At the end of the year, the dripping water in Liaodong turned into ice, and the land was vast.
Rufeng Mountain is the center, extending to Jinzhou City in the east, Songshan Fort in the south, Nervhe area in the west, and Da and Xiaoling River Forts in the north. The Ming and Qing armies' camps were in the south and north, with Rufeng Mountain and Huangtu Ridge as the line. The boundary spread for hundreds of miles.
Forty miles north of Rufeng Mountain, the Manzhou Zhenghuang Banner's camp stood in the cold wind. A huge and gorgeous tent was in the center of the camp, surrounded by Zhenghuang Banner's Bajala elites, separating all the other generals.
At this time in the camp, Huang Taiji was sitting in the center, with Ashan, the leader of the Zhenghuang Banner, Baiyintu, the leader of the Xianghuang Banner, Dorgon, the leader of the Zhengbai Banner, Duduo, the leader of the Xiangbai Banner, Azige, the king of Wuying County, and Zhenghong Banner. Lord Daishan, Lord Dudu of the Bordered Red Flag, Hauge, Lord of the Zhenglan Banner, Rao Yubeile Abate, and Jilharang, the Lord of the Bordered Blue Flag were all present.
In addition, each of the eight Mongolian banners is Gushan'e Zhen, such as the Zhenghuang Banner Gushan'e Zhen Adai, the Bordered Yellow Banner Gushan'e Zhen Dalai, the Zhenghong Banner Gushan'e Zhen Engetu, the Xianghong Banner Gushan'e Zhen Buyandai, and the Zhenghong Banner Gushan'e Zhenengetu. Baiqi Gushan'e Zhenyibai and others were also sitting in the big tent. Everyone looked at Huang Taiji with solemn expressions.
As for the Eight Banners of the Han Army, there are Zhenghuang Banner, Gushanfeng Zhen Geng Zhongming, Xianghuang Banner Gushanfeng, Zhenma Guangyuan, Zhenghong Banner Gushanfuzhen Kong Youde, Xianglan Banner Gushanfuzhen Shang Kexi, Zhengbai Banner Gushanfeng Zhenshi Tingzhu, and Xianghong Banner. The traitors including Gushan'e Zhen Liu Zhiyuan, Zhenglan Banner Gushan'e Zhenzu Zerun, Xiangbai Banner Gushan'e Zhen Wu Shojin and other traitors were even more timid at this time. Most of them lowered their heads and did not dare to make a sound.
Gushan'e in Tumed Right Banner, Zhen'embu Chuhuer, Gushan'e in Tumed Left Banner
Zhenshanba, as well as Prince Beile of the inner and outer Karaqin, Chahar, Horqin, Left and Right Wing Zhongqi, Aohan and Alu banners were also present.
It can be said that at this time, almost most of the senior officials of the Manchu and Qing Dynasties were gathered in this camp. Except for the senior officials of the Manchu and Qing Dynasty, as well as the losers of the Korean army, everyone present could influence the direction of the Manchu and Qing Dynasties. The presence.
Huang Taiji looked at everyone and said: "The Battle of Jinzhou ended in a stalemate. Warriors of various banners attacked the Ming army's Hongluo Mountain defense line twice, but were repelled by a battalion of soldiers and horses left by Liu Yan. We in the Qing Dynasty have no more It may have cut off the Ming army's retreat, and this battle has become a dead end!"
A hint of joy flashed in Dorgon's eyes. If the battle ended like this, Huang Taiji was all responsible. Huang Taiji's prestige in the country would be greatly affected.
"The Ming army was very tenacious in this battle, and was led by Hong Chengchou. They fought against each other many times over the past few days, but they refused to retreat. I was very surprised. Furthermore, disasters continued throughout Liaodong, and people everywhere ran out of food one after another, and even in many places Civil uprisings have broken out. This battle cannot be dragged on any longer. I have decided to withdraw our troops tomorrow!"
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. If the fight continued, under this ice and snow, the armored soldiers of all banners would suffer heavy losses. Now that they are withdrawing to suppress the rioters, each banner just happens to capture a few more Aha to make up for the lack of manpower within the banner.
At this time, Dorgon waited for the opportunity and said: "Your Majesty, our army suddenly withdrew. What if Hong Chengchou leads his troops to pursue us?"
"I will arrange for Prince Wuying to lead the troops with white flags to cut off the rear."
Huang Taiji stared at Dorgon coldly. Although he was annoyed in his heart, he still suppressed his anger and said:
"This war will not be easy for the Ming Dynasty, but the Ming Dynasty has a great cause and can resist it better than the Qing Dynasty. Like me, Hong Chengchou also wants to stop the war, so even if the Ming army pursues it, it will be just a show, and there will be no war."
Dorgon saluted and said: "Your Majesty is wise, I hope so."
Huang Taiji's eyes flashed with murderous intent, but after the exhaustion of the Jinzhou War, his body was deteriorating, and the war ended in a tragic draw, so Huang Taiji was very anxious to return to Shengjing at this time to stabilize the internal situation and prepare for the future. Paving the way to the top.
As for the Dorgon and Duduo brothers, Huang Taiji could only endure it for the time being and wait until the situation was stabilized before taking any further action.
At dawn the next day, the Qing army Manchurian Mongolian and Han banners, as well as more than 200,000 troops from the Mongolian tribes in the outer vassals, broke out of camp and returned northward under the cover of darkness before dawn.
It was not until dawn that the scouts of the Ming army discovered that the Qing army had withdrawn. Then Pegasus sent the information back to the Ming army camp.
"What!"
In the main tent of the Ming army, Hong Chengchou and supervisors Ma Shaoyu and Zhang Ruoqi were stunned on the spot. Then Zhang Ruoqi screamed and shouted: "Pursue, the supervisor immediately ordered to pursue the enemy. This battle will be a great victory!"
Ma Shaoyu also raised his hands to his forehead in excitement and shouted: "God bless the Ming Dynasty, the slaves and thieves finally couldn't hold on any longer and withdrew!"
Hong Chengchou's face was flushed at this time, as if he was drunk, and he smiled and said: "Haha, the pursuit is certain, but the Qing army must not rush in, lest it ruin the current good situation."
"Yes, yes, the governor's words are reasonable, and they are indeed the words of a mature man who plans the country!"
"The governor is mature and stable, and he should be the number one hero in this battle!"
Zhang Ruoqi
He and Ma Shaoyu kept flattering Hong Chengchou, and then Hong Chengchou convened the commander-in-chief of each town to discuss the matter in joy.
When Yang Guozhu, Wang Pu, Wu Sangui and other general officers learned that the Qing army had retreated, they cheered for a while, and then everyone became worried: Are the slave thieves leading our army north to pursue them, and then setting up an ambush halfway?
This is a common trick used by slaves and thieves, so beware of it. In the past, the Ming army had defeated slaves and thieves many times and made heavy gains. But because he underestimated the enemy and advanced rashly, he was later attacked and ambushed by slave thieves, resulting in victory first and then defeat, resulting in the loss of troops, generals, and even the city and territory!
So Hong Chengchou ordered Yang Guozhu to lead his troops to garrison Rufeng Mountain, and Zu Dashou to garrison Jinzhou City. He mobilized Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen from the back road, and together with the armies of other towns, they pursued northward at the same time. The armies of each town huddled together, even if Even if there is an ambush, the army of slave thieves cannot be swallowed up in one bite. The Ming army can still fight and retreat, and continue to rely on the front line of Jinzhou and Rufeng Mountain to defend.
Everyone agreed, and soldiers and horses from all towns were dispatched in the afternoon of that day. Hong Chengchou led Wu Sangui, Tang Tong, Ma Ke, Wang Pu, Li Fuming, Zuo Guangxian, and Liu Zhaoji in the front. Cao Bianjiao and Wang Tingchen's troops were in the south and needed time. Come here, so follow all the way north.
The Ming army huddled up in a mighty mass and followed the Qing army northward. Facing the resistance of Azige's troops, Hong Chengchou commanded the towns to rush forward. Azige knew he was outmatched, so he only used his cavalry to make a fuss. , and did not dare to fight head-on.
This greatly increased the confidence of the towns of the Ming army, and they successively recovered thirteen cities, including Da Linghe Fort, Xiao Linghe Fort, Damao Fort, and Liushui Fort.
Fort, the morale of the Ming army in various towns was greatly boosted, and Zhang Ruoqi and Ma Shaoyu were even more excited to write poems to remember it.
Three days later, Huang Taiji led the main force of the Qing army to retreat to the east and north of the Daling River. Hong Chengchou led the main force of the Ming army to the south bank of the Daling River, and then the entire army stopped and stopped pursuing.
"Why don't you pursue the governor? The slave thieves obviously have no intention to fight anymore. Why not take this opportunity to recover more castles? If we can attack the big cities such as Shenyang and Liaoyang, it will be a great achievement!"
Faced with Zhang Ruoqi's instigation, Hong Chengchou remained unmoved and said: "The slave traitors took the initiative to withdraw their troops. Most of them were forced to withdraw because their national strength could not support them. At present, the main forces of the slave traitors' banners are not damaged. If our army advances too much, It is easy for the slave thieves to turn around and repel them, and then a victory will turn into a defeat in which one wins first and loses later.”
"In addition, the national power of the slaves and thieves cannot be supplied, and the money and food of our Ming Dynasty will also be at the bottom. Therefore, in my opinion, it is best to accept this battle as soon as possible!"
Although Ma Shaoyu and Zhang Ruoqi were a little reluctant, they still nodded in agreement.
On that day, the main force of the Ming army was stationed on the south bank of the Daling River to prevent the Qing army from turning back south again. At the same time, a large number of Ming troops were sent across the Daling River to explore north and east.
Two days later, Hong Chengchou was convinced that the main force of the Qing army had really withdrawn, and then he cried with joy. The battle of Jinzhou was finally won.
So Hong Chengchou wrote a report of victory in his own hand that day and sent a large team of fast horses south to report the victory.
When the news reached the Hongluoshan defense line, Chen Xun, Wei Han, Guo Mingxu, and Shen Donglai also cheered loudly. More than 10,000 soldiers in the front camp cheered thunderously, and they could finally return home in triumph.
At this time, the Hongluoshan defense line has changed.
It was riddled with holes, and the slave bandit army attacked twice, completely destroying the first line of defense. More than a thousand soldiers in the front camp were killed and hundreds were injured.
However, Chen Xun and the soldiers fought bloody battles to the end. After two defensive battles, they captured more than 3,400 flag heads of slaves and bandits, which was also a great achievement.
According to the military law of slave thieves retrieving the corpses of their companions, and the fact that many heads were smashed by bird cannons and thunderbolts, the actual casualties of the slave thieves army were even more, at least more than five thousand, even more than before. It is possible for the battalion to achieve twice as much gain.
Chen Xun stood on the top of Hongluo Mountain and looked south. The bloody battle during this period made Chen Xun grow a lot, and his face was full of vicissitudes of life.
"I don't know what's going on in the main town now. Have you defeated the bandit army?"
At this time, on the Liaodong battlefield, the situation in the rear was rarely conveyed, so although the Battle of Kaifeng had ended, Liu Yan had already led his troops back to Qinglai Town and had a "fight" with Chen Xinjia from a distance, but Chen Xun's side But no news was heard at all.
"General, do you think we can go back soon?"
Wei Han walked over and asked with a smile.
"That should be the case. When the defense arrangements in Jinzhou and other places are completed, Governor Hong will lead his army south. I estimate that I will be able to go back soon."
"Then what reward can the court give us?"
Chen Xun looked at Wei Han's expectant eyes and said, "It's hard to say, but with the more than 3,400 heads of slaves and thieves in our hands, how can you guys be considered generals?"
The three commanders of Wei and Han were all officers in the guard system. According to the current practice in the late Ming Dynasty, the three of them were expected to be directly promoted to guerrilla generals. Wei and Han were immediately happy.
Flowers bloomed, and I never imagined that one day I would become a general. That would be two levels in a row.
"I don't know how the fight is going in the main town."
Chen Xun rolled his eyes at Wei Han and said: "Don't worry, there are tens of thousands of elites in the main town, they are enough to run rampant in the world! There is nothing to fear from mere thieves."
Wei Han nodded in agreement and said: "When the main town defeats the bandit army, will we still need to be promoted? How can we be promoted to a feudal official this time?"
Chen Xun pretended to be serious and said: "That's for sure!"
