Huangming

Chapter 365 A crippled body holds the line; the crisis is far from over.
The snowfields outside Kaiyuan City had long been ravaged by war and were no longer recognizable.

The wind whipped up snowflakes, sweeping across the messy ground.

Corpses were everywhere, and bloodstains were everywhere.

The air was thick with the stench of blood and burning, and even the howling north wind seemed to carry the wailing of the dead.

Not far away, hundreds of Chahar soldiers knelt on the snow, their hands covering their heads, their faces filled with terror and despair.

Their fur robes were stained with mud and blood. Some were shivering from the cold, while others were sobbing softly. They had lost all their pre-battle vigor and had become Nurhaci's prisoners.

A portion of the Plain Yellow Banner and Bordered Blue Banner cavalry pursued Ligdan Khan in the direction he had fled.

Some of the Eight Banners soldiers were busy counting prisoners and confiscating weapons.

Which of these spoils is the most valuable?

The Manchu bannermen here, counting the spoils of war, can point them out to you.

It was that dark, dense herd of livestock on the west side of the camp.

On the west side of the camp, more than 100,000 cattle and sheep huddled together, mooing softly under the watch of soldiers, their rising heat condensing into white mist in the cold air.

This was the "winter rations" that Ligdan Khan had prepared for the Chahar tribe. He originally intended to take advantage of the attack on Kaiyuan to plunder supplies and then bring these cattle and sheep back to the grasslands to survive the harsh "White Disaster." However, he did not expect a disastrous defeat, which turned these life-saving livestock into Nurhaci's spoils of war.

The soldier in charge of the inventory ran over excitedly to report.

"Your Majesty! We have over 100,000 head of cattle and sheep, and more than 2,000 warhorses. This means our Great Jin's provisions will last until next spring!"

The surrounding Manchu bannermen cheered, some patting their companions on the shoulder, others raising their weapons and shouting, their faces filled with the ecstasy of victory.

Nurhaci stood on the high slope, looking at the scene before him, but there was no smile on his face.

Those sharp eyes held only a deep, unfathomable gravity.

While the more than 100,000 cattle and sheep could alleviate the immediate crisis for the Jin dynasty, the real threat had not yet been eliminated.

Outside Fushun, Xiong Tingbi's army was still besieging Daishan.

In the direction of Hetu Ala, Sun Chengzong's troops were still eyeing the area covetously.

If the Jin Dynasty wants to truly overcome this crisis, it must defeat Xiong Tingbi; otherwise, the Jin Dynasty will never have control over Liaodong.

"Father Khan!"

A hoarse shout interrupted Nurhaci's thoughts.

He turned around and saw Mangultai walking slowly towards him.

The banner chief of the Plain Blue Banner was covered in blood, the bloodstains on his armor were frozen into hard lumps, his face was covered in mud and snow, and even the strands of his hair were covered in ice. But his eyes were surprisingly bright, and although his gait was a little unsteady, it was still upright.

Mangultai walked up to Nurhaci, knelt down on one knee with a thud, placed his right hand on his chest, and grinned widely, revealing two rows of large, white teeth stained with blood and foam:
"Your subject has lived up to your mission and has finally brought Father Khan back. We haven't let Kaiyuan fall into the hands of that scoundrel Ligdan Khan!"

Nurhaci stepped forward, extended his slightly trembling hand, and patted Mangultai on the shoulder.

"Well done!"

Nurhaci's voice was somewhat hoarse, but he was very pleased.

"Mangurtai, you are a Baturu, the first Baturu of my Great Jin!"

Mangultai played a crucial role in the victory over Ligdan Khan.

If Mangultai hadn't led the remnants of the Plain Blue Banner to hold out in Kaiyuan City for many days, withstanding the repeated attacks of Ligdan Khan's 20,000-strong army, and if Mangultai hadn't finally broken out from the south gate to attack the Chahar tribe from both sides, even if he had arrived with reinforcements, he might not have been able to defeat Ligdan Khan so easily.

In this battle, Mangultai not only defended Kaiyuan, but also protected the "northern gate" of the Jin Dynasty.

When Mangultai heard the praise of being called "the First Baturu of the Great Jin Dynasty," his eyes lit up instantly, and his joy was almost overflowing.

This is not only an affirmation of his bravery, but also a step closer to making him the Khan.

Previously, due to his volatile temper and reckless actions, he was far less favored by his father, Daišan and Huang Taiji. However, after this battle, he clearly felt that he had taken a crucial step forward on the scales of the struggle for the Khan's throne.

"Thank you, Father Khan!"

Mangultai kowtowed heavily, his voice filled with excitement.

"Your subject is willing to go through fire and water for Father Khan and make new contributions!"

Nurhaci helped Mangultai up and patted him on the shoulder.

After the battle, the father and son began to chat.

Just then, one of the Meile Ejen who had gone to pursue Ligdan Khan rode up to Nurhaci's side, dismounted, knelt down, and reported:

"Great Khan, Lindan Khan has abandoned all his baggage with the Kheshig army and fled along the Xilamulun River into the depths of the grassland. Most of their hoofprints have already been covered by the wind and snow. If we continue to pursue them, we may have to go deep into the heart of Chahar and risk an ambush. I have ordered them to halt their pursuit."

Nurhaci nodded slowly.

"They've run away, so it's not worth chasing them."

The main problem is that we can't catch up.

Of course, there is another reason.

That so-called Khan of the steppe was a coward who only knew how to hide behind others. He was afraid before the battle even started and didn't even have the courage to face the enemy directly. How could he be worthy of being Nurhaci's opponent?

He's a clown; let him get away.

He chuckled softly and said:

"With the loss of over 100,000 head of cattle and sheep and nearly 10,000 elite troops, the prestige of Ligdan Khan as the 'Lord of the Grasslands' has been completely shattered."

"Chahar poses no threat in the short term; our focus must immediately shift to Fushun!"

"Father Khan is right!"

Mangultai quickly responded, rubbing his frozen hands, and hurriedly said from the side, "The Great Prince has been besieged in Fushun for more than a month. If Xiong Tingbi finds out that we have won in Kaiyuan, he may rush to launch a strong attack. We have to get there before him."

At this time, pretending to be friendly and respectful to his father might improve his image in the father's mind.

"That's right, Daishan is still not out of danger."

"Your Majesty's intention is to immediately dispatch troops to aid Fushun."

However, as Mangultai was speaking, he seemed to suddenly remember something and hurriedly reminded Nurhaci.

"By the way, Father Khan, we have now defeated Ligdan Khan decisively, and the situation is much clearer. Shouldn't we persuade Chaohua and Khorchin to send troops? They were hiding and watching before, weren't they afraid of our defeat?"

Upon hearing this, Nurhaci's eyes lit up.

"I had almost forgotten about that."

The Mongol tribes have always been known for their tendency to "push a wall when it's down and beat a drum when it's broken." Before, when the situation was unclear, the Chaohua and Khorchin tribes dared to delay sending troops. But now that the Great Jin has won a crucial battle, it would be disrespectful to continue to wait and see.

"Issue my Khan's order to immediately send envoys to the Khorchin tribe and the five Inner Khalkha tribes."

He held up two fingers, his tone resolute.

"Have the Khorchin send 10,000 troops, and Chaohua send 10,000 troops as well. They must arrive in Kaiyuan within ten days to rendezvous! Anyone who dares to make excuses to delay, or who is short even a single soldier, will be punished."

At this point, his voice suddenly lowered, and a terrifying murderous aura flashed in his eyes, causing even the guards around him to instinctively hold their breath.

"They should stop being Mongol Taijis and become enemies of my Great Jin! I will take not only their soldiers, but also their tribes' cattle, sheep, pastures, and even their heads!"

Mangultai was startled upon hearing this, and then grinned.

Father Khan is about to get serious.

Previously, we were quite polite to the Mongol tribes, but now that we have won the war, we should demonstrate the might of the Great Jin and let those fence-sitters know that there are benefits to following the Great Jin, and that disobeying the Great Jin will only lead to death.

"Your subject will go and arrange for the envoy!" He said, turning to leave, but Nurhaci stopped him.

"and many more."

Nurhaci raised his hand and pointed to the nine-barred white banner planted not far away.

The flag is topped with a black yak tail (symbolizing the war god Suluding), and the flag surface is pure white with nine ribbons hanging down.

Inherited from the tradition of Genghis Khan's Kheshig army, it symbolizes the supreme authority of the Great Khan of the Mongols.

It serves as both a flag of military command and a symbol of political legitimacy.

However, the golden sun on that flag has now been slashed and is stained with blood.

"Have the envoy take this nine-stringed white banner to show to the people of Chaohua and Khorchin. Tell them this is the consequence of opposing the Great Jin; Ligdan Khan is their example!"

"it is good!"

Mangultai nodded emphatically, turned around, and strode away.

Nurhaci stood there, gazing in the direction Mangultai had gone, his eyes still cold.

Forcing the Mongol tribes to send troops was not only to increase the forces to deal with Xiong Tingbi, but also to completely stabilize the flank of the Jin Dynasty.

As long as the Khorchin and Inner Khalkha stand with the Jin Dynasty, Xiong Tingbi will not dare to act rashly, and the Jin Dynasty will have a firm grasp on the Battle of Fushun.

However, just as Nurhaci continued to think about how to deal with Xiong Tingbi, he suddenly felt a throbbing in his temple, his vision went black, and the sound of the wind and snow around him became indistinct as if it were filtered through a thick layer of cotton.

He stumbled, and if his bodyguard hadn't reacted quickly and caught his arm, he would have fallen to the ground in the cold snow.

"Ginseng! Deer blood! Quickly!"

Nurhaci's voice trembled slightly, and he gripped his guard's wrist tightly, his nails almost digging into the guard's flesh.

This is the second time he has experienced this situation in recent days, and each time it comes on faster and makes him more anxious.

His guards were prepared, and almost the instant he spoke, two of them stepped forward.

A man took out a piece of century-old Liaoning sea cucumber wrapped in oiled paper from his gilded leather pouch. The sea cucumber was plump, and amber-colored juice was still seeping from the cut. This was the amount that the doctor had specially cut for him.

The other person held a copper bowl and killed a deer on the spot to draw its blood. The deer blood in the bowl was fresh and thick, and the fishy smell mixed with the cold air floated in the air, making people's noses feel tight.

Nurhaci took the Liaoning ginseng with trembling hands, stuffed it into his mouth and chewed it hard. The bitter taste of the medicine instantly spread on his tongue, with a hint of indescribable fishy sweetness.

He picked up the copper bowl again, tilted his head back, and drank the deer blood in one gulp. The warm liquid slid down his throat, warmed his diaphragm, and felt like a faint flame that temporarily dispelled the chill in his body.

In a short while, her originally pale face gradually flushed with an unnatural redness, the blackness in her vision faded, and her unsteady steps finally became more stable.

But his hands, hanging by his sides, were still trembling.

Nurhaci licked his lips, but his expression was quite unpleasant.

Since his personal campaign in Hetu Ala, his body has been like an old tree hollowed out by termites, deteriorating day by day.

I felt bloated after only two sips of the butter tea I drank this morning.

The roasted mutton that Jirhalang sent a few days ago was his favorite food when he was young, but now even the smell of it makes him feel greasy and he can hardly swallow it.

It's not that I don't want to eat, it's that my internal organs feel drained of energy, and even digesting food has become a heavy burden.

What weighed heavily on his mind was that half a ginseng root used to last him a day or two, but now he had to rely on ginseng and deer blood to replenish his strength in less than half a day.

Nurhaci understood that this was a sign that his body was rapidly declining, a symptom of his impending death.

His time
Running out.

"We must not fall now..."

Nurhaci looked up toward Fushun, his eyes filled with intense resentment.

With Ligdan Khan just defeated, the Mongol tribes are still observing and may not be truly willing to submit.

Daishan is besieged in Fushun and is on the verge of collapse.

Sun Chengzong's troops are still eyeing the Tumuhe Village covetously...

If he can't hold on, the princes of the Great Jin, each with their own agendas, will sooner or later fight to the death for the throne, and the foundation he has built will crumble in the blink of an eye!
"Even if we die, we must wait until we defeat Xiong Tingbi and firmly grasp Liaodong in the hands of the Jin!"

He silently repeated it to himself, his eyes sharpening again, but behind that sharpness lay a trace of weariness that was hard to conceal.

I wonder how long this person can keep going on with just ginseng and deer blood.

Hu Erhan and He Heli, who were not far away, saw all of this clearly.

The two exchanged a quick glance, both seeing worry in each other's eyes.

Hu Erhan gripped the hilt of the knife at his waist, his eyes red-rimmed.

Nurhaci's stumble just now almost scared him to death.

He had fought alongside Nurhaci for over thirty years, witnessing the Khan fight undeterred by arrows and charge into battle wounded, but he had never seen this iron-blooded Khan so weak.

He Heli frowned, his gaze fixed on Nurhaci's flushed cheeks, his eyes filled with worry.

There is a Chinese idiom called "a flash of light before death".

He Heli understood that his Khan was probably in this situation.

Forcibly boosting one's spirits with strong medicine is like a candle flame before it burns out; the brighter it is, the faster it will go out.

The flushed face from excessive sweating is not a sign of good health; it's "false heat" caused by ginseng and deer blood, indicating that the body is overdrawing its last bit of vitality.

"The situation is not optimistic!"

The two of them sighed softly.

On the surface, the Jin dynasty had won the Battle of Kaiyuan, captured more than 100,000 head of cattle and sheep, forced Ligdan Khan to flee in disarray, and even managed to compel the Mongol tribes to send troops to help them. It seemed like a very favorable situation.

But only these old ministers who followed Nurhaci in conquering the world knew that the Great Khan was the pillar of the Jin Dynasty.

If this pillar collapses, let alone defeating Xiong Tingbi, we probably won't even be able to keep our current territory.

Daišan is cruel yet indecisive, Mangultai is brave yet reckless, and Huang Taiji is shrewd yet has not fully grasped power. If things really come to that, the Great Jin will still face difficulties.

Sorrow!

This seemingly bright future actually hides such a fatal hidden danger.

They could help the Great Khan win battle after battle, but they couldn't stop the erosion of time and illness, and they didn't know how much longer this old Khan could hold on.

And on the other side.

Nurhaci slowly straightened up, and after resting for a moment, he instructed his personal guards: "Pass on my order, that all tribes take a break and rest, and tomorrow morning, we will break camp and head south to Fushun!"

His voice remained authoritative, but if you listened carefully, you could detect a slight tremor.

After less than a day of rest, the elite Eight Banners troops, having traveled a long distance and experienced a major battle, were naturally not fully recovered.

But there was simply not enough time to restore them.

He must get to Fushun as soon as possible and defeat Xiong Tingbi.

Nurhaci was afraid he couldn't wait any longer.

He is now racing against time, racing against death!

PS:

There will be an extra update tonight!
(End of this chapter)