Chapter 829: Summons on Horseback

On the sixteenth day of the twelfth month of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, Sun Kewang and Li Dingguo led five thousand cavalry to Suzhou. Also arriving at the same time was Luzhou Regional Commander Huang Degong.

His journey was longer than Sun Kewang's, but as soon as he received the summons, he mustered all his troops and rushed over. The cavalry of his main battalion, which he personally led, arrived at the same time as Sun Kewang and the others.

However, because the military situation was urgent, he went ahead with the cavalry. He had only about two thousand riders with him. The remaining infantry were left far behind, many of them still having not crossed the Huai River.

This was also the normal practice for the various garrisons of the Great Ming at this time. When commanders received troop-transfer tallies, in order not to miss the deadline, they would all first lead their cavalry retainers on a mad dash. The remaining infantry would follow slowly, possibly reaching the destination ten days or half a month later.

In the Great Ming, there were even cases where the infantry arrived half a year or a year later. By the time they got there, the battle was long over, and then they would march back again.

This situation was still considered good. It was very possible that during the march, a quarter or even a third of the troops would vanish without a trace, with no one knowing where they had run off to.

Army Supervisor Lu Jiude had also arrived early at Suzhou. Having been in the army for a long time with Ma Shiying, he naturally knew the current maladies. Seeing that Huang Degong was required to send twenty thousand troops but only two thousand had arrived, and that Sun Kewang and Li Dingguo were required to send fifty thousand but only five thousand had come, he could not blame them for this.

However, adding the forces of Sun Kewang and Huang Degong, the Ming army massed by the Fuli Bridge along the Sui River now exceeded twelve thousand, with many cavalry among them.

Their tents were densely packed, spreading continuously along the southern bank of the river.

On the opposite side, countless Chuang army troops had likewise gathered, forming an endless expanse of shelters and stockades.

When Huang Degong arrived, he had suggested advancing immediately and crossing the Sui River. But although a large force had arrived, seeing the boundless rebel troops on the opposite bank, the various generals remained fearful and silent. Ma Shiying kept pondering, and Army Supervisor Lu Jiude was also hesitant and indecisive.

On the seventeenth day of the twelfth month, just as Huang Degong was again pleading bitterly, suddenly a hoarse, exhausted cheer erupted from the opposite bank. All the rebels shouted in unison, and a tall banner was raised high. The flagpole was silvery white, and on it, in black satin, was embroidered a huge character "Chuang."

Then came the thunderous roar of hooves. From the distant plain, countless cavalry surged over like a black mass. They advanced in formation, layered and stacked like a swarm of locusts.

As they advanced, the sound of their hooves rumbled like thunder. The pressure bearing down on them made every man in the Ming stockade change color.

After they assembled, all the rebels together roared "Long live!" The sound wave was like a landslide and tsunami. That show of might frightened many into pale faces.

Army Supervisor Lu Jiude trembled, relying entirely on a few young eunuchs to support him. Ma Shiying's face was equally unsightly, and the hand gripping the stockade wall trembled slightly.

Watching the rebels across the way flaunt their might, Huang Degong said bitterly, "The rebels are too rampant. Governor Ma, your subordinate is willing to lead his troops across the Fuli Bridge to cut down their arrogance!"

Li Dingguo also immediately said, "Your subordinate is willing to lead his personal battalion troops and follow General Huang to kill the rebels!"

The remaining generals remained silent. Sun Kewang glanced at Li Dingguo, his expression still impassive.

Ma Shiying had a powerful build and a strikingly heroic appearance. A veteran of the treacherous waters of officialdom, worldly-wise and experienced, upon hearing this he greatly praised Huang Degong and Li Dingguo, highly commending their loyalty and devotion to the state. But inwardly he thought, "I have only these troops. How can I squander them all like Sun Chuanting did?"

Then, with a grave expression, he said, "Generals, the rebel force is massive. Do not speak lightly of reckless battle. It is best to defend the camp prudently."

Army Supervisor Lu Jiude said shakily, "Yes... yes... The rebels are arrayed by the river. We must guard against them striking us mid-crossing..."

The Huaibei region was crisscrossed with rivers. Especially here by the Sui River, due to constant flooding and breaches of the Yellow River, silt had built up, and the banks were covered with saline-alkali land and marshy ponds. Historically, travelers always took the official road from Fengyang through Suzhou to Xuzhou; crossing the river elsewhere was very difficult.

With the rebels now arrayed along the riverbank, after the government troops crossed from the Fuli Bridge, it would indeed be very difficult to prevent them from striking mid-crossing.

Huang Degong said angrily, "So we stop our troops and just watch because of this?"

He bellowed, "A true man does not fear life or death, does not seek a coward's survival, but only wishes to die in a worthy place!"

Everyone's faces changed. Huang Degong's words implied they were afraid of death and cowardly seeking survival.

A flash of anger also appeared in Ma Shiying's eyes, but he was deep and calculating. His face showed no anger, and he only sighed, "General Huang, you must be extremely cautious. The rebels are more powerful than before. We must not act rashly. We must endure humiliation and bear the burden, preserving the living strength for the Great Ming."

Lu Jiude also said, "Governor Ma's words are most correct. General Huang must take them to heart."

Huang Degong suddenly flung off his cloak and said sternly, "My lads, follow me to kill the rebels!"

He was about to leave. Ma Shiying's face turned ashen. Li Dingguo's blood boiled with passion, and he was about to follow, but at that moment a loud wail rang out: "Commander, no!"

Then a figure threw himself forward. It was Huang Degong's trusted general of the central army, Tian Xiong. He was seen clinging desperately to Huang Degong's thigh, crying as he said, "Commander, the rebels are too strong. We must not fight rashly!"

Huang Degong roared, "Let go of me!"

More trusted generals threw themselves forward, hugging Huang Degong's legs just like Tian Xiong, all weeping and pleading, "Commander, we must not fight rashly..."

Huang Degong's mouth gaped wide. Like a trapped fierce tiger or mighty lion, he howled mournfully. His roaring voice carried far and wide.

Li Dingguo stopped in his tracks. He stared blankly. The hot blood in his chest had all gone cold, and an incomparable sorrow and helplessness welled up in his heart.

Sun Kewang remained impassive, his face calm and expressionless.

On that same day, at Guide Prefecture city.

Guide Prefect Li Zhenyu watched with a heavy heart the overwhelming rebels outside. They had been assaulting the city for five days, using every method of attack, while he himself had used every method of defense. But whether they could ultimately hold out, he had no confidence at all.

The rebels had surrounded the city in large numbers at the beginning of this month. Perhaps they initially intended to use the tactic of besieging a point to strike at reinforcements, so they had remained inactive until five days ago, with only occasional small bands attacking the Gongchen Gate north of the city.

But perhaps because Guide Prefecture city seemed less important compared to Xuzhou, no troops ever came to its aid. Even the three brothers—Guiyong Assistant Regional Commander Ding Qiguang, Ding Qiyin, and Ding Chenglie—who were supposed to reinforce Guide Prefecture city, had been transferred to defend Xuzhou city by a single order from the Ministry of War.

Having waited in vain for relief troops, the rebels likely gave up. They began their assault, fiercely attacking the east gate, west gate, and north gate. In the depths of winter, the moats in these places had begun to freeze, greatly facilitating the rebel attack.

Moreover, their resolve was immense, swearing to capture the last prefectural city in Henan territory. Their human waves came one after another without pause. The black mass of figures outside covered the entire ground.

The shouts of battle shook the heavens. Inside and outside the city, drums beat in unison. The twang of bowstrings releasing arrows and the roar of bird guns rang out continuously, mixed with the smoke and dust rising from cannons. Watching the brutal and bloody fighting everywhere, Li Zhenyu gritted his teeth, worried about the situation.

Then he consoled himself. They should be able to hold out. He had a large quantity of excellent bird guns from the Xuanfu Garrison in the city. The community soldiers and local braves they had organized were resolute. With Assistant Regional Commander Yang's battalion troops, the prefectural city should be able to hold on for a long time.

Just as he was thinking this, suddenly a wail arose from the east gate. Then a personal guard staggered over to report: Assistant Regional Commander Yang had fallen in battle.

Li Zhenyu's heart trembled. The thing he feared most had happened. Then, shortly after, more soldiers came wailing to report: Hou Fangxia, son of Viceroy Hou Xun, seeing the city could not be defended, had led his household troops to break through the gate and flee, wounding many defending soldiers. In the chaos, the rebels had seized the opportunity to force their way in. Now Vice Prefect Yan Zekong, Registrar Xu Yiyuan, Shangqiu County Magistrate Liang Yizhang, and Instructor Xia Shiying were leading community soldiers in street fighting against the rebels. But with large numbers of rebels entering, the city could not be held.

Li Zhenyu looked in that direction. Sure enough, there was a chaotic sound of wailing. At this moment, his heart instead became calm. Since things had come to this, there was only death to repay the country.

He returned to his residence, drew his sword, and as past events flashed vividly before his eyes, he murmured, "I have a clear conscience."

He was about to cut his own throat when footsteps sounded. Li Zhenyu felt a blow to the back of his neck. A wave of dizziness hit him, then everything went dark before his eyes, and he fainted...

After Guide Prefecture fell, the Chuang general Li Guo, who had led the assault, hated its stubborn defense. After breaching the city, he took tens of thousands of captives west of the city and, regardless of status, slaughtered them all.

On the twentieth day of the twelfth month of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, at Xuzhou.

Xuzhou was one hundred eighty li east to Pizhou in Huai'an Prefecture, four hundred eighty li southwest to Shouzhou in Fengyang Prefecture, five hundred ten li west to Guide Prefecture in Henan, and three hundred sixty li north to Yanzhou Prefecture in Shandong. Before Li Hualong dug the Jia Canal, Xuzhou was lined with shops and bustling with markets. In the sixth year of Wanli, it had recorded 37,841 households and a population of 345,766.

After the Jia Canal was dug, Xuzhou's status in grain transport declined somewhat. During the Tianqi era, it suffered floods, and the departmental city was inundated, so the department seat was moved to Mount Yunlong. Even so, Xuzhou remained a strategic throat for north and south, a key area for attack and defense. It had always been a crucial military town connecting the territories of Qi and Lu to the north and the routes of Liang and Chu to the south.

At this time, the city of Xuzhou had a circumference of slightly over nine li, with walls three zhang and three chi high. It had four gates, was blocked by water on three sides, and only the south allowed passage of carts and horses. In terms of defense, it was even more solid than Guide Prefecture city.

However, the city was now filled with terror, because not long before, the rebels outside had brought news of Guide's fall. They had also used a basket to hoist up a large pile of human heads. Among them were the heads of Guide's defending generals, the vice prefect, the county magistrate, the registrar, and others. Only the head of Guide Prefect Li Zhenyu was missing.

But even so, it was enough to make people tremble with fear.

In particular, the people of Xuzhou city had also received word that after the rebels captured Guide, they hated its stubborn defense and, after breaching the city, had slaughtered every man, woman, and child inside. How could this not chill hearts and terrify them?

"Truly, jade and stone are cast together…"

Inside the Regional Commander's residence, staring at the pile of heads before them, whether it was Xuzhou Regional Commander Liu Liangzuo or the crowd of officers under his command, all felt their hair stand on end, waves of cold dread rising in their hearts.

"Great Commander, war is perilous and the Great Ming's fate is exhausted — there is truly no need to be buried alongside it."

"Yes, Great Commander, the realm now belongs to the Dashing King — you must think of the brothers."

"General Zheng speaks reason. Great Commander, even if you will not think of the brothers, think of the people of Xuzhou City. What crime have the common folk committed, that they should suffer such calamity?"

By now the wailing and pleading of the officers under Liu Liangzuo's command shook heaven and earth; they had ample reason to surrender.

Liu Liangzuo's expression still held some hesitation. At last he asked, "What of Jin Shenghuan, Ding Qiguang, and the others?"

A personal officer replied, "Your subordinate has asked them — all are willing to surrender. Even the Department Magistrate of Xuzhou and the others no longer obstruct it."

Liu Liangzuo finally set his mind at ease. He murmured, "So be it. For the people, so that the common folk suffer no more hardship and calamity — we shall surrender."

The officers under his command all set their hearts at ease. In unison they praised him: "The Great Commander's benevolent heart is generous and profound — the people of Xuzhou City will surely engrave their gratitude upon their very organs."

On the twenty-second day of the twelfth month of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, Xuzhou Regional Commander Liu Liangzuo surrendered. Those who surrendered with him included Xuzhou Vice Regional Commander Jin Shenghuan, Mobile Corps Commander Liu Shichang, Garrison Commander Zhuo Sheng, Guiyong Assistant Regional Commander Ding Qiguang, Ding Qiyin, Ding Chenglie, and others. Li Zicheng captured Xuzhou; the realm within the seas was shaken.

On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, hearing that Xuzhou had fallen, Fengyang Viceroy Ma Shiying knew he could not withstand the enemy and so led his troops to retreat and defend the Huai River.

…

On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth month of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen, Li Zicheng appointed Liu Fangliang as vanguard commander to attack Shandong, dispatching urgent proclamations to every commandery and county in Shandong.

The proclamation read: "The First General-in-Chief, Upholder of Righteousness and Commander of the Vanguard Camp, on the matter of receiving the mandate to launch a punitive expedition: From ancient times, the rise and fall of emperors and kings has been presaged in the hearts of the people. Alas, this Ming dynasty — its great number is already spent. Harsh punishments and heavy taxes, the people can no longer endure their fate. Then was born our Sacred Lord, who embodies benevolence and cherishes life. The moment the righteous banner was raised, all within the seas turned their hearts to him…" (~^~)