Late Ming Dynasty: From the Defeated Soldiers at Daling River to Ascending the Throne

Just after the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), a muffled sound came from afar, and Qin Shouyi opened his eyes.

At first I thought it was thunder, but it's almost the beginning of winter, how could there be thunder?

He lay motionless in the darkness, listening intently.

The village was quiet; no one was shouting, and it seemed no one got up to check the situation.

Perhaps I'm just getting old and hallucinating?

But Qin Shouyi couldn't sleep. Around midnight, Zheng Sanfu led his brothers back to the village. This time they had won a great victory, but lost four men.

They brought back more than a dozen sets of cotton-padded clothes and armor, and the people in the village were very happy, saying that they could get through this winter.

However, Chen Feng and the others did not return, saying they had gone to lure away the Tartar pursuers, which made him somewhat worried.

Qin Shouyi put on the "new" cotton robe that Zheng Sanfu had brought back and went out the door.

It was still dark at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), and a cold wind blew into his collar, making him shiver.

The villager on night watch ran over, his face pale: "Old Qin, there's a fire on the southeast side... behind the mountain, it looks like something exploded!"

Qin Shouyi didn't say anything, and started walking towards the mountain pass.

There is a mountain pass to the southeast of the village; if you cross it, you can see further into the distance.

He climbed quickly, panting heavily, using both hands and feet to scale the mountain pass, and looked southeast.

What came into his view was a sky full of firelight, which turned half the sky red.

But separated by mountains, it was impossible to see where the fire started.

He looked at the farthest mountain silhouette and silently estimated the distance in his mind.

That direction... is between Dalinghe City and Yizhou, at least forty or fifty miles away from here.

To make it this bright, how big of an area would have to be burned?

Then he remembered the muffled sound that had startled him awake.

"This is..." he muttered to himself, "What exploded?"

The villager who had come along shrank back, "Is it... a volcanic eruption? I've heard people say that a volcanic eruption is like the earth cracking and collapsing, a huge commotion..."

Qin Shouyi shook his head.

He had been in Yiju for over fifty years and had never heard of any volcanoes in the Yiju region.

Moreover, there has never been any legend of volcanic activity in Guangningwei since ancient times, so how could a volcano erupt for no reason?

But if it's not a volcano, then what is it?

gunpowder?

How much gunpowder would it take to create such a commotion? The sound could be heard forty or fifty miles away.

He suddenly remembered something—General Chen's men hadn't returned yet.

Zheng Sanfu told him: Commander Chen said he would definitely lead troops back to Yizhou!

The kid named Sun Ergou also said that General Manager Chen was very courageous and treated his subordinates very well.

Countless thoughts swirled in his mind, and he came up with something that was practically impossible.

What if... what if the Ming army attacks?

Was this commotion caused by General Chen and his men?

He turned around abruptly and looked towards the mountain pass.

After dawn, no... he couldn't wait until dawn; he had to take people to check it out now.

What if...?

…………………………………………………………………………

The Later Jin central army camp was only twenty li away from the explosion center, and the sound of the explosion and the tremors from the ground could be clearly heard from there.

Huang Taiji was awakened by the sound and vibration. He sat up and instinctively grabbed the edge of the bed. A thought flashed through his mind: the earth is turning over.

Exclamations of alarm came from the guards outside the tent, horses neighed, and chaos erupted.

"Great Khan!" A guard rushed in, his face ashen, and shouted, "An earthquake has occurred!"

Huang Taiji had already put on his robe and stood barefoot on the ground, feeling the ground tremble.

After finding that the tremors had subsided, he put on his shoes and walked towards the tent entrance, saying, "Let's go out and take a look."

He lifted the curtain and stepped out of the tent.

When he noticed that everyone was looking due north, he turned his head to look as well, and then froze.

In the northern sky, a huge fireball was rising, its orange-red flames slowly exploding and illuminating half of the sky.

The fireball rose higher and higher, expanding larger and larger, its top tumbling and spreading out like a giant mushroom.

He had never seen such a sight before: a mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke.

How tall is that "mushroom"?

Even from a distance of twenty miles, it was still clearly visible.

Huang Taiji's mind went blank for a moment.

Twenty li... towards Yizhou...

That was his main supply depot!

Thinking of this, Huang Taiji almost lost his balance.

"Great Khan!" Abatai rushed over from the side, not even fully armored, his face filled with horror. "It's the supply camp! The supply camp..."

Huang Taiji glared at his impetuous younger brother and quickly covered his mouth.

How could such a thing be said openly in the main camp?! Wouldn't that undermine morale?!

He pulled Abatai to his side and whispered, "Abatai, take your Bayara and go check immediately."

Abatai realized he had misspoke and quickly agreed.

Huang Taiji's voice was calm as he continued, "Return before dawn and find out what's going on."

Abatai knelt on one knee: "Yes, sir!"

Huang Taiji gazed at the mushroom cloud, watching it slowly rise and spread, and the firelight turning the northern sky a dark red.

100,000 shi of grain and 50,000 jin of gunpowder.

All the troops around the Daling River rely on that camp for their food supplies, and now the camp only has enough food for two days.

And Tong Yangxing's artillery battalion...

Is there enough gunpowder in his hand for two rounds?

Huang Taiji ignored the personal guards who came to add clothes to his clothes and just stood silently in place.

He looked north, at the rising cloud of smoke, his face so gloomy it looked like it was about to drip water.

A quarter of an hour later, a hundred Bayara riders set off from the Later Jin central army camp and headed due north.

..................................................................

Zhang Chun didn't sleep all night, not because he couldn't sleep, but because he was angry.

Qiu Hejia's military order was still on his desk. After Zhang Chun issued those two military orders, three more were issued within an hour, all ordering him to divide his troops at Wulizhuang.

Does this guy think he's Emperor Gaozong of Song? Twelve gold tablets!?

He sat in his tent, staring blankly at the map, a hundred thoughts racing through his mind, none of which could solve his current predicament.

Then he heard the loud noise.

It was far away, muffled, like thunder rolling across the horizon.

But the thunder sounded wrong; it was too deep, as if it were surging up from underground.

Zhang Chun suddenly stood up and lifted the tent flap.

The northeastern sky was faintly glowing with a dark red light.

"Someone come here!"

A bodyguard ran over: "Sir?"

"Send someone to check out the situation in the northeast!"

"Yes!" The guard accepted the order and left.

Zhang Chun stood outside the tent, staring at the dark red mass, his brows furrowed.

A moment later, footsteps were heard outside the tent. Wu Xiang and Song Wei entered one after the other, both of them looking rather grim.

"Did the adults hear that?" Wu Xiang asked.

Zhang Chun nodded: "I heard you. What do you think?"

Song Wei, a veteran general who had led troops for many years, spoke directly: "This humble general believes it was a gunpowder explosion."

Wu Xiang frowned. "Gunpowder? How much gunpowder would it take to create such a commotion?"

Upon hearing Song Wei mention gunpowder, a memory surfaced in Zhang Chun's mind.

He raised his hand to interrupt Wu Xiang, who was about to continue speaking, "It might really be gunpowder."

Wu Xiang was taken aback. "Is it really gunpowder?"

Zhang Chun looked out of the tent, his gaze deep, "Do you all still remember the Wanggongchang Incident of May, the sixth year of the Tianqi reign?"

Wu Xiang and Song Wei were both taken aback. Of course they remembered that Wang Gongchang had caused a massive explosion due to improper storage of gunpowder, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and injuries.

Moreover, the late emperor's crown prince died on the same day due to excessive fright.

Zhang Chun continued, "That year, I returned to the capital to report on my duties, and the explosion happened right there in the capital. The sound was even louder than this, and houses within a radius of several miles were damaged."

The tent fell silent for a few breaths.

A short while later, the scout reported: "Sir! A large amount of firelight has been spotted about forty miles to the northeast; it appears to have caused a major explosion!"

The three walked up to the map and looked for the location the scout had mentioned.

Forty li northeast of this place lies the Later Jin's main grain and fodder camp.

The three exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with astonishment.

"Pass on the order!" Zhang Chun raised his head, his eyes blazing. "Prepare the meal at dawn, break camp at morning, and we will engage the Jurchens in a decisive battle tomorrow!"

Wu Xiang was taken aback: "Sir, Governor Qiu's military order..."

"The Jurchens' supplies have been destroyed, and their morale is wavering." Zhang Chun interrupted him, his voice not loud but his tone very firm. "If we don't seize this opportunity now, once their supplies arrive, our chances of victory will be halved!"

Wu Xiang opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Song Wei had already knelt on one knee: "This subordinate obeys!"

Wu Xiang also knelt down.

Zhang Chun looked at Yizhou on the map, and at the direction of the fire, and slowly clenched his fist.