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

Chapter 148 Cao Wenzhao's Eight Hundred Defeats Eight Thousand
After dealing with Deng Yang's troubles, Jiang Han continued to lead his army south, bypassing the great crevice in Pinglu County, and finally arrived at the Yellow River.

However, when he personally inspected the north bank of the Yellow River with his scouts, the scene before him made his heart sink.

The banks of the Yellow River were deserted; the once bustling Maojindu was now eerily quiet.

All the ferries on the south bank were either moved away or sunk to the bottom of the river, and not even a single plank could be found.

In September, the Yellow River is in its high-water season, with a wide expanse of water and towering, turbid waves.

Building a pontoon bridge to cross the Yellow River is nothing short of a pipe dream.

If Jiang Han wants to lead his army across the river, he has no choice but to cut down trees and build boats.

However, shipbuilding was not only time-consuming and laborious, but also vulnerable to being attacked by government troops while crossing the river.

It should be noted that Zhang Zongheng's 3,000-strong battalion had been following closely behind him the whole time.

After much deliberation, Jiang Han had no choice but to abandon the idea of ​​building a ship and wait for winter, after the Yellow River had frozen over, before crossing it on the ice.

Coincidentally, Wang Jiayin on the other side also planned to wait until the Yellow River froze before crossing it.

Wang Jiayin had previously encountered setbacks in Lu'an Prefecture, failing to capture the city and suffering considerable losses. Therefore, he turned his attention to Xiuwu County, north of the Yellow River.

Zhang Zongheng, Song Tongyin, and others naturally understood the plans of these two bandit leaders.

However, they were no match for Wang Jiayin and Jiang Han, so they had no choice but to ask the imperial court for help again.

The petition for help sent to the capital had vanished without a trace, leaving the two men extremely anxious. So they turned to Zhu Chengyan, the Prince of Shen in Lu'an Prefecture.

Two high-ranking officials and a prince jointly submitted another memorial, requesting the court to send troops immediately to quell the bandits.

Upon seeing this urgent dispatch sent by express courier, Emperor Chongzhen in the Forbidden City was filled with worry and felt a great headache.

Life wasn't easy for the imperial court either!

Looking around, the Liaodong war is at a critical juncture. The Battle of Dalinghe has drawn up countless elite troops, and Zu Dashou is trapped in the city and urgently needs to be relieved.
Although the newly appointed Governor-General of the Three Border Regions, Hong Chengchou, was making every effort to suppress the bandits within his territory, the bandit forces were spreading and rising up one after another, making it difficult to quell them in a short period of time.

Meanwhile, the border troops in Datong, Xuanfu, Yansui and other places also need to do their best to consolidate the autumn defenses in order to prevent the northern barbarians from taking advantage of the situation. They are simply too busy to do so.

After much deliberation, Emperor Chongzhen ultimately placed his hopes on Hong Chengchou.

If we can quickly eliminate the bandits in Shaanxi, we can then free up resources to address the problems in Shanxi and Henan.

Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen issued another decree, strictly ordering Hong Chengchou, the governor-general of the three border regions, to completely wipe out the main forces of the various bandits in Shaanxi before winter.

They then immediately marched eastward to reinforce Shanxi and stabilize the Yellow River defense line.

To help Hong Chengchou, Zhu Youjian also squeezed out 300,000 taels of silver from the national treasury and the imperial treasury as military funds.

At the same time, he also granted Hong Chengchou the right to procure grain and fodder independently within Shaanxi Province.

It should be noted that when Zhu Youjian initially pacified the bandits, he only gave them 100,000 taels of silver. This time, however, he spared no expense in suppressing the bandits.

Having received the salary and autumn grain, Hong Chengchou felt as if he had been given wings, and his confidence greatly increased.

He immediately mobilized his troops and launched a full-scale attack on the various rebel armies entrenched in Shaanxi!
At this time, after months of fighting, division, and reorganization, the Shaanxi rebels had formed two main forces:
A group led by Zhang Mengjin and Huang Youcai, who had gathered a large number of starving people, occupied the area around Qingyang Prefecture.
The other group consists of Hao Lin'an, Liu Daojiang, Ke Tianfei, and others, who occupy the strategically important Iron Horn City area.

In fact, these two rebel armies originally came from the same source, both being former subordinates of Shen Yikui.

However, after Zhang Mengjin, Huang Youcai and others coerced Shen Yikui into rebellion, the two killed Shen Yikui and set up their own faction.

The two sides became bitter enemies and never spoke to each other again.

In response to these two groups of bandits, Hong Chengchou decided to divide his forces into two groups and launch a simultaneous attack.

One force, led by Hong Chengchou, consisted of 6,000 soldiers including You Shilu, Cao Wenzhao, and He Huchen, who were tasked with suppressing Zhang Mengjin, Huang Youcai, and others.

Another force, jointly coordinated by Shaanxi Governor Lian Guoshi and Yansui Governor Zhang Fuzhen, along with Gansu General Yang Jiamo, launched an attack on Hao Lin'an and others in Tiejiao City.

Just as Hong Chengchou's army was pressing in, Zhang Mengjin and Huang Youcai's troops once again captured Heshui County and took the county magistrate Jiang Yingchang prisoner.

Upon seeing the familiar faces of Zhang Mengjin, Huang Youcai, and others, Jiang Yingchang was stunned.

You damned bandits, are you going after Heshui County?

Why are they here again? And it's the same group of people.

Isn't this bullying the honest person?

Perhaps because familiarity breeds contempt, Huang Youcai did not make things difficult for his "old acquaintance" Jiang Yingchang.

He simply ordered his men to tie him up and throw him into the county jail, and then unleashed his troops to loot Heshui County.

After looting for three days, the rebels abandoned the city and continued towards Ningzhou. As expected, they ran into Hong Chengchou, who had come to suppress the bandits.

The two forces faced off across the desolate plains north of Ningzhou, a great battle imminent.

In the ranks of the government troops, guerrilla general Cao Wenzhao stepped forward and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect to Hong Chengchou, requesting permission to fight.
"General, although the bandits are numerous, they are outwardly strong but inwardly weak and easily defeated!"

"I still have eight hundred Guan Ning Iron Cavalry under my command. In this battle, I am willing to be the vanguard of the army, break through the enemy lines, and cut the bandit leader off his horse!"

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed across Hong Chengchou's brows.

He glanced at the eight hundred Guan Ning cavalrymen not far away. Although they all looked elite, their numbers were too small.

The rebel army numbered eight thousand, and even after accounting for the starving civilians who were taken hostage, Huang Youcai still had two thousand cavalrymen at his disposal.

To charge an enemy formation of eight thousand with only eight hundred cavalry—Cao Wenzhao is far too audacious.

Cao Wenzhao was holding back his energy at this moment. He had previously suffered a defeat in suppressing bandits in Shanxi and his troops had fled in disarray. Now he urgently needed a resounding victory to prove himself, wash away the shame, and repay the emperor's favor.

Hong Chengchou naturally understood the crux of the matter, but out of caution, he still spoke up to offer a reminder:

"General Cao's courage is commendable, I grant your permission!"

"However, the enemy outnumbers you several times over. General Cao, you must not underestimate the enemy and advance rashly, lest you be surrounded."

Upon hearing this, Cao Wenzhao was overjoyed and clasped his hands in a deep voice, saying:
"Rest assured, General, I understand!"

"Judging by this bandit formation, it's nothing but a bunch of clay chickens and dogs!"

"This humble general will surely slay the bandit leaders Huang Youcai and Zhang Mengjin and present them before the army camp!"

Cao Wenzhao was full of confidence. Last time in the Lüliang Mountains, they fought on foot after dismounting. His cavalry was inherently limited and couldn't perform well at all.

This is a cavalry battle, and he is confident that he can break through the enemy lines!
Having said that, he turned his horse around and returned to his own troops, leading his nephew Cao Bianjiao, as well as Captain Sun Shoufa, Xiang Jun, and others, towards the center of the battlefield.

Cao Wenzhao stood on his horse at the front of the formation, his sharp eyes scanning the enemy ranks like those of a hawk.

In his view, the so-called 8,000-strong army of the rebels was nothing more than a rabble.

The only truly combat-effective force was the central command, consisting of approximately 2,500 cavalrymen—that was Huang Youcai and Zhang Mengjin's core force.

As for the large number of infantrymen distributed in front of the battle and on both flanks, most of them were starving peasants and bandits who had been coerced, and they only had a long spear in their hands.

One charge is all it takes to completely crush them.

With this in mind, Cao Wenzhao immediately issued the following order:
"Cao Bianjiao! Sun Shoufa!"

"You two will each lead two hundred cavalry, dividing them into left and right flanks, to launch a surprise attack!"

"Shoot away these refugees ahead, and I will personally lead four hundred elite cavalry to strike at the heart of the enemy!"

Cao Bianjiao and Sun Shoufa readily agreed:
"Yes!"

They then each raised two hundred cavalrymen, who, like two arrows released from a bow, broke away from the main formation, spurred their horses, and charged toward the flanks of the enemy army.

The two elite cavalry units, like a pack of wolves, galloped back and forth in front of and on both flanks of the enemy army, not in a hurry to get close.

Instead, they maintained a certain distance, constantly drawing their bows and arrows, specifically targeting the poorly equipped and disorganized refugees in the ranks.

At the enemy's central command, Zhang Mengjin saw the government cavalry attacking in two columns, constantly circling and firing arrows in front of the formation, and his heart tightened.

He quickly mobilized two detachments of about five hundred cavalrymen, who set off in the directions of Cao Bianjiao and Sun Shoufa, trying to drive away these two annoying flies.

However, when it comes to archery and horsemanship, Zhang Mengjin's cavalry were no match for the Guan Ning Iron Cavalry.
Cao Bianjiao and Sun Shoufa were both skilled archers and horsemen. They commanded with composure and, relying on their excellent mounts and superb horsemanship, skillfully maneuvered against the pursuing bandit cavalry on the battlefield.

Using their speed advantage, the Guan Ning cavalrymen weaved back and forth along the edge of the battlefield, sometimes galloping, sometimes reining in their horses, and sometimes turning back to fire arrows, making the pursuing bandit cavalry run around in circles.

At the same time, they did not forget to unleash a hail of arrows on the enemy's infantry formation.

The starving peasants and bandits who had been coerced into coming to the front row could hardly withstand the barrage of arrows from the Guan Ning cavalry.

They were almost completely unprotected, and arrows flew through the air, easily piercing their thin clothes and embedding themselves deep into their flesh.

Screams rose and fell as comrades around him fell one after another, arrows piercing their bodies, their blood staining the ground beneath their feet.

Fear spread like a plague through the hearts of these starving people who had never experienced battle. Watching their comrades fall like wheat, the starving people completely collapsed, no longer caring about formation, and tried to run away.

However, before they could run two steps, the supervising team behind them brandished gleaming sabers, grinning maliciously as they came forward and mercilessly cut down several deserters who were running at the front!

"Get back inside! You ate my food, and you think you can run away?"

"Those who retreat will die!"

Under the threat of the executioner's blade, these starving people could only suppress their fear and huddle together in despair, serving as the first line of defense against the government troops.

Cao Wenzhao, standing not far away, keenly observed the chaos among the rebel army. A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he shouted sharply:

"The rebel army is in disarray!"

"Soldiers! Follow me to break through the enemy lines and slay them!"

Having said that, he took the lead and personally led four hundred elite cavalrymen in a charge against the enemy's formation.

Four hundred cavalrymen converged into a mighty torrent, billowing dust, and rushed towards the army of starving civilians.

Most of the starving people in the front row only had a long spear in their hands, and they didn't even have decent armor.

As the government cavalry swept in, raising clouds of dust and roaring like a landslide, their unstoppable momentum terrified them, causing their legs to tremble violently and making it almost impossible for them to stand.

The sound of horses' hooves grew closer and louder, like heavy hammer blows striking their fragile hearts.

Finally, when the menacing faces of the government troops and their gleaming lances became clearly visible, the starving people could no longer bear the pressure and collapsed completely.

They let out a desperate scream, threw down their spears, and turned to flee in disarray. The executioner's blades were far less effective than the psychological pressure of the cavalry charge.

The routed soldiers, like a flood bursting its banks, rushed straight towards Huang Youcai's central army formation at the rear.

Huang Youcai was shocked to see this and quickly ordered the supervisory team to step forward to stop the fleeing soldiers from disrupting their own formation.

However, the number of fleeing soldiers was too large, and the supervising team could not hold them off for a while. They could only set up their long spears and sweep away the fleeing soldiers little by little.

But Cao Wenzhao would not give him this opportunity. Taking advantage of the momentary chaos, he led his personal guards, along with a large number of defeated soldiers, and charged directly to the front of Huang Youcai's central army formation.

Seeing this, Huang Youcai sneered:
"Where did this hothead come from?"

"A mere four hundred men dare to charge at my two thousand-strong army?!"

"Surround them and kill them! Leave no one alive!"

At his command, the cavalry around him moved in response, forming a huge encirclement and rushing towards Cao Wenzhao's troops.

The two groups of people clashed violently. In an instant, shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, and the mournful neighing of warhorses resounded through the sky, turning the entire battlefield into a bloody meat grinder.

Cao Wenzhao took the lead and charged into the enemy ranks. His saber flew up and down as if he were cutting melons and vegetables. Every swing of his saber brought with it a splash of blood.

The Guan Ning cavalry behind him were also holding their breath, equally fearless, sticking close to their commander and constantly charging at the enemy's formation.

However, Huang Youcai had a large and powerful force, and his cavalry was also a rare and elite force.

They surged towards Cao Wenzhao from all directions, layer upon layer, like a tide.

With over two thousand people besieging four hundred, the advantage was obvious.

Although the Guan Ning cavalry were elite, their momentum was gradually thwarted by the frenzied attack of enemy troops who outnumbered them several times over. Their formation began to break down, and casualties gradually increased.

Cao Wenzhao felt surrounded by enemies, and the pressure was increasing, gradually making it difficult for him to cope.

In the midst of the chaos, a long spear suddenly swept in from the side, its force heavy, striking Cao Wenzhao's mount squarely in the right leg.

The warhorse, in pain, let out a mournful whinny and collapsed to the ground. Caught off guard, Cao Wenzhao was also thrown from his horse at the same time!
Huang Youcai had been keeping a close eye on Cao Wenzhao amidst the chaos of battle, and upon seeing this scene, he was overjoyed.

He quickly seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and shouted at the top of his lungs to all around him:

"The enemy general has fallen from his horse! The enemy general is dead!"

"Brothers, kill all these government soldiers!"

Huang Youcai's personal guards understood immediately and joined in the shouting, trying to break the fighting spirit of the government troops in front of them.

In an instant, shouts of "The enemy general is dead!" spread rapidly across the battlefield.

At this moment, Cao Bianjiao, Sun Shoufa, and others on the flanks heard a huge shout coming from the center of the battlefield and were greatly alarmed.

They disregarded the enemy in front of them, abandoned their opponents, turned their horses around, and charged towards the center of the battlefield to find out whether Cao Wenzhao was alive or dead.

But the battlefield was shrouded in smoke and dust, and extremely chaotic.

Huang Youcai's more than two thousand cavalrymen formed a huge barrier, completely surrounding Cao Wenzhao's troops and making it impossible to see the specific situation inside.

Meanwhile, in the distant ranks of the government troops, Hong Chengchou saw Cao Wenzhao trapped in a tight encirclement, and his heart tightened.
"That scoundrel Cao Wenzhao, though brave, was so reckless and underestimated the enemy that he almost ruined my great plan!"

He turned to You Shilu, who was standing to the side, and instructed him:

"General You, I would like to trouble you to go forward and meet Cao Wenzhao."

However, just when everyone thought Cao Wenzhao was dead, he turned out to be perfectly fine.

He reacted extremely quickly, and the moment his warhorse fell to the ground, he rolled over, dissipating most of the impact.

He shook his slightly dizzy head and heard shouts of "The enemy general is dead" echoing all around him. A surge of anger instantly rose in his chest.

"How dare you, you scoundrel, bully me?!"

Just then, a bandit soldier saw him fall from his horse and thought he had a chance to take advantage of the situation. He let out an excited shout, spurred his horse forward, and tried to kill him with a single spear thrust.

Cao Wenzhao's eyes narrowed. Instead of retreating, he advanced, his saber flashing coldly as he slashed backhand, striking the bandit soldier squarely in the chest and abdomen.

The bandit soldier screamed, clutched his stomach, and collapsed on his horse.

Seeing this, Cao Wenzhao picked up a lance and used it to knock the bandit off his saddle. He then pulled the reins with his left hand to steady the frightened warhorse and flipped himself back onto the horse.

Cao Wenzhao, having remounted his horse, looked around and heard the incessant cries of "The enemy general is dead," which fueled his anger even more.

He suddenly spurred his horse, brandished his lance, and charged towards the surrounding bandits.

Cao Wenzhao, upon rejoining the battlefield, was unstoppable, as if he had unleashed a devastating attack.

With his lance, he swung it wide and sweeping, and a single sweep could take down a large number of bandits.

With each charge, a bandit soldier would inevitably be pierced through the chest and fall from his horse.

He charged through the enemy ranks, charging left and right, causing chaos and destruction wherever he went; no one could withstand his might.

The four hundred Guan Ning cavalrymen around him, seeing that their commander was still alive, were in high spirits again. With a roar, they followed Cao Wenzhao's steps and continued to charge into the enemy ranks.

In an instant, the battlefield situation reversed once again.

As Huang Youcai watched Cao Wenzhao, covered in blood and looking like a madman, get closer and closer, he felt a chill run down his spine and dared not fight any longer.

He let out a strange cry, no longer caring about commanding his remaining troops, and immediately turned his horse around, intending to escape in the chaos with his personal guards.

"Where to go?!"

Cao Wenzhao, with his sharp eyes, spotted Huang Youcai trying to escape. He shouted angrily and spurred his horse to give chase.

Meanwhile, Cao Bianjiao, Sun Shoufa, and others had already scattered the bandits on the outskirts and were now rushing to the scene to join the pursuit.

Huang Youcai was no match for the Guan Ning cavalry. He hadn't gone far before Cao Wenzhao and his men caught up with him.

Cao Wenzhao snorted coldly, raised his lance, and directly threw Huang Youcai off his horse, sending him crashing heavily to the ground not far away.

Upon seeing this, Sun Shoufa quickly followed, reined in his horse, stopped in front of Huang Youcai, and chopped off Huang Youcai's head with a single stroke, then threw it to Cao Wenzhao.

Seeing their commander Huang Youcai beheaded and another leader Zhang Mengjin killed by Cao Bianjiao in the melee, the rebel army was leaderless and dared not resist any longer.

They threw down their weapons and knelt down to surrender.

Cao Wenzhao reined in his horse and stopped, raising Huang Youcai's head high with one hand and gripping his spear tightly with the other, letting out a long, exhilarating roar.

The roar was filled with the joy of victory, as well as long-suppressed resentment and pride.

Eight hundred broke through eight thousand!
This resounding victory finally allowed Cao Wenzhao to vent his anger.

　I'd like to recommend a book, folks: "After Being Whipped by Zhang Fei, I Turned Around and Ran Away with Guan Yu."

　　Three blows shatter the bonds of the Five Barbarians, sir, I am a Han Chinese!
　　

(End of this chapter)