Chapter 545: The Western Front

The conch horn sounded outside the village. Zhang Zhongqi silently packed his gear. His son, not yet two years old, stood timidly to one side, wearing clothes altered from an adult's old garments, looking patched and gaudy. Zhang Zhongqi walked over and took out a small black cake. The boy grinned, took it, and began munching noisily.

"Eat up. Your mother left it for you." Zhang Zhongqi's voice caught slightly as he pointed at an urn sitting on the table in the main room, but a faint smile lingered on his face.

Zhang Zhongqi brought out something like a carrying strap. The child obediently came over and let Zhang Zhongqi wrap the thing around his bottom. Zhang Zhongqi turned around, the boy climbed onto his back, and Zhang Zhongqi pulled the straps over his shoulders, then tied the other two around his waist, securing his son to his back.

After the mute died, Zhang Zhongqi did not bury her. Following true Jurchen custom, he cremated her (see *Jianzhou Observations*), fearing someone might dig her up and eat her. Only father and son remained in the household. Zhang Zhongqi dared not leave the young child at home; he even carried him on his back when farming. The two depended on each other for survival, but not many days passed before the conscription order came — still requiring them to bring their own provisions. His unit was the Plain Blue Banner's Ujen Cooha.

Zhang Zhongqi stood up, walked to the table, and touched the urn holding the mute's ashes. After a moment he picked it up, intending to pack it into his bundle, but the wooden box was somewhat large and hard to fit in. Zhang Zhongqi carried it in his hands and headed for the main door. After a few steps he stopped, turned back, and set the box on the table again.

The child on his back babbled twice. Zhang Zhongqi touched the box with his hand, went to the doorway and picked up the smooth saber lying on the ground, then carefully closed the main-room door.

Outside, a circle of oxcarts and horse carts was parked. Quite a few people already stood at the assembly point. There Zhang Zhongqi spotted his horse — now belonging to a fifteen-year-old true Jurchen who had just been promoted to dingkou. Zhang Zhongqi's earliest horse had been lost while fleeing at Zhubokou. This one had been seized by Taketan on the road back to Datong and allotted to him; last time it too had been taken by the Niru Ejen, on the grounds that the true Jurchens were short of warhorses and Zhang Zhongqi used it anyway even when riding.

"If I'd killed the horse, maybe the mute wouldn't have died," Zhang Zhongqi thought to himself, though it was only a thought. The Later Jin did not have many horses. Armor, weapons, and horses were all registered in the niru records. Never mind slaughtering one to eat — even going on campaign with a horse that wasn't fat enough used to bring severe punishment.

That horse was stouter than when it had been taken, showing some flesh on its frame, and was eating a handful of dry hay. The sixteen-year-old true Jurchen stood among several armored soldiers. Zhang Zhongqi saw that the young Jurchen had both a bow and a long spear and was fairly robust — excited yet somewhat at a loss. The Later Jin prized military merit above all; from childhood they practiced hunting with soft bows. Those joining the army at fifteen or sixteen existed before, but only in small numbers. These past two years, Dengzhou had wounded their vitality, and such fifteen- or sixteen-year-old dingkou were no longer rare.

The thirty-odd bondservants and banner-raised Han Chinese, all in the Ujen Cooha, stood grouped by their own circles. For the bondservants, going on campaign was actually preferable, because the Ujen Cooha now had its own organization — all Han inside — and the oppression was relatively much lighter. During last year's mass drill, they had even been issued some grain. Compared to life in the niru, it was heaven.

Zhang Zhongqi saw Taketan on the other side marshaling the true Jurchen armored soldiers. He was now the niru's Funde Boshoku — called lingcui in Chinese — normally in charge of grain levies and corvée, and leading troops in wartime.

"Stand straight! Dress ranks!"

Their squad leader bellowed, and the bondservants swiftly formed up. Their training the previous year had been extremely strict, practically following the Dengzhou infantry drill manual. Under Huang Taiji's supervision, the instructors — made up of surrendered Dengzhou troops — were quite severe. These bondservant soldiers were ragged and gaunt as kindling; individually they fell far short of the armored soldiers nearby. Yet once they formed ranks, their bearing was even slightly stronger than the armored soldiers'.

"Wah-wah!" A child's voice suddenly rang out from the formation.

"Whose kid still hasn't cleared off!" The squad leader stormed over, carrying a sheathed saber in his hand. He often used it to beat people, as a tool of corporal punishment.

"My lord, my lord, it's mine." Zhang Zhongqi hurriedly stepped out of line.

The squad leader was also a banner-raised bondservant, raised in the same batch as Zhang Zhongqi. Seeing it was Zhang Zhongqi, an old hand in the niru, he swallowed his anger and said, "Brother Zhang, we're going to war. What are you doing carrying a baby on your back? Send him back at once."

"I… there's no one left at home." Zhang Zhongqi lowered his head. The squad leader stared blankly for a moment, then shook his head. Many had died in the niru this year; their squad alone was short several men.

The child on Zhang Zhongqi's back sucked his fingers, watching the adults around him with curiosity.

"Why haven't you moved out yet! You're the only squad left." Cherge strode over. He too was a Funde Boshoku of this niru, formerly responsible for leading the niru's Ujen Cooha and charged with supervising the battle line. This time, however, he was moving with the true Jurchen armored soldiers, and the battle-line supervisor had become Taketan, the new officer.

"Master Cherge, you know how it is. Your slave has no one left at home. If your slave doesn't bring him along…"

"Nonsense. Since our Great Jin founded the state, no one's ever heard of bringing a baby to war." Cherge roared, "Even if I let you take him, once we reach the jalan and the Janggin sees, even I will lose my head."

As Cherge finished shouting, he reached out to grab the child on Zhang Zhongqi's back. Zhang Zhongqi raised both hands to block him, retreating and pleading. The surrounding Ujen Cooha parted silently, watching the two struggle with blank expressions.

"What's going on?" A voice that made Zhang Zhongqi's blood run cold sounded. As the two turned, Niru Ejen Laidaku walked over with a dark expression, followed by Taketan and the other White Armor soldiers.

Zhang Zhongqi's whole body went numb, his voice trembling. "Your slave, your slave…"

Cherge went over and quietly told Laidaku. Laidaku did not even listen to Zhang Zhongqi. He said to Taketan beside him, "Taketan, he's your man. You handle it."

Taketan looked at Zhang Zhongqi with a complicated expression and slowly stepped forward. Zhang Zhongqi retreated, stretching out his hands and waving them repeatedly, yet unable to utter a single word. The child on his back poked his little head over Zhang Zhongqi's shoulder, staring wide-eyed at Taketan approaching.

Taketan stopped two or three paces in front of Zhang Zhongqi and said, "Put him down."

Zhang Zhongqi dropped to his knees with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly. "Young Master, if your slave doesn't bring him, he surely won't survive in the village. Your slave begs the Master to grant him a way to live. Your slave won't let him be a banner soldier — this son will still be a slave in the Master's household. I beg the Master to let him live…"

Taketan lowered his head and said, "Where is there grain to feed him? And no household is willing to keep him. Everything in the niru has been levied — you know this yourself. If we don't defeat Dengzhou Garrison, we all die. Our Great Jin's military law is strict; there is absolutely no precedent for bringing a child on campaign. If I permit it, the Ujen Cooha's Janggin will not let you off either."

Zhang Zhongqi knelt on the ground, mucus streaming from his nose, still refusing to undo the carrying straps himself. Taketan was silent for a moment, then waved his hand and summoned several true Jurchen armored soldiers. They pounced and pressed Zhang Zhongqi to the ground. The child on his back, frightened, began wailing loudly.

The armored soldiers pinned Zhang Zhongqi down firmly. One of them drew a short knife and cut the straps. He grabbed the wailing child with one hand and passed him to Taketan. The surrounding Ujen Cooha all edged far away, shrinking back; some even turned their faces aside.

Taketan took the child with a complicated look. The boy flailed his limbs and wailed. Zhang Zhongqi raised his head with difficulty from the ground, veins bulging on his face. Haltingly, he said, "Young Master… spare his life. Let him be your slave…"

Behind him, Laidaku said coldly, "Hurry up. The Jalan Lord has already sent someone to urge us."

"Zhang Zhongqi, after we defeat Dengzhou Garrison, we'll go inside the Pass and seize bondservants — as many women as you want. Later… just have them bear more." Taketan lowered his hand and drew his yunti knife from his waist. Seeing it, Zhang Zhongqi trembled all over. With a great roar he wrenched his right hand free from the armored soldier's grip and stretched it toward Taketan, fingers splayed wide, tears and mucus streaming down his face.

"Zhang Zhongqi, he can't live anyway. I'll help send him on his way. Before he goes, I'll have someone burn him, so no one eats him." Taketan slowly raised the knife.

"Master!!"

………

"Great Khan, the armored soldiers are all assembled. In total: Manchu niru, Han niru, and Mongol niru number two hundred and ninety-one. Jusen armored men, twenty thousand. Surplus males, twenty-two thousand. Mongol left and right wings, thirty-five hundred. Tianyou Army, twenty-three hundred. Newly organized Ujen Cooha infantry, ten thousand. Artillerymen, five hundred. The Khalkha and Khorchin together sent thirty-one taiji, leading thirty-nine hundred troops. The Kharachin and Tumet sent only… only nine taiji, leading six hundred troops. In central Liaodong, an additional seventy-eight thousand aha have been mobilized, sixty thousand of them at Liaoyang."

Outside the south gate of Shenyang, weapons and armor bristled like a forest, banners of every color fluttering. Huang Taiji reviewed the great army from atop the high gate. Yoto was behind him, speaking softly. Huang Taiji listened while reading the memorial in his hand. A large portion of the army had already been dispatched to Gaizhou. This campaign-launch ceremony was merely to boost army morale and, incidentally, to hearten Shenyang, which would soon be left empty.

The numbers still looked large, but he knew the core armored soldiers were actually fewer than at the Battle of Lushun. That battle had cost several thousand true Jurchen armored soldiers, and each niru had been forced to draft new armored men from the surplus males.

The Later Jin's standard for selecting males was generally a height exceeding the five-chi measuring pole, with retirement at sixty. In emergencies, however, height was ignored, and all males between fifteen and sixty counted as dingkou. To meet the demands of this great battle, the mobilization exceeded one in three ding; some niru reached one in two. The surplus males included many men in their fifties. They might still be usable against other Ming armies, but against Dengzhou Garrison, their combat effectiveness was worrisome.

Yoto before him was still Minister of War. After the concubine-killing incident, Huang Taiji had wanted to move against Yoto, but successive battlefield defeats left him lacking political advantage, and he also feared causing internal instability. After the last spring offensive, he had not seized the chance to force Yoto out.

"Already dispatched are Dodo's ten niru at Lianshan Pass. After receiving Dodo's urgent plea yesterday, another thousand surplus males and two thousand bondservants were sent to Lianshan Pass. Hetu Ala is already heavily besieged by Dongjiang Garrison. Dongjiang island-bandit scouts have also been spotted at Jiefan, Sarhu, and other places. Your slave has not sent reinforcements."

Huang Taiji nodded slightly. The other directions in southern Liaodong were a maze of mountains, the roads mostly through mountain valleys. Dengzhou Garrison's greatest likelihood was still the Gaizhou route. The Later Jin's forces had to be concentrated in central Liaodong. No troops would be wasted reinforcing the line from Hetu Ala to Sarhu; it was too far from the main theater. Yoto still had a strong sense of responsibility and had not been drawn into diverting too many men by feints elsewhere. Rather than deploying forces to every point, he had left Sarhu and Jiefan to hold out on their own while keeping a cavalry force in reserve at Shenyang. Once the Ming army entered the plains, this cavalry would exploit its mobility to attack or pin down the predominantly infantry Ming forces on open ground. In terms of ability, Yoto was indeed the most capable of the sons and nephews. If not for the concubine-killing affair, he could have been a strong right arm to Huang Taiji.

Huang Taiji said flatly, "What movements from Dengzhou Garrison?"

"There is a Dengzhou force at Lianshan Pass; Dodo has not yet ascertained their numbers. At Hetu Ala there is also a Dengzhou force of around a thousand men; after they besieged the city, news was cut off. Dongjiang Army is striking everywhere, the roads are severed, and details are likewise unclear. South of Gaizhou, Dengzhou troops are massing. According to scouting by the bayara we sent out, south of Yulinbao their camps stretch for dozens of li, and the official road is thick with an unending stream of carts and horses."

"Still Gaizhou," Huang Taiji said softly. "Let us set out."

Yoto quickly added, "There is one more matter. Two days ago, Unage's scouts discovered a Liaozhen force at the old fort of Xipingbao. The commander is Zu Dale, with over a thousand cavalry, two thousand infantry, and a number of civilian laborers."

"Liaozhen?" Huang Taiji turned his head. "They think our Great Jin can't spare any troops, so they've come to loot while the house burns? Zu Dashou is still a bit stingy — this few troops aren't even enough for looting."

Yoto said quietly, "Great Khan, your slave believes we should strike this force first. A small victory before the great battle will both rouse our army's morale and eliminate a hidden threat from Liaoxi."

Huang Taiji agreed. "Have Ajige lead his own armored soldiers, and Sahaliyan lead the Plain Yellow and Bordered Yellow Banners' Ujen Cooha stationed at Niuzhuang, to advance on Xipingbao. Tell them not to pursue beyond the Daling River."

"Ja!"

Huang Taiji said to Jirgalang and the others behind him, "The great army moves out. We go to Liaoyang."