Di Ming

Chapter 353 "Emperor Taizong of Qing peed all over me!"

Although the 20,000 Jurchen soldiers were all on horseback, not all of them wore armor. And the armor they did wear was quite varied.

There were Ming army armor and padded armor, as well as Mongol chainmail, and Jurchen armor and padded armor and iron armor that the Ming army had imitated. Among them, only half of the soldiers were armored, and fewer than three thousand wore iron armor. The other ten thousand not only had no armor, but their clothing was also rather chaotic.

Even so, the fierce and wild aura emanating from these 20,000 Jurchen troops was enough to make any enemy dare not underestimate them. Even the Ming army in the nearby fortress couldn't help but feel tense.

At this time, the army was already dozens of miles away from Guangshun Pass, south of the Qin River and north of Longgang Mountain. Along the way, the Ming army's fortified castles and beacon towers in the eastern pass stretched out in a continuous line.

"Chirp—"

As the mournful sound of bone whistles rang out, the 20,000-strong Jurchen army suddenly reined in their horses and slowly came to a stop at the foot of the gentle slope.

Immediately afterwards, messengers dispatched by the various chieftains, speaking in the harsh and rugged Jurchen language, rode up and shouted:
"By order, set up camp on the spot and prepare for the sacrificial ceremony!"

"Woo-woo-woo—" The bugles of various troops sounded, and the Jurchen warriors, whether armored or unarmored, dismounted in unison. Nobles of all ranks also brought their slaves (slave soldiers) to help lead the horses and remove their armor.

The Jurchens were quick and well-coordinated. They worked in clan units, with some felling trees, some driving stakes, some building felt tents, and some erecting fences.

In less than half an hour, before the chilly northern sunset had even dipped below the horizon, simple yet practical marching tents were erected.

Surrounding the tents were individual fences. Each Mukun had its own small, enclosed camp. This was a common method of marching for the Jurchen tribes—simple, convenient, and efficient.

At the same time, several large tents were erected, surrounded by small fences in the middle.

Outside these large tents, poles were erected, and a simple "shrine" was built on the west side to worship Mother Buddha.

Although the Jurchens were simple in their methods, they were never careless in their sacrificial rites. Even when they camped midway through a march, they would erect a sacrificial pole and build a shrine.

Then, the shamans of each tribe began to perform rituals and dances to worship the gods around the shrine and the Solo pole. Twenty thousand Jurchen warriors sat down together, touching the wild boar tusks on their chests, and watched the shamanic dance with solemn expressions.

After the shamans finished their divine dance and prayed to Chohajan and Mother Fodo for peace and victory, it was completely dark.

Bonfires were lit within the fenced area. Tens of thousands of soldiers and horses filled the mountains and plains. The bonfires in the Jurchen camp shone like a galaxy in the cold, dark Liaodong night.

The Jurchen warriors began eating their dry rations and feeding their horses. The shouts of men and the neighing of horses filled the mountains and rivers, making the vast天地 (heaven and earth) seem even more expansive and distant.

In a large tent atop the central mountain peak, leaders including Yehe Beile Buzhai, Hada Beile Menggebulu, Ula Beile Buzhantai, Huifa Beile Bayindali, and Xibe Beile Langjile were holding a meeting by the fire.

The voice of Bujantai, the Beile of the Ula tribe, echoed inside and outside the tent, carrying a hint of anger:
“Nurhaci is a lackey of the Ming Dynasty and a lackey of Li Chengliang! It’s one thing for him to be willing to fight for the Ming Dynasty, but he’s also causing us to send troops! This time in Korea, I don’t know how many of our people will die! How many able-bodied men does my Ula tribe have in total? This time we’ve already sent out three thousand elite troops!”

"Alright!" Buzhai waved his hand impatiently, rubbing his shaved head. "I've heard you complain the whole way here. If you had the guts, you would have defied the Great Ming Khan's decree and refused to send troops. But you, Buzhantai, don't dare!"

Buzhai was a robust man with a red face and high cheekbones, making him look more like a Mongol. In fact, the Yehe tribe's ancestors may have been Jurchenized Khitans.

Menggebulu, Baiyindali, and others also had gloomy expressions.

Buzhai took a sip of mare's milk wine, wiped his mouth with his dirty silk sleeve, and continued in a muffled voice:

“I know you are still dissatisfied, but I am even more dissatisfied than you! I swear to Lord Cuoha Zhan, my Buzhai is even less willing to send troops!”

"But what can we do? Are we to go against the Great Ming Khan? Not to mention the Great Ming Khan, you don't even have the guts to resist Grand Tutor Li in Guangning City!"

“If the Jurchens were to unite and work together as one, we would certainly have the confidence to resist. But now that the Jianzhou tribe has completely submitted to the Ming court, what can we do? If we disobey the imperial decree, the Han and Jianzhou people will fight us together. What will become of us?”

Bayindari said, "Nurhaci should have been wiped out long ago! This son-in-law is simply a scourge to the Jurchens! The Jianzhou people are working for the Ming court, making life unbearable for all the Jurchens!"

Menggebulu said, "Nurhaci is a skilled warrior, and the Jurchens praise him as the number one warrior among all the tribes. He has 20,000 troops. You try to wipe him out! Even the strongest Yehe tribe would find it difficult to destroy him! If we want to destroy the Jianzhou tribe, the four Hulun tribes must unite!"

Buzhai stroked his braid, his eyes gleaming faintly in the campfire. "You're all only thinking about destroying Nurhaci, why haven't you thought about the Japanese coming from across the sea?"

"The Japanese are right across the Yalu River, and they could enter Jurchen territory at any time. I've heard they have hundreds of thousands of troops in Korea. Right now, all the Jurchen tribes combined, even if they were to unite, would only have a maximum of seventy or eighty thousand soldiers, with less than twenty thousand armored soldiers. Once they come, what will become of us?"

"Even if the Jurchen warriors are skilled in archery and horsemanship, and are brave and skilled in battle, if they defeat the Japanese, the losses will be unimaginably heavy. I wonder how many of our people will be left. And if we lose—"

"We will either be exterminated or become slaves of the Japanese! Is this the outcome you want to see? I think even Master Cuohazhan and Mother Foduo would oppose our refusal to send troops!"

He flicked his braid and said, "My Han Chinese advisors tell me that Korea is practically destroyed. Their next step will be to invade Liaodong. Can we possibly move away? Once the Japanese have subdued millions of Koreans, defeating them will be as difficult as a bull giving birth to a calf!"

"After much thought, we should send troops as soon as possible to help the Ming Khan defeat Japan. This will also win the Ming's favor and trust, and we can take the opportunity to demand gold, silver, grain, armor, and ironware!"

"That's why my Yehe tribe agreed to send 10,000 troops. You're sending fewer troops, so what's there to complain about? I haven't complained at all."

Menggebulu stroked the gold ring on his ear. "We all understand the reasons given by Prince Buzhai, but we just can't swallow this insult. The Ming army lost the war in Korea, yet they insist on dragging us Jurchens into it. They're truly incompetent!"

Buzhai sneered, "Menggebulu, don't talk nonsense. If it gets back to the Ming army, it won't do you any good!"

"Don't forget, your grandfather, Prince Wangtai, only became powerful for a time because he listened to the Ming court and helped the Ming army deal with Wang Gao's rebellion in Jianzhou. He gained the support of the Ming court."

"Over the years, which of the Mongol and Jurchen nobles who rebelled against the Ming Dynasty has had a good ending? They were either wiped out or their power weakened. The Ming Dynasty is as strong as a burly ox, and we can only endure it, at least for the time being."

"I'm reminding you, when you meet Zhu Yin, the commander of the Ming army, you must be honest and respectful. If they sense our arrogance, it will sow the seeds of disaster. Anyone who wants to die can do so, but don't drag me into it."

Buzhantai said with a gloomy expression, "Even if you want us to send troops, you can't expect us to prepare our own provisions, can you? The provisions our warriors carry are only enough for five days."

Bu Zhai said, "They certainly won't abandon us for food supplies. We should have some by the time we reach Fushun Pass, so don't worry. There's a saying among the Han people: even the emperor doesn't starve his soldiers. We have 20,000 elite troops; how could the court not provide us with food and weapons?"

"As I said before, we must be patient."

Buzhai himself certainly had no goodwill towards the Ming court. However, the strength of the Ming Dynasty prevented him from harboring any thoughts of rebellion.

But he secretly vowed that if he unified the Jurchen tribes and established the Great Jin Dynasty, he would no longer obey orders.

Indeed, as the most powerful among the Jurchen tribes, how could Buzhai not have ambitions?

He dreamed of unifying the Jurchen people and rebuilding the Great Jin Dynasty!
He also found the trick: be subservient to the Ming Dynasty, deceive the Ming Dynasty, unify the Jurchens with the support of the Ming Dynasty, and finally rebel.

This military campaign by the four Hulun tribes was one of his schemes. By using the name of the Ming court to assume the position of commander-in-chief of the allied forces of the four Hulun tribes and establish his authority, he was beginning to unify the four Hulun tribes.

The specific plans had already been devised for him by his Han Chinese advisors. Once they arrived in Korea, Menggu Bulu and his men would have no choice; after all, weapons have no eyes.

This is why he was the most active and sent the most troops among all the princes.

Little did Menggebulu and the others know that Buzhai's military expedition was also aimed at annexing them.
At this point, Bu Zhai laughed and said, "Alright, now that we're all here, let's stop complaining and warm up with some drinks!"

Soon, the mare's milk wine was warmed up, and the princes drank it, which livened up the atmosphere.

Buzhai put down his wooden bowl, looked at the group of Jurchen nobles drinking heartily, and a cold smile flashed in his eyes.

A bunch of foolish deer, expecting you to unify the Jurchens is like asking the sun to rise in the west. Besides me, who else can the Hulun Four Tribes rely on?
As Menggebulu drank his wine, he thought to himself: I have long since secretly pledged allegiance to the Ming Dynasty, and Zhu Yin has already promised to support my Hada tribe.

Buzhantai thought to himself, "Buzhai, do you really think I'll trust you Yehe people? Heh, you're going to build a navy on the Songhua River. With a navy, my Ula tribe won't have to be at your mercy anymore."

The Jurchen nobles were outwardly united but inwardly divided, each harboring their own ambitions and unwilling to admit defeat!
……

Faara, the capital of the state.

Six years later, Zhu Yin, Ning Qingchen, and Xiao Hei returned to this place once again.

The city of Feara today is vastly different from what it was back then. The city walls are six li in circumference and nearly two zhang high, and are now fully completed. Although the streets and residences within the city appear simple and less prosperous than county towns in the Central Plains, it is a genuine large Jurchen city.

The city was home to five or six thousand people, mostly Jurchen nobles and soldiers, and it looked quite prosperous. There were altars, sacrificial altars, command platforms, taverns, blacksmith shops, pharmacies, clinics, cloth shops, and so on in the city. The most eye-catching place was, of course, the Beile Mansion in the very center.

Back then, Zhu Yin and two others, along with a dog, stayed at the Prince's mansion for several months.

Zhu Yin and Ning Qingchen were immediately reminded of the scene from back then, and couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

Zhu Yin left tens of thousands of Ming troops ten miles outside the city, asked Qi Jiguang to oversee the main camp, and then entered Feara City with only a team of guards, Ning Qingchen, and Xiao Hei.

As soon as Zhu Yin entered the city, many Jurchens learned the news. "The auspicious one of Jianzhou, Mother Foduo and Lord Cuohazhan, the one who bestows blessings, I love Prince, has returned!"

Without anyone needing to summon them, thousands of Jurchens from the city flocked to both sides of the street to watch my beloved Beile return to Jianzhou.

When the crowd saw the boy who was both unfamiliar and familiar, cheers erupted and the atmosphere became lively. Although six years had passed and Zhu Yin was no longer the boy he once was, their impression of him was so deep that they recognized him at a glance.

"It's because I like Prince!"

"I love that Baylor is back!"

"I like Baylor so much, he's so dashing, he's not like a mortal."

"I still remember that dog brother, he's grown so big, his fur is so black and shiny!"

"That's right, it's that dog brother!"

"I like the little princess behind the prince. Isn't she the baby girl Qingchen from back then? She must be!"

The crowd shouted in Jurchen, and the men all lowered their sleeves, making a loud thud as they performed the sleeve-lowering greeting. The women smiled and touched their temples three times as they performed the temple-touching greeting.

The Zhu family guards, who couldn't understand Jurchen, were incredulous. What were the Jurchens shouting? Were they welcoming their lord?

Nurhaci, who was walking at the very front, raised his hands and said loudly:

"I love that Prince is back! Just when misfortune and dark clouds were about to shroud Jianzhou, my little tiger brother has come to Jianzhou once again!"

"I like Prince, Brother Little Tiger. He is not only the most honored guest of Jianzhou, but also one of our own. He is one of us!"

The crowd cheered, and many Jurchens threw their hats high into the air, revealing their tassel tails, and started dancing the python dance on the spot, clapping and shouting "Kongcha, Kongcha".

Zhu Yin also loudly proclaimed in Jurchen: "Fellow citizens of Jianzhou! I, Zhu Yin, have returned! I have come to Jianzhou once again, following the guidance of Master Cuohazhan and the call of Mother Foduo!"

"When I reappeared in Jianzhou, my joy was like that of a magpie receiving a blessing from a shaman with the five grains!"

"I've missed you all so much after six years! Seeing so many familiar faces makes me feel like I've returned home!"

"Brother Wild Boar Skin is right, dark clouds are about to descend! Evil and terrifying blood fire will burn to Jianzhou! And the Yalu River cannot stop them! They are sent by the Great Demon King Yeruli, disregarding the orders of Lord Cuohazhan, to slaughter and enslave the Jurchens!"

"I, the Jianzhou tribe's Beile, and the Vice Minister of War of the Ming Dynasty, will absolutely not sit idly by! Therefore, Brother Wild Boar Skin and I have repeatedly petitioned the Ming Emperor to go to Korea to eliminate them!"

He raised his hands, looked up at the sky, and said like a shaman:
"The Jurchens protected by Zhan Ye are the bravest warriors under heaven! As long as there is one Jurchen warrior, as long as there is snow on Changbai Mountain, we will never let the Japanese pirates invade Jianzhou! As long as the blood of the Jianzhou people has not been shed, we will not be enslaved by the Japanese!"

Upon hearing Zhu Yin's words, Ning Qingchen, though she did not understand Jurchen, still guessed what Zhu Yin meant and couldn't help but reveal a sweet smile.

The little tiger is probably inciting the Jurchens to fight the Japanese pirates to the death; he probably hopes the Jurchens will bleed to death.

The Jurchen people present were immediately agitated upon hearing Zhu Yin's words. News of the Japanese army's brutal killing of Jurchen ginseng traders and hunters in Shuozhou had already reached them, and they were already aware of the Japanese forces south of the Yangtze River.

The Jianzhou tribe is currently in a state of panic. After all, Jianzhou is right next to North Korea; the distance is simply too close.

Nurhaci, his face filled with grief and indignation, raised his sword and said, "My people who unintentionally entered Shuozhou in Korea were beheaded by the Japanese army. Dozens of their heads are hanging on a big tree by the Yalu River. This is an insult to the Jurchen people!"

"I love Beile! I, Nurhaci, will lead the Jianzhou people to Korea to take revenge!"

Nurhaci knew very well that if the initial purpose of going to Korea to fight against the Japanese pirates was to gain benefits, then things were different now.

Now he is fighting against the Japanese pirates to protect Jianzhou, which is the first place to be affected!
There's no way to retreat, no way to hide, we have to fight with all our might!
What he was most grateful to Zhu Yin for was that, in order to prevent the Yehe and others from taking advantage of the situation to invade Jianzhou, Zhu Yin actually petitioned the court to transfer 20,000 elite Haixi Jurchen troops. In this way, the Haixi Jurchen could not take advantage of the situation, and he could go to Korea with peace of mind.

At that moment, Zhu Yin, Nurhaci, and others arrived at the Beile Mansion amidst a welcoming procession.

Shurhaci and others had already led a large group of Jurchen nobles out to greet them.

"Little Tiger Brother!" Shurhaci laughed, opening his arms to welcome him, the gold rings on his ears and the wild boar tusks on his chest swaying. "It's been six years, Little Tiger Brother has grown so much!"

"Brother Little Wild Boar Skin!" Zhu Yin also opened his arms and stepped forward. "I'm so happy to see you!"

The two performed the most solemn Jurchen greeting of embracing each other around the waist, and even affectionately pressed their cheeks together. This kind of etiquette is usually used only among very close friends and family.

Ning Qingchen also gave Shurhachi a deep bow and said in a mature manner, "Greetings, Brother Little Wild Boar Skin!"

Shurhaci laughed, "This must be Princess Qingchen, she looks just like a little fairy!"

Ning Qingchen thought to herself: Why are you swearing at me? You're the fairy!
Just then, a woman's joyful voice called out, "Godfather!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a woman dressed in the attire of a noblewoman from the Jurchen tribe appeared before Zhu Yin. This woman had a full moon-like face and crescent-shaped eyebrows; she was none other than Zhu Yin's adopted daughter, Princess Dongguo.

Speaking of which, Dongguo is two years older than Zhu Yin, and she is already eighteen years old this year, but she is Zhu Yin's goddaughter.

"The magpie's call this morning was not in vain. Mother Buddha brought good fortune, and my daughter has finally met her godfather!" Dongguo Gege made no attempt to hide her joy, and after speaking, she performed the "squatting salute" that is only used for elders.

“My Dongguo,” Zhu Yin said with a sigh, sounding quite old-fashioned, “is now a father and a mother. Your godfather is so happy to see you.”

Dongguo stepped forward and affectionately helped him up, saying, "My daughter is even happier."

"Uncle Little Tiger!" Two small Jurchen boys appeared before Zhu Yin, both looking delighted. Several boys followed behind them.

"It's Chu Ying and Dai Shan!" Zhu Yin chuckled. "Uncle has been thinking about you."

Chu Ying and Dai Shan bowed together, saying in unison, "Nephews also miss Uncle Little Tiger!"

The boys behind him didn't recognize Zhu Yin, but they still followed Chu Ying and Dai Shan in bowing.

Nurhaci pointed at them and laughed, "Little Tiger Brother, these are Amin, Abai, Tanggudai, Mangultai, Tabai, and Abatai, all your nephews."

Then, pointing to the children in the arms of the noble ladies behind her, she said, "Those two who are still nursing are your godson Hong Taiji and Babutai!"

Two women carrying children stepped forward and knelt down to greet Zhu Yin, saying, "Menggu Zhezhe (Jiamuhu) greets Uncle Little Tiger!"

They were of the same generation as Zhu Yin, but they called him "uncle" like the children.

Zhu Yin looked at the child Meng Guzhe was holding in her arms. The child was only half a year old, with a square face and large ears, and looked very prosperous.

"This is the Yellow...Red Tai Chi?" Zhu Yin seemed very happy. "Today I finally met my godson!"

Meng Guzhe smiled and said, "Thank you, Uncle Little Tiger, for naming Hong Taiji. This child is destined to be with Uncle Little Tiger."

Zhu Yin reached out his hand and said, "Let me hug you."

He himself found it hilarious. Huang Taiji's original name was Hong Taiji, meaning "Eagle Prince," but he mischievously changed it to Hong Taiji.

Meng Guzhe handed the child to him, and Zhu Yin, holding the heavy red Taiji, smiled and said:

"What a blessed child! So young and already the son of Prince Shule and General Jinwu."

Nurhaci found this statement amusing and laughed, "He is indeed fortunate; he is also the adopted son of the Marquis of Jiangning and the Governor of Korea."

Zhu Yin thought to himself, "The historical Emperor Taizong of the Qing Dynasty is in my hands. If I just throw him down, will the Qing Dynasty be gone? Hahaha."

Just as he was thinking this, Zhu Yin suddenly felt a heat on his body, and then a bitter smile appeared on his face.

"Damn it! Emperor Taizong of Qing actually peed all over me!"

PS: This chapter is free for a limited time, please vote with your monthly tickets, thank you! Sigh, I still can't brag, less than 6,000 words today, how can that be considered a long chapter? Speechless.

(End of this chapter)