Huangming

Chapter 426 Victory over the Jin Dynasty, Disposal of the Remaining People

The thin mist gradually dissipated as dawn broke.

The Beile Mansion outside Hetu Ala.

This mansion, which once belonged to Amin, has now become Xiong Tingbi's temporary command post. The vermilion gates are wide open, and the Ming soldiers on duty are wearing gleaming armor, their eyes filled with barely concealed excitement.

Inside the main hall, the candles were still burning, the wicks were down to half their length, and the candle wax had piled up to half an inch high.

Xiong Tingbi sat behind his desk, his light armor slightly dusty, and the dark circles under his eyes were so deep they looked like ink stains, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night.

"Great victory! Great victory!"

Sudden.

Urgent shouts came from outside the mansion, mixed with the clatter of horses' hooves, growing louder as they approached.

The soldier's question had barely begun when it was drowned out by an even more urgent response:
"By order of General Li Hongji, deliver the victory report to the Commander-in-Chief's tent! If this important matter is delayed, neither of us can bear the responsibility!"

Xiong Tingbi suddenly looked up, his previously tired eyes instantly brightening.

Just as he was about to get up, he saw a messenger run to the outside of the hall and kneel down.

The soldier, panting heavily, his armor straps loosened halfway, but he didn't bother to adjust them. He held a victory report high with both hands, his voice trembling with excitement:
"My lord! The palace has fallen! Huang Taiji... Huang Taiji has been captured alive!"

what?
Upon hearing this, Xiong Tingbi's face was filled with excitement.

He strode forward and snatched the victory report.

The handwriting on the victory report was messy but clear:
"At the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM), they stormed the Khan's palace and main office, captured the false Jin Tiancong Khan Huang Taiji alive, killed his generals Jirhalang and Heheli, and the rest of his troops surrendered..."

"really?"

Xiong Tingbi's voice was a little hoarse. He looked up at the messenger, his eyes filled with a final hint of confirmation.

"Absolutely true!"

The messenger nodded vigorously, his chest heaving violently.

"I personally witnessed Huang Taiji being captured. The bandit leader was tightly bound, his mouth stuffed with rags, and he was still whimpering and struggling!"

Xiong Tingbi stood there, speechless for a long time.

The morning light shone through the window and fell on his face, reflecting a complex expression.

There was excitement, relief, and a slight, almost imperceptible sense of disorientation.

He recalled the scene of devastation in Liaodong when he first took office as the Liaodong Military Commissioner:

With the fall of Kaiyuan and the imminent collapse of Fushun, the people were displaced, the morale of the Ming army was low, and the court was filled with voices of doubt.

To train new recruits, he braved the wind and snow to personally teach them combat tactics in the camp, his hands worn raw by calluses.

To besiege Hetu Ala, he mobilized 80,000 soldiers, 120,000 laborers, and Mongol servants. The daily consumption of grain and provisions was comparable to the taxes of a medium-sized city. If it weren't for the gold, silver, and grain obtained from the confiscation of property, this war to destroy the Jin dynasty would not have lasted until today.

Fortunately.

All of this paid off.

The ultimate goal of destroying the Jin dynasty was achieved.

"call……"

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes were already a little wet.

The burden that had been weighing on my heart for years was finally lifted at this moment.

"Congratulations, Your Excellency! Congratulations, Your Excellency!"

Zhou Wenhuan, an advisor standing nearby, could not contain himself and stepped forward to bow and offer his congratulations.

"With Huang Taiji captured and the puppet Jin dynasty destroyed, the great threat to Liaodong has finally been completely eliminated! From now on, the people of Liaodong can live in peace, and the northern border of the Ming Dynasty can be tranquil!"

"Hahaha...Good! Great!"

Xiong Tingbi suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter. His laughter was hoarse but unrestrained, echoing throughout the main hall.

He laughed for a long time before gradually stopping, raising his hand to wipe the corner of his eye, and his gaze returned to the map.

But now, his eyes had changed from their previous joy to a deep and thoughtful calm.

"The good news must be sent to the capital immediately so that His Majesty and the court officials know that we have won the Liaodong campaign."

Xiong Tingbi spoke slowly, his tone returning to its usual calm and composed manner.

"But this is not the end, it's just the beginning."

He pointed to the area surrounding Hetu Ala on the map and said to Zhou Wenhuan:
"There are still tens of thousands of Jin troops. How should we settle the surrendered soldiers?"

Should they be incorporated into the Ming army or sent back to their place of origin?

How should we appease those bondservants who were once enslaved by the Jurchens?

The land in Liaodong has been barren for a long time, and the post-war land reclamation must be put on the agenda as soon as possible, otherwise the people will still go hungry next year.

"And the Mongol tribes on the grasslands, though destroyed by Huang Taiji, if not dealt with properly, it's hard to guarantee that a second 'Great Jin' won't emerge in the future..."

Each and every matter was clearly listed in his considerations.

Taking Hetu Ala and capturing Huang Taiji alive was only the first step in pacifying Liaodong.

It will take years, or even decades, of effort to truly stabilize this war-torn land and enable the people of Liaodong to live a good life.

Xiong Tingbi calmly addressed Zhou Wenhuan:
"Transmit the general's orders!"

"First, order all battalions to strictly abide by military discipline!"

The people of Hetu Ala, who had been exploited by the Jurchens for many years, were no longer to be harassed.

Anyone who robs the people of their property or bullies women and children, regardless of their official rank, shall be executed on the spot and their body displayed to the public!

"Let the grain official allocate some of the stored grain to cook porridge for the people in the city and stabilize their morale."

"Second, immediately take stock of all casualties and prisoners of war!"
The fallen soldiers were registered and recorded, and their bodies were sent back to their hometowns for burial after the war.

The captured Jurchen soldiers were divided into different camps for guarding, while the elderly, weak, women, and children were temporarily detained in an empty village outside the city, and were not to be mistreated.

Furthermore, bring Huang Taiji here; I, the Grand Coordinator, wish to meet him personally.

"Third, order the head of the Ministry of Revenue to lead people to inventory the fake gold treasury!"
Grain, gold, silver, cloth, even a single grain of millet or a single copper coin, all had to be registered.

These are the blood and sweat of the people of Liaodong, meant to be used as seeds for future military farms and as relief for displaced people. Not a single drop can be embezzled!

"Yes!"

Zhou Wenhuan quickly wrote down the imperial edict and then handed it to the messenger.

The messenger responded loudly, turned around and strode out of the White Tiger Hall, turning the three orders into the rapid sound of hooves, which spread throughout the outer city camps.

Less than half an hour later, light footsteps could be heard outside the hall.

Li Hongji was covered in the dust of battle, his armor still stained with dried blood. His left hand was on the knife at his waist, and his right hand was tightly gripping the rope binding Huang Taiji. He dragged the man through the door like a dog.

Huang Taiji's right arm was hastily bandaged with rags, the strips of cloth already soaked in blood, with blackened scabs stuck to his clothes.

The ropes binding him tightly caused blood to seep from his shoulders, and he staggered with every step. The rag stuffed in his mouth allowed him to only make muffled "ooh" sounds. His cloudy eyes were filled with resentment as he stared intently at Xiong Tingbi in the hall, like a trapped wild beast.

Xiong Tingbi slowly stood up, walked to Huang Taiji, and looked down at him.

The morning light fell on Huang Taiji's disheveled face, revealing the boot prints on his cheeks.

Those were the footprints left by Li Hongji last night.

A pleased smile appeared on Xiong Tingbi's lips.

"You bandit chieftain, do you still remember how you let your troops plunder the prefectures and counties of Liaodong after the Battle of Sarhu?"

Do you still remember the cries of the people when your father Nurhaci massacred Fushun and captured Kaiyuan?

Now that you are a prisoner, do you still dare to wreak havoc in Liaodong?

He leaned closer, his eyes sharp as knives: "In a few days, I will take you to see the fate of the Jianzhou Jurchens."

Those people you have enslaved will watch the flag of the Great Jin fall with their own hands.

Those cities you burned down will rise again with smoke rising from their chimneys.

"You live on, and witness all of this."

Having said that, Xiong Tingbi straightened up and gave instructions to the guards behind him:

"Put him in the inner city's death row, and have ten men guard him day and night. Do not give him the chance to commit suicide, and do not allow anyone to approach him."

He wanted to save his life for the day he was presented as a prisoner to the capital, to give His Majesty and the people of Liaodong an explanation.

"Yes!"

The guards stepped forward and roughly pulled the rope. Huang Taiji struggled to lunge at Xiong Tingbi, but the guards held his shoulders down and dragged him away. The resentment in his eyes was almost overflowing, but he could only let the footsteps gradually fade away.

Xiong Tingbi turned around and looked at Li Hongji standing to the side. The coldness on his face dissipated, replaced by a smile of satisfaction.
"Deputy General Li, this capture of the Jian chieftain alive is another tremendous achievement."

You were promoted from brigadier general to deputy general in just six months, are you already planning to be promoted to general?

He picked up the teacup on the table and poured Li Hongji a cup of hot tea.

"Throughout history, very few people have risen through the ranks as quickly as you have."

Li Hongji quickly cupped his hands in greeting, a humble smile on his face, and slightly bowed as he accepted the teacup:

"The Duke of Jinglue is joking."

The capture of Huang Taiji was not solely the achievement of this humble general.
Marshal He blocked the breakout at the north gate, and Earl Liu Xingzuo of Weilu was familiar with the Jurchen defenses. General Qi Jin's artillery support also made great contributions.

"I merely got lucky and acted first, reaping the credit without anyone noticing."

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly sincere:
"As for my promotion, it is entirely due to Your Majesty's wisdom and gratitude for the soldiers' bloody battles."

Furthermore, thanks to your unconventional approach, General Jinglue, you gave me the opportunity to fight on the battlefield.

"Without your promotion, I would still be a lowly soldier guarding the border; how could I be where I am today?"

Hearing this, Xiong Tingbi couldn't help but laugh out loud, pointing at Li Hongji:

"You little rascal, you've only been in the army for a short time, but you've already learned all the shrewdness of those old generals."

but"

He changed the subject, his eyes becoming serious.

"You are brave, resourceful, and humble. You will surely achieve great things in the military in the future."

Li Hongji has accomplished so much at such a young age.

In the future, he will surely have a place in the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, the words spoken at this moment carried a sense of admonition.

"I hope you will not be blinded by these achievements. Once you have made a contribution, it is over. There is no need to keep bringing it up. With humility, strive to make more contributions so that you can maintain your position in the Ming Dynasty for a long time." "Therefore, I, the General, give you sixteen words: Do not dwell on your achievements, be humble and maintain your integrity; do not rely on past merits, but make new contributions."

Upon hearing this, Li Hongji immediately bowed respectfully to Xiong Tingbi and said, "This junior has learned a great deal."

Xiong Tingbi didn't want Li Hongji to run into obstacles everywhere in the court, and didn't want him to follow in his footsteps.

These sixteen characters were not only a gift to Li Hongji, but also a gift to himself.

Having said that, Xiong Tingbi smiled again and strode out of the hall:

"Let's go, follow me to the inner city and take a look."

To the palace city of Hetu Ala
No! "

He stood by the threshold, his eyes gleaming.

"This place should no longer be called Hetu Ala."

From this day forward, this place will be called 'Pingjincheng'.

The intention was to pacify the Jin dynasty and restore peace to Liaodong.

"Let's go inside Pingjin City and see what's inside."

now.

The resistance within the inner city had long since vanished with Huang Taiji's capture.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the few remaining Eight Banner soldiers who put up a stubborn resistance either drew their swords and committed suicide or knelt down and surrendered.

Those bondservants and servants knelt down and surrendered early on, shrinking into the corner and not daring to move.

As soon as Xiong Tingbi stepped into the palace, He Shixian quickly came to greet him, carrying a roll of account books. The corners of the account books were still stained with ink, indicating that the statistics had just been completed.

"My lord, the details of this battle have been properly tallied."

He Shixian bowed and handed over the account book, his voice tinged with weariness but unable to hide his excitement.

"A total of more than 13,600 Jurchens were captured, including 4,200 Eight Banner soldiers and 9,400 old, weak, women and children."

They captured more than 7,300 heads, most of which, upon inspection, belonged to heavily armored soldiers of the Bordered Yellow and Bordered Blue Banners.

Our army suffered 2,513 dead and over 3,600 wounded, mainly from losses during the ambush at the West Gate and the siege of the palace.

Xiong Tingbi took the ledger and examined it carefully.

My gaze finally settled on the "Supplies" section.

The inscription reads, "The inner city government's grain reserves are only enough for 10,000 people for two months. Half of the grains are mixed with wild vegetables, and there is no salt stored."

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips as he handed the ledger back to He Shixian, his tone full of sarcasm:

"His Majesty's insistence on eradicating the eight major Shanxi merchants was indeed a visionary move."

If the Jurchens hadn't had their supply of iron and food cut off, they wouldn't be in such dire straits.
Last year, our army seized grain ships belonging to merchants smuggling grain; 100,000 shi of rice alone were being transported to Jianzhou. If these supplies had continued to flow there, how could Pingjin City have fallen so easily today?

Zhou Wenhuan nodded in agreement:
"Yes, the eight major Shanxi merchants colluded with slaves for profit and should have been eliminated long ago."

Now that the Jurchens have cut off their supplies, their treasuries have barely any decent armor left, and the captured weapons are mostly chipped swords and broken bows, completely unusable.

Xiong Tingbi paced back and forth for a couple of steps, then suddenly stopped, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Speaking of which, if we had known they were so short of supplies, we wouldn't have rushed to attack the city."

If we besiege the city for two months, we can wear them down, and our army will suffer fewer losses.

As soon as he said it, he shook his head, rejecting the idea himself.

With 200,000 troops stationed outside, the daily consumption of grain and fodder alone would amount to 3,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), 5,000 bundles of hay, not to mention military pay and medicine expenses. Each additional day of siege would result in an astronomical sum.

Although confiscating the property of Liaodong generals had partially replenished the funds, it could not withstand prolonged losses. A swift and decisive victory was ultimately the safest option.

"correct."

Xiong Tingbi suddenly remembered something and asked:

"What about Huang Taiji's family?"

Why wasn't it mentioned in the list of prisoners?

Surely his wives and princesses couldn't have just vanished into thin air?

The emperor seemed to have a particular fondness for women from the Eastern Yi region, especially those who were already married.

These concubines of Huang Taiji are very suitable to be presented to His Majesty for his enjoyment.

As a general stationed in the field, Xiong Tingbi was still well-versed in human relationships and social customs.

If His Majesty had not blocked many officials from impeaching him in the capital, he would not have been able to achieve such merit.

The saying "to return a favor" perfectly describes this situation.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Zhou Wenhuan's face. He rubbed his hands together and said in a low voice:
“My lord, I have investigated. Apart from a few who were sent to Mongolia early on, the rest of Huang Taiji’s family members who remained in the palace were all killed by his own hands.”

Last night, during the search of the palace, blood was still pooled on the floor, and the bodies of more than ten concubines and their children were piled up in a side hall; the scene was... horrific.

"What a cruel heart!"

A flicker of shock crossed Xiong Tingbi's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.

He had long heard that Huang Taiji was ruthless, but he never expected that the other party would even harm his own flesh and blood.

"To prevent his family from falling into the hands of our army and being humiliated, he resorted to such a vicious act. He can be considered a tough guy, but unfortunately, he went astray."

"but……"

Zhou Wenhuan changed the subject, lowering his voice even further.

"Not everyone escaped unscathed. During the search, two people were found in a well on the west side of the palace."

"Oh?"

Xiong Tingbi became interested and stopped to ask further questions.

"Who is it? Could it be one of Huang Taiji's confidants?"

"They weren't trusted confidants, but two women."

Zhou Wenhuan explained:

"These two were originally concubines of Ligdan Khan. One was named Namuzhong and the other was named Suqin. Later, after Ligdan Khan was defeated, they were taken into the harem by Huang Taiji."

Last night, when Huang Taiji was killing family members, they somehow hid in a well and were lucky enough to survive. They are now being held by soldiers in a side hall.

Upon hearing this, Xiong Tingbi raised an eyebrow slightly.

Ligdan Khan's widow?

That was unexpected.

"Would the Duke like to take a look first?"

Xiong Tingbi raised his eyebrows slightly and nodded in acknowledgment.

Let's see what they look like first.

If the fruit is misshapen or cracked, it's best not to defile His Majesty's dragon eye.

"I will go and bring them here immediately."

Zhou Wenhuan immediately headed towards the palace.

It didn't take long.

Two guards then led two figures into the hall.

As soon as I stepped across the threshold, a damp, cold draft wafted over.

Su Qin and Namuzhong's Mongolian brocade robes were completely soaked, with water dripping from the hem. Their hair clung to their pale cheeks, their lips were bluish-purple, and they trembled with every step, as if they had just been pulled out of an ice cellar.

"The sinful woman Su Qin (Namuzhong) pays her respects to the Grand Marshal."

The two men spoke softly, and when they curtsied, you could hear their teeth chattering. Their eyes were filled with lingering fear, and they dared not look Xiong Tingbi in the eye.

Xiong Tingbi's gaze swept over them.

These two are indeed good-looking.

With her stunning beauty and voluptuous figure, even in her disheveled state, she could not hide her innate allure.

"Are you Su Qin and Namuzhong?"

Su Qin and Namuzhong looked at Xiong Tingbi with some fear and immediately said, "It is indeed the sinner woman."

苏秦
This name sounds familiar.

correct!

Xiong Tingbi's eyes suddenly narrowed as he remembered that the military report mentioned that Ejei, the son of Ligdan Khan of the Chahar tribe, was Su Qin's biological son.

Right now, this guy is still gathering up Ligdan Khan's old troops on the grasslands. Although he hasn't become a force to be reckoned with yet, he is still a force that cannot be ignored.

Looking at the trembling, pale woman before him, he suddenly had a plan:
These two men could not only be presented to His Majesty as gifts, but perhaps also used as pawns in controlling the grasslands.

He softened his tone, his previous scrutiny replaced by a more reassuring one:
“You don’t need to be afraid.”

Now that Huang Taiji has been captured alive and the Jin dynasty has been destroyed, no one can harm you in the slightest.

"I will have warm rooms, ginger soup, and clean clothes prepared for you. Rest assured, your lives are safe."

"Thank you... thank you, General!"

Upon hearing this, the two men grasped at a straw and immediately kowtowed in gratitude, a glimmer of life returning to their eyes.

When they climbed out of the well, they thought their lives were in danger, but they never expected to receive such a promise.

The guards stepped forward and led the two away.

Silence returned to the hall, but Zhou Wenhuan stepped forward, looking at Xiong Tingbi with a solemn expression, his voice slightly lowered:
"My lord, what should be done with those who surrendered and the people who are actually from the Jin dynasty?"

He paused for a moment, then voiced his concerns:

“If we release them, most of these people have the blood of Han Chinese on their hands. If we release them back to the grasslands or mountains, they will cause trouble sooner or later.”

But if we kill them all...

Firstly, it would damage the prestige of the Ming Dynasty; secondly, the lives of more than ten thousand people might provoke a backlash from other tribes, making subsequent governance of Liaodong difficult…

It is to kill, or to appease.

This is indeed a problem.

Xiong Tingbi's brows furrowed immediately.

PS:

There will be an extra chapter later!
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(End of this chapter)