Chapter 555: The Great Decisive Battle (Part 2)

Hong Chengchou was modest, and Wang Dou did not decline either. He had long ago ordered his guards to bring the sand-table terrain maps of the Jinzhou area, and now they were summoned into the main hall and set before everyone's eyes.

The advantages of the sand-table went without saying: mountains, rivers, and geography all grasped in their entirety; the opposing stances of friend and foe known like the back of one's hand; troop deployments and formations arranged with effortless ease.

To those in the hall, Wang Dou's method of directing warfare was also quite novel. In the past when they fought, it was only the Provincial Governor and the Viceroy, or even just the military defense circuit, summoned into a hall, given a few brief instructions, and each went off to handle his own affairs — they did not even have a basic impression of the overall campaign, so how could it compare to Wang Dou's clear and thorough arrangements?

Yet however fine the sand-table was, for the various officers and officials to learn and take it back with them was no easy matter.

"The mounted scouts report back that since the fifteenth, the enemy slaves on the north bank of the Nüer River have already withdrawn from Rufeng Mountain and the river's north bank. The bulk of them are massed at Jinchangbao, Yijialing, and other places. According to the scouts' reconnaissance, the enemy slaves in those areas are mainly the Manchu Plain Blue Banner, Bordered Blue Banner, Plain White Banner, and Bordered White Banner. Total strength is estimated between seventy thousand and one hundred thousand!"

"Among them, stationed at Yijialing and other places are the various Han banners of the slaves, along with Korean troops."

Pointing at the sand-table, Wang Dou spoke slowly, planting small flags one by one. The enemy's disposition became clear at a glance.

Everyone in the hall grew even more envious. This sand-table was truly excellent. With such a tool, armchair strategizing became possible.

Wang Dou's hand then moved toward Baimiaobao, a place about a dozen li from Yijialing.

Wang Dou likewise planted several small flags there: "The slaves at this place are mainly the two Yellow Banners of the Manchu bandits, plus numerous Mongol, Outer-Feudatory Mongol, and other northern barbarian troops, along with a great many of their army slaves, support troops, and so on. The estimated total number will be no less than one hundred thousand!"

The hall fell utterly silent. In that instant, everyone understood why Wang Dou insisted on a standoff with the foe. The Tatars had no small number of troops, and their combat strength was outstanding. One misstep, and the result would be the total loss of the Imperial Army's elite.

Zhang Ruoqi, Wang Dehua, and the others even began to form the thought of swiftly sending a memorial back to report, arguing that the Jinzhou campaign was not suited for a quick decisive battle.

Hong Chengchou sighed inwardly. Had it not been for His Majesty and the various lords at court urging him on, he too would not have wanted to force a decisive battle with the slaves so soon!

Wang Dou's hand pointed toward Jinzhou city: "By comparison, the slave troops outside Jinzhou city are fewer — only the two Red Banners of the Manchu slaves and the two Red Banners of the Mongols, plus some attendants, support troops, and the like. The estimated total will not exceed forty thousand."

Finally, Wang Dou's hand came down heavily on distant Yizhou: "Here the slave troops are even fewer. Banner warriors will not exceed ten thousand; the rest are all support troops and attendants!"

In a few brief words, Wang Dou had clearly laid out the enemy's disposition. Everyone in the hall understood it distinctly.

In an instant, they all sank into contemplation — how was this battle to be fought?

Wang Dou swept his gaze over the crowd. They were all pondering deeply; even Hong Chengchou was frowning tightly, stroking his beard in thought.

Wang Dou smiled slightly and said, "By this count's estimate, because of the encroaching threat beyond the frontier, the slave troops' morale is shaken. Even if we make no move, within these two days the bandits will also take the initiative to engage us! In this great battle, the north bank of the Nüer River should become the main battlefield. And the fact that the slaves have deployed such a massive force at Baimiaobao is likely so that, at the same time as the main battle, they can send out troops to plunder and cut off our army's rear route!"

"Therefore…"

A sharp gleam shot from Wang Dou's eyes: "In this battle, our army will take defense as the mainstay, with offense within defense, strengthening our defenses and clearing the field, inflicting the maximum possible casualties and blows upon the slaves!"

"As for this country of Manchuria, as you all know, they still have the nature of bandits and find it hard to bear heavy casualties. Once each banner suffers many dead and wounded, even the slave chieftains will find it difficult to keep control. Coupled with the harassment on the grasslands, they will then have no choice but to withdraw. Our army can seize the opportunity to recover several cities and towns, and we can report a great victory to comfort the court!"

Wang Dou set the tone, and everyone in the hall relaxed. They were very clear on the relative combat strength of Ming and Qing. Talk of annihilating the slave-bandits entirely and sweeping them away in one stroke was unrealistic.

Hong Chengchou nodded slowly. Only Wang Dehua, Zhang Ruoqi, and a few others were somewhat disappointed. The tone Wang Dou set was far removed from their hopes and the expectations of His Majesty and the various lords.

Yet after hearing Wang Dou's analysis, they also knew that his decision was the most realistic one.

The best outcome was that the eastern slaves, unable to bear heavy casualties, would withdraw. Then the Ming army would only need to occupy Dalinghe Fort or Yizhou — even if they were empty cities it would not matter — and they could give an account to the higher-ups, without their own troops suffering many losses either.

Wang Pu praised, "The Loyal and Brave Count is neither arrogant nor rash, proceeding from the actual situation — truly the talent of a Regional Commander!"

He said loudly, "I request the Loyal and Brave Count to continue issuing the strategy and arranging the battle."

Wang Dou nodded, "Very well!"

He pointed to the place called Baimiaobao: "At present we cannot know whether the slaves at Baimiaobao intend to outflank and cut our supply route, or whether they will form up on the left wing at Yijialing, striking our north-bank main force in a pincer from left and right…"

He barked in a low voice, "General Cao, General Wang, Regional Commander Liu!"

At once Cao Bianjiao, Wang Tingchen, and Liu Zhaoji stepped forward, all cupping their fists and shouting, "Your generals are here!"

Wang Dou's expression was stern: "You will diligently dispatch mounted scouts to keep close watch on the slaves at Baimiaobao. If, when the great armies clash decisively, they form up on the left wing at Yijialing to join the battle, you will immediately send forth all your elite cavalry and infantry, cross the Nüer River to the north, and attack and pin them from their rear flank!"

Wang Dou added, "If the slaves at Baimiaobao do not pincer our main Imperial force but instead outflank to cut supplies, you will strictly guard your city defenses and lines, and must coordinate as one, giving mutual support, and must not sit idly by and watch!"

The three great generals of the Great Ming, both old and new, wore earnest and solemn expressions. They showed no displeasure at Wang Dou shouting orders at them, and all loudly accepted the command!

There was also Meng Dao, the Coordinating Defense Regional Commander of Bijia Mountain; Wang Dou gave him instructions and arrangements as well.

Although he had only a few thousand men, the ridges of Bijia Mountain were steep and treacherous, making passage difficult. The tidal flats and coastline in front had also been dug with dense trenches. Together with the defense lines at Wudaoling, Changlingshan, Xingshan, and other places, Bijia Mountain could be as steady as Mount Tai!

Wang Dou then looked toward Ningyuan Regional Commander Wu Sangui, Shanhai Pass Regional Commander Ma Ke, and Miyun Regional Commander Tang Tong, and shouted, "General Wu, General Ma, General Tang!"

The three men answered with a shout and all stepped forward with complicated expressions. In the past, Wang Dou had been on equal footing with them; even if his noble title was lofty, it was but empty honor. Now that he held the post of Grand President of Reinforcement and Suppression, he was giving orders to them.

Yet Wu Sangui's expression was steady. The Jinzhou campaign had tempered this scion of a powerful family, and it was clear that at this time, Wu Sangui was utterly loyal to the Great Ming. Though he envied Wang Dou, he had no objection to his shouted commands.

Tang Tong's face even bore an expression of fawning. Only Ma Ke was expressionless, not saying a word.

Looking at the three men, Wang Dou said, "Though the slaves at Jinzhou are few, you must not be negligent! General Wu, after this council, dispatch a messenger at once into the city to inform Grand Marshal Zu of our army's decisive battle. Grand Marshal Zu is deeply seasoned in military affairs. When you engage the slaves in great battle outside the city, he will certainly coordinate in response, in order to defeat the slave-bandits!"

The three men loudly accepted the order. Ma Ke's eyes flickered, and he suddenly said, "Loyal and Brave Count, to fight for the country, we are duty-bound. But as for the provisions and fodder…"

An obsequious look appeared on his face, making him seem rather odd: "As the saying goes, even the emperor does not send out hungry soldiers. With the great armies about to fight decisively, the troops must also eat their fill and drink well. I beg the Loyal and Brave Count to show some consideration."

Tang Tong also hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, Marshal Ma speaks truly. Since arriving in Liaodong, the provisions and fodder for my Miyun army, the provisions and fodder, heh heh, have been somewhat insufficient…"

According to the Great Ming's military campaign regulations, the marching rations and the supply of provisions and pay for guest troops were provided by the various local government offices and the war zone. Of course, these were only loans; the bulk had to be repaid after the campaign. Within this, there was an extremely complex system of conversion.

Moreover, in many frontier garrisons, the Regional Commanders and Grand Marshals did not actually control the provision and pay disbursements for the various Vice, Assistant, and Mobile Corps Commanders within their garrison; they only had the authority to command them during wartime. The situation of Wang Dou's Jingbian Army was unique in the entire Great Ming, and this was one of the reasons the court found Wang Dou so difficult to deal with.

With so many troops massed in Liaodong, the supply situation for each battalion was extremely complicated. Provisions and pay were disbursed based on the number of men and horses, the strength of the troops, and the closeness of relationships, generating countless problems every single day.

Although nominally the Liaodong Provincial Governor Qiu Minyang was responsible for transporting provisions and fodder and reported to Army Supervisor Wang Chengen, the Provincial Governor and the military defense circuits handled military colonies, military affairs, and civil affairs all at once. Yet once the provisions and fodder were collected, they had to be handed over to the officials of the Ministry of Revenue within the garrison and the circuits, and the various storehouses were also managed by these officials.

It could be said that theirs was a bitter toil, while those Ministry of Revenue officials had the lucrative posts. Moreover, these Ministry of Revenue officials were colleagues of Qiu Minyang; Qiu Minyang could not give them orders. Only the Viceroy, Hong Chengchou, could intervene. If things got bogged down in disputes, a single matter might not be resolved for several months.

Thus, surrounding the supply of provisions and fodder, those Ministry of Revenue officials had plenty of room to maneuver. The Jingbian Army paved its way with genuine silver and gold, and also had supply from the Eastern Route merchant caravans, plus they were utterly ferocious…

There had once been an official who made trouble, and Wang Dou ordered him seized, hung up, and beaten, then paraded through the camps to shame him. No one dared plead for mercy. Therefore, the supply of provisions and fodder in Liaodong was not a problem for Wang Dou.

Of course, while provisions and fodder were not a problem for Wang Dou, for the troops of the various garrisons, they were a huge problem. Because during wartime the officers and soldiers of each battalion were under the command of their Regional Commander, many officers within the garrisons took the opportunity to clamor noisily at their Regional Commander over provisions and pay. Men like Ma Ke often had huge headaches every day.

Ma Ke seized this opportunity to raise the matter with Wang Dou. By rights, he should have made his appeal to Hong Chengchou or Wang Chengen.

Wang Dou smiled faintly and said, "With the great battle imminent, letting the troops eat their fill and wear warm clothes is indeed extremely important! This count also rose from the ranks of common soldiers, and knows the taste of an empty stomach. If they cannot even eat their fill, how can they fight?"

He looked toward Army Supervisor Wang Chengen, that eunuch most loyal to the Emperor. When Wang Chengen was silent and pondering, he had a somewhat sinister air about him.

But upon meeting Wang Dou's gaze, a smile surfaced on his face, and he said with a smile, "Let the Loyal and Brave Count set his mind at ease. The provisions and fodder currently stored in Liaodong are sufficient for the troops to eat for nearly a month. The decisive battle is right before our eyes. This servant will give the order at once to issue half a month's provisions and fodder in one go."

Wang Dou praised, "Army Supervisor Wang has the troops at heart — this count admires it!"

Then a cold light rose in his eyes: "This count will also dispatch military provosts from the army to patrol. Any who dare disobey orders and engage in graft or corruption — under wartime law, they will all be executed!"

The entire hall was utterly silent. Though Wang Dou's expression was calm and his tone mild, in the eyes of men like Ma Ke, an icy chill surged all the way up their spines.

He glanced at Tang Tong and saw the man’s mouth hanging open, his eyes filled with awe and dread. The two exchanged a look, both coming back to their senses, and hurriedly bowed: “Many thanks for the Loyal and Brave Count’s lofty righteousness, many thanks for the Loyal and Brave Count’s lofty righteousness!”

The imperial envoy Wang Dehua also recovered himself. He coughed, gave a few dry laughs, and said, “The Loyal and Brave Count’s boldness is astonishing — this servant is full of admiration, full of admiration!”

Wu Sangui also bowed and withdrew, sighing inwardly: Kill them all — perhaps only Wang Dou has the ability and the nerve for that?

Still, a weight lifted from his heart. Although he was a Liaodong native from a powerful, wealthy clan and had no problem with grain and fodder supply, if his allied troops were well-provisioned and high in morale, that was something he was glad to see.

Looking at Wang Dou’s dignified and calm face, he suddenly realized that the distance between himself and Wang Dou was growing ever wider.

Perhaps, in the end, he could only gaze up at his receding back.

Hong Chengchou sat motionless, his expression still composed and unruffled, but the slight tremor in his right hand betrayed his inner disquiet.

He suddenly felt some regret at having handed the military arrangements over to Wang Dou to decide.

In just a few words, Wang Dou’s hand had reached out in every direction — truly, wherever there was a crack, he wormed his way in.

Amid the dead silence, Wang Dou suddenly turned toward the Liaodong Provincial Governor Qiu Minyang and barked: “Where is the Liaodong Provincial Governor?”

Qiu Minyang started, stepped forward, and said, “This subordinate is here!”

Wang Dou looked at him and said, “Military Governor Qiu, the coming battles under Jinzhou’s walls and along the Xiaoling River, involving Generals Wu, Ma, and Tang, shall be under your overall command. You must urge the officers and men to fight with all their might and slay the foe!”

In the decisive battle between the two sides, the fighting at the Xiaoling River and Jinzhou had become a sideshow, no longer the critical point, yet it still could not be treated lightly. Qiu Minyang was rigid and severe by nature; with him in command, Wang Dou could rest easy.

A strange feeling surged in Qiu Minyang’s heart. In all the years of the Great Ming, this was the first time a military man had directed him, a grand official of Provincial Governor rank.

But his face remained expressionless as he cupped his hands with stern formality: “This subordinate accepts the order.”

He stepped back, feeling countless gazes fixed upon his face, a burning sensation on his skin, and that strange feeling in his heart lingered, impossible to shake off.

As for the Liaodong Provincial Governor taking overall command, Wu Sangui, Ma Ke, and the others thought nothing of it. Regional Commanders like them would actually feel uneasy without a civil official in command. They were simply dumbfounded, watching Wang Dou order a grand official like Qiu Minyang around in circles.

Wang Pu and Fu Yingchong, beyond their surprise, felt immensely pleased. The Loyal and Brave Count’s star was rising, his future boundless; now even high civil officials had to obey his orders. They deeply felt the wisdom of having stood on the same side as Wang Dou.

The Jingbian Army officers present were all bursting with pride. In all the years of the Great Ming, this was the first time an official of Provincial Governor rank had been barked at and directed by their own Grand General.

The civil officials in the hall wore even more complicated expressions, while the military officers exchanged meaningful glances. Only Wang Dou remained calm, directing operations with unshakable assurance, still arranging and deploying in an orderly fashion.

Military Defense Circuit officials Zhang Dou, Cai Maode, and others were also assigned important tasks by Wang Dou — defending Songshanbao and the fishing grounds at Niangnianggong and other places.

If the Qing army made a flanking move from Xingshan and other points, some elite cavalry might bypass Xingshan and strike directly at the Ming army’s vital rear areas. With the main army fighting out in the field, places like Niangnianggong would inevitably be left exposed. Therefore, these secret gathering points for civilian laborers and merchant convoys also needed deep trenches dug, strong stockades erected, everything of value removed, and a defense to the death maintained.

With the precedent of Liaodong Provincial Governor Qiu Minyang having gone first, Zhang Dou, Cai Maode, and the others being directed by Wang Dou afterward did not find it unacceptable. They quietly accepted their orders and quietly withdrew. And when they thought further that Wang Dou was, for the most part, not really a military man, they felt even more at ease.

Wang Dou swept his gaze over them. Speaking of these Liaodong civil officials, even in the historical record, most of them had performed outstandingly, giving their all for the Great Ming. Except for Hong Chengchou, every one of them had given his life for the country. It was the military officers, by contrast, who had produced an endless stream of scoundrels.

Finally, Wang Dou said, “All remaining generals shall accompany the Count and Viceroy Hong as we press toward Jinchangbao and Yijialing to fight the decisive battle with the slaves!”

Pointing at the sand table, he said with stern gravity, “The decisive battle on the north bank is the crux of this entire campaign. The greatest number of caitiff troops are massed there. Whether we can win or not depends on this battle.”

He mused, “Below Jinchangbao, the terrain is flat, favoring the bandit slaves’ massed cavalry. Therefore, in this sector, we shall focus on defense. Twenty Shenwei Grand General cannons from the Shenji Battalion, along with large numbers of rocket carts, mortars, Divine Fire Flying Crows, and other lethal devices, can be deployed here.”

As Wang Dou issued commands and the civil and military officers shouted their responses, Hong Chengchou, who had been sitting silent and nearly sidelined, withdrew his gaze from Wang Dou, gave a light cough, and spoke: “The war wagons currently assembled in Liaodong can also be deployed in large part to this sector. We can probably mass close to a thousand Folangji cannons!”

Wang Dou’s great victory on the flatlands of Huangtuling, where he had used superior firepower to blast apart the Eastern Slave iron cavalry, had won broad acceptance among everyone. So the way to deal with Qing cavalry was to bombard them, then charge with cavalry — on this, no one had any objection.

As for enemy cavalry attacks, there were two possible launching points: one was Jinchangbao, the other was the west bank of the Xiaoling River south of Jinzhou. These zones were all roughly twenty li from the Nüer River, providing a very broad area for cavalry deployment.

From a strictly military standpoint, the west bank of the Xiaoling River was not originally an ideal rallying point for enemy cavalry, because on the opposite bank lay Jinzhou itself, and the garrison inside the city could potentially cross the river and attack from both sides.

However, scouts had learned that after the main Qing camp withdrew, all the pontoon bridges across that stretch of river had been destroyed. At present, Zu Dashou and the others inside Jinzhou did not even have enough firewood, let alone materials to build pontoon bridges.

If they sortied from the city’s west gate, they would face the Two Red Banner Qing troops below the walls, plus the Qing cavalry from Jinchangbao. So the west bank of the Xiaoling River could still become a deployment area for Qing cavalry.

Loyal and Chaste Count Yang Guozhu, studying the sand table, sank deep in thought: “The key to the north bank battle still lies with the Han Eight Banner troops deployed at Yijialing and other places. If we can smash the Han Banners, we can then envelop from the left flank and strike the enemy cavalry from both sides… But the terrain here is undulating, the ground pitted and scarred, with countless gullies and fields. War wagons and earth carts will have difficulty moving through. And the Eastern Slaves’ Uzhen Chaoha Super Cannon Camp, their musketeers…”

Everyone looked at Yijialing, their brows tightly furrowed. It was clear that Kong Youde and the others had positioned their troops there specifically to deal with Wang Dou. They had also learned their lesson: their cannons were placed far back, avoiding a direct artillery duel with the Jingbian Army’s cannon camp, and they had found terrain and topography favorable to their own army’s style of fighting.

The second-generation caitiffs had grown clever. It was only a pity that this cleverness was used to aid the tiger in its savagery.

Yang Guozhu pondered at length, and finally, gritting his teeth, said to Wang Dou, “Guoqin, let your Jingbian Army hold the center. The Han Eight Banners — leave them to me!”

Looking at the old general, Wang Dou shook his head. “Marshal Yang likewise bears a heavy responsibility. Neither the center nor the right wing can do without you. The Han Banners — my Jingbian Army will handle them.”

He reflected inwardly: at present, Yang Guozhu’s Xuanfu Army and Jizhen Army combined made up the most formidable force. If Yang did not hold the center, the Ming main force on the north bank would have difficulty withstanding the charge of the Manchu-Mongol iron cavalry.

The Han Eight Banners and the Korean Army together numbered over forty thousand men, more than half of them musketeers. If the entire Jingbian Army were present, though it numbered only a bit over ten thousand, he would still be confident of beating odds of one to three or four.

But in that terrain, his own cavalry battalion would be useless. Moreover, over three thousand men had been detached to hold the Changlingshan defense line. The troops available to fight at Yijialing and similar points amounted to only two infantry battalions, one artillery battalion, the guard battalion, the scout battalion, plus some logistics troops and grenadiers — barely ten thousand men in all…

Yang Guozhu ultimately still shook his head. “If that is so, Guoqin, your left wing will still appear too weak in strength. In that case, my ten thousand New Army troops will also deploy on the left wing and fight alongside you.”

Hong Chengchou also felt that Wang Dou’s left wing was a bit thin. In the coming north bank decisive battle, the Ming army could field eighty to ninety thousand men. Although the Jingbian Army was elite, pitting just over ten thousand men against tens of thousands of Han troops was still overreaching, especially given the unfavorable terrain. Adding Yang Guozhu’s ten thousand New Army troops would make things much more certain.

And even if twenty thousand troops were diverted to the left wing, the center and right wing would still be thick with soldiers and horses. If it came to pure defense, Hong Chengchou was confident he could hold. He only needed the Jingbian Army and the others to quickly smash the Han Eight Banner formations, and then they could envelop and reinforce.

Wang Pu thought for a moment and said, “This general’s New Army battalion troops can also reinforce the left wing and fight shoulder to shoulder with the Loyal and Brave Count!”

Fu Yingchong gritted his teeth and said, “This general’s Shenji Battalion musketeers can likewise reinforce!”

Wang Dou looked at the two of them, smiled, and finally said, “You two generals should remain with Viceroy Hong and form defensive formations.”

The two muttered a bit, but under Wang Dou’s persuasion, they let the matter drop.

They knew the terrain over there well enough. On the approach, the earth carts and other such cover could not move at all. When they advanced in formation, they would have to endure the second-generation caitiffs’ cannon fire. And then the matchlock troops would have to fight face to face — just thinking about it was terrifying. Facing Manchu-Mongol infantry and cavalry was, by comparison, a bit easier.

In the end, the decision was made: the Jingbian Army’s cavalry battalion would deploy on the right, while Yang Guozhu’s New Army infantry battalion would be used to support Wang Dou. The strong would join hands with the strong to resolve the enemy on the left wing as quickly as possible, ideally smashing the Qing army on the north bank, then pressing on toward Baimiaobao to cut off any possible retreat route for the grain-starved Qing troops.

Even if that objective could not be achieved, they would fight to a draw and inflict as many casualties on the enemy as possible.

With all plans and arrangements settled, everyone returned to their seats. Hong Chengchou looked at the men below him and resumed the full majesty of a Viceroy. His expression was stern: “Since the Liaodong campaign began, His Majesty has worried day and night. Now the Son of Heaven has issued a decree: we are sworn to exterminate the brigands! We who eat the sovereign’s grain and serve the sovereign’s cause must requite His Majesty with our very lives. In this battle, merit shall be rewarded, and crimes shall be punished without fail. Gentlemen, mark this well: you must exert yourselves to the utmost to slay the brigands. Any who dare slacken — the law’s net shall show no mercy!”

The hall full of officials and officers all wore equally stern expressions. After Hong Chengchou finished, they turned as one to look at Wang Dou, waiting to hear what he would say. Just now, Wang Dou, seated high above, had directed operations with unshakable assurance, calm and composed, giving them great confidence — especially regarding the guarantee of grain and pay.

Wang Dou sat in the seat of honor, quietly watching the men below. Even the Army Supervisors Zhang Ruoqi and Wang Chengen, and the imperial envoy Wang Dehua, were all silently waiting for him to speak.

Sweeping his gaze over the assembly, Wang Dou said slowly, “As Viceroy Hong has said, in this battle, every man must give his all. We need only hold firm. Once the bandit slave troops suffer heavy casualties, they will have to withdraw. Moreover, we have flanking forces harassing them on the grasslands, keeping their army’s heart in a state of panic. So we need only fight bitterly, endure, and the victory memorials will belong to our Royal Army, to the Great Ming!”

His tone suddenly turned severe: “But you must also understand that the bandit slaves are mighty in force. This battle is no trifling matter. No one taking part may harbor thoughts of relying on luck, still less may anyone evade battle to preserve his own strength!”

He said calmly, “The Sacred Son of Heaven sits the throne and devotes himself utterly to the realm. Yet in the present Great Ming, there are many strange phenomena — for instance, fleeing at the mere sight of the enemy, or even slipping away in secret, or sitting by and watching allied troops in mortal danger without lifting a hand to help.”

“The irony is that such men often live very comfortably. Take Zuo Liangyu, He Renlong, Liu Zeqing, and the like — how many times have they fled without leave? Yet look at them, still living perfectly well.”

The expressions of many military officers below began to turn peculiar. Even Wu Sangui’s face showed a trace of discomfort. His own father and his uncle Zu Dashou had each abandoned the other before. Wang Dou’s words made his face burn.

Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen looked ashamed. Ma Ke’s face alternated between pale and flushed. In the Battle of Julu back then, their Guanning Army had stood by and let the Xuan-Da Army fight a bitter battle — tens of thousands of troops never moving an inch. Was that not precisely sitting and watching allied troops in danger without lifting a hand?

Watching everyone's expressions, Wang Dou suddenly smiled faintly and said coolly, "You can't really blame them. Look at these years — the court kills civil officials as casually as slaughtering chickens, yet when it comes to military officers with troops in hand, which one have they dared to touch? At most, they're allowed to atone for their crimes through service. Those with soldiers in hand, the court must fawn over; those without soldiers, even if they kill enemies for the country, they still get punished. That's why so many Regional Commanders and military officers harbor the thought of preserving their own strength!"

Everyone's faces grew even more colorful. Wang Dehua coughed incessantly. Hong Chengchou sighed inwardly — in truth, Wang Dou had not spoken wrongly, but such blatantly naked words had simply never been dared spoken in the past.

Looking down below, Wang Dou's gaze slowly deepened, abyss-like and indifferent, merciless. He said coldly, "However, these devious tricks — this Count does not wish to see them happen under my watch! Who does not know the gravity of this battle? If we do not fight to the death, there is absolutely no path to survival. If anyone harbors the intent to evade battle, the allied forces will likewise have no path to survival. One route collapses, and the whole situation collapses. When the whole situation collapses, all of you gentlemen perish!"

Wang Dou suddenly roared, "When all of you gentlemen perish, how could I alone escape the tiger's jaws? Therefore, anyone who does not fight with full heart and strength is seeking to put me to death — this is an irreconcilable blood feud, and I shall surely execute him! No matter what status he holds, if he flees to the ends of the earth, no matter who shields him, he is dead for certain! Above heaven and below earth, no one can save him!"

He said coldly, "I am absolutely certain of one thing — whoever dares do this and offends me, Wang Dou, will not meet a good end!"

The hall fell silent as a graveyard. Everyone was overawed by Wang Dou's imposing presence. In this moment, there was no one who was not carefully pondering Wang Dou's words.

Only the Jingbian Army officers present seethed with hot blood — this was their Grand General. Who in the entire Great Ming could compare to such heroic boldness?

Wang Pu was also frightened. He snapped back to his senses and abruptly stood up: "Indeed! Every word the Loyal and Brave Count speaks is perfectly reasoned. At the critical juncture of a great battle, to harbor wishful thinking and not fight with full heart — can such a person still be called human? I, your humble officer, shall follow at your side, fight the slaves with courage, and win merit for the nation!"

Fu Yingchong abruptly stood up and declared with righteous solemnity, "Count me in!"

Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen also sprang to their feet and roared, "We shall fight the slaves to the bloody end!"

"Fight to the bloody end!"

One after another, officers rose with heads held high, shouting and roaring. Even Ma Ke and Tang Tong leapt up, impassioned and fervent.

Seeing the crowd's seething fervor, Wang Dou revealed a satisfied smile. He stood up and said loudly, "Good! With such fighting spirit among you gentlemen, why worry about not winning?"

He added, "Of course, those who cooperate with me in wholehearted sincerity — I have never treated them poorly. All allied comrades-in-arms who have cooperated with me know this. As long as you fight the enemy with courage and earn military merit, being enfeoffed as marquises and appointed as generals is within expectation for all of you!"

He looked toward Fu Yingchong: "Just like General Fu — didn't he earn quite a sum of head money this time?"

The crowd burst into roaring laughter. Fu Yingchong also grinned foolishly and scratched his head.

Hong Chengchou, Zhang Ruoqi, Wang Chengen, and the others watched Wang Dou, their hearts complicated. Wang Dou had effortlessly mobilized the military morale and fighting spirit of all the generals, uniting everyone into a single purpose. For the Great Ming to have produced such an anomaly — was it a blessing or a curse?

Slowly sweeping his gaze over everyone, Wang Dou suddenly felt somewhat somber. The perils of war and the dangers of battle were no idle talk. After this battle, among the familiar faces before him, how many would remain, and how many would vanish? He said sincerely, "Dou is deeply honored to be able to fight shoulder to shoulder in bloody battle with all you gentlemen!"

With a ringing dragon's cry, he abruptly drew his sharp sword: "In this battle, there is advance and no retreat — we fight to the death against the thieving slaves!"

He roared, "The Great Ming shall be victorious!"

"Victorious!"

"Victorious!"

"Victorious!"

The sound of sharp swords being drawn rang out unceasingly. Every officer in the hall drew their personal blades and roared. Even the civil officials and eunuchs — Hong Chengchou, Qiu Minyang, Wang Dehua, and the rest — all glowered with furious brows and blazing eyes!

Their hoarse, exhausted roars first spread out from the Viceroy's headquarters, stirring the soldiers and civilians throughout Songshan City into cheers.

Their mountain-toppling, ocean-sweeping voices spread in all directions, drawing even more people into furious shouts.

……

The eighteenth day of the ninth month, the fourteenth year of the Chongzhen reign. The hour of the rabbit.

Wen Daxing tidied the personal effects in his tent one last time — mainly those "artworks."

Of course, Wen Daxing's artworks were rather unconventional. A dazzling array of scalps filled the collection — Eastern slaves, Northern barbarians, and also Two-Tatars — all placed on specially made racks. These racks gleamed brilliantly, studded with glittering gold and silver ornaments. The metallic luster interwoven with these scalps possessed a luxurious yet coldly ruthless beauty.

The newest artwork was the one from the Plain White Banner's Bayara Jalangga Commander, Maise.

Cavalry Battalion brother Lin Jugen, heartbroken over the casualties among the Inner Cavalry, had sworn to make Maise taste every torture under heaven before dying. Because Wen Daxing was the most skilled at tormenting people, Lin Jugen had come begging to Wen Daxing. Anxious to help a brother in need, Wen Daxing had obliged as a matter of duty and helped him with this task, making Maise one of his artworks.

Everyone has eccentric hobbies. Wen Daxing's hobby was quietly admiring his artworks when no one was around. At this moment, his gaze was tender, and his right hand gently stroked over them, the lightness of his touch like caressing a lover's small hand.

Finally, he sighed with satisfaction. Hearing the faint sounds outside, he adjusted his armor and strode proudly out of his tent.

The moment he emerged from the tent, what greeted him was a sky-covering, earth-sweeping roar of cheers: "The Grand General is mighty... The Grand General is mighty..."

Wen Daxing saw the Grand General Wang Dou, wearing an eight-petaled iron-tipped helmet, clad in imperial-gifted radiant armor, bearing the imperial sword, and draped in a great crimson cloak. Surrounded by a multitude of men and horses like stars clustering around the moon, he rode forth with head held high, and around him, more and more soldiers were gathering.

"Mighty!"

Wen Daxing roared and swiftly joined in.

"Aha, finally going to war."

Xie Yike, helmeted and armored, emerged from another tent and hurriedly joined the ranks as well.

The Jingbian Army surged out of the camp like a tide. Looking across the other Ming army camps, similarly, rolling masses of men and horses poured forth. The roaring tide of sound rose wave upon wave, each higher than the last.

Looking further at the Qing army camps over ten li away, troops and horses were likewise emerging from camp and assembling. The great earth seemed about to be covered entirely by a sea of people. (To be continued.)