Chapter 168: Attack and Defense (VII)

"Zha!"

Once the Prince of Pingnan had spoken, guards immediately received the order and went to relay it.

By "household troops" was meant the direct-line soldiers Shang Kexi had commanded after surrendering to the Jin. Hong Taiji had bestowed on them the name "Heaven-Blessed Troops," but Shang Kexi called them his household troops — in truth they were Shang Kexi's booi bondservants.

These household troops were mostly elite veterans of the former Ming Eastern River Army, and they fought with considerable courage.

After the Qing army entered the pass in the first year of Shunzhi, Shang Kexi followed the Qing Prince Yu, Duoduo, in suppressing Li Zicheng's peasant army. In that campaign Shang Kexi's household troops contributed greatly and won much merit.

Duoduo praised them highly, joking that the troops under the Prince of Zhishun were fierce at beating dogs. (Author's note: Shang Kexi was enfeoffed as Prince of Pingnan in the sixth year of Shunzhi; before that he was Prince of Zhishun.)

In the sixth year of Shunzhi, because several southern provinces had rebelled again and the Eight Banners lacked sufficient strength, Dorgon heeded Hong Chengchou's advice to use Han against Han.

He ordered Kong Youde, Shang Kexi, and Geng Zhongming, who had already returned to Liaodong, to each lead their households and old troops back through the pass and southward.

Kong Youde advanced into Guangxi from the Hunan front, while Shang Kexi and Geng Zhongming advanced into Guangdong. In the march into Guangdong, the Qing army swept all before it, and Shang Kexi and his household troops played a major part.

Thus when the Qing court decided which prince would permanently hold Guangdong, the officials at court inclined toward Shang Kexi made up the greater half, leaving Geng Jingzhong able only to scheme in secret, without the confidence to contend openly with the Prince of Pingnan's household for Guangdong.

Yet fierce as the household troops were, twenty years had passed since Shang Kexi surrendered to the Jin in the fifth year of Chongzhen.

In those twenty years, the household troops who had once been in their prime had long since grown old — how could they still mount horses and fight? And with year after year of campaigning, the household troops now in Shang Kexi's army numbered fewer than five hundred.

Of these five hundred, aside from some still able to ride who served as palace guards, the rest commanded troops in various places — men like Xu Erxian, Regional Commander of Zhaoqing, and the Gusa Ejen Ban Zhifu, both of whom had come from the household troops.

Though Shang Kexi's old household troops had withered, under his command there still existed a new household force. This new household force had been built by Shang Kexi on the foundation of the original household troops.

Every soldier in it was a blood relative or son of the old household troops, and every officer came from the old household troops.

With such a structure, this new household force fully inherited the ferocity of the old, and it was one of the main forces of the Han Bordered Blue Banner under the Pingnan feudatory.

In any use of troops — storming strong cities, seizing hard-held camps — what is spent is human life. Unless absolutely necessary, one's own elite core is not committed.

So when Shang Kexi's order came down for the household troops to attack Xinhui again, Ban Zhifu, who was hurrying to camp with the heir apparent Shang Zhixin, at once frowned.

Shang Zhixin too found it deeply strange, wondering why his father wanted the household troops committed, and why Xinhui had to be broken today. The Green Standard's earlier assault had failed, and army morale was low, while the Taiping Army in the city was in high spirits.

Sending the household troops up now — even if they forced the city, the household troops' losses would be staggering.

Shang Zhixin likewise thought this a bad bargain, a battle paid for entirely in lives, and that the household troops should not be used for it. In outsiders' eyes, the heir of the Prince of Pingnan was a reckless brute, but in truth Shang Zhixin was exceedingly shrewd.

He knew very well that the Shang family had become a princely house, and had won the Qing court's trust, precisely because of his father's household and old troops — because his father's soldiers could fight!

In this world, only with soldiers does one have standing; only with soldiers does one have money and grain. Without soldiers, all standing is worthless!

When the Manchu troops fought in the early years, they first drove the Mongol Eight Banners and Han Eight Banners forward. Later, after entering the pass and gaining many Ming surrendered troops, they drove those surrendered troops to fight instead.

Only when the surrendered troops could fight no more did the Manchu troops go in. With this method, what losses could the Manchu troops suffer?

However formidable the Ming army, after fighting through the surrendered troops and the Mongol and Han Eight Banners, how much strength could it have left? Once the Manchu troops went in, even if the Ming army was not defeated, it was defeated.

If the Manchus could do this, the Shang family naturally could too.

Since coming south, the method had been for the household troops to drive the surrendered troops and camp troops forward from behind; when the battle reached its critical point, the household troops would charge out. In this way, victory was always complete.

In all these years, the household troops had never gone in from the very start, let alone been spent on a grinding siege like this.

Had Father lost his senses? How could he send the household troops into such a foolish battle? If the household troops suffered heavy losses, what would be left to keep the camp troops in check, to stand against the Ming army, to earn the Qing court's trust?

If our own capital is squandered away for nothing, the Qing court will treat us father and son as no more than used toilet paper! Look at how, when Geng Zhongming died, the Geng family's princely title was nearly lost.

If the Geng family had strength like ours, with a fighting force under their command, would that young Son of Heaven in the Forbidden City have dared make things so difficult for them?

Troubled and anxious, Shang Zhixin exchanged a few hurried words with Ban Zhifu, and the two of them hastened into camp to seek an audience with Shang Kexi.

Upon seeing the Prince of Pingnan, and at Shang Zhixin's prompting, Ban Zhifu at once stepped forward and asked Shang Kexi in a low voice, "My prince, the Green Standard has already lost heart, and the rebels in the city are defending with discipline.

I fear Xinhui cannot be taken today — why spend the household troops? Would it not be better to withdraw today and attack again tomorrow with concentrated strength?"

Shang Kexi glanced at his son, gave a slight nod, then fixed his gaze on the city of Xinhui ahead and said gravely, "If the rebels in the city had no order to them, this prince could grant them a day. But as things now appear, this Taiping Army is a strong force.

That being so, we cannot wait, still less allow them any breathing room. This prince observed earlier that though the Green Standard failed with heavy losses, the Taiping Army is in no better shape — they too are at the end of their strength.

If we do not seize this chance to attack again and let them recover, tomorrow's casualties will be even greater. Besides, war is like water, without fixed form.

Xinhui matters greatly; for every day it remains in rebel hands, this prince's heart will know no peace."

Hearing this, Ban Zhifu knew the Prince of Pingnan had made his decision. Realizing he could no longer dissuade him, he ceased objecting and instead said quietly, "What my prince says is quite right.

But perhaps other troops should go first, and the household troops hold back a little longer?"

Shang Kexi understood his meaning clearly — it was nothing more than a wish to preserve the core strength, lest the household troops suffer too many losses storming a strong city and have their vitality broken.

In the past, Shang Kexi had always heeded Ban Zhifu's counsel without fail. Today, however, was unexpected.

He shook his head and did not answer Ban Zhifu directly, but said instead, "This prince did not lead a great army here in person to be laughed at by a pale-faced boy." Then, turning to Qin Guocheng, the Gusa Ejen commanding the household troops, he said, "Attack at any cost.

Once the city is broken, there will be no sheathing of swords!"

"Your general obeys!"

Qin Guocheng clasped his fists and answered with a thunderous shout, then turned to lead his troops in the assault.

Shang Kexi meanwhile issued further orders. The camp troops who had fallen back were ordered to attack again, and two more Green Standard battalions were brought up to join the assault. For a time, trumpets blew, orders flew, and the clamor was immense.

Shang Zhixin wanted to urge his father to have Hu Guoli's governor's standard troops join the assault as well, but Shang Kexi rejected it.

In his view, although the Green Standard had failed to take the city, the defenders could not number more than two or three thousand, relying on strong walls and good weapons to hold off the Green Standard.

But if his own elite household troops attacked, even at the cost of heavy casualties, the city could still be taken. Since Xinhui was certain to fall, he did not want Li Shuaitai's men sharing the credit.

Besides, those five hundred governor's standard troops were not worth the Prince of Pingnan's notice.