured along the way ahead, and send another Jiala to follow them, telling the boys that this time they will not rob grain or people."

He paused, then lashed his whip across the sheepskin map. "I want them to kill themselves!"

Upon hearing this, the several officers of the Imperial Guard breathed a sigh of relief and echoed in unison.

"Whoo!"

As everyone left, Dorgon rubbed his throbbing temples, glanced at the Niru Ejen on the ground, and casually waved his hand. "Execute him, and his Niru will be awarded to Mr. Fan."

……

The night sky at midnight was torn apart by the north wind, and Zhu Youjian was inspecting the newly cast Xunlei gun.

This was cast before Dorgon arrived, and Ni Yuanlu delivered it under cover of night.

The Vice Minister of Works, trembling with fear, held up a torch. "Three days ago, a blacksmith shop in Zunhua rushed to make two hundred guns, but the barrels..."

"The gun barrel still can't hit the standard, right?" Zhu Youjian said calmly.

The Vice Minister of Works quickly nodded, "Your Majesty is wise. Although we adopted the double-steel wrapping method to avoid the risk of barrel explosion, we can still only fire about five hundred rounds."

Zhu Youjian nodded again, looked at the trembling official, and comforted him, "As long as the gun doesn't explode, that's fine. At least three hundred musketeers have died in the past few days, just because you used wrought iron instead of refined steel."

The Ministry of Works officials hurriedly apologized, but Zhu Youjian waved his hand, indicating that he had no intention of pursuing the matter.

Looking at the Swift Thunder Cock in front of him, Zhu Youjian sighed softly.

This is a type of firearm from the late Ming Dynasty. If Zhu Youjian hadn't remembered this in his previous life and had someone search for it in the Ministry of Works for two days, this first-generation Gatling gun would probably have been lost.

The original Thunderclap Gun consisted of five barrels, with a small shield at the front from which the muzzle extended, and a seven-foot-long handle at the back, with a spearhead behind the handle.

Each time it fires, it rotates seventy degrees to fire the next barrel, operating on the same principle as the Gatling gun.

It seems versatile, but in reality, it is too heavy to operate, and if used as a cannon, its destructive power is insufficient.

Therefore, Zhu Youjian made special modifications.

Everything unnecessary was removed, leaving only the pivot, firing chamber, and ten gun barrels, along with a gear crank.

The entire unit is mounted on a wheelbarrow for easy movement.

Once the standard ammunition is made, it can be immediately converted into the initial machine gun!
A total of two hundred Swift Thunder Guns can largely compensate for the intermediate firepower of muskets and gunpowder.

Seeing the swift muskets stored away, Zhu Youjian was preparing to go back to rest.

A messenger suddenly rushed in, presenting a sheepskin letter that reeked of blood.
"Your Majesty! The guards at Dongbianmen have intercepted a Jurchen messenger!"

Zhu Youjian unfolded the letter by the firelight. Dorgon's handwriting was as sharp as if carved by a knife and axe: "I have heard that Your Majesty has distributed land to the people, and I also wish to follow suit. Now there are 100,000 people in imminent danger. Do you think it is appropriate to slaughter them all?"

……

Liaodong.

The sea breeze, carrying the smoke of gunpowder, swept over the walls of Jinzhou. Zheng Chenggong's fingertips traced the dried bloodstains on the table.

In the distance, amidst the rising dust of the Liaohe Plain, the Zhenglan Banner's cavalry lingered like a pack of wolves.

The thirty cannons that breached the city last night are still warm; their barrels are so hot they could fry a pancake.

"Report!" The scout's boots shattered the blood that had congealed on the city bricks as he rushed into the central command tent.

"The main force of the Zhenglan Banner is holed up in the Taizihe camp, and dragon flags are planted all over Liaoyang City. Scouts have discovered that along the Hun River to Shengjing, there is a wooden fort every five miles!"

The young general's gaze swept over the model of Shengjing (Mukden) behind him, which was covered with blue flags.

Shi Lang suddenly burst in, using his Japanese sword to push open the tent flap. Half a Qing soldier's queue was still hanging from the scabbard. "If you ask me, we should just flatten Liaoyang. All the gold and silver the Eight Banners have plundered inside the Great Wall over the years..."

"The looted goods are all piled up in Shengjing. Once Liaoyang is captured, we can reach Shengjing, right?"

"Why do you still have such a maritime mentality? We are government troops! We are Leiden's army!"

Shi Lang smiled sheepishly.

Zheng Chenggong also laughed, "If that's the case, then let's proceed according to the previous plan."

"Order the Cangshan fleet to sail along the Hun River at midnight tonight, with each ship carrying thirty shi of sulfur. Shi Lang will lead two thousand Iron Man soldiers, dressed in Eight Banners armor, to make a feigned move towards the Taizi River at midnight."

The command tent suddenly fell silent.

Chen Ze frowned as he stared at the tributary of the Hun River. "The Tartars have laid out abatis along both banks of the Hun River."

"Therefore, we need the Iron Man Army as bait."

Zheng Chenggong grabbed the leather water bag and took two gulps. The water flowed down his chin into his chainmail. "If Hauge is really Huang Taiji's eldest son, he would never allow our army to threaten the ancestral mausoleum in Shengjing."

"As long as Hauge dares to fight us at the Prince River, hehe, we'll reap the unparalleled credit for securing the borders and striking at the heart of the enemy!"

Another scout entered.

"Report! The vanguard of Zhenglan Banner has left Liaoyang!"

"Investigate again." The young general turned and pressed down on the table. "Order all units to bombard the north bank of the Hun River at dawn. Have privates prepare kerosene canisters."

Seeing that everyone inside the tent was still stunned, Zheng Chenggong deliberately asked, "Should the credit for being the first to scale the walls be given to this general?"

The generals then realized what was happening and rushed out of the tent.

Let's not even mention Zheng Chenggong sharpening his knives.

Hauge, on the other side, was also awake, staring at the military report on his desk and sneering.

These southern barbarians really don't understand the tactics of warfare outside the Great Wall. The frozen soil on both sides of the Hun River makes it difficult for even sleds to travel, let alone warships.

He deliberately left a gap on the south bank of the Hun River, just in time for the Ming army to crawl into this deadly swamp.

"Your Highness, the Iron Army of the Southern Barbarians is here!" Goshha brought a chill with him as he burst into the tent.

Hauge paused for a moment in his hand holding the wine bowl.

"Order the three Jiala of the Bordered Blue Banner to move to Sarhu, and have the Liaoyang garrison push all the Hongyi cannons to the east gate."

Hauge suddenly grabbed the Tiger Head Golden Spear, "This Prince will personally go and meet this Zheng family brat."

At the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM), a thunderclap suddenly erupted on the north bank of the Hun

Zheng Chenggong stood in front of the telescope on the top deck of the old ship, watching the fleet charge forward against the north wind.

The blue smoke from burning sulfur mingled with the morning mist, and the frozen sails were torn into full moons by the northwest wind.

Twenty Cangshan ships simultaneously fired from their sides, and burning sulfur bombs exploded into a sea of ​​fire between the Qing army's wooden fortifications.

The Eight Banners soldiers were horrified to discover that the frozen soil had become muddy at some point, as the Ming soldiers who had secretly infiltrated the area the previous night had already used iron chisels to break through the Hun River embankment.

"Report! Three Jiala from the Bordered Blue Banner were ambushed at Sarhu, and General Shi Lang's Iron Man Army is engaging them!"

Zheng Chenggong gripped the command flag with unwavering determination. "Send ten ships to feign an attack on Liaoyang along the Taizi River, while the remaining warships continue to bombard the city."

He suddenly turned to his personal guard Zheng Ping and said, "Take my Sun and Moon Flag to the south bank of the Hun River and hold it high above your head."

Hauge was furious, his eyes blazing with rage, on the hill of Salhu.

His deliberately displayed blue banner was entangled by two thousand iron-clad soldiers. These monsters, clad in three layers of iron armor, advanced through a hail of arrows, their heavy axes slashing and sparks flying. Even more terrifying was the Sun and Moon King's banner that suddenly appeared on the south bank, its brilliance blinding in the morning light.

"Your Highness! Liaoyang is under attack!" The messenger tumbled from his saddle, his mouth full of blood. "The Ming army is bombarding the east gate!"

Haug suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Do these southern barbarians have the ability to create clones of themselves?
With the main force clearly at Sarhu, why are warships appearing in Liaoyang again?
His knuckles turned white as he gripped the tiger-headed spear. "Tell the Liaoyang garrison to hold out for reinforcements!"

Before the words were even finished, smoke suddenly rose from the southwest.

That's the direction of Shengjing!

Zheng Chenggong finally revealed his snow-white teeth.

The three hundred night raiders sent out last night should have just set fire to the granaries outside Shengjing City.

He deliberately made a show of force in Liaoyang, waiting for Hauge to divide his troops.

"Order the entire army to advance!" the young general roared. "At noon today, this town will have lunch outside the Meridian Gate of Shengjing!"

The Eight Banners soldiers on the north bank of the Hun River suddenly discovered that the Ming army had changed its formation.

The soldiers who charged in the face of sulfur bombs no longer assaulted the wooden fortress, but instead used iron hooks and ropes to pull down the fortress wall.

Even more terrifying were the rattan shield soldiers who emerged from the swamp. These warriors, originally from the mountains of Fujian, glided through the mud with incredible speed, wearing specially made wooden clogs.

(End of this chapter)