Di Ming

Chapter 380: I predicted your prediction!
Zhu Yin knew that Mao Wenlong was a highly proactive and talented general. While he was not as skilled in civil affairs as Xiong Tingbi, he was superior in military strategy, making him very suitable for this kind of tactical mission. However, he did not expect that Mao Wenlong would be able to hit the Japanese army's gunpowder depot.

Judging from the sound of the explosion, the Japanese army's gunpowder depot must have suffered huge losses. Even if there was still gunpowder left, it must not be much. How many more days could they resist?

The morale and fighting spirit that the Japanese pirates relied on most to wreak havoc were bound to collapse after suffering heavy blows.

The Japanese army feared power but not virtue; once they lost their resolve, they were nothing special, and many surrendered as well. Isn't that how things have changed in later generations?
By then, the remaining 50,000-plus Japanese troops could be easily wiped out in one fell swoop, and more prisoners could be captured for Qingchen's experiments.

"My lord, General," Xu Wei suddenly spoke, "the Japanese gunpowder depot has exploded, making it easier to destroy. Therefore, I believe it would be best to revise the plan and seek to gain more."

"Oh?" Zhu Yin's face immediately lit up with anticipation. "Sir, you must have a brilliant plan. How can we obtain more now?"

Li Rusong also smiled and said, "Teacher's strategy must be extraordinary." His military strategy was taught by Xu Wei, and the two had a teacher-student relationship for several years, so he was very clear about his teacher's strategies.

Qi Jiguang and the others were also drawn to Xu Wei, eager to hear what insights this famous Shaoxing advisor had to offer.

Under the lamplight, the Shaoxing clerk, dressed in a Taoist robe, possessed a somewhat otherworldly and dignified air. He stroked his beard and smiled, saying:
"The Japanese king and Hideyoshi's wife are both in our hands. The Japanese pirates have suffered another defeat, and now their explosives depot has been blown up. They will either be forced to abandon their camp or suffer continuous bombardment from General Wenlong. With their reinforcements cut off and trapped in a corner, how can their morale not collapse?"

"Our army is not only in high spirits, but also has tens of thousands more troops. Once the Japanese pirates' morale collapses, our army will be like a lion hunting a rabbit, and annihilating them will be as easy as turning one's hand."

"Wouldn't that mean our army was wasting its manpower?"

"How about..." Xu Wei's gaze was deep and unfathomable, "How about deliberately letting a wave of Japanese pirate reinforcements into Yizhou, and then wiping them out together? Not too many, not too few, just forty or fifty thousand Japanese pirates into Yizhou. In this way, our army can eliminate forty-five thousand more Japanese pirates in Yizhou!"

What? Even Zhu Yin was stunned when he heard Xu Wei's plan.

Such a risky tactic?

Qi Jiguang, Li Rusong, and others also frowned slightly. Even Jurchen generals like Nurhaci and Buzhai felt it was too risky, like a hunt that had gone too far, where not only would they not catch more beasts, but they might also be devoured by their prey.

Qi Jiguang was known for his fierce military tactics, but he was also very cautious. Upon hearing Xu Wei's plan, he pondered for a moment and said:

“Mr. Wenchang, isn’t this plan too risky? Our army is currently in a situation of certain victory in Yizhou. We can annihilate the Japanese pirates within ten days. The enemy in Yizhou is like a pot of rice that will be cooked in no time.”

"But if you get too greedy, won't you end up with undercooked rice?"

“If we deliberately let in tens of thousands of Japanese pirate reinforcements, how can the Japanese pirates in Yizhou not be greatly encouraged? If the two groups of Japanese pirates join forces, they will be an army of 100,000. Our army will no longer have the advantage in manpower, and we will not be able to concentrate our troops to defeat them one by one. If this battle continues to be a stalemate, it will be a waste of resources and a long time without any results.”

Upon hearing his adoptive father's words, Zhu Yin also felt that Xu Wei's plan was not very feasible and could easily backfire, like a hunchback falling down.

Even Xu Wei's students, Li Rusong and Li Rubai, did not immediately support their teacher's suggestion.

Seeing that the crowd was not in favor, Xu Wei was not in a hurry. He smiled slightly and said:

"Since arriving in Korea, I have rarely made public appearances. I have been studying the mountains and rivers of Korea and learning about Korean affairs from the Korean monarch and his ministers. I have gained quite a bit of insight."

"My lord, general, and fellow generals, have you ever seen what happens when rotten eggs and bad eggs are put together? Or what happens when good rice and moldy rice are put together?"

"Do good eggs and good rice go bad together, or do rotten eggs and moldy rice become good together?"

Li Rusong said, "Of course, good eggs and good rice will both go bad."

"Absolutely," Xu Wei said confidently. "Once the fighting spirit of the Japanese pirates in Yizhou crumbles, they're nothing but rotten eggs and moldy rice. How can tens of thousands of reinforcements possibly restore their morale?"

"If we deliberately let the Japanese pirates know that this is our plan, to send them to their deaths in Yizhou, the tens of thousands of Japanese pirate reinforcements will be affected by the Japanese pirates in Yizhou and will also become corrupt. Their fighting spirit will also collapse. After all, the Japanese king and Hideyoshi's wife are in our hands."

"In this way, by spending just ten or eight more days, we can eliminate tens of thousands more Japanese pirates. Then, the total strength of the Japanese army will drop below 100,000, and it will become easier and easier to fight from there, eventually achieving a crushing victory and recovering Korea within three months!"

"With so many benefits and such a high chance of winning, why don't you and the General take the gamble?"

Qi Jiguang laughed and scolded, "Gamble? You old codger, you're full of outrageous talk. I and the strategist are responsible for 100,000 troops. The Korean War is related to the fate of our Great Ming Dynasty. Do you think an old general would gamble so casually? You're not the commander-in-chief, of course you dare to gamble."

"Let me ask you one question: how could you let in just a few tens of thousands of Japanese pirates? This isn't like opening a floodgate, letting in as many as you want. What if you let in a hundred thousand Japanese pirates? Would there still be any chance to annihilate them?"

The Li brothers hesitated, wanting to say a few words on behalf of their teacher, but unsure how to begin.

The generals also felt that this arrogant and conceited teacher from Shaoxing was being somewhat presumptuous.

You think you can just let in tens of thousands of Japanese pirate reinforcements? If the checkpoint is deliberately abandoned, and the cut-off routes for the Japanese pirates are restored, then it won't be just tens of thousands of Japanese pirate reinforcements, it will be hundreds of thousands!
In that case, who will annihilate whom? With so many Japanese pirates in Yizhou, what will happen once they cross the river and enter Liaodong?

Xu Wei stroked his beard with an air of nonchalance, tilting his chin slightly. "Of course. The General must have studied Anzhou and is certainly familiar with its terrain, but he probably doesn't know that there's a hidden passage within the city, does he?"

"A secret passage?" Qi Jiguang was slightly taken aback. "There's a secret passage in Anzhou City?"

Xu Wei smiled and said, "This is what I learned from the Korean minister Ryu Seong-ryong. Last year, the Korean king and his ministers fled from Seoul to Pyongyang, and then to Anju. They stayed in Anju for a month. At that time, Anju was considered the temporary residence of the Korean king."

"For his own safety, the King of Joseon spent thousands of people and half a month digging a tunnel in a secluded place leading to Mount Myohyang. He planned to leave the city through the tunnel and continue his escape north should the Japanese pirates be besiege the city."

"However, as soon as the tunnel was completed, Crown Prince Gwanghae, the regent, volunteered to guard Anju and asked the King of Joseon to continue his 'northern hunt' to Uiju. The King of Joseon was naturally delighted that his son volunteered to stay in Anju. Therefore, the tunnel used for escape was never used and remained sealed."

"As for whether this matter is true or false, the lord and the general can invite the King of Joseon to verify it by asking him."

“Anzhou is one of the three major passes that will prevent the Japanese pirates’ reinforcements from advancing north. It is currently being guarded by the female general Qin Liangyu. Anzhou is well-defended, and General Qin can hold it for ten days or half a month without any problem. The Japanese pirate reinforcements attacking Anzhou number about 50,000.”

"My lord and the general can have General Qin feign weakness and then deliberately abandon Anzhou City and retreat to Miaoxiangshan City."

Upon hearing this, the generals' eyes lit up.

Xu Wei continued, "The Japanese pirate army in the Anzhou direction is worried about not being able to capture Anzhou quickly and open up the road. Why would they give up Anzhou when they have it? They will definitely leave a small number of troops to guard Anzhou City, and then the main force will immediately go north to rescue the Japanese army in Yizhou. Rescue is urgent. I bet they won't dare to delay for even a day."

"In this way, wouldn't we have just let in exactly forty or fifty thousand Japanese pirate reinforcements, no more and no less?"

"This is the first eagle."

Xu Wei paused for a moment, allowing everyone to process his words, before continuing:
“Once the Japanese pirates attacking Anzhou ‘capture’ Anzhou, the Japanese pirate armies from Shuozhou and Guicheng will no longer foolishly continue attacking Shuozhou and Guicheng. Instead, they will all come to Anzhou to join forces and then head north from Anzhou to Yizhou. It will take at least two or three days for the two Japanese pirate armies to reach Anzhou. Considering that they will only act after receiving the news, it will take at least four days for them to appear at the gates of Anzhou.”

"With these four days, Qin Liangyu would have already used the tunnels to attack Anzhou City, which was poorly defended, and recaptured Anzhou."

"When the two Japanese pirate armies arrive at Anzhou, they will find that Anzhou has fallen into our hands again. They still can't get through and will still have to attack the city. Although they have more soldiers, General Qin can defend it for three to five days without any problem."

"With these three to five days, Xiao Ruxun and Zu Chengxun's 10,000 troops guarding Guicheng can also reach Miaoxiang Mountain and enter Anzhou through the tunnel to assist Qin Liangyu in defending Anzhou. Anzhou will remain as stable as Mount Tai, firmly pinning down the 100,000 Japanese pirates in Anzhou! This will be beneficial for the next strategy: the Anzhou Annihilation Battle!"

"This is the second eagle."

"Originally, the Japanese pirate army that attacked Shuozhou arrived in Anzhou. Xiong Tingbi and Guang Haijun of Shuozhou no longer needed to defend Shuozhou. Their allied forces could then head south directly, call on the Korean righteous army, and attack Pyongyang, which was poorly defended by the Japanese pirates. Pyongyang contains the Japanese pirate army's food and supplies. Once it is occupied, how long can the northward-bound Japanese pirate army hold out?"

"This is the third eagle."

"If Pyongyang is attacked by the combined Ming and Korean forces, and the Japanese pirates heading north are tied down by our army and unable to return south to reinforce it, then the only Japanese pirates who can rescue Pyongyang are those stationed in Seoul and the Korean puppet troops. Pyongyang is a place the Japanese pirates must defend. Once the Japanese pirates in Seoul head north to rescue Pyongyang, Seoul will be left vulnerable, then..."

Zhu Yin interjected, "Then let Chen Lin and Yi Sun-sin's navy take the opportunity to enter the Han River and seize the warships that the Japanese pirates are building?"

Xu Wei laughed and said, "My lord guessed correctly, this is the fourth eagle."

"Actually, there's a fifth point," Qi Jiguang laughed. "It's about forcing the Japanese pirate navy into a decisive battle, which would give Chen Lin and Yi Sun-sin the opportunity to annihilate the Japanese pirate navy in Haixi."

Xu Wei nodded and said, "That's right, this is a grand strategy that kills five birds with one stone. One link leads to another, and every step is a deadly move. If played well, it can be concluded within two months."

Zhu Yin clapped his hands and said, "Although it is a bit risky, it is a brilliant plan to maneuver the enemy, almost a blatant scheme. I think we can give it a try."

Qi Jiguang nodded and said, "If there really is a reliable tunnel in Anzhou leading to Miaoxiang Mountain, then it is indeed worth a try. There are risks involved, but it is worth taking the risk."

Xu Wei said, "I can't guarantee whether there's a tunnel or not. Let's summon King Yi Yeon of Joseon and ask him."

Soon, King Seonjo of Joseon, who was discussing life with his concubines, was summoned out for questioning.

Li Yeon was quite displeased. It was almost midnight; what business did he have with the emperor so late? The emperor was busy. "Has Your Highness gone to sleep?" Zhu Yin asked, feigning ignorance.

Yi Yeon forced a smile and patiently said, "I am so worried that I cannot eat or sleep. I am anxious day and night for the heavenly army to recover the Joseon Dynasty. Fortunately, the heavenly army is valiant and there is hope for the restoration of the Eastern Kingdom."

Zhu Yin secretly rolled his eyes, but didn't show it on his face, and asked directly:

"Last year, Your Highness stayed in Anzhou and even considered making Anzhou your temporary capital. For safety reasons, you even built a tunnel leading to Miaoxiang Mountain outside the city?"

Li Yeon didn't want to answer the question, but since Zhu Yin had asked, he dared not hide it and could only answer honestly:
"Xiao Wang did indeed build a tunnel, but it wasn't for escaping; rather, it was to facilitate the infiltration of troops from outside the city into the city for defense."

The generals, upon hearing the King of Joseon's words, were all filled with disdain. Yet, they were also certain that such a passage truly existed.

Qi Jiguang asked, "The Japanese pirates occupied Anzhou before. Did they know about the existence of this tunnel?"

Li Yeon-do said, "They probably don't know. The entrances and exits of those tunnels are very well hidden. If the Japanese pirates knew, why didn't they use the tunnels when the Japanese army attacked Anju some time ago?"

Zhu Yin's face suddenly darkened. "Why didn't Your Highness say so earlier? Qin Liangyu and Yang Kedong led troops to launch a surprise attack on Anzhou. Although there were few Japanese pirates defending Anzhou, our army still suffered two or three thousand casualties. If we had known about the existence of the tunnel earlier, there would have been far fewer casualties."

"What if the Japanese pirates find out and sneak into the city through the tunnels to launch a surprise attack on General Qin, causing Anzhou to fall? Then all our previous efforts will be in vain! Can Your Highness bear that responsibility?"

Zhu Yin was furious, wishing he could kick this damned King of Joseon to death. Qi Jiguang also looked at Yi Yeon coldly, feeling a little scared.

If the Japanese pirates had known about the existence of that tunnel, Qin Liangyu and Anzhou's situation would have been unimaginable, and the siege of Yizhou would have been greatly affected.

“This…” Li Yan lowered his head, looking embarrassed. “I forgot about this before and couldn’t recall it for a moment.”

Upon hearing this, the generals were all filled with disgust. How could you not mention such an important matter!
Zhu Yin also realized that he had relied too much on Huya's intelligence. Unfortunately, even the most professional intelligence agency cannot be all-encompassing. Huya's intelligence focus in Korea was on the Japanese pirates. As for the incompetent, muddle-headed, and cowardly Korean king, Huya paid little attention to him, resulting in even Huya being unaware of information about the tunnels.

Zhu Yin was too lazy to pay any more attention to this damned King of Korea. He pondered Xu Wei's words and paced back and forth on the city wall. All the generals watched him, knowing that the Grand Coordinator was weighing Xu Wei's plan.

It's not so hard to get advice from staff; the hardest part is making decisions!
Decisiveness is the greatest test of a commander.

Zhu Yin suddenly stopped and looked at Qi Jiguang, saying, "General, I think we should adjust our military strategy according to Xu Wei's plan. Does the General have any objections?"

Qi Jiguang thought for a moment and said, “I have no objection. Although it’s a bit risky, the odds of winning are high, so it’s definitely worth a try. What war doesn’t involve risk? It’s just a matter of whether it’s worth it.”

Zhu Yin nodded, then asked the Imperial Inspector Qian Shizhen, "What insightful opinion does Master Qian have?"

Qian Shizhen was also a military supervisor, so his opinion was naturally important.

Qian Shizhen said, "This humble official is not skilled in military affairs and dares not have any objections. This humble official can only remind the Grand Marshal that if the army is defeated, the Emperor will surely punish him."

Zhu Yin's expression turned solemn. "The Taoist priest's reminder is well-founded. If the plan fails, I will take full responsibility for the defeat and will personally plead guilty to the imperial court."

He then addressed the generals, asking, "Do any of you generals have any objections?"

Everyone said in unison, "We will obey Your Excellency's decree! We have no objections!"

"Alright!" Zhu Yin waved his hand. "Hesitation only leads to trouble! Let's do it this way."

That very night, Zhu Yin dispatched someone to Anzhou to deliver a military order, instructing Qin Liangyu to first check if there was indeed a tunnel leading to Miaoxiang Mountain. If so, then proceed accordingly.

At the same time, people were also sent to inform Xiong Tingbi of Shuozhou and Xiao Ruxun of Guicheng.

Qi Jiguang believed that, forced into a corner, the Japanese pirates would likely compel the Ming army to engage in a decisive battle sooner rather than later, perhaps within a few days. He judged that there was only one way for the Japanese to force the Ming army into a decisive battle: to cross the river proactively!

He ordered all battalions to quickly replenish their weapons and equipment, especially Qi Jiguang's army, which needed to replace their damaged rattan shields and wolf-tooth spears. The artillery battalion worked through the night to repair the cannons and replenish ammunition.

The cavalry rested their horses, the infantry deployed barricades and fortifications around the perimeter, and the scouts intensified their reconnaissance of the Japanese army's movements.

Inside Yizhou City, the sounds of hammering and carts carrying goods filled the air.

Right now, we must prevent the Japanese pirates from crossing the river in a desperate move, resulting in mutual destruction. The Ming army is now wearing shoes; we cannot fight the barefoot Japanese pirates to the death.

……

The Japanese army suffered another blow after their gunpowder depot was destroyed by Mao Wenlong's artillery and they were harassed for five days and five nights. Their attempt to capture Xifeng also failed.

Kato Kiyomasa and his men realized with great distress that abandoning their camp and rebuilding at a new location was impossible. The main Ming army force was lurking nearby in Yizhou City, ready to pounce; how could they possibly give them the opportunity to re-establish their camp?
If the Ming army launches a decisive battle while they are setting up camp, is there any point in fighting?
But staying here and being bombarded daily by the Ming army's artillery forts on West Peak was maddening. The warriors of the Divine Kingdom couldn't sleep at night, and were all exhausted from the ordeal.

In the past few days, Kato Kiyomasa has sent several troop groups to attack Xifeng in turn. However, Xifeng is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The Ming army's Xifeng garrison commander is also very skilled and difficult to deal with. His side lost two or three thousand men but still failed to take Xifeng. Even his trusted retainer, Kiyama Shōtaku, died.

In an effort to salvage precious morale, the Japanese generals have been boosting the morale of their troops by holding Hachiman rituals in the army, having generals take turns performing Noh plays, and even bringing out captured Korean girls to publicly molest.

However, the shadow of the Emperor and Nene's order to surrender, the bombing of the gunpowder depot, and the threat of Ming Dynasty cannons from the West Peak still caused the morale of the Japanese army to plummet.

Kato Kiyomasa and his men knew very well that if things continued this way, the fighting spirit of the Divine Kingdom's army would crumble, and they could no longer wait. They had to force the Ming army into a decisive battle while they still possessed a certain level of fighting strength!

There's still a chance to turn things around in the final battle, but if it drags on for a few more days, there will be no chance at all.

Thus, the fanatical Japanese generals made a bold decision: to force their way across the river!
The Ming army would never allow them to cross the Yalu River; in order to stop them, the only option was to engage them in a decisive battle.

Another advantage of this approach was the ability to choose the battlefield for the decisive battle. The Tongjunting ferry crossing on the riverbank was the most advantageous battlefield, as it allowed for a desperate fight with the Ming army's back to the river, preventing the powerful Ming cavalry from attacking the rear. Moreover, the presence of mountains and forests on both sides would hinder the Ming cavalry's flanking maneuvers.

Then... let's fight a desperate battle!

At this moment, a sudden decisive battle would likely catch the Ming army off guard and could have a surprising and unexpected effect.

What the Japanese generals and commanders did not expect was that Qi Jiguang and Zhu Yin had anticipated their predictions and had been preventing them from taking desperate measures for several days.

What they didn't know was that Anzhou had been deliberately abandoned by the Ming army, and forty to fifty thousand reinforcements would enter Yizhou in two or three days. These tens of thousands of reinforcements were deliberately sent in by the Ming army to their deaths.

……

At dawn on the eighth day of the third month, a thin mist shrouded the plains. The Japanese army's fortifications stood imposingly, and their banners were visible.

After the 50,000 Japanese troops held a sacrificial ceremony and swore an oath in their camp, they abandoned their fortified camp and marched out of the camp in a tortoise-shell formation, the most suitable for defense, and went straight to the Tongjunting ferry crossing more than ten miles away!
"Cross the river into Tang territory, fight a desperate battle with our backs to the river!"

"Cross the river into Tang territory, fight a desperate battle with our backs to the river!"

The samurai led the shouts, and the 50,000 Japanese soldiers shouted in unison, temporarily boosting their morale once again, like a final burst of energy before death.

In the view of Kato Kiyomasa and others, the Ming army, seeing that they were going to attack Tongjunting Ferry at all costs, would inevitably rush out of the city to pursue them, and would not have time to calmly form ranks, which would put them at a disadvantage.

The scouts they sent out had not detected any unusual movements by the Ming army. This means that Zhu Yin and Qi Jiguang were unaware of their intentions and did not expect that the Ming army, despite being at a disadvantage, would dare to cross the river on its own initiative.

Can we give the Ming army a surprise?

However, just as 50,000 Japanese troops arrived at the Tongjunting ferry crossing, suddenly Ming army battle flags rose from the forests on both sides of the crossing.

At the same time, the Ming army's war drums and horns sounded.

"Thump thump thump—woo woo woo!"

"Neigh!" The warhorses of the Ming cavalry also neighed.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Yin's crimson sun banner, the central military banner, also appeared on the hillside.

"What?!" Kato Kiyomasa and the others were dumbfounded. Scouts reported that the Ming army was still in Yizhou City. How could they suddenly appear at Tongjunting Ferry?

Are the Ming army waiting for them to arrive?
Upon seeing the Ming army covering the mountains and plains, the 50,000 Japanese soldiers fell silent!
...

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(End of this chapter)