Chapter 415: Bilateral

Dozens of fire arrows lit up the night sky, their twisting, curving flight trailing sparks that left bright tracks across the pitch-black backdrop. They swiftly crossed three li of distance, streaking chaotically toward the Later Jin camp. The tail flames gradually faded, and moments later, over fifty bursts of flame erupted across that dark encampment. Muffled explosions echoed far and near, igniting fires in multiple places.

"Magnificent fireworks," Chen Xin murmured atop West Official Mountain. These were the iron-cased rockets he had mentioned to Liu Pojun back in Fuzhou. Their principle was identical to Chinese fireworks, using two separate chambers — one propulsion section and one warhead section — that would detonate at a preset time. The greatest difference was their greater weight and iron casing, made from iron sheeting thinner than a gun barrel. Two types of warheads were used; the one deployed at Lushun weighed three jin and nine liang, the entire rocket weighed twenty-seven jin, with an outer diameter of three cun, a tail rod of fifteen chi, and a range of three li.

Three spots within the Later Jin camp blazed with roaring flames. Chen Xin could imagine the chaos there. The flight altitude and shrieking sound of the rockets would deal a tremendous blow to Later Jin soldier morale, because there was no defense against this kind of attack.

After waiting another moment, red fireworks rose again at the foot of the mountain, and another volley of rockets soared into the sky — again flying in chaotic, disorderly paths — yet the vast camp still ensured roughly eighty percent hit their mark.

Dai Zhenggang and Liu Pojun were also on the mountaintop. The two men stared blankly at the spectacular sight. Although the scene lacked the blazing brilliance of the frame-mounted fire chariots, the range was something the fire chariots could not match. The fire chariots had a maximum range of two hundred paces, but this large rocket before them reached three li. At night, defending such a vast area was extremely difficult, which meant they could only endure the strikes. The camp would lose any sense of safety. This would intensify the soldiers' psychological pressure, and their physical strength could not recover smoothly.

This batch of rockets numbered only three hundred. Chen Xin had already launched one hundred, and he did not intend to use them all. After two volleys, there were no more. According to the plan Liu Pojun had drawn up, those rocket troops would withdraw first, while the dozen-plus covering squads would continue carrying out harassment.

This night raid continued until the second half of the night. Around the Later Jin main camp, the sounds of horns and bamboo whistles rose from all directions, along with the chaotic clanging of bronze gongs. Each Later Jin camp held its fortifications tightly. Several fires were extinguished one after another, and the main army did not leave camp to engage. Only a small number of White Armor Soldiers capable of night fighting were sent out, stalking and ambushing each other in the darkness. The chaotic skirmishing did not end until one double-hour before daybreak. Dengzhou Garrison made no substantive attack, and casualties on both sides were fewer than a hundred.

Chen Xin rested for two double-hours right there in the battalion headquarters tent of the Second Battalion on the mountain. Inside the tent, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep, constantly unable to resist calculating the gains and losses of this battle. The genuine Jurchen heads taken this time were still under two thousand, and Mongols were also close to two thousand. During the standoff period, many corpses lay outside the Dengzhou army's control zone and were snatched back by Later Jin soldiers to be cremated according to their customs.

But the losses inflicted on Later Jin far exceeded that number. Chen Xin estimated genuine Jurchen losses were roughly between 3,500 and 4,000, concentrated in the two main assaults and two night raids. The Mongols, forced to fill the trenches, had probably suffered even heavier losses than the genuine Jurchens. Chen Xin very much doubted that the next time Later Jin called the Mongols to join them, the Mongols would dare set foot in Liaonan again. The Tianyou Army and Ujen Choha had also been struck hard in two focused attacks. These two forces showed no will to fight before Dengzhou Garrison, nearly routing at the first engagement, and later were forced into a final general assault. Their losses likely exceeded half their number.

As for those bondservants, Chen Xin did not count them as combat strength. This time their losses were over ten thousand, and about five hundred had surrendered. Chen Xin planned to select three hundred of the new bondservants with firmer resolve to join the army, cultivating them as models, while sending the others back to Dengzhou for centralized reformation under the Construction Department.

Yesterday's assault on the earthen wall had yielded over three hundred more genuine Jurchen heads, over two hundred Mongols, more than three hundred surrendered Mongols, and bondservant surrenders numbering over a thousand — all now held under guard by auxiliary troops beside the naval fortress.

These auxiliary troops were mostly former military households from Dongjiang. Having endured over a month of battlefield trials and ultimately achieved victory, confidence had been built in their hearts. Supplemented by over a year of regular grain provisions and basic training, these soldiers could now be reorganized into combat troops. The new recruits from the other expanded battalions had also gained experience. These nearly twenty thousand experienced and confident soldiers were the greatest substantive gain for Chen Xin from this Battle of Lushun.

The Later Jin army had lost its will to fight, and withdrawal was imminent. Beyond pursuit, Chen Xin had to ensure Jinzhou was not demolished. After this battle, the Later Jin army had lost its nerve; they would no longer muster the courage to assault Dengzhou's fortified positions. Chen Xin had already gained the strategic advantage in the Liaonan region. The next step was to seal off the Jinzhou isthmus, establish military farms there, and further develop his strength in this place free of hindrance.

But to what extent he should develop, Chen Xin had not yet decided. If Dengzhou Garrison became too powerful in Liaonan, it would trigger shifts in the entire situation around the Liaodong Sea. Dongjiang had already been roused, and Korea would certainly lean further against Later Jin. The Mongols, after this, would be full of hesitation, and having no direct conflict with Dengzhou, they were a party that could be won over.

The imperial court's movements could be quickly grasped — that place was as good as undefended. The dynamics of the Zu family army in Liaoxi, however, were hard to gauge. A weakened Later Jin was acceptable for Liaoxi — after all, they couldn't beat the Jianzhou Bandits — but if Later Jin weakened to a certain degree, Liaoxi's mindset would undergo some changes. A moderately strong Later Jin was an indispensable external factor for maintaining Liaoxi's position.

Chen Xin rehearsed scenarios in his mind like this, dozing hazily for a while. When the sky was just beginning to brighten, Hai Gouzi entered the tent to wake him. Chen Xin sat up, rubbed his face, and then clearly heard Hai Gouzi say that a Later Jin envoy had come, captured by the ambush troops, and according to him, he carried a personal letter from the Later Jin Khan.

"Running over before daybreak, sneaking like a thief — definitely here for some private dealing," Chen Xin pursed his lips. He figured Huang Taiji had come to spout some talk about the hounds being cooked once the rabbits are gone, hoping to withdraw safely.

But Chen Xin had nothing to discuss with Huang Taiji. Even if they talked, it would be mutual deception, and no one would believe the other. Just as he was about to tell Hai Gouzi to pass the order to execute the several envoys, Hai Gouzi suddenly said, "My lord, have the Jianzhou Bandits gotten scared and come to beg for mercy?"

Chen Xin paused for a moment, then looked up and smiled at Hai Gouzi. "Is that what you think?"

"Yes, the Jianzhou Bandits have lost so many men. Now they want to leave and beg us to spare their lives."

Chen Xin laughed heartily, clapped his hands, and stood up. Stepping out of the tent, he called for his adjutant. "Where are the captured Later Jin envoys?"

"Still under guard at the first earthen wall."

"Call Bakshan over. Have Huang Side notify the training officers of each unit to assemble at the guard post. Each company is to draw several junior officers. Everyone is to be present in half a double-hour."

The adjutant hurriedly saluted and went to relay the orders. To pass orders to all units and also draw personnel to reach that location, one double-hour was not ample.

Hai Gouzi grinned. "My lord, do you want Lord Huang and the others all to come watch the Later Jin beg for mercy?"

Chen Xin swatted him on the head with his palm. "You think Later Jin has really come to surrender? They still have tens of thousands of troops left. Our twenty thousand men in a real fight are still far from enough. Take a few men down there, tie up those envoys, find out who's senior and who's junior, then gag all their mouths. Take them somewhere far from the earthen wall, and only bring them in once the people I just mentioned have all arrived."...

"The Dengzhou Garrison is fierce in generals and strong in soldiers. Our Jianzhou tribe truly finds it hard to withstand. However, our great army outnumbers your esteemed troops severalfold, and victory or defeat still hangs in the balance. The two nations' campaigns bring suffering and devastation to the people. We beseech Lord Chen, Regional Commander of Dengzhou, to consider Heaven's virtue of cherishing life, and not to pursue our army, adding more slaughter that benefits neither your esteemed side nor ours. Our Jianzhou tribe has already witnessed the majestic might of Dengzhou Garrison and dares not raise troops to campaign against Ming again. We only ask Lord Chen to convey our desire for peace negotiations to the Great Ming Emperor..."

Bakshan stood atop a pile of earth sacks, loudly reading from that sheet of paper. In reality, Huang Taiji's letter was written in Chinese. Chen Xin had specifically ordered Bakshan to write a fake letter in Jurchen script, to be read aloud before all the training officers and grassroots representatives, further boosting Dengzhou's military morale. This time, even the training officers were deceived.

The several envoys delivering the letter were all dressed in Han clothing. Their hands were now bound behind their backs, their hats removed from their heads, exposing those ridiculous money-pig-tail queues. Their mouths were stuffed with cotton cloth. Hearing this absurd peace-seeking letter, completely different from the personal letter Huang Taiji had written, they all struggled, making muffled sounds in an attempt to refute, but none could utter a word.

Huang Side waited until Bakshan finished reading, then coldly addressed the men below. "I am Huang Side, Chief Training Officer of Dengzhou Garrison. Lord Chen has asked me to relay his words to you: the sight of you angers him, and the sight of Huang Taiji's letter also angers him, so he will not see you. Now you think of peace talks. Since the Shenzong era, old Nurhaci has wrought evil everywhere. The blood on his hands is beyond counting. Why did you not seek peace at Tieling and Qinghe? Why did you not seek peace at Sarhu? Why did you not seek peace when you slaughtered the people of Gu? When you raised your butcher knives, did you give those millions of innocent souls a chance to seek peace? You few, disgracefully descended from the Yan and Yellow Emperors, willingly serve as running dogs for barbarians, shaming the ancestors of the Han people. Guards!"

Huang Side's speech was sonorous and forceful. With their mouths gagged, those men could not argue, making Huang Side appear tall and mighty. The surrounding training officers watching applauded and cheered, flattering this superior officer profusely. The garrisoned combat troops nearby also watched the excitement from atop the earthen wall. Hearing that those Han traitor representatives were apparently to be executed, they too applauded.

Seven or eight garrison provost soldiers walked over and pressed the several Later Jin representatives to the ground one by one. Huang Side did not designate the executioners but selected them from among the junior training officers, because Chen Xin had recently felt the training system was too soft and demanded he cultivate bloodthirstiness in the training officers. Huang Side had been racking his brains for methods lately. Besides planning to recruit a batch of fiercer training officers, he was bringing the current training officers closer to the front lines — even he himself had barely counted as having been on the firing line once.

While Huang Side was selecting the executioners, a pale face appeared at the second-story gun port of a watchtower not far behind. Gao Hongzhong had not expected Dengzhou Garrison to be so barbaric, disregarding even the principle of not killing envoys between warring states, and ready to behead men at the first encounter. When Huang Taiji was about to send him, he had wanted to dispatch only a low-ranking Han official, but Gao Hongzhong had insisted on a higher-ranking officer, guaranteeing that Ming would not execute envoys. Now he was filled with regret — this was entirely a case of proposing the idea that sent himself to the execution ground.

Gao Hongzhong turned his head. There were no soldiers in the room, only some men dressed in black combat attire. The Dengzhou soldiers Gao Hongzhong had seen along the way, though robust, mostly had expressions and speech that were rather simple and honest. But the men who had taken over all had fierce faces — clearly not good people at a glance. These two groups seemed to belong to entirely different worlds, yet they were on the same side.

The stairs on the lower level of the watchtower creaked as several men emerged one after another. The one in front had a gentle demeanor, his face always bearing a comfortable smile, and his gaze toward Gao Hongzhong was very friendly. The one behind carried a chill as if from hell. The few behind them, dressed in military uniforms, appeared to be guards — they were strong and sharp, giving Gao Hongzhong a somewhat better feeling.

"You are Gao Hongzhong?" The man in front did not look for a seat but stood directly and questioned Gao Hongzhong, his voice low and gentle.

"This unworthy one is he, currently humbly serving as Minister of Justice of the Great Jin State, dispatched by the Great Khan of the Great Jin State to pay respects to Lord Chen. When the Great Khan was departing, he specifically instructed this unworthy one to convey his regards upon meeting Lord Chen. Lord Chen is one of the few men the Great Khan admires. Might this unworthy one be permitted to see Lord Chen?"

"This official is Chen Xin, Regional Commander of Dengzhou," Chen Xin said with a smile.

Under the gaze of over ten fierce pairs of eyes around him, upon suddenly hearing the name Chen Xin, Gao Hongzhong instinctively wanted to kneel, then abruptly remembered he was an envoy and immediately restrained himself, merely bowing to Chen Xin. "So it is Lord Chen, whose name moves all under heaven. This insignificant one's eyes were dull; please forgive me, my lord."

"No blame for what one does not know. Lushun is now a war-torn land. For Mr. Gao to leave the safety of the main camp and run about with a few men like this is very dangerous. May I ask the purpose of your visit?"

Gao Hongzhong finally got to the main business and hurriedly said to Chen Xin, "The Great Khan of the Great Jin State sent this insignificant one, firstly, to discuss with you, my lord, how to jointly preserve peace in Liaodong, and has written a personal letter... which has already been taken by your esteemed subordinates. Secondly, to discuss with you, my lord, mutual exchange of goods. This insignificant one is now an envoy of the Great Jin State, yet upon arriving here, my lord, without uttering a word, first seized this insignificant one's subordinates for beheading. As the saying goes, since ancient times, when two states are at war..."

"Mr. Gao speaks quite correctly," Chen Xin said with a smile. "That is 'when two states are at war.' Today, however, it happens not to be two states. You and I have fought for over ten years, all for a piece of land in Liaodong. Liaodong is the national territory of our Great Ming. As for this 'Great Jin State' you speak of, I know not where it is located. Has it ever exchanged state letters with our imperial court? Has it ever been enfeoffed? Has it ever paid tribute?"

Gao Hongzhong, not flustered, argued in a low voice, "On this matter, each naturally speaks for his own master. Regardless of what you call Great Jin, Great Jin is now on the land of Liaodong. This is bestowed by Heaven..."

Chen Xin put away his smile and interrupted in a voice not loud but resolute. "Nurhaci's ancestors for generations received enfeoffment from our Great Ming. Our Great Ming Emperor permitted the Jianzhou tribe to migrate from Tungus to Liaodong, allowing them to put down roots here. Nurhaci, unmindful of Great Ming's nurturing grace, slaughtered millions of Han people in Liaodong. In this official's eyes, you have not a single coin's worth of connection to that Jin State of several hundred years ago. You are a rebel force formed by the Jianzhou tribe coercing other Jurchen and Mongol tribal bandits. Before this official, you may only call yourself an envoy of the Jianzhou Jurchens. Otherwise, there is nothing to discuss."

Gao Hongzhong stared at Chen Xin, mouth agape, while Chen Xin's expression was exceptionally resolute. Gao Hongzhong could not help feeling a headache coming on. If he conceded to this definition of the bilateral relationship, there would be nothing left to discuss. As rebels, they had no moral grounds whatsoever to demand any benefits.

A burst of cheering from soldiers came from outside. Gao Hongzhong did not know if the beheadings had already begun. With Chen Xin choosing such a place for negotiations and insisting on this definition from the outset, Gao Hongzhong suddenly felt he held almost no bargaining chips at all. He had known before that Chen Xin could fight, but only now did he sense that this man was not only capable in battle but also utterly shameless. (To be continued...)