The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 492 Going to Death

"The Qing army's flanks have moved!"

Dai Zhenglin strode up to the observation tower of the vanguard, waving the document in his hand with trembling hands, and said excitedly.

"In the east, Dorgon is also gathering troops. He has almost completely mobilized the banner soldiers of the two white banners, with a force of more than 15,000 cavalry!"

After Dai Zhenglin climbed onto the observation platform, he first stood still and gave Chen Wang a military salute.

Chen Wang also raised his hand and returned the salute crisply.

Upon seeing the return gift, Dai Zhenglin immediately took three steps in two and walked directly to the map on the command table.

"Jirgalang has slowed down his offensive against Balapu. He has left only ten thousand Mongol cavalry and the Plain Red Banner to hold the line in the west, while his main force is turning around!"

Dai Zhenglin speaks very fast, but his words are clear.

"Now, our Qing army on the left wing is rushing to our aid from the west under the leadership of Jirgalang. Jirgalang has brought the main forces of the Plain Red Banner and Bordered Yellow Banner, as well as more than 10,000 Mongol cavalry, totaling nearly 25,000 cavalry!"

"Under Jirhalang's leadership, one force is advancing towards the left flank of the central formation, while another is moving towards the outer perimeter of our left flank. Their intention is likely to launch a flanking attack!"

"At the same time, our army also needs to be wary of the potential threat that this part of the Qing cavalry may pose to the central command."

Dai Zhenglin picked up the small blue flag representing the Qing army from the edge of the table and quickly placed it in the corresponding positions on the map.

Chen Wang calmed himself down and looked at the map.

Under Dai Zhenglin's arrangement, the situation on the map has undergone earth-shattering changes.

To the west was a formidable force of the Plain Red Banner, Bordered Yellow Banner, and Mongol cavalry under Jirgalang's command.

To the east, Dorgon's two white banners unfurled like sharp arrows.

On the left and right flanks of their formation, two enormous blue crab claws, one large and one small, suddenly appeared.

And those huge crab claws looked like they were about to slam shut at any moment!
Chen Wang raised his head and looked at the battlefield. The Qing cavalry on both flanks were indeed rapidly surging towards the center.

This was something he had already anticipated when he ordered the army to advance.

However, when I actually saw a large number of Qing cavalry flanking from both sides, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.

Compared to infantry, cavalry undoubtedly has a much greater visual impact.

Ten thousand infantrymen, once arrayed, can actually cover a very limited area, and the sense of oppression they bring is not very profound.

However, when 10,000 cavalrymen unleash their charge, the sight of ten thousand horses galloping together is enough to make the earth tremble. When men and horses are combined and deployed in formation, they can create the impression of thirty to forty thousand infantrymen gathered together.

The scale and momentum of this event were truly astonishing.

Even though Chen Wang had experienced hundreds of battles and had fought many large-scale battles involving tens of thousands of people, including the decisive battle against the main force of the Wanmin Army in the Battle of Yangzhou, which had a total strength of nearly 400,000, he was still a formidable opponent.

When they marched north to defend the emperor, they encountered the Qing army again.

However, the Qing army at that time mainly focused on looting. Once the situation became critical, they would give up retreating and rarely fought to the death. Therefore, Chen Wang had never seen tens of thousands of cavalry charging towards them.

Now, tens of thousands of cavalrymen were charging straight in from three directions, their momentum even causing Chen Wang to frown.

The dull drumbeats also rang out from the center of the Qing army.

Chen Wang looked north, following the sound, and sure enough, he saw a bright yellow dragon banner moving at high speed.

Among the tens of thousands of Qing troops, including the banner lords of the Eight Banners and a host of princes and nobles, only one person was able to use the Ming Dynasty yellow dragon banner.

This person is none other than the current emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the former Khan of the Later Jin Dynasty—Huang Taiji!

"Is it finally time to go down in the game?"

Chen Wang's previously somewhat agitated emotions strangely calmed down at this moment.

"A desperate fight, a battle with no way out..."

"Ha ha ha ha ha……"

A low laugh slowly escaped from deep within Chen Wang's throat.

Chen Wang's hand rested on the end of the hilt of the goose-feather saber at his waist.

"turn out to be……"

"You...are you...only this much capable?"

Chen Wang suddenly felt a little disappointed. He looked at the Qing army, which was still in a state of chaos, to the north and sighed.

"The curtain has only just been raised, and I haven't even played all my cards yet, and you've already been pushed to this extent?"

Huang Taiji's personal involvement in the battle was not out of confidence in victory, but rather a last resort after the situation spiraled out of control.

Chen Wang shook his head. He was initially a little apprehensive about the outcome of the battle, but when he saw Huang Taiji personally on the battlefield, he knew that Huang Taiji had run out of ideas.

However, upon closer reflection, this was inevitable.

Huang Taiji's current situation is not much better than that of Xiang Yu, who was trapped in an ambush on all sides in history.

At least Xiang Yu had the possibility of crossing the Wujiang River, while Huang Taiji only had the option of going south for a decisive battle to break the deadlock.

The Qing army's bases were weak, which is why it had always appeared to be incredibly strong and at its zenith.

In reality, it's nothing more than a castle in the air.

The Jurchen population.

It’s really too little.

So few that even with the entire population mobilized for war, they still didn't have half the military strength of the various tribes in southern Mongolia.

So small that even after repeatedly massacring the Liao people in the conquered territory, the Jurchen population still did not constitute the majority.

They were able to take control of the Central Plains and conquer the land during the ensuing chaos.

In fact, to a greater extent, it was due to the flawed strategy of the peasant army, the corruption within the Ming court, and even some coincidences that this almost impossible task was accomplished.

Huang Taiji was indeed a powerful ruler.

However, limited by the times, he was often unable to see through the fog of the times.

If he had witnessed firsthand how the Wanmin Army ultimately crumbled during the Battle of Yangzhou.

If he knew the true terror of the Jingnan Army.

Perhaps, at this very moment.

He would never make such a big mistake.

But in this world...

There are never any "what ifs"...

The vast plains offered an unobstructed view of everything.

The central formation of the Jingnan Army, a massive line of over 87,000 soldiers, stretched across the plains like a primordial black tortoise.

The Qing army has already begun its operations.

front.

More than 30,000 soldiers, under the pressure of the Eight Banners guards, tremblingly took their first steps, forming a dark wave that slowly moved southward.

And after this dark wave.

These were the elite cavalry and infantry armor of the Plain Yellow, Plain Blue, and Bordered Blue Banners.

These truly elite troops of the Eight Banners, at this moment, spurred their warhorses, maintaining a disciplined formation, and pressed forward at a measured pace.

The elite guards of each banner have been assembled.

They surrounded the bright yellow brocade dragon banner, lying across the open field on the eastern outskirts of Jining like wild geese, coldly watching ahead, both threatening the cannon fodder at the front and accumulating the power for a thunderous strike.

Two wings.

More than 50,000 Manchu and Mongol cavalrymen gathered together, galloping in from the east and west like a sudden dark cloud over the ocean.

The warhorses puffed out white breath, and the thunderous sound of their iron hooves striking the earth grew louder and louder, like muffled thunder rolling from the sky, even causing the ground beneath their feet to tremble slightly.

The deep, resonant sound of conch shells rose and fell between the various cavalry formations.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The deafening sound of war drums echoed across the plains on the eastern outskirts of Jining.

The war drums of the Jingnan Army sounded like the heartbeat of a prehistoric beast, heavily and powerfully crushing across the plains east of Jining, rivaling the sound of conch shells constantly ringing out from the Qing army's ranks.

The vast, flat terrain eliminated any room for trickery and maneuvering, reducing the final battle to a pure clash of forces.

Faced with this overwhelming three-pronged attack, the Jingnan Army's Xuanwu-like giant formation remained silent.

Meanwhile, the artillerymen in the center were still methodically loading their guns. "One round loaded, two rounds ready!"

"Fire at all costs, rapid fire!"

A little over a mile away is not far.

On the artillery positions, the officers' shouts were almost drowned out by the deafening roar of the cannons.

The gunners were drenched in sweat, but their movements were incredibly fast.

The Qing army's vanguard of light cavalry swept in like a tidal wave, their hooves thundering rapidly like a death knell.

With each step the distance shortens, death draws ever closer.

The roar of the cannons became almost frantic, nearly losing the rhythm of salvo firing.

At that moment, even the north wind that had been blowing intermittently stopped.

Every cannon was firing at maximum speed, the scorching hot barrels burning the air, and the thick smoke was so dense that it almost swallowed the entire artillery position.

The Qing army was soon able to press forward to the front lines.

Within the Jingnan army's main formation, the armored cavalry responsible for providing cover had already spurred their horses out of the fray.

The Qing army's vanguard of light cavalry had already swept in, determined to stop the Jingnan army's cannons from continuing to roar recklessly.

This is all they can do at this point.

The goal was to fire the cannonballs as quickly as possible, raining them down on the Qing army's large formation.

They didn't have much time left, and they no longer needed to worry about the lifespan of the cannons or the overheating of the barrels.

The massive line of over 87,000 soldiers of the Jingnan Army stood tall and imposing.

Bayonets were like a forest, and figures stood in rows.

The vanguard of the Jingnan Army.

The Sixth and Seventh Divisions of Henan Town on both flanks.

The spearmen in front gripped their spears tightly, burying the butts in the soil and pointing the tips diagonally at the horizon that trembled slightly from the stampede of horses.

Their breathing was heavy, and the air, mixed with the smell of dirt and gunpowder, was extremely unpleasant.

But no amount of discomfort could compare to the wildly beating heart in their chests.

The gunners at the rear were making their final preparations silently and efficiently.

They opened the powder bag, bit open the fixed ammunition, and poured the gunpowder into the gun barrel.

Then the whooshing sound of bullets and ramrods pressing down began to echo throughout the entire front.

This set of movements has long been ingrained in their muscle memory through years of training.

Even amidst deafening shouts and cannon fire, they were able to complete the task meticulously.

The rear guard of the central formation and the center of the front guard.

The most experienced line infantry divisions also made their signature moves in response to the command.

At a command, all the soldiers of the Jingnan Army untied their long, slender Hai Shi guns.

The butt of the rifle struck the ground with a dull, rhythmic thud.

The next moment, they pulled out nearly a foot-long triangular bayonets from their waists.

The cold, sharp bayonets reflected the dazzling sunlight, flashing across the battle line.

Click! Click! Click!

A series of soft metallic clicks rang out as the bayonet was firmly locked into the latch on the side of the muzzle.

In the blink of an eye, muskets transformed into short spears, appearing in various locations along the Jingnan Army's lines.

In the blink of an eye.

The forest of death, composed of tens of thousands of gleaming gun bayonets, had already covered the entire eastern suburbs of Jining.

On both flanks of the Jingnan Army's main formation, the rear line infantry divisions, carrying bayonet-equipped Hai Shi guns on their shoulders, advanced continuously to the sound of loud and rhythmic drumbeats, having completely taken over the protection of the flanks.

The high-pitched swan calls pierced through the chaotic battlefield, resounding rapidly among the various formations of the Jingnan Army.

"change!"

"Hollow Square"

"Prepare for the enemy!"

These line infantry divisions, which had just arrived at their designated positions, immediately began a dazzling array of formation changes under the orders of their officers.

The rhythm of the drumbeats changed abruptly as military orders were issued, with commands from officers of all ranks rising and falling in succession.

The soldiers within the Jingnan Army's large formation moved with astonishing speed and perfect coordination, demonstrating remarkable training.
The outermost troops first retreated to the sides and rear, while the inner troops moved forward to fill the gaps.

The originally heavy linear formations began to writhe and deform like living things, quickly closing their sides to form hollow square formations.

The formations may vary in size, but they are generally arranged in a line based on a unit of four to five hundred men per division.

The soldiers faced outwards, while officers and standard-bearers were positioned in the center of the formation. Artillery from each division was also placed in the center for use as support firepower.

In the blink of an eye, on the long battlefront of the Jingnan Army...

Hundreds of similar hollow square formations suddenly appeared on the plains of the eastern outskirts of Jining, like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

They are independent of each other yet complement each other, forming a hedgehog-like defense system without any absolute weaknesses, capable of responding to all kinds of impacts.

Each square formation is like a miniature steel fortress.

The soldiers in the outermost row knelt on one knee, holding their muskets with both hands, the bayonets pointing diagonally upwards.

The soldiers in the second and third rows stood behind them, holding their muskets level with the bayonets pointing forward.

The four directions of the formation flashed with a deadly cold light, and everywhere you looked was filled with a slightly trembling, chilling glint.

Beneath the cold glint were countless icy, furious eyes.

No matter which angle the cavalry charged from, they would face a deadly forest of bullets from which there was nowhere to strike.

Chen Wang was positioned in the very center of the rear guard of the Jingnan Army.

The two battalions of guards line infantry protecting him had already completed their deployment.

Surrounding him was a massive hollow square formation of three thousand elite guardsmen, arranged in six horizontal rows.

Around the central high platform, more than a thousand armored cavalrymen, fully equipped and ready to go, wearing three layers of heavy armor, holding large spears, and with bows and arrows hanging from their waists, had also completed their preparations for battle.

Chen Wang had already donned heavy armor, and below the watchtower, his entourage had brought his mount.

All the staff officers and military officers were already fully armored and standing with their weapons in hand.

everyone.

They were already prepared to die a heroic death.

The sound of drums and music.

Finally stopped.

However, the commotion of the Jingnan army's formation did not subside.

At first, there were only a few hoarse voices.

The sound was quickly drowned out by the howling north wind and the approaching hoofbeats.

But soon.

Ten... Hundred... Thousand...

Even tens of thousands of voices joined in!