Chapter 422: Seeking Aid

While Zhu Youjian worried over the great battle beyond the passes, forty li north of Ningyuan, two great armies deployed in formation near the Ming army's baggage camp—a massive clash was on the verge of erupting.

After the Ming army's night raid burned the grain storage grounds to ashes, Abatai had no choice but to order his booi bondservants to withdraw north first the next day, then led the entire army to strike camp and retreat northward.

Without grain, even the bravest soldiers could not fight for long, and with the news of the grain shortage impossible to conceal, the army's morale inevitably plummeted.

Fortunately, they were only a few dozen li from the main force—the army could rendezvous with Yoto that very day—though what punishment awaited Abatai upon his return was anyone's guess.

Sun Chuanting, together with Qin Liangyu and Ma Xianglin, led the Qin army and the White Pole troops, hanging ten li behind the Qing army under Abatai, step by step forcing the Qing forces—who had lost most of their grain—to march north.

During this time, the Mongol Eight Banner cavalry took turns harassing the Ming army, but under the long-range strikes of the Ming army's powerful bows and stiff crossbows, they failed utterly, leaving behind dozens of corpses instead.

As they drew closer to Yoto's main force, the Liaoxi Corridor grew narrow, and the Mongol Eight Banner cavalry could no longer spread out their formation, forcing them to abandon their harassment of the Ming army.

The three thousand Qing troops outside Zhenyuan Fort, upon receiving Abatai's message, gave up their surveillance and blockade of the fort, struck camp, and returned to Yoto's command.

Chen Qiyu sent the fort's militia to quickly fill in the trenches the Qing army had dug outside the walls. When the Ningyuan army arrived, Chen Qiyu led his guard battalion and the five hundred men under Li Lu out of the fort to join forces with Sun Chuanting and the others.

"You claim to be a son of the Founding Ancestor, yet you have utterly disgraced your ancestors' name! Over ten thousand men, and you couldn't hold against a Ming force of nearly equal number! You lost men and officers alike, and lost most of your grain besides! A complete waste! I could cut you down with a single stroke of my blade!"

In the main tent of the Qing army camp, Yoto sat in the seat of honor, his face ashen, staring at Abatai—who knelt on one knee, bare-chested and covered in welts from the whip—his eyes seeming to blaze with fire.

The other Qing generals in the tent kept their heads lowered in silence; the string of defeats was a heavy blow to everyone's confidence.

"Your Highness, calm your anger! Since the Ming reinforcements have arrived, this slave thinks we should consider how to deal with them! We've already broken through two of the Ming camps—just a little more effort, and all those mountains of grain and supplies inside the stockade opposite will be ours! Beile Rao Yu was simply too careless this time and fell for the Ming scheme. Your Highness should let the Beile redeem himself through merit!"

Seeing the atmosphere in the tent grow too oppressive, Kong Youde had no choice but to step forward, bow, and offer this counsel.

While Abatai led his forces in fierce battle with the Ningyuan Ming army, the Qing forces launched continuous ferocious assaults on the two Ming camps outside the baggage camp.

Though the Ming army's Folangji cannons inflicted heavy casualties on the Qing forces, their own losses were also enormous. Zhang Yuan, seeing that the Qing army seemed ready to throw everything in, nailed shut the touch-holes of all his Folangji cannons with iron spikes, then led his remaining men back into the baggage camp behind them.

After clearing the battlefield, Yoto was just about to order the entire army to press the attack on the Ming baggage camp when word arrived: the blockade outside Ningyuan had failed, casualties were severe, the grain had been destroyed, and twenty thousand Ming reinforcements were on their way.

Considering that continuing the attack might expose his flank to the Ming army, Yoto had no choice but to order a halt to the offensive, recall the three thousand men outside Zhenyuan Fort, rest the entire army, and prepare to face the Ming reinforcements approaching from the southwest.

"Very well! Since the Obedient Prince pleads on your behalf, I shall spare you for now! When we return to Shengjing, His Majesty will deal with you himself! You may go!"

After all, Abatai was Yoto's uncle—though in his rage he could whip him, Yoto would never truly cut off his head.

Abatai said not a word, performed a salute to Yoto, rose, and turned to leave the great tent.

A man already past fifty, Abatai had been whipped and humiliated by a junior—the resentment in his heart could well be imagined.

But for now, he could only think of winning some merit; otherwise, upon returning to Shengjing, though Hong Taiji might not have him beheaded as a public example, a good portion of his property and booi bondservants would be carved away.

"Your Highness, the Ningyuan Ming reinforcements will not be easy to deal with! Beile Rao Yu lost several thousand men and only boosted the Ming's prestige! Our Eight Banners have suffered defeat after defeat, and morale is likely unstable. We've been here quite some time now, and with the Ming forces so strong, if we fight them with our current strength, I fear... I fear..."

Geng Zhongming, while secretly watching Yoto's expression, tactfully voiced his thoughts.

Whether it was the main force or the flank under Abatai, both had suffered continuous defeats over the past few days. At this rate, another defeat seemed likely. The only option now was to request the two White Banners from the north to come—only by joining forces could they have any hope of victory.

"No, no! Victory is within sight—how can I hand the credit to others! The Ming troops defending the baggage camp have already been crippled by my attacks. Just send men to intercept the Ming reinforcements, and have the rest strike with all their might—all the military supplies the Ming have stockpiled will be mine! Cut off their grain supply, and how many days can the Ming troops holed up in their forts hold out?"

Could Yoto not hear the meaning behind Geng Zhongming's words? Send men to request aid from the two White Banners?

No! Absolutely not!

He had fought the Ming army for days, suffering nearly two thousand casualties among his main force before defeating the defending Ming troops. With just a little more effort, all those mountains of grain and supplies in the stockade ahead would be his. How could he let the Dorgon brothers come snatch the credit now?

"Your Highness, this slave feels that Brother Geng has a point! The Ningyuan Ming army is advancing with ferocious momentum—they have new firearms and cannons, and the White Pole troops backing them up. Our Eight Banner soldiers may be brave and invincible, but if we suffer heavy losses, even if we seize the Ming's grain, I fear we won't be able to hold it! I beg Your Highness to think carefully—for the ultimate victory of our Great Qing, we must work together in unity!"

Shang Kexi, standing to the side, could not help interjecting.

He saw that Yoto, as if possessed, was fixated only on the merit within reach and had failed to see the current situation clearly—he felt both contempt and worry in his heart.

Abatai, a man who had fought wars his entire life, had led over ten thousand men and been routed by the Ningyuan Ming army in less than two days. And you still dream of taking the Ming's grain and supplies in one fell swoop? Even if you take them, so what? Can you haul them away?

The only proper course now was to defeat the Ming reinforcements first.

The grain was sitting right there—it wouldn't sprout wings and fly away. The remaining defenders inside wouldn't dare burn it either. Once the Ming reinforcements were defeated, wouldn't all of it be theirs for the taking?

But relying on the current forces to defeat the Ming army was a tall order.

The main force had already suffered over a thousand casualties, and Abatai's side had a similar number—together, combat losses exceeded more than a tenth of the total force.

Fortunately, the casualties had accumulated piecemeal. Had it been a full frontal clash between the main forces, whether this loss rate would have triggered a mass retreat was hard to say.

The Ming reinforcements numbered nearly twenty thousand, almost matching the Eight Banners in strength. After successive victories, their morale and confidence were surely at a peak. If the Ming commander advanced steadily, pushing forward step by step, even going all out might not be enough to hold—there was no way they could split forces to attack elsewhere.

Both Shang Kexi and Geng Zhongming knew clearly that they must request aid from the two White Banners now; otherwise, even if they ultimately defeated the Ming army, their own losses would be devastating.

And Dorgon, less than two hundred li away, had surely already sent out his scouts. By then, even if Yoto was unwilling, if the two White Banners charged in and took the Ming baggage camp, what could he do about it?

"Your Highness, this battle concerns the future fortunes of our Great Qing—we must be cautious! If anything goes wrong, we won't be able to answer to His Majesty!"

Shang Kexi pressed his counsel with greater urgency.

"Enough, enough! Fine! For the sake of the Great Qing, I won't quibble over trifles! Someone, send a fast rider to the two White Banners' camp—request the Wise Prince to lead his forces here to assist in battle!"

After weighing the matter repeatedly, Yoto, having come to his senses, decisively issued the order.