Desert Eagle Suletan Khan

"Pass down the order: abandon the baggage and advance at full speed!" Ali Mardan Khan roared, a veteran of many battles. He knew that once the guards learned of his retreat, they would soon cross the Indus River in pursuit, and every moment of delay increased the danger. He could only hope that the enemy was unaware of the Sikh rebellion and his army's return to reinforce them.

Upon receiving orders, the subordinates carried only dry rations, clothing, and weapons, advancing almost at a jog—a remarkably high speed for infantry. Reaching the southeast bank of the Cherna River, they suddenly heard several cannon shots; an army had blocked their path. Cheng Minxin, the commander of Chengfan; Fang Zhenggang, the commander of Shangmaqiao; and Cheng Dengyun, the commander of Xiaochengfan, were ordered by Xin Sizhong to lead over four thousand Guizhou soldiers in small boats along the Indus River into the Cherna River. After landing, they formed ranks to intercept the Mughal army. These three generals had previously misjudged the situation and defected to Wu Sangui to rebel against the Wei, but later, seeing the strength of the Wei army, they switched sides again. Ultimately, their integrity was compromised, and they feared that one day the court would investigate their past transgressions and strip them of their hereditary commanderships. Therefore, since being ordered to accompany the Guizhou governor Xin Sizhong on the southern expedition, they had been working exceptionally hard, hoping to achieve great merit to secure their position. After receiving the order to intercept the Mughals, they commanded their men to sail day and night at great speed. Although they failed to intercept the enemy cavalry, they did manage to stop the enemy infantry.

Seeing enemies blocking his path, Ali Mardan Khan knew he was in trouble. His only option now was to fight his way out. A thousand words condensed into one: "God is great—Kill!"

"God is great! God is great!" the Mughal soldiers roared as they followed their commander in a charge, like wild beasts trapped in a well, struggling desperately to escape.

"All troops, hold your positions! Anyone who retreats will be executed!" Cheng Minxin issued the military order.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~ Whoosh whoosh whoosh~" The soldiers fired a dense barrage of crossbow bolts. These bolts, some several and some more than ten at a time, were coated with poison, and once hit, they would quickly lose their fighting ability.

The Mughal soldiers were shot down in droves, yet they continued their desperate advance, disregarding casualties. They charged to the front of the Imperial Guard's lines and clashed with the Guizhou soldiers wielding rattan shields and axes. Blood stained the earth, and neither side had a way to retreat, so they fought fiercely.

Time ticked by, and two hours later, the banners of the Imperial Guard appeared behind the Mughal army. Guizhou Governor Xin Sizhong led his troops in pursuit, and the Mughal army, caught in a pincer attack, quickly collapsed. Their resolve to fight to the death turned into a desperate will to survive; some scattered and fled, while others dropped their weapons and knelt to surrender.

Looking at the battered body of Ali Mardan Khan carried in by his men, Xin Sizhong showed no joy. He frowned and asked, "Where is that kid Mu'azam?"

"Reporting to the commander-in-chief, when we arrived, the Mughal cavalry had already crossed the Janab River and headed towards Kabul. The false emperor must have been among them," Cheng Minxin hurriedly reported.

"Alas! We rushed as fast as we could, but we were still a step too late!" Xin Sizhong clenched his fists and shouted, "It's getting late today, let's set up camp and rest. We'll cross the Jenab River to Kabul at dawn tomorrow."

"All troops shall follow me to fight the enemy. Those who retreat in fear of battle shall be stripped of their Muslim status and shall be ineligible to believe in Allah for the rest of their lives," Emperor Mu'azam issued the military order, gazing upon the densely packed Sikh camps surrounding Kabul.

"Second brother, our army has come a long way and is bound to be tired. Why not rest for a day and fight again tomorrow?" Princess Zina Tennissa, dressed in full military uniform, asked.

Looking at his spirited younger sister, Mu'azam's eyes softened. He patted her head and smiled, "The Sikhs didn't expect our army to return from Multan so quickly, so they must be unprepared. The general defending the city, Kumar, has followed me for many years. I know his temperament. Once the battle begins, he will definitely come out of the city to attack the Sikhs and coordinate with me from within. Most importantly, the pursuers will arrive soon, and there's no time to lose. We must defeat the Sikhs as soon as possible!"

"Second brother, I'll listen to you, let's fight them!" Zina Tenesa drew her sword. Women are no less courageous than men; in times of crisis, even women can fight on the front lines. Just as Mu'azam had predicted, the Sikhs hadn't expected the Mughal army's reinforcements to arrive so quickly and were caught off guard. The Mughal army inside the city, led by Kumar, seized the opportunity to attack. With this coordinated attack from within and without, the Sikh army suffered a crushing defeat. Left with no other choice, Gobind Singh led his remaining 15,000 troops south to join the Mughal army. Fortunately, although his troops were newly formed and poorly trained, they were all devout Sikhs deeply oppressed and filled with immense hatred for the Mughal Empire. Despite the defeat, few deserted, and they protected their guru as they retreated south.

Upon hearing that the tenth Sikh guru had been defeated and had come to surrender, Xin Sizhong, the governor of Guizhou, chuckled and ordered that Gobind Singh be given a grand reception. He knew very well that in the regions of Multan, Lahore, Kabul, and Kashmir, which had a large Sikh population, this man was undoubtedly a highly regarded figure.

Sure enough, upon learning that Guru had returned with reinforcements from the Kingdom of David, Sikhs from all over the world poured in. Soon, Gobind Singh had another 30,000 troops by his side. Although most of them were civilians who had not received strict military training, they were still "numerous and powerful." In Xin Sizhong's view, these people were good expendable resources for attacking cities.

The good news didn't stop there. The Mughal general Devikaur, sent by Mu'azam to harass the Panibat Plain, was isolated due to the retreat of his main force. With nowhere else to turn, Devikaur surrendered to the Imperial Guard with two thousand remaining soldiers. Xin Sizhong was overjoyed. Although this surrendered army was small in number, it consisted of elite cavalry, which could compensate for the shortage of cavalry after the main force of his army had marched south with the Grand General. More importantly, it could shake the morale of the enemy. He ordered that Devikaur's troops be treated with courtesy and petitioned the court to grant Devikaur the rank of deputy general, instructing him to write a letter to persuade Mu'azam's generals to surrender. Although it did not immediately yield significant results, it further unsettled the Mughal army.

The Battle of Kabul lasted from August to November of the 34th year of the Qian Yuan era (1677). The two sides initially clashed fiercely on the outskirts, with the Imperial Guard successfully forcing the Mughal army into the city. What followed was an extremely brutal siege. Sindhu Sin, unwilling to use his own veteran troops, fired cannons and arrows from a distance, focusing solely on urging the Sikh followers under Gobind Singh to attack. Spurred by deep-seated hatred, the Sikhs attacked with reckless abandon, leaving over 20,000 corpses lying beneath the walls.

On November 17th, Kabul fell, and its commander, Kumar, was killed in battle. Emperor Mu'azam remained calm, continuing the street fighting with his remaining guards. On the 19th, the resistance within the city finally ceased. The Mughal emperor's body was found in a narrow alley, bearing more than ten wounds, a deep scar embedded in his resolute face.

"Commander, it's a female general!" Cheng Minxin's subordinates surrounded an enemy general and discovered that she was a woman.

"Who are you?" Upon seeing that it was a woman, Cheng Minxin was amused and asked nonchalantly.

“I am Zina Tenesa, the Mughal princess,” the woman replied calmly.

Cheng Minxin took a closer look and found that the woman was quite beautiful. His heart softened. "So you're a Begum (a respectful title for the emperor, princes, or noblewomen). Why should women fight like this? Lay down your weapons, and I'll protect you. How about it?"

"Thank you, General," the female general obediently dropped the sword in her hand.

“That’s right,” Cheng Minxin replied with a grin. Suddenly, the other man took out a small crossbow from his sleeve and struck him squarely in the throat with a “whoosh”, killing him instantly and causing him to fall off his horse.

"Father! Chop her up! Chop her up for me!" Cheng Minxin's son, Cheng Feipeng, cried out in anguish as he led his men to hack the beautiful princess into mincemeat. (End of Chapter)