Huangming

Chapter 298 Taking a Risk, the Commander-in-Chief's Decision
The massive Jurchen army, like a rising Black Sea, instantly flooded the official road leading to Shenyang.

The soldiers in the front row, clad in bright silver armor, with red tassels on their helmets fluttering wildly in the wind, were the elite of the Plain White Banner.

Behind them, the dark red battle robes of the red-armored soldiers stretched out in a continuous line, while the indigo figures of the blue-armored soldiers were interspersed among them.

Soldiers from the two red banners and two blue banners were also thrown into the battlefield, clearly indicating that Huang Taiji was truly enraged and wanted to completely crush this Ming army that was harassing the artillery formation.

He Shixian reined in his warhorse, staring at the city wall so close at hand, his heart clenching as if gripped by iron pincers.

The distance of just over a hundred steps had now become an insurmountable chasm between life and death.

The Ming soldiers on the city wall were anxiously waving their flags, but their shouts were swallowed up by the roars of the Jurchens. Their arrows could not reach that far, so they could only watch helplessly as their comrades below the city were surrounded.

However, artillery would accidentally hit friendly forces, and most of the artillery had been moved to the northeast, leaving them with no way to provide reinforcements.

Meanwhile, the Jurchens had already begun their attack.

"kill!"

Abatai's roar pierced through the crowd.

The Jurchen cavalry charged towards the Ming army's formation like a flood bursting its banks.

Although Qi Jin's Southern troops formed a shield wall, it cracked open with a "crack" under the charge of the heavily armored cavalry.

Just as a swordsman raised his shield, he was pierced by a Jurchen lance, and was sent flying into the air along with his shield, his blood splattering all over the faces of the spearmen behind him.

"Hold on!"

Qi Jin wielded his Japanese sword to cut off the spears that were thrusting at him, but his formation had already been broken into pieces.

The Southern soldiers were skilled in infantry combat, but they could not withstand the repeated attacks of the Jurchen cavalry. They were quickly divided into several small groups and could only fight back to back.

He Shixian's cavalry was in no better shape.

They had exhausted their horses while destroying the artillery position; the warhorses were panting heavily, their hooves weak and unable to charge any further.

The Jurchen cavalry seized the opportunity and pounced like hungry wolves. The crisp sound of sabers slashing, the dull thud of armor clashing, and the screams of the dying mingled together, creating a scene resembling a living hell.

"Follow me and we'll fight our way back!"

He Shixian brandished his blunted saber, and with a flash of light, the head of a white-armored soldier rolled to the ground.

But as soon as he broke through, more Jurchens surged forward, their spears thrusting at him from all directions, forcing him to spin around in place.

The knife in his hand grew heavier and heavier. He Shixian didn't know how many people he had killed. He only felt his tiger's mouth go numb and the blade curled up like a crescent moon.

His battle robe was soaked in blood, indistinguishable between his own and the enemy's. A deep, bone-revealing wound was slashed across his left arm, and blood dripped down from the seams of his armor, accumulating into a dark red pool under the horse's belly.

"Commander He! Over here!"

A guard roared and used his body to block the spear that was thrusting at He Shixian. The spear tip pierced through his back, but he held on to the spear shaft tightly.

"Quick...go..."

He Shixian's eyes were about to burst. He swung his sword and cut the spear in half. Just as he was about to pull up his personal guard, the guard was already hacked to death by the Jurchens who followed.

He looked up abruptly and saw Qi Jin being besieged by more than ten red-armored soldiers. His Japanese sword was wielded like a white light, but he had been hit in the leg by an arrow and was already at his last gasp.

The Jurchen tide continued to surge in, and the Ming army's formation was broken more and more as it was swept away. The distance from Shenyang City not only did not shorten, but it was retreating step by step.

A young soldier from Zhejiang panicked and ran wildly toward the city wall. He hadn't gone far when he was overtaken by the Jurchen cavalry. Their sabers swung down, and his head rolled into the ditch by the roadside.

He Shixian suddenly roared to the sky, his voice filled with grief and indignation.

He knew that he would probably die here today.

But he was unwilling to do so.

Only a hundred paces from the city wall, only a hundred paces from life!
He hasn't been granted a title yet!
He cannot die here!
Just then, a burst of rapid cannon fire suddenly rang out from the city wall.

Three earthen cannons roared down into the Jurchen ranks, the blasting debris knocking over a group of cavalrymen.

He Shixian's spirits lifted, and he looked up to see that the city gates had been opened, and Ming soldiers were pouring out from afar.

"Reinforcements! It's reinforcements!" a soldier shouted.

The Jurchens quickly realized what was happening and sent a cavalry unit to rush up the city wall to block the Ming reinforcements.

Despair descended once again.

He Shixian wiped the blood from his face, gripped the dull blade of the knife tightly again, and his eyes gradually sharpened.

I bother!

Even if I die, I'll take a few people down with me!

The Jurchen's saber came down again, and He Shixian dodged to the side, but the blade still grazed his cheek.

Ignoring everything else, he swung his sword backhand and slashed at the enemy's horse's leg. The warhorse neighed and fell, throwing the Jurchen soldier off.

But before he could deliver the final blow, a sharp pain shot through his back.

A spear pierced his shoulder blade.

"Uh-"

He Shixian turned around abruptly and, with his last bit of strength, plunged the knife into the chest of the Jurchen soldier.

He looked at the other person's incredulous eyes, then suddenly laughed, laughing until his mouth was full of blood.

The city wall still stands in the distance; perhaps he will never reach it again.

Let's rewind to fifteen minutes ago.

The walls of Shenyang.

The northeast city wall.

Xiong Tingbi's figure moved between the battlements, his official robe lifted by the wind, revealing the soaked lining underneath.

He stared at the still-smoking breach in the northeast corner, then suddenly raised his hand and waved it heavily: "Push all the breech-loading cannons to the east and north sides! Quickly!"

The soldiers were already so exhausted they could barely stand up straight, but upon hearing the order, they gritted their teeth and got to work. More than ten breech-loading cannons, supported by sturdy logs, were moved to their designated positions with a creaking sound, their muzzles all pointing towards the open ground outside the city.

These cannons, with their cold gleam, were lighter and had a longer range than the Jurchen red-coated cannons; they were Xiong Tingbi's most prized possessions.

"Reinforce the gun mount with rammed earth!"

Xiong Tingbi squatted down and measured the angle of elevation of the cannon muzzle with his hand.

"Aim at the artillery positions established before the Jurchens."

He knew that Huang Taiji would not give up easily and would continue to bombard the northeast corner with the remaining artillery. What he had to do was to let the other side taste the bitterness of "an eye for an eye".

Their cannons were on the city walls, naturally higher than the Jurchen positions, and the cannons set up at this moment had a commanding view and a longer range.

Xiong Tingbi's eyes were sharp, and he couldn't help but mutter, "Now it's the Tartars' turn to taste their power."

However, even though the artillery positions were in place, Xiong Tingbi did not relax at all. He stared at the Jurchen cavalry gradually gathering outside the city, his brows furrowed in worry.

He Shixian and Qi Jin had not yet returned. The sounds of fighting could be faintly heard from the direction where the smoke had dissipated, but there was still no sign of the Ming army.

"General, the artillery positions are all set up!" The platoon leader's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Xiong Tingbi stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, "Pass down the order: as soon as the Jurchens fire, retaliate immediately! Don't give them a chance to breathe!"

He knew in his heart that as long as this artillery line held, Huang Taiji's plan to break through from the northeast corner would be completely thwarted.

Just then, a staggering figure rushed up the stairs.

"Lord General!"

This person was You Shigong, the deputy commander-in-chief of Shenyang.

"Something bad is going to happen!"

Xiong Tingbi's heart sank, and he quickly went to support him: "Tell me slowly, what happened to Marshal He, Marshal Qi, and General Zhou?"

"Zhou Dunji was surrounded by a large Jurchen army and did not return. He was hit by more than ten arrows and died in battle!"

"Commander He and Commander Qi are surrounded by the Jurchens a hundred paces from the city. The white-armored soldiers are charging forward like madmen. They... they can't hold on much longer!"

These words struck like a thunderclap on the city wall.

Xiong Tingbi's face turned ashen instantly. He turned sharply to look outside the city, his gaze piercing through the billowing smoke, as if trying to see the heart of the chaotic battle.

Zhou Dunji originally came to Liaodong to atone for his crimes and make meritorious contributions. He was brave and good at fighting, but unexpectedly he was killed outside.

He Shixian and Qi Jin were the city's right-hand men in defending it; if either of them were to fall, the defenses of Shenyang would surely crumble.

"Send 500 infantrymen out from Anding Gate to provide support!"

Xiong Tingbi's voice trembled with suppressed emotion.

"Have the archers provide cover on the city walls and use fire arrows to suppress the Jurchens!"

"That's too late!"

You Shigong roared in frustration.

"Andingmen is blocked by Jurchen cavalry, and the squad that just broke through is all gone! Now only... only Deshengmen can be barely opened, but it is also surrounded by Red Armor soldiers!"

Xiong Tingbi clenched his fists tightly, his expression somewhat grim.

Looking at the area outside the city shrouded in the clash of swords, he suddenly understood Huang Taiji's treacherous scheme.

The enemy not only wanted to destroy his artillery, but also wanted to take this opportunity to eliminate some of the most capable generals in Shenyang.

"Can the breech-loading cannon reach the heart of the battle?" Xiong Tingbi suddenly asked, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible hope.

The captain quickly shook his head: "Reporting to the General, it's too close! It's easy to accidentally hurt our own people!"

Yu Shigong, clutching his bleeding wound and watching the fading sounds of battle outside the city, suddenly knelt down: "General, we must save them..."

"you're right!"

Seeing You Shigong's pained expression, Xiong Tingbi knew he had to make a decision.

He's the head coach, he has to be decisive!

After a moment, Xiong Tingbi clenched his fists and immediately said:
"Damn the Jurchens! We must go out of the city to meet them! We absolutely cannot let He Shixian and Qi Jin perish outside the city!"

General Chen Ce, who was sent to aid Liaoning, was stunned.

"My lord, to go out of the city and engage the Jurchens in open battle? That's too risky."

The defenses of Shenyang were already strained, with the total number of troops guarding the four gates barely exceeding 30,000. If they were to leave the city now, they would have to withdraw most of their forces.

Abandoning the impregnable city defenses and engaging the Jurchens in open field battles is tantamount to using one's weaknesses against another's strengths.

Those armored Jurchen cavalrymen could rout Ming infantry formations in open terrain—a lesson learned at the cost of countless lives. "My lord, this…"

You Shigong's voice tightened as he gazed at the churning torrent of black-armored soldiers outside the city, his throat dry.

"Our infantry is no match for us in open field battles, what if..."

"Nothing unexpected!"

Xiong Tingbi interrupted him, his gaze sweeping over the weary yet still upright figures on the city wall.

"Moreover, even if something goes wrong, I will take the blame."

"He Shixian is the General Commander of Shenyang, and Qi Jin is the Deputy General Commander in charge of the Liaodong expedition. They are not only the generals of our Great Ming Dynasty, but also the morale of all the soldiers in the city! If they die, Shenyang will collapse in less than three days!"

The more critical the moment, the clearer Xiong Tingbi's thoughts became.

"Sending too few is like adding fuel to the fire, sending too many is like gambling with lives. But right now, we have no choice!"

You Shigong remained silent.

He knew Xiong Tingbi was right.

He Shixian held immense prestige among the Liao soldiers, while Qi Jin's southern troops were the backbone of the reinforcements. If these two were to perish, morale would inevitably be thrown into chaos.

This hard-won morale could be destroyed in an instant.

"To save lives, we must launch a full-scale attack!"

Xiong Tingbi suddenly turned around and roared at the flag officer beside him.

"Pass on my order: Open all eight gates! Leave one hundred men at each gate to guard the city, and the rest of the troops shall leave the city!"

The flag officer was stunned, almost dropping the command flag in his hand: "Lord General, this... this means we're abandoning the city walls?"

"It's not giving up, it's finding a different way to defend!"

Xiong Tingbi's eyes were remarkably bright.

"Tell all battalions to break through the enemy lines and then not to linger in battle. Afterwards, rescue He Shixian and Qi Jin! Whoever brings them back will be rewarded with a thousand taels of silver and promoted three ranks!"

"But……"

The flag officer wanted to say something, but Xiong Tingbi's sharp gaze forced him to shut up.

If we develop a fear of the Jurchens, how can we defend Shenyang?

The narrow road meets the brave to win!

Moreover, the enemy has been out in force for a long time, while our troops are well-rested and ready to fight. If we still can't win, then we will have no choice but to defend Shenyang to the death.

However.
If we defend Shenyang to the death, Shenyang will surely fall.

The difference is only a matter of time.

Although Mao Wenlong went to launch a surprise attack on Hetu Ala.

But Xiong Tingbi would not place all his hopes on Mao Wenlong.

What if Mao Wenlong's surprise attack fails?
As the top official in Liaodong, Xiong Tingbi had many more things to consider.

Thinking of this, Xiong Tingbi immediately said to the flag officer, "Pass on my military order:"

"Deshengmen! Send out three thousand cavalry and charge straight into the heart of the enemy lines!"

"Andingmen! Send out 5,000 infantrymen, form a square formation and advance to protect the cavalry's flanks!"

"Three thousand men each will be dispatched from Yongchang Gate, Zhenyuan Gate, Jingyuan Gate, and Yong'an Gate to break through the enemy lines!"

Seeing this, the flag officer could only grit his teeth and turn around to issue Xiong Tingbi's military order to all units.

Upon seeing Xiong Tingbi give the order, You Shigong gritted his teeth, as if he had made a decision, stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said resolutely:

"My lord, a direct assault is not enough! I request permission to lead my elite troops straight into the Jurchen camp and launch a surprise attack to relieve the siege of Wei!"

The bloodstains on his chest were still seeping and spreading, but the light in his eyes was astonishingly bright: "They have pinned all their troops down under the city walls, so their camp must be empty. I'll lead five hundred cavalrymen to circle around and burn their supplies and provisions. Let's see if these Tartars can still sit back and relax!"

Upon hearing this, Xiong Tingbi raised an eyebrow.

This plan is indeed ruthless, but the risks are also ridiculously high.

Although the Jurchen camp was in the rear, it was not necessarily undefended. If the five hundred cavalrymen were to get bogged down deep into enemy territory, they would not be able to send out any reinforcements.

"This plan is too risky."

Xiong Tingbi tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the stack, his voice hesitant.

“You brought too few men. Once you get bogged down, even I, the strategist, can't save you…”

"What battle doesn't involve risk?"

You Shigong interrupted him, a look of relief appearing on his dark face.

"Back then, when Qi Shaobao fought against the Japanese pirates, wasn't he always the one who won with fewer troops? These five hundred cavalrymen of mine are all men from Liaodong, and we have a blood feud with the Jurchens. Even if it costs us our lives, we will turn their camp upside down!"

He stepped forward, tightening his fist in a fist salute: "Fortune favors the bold! Please grant my request, General! If you can relieve Commander He's siege, I will die without regret!"

The wind on the city wall suddenly became fierce, whipping up the hems of their robes.

Xiong Tingbi looked at You Shigong's blood-soaked armor, then at the center of the chaotic battle outside the city.

He Shixian's cause is already somewhat skewed, and he is clearly on the verge of collapse.

He knew that hesitating at this moment would be a crime.

"it is good!"

Xiong Tingbi's voice was resolute.

"I grant your request! Take five hundred elite cavalry and head straight for the Jurchen camp!"

"Thank you, General."

You Shigong bowed respectfully to Xiong Tingbi before slowly departing.

Xiong Tingbi watched You Shigong's retreating figure and sighed softly.

希望
I hope this guy comes back alive!
The military order to leave the city and confront the Jurchens head-on was immediately issued.

Upon receiving the order, the soldiers in each battalion sprang into action. Some checked the bowstrings, some loaded the muskets, and others stuffed their rations into their pockets.

They were all making preparations for war.

A quarter of an hour later, Xiong Tingbi stood on the city wall and suddenly waved his command flag.

"Open the city gate!"

"Creak! Creak!"

As command flags were waved down from the city walls, heavy creaking sounds came from all eight gates of Shenyang at the same time.

The drawbridge slowly lowered, and the city gate opened inwards as the winch pulled, revealing a dense mass of Ming soldiers inside.

Some of them held spears, others carried shields, their faces bearing resolute expressions.

You Shigong pressed his hand against the bleeding wound on his chest, mounted his horse, and said with some worry on his face, "General, the city defenses..."

"I'll guard it!"

Xiong Tingbi grabbed a large Ming Dynasty banner and personally planted it at the highest point of the crenellation. Looking down at You Shigong below the city, he said to him, "Just charge forward! I'll cover you with cannon fire from the city walls! Remember, come back alive!"

"it is good!"

Without further hesitation, You Shigong spurred his horse forward and charged.

The Jurchens outside the city were clearly not prepared for the Ming army's sudden all-out attack, and their ranks were thrown into chaos for a moment.

Seeing the eight gates of Shenyang wide open from the high platform, Huang Taiji narrowed his eyes and his expression turned slightly ugly: "Has Xiong Tingbi gone mad? He actually dares to have a battle with me in the open?"

But soon.

A smile appeared on Huang Taiji's face.

You were originally inside a turtle shell, so I couldn't do anything about you.

Since you dare to come out.

Then I, Beile, would dare to devour all of your people.

With all the soldiers dead, let's see how you defend the city!

He immediately raised his whip and gave the order.

"Let the Plain White Banner hold them off, while the two Red Banners and two Blue Banners will cut off their rear! Today I will ensure that the Ming army in Shenyang never returns!"

The sound of bugles rang out across the open fields, and the Jurchen cavalry began to adjust their formation, forming a giant net to trap the Ming army that had left the city.

Standing atop the city wall, Xiong Tingbi watched the torrent of Ming troops surging out of the city gate, and couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

He knew this move was extremely risky; a slight misstep could lead to total annihilation.

But he had no choice.

What is defended in defending a city is not just the city walls, but also the hearts of its people.

If we stand by and watch our trusted generals die in battle without offering any assistance, this city will not last long.

"fire!"

He roared at the artillerymen on the city wall.

Boom boom boom~
The cannons on the city wall roared simultaneously, and the shells whistled as they crashed into the Jurchen formation, which had no Ming soldiers, blasting a bloody path for the Ming troops leaving the city.

You Shigong's cavalry charged toward the Jurchen camp like a sharp dagger.

Meanwhile, the Ming army pouring out from the eight gates of Shenyang had already engaged in close combat with the Jurchens.

The great battle that will determine the fate of Shenyang has officially begun!

PS:

10,000 words updated today!

Also.

It seems like we've got almost 200 monthly votes. Let's cast some more; that should be enough. There should be an extra chapter tonight.

(End of this chapter)