Colonial Era: From Remnants to European Dominator

The autumn sweep of the barbarian chieftains was like cutting grass, and the hooves of the six alliances trampled the howling rats.

Burning the flag lured the barbarians to gather, and a single cannon shot ravaged the land, leaving a stench of blood and gore.

Cheng Gunjabu gazed at the massive army advancing before him, and at the annoying Dzungar cavalry who harassed him like flies. The poem he had written the night before, now uttered slowly and hesitantly, drew the attention of several of his lieutenants. The quick-witted ones immediately began to flatter him:

"The prince's poem is a masterpiece that aligns with the will of Heaven to destroy the Dzungar Khanate."

Cheng Gunjab was modest about it, but the barely suppressed smile on his lips was still noticed by others. Then, with the praise of those with ulterior motives, the good vanguard was turned into a personal praise session for him, and the entire outpost battle became the background for Cheng Gunjab's personal literary talent.

For both armies, the decisive battle has not yet begun. The first supply route remains stable, and the forces of the Six Alliances are not yet fully united. The so-called Green Standard Army only has a numerical advantage. On this battlefield full of grassland cavalry, the role of infantry is more about defending the front and rear, as well as securing the supply route. Their greatest contribution to the war is probably muskets and cannons.

The cannons used by the Qing army at this time were called the Divine Might Invincible General Cannon, also known as the Divine Might Cannon. The cannon was 2.1 meters long and had a caliber of 110 to 130 millimeters. It was boasted to have a range of about 800 paces, or 1,200 meters, but in reality, it only had a range of about 400 paces, or about 600 meters. The dispersion area was about 30 meters. Although the area seemed large, most of it was actually fake. Compared with European cannons of the same period, its accuracy was poor and its power was also insufficient. However, it was still considered a first-class advanced cannon in the whole of East Asia.

However, this "advanced" is relative to the comparison. Compared to small countries like Vietnam and South Korea, it is naturally an advanced artillery piece. But compared to the Dzungars, who were already using breech-loading cannons, it was actually on the verge of being technologically backward.

The reason it is called the periphery is that the camel-mounted swivel guns used by the Dzungars were essentially the earliest primitive breech-loading cannons. Technically, they had not yet completely widened the gap between the Qing army, which was still using muzzle-loading cannons. Although the technological advantage they presented was already evident when the two armies clashed, it was still just that I was slightly better than you, and it did not make the Qing army truly realize the technological pressure.

At most, those in the know might see something of interest and sigh that the enemy's cannons, though superior to those of the Celestial Empire, are too few to pose a significant threat. Even if Emperor Hongli saw the memorial, he wouldn't react much, at most giving some money to improve the current Divine Might Cannons.

The same was true for muskets. At this time, the musket teams transferred from Beizhili were still using a type of matchlock gun called "soldier's bird gun," which was actually outdated. Meanwhile, the Dzungar musketeers who were facing them were all using camel flintlock muskets.

The gun was copied from the Russian "Tula flintlock musket". Thanks to the trade network in Central Asia and even West Asia, Junggar could easily obtain advanced firearms from the Ottomans and even parts of Europe. The camel flintlock musket that is now in large-scale service is a self-developed and self-produced weapon with advantages under this trade environment.

Although the number of camel-drawn flintlock muskets they were equipped with, due to their role in raiding for supplies, was probably less than that of the Jinshan Army under Li Yuanheng's command, they still exceeded a thousand in number. In numerous head-on confrontations with the Qing army's soldiers' muskets, they demonstrated an overwhelming advantage.

As a result, the Qing army musketeer commanders at the front repeatedly petitioned Cheng Gunjabu to replace the muskets with those of the Dzungars, but this request was never fulfilled.

It wasn't that Cheng Gunzhabu was unwilling; it was simply that there wasn't enough. The Qing army's development of firearms lagged behind the world. In the eyes of those who understood, this was inevitable. However, in the eyes of those in the court who insisted on Manchu and Mongol cavalry archery, the development of firearms would inevitably pose a fatal threat to everything they upheld. Therefore, the Qing army's development of firearms was never proactive but rather an outward-driven phenomenon.

In reality, they were forced by circumstances to catch up on their studies. If there were even the slightest possibility, they wouldn't have been willing to develop even this basic level of firearms, let alone catch up with the world's advanced level.

However, the repeated urging eventually had some effect. In the latest memorial from Chenggunzhabu himself, he mentioned this point for the first time:

"The enemy's muskets are far superior to those of the Celestial Empire, and most of their muskets are fired without matchlocks. Therefore, they always have an advantage in the number of bullets in every battle. We earnestly request the court to allocate silver to forge new muskets in order to defeat the enemy and demonstrate the might of the Celestial Empire."

At this time, the memorial had just been delivered to the Forbidden City, but the war at the front was still ongoing.

With a loud bang, several Green Standard Army soldiers, who were holding steel knives and carrying the "Brave" badge, were blown to pieces on the spot. Although they were still breathing, given the current rudimentary medical conditions, they were basically dead.

In order to prevent the cries of these people from affecting the morale of the troops later, the Green Standard Army generals at the front basically followed one principle: to finish them off, cut off their last chance of survival, and maintain the morale of the troops at the front.

Compared to the Green Standard Army's infantry, the cavalry on both sides seemed particularly lazy. They fought briefly and then retreated to their respective camps, displaying remarkable coordination.

But this point alone was enough to make the flag leaders of the Six Alliances feel particularly heartbroken, because even a skirmish that might last less than half a quarter of an hour could take away dozens or even hundreds of lives with the speed of cavalry charging and shooting. These numbers seemed incomparable to the hundreds or even thousands of casualties suffered by infantry.

But don't forget, the Green Standard Army is almost entirely composed of Han Chinese, mostly farmers from the Zhili region. There are hundreds of millions of Han Chinese in the world, and these six leagues combined only number a few hundred thousand. If you exclude the old, weak, and women, the number of able-bodied men who can fight is no more than twenty thousand. This time, they have already exhausted all their strength by sending out ten thousand men. With losses of dozens or even hundreds of men at a time, can their ten thousand soldiers withstand such attrition?

Therefore, whenever they encountered the Dzungar cavalry, all the Mongol cavalrymen of the Six Leagues adhered to an ironclad rule: survival was the top priority. As for whether they could win or not, that was a matter for their superiors. Their only task was to hold off the opposing cavalry and prevent them from harassing the Green Standard Army's infantry.

To fire two volleys of arrows at the opposite side from a roundabout angle would be a way of repaying the nurturing grace of my Great Qing Dynasty.

Cheng Gunjab naturally saw and remembered all of this, but he felt helpless about this passive resistance. After all, as a Mongol, he couldn't really force his compatriots to fight for these Han Chinese Green Standard Army soldiers.

Even if the battle is won, the cavalry of the six southern leagues will be almost wiped out. How could Cheng Gunzhabu, who has studied the Four Books and Five Classics, not know which is more important?

The Qing army was in a similar situation, and the Dzungars on the other side were not much better off. After all, the only reason they stayed to deal with these Qing dogs was because of the promise made by that damned Balt Zahan, and because they couldn't bear to part with the grass and grain they had finally managed to seize.

After all, if the first horse really runs away, what will happen to the grass and grain? Grass and grain and gold and silver treasures with two legs can't outrun warhorses with four legs.

In addition, thanks to Niyaz's earnest persuasion and rewards, the Dzungar tribes, who had gathered from various places, did not completely disperse. Instead, they united as one and fought fiercely on the Qing army's inevitable route for several days.

However, all of this was not entirely altruistic, nor was it without time constraints. According to the promise reached between Niyaz and Li Yuanheng, the cooperation period between the two sides was less than half a month, or twelve days. If Guihua City was not captured within this time, then even if he was reluctant to part with the grass and grain, he would have to give up at least half of it to feed the Qing army on the other side, and take the remaining half, which might be even less, to the Khan.

The twelve-day agreement was only circulating among the high-ranking officers of the Dzungar army. For the lower-ranking soldiers who had been fighting the Qing army for four days, this war was like an endless war of attrition, constantly draining their flesh and blood, their energy, and even their enthusiasm after the raids.

--------

The Hetao Plain, where the wheat harvest has been completed, presents a sense of decay unique to agricultural societies. The bare ground, the withered tree trunks, the irrigation ditches beginning to frost, and even the cawing of crows can all be unsettling.

The long, resounding sound of hooves abruptly ceased, and the messy, dense hoofprints on the ground were clearly visible. Anyone with a modicum of sense could understand just how fast and how brief the battle had been.

Chewing on the persimmons in his mouth, Li Yuanheng noticed that the soles of his shoes were already worn out, but there was no time to change them. He could only have his personal guards, who were skilled in needlework, mend and patch them up to make ends meet until after the war.

"Brother, it's getting cold. We just hunted a deer, which is perfect for making a new pair of boots."

Hu Wu, with a hemp rope tied around his waist, hurriedly came from behind, accompanied by a dead deer, which was carried over on a cart by several soldiers.

Staring at the gray-furred autumn deer with an arrow still lodged in its neck and its eyes wide open, he rubbed his boots a few times:

"This deer will keep many people warm. Keep one of the boots for me, and give the rest to the meritorious soldiers. As for the venison, I will not eat it; you can all share it."

Hu Wu responded and ordered the deer to be taken away, then began to recount the battle situation:

"The Qing troops ahead are partly local Green Standard Army soldiers and partly Mongol tribesmen recruited from nearby areas. The number of cavalry is not large, at most a few hundred or a thousand, but the garrison inside the city is quite large. It's true what Dalang said when he came to Guihua City. The number of soldiers inside the city is estimated to be more than 20,000. I really don't know how they can support so many soldiers. If the siege lasts a long time, aren't they afraid of starving to death?"

They talked about besieging the city, but with their current cobbled-together forces, they couldn't possibly surround Guihua City.

Along the way, they forcibly conscripted many laborers, recruited some border soldiers and yamen runners, and even cooks, just like the Dzungars. The total number finally exceeded 20,000, but the actual number of soldiers was only about 6,000 or 7,000, not much different from after the Battle of Yulin.

"We'll starve to death! Even if we starve to death, the Qing dogs in Guihua City won't starve to death. Guihua is an important town in the Hetao region. A lot of imperial grain from various places passes through here. It's also a major trading hub connecting with Southern Mongolia. Let alone grain, even military pay probably won't be finished for several months. How could we possibly starve to death?!"

Li Yuanheng chewed on his second persimmon, gazing at the withered treetops before him, his tone unusually solemn:

"Including the time for conscription, today is the fourth day, and there are eight days left until the agreed time."

"We can't wait any longer. At the very least, we need to clear out all those scruffy birds outside the city before we start talking about attacking it."

"Hu Wu".

"exist!!"

Hu Wu clasped his hands in a fist salute before Li Yuanheng, who then issued military orders:

"Lead the main force of one battalion and six battalions of cavalry, and wipe out these annoying scumbags at all costs. The rest of the troops, gather under the walls of Guihua City and await orders."

"yes!!"

After Hu Wu left, Li Yuanheng suddenly chopped off the tree branch in front of him with a knife. At this moment, the pressure he was under was actually far greater than he showed.

If they lose, not only will all the gains in Yulin be wasted, but even the elite troops that have been trained will be severely damaged. Even if he manages to return, in the eyes of that Khan, he will probably be no different from a piece of trash.

The so-called Yulin battle achievements were meritorious to the Central Plains dynasties, but to the Dzungar Khanate, a steppe empire that only cared about the final gains, they were insignificant boasts. Whether you are a dragon or a worm is not determined by how many times you win, but by how much grain you seize.

-------

The golden bricks of the Forbidden City made Fu Heng, a second-rank official in the Ministry of War, feel exceptionally cold. Although his sister was still favored and remained the Empress, the ongoing battle in the Ordos region made him afraid to say much. He simply followed the example of the Han officials, pretending to recite the report:

"The Dzungar cavalry suffered losses of several thousand men. Our army took advantage of the situation to advance and form a pincer movement, but in recent days, the wind and rain have been relentless, and our firearms have become damp, making it impossible for us to achieve a complete victory."

"Powerless, thousands—such deceptive words actually came from the Ministry of War! Fu Heng, are you guilty, or are they guilty?"

Hearing the cold words in his ear, Fu Heng broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, he remembered his sister and dared to answer:

"The Dzungar cavalry, though they have gathered tens of thousands of civilians as infantry, are ultimately a rabble, skilled in attack but not in defense. Our army, on the other hand, has the advantage of terrain and popular support. Although the reports from the front lines may be exaggerated, their determination to die on the battlefield remains unchanged. The entire army of 90,000 soldiers has traveled a long distance to serve the Celestial Empire, gathering from various places. The six alliances still have the strength of 10,000 cavalry. Heng is guilty, for covering up the boasts, failing to investigate the facts, and making unfounded claims about achievements. However, the soldiers at the front fought bloody battles. Even if there is a suspicion of them seeking credit, their eagerness for victory is ultimately the reason. We hope that the Emperor and Father will punish Fu Heng and show leniency to the soldiers."

Fu Heng felt as if his head was pressed against the floor tiles, and his heart was pounding. He had never felt this way before, even after so many years of easy officialdom thanks to his sister's connections. It was as if he was about to suffocate at any moment.

The clattering sound of prayer beads filled my ears, along with:

"He will be fined six months' salary as a warning to others!!"

"Long live the Emperor's wisdom; I am always willing to accept the blame."

Fu Heng knew he had passed this hurdle, but Hongli beside him asked another question:

"This morning, Chenggunzhabu reported that the higher-ups said our Qing Dynasty's firearms are inferior to those of the Dzungars. Is that true?"

Fu Heng's mind raced for a moment before he answered:

"Most of the Qing Dynasty's firearms were manufactured during the Kangxi and Yongzheng reigns, and the quantity was considerable. Although the Ministry of War intended to replace them with new cannons and muskets, firstly, the expenditure was too great, and secondly, the enemy's firearms were still inferior to those of our Great Qing. Therefore, we are now inferior to the enemy, which is truly a crime of short-sightedness!!"

Fu Heng cleverly covered up the issue of archery and horsemanship, simply attributing the backwardness of firearms to the previous two dynasties' excessive purchases and inability to afford replacements, without mentioning the so-called fundamental reason for the backwardness of firearms.

Fu Heng's words were false, and Hongli had actually realized it from the beginning. However, the cavalry archery of the Imperial Guard was an ancestral tradition that his grandfather, Emperor Kangxi, had always upheld. Even though the court used firearms, it mostly promoted cavalry archery. Over time, not only did it deceive the Han people, but even the court officials and bannermen believed it.

They even regarded Manchu and Mongol horsemanship and archery as the foundation of the Qing Dynasty, and even he, as the emperor, actually approved of it deep down.

The reason why we are lagging behind the Dzungars in firearms today is not fundamentally due to the military camps, but rather to the capital, to the ministers in the court, and to the emperor who wants to protect horsemanship and archery and the Manchu language.

Perhaps sensing Hongli's thoughts, Fuheng immediately devised a plan:

"Your Majesty, I believe that the backwardness of firearms is not due to the court, but to the stubbornness and ignorance of the soldiers and the lack of dedication of the craftsmen. Therefore, I request that the old firearms workshops and even the elite battalions be dismantled and firearms battalions be re-established. We should use this as a foundation to gradually promote firearms throughout the country. Only in this way can we restrain the increasingly sophisticated firearms of the Zhungeers."

[The elite firearms force of the Qing Dynasty.]

Looking up at his reasonably positive expression, Fu Heng felt a bit more confident and continued to offer his suggestions:

"The current war situation is chaotic. Our army is constrained by firearms, which are not conducive to attacking the enemy, and the vanguard is also blocked. I believe that the most urgent task is not to urge the craftsmen to improve, but to focus on purchasing them."

"How do I buy words?"

Emperor Hongli became interested and ordered the eunuchs to offer him a seat.

Having finally settled his burden by sitting on half the chair, Fu Heng spoke with increasing boldness:

"During the Ming Dynasty, the Shenji Battalion, the elite artillery and firearms of the capital, were mostly purchased from the Portuguese on the island of Macau. During the reign of Emperor Kangxi of our dynasty, we also purchased Portuguese firearms to destroy the Zheng family overseas, take over Taiwan, and expand our territory."

"The Dzungar bandits now possess superior firearms compared to our Great Qing. Local artisans are too incompetent to produce them quickly. Meanwhile, the Portuguese barbarians of Australia have received immense imperial favor since our Great Qing entered the Central Plains, allowing them to live and trade on the island. Now, in order to eliminate the Dzungars and ensure lasting peace, I earnestly request the purchase of more Portuguese cannons and muskets to aid the army in resisting the enemy."

If those old scholars heard Fu Heng's words, they would surely curse him:

"They despise the Celestial Empire and shower silver upon foreign barbarians."

But whether you call Hongli enlightened or simply wicked, on the issue of the Dzungar Khanate, he showed none of the stubbornness and disgust he later displayed; on the contrary, he strongly supported him.

"The matter of firearms is of utmost urgency. If the enemy has superior firearms, then the Celestial Empire must first have superior firearms. Fu Heng, you should draft the military edict, affix the imperial seal, and issue an order to the Guangdong Governor's Office, instructing them to quickly purchase Frankish firearms and send them to the front lines by fast boats on the Grand Canal. Even if it means the horses have to run themselves to death, the firearms must be delivered to the front lines. I will absolutely not allow the Zhungeers to be so arrogant again!!"

"Your subject obeys!!"

Fu Heng knelt at Hongli's feet, while Hongli was constantly calculating the balance between Manchu and Mongol cavalry archery and firearms.