Huangming

Chapter 369 The Battle of the Military Commander, Daishan's End

The streets and alleys of Fushun City have almost been reduced to complete ruins.

Black smoke still rose from the ruins of the city, and the snow, stained dark brown with blood, solidified in the cracks of the stones and was covered by fresh bloodstains.

Dai Shan, clad in heavy armor and wielding a dagger, leaned against the wall of a dilapidated house, listening to the distant booming of cannons, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

The street fighting was even more difficult than he had anticipated.

The two red banners under his command were originally the most elite cavalry units of the Jin Dynasty.

In previous major battles, these cavalrymen charged into battle on the snowy plains, their horsemanship and archery skills were unparalleled on the grasslands, and even Ligdan Khan's Kheshig army dared not confront them head-on.

Now trapped in Fushun, the cavalry's mobility advantage was completely restricted by the narrow streets and alleys. The warhorses could hardly move on the stone-paved roads and instead became live targets for the Ming army's firearms.

Many cavalrymen were forced to dismount and fight, gripping their scimitars and battling the Ming army's spearmen. However, due to the loss of their speed and height advantage, their casualties increased.

"Kill! Defend this alleyway!"

Daishan roared and swung his sword, cutting down a Ming soldier who charged at him.

Just as they finished off one, two more heavily armored Ming soldiers charged forward, shields with several arrows stuck in them, but this did not hinder their advance at all.

Behind the heavily armored soldiers, the Shenji Battalion soldiers, holding muskets, fired two shots, and two Eight Banner soldiers fell to the ground.

Dai Shan felt a chill run down his spine.

The Ming army's ferocity far exceeded his expectations.

These soldiers all had determined eyes, and even when their comrades fell, they continued to charge forward through the bloodstains.

What troubled him even more was that the Ming generals were extremely adaptable and never fought stalemates:
When encountering a stubbornly defended alleyway, instead of charging in, they would go around to the rooftops of houses and drop gunpowder bombs from above.

Seeing the Jurchen soldiers gathering, they brought in breech-loading cannons, and after several rounds of bombardment, the originally solid defensive line was blown to pieces.

"Boom! Boom!"

Two more rounds of artillery fire erupted, and a section of low wall not far away was blasted down, sending debris flying and burying more than ten Manchu bannermen who were hiding behind it.

Dai Shan's eyelids twitched as he read, a strong sense of powerlessness welling up inside him.

He had never longed for firearms so much. If the two Red Banners had such cannons, and if his soldiers could be equipped with muskets, they would not be in such a passive situation.
But saying these things now is pointless.

The only two cannons remaining in the treasury were destroyed in the early stages of the Ming army's siege of the city.

The few muskets captured from the Ming army were already useless due to a lack of gunpowder.

Today, the two Red Banners can only rely on swords and bows and arrows to fight against the Ming army's heavy armor and firearms, as if using flesh and blood to resist a torrent of steel.

"Your Highness! The East Alley entrance is about to fall! The Ming army's gunpowder bombs are too powerful!"

A soldier ran over, covered in blood, his voice trembling with tears.

"We've already suffered more than half our casualties, and the remaining brothers are almost at their limit!"

Dai Shan took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He can't panic now; if he does, the morale of the army will collapse.

Once morale collapses, Fushun will truly be finished.

Daishan wiped the blood off his face and sternly ordered his personal guards, "Pass on my order, Prince, to move all able-bodied men to the east alley entrance!"
Block the streets and alleys with firewood, then pour oil from the treasury onto them. If the Ming army dares to charge, set it on fire!
Tell your sons to hold on a little longer, for the Khan's reinforcements will be here soon!
"Once reinforcements arrive, we can launch a pincer attack from both inside and outside and annihilate the Ming army!"

"Hold on and we'll find a way!"

The guards obeyed and left. Daishan gripped his sword again and charged toward the east alley entrance.

In the streets and alleys, the shouts of the Ming army grew closer and closer, and the explosions of gunpowder bombs rang out like thunder in my ears.

He looked at the fallen soldiers around him, at the mangled limbs ripped apart by artillery fire, and only one thought occupied his mind:
Hang in there, just a little longer.

He didn't know when reinforcements would arrive, nor how long Fushun could be held, but he had no other choice.

There was nowhere to retreat, and nowhere to surrender.

Only fight to the death!

The street fighting continued, and although the Ming army's advance was slow, it was relentless.

Although the two red flags put up a tenacious resistance, they were already at their last gasp.

The fate of Fushun City was like a candle flickering in the wind, and all Daishan could do was use his last strength to guard this faint light and wait for reinforcements that might never arrive.

now.

The atmosphere in the Ming army camp outside Fushun was also very heavy.

General Chen Ce, the commander-in-chief who was assisting Liaodong, stood with his hands behind his back in front of the gate, his eyes fixed on the distant city of Fushun, which was shrouded in artillery fire, his brows furrowed into a deep furrow.

Two full days have passed since Xiong Tingbi led 10,000 elite troops to the Red River Valley.

Just now, the military report delivered by the scout was still clutched in his hand. The words "Nurhaci's army has arrived at the Red River Valley" on the paper felt like a red-hot iron, making his heart clench.

According to their agreement with Xiong Jinglue, they had only three days to take Fushun City, and now only one day remained.

If we fail to capture it today, and Nurhaci breaks through the Red River Valley and arrives, the Ming army will be attacked from both sides. At that time, let alone defending Fushun, even a safe retreat will become a pipe dream.

What worries him even more is that even if he takes Fushun, he will need time to strengthen the city's defenses and set up defensive lines before he can confront the Jurchen army.

But right now, they have no time to hesitate.

"Can't wait any longer!"

Chen Ce turned around abruptly, his gaze sweeping over the generals gathered in front of the tent.

"Pass on my order: All remaining cannonballs and catapult stones are to be transported to the front lines and bombarded with full force at the place where the remnants of the Jurchens are gathered in the city!"

After the bombardment, assemble 500 elite warriors, clad in heavy armor and wielding sturdy shields, as the vanguard. Ming troops from various units will advance in staggered columns of ten men. Tonight, we must capture Fushun and behead Daishan!

"General, this..."

One of the generals hesitated before speaking.

"The remaining shells are our reserve for future confrontations. If we use them all up, we might not have any fire support when we encounter Nurhaci's army later..."

"Without Fushun City, we don't even have the right to confront them!"

Chen Ce interrupted him, his tone very firm.

"Not now. Once Nurhaci's reinforcements arrive, these cannonballs will only become their spoils of war!"
Tell the brothers, if we take Fushun today, the imperial court will reward us handsomely; if we fail, we will all be buried outside Fushun!

The generals felt a chill run down their spines and, without the slightest hesitation, turned and quickly relayed the orders.

Before long, the heavy sound of wheels could be heard in front of the Ming army.

Dozens of horse-drawn carts, loaded with dark cannonballs and stone projectiles, were pulled by mules, laborers, and soldiers towards the gap in the south of Fushun City.

The breech-loading cannons and catapults that were originally hidden in the rear were also pushed back to the front line, with the cannons and catapult arms all aimed at the city.

On the front lines, Ma Shilong personally took command.

He watched as the soldiers unloaded the last crates of artillery shells from the carts, a fierce glint in his eyes. He drew his sword, pointed it at Fushun City, and roared, "Fire! Bombard them to death!"

The gunners were already poised and ready, and upon hearing the order, they immediately lit the fuse.

"Boom! Boom!"

The dense cannon fire was like thunder, and the flames from the cannons illuminated half the night sky. Lead bullets, with sharp whistles, slammed into the streets and houses where the remnants of the Jurchens were gathered, like black meteors.

The catapults also worked in tandem, and the laborers pulled the ropes together, hurling the millstone-sized boulder into the air, over the city walls, and crashing into the buildings in the city.

The sturdy houses collapsed instantly, beams and tiles flew everywhere, and the Jurchen soldiers hiding inside were buried under the rubble before they could react.

The wooden palisades and earthen walls originally built to defend against the Ming army collapsed like paper under the bombardment of boulders and cannonballs, and the resulting dust and smoke covered the sky.

The Jurchen soldiers in the city had long lost their previous arrogance. Under the Ming army's intense artillery fire, they fled in all directions like frightened birds, but could not find a safe place to hide.

If you're lucky, you'll be blown to pieces by the shell and instantly out of pain.

Those who were unlucky enough to have their arms or legs broken by flying shards of rock were left lying on the ground groaning in agony, truly unable to live or die.

In less than half an hour.

Few buildings remained standing in Fushun; ruins and scattered corpses were everywhere, and the entire city had been reduced to ruins.

"Ceasefire!"

Seeing that the artillery fire had achieved its intended effect, Ma Shilong immediately gave the order.

As the sound of cannon fire gradually subsided, five hundred assassins, clad in double heavy armor and wielding thick shields, had already assembled amidst the smoke and dust.

Their faces showed no fear, only a resolute determination to die; some had even written their wills, prepared for certain death.

"rush!"

At Ma Shilong's command, five hundred elite soldiers, shields raised, charged toward the breach in Fushun City like a moving steel wall.

The shields blocked the occasional arrows shot from the city wall, and they stepped over the bloodstains and rubble, gradually approaching the city.

Behind the suicide squads, the Ming army units, in small teams of ten men each, followed closely behind and began sweeping through streets and alleys.

When they encountered stubborn Jurchen soldiers, the squad members divided the work and cooperated.

Swordsmen and shieldmen blocked the way in front, while spearmen stabbed from behind, and the soldiers of the Divine Machine Battalion were responsible for clearing out the ambushers on the rooftops and in the shadows.

The street fighting remained brutal; every meter advanced came at the cost of bloodshed. Yet the Ming soldiers showed no sign of retreat, their hearts filled with only one belief:
Tonight, we must take Fushun!

And in the city.

Daishan, the banner chief of the Plain Red Banner, has now also reached the top.

He was clad in heavy armor, and the blade of his sword was worn dull from all the cutting; each swing was heavy and sluggish.

This great prince of the Jin dynasty had long lost his former majesty, now only exhausted and disheveled, personally guarding the last alleyway entrance, fighting alongside ordinary soldiers.

"Kill! Don't let the Ming army get here!"

Daishan roared, and with a flash of cold light, his blade sliced ​​down a Ming soldier who was charging at the forefront.

But just as he finished off one, two more heavily armored Ming soldiers charged forward with their shields raised. The shields slammed heavily against Daishan's armor, causing his blood to surge.

He staggered back half a step, and his personal guards immediately stepped forward to fill in, but were pierced through the chest by Ming soldiers' spears, and blood splattered all over Daishan's face.

Even though he led from the front, the collapse of the battle was still as unstoppable as the tide.

Bad news kept coming in like snowflakes:
"Your Highness! The West Alley entrance has fallen! Lord Murhaci of the Bordered Red Banner has been killed in battle!"

"Your Highness! The Ming army has breached the treasury, and our last bit of food has been burned!"

"Your Highness! Yuetuo Taiji... Yuetuo Taiji was shot by Ming soldiers' muskets while covering the brothers' retreat, and he's gone..."

These news made Daishan's breathing quicken, and his eyes instantly reddened.

His trusted confidants are gone, his confidants are dead, and even his son has died in battle. What is left for him to guard this ruined city?
What made him even more desperate was that the defenses of the two red flags were collapsing at a visible speed.

They originally occupied half of the city, but now only a few hundred meters of the core streets remain as their stronghold, and the number of soldiers around them has been reduced from more than 20,000 to less than 3,000.

The morale that had been ignited by the looting and killing gradually dissipated as casualties increased and supplies ran out, leaving only a deep-seated fear.

"Lay down your weapons! The Ming army will not kill those who surrender!"

It's unclear who shouted this first, but immediately afterward, all the Ming soldiers in the city started shouting at the top of their lungs:

"Lay down your weapons! The Ming army will not kill those who surrender!"

"Lay down your weapons! The Ming army will not kill those who surrender!"

In this desperate situation, the promise not to kill those who surrendered immediately shook the hearts of many.

A soldier from the Bordered Red Banner, a Jurchen from the Haixi region, trembled as he threw down his scimitar, knelt on both knees, and slowly moved toward the Ming army.

With the first one, there will be the second one.

Those Haixi Jurchen and Donghai Jurchen soldiers who already had a low sense of identification with the Jin Dynasty had long since given up the will to resist. They laid down their weapons and knelt in the snow to beg for mercy.

They were originally a conquered tribe, and they fought alongside Daishan only for their own benefit. Now that their chances of survival were slim, surrendering became their only option.

Gradually, even the elite troops of Jianzhou began to waver.

A veteran of the Plain Red Banner who had fought alongside Daishan for many years looked at his fallen fellow villagers and then at the approaching Ming army, his eyes filled with struggle.

He thought of his wife and children at home, and of his fields and houses in Hetu Ala.

He has held on until now, hoping that Nurhaci's reinforcements will bring him a way out, but now the reinforcements are nowhere to be seen, and all that lies ahead is endless death.

Finally, he sighed, threw down his sword, raised his hands, and walked towards the Ming army.

The wave of surrenders spread like a plague, and in a short time, half of the soldiers at the alley entrance were gone.

Looking at the scene before him, Dai Shan felt a deep sense of sorrow welling up inside him.

It's over, the two red flags are completely finished!

These soldiers were not cowardly, but their instinct for survival overcame their loyalty.

They had fought alongside him until now, and had long since exhausted all their strength. When their last hope was extinguished, surrender became their only way out.

"How...how could you surrender!"

Dai Shan roared hoarsely, but no one paid him any attention.

He bent down to pick up the sword from the ground, looking at the few hundred personal guards remaining beside him, his eyes filled with despair.

These people were all his clansmen, the core force of the two red banners, but at this moment they all looked ashen-faced, and even the hands holding the knives were trembling slightly.

The footsteps of the Ming army grew closer, and the shouts of battle became clearer.

Daishan leaned against the broken wall, gazing at the gray sky above Fushun City, a mournful cry echoing in his heart: "Father Khan... if you don't come soon, your son will die in battle!"

He didn't know if Nurhaci was on his way.

All he knew was that he couldn't hold on any longer.

The city, the army, and he himself were all nearing their end.

the other side.

The Eight Banners camp outside the Red River Valley.

Nurhaci sat upright in the main seat, holding a stack of reports from scouts in his hand, his eyes following the changes in the intelligence.

From early morning, scouts sent to the Red River Valley began to send back messages one after another.

"The Ming army inside the valley is building wooden palisades and constructing a simple defensive line; no large-scale mobilization of artillery battalions has been observed."

"Although there was a lot of smoke in the valley, only two cooking fires were found. Based on the size of the smoke, the troop strength was estimated to be less than ten thousand."

"Ming cavalry mostly patrolled at the valley entrance and did not venture deep into the valley to set up defenses, seemingly to deliberately conceal the weakness of their forces."

Each piece of intelligence was like a puzzle piece, gradually piecing together the outline of the truth in Nurhaci's mind, yet he still had a slight hesitation.

It wasn't until dusk that the scouts sent towards Fushun finally brought back news.

The team that went out numbered a dozen, but returned with only one man, covered in wounds. An arrow pierced his left arm, and his right leg was a bloody mess. He had barely stepped into the tent when he collapsed to his knees, his voice hoarse as he cried out:
"Your Majesty! Fushun... Fushun is completely blocked by the Ming army! I risked my life to get close, but all I saw was the Ming army camp surrounded by deer antlers and chevaux-de-frise. Not even a bird could fly in. Brothers... brothers all perished on the way!"

"Blockade Fushun?"

Nurhaci suddenly stood up, his eyes filled with shock and sudden realization.

All his previous doubts vanished instantly.

If the main force of the Ming army was indeed in the Red River Valley, Xiong Tingbi only needed to firmly guard the entrance of the valley. Why did he go to such lengths to blockade Fushun?

There is only one answer: the force in the Red River Valley was not the main force of the Ming army, and it was less than half of their strength!

Xiong Tingbi deliberately set up a battle formation and beat drums here to create the illusion of the main force intercepting the enemy, with the aim of delaying the time so that the real main force of the Ming army could launch a full-scale attack on Fushun!

"Damn bear!"

Nurhaci roared and slammed the intelligence report in his hand to the ground, scattering the papers everywhere.

"How dare you try to deceive me with such a treacherous scheme!"

He was both anxious and angry.

Daishan was still struggling to hold out in Fushun City. If the Ming army were to breach the city, the foundation of the Jin Dynasty in Liaodong would be shaken!
After his anger subsided, Nurhaci calmed down.

Now is not the time to investigate; we must immediately break through the Red River Valley's defenses and rush to Fushun's aid at full speed.

The decisiveness he had developed over many years of battles erupted at this moment, and a set of tactics quickly took shape in his mind.

“Mangultai!” Nurhaci called out loudly.

"My son is here!"

Mangultai immediately stepped forward, his left arm still wrapped in bandages, but he still stood up straight, his eyes full of fighting spirit.

"You shall lead five thousand infantrymen, carrying shield wagons and double-layered cowhide shields, and advance along the mountain path on the east side of the Red River Valley."

Nurhaci pointed to the mountain road on the map.

"Have the men raise many banners and set up a drum every hundred paces, beating the drums and shouting all the way to create the illusion of a strong attack by the main force. We must draw all the firepower and attention of the Ming army in the valley!"

Mangultai felt a chill run down his spine.

He instantly realized that he was to act as bait, venturing deep into the potential ambush zone of the Ming army.

This could be fatal.

But behind the danger lies a tremendous opportunity to make a name for oneself.

If we can successfully contain the Ming army and buy time for the main force to maneuver, after this battle, perhaps the Khan will feel that he is still fit to sit on the throne.

Thinking of this, Mangultai immediately knelt on one knee and loudly replied, "Your subject obeys! I will certainly not fail in my mission!"

"He Heli, Hu Erhan!"

Nurhaci wasted no time and looked at the two veteran generals under his command.

"The general is here!"

They both responded in unison.

"You two will lead 15,000 cavalry, all lightly armed and unarmed, removing your heavy armor and carrying only swords, spears, and bows and arrows."

Nurhaci pointed his finger toward the frozen river surface on the west side of the Red River Valley.

"At midnight tonight, quickly infiltrate along the river and circle around to the flank of the Ming army's ambush. Remember, be fast and make as little noise as possible. Once Mangultai has drawn the Ming army's firepower, immediately launch a flank attack and tear through the Ming army's defenses!"

"The general will obey the order!"

He Heli and Hu Erhan exchanged a glance, both seeing seriousness in each other's eyes.

While light cavalry are fast, they lack defense. If Xiong Tingbi really has a large army stockpiled in the Red River Valley, the consequences would be unimaginable if they were discovered by the Ming army.

But they knew that only by taking risks could they buy time to rush to the aid of Fushun.

Nurhaci gave a final, resolute look at the generals in the tent, his tone carrying a sense of desperate resolve:
"The rest of you will stay with me in the central army. Once He Heli breaks through the defenses, we will immediately lead our troops straight to the Ming army's central command in the valley and make sure to crush Xiong Manzi's forces in one fell swoop!"

"Whoo!"

"As the Khan commands!"

The generals inside the tent acknowledged the order in unison, turned around, and quickly left the tent to prepare.

Nurhaci looked at the Red River Valley on the map, feeling somewhat uneasy.

The core of this tactic is to "sacrifice 30% of the troops in exchange for total annihilation". Mangultai's 5,000 infantrymen are used as bait to attract the Ming army's firepower, and then the main force of cavalry is used to outflank and encircle them. Small casualties are not a concern, and the goal is to break through the defense line as quickly as possible.

This is precisely his consistent military philosophy: "Disregard minor losses and seek only a swift victory."

After all, time is life at this moment.

Daishan in Fushun must have been in dire straits, and the main force of the Ming army was attacking the city with all its might.

Xiong Tingbi of the Red River Valley will definitely fight to the death to stop him.

Let's see whose knife is sharper.

Let's see who can kill faster.

soon.

It was evening by then.

Night fell like a thick black cloth, completely enveloping the Red River Valley.

A fierce wind whipped up heavy snowflakes, howling and raging through the valley, plunging the world into darkness, even swallowing up the faint light of the stars and moon.

In this extremely harsh weather, war broke out without warning outside the Red River Valley.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The first to break the silence were the five thousand infantrymen led by Mangultai.

They pushed dozens of shield wagons, each covered with thick cowhide, with soldiers carrying double-layered cowhide shields, following closely behind the wagons, slowly advancing along the mountain path on the east side of the Red River Valley.

The ranks were filled with flags, yellow flags with yellow borders and blue flags with blue borders, which fluttered in the wind and snow. Every hundred paces there was a war drum, and the drummers beat the drums with all their might. The drumbeats were deep but powerful, and they could be heard by the Ming army in the valley even through the wind and snow.

"Enemy attack! The main force of the Jurchens has launched an attack on the mountain!"

The Ming soldiers at the valley entrance noticed the commotion and immediately raised their voices to warn the enemy.

Xiong Tingbi was examining a map in his temporary tent when he heard the alarm. He immediately donned his armor and rushed out of the tent.

He looked up at the mountain path to the east and saw banners flying everywhere in the wind and snow, drums beating loudly, and a dense mass of people advancing into the valley, which looked to be at least tens of thousands of troops.

"As expected, it's a full-scale attack by the main force!"

Xiong Tingbi's heart tightened, and he immediately ordered: "Order the Shenji Battalion to turn all cannons to the eastern mountain road and block the Jurchens' attack! The cavalry battalion is ready to provide support at any time. We must not let them break through the defensive line!"

The Ming army's firepower was instantly drawn to it.

The breech-loading cannons fired toward the mountain road, the lead bullets blasting deep craters in the snow.

The arquebusiers of the Shenji Battalion lined up in three rows and fired at the approaching Jurchen soldiers.

Arrows rained down on the mountain path, but most were blocked by the shields and leather shields, leaving only shallow dents on the shield surfaces.

Despite suffering heavy casualties, Mangultai's infantry continued to advance slowly under artillery fire, holding off the main force of the Ming army and buying time for the cavalry on the other side.

Just as the Ming army was fully engaged in dealing with the attack from the mountain pass on the east side, a black torrent was quietly rushing across the frozen Liao River on the west side of the Red River Valley.

He Heli and Hu Erhan led 15,000 light cavalry, who were already prepared for marching on the ice.

The horses' hooves were wrapped with thick straw ropes and strips of cloth, which not only increased their grip and prevented them from slipping on the ice, but also reduced the sound of their hooves pounding on the ice.

The horses' backs were covered with dog and sheep skins to protect them from the biting cold wind.

The cavalrymen were divided into dozens of small teams, taking different routes to avoid large groups of people concentrating in one place, which could cause the ice to break due to insufficient weight.

Like ghosts, this cavalry force swiftly moved along the ice under the cover of wind and snow, flanking the Ming army's ambush area.

They were not discovered by patrolling Ming scouts until they were less than a mile from the Ming army's flank defenses.

"Not good! There are cavalry on the west flank! It's the main force of the Jurchens!"

As soon as the scouts shouted, He Heli drew his scimitar and yelled, "Charge! Tear through the Ming army's defenses!"

Fifteen thousand light cavalrymen accelerated simultaneously, their hooves clattering on the ice, their movements, though obscured by the wind and snow, still exuding a breathtaking momentum.

The Ming army's flank soldiers hastily engaged in battle, but most of them were infantrymen, and they were simply unable to withstand the cavalry charge.

He Heli's cavalry, like sharp knives, instantly tore through the Ming army's flank defenses and advanced deep into the valley.

"Report! The western defensive line has been breached! Jurchen cavalry are approaching the central army camp!"

The guards scrambled to Xiong Tingbi's feet, their voices filled with despair.

Xiong Tingbi's heart sank, and he instantly realized that he had fallen for Nurhaci's trick of luring him away from his mountain.

The Jurchens on the east side were just bait; the real killing move was the cavalry that circled around on the west side!

He immediately ordered: "Move half of the Shenji Battalion's artillery to the west, and have the cavalry retreat to block the Jurchen cavalry!"

But it was too late.

Upon seeing that Heheli had broken through the defenses, Nurhaci immediately led his central army of 5,000 men in a general offensive into the Red River Valley.

The Jurchen army, with its three armies like three sharp blades, pressed towards the Ming army's defenses. Meanwhile, the main force of the Ming army was tied down on the east side by Mangultai, the western defenses had been breached, and the central camp was exposed to the Jurchen cavalry's sharp edge, causing the situation to collapse instantly.

"Boom!"

The Ming army's last cannon was destroyed by the Jurchen cavalry, and the defensive line completely collapsed.

Jurchen soldiers surged into the valley like a tide, approaching the Ming army's temporary camp. They could even see the "Liaodong Military Commissioner" banner fluttering outside the tents.

"Lord General! Retreat now! If we don't retreat now, it will be too late!"

The guards held tightly to the reins of Xiong Tingbi's warhorse, their eyes filled with tears.

"The Jurchen cavalry are almost outside the tent. If we don't leave now, we'll all perish here!"

Xiong Tingbi showed no intention of retreating. He reined in his horse, his gaze fixed firmly on the direction of Fushun, and asked in a steady voice:
"What about news from Fushun? Has the city fallen yet?"

The guard opened his mouth, but stammered and couldn't say a word.

The messenger sent to Fushun reported that fierce fighting was still taking place in the city. Although the Ming army had the advantage, it had not yet broken through Daishan's last line of defense.

Looking at the appearance of his personal guards, Xiong Tingbi already had his answer in his heart.

He slowly drew his sword, the blade gleaming coldly in the wind and snow, his tone resolute:
"Since Fushun has not yet been captured, this strategist cannot withdraw! Issue the order that all able-bodied men retreat to the mountaintop camp!"
Hold the high ground, hold the camp, every extra moment gained will increase the chances of victory for Fushun!

The guards wanted to persuade him further, but were stopped by Xiong Tingbi's gaze.

"Why aren't you going to relay the order?"

Although the guards were unwilling, military law was paramount, so they had no choice but to obey and leave.

"As ordered!"

Xiong Tingbi quickly led his troops to retreat into the camp that had been built in advance on the mountain.

The mountaintop camp was situated high up, connected only by a narrow path, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. However, once surrounded by the Jurchen army, it would be a dead end with no way out.

The Duke is risking his life to buy time for the siege of Fushun!
Although the remaining Ming soldiers were exhausted, they retreated towards the mountaintop camp under Xiong Tingbi's call.

They set up the remaining muskets, drew their bows and arrows, and waited for the Jurchen army to arrive at the defensive fortifications on both sides of the mountain road.

Meanwhile, in the mountaintop camp.

Xiong Tingbi looked down from the high platform, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

The Jurchen soldiers below the mountain stretched as far as the eye could see, like ants.

On the mountain, he felt like a small boat on a turbulent sea, which could capsize at any moment.

However.
This small boat, however, is determined to withstand these towering waves!
Nurhaci, you Tungusic boar, you're thinking of Fushun?
Let's step over my dead body first!
ps:
7700 big chapters!

(End of this chapter)