Huangming

Chapter 372 Waiting for the best price, choosing a subject to observe

Nurhaci led his army back into the valley, where tens of thousands of soldiers formed a battle formation along the foot of the mountain. Shields and cowhide shields were neatly arranged, and cannons were pushed to the front of the formation, their muzzles aimed at the Ming army camp on the mountaintop.

Preparations for attacking Xiong Tingbi are proceeding at full speed, and the air is thick with the oppressive atmosphere of an impending storm.

Just then, a scout rode in from outside the valley, fell off his horse, and scrambled into the central army, his voice urgent:

"Your Majesty! The Ming army in Fushun has moved! At least ten thousand men, in a formation of chariots, cavalry, and infantry, are steadily advancing towards the Red River Valley. They have also sent out scouts to investigate along the way. Their formation is so tight that there is no opportunity to ambush them!"

"what?!"

Nurhaci slammed his whip on the ground, his face instantly darkening.

His original plan was to encircle and annihilate Xiong Tingbi on the mountaintop, while simultaneously setting up an ambush for the Ming army that was rushing to his aid.

As long as the Ming army dared to advance recklessly, he could take advantage of the terrain of the Red River Valley to annihilate them in one fell swoop, staging a great "encirclement and suppression" scenario.

But now the Ming army is so cautious, with chariots leading the way, cavalry protecting the flanks, and infantry bringing up the rear, advancing step by step without leaving even the slightest opening. His plan has completely failed.

"It seems we have no choice but to end this quickly."

Nurhaci took a deep breath.

"We must break through the camp and take Xiong Tingbi's head before the Ming army arrives in Fushun!"

Nurhaci felt heavy-hearted. Time was no longer on his side; the longer the situation dragged on, the more unfavorable it would be for the Great Jin.

Soon, a new order spread throughout the Jin army camp.

Hundreds of soldiers fluent in Chinese were deployed to the front lines. They shouted towards the Ming army camp on the mountaintop, their voices carrying clearly through the wind and snow to the ears of the Ming soldiers:

"Brothers of the Ming army! The siege of Fushun has been lifted! Your main force has long been defeated by our elite Eight Banners troops! If you hold your ground here, no one will come to your rescue!"

Surrender now, and the Khan may spare your lives. But if you resist, once we attack, we will ensure you are utterly destroyed!

This was Nurhaci's strategy of winning hearts and minds.

The battlefield is full of deception and deception. As long as you can shake the morale of the Ming army, it will be much easier to break through the camp.

He reasoned that the Ming troops on the mountaintop, having been trapped and without support for so long, were already filled with fear, and that a little "hope" would be enough to make them lay down their weapons.

Sure enough, many of the Ming soldiers in the camp showed signs of wavering after hearing the shout.

Some people quietly put down their muskets, their eyes filled with hesitation.

Some people huddled together and whispered among themselves, their voices filled with anxiety and doubt.

"Could it be that Nurhaci really defeated the main force of Fushun?"

"If that's the case, then we have no way to survive."

"surrender?"

Having been trapped on the mountaintop for many days, with their food and water running low, and having long been unaware of the situation outside, they inevitably felt despair upon hearing the news of "the siege of Fushun being lifted and the main force being routed."

"Shut up!"

Just then, Xiong Tingbi's voice suddenly rang out in the camp. He stood on the earthen platform at the front of the camp, holding his sword, and his sharp gaze swept over everyone.

“Think about it, if the siege of Fushun were really lifted, why would Nurhaci be in such a hurry to attack us? He could have simply surrounded us and waited for us to run out of food and water, and we would have collapsed on our own without a fight. Why would he have gone to all the trouble of trying to persuade us to surrender?”

His voice was loud and powerful, instantly drowning out the shouts from the front lines and gradually calming the soldiers down.

Xiong Tingbi continued loudly, "In my opinion, Fushun has already been captured by the elite troops of our Great Ming Dynasty, and that traitor Daishan has already been beheaded!"

Nurhaci had no choice but to attack my camp, hoping to take my head so he could return and explain to his people!
He's just bluffing; he's afraid we'll hold out until reinforcements arrive!

Upon hearing this, the fear in the soldiers' eyes gradually dissipated.

Yes!

If the Jurchens truly achieve a great victory, why rush things?
Xiong Jinglue is right, this must be an enemy's trick!
To dispel the doubts and fears of his soldiers, Xiong Tingbi immediately ordered his personal guards, "Shout with me! Let everyone know the truth!"

"Fushun has fallen, Daishan is dead, and reinforcements will arrive soon!" Xiong Tingbi shouted first.

"Fushun has fallen, Daishan is dead, and reinforcements will arrive soon!"

Dozens of guards echoed in unison, their voices resounding like thunder on the mountaintop, even drowning out the sound of wind and snow in the valley.

Once, twice, three times...

More and more Ming soldiers joined in, and the shouts gradually grew from dozens of people to hundreds, eventually echoing throughout the Red River Valley.

The Ming soldiers' fighting spirit was rekindled. They gripped their weapons tightly and watched the Jurchen army below the mountain warily. Their previously wavering morale was now higher than ever before.

At the foot of the mountain, Nurhaci heard shouts from the camp. His face turned ashen, and he trembled with rage.

His psychological warfare tactics not only failed to shake the Ming army, but were instead used by Xiong Tingbi to boost morale, making him a self-inflicted wound!
"That Xiong barbarian is despicable! Pass down the order to attack the city immediately! We must capture the mountain camp and take Xiong Tingbi's head today!"

Just as the generals under his command were about to accept their orders and leave, Nurhaci stepped forward and stopped them.

To attack the camp and take Xiong Tingbi's head, morale is essential!
At this point, any reward will be given away!

Thinking of this, Nurhaci glanced at his generals and suddenly raised his voice.

"Gentlemen! I hereby swear: whoever takes Xiong Tingbi's head will be immediately granted the title of Taiji, appointed as Gushan Ejen, and given three thousand households of followers! Proclaim this news to all the soldiers!"

Upon hearing this, the generals in the tent all began to breathe rapidly.

This is an incredible reward!
When this news reached the ears of every Jurchen soldier, it was like a thunderclap, leaving them utterly shocked!
Gushan Ezhen was a high-ranking official position second only to the banner chief, holding military and political power over a banner. It was a threshold that many Eight Banner descendants could never reach in their entire lives.

The title of Taiji is even more prestigious, signifying that one has joined the ranks of the great nobility and that one's descendants will enjoy wealth and honor.

With the addition of three thousand households of followers, they essentially possessed their own wealth and power.

This is not just a military reward, it's a golden opportunity to rise to the top!

The Eight Banner soldiers, who had been exhausted from days of marching, were suddenly injected with a stimulant, and the weariness in their eyes was replaced by greed and fanaticism.

They gripped their swords and shields tightly, their breathing quickened, and their gazes toward the mountaintop camp were like those of hungry wolves eyeing their prey.

Most of the common Manchu bannermen were born into tribal communities or slaves, struggling at the bottom of society their whole lives. Now, they had the opportunity to rise up and become nobles and high-ranking officials with a single head. Such temptation was enough to make them risk their lives!

"Kill the Ming dogs! Take Xiong Tingbi's head!"

It's unclear who shouted first, but soon after, the shouts of tens of thousands of soldiers swept through the Red River Valley like a tsunami, causing the accumulated snow to fall in a flurry.

Carrying double-layered cowhide shields and pushing heavily armored shield carts, they surged towards the Ming army camp on the mountaintop like a black tide.

On the mountaintop camp, Xiong Tingbi had already gripped his sword tightly, his eyes fixed on the Jurchen soldiers charging down the mountain.

Those Eight Banner soldiers who were originally staggering were now charging forward like madmen, even as the Ming army's muskets rang out, and lead bullets pierced through shields, blowing people to pieces.

Even as logs and rocks rolled down the mountain, breaking bones and tendons, they still climbed up, stepping over the corpses of their companions.

"Hold the line! Everyone, hold the line!"

Xiong Tingbi leaped to the front of the camp, his voice hoarse but full of power.

"Reinforcements are on their way! If we can hold out through this round, we'll win! Killing one Tartar is worth it! Killing two is a bonus!"

Inspired by Xiong Tingbi's imposing manner, the Ming soldiers raised their muskets and unleashed a barrage of fire down the mountain.

The Shenji Battalion soldiers were arranged in three columns. After the first column finished firing, the second column immediately took over, and the third column quickly reloaded ammunition. The sound of muskets rose and fell, and lead bullets blasted deep craters in the snow, knocking down the Jurchen soldiers at the forefront in droves.

The soldiers responsible for throwing logs and rocks did their best to push the prepared logs and rocks down the mountain in an attempt to stop the Jurchens' charge.

However, the Jurchen soldiers' offensive was simply too fierce.

For the sake of the title of Taiji and the position of Gushan Ezhen, they almost forgot the fear of death.

When the shield wagon was destroyed, they used the bodies of their comrades as shields; when the people in front fell, the people behind immediately stepped on the corpses to rush forward.

The mountain path was long and steep, and every step forward required the loss of several lives. The snow was soon covered with the corpses of Jurchen soldiers.

Half an hour later.

After paying the price of at least nearly a thousand lives, the Jurchen soldiers finally reached a point less than fifty paces from the camp.

This is the effective range of a bow and arrow!
"Fire arrows!"

The Jurchen general leading the troops shouted the order, and the archers, who had already drawn their bows, released them simultaneously. Thousands of arrows rained down like a black storm towards the Ming army camp.

Caught off guard, many Ming soldiers were hit by arrows, and screams echoed through the camp.

Despite the shields and walls providing cover, the dense rain of arrows still inflicted considerable casualties on the Ming army, and for the first time, the camp's defensive formation began to falter.

Upon seeing this, Xiong Tingbi's heart tightened, and he immediately gave the order:

"The musketeers, concentrate your firepower and suppress the Tartar archers! The spearmen, fill in and hold the gaps in the camp! No one is allowed to retreat! Anyone who retreats even one step will be executed!"

The wooden fence of the mountaintop camp was riddled with arrows like a hedgehog, and many places still bore the charred marks of artillery bombardment. The Ming soldiers were covered in blood, but they still gripped their weapons tightly and fought desperately with the Jurchen soldiers who climbed over the fence.

Xiong Tingbi's situation had reached a critical juncture, a matter of life and death.

His sword was already chipped and dulled from being cut, and two arrows were stuck in his armor, with blood flowing continuously down the seams of his armor.

Yet he remained at the forefront of the camp, each swing of his sword accompanied by a roar, like a trapped beast guarding the few hundred remaining soldiers behind him.

"Kill! Hold the line! Reinforcements are almost here!!"

At this moment, Xiong Tingbi, leading from the front and covered in blood, looked more like a barbarian than these Jurchens.

His fearlessness inspired the morale of the surrounding Ming troops.

Faced with the endless stream of Jurchen soldiers, the soldiers had nothing but a frenzied desire to kill!
They felt no fear, nor did they know how to surrender!
In the distant mountain valleys, the remnants of the Ming army who had previously been scattered and stationed in Bingcheng, seeing their commander trapped, also opened their gates and attempted to send troops to contain the Jurchen forces.

They charged toward the flank of the Jurchen army. Although they numbered less than a thousand, each of them was determined to die.

However, the Jurchen army had already laid out defenses, and upon seeing this, the cavalry on the flanks immediately turned their horses around and pounced like hungry wolves.

In the instant of close combat, a large number of Ming soldiers fell. Although the remaining soldiers fought bravely, they were ultimately outnumbered and could only retreat back to Bingcheng in a sorry state after paying a heavy price. They closed the gates of the stronghold and held on, no longer able to support the mountaintop.

At the foot of the mountain, in front of the Jurchen central command tent, Nurhaci gazed at the stalemate on the mountaintop, his brows furrowed into a deep knot.

The scouts have just sent back a message:
Chen Ce's Ming reinforcements had arrived less than ten miles outside the Red River Valley, and the roar of their chariots could be faintly heard into the valley.

He raised his hand to look at the sky, his anxiety growing even stronger.

If they fail to defeat Xiong Tingbi, they will be in dire straits when Ming reinforcements arrive, facing attacks from both sides.

"It's too slow!"

Nurhaci slammed his fist on the table in front of him.

But he quickly composed himself, his gaze sweeping over the generals under his command before finally settling on Mangultai.

"Mangurtai!"

"My son is here!"

Mangultai immediately stepped forward and knelt on one knee.

"You will lead five thousand cavalrymen and set off immediately to flank the Ming reinforcements and harass their march!"

Nurhaci spoke urgently but clearly: "Don't engage them in a direct confrontation. Just burn their supplies and destroy their chariots to slow their advance as much as possible! Remember, your task is to delay, not to engage in a decisive battle!"

"Whoo!"

Mangultai responded loudly, got up, and quickly walked out of the tent.

Soon, five thousand light cavalrymen had assembled, their hooves pounding the snow, kicking up clouds of snow mist, and galloping toward the direction of the Ming reinforcements.

Immediately afterwards, Nurhaci's gaze turned to Jirgalang.

"Jirhalang!"

"The slave is here!"

Jirhalang immediately stepped forward, bowed, and obeyed the order with a serious expression.

"You lead your three thousand elite troops, along with eighty shield wagons, and immediately proceed to the entrance of Red River Valley!"

"Block the valley entrance with shield carts, then dig trenches and set up antlers to build a temporary defense line!"

We must hold the valley entrance and not allow the Ming reinforcements to break through even a little. We must hold them off for at least five hours!

Five hours later, I will surely take Xiong Tingbi's head, then join forces with you to launch a pincer attack on the Ming army!

Jirhalang's heart sank.

The valley entrance is narrow and easy to defend, but the Ming army has more than 10,000 reinforcements, as well as chariots and firearms battalions. It would be extremely difficult to hold them off for five hours. If they were not careful, they would be wiped out.

But he did not hesitate at all and accepted the order, saying, "This servant obeys! I will defend the valley entrance to the death and will not fail the Khan's trust!"

After saying this, Jirhalang turned and left, and three thousand elite soldiers pushed the shield carts and ran towards the valley entrance.

Nurhaci watched Mangultai and Jirgalang lead their troops away, his tense shoulders slumping slightly, but he quickly straightened them again.

Although the forces attacking the mountain still have the advantage, he has to deal with Xiong Tingbi's stubborn resistance on the mountaintop and also divide his troops to block Ming reinforcements. His forces are already stretched thin, and if the situation drags on any longer, things may change.

His gaze continued to sweep across the tent below, finally settling on Engeder, the Taiji of the Bayot tribe. "Engeder, when will the reinforcements from the five Inner Khalkha tribes arrive?"

Engder's heart tightened, and he quickly bowed and replied, "Great Khan, I have already sent someone to urge Chaohua Taiji, but... the journey across the grasslands is long, and it will take some time for the message to be delivered. I will now send another fast horse to urge him to send troops immediately!"

"This will eliminate the need for speculators to wait for a higher price to sell their flowers."

Nurhaci raised his hand to interrupt him.

How could he not know where the fried flowers were?

If he were willing to send troops, he would have arrived yesterday!
Nurhaci's face showed displeasure, and he said:
"Go tell Chaohua that as long as he is willing to immediately lead troops to reinforce the Red River Valley, I am willing to give him half of the Chahar tribe's pastures!"

Upon hearing this, all the generals in the tent showed surprise.

The Chahar tribe was a powerful tribe on the grasslands, with lush pastures covering a vast area, a treasure coveted by many tribes.

Nurhaci was willing to offer such generous benefits in order to get Chaohua to send troops, which shows how urgent the situation had become.

Engder was also stunned, then bowed and replied, "Your subject obeys the Khan's command! I will immediately send a messenger on horseback to instruct Chaohua Taiji to send troops at once!"

Nurhaci watched Engeder's retreating figure, his eyes narrowed slightly.

He knew all too well that Chaohua was a cunning old fox who would betray his principles for personal gain, and that he would never have given up Chahar Ranch so easily if his troops were not currently in short supply.

But as long as we can capture Xiong Tingbi and stabilize the situation in Liaodong, this price is worth it!

And this moment.

On the grasslands dozens of miles away, the armies of the five Inner Khalkha tribes had already assembled at the Great Wall border outside Fushun.

Tens of thousands of cavalrymen were ready to set off at any time. Their horses pawed at the snow, and their breath condensed into white mist in the cold wind.

However, Commander Chaohua did not give the order to set off for a long time. He just sat on the tiger-skin chair in the central command tent, stroking a sheep bone wine cup in his hand, and looking at Fushun with deep eyes.

"Taiji, the Jin envoy has arrived again, urging us to send troops immediately. He sounded very anxious!"

A bodyguard strode into the tent, holding Nurhaci's Khan's edict in his hands.

Chao Hua took the order from the emperor, glanced at it briefly, tossed it onto the table, and sneered:
"In a hurry? Nurhaci certainly knows how to order people around. If he wants us to send troops, he has to show us the benefits. He can't fool me with just a few empty words."

Previously, Hua agreed to help Jin Guo, but only because Jin Guo was winning against Lin Dan and Khan, and he wanted to take advantage of the situation.

However, the current situation remains unclear.

How could he so easily send the elite troops of the five divisions into the battlefield?

Will he also be given the pastures of the Chahar tribe?
If Nurhaci wins, will he dare to accept it?

If the Jin dynasty is defeated, the five Inner Khalkha tribes will likely suffer as well.

This deal is never a good deal, no matter how you look at it.

"hold on."

Chao Hua picked up his wine glass, took a sip of mare's milk wine, and spoke with certainty.

"Let's wait for our people to return and see what the situation is like in Fushun before making a decision."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a series of rapid hoofbeats came from outside the tent.

A scout fell off his horse, covered in snow, and scrambled into the tent.

"Taiji! Great news! Fushun City... Fushun City has been captured by the Ming army! Daishan, the Grand Prince of Jin, has been killed in battle!"

"what?!"

Chao Hua suddenly stood up, smashing the wine glass in her hand on the ground with a "clatter," spilling wine all over the floor.

He strode up to the scout, his eyes sharp as knives: "Say it again! Fushun has fallen? Daishan is dead?"

"Yes!"

The scout nodded vigorously, his tone certain.

"I personally witnessed the Ming army's flags being raised on the city walls of Fushun, and I even heard Ming soldiers shouting 'Daishan is beheaded!' The news is absolutely true!"

Chao Hua slowly released his grip, staggered back two steps, and sat down on the tiger-skin chair, his eyes filled with shock.

Then, a look of realization dawned on his eyes.

He understood; no wonder Nurhaci was so eager for him to send troops.

Not only did the Jin state fail to save Fushun, it also lost two Red Banners and Daishan, and was already at its last gasp!

"It seems that we cannot send out troops for the time being."

"Pass down the order: the army shall remain in place and continue to observe the situation! No one is to act without my command!"

"Taiji, what about the Jin Kingdom..." the guard asked hesitantly.

"Make them wait."

Chao Hua chuckled, his eyes as cunning as a fox's.

"Nurhaci wants to use us as pawns, but he needs to see if he has the capability. It's not too late to talk about sending troops after he can really defeat Xiong Tingbi and stabilize the situation!"

On this grassland, strength is the only rule.

The five Khalkha tribes, commanding tens of thousands of cavalry, were a force to be reckoned with on the southern steppe. Even if they openly defied Nurhaci, Nurhaci could do nothing against them.

I, Chao Hua, am only willing to be the dog of the king of Liaodong. Whoever wins and controls Liaodong, I will obey their orders.

But now Nurhaci has suffered heavy losses, even Daišan is dead, and he can hardly protect himself. How can he expect the five tribes of the Inner Khalkha to fight for him?

It’s simply wishful thinking!

Chao Hua was well aware of the survival rules of the grassland tribes.

There are no eternal allies, only eternal interests.

He would never make a losing deal when selling flowers.

Just then, Chaohua seemed to remember something and shouted to the guards beside him:

"Someone is coming."

"Go and bring Liu Xingzuo, the Marquis of Weilu of the Ming Dynasty, over here. Treat him well and do not neglect him."

Just as the guards outside the tent were about to respond, Chaohua raised her hand to stop them, her brows furrowing slightly as if she were considering something.

A moment later, he stood up, straightened his mink coat, and said with a hint of seriousness, "No need, I will go see him myself."

These words surprised the guards.

Liu Xingzuo was merely a prisoner, and Chao Hua had previously refused to even see him. Now, however, he was going to visit him in person, which was quite unusual.

Only Chao Hua himself knew that Liu Xingzuo's value had been completely changed with the reversal of the battle situation in Fushun.

Previously, Liu Xingzuo served as a military supervisor sent by the Ming army to the Chahar tribe, responsible for overseeing Ligdan Khan's adherence to the alliance and his cooperation with the Ming army in combat.

After suffering a major defeat in the Battle of Kaiyuan, Khalin Khan fled in panic. Liu Xingzuo escaped to the grasslands by mixing with the fleeing soldiers of Chahar, but was unfortunately captured by the patrolmen of Inner Khalkha.

Upon learning Liu Xingzuo's identity, Chaohua immediately imprisoned him.

At that time, he was thinking that if he were to negotiate with Nurhaci in the future, he would give this "Jiangnu traitor" to Nurhaci, which would both do him a favor and bring him benefits.

After all, Nurhaci had long hated Liu Xingzuo to the core and wished he could tear him to pieces.

But now, the situation has changed.

With the fall of Fushun and the death of Daishan, the Ming army's momentum in Liaodong grew stronger, showing signs of becoming the new dominant force.

As the Earl of Weilu in the Ming army, Liu Xingzuo represented the power of the Ming state. Treating him well at this moment, or even using him to show goodwill to the Ming army, was far more valuable than giving him to the declining Nurhaci.

"When you bet, you have to bet on the side that has a chance of winning."

soon.

Chao Hua personally carried the wine and meat, followed by two soldiers carrying wine jars, and quickly walked towards the tent where Liu Xingzuo was imprisoned.

Although he had previously placed Liu Xingzuo under house arrest, he did not mistreat him.

The tent was covered with thick wool blankets, and there was a heater on the table. Compared to the treatment of ordinary prisoners of war, it was a world of difference.

Lifting the heavy felt curtain, Chaohua immediately saw Liu Xingzuo sitting upright on a wool blanket.

This Earl of Weilu of the Ming Dynasty was dressed in a plain cotton robe, his hair was slightly messy, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes, but his eyes were bloodshot, obviously because he had been worried for days and had not been able to get a good night's sleep for a long time.

Hearing the noise, Liu Xingzuo slowly raised his eyes, his gaze falling on the fried flower. There was no fear in his eyes, only a hint of coldness, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips.
"What? Is it because you have time to come here today that you're going to take my head and send it to Nurhaci to curry favor?"

Chao Hua's face immediately broke into a smile. He waved for his personal guards to place the food box and wine jar on the table, and personally stepped forward to pour Liu Xingzuo a bowl of wine, his tone somewhat ingratiating:

"Weilüber is joking! I was blind to your greatness before, and thought you were a leader of the Chahar tribe. I didn't know you were the famous Weilüber!"

If I had known your identity earlier, I wouldn't have dared to invite you to 'stay for a while' even if I had ten times the courage!

He opened the food box as he spoke.

Inside were golden-brown roasted mutton, glistening milk curd, and several plates of delicate dried fruit—all rare delicacies from the grasslands.

"I have been negligent these past few days. Please forgive me, Lord Weilu. Let us have some wine and meat to warm ourselves up."

Liu Xingzuo looked at the wine and meat on the table and sneered inwardly.

He had previously served under the Jurchens and knew the temperament of the steppe tribal leaders all too well.

The claim that the flower vendor "did not know his identity" is blatant lying!
When he was captured, he not only carried the Ming army's seal, but also had several Chahar defeated soldiers who could identify him. The fact that Chaohua suddenly "recognized his relatives" at this moment must mean that there has been a change in the Liaodong war situation, and a change that is favorable to the Ming Dynasty.

"We are both sensible people, there is no need to say such empty words."

Liu Xingzuo didn't touch his chopsticks, his eyes sharply fixed on the fried flowers, his tone direct.

"Chao Hua Taiji, just tell me straight, what's the situation in Liaodong now? Why are you suddenly being so polite to me? What are you trying to do?"

Seeing Liu Xingzuo's straightforwardness, Chao Hua stopped hiding her true feelings, put away her smile, sat opposite Liu Xingzuo, and frankly said:

“The Earl of Weilu is straightforward! Then I will speak frankly: Fushun City has been captured by the Ming army, and the Jurchen Grand Prince Daishan has died in battle. This is absolutely true.”

However, your lord Xiong Tingbi, the Liaodong military commissioner, is currently trapped in the Red River Valley by Nurhaci's army. His camp is in grave danger, and his fate is uncertain.

Liu Xingzuo was suddenly jolted.

The fall of Fushun and the death of Daishan were incredibly good news. He couldn't help but clench his fists, a hint of joy flashing in his eyes.

Upon hearing that Xiong Tingbi was trapped, his joy vanished instantly, and he frowned deeply as he pondered the situation.

"What is Taiji's intention in telling me all this now?"

Liu Xingzuo quickly calmed down, looked up at Chao Hua, and waited for him to continue.

"I dare not conceal the truth. Although the Ming army currently holds the advantage, the situation in the Red River Valley is still unclear."

"The five tribes of Inner Khalkha do not wish to offend the Ming Dynasty, nor do they wish to miss the opportunity to make peace with the Ming Dynasty."

"As long as the Earl of Weilu agrees, I will immediately release you and even send a cavalry unit to escort you to Fushun to help you rendezvous with the main Ming army."

He had assumed Liu Xingzuo would readily agree, but to his surprise, after a moment of silence, Liu Xingzuo suddenly smiled:

"The fact that the Taiji of Chaohua let me go back is certainly a gesture of goodwill, but for the Ming Dynasty, it is not a great achievement."

If you were willing to send troops now, leading the five Inner Khalkha cavalry tribes to reinforce the Red River Valley and launch a pincer attack on Nurhaci, that would truly be a timely and crucial help.

Liu Xingzuo leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed intently on the fried flowers:

"The Ming Dynasty is rich beyond measure and never mistreats its allies. If you help the Ming Dynasty defeat Nurhaci, the privileges of pastures and trade on the grasslands, and even the imperial court's bestowal of titles, will be readily granted to you. Compared to 'let me go back,' wouldn't such benefits be more substantial?"

Upon hearing this, Chaohua's heart skipped a beat.

He had only thought of letting Liu Xingzuo go back to do him a favor, but he did not expect that Liu Xingzuo would take the opportunity to ask for "troops to be sent".

Looking into Liu Xingzuo's determined eyes, he instantly understood.

The man before him, Wilhelm, was not only courageous but also shrewd. He had already seen through Wilhelm's intention to "hedging his bets" and had outmaneuvered him.

If they could truly send troops to help the Ming army defeat the enemy and gain the support of the Ming Dynasty, the five tribes of Inner Khalkha would not only be able to break free from the control of the Jurchens, but also have more say on the grasslands.

This deal seems much more worthwhile than "releasing one person".

However.
I was still a little hesitant about frying the flowers.

The battlefield changes rapidly.

If Nurhaci were to kill Xiong Tingbi and defeat the Ming army that was heading to the Red River Valley, wouldn't his situation be extremely dangerous?
Should we send troops?
For a moment, even the shrewd and calculating Chaohua couldn't make up his mind.

ps:
Another long chapter!

7600 words!
(End of this chapter)