Di Ming

Chapter 442: Battle of Chengdu, Southern Ming's campaign against Chongming, defeating the young tiger and conquering the Black Tiger. (Long chapter of 10,000 words)

"This is... reinforcements from the Southern Dynasty! Zhu Yin has personally led his troops to their aid!"

The King of Shu and his officials understood, and for a moment they were all somewhat dazed.

Chengdu urgently appealed to the imperial court for help, but the court did not send a single soldier, and was unwilling to even mobilize troops from Hanzhong. It was as if the court had abandoned Sichuan because it was too busy to take care of itself.

To everyone's surprise, Nanjing sent reinforcements, and Zhu Yin himself came to their aid.

While they were pleasantly surprised, they couldn't help but sigh with mixed feelings.

"I never expected it to be a fake... Southern Dynasty army!" Prince Zhu Xuanqi of Shu exclaimed with deep emotion. "Governor-General, what do you think?"

Although he was the King of Shu, holding the most prestigious position, he had no real power. The fate of Sichuan was ultimately decided by Wang Jiguang.

Wang Jiguang also sighed deeply, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and said with a sense of relief:
"The Grand Tutor Regent has personally led troops to our aid. We are not people who do not understand the big picture or the greater good. Of course, we can only obey the will of Heaven and change our flag to surrender to Nanjing."

He turned to the imperial inspector and said, "Master Li, what do you say?"

Li Shihua nodded and smiled bitterly: "It seems that Sichuan should have submitted to the Southern Dynasty in the first place. Since things have come to this, is it not fate? Well then, let's just follow the wishes of the Governor-General and the Prince and change our flags to submit."

In a few words, the group decided on a grand plan to submit to the Southern Dynasty.

But in reality, Zhu Yin had already led his troops into Sichuan. Even if they stubbornly remained loyal to the Northern Dynasty, what good would it do?
Of course, we should take advantage of the Southern Dynasty's aid and reciprocate by switching allegiances. After all, both the North and the South belong to the Ming Dynasty, and Emperor Taichang is the eldest son, so he should have succeeded to the throne. Honoring His Majesty as the Retired Emperor is not unreasonable; it's merely an internal matter of the royal family.

The Prince of Shu stroked his beard and said, “Both the Southern Ming and the Northern Ming are part of the Ming Dynasty. As an imperial uncle and a member of the Zhu family, I cannot interfere, let alone you. Let nature take its course. Tell the soldiers that the Southern Dynasty's royal army has come to their aid, and Chengdu is saved.”

The King of Shu issued a decree, which was considered a formal announcement of the good news.

"Truly, the mighty army!" The defending soldiers were overjoyed, as if they had been rescued from a desperate situation.

"Oh? Of course! It's the Ming Dynasty's Sun, Moon and Stars Flag!"

"Damn it! Let's see how arrogant that bastard from Chongming is now! He'll be turning in his grave!"

"Mr. Zhihu is here in person! Mr. Zhihu is invincible, and that brain-dead lecherous Chongming is about to be exonerated!"

Even the weak defending troops were once again invigorated and full of fighting spirit.

The Gulu army retreated like a tide, returning to their camp and regrouping. Another massive army, equally overwhelming, came from the southeast. Banners fluttered, armor clanged, and numbered in the tens of thousands, their imposing presence even more astonishing.

When tens of thousands of troops, surrounding a tall chariot, stretched out and arrived, everyone could see the formation of the reinforcements and feel the military might of the Southern Dynasty's royal army.

"The Southern Dynasty actually has such elite troops!" the King of Shu exclaimed in surprise. "It is said that Zhu Zhihu has hidden elite troops and generals overseas, known as the Tiger Warriors. Seeing them today, they are truly extraordinary."

Looking down at the Ming army camped outside the city, Wang Jiguang nodded and said, "At least forty or fifty thousand troops, with cavalry, chariots, and firearms troops all in place. They are clearly a battle-hardened elite force."

Looking down at the Southern Dynasty army from their elevated position, the crowd was filled with pride and joy at the sight of their powerful and well-equipped troops.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yin, the regent of the Southern Dynasty, personally led a large army to the walls of Chengdu. Seeing that Chengdu was still holding out, he felt a great sense of relief.

That was close!

They rushed there day and night, finally arriving. The defending troops in southern Sichuan were truly incompetent; in just over a month, the rebel army had driven them to the gates of Chengdu.

If they had been a little more proactive, things wouldn't have been so close.

Zhu Yin looked travel-worn and noticeably thinner, but he still exuded energy and remarkable charm.

Generals such as Yang Yinglong, Qin Liangyu, Xiong Tingbi, Mao Wenlong, and Cao Wenzhao were all in high spirits and full of vigor.

Yang Yinglong's expression was even more complicated.

Originally, he also harbored rebellious thoughts. However, the Ming Dynasty actually annihilated more than 200,000 Japanese pirates in Goryeo, causing the Japanese pirates to fall into division again. Even the King of Japan was captured and taken to Beijing as a prisoner.

After returning from Goryeo, the second son, Yang Kedong, told himself with certainty that the Yang family's rebellion was doomed to fail and that he must not have any intention of rebelling against the Ming Dynasty!
The soldiers that the second son brought back from Goryeo also told him that he must never rebel against the Ming Dynasty, and that Bozhou could never be a match for the court.

Therefore, he had no choice but to abandon the idea of ​​rebellion and temporarily extinguish the flames of ambition in his heart.

Not long ago, a second Jingnan Rebellion broke out in Nanjing, splitting the Ming Dynasty in two. He thought that an opportunity had come, and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to start a rebellion.

But to everyone's surprise, Zhu Yin wrote him a letter saying that Emperor Taichang intended to make his eldest daughter the empress!
If he agrees, he'll be the emperor's father-in-law!

Moreover, Zhu Yin's letter was earnest, saying that as long as one remained loyal to the Ming Dynasty, he would be willing to become sworn brothers with him and exchange marriage certificates.

He immediately abandoned the idea of ​​raising an army and, persuaded by his second son, decided to pledge allegiance to the court. He thanked the emperor for his favor by betrothing his eldest daughter to the empress and personally selected 10,000 elite soldiers from Bozhou to wait for Zhu Yin in Baidi City.

Upon meeting Zhu Yin, the Regent Grand Tutor found him to be very approachable and friendly. He then exchanged birth certificates with Zhu Yin, swearing an oath of brotherhood.

When he witnessed Zhu Yin's ability to govern and manage his troops, especially the 10,000 Jinghai soldiers that Zhu Yin brought, he was glad that his decision was so correct.

He usually prided himself on the strength and might of the Bozhou army, but compared to the 10,000 elite Jinghai soldiers, his 10,000 most elite Miao soldiers from Bozhou were completely overwhelmed in terms of morale. His fierce Miao warriors became unusually docile in front of the Han soldiers known as the Jinghai Eight Banners.

When soldiers are compared, they are bound to be at odds!
He also heard that Zhu Yin had tens of thousands of such elite troops overseas! It's just that Zhu Yin had many territories to guard overseas, so he didn't transfer them all over.

It is clear that making an enemy of someone like Zhu Yin is a terrible thing.

Zhu Yin is a man of innate wisdom and unfathomable depth; one should never underestimate him because of his youth. Popular belief says he is a star deity descended to earth, and that's probably true!
It's best to be friends with Zhu Yin. Even if you're not, you absolutely must not be his enemy. This is his understanding of Zhu Yin since he met him.

She Chongming offended Zhu Yin, and his fate was now in jeopardy.

Even if this battle is full of twists and turns, Zhu Yin will definitely be the one to win in the end.

Thinking of this, Yang Yinglong looked at the black tiger flag of the rebel camp and couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

Not long ago, She Chongming sent someone to deliver a letter, inviting me to join him in rebelling against the Ming Dynasty and asking me to attack Changsha.

Yang Yinglong withdrew his gaze, stroked his thick, neatly trimmed beard, and smiled at Zhu Yin, saying, "Brother Zhihu, with our imposing presence, the rebels will surely be no match for us."

Zhu Yin gazed indifferently at the receding rebel army formation, his tone tinged with disdain: "She Chongming rejected my offer of amnesty, determined to rebel and seek death, so let's grant his wish. However, the rebel army should not be underestimated, nor should our army be careless."

“Brother Rulin, She Chongming is in the open, like an arrow already shot, and is not a threat. Our army can defeat him in one battle. What I am worried about is no longer the She family…”

Yang Yinglong, as expected of a regional warlord and a ruthless man who had once rebelled against the Ming Dynasty, immediately understood Zhu Yin's meaning.

"Brother Zhihu, are you worried about the An and Song families in the south?"

Zhu Yin nodded, pointing his riding whip south. "You understand me best, Brother Rulin! Scouts report that the Xi'an clan of Shuixi and the Song clan of Shuidong may both respond to She Chongming. They are only half a month away from Chengdu, and if they have already raised an army, they will be even faster."

Although Huya was closely monitoring the An and Song families, intelligence indicated that the two families' leadership remained hesitant. Those advocating for a rebellion had gained the upper hand, but the opposition within both families was also considerable.

Therefore, Huya cannot be certain that the two families will rebel. Huya's report states that there is a 60% chance that the An and Song families will suddenly launch a rebellion in response to She Chongming's decision.

Yang Yinglong suddenly thought of something, frowned, and said, "If the An family, the Song family, and the others really rebel, they must already know that Brother Zhihu has entered Sichuan. So their best strategy is to go north into Sichuan, join forces with She Chongming, and jointly attack Brother Zhihu!"

"As long as we defeat Brother Zhihu and wipe out the tens of thousands of elite troops of the imperial court in Sichuan, they can sweep across the southwest and solve the problem once and for all!"

"Excellent!" Zhu Yin couldn't help but give Yang Yinglong an approving look. "Brother Rulin is right. Great minds think alike."

“If they don’t rebel, all is well; but once they do, they will inevitably head north! This is their best strategy. By joining forces to eliminate me, the Regent and Imperial Tutor, they can then sweep through the land with unstoppable momentum.”

Yang Yinglong's expression was solemn. "Therefore, we must fight a quick battle and defeat She Chongming's army as soon as possible. We cannot delay, because if we delay too long, the rebels' reinforcements may arrive."

Zhu Yin looked up at the sky, his eyes gradually turning gray. "Judging from the sky, it might rain next. In Sichuan, once the autumn rains start, they don't stop for days. Come to think of it, it should be the autumn rainy season."

Yang Yinglong glanced at the sky, his expression growing even more grave. "It does look like it's about to rain, but our army is exhausted from our long march, weary men and horses. We need to rest for two days before we can launch an attack."

He has always been a skilled warrior and a veteran of military affairs, so his words are certainly those of a seasoned expert.

"Send the order! Set up camp on the spot and keep an eye on the rebels!" Zhu Yin immediately ordered. "The army will rest for two days before engaging the rebels again."

Tens of thousands of troops had traveled a long way, marching for a month, and were extremely exhausted. They naturally needed a rest to consolidate their strength before the battle. The rebels were no pushovers. If this army were defeated by the rebels, the entire Southern Dynasty could collapse.

Yang Yinglong is right. Even if he is eager to fight, he should rest for two days first.

Upon Zhu Yin's order, the Ming army immediately mobilized the chariots and shield wagons belonging to the three generals Mao Wenlong, Xiong Tingbi, and Cao Wenzhao to surround the area, forming a chariot wall more than six miles long.

The outermost ring was made of barricades, and behind the chariots and shield wagons were camels and mules used to carry supplies.

This technique, learned from Qi Jiguang, involves using chariots to build cities and camps, making it very convenient for marching and setting up camp.

In the blink of an eye, the Ming army's chariots and city walls were deployed. Tens of thousands of Ming soldiers worked together in an orderly and efficient manner, busy but not chaotic.

Just by looking at their coordinated and skillful deployment, you can tell they are among the best troops in the world.

Whether it was the Sichuan civil and military officials on the city wall or the rebels not far away, they were all amazed by what they saw.

The King of Shu and his group were delighted, while She Chongming and his group were alarmed.

She Chongming, who had ordered the siege to cease, was now ashen-faced!
He never expected that Zhu Yin would personally lead a large army to Chengdu the day before he was about to capture it.

How is this going?

Wasn't it said that Qi Jiguang was going to lead the northern Ming army south, causing the Southern and Northern Ming to fight each other? At this critical juncture, how could Zhu Yin possibly disregard his home base in Nanjing and the might of the famous general Qi Jiguang, and lead his army to rescue Chengdu? Isn't this putting the cart before the horse, like a fool playing chess and neglecting his home?
He can't figure it out!
Originally, the Ming army had suppressed the Ningxia rebellion and the Japanese pirates in Goryeo, and its military might had deterred the world, so he dared not harbor any disloyal thoughts.

However, in recent years, the imperial court has increased the tax on suppressing the rebellion and dispatched four more tax supervisors. Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou have all suffered from the abuse of eunuchs. The Ming emperor has lost the support of the people, and his ambition has grown day by day.

His father opposed his plans, saying that a rebellion would inevitably fail and bring annihilation to the Cuan family. He tried to dissuade him several times to no avail, and seeing that his father refused to prepare for a rebellion, he had no choice but to poison his father and seize the throne ahead of schedule!
Father, you are too cowardly. Our people are brave and skilled in battle. The Cuan family has over 100,000 elite soldiers in its six tribes. Why can't we take a gamble? Why?
The ancestors of the Cuan family's Six Ministries had served Zhuge Liang since the Han Dynasty, but what was the result? They were used, transferred, and suppressed by the Han nobles generation after generation, and in the end, they obediently huddled in the remote southwest, regarded as barbarians, guluo, and liaobo.
Who wiped out the Bo people, who were close relatives of the Cuan family? Wasn't it the Ming Dynasty?

I'm going to take a gamble with the warriors!
The first thing he did after ascending the throne was to marry his younger sister to An Kunihiko, a nobleman from the Shuixi region who had lost his wife, thus establishing a marriage alliance and securing his support.

Starting last year, he secretly contacted the An, Song, Yang and other southwestern warlords, intending to form an alliance against the Ming Dynasty and agree to jointly divide up the six provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hubei and Hunan, and Sichuan.

The plan was for the She family to conquer all of Sichuan, half of Huguang, and half of Yunnan. Then, riding the wave of their great victory, they would first integrate the Cuan people of Liangshan, and then unify the six tribes of the Cuan family, thus gaining tens of thousands more elite Cuan soldiers!
Several years later, they launched another northern expedition to Guanzhong, established their capital in Chang'an, and founded the Great Liang Dynasty, which belonged to the Cuan people.

Guanzhong is the foundation of a powerful dynasty. Once the capital is established in Chang'an, we can launch an eastern expedition against the Northern Ming, a southern expedition against the Southern Ming, and conquer the other local chieftains who hold sway in the southwest, thus unifying the world!
For this reason, he spent the past year preparing his troops, reorganizing his forces, and accumulating weapons and warhorses, planning to launch an uprising five years later.

However, in mid-July, he suddenly heard that Zhu Yin was leading Prince Xin in Nanjing to quell the rebellion, and that the Ming Dynasty was in internal strife between father and son, leading to a division between the North and the South.

God-given opportunity!

He decided to change his plans and stop preparing for five years. Instead, he would immediately launch an attack to take advantage of the enemy's weakness and kill them!

Because of his arrogance and contempt for the Ming army, and because he no longer took the Ming Dynasty, which was already divided between the north and south, he did not expect that the Southern Ming, which was preoccupied with its own problems, would come to the rescue of Sichuan.

Moreover, it was Zhu Yin himself who came!

She Chongming looked at the Ming army camp, his expression growing increasingly solemn.

The morale of this Ming army was far superior to that of the Chengdu garrison; they were simply incomparable.

A formidable rival, absolutely a formidable rival.

It's true that a person's reputation precedes them. Zhu Yin's great fame is certainly not undeserved. Just look at the large army he commands; that speaks volumes about his abilities.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over She Chongming's heart, and he felt a little uneasy.

……

Soon, everyone in the city knew that Zhu Yin had led the royal army to rescue Chengdu, and the rebel army had stopped attacking the city.

The exciting good news spread like wildfire throughout the city, filling everyone with joy and relief, as if they had survived a catastrophe.

"Mr. Zhihu has come to my rescue!"

"The army from Nanjing is also the royal army! It is also the imperial army of the court!"

"Alright, alright! With Mr. Zhihu here, we Sichuanese are saved!"

"Hahaha! That rascal Se Chongming is going to be in deep trouble! How could he possibly beat Mr. Zhihu? Who is Mr. Zhihu? Oh? He's a star lord descended to earth!"

Cheers erupted throughout Chengdu. Many women who had prepared to commit suicide when the city fell wept with joy.

Mr. Chikorok has arrived!

The Grand Regent of the Ming Dynasty has arrived! The imperial army is coming to our aid!
Throughout the city, shouts of "Grand Tutor has arrived!" and "The royal army is here to help!" resounded. Many wealthy households and shops even lit firecrackers, creating a festive atmosphere.

One moment, the entire city of Chengdu was shrouded in a terrifying atmosphere of impending massacre, and the end was near. The next moment, they miraculously escaped death.

The temple for the child prodigy, which had been destroyed by the government, was quickly repaired and restored by a group of yamen runners. Before the statues were even put back in their places, the area was already packed with people who had come to burn incense, and the air was filled with smoke.

The head constable, holding the statue of the child prodigy, shook the pheasant feathers on his head and said with a chuckle:

"I was right! Before, when the master said that Young Tiger was a rebel, the temple for the prodigy was shut down! And the statues were to be burned!"

"You have no idea what I did? I wouldn't dare burn it! I did a double-deal! I hid the statue of the child prodigy! If I weren't quick-witted, and the statue had really been burned, let's see who you worship every day!"

A young scholar in his thirties laughed and said, "Chief Fan, you're really clever! I thank you so much! But it's not 'two-faced', it's 'two-faced'! You're wrong!"

Fan Ban first glared at the student, then put the statue of the child prodigy back in its place, before raising his nose and saying:

"You idiot! You square-headed fool! Do you think I don't know? Why are you babbling on! If you're really that smart, why can't you even pass the imperial examination at your age? You're such a fool!"

As the saying goes, one shouldn't insult someone by revealing their weaknesses, but Zhang Tongsheng got angry upon hearing this and said with a smile:

"I don't like reading 'sage rats' (a type of ancient Chinese text), and I don't like relying on the imperial examinations. What 'sage rats'? They're useless! I only love math!"

"Yes, yes!" Captain Fan sneered. "The sage rat is useless? But what use is mathematics? Can it make you a servant? I think you're just wasting your time!"

"Zhang Wenxi, if you kowtow to the statue of the child prodigy, you might just pass the imperial examination and become a scholar!"

Zhang Wenxi still smiled and said, "I can worship the statue of the child prodigy, but I worship the virtue and prestige of Mr. Zhihu, not for the sake of the imperial examination. I get a headache whenever I read about sages and worthies, and I don't care to be a scholar."

"Do you understand mathematics?" Qin Jiushao said: "The way of mathematics, on a grand scale, can lead to understanding the divine and conforming to one's nature; on a small scale, it can be used to manage worldly affairs and classify all things."

"That's the Way! You know that? Useless? You don't know anything."

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

Someone else said, "I want to make sure the city is tidy and well-organized, so we can welcome the Grand Tutor into the city!"

……

Upon receiving the news, the Princess Consort of Shu, looking at the women dressed in mourning clothes in the main hall, preparing to hang themselves, said with tears streaming down her face:

"Did you hear that? Zhu Yin has arrived! The Southern Dynasty has sent reinforcements! Chengdu is saved! With the royal army here, we won't die!"

Everyone present was moved to tears, and they all murmured their gratitude to Mr. Zhihu for his great kindness and virtue.

A girl of fifteen or sixteen couldn't help but ask, "Mother, isn't Nanjing supposed to be a traitorous and false dynasty?"

"What traitorous and false dynasty!" the princess shouted sternly. "Regardless of Nanjing or Beijing, whoever comes to our rescue is the royal army and the rightful ruler!"

"Issue the order: from this day forward, no one is allowed to say that Nanjing is a puppet regime!"

……

Once the Southern Dynasty's army set up camp, Chengdu was out of danger. The King of Shu and Wang Jiguang immediately sent people out of the city to the camp to announce their surrender to Nanjing and their obedience to orders.

Zhu Yin received the memorial announcing his allegiance, and while not surprised, he was also quite pleased. In the main tent, he addressed his generals:

"Without even fighting a single battle, our army has already gained the allegiance of Sichuan. Of the southern provinces, only Yunnan and Guizhou remain to be submitted. However, it seems that the submission petitions from Yunnan and Guizhou have likely already reached Nanjing. If so, then all eight southern provinces will have submitted to the Southern Dynasty."

The generals laughed together and said, "Congratulations, Grand Tutor, on the reconquest of Sichuan!"

Zhu Yin then said to the messenger, "Return to the city and report to the Shu Prefecture and Governor Wang, asking them to maintain order in the city and strictly guard the granaries and treasuries. Also, request an additional 30,000 shi of military rations and 5,000 jin of lamp oil."

When the envoy returned to the city to report, the King of Shu and his entourage were overjoyed, as the royal army did not require much in supplies.

Wang Jiguang and others immediately ordered preparations. The Prince of Shu even allocated an additional 100,000 taels of silver to be sent outside the city to reward the troops. "Your Highness is so righteous!" Zhu Yin said to the Prince of Shu's envoy, "Once the rebels are wiped out, I will personally enter the city to pay my respects to Your Highness."

He said this, but he felt a little regretful inside.

In reality, he would love for the current King of Shu not to be a wise ruler. Then he could kill the King of Shu and seize his wealth to fill the national treasury.

However, Zhu Xuanqi was not only different from the previous Shu kings, but also an outlier among the princes, and a rare wise king among the imperial clan.

Zhu Yin could only abandon his idea of ​​killing and robbing.

...

Next, just as Zhu Yin had feared most, happened.

The Ming army had only rested for two days when it started raining. The entire Chengdu Plain was drenched in torrential rain.

A day later, the heavy rain turned into moderate rain, but it still kept falling.

When the autumn rains came, the entire countryside outside the city was covered in mud and waterlogged.

The Ming army's firearms, the rebels' bowstrings, and the cavalry on both sides were all greatly affected.

In the rain, it would be difficult for the two armies to fight.

Even if fighting in the rain, soldiers who get soaked are prone to falling ill. If a large number of soldiers fall ill, it becomes even more dangerous.

Zhu Yin could only wait for the weather to clear up while also waiting for news from Huya.

It may rain in Chengdu, but it might not rain in other places. For example, in southern Sichuan and northern Guizhou.

Zhu Yin dreamt that the An and Song families had also started a rebellion and were on their way north to Sichuan.

He hoped the An and Song families wouldn't rebel; the timing was terrible. The imperial court's military strength was critically low.

The people in the city, seeing that the royal army and the rebel army had temporarily stopped fighting due to the rainy season, were completely relieved after their initial worries and returned to their peaceful lives as always.

...

Zhu Yin was waiting for news, and so was She Chongming.

Seeing that Zhu Yin's army was not to be underestimated, She Chongming was also eager to hear news of the An and Song families rising up in response.

Are they going to do it or not? Do they dare?
Would they not only refuse to raise troops, but instead pledge allegiance to the Ming court and fight against themselves?
She Chongming was also filled with anxiety and uncertainty, and could not sleep soundly all night in the camp.

He even temporarily stopped the extravagant meals he used as a royal consort, no longer bothering with such displays.

She Chongming, of course, would not stand idly by. He sent envoys south again to persuade the An and Song families to raise an army in response, while also sending people to the Liangshan Cuan tribe, one of the six tribes of the Cuan family, to ask them to send troops to help in the battle.

...

On September 28th, the ninth day after Zhu Yin arrived in Chengdu, the rain had not yet stopped when Huya's urgent report reached the camp.

The Xi'an clan of Shuixi and the Song clan of Shuidong have rebelled!

Not only were they determined to rebel, but they were also determined to raise an army immediately upon passing the law, without waiting even a day. As expected, once they rebelled, they marched north into Sichuan, heading straight for him.

The post stations from Guibei to southern Sichuan, including Tangma and Jiuyi, were mostly in the hands of the rebels, or destroyed by She Chongming's rebel army, making it impossible for Huya to report using the imperial court's 600-li express courier service.

Therefore, Huya's speed was only seven days faster than the rebels.

Then, seven days later, the 50,000-strong allied army of the An and Song families, who had come north to help in the battle, would appear in Chengdu!

The rebels have 50,000 reinforcements!
Moreover, these were all elite soldiers selected by the An and Song families, representing the main force of both families.

Zhu Yin convened an emergency military meeting, but could only boost morale and readjust the strategy; he had no way to call in reinforcements.

Because there are no more reinforcements to be summoned within a thousand miles.

It's not that there are no soldiers, it's that there are no imperial soldiers!
The Shizhu Pacification Commission, loyal to the imperial court, has already withdrawn all its elite troops. Bozhou, which has only recently pledged allegiance to the court, can still spare 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers, but the problem is, Zhu Yin dares not withdraw too many of the Yang family's troops!

Because the Yang family army is too large, what if Yang Yinglong defectes at the last minute? If tens of thousands of Bozhou soldiers also rebel, then the whole thing will be overturned.

He couldn't fully trust this sworn brother who had exchanged marriage certificates. This man was ruthless and cold-blooded, and had been a rebel leader in history; he should be used, but also guarded against!

"The weather will clear up in a few days," Zhu Yin encouraged. "The autumn rains have been falling for days, but they won't last forever. Once the rain stops and the ground dries a bit, we'll attack the rebel camp immediately!"

Sure enough, it rained for two more days, and the sky finally cleared up on the first day of the lunar new year. The Ming army's firearms soldiers immediately began to maintain the cannons and muskets, drying the barrels and barrels, airing out the gunpowder and bowstrings, and wiping away the damp and rusty swords and spears.

The rebels also quickly dried the bowstrings that were severely damp.

Both were very busy and neither paid any attention to the other.

On the second day of the tenth lunar month, the sun was shining brightly. The Ming army's firearms were no longer damp and were finally working properly.

That very morning, She Chongming also received a rapid report that the An and Song families had risen up in response.

"Hahaha!" She Chongming laughed loudly, "The An family and the Song family are not cowards after all! They finally rebelled! Good, good, good!"

"The combined forces of the two countries, numbering 50,000 elite troops, will arrive in Chengdu in a few days! At that time, it will be the day of death for that brat Zhu Yin!"

"Once Zhu Yin is captured, I will make him a slave in the official residence and humiliate him thoroughly, so that the Han people can see that their regent, the celestial lord descended to earth, can only serve as my slave, and severely dampen the arrogance of the Ming court!"

"Awooo—Congratulations, Your Majesty!" the Guru nobles roared excitedly. "Congratulations, High Priest!"

Many people drew their long, thin cooking knives and slashed and thrust them through the air while drinking large gulps of rice wine.

"Come on!" She Chongming shouted, "Bring those Han women up here! Let them sing and dance to entertain us! After they've had their fill of food and drink, then we'll teach the Ming army a lesson!"

...

On the afternoon of the second day of the Lunar New Year, the great battle finally broke out in front of the entire city.

The Ming army, with its large contingent treading on the still-soft ground and pushing shield carts, followed by well-maintained horse-drawn cannons and wagon-mounted artillery, formed a neat and orderly formation and slowly advanced towards the rebel camp three miles away.

The three thousand cavalrymen from Jinghai Army who entered Sichuan, the two thousand cavalrymen from Bozhou, and the three thousand cavalrymen from Cao Wenzhao and others, totaling eight thousand cavalrymen, were deployed on both flanks.

The army stretched out in a mile-wide line, like a vast expanse of red flames burning the wild grass on the grassland, spreading towards the rebels.

And those red flames were the Ming army's battle flags, red helmet plumes, and red armor.

The rebels did not leave their camp, but instead adopted a posture of holding their ground.

This wasn't out of fear of the Ming army. Rather, it was because the rebel reinforcements would arrive in Chengdu in a few days, and She Chongming wasn't stupid; why would he possibly leave his camp to engage in a decisive battle with the Ming army?

Of course, he had to hold the main camp first and wait for the reinforcements from the An and Song families to arrive in Chengdu so that they could encircle and annihilate Zhu Yin's army together.

If he were to engage Zhu Yin in a decisive battle now, although he was confident he could win, the casualties would be substantial. His own strength would be greatly weakened, and once the An and Song families' troops arrived, how could he maintain control of the situation?

He not only wanted to defeat Zhu Yin, but also to do so at the lowest possible cost.

Therefore, She Chongming did not give the Ming army a chance to fight a decisive battle. Instead, he sat back and sent troops to guard the camp, ordering archers to densely set up the camp gates and fences, and to defend the camp from a high vantage point.

Because the rebels arrived in Chengdu first, they had ample time and their camps were well-fortified. Moreover, their positions were high.

She Chongming and the Guolu generals unanimously agreed that it would be very difficult for the Ming army to break through the camp!
Wearing a black tiger armor and a magnificent horn helmet adorned with jewels, with a precious sword sheathed in ivory hanging at his waist, She Chongming stood atop a high watchtower, coldly watching the Ming army's massive formation approach like a crimson sunset.

He saw a Ming army banner flying high, bearing the inscription "Grand Regent, Grand Tutor, and Commander-in-Chief of the Great Ming Dynasty, Yin." There was also a large flag, bearing the familiar red sun, crescent moon, and star banner.

He suddenly realized that this was the first time he had ever seen a Ming army with such a magnificent appearance and such a powerful aura.

The Ming army before him, even before the battle had begun, shattered his previous preconceived notions about them.

I've heard that the Ming army in the nine northern border regions is the real elite and the most powerful Ming army. Could it be stronger than Zhu Yin's Ming army?

If that's the case, then was it a wise move for me to raise an army against the Ming Dynasty?

She Chongming suddenly felt a little less confident.

He saw that even the warriors of the Cuan family were now all solemn and looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy, a stark contrast to their relaxed state when they attacked the Chengdu garrison.

Gradually, She Chongming discovered the Ming army's artillery.

Do the Ming army have too many cannons? They seem somewhat different from the Ming army cannons I've seen before.
Then, She Chongming saw the Ming army's siege tower under the great banner. On the siege tower stood a young man dressed in magnificent armor, like a tall and straight pine tree.

This person must be Zhu Yin, the extremely famous Han nobleman!
At Zhu Yin's feet, a black dog was coiled up, and it was even wearing a dog armor, which was really ridiculous.

Zhu Yin was holding a foot-long tube, looking in their direction. What was that? It certainly wasn't a musket.

Zhu Yin, who was not far away, saw She Chongming's puzzled expression clearly through his binoculars!
This is She Chongming? He looks quite respectable, with an air of importance. No wonder he caused trouble for so many years in history.

Hmph, it seems this man already knows that the An and Song families have also rebelled. Does he think that by holding the camp, he can achieve his goals?

As Zhu Yin observed She Chongming, the Ming army's attack formation was also in place. Messengers from various units rode at full speed, shouting orders for the troops to take their positions. Whistles blared, and the sounds of men and horses echoed for miles around.

Since the rebels are holding their camp, we must launch a full-scale attack on the main camp and not let them wait for reinforcements to arrive.

"She Chongming!" Zhu Yin shouted, pointing at his dog, Xiao Hei, "You presumptuously call yourself the God of Black Tiger, yet you insult my beloved dog! Because my beloved dog is also named Black Tiger! You have overstepped your bounds! What is your punishment!"

"Hahaha!" Upon hearing this, the Ming generals and Ning Qingchen and others burst into laughter.

She Chongming couldn't hear what Zhu Yin was shouting, but he knew it wasn't anything nice, so he muttered his own curses:

"Zhu Yin, you brat! Don't be so smug! When I catch you, I'll castrate you and make you my slave!"

Zhu Yin couldn't hear what he was saying, and he was too lazy to argue anymore.

"Attack." Zhu Yin uttered two words calmly, waving his command flag.

"Boom boom boom boom—" The war drums on the siege towers thundered, and the bugles of the Ming army sounded mournful, "Woo woo woo—woo woo woo—"

But then, the red cap tassels of tens of thousands of Ming soldiers fluttered, and the sea of ​​red flames leaped forward once more, followed by the hoarse commands of the Jinghai Navy artillery commanders:

"Prepare—release!"

With a wave of a command flag, five hundred cannons of all sizes in the Jinghai Army rose into flames, almost simultaneously billowing black smoke, followed by a deafening roar.

"Rumble—rumble—"

The moment the cannons roared, their terrifying power not only startled the rebel army, but also left the Chengdu residents watching from the city walls speechless.

The world's most advanced artillery fires sharp shells, including solid shot, grapeshot, and cluster munitions, slicing through the air with a chilling whistle as they bombard the rebel camp!

"Ah—" The dense rebel camp suddenly erupted in terrified and miserable screams.

Where the shells bombarded, the wooden camps were torn apart as if they were made of paper. Amidst the flying blood and flesh, large groups of Gulu soldiers and warhorses were killed or wounded, a truly gruesome sight!

This salvo was like the Jinghai Navy artillery battalion unleashing a devastating, close-range attack on the Guoluo army.

Because the rebels were unaware of the power of the Jinghai Army's artillery, mistaking it for ordinary Ming Dynasty cannons, their ranks were very densely packed. Cavalry, prepared for any eventuality, were also deployed in a high-density formation around the camp gates.

This salvo inflicted heavy losses on them.

In just one round, not only were the gates of the camp completely destroyed, but nearly a thousand people were killed or wounded on the spot, and three or four hundred warhorses were killed or wounded!

Even the barbarian generals lost several men on the spot.

She Chongming himself was almost killed by artillery fire!

"What!" She Chongming exclaimed in shock. "The Ming army's artillery is powerful! Scatter! Scatter!"

"Ah—" The screams of the wounded soldiers and the terrifying artillery fire were like a heavy hammer, delivering a brutal blow to the arrogant rebels and shattering their confidence like ice shards.

Many of the Cuan soldiers were terrified, standing there dumbfounded, staring blankly at the inhuman corpses, limbs, and entrails around them.

Even the war elephants deep within the camp were alarmed, and they began to roar restlessly with their trunks raised.

The entire rebel camp was thrown into chaos. For the time being, they found it difficult to mount an effective counterattack.

However, at this moment, chariots and shield wagons advanced together in front of the Ming army's formation, followed by thousands of Ming soldiers wearing face shields and carrying muskets, who strode forward to within eighty paces of the main camp.

Then, the thousands of people were divided into several rows, with the first row squatting down.

This is the Jinghai Navy's musketeer team!

The world's strongest musketeer team!
"Ready--launch!"

"Bang bang bang bang—" The sound of muskets produced in Daishan rang out in unison, the whistling of bullets converging into a nightmarish sound of death.

Amidst a dense hail of metal bullets, large numbers of rebels were killed or wounded.

The Jinghai Army's muskets fired in rapid succession, covering the rebel vanguard. Seeing that the rebels were trapped in their camp, they had no chance to stop a large-scale counterattack.

The rebels at the forefront could only fire arrows with trepidation, but the sparse arrows posed a negligible threat to the Ming army. Even if someone was hit by an arrow, the Jinghai Army's superior iron armor provided complete protection at this distance.

In just a few volleys of musket fire, more than a thousand more Guolu soldiers were killed.

In a short time after the battle began, not a single Ming soldier died, while the rebels suffered two thousand casualties!
How can we fight this battle?
At this moment, not only the rebels and the Chengdu gentry who were watching the battle, but also the Tusi generals such as Yang Yinglong were stunned.

What powerful firearms! Thank goodness they didn't rebel against the imperial court!
She Chongming looked horrified, as if he had seen a demon. Suddenly, the image of his father's agonizing expression before his death flashed through his mind:

"You unfilial son! Rebellion will never end well; you will bring ruin to the Cuan family and the She clan!"

She Chongming's mind was buzzing. A lead bullet shattered the head of a guard in front of him, and the splattered blood suddenly brought him back to his senses.

"Don't retreat!" She Chongming roared. "The Ming army's firearms are powerful, but they can't fire indefinitely! Elephant cavalry, attack! Charge forward at the risk of your lives! The main force follows behind the war elephants! Cover the war elephants' ears!"

When She Chongming organized a counterattack, the Ming army's artillery once again unleashed its power.

"Rumble—"

Hundreds more Cuan soldiers were killed or wounded.

The rebels have suffered more than 2,500 casualties, and are simply being passively attacked on one side, while the Ming army has suffered zero casualties until now!

"The Ming Dynasty is mighty!" The crowd watching from the city wall finally came to their senses and erupted in a thunderous cheer.

"The Ming Dynasty will surely win! The Grand Tutor will surely win!"

Even powerful figures like the King of Shu couldn't help but be extremely excited.

"Well done! The royal army is mighty!"

The entire city was in an uproar. Seeing that the rebels suffered heavy losses right from the start, their last worries vanished with the roar of the royal army's firearms.

Zhu Yin stared indifferently at the smoke-filled rebel camp, remaining as still as a stone statue.

He knew very well that the great battle had only just begun. Although the Jinghai Navy's powerful artillery had inflicted heavy losses on the rebels, the Jinghai Navy's firearms troops numbered only a few thousand and could not sustain high-intensity, high-density continuous firepower.

The toughest battles are yet to come!
Sure enough, just as the Jinghai naval artillerymen finished loading their ammunition, the sound of war elephants rang out from the rebel camp.

Immediately, two or three hundred war elephants with their ears plugged were driven out by the rebels!

Following the war elephants were three thousand heavy cavalrymen of the Guru clan!
...

P.S.: Although the update is late, it's still a long chapter of 10,000 words. Thank you, goodnight! Also, from now on, all characters with the character "彝" will be changed to "爨".

(End of this chapter)