Chapter 598: Holding Steady

"In the third month, repairs were made to the city walls, moats, and trenches of eight cities, including the construction of eight new tower forts. Two hundred zhang of unfinished earthen wall at Jinzhou's eastern gate, four structures including the earthen wall and high platforms at Zhonghou Suoxiang, repaired for ten zhang. Three fortified strongholds including Heizhuangke, repaired for twenty zhang... Purchased one hundred sixty-nine thousand seven hundred jin of merchant saltpeter. Newly manufactured: one Copper Red Barbarian General, twenty Sweeping Invader Cannons, thirty iron helmets, one hundred thirty padded headguards, one hundred five sets of armor, twenty pairs of arm guards. Refurbished: ten helmet crests, four hundred thirteen sets of armor. Newly manufactured: thirteen cannon carts, twenty Horse-slaying Sabers, two hundred sixty Suspension Shields, one hundred forty Push Shields. Purchased and inspected: two hundred sixty horses and mules."

Inside the White Robe Nunnery in Ningyuan, Jiang Shou finished speaking in a low voice and waited for the nun opposite him to silently memorize it before whispering to her again, "His Lordship has been restless in spirit these days, no longer able to handle affairs; military matters are all delegated to his advisors. The situation here has been separately reported to the Capital by both the Army Supervisor and the Supreme Commander. It is expected that before long, a new Liaodong Military Commander will arrive."

"Understood." The nun had clearly already received the message. She raised her head to look at Jiang Shou. "The land beyond the pass is no peaceful place. To be able to return south is also a blessing."

Jiang Shou hesitated for a moment, then said, "When I was about to leave, the shopkeeper only instructed that there would be someone to receive me in Liaodong, but did not mention what to do when leaving. If we leave this war-torn place, and His Lordship is no longer an official, there will be no market conditions to probe. Should we then just..."

The nun raised her head and glanced at Jiang Shou. "I have reported all your affairs to the Capital. Shopkeeper Zhang sent word back, saying that once you reach the south, someone will contact you. Places without war are not places without work to do. When your lord returns home, he will still be a Country Squire. There are many officials in the Huizhou area; sooner or later there will be places where you are needed. Just follow the shopkeeper's arrangements."

Jiang Shou said softly, "Understood."

"Though we are all working for the Shadow Sentinel Camp, it is still better than this war-torn land." The nun was silent for a moment, her gaze shifting to Jiang Shou's belly. "Congratulations on having a family and a child. Married into a wealthy household, with no worries about food and clothing, the days ahead hold promise. In these times, that is a good fate."

"You too will have such a day in the future."

"I do not have your good fate. Liaodong is no good destination. We are originally southerners; once we leave, we should never return." The nun silently gazed at the rear hall door. After a moment, she sighed and said, "Continue then. How much grain is stored in each city?"

"The Ningyuan Grain Office this month newly received thirty-two thousand five hundred shi of Tianjin grain and twenty-five thousand four hundred shi of fodder beans. The Qiantun Grain Office newly received twenty-nine thousand two hundred shi of Tianjin grain and fifteen thousand five hundred shi of fodder beans. The Jinzhou Grain Office newly received thirty-one thousand two hundred fifty shi of Tianjin grain and twenty-seven thousand two hundred shi of fodder beans..."

In the study of the rear courtyard of the Ji-Liao Supreme Commander's Office in Ningyuan, three oil lamps were placed on the table, and candles were lit on lampstands in the four corners to supplement the light. The room was reasonably bright.

Five people gathered before the table. The middle-aged man at the head seat wore a Daoist robe; he had a broad forehead and lean cheeks. The other four were roughly between thirty and forty years old. One of them was pointing at a map on the table and reporting, his speech entirely in a Fujian accent. (Note 1)

"Jinzhou's grain stores can last approximately until the sixth month." The speaker's finger moved downward on the map. "Songshan and Xingshan each have ten thousand shi of grain stored. At Songshan, Wu Sangui's forces consist of three thousand cavalry and two thousand infantry, totaling five thousand men. If we were to mobilize reinforcements to Songshan and Xingshan now, it would only be enough for about two or three months."

The middle-aged man at the head seat first turned to the youngest person beside him. "Wenhua, this newly made map is excellent. Make several more copies of this map and distribute them to all camps for review."

The young man immediately bowed and said, "I dare not accept Minister Hong's undue praise. This map still has several places that need revision. I will finish the corrections within two days and immediately send them out to all camps."

The middle-aged man at the head seat nodded approvingly. He was Hong Chengchou, Minister of War and Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief, Imperial Commissioner Supreme Commander of Ji-Liao and Other Places' Military Affairs, Concurrently Managing Rations and Pay, and Pacifying Guangning and Beyond — the Superintendent of Ji and Liao. The official title was very long; the most important part within it was the four characters 'Supreme Commander of Ji-Liao,' which was the common term for the Superintendent of Ji and Liao.

Transferred from Shaanxi to Liaodong a year ago, Hong Chengchou now controlled the most powerful armed force of the Ming Dynasty — over a hundred thousand troops of the Ji Garrison and the Liao Garrison. It was also the primary operational front against the Qing army, and he faced immense pressure from the enemy.

"Continue with the military intelligence."

Another middle-aged man beside the table immediately said, "Last time we requested the Ministry of Works to allocate various items, the Ministry of Works had no No. 2 or No. 3 Cannons to issue, but could allocate fifty Barbarian-exterminating Cannons, two thousand bows, and sixty thousand arrows. At the beginning of the month, we submitted a request to the Ministry of War for saltpeter, sulfur, gunpowder, armor, and weapons. The Ministry of War's reply stated that Ji-Liao has already established its own workshops for gunpowder, firearms, cannons, and armor and weapons, and should therefore... manage on its own."

The man raised his eyes to glance at Hong Chengchou. After this Supreme Commander of Ji-Liao arrived in Liaodong, the border walls of the Ji Garrison were broken, the troops of both garrisons were arrogant and indolent, and there was a shortage of everything — rations, pay, horses, mules, equipment, armor, and weapons. The Liao Garrison was also half a year behind in pay; the entire defensive line was on the verge of collapse.

Through Hong Chengchou's efforts, the Liao Garrison selected and trained combat soldiers, reorganized the strength of all camps, and restored the Ji Garrison's defensive line. Although it had only been a short year, both garrisons had taken on a new appearance. While it could not completely resolve years of accumulated problems, at least they now had the strength to fight a battle.

Besides resolving issues of rations, pay, and reorganizing troops, he also used every possible means to address equipment shortages. A veteran of many years in the military, he naturally knew that neither the Ministry of War nor the Ministry of Works could be relied upon. He thus established three factories in the Ji Garrison for gunpowder, firearms and cannons, and armor. Judging from the recorded output, their efficiency was far higher than that of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Works. After the Spring Festival, production capacity had further increased. Correspondingly, the efficiency of the two ministries remained low. Every time they requested items from the two ministries, they were never fully supplied. This time, they even used the fact that Ji-Liao had its own workshops as a pretext to reduce supplies.

Seeing that Hong Chengchou's expression showed no reaction, the man continued, "Regarding Tianjin grain, because the canal lacks water, grain ships from the south cannot pass. The Ministry of Revenue says it will still take some time before new grain arrives. Since they won't give a fixed date, we cannot estimate the amount of rations and pay. I fear this will delay the mobilization of military units." (Note 2: In the thirteenth year of the Chongzhen reign, the canal transport was blocked due to water shortage until the fifth month. The Tianjin grain for the Liao Garrison also largely arrived after the fifth month, after which large-scale grain transport to the four vanguard cities began.)

"Grain is the foundation of this campaign; there must not be the slightest negligence. Tomorrow, first draft a memorial directly to the Emperor. I will revise it before it is sent."

"I will note that down. A new dispatch bulletin has arrived. Zu Dashou's reconnaissance cavalry reports that in the area around Yizhou, spanning roughly thirty to forty li east to west, they have spotted the Eastern Invaders clearing land for cultivation. On the twenty-first, they captured three bondservants who had fled from Yizhou. Their oral testimony states they are from Hejian and were captured by the Plain White Banner last year. Early this month, the Tartars built a city and houses in Yizhou, with strict orders to complete construction before the end of the fourth month. They heard the Tartars say that half a banner's population is coming. The real Jurchens will live inside the city, and they were ordered to build many houses. When crossing the Hun River, they saw oxen pulling large cannons onto the road. They said ten oxen pulled one cannon. It is feared these are Red Barbarian cannons."

"On the twenty-third, three hundred mounted Tartars were spotted at Caijia Tower. Reconnaissance cavalry found one Eastern Invader encampment at Qijia Fort. On the eastern and western ridges, Tartars setting up observation posts and security could be seen. One Eastern Invader camp was spotted at Banjié Tower Fort. Additionally, two Mongols who fled from Guangning gave oral testimony that on the road, they saw roughly two thousand Eastern Invaders heading toward Tea Leaf Mountain Temple, seemingly carrying several Red Barbarian cannons."

Hong Chengchou gave a grunt of acknowledgment and looked up at the speaker. "Roughly two thousand heading toward Qijia Fort and Tea Leaf Mountain Temple — the Tartars intend to attack the surrounding forts and towers one by one. The dispatch bulletin has been delivered, but has Zu Dashou made any substantive response?"

"It was not mentioned." The man in charge of military intelligence continued, "During the first month, a monk who fled from Liaodong was captured at Songshan. According to the monk's testimony, the Eastern Invaders were at the time adding extra feed for their horses and oxen, waiting for green grass in the third month before transporting cannons and dispatching troops, though it was unknown where they would raid. Your Excellency had already warned him that the Tartars might attack Jinzhou and that the Liao Garrison should send out distant reconnaissance and defense. In the past two months, we have not seen him make any response."

Hong Chengchou let out a soft breath but said nothing more. He turned to the man called Wenhua. "Wenhua, Military Advisor, explain the Eastern Invaders' scheme this time."

That young man was Wang Wenhua, the Military Advisor. Because Hong Chengchou was an official managing military affairs, the Military Advisor was the most important position in his private staff. Wang Wenhua not only could plan strategy but also excelled at drawing military maps, earning him great regard from Hong Chengchou. Such military affairs meetings were held daily within the private staff, attended only by Hong Chengchou and a few core advisors; other civil and military officials could not participate.

Wang Wenhua's voice was not loud, but his pace was very steady, and everyone could hear him clearly. "The Eastern Invaders intend to seize Jinzhou. Previously, the Eastern Invaders drove deep into Liaoxi, reaching as far as Ningyuan and Shimen, but they came and left swiftly. This was all because they had no grain to sustain them. Their repeated failures to capture Songshan were also because their supply line came from Liaodong, and transporting grain was excessively costly; their men and horses could not endure for long. This time, the Bandit Slaves first seized Yizhou, where they are building houses and farming. The first goal is to engage in a protracted standoff with Jinzhou. The second is to have an additional supply line. The Bandit Slaves intend to besiege Jinzhou and strike at reinforcements."

Hong Chengchou's gaze rested on the map on the table, somewhat lost in thought. Wang Wenhua did not notice and continued, "In my humble opinion, the Eastern Invaders excel at field battles but not at city assaults. In coming this time, their intent is to strike at reinforcements. Thus, Jinzhou is under siege, not under assault. Ultimately, the abandoned land at Yizhou has been reclaimed this year, but it will not produce grain until next year, and that yield will not be enough to supply tens of thousands of men and horses. They will still need to transport grain from Liaodong. Therefore, our method of response should be attrition, not battle. The victory or defeat in attrition lies not in the number of troops, but in the amount of rice and beans. I propose that the first priority is to transport grain and fodder to the four vanguard cities, with Jinzhou as the most critical. Jinzhou's grain stores should be no less than six months' worth. Next are the three cities of Songshan, Xingshan, and Tashan. Their existing storehouses are each insufficient; we must temporarily use barracks to store more grain. Then, based on the amount of grain stored, we can mobilize reinforcements. Qiantun, Zhonghousuo, and Shanhai Pass should support the four vanguard cities. Troops from inside the pass can then move out and garrison at Qiantun, Zhonghousuo, and other places. In this way, front and rear are linked and can support each other."

Hong Chengchou nodded slightly at this. His gaze lifted from the table and swept across the four people before him. In an even tone, he said, "Wenhua has considerable insight. The Eastern Invaders attacked Songshan several times, all attempting to take it by rapid assault. Only after failing to take it several times did they shift their scheme to Jinzhou. Yizhou is not enough to rely on. From Liaodong to Yizhou, there is only the overland route; the supply line costs are enormous. In essence, the Eastern Invaders are still scheming to take Jinzhou quickly. Our method of response should be steady defense and caution, advancing step by step, using slowness to counter haste and attrition to counter attack."

The several advisors all voiced their approval. Hong Chengchou looked toward the advisor in charge of documents. "Send orders to the Regional Commander of Divided Training, Liu Zhaoji: from the troops selected and trained at Qiantun and Zhonghousuo, dispatch nine hundred infantry each to reinforce Songshan and Xingshan. Send orders to the Eastern Association Regional Commander Cao Bianjiao and Army Supervisor Wang Zhizhen: instruct their Right Troops and Chariot and Iron camps to prepare their gear and be ready to leave the pass for support. Send orders for Regional Commander Ma Ke and Deputy General Yang Ming to lead one thousand horse soldiers out of the pass to reinforce Ningyuan. Send orders for Vice Regional Commanders You Jie, Bai Guang'en, and Zhang Tianlu to lead their troops to reinforce the pass gate..."

Note 1: Hong Chengchou's advisors were all from Fujian, totaling over twenty men, commoner scholars from places like Southern Fujian, Jinjiang, and Tong'an. Among them, those surnamed Hong handled confidential affairs, those surnamed Huang managed rations and pay, those surnamed Chen were in charge of documents, and those surnamed Wang served as military advisors. This structure bore a strong resemblance to an Advisory Room. According to the Songshan Chronicle, Hong Chengchou summoned his private staff for secret discussions every night, with only a few Fujian advisors participating; other court officials did not take part. The Songshan Chronicle was completed in the early Qing dynasty, likely to avoid implicating the clansmen of those advisors. It recorded surnames but not given names; only a Wang-surnamed advisor skilled at drawing military maps is known.