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Three thousand elite cavalrymen galloped southward along the Hunhe River Valley, their horses' hooves crushing the thin frost, which reflected tiny rays of light under the morning sun.

"Report——!"

A scout came galloping over and pulled the reins in front of Nurhaci's horse: "General, we found the tracks of the Ming army's wheels ten miles ahead!"

Nurhaci narrowed his eyes and stroked the short beard on his chin. The 39-year-old Jianzhou Jurchen leader was wearing iron leaf cotton armor and a ruby-studded scimitar hung at his waist: "Can you see the flag clearly?"

"General, I don't see any flags, but the wheel tracks are very fresh, so they must have passed by last night."

E Yidu, who was standing by, stepped forward and said, "Master, the Ming people are cunning, so it is better to be careful."

If they were discovered by the Ming army, their current behavior would be no different from rebellion.

"What are you afraid of?"

Nurhaci sneered, took a sip from the cowhide water bag on the saddle and said, "How useful are the firearms of the Ming army in the mountains and forests of Liaodong? Send an order, the whole army is on alert, keep moving forward!"

On the ridge five miles away, Zhejiang Lieutenant General Wu Weizhong put down his telescope and sneered. This general from the Qi Family Army was nearly 50 years old and had a scar on his face that stretched from his brow to his chin, which looked particularly hideous in the morning light.

"The Jiannu have indeed arrived."

He turned to the deputy general and said, "Inform all camps to prepare according to Plan A."

In the dense forests on both sides of the valley, two thousand soldiers from the firearms battalion quietly entered the battle position, each equipped with the latest Rumi gun and Xunlei gun. They covered their bodies with dead branches and leaves, and the fuse had already been lit, waiting for the order.

Wu Weizhong lay on his stomach behind a moss-covered rock, his right eye pressed against the copper tube of a monocular. Through the lens, the hooves of the Jianzhou cavalry kicked up fine dust, and their armor shone with a cold blue light in the morning light.

"Commander, the matches have been checked."

Captain Wang Hu came over, crouching down, and said in a very low voice, "Every Rumi gun has a new fuse, and the gunpowder in the chamber has been sealed with wax to ensure it is not damp."

Wu Weizhong nodded, the scar on his face twitching slightly. He held up three fingers and said, "Three rows of shooting, the first row aims at the horses, the second row shoots at the people, and the third row aims at the general's flag."

Wang Hu licked his cracked lips, took out a handful of lead bullets from the leather bag at his waist, and bit each one with his teeth. "They are all solid bullets, enough to penetrate the heavy armor of the Jiannu."

When the vanguard of the Jianzhou army entered the ambush circle, Wu Weizhong swung his right hand down fiercely.

"Woo-wu-wu-"

The messenger immediately blew the conch shell, and the low sound echoed through the valley.

"boom--!"

The two hundred Lumi guns in the first row spewed out flames at the same time, and the whistling sound of lead bullets tearing through the air was tooth-grinding. The Jianzhou cavalry at the forefront seemed to have hit an invisible wall, and more than ten war horses stood up at the same time. A lead bullet hit the forehead of the leading cavalry's mount, and the chestnut horse's skull was immediately opened, and brain matter and blood splattered in a fan shape on the cavalry behind.

"Change!"

The roars of the captains rose one after another.

The first row of musketeers quickly retreated, while the second row of soldiers stepped forward, raising their guns slightly and aiming at the cavalry on horseback.

"put!"

Before the smoke of this volley had cleared, the soldiers in the third row had already knelt on one knee and placed their Thunderbolt Guns on the stone platform that had been built in advance. This improved matchlock gun had a longer range and was specifically aimed at the brightly dressed generals in the enemy army.

Nurhaci reacted very quickly. When the smoke of the second round of volleys rose, he had already rolled off his horse and grabbed a cowhide shield. Three lead bullets hit the shield in succession, making a dull "thump" sound.

"Get off your horse! Stick to it!"

He roared and drew out his scimitar, and the blade drew a silver arc in the morning light.

Dozens of white-armored soldiers immediately formed a wedge formation, using their shields to push forward against the rain of arrows. These elite soldiers were wearing three layers of heavy armor, and ordinary lead bullets could only leave dents on them. They were like a moving iron wall, slowly and steadily approaching the Ming army's position.

"Armor-piercing arrow!" Wu Weizhong shouted sternly.

The crossbowmen immediately switched to special three-edged arrowheads, which were made of fine steel and had lead weights at the end. An armor-piercing arrow pierced through the shield and nailed a white-armored soldier to the ground. When the arrow came out of his back, it brought out a piece of bloody intestines.

"Let the log roll!"

As the flag was waved, the engineers ambushed on the mountainside cut the ropes. Dozens of logs wrapped with iron spikes rumbled down the hillside, crushing the bushes along the way. A log hit the shield formation of the Jianzhou army, knocking five white-armored soldiers flying. One of them had his iron helmet dented and his head exploded like a watermelon.

Nurhaci dodged a rolling log and cut the rope of another one with his backhand. But more logs followed, and his captain of the guards was pinned down by a log, screaming miserably.

"Master, leave quickly!"

Anfeyanggu rushed forward and used his body to block the flying wood chips. A crossbow arrow took the opportunity to hit his eye socket, and the arrowhead pierced through the back of his head, bringing out a bloody eyeball.

At the chevaux de frise at the entrance of the valley, Nurhaci was left with only twenty or so personal soldiers. Seven arrows were stuck in his armor, and the wound on his left shoulder was constantly bleeding, staining half of his body red.

"kill--!"

The Jianzhou warriors roared their last and rushed towards the spear array, brandishing maces. The Ming army spearmen calmly laid down their spears, and the three-meter-long spear forest stood up like a hedgehog. The first white-armored soldier who rushed up was pierced by five spears at the same time, and the sound of the spear tips piercing the iron armor was like tearing cowhide.

Wu Weizhong personally led his men with swords and shields and accurately slashed the throat of a Jianzhou soldier with his sword. He didn't even blink when the blood sprayed on his face.

"Keep alive!"

Seeing Nurhaci being forced to the front of the rock wall by three spears, Wu Weizhong shouted hurriedly.

Four Ming soldiers worked together to pin Nurhaci to the ground. The Jurchen leader was still struggling like a wounded tiger. He bit a soldier's finger with his teeth and bit off a knuckle.

"Keep him quiet!"

Wu Weizhong shouted.

A soldier hit Nurhaci on the back of his head with the butt of his rifle, and the Jianzhou leader collapsed. The military doctor immediately came forward to check and pricked several acupuncture points with silver needles to ensure that he would not die.

"It's tied tightly."

Wu Weizhong used the tip of his knife to pry open Nurhaci's collar, revealing the bronze seal of the Dragon and Tiger General issued by the imperial court: "This is the prisoner the emperor wants alive."

The soldiers tied Nurhaci up like a dumpling with oiled leather ropes and locked his hands and feet with iron chains. Two strong men brought a specially made cage with iron spikes nailed all over the inner wall, so that the slightest movement would tear his skin and flesh.

By the time the sun set, the battlefield had been cleaned up.

The quartermaster was counting the captured weapons, while the clerk was recording the casualties.

"Seventy-three of our soldiers were killed and one hundred and twenty were wounded."

Wang Hu reported: "We beheaded more than 800 people and captured 200 people, including Nurhaci, the deputy governor of Jianzhou Guard."

Wu Weizhong looked at the pile of Jianzhou heads, and suddenly bent down to pick up a bloody mace, with a few strands of hair and minced meat still stuck to the end of the mace.

"Cremate the brothers who died in battle separately and bring their ashes back home."

He paused and said, "As for the bodies of the Jiannu...bury them on the spot and remember to sprinkle them with lime."

In the twilight, several crows began to circle in the air, as if they smelled blood and made bursts of shrill cries.

Wu Weizhong looked up at the sky and ordered, "Order the entire army to move camp overnight. The emperor is still waiting for this prisoner in the capital."

………………

In August, the atmosphere of autumn deepens in the Forbidden City.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, wisps of green smoke rose from the gilded coiled dragon incense burner. The scent of ambergris mixed with the coolness of the ice jar slightly dispelled the sultry heat of late summer.

The hall was quiet, with only the sound of water dripping from the copper kettle being clearly audible. The window was half-open, and occasionally a cool breeze blew through the hall, blowing the memorials on the table.

Yi Huawei, wearing a bright yellow uniform, sat behind the imperial desk, writing on the memorial with a red brush in his hand.

Wang Chengen stood by with his hands hanging down, his eyes lowered, but he was always paying attention to the emperor's every move. He caught a glimpse of Yi Huawei's slightly raised mouth corners when he was reviewing the memorials, and secretly guessed in his heart that anything that could make this iron-blooded emperor smile must be very good news.

"Tread, tap, tap—"

There was a burst of hurried footsteps outside the palace, and the sound of boots stepping on the golden bricks was particularly clear in the silent palace.

A captain of the Jinyiwei knelt outside the palace gate and presented a sealed letter with both hands: "Your Majesty, urgent news from Liaodong."

Wang Chengen quickly stepped forward to take it. His fingertips trembled slightly when they touched the envelope. There was still some dark red stain on the edge of the letter paper, as if the blood had not yet dried.

Yi Huawei took the secret letter and opened the wax seal with a "click" sound. He unfolded the letter, scanned the words, and suddenly chuckled: "What a Nurhaci."

Wang Chengen couldn't help but take a peek and saw Wu Weizhong's familiar handwriting on the letter:
"I followed the imperial edict and set up an ambush outside Fushun Pass. Nurhaci led 3,000 elite cavalry to meet the Shanxi merchants, but was surrounded by our firearms battalion. After half a day of fierce fighting, we killed 2,000 enemies and captured more than 800. Nurhaci was shot in the right arm and was captured. He is now being escorted to Beijing, please judge by your majesty..."

Yi Huawei placed the secret letter on the candle flame, watched the flames slowly devour the paper, and said faintly: "General Longhu of Jianzhou Guard, you are so brave."

Wang Chengen finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, a mere commander of Jianzhou Guard can be executed with just an imperial edict, why go to so much trouble?"

Hearing this, Yi Huawei looked up at him. His eyes were as dark as ink and bottomless in the candlelight.

"Cheng En."

Yi Huawei suddenly stood up, walked to the hanging "Complete Map of the Ming Dynasty", and pointed his finger at the location of Liaodong: "Look at these three Jurchen tribes."

His fingertips moved from Jianzhou to Haixi, and then to the wild Jurchens: "Although Nurhaci is only a dragon and tiger general, he has secretly unified the three guards of Jianzhou. If we kill him without solid evidence, what will the other Jurchen tribes think?"

Wang Chengen was stunned. In his impression, Nurhaci had always been obedient and submissive, paying tribute on time every year, speaking humbly, and even personally coming to Beijing to meet the late emperor many times.

"Your Majesty, hasn't Nurhaci always been loyal to the court?"

Yi Huawei sneered: "Loyal?"

He turned and walked towards the imperial desk, took out a secret document from the secret compartment, and threw it to Wang Chengen: "Take a look at this."

Wang Chengen opened the secret file and his expression gradually became solemn.

The secret files clearly record Nurhaci's actions over the past decade:
In 1583, he attacked the city of Turun in Nikanwalan.

In 1584, he attacked Zhaojia City and captured Li Dai alive.

In 1585, he defeated the larger force with a smaller one in the battle of Jiefan City against the Zhechen army.

In 1586, he captured the city of Erhun and killed Nikan Wailan, avenging his father and grandfather.

In 1587, he conquered the Zhechen tribe.

In 1588, he subdued the Suwan, Dong'e and Yaergu tribes, completing the unification of Jianzhou headquarters.

In 1591, he conquered the Yalu River tribe.

In 1593, the nine-army coalition was defeated in the Battle of Gule Mountain, greatly boosting its power.

Secret files record that in March of this year, Nurhaci sent his eldest son Chu Ying to conquer Anchula Kulu and expand to the Donghai Jurchens.

By 1598, Nurhaci had controlled all of the Jianzhou Jurchens (including the Suksuhu River Tribe, the Hunhe River Tribe, the Wanyan River Tribe, the Dong'e River Tribe, and the Zhechen River Tribe), the three Changbai Mountain Tribes (the Yalu River Tribe, the Zhusheli River Tribe, and the Neyin River Tribe), and began to infiltrate the Haixi Jurchens. The geographical scope included Hetuala, Fuala City, and the Hunhe and Suzi River basins, and the influence extended to Kaiyuan and Tieling.

In terms of economic and administrative measures, the government was established in the city of Foala in 1587, and the national policy was promulgated, and the administrative system was initially formed. On the surface, it maintained a tributary relationship with the Ming Dynasty, but in fact, it secretly developed agriculture and trade to accumulate strength.

The more Wang Chengen watched, the more frightened he became: "This Nurhaci is so bold..."

Yi Huawei said coldly: "The Jurchen tribes may seem loose, but in fact, once someone unites them, it will be a big problem."

He pointed to the map and said, "Although the four tribes of Haixi Jurchens - Hada, Ula, Yehe and Huifa - have a grudge against Jianzhou, if the imperial court rashly executes Nurhaci, they will instead unite to resist."

Wang Chengen suddenly realized and nodded:
"So Your Majesty deliberately set up a trap to let Nurhaci jump out and collude with the Shanxi merchants to be convicted of treason?"

"good."

Yi Huawei said calmly: "Now that the evidence is irrefutable, the Jurchen tribes have nothing to say."

After a pause, Yi Huawei smiled slightly: "Although it is easy to wipe out the Jurchens with the power of the Firearms Battalion, they have a population of more than 100,000."

He turned and walked towards the imperial desk, picking up a memorial from the Ministry of Works: "The Northeast has thousands of miles of fertile land, and there is a shortage of labor to open up the wasteland. Aren't these Jurchens ready-made coolies?"

Wang Chengen suddenly remembered something and whispered, "Your Majesty, what about Nurhaci's sons..."

"Shuerhaci is in Hetuala, and Chu Ying and Daishan were captured along with the army."

A gleam of light flashed in Yi Huawei's eyes: "Send an order to appoint Shuerhaqi as the commander of the left guard of Jianzhou."

"This?" Wang Chengen was stunned.

Yi Huawei played with the Hetian jade paperweight on the table and said calmly, "Brothers fighting against each other, isn't it better than the imperial court taking action?"

The autumn wind outside the window blew violently, making the copper bells in the corner of the palace jingle. A sycamore leaf floated into the palace and landed on the imperial desk. Yi Huawei picked up the dead leaf and crushed it gently between his fingertips.

"Tell Wu Weizhong to slow down the escort team."

Yi Huawei casually sprinkled the leaves into the incense burner and smiled: "Let all the Jurchen tribes in Liaodong see clearly how their 'Khan' was locked in a prison cart and brought to the capital."

"According to the order!"

Wang Chengen bowed and agreed. Just as he was about to leave to pass on the order, he suddenly heard Yi Huawei say:
"Oh, right, those prisoners..."

Wang Chengen raised his head slightly and asked: "Your Majesty, are you going to send him into exile?"

Yi Huawei shook his head and pointed to the memorial just submitted by the Ministry of Works: "The new official road from Shanhaiguan to Jinzhou is still short of 30,000 coolies."

His tone was calm, as if he was discussing today's dinner: "Send the eight hundred prisoners first. Tell the overseers not to be stingy with the whip - after all, the last thing lacking in the snowy land of the Northeast is corpses to fill the ditches."

Wang Chengen felt a chill on his back and quickly nodded his head and said yes.

Outside the palace, the setting sun dyed the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City blood red. An autumn wind swept the fallen leaves across the steps, making a rustling sound, like countless wronged souls whimpering.

(End of this chapter)