xymnovel Chapter 105 Chen Boying's Fire Horse Formation
Chapter 105 Chen Boying's Fire Horse Formation
Chapter 106 Chen Boying's Fire Horse Formation
In Chapter 105, Sun Chengzong was actually very clear that Zhang Fengyi was from Daizhou, Taiyuan Prefecture, and his relationship with the eight major Shanxi merchants was unclear. Zhang Fengyi's obstruction of Ma Shilong's troops from Liaoyang could be interpreted as a sign that Liaoyang was currently very vulnerable.
If Nurhaci had ambushed a large force near Liaoyang at that time, Zhang Fengyi would not only not stop him, but would pretend not to see it. He would watch Ma Shilong suffer this defeat and then use it to impeach him.
Sun Chengzong was also worried that Nurhaci was deliberately plotting to take advantage of his discord with Zhang Fengyi and intentionally send Zhang Fengyi to stop the troops from being dispatched. However, seeing Zhang Fengyi's anxious and agitated appearance, Sun Chengzong began to believe that Liaoyang was a sham.
Sun Chengzong walked to the map and slowly moved his finger across it: "So, Cang Yuan (Ma Shilong's courtesy name), you will lead the Liaodong army's vanguard two battalions, rear guard two battalions, three wagon battalions on the left and right, and two cavalry battalions, a total of nine battalions and 28,000 men, and secretly advance towards Liaoyang. The cavalry battalion will lead the way. Remember, we must travel by night and hide by day, and we must not reveal our whereabouts. After arriving in Liaoyang, we must fight a swift and decisive battle. At most, we must withdraw within three days, regardless of victory or defeat."
Ma Shilong excitedly clasped his hands in a fist and paw salute: "Your humble servant obeys!"
"Wait a minute."
Sun Chengzong added, "Send Man Gui five thousand cavalry to ambush them a hundred li east of Liaoyang. This will buy time should the Jurchens return. Also, send someone urgently to Shuangchengwei to tell Chen Boying to stall for as many days as possible; even just one more day would be a great achievement!"
"yes!"
Upon hearing Sun Chengzong's order, Zhang Fengyi was filled with anxiety; this was the end for them.
Sun Chengzong judged that Zhang Fengyi's relationship with the Shanxi merchants was unclear, and it was impossible to determine whether he was a member of the Shanxi merchants' faction. Of course, Zhang Fengyi was not actually a member of the Shanxi faction. He was Ye Xianggao's student and also a fellow townsman of Han Guang.
The reason for his discord with Sun Chengzong was both complex and simple: he was extremely afraid of death, while Sun Chengzong was ambitious and enterprising, and he wanted to coast along and wait for the right time to be transferred back to the interior.
He was well aware that Liaoyang was actually quite vulnerable. If Sun Chengzong made a great contribution, his position would be in danger, and all those old grievances might be brought up again.
Almost no official in the Ming Dynasty had a clean record; embezzlement and bribery were commonplace. Those who didn't embezzle were a minority, extremely rare. Sun Chengzong didn't embezzle because he came from a powerful family in Gaoyang; his family had plenty of money and wasn't short of cash.
Just as Lu Xiang-sheng did not embezzle, his family was also wealthy enough to disperse their assets and recruit tens of thousands of militiamen. This was not something that could be done with just tens of thousands of taels of silver; his family had assets of at least several hundred thousand taels of silver.
Zhang Fengyi inwardly groaned, silently chanting, "You can't see me, you can't see me—"
Just as Zhang Fengyi was about to leave quietly, Sun Chengzong said, "Jiubao, you must immediately organize the laborers, prepare provisions and supplies, and be ready to support Shilong at any time. If anything goes wrong, I will take full responsibility."
Zhang Fengyi opened his mouth, but in the end he could only cup his hands and say, "Your humble servant obeys."
Just as Ma Shilong was leading Liaodong to prepare to send troops to Liaoyang, they were also facing the first probing attack from the Jurchen army.
Chen Ying tricked Bao Chengxian, a traitor, onto the city wall, and then, on the city wall, in front of the Jurchens outside the city, he directly injured him, all in an attempt to provoke Nurhaci.
After all, Bao Chengxian was sent by Nurhaci to persuade them to surrender. Beating Bao Chengxian would mean losing face for Nurhaci. If Nurhaci directly ordered an attack on the city, the Jurchens would definitely suffer heavy losses due to insufficient preparation.
The problem was that Nurhaci did not fall for it. They continued to set up camp, rest, and recover their strength, and only launched a probing attack three days later.
The first wave of attack consisted of cannon fodder from three thousand Han soldiers.
They pushed their makeshift shield carts and carried ladders, advancing cautiously forward. Behind them were the Jurchen cavalry, their bows drawn and swords unsheathed, ready to shoot anyone who retreated.
Chen Ying stood atop the city wall, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Familiar tactics, familiar flavor!"
"Sir, we're already within artillery range!"
Chen Ying waved his hand and said, "Don't waste artillery shells on these weaklings. Wait until they get close to the city wall, then use grenades on them!"
"Yes, sir!"
Chen Ying didn't know how long this battle would last. Although he carried a lot of artillery shells, he couldn't guarantee that they wouldn't run out, so he decided to conserve them as much as possible.
The Han army's cannon fodder trembled with fear, bearing the heaviest casualties. Only when the city's defenders ran out of ammunition and were half-collapsed by them would the Jurchen Eight Banners' elite troops come up to reap the rewards.
The problem is that they have no choice right now. The Ming Dynasty's military discipline is very strict. If they retreat without orders, they will be executed or forced into hard labor, which is a matter of life and death.
Just like in the Tumu Crisis, the Ming army suffered fewer than 60,000 casualties on the spot, but the remaining tens of thousands dared not return and could only flee.
This is reflected in the movie "Brotherhood of Blades". As a survivor of the Battle of Hunhe, Shen Lian also had to hide his identity and dare not reveal his true identity.
This system cannot be called good or bad. It's a matter of opinion, and the fighting capacity of defeated soldiers has long been determined.
Eight hundred steps.
Five hundred steps.
Three hundred steps.
One hundred steps.
"Musketeers, fire!"
A barrage of gunfire erupted from the city wall, bullets raining down on the enemy like locusts. After the first platoon finished firing, they retreated, and the second platoon took their place. The first platoon began reloading, and the third platoon prepared to fire. The smoke of gunfire quickly enveloped the city wall, but the firing never ceased.
Soldiers of the Han army fell in droves, their screams deafening, but the Jurchen supervisors showed no mercy, driving the follow-up troops forward.
For Nurhaci, the Han army was just cannon fodder. No matter how many died or were injured, he would not feel sorry for them. He was the truly heartless man. He was ruthless not only to the Ming Dynasty, but also to his own Jurchen people.
The Jianzhou Jurchen Three Guards, the Wild Jurchen, and the Haixi Jurchen together numbered one or two million. By the time Dorgon led the Eight Banners into the pass, the Jurchen population was less than one hundred thousand.
Most of the others died at Nurhaci's hands; he was the real cold-blooded butcher.
Without using grenades, the first wave of Han soldiers collapsed, leaving five or six hundred bodies outside the city.
"That's it!"
Chen Ying chuckled, feigning nonchalance, "See? The Jurchens are all bragging. They're nothing but bullshit. If the Jurchens number less than ten thousand, they're invincible. I'll make sure the Jurchens wet their pants when they see me!"
"grown ups!"
Zhou Bin wanted to explain to Chen Ying that the Jurchens were very weak in combat, but seeing Chen Ying's expression, he seemed to understand that Chen Ying was actually trying to boost morale.
Sure enough, with Chen Ying's light laughter, the atmosphere on the city wall became lively, and some soldiers even took off their belts and urinated on the Jurchens.
"Grandson, taste your grandfather's essence!"
"Wang Mazi, do you have any shame? The Jurchens were created by dogs, how did they become your grandsons?"
"That's right, they were all made by dogs!"
Facing the Han soldiers who had fled back, numbering four or five hundred, Nurhaci remained expressionless and waved his hand.
A group of Jurchens rushed forward, slashing off the heads of four or five hundred men. The blood stained a large patch of snow red, and the Han soldiers wept in fear at the sight of the corpses.
However, it was useless.
Just half an hour later, the second wave of attack began.
This time it was Mongol cavalry, galloping at breakneck speed, attempting to use their speed to reach the city walls.
But the snow-covered ground in front of the city was already piled high with the corpses of Han soldiers, along with their abandoned siege engines and shield carts, preventing their horses from running. What awaited them was an even denser barrage of artillery fire and bullets.
"Artillery ready, fire!"
Twenty-four linked thunder cannons roared simultaneously, and cannonballs rained down on the enemy lines. The armor on the Mongol cavalrymen was like paper in front of the cannonballs, and it was instantly torn to pieces.
Mongol cavalrymen were constantly falling from their horses, and before they could get up, the horses behind them would trample on them. It was hardly a battle, but a one-sided massacre.
Even when the Mongol cavalry charged to the city walls, they were met with a barrage of fire from the Ming army. They fell to the ground like cut wheat, layer upon layer. Hand grenades were also thrown down, exploding in the enemy ranks and creating bursts of blood.
Half an hour later, the second wave of attack collapsed, and another massacre ensued.
At noon, the third wave of attack ended. The Jurchens left more than two thousand corpses at the foot of the city, but they didn't even touch the edge of the city wall.
Nurhaci's expression finally changed, and he smiled casually, saying, "This Chen Boying—he really does have some skills."
After winning the battle, Chen Ying ordered the battlefield to be cleared. When the Jurchen cavalry tried to seize the bodies, Chen Ying ordered the artillery to be opened fire, resulting in the loss of more than two hundred Jurchen cavalrymen.
Nurhaci then ordered, "Return to the Khan's tent for a meeting."
Back in the Khan's tent, all the princes and ministers knelt and kowtowed: "Your servants pay homage to the Khan!"
"Get up!"
Nurhaci said, "Gentlemen, a direct attack would result in too many casualties. We need to think of another way."
Eidu's eighth son, Turg, pondered and said, "Khan, I have interrogated several prisoners and learned that there is a port called Yongning, about two hundred li south of Shuangchengwei. There are tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians settled there by Chen Boying, as well as a large amount of grain and supplies."
Nurhaci's eyes lit up: "You mean, divide your forces and attack Yongning?"
"Exactly."
Turgh pointed to the map and said, "Yongning is undefended. If we send an elite force to launch a surprise attack, we can take it in one fell swoop. At that time, Chen Boying's rear will be on fire, and his army's morale will be thrown into chaos. If he comes out of the city to rescue him, we will ambush him on the way; if he doesn't come out, we will take Yongning, cut off his supply lines, and also take Chen Boying's tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians to the city walls, forcing them to attack the city and exhausting Chen Boying's artillery shells. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Nurhaci clapped his hands and laughed, "Excellent! This plan is brilliant, Fifth Prince!"
Mangultai, the banner chief of the Plain Blue Banner, knelt down and said, "Your subject is here!"
"You lead the Plain Blue Banner and Amin lead the Bordered Blue Banner, plus 5,000 Mongol cavalry, for a total of 20,000 men. Advance south overnight and launch a surprise attack on Yongning."
"twitter!"
The surprise attack on Yongning by 20,000 troops was quite a commotion. Chen Ying naturally discovered the Jurchens' unusual movements through his scouts. His worst fears had come true.
Although Yongming City outside Yongning Port also has city walls, the garrison consists of only 2,500 new recruits, which is no match for the elite Jurchen troops. Once Yongming falls, the 300,000 immigrants in Yongning Port will either be killed or enslaved, and he, who is holding Shuangchengwei, will lose his rear and become an isolated city.
However, if they were to leave the city to provide aid, it would play right into Nurhaci's hands, as he would surely ambush them on the way and wait for them to tire themselves out.
What should I do?
Zhou Bin said urgently, "Sir, let the wolf cavalry attack! Ambush them halfway!"
Chen Ying refused without hesitation.
"Ambush us halfway? Nurhaci is more than happy to see us leave the city. He sent 20,000 men to Yongning, while he himself has 80,000 to 90,000 troops waiting here. If we leave the city, we'll be walking right into his trap."
Zhou Bin said anxiously, "Then what should we do? We can't just stand by and watch Yongning fall, can we? There are 300,000 immigrants there!"
Chen Ying did not answer. He turned and looked at the brightly lit Jurchen camp outside the city, his eyes flashing with madness.
"Zhou Bin, how many draft horses do we have?"
Zhou Bin was taken aback: "Horse handlers? Why does Your Excellency ask about that? There are over 30,000 of them in the city—"
"Alright." Chen Ying interrupted him, "Pass down the order to gather all the draft horses at the north gate. Also, bring out all the grenades, leave none behind."
Zhou Bin was dumbfounded: "Sir, what are you doing—"
Chen Ying turned around, his gaze intense: "Nurhaci wants to divide his troops, and I'll let him. But he's forgotten one thing: we have 30,000 draft horses that we don't need."
"No need for 30,000 horses, just 8,000. From here to the Jurchen camp, it's five li. The horses' hooves are wrapped in cloth, so they move silently. Each horse has twenty hand grenades strapped to its back, with the fuses linked together. Once they've stormed the camp, set them on fire—"
Zhou Bin gasped, his face turning pale: "Fire Horse Formation? My lord, this is Tian Dan's Fire Ox Formation! But—but those horses—"
"You can buy another horse when it dies, but once a person dies, they're gone."
Chen Ying said coldly, "Those draft horses were originally used for plowing. Now, let them play a greater role. You know horses well, so take men and do it. Secure the grenades tightly, and leave the fuses long enough. Also, tie oil-soaked strips of cloth to the horses' tails. After lighting them, the horses will rush towards the brightest spot. The Jurchen camp is the brightest spot."
"Your Excellency is brilliant! Those draft horses were already discarded by various tribes, so it's no big deal if they die. But the Jurchens are in a terrible situation. Over eight thousand horses charged into the camp, and with grenades raining down, their camp is bound to be blown to smithereens!"
Chen Ying nodded, then looked at Wang Gui and said, "You take all the soldiers, each with ten grenades, and follow behind the herd of horses. Once the horses charge in and create chaos, you rush in and throw grenades at the crowd. Remember, don't linger in battle; throw the grenades and run."
"Yes, sir!"
Chen Ying finally looked at Xiang Hu and said, "You will lead the main force of the Shahe Guard's new army. After the Jurchens are thrown into chaos, attack from the flank. There is only one target: Nurhaci's Khan's tent. No matter how many die, you must take it!"
Xiang Hu said, "Don't worry, my lord, even if Meng Gun dies, he'll drag that old servant down with him!"
As orders were passed down, the entire Shuangcheng Guard was mobilized.
More than 8,000 draft horses were led out of the stable, each horse strapped with grenades. The craftsmen carefully connected the fuses to ensure they would detonate at the same time, and oil-soaked strips of cloth on the horses' tails emitted a pungent odor.
Half an hour later, everything was ready.
Chen Ying stood on the north gate tower, gazing at the dark mass of horses below, and silently prayed.
"My lord," Su Mei appeared behind him unnoticed and whispered, "Are you really going?"
Chen Ying nodded and said, "Go!"
"But you are the commander-in-chief—"
"The commander-in-chief should go," Chen Ying interrupted her. "If we win this battle, everything will be fine. If we lose, there's no point in me living as the commander-in-chief. You stay in the city. In case—in case I don't come back, you take the rest of the men and retreat to Sakhalin Island as planned. Remember, take as many as you can. As long as we're alive, we'll survive."
Su Mei's eyes were slightly red, and she gave a deep bow: "This humble servant—will wait for Your Excellency to return."
Chen Ying smiled, turned around and walked down the city wall.
>