Huangming

Chapter 421 The Golden Chief Perishes, Night Raid Captures the Commander

The spring wind, carrying dust, brushed against Ajige's face, with a chilling feel reminiscent of quenched iron.

He reined in his horse, and the warhorse beneath him seemed to sense the impending doom, pawing restlessly and exhaling white breath from its nostrils.

Only now did Ajige belatedly realize the truth.

From the moment I stepped into this forest, I was no longer a lurking hunter, but a wild boar that had fallen into a trap.

He originally thought that the grain depots outside Fushun Pass were poorly guarded, and that he could come and go freely with his three thousand elite cavalry.

But at this moment, looking around, the Ming army flags were unfurled in the wind all over the mountains and plains.

"How can it be……"

Ajige murmured softly, his fingers gripping the horse's reins tightly.

He had clearly sent scouts to repeatedly investigate, and there was no main force of the Ming army within fifty miles of the grain depot.

But now, Qi Jin's Zhejiang soldiers, Li Hongji's heavy armor, and Liu Xingzuo's cavalry, three elite forces, seemed to have been waiting for him, surrounding the three thousand cavalrymen in this valley less than three miles long.

He suddenly recalled the "hesitation" of the guards at the grain depot when they had lured the enemy earlier.

Those Ming soldiers could have escaped much faster, but they deliberately slowed down. It turned out they weren't afraid of fighting; they were waiting for reinforcements!

"Ajige, do you think you can get away with it?"

Liu Xingzuo's voice drifted over on the wind, carrying a hint of mockery.

"From the moment you led your troops into the territory of Fushun, the messengers of Huliangbao spread the news far and wide."

General Qi's Zhejiang troops have arrived from Hetu Ala, and General Li's heavily armored infantry have been lying in wait in the mountains for two days, just waiting for you to walk into this encirclement.

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the panicked cavalry under Ajige's command.

"The Grand Marshal had already said that once Hetu Ala was attacked, Huang Taiji would definitely send his elite troops to cut off the supply lines."

You are that 'elite'.

Ajige suddenly raised his head, spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, his voice hoarse but still fierce:
"Liu Xingzuo, you traitor who has betrayed his master!"
If it weren't for Father Khan sparing your life back then, you would have been killed long ago!

Have you forgotten the kindness of your father?

"hehe!"

Liu Xingzu sneered and pointed his spear forward.

“When you slaughtered Kaiyuan and plundered Liaodong, this kindness turned into a blood feud.”

Most of the soldiers under my command are sons of Liaodong people, whose parents, wives and children all died under the swords of the Eight Banners soldiers.

"Today it's either you or me who dies, what's the point of talking about gratitude!"

But a moment later...

Liu Xingzuo softened his tone and said:
"I'm giving you one last chance, and I'm giving you one last chance."

Ajige, surrender.

Your cavalry are already panicking; if they continue to resist, it will only add more corpses to their ranks.

The strategist has decreed that those who surrender will be spared death; if you surrender, I might even guarantee your survival.

"Live?"

Ajige threw his head back and laughed, his laughter filled with desperate madness.

"There is no reason for the Beile of the Great Jin to surrender! Even if I, Ajige, die in battle, I will take a few Ming people down with me!"

Just say it.

He turned his horse around and glanced at the Niru Ejen under his command. Some of them were pale-faced, while others were still holding their swords.

Those were the white-armored soldiers of the Plain Blue Banner, his most elite subordinates.

"Brothers, follow me and break through!"

"Stubborn!"

Liu Xingzu sneered and immediately ordered the enemy to be killed!
Seven thousand elite Ming cavalry from the northeast, like two giant iron pincers, came to encircle the area along the foot of the mountain.

These cavalrymen did not charge blindly, but used their skillful archery techniques to draw their bows and release arrows from horseback. The dense rain of arrows accurately hit the rear and flanks of the Eight Banners cavalry, and men kept screaming as they fell from their horses.

Liu Xingzuo himself stood on a high slope, but his steady gaze, like that of a hawk, was fixed on Ajige, the trapped beast.

Southwest.

Li Hongji's three thousand heavily armored infantrymen formed a moving iron wall, completely blocking the way back to the mountains.

The long-handled sabers and shields in their hands gleamed with a cold, sharp light in the sunlight.

These soldiers, clad in thick iron armor, marched with heavy but firm steps, pressing closer and closer.

Musketeers were interspersed among them, using the heavy armored soldiers as cover, firing in close-range volleys, each boom tearing a bloody gash in the Eight Banners cavalry formation.

Li Hongji roared repeatedly on the front lines, his command decisive, igniting the fighting spirit of his men.

Due north.

Qi Jin's artillery battalion has also advanced to its effective firing range.

Those dark cannon muzzles spewed flames of death, and with each salvo, the shells fell into the crowds of people and horses with a mournful whistle.

The shrapnel swept across the area like a storm, riddling the charging Manchu cavalry with bullets, both men and horses.

Solid shot, on the other hand, carves terrifying trenches in the ground, tearing limbs apart in its wake—a truly gruesome sight.

The artillery bombardment not only caused enormous casualties, but also completely disrupted the Eight Banners cavalry's rhythm of regrouping and organizing an effective breakout.

"Head northeast! Break through Liu Xingzuo's cavalry! Return to Longgang Mountain!"

After attempting to break through, Azig chose the direction with the greatest chance of survival.

He knew it.

The mountains and forests were the only hope for survival; only there could they escape the strangulation of the Ming army's artillery and heavy infantry.

He gathered his most elite hundreds of white-armored soldiers and Gebushixianchaoha (military guards) to form a spearhead, and with himself as the arrowhead, launched a desperate charge at the weak point of Liu Xingzuo's cavalry line.

The warhorses neighed, and the warriors roared.

The elite Eight Banners troops unleashed astonishing fighting power at this moment, attempting to break through the Ming army's encirclement.

Ajige led the charge, his long sword transforming into a whirlwind of death, leaving men and horses in its wake.

The white-armored soldiers who followed him were like mad tigers, fighting for their lives, and they actually managed to tear a small gap in the Ming army's cavalry line.

"Stop him!"

At Liu Xingzuo's command, several squads of Ming cavalry charged head-on without fear of death.

The two sides' cavalry engaged in the fiercest hand-to-hand combat at the narrow gap.

Horses collided, riders fell to the ground, and the muffled sounds of swords and spears piercing armor, bones shattering, and dying screams filled the air.

Blood irrigated this land, forming patches of slippery, bloody mud.

however.

This seemingly hopeful breakout attempt was nothing more than a desperate struggle in the face of the Ming army's overwhelming numerical superiority and impenetrable defenses.

Liu Xingzuo's cavalry had a numerical advantage, and although they suffered heavy losses, they were able to quickly mobilize reserves to fill the gaps.

Li Hongji's heavy infantry also took the opportunity to advance from the flanks and rear, attacking the legs and flanks of the Eight Banners cavalry with spears and heavy weapons.

Qi Jin's artillery fire was like a persistent leech, relentlessly covering the rear of Ajige's breakout group. Each explosion caused more Eight Banner warriors to fall, cutting off the replenishment of troops.

The breach was quickly closed and mended by the Ming army's cavalry's tenacious blocking and the coordinated attacks of infantry and artillery.

The elite troops around Ajige were decreasing at a visible rate, from several hundred to less than a hundred riders.

Their space for maneuver was gradually compressed by the surging Ming cavalry and infantry, and they were eventually completely surrounded in a small circle of no more than a few dozen feet in diameter.

The outer perimeter was surrounded by a dense array of Ming soldiers' spear tips, musket muzzles, and cavalry blades, resembling a steel jungle.

Overhead, the shadow of death loomed, as Qi Jin's artillery battalion turned their cannons, ready to deliver the final blow at any moment.

As time went on, the casualties increased.

Inside the circle, only a few dozen remaining Eight Banners warriors remained, all wounded, their warhorses panting heavily, blood dripping from their saddles.

They formed a circle, protecting Ajige in the center, their eyes filled with grief and despair, yet none of them laid down their weapons.

Hoo-ho hoo-ho~
Ajige, panting heavily, looked around.

The once fierce and invincible Eight Banners cavalry is now like a candle flickering in the wind.

Liu Xingzuo's cavalry lined up on the outer perimeter, their eyes cold.

Li Hongji's heavily armored infantry, wielding blood-dripping sabers, advanced step by step.

Qi Jin's cannon muzzle gleamed faintly in the distance.

The shouts of battle gradually subsided, leaving only the groans of the wounded and the restless neighing of warhorses.

The air was thick with the stench of failure and death.

A tremendous sense of sorrow and humiliation welled up in my heart.

He recalled his elder brother Huang Taiji's hope to defend Hetu Ala, his father Nurhaci's illustrious reputation, and the invincible years when the Eight Banners swept across Liaodong...

Ultimately, all of this has turned into the suffocating predicament before us.

surrender?

Do not!
He, Ajige, was Nurhaci's son and a Beile (prince) of the Jin Dynasty!

How could we bow down to the Ming dogs and submit to such humiliation?

That's a thousand times more painful than death!
"Great Khan... Your humble brother... has done his best!"

Ajige let out a long, mournful howl, filled with resentment.

He suddenly drew the sword from his waist.

A Jianzhou sword inlaid with gold and jade, its blade still gleaming coldly even in the dim light filled with gunpowder smoke.

"Lord Baylor!"

The remaining guards cried out in despair, trying to step forward to stop him.

Ajige suddenly waved his hand, stopping them.

His face was a mixture of blood and dust, and a piece of his left ear was missing, but his eyes were sharp as an eagle's, staring intently at the slowly approaching Ming army, finally settling on Liu Xingzuo's calm face.

"The warriors of the Great Jin Dynasty only have the spirit of dying in battle, not the servile dogs!"

He roared hoarsely, his voice exceptionally clear in the deathly silence of the battlefield. It was a final instruction to the remaining troops and a final declaration to the Ming army.

Before he finished speaking, Ajige gripped the hilt of the knife tightly with both hands and, without the slightest hesitation, pressed the cold blade hard against his own neck!

The force was so great that the blade instantly sliced through the leather armor collar, severed the throat, and embedded itself in the neck bone!
Hot blood gushed out like a fountain, splashing onto the stunned faces of his personal guards and onto the blood-stained mane of his warhorse.

Ajige's burly body stiffened abruptly, the last glimmer of light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and he fell heavily from his horse, crashing onto the blood-soaked, muddy ground.

"Your Highness!!"

The surviving Eight Banner soldiers let out heart-wrenching cries, their last will to resist completely collapsing with their commander's suicide.

Outside the encirclement.

Liu Xingzuo watched this scene, his facial muscles twitched slightly, and then his expression returned to its cold hardness.

He slowly raised his hand, stopping his subordinates from continuing their charge.

Li Hongji's heavily armored infantry also halted.

A moment later, Liu Xingzuo dismounted.

He approached through the lingering smoke of gunpowder, his boots crushing the broken arrows on the ground, his gaze settling on Ajige's lying corpse.

The blood-stained blue armor remained in the posture of suicide, half of the broken sword protruding from the throat, the knuckles still tightly gripping the hilt.

He bent down and brushed aside the messy hair on Ajige's forehead, his voice carrying a complex sigh of regret:
"This Ajige is quite a character."

The personal guard beside him was wiping the bloodstains off his spear with a burlap sack. Hearing this, he looked up:

"General, this Tartar is very stubborn. He didn't give in to surrender until the very end."

Liu Xingzuo grunted in response, recalling the spittle the enemy had spat on his horse during the surrender attempt, and the angry curse of "traitor." Suddenly, he raised his hand to stop the soldiers who were about to drag the corpse away:
"Find a clean piece of linen to wrap it up, so the crows won't peck it away."

Although Ajige deserves to die, let's still show some respect to warriors!
And this moment.

On the other side of the battlefield.

Ming soldiers were clearing away the remnants of the enemy lines piece by piece.

The soldiers guarding the grain fort were mostly wounded, their arms wrapped in blood-soaked burlap, yet they still held onto their spears and formed a circle, forcing the Eight Banners cavalry who refused to surrender into the center.

A Jurchen soldier with a blood-covered face suddenly sprang up, slashing at the Ming soldiers with his sword, but was pierced through the chest by a spear that flew from the side.

Liu Xingzuo saw this from afar, his brows furrowed slightly, and he called out loudly:

Those who surrender will not be killed! Anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy!

His personal guards also shouted loudly:
Those who surrender will not be killed! Anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy!

Those who surrender will not be killed! Anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy!

Under the Ming army's slaughter and persuasion, the remaining Jurchen cavalry, though unwilling, had no choice but to surrender.

Soon, the battlefield quieted down.

The Ming army was also quickly clearing the battlefield.

Half an hour later, the casualty log was delivered to Liu Xingzuo.

He flipped through the pages in the afterglow of the setting sun.

"The Ming army suffered 1,500 casualties."

Of these 1,500 men, seven or eight out of ten were guards of the grain fortress. They had been lured into a trap by Ajige's cavalry the day before, and many of them had fallen while trying to buy time by shielding the grain carts with their bodies.

Now look at the numbers on the other side.

"The Jurchens suffered two thousand casualties and one thousand prisoners."

Liu Xingzuo nodded slightly: "They haven't collapsed even after losing 70% of their strength, so they do live up to the name 'elite'."

"General, has the victory report been sent to Hetu Ala?"

The guard asked.

Liu Xingzu folded the casualty log and tucked it into his robes, then pointed to the fast horses in the distance:
"Have the scouts take two copies, one to the military governor and the other to the Liaoyang governor's office, and tell them that the grain route is open and Ajige is dead!"

"As ordered!"

The messenger rode off at full speed, raising a cloud of dust.

And this moment.

North of Fushun Pass.

The outer city of Hetu Ala was shrouded in twilight.

Sparks still flickered among the ruins. Surrendered soldiers from the Han and Mongol Eight Banners squatted in the corner, their hands covering their heads. Their armor had long been taken away by the Ming army, leaving only their thin inner linings.

Several Ming soldiers were registering people one by one. Occasionally, a soldier would look up towards the inner city, his eyes full of fear.

After the southwest corner of the outer city was breached, the Jurchen elite troops retreated into the inner city, and the remaining new recruits surrendered within two hours.

"Clear for another half hour, leave two teams to guard the outer city gates, and the rest of you return to camp to rest."

Chen Ce stood on a well-preserved watchtower, observing the progress of the cleanup below, and gave instructions to the deputy general beside him.

The evening breeze carried the scent of blood. He raised a hand to rub his temples, but in his mind he was calculating the consequences:
After the outer city was cleared, the Ming army could move the cannons to the foot of the inner city. Although the high stone walls were stronger than the outer city, as long as the gunpowder supply was sufficient, they would eventually be breached.

The war to destroy the Jin dynasty is nearing its end.

same moment.

Inside the Ming army's central command tent outside Hetu Ala city.

Xiong Tingbi unfolded the victory report delivered by the scout, read its contents, and exclaimed "Good!" three times.

His previously furrowed brows completely relaxed.

"Excellent! Huang Taiji has finally lost one of his arms!"

Zhou Wenhuan, an advisor under his command, stepped forward and pointed to the blank area around Longgang Mountain on the map, his tone tinged with caution:

“Lord General, although Ajige is dead, there is still no trace of Amin’s five thousand cavalry.”

This man is the commander of two Red Banners, and his troops are even more elite than Ajige's. If he were to hide in the mountains and forests, waiting for an opportunity to strike..."

The smile on Xiong Tingbi's face immediately vanished.

“You’re right, Ajige is a brute, but Amin is a man of deep thoughts.”

He didn't harass the supply lines, nor did he approach Hetu Ala; instead, he hid himself away. Perhaps he's waiting to stab us in the back when we attack the inner city.

"Should we split up our forces to search?"

Zhou Wenhuan asked. Xiong Tingbi shook his head.

Buhe sent word yesterday that he had not seen any trace of the Eight Banners cavalry.

He suddenly remembered something, turned around and pulled out another secret report from the table. It was from Liaoyang, saying that a small group of cavalry had been active on the northern edge of Fengjibao recently, but the flags had not been clearly seen.

"Amin...could it be that you're planning to attack Liaoyang?"

Xiong Tingbi frowned deeply.

The moment the thought popped into his head, it sent chills down his spine, like a bucket of cold water being poured over his head.

He leaned closer to the map, his finger tracing the contours of Longgang Mountain southwestward, passing a tributary of the Suzi River, and finally stopping at the banks of the Liao River outside Liaoyang City:

"Liaoyang is the foundation of our army's rear route. It not only stores half a year's worth of grain and fodder, but is also a key node for logistics transportation."

If Amin really dares to go around the mountain and avoid our scouts, he could launch an attack on Liaoyang..."

Before he could finish speaking, he slammed his hand on the table, spilling most of the tea from the teacup.

"Not only will the food supply for our 100,000-strong army at the front be cut off, but if Liaoyang falls into chaos, the garrison in Shenyang and Fushun will be tied down. If Huang Taiji in Hetu Ala then launches a coordinated attack from within and without, all our plans for the past six months will be ruined!"

Zhou Wenhuan, who was under his command, also turned pale and quickly added:

“What the General says is absolutely right! The garrison in Liaoyang is mostly composed of newly recruited militia. If Amin’s five thousand elite cavalry launch a surprise attack, they may not be able to hold out.”

Xiong Tingbi took a deep breath, suppressing his anxiety, and turned to look at the personal guards waiting outside the tent.

"Pass on my orders!"

Xiong Tingbi's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"Order Liu Xingzuo to leave 1,000 men to guard Fushun Grain Depot, reinforce the deer fortress, and set up more beacon towers. The rest of the troops shall immediately go west to search and annihilate along both banks of the Suzi River."

Focus your search on the dense forests on the western slope of Longgang Mountain, and be sure to find traces of Amin's cavalry!

If we encounter the enemy, we do not seek complete annihilation, but only to entangle them and prevent them from approaching Liaoyang even a step!

"Furthermore, send a message by fast horse to the governor of Liaodong!"

He paused, then added, "Tell Minister Sun to immediately strengthen the city's defenses, close the four gates, and strictly inspect passing merchants, hunters, and especially soldiers carrying horses!"

If the Eight Banners cavalry are spotted, there is no need to engage in battle. Simply light beacon fires to signal the danger, and hold your position while awaiting reinforcements!

"The last general takes command!"

The guards responded loudly and then rushed out of the tent, whereupon the sound of galloping hooves could be heard.

After doing all this, Xiong Tingbi finally relaxed a bit.

Seeing that his expression had eased slightly, Zhou Wenhuan said softly, "The governor handled it well, and I think he can prevent Amin's surprise attack."

Xiong Tingbi shook his head, a hint of worry in his voice:
“Amin is not as reckless as Ajige. If he really wants to take action against Liaoyang, he will not do so openly... I'm afraid he has other plans.”

However, Amin, whom Xiong Tingbi was so concerned about, did not attack Liaoyang.

He remains hidden deep in the dense forests on the western slope of Longgang Mountain.

now.

Dusk had fallen, and the sound of the pine trees drowned out the movement of the horses' hooves.

Amin's five thousand cavalrymen were scattered in the forest clearing, their hooves wrapped in thick linen, and even the bronze ornaments on their armor were covered with black cloth, so that they could not emit any light.

Amin leaned against an old pine tree, a horsewhip in his hand, listening to the scout's report, his expression changing.

"What did you say? The outer city of Hetu Ala has already fallen?"

He sat up abruptly, the end of his whip lashing the ground, kicking up a few specks of dirt.

"That scoundrel Huang Taiji couldn't even defend the outer city?"

The scout knelt on one knee, bowing his head even lower:
"Your Highness, the Ming army bombarded the city for three days and three nights. More than ten feet of the southwest corner of the city wall collapsed. The new soldiers of the Han Banner and the Mongol Eight Banners could not hold out and most of them surrendered..."

The Ming army is currently clearing the outer city; the inner city probably won't hold out for more than a few days.

"besides……"

The scout swallowed hard, his voice even lower.

"A large number of Ming troops have headed south. Judging from the direction, they seem to be going to reinforce the grain depot in Fushun. It seems that the Fourth Prince's side..."

"Ajige is finished."

Amin interrupted him, her tone eerily calm.

He should have realized that Xiong Tingbi was cunning and shrewd, so how could he not be wary of the grain supply line being attacked?

Huang Taiji's intentions were probably seen through long ago.

After a moment of silence, Amin suddenly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the two Red Banner Jiala Ejen beside him, and asked again, "How many Ming troops are still outside Hetu Ala City?"

"Your Highness, at least fifty thousand! However, most of them are besieging the inner city from the outer city, with their camps stretching out in a continuous line, completely surrounding the inner city."

The scout answered quickly.

Amin's eyes suddenly lit up, and he abruptly stood up, his riding whip pointing in the direction of Hetu Ala:

"And what about Xiong Tingbi? How many guards does he have?"

"Xiong Tingbi's central command tent was three miles outside the city. According to intelligence, he had at least three thousand men with him, all of whom were elite infantrymen, and he was also equipped with a musket squad."

Three thousand people...

Amin's lips curled into a cold smile:
"My five thousand cavalrymen are all elites of the two Red Banners. When they charge, they can even tear apart the Ming army's chariot formation."

Three thousand infantrymen, are they enough for us to fight for half an hour?

Jiala Ezhen, standing beside Amin, paused for a moment, then reacted, her eyes flashing with excitement:
"Does Your Highness intend to... capture the king first?"

"Not bad!"

Amin gripped the riding whip tightly, her voice tinged with madness.

“Cutting off the supply lines can only buy time. Killing Xiong Tingbi will leave the Ming army leaderless, and the predicament of Hetu Ala will naturally be resolved!”

Then we can join forces with the Great Khan to attack from both inside and outside. The 50,000 Ming troops will be nothing more than lambs to the slaughter!

but.

A surprise attack is a risky move, with great potential rewards but also considerable risks.

It could even be described as a desperate gamble.

Therefore, after deciding to launch a surprise attack, Amin looked at the soldiers in the field.

"Brothers."

His voice broke the silence and carried far on the wind.

"The only way to save our Great Jin now is to launch a night raid and behead Xiong Tingbi. However, this is extremely dangerous."

"If we succeed, the siege of Hetu Ala will be lifted, and the Great Jin can survive; if we fail, our five thousand men will probably all be buried in the Ming army camp."

The cavalrymen didn't speak, but there was still a hint of fear in their eyes.

Amin witnessed all of this, took a deep breath, and suddenly raised her voice, each word resounding:

"Today, I, the Prince, hereby command: If both father and son are in the army, the father shall step forward; if both brothers are in the army, the elder brother shall step forward; if a son is an only child without brothers, he shall step forward!"

These words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake.

The previously silent team was instantly thrown into turmoil.

A young soldier turned to look at his father beside him, his eyes filled with struggle.

Some brothers even refused to let each other live.

A moment later, a bearded man stepped out of the line first, followed by a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, his eldest son.

"Your Highness, my son is still young. I will stay and let him return home!"

Then, more and more people stepped forward, some supporting their elderly fathers, some holding their younger brothers' hands, and some standing alone as only sons.

During the final count, more than a thousand people found standing outside the queue.

Amin walked up to the group of over a thousand people, her gaze sweeping over the faces, some young and some weathered, her expression complex.

He took a deep breath and said:
“You thousand or so people are not deserters.”

Amin's voice was deeper than before, carrying a hint of tragic grandeur.

"You are the last spark of our Eight Banners, and the foundation upon which the Great Jin can make a comeback in the future!"

He turned around and walked to the slender boy at the front of the line.

That was Dorgon.

At the age of eleven, he wore ill-fitting light armor, yet his back was ramrod straight, and his eyes held no trace of youthful innocence, only the composure born of war.

Amin crouched down to meet Dorgon's gaze.

Dorgon.

His voice softened a bit.

“Take them north, cross Longgang Mountain, and hide in the north.”

"If I win this battle, I will send someone to bring you back; if I lose..."

Amin paused, her Adam's apple bobbing, before finally steeling herself.

"Don't look back, go as far away as possible, live well, and teach your brothers riding, archery, and martial arts."

The day the Ming Dynasty's government falls into chaos and its border armies weaken will be the day you lead the Eight Banners troops to rise again!

Upon hearing this, Dorgon's eyes reddened.

He looked up at Amin, his voice trembling slightly: "Great Prince, I'll go with you..."

"no!"

Amin interrupted him, her tone suddenly becoming stern, but quickly softening.

“You are the son of the wise Khan, the hope of the Great Jin Dynasty. You cannot die here. Listen to me, take your brothers and leave.”

He stood up and gave a stern order to the more than a thousand people.

"Listen up, all of you! From this day forward, Dorgon will be your leader. Anyone who dares to disobey his orders or abandons him out of fear of death will be executed without mercy!"

"Whoo!"

More than a thousand people responded in unison, their voices carrying a mixture of sorrow and determination.

They surrounded Dorgon, leading their horses, whose hooves were wrapped in hemp cloth, and silently walked into the depths of the dense forest.

Dorgon took a few steps, then looked back at Amin, only to see Amin standing there, waving at him.

Amin only slowly withdrew his gaze after the group had completely disappeared into the dense forest and could no longer be seen.

He raised his hand to wipe his face, as if a huge burden had been lifted, and let out a long sigh of relief.

But soon, that sense of ease was replaced by a resolute determination.

He turned to look at the remaining four thousand cavalrymen, a fierce light rekindling in his eyes. He lashed out with his whip, striking a nearby tree trunk and sending pine needles scattering to the ground.

"Bros!"

Amin's voice echoed through the forest, carrying a do-or-die spirit.

"The flame of my Great Jin has been sent away, and we have no more ties!"
Today, I will follow you into the Ming camp, kill Xiong Tingbi, avenge the Great Khan, and prolong the life of the Great Jin!
"If we die, we'll meet the wise Khan in the afterlife and tell him that we haven't disgraced the Eight Banners!"

The only response he received were pairs of vengeful eyes.

The Ming people attacked and occupied their hometowns, and humiliated their families.

This is a war to defend our homeland, a war for the survival of our race!
Only by fighting to the death can we have a glimmer of hope!
Soon, Amin was ready to launch a surprise attack.

And then, they headed towards Xiong Tingbi's camp outside Hetu Ala City.

The night is as deep as ink.

Outside Hetu Ala, the Ming army's continuous camps, illuminated by the firelight, resembled lurking giants.

After clearing the outer city, most of the exhausted soldiers had rested, but the guards around the inner city and the scouts outside the camp remained on high alert.

Xiong Tingbi's central command tent was brightly lit, where he and Zhou Wenhuan and others were analyzing a map to deduce Amin's possible movements.

The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy, and the candlelight cast long, anxious shadows of everyone present.

at this time.

"Report——!"

A piercing scream shattered the silence of the night.

The scout, covered in blood, staggered into the tent, his voice filled with extreme terror:
"Enemy attack! From the northeast! A massive swarm of cavalry! It's the Jurchens! Two red banners!"

Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a deafening roar, the neighing of warhorses, the clash of weapons, and the screams of countless dying people swept in from the northeast corner of the camp like a raging tsunami!

Four thousand of the most elite cavalrymen of the Red Banner Army, personally led by Amin, tore through the darkness and the lax security lines.

They did not light torches, their horses' hooves were wrapped in cloth, and their armor was covered in black. Relying on their familiarity with the terrain and the cover of night, they arrived silently like ghosts, and then unleashed destructive power in an instant!

"Kill Xiong Tingbi! For the Great Jin! Kill!!!"

Amin took the lead, his saber flashing with a deadly glint in the sparse firelight.

The cavalry behind him were like madmen; the kinetic energy from their high-speed charge easily knocked over the deer fortresses and overturned the fences.

The infantry camps on the outer perimeter of the Ming army bore the brunt of the attack.

Many soldiers, barely awakened from their sleep and before they could even don their armor and weapons, were swallowed up by the raging torrent of cavalry.

Long swords slashed, iron hooves trampled, and screams mingled with the ear-piercing sound of armor shattering.

The two Red Banner cavalrymen, without lingering in battle, used Amin as their spearhead and charged swiftly toward the central command tent with a clear objective!

Wherever they went, chaos ensued, and blood splattered everywhere.

"Enemy attack! It's Amin! Quick! Stop them!"

The Ming army officers on the perimeter shouted at the top of their lungs, trying to organize a defensive line.

But in the face of this sudden and overwhelming attack, the scattered resistance was crushed like waves crashing against rocks.

Chaos spread like a plague, and fires raged throughout the camp.

Amin only had eyes for the brightly lit main tent!
His blade was stained with blood, and his warhorse puffed out white steam; with each swing, a life was taken.

Four thousand elite cavalrymen formed an invincible torrent, carving a bloody path through the chaotic Ming army camp.

They used the gaps between the tents to maneuver and infiltrate, bypassing the Ming army that was gathering, and went straight to the heart of the enemy!

"Protect the Emperor! Protect the General!"

Xiong Tingbi's personal guard captain roared with fury, his eyes blazing with rage.

The elite guards surrounding the central command tent reacted swiftly, with musketeers hastily forming ranks and spearmen and swordsmen fighting to block their advance.

"Bang Bang Bang!!!"

A chaotic and rapid volley of musket fire exploded at close range, billowing white smoke.

The two Red Banner cavalrymen at the forefront were immediately thrown off their horses, which neighed and fell to the ground. However, the cavalrymen following behind stepped over the corpses of their comrades and their speed increased instead of decreasing!

The fierce Bayara even charged forward with lead bullets in his arms, using his body to clear a path for Amin!
"Throw the flaming oil canister!"

A Ming army captain roared in anger.

Several oil canisters were smashed against the charging cavalry, shattering with a bang, and flames instantly rose up, igniting the armor and mane of the men and horses.

Amid screams, several "fire men" continued their frantic charge forward until they collapsed.

But this did not stop Amin's advance; instead, it aroused the ferocity inherent in the Eight Banners soldiers.

"You old scoundrel Xiong Tingbi! Prepare to die!"

Amin's roar pierced through the sounds of battle.

He saw it!

Just a few dozen feet ahead was the largest cowhide command tent!

Figures moved about in front of the tent; the guards were desperately building a defensive line.

Amin's eyes were bloodshot.

The dawn of victory seems to be just around the corner!
Bear!
Die!

PS:

8400 big chapters!

That's it, I've already written over 400,000 words this month.