Di Ming

Chapter 363 "Keep your queue, lose your head!"

Amidst the Satsuma army's shouts of "Conquer the Ming Dynasty!", the Shimazu clan's "Maru Cross" family crest banner waved atop the castle, while Yoshihiro's own "Black Bird Feather" horse emblem was also raised high.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Shimazu Yoshihiro couldn't help but sheath his sword and, waving his folding fan, recite:
Spring arrives and the last snow melts; I am in Shuozhou City. The mountain pass is just a thought away; listen to the sound of my bow and sword.

Hisashi Kawakami, a hereditary retainer and close general (commander of the personal guard), laughed and said, "My lord's poem is just like our family's cross crest, straight as a knife and simple as a bow."

The head retainer, Shinna Tadatsumoto, opened his folding fan and said, “The way of the Satsuma samurai family is as straight as a knife and as simple as a bow. My lord’s impromptu poem perfectly expresses the spirit of our family. I believe that my lord’s military prowess is the greatest among those who have entered Tang China.”

"The land of Tang was originally the land of sages, but now it has become the nest of the bearded barbarians (Ming people). We should punish them on behalf of Heaven."

Yoshihiro's fourth brother, Shimazu Iehisa, also said, "Brother, beyond one mountain and one river lies the Ming Dynasty. The mountains, rivers, grasses, and trees of this foreign land are all within the sight of a samurai, like a tiger eyeing a fence. When our army lashes out at the Central Plains and sweeps across thousands of miles, your glory will be enough to illuminate the mountains and seas."

The swordsman and hereditary retainer Machida Hisabe said, "The Taiko once said, 'Japan is the descendant of the gods, and the conquest of the bearded barbarians (the Ming people) is a holy war.' If my lord personally cuts off 360 heads of the bearded barbarians, he can prove the perfection of his Dao heart."

Yoshihiro Shimazu nodded, his face filled with longing: "What the Taiko said is well said, to directly attack the Ming Dynasty and make its four hundred provinces assimilated into our customs! This is the true meaning of unifying the eight directions under one roof, spreading our military might throughout the world, and displaying our national prestige across the vast ocean."

"Conquering Korea was the first step, which is now complete. The next step is to conquer Tang and Ming. Once we conquer Ming, we can then destroy Annam, Siam, Champa, and other kingdoms. Then we can conquer the Western Regions, conquer all nations, and unify the world! Gentlemen, if the Mongols could do it, there's no reason why the warriors of the Divine Kingdom can't."

Although Shimazu Yoshihiro only had 7,000 troops, he was extremely confident. This was because his 7,000 men were the strongest in Kyushu, the elite of the elite, with samurai making up 30% and musketeers accounting for a much higher proportion than other daimyo.

The Satsuma Domain became a powerful domain in Japan because of its 7,000-strong army. However, the main force of the Satsuma Domain was also stationed there, with only a detachment defending the homeland. Even most of the retainers of the Shimazu clan were stationed there.

He had a full three thousand arquebusiers, a thousand cavalrymen on Korean horses, a thousand archer foot soldiers, a thousand spearmen foot soldiers, and a thousand swordsmen.

Shimazu Yoshihiro was working so hard not only because he dared not offend the Taiko (Prince Taiko), but also because he wanted to gain more benefits. If he could obtain a fiefdom in China, that would be even better.

Since entering Korea, the Satsuma soldiers have been brave and skilled in battle, fighting from Busan to Shuozhou, winning every battle without a single defeat. Needless to say, the incompetent Korean army was no match for them, and even the Ming army was no match for them.

His men had already killed tens of thousands of Koreans, thousands of Ming soldiers, and hundreds of Jurchens. This made him full of contempt for the Ming Dynasty.

With the protection of Amaterasu and Hachiman, the vast but ineffective Ming Dynasty and its cowardly and incompetent bearded barbarians were no match for the divine warriors. The true enemy of the divine kingdom was the high-nosed, deep-eyed southern barbarians (Yokai)!

"We're about to attack," said Shimazu Yoshihiro. "All the captured men will be executed as a sacrifice to the flag and the gods, while the captured women will be spared. Once the rear army reaches Heian Province, our army will be the first to cross the river!"

He waved his folding fan and said, "Tell the samurai and foot soldiers that after we conquer Ming, the samurai will have manors and slaves, and the foot soldiers will become new samurai! Everyone, please do your best."

"Hai!" The retainers and generals obeyed the order, their fighting spirit surging.

Then, more than a thousand male prisoners were brought out, mostly Korean militia and Ming soldiers, as well as more than a hundred captured Jurchen hunters and ginseng hunters.

There were already many Jurchens in the border area between Korea and Jurchen. After the Satsuma army invaded Shuozhou, two warriors were killed by the Jurchens, so some retainers suggested retaliatory killing of the Jurchens.

Under the planning of that retainer, the Jurchen tribes in North Pyongan Province and Hamgyeong Province were almost completely wiped out by the Japanese army. Under the pretext of intimidation, that retainer tied the heads of hundreds of Jurchens to large trees on the edge of the mountains with their braids.

The retainer also told Shimazu Yoshihiro that he understood the Jurchens, who were unruly and had historically invaded the Divine Kingdom, and that they should be wiped out to prevent future troubles.

"Whoo-whoo-whoo—" The distinctive conch shell sound of the Japanese army rang out, and squads of swordsmen, that is, samurai with high sword skills, drew their swords and slashed at the heads and bodies of the prisoners.

In Japan, not everyone had the right to execute prisoners; only samurai did, and prisoners were also used for training swordsmanship. They were also sacrifices offered to the gods and as military flags.

Therefore, any large-scale killing of prisoners of war must be accompanied by a sacrificial ceremony.

As the butcher's knife was brandished, squads of samurai, shirtless, half-faced, wearing only white Echigo-style loincloths, with their hair tied in a topknot and wooden clogs, clapped their hands, stomped their feet, and hopped out of the city.

They were dancing the Awa Odori. Their movements were synchronized and frenzied, accompanied by shouts of "Hey hey ha ha!" that blended with the sound of clapping.

"Clap clap—Hey ha!"

Outside Shuozhou city, heads rolled and blood flowed like rivers. The dancers' movements became even more frenzied. The Japanese soldiers watching applauded excitedly.

After offering sacrifices to the gods and raising the military flag, Shimazu ordered the heads to be hung in the mountains outside the castle, which was also a mountain sacrifice.

The morale of the Satsuma army soared even higher, and they were eager to invade Ming China immediately!
……

On the riverbank more than a hundred miles southwest of Shuozhou, a large cavalry force was galloping.

Each cavalryman rode three horses and wore Ming army armor, carrying Ming army battle flags. However, the vast majority of the knights were Jurchens with shaved heads, braided hair, and rat tails.

This large cavalry force was, of course, the ten thousand Jurchen cavalry led by Zhu Yin and Nurhaci, along with several hundred Zhu family retainers.

By this time, the army had already traveled seventy li (approximately 35 kilometers), and the warhorses beneath the knights were utterly exhausted. If there were no horses available for replacement, they would have to stop, rest for most of the day, feed the horses, and allow them to recover their strength.

The reason why cavalry is not fast is mainly because the speed is wasted on restoring horsepower.

But this cavalry unit clearly did not need to stop.

"Send the order! Change horses!" Nurhaci commanded. "Continue on our way!"

The Jurchen knights immediately switched to another horse. Their original mounts no longer carried passengers and could continue running behind them.

After running for several dozen more miles, and having covered more than a hundred miles, Zhu Yin finally ordered his men to stop and rest for an hour, to water and feed the horses, and for the soldiers to eat some dry rations.

That's right. Even if you have one person and three horses, you can't keep running. Even if you can rotate the horses, the person can't keep up.

The Jurchens were better horsemen than the Han Chinese, and could ride for over a hundred li without rest. However, ordinary Han Chinese cavalrymen would have to dismount and rest after a maximum of seventy or eighty li.

Fortunately, Zhu Yin's horsemanship skills had not been wasted over the years, and he had also been able to ride horses in his previous life, so he not only did not fall behind, but also rode with great spirit and energy, no less than the Jurchen knights.

Zhu's retainers were all elites among elites, all with outstanding horsemanship skills, far superior to ordinary Ming cavalry, so there was naturally no problem.

An hour later, the army changed horses and continued their march. After traveling thirty or forty li, they stopped again.

The large group of people rested in the woods by the river, some feeding the horses, others eating their rations. A mountain breeze blew by, carrying with it the sour smell of sweat from the men and horses.

If there were Japanese spies nearby, this smell alone could give away military intelligence.

Fortunately, the Japanese army had won a series of victories since entering Korea and had become extremely arrogant and careless. However, Zhu Yin's grasp of Japanese intelligence was very detailed.

In Yoshihiro Shimazu's army, there were spies from the Tiger Fang faction.

Dozens of Jurchen scouts had already been dispatched to keep watch. Zhu Yin and Nurhaci waited until their sweat was almost dry before taking off their armor to relax.

Zhu Yin simply ordered that half of the men remove their armor and rest, and then the other half would remove their armor and rest.

It was nearly dusk. Five hours of riding had covered approximately 150 li (about 75 kilometers). And the men and horses could still keep going.

Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang's plan was to have their cavalry travel two hundred li (approximately 100 kilometers) in a day and half a night, suddenly arriving at the gates of Shuozhou. This speed of advance would be difficult even for one man and three horses, and it couldn't be sustained for long.

“Little Tiger Brother, we’ll definitely be able to reach Shuozhou by midnight.” Nurhaci wiped the sweat from his bald forehead. “We Jurchens are used to night battles, but we need an hour to recover our strength before we start.”

"An hour is enough?" Zhu Yin asked, taking out a map and spreading it on the ground. "There are still about fifty li to go, and a section of valley. The soldiers are exhausted. Because of this extra hour of rest..."

After he finished speaking, he took a sip of water and then put a piece of naan bread in his mouth.

“There’s absolutely no problem.” Nurhaci stroked the wild boar tusk pendant on his big ear. “Back when I conquered Nikan Wailan, I led eight hundred cavalrymen, all on two horses. We covered nearly two hundred li in a day and a night. After resting for half an hour, we started attacking the city. I was the first to break into the city. Eidu killed thirty enemies in a row.”

Nurhaci smiled with great confidence. His face, unshaven for several days, was covered in stubble, making him look wild, heroic, and rugged, yet also possessing a wisdom rarely seen in barbaric tribes.

Zhu Yin found it hard to connect the cheerful and bold Wild Boar Skin Brother in front of him with the Mandate of Heaven Khan who, more than twenty years later, was the one who wrote the Seven Grievances and rebelled against the Ming Dynasty to establish his own state.

Nurhaci said that Eidu killed thirty enemies in a row, and Zhu Yin did not doubt it. This was because historical records stated that Eidu killed thirty enemies in this battle.

The Jurchen general Eidu said, "I like you to rest assured, Beile. With the blessing of Lord Cuohazhan, we can attack the city in the middle of the night and won't have to wait until dawn. If we have to wait until dawn, the battle will be even more difficult."

Zhu Yin shook his head. "Brother Wild Boar Skin, General Eidu, you've misunderstood me. I'm not doubting the abilities of our Jurchen warriors; I'm just worried about them. Think about it, they travel for a day and a half, rest for an hour, and then go to war again. It's really too arduous. Shimazu Yoshihiro isn't a roe deer or a elk." Zhu Yin was the Ming army's most knowledgeable person about Shimazu Yoshihiro.

This daimyo of the Satsuma Domain was known as "Oni Shimazu," and that nickname was well-deserved.

Shimazu Yoshihiro was a skilled and ruthless warrior, and the Satsuma army was an elite force in the Japanese army, making them a tough nut to crack. This was also why Zhu Yin wanted to use Nurhaci's Jianzhou troops to attack Shimazu Yoshihiro.

The Samo soldiers are fierce, and so are the Jianzhou soldiers. Only a fierce battle, fighting fire with fire, can maximize their mutual attrition. Once Brother Wild Boar Skin is severely weakened, will he still have a chance to unify the Jurchens? Bullshit. He should just obediently be their lackey.

Therefore, the goal of this battle is to win decisively and decisively, while also inflicting heavy losses on the Jianzhou Jurchens.

A Pyrrhic victory is the best outcome.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yin sighed again: "After this battle, I don't know how many Jianzhou brothers will be buried in Shuozhou. Even I may not be able to return home alive."

Nurhaci and Eidu, among others, were also somewhat saddened, and together they gazed towards the north bank of the Yangtze River. That was the homeland of the Jianzhou Jurchens.

We're just across the river.

Once the Japanese army crossed the river, they would be in Jianzhou. How could they possibly survive without fighting desperately?

“Little Tiger Brother,” Nurhaci said, “even if several thousand people die or are injured, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

At this point, Nurhaci hesitated for a moment, then said solemnly, "Brother Little Tiger, if I were to die in Korea, I entrust the Jianzhou tribe and my wife and children to your care."

“Brother Wild Boar Skin…” Zhu Yin’s eyes welled up with tears, and he said in a desolate tone, “If something really happens, I will definitely take good care of Jianzhou, Daishan and Hong Taiji… As long as I am alive, they will be able to live a life of wealth and honor forever.”

"But if I also die in North Korea, then there's nothing I can do."

He Heli spat out a blade of grass he was holding in his mouth and said with a smile:

“Amuha (father-in-law), Guchu Ama (godfather), you are both blessed by the heavens, and are the benefactors protected by Cuoha Zhanye and Fuduo Mama. Heaven will not take you away.”

Zhu Yin nodded and said, "I hope so. He Heli, order the warriors to mount their horses and resume their journey."

"Whoo!"

...

As the sun sets, the remaining blood stains the ground.

Ten thousand soldiers and thirty thousand warhorses, arrayed in a long, winding formation stretching five or six miles along the riverbank, galloped like a giant dragon, their imposing presence awe-inspiring.

The mournful sound of the mighty river, mixed with the sound of horses' hooves, was like the roar of a thunderous sea.

Zhu Yin rode his horse up a hillside, cracked his whip, pointed at the surging river, and said with great emotion:
"Brother Wild Boar Skin, the Yalu River flows westward, and our army advances eastward. Thousands of years later, the Yalu River's waves remain unchanged, but we have all turned to dust and vanished from the world. Even the greatest heroes have disappeared into nothingness."

"What is a hero? What is a hero?"

"It seems that only by speaking out for the common people and seeking happiness for the masses can a great hero's ambition be fulfilled and his noble spirit endure."

Nurhaci had no idea of ​​the true meaning behind Zhu Yin's words. He was deeply moved by them, and couldn't help but immediately stand beside Zhu Yin on the hillside, saying:
"The mighty Yangtze River flows eastward, its waves washing away the heroes of the past. Right and wrong, success and failure, all turn to nothing in the blink of an eye. The green hills remain, witnessing countless sunsets..." These words from Brother Little Tiger can truly move even heroes to tears.

Looking at the green mountains and the setting sun, and the rolling river, Nurhaci's usually untamed heart, as free as autumn frost and wild grass, was stirred by an emotion he had never felt before.

He didn't know this emotion was called "melancholy," nor was there a word for it in the Jurchen language. But he could feel a sensation different from anything he had experienced before.

He Heli, Eidu, and others also experienced this strange emotion.

Zhu Yin subtly observed Nurhaci and the others, and had a clear understanding of their situation.

Under his influence, Nurhaci was no longer the same as before. It wasn't that his circumstances had changed, but rather that his mindset had shifted.

Originally, Nurhaci was a man of rough character, wild thinking, and extreme realism in his actions and thoughts, making it difficult for him to reach the realm of philosophical thought. This was also a manifestation of barbarity.

We've already reached that level, and that's a reaction to "civilization."

If this continues, Nurhaci will no longer be the Nurhaci of history; he will be unconsciously Sinicized by Zhu Yin.

The psychological warfare tactics of high-level spies can achieve their effects subtly and imperceptibly.

Nurhaci pondered for a moment, and Zhu Yin's words came to mind: "What is a hero? What is a hero?"

The army continued its march, and before the sun had completely set, two scouts rode up on horseback.

"Grand Tutor! Ejen!" The scout dismounted. "There are many heads by the woods ahead, all... Jurchen heads!"

"What?!" Nurhaci and the others were both shocked and furious.

When the group arrived on horseback, they saw two or three hundred Jurchen heads hanging from the trees at the foot of the mountain. The long braids were tied to the branches, and this way of hanging the heads with braids looked extremely humiliating.

Just by looking at their unique hairstyle, you can tell they are Jurchens, not Koreans or Han Chinese.

The Jurchen cavalrymen were furious and felt extremely insulted when they saw this.

On the nearby rock, there was a line of large characters: "Knife barbarians demand slaves, keep the queue but lose the head."

"Knife barbarians, keep your queue or lose your head?" Nurhaci's face turned ashen upon seeing this, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

Among the Jurchen generals, very few knew any Chinese characters, and those who recognized these characters were furious.

Yeluli! The Japanese pirates are Yeluli with nine heads, truly the Jurchens' mortal enemy!
Killing people is one thing; the Jurchen tribes killed each other all the time. But for the Japanese pirates to kill so many Jurchens and then hang their heads up with their braids is an utter disgrace! This is blasphemy against the Jurchen gods!

Upon seeing this, Zhu Yin's eyes flashed with a sinister light. He then shouted sharply:
"How dare you, you Japanese pirates! How dare you! I will kill you! I will kill you!"

He dismounted, threw away his whip, bit his finger, smeared the blood on his cheek, and swore an oath to the heavens:

"I swear I will not rest until the Japanese pirates are destroyed! I will never share the same sky with the Japanese pirates!"

This is the blood oath of the Han people!

"The Japanese pirates have gone too far!" Nurhaci gripped the hilt of his sword, staring at the unseeing, gaping heads of the Jurchens, and roared through gritted teeth.

"I, Nurhaci, swear to Cuohazhanye, to the gods of Baishan, and to the ancestral spirits of the Jianzhou tribe, that I will be an enemy of the Japanese pirates for life!"

"If I disobey, may I die pierced by a thousand arrows!"

After saying that, he cut his own face with a knife, leaving it covered in blood.

This is the oath of cutting one's face, which was passed down from the Turks to the Khitans and from the Khitans to the Jurchens!

Zhu Yin saw the wild boar skin used to swear an oath, and he tried hard to suppress his mouth, only looking solemnly at the blood-stained wild boar skin on his face.

The two faces met, and both nodded emphatically, as if sharing a deep bond.

Zhu Yin suddenly thought that before Nurhaci attacked the Ming Dynasty, he and the princes "cut their faces and bled to offer sacrifices for the Seven Grievances".

Now he also swore an oath, but not the Seven Grievances against the Ming Dynasty, but an oath to be an enemy of the Japanese pirates!

Eidu, Heheli, and others also slashed their own faces.

More Jurchens also drew their swords and slashed their own faces.

In an instant, tens of thousands of people swore an oath by cutting their faces, their faces covered in blood, looking quite horrifying!
P.S.: Next, the Jianzhou Jurchens are going to clash with the Satsuma soldiers! Please vote with your monthly tickets! The battle will be brutal, as the Jianzhou people's anger and hatred have been completely ignited. Wild Boar Skin is going to become an anti-Japanese hero! Thank you for Wild Boar Skin's health bar!
(End of this chapter)