Huangming

Chapter 395 Lianbao Intercepts the Chieftain, the Rebel King Takes Action (Bonus Chapter for 600 Monthly Tickets!)
Dozens of miles west of Kaiyuan City, the Qinghe River lies like a frozen silver ribbon across the snow-covered plain.

The winter wind, carrying snowflakes, swept across the frozen river, making a mournful "whooshing" sound.

The bare branches of the withered trees on the shore stretched towards the leaden sky, and the icicles hanging from the tips of the branches gleamed coldly in the dim light.

The only road along the river that was passable by carriages was now blocked by three gray-blue ice fortresses.

The ice wall was built by pouring frozen ice from the Qinghe River, mixed with gravel and vegetation, and was more than ten feet thick. The top of the wall was piled with solid ice stacks, and behind the stacks were muskets as thick as bowls, exuding a chilling aura that inspired fear.

Li Bingcheng, the general of Fengji Fort, was standing on the wall of the ice city in the middle. He was wearing heavy black iron armor, his hand on the sword at his waist, and his eyes were fixed on the direction at the end of the road.

Even before receiving Xiong Tingbi's military order, Li Bingcheng had already accurately predicted Huang Taiji's route:
If the Jurchens wanted to return to Hetu Ala with the plundered cattle, sheep, and captives, they would inevitably have to take the Qinghe Road.

The path was narrow and difficult for vehicles and horses to pass through; it was impossible for 100,000 cattle and sheep to get through.

Therefore, he not only built three mutually supporting ice fortresses on the main road, but also scattered hundreds of scouts in the surrounding dozens of miles of paths and valleys. As long as Huang Taiji dared to approach, whether he took the main road or a small path, he could detect him immediately.

"Report——!"

A rapid sound of horses' hooves came from afar, breaking the silence of the snowfield.

A scout, covered in frost and snow, rode a panting warhorse like a madman to the foot of the ice city. He nearly fell as he dismounted, staggered up the stockade wall, knelt on one knee, and spoke haltingly due to his rapid breathing:
"Reporting to the General! Foothills of Ironback Mountain... traces of the Jurchens have been discovered! They are numerous, pulling supply wagons and herding large numbers of cattle and sheep. Judging from their banners... they seem to be Huang Taiji's main force!"

"Ironback Mountain?"

Li Bingcheng raised an eyebrow, quickly calculating in his mind.

Tiebei Mountain is on the opposite bank of the Hun River, only ten miles away from here. This means that Huang Taiji's army has already crossed the Hun River and will soon reach Qinghe.

He remained calm and composed, simply gesturing for the scouts to rise. His tone was steady: "Scout again and report back! Closely monitor the Jurchens' marching speed and formation. Report back immediately if there are any movements!"

"Yes!"

The scout bowed and accepted the order, then turned and ran quickly down the stockade wall, mounted his horse, and disappeared into the wind and snow once more.

Lee Byung-sung turned to his personal guards and gave the following order:
"Quickly inform the garrison commanders of the two ice cities on the left and right, and tell them to strengthen their defenses immediately!"
The muskets were loaded with ammunition, logs and stones were carried onto the city walls, and archers stood in formation, ready to fight at any moment!

"As ordered!"

The guards responded with a resounding roar and quickly went down from the city wall to relay the order.

Soon, the sound of busy footsteps echoed across the three ice cities. Soldiers carried logs and moved stones, while musketeers skillfully loaded gunpowder and bullets, and the air gradually filled with the smell of gunpowder.

Li Bingcheng walked to the edge of the stockade wall, looked down at the main road below, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

He was very clear about his mission.

Instead of taking the initiative, they chose to "defend to the death."

As long as he firmly defends this ice city and blocks Huang Taiji's path, he can tie down the main force of the Jurchens here, buying time for Liu Xingzuo's cavalry to pursue and for Chen Ce's infantry to encircle them.

Once the Ming army's encirclement was completely closed, even if Huang Taiji had great abilities, he would have no way to escape.

However, Li Bingcheng's reluctance to leave the city to fight was not because he didn't want to, but because he simply couldn't.

The commander-in-chief of Fengji Fort glanced down at the terrain outside the ice city.

The road was flanked by deep forests with dense trees and knee-deep snow, making it impossible for vehicles to maneuver.

Although he had 5,000 soldiers under his command, only 1,000 were cavalry; the rest were infantry.

If he rashly went out of the city to meet the enemy, the Jurchen cavalry, who were familiar with the terrain, would likely use the cover of the woods to divide and surround his infantry. In that case, he would not only fail to stop Huang Taiji, but would also suffer heavy losses and ruin Xiong Jinglue's overall plan.

"We absolutely cannot take this risk."

Lee Byung-sung muttered to himself.

Having experienced the Battle of Sarhu, he knew the ferocity of the Jurchen cavalry and understood the principle of "using one's strengths to attack the enemy's weaknesses."

The ice city was well-fortified, and muskets and logs could maximize the infantry's advantages.

Going out of the city to fight would be to use one's own weaknesses against the enemy's strengths, a losing proposition he would never make.

Huhuhu~
The wind and snow started again, and the leaden clouds pressed down even lower, enveloping the snowfields along the Qinghe River in a hazy mist.

Huang Taiji reined in his horse and stood on a high slope, his eyes fixed on the three gray-blue ice cities in the distance.

"Damn it!"

Huang Taiji cursed under his breath.

The scouts had just sent back news that the garrison in Bingcheng was Li Bingcheng's Fengjibao troops. Not only were their fortifications solid, but they had also set up scouts on the surrounding paths, clearly indicating that they had been prepared for this.

He knew very well that in order to break through the main road, he had to launch a full-scale attack on Ice City.

However, the ice wall was over ten feet thick, and the Ming army had muskets and rolling logs, so the Jurchen cavalry could not gain any advantage by attacking uphill and would only increase their casualties.

More importantly, a strong attack takes time, and that's exactly what he lacks.

Liu Xingzuo's cavalry might already be in hot pursuit, and Chen Ce's infantry were also on their way. The longer the delay lasted, the tighter the Ming army's encirclement would become.

"We must not launch a direct attack!"

Huang Taiji made his decision in his heart, his gaze sweeping over the army that stretched for miles behind him.

The prisoners were emaciated and sallow, strung together by ropes, and staggered after taking two steps.

The cattle and sheep moved with difficulty in the snow, emitting muffled moans.

The supply wagon got stuck in a snowdrift and required several people to push it forward.

His eyes suddenly narrowed, and a plan quickly took shape in his mind.

"Engedel!"

Huang Taiji suddenly turned his horse around and shouted to the rear of the group.

Upon hearing the summons, Engeder quickly spurred his horse through the chaotic ranks, arrived before Huang Taiji, dismounted, and knelt on one knee.

"Your servant is here! What are your orders, Great Khan?"

His leather armor was covered in snowflakes, and his face showed signs of fatigue.

He had barely slept these past few days while escorting prisoners on the road.

"Get the prisoners up, and each of them should carry a bag of spoils."

Huang Taiji's voice was cold and showed no hesitation.

"Let's skip the main road and take the mountain path on the east side. Although the terrain there is treacherous, it will allow us to bypass the Ice City."

Engdel looked up abruptly, his face full of embarrassment, his tone hesitant:

"Great Khan, this... I'm afraid it won't work!"

He raised his hand and pointed to the prisoners behind him.

"These prisoners had been traveling for days and had only eaten a small amount of fried noodles to fill their stomachs. They were all emaciated and sallow, and even their walking was unsteady. How could they have the strength to carry the spoils of war?"
Besides, our spoils include silk, tea, and gold and silver plundered from the Khorchin. The bags are incredibly heavy; even our soldiers would struggle to carry them, let alone the prisoners. They simply couldn't lift them!

"Even if we force them to carry us, our marching speed will slow down. The mountain paths are narrow and the snow is deep. If we slow down and are discovered by Ming scouts, we won't even have a place to turn back!"

Huang Taiji waved his hand, interrupting him, his eyes sharp as knives: "Those you can't carry, stay here."

"Stay here?"

Engeder was stunned, not understanding what Huang Taiji meant.

Those spoils of war were seized from Khorchin at great risk; wouldn't it be a waste to leave them behind?

"Yes, stay here."

Huang Taiji's lips curled into a cold smile as he reined in his horse and glanced in the direction of Ice City.

“Li Bingcheng is guarding Bingcheng, so he definitely won’t dare to leave the city easily. Let’s leave these spoils that we can’t carry by the roadside, and then deliberately make a mess of the traces so that he will think that we have hastily abandoned our weapons and are trying to escape by a side road.”

"As long as the Ming army dares to come out of the city to seize these 'bait', we will ambush them in the woods on both sides of the valley."

They have more infantry than cavalry; once they enter the valley, they'll be ours for the taking!
At that time, not only will they be able to eliminate the Ming army that leaves the city, but they will also be able to take the opportunity to break through the defenses of Bingcheng.

If they dare not leave the city, we can easily bypass them via side roads without delaying our retreat.

Engder suddenly realized what was happening, and the embarrassment in his eyes faded, replaced by admiration for Huang Taiji.

"Great Khan, a brilliant plan! This servant will arrange it immediately!"

He rose and strode back to the ranks of prisoners, shouting at his Mongol Eight Banner soldiers:

"Get moving! Have each prisoner carry a bag of spoils; if they can't carry it, leave it by the roadside! Hurry up! If you delay the Khan's business, you'll be in big trouble!"

The soldiers immediately sprang into action, using whips to drive the prisoners and stuffing bags of silk, tea, gold, and silver into their hands.

The prisoners were already weak, and the weight made them unable to straighten their backs. They dared not resist and could only stagger to keep up with the group.

Those spoils that were too heavy to carry were piled up haphazardly in the middle of the road, like a small mountain, which was particularly conspicuous.

Huang Taiji reined in his horse and stood on the high slope, watching the troop gradually move towards the valley to the east. He glanced at the pile of "bait" by the roadside, his eyes gleaming.

He gave the order to Jirgalang beside him:
"You lead five hundred cavalrymen and ambush them in the woods at the entrance of the valley. If the Ming army comes out of the city, cut off their retreat route first."

If the Ming army doesn't move, then follow and join them.

"Yes!"

Jirhalang accepted the order and quietly disappeared into the woods with five hundred cavalrymen.

Huang Taiji's actions were quickly discovered by Ming scouts.

"Reporting to the General! The Jurchens have abandoned their supplies on the main road and are moving towards the side road to the east!"
Judging from their tracks, they didn't bring any wagons; they only had the prisoners carry a small amount of spoils, and they only herded about half of the cattle and sheep!

"Abandoned the baggage train?"

The main tent in the city.

Li Bingcheng abruptly raised his head from in front of the map, his brows instantly furrowing into a knot.

He strode up to the scout, bent down, and asked, "Did you see clearly? Were those supplies really abandoned, or were they deliberately left behind? Did the main force of the Jurchens truly all go down the side roads?"

"Absolutely true!"

The scout nodded vigorously.

"My men went around to the rear of the Jurchens to investigate. There were more than a dozen carts full of silk, tea, and a lot of gold and silver piled up by the roadside. There were even several Jurchen flags planted next to them. It didn't look fake!"

The Jurchen troops have already entered the valley to the east, leaving only a few scouts outside to keep watch!

Li Bingcheng walked back to the map in silence, his brows furrowed.

Huang Taiji went through so much trouble to launch a surprise attack on Khorchin and seize so many supplies, how could he just abandon them like that?
This doesn't make sense. Various possibilities flashed through his mind.

Is this a trap?
Was it truly a case of panic and desperate measures?
Or is there another ambush?

"Commander-in-Chief!"

Seeing Li Bingcheng hesitate, Deputy General Wang Shouzhong could no longer sit still.

"General, send troops!"

"Are we just going to stand by and watch the Jurchens slip away through the side paths? That's Huang Taiji's main force! If they escape back to Hetu Ala, wouldn't all the effort we put into building this Ice City have been for nothing?"

Wang Shouzhong was young and ambitious, eager to make military achievements. He couldn't contain himself at the thought that Huang Taiji might escape.

"This humble general requests permission! Lead a thousand cavalrymen out of the city to pursue them! The Jurchens are taking prisoners and will be slow on the back roads. Our cavalry is fast and we can definitely catch up with them, or at least retrieve some supplies and slow down their march!"

Li Bingcheng slowly shook his head, his eyes still fixed on the map, and said in a steady tone: "No."

"Why not?"

Wang Shouzhong grew anxious and raised his voice several decibels.

"Is the commander afraid of the Jurchens? We have a thousand cavalrymen. Even if we encounter an ambush, we can escape unscathed!"

If we stand idly by and do nothing, and the governor asks us about it, saying we failed to attack the enemy, who will take responsibility then?

Li Bingcheng looked up at Wang Shouzhong, his eyes showing no anger, only the calm composure honed by battle:

"It's not that I'm afraid, it's that I can't take the risk."

Have you ever thought about it?
How many paths are there in the valley on the east side?
Our scouts only saw the Jurchens advance one lane, but who can guarantee that it wasn't a feint?

"Perhaps Huang Taiji has already divided his forces, one route to capture prisoners and the other to take the main force, just waiting for us to leave the city in pursuit, so he can lure us into an ambush."

He paused, then pointed to the mountainous and forested area on the map, his tone becoming more serious:

"Furthermore, the Jurchens live in the mountains and are familiar with the terrain. If our cavalry enters the valley, they won't even be able to form a proper formation; they will only be divided and surrounded by them."

We only have a thousand cavalrymen. If they are wiped out here, the defense of Ice City will be weakened.

What will we do if Huang Taiji turns back and attacks Bingcheng again?

Wang Shouzhong clenched his fists, still wanting to argue:
"But we can't just do nothing, can we? At least send cavalry to probe! Even if we can't catch up, at least we can let the higher-ups know that we've tried our best!"

After a moment of silence, Lee Byung-sung said firmly:

"There's no need to test the waters. Our mission is to 'block the road' and 'delay,' not to 'pursue'."

Huang Taiji's marching speed was inevitably greatly reduced by taking the back roads, lacking carriages, and carrying prisoners.
That has already achieved the goal of delaying the process.

He turned around and explained to Wang Shouzhong:
"The cavalry of Liu Xingzuo, the Earl of Weilu, is right behind us, and the infantry of Chen Ce, the Earl of Pinglu, is also following. As long as we hold Bingcheng and prevent Huang Taiji from turning back to take the main road, he will be trapped in the side roads."

Once Liu Xingzuo caught up with him, coupled with Sun Chengzong's ambush, Huang Taiji had no chance of escape.

What we need to do now is to protect this ice city and not abandon our fundamental principles for fear of taking responsibility.

Looking into Li Bingcheng's determined eyes, and considering the complex terrain of the valley, Wang Shouzhong finally lowered his head and cupped his hands in a gesture of respect:

"I understand now. I was too hasty."

Lee Byung-sung patted him on the shoulder, his tone softening:
"I know you want to make a name for yourself, but on the battlefield, composure is more important than bravery."

Send the order to strengthen security in Ice City, closely monitor the movements along the alley, and report any developments immediately!

Furthermore, send more scouts to keep an eye on the supplies left behind by the Jurchens, and prevent their scouts from causing trouble.

"Yes!"

Wang Shouzhong acknowledged the order and quickly walked out of the tent.

. . .

Deep in the mountains and forests.

Huang Taiji reined in his horse and walked in the middle of the procession, his brows furrowed in a deep frown.

He had been trekking through this dense forest for a day and a night, and his warhorse was so tired that it kept swaying, and even its breath was filled with thick white mist.

Huang Taiji had no choice but to dismount and lead his warhorse away.

He kept glancing back at the line behind him, his eyes filled with anxiety.

The prisoners, carrying heavy loads of silk and tea, struggled to move through knee-deep snow. Some could no longer walk and were whipped by Jurchen soldiers, but they still could not take another step.

Some people collapsed directly in the snow, bleeding from their mouths and noses, and never got up again.

In that day and night, no fewer than a hundred prisoners had died from exhaustion.

What worried him even more was that the five hundred cavalrymen who had been lying in ambush near Qinghe had already withdrawn, bringing back the message that "the Ming army is holding the city to the death and will not come out even half a step."

"That old fox, Lee Byung-sung!"

Huang Taiji cursed under his breath.

He originally thought that leaving behind supplies would lure the Ming army out of the city, but he did not expect that Li Bingcheng would be so calm and not fall for the trap.

If we continue to linger in the mountains like this, let alone getting back to Hetu Ala, it probably won't be long before Liu Xingzuo's pursuers catch up.

But for now, this is the only option.

After another day and night, Huang Taiji finally breathed a sigh of relief when the group emerged from the dense forest and stepped onto the main road along the Daliu River.

Although the main road was also covered in snow, it was much easier to walk on than in the mountains and forests. The marching speed of the team increased suddenly, and even the bleating of cattle and sheep sounded lighter.

He reined in his horse and stood on a high slope, gazing at the frozen Daliu River in the distance. Just as a glimmer of hope rose in his heart, the scouts he had sent out brought him bad news!

"Great Khan! There's an ice fortress ahead!"

Huang Taiji's heart tightened, and he looked in the direction the scout had pointed.

In the middle of the main road, ten miles ahead, stood a gray-blue ice fortress. Although not as large as the three in Qinghe, it was still heavily fortified. Ming soldiers could be vaguely seen on the city walls, and their banners fluttered in the cold wind.

"Another ice castle?"

Huang Taiji's face instantly darkened.

Having just escaped the entanglement of the mountains and forests, they encountered a fortified village blocking their way.

Huang Taiji hesitated:
Do we have to take the back path again?

But the scouts behind them had already sent word that Liu Xingzuo's cavalry was only half a day's journey away. If they went into the mountains and forests again, they would be overtaken by the pursuers before they could even get around them.

"Attack? Or circle around?"

This question kept swirling in his mind.

If the Ice Fortress cannot be taken in a short time, the pursuers will arrive and attack from both sides.

Taking the back road would take too long; there simply wouldn't be enough time.

He took a deep breath and ordered the scout beside him, "Go and find out! Who is guarding the ice fortress ahead? How many Ming troops are there?"

The scouts accepted the order and spurred their horses toward the Ice Fortress.

Half an hour later, the scout returned, panting, dismounted, and reported:

"Great Khan! The banner flying atop Ice Fortress is that of a Lieutenant General, with the character 'Li' written on it!"

Judging from the number of Ming soldiers on the city wall, there are about two thousand, mostly infantry, with very few cavalry!

"A lieutenant general? Surname Li?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Huang Taiji's eyes, followed by a cold smile.

He had fought in Liaodong for many years and knew most of the Ming generals by name. Leaving aside the generals and deputy generals, what ability could a mere assistant general with the surname "Li" possibly have?
It's likely that Xiong Tingbi sent them temporarily to make up the numbers; he didn't even bother to send a decent general.

"How dare a mere brigade commander block my path?"

Huang Taiji reined in his horse and rode forward, his gaze sweeping over the Eight Banners soldiers under his command.

Although the soldiers were exhausted from traveling for days, as long as they could capture this ice fortress, they could head straight for Hetu Ala along the main road and shake off their pursuers.

The risk is worth taking.

Of course, a large part of the reason why Huang Taiji took such a risk was the garrison commander.

If a famous general were stationed at the Ice Fortress ahead, he would definitely take a detour.

but.
Li, a military officer?

It's just a roadside stall!
Two thousand infantrymen were guarding a small ice fortress. If the Jurchen cavalry charged with all their might, they would break through it in less than an hour!
He immediately gave the order to Engdel behind him:
"Let the Mongol Eight Banners men rest for a while. Later, send a team to launch a feint attack to test the Ming army's strength!"

"Yes!"

Engdel quickly accepted the order and turned to arrange the soldiers.

When the Jurchen soldiers heard that they were going to attack the Ice Fortress, their fighting spirit was ignited despite their exhaustion.

Mountain roads are too arduous; in some places, they don't even qualify as roads and require manual clearing.

The ice city ahead is difficult to conquer.

But as long as we get through, we can go home and get rid of the pursuers behind us.

Moreover, the guard of the Ice Fortress ahead was just an unknown nobody.

But Huang Taiji and his Eight Banners troops were unaware that at this moment, on the top of the Ice Fortress, the Li-surname general whom he regarded as an "unknown adjutant" was standing by the railing, gazing at the Jurchen troops in the distance, his eyes filled with sharp light.

He was dressed in light armor, wearing a felt hat, a red cloak, and a ring-pommel sword hanging at his waist. He was none other than Li Zicheng, the rebel king who stirred up the world and overthrew the Ming Dynasty in another time and space.

It was only because of Zhu Youxiao's advance planning that this rebel leader appeared in Liaodong and blocked Huang Taiji's only way to Hetu Ala.

This led to the unexpected occurrence of the "Huang Taiji vs. Li Zicheng" battle.

ps:
I'm writing over 20,000 words a day, and my body can't keep up.

It's 2:30, and I still haven't showered.

晕~
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(End of this chapter)