weaving

Although they had an absolute advantage in troop strength and were well-equipped and well-trained, the disadvantages of infantry against cavalry were fully exposed at this moment.

Even if the infantry wins a battle, they simply do not have the power to annihilate the cavalry.

Unless the cavalry has several times the number of infantry and occupies advantageous terrain, the cavalry can easily break out and leave the infantry unable to catch up.

Li Jiyu did not personally lead the battle, but instead entrusted the front line to the newly appointed deputy general He Shihui.

At this moment, he stood on a high building in Daxing Town, observing the battlefield situation through his binoculars. Seeing that victory was assured, he put down his binoculars and said to Liu Zhiyan, the garrison commander beside him, "Are the Tartars really that easy to defeat?"

Liu Zhi was also holding a pair of binoculars, indicating that he had been observing the changes on the battlefield: "However... our casualties are not small either."

"Alas..." Li Jiyu sighed, "Since ancient times, few have returned from war. In war, how can there be no death?"

He turned to look at Liu Zhi and said, "The commander-in-chief ordered my Xuanwu Battalion to do its best to contain the Tartars on the east bank of the Shu River. If we don't make those beasts suffer, they won't take our few thousand men seriously. How can we fulfill the commander-in-chief's orders then!"

Liu Zhi knew he was telling the truth, so he didn't waste any more words and simply reminded him, "General, order Vice General He to clean up the battlefield as soon as possible, return to camp to strengthen defenses, and prepare to face the Tartars' retaliation."

Li Jiyu nodded, waved his hand, and immediately a personal guard carrying a command flag rode out to deliver the order.

…………

Li Jiyu's battle against the Mongol Plain Red Banner took place on the 29th day of the first lunar month. At that time, all units of the Yongyi Army were in position, and a major battle was inevitable and destined to take place along the Shu River.

In the southwest of Qingzhou Prefecture, on the banks of the Yi River, there is a shop called Gegou. From there, going southeast across the Shu River for less than thirty li, there is a place called Shizilu, which is a key transportation hub.

Today, Gegoudian and Shizilu, as well as many abandoned villages and shops in between, have been occupied and garrisoned by Zhang Guangda's Qinglong Camp, which is heavily fortified with deep moats and high walls.

Within a nearly sixty-mile radius between Gegoudian and Shizilu, the Qinglong Camp's scouts and light cavalry frequently went out on patrols every day, almost completely cutting off communication between the Tuerge tribe Tartars on the banks of the Shu River and the Juzhou Tartars.

The headquarters of Zhang Guangda, the commander of the Qinglong Camp, was located at Zhuchendian, where the Shushui and Xunshui rivers meet. Less than forty li to the north was the garrison of Abatai, the general of the Jurchens.

The troops of Li Fuming, the general of Shanxi, Ge Ruzhi, the commander of Xuanzhen Yangbiao, and Pi Zhongyao, the commander of Xuanzhen Fubiao, have set up camps on the banks of the Shu River, blocking the route for the Tartars under Turge to escape north.

General Jiang Xiang's infantry and cavalry have also been stationed in Yizhou City, ready to attack the Tartar camps on the banks of the Shu River at any time, or to support Li Fuming and his men.

Meanwhile, Luo Rucai's standard battalion and right battalion have also been stationed at Honghuabu, south of Tancheng, and are ready to advance into Tancheng to support Yuan Shizhong or directly attack the Tartars under Turge on the banks of the Shu River.

On the banks of the Yi River between Yizhou and Tancheng, there is a place called Lijiazhuang Post Station, where Zhang Cheng, the commander of the western route of the Ming Dynasty's loyalist army and the Earl of Yongning, set up his headquarters.

Meanwhile, at Matouji, ten miles northwest of Tancheng, were two detachments of troops stationed by Wang Pu, the General of Datong, and Jiang Jianxun, the Assistant Commander of Datong.

However, the central camp under Luo Rucai, led by Yang Mingqi, was different. They followed the marching route of Li Jiyu's troops, heading straight for Haizhou from the official road—Li Jiyu had been sent by the Earl of Yongning to support Daxing Town.

By this time, all the battalion commanders of the Yongyi Army had taken their positions. Some of them had already revealed their whereabouts and were discovered by the Jurchen Tartars, but the main force had not been exposed and was mostly hidden in relatively distant concealed places.

…………

Although the Tartars were somewhat aware of the situation, they did not pay much attention because they did not find a main force of over ten thousand Ming soldiers, but rather small groups of several hundred men. Furthermore, they did not discover the location of the Ming army's main camp. "Those Ming dogs from Tuergegu Mountain and Daxing are indeed formidable fighters. Their infantry even dare to form ranks and directly confront our cavalry."

Turgh tilted his head and looked at Gadahun with a rather indifferent expression in his eyes. He sipped his milk tea and said, "Ming dogs... aren't all weaklings."

He put down his milk tea bowl and said, "Although Gada Hungushan suffered some losses this time, he also killed quite a few Ming dogs, but he didn't capture any."

However, after this experience, I hope you'll be more cautious and find out more about the dog's strength before attacking. Don't act rashly like you did this time.

"Yes, sir." Gadahun stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Gadahun has remembered this."

After this battle, Gadahun, the former Bayara warrior, lost all his former prestige. Like a defeated rooster, he bowed his head before Turge and became even more obedient.

At this moment, Wu Shoujin, the Gushan Ezhen of the Han Army's Plain Red Banner, clasped his hands and said, "Turge Gushan, it seems that Ming troops are coming from Tancheng again. Do you think we should go and test them out?"

Turgh stroked his chin, tilted his head to look at Wu Shoujin, and was about to speak when he heard Shi Tingzhu's voice from beside him: "Also... there's been no news from Juzhou for two days. Has something happened?"

…………

Wu Shoujin was originally a local military household in Liaodong of the Ming Dynasty. He was from Liaoyang Town, Liaodong. When Nurhaci captured Liaoyang, he surrendered to the Jurchens. After that, he made meritorious contributions and rose through the ranks until he became the Gushan Ezhen of the Han Army's Plain Red Banner.

Shi Tingzhu was different from Wu Shoujin, because Wu Shoujin was originally a Han Chinese living in Liaodong. After surrendering to the Jurchens, he was undoubtedly a traitorous general.

Shi Tingzhu was a Jurchen from Liaoyang, Liaodong Town, during the Ming Dynasty. His ancestors changed their surname and name to Han Chinese to facilitate integration into the Han Chinese community.

Shi Tingzhu, whose original surname was Guarjia, was a pure Liaodong Jurchen from Fusong County, Jilin Province. He served the Ming Dynasty court in his early years, holding the position of garrison commander of Guangning, Liaodong.

In the second year of the Tianqi reign, Nurhaci, the old slave, led his rebel army to invade Guangning City. Shi Tingzhu not only surrendered on the spot, but also led his troops as inside agents to help break through the city.

This marked the beginning of his history of serving the Jurchens, including campaigns against various Mongol tribes in the north, attacks on Korea in the south, suppression of Dongjiang Town in the west, and several incursions into the Ming Dynasty's interior. He first besieged Dalinghe to persuade Zu Dashou to surrender, then besieged Jinzhou and again tried to persuade Zu Dashou to surrender...

It can be said that this traitor of the Ming Dynasty played a crucial role throughout the entire event, and his crimes against the Ming court and the people were truly countless!

In the twelfth year of the Chongzhen reign, the slave chieftain Huang Taiji established the Eight Banners by changing the Wuzhen Chaoha banner, and then combined the two banners into one Gushan. Shi Tingzhu was the Gushan Ezhen of the Plain White Banner of the Han Army. In the early fifteenth year of the Chongzhen reign, Huang Taiji re-established the Eight Banners system of the Han Army, and Shi Tingzhu became the Gushan Ezhen of the Plain White Banner.

…………

"It's only been two days without any news, it's not a big deal. Who knows, we might get news of the General who was ordered to come tomorrow?" Yile interjected.

Fei Yangwu turned to look at Yile and said to Turg, "In recent days, the Ming dogs have been making frequent unusual moves. Turg Gushan must be on guard!"

Turgh respected Fei Yangwu, a member of the royal family and a military general, and immediately replied, "What Fei Yangwu Gushan said is quite right. It is indeed quite remarkable that he dared to stand against the Plain Red Banner of Gadahun with only two thousand infantrymen and less than five hundred cavalrymen."

He glanced at everyone and said, “Buyandai, your Bordered Red Banner is stationed in the north. I’ll leave this matter to you. If there’s still no news of General Abatai by tomorrow, send five hundred warriors to find out what’s going on.”

"Yes, sir!" (End of Chapter)