My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 179: Shocked Huang Taiji: How could this happen? I actually lost to a child?
Huang Taiji was extremely anxious at this time, and his mind was full of thoughts about evacuating the place as soon as possible, so he didn't pay any attention to the reactions of these soldiers.

Of course, even if he noticed he would just pretend not to see it.

Then he sent someone to pass on the order:
"Spread the word immediately. Everyone, retreat! Leave no one behind!"

At this moment, the most important thing for Huang Taiji was to quickly escape from this place with all the surviving soldiers.

If they don't leave now, they will all die here when the Ming army catches up.

Soon, as the order to retreat spread to all places, the Jiannu troops who had previously surrounded Jinzhou began to retreat dejectedly.

At the same time, the defenders in Jinzhou City were stunned when they saw this scene, and then suddenly broke into deafening cheers.

Because they knew that Huang Taiji had lost the battle from the miserable look of his hasty retreat!
Correspondingly, the Ming army naturally won a great victory!
Then, a burly general on the city wall suddenly shouted:

"Brothers, the Ming army has won a great victory. Let's add fuel to the fire of the Jiannu army. Mobilize all the artillery and beat these damn Jiannu soldiers hard!"

When everyone heard this, it seemed as if their fighting spirit was ignited. Everyone was in high spirits, with excitement shining in their eyes.

Then they roared and took action, pushing the cannons onto the city wall, adjusting the angles, aiming them at the Jiannu outside who had no time to retreat, and then fired without hesitation.

boom!
boom!
boom!
In an instant, a deafening volley of artillery fire rang out, flames shot up into the sky, and smoke filled the air, catching the Jiannu people who had no time to retreat by surprise.

In fact, if these Jiannu had retreated as soon as they received the order, they would not have been hit by the Ming army's artillery fire at all.

But they were reluctant to leave behind some of the baggage and artillery, and wanted to take these things back with them when they retreated, which ended up wasting some time.

As a result, they had no time to retreat and were hit by the Ming army's artillery. In an instant, many people fell in a pool of blood, with broken limbs flying everywhere!

After giving the order to retreat, Huang Taiji led his men forward again. He heard the sound of artillery fire suddenly coming from behind. He turned his head and saw the tragic scene of Jiannu soldiers being hit by artillery fire.

At this moment, Huang Taiji felt a surge of blood in his chest and was so angry that he almost vomited blood on the spot.

Although he also wanted those supplies and artillery, the situation was extremely urgent now, so how could he care about these things?

Besides, how could they escape with these things?
Thinking of this, Huang Taiji gritted his teeth and ordered again:

"Tell everyone to abandon all baggage! Blow up what can be blown up, set fire to what can't be blown up, and leave what can't be burned alone. In short, evacuate this place as quickly as possible!"

After receiving the order again, the Jiannu soldiers finally woke up from their dream. After setting a few fires at random, they hurriedly caught up with the fleeing army.

Fortunately for the cavalry, they were fast enough and escaped quickly.

But the infantry suffered, because they could not catch up with the cavalry in front of them at all. They could only start to flee desperately, throwing away their weapons and armor, and looked in a mess.

Just as the Jiannu army had evacuated the area, the gates of Jinzhou were suddenly opened.

Immediately afterwards, the soldiers in the city rushed out and busied themselves with putting out the fire.

Are you kidding? The Jiannu don’t want these baggage and artillery, but they do!
Soon, the fire was put out, and all the baggage and artillery left by the Jiannu were handed over to the Ming army.

Looking at the Jiannu army that had just left in the distance, the soldiers in Jinzhou City were still somewhat incredulous.

Did the Jiannu really lose like this?

To be honest, it made them feel like they were dreaming!
A few miles outside Jinzhou City, there is a river called Xiaoling River. The river has a fast-flowing flow and is considered a natural defense for Jinzhou. It is similar to a moat, tightly surrounding Jinzhou.

To go outside the Great Wall from Jinzhou, you must cross this river.

Similarly, if you want to reach Jinzhou from outside the Great Wall, you also need to pass through this river.

However, before this, Huang Taiji had already thought of a solution. He dispatched a large number of manpower and spent countless time and resources to build a very wide bridge across the river.

It is about ten meters wide and thirty meters long.

This bridge spans the Xiaoling River. It is sturdy and wide, and people and horses can walk on it as if they were walking on flat ground.

At this moment, Huang Taiji's army arrived here.

Looking back at Jinzhou behind him, although Huang Taiji's eyes were full of reluctance, he finally rode his horse forward.

Afterwards, more than 20,000 cavalrymen crossed the river one after another.

Not long after Huang Taiji crossed the river, a loud noise suddenly came from the direction of Jinzhou not far away.

A large group of cavalry suddenly chased after them like a surging tide. The sound of horse hooves shook the earth, as if a mountain was collapsing and the earth was splitting, raising a cloud of dust.

Huang Taiji's heart sank suddenly, and he thought to himself, this is not good, the Ming army has caught up with us!
He originally thought that the 30,000 people who were abandoned could delay more time, but he didn't expect it to happen so quickly!

In an instant, beads of sweat appeared on Huang Taiji's forehead. He knew that if they were caught up, he and the remaining 20,000 cavalry would probably find it difficult to escape, so he hurriedly ordered:

"Quickly destroy this bridge! We can't let the Ming army cross the river!"

However, when the surrounding soldiers heard this, they looked at each other in confusion and had no intention of taking action at all!
Because at this moment, not far away, a large number of Jiannu soldiers were fleeing towards this side. Because they were all infantry, their speed was not as fast as the cavalry.

Even though all the cavalry had crossed the river, they arrived late.

But if we destroy this bridge now, these people will not be able to escape!

And there are at least five or six thousand of these people!
But Huang Taiji also knew about this matter. However, at this moment, he could only abandon the car to save the king!

Because if they wait until all these people have crossed the river, the Ming cavalry will definitely catch up with them, and then they will not be able to escape.

Thinking of this, Huang Taiji ordered again:

"Are you all deaf? Didn't you hear my order?"

After hearing Huang Taiji's order again, the Jiannu soldiers finally woke up from their dream.

They looked panicked and their steps were hurried. They quickly dismounted and pulled out the few cannons they had.

These cannons have always been mounted on the chariots, so they have not been abandoned.

The soldiers hurriedly loaded ammunition and bombarded the bridge in front of them.

For a moment, there was the roar of artillery fire and the air was filled with smoke.

Not long after, the bridge, which had cost countless manpower to build, gradually lost its support under the artillery fire and dismantling and collapsed.

Huge splashes of water fell on the surface of the river, as if it was its last sigh.

When the Jiannu who were still fleeing here saw this scene, their eyes instantly turned red with anger.

Because they knew that they had been abandoned by Huang Taiji!

In desperation, many Jiannu soldiers started cursing and insulting Huang Taiji's ancestors for eighteen generations.

Some Jiannu soldiers even jumped into the turbulent river without hesitation, completely disregarding whether they could swim across.

For a moment, the sounds of shouting and people falling into the water from the opposite side were endless.

But all of these were ignored by Huang Taiji.

Huang Taiji felt a little relieved when he saw the bridge was destroyed.

Without the bridge, the Ming army could not easily cross the river to pursue.

Even if they could find a way to cross the river, it would definitely take a lot of time, and during this time, he could easily escape from here with the remaining troops.

However, immediately afterwards, Huang Taiji suddenly felt an inexplicable heartache.

Because the Ming army was able to chase here, it meant that the 30,000 infantrymen behind them had all been killed by the Ming army.

Including the Jiannu on the other side of the river, they will all be killed by the Ming army!
Thinking of this, Huang Taiji was so angry that he almost vomited blood again.

Looking back on this battle, in addition to the 30,000 Han civilians, he led 80,000 soldiers and rushed to the battlefield with great ambitions.

But now there are only 20,000 cavalrymen left fleeing in a panic, with a total loss of more than 60,000 people!

wrong
If the defenders outside Jinzhou City are included, at least more than 70,000 people were lost!
You must know that the Jurchens have always had a sparse population, and these 70,000 people are all young and middle-aged people, and are the elite force of the Jurchens.

It is really hard to imagine how many years it will take them to recover after this defeat.

But at this point, what's the point of saying this?
He could only swallow the bitter pill in secret and bury the resentment and pain deep in his heart.

Afterwards, Huang Taiji took the remaining people and evacuated to a farther place without saying a word, and then stood there quietly, waiting for the approaching Ming army.

It’s not that Huang Taiji didn’t want to leave, but he was eager to see what the person under the dragon banner looked like!
He wanted to know who he lost to!

If he doesn't take a look at who defeated him, he will die with regret!

The resentment and doubts in his heart kept gnawing at his heart like a poisonous snake, making him unable to let go for a long time.

As for why they had to evacuate to a farther place, it was simply because they were afraid of the Ming army's firearms.

If he was accidentally hit by a firearm again, he would follow in the footsteps of his father Nurhaci.

Not long after, the Ming cavalry finally arrived here.

Then they launched a massacre against those Jiannu who did not have time to escape.

Nearly 60,000 cavalrymen fought against several thousand infantrymen. It was almost as easy as cutting melons and vegetables. The battle was over in just a few minutes.

Of course, some who didn't want to be killed jumped directly into the river, struggling in the water, and were then swept away by the river.
Only after the battlefield was cleared did the Ming army finally quiet down.

Then, Zu Dashou, riding a tall and handsome horse, carefully surveyed the situation ahead, then turned to Zhu Cilang and said respectfully:

"Your Highness, the Jiannu have just demolished the bridge over the Xiaoling River, so our army cannot pass."

"But the Jiannu are not in a hurry to leave now. They are just across the street not far away!"

When Zhu Cilang heard this, his tired eyes instantly brightened up, and he asked:
"Is Huang Taiji here too?"

Zu Dashou picked up the telescope in his hand and looked at the other side of the river. Finally, he nodded and said:

"Huang Taiji is here too! The middle-aged man under the general's flag is Huang Taiji!"

Zhu Cilang nodded, then waved his hand, signaling the troops in front to move aside.

Zhu Cilang then walked out of the group. He took the telescope from Li Ruolian, slowly opened it, and then looked carefully.

Soon, he saw tens of thousands of cavalrymen gathered on the other side of the river not far away, and under the general's flag stood a man about forty or fifty years old.

He was wearing gorgeous armor. Although he looked tired and disheveled, he still couldn't hide the majesty of a superior. He seemed to be staring at this side closely.

And this person is none other than Huang Taiji!

Looking at Huang Taiji opposite him, Zhu Cilang was somewhat disappointed.

Because at this moment, the distance between them was really far, at least more than 500 meters.

This resulted in the flintlock rifles being unable to reach that area, and because they were cavalry, they did not have time to bring artillery.

In other words, he can't kill Huang Taiji now!

Zhu Cilang could only helplessly put down the telescope and sigh inwardly.

At the same time, Huang Taiji on the opposite side was also using a telescope to observe the Ming army on the other side of the river.

The biting cold wind whistled past, making his cloak rustle, but it did not distract him at all.

When he finally saw the young man under the dragon banner through the layers of smoke and the figures of the soldiers, he felt as if he was struck by a thunderbolt and trembled all over.

The next second, he turned his head abruptly and asked anxiously to Daishan, who also looked exhausted:

"How old is Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty this year?"

Daishan frowned slightly, as if he didn't understand why Huang Taiji would ask this question?
But after thinking for a moment, Daishan said:

"I'm not exactly sure, but I heard he ascended the throne at the age of seventeen and has been emperor for fourteen years. So he should be at least thirty years old now."

Thirty?
When Huang Taiji heard this, he became even more excited, and the muscles on his face twitched slightly with excitement.

The next second, he looked at Daishan and said in a trembling voice:
"But what I saw was clearly just a young boy!"

what?
When Daishan heard this, he was stunned for a moment, his eyes widened, and the expression on his face changed from shock to disbelief.

Because no matter how you calculate it, Chongzhen could not be a teenager!

The next second, Daishan hurriedly took the telescope from Huang Taiji, and then carefully looked at the person under the dragon banner.

Although their telescopes were not as good as those of the Ming army, they could still see clearly at this distance.

And what appeared in Daishan's sight was indeed a handsome young man!
When he saw this scene, Daishan felt his whole body trembling.

Because he had always thought that it was Chongzhen who personally led the army to defeat them, but now it seems that this is not the case at all.

This young man definitely cannot be Chongzhen!
But if it wasn't Chongzhen, then who could he be?
After all, the gorgeous clothing he wore, which showed the royal majesty, which one could not only be used by the emperor?
What’s more, there is the dragon banner standing high!
For a moment, Huang Taiji and Daishan's minds were in a mess. They really couldn't understand what was going on.

At this moment, a Han cavalryman approached cautiously and said in a low voice:
"Your Majesty, if I'm not mistaken, the person appearing across from you should be the Crown Prince Zhu Cilang of the Ming Dynasty!"

"According to my estimation, he should be around fourteen years old this year."

When Huang Taiji heard this, he came to his senses instantly.

Right, right!

Now everything fits together!
Both the age and clothing regulations are correct.

But the next second, Huang Taiji was suddenly shocked again.

So, he was the great Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, who had fought on the battlefield for decades, experienced countless battles, and was famous far and wide, but in the end he actually lost to a fourteen-year-old boy?
The truth was like a heavy hammer hitting Huang Taiji's heart. Huang Taiji felt a sharp pain in his heart, a sweetness in his throat, and a mouthful of old blood spurted out uncontrollably.

Daishan watched Huang Taiji spit out blood, his eyes full of anxiety. He hurriedly stepped forward and supported Huang Taiji steadily, and said in a hurried and trembling voice:
"Your Majesty, we cannot stay here for long. Let's retreat immediately!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the army not far away suddenly parted, and then Hauge, looking embarrassed, staggered towards them from a distance, taking one deep step and one shallow step.

He was soaked all over, like a drowned rat, with water dripping from his hair. It was obvious that he had just swam ashore from the river.

This was indeed the case. Hauge got separated from the army while fleeing in a panic. Fearing that he would be caught up by the Ming army, he had no choice but to choose a remote path.

But when he arrived at the Xiaoling River, there was neither boat nor bridge in sight. In desperation, Hauge could only grit his teeth and jump into the freezing cold river water, swimming hard.

Fortunately, he was a good swimmer and actually swam to the other side of the river.

When Huang Taiji saw his eldest son return safely, his nerves, which had been as tense as a string, relaxed a little and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Because he knew in his heart that if Lian Haoge met with an accident, then the battle would be a complete loss!

At the same time, Hauge looked at Huang Taiji who had just vomited blood, and felt mixed emotions.

He actually knew that Huang Taiji had been in poor health recently, and had even been so angry at the Ming army that he vomited blood.

Now that he had witnessed this scene with his own eyes, a chill suddenly surged from the bottom of his heart, and he had a vague sense of foreboding.

That means Huang Taiji may not have much time left.

And if Huang Taiji passed away, he would be able to ascend the throne naturally.

Although the Jurchens had no tradition of appointing a crown prince, and Huang Taiji had never promised that he would inherit the throne in the future, one must know that Hauge was the only one of Huang Taiji's sons who reached adulthood!
He is also the only person with prestige in the army!

So in Hauge's view, as long as Huang Taiji died, the throne would definitely be his!

However, at this critical moment, Hauge did not dare to show any strange expression.

So, Hauge immediately put on an anxious look, walked quickly to Huang Taiji, and cried out in a crying voice:

"Father, how are you?"

Huang Taiji weakly looked up at Hauge, his eyes full of fatigue and helplessness. He slowly shook his head, and then urged in a weak and urgent voice:

"Hurry up! The Ming army will definitely find a way to cross the river. If we don't leave now, we will all die here!"

After hearing this, Hauge's eyes flashed with hesitation, and then he quickly asked:

"Father, where should we retreat to?"

They actually have two choices now, one is to withdraw directly to Shengjing, and the other is to withdraw to Yizhou.

Needless to say, Shengjing is their capital.

Yizhou was their previous garrison site, with more than 10,000 Qing soldiers and many civilians responsible for farming in the city.

Huang Taiji heard this, his eyes flashed with determination, and he said in a weak voice:

"Return to Shengjing. We must not go to Yizhou! The Ming army is good at defending and attacking cities, but we are not good at these. If we go to Yizhou and are surrounded by the Ming army, we will be like a turtle in a jar, and we will surely die!"

Hauge nodded slightly, he also felt that what Huang Taiji said was very true.

But then, he suddenly thought that there were more than 10,000 soldiers and tens of thousands of civilians in Yizhou. He couldn't just abandon them like that, right?
Just as I was thinking about it, I heard Huang Taiji continue to say:

"Daishan, you personally lead your men to Yizhou and have the defenders retreat as quickly as possible. As for the civilians and food, forget about it. Burn the city and all the food. Don't leave it to the Ming army. Act quickly!"

Daishan knew that this matter was extremely urgent and did not dare to delay for a moment. After agreeing, he mounted his horse and galloped towards Yizhou with 3,000 cavalrymen.

Although Huang Taiji did not say specifically how to deal with the people, Daishan was not a fool, he already understood what Huang Taiji meant!
After all, if the city and food were to be burned, burning some civilians shouldn't be a big deal, right?

Does it sound crazy?

But don't forget that Huang Taiji had used more than 30,000 Han people as human shields.

This means that Huang Taiji could actually be even more ruthless.
But there was no other way, because they couldn't take these tens of thousands of people with them. If they took these people with them, they might not be able to leave either.

But if they were kept, they would definitely become prisoners of the Ming army, and would then help the Ming army grow food and build cities, which would become a hindrance to them.

so.
These people must die!

Even if they are all innocent!

On the Ming army side, Zu Dashou had been closely watching the every move of the Jiannu.

Soon, he noticed the Jiannu's movements and immediately came to Zhu Cilang and said:
"Your Highness, a cavalry unit of the Jiannu army just broke away from the main army, but they seem to be heading towards Yizhou."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Cilang narrowed his eyes slightly and raised the telescope to check.

Sure enough, I saw a cavalry of several thousand people breaking away from the main army and heading straight into the distance.

Zhu Cilang then said:
"Yizhou is where the Jiannu stationed their troops and stored their food. They must be trying to force the Yizhou garrison to withdraw, right?"

"If you want to hold on to Yizhou, you shouldn't send just this few people to support it!"

When Zu Dashou heard this, he nodded in agreement.

"That's what I thought too!"

Zhu Cilang continued to instruct:

"No matter what the Jiannu want to do, no matter what they are called, we must capture Yizhou City tonight!"

His voice was firm and powerful, with unquestionable majesty.

After receiving the order, countless soldiers immediately took action and prepared to build a new bridge to allow the army to pass.

Because the Jiannu army evacuated in a hurry, many supplies were left outside Jinzhou City, and the Ming army could use them on the spot.

In addition, this place is not far from Jinzhou City, and the supplies in the city are sufficient, so building a temporary bridge is actually not a difficult task.

Huang Taiji looked at the Ming army busy building a bridge across from him, waved his hand weakly, and said in a hoarse voice:

"Come on!"

Immediately afterwards, the 20,000 cavalry quickly reorganized their formation and retreated towards Shengjing with Huang Taiji.

(End of this chapter)