Chapter 548: Predicament

Tang Wei hastily stopped his steps, hiding behind the cloth curtain to quietly listen.

He heard Guan Xiaomei say, "I haven't decided yet. He's the kind of..."

Guan Dadi's voice said, "I think Xu Pingjie looks tall and mighty, and his family background is good. If you marry into that family, you won't go hungry."

Guan Xiaomei's pleasant laughter rang out. "Brother, you still think we're up in the mountains. Even if I married a garrison farmer, at worst I wouldn't eat my fill, but I wouldn't starve. That Xu Pingjie looks tall and imposing, but he's actually very timid, a silk pillow..."

Guan Dadi gave an embarrassed laugh. "Little brother said the Xu family seems to be arranging a principal wife for him, the niece of Lu You, the Tianjin shopkeeper of the trading company. Maybe if you marry over, you'd only be a concubine. It's fine not to go."

Guan Xiaomei laughed. "Brother, then find me an officer from your camp."

Guan Dadi's voice was a bit awkward. "Most of the officers I know are already married. If you went, you'd only be a concubine."

"That won't do. I've seen those young wives in the garrison farms who are concubines — they all have to suffer the principal wife's temper. I have my own monthly pay; I'm not going to suffer that humiliation. As for the Xu family, if it were as principal wife, I might... I still haven't decided."

After a moment, Guan Dadi said, "Mm, decide when you're ready. Little sister, you're not young anymore. In our old village garrison, women your age already have several children. But if you don't want to marry, we just won't marry into the Xu family. We'll find another family."

Guan Xiaomei said in a playful tone, "Little brother wrote me a letter saying that if we don't agree, the Xu family might feel they've lost face. They have money and influence, and might take revenge on our family. Brother, aren't you afraid?"

"Brother is a combat hero. Brother fears nothing. No matter how big the trouble, Brother will shield you from it."

The two siblings were talking inside, and Tang Wei, hearing outside that she would not marry into the Xu family, let out a long breath of relief, setting down the great stone in his heart.

At that moment, he suddenly heard Guan Xiaomei inside ask, "Brother, is that fat Tang still a soldier?"

Guan Dadi said, "Still is."

"Huh, his last letter said the Military Affairs Office wanted to discharge him. Then... then he has to go to war this time too?"

"He's still in the Second Guards Battalion, so of course he has to go to war. Oh, by the way, I passed my literacy test, all thanks to Tang Wei teaching me. It took him quite a bit of effort."

Guan Xiaomei's voice said, "That fatty is sly and slippery, and loves embezzling things from the troupe, but he's still pretty good to people. Before, when the troupe performed late, he always packed a meal and set it aside for me. On the way back from Wuchang, he looked after me the whole journey."

Guan Dadi said, "He's always asking me about you. Was he thinking of marrying you? But he's being discharged and going home at the end of the year. I heard he's going back to run his family's general store."

"Pah, no ambition."

"He's the only son in his family. His mother keeps urging him to go home and marry. I heard it's a butcher's daughter, and the betrothal gifts have already been given."

"That damn fatty, and he still writes letters to me..."

Tang Wei hurriedly jumped to the tent entrance. "Guan Xiaomei. That's not it. I'm not marrying that butcher's daughter. That woman can kill a pig with one blow of a stick..."

The two siblings inside stared wide-eyed at him. Guan Xiaomei was still beautiful; after being in the troupe for so long, she had become even more refined, her figure even lovelier, and her eyes were still as clear as when Tang Wei first saw her. Tang Wei stared blankly for a moment, then stammered, "I, I, I'm not marrying her. I don't want the betrothal gifts anymore. I only want to marry you."

Guan Xiaomei blushed, came over, and grabbed Tang Wei's ear. Tang Wei let out a miserable cry but didn't dare push her away. Guan Xiaomei dragged him by the ear to a corner backstage, then let go of his ear.

"Tang Wei, what nonsense are you spouting? I won't marry you."

Tang Wei rubbed his reddened ear and said quietly, "You said if I earned a medal, you'd marry me. Don't go back on your word."

Guan Xiaomei blinked her eyes, thought for a long while, then said, "Did I say that?"

Tang Wei said urgently, "Of course you said it. You said it on the road to Henan chasing the roving bandits. I became a combat soldier just for you, otherwise I... otherwise I wouldn't have come to be a soldier. You have no idea, that Old Fourth Zhong trained us like beasts of burden."

Guan Xiaomei's face was full of disbelief. Tang Wei's face flushed red with urgency. "If you don't believe me, ask Xie Fei. He knows best. He came with me to be a combat soldier. I want to earn a medal to marry you."

Guan Xiaomei burst out laughing. "You actually took it seriously? This is a lifelong matter. Aren't you going home to run the general store?"

Tang Wei scratched his head. "That was the Military Affairs Office clearing out only sons. It's not that I insisted on going home. My... my parents are old. But there's still one battle here. I'll definitely earn a medal, even if I have to stake my life on it."

Guan Xiaomei, a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth, looked at Tang Wei for a moment and shook her head. "Fatty, I was joking with you back then. You can't take it seriously. And you're the only son in your family. Don't go risking your life recklessly. The Tatars aren't as stupid as you portray them on stage. I won't go to Aoshan Guard, and I won't marry you."

Having said this, Guan Xiaomei left Tang Wei behind and walked into the tent, leaving Tang Wei standing there in a daze.

Liaoyang City, the former seat of the Liaodong Regional Military Commission, was the economic, military, and political center of Liaodong during the Ming Dynasty. After the Later Jin seized Liaodong, they briefly established their capital here — the fifth temporary capital of the Later Jin — before moving it to Shenyang, farther from the mountains. Liaoyang's status gradually weakened, but situated at the hub of Liaodong, controlling the best-maintained official roads and enjoying the convenience of water transport on the Crown Prince River, its military importance remained significant.

At this time, military camps densely surrounded Liaoyang. Huang Taiji's Yellow Dragon Khan banner fluttered high. Inside the great tent sat several Later Jin military aristocrats at the pinnacle of the power pyramid, along with some of Huang Taiji's trusted high advisors.

"Great Khan, Beile Dudu has again sent urgent letters requesting reinforcements. Two days ago, outside Lianshan Pass, the Ming army added several red-barbarian cannons, and a new group of Dengzhou soldiers arrived. According to prisoners captured by the White Armor Soldiers, this Dengzhou force is the Dengzhou Eighth Battalion, totaling as many as four to five thousand men. As soon as they arrived, they captured the first earthen wall. Dudu lost over a hundred armored soldiers and over two hundred Uzhen Chaoha. Beile Dudu requests the Great Khan to send more reinforcements and red-barbarian cannons."

Jirgalang reported in a low voice. Present were also Dorgon, Daišan, Sahaliyan, and others. Minister of War Yoto had already gone to Haizhou to deal with the situation in the Gaizhou direction at close range.

Huang Taiji took Dudu's urgent letter. The Dengzhou Army's Eighth Battalion had arrived the day before yesterday. This letter was sent yesterday, showing that this unit went into combat as soon as it arrived. Dudu used the phrase "the Dengzhou soldiers are extremely fierce" twice in the letter, clearly somewhat flustered. Moreover, this letter had been forwarded from Shenyang; the route from Tianshuijing to Liaoyang had already been cut off by the Ming army.

Huang Taiji's expression remained composed. He could dispatch troops from Liaoyang at any time to reinforce Lianshan Pass from the Tianshuijing direction, but he was unwilling to do so. Given the Later Jin's current situation, this was an all-or-nothing gamble. Merely repelling the Ming army in the Lianshan Pass direction was meaningless. Even if Chen Xin withdrew on his own, it would do the Later Jin no good, because after winter, Chen Xin would return. Huang Taiji had to defeat Chen Xin's main force and achieve a decisive victory.

Fan Wencheng and Gao Hongzhong beside him both remained silent. During discussions among these Manchu nobles, they usually could not express opinions. Most of the time, they gave advice to Huang Taiji alone.

Dorgon said quietly, "Great Khan, could Chen Xin's main attack direction be at Lianshan Pass?"

Huang Taiji shook his head firmly. "No. From Xiuyan or Fenghuang City to Lianshan Pass, the routes are all mountain paths. Marching might be possible, but their supply lines cannot sustain continuous attacks by such a large army. Furthermore, there is only one mountain pass exit north of Lianshan Pass into central Liaodong. Once inside, the supply route through the pass is extremely easy to cut off. Chen Xin would not do this."

Beside him, Daišan's brows were knitted, looking deeply worried. He sat at the lower end, rubbing his thumb ring. Huang Taiji glanced at him and said, "Regarding the Lianshan Pass matter, what is the Second Beile's opinion?"

Daišan coughed and said weakly, "Everything is decided by the Great Khan. I am old and my energy is failing; I can't think of any solutions. I won't add to the Great Khan's troubles."

Huang Taiji could do nothing with this old fox. Ever since Daišan relinquished his position as the Deliberative Senior Beile, he had been like this — never taking the lead on anything, only concerned with the affairs of the Two Red Banners.

Huang Taiji turned to Daišan's son. "Sahaliyan, you speak."

Sahaliyan was the Gūsa Ejen of the Uzhen Chaoha. He had just returned to Liaoyang after defeating the Liaozhen troops, a victory that greatly pleased Huang Taiji. The Han army had always developed under Huang Taiji's independent direction, finally growing under extremely difficult conditions by leveraging the suppression of the Plain Blue Banner's power and the threat from Dengzhou. The Battle of Caohe Fort had caused many Later Jin nobles to heavily criticize the Uzhen Chaoha's combat effectiveness, but Huang Taiji became even more determined to develop the Uzhen Chaoha. This time, they finally did not disappoint him, at least proving that troops trained under this model could confront the Ming army's other strongest formations. Dudu at Lianshan Pass also said that firearms troops were more practical in defense, which could shut those Later Jin nobles up.

This also showed that the Uzhen Chaoha's winter training had been effective. In Huang Taiji's view, the power of firelocks was very similar. After testing by those surrendered Dengzhou soldiers, although the Later Jin's flintlocks were cruder than Dengzhou's, with a slight increase in powder charge, their range was not far behind. The battlefield changed in an instant; no army could control distance that precisely. So both sides would suffer casualties, rather than being passively beaten at long range as the original armored soldiers had been.

After this battle, Huang Taiji placed high hopes on the Uzhen Chaoha, especially the fully flintlock-equipped troops of the Two Yellow Banners. This unit had even conducted combined infantry, cavalry, and artillery drills in May. Huang Taiji personally reviewed them once, and Dorgon, who had participated in the Battle of the Fuzhou River Crossing, also thought they were not much different from the Dengzhou Garrison.

Before this critical major battle, the Uzhen Chaoha's performance strengthened Huang Taiji's confidence. The Later Jin still had powerful cavalry and strong infantry, and now with the Uzhen Chaoha's coordination, Huang Taiji believed they could counter the infantry-focused Dengzhou Garrison.

Jirgalang said quietly, "There has been no news from Hetu Ala for five days. Sarhū reports discovering a group of Ming infantry. In the northern plains of central Liaodong, Dongjiang scout riders have been roaming several times, burning some grain fields. Additionally, the Dengzhou troops in the Lianshan Pass direction are of unknown strength. What your slave worries about is that if Chen Xin does not come north, our main army will be pinned down along the Gaizhou-Haizhou line, with daily increasing consumption. Our provisions cannot last until next spring."

Dorgon spoke up, "Chen Xin's provisions must be transported via Denglai, and his consumption is equally heavy."

Sahaliyan said coldly, "The Fourteenth Beile's point is not accurate. According to Kong Youde and others, from Dengzhou to Lushun takes only one or two days with favorable winds. After that, traveling north along the west coast to Niangniang Palace on Changsheng Island, the winds and waves are calm all the way, and ship losses are far fewer than among the Dongjiang islands. After that, sand ships can continue north. Between Fuzhou and Gaizhou, among the eleven military forts and post stations occupied by the Dengzhou Garrison, there are three — Xiongyue Post, Xin'an Post, and Guotou Post — that have rivers connecting to the sea: the Xiongyue River, Xin'an River, and Sha River respectively. Sand ships can be towed upstream along these rivers to unload grain directly at the three military forts. Guotou Post, in particular, is only thirty li south of Gaizhou. Even if Chen Xin's main army masses there, it can be easily supplied. In contrast, for our Great Jin, although Liaoyang can rely on the transport capacity of the Crown Prince River, south of Niuzhuang on the Sancha River, Dengzhou fast boats appear from time to time, and Dengzhou naval camps patrol at sea. Ships cannot travel to Gaizhou; at most, they can be towed via the Sancha River to Haizhou. All other routes are overland, pulled by oxen and dragged by men, with losses actually exceeding those of the Dengzhou Garrison. After winter sets in, it will likely be even worse."

Jirgalang also said, "The Dengzhou Garrison began fiercely attacking Lianshan Pass yesterday, likely to threaten central Liaodong before the autumn harvest. Once Lianshan Pass is broken, if they occupy the mountain pass and raid central Liaodong with only light cavalry, the remaining troops in Shenyang will be unable to cope. Then the grain fields in central Liaodong cannot be harvested, and next year will likely be unsustainable."

Gao Hongzhong below listened quietly, his face full of worry, putting on an appearance of concern for the Later Jin. The situation he heard was extremely unfavorable to the Later Jin, especially the Lianshan Pass route, which posed the greatest threat. Among those present, Jirgalang and Sahaliyan both wished to go directly to Gaizhou for a decisive battle with the Dengzhou troops, while Dorgon was unwilling. He seemed to have lost confidence after being repeatedly beaten by the Dengzhou Garrison.

Although Gao Hongzhong was known as Huang Taiji's brain trust, he could offer little advice on strategic matters. Gao Hongzhong stole a glance at Huang Taiji. The plump, round face still bore a resolute expression. Gao Hongzhong lowered his head again and continued listening.

He heard Sahaliyan continue, "Great Khan, your slave manages the Ministry of Revenue. This year, central Liaodong has seen alternating drought and flood, with poor grain harvests. Moreover, during the spring planting season, hampered by the Dengzhou Garrison, planting times varied across regions. Some harvest normally at the end of the seventh month, others in the eighth or ninth month. This troop mobilization, besides the armored soldiers and bondservants, also requires those left behind in each Niru to participate in grain transport, with losses far exceeding normal times. If Dengzhou comes twice a year like this, next year our Great Jin will lose without even fighting. Since the Dengzhou Garrison has come to Gaizhou this time, we should fight with all our strength, just like during the Battle of Sarhū. As long as we crush the strongest Gaizhou route, the Ming army in southern Liaodong will melt away like ice, and our Great Jin will have great prospects."

Huang Taiji nodded slightly upon hearing this, but made no verbal indication. His ideal location for a decisive battle remained between Haizhou and Liaoyang, but Sahaliyan was also right. Previously, the Dengzhou Garrison had always harassed and raided, then relied on defensive lines to hold southern Liaodong, gradually encroaching on the Later Jin's sphere of influence, pushing the attack line into Lianshan Pass and Gaizhou. Huang Taiji truly had few ways to deal with this method. After the various banners took a blow at Lushun, no one was willing to attack such defensive lines anymore.

Jirgalang said in a deep voice, "Even if the main army harvests all the autumn grain and can eat until next spring, next year many will surely starve to death, and our vitality will be severely damaged. If by then Chen Xin turns around and leaves, retreating to Fuzhou to continue his harassment, our main army will have wasted an entire winter in vain..."

Daišan, hearing this, could not help but let out a low sigh. Huang Taiji's brow furrowed slightly; he too worried that such a situation would arise. The contest between him and Chen Xin was a test of patience, and also of their respective overall strength. Huang Taiji did not know the details of Chen Xin's logistics, but seeing how Chen Xin had brazenly mobilized a large army to march on Gaizhou, he clearly showed no sign of lacking provisions.

At that moment, Sonin hurried in from outside the tent, knelt before Huang Taiji, and with a look of anxiety said, "Great Khan, Hetu Ala has been captured. A force of about five thousand men under Shang Keyi of the Dongjiang Garrison, along with roughly a thousand Dengzhou troops, has reached the outskirts of Sarhū. A hundred of their light cavalry have bypassed Fushun Pass and entered central Liaodong..." (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m. to read.)

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