The Ming Dynasty began from Sarhu

Chapter 439 Kang Yingqian’s Weakness
On the second day of October in the first year of Wuding, the inner and outer city defenses of Shenyang were basically completed. The main force of the Qing army was increasingly pressing on the Liaohe Plain. After a fierce battle, the various flags and horses finally cut off the main road from the Liaohe Plain to southern Liaoning. The Qi army in Shenyang lost contact with the Eighth Guards Army stationed in Fuzhou, and the fall of Fuzhou was a foregone conclusion.

After repeated debates in Shenyang City, the request of Qin Jianxun, Qi Jin and others to assist Fuzhou was finally rejected.

Kang Yingqian and Du Du have known each other for many years. Based on Kang's understanding of this young prince of the Later Jin Dynasty, Du Du would never act rashly without absolute certainty.

As long as the defenders leave the city, the Qing army will immediately come out in full force to occupy Shenyang and cut off their retreat. They will then be caught in a dilemma and the situation will become even more dangerous.

As the situation in southern Liaoning deteriorated rapidly, the Qing army's two yellow flags and two red flags sharpened their swords, ready to launch a general attack on Shenyang at any time.

While the defenders of Shenyang were preparing for battle, the Qing army was also not idle. In addition to the outrageous move of kidnapping Kang Yingqian's son, Du Du ordered all the bannermen Aha who stayed in Tieling, Fushun, Kaiyuan and other places to go out to assist Shenyang.

The task of these baoyi was to dig trenches before their master officially attacked, cut off the connection between the fortresses and towers, gradually compress the Qi army's defense space, and advance towards the core city.

Historically, fortress and trench tactics were quite popular in the Liaodong battlefield in the late Ming Dynasty. There was nothing special about them. Yuan Chonghuan, Zu Dashou, and Huang Taiji had used them. Now Du Du wanted to use this old method to deal with the defenders of Shenyang, which was to erode the Qi army's defense bit by bit until Shenyang finally became a veritable "isolated city."

The plains on both sides of the Hunhe River were covered with dense black spots. Tens of thousands of Qi people and Liaodong bannermen looked at each other across the river without disturbing each other. They were all busy with their own things. In a sense, before the decisive battle of Shenyang finally broke out, this competition between the two sides in building fortifications was also part of the battle.

The Hun River, which once witnessed the defeat of Nurhaci, the Khan of the Later Jin Dynasty, is now waiting to witness whose tragic fate.

Just when Du Du was full of confidence and ready to capture Shenyang and annex Liaodong in one fell swoop, the Prime Minister Kang Yingqian in Shenyang City stabilized Diaoyu City and did not show any panic at all.

On the morning of October 3rd, after having breakfast at his residence, Kang Yingqian, accompanied by his subordinates, came to the north of the city to inspect the fortifications with great interest.

Mao Yuanyi, Qin Jianxun, Qiao Yiqi, Pei Dahu and others followed behind him, chatting and laughing all the way, and it was hard to tell that this was the scene before a decisive battle.

"Pei Dahu, you said Dudu also sent someone to Korchin to propose marriage?"

"Yes, in the end, the Jiannu envoy was beheaded by Bumbutai, and the betrothal gifts of more than ten carts of gold, silver and jewelry were also confiscated by the Khorchin people."

Pei Dahu learned about this from a captured Qing army sentry. He didn't believe it at first, but later he got information from Fan Wencai and learned that Du Du also coveted Bumbutai.

"Barbarians have no sense of shame. It's really ridiculous."

Mao Yuanyi said with a serious expression, disapprovingly.

Kang Yingqian recalled what Bumbutai had said in Kaiyuan: she would rather die than marry a Tartar. His heart sank. He wondered what was happening in Khorchin now; he had heard the plague had also struck there.

According to historical records, in the first year of the Wuding reign, a great plague spread from Turpan in the northwest to Shaanxi, and moved eastward with the bandits. After breaking out in the capital, it spread in all directions. By the time the northern Zhili region was basically pacified, the plague broke out again in Mongolia, making it impossible to prevent.

"When will the Khorchin cavalry be able to reinforce Shenyang?" Qin Jianxun asked anxiously. He was not aware of the Mongolian plague.

Kang Yinggan shook his head at the White Spear Army officer. Khorchin Khan was only fifteen or sixteen years old this year, the age of a flower, and about the same age as his son Kang Guangxu. Kang Yinggan secretly prayed that this Mongolian girl would not die inexplicably like Emperor Wuding.

Kang Yingqian and Pei Dahu looked at each other, and Pei Dahu said, "Don't count on her. Bumbutai can't take care of herself right now."

When the people left behind in Shenyang saw this team of superiors, they stopped and saluted. Qiao Yiqi shouted loudly for them to get back to their business.

Lao Kang looked at the familiar street scene in front of him, his thoughts vaguely returning to the early summer of the 47th year of Wanli, back to that evening when he led the Eastern Route Army into Shenyang City. The Liao people in the city were very hostile to the Southern soldiers. The generals who surrounded him at that time are basically still here now.

It’s a pity that Liu Zhaosun is no longer around.

~~~~
Prime Minister Kang inspected from the North Gate to the South Gate, pointing at the battlements and artillery as he walked. When he saw several newly built battlements and arrow towers at the South Gate, he could not help but praise the civil officials and generals for their good defense of the city. In just half a year, they turned Shenyang, which was almost in ruins, into such an impregnable city.

Kang Yinggan was encouraging everyone as he walked, when suddenly his family guards came running from under the city wall and whispered something anxiously in the prime minister's ear. After hearing this, Kang Yinggan hurriedly said goodbye to his men and followed the guards back to the mansion in a hurry.

Prime Minister Kang’s current residence is the former Liaodong Jinglüe Yamen. Yang Hao, Xiong Tingbi, Liu Zhaosun and others have lived here successively. Now Kang Yingqian has become the new owner. However, old Kang has been very busy with military affairs recently and has been staying in the barracks most of the time, rarely coming back.

"Where's Lao Zhao?"

Lao Zhao is a merchant from Kaiyuan who escaped from Kuandian. He is a spy planted by Kang Yingqian in Kuandian. He is usually responsible for collecting intelligence and secretly taking care of Lao Kang's only son Kang Guangxu - although it has been confirmed that Guangxu is the child of Lao Wang next door.

Old Zhao came out from the back of the living room with a sad face and saw Kang Yingqian kneeling down.

"Master, I deserve to die."

Kang Yingqian's face turned pale and he quickly helped Old Zhao up.

"It's been two months since the fall of Kuandian City. Why are you coming back now? Where is Guangxu?"

After the fall of Kuandian City, the whereabouts of the Prime Minister's son Kang Guangxu were unknown, and all the soldiers defending the city died for their country. Old Zhao was caught by the Koreans as soon as he escaped from the city. He worked as a groom for more than two months before he found a chance to escape.

"The young master is gone! Killed by the North Koreans!"

When Kang Yingqian heard this, he felt like he was struck by lightning. Kang Guangxu was his only flesh and blood in this world. Although he was the son of Old Wang next door, they were still father and son after all, which was incomparable to others.

More than two months ago, he secretly sent people to Kuandian to ask his son Kang Guangxu to leave Kuandian as soon as possible. At that time, Da Qi had already decided to abandon Kuandian and retreat its main force back to Shenyang.

Kang Yingqian thought that his son had received the news in advance and had escaped long ago. He might still be out there somewhere with a woman ghost, and when he had enough fun, he would run back to Shenyang.

He ignored the strong smell of horse manure still emanating from Lao Zhao's hands, grabbed them tightly, and asked loudly:

"Didn't I ask you to bring him back?"

"Master," Old Zhao was in tears.

"The young master fell in love with a Tartar woman. The Tartar woman said that the Jiannu would not kill them, but the young master refused to leave. When I was leading people to abduct him, the Koreans arrived and he was captured."

Kang Yingqian's face turned ashen.

"Who killed Guangxu? Who!"

Old Zhao was about to kneel down and kowtow again, but Kang Yingqian pulled him up.

"Say it!"

"That was Li Shunyi, the Commander-in-Chief, a high-ranking officer of the Joseon army. He was a gigolo. When I escaped from the west gate of Kuandian, Li Shunyi was still shouting on the city wall, 'Quickly kill all the Qi prisoners!' I saw the young master being pushed to the execution ground with a woman in his arms..."

Kang Yingqian grabbed an inkstone on the table, smashed it hard to the ground, and shouted loudly:
"Get out! Get out!"

Old Zhao had never seen Kang Yinggan so angry before. He was so scared that he crawled away. From a distance, he heard Kang Yinggan howling like an old beast behind him. The sound was particularly creepy.

"You disobedient son! You should have escaped long ago, but you're still fooling around out there!"

Old Zhao did not dare to hesitate and ran outside in a panic. Unexpectedly, he bumped into someone head-on. Just as he was about to curse, he saw that the man was tall and strong.

"General Jin, Master Kang is very angry, would you please..."

Jin Yinghe gently pushed Lao Zhao away and walked into the living room crying.

He gently pushed open the door to the living room.

With a bang, a vase fell heavily to the ground. Kang Yingqian, with disheveled hair, was crying and laughing, staggering around the room barefoot.

If it weren't for Lao Zhao's reminder, Jin Yinghe would never have believed that the man in front of him was the elegant and refined General Kang whom he met in Sarhu.

"The young master may not have been killed. I recognized Li Shunyi when I was in Seoul."

Kang Yingqian heard someone talking and quickly turned around. Seeing that it was Jin Yinghe, he returned to his usual self and said coldly:

"This rebellious son has caused me so much worry. He almost got me killed in Kaiyuan!"

Kang Yingqian had a lot of thoughts in his mind, and he almost wanted to tell everyone how the son of Old Wang next door had treated him badly over the years, and how the Kang family's glory seemed superficial but its dirty laundry should not be made public. But the words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.

Jin Yinghe picked up a fallen armchair and helped the old man sit down:

"Li Shunyi will not kill Prince Kang. Based on my understanding of him, he will use this as a threat to us."

"Threat? Who can threaten me? Let this rebellious son fend for himself."

Jin Yinghe opened his mouth wide and remained silent for a long time. After a while, he said:
"I have some friendship with Li Shunyi. If Shenyang can be defended, I will personally go and negotiate to redeem the young master."

Kang Yingqian waved his hand.

"Let him die. I didn't tell anyone back then and sent him to Kuandian. I did my best. I'm old now, not as powerful as Sarhu. I can't take care of him anymore."

Jin Yinghe found that the energetic old man suddenly looked much older.

Kang Yingqian slumped in the armchair, gasping for breath. Old Zhao picked up an unbroken teacup and made a cup of hot tea for his host.

Kang Yinggan drank half a cup of tea and his mood recovered a little. Then he remembered something and looked at Jin Yinghe.

"Why are you here when you're not guarding the city at the South Gate?"

Jin Yinghe clasped his hands together and said loudly:
"Lord Kang, half an hour ago, the Zhenglan Banner began to attack Tiger Tower in the south of the city. The fighting outside the city is fierce. I would like to ask if we can go out of the city to assist the defenders of the tower."

Kang Yingqian's composure gradually returned to normal. He waved his hand and said firmly:
"Don't ask for help, just guard your South Gate. This time I'm going to capture Dudu alive and skin him alive!"

(End of this chapter)