Chapter 551: No Matter How Many Routes You Come By

Old White Ox: Many thanks to the book friend Authentic Zhi Jian for the reward and encouraging words. Also: replying to the book friend Hero's Cry — that article on Dragon's Sky was written by me. Actually, the pen name Ye Feng is my true self; Old White Ox is just an alt. The alt overshadowing the main — it really makes one sigh with emotion.

……

"Selen, do you know your crime!"

A long while later, after the flogging ended, Hong Taiji's gloomy voice, impossible to read for anger or pleasure, came from the seat of honor above.

The flogged Mongol strained to lift his head, revealing a face with a high nose, deep-set eyes, and slightly Semu features — it was Selen, the Jasagh of the Kharchin Left Banner.

His Kharchin ancestors were once a branch of the Oghuz people who roamed the Central Asian steppes; after migrating east, they merged with the Doyan Uriankhai, so some among his tribe carry Semu blood.

At this moment, beads of sweat rolled down Selen's forehead, and the searing pain from his lash-torn back twisted his expression.

He lay on the ground, kowtowing as frantically as pounding garlic, wailing all the while: "Great Khan, mighty Bogd Khan, your slave did not disrupt the army's morale! Your slave is your loyal hawk and hound — how would I dare spread rumors? Wang Dou's hundred-thousand-strong army is truly closing in from beyond the frontier..."

A stir ran through the Mongols below. Hong Taiji's face grew even more unsightly. The Manchu banner lords below all looked at Selen with displeasure and coldness in their eyes. Dodo nearly leapt to his feet; only Daišan and Dorgon seemed lost in thought.

Hong Taiji laughed in extreme fury and said: "Listen, just listen. And he still claims he is not spreading lies to delude the masses. If you said Wang Dou had a few thousand scattered troops harassing beyond the frontier, We would believe it! But a hundred-thousand-strong army — heh heh, We would like to know, which Regional Commander of the Ming can possess a hundred-thousand-strong army?"

Selen was stunned. Brave as he was, his brain was not the sharpest, and besides, he had not seen Wang Dou's hundred-thousand-strong army with his own eyes.

Hong Taiji continued: "You said that of your entire banner — thirteen Jalan, fifty-two Sumu — the majority of the able-bodied men were swept away by Wang Dou, and even your royal tent was seized. You also said that Basang'ur, the Janggin left to guard the Sumu, saw Wang Dou's five-thousand-strong army beyond the frontier with his own eyes. How then did it become a hundred thousand?"

Hong Taiji went on: "We then interrogated Basang'ur in detail, and in the end he confessed to Us that he had not even seen Wang Dou's five-thousand-strong army beyond the frontier. He only heard that Ming cavalry were raiding, so he fled. He does not even know exactly how many troops there were..."

Selen was rendered even more speechless, dumbstruck as a wooden chicken. Hong Taiji looked at Selen, his expression pained: "Duke Who Guards the State, do you know? Our heart aches deeply. In the ninth year of Tiancong, you led fifteen hundred riders to formally submit to the Great Qing. We remember that year, We personally attended the founding ceremony of the Kharchin Left Banner, enfeoffed you as hereditary Jasagh, enfeoffed you as State Duke, and bestowed upon you a python robe. Your several elder brothers, We also enfeoffed them all as Tabunang. We showered you with grace and favor, and yet you..."

Selen suddenly let out another wail of anguish: "Mighty Bogd Khan, your slave truly did not lie!"

He kowtowed with heavy thuds, blood streaming from his forehead, as he crawled forward, leaving a long trail of bloodstains.

Seeing his state, the various Mongol Jasaghs and Taijis could not bear it in their hearts. Gürüschib, the Jasagh of the Kharchin Right Banner and Doroi Beise, even wanted to step forward and plead for Selen. No matter what, Selen was his uncle, and moreover, his subordinate.

However, a Taiji behind him grabbed his arm firmly and slowly shook his head. Gürüschib's expression shifted and changed; in the end, he sighed and withdrew his step.

Hong Taiji's expression grew even more sinister. Darkly, he asked: "Then do you have any solid intelligence?"

Selen stopped, and shook his head blankly.

Hong Taiji abruptly stood up and roared in fury: "You have none! You merely heard hearsay and spread rumors through the army, disrupting morale. Selen, you are truly beyond remedy!"

He said hatefully: "Proclaim Our decree!"

The minister Ing'erdai stepped out from the ranks and said respectfully: "Yes, Your Majesty!"

He cast a veiled glance at Selen, his expression one of considerable displeasure. That blockhead Selen, at this critical moment of military urgency, shouting everywhere — it was truly malicious in intent.

He unfurled an imperial edict on yellow silk and read aloud: "Edict of the Great Mongol Bogd Khan, the Great Qing's Broadly Gracious, Gentle, and Benevolent Holy Emperor: Hereby decreed to all Manchu, Mongol, and Han banner lords, Gūsa Beise, and all Outer Feudatory Mongol princes, Beile, Beise, dukes, Taijis, and Tabunangs: Kharchin Left Banner Jasagh Selen, having received extraordinary grace and honored noble rank, not only failed to render service but instead spread lies to delude the masses. The magnitude of his crime warrants execution by law. Yet We recall Selen's past allegiance and his considerable military merits, and thus extend mercy to spare his life. His title is now stripped, five Sumu of households are confiscated, and the Second-Rank Tabunang G'arma is ordered to administer the subjects, acting as Jasagh of the Left Banner..."

Hearing this, Selen's face turned ashen as death. Among the crowd, his brother G'arma revealed an expression of delighted surprise. It was truly a pie falling from the sky — he never imagined such good fortune would land on his own head.

Ing'erdai continued reading: "... Doroi Beise, Kharchin Right Banner Jasagh Gürüschib, who diligently fulfills the duties of a vassal and safeguards the frontier realm, has greatly comforted Our heart. Gürüschib is now promoted to Doroi Duleng Commandery Prince, and awarded five Sumu of households. We hope you remain sincere and unwavering, never negligent, never forgetful..."

While the Mongols felt the sorrow of the fox for the dying hare on Selen's behalf, they also all cast envious looks at Gürüschib. This kid — just like that, he's been enfeoffed as Commandery Prince.

Only Gürüschib himself felt extremely conflicted inside, unsure what taste it left. He had heard something of the affairs on the steppe; it was just that he was more deep and shrewd, not jumping at the touch like his uncle. Selen's outburst had also been spurred by his own subtly instigating influence.

Now his high enfeoffment as Commandery Prince was, in truth, built upon Selen's blood and tears.

Hong Taiji listened coldly to the proclamation. Seeing the striking effect of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys, the ministers were terrified — yet in his own heart, a trace of desolation surfaced.

Selen was simple and straightforward by nature. In truth, what he said was not wrong; the situation on the steppe was indeed extremely dire.

In the eighth month, some news had successively reached Jinzhou, but Hong Taiji had suppressed it, deeming it a Ming army trick. However, entering the ninth month, news from the steppe grew more and more frequent. The various Eight Banner Mongols and Outer Feudatory Mongols were panicked, and it became harder and harder for Hong Taiji to suppress it.

Especially this time, when even the lord of an entire banner had jumped out. What if there was a next time? Could he still suppress it?

It seemed the battle of Jinzhou could not be delayed, especially under the difficult circumstances of provisions supply.

According to his intelligence, the army Wang Dou was pressing in from beyond the frontier numbered above ten thousand. Regardless of where Wang Dou got his troops, a decisive battle could no longer be avoided!

In that instant, Hong Taiji made up his mind!

Once the imperial decree was issued, Selen not only became a commoner but also a criminal. Several wolf-like, tiger-ferocious Gabshiyan warriors dragged him out.

Selen struggled desperately, turning his head back with all his might, and shrieked mournfully at Hong Taiji: "Great Khan, your slave truly did not lie! Wang Dou's great army is truly closing in from beyond the frontier..."

Even long after he had been dragged out, his wailing voice still lingered, echoing and swirling within the room without dispersing.

The room was silent as the grave. After a long while, the aged and decrepit Badali, Prince Tüsiyetü of Khorchin, coughed once, stepped out from the ranks, and said: "Selen, saturated in imperial grace, thought not of repaying it but instead acted in defiance to aid the enemy. His Majesty's thunderous punishment is truly a great satisfaction to all."

Among the ministers of the Outer Feudatory Mongols, he had to be the first to step forward. The Khorchin tribe had the deepest ties with the Manchus. The daughter of Khorchin Beile Manggūsi, Jeje, was now the Central Palace Empress of the Qing state. The daughter of Khorchin Beile Jaisang, Bumbutai — that is, Dayu'er — was Hong Taiji's consort.

Manchu women were likewise married in large numbers to the Mongols of the Khorchin tribe. The ties between the two sides could not be any tighter. Among the banners of the Outer Feudatory Mongols, the Khorchin tribe was the most loyal to the Qing state.

Once Badali stepped forward, a weary young man also had no choice but to step forward and express himself — this was the Hošo-i Cin Wang, the Khalkha Gurun-i Efu, Ejei.

After his father Lin Danhan was defeated and perished, he led his remaining followers to surrender to Hong Taiji and presented the Imperial Heirloom Seal of the Mongol Yuan emperors. For this merit, he was enfeoffed as Prince of the First Rank, his noble rank placed above all the Jasaghs. Of the three daughters born to Jeje and Hong Taiji, the Gurun Princess Wenzhuang, the Eldest Princess, was also married to him as his wife.

Historically, after the Battle of Jinzhou, Ejei died very soon, and this princess then remarried his younger brother Abunai, bearing a son, Burni.

At this moment, Ejei was full of sickly pallor, looking not far from death.

With Badali and Ejei both having come forward, the Jasaghs of the Outer Feudatory Mongols had no choice but to come out one by one and declare their stance.

The newly appointed Jasagh G'arma went without saying. Even Ombu Cühür of the Tümed Right Banner and Šamba of the Left Banner, though heartsick over the steppe affairs, had to step forward and speak. For a time, the room displayed an atmosphere of unanimous righteous indignation and united resolve.

Having finished their fervent declarations, the Mongols prostrated themselves, raised their arms in unison, and shouted: "Bogd Khan, Bogd Khan, you are the eagle of the steppe, your boundless heart surpasses the vast starry sky. Bogd Khan, Bogd Khan, your silver-handled python whip slashes through the heavy curtain of heaven. Bogd Khan, Bogd Khan, your hurricane-like iron cavalry tramples a ten-thousand-li journey..."

Seated high upon the place of honor, Hong Taiji received the cheers of his ministers. His gaze was deep and profound, as if he truly considered himself the deity in their mouths, high above, looking down upon mortals.

After a long while, Hong Taiji halted the crowd's cheers and said calmly: "From the fifth year of Chongde, the siege of Jinzhou has now lasted two years. At present, the great army is locked in a stalemate. The Ming's finest troops are all gathered beneath the city walls. If we can destroy them in one sweep, then hereafter, the realm under heaven shall be ours, the Great Qing's, to gallop across at will!"

He sneered: "Perhaps Wang Dou is pressing some troops in from beyond the frontier. So what? No matter how many routes you come by, I go by only one route! At the Battle of Sarhū, the Great Ancestor Emperor did not fear the Ming's troops. With Us, the Emperor, on the throne now, what is there even more to fear?"

His right hand slowly extended, the veins on it bulging, then clenched fiercely: "First annihilate the Ming army at Songshan and Jinzhou, then annihilate the Ming army on the steppe — let their finest troops be utterly lost!"

He suddenly looked sharply at Jirgalang: "Prince Zheng, how the battle should be fought — you, explain it."

Jirgalang hurriedly said: "Your slave obeys the decree."

He took a deep breath, then said: "At present, our Great Qing iron cavalry is locked in a standoff with the Ming army on the north bank of the Nü'er River and on both banks of the Xiaoling River. In terms of troop strength, counting the Aha laborers, we have over two hundred forty thousand, roughly equal to the Ming army, we estimate. However, overall, our army's combat strength is superior to theirs!"

Since the Liaodong campaign began, the Qing army's casualties appeared large, but a great portion were laborers and bondservants. Especially when spread across each banner, it was even less noticeable — each banner suffered only a few hundred casualties. Overall combat strength was not lost, and in terms of troop numbers, they were also quite ample.

Jirgalang pondered and said: "At present, the great armies are locked in a standoff. If we wish to have a decisive battle with the Ming army, we need advantageous terrain that can accommodate the galloping charge of our ten-thousand-strong iron cavalry."

He thought carefully for a moment: "Your slave suggests abandoning Rufeng Mountain, abandoning the banks of the Nü'er River, and luring the Ming army deep into the hinterland."

He said, "West of Jinchang Fort, the land is full of hills and wilderness, the terrain high and open. Heading south, there is a vast stretch of flat plain and open field — perfect for our Great Qing's iron cavalry to do battle!"

After suffering several setbacks, Hooge had grown much more cautious. He interjected, "I only fear the Ming army will not take the bait and will rashly advance, underestimating the enemy."

Hong Taiji abruptly turned to the old Daišan and said, "Prince Li, share your thoughts."

The old fossil in Hong Taiji's eyes coughed once and said, "That is easily handled. Our army abandons the riverbank zone and withdraws into the interior. We need only feign a fierce assault on Jinzhou, and they will be forced to press forward and meet us in a decisive battle!"

Hong Taiji narrowed his eyes and looked toward Dorgon. "Prince Rui?"

Dorgon seethed inwardly. Hong Taiji was blatantly suspicious of him and the old Daišan, yet the moment there was a problem, he demanded they devise strategies and plans, squeezing every last drop of labor out of them — truly detestable! But when the Emperor spoke, he had no choice but to answer, especially after the earlier display of killing the chicken to scare the monkey.

He pondered deeply for a long while, then said, "This slave believes the plans of Prince Zheng and Prince Li are workable."

He said, "Jinzhou is the Ming army's weak spot. Why else would they rush to its aid from a thousand li, if not for Zu Dashou inside the city? From the Ming Emperor down to the Ji-Liao Governor Hong Chengchou, none can tolerate the consequences of the city falling. Once our forces move, whether it is the Ming troops at the Nü'er River or the Xiaoling River, they will all be compelled to follow!"

Everyone in the room, whether Mongol or Han gūsa ejen, taiji, and others, all murmured in low discussion, debating the feasibility of this plan. Hong Taiji laughed heartily and declared loudly, "My ministers and I have all arrived at the same conclusion!"

Then his face darkened again, and he said coldly, "Over these two years, I have sent no fewer than a hundred letters urging surrender, yet those inside the city remain unmoved. All my earnest efforts have been in vain!"

He suddenly stood up and said sternly, "Zu Dashou truly does not know what is good for him! Does he really think I cannot take Jinzhou?"

The moment his fury erupted, a chill seemed to envelop the room again, and all the ministers were silenced, as silent as cicadas in winter.

Zu Zerun, gūsa ejen of the Han Plain Blue Banner, trembled in both legs. With a thud, he fell to his knees, shuffled forward on them, and wailed, "Your servant is guilty! I could not persuade my father to abandon darkness for the light and serve the Great Qing. I beg His Majesty to punish me."

Hong Taiji looked at him for a long time, until cold sweat streamed down Zu Zerun's back. Then he said flatly, "Zu Zerun, I know your loyalty. Rise."

He said, "I merely lament — what virtue or ability does the Southern Dynasty's Emperor possess, that Zu Dashou would serve him so devotedly?"

He waved a hand and said, "The key to this battle is Wang Dou's Jingbian Army, along with the new armies of Yang Guozhu and Wang Pu. The rest — Li Fuming, Zuo Guangxian, Ma Ke, Tang Tong, and the like — are all rats and mediocrities. Oh, and Wu Sangui has some fighting capacity as well."

Jirgalang reminded him, "Liu Zhaoji, Cao Bianjiao, and Wang Tingchen — these three also require cautious handling."

Hong Taiji grunted in acknowledgment. "Those Ming troops deployed at Xingshan — I have my own arrangements for them."

He said, "The most critical aspect of the decisive battle with Ming is how to pin down Wang Dou's forces. Do my ministers have any good strategies?"

Everyone in the room turned their eyes to the various gūsa ejen of the Han Eight Banners, as well as the Joseon minister Kim Ja-jeom.

Looking at these men, both Hooge and Dodo showed undisguised contempt. Dodo even cursed loudly, "A pack of fools, wasting provisions and pay — utterly useless on the battlefield!"

He hurled abuse without the slightest restraint, showing no regard for face. The Mongol gūsa ejen and the ministers of the Outer Vassal Mongols all revealed expressions of schadenfreude. Ever since the twelfth year of Chongzhen, the Qing Emperor had increasingly favored the Han banners, and they had long been seething with resentment. Now Dodo was venting their frustration for them.

Dodo was young and hot-blooded. Curses in Han, Mongol, and Manchu poured from his mouth in an endless torrent of filth. Facing Dodo's tirade, Kim Ja-jeom seemed to have fallen asleep. Shi Tingzhu and the others were ashen-faced and did not dare retort, only casting resentful glances at Kong Youde.

Only Abatai, Beile of the Bountiful Surplus, remained a staunch supporter of firearms. He stepped forward to defend the Han banners: "Your Majesty, when it comes to fighting the Jingbian Army, who else but the Han troops can do it? Prince Gongshun's artillery battalion performed outstandingly at the Battle of Huangtuling. Though there was a minor setback at the Nü'er River, one must not be overly harsh. This slave has thought it through — as long as the terrain suits Han army operations, the Ujen Cooha artillery battalion and the various Han musket troops can still unleash tremendous combat power."

Hong Taiji's expression did not change. He said flatly, "Prince Gongshun."

Kong Youde hastily stepped forward. Ever since that day's artillery duel with the Jingbian Army's cannon battalion, he had been despondent for a long time. The Emperor had placed ardent hopes in him and spent vast sums, yet he had produced a kill ratio of a hundred fingers to one, deeply disappointing all factions in the Qing camp and causing his standing in the Emperor's eyes to plummet.

After that day's artillery battle, his cannon battalion had suffered considerable losses, but fortunately, most of the gun crews remained, and all the cannons were intact — they still had fighting strength.

During this period of lying low with his tail between his legs, Kong Youde had pondered a great deal. He had racked his brains and prepared multiple plans for how to regain the Emperor's favor.

Dodo's words were harsh, scolding him like a son. Though Kong Youde was inwardly furious, he lacked the courage to clash with a Manchu banner lord. His direct superior, Daišan, remained utterly silent and showed no intention of offending Dodo on his behalf.

Only Abatai's righteous act moved him to tears of gratitude. After stepping forward, he declared loudly, "Reporting to His Majesty, your servant has thought it through. To counter the Jingbian Army's cannons, we must use our strengths to attack their weaknesses — only then can we achieve a great victory!"

He explained, "The weakness of the Jingbian Army's cannons is their range. Why should my cannon battalion engage them in close-range duels? We can fire from a great distance and reenact the victory at Huangtuling."

Hong Taiji said flatly, "And if they use earth carts for cover?"

Kong Youde said, "As Beile of the Bountiful Surplus said, our Han troops can choose suitable terrain for battle, rendering their earth carts useless."

He said, "Your servant has thought it through. From Yangxing Village, which the Ming army currently occupies, all the way to Yijia Ridge, Sujia Gully, Songjia Gully, and other places — the ground undulates, full of pits and hollows, with countless fields and ravines. Their earth carts and war wagons simply cannot be pushed through. Even if they can pass in some spots, they lose their purpose of screening the main army. As their formations advance, our cannon fire will bombard them, and we can surely deal Wang Dou and the others a heavy blow!"

Hong Taiji pondered. It was rare for Kong Youde to devise a winning strategy, and his expression softened considerably. The others also began discussing it, all feeling that Kong Youde's method was feasible.

Jirgalang said, "Deploy the Han troops at places like Yijia Ridge to counter the musket and cannon formations of Wang Dou and the others. Deploy our iron cavalry to the south and east of Jinchang Fort — the terrain there is flat and can strike the Ming's massed cavalry."

The old Daišan added, "Due to the terrain, the Ming army cannot deploy cavalry at Yijia Ridge and similar places. They will have no choice but to position their infantry there, which will walk right into the Han army's grand formation trap."

Hong Taiji thought of a problem. "If the earth carts and war wagons of the Jingbian Army and others cannot be pushed forward, neither can yours. In a face-to-face musket duel, can the Han army's musket formation defeat Wang Dou's musket formation?"

For a moment, all eyes turned to Kong Youde. Kong Youde's expression flickered through several changes, and finally he gritted his teeth and said, "To serve the Great Qing, your servant will sacrifice life and limb and stop only at death. I am also resolved to push out every small red-barbarian cannon in the artillery battalion, placing them right before the battle lines, and duel them at close range."

Hong Taiji smiled. "Very good. Prince Gongshun's loyalty and courage are commendable. I shall watch with keen anticipation."