Chapter 564: Hard to Hold

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When the plot is well thought out versus not, the writing speed differs enormously. Fortunately, after working out the details for the next dozen or so chapters today, there will be two updates tomorrow.

Smoke and dust surged skyward, the haze from cannons and guns billowing. Amid thunderous hoofbeats, countless herds of horses and wave after wave of heavy cavalry from the Two Blue Banners surged toward the Frankish cannon array in the forward position of the central route.

The roar of artillery sounded one volley after another. Amid the cannon fire, herds of horses and cavalrymen constantly toppled, yet their follow-up waves did not stop, still rushing forward like the tide. The hoofbeats rang out fiercely, shaking the earth with violent tremors.

Again the shrill swan-horn sounded. Numerous Frankish cannons and hundred-shot guns fired grapeshot. Men shouted and horses screamed as more Qing riders and horses toppled. Yet within the smoke and dust, a great mass of heavy cavalry had already crashed through the cannon carts and war wagons, rolling in through the gaps between the vehicles. The Ming troops in the rear were instantly submerged by their countless iron cavalry.

The Ming army in the forward position had already been broken through once by the Qing cavalry. Both in terms of casualties and combat exhaustion, they had reached their limit. At this moment, they could hold no longer. Abandoning their firearms and weapons, they fled back screaming in panic. The rout of the forward army stirred waves of unrest throughout the central Ji Garrison army.

The disposition of the central-route grand army was as follows: Li Fuming and Zuo Guangxian's garrison troops were in front, the Ji Garrison army in the middle, and the most combat-effective troops — Wang Pu's new army, the Divine Machine Battalion, and Hong Chengchou's personal supervisory battalions — were placed at the rear.

The Ji Garrison's ten-thousand-plus troops, after Regional Commander Bai Guangen died in battle, had many of their elite soldiers transferred out. Even after Yang Guozhu took overall command, they seemed to lack spirit and cohesion. They could not be placed in the forward position, and placing them at the rear risked affecting the central army, so they had to be sandwiched in the middle, serving as a link between front and rear.

However, considering their fighting will and combat strength, Hong Chengchou also arranged for the various infantry battalions of Datong Garrison to be arrayed in the central position.

Although the Divine Machine Battalion's firepower was fierce, the fighting will of these capital garrison soldiers was somewhat lacking. Even after several major battles, this remained the case. Letting them hold the very front was impossible; they were better placed at the rear. Thus, the veteran generals Li Fuming and Zuo Guangxian had to be deployed to fight at the very front.

They formed three tight lines of gun and cannon arrays, each line separated by one li, able to support one another, while each remained within the striking range of the Frankish cannons.

However, although Li Fuming and Zuo Guangxian's fighting will was strong, their subordinates were all old-style Ming troops. That they had held on until now was already an extraordinary performance. After another fierce assault by the Qing cavalry, especially one employing a great mass of heavy cavalry horses, they could hold no longer and scattered in screaming rout.

Li Fuming and Zuo Guangxian were both unyielding. Leading some infantry retainers from their main battalions, they roared and fought desperately against the ceaselessly surging Qing cavalry, while urgently requesting reinforcements from the central and rear positions...

"Excellent!"

Huang Taiji took in all the fighting at the front. At this moment, his obese frame sat steadily astride his warhorse, the heavy gilded flying-dragon armor on his body gleaming dazzlingly under the sunlight.

Behind him stood a tall yellow-dragon great parasol, a symbol of imperial majesty and authority — whether it blocked the sunlight was secondary.

He focused intently, holding a telescope to survey the battlefield. Behind and to his sides were Gabsihiyan Gala Amban Ubai, the Minister of Revenue Inggūldai, the Khorchin Tüsiyetü Prince Badari, the Heshuo Prince and Chahar Gülen Efu Eje, as well as Censorate officials Zhang Cunren, Zu Kefa, Duan Xuekong, Sheng Zhong, and others.

These princes, dukes, and high officials were either old or lacked military command authority, so they did not accompany the army into battle and instead gathered around Huang Taiji.

They stood atop a mountain ridge. On the ridge and around its perimeter were densely arrayed elite Gabsihiyan Coha warriors, along with some Manchu and Mongol Bayara camp soldiers. All of them kept vigilant watch in every direction, loyally guarding their Emperor.

At this moment, Huang Taiji was positioned on a ridge called Houshan at Songjiagou. From this vantage point, the wild plains and mountains lay spread before his eyes.

Houshan was steep and precipitous, extremely difficult to scale from the front. The winding ridge extended for dozens of li along the right hand. Behind the mountain flowed the surging waters of the Lesser Ling River, rushing out along towering peaks and deep valleys. A few li behind the left flank lay the city of Jinchangbao.

To the left, the mountain terrain sloped gently. However, for several li below the mountain and on the left flank, a vast mass of Four Banner Manchu and Mongol cavalry had gathered and spread out, with tight defenses. The Ming army could not possibly attack and circle around from the front or the right flank. Moreover, the mountain was covered with numerous gunny sacks and earth-filled baskets as anti-cannon measures. Huang Taiji's position here was extremely secure.

He lowered his telescope and broke into a violent fit of coughing. After removing the silk cloth covering his mouth and nose, several shocking patches of blood stained it. Without changing his expression, he crumpled the silk cloth into a ball and said coldly, "Is there still no news from the Han Eight Banners' side?"

Gabsihiyan Gala Amban Ubai hurried forward and said, "This slave has secretly dispatched scout riders, but no news has come back yet."

Huang Taiji furrowed his brow. The Han Eight Banners' position on the right wing (from the Qing army's perspective) was a place of considerable concern to him. Earlier, he had received intelligence that as the Jingbian Army and other infantry formations advanced, the Ujen Cooha artillery camp had bombarded them all the way, inflicting heavy casualties on Wang Dou and his men. Huang Taiji had beamed with joy, and the mountain had echoed with cheers.

However, a quarter of an hour ago, Huang Taiji had received another scout report: the Jingbian Army and the Xuan Garrison new army had advanced under artillery fire, endured the casualties, and finally engaged in a great volley battle with Shi Tingzhu and the others. Very unexpectedly, the final result was that Shi Tingzhu, Zu Zerun, and the others were utterly routed. Now Kong Youde and the other generals had urgently gone to their aid, but subsequent intelligence had not yet been transmitted.

To Huang Taiji, although this was disappointing, he had not held much hope for Kong Youde and the other Han troops anyway. It was purely a case of treating a dead horse as if it were alive, merely hoping they could delay Wang Dou and hold him off for as long as possible.

Watching the battle ahead, he abruptly issued an order: "The Great Qing's iron cavalry shall launch the main assault on the Ming army's center. Order Dorgon and Dodo to immediately draw elite Bayara and picked armored cavalry to reinforce Hooge and Jirgalang's central-route grand army. The left-wing grand army shall defend while engaging, merely tying down the Ming cavalry. Once we crush their central army, even if Wang Dou and the others on the right wing achieve a great victory, they will be powerless to reverse the situation!"

After issuing this series of commands, Huang Taiji gave another order: "Beneath the walls of Jinzhou, send word to Daišan, Dudu, and the others to likewise concentrate their forces and break through their weak points!"

Huang Taiji's command was masterful. The faces of Inggūldai and the others all showed expressions of admiration. His Majesty the Emperor was brilliant and divine in martial prowess, truly an enlightened sovereign. Only the faces of the Mongols — Badari, Eje, and the others — changed color. The left wing was already struggling considerably in its fierce fight against the Jingbian Army and other cavalry. Now that Dorgon and the others' elite troops were to be drawn away, wouldn't the great battle on the left wing fall mainly on the Mongols?

The left wing had to face the Jingbian Army cavalry, Yang Guozhu's main-battalion cavalry, Wang Pu's main-battalion cavalry, and others — many elite riders of outstanding combat strength. Even if they merely dragged and entangled them, the casualties within their banners would surely soar.

However, they lacked the courage to speak up and dissuade him. The part must submit to the whole. Huang Taiji was the Great Mongol Bogd Khan, the Broadly Benevolent and Sacred Emperor of the Great Qing, and held the authority to deploy troops and generals. They could only hope the battle would end quickly to reduce the casualties within their banners.

Huang Taiji watched the front coldly. As long as they broke the Ming army's center, the Great Qing would surely win. Judging by the current situation, in the great battle on the north bank of the Nüer River, the Great Qing camp was already on the verge of victory. He only wondered how things were going at Xingshan, Yizhou, and the other places.

As the Ming army in the forward position collapsed like a tide, several Datong Garrison infantry battalion officers in the central position, under Hong Chengchou's urgent prodding, dispatched a portion of their soldiers to provide aid. While Li Fuming and Zuo Guangxian led their retainers and infantry in desperate combat, they also tried to regroup and rally their men.

But as Qing reinforcements continuously poured in, it seemed the entire plain was surging with their cavalry.

In terms of troop strength, the Qing soldiers still held the upper hand. The Ming army on the central route was also slightly inferior in combat strength. Once the artillery and war wagons were lost, they were at a bewildered loss. Moreover, with the forward position already broken, many soldiers had lost their unit cohesion. Though Li Fuming and the other general strove hard, how could the infantry they had temporarily rallied possibly withstand those Qing heavy cavalry, fierce as wolves and tigers?

Very soon, they collapsed again. Li Fuming and Zuo Guangxian were swept along as they retreated to the central position. The Qing army formed wedge-shaped assault formations, and with the addition of a great mass of horses, launched wave after wave of fierce attacks. Quickly, the Ji Garrison army in the central position was the first to flee in rout, which then spread to the soldiers of the remaining battalions. Li Fuming and the others were once again submerged by the Qing cavalry...

Hong Chengchou's face was ashen as he watched the vast horde of routing soldiers ahead. Their cries and clamor seemed to stir up a heaven-startling wave of chaos. Defeated so quickly? He could not believe his eyes.

Wang Dehua's round body shrank trembling upon his horse. Earlier, he had been full of swagger, discoursing on the landscape. Even during the first rout of the forward position, he had still forced himself to remain composed, trading poems back and forth with Zhang Ruoqi. Now, his body shook so violently he could not speak. The young eunuchs beside him were even more terrified, huddled together and trembling.

Although the rear position was still safe and intact, it was no more than one or two li from the central position. For galloping horses, this distance could be covered almost in an instant. Once the Tartars launched another attack, could this rear position still hold?

Fu Yingchong's face was ashen. He suddenly recalled something and shrieked, "Lord Hong, quickly request reinforcements from the Loyal and Brave Count! Once the Jingbian Army arrives, they can surely turn the tide!"

Zhang Ruoqi's expression remained unchanged, bearing the appearance of one unmoved by wind and rain. In truth, he was so terrified he had lost all expression and thought. Startled awake by Fu Yingchong's words, his voice was already trembling and incoherent: "Yes, yes... quickly request reinforcements from the Loyal and Brave Count. And the cavalry on the right wing — have the Loyal and Faithful Count and the others send more... send more..."

Hong Chengchou let out a long sigh. Forcing himself to remain calm, he summoned several trusted aides and sent them to the left wing to urge the Loyal and Brave Count to come to the rescue. To be safe, he dispatched several waves of messengers in succession.

Gazing ahead, he silently prayed, hoping the grand army could hold on until Wang Dou's reinforcements arrived.

The roar of battle shook the heavens. Outside Jinzhou, the Ming army, seemingly stretching to the clouds, was engaged in an unprecedented fierce battle with the Two Red Banner Qing troops and the Mongol army.

Due to the terrain and the crisscrossing trenches, it had become difficult to mass heavy troops for combat on the eastern side of Jinzhou. Therefore, apart from a small number of roving skirmishers and scattered riders, the focal point of the great battle beneath the walls lay in the flatland zones north of Jinzhou and northeast of the city.

Although Jinzhou had been besieged for a long time and the soldiers and civilians within were utterly exhausted, apart from Zu Dashou leading his own retainers and several thousand handpicked strong men, the rest still defended the city walls. However, because Wu Sangui and Zu Dashou were attacking from front and rear, and moreover possessed a very superior force in numbers,

Daišan's Manchu Plain Red Banner and a portion of auxiliaries were struggling bitterly to cope with the fierce assault of the Zu and Wu uncle-nephew duo. The greater part of their forces had been transferred to Dudu's Bordered Red Banner under Huang Taiji's urgent orders, and this was even more so for the Two Red Banner Mongol troops.

Dudu, the commander of the Bordered Red Banner, having concentrated superior forces, launched wave after wave of fierce attacks against Ma Ke's Shanhai Army and Tang Tong's Miyun Army.

The focus of the attack was placed even more heavily on Ma Ke's Shanhai Army.

"Kill the slaves!"

"Hold fast..."

Ma Ke, his hair disheveled, roared and bellowed as he fought. His Shanhai Army was positioned on the right wing and was the primary target of the Qing cavalry's assault. Under their tide-like, wave-after-wave fierce attacks, several battalions on the outer perimeter were already tottering on the verge of collapse. Seeing the dire situation, even as Ma Ke roared, he bellowed at his trusted general Ma Zhiren: "Where are the reinforcements? Why haven't they come yet? What does Tang Tong say?"

Ma Zhiren's face was ashen. Trembling, he said, "Grand Commander Tang says the thieving slaves are attacking fiercely, and his strength is insufficient. He asks Marshal Ma to hold on. Once General Wu and Grand Marshal Zu link up, victory will be at hand."

With a crash, Ma Ke kicked the exquisite folding stool before him into splinters and roared furiously, "Hold on, my ass!"

Wu Sangui was positioned on the extreme left wing. At this moment, he had committed all his forces to attacking Daišan's Plain Red Banner. As long as the forces inside and outside the city linked up, this great battle beneath the walls would be a victory. Ma Ke had nothing to say to him about that.

But Tang Tong was deployed in the center. Although he was also being fiercely attacked by Qing cavalry, the number of Qing cavalry attacking him was fewer — like a woman's cleavage: if one wants to squeeze, some troops can always be squeezed out for rescue. That fair-faced boy was harboring intentions of preserving his own strength.

He yanked Ma Zhiren right up to his face and said through gritted teeth, "Send another envoy. Tell that fellow Tang: at this critical juncture of national war, if he dares sit by and ignore a friendly army, the Loyal and Brave Count will certainly not let him off after the battle!"

Ma Zhiren, scared out of his wits by Ma Ke's ferocious and savage expression, hastily dispatched another envoy. Amid Ma Ke's burning, anxious anticipation, he finally saw dust rising from the rear of the central wing. Ma Zhiren cheered, "Grand Commander Tang's reinforcements are here!"

A smile spread across Ma Ke's face. It seemed that bringing up Wang Dou as a threat was still effective. That boy Tang knew what was good for him.

But when he looked ahead again, Ma Ke's face changed drastically: "This is bad…"

The capital.

"Ah…"

The Chongzhen Emperor jolted awake with a start. He leaped up from his desk, crying out again and again.

The attendant eunuchs beside him all crowded around, asking anxiously: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what is wrong?"

Cold sweat streamed down the Chongzhen Emperor's forehead. He leaned on the desk, heedless of losing composure before his servants, and said with lingering fear: "We… We just had a nightmare. The Battle of Jinzhou — our imperial army's elite forces all lost. If that truly comes to pass, how could We face our imperial ancestors?"

At this, he could not help but shed tears.

One attendant eunuch knelt and wept: "It will not happen! With the protection of the Great Ancestor and the Great Ancestor Taizong, with the Loyal and Brave Count and Viceroy Hong and the others at Jinzhou, our imperial army will surely win a great victory — it will not be defeated!"

All the eunuchs knelt and wailed: "Your Majesty, ten thousand years, please, take care of your dragon body! The countless subjects of the Great Ming cannot be without His Majesty!"

The Chongzhen Emperor slowly recovered himself. He looked outside the pavilion at the blazing midday sun and sighed: "What hour is it?"

One eunuch hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, it is already the hour of Wu."

The Chongzhen Emperor murmured: "The hour of Wu already — and still no word of how the battle ahead fares."

Although the imperial envoy Wang Dehua had not yet returned, an urgent report had come back that the imperial army had resolved to launch the decisive battle against the slave brigands on the eighteenth day of the ninth month.

After receiving this report, the Chongzhen Emperor breathed a sigh of relief, yet at the same time he followed the frontline campaign even more closely. Reports from the front came almost several times a day. Every day he read memorials until deep into the night. Just now he truly could not hold out any longer and could not help but rest a short while, only to be startled awake by a terrible nightmare.

And not only he — the news that the Loyal and Brave Count, Hong Chengchou, and the others would fight the slaves in a decisive battle was being closely watched throughout the entire capital. All kinds of rumors flew everywhere: some said the front had won a great victory, some said a great defeat. Opinions were many and confused, with nothing certain.

"Today is the eighteenth day of the ninth month. How will the Battle of Jinzhou turn out?"

The Chongzhen Emperor walked to the front of the pavilion and gazed outside. His heart was both hopeful and fearful, and for a moment he stood utterly entranced. To be continued.