Chapter 77

The damp, cold air hung heavy, accompanied by air hovering near the freezing point.

The water levels of both the Greater Ling River and the Lesser Ling River had surged.

Just as the river waters swelled, countless farmers quietly appeared on both banks of the Lesser Ling River, blocking its channel.

With the river channel becoming silted and blocked.

The speed at which the river water rose accelerated instantly.

At this very moment, the Yulin Guard had also arrived at Ningyuan City!

Thirty-five banners of the feudal kings and the Crown Prince's standard fluttered in the air.

As soon as they passed Ningyuan.

Lan Yu sensed something amiss.

Lan Yu had not failed to visit Liaodong before.

In this season, the air in Liaodong should absolutely not be this humid!

Sensing the anomaly, Lan Yu immediately ordered men to go to Ningyuan City to inquire about the situation.

Shortly after, Lan Yu learned of the heavy rains that had struck Liaoxi a few days prior.

Lan Yu's expression gradually turned solemn.

Tang Wang Zhu Yujian also seemed to notice that Lan Yu's expression was off.

"Grand General, just ahead lies the territory of the Jianzhou Jurchens; shall we...?"

Hearing this, Lan Yu finally snapped back to his senses, then issued a decisive order:

"All units set up camp here and now; at noon tomorrow, we march out of Ningyuan!"

Lan Yu knew there was likely an ambush ahead.

However, before the expedition, Lan Yu had also learned of some of the current situation in the Chongzhen court.

Regardless of whether this was truly a suicide mission.

Songshan must be rescued.

This is the disgusting nature of besieging a point to draw out reinforcements.

You know people are waiting ahead to strike you.

But that point, you must rescue.

So you must be led by the nose.

And you have only one choice.

That is to strike the opponent head-on!

Lan Yu had no choice.

Great Ming had no choice either.

The two hundred thousand men under Lan Yu's command also had no choice.

Zhu Yujian rose on his own and bowed with clasped hands, saying:

"Yes!"

73, Dorgon: The Zhu family is trying to carry us brothers into the Wumiao!

At dawn the next day.

The Yulin Guard, composed of two hundred and fifty thousand Great Ming imperial clan members and able-bodied men, officially crossed the defensive zone of Ningyuan City.

Marching east along the Liaoxi Corridor to reinforce Songshan.

And atop a certain mountain peak.

Dorgon, the banner lord of the Manchu Plain Bai Qi, was leading several Personal Guards, holding a telescope purchased by Kong Youde from the Franks, gazing down at the foot of the mountain.

When Dorgon clearly saw the banners of this army through the telescope.

Dorgon was completely stunned.

"King of Liao, Qin Wang, King of Jin, King of Chu, King of Shu... and the Crown Prince?!"

A flush of joy suddenly appeared on Dorgon's face.

At the same time, four words inevitably surfaced in his mind.

"All the Kings March Beyond the Pass!"

This was the first time since Jingnan that all the kings had marched beyond the pass for Great Ming!

Thinking of this, Dorgon immediately felt his blood surging in reverse throughout his body.

"Quickly, send an urgent eight-hundred-li dispatch to Your Majesty immediately; this army belongs to the feudal kings of Great Ming!"

"Tell Dodo that our chance to be immortalized in history has arrived!"

"Great Ming intends to use the blood of the Zhu family to carry us into the Wumiao!"

Upon hearing that relatives of the Son of Heaven Zhu Ming were personally leading the expedition, these Eight Banner soldiers and warriors immediately became ecstatic.

The Great Ming imperial clan members at the foot of the mountain did not yet know.

That their whereabouts had already been completely exposed to the reconnaissance of the Eight Banner soldiers and warriors.

Lan Yu had actually anticipated this to some extent.

But there was no way around it.

According to Ming army custom, when a large army moves, 'Night Unseen'—the so-called scouts—must be deployed fifty to sixty li ahead of the main force.

These men were all elite warriors capable of fighting ten men each.

Their main duty was to scout enemy movements around the army.

It was just very obvious.

This type of soldier cannot be trained in a single month of military drill.

At this moment, Lan Yu could only lead this force eastward with great difficulty, like a blind man.

A hundred li away.

Several scouts ran into Huang Taiji's dragon tent, beaming with joy.

"My lord has great cause for joy, my lord has great cause for joy!"

Huang Taiji tossed aside the report in his hand, stood up, and asked repeatedly,

"Is there urgent news from the front?"

"Yes, yes. The Plain Bai Qi just confirmed that the troops exiting the pass are soldiers from the Great Ming's various vassal kings."

"The Great Ming's Qin Wang, Shu Wang, Shen Wang, Chu Wang, Jin Wang, and Zhao Wang have all arrived!"

Hearing the scout's words,

Huang Taiji immediately drew in a sharp breath of cold air.

"Is this truly so?"

"Absolutely true! Your Majesty, the Great Ming is truly at the end of its road!"

Fan Wencheng, standing nearby, could not help but show joy on his face.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty. Congratulations, Your Majesty."

"In this battle, the Great Ming has likely poured out the very last of its national reserves."

"It can be foreseen that after this victory, the ten thousand li of mighty passes will likely be as good as useless."

Huang Taiji suppressed the smile on his face and said,

"Mr. Fan, how can you speak so? What if these vassal kings are the Great Ming's true elite?"

Hearing the word "elite," Fan Wencheng nearly laughed out loud.

"Your Majesty, elite?"

Having said this, Fan Wencheng turned to that scout and asked,

"On your way here, did you see any Ming army night scouts?"

Hearing Fan Wencheng ask this,

that scout finally realized.

"Reporting to my lord Fan, not a single one was seen. These vassal kings did not send any out at all!"

Fan Wencheng looked at Huang Taiji with a smiling face and said,

"Has Your Majesty ever seen elite troops that do not even send out night scouts?!"

"Emperor Zhu is sending people to escort all the banner lords into the Wumiao!"