Chapter 571: Right Hook

"Great Khan, Jirgalang has been beaten back. One infantry battalion of the Dengzhou troops is now turning toward the center. Jirgalang requests that the Great Khan send troops to rescue him."

Huang Taiji whipped his head around and roared in fury, "Incompetent fool! Thirty niru of the Bordered Blue Banner couldn't even hold off a single battalion of Dengzhou soldiers!"

Sonin quietly explained, "Jirgalang sent foot soldiers and armored cavalry to assault the Dengzhou square formations. The armored cavalry had already broken through the flank of one square, but then another square came up from behind and blocked their attack. Later they were struck by the Dengzhou cavalry formation, which is why the losses were heavier. Now they can no longer hold."

Huang Taiji was beside himself with rage. "I told him long ago that the left wing must not assault the Dengzhou infantry formations head-on. Why did he greedily seek glory and advance recklessly!"

Sonin lowered his head, not daring to speak. Behind him, Sahaliyan and Niamutai, the gūsa ejen of the Plain Yellow Banner, stood waiting in silence. They rarely saw Huang Taiji in such a state. They heard only Huang Taiji's heavy panting. After a moment, when his breathing had calmed, Sonin said respectfully, "Great Khan, Jirgalang has already retreated in defeat, but fortunately his formation has not collapsed. If you give him reinforcements, he can still hold the left wing."

Huang Taiji steadied his emotions and forced himself back to calm. He raised his spyglass and looked to the left. Through the blur he could not see clearly, but judging by the muzzle flashes of the firelocks, the Dengzhou troops were already turning. This failure on the left wing infuriated him. The Bordered Blue Banner's battle line had broken, and the Plain Blue Banner was already cut off at Ertaizi Village. Both sides' battle lines were stretched very long. If the Dengzhou troops struck from the flank, the Bordered Yellow Banner on the left of Wangjiatun would collapse first, and then the disaster would spread to the Later Jin central army.

No matter how furious he was at Jirgalang, he had to deal with the critical situation before him. Huang Taiji had just sent a batch of Plain Yellow Banner foot soldiers to reinforce Wangjiatun. The Later Jin central army still had: Plain Yellow Banner foot soldiers and over a thousand supernumeraries; one thousand seven hundred men of the Tianyou Army; nearly four thousand Ujen Cooha of the Two Yellow Banners and the Plain Blue Banner; one thousand six hundred Plain Yellow Banner armored cavalry; and the most powerful force of all, five hundred men of the Gebu Xi Xian Cooha.

The Gebu Xi Xian Cooha were the most elite force of the Later Jin — formerly the Bayara scouts, two men from every niru, whom Huang Taiji had gathered into a single unit. The Manchu Qing's forward assault battalions of later generations originated from this. In the late Ming era, they were the finest elite cavalry under heaven, the force Huang Taiji reserved to decide victory.

At this moment, fierce fighting still raged at Wangjiatun on the front. Two Dengzhou battalions, pinned down by the Bordered Yellow Banner and the Plain Red Banner, had been unable to push past Wangjiatun. The center was relatively stable. The first priority now was to restore the battle line with Ertaizi Village.

Having regained his composure, Huang Taiji quickly made his decision. He needed to commit his elite troops in a counterattack. "Have Niamutai take the remaining Plain Yellow Banner foot soldiers and one hundred Plain Yellow armored cavalry to reinforce Jirgalang. He must drive back that Dengzhou infantry battalion, or he will face certain execution!"

Niamutai swiftly led the Plain Yellow Banner forces waiting in the center toward the left wing. Huang Taiji watched them with total concentration. The north wind had suddenly risen and was dispersing the smoke across the battlefield, making the view ahead somewhat clearer. Huang Taiji could now make out the formation of that Dengzhou unit on the left. It was still those square formations of pikes and firelocks — eight small squares deployed in two lines front and back, dozens of skirmishing squads in Mandarin Duck formation in the middle, and a unit of Dengzhou cavalry on the right wing.

Before them were the men and horses of the Bordered Blue Banner, their formation already in great disorder. Jirgalang's banner lord identification flag was moving along the battle line, apparently rallying the cavalry.

The nearly two thousand Plain Yellow Banner troops led by Niamutai were about to arrive, their foot soldiers' formation also very orderly. Huang Taiji believed they could mount a powerful counterattack. After all, this Ming battalion had just finished fighting and must have suffered considerable losses as well.

The Plain Yellow Banner Bayara janggin behind him shouted, "Great Khan, the lookout on the mast cart reports that the Dengzhou second line has split into two columns heading for both wings. The column heading for the Bordered Blue Banner is about six or seven thousand strong, half infantry and half cavalry. The column heading for Zhuanzi Shan is about four thousand, mostly foot soldiers."

Huang Taiji immediately stood up in his stirrups. His corpulent body made his mount sway twice. His vantage point was not high, and the soldiers and banners fighting ahead blocked his view of the entire battlefield.

"How many did he leave behind?"

"The entire second line has dispersed to the two wings."

"Does Chen Xin not care about his own life, leaving no one to protect him? Where is Chen Xin's great banner?"

"It is advancing directly toward Wangjiatun in the center. The troops accompanying him number about seven or eight hundred."

At that moment the north wind died down. The sixteen square formations of Dengzhou firelock soldiers ahead produced another round of smoke, and Huang Taiji could not directly observe the situation of the Dengzhou second line.

Sweat beaded on Sonin's forehead. The Dengzhou Garrison second line had not moved until now, but once it moved, it committed everything. The Bordered Blue Banner sector was already at a disadvantage. Six or seven thousand Dengzhou Garrison infantry and cavalry were assaulting that direction. If they could not be stopped, the result would be the collapse of the entire formation.

All of the Later Jin's forces were already engaged. For Huang Taiji at this moment, although he still had six or seven thousand troops in hand, most were Han troops like the Ujen Cooha. The forces he could truly rely on were the one thousand Plain Yellow Banner armored cavalry and the Gebu Xi Xian Cooha.

Sonin suppressed the alarm in his heart and said carefully to Huang Taiji, "Master, where the Dengzhou troops are heading for the Bordered Blue Banner, Jirgalang and Niamutai cannot hold back that many Dengzhou soldiers."

Huang Taiji's expression kept shifting. Once he committed all his troops, even if they held, he would have no more troops left to use. Sahaliyan shouted from behind, "Let your slave take the Ujen Cooha to block this Dengzhou force. The Ujen Cooha routed several thousand Liaozhen elite troops in a single clash at Xipingbao. Now we have ten more cannons as well. We can likewise block this Dengzhou force. Your slave is willing to sign a military pledge."

At this moment, several riders came from the right side of the center. Daišan spurred his horse swiftly before Huang Taiji. "Old Eighth, the Dengzhou rear formation has come out. Jirgalang is certain to be unable to hold."

"Second Brother, what do you propose?"

Daišan pointed at the center. "That scoundrel Chen Xin is coming to the center. He means to rely on the center's square formations for protection. Let us assault the center with all our troops. The two Dengzhou columns are heading for the wings. Our strike at the center is the shorter route. Yoto still has a thousand armored cavalry uncommitted. Let us combine the center and the Bordered Red Banner's armored cavalry to attack the center together. That Dengzhou infantry force in the rear formation won't arrive in time to reinforce. Once we break his center and kill Chen Xin, the entire Dengzhou formation will collapse on its own without being attacked."

Huang Taiji turned to look at Sahaliyan and Sonin. Sonin shouted, "Your slave agrees with the Second Beile. This is the only chance to turn defeat into victory."

Sahaliyan, however, hesitated. "If we commit everything to the center, and Jirgalang collapses before the Dengzhou center does, we will have no troops left to use. The Dengzhou cavalry formation will sweep over, and our center will be utterly lost in moments, beyond recovery."

The lookout behind them loudly reported the progress of the Dengzhou army. The cavalry of the Dengzhou second line was already nearing the gap exposed in the Bordered Blue Banner. Everyone around looked anxiously at Huang Taiji.

Huang Taiji's chest heaved continuously, his eyes fixed dead on the direction of the center. He had already noted the perilous state of the Later Jin battle line. The strongest right wing was pinned down on the north and south sides of Zhuanzi Shan. The left wing had developed a rupture. The center was being held back. The battle line had become skewed. Dengzhou's all-out assault on the left wing was the decisive blow that would determine victory or defeat — an opportunity for both sides.

The Zhuanzi Shan sector was relatively stable. Yoto still had his armored cavalry in hand. Dengzhou had committed only a little over three thousand men there. It would not be decided quickly. Dengzhou's opportunity lay in the direction of Ertaizi Village, while the Later Jin's opportunity lay in the center.

Two paths lay before Huang Taiji. The first was to commit all reserves to the center. Chen Xin no longer had any reserves. It would come down to whether he could break through the Dengzhou Garrison's square formations in the center. The outcome would be either total victory or utter defeat. If they could not break the Dengzhou center before Dengzhou crushed Jirgalang, the Later Jin army would never have another chance to recover — meaning the Later Jin army had to break the Ming center's square formations in a single assault. The second path was to use the reserves to block the flanking attack from the Ertaizi Village direction. Perhaps they could restore the battle line, with neither side winning or losing, and most of the Later Jin army could withdraw from the battlefield. But if they could not hold, the result would likewise be utter defeat.

Huang Taiji, who for years had commanded with ease on the battlefield, felt his hands tremble slightly. Though it was the cold early winter, beads of sweat kept appearing on his forehead. The square formations of the Dengzhou Ming troops in the center were arrayed with stern precision.

"Can I break the Dengzhou square formations in a single assault?" Huang Taiji asked himself in a low voice. The scene at Caohebao suddenly appeared before his eyes. Back then, he had also believed he could break that small Ming army position in a single assault.

Huang Taiji turned to Sahaliyan. "Is there still time to form up facing the left wing? Can you hold them?"

"There is time. The Dengzhou troops also need to form up. They need to form those square formations, which also takes a long time. Your slave will trade firelock volleys with them. They will also take casualties. For close combat, we will use the armored cavalry."

Huang Taiji nodded. "Beile Sahaliyan, take the Ujen Cooha of the Two Yellow Banners and the Plain Blue Banner, plus one thousand five hundred Plain Yellow Banner armored cavalry... Go and block that Dengzhou force at Ertaizi Village. Send orders to the right wing: the Bordered White Banner, the Mongol Left Wing, and the Outer Vassal Mongol units are to withdraw north of Zhuanzi Shan and hold Zhuanzishan Village."

Daišan, hearing that Huang Taiji had abandoned the central assault, said angrily, "What use is holding them? And you're withdrawing the right wing too? Who do you expect to break the enemy formations!"

Huang Taiji turned to Daišan and said coldly, "All the elite of the Great Jin are here. I cannot stake everything on a single throw. Chen Xin's great banner is in the center, but do we know for certain that the man himself is in the center? If he is merely using his great banner to lure our main army into attacking, even if we break his center's formations, our left flank will certainly collapse. Who will defend against the flanking attack then? Since we cannot break through quickly, we must naturally withdraw the right wing."

Daišan let out an indignant roar, turned his horse, and rode off.

Huang Taiji raised his voice to Sahaliyan. "Have the Plain Yellow Banner armored cavalry supervise the battle. Any Ujen Cooha who shrink back or fail to advance are to be executed at will. I will personally lead the Gebu Xi Xian Cooha to support from the center. You must hold until the right wing withdraws north of Zhuanzi Shan. Otherwise, even if you retreat, you will be beheaded."

Sahaliyan did not hesitate. He loudly acknowledged the order and went to lead his troops. Huang Taiji then said to Sonin, "That Dengzhou force at Ertaizi Village will certainly stretch the battle line. Have Kong Youde and Li Jiucheng lead the Tianyou Army to guard Sahaliyan's left flank. Take fifty armored cavalry to supervise the Tianyou Army."

"Your slave obeys the decree." Sonin immediately assented. As he was about to leave, he saw Huang Taiji pinching his nose and could not help saying, "Master, take care of yourself. Please do not personally charge the enemy lines. Our entire Great Jin depends on you."

Huang Taiji waved his hand wearily. "Go quickly. Race to form up."

On the land of Yulinbao, abandoned for many years, over six thousand infantry and cavalry surged toward the right wing. To the beat of marching drums, the Dengzhou flintlock soldiers, rigorously trained in drill, moved in perfect order.

The four companies of the Second Battalion Headquarters advanced side by side across the open terrain. Tang Wei ran in the ranks, his gun on his shoulder. They were marching in a column of threes. Marching in such a column was faster than advancing in a deployed line. They only had to follow the company flag at a run. With only three men across, maintaining formation was very easy. When they halted, they simply had to execute a left face in place, and they would become a battalion-headquarters-level column attacking toward the center with the company front facing the enemy.

Several gun carts, pulled by packhorses, ran alongside the column. Tang Wei recognized them as the eight-pounder guns of the battalion artillery unit. They moved very quickly, but on the snow-covered wild ground, the rises and dips were invisible. One gun cart launched off an earthen ridge, its wheels clattering chaotically. The gun cart and the ammunition cart overturned onto the ground with a crash.

The running soldiers advanced to the intermittent calls of the marching bugle. No one in the ranks spoke anymore. The roar of guns and cannons and the shouts of battle on the battlefield grew closer and closer. The air was thick with heavy gunsmoke. When the wind blew, there was also a faint smell of blood.

The cavalry ahead of the column had already passed behind the Seventh Battalion and were continuing forward beyond the Seventh Battalion's right flank. Zhu Guobin's identification flag appeared near the Seventh Battalion's battalion flag. In Ertaizi Village to the right front, the sounds of killing still shook the heavens, and several fires flickered within the village.

Dispatch riders constantly galloped past the column, delivering orders to the various units. Staff officers from battalion headquarters and garrison provost soldiers, holding marker flags, ran to the outer flank of the Seventh Battalion. They would mark the attack lines for each unit, allowing them to form up quickly.

The Second Battalion passed a few dozen paces behind the Seventh Battalion. As he ran, Tang Wei looked to his left. Through the gaps between those square formations, he could see the fierce battle ahead, the shouts of killing shaking the sky, puffs of white smoke bursting out from time to time. Upright pikes were constantly being leveled. The Mandarin Duck formation combat teams in the middle roared as they launched counterattacks through the gaps in the front ranks.

The corpses of several men and horses lay on the ground. Some horses not yet dead twisted their bodies on the ground or kicked their hooves wildly. Torn banners, weapons, and armor were scattered everywhere. Blood flowing in all directions was trampled by the soldiers, already congealing in the bitter cold and snow. The originally white ground had turned a mottled red and black. The Seventh Battalion's medics were staunching the bleeding of the wounded soldiers, who screamed in hoarse agony.

Tang Wei's mouth felt a little dry. The heroic spirit he had felt at the start suddenly diminished considerably. He had seen the battlefields after the two brutal fights at the Huan River and Caohebao — always after the battles were over. He could be considered to have combat experience, but that had been chaotic night fighting. This was the first time he would truly face the enemy in pitched battle.

The unit advanced quickly. A staff officer rode up ahead and was speaking loudly to the commander of the First Company, apparently indicating the position. Tang Wei knew the combat position was near. He took several deep breaths to make his breathing less ragged, and his tension eased slightly.

The space to his left opened up. The Seventh Battalion's column had passed. The view ahead suddenly broadened. Tang Wei glanced to his left. Across the open plain, cavalry from both sides were galloping.

Fierce fighting was underway on the Seventh Battalion's front. And on the front of the Second Guards Battalion, about one li away, there was a long battle line. They seemed to have been transferred from another position and had not yet finished forming up. Their formation appeared extremely disordered. The intervals between the various units were not uniform. Some units had not even left enough width and were jammed together, unable to advance or retreat.

A halt bugle sounded ahead.

The company commander loudly gave the order: "Whole company... halt!"

"Tiger!" Tang Wei reflexively shouted a loud warning.

The company commander strode over, saber in hand. "Whole company, left turn!"

Tang Wei turned along with all the other soldiers, and the full panorama of the battlefield appeared before him. Through the thin haze of smoke, a stark wall of men stood on the opposite horizon. That Later Jin force was still hastily forming ranks; before their formation were several cannons, their placement rather scattered and disorderly.

Above the enemy ranks, banners fluttered in the wind — the Ujen Cooha of the Two Yellow Banners and the Plain Blue Banner. Facing the Second Regiment directly was the flag of the Plain Blue Banner. He had heard the officers say that this Later Jin army also used firearms and cannons. Though their firearms were crudely made and few in number, their power was comparable to those of Dengzhou Garrison — a hit meant either death or injury.

Tang Wei's whole body tightened in waves. He could not help closing his eyes and murmuring, "Sister Guan, watch over me. I'm a combat hero."

〖∷Fast Updates∷∷Plain Text∷〗