The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 108 Decisive Day

Two Kaiyuan scout horses rode across the mountain path, climbed up the mountain, and overlooked the Hunhe battlefield.

It was like a Shura field before my eyes.

On the north bank of the Hun River, tens of thousands of Later Jin soldiers' bodies lay densely packed, and the bodies of the enemy soldiers killed by the white poles stretched from the bank of the Hun River to the mountains.

On the south bank of the Hunhe River, the Ming Dynasty’s last organized resistance force in Shenyang was about to disappear.

The remnants of the Zhejiang troops were trapped on the desolate river bank and surrounded by the dark mass of Later Jin troops.

There was only one general's flag, standing still, fluttering vigorously in the morning breeze.

The two scouts were shocked by the tragic scene before them. They looked at each other and took a deep breath.

"Let's go! Go back and tell Captain Deng that we just annihilated the Bordered Blue Banner. We'll annihilate the two Yellow Banners later to avenge our fallen brothers!"

The two men were about to leave the mountain when one of them suddenly pointed down the mountain:
"Look! Over there, two mandarin duck battle jackets!"

The other scout looked in the direction his companion pointed, and saw two figures huddled under a giant tree at the foot of the mountain. They were too far away and only their outlines could be seen.

"Maybe it's a brother from the cavalry battalion. Go back and report the situation of the battle in Hunhe. I'll go down the mountain to take a look."

~~~~~~
Liu Zhaosun looked at Kang Yingqian squatting in front of him, and then looked at the officers of the Kaiyuan Combat Camp standing around him.

Just as he was about to speak, he heard Kang Yingqian say angrily:

"General Liu! Hey! You are at least a general of a town! After this battle, you will be granted a title of nobility and promotion to higher positions, no problem! You are a noble, but why do you always charge into battle? If you rush to the front, the swords of the Jiannu will not have eyes. Have you forgotten how General Du died? How many times have I told you not to rush to the front in a battle, and you..."

Liu Zhaosun smiled at Kang Yingqian, waved his hand with difficulty, and was about to ask Jin Yuji. Kang Yingqian said quickly:

"Just worry about yourself first. Don't worry, the doctor said that although Miss Jin's injuries are serious, they are not vital. She has lost too much blood and is still unconscious. Let's see if she can pull through."

After hearing this, Liu Zhaosun felt better. He knew that Kang Yingqian and Jin Yuji had always been at odds. After hearing what he said, he knew that Jin Yuji's life should not be in danger.

He turned around and looked at Deng Changxiong who was kneeling in the distance.

Captain Deng Changxiong looked ashamed and his eyes were red.

He was the first officer to arrive after hearing the scout's report.

The moment he saw General Liu, this iron-blooded tough guy from the Qi family army could not suppress his inner pain and knelt down in front of the pine tree, crying.

General Liu and Jin Yuji leaned against each other, and the layer of pine leaves under the pine tree was dyed dark red by the blood of the two.

General Liu was covered in blood.

The chain mail was cut by the Jiannu, and through the armor plates one could see the bloody flesh inside.

There were several wounds on his head, and blood had clotted on his hair, so he couldn't even take off his helmet.

Deng Changxiong found it hard to imagine how fierce the battle on the north bank was last night. He wondered what kind of bloody battle Lord Liu and the cavalry battalion had experienced.

If he could have led his troops to arrive earlier, General Liu would not have been seriously injured, and fewer brothers in the cavalry battalion would have died.

Several other generals and officers from the Kaiyuan Combat Battalion were also sobbing quietly.

Burhanggu opened his mouth wide and stared blankly at the bloody body of the Ming general in front of him.

This fierce general of Yehe was deeply shocked by the bravery of the Han men and was speechless for a long time.

"Don't cry, I'm fine. I just fell down in front of the Jiannu horse ditch. Come on, report the battle situation!"

Liu Zhaosun endured the pain, helped Gu Song to stand up, with a smile on his face.

He didn't want to appear useless in front of his subordinates.

Seeing this, Kang Yinggan, with gray hair and beard, shook his head slightly and hurried forward to support General Liu.

"Tell us about the battle situation quickly! Stop kneeling! You're not too late. Today, I have to face the chieftain again!" Deng Changxiong immediately stood up, wiped away his tears, saluted General Liu, and said loudly:
"Your Excellency, I led 3,600 soldiers from the Kaiyuan Battalion and arrived at Xiaocaitaizi Village at midnight last night. The soldiers had just left after resting when Ye Bushu reported that scouts from the Bordered Blue Banner were approaching. Concluding that it must be Jirgalang returning to Shenyang for reinforcements, I made the impromptu decision to ambush the Bordered Blue Banner."

Liu Zhaosun listened attentively. Kang Yingqian felt his body trembling and knew that he was in great pain. He said to Deng Changxiong:
"Captain Deng, I'll tell you more about the ambush later. Now hurry up and report the results to Lord Liu!"

Deng Changxiong agreed and continued:
"In this battle, over 850 Zhenyi armored soldiers of the Bordered Blue Banner were killed, and about 1,000 bannermen were killed or wounded. The Bordered Blue Banner was completely routed and has already fled towards Tieling. Ye Bushu just reported that Jirgalang is preparing to join forces with the Plain White Banner, which is heading south. Sir! The Bordered Blue Banner has been frightened by our Kaiyuan army!"

With losses exceeding 20%, the collapse of the Bordered Blue Banner was inevitable.

Considering that this Later Jin army had been defeated by the Kaiyuan army several times, they probably wouldn't dare to confront the Kaiyuan army again.

He smiled slightly and looked at Deng Changxiong.

"How many casualties did we suffer?"

Deng Changxiong's sad face finally showed a hint of light:
"The combat battalion suffered fewer than 300 casualties, primarily from arrows. When the spearmen charged, the Tartars fled."

Kang Yingqian laughed and said:
"My Kaiyuan Army is composed of powerful troops, including the White Spear Soldiers, Zhejiang Soldiers, Liaozhen Soldiers, Wolf Soldiers, and the elite Yehe Cavalry. We have sufficient food and pay, and have been carefully trained by you, sir. With the support of the great principles, our combat power is naturally far beyond the reach of the mere Jiannu. Today, we will defeat the Nu chieftain in one fell swoop at the gates of Shenyang, and make my Kaiyuan Army famous throughout the world!"

Kang Yingqian's words were actually spoken from his heart, as he witnessed with his own eyes the entire process of the Kaiyuan combat camp defeating the Bordered Blue Banner.

It took only half an hour from the time the two sides came into contact to the end of the battle.

The spearmen swept through like a whirlwind, leaving the Later Jin soldiers powerless to fight back.

The combat effectiveness demonstrated by the Kaiyuan army further strengthened his confidence in Liu Zhaosun.

Therefore, he was determined to follow Deng Changxiong to the Hunhe battlefield, wanting to personally witness General Liu's great cause of pacifying Liao.

Liu Zhaosun suddenly remembered the late arrival of Ligdan Khan and his 400,000-man army, and could not help asking:
"Have the reinforcements from Lin Danhan arrived?"

Kang Yingqian said quickly:

"Here we are. They are very punctual this time."

Kang Yingqian glanced at Burhanggu. This alliance with Ligdan Khan was mainly under the responsibility of Xicheng Beile.

Buerhanggu put away his emotion and said to Liu Zhaosun:

"Your Excellency, Huduntu Khan has brought 40,000 troops this time, but many are herders who only know how to ride horses. There are only 5,000 cavalry. They are currently pursuing the Bordered Blue Banner. Ligdan Khan said he would first chop off Jirgalang's head, then come to Shenyang to chop off Nurhaci's head. Your Excellency, the Mongols are truly brave and invincible, and their morale is as high as a rainbow."

"Brave and good at fighting,"

Liu Zhaosun nodded and remained silent.

Look around.

In the distant foothills, the remnants of the cavalry battalion joined the Yehe cavalry, and more than 800 white-pole soldiers also joined the Kaiyuan combat camp.

Six thousand elite soldiers stood as still as a mountain, waiting for his order with a rage for revenge.

He looked back at the Hunhe battlefield where smoke was rising.

That place had been his nightmare, his hell.

Now, still?

A ray of golden sunlight passed through the darkness and fell on Liu Zhaosun's face.

A white crane flew over the Hun River, rising above the clouds and wailing mournfully among the clouds. The sound of the crane's cry could be heard in the sky.

Liu Zhaosun looked at the white crane, feeling an infinite sense of pride in his heart, and the haze in his chest gradually dissipated.

He endured the pain in his body and, with the help of Kang Yingqian, stepped into the stirrups and mounted his warhorse.

A brand new and sharp Miao Dao pointed obliquely at the south bank of the Hun River:
"Raise the Central Army's blue flag and pass on my orders! Cross the Hun River, penetrate the Zhenglan Banner, and join forces with the Zhejiang troops! Destroy the Later Jin!"

(End of this chapter)