Chapter 217: Interests

"My lord, the total Jianzhou bandit heads so far number seven hundred and thirteen. Among them are one jiala ejen, seven niru ejen, one hundred and twenty-one captured true barbarians, four hundred and seventy-three Koreans and bondservants. From the true barbarians we have identified three niru ejen, one gūsa ejen, thirty-four armored soldiers, and the rest are all surplus males. We captured seven niru banners, three jiala banners, one gūsa ejen banner, six hundred sets of iron armor, one hundred and seventy sets of mail armor, and over eight hundred cotton armors, most with only light damage and still usable. There are also over a thousand weapons such as blades and spears, half of which are unusable. The quartermaster recommends removing the iron parts and shipping them back to Weihai for reforging. The seized valuables are not many: over three thousand silver taels and a small amount of jewelry."

At the Wendeng Battalion camp on Shenmi Island, a group of officers sat around the central army tent. The military judge of the First Thousand Headquarters was delivering his report. Chen Xin listened intently while scanning the battle-result summaries from each department. The documents already bore the signatures of the military judges, instruction officers, and commanding officers of squad commander rank and above. As the highest-ranking commander present, Chen Xin also needed to sign the battle report to confirm it. He was really just going through the motions. After signing hastily, he handed it to the military judge responsible for compiling the battle results.

This battle yielded a great deal of armor, which would be very useful for improving the Wendeng Battalion's protection, but the silver seized was not much. According to the captives' accounts, they had marched rapidly the whole way and had little time to plunder. Their original plan was to loot the areas around Xuanchuan and Tieshan for two or three days on the return journey. In terms of finances, Chen Xin had certainly taken a loss. These three thousand taels of silver were not even enough for this year's gift to Lu Zhi.

But Chen Xin did not care about that at all. This operation had intimidated the Jianzhou bandits. First at Luanzhou, then at Shenmi Island, the Later Jin had twice had detached forces annihilated. In the future, if Huang Taiji wanted to attack Pidao again or invade Korea, he would certainly think thrice before acting. As long as the Wendeng Battalion appeared nearby, he would not dare to split his forces.

At the same time, it had also intimidated the Dongjiang Garrison and Korea. The potential value in this far exceeded the silver seized. Especially regarding Korea, that special third party, the victory in this battle would stimulate the pro-Ming faction and thereby influence Korean policy.

According to Chen Xin's ideal scenario, occupying Shenmi Island would naturally be best. Through this island, he could continuously exert influence over the Dongjiang Garrison and Korea. However, the subsequent logistics support was a huge problem, exceeding the current capabilities of the Wendeng Battalion, and it would certainly not be accepted by the imperial court. After all, it was the Dongjiang Garrison's defense zone.

Chen Xin frowned in thought for a moment, then asked Lu Chuansheng, "Has the mopping-up of the remaining Jianzhou bandits in the southern mountains been completed?"

Lu Chuansheng stood and replied, "In the two days after the battle, over ninety more Jianzhou bandits were captured or killed. Today's clearing combat teams have not yet returned. The southern mountains stretch far and wide, with high peaks and dense forests. To completely wipe them out will still require time."

Chen Xin tapped the table lightly. Judging by the numbers, only one to two hundred true barbarians remained. With such a vast expanse of southern mountains, capturing them all would truly be difficult. The Jianzhou bandits on the opposite shore at Xuanchuan still had not withdrawn; they were likely waiting to gather those routed soldiers who fled back to the shore.

Chen Xin turned to Zhang Dong. "Are there any important officers still not captured?"

Zhang Dong glanced at the compiled roster and stood up. "Those not captured include one jiala ejen of the Plain Red Banner and several niru ejen. Additionally, according to bondservant accounts, there is one called Shi Tingzhu, whose official rank is Third-Class Vice General of Han Officials, serving as Tong Yangxing's deputy. This man surrendered to the Jianzhou bandits at the Battle of Guangning. Before the battle, he was confirmed to be on the island, but at present he has not been found captured or killed. And taking this man as a lead, we discovered that the Jianzhou bandits have newly formed a unit called Ujen Cooha, which in the barbarian tongue means 'heavy troops.' It is composed entirely of conscripted Han Chinese, equipped with various cannons and firearms. Its commander is Tong Yangxing. It seems that last winter the Later Jin completed a large cannon weighing several thousand jin, named 'Heaven-Blessed Might-Assisting Grand General' by Huang Taiji himself, and it is operated by this Han unit. One bondservant personally saw that cannon."

Ujen Cooha, the predecessor of the Han Eight Banners, had finally appeared under Huang Taiji's direction. Chen Xin knew of this force; it was where Han traitors would later gather in droves, and at the same time served as an important counterweight for Huang Taiji to balance the other Later Jin nobles.

But he had no impression of Shi Tingzhu. Chen Xin carefully searched his memory but could not recall such a person; he was probably not a major figure. In the list of Later Jin officers compiled by the Intelligence Bureau, this man was also not listed in an important position. What deserved attention, however, was the Later Jin's emergence of that so-called Heaven-Blessed Might-Assisting Grand General cannon. The Later Jin had captured many old cannons, but since Huang Taiji personally named this one, it was certainly different from ordinary cannons.

He immediately instructed Zhang Dong to monitor the movements of this Later Jin unit, then asked the others, "Is there anything else?"

The logistics staff officer of the central army raised his hand. "My lord, there are four hundred Korean captives, requiring a large amount of grain daily. Should these people continue to be detained as prisoners, or should they be released as civilians?"

Chen Xin answered without hesitation, "Screen them. Those who can build ships, take them back to Weihai. The ordinary ones — have the Korean officials on Pidao come over, and we can let them take them back." In fact, the Korean officials on Pidao had already made contact with Zhang Dong, hoping to pay their respects to Chen Xin, but Chen Xin had left them waiting for two days. It was about time to meet them now.

After he finished speaking, Liu Pojun arranged the day's combat roster and dismissed the officers, leaving only Lu Chuansheng and Liu Pojun behind.

Chen Xin said to the two of them, "Ease the intensity of the clearing operations. Let some of those Jianzhou bandits escape back."

Liu Pojun's eyes shifted. Lu Chuansheng was about to write it down, but Chen Xin waved his hand. "Don't record this. Only you two are to know of this matter. Do not tell the combat soldiers. When you arrange it, do not make it too obvious."

Lu Chuansheng was slightly puzzled. Chen Xin lowered his voice. "The Jianzhou bandits who came this time are from all Eight Banners. Letting some escape back will spread the Wendeng Battalion's fearsome reputation to every banner. In the future, when the Jianzhou bandits see us, they will feel some fear in their hearts first, and won't fight as desperately as they did this time."

Lu Chuansheng and Liu Pojun nodded simultaneously. The Jianzhou bandits had grown accustomed to victory, always believing that as soon as they charged, the Ming army would turn and flee in rout. The same was true of the Jianzhou bandits this time. As a result, when both sides clashed in close combat with no retreat, the fighting was exceptionally bloody. But since the battle occurred on an isolated island, the other Jianzhou bandits had not witnessed it. Releasing some men ashore — once they returned to their army, the news would surely spread. That counted as another kind of battle result. Releasing those Koreans was also for the same consideration.

Lu Chuansheng had just heard someone mention the matter of the Koreans. He licked his lips and said, "My lord, this time the Koreans allowed the Later Jin to pass through freely, offering no resistance whatsoever. Should we not punish them a bit, and by the way make them provide some provisions and pay?"

Chen Xin glanced at him and smiled. "That is exactly what the Dongjiang Garrison does. Let us not do that for now." During this period, Chen Xin had learned something of Korea's political situation. Their ministers were divided into pro-Later Jin and pro-Ming factions, with the pro-Ming far outnumbering the pro-Later Jin. King Yi Jong himself was also pro-Ming. That was why they had firmly refused the Later Jin's demand to provide troop ships this time. At present, Korea's culture and official system were almost identical to the Great Ming's. That sense of cultural identity was not something Huang Taiji's so-called domineering aura could easily shake.

The Dongjiang Garrison's consistent approach toward Korea was coercion. Chen Xin had no psychological barrier against plundering, but this time he decided not to do so. After displaying the big stick, it was naturally time to show the appearance of a civilized army. The effect might be better than a bout of plundering. After all, Chen Xin could not station troops here long-term at present and could not exert substantive influence over Korea. Leaving each other with a good first impression was probably the best choice.

"Alright." Chen Xin stood up. "Everyone attend to your own duties."

Lu Chuansheng stood up with an ingratiating smile. "My lord, are you still going today?"

Chen Xin recalled the image of Lu Zhi standing proudly at the bow, brimming with high spirits, and said helplessly, "What can be done? Of course I must continue to accompany Eunuch Lu in bombarding the Jianzhou bandits."

Two days later, off Shenmi Island Cove, the Ming fleet as usual arrived in the nearby waters and delivered a thorough shelling of the shore, then shifted forces toward Xuanchuan Cove.

At this time, the Later Jin troops in the camp at Shenmi Island Cove were breaking camp and leaving. The other two large camps at Xuanchuan Cove and Shekou Cove had broken camp first and were now marching toward the camp at Shenmi Island Cove. It appeared they would assemble here and then withdraw. Unlike the aggressive momentum with which they had come, their formations now had a rather bedraggled air. That dejected aura could be seen from several li away.

In a densely wooded hill at Shenmi Island Cove, Li Tao poked out his equally dirt-streaked face. Peering through the gaps in the branches and leaves, he observed the Later Jin army. He and his three subordinates had been lying low here the entire time, mainly surviving by catching birds with hastily set traps and gathering edible wild greens. They dared not light a fire, so they ate everything raw, living just like wild men.

During their concealment, they had spent two days scouting Shekou Cove and Xuanchuan Cove, mapping the surrounding terrain so that if the main army were to land and attack, it could serve as reference for the superior officers. But they never did see the main army come ashore.

On the day of the great battle on Shenmi Island, they could faintly hear the sound of the Dengzhou naval fleet bombarding. The Jianzhou bandits here were extremely panicked, rushing in droves to the shore to watch, but only a handful of boats managed to flee back.

Later, some Jianzhou bandits straggled back in succession, most clinging to large logs or on small rafts they had tied together. They also chose their timing well, always entering the water before dawn, crossing the sea under cover of darkness. Usually at this time the small boats were not yet out, and with such a wide stretch of sea, the Ming fleet's few large ships could not patrol it all. By the time day was about to break, they reached the shore. Li Tao recorded roughly over a hundred people, among them a small number of Koreans. Seeing the state those Jianzhou bandits were in, Li Tao and his men knew that the Wendeng Battalion must have routed them — otherwise, why would they be in such a wretched state?

In recent days, the naval fleet had continuously bombarded Shenmi Island Cove and Xuanchuan Cove. Though the shelling was very lively, the Later Jin troops were camped two to three li from the shore, so the bombardment achieved meager results. Even cannonballs landing near the camp were rare. Judging by the Later Jin troops' reactions, they had also grown accustomed to the Ming army coming to blast them every day. The first day they had panicked and dodged; today they were cooking meals as usual, treating it entirely like firecrackers.

Bucktooth muttered quietly at his side, "The dog-spawned Jianzhou bandits are leaving, and we haven't taken a single head. How are we supposed to report back?"

Li Tao cursed impatiently, "All you think about all day is taking heads, you idiot. Did the orders the Central Army Department gave us require heads?"

In truth, Li Tao also did not want to return empty-handed. They had already completed their mission; taking heads would just be earning extra on the side. The Wendeng Battalion's honor awards, besides medals, also included merit insignias. Different merits had different insignias. Killing one enemy allowed you to sew a small red five-pointed star on your regular uniform. Five stars were replaced by one medium-sized star. If they had none at all, they would truly lose face in front of the combat soldiers later.

But frustratingly, these past few days the Jianzhou bandits had been on strict alert and had stopped building boats. Those who came out to gather firewood or hunt all moved in groups of ten or more. Li Tao and his men were fully equipped and could handle ten men without a problem, but they were not confident they could do so without alerting the enemy's main camp. Once exposed, they would no longer be able to remain hidden. Two or three times, Jianzhou bandits had passed right by their hiding spot, but they had not dared to make a move.

Bucktooth still said unwillingly, "This time the Jianzhou bandits on the island suffered a huge defeat, no doubt about it. Over a thousand of them went onto the island, and only a hundred or so came back. Every combat soldier got at least one head. What the hell is our special service team even for? If I'd known we'd spend all day lying in the brush eating dead birds, I'd rather be a combat soldier."

Another team member beside him grinned. "Brother Bucktooth, our Wendeng Battalion only has combat rewards, no head bounty. What are you so worked up about?"

"I know there's no head bounty, don't need a turtle-spawn like you telling me." Bucktooth snapped back at him. "I just want to kill people. Let me tell you, you idiot, back in the Shanxi Garrison, I killed no fewer than fifteen or twenty western Tatars, and all told I only got twenty-some taels of silver. I just love killing..."

"All of you shut the hell up." Li Tao cut them off. "We're following the Jianzhou bandits."

On the Fujian junk, Chen Xin bowed as he received the spyglass Lu Zhi handed him and gazed toward the shore. The Jianzhou bandits' rearguard cavalry were withdrawing from several hilltops. This Pidao campaign was finally nearing its end, and he would no longer have to accompany Lu Zhi in setting off firecrackers every day. Lu Zhi's second victory memorial had also just been drafted. In the memorial, the Wendeng Battalion had landed and pursued, while Huang Long and Zhang Dao had intercepted at Tieshan. The Jianzhou bandits had fled in disarray, and Huang Long had also taken several dozen heads.

Huang Long had remained guarding Pidao the entire time. It was not that he feared death and refused to come; mainly, Pidao did indeed need a senior general to hold it, to guard against a Jianzhou sneak attack and to steady people's hearts. According to Zhang Dong's intelligence, his several dozen heads were reportedly forcibly bought from men like Shang Keyi. It was said that two officers refused to sell, one of whom was named Geng Zhongyu, Geng Zhongming's younger brother. Not only did he refuse to sell, he also went around Pidao loudly cursing Huang Long, causing a huge uproar.

Judging by the memorials now, Huang Long and the others had certainly greased Lu Zhi's palm as well. Huang Long wanted a share of the military merit. Although Chen Xin was not too happy to see it, this was the Dongjiang Garrison's territory, and he could not control so many things.

Both victory memorials were sent by Lu Zhi in his capacity as Army Supervisor, and neither mentioned Sun Yuanhua in the slightest. Whether he could swallow the credit for strategic planning entirely was also uncertain. Wei Zhongxian had only been dead for two or three years. Even if Lu Zhi had no ambitions, the civil officials would not stand idly by and watch a new powerful eunuch emerge.

Although Lu Zhi was a close attendant of the emperor, Sun Yuanhua had Zhou Yanru as his backer. All military merits in Dengzhou and Laizhou should have a share for him, and the verification of heads and merit still had to pass through his office. This contest would certainly be fierce. Chen Xin, as the Regional Commander of the great victory at Shenmi Island, would play a key role.

Lu Zhi clearly understood this as well. He assumed Chen Xin was unaware of the struggle between Wen Tiren and Zhou Yanru. Over these past few days, Chen Xin had been accompanying him watching the firecracker show, and during idle chat Lu Zhi had hinted at it several times. Chen Xin, for his part, wanted to see Lu Zhi's attitude. Only if Lu Zhi was determined to set himself up as a rival to Sun Yuanhua in Dengzhou and Laizhou would Chen Xin fully commit to his side.

Now, with the Jianzhou bandits' withdrawal imminent, Pidao had withstood this round of attacks. The Dengzhou naval camp and the Wendeng Battalion would withdraw after a brief rest and reorganization. Lu Zhi felt the time was about right to speak plainly with Chen Xin.

"Thanks to General Chen's battle, this is the greatest victory since the Eastern campaigns began. When His Majesty receives the victory memorial, who knows how delighted he will be. At just over twenty years of age, His Majesty already has so many white hairs. Whenever I think of the worry His Majesty has poured into Liaodong, I often cannot sleep at night."

Chen Xin knew Lu Zhi had more to say and casually responded, "The Jianzhou bandits have suffered this heavy blow. Within a few years, they should not dare entertain thoughts of attacking Pidao again. Had the Army Supervisor not come to Dengzhou and Laizhou, this humble officer truly cannot imagine achieving such great merit. What this humble officer says comes from the heart."

Lu Zhi smiled faintly and said in his high-pitched voice, "One must say, Lord Sun also toils hard. It is just that some matters he cannot oversee fully. I heard that the last time General Chen sent men to Dengzhou to request iron materials and ships, they returned empty-handed. I only learned of it later and felt that the subordinates were truly too outrageous. Upon returning to Dengzhou this time, I will certainly argue with Lord Sun about it. If funds, grain, and materials are not given to those who do the work, but instead fall into the purses of petty men, what use is that? How can that relieve His Majesty's worries?"

Seeing him speak so plainly, Chen Xin said respectfully, "Many thanks for the Army Supervisor's care. This humble officer is deeply grateful and will follow your lead henceforth. The reason the Wendeng Battalion suffered such heavy losses this time was precisely because we failed to obtain the iron materials and ships last time. The soldiers' armor was incomplete, and the troops transported were far too few. This humble officer believes that Lord Sun was certainly unaware of this at the time, but those who handled the matter — this humble officer intends to impeach them in the field report and will certainly petition His Majesty for a thorough investigation, to comfort the heroic spirits of the fallen soldiers."

The first cannonball was now loaded. As long as someone came to investigate, it would not stop at just iron materials and ships. No military garrison could withstand scrutiny, especially with Wen Tiren now in the picture.

In truth, Chen Xin personally had a rather favorable impression of Sun Yuanhua. After all, he was far more reliable than the average official. But being in different camps, he had no choice but to act this way. He estimated that if this cannonball of his went up together with the victory memorial, Lu Zhi and Wen Tiren could leave Sun Yuanhua utterly beleaguered. But truly forcing Sun Yuanhua to step down would not be easy. First, as the Provincial Governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou, Sun Yuanhua would inevitably be credited with a share of this military merit. Second, Zhou Yanru was not easy to deal with.

Chen Xin gave Lu Zhi a cannonball, and Lu Zhi would naturally fight for supplies, funds, and grain for him. Lu Zhi had originally come to Dengzhou and Laizhou alone and powerless. Now, leveraging the great victory at Pidao, he had gained some prestige and trusted followers. The next step was to seize a portion of power from the Provincial Governor and convert it into tangible benefits.

"Then, once General Chen has drafted the field report, please make a copy for me. I will have it delivered to His Majesty through the inner eunuch channels, to avoid any delays in between."

"This subordinate obeys." Chen Xin had now colluded with Lu Zhi. He raised his head and gazed into the distance. The last few cavalrymen of the Jianzhou rearguard rounded a bend and vanished from sight.

The Battle of Pidao in the fourth year of Chongzhen thus came to an end. The Later Jin suffered devastating losses, far exceeding the historical "Victory at Maxianguan." The Ming army not only annihilated nearly a thousand true Jurchen, but also captured Kakduli, the Plain White Banner's Gushan Ejen alive — a catastrophic defeat the Later Jin had never before endured. As remnants of the Later Jin and Koreans returned to shore, the fame of the Wendeng Battalion spread through the Later Jin army. In Xuanchuan and other places, rumors boiled even more wildly; the more outlandish tales claimed that the Great Ming had acquired a Heavenly Troop, only two hundred strong, who had slain over ten thousand Jianzhou bandits.

The Wendeng Battalion reaped great renown, but at the same time began to be taken seriously by the Later Jin. This unit had now dealt the Later Jin troops a heavy blow for the third time. Beyond the heartbreaking losses, what was even more detestable was the severe disruption of Huang Taiji's strategic objectives, making them a thorn in the side that the Later Jin had to remove. The new contest was bound to be even more brutal.