Chapter 460

Flames erupted within the city. Zhubokou Pass had only a single road through it. The moment the Company Commander set that fire, the road would be cut off. The armored soldiers threw themselves forward, desperately beating at the flames, but before they could extinguish them, they discovered more fires rising behind them. Only then did they realize the remaining Ming troops were still setting blazes. Those Ming soldiers had long planned to burn the city, and since there were almost no tiled-roof houses inside — all these thatched huts made excellent kindling. In normal times, they could have organized men to gradually put out the fires and pass through, but now a force of Dengzhou soldiers was pressing hard on their heels.

"Zhang Zhong Banner, quickly, go get the horses! Bring mine too!" Take Tan frantically beat at the flames before him while shouting at Zhang Zhong Banner.

Zhang Zhong Banner hastily agreed. He turned and had only run a few steps when he saw chaos erupting at the gate, a tide of panicked, disorderly people surging in. A burst of cracking gunfire sounded from the rear. Zhang Zhong Banner shuddered — the Dengzhou soldiers had already reached the outside of the pass. Before he could figure out what to do, a cannon roared outside, sending tiles flying from the gate tower. Zhang Zhong Banner saw at a glance that there was no way out through the gate. Abandoning any thought of fetching the horses, he shouted hastily toward Take Tan, turned, and fled for the north gate.

The road was already cut off by flames. He turned and ducked west into a thatched shed. Before the fire could spread over, he swiftly hacked apart the branch-woven wall, broke open a small gap, and squeezed through. The great fire was already burning at his side. Zhang Zhong Banner slapped out a flame on his sleeve. The next hut had walls of mud brick. The gunfire behind him grew more intense with every burst. Zhang Zhong Banner swiftly scrambled over the mud wall. Inside, it was empty. Zhang Zhong Banner kicked open the broken door and charged out. The fire on the street behind was not yet fierce. He sprinted madly, racing through the short street of the pass city to the north gate. It already stood wide open. Some of the pass's commoners were still fleeing out, along with a few Later Jin soldiers who, like Zhang Zhong Banner, had run this way. In their mutual panic, neither side noticed — for the first time, the Jianzhou Bandits and Great Ming commoners coexisted in harmony, fleeing together out the north gate.

From the south came the roar of battle that shook the heavens. That distinctive bugle call sounded in waves. Zhang Zhong Banner paused at the north gate. He seemed to hear the whinny of a horse. After glancing around to make sure people were watching, he headed toward a building to the east.

"Zhang Zhong Banner, what are you waiting for? Get out of the city!" Take Tan had just run past. He had fled slightly later than Zhang Zhong Banner, and half his eyebrow was burned off. Covered head to toe in soot and smoke, he stopped when he saw Zhang Zhong Banner and called out to him. Zhang Zhong Banner quickly pulled him close and said in a low voice, "No need to rush. The fire's up; the Dengzhou soldiers won't be able to chase us for a while. I heard a horse neighing. Let's go take a look. We can't outrun them on foot. Once we're out of here, there's still a long road to Lingqiu."

"A horse?" Take Tan asked in surprise. In the chaos of soldiers and civilians in this pass city, it was hard to imagine any horse had been left behind.

Zhang Zhong Banner led Take Tan to a courtyard on the east side. The main gate was tightly shut. Take Tan boosted Zhang Zhong Banner onto the wall. Zhang Zhong Banner climbed up and looked — the courtyard was covered in chicken feathers and duck blood, and beside a tree there really was a horse. On the horse's back were a scabbard and saddlebags.

Zhang Zhong Banner jumped down, opened the gate, and the two of them ran excitedly to the horse. Zhang Zhong Banner drew the blade from the horse's side and glanced at it — it was a fine waist saber. There was also a bit of food in the saddlebags, which was nothing short of timely rain for the two of them. They immediately rummaged through the various rooms and found some more food. Zhang Zhong Banner led the horse out the door while Take Tan drew his blade and stood guard at his side, fending off any other armored soldiers who might try to seize it. All their horses were to the south, where the fighting had turned into a chaotic mess. Even if no fire had broken out in the pass, once the Dengzhou soldiers had them in their teeth, they would have had to abandon the baggage train, and even then they might not have escaped. Now, with the fire blocking the way, they both knew in their hearts that the Plain Blue Banner was finished.

For the two of them, even if they fled back, life or death would be hard to predict. But this was no time to worry about that. At the very least, they had to get out first. The situation now was even more perilous than at Luanzhou. Back then, once outside the city, it was open plain. Now, they were still trapped between gorges, with no idea how far ahead lay, nor even which direction to go.

The two brothers in misfortune mounted the horse and galloped away north. Zhang Zhong Banner looked back toward Zhubokou. Inside the pass city, thick smoke billowed, and the gunfire from the south had merged into one continuous roar.

Outside the south gate of Zhubokou, bondservants and commoners were fleeing all over the mountainside. Organized resistance by the Later Jin soldiers had collapsed. Ranks of red-clad Dengzhou soldiers formed up in lines, advancing past the mountain-like piles of carts and baggage that choked the valley, using volley fire to wipe out the last of the resisting Later Jin troops. Other small squads pursued up the slopes on both sides.

Zhong Lao Si had dismounted and was advancing on foot. With a great merit almost in his grasp, he could not suppress the excitement in his heart. All the plunder this Later Jin force had taken since leaving Lingqiu was here. The spoils captured were also one of the criteria Dengzhou used to assess military merit. But right now, he wanted an even greater merit. He knew Mang Gurtai was here. With the fire raging in the pass city, none of them could escape. Even if they bypassed it through the mountains, they could not bring their horses through. Once the flames died down, the Dengzhou Long Qibing could easily seal off the mountain pass. Unless the Later Jin soldiers who fled into the mountains could truly turn into wild boar skins, there was no path left for them. Without an organized collective, they had no way to make it back to Liaodong on their own. In the end, they were doomed to perish.

Ahead, the long line delivered a volley, then slowly advanced again. The rear line did the same. The two companies moved like two waves.

Zhou Shaoer, who had just been pulled back, stood right beside Zhong Lao Si. His First Company had served as the arrowhead. In the gorge, there had been no room to rotate them, so the First Company had been forced to stay at the front the entire time, only finding terrain to be relieved once they fought their way to Zhubokou. Zhou Shaoer had taken two arrows, and the medic had only just finished treating his wounds. The First Company had suffered over fifty percent casualties, which left Zhou Shaoer somewhat displeased with Zhong Lao Si's assault order.

Zhong Lao Si grinned at Zhou Shaoer and said, "All thanks to this Zhubokou. Otherwise, we'd never have been able to sink our teeth into the Plain Blue Banner. This time, all seven hundred men of the Plain Blue Banner are going to be left here. Most importantly, we can get Mang Gurtai. If we deliver him before Lord Chen, who knows how pleased Lord Chen will be."

Zhou Shaoer shot Zhong Lao Si a sidelong glare. Only after making sure the nearby guards were at a distance did he say, "I say, Vice Battalion Commander Zhong, in the last Dengzhou situation analysis class, Liu Pojun explicitly stated that under equal conditions, we should strike the Two Yellow Banners, the Bordered Red Banner, and the Bordered Blue Banner."

"We've already struck the Bordered Yellow Banner — didn't we even kill their Gushan?" Zhong Lao Si said smugly. "Once Mang Gurtai is dead, the focused strike on one prong of the divided forces that Lord Chen demanded will be complete."

Zhou Shaoer turned his head to look at Zhong Lao Si. "After we finish here, are we just going to sit around at Zhubokou?"

"This place is excellent. With our firelocks, no matter how many Tatars come, they won't be able to take it. Supplies and goods here are piled mountain-high. We can also reach Fuping in Beizhili from Wuwangkou without having to go through Daoma Pass and see those civil officials' sour faces. We'll make this our new strongpoint and abandon Zoumayi. Transfer the reserve company from there to here. Also, move the reserve department outside Daoma Pass to Fuping, and gradually transport all these supplies away. Once the Long Qibing finish clearing the battlefield, we'll send out feint troops by banner units. I've already made over a dozen flags of Mobile Corps Commander rank and above. We'll raise the banners of our Dengzhou Garrison everywhere. The Tatars will hear rumors in every wind and think every shadow is an enemy. They'll surely recall all their divided forces. As long as they can't seize any provisions, that's enough. That way, Lord Chen's second requirement will also be fulfilled."

Zhou Shaoer shook his head. This Zhong Lao Si certainly had a knack for fighting, but he still hadn't grasped what Zhou Shaoer was getting at. He couldn't be bothered to explain now. In any case, the battle was already fought.

Another volley of gunfire sounded ahead. Zhong Lao Si pointed forward and said, "Company Commander Zhou, look at our formation. Don't you think it's too rigid?"

"This is all the firelock detachment formation that Lord Chen established..."

"I know that. Lord Chen only set this one combat formation for the detachments. But detachments are small. Now that we've scaled up to companies and battalions, stretching it out flat like this isn't right. Detachments have a pike formation or Mandarin Duck formation behind them; they can use three ranks. But we only have the main formation now. Three ranks still isn't suitable. And this formation can't adapt. In that battle at Matou Pass, when your First Company got into chaos at the bridgehead, the Second Company behind could only get jammed up there too."

Zhou Shaoer glanced at Zhong Lao Si. "What are you trying to do now?"

"I'm not trying to do anything. Once I'm done with Zhubokou, I'm going to write to Lord Chen with suggestions for improving the Long Qibing and the all-firelock battalion headquarters. Lord Chen still wants to create an all-firearm battalion — that's three or four thousand men. If they're stretched out in three ranks like this, the line would be two or three li long. You'll have to help me then. I still haven't figured out how to write it."

Before Zhou Shaoer could agree, a wave of bugle calls sounded ahead. Zhong Lao Si quickened his pace and hurried over.

Beside a sheer cliff two li from Zhubokou, the last group of White Armor Soldiers clustered around Mang Gurtai, trading arrows with the Ming troops closing in. These elite Jurchen hunters could not bring their skills to bear in the narrow valley, where they had been firmly suppressed by the superior range and power of the firelocks. Now that they had reached the mountains, though their individual combat skills began to give them an edge, it was utterly useless for the overall situation.

Just as the pass city was breached ahead, the Ming troops behind appeared in sight. The simultaneous appearance of an escape route and pursuing soldiers triggered the collapse of the Later Jin armored soldiers and bondservants. Everyone wanted to flee into the pass city as fast as possible, yet inside the pass, a great fire had erupted. The Later Jin soldiers, already having lost all order, were caught between advance and retreat. Many fled into the mountains on both sides. Mang Gurtai did the same.

At this moment, Mang Gurtai's face was blank with despair. He had not expected the rear of the column to collapse so quickly. After fleeing into the mountains, unfamiliar with the terrain, he had fled blindly and ended up in this dead end. He had campaigned all his life, and though he was undefeated most of the time, it was not that he was unwilling to flee for his life. During his first attempt to capture Lushun in the Tianqi era, he had been routed by a little-known junior officer named Zhang Pan. Defeat was not unacceptable to him.

But this defeat was different. This was the interior of Ming territory. Without horses and baggage, they could not return to Lingqiu. The Dengzhou cavalry only needed to seal off this gorge. Without supplies, how could the Later Jin soldiers possibly cross these vast, boundless mountains? Mang Gurtai understood this clearly, and so on his flight, his heart had already fallen into despair.

He was now certain it was the Dengzhou Garrison. Just like in the Jisi year, they had fallen from the sky, and the moment they appeared, they had reversed a perfect strategic situation, instead sending Mang Gurtai into a dead end.

The dazzling red figures grew more and more numerous. This vivid red was even more eye-catching than the red of the Ming border troops. Even through the white smoke after a volley, it was clearly visible.

These Dengzhou soldiers used boulders for cover, firing volleys in groups of over ten men. Though the White Armor Soldiers resisted with all their might, they could not withstand wave after wave from the other side. Their arrows were nearly spent. The Flying Tiger Banner on the opposite side drew closer and closer. The final moment was at hand.

The head of the Goshiha knelt before Mang Gurtai, tearfully begging him to break out. Mang Gurtai laughed heartily and pushed the Goshiha aside. "Your master is a son of the Old Khan. A loss is a loss. Follow your master. We'll fight these Dengzhou Nikans to the death."

The last dozen or so White Armor Soldiers roared in unison. Mang Gurtai bellowed, raised his blade, and leaped onto a boulder before him. Across the way, muzzle flashes flickered. Mang Gurtai's entire body convulsed, and he toppled headlong beneath the boulder, blood gushing from his body.

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