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

Chapter 174 Man’s calculation is not as good as God’s calculation
In fact, the Hongyi cannons were not completely unable to hit the Jurchen artillery formations several miles away; it was just that the Jurchens adopted a dispersed formation, which made the attack inefficient.

A more cost-effective approach would be to ignore the Jurchen artillery formations and fire upon the Jurchen cavalry, resulting in mutual losses through piece exchanges. However, while this would be the most rational course of action, it would be far too cruel for one's own soldiers.

The Jurchens chose to retreat to the center to avoid the corner artillery fire. The defenders on the city walls were not made of elm wood, and the cannons that could be moved were moved to the center of the city walls as much as possible to maximize their firepower.

However, the large red cannon in the blind spot cannot be moved lightly. This thing weighs 3,500 catties and is placed on a rotating gun platform. There is no movable gun carriage. If it is moved easily, it will be difficult to move it back if the enemy launches a surprise attack.

However, the Ming army had many types of artillery, including the Hongyi cannon, the Weiyuan cannon, the Dafulangji mother-and-child cannon weighing over a thousand catties, and the Minu cannon, among others. Medium and large cannons also had a range of several miles.

Overall, the Ming army's superior position and the use of more and better cannons resulted in a much greater victory than the Jurchens' more than one hundred inferior cannons.

The battle has dragged on for so long, with both sides suffering nearly two thousand casualties, all of whom are their elite troops, making it difficult for them to cope.

The Ming cavalry were suddenly hit by artillery fire, and their formation was thrown into chaos. If the Jurchens had seized the opportunity to charge at this moment, they might have been able to break through the Ming army's ranks. However, it is unclear why they did not do so.

Perhaps the enemy's artillery and cavalry were not coordinated, so they dared not move rashly, or perhaps it was for other considerations. In any case, the Jurchens' strange behavior gave the Ming army an opportunity to withdraw.

The signal cannons and banners on the city wall issued the order to retreat. Originally, Zhao Shuaijiao had more than 7,000 to nearly 8,000 cavalry, but after the battle, only more than 5,000 remained.

The remaining cavalry first retreated to their original camp, and then retreated in batches from Qinghe Bridge to the moat. As the winch was used, the gate of Desheng Gate slowly rose, and the two huge copper-clad wooden doors were slowly pushed open.

The Ming cavalry that retreated and were seriously wounded were allowed to enter the city to rest and be treated by doctors; those who still had the ability to fight were temporarily encamped at the corner of the wall and were protected by the guards on the city wall.

Thus, the fierce battle between the elite cavalry of both sides in front of Desheng Gate came to a temporary end. Judging from the results and losses, both sides suffered heavy losses and neither gained an advantage. However, from the perspective of the battle lines, the Ming Dynasty was slightly outmatched, failing to hold its ground and being repelled by the Jurchens.

Zhu Youjian ultimately couldn't be that ruthless, watching helplessly as his soldiers fought until the Jurchens were wiped out.

Zhao Shuai entered the city, storming up the city wall to settle scores with Wang Lin, only to find the emperor himself there. But this didn't appease him; instead, he insisted on a thorough argument in front of the emperor, demanding justice. Torn between his own flesh and blood, Zhu Youjian was also in a dilemma, somewhat regretting his decision to come.

At the critical moment, Zhu Xieyuan arrived and subdued the two of them. The order to retreat wasn't given arbitrarily by Zhu Youjian; it was Zhu Xieyuan who issued the order. Zhu Xieyuan explained the situation to Wang Lin, stating that the artillery battalion on the city wall had done its best, and that Wang Lin's command had not made any mistakes.

Then, Zhao was instructed to quickly eat, reorganize the troops, arrange replacements for the dead generals, merge the remaining troops, and abolish the existing structures. In short, the message was: if you want to argue, argue after you've fought. The work is complicated and multifaceted; stop talking nonsense and get to work!
Zhu Xieyuan had the seniority, the status, and the achievements, so his words carried weight. Even Wang Lin and Zhao Shuaijiao respected him. After speaking of the two generals, the old man turned to the emperor. Although he was very respectful, in Zhu Youjian's eyes, the old man seemed to be standing with his hands on his hips.

Zhu Xieyuan bowed deeply, his voice solemn: "If Your Majesty wishes to practice battle tactics, I shall naturally accompany you and await your advice. Why must you personally venture into the perilous city? You must know that bullets have no eyes, and even from the city walls, one cannot be entirely safe."

Your Majesty is the ruler of the Ming Dynasty, the safety of the nation rests on your shoulders. If there is even the slightest mishap, what will become of the ancestral temples and the state? Though I am dull-witted, I dare to remonstrate with you, even at the cost of my life. I implore Your Majesty to return to the palace to reassure the people!

Zhu Youjian felt a little guilty upon hearing this. Zhu Xieyuan's words were earnest, and his eyes were so sincere that he dared not look directly at him. In a daze, he felt like Liu Shan (the last emperor of the Southern Tang dynasty), causing Zhuge Liang (the future emperor) so much worry. Zhu Youjian stammered, "I will return to the palace now, but may I be allowed to visit the wounded soldiers' camp?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xieyuan looked up at the sky and said with great emotion, "Your Majesty is truly benevolent!"

On the Ming side, Zhao Lüjiao and Wang Lin had a conflict. Besides the emotional outburst under the high pressure and tension of the battlefield, it was also due to practical considerations and misunderstandings, and their different identities.

Zhao Shuaijiao was a veteran general with many years of experience and countless battles; while Wang Lin was only appointed commander because of his ancestors' influence. He patrolled the city every day and at most caught two thieves. He had never fought against the brutal Jurchens.
This young man looked unreliable, and Zhao Shuaijiao didn't think much of him, believing the emperor was out of his mind to have him guard the city. Once people form a first impression, it's hard to change their opinion.

But did Zhu Youjian not know that Wang Lin was somewhat unsatisfactory? But did he have a choice? All the capable soldiers had been released outside the city, leaving only those who were barely usable inside. Besides, Wang Lin was considered quite good; he had even undergone a month-long intensive rehearsal on how to defend the city before the war.

Moreover, more important than fighting ability, the most important quality of a garrison commander is loyalty—they are one of our own! Wang Lin, he's loyal to the emperor!
The relationship between the Jurchen princes was far from harmonious; the conflicts were even more acute than those between the Ming emperor and his officials. Upon returning, Hauge immediately complained to Huang Taiji, even going so far as to demand that Huang Taiji confiscate the Niru (military units) of the Bordered Red Banner and compensate him.

"Great Khan, Shuo Tuo is cowardly. Since he cannot lead the troops, why not choose a brave man to replace him!" Hauge shouted.

However, his confident assertion that he was right caused everyone to frown. Someone had risked their life to save him, and this was how he repaid their debt? Even Huang Taiji was somewhat disappointed in him. Huang Taiji greatly admired Hauge's obedience and bravery, but the boy was a bit dim-witted and didn't know how to win people over.

Most of the other princes didn't like Hauge. He was arrogant and bossy, and didn't know what respect was. He only cared about his own Khan father and didn't even give face to other elders. His behavior was really despicable.

That is, Huang Taiji was in his prime. If we consider that after Huang Taiji passed away, Haoge ascended the throne, it's hard not to shake one's head.

Huang Taiji rejected Hauge's suggestion and gently comforted Shuo Tuo. Those who have wronged you know best how wronged you are. Huang Taiji also knew he had wronged Shuo Tuo a great deal recently, and it was normal for Shuo Tuo to have some complaints and be a little upset.

Although Shuo Tuo withdrew his troops without orders, and if investigated thoroughly, there would indeed be grounds to dismiss him, this is what distinguishes Huang Taiji from the other Beile. Despite their infighting, in Huang Taiji's eyes, the entire Jurchen Eight Banners belonged to him.

Although there was a distinction between direct and collateral branches, he would never intentionally harm any particular banner, not even Amin, because in the end, it would only damage his own power. Despite the power struggles, Huang Taiji believed he still had a strong moral compass.

If Shuo Tuo is dealt with, it will inevitably discourage others. After all, everyone knows that the Yue Tuo and Shuo Tuo brothers are Huang Taiji's staunch supporters. If even his own people are harmed, who will dare to do things for him in the future?

Shuo Tuo was still young, and seeing that Huang Taiji didn't favor his own son, he began to doubt himself. This was the difference between him and his brother; only a fool would consider feelings. Shuo Tuo's allegiance to Huang Taiji was solely based on self-interest from beginning to end. After all, Huang Taiji only wanted to use them, while their own father truly wanted them dead.

When the old Khan was alive, he could protect them. But when the old Khan left, they had to find another powerful ally to rely on. Otherwise, what right did they have to oppose the Great Prince until they were fully powerful?

When the battle losses were tallied, the Jurchen's most elite White-Armored Bayara had lost 1,200 cavalry. The other Beile were so angry they wanted to tear Hauge apart. Although the order to go into battle came from Huang Taiji, it was actually that fool Hauge who led the troops. When the old Khan started his army, he only had thirteen suits of armor. He didn't know the difficulties his ancestors had in building such a vast empire until he started his own. He really was like a son selling his grandfather's land without a care in the world.

With the war raging to this point, many people were considering retreating. They had also plundered their fill during this entry into the pass. They had come to Beijing with Huang Taiji intending to try their luck. If they were as fortunate as their ancestors and captured Beijing, seizing half of the country, they could each become kings.

Looking at Beijing's heavily fortified defenses now, it seems impossible to take it. It's better to call it a day, take the money, provisions, and slaves home, and have a good New Year. They've been away for months since the campaign in Liaoxi, and they don't know if their wives, children, and elderly parents are safe. They haven't been home in so long; they wonder if their wives have run off with other men.

Huang Taiji then said domineeringly, "Back then, you refused to let us enter the pass. It was I who insisted on coming despite all the objections, which led to the current situation. We have ascertained the strength and weakness of the Ming Dynasty. We no longer need to worry about being trapped in Liaodong. We can enter the pass and plunder at any time. Can't you prove now that obeying my orders is the right thing to do?"

"Holy crap, what he said makes so much sense!" Upon hearing this, the princes looked at each other, unable to refute him for a moment.

"Don't worry, I won't let you launch a full-scale attack on Beijing. But it's not time for us to withdraw yet. The outcome is still uncertain, and we still have a chance. I have other plans, so don't be impatient. Let the arrows fly for a while," Huang Taiji said confidently.

Huang Taiji's confidence infected the others. Huang Taiji styled himself Tiancong Khan, and when it came to mentally taxing matters, the princes truly admired the fourth prince, Aisin Gioro. This fellow was more cunning than the weasels of Changbai Mountain and more ruthless than a bear; he was indeed worthy of being a Khan. Huang Taiji earned prestige through his military achievements, while Zhu Youjian had to painstakingly cultivate relationships with the common people. In battlefield first aid, as long as cleanliness and hygiene could be maintained, half the lives could be saved; of course, a sterile environment was out of the question.

All the doctors in Beijing, including apprentices, were conscripted. The skill levels of these doctors varied greatly. The skilled ones could perform a one-stop service of cleaning, suturing, anti-inflammatory, sterilizing, and fever reduction, making them comparable to Hua Tuo of the Ming Dynasty. The less skilled ones would just sprinkle some dubious powder on the wound.

Zhu Youjian saw this, kicked the fellow to the ground, and appointed several reliable physicians as technical supervisors, providing them with unified training and management. The physicians of the Ming Dynasty weren't ignorant; they knew that a clean environment could reduce casualties. It's just that such conditions were rarely available on the battlefield, coupled with the commander's lack of emphasis on this.

The work-for-relief program meant that refugees who entered the city could only receive two bowls of thin porridge a day to sustain their vital signs; to eat their fill, they had to work. Outside the city, corpses littered the ground, uncollected and chillingly cold; inside, smoke billowed from chimneys, the aromas of rice and meat making mouths water.

Some wounded soldiers were destined not to survive, only barely clinging to life. In their final moments, they ate their last meal, ensuring they died with a full stomach. The civilians cooked, and the soldiers ate; although this was not their own initiative but rather an arrangement hired by the court, it still presented a heartwarming scene of harmonious unity between the military and the people.

Baskets filled with food were lowered from the city walls, and hot meals and soups were handed over to friendly troops outside the city. Many soldiers burst into tears while eating.

The Jurchens didn't have such good treatment. They had no time to cook, because the Ming army's wagon corps was coming! Huang Taiji only used a little over a hundred cannons to bombard the Ming cavalry battalion. This time, they brought a full five hundred cannons with them and even specially trained the Black Battalion to operate the cannons. As for the well-known designation Ujen Chaoha, it had not yet appeared at this time.

The Jurchens were able to keep the Ming Dynasty in check for so long because of their unique advantages. While the rest of the north suffered from drought, the Jurchens' vast Liaoze region became fertile land. They also possessed abundant coal mines and surface iron ore resources, which resulted in a very high rate of armored soldiers in the Jurchen army and sufficient iron ore for cannon manufacturing.

Although the Jurchens lacked the technical capability to manufacture heavy artillery, they had achieved freedom in producing smaller cannons. The Ming Dynasty's military strength was recovering, and the Jurchens were also progressing, leading to increasingly brutal warfare and escalating tactical preparedness. The remaining three hundred-odd Jurchen cannons were deployed to intercept the Ming army's wagon corps.

At this time, although Sun Chuanting had participated in the campaign to suppress the Chahar tribe, he was not particularly outstanding because multiple armies were attacking Ligdan Khan at the time, and he was virtually unknown to the Jurchens. This was precisely what made Huang Taiji anxious: the constant emergence of new generals and new armies he had never fought against.

Although the Ming Dynasty was in a state of utter disarray, it was too vast, so vast that it inspired despair. Even with their successive victories on the battlefield, the immense disparity in size between the two sides could not be concealed. This disparity made them feel uneasy amidst their celebrations of victory. They were engaged in a rebellion; if they could not completely destroy the Ming Dynasty, it would wipe them out once it recovered.

Each section of Beijing's city wall has two gates; the north side has Deshengmen and Andingmen. Sun Chuanting moved his camp westward from Andingmen to support Deshengmen. The two sides are five li apart. If all goes well, they should be able to reach the battlefield within an hour, thus catching up with the cavalry melee just now.

However, Huang Taiji was clearly aware of this, so he sent troops to intercept them layer by layer, successfully delaying them for an hour.

Although this defensive battle went unnoticed by those in the Deshengmen direction, its intensity was considerable. The Fifth Army Battalion's elite chariot formation was particularly renowned for its abundant firepower. Of the initial 10,000 elite soldiers trained by the Beijing Garrison, 6,000 were used to form this chariot battalion. Half of the Beijing Garrison's theoretical strength of over 100,000 men was invested in the purchase of firearms for this chariot battalion.

All the firearms in the wagon barracks were new, because the original firearms of the Beijing garrison were unusable. The good ones had been stolen and sold, and what was left were unwanted and unsellable goods. These rubbish were only fit to be melted down and recast.

The invincible form of the wagon camp is the hollow square formation, while its offensive formation is slightly weaker. It was precisely because of this that Huang Taiji dared to try to intercept it. If it were a defensive wagon camp, he wouldn't even want to look at it. He wouldn't go in himself if he wanted to fight it. He could only force the slaves to their deaths and drag the Ming army's cannons until they exploded before they dared to go in.

The wagon camp was spread out 500 paces, stretching for one mile. The first rank consisted of wagon crews, with cannons mounted on the wagons and shields placed in front, pushed forward by the crew members. Behind the cannons were heavily armored infantry, whose role was to hide behind the cannons and wait for the enemy to be stunned by the artillery and musket fire before rushing out to attack in the chaos.

Behind the infantry of the wagon crews were cavalry flanking units, tasked with mopping up the battlefield and protecting the flanks and rear of the wagon battalion. This formed the first basic layer of the offensive formation. There were three more similar formations behind them: the middle layer consisted of horse-drawn wagons and heavy artillery, while the rear inverted formation also combined wagons, infantry, and cavalry, but this time it was designed to deal with the enemy behind them.

The tactics of the wagon battalion were simple and brutal: volley fire, scatter fire, alternating fire, and overlapping fire. Each time, half of the weapons would fire, while the other half would advance and fire, and then the rear would reload, advance, and fire. This cycle repeated continuously, firing and advancing like an unstoppable tide until the enemy was crushed.

At dawn, around 3:45 AM, Sun Chuanting and his men heard cannon fire from the direction of Deshengmen. They immediately ordered their soldiers to assemble and prepare for battle. At 5:45 AM, a military order from the Ministry of War arrived, instructing them to move their camp to support Deshengmen. By this time, Sun Chuanting had already deployed his troops and set off immediately upon receiving the order.

At dawn, halfway through their march, they could already see the enemy and their own cavalry engaged in battle. Sun Chuanting ordered them to speed up the advance: Run!
At this moment, the Jurchen army sent to intercept them arrived. The Jurchens tried various methods to stop the Ming army's wagon cavalry from advancing, such as hurling arrows, attacking the flanks, and flanking, but to no avail. They only lost hundreds of cavalrymen in vain, and the Ming army's wagon cavalry continued to advance steadily.

Although he had anticipated this outcome, Huang Taiji was still utterly helpless. The Ming Dynasty coveted the Jurchen horses, their jealousy burning like rage; while Huang Taiji desperately wanted the Ming army's firearms. Both sides thought the other's weapons were superior—it was all so unfair and unsolvable!
One was to use speed to attack slowness, which was impossible to catch; the other was to unleash a barrage of artillery fire that was impossible to stop. The only ones who could defeat the Ming army's wagon cavalry were the Ming people themselves, those corrupt officials who embezzled the money meant for cannons to forge inferior firearms that would explode on the first shot; and those who replaced saltpeter with lime to make gunpowder that would not ignite.

Fortunately, this was a brand-new wagon camp, closely monitored and strictly controlled by the court. Due to the short time elapsed, it hadn't yet been compromised. The firearms were excellent, with formidable firepower, leaving the Jurchens questioning their very existence. Left with no other option, Huang Taiji could only deploy shield wagons, exchange artillery fire, set up roadblocks, and try every possible means to intercept them.

After most of the shield carts were smashed and more than half of the cannons were lost, Huang Taiji finally felt the pain. There were deserters among the Black Battalion under his command who operated the cannons.

The Black Camp already contained a large number of Ming soldiers who had surrendered, and their morals had declined. Since these soldiers were able to surrender to the Jurchens, don't expect them to have a strong fighting will. It's just that Sun Chuanting didn't recruit them; otherwise, these people wouldn't mind returning to the embrace of the Ming Dynasty.

Things are different now. I've heard that the Ming Dynasty's "business" is doing well, employee benefits have improved, and soldiers are getting food. It was the Ming Dynasty's fault they left back then; now that they've forgiven the Ming, shouldn't they be allowed to return? The people and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty should welcome them back with open arms.

If it were simply a matter of defending the city, there would be no need to engage the Jurchens in open battle outside the city. The Ming Dynasty has been holding back for so long, finally waiting for this day, precisely to inflict heavy losses on the Jurchens and to annihilate them. Zhao Shuaijiao's cavalry battalion was used as bait and was destined to be attacked. They should have been entangled with the Jurchens and not let go until reinforcements arrived, and then fought a decisive battle to wipe them out.

That's how the plan was planned, but the more complex the plan, the more likely unexpected things are to happen.

The Ming Dynasty had a well-thought-out plan, but the battlefield unfolded strangely. The Jurchens withdrew after gaining the upper hand. If they wanted to continue fighting, the Ming army would have to take the initiative to attack. However, the cavalry was already on the verge of collapse. If the Ming army were to force the soldiers to attack again, they might just suffer a rout.

Perhaps these soldiers could repay the emperor's kindness with their lives, but Zhu Xieyuan could not gamble. This battle must be fought with the priority of stability. The Ming Dynasty could not win, but it absolutely could not lose, because the Ming Dynasty could not afford to lose.

Huang Taiji knew that the Ming Dynasty had a chariot battalion, but the other group, the infantry battalion that set out from inside the city, was a surprise to the Jurchens. To the east was the chariot battalion that was closing in step by step, and to the west was the infantry battalion that had suddenly appeared.

The Infantry Battalion was not actually suitable for fighting cavalry, but Huang Taiji was now being attacked from both sides and did not have the courage to go and fight the Infantry Battalion to the death, so he decided to retreat!
"All our efforts have been in vain, all our efforts have been in vain!" Sun Chuanting's chariot and infantry battalions, now combined, watched the gradually retreating Jurchens and sighed.

*Thud!* Sun Chuanting reached up to touch his face, then looked up in surprise. It was raining?! The Jurchen army, which was about to leave, slowly turned around!
"The clouds aren't thick, the sky isn't dark, and the rain isn't heavy, so why is it raining at this time?!" Inside Beijing, Zhu Youjian was squatting on the ground eating a bowl of rice from a large pot, just like an ordinary soldier. However, when he saw the rain hitting the ground, his voice trembled. Sun Shiwan, disguised as a soldier, turned pale and hesitated to speak.

Zhu Youjian slammed his bowl down, poured the food to the soldiers beside him, then grabbed Sun Shiwan's hand and ran off. The White-Pole Guards who had been eating with him also dropped their bowls and hurriedly chased after him.

"Your Majesty, mount the horse!" Wang Chengen shouted breathlessly as he caught up with Zhu Youjian, leading the imperial horse.

"Yes, mount up!" Zhu Youjian was truly panicked and had completely forgotten about this.

At this moment, inside the imperial court, the Director of the Imperial Observatory was huddled in a corner, not daring to face anyone. Several large footprints on his official robe were particularly glaring, but he dared not say that he was wronged!

Zhu Xieyuan's eyes changed. When he saw Zhu Youjian arrive, he said in a hoarse voice, "Your Majesty, we must send a large army out of the city to rescue them. Many people will die!"

(End of this chapter)