Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1193 Both armies are waiting
On a gentle slope fifty li north of Yinzhou City.

The leaders of the various Jurchen tribes, dressed in straw raincoats, followed behind Prince Domin, watching everything with complex expressions. The news of the Great Khan's death could not be kept secret after all. Their originally panicked hearts calmed down in the face of this great event.

"Hahaha! May the Eternal Heaven protect us! May the Eternal Heaven protect my Jurchen people!"

Duomin's maniacal laughter sounded particularly mad amidst the deafening thunder and rain. Although he was wearing a raincoat, Duomin opened his arms, raised his head, and let the cold rain wash over his tired and dirty face and armor, as if embracing the blessing of the Eternal Heaven.

Just moments before, he was in dire straits, with ambushes ahead and pursuers behind. His more than 40,000 men were exhausted, their morale was on the verge of collapse, and they had even prepared to fight a decisive battle with Marquis Luoyun.

"Great Khan! Heaven has sent down timely rain! Heaven is helping us!"

Huyan Han was equally excited. Rainwater streamed down his tangled beard, washing away the blood and revealing his face contorted with ecstasy.

"Great Khan, the pursuers of Marquis Luoyun will surely be unable to make an inch. We...we have an opportunity! Quickly! Seize this opportunity, the entire army should accelerate eastward, shake them off, and head to Danzhou."

"Yes! Great Khan, don't waste time, let's go!"

That day, Song also roared hoarsely, urging him on.

"Alright, everyone, since the Eternal Heaven has given us guidance, we must follow it. We will head east this time. The Zuoying tribe is just ahead. Although it is a bit far, once we get there, we can rest for a few more days. Now, let's go."

Domin immediately got up, wiped the rain off his face, mounted his horse, and led the more than 40,000 fleeing Jurchen warriors eastward. With hope, even though everyone was exhausted, hope was rekindled in their hearts.

Amid shouts and cries, the team struggled to restart in the mud, trying to use this "golden opportunity" to widen the gap with their pursuers.

But it won't even take an hour,
The rain showed no signs of stopping. Although the rain gradually subsided, the persistent cold seemed to seep into one's bones.

The dense raindrops pounded on the helmet and armor, icy cold. The grassland beneath their feet had transformed in a short time from soft grass trampled by horses' hooves into a sticky swamp that reached their ankles and even calves, making each step incredibly difficult.

The horse's hooves sank deep into the mud, and when it was pulled out, it brought up large, heavy clumps of mud. The horse's breathing quickly became heavy and painful, and it even let out a mournful cry.

The soldiers dismounted and removed their armor, but even so, they still struggled to walk, and each step severely depleted their strength.

"My horse! My horse is stuck! Help me!"

"Give me a hand! I can't pull my foot out!"

"This damn road! There's water ahead, I can't get through, I can't get through."

"Take a detour! Someone, come quick, drag this person out..."

Sorrowful cries began to rise from the ranks, and gradually, chaos began to spread. Some of the weaker soldiers and horses collapsed directly into the mud and water, letting the rain wash over them, unable to get up again.

The deputy commander of the army and the various military units all sent messengers to report.
"Report, Great Khan! All the troops are exhausted and can't move any further!"

Soaked to the bone and looking utterly disheveled, Borcha rushed to Domin's horse, raindrops dripping from his nose and chin. The horse was at its limit.
"Great Khan, the mud is too deep. The horses are exhausted, and many warriors are almost frozen. If we continue to march, we will all perish in this mud without Marquis Luoyun's help!"

The ecstasy on Huyan Han's face had vanished, replaced by a deeper sense of anxiety and helplessness. Looking at the soldiers struggling and shivering in the mud around him, and at the warhorses foaming at the mouth from exhaustion, his heart ached. These 40,000-plus men were the last elite seed of the Jurchen!

Duomin's laughter had long since ceased. Rain streamed down his pale cheeks, indistinguishable between rain and cold sweat. Looking around, he saw that his elite troops were already overwhelmed. The flame of hope that had just been ignited was quickly extinguished by the cold rain and cruel reality, leaving only a deeper chill.

"Set up camp..."

Duo Min's voice was dry and hoarse, filled with exhaustion and resignation. If they continued walking, they would collapse before Marquis Luo Yun arrived.
"Order...find...find a slightly drier place...set up camp here to avoid the rain..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ma Jiali, the leader of the Plain White Banner beside him, gave a wry smile and reported:

"Great Khan, we can only choose a dense forest for cover. We...we left in a hurry and didn't bring much supplies. Tents, rainproof tarpaulins, and even a lot of dry food...we left them behind. Now...we only have less than one-tenth of the tents that are usable. It's simply not enough."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood. During the breakout, in order to speed up the process, they had abandoned almost everything that was burdensome. The troops were mostly carrying dry food and water. Now, facing this torrential rain and biting cold, they didn't even have the most basic shelter!

"what?!"

Huyan Han and Narisong exclaimed in surprise, their faces ashen. There was no tent. How were they going to get through the night? They turned their gaze back to the Khan.

"Send word: quickly go to the dense forest at the south end to take shelter from the rain. Set up all the usable tents together and shelter as many people as possible. Crowd together and make it through the night. This rain came suddenly, and even if it continues, it won't last too long. After the rain stops, add more campfires."

Duomin's face turned cold. He knew that they could not continue marching and needed to find a place to go. He immediately gave orders to pass on the message.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey your command."

The order was passed down with difficulty, and the entire Jurchen army moved south with difficulty. They found the dense forest at the south end and went in. The soldiers numbly searched for places that were slightly raised or close to sparse bushes in the mud, and huddled together.

Those large tents erected in the rain became the most luxurious shelters, crammed with shivering people, but many more could only huddle in the mud and water, barely covering their heads and faces with soaked cloaks or tattered fur coats.

Even inside the main tent, no campfire was lit in order to allow more people to get closer. Darkness, cold, dampness, hunger, and exhaustion, like countless icy venomous snakes, coiled around and gnawed at the souls and bodies of every Jurchen soldier, bringing their morale to the brink of collapse.

Many soldiers even took some of their personal blankets, several of them, and covered their heads, shivering under the trees. But the cold rain soaked their clothes and armor, and they couldn't bear it any longer. So, they started to move towards the tents in groups of three or five, and gradually began to fight over them.

But the Niru inside the tent had been holding back his anger and cursed.
"What are you doing? This is outrageous! This is the Deputy Commander's camp. Get out of here!"

"General, let's huddle together in a corner to avoid the rain."

"General, have pity on us!"

Outside the tent, a group of Eight Banner soldiers knelt down and begged. The commander, helpless, felt a pang of sympathy for his soldiers' plight. But the deputy commander… alas.

"Gentlemen, it's not that I don't understand you, but this Niru... Never mind, come in."

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers outside the tent swarmed in. The personal guards around the Niru changed their expressions and quickly whispered something in their ears.
"General, this,"

"Alas, I, the Niu Lu, will bear the consequences. Let them come in and take shelter from the rain."

"This...is...the General!"

And the central tent,
The tent had already been set up, and Hu Yanhan and other generals gathered in Duomin's tent. Even some of his personal guards had hidden inside.

A somber atmosphere prevailed, and everyone remained silent.

North of the temporary camp of Duomin,

Zhang Jinyu's army had already set up temporary tents on a gentle slope. Despite the torrential rain, their superior training and ample supplies were on full display. The tents of each unit were erected one after another on the slope.

The tung oil coating on the tent surface shimmered slightly under the rain. Most of the rainwater flowed away smoothly, with only a small amount seeping in. Inside the tent, dry straw mats and thick felt pads were laid out to insulate against the moisture from the ground.

Most importantly, there were campfires. Dry firewood and tinder, prepared in advance and wrapped in oilcloth, were quickly distributed to each tent. The soldiers cleverly used the semi-enclosed space created by the tent flaps to start numerous campfires. The orange-red flames leaped and emitted a warm and bright light, instantly dispelling the darkness and cold, while the soldiers ate their dry rations. The central command tent was the most spacious and sturdy, with several copper basins burning charcoal inside, baking the damp and cold air into a warm and dry, even somewhat scorching, atmosphere. Zhang Jinyu had already changed out of his slightly damp outer robe and was wearing dry civilian clothes, sitting in the main seat covered with a thick blanket.

On a table in front of him was freshly brewed ginger soup, along with a map in his arms. After drinking the ginger soup, the curtain moved, and a dozen or so officers entered one after another, lining up on both sides.

Although the people had arrived, their expressions were as gloomy as the sky outside the tent. Zhang Jinyu raised her head, looked at their expressions, and smiled slightly.
"Sit down and rest. Ningbian, give everyone a bowl of ginger soup to warm your body."

"Yes, Lord Marquis."

Ningbian nodded, and with his personal guards, he ladled out ginger soup and served it to the generals. After receiving it, the generals all stood up to express their gratitude.

The firelight flickered, casting dappled shadows on their furrowed brows and tightly pursed lips.

The silence lasted for about half a cup of tea's time. After everyone finished drinking the ginger soup, Zhang Wenqing couldn't help but ask a question.
"My lord, this rain... has come at the worst possible time! Although we have enough spare firewood and tinder, it won't last all the tents burning all night. Especially with this rain, we don't know when it will stop. If it continues for several days, the supply lines will be blocked by the mud... Firewood, rations, and even the maintenance of arrows and bowstrings will become a big problem!"

"Yes, my lord. Moreover, the cold air has entered the body, and I'm afraid some soldiers in the army have already shown symptoms of cold. This awful weather is also a blow to morale."

The lieutenant looked worried, as the battle had been fought hastily and the supplies were insufficient.

Duan Hong had a fiery temper. Upon hearing this, he slammed his fist into a nearby wooden pillar, making a dull thud.

"Damn it, we were about to wrap that kid Duomin up like dumplings, but then this rain came, giving him an extra night to catch his breath! My lord, as soon as it's light, I'll lead my men, with 20,000 soldiers dressed in straw raincoats, to charge ahead."

Since he was the last to catch up, he brought a lot of supplies, including raincoats for everyone, so they wouldn't be afraid even if the rain kept pouring down.

Ning Bian appeared more composed, but his brow was also furrowed as he looked at the various generals, who held differing opinions, and he wanted to offer some advice:

"My lord, I am not worried about the rain tonight, but I am worried about the Jurchen tribes in Liaonan. If they get the news and regroup their troops to come to our aid and send supplies, I'm afraid it will be too late for Duomin to recover."

He only said one sentence and then stopped talking, but the meaning was clear: a desperate army is hard to resist, or perhaps they will make a comeback.

Zhang Jinyu simply stirred the ginger soup in the bowl with a silver spoon, his expression blank. The rising steam blurred the figure in front of him, making it impossible to discern his true emotions.

But deep down, he was calculating repeatedly. This move had reached its final moment, like that intricate chess game. If Duomin was reluctant to give up these 40,000 elite troops, he would be trapped like a turtle in a jar. If he committed suicide to get out of the game, he could escape and ascend to heaven. Therefore, he still had to act quickly. After all, he had used all the elite troops from the heartland outside the pass. He couldn't let the cooked duck fly away when it was almost in his mouth.

"There's no need for you all to worry. The rain isn't just falling on our heads; it's probably falling on Duomin's group as well. Since the road is difficult to travel, and the Jurchens also have heads, they will inevitably have a hard time moving as well. The cold wind at night is biting, as you can all feel. I think it's actually heaven helping us."

A smile appeared on Zhang Jinyu's lips. Perhaps it was divine intervention that allowed him to annihilate the last elite Jurchen forces.

"My lord, I understand what you're saying. It's pitch black. Even if we send out scouts to keep watch, it's not hard to guarantee that the Jurchens won't escape in the chaos. If they head east, there are no people there to block them."

Duan Hong sounded anxious, fearing that the Jurchens had escaped.

"Why are you in such a hurry? On this map, there really is a sizable tribe east of Yinzhou. Even if Duomin wanted to escape, he should have reached this place. But the distance between here is not short. Therefore, I think they can't escape. Ningbian, what do you think?"

Ningbian stood up, carefully considering his words before speaking.
"My lord, our scouts risked their lives to report that Duomin's troops, after forcibly moving less than five miles eastward in the torrential rain, had to stop due to the excessive mud and extreme exhaustion of the men and horses. They then turned back to the dense forest to the south to rest. According to observations, their camp was in complete disarray, with almost no decent tents, and most of the soldiers were exposed to the rain, their condition extremely miserable. This rain is adding insult to injury for them."

"What? No way? Does that mean the Tartars' troops are practically defenseless?"

Zhang Wenqing's eyes were filled with surprise.

"That's it."

Ningbian hesitated and nodded, his strength exhausted, and he had no more fighting ability.

Another suffocating silence ensued, with many generals stirring with anticipation.

Zhang Jinyu finally stopped stirring the ginger soup, slowly raised his head, and swept his gaze across the faces of the generals in the tent. To everyone's surprise,

"No hurries?"

The sound wasn't loud, but it clearly drowned out the rain outside the tent and the crackling of the charcoal fire inside.
"They say you can't rush things. Are you putting on a gloomy face all day for God or for me?"

The generals were all stunned, some of them quite taken aback.

Zhang Jinyu picked up the ginger soup, took a slow sip, and felt the spicy warmth flow down her throat, dispelling the last trace of coldness in her body. She put down the bowl and gently tapped her fingers on the smooth tabletop, making a soft tapping sound.

"As the saying goes, 'If it's going to rain, it's going to rain; if a mother wants to remarry, she'll remarry.' Why bother with things that can't be stopped? Tomorrow morning, Duan Hong, you will gather 20,000 vanguard troops with me, put on raincoats, and each of you will ride two horses south to pursue them. Also, send a message to Chuan Ying's troops that they will be following behind. Zhang Wenqing is in command here."

Then, Zhang Jinyu paused, leaned forward slightly, and sharpened his gaze as he scanned the generals:

"The people of Duomin, soaked in the rain in the dense forest, rolling in the mud and freezing all night, even you, Duan Hong, with your strong physique, couldn't withstand it. By tonight, our people will have recovered their strength, while they will have exhausted most of their energy. With one side gaining and the other losing, the outcome of this battle was already decided. Tell me, who do you think benefits more from this rain?"

He then pointed to the dry felt mat under his feet, the burning charcoal fire, and the steaming ginger soup. The generals in the tent were shaken by the Marquis's words. Upon reflection, they realized it was indeed true! Their pursuit had only been temporarily halted, their supplies were plentiful, and they could rest for the night; while Duomin was sheltering from the rain, despair and cold were more likely to erode their fighting spirit than swords!
"Your Excellency is truly talented. We were too hasty. Tomorrow, Your Excellency can rest in your tent while I lead troops to surround and intercept them. We will catch them by the tail, and Military Advisor Xiao will surely move east to cut off their retreat. Duo Min will already be trapped like a turtle in a jar."

Duan Hong had already stood up, full of fighting spirit, and volunteered. Zhang Wenqing was not to be outdone; he stood up, clasped his hands in greeting, and said.
“My lord, General Duan has been leading troops in succession, and this time it is only right that I go.”

"My lord, this humble general believes..."

In an instant, all the generals in the tent volunteered to go.

But Zhang Jinyu waved his hand, his eyes deep and thoughtful. This was a battle to seize destiny, not a game to be played.

"Enough said. Tomorrow, I, the Marquis, will personally lead the troops and issue orders to each camp:"

"First, maintain a high level of vigilance to prevent Duomin from making a desperate move and escaping under the cover of rain. Double the number of sentries and send out scouts in shifts to keep track of their movements. Tell the scouts that safety comes first, but keep their eyes peeled!"

"Secondly, all units should take the time to rest! Make sure the soldiers eat and drink well, warm themselves up, and distribute all the stored ginger and strong liquor. I want to see the vanguard tomorrow."

"Thirdly, inspect the equipment, bowstrings, crossbows, and make sure to check them carefully. The horses must be well cared for and fed with plenty of good feed. Tomorrow, I want them to be able to run and charge!"

Fourthly,

Zhang Jinyu's eyes turned icy cold, filled with chilling killing intent.
"Have the cooks prepare plenty of piping hot meat broth! Tomorrow at dawn, once the rain has subsided, immediately set up the pots and cook a meal so the soldiers can have a hearty battle feast! And then..."

He paused, his gaze unwavering, and spoke each word with the force of an ice bead falling onto a jade plate:

"Follow me south to encircle and annihilate Duomin's forces. Those forty thousand Jurchen warriors, if they surrender, they will live; if they resist stubbornly, they will be... reduced to ashes!"

"I will obey your orders!"

All the generals in the tent were greatly encouraged at this moment. They clasped their fists and roared in unison, their voices so loud that they even drowned out the thunder and rain outside the tent!

(End of this chapter)