Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

"Commander, this battle cannot be avoided!"

"We've won in Liaonan, and the brothers are all ready to go into battle!"

Hou Shilu found Sun Chengzong and said.

The victory at Liaonan Town undoubtedly boosted the morale of the Guan-Ning Army.

Especially when they arrived, some officers and soldiers from Liaonan Town who planned to join Haizhou Guard were already measuring land outside the city and waiting for allocation.

The Guan Ning soldiers watched as the land was divided up, li by li, and their envy was almost overflowing. They all demanded to chase after the Jurchens and fight their way through them.

After all, in their view, if the new recruits from Liaonan could win, then they certainly could too.

Some generals shared this idea, and Hou Shilu harbored the same sentiment.

Sun Chengzong initially didn't pay much attention and said dismissively:

"Whether or not to fight is up to the military governor; this matter will be decided by the governor himself."

"You must hurry up and dredge the river, and try to build fortifications before the river freezes over."

They still adhered to the method of advancing from the fortress, and their tactics were extremely steady.

Hou Shilu inwardly grimaced upon hearing this, harboring strong opinions about it.

Previously, he had been suppressed in eight villages along the Liao River, which meant that he did not get a chance to make a contribution during the standoff at Niuzhuang.

Now that he saw Yang Jiamo, that junior colleague, rise above him, he felt even more anxious. He felt that if he didn't make a contribution this time, it would be even harder to find an opportunity to do so in the competition within Liaonan Town.

In particular, although Liaoyang was not the capital of the Jianzhou Jurchens, it was the former seat of the Liaodong Regional Military Commission. Recapturing it would be of great significance, and Hou Shilu was quite eager to seize it.

He said to Sun Chengzong:

"Commander, the Jianzhou troops are exhausted and their horses are weary; now is the time for them to achieve merit."

"If we miss this opportunity, we'll have to wait until next year to recapture Liaoyang!"

This is the imperial court's strategy, and also a characteristic of the Liaodong army at present.

The Liaodong army today relies heavily on sea and air transport for supplies. When the Liaodong coast and rivers freeze in winter, supplies become very inconvenient.

At that time, it was already good enough to be able to defend the fortified villages; it was impossible to attack.

Sun Chengzong had this in mind, which is why he did not want to continue sending troops to advance as winter was approaching.

Another consideration was that Liaodong Commander You Shilu was ill, and Ma Shilong, whom Sun Chengzong intended to replace him, had not yet arrived.

This made Sun Chengzong even more reluctant to go into battle. Having experienced several exercises, he was well aware of his own battlefield command capabilities.

Being a good supervisor is good enough; don't try to take over the responsibilities of an admiral.

After the Battle of Haicheng, the emperor praised his actions highly, even ranking his merits ahead of Yang Jiamo's. He believed that he had ensured the uninterrupted supply lines, achieving the same feat as Xiao He, and wanted to bestow a noble title upon him.

This made Sun Chengzong even more reluctant to go to the battlefield to command, lest he expose his own shortcomings.

If he were to suffer a defeat and be forced to resign at this point, his title would become meaningless.

He said to Hou Shilu:

"There will be even more troops in Liaodong next year."

"At that time, we will be able to take Liaoyang by both land and water."

"General Hou, please rest assured, there will be plenty of opportunities to make meritorious contributions."

These words were correct for Sun Chengzong. As the commander-in-chief, he would share the credit no matter who won the battle.

However, for Hou Shilu, the difference was significant.

Why not take advantage of You Shilu's illness to lead the army on an expedition, instead of waiting for Ma Shilong and others to come and serve as subordinates?
Seeing that Sun Chengzong kept making excuses, Hou Shilu made up his mind and said:

"Commander, the Emperor has promised you a title, but we have nothing."

"The brothers are all waiting to make a name for themselves. Does the commander-in-chief want to be ennobled all by himself without thinking of his brothers?"

He stated frankly that this was not just his opinion, but rather the idea of ​​many generals.

They even revealed some of the things they had said about Sun Chengzong, which nearly made Sun Chengzong explode with anger.

As the founder of the Guan Ning Army, Sun Chengzong never imagined that he would be coerced one day, and by the combined efforts of many military generals.

At this moment, he understood deeply why the emperor was willing to send the Guan Ning Army to their deaths in order to reorganize this army.

Enraged, he gave Hou Shilu a cold look and decided to say:
Who are the people willing to go?

"With elite guards?"

Hou Shilu named several people, including Deputy General Zhang Hongmo, Lieutenant General Xie Shangzheng, and Guerrilla Commander Liu Tianlu.

Sun Chengzong was even angrier when he heard this, because Xie Shangzheng was a fellow townsman of Yuan Chonghuan, and Liu Tianlu and Zu Dashou had some connection. He had already taken on pressure by keeping the two of them around despite the suspicion.

Unexpectedly, these two not only showed no gratitude, but are now also threatening me along with other generals.

This made him no longer hesitate, and he gave the order:
"General Hou, could you please compile the list and calculate how many people are on it?"

"I am sending you to lead the vanguard, and I will send others later."

They're going to throw all these people out; their lives or deaths will be up to fate.

If they win, that's fine; as the commander-in-chief, Sun Chengzong will naturally get a share of the credit.

Even if we defeat Sun Chengzong, we are not afraid. He can secretly report to the emperor that these are people who resist the reorganization of the Guan Ning Army.

The emperor would only be happy if they died, as it would save on military expenses.

Although Hou Shilu did not understand the emperor's determination to wear down the Guan Ning Army, he was not stupid and knew that it was impossible to defeat Huang Taiji by relying solely on the old army.

He requested of Sun Chengzong:

"General Cao and General Sun came to the rescue of Haizhou, but they did not make it to the battle."

"I've heard they also intend to send troops. May I take them with me?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Chengzong's eyes flickered, and he somewhat understood why Hou Shilu wanted to bring them along:

Not only because these two men led the new army, but also because they were the emperor's confidants, Sun Chengzong dared not send them to their deaths.

With two people present, if anything unexpected happened, Sun Chengzong would have to send troops to rescue them. Hou Shilu was taking them along as insurance.

Somewhat hesitant, Sun Chengzong said:
"Generals Cao and Sun have been traveling all this way; I wonder if they have any strength left."

"I will discuss this with them again before deciding whether to send them."

Hou Shilu laughed and begged Sun Chengzong to send them.

Now all the armies in Liaodong know how powerful the new firearms army is, and Hou Shilu is really worried about not having them with him.

Sun Chengzong shared the same view and even planned to request the emperor to transfer the two men to the Guan Ning Army to be in charge of reorganization.
-
Sun Chengzong summoned Generals Cao Wenzhao and Sun Yingyuan and inquired:
"What are your thoughts on General Hou's desire to lead the troops into battle?"

"Can we fight in Liaoyang? What are our chances of winning?"

Cao Wenzhao and Sun Yingyuan were both somewhat surprised to hear this.

Cao Wenzhao said excitedly:

"If the commander-in-chief wants to send troops, this humble general is willing to lead the charge."

Sun Yingyuan was more composed and said:

"Huang Taiji is now leading his troops to concentrate in the Liaoyang area. If we are to confront him like we are in Niuzhuang, it will be disadvantageous for our army."

He pointed to the map and said:

"Currently, our troops are in Niuzhuang and Haizhou, and can rely on rivers for supplies."

"However, the Taizi River was blocked, and the fleet could not reach the Liaoyang area."

"If supplies are to be resupplyed by land, they need to be transported from Haizhou to Anshan Station and then to Liaoyang."

"Not to mention the losses on the road, we will also be attacked by the Jurchens."

"Therefore, I believe that we should wait until next year when we can open up the Taizi River before attacking the Liaoyang area."

Sun Chengzong nodded, agreeing with his statement.

If it weren't for Hou Shilu and others causing trouble, he would never have sent his troops out.

He asked Sun Yingyuan, "Now General Hou insists on sending troops, and several other generals support him."

"They want you to come along, what's your opinion?"

The words weren't fully explained, and the two were still somewhat confused.

Seeing their confused expressions, Sun Chengzong asked directly:
"If General Hou is defeated, are you capable of protecting yourselves?"

Cao Wenzhao exclaimed "Ah!" and realized that this battle might be a suicide mission.

After pondering for a moment, Sun Yingyuan said firmly:

"As long as there is enough ammunition, I can hold out until reinforcements arrive."

"The Jurchens lacked sufficient artillery and could not break through their firearms formations."

Sun Chengzong didn't understand these specific battle tactics, so he asked him again:

"What if there are no reinforcements?"

"Can't we fight back ourselves?"

Sun Yingyuan said:

"It's impossible to fight back with infantry; we'll be harassed and exhausted by the Jurchens along the way."

"But if there are enough horses to maneuver, it is entirely possible to retreat."

His Shooting Battalion belonged to the Eagle Flying Army, which was built as a rapid mobile force, and consisted of two mounted infantry battalions, one cavalry battalion, one artillery battalion, and one support battalion.

If all personnel are on horseback, they can fight and retreat simultaneously. Given that Liaoyang is only a hundred li from Haizhou, a complete retreat is entirely possible.

Sun Chengzong exclaimed "Good!" and made up his mind.

He said to the two of them:

"Since you all want to fight, I will send you out to battle."

"But you must remember that the first priority in this battle is to protect yourself. If something unexpected happens, you can withdraw on your own."

"I will coordinate with Admiral Yang regarding the ammunition issue, and the horses will also be transferred to you."

"Bring as much as you can, and make sure you can return from Liaoyang."

They did not rely on Hou Shilu at all, and let them prepare ammunition and logistics independently.

Cao Wenzhao and Sun Yingyuan now understood that Hou Shilu's army was a complete expendable pawn. It would be best if they could fight alongside them, but if they couldn't, they could simply abandon them.

This surprised both of them. They wondered what Hou Shilu had done to make Sun Chengzong so ruthless.

Knowing the dangers of the mission, they were unwilling to miss this opportunity. After all, their training was for the purpose of achieving great deeds and establishing a career.

Especially after seeing his nephew Cao Bianjiao this time, Cao Wenzhao was filled with envy, seeing that his nephew had risen from guerrilla general to brigade general and even acting deputy commander-in-chief. He worried that his nephew's future status would surpass his own.

Cao Wenzhao borrowed several soldiers from Cao Bianjiao, intending to have them instruct him on how to use muskets to fight against the Jurchens.

Upon learning that Cao Wenzhao was going to war, Cao Bianjiao said enviously:

"Uncle, my cavalry unit can fight too, why don't you take me with you?"

Cao Wenzhao laughed and scolded him:
"You're about to become a brigade commander, how can you still be so unsteady?"

"Train your brigade well, and you'll have plenty of opportunities to play in the future."

The Fuhan Army was reorganized into the 38th Division. Cao Bianjiao's Independent Battalion was expanded into the 382nd Brigade.

He was currently training his troops, and Cao Wenzhao had no intention of taking him along.

Besides, this battle is somewhat dangerous. If the uncle and nephew are ambushed together, who will be able to support the Cao family?

In the end, Cao Bianjiao could only send a few of his personal guards back to train the army, feeling rather disgruntled.
-
After Sun Chengzong and Yang Jiamo coordinated and borrowed enough ammunition and horses, he officially issued an order to send Cao Wenzhao with 5,000 cavalrymen of the Left Army Camp and Sun Yingyuan with 4,000 cavalrymen of the Archery Camp and mounted infantrymen to accompany Hou Shilu on his expedition.

This news greatly encouraged Hou Shilu and made more generals willing to follow him to attack Liaoyang.

In the end, Hou Shilu managed to gather 20,000 men to serve as the vanguard.

Sun Chengzong then pretended to combine the remaining Guan Ning Army with the Liaonan Army and the Fuhan Army, preparing to launch the expedition as the main force.

In reality, they continued to repair Haizhou City and strengthen the Niuzhuang-Haizhou defense line.

Hou Shilu, unaware of all this, led his 30,000-strong army forward with great confidence.

They encountered no attacks along the way, as if the Jurchens had become afraid of them.

When passing Anshan Post Station, Hou Shilu said:
"This post station is important and should be guarded by troops."

"Who among you is willing to stay and guard this post station?"

The Guan Ning Army soldiers who went on the expedition with him all wanted to make merit, so who would want to stay?

Ultimately, Sun Yingyuan, who knew the inside story of this battle, took the initiative to speak:
"My troops are skilled in defense and can stay to guard Anshan Post Station."

"If the war goes poorly, I can guarantee that you will all be able to retreat."

Hou Shilu laughed heartily upon hearing this, while the other generals were somewhat dissatisfied.

As an army within the Jinyiwei system, the Shesheng Battalion came to Liaodong with the intention of monitoring them, and had previously had a rather unpleasant falling out with the Guan Ning Army.

In addition, the Shooting Battalion had won many battles during last year's exercises, so they had long been resentful of Sun Yingyuan.

Xie Shangzheng provocatively said:
"Is General Sun afraid?"

"Could it be that the Archer Battalion only dares to attack its own people?"

Sun Yingyuan remained calm, but Cao Wenzhao angrily said:

"Hey Xie, do you want to compete with us?"

See you on the battlefield!

Xie Shangzheng was about to speak again when Hou Shilu stopped him:

"All right!"

"Let's compete on the battlefield."

He then said to Sun Yingyuan:

"The Shooting Sound Battalion is an elite force; it cannot be left idle at Anshan Post Station."

"In that case, you leave one large battalion behind, and I will leave one more to guard this place together."

“We will need to pass through here to transport supplies in the future, so I will ask Governor Sun to send some more people.”

They continued advancing towards Liaoyang with the Archery Battalion.

They also took note of Sun Yingyuan's words and sent someone to guard Anshan Post Station.

Although he was unaware that Sun Chengzong had decided to send them to their deaths, he was a seasoned veteran of many battles in Liaodong.

When Liaoyang fell, he escaped with severe injuries.

Now that they are attacking Liaoyang again, they are naturally careful to leave themselves an escape route.

Hou Shilu arranged for people to defend strategic locations along the way, and it took him less than three days to travel from Haizhou to the outskirts of Liaoyang.

At this time, in Liaoyang City, besides Amin's Bordered Blue Banner, there were also the Two Yellow Banners, Two White Banners, and Plain Red Banner that Huang Taiji had withdrawn from Haizhou.

The Bordered Red Banner was almost completely lost, with only Sahalian, the banner chief, and a few trusted followers of the Niru.

In addition, the Mongol, Han, and Korean troops were almost completely lost. Now, there are still only six banners left in Liaoyang City.

Moreover, several flags were incomplete; the two yellow flags and the bordered white flag were only half complete.

The actual troop strength was less than 35,000, only slightly more than Hou Shilu's.

However, upon hearing that Hou Shilu had led the Guan Ning Army in pursuit, Huang Taiji was not alarmed but rather delighted, and addressed the crowd:

"The Ming army, fearless of death, has arrived."

"My soldiers, do you have the confidence to follow me and defeat the enemy?"

The plan is to use these people as an example to restore the morale of the Eight Banners soldiers. (End of Chapter)