Huangming

Chapter 301 Regrouping, a Man's Courage

Once the floodwaters break through the dam, they swallow not only formations, but also lives.

The screams on the battlefield were indistinguishable between those who died by the sword and those who trampled each other.

When retreating in formation, the soldiers could cover each other, and the casualty rate was only 15%.

However, once it turns into a rout, in the panicked escape, the casualties of people and horses colliding and killing each other can soar to 80%.

At this moment, the wilderness before Huang Taiji is witnessing such a living hell.

Huang Taiji clenched his fists tightly, his face grim.

He was the vanguard commander of this attack. If more than half of the Eight Banners' elite troops were lost, how would his father Nurhaci's all-seeing eyes judge him?
The punishment is too lenient; he might even lose his hard-earned right to inherit the Khanate, which he has cultivated for many years.

He could almost see the gloating faces of his brothers, Daishan and Mangultai, and a cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

"Fourth Prince! The secondary banner... the secondary banner has been brought!"

Mele's voice was filled with rapid breathing. He was covered in mud, and his armor was torn in several places by tree branches. He held aloft a slightly smaller black banner. Although the pattern on the banner was not as majestic as the main banner, it still exuded a chilling aura.

Ajige watched from the sidelines, his teeth clenched in anger. Blood still dripped from his spear as he gazed at the Manchu bannermen scurrying about like headless flies.

"What's the use of raising them now? Fourth Prince, look! The Plain White Banner has scattered like sand, and the Han Army Banner has vanished without a trace! If we don't leave now, we'll all be surrounded and slaughtered by the Ming dogs!"

Although he was unwilling, he had to accept reality.

"We may lose today, but as long as we get back alive, we'll always have a chance to come back stronger!"

Huang Taiji ignored Ajige's roar, his gaze sweeping across the chaotic battlefield like that of a hawk.

Suddenly, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Daikin has not been completely defeated!

The Plain White Banner had indeed collapsed; the soldiers abandoned their armor and weapons, and even the insignia of the banner were scattered.

However, the core of the two blue banners remained intact. Although the white-armored soldiers were retreating, they still surrounded the banners of their banner leaders and did not completely fall apart. Although the two red banners were in disarray, they maintained a basic formation under Sahalian's command and were fighting and retreating.

"still have a chance!"

Huang Taiji suddenly grabbed the secondary banner from Mele Ejen's hand and turned to roar at his personal guards.

"Raise the flag! Right here on this chariot!"

"Fourth Prince, are you insane?!"

Ajige was greatly alarmed.

"It would be truly insane not to stand it up!"

Huang Taiji pushed Ajige aside and personally inserted the flagpole of the deputy banner into the crack in the stone of the chariot.

"This flag is for the two red flags and two blue flags! It tells them that the commander-in-chief is still here! The command is still in place!"

"Blow the conch shell! Three long and three short!"

Huang Taiji roared at the trumpeter.

"Tell all banners to move closer to the deputy banner!"

Huang Taiji drew his gilded dragon-patterned sword from his waist with a "whoosh," glanced at his flustered guards, and said in a deep voice, "Also, bring me my Kaiyuan Bow."

The guards were stunned for a moment, then hurriedly searched for weapons.

What would the Prince want with a bow at a time like this?
Ajige seemed to understand something, his face instantly darkening. He stepped forward and grabbed Huang Taiji's arm: "Eighth Brother, are you crazy? Going against the tide? The fleeing soldiers are like a flood bursting its banks. If we rush in with our small numbers, there won't even be any bones left. We might even be trampled to death by our own people first!"

His voice carried an unusual urgency, and he even used the affectionate nickname "myna bird."

"Do not."

Huang Taiji accepted the Kaiyuan Bow handed to him by his personal guard. The bow was entirely black, with copper ornaments inlaid at the tip, making it clear that it was no ordinary item.

He then picked up a flask of carved feather arrows, the lacquer patterns on the shafts gleaming in the sunlight.

His gaze swept across the chaotic battlefield, unusually calm: "Look carefully, only the Plain White Banner has completely scattered. The two Red Banners and two Blue Banners are still fighting and retreating. Although the formation is chaotic, the framework is not broken. As long as they see the commander's flag and see that this Prince is still here, we can win back their hearts. If we are any slower, then it will truly be too late to save the situation."

"But swords and spears have no eyes on the battlefield!"

Ajige was so anxious that sweat beaded on his forehead.

Huang Taiji suddenly laughed, a laugh tinged with arrogance and a desperate, all-or-nothing resolve:

"What, you think your eighth brother has been practicing archery and horsemanship all these years for nothing?"

He weighed the Kaiyuan Bow in his hand and said with a smile, "This bow has a draw weight of 120 jin. No more than five people in the entire army can draw it. I can hit a shield a hundred paces away with three arrows, hitting it three times out of three. No need to say more."

He turned to his hundred personal guards and hundreds of infantrymen beside him and shouted, "Push the chariots over here! Raise the commander's flag on the chariots! Beat the war drums and charge into battle with me, Prince!"

The guards looked at each other, all knowing that this was a life-or-death situation.

Going against the tide is like rowing against the current in a raging torrent; a slight misstep could lead to utter destruction.

But looking into Huang Taiji's unquestionable eyes, no one dared to say a word of "no".

Soon, the three tanks were pushed down from the platform, and the secondary banner was firmly fixed to the top of the foremost tank, the black flag fluttering in the wind.

The drummer took a deep breath, swung his drumsticks, and the sound of the war drums suddenly rang out, sounding particularly abrupt amidst the deafening roar of defeat, yet carrying a power that pierced the heart.

Huang Taiji mounted his horse, slung the Kaiyuan Bow diagonally behind him, and the tassel of the sword at his waist fluttered in the wind.

"Starling!"

Ajige was about to say something when Huang Taiji cracked his whip, and his warhorse neighed and charged ahead towards the direction from which the fleeing soldiers were coming.

Sometimes, it takes a lot of courage to save the situation!

Behind them, a hundred cavalrymen followed closely, the sound of their hooves pounding the ground drowning out the cries of some of the fleeing soldiers.

Hundreds of infantrymen pushed their chariots, the war drums growing louder and louder, like a stubborn bull charging headlong into the chaotic crowd.

The fleeing Plain White Banner soldiers were stunned when they saw the chariots and the commander's flag charging towards them. Then, some of them recognized Huang Taiji and exclaimed, "It's the Fourth Prince! The Fourth Prince is still here!"

The chaotic flow of people paused for a moment.

Huang Taiji reined in his warhorse, stood on the chariot, and with a "snap," drew his Kaiyuan bow to its full extent, shooting an arrow at a fleeing soldier in the distance who was trying to plunder his comrades' supplies.

The feathered arrow pierced the air and struck the man squarely in the shoulder. His scream silenced the surrounding fleeing soldiers instantly.

"Everyone, stop!"

Huang Taiji's roar echoed amidst the sound of war drums.

"With me here, what is there to fear?! Two white banners, two red banners, and two blue banners, line up with me! Those who retreat will be executed!"

The clamor of the battlefield still roared like a raging storm. Huang Taiji's personal guards screamed at the top of their lungs: "The commander-in-chief is still alive! The Fourth Prince is alive!"

Amidst the Ming army's deafening shouts of "Huang Taiji is dead," the sound was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind, yet it pierced the panic of some of the routed soldiers like a needle.

Among the deserters of the Plain White Banner, some staggered back and, through the billowing dust, saw the black banner that had been raised again on the top of the chariot, and under the banner, a figure on horseback, bow in hand.

That was indeed the Fourth Prince!
Amidst this chaotic situation, the two red flags and the two blue flags were the first to stabilize their positions.

Sahalian reined in his horse, looked at the commander's flag that had been raised again on the high platform, and then at the restless soldiers around him. Suddenly, he swung his sword at a soldier who was trying to escape: "Anyone who dares to retreat again will suffer this fate!"

The moment the blood splattered, the soldiers, who had been wavering, suddenly stopped in their tracks and instinctively gripped their weapons tightly again.

Although they did not know whether Huang Taiji was truly safe and sound, as long as the banner remained in place and the command was still in place, they did not need to panic excessively.

Huang Taiji's eyes flashed with joy as he saw the two red flags and two blue flags forming a battle array. "Those who flee, behead them!"

Huang Taiji's roar mingled with the shouts of his guards.

He rode his horse through the fleeing soldiers, and with each stroke of his sword, deserters fell screaming as they went.

The killing was the most direct deterrent. The fleeing soldiers of the Plain White Banner were stunned by this ferocity. Some stopped in their tracks, and some subconsciously retreated. The originally flood-like momentum of the rout actually slowed down little by little.

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

Huang Taiji spurred his horse and charged straight toward the direction where the Ming army was attacking.

Before he knew it, he had rushed to the front line, with his personal guard cavalry and hundreds of infantry following closely behind. The war drums beat more and more rapidly, as if trying to rewind the morale of the rout-ridden army.

He swiftly took the Kaiyuan Bow from his back, his left hand like supporting Mount Tai, his right hand like drawing a long river, and with a "snap," the 120-pound bow was drawn to its full extent.

The arrow flew with a sharp whooshing sound as it left the bowstring, heading straight for a Ming army centurion two hundred paces away.

The centurion, clad in iron armor, was brandishing his long sword and shouting as he charged forward when suddenly an arrow shot out. With a "thud," the arrow pierced through his armor and sank deep into his chest!

The centurion screamed and fell to the ground, startling the surrounding Ming soldiers.

"Excellent archery!" the guards shouted in unison.

Huang Taiji ignored the results of the battle, and instead drew a second arrow from his quiver. The bowstring twanged again, and another Ming army flag bearer fell from his horse.

The arrows fired from this 120-pound bow were incredibly powerful, even heavy armor could not completely withstand them. The dull thud of the arrows piercing flesh echoed far across the chaotic battlefield, causing the Ming army's charge to falter slightly.

"kill!"

Upon seeing this, Ajige immediately led the remaining troops of the Bordered White Banner to charge forward.

His tiger-spear swept across, sending a Ming cavalryman who was trying to approach Huang Taiji flying. He roared and protected Huang Taiji's flank: "Brother Ba, I'm here to help you!"

The Ming army was momentarily delayed by this sudden counterattack.

The routed soldiers of the Plain White Banner were completely panicked.

Even the flag leader rushed to the front and fought desperately. If I were to run away, wouldn't I be courting death?
Fear was replaced by an even greater fear. Some picked up their knives from the ground, others helped up their companions, and they actually turned around and charged back at the Ming army.

The tide of battle turned subtly at that moment.

What started as a one-sided rout gradually turned into a stalemate and chaotic battle.

Huang Taiji's Kaiyuan Bow kept ringing out, and each tremor of the bowstring meant that a Ming soldier had fallen; Ajige's tiger spear moved like it was in an empty field, tearing open gaps for the soldiers behind him; seeing this, the soldiers of the two red flags and the two blue flags also launched a renewed charge.

Although the Ming army still had the upper hand, they could no longer pursue and kill as recklessly as before.

As they watched the previously scattered Jurchens regroup, and as the figure with bow in hand continued to reap lives, their hearts grew heavier.

And this moment.

On the walls of Shenyang.

Xiong Tingbi stood by the railing, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, fixed on every change below the city.

Huang Taiji's reckless charge actually had an effect.

The Jurchens, who had initially retreated like a receding tide, gradually regrouped under the guidance of their commander's banner.

The routed soldiers of the Plain White Banner were stunned by Huang Taiji's slaughter. Although they were still in a panic, they no longer dared to run away. The two Red Banners and the two Blue Banners stabilized their formation, like two clamping pincers, subtly locking the flanks of the Ming army.

Xiong Tingbi's brows furrowed suddenly.

He could see clearly that the Ming army pursuing them had now penetrated deep into the Jurchen formation. However, because the Plain White Banner had fled too quickly, the two Red Banners and two Blue Banners on the flanks retreated slowly, forming an encirclement behind the Ming army.

If they charge any further, these elite pursuers will likely become isolated troops surrounded in the center of the battle, and it will be difficult to say whether they can even return alive, let alone expand their gains.

"enough."

Xiong Tingbi's eyes were bright.

Today, we destroyed the Jurchen artillery group, killed countless enemy soldiers, and even cut down their commander's flag, which shook the morale of our troops. The results have far exceeded our expectations.

Don't pursue a desperate enemy, especially a starving wolf cornered in a corner.
He turned to his personal guards and said in a deep voice, "Sound the retreat."

"Ming Jin!"

The guards' shouts pierced through the smoke of battle, followed by the crisp, rapid sound of gongs echoing across the battlefield, one after another.

The Ming soldiers who were in pursuit were all taken aback when they heard the gong.

Chen Ce, in particular, had just cleaved open the helmet of a white-armored soldier with his long sword and was only a few dozen steps away from Huang Taiji's command flag. He was about to kill the general and seize the flag when he was interrupted by the sudden sound of the gong.

He glared fiercely at the distant command flag, spat in frustration, but still abruptly pulled on the reins: "Retreat!"

Although the soldiers behind them were reluctant to leave, they obeyed the orders and turned their horses around to begin an orderly retreat.

As Chen Ce retreated, he turned back, his gaze sweeping across both flanks.

Two red-flag cavalrymen were quietly flanking the enemy from the flanks, while blue-flag infantrymen pushed their shield carts and slowly approached, forming a closed arc.

A chill ran through him, and he finally understood Xiong Tingbi's intention:

If they had arrived any later, they might have truly been buried in this wilderness.

The Ming army's retreat was orderly, with swordsmen providing cover from behind and spearmen forming square formations, gradually closing in on Shenyang.

At that opportune moment, the cannons on the city wall roared, and the shells landed precisely in front of the Jurchen pursuers, exploding into plumes of smoke and dust, building a wall of fire for the retreating troops.

The archers continued to fire arrows, suppressing the Jurchens who were trying to charge.

Huang Taiji watched as the Ming army retreated to the city walls in an orderly fashion, and slowly lowered the Kaiyuan Bow in his hand.

Ajige beside him was still yelling "Chase!", but he stopped him by raising his hand.

At this moment, the Eight Banners army was exhausted. Although their formation was stable, they had suffered heavy casualties. If they were to pursue them, they would likely be riddled with holes by the cannons on the city walls.

His desperate charge was intended to stop the rout, and now that he has achieved his goal, any further pursuit would only bring him humiliation.

"Let them go."

Huang Taiji's voice was terribly hoarse as his gaze swept over the layers of corpses piled up on the open field.

Some were dressed in Ming army armor, but most were the corpses of Eight Banner soldiers; the bluish-gray ground had been stained blackish-red with blood.

He saw his Plain White Banner soldiers, one by one, abandoning their armor and weapons, some with broken arms, some with blind eyes, helping each other to move back. Their wretched appearance pierced his heart with pain.

"Take stock of casualties."

Huang Taiji gave the order in a low voice, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger, only a heavy weariness.

The guards obeyed and left, leaving him alone by the chariot, gazing at the Ming flag still fluttering atop Shenyang city walls.

The wind whipped up the blood foam on the ground, splattering it onto the soles of his boots, but he was completely unaware.

Although he managed to stabilize the situation in this battle, he lost too much.

The cannons were destroyed, the elite troops were lost, and more importantly, the myth that the Eight Banners army was "invincible with ten thousand men" was shattered under the walls of Shenyang.

of course
It wasn't that there were no results at all.

The Ming army also suffered heavy casualties this time.

The number of defenders in the city is decreasing. If given enough time, Shenyang will surely be captured!
(End of this chapter)