Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

News of the great victory at Haizhou quickly reached the capital.

Zhu Youjian was overjoyed when he received news of the victory at the front.

Because he was convinced from this battle that the Jurchens posed no threat to the Ming Dynasty and that the Ming Dynasty would surely win the Liaodong campaign!
"New recruits who have been trained for less than three months can win under the leadership of officers from the Beijing Garrison."

"The Jurchens no longer pose much of a threat to the Ming Dynasty; they are merely waiting to be destroyed!"

"Yang Jiamo fought well! I shall bestow a title upon him!"

Excitedly pacing back and forth, Zhu Youjian blurted out.

Looking at Yang Jiamo's battle as a whole, the complete annihilation of the Bordered Red Banner was a minor matter. More importantly, he achieved victory against Huang Taiji's six main banners with a newly trained army that had been training for less than three months.

This means that Zhu Youjian's industrialized army could be realized, and the Ming Dynasty could use the same method to mass-produce troops and overwhelm the Jurchens.

The millions of disaster victims in Shaanxi represent a potential pool of manpower that can be utilized.

Therefore, upon seeing Tian Jianxiu and Hao Yaoqi mentioned in the report, Zhu Youjian immediately issued an imperial decree:
"By imperial decree, the First Independent Battalion of Liaonan Garrison is hereby granted the title of Red Flag Battalion, and the entire army shall be informed of their meritorious service in the encirclement and annihilation of the two Red Flag Battalions."

"Hao Yaoqi was promoted to deputy battalion commander and awarded a red flag to commend his spirit."

"Tian Jianxiu and Cao Bianjiao are promoted to Assistant General and Acting Commander-in-Chief, respectively."

"Yang Yufan was promoted to general and led the 354th Brigade, the Red Flag Battalion, and Cao Bianjiao's Second Battalion to independently form the Restoration Army."

"I hope they will persevere and recover the lost territories of the Han people!"

The general who made the greatest contribution in this battle was immediately promoted and sent to continue recruiting disaster victims from Shaanxi to strengthen and expand the Restoration Army.

He borrowed this name from future history. The uprising army that liberated Shaanxi during the Xinhai Revolution called itself the Qin-Long Restoration Army.

Zhu Youjian hoped that they could be like that army, driving out the Tartars and restoring the old Han territory.

To this end, he also designed the uniforms for the Restoration Army himself, imitating the military uniforms in his memory, using the simple and ancient Han style of cross-collar and right-fastening.

He hoped that this army, which was influenced by the distinction between Chinese and barbarians, would have a stronger sense of nationalism and be more courageous in fighting against foreign invaders.

When this order reached the Privy Council, Yuan Keli hurriedly came to dissuade him:

"Your Majesty, the official battle report has not yet been sent. It is too hasty to bestow rewards now."

"Moreover, the commander-in-chief of this battle was Yang Jiamo, and the supervisor of the entire Liaodong region was Sun Chengzong."

"It's inappropriate to overlook them when rewarding other generals!"

Zhu Youjian laughed heartily:

"Yang Jiamo was promoted to the position of Liaonan Commander-in-Chief, leading the Liaonan Army and the Restoration Army."

“Sun Chengzong will be granted the title of Shangzhuguo, but his official rank will not be promoted. You should discuss and grant him, Yang Jiamo, Yang Yufan, and others noble titles.”

"Once the official battle report arrives, we must carefully calculate the military merits."

Yuan Keli was quite surprised, not expecting the emperor to be so generous.

He could have predicted that Yang Jiamo and Yang Yufan would be granted titles, but he never expected that Sun Chengzong would also receive one, and even be ranked higher up.

Considering his relationship with Sun Chengzong, he voluntarily declined, saying:
"Your Majesty, the two Generals Yang can be ennobled for their contributions to the Battle of Haizhou, but the fact that Commander Sun is also ennobled is somewhat unconvincing."

"I believe it would be better to wait until the Liaodong War is over before assessing his achievements."

Zhu Youjian nodded in agreement, because he only said that to appease the Guan Ning Army.

The newly trained army of Liaonan Garrison achieved such a result in this battle, while the Guan Ning Army, after months of hard work, received only a fraction of their credit, which must have made them resentful.

After all, in their view, if they hadn't tied down the exhausted Jianzhou Jurchens, the Liaonan Garrison wouldn't have achieved such victories.

Even if they haven't made any great contributions, they have certainly worked hard, and the imperial court must value them.

The reward given to Sun Chengzong was based on this consideration: to have Sun Chengzong appease and suppress the Guan Ning Army, thus preventing any unrest.

Now that Yuan Keli has helped him back out, it doesn't matter. The important thing is to spread the word and let the Guan Ning Army know that the imperial court remembers them.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian felt a little regretful. Because besides fighting the Jurchens, the biggest objective of the Liaodong campaign was to deplete the Guan-Ning army.

The Guan Ning Army has suffered some losses, but not many. The imperial court still needs to collect taxes from Liaodong to continue supporting them.

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian asked:
"After the victory in the Battle of Haizhou, did the Liaodong army have the potential to continue its offensive and recover lost territory?"

Yuan Keli considered for a moment and said:
"I'm afraid not."

"The battle of Liaonan Town has been quite costly, with nearly half of our ammunition reserves used. The rest must be used to defend Haizhou, and there is not enough to continue the offensive."

"The Guan Ning Army consists mostly of veteran troops, and their ammunition needs are not high. However, without the protection of warships, it is difficult for them to continue their offensive."

They also had a low opinion of the Guan Ning Army, believing that they were incapable of continuing their offensive.

This has been proven over many years; once the Guan Ning army established fortified villages, they no longer knew how to fight.

He was also worried that another Zhao Shuaijiao would emerge and lead the Guan Ning Army into a ditch.

Zhu Youjian wanted to force the Guan Ning Army to fight a war of attrition against the Jurchens, but after thinking it over, he gave up on the idea.

After all, the Liaonan Garrison is still small in number, and the Restoration Army is only just beginning to be established.

If the battle of Langzhan causes a major change in the Liaodong war situation, it will bring unnecessary trouble.

Therefore, he decided:
"Let Sun Chengzong, the military governor of Liaodong, preside over the front-line meeting to decide what to do next."

"If there is no more fighting, then leave 20,000 to 30,000 troops to set up defenses along the Niuzhuang and Haizhou line."

"The rest of the troops withdrew to the seaside before winter to prepare for the winter."

This was the Privy Council's established strategy: when the Liao River was navigable in winter, most of the troops would be withdrawn to coastal areas such as the Liao River Camp to facilitate the transport of supplies from the rear.

Only 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers were left at the front to hold the line.
-
After these orders were issued, the generals on the Liaodong front were immediately filled with enthusiasm.

Yang Jiamo, who presided over the Battle of Haizhou, has already been granted a noble title and has succeeded Mao Wenlong as the Governor of Liaonan.

Yang Yufan was equally pleased, because based on his achievements in this battle, he was promoted to general with honors, and no one could question him anymore.

He particularly liked the name "Restoring Han Army," because his own name was Yufan (御蕃), and he welcomed the military's promotion of the distinction between Chinese and barbarians.

Especially considering that his rise to prominence was due to the reconstruction of Fuzhou Guard by Tian Jianxiu, he felt that he was destined to be associated with the word "Fu" and that he would be able to achieve more merits in the future by leading the Fu Han Army.

Patting Tian Jianxiu on the shoulder, Yang Yufan said:
"Old Tian, ​​it's all thanks to you for recruiting so many people, otherwise Liaonan Town would never have had the opportunity to send troops."

"This time you're coming with me to the Restoration Army; we'll need your help with recruiting soldiers!"

The implication was that they already regarded Tian Jianxiu as a protector of the Restoration Army.

In the future, he will be in charge of military and political affairs.

Tian Jianxiu was equally delighted with his promotion to the rank of brigade commander.

Because his previous appointment as a guerrilla general was already an exceptional promotion, he never expected to be promoted again in such a short time.

Upon hearing Yang Yufan's words, he immediately grinned, patted his chest, and said:

"General, rest assured, I will do my utmost to recruit soldiers."

“Shaanxi is now full of disaster victims. After the news of this victory spreads, more people will be willing to join the army.”

These words were not unfounded, but based on evidence.

The previous policy of recruiting soldiers in southern Liaoning was welcomed by some disaster victims. However, they were worried that they would be unable to defeat the Jurchens and that the promised rewards would not be fulfilled in the future.

After this great victory in the Battle of Haizhou, the defense lines at Niuzhuang and Haicheng are now completely secure. Land can be distributed south of this line. Tian Jianxiu is certain that if the soldiers allocated land are simply sent to the Cangzhou immigrant camp, a large influx of people will follow.

The Restoration Army, which received a title bestowed by the emperor, was definitely more attractive than the Liaonan Garrison.

However, Liaonan Town had four guard posts as garrisons, but the Restoration Army did not. Tian Jianxiu inquired:
Where were the garrisons of the Restoration Army located?

"Where can the land be allocated?"

Yang Yufan pointed to the map and said:

"It is located north of Jinzhouwei and on the eastern side of the Liaonan Peninsula."

“There are many plains along the coast there, and originally there were Dingliao Right Guard and Kuandian Six Forts.”

"After capturing Haizhou this time, there is no more danger in southern Liaoning."

"His Majesty has ordered us to restore the Han army and take over these areas first."

These places are naturally inferior to established garrisons like Fuzhouwei, Gaizhouwei, and Haizhouwei.

However, it is also a vast area with a lot of land available for cultivation.

Tian Jianxiu was overjoyed, calculating how many garrisons he could establish. Then, with some worry, he said:

"The soldiers who have made meritorious contributions in the Battle of Haizhou will be given priority in choosing the land in Haizhou."

"If we move to the eastern side of southern Liaoning now, won't they be unhappy?"

Yang Yufan thought about it for a moment and felt that it was indeed possible.

After all, compared to the fertile land in Haizhouwei, which even the Jurchens were cultivating, the wasteland on the east side of Liaonan was not attractive enough.

After thinking it over, he said:
"The Restoration Army is a new garrison, so we can offer more favorable conditions."

"If anyone really doesn't want to, then let them stay in Haizhouwei."

Putting that aside, he continued:

"The most important thing now is to demarcate the border with Dongjiang Territory."

"His Majesty said that Liaodong will be part of the interior from now on and will not be divided up."

"Although we and Dongjiang are friendly forces, we must also guard against them encroaching on our land."

Clearly, this was his biggest concern, and also the reason why the court was so eager to establish the Restoration Army.

Mao Wenlong was clearly unwilling to be a foreign barbarian and might be plotting to make Liaodong his fiefdom.

To guard against this, the imperial court first established the Restoration Guard. The meaning was quite clear—

This is Han territory, and we will not tolerate any vassal states coveting it.
-
Unaware of all this, Mao Wenlong was still lying in ambush in the mountains south of Liaoyang, preparing to ambush the Jurchens.

After his defeat at Haizhou, Huang Taiji showed no hesitation and retreated rapidly northward.

After Mao Wenlong's scouts discovered traces of the Jurchens, they hurriedly sent someone to report. Li Jiucheng anxiously inquired:

"General, shall we fight?"

"If we don't fight the Jurchens now, they'll be gone!"

Looking at the two yellow flags, Mao Wenlong also felt the urge to fight.

Because this is the core of Huang Taiji, the two Yellow Banners whose military achievements are 1.5 times that of ordinary Eight Banners.

If he could win, he definitely wouldn't just stand by and watch.

But after assessing the enemy's strength and his own less than two thousand newly trained troops equipped with muskets, he finally shook his head and gave the order:
"Let's send two yellow flags over and continue to wait."

Unwilling to give up, he ordered his troops to remain hidden, waiting for an army he could devour.

At the same time, he ordered someone to send a message to Cui Nanyi, instructing the Cijiang Army, which was attacking Liaoyang, to quickly retreat into the mountains and forests.

Their feigned attack on Liaoyang was actually intended to wipe out the Jurchen reinforcements or the troops returning north from Haizhou.

Little did they expect that this army was far too powerful, exceeding their preparations.

Mao Wenlong now harbors some resentment towards Haizhou, believing that they not only failed to fight well but also lacked the courage to continue pursuing.
-
The various armies in Haizhou that Mao Wenlong complained about were not all without courage.

After helping Liaonan Town clear Haizhou City and resting for several days, Cao Wenzhao, unwilling to have worked in vain, discussed with Sun Yingyuan:
"The Jurchens are fleeing in panic, should we give chase?"

"Even if we can't catch up, we can still try to take Liaoyang!"

Liaoyang is only a hundred li away from Haizhou. Moreover, it was formerly the seat of the Liaodong Military Command, and it held great significance after being recovered.

Sun Yingyuan pondered for a moment and said:
"Are 10,000 of us enough?"

"Huang Taiji's side has at least 30,000 Jianzhou Jurchens, and they will soon join forces with the Bordered Blue Banner."

Cao Wenzhao said with a smile:

"You're still worried about the Jurchens!"

"As long as there is sufficient ammunition, the Jurchens have no ability to break through the new army's formation."

“If he dares to charge, we will wait in ambush and shoot them down as we did before.”

This can be said to be the effect of the Battle of Haizhou, breaking the fear of the Jurchen cavalry.

The various armies gathered in Haizhou City now generally believe that the Jurchens are not that strong. As long as they have enough ammunition, they can win.

Cao Wenzhao had been asking his nephew about that battle many times in recent days, and he already knew exactly how to deal with the Jurchens.

Sun Yingyuan was also somewhat tempted by his encouragement, because he also wanted to make a name for himself.

However, he remained somewhat composed and said to Cao Wenzhao:
"Commander Sun is coming. Let's wait for him to hold a meeting at the front before deciding whether to pursue him."

"If the commander-in-chief orders us to pursue, then we will."

"If they don't let us pursue, we'll wait until next year and attack Liaoyang along the Taizi River."

This is a well-established strategy, and it's also what Sun Chengzong is planning at this time.

Having determined that the new army, once arrayed, would not be afraid of the Jurchens, Sun Chengzong decided to send the new army north next year to dredge the waterways and, under the protection of the fleet, fight their way to Liaoyang.

Just like this time when they were dredging the Haicheng River, they were protected by the fleet and were not disturbed by the Jurchens, so they came smoothly all the way.

"We are very confident that we can capture Liaoyang next year by following the river."

"There are still dangers along the way if we take the post road to Liaoyang now."

Sun Chengzong, who still held onto his old impressions of the Jurchens' fighting capabilities, disagreed with Cao Wenzhao's decision to risk leading 10,000 new troops.

In his view, there's no need to take risks when things can be secured steadily.

However, while his strategy was correct, he overlooked the mindset of the Guan Ning Army.

They, who had always considered themselves the pillars of Liaodong, first had their front lines seized by the Dongning Army of Dalinghe Fort. Then, Man Gui's Dongping Army won victories in open battle.

These two are fine, after all, one is a fortress built with all the efforts of the imperial court, and the other is a general from Liaodong.

What they didn't expect was that the imperial court only dispatched 3,000 soldiers from the Beijing garrison, trained the Shaanxi disaster victims and Liaodong refugees for three months, and together with the original Liaonan garrison soldiers, they achieved victory in the Battle of Haizhou.

This made them truly disbelieve, and at the same time, they began to doubt the fighting strength of the Jurchens—

Was it because the Jurchens were exhausted after several months of stalemate that Liaonan Town found an opportunity?
They insisted on giving it a try, hoping to take advantage of the victory at Haizhou to attack the Liaoyang area. (End of Chapter)