Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1164 It may be difficult to conquer in three days
Outside Pingliao City,

The Jurchens, leading their various banners and armies, slowly retreated into the main camp.

The wails of the soldiers from all units echoed over the camp, creating a depressing atmosphere.

Around the Khan's tent, dozens of pine torches flickered and burned outside, illuminating the guards around the tent and the armor on the Jurchen warriors. Everyone stood solemnly with a solemn expression.

Inside the tent,

As the curtain was lifted, the Eight Banners chieftains, Beile and Taiji of various tribes, and Gushan Ejen who had entered first found their places to sit or stand, and no one spoke.

Even though the Khan had not yet appeared in the main seat, the invisible pressure in the air had already made everyone tense. Today's battle was both unexpected and yet seemed to make sense.

Huyan Han, the leader of the Plain Red Banner, ripped off his blood-stained gloves and threw them hard on the ground. A new bloodstain appeared at the corner of his eye, and his eyes were filled with ferocity.

Duo Min, the banner lord of the Plain Yellow Banner, was leading troops north of Pingliao City. In this battle, he lost many of the archer cavalry guarding the city. His face was gloomy. After sitting down, he picked up the silver wine pot on the table and took a big gulp of strong liquor. His Adam's apple bobbed violently, his eyes were bloodshot, and his chest heaved. Clearly, the unsuccessful siege during the day had left him with a belly full of anger that he had nowhere to vent.

Only Guarjia, the banner chief of the Bordered Blue Banner, remained expressionless. He had anticipated today's attack, but the only surprise was the heavy losses suffered by the Han Eight Banners. The bravery of those fearless "bondservant aha" was truly unexpected. Fortunately, he and Fucha Zhen had no shortage of food and silver, and their tribe had the most bondservant servants. They were not heartbroken by the loss of these people, but the losses of the others were more significant.

Looking at the leaders of the various tribes and the banner chiefs of the Eight Banners, their faces were all grave. They then shrank back and stopped talking. It was unclear whether Fucha Zhen had reached Lady Wuya's side.

Just a moment,

The heavy footsteps finally sounded from the back tent, and the tent fell silent instantly, with even the crackling of the charcoal fire clearly audible.

Everyone instinctively straightened their backs, their eyes all turning towards the entrance to the rear tent.

The Jurchen Khan Huang Jitai, wearing a brocade cloak embroidered with a dark blue wolf's head, hunched over and slowly sat down on the tiger skin in the main seat.

One hand rested on the gold-plated armrest, while the other flipped through today's battle report.
"Tell me, how did today's battle go? Did the 'probing' go well?"

Huang Jitai's voice broke the deathly silence in the tent. Although it was a light question, using the word "probe," everyone knew that today's attack on the city was by no means a test.

The people inside the tent,

No one dared to speak first.
a long time,

Hu Yanhan, the banner chief of the Plain Red Banner, took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the stinging pain in his eyes and the irritation in his heart, stepped forward, and bowed in salute:

"Great Khan, today's attack on the city resulted in heavy casualties among the Han Eight Banners soldiers. Zhang Wenyuan, the general defending Pingliao City, truly lives up to his reputation. His border troops are as solid as a rock, and the defenses on the city walls are very well organized. However, the defending troops are well prepared and their counterattacks are fierce. Even if our troops attack the city in shifts, without inside help or a clever strategy, this city will not be able to fall within three days... It cannot be taken by flesh and blood."

Thinking of today, with arrows constantly raining down from the city walls, especially those massive crossbow bolts with devastating power, his eye twitched violently. Even the Eight Banners warriors couldn't withstand these attacks with their bare flesh and blood.

As soon as this word comes out,
An uproar instantly erupted inside the tent.

Many tribal leaders wore grim expressions. Huyan Han, who had boasted so confidently yesterday, had suddenly changed his attitude, surprising everyone. Even Duomin, the leader of the Plain Yellow Banner, smirked, "Yesterday you said you could fight, and today you're the one saying you can't take them in three days."

"Huyan Han, what's wrong? You didn't say that yesterday, did you?"

The banner chiefs all turned their gazes toward them, and the atmosphere reached its peak in the silence. Under the flickering candlelight, everyone's expression was different, with some puzzled and others bewildered. After all, many people had died in their respective tribes today, and if they returned empty-handed, their tribes would have no strength to survive the winter.

Even Hauge, the banner chief of the Bordered Yellow Banner, raised his eyes and looked at Huyan Han in the tent without any attempt to conceal his true intentions.
"Huyan Han, I didn't expect that today, it's all thanks to your sharp tongue. Yesterday, you shouted that you would take Pingliao City in three days to replenish the winter supplies of the various tribes, and that you would use the war to make peace. You also had some strategy of replenishing the west after losing the north. If you can't take it in three days, no, give us two more days. If you still can't take it, what will we do when Marquis Luoyun returns to the border? Even if we make peace in the end, do you think that Marquis of the Zhang family will sell us grain again!"

These words are somewhat malicious. Since we've started fighting, we should either fight to the death or not fight at all. Now that we've just begun, these discouraging words are undermining morale.

Seeing that things were not going well, this time, it was the people of the Bordered Red Banner who spoke. Narisong, the banner chief of the Bordered Red Banner, knelt down with a thud, his voice trembling with fear:
"Your Majesty, Huyan Han did not mean that at all. Today, during the siege, Huyan Han led his men to charge onto the city walls several times, displaying great bravery and determination. Unfortunately, the defending soldiers outnumbered them, and their efforts were in vain. If they were to launch a fierce attack for three days, this humble general believes..."

His heart sank. The battle had only been going on for a day, and for the Han Eight Banners, a mere ten or twenty thousand men was nothing.

Before he finished speaking,

A few barely audible cold snorts rang out from inside the tent, coming from several old-school Jurchen banner leaders, their eyes filled with undisguised contempt, especially the Bordered Blue Banner leader, Guarjia, who smiled slightly.
"If we launch a fierce attack for three days, and continue with the same tactics as today, we'll suffer 20,000 casualties every day, which would amount to 60,000 in three days. Before Marquis Luoyun returns, how many men will be left in our camp?"

This time, the Han Eight Banners numbered 230,000, and the remaining Jurchen warriors numbered no more than 100,000. Three hundred thousand people may seem like a lot, but if used to attack a city, it would almost be a matter of sacrificing lives.

Having been hit where it hurt by Guar, Huyan Han opened his eyes wide and angrily rebuked,

"Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back. Since we've already started fighting, we've suffered heavy losses, and the defending troops will surely die as well. If we hold out for three to five days, even the strongest walls will eventually crumble. So now, the most important thing is to stop the reinforcements from outside the pass, and perhaps even to win over the Uya tribe."

Hu Yanhan, unusually, did not argue. The way the battle turned out was both reasonable and unexpected. It could only be said that the Marquis outside the pass was really willing to spend money on the border troops. Almost every soldier guarding the city was wearing iron armor, which was the reason why they suffered the most losses.

Huang Jitai's expression remained unchanged, as if the twenty thousand lives were merely a string of cold numbers. Looking at Huyan Han's prostrate figure, he slowly said:

"Charging into battle, life and death are preordained. Your soldiers have not disgraced the Jurchen Baturu and are quite capable. Get up."

These words were like a shot of adrenaline, instantly changing the atmosphere in the tent. Huyan Han and his companion hurriedly kowtowed to thank the Khan for his kindness, and rose shakily, their backs soaked with cold sweat. They knew that they would have to continue their fierce attack in the next few days.

"Fierce and courageous, striving to be the first..."

Huang Jitai pondered Na Risong's words, his hawk-like gaze shifting to Ma Jiali, the leader of the Plain White Banner.
“Ma Jiali, in your opinion, can we continue to be so competitive tomorrow? Should we continue fighting like this? The performance of the Han Eight Banners has also been unexpected, so we should make good use of them.”

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Ma Jiali's forehead. He forced himself to stand up, patted his chest sharply, and shouted.
"Your Majesty, attack! Why not attack?! How can our Jurchen warriors fear this mere city wall! We may not be able to take it in three days, but we can certainly wear down the defenders. If the defenders are insufficient after five days, then the city will fall. Also, Pingyang City has 150,000 new soldiers and nearly 80,000 veterans. Although Marquis Luoyun is not here, Wuya Yu still has 50,000 iron cavalry."

Mentioning these people, Ma Jiali felt a pang of pain in her heart. After the crushing defeat in the north, Wuya Yu had actually sent men in shifts to guard the bottom of the Northern Valley, gathering countless defeated troops—all elite Jurchen soldiers.

This statement immediately made the atmosphere in the large tent, which should have been somewhat relaxed, rather somber.

"Great Khan, where is Fucha Zhen? Has he gone there? We have 50,000 warriors who are on guard west of Pingliao City. If we can't reach an agreement, I will lead my troops to pacify Wuya Yu, seize her tribe, and make her assist in the siege. We'll pay with our lives."

These are all elite troops from the Khan's camp. It would be better to simply attack and seize Wuyayu's tribe to replenish the forces of the other tribes.

His rough voice couldn't hide his exasperation.

Little did they know that while these words were somewhat tempting, everyone present knew that Wu Yayu was no longer the same person she once was. Her 50,000 cavalry, though lacking iron armor, were equipped with light leather armor, one set for each rider. In cavalry warfare, if they couldn't win, they could simply flee.
"Using human lives as a means to achieve this?"

A soft yet powerful voice rang out from the corner; it was Duomin from the Plain Yellow Banner.
“What a brilliant idea you have to say, Prince Ma. Since Wuya Yu is so easy to deal with, why don’t you lead your own White Banner troops and take them over to settle things once and for all? I’m not coveting those things and troops, I’ll give them all to you.”

"Erdene! Don't you dare boost the morale of others!" Magali was furious and almost rushed over, but was held back by the people next to him.

"enough!"

Huang Jitai gave a low shout, not raising his voice, but containing immense power, instantly silencing the impulsive crowd, and the tent returned to deathly silence.

"Pingyang City..."

Huang Jitai's fingers landed on the map, tapping lightly on the flag representing Pingyang City, the sound carrying a deep sense of contemplation.

"Zhang Chuanying... what's he doing? With such a fierce battle today, he holds a fortified city and commands hundreds of thousands of troops. Is he just going to sit idly by and watch Pingliao City fall, or... has he already made a move? What have our scouts reported?"

This is the most crucial obstacle! Everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

If Pingliao City cannot be captured after a prolonged siege, the biggest fear is a flanking attack from the reinforcements of Pingyang City. Zhang Chuanying, the general left to defend Pingliao City, is a member of the same clan as Marquis Luoyun and would certainly not remain indifferent.

Borcha, the chief of the Plain White Banner's scouts and intelligence, immediately stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and spoke in a clear but cautious voice:
"Reporting to the Great Khan! According to the scouts closest to Pingyang City, Zhang Chuanying did indeed send out two light cavalry units yesterday evening, each with about a thousand men, to patrol and scout south and north respectively. Their movements were frequent, but our scouts, when they tried to track them, found no trace of them. Inside Pingyang City, the main garrison showed no signs of gathering this morning; as usual, the city remained quiet all day. Furthermore..."

Borcha lowered his voice.

"According to our intelligence network, the generals in Pingyang City are still debating whether to send reinforcements. Some suggest waiting for Marquis Luoyun to return, while others say that reinforcements should be sent immediately."

Argument? Or dissuasion? A cold glint flashed in Huang Jitai's eyes, his fingers tightening on the armrest. The veracity of this news was still unknown. Was it internal discord? Or a feigned weakness tactic? Zhang Chuanying had never shown his face.

"A debate? Perfect!"

Tong Jiaqing scoffed and immediately opened her mouth.

"Your Majesty, regardless of whether the news is true or false, just keep a close eye on the reinforcements from Pingyang County. In the next few days, launch a fierce attack on Pingliao City. Also, there's Wuya Yu's side. If we can't reach an agreement, we need to settle things quickly. At the very least, we need to severely damage his 50,000 cavalry. However, I believe that Wuya Yu does have 50,000 troops, but his 50,000 iron cavalry is just a lie. They are just lightly armored cavalry."

Given the opportunity, crippling these 50,000 people would be a piece of cake.

"Well said, Great Khan. It may seem that 50,000 men of Wuyayu are not many, but if these men break into smaller groups and launch a surprise attack on our supplies, then we will be in trouble."

A rear supply route!

Everyone's hearts sank again. As they advanced deeper into Pingliao City from the rear, their long supply lines could be harassed and cut off at any moment. The cavalry had iron armor and were not afraid of it, but they were most afraid of being harassed by these light cavalry.

Huang Jitai ignored their descriptions; he needed more definitive information.
“Since Pingyang City has not gathered any troops, their reinforcements have not arrived, which gives us much more time. What Borcha said just now makes sense. Huyan Han, when Fucha Zhen returns tomorrow, if we have not reached an agreement, you should personally lead 50,000 warriors to crush the Wuya tribe and win a quick victory. If they retreat, do not pursue them.”

"Yes, Your Majesty, this humble general obeys."

Huyan Han clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, a sinister smile in his eyes.

Subsequently,

Huang Jitai's gaze returned to the map. There were only a few cities outside the pass that could be attacked. The rest were just fortified outposts and passes. If these fortified outposts were to be captured one after another, it would be time-consuming and laborious, and there would be very little food and supplies inside.

Therefore, the objective of this battle is still to capture Pingliao City and use the war to force a peace agreement. With this in mind...
Huang Jitai slightly raised his head, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over the anxious or expectant faces of every general and banner leader in the tent. His voice was deep and clear, each word distinct and deliberate, like an ice hammer striking the hearts of everyone present.
"Pingliao City is holding firm like this, and Pingyang City is hesitant and undecided, both of which give us opportunities. But do you know that this reaction... is all because that person has not yet arrived?"

They were waiting for no one but Marquis Luo Yun. Considering this young man's past achievements, everyone in the tent seemed to carry a hint of apprehension. Even Huyan Han's expression showed a trace of unease.

Marquis Luo Yun! Zhang Jinyu!
This man is truly a rare talent in the world, but what can be done about all this? He still has to fight. His Adam's apple bobbed as he wanted to speak, but in the end, some words would only bring laughter.

"Your Majesty, it will take Marquis Luoyun several days to return to the capital from the capital within the pass, even by water. Our envoys sent out a few days ago died on the canal. It took them three days to travel by land, but by boat on the river, they can cross a prefecture in half a day. Therefore, the time I set for capturing the city was three days, but I have extended it to five days to take the travel time into account. If we cannot capture it in five days, we should prepare accordingly."

This time, Huyan Han was not as arrogant as before, and spoke mostly cautiously. The timing of Marquis Luoyun's return to the border was of paramount importance.

All eyes were fixed on Eidu of the Bordered Yellow Banner, who was in charge of external intelligence, especially tracking the whereabouts of Marquis Luo Yun.

Eidu took a deep breath, suppressing the pounding in his heart, stepped forward, and knelt heavily on one knee. He tried his best to keep his voice steady, but a faint, almost imperceptible dryness could still be heard:

"Your Majesty! The 'Hai Dong Qing' (a type of gyrfalcon) under my command has long since infiltrated the Han capital. Recently, a message was sent back via carrier pigeon from the capital region, confirming that Marquis Zhang Jinyu of Luoyun has indeed led over ten thousand elite troops out of the capital! They are heading due west, heading straight for the Anhu West City Wharf! Moreover, I personally witnessed that the troops assembled and boarded ships to head north on the same day. The fleet was large and very fast, and the time calculated by Banner Chief Huyan Han was exactly as predicted."

His speech quickened as he tried to calm his inner fears;
"If nothing unexpected happens, Marquis Luoyun's northward troops, traveling day and night, will be advancing northward with the south wind at the right time. They should be able to land and change horses in Yunyang County in three days at most! But if he disregards everything and leads his elite light cavalry on a frantic march through the night..."

He stopped, took a heavy breath, and, his gaze sweeping over the intensely focused expressions of the crowd, uttered a startling statement:
"With its consistent swiftness and efficiency, its elite vanguard cavalry can reach Pingyang City in four days at the fastest speed. Its main force will assemble halfway there a day in advance, and will surely arrive at the walls of Pingliao City in five days!"

"boom--!"

This news was like a huge boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up huge waves in the tent. Everyone was incredulous. They knew that speed was of the essence in war, but who could believe that someone could travel a thousand miles in a day?

Ma Jiali suddenly took a step forward and cried out:

"Arriving in five days?! How is that possible!"

His voice trembled, filled with disbelief and horror.

There was dead silence in the tent.

After a while,
All eyes turned once again to the Khan in the main seat.

Huang Jitai remained seated, seemingly oblivious to everything.

"Then let's execute it according to the five-day timeframe. We'll launch a fierce attack for five days without stopping for even a single day. Even if Marquis Luoyun comes, we'll need to talk to him. If all else fails, we'll give him Yinzhou. Everyone says that the area outside the pass is poor and lacks resources. With the silver mines of Yinzhou, that kid Marquis Luoyun should agree. His influence extends into the interior of the pass. As long as we don't go to the area outside the pass in the future, perhaps we can have another talk with Marquis Luoyun."

Everyone beyond the Great Wall knew the value of Yinzhou, but just that one sentence caused the tribal leaders in the tent to immediately change their expressions. If Yinzhou were lost, wouldn't the silver mines mined by those bondservants lose their share? How would they buy goods from the Han people in the future?
"Great Khan, how can you have such thoughts? Tomorrow, we will lead our army in a fierce attack and we will surely capture the city. Yinzhou is the money bag of our Jurchens. If we give it to Marquis Luoyun, how will the tribe purchase food and supplies in the future?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, let's wait for good news tomorrow."

Amidst the uproar and the fervor of the tribal leaders, only Huang Jitai's lips curled into a slight smile.
"Okay, we'll wait for your good news."

(End of this chapter)