Chapter 321: Section 61: A Heavy Responsibility (Part 2) (II)

On the second day of the new year, Huang Shi's troops passed through Qian'an. Jin Guan had already led his main force north to seal off the border wall at the northern section of Lengkou. Huang Shi was very satisfied with Jin Guan's battle achievements, so he kept Jin Guan's son, Jin Shiqi, by his side to march with him toward Santunying.

Shortly after passing Qian'an, a cavalry unit came shouting from behind, chasing to catch up. After the internal guards ascertained the situation, they rushed to report to Huang Shi: "Marshal, Assistant Regional Commander Zhang Guoqing of Ningyuan, under imperial orders to enter the pass and rescue the sovereign, requests to be placed under the Marshal's command."

"Good. Let him join the column." Huang Shi had an impression of this fellow too; last time, he was one of the two fellows chased by the Later Jin cavalry and forced to circle around Ningyuan Fort together with Jin Guan.

After Zhang Guoqing had his troops fall in, he hurried up to cozy up to Huang Shi: "Marshal, when this humble general heard that the Marshal had landed at Shanhai Pass, he immediately mustered his own troops and came expressly to serve at the Marshal's front."

"General Zhang's lofty righteousness moves this marshal deeply."

Zhang Guoqing's face bloomed with smiles. He bowed again with clasped hands: "The Marshal's words overwhelm this humble general."

Huang Shi and Zhang Guoqing had not seen each other for a long time. The two idly chatted about what they had seen and heard since parting. After talking for a while, the internal guards from the rear came galloping up again and loudly reported to Huang Shi: "Marshal, Assistant Regional Commander Wu Yu of Juehua, under imperial orders to enter the pass and rescue the sovereign, has arrived at the rear of our army."

"Let him come."

"At your command!"

After Wu Yu, Zhang Guoqing's comrade in misfortune from the last battle, arrived, he hurriedly declared to Huang Shi: "When this humble general heard that the Marshal had landed at Shanhai, he resolved to follow behind the Marshal's horse and together enter the capital to rescue the sovereign. Only, because of the ice-cutting at Juehua, I could not get ashore for a time, hence the delay until today."

After the battle of Juehua, Wu Yu had cut ice like a madman every winter, so this time, whether in receiving the news or setting out, he was a bit later than Zhang Guoqing. Hearing this, Huang Shi laughed: "Cutting the ice is indeed a foolproof strategy. General Wu truly possesses the talent of a great commander."

"The Marshal praises too highly. This humble general is ashamed and dares not accept."

On the afternoon of the second day, the internal guard soldiers again came running to report: "Grand Commander, Mobile Corps Commander Shang Keyi of Zhangshan Island, leading his personal troops to rescue the sovereign, requests to be placed under the Marshal's command."

"Let him fall in."

"At your command."

"Marshal, Mobile Corps Commander Shang Kexi of Lu Island, leading his personal troops to rescue the sovereign, has come expressly to request to be placed under the Marshal's command."

"Let him come in."

"At your command."

After Huang Shi set out for Shanhai Pass, the news of his arrival at Dengzhou only then reached the Shang brothers' ears. Without prior agreement, both sent men to Dengzhou to investigate. Once they confirmed that Huang Shi had already headed for Tianjin to rescue the sovereign, they hastily led their own elite troops toward Tianjin. After reaching Dagu Crossing in Tianjin, they saw at the Tianjin Guard the news of the Son of Heaven's edict ordering Huang Shi to open the Grand Commandery.

The two brothers then hurriedly rushed toward Shanhai Pass. They turned north at Luanzhou, probing and following Huang Shi's trail all the way. As a result, it was only after the Shang brothers met here at Huang Shi's camp that they realized each had sent a messenger to notify the other. Their messengers were probably still rushing about on the road; the two of them had a good laugh over it.

On the third day of the twelfth month of the second year of the Chongzhen reign, Huang Shi's forces were still expanding. Large numbers of well-known and unknown commanders from Laideng Garrison, Liao Garrison, Ji Garrison, and Dongjiang Garrison were bringing their retainers and rushing to Huang Shi's side to rescue the sovereign.

"Marshal, Vice General Mao Chenglu of Guanglu Island, leading his personal troops to rescue the sovereign."

"Marshal, Mobile Corps Commander Kong Youde of Lüshun and Garrison Commander Geng Zhongming, brothers leading their personal troops to rescue the sovereign."

Along with Kong Youde and the others came the Coastal Defense Mobile Corps Commander of Laideng Garrison and several other commanders. Now, within Huang Shi's ranks, there were over a dozen generals from various garrisons alone, and the elite personal troops they brought numbered over two thousand cavalry, a number still steadily growing. Among the trusted officers Kong Youde brought this time were also Ji Tuisi, Xiao Bailang, and others. When these men saw Huang Shi, they too were exceptionally stirred; back when they heard Huang Shi had slain the slave chieftain, they had all praised him highly for truly keeping his word.

After Mao Wenlong's death, the Shang brothers, Kong Youde, and Geng Zhongming had all reverted to their original surnames. Seeing Kong Youde and the Geng Zhongming brothers arrive now, Huang Shi dismounted and clasped his fists toward Kong Youde: "Elder Brother, long time no see."

Huang Shi's gesture startled the surrounding commanders. Kong Youde was also greatly taken aback and hurriedly bowed deeply in return: "Marshal, how could this humble general dare to accept such a form of address from the Marshal within the army."

Although Kong Youde still honestly addressed Huang Shi as Marshal, his words made everyone present understand in their hearts that this man's relationship with Huang Shi was certainly far from ordinary. Geng Zhongming, standing behind Kong Youde, even showed a look of pride.

"Why can't Elder Brother accept it? We haven't reached the battlefield yet." Huang Shi laughed and told everyone about the scene when he first met Kong Youde. At that time, Kong Youde was a patriotic general protecting refugees and resisting corruption, and it was precisely because of such conduct that Huang Shi regarded him as a kindred spirit.

"Without Elder Brother, your younger brother would have long since died on the road. How could I have today's achievements?" Huang Shi unreservedly told everyone about the hardships they endured together on the journey, and the old story of how Kong Youde had beaten him utterly: "It was precisely Elder Brother Kong's teaching that allowed me to glimpse the way of being a commander. That all-night heartfelt talk eight years ago seems as if it were just yesterday."

Everyone sighed with emotion. After a flush of excitement passed over Kong Youde's face, he suddenly sighed: "A true man does not boast of past glories. The military strategy and martial achievements my brother now possesses are things this foolish elder brother can never hope to match in this life."

"Today I must share a drunken revel with Elder Brother!" Although the gap in their status was now vast, since Kong Youde had reverted to his original name, Huang Shi could once again bring up the bond of sworn brotherhood they had formed back then. Since parting at Dongjiang, they had not used this form of address for seven years. Then Huang Shi laughed again: "But once we reach the battlefield, your younger brother will still treat everyone equally."

"That is only natural. This foolish elder brother understands in his heart." Seeing that Huang Shi, after all these years, still had not forgotten the scene of their shared hardships, Kong Youde was also filled with emotion, completely unaware that Huang Shi's words carried a much deeper meaning. At this moment, Huang Shi was also secretly rejoicing in his heart; Kong Youde's history had finally been changed, and he would not have to meet him in battle with weapons drawn.

At the banquet, Kong Youde discovered that Vice General Hu Yining of Qiantun was very much to his liking. After a few cups of wine, the two became familiar: "May I ask if Elder Brother Kong has any children?"

Kong Youde laughed wryly: "I am poor, unable even to afford a wife. How could I possibly have children?"

Hu Yining was greatly surprised and quickly pressed: "Elder Brother Kong is a Mobile Corps Commander of Dongjiang. How can you be unable to afford a wife?"

Kong Youde gave a few more hollow laughs. Because Dongjiang Garrison was impoverished, its officers had never received salary stipends, so Kong Youde had never been able to start a family. In the original history, the wives of him, Geng Zhongming, and the others were seized during the Dengzhou Mutiny.

"I have a daughter, born of my principal wife, just sixteen, still waiting in the boudoir to be betrothed. She can be considered a daughter of a military family. I wonder if she has the good fortune to aspire to connect with General Kong?" Hu Yining and Kong Youde were about the same age, but he already had both sons and daughters. In one breath, he offered to Kong Youde the daughter he had originally intended to betroth to Kong Youde's son.

Kong Youde was overjoyed in his heart, but verbally he repeatedly protested his unworthiness. This Hu Yining was already a Vice Regional Commander of Liao Garrison, from a wealthy hereditary military family; for him to take a fancy to a pauper like himself was naturally Kong Youde aspiring high.

Third day of the twelfth month, early morning.

A personal guard ran quickly to the side of the cannibal Zu Dashou and respectfully handed over a document with both hands: "My lord, an urgent dispatch from the Marshal."

In this letter, Huang Shi asked where the vanguard had reached and how far it still was from Santunying. The Flying General Zu squinted as he read the letter in his hand, then stroked his beard, turned his head to look at the city beneath his feet, and said with a swaying head: "Report back to the Marshal: Zu has already planted his feet atop the city tower of Santunying and quietly awaits the Marshal's grand army."

Fifth day, outside Santunying.

The Flying General Zu led nine thousand Guan-Ning Iron Cavalry several li out of the city to welcome Huang Shi's central army. Huang Shi rode at the very front to Zu Dashou's side, dismounted, and laughed heartily: "General Zu is truly a Flying General! Covering nearly two hundred li in two days, taking Santunying in a single day — you deserve the highest merit!"

"The Marshal praises too highly. Zu's meager and trifling toil is not worth keeping in mind." After Zu Dashou finished speaking, he looked to his side, pointed at a man, and said to Huang Shi: "This time, this humble general was able to take Zunhua City entirely thanks to the aid of this brave fellow."

"Oh?" Huang Shi turned his head to look at this stranger and asked with keen interest: "What is this brave fellow's name, and what deeds has he performed? Tell this marshal quickly."

Hearing Huang Shi speak, that man immediately threw himself to the ground and knelt, first kowtowing three times with loud thuds before saying with the utmost respect: "The criminal Liu Xingzuo, kowtowing to the Marshal."

During this invasion, Liu Xingzuo belonged to the second-wave mobilization troops in the rear, responsible for transporting captured population and supplies out beyond the passes and organizing scattered Mongol herders into units. He was already a bannerman of the Later Jin's Manchu Plain Red Banner, but upon hearing that Huang Shi was personally overseeing the army, Liu Xingzuo's mind began to stir again.

A few days earlier, the Mongols in the Qian'an direction had begun fleeing back, saying the Ming army was mounting a major counteroffensive. Liu Xingzuo concluded in his heart that this must be Huang Shi's main axis of attack, so he took it upon himself not to send a warning toward the Zunhua direction. After Zu Dashou's troops arrived outside Santunying, Liu Xingzuo led his trusted followers in a sudden violent uprising, opening the gates of Santunying for the Ming army.

There had originally been only two hundred Manchu soldiers in the city. Liu Xingzuo also brought several dozen Manchu soldiers over to the Ming side. While the remaining Mongols were in panic and confusion, the Flying General Zu had already charged in with nine thousand Guan-Ning Iron Cavalry, and Santunying thus changed hands.

"Oh, so you are Liu Xingzuo. Quickly, please rise." Huang Shi laughed heartily and helped Liu Xingzuo up. By now, the great traitors around him had formed into squads and platoons. Besides Zu Dashou, several others who came from Guan-Ning were also men who would join the banners in the future. And the Three Compliant Kings were all present in full. One more Liu Xingzuo was not too many, and one less would not be too few.

Huang Shi immediately appointed Liu Xingzuo as Mobile Corps Commander of Xifengkou, ordering him to set out at once and find a way to seal off the border wall on the eastern side of Xifengkou. At the same time, he granted him the authority to launch attacks on his own initiative, allowing him to cross the border wall and strike into the Duoyan region: "The Kharchin Mongols openly aided the Jianzhou slaves. They deserve punitive expedition. General Liu may act at his discretion; it shall not be considered an unauthorized provocation of border hostilities."

"At your command, Marshal."

Over eight hundred Mongols in Santunying surrendered to the Ming army. Liu Xingzuo persuaded Zu Dashou not to kill them, and now he wanted to incorporate these surrendered troops into his own force.

"If we can keep Hong Ta here this time, this marshal will certainly recommend your promotion to Assistant Regional Commander, just as I guaranteed you before. Do well."

"The Marshal's profound kindness is etched into this humble general's very marrow."

That evening, Huang Shi gave orders to celebrate Zu Dashou's achievements and had the troops begin setting camp and resting. As a result, that very night, Zu Dashou formed a connection with He Dingyuan. He Dingyuan betrothed his son to Zu Dashou's youngest daughter. It was not just He Dingyuan alone; the other favorites around Huang Shi also became key targets of attention for the outside commanders. The only thing that gave Huang Shi comfort was that, for the time being, no one had yet set their sights on his own daughter.

Sixth day.

Liu Xingzuo had been gone barely a day before he returned with his elder brother Liu Xingzuo. The latter crawled into the tent and threw himself on the ground: "The criminal Liu Xingzuo kowtows before the Marshal — a capital offense, a capital offense."

"Please rise." Huang Shi said offhandedly from his seat. If this Liu Xingzuo had not brought some great merit with him, Huang Shi felt there was no need to be overly courteous to him.

"Thank you, Marshal." After Liu Xingzuo rose, his brother went outside again and dragged in two women bound tightly with ropes. With a hard shove, he sent the two women tumbling to the ground.

Liu Xingzuo pointed at the two women slumped on the ground and said: "Marshal, these are the slave-chief Hong Tai's two junior consorts. They are a pair of daughters from a Khorchin Mongol chieftain."

Liu Xingzuo immediately lunged forward, grabbed the two women by the hair, and yanked their faces up for Huang Shi to see.

"The elder one is called Hai Lanzhu, the younger one is called Da Yu'er."

Huang Shi studied the sisters for a few moments, then nodded: "Liu Xingzuo, you have rendered a great service. Release them."

As soon as Liu Xingzuo let go, the pair of Khorchin Mongol sisters collapsed to the ground again. A rope was bound across each of their mouths, so only faint, muffled sobs could be heard.

According to Liu Xingzuo, Hong Taiji had brought this pair of sisters with him during this invasion. But a few days earlier, Hong Taiji had ordered the entire army to withdraw. He insisted that the main force leave first, so he had the sisters sent out beyond the pass ahead of time. Liu Xingzuo was in charge of logistics transport in Khorchin Mongol territory. Just as the sisters were leaving the pass, Liu Xingzuo happened to hear that Ming forces had already reached outside Santun Camp. He steeled his resolve, led his men to kill several escort personnel, seized the sisters, and fled back, intending to defect along with his younger brother Liu Xingzuo.

Liu Xingzuo and his several dozen men scaled the border wall east of Xifengkou. Once inside, they headed straight for Santun Camp and happened to run into his younger brother Liu Xingzuo.

"Marshal, the slave-chief Hong Tai has already learned that the Marshal has returned to the capital region. The Jianzhou slave elite troops are racing back day and night, planning to hold Zunhua and Xifengkou to the death to cover the main force's exit from the pass. They will reach Zunhua in just a day or two."

"So soon?"

"Yes. I hear Hong Tai left only a very small force to guard the rear echelon, while the main force abandoned the baggage train and is returning at full speed. He has also ordered the troops in Khorchin Mongol territory to prepare to assemble and enter the pass to help defend Zunhua and Xifengkou." If the baggage train was abandoned, a combat unit could cover over fifty li in a day. However, Liu Xingzuo told Huang Shi that there were not enough supplies along the route, so those mounted units could not sustain a continuous long-distance march.

Liu Xingzuo had been working in Khorchin Mongol territory all these days, so he knew Hong Taiji's hand with perfect clarity. He pointed viciously at the two women on the ground: "Marshal, they should also know quite a bit."

The Liu brothers did not know how Huang Shi intended to deal with these two women, so they had not laid a rough hand on them so far. However, they both recommended that Huang Shi interrogate them under torture, pry open their mouths, and extract whatever intelligence they could from them.

"I will not ask wives how to kill their husbands. Hmm, nor will I ask daughters and sisters how to deal with their fathers and brothers." This time, the Khorchin Mongol chieftain and several of his sons had also followed Hong Taiji in the invasion. Their Khorchin clan alone had sent twenty-three Beile and over two thousand armored soldiers.

The Liu brothers showed expressions of bewilderment. Ignoring their doubts, Huang Shi summoned several female medical orderlies and had them help the two Mongol ladies away. He also instructed that they must be provided with bathwater and comfortable lodging. Naturally, anything on these two ladies that could be used as a weapon was to be confiscated, and they were to be kept under strict guard — suicide was absolutely forbidden.

After giving these instructions, the medical orderlies led the sisters away. When Huang Shi turned back, he saw that the Liu brothers' faces had both dawned with sudden understanding. Huang Shi smiled faintly and did not intend to explain. Besides, they had also now seen his female soldiers — bringing women along with the army in this era was bound to invite misunderstanding.

"Even if Hong Tai enters Zunhua, he may not be able to transport the Jianzhou slaves out. But at least that way, a portion of them could escape." Huang Shi opened a map and studied it. He planned to attack Zunhua first. Then, as long as part of his army held Zunhua firmly, he could turn and attack Xifengkou with peace of mind, without worrying about any unforeseen complications.

Once Zunhua, Xifengkou, and Santun Camp all fell into Ming hands, Hong Taiji's main force would be doomed, unable to exit the pass from here. On a broader scale, the Qin Army, the Bian Army, the Lu Army, and even the White Rod Army from the southwest were all marching toward Beijing. Within three months, the relief armies around the capital region would exceed one hundred thousand; within six months, they would exceed two hundred thousand. Even if Hong Taiji wanted to play hide-and-seek with Huang Shi, it would be impossible.

"How many defenders are at Xifengkou?"

"In answer to the Marshal, one thousand to fifteen hundred Mongol troops. All are men from the Khorchin Mongols, mostly old and weak, conscripted on the spot."

"Good. Let's set that aside for now — they have no ability to relieve others or hold out long-term. Hmm, fifty li beyond Santun Camp is Zunhua. How many defenders are in Zunhua?"

"In answer to the Marshal, inside there are five hundred armored Manchu soldiers, three hundred unarmored, and about a thousand Mongol troops. The defending commander is called Fan Wencheng, a Han man recently promoted by Hong Tai. It's said he was formerly a Licentiate."

"Fan Wencheng, Fan Wencheng." Huang Shi chewed over the name and nodded slightly: "Very well then. Next we will fight our way into Zunhua City and capture Fan Wencheng alive."