Huangming

Chapter 362 The Peril of National Demise: Fighting Against Heaven with One's Life

The air in Fushun was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.

On the fifteenth morning of the siege, Daishan paced back and forth in the main hall of his mansion in the city, muttering curses under his breath:
"That damned Mangultai, is he really going to just stand by and watch me die?"

The siege of fifteen days had already left the city's supplies extremely scarce.
The grain in the granaries was only enough to last for two months, the fodder for the warhorses had long been exhausted, and even most of the miscellaneous grains stored by the people in the city had been requisitioned.

Even worse, morale was declining day by day. Yue Tuo had led his troops out of the city to launch several surprise attacks in the past few days, but he not only failed to break the Ming army's encirclement, but also suffered heavy losses every time. When he returned, the remaining soldiers behind him were all filled with fear and could not even hold their weapons properly.

Most of the soldiers with red flags on the city wall huddled behind the battlements, staring blankly into the distance. Some even whispered among themselves, saying they wanted to escape through the west gate that the Ming army had deliberately left open.

Everyone knows that the Ming army had surrounded three sides but was missing one; leaving the west gate open was to provide a way out for deserters.

Ke Daishan knew better than anyone that this was Xiong Tingbi's conspiracy. Once someone took the lead in fleeing, the city's garrison would collapse completely, and Fushun would be utterly doomed.

"Your Highness, the scouts we sent out still haven't delivered any news."

A guard strode into the hall, his voice tinged with frustration.

"The Ming army is keeping a close watch on the outer perimeter, and our people can't break through at all. Even if we manage to break through, we don't know if we'll be able to contact the Third Prince."

Dai Shan's face grew increasingly gloomy, and the anxiety in his heart grew wildly like vines.

He sent out more than a dozen scouts, but without exception, none of them returned. He didn't know if they were killed by the Ming army or trapped on the way.

Without Mangultai's reinforcements, Fushun was an isolated city and would be captured by the Ming army sooner or later.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall, and a scout, covered in wounds and dusty from his journey, stumbled in. His armor was covered in knife marks, and his face was stained with blood that had not yet dried, clearly indicating that he had been through a fierce battle.

"Your Highness! Something terrible has happened!"

The scout fell to his knees with a thud, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

"Lindan Khan... Lindan Khan has led a large army of the Chahar tribe to besiege Kaiyuan! Mangultai Beile is too busy to send reinforcements to our aid!"

"what?!"

Daishan whirled around, his eyes wide with shock. He strode up to the scout, grabbed him by the collar, and demanded sharply:

"Are you telling the truth? Lin Dan broke through the defense of Kaiyuan? You saw it with your own eyes?"

The scout nodded vigorously, coughing up blood as he said, "It's absolutely true! After I broke through the encirclement, on my way to Kaiyuan, I personally witnessed the Chahar cavalry completely surrounding Kaiyuan, with Chahar flags flying all over the city walls... Mangultai Beile's men couldn't get out of the city at all, let alone come to rescue us!"

"This……"

Dai Shan's hand unconsciously loosened, and he staggered back a step, his heart turning cold.

With Kaiyuan besieged and Mangultai himself in dire straits, Fushun's last hope was also shattered.

“Father, something’s not right.”

Saharan suddenly spoke up, his face full of suspicion.

"The scouts we sent out before were either dead or disappeared without a trace. How come this scout managed to break through and bring back such important news? Could it be..."

Before Sahalian could finish speaking, Daišan instantly realized what was happening, and his expression changed drastically:
"This is bad! This is a Ming army tactic! Xiong Tingbi deliberately sent this scout back so that we would know that Kaiyuan is besieged and reinforcements have been cut off, thus undermining the morale of the city!"

"Whether it's a scheme or not, the key is to prevent the soldiers in the city from hearing this news!"

Daishan snapped out of his daze and gave a stern order to his guards.

"Quickly! Take this scout away and keep him under strict guard. He is not allowed to speak to anyone! Anyone who dares to leak information will be dealt with according to military law!"

But no sooner had he finished speaking than heavy footsteps sounded outside the hall, and Yue Tuo walked in with a gloomy face, still carrying a lingering chill:
"That's too late."

Dai Shan's heart sank: "What's wrong?"

"Xiong Tingbi has already sent people outside the city to shout messages."

Yue Tuo's voice sounded somewhat weak.

"He ordered many soldiers who could speak Tungusic to shout outside the south gate that Ligdan Khan had besieged Kaiyuan, that Mangultai could not save them, and that if they surrendered, the Ming army would spare their lives... Now, almost all the soldiers in the city know this news."

"Something bad has happened!"

Daishan's vision went black and he almost fell to the ground, but fortunately Sahalian caught him in time.

Daishan knew very well that this news was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for the city's garrison.

Especially those soldiers from the Han Banner and Mongol tribes, who were not part of the Eight Banners' direct lineage and were not particularly loyal to the Jin Dynasty, will surely be tempted to retreat now that they know the reinforcements have been cut off, and may even defect on the spot.

"Father, what do we do now?"

Saharan's voice also carried a hint of panic.

"If the Han Bannermen and the Mongol soldiers mutini, we simply cannot defend Fushun!"

Daishan leaned back in his chair, staring at the map on the wall, and for the first time, despair welled up in his heart.

He held out for fifteen days, betting that Mangultai would come to his aid and that Ligdan Khan would not send troops, but now, all his bets have been lost.

Without reinforcements, without supplies, and with morale collapsing, Fushun City was truly doomed to fall.

but.
We must never accept our fate!
Dai Shan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, only determination remained in his eyes.

"Pass down the order to strictly guard the west gate. Anyone who dares to escape will be killed without exception! In addition, gather all the grain and give it priority to the elite Eight Banners troops, the Han Banners, and the Mongols... Tell them that if they want to live, they must fight the Ming army to the death!"

If no reinforcements arrive by the end, then the only option is to break out!

Even if the price is something he, Daishan, cannot bear.

And the other side.

Hetu Ala.

Heavy snowflakes danced in the air, enveloping the entire city in a white, chaotic blanket.

The ruins of houses destroyed by Ming army cannon fire this year are now covered by thick snow, which temporarily hides the charred scars. But beneath this false "cleanliness" lies a growing panic in the city.

The streets were sparsely populated, and the soldiers who occasionally passed by were all in a hurry, their faces full of anxiety.

The once bustling market had long since closed, with only a few grain shops still open, but they were surrounded by crowds of people rushing to buy, causing prices to rise again and again.

The gates of the noble mansion were tightly shut, and guards stood vigilantly at the entrance with weapons in hand. Even the air was filled with a sense of impending doom.

Fushun was besieged for half a month, Kaiyuan was attacked by Ligdan Khan, and what was even more deadly was that the Ming army, which set out from Liaoyang and was led by Sun Chengzong, crossed Fushun Pass and had already reached Tumuhe Village, and was about to rush straight to Hetu Ala.

These three mountains weighing down on them made the once arrogant Jianzhou nobles no longer able to laugh. Everyone knew that the Great Jin was facing an unprecedented life-or-death crisis.

Inside the imperial palace.

The strong smell of medicine mixed with the acrid odor of charcoal fire was enough to make one want to vomit.

A thick sable fur rug was laid on the dragon bed. Nurhaci leaned against the headboard. Although his complexion was rosier than it had been a few days ago, it still showed the sallow complexion of someone who had been ill for a long time.

Grand Consort Abahai, dressed in dark palace attire, stood carefully by the bedside. Seeing Nurhaci finish the last sip of his medicine, she quickly handed him a handkerchief and gently wiped the medicine spilling from the corner of his mouth. Her actions were full of concern, but she dared not say a word.

She knew that Nurhaci was currently distracted and distraught by the war situation.

On the carpet in front of the bed, veteran generals Hu Erhan and He Heli stood side by side, both with anxious expressions on their faces.

Amin and Dorgon stood a little further away.

Dorgon was still young, and although he tried his best to remain calm, his eyes betrayed his panic.

He had never seen Da Jin in such a predicament. "Cough...cough..."

Nurhaci put down the medicine bowl and couldn't help coughing a few times. Abahai quickly stepped forward and gently patted his back.

After his cough subsided slightly, Nurhaci slowly began to speak.

"That scoundrel Lindan Khan dared to take advantage of our weakness to attack Kaiyuan; Xiong Tingbi has besieged Fushun for half a month and still hasn't withdrawn his troops; Sun Chengzong is even more audacious, actually wanting to march straight to Hetu Ala..."

He paused, his tone tinged with bitterness: "The Khorchin tribe and the five Inner Khalkha tribes, who once received my favors, are now standing idly by; Huang Taiji is still fighting in Korea and won't be back for a while... This situation is a matter of life and death for our Great Jin!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Hu Erhan couldn't help but step forward, his tone hesitant yet urgent:

"Great Khan, the situation is critical. The First Prince of Fushun and the Third Prince of Kaiyuan are both in danger. Should we...should we issue an edict to order the Fourth Prince to withdraw his troops and return to their aid? Let's concentrate our forces to deal with Ligdan Khan and Xiong Tingbi first. As for Korea, we can attack it after the situation has stabilized!"

These words expressed the sentiments of everyone present, and He Heli and Amin couldn't help but nod in agreement.

Huang Taiji took three of the Eight Banners with him. If they could return in time to help, they might be able to lift the siege of Yuan and Fushun, and even repel the Ming army that was approaching Hetu Ala.

But Nurhaci slowly shook his head.

“Once the arrow is released, there is no turning back. Huang Taiji has already committed a considerable number of troops to Korea. If we withdraw now, not only will our previous sacrifices be in vain, but we will also be ridiculed by the Koreans and the Ming army will think we are cowardly.”

Besides, even if he retreats now, the journey is long, and by the time he arrives, Kaiyuan and Fushun may already have fallen, making it futile.

Huang Taiji was one of the successors to the Khanate he had chosen. This attack on the Han Dynasty was to seize food and people to replenish the strength of the Great Jin. If the army withdrew midway, it would not only weaken Huang Taiji's prestige, but also cause the Great Jin to lose an important source of supplies.

Between two evils, he chose the lesser; he could only gamble that Huang Taiji could take over North Korea as soon as possible and then return to rescue it.

Seeing Nurhaci's resolute attitude, He Heli grew increasingly anxious and couldn't help but say:
"But Great Khan, Hetu Ala can only mobilize less than 20,000 troops, which is simply not enough to support Kaiyuan and Fushun."

The First Prince Daišan was besieged in Fushun, and the Third Prince Mangultai faced Ligdan Khan's 20,000-strong army in Kaiyuan. Both were in extremely dangerous situations; if anything happened to them, the situation would likely deteriorate drastically!

"Why are you panicking?"

Nurhaci roared in anger.

He slowly opened his eyes, and his cloudy gaze suddenly became sharp as a knife, like that gray wolf that had roamed the Liaodong grasslands for decades, still carrying a terrifying aura even in his old age and frailty.

"Hetu Ala is not without troops."

Nurhaci, supporting himself on the edge of the couch, sat up slightly. His voice, though still hoarse, had gained a bit more strength.

"The elite troops of the Plain Yellow Banner are still here, and the main force of the Bordered Blue Banner has not been moved. In addition, with the auxiliary troops of various tribes, we can easily gather 20,000 men."

He coughed, his gaze sweeping over the kneeling crowd, and said softly:

"The reason why the Khorchin tribe and the five Inner Khalkha tribes are watching and waiting is not because they are unwilling to help our Great Jin, but because they dare not help. They are afraid that we will lose and that we will choose the wrong side."

Only by winning a decisive battle and demonstrating the strength of the Jin Dynasty will they truly submit and send troops to help.

"The reason they dared to observe and hesitate was because I, Nurhaci, was ill, and because they felt that the Great Jin had lost its leader. Therefore, I, Nurhaci, must personally lead the expedition! I must prove to them that I, Nurhaci, am still alive!"

"what?!"

"Is the Great Khan going to personally lead the expedition?"

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding throughout the palace.

The two veterans, Hu Erhan and He Heli, looked up abruptly, their eyes filled with shock.

Amin's expression changed drastically, and Abahai's face turned pale, her lips trembling slightly, but she dared not speak first to dissuade him.

The youngest, Dorgon, was the first to react. He knelt down with a thud, his forehead pressed tightly against the cold ground, his voice trembling with tears:

"Father! Absolutely not! Your health is not yet fully recovered, how can you go to the battlefield? The Eight Banners' warfare emphasizes swiftness like the wind, which will inevitably be exhausting. If you personally lead the campaign and something happens to you on the battlefield, the Great Jin will truly be finished!"

Dorgon's words expressed everyone's concerns.

At this moment, Nurhaci was like a sickly old wolf. Although he still had the power, he had long lost his former vigor. To personally lead an expedition on the battlefield was tantamount to risking his life.

Abahai immediately knelt down, her voice choked with emotion: "Great Khan, Dorgon is right, your health is of utmost importance. If something were to happen to you, what would become of me... what would become of my children and me?"

Huerhan, Heheli, and Amin also knelt on the ground, pleading in unison, "Please, Great Khan, rescind your order! A personal expedition is absolutely out of the question!"

Inside the palace, voices of dissuasion rose and fell, and everyone's face was filled with anxiety and worry.

Nurhaci waved his hand, interrupting the crowd's persuasion, and said calmly:
"I know my own body well. When I get to the battlefield, I eat a hundred-year-old Liaoning sea cucumber and drink a few bowls of deer blood every day to keep myself going and be able to go to the battlefield."

After a period of recuperation, Nurhaci's health had actually recovered to some extent.

of course.

That's not enough to go to the battlefield.

But if you add a century-old Liaoning sea cucumber, then it's not necessarily the case.

However, Nurhaci also knew in his heart that Liaoning ginseng was not a good medicine.

That century-old Liaoning ginseng, seemingly able to replenish qi and blood, actually drains the body's remaining functions.

According to the doctor, if he rested properly, he might live for another year or two, or even three to five years.

However, if he insisted on personally leading the expedition and relied on the Liaoning ginseng to survive, he would probably only have a few months left to live, or he might even die on the battlefield.

"Sweat!"

Hu Erhan raised his head, his eyes filled with heartache.

"Even if we are to win the battle, there is no need for you to personally lead the troops! I am willing to lead the army and will surely defeat the Chahar tribe and the Ming army, and relieve the siege of Fushun and Kaiyuan!"

"Yes, Great Khan, I am also willing to go!" He Heli also volunteered, his tone earnest.

Nurhaci slowly shook his head.

"You don't understand. What the Great Jin Dynasty lacks now is not generals who can fight, but a backbone who can keep people's hearts at ease."

Only by personally leading the campaign can the Eight Banners soldiers believe that the Great Jin Dynasty has not yet fallen; only by personally leading the campaign can the people of Khorchin and Inner Khalkha know that Nurhaci is not dead and that the Great Jin Dynasty can still be fought!

He took Abahai's hand and slowly stood up. Although his figure was still somewhat hunched, he exuded an aura of uprightness and strength.

"If I don't take action now, the Great Jin will perish soon. Even if I live a few more years, what good will it do to watch the foundation I built be destroyed?"

"Rather than lying on my sickbed, waiting for my life to end and being laughed at as a useless cripple, I, Nurhaci, would rather die on the battlefield!"

His voice suddenly rose, becoming almost a roar, and his eyes flashed with a final glint.

"To die on the charge, to die on the battlefield fighting for the Great Jin—this is the end that Nurhaci deserves!"

"This is also the best ending for this Khan!"

Hu Erhan opened his mouth, tears streaming down his face, choked and unable to speak.

Dorgon was constantly wiping away tears.

The founder of the Great Jin Dynasty had made up his mind.

This was not a momentary impulse, but an old man's desperate gamble, using his last remaining life to pave the way for his successors as the dynasty faced imminent collapse.

Seeing everyone's tearful reaction, Nurhaci actually chuckled foolishly.

'Let me use these old bones of mine to build up more territory for Huang Taiji and Dorgon, and to hold back more enemies...'

This is also the last ripple of my life, Nurhaci!
ps:
There will be an extra update tonight!
(End of this chapter)