plumnovel Chapter 15: The Jurchens Flee North, and the Capital is Full of Mysteries
Chapter 15: The Jurchens Flee North, and the Capital is Full of Mysteries
On the night of the failed siege, Dorgon had no heart to plan the next plundering scheme, because Yuetuo's illness was getting worse and he had reached the point of being delirious.
The charcoal fire blazed brightly inside the Qing army's central command tent, yet it brought not a shred of warmth or life to Yue Tuo, who lay on his sickbed.
The head coach of the Bordered Red Banner Army has had a high fever for seven days. What was previously just a cold has now turned into smallpox. His whole body is burning hot and red. When he is in a coma, his jaw is clenched and blood occasionally spills from his mouth and nose.
After Dorgon, enraged, killed the Han Chinese doctors accompanying the army, the remaining Mongolian doctors and Manchu shamans took turns treating the patients, but to no avail.
The medicine was vomited up as soon as it was poured down their throats, having no therapeutic effect whatsoever. The Mongols and Manchu shamans were so frightened that they knelt outside the tent, trembling, and dared not utter a single word.
Dorgon sat in the main seat in the tent, with a map of the southern capital laid out in front of him, but his fingertips did not move an inch for a long time.
The Ministry of Revenue official accompanying the army had already calculated all the loot from this raid into the border region and reported it to Dorgon word by word, his voice so low it was almost inaudible.
"Prince Rui, since our army entered the pass from Qiangziling, we have captured a total of seventeen counties and prefectures in the southern part of the capital."
However, the plundered areas were all small and remote counties, and most of the wealthy families had already fled in advance. The total number of people captured was more than 42,700, including 30,300 able-bodied men and 12,000 elderly, women and children.
They captured a total of more than 16,400 mules and horses, of which less than 1,000 were warhorses suitable for the army, and the rest were oxen, donkeys and mules, which were not fit for long-distance raids.
The total amount of silver obtained was 370,000 taels, of which only 80,000 taels were from the official treasury. The rest were obtained by plundering small households and gentry. Gold and silver jewelry, silk and cloth were valued at a total of 120,000 taels.
The provisions...are now only enough for the army for one month, with no surplus to be transported out of the pass with the army.
This string of numbers felt like ice water poured over Dorgon's heart, causing his lips to twitch slightly.
He led an army of 70,000 into the pass, including 30,000 elite Eight Banner troops, intending to achieve unparalleled merit and bring back abundant winter supplies for his people outside the pass.
But now, after nearly two months of fighting, losing troops and wasting food, the wealth and people captured are less than 30% of what they gained during the last invasion!
Let alone shaking the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, they couldn't even raise enough rewards for their Eight Banners soldiers. If they were to return with such a full load, it would be a joke.
What worried him even more was Yue Tuo, whose life hung by a thread on his bed.
Yue Tuo was the eldest son of Prince Li, Daishan, and a very important banner chief among the Manchu Eight Banners. He was also the deputy commander-in-chief of this expedition into the Central Plains, sharing command of the army with him.
Now Yue Tuo's smallpox is critical, and he may die at any time. If he dies within the territory of the Ming Dynasty, not only will the morale of the army completely collapse, but he will also be unable to explain to Huang Taiji and the Eight Banners relatives when he returns to Shengjing.
Manchus have always been averse to dying far from home, especially from smallpox. If Yue Tuo had died in the interior of China and his body could not be brought back to Shengjing for burial, it would have been a mistake that Dorgon could never erase in his life.
Then, considering that dozens of soldiers in the army had developed high fever and chills in recent days, just like Yue Tuo's initial symptoms, Dorgon's face became even more grim.
The shadow of the epidemic has already quietly spread in the camp. The Eight Banners soldiers all grew up in the cold and harsh lands outside the Great Wall and are most afraid of the damp cold and smallpox within the Great Wall. If the epidemic spreads, his army will collapse without a fight, even without the Ming army attacking!
Subconsciously, Dorgon's gaze returned to the map, but this time, he was no longer looking at the relatively prosperous Shandong Plain in the heart of the Ming Dynasty, but rather...
Dorgon's fingertips finally struck the two passes of "Changzhou" and "Miyun" heavily, and he finally made his final decision in his heart - withdraw the troops, retreat north immediately, and leave the pass at full speed!
He couldn't wait any longer.
During this northward retreat, he didn't even dare to take the route through Qiangziling and Qingshankou, which were the previous routes into the pass. That route had many mountain passes, and since Chongzhen was able to hold Linqing, he was very likely to secretly deploy troops to block the passes. If the Ming army blocked the valleys and used cavalry to harass and cut off the supply lines, the 70,000-strong army would be in a dead end.
He dared not take the eastern route northward along the canal.
It should be noted that the 8,000 Guan Ning cavalry outside Linqing City were extremely mobile and harassed the Ming army in a continuous pursuit. The main army, along with the captured people and livestock, could not shake off the Ming cavalry at all.
After much deliberation, Dorgon finally decided on a safe route for withdrawing his troops.
The entire army immediately broke camp and marched northwest, passing through Guangping and Shunde, detouring into the territory of Zhengding Prefecture, then heading north along the Baoding and Changzhou line, and exiting the pass through Gubeikou.
This route is mostly flat and open, which is conducive to the Eight Banners cavalry to gallop. Even if the Ming army harasses them, they can deal with it calmly with their superior numbers. Moreover, the terrain of Gubeikou is open, and the Eight Banners army can quickly leave the pass in batches without having to stay at the pass.
This way, they could avoid the ambush set up by the Ming army and send the critically ill Yue Tuo back to the outside of the pass as quickly as possible, away from the smallpox-infested areas inside the pass.
Once the decision was made, Dorgon did not hesitate for a moment. That very night, he secretly summoned his trusted generals to his tent.
He strictly ordered the news of Yue Tuo's critical illness to be kept secret, and ordered each camp to prepare food at 1-3 AM the next day, and the entire army to break camp at 3-5 AM and quietly move north. The vanguard was led by elite Bayara soldiers, while the rearguard was covered by Han soldiers.
All captured people, livestock, and property shall be escorted by the guards and advanced north at full speed. No one shall linger to plunder or delay along the way. Anyone who delays military operations, regardless of their banner affiliation, shall be executed on the spot!
The Eight Banners generals had long been worn down by the unfavorable battle situation of the past few days. When they heard the order to retreat north and leave the pass, they not only did not object in the slightest, but also breathed a sigh of relief.
However, the movements of the Qing army could not be kept secret from the Guan Ning army, which had already deployed multiple guerrilla squads around their camp at night.
The next day, just after dawn, before daybreak, the Guan Ning army, which had been scouting outside the city, rode back to Linqing at full speed.
At this time, Emperor Chongzhen had already gotten up and washed, and was dressed in soft armor and casual clothes. He was in his tent discussing the city's defense matters with Huang Degong and Zhou Yuji.
Upon hearing the urgent report from the scouts, he showed no surprise whatsoever, simply clapping his hands and laughing.
"Dorgon is indeed going to flee, but this time it's easy for them to get in but difficult to get out. Now they've plundered too little and their supplies are even tighter. I think he can hold out for a few more days to maintain a stable retreat to the north."
After saying this, Chongzhen picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip, a hint of relaxation flashing in his eyes.
It wasn't that he was a prophet; he had long ago guessed that Dorgon would quickly retreat north if he couldn't capture Linqing.
Rather, the Jurchens' current precarious supply situation means they cannot wage a protracted war against us.
Before the Battle of Jiazhuang, the Jurchens had divided their forces to plunder in all directions, so the problem of food supplies was not yet serious.
Unfortunately, in the Battle of Jiazhuang in Julu, Dorgon's army returned empty-handed, and during the chaotic retreat, the Ming army's harassing cavalry burned and looted a lot of grain and supplies.
In retrospect, the few days he spent resting his army in southern Ji were entirely spent depleting the stored grain.
Upon arriving in Linqing, they found no food to plunder due to the early evacuation of the surrounding people.
Without sufficient supplies, even the most formidable army will suffer a collapse in morale, just as Lu Xiang-sheng's troops were driven to the brink of defeat.
So no matter what Dorgon thinks, he has no choice but to either launch a strong attack on a major town to obtain food and sustain his life, or to flee the pass before his food supplies run out.
Huang Degong's eyes lit up, and he immediately clasped his hands in a fist and volunteered for battle, saying, "Your Majesty! The Jurchens are trying to escape! This humble general is willing to lead the Imperial Guards out of the city to pursue them. We will surely intercept the people and goods they have plundered and crush their morale!"
Zhou Yuji then bowed and expressed his willingness to go out of the city with Huang Degong to harass the Jurchens.
Upon hearing this, Chongzhen put down his teacup, pondered for a moment, and then tapped the table.
"Generals, do not be anxious. Although Dorgon wants to lead his army north, his organization is intact and his elite troops are still here."
Of the 70,000 Jurchens, at least 30,000 were Manchu soldiers, which were 30,000 elite cavalrymen whose fighting strength should not be underestimated.
If our army goes out of the city to pursue, he will turn around and counterattack. Our troops will be scattered and easily surrounded by him.
My previous decision to hold Linqing was to block the Jurchens' southward advance, not to engage them in a decisive open battle.
After saying this, Chongzhen stood up with his hands behind his back and looked at the map of Beizhili on the wall.
"Dorgon is so eager to retreat north and has no intention of fighting. I suspect there must be other unforeseen circumstances in his army."
Therefore, our army does not need to confront their main force head-on. We can simply use lightly armed cavalry to harass them from behind, targeting their rear guard, supply train, and detachments escorting people, intercepting the captured civilians and recovering their valuables and livestock.
If he turns around to fight, our army will immediately retreat and will not engage him in battle.
If he continues to flee north, our army will press closer and closer, constantly harassing him, leaving him no peace day or night, and forcing him to flee the pass in haste.
Huang Degong and Zhou Yuji nodded in agreement. Emperor Chongzhen's pursuit plan was not unusual, but it was very prudent.
The emperor's safety and security were the greatest source of confidence for these military generals in their pursuit.
After further discussion among the three, Chongzhen quickly issued a military order, commanding his more than 10,000 cavalry units to pursue the retreating Jurchens and employ flexible tactics.
"Zu Kuan and Wu Xiang were ordered to lead 8,000 Guan Ning cavalry, lightly armed and simple, to harass the rear of the Qing army in batches."
The specific tactics and timing of advance and retreat are entirely up to the two generals to decide. I will not control them from afar, nor will I interfere. Just remember not to engage in a direct confrontation with the main force of the Qing army. Instead, focus on intercepting supplies, rescuing civilians, and killing stragglers.
Huang Degong and Zhou Yuji will command 3,000 Imperial Guard cavalry to provide support to the various Guan Ning cavalry forces. If Dorgon dares to send troops back to reinforce, the Imperial Guard cavalry will intercept and contain him, covering the retreat of the other cavalry forces. The specific deployment will be entirely up to the two generals to decide on the spot, without needing to seek permission for every matter.
Once the military order was given, all the commanders were invigorated, clasped their fists together, and loudly accepted the command.
Emperor Chongzhen himself remained firmly seated in Linqing City, awaiting reports from scouts at the front, showing no intention of leaving the city.
As I said before, he knows his own limitations. He should just be a pillar of support and a logistics captain on the front lines. It's better to leave the actual battle operations to his experienced generals.
Otherwise, if he really learns from that bald guy's penchant for micro-management on the battlefield and repeatedly botches up battles by supplying the enemy, he'll truly become a laughingstock for all time.
It was precisely this composure and clarity that became the shackles of despair that Chongzhen personally placed on Dorgon.
Dorgon's army retreated no more than thirty miles north before the rear guard was ambushed by the Guan Ning cavalry.
Zu Kuan and Wu Xiang's veteran generals divided into groups and led their cavalry like a pack of wolves, tearing at the rear and flanks of the Qing army, specifically targeting the guards and bondservants escorting people and supplies.
If the main Qing army returns to reinforce, they will be able to escape quickly with their superior horsepower, observe the situation from afar, and then launch another attack.
When Dorgon learned that his rear guard had been attacked, he was furious and immediately ordered his troops to split up and return to suppress the attack.
But by the time his Eight Banners cavalry turned back to reinforce, the Ming cavalry had already vanished without a trace.
The Qing army's elite cavalry, having repeatedly failed to achieve their objectives, were also seething with anger.
But this is just the beginning.
Within a single day, six teams of Guan Ning cavalry launched attacks in shifts, harassing the Qing army more than ten times. Hundreds of Qing soldiers were killed or wounded in the rear guard, thousands of captured civilians escaped back to Qing, and countless mules, horses, provisions, gold, silver, and other valuables were lost.
Dorgon was furious, but there was nothing he could do.
If he were to halt his army and turn back to encircle and annihilate the enemy, it would play right into Chongzhen's hands, delaying the retreat and putting Yue Tuo at risk of sudden death.
However, if they continue to retreat north regardless of the consequences, the rear guard will be constantly eroded by the Ming army, and morale will only become more and more chaotic.
He climbed to a high place several times to look towards Linqing, hoping to see the army that Chongzhen was impatiently sending out of the city to pursue him.
But he was destined to be disappointed.
Emperor Chongzhen remained firmly seated in Linqing City, showing no sign of leaving the city at all.
Dorgon finally gave up hope, and he was now absolutely certain that the current Chongzhen Emperor was no longer the indecisive and foolish emperor who was prone to executing ministers.
After leaving the capital and escaping the constraints of civil officials, this person underwent a complete transformation, becoming decisive, ruthless, and full of courage!
Not only was he determined to fight to the death on the battlefield, but more importantly, he remained calm and did not take risks. He was able to bend and stretch, and had great composure.
From now on, Emperor Chongzhen will surely be a formidable and intractable enemy of the Qing Dynasty!
Dorgon sighed and immediately ordered the entire army to discard excess baggage, speed up their march, and advance at full speed towards Gubeikou at all costs, hoping to get out of the pass as soon as possible.
Inside Linqing City, after receiving news that the Qing army was abandoning excess supplies and accelerating its northward retreat, Emperor Chongzhen's brow relaxed, and he immediately ordered local governments along the route to properly resettle the rescued people.
Half of the wealth and provisions recovered by the Ming army were used for military supplies, while the other half were distributed to the displaced people in southern Hebei under the supervision of over a hundred eunuchs under his command.
When this "good news" reached the capital, the entire imperial city was instantly thrown into turmoil.
When all the civil and military officials left behind in the capital learned that the emperor had actually forced the Jurchens to retreat from the pass and that Dorgon was currently rushing out of the pass in a panic, they all stood there dumbfounded, their faces full of disbelief.
In their minds, Emperor Chongzhen was capricious, stubborn, and confined to the inner palace. He would only reprimand his officials in court and was helpless and at a loss when faced with the Qing army's repeated invasions.
But now, this emperor personally led the expedition, first repelling a part of the Jurchens and rescuing the besieged ministers. Now, he has even forced back the invincible Jurchen army, defended Linqing, and made Dorgon's 70,000-strong army flee north in disarray.
Such earth-shattering changes truly instilled in all the officials in the capital an indescribable sense of fear and complex emotions.
They were astonished by the emperor's great talent and strategy, and delighted that the border troubles had been temporarily resolved, but beneath this joy lay a deep-seated fear and unease.
Although Emperor Chongzhen was suspicious and harsh, he was always bound by the rules of the court. He controlled most of the military and financial power. In the end, the emperor had to take into account public opinion outside the court and was subject to the rules of the court.
But now the emperor has left the capital, taken control of the new army, and personally commanded the military. In the Battle of Linqing, he seized control of millions of taels of silver and hundreds of thousands of bushels of grain, breaking the balance of power in the court.
Is this emperor, who has broken free from existing political rules, still the same emperor in the inner palace who can be controlled and swayed by public opinion?
If Emperor Chongzhen wanted to reorganize the court and launch another round of reforms, rectify official corruption, and investigate taxes...
What fate awaits those officials who hold sway over the existing interests of the court?
For a time, in the various government offices and residences of civil and military officials in the capital, everyone had different thoughts, and the atmosphere was extremely strange.
Only Grand Secretary Yang Sichang, upon receiving the news of victory from the front lines, laughed heartily, his eyes filled with ecstatic joy.
He made the right bet!
On that day in the warm pavilion, His Majesty opened his heart and confided in him, entrusting him with the affairs of the country and the nation. He had long regarded him as a trusted confidant, and His Majesty, who had "repented and reformed," regarded him as a wise and virtuous ruler.
Now that His Majesty has personally led a great campaign and won a great victory, his fame has spread far and wide, and his imperial power is secure. As His Majesty's trusted minister and the core of the imperial party, his position is naturally secure and his future is limitless.
Of course, more importantly, he was able to act freely under such a wise ruler.
As a member of the emperor's faction and the descendant of a famous minister, Yang Sichang, now over fifty years old, had long lost his desire for wealth and power.
His ambitions were even greater; he sought to be remembered in history, ideally for his immortal fame in the great cause of revitalizing the Ming Dynasty.
Just like the pursuit that Xin Qiji longed for throughout his life:
To accomplish the affairs of the emperor and the world, and to gain fame both before and after death.
A subject should act in this way.