The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 105 Yang He's Desperate Gamble
"what?!"

Upon hearing this news, Yang He felt his head buzz and his vision go black; he almost fell off his chair!
He grabbed the messenger who had come to deliver the message and asked sternly:

"What's going on?! Explain yourself!"

"Wasn't Shen Yikui reduced to just over a hundred men by Du Wenhuan and fled to Wuqi? How come he's now colluding with the Mongols?!"

The messenger, terrified, stammered and replied:

"After that, Shen Yi Kui fled to Wuqi and his whereabouts have been unknown ever since."

"But who knew that he would plunge headlong into the vast desert and go to the border to borrow troops from the Mongol Tartars!"

"He was originally a border soldier, and he easily led the Mongols into the border wall, where they burned, killed, and looted everywhere."

It turned out that after Shen Yikui escaped from beyond the Great Wall, he had been traveling among the various Mongol tribes in the Hetao region for several months, begging and pleading with the Mongols to borrow three thousand cavalrymen.

With three thousand Mongol cavalrymen at his command, Shen Yikui was full of confidence and headed straight for Ningsai.

He had already found out that He Kai, the traitor who betrayed him, was now serving as the garrison commander of Ningsai!
Shen Yikui led the Mongols to burn, kill, and plunder everywhere. Then, he took in starving people and refugees, captured Ningsai Town, and took He Kai prisoner.

However, Shen Yikui did not kill He Kai immediately. Instead, he took him under his wing and led his army straight to Bao'an County, the place where He Kai had been defeated last time!

After two days and nights of fierce fighting, Bao'an County was also captured by Shen Yikui.

After capturing Bao'an County, Shen Yikui ordered He Kai to be brought to the East Gate tower and executed by slow slicing in front of all the soldiers and civilians!
This was to comfort his deputy general Li Yuan, and the brothers who died protecting him at the foot of Bao'an City!

After storming the security guard's camp and executing the traitor by slow slicing, Shen Yikui became incredibly famous and renowned!
When the news spread, He Huchen, who was in Yan'an Prefecture, hurriedly led his troops north, attempting to take advantage of Shen Yikui's unstable foothold and defeat him.

However, he only had a little over two thousand men under his command, severely underestimating Shen Yi Kui's strength.

After a skirmish, He Huchen was caught in a pincer attack by Shen Yikui's peasant army and Mongol cavalry, suffering heavy losses.

He had no choice but to retreat in disarray, fleeing back to Anse County to regroup, and never dared to show his face again!
After defeating He Huchen's army, Shen Yikui successively defeated several government troops, including Deputy Commander-in-Chief Zhang Yingchang and Guerrilla General Zuo Guangxian, who came to intercept him!
After the news of Shen Yikui's great victory over several government armies spread, the various local bandits and outlaws who had just been recruited by the court and were already harboring ulterior motives suddenly felt that the court was nothing special!

So they raised the banner of rebellion again, gathered in the mountains and forests once more, and responded to the call of Shen Yi Kui!
The situation in Shaanxi, especially in northern Shaanxi, which had just begun to ease, has instantly deteriorated again! It's even worse than before!

Just as Shen Yikui was feeling triumphant and preparing to ride the wave of his great victory to continue his southward advance to attack Ansai and even Yan'an Prefecture, the Mongol cavalry he brought with him objected!

These Mongol tribes were willing to lend troops to Shen Yikui only so they could take advantage of his misfortune!
Now that they have plundered Bao'an County and its surrounding areas, where would they have the mind to continue attacking the fortified city and fighting to the death with the Ming army with Shen Yikui?

The group of Mongols immediately abandoned Shen Yikui, whistling as they led their plundered spoils back to the grasslands.

This completely baffled Shen Yikui!
Left with no other choice, Shen Yikui had to abandon his plan to march south, forsaken the city and head west, leading tens of thousands of peasant soldiers in a grand and imposing attack on the undefended rear guard of Ningxia.

Wang Ying, the commander of Ningxia's rear guard, was an incompetent fool. Upon hearing that Shen Yikui was leading a large army to attack, he was so frightened that he dared not resist at all and directly led his troops to abandon the city and flee!
Thus, Shen Yikui won over the entire Ningxia defense team with almost no effort!

Ningxia Houwei has been a military stronghold since ancient times. Although many border troops have deserted due to years of unpaid wages, the armory still preserves a considerable amount of weapons and equipment.

After obtaining weapons and equipment from the Ningxia rear guard, Shen Yikui's strength increased significantly. After a short rest, he led his army south to attack Qingyang Prefecture.

The garrison and militia of Qingyang Prefecture fought desperately, and guerrilla general Wu Weifan killed more than 500 peasant soldiers outside the east gate. However, facing the 60,000 to 70,000 peasant soldiers surging in like a tide, it was still a drop in the ocean, and they could only hold out by relying on the city walls.

"Trash! A bunch of trash!"

After hearing this series of urgent reports, Yang He was so angry that he trembled all over.
"Damn Du Wenhuan! If he hadn't let Shen Yikui escape back then, we wouldn't be in this mess today!"

"I will kill him!"

Unfortunately, Du Wenhuan was currently locked in a fierce battle with Wang Jiayin in Shanxi, so even if Yang He wanted to kill someone, he was too far away to intervene.

The most urgent task right now is to relieve the siege of Qingyang Prefecture!
Yang Heqiang suppressed his anger and immediately issued several orders, commanding He Huchen, Zhang Yingchang, Zuo Guangxian and others stationed in Ansai, to quickly mobilize their troops and rush to the aid of Qingyang Prefecture!
However, this time, his order as the governor of the three border regions seemed to have sunk without a trace!
He Huchen declined, saying that his troops were insufficient and he needed to rest and regroup.
Zhang Yingchang and Zuo Guangxian bluntly stated that Shen Yikui's forces were too strong, and they dared not attack rashly, requesting the Governor-General to dispatch more troops to support them.
In short, it all boils down to one word—delay!

When Yang He received the reports from these generals requesting instructions and asking for help, he was so angry that he almost vomited blood on the spot!

The troops in other garrisons in Shaanxi were even less capable of fighting. They were only good for defending cities, but if they were really sent out to fight in the field, they might all desert before they even reached Qingyang Prefecture.

Worse still, because of Shen Yikui's resurgence, the various rebel groups that had been suppressed with great difficulty in Shaanxi have begun to rise again!
Yang He had originally hoped that Hong Chengchou could lead troops to provide support, but Hong Chengchou was once again bogged down by the rebellious peasant army in Qingjian, Yansui and other places, and was exhausted from running around.

"How to do?"

Looking at the precarious state of Qingyang Prefecture on the map, and then at his own meager forces and the cowardly generals, Yang He felt an unprecedented sense of despair and anger well up in his heart!
Suddenly, a crazy and audacious idea popped into Yang He's mind.

"Relocate to Ningzhou?"

Inside the hall, the staff and generals were stunned when they heard Yang He's idea.

Ningzhou is located directly behind Qingyang Prefecture, only about two hundred li away.

Once Qingyang Prefecture falls, Shen Yikui will travel south along the official road and arrive at Ningzhou City in less than a day.

Yang He hardened his heart:

"You bunch of soldiers who are trying to shirk battle! Aren't you all afraid of dying, making excuses and delaying the fight?"

"Very well! I will personally go to Ningzhou today to oversee the front lines! If Qingyang Prefecture falls, I will stand atop Ningzhou city walls and serve my country with utmost loyalty!"

Yang He's move was called using himself as bait; he wanted to force the various generals in Shaanxi to come to his rescue.

During his tenure, Yan'an Prefecture had already been captured once. If Qingyang Prefecture were to be captured as well, Emperor Chongzhen would certainly not tolerate him.

The fall of the prefectural city did not faze the generals in Shaanxi, for it was the fault of their governor, Yang He, and his poor command.

However, if he, the governor of the three border regions, dies in battle, then all the generals in Shaanxi who avoid fighting will be implicated!
Having made up his mind, Yang He ignored the earnest advice of his advisors and guards and immediately ordered his luggage to be packed!

Without even waiting for the army to assemble, Yang He resolutely left Yulin Town with only three hundred personal guards, detoured through Yan'an Prefecture, and sped off towards Ningzhou!

　I've been a bit busy with work these past few days. I'll be back to work on Saturdays and Sundays once I'm done!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)