Huangming

Chapter 396 A Defeat Before the Fortress, Decisive and Ruthless

The cold wind along the Daliu River, carrying ice pellets, felt like knives cutting into your face.

Huang Taiji reined in his horse and stood on the high slope, his eyes fixed on the two-zhang-high ice fortress in front of him.

The "Li" flag on the city wall fluttered in the wind, and the figures of Ming soldiers could be vaguely seen moving behind the crenellations.

The scouts behind them had just brought news that Liu Xingzuo's pursuers were less than half a day's journey away, and every moment of delay increased the danger.

"There's no time to wait! Build siege equipment immediately!"

Huang Taiji suddenly swung his whip down.

The Jurchen soldiers behind them dared not slack off, and put down their weapons to use whatever was available.

Some chopped down dead trees by the roadside, some dismantled the planks of their baggage carts, and others tied ice blocks and wood together with ropes to make makeshift shields.

In the cold wind, the sounds of axes and chisels, the clanging of wood, and the shouts of soldiers mingled together.

The soldiers, their fingers turning blue from the cold, gritted their teeth and kept working, but no one dared to stop.

Everyone knew that whether they could escape back to Hetu Ala alive depended entirely on whether they could breach this ice fortress as quickly as possible.

Half an hour later.

Dozens of makeshift cloud ladders were finally completed:

The ladder was made of wood, with the crossbars tied together with thick rope, and the top was sharpened to a point, giving it a rushed appearance.

The hastily assembled chariots were even more crude, with thin wooden planks that revealed gaps, barely able to stop stray arrows, and utterly unable to withstand lead bullets from muskets.

"enough!"

Huang Taiji looked at these "siege weapons" without the slightest dissatisfaction.

In his view, this small ice castle, which is two zhang high, has no need for sophisticated equipment.

As long as the elite troops can charge up the ladders and tear open a gap, the Ming army's defenses will surely be breached.

He raised his hand and summoned Engdel.

"Engedel!"

"The slave is here!"

Engdel strode forward and knelt on one knee.

"Go and command those Khorchin prisoners to lead the charge, let them carry ladders and charge, use their lives to wear down the Ming army's firearms and rolling logs!"

Huang Taiji's voice was completely calm, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"The Mongol Eight Banners will follow, using ladders to scale the city walls; except for the Plain Yellow Banner, which will be kept in reserve, the elite troops of the other eight banners will form the third echelon. Once the Mongol Eight Banners break through the city walls, they will immediately rush in and fight to take it down in one battle!"

He paused, his eyes suddenly sharpening:
"Remember, the offensive must not stop! We must not give the Ming army any time to regroup! Within half an hour, I want to see our flag planted on the Ice Fortress!"

"Whoo!"

Engdel stood up in response and turned to walk towards the prisoner group.

His Mongol Eight Banner soldiers immediately raised their scimitars and shouted at the Khorchin prisoners who were tied together with ropes: "Get up! Carry the ladders and charge forward! If you dare to retreat even one step, behead them immediately!"

The prisoners were already suffering from cold and hunger, and when they heard the shouts and curses, they trembled with fear.

They shakily carried the heavy ladders, their fingers so frozen they could barely grip them, and they stumbled with every step.

Some prisoners were too heavy to carry and were about to put down when they were slashed in the back by the curved swords of the Mongol Eight Banners soldiers. Blood instantly stained their snow-white clothes, and they fell to the snow without a sound.

"Charge! Charge now!"

Engdel rode his horse, his whip lashing the prisoners repeatedly, while the supervising soldiers raised their bows and arrows, aiming at the hesitant prisoners.

In their eyes, these prisoners were not human beings, but merely "cannon fodder" to consume the Ming army's firepower.

Under the threat of swords and arrows, the prisoners cried and charged toward the ice fortress.

On the walls of Ice Fortress, Li Hongji had already discerned the Jurchens' movements. He coldly addressed his adjutant beside him:

"As expected, they're using prisoners as cannon fodder. Pass on my order: musketeers, prepare! Wait until they're fifty paces away before firing! Archers, keep an eye on the Mongol Eight Banners behind them, don't let them take the opportunity to set up ladders!"

"Yes!"

The lieutenant responded loudly, and the order quickly spread throughout the city walls.

The Ming soldiers gripped their muskets tightly, the archers drew their bows taut, their eyes fixed on the charging troop of prisoners, showing no pity whatsoever.

On the battlefield, being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself.

As they drew closer, a loud shout suddenly rang out from the top of the Ice Fortress: "Release!"

"Bang bang bang!"

Hundreds of muskets fired simultaneously, lead bullets flying towards the prisoner column with a sharp whistling sound.

The prisoners at the forefront fell to the ground one after another, their blood splattering on the snow, only to be quickly covered by new corpses.

The remaining prisoners were terrified. Some tried to run back, but were shot dead by the Mongol Eight Banners soldiers behind them.

Some could only close their eyes and keep charging forward.

Huang Taiji reined in his horse and stood at a distance, watching the prisoners fall like wheat being harvested, his eyes showing no emotion.

He raised his hand and waved it in the direction of the Mongol Eight Banners: "It's your turn!"

The Mongol Eight Banners soldiers, who were already prepared, immediately spurred their horses into a charge. Carrying ladders and stepping over the corpses of prisoners, they rushed toward the Ice Fortress.

Upon seeing this, the Ming soldiers on the city wall immediately threw down logs and stones. With a loud crash, many Mongol Eight Banner soldiers were hit and fell to the snow with their ladders, screaming in agony.

But the Jurchens' offensive did not stop.

The third echelon of elite Eight Banner troops has already begun its siege.

however.

Two quarters of an hour passed.

The corpses of the Mongol Eight Banner soldiers piled up into a small mountain of corpses below the city.

However, they showed no intention of breaching the ice fortress.

Dudu's elite Eight Banners troops had begun to charge in waves, but they were always blocked outside the Ice Fortress.

The Ming army's muskets fired in turn, and lead bullets rained down like a storm.

The rolling logs and stones fell in a rhythmic rush, each impact accompanied by the screams of the Jurchen soldiers.

Even if they managed to breach the fortress walls, they were quickly annihilated by the Ming army on the walls.

Huang Taiji reined in his horse and stood on the high slope, his brows furrowed in a deep frown.

He had thought the city would fall in half an hour, but the scene before him was a slap in the face:
The unknown Li, a military officer, showed no sign of panic and maintained an incredibly steady pace in defending the city.

The roles of musketeers, archers, and slingers were clearly defined.

Lacking engineering weapons, and if the defending soldiers are determined and well-prepared, it will be too difficult to take the city in a short time.

"This guy actually knows how to defend a city?"

Huang Taiji cursed under his breath, his initial contempt completely replaced by anxiety.

The faint sound of horses' hooves came from behind, and the scouts were getting closer and closer.

Each scout who came to report meant that Liu Xingzuo was getting closer to him.

There's no time to waste here!
Huang Taiji abruptly turned his horse around and gave a stern order to Jirgalang:

"Jirhalang! You will lead two thousand elite cavalry to circle around to the west side of the Ice Fortress and launch a surprise attack from the flank and rear! You must tear open a gap in the defenses!"

He then looked at Dudu: "Keep attacking from the front and draw the Ming army's attention to this place! I don't believe that this little ice fortress can withstand an attack from both sides!"

"Whoo!"

Jirhalang and Dudu responded in unison.

Jirhalang immediately summoned his cavalry and galloped toward the west side of the Ice Fortress.

The terrain there was relatively flat and the snow was thinner. He felt that the Ming army would definitely put their main force on the front, leaving their flanks and rear defenses weak. As long as they charged through, they could easily break through the city.

Dudu then regrouped his troops and launched an even fiercer attack on the Ice Fortress from the front.

The Eight Banner soldiers carried newly built siege ladders, stepping over the corpses of their comrades as they charged forward, their shouts of battle causing snowflakes to fall in a flurry.

Li Hongji, standing atop the city wall, remained calm. He glanced to the west and a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

Even when the fortress was being built, he had anticipated that the Jurchens would flank him from behind; that seemingly flat snowfield had already been the site of a deadly trap.

Just as Jirhalang's cavalry approached the west side of the Ice Fortress, they suddenly heard a "hiss" as the hooves of the first few warhorses sank into the snow and began to whine in pain.

"Oh no! It's barbed wire!"

Jirhalang's heart tightened, and he hurriedly ordered a halt to the army, but it was too late.

Many warhorses stepped on the caltrops buried under the snow, their hooves were punctured, and they jumped wildly, throwing their riders off their backs.

Before Jirhalang could organize his troops, the snow beneath the feet of many soldiers suddenly collapsed, and several cavalrymen fell into the snow pit along with their horses.

The bottom of the pit was densely covered with sharpened iron spikes. Anyone who fell in was instantly pierced, and blood seeped up the pit walls, quickly freezing into dark red ice shards.

"It's a snow pit trap!"

Jirhalang's voice changed; he hadn't expected that this seemingly ordinary snowfield would hide so many deadly moves.

"Clear the obstacles! Quickly!"

Jirhalang gritted his teeth and gave the order. The soldiers jumped off their horses, used their swords to dig through the snow, remove the barbed wire, and fill in the snow pits.

This created a narrow path for the team to advance.

After that, he led his troops forward, determined to break through this ice fortress!
Just then, the side gate on the west side of the Ice Fortress suddenly creaked open, and a light cavalry force of several hundred men galloped out, led by Li Hongji.

He was clad in light black armor, his ring-pommel sword gleaming coldly, while the scimitars of the cavalry behind him were dazzlingly bright.

"kill!"

Li Hongji shouted and led his light cavalry straight at Jirhalang's troops.

Jirgalang's cavalry was divided into several groups by the caltrops and snow pits, and could only fight the enemy in a scattered manner, unable to form a formation at all.

Li Hongji's light cavalry, however, formed tight squads, like sharp knives, and charged towards the Jurchen cavalry.

The crisp sound of the ring-pommel sword slashing, the neighing of warhorses, and the screams of soldiers mingled together.

Li Hongji took the lead, and with a flash of his blade, the helmet of a Jurchen cavalryman was cleaved open, his brains mixed with blood splattering onto the snow.

His soldiers were all fierce and brave, targeting scattered small groups of Jurchens and driving them into retreat.

Jirhalang looked at the scene before him, and his heart sank completely.

His cavalry was trapped in place by obstacles and could only deploy troops little by little. However, each force was surrounded and killed by Li Hongji's light cavalry as soon as it charged forward, making it impossible for them to form a cohesive force.

On the contrary, Li Hongji's few hundred men gained a local numerical advantage and treated his cavalry like "chickens," slaughtering them one by one.

Some Jurchen soldiers wanted to retreat, but were blocked by barbed wire and snow pits behind them, so they had no choice but to grit their teeth and charge forward.

Some fell into snow pits and were impaled by iron spikes.

Others were caught up by Li Hongji's cavalry and cut down from their horses with a single blow.

In less than half an hour, Jirhalang's two thousand elite troops had lost nearly half of their strength, and the remaining men were so terrified that they no longer had the courage to resist.

Huang Taiji, perched on the high slope, saw the horrific scene to the west from afar. His fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and his eyes were filled with unbelievable rage.

He never imagined that a mere adjutant could not only defend the city so well, but also dare to launch a counterattack outside the city, causing his elite cavalry to suffer such a humiliating defeat!

Seeing his own cavalry being routed by Li Hongji on the western battlefield, he finally realized...

This Li, the adjutant in front of me, is no ordinary general. If I don't show my true strength, I might really be doomed here today.

"That brat is hateful!" Huang Taiji gritted his teeth and suddenly drew his sword from his waist.

"Bayala Guards! Charge with me! Today we will raze this ice fortress to the ground!"

Before he finished speaking, a series of crisp clanging sounds of armor clashing came from behind him.

A thousand Bayara guards quickly donned their armor and lined up in formation.

These men were Huang Taiji's elite personal guards, each clad in double-layered black iron armor, wielding heavy sabers and round shields, their warhorses also heavily armored, making them the sharpest "daggers" of the Jin Dynasty.

They had been kept as reserves, and Huang Taiji would never use them lightly unless absolutely necessary.

"kill!"

Huang Taiji spurred his horse and charged towards the west side of the Ice Fortress.

The Bayala Guard followed closely behind, their hooves crushing the snow and creating a yellow torrent across the snowfield, a force that seemed to cleave even the cold wind.

At this moment, Jirgalang's remnants were being chased and forced into retreat by Li Hongji. Seeing the Great Khan personally leading his elite troops, they immediately seized the opportunity as if grasping at a straw and roared as they launched a counterattack.

The arrival of the Bayara Guard instantly turned the tide of the battle on the western side.

Holding round shields, they forcefully blocked Li Hongji's light cavalry. Each slash of their heavy sabers could cut through the Ming soldiers' weapons, and even split men and their armor in two.

"Clear the obstacles at all costs!"

Huang Taiji shouted to the soldiers behind him.

The Bayara guards immediately dispatched a group of men who dismounted, used round shields to block the Ming army's arrows, and carried snow by hand to fill the snow pits.

Some soldiers even stepped on the corpses of their comrades to forcibly cross the barbed wire.

Spikes pierced their feet, and blood stained the snow, but they didn't even flinch, only thinking about charging forward.

A hint of seriousness flashed in Li Hongji's eyes as he looked at the Bayara guards who had suddenly attacked.

His light cavalry was no match for the elite Jurchen troops.

Seeing the enemy's fierce attack, they immediately pretended to be panicked. Many soldiers threw away their scimitars and even threw their helmets on the ground.

"Get out! Get out!"

Li Hongji shouted at the soldiers, his voice filled with panic, and then turned his horse around and galloped toward the side gate of the Ice Fortress.

His cloak was blown askew to one side by the wind, and his helmet was askew behind his head, making him look exactly like someone who was "fleeing in defeat".

"The Ming army has been defeated! Charge!"

Upon seeing this, the Jin soldiers were overjoyed and, forgetting all about defense, rushed toward the side gate.

They thought this was the best opportunity to capture the Ice Fortress; once they stormed through the gate, they could completely crush the Ming army.

Jirhalang took the lead, roaring, "Don't let Li Hongji escape! Capture him, and the Khan will reward you handsomely!"

In a short time, the main force of the Jurchens surged to the vicinity of the side gate.

It was a narrow passage, flanked by the high walls of the ice fortress, allowing only a few riders to pass side by side.

The densely packed Jurchen soldiers were crammed into the passageway, making it difficult to even turn around, but no one paid attention to the strange terrain; their minds were filled with the thought of "breaking through the fortress and capturing the enemy."

Just then, a "whoosh" sound suddenly came from the woods on both sides.

Hundreds of Ming musketeers suddenly stood up, their muskets already loaded with ammunition, the dark muzzles pointed at the Jurchen soldiers in the passage.

At the same time, a loud "boom boom boom" sound suddenly came from beneath the tunnel floor.

The explosives planted in the snow were detonated, and flames shot into the sky instantly. The huge shockwave sent Jurchen soldiers flying, and limbs and severed bodies fell to the snow like raindrops, staining the entire passage red with blood.

"Bang bang bang!"

The musketeers then pulled the triggers, and lead bullets rained down like a storm.

In the narrow passage, the Jurchen soldiers had nowhere to hide and could only watch helplessly as lead bullets pierced their armor and they fell into pools of blood.

Screams, explosions, and the sound of muskets mingled together, and the once-fierce Jurchen main force instantly became lambs to the slaughter.

Huang Taiji was stunned by the horrific scene before him as soon as he rushed to the entrance of the passage.

He looked at the densely packed corpses in the passage, at the still-burning remnants of explosives, and at the Ming army musketeers firing continuously in the woods. A chill ran from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

broken!

He's been ambushed!
"Withdraw! Quickly withdraw!"

Huang Taiji roared, his voice filled with unbelievable rage.

He never imagined that his personal command of elite troops would not only fail to capture the Ice Fortress, but would instead lead him into a trap set by the enemy.

The surviving Jurchen soldiers, as if waking from a dream, turned and fled, only to be blocked by the corpses in the passage. Many were pushed and shoved by their comrades behind them, falling into the craters created by the explosives.

Jirhalang, covered in blood, was escorted by several guards as he fled in a sorry state. His eyes, looking at the Ice Fortress, were filled with lingering fear.

Huang Taiji reined in his horse and stood at a distance, gazing at the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood in the passage, and then at the "Li" flag still fluttering atop the Ice Fortress. For the first time, he felt a sense of powerlessness.

He knew that taking over the ice fortress in a short time was no longer an option.

The cunning of this Lieutenant General surnamed Li far exceeded his expectations.

and.

The time he had allotted for him had completely run out.

Liu Xingzuo's cavalry is not far away, and Chen Ce's infantry is also speeding along the main road. In two or three hours at most, the Ming army's pursuers will arrive.

"Time is running out!"

A ruthless glint flashed in Huang Taiji's eyes.

We can't linger here any longer.

If we persist in trying to capture the Ice Fortress now, we will only be attacked from both sides by the Ming army, and we will perish here.

As for the supplies and prisoners plundered from Khorchin, as well as the seriously wounded soldiers who accompanied the army.

Now they've all become burdens and must be discarded.

"Relay my order!"

Huang Taiji swung his whip sharply, the sound piercing through the wind and snow, reaching the remaining troops.

"Immediately abandon all baggage, spoils of war, and prisoners! Leave the seriously wounded soldiers as they see fit!"

Jirhalang, you will lead 500 cavalry to cover the rear and make sure to hold off the Ming army to buy time for the main force to retreat!

The rest of the men followed Benhan along the northern path to the former territory of the Haixi Jurchens to reunite with Bayara!

Upon receiving the order, the Eight Banner soldiers, though reluctant, dared not hesitate.

They knew this was their only way out.

The group overturned the supply wagons laden with silk, scattering the fabric across the snow; they untied the prisoners' ropes, turned and left, not daring to look at them again.

Some seriously wounded soldiers sat slumped on the snow, watching their comrades' departing figures with despair in their eyes, but no one dared to complain.

When faced with the struggle for survival, pity has long been cast aside.

Jirgalang dismounted, bowed to Huang Taiji with his hand on his chest, and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured! This servant will ensure that the Ming army at Bingbao cannot catch up!!"

He was well aware of the dangers of covering the rear, but he also understood that it was his responsibility as a general.

Huang Taiji nodded, said no more, spurred his horse, and galloped off towards the small path on the north side.

The remaining Eight Banner soldiers followed closely behind, disappearing swiftly into the mountains like a black torrent.

The snow in the mountains and forests in the dead of winter was knee-deep, but it could not stop their steps toward survival.

The Jurchens were familiar with the mountainous terrain. Once they entered the dense forest, the Ming cavalry would have difficulty maneuvering. He did not believe that Liu Xingzuo would dare to lead his cavalry deep into the mountains to pursue them. If they did, the mountains would become the graveyard of the Ming army!

Ice Castle.

Li Hongji, leaning on his ring-pommel sword, gazed in the direction the Jurchens had retreated, and a relaxed smile finally appeared on his face.

His black armor was soaked with blood, and stray hairs at his temples were studded with snowflakes, yet they could not conceal the gleam in his eyes:
"(ˉ▽￣～) Tch～～! The Jurchens are nothing special!"

While they are indeed more difficult to deal with than refugees, they are not invincible.

Half an hour later.

After confirming that the Jurchens had retreated, Li Hongji opened the ice fortress and sent hundreds of infantrymen to clear the battlefield.

Another hour passed.

The Ming army had finished surveying the battlefield, and a guard stepped forward to report:

"General! The Jurchens have lost nearly three thousand men here, leaving behind a mountain of supplies, cattle, sheep, and prisoners. They also have over two hundred seriously wounded soldiers! We have held the Ice Fortress!"

Three thousand people.

Of his troops, fewer than five hundred died.

A six-to-one casualty ratio!

It seems I, Li Hongji, do have some talent for warfare!

"it is good!"

Li Hongji patted his personal guard on the shoulder, his tone tinged with satisfaction.

However, he didn't let his tail get too big for his britches.

Today's victory was due to two factors: first, the traps set in advance, and second, Huang Taiji's eagerness for quick success. If it had been a direct confrontation, his two thousand infantrymen might not have been a match for the Jurchen elites.

"General Li, should we give chase?"

Shen Lian, a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard standing to the side, couldn't help but ask.

He watched the retreating Jurchens, his eyes filled with fighting spirit.

Today's victory was a great one. If we can capitalize on this momentum and press our advantage, we might be able to achieve another great feat.

Li Hongji slowly shook his head, pointing to the Ming soldiers below the city:
"Chase? How?"

"Most of our men are infantry. We have already lost more than 500 men defending the city. The rest are exhausted and have few horses left."

The Jurchens took the northern path, which is densely forested. If we chase after them, we will not only fail to catch up, but we will also be easily surrounded and cut off.

Isn't that courting death?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Lian looked somewhat embarrassed and quickly cupped his hands in greeting:
"I'm overthinking it."

Heartbroken, he had long since disregarded life and death, even feeling that dying on the battlefield would be a good ending.

He was willing to die, but he didn't want to see his brothers implicated.

"hehe."

Li Hongji waved his hand, looked in the direction of Hetu Ala, and his tone became solemn.

"Our mission was to defend the Ice Fortress and slow down Huang Taiji's advance, and we have already succeeded."

"In the direction of Hetu Ala, Sun Butang of Liaoyang has also dispatched troops. The encirclement and annihilation will be handled by the main army; it's not our turn to take the lead with just two thousand men."

He glanced down at the corpses abandoned by the Jurchens below the city walls, his gaze gradually deepening.
"Furthermore, don't underestimate Huang Taiji."

This person was cunning and decisive enough to make the decision to abandon the baggage and take the back road in such a short time.

Although he has been defeated today and his foundation has been damaged, as long as he is allowed to escape back to Hetu Ala, he will surely make a comeback in the future.

This person will be a major threat to our Ming Dynasty.

Capturing and killing him won't be that simple.

ps:
6200 words!
I feel a bit weak; I should try to avoid staying up late to write in the future.

People get old~
(End of this chapter)