Chapter 569: The Moment of Battle

The Mongol cavalry fleeing westward scattered in all directions. A black wall of men had already formed about a hundred paces away — over a thousand armored soldiers of the Bordered White Banner were advancing head-on. Dengzhou's firearms troops were in a state of free fire, already unable to organize volleys. They were not deployed in a formation meant to receive infantry assaults, and facing the Later Jin infantry's attack, they were in an extremely passive position.

Likewise, due to the smoke and the obstruction of the Mongol cavalry, the Dengzhou square formations behind did not detect the danger to the hollow square ahead and remained in place. The cavalry continued to charge those disordered Mongol horsemen. The hollow square's Company Commander sent out two liaison soldiers in succession, attempting to notify the formations to the rear, but neither made it through the swarming Mongol cavalry; both were shot dead by light arrows midway.

Officers of the Sixth Battalion shouted orders, directing the detachment in the center of the square and the rocket-launchers of the heavy weapons banner to concentrate on the western side. Officers and NCOs of the firearms unit loudly stopped the soldiers from firing at will, ordering them to prepare a volley. But amid the shouting of men and neighing of horses all around, the soldiers were already in a state of extreme excitement. Many fired as soon as they finished loading, and the unit remained in chaos.

Two bugle calls sounded within the hollow square. The close-combat soldiers in the front rows rose one after another. These soldiers, clad in iron armor, served as the outer barrier, using their bodies and armor as cover for the firearms troops. Many still had light arrows shot by the Mongols sticking out of them.

The Later Jin soldiers rapidly closed to fifty paces. The front-row Later Jin soldiers drew their foot bows. At this moment, the Dengzhou garrison had neither long-range suppression from firearms troops nor the cover of a breastwork. They would face the Later Jin soldiers' most proficient close-range volley shooting with foot bows. Once the killer teams left the hollow square to meet the attack, the remaining firearms troops would lose their cover. If they stayed in place, they would become targets for the Later Jin's massed foot bows.

A "deploy" bugle call rang out. The killer teams shouted "Hu!" in unison and took a step forward. The Company Commander of the Sixth Battalion had no other choice; he could only dispatch the killer teams to meet the attack. Otherwise, the powerful armor-piercing cone arrows would sweep across the entire square formation in an instant.

A battle drum sounded. The killer teams on the western side swarmed out, fewer than a hundred men charging over a thousand Later Jin soldiers. Amid the chaos, the Company Commander's intent could not be clearly conveyed. The firearms troops behind and some soldiers of the detachment also charged out after them. Then, the firearms troops who had been holding their ground also rushed out. The western defense of the square formation completely vanished.

The armored soldiers of the Bordered White Banner dealt a heavy blow to the Dengzhou killer teams with a volley of heavy arrows. The remaining Dengzhou soldiers shouted their slogans and charged forward. The Later Jin soldiers had no chance for a second arrow volley. Both sides began bloody close combat. The battle line was piled with soldiers from both sides; there was almost no room to dodge, just a simple exchange of lives. When the Dengzhou troops charged, only about a hundred and fifty remained, half of whom were firearms soldiers. The Later Jin armored soldiers had an absolute advantage in numbers and quickly surrounded this small Dengzhou unit. But this small unit fought to the death and refused to retreat, tying down over a thousand Later Jin armored soldiers.

After the soldiers on the western side met the attack, the hollow square was left with only three sides. Amid the thick smoke, the Mongols who had been blocked by the square for so long crashed into the formation. The remaining outpost cavalry and soldiers of the heavy weapons banner engaged in chaotic combat with those horsemen, using whatever weapons they could find. Mobile wounded soldiers also raised their firelocks and fired wildly. The entire square became a battlefield. The northern and southern sides, now without flank cover, were continuously compressed. The entire formation had already collapsed.

These Mongols likewise blocked the path of the Later Jin infantry. Relying on the desperate counterattack of the two platoons on the western side, the First Regiment of the Sixth Battalion gained a moment to catch its breath. The Company Commander blew his bamboo whistle urgently, hoping to draw the attention of the formations behind. Officers at every level loudly rallied the soldiers. Relying on their junior officers and NCOs, the Dengzhou soldiers regrouped nearby into small combat groups, forming smaller circular formations, covering each other as they continued to fight.

That heroic western detachment was quickly annihilated under the assault of over seven times their number of Later Jin soldiers. The Later Jin infantry drove away the Mongol cavalry and charged in groups toward the shattered hollow square. The Dengzhou soldiers, surrounded on all sides by infantry and cavalry, had no retreat. Both sides screamed and fought in a tangled mass. The firearms troops also joined the close combat. After their firepower weakened, the surrounding Mongol cavalry pressed in close, shooting with their horse bows, killing those firearms troops with weak defenses. The remaining Dengzhou soldiers were about to be overwhelmed by the Later Jin armored soldiers. The collapse of Dengzhou's first defensive line was imminent.

The chaos ahead finally drew the attention of the four square formations behind. The deputy battalion commander commanding the First Battalion was a veteran from the second year of Chongzhen, originally from the killer teams, and very familiar with the bugle and drum signals of the Mandarin Duck Formation. He decisively abandoned the static defense and ordered the square formations to advance, sending outpost cavalry to contact the cavalry Company Commander behind, while also sending an urgent report to Fan Shouye, the commander of Dengzhou's left wing.

After a bugle call, the four square formations advanced westward in succession. The firearms troops on both flanks provided accompanying fire, while the detachments of each square ceased firing and loaded as they marched.

The chaotic Mongols ahead retreated like the tide toward both flanks before the forest of pikes. The disordered battle line of the hollow square appeared before their eyes. The four square formations advanced in line abreast, attacking the Later Jin infantry from the flank. The second wave of Later Jin armored soldiers had also arrived by now — fifteen Niru belonging to Ajige. They also fought on foot. Relying on the costly harassment by the Mongol cavalry, the Later Jin armored soldiers did not encounter the usual volleys of guns and cannons. Their bows played their role. Both sides engaged in long-range exchanges at fifty paces, and casualties on both sides surged.

After several rounds of exchange fire, the accompanying Dengzhou firearms troops had exhausted their powder. The pikemen in the center of the four square formations strode forward to the beat of drums. Similar to the Swedish infantry, after the firearms troops finished shooting, the pikemen would advance to cover their reloading. This tactic meant the pikemen were no longer a purely defensive force.

The Later Jin archers held the advantage in rate of fire, using this distance to volley repeatedly at the Ming pikemen. The Dengzhou garrison suffered heavy casualties. One Ming soldier after another was struck by armor-piercing cone arrows and fell; the rear rank immediately filled in with another soldier. The square formations maintained a full front, rapidly closing in and pressing the Later Jin battle line. Both sides soon entered cold-weapon thrusting combat. Sharp pike blades filled the gaps between the two armies. Rows of soldiers stabbed at each other, and screams shook the heavens along the battle line.

While the infantry fought fiercely, the Mongol cavalry swarming across the field regrouped under the orders of the various Taiji. Over four thousand Outer Domain Mongols had been split apart by the Dengzhou infantry and then repeatedly struck by the Dengzhou cavalry formations. Now fewer than two thousand could be rallied. Unag's Mongol left wing had also suffered heavy losses, but he had found his bugler and retreated to the west of the chaotic battle zone, using bugle calls to rally his men and prepare to fight again.

Unag had just gathered over four hundred riders when a rumbling of hooves came from the northeast. When Unag turned to look, he saw nearly a thousand red-clad Dengzhou cavalry approaching.

The surrounding Outer Domain Mongols all thought it was that kind of shock cavalry from Dengzhou again. In their panic, the rallied men scattered once more. Unag cursed loudly. These Outer Domain Mongols had extremely low combat effectiveness. Even the Khorchin units were far inferior to the Mongol left wing, let alone capable of fighting the Dengzhou troops. Unag felt these Mongols only created chaos for both sides.

With only over four hundred cavalry left around him, Unag was hesitating when he noticed that the Dengzhou cavalry over there did not carry the pikes and trident-spears used by the shock cavalry formations above their heads. They seemed to have those flintlock guns with blade attachments, and they were slowing down.

Unag had actually heard of the Dengzhou Dragoons. Mang Gūltai had been killed by a Dengzhou dragoon unit. But he had never seen them with his own eyes. Now, in the chaos of the battlefield, he did not immediately recall this Dengzhou troop type.

Before the battle, Hong Taiji had issued a strict order: if they could not break through the Dengzhou left wing, Unag's head would absolutely not be spared. Death lay ahead and behind. Unag decided to take a gamble. This Ming unit had no iron armor and no long weapons — they were a soft persimmon, easy to squeeze. If he could rout this unit, even if they failed to break the Dengzhou left wing, it would no longer be Unag's responsibility.

At that moment, the Ming unit approached the battlefield. They stopped their horses one after another, dismounted, and formed ranks. The formation stretched wider and wider, arranging into a three-rank line. Unag observed carefully for a moment. The threat of those flintlock guns with blades seemed far less than that of long weapons. He decided to make an example of this unit.

After a bugle call, over three hundred riders of the Mongol left wing spurred their horses into a gallop. The thin three-rank line of firearms troops was arrayed very densely (Note: each man occupied about 66 cm of width in the battle line), standing bolt upright before them. When Unag had charged halfway, the Ming unit still showed no sign of flinching. Unag again felt misgivings in his heart. The distance grew closer and closer. The front rank of Ming soldiers knelt at the sound of a bugle. All three ranks raised their firearms simultaneously. Nearly a thousand guns pointed at this three-hundred-man cavalry force.

Suddenly, a feeling of seeking death rose in Unag's heart. Behind him were all his following riders. The distance was already very close. Facing the Ming army's extended battle line, he had no chance even to dodge. Unag's eyes widened.

"Why don't you dodge?!"

By the time Unag had finished asking in his heart, his mount had already carried him to fifty paces. Still, not a single man fled from that thin Ming firearms line. Unag drew his waist saber with his right hand and shouted softly in despair, "Kill."

A long bugle call sounded. The last thing Unag saw was a flash like a river of stars.

On the small hill behind Zhuanzishan Village, Fan Shouye watched the battlefield, where killing cries shook the heavens, and grinned. Through his telescope, the offensive of that Later Jin cavalry force had vanished like smoke in the wind under a single volley from the Dragoon Regiment. The volley from one regiment swept away the front rank of the Later Jin cavalry, instantly forming a barrier of human and horse corpses. The cavalry behind were either blocked or fled in panic. Only a few riders reached the front of the formation. The gaps in the dragoons' battle line were very few. Some horses crashed into the dragoons' ranks, but their scattered charge could not break through the dragoons' three-rank human wall. Those horses and riders were stabbed by the dragoons with their bayonets and finally fell along the battle line.

In all previous training experiments of the Dengzhou garrison, three ranks of light infantry had withstood the frontal impact of charging horses. Europe at this time had reached the same conclusion (Note 1). The impact force of cavalry was not as strong as it visually felt.

After firing, the dragoons advanced westward. Fan Shouye snapped his fingers smugly, tilted his chin up, and tossed two soybeans into his mouth. Beside him, the Chief of Staff of the First Battalion pointed ahead and said to him, "Battalion Commander Fan, the foot armor of the Bordered Red Banner and the spare troops are advancing toward Zhuanzishan Village."

Fan Shouye put away his smug expression. "How is the First Regiment, First Company in the village?"

"Including the two additional platoons sent in, all have suffered over half casualties. They still hold half the village. The Jianzhou bandits' casualties are even heavier. The ruins in the village are already full of corpses. The fighting is extremely brutal."

"Send the First Regiment, Second Company to reinforce Zhuanzishan Village. Tell the Company Commander he must hold it for me, unless every last one of them is dead."

"Then we'll only have one detachment left as a reserve."

Fan Shouye shouted, "I'm also a reserve! Send the outpost cavalry, buglers and drummers, provost troops, blacksmiths, and grooms — all of them! Also... we'll request reinforcements from Lord Chen."

"My lord, Fan Shouye dispatched the Dragoon Regiment of the First Cavalry Battalion to reinforce the left wing's rear formation. The line has been stabilized and is still engaged in chaotic combat with those Later Jin cavalry. Fan Shouye has one company of the Mandarin Duck Formation as his reserve. He just sent a relay rider, saying the Bordered Red Banner has already committed foot armor to attack Zhuanzishan Village. The village is piled with several layers of corpses. He will soon have to commit this reserve force. He requests that you send him one regiment of reinforcements."

Chen Xin nodded. The battle had been going on for one double-hour. The Dengzhou left wing had endured tremendous pressure. Fan Shouye's performance had been outstanding. "Fan Shouye has fought very well. Immediately send a regiment of reinforcements to him."

Liu Pojun continued, "In the center, Zheng Sanhu's two battalions have reached both flanks of Wangjiatun and encountered counterattacks from the Later Jin's Plain Red Banner and Bordered Yellow Banner. The outcome is still undecided. Four detachments and the Third Battalion's Mandarin Duck Formation Regiment are attacking Wangjiatun. The village is defended by a unit of Plain Red Banner foot armor and the Plain Red Ujen Cooha. Hong Taiji has just committed another unit of Plain Yellow Banner foot armor."

Chen Xin nodded slightly. "What is Zhu Guobin doing? He has two battalions plus a cavalry regiment. Why hasn't the right wing routed the two Blue Banners yet?"

At this moment, white smoke rose everywhere on the battlefield. The thick smoke produced by the firearms fire of both sides blurred vision. Chen Xin's telescope could barely make out the distant battlefield situation.

Liu Pojun was about to reply when two relay riders came from the east. Liu Pojun immediately went to meet them. After listening for a moment, he turned back at once, jumped onto the platform, and said urgently to Chen Xin, "Zhu Guobin has sent a relay rider to report that his Seventh Battalion has gained the advantage. The Bordered Blue Banner's foot armor has been routed. The Bordered Blue Banner's mounted armor is being pinned down by the First Regiment of the Second Cavalry Battalion. The Seventh Battalion's position is about to surpass the western flank of Ertaizi Village. Zhu Guobin plans to turn the Seventh Battalion's square formation regiment toward the direction of the Later Jin center, and commit the Seventh Battalion's Mandarin Duck Formation Regiment to the fight for Ertaizi Village."

Chen Xin quickly turned to the map. Liu Pojun had already marked the positions on it. The Seventh Battalion's position was thrust forward, splitting the Plain Blue Banner's real Jurchens and Ertaizi Village from the Later Jin battle line. The Bordered Blue Banner was being compressed backward. The Second and Third Battalions in the center had also moved their battle line forward, pressing the Later Jin center back a distance. Meanwhile, the Later Jin right wing was still fiercely engaged at Zhuanzishan. The entire Later Jin battle line presented a slant from southwest to northeast.

"How is the fighting at Ertaizi Village?"

"Hooge has committed foot armor to the infantry battle. The Plain Blue Banner's real Jurchens and the Bordered Blue Ujen Cooha are all in the village. The Fourth Battalion's First Regiment is attacking with full force. Zhu Guobin has also committed the Second Regiment to the fight for the village, leaving only the Third Regiment to defend against the mounted armor outside Plain Blue Village. Currently, the Jianzhou bandits in the village are fighting to the death and refusing to retreat. Both sides are suffering heavy casualties. The Plain Blue Banner's mounted armor outside the village charged the square formation once and also suffered extremely heavy losses. It can be confirmed that the Plain Blue Banner's strength has been greatly damaged."

Chen Xin asked urgently, "What reserves does Hong Taiji still have in hand?"

"The reserves Hong Taiji has left should be the Plain Yellow Banner mounted armor, the Gabshikhiyan Cooha, about half of the Plain Yellow Banner foot armor, the Two Yellow and Plain Blue Ujen Cooha, and the Tianyou Army. The strongest are the Plain Yellow Banner mounted armor and that Gabshikhiyan Cooha battalion."

Chen Xin raised his head and looked at Liu Pojun. "Is this the moment?"

Liu Pojun nodded affirmatively and said, "The Later Jin left wing's battle line is broken. The Bordered Blue Banner has been heavily damaged by the Seventh Battalion. The Plain Blue Banner has been severely struck multiple times by our forces and is the weakest. It is now trapped in Ertaizi Village. The Fourth Battalion alone is enough to annihilate it. This subordinate believes that the Seventh Battalion should turn with all its strength to attack westward. Hong Taiji will certainly send a powerful force to block them, which will reduce his reserves by half. At that moment, we commit the main force of the rear formation, break through the Later Jin battle line from the position vacated by the Seventh Battalion, and roll up Hong Taiji's central army command banner. Once Hong Taiji's central army is routed, the Later Jin battle line will collapse westward. The bulk of their forces will be sealed off by our army on the side near the sea, and our great army can annihilate them completely."

Chen Xin stood up and looked to the west. Smoke and dust filled the air there, especially in the direction of Zhuanzishan Village, where thick smoke billowed. Fierce fighting was still ongoing. Chen Xin suddenly felt wave after wave of excitement.

"Move out the rear formation reserves. Order Wang Changfu to lead the First Guards Battalion to reinforce the left wing in the direction of Zhuanzishan. After stabilizing the left wing, launch a counterattack toward Zhuanzi Village, break through the area held by the Bordered Red Banner, and drive the Jianzhou bandits toward the seashore. The specific allocation of troops is up to him, but he must not allow the main force of the Later Jin right wing to escape through his defense line."

Liu Pojun's hands trembled slightly. He recorded the order and swiftly handed it to a staff officer below the platform. After giving a few instructions, the staff officer, accompanied by two guards, rode toward the First Guards Battalion on the left wing.

"Order the combat engineer company to reinforce Wangjiatun Village in the center. Drive the Jianzhou bandits out of the village and force Hong Taiji to commit his reserves."

Liu Pojun quickly dispatched the order. Finally, only the crucial right wing remained. Chen Xin still had the Second Guards Battalion, two regiments of the Second Cavalry Battalion, and the Guards Cavalry Regiment — over seven thousand men in total.

This time, however, Chen Xin did not speak. Instead, he climbed down from the observation cart and mounted his horse. Liu Pojun hurriedly followed behind. Chen Xin turned his head and said to Liu Pojun, "You and I will go personally to give Old Fourth Zhong his orders."

Liu Pojun bit his lip, his eyes reddening, and said, "This is the moment this subordinate has waited many years for."

At that moment, the bugle of the First Guard Battalion had already sounded. Over four thousand soldiers began to fall in, and those who had been resting rose from the ground.

The clear, resonant bugle calls mingled with the crack of gunfire along the battle line. The battlefield was thick with gunpowder smoke, and though the distant fighting was hard to make out, Chen Xin firmly believed his new-model army had already created a decisive opportunity for victory.

For the first time, Chen Xin was so certain that the prophecy of the back diagram, which so often haunted his nightmares, would be rewritten today. His heroic spirit surging, he lashed his horse's rump with the whip, and his mount galloped toward the Second Guard Battalion on the right. The soldiers waiting on standby, seeing Chen Xin ride past the front, rose to their feet one after another.

Note 1: From *The Art of Western Warfare*, chapter on bayonets and flintlocks: "Since a single strong warhorse cannot even knock down an infantryman holding only a stick, cavalry charging an infantry battalion armed with bayoneted muskets on a roaring battlefield is even less likely to succeed — the horses are far more easily frightened."

The cavalry described here primarily used sabers, and their warhorses were far stronger than the East Asian Mongolian horse. The mounts daring enough to charge a formation directly were one in a hundred, and had to undergo extremely rigorous training. Even so, a steadfast three-rank infantry line could still stand against them.

The Mongols were typical light cavalry, and the Later Jin were primarily mounted infantry, lacking the tactical capability to charge formations. Neither could break a steadfast linear square in a frontal assault.