Huangming

Chapter 375 A Hero's Decisive Move: A Desperate Enemy Must Be Pursued

In the large tent of the Chinese army.

Nurhaci's expression grew increasingly ferocious.

He is not willing!

He was absolutely unwilling to retreat like this!

If Fushun fell and Daishan died in battle, and he fled in panic without even taking Xiong Tingbi's head, it would not only greatly diminish his prestige on the grasslands, but also be a disservice to Daishan's spirit in heaven.

Moreover, he knew that time had already taken its toll on his body, and he was nearing the end of his life. This might be his last chance to face the main force of the Ming army head-on.

Thinking of this, Nurhaci suddenly spoke:
“You lead your troops away, I, the Khan, will remain here.”

He stated his intentions:

"I will stay here to draw the main force of the Ming army, so that they will think they can capture me, just like Xiong Tingbi."

Secondly, I, the Khan, will personally oversee the battle and am determined to breach the camp, take Xiong Tingbi's head, and avenge Daishan!

His eyes were sharp, they were the eyes of someone who wanted to die!
"While I was drawing the Ming army's attention, you led the main force to take a detour and raid Fushun, destroying the Ming army's food and supplies and cutting off their retreat!"
At that time, the Ming army will be unable to defend both ends, and we can then launch a pincer attack from both sides, surely securing victory in one battle!

"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!"

Hu Erhan was the first to rush forward, kneeling on one knee, his voice trembling slightly.

"Great Khan, you are the foundation of the Great Jin. If you risk your life and something happens to you, the Great Jin will be leaderless!"

If anyone should stay, it should be us who stay to draw the Ming army away, while you lead the main force to launch a surprise attack on Fushun!

He Heli followed closely behind, bowing and offering his advice:
"Hu Erhan is absolutely right! A surprise attack on Fushun requires a commander-in-chief to be in command. The Khan's strategies far surpass ours. Only with the Khan personally leading the troops can the success of the surprise attack be guaranteed. If we leave this place to us, we can definitely hold off the Ming army and buy time for the Khan!"

The other generals in the tent also knelt down and said in unison, "Please, Great Khan, rescind your order! We are willing to stay behind to cover your retreat and protect you!"

They were well aware of Nurhaci's importance.

The Great Jin Dynasty could do without any Beile (princes), but it could not do without Nurhaci.

Nurhaci looked at the generals kneeling in the tent and felt a complex mix of emotions.

He slowly raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to stand up, and sighed: "Since you are unwilling to accept this, there is another option."

He walked to the map and pressed his finger heavily on the northern part of the Red River Valley:
"The main force of the Khorchin tribe has not yet arrived, and Chen Ce's reinforcements are still three miles away. We still have time to divide and conquer them!"
I will personally lead my elite troops to circle around to the west and defeat the vanguard of the Khorchin tribe; you will continue to hold Xiong Tingbi back here. Once I have dealt with the Khorchin tribe, I will return to join you and together we will defeat Chen Ce's reinforcements!

This is his last hope.

If we can break through one enemy force first, we can break the stalemate of being surrounded on three sides, and may even be able to turn defeat into victory.

But He Heli slowly shook his head, his tone heavy:

"Great Khan, you should go out and check on our soldiers."

He stepped aside to make way for them, saying with a mix of helplessness and heartache, "They have been fighting continuously for more than ten days, day and night. They haven't even had a few bites of hot food, let alone a chance to sleep."

A few days ago, I could still hold on with sheer willpower, but now...

It was already at its last gasp.

Nurhaci's body stiffened abruptly, and he walked forward along the path that He Heli had cleared for him.

As he stepped out of the main tent, he looked up and saw that most of the Eight Banner soldiers who were taking turns attacking and resting in the camp were leaning against the shield carts or tents. Some were curled up and dozing off, their brows furrowed, as if they were suffering from exhaustion even in their dreams.

Some sat in the snow, holding frozen dry rations in their hands, but hesitated to bring them to their mouths, their eyes unfocused, lacking their usual sharpness.

Some soldiers were rubbing their hands and feet, which were red and swollen from the cold, with pain on their faces.

In the stables not far away, the warhorses also had their heads down, panting heavily. The white breath coming out of their nostrils quickly dissipated in the cold wind, and some of the warhorses were even swaying slightly when they stood up.

Like the soldiers, they had long since exhausted their strength.

Nurhaci felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart tightly, and a sharp pain shot through him.

He always believed that the Eight Banners warriors under his command were the most elite troops in the world, capable of fighting and never afraid of fatigue.

But he forgot that even the most elite soldiers are not made of iron, and even the bravest warhorse will eventually collapse from exhaustion.

The continuous raids and sieges over the past ten days have already exhausted the strength of this army. Let alone dividing and attacking them, it would be difficult to organize another fierce attack.

"Cough...cough..."

Nurhaci suddenly coughed violently, covering his mouth with his hand, and a trace of blood seeped through his fingers.

He quickly hid his hands in his sleeves so that the generals wouldn't see them.

"That's all..."

Nurhaci's voice became hoarse and somewhat weak. He turned around and looked at the generals behind him.

"Pass down the order: prepare for retreat tonight. You may leave now."

When Huerhan saw that Nurhaci had not ordered an immediate retreat, he knew that his Khan had other intentions.

He wanted to say something, but the guards in the tent began to drive people away.

Helpless, Hu Erhan had no choice but to leave.

Soon, only Nurhaci remained in the main tent.

now.

He sat on the tiger-skin chair, the imposing presence he had just displayed in front of the generals now receding like the tide, leaving only an unconcealable weariness and weakness.

"Bring He Heli and Hu Erhan back."

He whispered instructions to the outside of the tent, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible, each word tugging at the pain in his chest.

Before long, He Heli and Hu Erhan quickly entered the tent.

"Great Khan, do you have important instructions?"

He Heli bowed and asked, his gaze involuntarily falling on Nurhaci's slightly trembling hands.

Nurhaci did not answer immediately. He tried to straighten his back, but suddenly clutched his chest and a violent cough broke out.

"Cough...cough..."

He coughed violently, curled up, and gripped the armrest of the tiger-skin chair tightly with one hand.

"Sweat!"

He Heli and Hu Erhan's expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly stepped forward, only to see Nurhaci pull out his other hand from his sleeve, his palm clutching a piece of blood-stained white cloth.

The crimson bloodstains gleamed darkly in the candlelight, a horrifying sight.

"Ginseng! Quickly, bring me ginseng and deer blood!"

Hu Erhan reacted the fastest, shouting loudly towards the outside of the tent.

The guards had already prepared sliced ​​sea cucumber and warm deer blood for emergencies. Upon hearing the call, they immediately carried in a tray and quickly offered the food with both hands.

Heheli trembled as he picked up a piece of Liaoning sea cucumber and offered it to Nurhaci's lips; Huerhan, meanwhile, held a bowl of deer blood and carefully fed it to him.

Nurhaci swallowed the ginseng slices and deer blood with difficulty, closed his eyes and breathed for a moment. He thought he could suppress the pain with these tonics as usual, but soon the burning pain in his chest came again. He suddenly bent over and coughed violently again.

He coughed up the deer blood he had just drunk, mixed with ginseng powder, which splattered onto the tiger-skin chair, staining a patch of fur red.

He slowly raised his head, his face pale, even his lips had lost all color.

Nurhaci was already old, and the continuous raids, sieges, and anxiety of the past few days had only worsened his physical condition.

Previously, it had relied entirely on ginseng and deer blood to forcibly squeeze out its life potential, but now, this body is finally about to give out.

"Ahem... No need to bother."

Nurhaci waved his hand, his voice weak but with a hint of relief. He looked at the two old ministers in front of him who were so anxious they were about to cry, and a faint smile suddenly appeared on his lips.

That smile held no fear of death, only the composure of a fallen hero.

"Great Khan! You can't be harmed! The Great Jin Dynasty needs you!"

He Heli's eyes were red and his voice was choked with sobs. He had followed Nurhaci for decades, from struggling to survive to establishing the Great Jin Dynasty and dominating a region. He had never seen this iron-blooded Khan so weak.

Hu Erhan's eyes also reddened. He knelt on one knee, his voice pleading, "Great Khan, let's retreat to Tieling immediately and find the best doctor to treat you. You will surely recover!"

Nurhaci slowly shook his head.

"As you can see... my days are numbered."

He paused, each word seeming to be uttered with all his might.

“Even if we retreat to Hetu Ala, we won’t live for more than a few days… It’s better to let me stay here.”

His eyes suddenly sharpened.

"Tonight, you will lead your troops to retreat, while I will stay here to draw the main force of the Ming army. If I am fortunate enough to kill Xiong Tingbi, that will be the last thing I do for the Great Jin; if I die in battle, it will buy you time to retreat."

"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!"

He Heli and Hu Erhan shouted at the same time, tears finally streaming down their faces.

Nurhaci chuckled and said:
“It would be far more useful to the Great Jin to die here now than to go back and prolong my life… Rather than dying of illness on my sickbed, tormented by pain and without dignity, I would rather die on the battlefield, dying like a Jurchen warrior.”

Huerhan wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and stepped forward. He knew he had to persuade Nurhaci to change his mind about dying!

"Your Majesty! That is not true! You must not think that way!"

"Listen to your servant, this is not the time to play the hero. Now is the time for the survival of the Great Jin!"

Nurhaci slowly raised his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them.

He had never seen Hu Erhan so eager to refute him, but he still gestured for him to continue.

"Tell me now, or I'll never have the chance to hear it again."

Hu Erhan wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, sniffled, and said:

"In my humble opinion, if the Great Khan stays here, he may not be able to capture the fortress on the mountain!"

Hu Er spoke fluent Chinese at a rapid pace and analyzed the situation clearly:

"The scouts just reported that Chen Ce's reinforcements are less than three miles away. Mangultai and Jirhalang's troops have already been unable to hold out and are probably already retreating!"

Without them to hold us back, the Ming army's chariots, cavalry, and infantry will advance even faster. In less than half an hour, their artillery will be able to hit our camp!

The Great Khan has no time to breach the fortress and take Xiong Tingbi's head. Not only will he fail to kill the enemy leader, but he will also be surrounded by the Ming army and sacrifice himself in vain!

He paused, noticing Nurhaci's brow furrow slightly, then continued:

"Secondly, even if the Great Khan could exchange his life for Xiong Tingbi, it wouldn't be a good thing for the Great Jin!"
You are the Khan of the Great Jin Dynasty and the Heaven of the Jianzhou Jurchens!

If the Great Khan were to die here, the Jin Dynasty would be leaderless, and who would become the new Khan?

The one closest to the Great Khan right now is the Third Prince Mangultai. Should we let him succeed to the throne?
However, the Fourth Prince Huang Taiji is still in Korea. He commands a large army and has made great military achievements. When he returns and sees Mangultai succeed to the throne, it will surely trigger a struggle for the Khanate!
"At that time, our Great Jin will be fighting amongst ourselves, and it will collapse on its own without the Ming army even needing to come!"

These words struck Nurhaci's heart like a heavy hammer.

He was always thinking about "dying in battle to save the enemy's head," but he forgot about the vast wealth and power behind him.

Daishan is already dead. If I were to die as well, the internal power balance would surely collapse. The conflict between Huang Taiji and Mangultai is already an open secret. At that time, just as Huerhan said, the Great Jin Dynasty would fall into internal strife.

"As long as the Great Khan lives, everyone can be suppressed!"

Seeing that Nurhaci's expression softened, Huerhan quickly pressed his advantage, his tone becoming more gentle and pleading.

"Therefore, I request that the Great Khan withdraw with the army to Tieling to stabilize his injuries. After the Fourth Prince returns from Korea, he should personally establish a new Khan and complete a smooth transfer of power so that the state of the Great Jin will not be in chaos!"

Great Khan, don't forget that you defeated Ligdan Khan before. Although Daišan died and we lost a battle to the Ming army, those steppe tribes still dare not underestimate us!
As long as we hold Tieling and Kaiyuan, and wait for the Fourth Prince to bring back the spoils and troops from Korea, we can then compete with the Ming Dynasty for Liaodong. We still have a chance to turn the tide!

But if the Great Khan dies, all of this will be lost!

The tent fell into dead silence.

Nurhaci leaned back in his tiger-skin chair, gazing at the top of the tent with a complex expression.

How could he not understand Hu Erhan's reasoning?

He had spent his life in battle and didn't want to die so miserably. But...
It seems he can only die a pathetic death on his sickbed.

Because Nurhaci was not just a warrior, but also the emperor of the Great Jin Dynasty. His life no longer belonged to himself, but to the entire Great Jin Dynasty.

The Jin dynasty could accept the exchange of Dai Shan's life for Xiong Tingbi's.

But the Jin dynasty couldn't accept the idea of ​​exchanging Dai Shan's life for Xiong Tingbi's.

"Hey~~"

A long sigh escaped Nurhaci's lips, filled with endless helplessness.

He finally accepted his fate, finally let go of that "pride of dying in battle," and chose "survival," which was more beneficial to the Jin Dynasty.

He slowly straightened up, still weak, but his eyes regained focus.

"Order the entire army to halt! Leave one thousand cavalrymen to cover the rear, and the rest of you immediately pack your belongings, abandon all baggage that cannot be carried, and retreat to Tieling at full speed!"

"The Khan is wise!"

Hu Erhan and He Heli exchanged a glance, and their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

With the order to retreat immediately issued, the elite Eight Banners troops, who had long wanted to leave, set off at lightning speed.

When Nurhaci retreated, the first person to learn of this news was none other than Xiong Tingbi, who was under siege.

At this moment, in the mountain fortress, Xiong Tingbi looked disheveled.

He leaned on a broken spear and slowly straightened up.

His armor was already soaked in blood, his left arm was wrapped in thick bandages, and there was an unhealed knife wound on his face, covered with dark scabs.

Yet his eyes remained astonishingly bright, like stars in a cold night, sharply sweeping across the Jurchen camp below the mountain.

No one could have imagined that this seemingly disheveled military commander, with only three thousand remaining soldiers he had initially gathered, managed to hold out in the Red River Valley for a full day and night.

As early as when Nurhaci's main force was making a raid on Fushun, Xiong Tingbi had already taken a liking to the advantageous terrain of the Red River Valley mountaintop.

The terrain here is high, surrounded by steep slopes, with only a narrow mountain path for going up and down. Although the Jurchen army was large, it was difficult for them to deploy their forces.

After Nurhaci abandoned his attack on Fushun and went to support it.

On one hand, he sent light cavalry to harass the Jurchens' supply lines and cut off their supplies. On the other hand, he gathered up the scattered Ming soldiers, including wounded soldiers and laborers, as long as they could still pick up weapons, and incorporated them into the ranks and took them to the mountain stronghold.

What's even more ingenious is that he took advantage of the harsh winter in Liaodong, constantly having his soldiers pour water on the wooden fences and temporary fortifications, which froze into ice walls several feet thick in no time.

The ice wall was smooth and hard, impervious to the Jurchen chariots, impossible to cut with swords, and even more difficult to penetrate with arrows, making it their greatest asset in holding the line.

Even so, after a day and night of fierce attacks, his soldiers were reduced from three thousand to several hundred. Everyone was wounded and exhausted, and even the hands holding the swords were trembling slightly.

Xiong Tingbi himself suffered several injuries, and he would have collapsed long ago if it weren't for his strong belief.

"Lord General, look!"

One of the guards suddenly pointed down the mountain, his voice tinged with surprise.

Xiong Tingbi followed the gaze of his personal guard.

The Jurchen soldiers who had been densely packed around the foot of the mountain were now packing up their tents. Their shield wagons and cannons were being slowly pulled away, and their ranks were becoming loose, no longer displaying the same "fight to the death" attitude as before.

"They're leaving."

A sharp glint flashed in Xiong Tingbi's eyes, but he quickly calmed down.

Having fought for many years, he knew Nurhaci's cunning well and feared that this was a trap to lure the enemy.

But after observing for a while, he saw that the Jurchens were evacuating their wounded soldiers and supplies, and even leaving behind a lot of grain that they couldn't take with them, and then he realized that Nurhaci was really going to retreat!
A surge of long-suppressed pleasure suddenly welled up in Xiong Tingbi's chest.

He abruptly pushed away the soldiers who were helping him, dragged his injured leg, strode down the stockade wall, and went to open the gate himself.

The heavy wooden door creaked.

Xiong Tingbi, leaning on his broken spear, stood at the gate of the stockade, watching the retreating Jurchen army below the mountain, and suddenly shouted:

"Nurhaci! Didn't you want to take my head, Xiong Tingbi?! I'm right here! Come back if you dare! Your grandpa Xiong Tingbi is waiting for you!"

His voice was hoarse yet resonant, echoing like thunder through the Red River Valley, piercing the cold wind and reaching the ears of every Jurchen soldier.

The retreating Jurchen soldiers turned around and saw Xiong Tingbi standing at the gate of the stockade. Their eyes blazed with fury, and they gritted their teeth.

After a day and night of siege, they suffered countless casualties but failed to capture this small camp. Now, provoked by Xiong Tingbi, they wished they could rush back and tear him to pieces.

But military orders are absolute. Nurhaci had already given the order to "retreat at full speed without lingering." They could only clench their fists, spit out their anger, quicken their pace, and disappear into the distance along the mountain path, not daring to look back.

As the Jurchen army gradually disappeared into the valley, the guards surrounded them, excitedly saying:

"My lord! They've really retreated! We've won! Should we pursue them and catch them off guard?"

Xiong Tingbi slowly shook his head, the arrogance in his eyes fading, replaced by calm rationality:
"We can't chase them."

He looked at the exhausted soldiers behind him, his voice heavy.

“We only have a few hundred men left, all of them infantry. They are exhausted from defending the city for days. Although the Jurchens have retreated, they have a large number of cavalry. If we chase after them, they will turn around and ambush us. Our small force will not be enough to fill their teeth.”

“Nurhaci is cunning and treacherous. He may have left ambushes on both sides of the valley, just waiting for us to pursue. The safest course of action is for us to hold the camp and wait for Chen Ce’s main reinforcements to arrive.”

Upon hearing this, the guards, though unwilling, understood that Xiong Tingbi was right.

They have been able to hold on until now not because of their bravery and recklessness, but because of their cautious and methodical approach.

Xiong Tingbi turned around, re-entered the camp, and instructed: "Leave two teams of scouts to guard both sides of the mountain path. The rest of you, take the time to rest, repair the fortifications, and take stock of the provisions. Reinforcements will arrive soon, and we must be prepared to receive them."

"Follow the order!"

It was at this moment that the flower-making envoy, who was originally staying in the Jiannu camp, inexplicably arrived outside the mountain camp.

Nurhaci was defeated, but Xiong Tingbi is still alive.

It is obvious to see which of the five Inner Khalkha tribes should submit to.

Now, naturally, it's time to pledge our loyalty!

South of the Red River Valley.

Chen Ce soon learned that the Jurchens had retreated.

The Jurchen cavalry that had been following them had disappeared without a trace.

Without the surprise attacks of arrows and the harassment of cavalry, even the stench of blood in the air seemed to have lessened.

This sudden silence made Chen Ce's heart tighten:
Is it because Nurhaci has already breached Xiong Jinglue's camp and no longer needs to restrain him?
Or were they afraid that the main force of the Ming army would get close and hastily retreat?
"General, the old Jurchen camp in Red River Valley is just ahead!"

The scout rode up, his voice tinged with excitement.

"The camp is deserted; it looks like they just evacuated not long ago!"

Chen Ce urged his horse forward and soon arrived at the camp where the Jurchens had once been stationed.

The scene before him completely dispelled his doubts.

In the Jurchen camp, tents lay askew on the snow, many bearing the scorch marks of fire.

Broken scythes, damaged shield cart parts, and even grain sacks that hadn't been taken away were scattered on the ground, their openings torn open, spilling millet mixed with snow.

The hoofprints and footprints on the snow were messy and extended toward Tieling. Occasionally, there were abandoned stretchers for the wounded, indicating that the retreat was too hasty and the wounded were not taken away.

"The retreat was so chaotic..."

Chen Ce dismounted, bent down and picked up a Jurchen helmet that had fallen into the snow; the edge of the helmet was still stained with dried blood.

"It seems that Commander Xiong not only defended the camp, but also drove Nurhaci into a desperate situation!"

The weight that had been hanging over his heart finally lifted.

Just then, a familiar voice came from above the mountain path, a little hoarse but still strong: "Commander Chen, how have you been!"

Chen Ce suddenly looked up and saw the camp gate at the top of the mountain path slowly opening. Xiong Tingbi, supported by two guards, slowly walked down the mountain path.

His armor was so worn that its original color was no longer visible, and it was torn in many places, revealing the blood-soaked bandages underneath; his left arm hung limply at his sides, clearly badly injured; the knife wound on his face, though scabbed over, was still gruesome.

But those eyes were surprisingly bright.

"Lord General!"

Chen Ce strode forward, knelt on one knee, and spoke with barely suppressed excitement.

"This humble general, Chen Ce, pays his respects to the Commander-in-Chief!"

The key to the Ming army's success in capturing Fushun and killing Daishan was Xiong Tingbi's ability to hold back Nurhaci's main force in the Red River Valley.

If Xiong Tingbi hadn't been holding back the Jurchen army, the defense line at Fushun would never have been so easily breached, and Daishan would not have been left isolated and helpless.

Xiong Tingbi raised his hand to help Chen Ce up, his tone calm but with a hint of relief.

"No need for formalities. We were able to hold the camp thanks to the desperate fighting of our soldiers, and also thanks to your timely arrival with your troops."

He showed no interest in reminiscing; instead, he abruptly changed the subject and asked:
"Commander Chen, how many men did you bring this time? How many cavalry are there?"

Chen Ce paused for a moment, then composed himself and replied in a deep voice, "Reporting to the General, the total is 15,000 men, of which 3,000 are cavalry."

"Only three thousand cavalry?"

Xiong Tingbi raised his eyebrows slightly, then relaxed them.

The Ming army didn't have many cavalry to begin with, and it's already quite good that they still have three thousand cavalrymen available to be deployed after the battle has gone on for so long.

He immediately replied, "Three thousand is a small amount, but it's enough!"

Xiong Tingbi pointed in the direction the Jurchens had retreated, his eyes blazing with murderous intent!
“Nurhaci’s army is already exhausted, and the Khorchin tribe has been persuaded by Weilubo to go south. They are probably already on their way. The five Inner Khalkha tribes’ Chaohua are also willing to send troops to join them. Nurhaci is attacked from both sides, which is the perfect opportunity to pursue him!”

Nurhaci's army was exhausted.

Xiong Tingbi gained the deepest understanding of this point while guarding the stockade.

If these people hadn't been physically exhausted, they might have perished in the Red River Valley, given their fearless and reckless spirit.

but
No matter how strong your will is, it's useless if your body is too tired.

This is also why Xiong Tingbi was able to defend the mountain fortress.

My thoughts came to a close.

Xiong Tingbi took a deep breath and said in a loud voice:
"Commander Chen, please lead your cavalry in pursuit immediately, and it would be best to take Nurhaci's head!"

Chen Ce's eyes lit up instantly.

The five tribes of Khorchin and Inner Khalkha were all willing to send troops.

There is a great chance that we can cut off Nurhaci's head on this trip!

If we could catch up with Nurhaci and take the head of this Jurchen Khan, that would be an incredible achievement!

How could Chen Ce refuse such a lucrative job?

He clasped his hands in a fist salute, his voice strong and clear: "Your subordinate obeys! I will immediately muster the cavalry and pursue Nurhaci!"

Before he finished speaking, Chen Ce turned and strode towards his cavalry, loudly issuing his orders:

"Three thousand cavalry, listen to my command! Prepare your horses immediately and pursue the Jurchens along their retreat route. Make sure to entangle their main force. If there is an opportunity, take Nurhaci's head! The rest of the infantry, follow quickly!"

"Follow the order!"

All the soldiers obeyed the order.

The cavalrymen quickly mounted their horses, cracked their whips, and the warhorses neighed as they galloped toward Tieling, their hooves echoing like thunder through the Red River Valley.

Xiong Tingbi stood by the mountain path, watching Chen Ce and his cavalry disappear into the distance, and chuckled coldly.

Nurhaci!

You dared to lead your troops to invade my Liaodong and stir up trouble, and now you want to retreat unscathed?

Not that easy!
The blood debts you incurred in Liaodong over the years should be repaid with your head!
ps:
A long chapter of 7000 words!
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(End of this chapter)