weaving

Chapter 1611 Blocking the Enemy at Zhao Family Ridge

"Chaolu..."

Suna roared angrily, and Chaolu trembled again. Then he heard Suna say angrily, "I'll give you a strong warrior to find out where the Ming Dog camp is. Ben Gushan will allow you to make amends for your merits."

Upon hearing this, Chao Lu felt relieved, kowtowed to accept the order, and turned to leave.

After Chao Lu left, a Jiala Zhangjing stepped forward to Suna's side and whispered a reminder: "Gushan, if we linger here too long, will it delay the order to march south to reinforce Turge?"

Suna glanced at him and said irritably, "Hmph. Bengushan also wants to quickly aid Turge, but the Ming dogs are in power. If we don't wipe them out, how can our warriors safely march south?"

Jiala Zhangjing stepped forward again and said, "Gushan, should we contact Baiyintu Gushan on the west side of the river, inform him that we have encountered Ming dogs, and ask him to send some warriors to help us in the battle?"

"Oh?"

Suna turned and glared at him, saying in a low voice, "Are you telling Ben Gushan how to do things? Or do you think Ben Gushan can't beat Ming dogs?"

When Su Na glared at him with those fierce eyes, the Jiala Zhangjing immediately shrank back and dared not utter another word.

Baiyintu glanced back at the warriors of the Mongol Bordered White Banner and said in a deep voice, "Send word to the entire army to assemble and set off slowly southward along the official road, so as to await news from Chaolu."

"Whoo."

…………

West bank of the Shu River.

Baiyintu's Jianzhou Bordered Yellow Banner and Jinli's Han Army Bordered Red Banner had joined forces. In order to deal with the harassment of the Ming cavalry, they had no choice but to unite and march south.

Even so, it did not stop the Ming cavalry from harassing the area along the way.

Every now and then a group of Ming cavalry, numbering over a hundred, would suddenly charge out. They would not only intercept and kill the Jianzhou Tartars who were scouting ahead, but also harass the Tartar soldiers who were lagging behind, and even make a show of charging at the large Tartar force led by Baiyintu and Jinli.

In addition to these occasional Ming cavalrymen, when Baiyintu and Jinli's troops passed through some hilly areas, they also encountered some sniper rifles and cannons, which caused them great trouble.

Especially in the early stages, whenever they heard the sound of gunfire or cannons, they thought they had fallen into an ambush by the Ming army. But when they hurriedly formed a battle formation and sent out scouts to attack, they could not find the people who were firing the guns and cannons...

They only found some footprints and the smell of burning gunpowder in hidden high places or ravines.

They walked and stopped here and there, startled by the journey, until almost noon when they finally arrived at a village called "Zhaojialing". Although the village was not large, it was covered with flags and banners. In the distance, soldiers could be seen patrolling the walls of the villages, and occasionally cavalrymen could be seen galloping back and forth.

Even on the hills and in the valleys outside the village, dust would occasionally rise, and birds would often be startled and fly away from the forest. All these signs seemed very strange.

“Bayintugushan, there seems to be a Ming dog in the village ahead.” The speaker was none other than Mele'ezhen Ahanikan of the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Jurchen people.

Ahanikan, of the Fuca clan, was a Jurchen from Liaodong. He lived in the Yehe region for generations. In his early years, he submitted to the Jianzhou Jurchen Laonu and was initially appointed as a Niru Ejen. He participated in the campaigns against Korea, Hurha, and Gualaer. After the siege of Jinzhou last year, he was promoted to Meile Ejen of the Bordered Yellow Banner by the Jurchen chieftain Huang Taiji.

Sitting on his saddle, Baiyintu said without turning his head, "The estate isn't big enough to hide many cunning dogs."

As he spoke, he raised his riding whip and pointed to the hills and valleys ahead, continuing, "These places seem to be hiding ambushes, yet they're also making a lot of dust and startling birds away, which is quite illogical."

Ahanikan chimed in, "It seems the Ming dogs are deliberately creating a diversion to deter us from launching a full-scale attack on this dilapidated village." Looking at the suspicious hills and valleys ahead, he suggested, "Bayintugu Mountain, should we send some brave warriors to circle around and probe the Ming dogs' strength from a distance?"

Baiyintu gently raised his riding whip to stop him from continuing, and said calmly, "No need. Our priority is to head south to find Turge. There's no need to linger here."

"But that village is less than two miles from the main road. What if they suddenly attack while our army is unprepared?"

"Humph."

Baiyintu snorted and said, "You lead five hundred brave warriors from the banners to occupy the hill west of the official road. If the Ming dogs in the village dare to come out, we'll rip their butts off."

"Yes, sir." Ahani Khan received the order and left.

Baiyintu was still gazing at Zhaojialing in the southwest. He raised his whip and pointed to the west side of the official road ahead. He said to another Jurchen chieftain beside him, "Guleta, you also lead five hundred brave warriors from the banners to form a battle formation on the flat ground below the official road ahead. If the Ming dogs rush out of the village, you must stop them at the foot of the official road."

"Yes, sir." Guleta received the order and left.

Baiyintu lightly flicked his whip and shouted, "Akedun, select the elite warriors from the five hundred banners to stay by Bengushan's side and be ready to serve at any time."

"Whoo."

"Order the entire army to advance south along the official road. Each Niru (unit of the army) shall be separated by a hundred paces. If attacked by the enemy, they shall form ranks and hold their positions. Anyone who dares to run amok shall be executed on the spot."

"Yes, sir!" the messenger shouted in response and spurred his horse to deliver the military order.

“Send someone to tell Jin Li that after my Bordered Yellow Banner passes through, his Bordered Red Banner will then head south.”

"Whoo."

After everything was arranged, Baiyintu still felt uneasy. He rode his warhorse without moving, gazing in the direction of Zhaojialing, lost in thought.
…………

Xiang Jinbao, the deputy commander of the Zhuque Camp, stood fully armed inside Zhao Jialing Village. This place was originally a hilly high ground in the village, and the villagers had built a two-story watchtower made of earth and wood on it to observe the movements outside the village.

Now, this two-story watchtower naturally became Xiang Jinbao's command post. He put down the binoculars he was holding and said, "Prepare the cannon."

Guard Kang Guocheng hurriedly relayed the general's order: "Prepare the signal cannon."

Xiang Jinbao raised his binoculars again and carefully examined the Jurchen deployment on the official road before shouting, "Right Division, attack! Fire upon the Tartar cavalry on the official road!"

Kang Guocheng immediately shouted, "Fire the signal cannons, order the right wing to attack; raise the command flag, fire three mortars, target the Jiannu troops forming a battle formation below the official road, fire three shots in quick succession."

As the military orders were passed down through the ranks, the Ming troops in Zhaojialing Village began to move in an orderly manner.

"Boom..." A signal cannon shot broke the silence, followed by three loud cannon shots: "Boom! Boom! Boom!" A large plume of smoke immediately rose from behind the eastern wall of Zhao Family Ridge Village.

Meanwhile, in the open field on the other side, many warhorses suddenly stood up, and in an instant, a knight in armor appeared on each of them...

Without a single shout or yell, they swept across the green grass like a gust of wind, charging towards the Tartar soldiers on a high ground ahead.