Chapter 880: One Arrow That Festered for Tens of Li

Wang Dou's words carried absolute resolve. Before him stood two enemies — one, the barbarians, with whom civilized men share a fundamentally irreconcilable contradiction.

Should the regime be supplanted by them, it would differ from an ordinary dynastic change; it would be the destruction of civilization itself.

Thenceforth the magnificent China would be no more, replaced by the humiliation of being called base, pigtailed slaves.

This destruction of civilization was even more terrifying than the Five Barbarians ravaging China or the Mongol Yuan invasion, for these barbarians were more insidious and evil — they knew how to geld the finest qualities of civilized men, leaving behind only the dregs.

Such a tragedy had also occurred in Western history: the Roman Empire was destroyed by the Germanic barbarians, and Europe then entered the Dark Middle Ages, soaked in filth for centuries — the dung heaps beneath the walls of Paris grew so high and thick that enemy troops had no need for siege ladders.

Yet they ultimately rose again through the Renaissance, whereas the Eastern China had no such opportunity.

Now Wang Dou was here, and he would not permit such a tragedy to unfold. No reason was needed — this was the irreconcilable enmity between civilized men and barbarians.

And then there were the roving bandits — they represented the vilest dregs of the world, the darkest things in human nature, knowing only destruction, not construction; knowing only gratification, not responsibility. They were the virus of the nation, parasites upon the host, and when the host died, their own lives would reach their end as well.

The two were no different — both the extreme of darkness, the foulest scum of the world. Wang Dou's years of painstaking cultivation were all for this day.

Therefore, he would not let Li Zicheng or Dorgon escape this stretch of territory around the capital.

A rider came galloping from the Shun army's formation, claiming to be an envoy of the Great Shun. He was escorted before Wang Dou and his men, and actually urged Wang Dou and the Crown Prince to surrender. He declared loudly, "Our Great Shun Heavenly King leads a million troops, encamped just ten li away on Dongsheng Ridge. Surrender at once — the Heavenly King is benevolent and virtuous, and will surely not stint on bestowing the rewards of princes and marquises."

Watching his mouth flap incessantly, the generals beside Wang Dou looked on as if beholding an idiot, wondering where on earth Li Chuang had found this genius.

The Crown Prince and his party were incandescent with rage, yet mindful of the principle that envoys are not to be executed between warring states, they forcibly restrained their fury.

Wang Dou regarded him coolly and said, "Are you finished?"

The envoy said, "I am finished."

Wang Dou made a gesture. Zhong Diaoyang fiercely drew his sword and slashed — the envoy's head tumbled to the ground with a gurgling roll, while the headless corpse spurted gouts of blood before crashing to the earth.

The Crown Prince and his party were startled, their faces turning somewhat pale. Wen Shiyan laughed and said, "Li Zicheng — a mere rat, not even resembling a sovereign, and he dares to urge surrender?"

Gao Shiyin added from the side, "A monkey wearing a crown."

The assembled generals all sneered. They and the roving bandits were sworn enemies; Li Chuang must have had some screw loose to send someone to urge surrender — was that not simply delivering heads for free?

At that moment, astonishingly, another envoy requested an audience, secretly claiming to be an envoy of the Great Qing, willing to join forces with the Ming Crown Prince and Grand Commander Wang Dou to exterminate the roving bandits and avenge their sovereign and father. Wang Dou shook his head — he could not even be bothered to see the man — and ordered that the Great Qing envoy be killed as well.

He glanced at the sky, then at the hourglass, and said to Gao Shiyin, "Brother Gao."

Gao Shiyin nodded heavily. He clasped his fists solemnly toward Wang Dou, swept back the scarlet cloak behind him, turned, and strode away with great steps.

Wang Dou then looked toward Han Chao, Wen Fangliang, and the others, and slowly uttered the words: "Make your move."

With a clangor of iron armor, Han Chao and the others shouted in unison, "We accept our orders!"

Wang Dou watched as Han Chao, Wen Fangliang, and the others galloped down the ridge. His position was the best vantage point — to the south he could observe the Shun army's position, to the east he could clearly see the Qing army's position, and the surrounding terrain all fell within his gaze.

At this moment, on the southern side of Dang'er Ridge, Wen Fangliang led the Azure Dragon Army and other forces, roughly fifty thousand horse and foot, deployed in battle formation — left, center, and right wings — with a great quantity of artillery, rockets, and the like.

On the eastern side of Dang'er Ridge, Han Chao led the Black Tortoise Army and other forces, roughly sixty thousand horse and foot, deployed in battle formation — likewise left, center, and right wings — with a great quantity of artillery and rockets.

The remaining forty thousand reserve troops were positioned atop Dang'er Ridge, conveniently able to reinforce any side while also allowing them to look down from the heights and absorb the atmosphere of the battlefield.

The Qing army was still closing in, advancing in formation from ten li away. Wang Dou gazed toward the Shun army's position; they too were divided into three wings. Wang Dou paid closest attention to their center army — all veteran camp soldiers, their formation stretching roughly five or six li across and three or four li in depth. Including their artillery camp and wagon camp, their numbers were around sixty thousand.

Their left wing was two li away. The ground before Fuhai, Wengshan, and Hongshan was packed with men; he estimated that behind Hongshan too it was all men, and many more troops were massing behind their formation. Yet the ground was only so large — even counting their right-wing troops, Wang Dou estimated the roving bandits had only committed two hundred thousand men to battle, with more than half their forces still not deployed.

However, judging by their past tactics, Li Chuang likely intended to fight a war of attrition on the two wings — troops at the front would fight, then withdraw to the rear to rest, attacking in ceaseless waves.

A tactic that had been very effective before — only this time, their scheme would not succeed.

Wen Fangliang galloped to his own battle formation. Matching the roving bandits opposite him, his battle formation was also divided into three wings. The center army was further divided into a forward formation and a rear formation. The forward formation consisted entirely of infantry — the Azure Dragon Army's B-grade battalions, the Xuan-Da Viceroy's Personal Battalion (which was in fact also a Jingbian Army B-grade battalion), and two C-grade battalions deployed in formation. Together with the cavalry formations on the two wings, they extended a battle line of roughly seven li.

In this era, deploying troops in battle formation actually occupied considerable space. Generally speaking, each soldier required two paces of ground — that is, three meters — and the front-to-rear interval was also two paces; otherwise, in the heat of combat, one swing of a great blade would cut down the comrade beside him.

Horses occupied even more space — four paces between left and right, or two paces if packed tight, and twenty paces between each rank front to rear, or ten paces if packed tight.

However, because flintlock muskets had become universal, the Jingbian Army's ranks could be arrayed more tightly. One combat battalion of theirs numbered 3,200 men, of whom 1,600 were musketeers divided into four ranks, 400 men per rank, occupying 400 meters. When necessary, they could even pack two musketeers into a single meter to increase fire density.

The remaining pikemen were likewise divided into four ranks. The ground occupied by four battalions, plus the gaps between each battalion, took up four li. Together with the Loyalty Battalion cavalry on the two wings and the cavalry of the various Shaanxi-Gansu generals, they extended seven li.

Then the Azure Dragon Army's A-grade battalion, the army's elite cavalry and hunter cavalry, served as the center army's rear formation.

Wen Fangliang returned to the battle formation, and the soldiers surged toward him like the tide, cheering their commanding general. Wen Fangliang galloped to the forward formation and through his telescope surveyed the roving bandits' center army opposite. Their forward wagon camp and musket camp were all arrayed in strict readiness several li away, and there was a great roar of clamor and shouting. The artillery in their army was continuously being moved toward the various gun emplacements.

He turned his head to look at his own position. Before the formation were arrayed cannon after cannon — among them a hundred ordinary Red Barbarian cannons, thirty Grand General cannons, and a hundred and fifty medium and small Frankish cannons. Twenty Red Barbarian heavy cannons drawn by horses and mules, and thirty heavy mortars, were also fully prepared.

In addition, there was one battalion of heavy rocket troops and two battalions of light rocket troops, totaling a hundred and twenty light and heavy rocket launch troughs.

In the first wave, they would strike the roving bandits' gun emplacements, wagon camp, and musket camp. Then the infantry formation would advance. If the roving bandits attacked with cavalry, they would bombard them with solid shot from ordinary Red Barbarian cannons and the like. If they charged close, canister shot would be waiting for them.

That would be the domain of King Yama.

In particular, the Red Barbarian cannons' canister shot had a range of over two hundred paces and a spread of thirty to forty paces. With just sixty Red Barbarian cannons, the canister coverage area would reach five or six li.

Not to mention that here there were a hundred Red Barbarian cannons, plus a great number of Frankish cannons — their canister range was also over a hundred paces, with a spread of ten to twenty paces. If the roving bandits' cavalry charged, they would be charging into Death's domain, allowing the musketeers and pikemen behind to calmly reap the results.

Such formidable muskets, cannons, and rockets, and such elite warriors, all gave Wen Fangliang intense confidence. At this moment, his battle formation was five li from the roving bandits' gun emplacements. By the tacit understanding reached after the cavalry and picket skirmishes between the two sides, each side occupied three or four li of this ten-li zone as depth for deploying their formations, with the middle ground serving as the killing field.

However, due to the unique nature of the Jingbian Army's battle formations, the Azure Dragon Army required very shallow depth. Thus their forward formation was five li distant from the roving bandits' formation, and also one li from their own artillery platforms — though that area was still their territory.

Wen Fangliang galloped back to the center army's rear formation and bellowed, "Form ranks and advance!"

Han Chao returned to his own battle formation. He led sixty thousand horse and foot, likewise in three wings. The center army was divided into forward and rear formations, with two B-grade battalions, Wang Pu's new army battalion, and two C-grade battalions as the forward formation, occupying five li. Then his A-grade battalion, elite cavalry, hunter cavalry, the New Auxiliary Battalion cavalry, and the submitted Mongols formed the rear formation.

The two wings were each roughly one li from the center army, defending positions of one or two li each.

Like Wen Fangliang, Han Chao's formation also possessed a great quantity of artillery and rockets — three battalions of light rocket troops alone, two and a half battalions of heavy rocket troops, plus forty Red Barbarian heavy cannons, forty heavy mortars, a hundred and fifty ordinary Red Barbarian cannons, fifty Grand General Frankish cannons, and two hundred and fifty medium and small Frankish cannons.

There were also ten Red Barbarian heavy cannons and ten heavy mortars deployed on the two wings, along with a number of ordinary Red Barbarian cannons, Frankish cannons, and so on.

His position would form an exceedingly terrifying and fearsome fire net.

He rode his horse to the ridge at Zhuxinzhuang and gazed out. The slave rebels had advanced within five li; ultimately, they would probably halt three or four li before his formation.

Judging by the disposition of their troops and horses, they might at that time employ a great number of cavalry to charge the formation.

But Han Chao was not worried. His fire net was laid right here, and constrained by the terrain, the slave rebels could at most use a formation of a thousand warhorses across. Moreover, when they deployed, they would have to pack tightly together — otherwise their cavalry formation would stretch at least ten li long, and this side simply could not fit it.

Under his own side's formidable muskets, cannons, and rockets, the tighter they packed, the better targets they would make. When the time came, let them come as many as they would, and die as many as they came!

He ordered the central grand formation to advance and meet them. "Jingbian Army, forward!"

On Dang'er Ridge, Wang Dou lowered his telescope. He smiled. Dorgon wanted to pull the same trick as at Yipianshi, so he would take the initiative and advance, dragging him into the water.

……

The music of strings, bamboo, and drums rang out, stirring martial melodies drifting on the air. In sight, banners and pennants fluttered, the battle lines were trim and precise, and the rhythmic tramp of boots resounded in unison. As they advanced, their bayoneted muskets and long spears rose and fell in cadence, like waves of metal and red tassels.

Watching the formation bearing down on them from ahead, Yang Shaofan and Gao Yigong both revealed complicated expressions. Then a cold light shot from Gao Yigong's eyes, and he said, "They've come at the right time. Let them taste the power of our Great Shun artillery."

He glanced at the gun emplacements beside him, a look of reassurance in his eyes. His four-wheeled millstone cannons could fire three or four li. The enemy seemed to have brought up quite a few small cannons, many of them red-barbarian pieces. This Wang Dou was indeed no simple man, but judging by the weight of those cannons, Gao Yigong's anxious heart settled.

As expected, they could only fire one or two li. Under his own side's sharp red-barbarian heavy cannons, they could only take a beating without being able to strike back.

Looking further at the fine war wagons arrayed in a solid line over a hundred paces in front of each gun emplacement, the dense ranks of breech-loading swivel guns on the wagons, and the musket soldiers drawn up in close formation behind the wagons, Gao Yigong felt even more at ease.

"Come on then, we're waiting for you."

……

"Pass the order: the left wing is to begin the attack."

On Dongsheng Ridge, Li Zicheng watched the Jingbian Army close in with their formation. Expressionless, he issued the command.

Although miscalculating Wang Dou and that Great Qing state had brought great panic to him and the Chuang camp commanders, no matter what, he had several hundred thousand troops, a record of invincibility in recent years, and sharp muskets and cannons. There was no reason to simply give up.

Even if he had to pile up human lives, he would bury that Wang Dou.

Moreover, that Qing state had also sent men to express goodwill toward him, willing to join hands with him in attacking Wang Dou. Reckoned this way, had this side instead become a powerful reinforcement?

But Li Zicheng would not trust them because of this, so his right wing remained strictly on guard, unless that Qing state truly attacked Wang Dou.

……

The opposing army formation came on like a wall, like a mountain — severe, sharp-edged, and unstoppable.

Dorgon lowered his telescope in astonishment. "What is Wang Dou doing?"

Just then, a scout rider reported that on the southern side of Dang'er Ridge, the Jingbian Army had also begun attacking the roving bandits.

Everyone around him made sounds of disbelief. Dorgon laughed in extreme fury. "I acknowledge that Wang Dou is strong, but to fight two at once — who does he think he is?"

At that moment, from the south side of Dang'er Ridge came the shrill shriek of something, followed by a violent explosion that made Dorgon's heart tremble.

……

"What is that? Crouching Tiger cannons?"

Gao Yigong watched curiously as some Jingbian Army soldiers seemed to take something out from wagons. From a distance, they looked like small cannons similar to Crouching Tiger cannons. So far away — what effect could they have?

Yang Shaofan frowned as he watched, a sense of foreboding in his heart. Strange things emerged endlessly around Wang Dou. He hoped it was not some new kind of weapon again.

They watched three or four li away, where Jingbian Army soldiers in front of the formation were bustling about. They were extremely fast and soon finished their preparations, then spread out in a single line — just some things that looked like Crouching Tiger cannons or small breech-loading swivel guns.

Then they saw them load something in, and then…

Abruptly, from one "Crouching Tiger cannon" seemed to burst a column of orange-red flame shooting skyward, followed by a sharp shriek that tore the air, as if something had soared up from the "Crouching Tiger cannon," screaming like a brilliant, dazzling heavenly fire meteor.

Trailing dense smoke and a long red tail flame, it shrieked as if rending heaven and earth, flying straight toward this side.

In the sky, it was so dazzling and eye-catching, like the gorgeous fireworks of a festival, a brilliant shooting star in a starry night.

"Divine Fire Flying Crow?"

Gao Yigong stared blankly. Yang Shaofan's face changed drastically, pale as paper.

That "Divine Fire Flying Crow" suddenly plunged down, landing right among a mass of musketeers. Then came a violent explosion that shook the earth. Everyone within several dozen paces around swayed and tumbled. With it came a spray of blood and flesh, a continuous chorus of screams. Many had arms or legs severed, or their entrails and bowels blasted to pieces. The fragments from the explosion brought terrifying lethality.

The sudden, unheralded strike inflicted heavy casualties on the densely packed musketeers here. Flying iron shards instantly pierced their bodies, sheared off their limbs; some were even blown into minced flesh. Those unlucky musketeers who had not died instantly but had arms or legs sheared off rolled on the ground, wailing piteously. The intense agony made them wish only for death.

The blast wave from the rocket explosion also overturned many people, startled their horses, and plunged them into confusion, dazed and at a loss.

This was only the effect of the fragments after the explosion. After the "Divine Fire Flying Crow" detonated, within a hundred paces around, blood mist erupted from many people's bodies; they either staggered and collapsed or were directly sent flying by the small iron pellets.

Even a light rocket contained at least a thousand small iron pellets inside. Driven by the explosion of a massive quantity of black powder, they sprayed in all directions like raindrops, their power comparable to muskets fired at close range, bringing even more terrifying lethality. Unending, piteous howls could be heard.

Yang Shaofan struggled desperately to control his own panic-stricken horse. Several riders beside him were thrown directly from their frenzied mounts. When he finally regained his senses, he saw his musketeers had suffered grievous casualties. Everywhere here were people fleeing madly, and others screaming, stumbling and staggering, not knowing what to do.

"General Yang, my hand…"

Yang Shaofan saw a musketeer approach, weeping and wailing. His left arm was broken, the ghastly white bone exposed, with horrifying shreds of red flesh still clinging to it.

Looking at all this, Yang Shaofan trembled. He suddenly let out a piercing shriek: "No!"

Then, he looked over again in terror — for the sharp shrieks tearing the air sounded one after another. Streak after streak of "Divine Fire Flying Crows" rose into the sky again, as many as a hundred of them, like a rain of meteoric fire, flying toward this side once more.

……

"No!"

Dorgon's eyes seemed about to bleed tears of blood. The Jingbian Army's "Divine Fire Flying Crows" had suddenly fallen, blasting the soldiers in front into chaos. Dorgon was still in shock — what weapon was that, to be able to fire so far?

By his estimate, the launch distance of those "Divine Fire Flying Crows" was already four or five li. Abruptly, one "Great Divine Fire Flying Crow" flew directly into his formation, landing among the Gabsihiyan elite troops. After the explosion, thousands of iron pellets sprayed out. The number of dead and wounded was beyond counting. These were the Great Qing's most elite warriors, and they had died so senselessly.

What especially terrified Dorgon was that he was so far away, yet the Jingbian Army's weapons could still reach him. Where was safe anymore?

The fear of death surged in Dorgon's heart. Just now, a small iron pellet had actually struck his horse directly, sending Dorgon tumbling to the ground. Then he scrambled up in a daze, only to hear again the piercing shrieks tearing the air. The columns of orange-red flame soaring skyward were so magnificent, and then came violent tremors shaking the earth.

Dorgon saw raging flames blazing over there. Dozens of armored soldiers, their bodies on fire, fled screaming. They crashed about madly like rats, and the people around them dodged them in utter panic.

There were also people on fire rolling desperately on the ground, yet the flames simply would not go out. They burned, shrieking in agony. The crackling sound of their bodies searing made one's blood run cold. The smell of roasted human flesh wafted in waves. The scene was utterly horrific and appalling.

Wherever the Jingbian Army's "Divine Fire Flying Crows" passed, even the most elite armored soldiers did nothing but flee for their lives, charging and crashing about wildly, at a complete loss.

Dorgon stared blankly. He murmured, "How can this be?"

……

The fierce shrieking sounds were unending. Rocket after rocket soared through the air, screaming as they pounced on the enemy formations. Whether roving bandits or Tartar bandits, no place in their positions was safe. The sky was filled with dense smoke and flames. Trails of fiery rockets streaked across, as if shooting stars filled the sky and fell — incomparably gorgeous.

On Dang'er Ridge, everyone's mouths hung wide open, each expression exceedingly vivid. Many people rubbed their eyes furiously, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Looking south at the roving bandits, then east at the Tartar bandits, Wang Dou revealed a smile. "Grand Forbidden Art."

Crown Prince Zhu Cilang unconsciously tugged at the hem of his robe, murmuring, "Heavenly Fire Meteors."

Chen Xinjia's expression was ferocious, his face flushed crimson. "One arrow that rots and festers for dozens of li."