Huangming

Chapter 294 Feigned Joy, Actual Investigation: Presenting the Map to the Ming Army

For Li Yangeng, figuring out the city's defenses in Hetu Ala was far easier than outsiders imagined.

He was the eldest son of Li Yongfang, the son-in-law of the emperor. This identity was a double-edged sword, which not only burdened him with the infamy of being the son of a traitor, but also gave him conveniences that were difficult for others to attain.

Every time he entered or left the nine gates of the outer city, the Eight Banner soldiers guarding the city would only bow and salute when they saw the waist tag with the character "Li" engraved on it, and never dared to ask a question.

Even the guards at the three main city gates in the inner city had to let him pass after learning his identity.

After all, everyone knows that this young prince consort is someone who can freely enter and leave the Taiji Mansion.

Furthermore, as Li Yongfang's eldest son, he was qualified to participate in the noble banquets of Hetu Ala.

Those invitations with gold trim would always arrive at the prince consort's residence on time, inviting him to the banquet.

Rather than valuing him, it was more accurate to say that the Later Jin nobles wanted to use this opportunity to flaunt their "favor" towards the Han people, but this turned out to be an excellent opportunity for Li Yangeng to gather intelligence.

However, he knew that his identity alone was not enough.

To get in touch with the general who truly controls the city's defenses, one still needs a bit of "east wind".

This east wind is his stepmother.

therefore.

The following morning, he went to the main courtyard in person.

Li Yongfang's legal wife, Abatai's daughter, lived in the main courtyard. She was only three years older than him.

Li Yangeng had always been reluctant to see her. Every time he thought of this noblewoman from Jianzhou who bore the title of "mother," he felt a tightness in his chest.

Her father and brothers had their hands stained with the blood of Han Chinese.

But now, he has no choice but to bow his head.

"Your Highness, what brings you here today?"

The woman was sitting on the veranda flipping through a Manchu account book. When she saw him come in, she merely raised her eyes slightly, her tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

She wore a qipao embroidered with gyrfalcons and a pearl bracelet on her wrist, exuding the pride of a princess in every gesture.

Li Yangeng suppressed his discomfort and bowed slightly, saying, "Thank you for your concern, Mother. I've been feeling quite cooped up at home lately and would like to go out for a walk, but..."

He paused deliberately, revealing a hint of hesitation.

“When my child went to banquets before, I always felt that the way those Taijis looked at me was a bit strange. I was afraid they didn’t consider me one of their own.”

Abatai's daughter put down the ledger, a half-smile playing on her lips.

“You are the son of the Prince Consort of Fushun, so naturally you are family. Those people are just jealous of your father’s high regard for the Great Khan.”

Although she was young, she was well-versed in the political situation of the Later Jin Dynasty. She knew that although Li Yongfang was a member of the Han Banner Army, he held military power and was someone that the Taijis without military power dared not easily offend.

"But my son always felt uneasy."

Li Yangeng lowered his head, his voice tinged with grievance.

"If I could get my mother's help and say a good word for me in front of the Taiji, I would feel more at ease."

Seeing that Li Yangeng, with whom she had always had conflicts, was willing to back down, Abatai's daughter also smiled.

Although she was the legal wife, she was still an outsider in Hetu Ala. If she could get her stepson to rely on her, she would have more influence in front of Li Yongfang.

Moreover, Abatai has always doted on her and has considerable influence in the court. Helping her stepson a few times is just a small favor for him.

"How difficult is this?"

She stood up, her tone becoming lighter.

"I will go to the palace tonight to see the Grand Queen Dowager. I will say a few words for you during the banquet, and I guarantee those people will not dare to look down on you again."

Li Yangeng was secretly delighted, but his expression remained respectful: "Thank you, Mother."

With the connection to Abatai's daughter, Li Yangeng's path to advancement became much smoother.

The following three days.

He maneuvered among various Taijis and princes.

When he was with adult dignitaries, he put away his usual aloofness and joined them in archery competitions at the shooting range. If he lost, he would drink a large bowl of strong liquor with gusto.

Those garrison commanders, their faces flushed from drinking, were hardly wary of this "son of a traitor," and often, fueled by alcohol, revealed the details of their defenses.

However, when facing the underage nobles who remained in Hetu Ala, such as Nurhaci's fifteenth son Dodo and Huang Taiji's eldest son Hauge, Li Yangeng adopted a different demeanor.

He played dominoes and Mongolian chess with ten-year-old Dodo and twelve-year-old Hao, deliberately losing miserably, which made the young princes laugh uproariously.

Gain their favor and gather intelligence.

In just three days, Li Yangeng had a sketch covered with markings in his sleeve.

The number of troops guarding the nine gates of the outer city, the distribution of the crenellations in the inner city, the location of the Chimney Hill watchtower, the opening and closing times of the drawbridge...

He even remembered which parts of the city wall had problems.

While spying on the city's defenses, Li Yangeng did not miss any opportunity to win people's hearts, especially the garrison commander stationed in Hetu Ala.

Nurhaci's sixth son, Aisin Gioro Tabai.

This young man was only in his early thirties, but he looked older than a fifty-year-old man.

His birth mother was a concubine without official status, and she died of illness not long after giving birth to him.

Among Nurhaci's sixteen sons, he had neither the bravery of Chu Ying nor the wisdom of Huang Taiji, nor even the ruthlessness of Ajige. He was a complete "superfluous person".

He was sent to guard Hetu Ala this time, supposedly for an "important task," but in reality, he was being sidelined by his brothers and relegated to this remote corner.

Li Yangeng had naturally come up with a solution to Tabai's situation.

When inviting Tabai for drinks, Li Yangeng deliberately feigned indignation.

"The other day, the people from the Bordered Yellow Banner came to inspect the military equipment and said that the bows and arrows in your warehouse were substandard. Those people are clearly nitpicking!"

Tabai's hand holding the wine glass trembled suddenly, and he didn't even notice the wine splashing onto his clothes.

He shook his head with a wry smile: "Fine, let them say what they want. I only have two Niru (units) of Bordered Blue Banner soldiers under my command, and I can't even muster thirty sets of decent armor."

He gulped down a large mouthful of wine, his voice filled with self-mockery.

"Including the bondservants and the elderly and weak, there are at most three thousand men. It would be good if they could hold Hetu Ala."

Li Yangeng's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm on the surface: "Taiji is joking. Hetu Ala is the birthplace of the Great Jin Dynasty. How could it only have this few troops?"

"The birthplace of a dragon?"

Tabai chuckled and pointed out the window.

“Look at those Taiji prefectures, which one isn’t indulging in revelry every night? Sarhu is the current focus, and the elite troops have all followed the Khan there.”

He leaned closer and lowered his voice.

“They all say that Hetu Ala is safe and sound in the rear. If enemy cavalry were to actually reach this place, it would take the complete fall of Sarhu, Jiefan City, and Gule Village, as well as the loss of Yagu Pass and Qinghe. But how could the Ming dogs possibly have that capability?”

That's true. Following the normal route, it would have been very difficult for the Ming army to reach Hetu Ala.

This is why the guards at the city gates have become increasingly lax in their checks.

Banquets were held one after another in Taiji Province.

Even ordinary Eight Banner soldiers were only concerned with showing off their weapons and martial arts skills in the training ground, and no one would think that Hetu Ala was in danger.

"Besides, we have plenty of bondservants here. If things really come to a critical point, we can open the treasury of Hetu Ala, put armor on them, and still assemble a large army!"

Li Yangeng raised his glass with a smile, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

It seems that Hetu Ala doesn't have many standing soldiers, but when it comes to actually fighting, it can still muster several thousand men.

After receiving intelligence about Hetu Ala, Li Yangeng had a feeling.

Hetu Ala was indeed not so easy to conquer.

The city walls were built against the mountain and surrounded by water on three sides. With the elite troops stationed at Sarhu, even if the Ming army had the greatest courage, it would be difficult to reach the heart of the Later Jin.

But every time he thought of Hu Xue's sharp eyes and the city defense map covered with marks in his sleeve, a faint flame would ignite in his heart.

What if?
What if the Ming army really comes?
This is his only chance.

His father, Li Yongfang, had already completely sided with the Jurchens. If he wanted to wash away the stigma of being the "son of a traitor" and to hold his head high, he could only grasp at this seemingly insignificant straw. Even if there was only a sliver of hope, he was willing to risk his life.

Before dawn on the fourth day, candles were lit in the east wing of the prince consort's residence.

Li Yangeng carefully folded the thin city defense map, stuffed it into a close-fitting lining, and then took out a few silver ingots and put them into his sleeve before pushing open the door and going out.

Good morning, young prince consort!

The guards at the north gate greeted him with smiles from afar as he approached.

These past few days, Li Yangeng has been exceptionally generous. Yesterday, he even rewarded the leading platoon leader with a silver coin. At this moment, the soldiers looked at him with eyes full of flattery.

"Has everyone used it yet?"

Li Yangeng smiled and nodded, then casually took out a handful of loose silver from his sleeve and stuffed some into the hands of each soldier.

"The money to buy everyone alcohol."

"You're too kind, young prince consort!"

The soldiers accepted it with beaming smiles, even moving the swords at their waists slightly away. No one tried to search his baggage like they had when he first arrived in Hetu Ala.

The squad leader, who was leading the group, even solicitously lifted the drawbridge of the city gate: "Is the young prince going to Erdaogou again today? The dew there is heavy; would you like me to prepare a raincoat for you?"

"No need."

Li Yangeng waved his hand and walked briskly out of the city gate.

He glanced back at the city, which was faintly visible in the morning mist. In just a few days, he had gone from a hostage who was restricted in every way to someone who could call the guards brothers.

Behind this change lies the network of connections he gained by enduring discomfort, and even more so, the relationships he cultivated with money.

After all, money is indeed very useful to some extent.

A thin layer of dew covered the official road outside the city.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, and Chimney Mountain in the distance looked as if it were immersed in milk, making it difficult to see clearly.

Li Yangeng took a deep breath of the chilly air, and the city defense map on his chest seemed to be burning hot.

When we reached the bank of the Erdao River, the sun had just peeked over the horizon, and golden light shone through the thin mist onto the water, like a layer of broken gold.

The dew on the reeds shone brightly in the sunlight, swaying gently in the wind, startling a few water birds that fluttered across the river.

On the rock diagonally opposite the bank, Hu Xue was already sitting.

He was still wearing that moon-white silk shirt, but with a dark blue cloak over it. The fishing rod was resting diagonally on his knee, and the fishing line drew a thin arc in the water, indicating that he had been waiting for a long time.

Hearing footsteps, Hu Xue didn't turn around, but spoke softly, her voice drifting through the morning mist: "A quarter of an hour earlier than the agreed time."

Li Yangeng stood on the opposite bank of the river, looking at that composed figure, and suddenly felt that the tension of the past few days had dissipated somewhat.

He bent down and pushed aside the reeds at his feet, his voice trembling slightly: "It's always better to arrive early than late."

Li Yangeng walked step by step onto the pebbles by the river to Hu Xue.

The morning dew dampened the hem of his robe, clinging to the fine reed fluff, but he didn't care. He simply and solemnly unbuttoned the cotton robe and pulled out a roll of something from his inner pocket.

It was Xuan paper bound with thin hemp rope and wrapped in a layer of waterproof oilcloth.

He handed over the oilcloth package.

"This is a defense map of Hetu Ala."

His voice was very low, but every word was clear.

"The Hetu Ala standing army looks like it has three thousand men, but in reality, only nine hundred are armored elites; the rest are bondservants and the old and weak."

Hu Xue put down his fishing rod, took the deployment map with both hands, and quickly unfolded the Xuan paper. In the morning light, the ink marks on it were surprisingly clear.

The cannon positions were marked with cinnabar, the number of crenellations was written with ink, and even the changing of the guard time for each city gate was clearly marked.

What's most astonishing is that the names of the people in charge of each position are written clearly, and even which Niru'erzhen is a heavy drinker and which Meilezhangjing is timid are noted in small print next to them.

"Sigh~"

Hu Xue gasped.

He had been a merchant in Liaodong for more than ten years and had seen at least eighty or a hundred city defense maps, but he had never seen one so detailed.

"There is one more thing I need to remind you of. The Hetu Ala armory contains three thousand sets of armor and bows and arrows. If you give them half an hour, Tabai can give the order and those bondservants can put on their armor and go into battle. Although they are a rabble, they are still numerous and powerful."

Hu Xue suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with admiration as she looked at Li Yangeng: "You even found this out?"

"That's what Tabai said when he was drunk."

Li Yangeng twitched the corner of his mouth, his face expressionless.

"These armors were for the Jurchens to use as a precaution."

Hu Xue's words were tinged with excitement.

"This map is priceless. With it, the Ming army will be even more powerful."

The merchant carefully folded the defense map, tucked it into his close-fitting leather pouch, and sealed it with wax.

"For the Ming Dynasty, this is the key to changing the course of the war."

Li Yangeng looked at his tense profile and suddenly asked, "I've given you the defense map. Now, can you trust me?"

Taking a breath, Li Yangeng looked intently at Hu Xue.

"What exactly do you want? Why is the Embroidered Uniform Guard so insistent on deploying defenses in Hetu Ala?"

Hu Xue tied the leather pouch around her waist and patted it, as if to confirm its existence.

He looked up at Li Yangeng, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "You'll find out when the time comes."

But perhaps it's a bit disheartening that Li Yangeng, who has made such a great contribution, wasn't told anything.

He then changed the subject and decided to have Li Yangeng prepare in advance.

How many people can you command?

Li Yangeng was taken aback; he hadn't expected him to ask that.

He pondered for a moment: "There are more than thirty guards in the manor, all of whom are Han Chinese and trustworthy. Including a few hunters outside the city, there are less than forty people in total."

"Forty people..."

Hu Xue frowned slightly, clearly feeling it was too little.

But he quickly relaxed and took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket and handed it over.

"This contains sleeping potion, colorless and odorless, enough to knock out a cow. You might find it useful. Also, prepare well these days and try to win over as many people as possible. The bondservants in the manor, the Han soldiers guarding the city—any Han person can be recruited."

Hu Xue's eyes flickered:

"If you truly wish to emulate Liu Xingzuo, the Marquis of Weilu, and abandon darkness for light, this is your only chance."

“Wilde…”

Li Yangeng took the porcelain bottle, his fingertips touching the cool glaze, and his heart skipped a beat.

The story of Liu Xingzuo abandoning the Jin dynasty and returning to the Ming dynasty is widely circulated among the Han Chinese bannermen, and he is an object of secret admiration for many Han Chinese youths.

He suddenly looked up, his eyes gleaming with an unprecedented light: "You really want to attack Hetu Ala?"

Hu Xue didn't answer directly, but grabbed the fishing rod and pulled the line back sharply. There was a palm-sized small fish on the hook.

He untied the fish and threw it into the fish basket, saying calmly, "I will send someone to inform you when the time comes. What merit you can achieve then will depend on your ability."

After saying that, he slung his fish basket over his shoulder, turned around and walked into the depths of the reeds. His dark blue cloak flashed in the morning mist and quickly disappeared from sight.

Li Yangeng held the cold porcelain bottle, stood by the river, and stared in the direction where Hu Xue had disappeared, his heart pounding.

Is the Ming army really going to attack Hetu Ala?

But where did they come from?

The elite troops of Sarhu are still here, and the garrison of Jiefan City has not moved. Could it be...?

From the sea?
Li Yangeng's eyes flickered.

He felt that he had already guessed the truth!
(End of this chapter)