Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1188 Raising an Army to Pursue the Enemy South
"Report, my lord, General Duan has already led his troops to catch up."

on the prairie,
Zhang Jinyu sat inside the carriage, holding a hastily drawn topographical map in his hand. He looked at it repeatedly, but it made him feel dizzy and his head was spinning. He then cursed.
"Damn it, what kind of symbols are these? Which ones are cities, which ones are tribes? There's not even a map. How am I supposed to read them?"

He put down the map in his hand and gave instructions to those outside;
"The army should not march too fast. First, pursue them to Yinzhou. Tell Zhang Chuanying to send out more scouts."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

As the sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance outside the carriage, Zhang Jinyu pointed to the map and asked Ning Bian inside the carriage;

"Did you figure anything out?"

"Reporting to the Marquis, this picture was drawn hastily by Chief Tong, which is why it is so hasty. However, it is still barely legible. Besides, he is leading the way, and General Chuanying is watching over us, so there will be no mistakes."

Ningbian noticed that the Marquis was angry and tried to persuade him. He explained that the past few days had been rushed and the people and horses were exhausted. He carefully laid out the Xuan paper, peeked at it, and after a long while, finally spoke.

"My lord, you see, this large dot is Yinzhou, and the smaller dots around it are the settlements of those tribes, mostly near water sources."

As he spoke, he pointed to the black circle drawn on the rice paper.
Zhang Jinyu frowned, leaned closer to take a closer look, and looked at the dense black dots on the Xuan paper with some disbelief. So, the number of Jurchen tribes was that many?

"You mean to say that the black dots on this map are the settlements of various Jurchen tribes, and that they have that many people?"

It's not true that the Jurchen tribes were pitifully few in number, and that most of them were people subjugated from various tribes in the northern deserts to supplement the Jurchen tribes in southern Liaoning. But where did all those tribal settlements on the map come from?

"My lord, I asked Tong Jiaqing about these people. He said that most of them were people who were robbed from the grasslands, as well as Han Chinese bondservants who were captured during raids outside the Great Wall. This continued year after year. Later, many tribes from the northern deserts moved south, so the population gradually increased."

These were things Ningbian had found out before. It turned out that there were quite a few tribes near Pingliao City, but they were persuaded to move here by Lady Wuya's people.

"I see. That means there is a large population in Liaonan, but there are no cities or villages. No, that's not right. These small places are villages. So we should take the three large cities from the Jurchens, since most of their leaders are officials in the cities."

It seems that the Jurchens have been assimilated and led astray by the Han people, which is an unexpected bonus.

"What you say is very true, my lord. I have heard that the advisors and strategists of the various tribes are all Han Chinese, and many official positions in the city are also headed by Jurchens with Han Chinese as deputies. They are all Han Chinese in charge. So, it is no different from the Guanzhong Plain. In this way, even if you take the city in a hurry, my lord, you can take over easily."

Following the location of Yinzhou, Ningbian continued downwards, passing through most of the Jurchen territory, before finally seeing Jinzhou City. This was already deep into the Jurchen heartland. As for Danzhou, it was the location of the Jurchen Khanate, which was still some distance away.

Zhang Jinyu pondered for a long time, glancing at the map in a haphazard manner. If the plan went as expected, after taking Yinzhou and Jinzhou, the remaining Danzhou would be no threat. As long as the Jurchen leaders were wiped out in one fell swoop, the rest would surrender. Therefore, this time, the focus was on killing, not on conquering cities.

"Where has the new Great Khan, Domin, gone?"

"My lord, according to the scouts and the 'Haidongqing' of the Qing Bordered White Banner, the Khan is reportedly heading towards Yinzhou, presumably to obtain supplies. But I wonder if there has been any progress on Military Advisor Xiao's side?"

This is also what Ningbian is worried about. If Yinzhou City is not captured and the Tartar reinforcements move south, then Military Advisor Xiao will be in danger.

Zhang Jinyu immediately became aware of this.
"Issue the order to have Zhang Chuanying lead 30,000 iron cavalry, each with two horses, to pursue them quickly. Also, have Duan Hong accelerate the march, approach the main camp, and take command of the central army units."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

Ningbian realized the problem, immediately clasped his hands in acceptance, hurriedly lifted the curtain, and got out of the carriage.

Inside the car,
Zhang Jinyu looked at the scribbled map for a while before putting it away. Then he stretched and took out the urgent report sent from Luoyue Pass from his sleeve. Looking at the marching route of the Donghu army, he couldn't help but feel something was amiss. After all, he had left in a hurry that day and hadn't thought about it deeply.

Marching from the southern foothills of the Yin Mountains and then approaching the area east of the Gobi Desert—this route feels a bit off.

Thinking back, where was Jinbei Pass again? He touched the cabinet behind him but couldn't find the map. He immediately called out...
"Ningbian, find a map of the northern border passes."

"Yes, Your Excellency, please wait a moment."

Beneath the walls of Yinzhou City,

It was already a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

"Kill! Charge forward, all troops!"

"Kill."

On the slope, the Dawu army unleashed a barrage of arrows, which rained down like locusts, instantly felling a large number of the approaching Jurchen infantry and halting their offensive. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the square formation that had already been assembled on the slope moved immediately. Zhang Yuanpeng took the lead and led 10,000 iron cavalry out like tigers descending the mountain!
They split into two groups and fiercely pounced on the Jurchen infantrymen who were charging towards them.

Unprepared!

In the chaos, the Jurchen's advancing formation was shattered. Zhang Yuanpeng's long spear, like a poisonous dragon emerging from its lair, instantly knocked a Jurchen centurion off his horse. This greatly boosted the morale of his soldiers, who then fought bravely.

The garrison commander of Yinzhou City, Baturubarcha, was furious upon seeing this.
"Issue the order to send 5,000 iron cavalry from Yinzhou to advance from the right flank and attack directly."

"Yes, Commander."

The deputy general behind him immediately received the order, commanding the infantry phalanx to advance, while simultaneously gathering more cavalry to prepare for the attack.

"Commander, Marquis Luoyun still has 10,000 cavalry on the hillside. If we send our last elite troops in, the remaining scouts won't be able to hold them off."

The Niru beside him looked ahead with some worry. Behind him were young men temporarily recruited from various banners, none of them even wearing decent leather armor.

Balcha shook his head, straightened his back, and looked at the Jurchen warriors preparing to charge forward.

"If we don't break through the Han army in front of us, the infantry won't be able to advance. The walls of Yinzhou City are low and can't stop the Han army from fighting. So, I, the commander, have no choice but to lead my troops out to fight."

Although he had some worries, he had the elite cavalry of the Khan's army under his command and was not afraid.

"withdraw!"

Seeing the Jurchen infantry approaching and the cavalry closing in, Zhang Yuanpeng decisively ordered a retreat. His cavalrymen, without any desire to fight, turned their horses around, feigning defeat, and retreated "in a sorry state" towards the camp.

"Chase them! Kill them all!"

Seeing the Han army "retreat," the cavalry of Yinzhou City excitedly brandished their scimitars, believing that the opportunity had arrived! They all swarmed towards the hillside.

Just at this time,

The 10,000 troops of Pingyao City, who had been waiting anxiously for some time, were like lurking beasts. They had been waiting quietly for several hours. The cold frost condensed on their armor and eyebrows. The soldiers breathed out white breath and rubbed their frozen hands, but their eyes were fixed on the front. As the sound of hooves approached, Xiao Junshi opened his eyes and shouted.
"Gentlemen, charge out! Attack from the left flank!"

In a flash,

As three plumes of smoke rose from the opposite slope, the atmosphere in the forest suddenly became tense.

"Kill."

More than 10,000 elite cavalrymen immediately set off, like a black iron torrent, rushing down the hilltop. The camp headed towards the Jurchens charging up, and Zhang Yuanpeng, who was being pursued, immediately changed direction, went down to the bottom of the hill, and flanked them from behind.

This scene,
What Balcha saw immediately startled him, leaving him somewhat stunned.

"Quickly, send the reserve troops over and rescue them."

"Yes, Commander."

Almost as if given a command, Balcha personally led his men to charge into battle.

Neither side was willing to back down.

Zhang Yuanpeng personally led the vanguard troops, which, like a red-hot dagger, fiercely stabbed into the relatively weak flank of the Jurchen infantry formation!
He ripped open the buttons in an instant, then left the battlefield, ordering his soldiers to take out their crossbows.

"Aim at the approaching cavalry, prepare, fire!"

With a shout, the powerful bows and crossbows, already poised to fire, unleashed a deadly whistle at close range. A dark cloud of arrows instantly blanketed the Jurchen reinforcements, piercing their leather armor and embedding themselves in flesh, accompanied by screams of agony.

"Speed ​​up, speed up, charge through!"

The Jurchen commander-in-chief, Balcha, immediately shouted, and the cavalry behind him sped up even more.

As the two armies clashed, each strike a fatal blow, and in an instant, rivers of blood flowed between them. A Luo Yunhou cavalryman had just pierced the chest of a Jurchen cavalryman with his spear when a scimitar cleaved his neck from the side. The two engaged in close combat, screams, the clash of weapons... all the sounds mingled together, and the cold air was thick with the pungent stench of blood.

Covered in blood, Zhang Yuanpeng led his personal guards in a fierce charge, until he reached Balcha. He then drew his javelin and struck with all his might, striking Balcha squarely in the chest and abdomen. The javelin pierced Balcha's body, and with a scream, Balcha fell from his horse.

Upon seeing this, the guards on either side immediately shouted;
"The Tartar leader is dead,"

He kept shouting, which prompted the surrounding soldiers to echo him. When the Jurchen tribes discovered that the commander's banner had fallen, their morale plummeted, and the troops began to slowly retreat, fighting as they went, until they reached the walls of Yinzhou.

On the hillside outside Yinzhou City.

A middle-aged scholar with a lean face and refined demeanor, yet with eyes as sharp as a hawk, stood on a high slope, wearing light armor, calmly surveying the battle. He watched as his troops advanced to the walls of Yinzhou City, certain of victory.

"Guards, prepare to enter the city."

"this,"

The adjutant beside him looked troubled; the battle ahead was still tense, how could he possibly get close?
"Military Advisor Xiao, it's not too late for us to go after General Yuanpeng has stormed into the city and brought the situation under control."

“Look at you, let’s go down the mountain now and ride slowly. In this time, General Yuanpeng will be able to storm into Yinzhou City. I also want to see how much silver is mined in Yinzhou City.”
It's said that Yinzhou City is rich in silver; whether that's true or not, we don't know yet, but the Tartar protector is so cautious here, there must be some good stuff."

Speaking of Yinzhou City, who outside the pass doesn't know it? It's a place that can generate silver, but no one knows where the mines of Yinzhou are located.

"Don't worry, strategist. You can go after the city is cleared of the Tartars. Those mines are already under our control. Last night, I tortured a leader who was guarding the mine. He said that the mines in the valley can produce two million taels of silver a year, which is a minimum guarantee."

The deputy general was overjoyed. All the miners in those mines were Han Chinese, and now that they were in his hands, the Tartars would surely follow suit.

"Only two million taels? This output is hardly enough to call it Silver State."

Xiao Ziyuan stroked his white beard and shook his head.
"Reporting to Lord Xiao, the mine here is in the valley behind us. We have scouted the area within a radius of fifty miles and there are indeed no other mines. Could it be because this place is a border trade area on the grasslands? The manager said that the tax collected here used to be hundreds of thousands of taels of silver a year, but later, when people went to trade in Pingliao City, the tax revenue decreased."

The lieutenant tried to explain, since that was all the information they could get from the interrogation. Xiao Ziyuan nodded.

“That’s true. It’s a pity that Yinzhou City is so prestigious. Two million taels of silver is only three times the tax revenue from outside the pass. You should send people to guard this valley and wait for the prisoners to come in. Arrange for people to watch over the mining. That should increase the output.”

"Yes, Lord Xiao."

suddenly,

A shout came from down the mountain;

"The city has fallen."

Xiao Ziyuan immediately climbed the mountain and looked into the distance. His army was already engaged in a fierce battle at the city gate, fighting for control of the gate. In less than half an hour, the army poured into Yinzhou City, and the Jurchen tribes scattered and fled without resistance.

"Let's go into the city."

"Yes, my lord."

The deputy general gave a signal to the guards behind him, and a large group of men closely protected Xiao Ziyuan as they headed towards Yinzhou City.

To the north of Yinzhou City,
Duomin of the Plain Yellow Banner

Having already gathered most of his troops, he sped along the road south. Looking at Huyan Han beside him, whose face was covered in blood, he felt a pang of pity and asked;

"Huyan Han, how many troops do we have left? Have Fucha Zhen and the others caught up?"

Looking back, although there were still cavalrymen stretching as far as the eye could see, their formation had clearly thinned out.

"Great Khan, I just did a quick count, and those who came out to fight are nothing more than the Plain White Banner, the Plain Yellow Banner, and the remnants of the two Red Banners. Helian Chen is also leading more than 10,000 cavalry to cover the rear. If we count, there are still more than 40,000 cavalry following. But the Han Eight Banners and Fucha Zhen and the others did not come with us."

Hu Yanhan's eyes darkened. Although there was some scheming involved, he did not really want Fucha Zhen to stay in the valley. After all, he was the banner lord of the Eight Banners, and if he fell into the hands of Marquis Luoyun, the consequences would be unpredictable.

"Don't think too much about it. Even if Marquis Luoyun traps them, they'll fight like cornered beasts, which will give Marquis Luoyun a headache. As long as you and I return to Liaonan and replenish our troops, we can restore the prestige of the Eight Banners."

Duomin's expression was also gloomy. He never expected that Marquis Luoyun would be so insidious this time, wanting to wipe them all out. Unfortunately, this was the grassland, the eternal heaven of the Jurchens.

"Yes, Khan."

Huyan Han, still riding his horse and barely catching his breath, was approached by scout Niru Borcha, who rushed up to report.

"Great Khan, more than ten miles behind us, Marquis Luoyun's army is still closely following us, with 30,000 cavalrymen in pursuit. They are moving at a fast pace, each with two horses."

The voice has not fallen,

Duomin's face was already incredibly dark, and beneath it lay a hint of fear.
"What? Is Marquis Luo Yun really determined to chase after us? That means that Fucha Zhen, that treacherous dog, has betrayed us."

Perhaps Luo Yunhou already knew about his father Khan's departure, which is why he pursued him relentlessly. But all of this was not caused by Huyan Han, who was by his side. There were also voices from Han Chinese merchant caravans in his tribe. His mind was racing, but he still couldn't figure it out.

"This, your subordinate has not found."

Borcha looked terrified. If the banner chiefs of Fucha Zhen surrendered, even if they returned to Liaonan, what would become of the various Jurchen tribes?

"If we can't find out, then we won't. Father Khan has left 10,000 troops in Yinzhou City as backup. Now that we're back in Yinzhou City to rest and regroup, we can boost our morale. Marquis Luoyun has come alone with only cavalry; he's just asking for death."

Duomin immediately regained his composure, whipped his horse hard, and offered words of comfort. Upon hearing this, the surrounding commanders and officers also suppressed their fear.

"The Great Khan is indeed wise. Marquis Luoyun actually dared to venture deep into enemy territory alone. Great Khan, should we deal with those pursuing troops behind us?"

With over 40,000 elite Jurchen cavalry, this charge will surely inflict a major defeat on the Han army.

"Don't cause any unnecessary trouble. Marquis Luoyun's troops have just won a great victory and are full of vigor. If they continue to pursue us when we reach Yinzhou City, don't blame me for being ruthless."

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. Now was not the time; they had to see the walls of Yinzhou before they could act.

"Yes, Khan."

that's it,
The two armies, one in front and one behind, headed straight for Yinzhou City.

The pursuing troops, including the main force of Marquis Luo Yun, had arrived. Duan Hong had already led the vanguard and, with his personal guards, approached the Marquis's carriage, shouting from outside.
"My lord, I have already arrived with 30,000 men on horseback. Although my men are infantry, I believe they are no less skilled than cavalrymen when it comes to riding. Giddy up!"

When he got excited, he vigorously waved his riding whip.

Zhang Jinyu, who was in the car, leaned back on the soft couch, stretched, and dozed off for a while because she was bored during the walk.

"No rush. As long as we keep up with Domin's men, we won't let them get away. By the way, have any scouts reported from ahead?"

"Yes, my lord, there are indeed troops, but Duo Min's men have already accelerated, and General Chuan Ying's troops are close behind, already ten miles away from us."

Duan Hong pondered for a long time before finally replying.

"What, that far?"

Zhang Jinyu immediately turned her gaze to Ning Bian, who immediately clasped his hands in response.

"My lord, half an hour ago, a scout reported that Duo Min's troops were speeding south, probably heading towards Yinzhou City. I suspect something has happened in Yinzhou City, and Duo Min may have received the news."

Now that I've received the news, it means that Military Advisor Xiao should have arrived. I wonder if Military Advisor Xiao has succeeded. I'm a little anxious.

Zhang Jinyu touched the map in his pocket, then took it out and spread it on the table. In this chase, even if the elite soldiers in iron armor were on horseback, they might not be able to outrun the grassland men who had grown up on horseback. Would the distance between them widen and they lose the initiative? He knew what Ning Bian meant; perhaps Yinzhou City had reached a critical moment.

"Order the central army to accelerate its advance and begin changing horses now."

"Yes, Lord Marquis!"

(End of this chapter)