Huangming

Chapter 398 Colluding with the Enemy and Indulging the Chieftain, Heaven's Might Has Been Displayed

In the depths of winter in Liaodong, the wind is as cold as a knife.

Outside the city of Hetu Ala.

War clouds have already gathered.

The main force of the Ming army, personally led by Xiong Tingbi, rushed from the direction of Fushun like an iron torrent. Their banners covered the sky and the sound of their horses' hooves crushing the snow could be clearly heard even in Hetu Ala, several miles away.

now.

Outside the city, on the snowy plains, Liu Xingzuo's cavalry were arrayed in the east, Chen Ce's infantry were deployed in the south, Li Bingcheng's Ice Fortress garrison had outflanked to the west, and Zhu Wanliang's Ming army in Liaoyang was stationed in the north.

The four armies surrounded Hetu Ala like an iron barrel, making it difficult for even a bird to escape.

The Jurchen defenders on the city wall peered out, their faces ashen as they looked at the densely packed Ming troops outside the city, their hands gripping their swords trembling involuntarily.

Meanwhile, the commander-in-chief of the entire army, Xiong Tingbi, the military commissioner of Liaodong, reined in his horse and stood on the high ground in the center of the army. His gaze swept over the sturdy walls of Hetu Ala, and his brows furrowed slightly.

Even though he had heard that Hetu Ala was difficult to conquer, he only truly felt how difficult it was to attack after arriving at the place.

Hetu Ala.

In Manchu, it means "city on a hill".

That is to say, it was built on a hillside.

The attacking side had to climb uphill, which significantly increased the difficulty.

But his expression remained unchanged. He raised his hand to summon his personal guards, his voice steady:

"Bring up the last few boxes of shells, aim them at the southeast corner of the city wall, and bombard it!"

First, use cannons to scare the Jurchens in the city and see if you can persuade them to surrender.

"Yes!"

The personal guards took the order and left.

Not long after.

The soldiers laboriously pushed dozens of cannons to the front of the battle line, aiming the muzzles at the weak points of the city wall.

With the command to "ignite," the cannons roared deafeningly, and several shells, trailing black smoke, hurtled towards the city wall.

"Boom!"

The cannonballs struck the stone wall, sending shards flying. Although the wall did not collapse, it was blasted into several craters. The Jurchen defenders on the wall were so frightened that they all lay down, screams echoing throughout the city.

"Cease fire."

Xiong Tingbi raised his hand in a gesture of greeting.

It wasn't that they stopped firing, it's just that they ran out of shells.

He then looked at the person beside him who was being held by two Imperial Guards.

The man was dressed in thin clothes, his body was so thin that he was almost unrecognizable, his cheeks were sunken, and his eyes were dark. He was completely different from the unruly Jiannu Beile Mangultai of the past.

At this moment, there was no trace of arrogance in his eyes, only fear that went deep into his bones. He could not even stand steadily and could only stand upright with the support of the Imperial Guards.

Clearly, even the toughest of bones couldn't withstand the "loving care" of the Northern Garrison Command.

Branding irons, clamps, and icy water poured over his body—those harsh punishments had long since worn away all his backbone, leaving only fear of torture.

Faced with the brutal tortures of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, perhaps death was the only relief.

"Mangurtai".

Xiong Tingbi's voice was icy.

"Go to the city walls and persuade them to surrender. Tell the people inside that if they open the gates and surrender now, this strategist will spare their lives; if they insist on resisting, the day the city falls will be the day of their massacre!"

"If you behave well, you might still be able to save your life."

Mangultai trembled and nodded hurriedly, his voice trembling with tears: "Yes...yes! This servant will go right away!"

The two Imperial Guards released their grip, and Mangultai staggered to the foot of the city wall, shouting towards it:
"I am Mangultai! Brothers in the city, surrender now! The Ming army has mobilized all its forces, tens of thousands of them have surrounded the city completely, you can't hold out!"

He paused, then raised his voice, his tone tinged with urgency:

“If we surrender now, Commander Xiong said we can still live; but if we remain stubborn, he will massacre the entire city once the Ming army breaches it! At that time, the old and the children will not survive!”

When the Jurchen soldiers on the city wall heard the name "Mangurtai" and saw his disheveled appearance, they panicked.

Some people whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with doubt.

Some people put down their knives, their faces showing hesitation.

Even the prince has surrendered, what's the point of these lowly soldiers resisting?

"Shameless scoundrel, shut up!"

Just then, an angry shout came from the city.

Amin, clad in heavy iron armor and wielding a scimitar, strode to the edge of the battlements, his gaze sharp as a knife as he stared at Mangultai below, his eyes filled with disdain.

"Mangultai, you coward! How dare you bark and howl in front of our army and undermine our morale?"

He pointed at Mangultai and shouted to the Jurchen soldiers on the city wall:

"Don't listen to his nonsense! This man has long lost his backbone and has been terrified by the Ming army!"
The Khan's reinforcements will arrive soon. Hetu Ala's walls are strong, the Ming army lacks gunpowder, supplies are insufficient, and logistics have been cut off. They can't do anything to us!

As he spoke, Amin abruptly drew his bow and nocked an arrow, aiming it at Mangultai, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
"If you know what's good for you, commit suicide to atone for your sins! I, Prince, will still consider you a man of honor; but if you dare to incite unrest among the troops again, don't blame me for being impolite!"

"call out!"

As soon as he finished speaking, arrows shot towards Mangultai like meteors.

The Ming army below the city was prepared. Two Jinyiwei guards immediately raised their shields. With a clang, the arrows struck the shields and fell to the snow.

Mangultai was terrified and scrambled back to the Ming army's ranks, clinging tightly to the leg of a Jinyiwei guard, crying out, "Save me! Amin is going to kill me!"

Xiong Tingbi looked at Amin on the city wall, a cold glint in his eyes.

OK!

There's a tough nut to crack hidden in the city of Hetu Ala.

But he wasn't in a hurry.

When persuasion to surrender failed, they launched a full-scale attack.

What good is a fortified city when morale is wavering?

"Give me the order."

Xiong Tingbi gave orders to his personal guards.

"All troops, rest in place. At dawn tomorrow, we will launch a full-scale attack on the city!"

He wouldn't be satisfied without testing the defenses of Hetu Ala.

What if we can defeat Hetu Ala in one battle?
Under Xiong Tingbi's orders, the entire army began preparations to attack the city.

Time slowly passed by here.

soon.

One day passed.

The next day.

It's just dawn.

The muffled sound of drums then rang out from the Ming army's camp.

Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
After a night's rest, the soldiers pushed ladders and rams, trudging through knee-deep snow, slowly approaching the city.

"Charge! Take Hetu Ala, then we'll go home for the New Year!"

The centurions in the front row brandished their scimitars and roared to boost morale.

The soldiers, carrying shields and crouching low, charged forward.

Hetu Ala was built on a hillside, and the city walls meandered along the mountain slopes. If the Ming army wanted to attack the city, they had to climb up the steep snow slopes.

With each step upwards, one had to endure a barrage of arrows and rolling logs from the city walls.

"Put down logs! Shoot arrows! Don't let the Ming dogs get up here!"

Amin, holding a dagger, stood on the front line atop the city wall.

Upon seeing the Ming army approaching, he immediately ordered a counterattack.

One by one, logs covered in ice and snow rolled down from the city wall, smashing against the shields of the Ming soldiers with a crisp "crack" sound. Many soldiers were knocked over along with their shields, rolling down the snow slope and falling silent instantly.

Arrows rained down like a storm, piercing through the soldiers' armor, and blood splattered on the snow, quickly freezing back into ice.

"My men! Defend the city!"

Amin's voice echoed in the cold wind.

"Your parents, wives, and children are all in the city! If the city falls, the Ming dogs will massacre the entire city, and none of them will survive! For your families, fight the Ming dogs!"

The Jurchen soldiers, already prepared to die, were further enraged by Amin's provocation.

"Ming Gou, die!"

The Jurchen soldiers were so fearless that even when the Ming army's siege ladders were placed on the walls of Hetu Ala, not a single one of them managed to climb up.

Most of the Ming soldiers died on the way to their charges.

On the snow-covered slope, the corpses of Ming soldiers piled up more and more, the siege ladders were cut down, and the battering rams were burned, but the walls of Hetu Ala still stood like an iron wall.

"Kill! Charge one more time!"

Xiong Tingbi reined in his horse and stood on the high slope, looking at the tragic scene below the city, his eyes filled with rage.

He cracked his whip and ordered a new attack, but the soldiers were already exhausted. Their hands, frozen purple, could barely grip their swords, and their charge grew slower and slower.

After another hour of fierce attack, the Ming army left behind hundreds more corpses, but still failed to reach the top of the city wall.

"Damn it!"

Xiong Tingbi suddenly gripped the riding whip tightly.

He knew very well that if the attack continued like this, the Ming army would collapse on its own, without waiting for Jurchen reinforcements.

Without gunpowder to blast a breach and without sufficient food supplies, attacking this mountain city from above would be tantamount to risking the lives of our soldiers!
"Sound the retreat! Withdraw!"

Left with no other choice, Xiong Tingbi gritted his teeth and gave the order.

The dull sound of the gong rang out, and the remaining Ming soldiers, as if granted a pardon, slowly retreated, dragging their weary bodies, leaving only a dense mass of corpses on the snow-covered slope.

Back in the central command tent, Xiong Tingbi ripped off his helmet and slammed it heavily onto the table.

Even now, he still hasn't given up.

If a direct assault doesn't work, then we'll besiege the point and attack the reinforcements!
Huang Taiji could not possibly ignore Hetu Ala's stronghold. As long as he dared to come back to rescue it, the Ming army would set up an ambush in the field and destroy his main force first. Then, without reinforcements, Hetu Ala would naturally collapse without a fight.

But just then, he suddenly remembered what Amin had said on the city wall yesterday.

How could Amin know that the Ming army lacked gunpowder and food supplies?
The news of the cutoff of supplies was only known to the high-ranking military officers and the Liaoyang governor's office. Ordinary soldiers might not even know it. How could the Jurchens have so accurately grasped his weakness?
"There's a traitor! Ha! He's keeping a bandit around to enhance his own power..."

Xiong Tingbi muttered to himself, a cold killing intent gradually flashing in his eyes.

It seems.

Yang Lian's earlier statement about "internal troubles in Liaodong" was not unfounded.

There must be a traitor within the military!

These people colluded with the Jurchens and deliberately leaked military intelligence, hoping to prevent the Jurchens from being destroyed so that they could continue to enrich themselves under the guise of "war" and maintain their power by relying on "border troubles"!

"The enemy is not in Hetu Ala, the enemy is in the army!"

Xiong Tingbi slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and shouted towards the outside of the tent:

"Summon Li Ruoxing, Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"

Before long, Li Ruoxing, dressed in a flying fish robe and with an embroidered spring knife at her waist, entered the tent and bowed respectfully.
"Li Ruoxing, Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, pays his respects to the Commander-in-Chief!"

"Commander (assistant commander)".

Xiong Tingbi's voice was filled with suppressed anger.

"I want you to conduct a thorough investigation of the army immediately! Find out how many people are colluding with the Jurchens, and how many are leaking military intelligence! If these traitors aren't eliminated, this battle is impossible to win!"

Li Ruoxing nodded solemnly and said in a deep voice:
"Rest assured, General, I will immediately dispatch my Imperial Guards."

but……

The traitor is well hidden; relying solely on covert investigations, it will likely be difficult to uncover him in a short time.

"It requires the cooperation of the Duke of Jinglue to deliberately release false information or create some 'flaws' to lure these traitors into contacting the Jurchens."

Only in this way can we catch them red-handed.

Upon hearing this, Xiong Tingbi took a deep breath and slowly said, "Alright! Just tell me how you want to cooperate! Even if it's just a play, I, the strategist, will root out these parasites!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ruoxing nodded and immediately left the central command tent to arrange the elimination of traitors.

After Li Ruoxing left, Xiong Tingbi looked at the snowflakes falling outside the tent and for the first time truly agreed with Yang Lian's words.

Before fighting the outside world, you must first make peace with the inside.

If there are traitors in the army, and the enemy can find out our secrets, how can we fight this war?
And
These people are still resorting to dirty tricks.

It's not impossible that they might resort to underhanded tactics.

For example, when the entire army was mobilized, he was left vulnerable, and suddenly a "Jiangnu elite" attacked and killed him, taking the head of the Liaodong military commissioner.

This is not impossible.

Thinking of this, Xiong Tingbi's eyes became even more dangerous.

These traitorous beasts must be completely eradicated!
North of Hetu Ala.

At the great bend in the middle reaches of the Songhua River, the cold wind howls like a wild beast across the snow-covered plains.

The wooden city, once inhabited by the Haixi Jurchens, has long since collapsed, leaving only a few charred wooden pillars stuck in the snow, worn down by the wind and snow grains, leaving only mottled wood grain.

The snow here is three feet thicker than in Shenyang and Fushun. When you step on it, it goes up to your thighs. The white breath you exhale condenses into tiny ice crystals as soon as it reaches mid-air.

Even the most cold-resistant Mongolian horses need to be wrapped in thick felt before they dare to move in the snow.

The remnants of Huang Taiji's forces huddled in this desolate land.

The team of less than 10,000 people was scattered among the ruins of the abandoned wooden city.

The soldiers, wrapped in tattered fur coats, huddled around a few weak campfires, not daring to speak loudly, for fear that the cold wind would sweep away the last bit of warmth.

Huang Taiji, wearing a black fox fur cloak, stood on a high slope, his eyes fixed on the direction leading to the grassland, his brows furrowed in worry.

He was waiting for Bayara.

During this surprise attack on Khorchin, all the supplies and prisoners on the main battlefield were lost at the Daliu River.

If it weren't for the fact that a detachment had been dispatched before the expedition, allowing Bayara to detour to the north of the grasslands and take half of the spoils of war from Khorchin, he would probably have returned empty-handed this time.

Bayara was already three days late. Had he encountered an ambush by the Ming army, or was he trapped by the snow and wind on the grassland?

Huang Taiji's heart felt as if it had been frozen by the severe cold, sinking into a deep panic.

"Sweat!"

A series of hurried footsteps came from down the slope. Jirhalang, gripping his riding whip, followed by two guards, escorted a man dressed in Ming army uniform as they quickly walked up the slope.

"This servant has captured a Ming scout! He dared to trespass into our camp!"

"Scout?"

Huang Taiji turned around abruptly, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

He walked quickly down the slope and looked at the person being escorted.

The other person was dressed in an ordinary Ming Dynasty infantry cotton-padded jacket, with a short knife at his waist. His face was covered in snow, but he showed no panic. Instead, he exuded composure and did not seem like a prisoner.

"You've got guts, chasing me all the way here."

Huang Taiji sneered, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"What? Does Xiong Tingbi want to send me to the wilderness of Siberia? He's not going to attack Hetu Ala anymore?"

The Ming soldier shook his head and said frankly:

"General Xiong didn't send troops to pursue us, and I'm not a scout. I'm here to deliver a message to the Great Khan."

"Send a message?"

Huang Taiji frowned even more, his eyes filled with suspicion.

He had seen too many Ming prisoners lie to save their lives, but this man showed no fear whatsoever and even offered to "send messages," which was very strange.

"To save your life, you fabricate such a lie? Do you think I, the Khan, would believe it?"

"If the Great Khan does not believe me, he may ask this general."

The soldier raised his finger and pointed at Jirhalang, his tone remaining calm.

"When I arrived, did I ever try to run away? I was the one who stopped your scouts and said I wanted to see the Khan; otherwise, you might not have been able to find me."

Huang Taiji looked at Jirgalang, who nodded and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, this man did indeed show himself on his own initiative. He did not resist when he saw the night scout, but only said that he had important matters to report to Your Majesty, so I brought him here."

Hearing this, Huang Taiji's doubts lessened somewhat.

He circled the soldier, his gaze sharp as a knife, and asked, "Who sent you?"

"I can't say that."

The soldier met his gaze without flinching.

Someone in the Ming army actually contacted him privately?
Huang Taiji's heart stirred.

Could it be that Xiong Tingbi's subordinates were not a united front, and that there were also dissenting voices among them?

This idea made his eyes light up, and he quickly asked, "What message do you want to bring to me, Khan?"

"My master told me to tell the Great Khan not to go to rescue Hetu Ala."

The grassland tribes have come south to plunder Guangning, and the Ming army's supply line has been cut off. Now they are short of gunpowder and food, and they can't hold out for long.

At most, the troops will have to be withdrawn within a month.

If the Great Khan were to send troops to his aid now, he would only fall into Xiong Tingbi's ambush, suffering a greater loss than gain.

"Lack of gunpowder and food supplies?"

Huang Taiji's heart skipped a beat.

This is the most crucial military intelligence!
He had previously suspected that there might be a problem with the Ming army's logistics, but he never expected it to have reached the point of being "completely cut off".

Without gunpowder, the Ming army could not conquer Hetu Ala.

Without supplies, they couldn't even hold out for the siege!

But Huang Taiji could not possibly believe what the scout said just because of his words.

He suppressed his excitement, remaining vigilant. "Why should I, the Khan, trust you?"

The soldier smiled, a smile that held a hint of something intriguing:

"Believe it or not, Great Khan. My master said that he only wants the Great Khan to live a few more years so that the war in Liaodong can continue for a while longer."

These words struck Huang Taiji like a bolt of lightning, dispelling his doubts.

He understood instantly.

The people behind this person must be those officials or generals in Liaodong who profit from "military supplies" and "food and provisions"!
These people rely on the war for their livelihood. If the Jin dynasty is destroyed and Liaodong is at peace, their good days will be over. That's why they secretly tipped him off to keep him alive and let the war continue!

Huang Taiji lowered his head in deep thought, combining his own judgment.

The Ming army fought continuously for several months, from Qinghe to Liuhe, and then to the siege of Hetu Ala, which must have resulted in huge losses.

Sun Chengzong's logistics in Liaoyang were already strained, and with the further raids by the grassland tribes, the supply line would most likely be cut off.

Thinking about it this way, the news this person brought is most likely true!
He looked up abruptly, and the thought of rescuing Hetu Ala vanished instantly.

Since the Ming army couldn't hold out for long, why should he go and die?

It would be better to wait here for Bayara's detachment, and after the Ming army withdrew, return to Hetu Ala to regroup!

"Go back and tell your master."

After thinking it through, Huang Taiji said to the soldier, "I will remember this favor."

“Since your master wants to make a profit, I have cattle, sheep, warhorses, and ginseng here. Your master can do business with us then.”

He dares to leak classified information about the war; the people behind him can be used.

Perhaps we can even trade with them and get the various supplies that Da Jin urgently needs right now.

The Ming soldier nodded and said, "I will take the Khan's words back with me."

"Let him go."

Huang Taiji waved to Jirgalang, signaling to release the prisoner.

Jirhalang knew that this man was not an enemy, so he immediately untied the soldier and gave him a bag of liquor.

"Good wine!"

The man took the liquor, took a sip, and let out a satisfied groan.

He then cupped his hands in greeting to Huang Taiji, said nothing more, mounted a warhorse, turned and walked into the snowstorm, quickly disappearing into the vast white snowfield.

Huang Taiji stood on the high slope, gazing in the direction where the man had disappeared, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He never imagined that he would be able to survive by relying on "parasites" within the Ming army.

It seems that the battle in Liaodong is far from over.

Time flies by like a white horse.

Fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Jurchen defenders on the walls of Hetu Ala remained tenacious, while the Ming army's food supplies were running low, their muskets were almost empty, and even the soldiers' daily rations had been reduced from two catties of coarse rice to one and a half catties.

In the camp, many soldiers, wrapped in thin cotton-padded clothes, leaned against the tents, staring blankly in the south.

Lunar New Year's Eve is just a few days away.

At this time of year, they would already be at home, gathered around a charcoal brazier, eating steaming dumplings and listening to their children's laughter.

But now, all that remains is the howling wind, frozen rations, and the faint shouts of the Jurchens echoing from the distant city walls.

"I wonder how your family celebrated the New Year..."

A soldier from Shandong muttered to himself, his voice filled with the bitterness of homesickness. His comrades beside him remained silent, and no one responded.

The longing for home spread like a plague, and even the most valiant and reckless men lost their usual edge.

Inside the Chinese army's tent.

Xiong Tingbi stared at the map on the table, his brows furrowed.

Li Ruoxing stood to the side with his hands at his sides, his face somewhat grim: "Lord General, as you instructed, I deliberately spread false news that we were going north to pursue Huang Taiji or to launch a strong attack on Hetu Ala. I even arranged for 'weak points' to be found, but all I caught were low-ranking soldiers who knew nothing when questioned. The real traitor has not shown himself at all."

Xiong Tingbi sighed heavily.

Those worms hiding in the shadows must have sensed the wind and stopped their activities.

Without catching the core traitor, this campaign against Hetu Ala and the annihilation of the Jianzhou Jurchens will inevitably be hampered by someone behind the scenes.

"That's all."

He waved his hand, his tone tinged with weariness.

"These minor characters are useless to keep. Send them all to Liaoyang and let Minister Sun deal with them."

The governor of Liaodong was in charge of all matters concerning the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and in this regard, he did not want to overstep his authority.

Just as he was hesitating about whether to retreat...

The sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the tent: "General! A fast horse from the capital! A secret edict from His Majesty!"

Xiong Tingbi felt a pang of anxiety and quickly stood up to straighten his official robes.

At that moment, the eunuch who was delivering the secret edict also entered.

Xiong Tingbi hurriedly knelt down in the direction of the secret edict.

Seeing that the formalities were in place, the eunuch delivering the imperial edict did not waste any time and immediately unfurled the bright yellow edict, his voice echoing within the tent:
"The Emperor, by the Will of Heaven, decrees:

The winter in Liaodong is bitterly cold, the soldiers are exhausted, and logistics are in dire straits. Therefore, General Xiong Tingbi is ordered to immediately lift the siege, lead his troops back to Liaoyang, and wait until spring to reorganize the internal affairs and replenish supplies before making any further advances..."

"Furthermore, summon Buhe and order him to send the prisoners, including Ligdan Khan and Mangultai, to the capital."

Does Your Majesty also want me to withdraw the troops?

He raised his head, looking at the eunuch delivering the imperial edict, his eyes filled with resentment.

perhaps.

If we besiege it for a few more days, Hetu Ala will fall!
But he also understood that he could not disobey the emperor's orders, and besides, the current predicament was indeed unsolvable:

Soldiers longed to return home, supplies ran out, and an internal traitor remained.
If this drags on any longer, the Ming army might fall into chaos before the Jurchens even attack.

Even he himself wasn't very confident that he could take Hetu Ala in a short time.

"Your subject, Xiong Tingbi, the Military Commissioner of Liaodong, obeys the imperial decree."

Xiong Tingbi received the secret edict, his voice filled with suppressed disappointment.

After the eunuch delivering the imperial edict left, he composed himself and calmed down.

If something is impossible, it cannot be forced.

He shouted loudly outside the tent:

"By order of General Jun! Immediately dismantle the outer fortresses of Hetu Ala, including Gule Village and Shaji Village, and remove all timber, bricks, and stones. Do not leave the Jurchens with anything usable!"
The troops will withdraw in batches, with Liu Xingzuo's forces covering the rear and Chen Ce's forces escorting the wounded. The withdrawal must be orderly!

"Also, have Bu and Taiji come over!"

"Follow the order!"

The guards responded with a resounding roar and turned to relay the order.

Inside the tent, Xiong Tingbi gazed at the four words "rectify the internal affairs" on the secret edict, and his resolve gradually hardened.

perhaps
Yang Lian is right.

The outside must be safe first!

Even if Huang Taiji is defeated, the stability of Liaodong cannot be maintained if the parasites in Liaodong are not completely eliminated.

Not long after.

Buhe Taiji was invited to enter the main tent.

Buhe also joined the army in this campaign against Hetu Ala, not for any other reason than revenge.

pity.

This time, revenge is definitely impossible.

He still looked somewhat tired, but seeing Xiong Tingbi's serious expression, he quickly cupped his hands in a salute.

"I wonder what instructions the General has given me in summoning me here?"

Xiong Tingbi gestured for him to sit down, his tone softening somewhat:
"Buhe Taiji, His Majesty has decreed that you come to the capital immediately. In addition, you must personally escort Ligdan Khan, Mangultai, and several nobles from the Chahar and Jurchen tribes to the capital."

"I'm going to the capital?"

Buhe froze, his eyes widening in disbelief.

He originally thought that after the battle, he would at most bring back some spoils of war and return to Khorchin to reorganize his troops, but he never expected to get the opportunity to meet the Ming emperor.

Xiong Tingbi nodded, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth:
"You are a member of the imperial family, and this time you helped our Great Ming capture Ligdan Khan alive and defeat Huang Taiji. Your contributions are indispensable."

His Majesty intends to personally bestow upon you the title of Prince Shunli.

Your father, Mangus, was the Prince of Shunli during his lifetime, and now this title should be inherited by you.

"Prince Shunli?!"

Buhe suddenly stood up from his seat, his face instantly replaced by ecstasy.

He had been worried that his father's title would fall into the hands of his two uncles, but he never expected that the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty would directly bestow the title upon him!

"I...I'll arrange it right away!"

Bu He rubbed his hands together, so excited he was incoherent.

He had already begun to plan in his mind:
Bring the finest Mongolian horses and prepare some local specialties from the grasslands for His Majesty.

When you arrive in Beijing, you must take a good look at what the capital of the Ming Dynasty looked like.

And his two daughters, whom he hasn't seen since they were sent to the capital. He wonders if they're doing well in the palace, or if they've been mistreated...

Seeing Buhe's overjoyed expression, Xiong Tingbi felt a little more at ease.

The appointment of Buhe as Prince Shunli was not only a reward for his achievements, but also a means for the Ming Dynasty to win over the Khorchin tribe.

The Horqin tribe still needs to be used.

Especially after he was captured by Huang Taiji, his strength decreased significantly, making him even more useful.

but
The ambitions of the grassland people swelled too quickly.

His Majesty's summons to the capital this time is probably intended as a warning.

Long-term grassland management cannot be achieved without henchmen.

Using the Ming army to deal with the various tribes of the grasslands was still too costly.

If we can use the Mongols to fight the Mongols, that would be the most time-saving, labor-saving, and permanent solution.

And Buhe Taiji is His Majesty's father-in-law.

With this relationship established, the Khorchin tribe will be more determined to stand on the side of the Ming Dynasty in the future, and the situation on the grasslands will be more stable.

The two were still talking.

Outside the tent, the bugle call for the Ming army's retreat had already sounded.

woohoo~
The soldiers were still homesick, but the news of "going home for the New Year" gave them more motivation, and they began to dismantle the camp and pack their belongings in an orderly manner.

The Jurchen defenders on the walls of Hetu Ala watched the Ming army retreat, their eyes filled with joy, yet they dared not launch a rash attack.

They didn't know whether the Ming army's retreat was genuine or feigned.

If they ambushed us, we'd be left with nowhere to turn.

Xiong Tingbi took one last look at the walls of Hetu Ala before carefully putting away the secret edict.

He wasn't discouraged, just a little disappointed.

I'll let you live a few more days!

This withdrawal is not a defeat, but a prelude to a more complete victory.

Once he has purged the corrupt elements in Liaodong and replenished his supplies of grain and gunpowder, he will return and raze this city to the ground, ensuring that the Jurchens never have a chance to rise again.

a long distance away.

Beijing city.

As the year draws to a close, the streets and alleys of Beijing are starting to bustle with activity.

On the main street outside Zhengyangmen, colorful tents were erected as early as the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month. Green bamboo was used as frames and red cloth was used as curtains. The shops under the tents were covered with "Fu" characters and Spring Festival couplets. The shop assistants wore newly starched blue cotton-padded jackets and shouted loudly to attract customers.

Women were gathered around the glass mirrors of the comb shop, picking out hair oil; the counter of the jewelry shop displayed glittering kingfisher hairpins; and children clutching copper coins crowded in front of the toy shop. The windmills whirred and turned, mingling with the shouts and laughter of vendors, making even the cold wind seem a little warmer.

The temple fair at Baiyun Temple has already started.

The stone monkey in front of the mountain gate has been polished to a shine by being touched, and pilgrims line up to touch its head, hoping for a prosperous year ahead.

On the stage inside the temple, actors dressed in colorful costumes sang "The Dragon and the Phoenix Bring Auspiciousness." The tea stalls below the stage were packed with people, and steaming flower tea was served in rough porcelain bowls. Vendors weaved through the crowd, hawking roasted chestnuts and glutinous rice cakes, filling the air with a sweet aroma.

The area outside Dazhong Temple was even more lively. Children rode little donkeys draped in red silk, running around the temple gate with the help of adults. The windmills in their hands spun rapidly, and their laughter could be heard three miles away.

"On the 23rd, sticky candy is served; on the 24th, it's time to sweep the house."

The residents of the alley were busy with the Kitchen God Festival and sweeping the dust, and newly cut paper-cut window decorations were pasted on the windows of every household.

As dusk fell, the lanterns gradually lit up, and from the alley entrance to the center of the street, a long line of red lanterns stretched out, making the snow glow with a warm red light.

In a daze, one forgets that this is the first year of the Tianqi reign, a time of internal and external troubles, and feels as if it is still the prosperous Ming Dynasty.

The atmosphere of the Chinese New Year was also present in the Forbidden City.

After the Kitchen God Festival on the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, the palace had already changed into the New Year's atmosphere.

The pillars of the Qianqing Palace are covered with colorful palace lanterns, each painted with a scene of "all nations paying tribute".

The eunuchs and palace maids inside the palace had all changed into new robes with gourd-patterned embroidered patches. The green patches were embroidered with intertwined gourds, exuding a vibrant festive atmosphere.

On the open ground in front of the Qianqing Palace, craftsmen had already set up the Aoshan Lantern. Thousands of small lanterns formed the words "Eternal Stability of the Empire" and were lit up at night, their brilliance illuminating half of the Forbidden City.

The peach wood charms on both sides of the palace gate had already been erected. The vermilion wooden boards were engraved with talismans to ward off evil spirits, and the door gods were Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong, their eyes wide open in anger, protecting the safety of the palace.

Wei Chao tiptoed into the East Warm Pavilion.

But Emperor Zhu Youxiao of the Ming Dynasty was sitting at his desk, holding a memorial in his hand, his brows furrowed, not even touching the steaming pear on the desk.

The lanterns outside the window flickered, reflecting on his young face, but they added no joy; instead, they only made his worry appear heavier.

"The report from Liaodong hasn't arrived yet?"

Zhu Youxiao didn't even raise his head, his voice slightly hoarse.

It's Chinese New Year, and even many officials are on holiday.

But as emperor, Zhu Youxiao still worried about the affairs of the country, working tirelessly day and night.

Xiong Tingbi led a large army to besiege Hetu Ala for half a month, but Huang Taiji's reinforcements were slow to arrive, and the Ming army's food supplies were running out.

He knew that Xiong Tingbi was going into battle amidst internal and external troubles. If he suffered a crushing defeat, the situation in Liaodong that had been so hard-won would be overturned overnight, and those parasites who profited from the war would jump out and stir up trouble again.

The situation in Liaodong was causing him no peace of mind, and the situation in other parts of the Ming Dynasty was no better.

In order to raise funds for the Liaodong military campaign, he implemented tax reforms and prepared to investigate the hidden lands of gentry in Jiangnan. However, those gentry colluded with local officials, paid lip service to the reforms, and even incited the people to cause trouble, making the tax reforms extremely difficult to advance.

The collection of Liaodong taxes was like a huge boulder pressing down on the people.

Shanxi and Shaanxi were already suffering from disasters, with famine everywhere. Now, with the additional tax levied on Liaodong, small-scale peasant uprisings broke out one after another. The reports from local officials were full of phrases like "famine people looting the prefectures and counties," but they could not come up with any solutions.

What worried him most was the report from Sichuan.

She Chongming, the governor of Yongning, has been exchanging letters with An Bangyan of Shuixi in Guizhou. His spies have reported that She Chongming has secretly mobilized several thousand chieftain soldiers and stockpiled grain. Judging from his posture, he is probably about to rebel!

If chaos breaks out in the southwest, the Ming Dynasty will have to divide its forces to quell it, leaving Liaodong and the southwest vulnerable to attack from both sides, making the situation even worse.

"Hey……"

Zhu Youxiao put down the memorial, leaned back on the dragon throne, and sighed softly.

The Ming Dynasty, though seemingly peaceful, was in fact riddled with problems.

With the Jurchens and Mongols eyeing them covetously from the outside, and corrupt officials and boiling public resentment from within, every step they took felt like dancing on a knife's edge.

"Your Majesty, news has arrived from Liaodong!"

Just then, Wang Tiqian's voice came from outside the pavilion.

Zhu Youxiao sat up abruptly, his eyes lighting up instantly: "Bring it here quickly!"

The tightly folded document was opened, revealing handwriting that was messy yet forceful.
"After besieging Hetu Ala for half a month, no reinforcements from the Jurchens arrived. I obeyed the imperial decree to lift the siege, and Buhe Taiji escorted the prisoners to the capital..."

A series of messages finally allowed Zhu Youxiao to relax his tense shoulders.

He read it twice, and a smile gradually crept onto his lips.

Xiong Tingbi, that stubborn mule, finally agreed to withdraw his troops.

They don't even consider that the long-standing problems in Liaodong cannot be solved overnight.

Having already reversed the Ming Dynasty's decline in Liaodong, we should proceed with caution.

另外
Lin Dan Khan is finally coming.

Zhu Youxiao eventually smiled unconsciously.

then.

Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, once had Khagan Jieli perform a dance in public to demonstrate the might of the Tang Dynasty.

now.

Why doesn't he follow the example of Emperor Taizong and have Ligdan Khan perform a grassland dance in the court?

Firstly, it was to show the world that the Ming Dynasty was not a weak country, and that it could even capture the Khan of the steppes.

Secondly, it was to declare to the world that he, Zhu Youxiao, had the ambition and ability to become a wise and capable ruler like Emperor Taizong.

More importantly, it is necessary to deter those restless demons and monsters.

Whether it's the parasites in Liaodong or She Chongming in the southwest, if they dare to oppose the Ming Dynasty, they will suffer the same fate as Ligdan Khan!
Zhu Youxiao walked to the window and looked at the dazzling lanterns of Aoshan outside.

The cold wind seeped in through the cracks in the window, but it didn't make him feel cold.

The first year of the Tianqi era is coming to an end.

Looking back on the past year, he has done a lot and gained a lot.

Although the Ming Dynasty ship was still riddled with holes.

But as long as he continues step by step, eliminating internal traitors and quelling external threats, one day he will be able to truly transform the bustling city of Beijing into the prosperous era of the Ming Dynasty.

Let the brilliance of the sun and moon become a true empire on which the sun never sets.

perhaps
He can accomplish all of these things in his lifetime!
ps:
A massive 9600-word chapter!

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(End of this chapter)