Di Ming

Chapter 357 "This servant has set up camp and pays respects to Grand Tutor Zhu!"

After the Jianzhou army changed its flag, it officially joined the Ming army and became part of the Ming army.

When Nurhaci saw the Ming army's banner with its crescent moon and red sun, he felt a mix of emotions, unsure of what to feel.

One day, he actually led the most elite warriors of the Jianzhou tribe to gather under the Ming army's battle flag and fight for the Ming Dynasty in the name of the Ming army.

Things are unpredictable.

He was able to reach where he is today thanks to the cultivation and support of the Ming people. However, his father and grandfather, Juechangan and Taksi, were also mistakenly killed by the Ming army.

He and the Ming Dynasty have a family feud.

But so what? Compared to the mighty Ming Dynasty, the Jianzhou tribe, with a total population of less than 100,000, was far too weak.

If the Ming Dynasty wanted to destroy the Jurchens, it wouldn't even need to send troops; it could simply support and encourage the Yehe and other tribes. In fact, a single imperial edict to remove him from his position as governor of Jianzhou, or to revoke the imperial decree and ban trade, would be enough to finish him off.

You can't fight city hall.

So over the years, he could only show obedience and submission to the Ming Dynasty. He could only tell himself and his younger brother Shurhaci that their father and grandfather had only died by mistaken killing by the Ming army, and that their enemy was Nikan Wailan, not the Ming army.

The Ming Dynasty had both been kind to him and hated him. At this moment, he selectively thought about the kindness the Ming Dynasty had shown him, and dared not think about the hatred it had inflicted upon him!
Over the past century, many powerful figures have risen to prominence on the land of Liaodong. However, without exception, the fate of those who rebelled against the Ming Dynasty was... death and extermination of their entire clan!
As long as the Ming Dynasty remains strong, he cannot risk his life and the fate of the Jianzhou tribe by rebelling against the Ming; that would be courting his own destruction.

On the contrary, only by obeying the Ming Dynasty and remaining subservient can one continuously reap benefits and secure a future for the family and Jianzhou.

Besides, the Japanese army is about to invade Jianzhou this time, so there's no other way but to fight desperately. He's not only serving the Ming Dynasty, but also protecting Jianzhou itself.

Nurhaci sighed inwardly, looking at the Ming Dynasty's military commissioner, who sat upright on his horse with a solemn expression. The commissioner was still a young man, but the dignified and noble air of someone in a high position made no one dare to underestimate him. He was a miraculous young man, as if a god had been reincarnated.

Six years ago, he was a child with a little girl, a baby girl, and a small black dog.

But now, he is a reincarnated star deity who has passed the imperial examinations three times in a row, and is the tutor of the princes, the grand tutor of the crown prince, the Marquis of Jiangning, the vice minister of the Ministry of War, the vice censor-in-chief, the governor of Jiliao, and the military commissioner of Korea!

This is my sworn brother, Nurhaci.

While Nurhaci was overjoyed, he was also deeply moved and couldn't help but feel a sense of unreality.

Little Tiger Brother, you are my brother, Nurhaci's brother, and a lucky and noble person for the Jianzhou tribe. I hope you are safe and sound, enjoy lasting wealth and prosperity, and continue to protect the Jianzhou tribe from wind and rain.

Little did he know that Zhu Yin had been scheming against and using him from the very beginning. Even though this Jianzhou warlord was exceptionally shrewd, he couldn't have imagined that Zhu Yin was a time traveler. No matter how clever he was, he couldn't help but fall for it.

However, Zhu Yin treated Nurhaci very well. Even if it was all a pretense, if he continued to pretend like that, judging by his actions rather than his intentions, he would truly be considered a good brother.

Nurhaci snapped out of his thoughts, removed his helmet again, and stepped forward to report to Zhu Yin: "Reporting to the Grand Marshal, the Jianzhou army has already raised its flags and changed its banners. Please give the military orders, Grand Marshal!"

Zhu Yin sat on his horse, looking down at Nurhaci's head. It was shaved black, but he still had a long, thin braid that swayed back and forth like a pig's tail, and the wild boar tusks hanging from his ears were constantly swinging.

Zhu Yin immediately felt an indescribable absurdity and almost burst out laughing.

However, Zhu Yin was no ordinary man, and he had a strong ability to control his expressions. He successfully suppressed his laughter and nodded solemnly, saying, "Station at Jiefan City, remove your armor and rest, and wait for the Yehe and other tribes' armies to join us."

"Yes, sir!" Nurhaci received the order, donned a Ming-style helmet, strode to the front of the Jianzhou army, and shouted loudly in his cold, rugged Jurchen voice:
"Grand Tutor Zhu, I like the Prince's order: those wearing helmets, please remove them and then enter the city to rest!"

Like the Mongols, the Jurchens at this time still customarily referred to the Ming Dynasty's commanders in the Northeast as "Grand Tutors." Zhu Yin was the Governor-General of Jiliao, and the entire Jurchen tribe was indirectly under his jurisdiction, so Nurhaci addressed the Jurchens as "Grand Tutor Zhu."

In fact, Zhu Yin was not a Grand Tutor at all. He wasn't even a Junior Tutor.

When the Jurchen warriors removed their heavy helmets, they were immediately exposed with bald heads and long, thin braids.

Zhu Yin tried hard to suppress the corners of his mouth and keep a straight face.

Zhu Yin withdrew his gaze and looked at Longgang Mountain behind the army, as well as Jiefan City and Suzi River not far away. Suddenly, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disorientation and was momentarily stunned.

Where is this? This is Sarhu.

It was in this very place that Nurhaci, in history, decisively defeated the Ming army, which was said to number 470,000, totaling over 100,000, and from then on, the balance of power shifted dramatically.

The Battle of Sarhu left tens of thousands of corpses, staining the river red. The Ming army suffered heavy losses, with most of its elite troops killed and 300 generals perishing in the battle. The Later Jin dynasty shifted from defense to offense, marking a crucial turning point in the rise and fall of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

But now, also in Sarhu, he is gathering the Jurchen army to march south to fight against the Japanese pirates, and Nurhaci is one of his generals.

The world is truly unpredictable, and life is full of twists and turns.

Zhu Yin couldn't help but feel a sense of life being like a dream. Reflecting on history and looking at the present, he couldn't help but softly recite in a voice only he could hear:
Sarhu at the foot of Longgang Mountain
The border city of Suzihe.

The bronze camel sheds tears for hundreds of years.
Generations of rise and fall have seen the people of Shuli.

Blood-soaked native wild grass,

The soul departs on the icy river, the cry of a lone goose echoes through the void.

The ancient trees of our homeland still stand today.
The Jurchens were under the sun and moon banner.

Nurhaci walked over and chuckled softly, "What is Little Tiger Brother saying?"

Zhu Yin said somewhat sadly, "I am praying. What wonderful Jianzhou warriors they were. I pray that Lord Cuoha Zhan will bless them so that they may turn misfortune into good fortune, return home alive, and reunite with their families."

Zhu Yin raised his hand to rub his eyes as he spoke, "The wind picked up, and I got sand in my eyes."

Upon seeing this, Nurhaci was deeply moved, and his voice choked with emotion.

“Little Tiger Brother, how can there be no death in war? Many Jianzhou sons are destined to be buried in foreign lands. But there is no other way. Only by daring to exchange blood for the enemy's blood will the enemy be afraid and be subdued.”

"Brother can only hope to win more battles and lose fewer people. Try to bring as many people back alive as possible."

Zhu Yin said, "Brother Wild Boar Skin, I will do my best to help Jianzhou. When the time comes, the captured Japanese will be your slaves, and we will help you develop the land, grow food, and live a good life. Only when the people of Jianzhou live a good life can we do justice to the warriors who died in foreign lands."

Nurhaci nodded. "Little Tiger, then I won't thank you. I'll need you to speak up for Jianzhou in court then."

He didn't see anything wrong with Zhu Yin's words. Enabling the Jianzhou people to live a good life was a good thing; what was wrong with that?

Of course, that's not right. But at that moment, Nurhaci couldn't even imagine what the problem was.

Once the entire Jianzhou army had entered Jiefan City to rest, Zhu Yin separated from Yezhupi and returned to the Ming army formation not far away.

Qi Jiguang had already set up a fortified camp, with a loose exterior but a tight interior. Qi Jiguang was on guard against the Jurchens.

Although the Jurchen army is currently part of the Ming army, as the general, he is naturally responsible for the safety of the Ming army and must guard against being ambushed by the Jurchens.

Inside the central command tent, Qi Jiguang was presiding over a military council. Those attending included Li Rusong, Li Rubai, Qin Liangyu, Yang Kedong, Luo Shangzhi, Xiong Tingbi, Qi Zuoguo, Cao Wenzhao, and Zhao Shuaijiao; only Mao Wenlong was missing, as he had not yet arrived.

Several literati were also present at the military council, including Xu Wei and Feng Menglong.

Qi Jiguang, who was already 65 years old, was still full of energy and vigor. Although his beard was gray, he did not look old and frail. He looked imposing and awe-inspiring.

Over the years, he has been well taken care of by Zhu Yin and Ning Caiwei in both his personal life and official career. In addition, he has seen through many things and has lost his obsession with blind loyalty. As a result, his health has become stronger and stronger, and he is still capable of fighting on the battlefield.

Qi Jiguang said with a somber expression, "Just now, you all saw the imposing presence of the Jianzhou army. They only number ten thousand!"

Qi Jiguang only said one sentence, but it showed how much he valued the Jianzhou Army.

Li Rusong, whose military rank was second only to Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang, spoke first:

“General, I am very familiar with Jianzhou and Tongnu. Although the people of Jianzhou are soldiers and civilians, and there is no distinction between soldiers and civilians, they are born to be warriors because they hunt regularly and have been trained in horseback riding, archery and fighting since childhood. They are also hardworking, fierce and savage, and have a martial spirit.”

"To put it bluntly, the Jurchens were naturally adept at military campaigns. Sometimes they would hold large-scale hunts, with hundreds of people organizing a hunt together, often chasing each other for many days in the mountains and wilderness, covering hundreds of miles. Isn't that a form of military campaigning?"

"During the hunt, commands are given with horns and whistling arrows, and all parties coordinate their efforts, advancing in separate groups to launch a combined attack, shifting positions and changing tactics. Isn't this the art of war?"

"When encountering a large herd of prey, or when other tribes steal prey, you have to form ranks to intercept, block, and surround them. Isn't that a military formation?"

"That's because nowadays, a single large-scale hunt can often yield hundreds or even thousands of prey. Isn't that just like the spoils of war?"

"Furthermore, because the Jurchen population was small and there were many wild animals, they had to stick together. They were often brothers who fought tigers together and fathers and sons who went into battle together, so their sense of cohesion was very strong."

"Even if only half of the 10,000 Jianzhou soldiers are armored, they would still be difficult to defeat even with three times the strength of the Ming army."

"But General, rest assured, our 36,000 troops are the most elite soldiers of the Ming Dynasty. Every man is armored and armed with firearms. Defeating these 10,000 Jianzhou soldiers will be a piece of cake."

Li Rusong's meaning was simple: the Jianzhou troops are very strong, but our more than 30,000 troops are also the elite of the Ming Dynasty, so there is nothing to worry about.

After he finished speaking, his tone turned serious, and he added deliberately, "Not to mention, the imperial court can still spare at least another 300,000 elite soldiers like ours! 300,000! Which of the Jurchen tribes would dare to rebel? That would be courting death."

Qi Jiguang smiled slightly, nodding and stroking his beard. He thought to himself, "The court can really muster 300,000 elite soldiers like these? They'd be lucky to squeeze out another 100,000, let alone 300,000? Dream on." Qi Jiguang knew better than anyone the true strength of the Ming Dynasty's military. The official troop strength was over two million, which sounded terrifying at first glance. But that was just a number. The truly elite troops numbered less than one-tenth.

Why are there so few elite troops? Two words: corruption!

Qi Jiguang thought this in his heart, but said it aloud with great agreement:
"Indeed, General Li is right. If the court were truly determined, it could easily muster hundreds of thousands of such elite troops. Therefore, the Ming Dynasty can afford to lose. Anyone who dares to rebel against the Ming is courting death."

At this point, the two exchanged a knowing smile, their understanding unspoken.

Li Rusong was a general of the rank of commander-in-chief. Of course he knew that the Ming Dynasty did not have 300,000 elite soldiers.

Korea had already lost tens of thousands, and now tens of thousands more are here. The imperial court can only muster a maximum of 100,000 elite troops. Of course, this does not include the chieftain troops; if the chieftain troops are included, then there are truly 300,000 elite soldiers.

The problem is that the Tusi soldiers are ultimately foreign troops, and many Tusi are unwilling to obey orders. Even those who are willing are often unruly and outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant. In the end, they are not the established army of the imperial court, and there is always the risk of them turning against the government, making them difficult to trust.

Li Rusong and Qi Jiguang exaggerated the number of elite troops in the imperial court, of course, saying it to Yang Kedong and Qin Liangyu, mainly to Yang Kedong.

Why?

Yang Kedong was the son of Yang Yinglong, the chieftain of Bozhou. The Yang family of Bozhou possessed tens of thousands of elite troops, were powerful and wealthy, and were one of the most powerful chieftains.

Last year, Yang Yinglong submitted a memorial requesting to send troops to serve the court in resisting Japanese pirates. The court had initially refused, but Zhu Yin secretly intervened, and the court eventually approved.

At that time, Yang Yinglong's son, Yang Kedong, was being held hostage by the imperial court. So Zhu Yin arranged for Yang Kedong's release, allowing him to lead three thousand chieftain soldiers to Korea.

Including Qin Liangyu's White Spear Soldiers, the army had six thousand chieftain soldiers.

As expected, Yang Kedong felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing Li Rusong and Qi Jiguang's words.

He knew very well that the 30,000 Ming soldiers were no ordinary elite troops. Among them, Qi Jiguang's army was the strongest army in the land.

But how could the Ming Dynasty still be able to spare 300,000 of these elite Han soldiers? That's incredible.

My father even wants to raise an army to rebel against the Ming Dynasty and call himself the King of Qin. Isn't that just wishful thinking?

Yang Kedong knew about his father's and elder brother's ambitions. But when his elder brother told him that his father had secretly carved the seal of "King of Qin" and wanted to establish the Qin state, he was still frightened.

The father took the initiative to petition the court, saying that he wanted to send troops to fight against the Japanese pirates, but in reality, it was a test.

If the imperial court grants permission to send troops, it means the court is very confident and doesn't take Bozhou seriously. If the court refuses to send troops from Bozhou, it is enough to show that the court is insecure and wary of Bozhou's strength.

But what was the result? The court not only approved it, but also generously released him as a hostage, allowing him to lead the elite troops of Bozhou to Korea.

When his father and elder brother saw that the imperial court had granted permission for Bozhou to send troops, they regretted their decision but dared not rebel. So, while expressing their submission, they sent three thousand soldiers.

Yang Kedong was, after all, a young man. How could he know whether Qi Jiguang and Li Rusong were lying or saying it specifically to him?
He had never approved of his father and brothers' rebellion, and now he regarded rebelling against the Ming Dynasty as a path of no return. He only wanted to go to Korea to fight well and make great achievements.

Mid-level generals like Xiong Tingbi and Cao Wenzhao were unaware of the true military strength of the Ming Dynasty, but they also found it hard to believe that the court could still mobilize so many elite troops.

But they weren't stupid. Even though they didn't know the truth, they all nodded in agreement with what Qi and Li said.

Li Rubai lowered his head, looking at his red dragonfly-patterned leather shoes, his expression somewhat strange. Of course, he didn't correct his brother's intentions either.

Xu Wei, Feng Menglong, and other advisors also smiled slightly.

Qi Jiguang continued, "By dusk at the latest today, the 20,000 Jurchen troops from the Yehe tribe and other groups will arrive to join us. At that time, there will be 30,000 Jurchen soldiers here. We must demonstrate the might of the Ming Dynasty's royal army and not lose face for the court in front of the Jurchens."

"After you return to camp, strictly discipline your subordinates. They must not have any conflicts with the Jurchen allies, especially not mock their queues (braids). What's so funny about that? If you ridicule the Jurchens and anger them, and they challenge you to a duel, will you accept?"

"Secondly, military discipline must be strictly enforced, and those who violate it will be severely punished. Military judges who fail to enforce the law will be punished the same as the soldiers. If a platoon of three men violates discipline, the platoon leader will be executed. If a squad of ten men violates discipline, the squad leader will be executed..."

"Third, keep a close eye on your warhorses. Our army's horses are almost all stallions, while the Jurchen army has quite a few mares. Spring is approaching, and the horses will soon be restless and running wild. Make sure your warhorses don't wander into the Jurchen camp looking for fun; once they're inside, they'll be hard to get out..."

When Qi Jiguang finished speaking, all the generals couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Only the female general Qin Liangyu lowered her head, her pink face slightly flushed.

Qi Jiguang only realized there was a female general present when he got to this point, so he quickly stopped the conversation, coughed, and said:

"Alright, that concludes the military meeting for now. Everyone, go back and prepare."

As soon as the military meeting adjourned, Zhu Yin entered the central command tent. Seeing that there were no outsiders present, he asked directly, "Father, is the military meeting over?"

Qi Jiguang nodded, "Once the Yehe and other tribes arrive, we will gather the Jurchen generals and hold another formal military meeting."

Although Zhu Yin was a civil official who supervised the army and commanded troops, Qi Jiguang was the true general. Zhu Yin's responsibilities were limited to strategy, personnel, supervision, and logistics, while Qi Jiguang was the battlefield commander.

Zhu Yin took off his helmet and sat down below Qi Jiguang. "I know what Father is worried about. Father, you don't need to worry about the Jianzhou Jurchens. They are still quite obedient for now. I can handle them."

Qi Jiguang laughed and said, "I can tell that you and Nurhaci have a good personal relationship. Although you try to hide it, you can't fool my eyes. However, those who are not of our race will surely have different intentions. Don't be careless. Don't forget that the Jurchens established the Jin Dynasty. It's hard to guarantee that those Jurchen princes don't have any ulterior motives."

Zhu Yin picked up a command arrow from the table, toyed with it in his hand, and said casually, "They'd better not even have that thought, otherwise..."

At this point, he swung the command arrow in his hand, saying, "It could very well bring about the extermination of our entire clan!"

Qi Jiguang knew what was going on, so he stopped talking about Nurhaci and started talking about Yang Kedong instead:
“Zhihu, you persuaded the court to accept Yang Yinglong’s request to send troops, released his son, and even allowed his son to lead the troops. You must have had other considerations, right?”

Zhu Yin nodded and said, "Nothing can be hidden from Father. That's right, I have indeed considered it. I suspect Yang Yinglong is planning a rebellion. But at this critical juncture, we absolutely cannot allow the Yang family to rebel again."

"If Korea is going to fight a major war, the southwest cannot be allowed to fall into chaos. Otherwise, if the court is at war with the north and south, it will be like trying to put down one gourd only to have another float up, which would be truly dangerous."

As Zhu Yin spoke, he personally poured tea for Qi Jiguang.

Qi Jiguang pondered for a moment, tapping his fingers on the table. “Could the Yang family rebel? Does Yang Yinglong have the guts? Hmm, I heard that after he suppressed the Miao rebellion, he expanded his army considerably.”

“He has 50,000 soldiers.” Zhu Yin put down the command arrow. “What does he need so many soldiers for? If he keeps them around, where will he get so much food and pay? So I suspect he might rebel.”

“Fifty thousand soldiers…” Qi Jiguang sneered, “Then he does indeed have some strength to rebel.”

Zhu Yin said, "It's better to be safe than sorry. That's why I took precautions and brought his son to Korea..."

Qi Jiguang laughed and said, "Then you must take good care of Yang Kedong. This child is... naive."

Zhu Yin also smiled.

After discussing it for a while, Zhu Yin went to inspect the entire camp and made a special trip to see Ning Qingchen's field medical battalion.

He even went to visit Tenkoku Shūjin, Hideyoshi's wife Nene, and seemed to care about the two of them a lot, showing them concern and warmth.

At 7:45 PM, a messenger suddenly reported that the 20,000-strong Jurchen army from the Yehe tribe had arrived.

Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang immediately ordered their troops to come out of the camp to meet them. They heard thunderous hooves from the north, followed by an endless Jurchen army, their momentum overwhelming.

Qi Jiguang scrutinized the Haixi army with a slightly somber expression, his demeanor somewhat grave.

He was well aware, of course, that the cavalry of the various tribes of Haixi were very strong! If there was any weakness, it was that they were not under each other's command and fought independently.

Unlike the Jianzhou tribe, the Yehe and other tribes, being close to the Mongols and having close ties with them, had abundant grasslands and therefore many warhorses. All 20,000 soldiers had warhorses, and each soldier rode two horses at a time.

Of course, these 40,000 warhorses represented the majority of the Haixi Jurchens' assets. Not many warhorses remained in their homeland.

But seeing tens of thousands of troops surging in like a tide, even though they knew these were friendly forces, the Ming generals were still filled with trepidation.

When Nurhaci and Eidu saw so many warhorses arriving in a thunderous roar, they couldn't help but feel envious, jealous, and resentful.

The powerful Haixi Jurchens discouraged them somewhat.

Seeing this scene, apart from Zhu Yin and Ning Qingchen, the two time travelers, no one could have imagined that the one who unified the Jurchens was not the Haixi Jurchens with their many horses and soldiers, but the Jianzhou Jurchens with their few horses and few people.

"Woo-woo-woo—" The desolate bugle call sounded, and 20,000 Haixi Jurchen cavalrymen reined in their horses.

Then a group of princes dismounted, removed their armor and held it to their arms, and came together to Zhu Yin's banner. They knelt down at the same time and said in broken Chinese:

"Your humble servant Buzhai (other) greets Grand Tutor Zhu! May the Grand Tutor be well!"

Zhu Yinxu helped them up, saying, "Gentlemen, you must be tired from your journey! Please rise, no need for formalities!"

The princes of Haixi roared in unison, "Yes, sir!"

P.S.: When the Ming Dynasty was still powerful, the nobles of the Jurchen tribes referred to themselves as "slaves" before the Ming Dynasty's Liaodong commanders. Therefore, it's correct for them to refer to themselves as "slaves" in the book. Wild Boar Skin didn't refer to himself as a slave to Little Tiger because he was Little Tiger's sworn brother, and their relationship was different. Please vote with monthly tickets, thank you for your support, goodnight! For those who are reading this book, please also set up an auto-subscribe function.

(End of this chapter)