plumnovel Chapter 13 Yue Tuo is seriously ill, Dorgon faces a dilemma.
Chapter 13 Yue Tuo is seriously ill, Dorgon faces a dilemma.
On both sides of the official road from Julu to Guantao, on the vast wilderness, a dark mass of Eight Banners cavalry marched in formation, their hooves crushing the frozen earth, the muffled roar echoing endlessly across the plains.
Dorgon finally made up his mind to march into Shandong.
For several days, he had been trapped in a fog of intelligence, hesitant and uncertain. His scouts were being sent out one after another, and Julu City had blocked his northward route, cutting off all his intelligence gathering.
In addition, Yue Tuo was bedridden with recurring high fevers, and many soldiers in the army also developed high fevers and chills. The shadow of the epidemic loomed over the military camp, causing the morale of his tens of thousands of troops to gradually decline.
However, further hesitation would only make Dorgon more passive, and the predicament after the failed hunt for Lu Xiangshan forced him to make a decision.
After their sweeping, the land south of the capital was barren of resources. Even if they could still produce grain, it would only be enough for the army's consumption and would not be enough to complete their plundering mission.
If this continues unabated for so long without any results, morale will eventually collapse.
After much deliberation, Dorgon had no choice but to lead his troops south.
He wasn't in a hurry to launch a full-scale attack on the city; he only planned to head straight for Linqing to test the waters first.
He had already decided in his heart that the Chongzhen Emperor, who now dared to lead his troops in a raid, would never abandon Linqing, a vital town on the Grand Canal.
But no matter what the enemy's intentions are, once the Eight Banners army arrives at the city gates, the Ming army's troop deployment and determination to defend will be immediately clear.
If the defenses of Linqing were merely average, Chongzhen's forces would be at their last gasp. He would then launch a full-scale attack, capturing this granary and silver treasury of North China, as well as the young Chongzhen himself, in order to coerce the Ming court into negotiating peace and submitting to his will!
However, if the Ming army's defenses were well-prepared, he would have no choice but to stand still and observe, and then devise a new strategy for advancing or retreating.
It should be understood that the Eight Banners were the foundation of the Manchu Qing dynasty, and it would be unwise to waste them on siege warfare.
If we really want him to launch a strong attack on the heavily fortified Linqing, we might as well just withdraw our troops and leave the pass.
At least that way, Huang Taiji could only criticize him for returning empty-handed, rather than punishing him for his major defeat.
Tens of thousands of Eight Banner troops marched slowly forward in the winter, their armored cavalry stretching for miles, their banners fluttering fiercely in the cold wind, exuding a chilling aura that seemed poised to conquer the north.
Dorgon, dressed in a fur coat and armor, rode his horse through the central army formation, his face as gloomy as a cold winter pool.
Several days later, the Eight Banners army arrived at a deserted village thirty miles outside Linqing. Dorgon then raised his hand and ordered the entire army to set up camp and rest on the spot.
He first dispatched dozens of elite guards and scouts in several groups to quietly rush to the outskirts of Linqing City to investigate the city's defenses and the movements of the surrounding garrisons.
However, after suffering losses in the previous few days, the remaining scouts under his command no longer dared to venture too far, and could only look out from afar under the cover of the woods and mounds.
Even from several miles away, the imposing atmosphere outside Linqing City was still clearly visible, startling the scouts, who hurriedly returned to the camp to report the situation.
"Prince Rui! Banners are densely packed on the walls of Linqing, and the garrison is lined up in dense rows between the battlements. As far as the eye can see, there are armored soldiers on duty along the entire length of the city wall, numbering no less than 20,000!"
"Cavalry were deployed in all four directions outside the city, their armored cavalry arrayed in a strict formation. Judging from their armor, horses, and banners, it was clearly the organization of the Guan Ning Iron Cavalry!"
"The ferry crossings and main roads are all blocked by cavalry, and the Ming army's perimeter is extremely wide, making it impossible for us to get close enough to spy on their defenses!"
"A large number of militia are still building defensive positions outside the city. There are many chevaux-de-frise and trenches outside Linqing City. If the army were to launch a strong attack, the casualties would be heavy..."
As the scout's report reached his ears, Dorgon's hand gripping the riding whip tightened suddenly, his knuckles turning white from the force. The initial probing intent vanished instantly, replaced by intense worry and hesitation.
He spurred his horse to the top of a high mound and looked up to gaze in the direction of Linqing.
In the pale winter light, the majestic Linqing city wall stands along the river, its towering walls firmly guarding the throat of the Grand Canal.
The various Ming army flags fluttered in the wind atop the city wall, and the cold glint of armor and spears stretched as far as the eye could see, making it impossible to see the edge of the defending army. Such a military formation was enough to deter any invading enemy.
Outside the city, on the open field, eight thousand Guan Ning cavalry were stationed in all directions, men clad in armor and horses saddled, their formation orderly and imposing.
This elite border army, which has been fighting against the Eight Banners for many years, is the sharpest blade in the entire northern border of the Ming Dynasty. Its small cavalry units are no less capable than the elite Eight Banners troops, and their fierce fighting power is known throughout the world.
Dorgon, a seasoned warrior, could tell at a glance that the Guan Ning cavalry and the soldiers guarding the city walls were in high spirits and well-equipped, and were by no means a tired army that had been on a long march and had lost much of its fighting strength!
The thought of avoiding war quietly crept into his mind at this moment.
The Eight Banners cavalry dominated beyond the Great Wall, excelling in open field raids and field combat. Their high-speed mobile attacks were the key to their victory.
Kelinqing had high walls and strong fortifications, with wide and deep moats, making it a truly formidable and impregnable city. Attacking and besieging a city was not a battle that the Eight Banners were good at.
If they insist on launching a direct assault on Linqing, their elite cavalry will have no choice but to abandon their horses and fight hand-to-hand on the city walls, thus negating any advantage they have.
The Ming army held the city and was determined to fight, and the Eight Banners soldiers were likely to lose their lives in vain.
The Eight Banners elite troops under his command were the foundation of the Qing Dynasty, and every soldier was invaluable. The battle of Jiazhuang had already resulted in the loss of nearly a thousand veteran soldiers, and the Han army suffered even greater losses, numbering in the thousands.
Therefore, he simply cannot afford another costly and arduous siege battle.
Considering the fragile supply lines that could be cut off by Ming cavalry at any moment, Dorgon became even more troubled.
To attack Shandong, it is essential to advance and resupply along the Grand Canal and its tributaries; this is the most convenient and reliable approach.
But now that Chongzhen has led his troops to guard Linqing ahead of time, it is tantamount to cutting off the Grand Canal's waterway for grain transport.
If the Qing army dared to bypass Linqing and split its forces, the Ming army's mobile cavalry and infantry pursuing along the canal could teach them a lesson in no time.
At that time, with Ming troops stationed in various parts of Shandong eyeing them covetously from the front and the Linqing garrison ready to attack and cut off their supply lines from the rear, they would be isolated and helpless deep in enemy territory. Once they were surrounded, it would be a dead end for the entire army to be wiped out!
In an instant, Dorgon felt a deep sense of frustration.
What was once within his grasp, Linqing, has now transformed into a fierce tiger entrenched in the Grand Canal, its fortifications impenetrable and its fangs bared, effectively blocking all his paths southward to plunder.
All these changes stemmed from the complete transformation of Emperor Chongzhen!
Dorgon felt a surge of intense hatred that almost burst from his chest!
He hated that Chongzhen broke free from the shackles of the capital, changed his previous cowardice and incompetence, and accurately grasped the key to the war situation!
They resented the other side for seizing Linqing, a vital strategic location, which had shattered their meticulously planned invasion!
He hated himself even more for having tens of thousands of fierce soldiers, yet feeling utterly helpless in the face of a lone city!
Fighting would come at a heavy price, and the odds of winning are uncertain.
The road ahead is uncertain, and danger lurks everywhere.
If they retreat, this expedition into the pass will have yielded nothing, which will inevitably shake the morale of the Eight Banners army and further damage the prestige of Prince Rui.
This truly put him in a dilemma, caught between a rock and a hard place!
A biting wind howled past, ruffling Dorgon's hair and unsettling his mind.
He stood on the high hill, silent for a long time, while the distant city of Linqing remained silent and solemn. The Ming army flags on the city walls stood tall against the wind, like a silent mockery, which only intensified the pain in his heart.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from behind. A military doctor, looking anxious, stumbled to Dorgon's side, knelt on one knee, and said in a flustered tone.
"Your Highness! Prince Yuetuo's condition has suddenly worsened. The smallpox has fully erupted, and he has a persistent high fever, bleeding from his mouth and nose. He can no longer take medicine. I... I am at my wit's end!"
These words, like a block of ice, slammed into Dorgon's turbulent heart.
With fortified cities looming ahead and his comrades-in-arms, commander-in-chief, critically ill, and an epidemic spreading through the army, this double pressure, along with endless resentment and helplessness, instantly overwhelmed him.
Dorgon slowly closed his eyes, and a long, suppressed sigh of pain dissipated into the biting north wind.