Ming Dynasty: Summoning game players at the beginning

Chapter 232 Come on (Two chapters in one)

Deciding to temporarily cease fire, Huang Taiji sent out a team of envoys and ordered the entire army to set up camp and prepare for a protracted war. He then sent people to the surrounding areas to hunt and harvest wheat.

Unfortunately, Huang Taiji's cleverness backfired, and the "fortify the walls and clear the fields" policy he had previously implemented in southern Liaoning turned into a boomerang and hit him right between the eyebrows.

Houses, wheat, and game in the forests within a radius of dozens of miles were almost extinct, and many fortresses and post stations such as Yongning, Fuzhou, Yangguanbao, and Pangubao were all deserted cities.

The Qing soldiers were unable to obtain any supplies, and the fish swimming in the streams and creeks were just a drop in the bucket, unable to satisfy the needs of an army of 100,000.

Before the scouts who were scouting another route returned, Huang Taiji could only hope that the peace talks would produce results.

There were thirty-one peace envoys in total, each riding a horse.

Huang Taiji watched with his own eyes as the envoy team walked across the bridge paved with trenches and entered the Beiwei military camp.

The leader of the negotiation team was named Hu Gongming, one of the Han officials favored by Huang Taiji.

As soon as Hu Gongming entered the enemy camp, he collected all available information, including the total number of enemy soldiers, the camp's defense structure, the status of food and weapons...

However, he could not see much, and before he could take two glances, he was pulled into a bomb shelter.

While others discussed military affairs in the privacy of their tents, the Beiwei Army was different, talking with people in the trenches like cave dwellers.

What was even more bizarre was that the visitors were not the Beiwei Army's main commanders Zhang and He, but a group of less famous deputy commanders.

More than ten people surrounded him on all sides, and even outside the trench there were people lying on the edge of the trench, blinking at him as if he were a monkey.

"Is the slave chief afraid of my Beiwei army's advance, so he sent you to surrender?"

"Oh, my lord still has three hundred thousand elite soldiers, enough to flatten these low mountains. But because you are loyal and brave, and I admire your talents, I have sent me here to save your lives. As the ancients said, he who understands the times is a hero. If you surrender with courtesy, I will divide the land and make you a king... Oh, who hit me?"

Hu Gongming suddenly felt a heavy punch on his left cheek, which was burning with pain. He turned his head and saw that several people on his left were ferocious-looking and were muttering, "What the hell are you looking at?"

"Humph! If the Chieftain really has 300,000 elite soldiers, would he still need to negotiate?"

At this time, a deputy commander took out several charcoal sketches, and the situation of the entire Qing army camp was clear at a glance.

If Hu Gongming was just an outsider, these sketches alone would be enough to tell him the number of Qing soldiers.

Ah!
Hu Gongming suddenly felt a cold sweat on his back. Even if the soldiers stationed by the Beiwei Army on the hills climbed up to have a look, they would not be able to come up with such a vertical bird's-eye view of the battle formation, right?
Even the movements of the soldiers and the sentries in the camp were painted so vividly that it seemed as if one were watching them with one's own eyes from mid-air.

"We fully accept the saying that a man who knows the times is a hero. As long as the chieftain and the Aisin-Gioro princes strip naked, walk barefoot across the battlefield, kneel before us three times and kowtow nine times, we will allow them to serve us as slaves."

"My lord is the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. How can I stoop to your knees and bow before him?"

"Stop talking nonsense. If you won't surrender, then fight again!"

"What are you going to do!" Hu Gongming was shocked. Several big men grabbed his arms and waist and lifted him out of the trench, then pressed his head to the edge of the trench.

When the shining steel knife hung beside his head, Hu Gongming panicked.

He racked his brains to come up with all sorts of allusions to persuade the other side to let him go, his trembling voice like a hoarse duck, "When two armies are fighting, do not kill the envoys!"

"We are barbarians, and you are a traitor. We don't care whether you kill the envoy or not!"

"Wait!" Hu Gongming was sweating profusely and spoke very fast, almost using all his life's speaking speed. "When the main force of the Southern Dynasty in Jinzhou was about to collapse, it was you who attacked southern Liaoning and forced our lord to return to support and save them.

The elite troops of the Southern Dynasty are still here. Even if you and the Qing Dynasty both suffer losses in a fight, it will still benefit the Southern Dynasty. Do you think that the little emperor will let you have a good end?"

"The worst that can happen is we can just rebel. You said the main force of Jinzhou was about to collapse. Even if it hasn't been destroyed yet, there won't be many soldiers left who can fight. We can easily defeat you, so it won't be difficult to defeat those weak soldiers."

"Since you've harbored rebellious intentions for a long time, why are you still working for the Southern Dynasty? Even if you don't understand the principle of a three-way balance of power, you should understand the importance of a three-way balance of power.

The Southern Dynasty was a large and powerful country. Attacking it was like felling a big tree. You had to chop it from both sides first, and then the tree would fall down on its own.

The elite troops of the Southern Dynasties have not been wiped out, but you have killed all the birds and rabbits and shed blood here. In the end, how many troops can you have to stand firm in Liaodong? How are you going to govern the millions of Liao people left in Liaodong?

When you have shed all your blood, the emperor of the Southern Dynasty will send troops to take over Liaodong. You will have achieved the greatest military merit, but will not get the reward you deserve.

At that time, the Southern Dynasty emperor would put away his bows after all the birds were gone and abandon the dogs after the rabbits were dead, and would accuse you of a false crime and smear you for treason. And you had no choice but to rebel, but how many soldiers and Liao people would be willing to join you in rebelling against the Southern Dynasty?
In the eyes of those people, are you more orthodox than the Southern Dynasty?

"Let our great Qing warriors return, and Liaonan and Denglai will all belong to you. Once you have established a solid foundation, accumulated food and military supplies, and eliminated the Southern Dynasty's unpopularity, it will not be too late to take Liaodong when you have sufficient troops and food! Then, the Great Qing is willing to join hands with you to enter the pass and divide the Southern Dynasty!"

"Hearing your analysis, it is indeed the case. If we defeat you, we will then have to face the civil and military forces sent by the Ming court. It will be a question whether the Liao people are willing to submit to us or to the Ming court."

"Since you think it's reasonable, then clear the way and allow the Qing Dynasty to pass! All the territory south of Gaizhou will belong to your Beiwei Army. My Lord is willing to give you 30,000 Liao households as a token of sincerity..."

"Then, in your opinion, if our Beiwei army is fortunate enough to capture Liaodong, how will we stabilize the people and fight for the world with the Southern Dynasty?"

"..." Hu Gongming glanced around and signaled the other party to release him.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Everyone, get out of the way. After all, this is an envoy from the other side, so proper etiquette should be observed."

The speaker quickly dispersed the group of rude men, personally helped the dusty messenger up, took him to a temporary tent to discuss strategy, and ordered someone to bring him a cup of warm tea.

The death threat and the sudden courtesy formed a sharp contrast. Feeling the warm tea in his hand, Hu Gongming still thought that he could persuade the enemy soldiers and generals with just his eloquence.

After all, the Beiwei Army is a potential ally of the Qing Dynasty in the future. If the Beiwei Army really makes a name for itself one day and the Qing Dynasty's fortunes decline, Hu Gongming can also change his allegiance with the good relationship he has today.

Even if the Beiwei Army chose to remain loyal to the end and exchange the lives of their soldiers for a reputation of "loyalty and righteousness", his advice would be of no use to those who were about to die.

Thinking of this, Hu Gongming taught him everything he knew.

He said that when the old Khan came to rule Liaodong, he adopted the policy of killing officials for the people and distributing land equally, and absorbed a large number of Liao people who were dissatisfied with the Ming Dynasty into the Jin regime.

However, Nurhaci later turned his back on the Han people and allowed the Jurchens to seize their land, causing the Han people's status to plummet.

Eventually, the slave-owning estates replaced the "Equal Field Policy", leading to ethnic conflicts overwhelming class conflicts. It was not until Huang Taiji came to power and changed the strategy that internal conflicts were eased.

Therefore, if the Beiwei Army wanted to gain a firm foothold, it had to use its vast territory to win over the middle and lower class Liao people.

The civil and military officials sent by the Southern Dynasty considered themselves the victors in restoring Liao, and were bound to be greedy for annexations, causing public resentment.

This is anger.

Even if the Southern Dynasty recovered Liaodong, it would never eradicate the three additional taxes - there were still many bandits in the interior that needed to be suppressed, and the newly recovered Liaodong was not immune.

When the Nu chief was in power, the people of Liaodong struggled to survive. Now that the Ming Dynasty has returned, the people are still struggling to survive. Wasn't the recovery of Liaodong in vain?

This is the second anger.

If the Beiwei Army really recaptures Liaodong, it will definitely be a hero in the eyes of the Liao people. Promotions and titles will be small matters, and the military and civilians in Liao will all be sincerely convinced of the Beiwei Army.

However, the generals of the Beiwei Army held high positions due to their contribution to the recovery of Liao, and they were only one step away from becoming the highest official in the country.

The Ming court did not want to see the disaster of "Li Chengliang" suppressing Liaodong and nurturing bandits for its own benefit, so it was bound to reduce the power and troops of the Beiwei Army, break it up into pieces, and send it to encircle and suppress the bandits, wasting its blood and sweat.

Before the Beiwei Army was transferred away, they could make a big fuss about "the imperial court persecuted loyal officials", "Zhao Gou killed Yue Wumu without any reason", and "Emperor Yingzong unjustly killed Yu Shaobao".

These are the three kinds of anger.

After some time of preparation, as long as the Beiwei Army is well prepared with food and weapons, they will be able to take over Liaodong and even Liaoxi, break through Shanhaiguan and enter the Central Plains!
"Very good! Today I am very happy to hear your insightful opinions, which are like clearing away the clouds and revealing the sun. They have opened my eyes." The deputy commander nodded and applauded repeatedly.

Hu Gongming also bowed modestly, claiming that it was just his humble opinion. He said that Deputy Marshal He was a hero who could truly accomplish great things because he could humbly seek advice and listen carefully.

"But there's one thing I'm still unclear about. Could you please enlighten me, Mr. Hu..."

"Deputy Marshal He, please speak."

"Since the chieftain sent you to negotiate peace, it shows that the enemy soldiers have suffered heavy losses and no longer have the bravery and vigor they had before the battle. They dare not attack our defense line again.

If my soldiers take the initiative to attack and are trapped in a tight siege and die in battle, the Nu chief will see that I have suffered heavy losses and will probably send more troops to attack my front line, causing the loss of another batch of soldiers..."

"what?"

Hu Gongming was slightly stunned. He Lusi's self-questioning and answering made him confused.

Could it be that the Beiwei Army still has reserves, intending to lure the enemy deeper into their territory and continue to torture them?
Or is it that the Beiwei Army has no more soldiers left to fight, and is ready to fight to the last man to prove their will?
"Deputy Marshal He, you and I don't have to fight to the death."

Hu Gongming didn't know the true situation of the Beiwei Army, but his face still showed the embarrassment of both sides suffering losses.

He Lusi noticed this subtle change. He suppressed his joy and said calmly, "Go tell the chief that my Beiwei Army is willing to join hands with him to conquer the pseudo-Ming Dynasty..." "Thank you, thank you! This way, I can go back..."

Before Hu Gongming finished speaking, the camp that was originally full of fun suddenly turned into a bloody battlefield, with screams and fighting sounds endless.

All the messengers and their followers were surrounded on all sides, swords clashed, and blood splattered everywhere.

Hu Gongming subconsciously turned around to look at Deputy Marshal He, but found that a steel knife had penetrated his chest and passed through.

Hu Gongming's face was full of disbelief, and hot blood choked out of his throat.

"Why..." Deputy Commander He, who had just had a pleasant conversation with him, now killed him without hesitation.

"Go to the underworld and wait in advance. When you meet those Tartar princes and nobles, tell them that I want their heads for plotting against the false Ming dynasty."

He Lusi pulled out the steel knife swiftly, and blood splattered all over the ground.

Hu Gongming fell backward weakly, blood gushing out from the penetrating wound in his chest.

He turned his head to look at the envoy's entourage. Dozens of them were lying on the ground, their bodies limp. They were a group of lifeless cowards.

……

The messenger did not return.

Huang Taiji waited for a long time but no one returned. However, before the negotiation was concluded, the 100,000-strong army did not have the courage to attack again.

Until one morning, when the hills were covered with thick white fog, people could vaguely see a rider walking out of the morning mist.

The warhorse walked very slowly, as if taking a leisurely stroll in the garden to digest the food after a meal.

The warhorse came into everyone's sight, with a man on its back, a hazy blood color on its face.

The nobles at the back looked into the distance through telescopes, while the Eight Banners at the front rode out of the camp on horseback.

When the horse carrying the rider got closer, everyone realized that the hazy blood in their vision was the blood of the rider and the horse.

The rider had several short spears tied in front of him to secure his body, and his body was all red as if soaked in blood.

No, the leading flag bearer suddenly realized that this thick blood was not the blood of the rider or the warhorse.

Instead, it was liquid dripping from spherical objects wrapped in hemp rope net bags - dozens of spheres were like pendants, hooking around the "rider's" neck.

That's a human head.

The eyes in every head were wide open.

The rider on horseback also had his head chopped off, with a spear piercing through it and fixed at the collarbone. It looked like he had lowered his head too much and it was perpendicular to his chest.

A head was fixed to the top of the warhorse's head with a rope, like a clown wearing a red tall hat.

The dead man's eyes were staring straight ahead, and the blood dripping from the wound soaked the side of the warhorse's neck.

Excluding the rider himself, there were a total of thirty heads used as ornaments.

This is not the end. There are still hundreds of white bones and skulls with flesh and blood removed, tied to the sides of the horses like pack goods, or hung on the abdomen and legs of the dead riders.

Even the simple cart pulled behind the horse was loaded with hundreds of white skulls with writing on them.

There were scattered, readable words written in blood on each skull.

Threats, scolding, cursing, slaughter, hatred...

Although they were simple words, they conveyed a tremendous hatred that shook the soul.

The bloody heads and eerie skulls of Khorne's works deeply shocked the hearts of the armored men.

They had fought in countless battles and seen many bloody scenes that seemed commonplace to them. They had never imagined that the Beiwei Army was even more cruel and brutal than them, making the heads of the Qing soldiers into such strange appearances.

The bloody "art" conveys not only the threat of massacre, but also a simple greeting from the Beiwei Army.

The flag bearers took off the heads one by one and found a letter written in blood on the chin of the rider's "fixed" head.

The few bloody words are very simple.

Kneeling down and surrendering may save your life, but resisting to the end will result in the extermination of your entire clan.

The Beiwei Army refused to negotiate and planned to fight to the death with the Qing warriors.

The abominable bloodshed should have aroused the hatred of all princes and ministers, but they could only vent their anger and curse the cruelty and tyranny of the Beiwei Army. More princes were dejected and dared not say a word.

These Manchu, Mongolian and Han dignitaries knew that the defense line built by the Beiwei Army was like a mountain, and they would suffer heavy losses if they tried to cross it.

The question becomes who will mince the meat first and who will sit back and reap the benefits.

The soldiers under every general's command are the foundation of their existence. Nowadays, if a general loses all his subordinates, he will lose his "value" in the eyes of the nobles in power and will not be able to enjoy the wealth and glory he already has.

As long as they can hold off for a few more days and wait for the scouts to return and report the information, they will be able to avoid the Beiwei army and take a detour home.

After all, life is the most important thing. As long as the green mountains remain, there will be no shortage of firewood.

Seeing a group of nobles avoiding the battle to protect the army, Huang Taiji felt extremely disappointed.

He had a premonition that the Beiwei army's manpower was about to be exhausted, and as long as the princes continued their efforts, they would be able to crush the enemy.

But this group of people refused to take the lead no matter what, and ran away like a frightened kitten when they saw a stranger.

If today, he commanded an army of 100,000 and could only flee in panic before tens of thousands of Beiwei soldiers, and did not completely eliminate the "inner demon", in the future, the Eight Banners soldiers would flee when they saw the black flags of the Beiwei army.

As the situation changes, will he still be able to gather warriors who dare to fight against the Beiwei Army?
Do we have to lose all the territory in the Liaozhong Plain, hand over Liaodong to the Southern Dynasty, and hide in the cold and poor land to continue to be the hopeless Jurchen tribe?

Or should they retreat to the steppes south of the desert and become a completely nomadic people, only able to occasionally plunder the southern border like robbers?
This battle must be fought!

Even if he had to let his own troops take the lead in the attack, he had to order other princes to take action.

Just when Huang Taiji was about to break off relations and force the tribes to attack again, he suddenly saw some movement in the clouds, like a group of migrating animals trampling on the ground.

Although the clouds and mist reduced the visible range, Huang Taiji could still see shadowy figures flashing in the clouds.

Thousands of people emerged from the clouds and mist, walking quickly towards the Qing camp.

It’s the Beiwei Army!

With his vast experience, Huang Taiji took a quick glance and judged that there were about three thousand enemy soldiers who had left the camp without permission.

The Beiwei Army actually abandoned their stable front and launched an assault on the camp of a hundred thousand strong army!

Even if the Beiwei Army took advantage of the attraction of Khorne's works to the crowd and the cover of clouds and fog to shorten the distance between the enemy and us enough, and even broke through the minimum range of the Red Cannon, making it impossible for the artillery to use its power.

Could it be that the Beiwei Army had no soldiers left to defend the stronghold, and all their weapons and ammunition had been used up, so all members launched a final assault with the determination to die, hoping to kill as many Eight Banners soldiers as possible?

But it was simply a pipe dream for these 3,000 people to defeat 100,000 Qing soldiers.

Even if the 100,000-strong army was evenly distributed to each Beiwei soldier to fight, the Beiwei soldier would still have to face the siege of 30 people alone.

Even if the thirty people didn't use swords, they could just pick up a stone and throw it at someone, and they could kill him.

Hahahahahahahaha, God bless the Qing Dynasty!
Huang Taiji suddenly felt a sense of happiness, and all the clogged blood vessels in his body seemed to be unblocked at this moment.

The defense line that he had been trying to break through was actually in a state of being riddled with holes.

When the other princes and ministers who were afraid of fighting saw this incredible scene, their ambitions were rekindled.

Since there are only 3,000 brave soldiers left in the Beiwei Army fighting to the death, then the Qing Dynasty should also show corresponding respect and fight them in close combat with them in an upright manner!

"Pass the order down. Do not abuse the bodies of the Beiwei Army. If the Beiwei Army is willing to kneel and surrender, I will make their commander a prince of the Qing Dynasty!"

(End of this chapter)