Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

Liping Prefecture in Guizhou is a multi-ethnic region inhabited by Han, Miao, and Dong peoples. The area around Caodidong, the Manyi Chiefdom, has historically been the ancestral home of the Miao Yang clan chieftains. In 1660, Yang Ruhua, the chieftain of Caodidong, devoted himself to the Ming Dynasty and even sold his property to launch a rebellion against the Qing. After being defeated by the Qing army, he was reinstated as a chieftain. Despite this, the remaining Yang clan chieftain forces in the area were all subordinate to the Yang clan chieftains of Sanlangsi (Guzhousi), which branched off from Caodidong. The current chieftain of Sanlangsi, Yang Shixun, effectively controls Guzhou and a considerable portion of the Caodidong area, making him a powerful "major chieftain" in the Liping region.

On this day, distinguished guests arrived at the Sanlang Chief's Office. Liu Tong, the Prefect of Liping, led a delegation including Yang Mingluan, the Chief of Chixi Nandong; Wen Bing, the Chief of Liangzhai; Li Xu, the Chief of Hongzhou; Yang Ding, the Chief of Ouyang; Wei Yao, the Chief of Xishan Yangdong; and Li Cunren, the Chief of Hongzhou, to his territory. Before the powerful Prefect, even the local tyrant Yang Shixun could only take a secondary seat.

"Gentlemen, we have just received the imperial decree. His Majesty is about to return to the capital and has ordered us to prepare enough rations for the 110,000-strong army for a month. Liping is a poor prefecture, and the treasury does not have much grain stored. We have no choice but to trouble you all," Liu Tong said, bowing to the crowd.

The amount of food needed for a month's supply of 110,000 troops was no small matter. Guizhou was mostly mountainous, and grain production was not high, so everyone looked troubled. Liu Fuzun looked at Yang Shixun, the head of the various chieftains, waiting for him to make a statement.

Yang Shixun was shocked. Wu Sangui had only left Guizhou for a little over two months before returning with over 300,000 troops. How could he have returned with only 110,000? Had he suffered a major defeat? Even so, 110,000 troops were not something a small force like Sanlangsi could defy. He clearly remembered his kinsman, Yang Ruhua, the former chieftain of Caodidong, who had rebelled against the Qing despite the disparity in strength, only to be forced to revert to officialdom. If Yang hadn't sold his land to his kinsman before the uprising and avoided confiscation as rebellious property, who knows how destitute the Yang family would have become! Therefore, the saying "the weak should not contend with the strong" is a profound truth. Seeing Liu Tong staring at him, he gave a bitter smile and said, "I am willing to give everything to supply the army, but my savings are limited, and I fear I am unable to do so."

Liu Tong nodded in satisfaction. “Gentlemen, there is no need to worry. Our Great Zhou has stockpiled a large amount of grain in Guiyang. Governor Zhao (Zhao Tingchen, Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou) has ordered Vice Commander Wang (Wang Kejiu, Vice General of Pianqiao) to lead troops to escort the grain and money from the five prefectures of Sinan, Shiqian, Tongren, Sizhou, and Zhenyuan to Liguzhou. He has also ordered Military Advisor Long (Long Lu, Military Advisor of Duyun) to transport grain from Duyun Prefecture to Liguzhou. I believe that once we have enough grain for half a month, we can deliver the goods.”

Seeing everyone relieved, he chuckled again, "In addition to food, each of you must contribute 500 soldiers to join the local garrison in welcoming His Majesty."

Wu Sangui retreated with his remaining 110,000 defeated troops to Caodidong Barbarian Chiefdom in Liping Prefecture, Guizhou. Of the more than 310,000 troops he had left Guizhou, only this number remained. It wasn't that 200,000 had actually died in battle or been captured; a considerable number had become lost in the vast mountains and couldn't be regrouped immediately. As a seasoned warrior, he knew that morale was low and that he needed to find a place to rest. Immediately after the defeat, he led his remaining troops into Guizhou, not daring to stay near Guni Pass to gather the defeated army, which exacerbated the troop losses.

Looking at Liu Tong and the Miao, Dong, and other tribal chiefs who came to greet him, Emperor Zhaowu smiled warmly. Learning that they had even managed to procure enough rations for half a month's worth of provisions for his army, his smile grew even more amiable. The loss of personnel after the crushing defeat was secondary; the most devastating blow was the complete loss of supplies and provisions, leaving the soldiers with only a few days' worth of dry rations. An army without food will scatter; without this batch of grain, things would be in serious trouble!
"Liu Tong has performed his duties effectively; he is hereby promoted to Deputy Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Guizhou," Emperor Zhaowu, a man of clear distinction between rewards and punishments, immediately promoted Prefect Liu. Seeing Liu's beaming face, he smiled and ordered, "I must hurry to Guiyang. You will lead the local troops to assist General Yang Youlu and General Li Kuang in defending Liping." Having said this, he left General Yang Youlu and General Li Kuang's 10,000 troops to cover the rear, and led his 100,000-strong army hastily towards Guiyang. Over the years, he had always regarded Guiyang as a crucial military stronghold, stockpiling large quantities of money, grain, supplies, and weapons, which he could replenish upon arriving in Guiyang.

During the retreat, the ministers argued fiercely. One faction, led by Liu Maoxia, believed that morale was low and Guizhou was vulnerable to enemy encirclement, advocating abandoning Guizhou and concentrating forces to defend Yunnan. They argued that Yunnan's terrain was treacherous, and with heavy troops guarding key points, the Wei army would be unable to break through quickly, allowing the enemy to tire and create an opportunity for attack. The other faction, led by Fang Guangchen, argued that abandoning Guizhou without a fight would further demoralize the already low morale. Without morale, even a large army could not hold Yunnan. Furthermore, abandoning Guizhou would lead those who were observing the situation, such as Shang Kexi, Geng Jimao, and the various chieftains of Yunnan and Guizhou, to believe that the Zhou dynasty was doomed and switch allegiance to Wei. Moreover, how could Yunnan, a mere province, support hundreds of thousands of retreating troops? Therefore, abandoning Guizhou would be tantamount to suicide!

Both sides' viewpoints seemed to have merit, and even the shrewd and calculating Emperor Zhaowu found it difficult to make a decision for the time being. He only ordered his subordinates to rush to Guiyang as soon as possible to meet with General Wang Pingfan, Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou Zhao Tingchen, Governor of Guizhou Li Benshen, and Governor of Guizhou Luo Huijin.

"Your Highness, Caodi Cave is just ahead. According to our scouts, there are over ten thousand Wu troops stationed there. Our army is exhausted from the journey. Should we rest for a day before continuing the battle?" Chahar Governor Alinbao asked Qi King Mailas for instructions. The young prince, following his father's orders, led fifty thousand elite troops, riding two horses each, in pursuit of Wu Sangui, almost touching the backside of Wu's army as they entered Liping Prefecture in Guizhou.

“That old fox Wu is cunning as a fox. Aren’t you afraid he’ll run away if we rest for a day?” Melas chuckled and provoked, “What, have the mountain paths of Guizhou worn down your warrior’s legs and made you afraid to fight?”

"Why wouldn't I dare? This humble general is willing to be the vanguard!" Arlinbao blushed and loudly volunteered for battle. "Good! This is the true warrior of David!"

Mairas ordered Admiral Alinbao as the vanguard, Commander-in-Chief Chang'an Bahai as the left wing, and General Hilgen as the right wing, and led his troops straight to Caodi Cave. Upon hearing of the Wei army's attack, Yang Youlu and Li Kuang showed fear and actually ordered Liu Tong's local soldiers to lead the vanguard. Ouyang Commander Yang Ding, unaware of the danger, led his own local soldiers to face the Wei army's advance, but they were quickly scattered by the cavalry, and Yang Ding himself was killed by Alinbao. The local soldiers were routed, and Liu Tong, the prefect of Liping, Wei Yao, the barbarian chieftain of Xishan Yangdong, and Li Cunren, the chieftain of Hongzhou, all died in battle. Seeing the situation was bad, Yang Youlu turned his horse to flee, but he could not withstand the enemy's speed and was stabbed down by General Hilgen. Li Kuang escaped with his life and led his remaining troops to Liguzhou to report to Wu Sangui.

At this time, Wu Sangui had only been in Liguzhou for a day. There, he received two reinforcements: Wang Kejiu, the deputy general of Pianqiao, and Long Lu, the military commander of Duyun, each leading about four thousand soldiers and transporting grain, were waiting there. With these two fresh troops and a large amount of provisions, the experienced military strategist Wu Sangui wanted to stay in Liguzhou to observe the situation and at the same time send men to gather the defeated troops scattered in the mountains after the Battle of Guni Pass. Unexpectedly, after only one day of rest, he encountered Li Kuang, who was retreating from Liping Prefecture.

"Liping Prefecture has fallen so quickly?" Wu Sangui was slightly taken aback upon hearing the news, but immediately understood. This crushing defeat had severely damaged the morale of his troops. If they retreated at this pace, most of his men would likely desert before even reaching Guiyang. It seemed they needed to win one or two small victories before retreating. The old emperor pointed to Niupiqing, a famous mountain in Ligu Prefecture, and said, "This mountain stretches for hundreds of miles, with winding peaks and dense forests—a perfect battlefield bestowed by heaven. I have decided to ambush the Imperial Guard here!"
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Looking at the chieftains kneeling on the ground, including Yang Shixun, the chieftain of Sanlang; Yang Mingluan, the chieftain of Chixi Nandong; Wen Bing, the chieftain of Liangzhai; and Li Xu, the chieftain of Hongzhou, and other local chieftains, and seeing the various gifts they had brought, King Qi, Mailas, arrogantly said: "You do not know the will of Heaven and have helped the Wu traitors resist the royal army. You should all be executed, but considering your sincere repentance, I will not pursue the matter for now and you will continue to hold your original positions."

"Thank you, Your Highness!" The local officials felt as if they had been granted a pardon, and their heavy hearts were finally put at ease.

“However, you must send troops to help David attack Zhou to show your loyalty,” Melas said, changing the subject and revealing his purpose. Guizhou is mountainous, and his cavalry had difficulty traveling through the mountains. Sometimes, the local soldiers could play a more significant role, so he decided to recruit them.

The chieftains looked at each other in bewilderment. Yang Shixun acted decisively, shouting first, "Your humble servant obeys!" Only then did the others realize their mistake and express their loyalty.

Having effortlessly obtained local soldiers to serve as cannon fodder, Melas was secretly delighted. Suddenly, a guard entered the tent and reported, "Your Highness, the Great Khan has sent a decree." He opened the letter his father had written and read it carefully. His face darkened. It read: "I have already advanced swiftly from Guangxi to seize Puan Prefecture and cut off the enemy's retreat. Your troops are to pursue to Guli Prefecture, where they are not allowed to win, but to engage the enemy in a stalemate. Do not advance rashly!" As intelligent as he was, he naturally understood his father's intention: to feign weakness and leave the main Wu army in Guizhou for a decisive annihilation. The plan was good, but alas, this meant his ambition to kill the Zhou emperor and achieve unparalleled military merit would be impossible!

"What does the imperial edict say? Why is Your Highness troubled?" asked Li Wei, the strategist accompanying the expedition.

Melas showed him his father's decree, and Li Wei said after reading it: "Since the Great Khan has ordered you to feign defeat, you can use a small number of troops to urge the local soldiers to be the vanguard. With Wu Sangui's abilities, a mere local soldier is no match for him."

Mairas nodded and ordered his deputy, Gent, to lead two thousand Imperial Guard cavalry, with over two thousand newly surrendered local soldiers as the vanguard, to continue advancing towards Ligu Prefecture. Initially, the advance went smoothly; the prefecture was undefended and easily captured without a fight. The Imperial Guard continued their advance, but upon reaching Leigong Mountain in Niupiqing, a sudden ambush was launched. Wu Guogui, the former General of the Wu Jinwu Guard, and Hu Guozhu, the Left General of the Wu Jinwu Guard, each led ten thousand men from the flanks at the foot of the mountain. Seeing the situation was dire, Gent led his Imperial Guard cavalry in a hasty retreat, but tragically, the two thousand-plus local soldiers under Yang Shixun, Yang Mingluan, Wen Bing, and Li Xu were all annihilated. Wu's personal guard, General Ma Bao, led his cavalry in pursuit of Gent, beheading over a hundred before returning.

The minor victory at the Battle of Niupiqing misled Wu Sangui. This ambitious warlord mistakenly believed he could hold Guizhou, ordering his second son, Wu Yingqi, the Rear General of the Golden Guard, to lead 40,000 troops back to Kunming, and Wu Guogui, the Former General of the Golden Guard, to lead 40,000 troops to garrison Niupiqing and Duyun Prefecture. He himself rushed to Guiyang to join forces with Wang Pingfan, Zhao Tingchen, Li Benshen, Luo Huijin, and others to plan another attack. (End of Chapter)