Taichang Ming Dynasty

Chapter 566: Typical Conflicts Outside the Great Wall
In fact, the four locations mentioned in Hu Guochen's speech, namely the outer city wall, the border wall, Tianjiabao, and Wenjiabao, constitute a very typical multi-segment three-dimensional defense structure.

The outer city towers scattered outside the Great Wall are the first-line areas for detecting enemy situations. The continuous border walls are barriers to prevent small-scale enemy troops from entering the interior and to buy time for the rear. Tianjiabao, stuck in the mountain roads, is an important node for storing troops and gathering food and hindering large-scale enemy attacks. Wenjiabao at the end of the mountain road is the last and most solid fortress on this line of defense.

Outside this line of defense, there are friendly troops from other surrounding castles, as well as the army led by Lieutenant General Hu Guochen himself.

Generally speaking, only when the central node itself emits three smoke signals and three cannons will the friendly forces in the surrounding castles go on alert, and only then will the lieutenant-general in charge of the area personally lead his troops to support. As for the four smoke signals and four cannons signaling thousands of troops, or even the five smoke signals and five cannons signaling over ten thousand enemy troops, it would never occur on this type of defense. After all, such a mountain path wouldn't accommodate so many people.

"I don't have any other worries," Yuan Keli chuckled and shook his head, "I just want to go over and take a look."

Hu Guochen still didn't understand Yuan Keli's intentions, but simply laughed heartily along. "Haha! Since you've come here on an inspection tour, you'll naturally want to travel through the mountains and rivers and inspect the border walls. I've already made arrangements for all of this, and there's no rush. Chejiabao is so cramped, there's not even a proper place to sit." Hu Guochen hunched over, lowered his brows, and gestured toward the city gate. "Let's go to Phoenix City to talk. The welcoming banquet is ready, and we're waiting for your presence."

Despite Hu Guochen's cheerful smile, he was actually quite nervous. He knew everything the Hou family father and son knew. During the height of the turmoil in the court last year, Hu Guochen spent his days exhausted and his nights sleepless, fearing that an imperial envoy would suddenly arrive to bring him to the capital for trial.

Now, not long after the peace had been restored, the imperial court suddenly sent a military advisor who had some conflicts with Xiong Tingbi to rein him in. Hu Guochen began to worry and have wild thoughts again.

Yuan Keli had no idea what Hu Guochen was thinking, and only felt that he was being a bit too flattering. However, since Hu Guochen was being so attentive, Yuan Keli wouldn't give him a sour look. "Alright. Then I'll have to trouble Lieutenant General Hu to lead the way."

"No need, no need. It's just my duty." Hu Guochen nodded.

Yuan Keli took a step to catch up, but stopped after only one step. He turned his head to look at Lu Wenzhao and was about to speak when Lu Wenzhao nodded. "I remember."

Lu Wenzhao was referring to the Shandong Provincial Government's flag, still hanging from the flagpole. He called for one of his Imperial Guards to bring Yuan Keli's horse over, and instructed the others to take down the flag. Li Xuanming, the garrison commander of Chejiabao, was initially stunned, but then he realized what was happening and quickly called for help from Yuan Keli's "entourage."

"That should be Mr. Yuan, right?" Hu Guochen looked at Lu Wenzhao and asked Yuan Keli.

Yuan Keli raised his eyebrows and lied calmly, "My good-for-nothing son is still studying in Henan. This is my distant nephew. His surname is Lu."

"Oh! It turns out to be Mr. Lu. I am sorry for my poor eyesight. Please forgive me." Hu Guochen hurriedly bowed to apologize and saluted Lu Wenzhao.

"No need to be so polite." Yuan Keli smiled and waved his hand, and Lu Wenzhao returned the greeting. The two had dealt with similar issues many times before.

Outside the city gate, the five hundred brave cavalrymen led by Hu Guochen had already turned around. They marched in formation along the official road, like an insurmountable iron wall.

Liu Zongzheng followed him out of the city. As soon as he mounted his horse, he saw Hu Guochen turn his head and look at him and say, "Yucan." Yucan was Liu Zongzheng's courtesy name.

"Please give your instructions, Hu Canrong!" Liu Zongzheng responded quickly.

"You have nothing to do here," Hu Guochen ordered with a smile, "Take your people back to Yuanjiabao."

Liu Zongzheng breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, the porcelain doll of Yuan Keli was handed over to someone else. He immediately saluted and bowed to Yuan Keli again. "Yuan Bingxian, I will take my leave now."

"Thank you for your help along the way, Liu Shoubei." Yuan Keli bowed to Liu Zongzheng.

"I wouldn't dare!" Liu Zongzheng hurriedly returned the greeting. "This is my duty, Yuan Bingxian, there's no need to be polite. Farewell!"

"Goodbye!"

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Hu Guochen took Yuan Keli away, but Liu Zongzhen stayed near Chejiabao to organize the soldiers into formation.

"General, this is your badge." The personal soldier who had intercepted Hu Guochen on the way came over and handed the badge back to Liu Zongzhen.

Liu Zongzheng took the badge and fastened it, frowning as he gazed towards Tianjiabao. The smoke from Tianjiabao had completely dissipated, but sporadic gunfire could still be heard from time to time. "General Hu has taken Yuan Bingxian away. Hasn't that bastard Yuan Laoer returned yet?"

"General En, why don't you let me take a few brothers to look for him?" the personal soldier took the initiative to say.

"Looking for a bird's egg, those idiots won't get lost." Seeing that the infantry had re-arranged their marching formation, Liu Zongzheng pulled the reins and turned the ship around. "You stay here and wait for him."

"Yes." The personal guard replied.

"Let's go! Back to camp!"

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Yuan Laoer's squad encountered the 120 Beijing cavalrymen who were guarding the rear on a fork road that led to Wenjiabao in the north and Fenghuang City in the south.

They stopped where they were, quietly waiting for the cavalry to make way.

"Is that Lord Yuan's official flag?" A cavalryman who followed Yuan Lao Er to Tianjiabao to inquire about the situation looked at the flag erected in the middle of the team from a distance.

"That's right." Yuan Lao Er nodded, his eyes half closed. He wasn't very literate, but he recognized the "Yuan" at the end of the flag. "It looks like General En has already left Chejiabao. Let's hurry and follow him."

"Wait a minute!" Another cavalryman leaned forward and hurriedly grabbed Yuan Laoer's arm as he was about to swing the reins.

"What for?" Yuan Laoer was puzzled.

"Are you blind? Our flag is not there." The cavalryman pointed at the fluttering flags and said.

"Hmm," Yuan Lao Er looked carefully and indeed saw only the flags of Yuan Keli and Hu Guochen. "It seems so." "It seems so, but it's not there!" The cavalryman who was holding him loosened his grip.

"What's going on?" Yuan Lao Er was even more confused.

"Lord Yuan asked Lieutenant General Hu to pick him up, so there's no need for us to send him off." The cavalryman who spoke first interrupted.

"But isn't Phoenix City farther away? We have to cross the river." Yuan Laoer was quite familiar with this area.

"Maybe we met him on the way," the second cavalryman took a sip from the water bag hanging from his horse's neck. "We also met Master Yuan on the road yesterday."

"Yeah," Yuan Lao Er nodded and waved. "Shall we still go over there?"

"General En is not here, why should we go over there? It would be annoying if we ask for reward." The second cavalryman handed over the water bag while holding the cork.

"Of course I know General En isn't inside," Yuan Lao Er took a gulp from the water bag. "But we've already scouted the situation at Tianjiabao. I remember that's what Master Yuan wanted to ask about. After all the trouble I've made, I should definitely talk to him about it." To better assess the enemy and our own situation, Yuan Lao Er even climbed the brick-clad Great Wall to listen for a few cannon shots. If the Jin army hadn't retreated before reaching the edge of the Great Wall, he would have helped fire a few shots.

"Since they've all left, they probably don't want to ask anymore," the second cavalryman leaned forward and snatched the water bag back. "You idiot, what the hell are you? You flattened such a big water bag in one gulp."

"Look at how stingy you are. I just want to drink two sips of your water!" Yuan Lao Er rolled his eyes.

"What if he wants to ask more questions?" The cavalryman who spoke first stroked the horse's mane gently, and his hands were sweating.

"Hey, if they really want to ask, they should wait for us." The second cavalryman said, "Besides, Lieutenant General Hu will know the situation of Tianjiabao sooner or later. There is no need for us to ask too much."

"That's right," the first cavalryman said, reaching into his saddlebag and pulling out a small block of salt, offering it to the horse's mouth. "Chejiabao isn't far away anyway. At worst, we can just make another trek back."

"Let's go!" Yuan Laoer shook the reins and controlled the horse to gallop towards the empty fork in the road.

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There is really no need for Yuan Laoer and the others to go and explain the situation.

Because the welcoming banquet prepared by Hu Guochen for Yuan Keli had not yet been finished, Huang Qingze, the garrison officer stationed at Wenjiabao and in charge of Tianjiabao, sent someone to deliver a detailed military report of the brief confrontation to the Dingliao Right Guard Command Headquarters in Fenghuang City.

Phoenix City was first built in the 17th year of the Chenghua reign, 140 years ago. Its walls were 3.80 li in circumference and had only one gate, the South Gate. For a long time, Phoenix City was just an ordinary border fort, not much different from other forts like Yuanjiabao, Tianjiabao, Zhenningbao, and Ningyibao. It was called Phoenix City simply because it was nestled against Phoenix Mountain.

It wasn't until the 44th year of the Jiajing reign that Emperor Shizong approved the request of Li Fu, then the Liaodong Provincial Inspector, to relocate the Dingliao Right Guard Command, its subordinate officials, and military personnel from Liaoyang to Fenghuang City. This unremarkable small fortress then became the military core of southeastern Liaodong. If it weren't for the Liaodong Governor Xiong Tingbi, and even the Emperor, who believed that Nurhaci would target Korea, Gao Bangzuo, the commander of Liaohai Dongning Road, would also be stationed here.

In the lobby of the Dingliao Right Guard Command Headquarters, Yuan Keli, who had taken over the main seat, finished reading the military report sent by Huang Qingze, the garrison commander of Wenjiabao.

The military report showed that the conflict that occurred more than two hours ago was indeed just an ordinary border confrontation.

At the beginning, the traces of the Jin army were discovered by the outer city towers outside the Great Wall, and they fired signal cannons to alert the surrounding friendly forces.

The Jin army did not retreat, having been exposed, but continued its advance toward the outer fort. When the Jin troops came within range of the Ming army, the Ming troops stationed there decisively opened fire and lit a signal smoke signal to request support. The Jin army then continued its advance, seemingly attempting to attack the fort. The commander ordered a second signal smoke signal and began preparations for a retreat.

Shortly thereafter, three other nearby watchtowers also lit up. Meanwhile, the first wave of reinforcements gathered around the Great Wall had completed their assembly and crossed the river. The defenders at Tianjiabao also began to move closer to the wall.

By the time the first wave of reinforcements had rushed across the pontoon bridge, the Ming army stationed at Dun had also ascertained the enemy's strength. Seeing that the enemy attacking the platform numbered no more than a hundred men, the commander decided to abandon retreat and ordered the entrance to Dunying to be blocked and to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

Finally, the first wave of reinforcements formed up on the other side of the river and slowly advanced. Seeing the overwhelming strength of the Ming army, the Jin army chose to retreat, and the conflict ended.

At this time, the second wave of troops from Tianjiabao had already lit braziers on the Great Wall and were ready to meet the enemy. Meanwhile, the third wave of reinforcements, led by Huang Qingze, the garrison commander of Wenjiabao, was already ready to march. As soon as the third column of smoke was lit ahead, he would immediately lead his troops north.

"Have conflicts like this always been common, or have they only become more frequent recently?" Yuan Keli placed the military newspaper on the large table in front of him and looked at Hu Guochen.

"Except when the chieftain mobilized a large army and plotted to plunder, similar conflicts have always been common." Hu Guochen sat upright in the guest seat on the left. Beside him and across from him sat the entire Ding Liao Youwei Command. Some of these officers were military commanders who also served as battalion commanders, while others were purely administrative officers.

They sat there with their heads down, like a group of students being tested by a private school teacher.

"If we compare the most recent month with the month before the bandits invaded Liaoning and Shenyang, have the bandits' activities become more frequent or less frequent?" Yuan Keli brought up the question that had been asked all the way around.

Hu Guochen quickly grasped Yuan Keli's intention and asked directly, "Yuan Bingxian must be wondering if the enemy is sending reinforcements to the south, right?"

"Yes." Yuan Keli raised his eyebrows, then felt relieved.

Xiong Tingbi wouldn't advertise his strategy to the entire Liao Dynasty, but he would probably inform Hu Guochen. Hu Guochen was no ordinary lieutenant general; he was assisting the entire Liao Dynasty and commanded over 10,000 troops. If he hadn't been guilty of losing the six forts at Kuandian, he would have at least been labeled "Deputy General in Charge."

"Based on what I have discovered so far, I can only say that the bandits have not yet moved to the vicinity of Phoenix City." Hu Guochen lowered his gaze, and a thoughtful and solemn expression gradually emerged on his face.

"In other words, the bandits did move south?" Yuan Keli asked.

"That's probably the guess." Hu Guochen nodded.

"Speculation?" Hu Guochen's ambiguous tone made Yuan Keli feel a little unhappy. His humble words and sentences became stiffer, but his tone and expression were still not harsh. "Could you please explain in detail how you surmise?"

(End of this chapter)