Huangming

Chapter 360 The Grassland Vision, the Battle Between the Jin and Mongol Empires (Bonus Chapter for 1200 Monthly Tickets!)
The next morning.

The snow started falling again outside Fushun City. The fine snowflakes, like willow catkins, drifted slowly to the ground, covering the vast snowfield with a thin layer of white frost.

On the drill ground of the Ming army camp, the convoy that had been prepared in advance was ready to set off.

Three ornately decorated carriages were parked side by side, their wheels wrapped in non-slip linen. One hundred steppe warriors and three hundred Ming soldiers in armor lined up neatly on both sides of the convoy.

Buhe stood beside the carriage, his gaze fixed on his two daughters, his eyes filled with reluctance.

Hailanzhu wore a light pink Mongolian brocade robe, and her hair was styled into an exquisite bun with a silver hairpin inserted in it.

Benbuta was wearing a light blue jacket and clutching a fluffy fox doll tightly in her arms.

The two sisters had red eyes and tears welling up, but they held back their sobs.

Although they were young, they vaguely knew that this trip to Beijing might mean they would never see their father again in their lives.

"Once you arrive in the capital, listen to your guards, take good care of yourself, and also take good care of your younger sister."

Buhe squatted down and gently stroked Hailanzhu's cheek, his voice slightly hoarse.

He then looked at Benbutai and reached out to rub the top of her head.

"You must not be willful anymore. The palace is not like the grasslands. You must be more tolerant in everything you do."

Hailanzhu nodded vigorously, tears finally streaming down her face.

"Don't worry, Echige, your daughter will take good care of her sister, and will... will wait for news from Father."

Benbutai threw herself into Buhe's arms, choking back tears as she said, "Echige, I'll miss you..."

Buhe hugged his daughter tightly, a pang of sorrow gripping his heart, but he forced back his tears and patted her back.

"My dears, Echige will miss you too. Once your father has helped the Ming Dynasty win the war, he will come to the capital to see you."

He himself didn't know if he could keep this promise.

The grasslands and the capital are separated by thousands of miles, with not only mountains and rivers in between, but also a complex situation. No one can say for sure what the future holds.

The time for farewell had arrived. The Ming guards stepped forward and respectfully said, "Taiji, it's getting late, it's time to depart."

Buhe took a deep breath, released his daughter, slowly stood up, and waved to the convoy: "Let's go."

Hailanzhu and Benbutai reluctantly boarded the carriage, lifted a corner of the felt curtain, and waved goodbye to Buhe.

The coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage slowly started moving. The wheels rolled over the snow, leaving two deep tracks.

The guards followed closely behind, escorting the convoy as it sped toward Beijing, gradually disappearing into the snowstorm.

Buhe stood there, gazing in the direction the convoy had gone, not moving for a long time, letting out a heavy sigh.

Snowflakes fell on his hair and shoulders, quickly forming a thin layer of frost, but it did nothing to disturb his thoughts.

He only hoped that his daughters could arrive in the capital safely and enter the palace smoothly, so that the future of the Khorchin tribe could be guaranteed.

“Buhe Taiji”.

A steady voice sounded from behind. Buhe turned around and saw Xiong Tingbi walking slowly towards him with a gentle smile on his face.

"The camp has prepared the annual reward promised in the alliance, ten thousand taels of silver, plus a thousand bolts of cloth, all of which have been loaded onto carts. Taiji can send people to deliver these things back to the Khorchin tribe."

Buhe's heart stirred.

Ten thousand taels of silver and a thousand bolts of cloth would undoubtedly be a lifeline for the Khorchin tribe at this time.

But then he thought that if he accepted the annual reward and returned to the tribe now, but could not immediately promise to send troops, it would probably displease the barbarian bear.

He pondered for a moment and said, "I appreciate your kindness, General. However, my daughter has not yet entered the palace. If I return to the tribe with the annual rewards, I fear it will be difficult to gain the respect of the people."

"It would be better if I stayed in Shenyang to await news. Once my men returned from the capital with letters confirming their entry into the palace and the Ming Emperor's acceptance of them into his harem, I would immediately return to the Khorchin tribe to conscript soldiers and launch an attack!"

Upon hearing this, Xiong Tingbi laughed heartily, stepped forward, and patted Buhe on the shoulder:

“Buhe Taiji is overthinking it. The various Mongol tribes are scattered across the grasslands, and it takes a considerable amount of time to mobilize troops. If we wait for a reply from the capital before going back to summon them, wouldn't that delay our chances of victory?”

"Why don't you return to the tribe now with the annual reward, appease the people, and begin recruiting soldiers? By the time the reply from the capital arrives, your forces will be fully assembled, and you can immediately set out to cooperate with our army in attacking the Jurchens."

Buhe had some doubts in his heart and couldn't help but ask, "Isn't the General afraid that I will take the annual reward but not abide by the alliance and not send troops to help?"

After all, ten thousand taels of silver and a thousand bolts of cloth are no small sum, enough to tempt many people.

Xiong Tingbi smiled slightly, his eyes filled with certainty: "Since Buhe Taiji is willing to send his two daughters to the capital, I, the General, have seen this sincerity. You are willing to pay such a great price for the alliance, so I, the General, naturally trust you!"

In fact, Xiong Tingbi had other plans in mind.

In his view, although ten thousand taels of silver and a thousand bolts of cloth were a lot, they were far less valuable than the Khorchin tribe's military contribution.

If these valuables could be used to gain the support of the Khorchin tribe, thereby defeating the Jurchens and recovering Liaodong, it would be a sure-fire way to make money.

Even if Buhezhen breaches the contract, the loss will only be financial. However, if the opportunity to win over the Khorchin tribe is missed because of this, then it will be a real loss.

"The people of the grasslands keep their promises to those who keep them. I, Buhe, swear to the Eternal Heaven that as long as the Ming Dynasty does not break its oath, I will absolutely not break mine!"

"it is good!"

After saying this, Buhe didn't linger any longer.

They immediately prepared to return to the Khorchin tribe.

Watching Buhe and his entourage of gifts gradually disappear into the distance, Xiong Tingbi stood in the snow, his heart filled with emotion.

"This year's reward system is truly excellent!"

In his view, the annual reward system implemented by the Ming court for many years was simply a "genius idea" of the Central Plains dynasty in dealing with the nomadic tribes.

This is not a simple gift of money, but a sophisticated game that leverages the dynamics of the grasslands at minimal cost.

With a “small investment” of tens of thousands of taels of silver and thousands of bolts of cloth each year, the submission or neutrality of the Mongol tribes could be obtained.

On the one hand, the annual rewards could fill the gap in the scarcity of resources among the grassland tribes and reduce their motivation to raid southward.

After all, plundering involves risking one's life, while accepting annual rewards only requires maintaining friendly relations with the Ming court. Given the choice, most tribes would choose the latter, thus greatly reducing border conflicts and saving more manpower and energy for the Liaodong campaign.

On the other hand, the annual rewards were also a powerful tool for dividing the Mongol forces. By giving different amounts of rewards to different tribes, the weaker tribes were supported and the stronger tribes were counterbalanced, thus maintaining the strategic balance of the grasslands and preventing any tribe from becoming too powerful and threatening the security of the Ming court's northern border.

At this moment, Xiong Tingbi had already begun to sketch out a blueprint for the grasslands after the fall of the Jurchens.

Ligdan Khan was ambitious and always wanted to unify the southern grasslands. If he was allowed to develop unchecked, the Chahar tribe would inevitably become a new threat to the Ming court after the fall of the Jurchens.

Therefore, supporting the Khorchin tribe became an inevitable choice: through annual rewards and marriage alliances, the Khorchin tribe could be firmly bound to the Ming court's war machine, making it an important force to counterbalance Ligdan Khan. At that time, with the Chahar and Khorchin standing side by side on the grassland, the Ming court could reap the benefits and firmly control the situation on the grassland.

Of course, Xiong Tingbi was also keenly aware that the annual reward system was not without its flaws.

Its drawbacks are equally obvious:
First, there was the enormous consumption of resources. During the Jiajing era, the rewards given to Altan Khan cost tens of thousands of taels of silver every year. In addition, there were supplies such as cloth and tea, which put considerable pressure on the court's finances in the long run.

Even more problematic is that some Mongol tribes gradually came to regard the annual rewards as "tribute that is a matter of course".

If the Ming Dynasty reduces its rewards due to financial constraints or suspends trade due to border frictions, they will immediately threaten with force or even launch plundering, forming a vicious cycle of "rewards - plundering - more rewards". This not only fails to completely resolve the military threat from the Mongols, but also fuels the arrogance of some tribes.

Furthermore, unequal distribution of rewards can easily lead to conflict. If one tribe is treated too generously, it will cause dissatisfaction among other tribes and may even intensify inter-tribal conflicts, bringing new turmoil to the borders of the Ming Dynasty.

Even so, in Xiong Tingbi's view, the benefits of the annual reward system still far outweighed the drawbacks.

Compared to large-scale wars that often cost millions of taels of silver and result in the deaths and injuries of tens of thousands of soldiers, the cost of annual rewards is undoubtedly lower.

Furthermore, the border stability and strategic balance achieved through annual rewards are things that are difficult to achieve through war.

As long as a more comprehensive reward and punishment mechanism is established in the future, and the reward amount is adjusted according to the loyalty and contribution of the tribe, the drawbacks can be avoided to the greatest extent, and the annual reward system can become a "powerful tool" for the Ming Dynasty to control the grasslands.

With his thoughts settled, Xiong Tingbi withdrew his gaze and turned it back to Fushun City, which was not far away.

At this moment, the Ming army camp had suspended its large-scale siege operation, leaving only a small number of troops outside the city to guard against the Jurchen defenders' breakout.

It wasn't that Xiong Tingbi was unwilling to take Fushun as soon as possible, but rather that he was waiting for a crucial piece of news.

News of Lindan Khan's military campaign to attack Kaiyuan.

According to the previous agreement, Ligdan Khan was required to lead 20,000 cavalry to launch a surprise attack on Kaiyuan, to contain Mangultai's Plain Blue Banner and prevent it from supporting Fushun.

Once the battle of Kaiyuan begins, Daishan in Fushun will learn that his retreat route may be cut off, and his morale will collapse. At that time, the Ming army can launch a general offensive and take Fushun with minimal casualties.

"Hopefully, Ligdan Khan will send his troops on time!"

Xiong Tingbi thought to himself.

Compared to the devastation in Fushun, Kaiyuan remained relatively quiet.

In the mansion of Mangultai, the banner chief of the Plain Blue Banner, the pine wood in the charcoal brazier was burning brightly, but it could not dispel the vexation in the heart of this great prince.

Several days earlier, he had received a letter from Dai Shan from Fushun requesting reinforcements. The letter was earnest and stated that Fushun was besieged by Xiong Tingbi's army and asked him to send reinforcements immediately.

Mangultai held the letter pleading for help, but remained silent for a long time.

They simply sent scouts to gather information.

However, most of the scouts he sent to Fushun never returned. The few who did manage to escape were all terrified, saying that Fushun was surrounded by the Ming army and that the city was about to fall.

Logically, as a fellow prince of the Great Jin Dynasty, he should have sent troops to help, but Mangultai harbored a different plan in his heart.

“That scoundrel Daishan always takes advantage of his status as a prince to be superior to me. Now that he’s trapped in Fushun, he deserves it.”

Mangultai sat on a tiger-skin chair, toying with a jewel-encrusted scimitar in his hand, his tone full of sarcasm.

The struggle for the Khanate had been brewing for some time. Although Daišan had been deposed as crown prince, he still controlled the Plain Red Banner and his forces remained powerful, making him one of his biggest rivals in the fight for the Khanate.

The weakening of Dai Shan's power is actually a good thing for him.

Moreover, the secret report he received not long ago further solidified his resolve to remain inactive.

The secret report stated that Daišan was secretly corresponding with Huang Taiji, seemingly discussing the succession to the Khanate.

"Do you think I'm a fool for colluding with those two old foxes?"

Mangultai slammed his scimitar heavily onto the table, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

"If I send troops to rescue him, wouldn't that be helping him consolidate his power and turn against me in the future?" But then he thought again, and he didn't dare to really stand by and watch him die.

Daišan was, after all, the son of Nurhaci, the father Khan. If he had truly died in the battle of Fushun, the father Khan would surely have investigated the matter.

At that time, he, the banner lord of the Plain Blue Banner who was adjacent to Fushun but remained inactive, would be held accountable and might even be stripped of his military power, completely losing his qualification to compete for the Khan's throne.

"I'm really torn!"

Mangultai paced back and forth irritably.

He was debating whether to send a small number of troops to symbolically aid Fushun when suddenly a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the mansion. Immediately afterward, his confidant, Zhen'ai Bali, the Gushan E of the Zhenglan Banner, stumbled in, his face as pale as paper.

"Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!"

Aybali knelt on one knee, his voice trembling noticeably.

"Jing'an Fortress... Jing'an Fortress has been breached!"

"what?!"

Mangultai abruptly stopped, his annoyance instantly replaced by shock. He strode up to Aibali, grabbed him by the collar, and demanded sharply:

"Say it again! What happened to Jing'an Fort? Who breached it? Was it the Ming army? How dare they bypass the grasslands and launch a surprise attack on Jing'an Fort? Didn't the five Inner Khalkha tribes of Chaohua notice anything? Why didn't they even give a warning?"

A barrage of questions came out of his mouth, revealing Mangultai's shock.

Jing'an Fort is located northeast of Kaiyuan. Although it has only a small garrison of about 500 soldiers, it is an important barrier for Kaiyuan and can provide early warning of threats from the northeast.

The silent fall of Jing'an Fort means that the northeastern gateway to Kaiyuan has been opened, and the enemy could be at the city gates at any time.

Aibali, struggling to breathe under Mangultai's grip, still managed to answer with difficulty:
"Reporting to Your Highness, it is still unclear who breached Jing'an Fortress. All we know is that none of the garrison soldiers survived."

The scouts sent to investigate haven't returned yet, and there's been no news from Chaohua either. It's as if... it's as if the other side appeared out of nowhere.

Mangultai released his grip, and Aibali staggered back a few steps, panting heavily.

Mangultai's face grew increasingly grim, and alarm bells rang in his mind.

The fact that Jing'an Fort could be breached so quickly and silently could not have been the work of a small force; it must have been either the elite troops of the Ming army or a powerful tribe from the grasslands.

If it were the Ming army, it would mean that Xiong Tingbi not only besieged Fushun, but also sent troops to launch a surprise attack on Kaiyuan, leaving the Jin dynasty vulnerable from both sides.

If it is a grassland tribe, it is most likely the Chahar tribe of Ligdan Khan. After all, the five tribes of the Inner Khalkha have maintained neutrality, and only Ligdan Khan has the strength and motivation to launch a surprise attack on Kaiyuan.

"No, we must find out the situation immediately!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Mangultai's eyes, and he immediately gave the order.

"Aibali, you shall immediately gather the soldiers of the Plain Blue Banner and have them assemble at the drill ground outside the city, ready to fight at any time."

Furthermore, dispatch scouts in four directions to investigate the enemy situation in the direction of Jing'an Fort. Make sure to ascertain who breached Jing'an Fort, their troop strength, and their next move! Any delay will be punished according to military law!

"As ordered!"

Abali dared not delay and immediately bowed to accept the order.

Time passed slowly amidst Mangultai's unease.

As the scouts returned in batches, more and more news came in like snowflakes, each one like a heavy hammer, striking Mangultai's heart hard.

"Your Highness! We've found out! It was the Chahar tribe that breached Jing'an Fortress!"

A scout knelt on one knee and reported:
"Moreover...moreover, Ligdan Khan himself has arrived with at least 20,000 elite cavalry, and is currently encamped near Jing'an Fort. Judging from the situation, his next step is to attack Kaiyuan!"

"Lindan Khan?!"

Mangultai suddenly stood up from the tiger-skin chair, his eyes filled with shock.

He never expected that it was Lindan Khan who dared to launch a surprise attack on Kaiyuan.

The leader of the Chahar tribe, who had been repeatedly defeated by the Jin dynasty in his early years and could only hide in the southern grasslands of the Gobi Desert, now dares to lead a large army to invade!

"Is he crazy?"

Mangultai gritted his teeth, his face turning ashen.

But he soon understood Lindan Khan's intentions.

This summer, in order to replenish its food supplies, the Jin Dynasty launched a surprise attack on the Chahar tribe's pastures, plundering a large number of cattle, sheep, and horses. Ligdan Khan has come to seek revenge!

He just didn't expect that Ligdan Khan would be so bold as to choose to make a move when Fushun was besieged and the Jin forces were scattered, which was obviously premeditated.

But what chilled Mangultai even more than Ligdan Khan's surprise attack was another piece of news.

"Your Highness, there is one more thing..."

Another scout hesitated before speaking.

“We discovered traces of the five Inner Khalkha tribes near Jing’an Fort. Their people were hiding in the distance and watching. They neither stopped the Chahar tribe nor warned us.”

Furthermore, news came from Obataji of the Khorchin tribe that Mangus and Ming'an of the Khorchin Right Wing were preparing to marry their daughters to the Ming Emperor, seemingly intending to form an alliance with the Ming court and showing no intention of supporting us.

"Stir-fried flowers... Horqin..."

Mangultai muttered to himself, his heart filled with icy coldness.

Those Mongol tribes that used to fear the Great Jin like tigers and fawn over their father Khan have now all sided with the Ming court.
The neutrality of the flower-making party is clearly a sitting idly by as the Chahar troops attack and open up the plains.

The alliance of the Khorchin tribe put them directly in opposition to the Jin dynasty!
If all the Mongol tribes were to join forces with the Ming court, the Great Jin would be surrounded by the Ming-Mongol allied forces. Not to mention vying for the Khanate, even the ability to retain its existing territory would become a problem.

"Not only is Daishan in danger, but I'm in danger too..."

Mangultai staggered back a step and leaned against the cold wall, feeling fear for the first time.

With Fushun besieged, Kaiyuan faced the threat of Ligdan Khan's 20,000-strong army, while his Plain Blue Banner, including the old, weak, and disabled soldiers, had less than 10,000 men, a stark disparity in strength.

At this juncture, should we flee or fight?

Fleeing was Mangultai's instinctive reaction.

However, retreating back to Hetu Ala with his main force would save his life, but it would also mean losing Kaiyuan, an important stronghold, and he would be held accountable by his father, Nurhaci.

Desertion in the face of battle is the most taboo crime in the Jin Dynasty. At that time, not only would he lose the Khanate, but he might even be stripped of all military power and become a powerless and idle Beile, completely bidding farewell to the struggle for the Khanate.

Fighting them would be extremely risky, but the chances of winning would be slim.

Ligdan Khan's 20,000 elite cavalrymen were all warriors who had fought on the grasslands for many years and were extremely powerful.

His Plain Blue Banner, with less than 10,000 soldiers, was no match for an army of 20,000; it was like throwing an egg against a rock.

Not to mention, the people of the Khorchin tribe could stab him in the back at any time.

Mangultai paced anxiously in his mansion, his mind constantly racing between the thoughts of "escape" and "fight".

But soon...
He made his decision!
"The sweat point... I can't give up the sweat point!"

Mangultai abruptly stopped, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

His greatest goal in life was to inherit his father's Khanate and rule the Great Jin Dynasty. If he retreated because of this crisis, all his previous efforts would be in vain.

"So what if Ligdan Khan has 20,000 troops? I, Mangultai, am not easily intimidated!"

"Kaiyuan is well-defended and has ample food supplies. As long as we hold our ground and delay the inevitable attack, Ligdan Khan's army will eventually run out of food supplies."

I will send someone to Hetu Ala to request reinforcements. My father will surely send troops to help. Then, we can attack from both inside and outside and defeat Ligdan Khan!

He knew this was a huge gamble: he was betting that Kaiyuan City could be defended, that reinforcements would arrive in time, and that he could hold out until the end.

But he had no choice.

They either had to die in Kaiyuan or defeat Lindan Khan, hold onto Kaiyuan, and increase their chances of seizing the Khanate.

"Somebody come!"

Mangultai shouted loudly.

Aybala strode in, bowed, and asked, "Your Highness, what are your orders?"

"Give me the order!"

Mangultai, holding a scimitar, pointed it towards the door.

"Immediately strengthen the defenses of Kaiyuan City, move all grain, fodder and livestock outside the city into the city, and implement a scorched earth policy; send elite troops to guard the four gates, especially the north gate, to prevent a surprise attack by Ligdan Khan."

Furthermore, select ten elite knights, disguise them as herdsmen, and break through the encirclement overnight to Hetu Ala to seek reinforcements. Make sure Father Khan sends troops to support you as soon as possible!

"As ordered!"

Seeing that Mangultai had made up his mind, Aibali no longer hesitated, bowed to accept the order, turned around and quickly walked out of the mansion to begin conveying the command.

Mangultai walked to the window, pushed it open, and a biting cold wind rushed in, gradually clearing his chaotic mind.

"Lin Danhan, let's have a proper match!"

If Huang Taiji can beat you in Taban this summer, there's no reason why I can't.

You may have more people, but we Manchu bannermen are not to be trifled with.

Six thousand elite troops against twenty thousand Mongol cavalry.
The advantage is mine!

Mangultai's eyes flickered.

He wanted to give it a try.

Even if he fails in the end, the price will be his life!

PS:

I finally finished writing at almost 3 a.m., I'm exhausted~
I haven't showered yet, ugh~
Please subscribe!!!

(End of this chapter)