Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

As soon as Zhu Cilang finished explaining his plan, Huang Degong immediately stepped forward:

"Your Majesty is of inestimable strength, and the Tumu Crisis of that year is still fresh in your mind."

He bowed deeply and pleaded.

"This humble general humbly requests a change of garrison, allowing the Beijing garrison to retreat to Xiajin."

"This humble general will lead his men to Wucheng to serve as the 'sharp blade to the throat'."

Before the words were finished, Lü Daqi stepped forward without hesitation, his face flushed and his breathing slightly rapid.

"Your Majesty—"

He slowly raised the sword at his waist with both hands.

"If the ruler does not command his generals, it is not that the subject is overstepping his bounds, but rather that the enemy's advance is dangerous."

"Your Majesty, I request to take up the vanguard seal on your behalf and request that Your Majesty move to Commander Huang's camp, temporarily conceal your imperial power, and take command of the central army."

He held the sword above his head with both hands.

"Your Majesty, I beg to use my remaining body to shield Your Majesty from the swords and arrows of Wucheng. I will use my blood and flesh to build the fortifications of the capital."

"If the Bahana cavalry trample over my corpse, it will not be too late for General Huang to raise the dragon banner before his tent."

"I implore Your Majesty to reconsider!"

The candle flame crackled and burst, causing the armor plates of the thirteen generals to tremble in unison.

Zhu Cilang's sleeves suddenly rolled up:

"Your loyalty is as clear as day!"

The flickering light and shadow swept across his brow, and his voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"The emperor is the hope of all the armies!"

"If one retreats in the face of battle and hides behind one's soldiers, how can one command the six armies? How can one awe the world?"

The dragon's roar shattered the stagnant air.

"In today's battle, I will stand shoulder to shoulder with the three armies, sharing the same armor and armor, and together we will face the enemy's blade."

"All of you need only obey military orders and follow me to kill the enemy. We will surely make the Jurchens tremble with fear and restore the land of our Great Ming."

As the others were about to speak again, they saw Zhu Cilang's gaze sweep to his side:

"Jiang Yueguang!"

"Your subject is here!"

Jiang Yueguang responded and stepped forward.

"I hereby instruct Jiang Yueguang to proceed immediately to Dezhou City and to act in accordance with the plan without fail. Anyone who violates this order will be punished according to military law."

"Your subject obeys!"

......

On the tenth day of the sixth lunar month, as dawn broke, the faint light pierced through the thin mist.

Located in the southwest of Dezhou, on the outskirts of Wucheng County, Wucheng Mountain stretches across the area, its shape resembling a screen.

On the gentle slopes of the southern foothills, ten thousand elite troops of the Beijing Garrison have already established a series of encampments along the mountainside.

Yingpan is nestled against the mountains and faces open ground. It is 20 li from the canal and about 40 li from Pingyuan County.

Zhu Cilang sat in the central command tent, knowing that this battle was the first against the Jurchens and could not be lost.

A twelve-foot-long gilded banner stood before the tent, fluttering in the wind.

On the crimson flag, a five-clawed golden dragon and a seven-colored phoenix intertwine, their scales and feathers rendered with lifelike detail.

It seemed to have the power to overturn clouds and seas, making even the rising morning light appear somewhat dim.

"Your Majesty!"

The adjutant, holding a map, strode quickly to the bluestone table in front of the tent.

"The Azure Dragon Flag and White Tiger Banner have been erected at the East and West gates according to regulations."

On the table, a river defense map, its ink still wet, was laid out, its mountain and river features clearly visible.

Zhu Cilang tapped the mountain shape on the painting with his fingers:

"By setting up camp with our backs to the mountain, we can avoid being attacked from both sides. The north slope is steep and full of deer hides and thorns, so we must not be careless. There is a trench to the south—"

His fingertips moved down,

"Dig five feet deeper, and make sure it's solid."

He paused briefly, then turned to the eunuch Han Zanzhou who was standing to the side:

"Han Banban, the southwestern official road is the throat of the region. We have dispatched capable imperial guards to lay hidden stakes, with them on duty around the clock. Every blade of grass and every tree must be under their watchful eye."

Before he finished speaking, a mountain breeze suddenly lifted the tassels of the banner, and the twenty-eight colorful tassels fluttered in the morning sun.

Standing in front of the central command tent and looking around, the ten-zhang-square area under martial law was heavily fortified.

Towering watchtowers and arrow towers guarded the four directions.

With the Azure Dragon on the left and the White Tiger on the right, two large banners stand majestically at the gate, exuding a chilling aura.

Further out, scattered triangular flags extend along the winding, deep trenches, marking the defense zones of each battalion.

Armored soldiers patrolled back and forth, their armor clanging and their steps heavy.

Interspersed among these were the deep commands of officers and the uneasy expressions of new recruits.

Another mountain wind swept up from the valley floor, and in an instant, banners and flags fluttered and the entire camp was waving, like raging waves.

......

Meanwhile, forty miles away—

Dezhou, a county town in Pingyuan, was the site of a Qing army garrison.

"Report—"

A sharp shout shattered the tranquility of the long street.

A Qing soldier galloped up, a Manchu-script waist tag hanging from his waist that read "Third Battalion Commander and Seventh Zuoling of the Bordered White Banner".

With her "money rat tail" braid swinging wildly behind her head, she swept through the streets of the plain county town like a whirlwind, heading straight for the Bahana mansion.

The guards retreated quickly, clearing a path.

Before the horse had come to a complete stop, the soldier leaped off and rushed into the mansion gate in three quick steps.

Inside the hall, Bahanagushan Ejen (Commander-in-Chief) sat in the main seat with a large, imposing sword, while Fucha Turhong Jiala Zhangjing (Commander-in-Chief) stood beside him with a goose-wing sword hanging at his waist, his expression stern.

The surrendered officials Fang Dayou and Wang Aoyong sat on either side.

The celadon brush washer on the desk and the tiger-skin bow case hanging on the wall looked out of place, while various command flags were stuck on the sand table in the center of the hall.

Bahana had a bronze complexion, a shiny shaved forehead, and a "money-tail" braid at the back of his head tied with a red-gold ring.

He listened to the generals discussing the matter of pacification, a leisurely, contemptuous smile playing on his lips.

At that very moment—

"Report—"

A scream shattered the whispers inside the hall.

The soldier rushed inside, sweating profusely and looking tense.

This urgent report instantly shattered the relaxed atmosphere in the hall.

Bahana paused slightly in his teacup, causing ripples to spread across the remaining tea inside.

"What's the panic? I'll hold the sky up even if it falls."

The soldier bent his left knee forward to touch the ground, pulled his right leg back into a half-kneeling position, and pressed his right palm onto his left knee, his voice trembling slightly:

"Reporting to the Gushan Ejen (Commander-in-Chief), a scout reports that the false Ming emperor has led a large army up the Cao River."

"They have already set up camp outside Wucheng in the west, and their formation is quite large, seemingly indicating their intention to invade Pingyuan County."

How many bandits are there?

"Approximately twenty thousand people!"

"Twenty thousand?"

Bahana slammed the teacup down on the table with a loud "bang."

"In the Battle of Songshan, even with an army of 130,000, Hong Chengchou still..."

Bahana's voice abruptly stopped, his tongue licking between his teeth, leaving a silent pause.

"Did that brat Zhu Cilang really cross the river? Do those bondservants in Nandu have any reliable information?"

"A secret report claims the false emperor is personally leading the expedition; scouts have personally witnessed the imperial banner in the camp—it's absolutely true!"

Bahana's brows furrowed instantly, and a fierce glint flashed in his eyes.

He slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, pointing at the soldier and demanding an explanation:

"Nonsense! The Regent secretly reported to Shang Yan three days ago that the false Ming dynasty wanted to send envoys to negotiate peace and jointly suppress the bandits."

"Are you seeing ghosts in broad daylight?"

The soldier trembled at the sudden, thunderous rage, lowering his head even further.

"Your Excellency, I dare not speak presumptuously!"

"The dragon banner was three zhang tall, with golden dragons coiled around it, and the ceremonial guards in the camp were clearly distinguished, which was undoubtedly the camp of the false emperor."

"The scouts lay in ambush at Wulipo and saw everything clearly without any mistake."

A flicker of disbelief crossed Bahana's eyes, quickly replaced by the excitement of a divinely granted victory.

His gaze shifted to Fang Dayou and Wang Aoyong:

"Vice Envoy Fang, Vice Minister Wang, your old master has led 20,000 beggar soldiers to run wild in front of our door."

"Both of you have served in the interior before, tell me, how should this battle be fought?"

Fang Dayou and Wang Aoyong's eyes met briefly in mid-air, then snapped away as if electrocuted.

As Fang Dayou bowed, the freshly shaved blue on the back of his neck was faintly visible, and his voice carried a hint of caution:

"Respectfully submitted to the Gushan Ejen!"

"The false emperor, with 20,000 exhausted troops, marched north a thousand miles, which violated the military principle that 'if one fights for profit within a hundred miles, the general will be defeated.'"

"In the Tumu Crisis of yesteryear, Emperor Yingzong of Ming was also in power..."

He suddenly stopped, and as he changed his words, his Adam's apple trembled as if he had swallowed charcoal.

"What I mean is that the false Ming dynasty values ​​empty reputation, and now that Your Majesty is personally leading the expedition, you will surely seek a swift victory."

"The city walls on the plains are 32 feet high, and the moat draws water from the Majia River..."

He secretly glanced at Bahana's face.

"If we close the gates and hold out for ten days, until their food supplies run out, the imperial banner will probably have to be rolled back to Jinling."