Dream of the Red Chamber: After being exiled, I went on a killing spree in Liaodong.

The next instant, Degelai knelt down with a thud, his voice hoarse as a broken gong: "Great Khan! Please let the Plain Blue Banner lead the vanguard! I will slaughter everyone in Liaodong and offer incense as a blood sacrifice for my father and brothers!"

The person who was timid and hesitant just moments ago has transformed into a vicious wolf with eyes blazing with fury.

Dorgon glanced at him coldly, rolling his eyes inwardly: What's the use of killing more civilians now that everyone's gone?

But no one pointed out this secret.

Although the Zhenglan Banner had many new recruits, each one carried a blood feud and burned with rage, making them the sharpest daggers to pave the way.

"Granted." Huang Taiji nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the tent. "All banners shall prepare immediately."

"Tomorrow morning, an army of 300,000 will march straight towards Liaodong!"

"Let the Great Qian Dynasty see—"

"We, the Later Jin, are not dogs that will simply die after being defeated!"

He turned to look at the huge map behind him, his fingertip landing heavily on a spot.

Three large, scarlet characters immediately caught the eye—

Shanhaiguan!!!

Taking it down would be like holding a knife to the throat of the Great Qian Dynasty. From then on, the Later Jin cavalry could drink from the Central Plains at any time!

Meanwhile, the Embroidered Uniform Guard spies lurking in the shadows in Shengjing, having been lying in wait for a long time, finally sensed this surging murderous intent.

After an overnight investigation, the intelligence was confirmed: the Later Jin would mobilize its entire force of nearly 300,000 troops and launch an attack on Liaodong in one day!

The secret report was drafted and sent out immediately.

"It's too late to send a message to the capital," the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard ordered in a deep voice. "Go and inform the General of Liaodong to prepare for battle immediately."

"I went to Shanhaiguan to sound the alarm."

Before he finished speaking, he had already written the secret letter in a flash, stuffed it into a bamboo tube, and tied it to a pigeon.

With a flap of its wings, the pigeon soared into the night sky.

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard changed into rough merchant clothes, mingled into the marketplace, and hurried towards Shanhaiguan.

At this time, along the Liaodong-Shanhaiguan line, dark clouds loomed, and murderous intent lurked everywhere; even the wind carried the pungent smell of rust.

"Something big is about to happen... The world is about to change."

The walls of Shanhaiguan resembled a giant dragon coiled around the city. Sun Hai stood on the crenellation, his cloak billowing in the wind, his brow furrowed in a deep knot. He stared at the vast land to the north, a sudden weight settling in his heart, as if a stone were suspended in mid-air, refusing to fall.

after one day--

The Embroidered Uniform Guard has arrived.

Robes as black as ink, hooves splattered with blood, the two riders galloped from the snowy plains, heading straight for the Liaodong General's Mansion and the Shanhaiguan city gate, like death knocking on the door.

"Three hundred thousand! The Later Jin have mobilized their entire force and are heading south!"

One sentence was enough to silence the entire room.

"What?!"

"Say that again, you fucking idiot?!"

The Liaodong General suddenly sprang up from his chair, his face turning deathly pale.

"Did your Embroidered Uniform Guards get their intelligence wrong?! Shouldn't the Later Jin be turning on each other at this time? The issue of the Khan's position isn't even settled yet, where do they get the audacity to send troops?!"

His voice was trembling.

At the time, everyone in the court said that Nurhaci had just died and his sons were fighting for power, which would cause chaos for at least three to five years. Liaodong was a window of opportunity, with no one in charge, so whoever became the general was a local tyrant, making a fortune.

He had squandered his entire fortune, sold his house and concubines, to get this lucrative position! Before he could even warm the official seal and start embezzling the silver, he was told that 300,000 enemy troops were coming?

"My lord," the Embroidered Uniform Guard said coldly, his eyes sharp as knives, "our intelligence is never wrong."

"It's over...it's all over..." The Liaodong general staggered backward, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. "All I know how to do is count silver! I don't know anything about fighting!!"

At the same moment, atop Shanhaiguan Pass, Sun Hai looked up at the gloomy sky and murmured, "Three hundred thousand... this is a desperate gamble."

"They're not after Liaodong, they're after the entire gateway to the Central Plains!"

His hands gripped the bricks of the city wall tightly, his knuckles turning white. He knew that if this battle was lost, the country would fall to another in the blink of an eye.

The pigeons flew through the clouds, carrying secret messages that pierced the sky, heading straight for the capital.

"Your Majesty, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard urgently requests an audience!"

Dai Quan strode into the hall, his voice kept extremely low.

"Come in." The retired emperor sat upright in the side hall, slowly moving the prayer beads in his hand, his expression still calm.

The next instant, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard burst through the door, knelt on one knee, and presented a blood-stained secret letter.

"Your Majesty, disaster has struck! The Later Jin army of 300,000 is marching south, their target Liaodong!"

The Emperor Emeritus's pupils constricted, and he snatched the letter. His eyes swept over a line of words, and he slammed his fist on the table in anger!

"That damned Nurhaci! How could he have such a rebellious son!"

Huang Taiji succeeded to the throne?!

It's only been a few days? He barely killed any of his brothers, yet he's already firmly in the Khan's seat, personally leading the charge with thunderous attacks?

He urgently summoned Jia Yi to the north, intending to take advantage of the internal turmoil in the Later Jin and make a decisive move!

Instead of panicking, the other party became even more ruthless!

"Fortunately... there are still 100,000 troops stationed in Liaodong." He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, "If we can hold out until Jia Yi arrives, we might be able to defend it."

He then ordered in a deep voice, "Send this message to the Imperial Study and have the Emperor urgently allocate provisions and weapons! This battle is a war that threatens the entire nation!"

He closed his eyes, his heart bleeding.

Half of the Ministry of Revenue's money has already been poured in, and he himself has taken another million taels from his private treasury... but judging from the current situation, he still has to keep filling the gaps!

We can only hope that Jia Yi arrives soon, otherwise the national treasury will be burned through by this great battle!

Inside the imperial study, Emperor Yuankang finished reading the secret report, tapped his fingertips lightly on the dragon desk, and his eyes flickered slightly.

"This Huang Taiji... is even more troublesome than Nurhaci."

He was able to seize power amidst the rivalry of his brothers, subdue various factions, and personally lead a large army south. His courage, methods, and prestige were all exceptional.

"Your Majesty need not worry," Xia Shouzhong said with a smile as he stepped forward. "With the Marquis of Zhongyong here, the Later Jin are nothing more than easy prey."

"Hahaha!" Emperor Yuankang laughed heartily, his pride rising. "Well said! No matter how talented and ambitious Huang Taiji may be, with Jia Yi, I am destined for greatness!"

He immediately wrote in vermilion ink: "The Ministry of War shall immediately procure provisions and weapons, and send them to Liaodong by express courier! Also, dispatch a fast horse to the front lines—urge Jia Yi to accelerate the advance! No delays are permitted!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Xia Shouzhong accepted the order and left, his steps as swift as the wind.

The news eventually leaked out.

In the streets and alleys, in teahouses and taverns, everyone was talking about it.

"Have you heard? The Later Jin army of 300,000 is coming!"

"My goodness, Lord Jia only has 100,000 men, can he hold out?"

"You know nothing!" one man slammed his fist on the table. "Who is Lord Jia? He's a man who has slain 60,000 Jurchens! A war god descended to earth, he could slaughter his way across the grasslands without even breaking a sweat!"

"Yes! As long as Jia Yi is here, Liaodong will remain!"

With morale low and the flames of war about to ignite.

But everyone knew that this battle was unavoidable.

And that name is rushing in from the northern snowfields, shattering wind and thunder.

"I'm going to the temple to burn incense and pray to the Bodhisattva to bless Lord Jia with a resounding victory."

Count me in!

……

The people of Shenjing City were all on tenterhooks.

Who isn't worried that something might happen to Jia Yi?

Since his return to the capital, those spoiled brats who used to roam the streets have become too afraid to even breathe loudly. They walk with their tails between their legs and dare not bully the good people anymore—anyone who runs into Jia Yi will suffer a broken leg or even be paralyzed for three years.

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

"Grandma! Grandma—!"

Lai Da ran all the way, his robes billowing in the wind, and rushed into the main hall.