Huangming

Chapter 368 Deceiving the Enemy with Feints, Ambushing and Defusing Their Rally
The cold wind is biting.

This is especially true in the valley.

But Xiong Tingbi was completely oblivious, his mind racing as he rehearsed the situation:
If the soldiers were to line up and prepare to defend themselves at this moment, Nurhaci, with his experience, would surely see through the flaws in the formation and the density of the defenses.

The deployment of 10,000 troops was ultimately insufficient to withstand the main force's interception.

Once Nurhaci realizes that this is merely a delaying tactic, the consequences will be unimaginable.

That old fox will surely gather his elite troops immediately and launch a thunderous attack on Red River Valley. With more than twice the number of troops, he will be able to break through the defenses in less than a day.

By then, let alone buying time for the siege of Fushun, these 10,000 Ming soldiers would likely perish, and the entire Liaodong campaign would be put on the defensive.

"The only option now is to take a risk!"

Xiong Tingbi suddenly looked up, his hesitation replaced by a resolute determination to go all in.

He recalled the stories from "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" that he had read in his youth, such as Zhuge Liang's use of the Empty City Stratagem to repel Sima Yi and Zhang Fei's use of the feint at Changban Slope to retreat his troops.

Although there is no city wall in the west to rely on at this moment, we can take advantage of the terrain of the Red River Valley and the limited resources in the army to stage a play that is difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.

"Relay my order!"

He turned to his personal guards and said, “Select five thousand elite soldiers from the army, equip each with a bow and arrow and a musket, and immediately hide in the pine forests on both sides of the valley. Make sure you are well hidden. Without my order, even if you see the Jurchen soldiers charging in front of you, you are not allowed to show yourselves!”

Just as the guards were about to respond, Xiong Tingbi added, "The remaining five thousand men should all go and cut down the dead branches in the pine forest, bundle them into bunches of ten, and tie them to the horses' tails."

Divide into twenty small teams and race back and forth across the open areas of the valley. The speed must be fast, and the noise must be loud, stirring up clouds of dust to make it appear from outside the valley that tens of thousands of troops are assembled here!

As soon as he finished giving the instructions, he pointed to the open space at the mouth of the valley:
"Then have someone build a high platform out of pine wood, ten feet high, so that people outside the valley can clearly see what's happening on the platform."

Take ten war drums and move them onto the stage. Find two clever boys, dress them in clean soldier uniforms, and have them stand on the side of the stage holding drumsticks.

"Send five hundred men and chariots to form a battle array in front of the platform. The entire operation must be completed within half an hour!"

"Lord General!"

Upon hearing what Xiong Tingbi said, the guard's face turned pale instantly. He quickly stepped forward, his voice filled with worry.

"This is too dangerous! Nurhaci is not Sima Yi. He has been fighting all his life and is known for his ruthlessness and decisiveness. If he doesn't fall for the 'delaying tactic' and orders an attack on the valley directly, we won't even have any room to maneuver!"

Several adjutant generals around him echoed his sentiments, their eyes filled with anxiety: "Yes, General, why don't we settle for second best and send small cavalry squads to harass the enemy while the main force fights and retreats? At least we can buy some more time!"

Xiong Tingbi raised his hand to interrupt the crowd's persuasion, his gaze sweeping over the worried faces, his tone steady yet resolute:

“Retreat? If we retreat, Nurhaci will be even more convinced that we are guilty and will only accelerate the pursuit! As for the empty city ploy, don’t worry, I have a backup plan.”

Xiong Tingbi, by setting up a feint here, is not here to die.

"Quickly search the army for musical instruments like the zither and lute. I want to play the zither on the high platform, emulating Zhuge Liang, to calmly deceive the enemy."

Although the guards were full of doubts, they dared not disobey and turned to leave quickly.

Half an hour later, the platform was completed as scheduled. The platform, made of pine wood, stood straight at the entrance of the valley. Ten war drums were placed side by side, their drum skins trembling slightly in the cold wind. Two children, dressed in brand-new soldier uniforms, stood on the side of the platform, holding drumsticks in their hands. Their little faces were tense, and their eyes were full of tension.

However, something went wrong with the musical instruments.

The soldier in charge of searching for the artifacts ran back, covered in sweat, carrying a pile of bronze objects, including suonas, gongs, horns, and several waist drums, but no zithers or lutes.

He could only report with a bitter face: "General, the army only has these communication instruments for command. We have never even seen elegant items like zithers and flutes, let alone brought them!"

The sounds of the zither and lute are considered decadent and are banned in the military, so it's normal that you can't find them.

Disappointment was evident on Xiong Tingbi's face.

pity.

I can't show off like Zhuge Liang (or show off).

Xiong Tingbi looked at the pile of gleaming bronzes and couldn't help but twitch his lips.

He imagined himself standing on a high platform, playing the suona.

That festive yet shrill tone, let alone intimidating the enemy, would probably make the soldiers on their own side suffer internal injuries from suppressing their laughter, and would also allow Nurhaci to see through their disguise.

Just as Xiong Tingbi was feeling somewhat troubled, his gaze swept over the ten war drums, and suddenly his eyes lit up:
"If we have no zithers or flutes, then we'll use war drums!"

The deep, resonant sound of war drums conveyed both military authority and a calm, composed demeanor, making them far more reliable than the suona.

"Place the war drum in the center of the high platform, and bring me a pair of drumsticks!"

"Yes!"

The guards quickly placed the war drums in the center of the high platform as Xiong Tingbi had requested.

Xiong Tingbi strode towards the high platform, his steps firm.

The moment he stepped onto the high platform, he took a deep breath, suppressed his nervousness, took the drumsticks handed to him by his personal guard, and gently tapped the drumhead with his fingertips. The dull drumbeats echoed in the Red River Valley, and they actually had a certain awe-inspiring power.

He turned to the two boys and instructed them, "When I beat the drum, you stand to the side, backs straight, and don't be shy. Even if you hear any noise outside the valley, you are not allowed to look around, move around, or talk. Understand?"

The two boys nodded vigorously, trying to make their posture look more composed.

By this time, dust had already risen in the valley.

Five thousand cavalrymen led their warhorses, which were tethered with withered branches, back and forth across the open ground. Pine branches swept across the snow and frozen ground, and the swirling snow mist mixed with the soil. Withered branches and broken snow flew about, shaking the earth and sky. From outside the valley, it truly looked as if a large army was gathering there.

at this time.

The Jurchen scouts outside the valley had already stopped and were watching the movements inside from a distance.

When they saw Xiong Tingbi on the high platform, the ten war drums, and the smoke and dust filling the valley, their faces turned solemn.

"That barbarian is actually at the valley entrance?"

"Should we go in and investigate?"

"You're tired of living, aren't you? The Ming Dog's banner is right here. Go any further, or you'll die!"

"What should we do?"

"Go back and report to the Great Khan!"

After whispering to each other for a moment, they quickly turned their horses around and galloped towards Nurhaci's central army.

Soon, they arrived before Nurhaci and told him everything they had seen at the valley entrance.

"what?!"

Nurhaci had just put on his light armor on horseback when he heard the scout's report. He suddenly pulled on the reins, and the horse's hooves dug two deep furrows in the snow. His eyes were filled with disbelief and shock.

He almost thought he had misheard, and frowned as he pressed, "Say it again, what was Xiong Tingbi doing at the entrance of the Red River Valley?"

The scout knelt on one knee, his head bowed even lower, but his tone was unusually certain:
"Your Majesty, it is absolutely true! Xiong Tingbi has erected a platform about ten feet high at the entrance of the valley, and is personally beating a drum on it. Below the platform, there is also the banner of the Liaodong Military Commissioner, which can be seen from afar! There is a great commotion inside the valley, as if a large number of troops are hidden there!"

"Drumming?"

Nurhaci repeated these two words, his shock gradually replaced by suspicion.

He reined in his horse and paced back and forth.

"What exactly is this barbarian Xiong up to? He knows that I am leading my army south to rescue Fushun, yet instead of sending troops to stop him, he sets up a drum formation at the valley entrance. Has he gone mad?"

Mangultai, growing impatient, gripped his scimitar at his waist, a glint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, and spurred his horse forward, saying:

“Father, who cares about his schemes and tricks! Xiong Tingbi is just putting on an act. I am willing to lead an elite force to charge in, cut off his head, and present it to you, Father!”

After saying this, he was about to order the mobilization of troops, but Nurhaci raised his hand to stop him.

"No hurries?"

Nurhaci gave Mangultai a sharp look.

"Xiong Tingbi is shrewd and calculating; he won't do anything meaningless. Let's go with me to the valley entrance to assess the situation before making a decision!"

The large army slowly advanced towards the Red River Valley. Half an hour later, Nurhaci reined in his horse and stopped on a high ground outside the valley, looking towards the valley entrance in the distance.

On a platform about ten feet high, Xiong Tingbi, wearing a black cloak and holding a drumstick, stood steadily in front of the war drum. On either side of him stood a boy holding a drumstick. The banner of the Liaodong Military Commissioner fluttered in the cold wind.

What alarmed him even more was the great commotion inside the valley. He could vaguely see the shadows of galloping hooves, but he couldn't tell how many soldiers there were.

The drumbeats on the high platform are constantly changing over time.

At first, there was the slow, steady rhythm of the Changbu drum, as if it were calmly setting up an array.

Before long, the drumbeats gradually quickened, turning into a fast-paced drumbeat with a "thump thump thump thump" sound, conveying a sense of urgency.

In the end, it transformed into a series of rapid, thunderous drumbeats that echoed across the Red River Valley, as if a massive army would charge out of the valley at any moment.

"Is this barbarian trying to lure me deeper into his territory?"

Nurhaci frowned.

He had fought for half his life and seen countless stratagems to lure the enemy, but he had never seen anyone as blatant as Xiong Tingbi, who used drums to warn the enemy.

The commotion and rapid drumbeats within the valley seemed to be both a display of strength and a deliberate provocation, leaving him unable to discern the truth.

"Father, don't be fooled by him!"

Mangultai stamped his feet in frustration and pointed at the high platform, shouting: "This Xiong Tingbi is clearly trying to imitate Zhuge Liang's Empty City Stratagem and Zhang Fei's rearguard action at Dangyang Bridge. He's just making a show of mystery!"
If he really had a large army, he would have charged out long ago, instead of just banging drums on the stage.
"Father Khan, give me three thousand soldiers, and I'll charge in and take his head!"

Nurhaci did not respond, his eyes still fixed on the movements inside the valley.

During the Battle of Kaiyuan, he used a feint to trick Ligdan Khan into dividing his forces. Now, will Xiong Tingbi use the same tactic against him?

If there are indeed ambushes in the valley, a hasty attack would only lead to falling into a trap.

However, if it is indeed a feint, missing this opportunity will allow Xiong Tingbi to delay for even longer, and once Fushun falls, the situation will be completely reversed.

"Is it a feint, or is he using himself as bait?"

Nurhaci's brow furrowed deeper and deeper.

now.

The drumbeats from the high platform at the valley entrance continued rapidly, as if constantly provoking him.

Should we send troops or not?
He had concerns in his heart.

If there are indeed ambushes in the valley, a hasty attack would only result in the needless sacrifice of the Eight Banners' elite troops.

But if we stop because of Xiong Tingbi's few drumbeats, wouldn't we be ridiculed by the various tribes of the grasslands and the officials of the Ming Dynasty?

It is said that Nurhaci became the second Cao Mengde who was scared off by a feint, and did not even have the courage to face the enemy directly!

Let's forget about something so embarrassing!

"Hmph, I'd like to see what this barbarian is really up to!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Nurhaci's eyes; the decisiveness honed by years of warfare ultimately overcame his doubts. He abruptly turned his head, his gaze landing on Mangultai, who was rubbing his hands together in anticipation, and said in a deep voice:

"Mangurtai, lead a thousand light cavalry to scout the valley entrance! Remember, only reconnoiter the outer perimeter, do not venture deep into the valley. If you encounter an ambush, retreat immediately!"

"As Father Khan commands!"

Upon hearing this, Mangultai's face instantly broke into a ferocious smile. He had long been unable to suppress the killing intent in his heart. He immediately dismounted and had his personal guards drape him in heavy black iron armor. He gripped his usual long spear tightly in his hand.

The spear shaft still bore traces of blood from the Battle of Kaiyuan, gleaming a dark brown light in the cold wind.

In a short while, a thousand elite cavalrymen had assembled, most of them wearing heavy armor, holding swords or spears, and their eyes were full of murderous intent.

"rush ahead!"

At Mangultai's command, he spurred his horse and charged towards the entrance of the Red River Valley.

A thousand cavalrymen followed closely behind, their hooves pounding the snow and kicking up clouds of snow mist as they galloped menacingly toward the high platform.

On the high platform at the valley entrance, Xiong Tingbi kept a close eye on the movements outside the valley.

Seeing the Jurchen cavalry charging towards him, he immediately put down his drumsticks, strode down from the platform, and his personal guards, who had been waiting below, immediately brought him a warhorse.

Xiong Tingbi mounted his horse and ordered the generals beside him: "Pass down the order, Shenji Battalion, prepare to fire immediately when the rear guard of the Jurchen cavalry enters fifty paces into the valley!"
The cavalry stood ready in the mountains on both sides, poised to charge once the enemy was thrown into disarray! The chariot battalion advanced, blocking the valley entrance and cutting off their retreat!

"Follow the order!"

The generals responded in unison and quickly relayed the instructions.

The cavalrymen who had been galloping and stirring up dust in the valley all led their horses into the forest. The soldiers of the Shenji Battalion pushed the breech-loading cannons and quietly set them up at the edge of the woods, aiming the cannons at the passage in the valley.

Dozens of tanks were hidden deep in the valley.

Mangultai rushed to the valley entrance and saw that the high platform was empty, and Xiong Tingbi was leading his troops to retreat into the valley. He became even more certain:
"It was indeed a feint! That barbarian was just putting on an act. He was so scared when he saw our army arrive that he tried to run away! We almost fell for his trick!"

If Xiong Tingbi could be killed, and given the merit of Kaiyuan, perhaps the Khan would directly make him the crown prince.

The allure of the Khanate was simply too great for Mangultai.

Without the slightest hesitation, he spurred his horse deeper into the valley, shouting, "Catch up with Xiong Tingbi! Kill him, and the reward will be a thousand pieces of gold!"

Upon hearing of such a generous reward, the cavalrymen under his command immediately roared with excitement.

The fighting spirit in his eyes intensified.

Nurhaci's warning against venturing deep into the valley was instantly forgotten by them.

They rushed in all at once.

But less than fifty men had entered the valley when suddenly a rain of arrows came from the forests on both sides!
Countless arrows rained down on the cavalry, followed by the simultaneous sounds of musket fire and cannon fire.

Lead bullets whistled sharply as cannonballs struck the snow, instantly kicking up snow dust several feet high and sending the cavalrymen in the front ranks flying.

"There's an ambush!"

Mangultai's expression changed drastically, and a chill ran through him.

Xiong Tingbi had actually set an ambush!
motherfucker.

This is not a feint!
That old bastard really had a trap up his sleeve!
We can't take this guy's head now.

"The vanguard becomes the rearguard, and the rearguard becomes the vanguard. Retreat immediately!"

He screamed desperately.

But it was too late.

Suddenly, a large number of Ming cavalrymen rushed out from the mountains on both sides. They were all heavily armored and held long spears. They charged towards the Jurchen cavalry like a tide.

At the mouth of the valley, dozens of tanks were slowly pushed out, about to block the only way out.

The Jurchen cavalry were already in disarray due to the ambush, and the charge by the Ming cavalry threw them into complete chaos.

Some cavalrymen tried to turn and retreat, but were blocked by the troops behind them; others tried to break through the chariots and escape, but were hit by the muskets of the Shenji Battalion and fell to the ground in the snow.

Mangultai brandished his long spear, fiercely cutting down the Ming soldiers who charged at him, but his personal guards were dwindling in number.

His warhorse was a rare and excellent steed, which carried him through the enemy lines, breaking through the encirclement several times, only to be stopped by the Ming cavalry.

If it weren't for several guards who risked their lives to protect him, shielding him from arrows and spears, he would probably have already become a prisoner of the Ming army.

"Kill out!"

With bloodshot eyes, Mangultai pierced the chest of a Ming general with his long spear. Using the momentum of his warhorse, he broke through the gap just as the chariot was about to completely seal off the valley entrance, narrowly escaping the Ming army's encirclement and galloping out of the valley.

Although the Ming cavalry behind them were in pursuit, they were unable to catch up due to the obstruction of the chariots.

Mangultai rushed out of the valley, reined in his warhorse, and looked back in shock.

The valley was already a scene of devastation, with the corpses of the elite Eight Banners cavalry scattered everywhere, limbs and bodies strewn all over the ground, and blood soaking through the snow.

Of the thousand elite soldiers who had followed him into the valley, only a few dozen remained, fleeing in disarray towards the outside of the valley. The rest were left behind forever in the Red River Valley.

"That despicable Xiong Tingbi!"

Mangultai was so angry he felt like vomiting blood.

"My groin!"

There was a mistake in this battle.

The sweating point that was once so close now seems to be a world away.

"There really was an ambush! That bastard is full of evil schemes!"

Nurhaci stared at the carnage in the valley, his teeth grinding together, his chest heaving beneath his black iron armor, his eyes filled with barely suppressed rage.

A thousand elite cavalrymen were killed in the Red River Valley, almost the entire army was wiped out. This was not only a loss of manpower, but also a heavy blow to the morale of the army.

This Mangultai is far too reckless!
Nurchi's previous good impression of Mangultai, which he had when he was in Kaiyuan, has now completely vanished.

This person.

Absolutely not a Khan!
Call ~
Nurhaci slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

After his anger subsided, he thought about how to deal with the current situation.

He reined in his horse and stood on the high slope, his gaze sweeping across the steep mountain walls on both sides of the Red River Valley, his mind racing with calculations:
Xiong Tingbi had at least 40,000 to 50,000 Ming troops under his command, well-equipped, and the firearms of the Shenji Battalion were particularly powerful.

If the enemy really has its main force ambushed in the valley, and our 20,000 to 30,000 men rush in rashly, they will probably be swallowed up in one gulp, leaving not even bones behind.

We cannot take any risks before we know the enemy's situation!

"Send the order!"

Nurhaci took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart, his voice slightly hoarse.

"The entire army shall immediately retreat three miles and set up camp to await further orders! In addition, scouts shall be dispatched in batches to investigate the Red River Valley in detail, and it is imperative to find out exactly how many Ming troops are hidden in the valley, and where the firearms battalion and the chariot battalion are located!"

"Whoo!"

The generals responded in unison and quickly turned to relay the orders.

Nearly 30,000 Jin soldiers began to retreat in an orderly manner. Their horses' hooves trampled the snow, and the snow mist they raised gradually obscured the entrance to the Red River Valley, leaving only a few scouts. Wearing light leather armor, they carefully spread out at the valley entrance, like wary wolf cubs, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

soon.

Three miles outside the entrance to the Red River Valley.

The central command tent was then set up.

Nurhaci sat in his tent, looking at the newly unfolded map, his brow furrowed.

For him, time is life.

I can't linger here too long.

"No matter how many men Xiong Tingbi brought, we must find a way to defeat him."

"However, the Red River Valley has treacherous terrain, and the Xiong barbarians are cunning and treacherous. A hasty attack might lead us into a trap..."

He repeatedly gestured at the Red River Valley on the map, but he couldn't come up with a sure way to break the deadlock. The bad premonition in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

On the other side of the Red River Valley.

Xiong Tingbi stood in the valley, gazing at the corpses of the Jurchen cavalrymen scattered on the ground and the warhorses that had lost their masters and were wandering around with their tails swaying, and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

The cold wind brushed against his cheeks, carrying a strong smell of blood, but he felt unusually relaxed.

The strategy of "luring the enemy with drum formations and then ambushing them" ultimately succeeded.

"My lord, the Jurchen army has retreated three miles and set up camp. They have also sent scouts to investigate at the valley entrance!"

A guard quickly stepped forward to report, his tone tinged with excitement.

"In this battle, we not only killed nearly a thousand of their elite troops, but also successfully delayed the Jurchens' advance. We have made a great contribution!"

Xiong Tingbi nodded slightly, but there was no smile on his face; instead, his expression became more solemn.

He raised his hand to brush the snowflakes off his shoulder, looked in the direction of Fushun, and said in a low voice, "It's just a temporary delay, nothing great. Nurhaci is suspicious but not stupid. It won't be long before he finds out the true situation in the valley."

With only 10,000 troops at his disposal, he was able to win this ambush by using himself as bait and by taking the Jurchens for granted.

If it weren't for the irresistible allure of his head as the Liaodong Military Commissioner, the Jurchen cavalry wouldn't have ventured so deep.

just
Such a move would probably be very difficult to replicate.

且.
Once Nurhaci has figured out the situation and knows that the valley is not the main force of the Ming army, he will definitely send a large army to attack without hesitation.

At that point, let alone buying time, it's uncertain whether these 10,000 troops can even escape unscathed.

"The most crucial thing now is the battle situation in Fushun."

"Send two more light cavalry squads to Fushun, traveling day and night, to scout out the progress of the siege. Tell Ma Shilong and Man Gui that they must break through the city and capture Daishan as soon as possible!"
"Once Fushun falls, our 10,000 troops will have accomplished their mission, and we'll be able to seize the initiative in the subsequent battles!"

"In addition, quickly clear the battlefield and construct the Red River Valley defense line!"

The time gained must be used!
Delaying Nurhaci for three days was merely Xiong Tingbi's basic objective.

If the battle in Fushun goes against him, he will have no choice but to fight desperately to delay the situation for a few more days.

"As per the orders of the Commander-in-Chief!"

The generals received their orders and left. The Ming troops in the valley began to clear the battlefield, bury the corpses, and collect weapons. At the same time, they reinforced their fortifications in preparation for the next possible attack by Nurhaci.

Watching the departing figures of his generals, Xiong Tingbi's eyes flickered, and he let out a long sigh.

希望
Time is on the side of the Ming Dynasty!
(End of this chapter)