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

Chapter 170 Zuo Liangyu's Judgment
After several hours of discussion, Jiang Han finally finalized the battle plan.

Jiang Han divided the army of more than 8,000 people into three routes.

The first route was led by three leaders: Li Zicheng, Liu Guoneng, and Li Jinwang.

They will lead their 3,000 troops to confront Zuo Liangyu's Changping troops.

Zuo Liangyu's troops must have suffered considerable losses; Jiang Han estimated that they had at most a little over a thousand men.

Li Zicheng's troops suffered relatively few losses in the previous night raid, and many of them were soldiers who had been specially trained by Jiang Han in Fenyang Prefecture.

With a force of three to one, Li Zicheng should be able to hold off Zuo Liangyu, right?

Jiang Han didn't have high hopes for them. His only requirement was to force Zuo Liangyu to retreat, not to fight to the death, and certainly not to pursue him too far.

As long as we can drive Zuo Liangyu far away from Maojindu, preventing him from sending reinforcements, that will be fine.

The second force, also consisting of three thousand men, was led by Zhang Tianlin and included some of the weaker minor leaders, who then launched a feigned attack on Shanzhou City.

Besides the thousand combat soldiers of Zhang Tianlin's main force, the other two thousand or so men, apart from seven or eight hundred auxiliary soldiers, were mostly wounded.

Jiang Han gave the troops a strict order: simply surround Shanzhou City, make it appear as if you are attacking the city, and force the officials inside to ask for help from outside.

Their core mission was to guard the city gates and prevent the local militia and guards from causing trouble.

Of course, given the character of the old, weak, sick, and disabled people in the Ming Dynasty's garrisons, even if they had a lot of guts, they probably wouldn't dare to go out of the city to fight in the open.

Jiang Han also specially allocated five heavy cannons and more than a dozen small cannons to Zhang Tianlin, instructing him to make sure the show of force was fully displayed.

The third route, led by Jiang Han, consisted of two thousand elite troops who crossed the Yellow River under cover of night and awaited the arrival of government reinforcements.

With the mission set, the three armies each performed their duties and encountered their respective adversaries.

boom! boom! boom.
With a deafening roar of cannons, Zhang Tianlin led his troops in an attack on Shanzhou City.

His task in this battle was the easiest; he only needed to hold off the city's guards. So he simply led his more than a thousand soldiers to form ranks outside the city and create a commotion.

The rest of the wounded were left in the camp if they were seriously injured, and the rest were brought over to stand at the rear of the army formation to bolster morale.

Zhang Tianlin was relaxed, but Shi Jiyan in the city was in a different situation.

Hearing the deafening cannon fire and shouts of battle coming from outside the city, Shi Jiyan was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, pacing around the yamen in circles.

"Quick! Send someone to find a dog hole to crawl out of!"

"Send a few more men to find General Zuo and General Cao and ask them to immediately lead troops to support Shanzhou!"

After giving the order, he rushed out of the government office and headed straight for the residence of Commander Zhang Chen.

Zhang Chen has been staying at home "recovering from his illness" these days, and he's having a great time.

When the bandits crossed the river, he immediately lay down on his bed and refused to see anyone.

But now, the deafening cannon fire and the panic of the city's residents made it impossible for him to remain silent any longer.

The bandits wandering around in the wilderness were a matter for the border generals and had nothing to do with Zhang Chen.

However, if bandits attack the city, as the highest-ranking military officer in the local garrison, he would be the first to be held accountable if the city falls.

"Commander Zhang! The enemy troops have already begun their attack on the city. Are you still going to hide here and pretend to be sick?"

Shi Jiyan led his men, slapping and kicking, and practically forced open the gates of the Zhang residence.

Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Zhang Chen could only leap up from his sickbed, force a smile that looked more like a grimace, put on his armor which he hadn't worn in a long time, and prepare to go to the city wall to do his job.

But when Zhang Chen led his personal guards trembling up the city wall, he discovered that although the enemy soldiers' artillery fire was fierce, they never sent anyone forward to set up ladders to climb the city.

Seeing this, the personal guard beside him couldn't help but feel a little puzzled:

"My lord, judging from this situation, it seems the bandits have no intention of attacking the city."

Zhang Chen craned his neck to look for a long time, gradually discerning something from it.

He discovered that although the bandits outside the city were a dense, dark mass, their formation was loose, and many of them were even sitting on the spot, showing no signs of the tense and deadly atmosphere before the attack.

Zhang Chen even saw many wounded soldiers limping and with bandages wrapped around their heads, mingling in the ranks to make up the numbers.

This isn't a siege at all, it's just a feint to scare people!
Having figured this out, Zhang Chen's heart, which had been in his throat, instantly "thumped" back into his stomach.

However, although he relaxed, Shi Jiyan, who was also on the city wall, noticed something amiss.

So he quickly found Zhang Chen:

"Commander Zhang, the enemy's formation is loose and their morale is low. Why don't you take this opportunity to lead your troops to charge into their lines?"

"Who knows, we might just win a decisive battle and drive back the enemy?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Chen mentally cursed Shi Jiyan's ancestors for eighteen generations.

That's so easy for you to say!
You weakling, you think you can make me lead a group to fight to the death with just a few words?

Think beautiful!
He cursed inwardly, but his face adopted a serious expression:

"Absolutely not!"

"In my opinion, the enemy soldiers are feigning exhaustion in an attempt to lure us out of the city."

"Who knows, maybe there's an elite band of rebels hiding in some nook or cranny outside the city, waiting for us to leave!"

"To be on the safe side, defending the city is the best course of action."

Upon hearing this, Shi Jiyan felt a surge of anger rush to his head, so much so that he almost lost his balance.

Fuck!
The area outside the city is flat and open, without even a small hill. It's so safe that you could see everything, even a dog, let alone an elite force!
You, Zhang Chen, are not only avoiding battle, but now you're blatantly lying?
Shi Jiyan was so angry that he trembled all over. He pointed at Zhang Chen, wanting to curse but unable to utter a word.

Although it was true that the Ming Dynasty valued civil officials more than military ones, he neither had the right nor the guts to kill the general in command of the troops.

For a time, Shi Jiyan really couldn't do anything about Zhang Chen, such a stubborn and unyielding person.

Zhang Chen, on the other hand, remained calm and unconcerned.

Look at it however you want, but you're not going to let me leave the city!
While the civil and military officials in Shanzhou were arguing and shirking responsibility, Zuo Liangyu was in a difficult situation.

A bandit soldier carrying a banner that read "Tiger Climbing the Mountain" drove him more than ten miles away in one go.

Seeing the overwhelming strength of the enemy troops, Zuo Liangyu dared not fight them head-on and could only retreat while fighting.

But gradually, he sensed that something was wrong.

He noticed that although the enemy soldiers opposite him were waving their flags and shouting battle cries, they always maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

how to say?

The bandits' offensive was more like herding cattle and sheep than a life-or-death struggle between two armies.

Zuo Liangyu became suspicious and tentatively reined in his warhorse, ordering his troops to stop retreating and form ranks on the spot.

However, a strange thing happened.

As soon as he stopped, the menacing bandit army opposite him also stopped in unison. They continued to beat drums in the distance to intimidate, but not a single person or horse dared to advance and attack.

"It's a scam!"

These two words instantly popped into Zuo Liangyu's mind.

Just then, Zuo Menggeng rode up on horseback, followed by a dusty messenger.

"Father, Shi Jiyan, the prefect of Shanzhou, has sent someone to ask for help."

Upon seeing Zuo Liangyu, the messenger was as if he had seen a savior. He immediately dismounted and knelt down with a thud.

"General Zuo, help me!"

"The enemy troops are leading their main force in a fierce attack on our Shanzhou City. The battlements are almost being destroyed by the cannons. We hope that the commander-in-chief will send troops to our aid!"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Liangyu frowned deeply. Pointing to the large tiger-character banner in the distance, he said irritably:
"Reinforcements?" "Didn't you see the main force of the bandits is right on the other side?"

"I am barely able to save myself, how can I possibly offer any assistance?"

The messenger, after hearing this, paused for a moment, and hurriedly spoke up to explain:

"But...but Commander, the main force of the rebel army is really attacking Shanzhou!"

"Those cannons roared so loudly that the earth shook; there's no faking it!"

This messenger was sent out at the very beginning, as recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian. At that time, he had no idea that the enemy troops were feigning an attack.

When the cannons first shook the city of Shanzhou, the prefect, a civil official, was immediately gripped by fear and, without thinking, sent men out of the city to seek reinforcements.

Later, when he personally climbed the city wall and realized what had happened, he was still furious with Zhang Chen.

In the midst of his argument and scuffle with the shameless military officer, he completely forgot about the messenger he had sent out earlier.

Ultimately, Shi Jiyan was a civil official who naturally lacked military sensitivity. Subconsciously, he still believed that when a city was besieged, people should be sent to ask for help, and everything would be fine once the army arrived.

He had no idea how much interference his ambiguous intelligence would cause to the generals leading the troops.

Upon hearing the message from the messenger, Zuo Liangyu's heart stirred, and he asked sternly:

How many enemy soldiers are attacking the city?

The messenger answered without hesitation:
"A dark mass of people, roughly estimated to be no less than three thousand."

Three thousand people...

Zuo Liangyu suddenly turned around, looked at the bandit soldiers confronting him in the distance, and then looked at his own troops.

His mind raced, and he realized something was amiss.

"I have three thousand men here, and three thousand men over in Shanzhou."

"But back then, when I observed the enemy camp from afar, I estimated that there were at least eight to ten thousand enemy soldiers."

"What about the rest?"

Something's wrong! Something is wrong!
Zuo Liangyu's eyes were like an eagle's, fixed on the enemy's lines on the distant high ground.

He had a premonition that the opposing force might not be Shangshanhu's elite direct troops, but rather a feint used to mislead him.

However, he still dared not be careless, so he decided to send troops to test the waters first.

Zuo Liangyu summoned Zhang Qi, one of his commanders:
"Go and take two detachments of five hundred men to test the mettle of the enemy soldiers on the other side."

Zhang Qi was very puzzled upon hearing this:

"General, what does this mean?"

"The enemy forces are too strong, why don't we run away quickly?"

Zuo Liangyu snorted coldly and slowly explained:
"I suspect that the bandits on the other side are not the main force of Shangshanhu at all, but other bandits in disguise."

"So I'm having you lead your troops to test the waters first. If the enemy soldiers are indeed skilled, then retreat immediately, and I will send someone to meet you."

Zhang Qi nodded and then left to carry out the order.

Soon, five hundred infantrymen formed a wedge formation and, at the command of their officers, marched in orderly steps toward the enemy lines on the high ground.

On the high hill, the three leaders, Li Zicheng, Liu Guoneng, and Li Jinwang, looked extremely solemn upon seeing this.

Why did Zuo Liangyu lead his men in a counterattack?

Looking at the well-organized and menacing government troops below the mountain, many soldiers' legs began to go weak.

Especially for those bandits who had only recently joined the government forces, their first instinct when faced with regular government troops was to run.

In the past, the reason they were able to charge into battle alongside Jiang Han's troops and be invincible was because they knew in their hearts that if the sky fell, there would be tall people to hold it up.

With the elite Shangshanhu force behind him and his most reliable comrades fighting alongside him, he was protected.

That sense of security boosted their morale, making them fearless and daring.

But now, the mountain tiger is gone, and so is that iron army.

On this battlefield, they are the main force and must shoulder the heavy responsibility of repelling the government troops.

Although Jiang Han had already equipped this group with armor and weapons, this change in roles still made everyone present feel uneasy and uncertain.

There's no way around it; soldiers naturally have a suppressive force when facing bandits.

Seeing the low morale of the team, several leaders stepped forward.

Liu Guoneng drew his sword and personally stood at the front of the battle:

"Everyone stay calm! Anyone who dares to back down will be court-martialed!"

Li Jinwang, standing beside him, glared angrily and shouted loudly, trying to dispel the fear in the soldiers' hearts with his roar.

Despite the two men's best efforts to suppress the unrest, Zuo Liangyu, who was below the hillside, still noticed the barely concealed panic and fear within the rebel ranks.

"There is indeed a problem!"

Zuo Liangyu's lips curled into a cold smile.

On the hillside, Zhang Qi's 500 government troops had already clashed with the enemy's outer defenses.

"kill!"

The shouts of the government troops were uniform, their spears thrusting and their swords and shields advancing in unison, demonstrating an extremely high level of tactical skill.

On the other hand, although the rebels were also putting up a desperate resistance, their counterattacks appeared scattered and chaotic.

Many people were just wildly brandishing their weapons, all bark and no bite.

Zhang Qi, who was leading the team, keenly noticed that the resistance of this band of bandits was not fierce, and it was nothing like the eight hundred elite soldiers he had faced at the ferry yesterday.

"Brothers, charge! The bandits are no match for us!"

Zhang Qi was overjoyed. He roared and personally swung his sword, cutting down a member of the rebel army. He then led his soldiers like a wedge, driving deep into the rebel ranks.

Just as the defensive line was about to be breached, a series of urgent gong sounds came from the high ground.

Immediately afterwards, the two leaders, Li Jinwang and Liu Guoneng, each led a group of elite troops and rushed out from the side, blocking the gap.

This elite force was the very soldiers that Jiang Han had trained for them in Fenzhou Prefecture.

These eight hundred soldiers experienced several battles, large and small, in Pingyang Prefecture. Although one or two hundred of them died, the survivors made great progress.

They fought bravely and coordinated perfectly, stabilizing the collapsing lines right from the start.

Seeing this, Zhang Qi remembered Zuo Liangyu's military order and did not linger in battle. He immediately blew the bone whistle, gathered the troops, and slowly retreated down the hillside.

After retreating to their main camp, Zhang Qi immediately reported the battle situation to Zuo Liangyu:
"Commander, just as you predicted, they're all just a bunch of show-offs!"

"Apart from a small elite force, the rest are nothing but chickens and dogs, utterly vulnerable!"

With the intelligence relayed back, Zuo Liangyu's last shred of doubt vanished.

Zuo Liangyu was furious. How dare any Tom, Dick, or Harry try to provoke him?

"Pass on my orders!"

"All troops assemble, prepare for a counterattack!"

　I just got back from working overtime. I'll finish this chapter first. There's one more chapter to go. I'll continue writing after I have some food.

　　Like I always say, I won't sleep until I finish coding today!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)