Chapter 101: Recovering Shunyi

After annihilating this Qing force, Zhu Cilang ordered the new recruits of the Yongwei Camp to clean up the battlefield and sever the Tartars' heads.

This was a hurdle every new recruit in the Yongwei Camp had to clear — if you didn't even dare to cut off a dead man's head, how could you cut off a living one on the battlefield? But the new recruits cleaning the battlefield weren't losing out either; the silver on the Tartars' bodies was their bonus.

Zhu Cilang also sent word for Li Tingbiao to bring all the grain and baggage into Shunyi city with the Yongwei Camp. As for the Shenji Camp and the Shenshu Camp, they could go cool their heels — they just needed to reach the city before dark. Zhu Cilang had no time to train them up at the last minute.

The Qing troops in Shunyi city had already poured out in full force, leaving even the city gates wide open. The Yongwei Camp's cavalry took the lead and entered Shunyi city without any obstruction.

After entering Shunyi city, the men of the Yongwei Camp furrowed their brows. The city was a scene of devastation — corpses of commoners and bloodstains were everywhere, flies buzzed about wildly, and there was not a single person on the streets.

Seeing the tragic scene before him, Zhu Cilang's face couldn't help but twitch a few times. He murmured, "Did the Tartars massacre the city?"

Sun Yingyuan consoled him: "Your Highness, judging by the number of corpses, the Tartars did not carry out a full massacre, but they did kill quite a few people. The rest were probably taken away."

Zhu Cilang said, "Have the Longxiang Night Scouts intensify reconnaissance of the surrounding area. We must find out where the abducted commoners were taken!"

Afterwards, they made their way to the county yamen of Shunyi. Zhu Cilang had the soldiers, wearing water-dampened face cloths, transport the corpses of the city's commoners to one place and bury them together under a memorial stele.

The Night Scouts who had been sent out returned and reported that a group of commoners had been discovered in the city — only a few hundred people, all hiding in fairly secret spots. When found, they were very nervous and even attacked the government troops.

Zhu Cilang could understand. During this period, quite a few Qing army armors resembled Ming army armors, and these hiding commoners mistakenly took the Yongwei Camp soldiers for Tartar troops.

"Send cavalry through the city beating gongs and shouting, saying the imperial army has arrived and Shunyi has been recovered. Tell the city's commoners to gather before the county yamen for porridge and meat."

After arranging these matters, Zhu Cilang asked again, "Which unit is the nearest reinforcement?"

Night Scout signal officer Yang Qili said, "Reporting to Your Highness, it is the force under Li Zhongzhen, Regional Commander of Miyun. After Miyun was taken by the Tartars, he was chased by them all the way to Changping."

Yang Qili, through his accumulated military merits from the last campaign, had been promoted two ranks from Battalion Commander to signal officer. This campaign, his goal was to rise another two ranks and become a Mobile Corps Commander.

Zhu Cilang said coldly and sternly, "Transmit this prince's order: have Li Zhongzhen lead his troops to arrive at Shunyi before noon tomorrow. If he is late, he will be dealt with by military law!"

As the Yongwei Camp's cavalry galloped through the streets and alleys shouting the message, it finally took effect. Gradually, several thousand commoners appeared in Shunyi city, all coming to the front of the county yamen with doubtful hearts.

These commoners had pale faces, and many were so hungry they could barely walk. They had been hiding for several days and were too famished — if there had been food and drink, they probably could have kept hiding. The scene of Tartars killing people in the streets a few days ago still haunted them.

Many people, upon seeing the gleaming white rice porridge, tears streamed down their faces, and they all rejoiced that they had bet correctly.

Zhu Cilang opened the granaries where the Qing soldiers had stockpiled grain, distributed relief to the few commoners there, and dispatched soldiers to proactively help the people with various tasks and repair houses in the city.

The deeds of the Yongwei Camp won the goodwill of many, and these commoners barely managed to return to a normal life.

Ten li from Shunyi city, Cao Huachun, who was resting in the shade of a tree, jumped up immediately upon hearing the cannon fire and gunshots. He shouted shrilly, "Quick! Assemble the whole camp, advance at full speed toward Shunyi city!"

It wasn't just Cao Huachun who panicked — even Wang Wannian and Zhang Shize were panicking, thinking to themselves that this Crown Prince really dared to attack Shunyi on his own. If anything went wrong, their futures would all be finished!

Cao Huachun said to Zhang Shize, "Young Duke, take all the cavalry of the Shenshu Camp and hurry to support the Crown Prince! Quick!"

As he spoke, Cao Huachun mounted his horse, whipped its back fiercely, and charged ahead toward Shunyi city. Zhang Shize and Wang Wannian followed closely behind, leaving only the Shenji Camp's artillerymen and the honor guard to catch up at the rear.

When Cao Huachun led a large crowd to the front of Shunyi city, he was immediately shocked by the scene before his eyes.

For several hundred meters in every direction, the ground was covered with Tartar corpses. Some Yongwei Camp soldiers, while searching the Tartars' bodies, would give a finishing stab to any who weren't quite dead yet, then chop off their heads and stuff them into burlap sacks.

"Where is His Highness?" Cao Huachun asked a Yongwei Camp soldier who was sitting on a Tartar corpse counting money.

This soldier was a sturdy young man recruited from the refugees a few months ago. He had never seen Cao Huachun in his python robe and didn't know what the garment signified. He glanced at Cao Huachun and said lazily, "His Highness has entered Shunyi city."

With that, he put away his silver, ignored the old eunuch, and went back to work.

Cao Huachun was not angered by this soldier's disrespect toward him. In his heart, he let out a long sigh of relief — as long as His Highness was safe, all was well. Zhang Shize and Wang Wannian also breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

At this moment, they swept their gazes back over the scene before them. Looking at the headless corpses strewn across the ground, some cavalrymen of the Shenshu Camp turned pale, and a few sons of nobles couldn't help but vomit.

Half of the Shenshu Camp consisted of sons of nobles or wealthy households; only a small portion were cavalry veterans drawn from various regions who had seen battle. These noble sons lived comfortably in peacetime and had never even killed a chicken — how could they have witnessed such a brutal scene?

Wang Wannian and Zhang Shize fared better, showing the bearing befitting commanders and not making fools of themselves.

The three rode into the city and arrived at the Shunyi county yamen. The moment Cao Huachun saw Zhu Cilang, he rushed over and looked him over from head to toe, afraid that Zhu Cilang might have been hurt somewhere, saying, "Your Highness, you had this old servant worried sick!"

Zhu Cilang laughed and said, "Companion Cao has watched me grow up. Don't you know me well enough by now? Would I do something I wasn't sure of?"

Zhang Shize said, "This officer has long heard that Your Highness is full of strategy and that the Yongwei Camp's combat power is unmatched. Today, recovering Shunyi in the blink of an eye — truly, reputation lives up to reality."

Wang Wannian also said, "This officer is deeply impressed by the Yongwei Camp's fighting strength. Your Highness, if you had only waited a moment for us, we could have dealt with the Tartars here in Shunyi — there was no need for you to act personally! Ah, what a pity — we recovered Shunyi on the very first day of the campaign, and my Shenji Camp didn't even get a chance to show its face!"

Wang Wannian was full of regret. If he had known, he would have run his legs off to keep up with the Yongwei Camp. The free military merits were simply not meant for him.

Zhu Cilang chuckled and said, "You two generals are too kind. Today was only a minor victory; there are plenty more battles ahead. I will soon head north to recover Huairou and Miyun."

Both men were startled and said in unison, "What? Your Highness is heading north? You're not going to the Tongzhou camp?"

Cao Huachun also said, "Yes, Your Highness. You should take command at the Tongzhou camp and direct operations from the center. Leave the recovery of Huairou and Miyun to the generals!"

Zhu Cilang waved his hand and said, "Say no more. I have already planned this out. Transmit the order to all camps: all officers of Mobile Corps Commander rank and above are to assemble in the county yamen hall for a council!"