The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 128: Expand the Army! Open Mines! Seize Territory!
Guangji Gate in Shenyang.

Two thousand five hundred fine Mongolian horses marched along the Hun River towards Kaiyuan, and the cavalry escorting the war horses returned to Kaiyuan ahead of schedule.

Liu Zhaosun had to stay in Shenyang for some time, firstly to wait for the court's reward, and secondly to take care of Jin Yuji's injuries.

There are still traces of the bloody battle of Hunhe River on the north gate wall, which is too painful to look at.

Liu Zhaosun climbed up the city wall to see off several cavalry captains and reminded them to be careful along the way, especially to be wary of Zu Dashou taking advantage of the situation to rob.

In the city of Shenyang, which was under the Little Ice Age climate, the cold wind was biting and the northwest wind was howling.

On the night of October 30th, heavy snow fell on the Liaohe Plain.

This is the weather in Liaodong in winter. A gust of north wind can bring snowflakes.

The earth was covered with silver, as if a layer of white blanket was draped over this disaster-stricken land.

On the Guangjimen Tower, Liu Zhaosun, wearing a cloak, looks out at the Liaohe Plain.

"General Liu, God is helping us! With this heavy snow, it will be another bumper harvest!"

Liu Zhaosun nodded repeatedly and reached out to catch a falling snowflake:

"Let it snow, let it snow! With this snow, the imperial court will surely arrive a few days later. We can clean up the battlefield just in time. With this snow, many of Huang Taiji and his Eight Banner warriors will also freeze to death."

God bless Kaiyuan.

Kang Yingqian narrowed his eyes and said proudly:
"I haven't heard from the Eighth Prince for nearly half a month. I wonder if he's gone to see his father. His eye was severely injured by Supervisor Qiao. He doesn't look like a ruler anymore. He can't be the Khan of the Later Jin Dynasty."

Liu Zhaosun shook off the snowflakes that had accumulated on his cloak and looked up in the direction of Hetuala.

In the vast snowy field, a Saker Falcon braves the wind and snow and stubbornly rushes towards the sky.

Liu Zhaosun shook his head slightly and said thoughtfully:

"Huang Taiji cannot die. If he doesn't become the Great Khan, no one else can. I have asked Zhang Dong to send people to keep a close watch on him. They will report back as soon as they have any news."

A snowflake landed on the back of Kang Yingqian's neck. Supervisor Kang shrank his neck and said disapprovingly:
"Don't chase after a desperate enemy. Kaiyuan and the Jiannu are both invincible. General Liu, we've been fighting for so long, it's time to stop."

~~~~~
Xie Yang led the civil officials and braved the severe cold to transport all the spoils from the bloody battle of Hunhe back to Kaiyuan.

Tens of thousands of weapons and armor, mountains of grain and cloth, and a large number of war horses and ox carts abandoned by Huang Taiji were all moved away.

Even the wooden planks of the ladders and shield carts abandoned by the Jiannu on the south bank of the Hun River were dismantled by Xie Yang's orders and taken back to Kaiyuan as firewood for the winter.

In order to conquer Liaoshen in one battle, Nurhaci spent a huge amount of money and bet all the money he had accumulated over the past 20 years on the Hunhe battlefield.

I originally wanted to make a big profit with a small investment, and after taking Shenyang, I would sweep across Liaodong. However, I didn't expect to run into the madman Liu Zhaosun at the first step.

Liu Zhaosun did not play by the rules at all.

Just when all the military leaders (including foreign soldiers) were disloyal to the imperial court and were slacking off in the war, this inexplicable thing suddenly appeared from nowhere.

This madman was even more cruel than Nurhaci. He fought desperately with the Later Jin Dynasty and was even willing to die with the Eight Banners.

Facing such an opponent, it was not unfair for Nurhaci to lose everything.

~~~~~
As night fell, the Guangjimen camp was bustling with people.

The fire soldiers slaughtered the injured mules and horses abandoned by the Jiannu. The soldiers from each camp held bowls of fragrant horse meat, gathered around the blazing bonfire, and ate meat and drank wine with big mouthfuls, enjoying themselves very happily, accompanied by the wine left by the Tartars.

The pacification soldiers and night duty sergeants who were patrolling outside the camp could not help but drool at the tempting aroma of wine and meat.

In the central army tent, Liu Zhaosun and his generals were toasting each other.

"This great victory has taken my Kaiyuan business a step further, all thanks to you all. Everyone has been busy these past few days, but now we finally have some free time... Come, let's drink this cup together!"

Kang Yingqian, Pei Dahu, Deng Changxiong, Qi Jin and others raised their glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

Everyone drank and laughed heartily.

Liu Zhaosun was drunk and looking at the familiar faces in front of him, he was suddenly overwhelmed with emotions.

Wars were fought one after another, including those against the Tartars and the Liaozhen. The Kaiyuan army encountered several major battles in the 47th year of the Wanli reign.

Every war was extremely brutal and unbearable to recall.

From Sarhu to today, he has either been fighting or on his way to fight.

In such a cruel and high-pressure environment, even humble gentlemen like Song Yingxing and Mao Yuanyi had to go into battle like warriors, fighting the Tartars with swords in hand and with swords out...
Now that the Tartars have been defeated, they can finally relax a little.

"It is all thanks to your help that I, Liu Zhaosun, am where I am today. I will always remember this kindness!"

He poured the wine onto the ground to comfort Liu Jing's spirit in heaven.

"Repelling the Jiannu is only the first step. The next step is to deal with western Liaoning! Everyone, work hard!"

~~~
Xu Xiake and his assistant Li Sanguang rushed to Shenyang.

When Liu Zhaosun saw Xu Xiake on the floating bridge, he felt quite sad. Compared with more than half a month ago, Xu Xiake had become darker and thinner.

He looked listless, with only the few strands of beard on his chin still growing wildly and unruly.

After the Hunhe Campaign began, miners from the surrounding mines were recalled to Kaiyuan to participate in the defense of the city. While Chief Craftsman Lei accompanied General Liu to Shenyang to test-fire the Divine Fire Crow, Xu Xiake took on the responsibilities of the workshop, working daily with a group of blacksmiths to forge iron.

The war ended, the enclosure movement began, and Yuan Chonghuan conscripted able-bodied men to take over the cities ceded by the Later Jin. As a result, miners stopped mining and blacksmiths stopped forging iron.

Xu Xiake had no interest in mundane matters like fighting wars and making money. He had lofty ambitions, his heart set on the world. Now that there were no more mines to mine, he rekindled his dream and prepared to continue his journey across the world.

General Xuanwu gazed at the haggard Xu Xiake before him and marveled at his presence. The spirit and temperament displayed by this man was clearly out of place in this time and place, and could only be found in the Mohist school of thought among the pre-Qin philosophers.

In order to reward Xu Xiake for his outstanding contributions to Kaiyuan mining during this period, Liu Zhaosun decided to give Xu a long vacation and let him travel to more distant places.

It was bitterly cold in Shenyang in winter. War horses were snorting beside the floating bridge, emitting bursts of hot air.

General Xuanwu dismounted, covered Xu Xiake with a sable fur, asked the guards to lead the horses, and walked with Xu Xiake to the city wall.

"Mr. Xu, I know that you have been determined to travel all over the country since you were young. This was also your father's last wish. Unfortunately, he..."

Xu Xiake's father, Xu Youmian, came from a wealthy family, but he had no desire to pursue the imperial examinations, instead aiming to travel the world. At sixty, still on his travels, he was robbed and severely injured, and died shortly thereafter.

Xu Xiake was always brooding over his father's death. Under his father's influence, he set the ambition of traveling around the world early on.

Traveling extensively in recent years was also a way of helping his father fulfill his last wish. Thinking of his deceased father and the unfinished work he had done, Xu Xiake could not help but feel a wave of grief.

"General Liu actually knows my father's long-cherished wish. It's a pity that bandits are rampant now, making it difficult to move forward."

Liu Zhaosun patted him on the shoulder and encouraged him, "Mr. Xu, don't be discouraged. You must do your best to fulfill your father's last wish. It's not difficult to travel all over the Ming Dynasty. I want you to go to a more distant place to eliminate your obsession."

Xu Xiake's eyes showed doubt. Kang Yingqian watched Liu Zhaosun's performance coldly, his beard trembling with pleasure.

"I know an angel from the Eastern Han Dynasty who will be returning to Seoul in a few days. You can go with him to explore. The scenery of foreign lands is certainly different from that of the Central Plains. In April or May next year, Miss Jin and I will go boating on the Han River. I will then take you back to Liaodong. Is that okay with you?"

"General Liu is saying that Xu should go to North Korea?"

"Exactly."

Xu Xiake's eyes lit up. Traveling to Korea was something he had never dreamed of.

Long-distance travel in this era was fraught with dangers: bandits, climate, disease, acclimatization, etc. A little carelessness could lead to death.

The journey from Shenyang to North Korea is difficult, but traveling with a North Korean angel should be much smoother.

Xu Xiake's obsession was aroused, and he asked in surprise, "Is this true?"

General Xuanwu nodded confidently. "The workshops and iron mines played a significant role in the bloody Battle of Hunhe. I'll give you five hundred taels of silver. Go on a leisurely trip to Korea. Explore the Han River and Changbai Mountain. Pay attention to strategically important locations. Also, explore the Korean iron mines..."

At this time, Xu Xiake already understood why Liu Zhaosun asked him to go to Korea.

Surveying the terrain and drawing maps are not difficult, but exploring for iron ore is a bit troublesome, after all, it is on someone else's land.

Seeing that he looked dazed, Liu Zhaosun added, "Don't worry, someone will pick you up when you get to Korea."

Xu Xiake didn't care about these things. When he was in Shennongjia, he could easily fight a black bear alone. If he really met a few Korean thieves, it would not be a big deal.

"General Liu, what do you call a Korean angel? Also, I don't speak Korean."

Xu Xiake felt a little ashamed. He had traveled extensively throughout the Ming Dynasty and was fluent in more than a dozen dialects, even understanding Hakka. However, this Korean was definitely beyond his purview.

"Jin Dajiu, you can call him Brother Dajiu."

Xu Xiake was surprised: "Brother-in-law? I always feel that this name is a bit strange."

Liu Zhaosun looked at Xu Xiake with the same look as when he was at Zhangjiawan Wharf in Tianjin.

"Don't worry, Mr. Xu. I've already introduced you to Brother Dajiu. After we cross the Yalu River, he'll make all the arrangements for you."

~~~~~~
In the East Gate of Shenyang, recruiting new soldiers is still going on.

The young man squeezed through a group of Liao people and came to a burly captain.

"Master, can you please look at me?"

Pei Dahu stood in front of the crowd like a black tower, attracting great attention.

A group of warriors and Liao soldiers were surrounding and making a lot of noise. Pei Dahu's ears were buzzing and he didn't hear the young man talking.

"Master Jun!"

The young man shouted, and Pei Dahu was startled and turned around suddenly.

The young man in front of me was wearing an ill-fitting cotton armor and was covered in dirt, except for his pair of bright eyes.

Pei Dahu suppressed his anger and looked the young man up and down. The cotton armor was pulled off the body of a dead Later Jin soldier.

The weather was cold, so it was not uncommon for the Liao people to strip armor and clothes from corpses.

The young man before him was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with an exceptionally tall stature, about the same height as Pei Dahu. He had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and beneath his unruly demeanor was a hint of resentment and unwillingness.

Pei Dahu couldn't help but look at the man twice and found that the cotton armor on his left shoulder was damaged, and he could faintly see the wound inside.

"This is?"

"It was shot by a bondservant, a man with a scar on his face and great kung fu skills. My six servants were killed by him."

After hearing this, Pei Dahu knew that the man in front of him was no ordinary person. His expression changed slightly and he said seriously:

"That scarred-faced baoyi has been subdued by General Liu."

On the day of the bloody battle at Hunhe River, Pei Dahu and General Liu were on the south bank and witnessed with their own eyes a group of knights blocking the Plain White Banner army for a full half hour.

Pei Dahu approached the boy. "What's your name?"

"Wu Xiao."

The indifferent expression on Pei Dahu's face completely disappeared, and he bowed to the young man.

"I'm Pei Dahu, a member of the Central Army Guard under General Liu. Our captain is still recovering from his injuries, so I'm in charge of the team's affairs. You can call me Old Pei."

Old Pei pointed to the warriors and soldiers standing around and continued:

"In the bloody battle of Hunhe, I lost more than sixty of my brothers, but only fifteen remain. General Liu said we need to fill the guards, and today is the last vacancy. If you become a guard, you will be General Liu's personal follower. Not only will you get more money, but you can also become an officer when you are released!"

Pei Dahu saw Wu Xiao's stern expression, as if he didn't dare to be interested in the money, so he said straight to the point:

"If you can beat them, you can stay!"

When Daxing and the Liao soldiers heard Pei Dahu's words, they all looked towards Wu Xiao, with a ferocious and unruly look in their eyes.

The two fighters walking in front clenched their fists.

At this moment, Wu Xiao's eyes appeared the scene of the Seven Heroes of Sanyuan falling one by one.

Dense heavy arrows were shot towards the floating bridge, and the sharp arrowheads passed by Wu Xiao.

He was shot and fell into the water, enduring the pain and swimming to the south bank of the Hun River. When Mao Wenlong led Liao troops in a bloody battle with the Plain White Banner, he hid under a bridge, retrieved gunpowder from a corpse, and bandaged his wounds. He then hid in the weeds for an entire afternoon, witnessing the spectacular scene of Liu Zhaosun's defeat of the Two Yellow Banners.

"Brother Pei, what are we competing for?"

"With boxing and kicking skills, you can defeat three people in a row."

Pei Dahu, with a fierce look on his face, looked up at Wu Xiao, stared at his arrow wound, hesitated for a moment and said:

"The winner of the close combat will also be tested in archery and horseback riding. Finally, they will be personally interviewed by General Liu."

Wu Xiao listened carefully and just nodded slightly.

"Stop it and don't cause any casualties."

Wu Xiao tied his leggings tightly. A Liao soldier rushed towards him. He turned around and smiled at Pei Dahu, saying defiantly:

"That Scarface is my obsession. I want to kill him! Avenge my brother!"

After just one encounter, the aggressive Liao soldier was knocked to the ground by Wu Xiao.

Immediately afterwards, a burly, young-skinned martial artist pushed away the crowd in front, spat, roared, and rushed forward, swinging his fist at Wu Xiao's injured shoulder. Wu Xiao dodged lightly and kicked the martial artist in the abdomen, and the martial artist immediately flew out.

"This is the second one!"

Pei Dahu looked at Wu Xiao's back as he fought and shouted:

"Hey, little brother, fight well! That Baoyi is still alive. If you win, I will tell the adults and let you kill the enemy with your own hands!"

~~~~~~
"Sir, you have killed the Khan of the Later Jin Dynasty. My great vengeance has been avenged, and the huge weight that weighed on my heart has dissipated. How wonderful!"

On the third day after waking up, Jin Yu Ji, who had recovered from her serious injuries, finally got out of bed. Liu Zhaosun supported her and slowly walked out of the tent.

The setting sun shines on the Hunhe River, dyeing the clear river water golden.

"It's good if it dissipates. That stone is an obsession."

Liu Zhaosun muttered to himself, his voice so soft that Jin Yuji didn't hear him, as she was still very weak. Liu Zhaosun wrapped a thick mink fur around her.

He looked at the golden river bank under the setting sun and thought that Leifeng Pagoda Sunset, one of the eight scenic spots in Hangzhou, probably looked like this.

Jin Yuji and his wife were in tune with each other.

"Sir, did Leifeng Pagoda finally collapse?"

Liu Zhaosun pondered for a moment and replied:

"fall down."

"White Snake finally ended up with Xu Xuan. Unfortunately, she lost her obsession and her magical powers, and could no longer become an immortal."

Jin Yuji looked at Liu Zhaosun, thought for a while, and said with a warm smile:
"I don't want to become an immortal, nor do I want obsessions. I just want to be with you."

(End of this chapter)