Huangming

Chapter 246 The Strategist Receives Orders, Defeating the Enemy Alone

Liaodong Military Governor's Office.

In the dimly lit secret room, the candlelight flickered, casting long shadows of the two people onto the mottled stone wall.

Xiong Tingbi stood with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed with an unyielding melancholy.

The map of Liaodong on the table had been repeatedly rubbed until the edges were curled, and the marked area of ​​Hetu Ala was circled in cinnabar until it was as red as blood.

After a long silence, he finally sighed and turned to look at Mao Wenlong, who was standing bowing: "A surprise attack on Hetu Ala... Although this plan seems like a surprise attack, a thousand-mile raid into the enemy's heartland could easily lead to the annihilation of the entire army if we are not careful. Tell me frankly, how confident are you?"

Upon hearing this, Mao Wenlong lowered his body even further.

"My lord is wise. I dare not claim perfection, but if we could obtain a guide from the surrendered barbarian camp who is familiar with the terrain, even if we cannot destroy the false capital in one fell swoop, it would be enough to terrify Nurhaci!"

"Moreover, although the Jurchens' supply lines are short, they rely entirely on plunder to maintain them. Our army only needs to use Shenyang as bait to tie down their main force under the city walls, waiting for their troops to grow old and exhausted."

"Once their troops are exhausted and weary, our Great Ming can turn the tables and take control!"

Xiong Tingbi suddenly chimed in, clapping his hands and laughing.

However, before the laughter subsided, Xiong Tingbi frowned and pondered, "Does Minister Sun have any instructions on this matter?"

Upon hearing this, Mao Wenlong immediately clasped his hands in a fist and bowed respectfully, replying, "Reporting to the General, Minister Sun indeed agrees with my proposed surprise attack strategy. However..."

He paused briefly, his tone becoming increasingly respectful.

"The minister specifically instructed that the military affairs in Liaodong should ultimately be decided by the Generalissimo. He said that when it comes to the strategy of fighting and defending against the Jurchens, no one can surpass the Generalissimo, and this matter is entirely up to the Generalissimo's judgment."

"Minister Sun, you're too kind."

Xiong Tingbi's eyebrows twitched slightly, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Minister Sun is His Majesty’s imperial envoy. These days, he has traveled to all the towns in Liaodong, and even personally inspected the most remote fortresses. In terms of familiarity with the enemy situation, he is probably no less than this strategist. Since even he approves of this plan, why would this strategist have any objections?”

The military and political power in Liaodong is now entirely in the hands of these two men.

Xiong Tingbi, the military commissioner of Liaodong, held considerable military power and commanded various towns in Liaodong.

He was not only the backbone of the local military commanders, but also the commander-in-chief of all the army generals.

Those elite troops transferred from within the Great Wall all depended on him.

He represents the will of the Liaodong military.

The other one was Sun Chengzong, the governor of Liaodong.

This civil official, trusted by the emperor, was ordered by the emperor to inspect and govern Liaodong.

Although he did not directly command troops, he represented the will of the court and was the emperor's eyes and ears.

During this time, he traveled to every pass in Liaodong and became very familiar with the military and civilian situation.

Originally, the imperial court had sent censors to supervise the situation, but due to the sudden outbreak of war, the censors' schedules were delayed in order to maintain stability.

Now, Liaodong has become a place jointly governed by Xiong and Sun.

Seeing Sun Chengzong so humble, relinquishing the power of decision-making, Xiong Tingbi felt a sense of relief.

If even the head of the civil service is giving him such face, how could he not appreciate it?

They immediately decided on this surprise attack plan.

"Go ahead."

Xiong Tingbi stroked his beard and smiled, his tone carrying a hint of boldness.

"What do you need this strategist's help with?"

A glint flashed in Mao Wenlong's eyes; he had been waiting for this moment for far too long.

"Your subordinates need to select several capable men from the surrendered barbarian camp."

The camps that housed the surrendered Jurchen soldiers were all desperate and had nowhere else to turn.

Among them, the most valiant were the remnants of the Yehe tribe.

These warriors, who once fought bloody battles against the Jianzhou Jurchens in Kaiyuan and Tieling, now all have a burning flame of revenge in their eyes.

They were familiar with every weak point in the defenses of Hetu Ala, and could even tell you the shift schedule for the sentry posts outside Nurhaci's palace.

Secondly, there were the escaped slaves from Jianzhou.

These bondservants, unable to endure the abuse, scaled the village wall under cover of night and, covered in whip marks, defected to the Ming army.

They knew the distribution of the city's granaries better than anyone, and even knew which cellars stored the cured meat for the winter.

The most unique were the Jurchen hunters.

These men, from the dense forests further north, could track for three days straight in the snow, and could determine their location by the stars.

They brought with them mountain hunting trails that even the Jianzhou Jurchens did not fully understand. Those treacherous paths, difficult even for horses to traverse, became the best passages for a surprise attack.

As for why there were Jurchen soldiers surrendering on the Ming side, the reason is quite simple.

The brutality of the infighting among the Jurchen tribes far exceeded outsiders' imagination.

The victors would slaughter the entire village and clan, while the losers would often have all their male and female members relegated to the status of "bondservants."

These defeated soldiers, with nowhere else to turn, had no choice but to seek refuge with the Ming Dynasty.

"I can grant you this request."

But a moment later, fearing that Mao Wenlong might stumble, Xiong Tingbi gave him some instructions:

“Those who are not of our race will surely have different hearts. A few days ago, those Mongols rebelled, causing a lot of losses to Shenyang. These Jurchens were forced to join us. Once they have a chance to make a contribution and escape, they will seize it. We cannot trust these people casually.”

"Rest assured, General!"

Mao Wenlong grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

“I understand this principle. If any of them dare to harbor any disloyalty, I will personally cut off their scalps and use their skulls as wine bowls for the General.”

Using a human skull as a wine bowl is completely unnecessary.

He was not like Yang Lianzhen, who was so depraved as to use Emperor Lizong of Song's skull as a wine bowl.

We are all civilized people.

If they dare to rebel, death by a thousand cuts, skinning them alive, or stuffing them with straw would be more suitable for them.

"As long as you know."

After saying so much, Xiong Tingbi was also a little thirsty.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then Mao Wenlong's next words were already out.

"Furthermore, please grant me the authority to act expediently and allow me to mobilize the troops from various villages in southern Liaodong."

Upon hearing this, the air in the sealed room seemed to freeze.

Xiong Tingbi frowned slightly, his fingers unconsciously stroking the command arrow on the table.

As the military commissioner of Liaodong, he was well aware of the weight of this imperial edict.
This means that command of tens of thousands of soldiers in southern Liaoning will be handed over to one person.

As the candlelight flickered, Xiong Tingbi's gaze lingered on Mao Wenlong's dark face for a long time before he finally nodded slowly: "This request is something I, the strategist, can grant."

He suddenly raised his voice, slamming his knuckles heavily on the table: "But remember, never mobilize the troops in Liaonan at will!"

Although the Liaodong Military Governorate nominally controlled the military and political affairs of the entire Liaodong region, including key areas in southern Liaodong such as Jinzhou, Fuzhou, and Kuandian, in reality, its influence was limited.

After the Later Jin cavalry occupied key strategic locations such as Fushun and Qinghe, land communication between southern Liaoning and Shenyang became extremely difficult: documents had to be delivered via the Bohai Sea coast, and were almost always intercepted and killed by Jurchen cavalry.

Not to mention that after the six forts of Kuandian were abandoned in the thirty-sixth year of the Wanli reign, the Ming army could only hold scattered coastal strongholds in southern Liaoning, like isolated islands in a vast ocean, unable to support each other.

This is also why Xiong Tingbi strategically abandoned southern Liaoning.

Under such circumstances, although the fortresses in southern Liaoning still outwardly obeyed the orders of the military governor, in reality, the garrison commanders of each fortress had already established their own independent structures.

Whether those documents bearing the seal of the military governor could mobilize a single soldier depended entirely on whether the general receiving the order was willing to comply.

As the old soldiers on the frontier often say: 'Military orders are like mountains? That depends on which mountain—when you encounter a tough opponent, even the strongest order is nothing more than a piece of toilet paper to wipe your butt!'

"The strategist's wisdom is truly admirable!"

A hint of joy flashed across Mao Wenlong's dark face, and he immediately knelt on one knee: "I guarantee with my life that at most one or two transfers will be made. Once the order is given!"

He suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with a sharp light: "Either the surprise attack succeeds, or this humble general dies in battle!"

Xiong Tingbi nodded slightly, but then changed the subject: "You just said you wanted three thousand elite cavalry? But Shenyang is currently preoccupied with its own problems and I'm afraid it can't spare such elite troops."

He stood up and walked to the Liaodong map, his fingertips tracing the dense array of garrison marks around Shenyang: "Our army is already short of warhorses. If we transfer all the cavalry away, when the Jurchen cavalry comes to attack, are we going to expect our soldiers to use their flesh and blood to block the horses' hooves?"

"General, you are overthinking it. I do not intend to transfer troops from Shenyang."

"Liaoyang won't work either!"

Xiong Tingbi interrupted decisively.

"Although this general has eliminated many spies, it is hard to guarantee that there are no survivors. The Jurchens will know as soon as the army moves."

Mao Wenlong suddenly chuckled. Under Xiong Tingbi's questioning gaze, he slowly walked to the Bohai map in the corner of the secret room and pressed his finger heavily on a harbor: "My troops are here."

"Tianjin?!"

Upon hearing this, Xiong Tingbi was taken aback, and his brows furrowed instantly.

"How can Tianjin mobilize troops?!"

"Let's take the sea route!"

Mao Wenlong answered decisively, drawing an arc on the map of the Bohai Bay with his finger.

Xiong Tingbi's pupils suddenly contracted.

He clearly remembered that since the late Wanli period, the Tianjin and Dengzhou naval forces had long been a mere formality—the warships were rotten and the soldiers were scattered, so what kind of naval force was there to speak of?

He looked at the dark-faced general with suspicion, as if trying to see through him to see if he was talking nonsense.

Mao Wenlong seemed to have anticipated this reaction, and calmly took out a sealed letter with sealing wax from his bosom: "His Majesty secretly ordered the reactivation of the Tianjin Navy last month. The 6,000 elite troops of the Beijing Garrison are currently preparing to set sail at Dagu Port. I believe that with His Majesty's high regard for this matter, the warships collected, plus the newly built warships, are sufficient to transport 6,000 men and soldiers."

"I see!"

Xiong Tingbi suddenly realized.

But a moment later, he suddenly realized something, looked up sharply, and his expression turned slightly grim.

"With His Majesty's decree, why is my approval still needed?"

Xiong Tingbi's voice already carried a hint of annoyance.

Damn it, His Majesty has already agreed, why do you need my approval?
How could I possibly disobey an imperial decree?
"What's even more ridiculous is that you just asked me for three thousand elite cavalry? Doesn't Tianjin have six thousand elite troops from the Beijing garrison?"

Mao Wenlong chuckled and scratched the back of his head, saying nonchalantly, "My lord, you are wise. His Majesty specifically instructed that all military affairs in Liaodong must be approved by you before they can be implemented. As for those three thousand cavalrymen, if you are willing to give them to me, I will naturally be able to make them even more useful."

"Get the hell out of here!"

Xiong Tingbi laughed and cursed as he grabbed the paperweight on the table as if to hit it, but then slowly put it down.

He turned his back, his heart filled with complex emotions.

The emperor's respect for his authority warmed his heart.

But this mere fifth-rank guerrilla dared to play this game of feigned indifference with him, which was truly infuriating.

Xiong Tingbi took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently, before he managed to suppress the nameless anger.

He turned to look at the map of Liaodong hanging on the wall, his gaze shifting back and forth between Hetu Ala and Shenyang.

"That's all."

He raised his hand and wiped his face, as if trying to erase all his emotions.

"As long as we can capture Hetu Ala, let alone your mockery of me today, even if you want to pay with my old life, I'll let you have it!"

He strode back to the desk, grabbed the command token, and slammed it heavily into Mao Wenlong's hand: "This strategist is waiting for your good news."

He spoke these words extremely slowly, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, yet they conveyed an undeniable resolve.

Just as Mao Wenlong was about to take his leave, he suddenly turned around, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "The journey is long and arduous; it will take at least forty days, and at most two months, to see results."

"During this period, I urge you, General, to defend Shenyang to the death and hold back the main force of the Jurchens. If Shenyang falls, the surprise attack on Hetu Ala will be meaningless."

Xiong Tingbi snorted and said, "Don't worry, as long as I live, the city will stand. As long as I, Xiong Tingbi, have a breath left, this Shenyang city will not fall!"

Mao Wenlong pushed open the heavy wooden door of the secret room in the governor's mansion. A brisk morning breeze rushed in, dispelling the sweltering heat that had accumulated on his body.

He stood on the stone steps, took a deep breath of the morning air, which smelled of gunpowder, and slowly exhaled, as if he wanted to release all the tension from the secret conversation.

He looked up at the sky, where the sun was shining brightly.

"Hetu Ala."

He murmured softly, his eyes gleaming like wildfire.

His ambition was becoming increasingly uncontrollable.

If this surprise attack succeeds, it will surely shake the court and the public!
Since the Battle of Sarhu, the Ming Dynasty has suffered repeated defeats against the Jurchens, losing troops and territory, and officials in the court turn pale at the mere mention of the Jurchens.

If we can launch a surprise attack and strike directly at the heart of the enemy's stronghold, we can not only lift the siege of Shenyang, but also wipe away the shame of the past.

And his name, Mao Wenlong, will be engraved at the very top of the register of merit!

Thinking of this, his breathing became rapid.

To be ennobled and appointed as a general, to bring glory to one's family—this dream, which I had heard my elders tell me about since I was a child in the military camp, is now within reach.

He could almost see himself in official robes, receiving an award in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Hearing the emperor personally bestow upon him the honorific title of Marquis.
“It must happen!”

He slammed his fist into the stone lion beside him, the impact making his palm go numb.

The pain actually made him more alert.

How many chances does a person have to turn their life around?

Many people only have one time, or even none at all.

Now that this opportunity to turn his life around has presented itself, he is determined not to miss it, even if it costs him his life!

This battle!

Win!

(End of this chapter)