Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 170 Ming Army Surrounds Bayara

The Jurchen's seemingly endless battle line began to change. The left flank slowly bulged out, and a torrent of troops surged forth, with thousands of soldiers turning from the flank into the center of the battlefield.

The two red banners were originally one family; the only difference between the armor of the Bordered Red Banner and the Plain Red Banner was a white border, making them difficult to distinguish from a distance. Huang Taiji was initially fooled as well, only subconsciously sensing that something was amiss. But when he looked closely, he nearly vomited blood.

"Why is it that stupid boy Shuo Tuo who went to war?!" The Bordered Red Banner was Huang Taiji's own vote bank, and half of the Bordered Red Banner belonged to him! Huang Taiji knew that he had been tricked by Daishan without his knowledge, but Shuo Tuo did not know the key to it. He just hated Huang Taiji and Daishan equally.

This is also the difference between him and his brother Yue Tuo. If Yue Tuo were alive, he would not have been so easily deceived. Even if it really was Huang Taiji's order, he would have gone to meet Huang Taiji to verify the truth. Whether in terms of intelligence or martial arts, Shuo Tuo was far inferior to Yue Tuo.

Unfortunately, this pride of the Aisin Gioro family died abruptly due to an accident on the battlefield. This Jurchen warrior, who could have rivaled Cao Bianjiao, did not live to prove himself. It was precisely because of the differences between the two brothers that when Huang Taiji was reprimanding Amin, he chose to strengthen his top henchman Jirgalang over compensating Shuo Tuo.

Filled with grief and indignation, Shuo Tuo led his remaining five thousand cavalrymen of the Bordered Red Banner into battle, launching a desperate charge. Arrows and cannonballs followed them, leaving behind two or three hundred corpses. But Shuo Tuo seemed to be lucky; despite being at the very front, he escaped unscathed. Perhaps it was the spirit of his deceased brother protecting him from heaven.

The Jurchens really charged up the city walls, and the defenders were ordered not to fire any more cannons. Clever tactics can be used occasionally to gain a small advantage, but ultimately it all comes down to a contest of raw, hard power.

Zhao Shuaijiao could not stand idly by and watch the Jurchen heavy cavalry charge into his camp. He had to send troops to intercept them because they had nowhere to retreat. Behind them was the bottomless moat. If they were pushed into the river, they would break through the thin ice on the surface and fall into the icy water to drown or freeze to death.

The war's progress was unexpected, and the current situation left Zhao Shuaijiao with no time for leisurely command. He knew he had to fight to the death. He ran down from the high platform, mounted his horse, and quickly assembled his heavy cavalry units, preparing for a desperate battle with the slave cavalry.

Although the slave cavalry numbered only two thousand, they were the White-Armored Bayara! They were a terrifying force that had once driven hundreds of men away with just a dozen riders on the Liaodong battlefield! Even if they committed all their forces, victory was not guaranteed. Zhao Shuaijiao didn't have any particularly brilliant tactics; he could only go all out. Therefore, he ordered his eight thousand cavalry to launch a full-scale attack, to fight him to the death!

Zhao Shuaijiao led his personal guard cavalry battalion and the Yulin Iron Cavalry to meet the enemy head-on, clashing head-on with the central cavalry led by Hauge. The Ming army's main weapon was still the three-barreled musket, which, although bulky and crude, was easy to use. But this time, they had no room to maneuver; after firing three bullets at once, they could only swing the musket and engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat.

The Jurchen cavalry, who had withstood several rounds of long-range attacks from the Ming army without being able to retaliate, finally had their chance to shine. The three-eyed musket, as a makeshift, oddly shaped mace, was still quite effective at piercing armor. Facing the Jurchens' triple-layered heavy armor, weapon options were limited, and blunt weapons were a rather good choice.

In cold weapon warfare, length is everything. While a three-barreled musket used as a hammer might be a decent weapon, it was clearly inferior to long-handled weapons when cavalry charged. A three-barreled musket, when planted on the ground, was only eyebrow-high, while the lances used by the Jurchens were as long as two or three men.

The Ming cavalry had to barely dodge the Jurchen cavalry's thrusts before they could strike the Jurchens on the head with their gun barrels as the two horses passed each other. However, thrusting was the signature skill of the White-Armored Cavalry, so how could it be so easily dodged?
The Ming army suffered heavy casualties. Many elite Ming cavalrymen were pierced by the Jurchen lances and lifted into the air along with their armor. The stabbed soldiers did not die immediately, but they could clearly feel the pain and knew that they would die this time. Such an outcome was despairing.

This kind of maneuver was originally intended by generals to show off their skills, intimidating the enemy and boosting morale. It wasn't conducive to physical exertion or high kill efficiency, yet this scene was widely observed. For the Ming army, the visual and psychological impact was enormous; it meant that every Jurchen cavalryman they faced seemed to possess the strength of their own general. Ordinary soldiers generally felt inferior to their commanders.

Fortunately, this scene did not intimidate the Ming army's commander. In terms of individual combat ability, Zhao Lüjiao's elite guards were not necessarily inferior to them; they were just not as well-equipped as the White Armor Soldiers. Zhao Lüjiao had not always been stationed at Shanhaiguan; his position as the commander-in-chief of Shanhaiguan was earned through fighting the Jurchens with sword and spear outside the pass.

In this round of melee, the elite cavalry of other towns, including the Yulin Iron Cavalry, were all driven into a rut, but Zhao Shuaijiao and his five hundred personal guards held off the White-Armored Soldiers' attack. Both sides maintained a firm footing and were evenly matched.

This is why Zhu Youjian insisted on recruiting a group of Liaodong generals to temporarily command the capital's garrison. No matter how well-equipped and well-trained the so-called elite troops were, they were only theoretical. The Han generals were handsome, well-armored, tall and strong, and exceptionally brave, but when thrown onto the battlefield, they were no match for the tattered border troops. Those who couldn't fight were already dead. This was the cruelest and most effective selection process.

Clang! Zhao Shuaijiao, though old, was still vigorous. He wielded his broadsword with both hands and cleaved it down with a powerful blow. The young general in front of him was no less formidable. He blocked the blow with his spear and then used his brute strength to deflect Zhao Shuaijiao's broadsword.

Neither of them introduced themselves nor had any interest in small talk; their eyes were filled with the purest desire to kill the other.

Although the old general's stamina was failing, he was still in his prime at over fifty, and his martial arts skills were superb. Zhao Shuaijiao was not flustered at all when his long sword was deflected, but instead used the momentum to slash at the Jurchen general's warhorse.

The lance was suitable for charging and thrusting at the enemy, but it was less agile in close combat. Now, unable to maneuver in time, and seeing his warhorse about to be cut down, a hint of panic flashed in Hauge's eyes. However, since Huang Taiji dared to send his son to the battlefield, he must have made preparations. Huang Taiji had assigned him two of his best deputies.

At the critical moment, Hauge's uncle, Abatai, arrived and thrust his lance at Zhao Shuaijiao's neck. Although Zhao Shuaijiao was not afraid of death, he was not so self-deprecating as to exchange his life for an enemy horse, so he had no choice but to withdraw his attack and lean back to avoid the fatal blow.

quack!

Zhao Shuaijiao seemed to hear a cracking sound from his own body, and felt a sharp pain in his lower back.

"My back is killing me!" Zhao Shuaijiao's face turned green.

(End of this chapter)