The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 212 Landslide
The mountain moved.

Liu Zhaosun stood up from the stool, the command flag in his hand trembling constantly.

In the dark night, the Khan Palace position was like a bloodthirsty monster, constantly devouring the attacking soldiers.

Teams of musketeers and captains rushed into the darkness, but were shot to death by the Later Jin soldiers ambushed in the breastwork bunkers. In the end, they turned into cold corpses, and only a few of them managed to retreat.

The battle was brutal and stalemate.

After the third attack failed, Kang Yingqian and others retreated involuntarily and looked at Ping Liaohou in panic.

"Continue the attack!"

Liu Zhaosun screamed hysterically, like a gambler with red eyes, who couldn't wait to put all his last bets on the gambling table to decide the outcome.

Everyone's expression changed.

A captain who was withdrawn from the 2000th headquarters climbed up the city wall with the help of guards.

In the light of the bonfire, Liu Zhaosun saw clearly that this was Pu Gang, a capable general under Deng Changxiong.

Sun Chuanting asked in surprise, "Captain Pu, aren't you repairing the bridge?"

Pu Gang was injured in his left leg, and his body and face were covered in blood. He didn't bother to answer, but fell to the ground, his voice trembling:
"Marquis Ping Liao, we can't fight anymore!"

"Did Deng Changxiong ask you to come? So many people died!"

Liu Zhaosun felt a dull pain from an old injury under his ribs.

"The Khan's Palace is so small, and I've given you three thousand elite soldiers, but you can't take it in four hours? I'm going to punish you!"

Kang Yingqian urged loudly: "The soldiers fought bloody battles, but the Jiannu fortifications are too strong, beyond our expectations..."

Liu Zhaosun pushed Kang Yingqian away angrily.

"I told you to scout before the battle, scouts, why did you make such a huge mistake? And you said everything would be decided in one battle? Where is Zhang Dong? I want to chop off his head!"

Kang Yingqian lowered his voice and said, "Officer Zhang is leading the Tangma to scout at the Khan's palace. He hasn't returned yet. I'm afraid he's already..."

Liu Zhaosun gritted his teeth and glared at Pu Gang fiercely. Pu Gang was weak and a little hot air came out of his mouth when he spoke.

"There are horse traps on both sides of the position. The passages have been flooded with water and turned into ice. They also buried mines. All the long-handled soldiers who rushed forward were blown to death. The Tatar archers hid behind the breastworks and shot arrows. Our shells could not hurt them. The soldiers were either shot to death or fell into the pits... Marquis Ping Liao, I am not afraid of death, but I cannot let my brothers die in vain like this!"

"Go down!"

Ping Liaohou waved Pu Gang away and looked around. Everyone looked at each other with embarrassment on their faces.

"The only way to win is to find someone to fill the trench!" Sun Chuanting shouted loudly.

"Who are you looking for?"

Seeing that Ping Liaohou was angry, Sun Chuanting dared not say anything more.

Liu Zhaosun pointed at everyone and gritted his teeth, "Alright! If you're scared, I'll go fight them myself!"

Just as Ping Liaohou was about to turn around, he was stopped by Kang Yingqian. He kicked Kang Yingqian away and was then hugged by Sun Chuanting around the waist.

"Night fighting is difficult, let alone attacking a position like this. Even if we throw in a few thousand soldiers, we won't win! Why not fight again tomorrow and drive the Baoyi out to fill the trenches!"

"Tomorrow, tomorrow our Grand Master's birthday will arrive! We must withdraw! Since Sarhu, I have fought hundreds of battles and never lost a single battle against the Jiannu. If I could kill the old slave at Hunhe, I can kill Huang Taiji at Suzihe. Huang Taiji has been hiding this from us, and has been making rapid progress in the past two years, becoming increasingly powerful. The longer we delay, the more lives will be lost! Get out of here!"

Sun Chuanting refused to let go, so Kang Yingqian, Du Du, Liu Xingzuo and others rushed forward and worked together to control Ping Liaohou.

"Let me go, you..."

Liu Zhaosun felt a sharp pain in his ribs, a sweet and fishy taste rose to his throat, blood gushed out and splashed on the fish scales. He fainted in anger.

"Call Doctor Song!"

~~~~~
At the west gate of Hetuala, in the central army tent, it was late at night, and the lights were brightly lit.

Ping Liaohou was lying unconscious on the bed where Jin Yuji had slept.

Around the bed, Kang Yingqian, Deng Changxiong, Sun Chuanting, Ma Shiying, Sen Ti, Du Du, Liu Xingzuo, Lin Yu and others had gloomy expressions.

Old Song came to the crowd with the medicine box in hand. Before the miracle doctor could speak, Kang Yingqian said anxiously:

"What happened to Ping Liaohou? He was fine during the day, why did he suddenly vomit blood? Maybe he was poisoned!"

"It's not poisoning, it's an old illness."

Old Song stayed awake all night, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. He looked up at everyone, tears streaming down his face as he said:
"His old injuries haven't healed yet, and he didn't rest for the past year. In March, he caught a cold while traveling to Korea, and in August, he went to Shandong and didn't avoid the scorching heat. These alternating seasons have left a lasting impression. I noticed these symptoms before and advised him not to overwork, but he refused to listen. This time, he's been traveling a lot, and the bitter cold weather in Liaodong has drained his energy, causing a sudden onset of cold symptoms that can't be cured by decoctions. His pulse is floating, stringy, and not slippery, like a landslide..."

"Landslide?"

The tent was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

Kang Yingqian's face turned pale, his body trembled uncontrollably, and he fell to the ground.

Ma Shiying hurriedly helped General Kang up and patted him gently on the back. Kang Yinggan was mumbling to himself, but no one knew what he was saying.

Deng Changxiong's eyes were red and swollen, and he asked in a low voice:

"Landslide? Doctor Song, you, you mean Ping Liaohou will, will...?"

Old Song looked ashamed. "It's hard to say. He overdrew everything in the bloody battle at Hunhe two years ago. Ke Zhen'e predicted that Marquis Ping Liao's time was running out, so he's in such a hurry this time... It all depends on fate. I've been practicing medicine for thirty years and have never encountered such a serious illness. Marquis Ping Liao has been so kind to me. I wish I could die in his place!"

"That blind man Ke is really hateful, spreading false rumors to confuse the people!" Sun Chuanting couldn't help but curse.

When they heard that Ping Liaohou's life was in danger, everyone was immediately in an uproar. Ma Shiying said anxiously:

"If something happens to Ping Liaohou, the army's morale will collapse, and the Kaiyuan army will be defeated. We will die without a burial place."

Liu Xingzuo looked around and whispered:
"Judging from the tone Huang Taiji used when he defeated the Kaiyuan army, the Tartars must have a backup plan. If we let them know that General Liu is injured, we'll probably be unable to escape." Du Du clasped his hands together, facing the night sky, his voice trembling:
"God of Heaven, please bless the health of Ping Liaohou, otherwise Huang Taiji will have me executed by slow slicing..."

Kang Yingqian finally regained some spirit. He suddenly remembered something and said angrily:

"Beauty is the root of all trouble. It's all that Korean woman's fault. I heard that Ping Liaohou once swore before the God of Zhenwu that he would sacrifice fifty years of his life in exchange for that woman's immortality. It must have come true! Even if Huang Taiji doesn't kill us, Emperor Taichang will exterminate all nine generations of our clan..."

Sun Chuanting gave a wink, and Commander Deng stepped forward to support Kang Yingqian and comfort the frightened old man, preventing him from talking nonsense and affecting people's hearts.

"Keep your voices down! The safety of Marquis Ping Liao is a top priority and must not be leaked!"

Everyone was like ants on a hot pan, completely at a loss of composure.

At this time, a voice sounded in the big tent.

"Everyone, please listen to what I have to say."

Everyone turned their eyes to Sun Chuanting.

As one of the three most important officials in Kaiyuan, Sun Chuanting had always been highly valued by Ping Liaohou. In Yuan Chonghuan's absence, Kang Yingqian was in a state of panic, and the only person who could make the decision was Sun Chuanting.

"Stop the attack, withdraw the troops, and let Captain Deng and his men rest. The artillery battalion is low on ammunition, so stop firing. Also, rotate the 5,000th headquarters to guard the area to prevent the Jiannu from taking advantage of the opportunity to counterattack."

Everyone nodded repeatedly. This was the only way for now.

"What about after daybreak? The Zu family army can reach Hetuala at any time."

Kang Yingqian saw that Sun Chuanting was clearly trying to seize his power. He was furious and ignored the critical situation. He deliberately made things difficult for him:
"After daybreak, if the Zu family army arrives, should we fight or flee? Attacking is unsuccessful, and fleeing is also a dead end. What are your suggestions, Lord Sun?"

The surroundings were buzzing again, and people were whispering.

Sun Chuanting said firmly:

"beat."

"Concentrate all your forces and attack the Khan's Palace. Zu Dashou is a man of many plans but indecisive. He won't take action until the Kaiyuan Army and the Eight Banners Army have clearly determined the outcome."

Kang Yingqian said coldly:

"Continue to attack the Khan's Palace? Don't you think enough soldiers have died?"

Everyone's eyes fell on Sun Chuanting, with doubt and confusion in their eyes.

Ma Shiying echoed, "Yes, General Liu personally led the battle, but he couldn't break through. Don't you think you know more about military affairs than Ping Liaohou?!"

Sun Chuanting ignored Ma Shiying and faced the questioning eyes around him with a calm tone:

"When it comes to fighting, I'm certainly not as good as Marquis Ping Liao. However, these are extraordinary times, so we need extraordinary measures. After daybreak, gather the bannermen to fill the trenches and level the outer positions first. Shield carts will cover the soldiers as they advance and attack the Khan's palace. General Liu said that the walls of the Han Palace are built of stone blocks and are extremely solid. Cannons can't penetrate them. The only way is to dig holes and use gunpowder to detonate them. If the walls are blown open, Huang Taiji will surely die. I heard this tactic from Marquis Ping Liao. If he were in charge, he would fight the same way."

Everyone looked at Sun Chuanting in surprise. Even Deng Changxiong had an incredible expression on his face. He asked in a deep voice:

"How many people are needed to fill the trenches with Baoyi? There are more than a dozen trenches ahead. The few prisoners we have are not enough!"

Sun Chuanting looked up at General Deng Qian and said in a firm tone:
"My rough estimate is that we need 5,000 people, each with a bag of soil, to fill the trenches and horse pits. Drive out all the Baoyi, regardless of whether they participated in the looting, and fill the trenches. If there are not enough people,

Having said that, Sun Chuanting looked around, with a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

"Then use the local people to fill it."

"Use the common people to fill it?"

The look in everyone's eyes when they looked at Sun Chuanting clearly changed. This civil affairs official, who was famous for his kindness, actually had such a cruel side.

"Yes, use the people of Hetuala City to fill the gap. If it's not enough, use the people from the surrounding areas! Let the pacification soldiers go to the surrounding villages to prepare now, saying that they will distribute food to the people, and then..."

"Even the wisest can make mistakes. General Liu, ignorant of the Jiannu's true nature, was fooled by Huang Taiji and rushed out rashly, underestimating the enemy and leading to a crushing defeat! Now he's being too lenient and unwilling to kill them! If we lose, the people of Hetuala will be incorporated into the Eight Banners Army, massacre our Kaiyuan, and kill all the Kaiyuan soldiers and civilians. They will then enter the pass and kill more Han people."

"So, instead of waiting for them to kill me, I'll kill him first!"

When Sun Chuanting said this, his face was already full of murderous intent.

Everyone stared at him blankly. Even the usually ruthless Kang Yinggan opened his mouth wide and was speechless for a long time.

Han Zhenyi, the artillery battalion officer, whispered:

"The artillery camp is short of gunpowder. Fifty field guns require three thousand kilograms of gunpowder, and bombing the Khan's palace will require tens of thousands of kilograms of gunpowder. I'm afraid..."

Sun Chuanting looked at Han Zhenyi calmly.

"Your cannons can't break through the Khan's palace walls, so you're useless. After daybreak, all artillerymen will be incorporated into the combat troops. Armed with spears and swords, they will charge into battle and kill the enemy together. All gunpowder, including the Divine Fire Crow, will be removed and placed in coffins to blow up the city walls."

Han Zhenyi was speechless.

~~~~
That night, Ping Liaohou fell into a coma, and the Kaiyuan army's attack on the Khan's palace was temporarily suspended.

The 2,000th headquarters soldier who suffered heavy losses all retreated to the city wall to rest.

The artillery and rockets on the battlefield stopped their ineffective bombardment of the Khan's palace, and the gunners were busy removing the gunpowder from each shell.

The pacification troops searched for civilians in the surrounding area and then incorporated them into the trench-filling army under the name of bondservants.

At dawn, more than 5,000 people with pigtails on the back of their heads, regardless of gender, age, Han, Jurchen or Mongolian, were all driven together and marched to the front of the Khan's palace in battle formation, silently waiting for death to come.

~~~~~
The sky gradually brightens and the decisive battle is approaching.

The instructor Sen Ti braved the severe cold, holding a loudspeaker, and inciting a group of evil bondservants.

"A bunch of scoundrels, robbing poor people is useless. If you want to get rich, go rob the Khan's Palace. I heard from the surrendered Gushan Ezhen that there are mountains of silver in the Khan's Palace! You are really blessed for eight generations, and your ancestors' graves are smoking. Today, Ping Liaohou has shown mercy and given you a chance to make a fortune. See? Those trenches and horse pits ahead, each person carries a bag of soil to fill them in, run two times, and you can get 250 taels! And women, Huang Taiji has 3,000 concubines, more than enough for you to share. What are you all standing there for? Go!"

(End of this chapter)