The Revolt of the Three Feudatories: All-in at the start in Beijing

After inspecting the military factory, Galdan took 5,000 flintlock muskets, 100 flying thunder cannons, and corresponding ammunition eastward to Yanzhou Prefecture in Shandong.

In order to consolidate his power in Nanjing, Emperor Kangxi immediately launched a large-scale plundering campaign against wealthy merchants and gentry in the southeast, almost to the point of scraping the land bare.

With sufficient military funds, they regained control of the Green Standard Army in the southeast, but this caused great suffering to the wealthy merchants and gentry, who were afraid of the Manchu's butcher's knife.

As a result, a large number of letters were sent to Wu Sangui and Geng Jingzhong, and naturally some were also sent to the Han Dynasty, requesting that the Han Dynasty send troops to destroy the Qing Dynasty, and that they were willing to raise military funds.

Galdan wanted to laugh at that moment.

Are they afraid of the Manchu's butcher's knife but not of the Han's?

Moreover, spies in the south reported that Wu Sangui had launched a large-scale invasion of Hubei and was engaged in battle with the Eight Banners in Jingzhou.

Although the Han Dynasty's center of gravity was in the north and its troops were not yet fully trained, it was not impossible for them to covet Xuzhou.

As long as we control Xuzhou, the core of the land, we can move south to Jiangsu or west to Henan without any obstacles.

……

Just as Galdan was on his way, outside Hetu Ala, the old stronghold of the Jianzhou Jurchens, soldiers dressed in blue banner armor with iron trim joined the army, carrying shields and climbing ladders to attack the city. The sounds of battle echoed throughout Changbai Mountain.

Meanwhile, after two days of fierce attacks, the defenses on the city walls had weakened and were no longer effective. More than thirty Blue Banner soldiers held their ground on the walls and engaged in battle with the Jurchen youths inside the city.

These Jurchen people from Changbai Mountain didn't actually need to fight so hard. They could have simply retreated into the mountains and lived as wild Jurchens, and Galdan wouldn't have cared.

After all, the Aisin Gioro clan was not Jurchen at all.

Unfortunately, it is easy to go from simplicity to luxury, but it is too difficult for them to give up the life of enslaving the Han people and living a life of superiority.

Moreover, since Subutai entered Liaodong, he has killed almost everyone he encounters, even a passing roe deer would be shot with an arrow.

This approach is as if they were not given a way out. Only those who survive a bloodbath have the opportunity to join the Blue Flag Guard or go mining.

How could they not work incredibly hard?

Whether we defend the city or not, we're going to die anyway.

Subutai and Wanyan Wu rode their warhorses to oversee the battle. As blue-flag soldiers were killed and fell off the city wall, they remained unfazed, as they had become accustomed to it.

After three months of offensive, only Hetu Ala, the stronghold of the Jianzhou Jurchens, remains unconquered in the entire Liaodong region; all other cities have been recovered.

These cities were all conquered by Blue Banner soldiers, without cannons or muskets, only bows and arrows, siege ladders, and their own flesh and blood.

In this kind of siege warfare using cold weapons, the original more than 10,000 Blue Banner soldiers have now dwindled to less than 6,000. Among them, besides those who died in battle, at least 500 heads were enough to be incorporated into the Han Army's Iron Cavalry.

Of course, this only applies to the lowest-ranking soldiers. For them, becoming a centurion is extremely difficult. This isn't Galdan being deliberately difficult; rather, it's because the Mongols and Han Chinese wouldn't want them and would subconsciously ostracize them.

Two months ago, of the tens of thousands of Mongol able-bodied men, only 20,000 were left as light cavalry, and the rest were disbanded and sent back. The Han Dynasty was short of food and simply could not afford to feed them!

Just as Subutai saw that the Blue Banner entourage had made no progress even after half an incense stick's time, and was about to send a supervisory team to press forward, his personal guard pointed to the city wall.

"General, look!"

"They've broken through! They've broken through!"

At this moment, the Jurchen soldiers guarding the city walls of Hetu Ala had been driven to despair and were now scattering and fleeing in all directions. Taking advantage of this, the Blue Banner soldiers opened the city gates.

Subutai slowly drew his long sword.

"Enter the city, leave no resisters alive!"

"Roar! Kill!"

The three thousand Mongol light cavalry, who had been prepared in advance, immediately brandished their whips and galloped away upon receiving the order!

After the Manchus entered the pass, they left behind only 70,000 to 80,000 old and weak people in their hometown. At this time, there were only more than 20,000 people in Hetu Ala City. How could they withstand the attack of 7,000 to 8,000 Blue Banner soldiers and 3,000 Mongol light cavalry? The battle was over in less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick, and the city and its surroundings became completely quiet.

The next day, in the main hall of Nurhaci's former palace, Subutai summoned all generals with a commandery of a thousand or more.

Subutai sat in the main seat. Seeing that everyone had arrived, he took out a scroll of imperial edict and a map of the Nurgan Commandery from his bosom.

"Gentlemen, this is an imperial decree issued by His Majesty the Emperor before our army set out, instructing me to disperse the army to the former Ming Dynasty's Nurgan Regional Military Commission area after recovering Liaodong!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression froze, and they began to whisper among themselves. The weather in Liaodong was alright, but the winters in the north were freezing cold. Who would want to go to such a horrible place!

Subutai simply tapped the table with his knuckles, and everyone immediately fell silent.

"I haven't finished speaking yet, what's all this commotion? Besides, this is His Majesty the Emperor's decree, who dares to disobey?"

"However, this time, it's not about sending you to garrison troops, but about taking grain, salt, and iron pots to do business with the Jurchens in Haixi and Haidong, as well as the Solon tribes, while also promoting the rule of our Great Han over the former Ming Nurgan Regional Military Commission."

"They are all savages from the mountains. Unless absolutely necessary, do not fight them. Just tell them that if they become subjects of the Han Dynasty, they can come to Liaodong and exchange their furs, ginseng, and warhorses for grain, salt, tea, and other necessities!"

"Each of you, as a centurion, shall select three centurions, each leading two Blue Banner soldiers. The weather in the North is perfect right now; let's depart first thing tomorrow morning!"

This time, no one spoke. As long as they weren't sent to a harsh, cold place, it was fine. It was just a trip to the desolate north, where most of the people were Mongolians.

We can hold on!

With 30,000 iron cavalry and 10,000 light cavalry, and each commander drawing 300 men, that's only a mere 30%.

Early the next morning, the selected centurions, each with three horses, set off fully dressed. Two of the horses carried large iron pots of grain and salt.

As for where these supplies came from, they naturally came from the Eight Banners farms. Not only that, but there were also fifty to sixty thousand Han Chinese slaves who were rescued.

This action of dividing troops in the north was something Galdan came up with when he looked at the map of the Nurgan Regional Military Commission of the Ming Dynasty. He felt it was a pity to leave those garrisons vacant.

However, China is not yet unified, and the current Han Dynasty does not have the manpower and resources to re-establish the garrison system.

The only option then is to first inform those tribes widely, and once they get used to trading for resources, they will naturally take the initiative to contact the Han, set up garrisons in their territory, and even rule them.

According to the records of the Nurgan Regional Military Commission of the Ming Dynasty, the Haixi Jurchens were close to the Jianzhou Jurchens and were quite familiar with the Central Plains. They were also the source of the Manchu bannermen in the past.

The Solon tribes in the Heilongjiang region, as well as the Haidong Jurchen further north, were not very familiar with the Central Plains.

Previously, there were Ming Dynasty merchants who came to trade, and they could make a living by hunting. However, after the Manchus entered the pass, the trade was completely blocked, so they must have suffered a lot.

This is to rescue them.

It could also defend against invasions by Tsarist Russia.