Huangming

Chapter 397 Internal Troubles and Perilous External War

Liaoyang.

Snowflakes, as fine as goose feathers, fell softly onto the blue tiles of the Liaodong Governor's Mansion, accumulating into a half-foot-thick layer, even covering the stone lions in front of the gate, making them look plump and white.

Inside the lobby, the silver charcoal in the charcoal brazier was burning brightly.

Sun Chengzong, dressed in a scarlet official robe, sat upright at his desk, holding a crumpled transport report in his hand. His brows were furrowed into a deep frown, and his face was colder than the snow outside the window.

On the map on the table, the vermilion marks "Great Victory at Qinghe" and "Blocking the Enemy at Liuhe" were particularly eye-catching.

Liu Xingzuo's capture of Ligdan Khan and Li Hongji's obstruction of Huang Taiji were just some of the exciting news from the front lines. However, Sun Chengzong felt an increasingly heavy weight on his mind.

This stone has only two words:

logistics.

"Sir, another urgent report from the Jiangnan canal transport has arrived."

The aide tiptoed in, placed a document on the table, and spoke in a very low voice.

"The Xuzhou and Jining sections of the Grand Canal are frozen solid, and grain ships are all stuck on the south bank. They will not be able to head north until spring when the ice thaws at the earliest."

Although there is still some grain in Liaodong, if no grain can be transported in throughout the winter, there is a risk of a grain shortage.

Sun Chengzong closed his eyes briefly, his voice tinged with undisguised weariness:
"Eight or nine out of ten grain and supplies for Liaodong rely on the canal transport from Jiangnan. Once the canal transport is cut off, we can only use land transport. But with this awful weather, how much can be transported by land?"

The land route from Shanhaiguan to Liaoyang was covered in knee-deep snow, and mules and horses transporting grain were freezing to death every day, with the number of laborers also suffering severe losses.

"The efficiency of land transport is less than one-tenth of that of water transport on weekdays."

The aide sighed and added, "What's worse, gunpowder and firearms are also stuck on the road."

The soldiers at the front were running out of musket ammunition, and artillery shells were almost gone.

The Grand Marshal sent a letter yesterday urging us to hurry up.

Sun Chengzong suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of anger in them: "His Majesty clearly issued an edict to reward each grain transport laborer with one tael of silver and allocated special funds for winter subsidies, how could this happen?"

The aide lowered his head and said in an even softer voice, "Your Excellency, you know perfectly well that this silver will never reach the hands of the laborers."

This remark from the aide silenced Sun Chengzong.

The reward money allocated by the imperial court was deducted layer by layer by the Ministry of Revenue, the Grand Canal Transport Office, and local government officials. By the time it reached the hands of the laborers, they were lucky to have half a tael left.

“One tael of silver is enough to buy half a bushel of grain, enough for a family to get through the winter. But the little money the laborers receive isn’t even enough to buy a pair of warm cotton shoes.”

Yang Lian was in charge of overseeing the distribution of rewards in Shenyang.

The distribution of rewards to these laborers was something he couldn't oversee.

Seeing Sun Chengzong's increasingly unpleasant expression, the aide smiled bitterly.

"In addition, many laborers were at risk of freezing or starving to death during the journey, so they simply ran away halfway. According to previous statistics, the number of laborers who ran away accounted for 40% of the total."

"These vermin! They deserve to die!"

Sun Chengzong slammed his fist heavily on the table, making the ink and brush shake.

He was not unaware of the corruption in officialdom, but he never expected that at such a critical juncture in the Liaodong war, there would still be people who dared to line their own pockets and treat the lives of soldiers and laborers as a joke!
But soon, the anger in his eyes was replaced by a deeper worry.

"Corruption is only one issue; there are even more troublesome ones. I always felt that there was a force in Liaodong and Liaoxi that was secretly hindering logistics and transportation, and preventing Xiong Jinglue from unifying Liaodong."

The aide looked up abruptly, his eyes wide with surprise: "Does the Grand Tutor mean..."

"If Huang Taiji were to die, Liaodong would be at peace."

Sun Chengzong spoke slowly, his tone tinged with coldness.

"Now that things are peaceful, the imperial court no longer needs to pour money into Liaodong, nor does it need to allocate grain or pay military salaries."

But some people have long been accustomed to the benefits offered by the imperial court.

The interests of the generals in Liaodong, the local gentry, and even some officials in the imperial court were long intertwined with the 'Liaodong War'.

He paused, then lowered his voice even further:
"As the war continued, they could falsely report expenses under the guise of 'military supplies,' resell grain and weapons for profit, and get promoted and make a fortune through 'military merits.'"

But once the war ends and the imperial court stops allocating funds, their good days will be over.

Therefore, these people would rather watch their logistics be disrupted and their frontline soldiers lack food and clothing than allow Huang Taiji to be completely annihilated.

They need the pretext of "war" to maintain their own interests.

Yesterday, a grain ship "accidentally" ran aground in the Bohai Bay, and today a post horse was "startled" and fell off, which was reported to the authorities. These seemingly accidental incidents all have the shadow of human intervention behind them.

He planned to write a letter to reprimand the officials in charge of logistics and transportation, as well as the commanders of the garrisons along the Shanhaiguan-Liaoyang line.

However, Sun Chengzong picked up the vermilion brush on the table but hesitated to put it down.

To solve the logistical problems, we must not only fight the severe cold and punish corruption, but also shake up the deeply entrenched barriers of vested interests.

But he was all alone in Liaoyang, facing the entire vested interest group, and the road ahead was as difficult as climbing to the sky.

Besides
The fighting is still going on at the front.

Hey ~
He put down the brush in his hand.

He took a sheet of Xuan paper from the desk and began to splash ink.

He planned to write a letter to Xiong Tingbi, informing him in detail about the cutoff of supplies and the internal troubles in Liaodong and Liaoxi, and advising him to stop in time.

If we can fight in the spring, then we'll fight in the spring!
After finishing the letter, he handed it to the clerk beside him and said, "Deliver it to the General as quickly as possible!"

"Yes!"

The clerk left immediately.

However, as he watched the clerk's departing figure, Sun Chengzong's eyes narrowed slightly.

He wasn't sure if Xiong Tingbi would listen to him.

Especially after His Majesty bestowed upon him the Imperial Sword and granted him full authority over Liaodong.

In name only, he could no longer restrain or control Xiong Tingbi's power.

in fact
He had already written more than one secret letter to Xiong Tingbi.

The letter sent today is the fifth one.

The contents of the first four letters were almost identical, all requesting that the General Cease the military campaign and wait until spring to reorganize logistics and investigate corruption before proceeding.

But even now, there has been no response to the four letters.

Xiong Tingbi's attitude was predictable.

"The fighting is still going on the front lines, but logistics are like a kite with a broken string..."

Sun Chengzong muttered to himself.

To quell the troubles in Liaodong, it is not enough to simply pacify the outside.

The enemy is not on the grasslands, nor is it the Jianzhou Jurchens; the enemy is in Shenyang, Liaoyang, and Guangning!

The reason why the problems in Liaodong are so significant.

The problem isn't a lack of soldiers or generals, but a lack of a clean bureaucracy.

Why did the Jianzhou Jurchens become a major threat to the Ming Dynasty?

Li Chengliang condoned it.

Why did Li Chengliang condone the Jianzhou Jurchens?

Respect yourself!

Li Chengliang's Tieling Li family was a military family in Liaodong.

There are many similar military families in Liaodong and Liaoxi, like Li Chengliang.

They are definitely not clean.

If the winter break could be used as an opportunity to halt military operations and allow Yang Lian to thoroughly investigate corruption in Liaodong, just as he did with Cha Jizhen, and expose those corrupt officials who lined their own pockets, the court's expenses in Liaodong could be reduced by at least 30% to 40%.

But now, the war is raging like an arrow shot from a bow, allowing no pause whatsoever.

"Tolerance is for the sake of the country, tolerance is for the sake of the country..."

He sighed deeply, preparing to summon his staff to discuss a way to "rob Peter to pay Paul".

Even if it means diverting grain from the Liaoyang treasury or borrowing grain from local gentry, the priority is to ensure supplies to the front lines are replenished.

at this time.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps sounded outside the main hall, accompanied by the panicked shouts of the clerk:
"Minister! Something terrible has happened! A major disaster has occurred!"

A clerk responsible for delivering military intelligence stumbled into the hall, his official hat askew, clutching a bloodstained, urgent report tightly in his hand, his face ashen.
"Minister! The Tartars... the Tartars have suddenly marched south to plunder!"
Much of the grain, cotton clothing, and gunpowder we were transporting to the front lines was looted!

The laborers were either dead or had fled, and the supply lines... were cut off!

"Logistics have been cut off?!"

Sun Chengzong suddenly stood up from his seat, his voice hoarse with shock.

He strode forward and snatched the urgent report from the clerk's hand.

The handwriting on the urgent report was messy, clearly hastily written, but its contents struck him like a heavy hammer:

"The white disaster suddenly broke out on the grassland. The Eastern Tumed tribe, the Aohan tribe, the Naiman tribe, the remnants of the Chahar tribe, and the five Inner Khalkha tribes (Zhalute, Bairin, etc.) joined forces and sent elite cavalry south to attack the logistics transport teams."

Each garrison claimed that its "troop strength was insufficient and it was necessary to protect the people under its jurisdiction," and therefore did not send troops to intercept them, resulting in heavy losses for the transport teams. More than 70% of the laborers deserted, and more than half of the grain, fodder, and military equipment were lost..."

"White disaster? With limited forces?"

Sun Chengzong repeated these words over and over, then suddenly chuckled, but the laugh was full of cold anger.

"The imperial court spent a lot of money and grain along the Guangning line, built seventeen strong forts, and stationed tens of thousands of troops. They couldn't even stop the scattered cavalry of a few tribes."

And what's with this talk of 'protecting the people'?
The Tartars were plundering transport convoys, not cities. What kind of civilians were they guarding?!

He slammed the urgent report heavily on the table.

"The Eastern Tumet tribe has always been dependent on the Ming Dynasty. The Aohan and Naiman tribes received rewards from the court last year. The remnants of the Chahar tribe were just scattered by Liu Xingzuo. The five Inner Khalkha tribes dare not easily move south."

Why did these tribes, who usually harbor their own agendas, suddenly unite at this time and specifically target the logistics transport team?

Sun Chengzong's gaze suddenly sharpened.

He smelled a conspiracy.

Are these "Tartars" really grassland tribes?

Could it be that someone deliberately bribed refugees to impersonate Tartars and use the pretext of the "White Disaster" to cut off logistics?

After all, only when logistics are cut off can the fighting on the front lines be forced to stop, and only then can those who profit from the war continue to protect their interests.

"This matter must not be left like this!"

Sun Chengzong gritted his teeth and said, "We must send people to investigate! Find out the details of these 'Tartars,' and find out why the various garrisons are holding back their troops!"

But as soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something, and his face turned as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.

He suddenly realized that he couldn't send anyone to investigate now.

The most urgent task at hand is not to investigate the conspiracy, but to solve the problem of "logistical disruption".

Liu Xingzuo and Chen Ce at the front were still pursuing Huang Taiji, while Li Hongji was guarding the ice fortress at Daliuhe. Tens of thousands of soldiers were waiting for supplies of food, cotton clothing, gunpowder, and weapons. If the supplies were delayed, how could the soldiers at the front fight?
Sun Chengzong walked to the window, looked at the snow falling heavily outside, and felt a heavy weight in his heart.

He thought of the soldiers fighting on the front lines and the laborers who had been plundered, and a sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.

He can see through conspiracies and come up with countermeasures, but right now, if the logistics are cut off and the soldiers on the front lines are starving and freezing, what use are all the plans?

"Somebody come!"

Sun Chengzong suddenly turned around and shouted at the outside of the hall.

"Pass on my order: immediately take inventory of all grain and cotton clothing stored in the Liaoyang treasury, and even move out the officials' salary grain first!"

Then send proclamations to all prefectures and counties in Liaodong, requesting them to borrow grain from gentry and wealthy households!

Furthermore, send a fast horse to Shanhaiguan and instruct the garrison commander there to immediately allocate 5,000 shi of grain and 2,000 sets of cotton clothing, transporting them by sea to Gaizhou, and then transferring them by land to the front lines!

"Yes!"

The guards outside the hall responded with a resounding roar and turned to leave quickly.

Sun Chengzong walked back to his desk, looked at the urgent report, and the anger in his eyes was gradually replaced by calm.

No matter how many conspiracies lie behind him, no matter how difficult things are right in front of him, he must persevere.

Evil spirits can only run rampant for a short time.

After this period is over, I, Sun Chengzong, will definitely drag out all of you parasites, skin you alive, and execute you by slow slicing!
the other side.

Fushun.

Liaodong Military Governor's Office.

The White Tiger Hall was warm and inviting.

Xiong Tingbi, dressed in a black military robe, leaned back on a chair covered with tiger skin, holding a newly delivered battle report in his hand. The smile on his lips gradually spread to his eyes as his gaze moved, and even the sharpness between his brows softened a bit.

"Hahaha! What a fine Li Hongji!"

"In the Battle of Liuhe, Li Hongji decisively defeated Huang Taiji, killing over three thousand enemies and capturing countless supplies. This Li Hongji is quite capable!"

"His Majesty mentioned before that this man is good at devising ingenious plans, and Sun Dutang has recommended him many times. After seeing the battle report today, he is indeed a promising talent!"

He picked up the battle report and read it again, word by word, his eyes filled with admiration:

"Look at this deployment: when luring the enemy, they feign a rout; when ambushing, they are precise and ruthless; when retreating, they are orderly and efficient. They can even hold off Huang Taiji's Bayara Guard."

This is hardly the work of a military officer.

He clearly has the bearing of a great general!
His command is skillful and adaptable; he's a natural-born commander!

Yang Lian, sitting upright to the side, held a cup of hot tea in his hands, his expression still calm. Hearing this, he slowly nodded, his tone carrying a hint of agreement:

"The governor had a keen eye for talent and was willing to give newcomers a chance, which gave Li Hongji room to demonstrate his abilities."

"Anyone else might not dare entrust the crucial task of intercepting Huang Taiji to an unknown lieutenant general." "You flatter me, Your Excellency."

Xiong Tingbi waved his hand, but his face couldn't hide his smugness.

He put the battle report back on the table, but his tone suddenly became sharp.

"Our Great Ming Dynasty has a large army and many generals. Even a mere adjutant general could make Huang Taiji abandon his armor and flee north. It is clear that the Jianzhou Jurchens are like grasshoppers in autumn, and they won't be able to jump around for many more days."

Huang Taiji could escape, heading north, but Hetu Ala couldn't!"

As he spoke, he stood up and walked to the map, staring at the red dot on Hetu Ala, his eyes now filled with barely concealed murderous intent:

"The Jurchens brought almost all of their elite troops with them in order to launch a surprise attack on Khorchin."

After our army's interception, Huang Taiji's forces numbered only a little over ten thousand, a patchwork of Mongol Eight Banners soldiers and Jurchen laborers. He was no longer a threat.

"But Hetu Ala still has tens of thousands of Jurchens."

The strategist Zhou Wenhuan put down his teacup, walked to the map, followed Xiong Tingbi's gaze, and added softly:
"My lord, according to the scouts, the garrison in Hetu Ala is less than ten thousand men. Now is the best time to march north and take it."

"That is exactly what I intend to do!"

Xiong Tingbi turned around abruptly, his eyes shining with an astonishing light.

"Huang Taiji is now like a stray dog, hiding in the old territory of the Haixi Jurchens and not daring to show his face. The few people he has can no longer cause any big trouble!"
"As long as we capture Hetu Ala, destroy his stronghold, and cut off his foundation, even if he escapes to the ends of the earth, he will be all alone and will be captured and killed by us sooner or later!"

The simplest way to eliminate a major threat is through massacre and extermination of the entire clan!

By setting off a wheel and slaughtering all the men, the so-called Jianzhou Jurchens became history.

Only by eliminating the Jianzhou Jurchens can Liaodong truly achieve stability!
Thinking of this, he immediately summoned his personal guards.

"Issue my order! Command Liu Xingzuo to temporarily halt the pursuit of Huang Taiji, and lead his cavalry to circle around to the east of Hetu Ala to block his way back to reinforce."

He ordered Chen Ce to lead the main force of the infantry and set off immediately from Daliu River, heading straight for Hetu Ala.

He then ordered Li Hongji to guard the Daliuhe Ice Fortress to prevent Huang Taiji from retreating.

The three forces must complete the encirclement within three days and capture Hetu Ala in one fell swoop!

"Follow the order!"

The guards responded with a resounding "yes," turned around, and quickly walked out of the tent to relay the order.

Inside the White Tiger Hall, the candlelight flickered, illuminating Xiong Tingbi's confident face.

If we can truly capture Hetu Ala, the war in Liaodong might finally come to a complete end.

"In this battle, we will not only destroy the Jurchen's stronghold, but also show all the tribes of the grasslands what will happen if they dare to oppose the Ming Dynasty!"

Just when Xiong Tingbi was full of ambition.

The guards carried a sealed letter into the White Tiger Hall.

"Generalissimo, the sealing wax on Minister Sun's secret letter remains unopened."

The guard knelt on one knee, holding the secret letter high above his head, avoiding eye contact with Xiong Tingbi.

Xiong Tingbi shifted his gaze from the map to the wax seal bearing the inscription "Governor of Liaodong," and his brows furrowed instantly.

Before even opening the secret letter, he guessed its contents, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned down, his tone tinged with impatience:
"Is this another attempt to persuade me to withdraw my troops?"

However, the moment the secret letter was opened, his expression changed drastically, and his breathing became heavier.

Seeing this, Yang Lian hurriedly asked, "General, what has happened?"

Call ~
Xiong Tingbi exhaled a breath of stale air and said, "The Tartars have marched south, and our logistics have been cut off."

Yang Lian took the secret letter, and upon reading its contents, his brows furrowed instantly.

"This is not just about the Mongols moving south; it's about someone not wanting the Duke of Jinglue to destroy Huang Taiji and solve the problem in Liaodong."

Xiong Tingbi nodded with a grim expression.

"Winter operations are already difficult enough, but I never expected there would be anyone who's not afraid of death and dares to drag us down!"

As a veteran general, Xiong Tingbi was not unaware of the difficulties of fighting in winter.

Every day, warhorses in the camp froze to death, and soldiers' hands and faces cracked from the cold, so much so that they had to wrap strips of cloth around their swords.

Those guest troops transferred from Zhejiang and Sichuan have been in Liaodong since last autumn and have not returned. At night, whispers of homesickness can often be heard from inside the tents, and their morale is as fragile as thin ice.

But why did he still send troops this winter?
The saying goes, "Strike while the iron is hot."

If Huang Taiji dared to plunder Khorchin, and if he were allowed to escape back to Hetu Ala and regroup, it would likely cost him ten times the price to attack the city again next spring.

He wanted to pacify Liaodong in one battle!
Even with logistical problems, Xiong Tingbi still has no intention of withdrawing his troops.

"The grain and fodder official must come immediately!"

Xiong Tingbi slammed the secret letter on the table, his tone tinged with anger.

Yang Lian stood to the side, looking at his tense profile, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes, but she said nothing.

He knew a bit about Xiong Manzi's temperament; this man was easily swayed by gentle persuasion but not by force.

At this point, any further advice will only backfire.

Before long, the supply officer rushed over, holding account books and a list of military equipment, his face showing some anxiety.

"Tell me, how long can the army's grain reserves last?" Xiong Tingbi asked immediately.

"Lord General, the main granaries in Liaodong are Guangning Granary and Liaoyang Granary, which together hold 500,000 shi of grain. The army's grain reserves... if only used to supply the troops attacking Hetu Ala on the front line, can last for at most three months."

Each soldier needs one and a half liters of rations per day, and 100,000 soldiers would consume about 30,000 shi of rations per month.

Each warhorse requires more fodder per day, and 10,000 warhorses consume 60,000 shi of fodder per month.

However, the number of warhorses in Liaodong is far greater than that, and the amount of grain consumed will be even greater.

The grain official opened the ledger, his voice growing softer and softer, "If we include the garrisons left behind along the way, it's probably only enough for one or two months."

Xiong Tingbi frowned even more deeply and asked again, "What about gunpowder and musket ammunition? How many more rounds can the cannons needed for the siege sustain?"

These words struck a nerve with the grain official; his face turned pale instantly, and he said in a trembling voice:

"My lord, the gunpowder... the treasury is empty."

Seeing Xiong Tingbi's sharp gaze, he quickly added.

"When we attacked Fushun, we used all the gunpowder from our grain reserves to blow open the city gates; later, when we were besieging Huang Taiji, we allocated most of it to Earl Weilu and General Li, and now we're almost out of lead bullets for our muskets..."

The imperial supply convoy was hijacked, and new gunpowder was still on its way. With logistics cut off, I fear…

"Is it true that muskets have become mere firewood and cannons have become decorations?"

Xiong Tingbi took over the conversation, his tone as cold as the wind in Fushun.

"Without gunpowder, how can we attack the city? Although Hetu Ala has a small garrison, its walls are made of stone. How many people would die if we relied on infantry to climb ladders?!"

The grain official lowered his head in fright and dared not respond.

The White Tiger Hall was deathly silent, with only the occasional crackling of sparks from the charcoal brazier reflecting off Xiong Tingbi's gloomy face.

He walked to the window, gazing at the falling snowflakes outside, his heart churning with turmoil.

A swift battle is needed, but there is a shortage of gunpowder and food.

Withdrawing troops is risky, but there's also the fear of missing a golden opportunity.

On one side lies the immediate predicament, and on the other, the long-term hidden dangers; neither path is easy to take.

Xiong Tingbi hesitated.

But he quickly figured it out.

"No, we can't retreat."

Liaodong has already consumed too much of the Ming Dynasty's money and grain.

This winter, he's going to take him down!

"Issue the General's order to immediately inventory all the grain reserves in all garrisons, and even the reserved seed grain should be allocated to the main attacking force first."

Go back to the workshop and see if the craftsmen can make their own simple gunpowder using saltpeter and sulfur, enough to last one round.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, his voice firm and resonant:

"Hetu Ala must be taken! Even if we have to cut with swords and stab with spears, we must raze the Jurchens' lair to the ground before our supplies run out!"

Hey ~
Looking at Xiong Tingbi's determined eyes, Yang Lian sighed inwardly.

This strategist ultimately chose the most difficult path.

But how many more people will die if they take this road?
Think about this.

Yang Lian slowly stood up.

He slowly straightened his scarlet official robe, his gaze as sharp as a blade as he stared directly at Xiong Tingbi. His tone was unyielding, yet also carried a hint of earnestness:

"My lord, please allow me to speak from the bottom of my heart."

When Xiong Tingbi saw Yang Lian speak, he was taken aback for a moment, but still gave the imperial envoy some face.

"Please speak freely, Your Excellency!"

Yang Lian immediately began outputting:
"My lord, we have already obtained all the victories we were supposed to achieve in this campaign."

He raised his hand and tapped the battle report on the table, his voice clear and strong:

"With Ligdan Khan captured, the Chahar tribe collapsed, and no tribe on the grasslands dared to oppose the Ming Dynasty."

Huang Taiji's elite troops suffered heavy losses, his supplies were completely lost, and he didn't even dare to return to his stronghold, Hetu Ala. He could only hide in the old territory of the Haixi Jurchens, barely clinging to life. We have avenged Buhe Taiji for the blood feud he committed against the Khorchin.

"If we withdraw now, who will underestimate the Ming Dynasty? The steppe tribes will remember the fate of Ligdan Khan, the Jurchens will fear our military might, and the people of Liaodong will remember our merit in protecting our borders and ensuring their safety. But if we insist on launching a full-scale attack on Hetu Ala in the dead of winter..."

He changed the subject, his voice becoming more somber:
"You've also read Minister Sun's secret letter. The supply lines have been cut off, the gunpowder is exhausted, and even the soldiers' cotton-padded clothes can't be gathered."

Winter warfare is a major taboo in military strategy, let alone attacking a city when food and ammunition are scarce.
Although the walls of Hetu Ala were not particularly strong, there was no artillery to blast a breach. The infantry had to climb the ladders, and with each step they took, they had to step on the corpses of their soldiers.

These soldiers, some newly arrived from Zhejiang and Sichuan, others local men from Liaodong—don't their lives deserve your careful consideration, General?

Xiong Tingbi tightened his grip on the riding whip.

He knew, of course, that Yang Lian was telling the truth, but the thought that Huang Taiji might escape and then return with a vengeance made him unwilling to accept it.

"Commander, it's not that I don't care about my soldiers! But have you considered that if we can't kill Huang Taiji this winter and completely eliminate the Jianzhou Jurchens, we'll have to send another large army to conquer them next year. Then, we won't have this golden opportunity anymore, and even more people will die!"

"Once the Jurchens are defeated, the foreign troops can withdraw back to the interior of the pass, the court will no longer need to spend money on Liaodong, and the people of Liaodong will no longer suffer from the ravages of war."

Only then will Liaodong truly be stable and cease to be a burden on the Ming Dynasty!

"General, you are mistaken!"

Yang Lian immediately retorted, her gaze becoming even sharper.

"The governor only saw the external threats, but failed to see the internal troubles in Liaodong!"

In his secret letter, Minister Sun mentioned that the hijacking of the logistics transport team was not necessarily the work of the grassland tribes, but rather that there were forces in Liaodong secretly behind the scenes.

These people are eager for the war to drag on so they can line their own pockets under the guise of 'military supplies.' Why would they want you to completely eliminate the Jurchens?"

He took a deep breath, and his tone became serious:
“Even if you kill Huang Taiji today, there is no guarantee that a second ‘Huang Taiji’ will not appear on the grasslands tomorrow.”

However, if we first reorganize the defenses of Liaodong, root out those corrupt officials, and streamline logistics, we can solidify the foundation of the Ming Dynasty in Liaodong.

At that time, what would a mere Huang Taiji be?
"To repel external threats, one must first pacify the internal situation. Surely the Grand Marshal understands this principle?"

"you!"

Xiong Tingbi's face darkened at Yang Lian's words, and his anger flared up.

He had to admit that he couldn't win an argument with Yang Lian.

But he is a general, and if we can't win an argument, we can settle things on the battlefield!
"Humph!"

He gripped the riding whip tightly and snorted coldly.

"Your Excellency need not say more! My mind is made up! Tomorrow I will personally lead the army to Hetu Ala. I do not believe that Hetu Ala cannot be taken without artillery."

The atmosphere inside the tent instantly plummeted to freezing point, and the supply officer and logistics officer were so frightened that they dared not even breathe.

But after a moment, looking at Yang Lian's resolute eyes, and thinking of the soldiers shivering outside the tent, Xiong Tingbi's tone softened, and he slowly said:
"So be it... If we reach the city walls and things truly become hopeless, I will not let my soldiers die in vain."

He wouldn't send his soldiers to their deaths if he couldn't capture Hetu Ala.

Seeing Xiong Tingbi's softening attitude, Yang Lian finally showed a faint smile on her tense face.

He cupped his hands and said:

"In that case, I will wait in Fushun for the good news from the General."

We also hope that the General will remember our words today, and not let the blood of our soldiers be shed in vain in this cold winter.

Xiong Tingbi nodded.

"Your Excellency, just wait for my report of victory!"

now.

His face showed no sign of disappointment or fear, but rather a strong fighting spirit.

Even if colleagues don't support them, even if logistics are cut off, even if the morale of the soldiers is low.

but.
What Xiong Tingbi was determined to do was something that even ten horses couldn't pull back!

Hetu Ala?

I, Xiong Tingbi, will be Xiong Manzi again!

I don't believe I can't take you down!

PS:

7500 words

I didn't sleep well, so I'm feeling a bit lethargic. Sorry for the late update.
(End of this chapter)