Huangming

Chapter 292 Choosing a Path to Stealth and Aim for Extraordinary Merit

Zhao Shuaijiao steadied himself by holding onto the edge of the table; his face was sallow with a hint of paleness.
Days of seasickness had almost distorted the appearance of this fierce general from the Beijing Garrison, but his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

"General Mao need not say more."

He raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, his voice a little hoarse, yet every word was firm and resonant.

"We are acting on His Majesty's orders, and we are driven by a desire to serve our country. Let alone a day of rest, we would set off right now without hesitation!"

He recalled the emperor's secret letter before his departure, the instruction that "I trust you regarding the matter of Pi Island," and felt the armor on his shoulders grow even heavier.

This surprise attack was not only related to the war situation in Liaodong, but also to the emperor's trust, and could not afford to make the slightest mistake.

"Old Zhao is right!"

Zu Dashou slapped his thigh suddenly, making the teacups on the table jump.

"Brothers, seasickness may be a thing, but we can still slay the Jurchens with our swords! Let's quickly assign tasks and get to work as soon as possible!"

Huang Degong also clasped his hands in agreement: "We are at General Mao's beck and call!"

Seeing that the crowd was in good spirits, Mao Wenlong's taut jawline softened a bit.

He turned and walked to the map, emphasizing the words "Pi Island" with his finger, then slowly moved it along an ink line: "Alright! Let's talk about the first route, which is also the main route in my mind."

“Starting from Pi Island, we took a small boat across the sea to Uiju, North Korea, then went north along a tributary of the Yalu River, passing the old site of Liubao in Kuandian, and went straight to Hetu Ala.”

Zhao Shuaijiao leaned closer for a closer look, his brows furrowing slightly: "Borrowing a route through Korea? From Yizhou to Kuandian, it must be a hundred and fifty li of mountain road, right?"

"Exactly."

Mao Wenlong nodded and tapped the location of "Kuandian Liubao" with his fingertip.

"This route is mostly through dense forests and valleys, and the Jurchens don't have many permanent outposts, so it's easy to hide our tracks in the early stages. If four thousand soldiers travel this route lightly and without baggage, they should be able to reach the city of Hetu Ala in fifteen days."

"Kekuandian Liubao..."

Zu Dashou suddenly spoke up. He had asked the veterans in southern Liaoning recently and knew that land very well.

"Although Li Chengliang abandoned the Six Forts of Kuandian back then, the Jurchens left dozens of soldiers and several beacon towers in Kuandian town. If we were to encounter them..."

"Kill them if they run into you."

Mao Wenlong's voice turned colder.

"They're only a few dozen people. Our four thousand elite troops can't handle them?"

He changed the subject, his tone becoming serious.

"The real trouble lies with the Koreans. Uiju is a border region of Korea, and they have always been afraid of the Jurchens. If news of our request to pass through is leaked to Jurchen scouts by some cowardly official, this is the biggest variable on this route."

Seeing the serious expressions on everyone's faces, Mao Wenlong continued, "Don't worry, there's more than one way to go. There are several other routes, such as the second one, which is the forest road on the eastern foothills of Changbai Mountain."

His voice deepened, carrying a hint of gravity:

"From Pi Island, we crossed the sea to Cheolsan in North Korea, then headed north to Hyesan. After that, we had to venture into the primeval forest on the eastern side of Changbai Mountain. That forest was so dense that it blocked out the sun, and even a little sunlight couldn't penetrate it. Passing through it, we reached the former territory of the Ne'yin tribe, which is now the Fusong area. Finally, we headed straight for Hetu Ala."

Zhao Shuaijiao suddenly looked up: "Isn't this the path that General Liu Ting walked back then?"

The brutality of the Battle of Sarhu remains a thorn in the side of Ming generals to this day.

Now that they were to follow the same path Liu Ting had taken, everyone frowned.

"Exactly."

Mao Wenlong nodded.

"The advantage of this route is its concealment. It runs through dense forests the whole way, so we will hardly run into any Jurchen villages or outposts. If our 4,000 troops travel this route, the Jurchens may not be able to detect it as long as we do not make a fuss."

"But the downsides are also fatal."

Zu Dashou approached the map, his brows furrowed in worry.

“Although the Nayin tribe was destroyed by the Jurchens, it is hard to guarantee that there are still some of its people who escaped. These people hate the Jurchens, but they may not trust us. If they happen to see us, the news can still reach Hetu Ala.”

"Actually, it's much more than that."

Mao Wenlong's voice lowered even further.

“In that primeval forest, the miasma can kill people, and poisonous insects and wild beasts roam everywhere. Scouts sent out to explore the area in the past rarely returned, saying that they had personally witnessed black bears carrying away their companions.”

He paused, looking over the crowd.

"Moreover, the road is too difficult to travel. We have to cut through thorns and brambles. At most, we can only travel ten miles a day. At this speed, it will take twenty-five days to reach Hetu Ala."

The lobby was quiet for a moment; even the sound of the wind outside the window seemed to have stopped.

Huang Degong clicked his tongue: "The 25th? By the time we arrive, the Jurchens will probably already be prepared."

Mao Wenlong didn't reply, but instead pointed to the third route, a dotted line drawn along the Yalu River system, which also ended at Hetu Ala: "The third route is the Yalu River canyon waterway."

"waterway?"

Zhao Shuaijiao was somewhat surprised.

"The river is high this season, is it safe to sail?"

"It's not a big ship, it's a birch bark canoe."

Mao Wenlong explained, “From Pi Island to Shuozhou in North Korea, then take a birch bark boat, travel upstream along the Yalu River at night, pass through the Goguryeo tombs in Ji’an, then turn onto the tributary of the Fu’er River, and head north until you reach Hetu Ala.”

"This is the fastest route. Going upstream along the river and traveling by boat at night, we should be able to arrive within fifteen days."

"The 15th?!"

Zu Dashou's eyes lit up, then dimmed again.

"But the current in the upper reaches of the Yalu River is too rapid, especially in this canyon, where there are many reefs. If you travel at night, I'm afraid five out of ten boats will capsize."

"That's the problem."

Mao Wenlong's tone was tinged with helplessness.

“Birch bark boats are used by Korean border residents for fishing. They are very small, with a maximum of five people per boat. They also need to be lightly equipped, and even the muskets have to be disassembled to be used. We can search all over the place and at most gather a hundred boats in a short time. At most, we can only send five hundred people.”

He gazed at the waterway, his brow furrowed: "And the most critical thing is that there are Jurchen watchtowers along the river. Although boats can hide their tracks at night, the sound of oars paddling through the water and occasional cries for help can still be heard. Once exposed, there are cliffs on both banks, and there's no way to retreat."

Huang Degong suddenly said, "Five hundred men... if they are all elites, we could catch them off guard."

"But the risk is too great."

Zhao Shuaijiao shook his head.

"Five hundred men are too few. If we really encounter the Jurchens, it'll be like throwing meat buns to a dog. Mao's guerrilla tactics, is there any other way out?"

“There is another way, which is also the last way…” Mao Wenlong paused, as if weighing his words.

"This is a dangerous road; we call it the 'Ghost Valley Road of Kuandian North Road'."

All eyes turned to that direction.

The route started from Pi Island, went first to Shenmi Island in North Korea, then secretly landed at the salt field, then crossed the gap in the Hushan Great Wall, passed through Guanshuitun and Bahechuan Gorge, and finally reached Hetu Ala.

"This road is the shortest by land, about 280 li in total. If it is an elite force lightly armed, they can reach the city of Hetu Ala within ten days."

"Ten days?"

Huang Degong's eyes lit up, but then he frowned.

"If it's a shortcut, why is it called 'Ghost Valley'?"

"Because it's dangerous."

“The reefs on Shenmi Island can puncture the bottom of a ship, the mud in the salt fields can trap people and horses, the gaps in the Hushan Great Wall are hiding poisonous snakes, and the most dangerous is the Bahechuan Gorge, with sheer cliffs on both sides and waist-deep icy water below. If you are not careful, you will fall off the cliff. Locals say it is ‘the throat of the King of Hell’.”

He looked up at the crowd and said, “More importantly, this whole route is enemy-occupied territory. There are hunters and scouts in Guanshuitun and Bahechuan. Every step we take is under the watchful eyes of the Jurchens. Once we are discovered, there are cliffs in front and behind us, and we will have no way to retreat.”

Zu Dashou gasped: "How many people can walk on this road?"

"Two thousand at most."

Mao Wenlong said in a deep voice, "Too many people will make us easy to be spotted, and we won't be able to move quickly."

The air in the hall seemed to freeze, and the candlelight cast flickering shadows on the map.

Seeing everyone remain silent, Mao Wenlong spoke again.

There are so many roads.

Mao Wenlong withdrew his hand and glanced at the crowd.

"Which path we choose, and how we proceed, is a matter of life and death for six thousand brothers, and even more so, the success or failure of our surprise attack. You may all share your thoughts."

Zhao Shuaijiao pondered for a moment before speaking first: "I think two routes are enough. The first route goes through Korea, which can hide a large force; the fourth route, though dangerous, is fast, which can create a time difference. The two routes together have a total of 6,000 troops, which matches our manpower perfectly."

He paused, then added, "The second route is too far, and twenty-five days is too long. By the time we arrive, the Jurchens will already be prepared. The third route only has five hundred men, which I'm afraid will be difficult to accomplish."

"Old Zhao is mistaken."

Huang Degong suddenly spoke, his voice loud and clear.

"We cannot abandon the third waterway!"

He walked up to the map and pointed to the Yalu River waterway: "This route can accommodate larger ships."

Upon hearing this, everyone frowned slightly.

"Only birch bark boats can conceal our whereabouts; how could a large ship possibly do the same?"

Huang Degong grinned. Although he was a brave general, it didn't mean he was brainless.

"What if we run out of food and ammunition when the main force reaches the walls of Hetu Ala? We can't let our brothers attack the city on an empty stomach. This waterway is not only a surprise attack route but also a supply line! Once we take the outer perimeter of Hetu Ala, we can use boats to transport food and artillery, which is ten times faster than by land!"

"But the risk is too great."

Zu Dashou frowned.

"The current is rapid, and we are very likely to be discovered by the Jurchens."

"Only when the risk is high can an opportunity be seized."

Huang Degong's eyes were surprisingly bright.

“We can delay the departure of our brothers by water by three days, and wait until the main force is almost at Hetu Ala before they move. This way, we won’t be exposed and we can keep up in time. Moreover, once the surprise attack is almost over, this route can also serve as the fastest retreat route.”

Mao Wenlong looked at the arguing crowd and suddenly smiled.

He raised his hand and pressed it against the map, his voice resolute: "General Huang is right! We'll take all three routes!"

He pointed to the first route: "General Zhao, lead four thousand men along the main route, passing through Korea, and advance steadily. We must arrive by the fifteenth!"

He then pointed to the fourth route: "General Zu, lead two thousand men through the Ghost Valley Pass, traveling light and quickly. You must reach the western side of Hetu Ala within fifteen days and act accordingly!"

Finally, the third waterway was pointed out: "General Huang will lead a thousand elite troops by water, on large ships, departing three days later, carrying breech-loading cannons, to blast open the east gate and receive the main force!"

"Furthermore, five days after we send out our troops, we will send a message to the various guards in southern Liaodong, instructing them to send troops from Jinzhou, Fuzhou, and Haizhou to escort us! Also, we will have the King of Joseon take charge of some of the logistical issues."

Zhao Shuaijiao, quick-witted as ever, immediately understood the crux of the matter: "General, are you afraid the news will be leaked in advance?"

"Yes."

“These five days are enough for our vanguard to reach Kuandian. Even if there are spies trying to leak the news to the Jurchens, by the time their messengers reach Hetu Ala, our knives will probably already be at the city gates. Our brothers in Liaonan and the Koreans will move five days later, which will not only avoid the news but also keep the Jurchens occupied. This is called ‘coordinating front and back, and combining deception with reality.’”

Looking at the sign for the second road, Zu Dashou suddenly sighed: "So, it seems we really don't need to take the Changbai Mountain forest trail?"

"no need."

Mao Wenlong's voice became a little deeper.

"General Liu Ting's blood is still fresh from the Battle of Sarhu. That forest is not only haunted by wild beasts and miasma, but also by the wronged souls of our brothers. We cannot send our brothers to their doom again. Besides, that road is too slow. Twenty-five days is too unpredictable; we cannot afford to gamble."

Everyone was silent.

"Ok, deal."

Mao Wenlong made the decision again.

"Three roads, six thousand brothers, that's enough."

"Let the brothers rest well tonight, have some hot soup and a good meal, and sharpen their armor. The day after tomorrow at dawn, we will set off."

Zhao Shuaijiao stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and the clinking of his armor made a crisp sound: "I'll go back and muster my troops right away!"

Zu Dashou and Huang Degong accepted the order and strode out of the guerrilla headquarters.

The plan to launch a surprise attack on Hetu Ala was thus finalized.

now.

The waves of the Bohai Sea, the dense forests of Changbai Mountain, and the rapids of the Yalu River.

Everyone was quietly waiting for the thunder that would soon tear through the night sky of Liaodong.

ps:
There might be an extra chapter tonight for those who vote with monthly tickets, but that's just a possibility. Even if there is, it will be very late, so my beloved readers don't need to wait for the update.

(End of this chapter)